The Coalville times. [volume] (Coalville, Utah) 1894-1923, 1901-10-11
Valley Of
Jordan.


Especial letter.
The worlds most historic valley IL
that through which the river Jordan
Winds liz tortuoua course E,om It's
narrow denle where the bssAraters
Of tho river gush IN a thousars bulb
bling rills from among the stones OF
the cave Of Pan, through marsbv plains
70 Us Wide stretches OF lana around
the Dead sea, II Is replete with names
familiar 20 every one who has read
history. either sacred or profaus
On the mountains. whose shadows
fall over tho valley. Moses recelysd the
law from God and centuries later
Christ passed through ia bighways
and ia hywayB. through ia populous
cities and fertile flolds. preaching and
teaching the lessons with which All the
civilized world 10 now familiar Il Is
tho scene Of the llfework OF the great
eat teacher and leader OF men that
humanity has ever known. Herein He
was adored and worshlped. eeofied At
and icered al, tempted and threatened.
In this valley, lie cured tho sick. raised
tho dead 10 life, mado profound think.
err Of humble fishermen, stlIed the
tumultuous waters OF the sea with His
footstop and wiped cut the stain Of
original Gin with the agony Of Geih-
remane and the darkness which closed
around the tragedy Of Calvary iell
upon the winding Jordan.
Long Before the Coming Of chrls.
even before the prophets told Of the
future advent OF tho Messiah. events
which make history we're transpirIng
along the banks OF tho Jordan. Wars
raS~d. cities rose and fell, and gov.
ornments we're established and shat
tered. Tho Boll was fertile and the re-
Sion rich and populous. Phoenecians,
Crooks and Romans came and con-
Quored at different umea and the hosts
Of the Perslana and tho Syrlans spread
Il with waste and dosolation. But Il
always recovered from the attacks Of
The invaders and during the life Of
Christ teemod with humanity and
hlossomed with fertility.
Nov thore Is little OF the old life IN
the valley. A scanty supply Of ash
would reward tho fisherman who
might cast his net, tho fiocks are few
and scattering. the fields are barren
OF tho lilies end there are but few eyl.
doneea that this was once a garden spot
Of the world. The mountains stlll rise
In their majestic splendor, tho Jordan
dashes az Of yore over precipicoa anc
rolls Gluggishly through marches. Gall
leo often lasheb into fury as II dlt
when the Master babe II be quiet ant
the Dead sea shlmmers in the sunlight
but the spirit and the life OF the val
Icy are gone. War, pestllence. earth
quake and time have contributed L
the surrounding scenes OF ruin.
The valley OF the Jordan stretched
from north TO south in the eastern par
Of Palestine The river Ia formed ffon
the waters OF springs
Gushing From the Labanon Mouauini
and Mount Hsvmon FOR a nufnbdi ~
miles It's course IA through a willy
! picturesque country. mountains tofof
above either aido and the STRAIN
dashos over dizzy proclplces inl
through deep and rocky chasmS II
varies greatly In width and depth In
some places II Is not more than iity
yards wide and from three to Nyen
feet deep. Its source Is about LOO
feet above tho Mediterranean "a,
but where II flows into tho Dead
sea II Ia 1915 feet below this
level. In a direct line from ils
source TO its mouth Il Is 100 iset
miles long. but lis course Is so wind
ing that within a space OF sixty miles
long and from four 10 1--WE miles
broad II trayerses at least 200 miles
and during this time plunges over
twenty-seyen formidable rapids. Be.
fore II spreads into Lake Moron, now
called Huleh. Il struggles through a
morass which Is thickly overgrovn
with papyrus. On leaving this lake