Wise Men; about whom many tales have been handed down, some true, and some not.

The Gospel for to-day tells you the history of this glorious season. About the time of the Saviour's birth, there was an idea spread over all the world,-Heathen and Jewish,—that a king was to be born among the Jews, who was to rule all the world. No doubt, the idea had come from the prophecies of the Bible, which the Jews had told from one to another over all the nations where they were scattered; and even the nations who knew nothing of the Bible, or of the true God, gradually came to believe the prophecy; and it was of God that it should be believed.

When Jesus was born at Bethlehem, a star, different from all others, was seen by the Wise Men, (or Magi, as they were called,) living far eastward from Israel. God made known to them what the star meant, and they travelled to Israel: they were told by the Jews that the place where Christ should be born was Bethlehem; and the wonderful star moved and stood over the house where the Virgin Mary and the Infant Jesus were. They went in and worshipped the babe; offering to him gold, frankincense, and myrrh, which were the usual gifts given to kings and very great men by those who wished to honour them. Frankincense and myrrh were different kinds of dried gums, which were burnt to make incense (or sweet smoke) and sweet perfumes. The Wise Men were not

!

Jews, but Gentiles, and seem to have been some who still worshipped the true God, as the Patriarchs had done before Abraham: they had not fallen into idolatry, though probably they had many errors among them; for the Scriptures had not then been given or intrusted to any nation but the Jews. Though we are not told exactly their country, we know that they were Gentiles; and thus God, leading them by the miracle of a strange star, which pointed out the very house in Bethlehem where the Saviour was, taught the world that Jesus was born the King and Saviour of the whole world-not of Jews only, but of Gentiles also. Gentiles means any nations who are not Jews. We are Gentiles, and so are the people of Europe, and Africa, and of India, and of China, and of all the world. What would have become of us and of all men, if Jesus had only been born a Saviour for Jews? There would not have been any salvation for us Gentiles. This day, therefore, is a day of remembrance and thanksgiving, that Jesus was shown, by the miracle of a star, to be the Saviour of Gentiles as well as of Jews. The Wise Men of the Gentiles believed God, and came to Jesus, and went away thankful. You have been brought by baptism to Jesus; are you thankful for your Saviour? Are you behaving as if you were his on earth? Are you hoping to enter his kingdom in heaven? Learned writers say that these Wise Men

came from the country near the mouth of the river Euphrates, where Arabia and Persia join, and which is about eight hundred miles east of Jerusalem; and that they were Arabians of those nations which sprung from Abraham and Keturah, (Gen. xxv. 1-6.)

The Star of Bethlehem.

WHEN you've seen a new-born brother,
When he first was shown to you,
Weak and mild beside your mother,
How your thoughts were strange and new!

But a Babe beyond all others,
On this hallowed day was shown;
One who counteth us as brothers,
Saves, and marks us as his own!
Lo! a star from God shone bright,
Telling where the Babe was laid;
From the East, led by that light,
Wise men came and offerings made:
For that Babe was Christ our King,
Both for Jews and Gentiles given;
Praise and worship to Him bring,
He for us hath opened heaven!

(Num. xxiv. 3-19.)

The bright and morning Star.

BALAAM, the son of Beor, hath said,

And the man whose eyes are open hath said

How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob,

And thy tabernacles, O Israel!

Blessed is he that blesseth thee,

And cursed is he that curseth thee.

He hath said which heard the words of God,
And knew the knowledge of the Most High,
Which saw the vision of the Almighty,

Falling into a trance, but having his eyes open-
I shall see him, but not now,

I shall behold him, but not nigh:

There shall come a Star out of Jacob,
And a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel;
Out of Jacob shall come He

That shall have dominion.

O send out thy light and thy truth; let them lead me.-Ps. xliii. 3

HEAVEN is bright, but earth is dark,

Life is like a stormy sea,

Seated in thy Church's ark,
Saviour I will come to Thee!
Foolish and unskilled am I;
Fix my faith on Thee afar;

Teach me from each rock to fly;
Be to me the Guiding Star!
Thy blest Bible I will love,
It shall always be my helm;
Lest I lose my home above,
Or some sin should me o'erwhelm.
Shine, O bright and Morning Star!
Let me not astray be driven;
Thou art near though seeming far;
Lead me, draw me, unto heaven!

From the Word of God. Arise, shine! for thy Fight is come; and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee! The Lord is my light and my salvation: whom, then, shall I fear?-In thy light shall we see light! (Isa. Ix. 1; Ps. xxvii. 1; xxxvi. 9.)

We beseech

From the Voice of the Church. Thee for thine infinite mercies, that Thou wilt mercifully look upon these children: wash them and sanctify them with the Holy Ghost, that they, being delivered from thy wrath, may be received into the ark of Christ's Church: and, being stedfast in faith and rooted in charity, may so pass the waves of this troublesome world, that, finally, they may come to the land of everlasting life, there to reign with Thee, world without end, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

(Prayer in the Baptismal Service.)

From the Sayings of Good Men of old. By our Saviour, even Jesus Christ, we look up to the highest heavens; by Him are the eyes of our hearts opened; by Him our foolish and darkened understanding rejoiceth to behold his wonderful light. (St Clement, 1 Rom. 16, 17.)