The San Francisco call., 1903-12-20


h the tablelands Of HerzeEOvina-
~ The roads are thick with groups
OF brightly dressed peasantry. "Christos
se rodi!" Christ is born) Is the univer-
sal greeting.
Bang Bang. F1utters by on horse
back the Herzegovinian. his silver
mounted long pistols still smoking from
beneath his decorated wide girdle. The
Serbian hearty ''voistinu sc rodf' Gin
deed he is born) Is the response in every
quarter. Be It the spirited Montenegrin
or the sedate Bosnian. to either. who
worship IN the Orthodox Catholic
church, the collects and carols OF this
blessed season are alike appealing and
the effect is unifying. harmonious.
20 Christ, our God. upon the world
thy birth hath shined the light Of
knowledge; for at II they that served
the stars were taught by a star TO wor-
ship thee, the sun OF righteousness, and
10 know thee. the dayspring from on
high. Glory TO thee, o Lord"
This Troparion chanted IN tone the
fourth is the same note Of celebration
for the faithful in Egypt or in Syria
General Lewis Wallace might have
enrichd with more history. and might
have more abundantly adorned with
the oriental gorgeous and subtle inagi-
nation the good chapter on the Magi
IN his Ben-Hur. Jerusalem was the
place OF meeting and Bethlehem was
the destination OF the wise men from
the Far East. who studied the stars
and the heavens. They hailed from
Persia. Arabia and Ethiopia. They
were the three Princes-Melchior, old
and gray. with long hair and long
beard. who brought gold unto the
Lord King: the second was Gaspar,
young. with beardless glowing face-he
offered incense TO God incarnate: the
third was Baltazar, dark and hairy-he
gave myrrh to the child Jesus, as to
mortal-the Son OF Man.
On a clear Christmas night IN the
Holy Land. II you look you can see
in the heavens the Polar star, which
by a direct line may bring you 10 the
Arctic Circle. But It is very unhospi-
table there in December. and so we
shall make our stop near by IN Moscow
with 100000 inhabitants to warm the
great city.
on this holy day the numerous
churches are continuously filed with
dense crowds of the flock" According
10 Bishop Grafton who recently visited
Russia. three-fourths Of the great con-
gregation are men. CSee B. G.'s letter
published in the Living Church" Of
Milwaukee during the first part Of No
vember) Moscow, with her historical
Kremlin: Moscow, with all her works
Of valor defeat and victory; Moscow,
with her saints. is to-day the heart Of
orthodoxy.
Here. in modern times, lived the great
man Philaret He was the great Bishop
Of a great city. He fourished between
25 aad 60 OF the XIX century. This
old man, but young philosopher. thus
taught one Christmas day:
The Evangelist Matthew repeatedly
observes that all the circumstances and
events which signalized the birth upon
earth Of our Incarnate God and Savior
Jesus Christ were not merely a con-
currence Of circumstances and events,
but were an exact fulfllment Of prophe-
tical predictions. An observation this,
important not only to the Jews-who
would not view even that which might
be exs mined by the natural eye. other
wise than through the vision glass Of
the prophets-but also to every one
who wishes to discover the workings
Of Providence in the entangled paths Of
men. and TO discern the hand of God
IN the events Of the world. Is il not
evidently q work Of God, when some
thing foretold several years ago is ex-
actly fulfilled? And, above all, when
that is fulfilled. which. according to
ordinary ideas and calculations, seemed
impossible Of fulfllment?
AS though she stood before his eyes,
does Isaiah point TO the most blessed
Virgin Mary, behold, a virgin; at a
time. when not only this virgin herself.
but even her parents and her fore
fathers. had not as yet come into the
world: behold, says he, virgin shall
be with child and shall bring forth a
son. What sayest thou, Prophet?
Can a virgin conceive2 Can she, who
giveth birth. still be virgin? II this
be possible. then how can it be accom-
nlisbed in the nation to whom thou
SoreteIlest this event? II even IL be full
filled. then how can this be the sign,
the evident and Trustworthy sign,
which thou foretellest? The Lord HIM
self shall give you a sign Isaiah VII.
10. II thou dost indeed see this daugh-
ter Of David, to whom thou pointest,
saying. behold a virgin; II thou seest
her IN the far distant from the birth