Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1903-03-31
The Star Of Bethlehem.

The Star Of Bethlehem.
The New York Tribune says a fresh |
attempt has been made to explain the
impassive astronomical phenomenon
which accompanied the birth of Christ,
and states that inasmuch as the Star
of Bethlehem was of short duration
and exceptional brilliancy it has often
been thought of as temporary star
which blazed out suddenly as the one
in the constellation Perseus two years
ago. Others consider it a great comet
sucn as the one appearing at the as
sassination of Julius Caesar, and later
at the destruction of Jerusalem by the
Romans. Others thought it identical
with the Star of Tycho Brahe in 1872,
whose second appearance was looked
for in 1892, but thus far has not be-
come visible. Davies Forbes an EG-
glishman, claims it was not only a
comet but is the same one known as
Halley's comet, due to visit our region
of space in 1911. General Wallace's
beautiful description of the star in
"Ben Hur" is of course forceful one.
All calculations seem to be at fault
and the Star of Bethlehem is still a
mystery. One theory is that the visit
or was none other than the great
planet Jupiter. The wise men "came
from the east" where they first saw
the star. In the days of Isaac the
children of the east were In Padom-
Aram, where Joseph went to choose a
wife as he fled from ESau. Later they
were identified with the Midiamites,
the descendants of Abraham and
Keturah, among whom was BALKAN
the prophet and the Amalekites. In
1920 B. c., Job was known as the
greatest of all the men of the east,
and as he lived in the land of Uz,
known to us as part of Avalia, the
conclusion is that these wise men were
Arabians. Arabia was the seat Of
astrology, the mother of astronomy.
In that country it was carried to its
highest perfection, and at the birth
of Christ all classes of people believed
in it. So much so that the apostles
asked him what should be "the sign"
Of His coming. AS we know Christ
refused to tell them, but predicted
the natural phenomena to occur pre-.
ceeding His second visit. AS aStrolo.
gy and astronomy both recognize the
twelve signs of the zodiac we can see
the pertinence of the apostles question
and why the Savior refused to an
lswer it. Knowing the movements of
these signs, as seen from the earth
had Christ selected any one as the
sign Of His second coming the apostles
would have become satisfied as to the
time for His appearance. 1t was moi
the Divine purpose to reveal it. This
may be considered speculative.
AS to the theory advanced in regard
to the planet Jupiter being the mys
FERROUS Star Of Bethlehem, in astrolo
gy he is accounted the star of kings
power, wealth and dominion. Whel
Christ was born he was rising in th
o east in the sign Of the Virgin, whe1
r he had been seen of the wise men an
others for many days. At midnigh
or before he was on the meridian an
in the latitude of Bethlehem directl
! overhead, and by the time the wis
men reached the village from Jerusa
lem, probably stood directly overhea
where the young child was. AS th
wise men journeyed they saw th
great planet, generally unusually bri
f liant in those climes until it reache
y the zenith, when they found the bah
Y and it's mother.
e It was not the planet Saturn, b,
:, cause that star in the sign Canoe
j. setting at or before midnight. an
y among astrologers is not considere
: the star of kings. But they claim il
= presence in the sign Leo, in A. d. 3
i. indicated that Christ should die
Il wretched death and be hated of mel
n e. f. T.