The Childhood of Jesus
The Gospel of James
Biographical Gospel of the Lord
- Chapter 276 -
Joseph Visits The Schoolteacher Dumas
WHEN JOSEPH TOOK his leave after several private words with the doctor concerning possible work in his trade as a carpenter, the doctor accompanied him to a nearby friend named Dumas who was a school teacher in Nazareth.
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Then the doctor went home, and Joseph went inside to Dumas.
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The latter did not recognize him at first; for he had not though about his old friend for a long time.
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Here Joseph asked him whether he really did not know him any more.
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At this Dumas rubbed his forehead and said,
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'You do have a striking resemblance with a certain Joseph who had difficulties here three years ago because of a certain temple wench;
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for this otherwise most upright man also had to go to Bethlehem to be recorded, and that with his whole family.
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What happened to him after that, I do not know.
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You do greatly resemble this to me highly venerated man; but you surely are not he?'
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And Joseph answered, 'And if I still were the same, would you not send me some work in my trade?
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You see, I now live on my little farmstead again.'
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When Dumas heard this from Joseph, he said,
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'Yes, now it is plain, you are he, you are truly my old friend and brother Joseph!
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But where in heaven's name do you come from now?'
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Joseph replied, 'Brother, first give me a wet cloth, so I may clean my feet from the dust, then you shall hear everything that should be told.'
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Dumas immediately had a wet cloth brought, and a jug of water, and all those with Joseph washed their feet and then went into the school house of Dumas.
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Here Joseph with a minimum of words told his three-year story.
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In the meantime the little Child occupied Himself with a few school children who were there just then and were learning to read and to write a little.
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One of the school children promptly read something to the little Child, but made a number of errors.
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At this the little Child smiled right along and industriously corrected the errors for the reader.
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This soon caught the attention of all the school children and they asked Him when and where He had learned to read so well.
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And the little Child replied, 'Oh that is just born in Me!'
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Here all the children laughed, then went and told all this to Dumas; and the latter thereupon became observant of the Child and began to ask Joseph concerning such capability of the little Child.