Anonymous

“ Breakfast being over, and the trunks in readiness in the hall, Harry was summoned: after loitering, and holding mamma by the hand as long as she would permit them, the boys gave her a hasty kiss, and ran out of the parlour into Dr. Barrington’s office—and embracing him, were off. Harry followed with the trunks, and they were shortly seated in the very same stage-coach, which, the week before, had brought them to town. Howard’s eyes were suffused with tears, and George looked grave. They however began [35] to think of all the pleasures they had enjoyed. ”

“ As they were leaving the apartment, after having affectionately bade their mother good night, she called to them, and said, “now remember, my dear children, you have but one day more to decide upon your purchase before Christmas, and remember too, you must think well, before you decide; and after you have fixed upon the articles you intend to buy, you must not change your mind. It must also be all concluded upon before you go to the shops, so that you may not give unnecessary trouble, and expose yourselves, as many little boys do, who cannot make up their minds. ”

“ Howard, it is now your turn to answer. Can you tell me the object of our Saviour’s birth?” “He came to save all mankind from their sins, all that would repent, and believe.” “Were the parents of Jesus living at Bethlehem, at the time of his birth?” “No, mamma, they were living at Nazareth, a town in Galilee, but Augustus the Roman Emperor, made a decree, that all the world should be taxed, and that every one must go to his own city for this purpose. ”

“ Many persons suppose these wise men lived in Persia, a country a great deal further to the east than Jerusalem. About the time they expected this great personage to appear, they saw a very shining, or luminous appearance in the sky, which induced them to take this very long journey. They thought by going to Jerusalem first, they should certainly hear every thing which had occurred.” “But, mamma,” said George, “I thought Herod did not know that Jesus was born.” ”

“ Now Joseph and Mary, the parents of Jesus, the Scriptures say, belonged to the [24] lineage of David, and Bethlehem was the city of David, and they went there to be taxed, just before our Saviour’s birth.” “Do you understand, my dear Howard, what is meant by the word lineage, and what was understood by their being taxed at this time?” “Not perfectly, will you explain it to me, mamma?” “The lineage, or line of David, which is the common expression, as applied to Joseph and Mary, mean that they belonged to his family. ”

“ Many hundred years before Christ was born, the Prophet Isaiah, a man who was inspired by God, predicted in the Scriptures of the Old Testament, that Christ would be born of one of the descendants of this family, that is of the line or family of David, and that he would be born in Bethlehem, the city to which David’s family belonged, and here it was they came to be taxed, although they had been living at Nazareth, a distance of sixty or seventy miles from Bethlehem. ”

“ He had stepped into his father’s office, and that was the reason why he and George did not enter the parlour with Emma, that he might write in the title page of his Testament, “A Christmas gift from my dear mother, may her son derive profit from the perusal of it, that he may become a blessing to her.” ”

“ Our Saviour sanctions it, when he says, ‘render unto Cæsar the things which are Cæsar’s.’ But it has been carried so far, under despotic governments, and even in countries, which at this day we have constant intercourse with, that it is melancholy even to think of the distress it has occasioned the poor; who at some seasons, have scarce been able to get bread enough to keep them from starving.” “Thank you, mamma, I shall endeavour to remember what you have told me.”
“George, can you tell me how the birth of our Saviour became known?”—“Did not the shepherds tell it to all they met, mamma.” ”

“ That we should not pride ourselves on what we possess, because we know that it is all given to us by God, or rather lent to us, as long as he chooses we should have it. For the Scriptures, which are the word of truth, say, that ‘the earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof.’ To be humble is to be meek, not thinking ourselves better than others. You know Mr. Eastburne; I call him an humble man, he is lowly minded, and meek, and is constantly going about following the example of his Saviour, doing good to every one. ”

“ Harry shall go early in the morning, before you are up; very little choice is required.” “He may take the jacket with him, father, may he not,” said Howard; “for Tom will be as well pleased to have them alike, as I should be. And father, do you think we could get the stage driver to take them to-morrow, so that he might put them on on Christmas day?” “Harry shall go with a request from your mother, and I have no doubt he will take them.”
Mrs. Barrington at the same time gave [19] them in charge to the man servant, and added a nice fat little turkey, for the poor family. ”

“ At this time, only their names were taken; they were not required to pay any thing till twelve years after: when they did pay, it was for the support of the kingdom, to enrich it, and enable its monarchs to live in splendour. Taxing is lawful, when the money, or other things required, is not so much as to bear heavily on the poor, who are not able to bear it. ”

“ Yes, he was indeed: and, in consequence of this, and that he might certainly destroy the infant Saviour, he caused all the young children, of two years of age, and all under this age, to be destroyed. But God did not allow him to succeed; for he sent the parents of Jesus, with the young child, into another country, out of Herod’s reach; so that he escaped, when many other poor children were cut off. ”