The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1906-06-27
DR. HORIZONS MEMORIES OF pALEs-
TINE.

TINE.
Lyndhurst road Church. Hampstead, was
crowded almost to suffocation on Sunday even
ing, when DR.. Horton preached on his recent tour
in the Holy Land. The beauty of his language
and the originality of his point of view must have
been a revelation to the many strangers present
In vivid sentences he told of his landing at Jaffa.
and how he met on the quay a company of dull
eyed Russian peasants, "forlorn pilgrims with
heavy feet and heavy eyes, toiling forward to the
supreme act OF their religious life, visit to the
holy places" DIR. Horton told how he found
Mount Carmel and many another hill carneted
with flowers, "the anemone the iris the cvca-
men,"
The preacher said he had been disappointed TO
ma that Nazareth was not little village but
large dllapldated struggling town, built on the
slopes of three hills. The one satisfactory THING
there is the well, which for countless ages has
supplied the town with water. Everywhere was
sense OF decay and decrepitude. "As we looked
out one night into the purple sky, we saw the
crescent moon with Jupiter within the crescent
and then l saw above the town a flag with the
crescent and the Star, which is the symbol of the
Turk 1t struck me with unutterable horror that
the Star and Crescent ruled the town where Tecus
passed His youth
From DIR. Horizons word pictures the congreqa-
ton could almost behold the Sea of Galilee with
the site of Capernaum and the other towns upon
Its margin The Lake lies blue and still amidst
soft, caressing mountains with the white shoulder
town now left upon the lakeside, and we do not
read that Jesus visited it."
Dr. Horton described the ascent of Mount Ia
Dor, first in tropical heat and afterwards amid
thunder and rain. in the rich plain of Jezreel,'
he said, 1--WE realized for the first time that the
land lies under How different this coun-
try might be if it were properly governed In
Nablous the tanaticlsm is terrible. 1t is hardly
safe there to mention either Mahomet or the Sui
TAM II you wish to retain you freedom"
The travellers reached Jerusalem chilled to the
bone, after long ride through slashng rain,
but, said DR.. Horton, I'VE cannot be dsappoint-
ed with the surroundings of the city. How beat
tiful for situation is this city of God! In search
ing in the details there painful impression;
we saw with horror and shame that the Garden Of
Gethsemane had been vulgarzed with worthless
pictures of the Stations of the Cross, and tawdry
objects of worship"
Referring to Pierre Lofts works, Ga Gailee"
and Jerusalem" DR.. Horton told how the French
novelist, who brought up as a Protestant had
gone to the Holy Land in hope of recovering his
faith. He expressed surprise that any French
Protestant should suppose that visit to the
holy places would strengthen faith. 81 doubt if
any thoughtful could pass through Palestine
without shock which he must try to overcome
1t is struggle for the soul to recover tone and
faith after visiting that land" Was not DR.. Hor-
ton taking Pierre Lott too seriously? His books
on Palestine must be read along with "Fantome
dOrient and many another strange record Of
wanderings One cannot but feel that he visits
each new land more a literary artist than as a
religious pilgrim.
In a striking passage Dr. Horton described the
fierce rivalry of Greeks, Latins, and Armenans in
the Church of the Holy Sepulchre Two impress
sions had been left upon him more than any
others: (D The Divine hand working in history,
and sending forth blessings and curses; and (2)
A profound shame and horror at the divisions OF
Te there 10 4t:-