The Land of Sacred Mystery, or The Bible Read in the Light of its own Scenery

Front matter

Sess Se blitzed

. rot at dent of the Ney, Cy, ate

THE EXPULSION OF HAGAR,.

Chapter I. The Haunts And Wanderings Of Abraham

PAGE,

Obscurity of the Opening Chapters of the Bible—Not the Men and Women of To-day—Clearing Up—Abraham a Distinct Character—Ur of the Chaldees—Ur now a Missionary Station of the American Board—Abraham Journeys to Haran—Goes Onward to Damascus—Next Appears at the smiling Plain of Shechem—Then at the Hallowed Shrine of Bethel— Famines, common in those days—Abraham, the Rich Man, divides the whole country with Lot—Abraham gets after all the Best of the Bargain

_ —Invasion of the “Kings of the East”—Dead Sea Described —Abraham’s Victory over the Chieftains from the Plains of Shinar,, . . .

Chapter II. Jacob And The “south Country.”

Change in the Character of the Country—Hills give place to Rolling Land —Grass Appears—This Land the Last Resting-place of Abraham and the Home of Isaac—This Region not yet Thoroughly Explored—Wells still a Subject of Contention—The Real Home of the Patriarchs —Hagar— Hebron and the Cave of Machpelah—Prince of Wales’ Examination of It —Jacob’s Embalmed Body probably there now—Jacob’s Wanderings “in Search of a Wife ”—His Return to Palestine—Shechem—The Death and Burtal-placenormisachelweumae sia) of c. sum ett di nst sts. er. tena

Chapter III. Egypt, And The Passage Of The Red Sea

Egypt the Mother of Civilization—Sesostris—The Land of Goshen—Its Boundaries—Occupations of the Hebrew Slaves—The Treasure-cities— Succoth —Etham — The Natural Route of the Israelites—Why they made their Detour—The Head of the Red Sea—The Places near it—

XVill CONTENTS.

PAGE, The Crossing of the Gulf of Suez—Dr. Bonar and Dr. Robinson on the Wit AMMAN gG Goo 9 9 ooo 2b 5 oo ooo GG

CHAP TIERSLYV: THE SINAI PENINSULA.

A Toilful Pilgrimage-—Physical Aspect of the “ Wilderness ””—The Triangle of Land—Rugged Sublimity of Nature—A Great Mass of Molten Rock Suddenly Cooled—The Tih Plateau—Its Wall of Mountains—The Dead Sea Gorge—Captain Allen’s Theory—The Results of Modern Science— A Land Without a History—Unchanged Aspect—Want of Vegetation —A Land of Pilgrims—Literature of the Desert—The Bitter Springs of Marah—The Sweet Springs of Elim—The ‘ Goodly” Vale—A Tedious Climb—A Desolate Plain—Desert of Sin—The One Beautiful Valley of the Whole Region—Serbal, the Mountain of Mystery—The Written Characters on the Rock—Approach to Sinai, . . .......~. «8

Chapter V. Mount Sinai, And The Years Of Wandering

The Broad, Curved Valley called Wady Sheikh—Pass of the Winds—The Plain before Sinai a Lofty, Craggy Pile—A Wall of Rock—Form and Structure of the Mountain—Discovery of the Sinaitic Manuscript of the New ‘Testament by Prof. Tischendorf—The Convent of the Forty—Convent of St. Catharine—Scene of the Israelites’ Encampment—Moses’ Ascent—The Wilderness of Sinai—What Grows there—Silence of the Desert—Effect of a Thunder-storm—Elijah’s Chapel—View from Sinai —The Stay of the Israelites around the Mownt—Their Journey Northward—The Spies—Kadesh Barnea—Scene of the First Contest—Region of the Edomites—Aaron’s Burial-place—Route of the Spies—Preliminary Survey of Palestine —Petra—Approach to the “Promised Land,’ . .'. 92

Chapter VI. The Trans-jordanic District

A New Field—Recapitulation—The Ancient Tribes—The Moabites and the Ammonites—Moab and its Divisions—A Country Little Explored— Who have gone through it—Hindrances made by the Savage Bedouins —Victory over “Sihon, King of Amorites”—Rampage Northward into Og’s Region—Porter’s Researches—The Houses of Bashan—Argob and its Threescore Cities—Territory Given to Reuben—To Gad—To Half- Manassah—Hermon and its Various Names—The Midianites—Balaam and the Scene of His Vision—The Theoretical Limits of Palestine— Prominent Objects in the Landscape—Scene of Moses’ Death—His Allotmentiof the “Promised Landy’? <0 5) <1 mw Pera se

CONTENTS. Xix

CHAPTER .VII.

