The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-06-01
TRAVEL In THE ORIENT.
SOME INTERESTING OBsER VA TI0NS
BY RICHMOND LADY.
A Journey Through Syria and P"'e<fine.
Church Of the Holy Sspuichre-1he
Dcad Sea and the Jcrtan.

or all ones journeying By land or
sea. perhaps none ara remembered more
ylvldly than those taken through syria
and Palestine. and II Is such otlihuou
Measure 10 recall them. The mode OF
travel is SO unique. There IL Only one
carriage road thro' all Palestine ana
ladies' must go on horseback If they go
al all. through the country. ana tney
must sleon IN tents f,- three weeks az
least If they would zee the Holy Lana
satisfactorily.
such was orr experience more than
q half score OF years AGO. After most
charming stay IN Cairo. Egypt, we de-
parted from that CITY OF the fharoahs'
going 10 Ismalla by rail. then through
the Suez canal 10 Port said. AfterNa ards
our short sea voyage 10 lana tine
ancient Joppa). was all pleasant, ana
We landed most fortunately IN o qui't
ripping sea ION that usually stormy
COAST. and or a beautiful, bright Easter
morning The experience OF some Rich
mond friends. who had proceeded rs. was
not so satisfactory, and their lives Oo
ihen) seemed threatened amid the rocks
and breakers. 1t often happens that
passengers cannot land az all from the
small boats. but must move about IN
the "ofiing' Until a quiet day. or else
90 on TO Bcirat. II would be impossible
10 describe the varied sensations that
sWelled up In our hearts when first We
stepPci ashore on that soil. made holy
by The sunerlngs and death OF Christ.
We spent the Sabbath in J0ppa. and
visited the site OF Simon the Tanners
house. whore Peter had the wonderful
vision and entertained the an bassadors
OF Cornelius. There we recalled also the
story or Dorcas and her loving friends.
In the afternoon Of the Sabbath we
met In the Mission rooms. and partooiS
OF the Holy Communion. II was sea-
son never 10 be forgotten. and was well
fitted TO prepare orr minds and hearts
profitably 10 enjoy our future travels.
on Monday morning our novel expert
ences Of horseback travelling, lunchins
under olive trees and sleeping IN tents
began. and most thoroughly the Joining
prepared ms for the daily repass and the
refreshing sleep Of the night our hrst
nights halt was IN the valley or
Aialon." and the next day we lunchcd
al Rirgath-Jearim (where the Ark OF
God was brought into the house on
Abinadab. until carried by David 10
Jarusalem As we reared the HOLY
city some Of the tourists sang together
"Jerusalem, my Happy Home" and We
felt sad as We looked upon IL, now
desOlate and in the possession OF for
eien foe. That night we campet out
side the walls OF the city near the Jappa
gate. on Crusaders Hill. AS we sat be-
fore our tent doors each uOrning and
looked upon the city. We recalled its
many vicisstudes. how IT'S walls were
again and again battered down: the city
pillaged and sacked. and thousands or
Ike
the impious Jezebel. How we loved 10 20
about the environs Of Jerusalem. walk
ing around It's walls or mounting on
horseback 20 over 10 the Mount or
Olives. and the brook Redron; 10 Beth
airy and Bethabafa.
,HuncF or THE HOLY sTPuLcHRr.
We went daily into the city through
"the IaMa gate. or rather the rye
OF the Nccdlo.' its little side gate.
Early in our stay we visited the Church
OF the Holy Sepulchre the traditional
site CT the deatn ara resurrection Of
Christ. We were pointed ont. first. on
entering the ''stone of rnction." whers
.hc body was an)inted for burial. and
near Oy whore the Weeping Nary stood.
Passing on next INTO the large Greek
church. cmbellished and adorned with
hanging lamps and numerous pictures
and behclc therein many a long-haircd
ratriaieh dressed i'm tall bombazine hats
and black robes Dust as we had seen
them SO often I'm the churches OF Rus
siai. Just opposite iris is the Holy
Scpulchrc. under a gorgeous cupOia. con-
sisting OF two rooms lined with mar
bile. the center chamber and IT'S inner
recess containing the hcwn tomb and
IT'S marble slab. now cracked about the
FH| - d..
the incossant kissing OF thousands of
pilgrims from every land. who alter
Wcarlsome journeys hasten 10 this sacred
spot, fail down and worship No.. thinkine
perhaps, thet az last their greatest de-
sire on earth has been Accomplished.
over this tomb were hung uumborloss
golden lamps, kept constantly burning.
ana through apertures near by the sacred
hfr is handed by the priests thrOueh
hundreds Of expectant pilgrims. who
stfn nd waiting outside 20 light their lamps
or Easter norm
LIGHTING LAMPS OK FASTER voRNIxG.
Disgaccful tumults and fights some-
times occur on tfat day. between the
varied scots OF Christians, and must be
quellod by the Turkish soldiers Kept
there constantly On guard or course
we entered all tho various chaDels per-
tanning 10 this cdilce. ia which the
Launs strive % perpetgate the memory
1l His suifcringe. VIZ. The Chapel 81
The TlagelauCn." chapel OF the Prison "
Chapel OF the Testaments," "Of the
M0cking." "Of the CruciiM0n." Chapel
Of the Elevation and "the Tnrce
Crosses" and the Chapel whore the rock
was rent in twain
The "Nia Dolorosa." the way without
leading from the garden Ct Gethsemane
20 this very spot, is marked, 100. by
various stations where Christ fell under
the weight OF the cross. and even the
house of Veronica IS shown (who is said
20 have offered Him her handkerchief
and received on 10 the impress OF His
face. All Of these, however are hcu-
tous. as the old Jerusalem lies buried
thirty or forty feet. below It's present
polluted crust.
Far more pleasant was 10 for us 10
leave this road and going outside the St
Stephens gate. seat ourselves on the
green slopes Of Mt MOriah, and gaze
down upon more authentic sp0ts-tre
now dry bed OF the RedrCn.' the Val
ley of jehos0pnat. in which are number.
less t0mbs OF the Jews. who firmly be-
leve the grand Resurrection shall take
piace there. Then ones sacdered eyes
would be directed TO the Garden OF
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