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Land of Promise
(TO AND FROM.)
jjy Rev. C. O’N. Maktindale.
ARTICLE XXXI.
TURKEV [Continued]
<)6). PALESTINE: From Jenin
ohem. Hare reigned the wicked Aiiab
and Jezebel and stood a Baal temple the
latter erected and Jehu wrecked. Here
Omri, Aiiab, Aliaziah, Jehn, Jehoalmz,
Joash and other of Israel's kings were
buried. Here took place that wonderful
deliverance of Samaria from the siege of
the Syrian king Beuhaded. Here the
prophet Klisha spent much of his life
and did tome great things in the name
of God. (See 1 Kgs. 14:17: 16:31-32: 2
Kgs. 10:17-28; 1 Kgs. 10:28; 22:37; 2
Kgs. 1:2, 17; 10:35; 13:0, 13; 15:22, 25;
(Engannim) by Kubatiyeh, over j 1 Kgs- 301 LSI; 2 Kgs. 2:25; 5:1-27;6:19-
' ® y 33; 7:1-20.) Taken by the Assyrians, it
the Plain of Dothan, by Sanur H till continued a while as capital of the
new colonists, but ere long the old cen-
and Jcb’a (Geba) to Sebastiyeh
(Scbastu or Samaria),to Nabulus
or Nablus (Neapolis or Shechem)
in th« Vale Belwceu Mt. Geri
zim and Mt. Ebal.
The aonthern side of Gilboa and Bei*
mui (Bethslmn) are on a direct Hue of
latitude with Kaisuriyeh (Caesarea) on
the Mediterranean coast. "It is strange
that so few travellers in Palestine visit
Caesarea and Atlilit, which undoubted
ly iKMiscHH tiner OruBndiug ruius and
more interesting remains than aru to be
found anywhere else lit the Holy Land
l>roi>er." Away across the Jordan to
the east slightly above the same line is
Ihismli (Bo/.rali or Bostra).
Jenin is very likely the ancient. Eli*
ganniin or • Garden-Spring" or "Foun
tain Gurdens" in the land of Issnchnr
<Josh. Ili:2l; 21:2!i). 'J’o a stone res
ervoir in the midst of the village of
ihout -1500 people i mostly fanatical Mos
lems ) the water from a huge and Hue
spring to the east in (lie lulls behind the
gardens is conducted by a covered iique-
Wiiot. About it are fruitful gardens and
j hi 1 in trees, and in the region hereabouts
may he scull storks, cranes, and gazelles.
It is one of the loveliest s|ots in the
Land, on the direct highway from Na
zareth to Jerusalem. Here are two mos-
<|uch, Moslem schools, a bazaar and u
few Christians; and on the top of the
lull to the south of the town are the re-
inaiiiH of a Itouiau encampment.
Alter a brief luushing up in camp
siniin of us went from the tlireshllig floor
west to that east of Jeniu—through the
village to the English and Scotch Tour
ist uan p—where we met a number of
Hue pcnplo hound for the World’s Sun
day School Oouvou'inii at Jerusalem
also. A tall mid line-looking grey-lmired
gentleman, whom wu afterward learned
to he Dr. Hiuhurd Glover, of Loudon,
aeeosied us with the words: "Did you
ter, Shechem, wus the chief towu of the
religious sect known us the Samaritans.
It was later rebuilt and adorned by
Herod the Great, to whom Augustus
gave it; and in honour of the giver it
was adorned with a splendid temple on
its center and received the now name ot
Hcbaste, the Greek form being still pre
served in the modern Sebastiyeh. Here
Philip preached Christ and the incident
of Simon the sorcerer occurred (Acts
8:5-24). Today the village has about
sixty houses with near 400 inhabitants,
principally Moslem and of turbulent dis
position, with a few Greek Christians
and a non-resident Greek bishop. It
lies on the east side te rrace about half
way up the hill, and its houses are
strongly bnilt of the old remnants of de
parted glory with usual mud and (lung
accompaniments. "This miserable lit
tle hamlet, a few heaps of rubbish in
the valley,a few piles of stones amid the
terraced vineyards, a lonely and dilapi
dated colonnade, and one or two isolated
groups of pillars, are all that now re
nin in of the royal Samaria and the mag-
nifloent Hehaste isee Hos. 111:10). There
is, however, probably noplace in Pales
tine which would more ruddy reward a
careful mid scientific investigation than
this most interesting and remarkable
lull * * When we stand on this hill
and look lit these columns shooting up
from vines and green corn, on the piles
of hewn stones in the terraced fields,and
on the heaps among the oiive-trees in
the valley below, we eunuot Iv’.t recall
the prediction of Micnli’’ 1:5-7. "For
the transgression of Jacob is all this,and
for the sins of the house of Israel. What
is the transgression of Jacob? Is it not
Samaria? And wluit are the high places
of Judah? Are they not Jerusalem,
Thereforo I will make Samaria as a heap
of the Held, as places for planting of
vineyards; and T will pour down tho
stones thereof into the valley, and I will
uncover the foundations thereof. And
all her graven images shall be beaten to
arrive in pence or in pieces?" llo had 1 pieces, and all her hires shall be burned
found the overland tour, as many oth-
sirs, a hard lax on the body. Wu hud
endured no little hardship ourselves,and
were fully prepared to sympathize witli
him as ho expressed fatigue from his I Gliuroh of St. John, a fine ruin on
joiirncyings over the plains uud hills
and iiiountuins of thu Land.
