§ 126. Subsequent State of the Samaritans.

At the earnest request of the Samaritans, who were deeply impressed with his appearance and his words, Christ remained two days with them before continuing his journey to Galilee. We have no information as to the immediate fruit of these his first labours among that people; perhaps it was the source of that religious awakening among them which is recorded in the Acts (viii., 14). If this be so, the seed sown by Christ, rich and fruitful as it was in the short time of his stay, was not afterward carefully cultivated until the Apostles went to Samaria; many foreign elements had crept in, and enthusiasts and false prophets had led the people astray. The pure manifestation of Divinity was followed by a paltry caricature. The unsophisticated Samaritans believed in Christ, from the Divine power of his words and his appearance, without any miracle; but at a later period, when their minds had been debauched by magical arts and legerdemain, the most striking miracles were requisite to restore them.