Ring
Christmas Bells! Merrily Ring!

tell all the world, Jesus is King...
"Ring
in the nobler modes of life,
With sweeter manners, purer laws....
The larger heart, the kindlier hand."
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
__Alfred, Lord Tennyson
In
those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world
should be enrolled. This was the first enrollment, when Quirinius
was governor of Syria. And all went to be enrolled, each to his own
city.
And Joseph also went up from Gallilee, from the city of Nazareth,
to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because
he was of the house and lineage of David, to be enrolled with Mary,
his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the
time came for her to be delivered. And she gave birth to her first-born
son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths, and laid him in a manger,
because there was no place for them in the inn.
Luke 2:1-20
And
in that region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch
over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them,
and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled
with fear. And the angel said to them, 'Be not afraid, for behold;
I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all people;
for to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is
Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you; you will find a
babe wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.' And suddenly
there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising
God and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth Peace among
men with whom he is pleased!' When the angels went away from them
to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, 'Let us go over to Bethlehem
and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known
to us.' And they went with haste, and found Mary and Joseph, and the
babe lying in a manger. And when they saw it they made known the saying
which had been told them concerning the child; and all who heard it
wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary kept all these
things, pondering them in her heart.
 
Matthew 2:1- 12
Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of
Judea in the days of Herod the King, behold, wise men from the East
came to Jerusalem saying, 'Where is he who has been born King of the
Jews? For
we have seen his star in the East, and have come to worship him.' When
Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him;
and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired
of them where the Christ was born. They told him, 'In Bethlehem of Judea;
so it is written by the prophet: 'And you, O Bethlehem in the land of
Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you
shall come a ruler who will govern my people Israel. Then Herod summoned
the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star appeared;
and he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, 'Go and search diligently for
the child, and when you have found him bring me word, that I too may
come and worship him.'
When they had heard
the king they went their way; and lo, the star which they had seen in
the East went before them, till it came to rest over the place where
the child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with
great joy; and going into the house they saw the child with Mary his
mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then opening their treasures,
they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. And being warned
in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country
by another way.
 
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