The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1909-12-25

and in two hours arrive at the little
city OF David, which appears in the
midst of bare mountains like a bunch
of verdure in the rocks.
| A short distance from Jerusalem, the
pale, sad city with the desert On the
east rises Bethlehem. Its amphitheatreI
crowns the hollow OF the valley which
is Il veritable horn of plenty--(hence
it's former name Ephrata,-thc fruit
! fuD. Bethlehem was the favorite
abode of Solomon. He had built hera,
( the famous gardens which stretched
along the foot of the city In the lit
| tie valley of the Ortas. Beyond. near
the road of Hebron. he had built i'm
mense baths which still exist. They
were fed from a clear spring, hidden In
the depth Of subterranean grotto
which is now called the "Dried-up
Fountain" as the valley is termed
"'rhc Closed Garden In allusion to
the poetical names given by Solomon
to his spouse in the "Canticles."
And Bethlehem. even today. is
charming. When one has asoended tho
little hill, he has in front of him, the
sacred grotto surmounted by the most
ancient baailica in the world: he de-
series, little way off, the village Of
!. Bert Sahour, whence came the shep-
herds; the estate Of BOOZE where Ruth
the Moabite CLEANED On the horizon
left Jerusalem the city of blood. When
amidst these souvenirs. in turn pleas
ing and sinister, one secs the young
girls In long white wells and the chill
dren in bright dresses, one thinks OF
their brothers-the Innocents-and Of
their other Brother Jesus.
All this causes an unexplainable con-
, fusion within the soul. A strange emo
T ton seizes us; it Is the coming and go
, ing Of thoughts melancholy and sweet
/. the central thought being that cradle
which a little later, cross will bs
made.
1t is night: it is midnight; all Is
silent-nature is tranquil. Tho lit
tie knoll rises beneath the vibrations
of the stars to prepare to present to
heaven it's well Beloved" The con-
a stcllations light up the heavens with
out noise while from below come the
I sounds OF scattered and distant nocks
a like the wailing Of the plain. or a vague
sigh of the night.
4 Toward evening. Mary and Joseph
reach the end of their journey. They
T have been preceded by q number OF
$ their ompatriots-travelers like them
4 selves come from all parts Of Judca
Q consequently. in such small town a.
Z Bethlehem, there is no room for two
|, at tho caravansery.
3 With what striking applications this
( fact has inspired the Fathers of tho
; Church, In their opinion, the crowd.
J, ed caravansery is the human heart
AS these places of shelter are oper
y the oriental cities have to Offer 81
y we offer the hospitality Of our hear
: to everything which has an appear
ance of attraction or pleasure. Thi
{. latter enters. too, IN crowds--crowd
= Of worldly pre- e-occhpa tions. crowds
q Of affairs. crowds Of passions. Their
Z is room for all this--but when Jesu
y presents Himself, He comes too late
And then, we are afraid Of such
10 guest. He is troublesome-Jesu'
n Christ! When He comes He wlshc
y the place to be free and uncontested
j. How can we receive Him, togethe
a with certain Of those guests whom
le we have admitted! We say. "va-t-en.
ls All! no, we do not say it with ou
1t lips, but the heart is more eloquen
81, than words. and the heart says t
r. H:m--"Va-t-en," the place is full.
,s And He leaves us to ourselves. w
70 remain a victim to our misery lik
ir the caravansery which might hav
ID received under its roof the Infinite
SO but which did not wish it.
There they are, without shelte
ls wandering thro' the streets Of Betl
In lehem-pressed by the nightfall an
IN by the "hour" which approaches.
~ was so unexpected-this reception