kingdom of heaven."

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[Illustration]
LOADING CAMELS AT JERUSALEM

From a photograph taken by Prof. D. G. Lyon, and used by his kind
permission.

In the East much of the commerce is still carried on by means of
caravans of camels; sometimes there are several thousand camels in
one of these great caravans conveying all kinds of merchandise from
one point to another. The camel will carry a very heavy load, but
it utters piteous cries of complaint when it thinks the load is too
heavy.
[End illustration]

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THE LITTLE CAPTIVE MAID

Leprosy.
A very dreaded disease.

Leper.
One who has leprosy.

Rent his clothes.
To show great sorrow or trouble.

Chariot.
A small wagon with two wheels, used in war.

Flesh shall come again.
In leprosy the flesh dries up, and the person becomes very thin.

In the old times war was very cruel. Houses were burned and men and
women killed, and very often the little children were taken far away
and sold for slaves. Sometimes they never came back to their homes or
friends again.

There had been war between the people in Israel and the people who
lived in a country called Syria, which lay to the north of Israel. In
this war a little girl had been taken away, and sold as a slave. She
was bought by a great general named Naaman, who took her home, and she
waited on Naaman's wife. Naaman and his wife must have been kind to
the little slave girl, for when he was sick she wished that he could
be made well.

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Now Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a great man
with his master, and honorable, because by him the Lord had given
deliverance to Syria: he was also a mighty man of valor, but he was a
leper. And the little maid said to her mistress, "Would God my lord
were with the prophet that is in Samaria! for he would heal him of his
leprosy." And one went in, and told his lord, saying, "Thus and thus
said the maid that is of the land of Israel." And the king of Syria
said, "I will send a letter unto the king of Israel."

And he departed, and took with him a large present of money and fine
clothes.

And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, saying, "Now when
this letter is come unto thee, behold, I have therewith sent Naaman my
servant to thee, that thou mayest heal him of his leprosy."

And it came to pass, when the king of Israel had read the letter, that
he rent his clothes, and sa