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for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. 21. And she shall bring forth a somn; and thou shalt call his name JESUS; for it is he that shall save his people from their sins. "Jesus" was a very common Hebrew name (Joshâ€" ua) in its Greek form. It means ‘Jehovah‘s Saivation." God took hold of a name perfectly familiar, which set the newâ€"born Child among the children of men. Birth of Jesus 22. Now all this is come to pass, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet. saying, 23. 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. This prophecy is found ine conception of the Virgin Mary by the Holy Spirit is given with much greater detail in Luke‘3 Gospel (1: 26â€"38). Mark has writ. ten nothing whatever concerning the birth and childhood of Jesus. On‘y Matthew and Luke tell the siory of the supernatural birth, though John seems to refer to it (1: 14). Matthew tells it to us from the standpoint of Joseph, who was betrothed to Mary, and ‘herecfore legally her husband. Message To Joseph 19. And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man, and not willing to make her a public exâ€" ample, was minded to put her iway privily. 20. RBut when he heught on these things, behold, in ange!l of the Lord appeared unâ€" to him in a dream, saying, Josâ€" <ph, thow son of David, fear not 0 take unto thee Mary thy wife; uo e e d he annunciation to Joseph occurâ€" red in Nazareth. The birth of Jes. us took place in Bethlehem. The teaching of Christ found in this lesson was given in Capernaum. Matthew 1: 18. Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they ‘ame together she was found with clvid of the Hoale Sminle mm ss. J The Child and The ‘ Kingdom eiher she was found with the Holy Spirit. The divâ€" 1: 18â€"25; 18; 1.14; 19; Palestine Has 11 Christmases Christ‘s Blessing 13. Then were there brought vnto him little children, that he should lay his hands on them, and pray: and the disciples rebuked them. 14. But Jesus said, Suffer the little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for to such belongeth the kingdom of heaven. 15. And he laid his hands on them, and departed thence. depth of the sea. How can we cause little children to stumble? By letting them see our own unâ€" belief, cynicism; by letting them have their own way, by failing to restrain or discivline them. Children cannot have a full knowâ€" ledge of Christian doctrines, but they can know Jesys as one who loves them, whom ?hey can trust and pray to. . CiRCDies unto Jesus, saying, Who then is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? 2. And he called to him a little child, and set him in the midst of them. 3. And said, Verily 1 say unto you, Except ye turn, and become as little ch:ldren, ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven. 4. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. No one has yet given the perfect and exâ€" clusive interpretation of this proâ€" found idea â€" it has been suggest. ed that Christ here means that we should be like children in huâ€" mility, in obedience, in indifferâ€" ence to the distinctions of rank and wealth, pureâ€"hearted. 5. And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me. Let us receive and cherish childâ€" ren in Jesus‘ name, just as he would receive himself. Let No Harm Come 6. But whoso shall cause one of these little ones that believe on me to stumble, it is profitable for him that a great millstone should be hanged about his neck, and that he should be sunk in the depth of the sea.. How can «s Matt. 18: 1. In the disciples unto Who then is tha â€" 1 2n. ~ ++ ids 24. â€" And Joseph arose from his sleep, and did as the angel of the Lord commandâ€" ed him, and took unto him his wife; 25. and knew her not till she had brought forth a son: and he called his name JESUS, The Little Child fee I: 14. 2%4 « In th_st hour came vice comes from National Health headquarters, "if you must cele brate away from home, leave your car in the garage, and take a taxi." "Havre a Christmas without reâ€" grets. The healthâ€"angle of Christâ€" mastide is important. Glowing facâ€" es of children and gladdened hearts of adults are signs of upsurging spirits. There is a close relationâ€" ship between happiness and health, Chtistmas gives everyone an opâ€" portunity to discard unhealthy moods and repressions, and to let the spirit of joy have full rein." Spirit of Joy Fire marshals warn against acâ€" cidents setting fire to Christmas trees by the use of lighted candles, and, since medical authorities are interesting themselves in accident prevention, this further word of adâ€" Even at Christmas time it is possible to have "too much of A good