(Luke 2)
One starry night, in a grassy field outside a little village, a company of shepherds were watching their sheep that were fast asleep. The men were talking together of the wonderful Saviour-King who had been so long promised to the world. Suddenly a bright light shone around them and, in a moment a beautiful angel appeared and stood near them. The shepherds were afraid and fell on their knees, while the angel said: “Fear not; for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day, in the City of David, a Saviour, who is Christ, the Lord.” As they listened the angel continued, “This shall be your sign; ye shall find a Babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, and lying in a manger.” Just then the light changed to a soft rose-color, and angels of white—a great multitude—filled all the sky singing the glad song, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace and good will to men.” It was the sweetest song ears ever heard. Soon it ceased, the angels of white went back to heaven, and the light faded away. “Let us go at once and see this new-born child!” the shepherds said one to another. So they left their sheep in care of one shepherd and hastened to the town. There they found the little Babe in a stable, wrapped in coarse clothes and lying in a manger. By his side was Mary, his mother, and Joseph. They knelt down beside the manger, looked into the wide-open eyes of the Christ-Child, and told Mary and Joseph of the wonderful light, and of the song and sign of the angels. It was morning when the shepherds went back to their sheep, but they never tired of telling that the Christ-Child was born, and that the angels had said he should bring “peace on earth and good will to men.” That was the first Christmas Day.
2. THE WISE MEN AND THE STAR
(Matthew 2)
In other lands besides the one in which the Christ-Child was born, good men often talked together of the promise of his coming to the world. One night, in a far-away land, a wise man who liked to study the stars, was looking up into the sky, and saw a star he had never seen before. “There is the star of the Christ-Child!” he cried; “I will go and find him and take him a gift of gold!” So he mounted his camel and started. Soon he met another man riding a camel. This man said, “Where are you going?” “I have seen the star of the Christ-Child,” he said, “and I am going to find him.” “I saw the star too, and I will go with you,” said the man; “I shall give him a gift of my sweetest incense.” Soon they met a third man riding on a camel. “I too,” he said, “saw this wonderful star, and am seeking the Child-King. I have for him a gift of myrrh, my most precious perfume!” So they journeyed together—on and on—ever following the star until they came at last to the little town of Bethlehem, and the star stood shining over the little house.
“Ike! Ike!” each traveler shouted to his camel. This meant “Kneel; kneel!” The camels slowly knelt down; each man put his foot on his camel’s neck, stepped upon the ground, and went into the house, where they saw the young child and fell down and worshiped him. Then they opened their bags and gave for the Star-Child their best gifts, of gold, and frankincense, and myrrh, such as were given only to kings. Some time after they returned home to their study of the stars again, but they never forgot the star that led them to the Child-King who was born to bring to the world “peace and good will, good will and peace.”
3. WHEN JESUS WAS A BOY
(An Imaginary Sketch.)
(Luke 2: 40, 52.)
When Jesus was a boy he lived in a little country town, called Nazareth. It was a beautiful place, with little white stone houses, and little narrow streets; high green hills rising above it; many gardens full of bright flowers—roses, tulips, lilies, orchids, and wild geraniums; orchards of fig trees, olive trees, and orange trees; cooing doves and other birds flitting here and there on the housetops and among the trees; and in the center of the town there was a fountain from which water was carried by the people to their homes in large stone jars borne on the shoulder.