would come with thousands of attendant soldiers to guard Him, clothed in splendid garments, making all the kings of the earth bow down before Him. Herod believed that his only chance of keeping his crown would be to kill the young child at once, and therefore pretended that he wished to find Him that he might worship Him, and he sent the wise men to Bethlehem to search for Him.

They departed, and "lo! the star, which they saw in the east, went before them till it came and stood over where the young child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshipped Him, and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto Him gifts; gold, frankincense, and myrrh." These were gifts usually presented to royal personages, gold as a sort of tribute; frankincense, a very sweet-smelling resin found at this day in the mountains of Judæa; myrrh, a kind of gum taken from a thorny tree in Arabia. "Being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way."

THE FLIGHT INTO EGYPT.

THEN the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, "Arise and take the young child and His mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou

there until I bring thee word; for Herod will seek the young child to destroy Him." Joseph did so, and remained in Egypt till the death of Herod, thus fulfilling the prophecy, "Out of Egypt have I called my son."

Herod's wrath, when he found that he had been mocked, or deceived, by the wise men, was such that "he slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men." Then was fulfilled another prophecy, "In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted because they are not." How foolish it was of Herod to try to fight against God! and how dreadful must have been the sorrow of the mothers who saw their babies killed before their eyes! Is it not a mercy that we live in better times ? Queen Victoria has no more power than you have to give such a cruel order, and we are very sure that if she had the power, nothing would make her do such a thing. But King Herod seems to have thought he was accountable to no one, and might treat his subjects as if they were cattle. Soon after this, his life of cruelty was ended by a terrible disease.

OUR LORD IN THE TEMPLE.

WE hear no more about the life of Jesus Christ till He was twelve years old, when His parents went up to Jerusalem to the feast of the Passover. You will remember reading about that feast in the Old Testament, when it was ordered to be kept in remembrance of the angel passing over the houses of the Israelites when the first-born of the Egyptians were destroyed. This event happened 1,491 years before the birth of Christ; but the anniversary had always been observed, as indeed it is at this day, amongst the Jews. When the feast was over "the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem, and Joseph and His mother knew not of it; but they supposing Him to have been in the company, went a day's journey; and they sought Him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance. And when they found Him not, they turned back again to Jerusalem seeking Him; and after three days they found Him in the Temple sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions. And all that heard Him were astonished at His understanding and answers. And when they saw Him, they were amazed, and His mother said unto Him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing. And He said unto them, How is it that ye sought me ? Wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business? And they understood not the saying which He spake unto them. And He went with them and came to Naza

reth, and was subject unto them; but His mother kept all these sayings in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man."

How wonderful that He, the Holy One, who had left His throne in the heavens, should be subject or obedient to earthly parents! When He took on Himself our nature, He showed us a perfect pattern of what our life ought to be. If He thought it right to be ready to do the will of those who were placed over Him, how can you imagine that you are right when you disobey your parents, or rebel against those that are put in authority over you?

THE BAPTISM OF OUR LORD.

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WE hear nothing of our Lord for some years after this, until He appeared on the banks of the river Jordan, where John was baptizing the people. John appears at once to have known who He was, when He came to be baptized, saying, "I have need to be baptized of Thee, and comest Thou to me? And Jesus answering, said unto him, Suffer it to be so now, for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousThen he suffered Him. And Jesus, when He was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and lo, the heavens were opened unto Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon Him, and lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."

ness.

THE TEMPTATION IN THE WILDERNESS.

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THEN we are told that Jesus up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He was afterward an hungred. And when the tempter came to Him, he said, If Thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. But He answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Then the devil taketh Him up into the Holy City, and setteth Him on a pinnacle of the Temple, and saith unto Him, If Thou be the Son of God, cast Thyself down for it is written, He shall give His angels charge concerning Thee and in their hands they shall bear Thee up, lest at any time Thou dash Thy foot against a stone. Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. Again the devil taketh Him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth Him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; and saith unto Him, All these things will I give Thee if Thou wilt fall down and worship me. Then saith Jesus unto Him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve. Then the devil leaveth Him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto Him."

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We are told in the Epistle to the Hebrews that we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in all