Jerusalem — Hebron

“Then said I, Whither goest thou? And he said unto me, To measure Jerusalem, to see what is the breadth thereof, and what is the length thereof.” — Zech. ii. 2.

Our camels kneeled down in the open space within the gate of Jerusalem, and we rested for a short time while Ibraim sought out the residence of Mr. Young, the British Consul, to whom we had letters of introduction. He soon returned to say that the Consul was waiting for us, and would procure a lodging in part of an unoccupied house near the Latin Convent. Our camels and servants moved slowly away to their place of destination, and we followed Ibraim down the steep and slippery street opposite the Jaffa Gate. In a few minutes we were at the house of Mr. Young, who received us with the greatest kindness. He told us the general state of matters in Jerusalem. The plague had not yet left the town, but the number of cases was decreasing: and there was no cordon drawn round the walls as had lately been the case. He strongly recommended us not to encamp on the Mount of Olives, as we had proposed, but to live in the town, and use the ordinary precautions of touching nobody in the streets, and receiving all articles of food through water. He then introduced us to two travellers just returned from Petra by the way of Hebron, Lord Claud Hamilton and Mr. Lyttleton. The former was not a little surprised to meet in Jerusalem with Dr. Black, whom he had known in former days as a laborious student and theologian, and unassuming minister in the parish of Tarvis in Aberdeenshire.

Two large apartments were assigned to us on Mount Acra, floored with stone, with a pleasant open space on the roof between them.

Worn out with incessant travelling, we were thankful to retire, that we might refresh our’weary frames and compos* our minds, which were not a little bewildered by the multitude of feelings that had passed through them this day. We had not rested long when Mr. Nicolayson, Missionary of the London Society for the Conversion of the Jews, called to welcome us to the Holy City, as brethren and friends of Israel, He staid a considerable time with us, talking over our journey, the object of our visit, his own sphere of labour and hopes of success, and many matters regarding the spot where we now were. It was a desultory but pleasant conversation, a conversation about the people and land of Israel while really sitting in their ancient capital. Lord Hamilton called in the evening, and told us much of what he had seen in Petra, and the land of Egypt. When the darkness came down we heard the wailings of mourners over some dead friend, a peculiarly melancholy sound at all times, but doubly so while the plague is raging. Yet we never heard any more joyful sound in the streets of Jerusalem — so true is the prophetic word, “I will cause all her mirth to cease.” *

It was with feelings that can be better imagined than described, that for the first time in our liveswithin the gates of Jerusalem, we committed ourselves and those dear to us, our Church, and the blessed cause in which she had sent us forth, to the care of Him who sits as a King upon the holy hill of Zion. We are not aware that any clergyman of the Church of Scotland was ever privileged to visit the Holy City before, and now that four of us had been brought thus far by the good hand of our God upon us, we trusted that it might be a token for good, and perhaps the dawn of a brighter day on our beloved Church, a day of generous setf-denied exertion in behalf of scattered Israel and a perishing world.

(Saturday, June 8.) We had spread our mats on the cool stone-floor, hoping for a night of calm repose, but our rest was broken and uncomfortable in the extreme, our rooms being infested with vermin, a kind of trial which travellers in the East must make up their mind frequently to undergo. All our annoyance, however, was forgot by sunrise. We rose early, and finding the road to the Jaffa Gate, went a little way out of the city and sat down under an olive-tree. We turned to Psalm xlviii,” Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness. Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is Mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the

* Hosea. ii. 1 1.

great King. God is known in her palaces for a refuge.” * Reading this with the eye upon Jerusalem, the scenes of former “days seemed to rise up as a flood. We could imagine holy prophets and men of God in these fields and within these walls. The vivid associations of the place, with all our Bible readings and hours of holy study, made it appear like a spot where we had once met with beloved and honoured friends, whose absence spreads a sadness over all. We read part of Lamentations, and could feel sympathy with the prophet when he cried, “How hath the Lord covered the daughter of Zion with a cloud in his anger, and cast down from heaven imto the earth the beauty of Israel.” “He hath swallowed up Israel; he hath swallowed up all her palaces!”t

