Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1900-12-22
FAMOUS CHRISTMAS DAYS
A Notable Paper on This Sub
ject BY DR.. S. V. Leech.
The Most Striking Events which Have
Taken Place on that Day of Days
Birth OF Christ the Most important
MassaCres of Christians, Founding of
Great Church and Other Notable
Events.
BY 5. V. LEIGH, d. d.

/ Secular and religious journals an
nually present to their readers in
structive and entertaining articles
concerning the festival of the Nativ.
ity. But in the course Of my studies
and readings | have never fonnd an
essay grouping into series of word
pictures the most important events
associated with this happiest day OF
the calendar year Therefore / pro
pose to place before your patrons
such an article.
THE SHEPHERDS CHRISTMAS AT BETH
LEHEM.
Rome has conquered the world
Her magnificent military roads di-
verge from the imperial capital in
the direction of her chief subjugated
provinces. Nations that have long
differed in languages, laws and re-
Iligions have been welded into nation
al unity under the Roman eagles.
Her commerce has opened secure
highways through all lands. The
peace of the empire is unbroken. For
the second time in her history the
war temple of Janus is closed Her
nit peoples have become accessible
as the result Of martial conflicts.
Religious federation has become the
policy of the state On their respec-
tive pedestals in the Pantheon
where now ssleep the bodies of
Raphael, Victor Emanuel, the Sec
ond and the late King Umberto,-
rest statutes of the gods of conquered
realms excepting that OF the God of
the Hebrews Providence has made
possible the rapid propagation,
among all nations, of new faith.
Augustus Caesar is the undisputed
master of civilization. The Augustan
age of general quiet and prosperity
is at its meridian splendor Through
the Influence of Mark Antony, Her
cd, the Procurator OF Galliee, has
been appointed King Of Judea by the
Roman Emperor. The translation
of Hebrew compositions into the
Latin language has made Jewish
writings accessible to the scholars
of heather countries. The educated
classes of pagan civilization are an
las Lew Wallace makes manifest in
the opening chapters of his great
novel Ben Hur,-the visitation to
the Hebrews of a celestial envoy to
reveal to the world important feat
ures Of the divine will concerning
the human race The vanity of
Casar-who desires an exact census
of all persons subject, directly or in
directly to his rule--brings to Beth
lehem, for tribal registrations, 10.
seph aud Mary. They have jour
neyed 70 miles from Nazareth, to
register.
The young virgin Mary gi yes birth
to Jesus who has no human father.
From this Chimborazo OF historical
facts scholarly men have looked on
the divine child in the manger OF a
cave, on the minute fulfillment of a
number of prophecies relating to the
origin, lineage, date and environ
ment of Jesus-on the serenade of
the angelic embassy-on the exult-
ant shepherds and adoring Magi.
To this first Christian Christmas
day the days of Old Testament
chronology pointed, like great index
fingers, for centuries. Back to it
the Christmas anniversaries OF the
Christian era will ever point until
the divine child of Bethlehem shall
sit enthroned in judgment, with yes
ture dipped in blood
THE CHRISTMAS MARTYRDoM AT NIco-
On the throne OF the Roman EN-
pire sits Dioctetian, the last of the
ten most cruel imperial prosecutors
of the primitive church. Like his
royal predecessors he will tolerate
every idolatrous religion known to
the semi civilization of his age; but
he will not permit Christianity to
have civic recognition or kinglv pro-
lection. The devotees of all known
systems of religious faiths represent
ed in the Pantheon, will PROSTATE
themselves before idols, -venerate
NEUROLOGICAL deities, -worship un
der imperial DEGREES the Emperors-
respect their national God, Jupiter
and honor with their personal pres
ence the heather feasts of Rome; but
Christianity is in deadly conflict with
all of these impurities Her votaries
are compelled to assemble in secret
and worship Him whom the Athe-
mans of Paurs age termed aThe
Unknown God" Diocletian is cele-
brating the pompous December fes-
rivals of his empire at Nicomedia.
| The third century Of the Christian
iera is closing. Christmas day has