Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1839-05-25
EFHESUS AND ITS VICINITY.

Z
tract of letter. which speaks for itself, without
further introduction Daily Gazette
"At tphesns our stay brief Perhaps
we snail see II again on our return. The ruius
are vast. The theatre into which the people
rushed with one accord" when excited against
Paul by the cuptui:v of a sversmi,h IS st,Il
TO be seen IN tolerable perfection Some of tho
pavement stones of the street passing by IL.
and through which the mob must have run,
yet retain their places. OF the temple of Diana
not stone remains, at least in its original
place. all having been removed To be employed
IN the erection OF churches aud mosques
else where, or having been buried in the marshy
soil on which II was built. Outside Of tho
city one yet sees multitudes Of ruined tomhs,
IN which the ancien, Ephesians deposited their
dead. Ephesns Is a complete desola,ion. Not a
soul inhabis The harbor In which vessels
once rode al anchor, has been filed IN bv the
earth brought down by the river Cays,er md
the three miles between ii and the sen is vast
swamp. whose pestiterous Civilizations reader il
an unfit situation for the abode of man.
Ephesus Is IS or 40 miles from SMYRNA, in 4
5. s. easteriy direction, From T., stopping a
while at Scala Nova, MS already mentioned, und
ut Kali Best, a Greek village in the vast plain
OF the Meander, near which the runs Of Tho
ancient CITY Prienc, on to Miletus,
where Paul stopped on his from Macedonia
TO Jndea, and whence he sent for the elders of
the Ephcsian church. The principal ruins ut NJ.
Of the largest ia ancient times. twas With feel
ing. of peculiar interes, that read over the at
tcclng address Of the Apostle 10 the Ephcsnn
elders. Leaving Miletus we passed on. course
souih,to leronda, ancienly called Branchidn,
where the ruins of an immense tempo
once dedicated 10 Apollo. Three columns arc
standing yet, each 63 feet in height and 8 l-2
in diameter. From leronda came over q
stormy sea and IN an open boat, As miles, to
Patmos, where we arrived yesterday about mid
dav.
There is no spo, in this interesting par, Of
the world, always excepting Jerusalem, and
some other places in Palestine, which have had
a greater desire TO visit than this island.-It
was here tina, the beloved John. as he tells us
himself, was banshed "for the word Of God and
for the testimony of Jesus Christi And il was
here that she had those visions of the Lord. ia
which he saw the Church in all her various phn-
ses of sorrow and of j,y, down to her mile nniai
triumph on earth, and her full and final triumph
in heaven.
Patmos, called generally paiinos, is n barren
spot. 1t is from four to six miles in length,
and on an average or one and a half in
breadth, making an elbow near the middle. aud
consists for the most part Of rocky mountains,
evidently OF volcanic or gin. BY the aid Of
erraces,a very small portion Of it is cultivated,
,ot sufficient however, to supply the wants ofono
eighth OF the Inhabitants, who number about
5000. The men principally seamen. who
lies on the sland-The larger village, for there
re but two, is situated 81 the highest parts
the mountain, and commands a fine view Of tho
ca, and islands, and continent. In the midst Of
his village, huge MONASTERY, built by Alcxius
one Of the Greek emperors towers
bove the other dwellings, and appears far moro
Ike castle than the abode Of professedly holy
zen. The monastery contains 80 or 40 monks.
,norant and idle, library Of considerable value,
nd small chapel full Of idoatrous pictures
mong other manuscripts in the library, we saw
no OF the book Of Job on parchment, with an
Citations and pictures, explanatory Of the diff
rent conditions in which that good man is rep
scented TO have been during his season Of trial.
his manuscript had its existence probably in
lie fifth or sixth century. The people Of tho
land are superstItious TO the last degree In
ED, it not for their supersttious rever-
Ice for the place where John wrote the
pocalyphe, il is doubtful whether a single in
abitant would remain. When John was ban.
he'd here by Domiiian, il is probable that tho
land was uninhabited nearly SO.
We know that John lived and wrote in Patmos
bout midway between the coast and the village
the noun tain is natural cave, which irad-
On says is the very spot where he the Lord
vision. II is most solitary place. On tho
ght, on theieft, and in the rear the south.
e high and craggv mountains. TO the north
a confined view Of the and few acres Of
able land along the shore. Whether this be
j
IT te.-It is, at least, probable. Ii the island was
that time without inhabitants, this was almost
e only spot that could have afforded the banisned
scipe shelter. A little church has been
ected against the side Of the hill in snch
amer that the cave forms part Of the church
elf Superstition has filled il with idoa,rous
ctures. | was deeply interested and affected,
wever, in seeing An extract, neatly COPIED in
Gent Greek hanging against the wall, contain
g several verses of tho LIST chapter Of Revela-
IN, beginning with the s,h verse--"l, John who
80 am your brother and companion in tribula-
n" &C.
My very dear brother, feel that am on con-
Grated ground. !, was, at the fsrihesi, near tho
ice where / am now writing, that the voice Of
e Lord Jesus was heard, Gas fhe sound of many
,ters," procIaming 81 the Alpha aud
mega, the first aud the last" 81 am he that
eth and dead and behold, am alive for
cr more, Amen; and have the keys Of hell
d Of death.'' That voice will again be heard,
wing aloud, "Arise We dend and como to
dgment." o, that you and ! may be prepared
r this summons.-Then shall we be caught up
the clouds TO meet the Lord in the air. and %