The Atlanta constitution., 1898-10-17
MODERN PALESTINE
AND ITS HISTORY

DR.. Russell II. ConweIl, OF Philadelphia
one OF the most distinguished lecturer!
and Baptist dlvines in the United States
thus writes from the orient to The Sunday
School Times. concerning the change!
which have taken place il the Holy Lanl
il recent years;
When | first came to Palestine, long
ago, there was no sail Or oar Oh GdllIcc;
but last week many busy bOalmcn con
tended enterprsiuSIy to get the patron
age Of two II ends and myself as We in
dl"ated our purpose to 80 hSnlnS one
cary morning. AS We dropped our lines
into the clear blue Of the ancient lake,
We could hear the shepherds singing and
plp!nB on the mountains; COWS AWoke
the Old echoes with Their lowing, and
children ran &ieciully along the shore
ana spIashed their bare feet IN the wave
let's on the Dc&cn.
thirty years ago all was silent
on that shore. Men. when they Wero
seen, seemed like ghosts. Laughter
there was none. The whole region
seemed under the curse. Capernaur-'s
fields were uncuitiyated, and her ruins
lay uamoved amid reeds. thistIes and
SerpentS.
And when our caravan from Damas-
Gus reached taperuauln, i tew Gays
ago. charming Greek Christian well
coined us with smiles, and a clean, civ
illzed dinner in a home that was COM
modiOus and new. There were thirty
one pairs of oxen in sight blowing up
the rich soil, and the thstles and SER
peuts were gone. 4 Christian civiliza-
ton. which is the reflection OF Christ's
dear face, has already uncovered the
ruins of the synagogue wherein Jesus
preached on the bread of life. and the
residence Of Jesus at Cap2rnaum may
welcome Him yet again. Bcthsa ida was
in bloom, and gardens cultivated when
Peter and Andrew were there. now bear
fruit once more. IN another score of
years it is clear that fresh villages will
hide the broken bricks and scars Of the
past. At TiDer4as, where. on my preVl-
ous visit, was squalor ana vermin, dis
ease and deformity. most hidcOus and
nauseatnE. 1 could still see great room
for advance. But The clean uniform Of
The police, the new hotel. the. great in
the Individual missionaries. made the
place habitable and the people hospita-
Evidence Of reform in many ways was
ftrtkingly apparent. and when a bright,
neatly dressed boy a"costcd ne in Eng
lish. and kindly escorted me through the
crooked streets, | could NOT realize that
dogs which visited In 1870. Then 70 80
into the valley of Arbela or on the
mount of beatitndes alone was danger
Gus ana at all time uncomfortable. Now
no robbers lnfe2t Arhela's cave, ard a
carriage road from Haifa on the Nedt-
te1ranean to Tiberias on Galfice passe,
along the foot OF the mount of beati-
tldes. Travel is as safe as in Massa-
chnsetts. and travellers are more Cour-
teous and accommodating.
The shepherds sang US y native song
as we waited for the devout brethren,
who had ascended the mount to hold a
praycr-mcet'ng. "B.uc Gal:loe. where
jesus loved SO much 80 b. IS not u
dark spot hidden away in the noun
tains, the abode of banditu and st0rlts.
1t is a frequented lake, and the new
hotel at the hot springs on the shore
makes It quite like a summer resort.
An, yes! Jesus Is coming back to Gait
lee. At Main we saw clean hospice,