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IVRIGHTS BO HO', Q. L. C. Franklin, Esq.
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SALEM, Clark, Raleigh Green, Esq. P. M.
MADISON, Morgan, William Bandy*
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PALESTINE MISSION. <
prom the Missionary Herald for February.
JOURNAL OF MR. PARSONS, WHILE AT
JERUSALEM.
It will be remembered, that in our last nuga
ber, the continuation of Mr. Parsons’ journal
brought him to the Holy City. [See Missionary
for February.’]
Felt. 17, 1821. Entered Jerusalem by
Jaffa gate, five minutes before 5 o’clock in
the afternoon. Soon after passing the
gate, we turned to the north, and in a few
minutes arrived at the bouse of Procopius,
to whom I had letters of introduction.*
The servant at the door informed us that
be was in the church for evening prayers,
without a moment’s delay 1 hastened thither
to unite with the professed followers of
Christ upon Mount Calvary, and to render
thanks to God for the happy termination of
my voyage to the Holy City. The church
is but a few steps from the place, where it
is supposed stood the Cross. On entering,
1 was not a little surprised to find it so rich
ly and neatly furnished. It is called the
church of St. Constantine, and is the place
which all the bishops, (five in number)
‘with their numerous attendants, resort for
morning and evening service. Every
thing was conducted with a pleasing still
ness” and regularity, becoming so holy a
place.
Introduction to Procopius.
After service of 30 minutes, 1 returned
and presented my letters to Procopius.
Conversation was directed to the exertions
which the Protestants are making to pro
mote the diffusion of the Holy Scriptures.
They replied, “ We believe the Protestants
to be our friends.” In a few moments, I
was conducted jo the room, which had been
put in readiness for roe, by the request of
the Russian Consul. It is near to the Holy
Sepulchre, and contains many convenient
Japavtments. My trunks had arrived in
.safety. In the evening, we read from the
Greek Testament, the account of our Sa
viour’s sufferings and death, and endeavour
ed to consecrate our rooms to Him, who
bere gave his life for the world.
First Sabbath in Jerusalem.
Feb. 18. At an early hour I was remind
ed, by the crowing of a cock, of Peter,
who denied his Lord and Master. In view
of so affecting a subject, I could only say,
“ Cause me to know the way wherein 1
should walk; fori lift my soul to thee.”
After breakfast, Procopius called upon
me, repeated bis willingness to aid me to*
the exient of his power, and bade me wel-
* These of onr readers who haTe observed the
operations of the British and Foreign Bible Socie
ty, will recollect that Procopius is the agent of
that noble institution, and takes charge of the
sale and distribution of the Scriptures. As he is
also an assistant of the Patriarch of Jerusalem,
and himself President of all the Greek monaste
ries it is a peculiarly auspicious circumstance,
that he is heartily engaged in the Bible cause.
Editor.
THE MISSIONARY.
come to all the privileges of the monastery.
The day passed with great tranquillity. At
3 o’clock, went to the Greek church, and
heard selections read from the Psalms of
David. In this city the pious Psalmist
breathed out his soul to Aw God, and to our
God. Here he wept for sinners. “ Riv
ers of water run down mine eyes, because
they keep not thy law.” His prayers are
registered in heaven, and will be had in
everlasting remembrance.
Feb. 10. Awoke this morning with a
severe headache, which continued with
great violence during the day. [Some
priests called on Mr. Parsons, to show him
civilities; but nothing of importance took
place.]
Feb. 20. Prepared betters to be for
warded to Smyrna, by the way of Jaffa.
P. M. Galled upon an Armenian merchant,
to whom I had a letter of credit. He
speaks neither Italian nor Greek; but by
signs, and by stammering a few words in
Turkish, I made my business known to
him, and engaged to call again with an in
terpreter.
Visit to the Armenian Patriarch.
An Armenian from Smyrna, invited me
to visit the principal Armenian church. It
k situated near to Jaffa gate ; is large, and
elegantly furnished. We were
to the spot, where, they say, was interred
the head of John the Baptist.* My Arme
nian attendant after making the Cross,
bowed and kissed the stone, which conceal
ed, * ht believed, the sacred deposite.
