fHother, the Virgin Mart/. This is a fact which^ at first sight, may not /stand ont dearly in Hie form of these yerses. But a reference to the twelfUi chapter of Leyiti- 008 will at once make it plain. There we shall see, that the offering which Mary made was specially appointed to be made by poor people : — " If she be not able to bring a lamb, then she shall bring two turtles, or two young pigeons.'' In short, her offering was a public declaration that she was poor. (Lev. xii. 6.)
PoTerty, it is manifest, was our Lord's portion upon earth, from the days of His earliest infancy. He was nursed and tended as a babO; by a poor woman. He passed the first thirty years of His life on earth, under the roof of a poor man. We need not doubt that He ate a poor man's food, and wore a poor man's apparel, and worked a poor man's work, and shared in all a poor man's troubles. Such condescension is truly marvellous. Such an example of humility passes man's understanding.
Facts like these ought often to be laid to heart by poor people. They would help to silence murmuring and complaining, and go far to reconcile them to their hard lot. The simple fact that Jesus was bom of a poor woman, and Hred all his life on earth among poor people, ought to silence the common ai^ument Ihat ''religion is not for file poor." Above all it ought to encourage every poor believer in all his approaches to the throne of grace in prayer. Let him remember in all his prayers that his mighty Mediator in heaven is accustomed tO/ poverty, and knows by experience the heart of a poor man. Well would it be for the world if working men could only see that Christ is the true poor man's friend !