33 lines
2.1 KiB
Text
33 lines
2.1 KiB
Text
The Twelve Apostles
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Three hundred years before the birth of the Lord Christ, there lived a
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mother who had twelve sons, but was so poor and needy that she no
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longer knew how she was to keep them alive at all. She prayed to God
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daily that he would grant that all her sons might be on the earth with
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the Redeemer who was promised. When her necessity became still greater
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she sent one of them after the other out into the world to seek bread
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for her. The eldest was called Peter, and he went out and had already
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walked a long way, a whole day’s journey, when he came into a great
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forest. He sought for a way out, but could find none, and went farther
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and farther astray, and at the same time felt such great hunger that he
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could scarcely stand. At length he became so weak that he was forced to
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lie down, and he believed death to be at hand. Suddenly there stood
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beside him a small boy who shone with brightness, and was as beautiful
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and kind as an angel. The child smote his little hands together, until
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Peter was forced to look up and saw him. Then the child said, “Why art
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thou sitting there in such trouble?” “Alas!” answered Peter, “I am
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going about the world seeking bread, that I may yet see the dear
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Saviour who is promised, that is my greatest desire.” The child said,
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“Come with me, and thy wish shall be fulfilled.” He took poor Peter by
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the hand, and led him between some cliffs to a great cavern. When they
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entered it, everything was shining with gold, silver, and crystal, and
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in the midst of it twelve cradles were standing side by side. Then said
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the little angel, “Lie down in the first, and sleep a while, I will
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rock thee.” Peter did so, and the angel sang to him and rocked him
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until he was al seep. And when he was asleep, the second brother came
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also, guided thither by his guardian angel, and he was rocked to sleep
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like the first, and thus came the others, one after the other, until
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all twelve lay there sleeping in the golden cradles. They slept,
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however, three hundred years, until the night when the Saviour of the
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world was born. Then they awoke, and were with him on earth, and were
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called the twelve apostles.
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