Levi H. Dowling
Exported from Wikisource on August 29, 2022
- The twelve apostles now had reached the stage of spirit consciousness, and Jesus could reveal to them the deeper meanings of his mission to the world.
- Next week the great feast of the Jews would be observed, and Matthew said, Shall we not gird ourselves and go unto Jerusalem?
- But Jesus said, We will not go up to the feast; the time is short and I have many things to say to you; come you apart into a desert place and rest a while.
- And then they took their boats and crossed the sea, and came into a desert place near Julius Bethsaida.
- The people saw them go, and in vast multitudes they followed them.
- And Jesus had compassion on the anxious throng, and he stood forth and taught them all the day, because they sought a light and were like sheep without a fold.
- And as the night came on the twelve were doubting what the multitudes would do, and Thomas said,
- Lord, we are in a desert place; the multitudes have naught to eat and they are faint from lack of food; what shall we do?
- And Jesus said, Go to and feed the multitudes.
- And Judas said, Shall we go down and buy two hundred pennies’ worth of bread for them to eat?
- And Jesus, Go look into our larder and see how many loaves we have.
- And Andrew said, We have no bread, but we have found a lad who has five barley loaves and two small fish; but this would not be food enough for one in ten.
- But Jesus said, Command these people all to sit upon the grass in companies of twelve; and they all sat down in companies of twelve.
- Then Jesus took the loaves and fish, and looking up to heaven he spoke the sacred Word.
- And then he broke the bread and gave it to the twelve; he also gave the fish unto the twelve, and said, Go to and feed the multitudes.
- And all the people ate and were refreshed.
- There were about five thousand men, a company of little ones, and women not a few.
- And when the people all were filled the master said,
- Let not a crumb be lost; Go to and gather up the pieces of the bread and fish for others that may want.
- They gathered up the fragments and they filled twelve baskets full.
- The people were bewildered by this wondrous act of power; they said, And now we know that Jesus is the prophet that our prophets said would come; and then they said, All hail the king!
- When Jesus heard them say, All hail the king! he called the twelve and bade them take their boats and go before him to the other side;
- And he went all alone into a mountain pass to
- The twelve were on the sea and hoped to reach Capernaum in just a little time, when all at once a fearful storm arose, and they were at the mercy of the waves.
- And in the fourth watch of the night the wind became a whirling wind, and they were filled with fear.
- And in the blinding storm they saw a form move on the waves; it seemed to be a man, one spoke out and said, It is a ghost, a sign of evil things.
- But John discerned the form and said, It is the Lord.
- And then the wind blew not so hard, and Peter, standing in the midst, exclaimed:
- My Lord! my Lord! If this be truly you, bid me to come to you upon the waves.
- The form reached forth his hand and said, Come on.
- And Peter stepped upon the waves and they were solid as a rock; he walked upon the waves.
- He walked until he thought within himself, What if the waves should break beneath my feet?
- And then the waves did break beneath his feet, and he began to sink, and in the fearfulness of soul he cried, O save me, Lord, or I am lost!
- And Jesus took him by the hand and said, O you of little faith! why did you doubt? And Jesus led the way unto the
- The storm had spent its force; the winds were still, and they were near the shore, and when they landed they were in the valley of Gennesaret.