Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-12-25
Bethlehem Ephratah.

fulfilled in degree far beyond his own
expectation, and the Ruler who came
forth from Bethlehem is held in highest
honor among all the civilized nations of
the earth.
"Christ was born across the sea,
With glory in his bosom that trans6gures you
and me-"
The origin of the village dates back to
some unknown age of remote antiquity.
When the children of Israel first came
to the Promised Land, this Canaanitish
hamlet was known as Ephrath or Ephra-
tab, the Specification of which is "fruit-
full" 1t is probable that the name was
suggested by the remarkable fertility Of
the surrounding fields On gaining posses
sion the tribe of Judah changed the
designation Of the town to Bethlehem,
the meaning of which is: "The
house of bread"-an appellation be-
slowed for the same reason as the previ-
GUS one. With a slight change in the
photography the town is known at the
present day by the Arabic name of Belt
Lahm, or house of flesh. Clinging to the
high crest of the hillside, looking toward
Jerusalem six miles toward the north,
Bethlehem is surrounded with terraces
bearing the fig and olive in profusion.
The elevated site upon which it is To-
Gated is about $500 feet above the sea
level, or nearly the same altitude as the
Mount of Olives, towering above Jerusa-
lem. At present the population is nearly
$500, mostly nominal Christians, and
there are few Moslems in the neigh
borhood. This was the home of Jesse,
the father of David, and the poet King
of Israel was probably born there.
Although there are no springs of run
ming water within or near the town, the
inhabitants and their domestic animals
receive plentiful supply of excellent
water from cisterns outside the gates,
some distance down the declivity. In
all the towns of Palestine public life,
says Rev. DR.. Edmond Stapfer, is
centered around the wells. The inhabi-
tants meet there every morning and even
ing. Young maidens come with pitchers to
draw water for each household, and the
numerous focks are watered there.
Beside the wells travellers halt at mid
day to prepare their meals, and also
encamp near the source of water supply
at night.
About twenty-nine centuries ago
Philistine troops held possession OF
Bethlehem, and posted guard near the
principal we'll. A beautiful story is
related of David, who was taking refuge
in the cave of Adullam. "And David
longed and said, oh, that one
would give me drink of the water Of
the we'll of Bethlehem, which is by the
gate" Learning their commander
desire, three valiant soldiers hewed
their way through the ranks of the
enemy, drew water from the we'll, again
rushed through the hostile lines, and
presented the refreshing draught to
David. "Nevertheless he would not
drink thereof, but poured it out unto the
Lord. And he said, see Il fer from me,
O Lord. that I should do this. Is not
this the blood of the men that went in
jeopardy of their lives ?" Few Generals
have manifested such consideration for
the lives of their subalterDE.
A century and half earlier, in the
history of Boaz and Ruth, from whom
David was directly descended, in the
course of an exquisite idyl contained in
the sacred canon, the local customs Of
Bethlehem are portrayed with a mas.
terly hand. The simple, yet touching,
narrative is of no small Importance, in
view Of the fact that after many genera.
tions the blessed child who was laid in
a manger.cradle derived his earthly pedi-
gree from the landed proprietor Of Beth.
lehem and his devoted wife from the
land of Moab.
As is generally understood, the modern
Bethlehem contains no traces Of the old
time inn, the stable, or the manger.
Only in retrospect can the familiar line
of Bishop Heber be considered accurate
Low lies his head with the beasts of the stall.
Palestine has again and again been
trampled under foot by invading hosts,
and even if the land had always
enjoyed the blessings of peace, every
stone belonging to the Messiah's birth
place would long ago have been carried
away by devoted pilgrims, St. Helena,
mother of the Emperor Constantine,
erected the church of st. Mary over the
reputed place of the nativity. Rev. DR..
VIM. Thomson has remarked that this
building is "perhaps the Oldest and most
valuable specimen of Christian church
in the world" II is embellished with
marble columns surmounted by CORN.
THAN capitals, the ceiling being COM
posed of cedar wood from the forest OF
Lebanon. Connected with the building
are Latin, Greek and Armenian con
vents. From the interior Of the church
several stairways descend to the sacred
grotto of the nativity. A silver star in
the marble floor, surrounded by Latin
inscription, indicates the most revered
spot in the grotto, but the reputsd
manger was carried to Rome centuries
ago.
Pilgrims are also directed to an altar
erected in commemoration of the Msgi,
who presented their costly gifts and