144 TRAVELLING IN THE DESERT. but as the an-i-mal be-gins to fast in his jour-ney a-cross the bar-ren de-serts, the humps de-crease in size, and the skin o-ver them be-comes lax and shri-vel-led, the fat hav-ing been shed in-to the sys-tem of the an-i-mal for its sup-port. Thus the ca-mel can en-dure fast-ing for a long time, as well as thirst. 5. The ca-mel is train-ed to la-bour when ve-ry young, and when on-ly a few days old is taught to lay down at the word of com-mand, and to re-ceive a slight load, which is in-crea-sed with ev-e-ry day's growth. To the ca-mel, mer-chants and tra-vel-lers en-trust their pro-per-ty and lives. When such per-sons are a-bout to tra-vel a-cross a de-sert, they do not go a-lone, but a great ma-ny col-lect to-gether with their goods, and hav-ing hi-red a num-ber of ca-mels, they pro-ceed in com-pa-ny, and thus, by u-ni-ting, are safe from the rob-bers of the de-sert. The ca-mels fol-low each oth-er in long lines, each of which is of-ten head-ed by a man on an ass with a bell round its neck, and ma-ny of the ca-mels have bells on their sad-dles, by the mu-sic of which they pro-ceed qui-et-ly and stea-di-ly, till they ar-rive at their sta-tions in the e-ven-ing, which is ge-ne-ral-ly at one of those lit-tle green spots found in the de-sert, call-ed an "o-a-sis, where there is a lit-tle herb-age, and per-haps wa-ter. د, THE PRE-EXISTENCE OF CHRIST. John, Chap. I.-1. In the be-gin-ning was the Word, and the Word was with GOD, and the Word was God. 2. The same was in the be-gin-ning with GOD. 3. All things were made by him; and with-out him was not a-ny-thing made that was made. 4. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. G 146 THE BIRTH OF CHRIST. 14. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt a-mong us (and we be-held his glo-ry, the glo-ry as of the on-ly be-got-ten of the Fa-ther), full of grace and truth. LESSON II. THE BIRTH OF CHRIST. Luke, Chap. II.-4. And Jo-seph al-so went up from Gal-i-lee, out of the cit-y of Naz-a-reth, in-to Ju-de-a, un-to the cit-y of Da-vid, which is call-ed Beth-le-hem (be-cause he was of the house and lin-eage of Da-vid). 5. To be tax-ed with Ma-ry his es-pous-ed wife, be-ing great with child. 6. And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were ac-com-plish-ed that she should be de-liv-er-ed. 7. And she brought forth her first born son, and wrapp-ed him in swad-dling clothes, and laid him in a man-ger, be-cause there was no room for them in the inn. 8. And there were in the same coun-try shepherds a-bi-ding in the field, keep-ing watch o-ver their flock by night. 9. And lo, the an-gel of the LORD came up-on them, and the glo-ry of the LORD shone round a-bout them, and they were sore a-fraid. 10. And the an-gel said un-to them, Fear not, for be-hold, I bring you good ti-dings of great joy, which shall be to all peo-ple. 11. For un-to you is born, this day, in the cit-y of Da-vid, a Sa-viour, which is CHRIST the LORD. 12. And this shall be a sign un-to you. Ye shall find the babe wrap-ped in swad-dling clothes, ly-ing in a man-ger. JESUS PREACHETH IN THE TEMPLE. 147 13. And sud-den-ly, there was with the an-gel a mul-ti-tude of the hea-ven-ly host, prais-ing Gon, and say-ing, 14. Glo-ry to GOD in the high-est, and on earth peace, good will to-ward men, JESUS PREACHETH IN THE TEMPLE. Luke, Chap. II.-40. And the child grew and wax-ed strong in spir-it, fill-ed with wis-dom, and the grace of GOD was up-on him. 148 JESUS PREACHETH IN THE TEMPLE. 41. Now his pa-rents went to Je-ru-sa-lem ev-e-ry year at the feast of the pass-o-ver. 42. And when he was twelve years old, they went up to Je-ru-sa-lem af-ter the cus-tom of the feast. 43. And when they had ful-fill-ed the days, as they re-turn-ed, the child Je-sus tar-ri-ed be-hind in Je-ru-sa-lem, and Jo-seph and his mo-ther knew not of it. 44. But they, sup-po-sing him to have been in the com-pany, went a day's jour-ney, and they sought him a-mong their kins-folk and ac-quaint-ance. 45. And when they found him not, they turn-ed back a-gain to Je-ru-sa-lem, seek-ing him. 46. And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the tem-ple, sit-ting in the midst of the doc-tors, both hear-ing them, and asking them ques-tions. 47. And all that heard him were as-ton-ish-ed at his un-der-stand-ing and an-swers. 48. And when they saw him they were a-ma-zed; and his moth-er said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? Be-hold thy fa-ther and I have sought thee sor-row-ing. 49. And he said un-to them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be a-bout my Fa-ther's bu-si-ness? 51. And he went down with them and came to Naz-a-reth, and was sub-ject un-to them; but his moth-er kept all these say-ings in her heart. 52. And Je-sus in-crea-sed in wis-dom and stature, and in fa-vour with GOD and man. |