Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1870-01-01
Scene In Palestine.

was travelling over Amt. Lebanon. II
vas bright summer day and near noon.
Weary and way-wurn, | rode down from
a bare moun,siu ridge into the Wild and
beautiful valley of Hebron, and dismount-
ed beside IipIe fountain, uodtr the
shadow Of a great rock A group Of
some fifteen or twenty shepherds were
.bere, too, resting during the heat Of the
day, and their focSs amounting to several
lboussnd sheep and goats, filed nearly
the w.ole bottom OF ihe valley. Az frsi
was greatly annoyed by the too near
approach ol boIh 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 mid
die Of the dense mass Of animals, and then
separating, walked away slowly in differ
en-, directions. IS they went, each kept
uuering peculiar cry or call. TIE
sheep heart, and too began TO separate
one lrOm The other. observed the whole
mas was asitated, az If lie sheep and
goats had been driven hither and thi,her
by some unseen power. Grajuslly they
form series of dense, moving columns,
folio wing closely in the footsteps Of the
sheph srds, aud drawn after them wnh
their voices. also observed that while
each shepherd wound his way through
tbe united florks, souc Of the animate fed
n, his approach, frightened by his voice,
l., al. Ibp
knew his voice" In short tine they
were led Of. aud tho fountain wss CON
plelely deserted, not sheep or goat ven
iured to lag behind. Then tho calls Of
the shepherds were heard echoing from
rock and chll. now loud End clear, row
dying away IN the distance ! while The
hocks were seen cbedIens 30 the calls.
following in long, distinct streams the
guides whom alone they knew and trust
ed
AS ca; there gazing with wonJer and
pleasure or that strange and InsttucIive
scene, another beautiful Scripture Illus
,rs,ion was realized before my eyes.
One shepherd led his flock, by . zig-zsg
path, up the SImos, perpendicular banks
of the glen. Behind 1.-TWO oong lambs
lroueG along 1t the feet Of their mother.
At first they iisked about, aud Jumped
lightly from stone to stone bot soon
they began to fall behind. The poor lit
lie things cried piteoUsly when the path
became sleeper, and the rocks higher,and
the Aocks more and more distant. The
mother cried too, running back and forth
now lingering behind, now hssiening
on before, az il 10 siIe them upwards.
Ii was in vain. The accent wss too
much for their feeble limbs. They stop
ped, trembling on the shelving cif. and
cried the mother stopped and CRED by
tteir eide. | thought they would Ger
tanly he lost; and saw the great ca
pIes lhs, scared in circles round the faE
overhead, fweepiBg lover and lower as il
about 10 pouUce upon their prey. Bot
no The pIaniive cries Of distress had
already reached the ear OF the good shep.
herd. Mounting rock, ha looked down
and saw the helpless liils one. A min
ute, and he was standing by lhem, 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 lhe waist with glrdIe. The lambs
made no attempt 10 run away from him.
! They seemed TO know what be was gong
/ 10 DO when tie lifted Them 10 his arms ;
and the little creatures lay there with
their heads cut, a. eonIenledly ss 80 IA
fsnl in its mothers bosom. While The
shepherd scaled the dizzy heights again.
and took bis place at The head Of lhe flock.
II may be easily Imagined with whaI deep
/ interest have ever since read The besuil.
/ ful words Of isaiah. He shall FEED His
fock like shepherd. He sbsA gather
the lambs with His arm and carry them
in HIS Om."-FdHiiy Treasure.