Joseph was a carpenter; but both Joseph and Mary were of the house of David-that is, David was their forefather, just as Abraham was the forefather of all the children of Israel-the people now called Jews.

The Angel came to Mary and spoke to her, saying: "Rejoice, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou amongst women." Mary did not rejoice at first, for she was too frightened to understand the Angel's message; but she gained courage as the Angel went on speaking, when he said, "Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God, and God will send thee a Son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS (the Saviour). He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of God: and God shall give Him the throne of His father David. He shall reign over the house of David for ever" —that is, over God's chosen people the Israelites -"and of His kingdom there shall be no end. And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth (the wife of Zacharias) shall have a son in her old age."

Then Mary said to the Angel, "Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word." Mary was willing that God should

do with her what He would; she would submit to Him in all things. Mary, you see, did not ask for a sign, like Zacharias, but meekly gave herself up to God. Just as a little child in a dangerous road is glad to be in his father's arms, and to have his guidance, so Mary wished to trust everything to God.

Mary now desired to see her cousin Elisabeth, to talk with her about the Angel's visit and God's wonderful dealings with them. So Mary hastened to the town where Elisabeth lived, in the hill country of Judæa. If this town was Hebron, it was about one hundred miles from Nazareth.

After a journey of four or five days, Mary found her cousin Elisabeth, and spoke kindly to her. Elisabeth was very glad to see Mary. She called her the mother of her Lord, and said that she was blessed amongst women, and that Mary's Sonthe Son promised her by the Angel-should be blessed. Elisabeth told Mary besides that she was blessed, because she had believed the words of the Angel, and that his words would certainly come true at the appointed time. The Holy Spirit taught Elisabeth what to say, and the

same Spirit filled Mary with holy joy, and caused her to sing a beautiful hymn of praise to God. Mary said that her soul rejoiced in God her Saviour, and that all people, who by and by should believe in Jesus, would call her blessed. And Mary spoke of what Jesus would do as if He had already done it. Mary's hymn is sung in our churches at Evening Service, and we call it the Magnificat.

Mary stayed about three months with Elisabeth, then went back to Nazareth. Soon after Mary left, God sent Elisabeth the son He had promised her by the word of the Angel to Zacharias. Then Elisabeth was glad, and her friends rejoiced with her.

When the child was eight days old he was circumcised. God's mark was put upon him. He was given to God just as we bring a child to Jesus in Baptism, and sign him with the sign of the cross.

Elisabeth's friends would have called the child Zacharias, after his father, but Elisabeth answered, "Not so; he shall be called John." And they said to her, "None of your relations are called John." Then they made signs to his father Zacharias to ask him by what name he would have his son called. Zacharias was still dumb, so

he wrote these words: "His name is John." And immediately he was able to speak, and to praise God. He praised God in a beautiful hymn, and said, "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for He hath visited and redeemed His people, as He promised our fathers by His holy prophets. And thou, Child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest "of God-" for thou shalt go before the Lord to make ready His way." This hymn is called Benedictus, and we sing it in our churches at Morning Service.

Now though Zacharias spoke these words, he could only do so because they were put into his heart by the Holy Spirit of God; for how else could he know what his little child would do when he became a man? God sometimes sent good men to His people to tell them of their sins, and to let them know what God would do by and by. These men were called prophets, and prophets often spoke of things that God had promised to do by and by, as if God had already done them. So Zacharias said God hath visited and redeemed His people, although Jesus had not yet come to live with His people and to die for them.