The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1896-09-24
ARTHUR TERHUNEs JoURNEYINGs
IA AMID HISTORIC SCENES.
Spots Once Trod by the Savior of
Mankind Now Laid in Ruin - In
novatiOns Made by the East
ward March of Civilization.
Chicago Chronicle.)

Within the last rev years thete mas
been great awakening in the study
of the Bible. The highest criticism, as
1t is usually called, has directed atten-
ton to new explanations and interpre-
tations and has thrown much light on
many questionable points. The char
acter of the highest criticism has led
many who valued the Bible little as
religious guide to acknowledge lts
worth on the human side, and to ac-
cept il as a priceless boon-the gift or
the ages.
Prof. Moulton and other dlstin-
guished scholars have accented the IT.
erary side of the Bible. and have shown
its epic, lyric and dramatic features.
They have compared and contrasted It's
contents with the works OF Herodotus'
Homer. Aeschylus and Shakespeare,
finding in the one as in the others the
eternal truths of human nature re-
vealed in facts widely different ana
among widely different peoples. An
other influence, decidedly prosaic IN us
nature, has tended to an increase IN
the study of the Bible-the railroad to
Jerusalem. The tourist now can easily
make the journey to Bethlehem, Sa-
maria. the Mount of Olives and Beth
any, and is disposed to do so. BY way
of preparation he studies his new tes-
lament in the most realistic way pos
sible. Places that once seemed to exist
only on the Bible pages are now located
as exactly as the New York Excaange
Of the Chicago Board of Trade. The
realism may, or may not, disturb the
holy associations of the place, but the
innovation of the railroad and all
which that implies will sooner or later
change many of the forms and customs
that have been inherited for centuries
before Christ.
Books without number have been
written on the Holy Land, each trav-
eler receiving new impressions and re-
porting from his own peculiar point OF
view. For Syria has been the theatre
of so many exploits in which Jews,
Romans, .Saracens and Christians have
figured that the romance of the place
Is scarcely less fascinating than the
sacred associations. The book before
US, Syria From the Saddle" does not
aim to throw new light on matters
scientific, archaeological or historical.
1t is the story of the Holy Land of to-
day, as seen through a young mans
eyes, and while written without favor
or prejudice, is reverent in its treat
ment of religious subjects and asso-
Citations.
Our traveller set out from Beyroot,
having as dragoman a descendant OF
q Christian family Of Jerusalem-a
man who knew well the geography of
his country in connection with Bible
studies, and was familiar with every
historical or sacred episode relating to
it. A point Of no less importance was
that he was keen to discern between
superstitious traditions and possible
facts. Further than this he was veri-
table Ward McAllister for providing
the best of meals and entertainment
even when conditions seemed anything
but favorable. The first business was
to secure saddle horse for the journey
to Jerusalem. The average Syrian
horse, Mr.. Terhune tells us, is not the
Arab steed whose portraits we see in
tea chromos. That style of horse, wher
Moab, or the desert, and then in very
modified form. For a long, rough
journey he would be worse than use
less. What was needed was of kline
little larger than our own bronchos
full of spirit, tireless and as sure-footet
as mountain goats" The horse chosen
had a meek and lowly air. Our traveller
mounted him for trial ride. when h
suddenly started at dead run; then
jumping high in the air, bucked
kicked, whirled halfway round, thel
set off on series of runs, intersperse(
with bucks and sudden turns. Whei
he sobered down the decision was mad
that he was fit for the journey; that
however monotonous the route, h
would furnish sufficient diversion.
The saddles used by the Syrians ant
Arabs look like flattened meal bags. Tn
stirrups are shovel-like in shape and tn
stirup feathers are drawn SO short tina
the riders knee Is on level with hi
saddle. So, instead of grasping tn
horse with the knee, they use the cal
of the leg-the sharp-cornered stirrup
serving as spurs. The horses guide b!
the. neck and have few gaits. On tn
forelock or reins of many Of the horse
and donkeys is blue bead-a charm
against the evil eye. This superstition
of the evil eye, our author tells us, |
somewhat different in the East from
what it is in Italy. In Syria the native
fear the evil eye of envy and believe tina
if some possession of theirs is coveted
will sicken and die. Hence they faster
the blue bead on all their best horse
and even about their children's necks
So current is this superstition that beau
tiful children of even wealthy parent
are dressed in rags to escape the evl
eye Of envy.
Beyroot, as the largest and most Eu
ropean town in Syria, has many place
of amusement. These rooms are withou