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V - !L P \GE 8-B—THE BULLETIN, December 24, 1960 Why Camels Look Disdainful By Jackie Waller Camels consider themselves very superior to other animals. This, they say, is because a camel was the first beast to see the child Jesus in the manger. It is not true, of course, and I wish someone would remind them of the ox and donkey. But the camels themselves be lieve the story, and give them selves airs because of it. It happened when the three wise men saw a new star in the heavens, and knew from tne books they had studied, that this meant a King had been born in Isreal. So they decided to go and visit Him, bringing Him many rich gifts. But to do this they had to cross the desert before reaching the land where He was born. STAR DISAPPEARS They needed camels for this long journey. Their head cam el was called Ahmet, and he was always in trouble because he did not like to obey orders or do as he was told. He also wanted to know everything that was going on, and he was curious about this journey. Why should his proud mas ters set out just to see a new born Baby? There must be more to it than that. And he was quite right, for the wise men knew that the child would grow up to be the Sav iour of the world. The star went before them to guide them, and they fol lowed it right across the desert into a strange land. They were sure it would lead them to the Child, so you can imagine their dismay when suddenly the star disappeared outside the walls of Jerusalem. They stopped to consult to gether, wondering how they would find the baby in that big city. They said, “He is a King, let us look for Him in the King’s Palace.” Then the wise men went to the Palace of the King Herod and asked, him if he knew where the new King of the Jews had been born, as they had brought Him /ftzzy W JOHN B. MURRAY CO. REALTORS General insurance - Real Estafe - Loans 122 EIGHTH STREET PHONE PA. 2-5466 AUGUSTA, GEORGIA presents and wished to adore Him. King Herod did not like this idea of a new King. He made inquiries, but could learn nothing, so he said to the wise men, “When you have found the King of Isreal, come and tell me where He is, that I too, may go to visit Him. And m his Heart he thought that it would be easy to get rid of the Child once He was found. The wise men promised, and when they left the city the star shone again to lead them. This time it went on, until it reached a stable and stopped above its roof. So the wise men told their servants to make camp nearby while they went on foot to greet tne Cnild. But Ahmet was not pleased at being kept out of tne pic ture. Ipoon the servants nad fallen asleep round tneir lire, and he broke his tether to fol low his masters. His compan ions reminded him that they had been ordered to remain; he was disobeying, they said. But Ahmet answered: “Such orders do not concern the head camel,” and went away. He came to the door of the stable and peered in carefully. He saw the Baby lying on straw in a manger, beside Him his smiling young mother. And he saw too, his masters kneel ing before the Child, tears running down their cheeks. Ahmet was puzzled, and even rather ashamed, to see them humbling themselves in this wal. There was a mystery here which he was determined to understand. SHINING CREATURE He had noticed an ox and an ass inside the cave, near the manger. Perhaps they could explain if they were not too stupid. He went and lay down behind a nearby bush waiting for a chance to talk to them. There was a strange shining creature sitting on the GREETUIBS cf Established 1885 THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME” 719 Broad St. Augusta, Ga. C^liridhnad (jreetin 9 s 3> rom CLAUSSEN & WEBSTER Building Contractors J. C. H. Claussen Phone PA. 2-6266 G. H. Webster P. 0. Box 840 AUGUSTA, GA. j SINNERS INN j THE DISDAINFUL CAMELS roof and the camel wondered wnat it could be. It sang very sweetly; some kind of bird, he supposed, for it had wings. Presently he slep and did not see his masters leave. A violent pain in his ear woke him suddenly, to discov er that the donkey had come out to browse and had caught the tip of the camel’s ear with some leaves .Ahmet was in dignant, but when the donkey apologized humbly, he forgave him on one condition. “Tell me,” he said, “what happened tonight in that stable.” The ass was only too willing. “It was a very strange thing. Tonight the baby Jesus was born, and His mother laid him in the manger for she had no cradle for him. The Baby was cold, He cried, so the ox and f warmed him with our breath. No sooner was He born, that a band of angels came down from heaven singing that He was king of Isreal and Saviour of the world. See, one of them is still here now.” So the queer creature was an angel! Ahmet was glad not to have to ask, and if tne Baby was a King, well he did not mind so much his masters kneeling to Him. The donkey went on, “Then the shepherds came bringing gifts, and after them three men who must have been kings. They wore such rich robes! That is ail I know . . TELLS A FIB The camel answered, “These kings are my masters and now I must go back to them.” But when he got back to the camp it was deserted because an angel had appeared to the wise men, telling them not to re turn to Herod who intended to kill the Child. They had gone back by another way to their own country. Ahmet succeeded in catch ing up with them and was scolded for his disobedience, but he did not care. He had a wonderful story to tell his ad miring friends, all about how he had seen the newborn King of the Jews before any other animals, and how the Baby had smiled at him. It was not true, of course, but the others did not know and believing him, treated him with even greater respect for having won the notice of a King. Unfortunately his masters did not understand animal language or they would have put a stop to his nonsense. So Ahmet went on boasting and giving himself airs. And as the story of this great honor spread through the camel tribe, they all grew