Volume 2

"Rise! Thy Sins are Forgiven Thee!"
253
retired spot. They sank on their knees before Him, confessing
and weeping. Among the heathens were some that had
committed murder and robbery on their journeys. Jesus
passed by some, leaving them lying unnoticed for a time
while He turned to others; but afterwards coming back to
them, He exclaimed: "Rise! Thy sins are forgiven thee!"
Among the Jews were adulterers and usurers. When Jesus
saw in them proofs of repentance, He imposed on them a
penance, repeated some prayers with them, laid His hands
upon them, and cured them. He commanded many to purify
themselves in a bath. Some of the heathens He ordered to
receive Baptism or to join their converted brethren in Upper
Galilee. Band after band passed before Him, and the
disciples preserved order.
Jesus went through Bethsaida also. It was crowded with
people, as if upon a great pilgrimage. He cured here in the
different inns and along the streets. Refreshments had been
prepared in Andrew's house. I saw some children there:
Peter's stepdaughter and some other little girls of about ten
years, two others between eight and ten, and Andrew's little
son who wore a yellow tunic with a girdle. There were also
some females of advanced age. All were standing on a kind
of covered porch outside the house, speaking of the
Prophet, asking whether He would soon come, and running
from side to side to see whether He were in sight. They had
assembled here in order to get a glimpse of Him, though ordinarily
the children were kept under greater restraint. At
last Jesus passed, turned His head toward them, and gave
them His blessing. I saw Him going again to Peter's and
curing many. He cured about one hundred on that day, pardoned
their sins, and pointed out to them what they should
do in the future.
I saw again that Jesus exercised many different manners
of curing, and that probably He did so in order to instruct
the disciples as to how they should act, also the ministers of
the Church till the end of time. All the actions of Jesus, even