The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1909-11-04
Topic: DETILElIEnI.

testimony TO the holy borninP. II
Bethlehem of Judea-it is still Bcit
Lahm, the place of food" and inhaD-
tied mostly By Christians-in contra-
distinction to that Bethlehem which
is in Gaiilee, occurred the event " hich
difierentiates distinctive ages and that
is commemurated until this day
And thou Bethlehem, land of Ju-
dah, art IN no wise least amous the
princes of Judah: for out OF thee
shall come forth a governor, who
shall be shepherd of My people
Israel"
The scene of pre-eminent birth,
bethlehem Is, as always 1t has been
since prophetic days. of Interest and
inspiration to those followers Of the
risen Lord who are privileged 10 gaze
| upon It.
You reach it from Jerusalem by
| road which no doubt Joseph and
Mary and Jesus travelled, leading
/ past the upper chamber" 'reath 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. 1t is a trip
not to be forgotten. A journey link
ing the first and tho last days of the
earthly ministry of the Son of the
ever living God, to whose life and sac
riilce the world owes such q debt.
/ In the Gospel according to St. Luke
the second chapter and the fourth
verse, we read: And Joseph also went
up from Galilee, out OF the city of
| Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of
/ David, which is called Bethlehem, be-
| cause he was of the house and family
I OF David"
l. The statement is rs concise and as
I clearly made as it is geographically
| correct Nazareth is about 1000 feet
/ above the level of the Medlterranean:
the highest point in the immediate
environment is the Jebe es Sikh, q
hill rising to n height of 1902 feet
/ and Just to the northwest OF Nazar-
eth; Mount Tabor, the most Conspicu-
| Gus, as the nearest, mountain within
easy distance of Nazareth, is only
1S43 feet above water level at its
summit. The little town of Bethle-
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.
Likewise, with characteristic Bibli-
cal fidelity of description, the story
states that Joseph went mp INTO Ju-
dea. Nothing could better mirror the
fact. Jerusalem is near the northern.
as Hebron commands the southern,
border of Judea. But TO get to Beth
lehem you must go Into Judea," even
rs 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 erusalem-in llhuman prob
ability on the site of ancient Mount
Sion on the east hill-therc was n
district. called 1.-The city of David" 1t
ia to differentiate Bethlehem from
that region that, no doubt, the Scrip
lures read the city called Bethle-
hem"
Here. indeed, Jesus was born.
Among these quiet hills, from the re-
freshing western winds Of this ra-
diant countryside, the infant Shep-
herd drew His earliest strength. It's
lineage lent Him access to the hest
there was in jewish life; He gave TO
the pleasant hamlet imperishable
fame. Hfther 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 cup TO Jerusalem"
it is a double upward journey by
reason of the hill and valley north of
Bethlehem-who was in dozen years
to return to confound sages. From
thence came forth the "light for reve-
lation to the Gentiles." Here Con-
stentine built basllica, remains OF
which exist Here priests struggle
for control OF sacred caYerns. To
this picturesque locality the pilgrims
set their ways.
Overlooking the tawdry. forgiving,
while regretting, ecclesiastical jeal-
ousies, with toleration for fraudulent
tradition, and with an open mind for
that which bears the marks of hon
esty, let us also look toward Bethle-
hem. II 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. 70 East.
er morn, no Pentecost, no living
Christ.
And ss, at evening" under the -a-
diant heaven, we gaze southwark
across the fields from the city of His
death to the city bf His birth, let US
sing:
oh little town of Bethlehem
How still we see tnee lie:
Above thy deep
And dreamless sleep,
The silent stars go by"
IRA w. HENDERSON.
Jerusalem, 1909.
Step by Step.
"The contemplation OF ourselves, II
| Il be not snhnrhinated 10 the CON.