ene.

The woman's testimony was enough to excite curiosity. The men on her
word came out to judge for themselves. What they saw and heard completed
their conviction; "And they said to the woman, Now we believe, not
because of thy speaking: for we have heard for ourselves, and know that
this is indeed the Saviour of the world." This growth of faith is one of
the subjects John delights to exhibit. He is fond of showing how a weak
and ill-founded faith may grow into a faith that is well rooted and
strong.

This Samaritan episode is significant as an integral part of the Gospel,
not only because it shows how readily unsophisticated minds perceive the
inalienable majesty of Christ, but also because it forms so striking a
foil to the reception our Lord had met with in Jerusalem, and was
shortly to meet with in Galilee. In Jerusalem He did many miracles; but
the people were too political and too prejudiced to own Him as a
spiritual Lord. In Galilee He was known, and might have expected to be
understood; but there the people longed only for physical blessings and
the excitement of miracles. Here in Samaria, on the contrary, He did no
miracles, and had no forerunner to herald His approach. He was found a
weary wayfarer, sitting by the roadside, begging for refreshment. Yet,
through this appearance of weakness, and dependence, and lowliness,
there shone His native kindness, and truth, and kingliness, to such a
degree, that the Samaritans, although naturally suspicious of Him as a
Jew, believed in Him, delighted in Him, and proclaimed Him "Saviour of
the world."

After two days of happy intercourse with the Samaritans Jesus continues
His journey to Galilee. The proverbial expression which our Lord used
regarding His relation to Galilee--that a prophet has no honour in his
own country--is one we have frequent opportunity of verifying. The man
that has grown up among us, whom we have seen struggling up through the
ignorance, and weakness, and folly of boyhood, whom we have had to help
and to protect, can scarcely receive the same respect as one who
presents himself a mature man, with already developed faculties, no
longer a learner, but prepared to teach. Montaigne complained that in
his own country he had to purchase publishers, whereas elsewhere
publishers were anxious to purchase him. "The farther off I am read from
my own home," he says, "the better I am esteemed." The men of Anathoth
sought Jeremiah's life when he began to p