Thou dost call us! may we ever To Thy call attentive be; Give our hearts to Thine obedience, Rise, leave all, and follow Thee.
--_Mrs. Cecil Frances Alexander._
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HAIL TO THE LORD"S ANOINTED.
Hail to the Lord"s Anointed, Great David"s greater Son; Hail, in the time appointed, His reign on earth begun!
He comes to break oppression, To set the captive free, To take away transgression, And rule in equity.
He comes with succor speedy To those who suffer wrong; To help the poor and needy, And bid the weak be strong; To give them songs for sighing, Their darkness turn to light, Whose souls, condemned and dying, Were precious in His sight.
For Him shall prayer unceasing And daily vows ascend; His kingdom still increasing, A kingdom without end.
The tide of time shall never His covenant remove; His name shall stand forever; That name to us is Love!
--_James Montgomery_.
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How the Lord Jesus went about doing good, teaching and healing, and how He grew in favor with the people.
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PERSONS OF THE STORY.
_The LORD JESUS_.
_A Roman Captain and his servant_.
_The Disciples of Jesus_.
_Peter"s mother-in-law_.
_A widow of Nain and her son_.
_Jairus, his wife and little daughter_.
_John the Baptist_.
_Herod_.
_Herodias and her daughter_.
_A little lad with loaves and fishes_.
_Mult.i.tudes of people, lepers, palsied, and those having all manner of diseases_.
PLACES OF THE STORY.
_The "Mount of Beat.i.tudes_."
_Capernaum_.
_The region of Galilee_.
_The lake of Gennesaret_.
_Gadara_.
_The city of Nain_.
_The Jordan_.
_The prison in the "Black Fortress" of Machaerus_.
_The banquet hall of Herod_.
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I
THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT
_How the Lord Jesus Taught the People the Way of Right Living_.
And seeing the mult.i.tudes, he went up into the mountain: and when he had sat down, his disciples came unto him: and he opened his mouth and taught them, saying,--
THE BEAt.i.tUDES.
"Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
"Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
"Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
"Blessed are they that hunger and thirst for righteousness: for they shall be filled.
"Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
"Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see G.o.d.
"Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called sons of G.o.d.
"Blessed are they that have been persecuted for righteousness" sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye when men shall reproach you, and persecute you, and say all manner of {106} evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you."
"Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost its savor, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out and trodden under foot of men. Ye are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a lamp, and put it under the bushel, but on the stand; and it shineth unto all that are in the house. Even so let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."
THE NEW WAY OF RIGHT LIVING.
_Be Right in the Heart, and Not in Outward Appearance Only_.
"Think not that I came to destroy the law or the prophets: I came not to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pa.s.s away, one jot or one t.i.ttle shall in no wise pa.s.s away from the law, till all things be accomplished. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say unto you, that except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven."
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[Ill.u.s.tration]
LOOKING NORTHEAST FROM THE MOUNT OF BEAt.i.tUDES TO CAPERNAUM AND THE SEA OF GALILEE.
Copyright by Underwood & Underwood and used by special permission.
"Kurn Hattin," the "Horns of Hattin," a double-peaked hill four miles back from the sea and about eight miles southwest from Capernaum, is the traditional location of the mountain from which Jesus delivered the Sermon on the Mount.
[End ill.u.s.tration]