The Northern star, and constitutionalist. [volume] (Warren, R.I.) 1834-1837, 1837-07-15
MOUNT SINAI.

The following is an extract from book
Just published, entitled "Incidents of Ira
vel in Egypt, Arabia, Petrea, and the
Holy Land"
At eight O'Clock / was
breakfasting; the Superior was again at
my side; again offering all that The con-
vent could give, and urging me to stay a
month, a fortnight, week, at least to
spend day with him, and repose myself
alter the iatigues of my journey; but from
the door of the little room in which sat,
l saw the holy mountain, and longed TO
stand on its lofty summit. Though lee
BILE and far from well, l felt the blood Of
health again coursiDg in my veins. !
found, and l was happy to find, for the
prospective enjoyment Of my farther Jour
ney, that the first tangible monument in
the history of the Bible, the first spot that
could be called holy ground, raised in me
feelings that had not been awakened by
the most classic ground in Italy and
Greece, or the proudest monuments Of art
in Egypt.
the old monk still leading the way, in a
bout quarter of an hour we came to a
table OF rock standing boldly out, and run
ming down almost perpendIcularIy an i'm
nense distance to the valley.
was expecting another monkish le-
gend, and my heart thrilled when the
monk told me that this was the top Of the
bill on which Moses had sat during the
,altle Of the Israeiles and Ameek,tes,
while Aaron and Hur supported his up
ilted hands, until the sun went down up
IN the victorious aims of his people |
rom the height could see clearly and
distinctly every part of the battle ground,
md the mountains beyond, and Moses
While on this spot must have been visible
o the contendIDg armies from every part
{ the field on which they were engaged
l stand upon the very
eak of Sinai--where Moses stood when
G talked with the A lmighty. Can It be,
r is it a mere dreams? Can this naked
ock have been the witness Of that great
,tervew between man and his Maker!
Where amid thunder and lightning, and a
,ariul quaking Of the mountain, the Al
'ighiy gave his chosen people The prec-
Jus tables Of his law, those rules of inf
ite wisdom and goodncs, which to this
ny /, best teach man his duty towards his I
pghbor and himself. q
The scenes Of many OF the incidents G
corded in the Bible are extremely un- /
,rtan Historians and Geoeraphers, Il
ace the Garden Of Eden, the Paradise
our first parents, in different parts OF b
sia; and they do not agree upon the site
the Tower of Babel, the mountain Of n
,arat, and many of the most interesting Il
aces in the Holy Land; but of SINAI c
ere is no doubt. This is the holy a
ountain, and among all The stupendous It
,rks of nature not place can be select h
more fitted for the exhibition OF Al "
ghty power. / have stood upon the Il
mmit of the giant Elna, and looked ov- h
the clouds floating beneath it, upon The p
Id scenery of Sicily, and the distant p,
,unta,ns Of Cnlabria; upon the top OF I'll
esuvius, and looked down upon the b,
ives of The lava, and the ruined and half
covered cities ut its foot; but they are sa
thing compared with the terrific soli- CO
lie and bleak majesty Of Sinai. An OBJ he
wing traveller has well called il ga per-
{ sea Of desolation." Not n tree or ry
ub or blade Of grass Is to be seen upon
bare and rugged sides OF innumerable yc
untsins, heaving their naked submits
Ihe skiet, while the crumbling masses
granite all around and the distant view Je