Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1870-11-09
The ValeY IF Ajalon-A Visit TO JOSH
ua's Battlefield.


Christian Union, gives an interesting ac-
count of o visit to Joshua's battlefield:
s'On orr way up the difficult hill we had
fallen into quite a vigorous discussion con-
cerning one of the historic "reminiscences
for which Upper Bethoron is ia.
NOUS There can be no doubt of
it's authenticity as the locality in which was
wrought out that great victory of Israel
over the Amonites, This incident,
however, has its notoriety more from what
generally termed the miracle of Joshua,
when he bade the sun and moon stand
still. We wrEg n tun view of Gibeon and
the valley OF AJalon. We were ia5orinss
up the Identical sleeps down which the foe
was driven discounted. And if the rec
ord is literal, recording fact and not figure,
then We were certain that somewhere in
full sight was the exact spot upon which
the unseen brakes were applied to the
wheels of this solar system. bringing it to
a mighty stop for twenty-four hours.
s'After dizzy, hardworking plung down
into verdured valley, over rocks smooth,
worn, and very slippery, we fell into the
line of an ancient Roman road, where the
path had been originally constructed of
heavy tagging stones, like cyclopean pave
ment; the way was intolerably rough, but
now and then it was actually cut in the
living rock, and the steps made excellent
foothclds for the horses There is no use
in denying, however, that this forenoon's
work put the test to our endurance; the jar
of stepping up or down these stoae stairs
is, after while, a serious indiction.
"Right before us now lay the little rude
village of Gibeon, the modern name of
which is Ef Jib. Leaving our less adven-
turous ladies to wind their quiet way
around among the beautiful vineyards and
orchards lying in the plain, their white
garments shing in the sun against the
deep green of the olive trees scattered in
tbs wide meadows, we rode directly up to
the PERCEPTIONS hill on the singular summit
of which the hamlet now stands. 1t
seemed actually inaccessible to an unprac-
ticed eye, but somebody found zigzag
road among the layers of rock and led our
way | never believed myself much of a
horseman. 1t has ever been my misfor.
tune to keep going over the head or tail OF
the animal. But after reaching the top OF
that cove-like village, felt so proud in my
mind that I verify believed I might with
proper training have been fitted for an Or.
binary circus.
cit afforded no little amusement to uE
all, when, after those frantic endeavors,
we at last confronted each other On the
narrow, dirty ridge, to put tae serious In
qu1ry why any one of us had attempted il
what we went forth for to see? Fol
there was nothing actually at the spo
worth climbing after. And somebody was
unfortunate enough to quote the opening
sentence of that confused orator in de
batting society: 4 rise, MIR. President, tl
| tell you what [ rose for F!
''Even the associations of this place
could have been more conbemplatively re
| called far out of reach of the sna,ling dogs
| the multitudinous feas, and the unuttera
! bic stenches of that Understandable pack 0
/ novels. Only one thing grew clear as
piece of scripture exposition from the visit
Nobody need ever ask me where the Gid
eonites got the old sacks upon their ass
es," with which they deceived Joshua
the wine bottles old and rent and bount
up; and old clouted shoes upon heir feet
and old garments upon them; and oil,
bread dry and mouldy." There are plent
of such things right in the midst of thi
most forloTn town.
''It was hard to believe this desolate spo
had once been 81 great city, as one of th
royal cities. We had to push imaginatio
hard to recall the fine history enacted O
tnat stony hill. This was really the 'hig
place of Gibeon.' We remembered tha
here Solomon had his dream, had receive
the eminent wisdom that penned th
Proverbs. Here Amasa fell unde
the treacherous weapon of Joab, an
here Asahels fleet foot was stage
IN sudden death. Here Asaph sang, an
Obededom ministered in famous days whe
the tabernacle, constructed by Moses frol
patterns given him in Sinai, stood upo
the eminence. Here rested the altar
burnt Offering until the temple was III
ished for its final abode on Mount Morlat
Its sad to see how the village has fallei
'Hewers of wood and drawers OF water tn
inhabitants became after the battle Whlc
gave them their freedom.
STERLING drafts In sums OF FL ana III
wards issued on England, Ireland, an
Scotland by F. Fl. Mcclure q Co., banl
ers, Milwaukee, Wis, General Agents II
! the Celebrated Guion Line OF Steamer
Parties sending to T. II. Mcclure d U
for drafts or tickets can have them torwar'
) ed TO any address III Europe free OF pos
age.
TRE old ''vets" of 1912 are to bold r
union at Seneca Falls, n. \.