d, and of
that later meal among the rocky hills of Decapolis, when four thousand
and more were fed, and that they did not need to be concerned about
food for the body so much as to beware of the false teaching of the
Pharisees and of the Sadducees.

They walked still further north, directly toward that beautiful
mountain that lifts its head, white with the glistening snow, high
above the hills that lead up to it, so that it may be seen over the
larger part of Palestine.

They came to Caesarea Philippi, one of the most beautiful places in the
world. It lay in the green lap of Mount Hermon high above the sea, and
shut in by cliffs and forests. The upper springs of the Jordan are
here. They leap out of a great cavern in the side of the mountain--a
river of clear, cold water.

The old Greeks loved the place, and built there a temple to the god of
nature, but after the Romans came it was named for the Emperor and
Philip the Tetrarch. Here there were more Gentiles than Jews, for it
was a gay town in the summer, and people from other towns came to this
city of palaces, temples, baths, theatres, and statues. These people
did not wish to hear the words of Jesus, but the coolness and beauty of
the country around this birthplace of the Jordan made it a fit place to
bring His disciples where they could talk over the things of the
kingdom without being disturbed by the Pharisees. Here He was able to
pray alone, and once, after prayer, He questioned His disciples about
Himself.

"Whom say the people that I am?" He asked. They remembered their talks
with the people and said, "John the Baptist, but some say Elias, and
others say that one of the old prophets is risen again." "But whom say
ye that I am?" He asked. Then Peter, the believing disciple, made his
confession of faith,--

"Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." Jesus was glad to
hear this, for many had come to doubt Him, and many had gone away from
Him since they knew that He would not be an earthly king.

"Blessed art thou Simon, son of Jonas," He said, "for flesh and blood
hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in Heaven."

He saw that Peter's faith in the truth was like his name, which means
"a rock," and so He said,

"Thou art Peter, and on this rock will I build my church, and the gates
of hell shall not prevail against it."

Peter's faith in the truth was also in the hearts of the other
disciples for whom He spoke, and Jesus