Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-06-07

bration of some anniversary. One of
them is gone entirely. The other is still
standing, though somewhat broken. 1t
is the most ancient of all existing obel-
isks. 1t was erected in the time of
Abraham, about 1000 years ago. Joseph
probably sat with Asenath many a
moonlight night under it's shadow. Be-
ing the seat of the great temple Of the
sun, Heliopolis was the center for re-
ligious literature, promulgated by the
priests, whose doctrines were widely dis
seminated. During the Greek period
Herodotus conversed with these priests,
and Plato is said to have spent 10 years
with them to learn something of their
doctrines. All that now remains of the
city are same outer walls and this obel-
isk, which seems to stand as a monu-
ment to the folly Of worshiping a sun
god instead of the God of the sun, the
Son of righteousness. The four sides
of the obelisk bear the same inscription
in large hieroglyphics recording that
"Sesostris 1, king of Upper and Lower
Egypt, lord of the diadems and son of
the sun, whom the spirits of On love,
founded the obelish on the finest festival
of Set"-a kind Of jubilee celebration.
THE LAND OF GOSHEN.
On our way to Heliopolis we passed
Goshen, which was given to Jacob and his
children by the Pharaoh who made Jo-
seph his prime minister. (Gen. 47:5.) 1t
Is still, as II was in Jacobs time, 1.-THE
best of the land" I never saw a finer
body of land anywhere. 1t reminds me
very much Of the black. waxy land of
Texas around Dallas, Fort Worth and
Waxahachie. Colonel Barton was car
ried away with it, He wanted to buy the
whole tract, install all modern farming
methods, such as the disc pillow, Nc
Cormick reaper, etc, and just see what
he could do with it. Despite the fact
that 1t belongs now to the khedive, who
has his palace nearby, it is still cult
waited by the most antiquated methods,
methods which have probably been in
use there for at least 1900 years One
would think that, with his opportunity
for observation, the khedive would intro
duce modern machinery on his own farm
at least, both because of the greater mar
vests which would result and as an ex-
ample to his subjects. But 1 presume he
does not care to do So 1t would seem
too revolutionary, and might lead to
revolt. AS 1t is, he rents out the land to
small tenants, who make their living by
cultivating just what they can manage,
and many Of whom would be thrown out
duced. which enables one man to do the
work of ten or more. And so 1 am
afraid Colonel Barton WIN have to give up
his scheme of buying up all the land or
Goshen and cultivating it by modern ma
chinery. 1t would be risky business I'M
der present conditions.
VIRGINS TREE AND WELL
Returning from Heliopolis, we stopped
at what is called the Virgins tree, SO
named because it said that the Virgin
Mary and her Holy Child rested under
it on their flight into Egypt. The syca-
more tree which is still standing was
planted in 1872 on the site of a tree which
died In 1866. While not the original tree
under which the mother and child rested,
It is very probable that they rested
somewhere, and they may have rested
under some such tree, and In this very
nlace. Why not? Near by Is spring
of water from which it is said that Mary
drank, which again is entirely posslDie'
as there are very few springs OF the
kind in the country.
THE ISLAND OF RoDA.
Retween the River Nile and canal lies
the island of Roda. Here is an ancient
niloneter, or instrument for measuring
the rise and fall of the Nile 1t was
constructed in TIC A. D., and restored In
the ninth century, and the last time III
1898. 1t is a we'll 1s feet square, with an
octagonal column in the center, mscrln-
ed with Arabic measures or ellis, an ell
being 81 Ia inches. The Nile at lts
lowest covers ellis, or about IA rect
When IT rises to 10 ellis, or Is feet, puphc
announcement is made that the Nile mas
reached the height necessary for general
IRRIGATION. This event so important 10
tba neonle of Egypt is celebrated with
much rejoicing. 1t is said that the
daughter of Pharaoh had her palace on
this island. and that she discovered the
infant Moses on its banks. If you do not
believe It. 1 have little Moses IN MS ARK
80 b,,Ir,,shes To show in proof of II.