"Joseph, son of David, fear not; Jesus shalt thou name her child,

Born, according to the promise, of a Virgin undefiled." Thus the Almighty found a guardian for the lowly mothermaid,

And she dwelt beneath His shadow, heavenly secrets unbetray'd

V.

The Journey to Bethlehem, and the Nativity of our Lord.

AND it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Cesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.

(And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)

And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.

And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem (because he was of the house and lineage of David), to be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.

And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.

And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling clothes, and laid Him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

St. Luke ii. 1st to 7th verse.

CHAPTER V.

Long, very long before that blessed night when first the infant Saviour was given to the arms of his virgin mother, Bethlehem had been prophesied of as the place where He should be born; and here, as upon Hebron, the blessing of the Lord seems still to linger, for even in our days we hear of the hills about it being terraced with vines, and of the fig-trees, olive-trees, pomegranates, and fields of barley, which shew how capable it is of being made what its name signi

fies, "the house of bread." And does not such a name seem fitly given to the birthplace of Him who is indeed the True Bread from heaven?

The present town is situated about six miles to the south of Jerusalem, on the top of a hill, the southern side of which is steep and rocky. The reflection of the sun's rays upon the white limestone rocks, which are like marble, and of which the town is built, greatly increases the heat, while the glare is very painful to the eyes; but the well is still there, for a draught of whose refreshing water David longed when in the cave of Adullam, saying, "Oh, that one would give me to drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, that is at the gate; and three of his thirty captains broke through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David but David would not drink of it, but poured it out to the Lord; and said, My God forbid it me that I should do this thing: shall I drink the blood of these men that have put their lives in jeopardy? for with the jeopardy of their lives they brought it. Therefore he would not drink it." Many times is this place mentioned in the Scriptures. It was "in the way to

Ephrath, which is Bethlehem," that Rachel, the beloved wife of the patriarch Jacob, died and was buried," and Jacob set a pillar upon her grave;" and though the pillar of Rachel's grave is not to be seen in our day, a building is still pointed out to strangers as the place of Rachel's grave. It was to Bethlehem that Ruth came with

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Naomi, her mother-in-law, " in the beginning of barley harvest ;" and it was to the house of her grandson, Jesse the Bethlehemite, that the prophet Samuel was sent to anoint David in the midst of his brethren, whom the Lord chose, "and took him from the sheepfolds from following the ewes great with young, He brought him to feed Jacob His people, and Israel His inheritance." And here it was that, when the fulness of the time was come, the Son and Lord of David, the promised Rod out of the stem of Jesse, the Saviour of the world, was born of the Virgin Mary. Most likely the word of prophecy which pointed out Bethlehem as the Saviour's birthplace, and which you will find in the prophet Micah (chap. v. 2d ver.) was known to Joseph and Mary, though in the holy simplicity of their faith they left it to the Lord to bring about the fulfilment of His own word, and quietly abode still in Nazareth. And how was this word brought to pass? Not by the ministry of an angel-not with any outward sign of greatness and glory; the thing was done in a way that men would not have dreamed of; but "whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the loving-kindness of the Lord." Little did the Roman emperor imagine that his decree that all the world should be taxed, was for the bringing up of a poor carpenter, with Mary his espoused wife, unto the city of David, which is Bethlehem, and leaving it thus on record, that both the mother of Jesus and his foster-father were of the house and lineage of David, according

to the Scripture; and yet so it was, and so in all things, though we may not know it, while men think that they are only doing their own will, and bringing to pass their own counsels, the providence of God is 66 as it were a wheel within a wheel," making all things work together for the accomplishment of His own everlasting purpose

of

grace, mercy, and peace, until at last the redeemed of the Lord shall be able to say of every thing, "Now all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord;" for He is the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last, of whom, and through whom, and to whom, are all things, and in whom all the promises of God are yea and amen to the glory of God by us. I am writing to you of deep things, dear little ones; but our Father, which is in heaven, and who revealeth unto babes those things which are hid from such as think themselves wise and prudent, will give you understanding if you ask Him; and the more you learn of Him, the more you will find out, how far we are, when we know most, from thinking that we know any thing.

It was a long and wearisome journey in the cold wet season of the year, for two poor travellers from Nazareth to Bethlehem, who could not command the accommodations that the rich might do. Very likely they journeyed on foot all the way, toiling up the steep hills that lay in their way, yet glad at heart as they called to mind the lowliness of Ruth the gleaner, and of David the shepherd boy, and, afterwards, the weary wanderer and fugitive; and it might be that as

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