From the church was conducted to the
apartment of the Patriarch. He was sil
ting in the corner of a large hall, with a
writing table before him. He bade me
take a scat. After coffee and sweetmeats,
as is the fashion here, I presented to him a
quarto edition of the Old Testament in the
Armenian language ; with the request, that
he would inform me if the edition be cor
rect. He replied, “ I have examined it,
and approve of it as an edition without er
rours.” I then mentioned, that I had a
few copies, which I would offer, with his
permission, to the pilgrims at a cheap rate.
He gave his assent, and a pilgrim present
engaged to make inquiries, and to give me
information.
I presented to Procopius an excellent
copy of the Persian Testament, translated
by the much lamented Henry Martyn. He
read portions of it with fluency, and thank
ed me for the donation. Also, gave a
French Bible to the clerk of the monastery,
who reads, and understands the French
language.
Visit to the Holy Sepulchre.
Feb. 21. Went to the church of the Haly
Sepulchre. The gate fronts the south;
and is strictly guarded by Turks without
and Greeks within. No pilgrim, a subject
of the Grand Seignior, can enter without
paying a para , —a trifle to he 6nre ; but
when multiplied by the hundreds of times,
at which each pilgrim enters, in the course
of three months, the amount becomes a
large sum. To prevent confusion, it is
necessary to observe the difference be
tween the church of the Holy Sepulchre’,
and the Holy Sepulchre itself:—The one
embracing all the apartments belonging to
the different denominations of Christians:—
the other being only a monument erected
over the tomb of our Saviour, and held in
equal reverence by the various denomina
tions of Christians, who frequent it. The
tomb may be called the centre of the
church of the Holy Sepulchre, near to
which may be heard the prayers of Chris
tians, iD ancient Greek, in Latin, Armenian,
Arabick and Syriack.
Entered the gate of the church of the
Holy Sepulchre amid a crowd of pilgrims.
The lwPSt object which attracted mv atten
tion was the Stone of Unction , venerated as
the spot where the body of our Lord was
anointed for burial. The Stone is 31 feet
directly in front of the gate ;t —is 8 feet in
length, and two feet two inches in breadth.
Several large candles are kept standing gt
each end ; and over it are suspended sev
eral silver lamps.—Tike pilgrims all bow,
and after making the sign of the cross, kiss
the sacred stone.
Leaving the Stone of Unction, we were
conducted so the HoJy Sepulchre. It is
distant from the stone of unction 63 feet,
under the centre of a large dome. The
monument erected over the tomb contains
two apartments. In the first is the stone
where, it is said , the amgel made his ap
pearance to Mary; in the other, is the
Holy Tomb. The outside of the monu
ment is 29 feet in length, 13 and a half in
breadth. I waited some time for the pil
grims to withdraw. While standing there,
a pilgrim entered, and at the sight of the
tomb, wept and sobbed as over the grave
of a parent.
Mount Calvary-
Seventy-three feet from the Holy Sepul
chre we came to the chapel of apparition,
in which a few Catholicks were engaged
in evening service. The musick, for soft
ness and solemnity, exceeded any thing I
have heard in Asia. From this chapel, we
returned to the Holy Sepulchre, and, pas-
s’ Others say, of St. James the Great,
t The various distances, meutioned in refer
ence to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, were
subsequently taken by Mr. Parsons, at an hour
when the people were not present. Editor.
GO YE INTO ALL THE WORLD AND PREACH THE GOSPEL TO EVERY CREATURK. J uses Christ.
MOUNT ZION, (HANCOCK CO. GA.) MONDAY, MARCH 4, 1822.
sing through the Greek church, ascended
Mount Calvary. It is 16 feet above the
level of the tomb. I stooped do..n to look
into the hole in which, it is supposed, stood
the cross; below which is a fissure in the
rock, made, it is believed, when Christ our
Lord, bowed his head and gave up the
ghost.
The environs of Jerusalem.
Feb. 22. In the afternoon, the interpre
ter of the Russian Consul accompanied me
to Mount Olivet. Left the city by Damas
cus gate, and turning eastward we passed
near to the cave, in which tradition says,*
Jeremiah wrote his lamentations. “ All ye
tjiat pass by, behold, and see if there is any
sorrow like unto my sorrow.” The cave
is large, and is held in high veneration.
Passing the north east corner of the city,
we descended to the brook Kedron. The
bed of the stream was perfectly dry, not
withstanding the great rains. On our left,
saw the church erected over the grave of
the Virgin Mary :—on our right the garden
of Gethsemane.
