THE CHINA MAIL, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 12, 1959.
JERUSALEM!
IT was a thing to see.
The road out of Bethany threw a tawny girdle around the hill they called The Mount of Olives, and the little parties came up slowly out of the cast. They came from all corners of the country in obedience to Caesar Augustus tcho had ordered all his subjects to return to the cities of their fathers and there be counted for the purpose of levying an equitable tuz.
Among those parties was Joseph, a 10-year-old carpenter, and his wife Mary who was fifteen. Mary, awaying with fatigue and large with child, sut on the jogging back of their usa us they reached the top of the rise.
she
"Jerusalem," Joseph said, pointing. She looked. The wonder of what saw caused the nausea to fade. Her eyes lost the glazed look. Joseph opened his mouth again, but what his cyca Baię made his mind drunk and atilled his tongue....
The late sun was ahead, across the hill behind Jerusalem. The city was a white jewel pronged by the great stone wall around it. Joseph pulled the ass to the side of the road because the pilgrims behind him were shouting. Without turning from the scene, he moved back along the flank of the ass until he touched Mary's hand. “Jerusalem,” he said again. He said it as though it was an earthly anteroom to paradise, as indeed it was.
The sun would be gone in ten minutes and there was much to see because he could not stay in Jerusalem. His destination, Bethlehem, was still five miles to the south, but he did not mind the night walk if he could stop a moment and drink in all of this and remember it when he was old as sharply as though he was still standing on the side of the Mount of Olives, directly above a little olive press called Gethsemane.
where
וגידי
171
Bs eyes, and Mary's ton, moved little starting gunees, and they longed to exclaim each other but there
This was words,
Goxi lived. They
143341 bad anany times that He did not live in the little synagogues around the country of Judea and far out in the diaspora. The synagogues were there to remind the Jews of God, to reine them of their duty never to live
Thank ninety days travel front Great Temple of Jerusalem, nover to fail, whenever porrible. to go to Jerusalem for the Pass- Each year at the time of OVET. the first sedler, 300,000 Jewn lived in the city and in the Jilly fields around it.
more
Sacrifice
Was
the Valley of Below Kidron, with the full little river running cold below the cast wall tif
the temple. Grey-blue ole hung still in the sky over the temple poper. These were the last sacrifles of the day, the on the altar last baby lambs
- Inside, there were 7,000 levitrai priests to azortain 1 ch Jamb, before gucrifice, was with- out blemish, and in the court- yards to the north were animals und bird to be bought for sacriflee.
The Porch of Soloman faced them
nuuble walk and the
glorning columns like teeth
3 700-foot mouth. Down the side of the
corinthian
ok across the enclosed city and see Herod's palace on the far de a little south of The place called Golgotha..
the
PART TWO
was
The Nativity
Of Jesus
— By JIM BISHOP
thing of beauty glittering in the late sun-fearful and exquisito..
JERUSALEM today, still a beautiful pe on that
Christmas day almost 2,000 years ago.
Marriage
Gentiles. Non-believers hills between Jerusalem, and and the women could walk this for. The next Bethlehem. inner walk was called the Cour It was soon nighi, und moon- of Israel Sigis proclaimed that any non-believer who walked this far in the temple was liable 10 death.
Colour
great templa Was thr snow, The sin needed washing and, Stone wati, hung with a cluster long after Solomon repented. two nations of solid gold grapes four stories the Jews split into high. In the valley, the Golden Juda nd Lruel-and the Gate and the Fountain Gate Babylonians defeated them and slowly regurgitated the last of reduced the walls of Jerusalem. the temple pilgrims for the day Now the Jews were the chat- Roman emperors and the From their heacht, they could tels
Caesars appointed the Herods kings to rule the people.
The Herod who sat in that the palace on the far side of
Then came the smaller court city proclaimed himself a Jew of priests, and beyond the
but temple itself. This consisted and made daily racrifices.
The outer he was not even a good hypo- twa buge chambers. crite.
the Joseph had heard was the Holy-the inner was the elders talk about it in Nazareth, Holy of Holles. In front of the and they averted their eyes Holy was a heavy vců cm- the known when they recited his crimes. broidered with all
rich He bent his knee to Rome. He flowers of the carth,
after colour, and a variety of the married Marianne, and,
Herod fruita of the corti she bore him two sons, became piqued and had the "Darkness is upon us,”
Fald three slain. He married $ra times and he was so cruel that
35
Softly. haltingly,
Joseph found his votee
be and, as drank In the exquisite and almost fearful beauty, he began to tell the story to his wife.
She
The KIKW
story well she, but she listen-
dutifully, interjecting cri
thure, word here and question. He reminded her that he came of the family of David, even though hi branch small and poo. It was David's son Solemon who had built this. canmissioned Hiram, Me and
years,
nvest.
