The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1859-04-01
The Land Of Ruins.

The Land of Ruins,
Above all other countries in the world,
Palestine is the land of ruins. 1t is not
that the particular ruins are on scale
equal to those OF Greece or Italy, still
less to those Of Egypt But there is no
country where they are 50 numerous,
none in which they bear so large n pro-
portion to the villages and towns still in
existence. In Judea it is hardly an exag'
geration to say, that while for miles and
miles there is no present life and habita-
ton, except the occasional goat herd on
the hillside, or gathering of women al the
wells, there is yet hardly a hilltop OF the
many in sight, which is not covered by
the ycsUges Of some fortress or city of
former ages. Sometimes they are frag-
mrnts OF ancient walls, sometimes mere
foundations and piles Of stone, but al.
ways enough to indicate signs Of human
dwelling and civilization.
These countless ruins, of whatever date
they may be, tell us at glance that we
must not Judge the resources OF the an.
cient land by its present depressed and
J
asked by eastern travellers, can these
stony hills, these deserted valleys, be in
deed the land of promise, the land flowing
with milk and honey? Could they ever
| have supported such a teeming population
as the lsraeltes ?
The country must have been very diff
| fercnt when every hill was crowned with
lourishing town or village, from what it
is, since it ceased to be the seat, not only
OF civilization, but in many instances, Of
the people who lertlIzed it.
The entire destruction Of the woods
VIII .ch once covered the mountains, and
the utter neglect of the terraces which
supported the soil on steep activities,
have given full scope to the ruins, which
have lett many tracts of bare rock, where
formerly were vineyards and cornfelds.
The loss of foliage has hindered rain, and
so has exposed the country in greater
degree than formerly, to the evils o
r drought. The forests of Bethel, o
Sharon, OF Hercth, the thickct wood o
Xiph, and the forests which gave theil
name TO KiIjathjearim, the city OF forests
have long since disappeared. Palm
trees, which are now all but unknown OF
, the hills OF Palestine, formerly grew witt
myrtles and pines on the almost barreI
5 slopes of Olivet, and groves of oak, thonsI
never frequent, must have been far NOR,
, common than now. The very labo
which was expended on these barren field
in former times, has increased thei
present sterility. The natural vegetation
[ has been swept away, and no human cuI
t ovation now occupies the terrace whicI
il once took the place of forests and pastures
4 1t should also be borne in mind tha
= Palestine, in contrast with the waterles
. deserts which skirt it on the south an
- east, must have appeared like an oasis c
i uncommon fertility. 1t was emphatcall,
! good laDd, land of brooks OF water
g and depths that spring out OF plains AM
e mountains, not rs the land of Egypt wher
e thou sowest the seed, and waterest witt
: thy foot as a garden OF herbs, but Ian
1t of mountains and plains, which drlnket
y water Of the rain OF heaven. This noun
i famous character, this abundance OF watC
81 both from nataral springs and from tt
clouds Of heaven, this abundance of MI
from its cattle on a thousand hills,
honey, from its fosests and its tiny shrub
in was absolutely peculiar to PalesliI
I'd among The civilized nations of the East
Of Feeble as its brooks might be, lhoug
I'd doubtless they were then more frequent
le filed than now, yet still it WAS the on
re country where an Oriental could has
ID been familiar with the image Of Il
b. Psalmist: "IIe scndeth the springs in
er the valleys, which run among the hills
or These springs, too, however shor!.live
n. are remarkable for their copiousness Al
of beauty. Not only in the East, but hard
rs in the West, can any fountains or SQUIRE
Of of streams be seen so clear, SO full'grow
of even at their birth, as those which I
~ into the Jordan and its lakes, through
Ii. whole course. from north to south.