The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-12-24

when he became a young man was also the result of Joseph's journey to the manager of Bethlehem of Judaea. When Joseph went to Bethlehem with Mary he seemed to say, q will look after thee and the young child" But there came a time when Joseph could no longer look after Mary and Jesus. Death came in and took Joseph away. Then Jesus had to step into Joseph's place and become the support of the rest of the family.
 Now of what did this family consist? !? Every Bible commentator who ever penned a description of Joseph makes him out to be a middle aged or an elder ly man at the time of his marriage to Mary Some assert that not only was Joseph middle aged man when he mar ried Mary. but that he had other chill dren. Personally I do not believe there is any objection to these two assertions. Scripture itself seems to harmonize with these two suppositions In the first place. we find that the Bible never speaks about Joseph after the scene in the temple, when Christ as a boy IS talking with the doctors. Joseph was not with Mary at the wedding of Cana of Gallee. He was not with Jesus during any of his tours. He was not with Christ at the time of the crucifxion. Theref ore the Bible reader has a rght to suppose
 
 young manhood Joseph the carpenter died. Then Christ has to go to work and take his foster fathers place in the work shop. He had to do as your elder brother did on the farm when your father died. When Christ was little moro than boy he had to do a mans work-aye, ana more than mans work. Jesus had to support his mothers family
 Christ by the forced toll and struggle must have been fitted for sympathy with the struggle of young men and y"uag women Thete must have been r'ai:y a weary hour n tha. carpenter shcp when Jesus, with aching back. strusg!nd on to fight the wolf of coll and Of hun ger from the door. There mus have Leen many blls,er upon the hand from he almost ceasci ,ss gripping Gf saw ana plane and chljsl There must have been many a bleeding bnger and hiackehco thumb when h. tired arm was no .onSer able to direct the hammer arignt and in- stead of striking the iron nail 1t crashed into the bruised flesh. Christ as the man sympathlves with the hungry, le- cause Christ ss inc boy perhaps often went faint to bed that his brothers and sisters might have enough 70 eat. he ties which bound Mary the mother to her eldest son wera very sacred. Sde Dy sioo they must have struggled to rear those cbilcren Side bv slda thy must have
 
 side they must havo drunt deer out or the chalice filled with their bitter tears Christ was nurtured and cared fer during his years of infancy because Joseph the carpenter stood by his r.anSer. Christ was better fitted for his life work of sympathy because the children CT that same Joseph were thfpwn upon Jesus young shoulders to support.
 Influence of a Good Man.
 Thus the influence of n good man lives on after he has passed away The noble life of some dear one may have sttmu- lated you to deeds of nobleness while he was yet with you. Let i.s power abide with you now that he Is gone, making you useful to those around you and to the Master also. This truth must nave been a difficult one for Mary to learn. It Is, in all probability, difficult one for you to learn also. When he next Christmas holiday comes there may be vacant chair at your table. There will be the silence which comes from the absence of a voice you would like to hear. There will be many hand clasps and many "Mer- ry Christmases" sung out, but there will be one hand clasp you will not feel and one Merry Christmas" you will not hear again on earth. But believe me, if my in depreciation of this character of Joseph is true, even in the death. or, rather, in