CHAPTER 76.

Jesus in Bethlehem. Explains the Empire of Peace to the shepherds. An unusual light appears. The shepherds recognize Jesus as the Christ.

TheLogos went to Bethlehem, and many people followed him.

2He found the shepherd’s home where he was cradled when a babe; here he abode.

3He went up to the hills where more than thirty years before the shepherds watch their flocks andheard the messenger of peace exclaim:

4At midnight in a cave in Bethlehem the Prince of Peace is born.

5And shepherds still were there, and sheep still fed upon the hills.

6And in the valley near great flocks of snow-white doves were flying to and fro.

7And when the shepherds knew that Jesus, whom the people called the king, had come, they came from near and far to speak to him.

8And Jesus said to them, Behold the life of innocence and peace!

9White is the symbol of the virtuous and pure! the lamb of innocence; the dove of peace;

10And it was meet that love should come in human form amid such scenes as these.

11Our father Abraham walked through these vales, and on these very hills he watched his flocks and herds.

12And here it was that one, the Prince of Peace, the king of Salim, came; the Christ in human form; a greater far than Abraham was he.

13And here it was that Abraham gave to this king of Salim, tithes of all he had.

14This Prince of Peace went forth in battle everywhere. He had no sword; no armor of defence; no weapons of offence;

15And yet he conquered men, and nations trembled at his feet.

16The hosts of Egypt quailed before this sturdy king of right; the kings of Egypt placed their crowns upon his head,

17And gave into his hands the scepter of all Egypt land, and not a drop of blood was shed, and not a captive placed in chains;

18But everywhere the conqueror threw wide the prison doors and set the captives free.

19And, once again, the Prince of Peace has come, and from these blessed hills he goes again to fight.

20And he is clothed in white; his sword is truth; his shield is faith; his helmet innocence; his breath is love; his watchword peace.

21But this is not a carnal war; it is not man at war with man; but it is right against the wrong.

22And love is captain, love is warrior, love is armor, love is all, and love shall win.

23And then again the hills of Bethlehem were clothed with light; again the messenger exclaimed,

24Peace, peace on earth, good will to men.

25And Jesus taught the people; healed the sick; revealed the mysteries of the kingdom of the Holy One.

26And many said, He is the Christ; the king who was to come has come; Praise God.

Jesus in Hebron. Goes to Bethany. Advises Ruth regarding certain family troubles.

Withthree disciples Jesus went to Hebron where he tarried seven days and taught.

2And then he went to Bethany and in the home of Lazarus he taught.

3The evening came; the multitudes were gone, and Jesus, Lazarus, and his sisters, Martha, Ruth and Mary, were alone.

4And Ruth was sore distressed. Her home was down in Jericho; her husband was the keeper of an inn; his name was Asher-ben.

5Now, Asher was a Pharisee ofstrictest mien and thought, and he regarded Jesus with disdain.

6And when his wife confessed her faith in Christ, he drove her from his home.

7But Ruth resisted not; she said, If Jesus is the Christ he knows the way, and I am sure he is the Christ,

8My husband may become enraged and slay my human form; he cannot kill the soul, and in the many mansions of my Fatherland I have a dwelling-place.

9And Ruth told Jesus all; and then she said, What shall I do?

10And Jesus said, Your husband is not willingly at fault; he is devout; he prays to God, our Father-God.

11His zeal for his religion is intense; in this he is sincere; but it has driven him insane, and he believes it right to keep his home unsullied by the heresy of Christ.

12He feels assured that he has done the will of God in driving you away.

13Intolerance is ignorance matured.

14The light will come to him some day, and then he will repay for all your heartaches, griefs and tears.

15And Ruth, you must not think that you are free from blame.

16If you had walked in wisdom’s ways, and been content to hold your peace, this grief would not have come to you.

17It takes a long, long time for light to break into the shell of prejudice, and patience is the lesson you have need to learn.

18The constant dropping of the water wears away the hardest stone.

19The sweet and holy incense of a godly life will melt intolerance much quicker than the hottest flame, or hardest blow.

20Just wait a little time, and then go home with sympathy and love. Talk not of Christ, nor of the kingdom of the Holy One.

21Just live a godly life; refrain from harshness in your speech, and you will lead your husband to the light.

22And it was so.

Jesus in Jericho. Heals a servant of Asher. Goes to the Jordan and speaks to the people. Establishes baptism as a pledge of discipleship. Baptizes six disciples, who in turn baptize many people.

AndJesus went to Jericho, and at the inn of Asher he abode.

2A servant at the inn was sick, nigh unto death; the healers could not cure.

3And Jesus came and touched the dying girl, and said, Malone, arise! and in a moment pain was gone; the fever ceased; the maid was well.

