BOYS OF THE BIBLE. 279

upon his wonderful good fortune in receiving “an order for
something made of wood.”

And now shall we look for a little into that peaceful,
blessed home in Nazareth? Joseph, the carpenter, is probably
a man of mature years. Of Mary, the mother of Jesus, not
much is known, but all that is known endears her to the
heart of the world. She was the blessedest among women,
for she was the mother of the world’s Redeemer, and she
became the saddest of all the daughters of men—the Mother
of Sorrows—for, with bowed head and breaking heart, she
saw her son, and Saviour, and Lord crowned with thorns and
nailed to the cross of shame.

And yet those early days at Nazareth must have been
very blessed days—Joseph at work in the carpenter’s shop;
Mary at the loom, spinning flax and wool for the family
while the baby slept, or taking him in her arms and rocking
him to sleep, just as your mothers have rocked you to sleep
in their arms a thousand times.

Elizabeth Barrett Browning draws a touching picture of
just such a scene, and puts these sweet, motherly words in

Mary’s mouth—
“Sleep, sleep, mine Holy One!
My flesh, my Lord!—What name?—I do not know
A name that seemeth not too high or low—
Too far from me or Heaven.
My Jesus, that is best! that word being given
By the majestic angel whose command
Was softly, as a man’s beseeching, said,
When I and all the earth appeared to stand
In the great overflow
Of light celestial from his wings and head—
Sleep, sleep, my Saving One!

“ And art Thou come for saving, baby-browed
And speechless Being—art Thou come for saving?
The palm that grows beside our door is bowed
By treadings of the low wind from the South,