ONE December, years and years before people had rail-roads or street
cars, crowds of men, women and children were traveling on the roads and
paths that led to a little town, called by the Jews, House of Bread. The
dark-skinned Arabs, who lived out in the desert, called this town the
House of Meat, but all children know it by the Bible name, Bethlehem, in
the country of Judea. Some of these people were riding, and some were
walking, toward this town of Bethlehem. Among them, seated on a donkey,
was a beautiful young woman by the name of Mary, the donkey being led by
her husband, a Jew, named Joseph, who, though a poor carpenter, was
related to King David, and belonged to what was called the royal family.
Mary and Joseph lived at Nazareth, and it was a long walk of three or
four days from their home to the city of Bethlehem. The way wound in and
out, and over hills and mountains, which made it a hard road to travel.
Bethlehem was built on the top of these mountains. In the summertime it
was a delightful place to visit. From the city one could see the
beautiful gardens in the valley, together with the fig, olive and almond
orchards. The far-away hillsides were covered with rows of grape vines,
that changed their hues and shades as the wind tossed their leaves up
and down, or from side to side. But, as this was December, all these
people were not going to Bethlehem for pleasure, or to buy Christmas
things. They did not even know it was Christmas-eve. These people were
crowding into Bethlehem, because the Roman law required that, at this
time, every one should go to his old home, or the place where he was
born, and pay his taxes. That the Roman Emperor might know how many
people there were in the world, they were also required to have their
names written on long rolls, or sheets, of dried sheep skin, for in
those days they did not have paper.
Mary and Joseph could not climb up the mountain to the city as fast as
some of the others and so were the last to arrive. When they got to the
town, they found that the only hotel or inn, in those days called a
“Caravansary,” was full of people and there was no room for them. They
went from house to house, to get a place to stay, but found that the
people who had arrived before them had taken every room in the place.
Joseph must have known something of the country about the town, for,
when he could find no room in any of the houses, he began to hunt for
one of the many grottoes, or caves, that are under the sides of the
mountains in and around Bethlehem. When he found a cave that ran away
under the ground, with rooms, one opening into the other, they decided
to use this place for a home until he could find something better.
Now, children, should any of you ever go to Bethlehem, you can see this
very cave. In those days, these caves were used as stables to shelter
sheep and other stock in cold, bad and stormy weather.
Although it was the last of December, it is said Mary and Joseph found
only an ox and an ass in this cave. The weather could not have been so
very cold, as Bethlehem is about as far South as the northern part of
Florida, and the shepherds had their sheep out in the open country
eating grass. That the sheep might not wander away at any time, or be
stolen during the dark hours, these shepherds divided the night into
what was called Watches. In other words, some of the men stood guard
over their flocks for three or four hours, while the others slept; then
they would awaken their friends to look after the sheep. The men who
came off watch would then go to sleep by the camp fire, for the Bible
says, “And there were in the same country shepherds watching and keeping
the night watches over their flocks.”
It was while some of these men were watching the sheep that they were
greatly startled, because a beautiful angel, who shone with the
brightness of God, came and stood by them. The angel saw that these poor
men were scared, so, in a kind and gentle voice, he told the shepherds
not to be afraid, for he had brought them good news, that would be of
great joy to all the people. The angel then said, “This day is born to
you a Saviour, who is Christ, the Lord. You shall find this infant
Saviour wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger.” When he had
finished speaking, an army of angels came around him, praising God and
saying, “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to men of good
will.” Then all of the angels ascended into heaven.
The shepherds who beheld this glorious and beautiful sight woke those
who were asleep and told them what they had seen. When the other men
heard the wonderful news that the angel had brought, they all went at
once to Bethlehem as fast as they could. They soon found the cave where
Mary and Joseph were. Here they saw the sweetest little baby who had for
his bed a manger, or horse trough, filled with straw. This little baby
did not have on long clothes, made of lace, embroidery and fine linen,
like the little babies have these days and times. He had only a cloth
wrapped around his body, in such a way that it made for him swaddling
clothes.
As soon as the shepherds saw the child lying in the manger, wrapped in
swaddling clothes, they knew that this was the infant Saviour of whom
the angel had told them; that this Child was Christ, Son of God, and
that Mary was His Mother.
The day on which the infant Saviour was born has ever since been known
as THE FIRST CHRISTMAS.
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