,illustration3 ,cover art ,frontispiece3 ,moses and ,zipporah at the well ,,child',s ,story of the ,bible ,,by ,,mary ,a4 ,,lathbury ,,with ,,introduction ,,by ,,bishop ,,john ,h4 ,,vincent ,,illustrated ,,with ,,numerous ,,full-,,page ,,colored ,,plates1 ,,and ,,photo-,,engravings ,,boston ,,dewolfe1 ,,fiske ,co4 ,,copyright1 #ahih ,by ,,dewolfe1 ,,fiske ,,co4 ,,preface4 ,to ,mothers4 ,i have been asked to prepare this little aid for your use in the ,home--that first and greatest of schools4 ,the school was founded by the ,maker of men1 and ,he called mothers to be its earliest and most important teachers4 ,he prepared a text-book for it which we call ,his ,word1 illustrating it richly and fully from life and ,nature1 and filling it with ,his ,spirit4 ,wherever it is known1 as the children become the members of the ,church1 the citizens of the ,state1 the people of the ,world1 the ,book goes with them1 forming the ,church1 the ,state1 the ,world4 ,it is not only equal to the need1 but contains infinite riches that wait to be unveiled4 ,that no busy mother may say1 ,i cannot take time to gather from the ,bible the simple lessons that my children need1 this book of little stories--together making one--has been written4 ,i have tried to preserve the pure outlines of the sacred record from the vivid description and the suggestive supposition that are sometimes introduced to add charm to the story1 and in all quoted speech ,i have used the exact words of the authorized version of the ,scriptures1 so that the earliest impression made upon the memory of the child might be one that should remain4 ,the stories are not a substitute for the ,word--only little approaches to it through which young feet may be guided by her who holds a place next to the great ,teacher in ,his work with little children4 ,m4,a4,l4 ,,introduction4 ,when the children gather at mother's knee1 and the tiniest finds a place in mother's arms1 and all clamor for a story1 a story1 mamma1 how lovely is the picture--the living picture--that circle makes6 ,love1 longing1 wisdom1 expectancy1 faith1 shining eyes1 lips that move involuntarily1 keeping time to the sweet movements of mother's lips6 ,blessed group6 ,happy mother6 ,when the stories mother tells are light and meaningless1 full of rhyme and rollick1 even their eyes are bright and faces radiant1 and her own sweet face and voice give charm and weight and significance to the delicious nonsense she rehearses4 ,why not give to this receptive and eager audience stories full of deepest meaning1 facts1 parables1 myths charged with truth8 ,why not people little memories with heroes1 saints1 kings1 prophets1 apostles8 ,why not give stories to story-loving youngsters that will turn into immortal pictures and be transformed some day into living factors in the making of character8 ,and why not give them as comparison the babe of ,bethlehem1 the boy of ,nazareth1 the lad of twelve years in the schools of the ,temple1 the man of gentle love1 the preacher of righteousness1 the worker of heavenly wonders1 the ,son of ,man1 the ,son of ,god1 the ,prince of ,peace8 ,the ,book of books is the children's ,book4 ,it is a story book4 ,and the stories are true stories4 ,and the lessons to be drawn from them are numberless1 and will come up out of the treasure-house of memory when mother's eyes are closed and her voice silent4 ,it is a great thing to put mother and the ,book together in ,baby's thought2 in the big boy's memory2 in the grown-up man's heart and life4 ,this book is mother's book2 to aid her in doing the best and most lasting work a mother can do to sow seed and set out vines the branches of which shall reach into the world of spirits1 and from which she and her children may long afterwards pluck fruit together in the eternal kingdom4 ,,john ,h4 ,,vincent4 ,,chautauqua1 #ahih4 ,,contents4 ,,the ,,old ,,testament ,,chapter4 ,i4 ,the ,beginning of ,things ,,ii4 ,the ,great ,flood ,,iii4 ,abraham--the ,father of the ,faithful ,,iv4 ,isaac1 the ,shepherd ,prince ,v4 ,jacob1 a ,prince of ,god ,,vi4 ,joseph1 the ,castaway ,,vii4 ,joseph1 a ,servant1 a ,prisoner and a ,saint ,,viii4 ,joseph1 the ,savior of ,his ,people ,,ix4 ,the ,cradle that was ,rocked by a ,river ,x4 ,moses in ,midian ,,xi4 ,the ,rod that ,troubled ,egypt ,,xii4 ,following the ,cloud ,,xiii4 ,in the ,borders of ,canaan ,,xiv4 ,a ,nation that was ,born in a ,day ,,xv4 ,samson1 the ,strong ,,xvi4 ,ruth ,,xvii4 ,samuel--the ,child of the ,temple ,,xviii4 ,the ,making of a ,king ,,xix4 ,the ,shepherd ,boy of ,bethlehem ,,xx4 ,the ,power of a ,pebble ,,xxi4 ,faithful unto ,death ,,xxii4 ,david1 the ,outcast ,,xxiii4 ,every ,inch a ,king ,,xxiv4 ,david's ,sin ,,xxv4 ,david's ,sorrow ,,xxvi4 ,the ,building of the ,golden ,house ,,xxvii4 ,elijah1 the ,great ,heart of ,israel ,,xxviii4 ,the ,little ,chamber on the ,wall ,,xxix4 ,a ,little ,maid of ,israel ,,xxx4 ,the ,two ,boy ,kings ,,xxxi4 ,the ,four ,captive ,children ,,xxxii4 ,the ,master of the ,magicians ,,xxxiii4 ,the ,story of ,jonah ,,xxxiv4 ,esther1 the ,queen ,,the ,,new ,,testament4 ,,chapter4 ,i4 ,the ,angels of the ,advent ,,ii4 ,following the ,star ,,iii4 ,the ,flight into ,egypt ,,iv4 ,the ,boy of ,nazareth ,v4 ,the ,young ,carpenter ,,vi4 ,the ,voice in the ,wilderness ,,vii4 ,jesus in the ,desert ,,viii4 ,the ,first ,disciples ,,ix4 ,the ,first ,miracle ,x4 ,in ,his ,father's ,house ,,xi4 ,a ,talk about the ,breath of ,god ,,xii4 ,a ,talk about the ,water of ,life ,,xiii4 ,jesus in the ,synagogue ,,xiv4 ,among the ,fishermen ,,xv4 ,the ,healing ,hand of ,jesus ,,xvi4 ,following ,jesus ,,xvii4 ,friends of ,jesus ,,xviii4 ,the ,lord of ,life ,,xix4 ,mary of ,magdala ,,xx4 ,stories ,told by the ,lake ,,xxi4 ,stilling the ,storm ,,xxii4 ,called ,back ,,xxiii4 ,two by ,two ,,xxiv4 ,walking the ,waves--,the ,two ,kingdoms ,,xxv4 ,a ,journey with ,jesus ,,xxvi4 ,the ,christian ,sabbath--,peter's ,confession of ,faith ,,xxvii4 ,and ,we ,beheld ,his ,glory--,a ,father's ,faith ,,xxviii4 ,the ,lord and the ,little ,ones--,leaving ,galilee ,,xxix4 ,at the ,house of ,martha--,the ,good ,shepherd ,,xxx4 ,the ,lesson ,stories of ,jesus ,,xxxi4 ,the ,voice that ,waked the ,dead--,the ,children of the ,kingdom ,,xxxii4 ,the ,young ,man that ,jesus ,loved ,,xxxiii4 ,the ,last ,journey to ,jerusalem ,,xxxiv4 ,the ,prince of ,peace ,,xxxv4 ,the ,children in the ,temple ,,xxxvi4 ,the ,last ,day in the ,temple ,,xxxvii4 ,the ,last ,words in the ,temple ,,xxxviii4 ,an ,evening on the ,mount of ,olives ,,xxxix4 ,the ,holy ,supper ,,xl4 ,the ,night of the ,betrayal ,,xli4 ,despised and ,rejected of ,men ,,xlii4 ,the ,king of ,heaven at the ,bar of ,pilate ,,xliii4 ,love and ,death ,,xliv4 ,love and ,life ,,xlv4 ,the ,evening of ,easter ,,xlvi4 ,the ,lord's ,last ,days with ,his ,disciples ,,xlvii4 ,he ,ascended into ,heaven ,,xlviii4 ,the ,promise of the ,father ,,an ,,afterword ,,illustrations ,,the ,,old ,,testament ,moses and ,zipporah at the well 7color plate7 4 4 4 4 4 4 ,frontispiece ,driven from ,eden ,the great flood ,dove returns to ark with an olive leaf 7color plate7 ,the three strangers ,hagar in the desert ,on ,mount ,moriah ,isaac blessing ,jacob ,meeting of ,jacob and ,esau ,jacob and ,rachael ,jacob sold to the ,ishmaelites 7color plate7 ,joseph makes himself known to his brothers ,pharaoh's daughter finding ,moses 7color plate7 ,the rod that troubled ,egypt ,destruction of ,pharoah's army ,moses descending from the ,mount ,the return of the spies ,crossing the ,jordan ,the young ,samson ,the death of ,samson ,ruth and ,naomi ,samuel speaking to the ,lord 7color plate7 ,the young shepherd boy 7color plate7 ,david cutting off ,goliath's head 7color plate7 ,the spear struck the wall 7color plate7 ,the garment of ,saul ,the death of ,absalom ,david mourning for ,absalom ,the ,queen of ,sheba before ,solomon ,ravens bringing food to ,elijah 7color plate7 ,elijah and the ,angel ,elijah and the chariot of fire ,elijah raises the widow's son ,in the fiery furnace ,the handwriting on the wall ,daniel in the den of lions 7color plate7 ,jonah thrown on the dry land ,haman denounced by the ,queen ,,the ,,new ,,testament ,the ,holy ,child in the manger 7color plate7 ,following the star ,the flight into ,egypt ,the ,boy ,jesus in the temple 7color plate7 ,john the ,baptist at the ,jordan ,the marriage at ,cana ,jesus by the well 7color plate7 ,jesus in the synagogue ,jesus among the fishermen 7color plate7 ,jesus healing the sick ,sermon on the ,mount ,jesus teaching by the sea ,jesus sleeping during the storm 7color plate7 ,jesus curing the little maid 7color plate7 ,feeding the five thousand ,jesus in the wheat fields ,the little ones 7color plate7 ,the good ,samaritan ,jesus in the house at ,bethany ,the return of the prodigal ,the ,pharisee and the publican ,jesus entering ,jerusalem 7color plate7 ,showing the penny ,the two mites ,the ,passover supper 7color plate7 ,gethsemane ,jesus betrayed by ,judas ,the sin of ,peter ,jesus crowned with thorns ,jesus before ,pilate 7color plate7 ,jesus bearing the cross ,the descent from the cross ,the angel of the resurrection ,the walk to ,emmaus ,the ascension ,,child',s ,,story ,,of ,,the ,,bible ,,chapter ,i4 ,,the ,,beginning ,,of ,,things4 ,away back in the beginning of things ,god made the sky and the earth we live upon4 ,at first it was all dark1 and the earth had no form1 but ,god was building a home for us1 and his work went on through six long days1 until it was finished as we see it now4 ,on the first day ,god said1 ,let there be light1 and the black night turned to gray1 and light came4 ,god called the light ,day1 and the darkness ,night1 and the evening and the morning made the first day4 ,then ,god divided the waters1 so that there were clouds above and seas below1 and ,he called the clouds heaven4 ,it was the second day4 ,then the seas were gathered together by themselves1 and the dry land rose above them1 and ,god saw that it was good4 ,then ,he called to the grass1 and the plants1 and the trees to come out of the ground1 and they came bearing their seeds1 and ,he called the third day good4 ,then ,god called to the two great lights1 the sun and the moon1 to shine clear in the sky1 which had been first dark1 and then gray1 and they rose and set to make day and night1 and seasons and years1 and the stars came also1 and it was the fourth day4 ,then ,god called for all kinds of fishes that swim in the seas1 and rivers1 and for all kinds of birds that fly in the air1 and they came1 and it was the fifth day4 ,and then ,god called for the animals to live on the green earth1 and the cattle and the great beasts1 and the creeping things came1 and ,god called them all good4 ,after this he made the first of the great family of ,man4 ,he made them after ,his own likeness4 ,he made their bodies from the earth1 but their souls ,he breathed into them1 so that ,man is a spirit1 living in an earthly body1 and can understand about ,god and love ,him4 ,he blessed them and told them to become many1 and to rule over all the earth1 with its beasts and birds1 and fishes1 and it was the sixth day4 ,the ,man's name was ,adam1 and the woman1 who was made from a piece of ,adam's body nearest to his heart1 was named ,eve4 ,then ,god's world was finished1 and on the seventh day there was rest4 ,god was pleased with all that was made1 and ,he made the seventh day holy1 by setting it apart from all the others4 ,we keep the ,sabbath1 or the ,lord's day still1 in which his children may rest and worship4 ,adam and ,eve were very happy1 for they had never done anything wrong4 ,god gave them a beautiful wide garden1 called ,eden1 full of flowers and all kinds of fruit1 and with a river flowing through it1 and told ,adam to take care of the garden1 and ,he sent all the animals and birds to ,adam to be named4 ,god told him also that he might eat the fruit of all the trees of the garden except one--the tree of knowledge of good and evil--but if he ate of the fruit of that tree he should surely die1 and ,adam and ,eve loved ,god1 and had no wish to disobey ,him1 for ,he was their ,father4 ,but there was a creeping serpent in the garden1 and the evil spirit that puts wrong thoughts in our hearts spoke to ,eve through the serpent4 ,you shall not die1 he said1 but you shall be wise like ,god if you will eat of this fruit1 and ,eve ate of the fruit1 and gave it to her husband4 ,then they knew that they had sinned1 and when they heard the voice of ,god in the garden calling them1 they hid among the trees1 for they were unhappy and afraid4 ,when the ,lord had asked ,adam if he had eaten of the fruit that was forbidden1 ,adam laid the sin upon ,eve1 who gave it to him1 and ,eve said that the serpent had tempted her to eat of the fruit4 ,god knew that they must suffer for their sin1 so ,he sent them out of the garden to make a garden for themselves1 and to work1 and suffer pain1 as all who came after them have done to this day2 but ,he gave them a great promise1 that among their children's children ,one should be born who would be stronger than sin1 and a ,savior from it4 ,after this two little children were sent to comfort ,adam and ,eve--first ,cain1 and then ,abel4 ,when they grew up ,cain was a farmer1 but ,abel was a shepherd4 ,they had been taught to worship ,god by bringing the best of all they had to ,him1 and so ,cain brought fruit and grain to lay upon his altar1 but ,abel brought a lamb4 ,illustration3 ,driven from ,eden ,god looked into their hearts and saw that ,abel wished to do right1 but ,cain's heart was full of sin4 ,cain was angry because the ,lord was pleased with the worship of ,abel1 and while they talked in the field ,cain killed his brother4 ,when the ,lord said to ,cain1 ,where is thy brother8 he answered1 ,i know not4 ,am ,i my brother's keeper8 ,and the ,lord sent him away from home1 to wander from place to place over the earth1 and find no rest1 but ,he promised that no one should hurt ,cain1 or kill him as he had killed his brother1 so he went away into another land to live4 ,adam lived many years after this and had other children1 but at last he died1 when his children's children were beginning to spread over the land4 ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,the ,,great ,,flood4 ,as the people of the earth grew to be many more and spread over the plains and hills1 they also grew very wicked4 ,they forgot ,god1 and all the thoughts of their hearts were evil4 ,only ,noah still worshipped ,god and tried to do right4 ,the people had destroyed themselves1 and so ,god said to ,noah3 ,the end of all flesh is come2 make thee an ark of gopher wood4 ,he told ,noah to make it of three stories1 with a window in the top1 and a door in the side4 ,it was to be a great floating house1 more than four hundred feet long and full of rooms1 and it was to be covered with tar within and without1 so that the water should not creep in4 ,i bring a flood of waters upon the earth1 said the ,lord1 and everything that is in the earth shall die4 ,this was to be the house of ,noah1 with his wife1 and his three sons and their wives1 during the great flood4 ,does the house seem large for eight people8 ,god had told ,noah to make room for a little family of every kind of bird and beast that lived1 and to gather food of all kinds for himself and for them4 ,illustration3 ,the great flood ,so ,noah did all that the ,lord had told him to do1 and seven days before the great storm he heard the ,lord calling3 ,come thou and all thy house into the ark1 and that very day1 ,noah with his wife and his sons1 ,shem1 ,ham1 and ,japtheth1 and their wives1 went into their great black house1 and through the window in the top came flying the little families of birds and insects1 from the tiny bees and humming birds1 to the great eagles1 and through the door on the side came the families of animals1 two by two1 from the little mice to the tall giraffes1 and the elephants1 and when all had come the ,lord shut them in4 ,it rained forty days and forty nights1 and the waters rose higher and higher1 covering the hills1 and creeping up the mountains1 so that every living thing died except ,noah1 and all that were with him in the ark4 ,but after ten months the tops of the mountains were seen1 and ,noah sent out a raven and a dove4 ,the raven flew to and fro1 but the dove came back into the ark1 because she found no place to rest her foot4 ,after seven days ,noah sent her out again1 and she returned with an olive leaf in her bill1 and then ,noah knew that the waters were going away4 ,illustration3 ,dove returns with an olive leaf4 ,after seven days again he sent out his good little dove1 and she did not come back4 ,so ,noah was sure that the earth was getting dry1 and that ,god would soon tell him to go out of the ark4 ,and so he did4 ,think how glad the sheep and cows were to find fresh grass1 and the birds to fly to the green trees4 ,what a silent world it must have been1 for there were none but ,noah and his family in all the earth4 ,noah did not forget how ,god had saved them1 and he made an altar of stone1 and offered beasts and birds as a sacrifice4 ,when he looked up to the sky there was a beautiful rainbow4 ,it was ,god's promise that there should be no more floods upon the earth4 ,he still sends the rainbow to show us that ,he is taking care of this world1 and will always do so4 ,perhaps the people who lived after this--for ,noah's children's children increased very fast--did not believe ,god's promise1 for they began to build a great tower1 or temple1 on the plain of ,shinar2 or perhaps they had grown proud and wicked1 and wanted a temple for the worship of idols2 but the ,lord changed their speech1 so that they could not understand each other1 and they were scattered over other countries2 and so each country began to have a language of its own4 ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,,abraham--,,the ,,father ,,of ,,the ,,faithful4 ,the people who lived four thousand years ago were very much like children who easily forget4 ,they told their children about the great flood1 but nearly all forgot to tell them of the good ,god who is the ,father of us all1 whom we should always love and obey4 ,yet there is always one1 if not more1 who remembers ,god1 and keeps his name alive in the world4 ,abram had tried to do right1 though there was no ,bible in the world then1 and no one better than himself to help him but ,god1 and one day ,he called ,abram1 and told him to go away from his father's house into another country4 ,a land that ,i will show thee1 said the ,lord1 and ,i will make of thee a great nation4 ,he also made ,abram a wonderful promise1-- ,in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed4 ,he meant that sometime the ,savior should be born among ,abram's children's children1 and that ,he should be the ,savior of all the nations of the earth4 ,abram did just what ,god told him to do4 ,he took ,sarai1 his wife1 and ,lot1 his nephew1 and some servants1 and cows1 and sheep1 and camels1 and asses1 and went into the land of ,canaan4 ,when they rested at night ,abram and ,lot set some sticks in the ground1 and covered them with skins for a tent1 and near by they made an altar1 where ,abram offered a sacrifice1 for that was the only way they could worship ,god when the earth was young4 ,abram went down into ,egypt when there was a lack of food in ,canaan1 but he came back to ,bethel1 where he made the altar before1 and worshipped ,god there4 ,he was very rich1 for his cattle and sheep had grown into great herds and flocks1 though he had sold many in ,egypt for silver1 and gold1 and food4 ,abram and ,lot moved often1 for their flocks and herds soon ate up the grass4 ,then they rolled up the tents1 and loaded the camels and asses1 and went where the grass was thick and fresh4 ,they could easily live in tents1 for the country was warm4 ,but ,abram's herdsmen and ,lot's herdsmen sometimes quarreled4 ,and so ,abram spoke kindly to ,lot1 and told him to take his servants1 and flocks1 and herds1 and go where the pastures were good1 and he would go the other way4 ,so they parted1 and ,lot went to the low plains of the ,jordan1 but ,abram went to the high plains of ,mamre1 in ,hebron1 and there he built another altar to the ,lord1 who had given him all that country--to him and to his children forever4 ,there were warlike people in ,canaan1 and once when they had carried off ,lot from ,sodom1 ,abram took his servants and herdsmen and went out to fight4 ,he had more than three hundred men1 and they took ,lot away from the enemy1 and brought him back to ,sodom4 ,it was here that ,abram met a wonderful man1 who was both a king and a priest4 ,his name was ,melchisedek1 and he brought ,abram bread and wine1 and blessed him there4 ,after this1 ,god spoke to ,abram one evening1 and promised that he should have a son1 and then while ,abram stood outside his tent1 with the great sky thick with stars above him1 ,god promised him that his children's children should grow to be as countless as the stars4 ,that was hard to believe1 but ,abram believed ,god always and everywhere4 ,still no child came to ,abram and ,sarai1 and ,abram was almost a hundred years old1 but ,god spoke to him again1 and told him that he should be the father of many nations4 ,he told ,abram that a little boy would be born to them1 and his name would be ,isaac1 and ,god changed ,abram's name to ,abraham1 which means ,father of many people1 and ,sarai's to ,sarah1 which means ,princess4 ,abraham was sitting in his tent one hot day1 when three men stood by him4 ,they were strangers1 and ,abraham asked them to rest beneath the tree1 and bathe their feet1 while he brought them food4 ,so ,sarah made cakes1 and a tender calf was cooked1 and these with butter1 and milk1 were set before the men4 ,but they were not men of this world2 they were angels1 and they had come to tell ,abraham and ,sarah once more that their little child was sure to come4 ,then the angels went away1 but one of them1 who must have been the ,lord ,himself in an angel's form1 stopped to tell ,abraham that ,he was going to destroy ,sodom and ,gomorrah1 because the people who lived there were so very wicked1 and ,abraham prayed ,him to spare them if even ten good men could be found in them1 for he remembered that ,lot lived in ,sodom4 ,but the ,lord never forgets4 ,the two angels went to ,sodom and stayed with ,lot until morning1 when they took him and all his family outside the city1 and then the ,lord said to him1 ,escape for thy life--look not behind thee1 neither stay thou in all the plain4 ,illustration3 ,the three strangers ,and the ,lord hid them in the little town of ,zoar1 while a great rain of fire fell upon the wicked cities of the plain1 until they became a heap of ashes4 ,only ,lot's wife looked back to see the burning cities1 and she became a pillar of salt4 ,the next morning when ,abraham looked from ,hebron down toward the cities of the plain1 a great smoke was rising from them like the smoke of a furnace4 ,at last the ,lord's promise to ,abraham and ,sarah came true4 ,a little son was born to them1 and they called him ,isaac4 ,they were very happy1 for though ,abraham was a hundred years old1 no child had ever been sent them4 ,when he was about a year old they made a great feast for him1 and all brought gifts and good wishes1 yet the little lad ,ishmael1 the son of ,hagar1 ,sarah's servant1 mocked at ,isaac4 ,sarah was angry1 and told her husband that ,hagar and her boy must be sent away4 ,so he sent them out with only a bottle of water and a loaf of bread2 for ,god had told ,abraham to do as ,sarah wished him to do1 and ,he would take care of little ,ishmael1 and make him the father of another nation4 ,when the water was gone1 and the sun grew very hot1 poor ,hagar laid her child under a bush to die1 for she was very lonely and sorrowful4 ,while she hid her eyes and wept1 saying1 ,let me not see the death of the child1 she heard a voice out of heaven telling her not to be afraid4 ,illustration3 ,hagar in the desert ,arise1 lift up the lad1 said the voice1 for ,i will make him a great nation4 ,and ,god opened her eyes to see a well of water near4 ,then she filled the empty bottle1 and gave the boy a drink1 and ,god took good care of them ever after1 though they lived in a wilderness4 ,ishmael grew up to be an archer1 and became the father of the ,arabs1 who still live in tents as ,ishmael did4 ,but the ,lord let a strange trial come to the little lad ,isaac1 also4 ,his father loved and obeyed ,god1 but there were heathen people around them1 who worshipped idols1 and sometimes killed their own children as a sacrifice to these idols4 ,abraham brought the best of his lambs and cattle to offer to the ,lord2 but one day the ,lord told ,abraham to take his only son ,isaac and offer him upon a mountain called ,moriah as a burnt sacrifice to ,god4 ,abraham had always obeyed ,god1 and believed his word1 and now1 though he could not understand1 he rose up early in the morning and took his young son1 with two servants1 and an ass loaded with wood1 to the place of which ,god had told him4 ,they were three days on the journey1 but at last they came to the high place1 where the city of ,jerusalem was afterward built1 and to the very rock upon which the temple was built long afterward1 with its great altar and ,holy of ,holies4 ,illustration3 ,on ,mount ,moriah ,abraham had left the young men at the foot of the mount1 and went with ,isaac to the great rock on the top of the mount4 ,my father1 said ,isaac1 where is the lamb for a burnt offering8 ,my son1 ,god will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering1 said his father1 still obeying ,god1 and believing ,his word1 that ,isaac should be the father of many nations4 ,abraham made an altar of stones1 and bound ,isaac and laid him upon it1 but when his hand was lifted to offer up the boy1 the ,lord called to him from heaven4 ,lay not thine hand upon the lad1 said the voice1 for now ,i know that thou fearest ,god1 seeing thou hast not withheld thine only son from me4 ,then ,abraham turned and saw a ram with its twisted horns caught in the bushes1 and he offered it to the ,lord instead of his son4 ,how glad and grateful ,abraham must have been that morning1 when he came down the mountain1 with ,isaac walking beside him1 to think that he had still obeyed ,god when it was hard to do so4 ,abraham was an old man when ,sarah died4 ,they had lived together a long lifetime1 and he mourned for her many days4 ,he bought a field close by the oak-shaded plain of ,mamre in ,hebron1 and there in a rocky cave he buried her4 ,he was called a ,prince of ,god by the ,canaanites because he lived a true1 faithful life4 ,a few years after he also went to ,god1 and his body was laid beside ,sarah's in the cave-tomb4 ,ishmael came up from the south country to mourn with ,isaac at the burial of their father1 the ,friend of ,god1 and ,father of the faithful4 ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,,isaac ,,the ,,shepherd ,,prince4 ,before ,abraham died1 he thought much about his dear son ,isaac1 to whom he was going to leave all that he had4 ,the young man had no mother1 no sister1 and soon he would have no father4 ,so the old man called his old and faithful servant1 and told him to go on a journey into the land of his fathers1 and bring back with him a wife for his son ,isaac4 ,the children of ,nahor1 ,abraham's brother1 lived there still1 and ,abraham wished for his son ,isaac a wife of his own people1 who should be both good and beautiful1 and not like the heathen women of ,canaan4 ,so the old servant listened to ,abraham and promised to do all that he commanded4 ,he loaded ten camels with presents for his master's family away in ,syria1 and ,abraham said3 ,the ,lord shall send ,his angel before thee1 and from his tent door he saw the little caravan of camels and servants1 as they set out across the plain1 toward the land beyond the river ,jordan4 ,there was a desert to cross and many dangers to meet1 but the old servant believed in the ,god his master worshipped1 and was not afraid4 ,when he came to ,haran1 he stopped outside the town by a well of water4 ,it was early evening1 and the women were coming each with a water-jar on her shoulder1 to draw water4 ,the old man prayed that the ,lord would show him which among these daughters of the men of the city1 was the one who was to be his young master's wife4 ,before his prayer was ended1 ,rebekah1 of the family of ,abraham's brother ,nahor1 came bearing her pitcher on her shoulder4 ,she looked very kind and beautiful1 and when she had filled her pitcher1 the old man asked her for a drink of water4 ,then she let down the pitcher upon her hand saying3 ,drink1 my lord1 and asked if she should also give water to his camels4 ,while she was giving him a drink1 the man showed her some golden jewels that he had brought1 and when he had asked her name1 and knew that ,god had sent her to him for his young master1 he gave them to her1 and worshipped the ,lord who had led him to the house of his master's brother4 ,then ,rebekah ran in and told ,laban1 her brother1 and the old servant of ,abraham had a warm welcome at the door of ,nahor's house4 ,come in1 thou blessed of the ,lord1 they said4 ,and after they had cared for the camels and the men1 there was a hurrying of servants to prepare a feast1 but the old man would not taste food until he had given the message of his master4 ,then the father and brother of ,rebekah1 saw that the ,lord had sent for her1 and they said3 ,let her be thy master's son's wife1 as the ,lord hath spoken4 ,and the old servant bowed his face to the ground worshipping the ,lord who had led him4 ,then there was feasting and giving of costly gifts1 and preparing to take a long journey1 for the old servant was in haste to get back to his master1 and ,rebekah1 who was willing to go1 took her maid-servants and rode away into a far country to be the wife of ,isaac4 ,when ,isaac was walking in his field at sunset1 thinking and praying to ,god1 he looked up and saw that the camels were coming1 and he hastened to meet them4 ,when the old servant told ,rebekah that it was his young master1 she alighted from her camel1 and covered herself with a long veil as was the custom of the ,syrian women4 ,when the old servant had told the story of his journey1 he gave ,rebekah to ,isaac1 and he took her to the tent that had been his mother's1 and she became his wife1 so that he was no longer lonely and sad4 ,isaac lived to a very great age1 and had two sons1 ,jacob and ,esau4 ,he was a gentle1 quiet man1 fond of his family1 his flocks1 and herds1 and at the place where his father and mother were buried1 he lived among the fields and oak groves of ,hebron until he died4 ,,chapter ,v4 ,,jacob1 ,a ,,prince ,,of ,,god4 ,jacob and ,esau were the twin sons of ,isaac and ,rebekah4 ,they did not look alike as twins often do1 and they were very unlike in all their ways4 ,as they grew up1 ,esau loved the forests and wild places4 ,he made bows and arrows1 and was a hunter1 and brought home wild birds and deer1 for his father was very fond of such food4 ,jacob helped his father with the flocks1 and learned how to cook food from his mother1 who loved him more than she loved ,esau4 ,one day ,esau came home from hunting tired and hungry1 and smelled the delicious soup of red lentils that ,jacob was making4 ,he begged ,jacob to give him some1 and ,jacob1 who wanted to be eldest1 and have the right to the blessing that fathers gave to the first-born in those days1 said3 ,sell me this day thy birthright1 and ,esau gave him all his rights as the first born1 for a little food which he might have had as a free gift4 ,jacob wanted to be counted in the great promise that ,god had given to ,abraham1 but ,esau despised it4 ,afterward1 when ,isaac was old and his eyes were dim1 he called ,esau1 and asked him to go out into the fields and shoot a deer1 and cook the venison that he loved1 so that he might eat it and bless his first born before he died4 ,rebekah heard it1 and told ,jacob to bring kids from the flock1 which she cooked and served as venison4 ,then she dressed ,jacob in the clothes of ,esau1 and told him to say that it was ,esau who had brought the venison4 ,isaac said3 ,the voice is the voice of ,jacob1 but he put his hands on him1 and believed it was ,esau1 and blessed him4 ,when ,esau came home and brought venison to his father1 ,isaac said3 ,who art thou8 and when ,esau said1 ,i am thy son1 thy first-born1 ,esau1 the old man trembled1 and told ,esau the blessing had been given to another4 ,poor ,esau cried out with grief1 ,hast thou but one blessing8 ,bless me1 even me also1 ,o my father4 ,and so ,isaac blessed him1 but he could not call back the blessing of the first-born4 ,the ,lord knew that ,jacob would grow to be a good man1 and love the things of ,god best1 and that ,esau would always love the things of this world best1 yet it was wrong of ,jacob and ,rebekah to deceive1 for we may not do evil that good may come4 ,illustration3 ,isaac blessing ,jacob ,after this ,esau hated his brother1 and said he would kill him4 ,so ,isaac called ,jacob1 and1 blessing him again1 sent him away into ,syria to the house of ,laban1 where ,rebekah had lived1 and where ,abraham's servant went to find her for his master's son4 ,one night1 when he was not far on his way1 he lay down to sleep1 with a stone for his pillow1 on a hillside that looked toward his home1 and he dreamed a wonderful dream4 ,he saw a ladder reaching from earth to heaven1 and a vision of angels who were going up and down upon it4 ,above it stood the ,lord1 who spoke to ,jacob1 and gave to him the promise that ,he had first given to ,abraham1 and told him that ,he would go with him1 and bring him again into his own land4 ,jacob was afraid when he woke1 for he had seen the heavens opened1 and had heard ,god's voice4 ,he made an altar of the pillow of stone1 and called it ,bethel--the ,house of ,god--and then he vowed that the ,lord should be his ,god1 and he added1-- ,of all that thou shalt give me1 ,i will surely give a tenth unto thee4 ,when ,jacob came to ,haran1 he saw the well from which his mother used to draw water4 ,there were three flocks of sheep lying by it1 waiting for all the flocks to gather in the cool of the day to be watered4 ,soon ,rachel1 the daughter of ,laban1 came leading her father's flocks1 and one of the shepherds told ,jacob whose daughter she was4 ,so ,jacob rolled the stone from the well1 and watered the flocks of ,laban1 his mother's brother4 ,then he kissed ,rachel1 and told her that he was ,rebekah's son1 and she ran and told her father4 ,there was great joy in ,laban's house because ,jacob had come1 and after he had stayed a month with them ,laban asked him to stay and take care of his flocks1 and he would pay him for his work4 ,since the day he had seen ,rachel leading her father's flocks he had chosen her in his heart to be his wife4 ,so he said that he would work for ,laban seven years1 if at the end of that time he would give him ,rachel for his wife4 ,laban was quite willing to do so1 and the seven years seemed to ,jacob but a few days1 for the love he had to ,rachel4 ,but1 according to the custom of that country1 the younger daughter could not be given in marriage before the elder1 and so ,laban gave his daughter ,leah also1 and both ,leah and ,rachel became the wives of ,jacob1 for ,jacob lived in that far away time and country of the early world when men were allowed to take more than one wife1 and when each man was both king and priest over his family and tribe1 and worshipped ,god by offering burnt sacrifices upon an altar4 ,after twenty years of work with ,laban1 in which he had earned many flocks and herds for himself1 ,jacob took his wives and the little sons ,god had sent him1 and his flocks and herds1 and started on a journey to his old home4 ,isaac was still alive1 and ,jacob longed to see him4 ,he had lived long in ,haran for fear of his brother ,esau1 and now he must travel through ,edom1 ,esau's country1 on his way to his old home4 ,as he was on his way some of ,god's angels met him1 and he was strengthened4 ,still he feared ,esau1 and sent some of his men to tell his brother that he was coming4 ,the men came back1 saying that ,esau1 with four hundred men1 was coming to meet them4 ,poor ,jacob6 ,he remembered the sin of his youth1 when he had stolen the blessing from ,esau1 and he was afraid1 and prayed ,god to protect him4 ,he sent his servants again to meet ,esau with great presents of flocks1 and herds1 and camels1 and after placing his wives and little ones in the safest place1 he sent all that he had over the brook ,jabbok1 and he stayed on the other side to pray4 ,it was as if he wrestled with a man all night1 and when the day began to break the man wished to go1 but ,jacob said3 ,i will not let thee go except thou bless me4 ,so the man blessed him there1 and call his name ,israel2 for as a prince1 he said1 hast thou power with ,god and with men1 and hast prevailed4 ,then ,jacob knew that the ,lord ,himself1 in the form of a man1 had been with him1 and he had seen ,him face to face4 ,and as the sun rose he passed over the brook4 ,when he looked up he saw ,esau and his men coming1 and when he had told his family to follow him1 he went straight before them1 for he was no longer afraid to meet his brother4 ,jacob's prayer had been answered1 and ,esau ran to meet his brother1 and throwing his arms around him1 wept on his shoulder4 ,then they talked in a loving and brotherly way1 and ,esau returned to his home with the presents ,jacob had given him1 and ,jacob went on his way into ,canaan full of joy and thankfulness4 ,he stopped a little while in a pleasant place to rest his flocks and cattle1 but he longed to see the place where he first saw the angels of ,god1 and heard the voice of the ,lord blessing him1 so they journeyed on to ,beth-el1 and there built an altar and worshipped ,god4 ,illustration3 ,meeting of ,jacob and ,esau ,again the ,lord spoke to ,jacob at ,beth-el1 and called him ,israel1 and blessed him4 ,after they left ,beth-el1 they came near to ,bethlehem1 where many hundred years afterward the ,lord ,jesus was born1 and there another little son was born to ,rachel1 and there too ,god sent for her1 and took her to ,himself1 and there her grave was made4 ,illustration3 ,jacob and ,rachel ,the little boy was named ,benjamin1 and was the youngest of ,jacob's twelve sons1 who became the fathers of the twelve tribes of ,israel1 and the princes of a great nation4 ,jacob was almost home4 ,his great family1 with all the flocks and herds1 had been long on the way1 for they often spread their tents by the brooks in the green valleys1 that the cattle might rest and find pasture1 but at last the long caravan came slowly over the fields of ,mamre to ,hebron1 and ,isaac1 whom the ,lord had kept alive to see his son once more1 was there in his tent waiting for him4 ,but soon after this he died1 an hundred and eighty years old1 and ,esau came1 and the two brothers laid their father in the cave that ,abraham bought when ,sarah died1 and where he had buried ,rebekah1 and ,jacob became patriarch in place of his father4 ,,chapter ,,vi4 ,,joseph1 ,,the ,,castaway4 ,of all the sons of ,jacob1 ,joseph and ,benjamin were the dearest to him1 because they were the sons of his beloved ,rachel1 who had died on the journey from ,syria into ,canaan4 ,they were also the youngest of all the twelve sons4 ,when ,joseph was about seventeen years old1 he sometimes went with his elder brothers to keep his father's flocks in the fields4 ,he wore a long coat striped with bright colors1 which his father had given him1 because he was a kind and obedient son1 and could always be trusted4 ,once he told his father of some wicked thing his brothers had done1 and they hated him for it1 and could not speak pleasantly to him4 ,joseph had many strange and beautiful thoughts when he looked across the fields to the hills1 and up into the starry sky at night4 ,he also had some strange dreams that he told to his brothers4 ,he said that he dreamed that they were binding sheaves in the field1 and that his sheaf stood up1 while the sheaves of his brothers bowed down to it4 ,again he dreamed that the sun1 and the moon1 and eleven stars bowed down to him4 ,his father wondered that he should have such thoughts1 and reproached him saying1 ,shall ,i and thy brethren indeed come and bow down ourselves to thee to the earth8 and his brothers said1 ,shalt thou indeed rule over us8 and they hated him4 ,when they were many miles from home with the flocks their father sent ,joseph to see if all was well with them4 ,it was a long journey1 and when they saw the boy coming they did not go to meet him1 and speak kindly to him1 but they said1 ,behold this dreamer is cometh4 ,let us slay him1 and cast him into some pit1 and we will say some evil beast hath devoured him1 and we shall see what will become of his dreams4 ,but ,reuben1 the eldest1 said1 ,let us not kill him2 but cast him into this pit1 hoping to take him out secretly1 and send him to his father4 ,so when ,joseph came near1 they robbed him of his coat of many colors1 and cruelly cast him into a pit4 ,after this they sat down to eat their bread1 and looking up they saw a caravan coming4 ,it was a company of ,ishmaelites carrying costly spices down into ,egypt to sell them4 ,then ,judah said1 ,why should we kill our brother8 ,let us sell him to these ,ishmaelites4 ,then there passed by some ,midianite merchants1 and who drew ,joseph out of the pit and sold him to the ,ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver1 and he was carried down into ,egypt4 ,illustration3 ,joseph sold to the ,ishmaelites ,reuben1 when his brothers went back to their flocks1 went to the pit to try to save ,joseph1 but he was not there1 and ,reuben cried out1 ,the child is not1 and ,i1 whither shall ,i go8 ,the brothers who had been so cruel to ,joseph brought his coat to their father1 all stained with blood4 ,they had themselves dipped it in the blood of a kid to deceive him1 and he mourned long1 and would not be comforted1 for the beloved child that he believed had been torn in pieces by evil beasts4 ,,chapter ,,vii4 ,,joseph1 ,a ,,servant1 ,a ,,prisoner1 ,,and ,a ,,saint4 ,the king of ,egypt1 where ,joseph was taken by the ,ishmaelites1 was called ,pharaoh1 and he had a captain of the guard named ,potiphar1 who bought ,joseph for a house servant4 ,though he was the son of a ,hebrew prince1 ,joseph did his work faithfully and wisely as a servant1 and was soon made steward of the house1 and was trusted with all that his master had1 and the ,lord made all that he did to prosper2 but the wife of ,potiphar was a wicked woman1 who persuaded her husband that ,joseph was a bad man1 and he was sent to prison4 ,even there ,joseph won the hearts of all1 until the keeper of the prison set him over the other prisoners1 and trusted him as ,potiphar had done4 ,it was the ,lord in ,joseph who helped him to win the love and trust of those around him4 ,pharaoh sent two of his servants to prison because they had displeased him4 ,one was his chief cook1 and one was the chief butler1 who always handed the wine cup to the king1 and ,joseph had the care of them4 ,they each had a dream the same night1 and were troubled because they could not understand them4 ,joseph asked them to tell him the dreams1 for ,god knew what they meant4 ,so the chief butler told ,joseph that he saw a vine having three branches1 and the branches budded and blossomed1 and the blossoms changed into ripe grapes1 and he took the grapes and pressed them into ,pharaoh's cup1 and handed the cup to the king4 ,then ,joseph said3 ,the three branches are three days4 ,within three days the king will take you out of prison1 and you shall hand the king's cup to him as you used to do4 ,joseph also asked the butler1 to think of him when he was again in the king's palace1 and speak to the king to bring him out of prison1 because he had been stolen from his own land1 and he had done nothing wrong that he should be put in prison4 ,then the chief cook told his dream4 ,he said that he dreamed that he carried three baskets on his head1 one above another4 ,in the highest one was all kinds of cooked meats for ,pharaoh1 and the birds flew down and ate from the basket4 ,the three baskets are three days1 said ,joseph as he said to the butler1 but he told the cook that in three days he would be put to death1 and hanged on a tree1 where the birds would eat his flesh4 ,all this came true1 for ,pharaoh's birthday came1 and he brought out the chief butler to serve at a birthday feast1 but he hanged the chief cook4 ,yet the chief butler forgot ,joseph1 and did not speak to the king about him as he might have done4 ,at the end of two long years1 ,pharaoh dreamed a dream4 ,he thought he stood by the river of ,egypt1 and saw seven cows looking well kept and fat1 came up out of the river4 ,behind them came seven other cows1 looking thin and poorly fed1 and the thin and poorly fed cows ate up the well-kept and fat ones4 ,and ,pharoah had a second dream4 ,he thought he saw seven heads of wheat growing on one stalk--and they were all full of grain4 ,after them came seven thin heads of wheat with no grain in them2 and the seven bad heads of wheat ate up the seven good ones4 ,in the morning ,pharaoh was troubled about these dreams1 and called for his wise men who worked magic for him1 and they could tell him nothing4 ,then the chief butler standing near the king remembered ,joseph1 and told ,pharaoh of the young ,hebrew who had told the meaning of his dream1 and that of the chief cook1 and they had come to pass as he had said1 so ,pharaoh sent for ,joseph and said to him3 ,i have heard that thou canst understand a dream to interpret it4 ,joseph answered the king humbly and wisely3 ,it is not in me1 he said1 ,god shall give ,pharaoh an answer of peace4 ,when the king had told his dream ,joseph said3 ,the dream is one1 and then he showed him that the seven fat cows1 and the seven full heads of wheat meant seven good years in the land of ,egypt1 when the harvests would be great2 and the seven lean cows1 and the seven empty heads of wheat1 meant seven years of famine1 when the east winds should spoil the wheat1 so there would be nothing to reap in time of harvest and the people would want bread4 ,he told the king that he had better set a wise man over the land1 who would attend to saving the grain during the seven good years1 so that the people would have bread to eat in the seven years of famine4 ,the king was greatly pleased with ,joseph1 and told him that ,god had taught him to interpret dreams1 and had showed him things to come1 and there could be no wiser man found to be set over the land4 ,so he made ,joseph a ruler over the whole land1 and next to the king in all things4 ,he put his own ring on his hand1 and dressed him in the robes of a prince1 and gave him an ,egyptian name and an ,egyptian wife1 so that there was no one in all the land of ,egypt so great as ,joseph1 except the king4 ,he built storehouses in every city1 and stored the grain1 until it was like the sand of the sea1 and could not be measured4 ,in the years of plenty two sons were born to ,joseph1 ,manasseh and ,ephraim1 and then the seven years of dearth began to come4 ,when the people began to cry to the king for bread1 he always said1-- ,go to ,joseph2 what he says to you do4 ,and ,joseph and his helpers began to open the storehouses1 and sell wheat to the ,egyptians1 and to the people of all countries1 for the famine was in all lands4 ,,chapter ,,viii4 ,,joseph--,,the ,,savior ,,of ,,his ,,people4 ,the famine reached even to the fruitful land of ,canaan1 and ,jacob1 though rich in flocks and herds1 began to need bread for his great family4 ,so he sent his ten sons down into ,egypt to buy wheat1 keeping ,benjamin1 the youngest at home4 ,when they came before the governor they bowed down to him with their faces to the ground4 ,joseph knew them1 though he acted as if he did not1 and remembered his dream of his brother's sheaves bowing down to his sheaf4 ,at first1 he spoke roughly to them1 and called them spies4 ,but they said that they were all one man's sons1 and had come to buy food4 ,joseph still spoke roughly to them1 not because he was angry1 but because he did not wish them to know him yet4 ,his heart was full of love for them1 and he was soon going to show them great kindness2 but when they told him that they had left an old father and a young brother at home1 and one was dead1 he still acted as if they did not tell the truth4 ,he said that to prove themselves true men one of them should go home and bring the youngest brother1 and the others should be kept in prison until they returned2 and he put them all in prison4 ,after three days1 he said one might stay while the others took the wheat home to their families1 but that they must surely come back and bring the boy with them4 ,then ,reuben1 who had tried to save ,joseph from the pit long before1 told his brothers that all this trouble had come upon them for their wickedness to their brother ,joseph1 and they said to each other in their own language3 ,we are verily guilty concerning our brother2 when he besought us1 we would not hear1 therefore is this distress come upon us4 ,joseph understood everything they said though they did not know it1 for he had been talking to them through an interpreter1 and they thought he was an ,egyptian4 ,now his heart was so full that he had to go out of the room to weep4 ,but he came back and chose ,simeon to stay while the others went to ,canaan to bring back ,benjamin4 ,they took the wheat that they had bought in bags1 and went away2 but when they stopped at an inn to rest and feed their asses1 one of the brothers opened his bag1 and found the money that he had paid for the wheat in the top of his bag4 ,here was more trouble1 and they were afraid4 ,when they came home to their father they told him all that had happened1 and as they opened the bags1 each one found his money4 ,jacob was deeply troubled2 for ,joseph was gone1 and ,simeon was gone1 and now they wanted to take ,benjamin4 ,reuben who had two sons said3 ,slay my two sons if ,i bring him not to thee4 ,but ,jacob said ,benjamin should not go down to ,egypt4 ,but the wheat was gone in a short time1 and they were likely to starve so great was the famine1 and at last ,jacob said they must go to ,egypt again for food4 ,judah said they would go if ,benjamin would go with them1 but ,jacob would not listen to this4 ,he asked them why they told the man that they had a brother1 and they replied1 that the ,governor had asked them if their father was yet living and if they had another brother4 ,send the lad with me1 said ,judah1 if ,i bring him not unto thee1 let me bear the blame forever4 ,then ,jacob told them to take him and go1 and also to take presents of honey1 and spices1 and balm1 and nuts1 and double the money1 so as to return that which was put in their bags1 and he blessed them1 and sent them away4 ,they went down into ,egypt1 and stood before ,joseph again4 ,when he saw ,benjamin with them he told the steward of his house to make ready a fine dinner for them1 and bring them to him at noon1 and he did so4 ,then the brothers were afraid that they were all to be put in prison1 and at the door of ,joseph's house began to tell the steward how they found the money when they opened their bags1 and that they had brought it back doubled2 but the steward spoke kindly to them1 and said that he had placed their money1 and that they need not fear1 for ,god had given it back to them4 ,then he brought ,simeon out1 and they made ready to dine with the ,governor at noon1 and to give him their presents4 ,when he came they bowed down to him and presented their gifts1 and he asked them if they were well1 and if the old man of whom they spoke was still alive1 and they replied that he was4 ,when he saw ,benjamin1 and knew that he was truly his own brother1 the son of ,rachel1 he said3 ,god be gracious unto thee my son1 and he went quickly to his own chamber1 lest he should weep before them4 ,when he came out to them again1 and they sat down to dine1 he placed the sons of ,jacob by themselves1 and the ,egyptians of his house by themselves1 and the brothers were placed according to their ages--,reuben at the head and ,benjamin last1 and they wondered among themselves at this4 ,joseph also sent portions from his own table to his brothers1 but the portion of ,benjamin was five times greater than that of the others4 ,the next morning their wheat was measured to them1 and the asses were loaded with it1 and they went on their way1 but ,joseph had told the steward to put the money of each man in the top of his bag1 and in ,benjamin's to put his silver cup4 ,when they were a little away from the city1 the steward overtook them1 and charged them with stealing his lord's silver cup4 ,the men were so sure that no one of them had stolen the silver cup1 that they said1 ,let him die with whom the cup is found1 and the rest of us will be your slaves4 ,so everybody's bag was opened from the oldest to the youngest1 and the cup was found in ,benjamin's bag4 ,then they rent their clothes for grief1 and loaded the asses and went back to the city1 and when they came to ,joseph's house1 they fell on their faces before him1 ,joseph tried to speak sternly and said3 ,what deed is this you have done8 ,judah said3 ,what shall we say unto my lord1 or how shall we clear ourselves8 ,we are my lord's servants4 ,then said ,joseph3 ,the man in whose hand the cup is found he shall be my servant1 and as for you1 get you up in peace unto your father4 ,then ,judah came nearer to ,joseph1 and all his soul came forth into his voice as he said3 ,o1 my lord1 let thy servant speak a word in my lord's ears6 ,then he told the story of their coming down into ,egypt1 and of the old father and young brother whom he had asked them about2 of the love of this father for the little one1 for his mother1 and his brother now dead4 ,he reminded ,joseph that he had told them to bring the boy to him1 and that they had said1 that if the boy should leave his father1 his father would die2 but the governor had said ,except your youngest brother come down with you1 ye shall see my face no more4 ,then ,judah told the story of the father's grief when he found that he must let ,benjamin go down into ,egypt1 that they might buy a little food2 how he spoke of his two sons1 that were the sons of ,rachel--that one had been torn in pieces1 and now if mischief should befall the other1 it would bring his gray hairs in sorrow to the grave4 ,he asked ,joseph what he should do when he returned to his father without the lad1 seeing that his life was bound up in the lad's life1 and ,judah begged him1 as he had made himself surety for the lad1 to take him to be his slave1 but to let ,benjamin return to his father with his brothers4 ,for how shall ,i go up to my father1 said ,judah1 and the lad be not with me8 ,then ,joseph could bear it no longer4 ,he told all the ,egyptians to go out of the room1 and then weeping so that the ,egyptians and the people in the king's house heard1 he made himself known to his brothers4 ,illustration3 ,joseph makes himself known to his brothers ,i am ,joseph1 your brother1 he said1 whom you sold into ,egypt1 and he begged them to come near to him4 ,be not grieved nor angry with