Telegram-herald., 1890-02-05

~ ths No-4eEl4 JsFt1l- ID - tI9 IA ~ asa4
~ A.soei4a4o4s-Ths G~rdsa Of Geth-
ssns4ae.
.copwza- ls ~ I9as EloFs1a Ss~ York-l
NALAAzf. -as.. Ir The Jordan, Dr
Talmage s.as .l4d - Irh sole4ln joy Oh
behol1lng as -aees ald crystal nood.
Near the place where We eacamped
Ehjah AID Elisa crossed the oed of the
rlyer dry shod before ll-s translation Of
the senior prophet. aud the Younger one
after his master had been taken away
from hjm by celestial messengers. The
whole ne!zhoornood was suggestive #
God 8 wonderful dealings wltl tne chill
dren If Israel u seemed as If Sabbath
relgned peTpecual.y ia the valley through
which the sacred uver runs, so calm and
peaceful was the scene
While waiting for the lunch tent 70 be
raised several Of our party washed IN the
river, remembering as they did So how
Aaaman dipped seven times IA It's waters
and Tie flcA reward OF his faith. The
day was superbly nne. as were al iIs
predecessors while We were IN Palestine
After lunch We rested awhile, and
then preparations were made for the
coming baptism. Copies Of the hymn
beginning ION Jordan's stormy bank !
stand were prepared by the ladies OF
the party, tie toga Of our Arab sheIk
was borrowed 10 serve Is baptismal
robe for Dr. Ialmage, while the candi-
date secured Tor his own Use an outfit
from one of the servants. Everything
being Ia readiness, the clergyman and
the candidate advanced 20 the water
edge, the other members Of the party
forming a semicircle about them. DR..
Talmage made an invocation, and then
read the story of the baptism Of Jesus in
the Jordan by John, from the third caap-
ter OF the Gospel OF St Matthew. After
ward al present Joined in singing the
hymn selected and copied, as above re-
lated Or. Talmage then said: In this
historic river, which parted three times
10 let God people pass dryshod, and in
which Naamau plunged seven times for
healing from dire disease, and from the
banks az which Elijah asceuded in cqui-
PAGE Of fire, and in which Christ was
baptized. and which for ages has been
the symbol of the division between earth
and heaven, | now baptze thee"
Then, taking the candidate by the
hand. BE- led him into the water, quoting
the authority for baptism as found IN
Matthew xviii, verse 10. Reaching the
sufficient depth he immersed the candi-
date, repeating the usual formula: in
the name of the Father and OF the Son
and Of the Holy Ghost, after which he
pronounced the bcnediction. Atthe close
OF the ceremony Or. .Talmage said;
As the ordinance was observed under
the direction Of no particular denomina-
ton of Christianity and no particular
church could be responsible for it, / feel
il my duty to report what ! did 70 the
church universal
While the ceremony was being per
formed the 5h-i6, who acted as our es-
cort TO protect us against attacks by Bed
ouin robbers, spread his prayer rug and
went through bis devotions, which beng
completed there was still time for him
70 look on awhile. 1t the conclusion Of
the service he expressed himself well
satisfied with what he had seen, and IN
timated that We all had tie same God,
bat that while his prophet was Moham-
med, ours was Christ. our dragoman, a
native 81 Nazareth. who has acted as o
guide % tourists for more than twenty
. two years. said that was the first baptism
he ever saw solemuized IN the Jordan.
soon after the service we mounted our
/ horses and began the return trip. passing
or tho way Gnigal. where Saul. the first
king Of Israel. was crowned, and paying
@ visit Of inspection 10 the huts which
aro inhabited ry tie poverty stricken
Arabs Il modern Jericho. Uuon reach
ing our cnr.110rlert which bad not been
moved. We found an excellent dinner
awaiting us. We enjoyed i, heartily,
having orpeti.es shlrpcneI hv pure air
and exercise a large bonfire gave us
abundant warmth and hight after the
evening meal We were sitting around
it at ease. when we received tic iufor
nation thar party from tho ueighbor-
ink mud VILLAGE f Lr.ha ..ae modern
Jercno were about 90 entertain us with
the Jericho dance.
There were about fifty Of these visit
ors. dusk7 specimens ot people, wearing
ragged clothing. bareheaded. unkempt
anl barefooted. AMI q few If them more
tlan half naked. Their ewes. sharp and
piercing. flashed in ths bright light of
tic moon which had risen beautifully
II the clear skv. When they laughed
tfcv cvpce-d rows of larZe. ur7rlv white