Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1857-09-17

The Camel and the Needles Eye.
St. Matthew, xix. "a. s.. Mark, x. rs. St.
Luke, xviii. Is. {" 1t is easier for camel to
60 through the eye Of needle, then for u rich
man to enter into the kindom of heaven
I can scarcely remember the time when this
text did not excite my curiosity and wonder.
In the days of the Evangelist, as well as our
own needles were Of various Sizes There are
the large needles, such as St. Paul used in
making tents and such also as We kaow, are
now employed in making the broad sails Of
some great admiral. There are the finest
points of steel, used in ancient and modern
time in the most delicate kinds of needle.
work, fit TO deck the person of Queen at
her coronation. The camel is a beast Of bur.
den much nsed in the Eastern countries. 1t
is about the size of large OK, with one or two
lunches on its back, with long neck and legs,
and with feet adapted to the hot aud sandy
desert. Such is the general understanding of
the two more prominent terms of the passage
of the Holy Writ now under consideration.
Some have supposed that slightly varied
reading in the original work, which is trans
lated camel y might be adopted by which
the phrase would be made to mean, a cable"
such as is used in anchoring ships in the road
stead. Then the text would read, " 1t is
easier for cable to 60 through the eye Of a
needle" &c. But the former is probably the
most correct reading, for the whole figure seems
to have been maxim, quite prevalent in the
East Among the Babylonians, in whose
country elephants where not uncommon, the
phrase was, an elephant passing through a
needles 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. Obviously the OBJECT of this form
oil speech was to axpress thug absolutely
impossible.
But | have met with another explanation
Of this striking figure, which, to say the least,
adds to its beauty and force. All important
cities of the East, in iucont times we're sur
rounded Ply high and massive walls ; and so
they are as the modern traveller Informs US,
at the present day. At certain points, these
walls were perforated by large passage ways,
for the exit and entrance Of th9 inhabitants.
The passage-ways in times OF peace, were
open by day, but at night they were closed by
massive gates, capable of resisting any con-.
mon asault.-Now, by the side of these large
entrances, we're very much smaller ones, used
by loot passengers, and by those who had oc-
CASTOR to 60 forth, or enter the city by night
They we're called "the needles cye." Lord
: Nugent, an English traveller OF modern times
when at Hebron was directed to 90 out by
: " the needles eye" that is, by the small gate
, of the city. The camel can go through the
needles eye, but with difficulty, and hardly
, with full load ; nor without STOPPING.
think this expresses the just idea Of the
passage, 1t is easier for camel to q
through the needles eye then for rich mar
r to enter the gate Of heaven" 1t is not imposi
q BILE Tor a rich Liam TO enter heaven, for we may
! believe there are many already in the para
q disc OF God, who consecrated their wealth t,
. the service OF their Redeemer, and trusted il
him always for salvation. But just as tn,
+ camel must be relieved of part OF his, load
before he can pass through the" needles eye,'
30 the rich man must diyest himself of larg
: portions OF his wealth, in the walks of beney
a oleuce, in order to enter the gates of glory
Our Savior seems to have reference to III,
$ same idea when he says" Strait is the Gate.
4 And as the camel was compelled to stoop il
q order to enter by the low and narrow gate o
3 the city, SO must the rich man learn humility
/. if he would I" see the Lord" in the fulln, 5
v Of JOY"