in the synagogue, having their faces turned towards Jerusalem, the ruler of the synagogue sometimes asked some one present to read the Scripture, and then address the congregation.

Jesus being in Nazareth, where he was reared, went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, as was his custom.

The book of the prophet Isaiah was given to him, and he

opened the book and found the place where it was written, and read, The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor, he hath sent me to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

When he had finished reading, he closed the roll and gave it to the minister, and sat down.

And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were

fastened on him. Then Jesus said unto them that on that day these words were fulfilled in their ears, and that he was the Messiah, the Saviour of the world, concerning whom the prophet Isaiah had made the prophecy.

All the men in the synagogue were very angry when Christ said that Isaiah's prophecy was fulfilled in him, for they would not believe that he was the Messiah, and they rose up and thrust him out of the city, leading him to the brow of a hill, whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong-but by the Spirit of God he passed through the midst of them and went his way.

CHAPTER XXXIV.

HEALING SIMON'S WIFE'S MOTHER-THE LEPER-THE PARALYTIC CURED – - MATTHEW IN THE CORN-FIELDS

-THE

WITHERED HAND-THE LOST SHEEP-THE POOL OF BE-
THESDA-THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT.

WHEN Jesus was at Capernaum he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day and taught the people. There was a man in the synagogue possessed with an evil spirit who cried out so that all present could hear him, Let us alone. What have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? Art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God. Jesus rebuked the spirit, saying, Hold thy peace and come out of him. And when the devil had thrown him in the midst, he came out of him and hurt him not.

And they were all amazed and spake among themselves, saying, What a word is this! for with authority and power he commandeth the unclean spirits, and they come out. The Saviour then left the synagogue and went into Simon's house. Simon's wife's mother was ill with a fever, and they prayed that Jesus would heal her. The Lord stood over her, and rebuked the fever, and he took her by the hand and lifted her up, and her malady was healed and she arose and ministered unto Christ and his disciples.

At sunset of the same day all the people of the city who had any sick relatives brought them unto him, and he laid his hands on every one of them and healed them. He also cast out devils from many that were possessed.

The next morning he went into a desert place for prayer to strengthen him, as the holy dependent man, for the many duties which he had to perform, but the people followed him and they wanted him to stay with them.

He told them that he must preach the gospel to other cities as well as their's, for his Father had sent him for that purpose. He went therefore to many places in Galilee and taught in the synagogues, and healed multitudes who were sick and diseased. In one city a man who was full of leprosy came to

him. This was a disease which no man could cure. The leper, when he saw Jesus, fell on his face and besought him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt thou canst make me clean.

Now, the law

forbade all contact with the leper, but Christ put forth his hand and touched him, saying, I will be thou clean. And immediately the leprosy departed from him.

Jesus charged him to tell no man who had healed him, but

to go and show himself to the priests at Jerusalem, and to present the sacrifice, which Moses commanded all those cured of leprosy to offer.

The man, instead of telling no one about his cure as Christ

had commanded him, published it everywhere he went, so that the fame of Jesus spread rapidly abroad.

The leper did this, either because he was zealous for Christ's honor or because he was glad he was cured of the terrible disease, which, but for the Saviour's power, would have ended in certain death.