4And then the people brought their sick, and they were healed.

5But Jesus did not tarry long in Jericho; he went down to the Jordan ford where John was wont to teach.

6The multitudes were there and Jesus said to them, Behold, the time has come; the kingdom is at hand.

7None but the pure in heart can come into the kingdom of the Holy One; but every son and daughter of the human race is called upon to turn from evil and become the pure in heart.

8The resolution to attain and enter through the Christine gate into the kingdom of the Holy Onewill constitute discipleship, and every one must make a public pledge of his discipleship.

9John washed your bodies in the stream, symbolic of the cleansing of the soul, in preparation for the coming of the king, the opening of the Christine gate into the kingdom of the Holy One.

10John did a mighty work; but now the Christine gate is opened up, and washing is established as the pledge of your discipleship.

11Until this age shall close this pledge shall be a rite, and shall be called, Baptism rite; and it shall be a sign to men, and seal to God of men’s discipleship.

12You men of every nation, hear! Come unto me; the Christine gate is opened up; turn from your sins and be baptized, and you shall enter through the gate and see the king.

13The six disciples who had followed Jesus stood a-near, and Jesus led them forth and in the Jordan he baptized them in the name of Christ; and then he said to them,

14My friends, you are the first to enter through the Christine gate into the kingdom of the Holy One.

15As I baptized you in the name of Christ, so you shall, in that sacred name, baptize all men and women who will confess their faith in Christ, and shall renounce their sins.

16And, lo, the multitudes came down, renounced their sins, confessed their faith in Christ, and were baptized.

John, the harbinger, at Salim. A lawyer inquires about Jesus. John explains to the multitude the mission of Jesus.

Now,John the harbinger, was at the Salim Springs where water was abundant, and there he preached and washed the bodies of the people who confessed their sins.

2A Jewish lawyer went to John and said, Has not this man from Galilee, he whom you washed and called the Christ, become your foe?

3They say that he is at the Jordan ford; that he is building up a church, or something else, and that he washes people, just as you have done.

4And John replied, This Jesus is indeed the Christ whose way I came to pave. He is not foe of mine.

5The bridegroom hath the bride; his friends are near, and when they hear his voice they all rejoice.

6The kingdom of the Holy One is bride, and Christ the groom; and I, the harbinger, am full of joy because they prosper so abundantly.

7I have performed the work that I was sent to do; the work of Jesus just begins.

8Then turning to the multitudes he said, Christ is the king of righteousness; Christ is the love of God; yea, he is God; one of the holy persons of the Triune God.

9Christ lives in every heart of purity.

10Now, Jesus who is preaching at the Jordan ford, has been subjected to the hardest tests of human life, and he has conquered all the appetites and passions of the carnal man.

11And by the highest court of heaven, has been declared a man of such superior purity and holiness that he can demonstrate the presence of the Christ on earth.

12Lo, love divine, which is the Christ, abides in him, and he is pattern for the race.

13And every man can see in him what every man will be when he has conquered all the passions of the selfish self.

14In water I have washed the bodies of the people who have turned from sin, symbolic of the cleansing of the soul;

15But Jesus bathes forever in the living waters of the Holy Breath.

16And Jesus comes to bring the savior of the world to men; Love is the savior of the world.

17And all who put their trust in Christ, and follow Jesus as a pattern and a guide, have everlasting life.

18But they who do not trust the Christ, and will not purify their hearts so that the Christ can dwell within, can never enter life.

Lamaas comes from India to see Jesus. He listens to the teachings of John at Salim. John tells him of the divine mission of Jesus. Lamaas finds Jesus at the Jordan. The masters recognize each other.

Lamaas,priest of Brahm, who was a friend of Jesus when he was in the temple Jagannath, had heard of Jesus and his mighty works in many lands; and he had left his home and come to Palestine in search of him.

2And as he journeyed towards Jerusalem he heard of John, the harbinger, who was esteemed a prophet of the living God.

3Lamaas found the harbinger at Salim Springs; for many days he was a silent listener to the pungent truths he taught.

4And he was present when the Pharisee told John of Jesus and his mighty works.

5He heard the answer of the harbinger; he heard him bless the name of Jesus, whom he called the Christ.

6And then he spoke to John; he said, Pray, tell me more about this Jesus whom you call the Christ.

7And John replied, this Jesus is the love of God made manifest.

8Lo, men are living on the lower planes—the planes of greed and selfishness; for self they fight; they conquer with the sword.

9In every land the strong enslave and kill the weak. All kingdoms rise by force of arms; for force is king.

10This Jesus comes to overthrow this iron rule of force, and seat Love on the throne of power.

