Evening star., 1942-12-24
By DEWITT MACKENZIE.


BETHLEHEM, Dec 24-Through
out the many years I have followed
the worlds news trails for the ASso
ciated Press I have hoped that one
Christmas I might be in Bethlehem
in Judea
Yet now that I have my wish it
isn't easy to fnd the exact Yuletide
message for you good folk back
home.
Here and in Jerusalem I have
traced the life of Jesus in traditional
relics. For some reason hard to ex-
plain left the place of the Nativity
until the last.
Maybe it's because of the beautiful
story of the star of Bethlehem, one
of the most cherished memories OF
my childhood in the old Methodist
parsonage back in Vermont, and /
wanted to save it.
Anyway, l started by climbing
the ancient battlements of King
David's Palace against the wall OF
the old city of Jerusalem From
there one could look down upon the
struggling little stone tagged
streets which were ancient when
Christ passed through them.
Scene Reminiscent Of Pictures.
When afterward l made my way
among the motley crowds which
swarmed in the bazaars-Jews,
Arabs in native dress, and peoples
OF the other Near Eastern countries
it struck me that probably the
scene was not so far different from
what 1t must have been 1912 years
ago.
Certainly 1t was strongly rem
iniscent of the colored pictures in
my Sunday school book of days
agone.
From the top of David's Wall one
also could see the Mount of Olives
and Gethsemane, beautiful in the
soft light of the winter sun. A
little beyond, in that great wadi
or canyon, runs the river Jordan, in
whose waters Jesus was baptized
by John.
Farther away on the horizon to
the East is the mountain on which
Moses stood and looked with longing
eyes toward the promised land
which he never was to tread.
Later l followed the steps OF
Jesus as He carried His cross along
the narrow thoroughfare-via Dolo-
roSa-which finally climbed sharply
upward with many steps TO Calvary
Within the neighboring Church oil
the Holy Sepulchre is the tomb In
which He was buried.
Over on the hillside just east oi
Jerusalem I stood by the spot from
which He aScended into heaven anC
by the great stone which they tel
us was the scene of His agony N
Gethsemane. There Is the parder
stands gnarled olive tree that /.
supposed to be 1000 years OLD. al.
though it still puts out green leaves
Wealth Of Christmas Atmosphere.
Having seen historic Jerusalem,
came TO Bethlehem Here. in tn,
quiet OF this historic city SuIToundec
by hallowed places associated witt
The birth OF Christ, one should finc
inspiration for Christmas story
There is the hillside where Shep.
herds tended Their fiocks. Acros,
that crest. looking eastward. thre,
wise men must have followed tn,
star until 1t rested over the manger
Down in the caverns which
formed the stables of Bethlehem!
crowded inn we find the stone niche
in which the Christ child was sale
TO have been born: few feet away
stood the manger in which he wa.
placed.
Certainly there is wealth O.
Christmas atmosphere-but still
that inspiration is lacking
There is foreign note that seems
10 jar. Perhaps it's the steelv clack
of military boots on the f1agstones
OF the underground stable and ot
the Church of the Nativity which
has been built over this holy place
This year the Christmas tourists
are chiefly soldiers. Some bear marks
OF the bloody argument by which
the world Is trying TO settle its diff
terenceS. Others still have TO Offer
their lives on battlefields.
mat doeSn encourage the
thought OF peace on earth and gooc
Will among men.
Fighting for Christianity.
Still, we might take as the thel>
OF our message the thought tnal
these soldiers who kneel so rever-
entity before the sacred relics ant
altars are fighting among Other
things for Christianity.
Only a few weeks ago IN the Brit.