ia, to every one he had cured, every one whose cry for
help he had heard: his epiphany was a gradual thing, beginning, where it
continues, with the individual. It is impossible even to guess at what
number may have heard him on this occasion: he seems to have gone up the
mount because of the crowd--to secure a somewhat opener position whence
he could better speak; and thither followed him those who desired to be
taught of him, accompanied doubtless by not a few in whom curiosity was
the chief motive. Disciple or gazer, he addressed the individuality of
every one that had ears to hear. Peter and Andrew, James and John, are
all we know as his recognized disciples, followers, and companions, at
the time; but, while his words were addressed to such as had come to
him desiring to learn of him, the things he uttered were eternal truths,
life in which was essential for every one of his father's children,
therefore they were for all: he who heard to obey, was his disciple.

How different, at the first sound of it, must the good news have been
from the news anxiously expected by those who waited for the Messiah!
Even the Baptist in prison lay listening after something of quite
another sort. The Lord had to send him a message, by eye-witnesses of
his doings, to remind him that God's thoughts are not as our thoughts,
or his ways as our ways--that the design of God is other and better than
the expectation of men. His summary of the gifts he was giving to men,
culminated with the preaching of the good news to the poor. If John had
known these his doings before, he had not recognized them as belonging
to the Lord's special mission: the Lord tells him it is not enough to
have accepted him as the Messiah; he must recognize his doings as the
work he had come into the world to do, and as in their nature so divine
as to be the very business of the Son of God in whom the Father was well
pleased.

Wherein then consisted the goodness of the news which he opened his
mouth to give them? What was in the news to make the poor glad? Why was
his arrival with such words in his heart and mouth, the coming of the
kingdom?

All good news from heaven, is of _truth_--essential truth, involving
duty, and giving and promising help to the performance of it. There can
be no good news for us men, except of uplifting love, and no one can be
lifted up who will not rise. If God himself sought to raise his little
ones without their consenting effort, they woul