standing, and answers. These surprised all who heard them, for they saw clearly that he was no ordinary child. "And when his parents saw him, they were amazed." Although they believed that he had come to save the world, and was really God manifest in the flesh, yet they were astonished at his wisdom.

Mary said to him, "Son, why hast thou dealt thus with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing." Luke 2:48. But had he done wrong to tarry at Jerusalem? Hear what he says himself. Although but a child, he now, for the first time that we read of such an occurrence, alludes to his heavenly origin: "How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?" Luke 2:49. As if he had said that he was ever ready to obey his earthly parents, but that now his heavenly Father had work for him to do at Jerusalem, and it was necessary that he should have tarried there. He gently reproves Mary for not imagining what might have kept him there, but at the same time, to show his respect and dutiful love to his mother, he leaves the temple and goes home with her to Nazareth.

Neither Joseph nor Mary understood entirely what he meant by the questions he had asked them, but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart.

CHAPTER IX.

CHILDHOOD OF JESUS.

“I think, when I read that sweet story of old,
When Jesus was here among men,

How he called little children as lambs to his fold,
I should like to have been with them then.

I wish that his hands had been placed on my head,
That his arms had been thrown around me,
And that I might have seen his kind look when he said,
'Let the little ones come unto me.'

Yet still to his footstool in prayer I may go,
And ask for a share in his love,

And if I thus earnestly seek him below,

I shall see him and hear him above,

In that beautiful world he has gone to prepare
For all who are washed and forgiven;
And many dear children are gathering there,
'For of such is the kingdom of heaven.'

But thousands and thousands who wander and fall,
Never heard of that heavenly home;

I should like them to know there is room for them all
And that Jesus has bid them to come.

I long for the joy of that glorious time,
The sweetest, and brightest, and best,
When the dear little children of every clime
Shall crowd to his arms and be blessed."

FROM the infancy of Jesus until he was twelve years old we know nothing of his life, excepting what Luke says, "And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon him." Luke 2:40.

And now, from the time he is twelve years old until he is a man, and a teacher of the word, we hear no more of him except in these few words, "And he came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them"his parents. "And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man." Luke 2:51, 52.

We should love to have followed him day by day in all the changes from infancy to youth, but we know all that God saw fit to tell us. How beautiful and sublime is the termination of the childhood of Jesus! Here is a child, as we have seen, whose birth was heralded by angels; whose life was saved, in infancy, by the ministry of angels; who was worshipped by the saints on earth, by the most learned men of the world, and by an innumerable company of angels, even in his cradle, who, nevertheless, is always obedient and submissive to his parents. Poor and humble as they are, great and mighty as he knows him

self to be, yet he never looks proudly down upon them, nor speaks unkindly to them. How has this child Jesus honored childhood! going through all its little pleasures, its little and its great trials, and ever "growing in favor with God and with man!". He was pure and sinless; he said no wrong word, did no wrong act; and yet his companions must have been like all other children, by nature sinners. How it must have wounded his tender heart, pained his pure and perfect nature, to see their errors; yet he was always kind and forgiving. "When he was reviled, he reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not." 1 Pet. 2:23. And above all, he loved his Father in heaven, and often asked God to bless him, and his friends, and his enemies too! He was not like you, a poor, sinful child, who can only think a right thought or do a right act as God helps you, yet his life was a life of prayer.

What a bright and beautiful example Jesus has given you of what a child should be. And how happy it would make you, and all about you, if like him you should always be kind, forgiving, gentle, obedient, and prayerful.

But he did not come to earth merely to be a child,