yourselves1 he said1 for he saw that they were terrified1 for ,god sent me before you to save your lives by a great deliverance4 ,it was not you that sent me hither1 but ,god1 and he hath made me a ruler throughout all the land of ,egypt4 ,then he told them to hasten and go to his father and tell him this1 and ask him to come down at once1 with all his flocks and herds1 and dwell in ,goshen1 the best part of ,egypt1 for years of famine were yet to come4 ,then ,joseph took little ,benjamin in his arms and wept over him1 and kissed him1 and kissed all his brothers1 and after that his brothers talked with him4 ,the king heard the story of ,joseph's brothers and was pleased4 ,he told ,joseph to send wagons for the wives and little ones of his brothers1 and to tell them to bring their father1 and all their cattle and sheep1 and come to live in ,goshen where they should have the best of the land for their flocks and herds4 ,joseph did as the king commanded1 and also gave them food for the journey1 and a suit of clothing to each brother1 but to little ,benjamin he gave five suits1 and three hundred pieces of silver4 ,he also loaded twenty asses with the good things of ,egypt as presents to his father1 so he sent them all on their journey saying3 ,see that ye fall not out by the way4 ,when they came to ,jacob in ,hebron1 they told him the wonderful story of the finding of ,joseph1 and his heart was faint1 for he did not believe them2 but when he had heard all ,joseph's messages1 and had seen the gifts1 and the wagons1 he said3 ,it is enough3 ,joseph my son is yet alive3 ,i will go and see him before ,i die4 ,so they began the long journey to ,egypt1 for it took a long time to travel with a great family1 and with thousands of cattle and sheep4 ,at ,beersheba ,jacob stopped and worshiped ,god1 where his father had built an altar years before2 and ,god told him in the night that he need not fear to go down into ,egypt1 for ,he would there make him a great nation1 and that ,he would bring him back again to his own land4 ,so ,jacob with all his children and their little ones1 and all his flocks and herds came into ,egypt4 ,there were sixty-seven souls1 and when they had counted ,joseph and his two sons1 there were seventy4 ,jacob sent ,judah on before to see ,joseph and ask the way to ,goshen1 so that they might go directly there with the cattle and sheep4 ,and when ,joseph knew that his father was coming1 he went to meet him in ,goshen1 and there he wept on his father's neck a long time1 and ,jacob said3 ,now let me die1 since ,i have seen thy face1 because thou art yet alive4 ,after this ,joseph presented five of his brothers to ,pharaoh1 and the king spoke very kindly to them1 and gave them the best of the land for their flocks1 and hired some of them to oversee his own shepherds4 ,joseph brought his father in also and ,jacob blessed ,pharaoh4 ,so the family of ,jacob lived in peace1 and were cared for by ,joseph1 just as the ,lord had promised ,jacob1 when in a dream he saw the angels of ,god at ,bethel1 and heard above them the voice of the ,lord blessing him1 and saying3 ,thou shalt spread abroad to the ,west1 and to the ,east1 and to the ,north1 and to the ,south1 and in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed4 ,joseph carried all ,egypt through the years of famine1 and saved seed for the people to sow their fields in the seventh year so that they said3 ,thou hast saved our lives4 ,he afterwards visited his father1 and ,jacob made him promise that he would bury him when he died in the tomb of ,abraham and ,isaac1 his father1 in his own land4 ,when ,jacob was near his end1 ,joseph brought his two little sons1 ,ephraim and ,manasseh1 to his bedside1 and the old man gave them his blessing1 laying his right hand upon the head of ,ephraim1 the youngest1 and his left hand on that of ,manasseh the first born1 even as ,isaac had given the birthright blessing to him instead of to ,esau1 and he said3 ,the angel which redeemed me from all evil bless the lads4 ,then he called all his sons together and told them what should befall them in the last days4 ,to each one he spoke as a prophet speaks who has a vision of things to come1 and he blessed them there4 ,when he spoke to ,judah1 he told him that kings and lawgivers should arise from among his children until the ,saviour of the world should come4 ,jacob was an hundred and forty-seven years old when he died1 and there was great mourning for him4 ,joseph had the body of his father embalmed1 as the ,egyptians had the custom of doing1 and after a long mourning in ,egypt1 ,joseph and his brothers and many ,egyptians who were ,joseph's friends1 carried the body of ,jacob to ,canaan1 in a great procession1 and buried him in the cave of ,machpelah1 where his fathers were buried4 ,after they had returned to ,egypt1 the brothers of ,joseph said3 ,perhaps now he will hate us1 and bring upon us all the evil we did to him4 ,so they sent to him to ask his forgiveness for all that was past4 ,then ,joseph wept1 for he had nothing but love in his heart toward his brothers1 and he wished them to trust him4 ,he comforted them and spoke kindly to them1 saying3 ,fear not3 ye meant evil unto me1 but ,god meant it unto good4 ,i will nourish you and your little ones4 ,and so through all ,joseph's life1 and he lived one hundred and ten years1 he was a tender father to all his family1 and a wise ruler of the people1 and he died after making his family promise to carry his body back into ,canaan to be buried with his fathers when they themselves should go4 ,for ,god will surely visit you1 he said1 and bring you out of this land into the land which he promised to ,abraham1 to ,isaac and to ,jacob4 ,,chapter ,,ix4 ,,the ,,cradle ,,that ,,was ,,rocked ,,by ,a ,,river4 ,after ,joseph and all the sons of ,jacob had grown old and had passed away1 their children's children grew in numbers until they became a great multitude4 ,the ,pharaoh whom ,joseph had served also died1 and the king who followed him did not like the ,hebrews4 ,he feared them because they had grown to be strong1 so he set overseers to watch them1 and make them work like slaves4 ,he treated them cruelly1 and made them lift the great stones with which they built the tombs of the kings and temples of the gods4 ,he also tried to kill all the little boys as soon as they were born1 but the ,lord took care of them4 ,also1 the king told his servants1 that wherever they found a baby boy among the ,hebrews1 to throw him into the river ,nile1 but the little girls1 they should save alive4 ,there was a man named ,amrom1 who1 with his wife ,jochebed1 had a beautiful little boy whom they tenderly loved4 ,they hid him as long as they could1 and then when he was three months old and she could hide him no longer1 she made up her mind to give him into the care of ,god4 ,she made a little boat1 or ark of stout rushes1 that grew by the river4 ,she wove it closer than a basket1 and then covered it with pitch that the water might not enter1 just as ,noah covered the great ark before the flood4 ,then she wrapped her baby carefully and laid him in the little boat1 and set it among the reeds at the edge of the river ,nile4 ,god and ,his angels watched the cradle of the child1 and the river gently rocked it4 ,jochebed told the baby's sister to wait near by and see what might happen to him1 and this is what happened1 or rather what ,god prepared for the baby in the boat of rushes4 ,the king's daughter came down to bathe in the river1 and as her maidens walked up and down by the riverside1 she called one of them to bring to her the little ark that she saw rocking on the river among the reeds4 ,when she had opened it she saw a beautiful little child1 and when it cried her heart was touched1 and she longed to keep it for her own4 ,illustration3 ,pharaoh's daughter finding ,moses ,this is one of the ,hebrew's children1 she said1 and as the baby's sister came near she asked the princess if she should go and get a nurse from among the ,hebrew women to bring it up for her1 and the princess said to her1 ,go1 and the maid went and called the child's mother4 ,the princess said3 ,take this child away and nurse it for me1 and ,i will give thee thy wages4 ,and the mother took her baby joyfully though she hid her joy in her heart1 and carried him home to nurse and bring up for ,pharoah's daughter4 ,and the child grew1 and when he was old enough his mother took him to the king's palace1 and he became the son of the princess4 ,she called his name ,moses1 which means drawn out1 because she drew him out of the water4 ,,chapter ,x4 ,,moses ,,in ,,midian4 ,moses had teachers1 and was taught all the learning of the ,egyptians1 but his heart was with his own people4 ,he was grieved when he saw their burdens1 and heard their cries when their taskmasters struck them4 ,once1 when he was a grown man1 he saw an ,egyptian beating a ,hebrew1 and he struck the ,egyptian and killed him1 for he thought he ought to defend his people3 and when he saw that the man was dead1 he buried him in the sand4 ,in a day or two ,moses tried to make peace between two ,hebrews who were fighting1 and they answered him roughly1 and one of them said3 ,who made thee a ruler over us8 wilt thou kill me1 as thou didst the ,egyptian yesterday8 ,then ,moses was afraid1 and when the king heard of it1 and tried to take his life1 ,moses fled away out of ,egypt1 through a desert into ,midian4 ,there he found a well and sat down by it to rest4 ,while he sat there the seven daughters of the priest of ,midian came to draw water for their father's flocks1 and some rough shepherds came and drove them away1 but ,moses stood up and helped them1 and watered their flocks4 ,when their father knew that a noble stranger had been kind to his daughters1 he asked him to come into his house1 and eat bread with him1 and stay as long as he would4 ,so ,moses stayed and ,zipporah1 one of the seven sisters1 became his wife4 ,but ,moses did not forget his people4 ,god was preparing him to lead them out of bondage1 and he learned many things1 during the years that he kept the sheep of his father-in-law in the wilderness4 ,one day he led his flocks across the desert to ,mount ,horeb or ,sinai4 ,there he saw a bush all bright within as if it burned4 ,he drew nearer to see why the bush was not consumed1 and heard the voice of the ,lord calling him4 ,the ,lord told him to come no nearer1 and to put off his shoes1 for he stood on holy ground4 ,then the ,lord told him that ,he was the ,god of his fathers1 and that ,he had heard the cry of his oppressed people in ,egypt4 ,i know their sorrows1 said the voice from the midst of the fire1 ,and ,i am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the ,egyptians1 and to bring them up out of that land into a good land1 and a large--unto a land flowing with milk and honey4 ,then the ,lord said that ,moses must go to the new ,pharaoh1 for the old king was dead1 and bring the children of ,israel out of ,egypt4 ,moses was a very humble man1 and he could not believe that ,pharaoh would listen to him or that the ,hebrews would follow him1 but the ,lord said1 ,certainly ,i will be with thee4 ,and as a sign that it should be so1 ,he said that after ,moses had brought his people out of ,egypt1 they should serve ,god in this mountain4 ,but ,moses had many fears4 ,he knew that he had been brought up as an ,egyptian1 and he feared that his people would not listen to his words4 ,then the ,lord showed signs to ,moses to help his faith4 ,he turned the rod in ,moses' hand into a serpent1 and then when he was afraid of it1 the ,lord told him to take it in his hand and it became a rod again4 ,he also turned his hand white with leprosy1 and then changed it again to natural flesh1 and told ,moses1 that these1 and other signs he should show in ,egypt--to prove that he was sent of ,god4 ,but ,moses felt himself to be so weak and faithless as a leader of his people1 that he still cried out that he was slow of speech1 and of a slow tongue1 and when the ,lord said1 ,i will teach thee what thou shalt say1 he did not believe1 but begged the ,lord to send by whom he would1 only not by him4 ,then the ,lord said that ,aaron1 the brother of ,moses could speak well1 and that he should go with him to ,pharoah and to his people1 and should speak for him1 but that the wisdom and power of ,god should be with ,moses1 and that he should do wonders with the rod in his hand4 ,,chapter ,,xi4 ,,the ,,rod ,,that ,,troubled ,,egypt4 ,so ,moses took his wife and his sons and returned to ,egypt1 and the rod of ,god was in his hand2 and ,aaron1 sent of ,god1 came to meet him in the wilderness1 and there ,moses told him all that was in his heart1 and all that ,god had sent him to do4 ,when they came into ,egypt they gathered the ,israelites together1 and ,aaron spoke to them1 and they believed his words1 and the signs that ,moses showed them4 ,afterward1 they went to ,pharoah and gave him the message of the ,lord1 and ,pharoah said3 ,i know not the ,lord1 neither will ,i let ,israel go4 ,and he began to oppress the ,israelites more than he had ever done before4 ,they made bricks of clay mixed with straw1 that hardened in the sun1 and were as lasting as stone1 but he forced them to find the straw wherever they could1 and make as many bricks as before4 ,this they did until no more straw could be found1 and their ,egyptian masters beat them cruelly because they failed to make the full number of bricks4 ,then they turned upon ,moses and ,aaron and said1 that they had put a sword in the king's hand to slay them4 ,where could ,moses turn except to the ,lord who had sent him8 ,the ,lord heard him and made to him again the great promise1 as he did at the burning bush1 and ,moses told the people1 but they could not believe it1 for they were crushed under their cruel burdens4 ,and now the ,lord sent ,moses and ,aaron again to ,pharoah1 to show by sign and miracle1 that their message was from ,him4 ,they took the rod that ,moses brought from ,mount ,horeb1 and ,moses told ,aaron to cast it down before the king1 and it became a serpent4 ,pharoah called his wise men and wizards1 and they did the same1 only ,aaron's rod swallowed up their rods1 and ,pharoah would not listen to their words4 ,illustration3 ,the rod that troubled ,egypt ,but in the morning when ,pharoah walked by the river the two men stood by him and said again3 ,the ,lord ,god of the ,hebrews hath sent me unto thee saying3 ,let my people go that they may serve me in the wilderness1 and then ,aaron struck the waters of the river ,nile with his rod1 and the waters turned to blood4 ,in all the land1 in every stream and pond there was blood1 so that the fishes died and no one could drink the water4 ,but because the wizards could turn water to blood also1 ,pharoah's heart was hardened toward ,moses and ,aaron4 ,while the people were digging wells for water1 ,aaron stretched forth his rod over the river again1 and frogs came up from it1 and spread over all the land and filled the houses of the people4 ,this also the magicians did1 but so great was the plague that the king said3 ,i will let the people go4 ,when shall ,i entreat for thee and for thy people to destroy the frogs from thee and thy houses8 said ,moses2 and ,pharoah told him to do so the next day4 ,so on the next day ,moses prayed to the ,lord that the frogs might go out of the land1 and the ,lord answered his prayer2 but when ,pharoah saw that the frogs had been destroyed his heart grew hard1 and he would not listen to ,moses and ,aaron4 ,then another plague was brought upon the ,egyptians4 ,the dust of the land was changed to lice that covered man and beast1 and this was followed by swarms of flies that settled upon all the land except ,goshen where the ,israelites lived4 ,then ,pharoah said3 ,go1 sacrifice to your ,god in this land1 but they would not worship in ,egypt1 and ,pharoah at last told them that they could go into the wilderness1 but they must not go very far away4 ,so ,moses prayed1 and the swarms of flies were swept out of ,egypt1 but ,pharoah did not keep his word4 ,then a great sickness fell upon the cattle and sheep of the country1 though the flocks and herds of the ,israelites were free from it2 and this was followed by a breaking out of boils upon men and beasts everywhere1 even upon the magicians1 but ,pharaoh's heart was still too wicked to yield to ,god4 ,then came a great storm of hail over ,egypt1 such as had never been known in that sunny land4 ,it killed the cattle in the fields1 and destroyed the grain that was grown1 and broke the trees and herbs4 ,the lightnings fell also and ran upon the ground1 and when it was over the heart of ,pharaoh was still hard against ,god4 ,then ,moses told ,pharaoh that the face of the earth would be covered with clouds of locusts that would eat every green thing left by the storm1 if he did not let ,god's people go4 ,this frightened ,pharaoh's servants and they begged him to send them away1 and though he would not let their wives and little ones go1 he said3 ,go now1 ye that are men1 for that ye did desire1 and he drove them out of his presence4 ,then at the ,lord's word1 ,moses arose and stretched forth his rod over ,egypt1 and the plague of locusts came1 driven by the ,east wind1 and covered the land until there was no green thing left in ,egypt4 ,then ,pharaoh sent for ,moses and ,aaron in great haste1 and confessing his sin1 begged to be forgiven and to be saved from1 this death only1 and1 at ,moses' prayer1 a mighty west wind drove the army of locusts into the ,red ,sea4 ,but again the heart of ,pharaoh turned against ,god1 and the ,lord brought thick darkness over the land for three days1 only in the homes of the ,hebrews there was light4 ,then ,pharaoh was willing to let them take their wives and their little ones1 but not their flocks and herds1 and because they would not leave them behind1 ,pharaoh drove ,moses and ,aaron from him in anger1 saying3 ,see my face no more4 ,but the ,lord proposed to break the hard heart of ,pharaoh4 ,he told ,moses to see that every ,israelite should take a lamb from the flock and keep it four days4 ,then1 at evening1 he was to kill it1 and dip a branch of hyssop in its blood1 and strike it against the sides of his door1 also over it1 leaving three marks of blood there4 ,then he was to close his door and no one was to go out of it until morning4 ,they were to roast the lamb and eat of it1 and be ready for the journey they were to make1 and it should be to them forever the feast called the ,passover4 ,they were to eat it with unleavened bread1 and the feast should be kept forever from the first to the seventh day of the month1 a holy feast to the ,lord4 ,and this is why it was called the feast of the ,passover4 ,at midnight1 after the lamb was killed in each house of the ,israelites1 and the doors were shut1 the ,lord passed through the land1 and wherever he saw the blood on the side posts and the top of the door1 he passed over that house1 and it was safe1 but in every ,egyptian house the first born died1 from the child of ,pharaoh who sat on the throne1 to the child of the captive in the cell1 and all the first born of cattle4 ,the next morning a great cry went up from the land of ,egypt1 for there was not a house where there was not one dead4 ,then ,pharaoh was quite ready to let the ,israelites go4 ,take all you have and be gone1 he said4 ,they were all ready1 and rose up very gladly to join the great procession1 led by ,moses and ,aaron1 that gathered in ,goshen1 and started on its long journey toward the east4 ,they had heard of the land of their fathers1 and now they were going home to be slaves no more4 ,they were a family of seventy souls when they came into ,egypt1 four hundred and thirty years before1 and now they went out a great nation1 as the ,lord had promised when he blessed their fathers4 ,the feast of the ,passover has been the chief one held by the ,israelites1 from the time of their coming out of ,egypt until now1 and since ,jesus held the ,passover feast with his disciples on the night that he went forth to death1 it has become to all ,christians the ,sacrament of the ,lord's ,supper4 ,,chapter ,,xii4 ,,following ,,the ,,cloud4 ,god led the people1 says the ,word1 as they came up out of ,egypt4 ,he gave them the two leaders by whom ,he had broken the power of ,pharaoh1 and set ,his people free1 and ,he also set a great cloud in the air1 just above and before them1 to lead them in the right way4 ,it was to them the presence of the ,lord4 ,by day it rose white and beautiful against the blue sky1 and moved slowly before them4 ,at night it stood still while they rested1 and shed light over all the camp1 for there seemed to be a fire within the cloud at night4 ,how safe and happy they must have felt away from the cruel taskmasters of ,egypt1 and the ,lord's presence1 spreading a wing of cloud over them4 ,they were not led by a straight way to ,canaan1 for a warlike people lived in the land which they must pass through1 but they were led at first through a country without cities or armies1 where they would not trouble many people or be troubled by them4 ,they bore with them the embalmed body of ,joseph1 for they had promised to bury him with his fathers in the cave of ,machpelah2 and they also had much wealth in herds1 and flocks1 and gold1 and silver4 ,pharaoh thought of this after they had gone1 and his wicked heart grew harder than before1 so he ordered his chariots and horsemen to follow them1 and they found the ,israelites camped by the ,red ,sea4 ,then there was great fear and mourning in the camp when they saw the army of ,pharaoh coming1 but ,moses cried3 ,fear ye not1 stand still and see the salvation of the ,lord4 ,the ,lord shall fight for you1 and ye shall hold your peace4 ,then the ,lord told ,moses to speak to the people that they go forward4 ,he also told him to lift up his rod and stretch his hand over the sea and divide it1 and the children of ,israel should go on dry ground through the midst of the sea4 ,night was falling1 and the waters lay dark before them1 but the angel of ,god1 the pillar of cloud and fire1 moved from its place before them and went behind them1 while ,moses and ,aaron led them on4 ,then the presence of the ,lord was a cloud and darkness to the ,egyptians1 but it gave a light by night to the ,israelites4 ,a strong east wind drove the waters apart all night1 so that there was a way through the sea1 and the waters were a wall upon their right hand and on their left4 ,pharaoh's army saw the broad path through the sea1 and followed fast after the ,israelites1 but as morning dawned the ,lord looked from the cloud and troubled the ,egyptians4 ,their chariot wheels came off1 and all went wrong with them4 ,at last the ,lord told ,moses to stretch his hand forth over the sea1 that the waters might come back upon the ,egyptians1 and he did so2 and as the sun rose1 the sea swallowed up the ,egyptian host1 and their bodies were cast upon the shore4 ,there on the other side stood the great host of ,israel1 and saw the salvation of ,god1 and they believed in ,him1 and in ,moses ,his servant4 ,illustration3 ,destruction of ,pharaoh's army ,then a great shout went up from the host of ,israel4 ,moses led them in a song of praise1 and ,miriam1 the sister of ,aaron1 took a tambourine1 and the women followed her in dances as they answered in a chorus of praise3-- ,sing ye to the ,lord1 for ,he hath triumphed gloriously2 the horse and the rider hath he thrown into the sea4 ,soon they took up their journey1 the cloudy pillar going before4 ,there was but little water by the way1 and after three days of thirst1 they came to the waters of ,marah1 but they were bitter1 and the people cried to ,moses1 ,what shall we drink8 ,then the ,lord showed him a tree which he cast into the waters1 and they were made pure and sweet4 ,soon after they came to ,elim1 where there were twelve wells of water1 and seventy palm trees1 and there they rested4 ,again they took up their journey and passed through a desert land1 where they could get no food1 and again they complained to ,moses because he had brought them into the wilderness to die4 ,they did not yet believe that ,god could supply all their need4 ,i will rain bread from heaven for you1 said the ,lord to ,moses4 ,he was ready to provide1 if they would only believe in ,him and obey ,him4 ,moses called them to come near before the ,lord while ,aaron should speak his word to them4 ,as they came near and looked toward the wilderness where the cloud stood1 the glory of the ,lord shone out of it4 ,the ,lord had heard them speak harshly to ,moses for bringing them into a desert to die1 but he said1 ,at even ye shall eat flesh1 and in the morning ye shall be filled with bread4 ,and his word came true4 ,great flocks of quails came up and covered the camp at sunset1 so that they caught them for food2 and in the morning the dew lay around them1 and when it had risen1 there lay on the ground a small1 round1 white thing1 something like frost1 or a little seed1 and it tasted like wafers made with honey4 ,the ,lord told ,moses that the people must gather just enough to eat through the day1 and no more4 ,the morning before the ,sabbath they must gather enough for two days1 for none would fall on the ,sabbath4 ,this was the bread that the heavenly ,father provided for his children through all the years of their journey from ,egypt to ,canaan1 and they called it ,manna4 ,there were hard things to bear in the wilderness4 ,often when they wanted water for their little ones and their cattle1 and could not find it1 they were like fretful children when they were tired and thirsty4 ,once1 at ,horeb1 ,moses struck a rock with his wonderful rod1 and water sprung out in a stream4 ,there were enemies also in the way4 ,the ,amelikites came out to fight with the ,israelites4 ,the strong men went to meet the enemy1 but ,moses stood on a hill with the rod of ,god in his hand1 and ,aaron and ,hur were with him4 ,while ,moses held up the rod1 ,israel prevailed2 but when he let down his hand ,amalek prevailed4 ,but ,moses grew tired and they placed a stone for him to sit upon1 and ,aaron and ,hur held up his hands on either side until the going down of the sun1 when ,amalek was conquered4 ,moses built an altar there1 and called it ,the ,lord my ,banner4 ,they were now drawing near the ,mount1 where ,moses saw the burning bush1 and heard the ,lord calling him to be the leader of his people4 ,they were far out of their way to ,canaan1 but it was in the ,lord's purpose to bring them into obedience and faith before he brought them into the promised land4 ,they had lived long among the ,egyptians1 and were very far from being like ,jacob and ,joseph1 but there were good and true men like ,aaron1 and ,joshua1 and ,hur1 who helped ,moses4 ,it was about three months after the children of ,israel left ,egypt1 that they came into the wilderness of ,sinai4 ,there the ,mount of ,god still lifts its great granite cliffs toward the sky4 ,there are high valleys midway where it is cooler than below1 and there the people encamped and waited to hear what ,god would say to them1 for ,god talked with ,moses on the ,mount4 ,he said ,he had chosen them1 if they would obey his voice1 to be a holy nation4 ,he told ,moses to tell the people to be ready1 and on the third day ,he would come down in the sight of all the people on ,mount ,sinai4 ,and so it was1 as the people looked there was a thick cloud upon the ,mount1 from which came thunder and lightning1 and the sound of a great trumpet1 while the mountain trembled as with an earthquake4 ,only ,moses and ,aaron could approach the holy ,mount1 and from it ,god gave to ,moses the laws that the people were to live by1 and ,moses wrote them all down that he might read them to the people4 ,a company of the ,elders of ,israel went up and saw the glory of ,god afar off1 but ,god called ,moses up into the ,mount1 and the cloud closed him round1 while the ,lord gave him the laws for a great nation1 and the pattern of the tabernacle which ,he wished him to make for a church in the wilderness4 ,forty days and forty nights ,moses was on the ,mount with ,god1 and then ,god gave him the ten great commandments written with his own hands on tablets of stone1 that he might give them to the people4 ,they were to be kept as the rules of life for all people in all times4 ,forty days and nights seemed a long time to the people camped around the ,mount4 ,perhaps they thought ,moses would never come back to lead them1 for they began to think of the gods of ,egypt1 and asked ,aaron to make one for them4 ,so to please them he told them to bring him their gold ornaments1 and he melted them and made a golden calf such as the ,egyptians worshiped1 and before it they made an altar1 and they worshiped the calf4 ,the ,lord who sees all things told ,moses to go down to the people for they were worshiping an idol4 ,so ,moses went down a little way and met ,joshua1 and they both went down and saw the people feasting1 and singing1 and dancing1 and ,moses cast the tablets of stone upon the ground and they were broken4 ,the heart of ,moses1 too1 was almost broken1 but he destroyed the golden calf1 and punished the people for their great sin1 and then went up to the ,mount to plead for the life of his people4 ,o this people have sinned a great sin1 he cried1 and have made them gods of gold1 yet now if thou wilt forgive their sin1 and if not1 blot me1 ,i pray thee1 out of the book which thou has written1 so great was the love of ,moses for his people4 ,there was a time of repentance among the people after this1 and ,moses and his servant ,joshua reared a tent outside the camp and called it the ,tabernacle of the congregation4 ,it was for worship until the true ,tabernacle should be built according to the pattern given in the ,mount4 ,all who sought the ,lord went to worship there1 and the pillar of cloud came and stood at the ,tabernacle door while ,moses talked with ,god1 and all the people saw it and worshiped4 ,moses prayed again for the people1 and the ,lord said3 ,my presences shall go with thee1 and ,i will give thee rest4 ,the ,lord called ,moses again into the mount1 and told him to bring with him two tablets of stone and ,he would again write the ten commandments upon them4 ,so ,moses hewed them from the rock and took them up into ,mount ,sinai4 ,then the ,lord came down again in a thick cloud and talked with ,moses1 and wrote upon the tablets of stone4 ,after forty days ,moses came down to the people bringing the commandments with him1 but his face shone with a strange light that the people never saw before1 and they were afraid of him4 ,it was something above the light of the sun1 for ,moses had seen the ,glory of the ,lord4 ,illustration3 ,moses descending from the ,mount ,while they still camped around the mount they began to build the ,tabernacle4 ,moses told the people to bring gold1 and silver1 and brass1 and wood4 ,they also brought precious stones1 and oil for the lamp1 and fine linen1 and they gave so willingly that at last ,moses told them that there was more than enough4 ,these were put in the hands of two wise men whom the ,lord had chosen and taught to do the work1 and they had willing helpers among the people1 for wise hearted women did spin with their own hands1 and bring what they had spun1 of blue1 and purple1 and scarlet1 and fine linen to make the hangings of the ,tabernacle4 ,if you would know all the beautiful and costly and curious things that were made for this church in the wilderness1 you will find them described in the last chapters of ,exodus4 ,the ,israelites camped a long time in the high valleys around the ,mount of ,god1 and at last set up the ,tabernacle4 ,it was so made that it could be taken down and carried with them when they journeyed1 for it was a beautiful tent4 ,over it the pillar of cloud stood4 ,whenever it moved the people followed1 and when it stood still1 they rested4 ,within the ,tabernacle they placed a beautiful chest of wood overlaid with gold1 which ever after held their most precious things1 the tablets of stone written upon by the ,lord himself4 ,this ,ark of ,testimony1 as it was called1 had rings at the sides through which men laid strong rods by which to carry it1 and so had the golden table for bread1 and the golden altar of incense4 ,there was a beautiful seven-branched candlestick of pure gold in which olive oil was burned for a sacred sign1 and there was a brazen altar for burnt offerings1 and a great brazen bowl for washing1 and other things to be used in the worship of the ,sanctuary4 ,there were beautiful garments1 also1 for the priests1 ,aaron and his sons1 and for ,aaron there was a wonderful breast-plate of gold set with twelve precious stones1 bearing the names of the twelve tribes of ,israel4 ,when all was finished1 and the ,tabernacle was set up1 the cloud that veiled the presence of the ,lord came and covered it1 and the glory of the ,lord filled it1 so that ,moses could not enter2 but the ,lord spoke to him from the cloud1 and told him how the priests should order the worship of the ,lord there4 ,afterward1 ,aaron and his sons offered burnt offerings for their sins1 and the sins of the people1 in the way the ,lord had commanded1 and fire from the ,lord came down and consumed the offering4 ,when the people saw the answer of the ,lord they fell on their faces before him4 ,in the second month of the second year the cloud rose from over the ,tabernacle1 and then the people knew it was time to go on their ,journey4 ,so they took down the tent of the ,tabernacle and put all things in order for the journey4 ,each of the twelve tribes descended from the twelve sons of ,jacob marched by themselves1 carrying banners1 and having captains4 ,in the midst of them all marched the ,levites carrying the ,ark and the different parts of the ,tabernacle1 and when the cloud stood still1 they stopped and set up the ,tabernacle1 while the people formed their camp all around it in the order of their tribes4 ,still the manna fell with the dew at night1 and the people gathered it in the morning1 and when they tired of it1 the ,lord sent them quails again4 ,over and over the people complained and rebelled1 but the ,angel of the ,lord's ,presence still hovered over them1 and led them toward the promised land4 ,forty years they were on the journey that was so easily made by the sons of ,jacob when they went back and forth to buy wheat in the time of famine2 and forty-two times did they encamp on the way1 yet the mercy of the ,lord never failed them1 and they were brought into their own land at last4 ,then the cloud was no longer needed to go before them1 but long after1 when they built a beautiful temple at ,jerusalem in which to put the sacred ,ark of ,testimony1 the cloud came again and filled the temple with the glory of the ,lord4 ,,chapter ,,xiii4 ,,in ,,the ,,borders ,,of ,,canaan4 ,while the host of ,israel was in camp at ,paran1 the ,lord told ,moses to send men before them into ,canaan to spy out the land4 ,so he sent twelve men who walked through the land and saw the people1 and the cities and the fields and the fruits4 ,they were forty days searching the land and they brought from the brook ,eschol a cluster of grapes so large that two of them bore it on a staff between them4 ,they also brought some pomegranates and figs4 ,illustration3 ,the return of the spies ,when they came into the camp they said that the country where they had been was good1 and flowing with milk and honey1 but the people were strong1 and the cities had very high walls4 ,they said they saw giants there4 ,caleb1 who was one of the twelve1 and a good and true man1 said3 ,let us go up at once and possess it1 for we are well able to overcome it1 but the men who were with him were afraid of the giants1 and said they felt like grasshoppers before them4 ,then there was great weeping among the people all that night1 and they said1 ,let us make a captain1 and let us return into ,egypt4 ,moses and ,aaron were greatly troubled1 but the two good men1 ,caleb and ,joshua1 stood up and encouraged the people1 saying that they need not fear1 for the ,lord had given them the land1 yet they were ready to stone ,caleb and ,joshua4 ,then the ,lord spake to ,moses from the ,tabernacle1 and the people saw his glory4 ,he said the people were unbelieving and disobedient1 and for this reason they could not enter the promised land4 ,he said1 that all who were twenty years old and upward would die in the wilderness1 except ,caleb and ,joshua1 who had followed the ,lord wholly4 ,he also said that the people would be forty years in the wilderness1 and only the youth and the children would live to enter ,canaan4 ,there was mourning and repentance then because of the word of the ,lord1 and the people promised again to believe and obey1 but over and over they lost faith and rebelled1 and great storms of trouble fell upon them4 ,once the earth opened and many were swallowed up2 a sudden sickness destroyed thousands4 ,near ,mount ,hor1 where ,aaron died1 fiery serpents ran among the people1 and all who were bitten by them died2 but there was full forgiveness and cure for those who turned to the ,lord4 ,when the fiery serpents entered the camp ,moses lifted a brazen image of a serpent up on a pole so high that it could be seen all over the camp1 and whoever looked upon it lived4 ,it was a sign of the coming ,saviour4 ,between the marches and the battles with heathen tribes1 some of whom were giants1 ,moses wrote in a book the laws that ,god gave him for the government of the people4 ,they were wise laws1 the keeping of which would bring health1 peace and blessedness to the people4 ,he gave the book to the ,levites who carried the ,ark1 and they were to keep it always beside the ,ark1 and often read it aloud to the people4 ,moses said many things to the people1 and as ,jacob blessed his twelve sons1 so ,moses blessed each of the twelve tribes that descended from them1 for he was near the end of his long life4 ,the ,lord had told him that ,he should take him to ,himself before the people entered ,canaan1 and that ,joshua must lead the people into the promised land4 ,so when they had reached the borders of ,canaan1 and were encamped near the ,jordan1 the ,lord called his tried servant up into ,mount ,nebo1 that he might see the land beyond the ,jordan1 where the twelve tribes were to find their promised home4 ,then the ,lord gave him a view of the land1 and there he died1 as ,aaron died on ,mount ,hor4 ,no one saw ,moses die1 and no one knows where he was buried1 for the ,lord buried him4 ,he was one hundred and twenty years old1 and yet as strong as a young man4 ,after his death ,joshua became the leader of ,israel4 ,,chapter ,,xiv4 ,a ,,nation ,,that ,,was ,,born ,,in ,a ,,day4 ,the time had come for the people to cross the river ,jordan1 and enter their own land1 and the ,lord told ,joshua to prepare the people for their last journey before going over ,jordan4 ,joshua first sent two men over the river to see the land4 ,they went to the walled city of ,jericho1 and to the house of a woman named ,rahab4 ,the king heard that they were there and sent for them1 but the woman hid them under the flax that she was drying on the roof of her house4 ,afterward she let them down by a rope through a window 7for her house was built on the town wall71 and they escaped4 ,they promised ,rahab before they went1 that if she would hang a long line of scarlet thread from the window on the wall1 that when they came to take the city she should be saved and all her family because of her kindness to them4 ,after they had returned to the camp they told ,joshua that the ,lord would surely give them the land1 for the people were afraid of them4 ,then they rose up and marched to the banks of the ,jordan and waited for ,joshua to lead them over4 ,some of them remembered how they had passed through the ,red ,sea1 and others had heard it from their parents1 and they now waited to see the salvation of ,god4 ,joshua told them to follow the priests1 and the ,levites who would bear the ,ark of the ,covenant1 so when ,joshua said3 ,behold the ,ark of the ,covenant of the ,lord of all the earth passeth over before you into ,jordan1 the people followed4 ,the ,jordan lay spread before them like a lake1 for it was the time of year when it overflowed all its banks1 but when the feet of the priests who bore the ,ark were dipped in the edge of the water1 the waters from above stopped and rose like a wall1 while the waters below flowed away into the ,dead ,sea1 and left a wide path for the people to walk in1 and the ,ark stood still in ,jordan until every one had passed over4 ,then twelve men1 one out of every tribe1 took a stone from the bed of the river and carried it over for a memorial altar1 so that when any should ask in years to come1 ,what do these stones mean8 someone might tell them how the ,lord led ,israel through ,jordan into their own land4 ,illustration3 ,crossing the ,jordan ,after the ,ark had come up from the bed of ,jordan1 and there was not one of all the thousands of ,israel left behind1 the waters came down from the place where they had stayed1 and flowed down into the ,dead ,sea1 and overflowed the banks of ,jordan as before4 ,the stones were heaped in ,gilgal where they camped1 and directly before them rose the walls of ,jericho1 and here they kept the passover4 ,for forty years they had been fed with manna from heaven as they camped or journeyed in the wilderness1 but now they began to eat the grain and the fruits of the land1 and the manna fell no more4 ,nearly five hundred years before the family of ,jacob left this land to go down into ,egypt where ,joseph was4 ,they grew to be a great people1 but they were slaves4 ,then the ,lord sent ,moses to make them free1 and they began the long journey1 which at last brought them to their own land4 ,forty years they were on the journey1 and all this time they were pilgrims1 but on the day that the ,jordan ceased to flow1 and parted while they passed over into the land promised to their fathers1 they became a nation4 ,the land was before them1 and they had only to obey the ,lord and his servant ,joshua to conquer and possess it4 ,as they filled the valley of the ,jordan before ,jericho1 the hearts of the heathen fainted for fear1 for they knew that only the ,lord could divide a river to let his people pass4 ,joshua went out of the camp to look at ,jericho1 the walled city4 ,it was shut up for fear of the ,israelites1 and there was no one to be seen4 ,suddenly ,joshua saw a warrior standing with a drawn sword in his hand4 ,art thou for us1 said ,joshua1 or for our adversaries8 and the warrior angel answered1 ,nay6 but as ,captain of the host of the ,lord1 am ,i now come1 and ,joshua fell on his face before him4 ,he knew then that it was the ,lord who would conquer ,jericho1 and he was told how the people were to help him4 ,so ,joshua called the priests1 and told them to take up the ,ark1 and he told seven priests to go before it bearing trumpets of rams' horns4 ,then the army of ,israel1 ready for war1 followed1 half of them marching before the ,ark1 and half of them coming after1 and as the trumpets gave a great sound1 they marched once around the city1 and then went to camp4 ,this they did once every day for seven days1 but on the seventh day they marched around the city seven times1 and as the priests blew the trumpets for the last time1 ,joshua cried with a mighty voice1 ,shout6 for the ,lord hath given you the city4 ,then as a great shout went up from the people1 the walls of the city fell down flat1 so that the soldiers of ,israel went up1 every man straight before him1 and took ,jericho4 ,and ,rahab was not forgotten4 ,the ,lord cared for her little house on the wall1 and she1 with all her family1 were brought into the ,camp of ,israel4 ,and so by the conquest of ,jericho the new nation of ,israel began to possess its land4 ,,chapter ,,xv4 ,,samson ,,the ,,strong4 ,all the days of ,joshua--and he lived to be an hundred and ten years old--the ,israelites were conquering the people who lived in ,canaan1 and dividing it among the tribes4 ,joshua was a father to them1 as ,moses had been1 and when at last they were at rest1 each tribe within its own borders1 and they had begun to build their houses1 and plant their fields1 ,joshua spoke words of loving counsel to the people1 and they set up a stone under an oak tree1 as a sign that they would always serve the ,lord and keep the law1 and then he went to be with ,god4 ,after his death ,israel was ruled by wise men called judges1 who helped them to conquer the land little by little4 ,some of them were good men and brave warriors as ,othniel and ,gideon and ,jephthah and one was a prophetess named ,deborah1 a noble mother in ,israel1 and one was a mighty man of strength1 ,samson1 the son of ,manoah4 ,the people of ,israel had turned away from the ,lord1 and could no longer conquer their enemies1 but the ,philistines had conquered them1 and had been their masters for forty years1 when the ,lord sent ,samson to deliver them4 ,he was not a wise man like ,moses or ,joshua1 but he had great strength1 and the ,lord used him against the ,philistines4 ,once a young lion came roaring against him1 and he caught it and rent it in two1 as if it had been a kid4 ,when he passed the same way afterward he saw that the bees had built a nest in the body of the lion1 and it was full of honey4 ,at his marriage feast--for he married a ,philistine woman--he made a riddle for the young men to guess3 ,out of the eater came forth meat1 and out of the strong1 come forth sweetness4 ,illustration3 ,the young ,samson ,they tried for seven days to guess the riddle1 but they could not1 and then they told ,samson's wife to find it out for them1 or they would burn her house4 ,she begged him with tears to tell her1 and at last he told her of the honey comb in the body of the lion1 and she told the young men1 so that at the end of the seventh day they said to ,samson1 ,what is sweeter than honey8 and what is stronger than a lion8 ,he saw that he had been betrayed1 so he paid his debt1 a suit of clothes to each guest1 and went home to his father's house4 ,afterwards when he found that his wife had been given to another he tied firebrands to the tails of three hundred foxes1 and sent them among the wheat fields of the ,philistines so that the fields were set on fire4 ,once the men of ,gaza tried to kill him when he was within their city1 but he rose at midnight and took the city gates1 with its posts and bar1 and carried them away on his shoulders to the top of the hill4 ,again the ,philistine lords had promised a great deal of money to a woman1 if she would get ,samson to tell her what made him so strong1 so she begged him to tell her4 ,three times she thought she knew the secret1 and told the ,philistines1 but they could not bind him4 ,at last he was tired of her questions1 and said to her plainly--that from a child no razor had ever touched his hair4 ,if it should be cut he would be as weak as other men4 ,then she watched and cut his hair while he slept1 and the ,philistines bound him and carried him to ,gaza1 where they made him blind1 and forced him to grind in the mills of a prison house4 ,the ,philistines were glad because ,samson was their prisoner at last1 and so they came together in a great feast to sacrifice to their god ,dagon1 for they said1 ,our god has delivered ,samson into our hands4 ,while they were merry they said3 ,let us send for ,samson to make sport for us1 and he was brought out of the prison4 ,it was very sad to see the strong judge of ,israel1 weak and blind1 led by a little lad1 and making sport for the people in front of their temple4 ,all the lords of the ,philistines were there1 and upon the broad roof of the temple were about three thousand people watching ,samson while he showed his strength1 for his hair had grown and his strength was returning4 ,at last as he was standing between two great pillars that held up the roof1 he prayed1 lifting his sightless eyes to ,god3 ,o ,lord ,god1 remember me1 ,i pray thee1 and strengthen me only this once4 ,then he clasped his arms around the pillars on either side of him1 and bowing himself with all his might1 saying1 ,let me die with the ,philistines1 he drew the great pillars with him1 and the house fell with all that were upon it1 on all that were within it4 ,so died ,samson who judged ,israel twenty years1 yet a woman1 ,deborah1 who was also one of the judges in ,israel1 was stronger than he1 for the ,lord looketh on the heart4 ,illustration3 ,the death of ,samson ,,chapter ,,xvi4 ,,ruth4 ,in the days when the judges ruled in ,israel1 there was a famine in the land1 and an ,israelite1 who lived in ,bethlehem1 took his wife and his two sons into ,moab where there was food4 ,after a while the ,israelite died1 and the two sons married women of ,moab4 ,after two years the sons died also1 and their mother1 ,naomi1 longed for her home in ,bethlehem1 for there was no longer a famine there4 ,so she took ,ruth and ,orpah1 her sons' wives1 and started on the journey into the land of ,israel4 ,but before they had gone far ,naomi said3 ,go6 return each to her mother's house2 the ,lord deal kindly with you1 as ye have dealt with the dead1 and with me4 ,she kissed them1 and they wept and would not leave her4 ,turn again1 my daughters1 she said1 why will ye go with me8 ,and ,orpah kissed ,naomi1 and went back to her own mothers' house1 but ,ruth1 whose heart was with ,naomi1 would not go back4 ,entreat me not to leave thee1 she said1 or to return from following after thee1 for where thou goest ,i will go2 and where thou lodgest ,i will lodge2 thy people shall be my people1 and thy ,god my ,god2 where thou diest ,i will die1 and there will ,i be buried2 the ,lord do so to me1 and more also1 if aught but death part thee and me4 ,and so they came to ,bethlehem1 and the old friends of ,naomi greeted her tenderly1 and welcomed her back4 ,it was about the beginning of the barley harvest4 ,there was a good and great man in ,bethlehem named ,boaz1 and he was of the family of ,naomi's husband4 ,he had a field of barley where the reapers were at work1 and ,ruth asked ,naomi if she should not go and glean after the reapers1 to get grain1 for they were poor4 ,naomi said1 ,go1 my daughter1 and she went4 ,when ,boaz came out of the town into his field and greeted his reapers1 he said to his servant having charge of the reapers1 ,what maiden is this8 and he told him that she was the ,moabitish girl who had come back with her mother-in-law ,naomi4 ,then ,boaz spoke very kindly to ,ruth1 and told her to stay with his maidens1 and freely drink of the water drawn for them1 and ,ruth bowed before him and asked why he should be so kind to a stranger4 ,he told her that he knew all her kindness to her mother-in-law since the death of her husband1 and how she had left her own family and country to come among strangers1 and he blessed her1 saying1 ,a full reward be given thee of the ,lord ,god of ,israel1 under whose wings thou art come to trust4 ,then he told her to sit down and eat bread with them1 and he helped her to the parched corn with his own hands1 and when they returned to work he told his young men to let her glean among the sheaves and reprove her not1 and to let some handfuls fall purposely for her to glean4 ,when ,ruth went home ,naomi said1 ,where hast thou gleaned to-day8 and ,ruth told her4 ,then ,naomi blessed ,boaz1 and told ,ruth that he was one of their near relatives4 ,and so ,ruth gleaned in the fields of ,boaz through all the barley and the wheat harvest4 ,when all the reaping was done1 the grain was threshed on a piece of ground made very smooth and level4 ,the sheaves were beaten1 and then the straw was taken away1 and the grain and chaff below it was winnowed4 ,by this the chaff was blown away and only the grain was left4 ,when ,boaz winnowed his barley ,naomi told ,ruth to go down to his threshing floor and see him for he had a feast for his friends4 ,so after the feast ,ruth came near to him and said1 ,thou art our near kinsman1 and ,boaz said1 ,may the ,lord bless thee my daughter1 and with many kind words he gave her six measures of barley to take to ,naomi4 ,illustration3 ,ruth and ,naomi ,boaz remembered that it was the custom in ,israel for the nearest relative of a man who had died1 to take care of the wife who was left1 and so he went to the gate of ,bethlehem where the rulers met to hold their court1 and spoke to the elders and chief men about ,ruth4 ,he also wished them to be witnesses that he was going to take ,ruth to be his wife4 ,then the rulers all said1 ,we are witnesses1 and they prayed that ,god would bless ,ruth and make ,boaz still richer and greater4 ,so ,ruth became the honored and beloved wife of ,boaz1 and they had a son named ,obed4 ,obed grew up and had a son named ,jesse2 and ,jesse was the father of ,david1 ,king of ,israel1 who was first a shepherd lad of ,bethlehem4 ,more than a thousand years after ,ruth lived there was born in ,bethlehem1 of the family of ,boaz and ,ruth1 a little ,child1 who came1 to be the ,saviour of the world1 and the shepherds in the fields1 where1 perhaps1 ,ruth gleaned1 and ,david kept his sheep1 heard the angels tell the good news and sing ,peace on earth1 good will to men4 ,,chapter ,,xvii4 ,,samuel--,,the ,,child ,,of ,,the ,,temple4 ,the ,tabernacle that was built in the wilderness1 and was brought into ,canaan by the priests was set up at ,shiloh in the very centre of the land of ,canaan1 and once every year the tribes came to it to worship and offer sacrifices4 ,after it had come to ,shiloh to stay it was called the temple4 ,when ,eli was high priest a man named ,elkanah came up from ,ramah to worship1 and ,hannah his wife went with him4 ,she was a good woman1 and very sorrowful1 because she saw other wives with sons and daughters around them1 and she had none4 ,her husband was loving and kind and said3 ,am ,i not better to thee than ten sons8 but she prayed to ,god for a son4 ,while she was at ,shiloh she prayed in the temple1 and ,eli saw her lips move1 though he heard no voice4 ,at first he spoke harshly to her1 thinking she had been drinking wine1 but she told him that she had not taken wine1 but was praying4 ,i am a woman of sorrowful spirit1 she said1 and have poured out my soul before the ,lord4 ,then ,eli blessed her and said3 ,go in peace1 and the ,god of ,israel grant thee the prayer that thou hast asked of him4 ,then ,hannah was no longer sad4 ,her prayer was answered1 and the ,lord sent her a little son1 and when he was old enough1 she took him to the temple1 for she had promised the ,lord that the child should be ,his4 ,so ,elkanah came bringing sacrifices1 and the young child was with them4 ,hannah told ,eli that she was the woman whom he saw praying in the temple4 ,illustration3 ,samuel speaking to the ,lord ,for the child ,i prayed1 she said1 and the ,lord has answered my prayer4 ,therefore ,i have lent him to the ,lord2 as long as he lives he shall be lent to the ,lord4 ,eli was very glad and gave thanks to the ,lord1 and took the little boy to help him in the service of the temple4 ,every year his father and mother came to bring offerings to the ,lord1 and his mother always brought him a little coat which she had made4 ,over it was a linen garment called an ephod1 such as the priests wore4 ,eli was an