And just then an angel was sent from God to the little town of Nazareth, where there lived a young maiden, quite a poor woman, but most good and holy, a descendant of the great King David. The angel told her that she was highly favored, for she was to be the mother of the Son of the Highest, for the Holy One who was to be born of her should be the Son of God; and when He was born, she was to call His name JESUS, which means the Lord our Saviour, because He should save His people from their sins; and Mary said, "Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word." [Illustration: THE ANGEL ANNOUNCING THE BIRTH OF JESUS.--Luke 2:10, 11.] QUESTIONS. 1. Whom did the Romans make king of the Jews? 2. What nation did Herod belong to? 3. Who was the forefather of the Edomites? 4. Whose son was Esau? 5. What sort of man was Herod? 6. What did he do to please the Jews? 7. But how did he treat them? 8. Whom did he put to death? 9. What were the Jews hoping for? 10. Who had promised that Holy One? 11. What did the Jews think He would be? 12. Who came to say He was coming at last? 13. To whom was the angel sent? 14. What was her name? 15. Where did he live? 16. What did the angel tell her? 17. Who would be born of her? 18. Whose Son would He be? 19. What was she to call Him? 20. What does Jesus mean? 21. What did she answer? [Illustration: THE BIRTH OF JESUS.--Luke 2:10, 12.] THIRD READING. "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men." _Luke 2:14._ THE blessed Virgin Mary lived at Nazareth; but it was God's will that the holy Son of God should be born at Bethlehem, the little town where David used to live and keep his sheep. The Romans sent out orders that everyone should go to their proper home to have their names set down, and pay a piece of money. So the Virgin Mary had to go, with a good man named Joseph, a carpenter, who was to be her husband. Such a number of people had come there that there was no room for them in the inn, and they had to go to a stable--a cavern underground--where the oxen and asses were. And it was there that the Holy Child of Mary, the Son of God, was born, in the stable where the cattle were. The blessed mother wrapped Him in baby-clothes, and laid Him in the manger, among the hay and straw. [Illustration: THE BIRTH OF JESUS PROCLAIMED BY THE SHEPHERDS.--Luke 2:17.] None of the people in the inn knew or cared; but there were shepherds on the hill, keeping watch over their flocks by night. The angels came down to them, and told them that to them was born that day, in the city of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the LORD, and that He was a Babe lying in a manger. As soon as the angel had said that, many other angels, who were very glad that poor men below should be saved, all began to sing, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good-will toward men." So the angels and the shepherds kept the Saviour's birthday, and we keep it upon Christmas-day.