Milford chronicle., 1936-12-25
CHRIST is BORN .

the world.
Not with fanfare.
Not with kingly pomp.
Not heralded by armies which s,
many of His people in recent year
had imagined would accompany Hi
coming to deliver them from the
bondage of a foreign empire and tC
restore to them the full glory of Sol
omOn and his temple.
But humbly, with sheep and goats
for attendants, He was born in a
stable, because there was no room
in the inn of Bethlehem.
Thus the words Of the Prophet
Micheas were fulfilled: "And thou
Bethlehem and land of Juda art not
the least among the princes of Judia;
for out of thee shall come forth the
captain that shall rule my people
Of Israel"
And Mary, His mother, wrapped
Him in swaddling clothes and laid
Him in a manger, because it was
cold in the stable. Outside the
streets of Bethlehem were silent,
quiet.
All day there had been clamOr in |
the streets-for here, too, as in all |
of the Roman empire. people have
returned to be registered in the city
Of their birth.
Merchant princes from Achzib in
Galilee and bankers from Jerusalem
with their followers and bodyguards,
and beggars from Samaria with their
lice and their rags.
All days the streets of Bethlehem
resounded with the rumble of wheels
and the clatter of sandeled feet.
But the streets were strangely
quiet.
None of these merchants or bank
ers, or even beggars knew of the
birth, of Christ. They were asleep.
Word of the birth was brought to
the city last night by shepherds who
had been tending their fiocks on the
outskirts of Bethlehem.
These men brought the glad It'd
ings, given to them, they said, by
angels who sang: GLORY to God in
the highest; and on earth peace to
men of good will" {
An angel of the Lord, they said,
had appeared before them and said /
to them: Fear not; for, behold, l a
bring you good tidings of great joy, t
that shall be to all the people. #
For this day is born to you a p
SaviOus. who is Christ the Lord, in Ii
he city of David. Il
"And this shall be sign to you; c,
you shall find the infant wrapped in Il
clothes, and laid in a N
nanger." q
And so, the shepherds, said, they n;
eft their fiocks on the hillside and
anne to Bethlehem, the city of David, tn
] find the child. te
And when they came to the inn ca
the city, the boldest of them step 19
ed up to the door and knocked. No an
ne answered. He knocked more by
'udly, and there was a numbering mi
Oise on the inside, and soon the tn
Dor was opened a crack and the m;
nkeeper asked them, angry: What of
this racket? Who are you? There CO.
e no rooms . do you hear .
Vt single room :. go away" III,
"But :" began one of the shep- ba
rds. t;o
Not room." NIL
"But, we don't want a room" ,io
Not want room, then why are is
u knocking here? Don't you know is
IS is an inn?" res
We are looking for the Christ" VIII
y simply. sni
The Christi" bef
Yes we have seen His angel"
The innkeeper opened the door a
lie wider and blinked an eye at
m. Then he reared back his head,
med his mouth and laughed a II
ty shout of a laugh. the
Ho no :. hoOoo, the Christ" eau
caught his breath, and then theI
uted at them, "And 1 suppose you any
TX have Him under my roof. hav,
. no." He ran a chubby hand sit q
,ugh his thinning hair. ness
That" he told the shepherds, els folk
best one I've heard since the en- aren
ment order. so all might be reg So
red,' they said. So none may achi,
lpe the tax collector, say 1. to, Il
why do talk to you fellows? just
listen, you, when the Christ is Their
! we shall know it, yes, we'll bette
" it. There will be something shou
hout about, believe me. And persC
e will be plenty to hear. He'll wants
leader, do you hear a strong They
er, do you-but why do I talk ate n
ou; listen. go away" civic