The San Francisco call., 1903-12-20

place OF David, and despised Nazareth
an orphan, poor, and with no marks
OF her royal descent, espoused to car
penter, then tell US, how shall the LORD
give that sign, that she should appear
q virgin Of the line Of David, giving
birth TO her child in the house and ir
the city OF David, namely, as another
prophet appointed, in Bethlehem?
See. then, how faithfully the Lort
himself answers for the truth Of the
prophecy: The Holy Ghost came upor
Mary, and the power OF the Highest
overshadowed her (St Luke l., 35); anc
she conceived, being still a virgin; and
having become the mother OF the son
nevertheless remained a virgin. In or
der that those who were unacquainted
with the mystery Of this conception
should not be able to malign her who
had conceived, she was betrothed to her
husband before that conception; and
that to every healthy mind this sign Of
the Lord might be clear, that a virgin
had conceived without a husband, the
conception followed the espousals, even
before they came together (St. Matt.
i:2D, even before Joseph took unto him
his wife (St. Matt. 1870 into his house.
To Joseph himself an angel was sent
70 reveal this mystery, and to show him
this sign. so that he should not remain
in doubt: while to others, who could
neither see nor hear angels, no less
trustworthy witness or the sign and
herald Of the mystery was given in
the person OF Joseph himself, who was
known to all as a Just man (St. Matt.
i:1s), and therefore was unable to de-
ceive people. and still less able to SLAM
der God and the Holy Spirit.
A comfortable coach on a fast train
viii now take US a distance Of many
hundred miles in a very few days, and,
II we choose, we may get out either at
Nishe or Uskub. from where, II we
brave the attempt to trudge the high
ways, we may soon be among the viii
lages of Macedonia. Christmas in
Macedonia was never holiday Of toys,
nor a feast, only for the young. and
surely this year is not a bright excep-
tion. The unfortunate people Of this
sad country, represented mainly in its
serious men, now perhaps more faith
fully than ever before, chant the an
gelic doxology: GLORY to God in the
highest, and on earth peace, goodwill
to men," in their churches plundered
by the Albanians, with undoubting
faith in the might Of the little child OF
Bethlehem, Jesus in the manger with
out a home.
This Slavonic people commence their
Christmas with the sunset of the oath
Of December, according to the Julian
calendar, when they go to church for
Vespers After the service they go to
their homes, which they neatly fix UP
in holiday order, decorated with greens;
then they light pure beeswax candle
before a sacred picture Of the nativity
of our Lord. or before the image of the
patron saint Of the family, as the case
may be. This is usually superintended
by the mother and the female portion
young men bring in fresh straw, which
they lay abundantly upon the floor
after which they light the fire In an
open hearth with the fire taken from
the blessed candle. Now food is brought
and supper is served in a plate which
each one holds in his lap, sitting in the
straw upon the floor. No flesh meat OF
fish is eaten, but usually porridge; q
small cake -four fried in olive oil with
currants is customary; dried figs and
different kind of nuts are also In abun-
dant supply.
During the repast the father OF the
family, or the old man Of the COM
munity, goes out and soon comes back
with log, or with the trunk Of q
young tree, which he lays over the fire
All the men present do likewise in turn
This is the "Badniak," or yule log
When it is not a branch with greens
it is decorated. The "Domachin," OF
host, pours little wine over the Bad
MAX, besprinkles 1t with little grain
then wishing all present a merry
Christmas. they partake of the wine
While they quietly sit upon the straw
one Of their number takes up the gusli
Zone OF the most primitive musical in
struments known to manhnd) and
without book or writing relates in q
melancholy tone long and complete his
tories OF his people, but on this occa-
sion more chants are devoted to the
holy child. who was this night laid in
the manger. In the meantime another