The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-17

over into position that is not to be
 force. This equilibrium is purposely
 overcome when the stone is intended to
 close the tomb forever
 From one of these tombs there came
 an odd plain silver ring with flat
 seal bearing in Hebrew characters the
 engraved name Judah ben Shadi, which
 ring I purchased and now treasure as
 a most prescious souvenir. I scarcely | know what to say of the Mount of 1 Olives and the Garden of Gethsemane. 1 The palm trees are gone and the few olives to be seen here are undoubtedly very ancient, but they were not con | comitant with our Savior. The trav-
 eler is shown two Gethsemanes. that of the Creeks being a trifle higher up the hill than the Latin garden but | in either one the flowers seemed to have a deeper color and a rarer fra grance than those possessed by flow l CTS of the same species elsewhere. The | lower one embraces about a half acre 1 of ground and is bordered with law ender The rock is shown upon which l Christ rested. after having uttered his
 last prayer. It Is illumined by the
 beams of perpetually burning lamp
 and worn to a gllstening smoothness | by the kisses of countless pilgrims. It is being literally kissed away.
 Hither I rode on donkey back one night and viewed the garden under the | bright rays of round white moon. l The olives seemed to breathe a whis- per in my ears and while I well knew | that both Titus and Hadrian had de-
 nuded the mount of their predecessors centuries ago yet In the soughing of | their branches under the touch of a 1 soft Syrian wind I heard a breath of
 agony and prayer of utter abandon l nnt hntt ttar1, Yl.z
 ground spring up again from the or l iginal root and those around me were
 resonant with that midnight cry, Father if it be possible, let this cup pass from me- followed by the heart 1 broken but gentle rebuke, "Sleepest
 thou? Couldst not thou watch one Ihour?" and the stil tenderer echo
 Sleep on now and take your rest:
 it Is enough, the hour is come" Before
 me, just across the Hedron lay sleep- | ing In the moonlight, a city that Jesus
 most tenderly loved, Fl Medinat el Ya-
 hudi (the City. of the Jews) and again l the breeze was freighted with thren
 ody of agony-"O Jerusalem, Jerusa- l lem which kllest the prophets and stonest them that are sent unto thee
 how often--and ye would not" The
 dews that fell upon me were as the l tears from divine eye weeping OCT
 a faithless city and the wind upon my cheek was as the breath of one in eX- ceeding sorrow.
 l My soul grew heavy, and I quilted the l spot with deep born sigh. The crest of | Olvet Is crowned with the Church of | the Ascension, and here is shown the | print of Christ's right foot, impressed | in stone as he left the earth. The place of Judas betrayal, the tomb of the Vir- | gin, the tomb of Zachariah and the tomb | of Absalom are also pointed out, and upon the latter both Jew and Moslem spit with imprecations as they hurl stones at | it, for both equally detest the reputed grave of a disobedient and treacherous son. Still, while 1t will never be known
 who was originally inferred in these se- pulchres, they were undoubtedly here in
 the time of Christ, and upon them His
 eyes must oft-times have rested. The
 temple has vanished. the city has more
 than once been razed to the ground, but these old rock hewn toinbs still remain,
 as they were when the Master walked beside them.
 1 was not ono of those travellers who
 become offended at tho false, and. for-
 getting tho real, ridieule ai nor was l lost in the fetish of idoiatrous supsr-
 stition. but I eana to Hea localities of
 nature associated with tho life of Christ, and breathe tho inspiration of paiestine'A .
 most precious memories.
 owing to my inability In obtaining pas sage, l was tied up In Jerusalem a week longer than had anticipated but 1t was not too long my any means, I shall never forget Ra halted on Mount seopas enc afternoon in April to take my last
 view of Iefueaiem. | WAS starting for a
 horsepaoit journey of . weeks duration