old man1 and his sons1 though they were priests1 were not good men1 and he believed the ,lord had sent him one who would be good1 so he loved little ,samuel as if he were his own4 ,one night when ,eli was laid down to sleep1 and ,samuel also1 while the light was still burning in the golden candlestick before the ,ark1 ,samuel heard a voice calling him1 and he answered1 ,here am ,i1 and ran to see what ,eli wanted4 ,but ,eli said that he had not called1 and ,samuel lay down again4 ,when the voice called again1 ,samuel went again to ,eli's bed1 but ,eli told him to lie down again1 for he had not called him4 ,when the voice called the third time1 ,samuel said3 ,here am ,i1 for thou didst call me4 ,then ,eli told the boy to lie down once more1 but if he heard the voice again to say1 ,speak ,lord1 for thy servant heareth4 ,and when the voice called again1 ,samuel1 ,samuel1 the boy answered1 ,speak ,lord1 for thy servant heareth4 ,then the ,lord told ,samuel that the sons of ,eli had become very wicked1 and their father had not kept them from the evil1 and therefore ,he could not accept their offerings4 ,when ,eli asked ,samuel what the ,lord had said to him1 the boy told him all and hid nothing from him1 and ,eli bowed his spirit before the ,lord1 and said3 ,it is the ,lord1 let ,him do what seemeth ,him good4 ,after this all the people of ,israel knew that the ,lord had called ,samuel to be a prophet4 ,and as he grew up the ,lord was with him1 and he was a judge over his people all his life4 ,as for ,eli and his sons1 the word of the ,lord soon came true4 ,when the ,philistines came against the ,israelites in battle1 the ,elders of ,israel said3 ,let us bring the ,ark of the ,lord out of ,shiloh to us1 that it may save us out of the hand of our enemies4 ,and so they took it from the holy place to the camp of ,israel4 ,then the ,philistines fell upon the camp and scattered the men of ,israel4 ,they also took the ,ark of ,god1 and the two sons of ,eli were among the thousands slain4 ,eli1 who trembled for the ,ark of ,god1 sat outside the city gate1 by the wayside watching4 ,he was nearly a hundred years old1 and his eyes were dim1 but when a messenger came with the bad news1 he fell backward in his seat and died4 ,his heart was broken4 ,where was ,samuel8 ,perhaps he was praying in the temple for the return of the ,ark of the ,covenant4 ,wherever the ,ark went among the ,philistines1 there went also trouble and death4 ,when they put it in the temple of their fish-god ,dagon1 the great idol fell down before it and was broken4 ,and when it was taken to another city1 the people were smitten with sickness1 until at last the ,philistines said3 ,send away the ,ark of the ,god of ,israel1 and let it go to its own place4 ,after seven months they sent it with gifts of gold to the ,israelites4 ,they placed it on a new cart drawn by two cows1 and the cows1 guided by the ,lord alone1 took a straight way into the land of ,israel4 ,how glad the people were when they looked up from their reaping in the fields1 and saw the ,ark coming safely back to them4 ,the ,philistines watched it from afar to see if it would be guided of ,god to its own place or not and then they returned to their city4 ,samuel gathered the people to the ,lord after this1 and though they had sinned greatly1 and had gone after the gods of the heathen around them1 they repented and returned to the faith of their fathers1 and were faithful all the days of ,samuel4 ,he went from year to year on a journey to three cities of ,israel1 and judged the people in those places1 but his home was in ,ramah1 the city where he was born1 and where ,hannah had brought him up for the ,lord4 ,,chapter ,,xviii4 ,,the ,,making ,,of ,a ,,king4 ,when ,samuel was old he made his sons judges in his place1 but they were not holy men like their father4 ,they loved money1 and would judge unjustly1 if money were given to them as a bribe4 ,so the people came to ,samuel at ,ramah and said1 ,give us a king to judge us4 ,and ,samuel prayed to the ,lord1 and the ,lord told him to do as the people had asked him to do1 for they had not rejected him as judge1 but the ,lord as their ,king1 and now they must learn what kind of a king would reign over them4 ,so ,samuel told them what they must be ready to do for their ,king1 for a king was often a hard master1 and ruled his people cruelly1 taking the best of their fields1 and their harvests1 and their flocks for themselves1 and the finest of their sons and daughters to be his servants2 but they said1 ,we will have a king over us1 that we may be like other nations1 and that our king may judge us1 and go out before us and fight our battles4 ,when ,samuel told these things to the ,lord he said1 ,make them a king1 and ,samuel sent the people to their own cities4 ,samuel did not choose a king for the people himself1 but he waited for the ,lord to send him the man ,he had chosen1 and the ,lord said to him as he went to a city called ,zeph1 to hold a sacrifice1 ,to-morrow about this time ,i will send thee a man from the land of ,benjamin1 and thou shalt anoint him to be captain over my people ,israel4 ,on the next day as ,samuel came out to go up to the hill of sacrifice he met a tall1 noble looking young man1 who1 with his servant1 was looking for the lost asses of his father1 ,kish1 the ,benjaminite4 ,he had come far1 and had heard that ,samuel1 the seer was in that place1 and he hoped he would tell him where to go for the asses that were lost4 ,samuel knew from the ,lord that this was the man ,god had chosen1 so he told him to go up with him to the sacrifice1 and the next day he would let him go4 ,he told him that he need not be troubled about the asses1 for they were found1 but the desire of ,israel was set upon him4 ,saul1 for that was his name1 did not understand him until he was invited to feast with thirty of the chief men1 and ,samuel had talked with him upon the house-top4 ,early the next morning they both rose and went out of the city1 and while ,saul sent his servant on before1 ,samuel anointed ,saul with oil1 and kissed him saying1 that the ,lord had anointed him to be ,captain over his inheritance4 ,as a sign that the ,lord had done it1 he told ,saul three things that would happen to him on the way home1 and charged him to go to ,gilgal1 where he would meet him and sacrifice to the ,lord for seven days4 ,as ,saul turned to leave the prophet1 ,god gave him another heart1 and all the signs came to pass that day4 ,at ,mizpah ,samuel called all the tribes together1 that the man who was to be their king1 might be chosen in their sight1 and when ,saul1 the son of ,kish1 the ,benjaminite was chosen he could not be found2 he had hidden from the people2 but when they brought him out before them1 he was taller than any of the people from his shoulders up1 and looked a king indeed4 ,for the first time in all their history they cried1 ,god save the ,king6 ,then ,saul went home1 and there went with him a body of men whose hearts ,god had touched1 while ,samuel wrote in a book the order of the kingdom and laid it up before the ,lord4 ,,chapter ,,xix4 ,,the ,,shepherd ,,boy ,,of ,,bethlehem4 ,after ,saul had been king of ,israel for a few years1 ,samuel was deeply troubled about him1 for he had hoped that he would be as truly a king as he looked1 but he had a strange and wilful spirit that led him to turn away from the counsel of the ,lord and follow his own way4 ,samuel had been grieved again and again by ,saul's rashness1 until at last he said to him when he had taken the spoil of the enemy to sacrifice to the ,lord1 ,to obey is better than sacrifice2 because thou hast rejected the word of the ,lord1 ,he hath also rejected thee from being king1 and he went to his house and mourned over ,saul1 for he had loved him4 ,at last the ,lord told ,samuel to cease from mourning for ,saul1 for ,he had rejected him1 but to fill his horn with oil1 and go to ,bethlehem where ,jesse lived1 for ,he had chosen one of the sons of ,jesse to be king in place of ,saul4 ,samuel went to ,bethlehem leading a heifer1 as the ,lord had told him to do1 that he might hold a sacrifice4 ,he told the elders of the city to make ready for the sacrifice1 and when he had found the house of ,jesse1 he called him and his sons4 ,jesse was the grandson of ,ruth and ,boaz1 and owned the fields1 no doubt1 where ,ruth gleaned4 ,when ,samuel saw ,eliab1 the son of ,jesse1 he said3 ,surely the ,lord's anointed is before ,him1 but the ,lord said3 ,look not on his countenance or on the height of his stature1 because ,i have refused him1 for the ,lord seeth not as man seeth1 for man looketh on the outward appearance1 but the ,lord looketh on the heart4 ,then ,jesse called ,abinidab1 but ,samuel said3 ,the ,lord hath not chosen this4 ,then he made ,shammah to pass before him1 but ,samuel said3 ,neither hath the ,lord chosen this4 ,jesse made seven of his sons to pass before ,samuel1 but ,samuel said3 ,the ,lord hath not chosen these4 ,are here all thy children8 said ,samuel4 ,there remaineth yet the youngest1 and he keepeth the sheep1 ,jesse replied4 ,then ,samuel said3 ,send and fetch him1 for we will not sit down till he come hither4 ,so ,jesse sent out into the sheepfolds on the hillsides outside the city to bring the lad ,david in4 ,what did the boy think when he found his father and his brothers waiting1 with the old prophet in the midst8 ,what did it mean that the eye of the seer was set upon him1 as were the eyes of all in the house8 ,illustration3 ,the young shepherd boy ,samuel saw a noble youth1 ruddy1 and of a beautiful countenance1 and goodly to look to4 ,he had been told that he must not look on the outward appearance for the ,lord seeth not as man seeth1 and so he waited a little until the ,lord said3 ,arise1 anoint him1 for this is he4 ,then he took the horn of oil1 and anointed him in the midst of his brethren1 and the spirit of the ,lord came upon ,david from that day forward1 and ,samuel went back to his house in ,ramah4 ,it may be that his father and his brothers did not understand that the boy had been called to be king over ,israel1 but a new spirit of wisdom1 and love1 and strength came upon ,david1 and though he went back to his father's flocks with no thought of being greater than his brothers1 he went with a new song in his heart which he sang to the little harp he had made while watching the sheep4 ,long after when he was ,king of ,israel1 he made in memory of these days the beautiful ,psalm to be sung in the temple beginning1 ,the ,lord is my ,shepherd1 ,i shall not want4 ,,chapter ,,xx4 ,,the ,,power ,,of ,a ,,pebble4 ,saul the sullen was still king over ,israel1 although he had departed from the ,lord1 and in ,his sight he was no longer a king4 ,he was very gloomy and dark in his mind1 for he had driven the ,lord's spirit away1 and his light was gone4 ,his servants tried to amuse him1 and told him of ,david1 the son of ,jesse1 who was a skillful player on the harp1 and a brave and handsome youth4 ,so ,saul sent for ,david1 and ,david1 bringing presents from his father1 came to the king's house4 ,saul was greatly pleased with ,david1 and asked ,jesse to let his son stay with him1 for when the evil spirit was upon him1 if ,david played upon his harp the darkness left him4 ,but this did not last1 and after a while ,david went back to his flocks1 and ,saul forgot him4 ,then the ,philistines rose against ,israel again4 ,their camp was on a mountain side1 and ,saul gathered his warriors on the side of another mountain and there was a valley between them4 ,out of the ,philistine camp a giant came one day1 ,goliath of ,gath4 ,he talked loud and often in order to terrify the ,israelites1 asking them to send out a man to fight with him1 but he was not truly brave1 for he had carefully covered his great body with armor of brass1 so that no spear or sword could touch him4 ,he defied ,israel every morning and evening for forty days1 and no one was found who would dare to go out alone to fight him4 ,david's elder brothers were in camp1 and ,jesse1 their father1 called ,david from the flocks to take food to them4 ,he found the army of ,israel ready to go into battle1 but ,goliath came out as he had done each day and defied the ,israelites1 who ran in terror at the sight of him4 ,the spirit of ,david was moved at this1 and he said3 ,who is this ,philistine that he should defy the armies of the living ,god8 ,the man who killeth him1 said one1 the ,king will enrich him1 and1 will give him his daughter and make his father's house free in ,israel4 ,then ,eliab1 ,david's eldest brother1 spoke sternly to ,david asking him why he had left his sheep to come down and see the battle1 and called him naughty and proud1 but ,david still talked with the men1 for the spirit of the ,lord was strong within him4 ,when ,saul heard of him and sent for him1 ,david said3 ,let no man's heart fail because of him2 thy servant will go and fight with the ,philistine4 ,saul frowned at ,david and said3 ,thou art not able to go against this ,philistine2 thou art but a youth1 and he is a man of war4 ,then ,david told the king how he had killed both a lion and a bear that had come down upon his father's flocks1 and that he could also conquer the ,philistine4 ,the ,lord that delivered me out of the paw of the lion1 and the paw of the bear1 said ,david1 ,he will deliver me out of the hand of this ,philistine4 ,and ,saul said3 ,go6 and the ,lord be with thee4 ,then ,saul armed ,david with his own armor1 but ,david said3 ,i can not go with these1 for ,i have not proved them1 and he put them off4 ,and this was the way ,david armed himself to meet the giant4 ,he took his staff in hand1 and chose five smooth stones from the brook and put them in his shepherd's bag1 and with his sling in his hand1 he drew near to the giant4 ,goliath came on also1 his armor-bearer carrying the shield before him1 but when he saw the youth ,david1 he despised him1 for he was without armor1 or sword or spear1 only his staff4 ,am ,i a dog1 that thou comest to me with a staff1 said ,goliath1 and then he told him that he would soon give his flesh to the birds and the beasts4 ,thou comest to me with a sword1 and a spear1 and a shield1 said ,david1 but ,i come to thee in the name of the ,lord of ,hosts1 the ,god of the armies of ,israel whom thou hast despised4 ,then the ,philistine came down upon little ,david to destroy him1 and ,david ran1 not away from him1 as the men of ,israel had done1 but straight toward him1 taking a pebble from his shepherd's bag as he ran4 ,quickly putting it in the sling1 he whirled it in the air once1 twice1 and then it went swift and straight to the mark4 ,it sunk into the forehead of the giant1 and he fell dead upon his face4 ,then ,david ran and stood upon the dead ,philistine and cut off his head with the giant's great sword1 and when the ,philistines saw that their champion was really dead1 they fled1 pursued by the shouting hosts of ,israel4 ,illustration3 ,david cutting off ,goliath's head ,saul had forgotten the youth who played upon the harp before him1 for when he sent for him after the battle he said1 ,whose son art thou1 thou young man8 and ,david answered1 ,i am the son of thy servant ,jesse1 the ,bethlehemite4 ,and ,saul took him to live with him from that day4 ,,chapter ,,xxi4 ,,faithful ,,unto ,,death4 ,saul had a son named ,jonathan1 and he loved ,david as his own soul4 ,he took off his princely robes1 even to his sword1 and his bow1 and his girdle1 and made ,david wear them2 and ,david acted wisely in all that the king gave him to do4 ,there was great joy and much feasting over the ,death of ,goliath and the flight of the ,philistines1 and wherever ,saul went1 the women came out of the cities to meet him1 singing and dancing1 and the song with which they answered one another was1 ,saul hath slain his thousands1 ,and ,david his tens of thousands4 ,saul did not like this1 and an evil spirit of jealousy came upon him1 and he thought1 ,what can he have more but the kingdom4 ,the next day the evil spirit came upon ,saul in the house1 and ,david played on his harp to quiet him1 but ,saul hurled a spear at ,david1 hoping to fasten him to the wall with it4 ,this he did twice1 but the ,lord guided the spear away from ,david1 just as he guided the pebble to ,goliath1 and he was unhurt4 ,saul was afraid of ,david4 ,he was afraid that ,god was preparing him to be king over ,israel1 so he sent him into battle1 hoping he would be killed1 but the life of ,david was in the ,lord's hand1 and no enemy could destroy it4 ,after a great battle1 in which ,david had been victorious1 the evil spirit came again upon ,saul1 as he sat in his house with his spear in his hand1 while ,david played on the harp4 ,again he tried to kill ,david1 but the spear struck the wall and ,david slipped away4 ,illustration3 ,the spear struck the wall ,it was clear that ,david could not live near the king1 and so he talked with ,jonathan1 his friend1 who said1 ,god forbid1 thou shalt not die1 but ,david said1 ,truly there is but a step between me and death4 ,then they made a promise to each other before the ,lord that should last while they lived4 ,they promised to show the kindness of the ,lord to each other while life should last4 ,jonathan told ,david that he might go away for three days1 and they went out into a field together4 ,they feared the anger of ,saul when he found that ,david was absent from the feast of the new moon4 ,so ,jonathan told ,david to return after three days and hide behind a great rock in the field4 ,then ,jonathan said he would come out and shoot three arrows from his bow1 as if he were shooting at a mark1 and he would send his arrow-bearer to pick them up4 ,if he should call to the lad1 ,the arrows are on this side of thee1 ,david would know that ,saul was not angry1 and would not hurt him1 but if he cried1 ,the arrows are beyond thee1 ,david would know he was in danger and must go away4 ,on the second day of the feast1 ,saul asked why ,david was not there1 and ,jonathan told him he had asked permission to go away for three days4 ,then ,saul was very angry4 ,he blamed his son for loving ,david1 for1 as ,saul's son1 ,jonathan should be king after his death1 but he never would be if ,david lived1 and he commanded ,jonathan to bring him that he might put him to death4 ,when ,jonathan asked what evil ,david had done that he should be put to death1 ,saul cast his spear at his own son4 ,then ,jonathan knew there was no hope for ,david1 and left the table in sorrow4 ,the next day he went out to the rock in the field with his armor-bearer and sent him on before4 ,when he shot an arrow1 he cried3 ,the arrow is beyond thee2 make haste6 stay not6 ,and ,david1 in his hiding place heard it1 and knew that he must flee for his life4 ,then ,jonathan gave his bow and arrows to the lad to take to the town1 and ,david came out from his hiding place1 and they kissed each other and wept together4 ,but at last ,jonathan said3 ,go in peace3 as we have sworn both of us in the name of the ,lord1 saying1 ,the ,lord be between me and thee1 and between my children and thy children forever4 ,and ,david went away to hide from ,saul1 and ,jonathan went back to the king's house4 ,for seven years ,saul hunted for ,david to take his life1 and ,david1 often hiding in caves in the wilderness1 could not see his friend ,jonathan1 but they were faithful in their friendship1 and when at last ,saul was slain in battle1 and ,jonathan also1 ,david came to mourn over his friend1 saying3 ,i am distressed for thee1 my brother ,jonathan3 very pleasant hast thou been unto me2 thy love for me was wonderful1 passing the love of women4 ,,chapter ,,xxii4 ,,david ,,the ,,outcast4 ,for seven years ,king ,saul hunted ,david from one end of the land of ,israel to the other4 ,the evil spirit of jealousy and hate had full possession of him1 and ,david1 with a few faithful men1 was driven from one stronghold to another1 until he cried1 ,they gather themselves together2 they hide themselves2 they mark my steps when they wait for my soul4 ,what time ,i am afraid ,i will trust in thee4 ,he had escaped again and again from the hand of ,saul1 and now he was down in the desert country by the ,dead ,sea1 hiding among the cliffs and caves of ,engedi4 ,saul heard of it and took three thousand men to hunt for him among the rocks of the wild goats4 ,he was very tired after climbing the rocks1 and seeing a cave1 he went in to lie down for a little sleep4 ,he did not know that ,david and his men were in the cave hiding in the dark sides of it4 ,then his men whispered to ,david3 ,behold the day of which the ,lord said unto thee3 ',i will deliver thine enemy into thine hand that thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good to thee4' ,then ,david arose and crept near to ,saul1 and--did he kill the man who had so often tried to kill him8 ,no1 he bent down and cut off a part of ,saul's robe4 ,even this seemed wrong to ,david4 ,illustration3 ,the garment of ,saul ,the ,lord forbid that ,i should do this thing unto my master1 he said to stretch forth my hand against him1 seeing he is the anointed of the ,lord1 and in this way he kept his servants from harming ,saul1 and after ,saul awoke he went out of the cave4 ,david also went out of the cave and cried1 ,my ,lord the ,king6 ,and when ,saul turned ,david bowed down to him and asked him why he listened to men who said that he wished to harm the king1 and then he told him how the ,lord had given him into his hand in the cave1 but he would not touch the ,lord's anointed to harm him4 ,see1 my father1 he cried see the skirt of thy robe in my hand4 ,i have not sinned against thee1 yet thou huntest my soul to take it4 ,much more he said1 and asked the ,lord to judge between them1 and ,saul's hard heart was moved so that he wept aloud4 ,is this thy voice1 my son ,david1 he said1 ,thou art more righteous than ,i1 for thou hast rewarded me good1 whereas ,i have rewarded thee evil1 and he made a covenant with ,david4 ,for though he made no promise to spare ,david's life1 he made ,david promise to spare the life of his children when he should be made king4 ,but a year was hardly past before the evil spirit was again upon ,saul1 and he went out with three thousand men to hunt for ,david4 ,saul's camp was on a hill1 and ,david saw where it was4 ,at night he took ,abishai1 one of his warriors1 and went down from the cliffs to ,saul's camp1 where ,saul lay sleeping in a trench1 and the spear stuck in the ground by his pillow1 while all his men lay around him4 ,abishai wished to strike him through with the spear1 but ,david said1 ,destroy him not1 for who can stretch forth his hand against the ,lord's anointed and be guiltless8 ,the ,lord shall smite him1 or his day shall come to die1 or he shall fall in battle and perish2 but take thou now the spear that is at his pillow1 and the cruse of water1 and let us go4 ,and they took them and went away4 ,a deep sleep had fallen upon the camp of ,saul from the ,lord1 so that no one saw them4 ,then ,david went up to his stronghold1 and from the top of the cliff he cried to ,abner1 the captain of ,saul's men1 and asked why he had not defended his ,master1 and where was the king's spear1 and his cruse of water8 ,then ,saul cried as before1 ,is this thy voice1 my son ,david8 ,it is my voice1 my lord1 ,o ,king1 said ,david1 and again he plead his cause with his old enemy1 but who could trust to the repentance of ,saul8 ,he cried1 ,i have sinned2 return1 my son ,david1 for ,i will no more do thee harm1 because my soul was precious in thine eyes this day4 ,i have played the fool1 and erred exceedingly4 ,but ,david trusted him no more1 and went and made friends with a ,philistine prince that he might live within their borders4 ,samuel the prophet was dead1 and there was no one to give counsel to the darkened soul of the ,king when trouble fell upon him4 ,the ,philistines had come with a great army1 but ,saul was afraid1 for the ,lord's spirit was not with him4 ,he tried to seek the ,lord through the priests1 and through dreams1 but the ,lord answered him not4 ,then he went to a witch by night1 and asked her to bring up the spirit of ,samuel4 ,the witch could not bring up ,samuel1 but the ,lord sent him to speak to ,saul1 and the woman cried out with terror when she saw the prophet of the ,lord1 and knew also that it was the ,king who had called for him4 ,i am sore distressed1 said ,saul1 and ,god is departed from me4 ,what shall ,i do8 ,then ,samuel told him plainly that the kingdom was taken from him and given to ,david1 and that on the next day he and his sons should fall in battle1 and the ,israelites into the hands of the ,philistines4 ,saul1 forsaken and despairing1 fell to the earth fainting1 but was revived by the woman1 who gave him food so that he went away through the dark to the camp of ,israel4 ,in the battle of the next day the ,philistines conquered4 ,the three sons of ,saul were slain1 and ,saul himself1 when chased by the ,philistines1 fell upon his own sword and died4 ,when a messenger brought news of the battle to ,david he rent his clothes for grief1 and in the chant of lamentation that he made1 he mourned for his faithful friend ,jonathan1 and had no word of blame for his enemy ,saul1 neither did he triumph over him4 ,,chapter ,,xxiii4 ,,every ,,inch ,a ,,king4 ,after ,saul's death ,david came back to live with his own people1 for he was of the tribe of ,judah4 ,he went to ,hebron1 the old home of ,abraham1 ,isaac1 and ,jacob1 for the ,lord had told him to go there1 and the men of his tribe came to ,hebron and anointed him king4 ,the other tribes did not come1 for ,saul's son and the captain of his host1 ,abner1 were still holding the kingdom4 ,but when both were killed by an enemy1 then all the other tribes came to ,hebron and made a league with him1 so seven years after ,saul's death ,david became king over all ,israel4 ,he was then thirty years old and his reign lasted forty years4 ,then ,david began to establish the kingdom4 ,there was a rocky height not far from ,hebron with a valley all around it that was still held by the ,jebusites1 one of the tribes of ,canaan that the ,lord said must not be left in the land4 ,the city was ,jerusalem1 and the stronghold was ,zion1 and close by ,zion was the mount to which ,abraham had once gone to offer up ,isaac4 ,david wanted this stronghold for the chief city of the kingdom1 and so he took it1 and it became the city of ,david4 ,he built a beautiful house for himself there1 and ,king ,hiram of ,tyre sent skilled workmen1 and cedar trees1 and they built a house of cedar for him4 ,but stronger than the wish to have a house for himself was the longing to see the ,ark of ,god set within the curtains of the ,tabernacle in the city of ,david4 ,it had been in the house of ,abinadab in ,kirjath-,jearim for seventy years1 ever since it was sent home by the ,philistines who captured it4 ,because the people had grown cold toward ,god1 they did not wish to hear the reading of the law1 or be led by his counsel4 ,now ,david called together the flower of all ,israel1 thirty thousand men1 and they went to bring the ,ark to the city of ,david4 ,while on the way a man who had laid his hand upon the ,ark when it was unsteady was smitten and died1 for no one but the priests and ,levites could touch the ,ark of ,god4 ,david feared to bring it further1 and so he placed it in the house of ,obededom which was near by4 ,it was there three months1 and great blessing came to the house because of it4 ,when ,david heard this he went joyfully down to bring the ,ark to his city1 and it was with sacrifices1 and shouting1 and the sound of trumpet that it was brought and set in the ,tabernacle that had been made ready for it4 ,and so the worship of the ,lord was established in ,jerusalem1 which was to be the great altar for the sacrificial worship until the sacrifice should be taken away1 and the kingdom of ,christ established on the earth4 ,but ,david was not satisfied4 ,see1 he said to ,nathan the prophet1 ,i dwell in a house of cedar1 but the ,ark of ,god dwelleth within curtains4 ,that night the ,lord spoke to ,nathan and told him what to say to the king4 ,he promised to establish the royal house of ,david1 and give final peace to the people1 and also to build a house for the worship of the ,lord1 but he said that ,david's son1 who should be king after him1 should build a house to his name1 and of him the ,lord said1 ,i will be his ,father1 and he shall be my son4 ,then ,king ,david went in to the ,tabernacle and thanked the ,lord for ,his promise to him and to his son1 and asked ,his blessing upon them4 ,though he reigned forty years1 he never forgot that his work was not to build the temple of the ,lord1 but to prepare for it4 ,so he subdued enemies1 built cities1 made leagues with friendly nations1 gathered much wealth of wood1 and stone1 and gold1 and silver and precious stones for the house of the ,lord1 and trained choirs of singers for the service4 ,he also kept his heart open toward the ,lord1 so that he was able to write some wonderful poems that were set to music and sung by the temple choirs4 ,we call them the ,psalms of ,david4 ,though ,david had grown rich and great1 he did not forget his promise to ,jonathan4 ,he called ,ziba1 who had been ,saul's servant and said to him1 ,is there not yet any of the house of ,saul that ,i may show the kindness of ,god to him8 ,then ,ziba told him of a man who was lame in both his feet1 who was the son of ,jonathan4 ,david sent for him1 and gave him all the land of ,saul1 and a place was made for him at the king's table among his own sons1 and it was his while he lived4 ,,chapter ,,xxiv4 ,,david',s ,,sin4 ,the army of ,israel was at war with the ,ammonites1 and ,joab was the chief captain4 ,david did not go out with the army1 but stayed in his house in ,jerusalem4 ,one evening he was walking on the flat roof of his house1 as the people of that country always do1 and he saw a little way off a very beautiful woman4 ,he sent a servant to ask who she was1 and found she was the wife of ,uriah who was in the army with ,joab1 fighting the ,ammonites4 ,then a great temptation was set before ,david1 and instead of going to the ,lord to be saved from it1 he sent to ,joab1 asking him to send him ,uriah1 the ,hittite4 ,so ,uriah came1 and ,david talked kindly with him1 and found him a good and faithful man4 ,when he went back to ,joab he took a letter from ,david1 who asked that he be set in the front of the battle4 ,so ,joab placed him there1 and when the two armies met ,uriah was killed1 and ,joab sent a messenger to tell ,david4 ,after her mourning was ended1 ,bathsheba1 the wife of ,uriah1 became the wife of ,david1 but the ,lord was displeased with ,david4 ,he also knew ,david's heart and how to deal with him1 so he sent ,nathan the prophet to him4 ,there were two men in one city1 said ,nathan1 one of them rich and the other poor4 ,the rich man had many flocks and herds1 but the poor man had nothing1 save one little ewe lamb1 which he had bought and nourished up2 and it grew together with him and with his children3 it did eat of his own meat and drink of his own cup1 and lay in his bosom and was unto him as a daughter4 ,and there came a traveller unto the rich man1 and he spared to take of his own flock to dress for the wayfaring man that was come to him1 but took the poor man's lamb and dressed it for the man that was come to him4 ,david was very angry at the man who could do such a cruel thing1 and he said to ,nathan1 ,the man that hath done this thing shall surely die2 and he shall restore the lamb fourfold1 because he did this thing1 and because he had no pity4 ,then ,nathan said to ,david1 ,thou art the man1 and he told him how greatly the ,lord had blessed him in making him ,king over ,israel1 and in delivering him from the hand of ,saul1 and how he had slain a faithful servant and taken his wife for himself2 therefore evil would befall him4 ,david said1 ,i have sinned against the ,lord1 and the ,lord saw that his repentance was real1 and forgave the sin1 but that ,david might never forget and sin again1 the ,lord took the little child that was born to him and to ,bathsheba4 ,while it was sick ,david fasted and lay all night upon the earth1 and would not rise to taste food4 ,this he did for seven days while the little child was sick1 but when they told him that his child was dead he arose and bathed and dressed himself and went to the house of the ,lord to worship1 and returned to take his food4 ,then his servants wondered at it1 and replied1 ,while the child was yet alive ,i fasted and wept1 for ,i said1 who can tell whether ,god will be gracious unto me that the child may live4 ,but now he is dead1 wherefore should ,i fast8 ,can ,i bring him back again8 ,i shall go to him1 but he shall not return to me4 ,after this another child was born to ,bathsheba1 and they named him ,solomon1 which means ,peaceable4 ,and ,david wrote a prayer of repentance for his sin4 ,it is the fifty-first ,psalm1 and has been the prayer of penitent souls for nearly three thousand years4 ,,chapter ,,xxv4 ,,david',s ,,sorrow4 ,david had a very beautiful son named ,absalom4 ,from the crown of his head to the soles of his feet there was no fault to be seen in him4 ,his hair was thick and long1 and his beauty was much talked of through all ,israel4 ,but the ,lord who looks upon the heart saw that the heart of ,absalom was wicked and false4 ,he killed his brother ,amnon1 and then fled to another country and stayed three years4 ,when he returned he tried to see his father1 but ,david would not see him for two years4 ,then ,absalom forced ,joab to bring him to the king's house by setting ,joab's barley field on fire4 ,he was false as well as handsome1 and won his father's heart by pretending to be humble4 ,after this ,absalom began to live more like a king than a prince4 ,he had fifty men to run before his chariot when he rode1 and he stood in the city gates and talked with the men who came to see the king about their rights4 ,he told them that if he were ruler over the land every man should have all that he wanted1 and deceived many by a false show of friendship4 ,then he asked the king if he could go to ,hebron to pay a vow to the ,lord by offering sacrifice there1 and ,david told him to go in peace1 and he went4 ,but he had cruelly deceived his father4 ,he had sent spies through all the land to persuade them to join him at ,hebron and make him king4 ,he also took two hundred men out of ,jerusalem to help him1 and one of them was ,david's counsellor4 ,they had arranged to have all the people1 as soon as they heard anywhere the sound of the trumpet1 to cry1 ,absalom is king in ,hebron4 ,then it came to the ears of ,david that his people had been led away by deceit to follow ,absalom1 and ,david1 who had been fearless before ,goliath and before great armies of other nations1 was afraid4 ,his heart was broken at the treachery of his son1 and he said to his servants1 ,arise1 and let us flee2 make haste and go1 for fear ,absalom may come and fight against the city with the sword4 ,his servants were ready to fight for him1 but he fled in haste over the brook ,kedron and went toward the wilderness1 with all of the people of the city with him1 until there was a great multitude1 and in the midst the priests and the ,levites bearing the ,ark of ,god1 but when ,david saw this he said1 ,carry back the ,ark of ,god into the city4 ,if ,i shall find favor in the eyes of the ,lord ,he will bring me again4 ,let ,him do to me as seemeth good to ,him4 ,so the priests and the ,levites returned to the city with the ,ark of ,god4 ,it was a sad procession that went over the ,mount of ,olives led by ,david1 weeping as he went1 with his head covered and his feet bare4 ,some enemies of the house of ,saul came out and troubled him by the way1 but there was no anger in the heart of ,david toward any4 ,he believed the hand of the ,lord was upon him1 and he said1 ,it may be the ,lord will look on mine affliction4 ,absalom came to ,jerusalem1 and while he was asking his chief counsellor what to do1 he was persuaded by a friend of ,david1 who had stayed behind1 to wait until he had gathered a larger army before he followed after ,david4 ,this gave him time to send word to ,david to cross over ,jordan before ,absalom should overtake him4 ,the chief counsellor1 when he saw that his advice was not followed1 went to his own house and hanged himself1 for he knew that the ,lord was bringing his counsel to naught4 ,after ,david had passed over into ,gilead the people of that land brought food1 and dishes1 and beds to the sorrowful king and his tired people1 and they were cared for in the city of ,mahanaim4 ,then ,joab1 the captain1 gathered the men together to go and meet ,absalom and his army1 and as they passed out of the city ,david stood in the gate and charged all the captains as they passed1 saying ,deal gently1 for my sake1 with the young man1 even with ,absalom4 ,so they went out to battle1 and it was in a wood4 ,god had given ,david's army the victory1 and twenty thousand men of ,absalom's army were slain4 ,absalom1 who rode on a mule1 was caught by his long thick hair in the branches of an oak tree1 and the mule went away and left him hanging there4 ,a man ran and told ,joab that he had seen ,absalom hanging in an oak4 ,why didst thou not smite him there8 said ,joab4 ,the man said he would not have done it for a thousand shekels of silver1 because ,david had charged them all not to touch the young man ,absalom4 ,but ,joab turned away1 and when he had found ,absalom in the oak1 he1 with the ten young men who were with him1 killed ,absalom1 and they buried him in the wood4 ,illustration3 ,the death of ,absalom ,then ,joab sent two messengers to carry news of the victory to the king1 who sat between the city gates1 while a watchman stood over the gates on the city wall4 ,when the watchmen saw the two men running1 one after the other1 he cried out and told the king4 ,the first man cried as he came1 ,all is well1 but when the king said1 ,is the young man ,absalom safe8 he could not answer1 and when the second messenger cried1 ,tidings1 my lord1 the king1 again ,david asked1 ,is the young man ,absalom safe8 ,the enemies of my lord the king and all that rise against thee to do thee hurt be as that young man1 said the messenger4 ,then the king went up to the room over the city gate and wept1 and as he went he cried1 ,o my son ,absalom6 my son1 my son ,absalom6 would ,god ,i had died for thee1 ,o ,absalom1 my son1 my son6 ,illustration3 ,david mourning for ,absalom ,the people who had come back joyful because the enemy had been conquered were distressed by the grief of the king1 so that ,joab persuaded ,david to come down to the gate and meet the people4 ,after this those who were left of the followers of ,absalom begged the king to come back to ,jerusalem1 and so he came1 and thousands came to meet him4 ,he had only forgiving words for those who had injured him1 and for ,barzillai and the men of ,gilead who had fed them and shown them great kindness in the darkest hour of the king's life1 and who came a little way on the journey with them1 he had grateful words and blessings4 ,and so the king came to his own again4 ,he was now getting to be an old man1 and the love of his people made his last days blessed4 ,his warriors said1 ,thou shalt go no more out with us to battle1 that thou quench not the light of ,israel4 ,once he sinned against the ,lord by numbering his people4 ,he wanted to know how many men in his kingdom could bear arms in battle1 and he forgot that victory over the enemy was not with the many or the few1 but with the ,lord1 who is the strength of his people4 ,when he saw that he had done wrong he confessed it and begged for forgiveness1 but a pestilence spread over all the land1 and came near to ,jerusalem1 and the angel was stayed by the ,lord's hand just over the threshing floor of ,araunah4 ,this was the broad flat top of ,mount ,moriah where long before ,abraham had built an altar on which to offer ,isaac4 ,when ,david saw the angel he said1 ,i have done wickedly1 but these sheep1 what have they done8 ,let ,thine hand1 ,i pray thee1 be against me1 and against my father's house4 ,then the prophet ,gad said1 ,go up1 rear an altar to the ,lord in the threshing-floor of ,araunah1 and ,david went as the ,lord commanded4 ,when they reached the mount ,araunah offered ,david the piece of ground with the oxen for a sacrifice1 but he would not take them as a gift4 ,but ,i will surely buy it of thee at a price1 said ,david1 neither will ,i offer burnt offerings to the ,lord my ,god of that which doth cost me nothing4 ,so he bought the piece of ground and paid for it six hundred shekels of gold4 ,twice had the ,lord blessed this spot with a miracle of salvation1 and twice an altar had been built there1 and looking upon it1 ,david said1 ,this is the house of the ,lord ,god1 and this is the altar of burnt offering for ,israel1 and he prepared to build there the temple of ,solomon1--the altar of the world4 ,,chapter ,,xxvi4 ,,the ,,building ,,of ,,the ,,golden ,,house4 ,the time was near when ,david must leave his people and go to his ,god1 and his chief thought was about the house of the ,lord that he had longed to build1 that the ,ark of ,god might be at rest1 and that the people might have a place of worship for all time to come4 ,he knew that his son ,solomon was to build the temple1 but he was still young1 and ,david made ready as far as he could for the building of the house4 ,there were men at work in the quarries1 cutting great stones1 and there were men in the forests of ,lebanon cutting and hewing cedars1 and others gathering iron and brass1 and gold1 and silver for the treasury of ,david4 ,he also spent much time dividing the sons of ,levi into companies1 so that they could in turn serve with the priests in the temple1 and ordering the times and manner of service1 for he believed that this temple would be a house of prayer for all nations4 ,david had been a man of war1 for he had been called to destroy idol worship in the land of ,canaan1 and to make it the land of ,israel1 in which the one true ,god should be worshipped forever1 but ,solomon's reign was to be one of peace1 and the ,lord chose a man of peace to build his house4 ,david had another son1 ,adonijah1 who tried to make himself king as ,absalom did1 but ,david heard of it1 and had ,solomon proclaimed king before his own death1 lest trouble should arise after4 ,when ,adonijah heard the shouts of the people1 and the sound of the trumpets he was afraid1 and expected ,solomon would kill him1 but ,solomon said if he would only show himself a good man no harm should come to him4 ,the last things that ,david did were to call his princes and chief men together and tell them that the ,lord had promised many years before1 that ,solomon should build the house of the ,lord during his reign2 and also that his children's children should rule over ,israel1 and he begged them to keep the ,lord's commandments1 that they might keep the good land that had been given them4 ,he also charged ,solomon before them all to serve ,god with all his heart1 but if he failed to do so he would be cast off forever4 ,david gave ,solomon all the plans and patterns for the house of the ,lord1 as the ,lord had given them to him2 also the gold and silver stored up for time of building4 ,he also told the people1 when he had called them together1 what he had stored for the work of the temple1 and asked them who were willing to give also4 ,then the people brought gifts1 as they did when the ,tabernacle was built1 and gave them to the ,lord4 ,david led them in a great thanksgiving service1 and they offered three thousand sacrifices4 ,solomon was again anointed king in the presence of all ,israel1 and took the throne of ,david2 and ,david died1 honored and loved by his people1 and he was buried in his own city4 ,when ,solomon went to ,gibeon to sacrifice the ,lord came to him in a dream and said1 ,ask what ,i shall give thee4 ,solomon was wiser than all the sons of ,david1 and yet he did not feel himself to be so4 ,he said1 ,i am but a little child2 ,i know not how to go out or come in1 and thy servant is in the midst of a great people that cannot be numbered4 ,give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people1 that ,i may discern between good and bad1 for who is able to judge this thy so great a people4 ,and the ,lord said1 ,because thou hast asked this thing1 and hast not asked for thyself long life1 neither riches1 nor the life of thine enemies1 lo1 ,i have given thee a wise and understanding heart1 and ,i have also given thee that which thou hast not asked--both riches and honor2 and if thou wilt walk in my ways as thy father ,david did1 then ,i will lengthen thy days4 ,the ,lord was true to his word4 ,solomon had wisdom1 beyond all the old and the learned men of his kingdom1 and many came to him for counsel who were not of ,israel1 for he was famous among the nations4 ,some of these nations wished to be ruled by him1 and brought him many precious things as gifts2 they had been conquered by ,david1 and now they wished to be ruled by ,solomon4 ,he had thousands of servants and he knew how to direct their work4 ,away up in the mountains of ,lebanon they worked with the servants of ,hiram1 ,king of ,tyre1 getting the cedar timbers ready for the temple1 while ,hiram's artisans in gold1 and silver1 and brass1 and fine linen came to ,jerusalem to work on the temple1 and ,solomon sent ,hiram wheat1 and olive oil1 and wine4 ,so wise were the workers in stone and wood that when the temple was built there was no sound of a hammer or any tool heard on ,mount ,moriah4 ,each stone was ready to fit into its place1 and each piece of wood to fit another4 ,the house was not like any that we have ever seen4 ,it was not large1 but it was very precious4 ,the cedar boards that lined the walls were carved in flower patterns1 and covered with gold4 ,the floor also was covered with gold4 ,he divided the temple in two parts1 as the ,tabernacle had been1 with a rich curtain of blue and purple and crimson4 ,the innermost room was called the most holy place1 and was for the ,ark1 and its walls were beautiful with cherubim1 and palm trees1 and flowers1 overlaid with gold1 as was the floor also4 ,within this most holy place stood two cherubim fifteen feet high4 ,they were of olive wood covered with gold1 and they stood with wings spread forth so that they touched each other1 and also touched the wall on either side1 and their wings overshadowed the mercy seat where the ,ark of the ,lord was to rest4 ,all the carvings upon wood were covered with gold1 and precious stones were set among them for light and beauty4 ,solomon's workmen made two great pillars of brass to stand before the house1 and a great brass altar for the burnt offerings4 ,they also made ten basins of brass that were set upon wheels1 and one very great one called the sea which stood on twelve brass oxen4 ,they also made many things for the use of the temple--candlesticks1 and spoons1 and censers all of pure gold1 and there was also a golden altar and a golden table4 ,solomon was seven years building the house of the ,lord1 and when it was finished1 and its outer courts made ready1 he called all the elders and chief men of ,israel together to carry the ,ark of ,god to its place4 ,so the ,ark1 borne by the priests1 and holding the tables of the law1 was carried into the most holy place1 and set under the wings of the cherubim4 ,after the priests came out a cloud filled the house of the ,lord so that the priests could not go in4 ,it was the glory of the presence of the ,lord4 ,then ,solomon stood before all the people and gave thanks to ,god and asked him to take the temple for his own house to dwell in1 and kneeling down1 he prayed that wherever the children of ,israel might be1 at home1 or captives in a strange land1 that the ,lord would hear them when they prayed toward his house1 and that all prayer offered in it might be heard and answered ,then fire from heaven fell upon the great altar1 and the sacrifice was consumed1 and all over the great pavement of the court the people bowed and worshipped the ,lord1 saying1 ,for ,he is good1 and ,his mercy endureth forever4 ,there were offerings and feasting for fourteen days1 and then the people went to their homes to think of the wonderful things they had seen4 ,and there were sacrifices offered morning and evening each day1 on the ,sabbath1 and at the three great feasts of the year--the feast of the passover1 the feast of the harvest1 and the feast of tabernacles4 ,solomon also built a wonderful house for himself1 and another called the house of the forest of ,lebanon1 where he kept his armor4 ,the roof was upheld by cedars of ,lebanon1 standing like mighty pillars beneath it4 ,so famous did his work and his wisdom become that a queen from a distant land called ,sheba came to visit him4 ,she came with a caravan of servants and camels bringing costly presents of spices1 and gold1 and precious stones4 ,she asked him many things that she had longed to know1 and he answered all her questions1 and told her strange and wonderful things1 so that after she had seen all his palace1 and his servants1 and the service of his table1 and the beautiful ascent by which he went up to the temple1 she said that the half had never been told her in her own country4 ,they exchanged costly presents1 and she went back to her own land4 ,illustration3 ,the ,queen of ,sheba before ,solomon ,solomon had many ships upon the sea that brought riches from every land ,he learned much of the world in this way1 and as he grew older and from his throne of gold and ivory judged his people1 he dropped many wise sayings that were written in a book by the scribes and are now called the ,proverbs of ,solomon4 ,but in ,solomon's latter days his wives1 who were daughters of heathen kings1 turned his heart from the ,lord4 ,when his father sinned he repented at once1 and his heart never turned to idols1 but with all his wisdom1 ,solomon was weak of will1 and built temples for his wives to worship idols in4 ,the ,lord had made a promise to ,david that his sons should inherit the throne1 and ,he kept the promise1 but he allowed the kingdom to be divided4 ,the two tribes who lived near to ,jerusalem--,judah and ,benjamin--were left to ,solomon's son ,rehoboam1 but the ten tribes chose a man named ,jeroboam to be their king4 ,the men of ,rehoboam1 led by their king1 went out to fight with the ten tribes1 but the ,lord would not let them4 ,he spoke to them through a prophet and they went home4 ,so now there were two kings in ,israel1 and ,rehoboam's kingdom was called the kingdom of ,judah1 and that of ,jeroboam was called the kingdom of ,israel2 but after the kingdom was divided no kings ever reigned who could be compared with ,david and ,solomon4 ,,chapter ,,xxvii4 ,,elijah ,,the ,,great ,,heart ,,of ,,israel4 ,during the reign of ,jehoshaphat1 fourth king of ,judah1 and ,ahab1 sixth king of ,israel1 after the division of the kingdom1 there came out of ,gilead ,elijah1 a prophet of the ,lord4 ,two of the kings of ,judah1 and all of the kings of ,israel had been wicked men1 and the ,lord sent ,elijah to ,ahab1 king of ,israel1 to tell him that there should be no rain for years in the land of ,israel1 and then only as ,elijah should ask for it4 ,ahab was more wicked than the kings that reigned before him1 and had built a temple for the god ,baal in ,samaria4 ,because he would seek to destroy ,elijah1 the ,lord told ,his prophet to go to the brook ,cherith that ran into the ,jordan1 and there ,he would take care of him4 ,thou shalt drink of the brook1 and ,i have commanded the ravens to feed thee there1 said the ,lord4 ,and so it was4 ,morning and evening the ravens came bringing bread and meat1 and the brook brought him water out of the rock1 but as there was no rain1 the brook at last dried up1 and there was a great famine4 ,illustration3 ,ravens bringing food to ,elijah ,then ,elijah was told to go to ,zarephath1 for a woman there had been told to feed him1 and he went at once4 ,as he came near the city gate he saw a woman gathering sticks1 and he asked her to bring him a cup of water and a little bread4 ,she told him that she had but a handful of meal in a barrel1 and a little oil in a cruse1 and she was going to bake it for herself and son1 that they might eat it and die4 ,then ,elijah said1 ,fear not2 go and do as thou hast said1 but make me thereof a little cake first1 and after that make for thee and thy son1 for thus saith the ,lord ,god of ,israel1 ',the barrel of meal shall not waste1 neither shall the cruse of oil fail until the day that the ,lord sendeth rain upon the earth4' ,she believed ,elijah1 and did as he commanded1 and they ate for a whole year1 and the meal and the oil lasted all that time4 ,after this the woman's son grew very sick1 so very sick that he appeared to be dead1 and the woman cried to the prophet in her distress1 ,o thou man of ,god1 art thou come unto me to call my sin to remembrance and to slay my son8 ,then he said1 ,give me thy son1 and he took him up to his own room and laid him upon his bed and prayed over him4 ,then he stretched himself upon the child three times and cried1 ,o ,lord my ,god1 ,i pray ,thee let this child's soul come unto him again6 ,and ,god heard ,elijah1 and the soul of the child came to him again1 and he revived4 ,then he gave the boy to his happy and grateful mother1 saying1 ,see1 thy son liveth4 ,in the third year of the famine the ,lord said to ,elijah1 ,go1 show thyself to ,ahab1 and ,i will send rain on the earth4 ,as ,elijah went he met a good man named ,obadiah1 who was governor of the king's house4 ,this man worshipped the ,lord1 and when ,ahab's wicked wife1 ,jezebel1 tried to kill all the ,lord's prophets he hid a hundred of them in two caves and kept them alive with bread and water4 ,he was seeking grass and water for the king's horses1 and when he saw ,elijah he fell on his face and said1 ,art thou my ,lord ,elijah8 ,i am1 said ,elijah1 go1 tell thy lord1 ',behold1 ,elijah is here4' ,obadiah was in distress at this command1 for he knew that the king would kill ,elijah if he found him1 and he could not think that ,elijah would be brave enough to meet the king1 or he thought perhaps the spirit of the ,lord would carry him away1 and he alone would have to meet the anger of the king4 ,as the ,lord of hosts liveth1 said ,elijah1 ,i will surely show myself unto him to-day4 ,so ,obadiah told ,ahab1 and ,ahab went to meet ,elijah1 and said to him1 ,art thou he that troubleth ,israel8 ,i have not troubled ,israel1 he said1 but thou and thy father's house1 in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the ,lord1 and thou hast followed ,baalim4 ,then he told ,ahab to call all ,israel to ,mount ,carmel which overlooks the sea1 and to bring there also the four hundred and fifty prophets of ,baal1 and the four hundred prophets of the groves4 ,so the king called them together1 and ,elijah cried to the people1 ,how long halt ye between two opinions8 ,if the ,lord be ,god1 follow ,him2 but if ,baal1 follow him4 ,and the people1 afraid of the king and his wicked wife1 answered not a word4 ,i1 even ,i only1 remain a prophet of the ,lord1 said ,elijah1 but ,baal's prophets are four hundred and fifty men4 ,and then he