Show Fi Journey to Bethlehem Not Like Today's Travel JI to our swift swit and i modern transportation it is JL X difficult to visualize the hardships hardships hard hard- ships of that journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem or the great fatigue and weariness suffered by Mary and Joseph Consternation filled their hearts ot nt the decree of Caesar yet there was nothing to do but obey the summons They must make the thelong thelong thelong long tiresome journey and at once No shining motor car waited outside outside outside out out- side their gate no winged silver-winged plane stood throbbing in a nearby field not even the meanest oxcart cart was available While others rode by in gorgeous caravans a patient little donkey was their only means of transportation We can imagine the tall and bearded Joseph leading the animal along glancing back every every every ev ev- ev- ev ery now and then with words of ot cheer and encouragement for Mary or pointing out some landmark along the way Behind them now was the Sea of ot Galilee and Mt Tabor Through the plain of at they labored then came the rough and uneven trail through Samaria where even the sure-footed sure donkey stumbled at at times To the west the Jordan ran its course to empty farther south into the Dead sea Along their way they passed many places whose names would be known and revered around the world in the dim future Did Mary have a vision as she went by that one day the Son whom she was about to bear would go up and down this country preaching preaching preaching preach preach- ing a new Gospel of love and peace and hope for man and that His birth would be held in happy and blessed remembrance by all the peoples of the earth until time would be no more more Katherine Katherine Edelman p Western Newspaper Union A |