James and John, two of the disciples, were exceedingly angry at these people, who would shut out their Master. They said to him: "Lord, shall we call down fire from heaven, as the prophet Elijah did, and burn up that wicked village?" But Jesus said to them, "Your spirit is not right. I did not come to destroy the lives of men, but to save them. Let us go to some other village." While he was still on the border of Galilee and Samaria, as he was going into a village, he met ten men who had the terrible disease of leprosy. They stood at a distance, for lepers were not allowed to come near people; and they cried aloud, saying: "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!" "Go," answered Jesus, "and show yourselves to the priests." In the Temple was a room where a man went who had any disease like leprosy, with a breaking out upon his skin. At this room he was kept for a time; and if it was found that his disease was not leprosy, after certain offerings and washings, he was allowed to go home and be among men. These men started for their Temple; those who were Jews for the Temple in Jerusalem, any that were Samaritans for their Temple on Mount Gerizim, near the city of Shechem. As they went, and by going showed their faith in Jesus, they found all at once that their leprosy was gone and they were entirely well. Nine of these ten men, after they were cured, went on their way toward the Temple. But one of them, when he found that he was a leper no longer, stopped with a loud voice praised God; and ran to Jesus' feet and fell on his face before him, giving him thanks for his cure. This man was a Samaritan. "Were there not ten men cured?" said Jesus. "But where are the nine? Was there only one to turn back and give thanks to God, and that one a stranger?" And Jesus said to this grateful Samaritan, "Rise up, and go your way; your faith has made you well." [Illustration: The priest and the Levite walked past on the other side, but the Samaritan felt a pity for the poor man lying in the road and came down and poured oil on his wounds and bandaged them.] The Scribe's Question; and Mary's Choice CHAPTER 53 WHILE JESUS was on his way to Jerusalem one of the teachers of the law--whom the Jews called "scribes"--came to him with a question. These Jewish scribes were everywhere enemies of Jesus, and were continually asking him questions, not that they might learn, but that in some way they might give him trouble. This scribe said to Jesus, "Teacher, what shall I do that I may have the life everlasting?" "What is said in God's law?" answered Jesus. "What do you read there?" He answered, "You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind; and you must love your neighbor as yourself." "That is a right answer," said Jesus; "do that and you shall live." But the scribe, wishing to make an excuse for himself, and thinking to puzzle Jesus, said, "But who is my neighbor?"