132 THE STAR ©F THE EAST. 



of the whole earth." Where now were its temples, 

 its palaces, its hanging gardens, and many rivers ? 

 The Lord of the earth had spoken, and they dis- 

 appeared ; his voice had declared it, and the mighty 

 city became a desert. Its stupendous wall alone 

 remained unshaken by the hand of time ; all within 

 them appeared levelled with the very earth, except 

 where the temple of Belus, gigantic even in its 

 ruins, stood alone in the solitary place, like the 

 awful figure of Prophecy, pointing to the fulfilment 

 of her words. The philosopher's dwelling formed 

 one of a few scattered houses in the suburbs, — a 

 pitiful substitute for the noble line of palaces which 

 formerly ornamented that city of wonders. Totally 

 abstracted from the busy world, he devoted himself 

 amidst this waste of ruins, to watch the further ac- 

 complishment of those prophetic words which had 

 been so remarkably verified in the scene before him. 

 And now nothing doubting, he left his home, and 

 the sole daughter of his heart, to join his brethren 

 in science, and wander forth seeking the promised 

 Messiah of Israel. Together these wise men visited 

 the splendid dwelling of the proud Herod, demand- 

 ing, " where is he that is born King of the Jews ?" 

 Together they proceeded to the lowly manger of 

 BetMehem, and, despising outward splendour, wel- 

 comed in his humble birth-place the holy Babe, as 

 the future "image of the great and invisible God." 

 Then warned by an omniscient Providence, they 

 avoided the courts of princes, and traced back their 

 steps, rejoicing at having discerned the first gleams 

 of that fight which was to lighten the whole earth. 

 It is needless to describe with what unfeigned joy 

 the deserted child hailed the return of her parent ; 

 or how, wondering, she listened to his delighted 

 anticipations of future glory to be shed over all 

 nations. 



In after years, when a hushed multitude hung on 

 the precious words of their teacher, none felt more 

 deeply the truth and blessedness of the glad tidings, 



