OCR Text |
Show Newspaper Editor Writes Modern Yersion Of The Birth Of Christ Story (Editor's Note In a news-writing contest for the best story In modern form of the Birth of Christ, the National Editorial as-' as-' sociation awarded the prize for 1 the following story submitted by ' Frank Brutto of the Evanston Daily News, Evanston, Illinois:) Christ Is Born Christ was born last night. While thousands who for generations had awaited His birth slept and were unaware the promised pro-mised Redeemer of mankind came into the world. Not with fanfare. Not with kingly pomp. Not heralded by armies which so many of His people in recent years had Imagined would accompany accom-pany His coming to deliver them from the bondage of a foreicrn empire and to restore to them the ful glory of Solomon and his temple. But humbly, with sheep and goats for attendants, lie was born in a stable, because there was no room in the inn of Bethlehem. Thus the words of the Prophet Micah were fulfilled: "And thou Bethlehem the land of Juda art not the least among the princes of Juda; for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people of Israel." And Mary, His mother, wrapped Ilim in swaddling clothes und laid Him in a manager, because it was cold in the Ft able. Outside the streets of Bethlehem were silent, quiet. All day there had been clamor in the streets for here, too, as j in all of the Roman empire, people j have returned to le registered In the city of their birth. VNVVV'? Merchant princes from Achzlb EVJ I (Continuefi on pwte thre) Newspaper Editor Writes Modern Version Of The Birth Of Christ Story (Continued from first page) in Galiee and bankers from Jerusalem Jeru-salem with their followers and bodyguards, and beggars from Samaria with their lice and their rags. All day the streets of Bethlehem resounded with the rumble of wheels and the clatter of sandeled feet. But last night the streets were strangely quiet. None of these merchants or bankers, or even beggars knew of the birth of Christ. They were asleep. Word of the birth was brought to this city last night by shepherds who had been tending their flocks on the outskirts of Bethlehem. These men brought the glad tidings, 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, I bring you good tidings of great joy, that shall be to all the people. "For this day is born to you a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord, in the city of David. "And this shall be a sign to you; you shall find the infant wrapped in swaddling clothes, and laid in a manger." And so, the shepherds, said, they left their flocks on the hillside and came to Bethlehem, the city of David, to find the child. And when they came to the inn of the city, the boldest of them stepped up to the door and knocked. knock-ed. No one answered. He knocked more loudly, and there was a lumbering noise on the inside, and soon the door was opened a crack and the innkeeper asked them, angry: "What is this racket? Who are you? There are no rooms . . . do you hear . . . not a single room ... go away." "But . . ." began one of the shepherds. 1 "Not a room." "But, we don't want a room." "Not want a room, then why are you knocking here? Don't you know this is an inn?" "We are looking for the Christ," very simply. "The Christ?" "Yes, we have seen His angel." The innkeeper opened the door a trifle wider and blinked an eye at them. Then he reared back his head, opened his mouth and laughed laugh-ed a lusty shout of a laugh. "Ho . . . ho . . . hoooo, the Christ." He caught his breath, and then shouted at them, "And I suppose you think I have Him under my roof. Ho . . . ho." He ran a chubby hand through his thinning hair. "That," he told the shepherds, "is the best one I've heard since the enrollment order. 'So all might be registered,' they said. So none may escape the tax collector, say I. . . . But why do I talk to you fellows ? "Listen, you, when the Christ is born we shall know it, yes, we'll all know it . '-. . There will be something to shout about, believe me. . . . And there will be plenty to hear. He'll be a leader, do you hear ... a strong leader, do you but why do I talk to you; listen, go away." The innkeeper rubbed his hands and began to close the door. "But we are looking for the Christ; we have seen His angel," said one of the younger shepherds boldly. "Has no one come this way?" "No go a w a y y o u ' 1 1 dis-trub dis-trub . . ." "The angel said we would find the child in a manger." "In a manger . . . hmmm . . ." the innkeeper mused. "Why," he said remembering, "there were two people here earlier in the evening. A man and a girl. The girl was on an ass. "Yes, I had forgotten. The man asked for a room. But I told him what I'm telling you . . . there is no room. I remember he nearly cried. The girl seemed very tired, but I didn't see her face. Yes. I remember them. I felt sorry for them, but there was no room. I told them they could go into the stable. But they had no child. "Now will you go. It's cold out here." The innkeeper looked at the shepherds and chuckled. 'The Christ . . . ho . . . ho ., . ." He closed the door. Again the night was very still. Stars shone brightly on Bethlehem, Bethle-hem, and it was cold. For a moment the shepherds were afraid. "Maybe," suggested one of them, "We have been wrong. "Don't say that. Remember there was the angel . . . and the sign given us. Let's go to the stable." They jostled themselves in their eagerness. Softly they entered. There was a candle stuck in the crude wall, and it cast a feeble glow. Beneath its flickering light they saw Mary and Joseph of Nazareth, and then, drawing nearer, they saw the Child, wrapped in swaddling swad-dling clothes and laid in the manger, man-ger, as the angel had told them. It was quiet. The world was hushed. The clang of the swords of Rome fell far, far away, and the shout of the tax collector and the laugh of the innkeeper were lost and forgotten. It was so quiet that the shepherds shep-herds could hear the breath of the beasts, gently drawn, and could see it like a mist in the cold light of the candle. And they knelt, there in the stable, and worshipped. |