Omaha daily bee., 1910-12-18
NATAL DAY AT BETHLEHEM
Last Years Observance at the Cradle
Of Christianity.
SACRED PLACES AND CEREMONIES
Former Vice President Fairbanks De-
scribes HIS Pilgrimage TO BethIe-
hem on Christmas

banks and his party OF world-girders so
shaped their travel plans as to reach the
Holy Land during the Christmas season
a year ago. In his account OF the visit
20 Bethlehem In Lesle's Christmas num-
Der. Mr. Fairbanks says:
Late in the afternoon Of the day before
Christmas we took q carriage for Bethle-
hem. which is situated five and one-half
miles distant from Jerusalem. Our journey
lay over a fairly good road. We saw a
few Americans and a few people from
other countries, who were making the
Journey upon foot or by carriage. and who
were studying, az we were, the different
objects OF historic interest that crowded
about upon every hand. We were par
tlcuiarly interested I'm the Well Of the
Magl. where. according to tradition, the
star which they saw in the east went be-
fore them TIL It came and stood over where
the young child was" number Of cames
and donkeys were stopped there for water.
Within half mile of Bethlehem and upon
our right stood the traditional tomb OF
Rachel. A little beyond this we came to
the fork of the roads. the right branch of
which leads on to Hebron. and the one 20
the left, which we took, leads on to Bethle-
hem.
Bethlehem, the home of David and our
Savior Jesus Christ" rests upon the hills.
The houses are Of stone like most of those
in Jerusalem and elsewhere in the Holy
Land. The population does not exceed 10000
and is said to be composed mainly OF
Christians. When we entered the city.
along narrow, winding streets, we OBJ
served that the people were occupying the
roofs Of houses and other points Of vantage.
awaiting the entry of the Latin patriarch
who was coming from Jerusalem to par
- ~ NAa
annual stately event OF which much is
made. There was a holiday appearance
about the ancient and historic place. sug-
gested by the assembled multitude, which
greatly impressed the stranger. We met
the leading officials of the government and
were invited 70 a position upon the public
building, where we met number of the
representatives of other governments.
An Orderly ThrOnE.
carpet had been spread in the street
Immediately opposite us. and about II were
assembled number of bishops and other
church dignitaries awaiting the arrival OF
the head of the church. 1t was an orderly
crowd that thronged the streets and
massed upon the buildings for many
squares. The people were, in the main, at
tired in their peculiar native costumes and
presented a scene of rare interest to those
Of us who were from the west. After
waiting nearly an hour, our patience was
rewarded by the arrival Of the patriarch
who was accompanied by solddiers--his es-
cort from Jerusalem-and by a committee
from the city and church which went out
from Bethlehem and which met him not
far from the Well Of Magi. lie paused
upon the carpet in the street and was there
invested with the robes and insignia of the
ha e. q
the Church Of the Nativity. This church,
by the way, as it's name Bignifies, is upon
the traditional site where our Savior was
born. When the enrolling ceremony was
concluded the patriarch led the way Upon
foot through the street TO the churcn, some
two or three blocks distant A vast multi
tude followed. and soon the sacred edifice
was occupied TO its capacity. Mass was
celebrated. We remained for awhile and
then retired to visit some OF the cacred
spots near at hand.
Not far from the church I observed a
stone house, the humble, but respectable
home of a native. A donkey stood near the
door, l thought that he might be one of
the occupants OF the home 1 called upon
the head OF the house and learned that /
was not mistaken and that the donkey was
permitted to enter through the same door
with the family. The former went below,
down a pair OF stone steps, while the latter,
together with some chickens and doves
occupied the ground floor. It occurred TO
me that It was probably not unlike the
dwelling which once stood near by and in
which was born the greatest figure in the
world; and that. in large sense, the whole
was considered as a Manager We returned
TO Jerusalem late in the afternoon for din
=
bethlehem were not particularly inviting.
Might Pilgrimage.
At 10 o'clock at night we again set out
upon our pilgrimage to the holy spot
where was conferred the thought or hum
dreds OF millions OF Christians through
out the world. Bethlehem What a sweet
and majestic namel The story OF It was
being told from countless pulpits and was
bursting forth in song the world about.
II was being told about the hearthstones
in the abodes of the humble and in the
mansions OF the great. II was Bethlehem's
particular day. when she claimed the at
tehuon OF the world as no other city
claimed IL. Our dragomRn provided us
with a carriage well inclosed, as the air
vas sharp. The moon was well up, and II
the barren, rocky hills and the valleys had
been clothed with snow. II would have
seemed like an old-fsshioned. moonlight,
New England Christmas. Our horses were
adorned with bells, which they habitually
wore and which tended 20 give a familiar
Christmas aspect to the scene
AS We passed out OF Jerusalem upon a
slow trot we encountered professions OF
camels going to and fro with their mo-
notonous swing. as they had done for CEN
turtles. Some OF the riders had accom-
pllshed their days work In the city and
were en- route to their distant homes and
others were coming in for the night or
business the day following. When we
reached the we'll OF Magi, a large bright
star above Bethlehem burst upon our Wis
ion. IL came into view as we reached the
summit in the road. The moon was above
and back OF US. and no other stars were
visible from our Enclosure. so this partc-
ular star almost startled us when we first
saw t. / called the dragoman's atten-
ton to II, and for a moment he was al
most speechless. He said he had never
seen 4, and thereafter frequently COM
mented upon the incident. As We progressed
the star seemed TO rise and fan as We fol-
tz.,-..g a.. ,spdula fiona Of the hiRhWav unfY