thing" say authorities of the Department of Pensions and Naâ€" tional Health at Ottawa. Moderation At Christmas Time And then the light! Not day or night, *RBut something different an d strangeâ€" So that they stopped all moveâ€" ment, waitedâ€" As if each moment now were freighted With some new thing â€" beyond their vision‘s range, > ‘Till clearer, by the manger, they all saw Mother and child. And now no longer timid, stumbâ€" some spell. Lifted the babe with care, And blessed them gentlyâ€"d: Inarticulate, yet getting each share Of that great love which to world had come. Anowing in some mute, kindly way that all was well, Not knowing what but feeling love was there. And Mary, raising happy eyes to them Ranged round her as if holden by fings wild, ~â€" .= > i.>~ They stooped above thenmnâ€"seeing how they smiledâ€" not at rest, * Not knowing why oppressed to paw o His stall, scattering the straw. Each in his gentle way, uneasy, The little bulls drew together With the doves softly whispering, While the ass wondered whether He wanted out or in, Pulling at his rope and starting IN THE STABLE e mc i sotedenis, neomm zo nnrennsâ€"wecs... Be Avoided T he Christ Child ONTARIO ARCcHIVEs TORONTO gentlyâ€"dumb, each his Is To the Mictiscos : grows . most . comiionâ€" What can a mother give her ly on apple and other rosaceous children trees, very rarely on oaks. It gets More than & faith that will its nourishment by putting suckâ€" not dim? ers â€"into the branches of its host. T‘k’fit' my dear onesâ€"hold it The suckerâ€"bearing shoots display A l::ver, s + r f p for a lifetimeâ€"faith a weird kind of intelligence, acâ€" in Him, tually groping their way along the branch for the best foodâ€"supply. â€"Grace Noll Crowell One naturally thinks of Christâ€" masâ€"trees, holly, and mistletoe. Mistletoe gets its name from the German mist, expelled matter. The hard seeds are dispersed by birds passing them undigested through their bodies. Misselâ€" thrushes often function so. pardon of sins at Mistletoe was forbidden in Eng. lish churches as it was & heathen emblem, the sole exception being York Cathedral. Dr. Stukeley tells us that it was customary to carry a branch of mistletoe in procesâ€" sion to the high altar and proâ€" claim a general induigence and Decorating the house with everâ€" greens at Christmas is a pagan custom and an edict compiled at the Council o Bracara forbade the people to deck their homes with bay leaves and green houghs. Pagans believed that the sylvan spirits would repair to them in very cold weather, shelter beâ€" neath their leaves and remain unâ€" nipped by frost and cold. Houses used to be decked with hoim, ivy, bay, laurel, box, and holly. down, Silent footsteps in the town, Tcicles on the window pane, * Christmas day is here again. T. Lovatt Williams balls, wcil 3 Short the day and long the night, Merry games by candlelight. Silken â€"snowflakes quivering Holly and mistletoe on the stalls Lanterns, sireamers and colored R * Flooded river and frosted roads, Creaking carts with heapedâ€"up lqads, Wild duck winging through leadâ€" en sky, a > Christmas day is drawing night. MISTLETOPICS Pagan Evergreens Christmas Day the city gates. darkness, Hold it for warmth when the day is coldâ€" Keep it for joy when youth goes singing, Clasp it for peace when you are old. Carr}: it_ high like a lamp in the Later, that first church had adâ€" ditions built to accommodate the people who came to hear Christ‘s word and later became (Glastonbury Abbey. Strength and courago retvrned to the party from Palestine. They built a few rough shelters and beâ€" side tho hawthorn trae they built a church. For many years the sacâ€" red thorn tree blossomed every year on Chris as eve, People deâ€" corated this tree with lighted canâ€" dles and placed small thorn trees in their homes for the Yuletide. Faith in the young lad come to manhood ; Jesus, compassionate, tender and trueâ€" Oh, my childrenâ€"what more glorious Gift in the world can I give to you? "It is a sign from (Cod," exclaim ed Joseph. "Let us end our wander ings and settle down here!" Shining faith in the young lad, Jesus; Lover of high white things was He; Jesusâ€"straight as a Lebanan cedar; Jesusâ€"clean as the winds from the sea. As he spoke, Joseph thrust the staff into the ground, and a shiver went through it. The dead wood beâ€" gan to grow. Branches appeared from the knots on the staff, and the leaves appeared. Tho dry staff had changed to a noble hawthorn tree. "A Sign From God" As he leaned against his staff he exclaimed: "My coursge has deâ€" parted, and my hope is as dead as this staff in my hands." What can a mother give her children Greater today than this one great thingâ€" Faith in an