The Taney County republican. (Forsyth, Mo.) 1895-1992, 1915-12-23
Again To Bethlehem

OF jerusalem, nestled down in the Jud
can hills-still it is a little city Of no
mean repute. There twenty centuries
ago in a lowly manager was born the
hope OF the world" Say what we
will OF that event it will not down.
The Bethlehem idea has come TO stay.
There never was Christmas in all the
ages that attracted such universal at
tention as the one we are now approach
ing. Caesar Augustus had made a
decree that all the world should be en-
rolled or taxed, each man in his own
country.
So the migration had set in. Even
the streets Of Bethlehem were filled.
There was no room in the inn. Joseph
and Mary, his wife, went to the
Kahn, or public lots. There were en-
closures with rude provision and de-
gree OF safety to those who were com
PEELED to enter their gates. There
Christ was born and laid in a manger.
There were in the same country,
shepherds abiding in the fields, keep
ing watch over their hocks by night.
These were Temple hocks and were
used in the great leasts at jerusalem.
At the Passover feast it was not un
common for a million strangers TO en-
ter the gates OF jerusalem, and as
they remained week, provision must
be made for them.
These were the focks. To herd
them was regarded as an honorable posi-
ton. To these humble men the an
nouncement OF the birth was first made,
the glory Of the Lord shone around
about them; and they were sorely al aid.
And the angel said unto them, Fear
not, for behold, bring you good It'd
ings Of great jov, which will be to all
people. For unto you is born this day
a Saviour which is Christ the Lcrd,"
When the excitement Of the mo-
ment had passed one shepherd said to
another, Let US go to Bethlehem and
see this thing which has come to pass"
and they went with haste and found
Mary and Joseph and the babe lying in
a mapger, and they made it known
abroad. These poor men Of simple
life we're the first to worship the king,
and 10 tell the wonderful story, the
sweetest story, that ever was told.
1t was perhaps a week later when
the Wise Men from the East came.
Directed by star to Bethlehem from
the far east, perhaps from India, Africa
and Persia, they brought that the
shepherds did not have, gold and
precious ointments, and as they wor-
shipped the babe they poured these out
at his feet: These two classes are sig
nifcant. First the poor found this
king and then the rich, fulfilling the
promise, Which was to all people, -
I am so glad the poor shepherd;
were the first 10 hud the child king,
Perhaps 90 per cent Of US belong to
this class. We labor hard, but it seems
against the tide--it's up the stream
What we have touched has turned tc
clay.
We were poor but this Bethlehem
story is full OF Joy TO every one OF US
il we will but accept it. Then the
rich are welcome, this Christ would be
a guest at any house, would sit dowr
at every freside. He but waits pa
tiently for your loving invitation. Viii
he be your guest this Christmas2 Still
Bethlehem adorns the Judean hills.
Seven miles southeast Of Jerusalem
you enter its streets, you are showr
the spots where the infant lay, anC
from the lofty hillside you look ia
down into the valleys where the flock
were rested by night. You sigh 70
the shepherd boys - for the day:
long gone.
You look up into the heavens 10
familiar landmarks, and there in tn,
Judean skies shiue the same stars, anC
far to the west, low hangs the silve
moon. Still with all these you ar
not content; your heart aches and long
for greater evidences OF that event q
events: when 10, you hear again tn
old. old. sweet song: