Away to Egypt.
AND when they had departed thence,
To Joseph came a dream,
In which an angel of the Lord
Appeared and spoke to him:
"Rise, take the babe and mother,
And into Egypt flee.
For Herod seeks to kill the child—
Go, till I call for thee."
Then Joseph rose, obedient,
And while it still was night,
With the young child and mother,
To Egypt took his flight.
Then cruel, wicked Herod,
When the wise men told him naught,
Or let him know what house contained
The babe whose life he sought,
Sent forth his brutal servants
To kill each little boy,
In and around old Bethlehem—
Each mother's hope and joy;
All—every tender nursling,
From two years old and less;
Nor heeded Rachael's weeping,
Her mourning and distress.
But wicked, wicked Herod,
Who would be king alone,
Was soon thereafter called to die,
And leave Judea's throne.
And now the wrathful tyrant
Has no more power to harm;
And his fierce and jealous hatred
No more can cause alarm.
To Joseph, down in Egypt,
Now comes another dream,
Wherein an angel of the Lord
Appears again to him;
And says: "Now, back to Israel's land
With child and mother go;
For he, the murderer, is dead,
Who was the infant's foe."
Then Joseph rose and willingly
Obeyed this new command,
And, taking child and mother,
Returned to Israel's land.
But hearing Archelaüs
Was king in Herod's room,
He turned aside to Galilee,
Which was his former home;
And dwelt in Nazareth city,
Thus plainly may be seen
The truth of Scripture words: "He shall
Be called a Nazarene."
And there the blessed Jesus
Spent childhood's simple days,
And, as he grew, waxed strong and wise
By God's unholding grace.
THE CHILD CHRIST, MARY HIS MOTHER AND JOSEPH
JESUS RENDERED OBEDIENCE, NOT ONLY TO MARY, BUT TO JOSEPH—LUKE 2:51.