Volume 2

The "Place of Grace"
139
ing here had to carry on their idol worship in secret.
After that, Jesus was conducted by the men that had
received Him outside the city to the synagogue, a building
of three stories. There He found a great part of the Jews
assembled, the women in the background. First they
prayed and chanted canticles to God, that to His honor
they might understand all that Jesus was about to say to
them. Then Jesus began His discourse. He spoke of the
Divine Promises, of their mutual dependence and their
realization, and of grace which, He said, was never
allowed to go to waste. If he to whom, on account of the
merit of his ancestors, some grace was given, would not
receive it, it was passed on to the next Inost deserving. He
told them also of a good action performed by their ancestors
in this city so long before that it was to them almost
unknown, but the happy results of which they were still
experiencing. Their forefathers had once harbored some
strangers and exiles.
Jesus and the disciples put up at a large inn near the
gate by which they had entered the city.
In the neighborhood of the bathing garden outside,
though more to the south, was a place for teaching. It
consisted of a green hill in the center of a large, open
space in which were trees planted in rows five deep,
whose dense shade afforded protection from the sun. On
the hill and overshadowed by a tree, was a teacher's chair
beautifully hewn out of stone. It was a very delightful
place and was known as the "Place of Cirace," because
the people believed that here a great favor had once upon
a time been accorded them. To the north of the city was
another place of which there was a popular saying expressive
of SOine great calamity that had come upon them.
The disciples went into the houses throughout the city,
inviting the people to the "Place of Grace," where Jesus
was about to deliver a great discourse. On the evening
before, a banquet was given in the public hall of the