The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1904-02-05
FARMvILLE, VA, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 1904

rrst among our own people, tell the
news. the glorious news, that Jesus,
the Son Of God, has been born. We
must tell It to our children. We must
tell Il to our brothers and sisters. We
must tell it to our parents and TO all our
friends and neighbors. Behold, Jesus
has been bornl Jesus, our Saviour has
been bornl He livesl He lives! Jesus,
the Son Of Mary, lives. Jesus, the Son
Of God, livesw
Thus our mission on this Christmas
day Is to seek the manger and while we
study its lessons and mediate on its
humiliation to practice the sweet teach
ings Of Jesus Christ which cannot bet
ter be summed up than by briefly re-
peating one Of the most beautiful Of all
Christmas stories. II is that written
by Henry Van Dyke. 1t is appropriate
ly called "The Other Wise Man" DR..
Van Dyke wrote the story in great
pain.
It was the year his father died and a
year Of much physical suffering. One
night while lying awake, unable to
sleep and tossing upon his bed, he be-
gan to think Of the legends clustering
about the "three wise men," Then
there came to him a vision Of fourth
wise man." who had the gentle name
Of Artaban. The abbreyiation Of the
whole story Is this: When the star ap-
peared In the east, four magi felt that
they must put their household goods In
order before they took their journey.
They decided TO meet at a certain place
at a certain time upon the edge Of the
great desert. Artaban made ready for
his journey by selling his house and
worldly goods and buying three beau
tiful gems which be could carry-name-
ly, a sapphire, a ruby and a pearl. On
his way to meet his appointment Arta-
ban came across a poor beggar who
was dying, a beggar who had no
friends. a beggar who was dying alone.
After nursing the poor beggar until he
died Artaban hurried on to meet his
appointment, but the three magi had
already gone. The other wise man had
to retrace his steps, sell one OF his
gems. his sapphire, and buy train Of
camels to make the journey alone.
The next scene in the story Of "Ihe
Other Wise Man" is found In the VII
lage Of Bethlehem. Jesus had been
born. and the three mag had disap-
peared. As Artaban entered the VII
lage he heard the tramp Of bloody
Herod's troops, who had come to mas
sacre all the male children in Jud@a,
with the hope OF Staying the infant
Christ. A poor woman rushes out
pleading for the rescue Of her child.
The young mothers face grew white
with terror at the cry: THE soldiers.
The soldiers of Herodl They are kill
ing our children When a captain Of
Herod's troops wanted to enter this
weman's house to slay her child Arta-
ban stood in the doorway and offered
TO the murderous soldier his second
gem. the beautiful ruby, If he would
save the child. Now two-thirds Of Ar
tabans fortune was gone, and still be
had not found Christ
Then Artaban started on a journey
to Egypt to find Jesus. He hunted for
him everywhere until he was a very
old man. One day, In his wanderings
TO find the Saviour, he headed back to
the city Of Jerusalem. The capital OF
David was I'm great excitement. There
was TO be a public crucihxion Of three
criminals-two thieves and one a po-
litical prisoner, Jesus by name. As
Artaban entered the city he saw a
young girl in great distress. She was
TO be sold as a slave for debt. She
broke loose from her captors and hung
herself at his feet, begging for delly.
erance. Artaban gave his last gem, the
beautiful pearl, for her rescue. And
now all his money was gone. He was
now an old man, and still he had moi
found Christ.
Just then the darkness Of crucihXior
] UeENn 10 Ehlltl uiNhhh AhN Nf''' ''N
TO settle over the temple. When the
awful earthquake came, a heavy til'
slipped from one Of the house roofs
and fell upon the old mans head. But
as he was dying a strange spirit ap
peared before Artaban and practically
said: "Thou. o noble man, thou has
seen me all these years. Verify say
unto thee. inasmuch as thou hast don't
II unto one Of the least Of these my
brethren thou hast done it unto me-"
If the Christian living today canno
belong to the first group that started
for the manger, If he cannot be Mel
chior. Caspar or Balthasar perhaps h
may belong to the second caravan. III
may be Artaban He may be the 10Th
er wise man." He may be the "fouru
man." lie may soon-aye, very soon
see his Christ face TO face. He may SCI
him before even another Christmas da!
rolls around. He may see him to par
from him again never through all ster