THE SAVIOR HEALS THE SICK—HE BLESSES THE CHILDREN OF THE NEPHITES—ANGELS MINISTER UNTO THEM.

(III. NEHI CHAP. 17.)

WHEN the Redeemer had finished these teachings he looked around among the multitude and perceived that their minds were not prepared, at that time, to receive any more of the word of the Lord, so he told them to go to their homes, and prepare their minds for the morrow, when he would come unto them again. But as he gazed upon them he noticed that they were in tears, and that they looked beseechingly upon him, as if they would ask him to tarry a little longer with them.

These mute entreaties prevailed with him, his bowels were filled with compassion towards them; and, we are told, he said:

Have ye any that are sick among you, bring them hither. Have ye any that are lame, or blind, or halt, or maimed, or leprous, or that are withered, or that are deaf, or that are afflicted in any manner, bring them hither and I will heal them, for I have compassion upon you; my bowels are filled with mercy:

For I perceive that ye desire that I should show unto you what I have done unto your brethren at Jerusalem, for I see that your faith is sufficient that I should heal you.

And it came to pass that when he had thus spoken, all the multitude, with one accord, did go forth with their sick, and their afflicted, and their lame, and with their blind, and with their dumb, and with all they that were afflicted in any manner; and he did heal them every one as they were brought forth unto him.

And they did all, both they who had been healed and they who were whole, bow down at his feet, and did worship him; and as many as could come from the multitude did kiss his feet, insomuch that they did bathe his feet with their tears.

Jesus next commanded that the little children should be brought.

So the people brought their little children and set them down upon the ground round about him, and the multitude gave way till they had all been brought to him. And when they had all been brought, and Jesus stood in the midst, he commanded the multitude to kneel down upon the ground. And when they had done so, Jesus groaned within himself, and said, Father, I am troubled because of the wickedness of the people of the house of Israel. And when he had said these words, he himself knelt and he prayed unto the Father and the things which he prayed could not be written, but the multitude who heard him bore record: that eye had never seen, neither had ear heard, before, so great and marvelous things as they saw and heard Jesus speak unto the Father. When Jesus had made an end of praying, he arose, but so great was the joy of the multitude that they were overcome. But Jesus bade them arise. Then they arose, and he said unto them, Blessed are ye because of your faith. And now behold, my joy is full. And when he had said these words, he wept; and he took the little children, one by one, and blessed them, and prayed unto the Father for them. And when he had done this he wept again. And he said unto the multitude, Behold your little ones.

And as they cast their eyes upward they saw the heavens open, and angels descending out of the heaven, as it were in the midst of fire, and they came down and encircled these little ones about, and they were encircled with fire; and the angels did minister unto the children. And the multitude, who numbered about 2,500 men, women and children, bore record of the glorious things which they had seen, heard and partaken of.

Can we imagine anything more lovely, more touching, and more glorious than this scene must have been? Can we conceive the joy that must have filled the hearts of these Nephites as they beheld the angels of heaven descending from the courts of glory and ministering to their little ones? How deep must have been their love for the Savior who had brought these blessings to them? How strong must have grown their faith in him? We cannot recall a circumstance in recorded history that draws earth nearer to heaven than this, or that seems to bind the ties so strongly that unite the powers of eternity with the children of mortality.