The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-08-05


from which II is argued. the water was
taken that was turned into wine, but
two other villages with similar names
contest the honor with this Cana.
y y
The Sea of Galilee has a double claim
TO distinction. To its natural beauty,
which is unsurpassed, is added the
glory of having furnished the fisher
men who were to become fishers Of
men," Nearly zoo feet below the level
OF the ocean and walled in by high hills,
1t has a character all its own, and its
shores were the familiar haunts of him
who by precept and example taught
the nobleness of service. The sea is
some twelve miles in length by six Or
eight IN breadth. The Jordan pOurs
into it the waters of Hermon and Lake
Merom, and carries its overflow TO the
Dead sea. The plain of Gennesaret in
cludes nearly all the level land ada
cent TO 1t, save the Jordan valleys
above and below, and is so prominent a
feature of the landscape that it's name
is sometimes applied to the sea. The
village of Magdala, home of one Of the
Marys, is situated on the edge of this
plain, but is now only a collection of
mud huts, each one bearing a booth of
bOughs upon it's fiat roof (The house
top is an important part of the house in
the orient, and furnishes a sleeping
place for the occupants during the
warm summer nights) The village of
Magdala, with the land belonging to
it. has recently been sold to a syndicate
which proposes to very much improve
It's cultivation.
A little farther south, on the west
81 % h l. ~. rr.1
the only city still remaining of the ten
or more than 1000 years ago stretched
along the shores. The city's name gives
evidence of its Roman origin, and, it
was once so important a place that it's
name was rival for Galilee in the des-
ignation of the sea. Tiberias was one
of the sacred cities Of the Jews, and to-
day the descendants of the Hebrew race
constitute three-fourthS of it's popula-
ton. A Jewish society of which Baron
ROthschiid IS the patron. mas several
schools here, and a number Of the resi-
dents devote themselves entirely TO the
study Of the law Near Liberals are the
hot springs spoken OF by Josephus, and
their healing waters still have a great
reputation. The bath houses ere not
kept as they would be IN Europe or
America, but the mineral properties of
the water make it very invigorating.
A Jewish synagogue has been erected
by hot springs, and the annual feast
in honor of Rabbi Meyer was celebrat-
ed there during our stay in Tiberias As
il was the only feast of the kind we
ever attended, We found II exceedingly
interesting. The deVout Jews were
gathered in large numbers, some COM
ing several days journey; many of the
men wore long curl in front of each
ear, custom which we first noticed in
Jerusalem. The feast lis an occasion
OF rejoicing, and there is dancing, music
and merriment. A part of the ceremony
is the burning of garments contributed
by those in attendance and the right
to light the fire is made a matter of
auction. We went into the room where
the bidding was in progress and were
Informed that more than SO had al
ready been offered for the honor. The
feast has many of the characteristics of
a fair, the vendors of candies, cakes.
drinks aud merchandise plying their
trade, and different delegations march
ing with banners.
There is at Liberals a splendidly
equipped hospital established by the
United Free Church of Scotland and
conducted by a skillful surgeon and a
corps of assistants. More than $50 per-
sons were treated the day that we Wis
tied the hospital. Surely this institu-
ton is fitting me n0rial, and what
more appropriate place for a hospital
than these shores where the lame were
made whole, the deaf were healed and
the blind received their sight?
The site of ChoraZin, the city which
Christ denounced for unbeIief in con-
nection with Capernaum and Bethsaida,
is still a matter of dispute, but Caper-
naum where Christ dwelt during the
greater part Of his ministry. has prob
ably been identified. 1t is situated en-
the northeast corner of Gennesaret.
close by the shore of the sea. There
is no town there now, and no houses
save a Catholic monastery, but recent
excavations have unearthed the foun-
dations Of a building believed to have
been the Jewish synagogue in which
Christ spoke. On one of the stones of
this synagogue is a representation OF
David's seal and a pot Of mama; if
this is in reality the synagogue in which
Christ referred to the bread of life, II
may be true as scme one has suggest
ed, that he found his text: "Your faith
ers did eat mama in the Wilderness
in this carving upon the stone.
There has been a great deal of dis |
cussion over the site Of Bethsaida, and |
some have argued that there were two |
towns Of the same name, one to the |
north end OF the lake just east OF the |
mouth Of the Jordan. and the other on /
the west side not far from Capernaum |