which His aching head could lie. Yet perhaps the scribe followed Him; for a little fleet of fishermen's boats sailed out after Him into the gathering darkness, following the bark, in which the Master was soon sleeping for very weariness near the helmsman who was steering for the eastern shores.

The Lake of Galilee, like all inland lakes, is subject to sudden storms of wind, which sweep down the ravines between the mountains with great force. Such a gale came on this night with so much fury, that even those disciples who, as fishermen, were quite at home on the water, were filled with terror. The eager followers in

No

the other boats must have been still more alarmed as the waves beat over them, and filled their small vessels. one but Jesus could have been asleep, but He slept soundly; and it was not till they called Him that He awoke. 'Master,' they cried, 'carest Thou not that we perish?' Yes, He cared. He cared even for their fears; and though there was no danger of their perishing whilst He was with them in the boat, He arose, and rebuked the wind and the sea, and immediately there was a great calm. Probably) He fell asleep again; but all the crews of that little company of boats were exceedingly afraid, asking one another, 'What manner of man is this, hungry and thirsty, and worn out with weariness like ourselves, yet even the wind and the sea obey Him?'

The early morning found them on the eastern shore near Gergasa, which was in the tetrarchy of Philip, a

just and moderate prince, very different from his brother Herod, who ruled over Galilee. Here, at least, Jesus might expect to find shelter and rest. But no sooner had He landed than a terrible demoniac, whose dwelling was among the tombs near the town, rushed down to the shore to meet Him. So fierce and violent was he that no man dare pass that way, and always, day and night, the unhappy wretch was crying and cutting himself with stones. Jesus at once commanded the legion of evil spirits to come out of the man; but gave them permission to enter into a herd of swine that were feeding near at hand; upon which the whole herd, in number about two thousand, ran violently down a steep place into the lake, and were choked in the waters. Those who kept them fled into Gergasa, and the inhabitants immediately came out to see who it was that had done this mischief. But upon finding their fierce and powerful countryman clothed, and in his right mind, they were afraid; and learning by what miracle he had been restored, they confined their resentment at their loss to beseeching Jesus to quit their coast.

Wet and hungry as He was, Jesus returned to the boat, bidding the poor man, who wished to follow Him, rather to go home to his friends, and tell them what great things the Lord had done for him. Though the Gergasenes would not receive Him, He would leave them a witness to tell of His love and power. And now, driven away from that inhospitable coast, He returned towards

Capernaum, giving up the hope of a few days' rest, far away from His knot of enemies, and His thoughtless crowd of followers.

No sooner was it known that His boat was on the shore than one of the rulers of the synagogue hastened down to Him. His little daughter was lying at the point of death, and there remained no hope but in Jesus. He went at once with the father; yet He paused on the way to heal a poor woman who touched in secret the hem of His garment as He passed by. She had been suffering as many years as the child had lived, and Jesus could not neglect her for a ruler's daughter, though He should gain a powerful friend by it. There was a great tumult about the house when they reached it; the child was just dead, had died while Jesus lingered on the way to heal this poor woman, who had spent all that she had on physicians. She is not dead, but sleepeth,' He said; and they laughed Him to scorn, knowing she was dead. Into her chamber He passed, suffering no one to go in but her father and mother, and His three most favoured disciples; and taking the girl's hand into His own, He called to her, and her spirit came back again over the mysterious threshold it had just crossed.

He

But Jesus charged her parents that they should tell no man what was done; He charged them straitly. would not have this young and happy life burdened with the weight of such a mystery; if possible the girl herself was not to know it. The widow's son at Nain

might bear the burden, and meet the curious eye bent upon him, and answer as he could the eager questions asked about that other life of which he had caught a glimpse. But this child, just on the verge of happy girlhood, must be spared it all. She is not dead, but sleepeth,' He said, and He called her back to her place on earth as one who had only been wrapt in a deeper slumber than is natural.

CHAPTER XI.

A HOLIDAY IN GALILEE.

JESUS seems only to have entered Capernaum for the sake of Jairus; for He did not stay there; but going away immediately, He went once more to Nazareth, where some of His cousins were still living. Very probably He knew from them that His townsfolk were now ashamed of their savage assault upon Him three weeks before. Since then they had heard of His wisdom and His mighty works, especially of that one at Nain, a village within sight of their own town. They were even hoping to have their own curiosity gratified by some wonder performed among them; but they could not get over the fact that He had been a carpenter in Nazareth, and that all His relations were known by them, poor, undistinguished people, who were considered of no account. Jesus Himself marvelled at their unbelief, surpassing any He had yet contended against; and He could not do any mighty work, save that He healed a few sick folk, probably poor people, who knew Him better than the wiser and richer men.