Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1881-12-29

sixteen steps into the crypt, and found
ourselves in the chapel, which is forty
feet long, sixteen feet wide, and ten feet
high. The pavement and walls are of
marble and the apartment is lighted by
thirty-two lamps. Upon one side of the
chapel is recess, and in its pavement
is set silver star, around which is the
| famous inscription "Hic de Virgine Ma
ria Jesus Chritus natus est" The recess
is brilliantly lighted with fifteen lamps.
The recess is brilliantly lighted with
| fifteen lamps. The traditional "man-
ger" was carried away to Rome, long
ago. From this gorgeous subterranean
chapel the monk conducted us by an un-
dergrOund passage to grOtto, called the
Chapel of st. Jerome" We entered
this with genuine veneration. Here
that grand and devout old scholar spent
about thirty years of his useful life
(frOm about 800 A. d. to 420), and here
he translated Gods Word into the valu-
able "Vulgate" version. Among all the
saints in the RoInish calender, Jerome
is the noblest and the saintliest.
| From the crypt we ascended into the
nave of the "Church of the Nativity"
the Oldest Christian structure on the
face of the globe. Built by the Emper-
or Constantine, about the year $50, there
is strong evidence that the nave, with
its eleven columns of reddish limestone
and antique pavement, is part of the
original edifice. The six capitals of the
columns are Corinthian and on each
one is engraved a cross. A whole chap
ter might be written about this delight
fully venerable structure, within whose
walls Baldwin the Crusader was crown
ed king, on Christmas Day, A. d. 11O1.
"Were you not disgusted with all that
foolery of marble-lined grotto, with its
silver lamps, and smoking incense, and
monkish tales?" my readers may in
quire. Yes, l was disgusted with the
oyerlaid gewgaws and monstrous i'm
pOstures but underneath that Church of
the Nativity l firmly believe that the in
fant Jesus was born. [ believe that in
some portion of that rock was the sub
terranean stable which witnessed the
original Christmas glory. Probably Jo
seph and Mary lodged at the khan which
stood on the ground once owned by the
family of David. Justin Martyr, in the
second century, says that Jesus was
born in a grOttO in bethlehem. Origen
confirms it. The conscientious and care
full Jerome sought out the exact spot,
and selected his cavern or cell SO as to
dwell close by the birthplace of his
Lord. The tradition is unbroken, and
no riUdl spot has ever been indicated.
Bethlehem has not been besieged, and
torn to fragments, and built over
again and again like poor Je-
rusalem; so that the weight or at
gument is almost overwhelming in IA
vor of the site now covered by the an
cient church, and 1 feel an assurance
that last April 1 saw the spot on
which Christianity broke from Heaven
into this dark and sin-cursed world.
From the roof of the convent the out
look is glorious. To the north is Da-
vid's Well, and beyond lies Jerusalem.
Away to the east are the verdant fields
in which the shepherds watched their
fiock3 on that original Christmas night.
The hills, the rocks, and the valleys are
the same that re-echoed the angelic
songs when the skies above Bethlehem
we're filed with celestial melody. The
star hung over those very nights. The
glory of the Lord shone on those lime
stone cliffs which we climbed that April
day, and through that atmosphere float
ed the midnight Christmas song: "GlO-
ry to God in the highest, and on earth
peace among men in whom he is well
pleased" No monkish lies or legends
can rob the Christian world of its be-
loved Bethlehem.-N. Y. Independent.