magnified his mercy towards her; and they rejoiced with her.

And it came to pass on the eighth day, that they came to circumcise the child; and they would have called him Zacharias, after the name of his father.

And his mother answered and said, "Not so; but he shall be called John."

And they said unto her, "There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name."

And they made signs to his father, what he would have him called.

And he asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, saying, "His name is John."

And they marvelled all. And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue loosed, and he spake, blessing God.

And fear came on all that dwelt round about them: and all these sayings were noised abroad throughout all the hill country of Judæa.

And all that heard them laid them up in their heart, saying, "What then shall this child be?"

For the hand of the Lord was with him.

THE SONG OF ZACHARIAS.

And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying,

"Blessed be the Lord the God of Israel;

For he hath visited and wrought redemption for his people,

And hath raised up a horn of salvation for us

In the house of his servant David

(As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets that have been from of old),

Salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all that hate us;

To show mercy towards our fathers.

THE SONG OF ZACHARIAS

And to remember his holy covenant;

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The oath which he sware unto Abraham our father, To grant unto us that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies

Should serve him without fear,

In holiness and righteousness before him all our days.

Yea and thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Most High:

For thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to make ready his ways;

To give knowledge of salvation unto his people In the remission of their sins,

Because of the tender mercy of our God,

Whereby the dayspring from on high shall visit us, To shine upon them that sit in darkness and the shadow of death;

To guide our feet into the way of peace."

And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his showing unto Israel.

THE BIRTH AND INFANCY OF JESUS

JOSEPH AND MARY.

Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily.

But when he thought on these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she shall bring forth a son; and thou shalt call his name JESUs; for it is he that shall save his people from their sins."

Now all this is come to pass, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying,

"Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son,

And they shall call his name Immanuel;"

which is, being interpreted, "God with us.”

And Joseph arose from his sleep, and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took unto him his wife; and knew her not till she had brought forth

a son.

THE BIRTH OF JESUS.

Now it came to pass in those days, there went out a decree from Cæsar Augustus, that all the world

THE ANGELS AND THE SHEPHERDS

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should be enrolled. This was the first enrolment made when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to enrol themselves, every one to his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judæa, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David; to enrol himself with Mary, who was betrothed to him, being great with child.

And it came to pass, while they were there, the days were fulfilled that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son; and she wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

THE ANGELS AND THE SHEPHERDS.

And there were shepherds in the same country abiding in the field, and keeping watch by night over their flock. And an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

And the angel said unto them, "Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all the people: for there is born to you this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord. And this is the sign unto you: Ye shall find a babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, and lying in a manger."

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

"Glory to God in the highest,

And on earth peace among men in whom he is well pleased."

And it came to pass, when the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to

another, "Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing that is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us."

And they came with haste, and found both Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in the manger. And when they saw it, they made known concerning the saying which was spoken to them about this child.

And all that heard it wondered at the things which were spoken unto them by the shepherds.

But Mary kept all these sayings, pondering them in her heart.

And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, even as it was spoken unto them.

THE CIRCUMCISION.

And when eight days were fulfilled for circumcising him, his name was called JESUS, which was so called by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

THE PRESENTATION IN THE TEMPLE.

And when the days of their purification according to the law of Moses were fulfilled, they brought him up to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord), and to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, "A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons."

And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel; and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed unto him by the Holy Spirit, that he should not see