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ms 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 Your Heart May Re Weak. One Person in Four Has a Weak Heart. 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