The McArthur enquirer. (M'arthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1873-1884, 1873-04-16
Historical.
BETHLEHEM.
BY THE REV. sELAH W. BROWN.

Six miles south of Jerusalem is
another "Holy City," called by the
Arabs Beit-Lahm, but known
throughout the Christian world by
the dear name of Bethlehem
("House Of Bread 1t is beauti-
fully situated on the ridge of a
''long gray HILL" and, like most of
Eastern cities, is surrounded by a
wall. 1t is a long, gloomy, narrow
town, with one main street, from
which little filthy lanes and alleys
branch off on either side. The fiat
rooted, dilapidated buildings are all
rof stone, and, like thoseo Of the Holy
City, have no windows in the lower
story 1t has about three thousand
Inhabitants, whose main employ
mentis the manufacture of olive
wood and mother.of-pearl toys and
trinkets, which are sold to pilgrims
and travellers.
The only place of special interest
in Bethlehem is the Church Of the
Nativity, a very ancient structure,
built over the reputed birthplace Of
our Savior. Surrounding the old
church are three large converts,
occupied by Greek, Latin and Ar
menian Christians. The church
and converts being all under one
roof, look more like a military fort
ress than a religious institution.
After partaking of a lunch, and
resting awhile in the Pilgrims
Room of the Latin Convent, the
monks showed us the church. The
main body Of the building remains
as it was erected by the Empress
Helena, in A. d. 327. This vener-
able structure, built fifteen hundred
years ago, is probably the oldest
specimen of Christian architecture
on earth. 1t is in the form of a
cross, the nave being one hundred
feet in length and the transeptninety
feet. Its roof, made originally from
the cedars Of Lebanon, (but, ac-
cording to Dean Stanley, replaced
with English oak by EdwardIV. of
England is supported by four
rows of noble Corinthian columns,
each single piece of marble two
feet in diameter, and taken, accord
ing to tradition, from The porch Of
the temple at Jerusalem. The stone
floor is deeply worn by the foot
steps Of millions of pilgrims who, in
the long centuries past, have visited
the consecrated place. One de
votee to this shrine may be seen
kneeling in q corner of the church
all the day long, every now and
then bowing over till his forehead
touches the floor. And thus he has
worshipped day after day, month
after month, year after year, for
sixteen years, until he has actually
worn a hollow place in the stone by
merely touching it with his fore
head
Our guide furnished us with wax
candles, and conducted us down
through dark, narrow stairways to
small chapel beneath the church,
called the Grotto of the Nativity.
Here we found ourselves in an ir-
regular rocky room, about thirty
seven feet long and eleven feet
wide, lined with greenish marble
and illuminated with beautiful
lamps, which are kept burning
night and day. In one end of the
grotto is q semi circular recess, in
the floor of which is set a bright
silver star adorned with precious
stones. Around the star is the
Latin inscription: "Hic dc Vtrgine
Maria Jesus ChriStuS aatuS est
("Here Jesus was born in the Vir-
gin Mary.") Above the star hang
gold and silver lamps, constantly
throwing their light down upon
this traditional birthplace of our
Lord.
On the other side of the grotto,
descending two steps, we passed
into another recess seven or eight
feet square, where we were shown a
marble manger, said to mark the
spot where the young child was
Graded, and the place where the
wise men sat as they offered their
gifts of gold, frankin-cense and
myrrh. This room is also beauti-
fully adorned, and hung with costly
lamps. We could not accept all the
traditions of the monks connected
with this interesting place; still the
impression was strong that we were
in or near the hallowed spot where
the worlds Redeemer was born.
Reneath the convent is the study