In the forenoon, Mr. Nicolayson kindly insisted on our removing from our house on Mount Acra, to one of the Mission-houses upon the northern brow of Mount Zion. Mr. Pieritz and Dr. Gertsmann, the medical missionary, being from home, we were put in possession of their comfortable rooms, with an outer one for our two Arab servants. In this house, one of our windows opened toward the east, having a fine view of the dome of the Mosque of Omar, which rises over the site of Solomon’s Temple, and beyond it was the Mount of Olives. That ever-memorable hill, with its three summits, its white limestone rocks appearing here and there, and its wide bosom still sprinkled over with the olive-tree, was the object on which our eye rested every morning as we rose, an object well fitted to call to mind the words of Jesus spoken there, “Watch ye, therefore, for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cock-crowing, or in the morning.”! Toward the west, the object that first met our eye used to be a solitary palm-tree, growing amidst a heap of ruins, and waving its branches over them, as if pointing to the fulfilment of the prophecy, “Jerusalem shall become heaps.”5

The site of the proposed Hebrew church was not far off. It is close to Mr, Nicolayson’s own house. At that time the foundations were only digging, and builders were preparing the stones, which we saw camels carrying into town. We were told that they were brought from a quarry a few miles north of Jerusalem, near a village called Anata, the ancient Anathoth, whei’e Jere-

* Ps. xlviii. 1, 2, 3. t Lam. ii. 1, 5.

t Mark xiii. 35. $ Mic. iii. 12.

13U JERUSALEM — PROPHECY — JEWS.

miah was born. In seeking a solid foundation they had dug down about forty feet, and had not yet come to rock. They laid bare heap after heap of rubbish and ancient stones.* It is a remarkable fact, which cannot but strike the traveller, that not only on Mount Zion, but in many parts of the city, the modern town is really built on the rubbish of the old. The heaps of ancient Jerusalem are still remaining; indurated masses of stones and rubbish forty and tifly feet deep in many places. Truly the prophets spoke with a divine accuracy when they said, “Jerusalem shall become heaps.”! “I will make Jerusalem heaps.”]: And if so, shall not the futui-e restoration foretold by the same lips be equally literal and fuin “The city shall be builded upon her own heap.” J The fact that these heaps of ruins are of so great depth, suggested to us a literal interpretation of the words of Jeremiah, “Her gates are sunk into the ground.” The ancient gates mentioned by Nehemiahli are no longer to be found, and it is quite possible that several of them may be literally buried below the feet of the inquiring traveller.

During the day we began inquiries after the Jews in their own land. We were told that the plague prevailed most of all in their quarter, and that we must be very cautious in visiting their houses. Meanwhile Mr. Nicolayson afforded us every information. The difficulties in the way of the conversion of the Jews are certainly greater in Palestine than elsewhere. The chief of these difficulties are, 1. That Jerusalem is the stronghold of Rabbinism; the Jews here being all strict Rabbinists, and, as might be expected, superstitious in the extreme. 2. A Missionary has fewer points of contact with the Jews here than in other countries. He cannot reach them through the press, nor address them in large assemblies; his work must be carried on entirely by personal intercourse, so that it is like wrenching out the stones of a building one by one. 3. The opposition to an inquir-

* They have since reached the old foundations (Isa. lviii. 12), after digging lit’ty feet. See Mr. Nicolayson’s letter in the Jewish Intelligence for April 1840. It is a striking fact, that the foundations of Jerusalem should be thus hid in the ground, when we contrast it with the case of Samaria, of which it was foretold, “I will discover the foundations thereof” (Mic. i. 6.) Here is the accurate minuteness and distinguishing definiteness of the God of truth, who can point his finger to one apot and say, “It shall be thus with thee;” and turn to another spot and say in equal sovereignty, “It shall be otherwise with thee!”

t Mic. iii. 12. t Jer. ix. 11. $ Jer. xx.x. 18.

