The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1904-01-07
Holy Land, Canaan or Palestine
In 81 LETTERS, LETTER NO. IL.
Written for Brandon News, by Virgil. }
"GILEAD AND THE SONS OF lSHMHAL,,

Written for Brandon News, by Virgil. J
.GILEAD AND THE SONS OF lSnMHAi,o
Gilead means hard rough and IS
"a range of mountains near the
river Jabbok, and covered with trees
producing a valuable gum called the
Balm of Gilead," and an article of great
mercantile value. ''is there no balm in
Gilead; is there no physician there? Whv
then is not the health Of the daughter Of
my people reeovered?" In the division of
lands it fell to the Reubeniies. mum. AZ. )
The land of Giead was bounded on
the north by Bashan, on the east by the
Arabian plateau and on the south by Moab
and Ammon. (Gen. 3I:2I, Deut. 3:r2:I7l
1t is sometimes called "Mount Gilead
Gen. 3I:2s.) Sometimes the land Of
Gilead. (Num. 32:I) Sometimes Gilead
Psalms oo:7) The Jordan was the
western border, the river Hieromax sep
arated from Bashan on the north. The
Valley OF Heshbon may, ip all probability,
be the southern boundary of Gilead
Giead thus extended from the parallel of
the south end of the Sea of Galilee to that
OF the north end ofthe Dead sea about sixty
miles; and its average breadth scarcely eX-
ceeds twenty. TIE section of Gilead living
between the Jabbuk and the HieromaX
lis called label Ajlun, while that to the
south of the Jabbok constitutes the mod.
ern. Plain of Belka One of the most
conspicuous peaks in the mountain range
is called Jebel Jilad. Here Jacob and
Laban had their last interview, and set
up their memorial stones as a witness
between them. This country was early
conquered and absorbed by Sihon, king
of the Amorites, and Og, king of Bashan.
Gosh. I2:I-5) 1t afterwards belonged to
Cad, and is the home of the Adwin tribes
of Bedonians of which tribe Ali DAB is
shiek and friendly to Americans. The
shiek tenet is always kno vn by the
number of lancers stuck in the ground
around it, with shafts from twelve to
fourteen feet long and often ornamented
with turfs of black or white ostrich
feathers near the blade. These pumes
are their battle-flags, and the warriors
who carry the black feathers on their
spears are the "invincibes" who never
retreat, surrender, or show mercy, but
those with white plumes will both grant
favors and ask for quarters. Hence the
familiar saying 'ShoW the white feather.
III you are a person of much distinction
and the shiek desires to show YOU great
respect, he will seat you on his left, then
dip his hand into the mess of pottage
first taking out piece of kid or handful
OF lentiles, thrust it into your mouth
almost choking you, but you dare not
refuse for he means it as an act of hos
pltality. One of the mountains known
as Jebeloshe. contains the tomb of
Hosea, hence the name, and is supposed
to be Mizpach-Gilead where Jephthah
| made the rash vow which cost the life of
his only child whose untmely death the
maldens of the land still lament by the an.
nual observance of a day of mourning on
| this noted mountain. David when driven
from his home by cruel Saul found resting
place here for himself and parents. Elijah
was native of Gilead and from the plain
below, near the Jordan, mounted the
heavens in his chariot of fire, sweeping
around the base of the mountain; on the
| north IS river Jabbok and the ford where
Jacob spent the night he prevailed with
God, and only half an hour ride from here
| is Ramath-G ilead, so celebrated in Jewish
history as one of the cities of refuge,
where Arab received his mortal wound,
and Jehu was anonted king of Israel
| The view from here is magnificent. in
some respects even finer than from Nebo.
taking in the entire Jordan Valley and all
western Palestine from Lebanon on the
| north to the Dead Sea on the south.
This was the landscape on which Abra-
ham first gazed as he journeyed over this
| same mountain on his way to the promis-
| ed land. On top of this mountain the
| naked rock crops out, forming natural
watchtower from which a beacon light
could be seen half over Palestine. No doubt
this land was once thickly populated and
seen the remains of cities. Some of them
dating back to Rephaim. The great
number of these ruins prove dense
| population, and the magnitude and
elegance OF these works, their numerous
reservoirs and aqueducts, their we'll paved
roads and rock hewed tombs, their wine
and oil presses, and theinsoriptions in some
instances found upon their monuments,
evince a high degree of civilization.
The Castle OF Hyrcanus about fifteen
| miles south of Mount GiIead is one of
most remarkable ruins in Perea. 1t was
built by Hyrcanus |, an ASmonean prince,
one hundred and ninety feet above the
Jordan. Crossing the Jabboll at Jacobs
ford, we began the ascent of the Noun
taIns of ATTAIN covered with forest of oak,
| fir and terebinth. 1t was somewhere in
these forest that the rebeIious AbsaIom
came to his ignobe death. The stiff,
shaggy branches of the oak hang low
and unless person is careful he is likely
! to meet with the same mishap that befell
this young man.
Dehass says, Riding carelessly under one
of these trees | was caught by the low
bough around the neck, and would have
been lifted from the saddle and left dang
ling in the air had my horse not suddenly
stopped - Everything seems to prove
the biblical account of these countries;
not column, wall, cave, or cistern but
| speaks out for God and the Bible. They
stand as mute witnesses to the promise
and truth Of God They had their times
and opportunities and all now lost in
oblivion.
| Nav our heaven Father have lis who