The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1940-12-21

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story IN the New Testzms11-E
one that appeals both % NJ
child not yet old enough Il Eez1
and TO the man Or woman Eno -
al home with the EOrlc beE
literature II IS . stOry q Nsnl-n
we never tire Il lives EzI1 eEe-
increasing Interest. beczEe q
tells Of the birth Of JeSas-Eoc s
gift TO man-and beczuse 1esE
was and IS the worlds Ssxlu-T
even as the angel declared
In response TO . decree o1 c.
Sar Augustus, Emperor q Euzle-
that a census Of AL q 1te z1Ezb-
itants Of the Roman EupEe -
made, Joseph and ms espGse-
wife. Mary. JOurneyed frum r1eE
home in Nazareth = distance a
about seventy miles 70 5eLEle-
hem. the CITY Of DaVlc UnlC1 Eas
the ancestral home q Joseph- -
enroll themselves Because EzuE
others had done hkeWlse. -1e III
tie town Was over-cruWded and
when Joseph and Mar z--TEe1-
they found that all the accU-
modations al the mn had Array
been taken Realizing Ea-T S
need Of q place Of rest and pm
vacy, il was suggested rhz1 -as-E
could find a place q lodging III
the nearby stable which Wnlle
humble, was kept clean and cu1-
tanned an ample supply q s-rzE
which could be used As beds
So if was that Jesus ChrlsL rne
promised Messiah and Saviour 90
the world, was born After wrap
ping the baby IN the usual uuz1-
ner Of that time II sWac1lZ1g
clothes. ne was laid II ms lz--le
bed-the manger from winch rne
cattle were fed. being flied VIII
straw served this purpose
Meanwhile. out on the on
skirts Of Bethlehem. shepherds
were watching their flOcks during
the night and. We imagine. TAX
ing among themselves As usual
Suddenly. there appeared unto
them a viSion-an angel q the
Lord, shining with the Elo-y q
the Lord. These humble nen
were frightened al the Occureuce
not knowing what TO do or think
But the angel said Fear not for
behold. / bring you good tldIngs
of great jOy, which shall Be 70 al
people. For unto YOU IS born
this day in the CITY Of David =
Saviour, which Is Christ. the
Lord. And this shall be : sign
unto you: We shall find the bzbe
wrapped in swaddling clothes
lying in a manger" And. sppzr-
entity in order 10 add emphasis -
the wonder of the announcemenf
Just made, a host If angels joined
the first one, bursting into song
of Joy and praise and saying
GLORY 10 God IN the highest and
on earth peace. good VIII toward
men,.
Immediately following ire re-
turn of the angels into heaven.
the shepherds made ready 20 d.
as hidden. They left their sheep
grazing on the hillside and cane
with haste. and found May. and
Joseph. and the babe lyIng n .
manger". This was Just as the
angel had said and. delightfully."-
they began 10 tell everyone about
this wonderful thing which had
been made known unto then
clarifying and praising God for
all the things which they had
heard and seen But Nary kept
all these things, and p0RdeTed
them in her heart"
Does il not seem slEnIfIczur
that the first announcement q
the wondrous birth was - l0Ely
shepherds? II we had rad tn
privilege Of making TINS Al
nouncemenf we would probably
have made Il 70 the mos EEzpG-1-
ant person IN the world a. tkzt
time-AuguStus Caesar. E-ho RAD
been unwittinglE used e fulfIn
prophecy IN that long before =
had been prophesIed that ~
Messiah. the Saviour. zEouid D.
born in Bethlehem Or. ne miEhr
have thought il bes- 70 give TINS
wonderful news 20 the reliElouE
leaders Of the dsy-surelE fheE
should be most interested u suc-
an announcement God dos nor
always do his works IN EFhzf Ne
consider the most c0nEentl0uzl
ways These shepherds. though
probably poor n tins worlds
goods. were more nearly prepz1-6
TO receive the good neEs thsn
those in authority either L gov
eminent or IN religious clrclex
Would this be true today We
wonder.
The message Of the sngel MAS
good news Of great JOY. which
shall be 70 all people While fnr
centuries the Jews had beer ex-
pecting a Messiah, this Messlah