The Twelve Apostles
Three hundred years before the birth of the
Lord Christ, there lived a mother who had twelve sons, but was so poor and needy that she
no longer knew how she was to keep them alive. She prayed to God daily that he would grant
that all her sons might be on the earth with the redeemer who was promised. When her
necessity became still greater she sent one of them after the other out into the world to
seek their bread. The eldest was called Peter, and he went out and had already walked a
long way, a whole day's journey, when he came into a great forest. He sought for a way
out, but could find none, and went farther and farther astray, and at the same time felt
such great hunger that he could scarcely stand. At length he became so weak that he was
forced to lie down, and he believed death to be at hand. Suddenly there stood beside him a
small boy who shone with brightness, and was as beautiful and kind as an angel. The child
smote his little hands together, until Peter was forced to look up and see him. Then the
child said, why are you sitting there in such trouble.
Alas. Answered Peter, I am going about the
world seeking bread, that I may yet see the dear savior who is promised, that is my
greatest desire. The child said, come with me, and your wish shall be fulfilled. He took
poor Peter by the hand, and led him between some cliffs to a great cavern. When they
entered it, everything was shining with gold, silver, and crystal, and in the midst of it
twelve cradles were standing side by side. Then said the little angel, lie down in the
first, and sleep a while, I will rock you. Peter did so, and the angel sang to him and
rocked him until he was alseep. And when he was asleep, the second brother came also,
guided thither by his guardian angel, and he was rocked to sleep like the first, and thus
came the others, one after the other, until all twelve lay there sleeping in the golden
cradles. They slept, however, three hundred years, until the night when the savior of the
world was born. Then they awoke, and were with him on earth, and were called the Twelve
Apostles.
--The End-- |
