The Magi in the west and their search for the Christ : a tale for the Christmas tide

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UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
AT LOS ANGELES

GIFT OF

L. Campbell

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CIlRIST:KTaleFbr
The ChristmasTide

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OW it happened a long The mountain

time ago, in the year — , of vision

but the exact year does

not matter, because you
_ _ _ will not find this story

written in the history of any of the
nations of the world. But in one of
the countries of Europe bordering on
the Mediterranean Sea was a lofty
mountain, which, to the dwellers in
the plains below, seemed to reach to
the very sky. At times its summit w^as
covered with clouds, so that it could
not be seen; at other times it stood
out fair and clear, as though silently
asking the people to look up and not
down. The lower slopes of the moun
tain were covered -with olive trees,
with groves of oranges and lemons,
and with vineyards, and they were
dotted here and there with the little
white cottages of the peasants who
made their living from these groves
and vineyards, the fruit of which they
sold in the city not far away.

3

Along the mountain-side wound a
the sea foot-trail even to the summit, and no
where, in all the region, was there a
finer view of the Mediterranean than
from the summit of this mountain. In
the long summer afternoons the peas
ants and children would climb to the
top, and look off on the lovely picture
of land and sea. Then they would eat
their simple lunch of bread and dates
and olives, quenching their thirst from
the spring on the mountain-side,
which they called "Dew-of-heaven,"
so clear and fresh and sparkling was
it; and when the sun began to touch
the western sky with his pencils of
gold and carmine and purple, they
hastened down, that they might reach
their cottages before the night shut in.

On the day when this story begins
a man was standing on the summit of
the mountain looking across the sea
in the direction where you will find

4

Tyre and Joppa on the map. He was, A stranger
very plainly, not one of the peasants cometh
-who lived on the. mountain-side. He
looked about sixty years of age; he
•was tall and erect, though he carried
a staff in his hand. His hair and beard
•were long and flowing, and almost
gray, but his eye was clear and pene
trating, and he was looking across
the sea as though he expected some
one to appear.

And while he stood there gazing
seaward, there appeared a second
man on the summit, helping himself
up with his staff, and panting with
the effort of the long climb. From his
dress and manner it was plain that
this man, too, was not one of the
peasants, for, like the first comer, he
seemed to belong to another age and
clime. The two men glanced at each
other and gave such greeting as stran
gers might -who should meet in so
solitary a spot as a mountain summit.

5

And findeth Then both lapsed into silence and
a friend looked off across the sea.

Presently the last corner seemed to
wake from his reverie; he walked
over to the place where the other was
sitting, still gazing off toward Joppa,
and touched him on the shoulder:
"A thousand pardons, my friend," he
said, "but my mind is haunted with
some far-off recollection, as though
in some other land and some far-off
time I had seen thy face. Wilt thou
have the kindness to tell me thy
name?"

Without lifting his eyes from the
sea, and in a tone which seemed re
gretful and sad, the stranger replied:
"My name is Gaspard."

"Gaspard! Indeed, then have I seen
thee! Look at me, my friend; dost
thou not remember me? My name is
Melchior. Dost thou not recall that
time, how long ago I know not, when
thou and I and Balthazar followed a

6

star which led us to a little Jewish A far-off
hamlet, thou bearing gold and I frank- pilgrimage
incense, and Balthazar myrrh? Dost recalled
thou not remember how, on the long
journey thither, we talked about the
young Prince, whom we expected to
find in a royal palace, and how at last
when we reached the village, follow
ing the star, we were led not to a pal
ace, but to a little inn, and not even
to a room within the inn, but to the
stable-yard, where we found a sweet-
faced peasant woman bending over a
babe cradled in a manger; and stand
ing near, a sturdy peasant, proud and
happy ,whose name was Joseph? Dost
thou not remember, too, that when
we had recovered from our surprise,
we left our gifts and greetings, and
went our way as men who had been
dreaming? Gaspard, dost thou not
remember?"
And Gaspard, looking now intently

in the other's face, replied:

Yes,
7

And Melchior, I remember thee, and I re-
wanderings member the journey of which thou
in many hast spoken better than I remember
lands aught else. Neither have I forgotten
the surprise and disappointment with
which we came to the place whither
the star led us; nor how, after leav
ing our gifts, we went away as in a
dream; and, Melchior, I have been
dreaming ever since. Even here hast
thou found me in a dream of perplex
ity. I am still Gaspard, the wander
ing magician; for how many years I
know not, I have wandered up and
down these lands' of Europe. I have
crossed the seas; in every place I
have sought to find the kingdom over
which we were told this young prince
was one day to reign. Dost thou not
remember that we were told his king
dom was to last forever, that he would
reign in it himself forever and would
never die? Alas! I have lost the old
power of the magician's art. I can
8

summon no star to guide me to the If only
place where I shall find this kingdom Balthazar
and its king." were here

