CHAPTER XXIV.

Jairus.-The Woman who touched the hem of Christ's garment. The daughter of Jairus raised to life. —Jesus again visits Nazareth.—He sends forth the Twelve Apostles to preach.

Read. St Matt. ix. 18—25; St. Mark v. 21—43; St. Luke viii. 40-46; St. Mark vi. 7-13; St. Luke ix. 1-6.

ESUS returned to Capernaum with His disciples, and very soon again He used His almighty power to do good to men, to heal their sorrows as well as their sickness. You recollect how kind Jesus was to the widow of Nain; how He said to her, "Weep not," and then how, by raising her son to life, He changed her sorrow and crying into joy and thanksgiving. So now Jesus has pity on a father in trouble about his little daughter who is sick, and ready to die.

This man's name was Jairus, and he was one of the rulers of a synagogue. He came to Jesus and told Him that his little daughter was at the

point of death; "but," he said, come and lay Thy hands upon her, and she shall live."

But as Jesus was going, a woman who had been ill of a disease for many years came behind Him and touched the fringe of His garment; for she said, "If I may but touch His garment I shall be whole." And that very moment she was made well. She had gone to many doctors and had paid them much money, but they had done her more harm than good. Now she was cured without money, at once, and by touching the very outer border of Christ's garment.

Many other people in the crowd pressed against Him and touched Him, but this poor woman touched Him in a different way from anyone else. She touched Him in faith, she believed in His divine power, that He could make her well, and she believed in His willingness to help her.

Jesus said to her, "Daughter, be of good comfort, thy faith hath made thee whole." It was Jesus who had made her well, but it was her faith, her belief in His power and goodness, that made her come to Him.

But where all this time was Jairus? He was

waiting for Jesus to go with him; and very sorry he must have been for the interruption, for his daughter might die meantime. This, indeed, was just what really happened; for while Jesus was yet speaking, messengers came to Jairus and told him not to trouble the Master: it was too late-the child was dead! But Jesus said to him, “Be not afraid, only believe." And immediately he hastened with Jairus to his house; entering it with Peter and James and John only, He went with them and with the father and mother of the child to the chamber where she lay. There were many people in the house, weeping and lamenting and playing sad music. They seemed to be in great grief; but it was all a pretence, for they were only hired mournerspeople paid to cry and lament over the dead. It was the custom amongst Eastern people to have these paid mourners. It was a foolish custom; but we do something like it at our funerals when we pay people to wear mourning, although they care nothing about our trouble.

Jesus sent all these people away (there was no longer any need of them), saying, "The maid is

not dead, but sleepeth." But they laughed at Him and mocked Him, for they knew that the child was really dead. Then Jesus took the little girl by the hand, and said to her, "Little one, arise!" And she got up immediately at the Lord's command-the spirit came back to the lifeless body-the child lived.

Soon after this, it is likely, Jesus went again into his own country, Nazareth, and again He taught in the synagogue. The people of Nazareth were astonished at His wisdom and mighty works; but even now they could not believe that Jesus "the carpenter," "the son of Mary," could be anything more than a man like themselves. They could not deny His wisdom and mighty works, but perhaps they were jealous that He should be looked upon as a prophet and be followed by great crowds of people. So they were "offended at Him," and Jesus wondered at their unbelief.

The next day Jesus and His disciples set out on another journey through Galilee, and He sent forth His disciples two and two to preach the kingdom of heaven in all the towns and villages;

and He gave them power to heal the sick and to cast out evil spirits. This is called the mission or sending out of the Apostles. Jesus Himself went into all the synagogues, healing every sickness

The

⚫ and every disease amongst the people. Apostles followed the example of their Lord and Master. They cast out devils, healed the sick, and preached everywhere that men should repent;