Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-12-19
Mi\tER AID CRADLE
~ CLOSE ASSOCIATIONS

l;ut deeper than it's human appeal
Yer" the thoughts this sight started.
Gould II hc tha, Jesus Christ was laid
Iu 81 manager. Indeed. yet IN home
instead ~ stable? Suddenly the
mother sp"k" Arabic aud mcrrilv beck
rucd me y lad Of Ec,hic;lcln who
va my companion. understood and
explained ia broken English. In an
Apartment up several stone steps shs
laid her child IN wooden cradle and
stood pointing thercat with Oriental
exuhcrnnc" Of pleasure. II was clear
that tn" iuang"r and the cradle were
associated in nor mind somehow-yes.
and tn" bah" was the bond uniting
th"m soon saw that . mothers
heart had given nc subtle but uncr-
ring Suidanc" TO :: discovery That
discovery is now uppcrmos; in my
memory OF days In bethlehem
was not then aware that tho peas
ants OF Palestine lay little ones in
hangers which arc inside their dwell
inEs. Such travellers as Thomson and
Tristan long ago noted this fact and
It's hearing on tho story Of Chrsts
birth: hut my eyes were holden until
now.
Ky a blundcr. due 10 Western ways
OF life. perhaps. we think II stable
as tho birthplace of our savior be-
cause il is written that Mary's child
was ihid in a manager. Hut in rales-
tine. animals are housed with the
peasant family: hangers arc often in
the homes. Both the characteristics
hospitality and tho immcmorial Gus
toms Of the l"wly there exclude such
neglect as our understanding implies
When the Gospels narrative is inter
pret"d true to the life of tn" land, its
meaning is this: that Mary and her
Iabc were given such shelter and COM
fort as the peasants have in their
homes and gladly share with strang-
crs The manger and the swaddling-
clothes go together in the story
" that hc true. what then? AZ
think of it on Christmas Eve in my
far homeland OF the West. next to the
sense OF reality in the story Of the
Savior's birth. this is the dearest truth
learned in bethlehem. For IL bears
witness 10 the good side which is
surely in our human nature. II Is. I'm
fact the dim beginning OF all the glow
ing Kindness that now brightens
ChriStmastidc
HIDDEN nEATTY IN
STORY or FIRST CHRISTMAS
Who would not wish to sec this and
make II known-to bring to light such
a hidden beauty in tho story OF the
first Christmas? How it dcepcns the
meaning Of all tho good deeds we do
under the influence OF this happy time ,
How ii points to n natural inherent
warrant in our humanity for the hope
that the good Will we attain at Christ
mas may yet broaden to all the days
of our life! For the Manager. instead
Of witnessing 10 tho selfshncss OF COM
mon life. now becomes a symbol Of re-
assurance. tcstifyinE that when lieav-
ems love sent us n Savior. the kindness
which Is surely in our world I'm spite
of all else did not so utterly fail to
manifest itself that the mother who
brought Him forth was left outside our
common human tenderness. No. bad
as we often are. AT least do not
treat mother and child like that. There
is some good will on earth to match
the goodness of Heaven, some love
among men To warrant Gods love for
men. He knows us we'll: He chose the
surest way to the good that abides in
us when lie sent the Savior as babe;
and human nature did not fail to be
kind to tho Mother and Child. This
is tho truo meaning OF tho mnnger.