Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1884-06-27

AAC AlAhS eNSs SA'O
A blessing can not be.
Like that which rests. thou widowed one,
Upon thy gift and thee.
Samuel u. Foster, in chicago ln1<f.OcedD
TENTING IN THE HOLY LAND.
ITO thy tents, o Israeli" Palestine
s a land Of tents and pilgrims. ,Abra-
ham began his life four thousand years
ago in a tent, and for q hundred years
had no certain abiding place, but pitched
his tent and reared his altar among all
these goodly hills and valleys. Isaac
and Jacob were dwcllers in tents. The
patriarchs and prophets had no contin-
ling city here but lived a tent-life.
and sought one to come. The genera
tons of Israel sojourned in the land of
promise as in a strange country, dwell
ing in tabernacles. Like the clouds on
the hill-tops. they appeared for a little
moment; then they folded their tents
and silently moved away. Thus, life
was q tentingg-ground only. They looked
for a city which hath foundations whose
builder and maker is God. 1t is u great
privilege to be dwelling in the bright
ness and beauty of spring, in moving
Observation-Disclosures here rs were all
our fathers. Our camp consists of
twenty-seven travellers, fifty-three Arabs
and eli hty-seven horses. We have thir-
teen tents. including the large dining
and prayer-nee:ing tent. When We are
resting in tent it is a comely, attractive
town, the twelve smaller tents sircling
about the larger one in the center.
When we mount and move it is % caval-
cade stretching on more than half a
mile.
The tents have perpendicular walls
eight feet high, and then run up to a
a point fifteen fcet above Che ground.
They are white outside, and handsome
ly shaped and raade. Inside they are
Fined with blue, SOY as to protect. the
eye from excessivsA liglle, and the blDe is
finely decorated with designs in white
and orange and scarlet cloth. On five
! OF the tents the stars aad stripes foat,
and On the others, the ftag OF England.
! The bong dining-rsom tent is richly on
broidered along tie. ridge outside with
red cloth, and at the. center flies our
American ensign with the British bam-
ner at each extremity. From this tsnt
.ises the voice of song ard prayer every
evening. and the Scripture is read per-
tanning to the scenes,in Holy Land Wis
tied that day. At Jericho, for instance,
we, read the account in Joshua of tie
surrender of the city, and our Lords
! visit 5here when the blind man was
cured, and the swsetening of the wa
tiers by thessgreat prophet, while we used
the waters from the same refreshing
spring. Our encaanpment is always on
some. memorable site, and hence, also,
near some famous we'll, fog Oriental life
always centers about a we'll.
OuT camp assistants are divided into
two masses-the men WHO care for the
tents and the raen. who manage the
com1aissariat. We are. awakened in
the. morning by the soun& of the trura~
pet, loud and long and clear. The
trunnpeter marches. quite. round the ci,-
Gle, filling the dawn with the ancient
Aehsew melodies. In an hour comes
the second call, which is breakfast. As
we 90, we leave all the. luggage at our
tent door. When breakfast is over we
see'neithertents,nor luggage. The men
haze gathered up all our Carriages
folded our beds. and tents, and are off
for the nights camping place. The
dining tent oon follows Our lunch is
spread at noon on a cloth in the shade
OF an oak or terebirGh tree, near. a
spring of water. At ono time it was. st
Ramlek, the ancient hcme of Joseph of
Arimathea; at another, in Emma11s,
where Jesus dined with two friends, on
the night OF His resurrection.
When we reach our halting-place. for
the night, the lighthouses give taeir
welcome. The flags. are flying. Your
tent door is open; You know It by the
number. Your luggage is all there.
Your bed, with iron 5edstead, is ns.atlv
made. The toilet table, with white
cloth and bowels and water, is all com.
plete: Tie central tent. pole has hooks
for all your wraps and for the candles,
and, while you Throw yourself on the
lounge, weary from the e~ngrossine
work OF the day, 3 cup of real tea. hot
enough 10 suit any lover of that bever.
age, is served. The sugar and goats
milk come with it, and you are cheered
and made ready for the ample Dime,
that in due time follows.
Our travelling party of twenty-sever
is composed OF twenty-one gentlemen
and Sin ladies, two from Ireland, eight
from Scotland, seven from AmerIcs
and ten from England. There are ter
clerggymen, one member Of the British
Parliament, two physicians, one Canor
OF the English Church and one botan.
ist. wa
1t is a great help to any student O
the Bible to study it on the ground
Inc Land is the best commentary o,
the Book. Instruction and suggestion
come IN at every point-aid that can b,
secured at no other source. Besides, +
10 very helpful to go over this sacre(
historic ground in company with 81
many learned Christian men. You re
celve the combined thought of tbei
minds and one thought leads to anoth
en- Jill a flood OF light is often throw,
upon interesting points of Scripture
One great thing is that such travel in
crcases love for the Bible and new in
terest In its study. Another is a deem
en'ng conviction Of its thorough and on
tire genuineness. 1t also warms ~,
love and faith Of tho soul for sarvice