When I was teaching school we had in our curriculum a novella we used near the Christmas break. I had never heard of the small book until the first year I was to teach it. It became a story I looked forward to more and more each year: The Story of the Other Wise Man by Henry Van Dyke
“You know the story of the Three Wise Men of the East, and how they travelled from far away to offer their gifts at the manger-cradle in Bethlehem. But have you ever heard the story of the Other Wise Man, who also saw the star in its rising, and set out to follow it, yet did not arrive with his brethren in the presence of the young child Jesus? Of the great desire of this fourth pilgrim, and how it was denied, yet accomplished in the denial; of his many wanderings and the probations of his soul; of the long way of his seeking and the strange way of his finding the One whom he sought--I would tell the tale as I have heard fragments of it in the Hall of Dreams, in the palace of the Heart of Man.” –Henry Van Dyke
This is the introduction from the book The Story of the Other Wise Man which tells the story of Artaban and his journey seeking the Christ Child. As trials and tribulations occur and his path seems to take him further from his goal, Artaban feels he has lost his chance with Jesus. Yet, along the way he acts with the pure heart and great love Jesus asks of us all. An extension of the story of the Magi, this heartwarming story is perfect for the Christmas season.
"I do not know where this little story came from--out of the air, perhaps. One thing is certain, it is not written in any other book, nor is it to be found among the ancient lore of the East. And yet I have never felt as if it were my own. It was a gift, and it seemed to me as if I knew the Giver."--Henry Van Dyke
No comments:
Post a Comment