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Land of Promise.
(TO ANI) FROM.)
liy Rev. C. O N. Maktindale.
ARTICLE XXVI.
TURKLV 'Continued]
(11). Palestine: To Kan Minyeh
(Capernarum), El Ghuweir (the
"Little Ghor” or "the Land of
Gennesareth”) by M e j d e 1
(Magdala).
It la highly probable that the famous
"Fountain of Capernaum”, noted by
Josephus as pouring its vitalizing
streams over the beautiful and produc
tive "Land of Oenuesar," Waa the great
fountain whose spring-head at Tahigha,
three fourths of a milo from Khali Min
yeh, i» surrounded by an octagonal res
ervoir of great strength, and whose wa
ter# once elevated by some mechanical
means in this basin to the level of the
aqueduct (which can now be traced» and
jiassed dually round the Khan Minyeh
cliffs (on which we walked) through an
excavation ill the solid rock afan eleva
tion quite sufficient to well wuter the
great plain of Oeiinesaret on the other
side of (he rnouutnm spur.
As we crossed this aqueduct oil the
cliff-side we had a bold view of the Sen
of (lalilon in its northern half and of the
Plain of Uuunesarut in isirtioulur, beau
tifully orescent-slmped, extending along
the coast three itud u quarter miles and
at its widest pari being one and one-
eighth miles. From Mejdol to Klmii
Minyeh the Galilean mountains full
buck from the sea nearly in a semi-elr-
do; the cliffs on the southern border
coining close up to the lake; while on
the northern side a rooky promontory
juts out into the water and divides it
from the bit of lowland beyond; and on
the western side the encircling barrier
or hills IS broken through by three deep
wiulios or ravines; the Wady Amud,
with a stream rising near the highest
|K<uk of these mountains or Niiphtuh,
breaking in on tills lowland near Khun
Minyeh by a wildly grand gorge; the
Wady or Hubudiyeli with its uiouiltnin
stream (tint largest of the three) break
ing through tho center, anil its waters
artificially distributed north uuil south
for irrigation purposes; whereas the
Wiuiy el llamam ojiues in a little west
of Mejdel through precipitous and rug
ged cliffs, conspicuously Inud-umrkcd
by tho Herns of Unttiu at the up|>er end
of the valley. The face of the south-
side diff-rook has been out into and
loads to a porfeot labyrnith of caves anil
IMtssagus long ago used us strougUold* of.
the oppressed, or hidiug-pluces for rob
bers and outlaws, or tliu dwelling-places
of hermits and anchorites, now the nost-
ing-places of myriad wild ptgeous (as
the name moans "tho Valley of Pigeons
or Doves"). A copious fountain oi re
freshing uuil limpid water (culled 'Ain
el Muduwwar^h) two feet deep or more,
Kjiiings from within a circular reservoir
INI feet iu diameter located between the
two last uieutioued wadies, aud extends
across the pluiu to the lake. Aud at the
southern base of Kliau Mmyeh cliff is
another remarkable fountaiu (known as
'Ain et-Tiu) running eastward aud so
near the level of tho laku os to irrigate
only a small part of the pluiu aud sur-
rouuded by clover and grass, with ricli
pasture ou its ooarsq, until it becomes a
marsh begirdled with oleanders aud till
ed up with line Egyptian papyrus
growth—the only place where such is
fouud on the Lake.
Of this former gurdeu-spot of Pales
tine tho Jewish historian Josephus
wiote iHull. Jud. 111,10,8): "Along the
lake of Uenuesar extends the district of
like name, wondrous iu natural beauty.
