The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1858-06-03
BULWER ON THE DESTRUCTION OF JERusa.
LEM

| LEM.
A few weeks ago Sir f. Bulwer Lylton
delivered II lecture in Liucolin, which CITY
llo has for number of years represented
in Parliament, on the early history of Eas
tern nations. lie gave an outline of the
history Of the Babylonian, Assyrian, Per-
Sian, Egyptian, Greek and Jewish nations,
anu closed with the following powerful and
dramatic description of the destruction of
Jerusalem by Titus:
S'X years after the birth of our Lord,
Judea and Sanara became Il Roman PROV
lnce, under subordinate governors, the most
famous Of whom was pontius plate TL.,.
governors became so oppressive that the
jews broke out into rebellion and seventy
years alter Christ, Jerusalem was finally he
sesed by Titus, afterwards Emperor of
ilone' No tragedy on the stage has the
same scenes of appalling terror rs arc 10 lie
found in the history of this siege. The
city itself was rent by factions at the dead
lest war with each other-al the elemeuts
OF civil hatred had broke loo.c-.the strec,s
were slippery with the blood of ci,izens-
brother slew brother-tlie granarirs were
set on fire-famnc wasted those whom the
sword did not slay. In the midst Of these
civil massacrcs, the Roman armies appear.d
before the walls of Jerusalem. Then for a
short time the rival factions united against
the common foe they were arain the r,l.
liant countrymcn of David and ,Jushu..-
they sailed fort! and scattered the cares of
Rome. But this triumph. was brief: the +.
rocity of the ill-fatcd Jews soon again
wasted itself on each other And Titu.
marched on-cncanped his armies close by
the wal!s-and from the heights the Ho-
man general gazed witt. awe on the strength
and sp!endor Of the city Of jehovah.
let us here pause-and take, ours Ives.
mournlul glance at Jerusalem, rs il then
was. The city was fortified by triple wall
save on one side, where it was protected bv
dccp and impossible ravincs. These walls
OF Tho most solid masonry, were guarded
by strong towers; opposite to the loltcst
OF these towers Titus had ercampcd. From
the height of that tower the sentinel might
have seen stretched below the whole of that
fair Territory of Judea, about to pass from
the countrymcn of David. Within these
walls was the palace of the kings-its roof
OF cedar, its doors Of the rarest marbles, its
chambers filled with the cosllcst tapestries.
and vessels of gold and silver. Groves and
gardens cleaning with fountains, adorned
with statues of bronze divided the courts
OF the palace itself. But high above all
upon precipitous rock, rose the temple.
fortified and adorned by Solomon. The
temple was as strong without as ci,alel-
within more adorned than palace, On
entering you behcld porticoes Of number
less columns of porphyry, marble and ala
baster; gates adorned with gold and silver,
among which was the wonderful gate called
the Beautiful. Further on, through the vast
arch, was the sacred portal which admitted
into the interior Of the temple itself ali
sheeted over with gold and overhung by
vine tree of gold, the branches of which
were rs large as a man. The roof Of the
temple, even on the outside, was set over
with golden spikes, TO prevent the birds SET
Ting there and dciiIiuy the holy dome At
distance, the whole temple looked like
mount of snow, frettcd with golden pima
c'es. But, alas, the veil of that temple had
been already rent asundcr by an incxpiablc
crime, and the Lord of Hosts did not fi"lt
with Israel. But the enemy is laundering
att y" we'll All around the city arose i'm
me .' w. -nnred
do