nned against heaven and before thee, and am no more worthy to be
called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.'"

The father must have been watching for his lost boy, for while he was
yet a great way off he saw him, and ran to meet him. He put his arms
around him and kissed him without once speaking of his sins, and he
called his servants to bring the best robe and put it on him, and a
ring for his hand, and shoes for his feet, and then to kill the fatted
calf to make a feast for all,

"For," he said "this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost,
and is found."

The elder son had been away in the field but when he came home heard
music and dancing, and called to a servant to ask what these things
meant. When he had heard he was very angry, and would not go in. His
father came out to beg him to come in and greet his brother, but he
said,

"Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any
time thy commandment, and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might
make merry with my friends." But the father said,

"Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine. It was meet
that we should make merry and be glad, for this thy brother was dead,
and is alive again, and was lost and is found."

[Illustration: The return of the prodigal]

There are other stories told by Jesus while in Peraea, which you will
find in the gospel by Luke, the beloved physician. One is about the
"Unjust Steward," and another is the story of the "Unjust Judge."
Still another is called "Dives and Lazarus," or the "Rich man and the
Beggar."

The parable of "The Pharisee and the Publican," describes two men who
went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a
publican.

[Illustration: The Pharisee and the publican]

The Pharisee prayed with _himself_, thus, "God, I thank thee that I am
not as other men are, or even as this publican. I fast twice a week.
I give tithes of all I possess."

And the publican, standing afar off, dared not even lift his eyes to
heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, "God be merciful to me a
sinner!"

"This man," said Jesus, "went down to his house justified rather than
the other; for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased, and he
that humbleth himself shall be exalted."

CHAPTER XXXI.

THE VOICE THAT WAKED THE DEAD--THE CHILDREN OF THE KINGDOM.

While Jesus and His disciples were still east of the Jordan trouble
fell upo