That night wu had a charming night's
rest, rising tiie next morning at 4:30
o'clock, breakfast mg at 5, and riding
oil' at a quick juice at 0. By short vales
and mutiy lulls wu pussed Kubatiyeh
oil a lull honeycombed with unoieut
cisterns covered by round slabs, and
surrounded with olive-trees, tho largest
grove in all Palestine, wo were told.
And wo had to be caretul lest in riding
under the thick over-hanging boughs we
be swung out of our saddles and hung
up by the hair as was Absalom. We
then came to the beautiful Plain of
Dotun (Dotiiuu), near Toll Dntan on
which are a few ruins close to some
terebinths, at the south foot of which is
n spring, El-Hutireh, the site probably
of auciout Dothan (Gen. 37:15-28; of. 2
Kgs. 0:8-33), and for Hint reason being
rdill called Jubb Yusuf, "Joseph’s Pit."
it is ot thu nature ot a Syrian well, with
largo rooks about the mouth. It is not
impossible that (lus was tho pit into
which Joseph's envious brethren east
him, and wlienee through Reuben's so
licitations they took him only to sell to
Ishmaelitish merchants on the way to i sure it would bring to light some things
with tire, and all her idols will I lay
desolate."
We had our noondav luncheon in
what remains of the ancient Grusuder
de
pressed ground, now used iti its eastern
part as a Muhammadan mosque, with
architraves and columns und crypt con
taining the tombs of Klisha, Obadiah,
and John the Baptizer, so said. Un
doubtedly there is much reason for hold
ing that John was put to death at Se-
baste rather than Mtichaerus, and that
he is buried here is not at all improba
ble, but exactly what we would expect.
Before lunch we hail ridden up and
around the hill past the group of col
umns marking the site of Herod’s Pal-
aoo to the ruins of tho Caesarea gate of
Herod’s City ( where one sees the direc
tion of the road to that seaport),through
the Gruud Colonnade (or Main Street of
the city) with about 100 (out of about
2000 columns originally, each 16 feet
high by 2 in diameter and tapering up)
standing, and had gotten a view of the
artificial excavation m the form of au
amphitheatre; and to the northern side
of the valley were indicated many rock-
cut tombs, probably apart of au ancient
cemetery. The character of the ruius
here clearly point (o much buried great
ness. Wo couldn’t but wish the exca
vator might dig up this lull, wo feel
Jigyjit. It is not uucoinmon for one of
these wells to go dry, and thou again to
l>o tilled with water according to the
season and location. Near by was a low
and long stone wall, on the other side ot
which were several graceful poplars,
and pouch,apricot,and almond orchards.
And oil' to tho right and west after a
little we came in sight ot an old caravan
rood leading to Egypt.
At last our column wound its way
past a little village to the top of a hill
overlooking m the region beyond a kind
of crater or basin, very large and rocky
aud steep, around the left side of which
we descended through olive-groves by a
rough pathway, and then by a gradual
of importance to Biblical interpretation.
From this tine commanding mountain-
spot with much caution we went down
a steep incline in the intense heat of
early afternoon just as we had done on
coming over the ridge leading to it, and
pressed on over a mountainous pathway
until we came to a distinctive crater-
like bed and valley of wondrous fertility,
with much van-colored voleauie rock,
and the well-preserved remains of an
cient aqueducts, and a fountain covered
by a Roman arch; aud all at ouce a
splendid broad and levelled carriage-way
opened up before us. How glad we
were to see such again. On we rode
down toe vallev through orchards of
rise over the mountain we ascended to ! apple aud pomegranate, of tig aud apri-
«ho left and twisted round the Dill once i cot, and of olives past hill-side villages,
Mount Gerizim rising to the right and
Mount Ebal to the left, and of such
natural advantage as well as historic as
sociations. Here it was that Rehoboam
was crowned king over all Israel, and
the great revolt leading to the disrup
tion iuto two kingdoms took place (1
Ktigs. 12:1-33). Many of us were get
ting tired of the Syrian sun-beams, and
those having fast horses pushed on at a
quick pace, so that our column spread
out at considerable distances—a risky
thing to do in this section of country,
for the Muhammadans hereabouts do
not hesitate whenever ccoasiou allows to
stone strangers ami otherwise take ad
vantage of them. But what can dash
au ardent Americau, when he or she
have nude up their mind to do anything
at home or abroad? Nothing, truly,
save positive disaster. This some barely
eicaped, for us we were nding at full
ult we came closer aud oloser upon a
movable engine of considerable size be
ing pulled over the roadway with long
ropes by no less than a hundred shout
ing aud jangling natives, followed by a
carriage containing four Turkish geuts;
and they didu’t seem to be in the best of
humor either, but we rode to one side,
ami they did not interfere, possibly be
cause they had their hands full with the
old engiue. But the drove of human
horses, in their many-oolored costumes,
with their unintelligible attempts at
song amidst work, certainly looked odd
and tough as well. There are other
Imrd masters than those in the home
land, it is evident. It takes the grace of
God to keep a man from making a very
brute of his fellow when there's half a
uliunbc to oppress.