11And Jesus fears no man. He preaches boldly in the courts of kings, and everywhere, that victories won by force of arms are crimes;

12That every worthy end may be attained by gentleness and love, just as the Prince of Peace, Melchisedec, the priest of God, won gallant victories in war without the shedding of a drop of blood.

13You ask where are the temples of the Christ? He ministers at shrines not made with hands; his temples are the hearts of holy men who are prepared to see the king.

14The groves of nature are his synagogues; his forum is the world.

15He has no priests dressed up in puppet style to be admired by men; for every son of man is priest of Love.

16When man has purified his heart by faith, he needs no middle man to intercede.

17He is on friendly terms with God; is not afraid of him, and he is able, and is bold enough, to lay his body on the altar of the Lord.

18Thus every man is priest, and is himself a living sacrifice.

19You need not seek the Christ, for when your heart is purified the Christ will come, and will abide with you forevermore.

20And then Lamaas journeyed on; he came to Jesus as he taught beside the ford.

21And Jesus said, Behold the Star of India!

22Lamaas said, Behold the Sun of Righteousness! And he confessed his faith in Christ, and followed him.

The Christines journey toward Galilee. They tarry for a time at Jacob’s well and Jesus teaches a woman of Samaria.

TheChristine gate into the kingdom of the Holy One was opened up, and Jesus and the six disciples and Lamaas left the Jordan ford and turned their faces toward Galilee.

2Their way lay through Samaria, and as they journeyed on they came to Sychar, which was near the plot of ground that Jacob gave to Joseph when a youth.

3And Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus sat beside the well in silent thought, and his disciples went into the town to purchase bread.

4A woman of the town came out to fill her pitcher from the well; and Jesus was athirst, and when he asked the woman for a drink she said,

5I am a woman of Samaria, and you a Jew; do you not know that there is enmity between Samaritans and Jews? They traffic not; then why ask me the favor of a drink?

6And Jesus said Samaritans and Jews are all the children of one God, our Father-God, and they are kin.

7It is but prejudice born of the carnal mind that breeds this enmity and hate.

8While I was born a Jew I recognize the brotherhood of life. Samaritans are just as dear to me as Jew or Greek.

9And then had you but known the blessings that our Father-God has sent to men by me, you would have asked me for a drink,

10And I would glad have given you a cup of water from the Fount of Life, and you would never thirst again.

11The woman said, This well is deep, and you have naught with which to draw; how could you get the water that you speak about?

12And Jesus said, The water that I speak about comes not from Jacob’s well; it flows from springs that never fail.

13Lo, every one who drinks from Jacob’s well will thirst again; but they who drink the water that I give will never thirst again;

14For they themselves become a well, and from their inner parts the sparkling waters bubble up into eternal life.

15The woman said, Sir, I would drink from that rich well of life. Give me to drink, that I may thirst no more.

16And Jesus said, Go call your husband from the town that he may share with you this living cup.

17The woman said, I have no husband, sir.

18And Jesus answered her and said, You scarcely know what husband means; you seem to be a gilded butterfly that flits from flower to flower,

19To you there is no sacredness in marriage ties, and you affinitize with any man.

20And you have lived with five of them who were esteemed as husbands by your friends.

21The woman said, Do I not speak unto a prophet and a seer? Will you not condescend to tell me who you are?

22And Jesus said, I need not tell you who I am for you have read the Law, the Prophets and the Psalms that tell of me,

23I am one come to break away the wall that separates the sons of men. In Holy Breath there is no Greek, nor Jew, and no Samaritan; no bond, nor free; for all are one.

24The woman asked, Why do you say that only in Jerusalem men ought to pray, and that they should not worship in our holy mount?

25And Jesus said, What you have said, I do not say. One place is just as sacred as another place.

26The hour has come when men must worship God within the temple of the heart; for God is not within Jerusalem, nor in your holy mount in any way that he is not in every heart.

27Our God is Spirit; they who worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

28The woman said, We know that when Messiah comes that he will lead us in the ways of truth.

29And Jesus said, Behold the Christ has come; Messiah speaks to you.

While Jesus is teaching, his disciples come and marvel because he speaks with a Samaritan. Many people from Sychar come to see Jesus. He speaks to them. With his disciples he goes to Sychar and remains for certain days.

WhileJesus yet was talking to the woman at the well, the six disciples came from Sychar with the food.

2And when they saw him talking to a woman of Samaria, and one they thought a courtesan, they were amazed; yet no one asked him why he spoke with her.

3The woman was so lost in thought and so intent on what the master said, that she forgot her errand to the well; she left her pitcher and ran quickly to the town.

4She told the people all about the prophet she had met at Jacob’s well; she said, He told me every thing I ever did.

5And when the people would know more about the man, the woman said, Come out and see. And multitudes went out to Jacob’s well.

