"Here," said they, "Jesus was born." The floor was of white
marble, and silver lamps were burning in it. In one corner, close to the
wall, was a marble trough, lined with blue satin. "There," said the
monks, "is the manger where Jesus was laid." "Ah!" thought the traveller,
"it was not in such a manger that my Saviour rested his infant head; but
in a far meaner place."
These monks have an image of a baby, which they call Jesus. On
Christmas-day they dress it in swaddling-clothes and lay it in the
manger: and then fall down and worship it.
The next day, as the traveller was ready to mount his camel, the people
of Bethlehem came with little articles which they had made. But he would
not buy them, because they were images of the Virgin Mary and her holy
child, and little white crosses of mother-of-pearl. They were very
pretty: but they were idols, and God hates idols.
JERUSALEM.
Here our Lord was crucified.
Is there any child who does not wish to hear about it?
The children of Jerusalem once loved the Lord, and sang his praises in
the temple. Their young voices pleased their Saviour, though not half so
sweet as angels' songs.
Which is the place where the temple stood?
It is Mount Moriah. There is a splendid building there now.
Is it the temple? O no, that was burned many hundreds of years ago. It is
the Mosque of Omar that you see; it is the most magnificent mosque in all
the world.
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