Mount Olivet.
In fifteen or twenty minutes reached the
summit of the Mount of Olives. Here we
had a delightful view of the city, and also
of the Dead Sea. Perhaps no place in
the world commands a finer prospect, or is
associated with events more sacred and sub
lime. “David went up *y the ascent of
Mount Olivet, and wept as he went np, and
had his head covered, and he went bare
foot.” On the east side of it, our blessed
Saviour raised Lazarus from the grave ; &,
on the west, he endured the agony of Geth
semane. Here he beheld the city, and
wept over it. Pram this mount he was at
one time conducted to Jerusalem with
shoutings of “ Hosanna to the sod of Da
vid ;” and, at another, with the cry of
“ Crucify him, crucify him.” From this
spot he gave his last commission; “ Go in
to all the world , and preach the Gospel ,”
and then ascended, and sat down on the
right hand of the Majesty on high.
The Pool of Siloam.
Descending the Mount of Olives, we
passed into the valley of Jehoshaphat, to
the pool of Siloam. Here the blind man,
at (he command of Jesus, washed and re
turned seeing. The pool is at the foot of
Mount Moriah, on the south side. We de
scended a handsome flight of steps to the
water. It is visited, every day, by pilgrims
of every denomination. I perceived noth
ing unusual in the taste of the water.
From Siloam, directing our course south
ward, we came to the tree, where it is
said , Isaiah was sawn asunder for his faith
ful exhortations and reproofs. The tree
is securely guarded by a high wall, to pre
vent the injuiies it would receive from
pilgrims.
Mount Zion.
From this we began to ascend Mount
Zion. We passed through fields of grain,
which reminded ug, at every step, of the
awful prediction, “ Mount Zion shall be
plowed like a field.” On the summit is a
mosque, erected over the tombs of David
and of the kings of Israel; and an Armeni
an church, said to be the ruins of the house
of Caiaphus, the high priest.
Mount Zion, on three sides, is strongly
fortified by nature. This agrees precisely
with the description given of it in scripture.
“ Nevertheless David took the strong hold
of Zion, the same is the city of David.”
At the foot of it, on the west are the ruins
of the pool of Beersheba, —on the south,
the valley of the son ofMinnom, called also
Tophet, and the valley of slaughter. (Jer.
xix. 6.) Here the children of Israel caus
ed their sons and their daughters to pass
through the fire to Moloch, 2 Kings xxiii,
10; and, in this place, Jeremiah denounced
the dreadful curse : “ Behold, 1 will bring
evil upon this place, the which, whosoever
heareth, bis ears shall tingle,”
On the south sjde of Mount Zion are the
ruins of the old wall, supposed to be the
one repaired by Nehemiah. Here may be
seten, to the best advantage, the site of Sol
omon’s temple, the mount of Olives, and
the plains and mountains of Judea. This
delightful prospect, in connexion with its
spiritual privileges, led David to sing,
“ Beautiful for situation, the joy of the
whole earth, is Mount Zion.” Returned
to the city at sonset.
Feb. 24. A priest came to my room to
read with me the Hdly Scriptures.
Sabbath , 25. The Sabbath passod with
out the least interruption. How desirable
this retirement, after so many Sabbaths of
weariness.
26. A Greek priest requested me to
aid him in the study of the English lan
guage. This will give me an opportunity
I to institute many important inquiries, and
tb obtain valuable information.
Various objects in the City.
P. M. A priest invited me to visit some
interesting objects in the city. We passed
the street called Via Dolorosa , through
which our Saviour bore his cross to Calva-
* When Mr. Parsons mentions the traditionary
accounts, which are reported to all travellers, he
is not to be understood as giving any opinion,
with reference to the reliance which may be
placed on these traditions. Doubtless the identi
ty of some places has been accurately preserved
and transmitted; while that of others must re
main incapable of proof; Editor.
ry ; were shown the house of St. John the
beloved disciple ; —the hall where • the
Saviour was arraigned before Pilate ; —the
pool of Bethesda, near St. Stephen’s gate ;
—the arch where, it is said, Pilate cried,
“ Behold the man—the place where Ste
phen was stoned, having his eyes fixed on
the visions of God ; —the place in the gar
den, where our Saviour, being in an agony,
prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was,
as it were, great drops of blood falling down
to the ground. St. John has marked the
site of the garden very particularly. “He
went forth with his disciples over the brook
Kedron.” There is but one spot over the
brook Kedron convenient for a garden.
