Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-04
5rHi.a ann Gia UtntrH

widow, the fancee was placed under the
Jurisdiction of her betrothed husband
The man could take possession of his
future wife while she was still in fer
fathers house and children born in those
circumstances were legitimate.
1t follows that fidelity was strict obliga-
ton during their prenuptial period, un-
faithfulneSs was equivalent to adultery and
II denounced by the betrothed husband, 1t
carried for the woman the penalty laid
down by Deuteronomy (xxii, 23); death.
When Mary had conceived before they
came together" Joseph, her husband, being
just man and not willing to make her q
public example, was minded to put her
away privily.
But while he thought on these things.
behold, the angel Of the Lord appeared
unto him in a dream saying, Joseph, thou
son of David, fear not to take unto thee
Mary thy wife, for that which Is conceived
In her is of the Holy Ghost"
Just as Mary accepted the words Of the
angel, Joseph accepted the revelation Of the
dream. They reverted at once to the super
natural world Of the Old Testament in
which contact with the divine power was
to men who were humble and obedient.
At the entrance of the town of Bethlehem,
there was, for the reception of visitors. q
large building which st. Luke has called
an inn.
Perhaps 1t was that same "kahn Of
Canaan" which the Gileadite. the son Of a
friend Of David, had built for his focks
some 10 centuries before. This type Of
caravanserai, which Is still to be found in
Oriental countries, is very far from COM
Portable; there is a square Enclosure. open
to the sky, for the cattle, and wooden
porch which offers Indifferent shelter for
human beings, together with very few
rooms to rent, extremely small and Excess
sively expensive for their quality.
Overpacked With Humanity
Even this "hotel," most Of 1t exposed to
the four winds of heaven, would have been
welcome to the weary pair Of travellers If
there had been room among the crowd for
them.
But 1t was packed full of those nomads
who came regularly to Bethlehem to buy
their grain and to sell their woven cloth
and their cheeses, as they still do today,
and there would be, in addition, all those
who had come to Bethlehem for the census.
1t Is easy to visualize the picturesque
confusion, wagons piled up, the noisy and
smelly crowd of tethered camels straining
at each other. braying donkeys, women
disputing possession Of a corner sheltered
from the drafts.
Over all this varied assemblage would
float that enveloping smell Of hot grease
which, from Greece to Egypt and from
Algiers to Teheran, Is invariably exuded
by an Oriental crowd. We can well UNDER
stand that Joseph sought to take Mary
away from all this.
There was very little time, for "the days
were accomplished that she should be
delivered" The most ancient tradition says
that Joseph installed his wife in cave
such as was used, and still is used, to shelter
sheep and cattle. The hills around Beth
lehem are full of them.
One short verse in the Gospel Of st. Luke
d. y tells us all that we know definitely
about this stupendous, yet simple event.
And she brought forth her first born
son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes,
and laid him in a manager because there
was no room for them in the inn"
The manger must have been like one Of