The Christmas Story ( Continued from Page 20) is why Bethlehem is sometimes called the “City of David.” Sometime during that day, 1 am sure you say to mother, “Mother, why are so many people coming to Beth lehem today? I have seen more than we have seen on any other day.” Mother answers, “The king has told the people they must pay their taxes. Every one who was born in Bethlehem must come back here and have their names written in the big book so'the king can get their taxes. I think a great many of these people are com ing back because when they were little folks, they lived here.” If you stay on that roof until eve ning, when the first stars are twin kling, you will see something very wonderful. Along the road from Jerusalem to ward Bethlehem, past the well and through the gate, there are coming a tired little donkey and a kind-faced man leading him very carefully so he won’t stumble, for on his back is a sweet, tired little lady. The man’s name is Joseph. I f your home is near enough, you can see the innkeeper when Joseph speaks to him. After Joseph talks with him a moment, the innkeeper shakes his head and says, “We have no more room.” Then I think he may say something like this, “But there’s the stable. It’s clean, warm, and there’s sweet-smelling hay there.” Of course, we know that the lady on the donkey is Ma r y . And I can imagine her face, can you? I think she says, “I could rest there, for I’m very tired.” And perhaps we can see Joseph lead the donkey across the open space, and on into the stable. This is the night when God is going to send His unspeakable Gift. Those shepherds that we saw on the hills earlier in the day have gotten together for the night. All the dif ferent flocks have become just one great flock of sheep now. And the shepherds are talking together. Sud denly a bright light is shining round about them, and the angel of the Lord is standing by them. The Bible says that they were afraid, but the angel said something like this to t h e m , “Don’t be afraid, for I bring good news that is for everybody in the world. For unto you is born today in the city of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord. This is the way you’ll know Him. He’ll be a little baby wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a man ger.” And suddenly there are with that angel a great many others prais ing God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good w ill toward men.” And when -the angels have gone NOVEMBER, 1946
at the door of the stable. Then they enter slowly and reverently. They see the high, dark, shadowy ceiling, the piles of sweet-smelling hay, and the little donkey back in the shadows. They see kind-faced Joseph, and the l i t t l e mother. Then, lying in the manger wrapped in swaddling clothes, they see the little baby—so little that nobody knows, but just the angels and the shepherds and Mary and Joseph, that this little baby is the Saviour of the world. We don’t know what they are saying, but we want to look down into the manger and say, “Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.”
away, the shepherds s a y to each other, “Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing . . . which the Lord hath made known unto us.” Now they leave their sheep, wrap their coats about them, and hurry down the hill, and along the road right into Bethlehem. Perhaps they are looking this way and that way for a light and they see one at the inn. They go through the great g a t e with its swinging lantern, and across the open space to the light. They pause a moment
Joe l’s look inside WHEATON Coteae
What do we see? . . . Dormitories crowded to capacity. Classrooms filled. Long lines wait ing in dining halls. Libraries taxed to the utmost. Each year we find it necessary to turn away hundreds and hundreds o f potential Christian leaders and servants. And all for the lack o f room! Only your gifts, as the Lord leads, will enable Wheaton College to
meet this need and to go on with its ministry o f training young peo ple for Christian life and service. W on ’t you prayerfully consider what the Lord would have you do in this time o f our need? Your gift TODAY means having a part in train ing Christian leaders o f TOMOR ROW. Your investment in young Christian lives will pay dividends in time and eternity.
* Wheaton graduates go forth as pastors* mission aries* evangelists. Chris tian business and professional men '
For fu ll information concerning Wheaton’s needs and plans fo r the future, write to : WHEATON C O L L E G E "For Christ and Hit Kingdom "
a n d w o m e n * Wherever they go
they become soul-winners for the Lord Jesus.
Wheaton, Illinois
Box No. KA-116
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