But now the eventide was come,
And Jesus turned away,
And with His twelve disciples went
And lodged in Bethany.
Next morning, as the Lord returned,
Quite early in the day,
He wanted bread, and looking saw
A fig-tree in the way.
Without delay He went to it,
To get some figs to eat;
But He found only leaves thereon,
Which are not good for meat.
And then the Master spoke to it--
Spoke to the useless tree--
And said : "Henceforth, forevermore
Let no fruit grow on thee."
Into the city then He went,
And in the temple taught,
And preached to all who thronged around
And His instructions sought.
But the chief priests and elders came,
And asked Him : "Who gave thee
Authority to do these things
That we both hear and see?"
And Jesus answered : "I, also,
Will ask one thing of you,
Which, if you tell me, I will tell
Who prompts the things I do.
"The baptism of John, whence was it,
From heaven, or of men?"
This question, which He asked of them,
They could not answer then.
For thus they reasoned with themselves :
"If we shall say from heaven,
He will say : 'Why not, then, to him
Was your attention given?'
"But yet, if we shall say of men,
The people's wrath we fear;
For all hold John a prophet true,
And his name they revere."
And so they said: "We cannot tell."
He answered : "Nor to thee
Tell I by what authority
I do the things you see."
And then, as evening fell, the Lord
With His disciples went
Unto the mount of Olives, where
The night they often spent.
And in the morning they returned,
And lo! as they passed by,
They saw the fig-tree in the way,
All withered up and dry.
And Peter then remembered well :
"Master, behold," he said,
"The friutless tree which Thou didst
curse
Is withered all and dead."
And Jesus, answering, said to them:
"Verily, I say to you,
Have faith in God and doubt Him not,
And ye shall such things do.
"And who shall to this mountain say,
In firm, believing faith,
'Be thou cast forth into dthe sea,'
It shall be as he saith.
"And whatsoever ye desire
And ask for when ye pray,
Believe that ye receive the gift;
It shall be yours straightway.
"And when you pray forgive all those
Who have offended you,
That so your Heavenly Father may
Forgive the wrongs you do."