Hitch is tlie fertility of the soil that it
rejects no plant, aud so genial is the
climate that it suits every variety; the
walnut, which delights iu a wintry
climate, grows hero luxuriantly, togeth
er with the polui-tree which is nourish
ed by bout, and near to those ure tigs ami
olives to whioii a milder atmosphere has
boon assigned. One might style this an
umbitious effort of nature, doing viol
ence to herself iu bringing together
)iluut* of discordant habits, aud tui aim-
able rivalry of the seasons, each as it
were asserting its right to tiie soil;for it
not only possesses the extraordinary vir
tues of nourishing fruits of opposite
climes, but also contains a continual
supply of ihern. Thus it produces those
most royal of all, the grupeand the tig,
during, ten mouths, without intermis
sion, while the other varieties ripen the
year round; for besides being favored
by the geuial temperature of the air, it
L irrigated by a highly fertilizing spring,
called Caphtu'uuutu by the i>eople of the
country." In the Rornuu period, "Ueu-
neiuvret was the focus of life and acti
vity of one of the myst thickly settled
provinces of Palestine. Its towns and
villages war- thickly clustered on plain
and hillside and every foot of tho land
was skillfully cultivated. With a cli-
mate mild as Egypt—fitly described as
•a harmonious blending of the seasons'—
with a loamy soil of unusual depth and
richness, and with an abundant water-
supply, which wns extended over every
portion of its surface, it is no marvel
that it was known far and wide as the
garden-spot of Palestine*"
Dr. K. L. Stewart, in "Memorable
Places Among the Holy HU^s," speaks
thus of its present condition: "The
Arabs call this mountain-girdled tract
El Ghuweir, the *Li(tle Ghof’. Its
identity with the ‘Land of Gennesareth 1
(Matt. 14:84; Mk. «:(W| is unquestioned.
Tim limits correspond closely with the
measurements given by Josephus, and iu
the wild tangle of tropical undergrowth,
grasses and vines, which now covers'll#
desolation,-one may readily see the
proofs of the extraordinary fertility,
which onoe made it the garden-spot of
Palestine. The shore-line of the Gen-
nusaret plain is slightly embayed and
the beach, which slopes gradually to the
water's edge, is thickly strewn witli
myriads of tiny, pearl-white shells. At
some points this silvery straud is ‘a tex
ture of shells and pebbles so minute as
to resemble sand’; at others cart-loads
of delicately-formed, senii-trausparent
shells could be gathered up. Ou the
landward side of this beautiful pathway
by the sen, mi almost continuous hedge
of oleanders uml tropical thorns holds
back a confused mass nr wild, luxuriant
vegetation. Them are no fences and uo
groups of trees to obstruct the vision
lict ween the limits of the sea and the
mountains; and at several points of
view the whole plain and its bordermgs
may lie seen ut a glance. The contrast
between Josephus’ glowing description
and the present condition of the Geu-
nesaret plain is painfully apparent. Be
tween the irregular mounds on its north
ern border, which cover almost all that
remains of tho once prosperous und
highly favored city of Cuperimum, and
the cluster of thirty odd mud hovels,
which represents the town of Mary
Magdalene ou its southern edge, there is
not n single iieruiaueut hunmu habita
tion. Except an occasional patch of a
few mils square cleared of its dense un
dergrowth for a season's crop, by the
fellaheen or n migratory baud of Bed-
ouius, the entire plain has reverted to its
primitive condition. The hand of the
diligent hnsbaudurau no louger directs
the growth of its meads and slopes, and
the fruitful garden has become a wilder
ness. Its almost impouetruble thiokets
of undurgrowth, In which delioate gras
ses and myriads of richly-tiuted flowers
struggle with brambles aud thorns, are
suggestive only of uu Edeu-run-wild.
Long ago have the walnut and the tig,
the iKunegranate aud the vino beeu
crowded out by liardy plants of uieauer
growth; kud the solitary palm which
marks tho ruined site of Magdala ap
pears to be the only survivor of all the
orchards und groves which were ouco
its pride and glory. Amid all theeo
changes and desolations, the framework
aud distinguishing characteristics of this
nuturul amphitheatre yet remaiu.
