THE STAR IN THE EAST.


But the Mystic story begins still further back than the visit of the
Magi to Bethlehem. Did not the Magi say, "Where is He? We have seen
His star in the East and have come to worship him." What is meant by
the words, "We have seen his star in the East"?

To the majority of Christians the "Star of Bethlehem" means a great
star that suddenly appeared in the heavens, like a great beacon light,
and which miraculously guided the steps of the Magi, mile by mile, on
their weary journey, until at last it rested in the heavens,
stationary over the house in which the child Jesus lived, between the
ages of one and two years. In other words, they believe that this star
had constantly guided these skilled mystics, occultists and
astrologers, in their journey from the far East, which occupied over a
year, until it at last guided them to Bethlehem and then stopped
stationary over the house of Joseph and Mary. Alas! that these vulgar
traditions of the ignorant multitude should have served so long to
obscure a beautiful mystic occurrence, and which by their utter
improbability and unscientific nature should have caused thousands to
sneer at the very true legend of the "Star of Bethlehem." It remains
for the Mystic traditions to clear away the clouds of ignorance from
this beautiful story, and to re-establish it in the minds of men as a
natural and scientific occurrence.

This story of the "traveling star" arose from the superstitious and
ignorant ideas of many of the Christians of the first, second, and
third centuries after Christ's death. These tales were injected into
the manuscripts left by the disciples, and soon began to be regarded