PASSAGE OF THE JORDAN, AND BEGINNING OF THE CONQUEST.

PAGE, Fording the Jordan—Depth in Summer—In Spring—In Winter—Melting

Snows of Hermon—When the Israelites Crossed—Harvest Season—No Bridges then over the Jordan—Comparison with our American Rivers— Gilgal, the Place of the First Encampment—What Remains of It—Ruinsof Jericho—Palms and Roses of that City—Vices of the Arabs There— The Man who Fell among Thieves—Natural Highway up to the Mountains—Route from Jericho to Ai—Taking of Ai—Ebal and Gerizim— Setting Up of the Law—Visit of the Gibeonites—Their Disguise—The Five Kings—Joshua as a Military Leader—Battle of Beth-horon—The Scene of the Contest—Slaughter of the Kings—‘Sun, Stand Still”— he Great Miracle-—Battle of Hazor, . «15... s.6 6 10 « « « LF

Chapter VIII. Allotment Among The Twelve Tribes

Full Description of the Allotment in the Bible—Retention of the Ancient Names in the Mouth of the Arabs—Robinson and Smith’s Discoveries — The Three Tribes East of the Jordan, Reuben, Gad, and Half-Manasseh —The Beautiful Land of Bashan—The Inequalities in Western Palestine in Respect to Soil—A Wonderful System of Compensations—Only One Tribe Fares Badly—Territory of Judah—Its Advantages —Benjamin—

Its Sacred Localities —Dan—lIts Narrowness and Subsequent Emigration —Ephraim—Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulon—The Cities of Refuge— Moses’ Knowledge of the Land—Site of Shiloh and its Discovery by IRODINSON mae L ae ere Then ck ee coco) neo) GL eee as te Us.) oy 6 Se nk OO

Chapter IX. Troublous Days—the Judges— Deborah

The Subjugation not Perfect as Yet—Adonibezek—His Cruelties—Some very Strong Cities which had not been Taken—A Touch of Humor— The Five Philistine Cities—Gath not to be found—Who were the Canaanites?—Great Invasion from the East—The First of the Judges—The

* Second Judge—The Scene Changes to the Jordan—Ehud and Eglon— The Great Battle of Deborah—Description of the Plain of Jezreel—The Battle Painted—Heroism of Deborah—Geographical Localities Visible at the Present Time—The Victory—Reflections,. . ...... . . 180 xx CONTENTS.

Chapter X. Gideon And His Great Deliverance

PAGE, A Difficult Theme—Some Localities Unknown—Who were the Midianite

Invaders?—The Bedouin of That Day—Their Costume and Manners— Where They Crossed the Jordan—The Plain of Esdraelon—Its Physical Conformation—The Order of the Midianite Invasion—Who Entered into the Alliance Against Them—The Character of Gideon—His Call as a Deliyerer—His Brothers—The “Spring of Trembling”—The Sifting of His Men—How he got rid of the Cowards—The Night Attack—The Victory—The Pursuit into the High Lands East of the Jordan—Death of the “Raven” and the “ Wolf”—Change in Gideon’s Character,. . . . 191

Chapter XI. Abimelech The Tyrant And Jephthah The Free- Booter

A Tragic Tale—The Fertile Vale of Shechem—Its Conformation and Ancient Landmarks —The Scene of Jotham’s Parable— Other Important Sites—Jephthah’s Home East of the Jordan—A Wild, Rugged Character —How Jephthah Resembles Elijah—'The Wildest of the Arabs —The First Movement of the Freebooter—The Territory of Ammon—The Crisis for which Jephthah was Raised Up—The Brief Campaign Against the Ammonites—The Scene of the World-famous Vow—The Daughter's Fate, . 199

Chapter XII. Samson The Great Humorist

Scene Transferred to the Hill-Country of Dan—Samson a Danite—Character of the Country where he was Reared—The Philistines and their Domain—Whence They Came—How They Surpassed the Israelites in Arts—The Gradual Increase of the Philistines’ Power—Their Use of Horses and Chariots—The Rudeness of the Arts of War Among the Israelites—The Name Palestine Derived from Philistine —The Chief Cities—Their Ruins at the Present Day—Ashkelon, Ekron, Ashdod— The Physical Character of the Philistine Territory,. . .. .. . . 206

Chapter XIII

MICAH AND THE LEVITE—THE WAR OF EXTERMINA- TION ON BENJAMIN—THE PASTORAL OF RUTH.

