stantly moved with tender
pity as he heard the agonizing words of the father and saw the distress of
the son. However, he was even more moved by the unbelief and sin and
anguish and godlessness of the world which he had come to save, and of
which this scene was but a symbol and a picture. "O faithless and perverse
generation," he cried, "how long shall I be with you, and bear with you?"
Can it not be said reverently that the contrasted experiences of the
mountain and the plain made Jesus for the moment homesick for heaven? Yet
Jesus neither hesitated nor delayed in the path of duty or in the presence
of human need. He "rebuked the unclean spirit, and healed the boy, and
gave him back to his father."

While all were wondering and astonished at his divine power and marvelous
works, he turned to his disciples to impress upon them the dark secret
which was resting on his soul. He told them that the time was near when he
was to be given up to suffer and to die; "But they understood not this
saying." Here was a Man whose sympathy was tender toward all; but who
sympathized with him? How often some one of his followers has borne a
burden of hidden sorrow, even in the company of friends and when
surrounded by admiring throngs!

6. Jesus Rebuking Pride and Bigotry. Ch. 9:46-50

46 And there arose a reasoning among them, which of them was the
greatest. 47 But when Jesus saw the reasoning of their heart, he
took a little child, and set him by his side, 48 and said unto
them, Whosoever shall receive this little child in my name
receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me receiveth him that
sent me: for he that is least among you all, the same is great.

49 And John answered and said, Master, we saw one casting out
demons in thy name; and we forbade him, because he followeth not
with us. 50 But Jesus said unto him, Forbid _him_ not: for he that
is not against you is for you.

This was no new dispute in which the followers of Jesus were engaged. The
question was as to which of them should be the greatest in his Kingdom.
There was something admirable in the discussion, for it revealed their
faith. To them the Master was yet to be King of kings and Lord of lords,
and they desired to have places nearest to his throne. Our conception of
his Kingdom may be more correct, but if its glories were as real to us as
they were to them, if we had faith enough to see this Kingdom in its real
i