The Placer herald., 1865-08-05
Bulwer on the Destruction of Jerusalem.

a lecture in Lincoln which city he has for !. num-
Der OF years represented in Parliament, on the
early history of Eastern nations. He gave an
outline history of he Baby bylonian, Assyrian. Per-
sian, Egyptian Greek, aud 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. Judea
ard Samaria became Il Roman Province. under
| subordinate governments, the most famous of
whom was Pontius PLATE These governors be-
came so oppressive that the Jews broke out in.o
rebellion; and seventy years after Christ Veru-
salem was finally bcsicged by Titus. afterwards
Emperor OF Rome. No tragedy on the stage has
the scenes of appalling terror as are to be found
in the history of this 4ge The city itself was
rent by factions ut the deadest war with each
other all the elements of civil hatred had broke
loose-the streets were slippery with the blood Of
| cillzens- brother slew brother the grlnarics
were set on fire famine wasted those whom the
sword diG not slay. In the midst OF these civil
maSsacreS. the Roman armies appeared before the
walls OF Jerusalem. Then. for short time the
rival factions united against the common foe; they
were a"ain the gallant countrymen Of David and
Joshua. and sailed forth and scattered the eagles
of Rome. Bu, This triumph was bric; the Rrocity
OF the ll-iated Jew soon again wasted itself
on each other. And Titus marched on-enclmped
his armies close by the walls. and from the he ghts
the Roman General gazcd with awe on the strength
and spcnlor of the city OF jehovah.
Let us here pause. and take. ourselves, mourn
ful glance at Jerusalem, rs it then WAS. The city
was fortified lya triple wall save on one size where
it was protected by deep and impossible ravines
These walls of the most solid masonry. were pro-
tected by strong towers; opposite to the lOttiest
OF these towers Titus had cncamped. From the
height OF that tower. the sentinel mi ght have seen
stretched below the whole OF that fair territory
of Judea. about to pass from the countrymen of
David. Within these walls WAS the palace OF the
Knights roof Of cedar. its doors Of the rarest
marble. its chambers filled with the cOstlest tap
estries aud vessels of gold and silver. Groves
and gardens cleaning with fountains. adorned
with statues OF bronze divided the courts OF the
palace itself But high above all. upon Il precip-
itous rock. rose the temple, fortified ard adorned
by Solomon. The temple was as strong without
as citadcl-within more adorned than palace.
On entering. you behold poricocs Of numberless
columns OF porphyry, marble and alabaster; gates
adorned with gold aud silvcr,among which was the
wonderful gate called the Beautiful. Further on
through Il vast arch. was the sacred portal which
admitted into the interior Of the temple itself
all shected over with gold and overhung by vine
tree OF gold the branches ol which were as large rs
u man. The roof OF the temple. even on the out
side, was set over with golden spikes. TO prevent
dome. At Il distance, the whole temple look
ed like mount OF snow, fretted with golden
the birds settling there and dcliling the holy
pinaclcs But, alas. the veil of that temple had
and the Lord OF Hosts did not fight with Israel.
But the enemy is fighting at the wall. All around
the city rose immense machines. from which Titus
poured down mighty fragments OF rock. and
OF fire. The walls gave way, the city was entered.
the temple itself was st"rmed. Famine in the
meantime had made such havoc, that the hese ged
were more like spectrcs than living men; they
dcvoured the belts to th .ir swords. the sandals to
their feet. Even nature itself so persisted away
that mother dev0uled her own infant, fulfilling
the awful words OF the wallike prophet who had
first led the Jews towards the Land OF promise -
The tender and delicate women amongst you.
who would not venture to set the sole OF her foot
upon the ground Tor 1elcateness and tenderness.
her eye shall be evil towards her young one and
the children that she shall bear. for she shall eat
them for want Of all things secretly in the siege
and slraightness whercwith thine enemy shall dis
tress thee in thy gales" Still, as if the foe and
the famine was moi scourgc enough citizens smote
and murdered each ather rs they met in the way;
false prophets ran bowling through the streets
livery image OF despair completes the ghastly
picture of the fall OF Jerusalem. And now the
temple was set Oh fire; the Jews rushed through
the flames TO perish amidst lis ruins. 1t WAS
calm summer night, the 10th Of August the
whole hill on which stood the temple, one
gigantic blaze of fire; the roofs OF the cedar
crashed; the golden pnaces of the dome were
like spikes o. crimson flame. Through the lurid
atmosphere all was carnage, and slaughter tn"
echoes OF shrcks and yeils rang back from the
Hill of Zion and the Mount OF Olives Amongst
the smoking ruins. and over the piles of the dead,
Titus planted the standard of Rome Thus were
fulfilled the last avenging prophecies thus per-
ishrd Jerusalem. In that dreadful day men still
were living, who might have heard the warning
voice Of him they cruciicd. "Veliy. say unto
you. all these things shall come upon this genera
lion. n 0 Jerusalem Jerusalem. thou
that kllcst the prophets, and stonest them that
| are sent to thee, Behold your house
is lett unto thee dcsolate - And thus were the
Hebrew people scattered over the face of the earth
still retaining TO this hour their mysterious iden-
| tity, still living proof OF those prophets they
had scorned or slain, vainy awaiting that Messiah,
| whose divine Mission was fulfilled eighteen cen
turies ago, upon Mount Calvary.
STARTLING FAcr-1he Protestant church.
es of this country are in a deplorable cond'-
ton. Everywhere clergymen are beginning
to complain of the absence of christian love
and fellowship. They look to their congre'
cations for an exemplfication of that which
lhev have not themselves. 1t is not strange
that such state of affairs should exist. The
clergy themselves are at fault, Abandoning
the truths of the Bible TO traternZe with the
lnhde Abolitonsts of New England, they
have lost The faith and have led their people
after false gods Love and charity with them
have turned to gall and wormwood. Aud
now with a weakened, demoralzed people,
they are casting about for remedy, and
fuolishIy think that in order to save their re-
lgious faith from utter ruin, it is necessary
that the negro should vote, or the Roman
Catholics will become the stronger. No
doubt the negro element would be advanta'
geous to these churches; at any rate, under
existing circumstances, it would do them no
harm. Any element that promises improve
ment is better than none. Were it orthodox,
we would suggest to these Abolition war