St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1888-04-21
STORY OF THE MAGI.
One OF the Most Beautiful How
Testiment Narratives.

ono Of the Most Beautiful How
Testiment Narratives.
The story Of the Wise Men who came
nom the East to pay their homage to
The Holy Child at Bethlehem has al.
ways been favoriic theme of Chris
tian art and legend. 1t was depicted
every where: on the walls of the Cata-
comos; on the sculptured faces of sar-
c"Phagi; in the glittering mosaics Of
the basilicas; in the palaces of the
rich and the churches of the poor; ON
gilded Grinking-glasses and carved
doors. and marble pulpits. and paint
ed ceilings. and bronxe coins. and
5eweled shrines-everywhere that art
has left its touch we see the infant
Saviour. From The second century
the long. rich rain Of represent ations
runs on unbroken through the nine
teenth There is hardly one of the
great artists who has not left us his
conception of it. We may safely say
that there is no subject in the range of
history. sacred or profane. which has
found so many or such splendid illus
trations
Side by side with this stream Of pict.
uIcs and carvings runs the kindred
current of imagination speaking to the
ear instead Of to the eye Traditions
and fables. myths and allegories.
fragments Of history and philosophy.
poems and plays and chronicles.
gather about the story in marvellous
abundance. 1t is like trellis over
grown with vines. so luxuriant so
fertile in leaves and blossoms that the
outline Of the sustaining structure is
almost lost 1t would be easy for one
who looked at it carlessly to suppos-
that the whole fabric was howery and
fictitious with nothing substantial
about it. On the other hand. It is no
less easy to mistake the growth Of
fancy for the framework Of history.
and accept the later legends rs If they
belonged TO the original narrative.
Even among the most cautious Chris
tians who have . rooted dislike for
every thing that is later than the first
century. this mistake is made; and
suppose the hymn:
We three Kings Of Onent are.
Is sung IN many Protestant Sunday
school in hearty unconsciousness that
its first line emboies two ecclesiastical |
traditions
Our first task. then. If We would nm
derstand the alteration Of the Magi is
to go back to the simple narrative as
il is given in the original records Of |
Christianity. Then we must trace the |
growth of the legerd which has been
trained about it. and then at length |
we can hope to comprehend and ap-
preciate something Of the works of art
in which it has been illustrated. For
the study of Christian art. let me say
once for all. is no mere pastime to be
taken up i'm an idle hour by those who
know little or nothing Of Christian
history or doctrine. 1t is q study not
only serious. but also useful 1t helps
to illuminate those beliefs and Gus
toms. and affections of the past by
which it is Illuminated. 1t is profound
ly true. as a rule of human activity.
that men will not paint or carve that
which they do not love and believe.
Pictures and sculptures tell the story
Of religion as veraciously as the DEGREES
Of councils and the chronicles of his
torians. But their meaning does not
lie upon the surface. 1t yields itself
Dnly to him who studies them with
care and patience in the light Of the
age from which they came.
The story of the Magi. as it is given
by the evangelist Matthew is aston.
ishingly brief and unadorned. He
tells us without preface that when
Jesus Vas born in Bethlehem tain
foreigners arrived at Jerusalem. He
does not tell us how many they were,
nor of what race. nor Of what station
in life; al hough 1t is fair to infer from
the consideration with which ihey
we're received at the cour; of Herod.
md from the fact that they carried
measure boxes with them. that they
we're persons of wealth and distinc-
Jon. The most important statement
IN regard to them is that they were
Magians. that is to say. disciples Of
zoroaster and members Of the sacred
,r priestly order Of Persia, which was
hen widely scattered among the
Drien al nations. and included men Of
EXALTED rank. They came from the
Easi. word which to the dwellers in
Palestine could harlly have any other ,
than the ancient region Of
chaldea. lying beyond the Jordan and
he desert Their explain alton of their
Quincy TO Herod was that they had seen
IN appearance in the heavens (wheth.
r one star. or many. or a comet.
hey did not say) which led then TO
believe that the King Of the Jews had
,een born. and they had come to do
everence TO Him. Herod was greatly ,
at hearing this. and sent for
he chief priests and scribes to INQUIRE ,
where the prophets had foretold that
he NJ ssiah should b. born. They {
at onos that Bethlehem vas