The enterprise. [volume] (Harlem, Mont.) 1899-1926, 1913-01-23

decav and oblivion Unpeopled plains have been
converted into hives of industry, and hives of in
dustry have reverted back to unpeoped plains
New lands have been discovered and peopled and
new seas have been navigated and charted. Every
where progress has changed the physical condltloh
of the people. Everywhere progress has changed
the historical and geographical Importance OF ma
tions and countries. Here alone, In the Mount
Sinai Valley where the nation that gave us the
Savior first sprang into prominence, progress mas
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 was heard. and
where the valley rang with the resounulhS Hafcu
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 glver 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 and
civil. Now unpeopled and deserted, the very
lonesomeness of the place is aWe-lnsplrng. ana
the "silence of the tomb is not more impressive
than the well of silence" that envelops Ras-es-
Nafsafeh and it's surroundings.
The mount on which God is said to have re-
Walled himself to Moses is situated in the south
eth half Of the socaled peninsula of Sinai, pro-
iegting into the northern extremity of the Red
sea between the Gulf of Suez the west and
the Gulf of Akabah the east. This park of the
peninsula consists of mass OF granite and
porphyry mountains which may be divided into
three groups, northw reaching in Jebe]
Serial height of 6,712 feet; central includ-
ing Jebel Nusa Mount of Moses), 1868 feet,
and 1ebel Katern. 1857 feet and an eastern
and southern, whose highest peak is Jebel Umm
Sho Ter, s,449 feet. Whether the Biblical Sinai
was .'ebe Umm Shomer of Jebel Musa was long
disr;nted by leading authorities. The former was
advocated by Eusebius, Jerome Cosmas 1ndico-
pleustes and in more modern times by Leps1us
anG Ebers. Jebel Musa, however is preferred by
mont authorities and is favored by tradition
(Which dates, however, only from Christian
times) indicated by the name Mountain OF
Moscs," and the erection of monastery upon
it which goes back to the days OF Justnian The
northern peak Of Jebel Musa, known as Raises
Safsafeh (654O feet), meets the conditions re-
ouired 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 con]ured 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 deliverd 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 peace-lovng and
God-fearing monks under Justinan in 527 A. ID.
las 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 condition as when built l5OV
years ago. Today, however, the Chrlstlan Worlu
keeps a watchful eye this mountain monas'
terry and it's contents, and the Bedouins, knowing
this to be the fact keep on friendly as 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 are dy.
Ing out there being but twenty or 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
that year by year growing smaller. In the
course of few years the treasurer OF the
monastery will remain but memory to remind
one of this greatness of its founder !ustinian.
Looking northwest from Jebe Musa to Ws& Ell