Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1856-12-25
SACRED MOUNTAINS: MT. TABOR.
BY THE REV. J. T. HEADLEY.

SACRED MOUNTAINS: MT. TABOR.
BY THE REV. ]. T. HEADLEY.
What strange contrasts this earth of ours
presents. 1t seems to be the middle spot
between heaven and hell, and to partake Of
the character of both. Beings from both are
found moving over its surface, and scenes
from both are constantly occurring upon it.
The glory from one and the midnight shades
from the other meet along its bosom, and
the songs of angels and the shrek of fends
go up from the same spot. MONDAY and
midnight arc not more opposite than the
scenes that are constantly passing before our
eyes. The temple of God stands beside a
brothcl, and the place of prayer is separated
only by single dwelling from the "help'
of the gambler. Truth and falsehood walk
side by side through our streets, and vice
virtue meet and pass every hour of the day.
The hut of thestarving stands in the shadow
of the palace of the wealthy, and the car
riage of Dives every day throws the dust of
its glittering wheels over the tattered gar
ments Of Lazarus. Health and sickness lie
down in the sdme apartment; joy and agony
look out of the same window; and hope and
despair dwell under the same roof The cry
of the newborn infant and the groan of the
dying rise together from the same dwelling;
the funeral procession treads c'ose on the
heels of the bridal party; and the tones of
the lutte and viol have scarcely died away be-
fore the requiem for the dead comes swelling
after. Oh ! the beautiful and lcformcd, the
pure aud corrupt, joy and sorrow, ccstacies
and agonies, life and death are strangely
blcnt on this restless planet of ours.
But the past and future prcstcnt as strange
contrasts as the present. What different
events have transpired on the same spot
Where the smoke Of the Indians wigmam
arose, and the stealthy tread of the wolf and
panther was heard over the autumn leaves
at twilight, the population of New York
now surges along. Where once Tyre the
queen of the sea stood, fishermen are spread
ing their nets on the desoatc rocks, and the
bright waves arc rolling over its marble COL
umns. In the empty apartments of Edom
the fox makes his den, and the dust of the
desert is sitting over the forsaken ruins Of
Palmyra. The owl boots in the ancient halls
Of kings, and the wind of the summer night
makes sad music through the rents of once
gorgeous palaces. The Arab spurs his stced
along the street of ancient Jerusalem, or
scorufully stands on Mount Zion and curls
his lip at the pilgrim pressing wcarily to the
sepulchre of the Saviour The Muezzin' s
voice rings over the bones of the prophets,
and the desert wind heaps the dust above
the foundations of the seven churches Of
Asia. Oh, how good and evil, light and
darkness chase each other over the world.
But L may be asked what this fit of musing
has to do with Mount Tabor. 1t came up,
on NE unawares, and was suggested by two
different scenes my imagination drew upon
that mountain.
Something over half century ago, form
was seen standing on Mount Tabor with
which the world has since become familiar
1t was bright spring morning, and as he
sat on his steed in the clear sunlight, his
eye rested on scene in the vale below
which was sublime and appalling enough tc
quicken the pulsations of the calmest heart
'That form was Napoleon Bonaparte, and the
scene before him the fierce and terrible
"Battle of Mount Tabor" From Nazareth
where the Saviour once trod, Keber had
marched with three thousand French soldiers
forth into the plain, when 10, at the foot o.
Mount Tabor he saw the whole Turkish ar
my drawn up in order of battle. Fifteen
thousand infantry and twelve thousand splen
did cavalry moved down in majestic strength
on this band of three thousand French
Klebcr had scarcely time to throw his hand
full of men iuto squares, with the cannon a
the angles, before those twelve Thousand
horse, making the earth smoke and thunder
as they came, burst in aheadlong gallop up
on them. But round those steady squares
rolled a fierce devouring fire, emptying th'
saddles of those wild horsemen with fright
full rapidity, and strewing the earth with thu
bodies of riders and steeds together. Agar
and again did those splendid squadrons wheel
reform and charge with deafening shouts
while their up-liftcd and flashing scimetar
cleaned like a forest of steel through th'
smoke of battle; but that same wasting fir
received them. Those squares seemed bount
by girdle of fame, so rapid and constan
were the discharges. Before their certain
and deadly aim, as they STOOD fighting fo
existence, the charging squadrons fell 81