Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1853-07-27

In my ramsles sSous Jerusalem, passed,
on several occasions through the quarter Of
the lepers. Apart from The interest attach.
ed to this unfortunate class Of beings (arising
from the frequent aIlasion made to them 10
the Scripsures) there Is much in their ap-
pearaucc and mode Of life to attract attention
and enlist the sympathy Of tho stranger
Dirt and disease go revoltingly together here !;
gaurt famine stalks through The streets; q
constant moan Of suffering swells upon The
dead air; and sin broods darby over the ruin
it has wrought in that gloomy and Inflated
spot. Wasted forms sit 10 the DOOR Ways:
faces covered with white scales and sigbtless
eyes are turned upward; skeleton arms, dis.
torted and fetid with the ravages Of leprosy.
are outstretched from the foul moving mass
and low howl Is beard---the hoal Of The
stricxen--sor aims; aims, 0 stranger, for the
love Of God!-alms to feed the inexorablc
destroyer !--alms to prolong this dreadful
and hopeless misery! Look upon il, stran-
ger. you, who walk forth in .ll your pride and
strength, and breathe tie fresh ais Of heaven !;
you. who have meyer known what It is to be
Stunned by your fellow men as thing un-
clean and aecurscd you. who deem yourself
unblessed with all the blessings that God has
given you upon the earth. look upon it, and
learn that there Is misery above all that
you have conceived 10 gloomiest hours--a
misery that can still be endured; learn that
even the leper. with death gnawiDg at his
vitals, and unceasing fortunes in bis blood,
cast out from the society Of his fellow-man.
forbidden to touch. in friendship or affection.
the hand of the untaintcd, - still struggles for
life, and deems each hour precious that keeps
him from The grave! The quarter Of the
lepers is sad and impressive place. by
laws of the land, which have existed from
Scriptural times, they are isolated from all
actual contact with their fellow.men; yet
there seems to be nc prohibition to their 60
ing out beyond the walls Of Jerusalem, and
begging oy the road side. Near the gate Of
Zion, on the road to Bethlehem, saw many
Of them sitting on the rocks. their hidcous
faces uncovered, .hrusting forth their scaly
hands for aims. Their huts are rudcly con-
structed Of earth and stones, seldom with
more than one apartment, and this is so filthy
and loathsomc that it seemed unfit to be oc-
cupied By swine. Here they live and prop
agate, whole families togcihess without dis
tinction Of sex and their dreadful malady is
perpetuated from generation. to generation,
and the groans Of The aged and the dying are
mingled with the feeble vail of the young that
are brought forth branded for a life ofmisery.
Strange and mournful thoughts arise in the
contemplation of the sad condi&ipn and prob
able destiny Of these Inflated beings
Among SO many, there must be some in
whose breasts the power Of true love is i'm
planted; love for woman ipits purest sense.
for offspring, for all the endearments Of do
nestle life which the untaiuted are incapable
of feeling; yet doomed never to exercise the
affections without perpetuating the curse;
some, too in whom there are hidden powers
of mind unknown, save to themselves; am
bition that corrudes with unayailing aspira-
tions; thirst for action that burns unceas
ingly within, yet never can be assuaged; all
the ruling passions that are implanted in man
for great and noble purposes. never, never to
give one moments pleasure. unmixed with
the perpetal gloom of that curse which dwels
in their blood. As plodded my way. for
the last time. through this den of sickening
sights, vision Of saman misery was Impress
ed upon my mind, that time cannot efface.
passed when the rays of the sun were cold,
and the sun was din; and there came out
from the reeking novels leprous men, gaunt
with famine. and they barred their hideous
bodies and bowlcd like beasts; and women
held out their loatnsome babes, and tore away
the rags tbst'sovered them, and, pointing to
the sbapeess mass, shTieked for aims. All
was disease, and sin. and sorrow. wherever
went; and as | passed on. unable to relieve
thousandth part Of the misery. bowling cur
ses followed me, and lepers crawled back into
their novels, to rot in their filth, and die when
God wiled Letter from Palestine
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WONDERFUL WORK OF ART.
Prnhahlu the minutasf niece of human work