told the people how it could be proven which was true--the ,god of ,israel1 or ,baal4 ,he told the prophets of ,baal to make an altar and place wood and a sacrifice upon it1 and he also would do the same1 and they should call upon ,baal1 and he would call on the name of the ,lord1 and the ,god that answereth by fire1 let him be ,god4 ,this the priests of ,baal were willing to do1 and they cried around their altar from morning until night1 ,o ,baal1 hear us1 but there was no voice1 and no answer by fire4 ,elijah watched and waited1 sometimes telling them that perhaps their god was asleep1 and could be waked2 or that he had gone on a journey1 or was talking with somebody1 and then they became wild and leaped upon the altar and cut themselves with knives4 ,after many hours ,elijah called the people to him1 and he repaired a broken altar of the ,lord that stood there with twelve stones for the twelve tribes of ,israel1 and made a trench all around it4 ,then he placed wood on the altar and told the people to pour four barrels of water over the sacrifice4 ,this they did three times1 and the water ran down and filled the trench around the altar1 and the people saw that ,elijah could not by any means make a fire there4 ,then1 as it was the hour of the evening sacrifice in the temple1 ,elijah knelt by his altar with his face toward ,jerusalem1 and prayed to his ,god that ,he would hear him1 and show the people that they were called from the worship of idols to the service of the living ,god4 ,what a wonderful sight was that1 when fire fell from heaven and burnt up the sacrifice1 and the wood1 and the altar1 and even the water in the trench around the altar6 ,and the people all fell on their faces at the sight1 and cried1 ,the ,lord ,he is the ,god6 ,the ,lord ,he is the ,god6 ,then ,elijah told them to take the prophets of ,baal and destroy them1 and they did so4 ,there is a sound of abundance of rain6 said ,elijah to the king1 and then he went to the very top of ,carmel1 and threw himself upon the earth1 hiding his face between his knees1 while he sent his servant to look toward the sea1 and watch for the coming of the rain4 ,this the servant did seven times1 each time coming to his master and saying1 ,there is nothing1 but the prophet told him to look seven times more1 and when he came back the seventh time he said1 ,behold1 there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea like a man's hand4 ,then he sent his servant to ,ahab1 saying1 ,prepare thy chariot and get thee down1 that the rain stop thee not4 ,the little cloud grew to be a great one1 and filled all the sky until it was black with clouds and wind1 and there was a great rain4 ,and as ,ahab rode in his chariot1 ,elijah1 who was strong with the spirit of the ,lord and glad for ,his great victory over sin1 ran before the chariot to the gates of the city4 ,jezebel the queen was furious when she heard that the priests had been destroyed4 ,she sent word to ,elijah that he would be treated the same way on the morrow1 and so ,elijah fled for his life1 and leaving his servant in ,beer-,sheba on the southern border of ,israel1 he went a day's journey into the wilderness4 ,there he sat down under a juniper tree1 and for the first time his heart grew weak within him4 ,it is enough1 he said1 ,now1 ,o ,lord1 take away my life1 for am ,i not better than my fathers4 ,perhaps he was discouraged because he was tired and hungry1 for he fell asleep1 and when he awoke it was because an angel touched him1 saying1 ,arise and eat1 and he looked1 and there was a cake just baked on the hot coals1 and a bottle of water close beside him4 ,so he ate and drank1 but he was not yet rested1 and he fell asleep again4 ,the angel waked him the second time telling him to eat and drink1 for the journey was too great for him4 ,then he ate and drank again1 and went on the strength of that food forty days and forty nights1 till he came to ,horeb1 the mount of ,god1 where the ,ten ,commandments were given to ,moses1 and there he lodged in a cave4 ,he was still gloomy and discouraged1 and when the ,lord said1 ,what doest thou here1 ,elijah8 he said1 ,i have been very jealous for the ,lord ,god of hosts1 for the children of ,israel have forsaken thy covenant1 thrown down thine altars1 and slain thy prophets with the sword1 and ,i1 even ,i only am left1 and they seek my life to take it4 ,illustration3 ,elijah and the angel ,then the ,lord told him to go out and stand on the mount before the ,lord1 and he passed by4 ,there was a great wind that split the mountains1 and broke the great rocks1 but the ,lord was not in the wind1 and after the wind an earthquake1 but the ,lord was not in the earthquake2 and after the earthquake a fire1 but the ,lord was not in the fire2 and after the fire a still1 small voice4 ,when ,elijah heard that1 he wrapped his face in his mantle and stood at the door of the cave1 and the ,lord asked again1 ,what doest thou here1 ,elijah8 and ,elijah answered him just as he did before4 ,then the ,lord told him to go back and anoint a new king over ,syria1 also a new king over ,israel1 and ,elisha to be prophet in his place4 ,elijah went1 and he found ,elisha ploughing with twelve yoke of oxen4 ,he cast his mantle over ,elisha1 and ,elisha followed him and became his servant4 ,when ,elijah came back to his own country he found there had been war between ,israel and ,syria1 and ,ahab had grown hard of heart again4 ,he and his wicked wife ,jezebel had taken the vineyard of ,naboth away from him because ,ahab wanted it for a garden1 and they had caused the death of ,naboth1 so when ,elijah came he found ,ahab in the vineyard1 and said1 ,hast thou killed and also taken possession8 and he told him that he should die where ,naboth died4 ,hast thou found me1 ,o mine enemy6 cried the king4 ,i have found thee1 answered ,elijah1 and he spoke to him the word of the ,lord1 that he should be destroyed out of ,israel with his whole family4 ,then ,ahab repented1 and the ,lord spared his life two years1 but later his wife ,jezebel came to a dreadful end1 with the seventy sons of ,ahab4 ,when the time came for the ,lord to take his servant to himself1 ,elijah wished to be alone1 but ,elisha his servant would not leave him4 ,he followed his master from one town to another until they came to the river ,jordan4 ,then ,elijah took off his mantle1 and folding it1 struck the waters and they were divided1 so that they went over on dry ground4 ,then ,elijah said1 ,ask what ,i shall do for thee1 and ,elisha prayed that a double portion of his ,master's spirit might rest upon him4 ,if thou see me when ,i am taken from thee it shall be so unto thee1 he said1 but if not1 it shall not be so4 ,and as they went there appeared a chariot of fire1 and horses of fire1 parting them from each other1 and ,elijah went up in a whirlwind to heaven4 ,now ,elisha wished his master to know that he saw him1 so he cried1 ,my father1 my father6 the chariot of ,israel and the horsemen thereof6 and he saw him no more4 ,illustration3 ,elijah and the chariot of fire ,then he took ,elijah's mantle that fell from him1 and struck the waters of ,jordan again1 and they parted1 and he went over1 and he knew that the power of the old prophet's spirit had been given to him4 ,fifty young men1 sons of the prophets1 saw him return1 and they said1 ,the spirit of ,elijah doth rest on ,elisha1 and they bowed themselves to the ground before him4 ,,chapter ,,xxviii4 ,,the ,,little ,,chamber ,,on ,,the ,,wall4 ,elisha did many wonderful things in the strength of the spirit that ,elijah's ,god gave him4 ,he changed the waters of ,jericho1 so that they were no longer poisonous1 by casting salt in the spring4 ,he brought water for the thirsty armies of three kings who had gathered to battle1 by telling them to dig ditches in a valley of ,edom1 and watch for the water to come1 without wind or rain4 ,when the morning dawned the valley was full of running water4 ,he helped a poor widow to pay a debt and take care of her two sons by telling her to borrow empty pots and pans of all her neighbors1 and pour into them her one little pot of oil4 ,the oil increased until all the pots and pans were full1 and she had plenty to sell4 ,he saved the sons of the prophets from death by casting meal into the pot when a poisonous nut had been mingled with the food1 and he fed a hundred people with the bread that was brought as a portion for himself4 ,but the most beautiful story in the life of ,elisha is that of the ,shun-amite mother and her son4 ,the mother was a noble lady of ,shun-em1 who believed in ,god1 and in the good man who passed her house so often1 and she said to her husband1 ,let us make for him a little chamber on the wall4 ,and so they did1 and when ,elisha came again he lodged there4 ,he was grateful to these kind people1 and asked the woman what he should do for her--if she would ask anything of the king1 but she only said1 ,i dwell among mine own people4 ,then the prophet1 knowing that she had no child1 promised that she should have a son1 and though it was hard to believe1 the little son was sent to her1 and she was very happy4 ,but one day when he went out in the field where his father and his men were reaping1 he cried out1 ,my head1 my head6 and they carried him in to his mother4 ,she held him in her arms until noon1 and then he died and she laid him in the prophet's chamber4 ,perhaps the heat of the harvest time had been too great for one so young4 ,did the mother cry out and call her husband8 ,no1 she called for a servant and a donkey1 and rode as fast as she could to ,mount ,carmel where ,elisha was4 ,his servant saw her coming1 and ,elisha sent him to meet her and ask if it was well with her and her husband and her child1 and she said1 ,it is well1 though her heart was breaking4 ,did ,i ask a son of my lord8 she said as she came to ,elisha and fell at his feet4 ,then he knew that the child was ill or dead1 and he would have sent his servant to lay his staff on the child1 but the mother cried1 ,as the ,lord liveth1 and as thy soul liveth1 ,i will not leave thee1 and he arose and followed her4 ,when he came to the ,shun-amite's house he went into his little room where the dead child lay upon his bed1 and1 shutting the door1 prayed to the ,lord4 ,then he stretched himself upon the child1 and breathed upon him until life began to creep back into the little cold body1 and when he had done this twice the child opened his eyes ,then ,elisha called the mother1 and when she had fallen at his feet in grateful joy1 she took up her child and went out4 ,illustration3 ,elijah raises the widow's son ,,chapter ,,xxix4 ,a ,,little ,,maid ,,of ,,israel4 ,there was war almost all the time between ,israel and ,syria4 ,a band of ,syrians from ,damascus would often come into a village of ,israel and take the people away for slaves4 ,one little girl who was carried off by the ,syrians became a slave in the house of a ,syrian general called ,naaman1 and was a maid to ,naaman's wife4 ,naaman was a great man1 and beloved by all1 but he had a disease that could never be cured4 ,it was leprosy4 ,he could go about1 but he could not touch others without giving them the disease which turns the skin white and dead1 and finally eats the flesh away4 ,the little maid said to her mistress one day1 ,would ,god my lord were with the prophet that is in ,samaria6 for he would recover him of his leprosy4 ,when this was told to ,naaman he talked with the king1 who sent him to the king of ,israel with a letter1 but the king of ,israel was angry4 ,am ,i ,god to kill and make alive1 that this man doth send unto me to recover a man of his leprosy8 he cried1 but when ,elisha heard of it he said1 ,let him come now to me1 and he shall know that there is a prophet in ,israel4 ,so ,naaman came with his horses and chariot to ,elisha's house1 but the prophet did not even come to the door1 but sent his servant with this message1 ,go wash in ,jordan seven times1 and thy flesh shall come again to thee1 and thou shalt be clean4 ,but ,naaman went away in a rage4 ,he expected ,elisha to come out1 and that there would be a fine scene while he called on the name of ,god1 waved his hand over the leprous spots1 and made a cure4 ,are not ,abana and ,pharpar1 rivers of ,damascus1 better than all the waters of ,israel8 ,may ,i not wash in them and be clean8 he said4 ,then some of his servants came near to him and said1 ,my father1 if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing1 wouldst thou not have done it8 ,how much rather1 then1 when he saith to thee1 ',wash and be clean4' ,then he went down and dipped himself seven times in ,jordan1 and his flesh became like the flesh of a little child1 and he was clean4 ,after this he1 with all that were with him1 went humbly back to ,elisha and said1 ,now ,i know that there is no ,god in all the earth but in ,israel4 ,and he urged the prophet to take gifts from him1 but he would not4 ,but ,naaman begged of ,elisha two mule-loads of earth to take to his own country4 ,he wanted to build an altar upon it to worship the ,god of ,israel1 and he thought it must stand on the soil of ,israel4 ,did ,naaman ever send the little maid of ,israel to her home8 ,we do not know1 but surely he was kind to her in some way4 ,,chapter ,,xxx4 ,,the ,,two ,,boy ,,kings4 ,there were many kings over ,israel from the days of ,solomon until the time when they were carried away captives to ,babylon4 ,the kingdom was divided soon after ,solomon's death1 and a king reigned in ,jerusalem over the kingdom of ,judah1 and another in ,samaria over the kingdom of ,israel4 ,there were a few kings who tried to follow that which was right1 but the most of them were men who were given to idolatry1 and who did not help the people to remember the true ,god4 ,the ,lord sent them prophets to remind them of ,him1 but they were often driven away or ill treated4 ,there were a few good kings of ,judah1 such as ,asa and ,jehoshaphat1 and ,hezekiah1 and among them were two who became kings when they were very young4 ,when ,ahaziah1 ,king of ,judah1 was killed1 his mother1 who was a wicked woman1 killed all his sons1 that she herself might be queen4 ,all but a baby boy who was hidden with his nurse in the temple1 and tenderly cared for by the good high priest and his wife for six years4 ,then when he was seven years old the priests and the ,levites brought out little ,joash and anointed him king4 ,they formed a guard all about him1 and when the high priest had crowned him there was a great cry around the temple of ,god save the ,king4 ,the old queen heard this and came to see what it meant4 ,when she saw the little ,joash standing by a pillar with a crown on his head she cried out that the people were plotting against her4 ,the people did by her as she had done by her grandsons--they took her life4 ,then there was great rejoicing4 ,the house of ,baal was torn down1 and the ,lord's gold and silver brought back to the temple1 and the good high priest began the worship of ,god in the temple after the manner of former days4 ,when ,joash was old enough to understand he longed to make the temple beautiful again1 for it was falling into decay1 so he called for money throughout his kingdom4 ,everyone was asked to drop a silver piece in the chest that was set at the temple door1 and more than enough was brought to re-build the temple1 and while the high priest lived the king worshipped there with all the princes of ,judah1 but as soon as he died they went back to idol worship1 and killed the new high priest in the court of the temple because he told them that the ,lord would bring great trouble upon them4 ,and so it came to pass in less than a year the ,syrians came and killed the princes1 and took away the gold and silver treasures of the temple4 ,joash himself became very sick1 and his own servants took his life as he lay helpless4 ,it was quite different with little ,josiah4 ,he was only eight years old when he was crowned ,king of ,judah1 and he had no one so good as the high priest ,jehoida1 who was the teacher of ,joash1 to help him to do right4 ,even the holy writings that were given to ,moses were lost1 and the people did not ask to hear them read4 ,but the ,lord had not allowed ,his word to be destroyed1 and when ,josiah was having the temple repaired the high priest found the rolls of parchment on which the law was written1 and sent it to the king by a servant of the king who was a writer4 ,josiah was full of interest in the ancient book1 and wished to know what was in it1 and his servant read it to him4 ,when he found that he and his people were not living as ,god had commanded in the law1 he sent to inquire of the ,lord what ,he would have them to do1 and they went to ,huldah1 the prophetess4 ,she told the king's messengers that a great calamity would fall upon the kingdom because they had turned away from the true ,god1 but because the king's heart was tender and full of desire to follow the ,lord1 it should not come during his lifetime4 ,then the king called all the chief men of ,judah1 and the people of the city1 both great and small1 with the priests and the ,levites1 to the ,lord's house1 and there he read in their hearing the word of the ,lord4 ,it was like a new book to the most of them1 but they were ready to follow the king in making a solemn promise to the ,lord to do ,his commandments1 and bring back the true worship4 ,so they had a great feast of the passover1 to which all the people came with offerings1 and there was no passover in all the history of the kings of ,judah and ,israel that was like this one that was held in the eighteenth year of the reign of ,josiah4 ,after he had prepared the temple for worship1 and had destroyed the altars of the idols1 he went out to meet the ,king of ,egypt in battle and was killed1 and there was a great mourning for him in all the land1 for he had been a good king--kind to his people and faithful to his ,god4 ,jeremiah the prophet made a great lamentation for him1 for he knew that one of ,josiah's sons would be the last king of ,judah1 and that for their sins the people would be driven out of their own land to be captives in ,babylon for seventy years4 ,,chapter ,,xxxi4 ,,the ,,four ,,captive ,,children4 ,nebuchadnezzar1 ,king of ,babylon1 came with his armies and besieged ,jerusalem1 just as ,jeremiah the prophet had foretold4 ,he took the king and the princes of ,judah captive1 and carried away their precious things from the temple and the palaces into his own land1 and put them in the temples of his gods4 ,before twenty years had passed the whole nation had been driven into captivity1 and their holy house had been burned1 and the ark of the covenant lost or destroyed4 ,as the kingdom of ,israel had also been scattered1 the whole land lay desolate1 and the walls of the cities were broken down4 ,when the ,king of ,babylon first besieged ,jerusalem he carried away the finest of the princely families to serve him4 ,they were the flower of ,jerusalem--young men of noble face and form2 well taught in the learning of the ,jews1 and skilfull in the sciences of that time4 ,they were also chosen for their natural ability to learn the language and the wisdom of the ,chaldeans4 ,among these were four boys named ,daniel1 ,hananiah1 ,mishael and ,azariah4 ,the king gave these boys into the care of his chief officer1 who set teachers over them and treated them very kindly1 while the king sent them each day meat and wine from his own table4 ,the ,chaldeans offered these things to idols1 and then ate of them themselves2 they also used some meats for food that were unclean to an ,israelite1 so that the four children of ,judah determined that they would not touch the king's meat and drink4 ,daniel spoke to the chief officer about it1 and though he had learned to love ,daniel very much1 he was afraid to have the boys refuse the king's food4 ,i fear my lord the king1 he said1 who hath appointed your meat and your drink1 for why should he see your faces sadder than the children which are of your sort8 ,then shall ye make me endanger my head to the king4 ,but ,daniel turned to ,melzar1 the steward1 and begged him to prove them by giving them only vegetables to eat and water to drink for ten days1 and ,then1 said he let our countenances be looked upon before thee1 and the countenance of the children that eat of the portion of the king's meat3 and as thou seest1 deal with thy servants4 ,and he proved them for ten days4 ,at the end of that time their faces were fatter and fairer than the faces of all the others who ate portions from the ,king's table1 and they were allowed to eat the food they had chosen4 ,they also grew in wisdom and judgment4 ,daniel had the gift of understanding visions and dreams1 and the gift came from ,god1 and not from the study of magic4 ,among all the young men these four were most pleasing to the king1 and they were called to the palace to stand before him4 ,not long after this the king had a dream that seemed very wonderful to him1 but he could not remember it4 ,he called all his magicians1 and astrologers1 and wise men together1 and told them that they must tell him what his dream was1 and the meaning of it1 or he would destroy them4 ,there was no man wise enough to tell him1 and he ordered that all the wise men of ,babylon should be killed1 ,daniel and his friends among them4 ,daniel asked the captain of the king's guard why the king was so hasty with his decree1 and the captain told him4 ,then ,daniel went to the king and told him that if he would give him a little time he would tell him his dream and its meaning1 and he went to his three friends and together they prayed the ,god of ,heaven to show them the dream and its interpretation4 ,that night ,daniel saw in a vision from ,god the same thing that the king had seen and had forgotten4 ,it was a great image standing before the king1 and shining like the sun4 ,the head was of pure gold1 the breast and arms of silver1 and the rest of the body of brass2 while the legs were of iron1 and the feet were part of iron and part of clay4 ,as he looked a great stone cut from a mountain by unseen hands was hurled at the image1 striking its feet and breaking them4 ,then the image fell and broke into pieces so fine that the winds blew them away1 but the stone grew to be a great mountain that filled the earth4 ,then ,daniel gave thanks to ,god for showing him the dream1 and went to the king4 ,he told the king that the ,god of ,heaven alone had revealed the dream1 for no man could know it1 and he told him what the dream had been4 ,he also told him that ,god had shown him the meaning2 that the head of gold was the king himself1 who reigned over the greatest kingdom on earth1 but after him new kingdoms would rise1 and the silver1 the brass1 the iron and the clay stood for these2 but in the days of the kingdom of iron and clay the ,god of heaven would set up a kingdom which should never be destroyed1 but it would destroy all the kingdoms that had gone before it4 ,this kingdom--the great stone cut without hands from the mountain--meant the ,kingdom of ,christ4 ,the king was so astonished at ,daniel's wisdom--for it was the dream he had forgotten brought back and interpreted--that he fell on his face before ,daniel and reverenced the ,god of heaven4 ,he made ,daniel chief ruler in his realm and gave also great honors to his friends4 ,nebuchadnezzar soon forgot ,god1 for he set up a great golden image on the plain of ,dura1 and called a feast of dedication4 ,he had all his princes and governors there1 and his captains1 and judges1 and rulers4 ,the musicians were there also1 with many kinds of instruments1 and a herald was there who cried in a loud voice the command of the king4 ,it was a call to worship the golden image4 ,at the first sound of the bands of music all were to fall down before the golden image1 or failing to do so1 be thrown into a fiery furnace4 ,among the rulers were the three friends of ,daniel1 whose names had been changed by the king to ,shadrach1 ,meshach1 and ,abednego4 ,they did not fall before the golden image1 and some jealous ,chaldeans who saw them went and told the king4 ,then the king1 who had a fiery temper1 was angry1 and sent for the three young men4 ,he told them the bands should play again1 and if they failed to worship the golden image they should be cast into the furnace1 and who is that ,god that shall deliver you out of my hands8 he asked4 ,we are not careful to answer thee in this matter1 they said1 ,if it be so1 our ,god whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace1 and he will deliver us out of thy hand1 ,o king4 ,then the king in a great rage called his mighty men to bind the young men1 and after the furnace was heated seven times hotter than before1 they were thrown in4 ,so great was the heat that the men who threw them in were killed by it in the sight of the king4 ,as he watched the great door of the furnace the king rose up and said1 ,did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire8 ,true1 ,o king1 said his lords and captains4 ,illustration3 ,in the fiery furnace ,then the king with his eyes fixed upon the glowing door of the furnace said1 ,lo ,i see four men loose1 walking in the midst of the fire1 and they have no hurt1 and the form of the fourth is like the ,son of ,god4 ,then he went near the door of the furnace and cried1 ,shadrach1 ,meshach1 and ,abednego1 ye servants of the most high ,god1 come forth and come hither6 ,then they came out before the king and all the people1 who saw that the fire had no power over their bodies1 for no hair of their head was burned1 and no smell of fire was upon their garments4 ,then the king was very humble1 and acknowledged the ,god of heaven1 because there is no other ,god he said that can deliver after this sort4 ,and he promoted the young men to still higher places in his kingdom4 ,,chapter ,,xxxii4 ,,the ,,master ,,of ,,the ,,magicians4 ,the ,lord saw that the heart of ,nebuchadnezzar was lifted up with pride because he was king of a great people1 and had conquered many weaker nations4 ,he was proud of his royal city1 ,babylon4 ,the walls of ,babylon were sixty miles in length1 and in them stood one hundred brazen gates4 ,there were wonderful palaces1 and statues1 and bridges1 and gardens4 ,the river ,euphrates ran through the city1 and near the king's palace was a hill covered with trees and flowering plants from many lands1 called the ,hanging ,gardens4 ,babylon was built on a plain1 but the king had these gardens made for his wife1 who had come from a country of hills4 ,the king was praised so much by the princes and rulers that he thought only of his own power and riches1 and became proud and cruel4 ,so the ,lord sent him a dream4 ,he saw a tree great and high1 standing in the midst of a wide plain4 ,it grew until it reached the heavens1 and its branches spread to the ends of the earth4 ,it was thick with green leaves1 and heavy with fruit2 the birds lived in it1 and the beasts lay in its shadow1 and all things living came to it for food4 ,then he saw an angel coming down from heaven crying1 ,hew down the tree1 and cut off his branches2 shake off his leaves1 and scatter his fruit2 let the beasts get away from under it1 and the fowls from his branches2 nevertheless1 leave the stump of his roots in the earth1 even with a band of iron and brass1 in the tender grass of the field2 and let it be wet with the dew of heaven1 and let his portion be with the beasts of the grass of the earth2 let his heart be changed from a man's1 and let a beast's heart be given unto him1 and let seven times pass over him4 ,this dream was given that the king might be taught that the ,lord alone is ,king4 ,daniel1 named by the king ,belteshazzar1 was called to interpret the dream1 and the ,lord gave him power to do it4 ,the tree that thou sawest1 said ,daniel1 it is thou1 ,o king1 that art grown and become strong2 for thy greatness is grown and reacheth unto heaven1 and thy dominion to the end of the earth4 ,then ,daniel told the king that he must be driven from men to dwell with the beasts of the field2 to eat grass with the oxen1 and be wet with the dews of heaven1 until he had learned that the ,most ,high rules in the kingdom of men1 and gives to whosoever ,he will4 ,but as the roots of the tree were left in the ground1 so his kingdom should be preserved for him until he had learned that the heavens do rule4 ,at the end of a year the king's heart had not been made humble1 for as he walked in his palace he said to himself3 ,is not this great ,babylon that ,i have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power1 and for the honor of my majesty8 ,and while he yet spoke there fell a voice from heaven1 saying3 ,o1 ,king ,nebuchadnezzar1 to thee it is spoken2 the kingdom is departed from thee4 ,and within an hour the word of the ,lord came true4 ,for seven years he was without reason1 and was an outcast from his kingdom4 ,but at the end of that time his eyes were lifted to heaven and his reason returned1 and his kingdom was restored to him1 for he had learned that ,god alone is great1 and ,those that walk in pride ,he is able to abase4 ,belshazzar was the next king of ,babylon4 ,he made a great feast1 and a thousand of his lords were bidden to sit around his tables in the great hall of the palace4 ,while he drank the wine he thought of the holy vessels of gold and silver that his father had brought out of the ,temple at ,jerusalem1 and he sent for them1 and into these golden bowls that had been consecrated to the worship of ,god he poured wine and gave it to his princes and to his wives1 while they praised the gods of gold1 and silver1 and wood1 and stone4 ,while they were feasting1 and laughing1 and singing1 there came a man's hand and wrote some strange words on the wall of the great hall where they sat4 ,the king saw the hand as it wrote1 and he was so much afraid that he trembled and grew very weak4 ,he called for his wise men and they could not read the writing1 but the queen remembered that in the time of ,nebuchadnezzar there was a man whom he made master of the magicians because he had power to interpret dreams and make all doubtful things clear4 ,illustration3 ,the handwriting on the wall ,so ,daniel was brought before the king1 and the king told him that if he would read the writing on the wall he should be clothed royally and be made the third ruler in the kingdom4 ,let thy gifts be to thyself1 said ,daniel1 and give thy rewards to another1 yet ,i will read the writing unto the king1 and make known to him the interpretation4 ,then ,daniel reminded the king of that which fell upon his father ,nebuchadnezzar1 when he had grown proud and hard-hearted toward ,god and men1 and1 though he knew all this1 he also had lifted himself up against the ,lord of heaven1 and had defiled the holy vessels of the ,temple by drinking from them to gods which could neither see or hear1 and because of this the message had been written on the wall4 ,and this was the interpretation of the strange words1-- ,god hath numbered thy kingdom and finished it4 ,thou art weighed in the balances1 and art found wanting4 ,thy kingdom is divided1 and given to the ,medes and the ,persians4 ,the king clothed ,daniel in scarlet1 and gave him a chain of gold1 and proclaimed him third ruler in the kingdom1 but the same night ,belshazzar was slain1 and ,darius the ,medean took the kingdom4 ,the new king set one hundred and twenty princes over the kingdom1 and over these he set three presidents1 the first of which was ,daniel4 ,the king loved ,daniel for the wise and good spirit that was in him1 and this stirred up jealousy in the hearts of the ,babylonian princes1 and they watched ,daniel to see if they could find something against him to tell the king1 but they could not1 for he was faithful in all his work4 ,then they agreed to plot against him1 and they went to the king and persuaded him to make a decree that whoever should ask any petition of any god or man for thirty days1 except of the king1 he should be thrown into the den of lions1 and they asked the king to sign the decree1 so that it could not be changed1 and he signed it4 ,when ,daniel heard of the decree1 and knew that the king had signed it1 he went into his own house1 and to his chamber4 ,there the windows were always open toward ,jerusalem1 and he kneeled down as he had done every day since he was taken from his own land1 and prayed to ,god with his face toward the ,temple in ,jerusalem4 ,and the men who were plotting against him watched him4 ,then they hurried to the king1 saying1 ,that ,daniel1 which is of the captivity of ,judah1 regardeth not thee1 ,o1 ,king1 nor the decree that thou hast signed1 but maketh his petition three times a day4 ,the king was greatly disturbed at this1 and set his heart on the deliverance of ,daniel1 and labored till sunset to do it4 ,but his princes said it could not be done1 because1 according to the law of the ,medes and the ,persians1 no decree made by the king could be changed4 ,so ,daniel was condemned to be cast into the den of lions1 but the king said1 ,thy ,god1 whom thou servest continually1 he will deliver thee4 ,illustration3 ,daniel in the den of lions ,then a stone was laid over the mouth of the den1 and the king sealed it with his own signet1 and with that of his lords1 that the purpose might not be changed4 ,that was a long night for ,darius the king4 ,he could neither eat nor sleep1 and he would hear no music1 but very early in the morning he went to the den of the lions and with a very sorrowful voice cried3 ,o ,daniel1 servant of the living ,god6 is thy ,god whom thou servest continually able to deliver thee from the lions8 ,then up from the pit came a strong1 cheery voice saying3 ,o king1 live forever6 ,my ,god hath sent his angel1 and hath shut the lions' mouths1 that they have not hurt me4 ,then there was joy in the king's heart and he had ,daniel brought up out of the den1 and no hurt was found upon him1 because he had believed in ,god1 but the men who had accused ,daniel were cast into the lions' den and destroyed4 ,darius acknowledged the ,god of ,daniel before all his kingdom1 and commanded the people to honor ,him1 so that ,daniel and his people suffered no more from their enemies during the reign of ,darius4 ,after the death of ,darius1 ,cyrus was made king of ,persia1 and he also was kind to ,daniel4 ,the ,lord gave him a tender heart toward the captives of ,judah who had been in his land for seventy years1 so that he sent them back into their own land and helped them to rebuild their city and their ,temple4 ,,chapter ,,xxxiii4 ,,the ,,story ,,of ,,jonah4 ,more than eight hundred years before the birth of ,christ a prophet named ,jonah lived in the land of ,israel4 ,he had given the ,lord's messages to his own people1 and they had listened to them1 and a part of their country had been saved by obeying the ,word of the ,lord as it was brought to them by ,jonah4 ,but when the ,lord wished to send ,jonah to warn a great city in ,assyria to repent of their sins1 he did not wish to go4 ,nineveh was a very old and a very great city4 ,it was built soon after the flood1 but was still at a high point of glory and wealth in the time of ,jonah4 ,it was a heathen city1 but ,god is the ,father of all who live1 and cares for all ,his children1 though they may not know or care for ,him4 ,perhaps ,jonah was afraid1 for the people were strong and warlike1 and they would not wish to hear about their wickedness4 ,so ,jonah ran away to the sea shore and took a ship from ,joppa to go to ,tarshish4 ,he had not gone far from shore when a storm of wind rose1 and the wind tossed the ship on the great angry waves until it was very nearly wrecked4 ,the men were afraid1 and each prayed to his ,god1 and threw out the goods they were carrying in order to make the ship lighter4 ,where was ,jonah8 ,he was below the decks asleep4 ,when the captain found him he cried out1 ,what meanest thou1 ,o sleeper8 ,arise1 call upon thy ,god1 if so be that ,god will think upon us1 that we perish not4 ,then they began to wonder if the storm had not been sent upon them for the wickedness of some one in the ship1 and they cast lots to see who it could be4 ,the lot fell upon ,jonah4 ,then they asked ,jonah his name and country1 and of his journey4 ,he told them all about it4 ,then the men were more afraid1 for they knew that he had tried to run away from the ,lord1 and they said1 ,what shall we do unto thee1 that the sea may be calm unto us8 ,take me up and cast me forth into the sea1 he said1 so shall the sea be calm unto you1 for ,i know that for my sake this great tempest is upon you4 ,it was not easy for the men1 who were kind-hearted1 to throw into the sea a man so honest and so willing to die1 so they rowed very hard1 and tried their best to reach the shore1 but they could not4 ,so they prayed to ,jonah's ,god to forgive them1 and then threw ,jonah into the sea4 ,but the ,lord meant not only to teach ,jonah a lesson1 but to teach1 through ,jonah1 a lesson to ,his children who should live in the ages to come4 ,he was to make him also a sign of the coming ,christ4 ,when ,jonah believed he was sinking down into the green depths of the sea to die1 a great fish1 prepared by the ,lord1 opened his mouth and took him in4 ,we cannot understand all the ways of ,god1 but we know that nothing is impossible with ,god1 and that he was able to keep his servant alive even in such a strange place as this4 ,for three days and three nights he was kept in his living prison1 and was able to pray to ,god1 and to know where he was4 ,the waters compassed me about1 he said1 even to the soul2 the depth closed me round about1 the weeds were wrapped about my head4 ,i went down to the bottoms of the mountains2 the earth with her bars was about me forever4 ,then he praised and thanked ,god1 for he knew that he meant to save him4 ,and when the ,lord spoke to the fish1 it threw ,jonah out upon the dry land4 ,illustration3 ,jonah thrown on the dry land ,the second time ,jonah heard the voice of the ,lord telling him to go to ,nineveh and preach the words that should be given him to say1 and this time he obeyed4 ,it was a long journey to ,nineveh1 and when ,jonah reached it he found that the city was so great that it would take three days to walk around the walls4 ,the walls were a hundred feet high4 ,and so broad that three chariots could be driven on them side by side4 ,the walls had fifteen hundred towers1 each two hundred feet high4 ,inside the walls lived hundreds of thousands of people1 many of them rich merchants or princes and nobles who lived in palaces1 and thought only of their own pleasure and glory4 ,they had grown very selfish and wicked4 ,when ,jonah had walked a day's journey into the city1 he began to cry in the streets the message ,god had given him1 ,yet forty days1 and ,nineveh shall be overthrown6 ,the people began to tremble and be afraid of the strange voice that went up and down the long streets crying out these terrible words4 ,they began to believe in ,jonah's ,god1 and to repent4 ,they repented in the eastern way1 by putting on a garment of coarse sack-cloth1 and sitting in ashes4 ,all did this1 even to the king1 who took off his beautiful robes and sat down in ashes before the ,lord4 ,he also proclaimed a fast to all the people1 and urged them to turn every one from their evil way4 ,when the ,lord saw that they turned away from their sins1 for ,he could look into their hearts1 and read all their thoughts1 ,he was satisfied1 and said he would not destroy ,nineveh4 ,but ,jonah1 who could not read the hearts of men1 was not satisfied4 ,he was very angry4 ,he wanted to have the ,ninevites see that he was a true prophet1 for if no destruction came upon them he feared that they might call him a false prophet4 ,so he complained to ,god1 and said1 ,now1 ,o ,lord1 take1 ,i beseech ,thee1 my life from me1 for it is better to die than to live6 ,the ,lord's gentle word to ,jonah was1 ,doest thou well to be angry8 ,jonah went outside the city walls1 and made for himself a little house of the branches of trees and waited to see if the city would be destroyed4 ,it was very hot and ,jonah was deeply troubled1 and the ,lord1 who is full of love and pity for ,his children1 caused a gourd vine with large leaves to spring up and grow over the dried branches of the little house that sheltered ,jonah1 and he was very glad and grateful4 ,but the ,lord1 who always looks upon the heart1 saw that the heart of ,jonah was not yet wholly right1 and the next morning he allowed a worm to eat the gourd until it withered4 ,then the sun beat down upon ,jonah's head until he fainted and wished to die1 saying1 as he had said before1 ,it is better for me to die than live6 ,but the ,lord was patient with him1 and said1 ,doest thou well to be angry for the gourd8 ,and ,jonah replied ungraciously1 ,i do well to be angry1 even unto death4 ,then the ,lord in his love and pity answered1 ,thou hast had pity on the gourd1 for the which thou hast not labored1 neither madest it grow2 which came up in a night and perished in a night2 and should not ,i spare ,nineveh1 that great city1 wherein are more than six-score thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and then left hand1 and also much cattle8 ,jonah did not know all that was in the mind of the ,lord1 though he was a prophet4 ,he did not know that he was one of the signs of the ,lord's first coming1 for ,jesus spoke of ,jonah as a sign1 that as he was three days and three nights within the great fish so shall the ,son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth4 ,,chapter ,,xxxiv4 ,,esther1 ,,the ,,queen4 ,about five hundred years before ,christ ,king ,ahasuerus 7,xerxes7 reigned over ,persia4 ,in the third year of his reign he gave a royal feast to all the princes and nobles of ,persia and ,medea1 in ,shushan1 the royal city4 ,it lasted one hundred and eighty days1 and was very costly1 for the king wished to show the great men from all his provinces the riches and glory of his kingdom and of his palace4 ,at the end of these days he made another feast to all who were in ,shushan1 a feast of seven days1 and which included great and small4 ,the palace garden was hung with awnings of white and green and violet1 fastened with cords and silver rings to pillars of marble4 ,wine was given to the guests in golden cups as they sat on couches of gold and silver1 and the pavement of the court was of many colored marbles4 ,in another part of the palace ,vashti1 the queen1 also made a feast for the women4 ,on the seventh day the king sent his seven chamberlains to bring ,queen ,vashti before him1 wearing her royal crown4 ,he wished to show to his people and princes the beauty of the queen1 for she was very fair to look upon4 ,but the queen refused to obey the king's command1 and he was angry4 ,he asked the seven princes who stood next to him in the kingdom what he should do1 and what the laws of the ,medes and ,persians 7which could not be broken7 would say in such a case4 ,the princes did not speak of any law1 but one of them told the king that the conduct of ,vashti would do them great harm through all the kingdom1 for women hearing of the act of the queen1 would despise and disobey their husbands4 ,they advised1 therefore1 that a commandment should go forth from the king and be written among the laws of the ,medes and ,persians1 that ,vashti should no more come before the king1 and that her royal estate should be given to another better than she4 ,this pleased the king1 and he did as ,memucan1 the prince1 had advised1 and he sent letters into all parts of his empire to people of various languages1 that every man should rule in his own house4 ,then the king's servants1 the nobles1 advised the king to send officers to every part of his kingdom to find some one worthy to take the place of ,queen ,vashti1 and the plan pleased the king1 and he did so4 ,there was in ,shushan a ,jew named ,mordecai1 who had been brought away from ,jerusalem with the captives when ,nebuchadnezzar conquered the city4 ,he had an adopted daughter named ,hadassah4 ,this was her true name1 although the ,persians called her ,esther4 ,she was the daughter of ,mordecai's uncle1 and when her father and mother died1 ,mordecai took her for his own4 ,she was very beautiful1 and as good as she was beautiful1 for ,mordecai had taught her to be faithful to the true ,god1 though living among a strange people4 ,when ,mordecai heard that the king was seeking for a maiden worthy to be a queen through all his provinces1 he brought ,esther and placed her in care of ,hegai1 who had the care of that part of the king's house where the women lived4 ,hegai was very kind to her1 and gave her seven maids to serve her1 and the best place in the house for her own4 ,mordecai had told ,esther not to speak of her ,jewish family1 but every day he walked before the court of the women's house to ask how she did and what had become of her4 ,out of all the maidens brought from the city and the kingdom ,esther was chosen by the king to be queen in the place of ,vashti1 and he placed the royal crown upon her head1 and proclaimed a great feast that he called ,esther's feast1 when he gave gifts and made a holiday for all the people to rest and be happy in all his provinces4 ,mordecai sat daily at the king's gate1 and once while there he heard of a plot to kill the king by two of his chamberlains1 and he sent word secretly to ,esther1 and she told the king in ,mordecai's name1 so that these two men were hanged1 and the account of it was written in the king's book of records4 ,about this time the king gave great honors to a man named ,haman4 ,he set him above all his princes1 and when the king's servants who were at his gate knew it they all bowed down and gave great honor to ,haman1 whenever he passed1 for the king had so commanded them2 but ,mordecai would not bow to ,haman4 ,when ,haman saw this he was full of anger toward ,mordecai the ,jew1 and he made a wicked plan to destroy not only ,mordecai1 but all his people4 ,so he came with wily ways and cunning speech to the king1 saying1 ,there is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of thy kingdom1 and their laws are diverse from all people1 neither keep they the king's laws1 therefore it is not for the king's profit to suffer them4 ,if it please the king let it be written that they be destroyed1 and ,i will pay ten thousand talents of silver to the hands of those that have the charge of the business1 to bring it into the king's treasuries4 ,then the king gave his ring to ,haman as a sign that he would pledge his word to do what he asked1 and said1 ,the silver is given to thee1 the people also1 to do with them as it seemeth good to thee4 ,then ,haman had letters written and sealed with the king's seal ring1 saying to the rulers of every province in the kingdom that all ,jews1 both young and old1 throughout the kingdom1 must be destroyed in one day1 and their goods1 and money1 and lands be taken for a prey1 and the thirteenth day of the twelfth month was set in which to destroy them4 ,after the messengers were sent out the king and ,haman sat down to drink wine1 but the city was troubled4 ,then ,mordecai rent his clothes in sign of mourning1 and went out into the streets of the city clothed in sack-cloth uttering a loud and bitter cry4 ,he cried even before the king's gate4 ,all through the kingdom there was great mourning among the ,jews1 and they fasted and wept in sack-cloth and ashes4 ,when ,esther heard that ,mordecai was clothed in sack-cloth she was deeply grieved1 and sent some garments to clothe him1 but he would not receive them4 ,then she sent for the king's chamberlain ,hatach1 and gave him a command to ,mordecai to tell what caused his grief4 ,hatach found him at the king's gate1 and ,mordecai told him all that had happened to him1 and of the great sum of money that ,haman had promised to pay into the king's treasuries for the ,jews to destroy them4 ,he also gave him a copy of the decree to show ,esther1 and told ,hatach to charge her that she go before the king and make request for her people4 ,hatach took these words to ,esther1 and ,esther sent a reply by ,hatach1 saying that it was known in all the king's palace that no man or woman could come into the king's presence in the inner court who had not been called1 and for any who so entered there was but one law1 and that was that they be put to death1 unless the king hold out to them the golden sceptre4 ,she had not been called to see the king1 she said1 in thirty days4 ,hatach gave this message to ,mordecai1 and he again sent word to ,esther that she could not hope to escape the decree1 as she too was of the ,jews4 ,he told her that deliverance must come to the ,jews in some other way1 but she and her family would be destroyed1 and then he added1 ,who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this8 ,then ,esther made her resolve1 and sent word to ,mordecai to gather all the ,jews in ,shushan together to fast night and day1 while she and her maidens fasted also4 ,and so ,i will go in unto the king1 she said1 which is not according to the law1 and if ,i perish1 ,i perish4 ,and ,mordecai went his way and did as ,esther had commanded4 ,it was the third day when ,esther arose from her fast before the ,lord and put on her beautiful royal robes and stood in the inner court of the king's house in sight of the royal throne4 ,when the king saw ,esther standing in the inner court he was not displeased1 but his heart was turned toward her1 and he held out to her the golden sceptre that was in his hand4 ,what wilt thou1 ,queen ,esther8 he said1 and what is thy request8 it shall be even given thee to the half of the kingdom4 ,if it seem good unto the king1 said ,esther1 let the king and ,haman come this day unto the banquet that ,i have prepared for him4 ,so the king commanded ,haman1 and they came to the queen's banquet4 ,the king knew that ,esther had a favor to ask of him1 so he said again3 ,what is thy petition8 and it shall be granted thee2 and what is thy request8 even to the half of the kingdom it shall be performed4 ,but ,esther was wise4 ,she begged as her petition and request that the king and ,haman would come to the banquet she should prepare the next day also1 and she would then do as the king had said4 ,haman went home very happy and proud that he had been so honored by the queen1 and told his wife and his friends of all the glory and honor that had come to him4 ,yet all this availeth me nothing1 he said1 so long as ,i see ,mordecai the ,jew sitting at the king's gate4 ,then his wife and his friends urged him to build a high gallows and ask the king on the next day to hang ,mordecai upon it4 ,then go thou merrily with the king unto the banquet1 they added4 ,this pleased ,haman1 and he ordered the gallows to be made4 ,that night the king was restless1 and he could not sleep1 and he commanded that the book of records be brought and read aloud to him4 ,then he found that it was written that ,mordecai had saved the king's life when it was threatened by his two chamberlains4 ,what honor and dignity hath been done to ,mordecai for this8 he asked1 and his servants replied3 ,there is nothing done for him4 ,who is in the court8 cried the king4 ,now ,haman had come in to speak to the king to have ,mordecai hanged4 ,haman standeth in the court1 said the king's servants1 and the king said1 ,let him come in4 ,as ,haman came in the king said1 ,what shall be done to the man that the king delighteth to honor8 ,haman thought in his heart1 ,to whom would the king delight to do honor more than to myself1 and then he replied1 thinking all the time of himself4 ,for the man whom the king delighteth to honor let the royal apparel be brought which the king useth to wear1 and the horse that the king rideth upon1 and the crown royal which is set upon his head1 and let this apparel and horse be delivered to the hand of one of the king's most noble princes1 that they may array the men withal whom the king delighteth to honor1 and bring him on horseback through the street of the city1 and proclaim before him1 ',thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delighteth to honor4' ,then the king said1 ,make haste1 and take the apparel and the horse as thou hast said1 and do even so to ,mordecai1 the ,jew1 that sitteth at the king's gate2 let nothing fail of all that thou hast spoken4 ,haman did as he was commanded1 for he could do nothing else1 and after it was all over ,mordecai took his place again at the king's gate1 but ,haman hastened home mourning1 and with his head covered4 ,the next day he came to the queen's banquet with the king1 and again the king said1 ,what is thy petition1 ,queen ,esther8 and it shall be granted thee2 and what is thy request8 and it shall be performed1 even to the half of my kingdom4 ,then the queen made her request1 saying1 ,if ,i have found favor in thy sight1 ,o king1 and if it please the king1 let my life be given me at my petition1 and my people at my request2 for we are sold1 ,i and my people1 to be destroyed1 to be slain1 and to perish4 ,but if we had been sold for bondmen and bondwomen ,i had held my tongue1 although the enemy could not countervail the king's damage4 ,who is he1 and where is he1 cried the king1 ,that durst presume in his heart to do so8 ,then ,esther said1 ,the adversary and enemy is this wicked ,haman4 ,illustration3 ,haman denounced by the queen ,haman was overcome with fear at this1 and the king was so angry that he rose up and went out into the palace garden4 ,haman stood up to make a plea for his life1 and when the king came in he found ,haman fallen at the queen's feet4 ,one of the king's chamberlains who knew what the king wished told him of the gallows at ,haman's house that had been made for ,mordecai1 and the king said1 ,hang him thereon1 and they did so1 and the king's anger was pacified4 ,that day the king gave ,haman's house to the queen4 ,mordecai came before the king that day also1 for ,esther had told him how he was related to her1 and the ,king gave to ,mordecai the ring that he had once given to ,haman4 ,esther's petition was not yet finished1 so she fell down at the king's feet and asked for the life of her people1 and that the decree might be changed4 ,then the king held out his golden sceptre to ,esther1 and she arose4 ,she spoke noble words of petition for her people1 and the king told ,mordecai to write in the king's name and seal with the king's seal letters that should make the decree void4 ,so the scribes were called in and the letters were written and sealed with the king's ring1 and sent out to every province in the kingdom4 ,mordecai went out of the palace that day clothed in royal garments of violet and white1 fine linen and purple1 and a great crown of gold upon his head1 and there was joy in ,shushan1 and there was joy among the ,jews all over the land4 ,they hanged the ten sons of ,haman1 and destroyed their enemies by the king's permission1 so that they had rest from persecution4 ,they also set apart two days for a feast of thanksgiving through all time1 and the feast of ,purim is kept by all ,jews to this day1 as it was first confirmed by the decree of ,esther4 ,and ,mordecai was next to the king and honored by his brethren the ,jews as long as he lived1 for he always sought their peace1 and was as a father to them4 ,,child',s ,,story ,,of ,,the ,,bible4 ,,the ,,new ,,testament4 ,,chapter ,i4 ,,the ,,angels ,,of ,,the ,,advent4 ,there was an old priest named ,zacharias1 who lived in the hill country of ,hebron1 where ,abraham the father of the ,jewish people used to live4 ,he went to ,jerusalem when it was his turn to serve in the temple1 and once while he was offering the incense of sweet spices on the golden altar1 he saw through the rising smoke an angel standing on the right side of the altar4 ,the good priest was frightened1 but the angel said1 ,fear not1 ,zacharias1 for thy prayer is heard1 and he promised that to him and his wife ,elizabeth should be born a little son1 whose name should be ,john4 ,he was coming to prepare the way for the ,messiah1 and must not drink wine or strong drink1 for he was to be filled with the ,holy ,spirit4 ,it was too wonderful for ,zacharias to believe1 and when he went out of the temple he was dumb1 and all the people who waited for him knew that he had seen a vision4 ,he did not speak while he stayed to minister in the temple1 and when his time of service was ended he went to his home in ,hebron4 ,a few months later the angel ,gabriel went to the little town of ,nazareth1 high up among the hills of ,galilee1 and spoke to a young girl named ,mary4 ,she had never seen an angel1 and she also was afraid when he said to her1 ,hail1 thou that art highly favored1 the ,lord is with thee2 blessed art thou among women4 ,fear not1 ,mary1 for thou hast found favor with ,god4 ,and then he told her that she should become the mother of a ,holy ,child1 who should also be the ,son of the ,highest1 and a ,king whose kingdom should have no end1 and ,his name should be ,jesus4 ,he also told her of her cousin ,elizabeth away in ,hebron1 to whom a little son was promised4 ,then ,mary said these beautiful words to the angel3 ,behold the hand-maid of the ,lord2 be it unto me according to ,thy word1 and the angel went away into heaven4 ,mary was so full of wonder at the angel's words that she set out on a journey to see ,elizabeth4 ,it was eighty miles to ,hebron1 but it was early summer1 and as ,mary went through the green valleys and fruitful plains1 and along by the flowing ,jordan1 she thought about the angel's words1 and prayed to ,god to make her good and wise4 ,she was not afraid1 though the journey was four days long1 for she knew ,god was with her4 ,on the fourth day she passed ,jerusalem1 the ,holy ,city1 and went on and up into the ,hebron ,hills to the house of ,elizabeth4 ,when they told to each other the wonderful words of the angel ,gabriel they were full of joy1 for they knew that the coming of the ,christ was near1 and that the ,lord had trusted them with the heavenly secret4 ,they were filled with the ,holy ,spirit1 and ,mary broke out into a beautiful song of praise4 ,mary stayed three months with her cousin ,elizabeth1 and learned many things1 for the old priest and his wife were wise and good4 ,when she went back to ,nazareth she told no one of her vision1 not even her mother or ,joseph1 the good carpenter1 whose promised wife she was4 ,but the angel came one night to ,joseph and spoke to him through a dream of the ,holy ,child that was to be born4 ,now ,joseph and ,mary were of the family of ,king ,david1 and they knew that the prophets had long ago talked of a ,king who was to come and restore the kingdom1 and reign on the throne of ,david4 ,they even told where he was to be born1 in ,bethlehem1 the ,city of ,david4 ,and though the ,jews had become the servants of the ,romans1 yet it was time1 according to the promise1 that the new ,king should come and set them free1 and many were looking for ,his coming4 ,perhaps ,joseph and ,mary thought of these things when the time came for them to go to ,bethlehem1 for the ,emperor of ,rome had made a decree that all ,jews should be enrolled1 that he might know how many were in his empire4 ,so all ,jews1 who had gone to live in other parts1 returned to their own tribe and city to be enrolled among their own people4 ,when ,joseph and ,mary came to ,bethlehem they found it full of people who had also come home to write their names for the ,emperor1 and there was no room for them in the inn4 ,it was winter1 and while ,joseph wondered what he should do the keeper of the inn showed them the stable where the gentle oxen and asses were kept1 and where it was much quieter than in the noisy yard and crowded rooms of the inn4 ,it was here in a humble stable that the ,lord of ,heaven was born upon earth1 and cradled in a manger4 ,he chose the stable instead of a palace1 and a bed of straw instead of a bed of down1 for ,he had come to be the ,brother of the poor and the ,saviour of the world4 ,out in the fields near by were some shepherds watching their flocks4 ,it has been said that the flocks kept in the ,bethlehem fields were for the sacrifices in the temple1 and were watched night and day the year long1 while other flocks were kept in their folds in winter4 ,while they sat on the rocks1 wrapped in their cloaks and sheepskin jackets1 with a fire of brushwood to keep the beasts away1 perhaps they thought of young ,david1 who once kept his sheep there1 and killed a lion and a bear to defend his flock2 or they watched the stars and wondered at their beauty4 ,but suddenly an angel stood by them1 and a great light shone round about them1 and they were terrified4 ,but the angel spoke kindly to them saying3-- ,fear not1 for behold ,i bring you good tidings of great joy1 which shall be to all people4 ,for unto you is born this day1 in the city of ,david1 a ,saviour which is ,christ the ,lord4 ,and the angel told them how they would know it to be the ,holy ,child--because it lay in a manger4 ,then1 in a moment the air was full of angel faces1 and heavenly voices sang this song of praise to ,god and promise to all people3-- ,glory to ,god in the highest1 and on earth peace1 good will toward men6 ,and they went away into heaven4 ,the shepherds looked at one another and then one said2 ,let us go to ,bethlehem4 ,and they went in great haste4 ,there they found ,mary and ,joseph with the ,holy ,child lying in a manger1 just as the angel had said4 ,they told the people of ,bethlehem about the angels they had seen and the words they had heard1 and they were very much astonished4 ,but ,mary was silent1 and kept all these things in her heart to think about and to pray about4 ,illustration3 ,the ,holy ,child in the manger ,as for the shepherds they went back to their flocks praising ,god4 ,when the ,holy ,child was eight days old his parents called ,his name ,jesus1 as the angel had commanded1 and they dedicated him to the ,lord4 ,later they took him up to the ,temple at ,jerusalem to make the offering that all ,jewish mothers made1 some money1 if it was the first boy-child1 and a lamb1 or a pair of doves4 ,joseph bought for ,mary a pair of doves1 and they went up the white steps of the beautiful porch of the ,temple1 and passed the long rows of marble pillars into the court of the ,gentiles where they could look up and see the ,temple itself with its white marble pillars and golden roof shining in the sun4 ,mary gave her doves to the ,priest at the gate of the ,court of the ,women1 and he took them away to be offered on the altar1 while ,joseph took the ,holy ,child into the ,men's ,court for the ,priest to bless as he dedicated ,him to the ,lord4 ,when all was done and they were going away1 an old man named ,simeon saw them1 and begged to hold the child4 ,he was a good man who had longed to see the ,christ who was to come1 and now the ,spirit of ,god told him that this was ,he4 ,he thanked ,god1 and said3 ,lord1 now lettest ,thou thy servant depart in peace1 according to ,thy word1 for mine eyes have seen ,thy salvation4 ,he also spoke as a prophet of the days to come1 and just then a very old woman who lived in the ,temple1 ,anna1 the prophetess1 came and gave thanks to ,god1 and told the people that the ,redeemer had come to ,israel4 ,all these things ,mary kept in her heart1 as she had kept the words of the angel1 and wondered why she had been chosen to be the mother of the ,holy ,child4 ,seven months before this time a little son had been born to ,zacharias and ,elizabeth4 ,the neighbors wished to name him for his father1 but ,elizabeth said1 ,not so2 but he shall be called ,john4 ,when they asked his father what it should be1 he wrote an answer 7for he had been dumb ever since he talked with the angel in the ,temple7 and they read1 ,his name shall be called ,john4 ,then his mouth was opened1 and he began to speak and to praise ,god1 and his friends wondered what the child would be when he grew to manhood4 ,his father became a prophet for a time1 and said some strange things about him that were written down4 ,he said that ,john should be called a prophet of the ,highest1 and go before the ,lord to prepare ,his ways4 ,john grew1 and he also grew strong in spirit1 and while he was yet young he went to live in the deserts where he was taught of ,god to be a prophet and a preacher4 ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,following ,,the ,,star4 ,while ,joseph and ,mary and the ,holy ,child were still staying in ,bethlehem1 some ,wise ,men came from an ,eastern country to ,jerusalem1 asking1 ,where is he that is born ,king of the ,jews8 for we have seen ,his ,star in the ,east1 and are come to worship ,him4 ,no one knows who these men were1 but it may be that they were ,jews who lived in ,persia1 as ,david had done long before1 and were learned in all the wisdom of the ,chaldeans1 who studied the stars1 and believed that they had much to do with the lives of people on the earth4 ,these wise men were called ,magi4 ,they had heard that a great ,one would be born about this time1 and that ,he would be the ,king of the ,jews4 ,when they saw a strange and beautiful ,star near the earth away toward ,jerusalem they prepared to go and see if it would lead them to the ,king4 ,their servants loaded the camels with food and water and some costly gifts1 for they were rich men1 and mounted on beautiful saddles covered with blue and crimson cloth they rode away toward ,jerusalem4 ,they had deserts of yellow sand to cross1 and they were tired at the end of the hot day1 but at night they saw the beautiful ,star shining before them low in the sky1 and watched it from their tents on the sand where they rested for the night1 and rose to follow it before it faded in the morning4 ,they were glad when they came to the fresh green mountain country of the ,jews1 and rode through the flowery valleys till they came to the gates of ,jerusalem4 ,perhaps they expected to hear all about the new ,king1 and to find the people feasting and rejoicing1 but they did not4 ,illustration3 ,following the star ,when they asked1 ,where is ,he that is born ,king of the ,jews8 the people were surprised1 and only wondered who these men were who looked liked princes from a foreign court1 for they had armed servants1 and from their camels hung tinkling silver bells1 and swinging tassels of silk and gold4 ,they searched ,jerusalem for the king1 and ,herod heard of it and was troubled4 ,he wished always to be king himself4 ,he set the scribes to searching for the prophecies of the ,messiah's birth4 ,they knew very well where to find them1 and they read to the king these words from the prophet ,micah3-- ,but thou1 ,bethlehem ,ephratah1 which art little among the families of ,judah1 out of thee shall ,one come forth unto me that is to be the ruler of ,israel2 whose goings forth are from of old1 from ancient days4 ,then the king sent for the wise men1 for he had a secret plan4 ,they came in their best robes1 hoping perhaps1 to find the newly born ,king in the beautiful palace of ,herod on ,mount ,zion1 but they found only the gloomy old ,king ,herod waiting for them4 ,he asked them when they first saw the ,star1 and when they had told him1 he sent them to ,bethlehem and said1 ,go and search diligently for the young child1 and when ye have found him1 bring me word again1 that ,i may come and worship him also4 ,they were very glad to hear about ,bethlehem1 and as they came down the marble steps of ,herod's palace it was evening1 and there1 low down before them in the sky was the ,star6 ,they went out through the ,bethlehem gate toward the south1 and followed the ,star again over the hills until the white walls of ,bethlehem shown in the moonlight before them1 and they saw the ,star standing still and shining down upon a little house within the walls4 ,then they rejoiced with exceeding great joy1 for they had come to the end of their long journey1 and they had found the ,king6 ,when they came to the house where ,mary and ,joseph were staying they told their servants to unpack the presents of gold1 and frankincense1 and myrrh1 and they went in4 ,then they found the lovely young mother and the ,holy ,child1 and they fell down before ,him and offered their gifts4 ,they did not go away at once4 ,they slept in ,bethlehem that night1 and the ,lord showed them in a dream that they must not go back to tell ,king ,herod that they had found the ,christ4 ,they told ,joseph of their dream1 and went away by another road that led past ,hebron to their own country4 ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,,the ,,flight ,,into ,,egypt4 ,it seems very strange that in a few hours after the wise men had gone over the hills to their own country1 that ,mary and ,joseph and the ,holy ,child should be swiftly following the same road4 ,the night after the wise men had been warned in a dream to go to their own country1 ,joseph was warned also in a dream to take the young ,child and ,his mother and go into ,egypt4 ,he was told to stay until he had orders to return1 for ,herod would seek to take the ,child's life4 ,their flight was in the night1 and ,mary's heart beat fast as she held her baby close and rode down the steep path from ,bethlehem with ,joseph walking beside her4 ,they did not rest until they were far on their way4 ,it was nearly a week before they reached the river that was the border of ,egypt1 but when they crossed it ,king ,herod's soldiers could not harm them4 ,illustration3 ,the flight into ,egypt ,they had gold that the wise men had given them1 and ,joseph knew how to make many things of wood1 so they lived quietly in ,egypt waiting until the ,lord should call them back4 ,herod was very angry when he heard that the ,magi had gone away without telling him anything about the young ,king2 so angry that he ordered his soldiers to destroy every baby boy in ,bethlehem4 ,so all the little boys of ,bethlehem under two years of age were killed by the order of this wicked king1 and the ,holy ,child whom ,herod believed would be destroyed with them was safely borne in ,his mother's arms along the road to ,egypt1 while ,joseph walked beside them and led the patient ass1 and angels went with them unseen to be their guard by night and by day4 ,they lived in ,egypt about a year1 and then the sick and unhappy old king died1 and an angel came to ,joseph one night in a dream1 and said1 ,arise and take the young ,child and ,his mother and go into the land of ,israel1 for they are dead which sought the young ,child's life4 ,they were glad to know that they could come home again1 and they came1 perhaps with a company of merchants1 into their own land4 ,joseph would have settled in ,judea1 the part of the land of ,israel in which stands ,jerusalem1 and ,bethlehem1 the city of his ancestors1 but ,herod's son had been made king over ,judea1 and ,joseph was told in a dream to go into ,galilee4 ,in ,galilee was ,nazareth1 where both ,joseph and ,mary lived when they were married1 and there they went and were at home again1 and there ,jesus grew to manhood4 ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,,the ,,boy ,,of ,,nazareth4 ,nazareth was a little town high among the hills of ,galilee4 ,it still stands there1 but it is not so large a town as it was when ,mary and ,joseph and the ,child ,jesus lived there4 ,then ,galilee was full of cities and villages1 and men and women were busy among its fields1 and vineyards1 and gardens1 and the shores of the beautiful ,lake of ,galilee were lined with the boats of fishermen4 ,nazareth was more quiet than the crowded cities by the ,lake4 ,a great green plain lay below it1 and a narrow road winding among the limestone rocks led up to it4 ,its streets were narrow and steep1 and steps of stone led from house to house4 ,a fountain of pure water breaking out of a rock was the meeting place of the women of ,nazareth1 who came with their tall pitchers for water and bore them away upon their heads4 ,here ,mary often came tenderly leading the ,holy ,child4 ,perhaps ,he gathered the bright wild flowers that grew thick around the fountain and along the stream flowing from it4 ,when he grew a little older ,he could climb the rocks around ,his home1 or go with ,his mother and ,joseph to the top of the hill from which they could see the snowy peak of ,hermon1 or the long line of shining blue sea beyond the hills on the west1 or they would point out a slowly moving caravan of heavy-laden camels from ,tyre and ,sidon by the sea on their way to ,damascus4 ,sometimes ,he would go with ,joseph to the woods when a certain piece of wood was needed1 for ,joseph was a carpenter1 and in a lower room of his humble house of rough white stone there was a long bench and the tools of a wood-worker4 ,here1 perhaps1 the ,holy ,child played with the curled shavings that fell from the bench1 and watched the making of the plows1 the yokes1 the doors1 and the lattices until ,he was old enough to help in the making of them4 ,he learned to read and write while a young child at home1 as ,jewish children did1 and ,his reading book was the ,old ,testament1 which was the ,jews' ,bible4 ,then ,he went to school at the ,synagogue1 which was the ,jews' ,church1 and there1 we may be sure1 ,he was a gentle1 obedient pupil1 and a loving1 unselfish playmate4 ,while he read ,he may have had many strange thoughts about the prophecies in the ,book that were promises of the ,messiah1 the ,king that was to reign in righteousness4 ,when ,he was twelve years old ,his parents took ,him with them to the ,feast of the ,passover at ,jerusalem4 ,great companies of people went from all parts of the ,jews' country1 and from every country in which they had settled1 to keep the feast that the ,lord had commanded when they were led out of ,egypt4 ,the very journey to ,jerusalem was a festival1 for their friends joined the company from almost every house in ,nazareth1 and on horses1 and camels1 and asses1 the men walking beside them1 a happy group set forth from home to keep the ,passover week in the city of the great ,king4 ,it was the first visit of the boy ,jesus to ,jerusalem1 and as ,he walked strong and beautiful beside ,joseph1 what tender and holy thoughts1 what questions about the future must have filled the mind of ,mary4 ,he was going to see ,his ,father's ,house1 the beautiful ,temple where the thousands of ,israel gathered every year for worship and of which ,he had read in the ,book of the ,law1 for ,he was now old enough to be called a ,son of the ,law1 and verses from the ,bible folded in little boxes1 had been tied upon his arm and his forehead by the village ,rabbi1 as a sign that ,he was old enough to think for ,himself and go to the religious ,feasts at ,jerusalem4 ,when they reached the great public roads they found other companies of pilgrims going up to the ,holy ,city1 and by their banners they knew the tribe and city from which they came4 ,there was music1 also1 of timbrel and pipe and drum as the songs of ,zion were sung along the way1 or at evening when they camped in the fields4 ,when they had climbed the steep ,jericho road and the ,mount of ,olives1 a glorious sight opened before them4 ,there lay the ,city of ,david shining in the sun1 its thick walls set with towers2 its marble palaces1 and castles1 and gardens1 and1 most wonderful of all1 the ,temple with its hundreds of white marble pillars1 its beautiful porches and arches1 and1 rising within its richly-paved courts1 the ,holy ,place with the sun like fire upon its roof of gold4 ,the people shouted and sang a song of joy4 ,perhaps they sang that song of ,david beginning3 ,i was glad when they said unto me ',let us go into the house of the ,lord1' ,our feet shall stand within thy gates1 ,o ,jerusalem6 ,like thousands of others they pitched their tents outside of the walls1 perhaps on the slopes of ,olivet1 and after eating the ,passover supper together went daily into the ,temple4 ,to the ,boy of ,nazareth this must have been the one charmed spot in all ,jerusalem4 ,other boys loved to watch the strange people from far countries1 and wander among the bazars1 but ,jesus stayed in the ,temple4 ,he saw the white-robed priests1 the altars1 and the sacrifices2 ,he saw the great curtains of purple and gold that hid the ,holy place1 and ,he heard the ,temple choirs answer each other in song2 ,he also saw the old ,rabbis who taught and answered questions daily in the outer courts1 and stood long among the listeners4 ,when the company from ,nazareth began the ,journey home1 and had gone as far as the plains of ,jericho1 ,mary looked for her boy4 ,she had not been troubled about him1 for she thought ,he was walking with the other children1 or with relatives1 but when ,joseph found that he was not with them they went back over the long1 steep road full of fear and anxiety4 ,they searched ,jerusalem through1 asking everybody they knew if they had seen the ,boy ,jesus4 ,when they had been searching for three days1 and ,mary's heart was almost broken1 they went again to the ,temple1 and looking through a crowd gathered around the ,rabbis1 ,mary saw her ,boy4 ,she pressed through to speak to ,him1 but ,he was speaking4 ,she listened1 and her heart must have stood still to hear ,his simple1 yet wonderful words4 ,sometimes he asked questions which the old teachers could not answer1 and when he replied to the questions of the learned teachers ,his wisdom astonished all who heard ,him1 for it was not like the wisdom of the ,rabbis1 who used many words to explain the ,word of ,god4 ,illustration3 ,the ,boy ,jesus in the temple ,when ,jesus saw ,his mother and came to her1 she said1 ,son1 why hast ,thou so dealt with us8 ,behold thy father and ,i have sought ,thee sorrowing4 ,how is it that ye sought me8 ,he said1 wist ye not that ,i must be about my ,father's business8 ,they did not quite understand how ,he could so easily forget them1 and yet ,mary1 perhaps1 remembered that the angel had told her that ,he should be called the ,son of ,god1 and that ,he was at home in ,his ,father's house4 ,but ,he was content to go home and be subject to ,his parents1 so that through all the world children may learn how ,he lived1 and try to live like ,him4 ,he found that ,his ,father's house was greater than the ,temple1 and under its starry roof1 and wandering over its wide courts paved with grass and flowers1 ,he learned more than the ,rabbis could teach ,him4 ,and every day ,he grew in wisdom as ,he grew in stature1 and in favor with ,god and man4 ,,chapter ,v4 ,,the ,,young ,,carpenter4 ,there are many years of the life of ,jesus of which the ,gospel story tells us nothing4 ,he lived with ,mary and ,joseph in ,nazareth1 and was preparing for the great work for which ,he came4 ,he learned easily all that other boys were taught in the synagogue school1 and no doubt caused ,his teacher to wonder at such wisdom coming from a boy4 ,he was so humble and teachable that no one could accuse ,him of setting ,himself above ,his companions1 and so winning and unselfish that ,he was loved by all4 ,the school days ended1 perhaps1 when ,he was fourteen1 and ,he was asked1 as every ,jewish boy was asked1 to choose what trade ,he would learn1 for every boy had to learn a trade4 ,he chose to learn the trade of ,his father1 and began to work with him making the many things that were then used by the people4 ,few houses1 if any1 were made of wood1 for the white limestone was then1 as now1 used in making the houses of ,nazareth1 but they were finished with wood1 and wood was used not only for boats1 tables1 benches1 yokes and carts1 but also for plows1 saddles1 and many things we now make of other material4 ,can you make a picture in your mind of this tall1 beautiful youth standing near ,his father ready to serve in any humble way in the work they were doing8 ,there was no service so small that ,he did not willingly do it1 and no labor so rough and common that ,he did not make it noble and beautiful by the doing4 ,but ,he was always thinking--thinking4 ,the world around ,him was full of pictures and stories through which heavenly truths shone1 and they formed themselves in ,his mind1 and when ,he began to teach ,he used them to help others with4 ,we call them parables4 ,wherever ,he saw the flowers1 the grape vines1 the olive and the fig trees1 the wheat fields1 the shepherds and their flocks1 the fishermen and their nets1 ,he read high and holy lessons that were much more simple1 and true1 and beautiful than those taught by the ,rabbis4 ,the more ,he thought about the teaching of the ,rabbis1 the more ,he saw how false and hard it was4 ,the ,law given by ,moses was full of the good thoughts of ,god1 but the ,jewish teachers had only taught the outward form1 and had not given the people the inward spirit4 ,it was like bringing to the hungry a beautiful dish with no food in it1 or to the thirsty a costly cup with no water in it4 ,as ,he grew older ,he would sit sometimes long into the night on some hillside watching the stars1 and with his great heart going out beyond the hills to the people of the world in longing love and in desire for their salvation4 ,he wanted to show them how ,god loved the world4 ,he wanted to take the empty forms of the ,law and fill them full of the ,spirit--the real thought and love of ,god4 ,he wanted to take away the burdens on the minds of the people1 which were heavier than those that ,pharoah laid upon their bodies long before1 and give them the rest and peace of ,god4 ,he wanted to take away their endless rules and give them one rule--to do by others as they would have others do to them4 ,and ,he wanted to add a new ,commandment to the ,law--that they love one another4 ,in this way1 by living with ,his mind in heaven and ,his body on earth ,he came to know that ,he was the ,christ of ,god1 and that ,he must go out from ,nazareth to be a ,teacher of ,truth1 and begin to build ,the ,kingdom of ,heaven among men4 ,but ,his friends thought that ,he was fitted to be a ,rabbi and teach in the ,temple with the ,doctors of the ,law4 ,he waited many years1 caring for ,his mother and ,his younger brothers and sisters after the death of ,joseph1 and then ,he left ,nazareth4 ,,chapter ,,vi4 ,,the ,,voice ,,in ,,the ,,wilderness4 ,jesus was thirty years of age when ,he left ,nazareth to begin ,his work as a ,teacher of the ,truth4 ,it was the age set by the older teachers for a young man to begin his work4 ,his cousin ,john1 the son of ,elizabeth and ,zachariah1 was six months older than ,jesus1 and he had begun his ministry on the lower ,jordan4 ,while ,jesus had been living quietly at ,nazareth preparing for his work1 ,john had been away in the wilderness beyond the ,dead ,sea alone with the ,spirit of ,god4 ,he was a prophet who could be taught by ,god only4 ,when his time to speak came he came out of the wilderness to a place on the banks of the ,jordan1 just above ,jericho1 called ,the ,fords4 ,many people crossed at this place1 and he stood on a bank above the river crying1 ,repent1 for the ,kingdom of ,heaven is at hand4 ,illustration3 ,john the ,baptist at the ,jordan ,like those who had made a vow to the ,lord1 ,john had never cut his hair1 he wore a coarse garment woven of camel's hair1 and lived on the simple food of the wilderness--locusts and wild honey4 ,he seemed never to think of himself1 but always of ,one who was coming4 ,he said that he was only a ,voice1 preparing the way for the ,messiah1 as ,isaiah had prophesied centuries before1 and the ,messenger that had been promised through ,malachi4 ,behold ,i will send ,my messenger1 and he shall prepare the way before me4 ,he did something which seemed new and strange to the people4 ,he called them to a change of mind--a turning away from sin1 and1 as a sign that they had done so1 he baptized them in the river ,jordan4 ,he was getting the people ready for the coming of ,christ1 who was to begin the ,kingdom of ,heaven on earth4 ,thousands were flocking down to the river to hear the new prophet4 ,they went from all parts of ,palestine1 and ,jesus1 knowing that his hour had come1 went also4 ,he wore a white tunic gathered at the neck and reaching to his feet1 and on it the large blue mantle of thick stuff that was worn in cold weather1 for it was in the winter of the year #ca4 ,we cannot know all about ,his parting with ,his mother1 and the three days' journey to the ,fords of ,jordan1 but we know that ,he came and stood with others on the banks while ,john preached4 ,on this day ,john's words were different ,he had said that the ,christ was coming1 but to-day he said1 ,there standeth ,one among you whom ye know not1 whose shoe's latchet ,i am not worthy to unloose4 ,after this ,jesus came down to the water's edge to be baptized1 and ,john1 though he had not seen ,jesus since he was a young boy1 knew ,him4 ,ready to fall at ,his feet1 ,john cried1 ,i have need to be baptized of ,thee1 and comest thou to me8 ,jesus replied in a low voice1 ,suffer it to be so now1 for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness1 and so reverently ,john baptized his ,master4 ,as ,jesus stepped from the water's edge to the river bank a strange and beautiful thing happened4 ,out of the warm1 blue sky a white dove came circling down around the head of ,jesus1 who stood silent in prayer4 ,with eyes lifted to heaven ,he saw the dove1 which was the form in which the ,spirit of ,god descended upon ,him1 and ,john saw it also1 and both heard a voice from heaven saying1 ,thou art my beloved ,son1 in whom ,i am well pleased4 ,this was the answer to ,jesus' prayer4 ,only ,jesus and ,john understood the meaning of these words1 for they heard with the spirit4 ,to others it seemed like thunder out of a clear sky1 and they were full of wonder about the strange young man who had been baptized with such a beautiful and singular sign following4 ,they also remembered what ,john had said1 that the ,christ was now standing among them1 and perhaps this was he6 ,and they wondered what ,john meant when he said that though he baptized with water1 the coming ,christ would baptize them with the ,holy ,spirit and with fire4 ,it was of little use to wonder about the ,messiah1 however1 unless they could remember and do all that ,john had said to them about being honest and true in their hearts1 for that was the only way to prepare for the kingdom that was near at hand4 ,he told the rich to share with the poor2 the people who handled money to be honest1 and the soldiers to harm no one with word or hand1 and to be contented with their wages4 ,when they were willing to give up the sins that ,john showed them they took the sign of baptism from ,john1 which meant that they wished to be washed from their sins1 and begin life in a new way4 ,,chapter ,,vii4 ,,jesus ,,in ,,the ,,desert4 ,the people were looking for the promised ,messiah1 and would have welcomed ,john as the ,christ if ,john had not always said ,one mightier than ,i cometh4 ,i am not the ,christ4 ,the sign of the ,dove filled them with new thoughts4 ,while they were thinking ,jesus went up the river bank alone4 ,the power of the spirit was upon ,him1 and ,his great work before ,him1 and ,he wished to go for a time as far as possible from every human being4 ,he went into the wilderness--a wild desert country beyond the ,dead ,sea--not even wishing to talk with ,john1 whose home was in the wilderness4 ,perhaps ,john looked after ,him and longed to see and talk with ,him1 but ,jesus had one great desire1 to know ,himself1 and what ,his work was to be4 ,he felt two natures within ,him1 the human and the divine1 and before ,he began to teach ,he wanted to hear the voice of the ,divine within ,him as clear and strong as ,he had heard it that day from the skies4 ,the desert to which ,he went was not a waste of flat sand1 like the ,african desert1 but masses of rock with sand and dry grasses between1 great cliffs of chalk and limestone rise a thousand feet above the gloomy gulfs of rock through which torrents run in the rainy season1 but which are dry and oven-like in summer4 ,one great cliff called ,quarantana is now full of caves cut out of the face of the rock by men who have hoped to win heaven by suffering as ,jesus did4 ,jesus was thinking--thinking1 ,his human nature being full of hopes1 fears1 and prayers2 ,his divine nature being full of strength1 promise1 comfort4 ,he did not think of food when ,he came1 and there was none to be found4 ,so resting at night in a cave1 and wandering farther among the mountains by day1 ,jesus spent forty days in the wilderness of ,judea4 ,while there ,he was tried by the spirit of evil in every way known to human nature1 and when all was over1 and ,he had not yielded to sin1 ,his mind was calm and ready for ,his work1 for ,he knew ,he was the ,son of ,god4 ,when ,he was hungry the tempter said1 ,if thou be the ,son of ,god command this stone that it be made bread4 ,it would have been easy for ,him to try ,his power1 but ,he knew that ,he did not come into the world to use it for ,himself1 but for others1 and so ,he answered in the words of the ,bible1 ,thou shalt not live by bread alone1 but by every word of ,god4 ,then in a vision ,he seemed to be in the ,holy ,city upon a tower of the ,temple that stood over a deep valley1 and the tempter speaking within ,him1 said1 ,if ,thou be the ,son of ,god cast ,thyself down1 for it is written1 ',he shall give ,his angels charge concerning thee1 and in their hands they shall bear thee up1 lest thou dash thy foot against a stone4' ,but ,jesus knew that though the words were the words of ,god1 the voice was the voice of the tempter1 and ,he answered1 ,thou shalt not tempt the ,lord thy ,god4 ,then in a vision again ,he seemed to see1 from the top of a very high mountain1 all the kingdoms of the world spread out before ,him with their kings1 and armies1 and cities2 their beautiful homes and lovely women1 and great men with their gold1 and jewels1 and precious works of art1 and the tempter said1 ,all these things will ,i give ,thee if ,thou wilt fall down and worship me4 ,then all the ,divine power in ,jesus rose up against this evil whisper1 and ,he said1 ,get thee hence1 ,satan2 for it is written1 ',thou shalt worship the ,lord thy ,god1 and ,him only shalt thou serve4' ,we shall never know all that ,jesus suffered during this long time when ,he was away from ,his home in ,nazareth1 and away from every human being1 tempted by evil1 surrounded by wild beasts1 and faint from hunger1 but we know ,he won a great victory over evil for us4 ,so he became the ,elder ,brother and ,friend of all who are tempted4 ,after ,his long fast and struggle with the powers of evil1 angels came and cared for ,him1 bringing heavenly strength and comfort1 and ,he rose in that strength and came again into the valley of ,jordan1 and found that spring had come while he had been in the desert1 and the willows were green by the river side4 ,john was still preaching and baptizing1 but was a little farther up the river at ,bethabara4 ,as ,jesus came near ,john pointed to ,him and said to the people1 ,behold the ,lamb of ,god1 which taketh away the sin of the world4 ,this is ,he4 4 4 4 ,and ,i knew ,him not1 but ,he that sent me to baptize with water1 the same said to me1 ',upon whom thou shalt see the spirit descending and remaining on ,him1 the same is ,he which baptizeth with the ,holy ,ghost4' ,,chapter ,,viii4 ,,the ,,first ,,disciples4 ,the next day while two men named ,john and ,andrew were talking with ,john the ,baptist1 ,jesus passed by1 and again ,john said1 ,behold the ,lamb of ,god4 ,these two men had been priests and disciples of ,john1 but they turned and followed ,jesus1 and ,john was content to have them do so1 for he sought no honor for himself4 ,jesus when he saw them following said1 ,what seek ye8 ,and they1 hardly knowing what to say1 and wishing very much to know ,him1 said1 ,rabbi1 where dwellest thou8 ,he did not reprove them for giving ,him the honored name of ,master1 but said1 ,come and see4 ,how gladly they went6 ,no one knows where or how ,he lived1 but whether in a house1 or in such a little tent as the people of that region now carry with them when they travel1 it was a quiet place where these two men who were looking eagerly for the ,kingdom of ,god could sit at the feet of ,jesus and talk with ,him4 ,he was a young man like themselves1 but there was a wonderful spirit in ,him that made them feel like worshipping ,him4 ,the first thing that ,andrew did was to go and find his brother1 ,simon ,peter4 ,they were both fishermen from ,bethsaida on ,lake ,galilee1 and had come down to hear the new prophet ,john4 ,we have found the ,messiah6 said ,andrew1 and they both went back to ,jesus4 ,when the ,lord--for this ,he had been always--saw ,simon ,peter ,he saw his heart1 and knew that he would be one of the founders of the kingdom with ,him1 and so ,he1 looking straight through him1 said1 ,thou art ,simon1 the son of ,jona2 thou shalt be called ,cephas1 which is by interpretation ,peter4 7,a stone47 ,so ,john1 the loving2 ,andrew1 the obedient1 and ,peter1 the believing began to follow ,jesus4 ,and ,peter's strong faith was like a foundation of stone in the beginning of the building of the kingdom4 ,there was another man from ,bethsaida who had come down to hear ,john4 ,his name was ,philip4 ,jesus found him and said1 ,follow ,me4 ,and he not only followed ,jesus1 but he went joyfully to find his friend1 ,nathanael1 and tell him that they had found the ,messiah1 ,jesus of ,nazareth1 the son of ,joseph4 ,nathanael could not believe that the ,messiah would be a man of ,nazareth1 because the prophets had said that ,he would come from ,bethlehem4 ,so he said1 ,can any good thing come out of ,nazareth8 ,come and see1 said ,philip1 urgently1 and he went4 ,as he came to ,jesus he met the deep1 kind look that had searched ,peter's heart and heard ,jesus say1 ,behold an ,israelite indeed1 in whom there is no guile6 ,he saw innocence in the heart of ,nathanael1 but ,nathanael wondered how ,jesus could know him4 ,before that ,philip called thee when thou wast under the fig-tree1 ,i saw thee1 said ,jesus4 ,then ,nathanael's whole heart went over to ,jesus1 and he cried1 ,rabbi1 ,thou art the ,son of ,god2 ,thou art the ,king of ,israel6 ,he needed nothing more to prove that ,jesus was the ,christ1 but ,jesus told him that he should see greater things1 angels out of the open heaven ascending and descending upon ,him4 ,nathanael became the fifth disciple4 ,his name was afterward called ,bartholomew4 ,,chapter ,,ix4 ,,the ,,first ,,miracle4 ,jesus and the five who had become ,his constant friends and disciples1 turned their faces toward home1 for they were all from ,galilee4 ,it was ,spring1 and the land was beautiful with the fresh green of the trees and the breaking forth of wild flowers among the grass4 ,on the ,journey the disciples scarcely saw the beauty around them1 or felt weary from the journey1 for they were hearing the gracious words of their new ,friend concerning the coming in of the kingdom4 ,there was to be a marriage feast near ,nazareth in the home of a friend4 ,mary and her family were invited1 and also the friends who had come with ,jesus4 ,it was at ,cana1 a village between ,nazareth and the lake1 and they walked over the hills early to see the bride1 crowned with flowers and a white veil1 married to the man to whom she had given herself4 ,then followed a feast at the house of the father of the bridegroom4 ,there were joyful greetings1 and garlands of flowers1 and wine--for ,palestine was the land of vineyards1 and they knew how to prepare a harmless wine4 ,before the feast was over they found that the wine had given out1 and those who served the feast were distressed4 ,it was thought a disgrace to fail in hospitality at a wedding feast1 and so ,mary came to ,jesus for advice1 saying1 ,they have no wine4 ,illustration3 ,the marriage at ,cana ,woman1 ,he said--and among the ,jews this was a respectful manner of speaking to a woman--what have ,i to do with thee8 ,mine hour is not yet come4 ,he meant that ,he must act from the ,divine ,nature1 and not from the human nature that ,he had received from ,his mother4 ,whatsoever ,he saith unto you1 do it1 said ,mary to the servants4 ,he told them to fill with water the six large water-pots of stone that stood near1 and they filled them to the brim4 ,draw out now1 and bear to the governor of the feast1 ,he said1 and it was served at the table1 and the master of the feast called to the bridegroom1 ,thou hast saved the good wine until now4 ,this was the beginning of miracles4 ,these were happy days for ,mary1 for she had her ,son back again4 ,from the wedding ,jesus and ,his mother1 and ,his brothers1 and ,his disciples went down to ,capernaum by the lake for a few days4 ,here ,peter lived by the blue1 beautiful lake that is walled by high hills on one side1 while on the other lies what once was the garden of ,gennesaret watered by streams1 and rich with fruits1 and grains1 and flowers4 ,,chapter ,x4 ,,in ,,his ,,father',s ,,house4 ,the feeling that ,jesus had when a boy1 that ,he must be about ,his ,father's business was now satisfied4 ,he had begun the work of ,his ministry1 though ,he had been doing all those silent years the tremendous work of overcoming evil for us4 ,he met it in ,his own human nature1 and overcame it step by step without yielding to sin4 ,he was to do this work until it should be finished upon the cross1 but for three years ,he was to teach the people the truths of the new kingdom1 and show by ,his life1 and at last by the laying down of ,his life1 that love had come into the world to fill the old forms of the law full of the new ,spirit of ,life4 ,he was to take away the sins of the world1 and in place of them give to the world eternal life4 ,it was time for the ,passover ,feast again1 and ,jesus with his disciples joined the ,capernaum company and started on the pleasant journey to ,jerusalem4 ,they sang the songs of ,zion1 and rejoiced when the towers of ,jerusalem and the ,golden ,temple came into view1 and as they came down the road over ,olivet they probably made their camp there where they could look across the valley to the ,temple4 ,everything was moving4 ,flocks of sheep and herds of oxen were being driven toward the ,temple1 and crowds of people from near and far were filling the streets1 and also moving toward the ,holy ,house4 ,when ,jesus came into the ,temple ,court ,he saw something that stirred his whole soul with sorrow and wrath4 ,the sellers of sheep1 and oxen1 and doves1 and the money-changers had brought their things into the great court inside the marble pillars1 and on the pavement of many-colored marbles1 and were buying and selling noisily1 and turning the courts of the ,lord into a market4 ,the voices of men and animals must have disturbed those who worshipped in the inner courts4 ,the priests allowed it1 perhaps they were paid for doing so1 and ,jesus1 as a ,son in ,his ,father's house where the servants had been unfaithful1 began clearing the court of all these things1 and finding some cord on the pavement ,he folded it into a short scourge of many strands and used it to drive the cattle and sheep and their keepers out of court4 ,the money-changers would not easily yield1 but he poured out their money and overturned their tables1 and to those who sold doves he said1 ,take these things hence2 make not my ,father's house a house of merchandise4 ,and the people wondered why they should obey this strange young man1 but they did4 ,it was the ,divine light in the face of ,jesus1 and not the bit of cord that drove them out4 ,they saw that ,he had a right to clear the ,temple courts4 ,then the ,jews wondered who had given ,him this right1 and they said to ,him1 ,what sign showest ,thou unto us1 seeing ,thou doest these things8 ,and this was the sign ,he gave them3 ,destroy this ,temple1 and in three days ,i will raise it up4 ,he knew that they would not understand this1 but they would remember it after they had crucified ,him and ,he had risen from the dead1 for ,he spoke of ,his body4 ,the ,jews turned scornfully away4 ,the ,temple had been forty-six years in building1 and they thought ,his promise an idle boast1 but they did not forget it4 ,three years after they helped to bring ,him to the cross1 accusing ,him in the ,high priests palace of saying these things4 ,,chapter ,,xi4 ,a ,,talk ,,about ,,the ,,breath ,,of ,,god4 ,jesus was in the ,temple most of the time during the ,passover ,feast4 ,he taught the people standing among the marble pillars of the outer court4 ,he also did miracles among them1 and many believed on ,him because of the miracles1 but ,he1 knowing their hearts1 saw not one among them whom ,he would call to be with ,him in ,his work1 for ,he could not wholly trust them4 ,the ,pharisees and ,doctors of the ,law also stood and listened to ,him1 and among them was one whose heart turned toward ,jesus4 ,he was one of the highest of the ,pharisees1 but his heart was not so proud and full of self-love as the hearts of most of the ,pharisees4 ,his name was ,nicodemus4 ,he longed to talk with ,jesus1 but he was afraid of what the other ,pharisees would say4 ,he found out where the camp of the ,galilean company was1 and one night went out of the city gate1 across the ,kedron bridge and up the slope of the ,mount of ,olives and found ,jesus4 ,there was no place to talk quietly in the crowded tents1 so they must have gone out under the shadowy olive trees to talk4 ,master1 he said--and it was much for the wise ,pharisee to speak so humbly to the young carpenter of ,galilee--,master1 we know that ,thou art a teacher come from ,god1 for no man can do these miracles that ,thou doest except ,god be with him4 ,jesus looked through the heart of ,nicodemus1 though it was night1 and saw what he needed most1 and so ,he made no reply about ,himself or ,his miracles1 but said1 ,verily1 ,i say unto you1 except a man be born again he cannot see the ,kingdom of ,god4 ,nicodemus could not understand how a man could be born when he is old1 so ,jesus explained that it was a spiritual birth4 ,that which is born of the flesh is flesh1 and that which is born of the spirit is spirit4 ,and as the wind softly stirred the leaves of the olive trees above their heads ,he said1 ,the wind bloweth where it listeth1 and thou hearest the sound thereof1 but canst not tell whence it cometh and whither it bloweth4 ,so is every one that is born of the ,spirit4 ,nicodemus had always thought that religion was the keeping of the law as all ,jews were taught by the priests1 so he was astonished1 and said1 ,how can these things be8 ,art thou a master in ,israel and knowest not these things8 said ,jesus1 and then ,he spoke to the soul of ,nicodemus of the things of the ,spirit of ,heaven--,the ,heaven in which ,he already lived1--and of the new kingdom that had begun on earth4 ,if you will find what ,jesus said to ,nicodemus in the third chapter of ,john's ,gospel you will find among other things these beautiful words1-- ,for ,god so loved the world that he gave ,his only begotten ,son1 that whosoever believeth in ,him should not perish1 but have everlasting life4 ,nicodemus found out that life was the breath of ,god in man1 and that by it man lives4 ,perhaps he felt it within him as he went down the valley under the trees and heard the wind among the leaves2 and as he came up the steep way and through the city gate in the silence of the night1 perhaps he resolved to be a disciple of ,jesus4 ,,chapter ,,xii4 ,a ,,talk ,,about ,,the ,,water ,,of ,,life4 ,after the ,passover there were many who had believed in ,jesus who wished to be baptized1 and so they went down to ,jordan with ,jesus and the disciples1 and then the disciples baptized them4 ,john1 who was also baptizing at another point by the river1 was told that ,jesus was baptizing and that all men were going to ,him4 ,john was rejoiced at this4 ,this my joy therefore is fulfilled1 he said4 ,he must increase1 but ,i must decrease4 ,he that cometh from heaven is above all4 ,after this ,jesus went back to ,galilee1 and as ,he and ,his disciples went through the country of ,samaria1 which lay between ,judea and ,galilee1 they came at noon near to the little village of ,sychar among the hills4 ,it was the most difficult road to ,galilee1 and most persons followed the ,jordan road when going back and forth1 for the ,judeans and ,samaritans were not friendly1 but it is written that ,jesus must needs go through ,samaria4 ,while the disciples went up into the village to buy some bread1 ,jesus sat down by a deep well in the valley4 ,it was built round with stone1 and covered from the sun1 for the people prized the well not only for the clear1 cold water1 but because ,jacob1 the father of all the tribes of ,israel dug the well for his family and cattle and flocks hundreds of years before4 ,while ,jesus rested by the well a woman came down the path from the town to draw water4 ,she drew the water with a strong cord that she fastened around her earthen water-jar and was going to put it on her shoulder and carry it away when ,jesus asked her for a drink of water4 ,she had not offered ,him any for she thought a ,jew would not ask even a drink of water from a ,samaritan1 but ,jesus said1 ,if thou knewest the gift of ,god1 and who it is that saith to thee ',give me to drink' thou wouldst have asked of ,him and he would have given thee living water4 ,illustration3 ,jesus by the well ,the woman did not understand ,his words about water any more than ,nicodemus did about the blowing of the wind4 ,jesus was talking about life always and everywhere1 but the people were slow to understand ,him4 ,the woman wondered where ,jesus could get better water than this from ,jacob's well4 ,whosoever shall drink of this water1 ,he said1 shall thirst again1 but whosoever drinketh of the water that ,i shall give him shall never thirst4 ,but the water that ,i shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life4 ,when the woman heard this she asked for it1 that she might not be thirsty and come to the well for water1 but ,jesus1 seeing that she could not understand ,his words began to speak of her life1 and so truly that she was amazed and said1 ,sir1 ,i perceive that thou art a prophet4 ,she talked of the mountain near by which had been the place of worship of the ,samaritans1 and of the ,temple at ,jerusalem where the ,jews worshipped1 for she did not want to talk of her own life1 which was not good4 ,jesus then showed her that ,god is a ,spirit1 and they that worship ,him must worship ,him in spirit and in truth1 and that the hour had come when ,he wished people to worship him so in every place4 ,i know that ,messias cometh1 which is called ,christ1 she said1 ,i that speak unto thee am ,he1 ,he said4 ,then the woman left her water-jar and hurried away without a word to tell the people of the town4 ,while she was away ,his disciples came and begged ,jesus to eat1 but ,his spirit was filled with the thought of life1 and he said1 ,i have meat to eat that ye know not of4 ,and when they did not understand ,he said1 ,my meat is to do the will of ,him that sent me1 and finish ,his work1 and when he thought how great the work was that was before ,him1 it was as if the harvest-time of gathering the people into the kingdom had come4 ,as they looked out along the valley men were ploughing the fields to sow wheat4 ,say ye not there are four months1 ,he said1 and then cometh harvest8 ,behold ,i say unto you1 ',lift up your eyes and look on the fields2 for they are white already to harvest4' ,while ,he stayed two days in ,sychar many believed on him there4 ,now we believe1 they said to the woman1 not because of thy saying for we have heard ,him ourselves1 and know that this is indeed the ,christ1 the ,saviour of the world4 ,,chapter ,,xiii4 ,,jesus ,,in ,,the ,,synagogue4 ,jesus came back to ,galilee through the ,valley of ,jenin and across the plain of ,jezreel to ,cana1 where ,his disciple ,nathanael lived1 and where ,he had wrought ,his first miracle4 ,while ,he was in ,cana a nobleman who lived at ,capernaum came riding into the little town in great haste to asked ,jesus to come down and heal his son who was near death4 ,to try him1 ,jesus said1 ,except ye see signs and wonders ye will not believe4 ,the nobleman would not stop to talk of this1 but besought ,jesus1 saying1 ,sir1 come down ere my child die4 ,jesus was glad to see his faith1 and ready to meet it4 ,go thy way1 ,he said1 thy son liveth1 and the man went away believing what ,jesus had said4 ,on the way down to ,capernaum by the ,lake1 some glad-faced servants came hastening to meet him4 ,thy son liveth6 ,they cried--the very words that ,jesus had used4 ,when he asked them when the boy had taken a turn for the better they said1 ,yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him4 ,then the happy father knew that it was at the seventh hour--one o'clock--that ,jesus had said1 ,thy son liveth4 ,there was joy in the house of the nobleman when the father and mother and all the household gathered around the boy who had been healed1 and talked of the wonderful power of ,jesus in speaking the word of healing4 ,from ,cana ,jesus went to ,nazareth4 ,john the ,baptist had been thrown into a gloomy prison down by the ,dead ,sea by ,herod ,antipas because he had rebuked the wickedness of that king1 and ,jesus knew that ,his own work was now fully begun1 since the prophet1 who had come to prepare ,his way1 was laid aside4 ,while ,jesus was at home with ,his mother and brothers and sisters ,he went one ,sabbath to the village church or synagogue1 as ,he had always done through ,his childhood and youth4 ,perhaps ,his brothers and some of ,his disciples were with ,him1 while ,his mother and sisters parted from ,him and entered by another door1 as was the ,jewish custom4 ,there were many there who hoped that the young carpenter1 who had become a teacher1 and as many believed1 a prophet1 would read from the ,book of the ,law4 ,after the singing1 and the prayers1 and the reciting of the creeds1 the time came for the reading and teaching4 ,the first lesson had been read1 and the ruler of the synagogue took from the sacred place where it was kept another parchment roll1 and coming down the steps he handed it to ,jesus4 ,it was the roll of ,isaiah1 and as ,jesus went up to the reader's desk ,he opened and unrolled it until ,he came to these words1 ,the spirit of the ,lord is upon me1 because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor2 ,he hath sent me to heal the broken hearted1 to preach deliverance to the captives1 and recovering of sight to the blind1 to set at liberty them that are bruised1 to preach the acceptable year of the ,lord4 ,illustration3 ,jesus in the synagogue ,when he had finished he rolled the book again