Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1848-11-17
VOLUME I5--NUMBER 6.

from Jcrusoleni ana IN tnOse days. Wnen large
amount Of yearly travelling was a solemn reli-
gious duty incumbent upon every family, il is
scarcely possible but that relatives must have Of
ten visited each other, and thai Jesus and his
parents must have come to Hebron.
The cave Of Machpelaa is there; and the bu-
rial-Place OF Abraham and his family was a sa.
cred locality, and an obiectof pilglimageto TO Jews
OF all ages. As we inquired for il, and walked
round the enclosure, which the Mohammedans
now permit no Christian to enter, | could not
but think who might have been before US in the
same quest
As sat on a tomb in the Turkish cemetery
the next morning, watching the preparations for
our departure, almost dreaded the interest which
every day would bring, after the calm and quiet
weekswe had spent in the desert. Our encamp-
ment looked much the same as il had done eve
ry morning for month past; the Arab servants
busy in taking down and packing the tents, and
a noisy quarrslgoing on inlhe mIdsI-(this NOR
ming about pistol having been stolen from one
Of the tents: land the differences were only
that there were spectators standing by, and that
our camels had given place to horses and asses.
But instead Of the rocks and sands Of the desert,
Hebron was before my eyes, and the hills where
Abraham spread his hocks, and the spot where
he and his family lay buried. And before night,
| should see the place where David was born,
and lived his shepherd life and where Jesus was
born. We had only twenty miles to travel this
day 10 Bethlehem, but it was quite enough, for
we were eager about every old tree, and we'll,
and hilltop. Tho shrubs grew finer, and the
wild flowers more abundant, the whole way;
though the hills of Judah were wild and stony
| in onH 6, e. - n
as covered them when Abraham lived among
them, or when the Hebrews drove in their cattle
from the desert, or when David in his boyhood
amused himself with singing smooth stones from
the brook while his fathers sheep were feeding
on the slopes. We sat down TO rest and eat un-
der the shade Of a rock and spreading tree;
and for the hundredlh time since we left Egypt
1t occurred to me how little we can enter into
the meaning of David when, in his divine songs,
he speaks of the shade Of rocks, aud Of the beau
ty Of "a tree planted by rivers Of WATER" and
all such cool images. When one has been slow
! ly pacing on, hour after hour, over garing sands
or heated rocks, under a sun which makes eve-
ry bit of leather or metal, and even ones outer
clothing, feel scorching hot, and depressing ones
very breathing, the sight of patch of dark
shade is welcome beyond belief: and when one
has dlSmounted and felt the GOODNESS of the
rocky wall and of the ground beneath it, and
gathered the fresh weeds which cluster in its cre-
vices, phrase after phrase Of the Psalms and pro-
phecles comes over ones mind, with life and
freshness as sweet as the blossoms in ones lap.
|, Our first sight Of Bethlehem was beautiful
We came upon it suddenly, just when the yell
/, low sunset light was richest. Bethlehem was
on the rising ground on our right, massive look
ing (as all the villages of Palestine are) and
shadowy, as the last sun.rays passed it to gid the
western hills, and another village which there
lay highup, embosomed in fgand olive orchards.
The valley between, out of which we were RI
sing, lay in shadow. Before US, perched on a
lofty ridge, which rose between us and Jerusa.
lem, was the convent of St. Elias. which we
were TO pass tomorrow. was sorry to turn
away from this view: but we had to take the
t rght-hand road, and ride through the narrow
streets of the village to The great convent, built
over the spot where Jesus is believed by the
t monks 10 have been born.
1t was too late this evening to see any of the
, sacred localities; but It was quite enough to
} have the moonIgh in during the whole
, night through the window of my lofty convent
chamber, and 10 think that on this hill took place
} the greatest event in the history of the world;
and that in the fields near, the gentle Ruth went
/; about her cleaning little dreaming in those days
OF her poverty, that from hcrmeeting with Boaz
among the reapers Of his harvcsts, would arise
such events to the human race; that the shep-
herd grand-chiId, whose divine songs were to
soothe her old age, should be the mighty king
he was, and the father of yet mighlier, whn
should build the great temple of the Lord; and
; that a more distant descendant should make these
!, glores appear as childish toys in the presence
: OF his greater sovereignty over the universal hu.
man soul. wise man Of late century has
nobIy said that "Prosperty is the promise of the
t Old Testament, and Adversely that of the New"
On this hill was born the prosperity of the old
dispensation; and on this hill was born the Man
Of sorrows who knew the secret of true peace,
andtaught itin the saying that it profits not man
to gain the whole world if he lose his own soul.
In the morning we went int the church oI
the convent. cared little for the upper part,
with It's chapels for Greek, Latin, and Armenian
worship: and not much more for the caverns un-
derground, where the monks believe that Joseph
and Mary remained while there was no room for
} them in the inn. If the town was too full to re.
ceve them while the people were collected for
the census, it is hardly probable that they would
, repair TO an underground cave: but in this cave
t mass was going on this morning; and striking
5 was the effect, after coming down from the sun.
+. shine, of the crowded cavern, with its yellow
: lights and their smoke, and the echoes of the
5 chanting. We returned when the service was
over, and saw the star in the marble floor which
marks, as the friars believe, the precise spOtwhere
s Jesus was born, and the marble slab which is laid
Q in the place Of the manger. When | saw,
. throughout the country, how the Arabs now use
the caves of the hills to bed their their goats and
It cattle, this belief of the friars appeared less alb
Q surd than it would be with us; but still, it is so
+ improbable that the precise spot of these trans
= actions (whose importance was notknowntill af.
: terward) should have been marked and remem.
karnA In cal. .l.l Il