Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1867-12-19

oil Jerusalem where SolomOn's 8 Temple stood
You remember, 1t was built on Mount Mo
riah which is in the Southwestern part ofth'
city. Although the temple was entirely de
stroyed, there is large space about one-fiftl
part of the city still held sacred, even by th,
Turks who now govern this country. Here
on or near the site of the Temple, thu
Turks have magnificent mosque, or churcl
built over and around great flat rock, JUS
such as you have often seen in rocky part
of country places you have been in. Thi:
rock, you will be astonished to hear, is the
very same upon which Abraham built thu
altar and prepared the wood to burn up bis
son Isaac as sacrifice to the Lord, but was
prevented by--you know how, who have
read the 22d Chapter of Genesis. At this
rock, too, King David saw the angel of the
Lord, having drawn sword in his hand to
destroy Jerusalem, q Chron. 2Ist Chap)
We remained in Jerusalem five days, and
then all of US set out to see Jericho, the Jor-
dan, the Dead Sea and Bethlehem, which
occupied just five more days. In our usual
way, we all rode on horseback, and our
guide told us he had engaged a party OF Arab
soldiers to accompany us all the way, for
fear of Bedoin robbers. Nearly all the way,
from Jerusalem to Jericho was through the
Wilderness of Judea, which is nothing but
desolate mountains and dark ravines. You
may here call to mind the man who on the
same way that we went, :" fell among
thieves" and who was lstt for dead, but was
saved by the :, Good Samaritan.
We have no doubt that had we not been
well guarded by our band of armed soldiers,
we would also have needed the service of
some good Samaritan; for we passed sever
al gangs of Bedouins whose characters are
known to be the worst.
After riding nearly all day over steep and
rugged mountains, along narrow paths which
ran sometimes near the edge of a precipice
and sometimes over masses of loose stones
which, in the rainy season, form the bed of
torrent, without seeing single tree,a stream
of water, or hearing the chirp of II single
bird. We were much relieved when we ap-
preached the plains of Jericho. Here the
scene suddenly changed. From the heights
we saw the Dead Sea, and the broad green
valley of the Jordan.
Descending the mountains which board
cred these plains, we found our little en-
campment all snugly established under some
trees which ilourished on the banks of lit
tie stream of delicious water. AS this little
brook went hurrying on over the pretty
white stones which lay along its bed, we
thought its notes full as sweet as those of the
many little birds that hopped about seeming
to do their best towards giving usa welcome
Now from what spring do you think this lit
tie brook flows? You will find all about 1t
in II Kings, I'd Chapter We all drank of
the water of this spring and found it very
sweet. 1t was near this that Elisha sent
two bears after lot of naughty children;
and the bears killed forty-two of them;
which seemed very cruel of Elisha. We
looked about us for Jericho, but saw moth
ing but mounds Of ruins. Neither Jericho
of the old, or Jericho Of tho new Testament
could be found, excepting only in rnins.
This is the portion of the Promised Land
which the children of Israel entered after
crossing the Jordan under Joshua, and which
Moses only saw from distance.
And Jericho of the Old Testament was
the city which was captured by the Israel
ties after its walls fell flat to the ground in
very mysterious manner not by means of
cannons and bombshells, but only by loud
shouts of the people and the blowing of
trumpets made from rams horns. OF course
it was not alone the horns of the priests, and
the shouts of the people that brought down
the strong stone walls which protected the
city but the Lord who fought for his peo-
pie Israel.
If you would like to know more of this,
read the vi Chapter of Joshua.
The day after our arrival here, we rode
over fine level ground to the Jordan, which
was rushing rapidly past us. On both sides
were tall reeds, high grass, and thick BUSH
es. The water was quite muddy looking,
and the river was not wider than the 10th
Avenue. Here we bathed. The same day
we went to the Dead Sea, near its northern
end. 1t is a beautiful lake, it lies so quiet
and bright. Its water is very clear, but sin
gular to the taste and touch 1t tasted to me
like salt water mixed with cayenne pepper.
To the touch it was very greasy or slippery,
and where my hand had been scratched by
some thorns, the water made it smart con-
siderably for few minutes. In couple of
days after our visit to the Jordan and the
Dead Sea, we came to Bethlehem, the
place where the Saviour was born = the
place you sing about when you sing that
sweet Christmas carol "The Star of Bethle-
hem." Now you must not think that this
is the same collection of houses which form
ed the city at the time Of our saviours biill i,
for that was so long ago that the houses
have all crumbled and fallen, other house;
built from the same, Of the same stones, and
after standing long time, fell too. So all
the cities, even Jerusalem, Bethlehem, and
Nazareth are composed of houses that have
been built and rebuilt over the ruins of the
ancient houses.
The buildings and cities which we see now
are not so fine and grand as those which
bore the same name, stood upon the same
ground, and which you read of in your BIZ
bles. In Jerusalem there is place shown
to visitors as the same where Jesus was
born; some believe it to be the correct spot,
others do not. Ofcourse, there is chapel
built over and about it, where Monks stay
all the time and worship. This place is a
large grotto or cave in great ovcrhangine
rock. You may say that could not be the
place, for Jesus was born in a stable, but ]
must tell you, that all about in this country
caves are very numerous and some are quite
large. There are caves at this time used as
stables. have seen horses feeding in them
SO 1t is possible that this may be the very
stable. This stable or cavern is about foul
PAGES wide and runs back into the rocl
about ten PAGES. The inside is all lined will
marble or rich curtains. If we could lie sure
beyond all doubt, that in this spot Jesus wa