Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1856-04-23
HOLY PLACES IN BETHLEHEM.

$3.50 r. From the New York Observer
The site of Bethlehem is peculiar It stands
upon hill and is surrounded by other hills of
eqnal height. Some of these are terraced to
fho summit, and being thickly set with the fig
snd olive, have a charming appearance. In
former times when the science of cultivation
was better understood, and the people were a.
ble aud willing TO adorn and enrich the land
This must have been one of the most beautiful
regions in Palestine, and il is pleasant to mark
it IS SO inviting place for the advent OF the
Lord Of Life. In ancient times, the whole
country round about this, though rocky, and
apparently barren, as much of the land of Ju-
dea appears to be, was rendered exceedingly
productive, By means of terraces, and must
have abounded in grapes, figs and olives
These, with bread, probably constituted the
principal part OF the food of the inhabitants
their living Is essentially the same at this day.
The village of Bethlehem contains from
twelve to fifteen hundred souls-sous these
people hare-and the Christian traveller enters
It's street-it is mostly on one long street, with
painful reflections, as he thinks of being in the
city of David and the native place of the son
idolatry or sunk in superstition so gross and
sensual as to make their views of the way of
life By Jesus Christ as dark and dangerous as
If the light Of the gospel had nsver broken in
for single moment on their minds. A few
Tears ago there were several families here who
followed the false prophet Mahomet, but so fre-
qusnt and SO fierce became the difficulties be-
tween them and the others, who bore the name
Of Christian, that the Pasha took very sum
mary mode of settling the disputes-he drove
all the Mahometans out of the place, and tore
down their houses. If this was hard, it was
very effectual mode Of disposing of a trou-
blesome subject, and it shows to what depth
Of subsection the Inhabitants OF this sacred
country are reduced. Now the Bethiehemites
are, ali of them, Roman Catholic, Greek and Ar
menian Christians, living in no better harmo-
ny OF feeling with one another than they did
with the Arabs, but they are restrained by the
arm Of power from outbreaks which disturb
the peace of the town.
They have their three converts within ths
SINE outer walls, known By the names of the
several sects, and each claiming the &nctity
that belongs TO the possession of the Holy pla-
ces. In the same great enclosure also, is
vast edihce, supposed to be the church built
BY Helena, the celebrated mother of the En-
peror Constantine, though others say that her
church was destroyed by the Moslens, and the
present temple was erected on the same site.
And this church, it is held, is built on the spot
where our Lord was born. Under the church
entered the chapel In which they showed Us
the pretended manger, or rather one made to
represent 1t, for the original, they say, was
carried to Rome, In which the infant Jesus
was laid. A few feet from the manger is an
altar, occupying the spot where the Magi stood
when they offered their gifts of gold, franklin
cense and myrrh. A brilliant star, to repre-
sent the one which stood over the place. .Hwhsre
the young child was," now marks the spot
where It is believed that the Saviour was born.
In my travels in Italy and the East, have
often found that The stables for the cattle are
cited up with comfortable places for beds, af-
ter the manner of the berths on shipooard, and
in them the men who have the care of the hor-
sss are accustomed to sleep. II the hotel is
full of guests, any one would prefer to take
bed in the stable where he would be protected
from the night air, rather than lie out, and it
was not, therefore, 80 unusual and trying CIT
cumstance, as 1t appears at first view, that 'o-
seph and Mary should be compelled to take re-
fuge for the night in the stable. The same
cause, the registry of all persons who belong
ed originally in Bethlehem and must now re-
sort here 10 be Jared, or enrolled for ta1ation'
might have brought others bere on the same
ertand, aud made the Inns inadequate TO fur-
nish beds. And 1t is not an unusual practice'
even now, in this same country, to use one hall
of the house for a stable, and The other for the