The Sun.
London, England, 1827-12-25 00:00:00

BETIILEITEM.-CHRISTMAS DAY.

I set out for the village of Bethlehem, calcu-
lated to be about six miles distance from, and to
the south-east of Jerusalem, memorable for those
events which arc recorded in Holy Writ, and
particularly from being the ever-memorable spot
of the nativity of our Saviour Jesus Christ. I
left the city by the gate called Bab-El-Haleel,
or the Well-beloved, and after passing the valley
of Jehoshaphet, went across the field denomi-
nated that of " Blood unto this day," from hav-
ing been purchased with the pieces of silver re-
ceived by Judas for betraying our Lord. Two
miles on the way stands an enormous tree on a
withered stock, which tradition marks as the spot
where Mary reposed when directing her steps to
Jerusalem with the Child, to present him in the
Temple. Further on is a well, where it is re-
puted the star appeared to the Magi on their
way in search of Him who was called the Pro-
phet of the Highest, and to offer up to Him
adoration and present their gifts. I came to the
tomb of Rachel, who is said to be buried " in
the way," standing about the centre of a public
tract, and, above it is Rama, enveloped with
olive trees, where the sanguinary decree of Herod
vas commanded to be executed.

I afterwards entered Bethlehem, the very cradle
of the Christian world, and under feelings which
absolutely overpowered me, on reflecting that
here was the sacred spot where he came forth who
was to be a Ruler in Israel. One fact struck
me forcibly at entering an archway of this village,
namely, some antique wells, which brought to
mind that part of Holy Writ respecting the wish
expressed by David to drink of the water of the
well in this place." But how is it possible to
deScribe all those emotions with which I was
affected at setting my foot on this corner of the
earth, in approaching to that sacred spot where
the Redeemer was born in helplessness, clothed
'with mortal nature, laden with infirmities, and
undertaking to bear the burden of our guilt. It
may be only mentioned, that the mind was filled
evith profound and awful reverence, accompanied
with a holy joy. At this moment there reigned
a glorious solemnity amidst the beauties of the
day, in unison with that train of reflection which
the inspection of scenes so interesting raised to
a high degree of excitement.
On inspecting the objects of art and adoration
in the monastery and church, I was conducted
by a small stair-case leading to the chapel of the
Nativity under ground, where the solemn still-
ness, added to the contemplation of that mo-
mentous event which occurred on this most
sacred spot, were well calculated to Strike the
mind with the deepest awe. Before the altar
several massy silver lamps, the gift of Catholic
Princes, are kept constantly in a state of illumi-
nation, and the place where the Saviour endured
the penalties of human guilt, is marked with a
star formed of white marble, 'inlaid with jasper,
and surrounded with a radiance or glory, over
which it is said the planet stood that led the
Magi to this humble village, on this is encircled
the following inscription :
" Ric de Viryine Jesus Christ natus est."
To the right is shoWn the place where the manger
stood in which he was laid. It appears to be
entirely cut out of the natural rock, lined with
marble, and lamps of silver are always kept
burning. Agreeable to a practice observed by
pilgrims, I saluted on my knees the spot of the
nativity, although unquestionably no kind of ce-
remony was requisite to enhance that sublime
sense I entertained at the critical moment of
those eternal obligations which, in common with
the whole race or mankind, I was under to that
glorious Being- who\ here began his career of
suffering, humiliation, and submission, which ter-
minated at the moment he shed his precious
blood on the tree of Calvary, when he meekly
"It is finished," arid gave up the Ghost.
Many of the habitations of Bethlehem are
formed out of grottos. Several of the stablest
also there, as well as in the City of Jerusalem,
are in excavations of the earth and rock, so that
no regard can be paid to any objection which
might arise so far as respects the place of the
nativity being under ground ; but, on the con-
trary it receives the strongest possible confirma-
lion from being so extremely similar to these
stables ordinarily in use in that country. This
village stands on a summit extending from east
to west. The soil is of a chalky nature, the air
pure amid salubrious, and • the spot where the
Shepherds were watching their flocks when the
glorious intelligence was communicated to them
by the heavenly host, is in a beautiful valley on
lehich the convent looks down.
I can only further observe that at the moment
of dwarfing from it, the organ so eminently fitted
to eleva:e our affections towards the Supreme
Being, and keep alive true devotion, sounded
its sacred notes, accompanied by the chaunts of a
juvenile choir, which, combined with the exalted
consideration that my feet were passing over that
ground, where a Child was born whose name
was "Wonderful,
Counsellor, the Prince of
•
"Peace," and whom the Ahnighty had com-
manded all the Angels to worship, was deeply
affecting and altogether overpowering, which can
only be experienced by those who have visited
Bethlehem, and reflected on those stupendous
events that occurred on this chosen spot of earth,
demonstrative of the power of God, and singled
out as the seat of the redemption of the human
race.---Frora Travels in the Holy Land, by Wil-
liam Rae Wilson, Esq.
Sam. 23. c. 14-15 v. t Zephaniah 2-6.