II Lam. ii. 9. H Nehcni. iii-Ing or converted Jew is here much greater than in any other country, for it is regarded as a very awful calamity that any one shouJd become an apostate in the Holy City. 4. All the Jews in the Holy Land are more or less dependent on pecuniary supplies annually sent from Europe. But the moment any one is known to be inquiring after Christ, he is cut off from all share in this fund, and is thrown utterly destitute.

Schools for Jewish children have never been established in Jerusalem; and, in the present state of things, it seems impossible that they could succeed; for there are not here, as in Poland and Germany, any worldly inducements to prevail with Jews to send their children to be educated; there being no situations of wealth or distinction open to their young men, which might tempt them to accept of a liberal education for their youth. The London Society have entertained the plan of instituting a school for converts, in which many branches of general knowledge would be taught, and this might perhaps allure some of their brethren to attend.

In regard to Missionaries, a converted Jew is in some respects a better missionary than a Gentile. It is true he meets with greater opposition in the first instance, but in process of time, the fact of his change never fails to make an impression on his brethren, provided they see in him consistency of temper, character, and life. A Jew will indeed listen more readily to a Gentile Christian, and show him more respect; but then he listens more carelessly and thinks less of what is said, because he thinks it natural for a Gentile so to speak. A Gentile missionary again, has the advantage of more ready access to the Jews, being regarded with far less prejudice; but a Jewish convert is more efficient where confidence is once established. Perhaps the true principle in missions to the Jews, is to unite both Jewish and Gentile labourers in the same field.

The importance of erecting a church on Mount Zion, where Protestant worship might be maintained in its purity, is that it may open the eyes of the Jews to see what true Christianity is. At present, they justly regard the Greek and Romish churches as idolatrous and licentious in the extreme, and believe the English to be Neologians or Infidels, without any religion.

“Thet%ope of Messiah’s coming is strong in the hearts of many Jews here. Many believed that it would be in the year 1840, as that was the end of a period fixed in the book of Zohar; and some said that if they were disappointed in that year, they would turn Christians; but this is a mere saying, for they have often declared the same before, and when the time came have found out excuses for Messiah’s delay.

The fiict that Palestine is the stronghold of Rabbinism appears to be a sufficient reason why Christians should direct their most vigorous efforts to send the light of the gospel among the Jews of this land. There have been many tokens for good and encouraging appearances of late years among the Jews at Jerusalem. Their wretched, condition in the city where their fathers ruled, loudly calls for sympathy. They are poor and despised, and sadly divided among themselves. The Consul told us of a Jew who last week was beaten till he died, by order of the Governor. He was not proven to be guilty of the offence laid to his charge, and was not in reality guilty, yet there was none to plead his cause, or avenge his murder.

In the cool of the evening we enjoyed our first walk about Jerusalem, Mrs. Nicolayson accompanying us upon her donkey. Passing by the Armenian Convent, which appeared to be the largest and most substantial in the city, surrounded with a pleasant garden, we went out at the Zion Gate, the only gate now open on the southern wall of the town, and ca’me out upon the open summit of Mount Zion, for one-half of that hill is now outside of the walls. A gloomy ill-shaped building near the gate is an Armeniant Convent, enclosing what is called by the monks the House of Caiaphas; and nearer the southern brow is a small mosque covering the tomb of David. The minarets of this mosque, and that on the Mount of Olives, were both destroyed by an earthquake a few years ago. There is a prevailing and much-credited tradition, that within that building is the very tomb of which Peter said in his sermon, “His sepulchre is with us unto this day.”*

These are the only prominent buildings upon the unwalled part of Zion. Leaving them on the left, we wandered among the fiat tombstones of the Greeks and Latins. The graves of some of the American missionaries were pointed out to us, and also a small spot of ground which they have purchased and enclosed as a burying-place, though we were told that they were still uncertain whether they would be permitted to bury in ttyfe the Moslems had found out that the shadow of David’s mosque fell upon it at certain hours of the day. * Acts ii. 29.

