The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1886-08-12
The HOLY Land,


The Holy Land.
Although marked "private," the
publication of the following extracts
from a personal letter from the Unit.
ed States counsel at Malta, are of
sufficient interest to justify the
breech of privacy in making them
public:
MALTA, July 13-A few days in the
rear of the date on which wrote
you last ship from Gods own coun-
try came along this turnpike and
took me on board and carried me to,
first, Alexandria, and next up the
coast of Syria to Joppa. I felt fiat
tered that was chosen to do bit of
delicate consular work outside Of my
beat, and that is the reason why I
was enabled to see Palestine; for up
on landing at Joppa I found it neces-
sary to 60 on up as far as Jerusalem
and investigate an affair. Thus I
have been favored to see Jerusalem.
I never as boy thought should see
this holy city, though I hoped I
might, with a blind and indistinct
hope-just as you doubtless hope to
be president of the United States
through some blind chance, but new
er really expect it.
Jerusalem is not golden" town
by several per cent. 1t is dirty,
depressing, ill-favored, unhealthy,
repelling place, in spite Of its sacred
associations. I spent three long, hot
days in the walled town, and then
was glad to get out. Of course I Wis.,
tied the Moont of Olives. 1 enclose
you flower 1 picked in the Garden
of Gethsemane on that Mount, which
Mrs. H. may treasure if you don't.
The olive leaves plucked from an
overhanging branch of one of those
very ancient olive trees that is be-
lieved to have witnessed Christ's
agony in the garden.
was more touched at Bethlehem
than at any other place in Palestine.
1t is something to have stood at the
old manger-spot where Christ was
bern and first adored by the faithful
shepherds. Every sacred spot in
and about Jerusalem is made much
of by the different sects of Christians
who exercise a sort of rivalry in car
ing for and guarding such places.
These beautiful Christians some
times fight each other like cats and
dogs, if one gets fancldd advan-
tage over another; and it was not
exactly the fulfillment of jesus
teachings to find that the holy sepul-
chre itself was guarded over by a
squad of Turkish soldiers whose
presence was necessary to keep order
among the faithful. What must
those Mohammedans think of such
Christians, whose motto is to love
one another!
The most sincere and earnest wor-
slippers in Jerusalem are the Jews
who wall and weep and pray over
some ancient stones that still form a
part of the walls-once a portion of
Solomon's temple. Their grief was
genuine, and they shed real tears as
they laid their cheeks affectionately
against the time-eaten stones and
prayed Jehovah to restore Jerusalem
to Gods chosen people once morel
1t was very affecting to see them.
The Vale of Sharon is as pretty
and level country as anything you
have in the boundless west, and
teens with wheat and barley, worked
by Syrian Arabs.
Joppa is no port at all, but an
open, rocky, uneasy and dangerous
roadstead. 1 don't wonder Jonah
was glad to get away from there and
60 out on bis whaling expedition,
ira la.
The house of the Simon.pure DR..
Tanner, 1 mean of Simon the Tanner,
is still visible at Joppa, with tanning
watts near it. And the rock whereto
Andromeda was chained is visible.
there, too, on the sea-shore. I am
convinced that Andromeda was
chained there, for saw the holes
where the rings and chains were
fastened, though the chains them
selves were taken away about forty
years ago by some pious Americans.
who said they encouraged myth.
Jerusalem has $4,000 inhabitants
and not newspaper. No carriage
is allowed to enter inside the walls,
but asses and camels go and come
as freely as men, through the mar
rover streets. The "gates" of Jeru.
salem are pictuI esquely ancient and
fill the bill. The "Dam ascus" gate
is the finest. Outside the "Joppa"
gate lepers sit to this day and cry 80
effendi, have mercy on us! give US
baeksheech, o effendi." st. Stephen s
gate is walled up. A legend says
when st. Stephens gate is opened
the Turks will cease to rule in Jeru-
salem. The Mosque of Omar is a big
dome built over the exposed rock
that Mohammed was carrying up to
heaven with him when the angel
Gabriel met him and held the stone
down, and Mohammed went up with
out it. The print of Mohammad's