EASTERN MODE OF PLOUGHING.

behind" is beautifully appropriate, from the necessity which the plougher is under of keeping his attention fixed upon the furrows and not allowing them to deviate; and this was the more necessary in Eastern countries, on account of the extreme shallowness of the furrow, where the plough does little more than scratch the surface of the soil, and would be therefore the more easily turned aside.

CHAPTER XVI.

CHRIST IN THE STORM-HE STILLETH THE TEMPEST-ROCK SEPULCHRES OF THE EASTCURE OF THE DEMONIAC AT GADARA-MATTHEW'S FEAST-OBJECTIONS OF THE PHARISEES ANSWERED-THE PRAYER OF JAIRUS-CURE OF AN AFFLICTED WOMAN-THE RAISING OF JAIRUS' DAUGHTER-TWO BLIND MEN RECEIVE THEIR SIGHT-JESUS RETURNS TO NAZARETH -SENDS FORTH HIS APOSTLES TO PREACH AND WORK MIRACLES.

ESUS then entered the vessel which was to bear him to the other side of the lake. While they were on the passage they encountered one of those sudden and furious storms which often arise in lakes surrounded by mountains. The waves broke over the frail bark, and the danger was very great. And where was Jesus? He

was quietly asleep in the hinder part of the vessel, and slept on undisturbed by the noise and uproar of the tempest. At length the disciples, who, although familiar with the lake, were alarmed at this danger, went and awoke him, with the words, Master, carest thou not that we perish?" Christ immediately arose, and rebuked the wind, and said to the raging sea, "Peace, be still"-and in an instant the storm went down. It did not merely abate, but ceased altogether, for "immediately there was a great calm," not only a calm, but a great calm. In one instant the storm was raging at the highest pitch, in the next scarcely a ripple was upon its surface. Jesus then turned to the disciples and said: "Why are ye so fearful? How is it that ye have no faith?" thus gently rebuking them for not having expected to be saved by him asleep as well as awake. Then were they filled with

THE GADARENES.

astonishment, and said one to another, "What manner of man is this, that even the wind and sea obey him?" They had seen him heal the sick, which was no more than physicians professed to do; but now they see the winds and the sea submissive to him, and in this they recognise a superhuman power. Their words teach us that they now began to perceive in Jesus something more than human greatness; for the sovereignty over the seas and winds is an attribute of God, Psalm lxv. 7.

Jesus then passed to the other side of the lake, and came into the country of the Gadarenes, of which Gadara was the chief town, and also the capital of Peræa. This country was inhabited by a mixed population of Jews, proselytes, and Syrians, who were looked down upon by the less mixed Jews of Judea, who placed them much on the same level with the Galileans, and deemed them but one degree better than Samaritans.

Near the place where our Lord came to shore, there were many tombs, which were either excavations in the living rock or such roomy constructions as we still find in the East. These then, as