old, sweet, beautiâ€" ful story, A starâ€"a stableâ€"a newâ€"born King? For some days they travelled, but everything was deserted. It was winter, and the people of Engâ€" land were not about the fields. On Christmas eve their food was exâ€" hausted and they were almost perâ€" ishing, when Joseph, in discourage ment, dropped on a rock to rest. An old English legend tolls of the first Christmas tree. According to this ancient tale, many years ago Joseph of Arimathea came from Palestine to England to tell the people about the life and death of Christ. It was a long and very rough voyage that the people from Palestine had, as they journeyed in an open boat the entire distance, Landing on a shore where there were no dwellings, Joseph and his people took up their travel inland, hoping to find some one to receive them and give them shelter and T he Beautiful Gift Legend Says Joseph of Arimaâ€" Christmas Tree: â€" "O Little T own English Origin Of Bethlehem" His Staff Into the Groundâ€" It Became A Tree Thither came the widow Naomi, and her daughterâ€"inâ€"law Ruth, the Moabitess, mourners, bereft of all they had held Gear. There the young widow Ruth was wedded to her wealthy kinsman Boaz, thereby becoming greatâ€"grandmother of the Psalmistâ€"King David, and also one of the progenitors of the Christmas King, the Lord and saviour of Manâ€" hind. It was in Bethiehem that the young Levite lived, who Micah hirâ€" ed to be his chaplain, and with whom is connected the tragic story in the last chapters of the book of_ Judges. Tho terrible tale of wrong doing and roprisals came perilousâ€" ly near to the destroying of the wholo tribe of Benjamin, within whose limits Bethlohem was sitaatâ€" ed. Mer gravo is still marked by _ @ rough stone monument! "House of Bread" Its history was by no means all bright and holy. Jacob hurrying along with a deathly sick wife, was compelled to halt nearby, while his greatly beloved Rachel gave birth to the little Benjamin, and then in her husband‘s arms died there. Who was there born in human flel_b, though the Almighty Son of All three names are significant to Christians whose interest in it arises from the tremendous fact that in that little town was born Him Who was rightly called "The Bread of Life;" Who was to be the fruitful Head of a new race, wideâ€" epread as the world itself; and Bethichem or ‘The House of Bread, was more anciently known as Ephrm or Fruitful, but in modâ€" ern times is called Beitlahm "House of Flesh." There, Was Who Is Christ the Lord" Its Past History And she never had to go back to the cross old woman but instead remained in Fairyland where she lived happily ever after. ed. "Make the tree its proper size once more," said Santa Claus afterâ€" wards. But when the tree became small again, on the top was â€" no, not Mary, but a beautiful fairy! The little girl had been transformâ€" "Quick!" said tho gnome, * take this lantern and hold tight to that fir treo!" Mary did as she was asked, while the gnome muttered some magic words and the little tree grow, It grew so quickly that it reached right up to the sky, and on top was Mary, holding the lant» ern. And by this means Santg was able to find his way,. "I know this is the work of the wicked underground gnomes, They have, by their magi made the cloud over the moon so that Santa Claus cannot find the way to the earth, This made Mary very happy, but all at once a dark cloud covered the moon, and the gnome turne< pale. "Tell me why you are crying," said the gnome, Mary told him, and then the gnome said: "I am on my way to meet Santa Claus who is coming from Toyland." Mary seaid that there could be no strawberries growing in the snow but she was pushed out of «doors into the forest. She sat down beneath a tree and began to ¢ry, and while she cried there came a little gnome carrying a lantern, Night had come on, and it was vory dark. "I want some strawborries," said the old woman,. "Go fetch me some," Many, many years ago on a Christmas Eve a poor little girl named Mary was very unhappy. Mary was an orphan, which means she had neither a mother nor a faâ€" ther, and the old woman she lived with made her very miserable by her cruel treatment. Snow lay deep on the ground, in the forest whora Mary and the old woman lived. MHave you ever wondered why the grace@ul, little fairies dressed in the loveliest of gossamer garâ€" ments, with gleaming ornaments in their hair and dainty wands in their hands, Tigure so prominently in Christmas decorations and festiâ€" vities? An old Yuletide legend is the origin of this, Let me tell you the story, Christmas F a iry Gossamer Creature Was Once A Poor Unhappy Little Girl AAoma Cake‘s Â¥ i Bd " t3 Â¥g C S s €4 #2% PF\ $ 1 <taFuaA #9 w ME N . 419 0