This garden has been consecrated by the
many prayers, and by the blood of our di
vine Saviour. “For Jesus ofttimes resort
ed thither with his disciples.” It is still
occupied as a garden, and contains several
large olive trees.
Feb. 27. Received a letter from the
President of the Greek monastery at Rama,
expressing his thanks for the tracts which
I sent him to be distributed among the pil
grims.
28. Sent a few tracts to a Russian gen
tleman who resides in the monastery of
Abraham. Also, gave a few to a young
man belonging to the Catholick monastery.
He engaged to read them attentively.
29. Sold an Italian Testament, and
gave an Armenian Testament to an Arme
nian who engaged to aid me in the distri
bution of the Scriptures. Visited the
priestg, who have charge of the Holy Sep
ulchre, and gave them a Testament. To
wards evening walked with a few priests
to the place where, it is said, Hezekiah
“ stopped up the fountains and the brook
that ran through the land saying, why
should the kings of Asgyria come and find
water.” 2. Chron. xxxii. 4. By the way,
gave them some iiccount of the progress of
religious institutions in America: of Sab
bath schools, family worship, and benevo
lent societies.
Visit to Bethany.
March 2. A Russian gentleman with
the president of Abraham’s monastery of
fered to accompany me to Bethany, about
twoinilos east of Jerusalem, at the foot of
the Mount of Olives, on the east side.
“ Now Bethany was nigh to Jerusalem,
about fifteen furlongs off.” We came to
the grave of Lazarus. “It was a cave,”
saith St. John, “ and a stone lay upon it.”
A Turk, who seemed to have charge of
the sepulchre, for a few paras gave us
lighted tapers and permission to enter.
We descended 23 stone steps, where we
found a small room about eight feet.squ.ve.
On the east and west sides are tombs cut
in the solid rock. Probably Jesus our
Lord stood here, and cried with a loud
voice “ Lazarus, come forth.” Half a mile
to the east, we came to a stone, upon which
our Saviour sat, it is beliemed , when Martha
met him and fell at his feet, saying, “ Lord,
if thou badst been here, my brother had
not died.”
Returning to Jerusalem we passed over
the summit of the mount of Olives, and,
besides visiting places before mentioned,
came to the mount where king Solomon
“ built a high place for Chemosh, the
abomination of Moab, in the hill which is
Jerusalem.” It v only a few rods south of
the place from which our Saviour ascend
ed to heaven. Visited also the tombs of
the prophets, a little west of the mount of
scandal.
March 3. Gave to Procopius 100 tracts,
to be distributed among the priests and pil
grims. Conversed a long time with
priest, the nature of the new
birth. He said it was baptism. “ When
children are baptized, they are renewed,
as it respects Adam’s transgression; but if
they afterward sin, they must be punish
ed.” This, so far ns I can learn, is the
prevailing sentiment among the Greeks.
They can give no other account of the new
heart.
Interview with Pilgrims.
A few pilgrims called upon me, and ex
pressed their surprize that I should not ob
serve the stated fasts. I requested them
to prove from Scripture, that it is required
of Christians to fast forty days before the
passover. 1 had observed, that the pil
grims on hoard the vessel, who abstained
with great strictness from meat, often drank
wine even to intoxication. This led me to
inquire, as to the propriety of such con
duct; especially among pilgrims, on their
way to the Holy Sepulchre. We must
learn, I observed, that true piety consists
not in eating, or in abstaining from food;
but in doing the will of our Father who is
in heaven. They confessed frankly, that
the practice, which prevailed among the
pilgrims was highly censurable.
March 5. Violent rain during the day.
Translated, from Italian into Greek, a let
ter received by Procopins from Mr. Bark
er, the general agent of the British and
Foreign Bible Society ip Syria. Procopi
us, not being able perfectly to understand
the Italian, requested me to make a trans
lation. The design of the letter was to
aid, by every laudable effort, the distribu
tion of the Holy Scriptures.
March 6. While reading the Holy
Scriptures with a priett, inquiries note
Price, S f 3 ' so pr ‘ or * i
’ l $3,00 in advance. J
made respecting the “ many mansions” in
heaven. He said, that they were all for
Greeks, but one has a higher station than
another. “Catholicks, Armenians, Prot
estants, not one of them can enter
for they are not baptized.”
