JAMES



soil is red with the blood of heroes through all
the centuries of Israel's history.
   From there He came to the synagogue, which
was filled with his old neighbours, who should
have been His friends. But He had already
seen the skeptical looks. and heard the incredu-
lous laugh of those who did not believe in Him.
   lie read the Scripture lesson that day. The
words were thrilling:
"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
Because Hie hath anointed me to preach good tidings
     to the poor:
 He hath sent me to proclaim release to the captives,
 And recovering of sight to the blind,
 To set at liberty them that are bruised,
 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord."

 We of His own household knew that He had
 come to that Sabbath service out of a bitter ex-
 perience of disappointment. He had tried His
 new power and it had failed to function. He
 had laid His hands upon the sick in His own
 town with indifferent results. A few claimed
 to be better, but as for the rest, they acknowl-
 edged no benefit from His ministry. He had
 felt His failure keenly. So far as I knew, this
 was His first failure, and He was distressed
 because of it. He failed just where He wished
 most to succeed. He failed in His own town
 where He knew the people best and loved them
most. He felt the chagrin of it, the reproach
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