Oil getting to Nablus we entered a
city of 20,000 (100 Samaritans, 000
Christians, 200 Jews, nml the balance
Muhammadans of the most bigoted and
and fanatical sort), noted for its manu
facture of scat) and oil—the latter the
best in Syria. Hero we soon came on
our camp in an enclosed place and left
our horses, aud started out afoot. None
of us knew how much we were to walk
before returning; if we had known, it is
not at nil unlikely that many would
have stayed in camp.
But what did wo come for? To lie
down nml rest every time we felt the
least tired? Then we'd have better
stayed at home. The man or woman
that goes on a trip to and through Syria
mid Palestine needs not only grace but
grit, not only brain but brawn, to carry
them through; its not only up to them
to do it, but to be over at it. Careful
ness and stickativeness are next to
cleanliness and godliness, in the hurry
and worry of life, in the sight and gam
of the world. We belong to a Htock that
never gives up till it has to.
We were taken lirst to the Greek
Mosque (ouce a Christian church but
now called Jamia’a el-Kcbir) with beau
tiful gothic gateway, painted in "red,
white aud blue," standing near the
juncture of two streets. But we were
not permitted to see the inside at that
time of day. After walking up-hill aud
down-hill through dark and narrow al-
leys, dirty cramped streets, and damp
underground passage-ways, for about
three-quarters of a mile it seemed, we
were brought to that Samaritan Syna
gogue, wheroin reposes the snored and
fnr-famed MSS. of the Pentateuch. The
room is comparatively small aud white
washed witli a dome aud sky-lights
overhead, one end of the floor being
raised about six inches aud faoing a five-
foot-squure recess overhung by a veil in
which the snored scrolls are kept. As
the worshipers face this recess they
also face toward their sanctuary on Mt.
Gerizim. The high priest cliunts the
service with swaying body, the servioe
being very like that of the Jews. The
floor is covered with Oriental matting or
rugs, These remarkable people yearly
observe the Passover Feast on the sum
mit of their holy mouutaiu, Gerizim, as
did their ancestors; we had by a few
days missed (his observance. In tiie
synagogue we were shown what few
strangers’ eyes ever see, through the in
fluence of Shukrey Hishmeh, not only
the later copy of the Samaritan Penta
teuch said to date buck to the time of
the Maccabees, but tho older copy which
is claimed to date hack thirty-five hun
dred years and to be the work of a
grandson of Aaron. "It is on three rol
lers, each surmounted by a large gold-
plated silver sphere of chased work,
crowded by a smaller ball. A green silk
covering protects it, embroidered in sil
ver-gold letters. On the metal case
which, when shut, encloses the purcli-
meut, are a great number of symbolical
desigus which Shukrey interpreted to
us in a somewhat weary monotone:
•The tabernacle of Moses, the cherubim,
the rod that budded, names of the
priests serving in the Holy of Holies,the
altar of incense, the table, the laver.the
owned by Sliemer, bought by Omri for j toward Nablus, (he si(e of ancieut
its strength and fertility, named Sama-! Neapolis or Sichem, or Shechem, (to
ria. and made the capital city of the 1 which Abraham came on first entering I i^'rs tmnind tiie temple,' and so on,'
northern Kingdom iu place of Tirznh, Canaan Gen. 12:0; and watered by no j did uo t pretend to cutclt them all
VlJneli in its turn was preceded by She- j
own fingers the venerable parohmen
which, while no one supposes it goes
back in age to patriarchal days, is yet
old enough to be highly interesting. As
we left the synagogue, boys implored us
to purchase little tin and paper models
of the Pentateuch, or scraps of inscribed
imitation vellum which they assured us
were of great autiquity and value. A
frauc or less would purchase these ‘an
tiques,’ aud they made interesting me
mentoes, though not lung more.” A
diversity of opinion exists as to the ori
gin of the Samaritans, they are either
from tiie Jewish remnant left in the
laud at the time of captivity, or the re
sult of au intermixture of Jews with
A-syrian colouists.
