The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1910-08-20
BLUE LAKE OF LIBERALS.
Thence the Fishermen Disciples Came
People on It's Shores Today.


In order to reach Liberals it was
necessary for us to take sailboat,
and We were assured that we would
reach it in a few minutes. We had
six men to row when the wind did
not favor. In an incredibly short
time after we set sail the sun was
hidden, the wind dashed the little
lake to fury and rain and lightning
and thunder, together with the waves
that came into the boat, helped US
believe the stories we had heard con-
corning the storms on this little sea.
Our sailors, each thinking he was
the master of the ship. yelled at the
top of their voices various orders, and
apparently working at cross purposes
not only furled the sails but I'M
shipped the mast and then rOwed as
hard as possible to reach the shore.
Our unpleasant experience became
after a little a matter of history to
be talked about and we were landed
at Tiberias.
This blue lake, through which the
Jordan flows, is an irregular oval in
form, thirteen miles long and six
miles wide and is $50 feet below tSe
level of the Mediterranean. Doubtless
in our Lords time it was navigated
by numerous vessels, but now on.y a
few fishing boats appear. Tiberlas is
a dirty town of about 5000 inhabi-
-
fiat rooted novels. We were fortunate
in finding a place of entertainment
in the Franciscan hospice and mon
astery, which was situated on the
shore of the lake
From the fiat roof we could see the
reputed site of Capernaum and Beth
saida, the birthplace of Peter, John
and Philip; the country of the Ga
darenes, where were precipitous
banks, and also the place said to be
the scene of the feeding of the 5000.
OF these localities we are not certain,
but we are sure that our Lord sailed
on this lake and walked over these
hills.
Early in the morning I was on the
shore of the lake watching the fisher
men who had been out during the
night come in. Some of them had
caught 900 or 800 pounds Of fish, and
with many words and voices loud
they tried to sell their catch to the
shode. looked over that crowd and
shore l looked over that crowd and
did not see one who I thought would
be decent disciple of any teacher or
a helpful supporter Of any cause.
think they must have deteriorated
since the days of Peter.
We had long drive through
pouring rain from Liberals to Nazar-
eth passing on our way through Cana
Of Galilee. There is shown here the
birthplace and tomb of the prophet
Jonah. Cana is little town Of svc IN
habitants, and a synagogue marks the
spot where our Lord changed the wa
ter to wine; indeed. you are shown the
very place where the water was pro-
cured, and some of the stone Jars
used on the occasion! We heard in
one of the courts a band Of music,
which consisted of one bass drum
and firearms being discharged
We of course went in, and found
ourselves at a wedding in Cana The
bridegroom was here with his friends,
all men, and they were having a fine
time with their dances and there was
no need Of more wine. We waded
through the mud of the streets up to
the brides house where she was eel
ebrating with her friends. We could
not wait for the bridal procession,
for we must hasten on to Nazareth,
five miles away.-Zion's Herald.