6When Jesus saw them come he said to those who followed him, You need not say, It is four months before the harvest time;

7Behold, the harvest time is now. Lift up your eyes and look; the fields are golden with the ripened grain.

8Lo, many sowers have gone forth to sow the seeds of life; the seed has grown; the plants have strengthened in the summer sun; the grain has ripened, and the master calls for men to reap.

9And you shall go out in the fields and reap what other men have sown; but when the reckoning day shall come the sowers and the reapers all together will rejoice.

10And Philip said to Jesus, Stay now your work a time and sit beneath this olive tree and eat a portion of this food; you must befaint for you have eaten naught since early day.

11But Jesus said, I am not faint, for I have food to eat you know not of.

12Then the disciples said among themselves, Who could have brought him aught to eat?

13They did not know that he had power to turn the very ethers into bread.

14And Jesus said, The master of the harvest never sends his reapers forth and feeds them not.

15My Father who has sent me forth into the harvest field of human life will never suffer me to want; and when he calls for you to serve, lo, he will give you food, will clothe and shelter you.

16Then turning to the people of Samaria, he said, Think not it strange that I, a Jew, should speak to you, for I am one with you.

17The universal Christ who was, and is, and evermore shall be, is manifest in me; but Christ belongs to every man.

18God scatters forth his blessings with a lavish hand, and he is not more kind to one than to another one of all the creatures of his hand.

19I just came up from Judah’s hills, and God’s same sun was shining and his flowers were blooming, and in the night his stars were just as bright as they are here.

20God cannot cast a child away; the Jew, the Greek and the Samaritan are equal in his sight.

21And why should men and women fret and quarrel, like children in their plays?

22The lines that separate the sons of men are made of straw, and just a single breath of love would blow them all away.

23The people were amazed at what the stranger said, and many said, The Christ that was to come has surely come.

24And Jesus went with them into the town, and tarried certain days.

Jesus teaches the people of Sychar. Casts a wicked spirit out of one obsessed. Sends the spirit to its own place. Heals many people. The priests are disturbed by the presence of Jesus in Sychar, but he speaks to them and wins their favor.

InSychar Jesus taught the people in the market place.

2A man obsessed was brought to him. The wicked spirit that possessed the man was full of violence and lust, and often threw his victim to the ground.

3And Jesus spoke aloud and said, Base spirit, loose your hold upon the vitals of this man, and go back to your own.

4And then the spirit begged that he might go into the body of a dog that stood near by.

5But Jesus said, Why harm the helpless dog? Its life is just as dear to it as mine to me.

6It is not yours to throw the burden of your sin on any living thing.

7By your own deeds and evil thoughts you have brought all these perils on yourself. You have hard problems to be solved; but you must solve them for yourself.

8By thus obsessing man you make your own conditions doubly sad. Go back into your own domain; refrain from harming anything, and, by and by, you will, yourself, be free.

9The wicked spirit left the manand went unto his own. The man looked up in thankfulness and said, Praise God.

10And many of the people brought their sick, and Jesus spoke the Word, and they were healed.

11The ruler of the synagogue, and all the priests were much disturbed when told that Jesus from Jerusalem was preaching in the town.

12They thought that he had come to proselyte and stir up strife among Samaritans.

13And so they sent an officer to bring him to the synagogue that he might give a reason for his presence in the town.

14But Jesus said to him who came, Go back and tell the priests and ruler of the synagogue that I am not engaged in crime.

15I come to bind up broken hearts, to heal the sick, and cast the evil spirits out of those obsessed.

16Tell them, their prophets spoke of me; that I am come to break no law, but to fulfil the highest law.

17The man returned and told the priests and ruler of the synagogue what Jesus said,

18The ruler was amazed, and with the priests went to the market place where Jesus was.

19And when he saw them, Jesus said, Behold the honored men of all Samaria! the men ordained to lead the people in the way of right.

20And I am come to help, and not to hinder in their work.

21There are two classes of the sons of men; they who would build the human race upon the sure foundation stones of justice, truth, equality and right,

22And they who would destroy the holy temple where the Spirit dwells and bring their fellows down to beggary and crime.

23The holy brotherhood of right must stand united in the stirring conflicts of the hour.

24No matter whether they be Jews, Samaritans, Assyrians or Greeks, they must tramp down beneath their feet all strife, all discord, jealousy and hate, and demonstrate the brotherhood of man.

25Then to the ruler of the synagogue he spoke: he said, United in the cause of right we stand; divided we will fall.

26And then he took the ruler by the hand; a love light filled their souls; and all the people were amazed.

The Christines resume their journey. They tarry a while in the city of Samaria. Jesus speaks in the synagogue. Heals a woman by mental power. He disappears, but later joins his disciples as they journey toward Nazareth.

