Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1896-12-25
WHEN TIE STAR sHoSs.
Twas the Stggai for Bethie-
hens First Christmas.


history, and the most remarkable
period of which spiritual man has
ever conceived, From the secular
standpoint these are the conditions:
The mighty empire of Rome, which
had 1t as its center the single city
standing on the Tiber, bad planned
for years the conquest of the earth.
aud at this time had so far succeed
ed that she sat among her seven hills
practically mistress of the world.
The adventurous Julius Caesar had
lived bis day and passed away, and
III his place sat Augustus, patron of
the arts, and gifted with an execu
tive capacity well suited to control
tho empire which had been created.
From Rome, as a verilable hub,
spokes of granite roads. built to con
vey armies, radiated to guell any in
surrection that might threaten The
welfare of the welfare of the imperial
domain.
Each department of the Govern
ment was organized and directed by
the Emperor himself aud this is im
portant because it was by the decree
of Augustus himself that the proph
cts words were verified aud the
Christ born in the town of David.
The circumstances were these: BY an
official order acepsns Of the territory
of Palestine was called for, and to
that eLd from every part of the prov.
ince the inhabitants brtook them
selves: according to the Jewish Gus.
tom. to the town from which they
claimed their origin.
From Nazareth in the North 10
Bethlehem in the South was a long
Journey, eighty miles over wintry
roads and up and down the hills of
the rolling country. But Joseph who
was as COOL subject as he was n
Hebrew, obeyed the command and
started for the city of David at the
bidding. The first stop was prob
ably at the house of Chinhsm at
Beerota, which is fifteen miles from
Nazareth, where. 1000 years before
Ruth CLEANED for Boaz and where
Jesus and David had rested. The
remainder of the journey was made
by easy stages, the humble couple
stopping to rest at such quarters as
their means could afford
They arrived in Bethlehem in the
afternoon and founc the little city
crowded with host of people bound
ON a mission similar to their own
Every carayansary was filed. The
very streets were thronged with PEG
pie seeking accommodation, aud after
repea ed efforts to obtain quarters il
the city proper, which numbered at
that time only aboct 5000 Inhabitants,
and was, therefore, unprepared for
any emergency of this sort, the foot
sore wanderers struck out into the
country. After travelling about n
mile they found the little khan, which
Is known as the Chapel of the Ma
tivity, and where IA silver star set in
viii uetal, with sixteen ever burn
ing lamps, commentaries the might
lest fact in the story of the human
.rlce. The motto which these lamps
eliminates reads: "Hic de virgine
Maria Jesus Christur natus est.r
The little inn which was thus des-
tined to be famous over the round
world was set in hollow over which
waved the branches of an olive grove.
1t was built around conrt whose
open sides, cut in the limestone rock.
were designed for the stabling of
horses aud cattle which belonged to
the guest who patronized the estab
lishment. The rooms in that tavern
were all spoken for, aud the sole
place of shelter left to the travellers
was one of these cell like apart
ments, in which there was neither.
couch, table or chair.
1t was understood that any guests
who would accept these low quarters
should provide their own bit of car
pet as protection against the damp
and would be content and satisfied
with the bundle Of straw which serv.
ed as bed. These were the sur
roundings of the Virgin Mother on
the night of the advent of the Son of
God.
THE CHRIST DAY.
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