<TITLE>06. Par 53-60</TITLE>L-53 And as you top, coming from Judaea, up into Bethlehem, and break over the top of the hill, there's a great rock laying there, somewhat one-third the size of this building. And it must've been along about there where they had stopped after climbing the hill to give the little mule a rest. And Joseph was very tired because he'd been pushed hard that day to get to Bethlehem. Because, there had been a decree went out from Herod and Caesar Augustus, that every person must come back to the place where they were born to pay taxes. And taxes has always been the ruin of all nations. Every nation that ever fell, fell by its taxes. And they had been taxed.
And, oh, it would take an iron-hearted man to cause a woman in her condition to have to be taken out of the house and away from home in her condition, because you see that she was to be mother at any time. And she was merely a girl, approximately believed to be in her eighteen, nineteen years old. And she was setting on the little donkey.

L-56 And as the little donkey sighed when they stopped for just a moment's rest, and Joseph walks over to the edge, from where they were standing, and looks down into Bethlehem, little did the world know that that night would be sang upon the lips of people through the ages that was to come. And Joseph, as he looked and viewed the city and the brawling of the people, some against the--having to pay their taxes, and I can hear him say something like this, "Dear, you know, I doubt whether we'll find a place at the hotel tonight for you. I can see the people sleeping in the streets and anywhere they can find to sleep. The city is crowded. And all the regions around about has come in for this taxation."
But strange, as he turns in amazement to look, his little wife seemed not to be able to answer. And as he turns his head to see what had happened to her, he noticed there was a light in her face, like he'd never saw before. And under her lovely brow, her eyes seemed to be setting upward, looking towards the sky, like there was a heavenly glow in her face. And he turns and touches her by the hand.

L-58 And finally she looks at him and says, "Joseph, have you noticed that Star hanging yonder? It seems to be the prettiest star that I have ever seen in all my life. It seems to light up all the village of Bethlehem." And I can hear her say, "Since the sun went down I've noticed that star, and It seems to have followed us."
Joseph, I can hear him say something like this, "Yes, dear, I--I do see something peculiar, for it seems to be the brightest star in all the heavens." And truly that is right. He is the Lily of the Valley, the Morning Star (as the poet placed it), the fairest of ten thousands to my soul.

L-60 And as he takes his hands in tenderness around the limbs and the waist of his little sweetheart, and wife, he lifted her from the donkey, packs her over and sets her down on the rock, so the little beast of burden could rest.
And as she placed her arms tenderly around his shoulders, I can hear her say something like this, "Joseph, we are both aware that all this is mysterious. We just can't understand it. But both of us being believers, we know that Jehovah has something in store, and that He has chosen us; and has chosen me above the women of the world today to have this Message concealed in my heart." You see, the world thought that was a illegitimate child to be born, but Mary knew what was Truth.
And today many people think the same thing, that people who has received this Christ, they think that they are some kind of a lunatic or a person of ill famed. But they who have cradled that Spirit and that faith in their heart, they know where they are; nothing disturbs that.


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