Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1858-05-10

has for number of years represented 10 Pat
lament, on the early history OF the Eastern
nations. He gave an outline Of the history Of
the BIbylonisn, Assyrian, Persian, Egypt
40, Greek ard Jewish nations, and closed
With the following powerful and dramatic
description Of the destruction Of Jerusalem
by Titus
'Six years after the birth Of our Lord, Ju.
dea and Simaris became Roman province,
under subordinate governors, the mJsttamous
of whom was Poutlus Plate. These COVER
uors became 50 oppressive that the Jews
broke out into rebellion and seventy years
after Christ, Jerusalem was finally bcsieged
by Titus, afterwards Emperor OF Rome. No
tragedy on the stage has the same scenes OF
appalling terror as are to found IN the hla-
tory Of this siege. The city itself was rent
by factions at the deadlest war with each
other-all the elements of civil hatred had
broke looSe-,he streets were slippery with
the blood of citizsns--1rother slew brother
the eranaries were set 90 hre-iamine wasted
those whom the sword did not Stay. 10 the
midst Of these civil massacres, tue Roman
armies appeared before the walls Of Jerusa-
lem. Then for q short time the rival factIons
united against the common foe; they were
again the gallant cOuntrymen OF David aud
joshua they sailed forth and scattered the
eagles OF Rome. But this triumph ~as brle.;
the feroclty OF the Inflated Jews soon again
wasted itself on each other. And Titus
marched on-encamped his armies close by
the walls--and from the heights the Roman
general gazed with awe on the strength and
splendo- Of the city Of Jehovah.
Let US here Iause--and take, ourselves,
mourniul glance at Jerus aleu-, as 1t then was.
The city WAS fortified by triple wall, save on
one side, where it was protected by deep anu
mpassabIe ravineS. These walls Of the most
solid masonry, were guarded by strong tow
er,: opposite to the Hottest of these towers
Titus had encamped. From the height Of
that tower the sentinel might have seen
stretched below the whole of that lair terri
tory of Judea, about to pass from the cOun.
trymen of David. Within these walls was
the palace of the kings--!ts roof OF cedar,
its doors of the rarest marbles, Its chambers
! filled with the c1stiiest tapestries and vessels
of gold and silver. Groves and gardens
| cleaning with fountains, adorned with stat
ues of broDxs, divided the courts OF the pal
ace itself. But high above all, upon pre-
clpitous rock, rose the Temple, fortified and
adorned by Solomon. The temple was as
strong without as citadel-Within more
adorDed than palace. o. entering you be-
held porticoes Of uumberless columns OF por.
phyry, marble aud alabaster; gates adorned
with gold AID silver. among which was the
J a al al I'd rla nI
ther on, through the vast area, was the sacred
portal which admitted into the Interior ot
the pie itscli--ali sbeeted over with gold
and overhung by u vine tree Of gold, the bran.
ches Of which were as large IL man. The
root of the temple, even on the outside, was
set over with golden spikes, to prevent the
birds settling there and dehing the holy
dome. At distance, the whole temple
looked like a mount Of snow, fretted with
golden pinnscles. Bot, alas, the veil Of that
temple had been already rent asuuder by az
mex bic crime, and the Lord OF Hosts
did not fight with lsare. But the enemy Is
laundering at the wall. Al around the city
arose immense macbiues from which Titus
poured down Mighty fragments ct rock, and
showers OF fire. The walls gave away--the
city was entered-the temple itself was
stUrmed Famine 10 the meantime had made
such havoc, that the besleged were more like
spectres than living men; they devoured the
belts of their swOrIs, the sandals TO their
feet. Ey. nature itself so pershed away,
that mother devOured her own infant; iu.-
filling the awful words Of the warllke prOph-
ct WHO had first led the Jews towards the
land Of promisc--"The tender and delicate
woman amongst you, who would not aIven'
ture TO ret the sole Of her foot upon the
ground for de!cateness and tenderness
her eyes shall be evil toward her young ones
and the children that she shall bear, tor she
shall eat them for want If all things secretly
in the seige and straitness wcrewlth thine
enemy shall distress thee in thy gates. -
Sui, as il the foe aud the famine were not
scourge enough, citizens smote and muir
derei each other a. they met In the way
false prophets ran bowling through the
streets--every Image of despair completes
the CHASTITY picture of the fall OF Jerusalem.
And now the temple was set on fire, the Jews
rushing through the flames t. perish amidst
it, ruins. 1t was a calm summer ulght--the
10Th of August; the whole hill on which
stood the temple was one gigantic blaz, of
pinnaces Of the dome we're like spikes OF
crimson fame. Through the lurId atmos-
phere oil was carnage and slaughter; the
echoes Of sbriekS and yells rang back frOm
the Hill Of l. 90 and the Mount of Olives
Amongst the smoking ruins, and over piles
OF the dead, Titus planted the standard Of
Rome Thus were fulfilled the last aveng-
ing propbecies--th persisted Jerusalem -
In that dreadful day men still were living
who might have heard the warning voice OF
Him they cructied Verify, | say unto you
all these things shall come upon this genera
ZION. o, Jerusalem, Jerusalem,
thou that killest the prophets and soonest
them that are sent 10 thee, behold
your house is lief. uuto you desolate :" And
thus were the Hebrew people scattered over
the face Of the earth, still retaining to this
hour their mysterious identity-stiil living
proof Of the truth Of those phopbets they
had scorned or slain--itill, vainly awaiting
that Messiah, whose divine mission was iul
filled eighteen centuries ago upon the Mount
of Calvary"
Bishop SOuIe,
The Senior Bis hop of the Methodist Epis-
cOpal Church, was present at the opening OF