| Show TRUTH AND ND PAUI 11 HI a VJ 7 0 72 r DJ C n 11 10 S cIL UT 11 YEAR n n V 11 i ir r V i r 4 r Chr a r Day Ira In Bethlehem JR R week eck there ther has I been tt l steady curr I rent ot of travel from many parts or of the I world lit in the or of Bethlehem and Christmas day will find 1111 within the atell of at that quaint city lit In the Maly Laud n a throng thronA eager to do reverence to tho t In the tho very grotto wherein hI bra hartl 1 In Inthe n the earlY cent centuries flocked to Bethlehem In great Ireat crowds anti lind ni III though the tho custom or at fT Ire a g es Is to extent a thing ot n t the pas I there then are arc always nt ur rivals upon the approach ot of the nn 11 cred nry to the tho little lUle littletown town with It a livelier aspect than It 11 dla plays playa at nn an other time ot of the tho year The Inhabitants usually imbued with the stolidity and common to oriental peoples furbish their and bazaars and make mak preparations to welcome and It must with regret legret he het t admitted to fleece neece the tho unwary visitors from distant lands To th llie r the city 1 ant a spectacle of at great Interest throughout the Christmas which owing to a difference In calendar extend over a fortnight Dy By night and by day the town le Is all life of at every variety ot of commodity unitinG ranging from rom pumpkin seeds to rosaries parade the streets proclaIming their wares In Mn tent dent ten Ill and besieging with witha a Y that seems to threat threaten en n bodily harm In the call called called ed cafes cates by beat by the hour or produce equally ear splitting mush by means ot of members ot of rival I neon quarrel to In a way that the tho of at their for and evokes disdainful sneers iron the who stalk In and am out at ot the he picturesquely attired groups o of natives Over all hang the tho or of the tho workshops hag ba convents churches places n a motley nod yet pl not lug assembly of at varicolored structures rl t n M ne e ot nt greatest activity n t Clist nl Is t the he fit of the tho Nativity built buill over the grotto or ancient Savo IIVO stub In revered ts as till the of oC Christ I From rom an sea tIe sl n there thero Is little that la attractive shout this place or of war wor worship ship for tor It le I In III part In anI and pre cents exteriorly n IL rather rathor barren harren for tor forbidding bidding It III ono of at the oldest types ot of architecture having been built by the Emperor 1 Constantine In the fourth century The nave naven which n filch will inn 1 tallY 1000 pea pie plc la Is adorned with Corinthian col columnA contains the remains of at some on wood and mosaic and Is separated tram from the tho by 1 a wall which wall built hy by tIm thA Creeks In 1842 1812 ma an act that evoked 1 a chorus or of from art urt lovers the world over oer Adjoining the tho church are arc three con can convents vents owned by the tho Roman Homan Catholic Orthodox Creek and Armenian dons nil all three utilizing tho church for tor their The sacred grotto located In the crypt ot of the tho church Is 18 the tho real Mecca or of the pilgrims and It Is III seldom with without out nut vIsitors at any hour or of the day or night An armed Turkish soldier Is III al always always ways present the tho authorities alleging that Ifs hlA 1 presence Is necessary to beep the members of at tin tho various Christian sects from tearing ono one another to pieces The grotto Is III by u a uJ ut J t t deep stairway and Is so small that It will accommodate but few tew people at n time being but feet long b by about ten feet wide The walls are cow cov ered d with marble marblo and rIch hangings winch whIch can bl be teen cen but In inthe the tho dUn light ot of the tho silver lamps the tho vault The C a tt alt t spot II where th the ln Mary Is said to have laid the Infant ChrIst Is marled marked b by a I silver star otar above which runs tuns the In Inscription In hero Jesus Christ was born of at the Virgin Mary There re are two altars one belonging to the tho church the tha to the tho and throughout lire tho Christ p u J I I acs 1 tea JI eI 1 tat W II I t 1 i 9 1 Pil I II 1 1 ee M M G df f 5 1 7 p er tf t ta I I I 1 rF I aS i rL i 1 r I a wt a t f Y r L el t tt J r J i l t s f 1 r rr I r 1 r r rS rJ r S J 1 CHRISTMAS PROCESSION AT BETHLEHEM mss mas se sermon lIon worshipers are continually to ho be found at both bothA A marrow passage runs tram from the tho grotto rot to to a little underground I L cell which Is I al also o J h by hll mist t mUll pilgrims flere It II was lint or ot of the tho moat of oC the early curly Chris the St 81 Jerome spent thirty years earH ot of his hili It I by the tho light of oC oCa ofa a candle the tho tlona hove have the tho Chrls tian world he died he wa wad Ing III III ht the tho grotto ho hal hail so long labored mad ond few ow III are the tho tourists who lease wIthout paying u visit to hl hit gents cra n there therl nr 1111 Brent rell In the shunts It throughout the th sensor to celebration o of Ch the Greek Grelk and All Allare Allare are by II a wraith or of cere ceremony mony and anel Ole ae very 11 lengthy The French consul attends this the Roman h heading a ar i r n ot of tee 1111 unI 1 people ot of the 11 wiry rho Iu h conies however at l the tho lr k h k III of 1111 Int interest r lIt to from rom wl t rn a an cur h 13 hour the tho church Is 18 besieged by 1111 iliA many of more especially tho thorn tram from Russia e Hr ot of vantage hours the n are 1110 areto to ht begin ln There IH l a 11 steady stream tt to and ancl from the grotto rotto the worshipers crowding In ot at Imminent rash or of being I overcome by the vitiated air Sturdy guards fled It nn an arduous halt to keep n a pa passage s go clear for tor the clergy to rc the westerner the scene is In one ot of contu sian elan worse confounded for tor the people while 1 way away the hours or of waiting by bl smoking chatting and not In Infrequently frequently b by quarreling With the beginning or of the mats a certain measure or of order Is ob obtained but It mUst be said raid that there Is nothing like the air of at devotion which marks mark church services In Anglo Saxon countries This Is In part duo duoto duoto to the tact that at the different altars In the church priests ts ot of different sects are The Armenian altars have been placed lit at the disposal of at atthe the Copte and whose Christ Christmas mn mas falls on the tho same day all as that ot of J the Greeks the o 0 Bt L hang In 10 shrill III ear splitting voices 1 In 1 a must t din l cord with the tho har harsh h tones tonel of oC the Greek F liturgy The rho seldom fOnd end beg be a arote rote rOle 2 In the and then mass 1 a magnificent pro through th church 1 Outdoors the tho p people opt who have rat been able to secure hl Ingress r are keeping vigil t 11 Bonfires Illuminations and fire make malo the city 1 a scene ot of great i brilliancy There are arl processions lolu and t to 10 sacred spots and not until dawn do the pea people pI think of i 1 seeking t hor beds els thus III fe u h JId tn in at al th the ancient lotus n ot of IJ III holl i W |
