Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1892-08-17
CRAFTSMEN OF THE EAST, AN
GENT AND MODERN.
THE TzNT-MAKER.

Throughout the Bible, from first to
last, the people among whom the sacred
record was compiled we're, for the
most part, tent-dwellers.
The fathers of the Hebrew race, as
well as the children of Ishmsel and the
posterity of Esau, were wanderers
Gen. iv. 20; XIV. 27), pitching their
tents on a fertile plain; and, when their
hocks and herds had exhausted the
natural supplies of the place, they
lifted their .tent-poles, and packed
their "houses" on the backs of camels,
and journeyed to fresh pastures and
springs, pitching their tents beneath
the shade of trees if possible.
These simple peple wove their own
tent-clotb from the hair of the goats
and camels, and bangings for the in
terror from the soft, white wool of
their sheep, just as the Bedaween do
now. They gathered herbs to dye
their woods of various bright hues,
and their own taste supplied the de-
signs.
Tents vary as much as do houses, &C
cording to the wealth or habits of the
owner. A poor man has single tent
of black goat or csmels' hair (Song OF
Sol. i. 81. A curtain of anything that
he has at hand-his bOurnOus, perhaps
is drawn across the centre to hide
his family from strange eyes. But
such as are better off have the central
curtain of white woollen stuff, often
worked with colored woods in pretty
patterns. The wealthy chiefs have as
many tents as their family need. If
chief has several wives, each has tent
for herself and family.
The usual mode IN which tents are
constructed, and which seems to have
been the rule from earliest times, is
this: nine poles, from seven to ten
feet long, are set up in three rows of
three each, as near to or as far from
each other as the size of the tent re-
duires. Oy.r these is sire ched the
hair-cloth covering, separate piece
going round the sides, which is looped
up or lowered at pleasure. The poles
also support the interior curtains. and,
being supplied with plenty of hooks
and nails, all the household chattels
are hung on to them.
We read of tents whose walls consist
ed of three distinct sets of hsngings,
each several feet removed from the
other: the outer of black or white
camels' hair cloth, capable of resisting
the heaviest rains; next came a wall OF
linen, which was continually sprinkled
with perfumed water to keep the air
in the passages cool; the interior of
tent was lined with silk or tapestry,
! and the ground covered with rich car
pets.
The periodical gatherings round
Jerusalem must have been an impos-
ing sight. 1t WAS impossible for the city
70 accomm odate all that came, even
had they wished it; but most by far
| preferred to pitch their tents without
/ the walls. These were not ''tent-
| dwellers," but such as purchased their
temporary habitations. All travelling
in the East, in past ages more even
than now, required the use of tents,
therefore we must infer that this craft
was thriving one.
| How eminently suited to the ideas
of a wandering and tent-dwelling peo-
pie must have been that first great
temple to the living God, the taber-
nacle in the wilderness. Even as the
Temple of Solomon was the perfection
of beauty, SO also was this pavilion
of the Lord.
In Acts, we learn that st. Paul " as
tentmaker, and that he worked at his
trade, together with Aquils and Pris.
ella, at CorInth. st. Paul was native
of Cilicia, a province of Asia Minor; al
that time and long after noted
for the manufacture of cerain much
esteemed tent cloth, called after the
"Cilicium. This hair cloth was to be
purchased at any of the seaport towns
of Asia Minor, and was universally used
for the covering of tents.
1t Is not probable that either the
Apostle or his two friends wove the
cloth; their trade would be only the
fashioning of the tents.
J 1t may be thought strange that mai
of the social position of saul of Tarsus,
said to have been educated with Herod
should have been a craftsman. But i
must be remembered that among East
erns it is no disgrace to know or work
at a craft. The learned Gsmaliel, the
teacher of st. Paul, says in one o
his precepts, "He that hath trade il
his hand. to what is he likep he is like
/ vineyard that is fenced" And the
TaImud-that oracle among tn,
Hebrews-commands father to cir.
cumcise his son, to teach him the law
and teach him trade.
1t was natural that st. Paul, the
young Cilician, should learn the trade
for which his native province was held
in high repute; and it proved mos
useful knowledge to him in time o
Madame MuStafa Ben Yusut