Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-12-24

Golden Text: "And opening their
! treasures they offered unto Him
gifts, gold and frankincense and
nyrrh. Matt. 2:11.
The study of the stars has always
been a fascinating one to all who
have undertaken it. In earlier times
there were a great many who stud
led astronomy for the purpose OF
discovering the relationship which
certain stars bore to the destiny OF
definite individuals, and they were
called astrologers. This may have
grown out of a tradition which 10
sephus hands doWn-that Adam and
Saith and the earlier patriachs lived
such long lives in order that they
might complete the work of naming
the stars. We have the zodiac dat.
ing back to a temple in Egypt as
early as 5400 B. C.
However that may be, we know
that in the east there had grown
up quite a guild of astrologers
Somewhere in Persia there were
those of this guild who saw strange
phenomenon which occurred about
B. c. Jupiter and Saturn came
into conjunction in the zodiacal sign
Of the fish; and in the following
spring Mars Joined them. AS this
sign was connected in their minds
with Judea their minds naturally
turned to that land looking for some
thing unusual to occur there.
Sometime after that-within the
space Of two years at most-they be.
held new star that they had never
seen before, and it was revealed to
them by no ordinary means that it
was this star Of whom one of their
number, Balaam, had spoken a
millennium and a half before:
81 shall see Him, but not now;
/ shall behold Him, but not nigh:
There shall come a star out of Jacob
A Secptre shall rise out of Israel
Out Of Jacob shall come He that
shall have dominion. MUM
"a: 1919.
This new star began to move to-
wards Palestine, and they followed
the star until they came to Jerusa,
lem, their Journey requiring about
six weeks across the desert on camel
back.
The King of the Jews
At Jerusalem they went at once
to the palace to inquire of Him who
had been born king of the Jews
They little knew what CONSERVATION
their question would arouse. The
king of Judaea was not the King OF
the Jews. Herod the Great $50
called was an Idumean-a descen
| dant Of Easu; he had by political
trickery and by cruel power usurped
the kingdom, and was insanely jeal
Gus of any suggestion that his dy
nasty was not to be continued. His
hands were stained with many muir
ders. He had reigned nearly 81 years
at this time; had had ten wives; and
had slain the only one he ever loved
and her two sons just two years be-
| fore this because another son haC
suggested that they were Asmoneans
and would have a stronger claim tc
the throne. On. coming to the throne
he had murdered the whole Sanhe
| drim except two lest they should
interfere with his desires. His
whole reign had been bloodstained
and, largely on account Of this in
sanely jealous fear.
You can imagine his CONSERVATION
| therefore, when he received these
kings Of the east, and they stated
the purpose of their visit. 'Where
is He that is born king of the Jews?
for we have seen His star in the
east, and are come to worship Him.
"Born king?" Herod might have
soliloquized, IT was not born king
but have gotten it by stealth, by fair
| means and foul. His star in the
east'-what mighty power is this