1935-12-13; Clare Sentinel

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THE CLARE SENTINEL! CHRISTMAS EDITION
FRiDAY   MORNINQ,
oi
CEMBER   13,  19*35
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WO THOUSAND YEARS AGiMugustus Caesar issued a decree
that*all the world was
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\mi
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tney
-trdthed, from the home of her
to Bethlehem to pay their
es.. Mary, seated sidewise on a
ngings tied in a cloth hanging
sepjli trudging beside her, found
•ts of ancient Jerusalem,
e Valley of Gihon,
estine's hill country and
probably paused beside the road to
Well of the
would stop there
by camel to
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SV
illed
gazed hap-
irds guarded
id shepherds could.go.
fThtis Joseph ti
mother Ann in
taxes..Now-the way wj(s
small donkey,
across the  ,
their way Rhrqqg
th&ghthe
then up to 1 he'/j-Mgtf or,/
on to the Plain of Rephaim.;,Midway on tine pi
drink from a well. They did not ktjow/tfiis w
Magi because the three Wise Shepnerds folio1
to drink and to see the star reflected in the wafer's defttHs
Bethlehem in search of Jesus, the Son soon to/De,-y.-^^-..^
Joseph and Mary werefhumble and Bn/otid
pily across the well-cultivated terraced^J^^^
their flocks, noted the old stone watch towers where th^ farmers ;
to look far across their lands in all directions, Thenythey raimps-^thXcity of Bethlehem,
a small and humble village whose rock waJ^Sj/cqbbk^streetK^h*! stone moldings showed
gray and uninviting. 6 / W' , ■,.
The man and woman wended/tnen^way^tf-trougl^
the bazaars and found the^inn where they sougm^ag^/^^
People were having to/Ssleep bwthewayside. Now_MaryXvas wijth child and Joseph wanted
to protect her and make her comfortable, but noroom was to be had. So the couple sought
shelter in the stable beside* their\tifw/donkeviKThe.stable was a cave or grotto in the rocks
with crude wooden mangers fille-dlwith hay.   Here, in the year^-4 B.C., the thirty-third
year of the reign of Herod the GreatMesus
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swaddling clothes and laid Hi"f'— ~
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' '"    "    '      •■••-•«•        '•  "   ■   •« - *•    beside tlie^iumble bed andTayTheir gifts
announced' the Saviour's .bk'thjteame 'to/kneel
before the Babe, whom, they adored.
Because this Babe was'bom the whole worl
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peace, love.Yhurmlityy'-all the great
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.birth.  The basis of modern civilization lies in
hepherds, to whom angels had
rejoices and celebrates Christmas.  Joy,
0hrjstialmy"**€ame to the world with His
little town o^\Bethlehem.
heir way io the shrine, so pilgrims, tour-
j^C-
ruths of/C
TO
EvefTas the Wise Men 2000 years ago made
ists, believers and non-believers journew todaw acVo§s_the^elf-sajjtie road, still the main
artery of communication between Jerusalem and all the-southern^art of Israel. They see
the Well of the Magi, the terraced gardens|\*the shepherds' fields/and the old, old watch
towers. The highway is now,smoothly payedX^U^travelej^all/ too often ride in luxurious motor cars. But they still pass caravans of camels and asses and see pedestrians
garbed in costumes of many lands. For pilgrhngcome from near and far to the Holy
Land, particularly to ancient Bethlehem, whose grayness has increased with centuries
of dust and erosion oh its leaden-hued stones. But dull as is its outward appearance, few
approach the city without a thrill of reverence and awe, without renewing acquaintance
with the Holy Scriptures and gaining inspiration and faith. Today they cross the lively
bazaars where "objects of piety" made of shells, mother-of-pearl and olive wood have
wide space among the food-stuffs and goods for sale. They go to the Church of the
Nativity, Bethlehem's greatest relic of antiquity. In 330 A. D. Constantine built this
basilica above what is believed to be the grotto-stable in which Christ was Born. The
church looks like a fortress and its entrance door is so small even a short person must
stoop to enter. It was made thus not, as some say, to cause thoughts of humility and
reverence upon entering so holy a place, but to prevent the ancient Saracens and Turks
when they were in power from desecrating the place with cattle. Five different nationalities of Christians now guard this church and hold services here. The place is strikingly simple. The Greek Orthodox and the Armenian and Syrian churches occupy the
main floor. Two circular stairways lead to the dark caves below. There is a chapel in
the grotto. On the flopf'is a great silver star with silver nails over a hollow where Mary
is said to have given birth to jejsus.  Around the star is the inscription: ^ ^
"file de Virgine Maria Jesus-Christus Natus Est." , .**4$^l^f*w.s
Fifteen silver lamps unceasingly burn day and night over this holy place. Four belong
to the Latins, six to the Greek Orthodpx, and five to the Armenians and Syrians. Representatives from many Christian nations kneel in common before the little altar. Seldom is
the grotto without worshippers. Whether or not they believe this to be the authentic
spot.of the Nativity* it carries th£ atmosphere of holiness and spirituality. The handsome,
protid "natives of Bethlehem seem always a happy people, but at Christmas time Bethle-
.■■■»■
hem radiates Joy* © Western Newspaner Union.
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