The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-05-31
DR.. Peyton H. HOge's Instructive Ad'
dress ON Palestine.
LARGE AUDIENCE HEARD HIM,
An Extended Meeting of the Board of
Trustees Held Yesterday - I'm
portant Questions Discussed
The Programme Which
Has Been Arranged
for To-Day.

The closing exercises of the Union
Theological Seminary were continued last
evening by a most admirable address de-
llvered IN Watts Hall by Rev. DR. Peyton
II. Hoge. of wilmington y. G., who has
but recently returned from an extended
tour through the Holy Land.
Dr. I0ge took as his subject, ne
Palestine OF to-day and handled IL III
"A manner replete with interest The con-
trast drawn by him between the sacred
place as il appeared years ago and now
that it has felt the march of progress
was striking i'm the extreme. and was lls-
tened 10 with the deepest interest.
CLIMATE OF PALESTINE.
In the outset Dr. H0ge described the
seasons and climate of Palestine and the
proper time for visiting it. Travel is inn
practicable I'm the summer on account OF
tho heat: in the winter. on account OF
the rains. I'm the fan the traveller has
tho advantage Of the ripened fruit ana
vintage: I'm the spring. the country IS
fresh and fair with green grass. waving
fields Of grain and the bewildering va
riety OF wild flowers.
lie described the roads and methods or
travel. especially the luxurious camping
trating the traits Of character or the
Syriaus OF the upper class. the Bedouins
OF the desert among whom he travelled
and OF whose hospitality he partook' ths
unique "Janr.tes. who have come down
unchanged from the time of liaroun al
Raschid and tho the poor. down-trodden
fclahins tho Ueasautry of she lana. the
descendants of the ancient Canaanites.
IN GALILEE.
Tho land itself he described as not so
lnfertiIo as generally pictured Most tray
ellers see Judca hrst some see Judea
only. Galilee is as fair a land as the Val
lcy Of Virginia. except that it suffers for
rain i'm the summer. Samaria has valleys
among its mountains of surpassing beau
ty and fertility. Bashan is % vast gran
airy and Moab lImitess pasture. Judea
was novcr-cXccpt in few spots like
Boaz's field at Bethlehem-an agricul-
turm country; IT'S wealth was In IT'S vim
tage and sheep raising. Under centuries
OF misgovernmcnt the vineyards dlsap-
pearcd until recently, leaving bare lime
stone hills.
But rich or poor. the strength OF Pales-
tine lay not in its wealth. bat in IT'S
men-like switzerland and Scotland ln
the development OF IFS ideal Of righteous
ness. it Was aided hy it's isolation. An
inhcs pltable coast ON the west an inn
penetrable desert on the south. mountain
barriers on the north. and the great Jor-
dan gorge on the east. And when most
barren and most isolated the land pro-
duced It's one enduring city. He ac-
counted for Jerusalem. 1000 years Of NE
by the religious interests that have csh-
tered there. the religious center of the
three great mOnOthestic religions of the
world
THE FIRST KING.
It's first king. known 10 history. was
Meichizedek king of righteousness and
I'm righteousness lay the only hope OF
the land Misgovernment has made 10
what it is. The bright spot is the growth
of the Jewish colonies. When they bee
come sufficiently numerous 10 control the
land. European nations Will AT tho de-
mand Of the Jews insist on autonomy for
Palestine. such as was obtained for the
Christians Of Mt. Lebanon. And doubt
less that race that furnished a prime
minister 10 Pharoah seventeen centuries
before Christ. To Nebuchadnezzar six
centuries before Christ and ID Victoria
eighteen centuries after Christ will not
lack the ability 10 give To the land the
government 10 needs To make it rejoice
and blossom as the rose.
TO-DANS EXERCISES.
The final exercises of the seminary will
begin this morning at IL o'clock with