The broad ax., 1901-10-05
Voney q
JOrdan...
IsnecIal Lettar.l

llLNlA AelN-LaH
ne worlds most historic valley IL
that through which the river Jordan
Wlnds Its tortuous course. From is
narrow dedls where the headFators
o. the river gush IN thousand bub-
bling rills ron among ths stones Of
the cave Of Pan. through marshy plains
% its wide stretches Of land around
tie Dead sea, L ls reDlete with names
familiar 20 every one who has read
history, either sacred OF profane.
On the mountains, whose shadows
fan over the valley, Moses received the
law from God and centuries later
Christ passed through it, highways
snd its byWayB. through its populous
cities and fertile fields. preaching and
teaching the lessons with which all the
civilized world Is now familiar. Il is
the scene Of the IfeWoFk Of the great
est teacher and leader Of men that
humanity has ever known. Herein He
was adored and Eorshiped, scoied at
and jeered at, tempted and threatened.
In this valley, He cured the sick. raised
the dead TO life, made profound think
ers Of humble fishermen, stiIed the
tumultuous waters Of the sea with His
footstep and wiped cut the stain Of
original sin with the agony Of Geth-
semsne and the darkness which closed
around the tragedy Of Calvary fell
upon the winding Jordan.
Esng Before the Coming Of Christ,
even before the prophets told OF the
future advent Of the Messiah. events
which make history were transpiring
along the banks Of the Jordan Wars
ragad, cities rose and fell, and gov
eTnments were established and shat
tered. The soil was fertile and the re-
gion rich and populous. Phoenecians,
Greeks and Romans came and con-
quered at different times and the hosts
Of the Persians and the syrians spread
Il with waste and desolation- But Il
always recovered from the attacks OF
the invaders and during the life OF
Christ teemed with humanity and
blossomed with fertility.
Now there is little Of the old life in
the valley. A scanty supply Of fish
would reward the fisherman who
might cast his net, the hoeks are few
and scattering, the fields are barren
Of the lilies and there are but few evil
dences that this was 0neea garden spot
Of the world. The mountains still rise
IN their majestic splendor. the Jordan
dashes as Of yore over precipices ana
rolls sluggishly through marches, Cali
lee often lashes into fury as II did
when the Master babe Il be quiet and
the Dead sea shimmers in the sunlight.
but the spirit and the life Of the val
lsY are gone. War. pestilenee, earth
quake and time have contributed TO
the surrounding scenes Of ruin
The valley Of tie Jordan stretches
from north TO south IN the eastern part
Of Palestine. The river Is formed from
the waters Of springs
Crashing FrOn the LsbanOn lLountains
and Mount Hermon. For a number OF
miles its course is through q wildly
picturesque country. Mountains tower
above either side and the stream
dashes over dizzy precipices and
through deep and rocky ehasms- Il
varies greatly In width and depth. In
some places It Is not more than fifty
yards wide and from three 70 seven
feet deep. It's source Is about 100
feet above the Mediterranean sea.
but where It flows into the Dead
sea It is 1916 feet below this
level In a direct line from its
source TO its mouth II is 10 feet
miles long, but its course is 50 wind
ing that within a soaee Of sixty miles
long and from four to Eve miles
broad It traverses at least 200 miles,
and during this time plunges over
tWenty-ssyen formidable rapids. Be
fore II spreadr into Lake Meron, now
called Hulch. 1t struggles through a
morass which is thiclEly oVergrown
with papyrus. On leaving this lake