Straightway the Lord departed
thence,
And came to His own home,
And in the synagogue He taught
When Sabbath-day had come.
The people wondered at His words,
And asked : "How can it be
That this man has such power gained
As we both hear and see?
"For is not this the carpenter?
We know his mother well;
His brethren and his sisters, too,
All here amoung us dwell."
And so they took offence at Him,
And Jesus said : "In vain
A prophet much esteemed abroad
At home would honor gain."
And He could do no mighty works--
Save healing a few sick,
And teaching in the villages--
Because their faith was weak.
But looking on the people with
Compassion in His heart,
As scattered sheep, and ignorant--
He called the twelve apart,
And sent them forth, through all the land,
To preach, by two and two,
To the lost sheep of Israel,
The Gospel, pure and true.