The Close of the Book of Judges—The Scene of Sacred Story Moves to the Neighborhood of Jerusalem and then to the Extreme North of Pal-

CONTENTS. pe.4)

PAGE, estine— Tell el Kadi, the Mound of the Judge— The Profuse Jordan Spring Found There—Its Waters, Whence Obtained—The Course Taken by the Spies—Their Report—The Capture of Laish and its Fate—Tristam’s Account of the Conquered Region—The Great War of Extermination—The Site of Gibeah—Mizpeh, Whence Named—The Old and the New Place which Bore That Name—The Sacredness of Mizpeh—The Battle which Surged Around that Hallowed Place—The Course of the

Battle—The Structure and Contents of the Book of Ruth, ... . . 212

Chapter XIV. Samuel The Princely

The First Book of Samuel a Real Continuation of Judges—Samuel a True Member of the Line of Men who Judged Israel—Contrast Between Samson and Samuel—The Religious Degeneracy of the Hebrews—The Profligacy of Eli’s Sons a Symptom of the Age—The First Battle With the Philistines— Victory at Eben-ezer—The Ark and its Use During the Battle—The Death of Hophni and Phinehas—Its Effect on Eli—The Ark Passes Into the Hands of the Philistines—They get Rid of It—Another Datigyuitahe ne Riliggites, eeu tee cuile cp) elects ep pee 0c ao og DOL

Chapter XV. Failure Of The Commonwealth—choice Of A ‘king— Saul

Moses’ Policy Precluded Forever the Establishing of a King Over the Jews—Yet he Feared a Degeneracy which should sometime Result in Having a King—Provision Made to This End—Failure of the Commonwealth—Encroachment of the Philistines on the West—Of Arab Barbarians on the East—No Smith in Israel—All Repairing of Tools Done by the Philistines—Feelings of Weakness—Saul’s Search for his Asses— Geographical Difficulties—Unsolved Questions of Location—Across the Jordan to Jabesh-gilead—Its Deliverance—Saul’s Wonderful Alacrity— The Battle at Michmash—Other Advantages which Followed— The Slaughter of Agag—The Rejection of Saml,. . . . 2... . «© 227

Chapter XVI. David And Saul

The Anointing of David—Not Followed by his Immediate Accession to Power—David had a Reputation Even in His Youth—The Rare Qualities Which a Shepherd was Compelled to Have—David’s Additional Accomplishments—His Exploits—The Psalms Written During his Shepherd Life—Saul’s Madness—Similar in Character to That of Theodore the Late Emperor of Abyssinia—The Contest With Goliath—The Geographical

Xxil CONTENTS.

Situation—The Friendship With Jonathan—David Hunted Before Saul —The Refuge Places Where we Find Him—He Even Seeks Shelter Among the Philistines—The Cave of Adullam—Moab—Return to his

PAGE,

Native Heath—Keilah and its Deliverance—Recent Identifications of

David’s’ Haunts— Physical Character of Southern Palestine — David’s Wild, Wretched, Wander-Years—Grand Attack on Saul—The Philistines at Jezreel—The Death of Saul and Jonathan, . é Bera

Chapter XVII. David As King—conquest Of Jerusalem—alli- Ance With Phgnicia

The Career and Misfortunes of Saul’s Son—Site of Mahanaim— The Princely Abner—A State of Anarchy and Civil War—David at Hebron —The Region Around that City—The Change of the Capital—The Nat-

. 237 ural Seat of Government was at Shechem—Zion—Millo—The City of

David—Insignificant Size of the Jerusalem of that Day—Great War with the Philistines—A Speedy and Brilliant Campaign—David’s False Policy Regarding Philistia—The Alliance with the Phoenicians and What it Meant—The Northern Tribes and their Relations with Phenicia— Davidishealacesmerkise deaeeuwbonsscm.cmern ae Mian tac ims tens er ae ear

Chapter XVIII. Removal Of The Ark—military Conquests

The Place where the Ark had Lain for Twenty Years—Its Removal to Gibeah—The Pomp of that Removal—The Twenty-fourth Psalm—The Acme of David’s Career—David’s Conquests—His Eminence as a Poet, Contrasted with his Fame as a Warrior—The Extent of David’s Victories—Campaign Against the Philistines—Mistaken Policy Regarding Them—War Against Moab—Improvement on the Old Carnage of Joshua’s Time—Wrong to Judge the Ethics of the Old Testament by those of the New—War Against the King of Zobah—The Riches Gained by this Campaign—The Frontier Lines as now Drawn by David—Master now of nearly all the “Promised Land”—Petra and its Subjugation—Full Description of Petra from Ritter—Subjugation of Ammon—Size of Palestine Contrasted with that of Other Great Nations of that Age,