and handed it to the minister and sat down4 ,it was the custom of those who were teachers of the people to sit down to teach1 while the people all rose and stood until he had finished4 ,this day1 said ,jesus is this scripture fulfilled in your ears4 ,the people were looking and listening so earnestly that it was very still1 and as ,jesus told them simply that ,he was the very ,one whom ,isaiah had spoken of seven hundred years before1 that ,he had brought the good tidings1 and had come to do the work the prophet had spoken of1 they looked at each other in amazement4 ,to be sure they had never heard such words of grace and wisdom1 but how could this be true8 ,is not this ,joseph's son8 they asked each other4 ,joseph had been their neighbor and ,jesus had grown up among them and played with their children4 ,they thought some evil thing had entered into ,him disturbing ,his mind4 ,but when ,he began to tell them that no prophet was accepted in his own country1 and that the ,lord was obliged to send them to strangers1 as ,he sent ,elijah and ,elisha1 they were angry with ,him4 ,some of the men wished to teach ,him a lesson1 and they took ,him by force to the edge of a cliff1 for ,nazareth was built high up among the hills1 and were about to cast ,him over among the limestone rocks below1 but turning away from them1 ,jesus walked quietly down the hill to the path that led into the valley--and no one was able to lay a hand upon ,him to harm ,him4 ,he came unto ,his own1 and ,his own received ,him not1 and ,he went away to preach the good tidings in other towns4 ,the heart of ,mary must have been full of sorrow when she saw her ,son despised and rejected of men as ,isaiah prophesied1 but she hid her sorrow1 and remembered the words of the ,lord brought to her by the angel before her ,son was born4 ,and so ,jesus went down to ,capernaum where he had friends and disciples1 and afterward ,his mother and ,his brothers went to ,him there1 but ,nazareth knew him no more4 ,it was about this time that it is supposed that ,jesus went alone to a religious feast at ,jerusalem1 and while there cured a poor man who could not walk4 ,he lay on his mat near a spring called ,bethesda4 ,it was covered by a roof1 and had five porches4 ,here the sick were brought by their friends that they might1 when they saw the waters bubble up1 step in and be cured4 ,they believed then an angel came down and made the moving of the waters1 but it was probably one of the kind called intermittent springs4 ,there is one at ,jerusalem now called the ,fountain of the ,virgin which rises at certain times4 ,jesus saw the poor friendless man who had waited for thirty-eight years for the chance of stepping into the waters when they were moving1 and had been disappointed for others stepped in before him4 ,looking at him1 ,he said1 ,wilt thou be made whole8 ,the man explained why he could not be cured1 for there was no man to help him4 ,then ,jesus said1 ,rise1 take up thy bed1 and walk4 ,he rose at once1 and walked1 carrying the mat on which he lay4 ,the ,jews were angry when they heard of it for the man had been cured on the ,sabbath1 but ,jesus told them that they were all refusing eternal life because of their unbelief1 saying1 ,ye will not come unto ,me that yet might have life4 ,,chapter ,,xiv4 ,,among ,,the ,,fishermen4 ,capernaum was on the shore of the beautiful lake of ,galilee4 ,there were villages clustered around the lake then and all ,galilee was swarming with busy life1 but now there are few inhabitants1 and ,capernaum is only a heap of stones4 ,some of these stones1 which may now be seen1 are carved in such a way that we may know that they are a part of an ancient synagogue4 ,this was the synagogue1 perhaps1 that a good ,centurion built whose servant ,jesus cured when he was near death1 and here in ,capernaum lived the nobleman whose son ,jesus cured by a word1 and here lived ,his first disciples1 ,peter and ,andrew1 and ,james and ,john1 and here ,matthew1 who sat in his little office taking the taxes that the people had to pay1 may have seen ,jesus pass1 and may have heard him speak before he became a disciple4 ,the beautiful plain of ,gennesaret spreads out from one end of the lake1 and there is a white beach of shells there1 while at other points on the lake there are hills and great rocks close to the water4 ,on this white beach ,jesus stood one spring morning teaching the people4 ,as the fisher-folks and others gathered close around to hear ,him1 ,he was pushed so near the water that ,he stepped into ,peter's boat1 which was near the shore1 and asked him to push it out a little way into the water1 and there in the stern of the boat ,jesus sat and taught the people who stood thick upon the shore4 ,the boat of ,zebedee1 the father of ,james and ,john was near by1 for they were the partners of ,peter and ,andrew4 ,they had washed their nets and had given up fishing until night again1 for morning was not a good time for fishing1 but ,jesus said to ,peter and ,andrew1-- ,launch out into the deep1 and let down your nets for a draught4 ,the disciples were surprised at this1 for it was not the hour for fishing1 and ,peter said1 ,master1 we have toiled all night and have taken nothing2 nevertheless at thy word ,i will let down the net4 ,illustration3 ,jesus among the fishermen ,when they had done this they found that their nets were filled with fishes1 so that they called to ,james and ,john to come and help them1 for their nets were breaking4 ,when they had emptied the nets into the two boats they were filled so full that they began to sink4 ,then ,peter fell down at ,jesus's knees and cried out1-- ,depart from me1 for ,i am a sinful man1 ,o ,lord6 so wonderful did the miracle seem to him4 ,but to ,peter ,jesus said1-- ,fear not2 from henceforth thou shalt catch men4 ,james and ,john ,he also called1 and showed them that the time had now come for them to help ,him in founding the ,kingdom4 ,they did not wait to sell the great draught of fishes that they had brought to land2 and they did not wait to sell their fishing boats and nets1 but they forsook all and followed ,jesus4 ,they did not know that their names would be known forever as the founders of the ,christian ,church with ,him who was its divine ,head4 ,,chapter ,,xv4 ,,the ,,healing ,,hand ,,of ,,jesus4 ,the ,jewish church1 or synagogue at ,capernaum was very beautiful4 ,it was of white marble1 and richly carved1 and was the gift of a ,roman officer to the ,jews4 ,one ,sabbath morning ,jesus went in and sat among the learned ,rabbis1 for ,he wished to speak to the people as ,he had near ,nazareth4 ,the people knew and loved him1 and the place was crowded to hear ,him speak4 ,he sat there through the singing1 and the prayers1 and the reading4 ,the parchment rolls of the law and the prophets were in a case behind ,him2 and there was the curtain1 and the branched candlesticks4 ,then ,he went to the ,teacher's seat1 and while all the people stood ,he sat and taught them4 ,people wondered1 as they always did1 at his words1 for they were not like the words of the ,rabbis1--they were as if ,god ,himself were speaking through a man4 ,in the midst of it there was a loud cry from a man who looked like a maniac4 ,he had followed the people in1 and the words of ,jesus had disturbed the evil spirit that was in ,him1 ,let us alone1 it cried1 what have we to do with thee1 thou ,jesus of ,nazareth4 ,art thou come to destroy us8 ,i know thee who ,thou art1--the ,holy ,one of ,god4 ,hold thy peace1 and come out of ,him1 said ,jesus1 and the poor man fell headlong on the marble floor1 but in a moment he was free1 for the evil spirit had obeyed the word of ,jesus1 and this astonished the people so much that they told it through all the town and the country round about4 ,when ,he went home from the synagogue1 for ,peter's house was one of ,his homes1 ,he found the mother of ,peter's wife very ill of fever1 and they brought ,jesus to her bed4 ,he bent over her and said some words to that which had caused the fever1 and at once it was gone4 ,she seemed to be quite well again1 and her first wish was to do something for this wonderful man whom ,peter had been following1 and she rose and helped to prepare food for ,him4 ,the people did not dare to come to ,jesus for healing while it was yet the ,sabbath1 for the ,rabbis said it was wrong to cure people on the ,sabbath day1 but as soon as the sun had set the ,sabbath ended1 and then the streets were filled with people who came for themselves1 or bringing their sick friends to be touched by the hand of ,jesus4 ,all around the little house of ,peter they crowded1 while ,he walked among them looking at them with pitying love1 and ,he laid his hands on every one of them1 and healed them4 ,,chapter ,,xvi4 ,,following ,,jesus4 ,the next morning ,jesus went out among the hills alone4 ,all day ,he was pressed upon by the poor1 the sick1 the blind1 and the lame1 or those who were hungry for the word1 and so at night or early morning ,he went out to be alone1 to think of the great work he had come to do1 and to pray or talk to the ,father1 for ,jesus and the ,father were one4 ,but the people followed ,him1 and begged him not to leave them4 ,i must preach the kingdom of ,god to other cities also1 ,he said1 for therefore am ,i sent4 ,and ,he took his disciples and started on a journey from village to village through ,galilee4 ,there were about two hundred of these towns1 and they were near together4 ,it was the springtime1 and the fields and hills between the villages were beautiful with flowers and growing grain4 ,sometimes ,he taught in their churches1 and sometimes under their trees or trellises1 and wherever ,he went the common people heard him gladly4 ,once as ,he drew near a town a leper followed ,him4 ,he followed ,him into the town1 which was against the law1 for the leper was not allowed to live inside a town1 or to come near the people1 as the touch of a leper would give the disease to another4 ,but so earnest was he to see ,jesus that he came through the crowd and fell on his face before ,jesus1 saying1 ,lord if ,thou wilt1 ,thou canst make me clean4 ,jesus put forth ,his hand and touched him1 saying1 ,i will2 be thou clean4 ,suddenly the leprosy left the man1 and his dead and filthy skin became as healthy as a child's1 and ,jesus sent him to the priest to offer that which the law commanded for the cleansing of lepers4 ,it was a long1 and often costly process that a leper must pass through to be cleansed from his disease1 but the word of ,jesus was with power1 and brought divine life to take the place of death1 for leprosy was a slow death4 ,illustration3 ,jesus healing the sick ,when the ,lord came back to ,capernaum the people thronged ,him1 and when ,he rested in the shaded court of a friend's house it was soon filled with the eager people who longed to hear ,his word1 or be healed by ,his touch4 ,once it was so crowded in the court that some men1 who were bringing a friend to ,jesus who was helpless with palsy1 took him up by the outside stairs to the housetop4 ,there1 by taking up a few tiles1 they made an opening just over the place where ,jesus sat1 and the people soon saw the man lying on his mat before ,jesus1 for they had let it down by cords through the opening4 ,jesus saw the faith of the four men who had let their sick friend down at ,his feet1 and it touched ,his heart4 ,he also saw the longing in the soul of the sick man to be good and pure1 and ,he said1 ,son1 be of good cheer1 thy sins be forgiven thee4 ,the ,scribes1 who were always copying the ,scriptures--for there was no printing done in those days--were always watching to hear ,jesus say something contrary to the ,law of ,moses1 that they might tell it to the priests1 and some who were sitting there looked at each other and said in their hearts1 ,who can forgive sins but ,god only8 ,jesus heard their thoughts and asked them why they reasoned in this way with themselves1 and which seemed to them the easier1 to forgive sins or to heal the body4 ,but that they might know that ,he had power over the body as well as the soul ,he said to the sick man1 ,arise2 take up thy bed1 and go thy way into thine house4 ,the man rose and rolled up his mat and carried it out1 the people falling back astonished to let him pass1 for his palsy had left him and he walked out strong and well4 ,we have seen strange things to-day1 the people said among themselves for they could not understand how a man could forgive sins or heal disease4 ,when ,jesus left the house to go down to the sea-shore ,he passed the ,custom-house1 where the tax-gatherers1 or publicans1 gathered money from the ,jewish people to pay to their conquerors1 the ,romans4 ,the ,romans were very hard in their dealings with the ,jews1 and made themselves rich by taking money from the poor of their provinces4 ,the people did not like the tax-gatherer1 and his was not a pleasant office4 ,levi1 also called ,matthew1 was a rich tax-gatherer at ,capernaum1 and as he sat in his office looking out upon the market-place he saw ,jesus passing by4 ,perhaps he had often heard ,jesus teach by the shore and in the market-place1 and longed to follow ,him4 ,he saw the ,teacher stop at his open door1 and heard ,him say1 ,follow ,me4 ,that was enough2 ,matthew left all1 rose up and followed ,jesus4 ,he had a business that made him rich1 but he was ready to leave it all to be a disciple of ,jesus4 ,he wanted all to know that he had chosen a new life1 and so he gave a great dinner to his friends1 and invited ,jesus and ,his five disciples that he might confess before them all his faith in ,jesus4 ,the ,pharisees looked down upon the publicans and thought them a people unfit to associate with1 and when they passed by and saw ,jesus sitting in ,matthew's house at the feast they asked ,his disciples as they went in and out why their ,master ate with publicans and sinners1 a thing they felt themselves too good to do4 ,jesus ,himself answered them in words that have helped many sinful people to come to ,him since4 ,they that are whole need not a physician1 but they that are sick4 ,i came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance4 ,and then ,he turned to talk with ,matthew and his friends1 who listened to every word that fell from ,his lips1 and did not try to find fault with ,him as the ,pharisees did4 ,matthew had made a rich feast1 and his table was no doubt piled with the beautiful fruits of the plain of ,gennesaret1 but the eyes of all and the thoughts of all were fixed upon the wonderful ,teacher1 and ,matthew1 the publican1 who had become ,his disciple4 ,,chapter ,,xvii4 ,,friends ,,of ,,jesus4 ,jesus had a good and true reason for choosing just twelve men to help ,him to begin to build the first ,christian ,church1 or the ,kingdom of ,heaven on the earth4 ,we cannot yet understand the reason for everything ,he did1 but quite enough to help us to believe in ,him1 and to give us a place in ,his kingdom4 ,he had called half that number and soon ,he called six more to join them1 and named them apostles4 ,before ,he called them ,he went up into a mountain to be alone4 ,he left ,capernaum and went up through a rocky vale to a high plain where the grass lay thick and the wild flowers were coming up among it1 for it was spring-time4 ,two hills1 or peaks rose out of this plain1 and there was a grassy hollow between4 ,they were called the ,horns of ,hattin4 ,from one of these hills ,jesus could see the lake with its cities1 and the plain dotted with villages below1 and beyond them the great ,mount ,hermon crowned with snow4 ,here ,jesus stayed all night1 and the next morning came down into the grassy dale between the peaks where the people were gathering4 ,the disciples went to meet ,him1 and ,he told them that ,he had chosen twelve of them to be with ,him in ,his work1 and to preach the ,good ,tidings to the people4 ,he called to ,his side ,peter and ,andrew1 and ,james and ,john--the two pairs of brothers who were ,his first friends2 then ,philip1 of ,bethsaida4 ,bartholomen1 from ,cana1 and ,matthew1 the tax-gatherer of ,capernaum1 who afterward wrote the first gospel4 ,he also chose ,thomas1 of ,galilee2 ,james and ,jude1 two brothers from ,capernaum2 ,simon1 of ,galilee1 and ,judas ,iscariot1 who came from the country near ,jerusalem4 ,five of these1 it is said1 were ,his cousins4 ,more than half of them were fisherman1 and none of them were learned men1 unless ,bartholomew might be called one4 ,how wonderful it must have been to see these twelve earnest young men gathered around ,jesus1 ready to go where ,he should send them1 or follow ,him to death4 ,no kings or emperors on earth ever had so great honor given them as that which ,jesus gave to these men1 for they became the ,lord's spiritual brothers1 and princes in ,his spiritual kingdom4 ,then ,jesus came down among the people4 ,some had brought sick friends up the rocky gorge for ,jesus to touch2 or they had brought poor souls possessed by devils for ,him to set free1 and ,he healed them all4 ,then ,he sat down and taught the people4 ,the sayings of that wonderful day are kept in the gospels1 and are called the ,sermon on the ,mount4 ,there was no choir1 no organ1 no church made with hands1 but the words are now read in every ,christian church in the world4 ,the preacher sat on a green hillock1 ,his dark cloak thrown back showing ,his white tunic1 and the spring sunshine lay on ,his holy1 beautiful face and flowing hair4 ,all this the people saw1 but they saw much more than this4 ,they saw something divine in ,his face4 ,his form1 and the light around ,him1 and what they heard seemed to them to be the words of a ,divine ,man4 ,he looked lovingly on the little group of disciples near ,him1 and blessed them in beautiful words that we call the ,beatitudes1 or the ,ten ,blessings4 ,he said to them and to us that the blessed 7happy7 are the good1 humble1 pure souls who have little of this world's wealth and friendship1 but much faith and love4 ,illustration3 ,sermon on the ,mount ,if you will read the fifth1 sixth and seventh chapters of ,matthew you will know much that ,jesus taught that heavenly day on ,hattin ,mount4 ,he taught them the law of love and forgiveness2 the law of purity and truth4 ,he taught them to be humble and simple1 especially in prayer1 and not like the ,pharisees4 ,he gave them a wonderful prayer that we call the ,lord's ,prayer1 though it is a prayer to the ,lord1 for all ,christians in all ages to bring to ,him4 ,he told them that if they were children of ,god they could not be worldly1 loving themselves and the world best2 neither could they serve two masters4 ,then ,he taught them a beautiful lesson of trust in the ,heavenly ,father by pointing to the birds that flew above them1 and reminding them how they were fed and cared for2 and also by pointing to the wild field lilies that grew near by1 their scarlet petals shining in the sun4 ,consider the lilies of the field how they grow1 he said1 they toil not1 neither do they spin1 and yet ,i say unto you that even ,solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these1 and then ,he asked them if ,god1 who clothed the lilies1 would not clothe ,his own children1 and told them to have no fear for the future1 but to seek the ,kingdom of ,god first and always1 and all needed things would be given to them4 ,then ,he looked away from the birds and the lilies into the eyes of the people and saw their need of love and truth1 for he could read their hearts4 ,he told them that they should not judge each other1 or look long upon each other's faults1 but rather upon their own1 and showed them how they might ask ,god for love and truth1 and it would surely be given them1 because the ,heavenly ,father is more just1 and kind1 and loving than an earthly father can be4 ,and here is the ,golden ,rule of ,christ1 which1 if we live by it1 will bring heaven down to earth4 ,whatsoever ye would that men should do to you1 do ye even so to them4 ,he told them that the way of the world was wide1 and many were crowding into it1 while the heavenly way was narrow in this life1 and few were finding it1 though many talked much about it1 and seemed to have found it4 ,he said that it would be shown in the day when we all appear before ,god who has truly followed ,him4 ,he said that the true men were like the wise man who built his house upon a rock1 and when the winds1 the rain1 and the flood came it stood fast1 because it was founded on the rock2 and the false were like the foolish man who built his house upon the sand1 and when the winds1 and the rain1 and the floods came it fell1 and great was the fall of it4 ,the people went away from this great meeting among the hills to think it over4 ,it was so new and so wonderful1 not at all like the teaching of the scribes1 for the young carpenter of ,nazareth spoke like a ,teacher of teachers4 ,ever since that day when the ,lord sat and taught the truths of the ,kingdom of ,heaven1 and the people stood upon the grassy plain among the spring flowers and the wild thyme to hear his words1 the ,sermon on the ,mount has been known as the greatest sermon the world has ever known4 ,,chapter ,,xviii4 ,,the ,,lord ,,of ,,life4 ,jesus came down to ,capernaum again and found the same crowds of needy people1 who were like sheep having no shepherd4 ,the rich as well as the poor had their wants and their troubles4 ,a good ,roman officer1 called a ,centurion1 because he was captain over a hundred men1 had a servant who was so faithful to him that he was very fond of him4 ,the servant was very sick1 and when the ,centurion heard that ,jesus was again in ,capernaum he went to the chief men of the city and asked them to get ,jesus to come and cure his servant4 ,he feared to ask the favor himself1 for he thought ,jesus was a ,jew who would not like to have dealings with the ,romans4 ,so the ,jews spoke to ,jesus about it saying that the ,centurion was the good man who had built a beautiful synagogue for them4 ,jesus did not need to be urged to be kind to a ,roman for ,he loved all the people of the earth alike4 ,while ,he was on ,his way some friends of the ,centurion came to meet ,him with a message4 ,lord1 trouble not ,thyself1 he said1 for ,i am not worthy that ,thou shouldst enter under my roof2 ,wherefore neither thought ,i myself worthy to come unto ,thee2 but say in a word and my servant shall be healed4 ,jesus told the people who followed ,him that ,he had not found such faith as this among their own people4 ,and when the men returned to the ,centurion's house they found the servant cured of his sickness4 ,but some of the ,jews were offended because ,jesus had said that a pagan ,roman could have more faith than a ,jew1 and that they would enter the ,kingdom of ,heaven while the ,jews would be left out4 ,the next day ,jesus and ,his disciples went to a little city called ,nain1 set up among the hills1 more than twenty miles away4 ,when they were near the city gate they met a funeral procession coming out4 ,they were going to the burying ground on a hillside not far away4 ,there were hired mourners1 as is the custom in that country1 who made many doleful noises1 and behind them came a weeping woman--the mother of the young man who had died4 ,his body was borne by friends and followed by many more1 for all felt sorry for the poor woman who had lost her only son4 ,as the procession passed ,jesus said two little words to the woman--,weep not1 and then ,he put forth ,his hand and touched the bier4 ,the men who bore it set it down before ,jesus who looked down into the face of the dead1 saying1 ,young man1 ,i say unto thee1 arise6 ,in a moment the young man opened his eyes1 sat up1 and began to speak1 and ,jesus gave him back from the grave to his happy mother4 ,while ,jesus was near ,nain some of the disciples of ,john the ,baptist came to see ,him4 ,john was in prison still1 down in the low1 hot country by the ,dead ,sea4 ,he had heard strange stories about ,jesus from the disciples who came to see him1 and because they were not settled in their mind about ,him1 ,john sent them to find ,him and to say1 ,art thou ,he that should come1 or do we look for another8 ,jesus told them to go and tell ,john what they saw4 ,the blind receive their sight and the lame walk1 the lepers are cleansed1 and the deaf hear1 the dead are raised up1 and the poor have the gospel preached to them1 and blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in me4 ,then ,jesus taught the people who stood by1 and the lesson ended with these words which he speaks to the whole world1 ,come unto me1 all ye that labor and are heavy laden1 and ,i will give you rest2 take my yoke upon you and learn of me1 for ,i am meek and lowly of heart1 and ye shall find rest unto your souls2 for my yoke is easy and my burden is light4 ,this is the loving invitation of ,jesus to every one of us to enter the ,kingdom of ,heaven1 and it is the ,king ,himself who invites us4 ,,chapter ,,xix4 ,,mary ,,of ,,magdala4 ,there was a ,pharisee named ,simon1 who was very curious to know what ,jesus taught1 although he had no wish to be ,his disciple4 ,he was a rich man and lived in a beautiful house with a court4 ,beyond the court was a banqueting room with couches on which guests sat leaning upon the tables in the ,eastern fashion4 ,there were other guests invited to hear ,jesus talk1 the friends of ,simon1 and it is quite probable that when they came the servants of ,simon met them and took their sandals and washed their feet and arranged their hair as was the custom1 and were also heartily welcomed by ,simon4 ,when ,jesus came ,he had no such service or welcome given ,him1 for ,simon did not love ,him2 he was only curious about ,him4 ,while they were at the tables a beautiful young woman came in through the open door and passed swiftly by the couches on which the guests were reclining until she came to the place where ,jesus was4 ,no one spoke to her or about her1 for they all knew that she had been a sinful woman4 ,but soon they saw that she bent weeping over the feet of ,jesus where ,he lay upon the couch1 and soon they knew by the odor of costly perfume that she was anointing ,his feet4 ,as her tears fell she wiped ,his feet with her long hair1 and kissed them again and again4 ,simon looked at her severely1 but said nothing1 though he wondered in his heart why ,jesus did not know that a sinful woman was touching ,him4 ,then said ,jesus1 ,simon1 ,i have somewhat to say to thee4 ,and ,simon replied1 ,master1 say on4 ,then ,jesus told a little story of a man who had two debtors2 one owed him five hundred pence1 and the other fifty2 and when they had nothing to pay he frankly forgave them both4 ,then he asked which of them will love ,him most8 ,i suppose that he to whom he forgave most1 said ,simon1 and ,jesus told him that he was right4 ,then ,he turned and pointed to the woman1 saying1 ,see'st thou this woman8 and the eyes of all were fixed on the weeping ,mary of ,magdala4 ,when ,jesus had told ,simon that he had failed to bring water for ,his feet1 though she had washed them with her tears1 and wiped them with her hair2 that he had given ,him no kiss of welcome1 and she had not ceased to kiss ,his feet2 that he had not anointed ,his head with oil1 but she had anointed ,his feet with costly ointment1 ,he added1 ,her sins which are many are forgiven2 for she loved much2 but to whom little is forgiven the same loveth little4 ,and turning to the woman ,he said1 ,thy sins are forgiven2 thy faith hath saved thee2 go in peace4 ,as ,jesus went through the villages of ,galilee ,he found many friends and many enemies4 ,the twelve were with ,him1 learning daily the wonderful lessons ,he taught1 and preparing to be preachers of the glad tidings also4 ,not only ,mary of ,magdala1 but ,susanna1 and ,joanna1 the wife of ,king ,herod's steward who had been cured by ,him1 were ,his grateful friends4 ,some priests came down from ,jerusalem to watch ,him1 and to tell the people that ,he was not a true teacher1 and this pleased the ,pharisees4 ,they saw that ,he did wonderful things that no man could do1 but they said that ,he did it by the power of the spirit of evil1 and they asked ,him to show them a sign that he was from ,god4 ,the ,lord spoke words to the ,pharisees that must have burned like coals of fire1 for it showed how false and wicked their hearts were while their outward life seemed to be very religious4 ,he told them that no sign should be given them except that of ,jonah2 as he was three days and three nights in the great fish1 so should the ,son of ,man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth1 and though the men of ,nineveh were wicked1 yet they repented at the preaching of ,jonah1 but the men of ,jerusalem did not repent1 though a greater than ,jonah was among them4 ,mary and her sons had come from ,nazareth hoping to take ,jesus away from the crowds1 perhaps1 for a rest among the hills1 for the summer heat was great down by the lake and along the ,jordan4 ,some one sent word to ,jesus1 as ,he sat teaching within the court of a house1 that ,his mother and brothers were outside1 and wished to speak with ,him4 ,the crowd was too great for them to enter4 ,before ,jesus rose to go out to his mother1 ,he paused a moment to teach the great lesson ,he had come to bring to the world4 ,looking at ,his disciples ,he said1 ,my mother and my brethren are these which hear the ,word of ,god and do it4 ,,chapter ,,xx4 ,,stories ,,told ,,by ,,the ,,lake4 ,jesus was glad to go among the fishermen and teach the people by the ,lake1 for their hearts were like the good ground into which the farmer loves to drop his seed1 while the hearts of the rich1 proud ,pharisees were like the rock on which seed cannot grow4 ,perhaps he was thinking of this as ,he walked out one morning from ,peter's house along the pebbly shore and sat down to talk with the people4 ,the crowd always grew large around him there1 and ,he had to again enter a fishing boat and sit a little out from the shore that the people might see and hear ,him more easily4 ,he taught them as no man had ever done before4 ,he told them short stories1 often taking the subject from something the people could see4 ,perhaps this morning as ,he looked over the lovely plain of ,gennesaret1 ,he saw a sower casting seed into a brown and furrowed field1 for it was the time of the year for sowing the winter wheat4 ,this is the story of ,the ,sower3 ,a sower went out to sow his seed1 said ,jesus1 and as he sowed1 some fell by the wayside1 and it was trodden down1 and the fowls of the air devoured it4 ,and some fell upon a rock2 and as soon as it was sprung up it withered away1 because it lacked moisture4 ,and some fell among thorns1 and the thorns sprang up with it and choked it4 ,and other fell on good ground1 and sprang up and bore fruit an hundred fold4 ,and then ,he said1 ,he that hath ears to hear let him hear1 for ,he knew that some could understand with the heart that ,he was talking of the ,word of ,god1 but there were many who could not4 ,illustration3 ,jesus teaching by the sea ,his disciples asked ,him to make the story plain to all1 and so ,he said1 ,the seed is the ,word of ,god4 ,those by the wayside are they that hear2 then cometh the devil and taketh away the ,word out of their hearts lest they should believe and be saved4 ,they on the rock are they which1 when they hear1 receive the ,word with joy1 and these have no root1 which for a while believe1 and in time of temptation fall away4 ,and that which fell among thorns are they which1 when they have heard1 go forth1 and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life1 and bring no fruit to perfection4 ,but that on the good ground are they which in an honest and good heart1 having heard the ,word1 keep it1 and bring forth fruit with patience4 ,he also told them a story called ,the ,wheat and the ,tares1 of a man who sowed good seed in a field1 but when it sprung up and bore grain there were weeds growing among it called tares1 for an enemy had sowed the seed at night and it had grown up with the wheat4 ,the man's servants wished to pull out the tares1 but the master of the field said both should grow together until the harvest1 that the wheat might not be uprooted with the tares4 ,at the end of the harvest the tares would be burned and the wheat gathered into the barn4 ,in this way he taught them why good and evil are allowed to grow together in this world4 ,he also taught them in the story of ,the ,mustard ,seed1 that the growth of the ,lord's ,kingdom in the heart is like a mustard seed sowed in a field--which is the least of seeds--but which becomes a great plant1 so large that birds light on its branches4 ,he told them other stories also that were to show them that the ,kingdom of ,heaven was life1 and not a written law1 and that it grows in the hearts of people as a seed grows in a field1 one seed bearing many seeds1 until the time when the ,lord's ,kingdom shall fill the earth as the ripe wheat fills the field in harvest4 ,one of the stories told that day was about ,the ,treasure4 ,he told them of a man who1 when digging in a field1 found a treasure1 a mine of gold1 perhaps1 and went and sold all that he had to get money enough to buy that field4 ,another one was the story of ,the ,pearl1 which a pearl-hunter found4 ,it was so large and beautiful that he sold all he had to be able to buy it4 ,both these stories were to teach that heaven in the heart is worth more to us1 when once we find it1 than all the treasures or pleasures of this world4 ,he also told a story of a ,fishing ,net1 which caught fish of every kind1 but when it was drawn to shore the fishermen gathered the good fish into baskets1 but threw the bad away4 ,this story was something like that of the ,wheat and the ,tares1 showing how good and evil are at last separated4 ,this was a wonderful day by the blue waters of the ,lake of ,galilee4 ,the people went home thinking much about the new ,teacher and ,his stories of the ,kingdom of ,heaven4 ,the great ,sower of the ,seed had been dropping it into their hearts1 and ,he alone knew which hearts were good ground4 ,,chapter ,,xxi4 ,,stilling ,,the ,,storms4 ,when ,jesus was very tired from teaching the people and healing the sick ,he used to cross the lake and go up among the rocks of ,gadara1 a wild region where there were few villages4 ,after the last long day of teaching by the shore ,jesus needed rest1 but neither at ,peter's house1 nor any where on that side of the ,lake could ,he get away from the crowds that followed ,him to hear ,him1 or to be healed by ,him4 ,in the evening1 when the people came back to ,him1 ,he took the large fishing-boat with ,his disciples1 and set out for the other side4 ,several beside ,his disciples wished to go with ,him4 ,a scribe wished to follow ,him1 but ,jesus told him that ,he had no home1 no place to lay his head1 though the foxes had holes and the birds of the air had nests4 ,perhaps ,jesus saw that the scribe was not ready to leave all and follow ,him4 ,another wished to go1 but thought he ought first to bury his father1 but ,jesus said to him1 ,follow me1 and let the dead bury their dead4 ,this ,he said of the ,jews who were spiritually dead4 ,after they had gone far out upon the ,lake a great wind storm rose4 ,it came sweeping down upon them from the hills1 rattling the ropes and swelling the sails so that they had to bring them down and fasten them1 and then take the oars4 ,every part of the little ship was covered with spray from the rising waves1 and the disciples began to feel afraid4 ,illustration3 ,jesus sleeping during the storm ,where was ,jesus8 ,he was asleep4 ,they had brought a cushion for ,his head1 and ,he had fallen asleep in the stern of the ship4 ,as a wave fell upon them and they were in danger of sinking they woke ,jesus saying1 ,master1 ,master1 we perish6 ,then ,he rose and spoke to the winds and waters1 and the storm ceased1 and there was a great calm4 ,the fishermen had never seen anything so wonderful as this1 and they looked at each other1 almost more afraid of ,jesus than they had been of the storm4 ,what manner of man is this1 they said1 that even the wind and the sea obey ,him6 ,jesus also wondered1 and said1 ,why are ye so fearful8 ,how is it that ye have no faith8 ,as soon as they had landed in ,gadara a strange man came out of the rock tombs to meet them4 ,he was naked and wounded1 for he was always wandering in the mountains and among the tombs1 crying and cutting himself4 ,jesus was sorry for him for ,he knew that it was the evil spirits within him that made him so unhappy4 ,the poor man tried to worship ,jesus1 and the evil spirits only cried out the more1 begging to be let alone4 ,when ,jesus asked ,what is thy name1 he answered1 ,my name is ,legion1 for we are many4 ,jesus made the poor man free by commanding the evil spirits to come out of him4 ,they entered into a herd of swine near by1 and the frightened creatures ran down a steep place into the lake and were drowned4 ,the men who kept them were afraid and ran away1 telling all whom they met of the thing that had happened4 ,some people came to see for themselves1 and they found the wild man of the tombs clothed and quietly sitting at the feet of ,jesus listening to ,his word4 ,they were afraid of ,jesus and begged ,him to go away4 ,they did not understand that ,he wished to bless and not to harm them4 ,as ,he went back to the ship the man who had been cured of his insanity begged to go with ,him1 but ,jesus told him to go instead to his friends at home and tell them what the ,lord had done for him4 ,the next morning the people of ,decapolis heard a strange story from the wild man of the tombs1 but was now a reasoning man again4 ,and so ,jesus stilled the storm of wind on the ,lake and the storm of evil in a soul4 ,,chapter ,,xxii4 ,,called ,,back4 ,when ,jesus came back to ,capernaum ,he found the crowd of friends at the little wharf full of concern about ,him1 and glad that no harm had come to ,him during the storm4 ,among them was one who had watched anxiously for the boat1 for he had a little daughter at home very ill indeed1 so ill that she was at the last breath4 ,his name was ,jairus1 and he was a ruler of the synagogue4 ,he was so troubled that he fell at the feet of ,jesus1 begging ,him to come and lay ,his hand on his child that she might live4 ,jesus went with him1 a throng of people with them1 hoping to see ,him do a great work4 ,while ,he was on the way a woman who had been sick twelve years followed close behind ,him1 and put forth her hand timidly toward ,him4 ,if ,i may touch but ,his clothes ,i shall be whole1 she said to herself1 and she touched them with faith in her heart4 ,jesus1 who knew all hearts1 turned straight around and said3 ,who touched ,my clothes8 ,how the woman shrank back and trembled when she heard that1 for she was afraid she had done wrong4 ,the disciples thought it strange that ,he should ask this1 as the people thronged so close that they could not help touching ,jesus ,but the woman knew what ,he meant and she came and fell down before ,him1 fearing and trembling1 and told ,him all the truth4 ,jesus did not look sternly at her as she thought ,he would do1 but ,he said gently1 ,daughter1 thy faith hath made thee whole2 go in peace1 and be whole of thy plague4 ,while the woman was still at ,his feet full of gratitude and love because she felt herself cured1 some friends came from the ruler's house to bring sad news4 ,thy daughter is dead1 they said1 why troublest thou the ,master any further8 ,jesus saw the looks of grief on the father's face and said quickly1 ,be not afraid1 only believe4 ,so they went to the ruler's house1 and into the inner room where the little maid lay4 ,many wished to press in after them to see what ,jesus would do1 but he took only ,peter and ,james and ,john with the father and mother of the maiden into the quiet1 darkened room4 ,as ,he went in ,he said to some who were mourning noisily in the outer room1 ,weep not2 she is not dead1 but sleepeth4 ,jesus loved to call death a sleep1 for ,he knew that we never die4 ,then ,he took the little maid by the hand and called her4 ,she had not gone so far into the country we cannot see that she could not hear a divine ,voice calling to her1 ,talitha cumi6 7,maiden1 arise67 ,at once she rose and walked4 ,she was a little girl of twelve1 and very dear to her father and mother1 and there was no doubt great joy as well as wonder in the house of the ruler that bright morning after the storm4 ,in their joy and wonder there was danger of forgetting to give her the food she was in need of1 and so ,jesus gently reminded them1 commanding that something should be given her to eat1 but he charged them not to talk about the return of their little daughter4 ,illustration3 ,jesus curing the little maid ,,chapter ,,xxiii4 ,,two ,,by ,,two4 ,jesus had a desire to once more speak to the people of ,his own little town of ,nazareth1 and so ,he came again to ,his own1 but ,his own received ,him not4 ,once more he went into the ,nazareth ,synagogue where ,he had listened to the reading of the law all through ,his childhood and to teach as ,he had done nine or ten months before4 ,they did not rise up and thrust ,him out as they did then1 but they cast cold looks and scornful words upon ,him4 ,they could not understand ,his great power and wisdom1 but they would not believe in ,him4 ,is not this the carpenter1 the ,son of ,mary1 they said1 the brother of ,james and ,joses1 and of ,juda and ,simon8 ,and are not ,his sisters here with us8 ,they were offended with ,him4 ,jesus1 knowing their faults said1 ,a prophet is not without honor1 but in his own country1 and among his own kin1 and in his own house4 ,he wondered why they were so unbelieving1 when in ,his great love for them ,he was ready to do works of mercy among them1 and to tell them the glad tidings of the ,kingdom of ,heaven1 but ,he laid ,his hands on a few sick folk and healed them1 and that was all4 ,as ,he went away to come back no more1 ,his heart turned toward the many who were waiting for the tidings that ,his old friends had rejected1 and ,he called the twelve together to send them out1 two by two1 into the world around them4 ,he gave them power to cast out evil spirits1 and to heal the sick2 and ,he put the preaching power within them so that they could tell to others the wonderful truths of the ,kingdom of ,heaven4 ,he told them that they must take nothing for their journey1 except a staff1 with which to walk over the steep mountain paths4 ,he told them also to bless the house that sheltered them1 and to leave the house or the city that would not receive them4 ,he said that they would have many trials1 and that their lives would be sought by wicked men1 but that they need not fear1 for the very hairs of their head were numbered1 and that even a sparrow could not fall to the ground without their ,father1 and they were of more value than many sparrows4 ,he said many other words to them that gave them comfort and strength4 ,they had left all to follow ,him1 and ,he showed them how1 in losing their all in this life they were finding much more than that--even eternal life4 ,so1 two by two1 they went forth and left ,jesus alone4 ,that great and good man1 ,john the ,baptist1 was still in the prison of ,king ,herod ,antipas1 down by the ,dead ,sea4 ,he had been there more than a year1 but no word came from the king saying that he was free4 ,queen ,herodias wanted him to be put to death for he had spoken against her marriage with ,king ,herod4 ,she was a wicked woman1 and the evil hate the good4 ,herod believed in his heart that ,john should go free1 but for the ,queen's sake he kept him in prison1 but allowed his friends to see him1 and sometimes sent for him secretly to hear him talk of the ,kingdom of ,heaven4 ,on the king's birthday he gave a great feast to his lords and captains1 and when they had been served with dainty food in dishes of silver and gold1 and had tasted the rare fruits and the costly wines1 the dancing girls came in to flit over the polished marble floor1 and wave their airy scarfs to please the king and his guests4 ,at last a young girl came in and danced alone4 ,she was dressed like a princess1 and she was a princess4 ,queen ,herodias had sent her young daughter1 ,salome1 where an innocent girl and a queen's daughter should not have gone4 ,she pleased the king and his lords greatly1 and when she had finished1 and had knelt before the king to hear what he had to say to her1 he cried1 ,ask of me whatsoever thou wilt1 and ,i will give it thee1 and with an oath he declared that he would certainly do it if she should ask the half of his kingdom4 ,she did not decide for herself1 but ran to her mother1 saying1 ,what shall ,i ask8 ,and the cruel mother said1 ,the head of ,john the ,baptist4 ,king ,herod did not expect this4 ,he thought she might ask for some jewel of great price1 or perhaps a royal palace for her very own1 and when he heard her request he was very sorry4 ,but an oath made before his lords could not be broken4 ,he sent men to the prison1 and the good prophet1 who had never known fear1 went home to ,god1 and they brought his head to the princess who gave it to her mother4 ,the king's feast ended in gloom1 and the poor girl1 who only obeyed her wicked mother1 had nothing but a dreadful memory to keep forever as the king's gift4 ,and the king himself--what trouble followed him during the rest of his life6 ,riches and honors were all taken from him1 and he was sent out of his own country1 while ,john had gone to his ,father's house in the ,heavenly ,country to suffer no more forever4 ,john's disciples buried the body of their beloved master1 and then went and told ,jesus4 ,only ,jesus can give real comfort in trouble4 ,the disciples--now called apostles1 or teachers--who had been out teaching among the villages1 heard1 perhaps1 of the death of ,john the ,baptist1 and came back to ,jesus two by two1 as they had gone out4 ,they had been preaching1 healing the sick1 and casting out evil spirits4 ,they often said ,the ,kingdom of ,heaven is at hand1 and the people wondered if it would not be best to rise up and make ,jesus their king4 ,herod heard of the work of ,jesus and the apostles1 and was afraid4 ,he half believed that ,john whom he had killed had risen from the dead4 ,he tried to see ,jesus1 but the ,one who had come to preach the gospel to the poor had no time to give to ,herod4 ,as ,peter1 and ,john1 and ,andrew and all the rest came back they were full of stories of the wonderful things that had been done through the power that the ,lord had given them4 ,many came with them to find ,jesus4 ,he saw that they needed to come away from the crowds that were always around them so that ,he could speak to them of their work1 and so that they could rest1 and think1 and pray4 ,they took a boat and crossed the ,lake4 ,the shore was crowded with people who wished to be with ,jesus1 and when they knew that ,he was going to ,bethsaida-,julias at the northern end of the ,lake they resolved to follow ,him1 for it was only a few miles away4 ,at the end of the ,lake they entered the ,jordan river1 and sailing up a little way to the landing-place they saw the people coming1 some in boats1 and more in groups along the shore--men1 women and children--and ,jesus1 filled with love and pity for them1 led them to a green hillside where ,he sat down to teach them as ,he had often done before4 ,it was spring1 and the grass was like a great green carpet sprinkled with bright wild-flowers1 while the river1 lined with bushes flowed below1 and beyond lay the beautiful blue ,lake4 ,the disciples stood around their ,master while ,he taught the people in simple language that they could understand the greatest truths the world has ever heard4 ,all the afternoon ,he spoke to them1 and when the sun was slowly going down over the hills of ,galilee they still wished to stay4 ,they were as sheep having no shepherd4 ,the disciples were troubled about them1 for they were far from the villages where bread could be bought1 and they had nothing to eat4 ,they begged ,jesus to send them away4 ,give ye them to eat1 said ,jesus4 ,then the disciples were astonished1 for there were about five thousand men1 beside the women and children4 ,shall we go and buy two hundred pennyworth of bread1 and give them to eat8 said ,philip4 ,then ,jesus1 who knew what ,he would do1 said1 ,how many loaves have ye8 ,go and see4 ,they went among the people1 and ,andrew came back1 saying1 ,there is a lad here which hath five barley loaves1 and two small fishes2 but what are they among so many8 ,then ,jesus told ,his disciples to seat all the people in order upon the green grass1 and soon there were little companies of fifty1 and larger ones of an hundred sitting all over the hillside with their faces turned toward ,jesus1 who stood looking out upon them as a father would look upon his children4 ,what were they waiting for8 ,no one knew1 but they saw ,him take the little lad's basket of bread and the two little fishes and look up to heaven1 blessing them as ,he did so4 ,then ,he began to break the bread and divide the fishes4 ,as ,he broke the bread and gave to the disciples they took it away to the people sitting on the grass1 and when they came back to ,jesus there was still more waiting for them4 ,in this way all the people were fed4 ,illustration3 ,feeding the five thousand ,when they were satisfied ,jesus said to ,his disciples1 ,gather up the fragments that remain1 that nothing be lost4 ,and they filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the barley loaves that were left4 ,what a silent and wonderful supper of bread fresh from the hand of its ,creator6 ,at last they began saying to each other in a low voice1 ,this is of a truth that ,prophet that should come into the world6 and they began to ask each other if it would not be best to take ,him at once and make ,him king whether he would or would not consent1 but when ,he saw what they wished to do1 ,he slipped away and went farther up among the hills to rest4 ,evening had now come1 and the people not finding ,jesus1 went away to their homes1 and the disciples in their little ship returned to ,capernaum4 ,the people could not understand1 nor could ,his disciples1 that ,jesus did not come to be an earthly king over the little nation of the ,jews4 ,not until the ,holy ,spirit came to make all things clear did they understand that ,he was to be the ,spiritual ,king of all the world4 ,,chapter ,,xxiv4 ,,walking ,,the ,,waves--,,the ,,two ,,kingdoms4 ,while ,jesus was alone on the mountain side the disciples were trying to reach ,capernaum in their fishing boat4 ,it was not a long sail1 but a contrary wind had risen and was blowing them out into the ,lake away from the landing place4 ,they had taken down their sail and were rowing1 but by three o'clock in the morning they were still out upon the ,lake4 ,jesus1 who knew all things1 saw them struggling with the oars1 and coming swiftly down the mountain side ,he went to them walking upon the water4 ,the disciples saw a form through the darkness drawing near to them1 and strangely enough they did not think of ,jesus1 but cried out in terror1 saying1 ,it is a spirit4 ,then the clear sweet voice of their ,master rose over the sound of the wind and the waves1 ,be of good cheer1 it is ,i1 be not afraid4 ,and ,peter1 full of glad faith1 cried out1 ,lord1 if it be ,thou1 bid me come unto ,thee on the water4 ,when ,jesus said ,come1 ,peter climbed over the side of the boat and began to walk toward ,jesus1 but when a strong wind drove the waves upon him he lost sight of the ,lord for a moment1 and he was afraid4 ,lord1 save me6 he cried1 and began to sink4 ,then ,jesus stretched out ,his hand and caught ,peter1 saying1 ,o thou of little faith1 wherefore didst thou doubt8 ,when they both entered the ship the wind ceased1 and while the disciples wondered and worshipped1 saying1 ,of a truth ,thou art the ,son of ,god1 they found themselves at the land not far from ,capernaum4 ,it was on the white beach of pebbles and shells that bordered the plain of ,gennesaret where they moored the boat in the early morning1 and as soon as the people saw them they began bringing their sick friends to ,jesus4 ,many were too ill to walk1 and were brought on little beds or mattresses and laid at ,jesus's feet1 and there they were healed if they but touched the hem of ,his garment4 ,many of those who brought the sick to ,jesus had been with ,him on the mountain side1 and had eaten of the wonderful bread of heaven that ,he had broken for them4 ,they believed that ,he could do anything that ,he would4 ,the people whose hearts were set upon making ,jesus their king followed ,him wherever ,he went4 ,some who had been with ,him when ,he made bread for the great company on the hillside at ,bethsaida-,julias found ,him teaching in the synagogue at ,capernaum4 ,teacher1 when camest thou hither8 they said4 ,jesus1 knowing that they cared more for ,his gifts than for ,his teaching1 said1 ,ye seek me1 not because ye saw the miracles1 but because ye did eat of the loaves and were filled1 and told them that they should not labor for the food that perishes1 but for that which endures forever4 ,they still wished ,him to do some wonder1 or show them how to work wonders1 for they asked ,him what they should do to work the works of ,god4 ,this is the work of ,god1 ,he said1 ,that ye believe on ,him whom ,he hath sent4 ,still they remembered the miracle of the bread4 ,what sign showest ,thou8 they said1 ,our fathers did eat manna in the desert4 ,then ,he spoke plainly to them of ,himself4 ,the bread of ,god is ,he which cometh down from heaven1 and giveth life unto the world4 ,one more spiritual than the rest said reverently1 ,lord1 evermore give us this bread4 ,then ,jesus spoke those words about ,himself that turned many away from ,him4 ,he showed them that ,he could never be what they expected ,him to be--an earthly king4 ,he had only the things of the ,spirit to give them1 and ,he called them to a kingdom that could be seen only with spiritual sight4 ,i am the bread of life1 ,he said1 ,he that cometh to me shall never hunger2 and he that believeth on me shall never thirst4 ,all that the ,father giveth me shall come to me1 and him that cometh to me ,i will in no wise cast out4 ,the ,jews were offended with ,him because ,he had said1 ,i came down from heaven4 ,i am the living bread which came down from heaven1 ,he said4 ,if any man eat of this bread he shall live forever2 and the bread that ,i will give is my flesh which ,i will give for the life of the world4 ,then the ,jews were vexed and turned to talk among themselves4 ,they could not understand what ,he meant1 but they saw plainly that ,he was not going to agree with their plan to make ,him the ,king of the ,jews1 who would lead them out of their bondage to the ,romans1 and establish them forever as a nation4 ,they did not want to follow ,him1 but they wanted ,him to follow their plan4 ,and as for ,his talk about being the bread of life1--,this is an hard saying1 they said1 who can hear it8 ,while they murmured ,jesus said1 ,doth this offend you8 ,what and if you shall see the ,son of ,man ascending where ,he was before8 ,it is the ,spirit that quickeneth2 the flesh profiteth nothing2 the words that ,i speak unto you1 they are ,spirit1 and they are life4 ,then they knew