Читать книгу The Story of Jesus The Christ - Helen Braun Hojt - Страница 10

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There they found a resting-place, and there that night God

gave to Mary the baby he had promised her, the baby that was

the long-expected King of the Jews.

The poor people in that country often wrapped a long band

around their little babies

to clothe them, and this

sort of dress was called

swaddling clothes. Mary

wrapped her baby in

swaddling clothes, and

since there was no other

crib for him she laid him

in a manger.

In the beautiful val¬

ley just outside the city,

where David had taken

care of his father’s

sheep so many years

before, some shepherds

were watching their

flocks that night. They

watched them day and

night, for it was not

safe to leave them alone. Angels and Shepherds

Robbers and wild beasts

were about, and the sheep might come to harm if left without

care.

The shepherds knew that it was time for the Christ to come,

and this night they were probably thinking of him and talking

one to another, when all at once a bright light shone around

them, and the angel of the Lord came before them. They were

very much afraid, but the angel said: 44 Fear not, for, behold, I

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A CHILD’S STORY OF THE LIFE OF CHRIST

bring you good tidings of great joy that shall be to all people.

For unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a Saviour

which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign to you:

you will find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a

manger.»

And suddenly there w^ere with this angel a great many more

who sang, “ Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace,

good will to men.»

When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the

shepherds said to one

another, “ Now let us

go to Bethlehem right

away, and see this baby,

of whom the angels

have been telling us.»

They started at once

and soon came to the

city, for it was not

more than a mile away.

And there they found

Joseph and Mary and

the baby.

The shepherds were

very happy. They had

so longed to have the

Christ come; now he

had come, and they

were looking at him.

Do you not think that

Mary was happy, too,

when she learned from the shepherds how they knew of her

baby’s birth? She did not talk much about it, but the thought

Adoration of Shepherds