"Why, Master, the crowd is all around, pressing close upon you, and yet you say, 'Who touched me?' while people are touching you all the time." But Jesus said, "I am sure that somebody touched me, because I felt that power had gone out from me." As he stood still and looked all around to see who had done this, the woman came forward out of the crowd and fell down at his feet, trembling with fear, afraid that she had offended him. She told of what she had suffered, how she had touched his clothing and had been made well. Jesus said to her: "Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace and be free from your sickness." But while Jesus was delaying for these few moments, Jairus was standing by his side in growing alarm, for to him and his dying child every minute was precious. Just then some one from his own house came up to him through the crowd and said: "Your daughter is dead; what is the use of asking the Teacher to come any further? Not even he can help her now." These people had not heard how Jesus some weeks before had raised to life the widow's son at Nain, for that village was at least twenty-five miles from Capernaum. But Jesus spoke encouragingly to the sorrowing father. "Have no fear; only believe, and she shall yet be well." They went to the house of Jairus, and the crowd would have followed him inside, but Jesus forbade them. He allowed none to go with him into the house, except the father and three of his disciples, Peter, James and John. The house was full of people, weeping and wailing, playing on flutes and making a great noise, as the manner was then and is even now in that land. Men and women are paid to come to the house where one is lying dead, and to scream and cry aloud, so that all in the town may know of the death and of the sorrow of the family. Jesus said to the people in the house, "Why do you make such a noise? The little girl is not dead, but only sleeping." [Illustration: Jesus went into the room where the daughter of Jairus was lying dead on the bed, and taking her hand into his own said: "Little girl, I say to you, rise up!"] Jesus meant by these words that we need not be filled with sorrow when our friends die; for death is only a sleep until the time when God shall awaken them. But this they did not understand; and they would not be comforted, for they knew that the child was dead. Jesus ordered all these hired mourners to leave the house. He went into the room where the dead child was lying on the bed, taking with him only her father and mother, with his three chosen disciples. Standing beside the dead body, he took its little hand into his own and said: "Little girl, I say to you, rise up!" And instantly the girl stood up, looked around and began to walk. How happy were that father and mother as they clasped in their arms their little girl, no longer dead, but living and well. All were filled with wonder. They would have told everybody about this mighty work, but Jesus said to them: