The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1900-05-12

marian. Here s0lulerS are conStantiy oh
duty to protect travellers and tourists while
they lunch. Every shepherd on the hill
and every donkey and camel driver on the
road has gun strapped on his back. This
shows that robbery is committed in this
community 1t illustrates the Parable OF
the good Samaritan which occurred along
this road.
Our tents are pitched on the site of the
Jericho where Christ healed the blind man.
From here we pass over the beautiful plain
of Jericho to the Dead Sea, thence up the
river Jordan to the fording and return by
the site of Ancient Gilgal to the tents,
total distance of twenty miles
Throughout this beautiful fertile valley,
which was once covered with humanity,
villages and cities, not sign of habitation
is seen. Not even native was seen in
our whole day journey. Nothing remains
of Jericho and Ancient Gilgal. A native
mud village, where man and beast abide
under the same shelter, on the site OF Jeri-
cho, is all the population tourist finds in
this valley.
Two miles north Of our tents is the site
of Jericho, of the time of Joshua. Twenty
feet below the surface are ruins of the city
wall. This is all that remains. Elisha
fountain flows from near the, city wall.
The water that the prophet sweetened 29OO
years ago is still sweet
On our return to Jerusalem we pass the
brook Of Cherith, where Elijah was fed by
the raven over the Mt of Olives, through
the valley of Jehoshaphat, past the tombs
of Absalom, St. james and Hezekiah,
the gardens of the Kings, Potter field,
David's tomb, and enter through st.
Stephens Gate into the city over Mt. Zion.
In the city we visit the Mosque Of Omar,
which covers the site of Solomon temple,
the church of the "Holy Sepulchre, the
Pool of Bethesda, Solomon 8 fuarries, Sol
mon stable, etc.
On Friday afternoon we go to the wall
ing place of the Jews. A short explana-
ton may not be out of place here. The
site of Solomon's temple is surrounded by
the city wall on the South, East and North.
A wall 35 feet high also separates the city
from the temple 1t requires special
permit to get inside of this wall. We sin
ners can only enter the Mosque by putting
extra slippers over our shoes, so that the
temple is not de6led. But the poor jew
can get no permit to get inside of this wall
He is too defiled in the sight Of the Turk.
Thousands of Jews are born and die within
a few hundred yards of the sacred rock
upon which Abraham offered Isaac and
which covered the "Holy of Holes in
Solomon temple, but are never permitted
to see it. Therefore the Jews go to the
wall that separates the temple from the city
and pray and sing, and shed tears, thai
God may hasten the time when the Jews
may return to the Crock and establish
their worship This wall is really being
kissed away by those devout worshipers.
Their prayers, however, will never admit
them within the wall But there are Other
PRAYERS and influences that will shortl,
drive heathenism from the ''Holy Rock
and establish in Jerusalem a true worship
of the true and living God.
In Jerusalem is large German Lutheran
Church. Back of the altar is the inscrip
ton, ssJesus Christ, the same yesterday
TODAY and forever There is also al
English Protestant Church here, an Eng
lish mission to promote christianity amons
the Jews, Christian Alliance, Young
Mems Christian Association, Jewisf
Christian Association; an American Mis-
sion, an American school and church. AL
around the city are the Christian jew
building beautiful mansions and taking act
i've part in restoring the city. These are
the influences and prayers that will accom-
plish great deal.
On Sunday, March 18th, at A p. M,
our party held prayer meeting on Cor
dom Calvery. About fifty of our members
were present. Selah Merril American
Consul at Jerusalem, led in prayer. More
than $50 Jews and missionaries took part
in the service.
| From Jerusalem fifty of our members
went on horseback on camping tour tc
Beyrout, distance of 250 miles. The
balance of the party went back to Jaffa anc
sailed to Beyrout and met the camping
company at Damascus.
The following is our camping outfit =
One conductor, two dragomen, three assist
ants, four cooks, twelve walters, fourteen
horsemen, forty-four muleteers, twenty
dwelling tents, two boarding tents, two
luncheon tents, two kitchen tents, twenty
nine horses, sixty -one mules, ten donkeys,
and a number of old Bedouins with ole
rusty guns and spears with handles twenty
feet long to protect us against robbers.
For these courtesies the Sultan already col
lected three times from us for Passports.
and [ am informed we will be called upor
two times more before we can pass through
Constantinople. In going from Jerusalem
to Beyrout our party passed the following
interesting places :-Mizpeh, which Samue
called Ebenezer; Bethel, where Jacob hac
his dream, and Hanna lived when she went
to the temple at Shilo to pray; Shilo, where
Eli and Samuel were high priests; here the
Philistines also captured the Ark of the
Covenant; Jacobs well; Joseph's tomb
Shechem once the home of Abraham anc
also Jacob; Samaria, with its extensive
ruins of Ahab's temple; Ahab's palace,
and Herod' amphitheatre; (here Herod
had his court in Galilee in the time Of
Christ y Dothan, where Joseph was solo
and where the King of Syria sent his sol
diers to capture the prophet Jezreel where
Ahab's summer residence stood, and the
sad story of Naboth's vineyard is well
known; Shunem, where the Shunemite
women gave the prophet room on top of
the WALL Main, where Christ raised the
widows son; Endor, where Saul sought
council from the witch; the native home OF
ssThe Son of Man. Cana, where Christ
turned water into wine; the Sea of Galilee;