382 THE NOBLEMAN’S SON.

CCLV.

JHE NoBLEMan's oN,

e JETER two days, Jesus | directly, and he could not bear to
| left Samaria, and went | wait; and he said again very anx-
NAN, to Cana, in Galilee, where iously, “ Sir, come down before my
aj He had made the water} child die!” for he did not think
wine. A person came to | that Jesus had power to heal his
see Him here from Capernaum. This/ son at a distance. But Jesus said
person was a rich man,a nobleman. | again, “Go thy way; thy son
He was in very great trouble. His | liveth.” And the man was enabled
child was ill; a dear little boy, | to believe the word that Jesus had
whom he loved very much. Per- | spoken, and went his way. .
haps the nobleman had called many | Thenext day, before the father was
physicians to see his son, before he | come to Capernaum, he saw some of
went to Jesus. But no physician, no | his servants running to mect him.
medicine, had done the child any | Why did they come? Was the
good. He grew worse and worse; | child worse? Had he died while
and as the father stood by the sick | his father was away? No; the
bed, he thought very soon his poor | little boy was well, and the servants
little boy must die, and be carried | were come to tell the father the
to the tomb; and then his parents | good news. ‘Then the nobleman
and friends would see him no more. | asked when the child began to be
This sad thought made the father | better. The servants said, “ Yester-
weep as he jooked on his sick child. | day, at the seventh hour, the fever
At last the nobleman heard of | left him.” So the father knew that
the wonderful things which Jesus | it was the very time at which Jesus
had done, and he determined to ask | had said unto him, “Thy son liv-
him to come and heal his son. So | eth.” As soon as Jesus had spoken
the father left his house and his | that word, the child was well.
poor sick child, and went to Cana,| The nobleman believed now that
to see Jesus. Did Jesus go to| Jesus had power to do all things;
Capernaum when the nobleman |and that He was the Messiah, the
asked him? No; Jesus wanted to|Son of God, and the Saviour of
try the faith of the father, and to | sinners. And not only the father
teach him. to believe in Him more; believed, but all the family too;

     
  

 

 

so He said to him, “If you do not | the servants, and the children:—
see. signs and wonders, you will not | the little boy who had been so ill,
believe” ‘The nobleman was im-| learnt to believe in Jesus, who had
patient for Jesus to go to his son | pitied him, and made him well.