Ashtabula weekly telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1880-1886, 1880-12-24
International Sunday-schOOl Lessons.
THE SEA OF GALILEE.

As THE morning sun arose above the
beautiful ridge of Carmel we were in
our saddles, and leaving Nazareth,
where we had passed a most interest
ing Sabbath, we continued our march
over an undulating country enameed
with wild flowers of great beauty. In
about an hour we came to Cana of Gal
lice, now only a small village, where at
a marriage feast our Lord performed
his first miracle. Shortly after leaving
this place we passed through the field
where, according to tradition, the dis
ciples plucked the ears of corn upon the
Sabbath day. Further on, my brother
pointed out hill supposed to be the
Mount of Beatitudes, from which our
Savior preached His wonderful sermon
OF wisdom and love. Here, too, on that
long, dry ridge, July 9TH, 1887, the
great battle of Hattin was fought. In
this conflict the mighty Sultan Saladin,
leader Of the Saracens, completely over
threw the army OF the Crusaders under
Guy de Lusignan, the last Christian
King who ruled in Jerus lem. Pro-
ceeding onward up a gentle rising
ground for a short distance, we came
suddenly upon view, one of the most
striking in the Holy Land.
Dismouuting, we handed over the
horses to our dragoman, and directing
him to lead the animals away, we sat
down to gaze long and intently upon
scenes which revive in the heart of the
Christian many hallowed memories. A
thousand feet below us, with no sail
upon its surface and scarcely a sign of
life upon its shores, lay in calm repose
the dark blue waters OF Galilee. Be-
meath us, on the shores of the lake, at
the distance OF about mile, is the City
of Iiberius. Across the lake, on the
eastern side, rise the steep and wild
shores OF Gadara. mounting higher and
higher, until ut the height of 1000 feet
they terminate in the mountains of the
Hauran. Beyond and hid from view by
these high ridges, is the boundless
desert stretching off toward Bagdad.
Far away to the right, in the country
hey Ond the Jordan, rise the mountains
OF Moab, on II spur of which Moses must
have stood when he viewed the Prom
ised Land. Turning to the left, our
eyes easily discern at the distance OF
about forty miles ESQ clear is the atmos-
phere), Mt. Hermon towering grand
and majestic, its hoary head covered
with eternal snow. Directly to the
north, perched ON high hill, is Safed,
that city which cannot be hid-the
mystic city of the future. All about us
is region of country deeply inter.
esting as the land where first were
preached the glad tidings OF salvation
and where were performed the miracles
ofourLord. These hills now uninhabited
have echoed His voice, these scenes now
desOlate once lay before His eyes, these
waters now deserted were blessed by
His feet, and these cities now in ruins
have witnessed His triumphs.
Calling for our horses, we mount and
slowly wind down the hill toward Tibe-
rias. This city, chiefly inhabited by
Jews, is a disgustingly filthy place. A
Moslem tradition is responsible for the
saying that the liking of the Fleas
holds his court in Tberias." The town,
named by Herod after the Roman EN-
peror, was nearly destroyed by au
earthquake in 1887, and to day, in it:
present state, tits only little betterthan
dirty ruin. The houses are built of un,
Cemented stones, are mostly one story
high, and have the universal flat roofs
The four holy cities of the Jews art
Tiberias, Safed, Hebron and Jerusalem
but many hold the former in specia
veneration rs the home of Jacob anC
the place to which Christ will first di
rect His steps on His arising out of thu
lake at His second coming. To thO
south, little way from the city, ar,
the hot baths of Emmaus, built BY
Ibrahim Pacha when Syria was gov
ened by the Egyptians. The water /
salt, bitter and somewhat sulphurous
and is much used by rheumatic people
who take the baths during tho sum
mer season. The temperature is on
hundred and forty-three degrees Fahren
heit, almost unbearable,