How the little waves danced on the waters!
How pretty the hills were on either side!
Some of the boats belonged to the friends of Jesus.
Sometimes these friends took Jesus in their boats.
One day he was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret.
The people were crowding about him.
He could not talk because they crowded so.
He had the boat pushed out a little way from sh.o.r.e.
Then he sat down and taught the people.
The people all sat on the sh.o.r.e and listened.
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[Ill.u.s.tration]
TIBERIAS, ON THE COAST OF THE SEA OF GALILEE
Used by special permission of the Detroit Photograph Company.
On this beautiful lake Jesus very often sailed with his fishermen disciples.
At that time there were many towns and cities on its sh.o.r.es, but now, except for a few small hamlets, the once populous sh.o.r.es are desolate. But the lake is still as beautiful, its blue waters sparkle in the sun, and the stars looking down from the brilliant eastern sky are reflected in its bosom as when Jesus "walked in Galilee".
[End ill.u.s.tration]
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THE BOYHOOD OF JESUS
When Jesus was a boy, he lived at Nazareth.
Nazareth was a village among the hills.
It was itself on a hill.
All about it were green fields.
In the spring, the fields were filled with pretty flowers.
Jesus" father was a carpenter.
He made doors and chairs and tables.
Jesus helped about the shop.
He was a good boy and loved to help his father.
He helped his mother to draw water from the well.
He went to school and learned to read and write.
He went to church on the Sabbath.
The church to which he went was called a synagogue.
Do you suppose Jesus played with other boys and girls?
He played with them in the village streets.
He was always kind to them.
He never teased them or did things that were mean.
There is still a village of Nazareth.
The hills and the fields about it are the same as then.
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JESUS AND SICK PEOPLE
Jesus was very sorry for people who were sick.
How pale and thin some of them looked!
How some of them suffered!
Jesus loved to heal them.
He was glad to see them get well again.
How happy they and their friends were when they were made well!
How glad the little children were to see their fathers and mothers come home again, well!
As soon as people knew that Jesus could heal the sick, they brought all their friends who were sick to Jesus.
Sometimes they brought sick children.
How glad Jesus was to make the children well!
"And at even when the sun did set, they brought unto him all that were sick . . . And all the city was gathered together at the door.