The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-03-11
HANGERS OF ALABASTER.
THE siLvER STIR TrfiT HfRKs THE
BTRIIfTLICE or CHRIST.
Golden Lamps and siIhcu Uangings Where
Once was the stable Of Bethlehem In the
Garticn OF Gcthsemnne-A city Of Gloom.

~,
The great Church of st. Mary, divided
into three among the Turks. lAtns. and Nrmc-
mans. stands IA tho lar edge ui Bcthlchcm.
without II ~ like fortress littlo door nj
once mould its lcaden roof into bullets with
which they drove the Christians out oil the
town. within all is tinsrl and tumut You
grOpo down stairs into the crypt. and ind IT
close aud hot. and unnatural. ,iuihrn lamps.
alahnst"r managers. silkcn aud velvet hanging-.
don't make u Manager that the hcnrt Will break
over or eyes grow dim with look ing on. some,
how you yet used to the dusk OF the groto. and
then you search ii from end to end and are un-
able 10 make anything OF IT, for II il athousand
times vailed nv trapptngs; but as you pass from
corner to corner in the woe litti" plar" your cycs
fall upon great silver star sunk in the marble
floor The soft rays Of score OF splendid
lamps fall upon II; YOU draw near to IT, illlrd
with awe and Wondrrncnt; you stop b. read
the legend that is engraved above il. An ire
sistihle impulse compelA you tn your knees in
the radianc" Of these molly c"ns"rs That swing
above yUut head. In the intense. the exquisite
pause that rcigns IN That hail9Wed nook. you
tra'e the letters with hcwidered eyes over ana
oyer again before You begin to compreh end
them, for they are these:
ut. Ill. Nirfiu.. Nar,, I..u. Cbristus natus est
rh,, OIL ,,,,,,..r, M p.,it,l.n,- trici
a., iuv NI'N Ol vi IL. "' :, ~ ,.iI y,
me Greek Tor rhans"IEiN,' ~ 50 ronnedl q
,p' v''' '"i 49, n'ii,, Il ,if ,,,,,,,, ,l,,,
"uiVi men h'. nav n,ii u - up, Inn,
f nnr nl end is 69 we Set s tfp6ie
""i 49, NJ, w iirs,,i Frn ''a
lay 6roih"r brought us a basin Of water and a
tnIyol holding th,u before M, while we dipuel
anl dri al mr. fingers tntlno black aud Nick
a.eoInnnnied i,v ~ t,r.,ileh ken in t.nnI hi.
NOR H.. lf,t.n mit.ut,S En~.,, .i-r' and t,rr-
serves followed: then after am interval came
the hrnna of Bnthlrhrm look int'Nrrv much Ike
',. " ,,,I'. ,,,.,,,, w.. rir M ~. u,'l
as nv thumh si.nngv hlkn,v.ffii an 1 ,rtN good
rnttnt, 'rh,n ii,r,.ua llp- ,unrn IN . frs.h
rns.watnr nnd tunihrr s.r of pres.ryr--I
sunuII .v ii, 81 i.st ,iisI u,irht hn,' l,.n ..,ar-
rnws' ,.Ss hnilnI i'm honnv 4 fr.s n,,al was
t,lrrrd In ~. inr,,il.h - lsttir of ,.x.,.ii' nj
Ethrh.tu vino 49,, 6,r. IL nu,l N. ,Nnr. lrit Ia
nur si.st. orr anon ,,n.r mid ii,.st,',t ~ ara
n',tiVr in' s,n>.TtInl i,f,'
This il ms ,,,.,hsnn.,na hnva fourl-nn on
cln.,,r, nhnut seventy uu.rs in rireumlrrrnc,,
surrounded Inv "A Li,,i ss,un wall with "A small
dor en- th, ,,',..r s,In ,,,,oinsi ti'd Nom, ~
Olives 4 KNOX nj this door summons "A Franz
riscnn monk vino unincks Il and nlr..'4 Won Ia
"A nrim .nr-irn with tsrIt ItuIu walks anil -tir
no,v.r uI@ts .nr,tiiiv fnnt'rI in Sven nlivn
irnns torn almost 4, shrr,le with their fn,hln
Iul,. urnnnUI mn and I.pund together stand IN
me r..ntr.l II M, Vr,nnds 'rhp Stations of no
Cross are ram sd about The wall Tn, monk
admits Won ii Won desire IT, INTO the inner yar-
Ion IA fhut v.t am nntron IN liz. trs,s Th~sr
v.n,ui.lls IL "a, !. seem Ia have known -nnrtlinp
al In. Ul,,uv nf thut utrfi nilrIt ANA tn show n
Tn. monk g,th.r. "A few Hover, 81 the niuuN
that he ,arciuily cultivatos You pay him n
franc unj v,ifDJraN L..nu-s there is another
knock M M, ,.,t, ,l he ,ioas nj Ike Il, l..,y,.
V.u al,u.. In III. ,,y.r i..l. and within r,n.i
If th, id trees You inny sou if Won ike with
ONT th, walls flo ~. where peter Iufu,'s and
near To It the column in memory ol
Jult~ KISS. ltUuvI II tut cavern "'l