Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-12-18

reap; all of which may be true. but
/ If ii was, the field of that peasant must
/ have been an extra-large one. extending
for miles. The landscape for several
miles around Bethlehem T. perhaps the
prettest picture of rural life i'm all Pales-
tine. 1t was sprngtime, and the pea
SAINTS were busy with grains, fruits, and
vegetables, which grew with remarkable
profusion out Of the soil. which had
largely been cleared of stones The only
reason for the thrift and industry dis
played here is that the people are Chris
tians.
PARTY PRETTY WELL HUMAN.
1t was considerably after the usual
lunch time and strange as Il seems now.
l can distinctly remember that the place
/ first wished to see in the town was the
Unbeatable. The rest of the party seem
ed TO be of the same mind. for IL was
only n few moments after alighting from
our steeds till we were all assembled in
a chapel Of the Church OF the
Nativity, doing justice 10 fine
spread. How strange TO be eating
SO heartily upon the site Of that inn in
which there was no room for our Saviour
TO be born! Nearly all that is Of interest
i'm Bethlehem centres around the Church
Of the Nativity. II is most probably the
in the Holy Land. II was built by order
Of Constantine, who began his reign A..
D. 306. The date OF the erection is gem
orally fixed A. ID. 32l. The nave is 10
feet long, and is the common property or
all Christians. In this Baldwin was
crowned. the second Christian King OF
Jerusalem. A legend says that he chose
| Bethlehem before Jerusalem for the corO-
nation ceremonies because he did not
I wish 20 wear a crown Of gold where his
Saviour had worn a crown Of thorns The
ceiling is made of cedar wood from Lee
banOn, and is i'm it's rough state. The
! place of Bethlehem is the Grotto, where
Christ was born. 1t IS - or % feet below
the church. and the descent is by q
spiral stairway. Nearly all the inns in
Palestine are built with a basement story,
similar to our "Dank barns I'm the West.
This is generally cut into the rocky hill
side, and is the place where the ami
mails are kept 1t was doubtless 10 such
place Mary ana Joseph were assigned
On ono side OF the grotto is a recess
where silver star I'm the pavement
marks the supposed site of the birth
Around the star is the inscription, in
Latin: Here Jesus Christ Was Born OF
the Virgin Mary" Above the star hang
sixteen silver lamps six OF which belong
10 the Greeks and the remainder equally
divided between the Armenians and
Latins. Near this recess Is another, call
the Chapel Of the Manger, where a
wooden manger was discovered and taken
TO Rome. l believe It is now in the
Church Of Sta Maria Maegiore and IS
shown as the real manager Of Christ They
also have an altar erected over the spot
where the wise men are said TO have
offered their gifts. Near the Grotto Of
Nativity they show you where Joseph re-
paired during the nativity where the
angel warned him to flee into Egypt. and
where the 10000 CD infants are buried
that were slain by order Of Her1d.
HOME AND TOMB OF JEROME.
They also have near at hand the tomb
OF Eusebius ana the chapel and tomb Of
st. Jerome. While we may have grave
doubts of the tomb of Eusebius. the tomb
Of St. Jerome is undoubtedly genuine.
Dean Stanley has most eloqucntly de-
scribed that strange character: II the ira
weller follows the wIndings Of that sub
terranean gallery, he will find himself. at
its close in a rough chamber hewn out
of the rock here sufficiently clear 10 need
no proof Of vindicatiQn.
I'm this cell, IN all probability. lived
and died the most illustrioCs OF all tho
pilgrims attracted TO the cave OF Bethle-
hem, the only one Of the many hermits
and monks. from the time OF Constantine
to the present day, sheltered within its
rocky sides, whose name has travelled
beyond the limits Of the Holy Land Here,
for more than thirty years. beside what
he believed to be literally the cradle OF
the Christian faith, jerome tasted, pray
ed. dreamed. and studied: here lie gath
cred around him his devoted followers
into the small communities which form
ed the beginning OF conventual life IN
Palestine. here the fiery spirit which he
had brought with him from his Dalma-
tian birthplace ana which had been first
reused TO religious fervOr on the banks
OF the Moselle. vented itself in the food
Of treatises, letters, and commentaries.
which he poured forth from his retire
ment to terrify, eSasperate, and enlight-
en- the western world Here also, was
composed the famous translation OF the
Scriptures, which is still the Bibia Vul-
gaia OF the Latin Church; and here took
place that pathetic scene, his last com
munion and death. at which all the world
has been permitted TO be present in the
wonderful picture OF Domenchlur. which
has represented In colors never to be sur
passed the attenuated frame OF the weak
and sinking flesh, the resignation and de- |
votion OF the spirit ready for its immedi-
ate departure"
When / entered the grotto II was with
the most profound feeling OF awe. but so |
many monkish stories and sites almost |
robbed me OF the reverential spirit. |
found II hard 20 even believe that was |
at the birthplace of Christ 1t looked TOO |
much like Greek church. And yet there |
~ no good reason 10 doubt the location |
OF that event Ii has been accepted as |
the spot, both by friends and enemies. |
from A. d., l50--a time when Polycarp, /
the disciple OF John. still lived The hea- |
then Emperor. Hadrian. showed his faith |
In the tradition by building a grove. and /
establishing the worship OF Adonis over /
IL, In order TO desecrate II. Both Origsn |
and Justin Martyr refer 10 Il as the site. |
NOW AND THEN
As I linger the marble floor gives way |
to one OF stone: the gorgeous altars TO !