Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-03-09
Special Correspondence.

Special Correspondence
Nazareth Palestine, Dec 8 l9O0.-Wc
stopped at Tel Hun, the reported site
Of Capernaum. on the night Of Deem
Der attn. by some persons 1t is thought
that the place where Capernaum for
merly existed was at Khan Menyeh
about three miles to the south. ! am
hearing quite an amount Of discussion
on the subject by my companions, but
for my part. / am of the opinion that
the exact site place and scene Of many
Of the events recorded In New Testa-
ment history is to quite an extent a
matter OF conjecture. We, however
may be certain that around this lake,
and between here and Nazareth, our
Lord spent the greater portion OF His
earthly life; around here He performed
many of His miracles; around here He
preached To- The multltudes. and that
we will probably tread on ground many
times, under which the ground exists
on which His sacred footsteps formerly
trod.
on the bank Of the lake Is the buried
up remains Of some building Of white
limestone resembling marble, this is
claimed to be the lvnagoguc built by
the Roman centui.an and mentioned
I'm Luke S:5. Capernaum was made by
our Lord "hs own city" after his re-
lection from Nazareth. here he healed
the palsied man, Matt. Q: 81; here He
healed the man with the Withered
hand here he raised Jairus daughter,
here he preached the sermon on the
Bread Of Life, John 6: 80, and foretold
OF the degradation OF this important
city that has so truly came TO pass.
From Tel Hun wheeling along the
lake bank we next came to Bethsaida.
The only buildings being church (Ro-
man Catholic and a German Hospicp
Here we took a meal, the priest
In charge fine looking man, could
speak English, and had Travelled ok
tensiyely over the United States many
years ago.
Bethsaida was the residence OF An
drew, Peter, James and John. and was
also the scene OF two miraculous
draughts Of fish.
ON SACRED SOIL.
Further along we came to Khan Men
yeh, the other reputed site of Caper-
naum. stu journeying along the banks
OF the lake and along the plain Of
bennesaret (which is about two miles
long), The plain IS covered with ur,
derbrush ana the oleanders with their
beautiful flowers are in fun blossom.
but 1t Is without inhabitants. We now
come to Meidel the ancient Magdala
the home OF Mary Magdalen behind
which, on the mountain, Is the tradi-
tlohal site where Christ fed the four
thousand.
Mejqel Is a small Arab village. Re-
y0nd this pOIht the mountains come
close TO the lake, and the road Is cut
on the face Of the mountain About
mile and half behind Meidel are
the ruins OF an ancient castle. con-
structed on the side of a cliff and con-
sisting of cayerns connected together
and protected with walls. This fort
ress was once the haunt of robbers
from whom Herod the Great took a.
by the expedient of letting down sol
dlers In cages by ropes, TO the mouth
of the caverns
Sull clrcling around the lake we
come to Liberals. the principal city of
TINS region population about 10000
ms city. or one on It's site. was erect
ed during the lifetime of our Savior but
1t is not spoken Of In the New Tesla
ment, probably on account Of its popu-
latlon at that time being non-Jewish.
rms city, however. after the destruc.
tlon OF Jerusalem became one M tbp
chief seats OF the Jewish nation. II
was taken by the Arabs shortly after
the time Of Mohammed. AT present n
mas narrow streets even for Turkey, is
very dirty. and II has the name of hay
ing great deal Of fever \ great many
OF the inhabitants are Ashkenazim
V5erman jews but these Jews. unlike
the German Jews we had met i'm the
colonies above here on the upper Jor-
dan seem 10 have sunk to the level
of the other natives in habits and Gus
toms of life. Most Of the Ashkena2m
mere wear wide black hats and have
their hair In rlnglets on each side Of
their face giving them perhaps the
most quaint appearance OF any men I |
nave ever seen off comic stage. There
are also quite population Of Sephar- |
aim or Spanish Jews. All classes seem
TO be very poor.
ON THE SEA OF GALILEE.
We stopped at Liberals for the night, |
and the next day took a boat and sailed |
TO the north end OF the lake. Lake