There is no other place ou earth where
so much of the diviuely-boautiful life of
Jesus was seou; where so many of His
mighty works were done. Here we may
fund.ppg# utter page. of.‘th^.Fifth Gos-
pel,' torn indeed and soiled, bnt still
legible; aud there is not au iuoideut or
nil expression in the story of the evan
gelists that does not harmonize with
these open pages, as they lie in the clear
sunlight between the mountains and the
sea. Most beautifully has the Master
woven the several details aud peculiar
ities of this varied landscape into the
texture of the series of Parables, which
belong to the period of His early minis
try. Iu these pictorial representations
ot the Kiugdom of Grace we have cite
imagery, the landsoaiie-coloriug, and
many of the special features of the
Geunesaret of to-day.”
The position that Kliau Miuyeli is the
site of anoieut. CajHiruaum is advocated
by such , distinguished scholars as Dr.
Edward Hobiusou, Dr. Selah Merrill,
Col. Conder, Porter, Major Gen. Kitch
ener, MacGregor, Lightfoot, Keim, Dr.
George A. Smith, Dr. H. O. Trumbull
aud Dr. K. L. Stewart; the state of the
case being thus summed up by the last
mentioned—"The existence of a city at
.Kliau Minyeh ts untioauid-by u suries of
low mounds, whioii lie to the south of
the kliau.about one haudred yards from
the sea-shore. The raius abovo ground
are not extensive us at Tell Hum, but
hewn stones and strongly-built lime
stone walls have been fouud at a depth
of four or live feet. All the indications
poiut to a buried city consigned to utter
destruction iu accordance with the sen
tence long ago pronounced against it.
In trout of tlus ruined site is the curved
line of its ancient harbor and the beau
tiful strand fringed by a mass of luxur
iant vegetation, and white with myriads
of closely comi>ac ted fresh-water shells.
On the top of the hill in which ti e cut
ting (for tiie aqueduct) is made there is
an artificially levelled plateau with
traces of walls and buildings, and .also
of steps leading up to it. The castle or
garrison in which the centurion resided
was probably on this height, while tiie
custom-house' would be at the point
where the road from tho north touches
the lake. Here then is a site (Khan
Minyeh) which accords witli incidental
accounts given by Josephus; with all
the known facts relating to the city;
with all tiie features which are lacking
iu the site farther to the uortli; and
with all the incidents mentioned by the
evangelist in the gospel narrative. It
connects the home of Jesus with the
most beautiful spot oh the Lake of
Galilee; with a natural harbor, where
the boats of fishermen could glide up
smoothly and safely to the shore; with a
long, shelly beach firm aud hard as a
floor; and with a plain nneqaalled for
fertility in all the world."
"Capernaum in the time of Christ was
a prosperous commercial City ou one of
the great highways from Egypt to Da
mascus (The great caravan route from
Esdraelon and the south to Damasous
follows the line of the old Roman road
through Wady Hainam to Khan Min
yeh, aud thence northward over the
lulls of Naplitali. This was the direct
road from Oaua to Capernaum iu tho
Saviour’s day, and He must have often
journeyed over it during the period of
the Gt’lileuiiministry.) In (Caiienmum)
was the centre of the local fisheries and
an important shipping port on the lake.
It had a custom-house, a notable syna
gogue built by u frieudly Roman cen
turion, and u castle or garrison manned
by Homan soldiers. Here Jesus came
iuto contact with men of every class,
nationality and vocation, and thus pre
pared the way for the extension of llis
kiugdom, ill later days, throughout the
Roman world. The western shore of
tiie Sea ot Galilee, especially the Laud
Gonnesarot, wns ut this time a regiou of
extraordinary beauty and fertility.
There is abundant evidonee that it was
a densely jiopulated district, thickly
dotted over with prosperous cities and
villages aud all astir witli life and
aotivity.”
Says Dr. Selah Merrill, "In His day
the lake was full of fish and oovered
with boats. The wheat fields on the
surrounding slopes yielded abundant
harvests, and the plains produced the
choioest fruits. Caravans and travellers
crowded the highways, the shores were
covered with people, aud the entire basin
presented a scene of life and aotivity
such as was true of few other places in
the world, and which it is difflonlt now
for even the imogiuatiou to reproduce.
