In the mean time, some of the people had found him; and they began to gather around him in large numbers. They entreated him to return to the city, and take up his residence with them; but he declined, and at once entered upon a laborious tour through the cities and villages of Galilee, “teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sicknesses and all manner of diseases among the people.” Though these deeds were done in Galilee, the extreme northern province of Syria, still the fame of them spread rapidly through the whole country. “And they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatic, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them. And there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from beyond Jordan.” Galilee was at that time very densely inhabited by an energetic and bustling population of about three millions. It was about sixty miles in length, and forty in breadth; containing, according to Josephus, two hundred and four towns and villages, whose average population was fifteen thousand. Through this region, Jesus, accompanied by a few of his disciples, entered upon a pedestrian tour. The lake was thirteen miles long, and six broad. Its shores were dotted with villages luxuriant in culture, and the waters of the lake were covered with the boats of fishermen. Now all is silent there, lonely and most desolate. Till last year, but a single boat floated upon its waters. On its shores, Tiberias in ruins, and Magdala, composed of a few wretched hovels, are all that remain. You may ride round and round the empty beach, and, these excepted, never meet a human being, nor pass a human habitation. Capernaum, Chorazin, Bethsaida, are gone. Here and there you stumble over ruins; but none can tell you exactly what they were. They knew not, those cities of the lake, the day of their visitation. Their names and their memory have perished. The number of sick people whom Jesus healed on this circuit must have been immense; for he traversed a wide and populous region, and patients were brought to him from great distances; and he healed them all. One cannot but regret that we have no minute record of the events which transpired and of the addresses which Jesus made on this missionary excursion, which commenced, it is supposed, in June, and was closed early in October. CHAPTER II. TOUR THROUGH GALILEE.