Chapter XIX. David’s Sin—absalom’s Revolt

The Fall of David—A Turning-point in His Life—Bathsheba Descried from the Palace—Her Husband a Foreigner—Uriah’s Wonderful Fidelity— David’s Sin must not be Measured by the Standard of Our Day—The Fifty-first Psalm—An Autobiographical Confession—David’s Star on the

. 250

. 268

CONTENTS. XXili Wane—The Story of Absalom Minutely Told in the Bible<Stankeys Account—Absalom’s Beauty—Hastern Family Customs—David’s Love for Absalom—The Flight of the King—The Insults which were Offered Him —Ahithopel’s Counsel— The Psalms which Grew Out of this Event —David in Security East of the Jordan—Death of Absalom—Effect on the: Kine——David’s Retarisn sei-mioh leet tren sh sued) aon cek slate «+, O00

Chapter XX. Closing Events Of David’s Reign—preparations For The Temple

Two Minor Rebellions—David Falls into the Usual Ways of an Oriental

’ Despot—Introduction of a Strict Military Discipline—Heavy Taxes: Laid on the People—The King’s Favorites—Popular Discontent—Sheba’s Rebellion—The Conscription under Joab—The Penalty Laid on David— Pestilence —Its Limits—The Threshing-floor of Araunah—Mount Moriah — David’s Purchase —Its Consecration to a New Use—The Present Aspect of that Threshing-floor— Mosque of Omar— Access to it— The Cavern Beneath the Dome—Adonijah’s Rebellion—David an Old Man—The Royal Succession—Death of David—His Burial— His Depwlehre ai we wee ey aero rauiten tel Roden Wek he: bre/"ees, Por osaaigolh ech si eek O20)

Chapter XXI. Solomon’s Character And Earlier Acts

The Reign of Solomon a Contrast to- that of David—Change in the Public Tastes—Not Much of Shepherd Life Left in the Royal Home—David’s Palace a Simple House Judged.by Solomon’s Standard—Not Altogether an Advance from David’s to Solomon’s Time, but Rather a Fall—No Increase in Faith and Purity—An Epoch of Effeminacy—Solomon a Believer in the Visible—His Life Pitched to a Much Lower Key than that of David—The Influences Around His Youth—His Crafty and Ambitious Mother—The Realm He Found Himself Master of—Its Extent and Boundary Lines—His First Act one of Destruction—His Marriage into the Royal House of Egypt—Mighty Contrast Between Moses’ Time and Solomon’s—The Effect of the Egyptian Alfiance—The Compact with Hiram of Tyre—The Officers of Solomon’s Household, . .. . . . 882

Chapter XXII. Solomon’s Architectural And Other Public Works

The Erection of the Temple—Planned by David, but Executed by Solomon —Relation of Its Size to that of the Tabernacle—The Temple About the Size of a Moderately Large Village Church—Its Divisions—Its Sacred Vessels—The Gold Used in Its Floor and Sides—The Fame of the Edifice

XX1V CONTENTS.

PAGE, —The Foundation Stones Which now Remain—Their Great Size-—Other Remains—Solomon’s Palace—The Armory—The House of the Forest of Lebanon—The Porch of Pillars—Magnificence of all these Structures— Adornment of the Suburbs of Jerusalem—The Pools of Solomon—The Aqueduct—The Fortifications Which He Built—Palmyra—Solomon’s Drain upon the Resources of his Subjects—The Establishment of a Navy in the Red Sea—Trade With Ophir—Where was Ophir—The “Ships of Tarshish”’—The Queen of Sheba—Solomon’s Administration—His NIECE Pen ite eee ee eur onsa toi) ida Oh dite So Georg BEE

Chapter XXIII. The Two Kingdoms—rehoboam And Jeroboam

Change at this Point in the Character of Kings and Chronicles—Crisis at the Close of Solomon’s Reign—Rehoboam Inherits his Father’s Love of Splendor—His Mother—The Council at Shechem—An Abrupt Break— Jeroboam’s Origin—Resemblance Between Jeroboam and the First Napoleon—His Education in Egypt—His Great Deeds—An Egyptian Invasion—Artificiality of Rehoboam’s Character—Extent of the Northern Compared with that of the Southern Kingdom—The Isolation of the Southern Kingdom its best Safeguard—Jeroboam’s. Want of Religion— He Organizes a State Religion for the ‘ Masses”— Philosophy which Underlay the Worship of the Bullock—The Homage Paid to Nature— Apotheosis of Men—No Binding Force in his State Religion—The Doom of the House of Jeroboam—Tumults and Conspiracies—Zimri, and his Seven Days’ Reign—Omri—Abijah—Asa, . . 2... ..... . 861

