ECCLESIASTICUS XLIV

Wisdom iv

Let us now praise famous men,

By whom the Lord hath wrought great glory.
Such as did bear rule in their kingdoms,
And were men renowned for their power,
Giving counsel by their understanding,
Such as have brought tidings in prophecies:
Leaders of the people by their counsels,
And by their understanding men of learning for
the people;

Wise were their words in their instruction:
Such as sought out musical tunes,

And set forth verses in writing:

Men richly furnished with ability,
Living peaceably in their habitations:

All these were honoured in their generations,
And were the glory of their times.

Yea, they were men of mercy,

Whose righteous deeds have not been forgotten. Their bodies are buried in peace,

But their name liveth for evermore.

For the memorial of virtue is immortal;
Because it is known with God and with men.
When it is present, men take example of it;
And when it is gone, they desire it:

And throughout all time it marcheth crowned in triumph,

Victorious in the strife for the prizes that are undefiled.

Therefore will the people tell of their wisdom, And the congregation will shew forth their praise.

SYNTHETIC READINGS

THE NEW TESTAMENT

THE GOSPELS

MATTHEW, MARK, AND LUKE

LUKE I

Blessed be the Lord, the God of our fathers,
For he hath visited and wrought redemption for
his people,

And hath raised us up an hope of salvation
In the house of his servant David

(As he spake by the mouth of the holy prophets That have been since the world began);

To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, And to remember his holy covenant;

The promise which he gave unto our fathers, To grant unto us that we should serve him without fear,

In holiness and righteousness before him all our days.

Yea and thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Most High:

For thou shalt go before the face of the Lord
To make ready his ways;

To give knowledge of salvation unto his people
In the remission of their sins,

Because of the tender mercy of our God,

Whereby the dayspring from on high shall visit us,

To shine upon them that sit in darkness and the shadow of death,

And to guide our feet into the way of

peace.

LUKE II

Now there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, and keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them:

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 is the sign unto you:

Ye shall find a babe wrapped in swaddling clothes,

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, good will toward men.

And it came to pass, when the angels went away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing that is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. And they came with haste, and found both Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in the manger. And when they saw it, they made known concerning the saying which was spoken