Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-12-21
Christmas Reflections, . s' %,,i %l.,.
l-Hl.aa

| hills Of Judea covered with snow.
When / saw thom again, SIX weeks
later, they were clad with the finest
yerdure and afforded ideal pastures for
! the tlOcks. From my own obserya-
! ton l consider that the month or
| April complies better with the cond
| lions mentioned by the evangelist az
| surrounding the Savlor's birth, than
any other time Of the year That
| Christmas Is not celebrated on the ca.
| act date OF the Lords nativity should
not lessen our regard for this festival
We know that Jesus came and dwelt
among men, and we know how infinitely
his advent affects our lives, both here
ana hereafter, and hence IL BELTS US
to devote az least one day to mediate
upon ana contemplate this grand
event
There Is no doubt about the place
whore the Savior was born More than
seven hundred years before that birth,
Micah said: "But thou Bethlehem
Ephrata, though thou be little among
the thousands of Judah yet out Of thee
shall He come forth unto me that IL 10
be ruler In Israel whose golngs forth
Ing The Church OF the Nativity la
that city Is believed to be standing just
on the spot where stood the old khan or
hosiery, 20 which Joseph and Mary be-
paired, They had no doubt been be-
lated, and were unable 90 get one Of the
upper rooms reserved Cor strangers,
and hence were under the necessity Of
taking one Of the rooms underneath,
opening out upon the yard, whore the
stock was kept. Thus was the Son Of
God born In a stable and Graded IN
a manger. on the floor Of the church
Is placed golden star, said TO be on
the exact spot Of the Saviors birth
At this time Of the year It would be
interesting 10 go In and see the scenes
enacted in that church. Jealous deyO-
tees Of many denominations are there,
but though all claim 20 be followers
Of the Prince of Peace, they are far from
being tolerant OF one another The sui
tan, therefore, has been under the me-
cessity OF statloning soldiers In the
very sanctuary, to prevent the mem
bers of the different churches from
engaging In disgracefu conflicts. IL
shocked me, when ! entered the church,
10 see a Turkish soldier guarding lts
portals, and soldiers stationed In the
aisles Of the church or churches,
Here was the place where the wise
men from the East found the mother
and the child, They had come to wor-
ship the King OF the Jews for they
had seen His star" and had been
mlraculOusly guided TO the very house.
The lowly condition In which they
found Him did not have influence with
them, but they fell down and woi-
shipped Him What comfort this must
have given the young mother and how
her heart sweled with joy 10 know that
she was indeed blessed among women!
Yet her exalted station could not shield
her from that Sword which should also
pierce her soul" as foretold few days
later by the aged Simeon.
ON my visit to Bethlehem I stood
on the outskirts OF the city and looked
over the surrounding country The field
of Boa2 was pointed out 20 me. There
cannot be much doubt In regard TO the
fact that the greatgrandfather ofKing
David titled those acres, and there was
enacted that beautiful iiyl narrated
In the Book Of Ruth. which gives us a
glimpse Of manners and customs three |
thousand years ago. There lay the !
land before me where Ruth CLEANED !
so busily and where she won the heart !
OF the owner OF the field Her truth |
and integrity, her love and sacrifice en-
deared her 10 all, and God chose her |
10 become the ancestress OF His Only |
Begottcn in that field, and the sur
country. David as boy |
herded his fathers focks and fought |
the lion and he bear In this same |
field also We're shepherds watching |
their focks on the night that Jesus was
born.
Shepherds are said TO have been the
first astronomers Their business Of
ten required them 10 abide in the fields
At night, caring for the sheep and the
lambs; and during the silent watches
their gaze would no doubt be turned |
upward with wonder and awe at The
sublime spectacle presented by the ris-
Ing eliminating and setting Of the
grand host Of shining stars These
hey grouped into consultations and
named from some fanciod resemblance
W form, or arbitrarily, 20 r6'petuate
Dc memory Of some Of their heroes or
ldties.
We can imagine the shepherds who
we're camped on this field ON that holy
md peaceful night contemplating the
BEAUTIFUL appearance that The heavens
Nowhere do the stars shine
brighter than In the Syrian sky. over
read they would see the lovely con
orion, eliminating and FUR
her west they would see the Plelades
10Th mentioned In the oldest writings
n the Bible. The Lord says 40 Job,
Canst thou bind the sweet influences
4 the Pleiades, or loose the bands OF !
)rion?" In the northwest they could !
ee Cygnus whose brilliant stars strIk-
ngy form a cross Little thought they !
owever, that the Redeemcr who was %
Xplate on a cross the sins OF an Che
-orld, was then lying IN swaddlng
lothes I'm q manger so close % them |
Z they turned their eyes further 70 the
asst and north. Jerusalem ward ala !
hey see His star guiding the footsteps
{ the wise men TO their city? II So