BOYS OF THE BIBLE. 265

first earthly home had no painful influence on the minds of
the Wise Men. They did not pause to ask if one so lowly
born could be the King so long foretold. They held no
council to consider whether it was quite the proper thing to
give these costly presents—presents fit for a King in state—
to the child of a Galilean peasant.

They bowed in loyal worship, and then opening their
caskets, presented to him costly gifts—gold, frankincense and
myrrh! What did all this mean? It was surely not without
some distinct intention and meaning. There was what is
called “‘a grand symbolism” in these costly, precious things.
In those days gold was for the King, frankincense was for
the priest to wave in sacred fragrance before the altar of
God, and myrrh was for the suffering and sore distressed.
There was gold for the King—the King of this new and better
kingdom of God, the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords;
there was frankincense for the Priest—the Priest of a better
covenant, the great High Priest of our profession, and there
was myrrh for the suffering Saviour, for the Man of Sor-
rows, for him who in the coming years was to become so
intimately acquainted with grief.

With what wondering eyes Mary would gaze upon these
strange, costly gifts! Not that she thought them too costly
or too rare. The world has not yet seen a mother who
thought any gift of earth or heaven too precious for the
darling that lay smiling on her knees. Mary looked and
wondered, and Joseph pondered too; and it is most probable
that the remarkable circumstances connected with this visit
impressed them much more than the mere costliness of the
gifts. That these great scholars of the distant East had
traveled so far, when traveling was so toilsome and tedious,
to gaze upon the face of her beloved Son, must have touche