Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: people, spending days and nights in prayer and fasting for their deliverance. Her prayers were answered, her desires fulfilled. The truth was revealed to her; Messiah had come; and her heart overflowed with joy, as she poured forth her thanksgiving from grateful lips. She went from the Temple, and made known the glad news to all who, like herself, -were longing for the event; and many hearts in Jerusalem were that day filled with joy by her words. The holy family returned soon after to Bethlehem, where they probably intended to remain until the child was old enough, for them to take the journey to Nazareth. The city was now no longer so crowded as it had been. The census had been taken; the people had gone to their homes; and we may suppose that Joseph found a more comfortable dwelling-place for his family. While they were resting here, some travellers arrived in Jerusalem of more than ordinary interest. They were learned men, or Magi, and came from Persia or Arabia. They spent much of their time in studying the stars; and, having seen a bright light in the heavens,— perhaps a comet,— they believed it the sign of some great event. Rumors had reached them, in their distant land, that the Jews were expecting a king; and, supposing that the light they saw was connected with his coming, they determined to seek for him, and offer him their homage. Taking with them the most precious gifts their country afforded, they began their journey westward. At last they entered Jerusalem; and, as they passed through the city gates with their heavily-laden camels and their rich Eastern costume, the people gathered eagerly around them. Then they inquired of one and another where they should findthe King of the Jews; " for," said they, " we have come to worship him." Soon the news of the...