The Wahpeton times., 1890-02-13
- So! I.
Letter of Salnt tion from the
Eloquent Brook oklyn
Preacher.
The Many Things Witnessed
by Him on His
Trip.

ocean, from which I cannot reach you with
the usual sermon. have completed the
journey ofinspection for which came. 9th.
ere rnay write life of Christ without seeing
the Holy Land. I did not feel competent for
such work until had seen with my own eyes
the sacred places; and 90 left home and
undertaking. have visited all the scenery
connected with our Lord 8 history. The whole
journey has been to me surprise, an amazej
ment. q grand rapture or deep
solemnity: l have already sent to America
my Holy Land observations for my Life Of
Christ, and they were written on horseback,
dim candle In tent, In mud hovel Arab VILLAGE.
amid the ruins Of old cities, ON Mount OF
Beatitudes, on beach Of Genesareth, but il
Will take twenty years Of sermons to tell
what have seen and felt ON this journey
through Palestine and Syria.
instructive and advantageous. The Atlantic
and Mediterranean and Adriatic and 4Egean
and Dardsnelles and Marmora seas have.
treated us we'll. Since W left New York VI
have had but half day and ono night Of
storm, and that while crossing Mount Her.
mon. But let only those in robust health at,
tempt to gothslsngth Of Palestine and Syria
on horseback. do not think il b because Of
the unhealth Of the climate In Holy Land
that 20 many have yickened and died here or
afterwards % . result Of visiting these lands,
but because Of the fatiguss Of travel. The
number Of miles gives NO indication Of
and fifty miles in Palestine and Syria on
horseback demand 40 much physical
strength a. 400 miles on horseback in re. re.
gions Of easy journey. Because Of the near
two months Of bright sunlight by day. and
| bright moonlight or starlight BY night, the
| halt day Of storm was to us the more memor.
HIM SNf
that the tempest struck US and drenched the
mountains. One Of the horses falls and No
halt amid q binding rain.
| 1t 10 freezing cold. Fingers and feet are
IKE Ice. Two hours and three-quarters be-
fore encampment. We ride on In silence,
age. 1t ia. through the awful inclemency OF
the weather. the only dangerous day Of the
journey. Slip and slide and tumble ana climb
and descend we must, sometimes on the
horse and sometimes of. until at last We
halt in the hovel OF a village, and instead Of
find this retreat from the storm. It ia
house OF one story. built out Of mud NV
room is covered with roof of goats hair.
feeble FIRE mid-foor, but no chimney. Il n
the best house Of the village. Arabs, young
and old stand around in wonderment 90 to
wny We come. There is NO window in the
room, but two little openings, one over the
door and the other in the wall, through
which latter opening occasionally find an
Arab face thrust to gee how lam progressing.
But the door il open, so have some lirht.
| This is IN afternoon and night never to be
| forgotten for tts exposures and acquaintance
with tho hardships of what an Arab consid.
ers luxurious apartment.
sat that night BY fire, the smoke Of which,
finding no appropriate place OF exit, took
| lodging in my nostrile and eyes. For the
first time in my life realized that chimneys
| were luxury but not necessity. The only
adornments In this room were representa-.
tlons ton OF two tree branches in the mud Of the
wall, circle supposed to neon star, bot.
| tle hung from the ceiling, and about twelve
indentations In the wall to be used as man.
| tlee for anything that may be placed there.
| This storm was not surprise. Through
| pessimistic prophets We had expected that
at this season We should have rain and snow
and hail throughout our journey. For the
most part it has bsen sunshine and tonic ct.
mosphsre. and not moment has our Jour.
ney been hindered. Gratitude to God is With
us the dominant emotion.
. Having visited the scenery connected with
Snrssts aa.s life wa. glad to close my journey
seas. You can hardly imagine our feelings
as We came IN sight Of Damascus, and on tie
! very road where Saul was unhorsed at the
fash Of tho supernnl light We did not
want, like him, to be flung to the earth, but
We did hope for some great spiritual blessing
brighter than any MONDAY sun; and new
back ride was ended, for carriage met us
some miles ont and took US to the city.
The impression one receives as he rides
along the walked gardens OF the place
| are different from those produced BY
any other city. But We cannot describe our
feelings 1s We enter the city about which
We have heard and read 40 much. the Oldest
city under the sun, and founded by the
grandson OF Noah, nor our emotions as we
pass through the street called straight, along
which good Ananias went to meet SAUL and
by the site Of the palace of Naaman. the lep-
er, and saw the river Abana, as yesterday We
saw Pharpar, the livers of Damascus that
Naaman preferred to wash in rather than tho
Jordan. Strange and unique Damascus, It
is worth while to Cross tho Atlantic and Eu.
rope to ser 1t. Though it hos been the place
OF battle and massacre and Of ancient at.
huence and splendor as well as it is Of present
prosperity. to me its chief attraction arises
from the fact that here the scales fell from
PauPs eyes, and that chief of apostles here
began that mission which will not end until
heaven is peopled with ransomed spirits. So
also saw Patmos, where John heard the
trumpets and the waves of the sea dashed to
his feet, reminding him Of the songs of heay.
en-, like the voice Of many waters"
But this letter can only give you hint of
the things We mean to tell you about when We
get home. where We expect to he before this
month is ended baptized by immersion in
the Jordan an American whom We met, and
who desired the solemn ordinance admins.
tered to hum in the sacred waters.
rolled down from Mt. Calvary or "place
OF skull' stone for the corner stone OF
our new Brooklyn tabernacle We batled Ia
the Dead Sea" and in Gideon . Fountain"
whore his 800 men Tapped the water from
their hands - they passed through; and