Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1858-06-16

triouteo TO rid the country OF bandits VINO
had infested it for so long time.
BULWER ON THE DESTRUCTION OF
JERUSALKM.
A few weeks ago Sir E. Bulwer Lytton de-
livered aslecture in Lincoln, which city he
has for a number of years represented in Par
Lament. on the early history Of Eastern ma
tions. He gave outline of the history of
the Babylonian, Assyrian, Persian, Egyp-
;ian, Greek and Jewish nations, and closed
with the following powerful and dramatic de-
scripton Of The destruction Of Jerusalem by
Titus /:
six years after the birth Of our Lord ,Ju-
dea and Samaria became a Roman province,
under subordinate governors, the most fa-
nous Of whom was Pontius Plate. These
governors became so oppressive that the Jews
broke out into rebellion !; and seventy years
after ChrlSt, Jerusalem was finally beseiged
| by Titus, afterwards Emperor of Rome No
tragedy on the stage has the same scenes of
appalling terror as are to be found IN the his
tory of this siege. The city itself was rent
| by factions at the deadliest war with each
othcr-all the enemies Of civil hatred had
broke loose-tke streets we're slippery with
| the blood Of ctizens-brother slew brother
famine wasted those whom the sword did not
slay. In the midst Of these civil rnassacres.
the Roman armies appeared before the walls
of Jerusalem. Then for short time the ri
val factions united against the common foe !;
they were again the gallant countrymen OF
David and Joshua-they sailed forth and
scattered the eagles of Rome But this tri-
umph was brief the ferocity Of the ill-fated
Jews soon again wasted itself on each other.
And Titus marched on--enca2lped his ar
mics close by the walls-aud from the heigh,
the koman general gazcd with awe On the
strength and splendor of the city of Jehovah.
Let US here pause--and take, ourselves, u
mournful glance at Jerusalem, as it then
was. The city fortified by triple wall
save on one side, where it was projected BY
deep and impossible ravines. These walls
Of the most solid masonry, were guarded By
strong towers opposite to the loftiest of these
towers Titus had encamped. From the height
of that tower the sentinel might have gcen
stretched below the whole Of that fair terrific
, men of David. Within these walls was the
palace of the kings-its roof of cedar, its
doors Of the rarest marble, its chambers filled
with the costliest tapestries, and vessels ot
gold and silver. Groves and gardens glea-
ming with fountains, adorned with statues o.
bronze, divided the courts of the palace it's
self. But high above all, upon a precipitou.
| rock, rose the temple, fortified and adorned
| by Solomon. This temple was as strong With
A out as citadel-within more adorned thar
f palace. On entering. you behold porticoe
of numbcrless columns of psrphyry, marbl'
g and alabaster; gates adorned with gold am
j.: silver, amoug which was the wonderful gat
} called the Beautiful Further on, through
: vas. arch, was the sacred portal which admit
e ted into the interior Of the temple itself-al
e sheeted over with gold, and overhung by
S viue tree Of gold. the branches of which wer
d as large as man The roof of the temple
f even on the outside, set over with goldel
G spikes, to prevent the birds settling there an,
i defiling the holy dome. At distance, tn,
a whole temple looked like mount of snow
# fretted with golden pinnacles. But alas. tn
It veil of that temple had been already rem
asunder by an inexpiable crime, and the Lor,
It of Hosts did not fight with Israel. But th
enemy is laundering at the wall. All aroun
the city rose immense machines, from whicl
e Titus poured down mighty fragments Of rocl
: and showers of fire. The walls gave way
d the city was entered-the temple itself wa
Y stormed Famine in the meanwhile had mad
: such havoc, that the besieged were more lik
r spectres than living man they devoured th
t. belts to their swords, the sandals to their fee
}; Even nature itself SO perished away. that
is mother devoured her own infant; fulflIin
e the awful words Of the warlike prophet VIII
first led the Jews towards the land Of promIs
d THE tender and delicate woman amongs
Q You, who would not adventure to set the sol
d of her foot upon the ground for delcatenes
= and teuderness--her eye shall be e,i! towar
d her Young one and the children that she sha
J. bear, for she shall eat them for want Of a
e things secretly IN the seige and straitncs
% wherewith thy enemy shall distress thee j
II thy gates" Still, as if the foe and the fam
i; inc were not scourgo enough, citizens snot
a and murdered each other in the way-fals
d prophets ran bowling through the streets
= every image Of despair completes the ghastl
l. picture of the fall Of Jerusalem And no
the temple vas set on FIRE, and Jews rushir