The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1882-05-05

they are the spared monuments OF his
mercy, that while others have been
suddenly cut off and gone down to
the grave, they are still in the land of
the living, and on praying ground, as
if it was the narrowest and luckiest
escape they ever had that they came
very near going to Heaven, but were
just saved by the great mercy of God.
And yet some of the best and saint
est christians ever knew pray that
! prayer. | don't know why, don't
believe they mean it. And so this re-
ported heroism of the Turkish soldier
in immediate prospect of death and
the Mohammedan paradise. 1t turns
out when put into actual practice,
very much as in the case of Cath
olic Priest who harangued the Cor
list soldiers in Spain before battle.
Said he, soldiers, "You are fighting in
Holy cause, therefore do battle
courageously, knowing that if you die
this day you will sup tonight in Para
disc" They fought. They were
beaten. They were running from the
field helter.skel for dear life, and
the Priest with them. One Of the
soldiers said, "How now father, what
are you running for, l thought you
said if we were killed we should sup
in Paradise" Eyes, l know" he
said, "but the fact is / never eat any
supper, l am troubled with indiges-
ton, can't sleep if do"
AS the sun began to go down be.
hind the mountain which separated
us from the distant view of the broad
bosomed Mediterranean, we entered
the Garden of Eden, or rather one Of
the gardens of Eden for there seem
to have been several. This however
is perhaps. the most authentic of any.
Lebanon on one side and Anti Leban-
on on the other rising to the heghth
| Of from 1000 to 900 feet, the
highest peak of Mt. Hermon, and be-
tween them a fertile, luxuriant valley,
forming gigantic cradle for the in
fancy of the human race. The tomb
of Noah is there, and the tomb of
Seth, one 100 feet long, and the other
only 60, and they explain why Seth's
is so short by the tradition that he
was buried with his legs doubled un-
der him, but Noah at full length. In
other words they believe that "there
were giants in those days." But
now seriously, it is my opinion that
this was the garden of Eden. l can't
tell why-but neither can any other
person who is positively certain that
it is somewhere else. They want it
to be there and l want it to be here
and so 1 am inclined to think that
this a0as the actual place. AT any
rate no place could have been better
adapted for the purpose in every re-
spect. There must have been charm
and fascination beyond description
and which has not yet passed away in
the soft, dreamy luxuriance of the
valley-with the river flowing swiftly
and musically through. The air
quivering with the songs of birds and
reeking with the loaded perfumes of
flowers. And standing at the entrance
of it like the angelic sentinel robed
in glistening purity of snow-from
which the sun glanced like the two
edge sword, that turned every way
and guarded the gate of this Para
disc was old, majestic Mt. Hermon.
We lay down to sleep in the midst
of this Garden of Eden, under the full
glory of the same moon that shone
on Adam, and the same stars that
twinkled through the over hanging
branches upon his bed of leaves. But
that which impressed me most deeply
as walked out alone in the night,
was the knowledge that somewhere
on those lonely heights of the distant
mountain that seemed to have no fell
lowship with the earth, but only with
the awful silence above was the scene
in the life of the Son of God of which
it is simply but wonderingly said that
"He was stransfgured before them, land
| He face did chine nc the Con acJ he