the house; each pot would hold two or three firkins. Jesus told the servants to fill them with water, which they did. He then said, "Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast;" and they did as He bade them. When the governor tasted it, he found it was beautiful wine; and he said to the bridegroom, "Thou hast kept the good wine until now."

This was the first miracle our Saviour performed. All the people who saw the water turned into wine were astonished.

This miracle shews the power and bounty of our Saviour.

15. JESUS CASTS THE BUYERS AND SELLERS OUT OF THE TEMPLE.

THE feast of the Passover was kept at

Jerusalem every year. A great number

of people went from all parts to worship God in the temple. Jesus also went to this solemn feast. The buildings of the temple were very grand. Some of the people had no respect for this holy place ; but offered the beasts for sale in the temple which were to be used as sacrifices. When Jesus went into the temple, He saw some selling animals, some doves, and others changing money. He was very much displeased when He saw His Father's temple so wickedly profaned; and being moved by a holy zeal for His Father's glory, He made a whip of small cords and drove them all out of the temple. He overturned the money-tables; turned out the men who sold oxen and doves, and said to them, "It is written, My house shall be called the house of

prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves." They were all afraid of Jesus, and went away without resisting Him. This sacred place was soon cleared of these bad men, who disturbed the worship of the people. We here see what power Jesus had over wicked men: they seemed to feel that He was more than

man.

Some of the Jews were angry with Jesus when they saw what He had done. They began to ask questions: "What sign shewest Thou unto us, seeing that Thou doest these things?" Jesus answered and said, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." The priests did not understand His words. They thought that He meant that He would rebuild the stone temple in three days; and they said in a tone of reproach, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt Thou rear it up in

three days?" The Jews then went away very angry.

When Jesus said He would raise the temple in three days, He meant, that if the Jews killed Him, He would rise again from the grave in three days. How truly did He fulfil these words! We may learn from what Jesus did to the buyers and sellers in the temple, that it is very wicked to trifle in God's house. If we spend our time in church thinking about pleasure or business, Jesus will be angry with us, as He was with these Jews.

16. JESUS AT JACOB'S WELL.

JESUS left Jerusalem, and returned to Nazareth. He was obliged to go through the country of Samaria. When He came near a town called Sychar He was tired; Jesus then sent His disciples into the town to buy some food, whilst He sat

down to rest Himself on a well that was there. This well was one which Jacob had made to water his flocks from. Whilst Jesus was sitting there, a woman came to draw some water; when Jesus saw her, He said to her, "Give me to drink." The woman was surprised to hear a Jew ask her for drink; for the Jews hated the people of Samaria so much that they would not speak civilly to them, nor drink out of the same vessel with them. Jesus blamed this unkindness. He condemns all sin and error; but His loving heart pities those who commit it. Jesus spoke to the woman kindly, and said, "If thou knewest the gift of God, and Who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink, thou wouldst have asked of Him, and He would have given thee living water." These words