that ,he meant something above what they could see1 or what they wanted1 and many turned away from ,him and went to their homes disappointed4 ,he had said1 there are some of you that believe not1 and it was true4 ,jesus turned to the twelve who stood in silence near ,him1 ,will ye also go away8 ,he said4 ,loving1 impulsive ,peter cried out1 ,lord1 to whom shall we go8 ,thou hast the words of eternal life1 and we believe and are sure that ,thou art that ,christ1 the ,son of the living ,god4 ,did ,i not choose you twelve1 said ,jesus1 and one of you is a devil4 ,already evil spirits had tried to turn ,judas away from the ,lord by tempting him1 and he had let them into his heart4 ,and ,jesus1 who knew all men1 saw them there4 ,,chapter ,,xxv4 ,a ,,journey ,,with ,,jesus4 ,jesus went away with ,his disciples into the borders of ,tyre and ,sidon4 ,he did not go to the ,passover feast1 for the anger of the ,jews had been growing more violent toward ,him and ,his disciples1 and he took the twelve away from the crowded towns around the ,lake into the parts that bordered upon a heathen country4 ,he could do far more for the simple-hearted heathen than for ,jews who believed themselves to be wise and religious4 ,when it was known that the young teacher of ,nazareth was among them some came to ,him who were not ,jews4 ,one was a ,syrian woman whose daughter was troubled by an evil spirit1 and she begged ,jesus to have mercy upon her4 ,the disciples were not pleased to have her follow them with strange cries in another language4 ,they believed that the works of ,jesus were for the ,jews only1 and so they begged ,him to send her away4 ,jesus was silent1 for ,he knew all hearts1 and saw faith growing in the heart of the poor woman4 ,he said1 trying her faith1 ,it is not meet to take the children's bread and cast it to dogs4 ,truth1 ,lord1 she said1 yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their master's table4 ,then ,jesus hid ,himself no longer from her faith1 but said1 ,o woman1 great is thy faith6 be it unto thee even as thou wilt4 ,and her daughter was cured that very hour4 ,jesus did not go down by the great sea1 though ,he could see it lying like blue and silver across the west whenever ,he came to a hilltop as they journeyed1 but ,he went northward to the hills that lie around the mountains of ,lebanon4 ,upon these mountains grew the cedars that ,solomon's servants cut down and carried to ,jerusalem for the building of the ,holy ,house4 ,they stopped in the ,lebanon villages1 and came at length to the foot of ,mount ,hermon1 and to the ,jordan1 crossing over and passing near the place where the great company who followed ,jesus had been fed4 ,as they came into ,decapolis on the east side of the lake of ,gennesaret the people came to ,him in crowds again for healing4 ,there ,he healed a man who could neither hear nor speak4 ,coming to ,gadara ,he found crowds coming with their sick for healing4 ,eight months before ,he had healed a poor man in whom was a legion of devils1 casting them out into a herd of swine1 and they had begged ,him to leave their coast for they were afraid of ,him1 but now they were glad to come to ,him for healing4 ,no doubt the man who had been healed had told them of the gentleness of ,jesus1 and of ,his wonderful words1 and had brought many to ,him4 ,it was in ,bethsaida-,julias that ,jesus once opened the eyes of a blind man4 ,he did not see clearly at first1 but when ,jesus laid ,his hand a second time upon his eyes he saw quite well1 and was so grateful that he wanted to go and tell all his friends about it1 but ,jesus told him to go quietly home4 ,two blind men followed ,him also1 crying1 ,thou ,son of ,david1 have mercy on us6 ,they followed ,him into a house and there ,jesus asked1 ,believe ye that ,i am able to do this8 ,yea1 ,lord1 they said4 ,according to your faith be it unto you1 ,he said1 touching their eyes1 and their eyes were opened at once4 ,though ,jesus had said1 ,see that no man know it1 yet they told it through all that country4 ,,chapter ,,xxvi4 ,,the ,,christian ,,sabbath--,,peter',s ,,confession ,,of ,,faith4 ,jesus was walking with ,his disciples one ,sabbath day and talking of the ,kingdom of ,heaven when they came to a field of ripe grain4 ,they had been gathering food for their souls from the teachings of ,jesus1 and had forgotten to take food for their bodies until they saw the ripe grain and knew that they were hungry4 ,some of them began to take the heads of wheat 7or barley71 to rub them in their hands to separate the grain from the chaff1 and eat the kernels of wheat4 ,illustration3 ,jesus in the wheat fields ,following close after them were some men who had been told to watch ,jesus and ,his disciples1 and see if anything could be brought against them4 ,they held very strict views about keeping the ,sabbath1 as all ,pharisees did1 and here they saw something that might be called breaking the ,sabbath1 for were they not really reaping the wheat1 and sifting it through their hands8 ,behold thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the ,sabbath day1 they said4 ,the ,son of ,man1 said ,jesus1 is ,lord even of the ,sabbath day4 ,another ,sabbath ,he entered into a synagogue and taught4 ,among the people stood a man who had a helpless and withered hand4 ,the same ,pharisees who had followed ,jesus as spies when ,he walked through the grain-fields were watching ,him in the ,synagogue to see if ,he would heal on the ,sabbath4 ,he knew their thoughts1 and called the man1 saying1 ,rise up and stand forth in the midst4 ,the man rose1 and while he stood waiting1 ,jesus turned to the ,pharisees who were eagerly watching to see if ,jesus would do something that was forbidden in their law1 and said1 ,is it lawful on the ,sabbath days to do good1 or to do evil8 ,to save life or to destroy it8 ,the ,pharisees dared not answer1 and ,jesus1 looking round upon them all1 said to the man1 ,stretch forth thy hand4 ,the man obeyed4 ,although he had not been able to raise his hand1 he stretched it forth1 and it became as whole and as strong as the other4 ,the ,pharisees went away very angry1 and tried to make a plan among themselves for bringing ,jesus into trouble4 ,jesus came to fill the law about the ,sabbath full of the spirit of heaven2 to teach love and service to the neighbor1 as well as the love and worship of ,god1 but they could not understand ,him4 ,jesus was near the end of ,his ministry to the people east of the ,jordan in the country called ,decapolis4 ,they were not like the ,galilean ,jews1 they were half heathen people who lived among the wild1 rocky hills of that region4 ,they were poor and ignorant1 yet they were more ready to accept the gospel than the wise and wicked ,pharisees had been4 ,he had been kind to them in their sickness and poverty1 and they followed ,him with their sick1 and lame1 and deaf1 and blind1 leaving them at ,his feet until they arose praising ,god that they had been saved from their sufferings4 ,jesus had been teaching in the wild mountain country1 and the people would not leave ,him to go away to their homes4 ,after three days ,jesus said to ,his disciples1 ,i have compassion on the multitude because they continue with me now three days and have nothing to eat1 and ,i will not send them away fasting lest they faint by the way4 ,the disciples did not remember the ,lord's power to create bread1 and wondered where they should find it in the wilderness to feed such a great multitude4 ,but when ,jesus knew that they had seven loves of barley bread and a few little fishes ,he told the people to sit down on the ground1 and after giving thanks over the loaves and the fishes1 ,he divided them and gave to ,his disciples1 and the disciples gave to the people4 ,there were four thousand men beside women and children who took the bread that came from the ,lord's hands4 ,after all had eaten and were filled they took up seven baskets of the food that was left4 ,jesus1 though ,he could create food for the people1 taught them to use it wisely and waste nothing4 ,when the people had been sent to their homes1 ,jesus1 with ,his disciples1 took a fishing boat and crossed the ,lake only to find the ,pharisees there ready to question ,him1 and to tempt ,him to show them some great sign from heaven4 ,he told them that they could read the signs of the coming weather in the sky1 but they could not see the signs of the times4 ,only a wicked people look for a sign1 ,he said1 and no sign should be given except the sign that ,jonah gave to the ,ninevites--a call to repentance4 ,then ,he left them1 for ,he saw the hardness of their hearts4 ,again they took their journey in the little ship to the northern end of the ,lake1 and after landing1 followed the east side of ,jordan until they passed near the place where the five thousand had been fed by a miracle as they sat on the green hillside4 ,the disciples found that they had forgotten to bring bread with them4 ,they remembered1 perhaps1 that they had here eaten the bread that the ,lord had created2 but the heart of ,jesus was heavy with the thought of the unbelief of the people ,he had come to save1 and ,he said1 ,take heed and beware of the leaven of the ,pharisees and the ,sadducees4 ,the disciples did not understand ,him1 and wondered if ,he spoke thus because they had not brought bread4 ,then ,jesus1 seeing that they had but little faith1 reminded them of the supper on the hillside1 when more than five thousand were fed1 and of that later meal among the rocky hills of ,decapolis1 when four thousand and more were fed1 and that they did not need to be concerned about food for the body so much as to beware of the false teaching of the ,pharisees and of the ,sadducees4 ,they walked still further north1 directly toward that beautiful mountain that lifts its head1 white with the glistening snow1 high above the hills that lead up to it1 so that it may be seen over the larger part of ,palestine4 ,they came to ,caesarea ,philippi1 one of the most beautiful places in the world4 ,it lay in the green lap of ,mount ,hermon high above the sea1 and shut in by cliffs and forests4 ,the upper springs of the ,jordan are here4 ,they leap out of a great cavern in the side of the mountain--a river of clear1 cold water4 ,the old ,greeks loved the place1 and built there a temple to the god of nature1 but after the ,romans came it was named for the ,emperor and ,philip the ,tetrarch4 ,here there were more ,gentiles than ,jews1 for it was a gay town in the summer1 and people from other towns came to this city of palaces1 temples1 baths1 theatres1 and statues4 ,these people did not wish to hear the words of ,jesus1 but the coolness and beauty of the country around this birthplace of the ,jordan made it a fit place to bring ,his disciples where they could talk over the things of the kingdom without being disturbed by the ,pharisees4 ,here ,he was able to pray alone1 and once1 after prayer1 ,he questioned ,his disciples about ,himself4 ,whom say the people that ,i am8 ,he asked4 ,they remembered their talks with the people and said1 ,john the ,baptist1 but some say ,elias1 and others say that one of the old prophets is risen again4 ,but whom say ye that ,i am8 ,he asked4 ,then ,peter1 the believing disciple1 made his confession of faith1-- ,thou art the ,christ1 the ,son of the living ,god4 ,jesus was glad to hear this1 for many had come to doubt ,him1 and many had gone away from ,him since they knew that ,he would not be an earthly king4 ,blessed art thou ,simon1 son of ,jonas1 ,he said1 for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee1 but my ,father which is in ,heaven4 ,he saw that ,peter's faith in the truth was like his name1 which means a rock1 and so ,he said1 ,thou art ,peter1 and on this rock will ,i build my church1 and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it4 ,peter's faith in the truth was also in the hearts of the other disciples for whom ,he spoke1 and ,jesus saw that they could now bear what he had to say to them without going away4 ,he told them that ,he must soon go to ,jerusalem and suffer many things from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders1 and that ,he should be killed by them1 and rise again from the dead the third day4 ,even ,peter's faith was shaken by this4 ,how could the ,son of ,god be killed8 ,he could not believe ,his ,master meant it so4 ,be it far from thee1 ,lord1 he said1 this shall not be unto thee4 ,jesus saw the spirit of fear and unbelief rising up in ,peter1 and to this--not to ,peter himself--,jesus said1 ,get thee behind me1 ,satan2 thou art an offence unto me2 for thou savourest not the things that be of ,god1 but those that be of men4 ,then ,he plainly told them what they must be ready to meet if they followed ,him4 ,they must not hope for any earthly honors or riches1 and they must put aside their own wishes and obey the ,lord alone4 ,he told them that whoever wished to live for this world alone would lose all1 but whoever was willing to lose all for ,his sake should find eternal life4 ,for what is a man profited1 ,he said1 if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul1 or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul8 ,,chapter ,,xxvii4 ,,and ,,we ,,beheld ,,his ,,glory--,a ,,father',s ,,faith4 ,jesus stayed near ,caesarea ,philippi with ,his disciples for a week4 ,the villagers were cutting the ripe grain1 the vineyards were rich with clusters of the rich grapes that grew on the ,lebanon hills1 and the olives were ripening for the time when they would be put in the presses to make the delicious oil olive4 ,in that week ,he must have had many wonderful talks with the villagers4 ,one evening1 as they had come over the lower hills of ,hermon1 ,jesus left the disciples to wait for ,him below1 taking only ,peter and the brothers ,james and ,john with ,him up the mount4 ,they did not go to the very top but rested on one of the lower peaks4 ,while ,jesus went a little distance from them to pray1 the three disciples1 wrapped in their thick mantles1 lay down to wait for ,him4 ,in that high clear air they seemed very near heaven4 ,the stars seemed almost as near as the lights in the villages below4 ,they were tired1 and watching their ,master in prayer1 they fell asleep4 ,while they slept they seemed to see a change in the face of ,jesus as ,he prayed4 ,it grew light with a strange inward glory1 and all ,his garments became white and glistening like the snows of ,hermon in the sun4 ,they also saw two men with ,him whom they seemed to know were ,moses and ,elias1 who had gone to heaven centuries before4 ,they also heard them talking with ,jesus1 and they spoke of the same thing that had troubled ,peter when ,jesus had spoken of it--that ,he should die at ,jerusalem4 ,they awoke out of sleep1 but the vision did not pass away like a dream1 they still saw it all4 ,but as it began to melt away1 ,peter said1 hardly knowing what he said1 ,master1 it is good for us to be here1 and let us make three tabernacles1 one for ,thee1 and one for ,moses1 and one for ,elias4 ,then the glory around ,jesus grew until it seemed like a bright cloud at sunset1 and it came and wrapt them around in its soft brightness1 and they were afraid4 ,in the silence they heard a ,divine voice1 saying1 ,this is ,my beloved ,son2 hear ,him4 ,when the voice was passed they looked up and saw ,jesus there alone4 ,he was bending over them1 touching them tenderly1 and saying1 ,arise1 and be not afraid4 ,as they came down the mountain ,he told them to tell no one of the vision until after ,he had risen from the dead4 ,it seemed to the disciples1 no doubt1 like coming down from heaven to earth when after a long walk and talk with ,jesus in the summer morning they came near the village they had left1 and found the people--among them some ,jewish lawyers--disputing with the group of disciples there4 ,as soon as they saw ,jesus they all ran to ,him1 and greeted ,him4 ,one of the men explained what they were disputing about4 ,master1 he said1 ,i have brought unto thee my son which hath a dumb spirit1 and he described the frightful state into which it had brought his boy1 and added that the disciples could not cast it out4 ,bring him to me1 said ,jesus1 and they brought him1 the evil spirit within him throwing him into convulsions as they laid him at ,jesus' feet4 ,how long is it ago since this came to him8 said ,jesus4 ,of a child1 said the father1 and ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire and into the waters to destroy him1 but if thou canst do anything1 have compassion on us1 and help us4 ,jesus said1 ,if thou canst believe1 all things are possible to him that believeth4 ,then the poor father cried out with tears1 ,lord1 ,i believe2 help thou mine unbelief6 ,the ,lord did not wait for greater faith than this4 ,he charged the evil spirit to come out of the boy1 and after a great struggle it left him as one dead1 but ,jesus took him by the hand and he arose4 ,why could not we cast him out8 said the disciples afterward4 ,this kind1 said ,jesus1 can come forth by nothing but by prayer and fasting4 ,as they turned their steps toward home--the ,lake side in ,galilee--,jesus again spoke of the work that lay before ,him4 ,the disciples listened sadly1 but could not understand why ,he should speak of being killed1 and of rising again from the dead1 and they dared not ask ,him questions about it4 ,,chapter ,,xxviii4 ,,the ,,lord ,,and ,,the ,,little ,,ones--,,leaving ,,galilee4 ,as the ,lord and ,his disciples walked over the hills into ,galilee some of them fell behind wondering among themselves what ,he could mean when ,he spoke of being killed and of rising again4 ,perhaps they thought it only a sadness that would pass away1 and so full of faith in ,his power were they that they could not believe that ,one who could raise the dead could ,himself die4 ,he will be a ,king1 they thought1 and began to wonder who among them would be chosen to be greatest in ,his ,kingdom1 and even to quarrel about it4 ,after they had reached ,capernaum1 and were at home again--probably in ,peter's house--,jesus said to them1 ,what was it that ye disputed among yourselves by the way8 ,there was no word from any one of them1 for they were ashamed4 ,then the ,lord sat down1 and calling the twelve around ,him1 said gently1 ,if any man desire to be first1 the same shall be last of all1 and servant of all4 ,a little child stood near listening1 and wishing1 perhaps1 that he might be a grown man so that he also could be a disciple4 ,making room for him in the midst of them all1 ,he called the child1 ,peter's child1 perhaps1 who came joyfully to ,him4 ,taking ,him tenderly in ,his arms ,he said1 ,whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name receiveth me1 and whosoever shall receive me1 receiveth not me1 but ,him that sent me4 ,and ,he taught ,his disciples to be humble as a little child in these beautiful words3 ,except ye be converted1 and become as little children1 ye shall not enter into the ,kingdom of ,heaven4 ,take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones1 for ,i say unto you that in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my ,father which is in heaven4 ,illustration3 ,the little ones ,he also told them of the love of the ,father in seeking ,his lost children4 ,that if a shepherd had but lost one of his hundred sheep1 he would leave all the others to go out into the wild mountains to look for the lost sheep4 ,how much more would the ,father do for ,his own1 and especially for ,his little ones4 ,even so1 ,he said1 it is not the will of your ,father1 which is in heaven1 that one of these little ones should perish4 ,before going to the ,feast at ,jerusalem the ,lord ,jesus said many things to ,his disciples that would help them to be loving and forgiving toward each other and all the world1 for they were very soon going to meet trouble which would try their love and their faith4 ,he told them to deal gently with those who had done wrong1 that they might win them back to the right way4 ,he told them that they should have help from heaven when they asked for it1 even if there should be only two to ask4 ,for where two or three are gathered together in my name1 ,he said1 there am ,i in the midst of them4 ,how oft shall my brother sin against me1 and ,i forgive him8 asked ,peter1 till seven times8 ,until seventy times seven1 said ,jesus1 and ,he did not mean that we should even count the number of times that we forgive4 ,then ,he told them a story of a forgiving king and an unforgiving servant that you may read in the eighteenth chapter of ,matthew4 ,at the time of the ,feast of ,tabernacles1 the people went up to ,jerusalem to offer gifts in the golden ,temple for the harvest that the ,lord had given them1 and to join in a praise service there4 ,they brought oil1 and wine1 and wheat1 and barley2 dates1 pomegranates1 and figs--something of all they had gathered1 and while they marched toward the holy city they sang joyful songs that ,david had written long before4 ,when they reached ,jerusalem they built bowers of branches cut from the trees and lived in them for a week4 ,even in the city the people came out of their houses and lived in bowers on the streets and public squares1 or upon the flat roofs of the houses1 and the hillsides round were covered with the green booths4 ,the brothers of ,jesus came down to ,capernaum on their way to the ,feast at ,jerusalem1 and they asked their elder ,brother to go also into ,judea and show ,himself to the world1 that ,his miracles might be seen of all1 for they did not believe in ,him yet4 ,but ,jesus said1 ,my time is not yet come1 but your time is always ready4 ,so they went on their journey1 and ,jesus stayed in ,galilee4 ,after a few days ,he set ,his face toward ,jerusalem1 taking the shortest way through ,samaria4 ,the ,samaritans were not friendly to the ,jews1 and the disciples1 who had been sent on before to find lodging for the company in a village1 were not allowed to bring their ,master there4 ,the gentle ,john and his brother ,james were angry that unkindness was shown to ,jesus1 and wished to call down fire from heaven to destroy the villagers1 but ,jesus said1 ,ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of1 for the ,son of ,man has not come to destroy men's lives1 but to save them4 ,and they went to another village4 ,on the way they found men who wished to follow ,jesus as the disciples did but while some were ready to leave all1 others wished to first bid their friends farewell1 or bury their dead1 but ,jesus saw something in their hearts that showed that they were not fit for the ,kingdom of ,god4 ,there were many beside the twelve who fully believed in ,jesus1 and were ready to tell others of the coming kingdom1 so ,he sent them out to all the places where he intended to go1 until there were seventy of them preaching the good news4 ,they went1 saying1 ,the ,kingdom of ,god is come unto you1 and they healed the sick in ,jesus' name4 ,when they returned they were full of joy1 saying1 ,lord1 even the devils are subject unto us through ,thy name4 ,but ,jesus said1 ,rejoice not that the spirits are subject unto you1 but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven4 ,,chapter ,,xxix4 ,,at ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,martha--,,the ,,good ,,shepherd4 ,while ,jesus was on ,his way to ,jerusalem a lawyer came and asked ,him questions4 ,he did not want to be a disciple1 yet he asked what he should do to have eternal life4 ,jesus asked him what the commandments said about it1 and the lawyer repeated the two great commandments concerning love to the ,lord and to the neighbor4 ,thou hast answered right1 ,jesus replied4 ,this do and thou shalt live4 ,and who is my neighbor8 said the lawyer4 ,then ,jesus told a story of a man who went down to ,jericho1 and was nearly killed by thieves4 ,a priest came that way and when he saw a man who needed help he passed by on the other side of the road4 ,so did a ,levite1 one of the helpers in the temple worship1 but a ,samaritan 7and the ,samaritans were despised by the ,jews7 came that way1 and he stopped in pity for the poor man1 dressed his wounds1 set him upon his own beast and brought him to an inn and took care of him4 ,when he left the inn he also left money for his care1 with the promise of more if it should be needed4 ,then ,jesus asked the lawyer which of these three men was neighbor to him who fell among thieves4 ,illustration3 ,the good ,samaritan ,he that showed mercy on him1 said the lawyer4 ,then said ,jesus unto him1 ,go thou and do likewise4 ,as ,jesus came near to ,jerusalem ,he passed through ,bethany1 a little town at the foot of the ,mount of ,olives1 where perhaps some of ,his disciples had been preaching the new gospel before ,him4 ,there ,he was gladly received into the house of ,martha1 who prepared the table with her own hands to offer the best in her house to her honored ,guest4 ,she had a brother named ,lazarus1 who was probably at the feast in ,jerusalem1 and a younger sister named ,mary who loved to listen to every word that ,jesus spoke4 ,as every family built a bower of branches during this feast to remind them that for forty years they lived in such houses in the wilderness while coming out of ,egypt1 there must have been one in the court of ,martha's house1 and there1 perhaps1 ,jesus rested while ,mary sat at ,his feet and heard ,his word4 ,illustration3 ,jesus in the house at ,bethany ,martha was very busy serving her honored guest1 and thought ,mary ought to help her in the house1 but ,jesus said1 ,martha1 ,martha1 thou art careful and troubled about many things2 but one thing is needful1 and ,mary hath chosen that good part which shall not be taken away from her4 ,when the ,feast of ,tabernacles was at its height ,jesus came up to the ,temple at ,jerusalem4 ,the people had been looking for ,him1 and as soon as the noble1 earnest-faced young ,teacher was seen walking in the marble court of the ,temple they thronged around ,him to hear ,him teach1 or to see if ,he would do any miracle4 ,some wondered at ,his wisdom and ,his doctrine1 and asked where it came from1 ,my doctrine is not mine1 ,he said1 but ,his that sent me4 ,if any man will do ,his will he shall know of the doctrine4 ,he taught them many things that day1 and hinted at the same thing that had troubled ,his disciples1 and these were ,his words1 ,yet a little while am ,i with you1 and then ,i go unto ,him that sent me4 ,ye shall seek me and shall not find me1 and where ,i am thither ye cannot come4 ,the priests1 the scribes1 and the ,pharisees were listening1 and ,he knew that their hearts were too full of pride and self-love to receive ,his word4 ,they could not go to ,him1 for they would not let ,him come into their hearts4 ,on the last day1 the great day of the ,feast1 ,jesus stood and cried to the people who were about to go back to their homes4 ,his great heart was breaking to bring them into the ,kingdom of ,heaven1 and ,he knew that they would be scattered as sheep having no shepherd4 ,if any man thirst1 ,he cried1 let him come unto me and drink4 ,and ,he then promised to such as believe the ,holy ,spirit to dwell in them1 and to flow out toward all the world like rivers of living water4 ,so wonderfully did ,he preach that many said1 ,of a truth this is a prophet1 and others said1 ,this is the ,christ1 while others were filled with anger and wished to arrest ,him4 ,indeed1 when the priests and ,pharisees urged the officers to take ,him1 they said1 ,never man spake like this man1 and they would not lay hands on ,him4 ,but ,nicodemus1 a learned doctor of the law1 was a friend of ,jesus4 ,he it was who had a talk with ,him one night under the olive trees about the ,spirit--the breath of ,god1 and he with wise words turned the hatred of the ,jews away from ,jesus for the time1 and they went to their own houses4 ,jesus taught in the ,temple again the next day1 and all the people came to listen4 ,it was here1 perhaps1 that the wicked ,scribes and ,pharisees brought to ,him a poor woman who had sinned4 ,they told ,him that according to the law she ought to be stoned1 and asked what ,he would say about it4 ,he did not answer1 but seemed to be writing on the ground before ,him as though ,he did not hear them4 ,at last1 because they would have an answer ,he looked at them saying1 ,he that is without sin among you1 let him cast the first stone1 and ,he wrote again on the ground4 ,no one answered ,jesus1 but one by one they went away too much ashamed to speak4 ,hath no man condemned thee8 asked ,jesus of the woman standing sorrowful and alone4 ,no man1 ,lord1 she said4 ,neither do ,i condemn thee1 ,he said1 go and sin no more4 ,then ,jesus sitting in the ,treasury of the ,temple said1 ,i am the light of the world4 ,he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness but shall have the light of life4 ,many other things ,he said that ,his enemies tried to turn against ,him1 and the healing on the ,sabbath day of a man who had been born blind stirred the anger of the ,jews against ,him1 so that they sought by much questioning to accuse ,jesus of sin1 not knowing that they were themselves spiritually blind4 ,but ,he turned from them to call to the people again as ,he did on the last day of the ,feast1 for in ,his love and pity ,he longed to bring the lost children of ,israel to ,himself that ,he might bless them1 as a shepherd brings back the sheep that stray from the fold4 ,i am the ,good ,shepherd2 and ,i know my own1 and my own know me1 said ,jesus1 even as the ,father knoweth me1 and ,i know the ,father2 and ,i lay down my life for the sheep1 and other sheep ,i have which are not of this fold2 them also ,i must bring1 and they shall hear my voice2 and they shall become one flock1 one ,shepherd4 ,other beautiful and blessed words ,he said about the ,shepherd and ,his flock which are written in the tenth chapter of the ,gospel of ,john1 but the learned ,jews would not listen to ,him1 and thrice tried to kill ,him by stoning ,him1 but they could not harm ,him1 for ,his time had not come4 ,then he went away beyond ,jordan1 where ,john first baptized1 and many believed on ,him there4 ,,chapter ,,xxx4 ,,the ,,lesson ,,stories ,,of ,,jesus4 ,when ,jesus was at prayer ,his disciples stood reverently apart from ,him1 and one day a disciple came near when he had ceased and said1 ,lord1 teach us to pray1 as ,john also taught his disciples4 ,then the ,lord taught them the beautiful prayer that is now said daily all around the world1 and known to every one of us1 beginning1 ,our ,father which art in heaven1 ,hallowed be ,thy name4 ,and ,he told them how pleased ,god is to have ,his children ask ,him for what they need1 or come to ,him in trouble4 ,ask1 and it shall be given you1 ,he said2 seek1 and ye shall find2 knock and it shall be opened unto you4 ,if a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father1 will he give him a stone8 or if he ask a fish1 will he for a fish give him a serpent8 ,if ye then1 being evil1 know how to give good gifts unto your children1 how much more shall your ,heavenly ,father give good gifts to them that ask ,him8 ,it was while the ,lord was teaching in the country called ,peraea1 east of ,jordan1 that ,he told many things that ,his disciples remembered and wrote in a book afterward1 when the ,holy ,spirit had come to bring all things to their remembrance1 as ,he had promised4 ,he had been teaching three years1 and was thirty-three years of age4 ,some of the people who lived1 at ,bethabara1 by ,jordan1 were present when ,he was baptized by ,john1 and they were glad to have him stay among them and teach1 for they were a kindly people1 and though not learned like the men who were often to be found in the ,temple courts and in the ,synagogues1 they were the common people who1 hearing the word and loving it1 were wiser than the ,pharisees4 ,the ,lord told many stories that these people would remember1 and afterward understand by the teaching of ,his ,spirit which ,he said would be given to them4 ,you will read all of them in the ,gospels1 but here we cannot tell them all4 ,the story of ,the ,fig-tree in the ,vineyard1 ,the ,great ,supper1 and ,the ,foolish ,rich ,man were stories of warning to those who were turning away from the things of heaven to the things of the world1 and they were meant for all who should read them in the ages of the world4 ,so were the three stories--they are called parables in the ,gospels--of the lost things2 ,the lost sheep1 ,the lost piece of money1 and ,the lost son4 ,they were given to us to show the great love of the ,heavenly ,father for ,his children1 and ,his constant care in seeking for them when they are wandering away from ,him4 ,these stories are the voice of the ,father always and everywhere calling ,his children home1 and many a poor soul has turned homeward with tears of repentance after reading them4 ,one of these stories of lost things will be told here1 but it is far more beautiful in the language of the ,scriptures4 ,there was once a rich man who had two sons1 and the younger one came to him and said1 ,father1 give me the portion of goods that falleth to me4 ,and so the father divided his property1 and gave the younger brother his share4 ,in a few days he had gathered it all together and settled his affairs so that he could go away4 ,he went into a distant country1 and there he spent all that he had among bad people who seemed to be his friends1 but were really his worst enemies4 ,when all that he had was spent there came a time of great trouble4 ,there was very little food in the land1 for there was a famine1 and he was obliged to go to work for the little he could get4 ,it was not easy to find work1 for the only thing he could do was to hire himself to a man who kept pigs4 ,his work was to stay in the fields and feed them with husks1 the hard pods of the carob tree4 ,sometimes he was so hungry that he would have been glad to eat even these1 but no man gave unto him4 ,then the young man came to himself4 ,how many hired servants of my father have bread enough and to spare1 he said1 and ,i perish with hunger6 ,i will arise and go to my father1 and ,i will say to him1 ',father1 ,i have sinned against heaven and before thee1 and am no more worthy to be called thy son3 make me as one of thy hired servants4' ,the father must have been watching for his lost boy1 for while he was yet a great way off he saw him1 and ran to meet him4 ,he put his arms around him and kissed him without once speaking of his sins1 and he called his servants to bring the best robe and put it on him1 and a ring for his hand1 and shoes for his feet1 and then to kill the fatted calf to make a feast for all1 ,for1 he said this my son was dead1 and is alive again2 he was lost1 and is found4 ,the elder son had been away in the field but when he came home heard music and dancing1 and called to a servant to ask what these things meant4 ,when he had heard he was very angry1 and would not go in4 ,his father came out to beg him to come in and greet his brother1 but he said1 ,lo1 these many years do ,i serve thee1 neither transgressed ,i at any time thy commandment1 and yet thou never gavest me a kid1 that ,i might make merry with my friends4 ,but the father said1 ,son1 thou art ever with me1 and all that ,i have is thine4 ,it was meet that we should make merry and be glad1 for this thy brother was dead1 and is alive again1 and was lost and is found4 ,illustration3 ,the return of the prodigal ,there are other stories told by ,jesus while in ,peraea1 which you will find in the gospel by ,luke1 the beloved physician4 ,one is about the ,unjust ,steward1 and another is the story of the ,unjust ,judge4 ,still another is called ,dives and ,lazarus1 or the ,rich man and the ,beggar4 ,the parable of ,the ,pharisee and the ,publican1 describes two men who went up into the temple to pray2 the one a ,pharisee1 and the other a publican4 ,illustration3 ,the ,pharisee and the publican ,the ,pharisee prayed with himself1 thus1 ,god1 ,i thank thee that ,i am not as other men are1 or even as this publican4 ,i fast twice a week4 ,i give tithes of all ,i possess4 ,and the publican1 standing afar off1 dared not even lift his eyes to heaven1 but smote upon his breast1 saying1 ,god be merciful to me a sinner6 ,this man1 said ,jesus1 went down to his house justified rather than the other2 for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased1 and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted4 ,,chapter ,,xxxi4 ,,the ,,voice ,,that ,,waked ,,the ,,dead--,,the ,,children ,,of ,,the ,,kingdom4 ,while ,jesus and ,his disciples were still east of the ,jordan trouble fell upon the happy home in ,bethany where ,jesus had been an honored guest4 ,a messenger was sent to ,jesus in great haste1 saying1 ,lord1 behold1 he whom thou lovest is sick4 ,it was from ,mary and ,martha concerning their brother ,lazarus4 ,jesus sent the messenger back with this message1 ,this sickness is not unto death1 but for the glory of ,god1 that the ,son of ,god might be glorified thereby1 and ,he remained two days longer where ,he was4 ,then ,he said1 ,let us go into ,judea again4 ,the disciples reminded ,him that the ,jews there had tried to take ,his life4 ,our friend ,lazarus sleepeth1 said ,jesus1 but ,i go that ,i may awaken him out of sleep4 ,the disciples thought that if he slept he was doing very well1 until ,jesus told them plainly1 ,lazarus is dead4 ,then ,thomas was full of sorrow and said1 ,let us also go that we may die with him4 ,bethany was not far from ,jerusalem1 and when they reached the house of ,martha1 ,lazarus had been dead four days1 and was placed in a rock tomb4 ,many ,jews from ,jerusalem had come out to ,bethany to comfort ,mary and ,martha1 and to mourn for their friend ,lazarus4 ,when ,martha heard that ,jesus was coming she ran to meet ,him1 but ,mary sat still in the house4 ,she thought1 perhaps1 that ,he had come too late1 and the same thought may have been in ,martha's mind when she said1 ,lord1 if thou hadst been here my brother had not died1 but ,i know that even now whatsoever thou wilt ask of ,god1 ,god will give it thee4 ,thy brother shall rise again1 said ,jesus4 ,i know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day1 she said4 ,then ,jesus spoke those heavenly words that have been the comfort of the sorrowful ever since1 ,i am the resurrection and the life3 he that believeth in me1 though he were dead1 yet shall he live3 and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die4 ,believest thou this8 ,yea1 ,lord1 answered ,martha1 ,i believe that thou art the ,christ1 the ,son of ,god which should come into the world4 ,then she called ,mary quietly1 so that the people who were noisily wailing should not hear4 ,the ,master is come and calleth for thee1 she said4 ,then ,mary rose quickly and went to meet ,jesus ,the people who were trying to comfort her followed her1 for they thought she was going to the tomb to weep there2 but they saw her go to meet ,jesus and fall at ,his feet saying1 as ,martha did1 ,lord1 if thou hadst been here1 my brother had not died4 ,when ,jesus saw the tears of ,mary and her sister and their friends ,he wept also1 not for ,lazarus1 but ,his heart was moved for them1 and ,he shared their sorrow4 ,they brought ,him to the tomb--a cave with a stone lying upon it4 ,when ,he asked them to take away the stone ,martha's faith began to fail2 but the stone was rolled away1 and when ,jesus had prayed ,he called with a loud voice1 ,lazarus1 come forth6 ,and all who were bending forward toward the low1 dark door of the tomb saw a man wrapped in linen come forth from the darkness and try to ascend the stone steps4 ,loose him and let him go1 said ,jesus4 ,and then there was a scene so full of sacred joy that ,john1 the disciple1 who tells the story1 does not show it to us4 ,after this many believed in ,jesus1 but others went and told the ,pharisees all about it4 ,it was spring in ,peraea1 and the valley of the ,jordan was full of the singing of birds and the color of blooming trees and wild flowers1 while in the fields the young wheat was growing4 ,the people thronged to ,jesus in crowds1 for ,he taught them in the open air4 ,the disciples were busy with the people1 explaining to the dull1 listening to those who wished to ask something of the ,master1 or keeping back the curious4 ,this had to be done in every village through which they passed4 ,there were many mothers with their children around them who came out of their low white houses to follow ,jesus in the way1 and to listen when ,he sat down to teach4 ,the mothers loved to have the ,rabbi's bless their children1 for since the days of ,abraham1 ,isaac and ,jacob1 the blessing of a good man means much to the ,israelite4 ,one day some mothers brought their little ones to ,jesus1 and begged ,him to bless them4 ,the disciples told the mothers to stand back1 and not trouble the ,master while he was teaching4 ,jesus knew what they were saying1 and ,he called them unto ,him and said1 ,suffer little children to come unto me1 and forbid them not1 for of such is the ,kingdom of ,god4 ,verily ,i say unto you1 whosoever shall not receive the ,kingdom of ,god as a little child shall in no wise enter therein4 ,in this way he made it clear to ,his disciples1 to the mothers1 and to all who have read ,his word since that day1 that every child is a citizen of the ,lord's ,kingdom1 and dear to the heart of the ,king4 ,perhaps the mothers had heard that the ,lord was about to leave the country east of ,jordan to go up to ,jerusalem1 and they longed to have their little ones share in the blessing they had received while sitting at the feet of the great ,teacher and learning of ,him1 for soon after ,he crossed the ,jordan1 and1 teaching as he went1 set ,his face toward ,jerusalem4 ,,chapter ,,xxxii4 ,,the ,,young ,,man ,,that ,,jesus ,,loved4 ,a rich young ruler came running after ,jesus one day1 saying1 ,good ,master1 what shall ,i do to inherit eternal life8 ,so eager was he to know that he knelt before ,jesus by the road side4 ,jesus spoke gently to him telling him that ,god alone is good1 and that he knew the commandments that ,god had given4 ,all these have ,i kept from my youth up1 said the young man4 ,as ,jesus looked upon him ,he saw that he was really trying to be good1 and hoping that he could do some great and good act that would give him a certain entrance into heaven4 ,he had been taught by the ,rabbis that men were saved by keeping the law and doing outward works of righteousness4 ,he did not know that heaven must begin in his own heart4 ,jesus1 reading his heart1 loved him1 and longed to have him know the truth4 ,yet lackest thou one thing1 he said1 sell all that thou hast and distribute unto the poor1 and thou shalt have treasure in heaven2 and come1 follow me4 ,when he heard these words the young man turned away and lost the eager look with which he had come to the ,lord's feet4 ,he was very sorrowful1 for he was very rich1 and he found that he loved his riches more than he loved anything else4 ,how hardly1 said ,jesus1 shall they that have riches enter into the ,kingdom of ,god6 ,for it is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye than for a rich man to enter the ,kingdom of ,god4 ,who then can be saved8 asked one4 ,the things which are impossible with men1 are possible with ,god1 ,he said4 ,lo1 we have left all1 said ,peter1 and followed ,thee1 and then the ,lord gave to ,his disciples that promise that has been proven true by millions of ,his children for ages past1-- ,there is no man who hath left house or parents1 or brethren1 or wife1 or children for the ,kingdom of ,god's sake1 who shall not receive manifold more in this present time1 and in the world to come life everlasting4 ,,chapter ,,xxxiii4 ,,the ,,last ,,journey ,,to ,,jerusalem4 ,when ,jesus and ,his disciples were finally on the way to ,jerusalem ,jesus went before them1 and the shadow of the great trial ,he was about to suffer cast its shadow upon ,him4 ,the disciples saw it1 and ,mark says that they were amazed2 and as they followed1 they were afraid4 ,he told them all about the trial and the death that lay before ,him1 but so unwilling were they to believe it1 and so sure were they that ,he would be made king of the ,jews1 that two of them brought their mother to ,jesus to ask that her two sons might sit next to ,him when ,he should come to the throne4 ,ye know not what ye ask1 ,he said1 can ye drink of the cup that ,i drink of8 and be baptized with the baptism that ,i am baptized with8 and they said1 ,we can1 not knowing that ,he spoke of suffering and death4 ,he told them that though they would indeed drink of ,his cup1 ,he had no honors to give them4 ,then1 when the others were vexed with ,james and ,john for their foolish request1 ,he talked to them all tenderly about the grace of humility4 ,whosoever of you who will be chiefest1 ,he said1 shall be servant of all4 ,for even the ,son of ,man came not to be ministered unto1 but to minister1 and to give ,his life a ransom for many4 ,it was the time of the ,passover ,feast at ,jerusalem1 and as they crossed at the ,fords of ,jordan and went over the ,jericho plain they must have joined some of the groups of joyful people who were going up to the ,feast1 some on camels and asses1 and some walking beside the beasts bearing tents or merchandise4 ,the valley of the ,jordan was bright with the freshness of spring1 and as they came near ,jericho with its rose-gardens1 and orchards1 and feathery palms1 it looked like the gardens of ,paradise4 ,it was sometimes called ,jericho the perfumed because of its great gardens of roses1 and its balsam plantations from which they made perfumes that were sold in all the ,east4 ,it was warm even in winter there1 and no frosts destroyed its tropical fruits and flowers4 ,the rich plain was made fertile by two springs that sent their waters through trenches all through these gardens and orchards4 ,one is called the ,elisha ,spring1 because the prophet made its poisonous waters pure by casting salt into them4 ,and so the ,passover pilgrims entered ,jericho4 ,there was in ,jericho a man named ,zaccheus1 who1 like ,matthew of ,capernaum1 was a rich tax-gatherer4 ,he wanted to see ,jesus as ,he passed1 but the crowd was great1 and he was a small man1 so he ran before the people and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see ,him4 ,as ,jesus passed the tree ,he looked up and said1 ,zaccheus1 make haste and come down1 for to-day ,i must abide at thy house4 ,zaccheus came down in great haste1 and was full of joy to be able to entertain ,jesus1 though some complained that a sinner should have the honor of taking the ,master into his house4 ,zaccheus must have heard these cruel remarks1 for he said humbly1 ,behold1 ,lord1 the half of my goods ,i give to the poor2 and if ,i have taken anything from any man by false accusation1 ,i restore him fourfold4 ,then ,jesus said heartily1 ,this day is salvation come to this house1 forsomuch as he also is a son of ,abraham4 ,for the ,son of ,man is come to seek and to save that which was lost4 ,it was just outside of ,jericho that the bands going out toward ,jerusalem passed a blind beggar who cried1 ,jesus1 thou ,son of ,david1 have mercy on me6 ,the ,lord heard the cry and called him1 and there by the roadside ,he opened the eyes of ,bartimeus to see the beauty all around him1 and the kind face of ,jesus looking at him4 ,and he followed ,him4 ,the pilgrims came up the steep1 rocky road from ,jericho to ,jerusalem1 and they were fortunate who could ride1 for the heat was great1 and the road hard to climb4 ,jesus and ,his friends walked1 for they were poor men1 as riches are counted in this world4 ,it was a six hours' journey1 and when they reached the green heights of the ,mount of ,olives they turned aside to the village of ,bethany1 and there ,jesus rested in the house of ,mary and ,martha and the brother whom ,he had called back from the grave4 ,the disciples were lodged in the town1 no doubt1 among their friends1 and so grateful and happy were they of ,bethany to have the ,lord once more among them that they made a supper to show their joy at ,his coming4 ,it was at the house of ,simon1 who had been a leper1 and cured1 perhaps1 by ,jesus1 and ,lazarus sat at the table with ,jesus1 and ,mary and ,martha served4 ,it was a holy1 happy time1 yet shadowed with sadness because of the words of ,jesus concerning ,his death1 which the disciples could not believe4 ,in the midst of the supper ,mary brought an alabaster box of very precious and costly perfume1 and poured it upon the head of ,jesus and also upon ,his feet1 wiping them with her long hair4 ,judas1 one of the twelve1 frowned upon her1 and said it was a waste1 for the perfume might have been sold for money to give to the poor4 ,but ,jesus knew what ,mary did4 ,let her alone1 ,he said1 against the day of my burying hath she kept this2 for the poor always ye have with you2 but me ye have not always4 ,she hath done what she could4 ,wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world1 this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her4 ,,chapter ,,xxxiv4 ,,the ,,prince ,,of ,,peace4 ,it was in the lovely spring time of a land that scarcely knows winter that a strange and beautiful scene made ,jerusalem still more beautiful4 ,over the ,mount of ,olives1 where the olive and the fig-trees were in tender leaf1 came a procession of people crying1 ,hosanna2 blessed is the ,king of ,israel that cometh in the name of the ,lord6 ,the road was crowded with people who with lifted faces and songs of praise waved branches of palm as they walked before and beside ,jesus1 who was riding toward ,jerusalem1 seated upon a young ass1 after the manner of the kings and prophets of ancient ,israel4 ,after ,jesus and ,his friends had left ,bethany to go to ,jerusalem ,he had sent two of ,his disciples to a village near by to bring to ,him an ass1 with its colt1 that they would find tied there1 and they were to say to the owner of the asses1 ,the ,lord hath need of them1 that the words of the prophet might be fulfilled1 ,tell ye the daughter of ,zion1 ',behold thy king cometh unto thee1 meek1 and sitting upon an ass1 and a colt1 the foal of an ass4' ,while the ,lord and ,his friends were coming up the ,mount of ,olives1 many people from ,jerusalem who knew that ,he was on ,his way came to meet ,him1 and when the two disciples brought to ,jesus the ass upon which ,he was to ride they placed ,him upon it1 and spreading their garments in the way1 and with waving palms and singing they came over the ridge of the ,mount of ,olives from which they could see ,mount ,zion shining before them4 ,the ,pharisees had come out to see what it meant and were angry4 ,see--the world is gone after ,him6 they said1 but ,jesus1 when they asked ,him to stop the praises of the people1 told them that the very stones would cry out if the people should hold their peace4 ,as they came to a point in the road where from a smooth rocky height they could see the great city with its temple before them1 the whole company stopped1 and ,jesus1 beholding it1 wept over it saying1 ,if thou hadst known1 even thou1 in this thy day1 the things which belong to thy peace1 but now they are hid from thine eyes6 ,illustration3 ,jesus entering ,jerusalem ,and ,he spoke of the days when enemies should surround the ,holy ,city1 and lay it even with the ground1 because they knew not the time of their visitation4 ,fifty years after the ,romans took the ,holy ,city and burned the beautiful ,temple1 and put uncounted people to death4 ,and so ,jesus went down through the valley of the ,kedron and up through the city gates with the great procession that grew at every step until ,he came to ,his ,father's ,house--the ,temple4 ,then ,he looked about and saw the buyers and sellers again making the ,temple a market1 but ,he went silently away with ,his friends to ,bethany again4 ,he had entered the city as the ,prince of ,peace1 not as a ,roman ,emperor would do1 with sound of trumpet and the tread of armed legions1 and they knew not the time of their visitation4 ,,chapter ,,xxxv4 ,,the ,,children ,,in ,,the ,,temple4 ,the next morning ,jesus went early with ,his disciples to the ,temple4 ,it was on the way as they went over the ,mount of ,olives that they passed a barren fig-tree--one that bore nothing but leaves4 ,it was like the ,pharisees1 who outwardly seemed to be religious1 but were inwardly evil1 and bore none of the fruits of a religious life4 ,let no fruit grow on thee henceforward forever1 said ,jesus1 and it withered away4 ,when the disciples wondered1 ,jesus said1 ,if ye have faith1 and doubt not1 ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig-tree1 but also if ye shall say unto this mountain1 ',be thou removed1 and be thou cast into the sea1' it shall be done4 ,and all things whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer1 believing1 ye shall receive4 ,when ,jesus came again to the ,temple ,he drove out the buyers and sellers and the money-changers1 as ,he had done before4 ,it is written1 ,he said1 ',my house is the house of prayer1 but ye have made it a den of thieves4' ,when they had been driven out1 the people who had been waiting for ,jesus1 and the blind and the lame came to ,him1 and ,he healed all who came4 ,the ,pharisees looked on with hatred in their hearts1 and talked with the priests of arresting ,him then and there1 but a clear1 sweet sound of young voices singing came floating through the temple courts1 and they saw bands of children who were crying1 ,hosanna to the ,son of ,david6 and it rang like heavenly music through all the place4 ,hearest thou what these say8 cried the angry ,pharisees1 and ,jesus answered1 ,yea2 have ye never read1 ',out of the mouths of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise8' ,then ,he left them and went again to ,bethany to rest in the house of ,his faithful friends1 ,martha1 and ,mary1 and ,lazarus4 ,,chapter ,,xxxvi4 ,,the ,,last ,,day ,,in ,,the ,,temple4 ,it was on a ,tuesday that ,jesus came again early to the ,temple4 ,it was the last day of ,his teaching there and ,he filled it with wonderful sayings that have been taught in thousands of ,christian temples for nearly two thousand years4 ,the chief priests and elders1 who were full of anger because ,he had acted as if ,he had a right to say who should come into the ,temple courts1 came to ,him as ,he was teaching and said1 ,by what authority doest thou these things8 and who gave thee this authority8 ,jesus answered them by asking a question1 ,the baptism of ,john1 whence was it8 from heaven1 or of men8 ,they could not answer1 for they said in their own minds1 ,if we shall say ',from heaven1' ,he will say1 ',why did you not then believe him2' but if we shall say ',of men1' we fear the people1 for all men hold ,john as a prophet4 ,and so they said1 ,we cannot tell4 ,and ,jesus answered1 ,neither tell ,i you by what authority ,i do these things4 ,they could not find what they wanted--something to accuse ,him of before the ,jewish ,council and so they tried to lead ,him to say something that would turn the ,romans against ,him4 ,they came to ,him with flattering words1 saying that they knew that ,he taught the way of ,god truly1 and would ,he tell them if it was lawful to give tribute to ,caesar or not8 ,he saw their deceit and cunning1 and said1 ,why tempt ye me8 ,show me a penny4 ,whose image and superscription is this8 ,they told ,him it was ,caesar's4 ,render therefore1 ,he said1 unto ,caesar the things which be ,caesar's1 and to ,god the things which be ,god's4 ,illustration3 ,showing the penny ,they wondered much at the wisdom of ,his answer1 and could find nothing whereof to accuse ,him1 but perhaps they never knew what ,he really meant to say to them--and to us also--that ,his ,kingdom was not of this world4 ,,chapter ,,xxxvii4 ,,the ,,last ,,words ,,in ,,the ,,temple4 ,on this day also1 as ,jesus sat near the treasury of the ,temple and saw the rich1 and the self-righteous casting their money into the boxes placed there1 ,he saw a poor widow come with her mourning dress showing that she was the poorest of the poor--a pauper--and yet she had something to give3 she dropped two mites into one of the boxes under the marble colonnade that surrounded the court of the women4 ,taken together these two coins were worth much less than a penny1 but they were all her living and though the ,lord did not speak to her1 as far as we know1 ,he saw her faith1 and ,his blessing must have reached her in ways that we know nothing about4 ,to those who stood about ,him ,he said1 ,of a truth ,i say unto you that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all2 for all these have of their abundance cast into the offerings of ,god2 but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had4 ,illustration3 ,the two mites ,jesus1 who spake as never man spake1 preached the new ,gospel of the ,kingdom by means of stories1 or parables1 and on one long day of teaching in the ,temple ,he told several stories that the people never forgot4 ,two of them were stories of the vineyard4 ,one of them was of a man who sent his two sons into his vineyard to work4 ,one answered ,i will not1 but afterward repented and went1 while the other1 who had said ,i go1 sir1 went not4 ,jesus taught in this that real sinners who at first refuse to enter ,god's kingdom but afterward repent and enter1 are better than the heartless hypocrites who talk much of their religion but are inwardly evil4 ,the other story was of a certain householder who owned a vineyard and let it out to some men while he took a journey into a far country4 ,when the time of the fruit drew near he sent his servants to the men who had rented the vineyard1 that they might receive the fruits of it1 but the men beat one servant1 and stoned another1 and killed another4 ,when the owner sent other servants they treated them in the same way4 ,then he sent his son saying1 ,they will reverence my son1 but the men determined to kill the heir and take the vineyard for themselves1 and they cast out the son of the lord of the vineyard and killed him4 ,in this story ,he spoke of ,his own death1 as well as that of the prophets and ,john the ,baptist before ,him4 ,the chief priests and ,pharisees1 when they heard this parable knew that the ,lord spoke of them1 and they tried again to take ,him by force1 but feared the people4 ,another story told in the ,temple that day was of the ,marriage of the ,king's ,son which you will find in the twenty-second chapter of ,matthew4 ,it shows first how the ,jews were asked into the ,kingdom of ,christ1 but refused to come1 and their city was given over to their enemies to destroy4 ,in the second part of the parable the call of all nations to come into ,christ's kingdom is described1 and the man who was found at the feast without a wedding garment1 describes those who come into the church without real faith in the ,lord ,jesus1 and are not prepared to enter heaven4 ,for many are called1 said ,jesus1 but few are chosen4 ,knowing the wickedness of the priests and ,pharisees1 who stood before the people as more holy than others1 the ,lord ended ,his last day in the ,temple with words to them that must have been sharper than a sword1 and more burning than flames of fire4 ,these words are in the twenty-third chapter of ,matthew1 and may no child who reads them ever live to deserve to hear them for himself4 ,to the hypocrite alone the ,lord was stern and severe1 but to the sinner who truly repented ,he was full of forgiving love4 ,after telling them of the sorrows and desolations that must fall upon the ,holy ,city because of the sins of those who should be true and faithful teachers of their holy religion1 ,he sent forth these last words of love and sorrow through the ,temple courts1 ,o ,jerusalem1 ,jerusalem1 thou that killest the prophets and stonest them which are sent unto thee1 how often would ,i have gathered thy children together1 even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings1 and ye would not6 ,behold your house is left unto you desolate1 for ,i say unto you1 ye shall not see me henceforth till ye shall say1 ',blessed is ,he that cometh in the name of the ,lord4' ,and ,he went out of the ,temple to return no more4 ,,chapter ,,xxxviii4 ,,an ,,evening ,,on ,,the ,,mount ,,of ,,olives4 ,jesus and ,his friends went out from the ,temple and ,jerusalem to the ,mount of ,olives1 and as they looked back upon the beautiful buildings of marble and gold that made the ,temple seem like a great jewel shining in the sunset1 the disciples turned to ,jesus and spoke of it1 but ,he said1 ,there shall not be left here one stone that shall not be thrown down4 ,they sat down on the slope of ,olivet where the olive and fig-trees were putting forth their new leaves1 and in that quiet time ,peter1 and ,james1 and ,john1 and ,andrew drew close about their beloved ,master1 and said1 ,tell us1 when shall these things be1 and what shall be the sign of thy coming1 and the end of the world8 ,he told them many things hard to be understood2 of the sorrows of ,israel when their city should be destroyed1 and the people scattered2 of the end of the age1 when they should turn to the ,lord they had rejected1 and of ,his coming to the whole world4 ,watch1 therefore1 ,he said1 for ye know not what hour your ,lord doth come1 and ,he told them of the faithful and the unfaithful servants2 that the one was found doing his duty when his lord returned1 and was made ruler over all his goods1 but the other1 unfaithful in all things1 was surprised by his lord's coming and cast out4 ,he told them another beautiful watching story of the ,ten ,virgins who went forth with their little lamps to meet the bridegroom on his way to the marriage feast4 ,five of them took oil to fill their lamps1 and five took no oil with them4 ,the bridegroom was long in coming1 and they all fell asleep2 but at midnight there was a cry1 ,behold the bridegroom cometh6 go ye out to meet him6 ,then they all arose and trimmed their lamps1 but five of the lamps had gone out1 and the foolish maids who brought no oil to fill them begged it of the others1 but they were told that they must go and buy it of those who had it to sell4 ,while they went to buy the bridegroom came1 and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage1 and the door was shut4 ,afterward1 when the five thoughtless ones came to the door crying1 ,lord1 ,lord1 open to us6 they only heard the answer1 ,i know you not4 ,after this ,he told them the story of the ,talents1 which you may read in the twenty-fifth chapter of ,matthew4 ,it is the ,lord's teaching to all disciples about making the most of the life ,he gives us4 ,his last story was a picture of the gathering of the nations1 and the separation of the good and the true from the false and the evil4 ,the ,king's call to the good1 ,come ye blessed of my ,father1 inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world1 carried with it a strange reason4 ,for ,i was an hungered1 and ye gave me meat2 ,i was thirsty1 and ye gave me drink2 ,i was a stranger1 and ye took me in2 naked1 and ye clothed me2 ,i was sick1 and ye visited me2 ,i was in prison1 and ye came unto me4 ,then the good whom ,he had called were astonished1 and cried1 ,lord1 when saw we thee an hungered and fed thee8 or thirsty1 a stranger1 sick1 or in prison8 and ,he answered1 ,inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren1 ye have done it unto me4 ,to the false and the evil ,he could not say these things1 but quite the opposite2 and when they wondered when they had seen the ,lord hungry1 or thirsty1 or a stranger1 or naked1 or sick1 or in prison1 and had not ministered unto ,him1 ,he said1 ,inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these1 ye did it not to me4 ,those by a life of love and service had chosen eternal life1 but these by a life of selfishness had chosen death4 ,,chapter ,,xxxix4 ,,the ,,holy ,,supper4 ,there were two more days before the ,passover ,feast when ,jesus would eat the ,paschal ,supper with ,his disciples4 ,he spent the time with them trying to help them to bear the great trial that was before them1 and which would shake their faith in ,him to the utmost4 ,they still believed that some great miracle would break around them like light in the darkness1 and that ,jesus would be acknowledged as the ,messiah for whom the whole nation was waiting and yet the shadow grew deeper4 ,the faith of one had failed4 ,judas had secretly hoped that ,jesus would be made king1 and that ,his disciples would be honored with riches and power1 but little by little this hope had been dying1 and little by little his heart had been turning away from his ,master and his brethren1 until1 with the resolve to forsake the ,lord1 he opened the door of his heart to ,satan1 who began to enter in and possess him4 ,the high priest and the elders were plotting against ,jesus in their council1 and ,judas1 leaving ,bethany and the company of the ,lord and ,his disciples1 went over the road he had so often walked with ,jesus with a thought from ,satan burning in his heart4 ,he loved money more than everything else1 and there was but one thing that would bring it now since all hope of ,jesus becoming a king was past4 ,he went to the ,temple and asked to be taken before the rulers1 and he said to them1 ,what will ye give me1 and ,i will deliver ,him unto you8 ,there was a bargain made at once1 and out of the ,temple treasury they weighed him thirty pieces of silver1 and he carried them away with the promise that he would watch ,jesus1 and tell them when and where they could take ,him4 ,he did not remember that five hundred years before the prophet ,zechariah had written1 ,so they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver4 ,on ,thursday morning1 the first day of the ,feast1 ,jesus sent ,peter and ,john to prepare a place where ,he should hold the ,paschal ,supper with ,his disciples in the evening4 ,he told them to go into the city1 and there they would meet a man bearing a pitcher of water1 and if they would follow him he would show them a large upper room furnished4 ,there they were to make ready the ,passover4 ,illustration3 ,the ,passover supper ,they found it as ,he had said1 and when the lamb had been slain at the ,temple1 the feast prepared1 and the hour was come1 the ,lord sat down with the twelve4 ,it was the last time that ,he would break the bread of the ,passover with them before ,he suffered1 and it was to be the first ,holy ,supper of the ,christian ,church4 ,with desire ,i have desired to eat this ,passover with you before ,i suffer2 ,he said1 for ,i say unto you that ,i will not any more eat thereof until it be fulfilled in the ,kingdom of ,god4 ,before ,him were the cakes of unleavened bread1 the wine1 the water and the herbs1 while the ,paschal ,lamb was on a side table4 ,after the blessing and the thanks1 the ,lord filled a cup with wine and water1 and blessing and tasting it passed it to ,his disciples4 ,it was the custom for the master of the feast to wash his hands at this point1 and ,jesus rose1 and laid aside ,his tunic1 and tying a long towel around ,his waist1 poured water into a large basin and going to ,his disciples knelt down to wash their feet4 ,they had been contending as to who should sit nearest to the ,lord1 and so be accounted greatest1 and ,he thus taught them a lesson of humility4 ,he told them that they were not to be among those who hold authority4 ,but he that is greatest among you let him be as the younger1 ,he said1 and he that is chief as he that doth serve4 ,the disciples looked on astonished and distressed1 for their ,master was doing the work that slaves were in the habit of doing1 and ,peter cried1 ,lord1 dost thou wash my feet8 ,jesus said gently1 ,what ,i do thou knowest not now1 but thou shalt know hereafter4 ,thou shalt never wash my feet2 said the loving1 impulsive ,peter1 and ,jesus answered1 ,if ,i wash thee not thou hast no part with me4 ,lord1 not my feet only1 the humbled disciple said1 but also my hands and my head6 ,when ,he sat down with them again ,he talked tenderly to them of serving each other as ,he had served them1 adding1 ,if ye know these things1 happy are ye if ye do them4 ,with a troubled spirit ,he said1 ,behold1 the hand of him that betrayeth me is with me on the table4 ,then the disciples began to inquire sorrowfully among themselves who it could be1 and to ask the ,lord in turn1 ,is it ,i8 ,even ,judas1 close beside ,him1 asked the same question1 but the disciples did not hear the ,lord's reply4 ,peter1 beckoning to ,john1 signed to him to ask the ,master1 for ,john sat next the ,lord1 and leaned upon ,his breast4 ,when he asked1 ,lord1 who is it8 ,jesus said1 perhaps in a whisper to ,john1 ,he it is to whom ,i shall give a sop when ,i have dipped it1 and ,he gave it to ,judas ,iscariot4 ,then ,satan entered fully into the angry1 covetous heart of ,judas1 and when ,jesus said to him in a low voice1 ,that thou doest do quickly1 he rose and went out into the night4 ,alone with ,his faithful friends1 the ,lord took bread and blessed it and broke it1 and gave to them1 saying1 ,take1 eat1 this is my body2 this do in remembrance of me4 ,and ,he took the cup1 saying1 ,drink ye all of it1 for this is my blood of the ,new ,testament1 which is shed for many for the remission of sins4 ,and so the ,lord founded the ,holy ,supper of ,his ,church1 the mystery and the holiness of which you will know more and more as you grow in the heavenly life1 and receive through ,his ,spirit the new wine of the ,kingdom4 ,john1 the beloved disciple1 kept for us the wonderful and precious words that the ,lord spoke after the ,holy ,supper4 ,they are full of a love for ,his children so deep and wide that we can never hope to measure it4 ,they are written in the fourteenth1 fifteenth1 sixteenth1 and seventeenth chapters of ,john's ,gospel1 and every child should hide them in his memory and heart before he is grown1 and in after life they will be bread in time of spiritual famine4 ,looking around upon their troubled faces at the table the ,lord said to ,his disciples1 ,let not your heart be troubled2 ye believe in ,god1 believe also in me4 ,in my ,father's house are many mansions4 ,i go to prepare a place for you4 ,and if ,i go and prepare a place for you1 ,i will come again and receive you unto myself1 that when ,i am there ye may be also4 ,he answered their questions1 and ,he promised them the ,comforter--the ,holy ,spirit of ,truth1 who would teach them all things1 and make all the dark things clear4 ,he also promised certainly to come back to them and not leave them orphans4 ,after they had sung a psalm they arose from the table1 but they lingered for the ,lord's last words and ,his prayer4 ,he charged them to be steadfast and live from ,him1 as a branch lives from the vine1 for ,he was the true spiritual ,vine1 and without ,him they could do nothing4 ,he told them of ,his great love for them1 and that they must love one another through all the suffering and persecution that was before them1 and trust to the ,spirit of ,truth1 who would guide them in all things1 and teach them the things ,he would say to them1 but which they were not yet able to bear4 ,and ,he promised that whatever they should ask the ,father in ,his name should be given them4 ,then lifting up ,his eyes to heaven ,he prayed for ,his disciples1 and for all disciples who should believe on ,him through their word1 that they might be one with each other and with ,him as ,he was one with the ,father1 and1 being made clean from the evil that is in the world that they should be with ,him forever in heaven4 ,after the prayer they went out of the city1 and over the brook ,kedron into a garden where ,jesus had often sat with ,his disciples4 ,,chapter ,,xl4 ,,the ,,night ,,of ,,the ,,betrayal4 ,as they went out through the darkness down the valley and over the ,kedron1 ,jesus still talked with ,his disciples4 ,to ,peter's question1 ,lord1 where goest thou8 ,he said1 ,whither ,i go thou canst not follow me now1 but thou shalt follow me afterwards4 ,lord1 why cannot ,i follow thee now8 said ,peter4 ,i will lay down my life for thy sake4 ,verily1 verily ,i say unto thee1 the cock shall not crow till thou hast denied me thrice1 said ,jesus4 ,simon1 ,simon1 behold ,satan hath desired to have you that he may sift you as wheat2 but ,i have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not2 and when thou art converted1 strengthen thy brethren4 ,all ye shall be offended because of me this night2 for it is written1 ',i will smite the ,shepherd1 and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad4' ,illustration3 ,gethsemane ,jesus and his friends had reached the olive trees of ,gethsemane when ,he asked them to sit there while ,he went away a little distance to pray4 ,he took ,peter and ,james and ,john with ,him2 and began to be very sorrowful1 and ,he said1 ,my soul is exceeding sorrowful1 even unto death3 tarry ye here and watch with me4 ,he went a little farther1 and fell on ,his face and prayed1 saying1 ,o my ,father1 if it be possible1 let this cup pass from me3 nevertheless1 not as ,i will1 but as ,thou wilt4 ,he found ,his disciples sleeping for sorrow1 and ,he said to ,peter1 ,what6 could ye not watch with me one hour8 ,watch and pray1 lest ye enter into temptation4 ,again ,he prayed1 ,o my ,father1 if this cup may not pass away from me except ,i drink it1 ,thy will be done4 ,and there appeared an angel unto ,him from heaven1 strengthening ,him4 ,then there was the sound of the tread of many feet1 and the light of torches moving among the olive trees1 and ,judas1 leading a band of priests1 elders and captains of the ,temple came toward the little group1 and kissed ,jesus as a sign that ,he was the ,one whom they sought4 ,jesus turned to him saying1 ,judas1 betrayest thou the ,son of ,man with a kiss8 ,and to the others1 ,whom seek ye8 ,illustration3 ,jesus betrayed by ,judas ,jesus of ,nazareth1 they answered4 ,and when ,jesus had said to them1 ,i am ,he1 they fell backward at the sight of ,his face4 ,when ,i was daily with you in the ,temple1 ,he said1 ye stretched forth no hands against me2 but this is your hour and the power of darkness4 ,peter drew a sword and struck at the high priest's servant in defence of his ,master1 but ,jesus said gently1 ,suffer ye thus far1 and touched his ear and healed him4 ,put up thy sword into the sheath1 ,he added4 ,the cup which my ,father hath given me1 shall ,i not drink it8 ,then they took ,jesus and bound ,him to lead ,him away1 and the disciples forsook ,him and fled1 as had been written in the prophets4 ,but ,john1 the loving and beloved1 came back and followed ,jesus4 ,so did ,peter1 remembering his vow1 but he followed ,him afar off4 ,,chapter ,,xli4 ,,despised ,,and ,,rejected ,,of ,,men4 ,jesus was first taken to ,annas1 the old ,high-,priest1 who sent ,him bound to ,caiaphas1 who was his son-in-law1 and ,high-,priest that year4 ,john went in with ,jesus to the palace of the ,high-,priest1 but ,peter stood outside the door1 shivering with the chill of the night1 but more with fear4 ,a servant girl at the door said1 when ,john came out to bring him in1 ,art not thou also one of this man's disciples8 ,and ,peter said1 ,i am not4 ,restless and unhappy1 he walked about1 or warmed himself by the fire1 until three had accused him of being a follower of ,jesus1 and three times he had denied his ,lord4 ,then there came a sound that struck him through--he heard through the open windows the crowing of a cock4 ,it had crowed once before1 but he did not think then of what the ,lord had said1 but now his memory and conscience were wide awake1 for1 as he looked over the heads of the people towards ,jesus standing bound and alone before the ,high-,priest1 the ,lord turned and looked upon ,peter4 ,that look broke ,peter's heart1 and he rushed out of the place1 and wept bitterly4 ,illustration3 ,the sin of ,peter ,there was a mock trial which would pain the heart of a child to dwell upon1 and which we will not describe at length4 ,it is enough to know that the ,lamb of ,god1 who had come to take away the sins of the world1 was willingly in the power of ,his enemies1 and going down to death4 ,a wonderful description of the trial and death of the ,messiah may be found in the fifty-third chapter of ,isaiah1 which was fulfilled in the trial and death of ,jesus4 ,the hatred of the priests1 the scoffings1 the blows1 and the cruel words of the people we will not describe4 ,he was oppressed1 and ,he was afflicted1 yet ,he opened not ,his mouth4 ,he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter1 and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb1 so ,he opened not ,his mouth4 ,finally ,caiaphas cried1 ,i adjure thee by the living ,god1 that thou tell us whether thou be the ,christ1 the ,son of ,god6 ,jesus said1 ,i am2 and ye shall see the ,son of ,man sitting on the right hand of power1 and coming in the clouds of heaven4 ,then the ,high ,priest rent his garments as if shocked at such profanity1 and said1 ,ye have heard the blasphemy2 what think ye8 ,and they all condemned ,him to be guilty of death4 ,there was another gathering of the priests in the morning as the day began to dawn4 ,there were more cruel words and blows for the ,divine ,man who was bearing the sins of the world1 and ,he was taken away to ,pilate4 ,and where was the wretched man who had sold his ,master into the hands of ,his enemies6 ,he could not have thought that he was bringing death on ,his ,master2 but when at last he saw the ,lord coming1 pale1 suffering and bound1 down the marble steps1 and heard ,death6 death6 on every side1 he became terrified4 ,he had no one to turn to1 for he had not a friend among men4 ,he ran to the ,temple and1 finding some priests1 begged them take back the money they had given him1 saying1 ,i have sinned1 in that ,i have betrayed the innocent blood4 ,what is that to us1 said the heartless priests4 ,see thou to that4 ,then ,judas cast the thirty pieces of silver over the marble floor1 and fled from the place4 ,afterward he was found outside the city1 where he had hanged himself4 ,the priests could not put the price of blood in the ,lord's treasury1 and so they bought with it a field in which to bury strangers4 ,,chapter ,,xlii4 ,,the ,,king ,,of ,,heaven ,,at ,,the ,,bar ,,of ,,pilate4 ,pilate1 the ,roman ,governor1 who had come up from ,caesarea by the sea to keep order in ,jerusalem during the ,passover1 was in his fine palace called ,the ,praetorium4 ,adjoining was ,the ,hall of ,judgment1 where cases were brought to the ,governor to be judged1 and just outside this ,hall was a place called ,the ,pavement4 ,it was a broad floor of many-colored marbles1 open toward the city1 and having an ivory judgment-seat4 ,while the morning was lighting the gold of the ,temple roof to splendor1 there was a deep shadow over the friends of ,jesus4 ,their ,lord was being led through the streets of ,jerusalem by ,roman guards1 condemned to die4 ,his mother and the women who believed in ,him were in the city and saw ,him1 perhaps1 as ,he was hurried by1 pale and weak from the cruelty of wicked men4 ,the priests would not go into the ,judgment ,hall for fear of defilement at the time of their ,feast1 so ,pilate came out to ,the ,pavement and sat down upon the ivory judgment seat4 ,he was a stern1 proud man wearing a white toga with a rich purple border--the robe of a ,roman ruler4 ,what accusation do you bring against this man1 asked ,pilate1 looking at the pure1 pallid face of the ,divine ,man1 and turning to the dark and evil faces of ,his accusers4 ,to their complaining remark1 ,if he were not a malefactor we would not have delivered him up unto thee1 ,pilate replied1 ,take ye him and judge him according to your law4 ,when they replied that 7under ,roman rule7 it was not lawful for them to put any man to death4 ,pilate did not wish to condemn that just ,one of whom he had known nothing but good1 for he had heard of ,his miracles1 and had doubtless heard his wife speak of the young ,rabbi4 ,he rose and went into the ,hall1 ordering the guards to bring ,jesus to him4 ,then he questioned ,him1 ,art thou the ,king of the ,jews8 he asked4 ,my ,kingdom is not of this world1 said ,jesus4 ,if my ,kingdom was of this world1 then would my servants fight1 that ,i should not be delivered to the ,jews2 but now my ,kingdom is not from hence4 ,art thou a king then8 said ,pilate4 ,thou sayest that ,i am a king4 ,to this end was ,i born1 and for this cause came ,i into the world1 that ,i should bear witness unto the truth4 ,every one that is of the truth heareth my voice4 ,what is truth8 said ,pilate1 wondering1 perhaps1 what kingdom of truth this harmless man was dreaming of1 and then he rose and went forth to the people on ,the ,pavement who were saying that this man was stirring up the people from ,galilee to ,jerusalem4 ,pilate1 hearing that ,jesus was a ,galilean1 sent him to the palace of ,herod ,antipas1 who ruled over that province1 and who was now in ,jerusalem1 but ,he was sent back to ,pilate crowned with thorns and wearing a faded purple robe4 ,the ,roman soldiers had jested about ,his kingship1 and ,antipas had cruelly carried it out in returning ,him in this dress to ,pilate1 through the streets of the city4 ,he had been tried the fourth time and now ,pilate made another effort to set ,him free1 ,he questioned ,him again and heard the complaints of the ,jews1 but ,jesus would not defend ,himself4 ,illustration3 ,jesus crowned with thorns ,hearest thou not how many things1 they witness against thee8 said ,pilate4 ,answerest thou nothing8 ,if ,jesus would only defend ,himself6 ,then ,pilate thought he would scourge ,jesus to satisfy ,his enemies1 and let ,him go4 ,ye have brought this man unto me1 he said to the chief priests1 as one that perverteth the people1 and behold1 ,i1 having examined him before you1 have found no fault in this man4 ,no1 nor yet ,herod4 ,i will therefore chastise him and release him4 ,illustration3 ,jesus before ,pilate ,the cry of ,crucify him6 crucify him6 rose again4 ,a message was sent to ,pilate from his wife1 which deepened the shadow on his face4 ,have thou nothing to do with that just man1 she said1 for ,i have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him4 ,the people had been persuaded by the priests to ask for ,barabbas1 and when ,pilate asked which of the two he should release to them1 they cried1 ,barabbas6 ,what shall ,i do with ,jesus1 which is called ,christ8 and all cried1 ,let him be crucified6 ,why1 what evil hath he done8 asked ,pilate1 but the cry was so great he could bear it no longer1 and calling a slave to bring water1 he washed his hands before them as a sign that he took no blame for the act1 and said1 ,i am innocent of the blood of this just person3 see ye to it1 but they cried1 ,his blood be upon us1 and upon our children4 ,and when ,pilate had given the order to scourge and crucify ,jesus1 he went into his palace4 ,,chapter ,,xliii4 ,,love ,,and ,,death4 ,jesus had been meeting and conquering evil all ,his life1 and in the last hour of it the last enemy was overcome4 ,there were no children at the cross when ,jesus laid down ,his life for us all1 and we will not lead you there to point out all the means used by evil men to increase the suffering of our ,lord4 ,it was greatest within the great ,heart of ,love which broke for the sins of the world1 and when you have learned the nature of ,spirit you will be able to understand that ,jesus chose to pass through an earthly life of poverty and temptation1 and die a painful and shameful death1 that ,he might be the ,brother of the poor1 the tempted1 the suffering and the dying4 ,he was taken from prison and from judgment3 ,he poured out ,his soul unto death1 and was numbered with the transgressors2 ,he bore the sins of many1 and made intercession for the transgressors4 ,so ,isaiah wrote of the coming ,messiah seven hundred years before4 ,but so blind were the ,jews that they could not see that the ,redeemer had come to ,zion1 ,he came unto ,his own and ,his own received ,him not4 ,bearing ,his cross ,he went forth meekly to death1 and when ,he fell beneath the heavy cross1 the ,roman soldiers forced a passing stranger to carry it4 ,all along the street women wept for pity as ,he passed1 and there was sorrow in many hearts for the ,man whom they had believed in as the ,one who was to deliver their nation4 ,illustration3 ,jesus bearing the ,cross ,but the eleven disciples--where were they8 ,in deep grief somewhere2 but only one--,john the ,beloved--followed his ,master down to death4 ,with the suffering mother of ,jesus and the faithful women disciples he kept near his ,lord4 ,they saw the rough soldiers as they took the ,lord's garments and divided them among themselves1 and when they put ,his body upon the cross they heard ,him pray1 ,father1 forgive them1 for they know not what they do6 ,two robbers were crucified with ,jesus1 upon ,his right hand and on ,his left4 ,one begged ,him to save him1 and reviled ,him because ,he did not2 but the other said1 ,lord1 remember me when ,thou comest into ,thy ,kingdom4 ,and ,jesus said1 ,verily ,i say unto thee1 ,to-day shalt thou be with me in ,paradise4 ,his dying eyes also beheld ,his mother standing by the cross with the beloved ,john and the faithful women who had been ,his friends4 ,the hour had come spoken of by ,simeon in the ,temple when he said1 ,yea a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also4 ,jesus1 looking at ,his mother supported by ,john said1 ,woman1 behold thy son6 ,and to the disciple ,he said1 ,son1 behold thy mother6 ,and from that hour ,john took her to his own home to love and care for her through the rest of her life4 ,we will not look at the darkness that rolled over the sky1 shutting out the light of the sun1 or the sights and sounds of that day on ,calvary4 ,jesus1 thinking of the redemption ,he had wrought out for us1 bowed ,his head and said1 ,it is finished6 ,father1 into ,thy hands ,i commend my spirit4 ,then the great veil before the ,holy ,place in the ,temple was torn in two from the top to the bottom1 as a sign that the ,lord ,jesus by ,his death had opened the way for us into life eternal4 ,,chapter ,,xliv4 ,,love ,,and ,,life4 ,there was a good man of ,arimathea named ,joseph who was a disciple of ,jesus1 but not a fearless one4 ,he had not followed ,jesus with the twelve1 but he had loved ,him1 and when he knew that his ,master1 who had not where to lay ,his head in life1 had not a place of burial in death1 he lost all fear and went to ,pilate and begged the body of ,jesus4 ,this ,pilate willingly gave him1 and he1 bringing helpers1 took the body from the cross and tenderly brought it to his own garden in which was a new tomb hewn out of the rock4 ,in this peaceful garden-room for the dead they laid ,him1 wrapped ,him in fine linen and spices1 for another disciple who had not dared to follow ,jesus openly had come with a mixture of myrrh and aloes of a hundred pounds weight to embalm the body of ,jesus4 ,this was ,nicodemus who had a talk with ,jesus by night among the olive trees about the breath of ,god in man4 ,so these two rich men buried ,jesus1 and a prophecy was fulfilled4 ,illustration3 ,the descent from the ,cross ,we do not know that any of the eleven disciples helped to bury ,jesus1 but1 while ,john took the mother of ,jesus to a place of rest and safety1 his own mother1 ,salome1 and ,mary1 the mother of ,james1 and ,mary ,magdalene stood looking on afar off4 ,there were other women also1 who helped to guard the body of the crucified ,lord when it seemed to be forsaken of all men4 ,they marked the place where ,he lay and went away1 for the hours of preparation and the ,sabbath were before them4 ,on the eve of ,friday they prepared spices and ointments1 and rested the ,sabbath day 7seventh day7 according to the commandment4 ,but ,roman soldiers came and set a seal upon the tomb1 and watched it night and day4 ,on the first day of the week 7now the ,christian ,sabbath7 very early in the morning1 while the streets were still1 and there lay only a faint streak of rose in the purple east1 ,mary ,magdalene hastened out of the city to the tomb in the garden1 bearing her spices4 ,when she reached the place she saw no guards there1 and the heavy stone was rolled away from the door of the tomb4 ,a great fear fell upon the woman who loved much1 and she ran to find ,peter and ,john4 ,they have taken away the ,lord out of the sepulchre1 she said1 and we know not where they have laid ,him4 ,then ,peter and ,john ran1 and ,john the loving ran faster than ,peter the believing1 and was the first to reach the tomb4 ,the other women also had gone to the tomb early bearing their spices for the embalming1 wondering on the way who should roll away for them the great stone that stood at the door of the tomb4 ,but they found the stone rolled past the door1 and entering the low vestibule they saw a vision of an angel1 in a long white garment1 and were afraid4 ,illustration3 ,the angel of the ,resurrection ,ye seek ,jesus of ,nazareth which was crucified1 he said2 ,he is risen2 ,he is not here3 behold the place where they laid ,him4 ,but go your way1 tell ,his disciples and ,peter that ,he goeth before you into ,galilee2 there shall ye see ,him1 as ,he said unto you4 ,the ,lord had left a special message for ,peter who had denied ,him so cruelly and had repented so thoroughly6 ,as they looked to behold the place where they laid ,him1 they saw another angel shining white through the gloom1 one at the head1 and the other at the feet where the body of ,jesus had lain4 ,they also ran1 glad1 yet half afraid1 to tell the disciples what they had seen and heard4 ,peter and ,john found the linen that had wrapped the ,lord's body laid carefully aside4 ,they did not yet remember the prophecy concerning ,his resurrection from the dead1 but they believed ,he had risen1 and they went away1 hoping perhaps1 that ,he was seeking them4 ,mary ,magdalene could not leave the empty tomb until she had learned something more about the ,lord4 ,weeping and desolate she stood at the low door of the cave-tomb1 and stooping to look in again she saw the vision of angels that the other women had seen1 one at the head and the other at the feet1 where the body of ,jesus had lain4 ,why weepest thou8 they asked1 and she answered1 ,because they have taken away my ,lord1 and ,i know not where they have laid ,him4 ,as she turned to go out into the garden she saw one standing there who said1 ,woman why weepest thou8 ,whom seekest thou8 ,she thought as she looked through her tears that it must be the man who kept the garden1 so she said1 ,sir1 if thou have borne ,him hence tell me where thou hast laid ,him1 and ,i will take ,him away4 ,mary6 ,it was the voice of ,jesus--the same that once said to her1 ,thy sins are forgiven1 and she spread her arms to clasp ,his feet1 crying4 ,rabboni6--my ,master6 ,touch me not1 ,he said1 for ,i am not yet ascended to my ,father3 but go to my brethren and say unto them1 ',i ascend unto my ,father and your ,father3 and to my ,god and your ,god4' ,it was while ,mary ,magdalene and ,mary the mother of ,james1 were still in the garden1 perhaps1 that ,jesus met them and said1 ,all hail6 and they fell at ,his feet and worshipped ,him4 ,be not afraid1 ,he said1 go tell my brethren that they go into ,galilee and there shall they see me4 ,when the women told all these things to the apostles who had come together to mourn for their dead ,master1 they could not believe4 ,but the first ,easter had risen upon the world1 and though the joy of it filled all heaven1 only a few women knew the blessed secret on earth1 and were saying over and over1 ,the ,lord is risen6 the ,lord is risen indeed6 ,,chapter ,,xlv4 ,,the ,,evening ,,of ,,easter4 ,it was the afternoon of the same day in which the women had brought such strange stories from the tomb of the buried ,christ1 that two disciples went out to their home at ,emmaus1 a village about eight miles from ,jerusalem4 ,they had been in the upper room where they often gathered1 and had heard the stories of ,mary ,magdalene1 and of ,peter and ,john1 and they knew not what to believe4 ,as ,cleopas and his companion 7,luke1 perhaps7 went westward over the hills they talked of all these strange things with bowed heads and sad hearts1 for ,jesus1 the ,one whom they had trusted was the ,redeemer of ,israel1 was crucified1 dead and buried1 and as for the words of these women1 they seemed like idle tales2 but what if they should be true8 ,another step seemed to fall beside theirs1 and looking up they saw a noble looking young ,stranger who was following the same road4 ,he greeted them and said1 ,what manner of communications are these that ye have one to another as ye walk1 and are sad8 ,art thou only a stranger in ,jerusalem1 ,cleopas said1 and hast not known the things that are come to pass there in these days8 ,what things8 asked the ,stranger1 and they said1 ,concerning ,jesus of ,nazareth1 which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before ,god and all the people1 and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered ,him to be condemned to death1 and have crucified ,him4 ,but we trusted that it had been ,he which should have redeemed ,israel3 and besides all this to-day is the third day since these things were done4 ,cleopas also told the story of the women who had come from the sepulchre that morning talking of a vision of angels1 with that of ,peter and ,john1 who had gone also1 and found it even as the women had said4 ,then the ,stranger began to speak to them of many things1 and in words so full of wisdom and love and faith that their hearts were drawn with ,him to believe that ,jesus had risen from the dead4 ,he told them that they were very foolish and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets had spoken4 ,ought not ,christ to have suffered these things1 ,he said1 and to enter into ,his glory2 and ,he explained to them all the ,scriptures that foretold the coming1 the suffering1 and the death of the ,messiah1 until the two hours' walk seemed as nothing4 ,illustration3 ,the walk to ,emmaus ,as they came to the village where they lived1 and the ,stranger was passing on1 they urged ,him to come with them into the low white house near by which was the house of one of them4 ,abide with us1 they said1 for it is toward evening1 and the day is far spent4 ,and ,he went with them1 and sat down with them to their evening meal4 ,then another and strange beautiful vision was given at the sunset of the first ,easter ,day1 like that which was given to the women at its dawn4 ,the ,stranger took bread and blessed it and broke it1 and as ,he handed it to each disciple their eyes were opened1 and they knew ,him4 ,it was the ,lord6 ,but in a moment ,he had vanished from their sight1 and they could only wonder and believe4 ,they began to recall ,his words4 ,did not our hearts burn within us while ,he talked with us by the way1 and while ,he opened to us the ,scriptures8 ,perhaps they ate the bread that ,he had broken as they would take the sacrament1 and then rose1 though the day was fading over the hills of ,ephraim and hurried back to ,jerusalem to the friend's house where the disciples met4 ,there in the upper room1 the doors closed and guarded for fear of the ,jews1 they told the story of the ,stranger to the eager disciples1 and found that the ,lord had also appeared to ,peter4 ,in the midst of the joy and the wonder there fell a strange hush over the little company1 for suddenly the ,lord was seen standing in the midst and they heard the greeting so dear and familiar to them all1 ,peace be unto you6 and to them all ,he spread ,his hands having the print of the nails in them1 and showed them ,his side that bore the mark of the ,roman spear4 ,that they might be still more sure ,he was the ,lord and ,master they had loved and followed 7for they were afraid71 ,he asked them to touch him2 and as they had been at supper together ,he asked to share their meal1 and ,he ate of the broiled fish and of the honey-comb before them4 ,after this ,he talked lovingly with them of ,himself--of the fulfillment of the prophecies concerning ,him and of the work of the kingdom that was before them4 ,again he blessed them1 and breathed on them1 saying1 ,receive ye the ,holy ,ghost4 ,and so ended the day of the ,lord's resurrection from the dead--the first ,easter of the ,christian ,church4 ,,chapter ,,xlvi4 ,,the ,,lord',s ,,last ,,days ,,with ,,his ,,disciples4 ,on ,easter evening1 when the ,lord's friends were gathered in the upper room where ,he appeared to them1 one of the eleven was absent4 ,there were others beside the apostles--,cleopas and his companion1 and probably the women of ,galilee1 as well as ,mary1 and ,martha1 and ,lazarus of ,bethany1 but ,thomas was not there4 ,the others had told him that the ,lord had shown ,himself to them and had broken bread with them1 but he could not believe4 ,he believed1 perhaps1 in a vision1 but not in the return of the crucified ,jesus4 ,he declared1 ,except ,i shall see in ,his hands the print of the nails1 and put my finger into the print of the nails1 and thrust my hand into ,his side1 ,i will not believe4 ,a week passed1 and the disciples were again gathered in the upper room1 and ,thomas was with them4 ,the doors were shut and guarded as before1 but1 as before the ,lord suddenly stood in the midst1 saying1 ,peace be unto you4 ,then ,he turned to ,thomas with gentle rebuke1 ,reach hither thy finger1 and behold my hands2 and reach hither thy hand and thrust it into my side1 and be not faithless but believing4 ,thomas did not wait to touch the ,lord1 but cried1 ,my ,lord and my ,god6 ,thomas1 ,he said1 because thou hast seen me thou hast believed2 blessed are they that have not seen and have believed4 ,soon after this the apostles went away into ,galilee1 as the ,lord had commanded them to do4 ,there by the ,lake where ,he had called them from their nets to follow ,him they waited for ,him4 ,peter1 and ,james1 and ,john were there1 with ,thomas1 and ,nathanael1 and two others of ,his disciples4 ,the old love for the ,lake came back to ,peter1 and he said1 ,i go a fishing1 and the others said1 ,we also go with thee1 and they went out for a night with the nets on the ,lake1 but they caught nothing4 ,in the morning as they drew a little nearer land they saw a dim figure on the shore and heard a voice saying to them1 ,children1 have ye any meat8 ,they answered ,no1 and then the clear voice came across the water saying1 ,cast the net on the right side of the ship1 and ye shall find4 ,this they did1 and so heavy did the net become with fishes that they were not able to draw it4 ,perhaps ,john remembered another day on the ,lake when the nets broke with the weight of the fishes1 and looking at the figure standing on the shore in the sunrise1 he said to ,peter1 ,it is the ,lord6 ,peter did not wait to reply1 but tying his fisher's coat around him he threw himself into the ,lake to swim towards ,his ,master on the shore4 ,the others followed in the ship dragging the net with them1 and when they had landed they found a fire of coals there1 with fish laid upon it and bread1 and the ,lord ,himself standing there as one who served4 ,bring of the fish ye have now caught1 ,he said4 ,and ,peter1 first to obey1 drew the net to land full of great fishes--one hundred and fifty-three--and the net was not broken4 ,while they were silent for joy and wonder1 knowing that it was the ,lord1 and yet not daring to question ,him1 ,he said1 ,come and dine4 ,and there upon the sands the ,lord for the third time since ,he rose from the dead1 broke bread with his disciples4 ,john1 the beloved disciple was there1 but it is not recorded that ,jesus spoke to him personally4 ,his heart was wholly with his ,lord1 and he did not need the loving help that was given to doubting ,thomas1 and self-confident1 wavering ,peter4 ,to ,simon ,peter ,he said after they had finished their simple meal1 ,simon1 son of ,jonas1 lovest thou me more than these8 ,peter must have remembered that he had vehemently declared1 ,although all shall be offended1 yet will not ,i4 ,if ,i should die with ,thee yet ,i will not deny ,thee in any wise1 and had straightway forsaken and denied ,him4 ,now he said simply and humbly1 ,yea1 ,lord3 ,thou knowest that ,i love ,thee4 ,and the ,lord answered1 ,feed my lambs4 ,again the ,lord asked him the same question1 and ,peter gave the same reply4 ,and the ,lord said1 ,feed my sheep4 ,when the ,lord had asked this question the third time1 ,peter1 full of love and grief cried1 ,lord1 ,thou knowest all things3 ,thou knowest that ,i love thee4 ,and the ,lord answered again1 ,feed my sheep4 ,by this ,peter knew that the ,lord trusted him to be an apostle1 and teach the gospel of the kingdom to all men1 but that he must have a steadfast love and faith4 ,the ,lord also said1 ,when thou wast young thou guidedst thyself1 and walkest whither thou wouldest2 but when thou shalt be old thou shalt stretch forth thy hands and another shall guide thee1 and carry thee whither thou wouldest not4 ,afterward ,peter was crucified as his ,lord had been1 and then ,john remembered these words of the ,lord about him4 ,as the ,lord said to ,peter1 ,follow me1 ,peter saw ,john following also1 and he said1 wondering1 perhaps1 why the ,lord had no word of counsel1 of rebuke1 or of prophecy for ,john1 ,lord1 and what shall this man do8 ,and ,jesus replied1 ,if ,i will that he tarry till ,i come1 what is that to thee8 ,follow thou me4 ,and they went away from the ,lake1 following the ,lord1 as they had done three years before when ,he called them to be fishers of men4 ,,chapter ,,xlvii4 ,,he ,,ascended ,,into ,,heaven4 ,once more the ,lord met ,his little company of followers and gave the apostles authority to found the ,kingdom of ,god among men4 ,all power has been given to me1 ,he said1 in heaven and on earth4 ,and this was the work that ,he gave them to do3 ,go ye therefore and teach all nations1 baptizing them in the name of the ,father1 and of the ,son1 and of the ,holy ,ghost3 teaching them to observe all things whatsoever ,i have commanded you4 ,and this was ,his true word of promise to them3 ,lo ,i am with you always1 even unto the end of the world4 ,and1 behold1 ,i send the promise of my ,father upon you3 but tarry ye in the city of ,jerusalem until ye be endued with power from on high4 ,it was about six weeks after ,his death that the disciples were again in ,jerusalem where the ,lord had told them to go and wait for the coming of ,his ,spirit4 ,he led them out over the ,mount of ,olives as far as ,bethany1 where the house of ,martha had been a place of rest and refreshment for the homeless ,man of ,sorrows while ,he was founding ,his ,kingdom of ,heaven on the earth4 ,as they ascended a hill just above ,bethany1 the ,lord could see spread out before ,him the ,hebron hills toward ,bethlehem where ,he was born3 the great city with its golden ,temple where ,he had taught and had been rejected2 ,gethsemane1 where ,he had suffered1 and had been betrayed2 and beyond the western walls the place where ,he had been crucified4 ,not far from ,golgotha was the garden and the tomb in which ,he had been buried1 and from which ,he had risen4 ,he was about to leave the little group that ,he had made the founders of ,his ,kingdom1 and one of them ventured a question1 ,lord1 wilt thou at this time restore again the ,kingdom to ,israel8 ,and the ,lord replied1 ,it is not for you to know the time and the seasons1 which the ,father hath put in ,his own power4 ,but ye shall be witnesses unto me both in ,jerusalem1 and in all ,judea1 and in ,samaria1 and unto the uttermost parts of the earth4 ,then ,he blessed them1 and while they were looking at ,him ,he was lifted above them1 and a cloud seemed to come between them and their ,divine ,master4 ,illustration3 ,the ,ascension ,while they still gazed toward heaven hoping perhaps to see ,him again1 two men in white garments stood by them and said1 ,ye men of ,galilee1 why stand ye gazing up into heaven8 ,this same ,jesus1 which is taken up from you into heaven1 shall so come in like manner as ye have seen ,him go into heaven4 ,then they worshipped their ascended ,lord1 and returned to ,jerusalem full of joy and praise1 to meet the other disciples in the upper room1 to tell them of what they had seen1 and to wait for the ,promise of the ,father4 ,,chapter ,,xlviii4 ,,the ,,promise ,,of ,,the ,,father4 ,while the disciples of ,jesus waited in ,jerusalem for the gift of the ,holy ,spirit--the ,comforter--who was to come and teach them all things1 and bring all the ,lord's words to their remembrance1 they were much in prayer1 and looked to the ,lord for direction about the things of the ,kingdom4 ,peter did much to help the others1 for his faith had grown stronger1 and he was no longer afraid4 ,many who had partly believed in ,jesus before ,his crucifixion1 and who had come to believe in the risen ,lord1 joined the little band1 until they numbered one hundred and twenty at one of their meetings1 and the mother of ,jesus was among them4 ,at this meeting ,peter proposed that some disciple who could be a witness with them to the ,lord's resurrection should be appointed to the place that ,judas once held in the circle of the twelve4 ,the ten disciples agreed with ,peter1 and two were chosen--,joseph and ,matthias4 ,then they prayed that the ,lord ,himself would show them which of these two ,he wished to be an ,apostle1 and when they cast lots the lot fell upon ,matthias4 ,when the upper room became too small they went to a larger one that was more public1 and did not try to guard their doors1 for the priests had become afraid of the people as well as of the signs at the time of the ,lord's death1 when the sky was darkened1 the rocks rent by an earthquake1 and the ,temple veil by an unseen ,hand4 ,the ,feast of the ,weeks came on1 and at the end of ,may--the day of ,pentecost 7the fiftieth after the second day of the ,passover71 the ,lord's little church had gathered in their large public room to pray and wait for the ,promise4 ,suddenly there came a sound from the heavens like the rushing of a mighty wind1 and with it came a flash of fire which was not lightning1 but which divided into many1 and sat above the brow of each like a soft1 bright tongue of flame4 ,then the silence was broken1 and they all began to praise ,god in other languages1 as the ,spirit gave them utterance1 for the ,promise of the ,father had been given1 and the ,lord ,himself had come to dwell in ,his people--not only in these1 but in all who should believe on ,him through their word4 ,there were some good ,jews present who had come from foreign countries to the ,feast1 and spoke other languages1 and when each heard his own language spoken by these unlearned men they were astonished4 ,the news spread and many came to hear4 ,are not all these which speak ,galileans8 they asked1 and how hear we every man in our own tongue wherein we were born8 ,what meaneth this8 ,others made light of it all1 and said that they were full of new wine4 ,then ,peter1 strong in the power of the ,holy ,spirit1 stood up and spoke to the people4 ,you will find ,peter's sermon in the second chapter of ,acts1 and his text was a wonderful saying of the prophet ,joel1 beginning1 as ,peter gave it1-- ,and it shall come to pass in the last days ,i will pour out of my ,spirit upon all flesh3 and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy1 and your young men shall dream dreams2 and on my servants1 and on my handmaidens ,i will pour out in those days of my ,spirit2 and they shall prophesy4 ,and it shall came to pass that whosoever shall call on the name of the ,lord shall be saved4 ,peter did not spare the enemies of our ,lord in his sermon1 nor did he fear them4 ,he preached to them of ,jesus of ,nazareth1 and whom they had taken and by wicked hands had crucified and slain3 and whom ,god had raised up1 having loosed the pains of death1 because it was not possible that ,he should be holden of it4 ,he closed by telling them that ,god had made that same ,jesus whom they had crucified both ,lord and ,christ4 ,there were many among the people gathered there who were pricked in their hearts because of ,peter's words1 which had the power of the ,holy ,spirit in them4 ,they looked at each other and said1 ,men and brethren1 what shall we do8 ,peter encouraged them to repentance and baptism in the name of ,jesus ,christ1 telling them that the promise was to them and to their children1 and to all that were afar off4 ,it was a wonderful day for the ,church of ,jesus ,christ1 and for ,his ,kingdom on the earth1 for there were about three thousand who that day received baptism1 and joined the little despised company of the followers of ,jesus of ,nazareth4 ,and all that believed were drawn together by the love of the ,lord ,jesus1 and no longer lived for themselves1 but for each other4 ,that there might be no rich and no poor among them1 they sold their possessions and parted them to all1 as every one had need4 ,in the ,temple1 in each other's houses breaking bread together1 wherever they were they were happy and strong in their new faith and in favor with all the people4 ,though great trials and persecutions came after awhile1 they bore them as seeing their invisible ,lord1 and they joyfully met the loss of all things--even that of life itself with a smile1 remembering the ,father's ,house with its many mansions1 and their spiritual ,elder ,brother who had gone to prepare a place for them4 ,,an ,,afterword4 ,dear ,child3--,god's ,book is a ,book of ,ages1 a ,book of ,races1 and a ,book of ,nations2 but it is far more1 it is a ,book through which ,god ,himself speaks to the soul of man4 ,we begin to read it thinking that ,he is speaking to the mind2 afterward1 when our conscience wakes1 we believe ,he speaks to the heart1 but at last we find that ,he speaks to the inmost spirit--the immortal soul4 ,then all that had seemed to be history1 poetry1 biography1 philosophy1 begins to be to us the voice of ,god in the inmost of the soul1 speaking of the life of the spirit4 ,we1 find at last1 too1 that ,one has walked beside us all the way1 teaching us by ,his ,spirit as ,he taught the people on the hill-side1 or by the lake-side in ,galilee3 the ,one who said1 ,before ,abraham was1 ,i am--the ,child of ,bethlehem1 whose name was called ,wonderful1 ,counsellor1 ,the ,mighty ,god1 the ,everlasting ,father1 ,the ,prince of ,peace4 ,that you1 dear child1 may find ,him walking close beside your way1 be in the habit of walking daily with ,him in the paths of ,his ,word1 and ,he will reveal ,himself to you there4