_John in the Home of Jairus_

"He suffered no man to follow with Him, save Peter, and James, and
John. And they came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue."

"And taking the child by the hand, He saith unto her, Talitha cumi;
which is, being interpreted, Damsel I say unto thee, Arise. And
straightway the damsel rose up, and walked."--_Mark_ v. 37, 38, 41,
42.


The first scene in which we find John as one of the favored three is in
the house of mourning. It was the home of Jairus in Capernaum. He was a
ruler of the synagogue. "He had an only daughter, about twelve years of
age, and she lay a dying." He hastened to Jesus, fell at His feet,
worshiped Him, and besought Him saying, "Come and lay Thy hands on her
that she may be healed; and she shall live."

Did he not have in mind Peter's wife's mother, living in the same town,
and how Jesus "came and took her by the hand and lifted her up; and
immediately the fever left her"? Jesus started for the house, followed
by a throng, some doubtless full of tender sympathy for their townsman,
and some curious to see what the wonder-worker would do.

A messenger from Jairus' home met him saying, "Thy daughter is dead;
trouble not the Master." But the father's faith in Jesus was not limited
to the power to heal. Could not the hand that had already touched the
bier of the widow's only son, be laid on his only daughter, with
life-restoring power? Could not the command spoken in Nain "I say unto