The statement that shepherds were watching their flocks in the open air all night indicates that the weather was mild. So great was the crowd going to Bethlehem to pay taxes to the Roman government, that there was no room at the inn for Joseph and Mary, and her babe, when born was laid in a manger. It was a common belief among the Rabbins that at the time of the Messiah's birth a new Star would appear in the East, and remain a long time visible. This was partly owing to the prevailing idea that stars were always forerunners of great events, and partly to Balaam's prophecy: "There shall come a star out of Jacob." When Jesus was born, it is stated that wise men came from the East and inquired: "Where is he that is born King of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the east, and have come to worship him." The star went before them and guided them on their travels, and when it came to the manger, it stood still. Whereupon, "they rejoiced with exceeding joy; and when they saw the young child, they fell down and worshipped him, and presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh."

The social condition of Joseph and Mary is indicated by the fact that she offered "turtle doves and young pigeons;" for these were the customary offerings of the poor. As soon as the babe was brought into the temple, Simeon the prophet declared: "This child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel;" and Anna, a prophetess, likewise "spake of him to all that looked for redemption in Jerusalem." These prophecies of a wonderful destiny for the infant are said to have produced the same effect as did similar predictions concerning Crishna in Hindostan, and Moses in Egypt. When Herod the king heard of them, he ordered that all the young children in Bethlehem, and the neighbourhood thereof, should be slain. This piece of extraordinary and high-handed tyranny is mentioned only in the second chapter of a brief biography of Jesus, written by one of his disciples, named Matthew. It does not appear that it caused any appeal to the justice of the Roman government. Josephus, though he wrote much.

concerning Herod, and seems very willing to record his crimes, appears not to have been aware of the transaction; and no cotemporary history makes any allusion to it.

When Jesus was twelve years old, he went up to Jerusalem with Joseph and Mary, to the feast of the Passover. He lingered after they had departed, and when they returned to seek for him, they found him in the temple, listening to learned expounders of the Law, and asking them questions. "And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers." He returned with his mother, and nothing further is recorded of him till he appeared as a public teacher at thirty years of age. During the interim, it is supposed he worked with Joseph at his trade, for one of his biographers, named Mark, has recorded, that when he taught in the synagogue of his native city, the people were surprised, and inquired: "Is not this the carpenter? Whence has this man these things? And what wisdom is this which is given unto him?"

Before entering upon his public ministry, he went to his kinsman, John, to be baptized by him in the river Jordan. And John said to him: "I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?" As he went up out of the water, John saw the Holy Spirit descending upon him, in the form of a dove, and heard a voice from Heaven, saying: "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." It is to be inferred from the narrative that none of the assembled multitude heard the voice, for no mention is made of any sensation produced by it. Up to this period, Jesus and his devout kinsman seem to have had little personal knowledge of each other. Though an angel from heaven had appeared to both their parents, and announced that one of the children would be the promised Messiah, and the other the forerunner to prepare the way before him, John did not recognize him, as he did before either of them were born. He says: "I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the

Holy Ghost. And I saw, and bare record, that this is the Son of God." In consequence of this declaration, two of John's disciples followed Jesus, and became his disciples, saying: "We have found the Messiah." But even after the miracle at the baptism, John seems to have been doubtful concerning the claims of Jesus; for when he heard of his restoring a dead man to life, he sent two of his disciples to inquire of him: "Art thou he that should come? or look we for another?"

John had expressly declared of himself that he was not Elias. But Jesus said of him: "Verily, among them that are born of women, there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist. And this is Elias, which was to come."

It is recorded that Jesus made preparation for his ministry by retiring to a solitary place to fast and pray, according to the general Asiatic custom of those who devoted themselves to a religious mission. During the forty days thus spent, his biographers state that the devil appeared to him, and tried in vain to tempt him with an offer of all the kingdoms of the world, if he would worship him.

What spiritual teaching, or companionship, he had for the eighteen years, during which history is silent concerning him, is, of course, a matter of conjecture. He probably received the usual education of Jewish children, which was confined to expositions of their own laws, prophecies, and traditions. He is once mentioned as writing on the ground, but never as using parchment. His opinion of the Traditionary Law is clearly implied by his accusing the Rabbins of "making the commandments of God of no effect by their traditions." He reproved, with great earnestness, the pride and scepticism of the Sadducees, and the hypocritical sanctity of the Pharisees; but he uttered no rebuke that could be fitly applied to the Essenes. From this circumstance, and many strong points of resemblance between his teaching and theirs, some have conjectured that he knew and favoured that sect; but there is no historical proof to sustain the supposition. He appears to have conformed tc the established religion of his country, as did Jews of all

sects and opinions. He was circumcised at eight days old. He attended the synagogues, and observed the Passover. He often quoted the Law and the Prophets, and constantly averred that he did not come to do them away, but only to fulfil them. He severely rebuked the Pharisees for considering tithes of anise and cumin more important than deeds of justice and mercy, and for supposing that donations to the temple could absolve them from filial duties. But he expressed no disapprobation of customary offerings; merely instructing his disciples in what frame of mind they should carry their gifts to the altar.

In the early part of his mission, he seems to have considered himself a prophet to the Jews only. When he sent his twelve disciples forth to preach, he commanded them, saying: "Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not. But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." When a Greek woman, "a Syro-Phoenician by nation," besought him to heal her daughter, he replied: "I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel." Jews had so long been in the habit of calling all the Gentile nations "dogs," that the expression came to be synonymous with the word foreigner. When the woman persisted in her entreaties, he answered: "It is not meet to take the children's bread and cast it to dogs." She replied: "Truth, Lord; yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their master's table." To this meek response, he rejoined: "O woman, great is thy faith. Be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour." The trusting humility of a Roman centurion impressed him so deeply, that he remarked to those around him, he had never found any faith equal to it among his own nation. The Jewish exclusiveness indicated in his first directions to his Apostles does not appear again in any of the records of his words or actions. On the contrary, his parting injunction to them was: "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature."

By example and precept he inculcated obedience to the

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civil authorities. When enemies sought to entangle him, by asking whether it were right to pay taxes to the Roman government, he answered: "Give unto Cæsar that which is Cæsar's, and unto God that which is God's." He taught his disciples not to be called master, and to call no man on earth father, because all mankind were brethren, the children of one Father, who is in heaven. He himself washed their feet, in token that they ought to serve each other with all humility. The example he set up for their imitation was that of a little child. He often alluded to angels, and said that children had angels, who constantly saw "the face of their Father in heaven." He required purity of thought, as well as of deed. He taught that those who lived a holy life would rise from the dead in purified bodies, and become like the angels. He spoke of heaven as his "Father's house, containing many mansions;" and of hell as a place where "the worm died not, and the fire was not quenched." His habits were not ascetic, like those of John the Baptist; whose disciples came to him and said: "Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not?" He remarked to the Pharisees: "John came neither eating nor drinking, and ye say, He hath a devil. The Son of Man comes eating and drinking, and ye say, Behold a wine-bibber and a glutton, a friend of publicans and sinners." The Jews never had the ideas concerning marriage which characterized the devotees of many Asiatic countries. Even their High Priest was allowed to marry, and it was considered both a misfortune and a disgrace not to have children. Jesus attended a marriage feast, and several of his immediate disciples are said to have been married men. Though the law of Moses allowed polygamy, it was not the general custom, and the Roman law prohibited it. Jesus gave no specific directions on the subject, but his views are indicated by the incidental remark: "A man shall forsake father and mother, and cleave unto his wife, and they twain shall be one flesh." Women were constantly atten dant upon his teaching, and included within the circle of