The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1890-04-10
TALMAGE'S TRAVELS.
A Review Of the Recent Journey
Through Palestine.
An Instructive and Advanta geous Tour,
Not, However. Without Its Hard
shlps-Some of the Historic
Spots Visited Described.

IL is OF more than passing interest:
On leaving America addressed som g
words of farewell to my sermonic read
ers, and now, on my way home, write
this letter of salutation, which will
probably reach you about the Monday
that will find me on the Atlantic ocean,
from which can not reach you with the
usual sermon. ] have completed the
journey of inspection for which l came.
Others may write life of Christ with
out seeing the Holy Land. l did not
feel competent for such work until |
had seen with my own eyes the sacred
places; and SO l left home and church
and native country for most arduous
undertaking. have visited all the
scenery connected with our Lords his
tory. The whole journey has been to
me surprise, an amazement, a grand
rapture or deep solemnity l have al
ready sent to America my Holy Land
observations for my Life of Christ, :"
and they were written on horse back,
on mule back, on camel back, on ships
deck. by dim candle in tent, in mud
howell of Arab village, amid the ruins of
old cities, on Mount of Beatitudes, on
beach of Genesareth, but it will take
twenty years of sermons to tell what l
have seen and felt on this journey
through Palestine and Syria.
All things have combined to make our
tour instructive and advantageous. The
Atlantic and Mediterranean and Adri-
attic and Egean and Dardanelles and
Marmora seas have treated Ius well.
Since we left New York we have had
but half day and one night of storm,
and that while crossing Mount Hermon.
But let only those in robust health at
tempt to go the length of Palestine and
Syria on horseback. do not think it
is because of the unhealth of the climate
IN Holy Land that so many have sick
ened and died here or afterward as a re-
suit of visiting these lands, but because
OF the fatigues of travel. The number
OF miles gives no indication of the OK
haustions of the way. A hundred and
nifty miles in Palestine and SYRIA on
horseback demand as much physical
strength as four hundred miles on horse
back In regions of easy journey. Be-
cause OF the near two months of bright
sunlight by day, and bright moonlight
or starlight by night, the half day of
storm was to us the more memorable.
1t was about noon of December Is that
the tempest struck US and drenched the
mountains. One of the horses falls and
we halt amid binding rain. It is
freezing cold. Fingers and feet like ice.
Two hours and three-quarters before
encampment. We ride on in silence.
longing for the terminus of to-day's nil
grimage. 1t is, through the awful in
clemency of the weather, the only dan
gerous day of the journey. Slip, and
slide, and tumble, and climb, and de-
scend we must, sometimes on the horse
and sometimes of, until at last we halt
in the howell of a village, and instead of
entering camp for the night we are glad
TO ind this retreat from the storm. It
IS house of one story, built out of mud.
My room is covered with roof of goats
hair. A feeble fire mid-foor, but no
chimney. It is the best house of the
village. Arabs, young and old, stand
around in wonderment as to WHY 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 see how 1 am
progressing. But the door is open, SO /
have some light.
That is an afternoon and night never
to be forgotten for its exposures and ac-
quaintance with the hardships of what
an Arab considers luxurious apartment.
sat that night by fire, the smoke of
which, finding no appropriate place of
exit, took lodgment in my nostrils and
eyes For the first time in my life I re-
allied that chimneys were a luxury. but
not necessity. The only adornments in
this loom were representations of two
tree branches in the mud of the wall.
a circle supposed to mean star, bot
tie hung from the ceiling, and about |
twelve indentations in the wall to be
used as mantels for any thing that NAV
be placed there. This storm was not a |
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 been sunshine and tonic at
mosphere, and not moment has our
journey been hindered. Gratitude to
God is with us the dominant emotion.
Having visited the scenegy connected
with Christ's life was glisA to close NV
journey by passing through the apostoi-
ie lands and seas. You can hardly inn
agine our feelings as we came in sight
OF Damascus, and on the very road
where Saul was endorsed at the flash
of the supernal 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 noon-day
sun, and new preparation for use
tulness. Our long horseback ride was
ended, for a carriage met us some
miles out and took us to the
sity. The impression one receives as
no rides along the walled gardens of the
place are different from those produced
1y any other city. But we can not de-
Icribe our feelings as we entered the
;ity about which we have heard and
cad SO much, the oldest city under the
un, and founded by the grandson of
Soah; nor our emotions as we mass
through the street called Straight. along
rhich onod Auanias want m y,ao+ Sso1 |