"I do not comprehend the ideas of brother James as I wish I did, but if this work is of God, and His mysterious plan is that we shall suffer defeat in this, our day, in order that the coming generations may rejoice"---- "Hear! Hear," cried John, and the men all chimed in "Hear! Hear!" except Peter, who seemed to think that a bird in the hand was worth two in the bush, as he cried: "The Kingdom of Galilee is good enough for me; Ruth may be willing to suffer for the unborn and I am no more afraid of death than she is, but my motto has always been, 'Let everyone die for themselves,' therefore I think the maid from Nazareth is out of order." Peter's self-preservation speech rather upset the maiden's zeal and she came back at him thoughtlessly. "You better make peace with your mother-in-law before you assume to thwart the plans of the Almighty," to which Peter winked his bad eye, but could think of no reply appropriate for the occasion. TURN OF THE TIDE Months have passed and again we find Jesus at the home of Peter's mother-in-law in Capernaum. Magdalene and Ruth are serving the women who are lodging at the home of Aunt Susanna. The homes of John, Philip and Matthew are all overcrowded, for the Lord's earthly career is now at its zenith, but tomorrow the doubtful will return home, the venomous will conspire to destroy, while the faithful will try to induce Jesus not to go down to Jerusalem. The next day Jesus, standing in the synagogue, cried, "I am the bread of life; he that cometh to me shall never hunger, and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. I came down from Heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of Him that sent me, and this is the will of Him that sent me, that everyone which seeth the son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life." Then the multitude murmured and said: "Why does this man disdain signs and wonders and yet says he came down from Heaven? Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not his mother called Mary, and his brethren James and Joses, and Simon and Judas, and his sisters, are they not all with us?" Continuing, Jesus said: "No man can come to me, except the Father who sent me, draw him; not that any many hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he hath seen the Father. Whosoever eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life. My flesh is meat, indeed, and my blood is drink, indeed. Doth this offend you? It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing. The words that I speak unto you are spirit and are life." Then many of his disciples, when they heard it, said: "This is an hard saying; who can hear it?" and from that time many went back and walked no more with him. MAGDALENE'S HEROIC PLEA Evening lowers its dark mantel over the faithful, as they gather at the home of Aunt Susanna again to discuss and consider the conditions. "Where is Jesus?" his mother inquired. "He is walking on the shore," replied John. "He requested to be alone."