Show NO STAR TO GUIDE THE possibility THAT ESCAPED THE WOMEN OP OF BETHLEHEM borne some name might have rang through all ages had she but known the sp nt rit of christ mas hospital ty HE child born in the stable of bethlehem because there was DO no room for them in the inn was heralded by angels to the shepherds and by a star to the wise men but no voice told the mothers of Bethi enem of the wonder which was happening in their town that suppose some gentle woman bad had met joseph and mary on that won darful day as they entered the town and had said to them our streets are full of homeless strangers come you and bide with me by that sim pie act of hospitality her name would have been written high high among the names of earth earths s happiest folk blessed Is she we should have cried to whose home the christmas joy first came but the women of the judean town did not know to throw wide their doors an and d bring in the worlds gratitude and love says the youth youths s companion so the child was laid in a manger and oblivion holds the names of all the women in bethlehem who slept that night beneath the wings of wondering engels angels had the but known year by year for 19 centuries the story of the night at bethlehem has been told and retold today to day no house hold in chr n town or vil lage or on distant prairie can plead the ignorance in wh ch bethlehem then lay it if the door is shut on the christ child to day it is not from lack ot of knowledge but from churlish ness or indifference the christmas spirit speaks in many voices the sprig of holly or the P plum um pudding the tree laden with gifts or the cheer tor for the lonely these are all the world worlds s way of say ing to the mother and the holy child abide with us barred out alike from cottage and palace and inn in palestine the hope of the world renews his appeal each christmas tide to our modern chris tian world by the very pathos of the first christmas the heart is softened and prepared to give him welcome to day there is no heralding angel or guiding star no ear may hear his coming but in this world of sin wl ere meek souls bouls will u ill receive him still the dear christ enters in |