Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1880-06-15

INTERESTING ANECDOTES,
The Rev, DR.. Hoge, in his letter 10
the Central Presbyterian of last week,
gives an interesting account of his trav-
els in the Holy Land after leaving Je-
rusalem. We publish below the greater
portion of it, affording the untravelled
true insight into the manners and GUS
toms of the Eastern tribes and the opin-
ion entertained Of the people by this
distinguished divine:
A LAST LOOK AT 1EPySALEM.
| We took our last look of Jerusalem on
the morning of the 10th inst, from the
summit of Mt. Scopus. Looking off to-
wagd the left, the most conspicuous OBJ
iect was the high watch-tower Of MiZ-
peh,-the most elevated object in the
whole country round, built on the hill
which still bears the name of Neby
Samwil, and supposed to be the "Mo-nt-
joye" of the Crusaders from which they
caught their first sight Of Jerusalem,
and where Richard Coeur de Lion re-
fused to gaze on it, but hiding his face,
exclaimed, 80 Lord God pray that
may meyer see Thy Holy City if I may
not rescue it from the hand of Thine
enemies" This was some seven hum
dred years ago, but Jerusalem is still in
| the hands of the enemy.
| It is our custom after four @: ave
hours of hard riding, to rest for two or
three hours in the heat Of the day and
then resume our journey until we reach
our camping-place for the night. Our
tents always go before US, and as the
muIateers who have charge of their
transportetson do not stop during the
middle of the day. We always find them
up, and dinner nearly ready OF oqr 81 ar.
rival in the evening, usually between b
and O'clock.
BETHEL AND SHILOH.
Oar meridian resting-place on our first
days Journey was Bethel. Instead OF
oppressive weather, snch as we antlci-
pated, the day was extremely cold, and
strong, harsh wind was blowing. 4he
aspect of the country was dreary in the
eXtreme, the ground was wet, and
crouebing as I did behind a wall for
protection against the blast, it was hard
to realize the fact that this was the place
where Jacob laid bis head on a stone
and dreamed of heaven. Nothing can
be more desolate than this part 6Y Ea.-
estiDe--stones in the roads, stones piled
up on eaeh side of it, stones in the val
leys, stones Oil the hills-if such was
the face of the country in the time of
Jacob, poor fellow, he cos.id not easily
have laid down at all without iyi.g on
stone And yet here, near the filthy
Arab village of Beitin, consisting of a
few wretched novels, surrounded by
acres of ruins, once stood the city of
Luz, and here Gods ancient people
often came "to ask counsel :" here
Samuel often halted during bis circuits !;
here fingered few loyal men even after
the Assyrians had carried Israel into
captivity and the very name will con-
tinue to awaken tender memories in the
Christian heart long after men cease to
sing:
''Out OF 1ny Steny griefs
Bethel I'll raise
1--WE camped at Sinjel, another sgualid
Mohammedan village, and the na~t
morning rode over to Shiloh, where our
dragoman, taking his Bible out of his
pocket, read in very good English Che
is Hungarian) the Sd and 4th chapters
of Samuel. AS we left Sinjel riding
down the bottom of the gorge below the