Zion is truly desolate The only fortified building upon it is the Castle of David, erected on the site of the tower of Hippicus, within the walls, and close by the Jaffa Gate. This alone of all the bulwarks of former days still remains, so that when we obeyed the command, “Walk about Zion, and go round about her; tell the towers thereof,” * we saw in the very absence of all her towers and fortresses the force of the words, “They that trust in the Lord shall be as Mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever.” f Full trust in the Lord our Righteousness, apart firom all human helps and additions, estabhshes the soul firm as the hill of Zion, firmer far than all its bulwarks and palaces, which are now swept away as if they had never been.

Approaching nearer to the brow of the hill, we found ourselves in the midst of a large field of barley. The crop was very thin, and the stalks very small, but no sight could be more interesting to us. We plucked some of the ears to carry home with us, as proofs addressed to the eye that God had fulfilled his true and faithful word, “Therefore shall Zion for your sake be ploughed as a field.” The palaces, the towers, the whole mass of warlike defences, have given way before the word of the Lord, and a crop of barley waves to the passing breeze instead of the banner of war. On the steep sides of the hiU, we aflerwards found flourishing cauliflowers ar-I’anged in fbrrows, which had evidently been made by the plough; so that this important prophecy, twice recorded,5 is most fully accomplished.

From the southern verge of Zion, we looked down into the valley of Hinnom, still called Wady Jehennam, which lies nearly due east and west. It appeared very deep, the opposite side rocky and precipitous, and the bosom of it filled with shady olive-trees. Here Manasseh caused his children to pass through the fire to Moloch; II and here Jeremiah uttered that dreadful prophecy, “This place shall no more be called Tophet, nor the valley of the son of Hinnom, but the valley of Slaughter.”!! From the awful wickedness committed in this valley,

* Ps. xlviji. 12.

t Ps. cxxv. 1. The force of this verse is evidently misunderstood when appUed to the fortress, as done by Buchanan, — “Sionis arcem non aqiiilo impotcns Saxo sedentem perpetuo quatit” t Mic. iii. 12. $ Jer. xxvi. 18. Mic. iii. 12.

II 2 Chron. x.vxiii. 6. IT Jer. xix. 0.

perhaps as much as from the Satanic fires kindled in it, the name came to signify the place of eternal sin anc* woe. To us it appeared a pleasant shady valley, but in other days, when the precipitous sides were planted with thick trees, it may have been gloomy enough.

Instead of descending into it, we turned and went down the steep western side of Zion into the valley of Gihon, which lies nearly north and south on the west iide of Jerusalem, to examine the upper and lower Pools of Gihon, We came first to the lower pool,* and, standing on the edge, were surprised at the vast size of the basin, which is by far the largest reservoir of the Holy City, though it is much dilapidated and perfectly dry. It is formed in a very simple manner, by throwing a massy wall across the lower end of the valley. This wall answers the purpose of a bridge, which is crossed in going to Bethlehem. There is a neat fountain at the middle of it, to refresh the traveller, with an Arabic inscription; but we found no water in it. The stones of this wall are closely cemented, and the work is evidently ancient. There are also the remains of a wall at the upper end, and on both sides. The bottom of the pool is merely the natural bed of the valley, and is bare and rocky. On one of the ledges of the rock beneath us, sat two men beating out corn with a staff; which is used instead of our flail, and is referred to by Isaiah, “The fitches are beaten out with a staff, and the cummin with a rod.” f The measurements of the pool are as follows: —

Length on west side,.., 616 feet

on east side,.. 584 ...

Breadth at north end,.. 245 ...

at south end,.. 264 ...

Depth about.... 40 ...

We proceeded up the valley as far as under the Jaffa Gate, and then to the north-west, till we came upon the conduit or rude aqueduct of the upper pool, out of wMch a flock were satisfying their thirst, and shortly after to the upper pool of Gihon itself The walls of this pool are in a much more perfect condition than those of the lower pool, the strong walls being unbroken, the cement still remaining, and the steps mto it from the corners nearly entire. It was about half-full of pure water. We spent some time here, and plucked leaves fi-om a large Botin or Terebinth tree, which grows close by.

* Isa. xxii. 9. t Isa. xxviii. 27.

t The hSn of Scripture.