Uf
ጎ
WAR
the King of Tyre, to draw the plans and do the engineering, The work was finished in seven muracle of good- The emple wils on Oman's Rock. 11 was 1,600 feet long and 970 feet witle. The bigger the temple rot, the more emote Salomon felt from God
the solace and he needed
of women, 50 Ort the Mount Offense to the left he had built a pature and placed threin five hundred concubines.
of alabaster of spires
glinted pink in
He built sun.
the
and
Acroes
L
it
of
less. Joseph treaded stumbling on stones
slowly. underfoo!
was mɔin-
vin?"
laken, perhaps to a far of place, never medin
molher
to
her
ani her
father archan Joseph7
She said nothing. She tried to look Away, not only be cause of terror but beenuse it was con- idered bad manners in Juden for one to
stare directly in the eyes of another, but her ESTE were
magactised Shc stored, and lowered her eyes, and stared ngala
Gubriel's Votoc softened. "Do not tremble, Mary," he "You have
found favour in the eyes of God. Behold: you sro to be mother and to bear ason, and to call Joseph knew her, even though qiidushin has the Anulity or
Once All marriage.
the marriage
He Jum Jesus. he was four years older.
the contract was negotiated, even will be great; 'Son of the Nort houses in Nazareth were same neighbourhood because it though the marriage ceremony Iligh' will be His tile. and the. was a small town. The biggest had not occurred the bride Lord God will give to Him the could not be rid throne of his father, David. Ho that event
could occur in groom-to-be
father Nazareth was for a
will be king over the house of to of his betrothed except through
The giddushin, in Jacob forever, and to his king- take his children to the nearby divorce. Creek elty of Sepphoria to shop Judea, also entitled the couple ship there will be no end."... The works did not molly in the bazaars. The people were to lawful sexual relations, even
Mary.
Vaguely, she understood kull closely in their daily lives, though each of the parties was with his
that she was to be the mother of met in the still living at home
in the However, parents.
a king of kings, but who might morning at the village well.
rountry of Galilee and south, the
this be and how could it occur the had people
renounced
when she was pol even married? than 500 years privilage more
"How will this be," she said and wondering how much of a When Mary reached her thir- before, and purity
was per- tained through the final morri- shyiv, since I remain a viT- be if brigands teenth birthday, it man he would
for her in nge vows. sprang out of the dark. 'There, missible to ask
between Still, if Joseph 'died was lite traffic on the road; a marriage. The proper form
and marriage, Mary few transients who lived near followed. Joseph first asked his giddushin
his legal been Jerusalem hurried by, trying to parents if he could marry Mary, would have reach home without spending an Be was seventeen, an apprentice widow.
carpenter in the neighbourhood another man had knowledge of extra night under the stars.
Something happened suddenly and more than 4 year away her, Mary to Mary and she knew in a mo- from having his own shop. It punished as an adultress.
that the was assumed
2 serious waiting time was spent, accord- ment that this would be night of the baby. She asked minded young Jew of seventeen ing to custom, in shopping for
a small home and furniture. The shadow you. For this reason the Joseph to stop and he became was a responsible adult. alarmes and asked if she was
Joseph's parents discussed the issuin, or wedding ceremony, child to be born will be acclaim- unquiet.
mentier of marriage and, in time, was almost anticlimactic. A big ed 'Holy' and 'Son of God'. She ceremony was the now understood the words, but she said, " Jee! no "No."
paid a formal call on Mary's part of the
to her bewilder- pain, but te must find an lun.
parents The entire neighbour solemn welcome of the bride- they added
What the angel was say- what groin to his bridge at the door ment in advance The baby-with God's help hood knew
ing, she reasoned, Was some- negotiations were at hand, and, of his new home.
had will be born tonight.”
thing for which the Jews from draped doorway to draped
A been waiting for centuries: discussed doorway, the women
messiah, a saviour, God come to ngo, Mary shook her head. Not earth as He had promised long to her. No: to her.
Frightened
Joseph was frightened. He know nothing of these things.
Was
it as they washed the stones in front of their houses. Mary was
the
Specific
It was Gabriel's tum to be- If in the same period come speciñe. He stood in soft malance in the room and ex- would have been plained.
The Holy Spirit will The
come upon you, and the power of the Most High will
The visit
Throughout the engagement,
Was
over-
Mary, She had a feeling of foreboding. She wanted to pro- Caesar Augustus in Rome said cred to Bethlehem for no rea- she 4*3# that i was safer to be Herd's son other than that pig than Herod's son. This was trembling and the baby was un-
a rereligious joke on the diet- usually quiet.
