Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1869-12-07
Scene in Palestine

| was travelling over Anti-Lebanon. 1t was
bright summer day and near noon. Weary
and way-worn | rode down from a bare noun
tam ridge into the wild and beautiful valley of
Hebron, and dismouEted beside little fountain,
under the shadow of great rock" A group
OF some fifteen or twenty shepherds were there,
too, resting during the heat of the day, and
their Aocks amounting to several thousand sheen
and goats, filled nearly the whole bottom of the
valley At first was greatly annoyed by the
too near approach of both men and animals
but, when the time came to lead the hocks away
to pasture again, | watched their motions with
intense interest.
The shepherds rose, went into the middle of
tile dense mass OF animals, and then separating.
walked away slowly in different directions. AS
they went each kept uttering peculiar cry or
call. The sheep heard, and too began to sepa-
rate one from the other. | observed the whole
mass was agitated, as if the sheep and goats
had been driven hither and thither By some un-
seen power. Gradually they form a series of
dense, moving columns, following closely in the
footsteps of the shepherds, and drawn after
them with their voices. | also observed that
while each shepherd wound his way through
the united focks, some of the animals fled at
his approach, frightened by bis voice, others
fastened toward him for they knew his voice -
In short time they were led off, and the foun.
tain was completely deserted, not sheep or
goat ventured to lag behind. Then the calls
OF the shepherds were heard echoing from rock
and cliff, now loud and clear, now dying away
in the distance; while the hocks were seen ODE.
dent to the calls, following in long, distinct
streams the guides whom alone they knew and
trusted.
AS sat there gazing with wonder and plea
sure on that strange and instructive scene, an
other beautiful Scripture illustration was reaIiz-
ed before my eyes. One shepherd led his flock,
by zlg-zag path up the almost perpendicular
banks of the glen. Behind it two young lambs
trotted along at the feet Of their mother. At
first they frisked about, and jumped lightly
from stone to stone; but soon they began to fall
behind: The poor little things cried piteously
when the path became sleeper, and the rocks
higher, and the focks more and more distant.
The mother cried too, running back and forth
nov lingering behind, now Fastening on be-
fore, as IT to vile them upwards.
1t was In vain The ascent was too much
for their feeble limbs. They stopped, trembling
on the shelving Cliff, and cried the mother
stopped and cried by their side | thought
they would certainly be lost and l saw the
great eagles that scared in circles round the cliffs
far overhead, sweeping lower and lower as if
about to pounce upon their prey. But no The
plalntive cries OF distress had already reached
the ear Of the good shepherd Mounting a
rock, he looked down and saw the bel pless little
ones. A minute, and he was standing by them.
then taking them up in his arms, he put them
one on each side, in his bosom in the ample
folds of his coat which was bound round the
waist with girdle. The lambs made no at
tempt to run away from him. They seemed to
know what he was going to do when he lifted
them in his arms !; and the little creatures lay
there with their heads out, as contentedly as an
infant in its mothers bosom, while the shep-
herd Scahd hplOhts md
his place at the head OF the flock 1t may be
easily imagined with what deep interest have
ever since read the beautiful words of Isaiah.
He shall feed His flock like shepherd. He
shall gather the lambs with His arm and carry
them in His bosom. "-Fdnily Treasure