The Press., 1898-12-15
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about rem. Instead of Zion anGs GoIgo
one sees only red roofs and long new Il,
ings with monotonous lines of windows
which look like hospitals and orphan asy
luns
Passing outside the walls of Jerusalem
one traverses the valley of Gehenna, sees
Jobs we'll with it's white cupola and then
finds himself advancing up the slopes of
Mount Zion. " hich stands to the left
Continuing along the road one passes
Jewish city which was commenced by Sir
Moses Monteflore with the idea that it
would be inhabited by poor people of the
Hebrew faith, and of late years crowds of
this prosecuted race have been coming to
the land of their ancestors and to this par
ticular city from all parts of the world
Arrived at Bethlehem one naturally
hastens to see the scenes of the Nativity,
full of expectation and yet ready to be dis
appointed. The Mount of Olives, Golgotha,
the sacred sepulchre, all were in my eyes
spoiled for the want of that exquisite sim
plicity which bad filled my childish vi
sions. Everywhere the ardor of the faith
full has shown itself in upsetting and im
proving things in deplorable manner.
Passing through the narrow and crooked
street which cuts Bethlehem into two
parts one finally reaches tie extremity of
the burg and finds himself in an oblong
square, which in it's turn opens into an
esplanade paved with stone, hereand there
showing openings into cisterns which
served for baptisms and for ablutions
among former generations of Christians
In those days it was the usage to wash be-
fore entering the sanctuary.
A curious scene is here on the very bor
der of the place of the Nativity. On one
side a burial ground with white tombs, on
tW o other sides rows of bare, high walls,
like fortress or a prison. Here and there
windows pierce the walls, but no doors
One looks about him mystified, but finally
discovers black hole in and out of which
people are passing almost on all fours, so
low is it. This is the chief entry to che
sanctuary of the Nativity Having passed
through this hole, one finds himself in a
large hall divided by four colonnades and
surmounted by roof f1anked by heavy
beams. People stand about talking and
smoking, children play, Turkish soldiers
sew up their uniforms, women give suck
to their infants, fakirs offer oranges, beads
and candies for sale, while Greek and
franciscan monks hurry about as if on
business of pressing Importance. Former
ly, l am told, the Arabs used to stable
their sheep here
But this is not the stable where Jesus
was born, and one is some time in discov
ering it, On the left two Turkish soldiers
with rifles are stretched lazily on a bench.
One is asleep, the other yawns In front
of them circular stairway goes down to
door which seems to indicate a crypt
The door passed. one continues tho descent
by narrow staircase until he comes to
two other Turkish soldiers, this time
standing up, with guns ON the floor, and
on the left, lighted by hanging lamps, is
the following inscription: Hic de Virgine
Maria, Jesus Chrstus, Natus Est" (here
Jesus Christ was born of the Virgin
Nary. We are in the stable.
This discovery is much of a surprise,
and ones first movement is for protesta-
tion, for the simple reason that nothing
at all like stable is apparent. We are
in grotto 10 this objection the reply is
made that in olden imes it was the Gus
tom in Palestine to use grottos for stables.
At night the Christmas service in Beth
lehem begins at 10 O'Clock with pontif-
ical mass celebrated at the franciscan
| church near the basiliea. The richest
vestments are worn for this Office, these
having been presented in the name of the
French republic by Marechal MacMahon.
| This first ceremony is concluded about
midnight, ami then long procession with
candles in hand moves toward the grotto
of the Natiyffy First comes the cross
bearer, followed by Franciscan monks and
members of other Religious bodies. The
patriarch comes last, and directly behind
him, at the head of the laymen, walks the
French consul with his attendants.
Only those who precede the patriarch
carry candles, but that dignitary bears in
his hand with infinite precautioE beau
tiful little child in wax, which with sweet
smile seems almost on the point of crying
| out. The divine child rests in a manger
] on silken cushions rose oolored and en-