Chapter XXIV. Ahab And Elijah—jehoshaphat

Ahab Surpasses-even Jeroboam in Wickedness—His Marriage with Jezebel —The Worship of Foreign Images comes in—The Adoration of Baal an Apotheosis of Power—Parallel Between the Ideas of Ancient Idolaters and those Current Among Ourselves—The Brilliant and Festive Character of much of the “Divine Worship” of Our Day—A Falling Away from the Grave and Earnest Spirit of Moses and His Successors—The Character of Jezebel—The Rites She Introduced—Elijah Staris, as it were from the Ground—His Training—His Rough, Wild, Ungracious Ways—Contrast Between Eastern and Western Palestine—Thunder in a Clear Sky—Ahab’s First Rebuke—Suddenness of Elijah’s Moves— Scenes where He Appears—He is Always at Hand when Needed—Hopes that he would Again Visit this Earth—Mendelssohn’s Elijah—War Between Ahab and the King of Syria—The Reign of Ahab Almost Unconnected with that of His Contemporary, Jehoshaphat—The Great Deeds of the Latter King—He Revives the Glories of Solomon, . . . . . . 376

CONTENTS. XXKV

CHAPTER XXvV.

ELISHA AND HIS TIMES.

PAGE, Contrast Between Elisha and Elijah—Mont Blane and Righi—Elisha is

Commonplace Compared with his Predecessor—Yet a Sweet and Benignant Character—Hazael the King of Syria—The Call of Elisha—Strange

_ Affection of Elijah for Elisha—The Going Up from Gilgal to Bethel— Elisha’s Short Hair and the Ridicule it Occasioned—*“ Go Up Thou Bald Head” Explained—A Peaceful Career—Elisha’s Great Kindnesses—The Wonders He Wrought—Elisha is the Master Even of Kings,. . . . . 888

Chapter XXVI. Jehu And His Reign

Encroaching Power of Syria—Combination Thus Enforced Between the Kingdom of Israel and that of Judah—The Syrians Masters of Ramoth-gilead—The City Occupied Temporarily by Jehu—Marriage Alliances— Jehu Appointed King—The Effect of the Tidings on Him—Jehu Hurries to the City of Jezreel—Riding “Like Jehu”—Treachery at Court— Jezebel at the Capital—Death of the Wicked Ce ae s First Acts —The Infamy of Athaliah,. . ..... os 6 8 @ Ohe oe 6 BoB

Chapter XXVII. Downfall Of Israel

A Line of Wicked Kings—The Old Story of Jeroboam Oft Repeated— Jehu Hardly Better than the Rest—Jeroboam the Second—A Period of Crisis and Calamities—Trouble in Syria—Rise of Assyria—The Assyrian Kings—The First Invasion and the Taking of the People of the Northern Kingdom Captive—The Next Blow of the Assyrians—Palestine as Viewed by the Assyrians—Compared with Modern European Nations— A Kingdom Blotted Out—Alleged Modern Discoveries of the Ten Tribes —The Site of Nineveh—The Prophets of the Bible—Their Function as

Chapter XXVIII. The Annals Of Judah—the Good King Hezekiah

The Annals of Judah not so Remarkable for Wicked Kings as those of Israel —Instances of Piety on the Throne—Hezekiah the Most Memorable of | them all—His Life Narrated in Three Different Parts of the Bible—The Book of Isaiah—The Former Assyrian Invasions—The One which Now Occurred—Sennacherib, His Character—The Memorial of Him at Dog River, Near Beyrout—Other Memorials There—The Assyrian Army—

XXV1 CONTENTS.

PAGE, What was Expected—Isaiah’s Description of the Approach—Topographical Worth of His Description—-Siege of Lachish—Its Ruins—Insulting Message of the Assyrian King to Hezekiah—Not Difficult to Take Jerusalem—No Words of Submission—The Plague at Night--Byron’s Lines—-The Danger Passed—A Trace of this Fragment of History Found in Herodotus, 409

Chapter XXIX. The Captivity—nebuchadnezzar

Prevalence in Corruption in Jerusalem and Judah—Josiah+Raised Up to Stem it—Brief Reigns—Kings Carried into Captivity at Babylon—Zedekiah has his Eyes Put Out—Battle of Megiddo—Rivalry of Babylon and Egypt—The Prophecy of Jeremiah—Discovery of the Bible—The Old Faith a Dead Thing—The Approach of the Final Siege of Jerusalem— The Invasion*of Nebuchadnezzar—The Character of this Monarch— Daniel—The Ruins of Babylon—Nebuchadnezzar’s Insanity,. . . . . 421

