The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1885-06-24
A SACRED SPOT.
unias OF the Synagogue of Capernauu
Where Christ Taught and Wrought
Miracles.


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 found in a des-
srt rock-strewn promontory on the north.
west shore of the Lake of Tiberias; 70,
among these piles of hewn blocks of black
basalt still remain the ruins of great syna.
gogue, within whose walls, the foundations
of which may still be distinctly traced.
were collected the multitudes who fiocked
to hear the teaching of Christ. While mod
arm tourists resort in crowds to Jerusalem
10 visit the mythical sites which are suppos-
I'd, upon the vague basis of ecclesiastical
tradition, to be identified with episodes in
the life Of the great Teacher, scarcely ops
ever finds his why to this remote locality
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 re-
cord of which is contained in the four Cos
pels was spent at Capernaum, which the
most careful investigation, by the highest
authorities in such matters, has identified
with these ruins of Tell Hum, amid which
was just now standing. Here it was that
Christ cured Peters mother-in.law, restor-
ID the paralytic called Matthew, cured the
senturion's servant, raised Jairus's daugh-
ter from the dead, and obtained the tribute
IF ,nopav frn,,, Tho mouth 90 n 6ah Ia ,,,nn
here that He spoke the parallels of the SOW
or, the tares the treasure hid in the field,
the merchant seeking goodly pearls, and
the net cast into the sea. Sir Charles vii.
son, whose researches on this spot led him
to identify it as being the site OF the city OF
Capernaum, believes this synagogue was,
without doubt, the one built by the Ro.
man centurion CLuke vii, 81, and, there.
fore one of the most sacred spots on earth. I"
1t was in this building, if that be the case,
that the well-known discourse contained in
the sixth chapter Of John was delivered !;
and it was not without strange feeling,
says the same explorer, that on turning
over large block we found the pot Of
ihuhhh ohBtaNCu oh ITO ibCc, Uuu
bered the words: | am that bread of life
Your fathers did eat mamma in the wilder
ness 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 lectures or
faith, humility, brotherly love, and formal.
iy in worship, rs we read at the end of one
Of them: ''These things said He in the
synagogue ms He taught in Capernaum, I"
Perhaps ii was in tho little creek where a
boat was now riding Mt anchor only few
feet from the shore, that Christ taught the
people from the boat so as to avoid the
crush of the multitude, II was doubtless in
one Of these inlets tina. James, the son of
Zebedee, and John, his brother, were mend.
ing their nets, when, being called, they left
their ship and followed Him and it was on
this coast that Andrew and Peter were cast
ing their nets whom they were summoned &c
become fishers OF men. 1t has higher
slain to be called the birthplace of the re-
ligion which has since revolutionized this
world thap any other spot upon it.-N. +.
San.