8. Violent rain. The Greek, with
whom I read the Scriptures, remarked
that Christ was truly man and truly God.*
March 9. The rain continues without
intermission. “ The Greeks believe,”
said a priest who visited me to-day, “ that
neither the righteous, nor the wicked, im
mediately after death pas 9 into glory, of
are sent to punishment. Both rest like
prisoners for the day of trial.”
Service of the Copts.
While walking in the church of the Holy
Sepulchre, my attention was arrested by
the religious service of the Copt9. They
have a small apartment on the west side of
the Holy Tomb. The priest, arrayed in
robes of a very ordinary appearance, of
fered incense, as is the practice of other
denominations. Ttoe Scriptures were
read with a low, but sweet voice, and with
great simplicity. There was good atten
tion, and nothing like a desire to be seen of
men. The number of their pilgrims is not
great.
Visit to a Catholick Convent.
March 12. Visited the Catholick eon
vent. The Superiour invited iae to visjt
the convent when I pleased, and gave me
many assurances of his friendship. I did
not take with me Testaments, as I knew 7 the
Catholicks were decidedly hostile to the
distribution of the Holy Scriptures among
pilgrims. The convent is large; and is
the resort of all European travellers, who
visit the Holy City. In the evening, re
ceived a letter from brother Fisk, dated
Jan. 26, forwarded by way of Cyprus.
13. Wrote to brother Fisk, and forwar
ded the letter, with several others, to Cy
prus. i
14. Visited the Armenian convent, and
left three Testaments for sale. Walked to
“ the field of blood, purchased with thirty
pieces of silver, the price of him that was
valued.” It is a little south of Siloam, on
’ the brook of Gihon. It contains rovfly
apartments for the dead; as it was origin
ally appropriated to the burial of stran
gers.
15. Rain during the whole day.
17. Procopius gave me permission to
• enter the church of the Holy Sepulchre,
for the purpose of quietly observing the
different apartments while the pilgrims
were absent-
19. Visited Procopius. He gaV it as
his opinion, that there are in Jerusalem
10,000 Jews and 2,000 Christians. Twen
ty-one pilgrims arrived from Smyrna. An
Armenian of distinction informed me, that,
in Jerusalem, there are 60 families of Ar
menians,—and that in Palestine are only
four Armenian monasteries; viz. one in
Jerusalem, one in Bethlehem, one in Ra
ma, and one in Jaffa.’ There is also an
Armenian church on Mount Zion, without
the city.
Two ecclesiasticks called upon me to in
struct them in Italian. They read with me
in the Italian Testament. Much rain du
ring the day.
An interesting Pilgrim.
22. In the mornjng, one of the pilgrims
with whom I read the Scriptures almost
every day, while on the passage, came to
my room and read with me several chap
ters. The progress which he has made j n
reading and in kno'vlcdfTP, * s a rich com
pensation for trouble of teaching
him. He oflen stops to tell me, in other
words, the tory he has read; and remarks
upon the importance of living according to
the Scriptures. He is never weary; hut,
at the close of one chapter, he says, with
a smile, “shall we read another?” When
he passes me in the street, he exurewes
the affection of a brother, and, at b* same
time, looks to me as his instructor. The
effect upon his life Inis been most salutary.
He says, that he shall read the Testament
erery day as long as he lives. He is soon
to return to his country, more than a thou
sand miles from Jerusalem, and my oppor
tunities to visit and instruct him roust cease.
But he will carry with him the Holy Bible
as his guide, and be will not soon forget
the past interesting scenes. Ido indulge
the secret hope, not that he is already con
verted, hut that impressions have been
made, which, by the blessing of the Holy
Spirit, will result in n saving acquaintance
with the Word of God, and in final admit
tance into heaven. With regard to the
future, we can make no certain calcula
tions. For the past I feel bound to give
thanks to God.
Beading (he Scriptures with Inquirers.
Four persons have been at mv room to
read the Scriptures to-day. The priests
entourage me in this employment. If,
then, a missionary can reside here with no
other employment than to read the Scrip
ture* with pilgrims, not uttering a word
respecting Catholicks, Greeks, or Turks,
a great work might he accomplished;—a
work, which would impart infinite joy to
the friends of thjfi mission, and guide many
souls to eternal life. From the observa
tions 1 have made, 1 am led to belief* that