The Dickinson press., 1896-12-26

It Is Christmas Eve in Bethlehem.
The sun has set behind the bleak
hills of Julea and night envelopes the
city where Christ was born.
But here and there from small wood
en- cottages, huddled together in mar
row, winding streets, the light of cam
dies filters out of narrow windows. 1t
multiplies in the growing darkness.
seeming to spread from house to house.
At last not one is left in gloom and the
streets are aglow with the reflected
radiance.
1t is an unusual spectacle at an hour
when. on every other night. the people
sink into slumber as the sun goes down
and no other light takes the place Of
day. But more unusual still is the
hustle within when the evening meal
Of corn and olives has been dispatched.
Now, in rapid succession, the candle
lights begin to fade away. the streets
grow dark again, but the noise of many
tramping feet fills the air as the cot
tagers start on their journey UP the
winding hill to begin the celebration OF
the natal day of Christ.
But in the distance other groups are
seen approaching from the two ancient
and tOttering gates of the city. Pill
:,rims from many lands are nearing tne
goal, in some cases of a life's longing.
From whatever part they come they
are entering Bethlehem along the we'll
beaten path from Jerusalem, the path
the Magi trod. Not far from the en-
trance they passed the we'll, still rich
in sweet water where the 'wise men
from the east stopped to drink and
saw the guiding star mirrored where
their lips touched. They saw on an
eminence the Convent Of Elias, where
the great prophet rested when he fled
from the infamous JeZehel.
To the east rises the sepulcher OF
Rachel, now modern building. small
dome surmOunting square church ut
one end
Through the city the company of pill
grims hurries. merging at last with the
cottagers in the journey to the com.
mon destination. Up the hill they plol
to the eastern brow Of the ridge, until
they reach an open esplanade. Here
they reach an open esplanade. Here.
like a feudal castle. stands the Church
of the Nativity. the Oldest Christian
edifice in the world. 1t consists Of the
church proper and three converts.
Latin. Greek and Armenian, abutting,
respectively, OH the north, east aud
south sides. Into the common entrance
the crowd pours and the murmurins
and tread Of feet are envelOped In the
thick walls.
For one who fingers without the walk
there IL an awesome spectacle. like Q
vision. On every side rise hills and
ragged peaks, deeply outlined In the
sky. Nesting between are pleasant
valleys, rich in culture and thickly
wooded here and there. Extending
down close to the vineyards is the
grim wilderness, giving forth at inter-
walls the r6ars of the wild beasts.
Gloom everywhere, born Of bloodshed,
oppression. centuries of strife, but now
a gloom Of peace and sort OF solemn
content.
The great church has been filling
fast. Greeks from afar here meet
Greeks who dwell near Bethl hem, and
together they are partaking of the pro-
liminary hospitality Of the monks IN
the Greek convent. In the Armenian
convent the devotees of that sect are
interchanging greetings, while in the
Latin section the Francis ,an monks
are caring for the Europeans or Ameri-
cans who have become their guests.
in
sought the church direct, and have
taken their places at the various al.
tars, each according to his faith, Latin,
Greek or Armenian. The main original
structure, erected in 327 a. d., by En-
assigned to the Greeks and .Armenians.
section. OH the north side, is reserved
for the Latin church. Each is filling
fast. for the ceremony. whose influ-
ence fills the spheres. begins at mid.
night.
AS the hour draws nigh the altars in
the three churches burst forth into Il
blaze of candle-lignt, and the solemn
chant Of the priests opens the mother
Of all church festivals
Az the service goes on one can feel
that something Of the ardent longing
with which the priests and people have
been looking forward to this moment
is being satisfied. The solemn anti
phones. called the great "O's." which
have been sung during the eight days
previous. are. in their climax. like deep
sighS from Il yearning. waiting heart.
The Franciscans have been redOubling
their austerities, and in cold and hum
ger have been awaiting the coming Of
Christ. In memory Of Nary's awaiting
in the cold cave Of Bethlehem. On this
night a fire has been kindled on their
hearth in token Of Joy. the only night
In all the year, and the monks have
gathered around it with holier fame
kindled in their hearts. All this is ap-
parent in the fervor of this solemn
midnight mass. The hour is speeding
on, when, as st. Gertrude says. 1.-The
sweet dew of divine grace falls on all
the world" and the words Of the last
gospel of the mass, EFT verbum caro-
factum est,'' bring people to their
knees in lOwly reverence before the
birthplace of Christ, as well as
throughout the Christian world.
The people who take part in this SER
vice evidence how absorbing is this
devotion to the nativity. One can un-
derstand how some of the saints have
stood perpetually before the manger in
amazement apd "let their days waste
sweetly away like the lamps of fra
grant oil in the cave Of the incarna-
tion," such as was st. Paula, who.
though she came from sumptuolls
abode on the banks of the Tiber. where
the pilgrim now goes to venerate her
memory in the Church Of San Girolamo
Della Carita, found Bethlehem the
sweetest, most attractive spot in the
world. The first time she entered the
cave of the nativity she was 70 penc-
trated with the wonderful mystery OF
the incarnation that she resolved to
spend the rest of her life watching be-
side the manger where the divine in-
FAINT once lay on the straw, and repay
suffering by suffering and love by
lQye. She built a hospice by the. way.