The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1840-06-09
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NA 4 y ella m G ON =.
J e r. u S A l. E M.


the changes of European history since the Chris
tian era, Jndea still continues to be the most
interesting portion of the world. Among 9th.
er purposes, it may he for the purpose OF fixing
the general eye upon this extraordinary land
that it has been periodically v isited by more
striking succession of great public calanities than
perhaps any other regi on. With less to attract
am invader than any other conspicuous land of
lhe East il has been constantly exposed TO in.
vason. Its ruin by the Romnns in the first cen.
fury did not prevent its being assaed by almost
every barbarian, who, in turn, assumed the pre-,
,carous sovereignty of the neighboring Asia. AT.
ter ages Of obscure misery. a new terror came
in the Saracen INVASION, which, under Amrou,
on the conquest of Da mascus, rolled Pales
tine A seige of four months, which may
well conceive to have abounded in horrors, gave
Jarusalem into the hands of the Kaiph Omnr.
On the death of Omar who died by the usual
fate Of Eastern princes-the dagger--lhc coun.
try was left 10 The still heavier misgovernment of
the Moslem viceroys-a race of men essentially
barbarian, and committing for their crimes by
their zeal in proselytism. The people ofcourse
were doubly tormenteh.
new scourge fell upon them in the invasion
Of the Crusaders at the beginning OF the twelfth
century followed Ivy long succession of bitter
hos,ilities aud public weakness. After almost
century of this wretchedness, another invasion
from the Desert put Jerusalem into the hands
of its old oppressor, the Saruc Ell; and 1857, the
famous Saladn expeiling the last Of the Chris.
tian Sovereigns, took possession of Palestine.
After another century Of tu,nult and suffering
occasioned by the disputes of the Saracen Prn
ces, it was visited by still more formidable evil
in The shape of the Turks, then wholly uncIvil'
ized--a nation in all the rudeness and violence
of moIntaineer lite and spreading blood and fire
through Western Asia. From this date (l3l7) It
remained under the dominion OF the Ottoman,
until its conquest, few years ago, by that most
extraordinary fall Mussulmnns the Pacha Of
Egypt-a ,ireary period $500 years, under the
most deSoialing government OF the world. IL IS
equally impossible TO read the scriptura refer
ences to- the ft,ure condition of Palestine,
without discoveringa crowd of the planest and
most powerful indications that il shall yet ex-
hihit totally different aspect hom that OF lis
present state. Enthusiasm, or even the natural
interest which we fell i'm this memorable nation
may color the failure to us too brightly; but use
less language Of the most solemn kind, uttered
on the most solemn occasions, and by men III
vinely commissioned for its uuerance, is wholly
unmeaning, we must yet look 10 Some powerful,
nnquestionable, and splendid display OF proVI'
dence in favor Of the people OF Israel.
The remarkable determination OF European
notifies towards Asia Minor, Syria and Egypt
within these few years; the not less unexpected
change Of customs, which seemed to deiy all
change; and the new life infused into tne stag
n,,,t Governments Of ASIA even by their belng
flung into the whirl of European interests, look
M, mike signs OF the times. il may he no
dream, 10 imagine in these phenomena the proofs
of some memorable change in the interior OF
,hings-some preparatives for that great Prov
DENTAL restoration. OF which Jerusalem WIZ yet
he the scene, if not The centre, and ;he israeh'e
himself the especial agent Of those high trans
actions, which shall make Christianity the re'g
ion of all lands, restore the dismant'en
beauty of all earth, and nuke man-what ne
was created to be-only 81 little lower than
the angels .
The statistics Of the Jewish population are
among the most sin gular circumstances OF TINS
most singular ofalI people. Under all theii en-
iamines AMI dispersions, they seem To nave re
NAMED at nearly the same amount ms IN me
DAYS of David 81 Solomon never nuch more III
prosperjty never much less after ages OF suffer
mo Nothing like this has occurred il the his.
tory of any other race; Europe in general
having doubled It's population wi'hm "e
last hundred years, and Eng lind nearly trped
hers with the last half century; the proPoruon
of America being still more rapid and The world
crovding in constantly increasing ratio. fe'
the Jews seem TO stand still in this vast anu gem
eral movement. The population OF Judea m us 5
most palmy days, probably did not excee"'n
reached, four millions.
Tie number who entered Palestine from tie
wilderness were evidently not much more lhah
three: and their census, according 70 !ne S -.
man statistics who were generally cons'1ere"s ~
be exact is now nearly the same as that o, t''e
people under Moses-about ih.ee miihois' lucy
are thus distrhutet- .43t .e ~ 10,
In Europe. lql6-QQ0, -efwhich about 63S, wv
are in Poland and Russia, and $4,000 ere IL
Austria. Ell, ..f. a ..
In Asia, $4,000, of which 100000 are ii
Asiatic Turkey. ooo
In Africa, 5O4 900, Of which 3Oo,0oo' aie u
Morocco. .t,3s g,, E.t
In America North and South, 5I,Oou.
live al to these about $4,000 samaritan
the calculation in round numbers will be aoon
3,l60,0O0. gla 'no,523 -.
This was the report in l825-'he nu,npe''
nhnhiy in tbn
fxedness i'm the tnids: of almost uhiversaI III
crease, is doubtless not without reason.-'t we
are even to look for it among the mysterious op
era,ions which have preserved lsraela separate
race through eighteen hundred years; may we
not naturally conceive. that a people thns preser
we'd without advance or retrocession; dispersed
yel combined; broken, yet firm; without IL coun
try, yet dwellers in ALL, every where 'nsn''ed