Evening star., 1928-12-22
Sunday School Lesson

ing to the record accldentally Iounu
, upon a stone in the walls of home IN
| Venice.
The Babe of Bethlehem.
Rome succeeded in her colonial poll
cies because they adapted their govern
mental methods to meet the needs and
conditions of the various colonies, es-
pecially their religious beliefs. Herod,
whose skill as an administrator satisfied
Rome. probably met the imperial edlct
for an enrolment by providing for one
that would meet the peculiar views OF
the Jewish people. This caused him to
issue the order for the Hebrews to be
enrolled by tribes. The Greek also
makes it clear to a student of the New
Testament that the enrolment men
toned in the third verse was the regu-
lar one mentioned In the imperial euict,
while the reference In the fourth verse
is to one definite action. The members
of the tribe of Judah would be enrolled
In Bethlehem This brought all the de-
scendants of David back to the old home
town of the great King. Among the
number was a carpenter, Joseph OF
Nazareth, land with him was his be-
trothed, Mary, both of them being de-
scendants of David" 1t was a long
Journey for those days and not easy for
them to make. Mary probably rode on
donkey that Joseph led over a rough
and rocky path winding about among
the hills"
No one would remember better than
the blessed mother of Our Lord the
trials of that trip and the events in
connection with the birth Of her first
born. Luke'S statement that because OF
the lack of accommodation In the inn
they were assigned quarters in cave,
where she Drought forth her first
born Son, and she wrapped Him in
swaddling clothes and laid Him In
manger," Is confirmed by the early
tradition that makes Him to have been
born in cave and by the ancient prac-
tice of using the limestone caves OF the
hill country as shelter for cattle"
The Importance of that event moved
the angels to break forth in song, which
ushered in the greatest movement of all
time. We could well afford to stop and
study the interesting ministry of these
holy servants whom God sends forth
Ito minister to them who should be
heirs of salvation" Edersheim points
out that the shepherds, who were sur
prised, were at their place of duty
watching over their nocks, which were
destined to be offered as sacrifices In
the temple services.
Seeking the Savior.
The angels first Christmas anthem
surprised the shepherds. They did not
understand the meaning of their proc
lamation of peace to men, of good will
and the assurance of a salvation. They
demonstrated their faith in the angels
message, for they left the pasture and
the flocks and went into Bethlehem to
find the Babe wrapped in swaddling
clothes and lying in manger. They
soon found their way to the old home
of David, sacred with the memories of
Boaz, Ruth, Jesse and David, and there
they found, as the angels had told them,
the Babe wrapped in swaddling clothes,
probably with the coat-of-arms of
David embroidered upon them by the
blessed mother. --..
Christ showed his contempt of the
pride, luxury and pomp of the world
by choosing the stable as His birth
place and selecting the humble toilers
of the fields to be his first worshipers.
He could not have made His hui
initiation any greater or more clearly