ner they expressed it, we are not told; but we read that when Jesus heard of this, he left the place where he was, for he knew that it was not his duty to provoke opposition unnecessarily; and in order to avoid every occasion of complaint for the present, he quitted Judea altogether, and returned to his own country of Galilee.

On his way to Galilee he necessarily passed through Samaria, which lies between that province and Judea. At least this was the nearest and most convenient route, though the Jews sometimes took a more circuitous course; as we shall find that our Lord did on another occasion, in order to avoid the enmity of the Samaritans. It was on this journey that occurred one of the most interesting incidents of his ministry. At about the distance of forty miles from Jerusalem, just before reaching the famous mountains of Ebal and Gerizim, is the well which Jacob dug. It is to be seen there even to the present day; for in that country wells of water are so precious, that they are kept with the greatest care generation after generation. At about mid-day, our Saviour reached this well, and sat down to rest himself, while his disciples went forward to Sychar to purchase provisions for their refreshment. This town lay at nearly a mile's distance. It is the same which is called Shechem in the Old Testament.

John iv.

It stands in a beautiful, romantic, and fertile spot between the mountains of Ebal and Gerizim, and is to this day one of the most flourishing towns in Palestine. It was for a long time the capital of Samaria.

While Jesus sat waiting at the well, a woman came from the city to draw water. He immediately entered into conversation with her. This is a circumstance which marks his character. A common Jew would not have done so. A scribe, a priest, or a pharisee, would have esteemed himself dishonored by so doing. Not only was it considered improper to converse with a woman publicly, but the Jews and Samaritans were inveterate enemies. They had no intercourse with each other; and it shows something in Jesus greatly superior to the prejudices of the times and the people, that he so readily conversed, not only with a woman, but with a Samaritan.

The woman herself was astonished at his ad

dressing her. "How is it that thou," she exclaimed, "being a Jew, dost ask drink of me, who am a Samaritan?" She must have been still more astonished at his reply, and the turn which he gave to the conversation. For our Lord, agreeably to his uniform custom of drawing religious instruction from every incident, immediately took occasion to speak of that living water, of which if a man drink, he shall never

thirst again. He awakened her curiosity, he excited her desire to know more, he alluded to some private circumstances in her life, and she saw that he was no common person, but a prophet. She therefore seized the opportunity to ask his judgment respecting that great question which divided the Jews and Samaritans, namely, whether the temple at Jerusalem or the mount of Gerizim was the true place of worship. Jesus replied, that this was no longer a question of any consequence; that a new order of things was about to be introduced; that all merely local worship and all limit ed service was to cease. "Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a spirit: and they that worship him, must worship him in spirit and in truth."

This doctrine was as new to the woman as it was grand and glorious. But she did not appear fully to enter into the meaning of it; it was too great for her to take in at once; and she answered our Lord, by observing, that when the Messiah should come, they undoubtedly should be fully instructed in this matter. Jesus at once, in the simplest manner, discovered himself to her. "I that speak unto thee am he." The woman,

struck with astonishment, answered not a word, but put down her water-pot, and went back to the city to tell what she had seen and heard. "Come, see a man who told me all things that ever I did; is not this the Messiah?" The people were easily excited by such a report, and returned with her to see the wonderful stranger.

Meantime the disciples came back to their Master, whom they had left hungry and weary; but he was too much engaged in the feelings and hopes to which this incident had given rise, to care for the food which they brought. His mind was full of the excitement of a benevolent hope, that here he had done some good, here he might make some converts. He pointed to the crowd of people coming from the city, and bade his followers observe how the fields were already ripe for the harvest, that they only needed to go forth and reap, and they should gather fruit unto life eternal. And when the Samaritans entreated him to abide with them, he gladly accepted the invitation, and remained there two days. The consequence was, that many believed on him. They heard him speak, and were convinced, as their country-woman had been at the well. And they said to her, "Now we believe, not because of thy saying, for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world."

Having spent two days at Sychar, he proceeded on his journey into Galilee. Here he was received by the people with great respect, for they had known the things which he did in Jerusalem at the feast. Of the events which occurred during his visit, nothing is related, excepting the cure of a nobleman's son at Capernaum, which was the second miracle performed in Galilee. It was while our Lord was at Cana, that this nobleman, as he is called, (that is, probably, some officer in the employment of the government,) came from Capernaum, a distance of nearly twenty miles, entreating Jesus to heal his son. This seems to show confidence in his power to work miracles; but it appears from our Lord's reply, that it was mingled with a good deal of doubt and distrust; for, said he, "except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe." But when the anxious father urgently repeated his request, and thus evinced a strong faith, Jesus granted more than he asked. He assured him of the immediate safety of his son, without departing from the spot. "Go thy way," said he; "thy son liveth." And the father found it so on his return.

Our Lord's residence in Galilee at this time must have been short; for on the occurrence of the feast of Pentecost, fifty days after that of the Passover, he again went up to Jerusalem.