The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-03-27
STAPLES MATHEWS
 BEGINS LECTURES Chicago Professor Was Heard
 Twice on Yesterday AUDIENCE WAS INTERESTED
Distinguished Educator to Discuss the Social Teachings of Jesus-Yester-
 day He Gave Vivid Descrip-
 tions of Biblical Countries.

Dr. Shailes Mathews of the Chicago university began his lecture yesterday morning at 1O:So o'clock at the First Bap- list church in the series on the Social Teaching of Jesus" and last night on the Land to Which Jesus Came"
 In his evening lecture he showed the geological movements of the earths crust which gave to the land it's topography and it's limestone soil; now it was ori- ginally a part of the great bulge that eX- tends from Morocco to Syria and how the Jordan valley was formed by fault due to eaving in in the crust of the earth at that point. Then he described It's great plains of Esdraeton. Sharon and Philis- tia which were thiekly dotted with cities before the beginning of the Jewish his- tory and the caravans that moved over them in the days of Abraham and Jacob. They were even then splendid heather cities and always remained sueh
 Jews Not Seafarng.
 Even in the days of Jesus. Dr. Math- ews said, the Jews had but one city, possibly two. if it may be said that Jop- pa was such. The Jews never possessed an harbor and hence were not seafalring people like the Greeks who spread over all the Mediterranean world The Jews were a highland people, as is shown in their writings which speak of hills and val leys and running streams. Even Gaiiiee does not appear to have been Biblical, the speaker pointed out, until the days of Jesus
 Dr. Mathews descriptions of Esdraelon as now in the hands of a farming syndi- cate, but formerly the haven for the Bedouln with his black tents, was graphic. Here the great battles of the world had been fought from Ssera to the days of Napoleon because nowhere else in Palestine is there room to fight.
 Vivid Description.
 Then the speaker described the fat val leys and high hills of Ephraim and their effect on the military tactics of the Jews. He also gave vivid description of South ern Palestine from the summit of Olivet; then showed the physical features of the Jordan valley as it descends from the base of Herman down through the Sea of Galilee and poured it's dirty waters into the Dead Sea This sea is the Jordan boiled as here the intense heat of 1900 feet below the ocean evaporates the dis charge of that river in a few days, leav ing it's debris in a sea of desoation and death Then the East Jordan land of fertile sojl and great Greek and Roman cities. balwarks of the Roman empire against the Arabians and Parthlans in the days of Jesus, were also described. The speaker next showed how complex and catholic had always been the civilization in this land of every kind of climate and topography and how suited it was to be the cradle of the religion for the whole world.
 Today's Topics.
 Today at 1030 Dr. Mathews will give his second lecture on the Social Teach ings of Jesus" discussing marriage and divorce. and at 7:3O will lecture on :;The People to Whom Jesus Came"
 The lecture was quite largely attended yesterday and greatly enjoyed judging from the close attention and favorable comments They are open to .,1e nublic