and Juseph did not
stopped ary laws,
Joseph
in mid-
not supposed to know of the Mury, of course, lived with her like to repeat
peech, He- krew that sho
The thinking Mary did about matter, but had ex-facto know- parents and accepted the daily
and chores set out for hre
Gabriel sensed that the child Still--how could one say it would interrupt him unless
the events leading to this right ledge of it all along and
more pront. "Note, he had also done
of happy made known her wishes to her good things there was a reason. Be asked if
were a kaleidoscope
At a time midway between needed and
and formal moreover," he said, "your re for God. He had paid ten thou- she desired to get down
and mysterious and supernatur- mother and father. Joseph, who
engagement Hand workmen to repair the have privacy. She said no and. al things calculated to unnerve thought it was a deep pending marriage, Mary was alone one lative Elizabeth, in her old age,
was amazed and em- temple and rebuild the walls of without further conversation, be
the most serene young lady in secret,
day and
visited by the has also conceived a son and is in her sixth month-she Jerusalem. He made temple led the ass westward into the the world. To have a frat baby barrassed to find that the boss angel Gabriel. She was alarmed, now
tradesmon and they valley
the little is, in itself, a towering
'The barren.' carpenter and ward-
but
as who was called not to be
is impossible have Nothing indeed morning wooden bridge over the Kidron usa jay, a living proof of the were not only aware of his
frightened as she would a great outer and beneath the great wall of
sad wishes, but looked at him arch- & most common miracle,
been had she not heard stories with God." of such visit by the elders. Her portico around the temple and the city and then by the Valley tenderness to constrict the heart 17. stroked their beards, and
to the eyes lowered this was called The Court of of Hinnom and on up to the and mist the eyes. To give made him the butt of
Mary was living in the last of earthen floor, and her head in- birth to a first born who is God ing Josts.
the days of the great prophets, clined too. She comprehended; and the Son of God and the The parents engaged in their
visions, the visita. She also understood that the the great Second Person of the Holy formal discussion. IL Wus tions.
angel had told her about her old Trinity is, at age fifteen or any necessary, as part of the little
Gabriel stood before her and Aunt Elizabeth, whom she had that greater age, a greater responsi- ceremonial, to talk of a dowry,
of not seen in some time, so saw a dark, modest child bility than any man ever bore, but Mary's people had пове.
the fruitfulness fourteen
child
of her kins- "Rejoice,
of an enormity of weight which Their economic status was no
would be the earthly could be maintained only by one better, no worse, thun Joseph's; grace," he said. "The Lord is woman
proof to the heavenly You are blessed seal of too young to appreciate it to it as long as the man of the house
nen Mary did words. She, a young virgin, was fullest.
remained in good health, they beyond all worden,"
not like the sound of the last to be blessed by the Holy Spirit Mary was born and raised in would not starve.
Her hands began to dad
und she would bear a male Nazareth, the child of an aver- When the two
mothers and sentence.
would be God, Ii age family. She played on the two inther "Wor
agreed, the shake. Why should she, a little child who
enormous honour, bu! country girl, be blessed beyond was an aceis, as the other children giddushin took place. This is a
all women? Did it mean that she she had been taught to accept did, and she was subject to the formal betrothal, and much more
binding average parental discipline.
than any other.
was about to die? Was she being, and obey the will of God from moments of early
KODAK SUGGESTS A
"Give and Take
CHRISTMAS
Give
Take
KODAK GIFTS FOR A
PICTURES TO SAVE
HAPPY CHRISTMAS.
AND SHARE THE FUN.
C09
KODAK Duaflex I FLash outfit
FARUNA REPLER S
RETINA REFLEX S CAMERA
BROWNIE HOLIDAY CAMERA
BROWNIE Starflex OUTFIT
THE Revlon
R
unmil-
The
your helper.
CHRISTMAS COLLECTION...
gifts of sheer elegance
"AQUAMARINE'....
The fight sparkling Fragrance! A Spray Mint, the new way to op *Aquamarina",
MANICURE SET in rich, weskahlo vinyl tapasley with the newest scientific amil cosmetics for beautiful, long-lasting manicures!
NOVELTY PACKS for FUTURAMA casa ples 2 ružilis, one color săd soo *White « la Carte":«Bavion's
· magic, while lipstick that translerms, all ether,sk Upatieks to unching Jennal
Each Revlon beauty luxury comes in an elegant gift box.
the Best
understanding.
"Regard me as the humble servant of the Lord," she mur- Tured, "Mey all that you have said be fulfilled in me.”
The angel stood before her in silence, fading slowly from her vision, bit by bit until all that . was visible was the wall,
Her Impulse was to rum and find her ccother. She must tell. She É counsel. She must convince her mother that she was not inventing a story, Exultation came and it was transmuted to anguish. It was not a dream. Or was it? Could otao dream, standing wide awake- in one's house?
A dream?
She
WILNE
No, it was not a dream, mew that it muld not be, be- caise she could not have do- vised the words that Gabriel used. Now, for a moment; shd had troubla refer bering them. Sho her hands and prayed for recollection. Full recollection. She had to know every word and, more important, to under- stand every word. She prayed and thought aral prayed and, little boy little, the words and phrases returned until, like a | temiline litang, she could re cle them without hesitation.
She thought again of her mother and decided not to tell. If the angel wanted her mother to know, he would have come when her mother was at home, so that both of them would have knowledge of this thing. Ha
hudi deliberately selected a time when she was alone. Thero fome, it must be the will of God that she keep the secret. Any- way, it her mother or anyone else knew the secret, #uery would tell it to her, and thus she would know which Zuumuns God had selected to know of the trochouIN",
Burely, she thought; Joseph would know.'!' Hó. was her in- tended hstabend. The angel would have to tell Joseph. If
Jowopi think when she becazie great with child ́ ́and he knew that the baby was'noi hier Ob yêu, the angel would mirely tell
TOMORROW? ELIZABETH