Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1853-11-09
SUNDAY READING,
GETHsEMA E.

Tho places which our Lord consecrated
while Oh his earthly mission, have a peculiar
interest to the modern Traveller. On a visit
to the Dead Sen, we have the following ac-
count Vi the Garden Of Gethsemane. We
copy the following beautiful description Of it
from the Puritan Recorder.
We spent much time III visiting over and
over again tho interesting localities in and
around Jerusalem. Above all others. the
spot least doubted, and very fur from the
least halIowcd, was the Garden Of Gethsemane.
II is enclosed by a high stone wall; and
when we saw il the trees were in bios ON.
tho clover upon the ground in bloom, and
altogether in the aspect and its-associations,
was best calculated to sooth q troubled spirit.
Eight venerable trees, isolated from the
Others, aud less imposing ones, which skirt
the base Of the Mount Of Olives, form a con-
secrated grove. High above, on either hand.
towers II lofty mountain, with a deep yawn.
inc chasm Of Jchosaphat between them
Growing one Of them is Jerusalem, a living
city; on the slope Of the other is the jewish
cemetery, ~ city Of the dead. Each tree in
this grove, cankercd aud gnarled and fur
rowed hy 0ge, yet beautiful and impressive
in It's decty, is II living mDnament Of the af
fecting scenes that have taken place beneath
aud around. The olive perpetuateS itself
and from The root Of the parent stem the
young tree springs into existence. The trees
aro accounted a thousand years Old. Under
those otthe preceding growth, therefore, our
GNyt,fw ty4rH tvHut In rat IN me g Il.
present may mark the spot where he knelt.,
and prayed, and wept. No e%aviling doubts
can End entrance here; the geographical
boundaries are too clear and distinct for An
]insiant's hesitation. Hero the Christian. for.
getfl Of the present and absorbed in the
past. can resign himself to sad yet soothing
meditation. The few purple crimson flow.
crs growing about the roots of the trees will
give him ample food for meditation, for the,
tell the suffering life and the e~nsanguinet
death Of the Redecmer.
On the same slope, a little below Geth
semaue, facing the city, are the reputet
tombs Of Absolom, Zachariach, st. Jane.
J~ehosaphat; the last giving its name to tn
valley. Some Of them are hewn bodily from
the rock. and the whole form a remlrkabl
group. That Of Absolon. in particular, from
its peculiar tint, as well rs from style of al
chitecturc, reminded us Of the sepulchr;
monuments Of Petra. Its eight feet squar,
surmounted bv a grounded pyramid, and thel
nre ak semi.colous to each face, which are
the same mass of the body Of the sepulchr
The tomb Of Zaehariah IS also hewn squa
from the rock, and its four sides form a p,
ramid. The tomb Of Jchosaphat has a han,
some carved door; aud a portico with 70,
columns indicate the sepuIchre where
James, the apostle concealed himself.
II was in the valley Of Jehosaphat tn
Mclcbiscdic, King of Salem, met Abraham
on his return from defeating the five Kin
Of the valley Of Siddeu. In the depth
this rayino Moloch was worshipped benea
the tomplc Of tho Most High, which crown
the summit Of Mount Moriah.
In the village Of Sloan, the scene of S,
onions apostaey, the living having eject
the dead, there arc as many dwellings,
tombs as IN houses. Beneath it, and at
base Of the Mount of Offences, is the or
burial ground, the desired and final rest
place Of the Jews all over the world. !
FAT stones, rudely s%culptured with HEIR
characters, lie, as the tenants beneath W
laid, with their faces toward heaven. In
village above it and in the city over agai
it, the silence Is almost as death-like, as