They determined, thanks to all this talk—­a mingling of truth and error—­to invite the prophet to the house.

When Jesus entered it, He saw the mourning assembly, and the Rabbi, who pulled at his gown until he tore it.  He saw the child lying on the table ready for burial, and asked:  “Why have you summoned Me?  Where is the dead girl?”

The Rabbi undid the shroud so that the girl lay exposed to view.  Jesus looked at her, took hold of her hand, felt it, and laid it gently down again.  “The child is not dead,” He said, “she only sleepeth.”

Some began to laugh.  They knew the difference between death and life!

He stepped up to them, and said:  “Why did you summon Me if you do not believe in Me?  If you have assembled here to watch the dead, there’s nothing for you to do.”

They crept away in annoyance.  He turned to the father and mother:  “Be comforted.  Prepare some food for your daughter.”  Then He took hold of the child’s cold hand, and whispered:  “Little girl!  Little girl! wake up, it is morning.”

The mother uttered a cry of joy, for the child opened her eyes.  He stood by, and they seemed to hear Him say:  “Arise, my child.  You are too young to have gained heaven yet.  The Father must be long sought so that He may be the more beloved.  Go your way and seek Him.”

When the girl, who was twelve years old, stood on her feet, and walked across the floor, the parents almost fell on Jesus in order to express their thanks.  He put them aside.  “I understand your gratitude.  You will do what I do not wish.  You will go to the street corners and exclaim:  ‘He raised our child from the dead’; and the people will come and ask Me to heal their bodies, while I am come to heal their souls.  And they will desire Me to raise the dead, while I am here to lead their spirits to eternal life.”

“Lord, how are we to understand you?”

“When in good time you shall have learned how little the mortal body and earthly life signify, then you will understand.  If, as you say, I have raised your child from the dead, what thanks do you owe Me?  Do you recognise what he who calls back a creature from happiness to misery does?

“You said yourself, Master, that the child was too young to gain heaven yet.”

“She has not gained it; she possessed it in her innocent heart.  She will become a maiden, and a wife, and an old woman.  She will lose heaven and seek it in agony.  It will be well for her if then she comes to the Saviour and begs:  ’My soul is dead within me, Lord; wake it to eternal life.’  But if she comes not—­then it would be better that she had not waked to-day.”

The mother said in all humility:  “Whatsoever Thou doest, Master, that is surely right.”

He went to the table where the child was comfortably eating her food, laid His hand on her head, and said:  “You have come to earth from heaven, now give up earth for heaven; what is earned is greater that what is given.”