The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-01-02
"And Thou Bethlehem"

Doubt as we may as to the MIX Grotto, |
the Shepherds Grotto, the Magi's Well,
Dsvid's Well, and the burial of the twenty
thousand innocents murdered by Herod
here; doubt as to the shepherds fold, the
altar of the "wise men - doubt-doubt
that Christ was born immaculate and mi.
raculously; but one thing is indubitable
that Christ was here born and that from
this nativity arose light (which before
was never on sea or land" and for the
faith in whose benefcent and heavenly
guidance thousands have persisted as
martyrs and millions have risked their
souls salvation What place can be more
holy, unless it be that consecrated by his
death 2 There are said to be only two
places in this Holy Land superior in
sacred associations to this place: Jeruss.
lem and Nazareth. To my mind, Bethle-
hem has no superior, unless it be Jerusa-
lem. "Why p will occur to the learned
Bible student and to the veriest child who
has read the gospels. Bethlehem is not
one of the mountains which encompass
Jerusalem, but it has its lofty thought. 1t
is beauteous 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 angelic 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 all, and
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 degen-
erscy, superstition, exaggeration, tradition
or pollution, no surrounding, however dis
enchanting, detracts one beam from the
radiance Of that star, or gives one OLSON
ant note in the seraphic hymning which
here filled the heavens with a newborn
Joy The genius of painter and sculptor
has illustrated the story of the manger and
their gifts and worship, the choir of angels,
Egypt, the beautiful 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 calcined country, now 80 many GEN.
turtles made desolate, is so alluring for its
fruitful themes, whether for studio or
library, for the orator or artist, for the
disciple or crusader? Although Bethle-
hem was called " little among the thou
sands of JUDAH" and at time when
Judah fed her thousands of thousands
from her well.tilled terraces and valleys,
she is great among men, and will be great
80 long as her story remains. How often
has the story been told to loving hearers |
From the little Catholic church at the
North Cape, but year old, which we
visited under the midnight sun and amid
the summer SHOWS, to the splendid church
of st. Sophia, which dates one thousand
five hundred years ago; across wastes of
time and oceans of space, over dark con.
tinents and isles "guilded by eternal sum-
mer," this story of the msnger is theme
as sacred to kings as to peasants; as dear
to the leper of Ramleh as to the emperors
of earth. The locus in quo of such story,
even though it were almost lost in tradi
ton, must be part, the mise en- scene, Of
that wondrous drama. Even skeptics can
not ignore the fact that the event has, as the
apostle phrased it, "turned the world up
side down." Well might Gamaliel say
that this work proceeding out of this lit
tie village, If it we're of men, would come
to naught but if it were of God, coult
not be overthrown. The evidence is tina
to-day its results appear in civilizations
What moral and religious work has beer
accomplished by its energy Beginnin!
at this small fountain, what fruitful
spreading stream of light for the irradia
ton of the dark problems of our life A
came from the church did not hear tn
angels above chanting the millennis
dawn; but, nevertheless, did not ceas
to believe that in I" this city of David ha
been born a Savior, which is Christ tn
: Lord" Nor will l unto my last momen
believe otherwise than that for this adven
; the greatest upon our star" glor
! should be given to God in the highest,
and that out of it shall eventually com
: "on earth peace, good will to men P'-
( Hon. s. S. Cor.