ver penitents than over righteous men."

"There is rejoicing over penitents when they are humble. But do you
know over whom there is greater rejoicing in heaven?"

By this time a crowd had formed round Him. Women had come up leading
little children by the hand and carrying smaller ones in their arms in
order to show them the marvellous man. Some of the boys got through
between the people's legs to the front in order to see Him and kiss the
hem of His garment. The people tried to keep them back so that they
should not trouble the Master, but He stood under the fig-tree and
exclaimed in a loud voice. "Suffer the little ones to come unto Me!"
Then round-faced, curly-headed, bright-eyed children ran forward, their
skirts flying, and crowded about Him, some merry, others shy and
embarrassed. He sat down on the grass, drew the children to His side,
and took the smallest in His lap. They looked up in His kind face with
wide-opened eyes. He played with them, and they smiled tenderly or
laughed merrily. And they played with His curls, and flung their arms
round His neck. They were so trustful and happy, these little
creatures hovering so brightly round the Prophet, that the crowd stood
in silent joy. But Jesus was so filled with blessed gladness that He
exclaimed loudly: "This is the Kingdom of Heaven!"

The words swept over the crowd like the scent of the hawthorn. But
some were afraid when the Master added: "See how innocent and glad they
are. I tell you that he who is not like a little child he shall not
enter the Kingdom of Heaven! And woe to him who deceives one of these
children! it were better he tied a millstone round his neck and were
drowned in the sea! But whosoever accepts a child for My sake accepts
Me!"

Then the disciples thought they understood over whom there was joy in
heaven, and they disputed no longer over their own merits.

CHAPTER XX

Galilee was rich in poor men and poor in rich men. And it might have
been thought that Jesus, the friend of the poor, was the right man in
the right place there. And yet His teaching took no hold in that land.
A few rich men among a multitude of poor have all the more power
because they are few, and they used all their influence with the people
to dethrone the Prophet from His height, and to undermine His career.
These illustrious men found their best tools in the Rabbis, who
circulated the sophism that the people who followed the teaching of
thi