The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-03-25
MONKS nv THE DESERT.
Where No Woman May Euter-A Chapel
sunk In solid Rock.

From n, Stn frdnfsp ChfO1tcls
A letter of introduction Is necessary TO
secure admission 10 Mar Saba. Tho Greek
Patriarch of Jerusalem provides IT, You ring
at the great gutc Of the convent on the top Of
the cliff some ono looks out OF u high tower
and takes an observation; you give a word OF
friendly greeting and wave your letter III tho
air. NJ TINS stag k.ys vrr dropp.d down INTO
the outer gutr "a few inches. examines tn" pass
port. and then. looking to s"c that We nrc not
likely to be- women in d'sgu so, we are adj
mitthd. Another gnt' 81 u SHUTS us out from
tho convent Our B"lawce is not permitted
~ como cvcn thus Tar. for tho place
hiidcous si'uah,rr At last We arr given
wei ono hv monk. who is tn pilot ~ over the
they all live ut Mar Suhn. Down sinirs-iiity of
TN "m-intp a STONE court witi achnp"l W stairs
into another chapel sunk into the solid rock.
ccnsc for the homes Of coo martyrs lie underline
pavement part of tl"m YOU 500 throu gii % urat-
Ing when the monk thrtis's 70 flaming taper in
among them They wtrs all hcrinte aud lived
with the swallow until the Persian horirs fell
uuon them and east tl!"ir bodies 10 th" lackal1
in the abyss helow Bridges leIp from chamber
to chamber; tunnels dart through the cliffs. and
in the wallis are windows looking out upon tln
most dc-olate spot in the world; aud doors that
and there curl up into a holy heap.
Mar saba or -. saba, WIS Torn in the nan
century. He r"noun'cd the world ih" y sh.
and the devil ut the age uf eight. Il might have
heDn q hardr duty little lnt T. in lille. NJ cigh-
t,rn ST. Saba. who had boon ton vcars in a
monastery. nnlius the monnstir life too gay
and frivolous. plunged head |ong into the howl
ing Wilderness. and Joined 81. Guihymius nul
his Laura ia the kdruu gorge. THIS amazing
hive OF monks grow ont of the enthusiasm of
thr young saint, who before his death
had achieved fame and WIS surrOunde u.
hv n host Of an 'hortcs. who cmulat.d
.Pgr sRir'npnl lsadc Z, san an , ns r sHr,y
to h.S cell in Tho clin. hf found u lion sleeping
within. Lions were not rar, ia those good old
times. Saba said io him. Be good enough To-
come ont of tnat' hut the lion replied ihat he
had ~ good q right to A as any un'.' AMI SO
he law where hc WAS Then Shhl ar2rd him
and tir W MIN ont ot tbr way; hut III" lion zoe
turned, AMI nut"rs wcu' growing unpleasant
E'thrr.' and they slept IA the sIur cave. and
had tarir portraits painted foe "a" mnuast nv
which was o. grow out oi the rn'k, ana grow TO
hr thirteen centuries old before WIS 20 lave
the pleasure of seeing IL and hearing this VERT
table tale from the LIS ui "a monk ~ | sat in the
cave of saba and the hon.
There is solitary palm tree rogning over
one of the small garden terraces, and ths palm
H. said to have been planted hy st. : ihu himself
Tho monk. said SO; and then he took me ~
stairs AMI down stairs. through trap doors into
sultcrrunran paS-a.c,s full of ~urpr 500 and
queer smells he gave me rakcc, the strong
drink of the El-t. and a pipe ON one of the ter
races. and brought rpsari,s and carved cruri-
fixes scented with fragrant gums. H. sold a.
much H. he could. and then begged liitl' more.
but he had well 'nruod ai that hr got from our
caravan, for the PERKS who wore shut out Of III
Greek Eden with its ono lonely palm dis
couraged til. spirit Of generosity which the
marvellous place had awakened.
How marvellous Il ISL Even in sunshine II is
tangl" of shadows that hang IN long fring-s
from the cornicc Of the elm. In twilight IT *
swallowed up in purple Hood through which
the stars fail like dcw-those showers of rest
less stnrs that dart through the hoavens above
the orient When the moon il full n vision OF
Mar SlhAis .ke a relief in ralc-tintcd marble.
chIsellcd 10y the hands of gods