New-York tribune., 1908-12-20
0be obree Kings Of Cologne

IN tAe beautiful Cathedral Of Cologne there is a
olc s7d 5evelled casket resting in marble sh-ine
snd n this osset are three skulls encircled by gold
en Crowns The Empress Helena, ST Helena
r7ozher OF Constantine the first Christian Fr7Deror
q Rome. brought these skulls from India IN the
third century, and placed them in the Church OF St
sophia IN Constantinople From there they were
,ske7 70 the Cathedral OF Milan and when I7rad-
e-ck Barba barossa-Frsderick OF the Red Beard
conquered Milan in the twelfth century he gave
them 70 Raynuldus. Archbishop CT Cologne His
successor, Philip Won Heinsberg had a rnagnifcent
csskcr made for the relics. and they were r1lti-
y1zcsly placed IN the cathedral. which was begun
shout this time and took six hundred years TO
buId There they rest to-day. and divers great
sr5 glorious miracles, We told. have been per
formed by them
r. three kings Of The Orient. but because the skulls
fs5 s. lg-E rested in the Cathedral Of Cologne
these kings be called IN medieval times
The Three Kings Of Cologne" They are aIt9
called the Mag" which is Persian for wise men,
nscause they We're so very wise.
+ Ire fs- Eastern land where they lived and
-eiEre6 = was quite usual, told for kings TO
~ wise and these kings among other things knew
al about astronomy. So when a new star ap-
uoare6 in Ihe East they Immediately noticed It and
concluded that i must have come 10 announce the
birth q great haig that they Were expecting
ne q their prophets had told them that 'sceptre
voul6 rise out Israel. and a star out OF Jacob
and when this tine should come they believed that
sye-v-ht-E that was wrong would be made right
- Vher lhcy saw Z strange and beautiful star
thay sure that s-.e king they lonsed for
going 70 he born. and they wanted SO much 70 see
t.- --z- --ev left their thrones and their king
s5-s ans followed the star over vast deserts and
mountains and rivers until they came 10 Jerusalem
TIE city where David. the poet king. had reigned-
Another king. whose name was Herod. was reign
5-z -Az- but he was not Of the house Of David.
TEa LzraeI:r=s, OF Jews. they were now called,
vho hz5 become so great and glorious under David
ar5 his su-. solomon, were now poor and op-
pressed people under the rule Of the Romans.
Their greatness had long since passed away, but
thev could not forget t. and they believed that II
world come again. Their prophets had told them
f-ar king would time be born 20 them Of
The house q David. who should deliver them from
ST heir enemies. He would be much greater than
David and greater also than any king the world
had ever seen before. His name would be called
Wonderful" he would be Prince of Peace"
TIA GeatiIes foreigners, would 10 his
Igh- srd kings 70 the brightness OF his rising"
This hope OF the people over whom he ruled was
cutie well known TO Herod, and he naturally did
Tot want 70 hear Of any such king. So when he
heard chat three Pilgrims from the East ask
nE Where IS hs that IS born King OF the Jews?"
he was greatly troubled He gathered together the
wise men % the people. the chief priests and the
lawyers or scrtbes. q they called, and asked
them where the expected king would be born.
They told him In Bethlehem.' for II written
n their sacred books that out OF Bethlehem, the
cly a David. should come E governor that would
r-le Israel. Eero6 then sent for the wise men
f-on The East and told them what his own wise
nan had said pretending all the tine that he was
interested in the matter for the same reason that
they
GO and search diligently for the young child.
- said and when We have found him bring me
word again. that I may come and worship him
siso."
---zs- n. three kings continued their journey
Bethlehem and the star went before them until II
stood over the house where the child was They
must have wondered much when they saw this
house fo- = zvas not the place IN which would
expect king 70 be born It was not a palace, but
: poor and humble dwelling-a stable. in fact-and
when rhe three kings entered they found the child