And it was made known to Sim-e-on in a dream that he should not die till he had seen this King of kings and Lord of lords.
SIM-E-ON IN THE TEM-PLE.
Sim-e-on was a priest in the house of God, and when Jo-seph and Ma-ry brought in the child Je-sus, he took it up in his arms and blest God, and said: Now, Lord, thy words have come true, and I can die in peace, for I have seen him who is to be the light of the world, and to save men from their sins!
Jo-seph and Ma-ry knew not what to make of this strange speech. And the priest blest them, and gave the child back to his mo-ther, and told her of some of the great things he would do when he grew up to be a man.
And there was one An-na, who kept all the fasts, and served God night and day. She was four-score and four years old, and could fore-tell what was to take place, and her fame was great. And she came in-to the house of God while Sim-e-on yet spoke, and gave thanks to the Lord, and told of him who was to come to save the Jews, and to give them back their rights.
Then Ma-ry and Jo-seph went back to their own home in Naz-a-reth. And the child grew, and was strong, and wise, and God blest him from day to day.
CHAPTER II.
THE STAR IN THE EAST.