The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-02-07
BETHLEHEM IN JUDEA.
1t Has Barely Eight Thousand Inhab-
itantS. and Is Not Attractive.

Edwin S. Wallace. in ST. Nicholas.
1t is a little city. and it does not take
many people to crowd It: but besides being
OF IsraerS great warrior King, David.
Bethlehem to-day has barely eight thou
sand inhabitants. and in appearance is not
attractive. The streets are too narrow for
vehicles: in fast, there is but one street in
the town wide enough for carriages, and
it is so very narrow that they cannot pass
each other in it. The streets We're made
for foot travellers. donkeys and camels.
Bethlehem is about five miles south of
Jerusalem. Leaving the larger city by the
Jana gate, we take carriage and ride
rapidly over the fine road built but a few
years ago. The carriage are in and
those We meet are wretched affairs. The
horses are to be pilied, first, because they
are not Well cared for and. second. because
their drivers are regular jehus. who drive
them furiously up hill and down. In less
of Bethlehem, in front Of the Church of
the Nativity.
Let us suppose we have arrived on Christ
mas eve, in time to wander about and to
become acquainted with the little city.
OF course, it has changed in appearance
since the time of the birth of Christ. 1t is
larger and better built. Now. as then, the
houses are of stone and. as cities and GUS
toms change but little in the East, we may
safely infer that modern Bethlehem houses
much like those of nineteen hundred
years ago. Perhaps some of the old build
ings that were in existence so long ago may
still be standing. OF course. the great
ed nor were any of the large religious
buildings we see. These are the memorials
of a later day, built in honor of Him whose
earthly life began here. One would have
to be mindful of his surroundings and very
unimaginative not to wonder what the
place was like on that night the anniver-
Sary of which are celebrating.
We know that then, on this Dec. "a,
it was filled with people. But those people
had come for different purpose. Augustus
Caesar the master of the then known
world had issued an imperial decree order
ing a general registration of all his sub
jects. This was for the purpose of revising
or completing the tax lists. According to
Roman law people were to register in their
own cities-that is. the city in which they
lived or to which their village or town was
attached. According to Jewish methods
they would register by tribes, families and
the houses of their fathers. Joseph and
Mary were Jews, and conformed to the
he and Mary were of the tribe of Judah and
family of David, and that Bethlehem was
their ancestral home. Accordingly, they
left the Nazareth home, in the territory of
Zebulun, and came to DavidS own CITY in
the territory of judah.
They came down the east bank of the Jor-
up among the Judean hills and valleys till
they reached Bethlehem. 1t was q long
journey and wearisome one, and. on ar
irving, q place of rest was the first thing
sought. Evidently they had no friends liv-
ing in the place: or, if they had their
houses were already filled. 1t was neces-
sary that shelter be had and immediately.
In the khan. or inn. there was no room
so there nothing to do but occupy a
part of the space provided for cattle. II
was not an unusual thing to do, and is
often done to-day in these Eastern villages
In fact, they were about as comfortable
there as in any khan. AT a khan one may
procure a cup of coffee and a place to lie
down on the floor, but each guest provides
his own bed and covering. This was all
Joseph and Mary could have obtained in
the inn. had there been room for them
And here in Bethlehem. in a stable or a
cave used for stabling animals Jesus was
born. and Mary wrapped Him in swad-
ding clothes and laid Him i'm a manger"