m in a manger,
because there was no room for them in the inn.

In that country there were shepherds living in the fields and keeping
watch over their flocks by night. And an angel from God stood by them
and a heavenly light shone around them, and they were frightened. But
the angel said to them:

"Fear not, for behold I bring you good news
Of great joy which shall be for all the people.
For to you is born this day in the town of David
A Saviour who is God's Anointed.
This will be a sign to guide you:
You will find a baby in swaddling-clothes lying in a manger."

Then suddenly there was with the angel a great number of the heavenly
ones singing praise to God and saying:

"Glory to God on high,
And on earth peace, good-will among men."

When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said
to one another, "Let us go now to Bethlehem to see this which God has
made known to us." So they went quickly and found Mary and Joseph; and
the baby was lying in a manger.

When they had seen him, they made known what had been told them about
this child. All who heard the words of the shepherds wondered, but Mary
kept these things to herself and often thought about them. And the
shepherds returned, thanking and praising God for what they had heard
and seen, as it had been foretold.

THE WISE MEN BRING GIFTS TO THE YOUNG CHILD

When Jesus was born in Bethlehem, wise men from the east came to
Jerusalem and asked, "Where is the newly born King of the Jews? For we
saw his star in the east and have come to worship him."

When Herod heard these things, he and every one else in Jerusalem were
greatly troubled. So when he had gathered all the high priests and
scribes together, he asked them where the Christ was to be born. They
said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea."

[Illustration:(C) _Curtis Publishing Company_

_The Three Wise Men_

Painted by W. L. Taylor]

Then Herod privately called the wise men and asked them exactly how long
the star had been seen since it appeared in the east. And he sent them
to Bethlehem with the command, "Go and search carefully for the young
child, and when you have found him, come and let me know, that I also
may go and worship him." When they had heard the king, they went away,
and the star which they had seen in the east went before them until it
stood over the place where the young child was. They were overjoye