Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-01-14
FROM THE HOLY LAND
REV. DIR. KERR AND PARTY BACK
AFTER TOUR TOTHE ORIENT.
His Interesting Description Of Jerusalem,
Damascus. aud Cairo-The Garden OF
Gethsemane-Us of Camels.


yesterday were Rev. Robert p. Kerr. d. D.,
pastor of the First Presbyterian church,
his wife, Mr.. Milton Cayce and his daugh-
ter, Miss Lily.
DR.. Kerr and his wife, accompanied by
Miss Cayce. left Richmond on the 18th of
last September for trip to the Holy
Land. They were accompanied in their
tour abroad by large party Of ladies aud
gentlemen, making fourteen in all. Du-
ring the four months of their trip abroad
the party visited some OF the most inter-
esting countries in the world and their
tour embraced three continents.
Mrs. KERR's FATHER DEAD.
They landed in New York on their return
last Saturday, having made O flying trip
across the Atlantic. Here Mrs. Kerr was
shocked to learn of the death of her father.
Colonel Webb, an estimable gentleman,
who lived in Nashville, Tenn. He had
been an invalid for some time, but she had
not beer informed Of his demise. He died
some time during Christmas week.
MIR. Milton Cavce met his daughter IN
New York and accompanied her to Rich
mond.
As soon as DR.. Kerr's arrival became
known yesterday be was visited by several
of the members of his congregation, and
there were many callers at his house
throughout the afternoon. For all of these
DR.. Kerr had pleasant word of greeting,
and when q representative OF the Dtspdfch
called upon him the courteous pastor con-
sented 10 tell of the wondrous sights he
saw abroad.
During the last four months" said DR..
Kerr. have travelled 1900 miles-over
three continents and three seas-in COM
pany with a party of fourteen friends.
~ L.. IL. fgl.
serious mishap of any kind. having visited
the principal countries of Europe en- route
TO the Orient, which was our destination"
DEFIANCE LENDS ENCHANTMENT TO DAMASCUS.
Having entered the Holy Land" he
continued, "we selected our horses and
began tho ascent of the Lebanon Noun
tains, and passed on through the hills and
valleys of that most interesting country to
Baalbee. From thence over the Ante
Lebanon range we made our way to Da-
mascus. which Mahommed called the
'prettiest city on EARTH and would not
enter lest ne should be denied entrance
into Heaven. The Assyrians call it the
eve of the East II is beautiful from q
distance, but nearer view dlspels most of
its charms. There IS not q decent street
in it nor good house, and the people are
utterly ignorant ard depraved.'
INTERESTING PLACES VISITED.
But our interest in Palestine" contin-
ued the Doctor, did not depend upon the
people whom we saw there, but upon the
associations of places and the glorious
history of the great part of the human race
which has been enacted there.
I'VE made our way down leisurely
through the country, stopping at all the
interesting places, tarrying longest at the
Sea of Galilee, Nazareth, Bethel, Bethle-
hem, the Dead Sea, Jerico and above all
in Jerusalem, the imperial city of our holy
religion.
THE most interesting spot in all Pales-
tine is the Garden of Gethsemane, one OF
the few places of which we can be certain
that it ever really knew the presence of
our blessed Lord"
JERUSALEM INCREASINGLY INTERESTING.
Jerusalem" added the speaker with
glow of enthusiasm, lis increasingly In
teresting. One could spend years in study
ing the sacred associations of the place.
It is growing rapidly. Ten years ago it
had 5000 Jewish population /; now 1t has
10000.
"The spot where the Saviour was cruci-
fed is unknown. There is place in the
city where tradition says the cross was set
up, but this cannot be the identical loca-
ton" DR.. Kerr thinks, " as it is within the
walls of the city. Persons were never cru
ClIlcu Wllulu IIt tllgs buu Iuc
all history bearing on the subject teaches
that Golgotha. or the Place of the Skull,
was outside the walls of the city.
We left Palestine at Joppa, going down
TO Egypt, where we visited Port Said.
Ismalia, Cairo, and Alexandria. Cairo is
one of the most remarkable cities on the
globe. containing IL itself every element of
attraction and interest which can be found
in variety OF the human race, every kind Of
aA.A Ia
derfully-beautiful scenery Prom every
point in the neiRhborhood of Cairo the
pyramids are seen rising against the bound
less blue of the sky with the sphynx lying
calm and mysterious at their feet"
THE USE OF cANELs.
The Doctor thinks Egypt great coun-
try. II is being developed in wonderful
manner since England has directed the
affairs of the Government. The richest
land DR.. Kerr ever saw was in the Delta of
the Nile.
Did you see many camels in the
Orient?" asked the reporter. who during
much interested TO ask any questions.
Thousands and thousands" was the re-
ply, "but most of the people ride horses |
and donkeys. The camels are used. as
beasts of burden aud all sorts of goods are
placed upon them. They generally have |
load weighing as much as 800 pounds"
HoSEwARD- BOUND.
From Egypt the party returned home |
wards through Italy, Switzerland, and |
France, all of them looking back upon the !
tour with feelings of pleasure and know |
ing they had accomplished one of the great |
desires of their lives.
The passage home across the Atlantic |
was phenomenally fine, being made on the |
Cunard steamer Etruria in six days and |
two hours from Fastnet Light to Sandy |
Hook.
Il am we'll" concluded Dr. Kerr as he |
looked around at his comfortable home |
surroundings. "and feel all enthusiasm for |
my work, expecting during the rest of my |
DAYS as plseoffier fra - uetine Eentho' ' , GOh
Land. 1 expect to begin next Sunday |
night series of lectures on my travels in |
the East"