Leaving this place some of our com
pany returued to the camp, others be
gan the aeceut. of Mt. Gerizim, while
several of us (including the writer) se
cured a guide and proceeded across the
t«wu and climbed the heights of Mt.
Ebal. Who that ever tried this will
ever forget the tedium yet withal the
reward of the ascent! Who of us will
ever forget tiie grandeur aud tiie sweep
of this view—the highest aud best from
central Palestine! Not a few who at
tempt this task are laid up for mauy
days afterward by uervois prostration
(as exemplified in one of a party just
preceding us being laid up here iu the
English Mission hospital for some days).
Tins is the view Dr. George Adam
oiuitli had wliuu he said: "Of the two
mils beside Shechem, Gerizim is tiie
mure famous historically, but Ebal is
luglier, and fias the further prospect.
The view from Ebui virtually covers the
whole luud, with tiie exception of the
Negeb. All tiie four long zones, two of
the tour fioutiers, speuiineus ot all the
physical features, uud most of (he fam
ous scenes of the history, are m sight.
No geography of Palestine can afford to
mspeuse wnD tiie view lrom the lop ot
i'-hal. In detail it is this: Looking I
smelt, you have at your feet the pass
iniuugu the range, with Nablus; men
over it tiie niiusc ot Gerizim, witli u ruin j
or two; uud then 24 miles of hill-copsU
at tiie back ot which you dimly discern
a tower. That is Nuby Samwil, tiie au- j
eient Mizpuli. Jerusalem is only live
miles beyond, and to die west the tower
overlooks tho ‘ Shepheluh. Turning
westwards, you .see—nay, you almost
feel—tiie range letting itself down, by
irregular terraces, on to die phiiu, die
plain itself flattened by the height from
which you look, but really undulating
to mounds of one and two hundred feet;
beyond the plum die gleaming sand
hills ot the coast uud tiie infinite blue
sea. Joppa lies southwest 33 miles;
Caesarea northwest 2!i. Turning north
wards, we have die long ridge of Oar-
mel running down from its summit,
perhaps 35 miles distant, to the low hills
that seimrutc it from our range; over tiie
rest of this the hollow tiiut represents
Esdraelou; over that the Dills ot Galilee
iu a huze, and above the haze the glis-
teuing shoulders of tiermon, at 75 miles
ot dictauoe. Sweeping south from Her-
mou, tiie eastern horizon is the edge of
the Haurau above the Lake of Galilee,
continued by tiie edge of Mount Gilead
exactly east of us, and by the edgiof
Aloab, away to die southeast. Tins line
or the Eastern Range is maintained at a
pretty equal level, nearly that on which
we stand (Ebal is 3077 feet), aud seems
unbroken, save by the incoming vulleys
of the Yarmuk and the Jabbok, It is
only 25 miles away, aud on tire near side
of it lies the Jordan Valley—a great
wide gulf, of which the bottom is out of
sight. On this side Jordun the fore
ground is the hilly bulwark of Mount
Ephraim, penetrated by a valley coming
up from Jordan into the plain of the
Mukhnah to meet the pass that splits
the range at our feet.”
"The Mount of Blessing" (Gerizim)
is more fertile aud well-watered on die
lower sides than "the Mount of Curs
ing” (Ebal), but die latter is well-culti
vated even to the top. There is a natu
ral amphitheatre formed by the two
mountains approaching each other about
half-way between the entrance to Nab
lus and Jacob’s Well, having well-tested
acoustic properties, so that the condi
tions of Deut. 11:16-30; 27:1-2!):1; and
Josh. 8:30-35, might easily be fulfilled
even at this day. We wish we had the
space and time to give some of die an
cient Scriptural associations of patri
archs aud others with Shechem, but we
cannot pause.
When we descended from Ebal it was ,
after a glorious suuset scene and the :
night was fast falling about us. Almost j
too tired for supper we partook raoder- i
ately of the repast set before us; and, af
ter writing up our notes, rested sweetly j
and souudly iu the oldest towu in the
Holy Laud of which we have any writ-!
ten record; breakfasting at 5 next morn- i
ing; aud departing by way of the Turk-1
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and of two lepers crouching by the en
trance to the city. The horse of one of
the ladies in our party suddenly started
out from under her aud unceremoniously
left her sitting unhurt iu the middle of
tho road.
[To be continued. |
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Holy of Holies, the trumpet, the altar of | j s b barracks and Moslem cemeterv and
sacrifice, the knife tor killing, the pil- 1 J
We
the amphitheatre just described.
I our way out we had a glimpse of
less than 80 spring-, U is sai.i; with j were even allowed to touch with our! digging a grave iu a cemetery nearby