The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1893-02-02
BETHLEHEM.
The Quaint Cid Town of the
Scriptures.
Journeying Through the Pasture
Lands of PaIestine-The Holy Land
as Seen by Charles f. Kent, of the
Chicago University.

1t was in the early morning of clear,
cloudless day that we babe goodbye to
grim, stone-built Hebron. Every men,
Der of the party was evidently glad to
leave this old home of the Patriarcns.
Nesting in its narrow valley it is very
fair at a distance. but Moslem fanaticism,
which claims this town as its stronghold,
has shrouded its natural beauties with a
gloom that is oppressive. FL Isham has
thrown stones not only at Christian trav-
elers, but at all enterprise, until it now
enjoys that complete state of stagnation
peculiar to only purely Moslem towns.
Even our little Arab horses drew long
signs of relief as they struck the Jeru-
salem road, the first deserving the title of
road on which they had planted foot for
many days. Over hills and along the edges
of fertile valleys this runs, smooth and
broad, an object lesson illustrating what
science can contribute toward communi
cation in Palestine. On either side, low
lying and far from impressive, extended
the famous Judean Mountains. New
Englander would hardly concede that
they were worthy CT the name OF hills.
The striking jagged peaks and deep val
legs of a granite or volcanic formation
are quite lacking on this soft limestone
plateau of Central Palestine. There is
something very peculiar in the scenic eff
1ect of these bare, gray, rounded hills.
Few trees except in the vicinity OF towns
break the monotony of the landscape. 1t
is one mass of stone. We passed a few
Hocks of sheep, almost lost 10 sight among
the powders, as they searched for the
scattered punches of grass.
With each flock was shepherd. One
young lad was playing on his rude rustic
llSfanld nj
quavering strains we realized that we
were still in the Old Testament, and pass
ing the very rocks among which Israels
great poet fed his fathers tiocks. A lit
tie detour brought us to the so-called
Pools of Solomon, three huge rectangular
reservoirs, in which from time immem-
orial has been stored the precious water
that gushes in a copiouS stream from the
springs above. Up gradual ascent, and
by degrees Bethlehem. the city of the
Nativity, untolded itself 10 our view.
The two hillS-united like the SiameSe
twins, by little ridge upon which the
town Is situated-give 1t prominence
above its fellows, which renders the effect
decidedly imposing. The most striking
feature is the white mass of the CASTLE
like cloisters of the Franciscan and
Armenian monks. With their thick
walls, broken only by little windows,
they are veritable citadels of defense
against the attack alike of Moslem or the
equally insidious summer heat. About
them cluster the low, 1at-roofed stone
houses of the town. AS we rode single
1lle through the narrow streets we felt
that we had passed from the Old to the
New Testament. The memories of the
Bethlehemite King still flourish only in
the free air of the country. In the terri
tory about early Christian tradition, so
1acile in identifying, has pointed out
many scenes of His early life. The only
Tlapa W hicb GfrOpolv annaalS tO fta traU-
eler is on the northern edge of the town,
Il rude well, some twenty-five feet deep,
with water at the bottom which indicates
the presence OF a spring. Inasmuch as
this is the only living spring in the town
(the water supply being obtained from
cisternss there are good reasons for recog-
nizing in this the well OF Bethlehem,
which is by the gate"
Guided by tradition, on descending the
deep declivity to the east of the town, we
find ourselves in deep, narrow, treeless
valley which bears the name of the
Fields of Boar" Unlike the terraced,
vine-clad hills about the remainder of
the city, here we find level space, de-
voted to the raising of grain. Here the
reapers cut the grain with rude sickles,
as of old, and the Ruths still CLEAN, al
though it is to be feared that the character
of Boaz has sadly changed with time.
To the west the steep path climbs the hill
to the town above, up which doubtless
the fair Moabitess toiled with her ephah
of barley poised on her head in the
same manner as we saw the women OF
bethlehem carrying their burdens. From
the city the purple mountains of Moab
the home of the heroine of this beautiful
idyl, appear very near, rising bold and
abrupt through the miStS that are ever
ascending from the valley of death be-
low. The waters of the Dead Sea are too
far down in their deep chasm to be visi-
/, 10 no iol,t
lehem and the Fields of Boaz-a twenty
five minutes walk from the city-are the
traditional fields of the shepherds. The
identification is but the fond fancy of
credulous age, but among just such stony
valleys shepherds were watching their
flocks eighteen centuries ago when the
''greater son of David was born"
Even without the town the well-kept
vineyards and extensive olive orchards
had testified that the predominating ele-
ment was Christian. The faces of the in
habitanIs corroborated this. In the fair,
rudy compilations of the girls, who in
beauty. far surpassed any we had seen in
Palestine, were undoubtedly traces of the
blood of the old crusaders. About their
faces, like the frame to a fair picture,
were strung masses of coins, copper or
silver, according to the wealth OF the
owner. Often her entire dowryi is thus
exhibited, which must represent great
saving of time and toilsome investiga-
ton for the prospective Bethlehem lovers.
Slowly we picked our way along the
dirty, slippery streets, lined on each side
with the open workshops and bazars of
the city. The supplying of the demand
for relics from this holy place furnishes
occupation for the greater part of the
population. There we saw them manu-
featuring rosaries mother-of-pearl cary
ings, and the innumerable little trinkets
of olive wood, which every pilgrim must
bring home as the the certificate of his
pilgrimage, Just as the crusader brought
back his palm branch.
AT last we reached the open place before
the Church of the Nativity. Here all was
one great tumble. Booths with merchan-
disc of every description, vendors of
vegetables hawking their tar-from-invit-
ing wares, tourists dismounting, beggars
IL tatters calling for backsheesh, and,
strange contrast to all this confusion, ON
one side a family of Bedouin Arabs had
pitched their dirty, black tent and were
cooking their meal over a few burning
sticks. The Orient is surely the place
where everyone does what and how he
pleases.
Opposite this modern representative of
the old Roman forum rose black mass
OF buildings, more like fort than
church, with its door walled up, until a
little opening barely four feet high re-
mains. This is Il pleasing reminder that
the Moslems have disagreeable habit of
riding into Christian sanctuaries when
the opportunity oilers. After our dinner
at the '.Hotel Bethlehem" we bowed low
before the holy place and found ourselves
beside the Turkish soldiers within the
dark yesliDule which leads to the Church
orthe Nativity. Cropping along a few
stems we came into the light and found no
difficulty in believing that we were in