Constantine built a church here in 330, most of which survives in the present church of Nativity. Justinian who reigned from 527 to 565, rebuilt the walls of the town. The first care of the Crusaders, before taking Jerusalem in 1099, was to secure the safety of the Christian population of Bethlehem. Today there are about 8,000 inhabitants with Armenian Greek, and Latin churches, monasteries, convents, and schools for girls and for boys. There are English and German missions.
At Fifth Avenue and 57th is the Heckscher Building (the tall building in the foreground built in tiers), built to comply with the new city building regulations. Just across the street is the Vanderbilt residence and back on the next street the Plaza Hotel, one of the most fashionable in the City. This view also shows the beginning of Central Park. This is the end of the shopping district on lower Fifth Avenue, but after the Park has been passed the Avenue comes again into a district of shops, though this time they are on the upper East Side and are entirely different in character; one would not recognize in it the street from Washington Square to 59th.
Image Description from historic lecture booklet: "Wellington, the capital of New Zealand, is one of the stormiest towns south of the Equator. It is situated at the lower end of Cook Strait, which is so windy that it has been called the Windpipe of the Pacific. Were it not for the excellent harbor, ships could not land and even as it is, great wooden docks have been built to protect them. Wellington has good streets, fine public buildings, excellent stores, and comfortable houses. It is here that Parliament meets, and here live the chief officials of the country. New Zealand is a British colony, and as such it has a governor appointed by the Kind of England. The governor however, has not much power; the people make their own laws and elect those who execute them. In New Zealand every one votes, women as well as men. The telegraphs and railroads belong to the government, which does everything it can to help the people."
Image Description from historic lecture booklet: "Adelaide is a prosperous city of more than 200,000 people and is the capital city of South Australia. Immediately north from Adelaide the wheat country reveals itself in gentle undulations and extends inland about 150 miles."
Image Description from historic lecture booklet: "This is a fine modern city of more than 150,000 people. Brisbane is the capital of the state of Queensland."
Image Description from historic lecture booklet: "About ten miles northwest of the Sea of Galilee on a very high hill (2,749 feet) of the ancient province of Galilee, is situated the city of Safed, which is thought by some to be the city referred to by Jesus in His sermon on the mount (Matt 5:14). You remember the words of our Lord to his disciples in the Sermon on the Mount? "Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid." He may have pointed to this very hill and this very city, now known as Safed, in northern Galilee. Although no place having this location is named in the Bible, it is probable that in Christ's day, a city was standing on this hill, for in the New Testament period, this land was densely populated. Safed stands as a landmark, seen in every direction, and well illustrated the words of Jesus regarding the prominence of his disciples in the world."
Image Description from historic lecture booklet "Hebron is very ancient, built originally before tanis in Egypt. It was David's first capital, and the headquarters of Absolom's rebellion. It is the prettily situated, in a fertile and beautiful region. The present population is about 14,000, of whom 1,100 are Jews; the rest are unusually fanatical. Hebron is about 20 miles southwest of Jerusalem."
At 23rd Street we come to Madison Square where Broadway crosses Fifth Avenue. Facing this square we have the famous Madison Square Garden Building, the Metropolitan Building, and the Flat Iron Building. Madison Square Garden occupies an entire block, with a beautiful tower topped with a statue of Diana by St. Gaudens, costing $3,000,000. It contains one of the largest amphitheatres in America, seating 12,000. It has been the scene of great political meetings, horse shows, Barnum and Baily and Ringling Brothers circuses, prize fights, dances, etc.