TheChristines turned their faces toward the land of Galilee; but when they reached the city of Samaria, the multitudes pressed hard about them, begging them to tarry in their city for a while.

2And then they went up to the synagogue, and Jesus opened up the book of Moses, and he read:

3In thee and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blest.

4And then he closed the book and said, These words were spoken by the Lord of hosts unto our father Abraham, and Israel has been blessedness to all the world.

5We are his seed; but not a tithe of the great work that we were called to do has yet been done.

6The Lord of hosts has setapart the Israelites to teach the unity of God and man; but one can never teach that which he does not demonstrate in life.

7Our God is Spirit, and in him all wisdom, love and strength abide.

8In every man these sacred attributes are budding forth, and in due time they will unfold; the demonstration will completed be, and man will comprehend the fact of unity.

9And you, the ruler of the synagogue, and you, these priests, are honored servants of the Lord of hosts.

10All men are looking unto you for guidance in the ways of life; example is another name for priest; so what you would that people be, that you must be.

11A simple godly life may win ten thousand souls to purity and right.

12And all the people said, Amen.

13Then Jesus left the synagogue, and at the hour of evening prayer he went up to the sacred grove, and all the people turned their faces toward their holy mount and prayed.

14And Jesus prayed.

15And as he sat in silent mood a voice of soul spoke to his soul imploring help.

16And Jesus saw a woman on a couch in sore distress; for she was sick nigh unto death.

17She could not speak, but she had heard that Jesus was a man of God, and in her heart she called on him for help.

18And Jesus helped; he did not speak; but like a flash of light, a mighty virtue from his soul filled full the body of the dying one, and she arose, and joined her kindred while they prayed.

19Her kindred were astonished and they said to her, How were you healed? And she replied,

20I do not know; I simply asked the man of God in thought for healing power, and in a moment I was well.

21The people said, The gods have surely come to earth; for man has not the power to heal by thought.

22But Jesus said, The greatest power in heaven and earth is thought.

23God made the universe by thought; he paints the lily and the rose with thought.

24Why think it strange that I should send a healing thought and change the ethers of disease and death to those of health and life?

25Lo, you shall see far greater things than this, for by the power of holy thought, my body will be changed from carnal flesh to spirit form; and so will yours.

26When Jesus had thus said he disappeared, and no one saw him go.

27His own disciples did not comprehend the change; they knew not where their master went, and they went on their way.

28But as they walked and talked about the strange event, lo, Jesus came and walked with them to Nazareth of Galilee.

John, the harbinger, censures Herod for his wickedness. Herod sends him to prison in Machaerus. Jesus tells why God permitted the imprisonment of John.

HerodAntipas, the tetrarch of Paraca and of Galileewas dissipated, selfish and tyrannical.

2He drove his wife away from home that he might take as wife Herodias, the wife of one, a near of kin, a woman, like himself, immoral and unjust.

3The city of Tiberius, upon the shores of Galilee, was Herod’s home.

4Now John, the harbinger, had left the Salim Springs to teach the people by the sea of Galilee; and he rebuked the wicked ruler and his stolen wife for all their sins.

5Herodias was enraged because the preacher dared accuse her and her husband of their crimes;

6And she prevailed on Herod to arrest the harbinger and cast him in a dungeon in the castle of Machaerus that stood beside the Bitter Sea.

7And Herod did as she required; then she lived in peace in all her sins, for none were bold enough to censure her again.

8The followers of John were warned to speak not of the trial and imprisonment of John.

9By order of the court, they were restrained from teaching in the public halls.

10They could not talk about this better life that Herod called, the Heresy of John.

11When it was known that John had been imprisoned by the tetrarch court, the friends of Jesus thought it best that he should not remain in Galilee.

12But Jesus said, I have no need of fear; my time has not yet come; no man can stay me till my work is done.

13And when they asked why God permitted Herod to imprison John, he said,

14Behold yon stalk of wheat! When it has brought the grain to perfectness, it is of no more worth; it falls, becoming part of earth again from which it came.

15John is a stalk of golden wheat; he brought unto maturity the richest grain of all the earth; his work is done.

16If he had said another word it might have marred the symmetry of what is now a noble life.

17And when my work is done the rulers will do unto me what they have done to John, and more.

18All these events are part of God’s own plan. The innocent will suffer while the wicked are in power; but woe to them who cause the suffering of the innocents.

The Christines are in Nazareth. Jesus speaks in the synagogue. He offends the people and they attempt to kill him. He mysteriously disappears, and returns to the synagogue.

TheChristines were in Nazareth. It was the Sabbath day, and Jesus went up to the synagogue.

