and Jacob.  And that God curses the false prophet and all his followers, so that the devil has power over him.”  And he continued sorrowfully:  “His relations are greatly to be pitied, especially the unhappy mother who has borne such a son to the shame of the family and the grief of the whole land.”  And then the Rabbi alluded to a hope that they might perhaps succeed in bringing to reason the erring man who sinned so deeply against the law, if not by love, at least by a vigorous effort and display of authority, till He was made to resume the honourable handicraft in which He had once lived in a manner pleasing to God.

And so it happened that Mary, when she left the synagogue and proceeded homewards, was scoffed at by her ill-natured neighbours, who gave her to understand that she might take herself off, and the sooner the better.  She said nothing, but bade her weeping heart be still.

One day Jesus was invited to dine down by the lake with a friend who held the same views as Himself.  There were so many people present that there was neither room nor food enough.  They expected some miracle.  Jesus was in a happy mood, and said that He wondered that people should rush after little wonders, and overlook the great ones; for all things that lived, all things with which we were daily surrounded, were pure and incomprehensible wonders.  As for the wonders men desired Him to work, the most important thing was not turning of stones into bread or the making of the sick whole, but that such miracles should awaken faith.  Faith was the greatest miracle-worker.  While He was talking He was called away; some one stood under the cedars who wished to speak to Him.  He found two of His relations there, who asked Him curtly, and without ceremony, what He purposed doing; did He propose to return to Nazareth or not?  If not, then He had better realise that His house and workshop would be confiscated.

Jesus answered them:  “Go and tell your elders in Nazareth:  The house belongs to him who needs it, and let him who has a use for the workshop have it.  And leave Him in peace who would build a House in which there are many mansions.”

They remained standing there, and said; “If you turn a deaf ear and are heedless of us, there is some one else here.”  And then His mother came forward.  She had thrown a blue shawl over her head.  She looked ill, and could hardly speak for sobbing.  She took hold of His hand:  “My son! where will all this lead?  Can you undertake such responsibility?  You reject the belief of your fathers, and you deprive others of it.”

To which He replied:  “I deprive them of their belief.  On the contrary, I give them faith.”

“But, my child, I can’t understand it.  You are stirring up the whole country.  The people leave their houses, their families, their work, to follow you.  What enchantment do you practise on them?”

“They follow the tidings,” He said.  “They thirst after comfort as the hart pants for water.”