Demoine courier., 1856-11-20
The Camel and the Needles Eye.

St. Matthew, xix. "a. st. Mark, x. 25.-
st. Luke, xviii. %. Sit is easierf for a camel to
20 through the eye Of a ne edle, than for a rich
man to enter into the kingdom Of heaven
l can scarcely remember the time in my ear
" youth, when this text did not excite my Curl
osity and wonder. In the days of the Evan
gelist, as well as our own, needles, were OF
various sizes. They are the large ones, such as
St. Paul usedi n making tents, and such also,
as we know, are employed in making the
broad sails of some great Admiral. There are
the finest points of steel, used in ancient and
modern times, in the most delicate kind of ne
dle-work, fit to deck the person Of a Queen at
her coronation. The camel is a beast Of bur-
den, much used in Eastern countries. 1t is
about the size Of the largest OK, with one or
two lunches on its back, with long neck and
legs, and with feet adapted to the bot and sandy
desert. Such is the general understanding Of
the two more prominent terms of the pass
&c Of the Holy Writ, now under considera-
ton.
Some have supposed that a slight varied
reading in the original word, which is ~transla-
ted camel might be adopted, by which, the
phrase would be made to mean, a scable,'
such as is used in anchoring ships in the broad
stead. Then the text would read, 1T is easier
for a cable to go through the eye Of a needle,
&c. But the former is probably the most cor
rect reading, for the whole figure seems to
have been a maxim, quite prevalent in the East.
Among the Baby ~lonians, in whose country ell
ephants were not uncommon, the phrase was,
san elephant passing through a needless eye.'
But the elephant was a stranger in Judea, while
the camel was well known, and therefore the
latter was used by the Jews, instead of the
former, to give force to the maxim. Obvious
ly the object Of this form of speech was to
express a thing absolutely impossible.
But have met with another explanation Of
this striking figure, which; to say the least,
adds to its beauty and force. All the impor-
tant cities of the East, in ancient times, were
surrounded by high and massive walls; and so
they are. as the modern traveller informs US, at
the present day. Atcertain points, these walls
were perforated by large passage-ways, for
tuc cAkk ALL cutIdICc vi Tie lnudUItdHJS.-
These passage-ways in times of peace, were
open byday, but at night they were closed by
massive gates, capable of resisting any com-
mon assault. Now, by the side of these en-
frances, were very much smaller ones, used by
foot passengers, and by those who had occasion
togo forth, or enter the city by night. They
were called the needless eye.' Lord Nugent,
IN English traveller Of modern times, when at
Hebron, was directed to go out by the needless
eye,' that is, by the small side-gate of the city.
The camel can 60 through the ueedle's eye,
but with difficulty, and hardly with a full
load; nor without STOPPING.
think this expresses the just idea Of the
passage, 1T is easier for acamel to go through
the needles eye than for a rich man to enter
the gate Of Heaven II is not impossible for
a rich man to enter Heaven, for we may be-
lieve there are many already in the paradise
Of God, who consecrated their wealth to the
service of their Redeemer, and trusted in him
always for salvation. but just as the camel
must be relieved Of part Of his load,before he
can pass through the needles eye,, SO the
rich man must divest himself of a large por-
ton Of his wealth, in the walks Of belevo-
lonce, in order 10 enter the gates of glory
Our Saviour seems to have reference to the
same idea when he says, Straight is the Gate.
And as the camel was compelled to stoop in
order to enter by the low and narrow gates OF
the city, 80 must the rich man learn humility,
ii ne would see the Lord in the fullness Of
his joy.1Christian Witness.
AN INCIDENT m "a