The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1859-12-28
The olive and the Cedar.

we nave read, win 1nterest, an address
from the distinguished Secretary Of State,
General Cass, delivered before the Kulama
zoo Agricultural Society. Among the cx.
tracts we make are the following:
The Mount Of Olives, which overlooks
Jerusalem, derives its name from these trees
existing there in the earliest ages, and at its
foot, divided from it by the brock Cedron, is
the garden of Getheemene, forever memora.
BILE as scene of the passion of our Saviour.
Eight olive trees, bearing every mark of ex.
treme age, are yet growing there, and tradi
ton has invested them with a sacred charac
ter, as cotemporuries of the life and death
of Jesus Chriet. No believer in Christiani.
ty con grze upon them as have done, with
cut feeling that source of association which
connects US with names and deeds, long
since passed away, when we stand upon the
places they have made immortal. The world
contains no such spot as this, where the mis-.
sion OF the Redeemer was fulfilled, and
where he pronounced its termination in the
decluraton, "It is Finished"
The CEDAR.-But the NEST interesting
relic of the ancient vegetable creation, is to
be found upon one OF the ridges Of Lebanon,
not far from the renowned temple Of Baal-
bee. 1t consists of twelve gigantic cedars,
the remains of the primitive forest which
once covered thnt great mountain chain Of
Syria. and which yet rear their heads, prodi
ges of vegetation, and each surmounted
with dome Of foliage, overshudowing the
spectator as in the time of biblical story
One of them is torty.ive feet in circumFrr.
cree, and ell, both in size and height, tell
The long ages that have swept over them,
leaving them the nost striking natural mon.
uments that the eye can rest upon. What
interesting associations cluster around them
They hive been consecrated by history, re.
ligion and poetry. Their beauty has been
recorded by Ezekiel, and their excellence
and per ume BY Solomon, VITO placed
them at the head of the vegetable creation
when he discoursed Of trees, "from the ce'
dars Of Lebanon. even to the by sop thai
springeth out of tho wall" Gould these
mute memorials of bygone times tell the
scenes that have passed in the sh"dow o.
their foliage, what lessons Of power and o
instability might they not teach in the long
Interval that has elapsed since these hills
resuunded with the nuise of the workmen
preparing the timber for the Temple Of Je
rusalem, to the solitude which establishes
its dwelling places where the Moslem plants
his standard
have worshpped in mary Of the hgt
pisces of the Old World-in the Cathedral
of Chrstendcm, the Basilic Of st. Ptter
when the Sovereign :Pontiff, the head Of the
Catholic Church, ninistered at the altar
und, although educated, as have been in
the simplicity OF the Presbyterian faith, ye
/ could not look upon the imposing solemn
ties without feeling a reverentisl awe pass
over me, as though | were in the presence
of Him whose visible glory descended upon
the Temple Of Mount Moriab; and yet na'
ked Greek mass. for it happened to be az
annual fete when / vas there, celebrated
under the patriarch cedar, before rude al
ter of unwrought stone, by poor priest
surrounded by little band of worshippere
with the cliffs Of Lebanon around them
this primitive devotion in temple not made
with hands, has left traces upon my mind
and memory more powerful than the most
gorgeous ceremonies, and which no subse
quent event can eradicate.