Chapter XXX. Condition Of The Jews During The Captivity

The Books of Daniel, Ezekiel and Esther—The Grandeur of the Babylonian Monarch—Glimpses of the Jewish People—Their Slavery—The Book of Esther in Special—A Romantic History—Why that Book is Found in the Bible—Objections Considered—Xerxes the Great—Esther Herself— The Great Providence Displayed in the Whole History—Salvation of the Jewish Nation—The Feast of Purim Still Kept by the Jews—Side Lights Thrown Upon Jewish History—Their Prosperity in Babylon—Reluctant to Return—Cyrus—His Shrewdness in Allowing the Jews to Go Back, . 482

Chapter XXXI. The Return From Babylon

The First Colony or Caravan that Returned—View of Jerusalem from the East—A Scene of Desolation—Rebuilding of the Temple—Hindrances Put in the Way;-The Work Sped—Book of Ezra—Nehemiah Goes Up with Another Colony—Ezra’s Work of Reformation—The Effect Felt to the Present Day—Restoration of the Wall—The People had a Mind to Work—Gross Evils Ceased—Synagogue Worship Began—Ceasing of Prophecy——The Editing of the Bible— Malachi—Restoration of the Sabbath—The Reform in Marriage and the Abolishment of Idolatry,. . 440

Chapter XXXII. Palestine After The Captivity

Limitation of the Church Land of the Hebrews to the Hill-country Around Jerusalem—New and Large Relations—Great Extent of the New Empire —By Whom it had been Conquered—The Policy of Cyrus—Egypt the

CONTENTS. XXVil

PAGE,

Ground-work of our Conceptions—Resemblances between the Ruins of Babylon and those of Egypt—Condition of Palestine at this Time—The Character of the Men who Returned from Babylon—What Jerusalem was still to the Jews—The Work of Nehemiah told in Greater Detail—The Men who Followed Nehemiah and Their Work,

Chapter XXXIII. The Land Of The Maccabees

The Empire of Aléxander and the Place of Palestine in it—Changes Going Forward—Alexandria and Egypt—The Ptolemaic Restorations—Extension of the Syro-Grecian Power—Course of Affairs at Jerusalem—The Fidelity of Judas Maccabeeus—A Period of Depression—Hopes of Finding the Dispersed Jews—The Maccabean Kingdom—The Conquest by Rome,

Chapter XXXIV. The Holy Places Of The New Testament

Difference Between the Old and New Testaments in Respect to Geographical Importance—Holy Places Narrated—Bethlehem—Church of Helena —Grotto of the Nativity —Nazareth— Grotto in the Latin Convent — Spring Near the Greek Church—House at Loretto—Jerusalem—Church of the Ascension—Tomb of the Virgin—Garden of Gethsemane—The Cenaculum—Church of the Holy Sepulchre—Rock of Golgotha—Diversity of Sects—The Holy Fire—Travels of St. Paul—Patmos, .

CHAPTER XXXV. HOLY PLACES OF THE NEW TESTAMENT—(Conrinuzp.)

Uniformity of Tradition Regarding the Holy Places—Growth of Legends in Greece and Rome—Different in Jerusalem—The Church of the Ascension—Its Antiquity—The Church Built by Helena—The Cave at Bethlehem—The Mount of Olives—Church of the Virgin—Garden of Gethsemane—Mount Zion—Mosque of the Tomb of David—The Ccenaculum —The Site of the Holy Sepulchre—Hadrian’s Temple—Tomb of Adam— The Wall of Herod—Golgotha—Chapel of the “Invention of the Cross” —Capernaum—The Two Canas—Bethesda—The Travels of St. Paul— The Fastnesses of Asia Minor—The Holy Places of Greece, . .

Chapter XXXVI. Palestine, Its Aspect And Situation

The Highlands of Syria—Lebanon—The Four Rivers of Palestine—The Orontes—The Litany—The Barada—The Jordan—Physical Conformation of Palestine—Seclusion from the rest of the Ancient World—Smallness and Narrow Territory—Central Situation—A Land of Ruins,. . .

. 487

. 608

XXvViil CONTENTS.

Chapter XXXVII. Climate And Scenery Of Palestine

The Land of “Milk and Honey ”—Destruction of Forests—Contrast with the Desert—Contrast with Assyria and Egypt—Variety of Structure and Climate — Palestine a Mountainous Country—Aram—The Views of Sacred History —What Abraham Saw from Bethel—What Balaam Saw from the Hills of Moab—What Moses Saw from Pisgah—What Jesus Saw from the Mount of Temptation—The Fenced Cities—The “High Places ’—Political Divisions and Conquests—Highlands and Lowlands— Distinction Between Palestine and Other Half-civilized Countries—Scenery of Palestine... 0s7 uss st eke o Reomte oes ey ee aA S.