haughty because of it. And, of course, the ox and the don key were too humble ever to contradict them. Sister Alary Jean Darcy is both artist and writer. Her cut out silhouettes have been ex hibited in several cities and have appeared in a number of publications. She is the author of several books among which are; Our Lady of Springtime, Shepherd’s Tartan and Shrines of Our Lady. By Sister Mary Jean Dorcy, O.P. Christmas brings us always to a Mother and her Child, for this is file axis of man’s his tory, this birth by which man kind was made new. It is a day when heaven comes down to earth, when ail our loved ones gather around an earthly fire side, because it is a day when God came to earth to bless all nomes and families of good will. The arts of all the world’s peoples have exhausted them selves for figures of speech and forms of material beauty that will express what we, the redeemed, feel for this day, and for her who brought us such joy. For sorrow comes to us because we are a fallen race, it comes whether we look for it or not. Joy comes only with this marvelous birth, this new creation, where a new Eve gives us of a Fruit that will really make us like God. THOUSANDS OF TITLES In the spirit of Christmas time, then, they call her Cra dle of tne King; Nest for the Dove; Dwelling-place of God. St. Bonaventure calls her Throne of God; St. Methodius, Immaculate Garment of God. The Coptic church, seeing this day as the dawn of new hope for man, addresses her as Gate of the Sunrise. The Greek Church, seeing her as light- bringer, calls her Golden Can- diesuck of the Sun. Ail these figures have in them some lovely truth about the relation of God to man. Through the centuries, she has been addressed by thousands of titles, aii stressing this truth that Catholics hold so dear and non-Catholics so of ten misunderstand, that Mary is the bridge between two worlds, the bridge across which Christ comes to us to save us. No wonder that we sing so lyrically of her at this blessed time of year! One title little known has its special appeal to us who are wayfarers of God’s crea- TOWN TAVERN Seventh and Broad Streets Augusta, Georgia THE HEFFERNANS uJt .S’ eadoti J K^jreelinaA Augusta’s Finest Season $ Ojreetinns % r rom SILVERSTEBNS CLEANERS and LAUNDERERS SAMUEL SILVERSTEIN 2568 Central Ave. BERNARD SILVERSTEIN Phone RE. 3-3685 tion; Mary, Sinner's Inn. How many smypathetie hearts have ached for that one tragic line in the Christmas Gospel, “There was no room for them in the inn.” (Luke 2:7) In an age of refugees, with half the world homeless, it is timely to consider this title and the rea sons why it is applied to Mary. Unless you have walked the streets homeless you cannot fully know the yearning, as well as the physical need of shelter from the elements, that makes the greatest suffering for the wanderer. The symbol of a lighted window and the warmth and security it be speaks, is best seen from the outside looking in. Those in side are too snug, too secure, to worry about the cold winds and the rootlessness. Today there are so many, in so many lands, for whom no friends ever shines a welcome. We need only read our news papers to see this. Not every land is so favored as ours. But there is another sort of home lessness that is even worse, and in some ways it, too, is more acute at Christmastime; it is the homelessness of the serious sinner, who has gone out of his Father’s house de liberately and slammed the door in a rage. No one is ever quite so shel terless as one who wanders in the exterior darkness outside the warmth and light and laughter at the fireside of God. No one is so homeless as he who has walked the dark paths that lead nowhere, try ing hard not to notice the lighted windows because they remind him of the peace with in. THE WAY BACK So Mary who was once shelterless, Mary who travel ed in faith the dark lanes of Bethlehem where the homeless wandered, Mary is the place of shelter for poor wayfarers; Mary is the way back to God. Hostess of the Trinity, some one has called her; how well she understands what must be done for the cold and the hun gry of heart, and with what motherly tact she does these things for the prodigals who have seen enough to return but not (at times) quite en ough courage. The hospitality of Christmas is traditional; even where it runs to ridiculous excesses, it has an honest basis. Once, mankind was not hospitable to the little Christ, in memory of this, one keeps open house on Christmas. In the legends that sparkle in the literature of many lands one finds refer ence to this. It is the Irish who lig’ht a candle in the window and set the table for the poor, lest the Holy Family come by, footsore and in need of a place where the little Christ may be born among men. In other lands bread is baked for the poor, or a bassinet of baby clothes is prepared for some needy babe. Children set up a feast for the birds, the little pensioners of God, and feed the animals well this blessed day because they were kind to Him when man was not. A thousand customs abound in a world that is still a little embarrassed at its own ob tuseness, still — in spite of the other noises of this life — aware of that pleading knock on a door, long ago; still sorry that there was no room for Him. Mary, Sinners' Inn, as you go about your housewifely tasks, lighting the candles to lead the sinners home to re pentance and their Father’s house, remember us all. Amen. For she saw the Son of God, whom she conceived of the Holy Ghost, nailed to the cross and suspended between thieves . . . Before she gave birth therefore in the Passion of Christ, she brought forth a Child in the Nativity. —St. Anthony Ernest L. Sherman .... Albert D. Hemsireei STREET SALES INSURANCE LEASES LOANS AUGUSTA, GEORGIA CHRISTMAS We would like to add our voice to the chorus of good wishes coming .your way for a Christmas really worth singing about... merry and bright and filled with much happiness for you and your dear ones. Fresh at Your Grocers! COLONIAL BAKING COMPANY Augusta, Georgia