As the people sat upon the hillside, listening to the words of Christ, they could see valleys and ravines through which the mountain streams found their way to the sea. In summer these streams often wholly disappeared, leaving only a dry and dusty channel. But when the wintry storms burst upon the hills, the rivers became fierce, raging torrents, at times overspreading the valleys, and bearing everything away on their resistless flood. Often, then, the hovels reared by the peasants on the grassy plain, apparently beyond reach of danger, were swept away. But high upon the hill were houses built upon the rock. In some parts of the land were dwellings built wholly of rock, and many of them had withstood the tempests of a thousand years. These houses were reared with toil and great difficulty. They were not easy of access, and their location appeared less easy of access than the grassy plain. But they were founded upon the rock; and wind and flood and tempest beat upon them in vain. (TDG 215.2) MC VC