19. "Give peace, beneficence and benediction, grace, benignity and mercy unto us, and to Israel thy people. Bless us, O our father, even all of us together as one man, with the light of thy countenance. For in the light of thy countenance hast thou given unto us, O Lord our God, the law of life and love, and benignity and righteousness, and blessing and mercy, and life and peace. And let it seem good in thine eyes to bless thy people Israel with thy peace at all times and in every moment. Blessed art thou, O Lord, who blessest thy people Israel with peace! Amen."

Eliza. Excellent sentiments and desires, truly. I wonder that a people whose prayers were so good, could act so badly as did those Jews of Nazareth, who so wickedly treated the Messiah.

Olympas. Orthodox creeds, forms, prayers, and observances, my dear children, are poor substitutes for new and pure hearts.

CONVERSATION XXX.

Olympas. OUR Lord stood up to read, and sat down to teach. He returned the book to the minister of the synagogue, and tendered his comments to the audience. All seem delighted with his comments; but the question, "Is not this Joseph's son," seems to change the topic and lead to a serious issue. Why, Thomas, did our Lord stand up to read, and sit down to teach?

Thomas. Men rise in honour of each other, and standing up to read God's Book is in good keeping with that idea. No greater honour can be done the Bible in a public assembly than to stand up and read it.

Eliza. And why not stand up and listen to it? Robert. I heard of one congregation who always stood up while the regular readings of the Scriptures was going on; and they were the most pious congregation in all the country.

Olympas. It was a very striking proof of their piety. I have no doubt it would promote the piety of every congregation to stand up, as the Jews did to hear Ezra the Scribe read from noon to even the words of God's law. What sort of reader and teacher was Jesus, think you, Reuben?

Reuben. He was the most popular reader and speaker in all Judea.

Olympas. Where is your proof?

Reuben. God's Spirit is the spirit of wisdom, knowledge, and eloquence. Now this being admitted, my conclusion is evident: for we are

told that "Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee." The consequence was, there went out a fame of him all round about. We are told that "he taught in their synagogues with universal applause," or, as in our common Testament, "And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified cf all." Could it be otherwise when he returned into Galilee from his baptism in the power of the Spirit?

Eliza. His temptation, fasting, prayer, as well as his baptism, prepared the way of his fame.

Olympas. His mature age also helped much. Men always gain power at the expense of time, and lose power by gaining time. He was thirty years old, well educated by a pious mother, taught to read early, early taken to the temple and the synagogue, was baptized, received the Holy Spirit, and had spent much time in meditation, selfdiscipline and government, and was in his peculiar manner an orator and teacher never equalled. His enemies were constrained to say, Never man spake like this man."

Thomas. But in Nazareth he had not the proper honour. A Prophet never had equal honour in his own vicinity or amongst his relations. They implied something very inacceptable to the Saviour in these words "Is not this Joseph's son?" What could it mean?

Olympas. What think you, Reuben?

Reuben. It was disparaging his humble birth. The carpenter's son! Whence has he all this

learning and eloquence?

Thomas. Might it not indicate that as he lived amongst them, they thought that they had claims upon his gifts and services above other cities?

Olympas. In either case there was an error of heart implied in the question. He was not to be despised or humbled because he was a carpenter's son; nor had they from mere propinquity or neighbourhood relation, any good reason to expect from him spiritual or special favours. Envy, prejudice, or inordinate selfishness prompted the inquiry, and he disdained it. Which of them seem to be struck at William, in the response of the Saviour?

William. His answer was, "You will surely say to me this proverb, Physician, heal thyself. What we heard you did in Capernaum, do here in thy own country." This, then, imports that they felt a liberty from citizenship to demand of him some display of his benignant power.

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Olympas. He, however, repudiates the claim. Other qualifications than natural birth, or mere local residence, are necessary to qualify and prepare for spiritual blessings. He cites two striking cases from their own Scriptures that taught a very different lesson- Many widows were in Israel in the days of Elijah during the protracted drought of three years and six months, yet the Prophet was sent to a foreigner, a widow of Sarepta, to communicate his favours. Also, many lepers were in Israel in the days of Naaman the Syrian, but not one Israelite was cured, while the Syrian participated in the powers of the Prophet."

Olympas. What, Eliza, was the effect of his speech?

Eliza. It was revealed what manner of spirit they were of; for instantly they were filled with wrath.

William. Their anger proved that they expected something in which they were disappointed.

Thomas. Their pride was mortified, and they evinced a total want of faith in him, else they could not have thrust him out of the city to a precipice with the intention of killing him.

William. In examining the map, as well as in reading the travels of some who have visited the Holy Land and Galilee, I find no trace of a precipice immediately adjoining Nazareth?

Thomas. Modern travellers say that one mile and a half from the present city of Nazareth there is a very abrupt precipice; and it is most likely the town has been built more in the rear than formerly. From the narrative, however, I would rather conclude that Jesus was led out some distance from the synagogue, which itself was rather on an eminence, and probably a little out of town. Still the hill or upland on which the city now stands has on one side of it a very dangerous precipice.

Susan. The Saviour was not hurt by this violence, for he passed through the midst of the crowd, and marvellously escaped out of their hands. Olympas. Which way then did he go, James? James. To Capernaum, a town in Galilee. Olympas. Did he work any miracles there, Susan ?

Susan. Yes, there was in the synagogue a man tormented by a very foul spirit, crying with a very vehement voice, which Jesus cast out.

Olympas. And what was the effect of this display of beneficent power, Susan?

Susan. "They were astonished at his doctrine, for his word was with power."

Olympas. Any other miracles, James, at Caper

naum?

James. Peter's mother was instantly cured of a