Page:Apocryphal Gospels and Other Documents Relating to the History of Christ.djvu/126

10 all generations: with thee at the end of days, the Lord will manifest his redemption to the children of Israel. And he set her upon the third step of the altar, and the Lord God bestowed grace upon her, and she danced about on her feet, and all the house of Israel loved her.

her parents went down wondering, and praising the Lord God, because the child did not turn back. And Mary was like a dove brought up in the temple of the Lord, and received food from the hand of an angel. And when she became twelve years old, there was held a council of the priests, who said. Behold, Mary is become twelve years old in the temple of the Lord. What then shall we do with her, lest perchance the sanctuary of the Lord be defiled? And they said to the high priest. Thou hast stood at the altar of the Lord; go in, and pray for her, and whatever the Lord shall manifest to thee, that also will we do. And the high priest entered, taking the breastplate into the holy of holies, and prayed for her. And behold the angel of the Lord stood by, saying unto him, Zacharias, Zacharias, go forth and summon the widowers of the