Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1925-12-10

GGh(@AAA2na1 to authenticity? To one who is
not satisfied with the efforts of
the artists and sculptors of all ages is recon-
mended the word picture which is attributed to
Publ1us Lentulus, who is said to have been a
Roman centurion in Palestine during His lifetime
Inc centurion-captan of OF the sixty COM
panies into which the Roman legion was divided
had ms virtues as well as his vices. He was as
eflclent and as "hard-boiled" as a modern SER
geant of the United States marines His passion
was service to, Rome And in statement of fact
70 his superiors he OF necessity and by tradi-
tlon and training as literally exact as lay within
MIN to be- And here is the statement of Publius
Lentulus, the Roman centurion in Palestine, as
1t has come down to US through the ages:
There has appeared in this, our day, man of
great virtue, named Jesus Christ, who is yet living
amongst us, and with the Gentiles is accepted a
prophet Of truth, but His disciples call Him
the Son OF God He raiseth the dead and cureth all
manner of diseases; of stature somewhat
tall and comely with very reverent countenance:
such as the beholder may both love and fear; His
mar Is OF the color Of hilbert full ripe and plain
down to His ears but from His ears downward
somewhat curled, and orient Of color waving
ABOUT dis shoulders In the midst of His head
goeth seam partition of hair, after the man
ner of the Nazarites His forehead very smooth
and plain; His face, nose and mouth so framed
nothing be reprehended; His beard somewhat
thick, agreeable to the hair of His head color
not of any great length, but forked In the middle;
of innocent and mature look; His eyes gray,
clear and quick.
In reproving He is terrible; in admonishing
courteous and fair spoken, pleasant in speech
amidst gravity. 1t cannot be remembered that any
have seen Him laugh, but many have Him
weep.
In proportion of body, we'll shaped and straight;
his hands and most beauteous behold; in
speaking temperate, modest and wise; man
of singular virtue, SURPRISING the children of
TIP TO the Thirteenth century the pictures of
- Jesus Christ and of the Nativity were formal
impersonal and conventional But in 1928 was held
what may be regarded as the first Christmas cele-
bration, inasmuch as 1t marked the linking Of the
church observance Of the birth Of Jesus with the
popular midwinter festival that had come down
from the Romans and the Barbarans Of Britain
and the Continent 1t staged by st. Francis
of Assist Of beloved memory, in grotto near
Greccio In the Abruzz mountains of Italy
pageant at midnight portrayed the Nativty-straw-
filled manger, OK and ass; adoring shepherds and
Wise Men and all. Thomas of Celano who was
among the worshipers, writes that they saw
smiling babe appear in the arms of st. Francis as
he bent over the manger. The report of this
miracle spread over the land and a convent still
extant was built to commemorate 1t. Giotto paint
ed picture of it in a human sort of way. And
this celebration and this picture was the source
from which sprang the countless masterpieces rep
resenting the Nativity and the Alteration by the
great artists of all the world
The Madonna and Child" is a reproduction of
the work of Luca della Robbia (Luca di Simone di
Marco della Robbla of Florence, 14OO-S2). This
famous Italian sculptor the founder of
school which he and his family popularized for
century more He worked with terra Gotta
figures In white and with colored draperies
ONE grave at least Is of decorations at
- Christmas time That is the grave Of
DIR. Clement c. Moore, the author of "'Twas the
Night Before Christmas" His grave is In Trinity