The privilege of claiming an ancient and notable ancestry, of enjoying a historic well where the water was cool and never failing, or of owning a parcel of ground which had been in the family for two thousand years—all these, and things like them, were peculiarly prized by the Jews, and were considered, to a large degree, the rewards of religion. Undoubtedly, in the infancy of the race, and before Christ's coming developed in the minds of men higher and more spiritual thoughts, the relations of religion to the advantages of this life were emphasized and taught as they have not been since Christ came. It is important, doubtless, that we remember, as the apostle reminds us, "that godliness is profitable for the life which now is," but what are the sanctions of a time-bounded earth to those that spread over the infinite spaces of eternity? This Samaritan woman was absorbed in the meager conditions of her narrow life amid the hills of Shechem. her out into a new realm of thought. There was a life beyond these earthly conditions, an eternal life which continued after the body had moldered back to its original elements and which will continue forever. The Samaritan woman heard with awe, but could not comprehend the great truth.

But Christ led

There is another contrast brought out here; it is that between the physical and the spiritual. The Samaritan woman was taken up with things that appealed to the senses. Christ gently led her thought to the soul itself, to its needs and its life. There is something better than food and drink, than fine cattle and large fields, than a noble pedigree-it is the life of the soul within; it is the spiritual world that surrounds the physical, interpenetrates it, is not of it, survives it and in importance far transcends it. This unseen, spiritual, but profoundly real and only permanent world is all about us and with it we have to do continually.

It will be noticed here that Christ's great aim in conversing with this poor, abandoned woman of Sychar was to awaken in her mind a desire for something better. If only she would see her lack and long for something higher there was hope for her future. In spite of her low moral condition, she was quick of intellect and responded to Christ's teaching. She saw her need. She sought others, she proved to them by her experience Christ's worth, and she crowned her efforts by bringing them to him.

Addison P. Foster.

THE NOBLEMAN'S SON HEALED

JOHN 4: 43-54

"So the father knew that it was at the same hour, in the which Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth: and himself believed, and his whole house."

The word here translated "nobleman" is given more literally in the margin as "king's officer." The king referred to is Herod Antipas, who was a Jew in his religion. This officer, therefore, was probably a Jew, and not a Gentile, and therefore is not to be confounded with the centurion mentioned in Matt. 8: 5 and Luke 7:2, whose servant was he led by Jesus.

It is not necessary to suppose that the motives which led the nobleman to seek the aid of Jesus were at first very clearly defined. In his extremity he was doubtless ready to do almost anything. It was not uncommon for the devout Jews to seek the aid of eminent rabbis in prayer for their sick. But Jesus was now before the minds of the community in no ordinary manner. His Messianic character had already been witnessed to by John the Baptist before the multitudes who thronged to hear his preaching. The first miracle of Jesus in turning the water into wine at Cana of Galilee was calculated to create a great impression throughout that region. Subsequently he had visited Jerusalem at the time of the Passover, and in a most public manner had driven out the money-changers who were defiling the courts of the temple. His return to Cana of Galilee, after a period of probably three or four months, was

doubtless heralded far and wide, making it a very natural thing for this king's officer at Capernaum to send thither for help when there was nothing else that he could do.

Cana was about twenty-five miles from Capernaum. The seventh hour, spoken of as the time of the nobleman's interview with Jesus, was probably reckoned according to the Roman method, instead of the Jewish, and was therefore seven o'clock in the evening, which would be about the time that one could naturally complete the journey, if he started in the morning. Evidently after the assurance given to him of the recovery of his son he had spent the night at Cana, and was returning the next day when his servants met him. It is important to fix these determinations of time and distance in order to comprehend the true greatness of the miracle.

For in this case the distance was so great that there can be no plea set up that the healing was accomplished by any hypnotic influence, which would require the presence of Jesus at the bedside of the patient. Nor can it be accounted for on the ground of the mental effect of expectancy upon the mind of the sick child. And, while it might be possible to suppose that the turn of the disease took place at that particular time through the development of natural causes, it could not be supposed that Jesus would be able to speak to the father so confidently upon the subject as he did, except he had supernatural knowledge of the progress of distant events. There is, therefore, no way of minimizing this miracle except by totally discrediting the account. The miracle is in such strict analogy with the whole life and work of Christ that it presents no special obstacle to the belief of a Christian.

The development of faith in the nobleman and the means by which it was brought about are, however, worthy of close attention. As in the case of the Syrophoenician woman, so in this, Jesus did not grant the request at once,

but put the faith of the suppliant to the test by searching inquiry concerning its reality and genuineness, charging him with a share in the general incredulity that was manifested by the Jews concerning the nature and mission of Jesus. "Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe." The sequel shows, however, that this was not at all the attitude of the nobleman's mind. He had not come to Jesus for a sign to establish his faith, but, with a faith already established, he had come to him for the help which Christ gives as the reward of faith.

It is evident enough that Jesus did not depend upon miracles alone, or indeed chiefly, for the revelation of his true character and prerogatives. When John the Baptist sent his disciples to Jesus to ask if he were indeed the Christ, the answer enumerates, as evidence, various classes of miracles which had been performed, but closes, as the crowning evidence, with the statement that "to the poor the gospel is preached." Again, when the Jews sought from him a sign he declined to grant it lest they should come to regard him as a mere miracle-worker. The impression of Christ's personal presence was overawing. The people recognized him as preaching with authority. He spake as never man spake. The guilty merchants who were profaning the temple fled before him as before an army with banners. Before the resurrection of Jesus, the centurion who beheld the crucifixion exclaimed, "Truly this was the son of God." The dying thief recognized his divine power while yet both were hanging upon the cross. In all these, and in many other instances, faith was aroused not by the miracles, but by the mere impression of Christ's personal presence. Even the soldiers, sent to arrest him, fell back in dismay.

Miracles are a concession to the needs of a race whose spiritual powers are blunted by sin and weakened by disuse. Thomas demanded stronger evidence than that which