“I will try, mamma: he took him up in his arms, and blessed God, saying, ‘Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation.’” “The Scriptures have said that when Jesus was taken into the temple, the law required that a sacrifice or offering should be made for him,――what was this offering?” “A pair of turtle doves, or two young pigeons.” “Yes, my dear, the Jewish law made it necessary to bring an offering for every male child. The more wealthy among them, gave a lamb of the first year, and it shows how poor the parents of Jesus were, that they were able to offer only a pair of turtle doves, or two young pigeons. When you are a little older, my dear children, you will be better able to comprehend the full meaning: of a sacrifice or offering, and the connexion they had with the great sacrifice of himself, which our blessed Saviour made for sinful creatures such as we are. “What do you know, Howard, of the wise men who came from the east in search of the Babe of Bethlehem?” “They came to Jerusalem first.” “Did they remain there?” “No:――they told Herod, the king of Judea, that Christ was born, for they had seen his star in the east.” “Do you know what they meant by that?” “Do you tell us, mamma.” “It was at that time believed throughout all the _East_, that some very extraordinary person was to arise in Judea. The belief was founded on their having some knowledge of the writings of the ancient prophets; and from the Jews themselves, who were scattered over all the eastern countries. Many persons suppose these _wise men_ lived in Persia, a country a great deal further to the east than Jerusalem. About the time they expected this great personage to appear, they saw a very shining, or luminous appearance in the sky, which induced them to take this very long journey. They thought by going to Jerusalem first, they should certainly hear every thing which had occurred.” “But, mamma,” said George, “I thought Herod did not know that Jesus was born.” “You are right:――he was kept in ignorance of it, because God knew that he was a wicked king, and would destroy the young child, in order to keep him from reigning as a temporal king, as they supposed he would do, and by this means overturn the Roman empire: the wise men were warned of this, and seeing the same light or star, which they saw in their own country, they followed it, till it stood just over the house where the young child lay; for, by this time, his parents had found better accommodations for him, than the poor stable in which he was born. The scriptural relation is so beautiful, I will turn to it, and read it to you, or, George, you may find the place in the 2nd chapter of the gospel of Matthew. ‘When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child, and Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshipped