Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-12-28
rHEFjRsT CHRISTMAS.

THE FIRST CHRISTMAS.
Our Savior, the Lord, Jesus Christ
was born nineteen hundred years ago,
In a far of country called the Holy
Land. Many years before his olrtn
prophets had foretold that God would
send q redeemer into the world to
show mankind the way of salvation.
Good men believed the words of these
prophets. and longed earnestly for the
coming of the promised Saviour. 1t
was naturally thought that he would
appear as a great ruler or king, but
God in his wisdom intended otherwise.
HIS SON came into the world as help
less babe, Just like any other person,
and was born in poverty and ooscur-
ity.
Mary who was chosen to be the
earthly mother Of Jesus, was young
maiden who lived in Nazareth, VII
liage of Galilee Although she was
descendant of the great King Davld
she was not rich but she and her KIN
dred loved God and lived piously and
justly. -,
The angel Gabriel was sent to tell
Mary that by the power OF the Holy
Spirit she should become the mother
of a child who should be great and
should be called the son of the most
high and should establish kingdom
of which there should be no end. Mary
was filled with fear and wonder but
she answered the angel and said: Be
hold the hand maid Of the Lord, let 1t
be done unto me as the Lord hath
said.''
Mary was betrothed to man named
Joseph and he too was of the line OF
David. He was carpenter and was
a good and just man. An angel of the
Lord appeared to him also in dream
and told him OF the babe that was to
be born and commanded that he
should be called Jesus. Joseph be-
lieved in what the angel told him and
did as he was commanded.
About that time the Emperor Aug
ustus of Rome who then ruled most
of the known world. wishing to lay
tax upon the people ordered every man
to 70 to his own town and be enrolled
AS Joseph was a defendant OF David
he had to 20 to Bethlehem. city of
Judea in which David had been born.
He took with his his wife Mary.
When they had reached the city they
could find no room so they had to
seek shelter in stable. There was
born the child Jesus of whose birth the
angel had told Mary wrapped him In
the clothes she had brought and laid
him In a Manager, such as cattle feed
from.
Near the town there were some
shepherds watching their flocks by
night and to them an angel suddenly
appeared. They were afraid at first
but the angel said: Fear not. for I
bring you tidings of great JOY
And then he told them that Saviour
had been born and they would find
him in Bethlehem lying in manger.
And all at once a great host of angels
came about him singing: GLORY to
God in the highest. an don earth
peace. good will to men,
And when the angels had gone they
said: Let us 20 to Bethlehem and
see this wonderful thing which has
come to pass" They went to Bethle-
hem and there they found Mary and
Joseph and the babe lying in the man.
ger.
Some wise men saw a bright star
over Bethlehem. It had been foretold
over the place where Jesus was born
and they followed the star and 1t led
them to Jerusalem and they began 10
inquire where Jesus was for they had
come to worship him.
When King Herod, wicked king,
who was king of Judea. under the
Romans heard of this he was troubled
and called the priests and learned
men who knew what the prophets had
written and he found out where Jesus
was.
Then Herold sent for the wise men
and told them to find Christ and then
come tell him SO that he too might
20 and worship him, but this King had
no intention of worshipplng him; ne
meant to put him to death. The wise
men found Jesus and bowed down
and worshipped him for they we're
not surprised by finding him in this
humble abode and they didn't doubt
that he was the Saviour. And open
ing treasures they gave him presents
of gold and spices.
They did not go back to King Her
Cd for they were warned in dream
not to do 50.
Herod ordered all the children who
we're under two years old to be put to
death but Joseph and Mary were
warned and they escaped with the
babe into Egypt. The king soon died
and Joseph and Mary came back to
Bethlehem.
Creta Huston,
800 Queen Ann Ave., Ottumwa.
HENRY'S FIRST LETTER TO THE
JUNIOR.