"Truly, Gaspard," answered Mel-
chior, "the story of your wanderings
is but the repetition of my own; and
even now was I drawn to this moun
tain summit on the self-same errand
that brought you here, — to see if I
could not discover in the direction of
yonder land, where Bethlenem was,
some star which might prove to be
His star, and which might guide me
in the new quest. If only our old com
panion, Balthazar, were with us now,
he might give us the clew to our
search, for not only was he more skil
ful in the magician's art, but he was
braver and more courageous, and
withal more serene in spirit."

Now, even while Melchior was
speaking, a voice was heard a little
way down the mountain. Gaspard
and Melchior stopped to listen. The

9

A song voice was singing, and the words of
in the air the song floated up to them distinctly:

If the sun has hid its light,
If the day has turned to night,
If the heavens are not benign,
If the stars refuse to shine —

Heart of man lose not thy hope;

Door, there's none that shall not ope;

Path, there's none that shall not clear;

Heart of man! why shouldst thou fear!

If for years should be thy quest,
If for years thou hast no rest,
If thou circlest earth and sea,
If thou worn and weary be —

Heart of man, lose not thy hope;

Door, there's none that shall not ope;

Path, there's none that shall not clear;

Heart of man! why shouldst thou fear!

"That," exclaimed Gaspard and
Melchior together, "is the voice of
Balthazar," and they hastened to
meet him, for he was now almost at
the summit, and the refrain of his
song was still upon his lips. At that

10

moment Balthazar sprang up from Balthazar
the sloping path into full view of the cometh
two men, and, giving each a hand,
exclaimed: "Gaspard, Melchior, be
loved companions, I have found you
at last. The peasants below were not
mistaken. From their description, I
was certain I should find you here.
And you, too, have been searching
these long years for the kingdom of
the Christ! and, like me, you have
met with disappointment; but, com
rades, be not of faint heart:

Door, there's none that shall not ope;
Path, there's none that shall not clear.

Let us hasten down the mountain,
for see! the sky is already growing
gold and crimson beyond the pillars
of Hercules. Let us seek the way
farers' lodging with the hospitable
peasants in the valley, and to-morrow
let us begin our search for the Christ
anew. We have wandered alone; let

ii

Forget not us invoke now the star to guide us

hospitality together."

That night, therefore, the three
strangers lodged with the simple
peasant people in the valley, partak
ing with thankfulness of the coarse
bread, the dates and the red wine —
the common fare of their daily life.
Nor did they fail to notice a motto
inscribed above the fireplace in rude
Greek letters:

THL OIAOSENIAS MM
ETHAANeANEieE

(N the morrow they were
readytobegintheirsearch
together for the Christ,
and they hoped not to
wander far before they
should find at least the outskirts of
His kingdom. But whither should
they go? In what direction should
they first turn their steps?
12

While they were thus wondering Once more
and debating, Balthazar suddenly ex- a star
claimed: "I see the star!" And be
hold, a little way before them, and at
no great distance above their heads,
they discerned in the gray of the
early morning a star of pale, opal
light, which seemed to move forward
as the men moved toward it.

"We must follow the star!" Bal
thazar said, in a whisper. Silently
and breathlessly his companions
followed on.

Now, so intently did the three men
keep their eyes fixed upon the star,
and so eagerly did they follow in the
direction where it seemed to lead, that
it was only after a considerable time
they discovered that they had become
separated from each other, and that
their paths were getting farther and
farther apart. Yet, there before each
of them was the star, shining with its
soft, opalescent light, and still ringing

13

The star fn their ears were the words of Bal-
stands thazar — "we must follow the star."
still So each followed the star, each by
himself alone. Gaspard's path wound
along near the shore of the gulfs and
bays of the Mediterranean, until at
last the star turned southward and
drew him nearer and nearer to a great
city, and finally stood still over the
dome of a vast cathedral. "It must
be," thought Gaspard, "that I have
come to the end of my search. This
must be the capital and palace of the
eternal king."

