The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1882-05-26

the Franciscan Convent. Our drago-
man had told us that we should prob
ably not find entertainment there,
because we were Protestants; that he
had once asked shelter for a sick lady
during heavy rain storm which
made it dangerous for her to remain
in the tent. The first question was,
'Is she Protestant" Yes! That
was enough. If she had been at the
point of death they would not have
taken her.
However we had made that day the
longest, hottest and most fatiguing jour
ney of all, and although it was fifteen
miles to the next stopping place at
the foot of Mt. Carmel we determined
to try it. We raped at the door
and an old withered baboon in skull
cap put his head out. We told him
what we wanted. He looked at us
thoughtfully as if undecided, when an
urchin in the crowd sung out to him
they're English father, English. OF
course English was synonymous with
Protestant to them. We told the
dragoman to tell him we were not
English, but American. But it didn't
seem to help the matter any. He
shut the door against us, and there
was nothing to do but trudge on with
tired bodies and already over-driven
horses, another fifteen miles in the
night. l mention this incident not
to illustrate general rule, but as a
remarkable exception. 1t was the
only instance in all Palestine that we
were not Hospitality treated at the con-
vents where we were obliged to stop,
for lack of any other suitable places
of entertainment. Usually they are
glad to receive travellers, and at GER
tain places, such as Nazareth and
Tiberias, make special preparations
for them, and are generally well paid
for their trouble.
However we did not suffer greatly
in consequence although we could
not help commenting in rather en-
thusiastic terms on such beautiful
exhibition of the christian spirit by
men who pretended to its peculiar
possession in this 10Th century Of our
religion and not twenty miles distant
from the home of the Saviour of all
mankind. We did feel so keenly that
craving want which many are troubled
with of late to be folded once more
in the bosom of the only true and
mother church-the church of Rome.
We felt as though we couldn't wait
until we should find some priest and
confess our sins to him and become
good Catholics.
But as | was saying, whether it was
the martyr-glow of heroic suffering
for conscience sake or whether it was
the refreshing influence of the night
wind from off the moonlit Bay, or
both together, we enjoyed that
night ride, l think, beyond any in
Palestine, and when at length we
passed through long avenue Of tall
cactus and come in sight of a German
settlement directly at the base of
Carmel, and were welcomed by a
German host at the door of pleas
ant inn with the familiar 'guten
abendl" that sounded to us, in that
far away place, like the language of
our own countrymen, we were glad
enough that we had been prosecuted
for righteousness sake and driven out
of that musty old convent to find a
clean bed and generous table and
an honest, friendly welcome among
these fellow heretics doomed like us
to outer darkness and the worm that
never dieth.
We were curious to know what had
brought them here, and found that
they were peculiar religious sect in
Germany who expected very soon the
second appearing of Christ and had
come to await it, and in the meantime
in the prudent German fashion were
making the most of this present world.
They had rich farms and vineyards,
neat houses, stores and hotel, and
of course beer garden.
IA .