The sun. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1937-1972, December 22, 1966, Image 49
The Newberry Sun, Newberry, S. C., Thursday, December 22, 1966 SEC. C — PAGE 13
Bethlehem Busy
At Christmas Time
Since the first Christmas
Christians have followed the
Star to the stable-grotto be
neath the church of the Nativ
ity, the traditional birthplace
of .Jesus of Nazareth in Beth
lehem.
Bethlehem is even poorer
than most people would be
lieve. A recent visitor said
"Wanderers fill the streets —
anyone can see why Mary and
Joseph found no room in the
Inn. ”
Every Christmas, shep
herds watching their flocks out
side Bethlehem, had to be
especially watchful that the
sheep did not trap themselves
in the barbed wire separating
Jordan and Israel. Bethlehem,
on the Jordan side of the wire,
has been sorely affected by the
hostility and the uneasy truce.
It is crowded with Arab refu
gees who formerly lived in
Israel.
The effect of the conflict has
been crippling of Bethlehm’s
chief industry; the making and
selling of objects of piety from
olive wood, Dead sea stone
and mother of pearl. Except at
Christmas, pilgrims are so few
that the profit had gone from
the business.
On Christmas eve, however,
the dusty city takes on new life.
Christmas diplomats living in
divided Jerusalem expect to be
escorted to the little town over
the unusual highway through
no-man’s land. Pilgrims from
the Israel side pass through the
Mandelbaum Gate.
Rich and poor Pilgrims wor
ship together in the fourth cen
tury church of the Nativity.
There is a high mass, during
which the image of the Christ
Child is carried from the
church through the Mandel
baum Gate.
The ceremonies come to a
climax before three adjacent
shrines. The Altars of the Na
tivity, The Wise Men and the
Manger. Outside, Christians
from many lands will sing, as
angels sang nearly 2,000
years ago; "Glory To God In
The Highest”, and on earth
peace and good will toward
men.
THE FIRST GIFTS
The first Christmas gifts
were those which the Wise men
carried to Bethlehem to lay be
fore the Christ Child in the
manger. Their gifts given in
adoration, were precious items
of the day — gold, frankin
cense, and myhrr. The latter
two were gum resins used in
medicines and perfumes. But,
then as now, it is the spirit of
giving rather than the gift itself
that makes it most appreciated.
Story of Wreaths
And Advent Candles
A native Christian in New
Guinea described Advent thus:
"At advent we should try the
key to our heart’s door. It may
have gathered rust. If so, this
is the time to oil it, in order
that the heart’s door may open
more easily when the Lord
Jesus wants to enter at Christ
mas time”
The.four Sundays preceding
Christmas are observed as
Advent Sundays in many
churches, with a special em
phasis on the Advent, or
coming, of the Lord. To re
mind people of this season
several interesting and helpful
devices have come into being.
The Advent House, generally
made of cardboard is so con
structed as to make it possible
to open a window each day of
the Advent weeks and find back
of it an appropriate Scripture
Verse.
Slightly more elaborate and
proportionately more beautiful
is the Advent wreath, which is
hung at a convenient place and
receives a red candle each
Advent Sunday and a larger
one on Christmas.
rtf
1^/hristmas blessings to all our good friends and patrons
and to your families... may peace and joy abide with you
throughout the holiday season.
The State Building & Loan Ass’n
1117 BOYCE STREET
NEWBERRY, SOUTH CAROLINA
OFFICERS
Ralph B. Baker, President
Pinckney N. Abrams, Exec. Vice-Pres.
and Secretary
Mrs. Doris S. Setzler, Treasurer
Mrs. Aliene A. Reeves, Teller
Mrs. Shirley M. Livingston, Teller
DIRECTORS
Thomas H. Pope
Ralph B. Baker
Louis C. Floyd
R. Aubrey Harley
Pinckney N. Abrams