Indiana State sentinel., 1849-11-22
Published every Thursday.]
An Eloquent Passage.


U. S. N, Commander Of the Expedition" This
tice is from the eloquent and able pen Of the Rev.
Dr. DURBrN, who is Justly accounted TO be of the
most distinguished divnes of the M. E. Church.
Those who do not see the Quarterly. will think US
for this extracts tceming it does in poetry and
sublimity:
''On the 18th of April. the eighth day of their voy-
age on the Jordan, the expedition emerged into the
plain of Jericho, with the Mountains of Moab on
their left, the terrible wilderness of Judea on their
right, and the Dead Sen before them. They encamp-
ed at the Pilgrims Ford, where the Christian crowds
were 10 baihe on the following morning. beauti-
fu engraving illustrates this interesting scene. Let
us take our stand on the bank where the pilgrim host
is descending to the water, while the American
boats, with their crews anchored IN the stream
All are evidently filled with wonder aud reverence
And we'll they may be; for on the distant range OF
the Mountains of Moab, seen beyond the river, the
hosts of Israel appeared more than three thousand
years ago. under the conduct of Moses and Joshua
Upon of these perceptble SUBMITS stood Moses
and gazed upon the Promised Land, while the Lord
said unto him, ''This is the land which sware un-
to Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, saying, l
will give il thy seed: have caused thee to see
it with thine eyes, but thou shalt not 60 over thih-
er." Moses his eyes down the western decivi-
ty of the mountain, and saw his people encamped I'm
the plains of Moab," by the side of the river. he
gazed for moment. sad yet full of hope and resig-
sed Land. For him, during thirty days, the signing
of the old at evening" and the wall of the young in
the morning, were heard along the banks OF the river
The time of possession had come: God had conduct
ed the people to the gate of their future home. But
il harvest-time and tbe,swelings OF the Jordan
were at their height. (Joshua iii. 49, As the day
dawned the whole camp in motion; the tents
were struck; each tribe marshallcd under its
banner; while at the edge of the rushing flood stood
Joshua, pointing with the ''rod of SIud" to the spot
where the advancing priests, bearing the ark to
step into the water. With unwavering tread they
approached; and their sacred feet touched the
whirling food it recolled backwards, and stood
high wall above them, while below it rolled away to
the Dead Sea, laying bare the deep bed Of the river
Here The ark of God rested the bottom until the
whole host had ''passed on dry ground" and
stood in silent wonder the very spot where the pill
grims in the foreground Of the picture. As
the ark up from beneath the eall of water, the
floods returned Then the air rent with shout
Of triumph which startled the city of Jericho at hand
and died away amid the hills Of Palestine.
More than thousand years passed away, when ON
this spot appeared ausiere man, of command
ing form and powerful voice, whose life had been
spent in the terrible wilderness which borders the
plain of Jericho the west, and, lifting his hand
high he cried TO his guilty countrymen. Repent ye
for the kindOm Of heaven is at hand" He required
them be baptized in the Jordan, a symbol of this
kingdom The pungent reproofs, and the earnest
faith of the Baptist, drew the whole country TO the
river; and the of Jerusalem became silent, be-
cause in pentence and hope the inhabitants had gone
down to be baptized. Suddenly the Baptist paused
In his holy work; and, agitated and SILENT he stood
looking inteny on meek but heavenly firm that
was approaching for baptism. John recoied from
the holy and mysterious person. and forbade him. say
ing, have need 10 be baptized Of thee, and comest
thou to me! And Jesus said, Suffer it to be SO row
for thus it becometh US to fulfil all righteousness"
The vast multitude breathed not, these two mystic
ous beings descended into the wafer. As the sacred
person of Jesus ascended from the river mild u-
minaon, in the form of ''dove crowned his bless
ed head; aud the multitude was suddenly awakened
10 q comprehension of the great event, by ga voice
from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in
whom | am well pleased hear ye him"
Nearly two thousand years have rolled away since
this great event. and vet its powerful associations
fell throughout the Christian world BY the 18th OF
April of each year, a vast crowd of men, women,
and children, from Europe, Asia. Africa, and Amer
ca are assembled in jerusalem. As the morning
dawns Mount Olivet, the Mohammedun governor
Of the city. with an imposing military brigade, is
seen depoying through the Damascus gate, while. the
pilgrims, some foot some horseback, some on
camels. donkeys. assembled outside of
ST. Stephens gare The aged and sick, the women and
children, in baskets large panniers slung
the backs of caDels As the CAV cortege Of the Turk
winds round the western aud southern slope of Ovet,
the Christian h0s in the most picturesque confusion.
follows his IRAN Tor protection. At eveDtide they
are ON The plains of Jericho, about mile from the
Jordan. The gay tent of the governor is the
of the thousand groups which, under the open haag-
ens are assembled around their little fires These
die out the night advances. but sleep not
the weary aud EXCITED muItitude>; for they are
baihe tomorrow morning in the Jordan. where the
Lord of life and glory was baptized. At three o'clock,
A. NJ, the camp is in motion, and the columns adj
vance in eager disorder to the mBrgin of the river.
The usty swimmer leaps into the sacred food-the
timd female seizes the branch of willow tree, and
let's herself down three times beneath The waerthe
feeble old mans step is steaded by his brawny son,
and he cosnes up frum the stream he feels that he
is content for the purposes of his life accomplish
ed. Suddenly faint shrek is heard, and a shver,
first of HORROR aud then of joy through the null
titude. Tie rapid current has carried away pill
| grim; and she finds enviable burial in the holy
river.
Scarcely two hours have elapsed, and the vast null
titude is retracing its steps the sandy plain,
bearing on high branches of willow. acacia, cane
which they have plucked from the banks aud dipped
into the sacred An hour more, and the rear
PORTIONS Of that wonderful throng have disappeared
high up in the dark crsggy mountains of The wilder
ness of Judea and at night will sleep under the walls
of Jerusalem, around the garden of Geihsemafe and
the tomb of the blessed Virgin-n the valley of the
Kidron.
DrsUxIoN CONVENTION IN MIssIssPPi.-A conven-
tion purporing to be State Convention. was held at
Jackson, Mississippi the Sd instant Sixty-nne
persons present from thirty counties the State
which contains sixty counties. The Convention
resolved that the passage of the WIlmot rroviso.
any law abnshing slavery in the District of Coum-
ba, would be sssuc u breach Of the Federal compact
as in that event. will make j, the duy. it is the