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The Story Os Mary, Moth er Os Jesus
By QUIMBY MELTON, SR.
During this pre-Chrlstmas sea
son the story of the Birth of Je-
Sus Christ is told and retold in
the churches, in the schools, and
in the homes. The Second Chap
ter of St. Luke is probably read
more than at any time in the
year.
All are familiar with the story
of the Holy Birth and events
leading up to it. But, no doubt,
many, like this layman, have
often thought they would like to'
know more about the Virgin
Mary — The Mother of Jesus —
than is told in the Bible.
All in all, Mary is mentioned
hardly a dozen times in the New
Testament; though she plays a
most Important part in the Sac
red Drama of the Birth.
There are other sources avail
able that tell more of Mary. One
of these is the Apocrypha, a
co”ection of early stories and
writings that were considered
authentic by early Christians.
But they are not contained in
the King James version of the
Bible.
Several years ago the author,
found among other books that
originally belonged to his grand
father, the late Rev. Isaac Qui-
Imby Melton, of the North Ala
fa am a Conference Methodist
Church, one published in 1860.
The title is "The Apocrypha of
the New Testament.” The first
chapter is “The Gospel of the
Birth of Mary.” There are oth
er chapters that tell of the birth
of Jesus and His childhood.
This book, a collection of tra
ditions and letters and stories
handed down, contains many In
teresting things. It tells of
Mary’s parents; of Mary’s bir
th; of her childhood, of her bet
rothal to Joseph, and how he
was chosen for this great honor,
to be the earthly father of the
Messiah; and the story of the
death of Mary.
After reading this book and
some others along related lines,
and believing that none of us can
know too much about Jesus
Christ and His Blessed Mother,
the Virgin Mary, have attempt
ed to write for our readers A
Story of Mary, The Mother of
Jesus Christ.
The author does not claim this
Is an authentic story but offers
it as a collection of stories that
were told and were believed by
the early Christians; stories that
in no wise detract from the Bi
ble, rather complement it; and
Good Evening certainly does not
want to get into any theological
debate on the Apocrypha, for
he does not claim to be anyth
ing but just a layman, who be
lieves and prays for Increased
faith and understanding.
Mary’s father was named Jo
achin; her mother Anne. Joach
in was wealthy, influential and
a devout believer in God. The
strength of his belief is shown
in his support of the temple
(church), and his concern for
the poor and needy. Tradition
says he gave one-third of his in
come to the temple (church);
one third to charity; and reser
ved one third for himself. That
was going much more than “the
second mile’ in “tithing.”
Joachin and Anne were devout
Jews, but lacked one thing that,
according te Jewish belief, mar
ked a couple as being approved
by God.
They had no children. Both
were elderly people and Anne
was barren.
One day Joachin, as was h 1 s
custom, went to the temple to
worship, and some official of the
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temple chided him and told him
that he was not worthy to wor
ship “because he had no child.”
Joachin, sorrowing, went Into
the desert to pray. He remem
bered the experience of Abra
ham and Sara, how they, too,
had longed for a child, and how
God had promised that they
would have a boy. This child of
the couple “stricken in years”
was Isaac. Joachin also remem
bered Elkanah and his wife
Hannah, who also old folk, had
no child, and how God promis
ed them a son. Their child was
the prophet Samuel.
God sent an angel to Joachin
and said he and his wife would
have a child. The child was a
girl, and they called her Mary.
(It is interesting in this connec
tion, to remember the story of
Zacharias and his wife Elizabe
th, who in their old age gave
birth to John the Baptist.)
When the baby Mary was born
her parents, remembering the
story of Hannah, how she gave
her son Samuel to serve In the
temple, decided would de
dicate Mary to service of the Al
mighty, and when she was three
years old they took her to t h e
temple to serve.
Mary joined other girls there
and spent her girlhood in the
temple serving and worshiping
God.
Then, when Mary reached 14
years of age she, and the oth
er girls of her age, were inst
ructed to leave the temple and
find husbands. But Mary did not
want to marry; she preferred
to remain in the temple and de
vote her life in service to h e r
Lord.
An angel came to Mary, and
to the chief priest and told her,
and him, of God’s plan that she
should be the Virgin, told of by
the prophets of old, who would
be the Mother of the Messiah.
There is another Interesting
thing about Joachin, the father
of Mary. The prophets had pro
mised that the Messiah would be
of the blood line of David. The
New Testament traces the blood
line of Jesus through Joseph, his
earthly father. Some students
of the Bible have wondered at
this —for Joseph was in fact the
"step father” of the Christ. But
this old story of Mary and her
parents says that Joachin,
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Mary’s father, himself, was also
a blood descendant of David.
So the fact that Joachin was a
direct blood descendant of Da
vid, should clear up any doubt
in anyone’s mind that Jesus
Himself was a blood descendant
of David — as predicted by the
prophets.
Now why was Joseph chosen
to be the “guardian” for Mary
and her Holy Baby? How was he
chosen?
When it was revealed to the
chief priest that Mary had been
chosen to be the Blessed Virgin,
who should bear the Holy Child,
as promised by the prophets,
it was decided that there should
be someone who would be res
ponsible for the welfare of Mary
and her Child. A list of all the
eligible men in the community
was compiled. There were 12
and they were ordered to come
to the temple and to bring their
staff. They were to approach
the altar, and the one whose st
aff budded, as did the staff of
Aaron, would be chosen.
