l Sanscrit by H. H. Wilson, M. D., F.
R. S.

[147:3] All the virgin-born Saviours are born at _midnight or early
dawn_.

[147:4] Vishnu Purana, book v. ch. iii. p. 502.

[147:5] See Amberly's Analysis, p. 226. Beal: Hist. Buddha, pp. 45, 46,
47, and Bunsen's Angel-Messiah, p. 35.

[148:1] See Beal: Hist. Buddha, pp. 43, 55, 56, and Bunsen's
Angel-Messiah, p. 35.

[148:2] See Amberly: Analysis of Religious Belief, p. 84.

[148:3] Davis: History of China, vol. ii. p. 48. See also Thornton:
Hist. China, i. 152.

[148:4] See Prichard's Egyptian Mythology, p. 56, and Kenrick's Egypt,
vol. i. p. 408.

[148:5] Bonwick: Egyptian Belief, p. 424, and Kenrick's Egypt, vol. i.
p. 408.

[148:6] See Tales of Ancient Greece, p. 4.

[149:1] See Tales of Ancient Greece, p. 55.

[149:2] Ibid. p. 45.

CHAPTER XV.

THE DIVINE CHILD RECOGNIZED AND PRESENTED WITH GIFTS.

The next in order of the wonderful events which are related to have
happened at the birth of Christ Jesus, is the recognition of the divine
child, and the presentation of gifts.

We are informed by the _Matthew_ narrator, that being guided by a star,
the _Magi_[150:1] from the east came to where the young child was.

"And when they were come into the _house_ (not _stable_) they
saw the young child, with Mary his mother, and fell down and
worshiped him. And when they had opened their treasures, they
presented unto him gifts, gold, frankincense, and
myrrh."[150:2]

The _Luke_ narrator--who seems to know nothing about the Magi from the
east--informs us that _shepherds_ came and worshiped the young child.
They were keeping their flocks by night when the angel of the Lord
appeared before them, saying:

"Behold, I bring you good tidings--for unto you is born this
day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord."

After the angel had left them, they said one to another:

"Let us go unto Bethlehem and see this thing which is come to
pass, which the Lord hath made known to us. And they came with
haste, and found Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in a
_manger_."[150:3]

The Luke narrator evidently borrowed this story of the _shepherds_ from
the "_Gospel of the Egyptians_" (of which we shall speak in another
chapter), or from other sacred records of the biographies of Crishna or
Buddha.

It is related in the legends of _Crishna_ that the divine child was
cradled among shepherds