THE FIRST CHRISTMAS.
BY W. J. MORRISON.
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.