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ree Stories For Children 



The First Christinas 1 ree 



By Mary IsaDel Curtis 



'T'O almost every boy and girl at holiday time a tree means a Christmas 

 * tree. But how much, I wonder, do you children really know about this 

 most beautiful tree of all ? 



Many, many years ago when Joseph of Arimathea came from Pales- 

 tine to England to tell the English people all about the life and death of. 

 Christ, there had never been a Christmas tree in any country in the world. 

 Very few people lived in England at that time and those who did live there 

 were wild, rough men and women who did not welcome strangers to their 

 land. 



Joseph and his friends were glad enough when they reached England 

 after a long and stormy voyage on the ocean for in those days there were 

 no comfortable, big ships such as we now travel on. They had come all the 

 way from Palestine in a little open boat exposed to bitter, winter weather, 

 and were cold and tired and weary of the sea. 



After they landed they started to travel back into the interior of the 

 country hoping to find some kindly shelter. But no one would receive them. 

 On Christmas-eve their food was gone ; they were exhausted and almost per- 

 ishing with cold when they came to a little hill, that ever since that day has 

 been called "Weary-all." There Joseph, in deep discouragement, dropped 

 down on a rock to rest. 



"I have strength to go no farther, my courage has departed and my 

 hope is as dead as this staff in my hands," he declared. 



As he spoke Joseph thrust his staff into the ground. Suddenly, to the 

 amazement of them all, the dead wood began to grow. It put forth branches 

 covered with green leaves, and then before their wondering eyes broke into 

 fragrant blossoms. The dry stick of wood had changed into a noble haw- 

 thorn tree. 



"It is a miracle !" they cried, and all dropped on their knees. 



Then one of them recalled a tale that he had heard of how the trees in 

 Paradise had blossomed on the night the Lord was born. 



"It is a sign from God," said Joseph, "that He will protect us. Let us 

 end our wanderings and settle in this place." 



Strength came back to their limbs and courage to their hearts, so that 

 they were able to construct a few rough houses out of mud and branches. 

 And beside the miraculous thorn tree they built a little church, which later 

 on was added to, and became the famous Glastonbury Abbey. 



For many years the sacred thorn tree blossomed every Christmas-eve, 

 and the fame of the repeated miracle spread over all the land. Even today, 

 if you should go to England, you can go to Glastonbury and some one will 

 show you where the thorn tree grew. 



The Christmas trees we have and this first Christmas tree all blossom 

 for the same reason; only instead of living flowers, the Christmas trees to- 

 day blossom out with lights and shining ornaments and glistening stars 

 put there by loving hands because the baby Christ was born. 



