THE BOYHOOD OF JESUS [Illustration] PUBLISHED BY DAVID C. COOK PUBLISHING COMPANY Factory and Shipping Rooms, Elgin, Illinois Try to be like Jesus. The Bible tells of Jesus, So gentle and so meek; I'll try to be like Jesus In ev'ry word I speak. For Jesus, too, was loving, His words were always kind; I'll try to be like Jesus In thought and word and mind. I long to be like Jesus, Who said "I am the Truth;" Then I will give my heart to him, Now, in my early youth. --_Lillian Payson._ [Illustration: THE BABY JESUS.] COPYRIGHT, 1905, BY DAVID C. COOK PUBLISHING COMPANY. The Little Lord Jesus. Away in a manger, No crib for a bed, The little Lord Jesus Laid down his sweet head. The stars in the sky Looked down where he lay-- The little Lord Jesus Asleep on the hay. The cattle are lowing, The poor baby wakes, But little Lord Jesus No crying he makes. I love thee, Lord Jesus; Look down from the sky, And stay by my cradle To watch Lullaby. --_Luther's Cradle Hymn_ The Child Promised. [Illustration] THERE was once a time when there was no Christmas at all. There were no beautiful Christmas trees and happy songs and stockings filled with presents. No one shouted "Merry Christmas!" or "Christmas Gift!" No one told the sweet story of Jesus, because Jesus had not come into the world and so there was no Christmas. You see Christmas is Jesus' birthday, and before he came, of course people could not keep his birthday. You have heard of how wicked and unhappy the people were long ago. Although God loved them and tried to make them do right, they forgot about him and did so many naughty, disobedient things that they were very miserable. Then God sent a wonderful message to them. He told them that some day he would send them his own Son, who should be their King and teach them how to do right. He said that his Son would come as a little child to grow up among them to love and help them. God even told them what they should call this baby who was to be their King. God said that Christ would be like a beautiful light showing them where to go. It would be as though some people stumbling sorrowfully along a dark street should suddenly see a bright light shining ahead of them, making everything cheerful and pleasant. They would be joyful like people who gather in the harvest. Jesus makes his children happy, and he wants them to shine out and make others happy. These people who were so unhappy before Jesus came, were very glad to know that some day he would come. They talked about him and waited a long, long time before he came and brought Christmas light into the world. [Illustration] [Illustration: THE BABE IN BETHLEHEM.] The Coming of Jesus.