The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1883-12-21

~-~"~~
Christmas was close ut hand, and
the picturesque way FROM Jerusa.
lem to Bethlehem was ihronged
with Christian pilgrims. Our party
lett the city In the early morning
BY the Jaffa or Pilgrims Gate, so
called because OF the hundreds of
pilgrims of all creeds and nation.
alties who enter the holy city every
year through its portals.
We took our way into the Valley
of Hinnom, which, after a short
distance, turns sharply aud steeply
!. to the east, and contracting to a
narrow defile, joins the Valley OF
Kedron or Jehosaphal, several hun.
dred feet below its original start.
ing-point.
Toward the south this ravine is
bounded by rocky wallis behind
which rises the "Hill of Evil
Counsel" Dsehebel Deir Abu Ton,
a name which brings 10 mind that
famous rock in the harbor OF Ira.
pani, where Giovanni di Bonda aud
his compatriots plotted together
the Sicilian Vespers.
1t was here that Pompey, in the
year b. G. G3, planted bis camp to
beslege the Temple, aud at,er three
mouths desperate struggle stormed
and took it. Here, too, says tradi.
tion, Caiaphas aud the rulers OF the
Jews devised plaus by which to
ensnare the Son of God.
We crossed the plains of Re
phaim, the former home Of those
gigantic Inhabitants of Canaan,
who, being driven from their ma.
tive land by Chederlaomer, sought
and found refuge here.
The soil of this plain is chalky,
intermixed with particles of quartz,
the size of peas, which simmer
and sparkle like precious gems in
the sunshine. Legend accounts fol
this by saying that the Virgin
Mother passed by one day when Q
countryman was sowing peas, and
asked him to give her a handful
Grudging her the peas, and yet un
willing to refuse absolutely, he tpl,
her they were not peas but peb
bles. Aud such in reality they
| proved TO be as they fell from hi
hand
At about three-quarters of a
} hour from Jerusalem, on ridge Q
bills which separate the plain q
Reph aim from the Valley of Tamil
rises the casteliated monastery O
. Mar EIias, where the Greek Monk
show You depression IN the roc
. as being the impression left by tn
body of the prophet, when, faiu
aud weary, the angels came ant
/ fed him there.
} As we stood on the terrace O
this monastery one of the mos
> wonderful panoramas in the worl'
!. was spread out before our eyes
4 CHANGING back over the way W
had just come, we saw the domes
!. walls and miuarets of the City o
{ David; northeast rose the Noun
!. of Olives, aud southwark, soft au'
!, mellow in the hazy atmosphere, la,
\ the birthplace of the sweet SINCE
4 of Israel, aud of the Holy Child Q
!. whom tue Psalmist sang. SO wit
!. scarcely q turn of tho head "
: could see those sacred spots so IN
Q separately associated with the thre
J. chiet doctrines of our Christia
h faith: the birth, the resurrectio
\ aud the ascension of our Blesse
T. Lord.
!. From the opposite height Of Sar
a tura the Hospice Of the Knights 9
i. st. Johu is distinctly visible, th
8 first post which the Roman Catht
n lie branch Of this order has occl
q pied in Palestine since the extin,
}. ton of those established durin
' the Crusades.
3 Some distance away, the eye wa
Y caught By a curious truncated con
!. rising like an artificial noun
ecove the neighboring hills. Th
Q D frank Mountain, or Jebel Fure
J. dis, once one Of the most remarks
Q BILE forfresses in Judea, and mel
b toned by Jeremiah as "a beaco
!, fort: "Set up a sign of fire
J. Beth .Hacceren." Il was afterwar
' fortified by Herod, and called HI
; rodium, and when that dreadil
|. tyraut met hs death at Jericho, h
' body was brought hither for buria
l Shortly before reaching Bethl
/ hem we passed tho tomb Of Rache
q a simple, square building, su
mounted by dome, aud surrount
= ed by many modern Musselmnl
Q graves, as may be known by th
/ piles of loose stones arranged
pyramidal form. What hosts {
associations aud what touching dt
q nestle incidents are called int
life by this burial place ain th
, way to Ephrath, which is Bethls
! hem y
The remainder of our road la,
! through lovely evergreen olive gal
deus until we reached the hill upol
which Bethlehem is situated, a cit,
fair and pleasant to the eye. Th
, town owns but one chiet street
which runs from east to southeast
and is crossed and re-crossed in al
directions BY short, narrow, crook
ed bysways, scarcely to be dignifies
by the ,appellation Of streets.
Tho dope OF the hlll from th.
lower fon Of houses to the vale.
bencatl Iflanted with vines, fx