Eleven of them came to the
temple. But Joseph, an old man
and a widower, did not come.
He was sent for and not only did
his staff bud but a dove flew in
and lighted on it. So Joseph
was chosen and was betrothed
of Mary.
When the appointed time came
Joseph and Mary were on their
way to Bethlehem in obedience
to a decree of Caesar Augustus
that a census of all should be
made for taxation. Mary rode
on an ass, Joseph walked by her
side. Mary told him it was time
for the birth and Joseph left
her in a cave and went to get a
midwife. When he returned the
cave was filled with a cloud.
Suddenly the cloud disappeared
and the cave was brightly
lighted. There was the Baby
Jesus — Remember the Bible
tells us God always spoke to the
Children of Israel from behind
the veil of a cloud.
This story also reports a mir
acle being performed before the
Holy Baby was even an hour old.
Another woman, hearing that a
baby had been bom In the
cave, came to see for herself.
As she entered the cave she
saw Mary, whom she knew hav
ing seen her many times in the
temple. She said she did not be
lieve Mary was the Mother and
as she pointed to the Baby her
“arm withered.”
Then an angel told this woman
that if she would pick up the
Baby in her arms and believe,
that she would be made whole.
The woman, named Salome, did
this, her arm was restored and
she glorified God and asked for
giveness for her doubt.
This account also tells that the
"world stood still” when the
Baby was born. Describing this
it says the sun and moon and
stars stopped in their courses,
sheep that were feeding in the
fields remained as though fro
zen, people who were at their
meal found they could not move
their hands bearing food to their
mouths.
In connection with the report
ed miraculous healing of the
arm of Salome, it’s interesting to
note that there are several mir
acles credited to the Boy Jesus.
One of these tells how Jesus and
some of His playmates were
making mud pies. Jesus mould
ed birds out of the mud. An ad
ult scolded the children for
playing in the mud. The Boy Je
sus passed his hand over the
mud birds and they came alive,
took wings and flew away.
What of Mary after this? Why
did she remain in the backgr
ound all through the life of Je
sus. When did she die? What be
came of Her after her death?
Why do the Gospels and other
books in the New Testament not
tell us more of Mary, the Moth
er of Jesus? For she is mention
ed not more than a dozen times.
- First, the authors of these
books had one main purpose—
to tell the story of Jesus Him
self; to tell the world the Good
News of His birth, death, resur
rection.
Second, because Mary, typi
cal of many a mother, preferred
to remain in the background.
Sources, other than the Bible,
tell us that Mary lived 22 years
after the Crucifixion and Re
surrection of Her Holy Son.
We read, “Mary burning with
longing for her Christ, began to
weep one day in her home.” An
angel appeared and said, “See
I have brought thee a palm leaf
from the Paradise of God, whi
ch thou wilt cause to be carried
before thee when on the third
day thou wilt be taken up from
the body. For thy Son awaits
you with saints and angels and
all the powers of Heaven.”
Mary is reported to have ans
wered the angel, “I beg that all
the apostles of my Lord Jesus
Christ be assembled around
me.” The angel then said “By
the power of Jesus Christ all the
apostles will be here today.”
The angel left and Mary went
into the "Garden of Olives” —
carrying the palm leaf; and in
the very same spot where Her
Blessed Son had prayed, she
prayed that the powers of evil
would not have dominion over
her at the time of her death.
Mary returned home and fo
und all the apostles gathered.
They had been snatched up and
raised on a cloud from wherever
they had been and set down at
Mary’s home.
Three days passed and we
read, "suddenly Jesus appear
ed with a great multitude of an
gels, and speaking to His Mo
ther said, “Come most precious
pearl unto the joy of Eternal
Life.” Mary, giving thanks to
God, gave up the spirit. Jesus
ordered Gabriel to take her soul
to Paradise and told the discip
les to prepare for the funeral.
When neighboring women pre
pared the body for laying out,
removing her clothing, they fo
und her body shone with so
much brightness that they ex
claimed, “She was perfectly
pure and in no way contamina
ted by sin.”
When the funeral procession
was formed Peter and Paul
“pillars of the church” carried
the body. John followed with
the “palm of light.” A great
crowd followed. The disciples
laid the body In a new tomb,
sealed It and sat down to s e e
what would happen.
Then we read, “The Lord
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came quickly and asked the
disciples what special honor
they would suggest to be con
ferred on His mother. As one
man they responded, “It seems
to thy servants to be right, that
just as having conquered death.
Thou reigneth in glory, so rais
ing up again the body of Thy
Mother, Thou should take her
with Thee in joy into Heaven.”
Jesus ordered the Archangel
Michael to bring Mary’s soul
back, and ordered the discip
les to roll away the stone. Then
the Lord restored Mary’s soul
to her earthly body. He said
“Arise my beloved, thou who
did’st know no corruption in life
shalt not suffer destruction of
the body in the tomb.”
Mary arose immediately and
was embraced by her Son, the
Lord Jesus Christ. He gave
her to Michael who lifted her up
“body and soul” to Heaven.
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This story concludes “The Ap
ostles were then taken up in cl
ouds and returned to where
11
Thursday, Dec. 12, 1968
[they had been and continued
telling the 'Good News’ of Jesus
and His Saving Grace.”