Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1885-06-18
A SACRED SPOT.
RUINS OFTHE SYNAGOGUE At CAPERNA UNI
WHERE CHRIST TAUGHT.

RUINS OF THE ESYN4GOGUE At CAPERNAU
WHERE CHRIST AUGHT.
Perhaps the most interesting spot in the
world to those deeply under the influence OF
that charm which association lends to places
hallowed by the ministrations of the Foun-
der of Christianity is to be foundin desert
rock-strewn promontOry on the northwest
shore of the Lake of Tiberias; for among
the piles of hewn blocks of black basalt still
remain the ruins Off great synagogue, with
in whose walls, the foundations of which
may still be distinctly traced, were collected
the multitudes who f1Ocked to hear the
teachings of Christ. While modern tourists
resort in crowds to Jerusalem to visit the
mythical sites which are supposed, upon the
vague basis of ecclesiastical tradition, to be
identified with the great Teacher, scarcely
one ever finds his way to this remote lOcali-
ty lying just out of the beaten track along
which Cook leads his herds of sightseers;
and yet it is probable that the greater part
of that period in the life of Christ, the record
of which is contained in the four Gospels,
was spent in Capernaum, which the most
careful investigation, by the highest au-
these ruins of Tell Hum, amid which was
just now standing. Here it was that Christ
cured Peters mother-in-law, restored the
paralytic called Matthew, cured the centu-
rian's servant, raised Jarius' daughter from
the dead, and obtained the tribute of money
from the mouth of fish. It was here that
He spoke the parallels of the sower, the
tares, the treasure hid in the field, the mer-
chant seeking goodly pearls, and the net
cast into the sea. Sir Charles Wilson, whose
researches on this spot led him to identify it
as being the site of the city of .Capernaum,
believes thissynagOgue was, "Withoutdoubt,
the one built by the Roman centurian duke
viii, 81, and, therefore, one of the most sacred
spots on earth," 1t was in this building, if
this be the case, that the well-known dis
course contained in the sixth chapter OF John
was delivered; and it was not without
strange feeling, says the same explorer, "that
on turning over a large block we found the
pot of mamma engraved on its face and re.
membered the words: I am that bread OF
life. Your fathers did eat mama in the
wilderness and are dead.'"
This very synagogue was probably the
scene of the healing of the demoniac and OF
the delivery of many Of those divine lee
lures on faith, humility, brotherly love, and
formality in worship, as we read at the end
of one of them: "These things said he in
the synagogue at Capernaum." Perhaps it
was in the little creek where boat was
now riding at anchor only few feet from
the shore, that Christ taught the people from
the boat so as to avoid the crush Of the null
titude. 1t was doubtless in one of these
inlets that James, the son of Zebedee, and
John, his brother, were mending their nets,
when, being called, they left their ship and
followed Him and it was on this coast that
Andrew and Peter were casting their nets
when they were summoned to become fishers
of men. 1t has higher claim to be called
the birthplace of the religion which has since
fo lnti tho world than
any other spot upon it.-Ne,O York Sun.
THE EBURRo.-Apartf from the Indians and
the Mexicans, these animals are the most
characteristic and ubiquitous objects in New
Mexico. The shaggy little brutes range
from the size of a small Newfoundland dog
to that of six months old heifer. 1t is prac-
tically impossible to overload them. They
will carry all that can be piled on their
backs. Ihave frequently seen solid heap
of wood gliding mysteriously into town,
with no apparent motive power, but knew
that somewhere underneath the pile, there
their burdens they will Immediately set to
work with diligence and gusto picking up
living in the midst of stones and dry cac-
tus, where any other animal would starve
to death. Joe proceeded to attach them by
a wonderful series of knots to the support
ing posts under the house. watched him
curiously as he tied knot after knot, and at
length ventured to inquire whether burros
usually employed their spare time in per-
forming Juggling tricks.
Joe regarded me with smile which was
compounded of one part good natured con-
tempt, two of superior knowledge, and three
of genuine amusement.
"Wa'al," he said, you are summat of a
tenderfoot; that's so. Why, burro is
born devil"
"Do you mean to say that burro can
undo one of these knots with his teeth?" l
asked.
II don't profess to say what he does it
with. He may do it with his tail for all l
know, but if you will learn me knot that
burro can't undo if you give him time
enough, I will tell you thanks. Why, the
father of all evil is not patch on an old jack
burro for Internal cleverness and mischief"
Ha,per's Magazine.