be.  Scarcely conscious of the occult power of levitation that He was using to overcome the power of gravitation, He moved rapidly toward His followers.  Soon He overtook them, and they, seeing a white figure moving swiftly over the water toward them, were affrighted, believing it to be a spirit or ghost.  “It is I, be not afraid!” called out the Master to them.  Then Peter cried out, “Lord, if Thou it be, direct me to walk to Thee also on the waves!” And the Master, smiling, so directed him.  And Peter, whose latent occult power was aroused by his great faith in the Master, sprang over the side and took several steps toward Him.  But, suddenly losing his faith and courage, his power also left him, and he began to sink beneath the waves.  But the Master grasped his hand and led him in safety to the boat and both entered it.  Then the crew fell to and with great enthusiasm righted the boat and proceeded to the shore near Capernaum.

In the case of Peter and his experience in walking on the water, we have a striking instance of the well known power of the mental attitude of Faith in the manifestation of occult power.  All occultists know this, and without feeling an implicit faith in the Power with them, they do not attempt certain forms of manifestation.  They know that with Faith miracles may be performed which are impossible otherwise.  So long as Peter held his Faith he was able to counteract certain laws of nature by means of other laws not so well known.  But as soon as Fear took the place of Faith his power left him.  This is an invariable occult principle, and in the recital of this story of Peter on the water is to be found a whole volume of occult instruction—­to those who are able to read it.

Arriving safely on the shores of the lake, Jesus resumed His work while the ever-present gathering of people went on in its accustomed way.  But on the opposite shore of the lake the crowd who had been fed on the loaves and fishes were in an angry mood.  They cried out that they had been deserted by their leader, and that the expected loaves and fishes—­the free meals that they had expected would continue—­had been denied them.  They also complained bitterly that the reign of miracles had not continued.  And they began to revile the Master that they had acclaimed the night before.  And so Jesus experienced the ingratitude and the unreasonable words of the public just as all great teachers have done.  The seekers after the loaves and the fishes, demanding to be fed and clothed without their own work—­the seekers after miracles, demanding fresh wonder-workings—­have ever been the bane of the great Teachers of the Truth.  It is a hard and bitter truth, but all teachers and true lovers of the Truth must learn to meet and understand it.  The mob which reveres a spiritual Master today is equally ready to rend him to pieces tomorrow.