2The keeper of the books gave one to Jesus and he opened it and read:

3The Spirit of the Lord has overshadowed me; he has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; to set the captives free; to open sightless eyes;

4To bring relief to those oppressed and bruised, and to proclaim, The year of jubilee has come.

5When he had read these words he closed the book and said, This scripture is fulfilled before your eyes this day. The year of jubilee has come; the time when Israel shall bless the world.

6And then he told them manythings about the kingdom of the Holy One; about the hidden way of life; about forgiveness of sins.

7Now, many people knew not who the speaker was: And others said, Is not this Joseph’s son? Does not his mother live on Marmion Way?

8And one spoke out and said, This is the man who did such mighty works in Cana, in Capernaum and in Jerusalem.

9And then the people said, Physician heal yourself. Do here among your kindred all the mighty works that you have done in other towns.

10And Jesus said, No prophet is received with honor by the people of his native land; and prophets are not sent to every one.

11Elijah was a man of God; he had the power and he closed the gates of heaven, and it did not rain for forty months; and when he spoke the Word, the rain came on, the earth brought forth again.

12And there were many widows in the land; but this Elijah went to none but Zarephath, and she was blessed.

13And when Elisha lived, lo, many lepers were in Israel, but none were cleansed save one—the Syrian who had faith.

14You have no faith; you seek for signs to satisfy your curious whims; but you shall see not till you open up your eyes of faith.

15And then the people were enraged; they rushed upon him, bound him down with cords, and took him to a precipice not far away, intent to cast him down to death;

16But when they thought they held him fast, he disappeared; unseen he passed among the angry men, and went his way.

17The people were confounded and they said, What manner of a man is this?

18And when they came again to Nazareth, they found him teaching in the synagogue.

19They troubled him no more for they were sore afraid.

The Christines go to Cana. Jesus heals a nobleman’s child. The Christines go to Capernaum. Jesus provides a spacious home for his mother. He announces his intention to choose twelve apostles.

InNazareth Jesus taught no more; he went with his disciples up to Cana, where, at a marriage feast, he once turned water into wine.

2And here he met a man of noble birth whose home was in Capernaum, whose son was sick.

3The man had faith in Jesus’ power to heal, and when he learned that he had come to Galilee he went in haste to meet him on the way.

4The man met Jesus at the seventh hour, and he entreated him to hasten to Capernaum to save his son.

5But Jesus did not go; he stood aside in silence for a time, and then he said, Your faith has proved a healing balm; your son is well.

6The man believed and went his way toward Capernaum and as he went he met a servant from his home who said,

7My lord, You need not haste; your son is well.

8The father asked, When did my son begin to mend?

9The servant said, On yesterday about the seventh hour the fever left.

10And then the father knew itwas the healing balm that Jesus sent that saved his son.

11In Cana Jesus tarried not; he went his way with his disciples to Capernaum, where he secured a spacious house where, with his mother, he could live; where his disciples might repair to hear the Word.

12He called the men who had confessed their faith in him to meet him in his home, which his disciples called, The school of Christ; and when they came he said to them,

13This gospel of the Christ must be proclaimed in all the world.

14This Christine vine will be a mighty vine whose branches will comprise the peoples, tribes and tongues of all the earth.

15I am the vine; twelve men shall be the branches of the stock, and these shall send forth branches everywhere;

16And from among the people who have followed me, the Holy Breath will call the twelve.

17Go now and do your work as you have done your work; but listen for the call.

18Then the disciples went unto their daily tasks, to do their work as they had done, and Jesus went alone into the Hammoth hills to pray.

19Three days and nights he spent communing with the Silent Brotherhood; then, in the power of Holy Breath he came to call the twelve.

Jesus walks by the sea. Stands in a fishing boat and speaks to the people. Under his direction the fishermen secure a great catch of fish. He selects and calls his twelve apostles.

Besidethe sea of Galilee the Christine master walked, and multitudes of people followed him.

2The fishing boats had just come in, and Peter and his brother waited in their boats; their helpers were ashore repairing broken nets.

3And Jesus went into a boat and Peter pushed it out a little ways from shore; and Jesus standing in the boat spoke to the multitude. He said,

4Isaiah, prophet of the Lord of hosts, looked forward and he saw this day; he saw the people standing by the sea, and he exclaimed,

5The land of Zebulon and Napthali, land beyond the Jordan and toward the sea, the Gentile Galilee,

6The people were in darkness, knowing not the way; but, lo, they saw the Day Star rise; a light streamed forth; they saw the way of life; they walked therein.

7And you are blest beyond all people of the earth today, because you first may see the light, and may become the children of the light.

