in her dream:

"Behold, be it done unto me accord

ing to thy word.”

Not long after this dream had come to Mary, it so happened that they both had to leave their new home for a little while and make a journey to the south. It would not have been a great trip for us at the present day, because we have stages or railways. But at that time in that little country there was nothing of this kind; they had to go on foot if they had little means; or at best on horseback. It may have taken them a long number of days before they came to the end of their journey. They were bound for a little village nestled on the hill-side only a few miles away from Jerusalem, called Bethlehem.

You wonder what it was that caused them to go away from their home so soon after they had been married. It is said that the king of Rome who was oppressing them, had sent out a decree that all the world should be taxed; each family was to come to a special city and pay what was due. And all went to enroll themselves, every one to his own city. And Joseph went up into Galilee out of the city of Nazareth into the city which is called Bethlehem, to enroll himself and Mary. At this time the people all over the country were traveling in crowds; and so in that one little town to which these two were going, there must have been a great number of strangers. Only the people of wealth could have made themselves comfortable. As for these two, there was no room for them in any house at all. The best that they could do was to go out and take up their brief abode in the place for the beasts of burden. But they were brave and did not complain even in that lowly habitation. And it so happened that while they were there their first child was born. As it is said "She brought forth her first-born son and wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a

manger, because there was no room for them in the inn." This is the simple and beautiful story that has come down to us about the birth of Jesus.

Yet as we are told, others also had had dreams of the coming of this "Son of the Most High; "' and in those days people thought a great deal of dreams.

It is said that the shepherds had already heard of it. They were out on the hill-side just beyond the village, watching their flocks by night. We hear a great deal about this class of persons in the east, because it was a very common mode of life. Some very wise men in early times used to be shepherds. Now while this little group of persons were gathered together in the evening, and there was no light but the stars shining in beauty overhead, all of a sudden it seemed as if there were a choir of voices singing all about them in the darkness, pouring forth words of beauty, so sweet that at first the men could not understand them. Yet as they listened, it was as if amid the music they kept hearing one refrain. It came to them over and over again, the beautiful words: peace on earth, good-will to men. They kept wondering and asking themselves "Is it a dream, this beautiful music?"

Then all of a sudden out of the darkness there came a great light; a figure stood before them; glory was around about them and they were afraid. But a voice said unto them: Be not afraid; behold I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people; for there is born to you this day in the city of Bethlehem a savior. When the music had ceased, and the shepherds had aroused themselves, they said one unto another," Let us go to the neighboring town of Bethlehem and see what has come to pass. And as they went on, they still could hear in their minds the same words continually, "peace on earth, good-will to men." It made them happy. So they did not stop

until they entered and bowed before Mary and Joseph and the babe lying in the manger. Then they told the story of their beautiful dream, still saying over the words: "peace on earth, good-will to men.' After that they withdrew and went back to their flocks again.

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But they were not the only ones, according to the tale, that had had visions and dreams of the coming of a wonderful child. If you read history you will often be told of men in the far east, who are known as the Magi, or the 'wise men of the east." In those countries it was often customary for a certain number of persons to be set apart to live in temples, or to be in towers, so as to study the stars. People somehow believed at that time that there was more knowledge to be gained by this study than by any other method. And it so happened that as some of these men were watching the heavens, they saw in all that host of stars one they had not seen before. Strange thoughts came to them; they fancied that it must mean the coming of a new and great man to the world. And so the wise men of the east set out on their journey to discover who the person was.

As they came to Jerusalem they heard how the people were expecting a new prince of their own. So they addressed Herod, who had been placed as king over the people by the city of Rome, saying to him: Where is he that is born a king, for we saw his star in the East, and are come to behold him. And when Herod heard it, he was troubled. And gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the expected leader should be born. And they said unto him: "in Bethlehem," for that had been the place where they had thought the new prince would arise. Then Herod called the wise men and learned of them what time the star appeared, and said: "Go and search carefully for the young child; and

when you have found him, bring me word that I also may go and see him." Herod of course did not mean what he said, for he would not have wanted any such person to appear. But they having heard the king, went their way and came to Bethlehem. There they were told of the child born in the manger. And they came and saw the young child with Mary his mother, made him gifts of gold and frankincense and myrth, telling Joseph and Mary about the new star in the east. Then instead of returning to Herod, they departed into their own country by another way.

Joseph and Mary were troubled and worried. What did all this mean? What would this child be? As they feared and wondered, a strange dream came, this time to Joseph. A voice said to him: "Rise and take the young child and his mother and go into Egypt, and be thou there for a while; as Herod will seek the young child to destroy him." Then Joseph arose and took the young child and his mother by night and they departed. For long days they journeyed alone together, until they had crossed the border land, and were no more among their own people, but in a strange country. There by themselves they lived for two long years. When at last they knew that King Herod was no longer alive, they went back to their little home in Nazareth. There in the beautiful country of Galilee, remote from the great cities, in quiet seclusion, the child grew slowly into youth, and from youth into manhood.

YOUTH OF JESUS.

We have told of the beautiful stories about the birth and infancy of Jesus. But now comes a curious For the next thirty years of his life we hear

fact.

almost nothing about him. Here was a man whose name has been more widely known throughout the world, than any other name in history. What was he doing and thinking about all this time? We know that at first he lay in the arms of his mother, too small and weak to go about by himself. We think of him as passing out of infancy into boyhood; and still scarcely anything is ever heard of him; then on into youth, and still almost no word; and until at last he had come to the age of thirty years.

There is something very strange about this long silence. It certainly had a meaning; there must have been a reason for it. Here was a youth who was to become great in history, and yet scarcely anybody had heard of him. I am inclined to think that this was one of the secrets of his greatness. He did not speak until he was ready; he did not act until he was prepared. But when the time came, he did and said all that was necessary, in two or three years. What he said and did in that little space of time was enough to give him a greater name than what other great men have done or spoken through a long number of years.

The reason for this silence was perhaps because he was thinking so much all within himself. He made no stir; he did not keep telling people what was in his mind; he was just brooding over what was going on in the world.

What was he thinking about during these thirty years of silence? He was not idle with his hands. Mary and Joseph had to earn their living. Joseph was a carpenter. We are sure that Jesus worked with him at the bench; we know that he must have toiled very hard and had little time to spend or waste in leisure or play. Yet while his hands were busy, his mind was at work all the time; he was always brooding, thinking, trying to make up his mind as to what