The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-12-24
ELABORATE
CHRISTMAS
SERVICES {; F'.'I /
Were Held in the Churches Yester-
day-speclal Music Was the
Feature, and the
CHOIPS WERE AUGMENTED.
The Rev. S. T. Westhafer Delivers m,
Interesting Talk on bis Trav- y.
els in the Holy Land. FL

In all the churches yesterday special
Christmas services were held. and the
principal feature was the music. All
the choirs were augmented for the oc-5
casion. and tho various houses OF wor-
ship looked beautiful In decorations OF
evergreen in palms, holly and mistletoe.
In some OF the churches the music was
elaborate, and the attendance in every
case was unusually large. The choirs
had been rehearsing diligently for the
services yesterday, and they put forth
their best efforts. y. Il AZ /.
There was public worship Mt both the
morning and evening services at
Fourth street, and they were largely
attended. In the evening the pastor,
Rev. S. T. Westhafer, delivered two
very Interesting iive-minute talks on
THE Manager In Winch Christ Lay as
I Saw It." and from Jerusalem to
Bethlehem In a Carriage" The latter
was especially Interesting. Mr.. West
hafer spent the whole OF last March in
the holy land. and rode from Jerusalem
TO Bayreuth, distance Of 300 miles, on
horseback. There were seventeen in
the party, and they went by the way
OF the Sea OF Galllee and Damascus.
They carried ten tents. eight living
tents, one kitchen and one dining room
tent. They had nineteen saddle horses
and forty-five pack mules and donkeys.
Thirty-six servants accompanied the
party.
Only an Outline.
Mr.. Westhafer began his talk by say
Ing that the five minutes allotted him
wuuld permit but the. barcst outline of
the places passed through. I'VE took
a carriage at the Jaffa gate, with Jews
for drivers. and proceeded across the
valley OF Gihon, This was near the
place where Solomon was anolnted
king. Thence we passed across the hill
OF Evil Counsel, where the enemies OF
Christ met to devise means by which
they might put Him to death. Our way
there lay across the plain Of Repham,
where the Phillstlnes spread them-
selves out second time to fight
against David.
1--WE next passed hard by the aque-
duct built by Solomon to carry water
to Mt. Mariah. where we came to the
famous Pools OF Solomon. We left our
carriages. and, walking down q slight
descent OF about 100 yards, we came to
a little door In the hillside that locked
as though 1t led into 4 cave. On try
ing 1t our guide found It locked, but
.:thetlaws In that country are Of such n
nature that one can break 4 lock with
3impunity, and our guide, TO save time
sand trouble, broke through the door by
drawing staple. We descended flight
Of about twenty steps, and stood on q
pinnacle In an underground cave. Near
by there bubbled UP spring that ran
a stream of water about one and one
half feet in diameter. This spring. we
were told, was discovered by Soloman,
who conveyed the water underground
from some distance, and brought It to
the surface. Just below the place
where the water came out OF the earth
he constructed three immense pools
one below the other, each resembling
in shape and size the reservoir on the
hill above Wheeling. From these pools
he conducted the water by means OF
an underground pipe three Roman
miles to the temple and supplied water
10 the brazen sea. which rested on the
backs. OF twelve brazen oxen.
On the Journey.
We returned to our carriages ana
proceeded south, passing the tomb Of
Rachael, and near which there Is in a
large smooth stone Il depression abou;
the size OF mans body. Here the
Greeks said Elijah slept one day when
he fed from Jezebel. and left in the
stone the marks OF his body.
I'VE then passed the site OF ancIen,
.Etam. where Sampson came to hide
from the Ph!listines. Near this place
IL the sight OF Soloman's gardens, de-
.scribed In detail by Josephus. and
where soloman frequently rcsortcd In
his chariot. A little farther on NC
came In sight of the hill top. little
to the right upon which the village OF
Tskoa, the home of Amos, the Prophet
formerly stood. BY this road we en-.
tered Bethlehem from the northwest
II Is n town built Of white stone and
stands on the top OF n ridge In the
shape of a half moon, facing the north.
east. 1t has population Of about 5000
Hero Boaz lived. Here Naomi came
with her daughter-in-law. Ruth. Here
'Jczle lived, and her son, David, was
born, and while yet shepherd boy was
'nnointed to be king Of Israel, and
here greater than David. a Christ, the
Son of the living God, was born, and
the angel OF God said unto the shep.
herd. Fear not, for unto you Is born
this day in the city of David, 4 Savior.
which Is Christ the Lord"