Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-12-08
DOWN TO DAMASCUS.
nr. Talmage Tells Of His Visit to
That Wonderful Old City,
THE HONE OF PAUL THE APOSTLE.
Some Good Points, as Well as Bad, in the
MOhammedan Religion.
The ANCIENT GLORY OF DAMASCUS

llNereu lDe eleNSHAH SeEulOn OF MS series on
Palestine and the adjoining countries this
evening. The text was, Acts 9:3. DR..
TalmaCe said:
In Palestine we spent last night in a mud
hovel of one story. but camels and sheep in the
basement. Yet never did the most brilliant
hotel on any continent seem so attractive to me
as that structure. If we had been obliged to
stay in tent, as we expected to do that night,
we must have persisted. A violent storm had
opened upon us its volleys of hail and snow and
rain and wind. The atmospheric wrath broke
upoa MS about o'clock in the afternoon and
we were until night exposed to it.
IS the night approached, the tempest thick
ened and blackened and strengthened. Some
Of our attendants going ahead had gained per-
mission for us to halt for the night in the mud
hovel speak of. My room was without win
dow and an iron stove without any TOP in the
center of the room. the smoke selectin" my
eyes in the absence of chimney. Through an
opening in the floor, Arab faces were several
times thrust up TO see how l was progressing.
Bu: the tempest ceased during the night and
before il was fully day we were feeling Tor the
sIirrups of Our saddled horses.
First sight of the Famous City.
During the day we passed Car area Philippi,
tine northern terminus of Christ's 1urneyings.
Ns-tL of that He never went. We lunch at
noon. seated on the fallen columns of one of
Uerods palaces.
At4 o'clock in the afternoon. coming 10
hilltop. VIC on the broad plain city. But
no clty that ever 50 plays hide and seek
with the traveller. The air Is so clear the
distant objects seem close by. You come on the
1Cl hill and Damascus seems only little
wev Of. But down YOU go into q valley ana
You sec nothing for the next half hour but
barrenuesS and rocks reCurgltated by the
volcanoes OF other ages. Up another hill and
down again.
Gut after your patience is almost exhausted
you reach the last hilltop and the city of
Damascus. the Oldest city under the whole
heavens and built by Noah's grandson, grows
upon your vision. Every mile of the journey
now becomes more solemn and suggestive and
tremendous.
rms is the very road, from Jerusalem to
Damascus, along which 4 cavalCade of mounted
officers vent about lSZ9 years ago, in the midst
OF them fierce little man who made up by
magnitude Of hatred for Christianity for his
drminuilye stature. This little man was called
Saul. So many of the mightiest natures of all
ages are condensed into smallness of stature
Look ont cor little men when they start out for
some especial mission of good or evil Tie
;hunderbult is only condensation of electricity.
The Light Which Converted Saul.
Wen. that galiopins group of horsemen on
the road 10 Damascus were halted quicker
.han bombshell or cavalry charge ever halted
regiment The Syrian noonday is the brightest
OF all mondays. and the MONDAY sun in Syria
is positively terrific for brilliance. But sud
denly that noon there flashed from the heavens
I light which made that Syrian sun seem tame
Is star in comparison. 1t was the face of the
slain and ascended Christ. looking from the
heavens. and under the dash OF that overpower-
ing light all the horses dropped with their
riders. Human face and horses name together
in the dust. And then two claps of thunder
followed uttering the two words, the second
word like the first: saul, Saul.'
For three days that fallen equestrian was
totally bind for excessive light will sometimes
eNtlngui>h the eyeSight.
The evening is near at hand, and as we leave
snowy Bermun behind US and approach the
shadow of the minarets and dOmes cut
through a circumference of many miles of gar
den which embower the city. Here in Damas-
Gus at the right season are cherries and mulber-
rles and apricolS and almonds and pistachioS
and pomegrauates and pears and apples ard
rlums and ciIrOns and all the richness of the
round worlds pOmolucy.
Arabian Nights Not True Picture.
