Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1899-12-27
The Bethlehem of Today.

my Hiihd rcVerts to visit to the birth |
place of orr Savior, and thinking that
description of Bethlehem as it TODAY
would be acceptable to the readers of the
| Teller, submit the following:
| Bethlehem or Belt laham, meaning
house OF bread has population of
about 5000 all Christians-that is Latin. |
Greek and American 1t is situated five
miles south of Jerusalem. To the east !
are the mountains of Moab and the plains |
| OF the Jordan; to the south is the hill of
| Tekoah, familiar as the scene of the |
pastoral life of the prophet Amos: beyond !,
this and a little to the east lies the wilder
ness of Engedi, in which David COIL
cealed himself when being pursued by |
Saul, and also where the allied armies of
the Amorites Moabites and their allies |
formed up to give battle to Jehoshapath.
To the north is Jerusalem, the mountains |
of Judea and Rachel's tomb. The town
is located on the top and s1es of hill
which is reached by succession Ct ter
races, on which grow olive, fig and null
berry trees and grape vines.
| In time of David it was fruitful region,
and the descendants of Boaz and Jesse
are industrious and comfortable as COM
pared with those around Jerusalem and
Jericho. AS seen from the plain below,
the town presents an imposing appearance
the houses of white stone which are
clustered about the group of churches,
having some pretention to architectural
beauty.
The wall which originally surrounded
the town has been torn down, but when
intact must have been a strong fortifca-
ton and somewhat picturesque. Like
!, other Syrian towns it is neither
comodious nor clean. There are no
, sewers, and all sewerage runs down the
) steep streets, which are so narrow that it
! is almost impossible for two vehicles to
, pass. Many of the streets are crooked
!, turning around sharp curves, and around
: at full speed shouting as warning to
those in the way. Pedestrians flatten
. themselves against the walls until the
danger is past and the mud and sewer
, age goes flying in all directions The
convent of the Nativity which encloses
the supposed manger in which our
Z Savior. was born, is large square build
/ ing resembling fortress. 1t was built
! by the Empress Helena, A. d. 327, des-
. troyed by the Moslems in 1886, and re-
built by the Crusaders, from which in
p cident the Knights Templar degrees of
, the Masonic order originated. Within
r the convent is the church of Nativity,
I and like the church of the Holy Scpulchre
p is used by the Latins, Greeks and Amerl-
1 cans each having their own portion for
r devotional purposes. The plan OF the
I building is in the form of cross-the
g nave-the most beautiful part belongs
a to the Americans. 1t is supported by As
Corenthian columns of granite about
q twenty inches in diameter and seventeen
q feet high. At the further end of the
!. section which forms the head OF the
&C cross is a carved marble star, which the
a Bethlehemites say is directly above the
= center of the earth. From here long
winding passage leads to the crypt below
where Christ is said TO have been born
The walls are hung with draperies OF gay
. colors and silver star with the word
"Hic de Virgine Maria Jesus Christu
uatus est" marks the spot of the Nativity
The Manager is in a low recess cut in tn
:, rock a few feet distant from the star
. This star is symbolic of the Light OF tn
World-the star of Bethlehem, and til
Q inscription-the translation of which s.
"Here Jesus Christ was born OF the Nlrgi
Mary are letinto the marble floor OF
.e semicircular niche, and are kept brigt
Is bv the tears and kisses pilgrims. TIL
&C nave or grotto is a natural one, tn
ne church having been built over it. AS
Ill the claims Of this cave to the honor give
rs. It by Christians, Justin Martyr, about Il
III wears after the birth of Christ says, h
OIL Lord was born in a cave near the villag
of Bethlehem.
Hadrian planted grove and erect'
&C an alter 10 Adonis over the cave III whi'
re- Christ is said to have been born. III
dissertation was about A. ID. II7' al
10, Orisero writes that fifty yea
er after Hadrian's death, the Paga
acknowledged this cave to have be-
he the birth place of Jesus. Sometime
W. the fourth century Jerome inhabited
ire cave that he might pray and live as ne
he as possible to the place of Christ incarr
en- ton, and church was then standing
he the site now occupied by the Convent
i've the Nativity. The Crusaders found t
m Christians in Bethlehem treasuring
Der traditions concerning the city OF Da'
.iy- and David's defendants. And in
in ages Christians, teachers and histori'
EN- have agreed that Christ was born
). cave, then used as as stable. Christi
night in Bethlehem is night OF wat
has ing and few go to bed until daylig
ital Numbers of the inhabitants make
,,1 LIVING nv selling momen toes to traveit