A Life of St. John for the Young | Page 5

Gennesaret, and the more distant cities
of Jerusalem, Cæsarea and Alexandria.
The gem of Galilee and of Palestine itself, is the Lake of Gennesaret, or
the Sea of Tiberius. Its length is twelve and three-fourths miles; its
greatest width, seven and one-fourth; its greatest depth, one hundred
and sixty feet. On the west is the beautiful Plain of Galilee. On the east
are rounded hills; and rugged mountains which rise nine hundred feet
above the waters, with grassy slopes, and rocky cliffs barren and
desolate. Bowers of olive and oleander deck the base of the hills whose
sides yield abundant harvest. Around the lake is a level white beach of
smooth sand. Gennesaret has been fittingly compared to a sapphire set
in diamonds; and to a mirror set in a frame of richness and beauty.
"He hath made everything beautiful," says Solomon concerning God. It
is a well-known saying of Jewish writers, "Of all the seven seas God
created, He made choice of none but the Lake of Gennesaret." It was
called the "beloved of God above all the waters of Canaan."
The writer of this volume gratefully recalls blessed memories of
Gennesaret, wishing his young friends could view with their own eyes
those scenes which he asks them to behold through his own. Then
could they join him in singing with the saintly McCheyne,
"How pleasant to me thy deep blue wave, O Sea of Galilee! For the
glorious One who came to save, Hath often stood by thee.

* * * * *
"O Saviour, gone to God's right hand, Yet the same Saviour still,
Graved on Thy heart is this lovely strand, And every fragrant hill."
At the period of which we speak the region was full of people. Nine
large towns, each containing fifteen thousand inhabitants, bordered on
the lake. Numerous populous villages lined the shores, or nestled in the
neighboring valleys, or were perched on the hilltops. Fishermen's
huts--which were mere stone sheds--fringed the lake. They stood in
every rift of rock, and on every knoll, with their little cornfields and
vine ledges extending to the sandy beach.
[Illustration: SITE OF BETHSAIDA From Photograph Page 23]
On the seashore, among the chief buildings, were palaces for Roman
princes, and quarters for Roman soldiers. The waters were covered with
boats for pleasure, merchandise and fishing. Four thousand floated at
one time on the narrow lake. Vast quantities of fish were caught in the
waters, supplying not only the people of Galilee, but the populous city
of Jerusalem, especially when crowded with pilgrims; and were even
sent to distant ports of the Mediterranean. We shall see John's interest
in such labors.
On the north-western shore of Gennesaret is a beautiful bay sheltered
by hills and projecting cliffs. The sight is such as would be a
fisherman's delight--a little haven from storm, with a broad beach of
sand on which to moor his boats. There is no place like it in the region
of Galilee. Close to the water's edge, it is supposed, was the town of
Bethsaida, probably meaning House of Fish.

CHAPTER II _Five Boys of Bethsaida--Rambles About Home_
"Walking by the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brethren, Simon who is
called Peter, and Andrew his brother."--_Matt._ iv. 18.
"And going on from thence, He saw other two brethren, James the son

of Zebedee, and John his brother."--_v._ 21.
"Philip was from Bethsaida, of the city of Andrew and Peter."--John i.
44.
Bethsaida was honored as being the home of five of the Apostles of
Jesus. We know nothing definitely concerning them until their
manhood. We wish we knew of their childhood. It is only because of
their relation to Jesus that they have been remembered. Had it not been
for this they would, like many other boys of Galilee, have lived on the
shores of Gennesaret, fished in its waters, died, and been forgotten.
These five Bethsaidan boys were two pairs of brothers and a friend.
The names of one pair were Andrew and Peter. They were the sons of
Jonas, a fisherman. As they grew up they were engaged with him in
casting the net and gathering fish, by day or by night, and thus securing
a livelihood without thought of change of occupation. It was a Jewish
custom for boys to learn a trade or business, which was generally that
of their fathers.
The names of the other pair of brothers were James and John. Their
father was named Zebedee. He also was a fisherman having so much
prosperity in his business that he employed servants to help him.
Judging by what we know of the family they must have been highly
respected by the people among whom they lived.
We do not know the exact date of John's birth. He was probably