him, and went with him no more. When our Lord saw this, he said to his disciples, "Will ye also go away?" Simon Peter replied, "Lord, to whom else shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life!" Then, for the first time, Jesus told them that one of their number should betray him.

PART IV.

THE LAST YEAR OF OUR LORD'S MINISTRY

AND LIFE.

CHAPTER IX.

The third Passover. Jesus does not go. - Massacre of the Galileans in the Temple. The Pharisees rebuked. The Syro-Phoenician woman.Jesus goes through Decapolis. - -The deaf man with an impediment in his speech. The four thousand are fed.—The blind man healed at Bethsaida (or Julias). - Jesus goes into the district of Cesarea Philippi. Promises the disciples the keys of heaven. Christ foretells his sufferings and death. The Transfiguration. The boy healed of an evil spirit. The tribute-money at Capernaum. - The disciples contend who shall be greatest. The Seventy sent out to preach. The Samaritans refuse to receive Jesus. The indignation of James and John. The ten lepers healed.

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THE third year of Jesus' ministry had commenced, the last year of his stay upon earth, and he was surrounded by his little band, still faithful to him.

Some who had heard his preaching, and been the recipients of his bounty, had continued to love and obey him; but others had followed him for a little while, and then left him to go back to the world.

Before him lay a great work, the object of his coming

was yet unaccomplished. He must be offered up for the sins of the world. The Lamb of God must be slain, for, without shedding of blood, could be no remission of sin. The Passover had again returned, but Jesus did not go up to attend it. He had many enemies, and, if he went to Jerusalem, his life would be endangered before the hour for his suffering had arrived.

In his absence had occurred the massacre of the Galileans; and now, when a few weeks had passed, he was visited by a deputation of scribes and Pharisees. They had come from Jerusalem to Capernaum to see him,- to observe closely his words and actions, that they might accuse him before their national council.

Soon an opportunity for their malice occurred. Seeing some of his disciples eat without washing their hands, without all the ceremonies they thought necessary, they brought a complaint against them to their Master, and inquired by what authority his followers neglected the rules handed down to them by tradition. In reply, Jesus rebuked them for placing so much value upon the external observances of religion, while their inward character was full of concealed corruption, and needed the washing of regeneration. Severely and earnestly he reproved them, saying, "Full well ye reject the commandments of God, that ye may keep your own traditions." Then calling to the multitude who had gathered about him, he declared, "Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man, but that which cometh out of the mouth.”

The Pharisees grew angry, - their hearts were filled with hatred; and from that hour they sought only the more to destroy him. When they were again alone, the disciples asked Jesus if he knew how deeply he offended these men

by what he said. But he replied, "Let them alone; they are blind leaders of the blind."

Soon after this, he went into the coast of Tyre and Sidon; and, upon his arrival, he entered a house, hoping to remain in seclusion and unknown. But his presence could not long be concealed. A Greek woman, a Syro-Phoenician, hearing that he was there, entered the house where he was, fell at his feet, and entreated him to heal her young daughter, who was possessed by an evil spirit. Receiving no reply, she urged, with still more earnest warmth, her prayer and her desire for her child. The disciples, growing weary of the scene, and supposing their Master did not intend to grant her request, begged him to send her away.

Without heeding them, he turned to the woman, and said, "I am not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel;" "let the children," meaning the Jews, "first be filled; after that the dogs, or Gentiles, should be cared for." This our Lord said to try her faith; but, unmoved, she answered, "Yes, Lord, but the dogs eat of the crumbs that fall from the children's table."

Pleased with her humility and her confidence in him, Jesus said to her, "O, woman! great is thy faith; be it unto thee even as thou wilt!" The poor woman, rich in faith, was satisfied. Christ had listened to her petition, had granted the desire of her heart, and she turned away rejoicing.

Entering her lonely dwelling, she found her child lying peacefully on the bed, restored to her right mind, to be henceforth her life's blessing, and to remind her continually of the goodness of the Lord.

Leaving this place, Jesus went with his disciples through the region of Decapolis, near the shores of the lake, and

spent much time in the wild and mountainous country further to the north. But even here the poor and the wretched followed him. They brought unto him

many that

were diseased, the lame and the blind,— and laid them at

his feet, and besought that he would heal them.

One of these was a deaf person, who had an impediment in his speech, and they asked Jesus to lay his hand upon him. He did not refuse their request, but, taking the man aside from the multitude, he touched his ears and his tongue, and, looking up to heaven, he sighed, and said, "Be opened!" Immediately the man's hearing was restored; his speech was made plain, and he went away to spread the glad news abroad.

Again Jesus, pitying the multitude, who had wandered far from their homes, and were without food, miraculously supplied them with bread and fish; and again he left them, lest in their gratitude they might urge upon him temporal honors. Taking a ship, he came with his disciples to the eastern shore of the lake, to a place called Dalmanutha or Magdala, where he was met by a number of Pharisees and Sadducees, who asked of him a sign from heaven to prove his claims to be the Messiah. The Sadducees rejected the traditions held by the Pharisees as binding, and denied the resurrection; still they received the laws of Moses, and regarded the ordinances of religion as sacred. They were less numerous than the Pharisees, but were generally men of wealth and influence. They derived their name from Sadok, who first taught these views. When Jesus heard the questions they addressed to him, he sighed deeply, and told them no sign could be given them, since all the words he had spoken, all the miracles he had performed, had failed to convince them that he was the Messiah. In the