The Carolina Spartan. [volume] (Spartanburg, S.C.) 1852-1896, 1856-12-25
The Camel and the Needles Eva.

81. Matthew, xix. "a. ST. Mark, <. 25.
81. Luke, xviii. 25. 1T is easier for a cam.
el 20 go through the eye Of a needle, than
Tor r'ch man to enter into the kingdom Of
| heaven"
can scarcely remember the time in my
| early youth. when this text did not excite
my curiosity and wonder In The DAYS of
the Evangelist, as well as our own. nee
dies were OF various sizes. There are the
large needles, such as st. Paul used In ma.
KING tents, and such also, as we know. are
now 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 kinds of needle
work, tit 10 deck the person Of a Queen at
her coronation. The camel is beast Of bur.
den. much used in eastern countries. IL is
about the size of the largest ox, with one or
two bunches on Us back, with long neck
and legs, and with feet adapted to the hot
and sandy desert. SUCH is the general un,
derstanding Of the two more prominent
Terms OF the passage Of the Holy Writ, now
under consideration.
Some have supposed that slightly va.
red reading III the original word, which is
translated camel" might be adopted, by
which the phrase would be made 10 mean,
a cable" such as IS used in anchoring
ships in the roadstead. Then the text would
read, 1T is easier for cable TO 90 through
the eve of a needle" &c But the former
IS probably the most correct reading, for
the whole figure seems to have been max.
i'm quite prevalent in the East Among
the BabyIonians, in whose country elephan 5
were not uncommon, the phrase was, ian
| elephant passing through needles eye."
But the elephant was stranger in Judea,
while the camel WAS well known; and there,
fore the latter was used by the Jews, in-
stead of the former, 10 give force 10 the
maxim. Obviously the object Of this form
of speech was to express thing absolutely
F, impossible.
But have met with another explanation
OF this striking figure, which to say the least
adds 10 lis beauty and force. All the i'm
portant cities OF the East, in ancient times,
were surrounded by high aud massive
walls; and SO they are, as the modern trav.
eler informs us, at the present day. At
certain points, these walls were perforated
by large passage-ways, for the exit and en-
trance of the inhabitants. These passage.
ways in times Of peace, were open by day,
but at night they were closed 10y massive
gates, capable of resisting any common as,
saut. Now, by the side of these large en-.
frances, were very much smaller ones, used
by foot passengers, and by those who had
! occasion 10 60 forth, or enter the city by
night. They were called ''the needles eye.n
Lord Nugent, an English traveller of mo,
dern times, when at Hebron, was directed
to so out by "the needles eye" that is, by
the small side gate of the city The camel
can 90 through tie needles eyc, but with
difficulty, and hardly with full load, nor
without STOPPING.
think this expresses the just idea of the
| passage, at is easier for camel TO 90
! trough the needles eye than for rich
man TO enter The gate of heaven" 1t is
not impossible for a rich man 10 enter
heaven, for we may believe there are MANY
already in the paradise Of God who conse.
Grated their wealth TO the service of their
| Redeemer, and trusted in him always for
salvation. But just as the came! must be re,
lleved of pait of his load, before he can pass
through the needles eye" so The rich man
must divest himself Of large portions OF his
wealth, in the walks of benevolence, in or
der 10 enter the gates of glory. Our Saviour
seems TO have reference 10 the same idea
when he says, Strait IS the gate" And
ms the camel was compelled 10 stoop in or
der TO enter by the low and narrow gate OF
The city. so must the rich man learn hu.
naittty, il lie would "see the Lord" '.in the
fullneSs Of joy Christian Witness.