It was here that Solomon was anointed king; and these valleys were once made to resound with the cry, God save King Solomon.* This is the spot also where the prophet Isaiah stood with his son Shear-jashub, the type of returning Israel. “Go forth now to meet Ahaz, thou and Sliear-jashub thy son, at the end of the conduit of the upper pool, in the highway of the fuller’s field.”t The conduit here spoken of is no doubt the same as that mentioned above, which now conducts the water from the pool into the city; and we were told that it carries the water into Hezekiah’s pool, a large tank upon Mounf Acra, at the back of the Consul’s house, which we after wards saw. “The end of the conduit” must be the place where it first appears above ground, so that the high way to the fuller’s field probably passed that spot. Beside the same pool where Solomon had been anointed king, did the venerable Prophet stand and tell Israel of their coming King and Saviour, “Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.”J

It is interesting also to remark, that it was here Rabshakeh, the Assyrian captain, stood at the head of a grea< army, and reproached the Uving God.§ And it was from this point, that he cried in the Jews’ language to the men that sat upon the wall, a fact which goes to prove, that the wall of Jerusalem must have extended much farther to the north-west than it does at present.

As we took the dimensions of this pool, the scenery of Zechariah H was recalled, the measuring of the ancient places of Jerusalem being now to us a matter of deepest interest. The measurements were these: —

Length on north side,.. 318 feet

on south side,... 315 ...

Breadth on west side,.. 150 ...

on east side,... 218 ...

Depth IS or 20 ...

Around the pool is a burying-place for the Mahometan dead, whei’e tombs were lying broken and scattered about in a most desolate manner. From the rising ground near, we got a view of the plain or valley of Rephaim, lying south-west of the city, and which is still so fertile, that we were assured it is capable of yielding three crops in the year. To this fertility the prophet Isaiah refers. He says,” The glory of Jacob shall be made

* 1 Kings i. 38. 39. t Isa. vii. 3. Isa. vii. 14.

§ Isa. xxxvi. 2, 13. II Zech. ii. 2.

thin,” and shall be no more like the rich waving fields of Rephaim, but only like its gleanings; “it shall “be as he that gathereth ears in the valley of Rephaim.” *

In this plain, too, David twice defeated the Philistines, who had penetrated as near as this to the royal city ;t and somewhere not far off was Baal-perazim, where the heat of the conflict was greatest, — the type of a yet more terrible conflict in the latter days, when “the Lord shall rrise up as in Mount Perazim.”J

By the help of Mr. Nicolayson, we now attempted to trace the probable extent of ancient Jerusalem upon the north. There is room for a great city on the elevated ground to the north of the present wall, and there can be little doubt that the Bezetha of Josephus, which Agrippa enclosed with a third waU of great strength, occupied a vast range of that district. It now consists of cultivated fields and oUve plantations: but remains of ruins are visible in many parts of it. When the wall of the city was thus stretched out to the north, and included the whole of Mount Zion on the south, it is not very difficult to understand how Jerusalem could contain the millions who are said to have been sometimes gathered into it. In the distant north, we could see the hill Scopus which encloses Jerusalem on the north, where Titus first encamped when he came to besiege Jerusalem, “from whence the city began already to be seen, and a splendid view was obtained of the great temple” (ro rov vaov fttyi^Ooi i»cXa;<7rpoi’).5 We rctumcd by the Cave of Jeremiah, a grotto cut in the rock almost due north of the Damascus Gate, lying in the road from Anathoth, his native village, and where tradition says he wrote the Book of Lamentations. We reached our dwelling a little before the city gates were closed for the night.

We thought with joy of the Sabbath that was now drawing on — a Sabbath in Jerusalem. It seemed to us a wonderful privilege to be allowed to worship in the very city where Immanuel died, and where his living voice was so often heard, calling upon Jerusalem sinners, in accents of more than human tenderness, “How often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not.”l|

(Sabbath, June 9.) The morning seemed the dawn of

* Isa. xvii. 5. t 2 Sam. v. 17 — 25. t Isa. xxviii. 21.

