The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1859-04-14
The Land Of Ruins.

Above all other countries in the world
Palestine is the land OF ruins. 1t is moi
that the particular ruins are on a scale equaI
TO those Of Greece or Italy, still less tC
those Of Egypt. But there is no country
where they are so numerous, none in which
they bear SO large proportion TO the villa
ges and towns still in existence. In Judea
it il hardly an exaggeraiioI TO say, that while
for miles end miles there is no present life
and habitalion, except the occasional goa,
herd on the lside, or gathering of women
at the wells, there is yet hardly hilltop ot
the many in sight, which is not covered BY
the vestiges OF some fortress or city of for.
mer ages. Sometimes they are fragment:
of ancient walls, sometimes mere founda.
tions and piles OF stone, but always enough
10 indicate signs OF human dwellings and
civilization.
These countless ruins, Of whatever date
they may be, tell Va ut glance that we must
not Judge the resources Of the ancient land
by its present depressed and desolale state.
How often is the question asked by eastern
travellers, can these stony hills, these desert.
ed valleys, be indeed the land of promise,
the land flowing with milk and honey D.
ing population as the Israelites +!
The country must have been verv different
when every hill was crowned with flour
iabing town or village. from what it is, since
it ceased to be the seat, not only of ciyi!za.
ton, but in many instances, Of the people
who fegtiiZed it..
The entire destruction Of the woods which
once covered the mountains, aud the utter
neglect Of the terraces which supported the
soil on steep aCcliyities, have given full
scope to the ruins, which have lett many
tracts of bare rock, where formerly were
VinyGrds and cornfclds. The loss OF TO.
liage has hindered rain, and SO has exposed
the country in gre9ter degree than former
Iy, to the evils of drought. The forests OF
Bethel, Of Sharon, of Herelh, the tnieket
wood of ZtPh, and the forests which gave
their name 10 Kirj4thiearin, the city of for.
este, have long since disappeared. Palm
trees, which are now all but unknown on
the hills of Palestine, formerly grew with
myrt!es and pines on the almost barren
slopes OF O!iVct and groves Of oak, though
never frequent, must have been far more
common than now. The very labor which
wGs expended on these barren fields in for.
mer tines, has Increased their present stlr
iliy. The natural vegetation has been
swept eWay, end no human cultivation now
occupies the terrace which cnce took the
place of forests and pastures.
1t should also be borne in mind that Pal |
eBtiGe, in contrast with the watcrIcss deserts
which skirt On the south and east, must have .
appeared like an oasis of uncommon fertIi.
ty. 1t was emphgtiCally good land. o land
of brooks Of water, aid depths that spring
out of plains and mountains, not ag the I9pd /
of Egypt where thou sowest the seed. and
wGterest with thy foot as q garden of herbs.
but a land Of mountains aud plains, which
drnketh water OF the rain of heaven. This
mountainous character, this ubundarc, Of.
water both from natural springs and from,
the clouds of heaven, this abundance of milk
from its cattle On Ii thousand hills, OF honey,
from it's forests and its tiny shrubs, was Lb.
solutely peculiar to Palestine among the
civilized nations of tie East. Feeble as it's
brooks might be, though doubtless they were
then more frequently filled than now, vet
still it was tho only country where an ORR
entail could have been familiar with the i'm
uge of the Psplmist: "He ecudcth the
springs into the valleys, which run anon,
the hills" These springs, too, however
short lived, are remarkable for their copious.
ness and beauty. Not only in the East, but
hardly in the West, can any fountains or
sources of streams be seen so clear, so full S
grown, even at their birth, as those which
fall into the Jordan and its lakes, through its
whole course, from north to south.