AGE,

Chapter Xxxviii. Natural Productions And Soil Of Palestine

Vegetation of Palestine — Trees —Olives— Cedars of Lebanon—Oaks— Terebinths —Abraham’s Oak—Sacred Trees—Oak of Moreh—Oak of Mamre— Palms — Sycamores — Oleanders— The Wells of Palestine — Springs—Sepulchres—Caves—Legendary Curiosities, . . ... . . 562

Chapter XXXIX. A Comparative Survey Of Syria

The Three Routes into Palestine from the South— Insignificant Size of Palestine—Perpetuation of the Bond which Binds the Jew to his Former Home—Sacredness of Palestine in the Eyes of the Mahometans—Close Connection between the Local Geography of the Holy Land and the Mental Characteristics of the People—The Philosophy which Underlies This—Syria, how Bounded—Palestine’s Position in Relation to the Ancient World—Palestine Viewed in Detail, . . ...... =~. . 585

CHAPTER XL. COMPARATIVE SURVEY OF SYRIA—(Continvep.)

The Barriers of Palestine Sharply Defined—The Country Viewed in its Living Relations—Direction of the Mountain Ranges—Their Parallelism —The Desert Plateau—Caravan Routes—The Sea-coast of Syria—Want of Good Harbors—Diversity Between Eastern and Western Sides of Palestine—The Jordan a Unique River—The Cele-Syrian Valley—The Road Lines of Palestine Run North and South—The Knotted Masses of the Lebanon—The Streams of Palestine—Small Brooks of the South of Palestine—Difference Between Pheenicia and Palestine—Resemblances Between Syria and Persia—Terrace-culture, ...... ... .597

Chapter I. The Haunts And Wanderings Of Abraham

Obscurity of the Opening Chapters of the Bible—Not the Men and Women of To-day—Clearing Up—Abraham a Distinct Character—Ur of the Chaldees— Ur now a Missionary Station of the American Board—Abraham Journeys to Haran—Goes Onward to Damascus—Next Appears at the smiling Plain of Shechem—Then at the Hallowed Shrine of Bethel—Famines, common in those days—Abraham, the Rich Man, divides the whole country with Lot— Abraham gets after all the Best of the Bargain—Invasion of the “ Kings of the East”—Dead Sea Described—Abraham’s Victory over the Chieftains from the Plains of Shinar.

fHHHLE Bible carries us back to the beginning of all ap things, and forward to the end of all things. Yet, ey (Zi) when we read the first chapters of that venerable orate: we feel that we are dealing with events which have not the definiteness and clearness of modern history. We seem to be looking at a landscape partly obscured by mist, and the figures which we see have a weird outline, and do not appear like the men and women of to-day. But after the story of the flood there is at once a clearing up; we seem to be among men of the same race with ourselves, and we enter upon authentic and crystallized history. In Abraham we see a man whose features we can clearly trace, and from him the stream of events flows onward without a break. He is the founder, not alone of the Jewish history, but of all connected and undoubted history. We do not know the world of the first chapters of Genesis sufficiently well to trace the current of those dark and distant times. But we have ‘no such difficulty with Abraham and with all who follow him. At “Ur of the Chaldees,” Abraham’s first home, is then

30 UR OF THE CHALDEES.

the fountain-head to which we resort, in our effort to trace the sacred story, and to read the Bible by the light of its own scenery. The name Chaldea appears to have passed like the sands which the Euphrates carries to the sea, down from the highlands of Armenia to the neighborhood of the Persian gulf. In the oldest parts of the Bible the land of the Chaldees appears to have been near the head-waters of the Euphrates, while at the close of the Old Testament times, it has passed to the tract around Babylon. There have been many debates respecting the situation of ‘Ur of the Chaldees,” and those who like Rawlinson have devoted themselves to studies in the district of the lower Euphrates, have decided that either Warka or Mugheir, great heaps of ruins, was the city whence Abraham migrated. The weight of evidence, turns the scale, in my judgment, in favor of the city now known as Oorfa, near the head-waters of:the Euphrates, and some three or four hundred miles north-east of Palestine. Among the singular retributions of history is this, that the city which stands where Ur once stood, is now a station of the American Board, and the Gospel of Christ, and the story of Abraham’s life are now sent back by a young nation of America to that ancient spot whence Abraham journeyed so long ago, taking with him the worship of a living and spiritual God. The place has always been noted for its profuse spring, and around that spring people have always clustered, and so Ur has never been without a history. In the period of classic Rome it was a large and well-known city called Edessa, and the modern Orfa or Oorfa is not a place without size and architectural adornment.