REsaRRECT.IONISTS.—On Thursday a con-
siderable seilsation w
discovery of a human body in a box brought
from Forres, by ii,Tigus Nicolson, carrier, to be •
forwarded to Edinburgh by the Duke of Gordon
coach. The proprietor of the coach having ob-
served a similar package geot )ast week to the
same address, " South Bridgv, Edinburgh,"
shrewdly sitspected that all was not right, and
to elicit the truth, remarked to the earner, that
be feared it contained eontraband goods; his
suspicions being confirmed by the manner of the
denial, he communicated thelp to an Excise
officer in the house, who on raising the lid of
the box found that it contained the body of a
Young man tied up in a portable form. The'
body was deposited in the guard room, to be
indentified by the friends of the deceased : and
the Sheriff has taken measures for the detection
of the perpetrators of the outrage. The body of
a boy about 11 years of age was last month
stolen from the church-yard of Rafford, near
Forres; the res • h •
resurrectionists, having been scared,
ran away with their booty,
n alia of death strewed
wed about the open grave, into
lybich a person stumbled at night, when run-
ning to extinguish 4 fire in
nsequence made, a mill. Inquiry was
in co and the body was found
sea.-Aberdeen Journal.
sent to urgh„a
in a cask , to be transmitted to
Edinburgh by

NIGH WATER AT 'LONDON BRIDGE TO-MORROW.
Morning... 4 minutes after 8. Evening.... 34 minute4.after 8.

:,fir

LONDON.
TUESDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 25, 1827.

The contents of the despatches from. Mr.
STRATFORD CANNING, the receipt of which
we announced yesterday, are understood to leave
no hopes that the determination of the SULTA*
would be shaken. He had, to the last, remained
perfectly firm on the subject of the interfeience
of the Allies in the affairs of Greece ; and, con-
sequently, it will now remain for the Powers to
take those ulterior measures which were contem-
plated by the treaty, in the event of the Ottoman
Government rejecting the proposals made to
them. Mr. CANNING had, at the date of his
despatches, actually demanded his passports, but
no answer had been returned to that application
when the courier took his departure. It can
hardly, however, be supposed that the Turkish
Government would at the last moment adopt any
harsh measures towards the Ambassadors them-
selves ; and the delay in furnishing the pass-
ports has probably, therefore, been :resorted
to, solely for the purpose of enabling the
SULTAN to send information to the autho-
rities in the distant parts of his dominions
of the departure of the Ambassadors, be-
ore the knowledge of that event could 'reach
the Russian head quarters. It is now highly
probable that the next despatches, which two or

three days must bring, will announce the actual
departure of the Ambassadors from the Turkish
capital, and then events will commence shich
no man living can foresee the end of.
In taking a retrospective view of what has
passed on this momentous question, it is a matter
of personal pride to ourselves that we have
throughout formed an aecurate judgment of the
probable course of events. We have over and
over again predicted that the SULTAN would
not yield—and we have maintained this opinion

in the face of all the assertions of the German
and French Papers, which were put forth with
almost official authority. The die is, in all
probability, ere this, cast—and Greece delivered
will he the first fruits of a treaty entered into for
the purest objects, and not acted upon until for-
bearance and patience, unprecedented in dipio,
mug, had been exerted and exhausted by the
coalescing powers.