The square in front of the cathedral
was thronged with people; multitudes
were pouring in through the great
portals. Gaspard joined the throngs,
and at last found himself under the
mighty dome, which seemed to him
as far away as the sky itself. Every
thing in this wonderful place appealed
to his imagination. There were great
rows of massive columns, symbol of

14

a strength eternal, and they seemed Marbled
like wide-open arms holding out a aisle's
welcome to the human race. There magnificence
were statues and paintings by great
masters in art. The light of the sun
poured in through many-colored win
dows, on which were blazoned the
deeds of heroes and saints. Strains of
music from the great organ in the
distance floated out upon the air.
Touched and thrilled by all he saw,
Gaspard exclaimed to himself: "The
placeon which I stand isholy ground."
Soon, however, he perceived that
the throngs of people were not linger
ing, like himself, in awe and wonder
over the great columns and the dome,
and the statues, and the paintings, and
the windows. Their eyes were fixed
intently upon something that was go
ing on in the far end of the cathedral.
An altar was there, and priests in
white robes passing up and down be
fore it, and tall tapers burning around

15

Kyrie it. Near the altar was the image of a
eleison man hanging from a cross; his hands
and feet were pierced with nails, and
a cruel wound was in his side. The
people were gazing at this altar, and
at the image, and at what the white-
robed priests were doing. The strains
of solemn music from the organ blend
ed with the voices of priests chanting
the service. Clouds of incense rose
from censers, swung with soldmn
motion by the altar-boys, and the
fragrance of the incense was wafted
down the long aisles. At -last, the
tinkling of a bell. The organ became
silent for an instant, as though it felt
within its heart the awful solemnity of
the moment; and then it burst forth
into new rapture, and the people be
gan pouring out through-trie great
doors.

Gaspard went forth with the throng
intothe cathedral square. "And this,"
he said, "is the end of my search. I
16

have found the Christ. His kingdom is We must
in the imagination of man. How beau- follow
tiful, how wonderful, how strange it the star
was! 'Dominusvobiscum/didnotthe
priests say? Here, then, at last I have
found the city of the great King."

But as he lingered, behold! the star
which had stood over the dome of the
cathedral was now before him, as at
first, and seemed to waver and trem
ble, as if beckoning him on. So, al
though his feet seemed bound to the
spot, and his heart was still throbbing
with the.oVeep feelings the cathedral
service had created in him, remem
bering the words of Balthazar, "we
must follow the star," he slowly and
reluctantly" walked on.

fN the meantime Melchior
also had followed faith
fully the path along which
the star seemed to lead.
Through forests in which
he almost lost his way, across rivers
difficult and dangerous to ford — still

The just he followed on. At length Melchior's
shall live star seemed to tarry over the spire of

by faith a gothic church, into which the peo
ple were going in throngs. Waiting
a moment, to be sure that the star was
actually standing still, Melchior went
in with the rest. In this place was no
altar, such as Gaspard saw; no image
on the cross; no white-robed priests;
no swinging censers. But, as Mel
chior entered he heard strains from
the organ, and a chorus of voices was
singing an anthem beginning with the
words, "Te Deum Laudamus." And
when the anthem came to a close, a
man clothed in a black robe, such as
scholars were wont to wear, rose in
his place upon a platform elevated
above thepeople,andbegantospeak to
them about the kingdom of the Christ.
Melchior listened in eager expect
ancy. "The kingdom of the Christ,"
the preacher said, "is the kingdom of
the Truth, and the truth is to be con-
18

tinued and kept alive by the strength The truth
and constancy of man's belief. Those shall make
things which have been handed down you free
by holy men and sacred oracles since
Christ was here upon the earth, are
the truths by which we live. How can
Christ live, except He live in our be
liefs? Why did the Father of all in
trust us with our reasons, unless it
were that we should make them the
instruments of our faith and our sal
vation? Let us therefore stand in our
places, while we recite together the
articles of our holy faith."

These and many such words did the
scholar-preacher declare. And as he
sat there with the people, Melchior
felt the weight of the solemn and ear
nest words, and he said: "So at last
have I come to the end of my search.
The kingdom of Christ is in the mind
of man. His kingdom is the kingdom
of the truth."

Then he followed the throngs as
they went forth from the church; but

19

More

light shall
break forth

the star which had tarried over the
lofty spire -was now before him, and
the opal light wavered and trembled,
as if beckoning him on; and the 'words
of the preacher, "we must believe,"
seemed to blend with the words of
Balthazar, "we must follow the star."
So, reluctantly and slowly, he fol
lowed on.

lUT Balthazar — whither
went he, following the
star? Over many a rug
ged way, through many a
tangled thicket, through
valleys and over hills. His star tarried
over no cathedrals; it lingered over
no gothic spires. It seemed capricious
and restless and tireless. At times it
seemed intent on coming to a pause
over the head of some human being,
but perhaps it was because these hu
man beings themselves were so rest
less and so busy that the star could not
accomplish its intent. For Balthazar
20

saw these men and women hurrying Thy
hither and thither on errands of mer- sacramental
cy, or deeds of justice; he saw them liturgies
ferreting out great wrongs, laying
heavy blows on the backs of men who
oppressed and defrauded their fellow
men.

