1 Forasmuch as many hare taken in hand tx> set forth in order a decla- ration of those things which are most flurely beUevBd among us,
2 Even as they delivered them unto US) "which from the be^ning were eyewitnesses^ and ministers of the word;
3 It seemed good to me also, hay- ing had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus,
4 That mou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed.
The Gt>spel of St. Luke, whidi we now begin, eontains many precious things which are not recorded in the other ihree Gospels. Such, for instance, are the histories of Zacharias and Elizabeth,*-*the angel's announcement to the Virgin Mary, — and, to speak generally, the whole contents of the first two chapters. Such, again, are the narratives of the conversion of Zacche^is and of the penitent thief, — ^the walk to Emmaus, and the famous parables of the Pharisee cmd Publican, the rich man and Lazarus, and the Prodigal Son. These are portions of Scripture f<»: whidi every well-instructed Christian feels peculiarly thankful. And for these we are indebted to the Qospd of Si Luke.