a great noise. As
soon as anyone dies in the East, people come to the house, and cry and
howl, and play wretched music. They are paid to do that. That was the
noise which Jesus heard, and he asked, 'Why do you make this ado? The
little maid is sleeping.' And those rude people laughed at Jesus, just
as if He did not know what He was talking about. So Jesus turned them
all out.

Then Jesus took three of His disciples--Peter, and James and John--and
Jairus and his wife; and they went together to look at the child.
There she was, lying quite still. Life had flown away from her body.
But Jesus took hold of the girl's hand, and said, 'My little lamb, I
say unto thee, Arise.' And life flew back to her body again, and she
opened her eyes and got up, and walked. And Jesus told her father and
mother to give her something to eat.

When Jesus came out of Jairus' house, two blind men followed Him,
begging Him to make them well. Jesus waited till He had got back to
the house where He was staying and then He touched their eyes, and made
them see.

Just about this time Jesus had some very sad news. Herod Antipas, the
son of wicked King Herod, had shut up John the Baptist in a prison,
called the Black Castle, by the side of the Dead Sea. Part of that
castle was a beautiful palace, with lovely furniture and a coloured
marble floor. One day Herod gave a grand birthday party. Herod had
married a very wicked woman, who was at the party. Her name was
Herodias. Herodias hated John the Baptist, because he had said that
she ought not to be Herod's wife. So she made up her mind to have John
the Baptist killed. Herodias had a daughter called Salome, who danced
beautifully. And on that birthday Herod was so pleased with Salome's
dancing that he said, 'I will give you anything you ask me for.'
Salome went to her mother, and said, 'What shall I ask?' And Herodias
said, 'Ask for the head of John the Baptist.' And Salome came back
quickly and said, 'I want the head of John the Baptist.'

Now, it is wrong to break a promise. But it is not wrong to break a
_wicked_ promise. It is wrong ever to have made it. Herod was sorry,
but he was afraid of what other people in the party would think if he
did not do what he had said. So he sent his soldiers to the prison,
and had John the Baptist's head cut off to give to that dancing-girl.

Jesus had sent His twelve disciples out to preach to people He could
not go and see Himself.