Bethlehem
2 of the 7 encyclopedias on this shelf carry an entry for Bethlehem. Both are reproduced below, so you can see where they agree and where they differ.
Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)
a borough in Northampton co., Pa.; on the Lehigh river and canal, and the Lehigh Valley, the Central of New Jersey, and other railroads; 57 miles N. of Philadelphia. It was founded in 1741 by Moravians, under Count Zinzendorf, and is the chief center of that sect in the United States. It contains a Moravian Theological Seminary, a Moravian Seminary for young ladies, more than a dozen churches, and two National banks. On the opposite side of the river, here spanned by two bridges, is SOUTH BETHLEHEM, the seat of LEHIGH UNIVERSITY (q. v.), the main offices of the Lehigh Valley Railroad Company, and a number of important manufacturing establishments, including mills, rolling mills, foundries and silk machine shops, brass works, zinc oxide and spelter works, etc. Monocacy creek separates Bethlehem from West Beth- , which is also an industrial lehem borough borough . South Bethlehem, West Bethlehem and Northampton Heights now form a part of Bethlehem. Pop. (1910) 12,837; (1920) 50,358. BETHLEHEM ("house of bread"; modern Beitlahm), the birthplace of Jesus Christ and of King David, and the Ephratah of the history of Jacob, is now a a small, sm unwalled village of white stone houses. The population, about 8,000, is wholly Christian-Latin, Greek, and Armenian. The Convent of the Nativity, a large, square building, was built by the Empress Helena, in 327 A. D., but destroyed by the Moslems in 1236, and, it is supposed, restored by the crusaders. Within it is the Church of the Nativity, which is subdivided among the Latins, Greeks, and Armenians, for devotional purposes. The church is built in the form of a cross; the nave, belongs to the Armenians, and is supported by 48 beautiful Corinthian columns of solid granite. The other portions of the church, forming the arms of the cross, are walled up. At the farther end of that section, which forms the head of the cross, and on the threshold, is a sculptured marble star, which the Bethlehemites say covers the central point of the earth. Here a long intricate passage descends to the crypt below, where the Blessed Virgin is said to have been delivered. The walls of the chamber are hung with draperies of the gayest colors colors; and a silver star, with the words, "Hic de Virgine Maria Jesus Christus natus est" (here Jesus Christ was born of the Virgin Mary), marks the spot of the Nativity. The manger stands in a low recess cut in the rock. The site appears to have been venerated since the 2d century, A. D. To the N. W. stands a square domed building, marking the reputed site of Rachel's tomb. The Bethlehemites chiefly gain their subsistence by the manufacture and sale of crucifixes, beads, boxes, shells, etc.
Aiton's Encyclopedia (1910)
a village of Palestine noted as the birthplace of King David and Christ the Lord. Thus it is written by the prophet, "And thou Bethlehem in the land of Juda art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor that shall rule my people Israel." The village is about five miles south of Jerusalem on the road to Egypt. It is a beautiful spot nestling at the foot of a hill covered with vines and olive trees. It commands an extensive view of Moab, the plain of the Jordan and wilderness of Engedi, whither David fled to escape Saul. Three convents are here; also a dignified church built over the grotto in which tradition declares Christ was born. An aqueduct brings an abundance of pure water from the hill. There are about 3,000 inhabitants who make a living chiefly by entertaining travelers and by manufacturing curios, mother-of-pearl boxes, rosaries, and crucifixes of olive wood to be sold to pilgrims and tourists who desire a souvenir from the birthplace of Christ. Bethlehem is a Hebrew word meaning "house of bread." It has reference to the fertility of the soil in that region. See Jerusalem ; Palestine 2026 Editor's Note: The Church of the Nativity over the traditional birthplace is among the oldest churches still in use anywhere, and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The "beautiful spot" the entry describes lies today in the occupied West Bank, ringed by the Israeli separation barrier, and its once-substantial Christian population has dwindled sharply. (Ed: BR 2026-07-10)