William Hone

The Bible is a growth. Many people do not understand that it is not a book written by a single person, but it is a library of several books which were composed by various people in various countries.

THE blessed and ever glorious Virgin Mary, sprung from the royal race and family of David, was born in the city of Nazareth, and educated at Jerusalem, in the temple of the Lord.

angel appears to Joachim, 9 and informs him that Anna shall conceive and bring forth a daughter, who shall be called Mary,

Who among the judges was more valiant than Samson, or more holy than Samuel? And yet both their mothers were barren.

She shall, according to your vow, be devoted to the Lord from her infancy, and be filled with the Holy Ghost from her mother’s womb ;6

11 She shall neither eat nor drink anything which is unclean, nor shall her conversation be without among the common people, but in the temple of the Lord ; that so she may not fall under any slander or suspicion of what is bad.

She shall be, immediately upon her birth, full of the grace of the Lord, and shall continue during the three years of her weaning in her father’s house, and afterwards, being devoted to the service of the Lord, shall not depart from the temple, till she arrives to years of discretion.

For she every day had the conversation of angels, and every day received visitors from God, which preserved her from all sorts of evil, and caused her to abound with all good things;

3 So that when at length she arrived to her fourteenth year, as the wicked could not lay anything to her charge worthy of reproof, so all good persons, who were acquainted with her, admired her life and conversation.

IN the history of the twelve tribes of Israel we read there was a certain person called Joachim, who being very rich, made double19 offerings to the Lord God, having made this resolution : my substance shall be for the benefit of the whole people, and that I may find mercy from the Lord God for the forgiveness of my sins.

Then the high-priest replied, Joseph, fear the Lord thy God, and remember how God dealt with Dathan, Korah, and Abiram, how the earth opened and swallowed them up, because of their contradiction.

Then the high-priest replied, Joseph, fear the Lord thy God, and remember how God dealt with Dathan, Korah, and Abiram, how the earth opened and swallowed them up, because of their contradiction.