True to some divine intimation, Abraham, then a young man, took his aged father, and all the family possessions, and journeyed on to Haran. This place lay about twenty miles south of Ur, and was not a place of sufficient attractions to induce him.to tarry long. It has not that profuse and exhaustless supply of water which enriched Ur, his childhood’s home; but it has always been a place of some note in history.

Which occupies the site of “ Ur of the Chaldees.” It is now a station of the American Board.

32 HARAN THE SECOND HOME.

It has been and is a great place of meeting for the caravans journeying from Egypt and Syria to the Euphrates and the Tigris, and the roads which lead to Nineveh and Babylon and Damascus crossed at Haran. When Stephen was uttering his dying speech, he alluded to Abraham’s journey to ‘‘Harran,” as to a place well known to all who heard his words, and not far from the time when Stephen lived and died, this old Haran or Harran had been the scene of Crassus, a Roman general’s defeat. It is therefore one of the clearly determinable landmarks of history. While some debate circles around ‘“ Ur of the Chaldees,” none brings Haran into doubt. ‘True, once in a while, an erratic and wrong-headed man like Dr. Beke, drags it into dispute, but the learned world agree almost to a man that Haran was near the Euphrates, at a point about three hundred and fifty miles north-east of the mountains of Gilead, east of the Jordan.

Leaving the body of his father Terah, Abraham once more journeyed forth. And this time he plunged at once into the desert, and directed his march towards a land distant a week’s weary way, and over a country desolate and barren. It was a great thing to do; to take flocks and herds, and family and servants, and tents, and strike out into that desert, only to enter at last a land held by races of half savage men, from whom he could expect neither welcome nor sympathy. But he obeyed the “call;” he “was not disobedient to the heavenly vision,” and “he went out, not knowing whither he went.” We can not trace him in the various stages of his j journey, but we know that he must have passed by Damascus, for afterwards we find that his steward, his chief servant, was Eliezer of Damascus. That ancient city was built then, at the time of Abraham. Those mountain streams, which were fed by the dissolving snows of Hermon, then as now converted the otherwise arid plain into a garden, and allowed man to turn it into his uses and establish there a city. Damascus is a child of the mountain waters and the sand, united in marriage beneath that fervid Syrian sun.

THE VALLEY AND TOWN OF N

ABLOUS (ANCIENT SHECHEM.) From a drawing by William Tipping, Esq.

84 ABRAHAM AT SHECHEM.

Abraham comes into clear view at that peerless plain of Moreh or Shechem, as it was subsequently called, always one of the fairest scenes in Palestine. On one side towered the frowning Ebal even then, and on the other side, the smiling Gerizim. The plain was as winning then as it is now, and it kindled’ Abraham with such admiration, that he tarried there, and under one of its groves he builded an altar and worshiped his God. He did not come into violent collision with the inhabitants of the place,—his nature was too gentle and peaceful for that,—but he made no long stay there, and still journeyed on toward the south.

His next halting place was hard by a place which had no note then, but which was afterwards in connection with Abraham’s grandson, to become one of the hallowed spots of the world. Near Bethel, between it and the walled city of Hai or Ai, which was afterwards to be one of the first to fall before the victorious arms of Joshua, was a high ridge, on the summit of which Abraham tarried again. He had passed from a rich and smiling valley to the comparatively sterile hill country of Central Palestine. It was not such a spot as the beautiful Moreh or Shechem, which he had left behind; it was not of course desolate and barren as it is in its neglect and misrule to-day, but it was no pleasant, attractive place. It was there that he felt the hard pressure of famine, for Palestine was then as now a land of precarious fortunes, liable to that great scourge, of which we know so little, an almost entire failure of the crops. The world is so bound together now, that the want of one region is at once and without observation, compensated by the increased supply of some other region, and so we know little or nothing of suffering from famine. But it was not so in the past, nor is it so now ih lands out of the regular march of civilization. In those ancient days, Egypt was the one unfailing source of supply. Its certain inundation gave it every year just that amount of virgin soil, and its never failing waters secured it that kind of irrigation which made the crops as sure as the return of the

THE RIVER NILE UNDER ITS USUAL APPEARANCE, A sketch giving a picture of an oriental landscane.

s

36 DIVIDES WITH LOT.

year, and all the lands on the north-east, east, and west of Egypt, Palestine, Arabia Petrzea and Libya, looked to Egypt for bread when their own supplies failed. And so when on those uplands near Bethel where Abraham had built another altar, the crops gave no return, he took his flocks and herds and household and went down into the Nile country. Remaining there till the famine was past, he returned to the neighborhood of Bethel.