The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1881-12-23
NUMBER Al.


reth; in fine, the Incarnation of the Word
here in all its mystery, each and all are a
poem which resounds from the simple cave
in Bethlehem, with a sweeter and louder
chorus than that of the Hellenic epos of the
blind old man of that Scio whose shaken
rocks we left but fortnight since.
Let US enter this place of the Nativitv.-
1t has been honored, as we'll as fixed, since
the second century. Over It, in the third
century, the mother of Constantine erected
that church which is the oldest in the world
Some of its columns are from the temple
Here in one corner of the church we perceive
lonely hermit He is insane. He hasbeen
twenty-five years in this place, drawn, like
many others, by the wildness of his vagaries
about the unknown world. He is a Chal-
dean, and it is said, was a sheik of his tribe
Amid the forty odd pillars of the porch of
the temple, here brought TO decorate the
birthplace of Jesus, this strange man ap-
pears. Had he lived in the time OF the Sa-
viour, and had his faith been then as now.
perhaps the demon of insanity might have
been exercised. But the crypt we seek
There are two chapeis here, leading to the
place of Christ's birth one is Greek and the
.
a Catholic convent ana church. From this
there are steps to the holy spot. We choose
to go by the Latin way. There are many
reasons why prefer the Latin way i'm the
Orient. No traveller can fail to note the
I learned, modest and elevated tone of the
Latins, compared with the Greeks and
Copts. do not mention this because I am
partial, but from reasons which are the re-
suit of observation.
The priest at this spot makes the drudge
~ divine" as well as intelligent We are
welcomed to the convent by him. Like
most of the Catholic priests in the East. he
speaks French. Our guide seems to be
favorite with him, He invites us to a glass
of native wine or tea, and under his dfrec-
ton and with lighted taper we take our de-
viOus way below, Many tombs line this
dark path, and among them is the tomb Of
st. Jerome. 1t is to his patience, goodness
and scholarship the world owes the Vulgate.
or Latin edition of the Bible It was here
that this early and great father gave his for
ty years Of seclusion for the glory Of God
aud the benefit of mankind. Approach the
chapel OF the Nativity You all know it by
the Latin inscription and the silver star in
the centre. We are led into the vault by the
priest. He shows US the manger. He ex-
plains to US that in ''those days stables
were not usually found in the caves so com
mon in the hilly places Of Palestine This
cave is many feet below the floor of the
church. It is 80 by II feet, and decorated
with marble. Precious lamps burn before
figures Of saints chief among them ST. Je-
rome. Sixteen silver lamps burn over the
spot where the star indicates the place of
birth, Another recess shows the spot where
the wooden manger, now in Rome, was
found. Other spots are shown, as the chap
el Of St. Jerome and the chapel of Joseph.
where the angel appeared to tell him to fly
to Egypt If these are apocryphal tradi-
lions they do not detract from the fact es-
tablished by scholars and antiquariaus. and
confirmed as well by what St Jerome wrote
as 10y his selection of this spot for his duties
and fssts. He believed it to be the place, as
his life and death bore witness. Never did
art consummate sospIendida a representation
of self-abnegatiOn as that wherein Domeui-
chino portrayed the last scene in the life of
this Dalmatian saint and hero. who verified
as well in his life as by his death his faith in
the goodness and glory of the gospel whose
tidings were chanted first in the starry vault
of Bethlehem
Doubt as we may as to the Milk Grotto.
the Shepherds GrOtto, the Magi' Well Da-
vid's Wen, and the burial of the 20, 900 inno-
cents murdered by Herod here doubt as to
the shepherds fold, tine altar of the wise
men - doubt-doubt that Christ was born
immaculate and miraculousiy butone thing
is indubitahle-that Christ was here born
and that from this Nativity arose a light
(which before was never on sea or land, -
and foi the faith in whose benifcent and
heavenly guidance thousands have perished
as martyrs and millions haveTisked their eter-
nal salvation! What place can be more holy,
unless it be that consecrated by His death ?
There are said to be only two places in
this Holy Land superior in sacred associa-
tiOns to this place Jerusalem and Nazareth.
To my mind, Bethlehem has no superior,
unless it be Jerusalem. ''Why p" will occur
to the learned Bible student and to the veri-
est child who has read the Gospels. Bethle-
hem is not one of the mountains which COM
pass Jerusalem, but it has its lofty thought.
1t is a beautiful pearl in the diadem round
about the royal city. 1t is not the scene Of
sacrifice and sepulchre but it is the scene Of
the nativity and of the magi, and Of the an
gelic song which ushered in the purest and
greatest life ever clad in flesh. Among the
hundreds Of books Of travel and description
of this country, the Bible is the best guide
book after q H. an0 in many ways. In no one
way is It more so than in its references to
this spot, over which the star shone and the
angels chanted Of peace. No amount Of de-
generacy, superstition, exaggeration. tradi-
tion, or pollution, no surrounding however
diSenchantinE, detract5 one beam from the
radiance of that star, or gives one dissonaut
note in the seraphic hymning which here
filed the heavens with newborn joyi The
genius of painter and sculptor has Illustrated
the story of the InangeT and their gifts and
worship, the choir of angels, the awe struck
shepherds, the flight into Egypt, the beauti-
full face of the Madonna, with its golden
aureole, and the majestic, masterful and
melancholy features Of Him who became
here the genius Of love unto mankind -
What place, therefore, in all this caicined
country, now so many centuries made desc
late, is so alluring for its fruitful themes,
whether for. studio or library, for the orator
or artist, for the disciple Or crusader?
Although Bethlehem was called 'IittIe
among the thousands of Judah, " and at a
time when Judah fed her thousands OF
thousands from the well-tilled terraces and
valleys, She is great among men, aud will be
great so long as her story remains. How
often has the story been told to loving hear