_Under the patronage of a number of wealthy women, the Christines make a grand missionary tour. In his teaching Jesus lauds sincerity and rebukes hypocrisy. He speaks concerning the sin against the Holy Breath._
Now, many women who possessed much wealth, and who abode in other towns of Galilee, implored that Jesus and the twelve, together with the masters from the foreign lands, would thither go and preach and heal.
2 Among these anxious ones were Mary Magdalene, who was obsessed by seven homeless spirits of the air, which had been driven out by the Omnific Word which Jesus spoke;
3 Susanna, who owned vast estates at Cæsarea-Philippi;
4 Johanna, wife of Chuza, one of Herod’s court;
6 And others from beyond the Jordan and the sea of Galilee.
7 And they provided ample means and three times seven men went forth.
8 They preached the gospel of the Christ, and they baptized the multitudes who made confession of their faith; they healed the sick and raised the dead.
9 And Jesus wrought and taught from early morn until the day had gone, and then into the night; he did not stop to eat.
10 His friends became alarmed lest he should fail from loss of strength, and they laid hold of him and would, by force, have taken him away to place of rest.
11 But he rebuked them not; he said, Have you not read that God will give his angels charge concerning me?
12 That they would hold me fast and suffer not that I should come to want?
13 I tell you, men, while I am giving out my strength unto these anxious, waiting throngs I find myself at rest within the arms of God,
14 Whose blessed messengers bring down to me the bread of life.
15 There is a tide just once in human life.
16 These people now are willing to receive the truth; their opportunity is now: our opportunity is now.
17 And if we do not teach them while we may, the tide will ebb;
18 They may not care again to hear the truth; then tell me, Who will bear the guilt?
20 Among the multitudes were men of every shade of thought. They were divided in their views concerning everything that Jesus said.
21 Some saw in him a God, and would have worshipped him; and others saw in him a devil of the nether world and would have cast him in a pit.
22 And some were trying hard to lead a double life; like little lions of the ground that take upon themselves the color of the thing they rest upon.