Obeying the thought and will of the Master, the winds abated their fury and the waters ceased their troubling.  Gradually the boat rested easily upon the bosom of the lake, and the crew breathed freely once more, and then began their work of righting the mast and steering gear.  And they wondered as they worked and asked each other “What manner of man is this, whom even the winds and the waters obey?” And Jesus, looking sadly at them, voiced that cry of the mystic who knows of the inherent and latent powers of man over material conditions, awaiting the exercise of the Will that may be exercised only in response to a great Faith.  He answered them, saying, “Oh, ye of little Faith.  What had you to fear?”

To the mystic it seems strange that people are able to read the Gospel accounts of the above and similar events and yet see no more in them than a mere recital of miracles wrought by some supernatural power.  To the reader who has learned the fundamental truths, the New Testament record of the wonder-working of Jesus, even as imperfect as that record is, is full of advanced occult instructions stated so plainly that it seems as if even the casual reader must recognize it.  But no, the old rule is still in force—­each reads only that for which he is ready—­each must bring something to a book, before he may expect to take anything away from it—­to him that hath shall be given.  Ever the same old mystic truth, manifest ever and ever, at all times and in all places.  It is a fundamental law of the mind.

The journey across the lake was attended by another manifestation of occult power which is often passed over by the church teachers without comment, or at least with a labored endeavor to “explain” the evident meaning of the narrative.  The modern materialistic trend of thought has invaded even the churches and has caused the preachers and teachers to endeavor to escape the accusation of “believing in spirits” and similar phenomena of the Astral World.

When the company reached the coast of Gergesa, on the opposite side of the lake, it disembarked and Jesus and His disciples pressed in toward the coast towns.  As they passed among the cliffs lining the shore, they perceived two uncanny wandering figures which, gibbering, followed them along.  The two maniacs, for such they were, approached the party, and one of them began to address the Master in a strange manner, beseeching Him to relieve the two of the devils possessing them.  He called aloud, “O Master, thou Son of the Living God, have mercy upon us, and drive away the unclean things that we have allowed to enter into us.”