but for the most part they
were alone with their flocks. God chose these people, whose minds were
clear, whose lives were pure, to be the first messengers of the glad
tidings of great joy.

MEMORY VERSE, _Luke_ 2: 8

"And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the
field, keeping watch over their flocks by night."

MEMORY HYMN [115]

_"While shepherds watched their flocks."_

HIM AND HYMN

I want to tell you to-day about two "Hims." The first is a man "Him."
The second is a song "Hymn."

The man "him" is Phillips Brooks. He was born in 1835 and died in 1893.
He never married, so he had no girls and boys of his own. But he loved
all children. He had a great, warm heart, and in that heart was a big
corner for all young people. He became a minister. His first church was
in Philadelphia. Later he moved to Boston. He had not been in Boston
very long when, one night, about midnight, the people saw flames
breaking out through the roof of the church. A sorrowing congregation,
with their pastor, watched their loved church as it burned to the
ground.

When, after the fire, they came together, they inquired, "What shall we
do? Shall we rebuild here or shall we take another location?" Finally it
was decided to build a new church on Copley Square. That was many years
ago. They built a beautiful temple of worship. It is still known
everywhere as "Phillips Brooks' Church," so wonderfully did his
personality enter into the project.

Now the second "hymn." When Phillips Brooks was a young man in
Philadelphia he made a trip to the Holy Land. As Christmas drew near he
wrote and sent back to the girls and boys of his Sunday School, a
Christmas poem. The organist of his church composed music for the words,
and this hymn was sung for the first time in Trinity church,
Philadelphia. It is a beautiful Christmas hymn. Yes, it is my favorite.

"Oh, little town of Bethlehem, How still we see thee lie."

MEMORY VERSE, _Matthew_ 2: 6

"Thou, Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the
princes of Juda: For out of thee shall come a Governor that shall
rule my people Israel."

MEMORY HYMN [121]

_"O little town of Bethlehem."_

THE CHRISTMAS TREE

For a few years I lived in a country where "December is as pleasant as
May." The weather was warm all through the year. The ground was never
frozen, for there was never any frost. I never saw a snowflake in all