Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1857-03-28
THE CAMEL AND THE NEEDLES EYE.
St. Matthew, xix-24 St. Mark, KS. st. Luke,
yyi-25

St. Matthew, xix-24 St. Mark, KS ST. Luke,
xFiii-25
II is easier for camel to 90 through the eye Of needle
than for rich to enter the Kingdoa Of Hedsen
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, well own,
dies were of various sizes There the large needles
such st. Paul used in making tents and such also as
employed in making the broad sails of some great
admiral There the finest points of steel used In
ancient and modern times in the most delicate kinds Of
needlework, fit to deck the person of Queen at her
coronation.
The camel is beast of burden much used in Eastern
countries. 1t is about the size of the largest with
one or two punches his back, with long neck and
legs and with feet adapted to the hot and sandy desert
Such is the general understanding of the two pro-
mineHt terms of the passage of Holy Writ now under
consideration
Some have supposed that slightly varied reading in
the original word which is translated sscamel, might
be adopted by which the phrase would be made e mean
a cable, such is used in anchoring ships In the
roadstead Then the would read it is easier for
cable to enter the eye of 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
were not uncommon, the phrase was elephant pass
ing through needles eye" But the elephant was
stranger In Judea, while the camel well known, and
therefore the latter used by the Jews instead of the
former to give force TO the maxim Obviously the object
Of this form of speech to express thing absolutely
impossible.
But have met with another explanation of the stri-
king figure which, say the least, adds to its beauty
and force. All the important cities of the East in
Gent times surrounded by high and massive walls
and they the modern traveller informs u.s. at the
present day. At certain points these walls perfo-
rated by large passways for the exit and entrance of the
inhabitants These passage in times Of peace
open by day. but at night they closed by massive
gates, capable of resisting any assault Now,
by the side of these large entrances very much
smaller used by foot passengers and by those who
had occasion 60 forth enter the city by night.
They called the needles eye" as Lord Nugent,
English traveller of modern times, when st Hebron,
directed to go by the needles eye that is BY
the small sdegate the city The camel 90 through
the needles eye, but with difficulty and hardly with
full load, without STOPPING.
think this expresses the just idea of the passage 1t
easier for camel to go through the needles eye than
for rich to enter the gate of Heaven" 1t is
impossible for rich to enter heaven, for may
believe there many already in the paradise of God
who consecrated their wealth to the service of their Re-
deemer, and trusted in him always for salvation. But
just the camel must be relieved of part of his load be-
fore he pass through the 'needes eye the rich
must dvest himself of large portions of his wealth
in the walks of beneyoence in order enter the gates Of
glory Our Saviour to have reference to the
idea when he says straight is the gate" And the
low and gate of the city, must the rich
learn humility if he would the Lord sin the full
ness ofjoy." christian Fitness.