The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1909-12-01
Topic: BETHLEHEM.
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Topic: BETHLEHEM.
Matt. 2:1:. bethlehem Of Judea."
The gospel record is. dual. Twp
eyangelists, Matthew and Luke, bear
testimony to the holy borning. IN
Bethlehem of Judea-it Is still Belt
Lahm, "the place Of food" and fnhaD.
tied mostly by Christians-in contra!
distinction to that Bethlehem Whicn
is in Galilee, occurred the event which
differentiates distinctive ages and that
is commemorated until this day.
And thou Bethlehem, land OF Jus
dab, art in no wise least among the
princes Of judah: for out OF thee
Shall come forth a governor, who
shall be shepherd Of MY people
Israel"
The scene Of a pre-eminent BIRTH
Bethlehem is, as always IT aas been
since prophetic days, of interest and
inspiration to those followers OF the
risen Lord who are privileged to gaze
upon 1t.
You reach it from Jerusalem by 9
road, which no doubt Joseph and
Mary and Jesus travelled, leading
past the upper chamber" meath the
battlements Of the city's southern
wall; wells notable with "reminiscences
of the magi, of David, and of Mary
near the tomb Of Rachel. Itsissa trip
not to be forgotten. A. journey link
ing tie first and the last days OF the
earthly ministry of the Son 9of the
ever living. God, to whose life and sac
riace the world owes such adebts
In the Gospel according to st. Luke
the second chapter and the fourth
! verse, we read:i"ApdJoseph also went
nm from Galilee, out Of the city Oh
Nazareth, into Judea, to the city OF
David, which is called Bethlehefns be-
cause he was Of the house q famtiH
of David" 81
The statement is as concise and as
clearly made as: 1t is Hgeographicaliy
| correct. Nazareth is about 1000 feet
above the level of the Mediterranean;
the highest point in the immediate
environment Is the Jebel es Sikh, q
hill rising to. height OF 1902 feet
and lust to the northwest of Nazar-
| eth; Mount Tabor, the most conspicu-
GUS, ashthe nearest,,amountainsW within
easy distance of Nazareth, is only
1843 feet above water level at itS
summit. The little town of Bethle-3
hem" Is, however, 1850 feet above the
surface of the seas: Comment is un-
necessary to indicate the precision OF
a record which states that Joseph,
went UP from Galilee to Bethlehem.
He went down south, but he went up,
as the traveller must do to-day to go
down.. The rise from the plain OF
Megiddo, over which Of necessity
Joseph would have crossed, to Bethle-
hem is nearly half a mile. 81
Likewise, with characteristic Bfblt-l
cal fidelity Of descriptions the story.
states that Joseph went up INTO Jul
dea. Nothing could better mirror the
fact. Jerusalem is near the northerns
as Hebron commands the southern,
border of Judea. But to get to Beth
lehem you must go"into Judea," even
as to arrive at Hartford you must go
into Connecticut or to reach Pekin
you must travel into China.
Luke also relates that Joseph
went up to the city of David, WHICH
IS CALLED BETHLEHEM. The
student Of Scripture will remember
that at Jerusalem-ina all human prob
ability on the site Of ancient Mount
Sion on the east hill-there was a
district called "the citylof David" It
is to differentiate Bethlehem from
that region that, no doubt, the Scrip
lures read @the city called Bethlea
Here, indeed, Jesus was born
Among these quiet hills, from the re.
freshing western winds Of this a
diant countryside, the infant Shep-
herd drew His earliest strength It's
lineage lent Him access to the best
there was in Jewish life; He gave to
the pleasant hamlet imperishable
fame. Hitler the wise men came
with regal gifts. Out OF its lanes
they went seeking their homelands
by another way. From thence His
parents took Him "up to Jerusalem"
it is a double upward journey by
reason of the hill and valley north OF
Observation-Disclosures In a dozen years
to return to confound sages. From
thence came forth the Tight TOR reye-i
lation to the Gentiles." Here Con-
stantine built a basilica, remains Oh
which exist. Here priests struggle
for control Of sacred cayerns. To
this picturesque locality the pilgrims
set their ways. ... ,...,s 80. ! r,y ii
Overlooking the tawdry, forgiving,
while regretting, ecclesiastical 1eal1
ousies. with federation for fraudulent
tradition, and with. an open mind for
that which bears the marks Of hon.
esty, let US also look toward Bethle-
hem. 1t is the birthplace of Christ,
one of the most majestic spots for the
Christian in all the world. without
It there would be no Calvary, no East
er morn, no Pentecost, no living
Christ.
And as, at evening, under the ra-
diant heaven, we gaze southwark
across the fields from the city OF His
death to the city Of His birth, let US
sing:
"Oh, little town Of Bethlehem
How still we see thee lie;
Above thy deep !
--1,. c1aa1.ie. q