The Paris Marating Papers of Saturday,
which reached us last'o4- ht, 'contain nothinov
importance. Lettarbicom Barcelona announce
the re-appearance of bands of Insurgents it,
Valencia. The troops which were at Tortosa
have repassed the Ebro to attack these new re-
v olters, who are too numerous for the present
force, under General LONGA, to contend with.
The celebrated JEPS DEL ESTANGS again chews

himself, and operations against him have become
necessary. The KING, in the moan time, leads
a very retired life. Rumours were afloat at
Barcelona of a change in the Ministry—of an
amnesty—and of negociations with the new
States of South America.

'Since writing the above we have received, b)
express, the Gazette de France, dated yesterda),
morning, and the other Paris Papers of Sunday,

The Gazette de France states, that it has
received news from Constantinople of the 26th
November, and adds that " The communications
which were established between the REIS EF-
FENDI and the Representatives of the Powers sign-
ing the treaty of London, induced us to hope that
the PORTE?, feeling that the interest of Europe
and its own required the pacification of Greece,
would yield to, the propositions of the Courts of
France, England, and Russia—this hope is
vanished. Every thing induces us to believe

that M. de RIBEAUPIERRE sets off for Odessa,
whilst Mr. S. CANNING and Count GNILLE•
%lINoT will embark at Vourla. The latter are
with the fleet waiting for instructions from their
Courts!'

It will be observed that this paragraph is
founded upon intelligence not so recent by two
days As that which our Government have re-
ceived direct from Mi. STRATFORD CAN-
NING; but it serves to shew that the French
Government have abandoned all hope that the
submission of the PORTE will now take place.
A few heurs must probably put us in possession
of further important communications. It
however, satisfactory to learn by the same article,
that undisturbed tranquillity prevailed in the
Turkish capital.

In the event of the -Ambassadors quitting
Constantinople, A.s momentarily expected at the
date of Mr. ST n ATYORD CAXNING's despatches,
that Gentleman and General GUILLEMINTPT
were to proceed to Corfu, and M. RIBEAU-
PIERRE, the Russian Ambassador, to Odessa.
The first intelligence of the departure of the
Ministers will therefore probably be received
from the latter place.

Our City Cotrespoudent informs us that a
letter dated Paris, Saturday, Dec. 22, states that
very little business was doing on 'Change, but
that a number of reports were in circulation. •It
was said that NT. PEYRONNET had left the Chan-
,Aerie and ceded his post to M. MARTIGNAC.

It was also reported that M. CORBIERE had re-
sige, and that VILLELE Will do the same.
Others, however, who were supposed to be better
informed, said that M. VILLELE would prorogue
the Chambers to October, in the hope of being
able, in the mean time, to gain a majority.
The latter report, though said to rest on the
authority of well informed persOns, appears to us
to be quite preposterous.

The Exchanges last night were nearly the same
AS on Friday, with the exception of that with
I4ainburgh, which was I per cent. higher.

The Nuremberg Cprrespondent: of the 17th
inst., and the Allgedteine Zeitung of the 18th
inst., have been received this forenoon. In the
former we find some notice of the work which
Count MUNSTER has published, refuting the
accusations made by the Duke of BRUNSWICK
in a silly pamphlet which ho ha.; lately printed.
The reasons assigned by Count MUNSTER for
publishing a refutation of the Duke's charge
are excellent, and as even the character of our
MONARCH was attacked, all must rejoice that
they have received so complete a contradiction.
An article in the .AllgemeineZeitung, from the
Banks of the Danube, stating that the PoRTE
had agreed to an armistice for some months, is
obviously undeserving of attention. The follow-