362

who came into the temple while
Simeon was there. This was Anna,
a prophetess. She was a widow,
eighty-four years old, and most of
those years she had spent in the
service of God. She lived near the
temple; and was very often there,
night and day, praying and praising
God. God honored Anna, as He
did Simeon, in letting her see the
Saviour before she died; and when
she saw Him, she gave thanks, and
spoke of Him to all in Jerusalem,
who were looking for salvation
through Him.

The Bible tells us no more about
these two old people. Perhaps they
soon after went to their -rest in
Heaven; and they were ready and

THE WISE MEN.

glad when God called them there,
When we come to die, there ig only
one thing that can give us true
peace. It is that which made old
Simeon and Anna so happy,—the
knowledge of Christ, and of Hig
salvation, in our hearts. Few peo-
ple live to be so old as Simeon and
Anna; and many die when they are
very young. But, young or old,
none can die happily who do not
know Christ as their Saviour. We
must seek to know Him now by
faith ; and then, whenever we are
called away, we shall “depart in
peace,” and go to see that Saviour in
Heaven, whom Simeon and Anna
rejoiced to see on earth.

LN

 

—_

 

COXLIL

JHE Wise MEN.

<a |ID any other persons see
(\\| Jesus while He was a
baby? Yes; we are now
going to read of some

good men who came a
very long way, and took a great
deal of trouble, that they might see
Jesus. Simeon, and Anna, and the
shepherds all lived near the place
where Jesus was; but these men
lived a very long way off, in the
east, in Arabia, perhaps, or some
other distant country. They are
called “wise men.” They were
very learned, and understood many
things; and they had, too, what
was better than all this. They had

  
 

 

 

“The fear of
Job

Bible calls wisdom.
the Lord, that is wisdom.”
XXV1ilL. 28.

These wise men knew something
of Christ, and they wanted to know
more. They had heard about Jesus;
they were expecting His coming,
and they wished to see Him. But
how could they tell where to find
Him? God knew all their thoughts
and wishes; and He led them, in 4
wonderful way, to Jesus. They
saw a star in the sky; not a common
star, such as they saw every night;
but one quite new to them, unlike
any they had ever looked at before.
Perhaps these wise men understood

that best of all knowledge, which the | a great deal about the stars, and