“In Ramah there was a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and a great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.”
“So a dark wave of misery rolled over Bethlehem. Hundreds of women, weeping over their own dead, were led to understand the cruel injustice of the spirit that drove the Virgin and her child into exile, and that, until the end of time, there will be sorrow in the homes of the land that does despite to the virtues and characteristics exemplified, so well, by that mother and that Child.”
With these words Miriamne rolled up her parchment, saying: “This is all there is written here.”
“All? It is well, for thou art weary, child. We’ll now retire; to-morrow I must speak with thee about the book. Good-night, now.”
“Good-night, mother.”
CHAPTER XXI.
THE QUEEN WITH HER FAMILY IN EGYPT.
“It is curious to observe, as the worship of the Virgin mother expanded and gathered to itself the relics of many an ancient faith, now the new and the old elements became amalgamated.... The Madonna assumed the characteristics ... of the types of fertility.”—Anna Jamison.
“Babe Jesus lay on Mary’s lap,