Show M aa 1 D wa N RN WO THOUSAND YEARS A faustus caesar issued a decree that all the world wa A th thus us joseph to r is brothed tro thed from the home of her vill mother ann in je J nd d to r bethlehem to pay their 6 c 6 atol A A taxes aes now the way wa w s siam acs ics mary seated sidewise on a small donke yAv 1 I I 1 i abel bigings tied in a cloth hanging 7 across the 0 11 k ing beside her found tuy their way 4 91 nar s t s of ancient jerusalem i Z through the jop r ff G m n in inthe lie valley of gihon j then up to h i or v r sh es tines hill country and on to the plain of rephraim Rep haim bidwa midway PI t ey probably paused beside the road to MO drink from a well they did not w well 0 be ailed the well of the M R I 1 rl wa I 1 E 3 A magi because the three wise sh shepherds Shap ai P Herds aulds follo following i G oo 00 1 would stop theve R to drink and to see the star reflected in the w waters rei d I 1 a pled by came to 7 5 am bethlehem in search of jesus the son soon to e b 1 l joseph and mary were humble and f fin e y gazed hap 4 x mgt across the well cultivated terraced ss t e e ds abe h ds guarded their flocks noted the old stone watch towers where th barrners larr ners anc nd shepherds could go 71 to look far across their lands in all directions tah en ahey irria 64 h city of bethlehem akl a small and humble village whose rock walls walis orblea street sV nd buildings showed an C kh I 1 r once INEN R W wip AY Z gray an nd d uninviting N the man and woman wende d t r way t rough th 01 ayer u kw the bazaars and found the inn wh ere S igli gi 14 people were havi having ing t s beep xa YS ide now mar marzavas Mary was Avas wk with h child and joseph wanted 71 14 to protect her and make make her co comfortable f sr t b but t n no 9 room was t to b be had so the couple sought 11 shelter in the stab stable ae beside thea taivy fl do n ke T the J stable estable was a cave or grotto in in the rocks with crude wooden mangers fil hay a kv y H here in the year yeara 4 B BC C the thirty third y witch vt year of the reign of herod the geita great Jesu nazareth irith was born mary wrapped 1 ed him in it i A A W y vrr y swaddling alb clothes thes and laid hii H im ai ci in r aam aminger nget sherette SHe e rethe shepherds ep er s to w whom om ange angels s had a I 1 ll 11 J 7 1 I 1 announced the births C ame to kneel I 1 low mb beside side t humble bed an and lay their gifts MIR 0 rr 4 layr ti before the babe whom they adored 1 om B because ause this babe was wa born the v hole wor c rejoices and celebrates christmas joy peace lo 10 lovei ty eally allt s t h e great ruths of C h r me to the world with his birth the boisis basis of nio modern dern civilization civili i lies in thy little town 0 oBeth bethlehem eth lehem LA ev even e n as the wise men 2000 years ago 0 m mac a e their way t to the rine so pilgrims tourists believers and non believers journ journey loday toda ac across s the self ife sanie road still the main A bowl RM a artery of communication between jerus jerusalem ana n all the southern out n art of israel they see the well of the magi the terraced gardens gard the e shepherds ep herds fieldsend field id sand nd the old old watch towers the highway is now smoothly 10 ethl ly pavels e che ie travale too often ride in luxurious man M ii motor cars but they still pass cara caravans is of camels and ases and see pedestrians garbed in costumes of many lands for p ilg ri ca fr from near and far to the holy g land particularly to ancient bethlehem whose grayness has increased with centuries kiy NE r of dust and erosion on its leaden hued stones but dull as is its outward appearance few k agy V approach the city without a thrill of reverence and awe without renewing acquaintance alf 1 0 with the holy scriptures and gaining inspiration and faith today they cross the lively bazaars where objects of piety made of shells mother of pearl and olive wood have wide space among the foodstuffs food stuffs and goods for sale they go to the church of the T nativity Bethle hems greatest relic of antiquity in A D constantine built this basilica above what is believed to be the grotto stable in which christ was born the church looks like a fortress and its entrance door is so small even a short person must v stoop to enter it was made thus not as some say to cause thoughts of humility and y reverence beveren CC upon entering so holy a place but to prevent the ancient S saracena saracens Sara arac cens e ns and turks isk w 4 when they were in power from desecrating dese crating the place with cattle five different nationalities 1 21 1 om 1 T N 0 of christians now guard this church and hold services here the place is strikingly in gly simple the greek orthodox and the armenian and syrian churches occupy the main floor two circular stairways lead to the dark caves below there is a chapel in h the grotto on the floor is a great silver star with silver nails over a hollow where mary is said to have given birth to jesus around the star is the inscription RAI M par as hc de virgine maria jesus ahn christus natus est 36 fifteen silver lamps unceasingly burn day and night over this holy place four belong to the gatins six to the greek orthodox and five to the armenians Armen ians and syrians syr i ans representatives senta tives from many christian nations kneel in common before the little altar Sel seldom domis is the grotto without worshippers wor shippers whether or not they believe this to be the authentic S spot of the nativity it carries the atmosphere of holiness and spiritual spirituality i ty the handsome 0 1 proud pr oud natives of bethlehem seem always a happy people but at christmas time bethlehem e radiates joy al D western newspaper uj union r i 0 J ZI wiry a V m Q q A it x RN m k a R W rl alj 1 N tv |