The Raymer enterprise., 1913-01-16

decay and oblivion. Unpeoped plains have been
converted into hives OF industry, and hives OF In
dustry have reverted back to unpeopled plains
New lands have been discovered and peopied and
new seas have been nayigated and charted. Every
where progress has changed the physical condition
OF the people Everywhere progress has changed
che historical and geographical Importance OF ma
tions and countries Here, alone In the Mount
Sinai Valley. where tho nation that gave us the
Savior first sprang into prominence, progress has
stood still Surrounded by the peaks OF the Forty
Martyrs" all Is hushed and still on the plain where
once the hum OF thousands OF voices heard. and
where the valley rang with the resoundlng march
OF the hosts of Israel.
On the peak OF Ras.es .Sa fsafeh the cross the
Bymbol OF Christianity has been planted the very
spot upon which Moses. the great law giver and
leader 6f tho Jews stood and gave to his people
the ten commandments the basis OF all religious
beliefs and the foundation OF all law, moral and
civil. Now unpeoped and deserted. the very
lonesomeness OF the place Is aweinspirng. and
the silence OF the tomb Is not more impressive
than the veil OF silence that enyelops Rases.
Safsafeh and Its surroundings
The mount which God is said to have re.
vealed himself to Moses is situated In the south.
ern half OF the so-called peninsula OF Sinai, pro.
jectng into the northern extremity OF the Red
sea. between the Gulf OF Suez on the west and
the Gulf OF Akabah on the east This park OF the
peninsula consists OF a mass OF granite and
porphyry mountains which may be divided into
three groups, a northwestern, reaching In Jebel
Serbal a height OF 6.7l2 feet: central. includ.
ing Jebel Musa Mount OF Moses. 1868 feet.
and Jebel Katerin. S53T feet: and eastern
and southern whose highest peak is Jebel Umm
Shomer SAC feet Whether the Biblical Sinai
was Jebe Umm Shomer Of Jebel Musa was long
disputed by leading authorities The former was
advocated by Eusebius Jerome. Cosmas lndico.
pleustes and In more modern times by Lepsius
updE however
most authorities and IL favored by tradition
(which dates however only from Christian
times) Indicated by the name Mountain OF
Moses" and the erection OF monastery upon
It which goes back to the days OF Justinan. The
northern peak Of Jebel Musa. known as Rases.
Safsafch (6,5i0 feeD, meets the conditions re.
qulred since there Is an open space at It's base
sufficient to accommodate large encampment
Standing the lofty summit Of Mount Sinai,
what thoughts and visions are coniured up as
one contempates that there the vast plain OF
Assemblage that stretches before tho eye hun.
dreds OF feet below fifty centuries ago. tho com.
mandments were deliyerd to the assembled chill.
dren OF Israel
Excepting for the Mount Sinai monastery,
which from these heights looks like n little toy
fort built OF blocks. the region Is still and
hushed and almost deserted The massive walls
OF the monastery raised by the peaceloving and
Godfearing monks under Justinian In 527 A. d.
as n AEalnst inc HuTauuiHg Danus
OF Bedoulns that infested that part OF the coun.
try when the wealth OF an empire was possessed
by the builders and occupants OF the monastery
-are in the same condition as when built 1900
years ago. Today, however. the Christian world
keeps a watchful eye over this mountain monas.
tory and It's contents, and the Bedouins. knowing
this to be the fact, keep friendly MS well as
visiting terms with the monks
In the monastery are stored the priceless
books narrating the history OF Christianity In
the tongue Of every Christian nation. Slowly
the brotherhood OF Mount Sinai monks dy.
Ing out there being but twenty or twenty-five
n, tho present time, The life and the pay-not
enough to hiy tobacco-are not sufficient In.
duccment for young recruits to Join tho forces
that year by year are growing smaller. In the
course OF few years the Treasurer Of the
monastery will remain but a memory to remind
one OF 'he greatness OF It's founder. Justinan.
Lc --'hwest from Jebel Musa to Wadl el