The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1876-01-21
\ aa.ne Yankee in she Holy Land.

n Maine Yankee ln the Holy Lanae
The Damascus. correspondent OF the
-4'aesiean Ifaeetet. writes
ssThen he'll do i, . exclaimed the man
to wnom | had said that we had ell
gagged Rolla Floyd to accompany us
from Damascus TO Jaffa. lyon have
been fortunate in securing that mystic
rious man. His name is worth hun
dred rifles against any tribe in Syria.
Floyd was one OF colony of Ameri-
cans who left the pine forests of Maine,
in the United States, some ten or a
dozen years ago, to settle in the Holy
Land, TO there be ready to greet the
blessed Isetieemer at His second coming
But discussions, bitter and irreeotcila-
BILE, arose among them in Jaffa; they
were 'ol1ed upon with hate and suspi-
con by Jews, Arabs, and Mahomme-
dams; their crops were stolen as fast as
they ripened, aud many OF the men fall
ing out with work took to drink They
! lost their lands, bordering the plains of
sharon, near Jaffa, by a fine point of
Turkish law, and through the combined
effects of death, i'll luck, and licentious-
ness, the members became mad, drunk,
a'1d reckless, aud Of all that devoted
praying band, every member of which,
when leaving America, was justly famed
for purity, plety, faith, and virtue, there
only remains Ill Palestine SO far as |
could ascertain, RoIla Floyd and his
worthy aud amiable wife.
These two uawavering Christians re-
manned true to Christ aid true to them
selves Mrs Floyd made friends among
the natives by her needle, her medi-
cines, and her patient tenderness with
all who were afflicted, while Mr. Floyd
started the pioneer express OF Syria by
| carrying letters and packages between
.Iatfa and Jerusalem, on week days,
aad preaching the Word of God, with
out money and without price, on Sun
day
Ills fire athletic form and his wonder
f4t strength. coupled with his invariable
kindness Of heart aud caiIdness of tenn
per, soon created marked sensation
among the natives: for, wheie finding
them in personal quarrel and rolling in
the a ,st like fierce ma>tiffS, he frequently
rushed into the crowd and, grasplng the
two eombatants 10y the napes of their
neckS-one III each hand-slow1y walk
ed down to the sauely shores or the
Mediterranean, aud soused them iito the
brlny surf until promises of peace aud
reconciliation had been given. Frequent
attempts were made to rob his express
of valuable packages, but he always
managed to capture one or both of the
bandits, and, compelling them to listen
to an impressive sermon on honesty. he
always let them off on receiving prom
ises of reformation. By this Kindness in
not turning his prisoners over to Turkish
vengeance and his entire feal lessne>s,
he III time became as great an idol
among the desperate thieves and cut
tiroats as he was among the most up
right
With q memory that seems to be with
out limit, he shortly became entire
master of the Arabic. Sc that he speaks
it with IN accurate fineney acquired by
bat few not born on the desert. IN his
familiarity with the Bible he surpaSses
all men I liaFe ever seen, quoting from
| memory almost any verse that may he
called for between Genesis and Reve-
lations. IL is asserted by those who have
known him intimately for years that
tLey have never seen him display al ger,
surprise, or boistereus mirth. Travel
ing as n missionary throughout the Ell
tire length and breadth of Palestine,
and becoming familiar with every lake,
hill, valley, cave, stream, and noun
tain mentioned in the Bib'e, he is to day
unqnestianably the best informed in
biblical history and topography of any
man living. The American Govern
naent has twice offered him Consul
ship but his reply has been, 81 shall
make less money, but perform more
labor among the poor children Of God
by remaining in the field"
Once every mouth he regularly makes
his appearance in Jerusa em, aud takes
his seat in the East as the w. NJ. OF
the Royal Solomon Mother Lodge, F.
A. NJ, which position he has long held
by the unanimous votes Of all the MEM
bers.