THE STAR OF BETHLEHEM.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 33, 8 February 1930, Page 3 (Supplement)

THE STAR OF BETHLEHEM.

The Christmas "Children's Newspaper" contains the following interesting article

which we pass on.

The Wise Men who found their way to j ( the manger at Bethlehem have always been mysterious. We know little about , them, though tradition has done its best to tell us their names, their number, and the lands from which they came. Yet the reticent story in Matthew is more impressive than all the legends. Their presence at Bethlehem is astonishing. From the Jewish point of view these men were outsiders. More than two years they had been on the road. Yet, while Persia was present at the Manger, Jerusalem, but a dozen miles away, was absent. Here was the greatest happening in all history and the people who lived next door missed it! Religion, it is claimed, has much to learn from the scientific mind, and this strange story suggests that there is truth in the claim. For these Wise Men were the scientists of their day. They ■were astrologers, and their study of the stars was bound up with their religion, ■worshippers of the god of light, the sun, the moon, and the stars had a central place in their thoughts. The stars were supposed to have the destinies of men in their keeping. The "stars were thus closely watched and consulted, ajid for 'watchers they had their meanings and their mesFor certain happenings there were certain interpretations. A new star wa3 often supposed to indicate the birth of a prince. There have been endless conjectures as to the Star of Bethlehem. One of the best suggestions is that it was possibly a new star such as flames out in the sky. dwindling speedily and fading from sight, with which the Wise Men associated the birth of a great personality. AH we can say for certain is that astronomical reasons prompted the journey of the Wise Men. Because of something seen in the night sky, and interpreted according to their science, they took the Toad. To say more than that is to enter the realm of conjecture. The star was simply a clue, a challenge to set out on a quest. It told them nothing definite. Only after their arrival in Jerusalem and their receipt of the information about Bethlehem did the star, which apparently they had lost, reappear and seem to stand over Bethle hem. Besides, stars do not stand over any particular spot to the exclusion of a iundred other places.

A star of Bethlehem is equally over Jerusalem. If we say the Pole Star stands directly over our own house at a certain hour those, who live in a place miles away can make the same to It was not the star, bat their minds, furnished with the new information, tha indicated Bethlehem. Perhaps the most impressive thing in the story is the Wise Men's response to the challenge or that starry clue. . Therein is seen the scientific spirit. The star told them very little, but on th strength of it they w«e prepared to set out on a long.. long quest. Bought the weeks turned to months and the months to years. However pnnutxve their science, their spirit was admirable. In that spirit have all the great discoveries been made-

They had no sure knowledge of their goal. They knew neither the length of the way nor what they would find. They had the hint, and that was enough. They were sufficiently keen to follow up the elue, and evidently these astrologers of old had faith that the goal would in the end justify the going.

All great discoverers are men of daring, and no true representation of these Wise Men must omit that trait in them. They were men of daring. If their motto had been safety first they would have made no discovery, and the world would have been vastly poorer without their heroic and beautiful adventure. They went out not knowing where they went. It is of the very nature of faith that it does not know the end from the beginning. Often all it sees is a beckoning light and a road along which to traveL

In common with all such seekers the patient persistence of these Wise Men is impressive. When we remember how uncertain the enterprise was, and how unexpectedly the road lengthened out, how they lost the star and continued by relyin<r on a vision, we must salute their endurance. Most likely there would be false trails and the retracing of mistaken steps; there would be obstacles and difficulties not a few; yet they held on their way and came at last to Bethlehem.

Let us do likewise. If we keep our eyes on the stars we shall not go far wrong in our journey through life.

THE BRIGHT BOY OF

POPLAR.

In "a vivid book of his experiences, "Let's Go to Poplar," by Lax, the popular missionary who toils there, is an excellent story of a boy applying for work before a committee who wished to tesx his powers of observation. Before he entered, says Lax, in order to puC his powers to the test they turned a picture in the room with its face to the wall and placed the wastepaper basket on its side. Then this dialogue took place. n "What is your name, my boy? "William Ewart Vernon." "What do they call you at home?" "Billy, sir." _ n "Have you good eyesight, Billy 1

<*Y es sir/* "Do yon notice anything peculiar in this room?" "Yes, sir. The picture's wrong, bhail I put it straight?" "Anything else?" "Yes, sir. Somebody's knocked the wastepaper basket over." The committee, we hear, was favourably impressed, but Lax, wishing to proceed, put a pen behind his ear and said: "Do vou observe anything peculiar about mef" „ , "Yes, sir," he said at once; yer wanta yer hair cutting, sir!" The boy obtained the job.

SWEETS WITHOUT COOKING

DATE DELIGHT,

Stone .some dates, chop them up finely, and work them into a compact mass with icinsr sugar. If the mixture breaks apart, add a "very little hot water, bu* it should not be sticky; use sufficient jf;ttct sugar to mould the dates well together. , Shape the mixture into a flat elab and cut it into cubes with a sharp knife. Press each sweet into desiccated coconut till nicely coated, and leave to dry.