Transcriber’s Note Italic text displayed as: _italic_ THE CHRISTMAS CITY BETHLEHEM ACROSS THE AGES [Illustration: HOLY NIGHT _From the painting by Zenisek_ ] THE CHRISTMAS CITY BETHLEHEM ACROSS THE AGES BY LEWIS GASTON LEARY, PH.D. AUTHOR OF “THE REAL PALESTINE OF TO-DAY” [Illustration: Decoration] New York STURGIS & WALTON COMPANY 1911 Copyright 1911 BY STURGIS & WALTON COMPANY Set up and electrotyped. Published October, 1911 THIS LITTLE BOOK ABOUT THE CITY OF DIVINE MOTHERHOOD IS AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED TO MY OWN MOTHER [Illustration: _CONTENTS_] CONTENTS PAGE THE CHARTER OF PRE-EMINENCE 17 I THE WELCOME TO BETHLEHEM 21 II THE GRAVE BY THE ROADSIDE 25 III THE GIRL FROM BEYOND JORDAN 35 IV THE BOY WHO WAS TO BE KING 43 V THE ADVENTURE OF THE WELL 51 VI THE NIGHT OF NIGHTS 59 VII THE BLOSSOMS OF MARTYRDOM 67 VIII THE STORY OF THE STABLE 73 IX THE EPITAPH OF THE LADY PAULA 83 X THE SCHOLAR IN THE CAVE 93 XI THE CHRISTMAS CORONATION 105 XII SOME BETHLEHEM LEGENDS 117 XIII THE LONG WHITE ROAD 129 XIV THE HOUSE OF BREAD 145 XV THE CHURCH WHICH IS A FORT 155 XVI THE SACRED CAVES 165 XVII THE GUARD OF THE SILVER STAR 175 XVIII THE SONG OF THE KNEELING WOMEN 181 XIX ACROSS THE AGES 187 [Illustration: _ILLUSTRATIONS_] ILLUSTRATIONS Holy Night, _from the painting by Zenisek_ _Frontispiece_ PAGE The Tomb of Rachel 31 The Church of the Nativity 79 The South Transept of the Church of the Nativity and one of the Stairways leading down to the Sacred Caves 97 St. Jerome and the Lion 123 The Bethlehem Road 133 Bethlehem Girls 137 Bethlehem 149