The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-05-18
NAZARETH OF TODAY
ut sgbts in the Land Office of the Home of
Jesus Christ,

ADLUELIEM were uAANEA III q AEAAAAAE NuAAAA
down into the narrow valley through
which we have just passed, tramplng
upon one another until 1.-THE River on
Kishon swept them away, that ancient
river. the River kishon.'
Nazareth claims 1000 population. ana
may have that number when its hospices
are filled with pilgrims and its hospitals
with patients. but there has never been
a census and the best advised author
titles do not allow more than 1000, OF
whom about half are MOslems and the
remainder orthodox Greeks, Roman Cath
OliCs and MdrOnites, with about 90 Prot
estants. There are no Jews in Nazareth
Nazareth could not be a larger place
than IL is. Its position is not favorable
for trade, and the scarcity Of water is
permanent drawback. AS / told you In q
recent letter. there is only one spring,
upon which the entire population, men
and beasts are dependent There IS no
other water for miles around. and there
IS no tradition Of any other spring in
the neignborhOOd. The inhabitants are
still noted for their turbulent disposition.
They bear the same evil reputation that
they have always borne. It sticks TO them
stiu, and If "a redeemer should emerge
from that town today the same question
would be asked, can any good thing
come out Of NAZARETH" The word NaZ-
arenc has always carried with IL a degree
of reprOach and contempt, and ever since
the time Of Jesus has been applied by
the Jews to him and to his followers
The Jews Of Samaria and other parts Of
Gaillee always refer to Christians as
Nazarenes, and the term is often used by
the Jews Of Jerusalem.
Nazareth Is a place that has no history
tt is not mentioned in the Old Testament,
and during the subsequent centuries it
/ has remained hidden away in a narrow
valley. an obscure valley, of no political
Importance, the scene of no events and
q place 20 be avoided. because Of the evil
reputation Of its inhabitants. After the
capture Of Jerusalem by the crusaders.
Godfrey de BOuillOn administered the
government with justice and ability, and
his name is stu cherished Prompted by
reverence for the associations Of the
place, he endeavOred to do something to
improve Nazareth and advance the con-
dluon Of the province. He erected
churches and mOnasteries. both in NaZ-
areth and upon Mt. Tabor, but his favors
ended with his death. and Nazareth sank
into ObSCurity again. During the wars
that have been so fierCely waged in Cali
lee Il was again and again sacked and
destroyed, but its destruction was not
or sutIlcient Importance to be mentioned
in history.
Godfrey de Bouinon was the most ad-
mirable Of all the crusaders, not excepting
Richard Of the Lion Heart He was no
mere sWashbuckler, but a man Of ability,
courage and conscience, and although
cruel deeds are charged to his account he
never engaged in plumber, he never dis
graced his profession and treated his
Captives with mercy.
The Mount of the Beatitudes. supposed
10 nave been the scene of the Sermon on
the Mount. is in the same direction. being
one Of the foothills of the Karn Hattin.
a. rocky peak nearly 100 feet high. It's
situation and surroundings so stridngly
coincide with the gospel narrative of
the Sermon on the Mount and the place
where the 5000 were fed with loaves and
fishes as to absolutely disarm criticism,
al l. L. a. %
favor would not stand for a moment un-
der the rules of a court. 1t is the only
place IN the neighbOrhOod that could have
been used for such a purpose. The plain
on which il stands is easily accessible. Its
situation Is central. both to the peasants
of the hills and to the fishermen Of the
I lake. between which il stands. and it
would be a natural resort for Jesus and
his disciples from any one of the many
towns and villages around it. for con-
sultatiOn or reflection. while there is a
natural platform and amphitheatre which
corresponds precisely to the level place
referred TO by the evangeliSts. II is a
singular coincidence that both the Greeks
and Roman Catholics agree upon 1t with
out question,
BY some freak Of fate the Mount Of the
Beatitudes. the spot upon which Christ
preached the words Of peace and love and
charity, that will live longer than any
others ever uttered by man. was the scene
of one of the bloodiest battles of the cru
saders on the Sd and 4th OF July, 49,
Saladin, the brilliant leader Of the Sara
Gems. dealt a death blow TO the power Of
the Franks In Palestine. Guy de Lusig-
nan. king OF Jerusalem, was taken pris-
Oner with many Knights Templars and
HOspitalers. who were sold to the Bed
ouins for slaves. The grand master of
the Knights Templars was executed by
Saladin's own hands. Because he had so
frequently broken faith the Saracen
chieftain pronounced him unfit to live.
From that day and from this place, the
decay Of the crusaders began, and It Is
no wonder, for anybody. who reads the
history of this extraordinary movement
must boil with indignation at the crimes
and cruelties that were perpetrated in
the name of Christ. The motives of the
crusaders may have been pure and plous,
but their methods were those Of satan
At the stOrming of Jerusalem they
slaughtered 70O00 Moslems regardless Of
age or sex.
At Acre the feast Of the assumption Of
the blessed Virgin was celebrated by
hanging 200 hostages, innocent people
who had been detained temporarily until
their ransom could be paid and, when
an explanation was demanded by the
heather. the leaders of the crusade de-
clared that the act was TO vindicate the
Christian religion and TO retallate, Wath
the assent Of divine grace, upon those
who had destroyed so many Christians IN
battle with missiles from bows and
arbalests-
Jesus as a boy no doubt often PLAYED
upon the slopes Of the hill from which he
afterward delivered his famous sermon
and among its beautiful surroundings
studied the problems Of life From the
summit Of the hill back Of Nazareth,
which he no doubt often assembled, can be
seen the great highway between Damas-
Gus and Egypt. over which have passed
professions of pilgrims, caravans of
trade and chariots Of war for forty CEN
turtles Tt stood there in Christ's time as
it stands now During the long evenings
of summer II IS customary for the people
of Nazareth to stroll up its slopes to
breathe a cooler and efresher atmosphere
than that Of the hollow in which the vii