It was in this beautiful region, and
among its busy men, that onr Lord
otiose His home, aud did many of His
wonderful works.”
"Nowhere," says another, "exoeptin
the oapitAl itself, could He have fouud
suoli a sphere for His works and words
of meroy; from uo other oeutre oould
'His fame’ iiave so gone throughout all
Syria; nowhere else oould He have so
drawn around Him the vast multitudes
who hung ou His lips.”
"What this lake region has lost iu
population and aotivity," says Dean
Farrar, "it lias gained iu solemnity and
Ut to rest. If every vestige of human
habitation should disappear from beside
it, aud the jackal und the hyena should
howl about the shattered fragments of
the syuagogues where Christ taaglit, yet
the fact that He ohoee it as the scene of
His opening ministry will give a sense
of saorednoss and pathos to its lonely
waters till time shall be no’more."
Says Dr. Stewart, "The contrast be
tween this plaoe in that day of prosper:
ity and privilege and the utter desola-
tiou aud abandonment of the present is
au impressive commentary on the sol
emn aud significant words iu which
Jesus, at length, pronounced its doom.
It had privileges such as had not been
enjoyed by any other city on earth, bat
its busy habitants neglected tiie day'of
their merciful visitatiou and rejeoted
their heaven-sent King. Except a little
compauy of devoted followers, tiie peo
ple of Capernaum were indifferent to
the claims of the spiritual kiugdom,
which Jesus had come to estahlish in
their midst, aud tiie gracious words
whioh they heard aud the wonderful
works which they witnessed, day by
day, made no permanent impression on
mind or heart. They saw and they
heard, but they repented not.”
"To any thoughtful student of the
Gospel History," says Dean Stanley, "it
would have seemed that, of all places
there recorded, the scene of our Lord's
permanent residence, of His home for
the three most important years of His
life, would have beeu regarded as far
more worthy of preservation than any
other spot connected with His earthly
coarse. None other could have witness
ed so many of His words and works. To ^
no other could His disciples have re
turned with such fond and familiar rec
ollections, as that where they first be
came acquainted with Hitn. and which
had witnessed the greater part of their
intercourse with Him. Yet it is this
whibh has-passed away, without even a
memorial or traditioujto mark its place. "
Though the exact spot is still in dispute,
it 4s quite generally conceded now "that
the limit of distance along this portion
of tiie coast plain, in whioh the site of
Capernaum is likely to be fouud, does
not exoeed a stretch of three mileB."
■ "It may be a small thing upon whioh
to construct a theory,” says Dr. Fish,
"but 1 oertaiuly it is a fact’ of|intere8t.
that if these locations (Khan Minyeh,
Et Tabigha, and Tell Ham) be accepted
as ' the right ones (Capernaum, Beth-
saida of Galilee, aud Cborazin), there is
a beautiful order in Ohrist’sj enumera
tion of the three oities named And we
can fancy Him uttering, with tiie finger
pointing towards each in succession,
down along the lake, the dennnciatiou
upon Ohoraztu, Bethsaida,Capernaum."
In the very language of the Saviour
(Matt.,11:30-24): “Then began He to
upbraid the oittes wherein most of HiB
mighty works were done, because they
repented not. Woe unto thee, Ohorazm!
Woe uuto thee, Bethsaida! For if the
mighty works had beeu done in Tyre
and Sidon which were done in you, they
would have repented long ago in sack-
olotii and ashes. But Isay unto you, it
shall be more tolorable for Tyre and
Sidon in the day of judgment than for
you. Aud thou, Capernaum, shalt thou
bo exalted uuto heaven? Thou shalt go
down unto Hades; for if the mighty
works hud been done in Sodom which
were doiie„iii thee, it would have re
mained unto this day. But I say unto
yon that it shall bo more tolerable for
the laud of Sodom in the day of judg
ment than for thee.” (of. Lk, 10:11-18;
Matt. 10:11-15.)
