hills which were very close together. One of these hills was called
Mount Moriah. On the top of Mount Moriah there was a great Temple
where the Jews went to pray. Part of the Temple was called the Holy
Place, the part at the very top of the mountain. It was splendid with
its shining gold and white marble, but it was not very large, for the
people were not allowed to go into it. When it was time for the Jews
to go to the Temple, silver trumpets were blown once, twice, three
times, and then the gates were thrown open, and the people crowded into
the courts.




CHAPTER II

JESUS IS BORN IN BETHLEHEM

Mary, the mother of Jesus, lived in the little town of Nazareth, among
the hills of Galilee. She was going to be married to a carpenter
called Joseph, who, like herself, lived in Nazareth. One day God sent
the angel Gabriel to Mary with a message. Mary, when she saw and heard
the angel, was a little frightened. But the angel told her he had some
glad news for her. Jesus, the Son of God, the Messiah, was coming into
the world very soon, and He was to come in the form of a baby, as
Mary's little child. And Gabriel said that when He was born, Mary must
call Him JESUS.

Mary had a cousin named Elizabeth, who lived more than a hundred miles
away from Nazareth, and Mary longed to talk with her about all these
wonderful things. So she got ready for a long journey, and went off