of the vision of angels they had just witnessed! How different was Mary's low, hushed voice as she pointed out the child born since the sun went down, from that chorus of glad song, when all the heavenly host sang praises to God.

A strange story they had to tell Mary of the vision they had just seen. She was feeling the first great gladness and joy of every mother over her child born into the world, but in Mary's case this joy was brightened beyond that of all other women, yet shadowed by the mystery of being the chosen mother of the Messiah. The shepherds' statement increased her gladness, and lifted her above the natural feeling of dishonour done to her child by the poor and lowly circumstances of his birth; whilst they, satisfied with the testimony of their own senses, having seen and heard for themselves, went away, and made known these singular and mysterious events. All who heard these things wondered at them; but as the shepherds were men of no account, and Joseph and Mary were poor strangers in the place, we may be sure there would be few to care about such a babe, in those days of vexation and tumult. Had the Messiah been born in a palace, and the vision of the heavenly host been witnessed by a company of the priests, the whole nation would have centred their hopes and expectations upon the child; and unless a whole series of miracles had been worked for his preservation the Roman conquerors would have destroyed both Him and them. No

miracle was wrought for the infant Christ, save that constant ministry of angels, sent forth to minister unto Him who was the Captain of salvation, even as they are sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation.

CHAPTER III.

IN THE TEMPLE.

JOSEPH and Mary did not remain in the cave longer than could be helped. As soon as the unusual crowd of strangers was gone, they found some other dwellingplace, though not in the inn, which was intended for no more than a shelter for passing travellers. They had forty days to wait before Mary could go up to the Temple to offer her sacrifice after the birth of her child, when also Joseph would present him to the Lord, according to the ancient law that every first-born child, which was a son, belonged especially to God. Joseph could not afford to live in idleness for six weeks; and as he had known beforehand that they must be detained in Bethlehem so long, he probably had carried with him his carpenter's tools, and now set about looking for work. It is likely that both he and Mary thought it best to bring up Jesus in Bethlehem, where He was born; for they must have known the prophecy that out of Bethlehem should come the Messiah. It was near to Jerusalem, and from His earliest years the child would become

familiar with the Temple, and its services and priests. It was not far from the hill country, where Zacharias and Elizabeth were living, whose son, born in their old age, was still only an infant of six months, but whose future mission was to be the forerunner of the Messiah. For every reason it would seem best to return no more to Nazareth, the obscure village in Galilee, but to settle in Bethlehem itself.

At the end of forty days, Mary went up to Jerusalem to offer her sacrifice, and Joseph to present the child, and pay the ransom of five shekels for Him, without which the priests might claim Him as a servant to do the menial work of the Temple. They must have passed by the tomb of Rachel, who so many centuries before had died in giving birth to her son; and Mary, whose heart pondered over such things, may have whispered to herself, as she clasped her child closer to her, 'In Ramạ was a voice heard; lamentation and weeping, and great mourning; Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.' She did not know the full meaning of those words yet; but, amid her own wonderful happiness, she would sigh over Rachel's sorrow, little thinking that the prophecy linked it with the baby she was carrying in her arms.

At this time the Temple was being rebuilt by Herod, in the most costly and magnificent manner, but we will keep the description of it until twelve years later, when Jesus came to His first passover. Mary's offering of two

C

turtle-doves, instead of a lamb and a turtle-dove, proves the poverty of Joseph, for only poor persons were allowed to substitute another turtle-dove or young pigeon for a lamb. These birds abound in the Holy Land, and were consequently of very small value. After she had made her offering, and before Joseph presented the child to the Lord, an old man, dwelling in Jerusalem, came into the Temple. It had been revealed to him that he should not see death before his eyes had beheld the blessed vision of the Lord's Christ, for whom he had waited through many long years. Now, seeing this little child, he took Him into his arms, and blessed God, saying, 'Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace, for mine eyes have seen Thy salvation.' Whilst Joseph and Mary wondered at these words, Simeon blessed them, and speaking to Mary alone, he continued: 'Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against; (yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.'

This was the first word of sorrow that had fallen upon Mary's ears since the angel had appeared to her, more than ten months before, in her lowly home in Nazareth. Hitherto, the great mystery that set her apart from all other women had been full of rapture only. Her song had been one of triumphant gladness, with not a single note of sorrow mingling with it. Her soul had magnified the Lord, because He had regarded her low estate; she