Wichita eagle., 1888-12-25
THE L1GHf OF THAT NIGHT.
The Shadow of a Crown Whose symbol Was
CroSS

This is Christmas eve. There hes upon
our table, as we write, a paper-knife, form
ed like cymeter. 1t is of opalescent pearl
and was given US by Col. Milton Stewart,
who saw it fashioned by descendant of
Abraham, in Bethlehem of Judea, only a
few month ago. AS this is AN hour that
links earth and Heaven and whispers i'm
mortality to the mortal, our friends gift
becomes to US a beautiful emblem of faith
which spans time and space, and we are
back among the low lying hills of Judea,
as their wavering lines rolled away into
the starlit folds of a solemn night, nineteen
hundred years ago. The frowning slopes
of the Nebo lay sleeping. and in shadow
ard in silence rested the mountains and
plains of Moab. Under the burthens
OF the Roman yoke and the dis
appointments of centuries the people
of Moses had we'll nigh forgotten, or only
as fading picture of an ancestral dream,
remembered the promises Of their proph-
cts. The contented fiocks were ruminat-
ing in peace at the feet of their shepherds,
guardians who were only less slaves than
their brethren of the villages and cities in
that they ever stood nearer IsraePs God by
the contemplation of his works. Little
Bethlehem, the same Bethlehem from
whence came this curious knife wrought
out with such infinite pains, Thou Beth
lehem" of low encompassing walls and
dirt matched homes, was that night shelf
ering the taxed of the land of Judea
Shadows and silence were also here.
Watching had ceased, and waking eyes
had closed throughout the Promised
Land" save those of the flock tenders of
the wild pastures and Herod's patroling
guards. The ever murky waters of the
Jordan went murmuring on to the sea
as on that day when Joshua had erected
beside its darkling waters his simple MEM
orial to the miraculous act and loYe of Him
who had promised the seed of Abraham a
king and deliverer, and in this goodly
heritage of pastures and of vineyards.
But in that far away land and far of
time, there was one who could not sleep,
who could not rest. AS fell the shadow Of
that puissant hour there was one, a virgin
daughter of chosen people, whose in
tensely lustrous eyes looked out from a
low rooted stable upon the glories of the
heavens with a mingled feeling of anxiety
and of ecstacy such as never agitated
human breast. Imminent upon that maid
ems trembling soul hung the destinies OF
great promise to her people; hung the
and the fruition of all the
prayers and all the tears of all the ages
Suddenly there appeared high over that
land CLEAN of glory, a halo whose ra-
dance was that of kings diadem, its
bright nimbus benediction. 1t descended
from heaven and rested on the fair brow of
a maiden-mother. BY angelic hosts, innu-
in rapturous TIE Deum, it was
hailed with the acclaim of "peace on earth
and good will to men" 1t was the star of
Bethlehem! And 10! in its light lay re-
vealed the Redeemer of mankind, as a
babe, in a manger; king, the shadow of
whose crown was a cross, that symbol of
and the promise of life that is
eternal.
The revelations of that night, by that
star, have never dimmed; it's emblem re-
mains the hope of world, and, tonight,
ibis night, around about this world of so
many sorrows, this heritage of our COM
mon humanity, in all climes, everywhere,
5he refrain of that angelic chorus is being
sung again and again: peace on earth
and good will to lnen"-it was the Star of