8Then Jesus said to Peter, Bring your nets aboard, and put out in the deep,

9And Peter did as Jesus bade him do; but in a faithless way he said, This is a useless trip; there are no fish upon this shore of Galilee today; with Andrew I have toiled all night, and taken naught.

10But Jesus saw beneath the surface of the sea; he saw a multitude of fish. He said to Peter,

11Cast out your net upon the right side of the boat.

12And Peter did as Jesus said, and, lo, the net was filled; it scarce was strong enough to hold the multitude of fish.

13And Peter called to John and James, who were near by, for help; and when the net was hauled toboat, both boats were well nigh filled with fish.

14When Peter saw the heavy catch, he was ashamed of what he said; ashamed because he had no faith, and he fell down at Jesus’ feet and said, Lord, I believe!

15And Jesus said, Behold the catch! from henceforth you shall fish no more for fish;

16You shall cast forth the Christine net into the sea of human life, upon the right side of the boat; you shall ensnare the multitudes to holiness and blessedness and peace.

17Now, when they reached the shore the Christine master called to Peter, Andrew, James and John and said,

18You fishermen of Galilee, the masters have a mighty work for us to do; I go, and you may follow me. And they left all and followed him.

19And Jesus walked along the shore, and seeing Philip and Nathaniel walking on the beach he said to them,

20You teachers of Bethsaida, who long have taught the people Greek philosophy, the masters have a higher work for you and me to do; I go and you may follow me; and then they followed him.

21A little farther on there stood a Roman tribute house, and Jesus saw the officer in charge; his name was Matthew, who once abode in Jericho;

22The youth who once ran on before the Lord into Jerusalem and said, Behold the Christines come.

23And Matthew was a man of wealth, and learned in wisdom of the Jews, the Syrians and the Greeks.

24And Jesus said to him, Hail, Matthew, trusted servant of the Cæsars, hail! the masters call us to the tribute house of souls; I go and you may follow me. And Matthew followed him.

25Ischariot and his son, whose name was Judas, were employed by Matthew and were at the tribute house.

26And Jesus said to Judas, Stay your work; the masters call us to a duty in the savings bank of souls; I go and you may follow me. And Judas followed him.

27And Jesus met a lawyer who had heard about the Christine master and had come from Antioch to study in the school of Christ.

28This man was Thomas, man of doubt, and yet a Greek philosopher of culture and of power.

29But Jesus saw in him the lines of faith, and said to him, The masters have a need of men who can interpret law; I go, and you may follow me. And Thomas followed him.

30And when the evening came and Jesus was at home, behold, there came his kindred, James and Jude, the sons of Alpheus and Miriam.

31And these were men of faith, and they were carpenters of Nazareth.

32And Jesus said to them, Behold, for you have toiled with me, and with my father Joseph, building houses for the homes of men. The masters call us now to aid in building homes for souls; homes built without the sound of hammer, ax, or saw;

33I go, and you may follow me. And James and Jude exclaimed, Lord, we will follow you.

34And on the morrow Jesus sent a message unto Simon, leader of the Zelotes, a strict exponent of the Jewish law.

35And in the message Jesus said, The masters call for men todemonstrate the faith of Abraham; I go, and you may follow me. And Simon followed him.

The twelve apostles are at Jesus’ home and are consecrated to their work. Jesus instructs them. He goes to the synagogue on the Sabbath and teaches. He casts an unclean spirit out of one obsessed. He heals Peter’s mother-in-law.

Now,on the day before the Sabbath day, the twelve disciples who had received the call were met with one accord in Jesus’ home.

2And Jesus said to them, This is the day to consecrate yourselves unto the work of God; so let us pray.

3Turn from the outer to the inner self; close all the doors of carnal self and wait.

4The Holy Breath will fill this place, and you will be baptized in Holy Breath.

5And then they prayed; a light more brilliant than the noonday sun filled all the room, and tongues of flame from every head rose high in air.

6The atmosphere of Galilee was set astir; a sound like distant thunder rolled above Capernaum, and men heard songs, as though ten thousand angels joined in full accord.

7And then the twelve disciples heard a voice, a still, small voice, and just one word was said, a word they dared not speak; it was the sacred name of God.

8And Jesus said to them, By this omnific Word you may control the elements, and all the powers of air.

9And when within your souls you speak this Word, you have the keys of life and death; of things that are; of things that were; of things that are to be.

10Behold you are the twelve great branches of the Christine vine; the twelve foundation stones; the twelve apostles of the Christ.

11As lambs I send you forth among wild beasts; but the omnific Word will be your buckler and your shield.

12And then again the air was filled with song, and every living creature seemed to say, Praise God! Amen!

13The next day was the Sabbath day; and Jesus went with his disciples to the synagogue, and there he taught.

