The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1909-02-11


: at one time very. important and must
l have been an elegant place as it is
large and we'll constructed for bath
ing purposes, and doubtless in the
) early days it was much used. Later
7 a basilica was erected near it. but
/ all are now in ruins. Not far away
we see the hill on which Solomon is
said to have practiced the heather
rites calculated to please some of
J his numerous wives and strange
t women as told in the biblical mar
rative. The spot looks as though it
might we'll have been used for such
} q purpose Down in the valley is
the Virgin fountain which is said to
, been sought by the mother of Christ
/ many times. 1t was an intermittent
spring when 1t flowed freely, but now
it has little water in it. An ugly loo
|, ing, repulsive hill further along is
, pointed out as the field of blood, or
: "Aceldema,' the plot of ground
Judas cast down in his agony of
remorse at the feet of the ones who
: had employed him to betray his Di-
vine Master. We could almost hear
!, the words, Betrayest thou the son
!; of man with a kiss?" as we stood
there and contemplated the awful
crime which has linked the name of
Judas with all that is mean and rep
rehensible for the last 1000 years,
almost
! And now let us seek more attrac-
leads to the town of precious
!; memory, Bethany, about fifteen fur
; longs off," What sweet memories
, cluster about the little place though
at present it is in rather dilapida-
: ted condition. Here it was that Mary
| Martha and Lazarus lived and here
: too they had that best of all privi-
leges of entertaining the Redeemer
| when He was worn with the cares
and labors of the day What lovely
picture Luke has presented us:
Now it came to pass as they
went that He entered into a certain
village Bethany and certain wom-
| an named Martha received Him into
: her house. And she had a sister call
) ed Mary who also sat at Jesus feet
and hear His word. But Martha was
numbered about much serving and
| came to him and said: Lord, dost
. thou not care that my sister hath
left me to serve alone? Bid her Their
) fore that she come and help me.
l And Jesus answered and said unto
: her. Martha, Martha, thou art care
: full and troubled about many things;
but one thing is needful and Mary
hath chosen that good part which
shall not be taken away from her., .
Here too it was that Simon the
l Leper lived and in whose house Mary
anointed the feet of Jesus who gently
reproved His aristocratic host for
his comments and reminded him that
he had shown scant courtesy to his
l guest. But greatest of all the things
, for which Bethany will always be re
[ membered is the resurrection of Lag
arus. In the towns of those times
and today also, are head men called
: sheykhs and they are the virtual
rulers Of the places. They have quit
2 autocratic powers and settle all mi
: nor disputes and are regarded with
7 considerable veneration and respect.
3 This office Lazarus undoubtedly held.
: John most beautifully tells us that
Jesus loved Martha and her sister
2 and Lazarus and when He heard of
3 the illness of His friend He at once
t felt thrill of sympathy in His di-
e vine breast but refrained from going
4 to The home for two days, and when
He drew near He was met by the
weeping Martha who cried in her
. sorrow and distress:
Lord if thou hadst been here my
2 brother had not ided.'
4SOAI COAICo IilS MdI y
! with the same words and as the
blessed sympathetic One sees the
a grief of those whom He loved, He
2 100 wept with them and drawing near
: the tomb He orders tEle stone rolled
!. away, though the matter-of-fact sis
: ter objecting owing to the re-
} mote date OF the death of her brother
but omnipotence knows no bounds,
and STOPPING down He called back to
!. life the one who had been dead four
: days. The Moslems have erected a
4 minaret not far from the reputed
+ tomb of Lazarus for with strange in
consistency they regard him as q
saint though he was distinctly a pro-
duct of the Christian religion which
they hate with all the vehemence of
/. their nature A good MANY churches