Litchfield enquirer., 1838-03-01

ness Of Scripture language, especially in the
conversations Of the Savior to those who
knew and could appreciate the full farce Of
his Illustration. Bethlehem contaias an
equally divided population Of Christians
aud Riahon.edamS, who dwell tageiher,
however, ia min errupted harmony.
There is the appearance ofgre II poverty
exhibited every where throughout the
town; far the people, il ever possessed Of
wealth, dare, moi make ii known, for fear Of
It's being taken from them to supply the cof-
iers OF despntic governments. Not far
from Bethlehem stands the celebrated
Church of the Nativity, and little way off
franciscan Convent. Tie church is
said to be built over tia, place where Chris,
was born; aud the precise spot which has
been denominated the manager, is now con-
verted INTO a subicrranean chapel, and is
lighted by great numher of lamps which
are constantly kept burning. Upon the
wall around the chapel, hang number of
paintings, and the organ is sometimes made
to utter solemn notes, which SQUAD pecu-
liar'y SO in this subterranean abode. Much
doubt has arisen in the minds Of various
travellers as to whethe this was la reality
the place OF the Saviour's nativity, which
has been occasioned by the spo, being a
cave, rather than such place as in other
lands would have been selected for man
ger. This objection is answered by the
fact that in this country the climate is PEE
cnlarly addicted to sudden aud violent
changes; causing the mercury in the Their.
mometer to vary within the period Of twen-
ty-four hours, upwards Of siAty degrees /;
aud on this account caves were frequently
selected for the accommodation of animals,
because Of the greater cquanimity oftcm-
peralure. We have the expression in
Scripture in allusiou to The climate thus ex.
pressed $50 The sun consumes me by day.
and the frosts by night That this expo
sition causes The doubt to remove from this
fact, we have no doubt; and what even still
more strongly confirms the belief that this
place was the exact spot of HE nativity, is
clearly shown by the almost utter impossi-
bi!ity for any class Of designing persons 10
tabricate. at any given period Of time, such
a statement Of This kind, without the refu,a-
ton Of others, who demanded the proof Of
prior testimony: and, moreover, TO places
OLA sncred and interesting character, a Ger.
tain identity attaches itself, which il would
be impossible to obl,era,e while tradition
existed among the people /; and thousands
Of places remai, notable for peculiarities
attached 10 them from age 10 age, aud from
generation to generation, without either
marble monuments or letters Of brass to
perpetuate their memories. '@4
But no. to the identity Of Scripture pla-
ces, nor to any reliance npon Evolutionary
facts, does tho Christian religion appeal Tor
evidence Of its divine authority. The
word Of God, written by the pen Of iasPi-
ration, stands, the unrefu,ed aud i,nperish-
able monument Of lis power aud his good
ness but while to this We may cling, as to
the rock Of our salvation, still may we in
dulge in laudable curiosity IN endcavoripg
to trace out those localities rendered sacred
by the presence Of the Redeemcr. And
the Christian cannot but love to dwell with
hallowed remembrance upon the dcscrip-
tious brought before him, when they call to
mind the scenes and circumstances OF his
Lords humiliatiop. And although Pales-
tine abounds in relics Of sacred character,
there can be none so calculated to fill bis
soul with joyous rapture us the scenes Of
the nativity, the manser in which the babe
Of Bethlehem was born.-Bnekingham.