Many travellers express disappointment with
Damascus. but the trouble is they have carried
on their minds from boynood tha book which
dazzles many young People-the Arabian
Nights" and they come into Damascus looking
for Aiaddin's lamp, and Aladdins ring. and the
Cenii which appeared by rubbing them. But,
as | have never read the ARABIAN Nights"
such stuff not being allowed around our house in
my boyhood. and nothing lighter in the way of
reading than ''BaXteI's Saints" Everlasting
Reformation Damascus appeared TO me as
sacred and secular history have presented il,
and 81 the city was not 4 disappointment, but
with few exceptions surprise.
Deserts to the north deserts to the south,
deserts to the east. deserts TO the west. but
here paradise. Ana. as the rivers GIhon and
PIson, ami Hiddekel and Euphrates made the
q. her paradise, ALBANIA and Pharpar make this
Damascus paradise. That is what made
General Naaman Of this city of Damascus so
mad when lie was told ior the cure of his
}epro>y 10 20 and wash IN the River Jordan.
The River JUTCan Is much OF the year muddy
stream, and il is never so clear as this River
Abana that / hear rumhling under my win
uuw tonight nor as ;he River Pnarpar that we
crossed Today. They are rs clear though
they had been SIpved through some especial
sieve uf The mountains.
Water a Common hut Great Blessing.
Thauk sod we live in a land with plenty of
rsvers auG that they bless ali our Atlantic
coast aua al our Pacific coast. and reticulate
all tine continent between jhe coasts. Only
fh,sa who have Travelled in the deserts of
Syria. nr EEyp;. or have in the Oriental cities
near.l the tJnlling Of the bell of those who sell
water. can realize what it is to have this d.
vine beverage ia abundance. Water rumbling
over The rocks turning The mill wheel, sat
urat,ng the roots of .he corn, dripping from the
buckets, filling the pitchers of the household,
IrlIrg through tac fonts or baptistrIes of holy
ur.iIuA1ce. iIjlin- tho reservoirs of cities in
VI ul- the cattle to come down and slal1e their
taiGs: and the birds Of heaven 10 dip their
wing. ascending in robe of mist and falling
-..in in bCEediCtion of shower-water. living
water. God-SIven water!
Ne are awakened in the morning i'll Damas-
CsIS lV the song OF those who have different
styles 81 food to sell. Il is not street cry as
al London or New York. but weird, and long
Lrawa-uuT solo compared with which a buzz
-: Is musical IT makes you inopportunely
waker. and will not let you sleep again. But to
ihOsC no understand the exacT meaning of
TIE song, 1t becomes quite tolerahIe for thcy
sing: God is the nourisher, buy my bread,''
God is tae nouTisher, buy my milk God IS
the Suri>EeT, buy nv fruIt.'
As EOU look out of the window, YOU see the
Mohammedans. who are in large majority in
The city, at prayer. Il 1t were put to vote who
should be king of all the earth. $1,000 in that
city would say Christ. but 10000 would saw
Mohammed
Pious Nlohammcdans ut PRAYER
Looking from the windows YOU see on tho
huusetops and on the streets Mohammedans at
worship. The muezzn or the officers of re-
lglon who announce the time of worship ap-
pear high up on the different uinarets or tall
towers and walk around the minaret, enclosed
by a railing, and cry in sad and mumblinc
way: God is great. bear witness that there
is no God bu: God. bear witness that Mo-
hammed is the apostle of God. Come to Dray-
ers! Come to salvation, God is great. There
is no other but God. Prayers are better than
sleep"
Five times day must the Mohammedan en-
gage in worship. As he begins he turns his
face toward the city of Mecca, and unroIls
upon the ground rug which he almost always
carries. With his thumbs touching the Iobes
of his ears. and holding his face between his
hands. he cries: God is great" Then folding
his hands across his "lrdle he looks down and
tays: Holiness to Thee. Q God and praise be
lO Thee. Great is Thy name Great is Thy
greatness. There is no deity but Thee"
Then the worsniDper sits upon his heels then
re touches his nose to the rug, and then his
Torebpad these genufections accomnaniad