The religious importance of Caper
naum is finely stated by Dr. G. B. F.
Hallock in his "Journeying in the Land
Where Jesus Lived," as follows: “It
was the home of Jesus aud llis inner
oirole of disciples nearly three years.
Matthew speaks of it as ’His own city,’
aud another has called it ‘the central
pulpit of oar Lord’s teaohing,’ and stil)
another speakH of it as the birthplace of
the Christian Church.’ Two at least of
tiie apostles, Peter and Matthew, ooon-
pied houses iu Capernaum, whioh were
always open to the Master, and at some
period in His earlier ministry Mary, the
mother of Jesus, transferred her resi
dence from Nazareth to Capernaum. It
was here Jesus came after His first
miracle at Cana of Galilee. Rejeoted at
Nazareth, He made Gapepnaum His
abode. Near here was witnessed the
miraculous draught of fishes, followed
by the call of Simon Peter and Andrew,
James and John. In the synagogue He
healed a demoniac. Soon after He heal
ed here Peter's wife’s mother, and many
others that were brought to Him, Frou)
here He started on His first oironit with
His disciples throughout Galilee. He
soon returned to Capernaum aud tiie
people (looked to Him. It was here He
healed tiie paralytic let down through
the roof. Here.Mutthew was oalled from
the receipt of oustom to follow Him.
From Capernaum He retired to the
mountains aud chose His twelve apos
tles; aud to the multitudes who followed
Him He preached the Sermon on tiie
Mount (Tell Hattin). As He returned
to Capernaum He healed tiie Roman
oeuturion’s servant. Christ was in this
viciuity when John the Baptist sent His
disciples on their mission of inquiry.
It was undoubtedly here, at a Pharisee’s
house, that Jesus was auoiuted by a wo
man who had been a sinner. Near here
were uttered the beautiful parables of
the sower, of the tares, of the mustard
seed, of the leaven hidden in meal, oLa
merchantman seeking goodly pearls, of
the all-iuclnsive net cast into the sea. It
was here Matthew made Christ a feast,
at his own house, and at which Christ
gave His disconrse with respect to as
sociation with publicans. Here He
raised to life Jairas' daughter, and
healed the woman with au issue of
blood. In this same city He healed two
blind men aud cast out a dumb spirit.
It was to Capernaum tiie apostles re
turned and told Christ the results of
their missionary oirenit, aud from
whence He took them iuto retirement
in a desert-place ou the other side of the
Sea of Galilee, bnt being followed by a
multitude of people, after a day of
teaching, lie fed the five thousand. It
was the, night following this that He
came to HU disciples in the storm walk -
ing upon the water. The multitude who
had been miraculously fed the next
moruitig sought Jesns and found Him
at Capernaum. There He taught them
iu the synagogue, giviug His discourse
upon ‘the Bread of Life,’ at which mnny
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were offended and loft Him; an occa
sion which Peter embraced to make iv
noble oonfessiou^of faith (Jno. 8:22-71).
Phu.fseos and scribes came here from
Jerusalem and objected to His disciples’
neglect of tiie tradition of the elders as
to eating witli unwashed hands, and
Jesus replied to them. He went from
here to the region of Tyre and Sidon,
and on His return, having visited the
region of Caesarea Philippi (Matt.18:13-
20). He miraculously provided tho
tribute money. It was here at Caper
naum the disoiples contended among
themselves who shonld be the grentest,
aud Christ exhorted them to humility,
forbearance, and brotherly love. 1 It was
iu this same city tiie seventy were in
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sent out into every city whither Jesus
would come. To this same general
regiou Jesns returned after His resur
rection, meeting a number of His dis
oiples at a mountain where Ho had ap
pointed them, as also on the shore of
tiie Sea of Tiberias, aud it was upon a
mountain hereabout that He revealed
Himself to more than five hundred
brethren at once."
[To be continued.)
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