Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1897-01-15
Alexa,,aria 6azette,
FRIDAY rvEN Ne. JAN. Is. 1s.7
THE CITY OF BETHLEHEM.
1t Is u Small and Unattractive Piaoe at
the Present Time.


1t is little city, and it does not
take many people to crowd it; but,
besides being the birthplace Of Je-
sus, it is the birthplace of Israel's
great warrior king, David.
Bethlehem today has barely 5000
inhabitants and in appearance is
not attractive. The streets are too
narrow for vehicles-in fact, 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 were
made for foot travellers, donkeys
and camels.
Bethlehem is about five miles
south of Jerusalem. Leaving the
larger city by the Yafa gate, we take
a carriage and ride rapidly over the
fine road built but few years ago.
The carriage we are in and those we
meet are wretched affairs. The
horses are to be pitied, first, because
they are not we'll cared for, and, sec
ond, because their drivers are regu-
lar jehus who drive them furious
ly" up hill and down. In less than
an hour we are in the market place
Of Bethlehem, in front Of the Church
of the Nativity.
Let us suppose we have arrived on
Christmas eve, in time to wander
about and to become acquainted
with the little city.
Of course it has changed in ap
pearance 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 customs
change but little in the east, we
may safely infer that modern Beth
lehem houses are much like those
of 1000 years ago. Perhaps some
of the old buildings that were in en-
istence so long ago may still be
standing. OF course the great
Church of the Nativity was not then
erected, nor were any Of the large
religious buildings we see. These
are the memorials Of later date,
built in honor Of him whose earthly
life began here. One would have to
be unmindful of his surroundings
and very unimaginative not to Won
der what the place was like on that
night the anniversary of which we
are celebrating.
We know that then, as on this
Dec. "a, it was filled with people.
But those people had come for diff
ferent purpose. Augustus Caesar,
the master of the then known world,
had issued an imperial decree order
ing a general registration of ell his
subjects. This was for the purpose
of revising or completing the tax
lists. According to Roman law, peo-
pie were to register in their own
cities-that is, the city in which
they lived OF 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
Jewish custom. 1t was we'll known
that 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 David's "own
city" in the territory of Judah.
They came down the east bank of
the Jordan, crossed the river at
Jericho and came up among the
Judean hills and valleys till they
reached Bethlehem. 1t was a long
journey and q wearisome one, and
on arriving a place of rest was the
first thing sought, Evidently they
had no friends living in the place,
or, if they had, their houses were
already filled. 1t was necessary that
shelter be had and Immediately.
In the khan, or inn, there was no
room. So there was nothing to do
but occupy a part of the space pro-
vided for cattle. 1t was not an un-
usual thing to do and is often done
today in these eastern villages. In
fact, they were about as comfortable
there as in any khan. At khan one
may procure cup of coffee and place
to lie down on the floor, but each
guest provides his own bed and COW
ering. 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 swaddling clothes and laid
him in manager edwin S. Wal
lace in ST. Nicholas.