As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country. Behold a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

The angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, to a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.

THE LORD MAKETH POOR, AND MAKETH RICH: HE BRINGETH LOW, AND LIFTETH UP. HE RAISETH UP THE POOR OUT OF THE DUST, AND LIFTETH UP THE BEGGAR FROM THE DUNGHILL, TO SET THEM AMONG PRINCES, AND TO MAKE THEM INHERIT THE THRONE OF GLORY FOR THE PILLARS OF THE EARTH ARE THE LORD'S, AND HE HATH SET THE WORLD UPON THEM. HE WILL KEEP THE FEET OF HIS SAINTS, AND THE WICKED SHALL BE SILENT IN DARKNESS; FOR BY STRENGTH SHALL NO MAN PREVAIL.

BLESSED ARE THE POOR IN SPIRIT: FOR THEIRS IS THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.

Prov. xxv. 25; Isa. vii. 14; St. Luke i. 26-28; 1 Sam. ii. 7-9; St. Matt. v. 3.

I will save my flock, and they shall no more be a prey; and I will judge between cattle and cattle. And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd.

And I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause the evil beasts to cease out of the land: and they shall dwell safely in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods.

And ye my flock, the flock of my pasture, are men, and I am your God, saith the Lord God.

And the angel said unto the shepherds, Fear not for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling-clothes, 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, good will toward men. And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.

THUS SAITH THE LORD, THE HEAVEN IS MY THRONE, AND THE EARTH IS MY FOOTSTOOL: WHERE IS THE HOUSE THAT YE BUILD UNTO ME? AND WHERE IS THE PLACE OF MY REST? FOR ALL THOSE THINGS HATH MINE HAND MADE, AND ALL THOSE THINGS HAVE BEEN, SAITH THE LORD: BUT TO THIS MAN WILL I LOOK, EVEN TO HIM THAT IS POOR AND OF A CONTRITE SPIRIT, AND TREMBLETH AT MY WORD.

Ezek. xxxiv. 22, 23, 25, 31; St. Luke ii. 10-16; Isa. lxvi. 1, 2.

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.

Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me, I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart. I have preached righteousness in the great congregation: lo, I have not refrained my lips, O Lord, thou knowest. I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation: I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great congregation.

And they brought the colt to Jesus, and cast their garments on him; and he sat upon him. And many spread their garments in the way and others cut down branches off the trees, and strawed them in the way. And they that went before, and they that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna; Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord: Blessed be the kingdom of our father David, that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest.

BLESSED ARE THEY THAT HAVE WASHED THEIR ROBES, THAT THEY MAY HAVE RIGHT TO THE TREE OF LIFE, AND MAY ENTER IN THROUGH THE GATES INTO THE CITY.

Zech. ix. 9; Psa. xl. 7-10; St. Mark xi. 7-10; Rev. xxii. 14.