IN BETHLEM.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 18292, 31 December 1919, Page 8

IN BETHLEM.

“TOMMY” GUARDS SACRED \ MANGER. (Correspondent “New York Herald. ) BETHLEHEM OF JUDEA.—Despite the unexampled prosperity that now exists in the Holy Land, the little town of Bethlehem is in a bad way economically. It has long been the centre of the mother-of-pearl carving industry, but two factors have hit it. hard. One is the failure of the supply of shells from which the mothe-of-pearf is taken, transportation between Betnlehem and the Red Sea having been interrupted by the war; and the other is the heavy loss of man power, due to war and destitution. - Modern Bethlehem is a one trade town. Its men have skilfully carved into a hundred beautiful forms the mother-of-pearl that the Arabs gather down by tho Gulf of Akciba, whero* Solomon launched his ships. Rosaries, crucifixes and other souvenirs for vellers were produced in great number. During the war this market collapsed, and Bethlehemites suffered sorely. ON THE ROAD OF THE MAGI. The little town of Bethlehem is really a suburb of Jerusalem, being five miles distant to tho south, on tho road to Hebron. The townspeople are accustomed to walking the distance to the Jerusalem markets, passing Rachel’s tomb on the way. •This is the road undoubtedly taken by the Magi, when they followed the, star on their immortal quest. The terraced hills, with their vineyards and olive trees, are still much as they were 3 hen the Bethlehem shepherds watched leir flocks upon them. Even the Holy Land, richly stored as it is with memories, has few more suggestive highways than the dusty white road running along the brow of the Judean hills to the limestone town of Bethlehem. Most of the patriarchs of Jewish history followed this trail with its spacious outlook towards the Dead Sea, and the mountains of Moab, rising in the distance. On these hillsides Ruth gleaned after the reapers, as poor women still do to-day. Christian churches and schools and shrines have altered the aspect of the landscape somewhat, yet the essential forms of the life of" the people remain unchanged.

ALLENBY BRINGS PROSPERITY. Since the victory of the British army, thousands of troops on leave have come from all parts of Syria and Egypt to visit Jerusalem; and nowadays on this road, where once the soldiers of King David, and later the legions of Rome, raised a cloud of impalpable limestone dust as they marched along, there may bo seen afoot, in army automobile, and in ramshackle carriage, the soldiers of tho British Empire, from India to Australia, with a slight sprinkling of French and Italians added. ! The soldiers brought the first turn of prosperity to Bethlehem and Jerusalem. The alert merchants quickly saw the possibility of capturing Tommies’ shillings. ■ Therefore, since the arrival of tho troops of General Allenby the output of Bethlehem has been British regimental badges, cunningly wrought in mother-of-pearl by the artisans of the birthplace of JesusAll around the world to-day, from the Highlands of Scotland to the plains of western Canada, there are women and gjrls wearing as brooches these souvenirs of the little town of Bethlehem. It is expected that the intense international publicity that has of late been given to this district will result in a great increase of business when the normal channels of travel and trade are onoe more open. Bethlehem’s output, however, will be greatly restricted by the lack of workmen. FROM BETHLEHEM TO AMERICA. The .industrial crisis in Bethlehem is. heightened by the eagerness* of many of the men who survive to follow the prewar example of their neighbours, and emigrate to the United States and Canada. These Bethlehem men are of a rather unusual capacity, due doubtless to the largo mixture of Crusader blood. The European lineage may be read in the'faces of the Bethelenemites, who differ markedly from the surrounding Syrians, Arabs and Jews- The pictorial and distinctive dress of the Bethlehem women is also a survival of the Crusades. Even their Church of ' the Nativity, which is the oldest existing Christian structure in tho world, shows clear evidence of tho presence of the British. Tho partition which had been erected during the strife between the rival Christian bodies and had marred the symmetry and beauty of tho house has now been removed, and the ancient pillars aud beams and carvings may be seen in their true relation and proportion. Tho door to this church is large enough to admit only one person at a time—a striking evidence of the tvoub • lons history of this ancient edifice—and externally the structure gives no sign of its interior beauty. Of course the heart of the church is the crypt underneath, .which contains the traditional cave and manger in which Jesus was born. Three churches, Roman Catholic, Greek. Orthodox and Georgian or Armenian, Have rights in this crypt, and many have been the bitter quarrels over precedence and intrusions. To the scandal of Christendom, it was long necessary for the Turkish GovernPVftp4 to maintain a Moslem guard at

the birthplace of the Prince of Peace to keep his followers from flying at one another’s throats. Even yet, despite the improved order of things introduce? by the British, an armed guard is necessary at the manger; but this >•< now a British guard. The Tommy on duty when I last visited the mangel said that his principal.function was to keep tho priests from stealing .one another’s lamps! This may have beer only his understanding of the forms that ecclesiastical jealousy assumes! There "is ever to be feared the dangej of profanation by Moslem fanatics of sacrilegious tourists. Leading off from this crypt are monrstic ceUs, in one of which St Jerome completed the Latin translation of tin Bible which is to-day in use in Roman Catholic churches. Once travel restrictions are removed this hillside town, with its holy memories, will be the objective of tourists from' all parts of the world, in fill sea ; sons of the year, who have said to themselves in the words of the Shepherds : “ Come now, let us go unto Bethlehem.”