[Illustration: PRESENTATION IN THE TEMPLE.--Luke 2:27, 28.] QUESTIONS. 1. What was David's town? 2. But where did the blessed Virgin Mary live? 3. How came she to go to Bethlehem? 4. Where had she to rest? 5. Why could she not go to the inn? 6. Who was born in the stable? 7. Where was He laid? 8. Who were told of it? 9. Who told the shepherds? 10. What did the angels sing? 11. Why were they glad? 12. Why are we glad? 13. What is the birthday of our Lord? [Illustration] Forty-first Sunday. _THE CHILDHOOD OF OUR LORD._ FIRST READING. "We have seen His star in the east and are come to worship Him."--_Matt. 2:2._ [Illustration] THE shepherds were not the only people who came to see the blessed Lord JESUS when He was a little Infant. Far away in the East, God showed a bright, beautiful star to some wise men, and taught their hearts that it was the sign that the great King was born. They set out on their journey to Judea, to see and honor Him; and when they came, they asked, "Where is He that is born King of the Jews, for we have seen His star in the East, and are come to worship Him." This made Herod afraid, for he thought this must be a king who would take his kingdom from him. He made the learned men among the Jews look out in the prophecies where Christ should be born. They found it was to be at Bethlehem, and he told the wise men so, and desired them to let him know when they found the King, that he might come and worship Him too; but he did not really mean to worship Him, but to kill Him. However, God Himself showed these wise men where to find our blessed Lord, for the same star that they had seen in the East came out again, and went before them, and came and stood over where the young Child was. And though they saw a little Baby, and a poor mother holding Him in her arms, they knew He was the Lord and King; and they worshipped Him, and offered Him the gifts they had brought. There was gold, and there was frankincense, which means the sweet-smelling, costly powder that was burnt in the Temple; and myrrh, which is a precious gum which comes out of trees, and is used to preserve and keep things good. [Illustration: THE VISIT OF THE WISE MEN.--Matt. 2:10, 11.] QUESTIONS. 1. Who came to see our Lord? 2. Where did they come from? 3. What had they seen? 4. What did they ask? 5. Whom did they ask? 6. What did Herod say? 7. Did he want to worship? 8. What did he want to do? 9. How did the wise men find the way? 10. Whom did they see? 11. What did they offer Him? 12. What were the gifts? 13. What is frankincense? 14. What is myrrh? 15. Why did they worship Him? [Illustration] SECOND READING. "Arise, and take the young child and His mother."--_Matt. 2:13._