The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1893-02-02

SAGhA
duty proves no ones" So that this lone
survivor of the days of Constantine shows
many traces of its fifteen centuries. Ad-
vancing through one of the long aisles we
passed by a side door into the Greek
chapel which is separated from the BASIL
lea by high wall. All about are hung
the quaint pictures and ornalnentation of
the old byzantine and Oriental Greek art,
which stlrs ones curiosity and visibility
rather than reverence.
But one cannot linger long while the
goal OF the pilgrimage is unattained, and
SO we found ourselves ere long descend
ing by steep stairway which leads down
under half-sunken archway to the
Chapel of the Nativity. The darkness
was only partially dispelled by the thirty
two silver lamps, each Of which seemed
to contribute but drop of light. In the
obscurity the first object that we clearly
distinguished was the Moslem sentry,
stationed there, gun in hand, TO keep the
various Christian factions from lighting
at this very cradle of their faith. This
discovery did not inspire very strong
feeling OF awe or reverence. Excepting
the darkness and the descent to reach 1t,
no one would suspect that this space,
about thirty-tive feet long and ten wide,
was grotto cut out of the soft limestone
rock. The walls are covered with mar
bic, and hung with antique gold cloth
and pictures. Beneath an altar on the
east side is a silver star, twenty inches
from tip to tip, over which, according to
tradition, the Star of the East once rested.
The open center OF the star dscloses the
bedrock, while above it runs the Latin
inscription: ''Hic de Nirgine Maria
Jesus Christus Natus EST Here Jesus
Christ was born OF the Virgin Mary'').
AT the right a few steps away, also
richly hung with lamps and pictures, is
The traditional manger, now encased in
marble, far different from the simplicity
of that scene which all this gold and
glitter is intended to commemorate. one
longs to see all this torn away, but, alas
Orienta, taste is far different from that of
the West.
AS we sat on one OF the three stairways
which lead down from each of the three
churches and thought of the associations
OF the place different mood came over
US. The identification of this rocll-cut
grotto alone, of the thousands which ira
dltlop has handed down, dates, beyond
question, to time preceding the reign of
Constantine. Justin Martyr, writing at
the beginning of the second century,
speaks OF certain cave very close 10 the
village OF Bethlehem as the BIRTH place of
the Christ child. ON the other hand the
use of such grotto is neither out of ac-
cord with the gospel narrative nor with
out many analogieS even in Palestine to-
day. Modern thought in discovery is eX-
perlenclng tremendous reaction against
all Traditional testimony. The danger
now is that it will go much 100 far. Ii
we are to accept this at all we have good
ground for seeing in the present cave,
thus obscured with what is intended to
ornament, that spot where the Great
Teacher was born. Memories of the
grand oratorios of the Christmas scenes
of our childhood, of the influences that
have gone forth from this spot to eucircle
the globe came over US, and the unfeeling
mummeries of priest, as he ratified of
some PRAYERS over basket of sacred rel
les which an enterprising salesman
brought in to have consecrated, did not
affect us. AS the genuine, living rock
was beneath, though concealed very
effectually by this outside trumpery, so
Christianity has true life and existence,
although thus concealed by the formal
ism and sham of Oriental Christianity.
Having erected a church over one sacred
shrine, monkish ingenuity of the fourth
and fifth centuries was not slow in group
ing under the same roof collection of
minor shrines. \ sleek priest conducted
us by underground passages to the places
where the Magf worshiped the Infant
Christ, where the vision appeared COM
ii@HuIhS tiIo iIOiy dLiIi4y W nee 70
Egypt, TO the chapel were the innocents
were buried, and TO many tombs of the
saints. One rock-cut room did interest
us exceedingly, since there jerome lived
and wrote and died. From there he sent
forth the Latin translation of the Bible,
the Nulgate, which to-day is the accepted
authority OF the Catholic Church.
Such is the Bethlehem OF to-day to
which our thoughts turn at Christmas
tide. 1t rises, as of old, grim, stone
built, with it's emerald setting of vine
yards and olive trees, reproducing much
OF the life and customs which prevailed
at the beginning OF our era, while its
business activity, its name and its very
buildings are like so many index fingers,
all pointing to that one event which has
forever immortalized this little town and
brought joy to all the world.-Charles +.
Kent, in the Inter-Ocean.