The Cecil Whig., 1874-12-19
THROUGH THE LAND OF EPHRAIM.
BY THE REV. II. B. RIDGAWAY, d. D.

BY THE REV. II. b. RIDGAwAY, d. D.
The Land of Ephraim has scarcely been
entered before one is impressed with the
superior fertility of its soil. No wonder
that Ephraim became the head-centre of
revolt in Israel, and developed such strength
and leadership as to make his name
+ synonym for the ten tribes. After leaving
the rock hills of Judah and Benjamin, the
road to Nablous leads through valleys and
hillsides covered with fig and olive trees
and grape vines. The first place of historic
importance in going north as you approach
Nablous, is Seilun, the ancient Shiloh.
Here the tribes met under Joshua for the
partition of the land; here the ark rested
until taken by the Philistines, when the
sons of Eli fell in battle and Eli himself
died suddenly on hearing of the sad tidngs;
here, at one of the feasts, the sons of
Benjamin were allowed to seize maidens
engaged in the festivities and bear them off
for their wives. The city stood on round
hill easily accessible from all points, but
not otherwise noteworthy. Now all is
waste-the remains of an old church or
synagogue alone attracting attention.
The plain of Tuf1im is level and fruitful;
but is after crossing sharp hill, when the
plain of Mukhma is looked upon, that the
real beauty and richness of Ephram's in
hertance first fully impresses one. 1t is
an unbroken stretch of arabic land, seven
miles long and from one to two miles wide,
running north and south. About half way
up the plain on the west side the valley of
Shechem or Nablous makes in, at the mouth
of which is Jacobs well. The well is in a
forlorn condition. Close upon it the ruins
of an old church which once enclosed and
protected it, and all about it is general
air of neglect. The mouth is several feet
below the present surface, surrounded by a
stone wall and covered with large loose
boulders, raising one of which we could
look down into the depths of the well for
about ten or fifteen feet. A small stone
cast to the bottom proved it to be dry.
Originally very deep, and when last meas
ured - feet, it now cannot be over 40 or so
feet from the top to the bottom. The loca-
ton of the we'll is commanding one,
situated as it is on the high road from
Jerusalem to Samaria, and looking up and
down and across the fertile valley before
described, and also up to the very peaks of
GeriZim and Ebal. Here Jesus sat weary
,,-itL
whittier he had been to the Passover; and
while sitting the memorable conversation
took place with the woman who had come
to draw water from the well. Here, too,
the scarcely less memorable words spoken
to his disciples after their return from the
village near by, with bread and meat for
his refreshment. At this time the fields as
far as the eye could reach were ripe for the
sickle, and already in some directions it
could discern the slowly moving camel
bearing the heavy sheaves to the threshing-
floor.
Just across spring called Sefneh, and
through the little village, and beyond
grove of trees on the road up the valley, is
what is called Josephs tomb. 1t is
simple little weley with plain tomb, neatly
whitewashcd, open and accessible at all
times.
Riding up the valley of Nablous, by
new barrack which the government is erect
ing, we turned to the left and made the
ascent of Mount Gerizim, and came first to
the place where the Samaritans keep the
Passover. This is flat space where at
sunset on the evening before the Passover
six lambs are slain. There is large hole
which receives their blood, and another
hole in which they are roasted through the
night. The whole company of Samaritaus
spend the night in camp near by, and at
dawn in the morning they rise, open the
hole, tear the lambs to pieces, eat them and
suddenly depart. Higher up on the sum-
nit was the great Samaritan temple. The
Sacred Rock is shown, a large flat rock
with a cave under it, on which the Samari-
tans assert Melchisedec blessed Abraham.
The spot is also shown where they affirm
Joshua deposited the original stones which
at Gilgal. At Gerizim has always been to
the Samaritan what Jerusalem is to the
Jew, it is only natural that he should clus
ter about it all the most eventful periods of
Bible history. 1t is impossible to deter
mine the extent of the temple built here to
rival the great temple at Jerusalem. Long
since destroyed, it's foundations and mater
ials used for Roman fortresses, crusaders
fortresses and Christian churches, there
are no precise lines to determine its size
Yet following the ruins which remain of
these successive buildings, and the meagre
descriptions given, there is reason for con-
Guiding that it was a .ery imposing edifice
both as to proportions and style. There is
for example, a rectangular ruin, its walls
of hewn stones six feet thick, and in some
places twelve feet, which measures two
hundred and forty feet from east to west
and two hundred and fifty five feet from
north to south. At the corners were square
towers; on the site of that of the north
east corner is weley, which, crOwning the
highest summit of the mountain, by its
glttering brightness arrests the eye of the
traveller at great distance. From it one
of the most extended views is obtained
which can be had in all Palestine.
A somewhat tortuous descent on the
north side of the mountain brought US,
quite unexpectedly, On the city of Nablous.