The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1896-06-24
The Grave Of Abraha m.

y correspondent of the New York
Times, writing from Syria, says: He
brOn is situated in the narrow Valley
of Esehol, still abounding in vineyards;
the streets are mostly dark and dirty,
and the houses are mostly built Of stone
and covered over with cupOlas, or
small dOmes, which give curious and
interesting effect.
OF the 1900 people who live in this
unique old town about 61) are Jews,
who attract attention 10y their pale face
and long riuglets. The Moslems, who
compose the rest of the population, are
noted for their rank fanaticism and
superstition, which fact makes it dan
gerous for Christians to visit the place
unguarded.
At the entrance to the city we were
met by Turkish official, who, armed
to the teeth, went before Us in all OF
our walks and drives through the
streets.
Only recently an EngIishman was
set upon by crowd of these roughs
and only escaped with his life.
The Cave of Machpelah is the object
of the greatest interest in Hebron. Ii
recalls some of the most touching of
the Old Testament scenes.
When Sarah, the wife of the pltri-
arch, died, We read that abraham
stood up from before his dead and spake
lto the sons of III tn, saying: Il am a
stranger and n sojOurner with you;
give me possession of burying place
with you, that | may bury my dead
out of my sight. The contract was
made in the gate of the city, and the
field, the cave, the trees in the field, all
were made sure to Abraham for a
possession, and Abraham buried Sarah
his wife, in the cave of the field of
Machpelah." Genesis, xiii.
As old Jacob lay a-dying he tender
ly spoke of this Cave of Machpelah,
and said: "There they buried Abra-
ham and Sarah, his wife; there they
buried Isaac and Rebekah, his wife, and
here buried Leah He gave explicit
directions that his body should rest
there with his fathers.
the elders of his house, and all the
elders Of the land Of Egypt, and all the
house of Joseph, and his brethren, and
his fathers house, and ehariots, and
hOrsemen, carried the embalmed body
from Egypt into the land of Canaan
to the Cave of Machpelah.
Ii seems strange that the brutal
Turkish Government should be allow
eel to close the doors to this cave that is
of such great interest To the Christian
world, and to all who are concerned
about ancient Israel. The only Chris
tian visitors who have ever crossed the
threshold of the building that covers
the cave are the Prince of Wales, the
Marquis of Butte, the Crown Prince of
Prussia, Gen. Lew Wallace, Princes
Albert Victor and George of Wales.
| saw cracks and rents along the
walls where devout Jews are aeeustom-
ed to place written prayers addressed
to their Father Abraham. / hare be-
fore me an exact copy of one of these
prayerful epistles, and the Jewish
Perhaps there was never a grander
funeral than that of Jacob, when Jo-
seph, "with all the servants of Pharaoh
mother who wrote it and attempted to
| put it into the cave where the bodies Of
her distinguished ancestors rest appeals
most pathetically for individual, DOM
estic and national blessings.
This is believed to be the only spot
on earth which attracts to it all who
possess the one creed, ''I believe in
God" The Holy Sspalchre in Jerusa-
lem separates Moslem, Jew and Chris
tian, but here they meet with rever
ence equally affectionate. Not fal
away from the cave the Oak of Abra
ham is visited, where ii is supposed
that the Lord appeared to the patri--
arch rs he sat in his tent door ant
gave him the account of the coming
destruction of SOdOm and Gomorrah
Ii is certain that in this neighborhood
this wonderful conference took place
but that this oak, old as it seems, wa
then standing is as probable as tina
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