CHAPTER ONE.

BIRTH AND CHILDHOOD.

N the days of Herod, King of Judea, there

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was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the Abijah division of the priesthood. His wife, Elizabeth, was also a descendant from Aaron. They were both upright in character and had always lived blamelessly in all the precepts and ordinances of the Lord. They were now well advanced in years but, to their great sorrow, had had no children.

In the temple service, at the hour for burning incense, while all the multitude of the people remained outside in prayer, it was the custom for one priest, who was chosen by lot, to enter the Holy of Holies and offer the incense. On one occasion the lot fell to Zechariah. He had

Luke 1: 5-80.

entered and was burning the incense when an angel of the Lord appeared to be standing on the right side of the altar. Zechariah was troubled and afraid when he saw him, but the angel reassured him and said, "Zechariah, your earnest prayers have been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear a son and you are to call his name John. You will have joy and gladness and many will rejoice at his birth. He will be great in the sight of the Lord; he will abstain from all fermented drink and, from his birth, will be filled with Divine Vitality.

"He will turn many of the children of Israel to Sovereign Love, their Lord. He will be the forerunner of the Messiah and have the spirit and power of Elijah to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and to turn the disobedient to the wisdom of the good, and thus to make ready a people prepared to welcome the Lord."

Zechariah said to the angel, "I am an old man. and my wife is aged also; how shall I be sure of this?"

The angel replied, "I stand in the presence of

Sovereign Love and am sent to tell you the Good News. It will come to pass in due time, but because you are slow to believe you will be unable to speak until that time."

Meanwhile the people were waiting for Zechariah to reappear and were surprised that he staid so long. When he finally came out and they saw that he was unable to speak, but made signs to them, they perceived that, while he had been within, he had seen a vision.

When his days of temple service were ended, he went to his home, and, in the course of time, his wife Elizabeth conceived. For five months she kept in retirement, saying, "The Lord has looked kindly upon me and taken away my reproach."

N the sixth month an angel from Sovereign

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Love appeared to a girl in Nazareth of Galilee. Her name was Mary and she was betrothed to a man named Joseph. They were both lineal descendants from Abraham and the royal house of David.

The Angel said to Mary, "Congratulations, most favored one, the Lord is with you." She was greatly agitated at such a strange greeting and wondered what it meant.

The angel continued, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with Sovereign Love. You are to bear a son and call his name Jesus. He will be of great renown; men will call him, 'Son of the Most High'; and Sovereign Love, the Lord, will give him the throne of his father David. He will reign over the house of Jacob for ever and of his Kingdom there will be no limit."

Mary said, "How can it be possible, seeing that I am not yet married?" The angel answered, "Divine Vitality will come to you, and the power

of the Most High will enfold you. For this reason he that shall be born will be revered and will be called the Son of Sovereign Love; and no purpose of his will ever fail."

Mary replied, "I give myself wholly to the Lord. Let it be to me as you have said."

The angel said, "Listen, Mary, your relative Elizabeth has conceived a son in her old age, and she, who was called barren, is now in her sixth month." Then the angel disappeared from her

presence.

Mary went at once to the home of Zechariah in the hill country of Judea to see Elizabeth. As soon as Elizabeth heard her greeting, the babe moved within her. She was filled with Divine. Vitality and cried out:

"Oh, most blessed among women, and your child shall be blessed! Why is this honor, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, even the babe within me moved from very joy. Oh, blessed one! Because you have faith,