VIRGIN BIRTH, THE. The orthodox Christian faith teaches that Jesus, the founder of Christianity, was " con ceived of the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary " (Apostles' Creed). It is believed also by many Christians that with a view to her future destiny she was specially sanctified from the womb. " It was to the pure maiden of Nazareth, thus chosen and prepared by God, that the angel Gabriel came, bearing the offer from God of an honour so amazing, that compared with it, every earthly honour is as nothing. The augel's message was nothing less than that Almighty God would, with her consent, take human form in her womb. . . . Then arose in Mary's mind the wondering question, bow could she, a virgin, bear a child? Had ever a maiden become mother without the agency of human father? . . . It was then that Gabriel announced to Mary that the agency of the human father would be superseded, and that, through the power of God, a virgin-birth would be accomplished. He assured her that in conceiving and bringing forth her Child, her virgin-chastity would remain, that she would still be a virgin. He taught her that she should fulfil the mother's part, God the Holy Ghost quickening the powers of nature. ' And the angel answered and said unto her, the Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee : therefore also that Holy Thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.' " What did this announce ment involve to Mary? " She must have seen, by a pure womanly instinct, that there lay before her a time of keenest trial, of suspicion and agonizing doubt. If she accepted her amazing destiny, would not the finger of reproach be pointed at her as the Holy Child grew in her womb? How could she explain her condition even to those nearest and dearest to her? How terrible must the facing of all this have been to one whose soul was as pure as the driven snow? What would Joseph, to whom she was about to be married, think of her? What he did think we know; for we are told at first ` he was minded to put her away privily,' to hide her from the shame which he began to think she had brought upon herself.
Only a voice from heaven reassured him, and relieved him from the painful suspicion. Beyond all this, there was the thought of the strangely mysterious association with Almighty God and His deep purposes, and all it would cost her to maintain such a dignity, which must have tempted the Blessed Virgin to hesitate in accepting the Divine call. . . . The decision lay with Mary, and we may well thank God that It was the right decis ion. In the face of all that awaited her, by the grace of God, the Blessed Virgin accepted with complete self surrender the wondrous call of God, and uttered the eventful words—` Behold the handmaid of the Lord : be it unto me according to Thy Word.' In that central moment, the everlasting Son of the Father, Who took upon him to deliver man, did not abhor the Virgin's womb. He began to take human form, and Mary became the Mother of God " (Vernon Staley, The Catholic Religion). Such is the orthodox belief, which is based upon a literal interpretation of narratives in the First and Third Gospels. It is the belief held by orthodox Christians. But it is a belief which, in this form, is no longer held by many persons who claim to be called Christians. Apart from the question whether the nativity-narratives are an original part of the primitive Gospel story, it is felt by many that they are only an effort to express in human language a spiritual truth. Jesus was the son of a Virgin In the sense that he was the first-born son of one Mary who conceived him in perfect innocence and purity. He was the son of a Virgin in the sense that be was spiritually conceived as a perfect man In the mind of Mary long before she was betrothed to Joseph. This is the real meaning of the nativity stories. Jesus was not born like an ordinary child. All material thought was excluded, and the spirit reigned supreme. God is Spirit, and Jesus or the Christ was the true and only-begotten Son of the Father. See Vernon Staley, The Catholic Religion, 1S93; Oscar Holtz mann, The Life of Jesus, 1904; Arno Neumann, Jesus, 1906.