ecame
very ill. Martha and Mary longed for Jesus now, and they thought, 'If
Jesus were here, our brother would not die;' and they sent a messenger
to Him to say 'Lord, he whom Thou lovest is sick.' When Jesus heard
that, He stayed on quietly where He was for two days longer. Then He
came to Bethany, and by this time Lazarus had been in the grave for
four days. Presently somebody came to Martha, and said to her quietly,
'Jesus is coming.' When Martha heard that, she got up, and went out to
meet Him. And when she saw Jesus, she said, 'Lord, if Thou hadst been
here, my brother would not have died; but I know that even now whatever
Thou wilt ask of God, God will give it Thee.' Jesus said to her, 'Thy
brother shall rise again.' When Jesus saw how unhappy Mary and Martha
were, He too felt very sad, and said, 'Where have ye laid him?' And
they said, 'Lord, come and see.' And then----Jesus wept. 'See how He
loved Lazarus,' said the Jews; and they wondered that Jesus had let His
friend die.

Now they had come to the grave. It was a hole in the side of a rock,
and there was a heavy stone over it. Jesus said, 'Take ye away the
stone;' and they rolled it away. Then Jesus lifted up His eyes, and
thanked God that He had heard His prayer and given Him back the life of
Lazarus. And then He cried with a loud voice, 'Lazarus, come forth.'
And the man who had been dead came out of the cave alive. When the
Jews saw what was done, some of them believed, but others hurried off
to Jerusalem to make mischief as fast as they could.

After a time Jesus crossed the Jordan and again came into Perea, and
then He came slowly down through Perea to Jerusalem.

[Illustration: The shepherd's care (3rd version).]

CHAPTER X

THE PRODIGAL SON, AND OTHER STORIES.

One day, when the mothers of Perea brought their little ones to Jesus,
the disciples found fault with them for coming, and tried to keep them
away. But when Jesus saw what the disciples were doing He was much
displeased, and said to them--

'SUFFER LITTLE CHILDREN, AND FORBID THEM NOT, TO COME UNTO ME: FOR OF
SUCH IS THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.'

And He took them up in His arms, put His hands upon them, and blessed
them.

Jesus used to tell some very beautiful stories as He went slowly
through the Holy Land. We have not room for all, but I must tell you
two or three, and I will tell you them exactly as Jesus first told them.

'A certain man had two sons: and the you