The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1890-02-28
THB TALMAGD TRIP.
Incidents Of the Journey from
Beyrout to Constantinople.
A HANDSOME AND THRIVING CITY

At Church ON Christmas Evs-A Call ut
Larnica, Cyprus-MOOdy and sankey In
Modern Greek-Ephesus and Its Won
derful Ruins-My VI ilene--T The Gr~SN Arch.
bishop and the Turkish Governor.
LIVERPOOL, Jan. 25.-Probably the
swiftest and pleasantest diligence service
In the world is that from Damascus to
Beyrout. A French company owns and
manages it, and it would be needless to
say that this enterprise is in striking
contrast to any enterprise conducted by
the unspeakable Turk. The road be-
tween the two cities is in excellent con-
E dition and is marvellous bit of engineer
ing, crossing the mountains of Lebanon
! at height Of 1000 feet. Six horses are
kharnessed to each conveyance, and these
are changed every hour. The trip is of
fourteen hours duration, so that eighty
ur horses are brought into use be-
re its completion. With the excep-
bn of the beauty of the scenery,
hitch increases in attractiveness all the
way, there is nothing of special interest
within the hundred and twenty miles
along which the road extends. The villas
which dot the approaches to Beyrout are
surrounded by gardens of rare beauty,
giving evidence of the good taste and
ample means of their owners, most Of
whom are merchants in the city. The gas
Jets illuminating Beyrout were the first
we had seen since leaving Athens They
afforded expectations of its appearance
by daylight, which happily we found to
be fully justified. Beyrout is a handsome
city containing about hundred and
twenty thousand inhabitants, a large per-
centage of whom are Christians and civil
lied according to the highest European
standard These have gained solid foot
ing in Beyrout, which accounts for its
being the most attractive city of all
Turkey in Asia. DR.. Talmage was en-
tertained royalty by the American col
lege, and during our stay preached in the
American church to an audience so large
as to severely tax the capacity of that
handsome edifice. The date of the SER
vice was Christmas eve. Whether for
minister know not, but the church was
decorated in tasteful manner, and the
music rendered during the service would
have elected favorable comment in any
leading church at home Mrs. William
E. Dodge had arrived recently at Bey-
rout, on visit to her son. who is the
head of American church affairs in the
city. She was delighted to meet DR..
Talmage, of whose movements she had
kept herself well informed.
On Christmas day we started on the
Journey homewards. Our parting from
those who had accompanied us in various
capacities during our pilgrimage through
Palestine and Syria was full of sadness
Ind tenderness. The guide was affected
deeply, and we shall never forget his
prayer invoking for us divine protection
and heavenly benediction during the re-
mainder of our trip. After our property
had been inspected and our baggage
thoroughly overhauled by the revenue
officers, who collected l per cent. duty
on all purchases made in their own coun-
try, we entered rowboat and were taken
over to the Pandora for a seven days
trip on the blue Mediterranean. Three
days would have been an amply suffi-
cient time for reaching Constantinople
by fast steamer, but as passenger traffic
between the two cities is but incidental
and carrying freight the main considera-
ton, the ship stops at all ports of impor-
lance and the cargo is exchanged as the
demands Of trade may require. But a
more interesting trip than this particular
one, with its frequent Interruptions, af-
fording opportunities to 60 ashore and
make observations on an average of once
day, cannot be imagined. Our first
stop was at the island of Cyprus, where
Larnica, an interesting city of nearly
twenty thousand inhabitants, was the in
ducement to disembark. The Greek
church, which claims the tomb of Lazarus
as one of its attractions, was visited first
Here, it is said, Lazarus was buried after
dying the second time, but the claim
rests solely on unsupported tradition.
After this we visited the scene of Gen. Di
Cesnola's excavations, which, we learned,
were interdicted by the government. We
bought a number of beautifully colored
tear bottles, of which only few survive
the energetic offices of the baggage mas
ter. At Limasol, where we did not dis
embark, we enjoyed the pleasure of re-
eeiving on board Grecian bride and
groom who, during the balance of the
trip, treated us to Moody and Sankey's
hymns sung in modern Greek. Between
Limasol and Smyrna, the next stop
ping place, lay Rhodes and Patmos
(this is the island on which st. John
wrote the Book of Revelation) and
Samos. Every moment of the time not
necessarily required for refreshment and
sleep was spent on deck, and with DR..
Talmage as commentator, the islands
and hills of the prospects opening before
US were repopulated as of old and their
glorious history re-enacted. The wealth
Or was simply grand and the scenery en-
chanting. Frequently away off among
the mountains rainbows took their start |
and rose in graceful curves along the
sky, further ornamenting and beautify-
vn,bo L. II