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Show WIRACLE OF THE THORN STAFF Pretty Legend of Ancient Britain That Is Often Repeated In England Eng-land at Christmas Tims. It Is one of the prettiest leRcnds of ancient Hrltain the old Christmas story of the thorn of (Jlnstonbury. William of Malincshury, the chronicler, :oUI It hundreds of years ago In his "Antiques of C.lnstonbury." It la repented re-pented often at Christmas time In England The legend tells how Joseph of Arl-inatbea, Arl-inatbea, was so persecuted by Pontius I'llate, because be bad laid away the body of Christ In his sepulcher, that he fled to Caul, carrying with him under un-der a cloth of mystlenl white samite, the Holy Crall. In (!nul he found the Apostle Philip, prenchlng to the heathen, heath-en, and he rested with him n few days. One night a radiant light awakened I. mi, and an angel hade him go to Hrltain and preach the Rind tidings to King Arvlgatrus; and, where a Christ-Mas Christ-Mas miracle should eomo to pass, there to build a church. He and a band of followers followed fol-lowed the instructions of the angel, nnd Arvlgntriw Rnve them the Isle of Avnlon, nnd bade them erect an nit :ir there to the new (!od. It was n beautiful beau-tiful gift. The tiny Isle lay warm In a verdant valley. Sparkling waves oftly lapped Its shore. Soft bree7.es played In Its trees, nnd nowhere was the sky so blue as over Avalon. When they renehed the top of the hill Called Weary All. Joseph planted his thorn staff he had carried with him on his long Journeys over land and sen, deep Into the ground, and lo It took root, and Immediately there blossomed a bush of beautiful white llowers. "This Is where we will build our church," the pood man said, nnd ". at Glastonbury Abbey for so Avalon Is known today the thorn hushes bloom white at each Christians time, lend their fragrance to (he frosty air, and remind all who see them of the Christmas miracle. |