Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1893-12-03
IN THR SHADOW
OFTRE MANGER
SCENES Oh VIOLENCE AND BLOODSHED THAR
DESPERATE P4LESTINVS MOST SCARED
PLACES.
The Resent TRACED! at Bethlehem Recalls SINH
lar Oecurancs Originating in Sscarian "a
nadeisn-Iha Paal Brawl Of Seventeen
Years 4g0-Iha "Holy Fire" Holocaust
Of 1854.
Al Rights Reared 81 ne WIlion PrsiS
SHunror

~ NAA NNHNN W.
SyHdieGfs.
JAFFA, Nov. An Christendom was
shocked when, 3 few days ago. It was
announced in a.cable dispatch from
Jerusalem, that q murder had been
committed In the the very shadow Of
the cradle OF the Saviour, within the
Church OF the Nativity sc Bethlehem.
\ petty dispute among the congrega-
ton resulted In the fatal shooting OF a
monk by an Austrian pilgrim, and the
wounding OF two others. Such an occur
renee In any sacred edifcs would at
once attract attention; but, happening
as 1t did, In one more yenerated by the
Christian world than any other spot on
earth, save Calvary, II naturally excited
widespread astonishment.
To those who have made pilgrlmages
TO the holy places" Of Palestine aud
are familiar with the peculiarities OF
Turkish administration 10 Syria, as we'll
as with the bitter rlvalries that exist
between the various religious secrets
In that country, the unfortunate affair
at Bethlehem will not seem quite so eX-
t%raordinary. II is inevitable that such
lamentable episodes should spring CIT
Of the conditions that exist az madf Of
these "holy places" where the jealous
les Of Greeks, Latins, and Armenlans
lead to violence and disturbances most
every Easter and Christians. Espe-
cIally is this the case at the Church OF
the Holy Sepulchre In Jerusalem and
that OF the Nativity in Bethlehem,
some five or six miles distant.
At this season OF the year; as Christ
mas approaches, the bazaars OF This
City OF DAVID begin 10 take on a brisk
appearance In anticipation OF the com
ing host OF pilgrims, VINO are sure TO
materIali2e next month. Every pilgrim,
be he Russian, English, American,
Copt, or Aoyssinian, is simply, in tho
| eyes of the pious folks OF Bethlehem,
another pigeon 10 be plucked. On
every hand are witnessed furious alter
cations between towniolks, dragomen,
pedlers and pilgrims, few Of whom are
slow TO resort TO physical force. But
the people OF Bethlehem seem 10 have
been a turbulent lot, almost from tlmo
immemoria'. They claim descent from
the old Crusaders, and are proud TO
trace their lineage back TO such =
source. As q rule, the men are remark
ably rude, fierce In disposition and
| overbearlng, while tao women, on the
other hand, are unusually handsome
and even refined. Indeed, the w0.
men OF Bethlehem are famed for their
beauty oil over Judea. After the Moslom
conquest, thers werO very few locall-
ties ia Syria that remained distinctive
~ Christian and Bethlehem was one OF
! the number. Khedive Mehemet Ais
son, Ibrahim Pasha, finding that tho
Moslen ms aud Christians were perpetu-
ally at odds aud that violence was cX-
asperatingly common, withdrew tho
Moslems some fifty years ago, aud left
the Christians practically In complete
possession, for the fake OF 2ce. The
Turkish authorizes. hoy Ny :
careful TO leaH sufficient troops %
preserve the 1eace and at the different
public PLACES, including the Church OF
| the Nativity, the traveller on entering
finds the door guarded by Moslem SEN
tlnels, a Measure which is also observed
in the Church Of the Holy Sopulchre Ia
Jerusalem.
I Inc NnuTCu lbstll - PipD@'ly sHN
oldest sacred edi6ce In the world, tradl-
ton assigning its erection 70 the EN-
press Helena In the fourth century, on
the site OF a heather shrine which bad
previously been built by the Roman
Emperor Hsdrian to AdoDis, for the
PURPOSE Of casting a slur upon Christian
Ity. la this ancient building, now
black with age, Bald win the Crusader
was crowned the second king OF Jeru-
salem. He chose TO be crowned there,
IL was said, because no did not wish 10
wear a crown Of gold where Christ had
worn one OF thorns-as would have
been the case had the coronation taken
place az Jerusalem. And now, although
the crescent Of the "inidel Turk"
waves over all Palestine and every one
Of the 'holy places" Is under MohanS
medan dominion, tho Moslem grip mas
relaxed TO the extent Of allowing all the