Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1913-01-24

ao..,, a oblivion Unpeopled plains have been
converted into hives of industry, and hives OF In
dustrv have reverted back to unpeopled plains
New lands have been discovered and peopled ano
new seas have been navigated and charted EVERY
where progress has changed the physical CONDITION
of the people Everywhere progress has changed
the historical and geographical importance OF ma
tons and countries. Here, alone. in the Mount
Sinai Valley where the nation that gave us the
Savior first sprang into prominence, progress nas
stood still Surrounded by the peaks OF the Forty
Martyrs" all is hushed and still on the pam wnere
once the hum of thousands of voices was heard ane
where the valley rang with the resounding march
of the hosts of Israel.
On the peak of Ras-es-Safsafeh, the cross, the
symbol of Christianity has been planted on the very
spot upon which Moses, the great law giver and
leader of the Jews stood and gave to his people
the ten commandments, the basis of all religious
beliefs and the foundation OF all law, moral ano
civil Now unpeopled and deserted, the very
lonesomeness of the place is aweinspiring, and
the "silepce of the tomb" is not more impressive
than the well of silence" that enveiops RAISES
Safsafeh and Its surroundings.
The mount on which God Is said to have re-
yealed himself to Moses is situated in the south
ern half of the socaled peninsula of Sinai, pro-
iecting into the northern extremity of the Red
sea- between the Gulf of Suez on the west and
the Gulf of Akabah 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 6,712 feet; a central, inciud-
ing Jebel Musa Mount of Moses) 1858 feet
and Jebel Katerin. S.537 feet; and an eastern
and southern, whose highest peak is Jebel umm
Shomer S,449 feet. Whether the Biblical Sinai
was Jebe Umm Shomer of Jebel Musa was long
disputed by leading authorities. The former was p.
advocated by Eusebius, Jerome Cosmas lndico
pleustes and in more modern times by Lepsius
and Ebers Jebel Musa, however is preferred by
most authorities and is favored by tradition
(Which dates, however, only from Christian
times), indicated by the name Mountain OF
~
II which goes back to the days of Justinian. The
northern peak Of Jebel Musa. known as Rases-
Safsafeh (6540 feet), meets the conditions re-
quired since there is an open space at It's base
sufficient to accommodate a large encampment
Standing on the lofty summit of Mount Sinai
what thoughts and visions are con1ured up as
one contemplates that there on the vast plain OF
Assemblage that stretches before the eye hun
dreds of feet below, fifty centuries ago. the COM
mandments were delivered to the assembled chill
dren of Israel.
Excepting for the Mount Sinai monastery,
which from these heights looks like 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
God-fearing monks under Justinian in SGT A D.
AS a protection against the marauding bands
of Bedouins 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 when built 1900
years ago Today, however. the Christian world
keeps watchful eye over this mountain monas
terry and its contents. and the Bedouins. knowing
this to be the fact. keep on friendly as well as
visiting terms with the monks
In the monastery stored the priceless
books narrating the history Of Christianity in
the tongue of every Christian nation Slowly
the brotherhood of Mount Sinai monks are dy
ing out there being but twenty twenty-five
at the present time. The life and the pay-not
enough to buy tobacco-are not SUFFICIENT in
ducement for young recruits to join the forces
: hat
course of few years the Treasurer OF the
monastery will remain but memory to remind
one of the greatness of its founder. Justnian.
Looking northwest from Jebel Musa to Wadi Ell