The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1903-12-31
tress.like covenant. At the call of
the vesrer bell all collect in the chap

6l lOT 6N 5uluS lLdyclS. LhO "ho'o@
ry is dimly lighted and in the grotto
beneath beams glimmering taper
throwing out light just sufficient to
reveal the form of the old prophet,
who is here represented in his pecu-
liar dress as still occupying his lonely
cell. Vespers over, the Monks retire
to their rooms, and during the watches
of the night the stiffness is broke by
signs and means, and prayer of some
heart burdened with sorrow, COM
muning with God in the midnight
watches. Life is too precious to
throw away in such useless monotony
better get out in the world and en-
gage in some active christian enter
prise. ''NeaI the base of the prom
ontory, few hundred yards of the
covenant, and close by some ancient
cisterns, is the grotto of Elijah, or of
the "Sons of the prophet - large
cave, so feet long by it's side, and 20
feet high, where, according to tradi
ton, Obadiah concealed ssand fed the
prophets of the Lord during the long
famine in Samarid. ''There is a
deep niche facing the entrance, and
large recess on the east side with
seats cut in the rock along the west
side, and south end. 1t is a natural
cave artifioially enlarged, and bears
the marks of great antiquity. Many
curious designs aud Inscriptions are
cut on the wall, some in old Phoni
clan and Greek. others in unknown
characters. This grotto is held in
great veneration by Jews Christians.
and Mohammedans, and for some rea
son the Druzes come every year and
sacrifice a lamb at its entrance.
There are many other caves in this
neighborhood, once the retreat of
pious hermits, now the dens of wild
beasts, and half naked Arabs.
Mukhrakah, the place of burning,
and traditional site of Elijah's sacri-
fee, is translated cone not over one
hundred yards in diameter on the top,
at the extreme southeastern point of
the Carmel ridge 1t was probably at
one time covered with forest of oak,
as the trunks of many large trees are
still standing Same old foundation,
large open cistern, with many
dressed stones lying round would
indicate that stone of some kind of
a temple had once crowned its crest
''On the summit. where the fish
bites alter is supposed to have stood,
| the native rock crops out, forming
natural platform which scan be feen
from almost every point on the noun
tain and terrace below. The locality,
the name and all the surroundings,
favor the supposition that this is
the Identical spot where it was
demonstrated by fire from heaven
that there was still God in Isra
Ell. -
"The view from this point is very
grand On the west. and south all
the plain of Sharon, ana the seacoast
| for so miles, can be seen; to the north
the verdant mountains of Galibre,
| the great Herman in the distance,
head and shoulders above his fellows,
radiant in mid summer with the SHOWS
Of winter. Eastward the view is un-
surpassed: at your feet flows the Kis-
hon, where the priest of Baal was
Slaughtered, and beyond it the great
plain of Esdraelon, not only the battle
field, but granery of Palestine, yellow
with it's rich, harvest ripe for the
sickel.'' So much for beautiful CAR
mel. Those lovely forsaken noun
tains are standing proofs Of Gods
great power and promise, tho in
ruin, and barren they shall again be
clad in living Greens;" when God
shall have re Edenized this earth and
made it the home of his resurrected
and gloriied children; when the
''hails of the Judgment. shall have
swept off all the wicked and the Son
of God ''reign in Righteousness, then
will this earth BIZ restored to his
glory, and peace shall cover her fair
borders. May God hasten the happy
time, of freedom from sin and death,
hol1 and tha Grave