At length Balthazar seemed to un
derstand the movements of the star,
and, drawing nearer, he would seem
to hear these men repeating cheering
and encouraging words to one an
other. "Pure religion and undefiled,"
he heard one exclaiming, "is to visit
the fatherless and widows in their
affliction, and to keep himself unspot
ted from the world." And another
echoed: "Inasmuch as we do it to the
least of these, we do it unto Christ."

"Ah!" thought Balthazar as he list
ened, I see the meaning of it now; I
am coming to the end of my search.
The kingdom of Christ — I have found
it. It is in the deeds of men; it is in the

21

The joy of conscience and the serving will. De-
doing good vption to right, this is the law of the
kingdom of Christ."

Then Balthazar turned to go in
search of his comrades again; but be
hold! the opal star was trembling, as
if beckoning him on. So, still doubt
ing if he had reached the end of his
search, he followed the star.

>HUS Gaspard, Melchior
and Balthazar, each fol
lowing the star, at last
approached each other.
The star of each seemed
to melt and blend into the star of the
others, and the opal light stood at last
in the center of the group. Gaspard
exclaimed: "I have found that which
we all were seeking. The kingdom of
Christ is in the imagination; Christ
lives in what man feels."

"Nay," said Melchior, "I have fol
lowed the star, and I have found what
we sought. The kingdom of Christ is

22

in the reason of man. Christ lives in The paths
what man believes." converge

"But," cried Balthazar, "my star
has led me to a different end. The
kingdom of Christ is in the will of
man. Christ lives in what man does."

"The truth," once more exclaimed
Melchior, "is the law of the king
dom."

"Not truth," declared Balthazar,
"but justice, righteousness, goodness
and purity — these are its laws and its
marks."

"Nay, comrades beloved, hearken
to me," answered Gaspard; "it is the
miracle of the divine presence. It
is God among men, realized in the
holy mass. I beheld it all in yonder
cathedral."

But lo! once more the star began
to tremble and to change its place.

"Let us follow the star!" Balthazar
whispered. "We will follow it," ech
oed the other two.

23

Once more Then the star led them on, and they
the quest followed together until they came at
length to the doorway of a little cot
tage; and within the cottage they saw
a woman bending over a cradle, and
in the cradle a little child lay sleep
ing. She was a peasant woman; her
clothing was not rich; the furnishing
of the cottage was humble and scanty.
The cradle itself was rude, as if put
together by hands unskilful in tasks
like that. But when the mother looked
at her babe a sweet smile played about
her lips, and a light was in her eyes.
Then all suddenly the three men re
membered another scene long before,
when they were bearers of gold and
frankincense and myrrh to another
babe.

And while they stood and wondered
by the door, there came a strong and
sturdy peasant, broad-shouldered,
roughly clad, his face browned in the
sun, his hands hardened with toil.

24

He came and stood beside the woman, He that
and they bent together over the era.- loveth
die of the sleeping child, and the man knoweth God
drew the woman tenderly toward him
and kissed her brow.

And still the three men lingered;
for behold! the star stood still above
the child, and they dared not speak.
But the heart of Gaspard was saying
in silence, "There is something great
er than the repeated miracle of the
mass."

And Melchior was thinking, "There
is something mightier even than the
mind; something superior to naked
truth."

And Balthazar was confessing to
himself that he had found something
more potent even than the righteous
deed. For here they all beheld how
life was made sweet and blessed and
holy by the power of love; and by
love for a little child, in whom was all
weakness and helplessness, whose

25

288683

For God only voice was a cry, but who was all
is love strong and mighty with the power of
God, because he could transform
roughness into tenderness, and self
ishness into loving care, and poverty
itself into gifts of gold and fragrant
myrrh.

"Truly, my comrades," Balthazar
said, "love is the greatest of all."

"And now I understand," said Gas-
pard, "how the weak things of the
world can confound the mighty."

"And I, "added Melchior,"see what
it means for God to come to earth in
the form of a little child."

And so they turned away, and the
radiance of the star was round about
them, and they were saying to each
other: "Our search at last is ended."

26

Copyright 1903 By

The Sketching Club

In Indianapolis

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