Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1875-02-15
HEnRox. Elul Is. 25en B. c.

Ny cery dear friend Miriam How
quickly the time passes! Can it be that
it is more than seven years since wrote
you from before Ebal and Gerizim, where
all that crossed Jordan had come at the
commandment of Jehovah, to participate
in those grand and impressive ceremo-
uies ? Yet it is so; and you as we'll as
myself. are fully informed of what
mighty things Jehovah has done for US
during these years of conquest.
was there at Gilgal one year since,
when your father and brother were dis
missed laden with their share of the
spoils; | anticipated something of your
JOY and rejoicing, to receive them home
unframed, and to remain. 1t is not so
with all. some have fallen in the battle
field or sickened and died in camp, and
those who looked for their return, watch
ed in vain. But our families. Jehovah
has preserved safely through all the dan
gers of the camp and the battlefield.
have found very little time for writ
ing, since father has taken us to our
home here-this home of promise; but
this evening, excited, but not fatigued
with the pleasures of the day, [ have
taken my writing materials up here on
the house top. to make>you a sharer in
my joys of to-day's excursion-indeed
am so filled with what | have seen and
= heard. that | must share it with some
one, and who better than you, my dear
Miriam.
Father has been very busy. superin-
tending the harvesting and thrashing
6 for some weeks, so we have seen very
little of him of late; but last evening
! he said it was all completed, and the
barley and wheat properly garnered.
Then turning to me. he said, '.Achsah,
? l can now grant your request of a visit
to Eshcol; while you have seen the
grapes ripenIng about the garden, you
have so longed to visit the old vine, that
| resolved | would take you out the first
opportunity. So be up with the birds,
f that we may have the whole day before
n Us. During the night there was a
: slight shower, which laid the dust, and
freshened the trees and vines Even
! the birds seemed filled with an unusual
!. inspiration, and were pouring out their
4 hearts in song. We rode out of the
gates of the city just as the sun was
rising over the hills behind US. The
# valley below us, bathed in the purple
+ light of the morning sun, and enclosed
e on every side by the vine-clad hills, was
If to my eyes the promised paradise of Je-
It hovah. Our path led US to descend, and
d pass along the east side of this plain,
/. just at the base of the hill upon which,
e the city is built. If space would allow,
1t | would like to describe this beautiful
d hill country the orchards of figs pom.
d granates and olives; the laden vineyards
J. the deeply shaded walks, through which
N our way led US. but must pass them by
e for more important and interesting
=, things, hoping that by and by you vii
e. come and visit me. and see for yourself.
N We had come but a short distance
D. from the city. before father called M
N attention to the beautifully adorned sep
n ulchres which were excavatcd IN the hill
o. side upon our right. Here for man,
m centuries-for Hebron is one of the old
IN est cities in the land-generation afte
L. generation have We'd with its predeees
t. sors in sculpturing and adjoining tn
to last resting place of their fathers. Pass
in ing slowly along from one sepulchre t
er another, admiring their beautiful archi
at lecture. or trying TO read the aDcien
rn inscriptions, did not notice that fathe
ks had passed on before me. until wishe
as to ask some question, and looking uI
as saw him reckoning me to come OIL
of from some little distance in advance
ire When | came up found him halle
nd before one of the finest, and largest'of al
he these homes Of the dead though yer
nd much overgrown with vines and shrubs
he showing that it had remained for man
He years unopened. and uncared for. I
KIT my inquiring look. my father replied
ere "My daughter, We are now standing
Ter one of the most sacred places of all tn
. land of promise. This ground is oul
by purchase and not by conquest; tt
first and only field that Abraham poses
las ed of Jehovah's promise. This is ii
l. field of Macpelah, which our fath'
ere Abraham purchased of Ephron the Hi
in tite; and this, pointing to the sepu
chre before US, us the cave of Macp
the lab. where. in his old age, he with 50
lty heart and loving hands placed the r
mains of Sarah three hundred and min
Nc ty years ago Here fifteen years lat
II Isaac and Ishmael laid the body of Abr
,tol ham, their father. Here lie Isaac al
Rebeknh. Leah and Jacob. Two hu
dred and fOrty-fve years ago all til
valley was filed with the mourne
g from Egypt. when they brought the Ell
balmed body of Jacob hither as be r
quested This last beautiful and COS
1aH ly sepulchre and adjoining. was th
inc completed by Joseph and his brethren
anu For the time I farrot fba oLsan% IS =