14The people said, He teaches not as do the scribes and Pharisees; but as a man who knows, and has authority to speak.

15As Jesus spoke, a man obsessed came in; the evil spirits that obsessed the man were of the baser sort; they often threw their victim to the ground, or in the fire.

16And when the spirits saw the Christine master in the synagogue they knew him, and they said,

17You son of God, why are you here? would you destroy us by the Word before our time? we would have naught to do with you; let us alone.

18But Jesus said to them, By the omnific Word I speak; Come out; torment this man no more; go to your place.

19And then the unclean spirits threw the man upon the floor, and, with a fiendish cry, they went away.

20And Jesus lifted up the man and said to him, If you will keep your mind full occupied with good,the evil spirits cannot find a place to stay;

21They only come to empty heads and hearts. Go on your way and sin no more.

22The people were astonished at the words that Jesus spoke, the work he did. They asked among themselves,

23Who is this man? From whence comes all this power that even unclean spirits fear, and flee away?

24The Christine master left the synagogue; with Peter, Andrew, James and John, he went to Peter’s house where one, a near of kin, was sick.

25And Peter’s wife came in; it was her mother who was sick.

26And Jesus touched the woman as she lay upon her couch; he spoke the Word; the fever ceased and she arose and ministered to them.

27The neighbors heard what had occurred, and then they brought their sick, and those obsessed, and Jesus laid his hands on them, and they were healed.

Jesus goes alone to a mountain to pray. His disciples find him. He calls the twelve and they journey through Galilee teaching and healing. At Tiberius Jesus heals a leper. The Christines return to Capernaum. In his own home Jesus heals a palsied man and makes known the philosophy of healing and the forgiveness of sins.

TheChristine master disappeared; no one saw him go, and Peter, James and John set forth to search for him; they found him at his trysting-place out on the Hammoth hills.

2And Peter said, The city of Capernaum is wild; the people crowd the streets and every public place is filled.

3The men, the women and the children everywhere are asking for the man who heals by will.

4Your home and our homes are filled with people who are sick; they call for Jesus who is called the Christ. What will we say to them?

5And Jesus said, A score of other cities call, and we must take the bread of life to them. Go call the other men and let us go.

6And Jesus and the twelve went to Bethsaida where Philip and Nathaniel dwelt; and there they taught.

7The multitudes believed on Christ, confessed their sins and were baptized, and came into the kingdom of the Holy One.

8The Christine master and the twelve went everywhere through all the towns of Galilee, and taught, baptizing all who came in faith, and who confessed their sins.

9They opened blinded eyes, unstopped deaf ears, drove forth the evil ones from those obsessed, and healed disease of every kind.

10And they were in Tiberius by the sea, and as they taught a leper came a-near and said, Lord, I believe, and if you will but speak the Word I will be clean.

11And Jesus said to him, I will; be clean. And soon the leprosy was gone; the man was clean.

12And Jesus charged the man, Say naught to any one, but go and show yourself unto the priests and offer for your cleansing what the law demands.

13The man was wild with joy; but then he went not to the priests, but in the marts of trade, and everywhere he told what had been done.

14And then the sick in throngs pressed hard upon the healer and the twelve, imploring to be healed.

15And they were so importunate that little could be done, and so the Christines left the crowded thoroughfares, and went to desert places where they taught the multitudes that followed them.

16Now, after many days the Christines came back to Capernaum. When it was noised around that Jesus was at home, the people came; they filled the house till there was no more room, not even at the door.

17And there were present scribes and Pharisees and doctors of the law from every part of Galilee, and from Jerusalem, and Jesus opened up for them the way of life.

18Four men brought one, a palsied man upon a cot, and when they could not pass the door they took the sick man to the roof, and opened up a way, then let him down before the healer’s face.

19When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the palsied man, My son, be of good cheer; your sins are all forgiven.

20And when the scribes and Pharisees heard what he said, they said, Why does this man speak thus? who can forgive the sins of men but God?

21And Jesus caught their thought; he knew they questioned thus among themselves; he said to them,

22Why reason thus among yourselves? What matters it if I should say, Your sins are blotted out; or say, Arise, take up your bed and walk?

23But just to prove that men may here forgive the sins of men, I say, (and then he spoke unto the palsied man),

24Arise, take up your bed, and go your way.

25And in the presence of them all the man arose, took up his bed, and went his way.

26The people could not comprehend the things they heard and saw. They said among themselves, This is a day we never can forget; we have seen wondrous things today.

27And when the multitudes had gone the twelve remained, and Jesus said to them,

28The Jewish festival draws near; next week we will go to Jerusalem, that we may meet our brethren from afar, and open up to them the way that they may see the king.

29The Christines sought the quiet of their homes, where they remained in prayer for certain days.

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