$ Josephus, V. 2, 3. II Matt, xxiii. 37.

some peculiar season, from the thought that we were in Jerusalem. We sung together in our morning worship, Psalm IxTcxiv. 1 — 4, ‘’’How lovely is thy dwelling-place.” At ten o’clock, according to agreement, we met in Mr. Young’s house, where divine service was at that time conducted. It was an upper room; that being generally the situation of the largest and most airy apartments in the East, and also farthest removed from the noise and bustle of the street.* Here was gathered together a little assembly of fourteen or fifteen souls to worship according to the Scriptures. How difierent from the time when in the same city “the number of the men that believed was about five thousand!” After JNIr. Nicolayson had gone through the service of the liturgy, Dr. Black preached on Isaiah ii. 1 — 5. It was very pleasant thus to mingle our services, and to forget the differences between our churches in the place where Jesus died, and the Holy Spirit was given. On our way back to our lodging, we had to pass through a small part of the Bazaar. Here all was going on as on other days, and we were forcibly reminded that “Jerusalem is trodden down of the Gentiles.”!

Having rested till the noon-day heat was past, we went at four o’clock to the house of one Simeon, a converted Jew, where Mr. Nicolayson went through the evening service of the liturgy in German, and preached on Hebrews xii. 5, 6. At five in the evening, we assembled again in the upper room, when Dr. Keith conducted the service in our own Presbyterian form, and preached from I Kings xviii. 21. All these exercises were very solemn and reviving; yet still we frequently felt throughout the day that it is not in the power of the place itself, however sacred, to enlighten and refresh a sinner’s soul. Compassed about as we were on every side with the memorials of the Saviour’s work, our eyes gazing on the Mount of Olives, our feet standing on the holy hill of Zion, we felt that there was still as much need as ever that “the Spirit should take of the things of Christ and shew them unto us,” as he himself declared when sitting with his disciples in such an upper room as this in Jerusalem. “The glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ,”]; is not an object within the compass of the natural eye. Associations of place and time cannot open the eye to see it; though such associations as those with which we

* Mark xiv. 15. t Luke xxi. 21. t -i Cor. iv. 6.

were now surrounded soften the mind, and suggest the wish to comprehend what “God manifest in liesh” revealed. Even were Christ already “reigning in Jerusalem, and before his ancients gloriously,” nothing less than heavenly eye-salve would enable us to say, “We beheld his glory!”

The temperature this day was remarkably mild. We could almost compare it to one of the hottest summer days at home. From its elevated situation, Jerusalem is visited by pleasant breezes, which must add greatly to the salubrity of the climate.*

(June 10.) We met with Lord Claud Hanilton this morning, and obtained from him some information regarding Petra and Sinai. He believes that the place shown as that where Moses prayed while Joshua fought with Amalek in the valley, may be the precise spot.” It commands a complete view of the valley, and of every object in it. The rock said to be that out of which the water gushed is a very remarkable one. In Upper Egypt he saw a mustard-tree higher than he could reach, and its stem as thick as his arm; illustrating the parable of the mustard-seed.f

In the forenoon, we went to the Consul’s house, and met with a Bedouin chief who had come to accompany Lord Hamilton to Amnion and Jerash on the other side of the Jordan. He was a genuine son of Ishmael, possessing a commanding figure, with dark and striking features. He wore the yellow shawl of the Bedouins over his head, fastened on by two circles of a rope made of camel’s hair. His arm was bare up to the elbow, and the motions of his hands and features were graceful and expressive. Dr. Keith tried to ascertain from him the fact of porcupines being found in Petra; he asked him what the kanfud was, when the Bedouin immediately imitated the cry it uttered, and, on being shown a porcupine quill, at once recognised it as belonging to the kangfud. He exacted the sum of 10/. from the travellers, simply for the favour of giving them a safe conduct through the country of the Bedouins.

In the Consul’s house, we saw a tame gazelle, gentle and timid, with bright black eyes. Mr. Nicolayson’s two little girls had another. So that they are still known” to

* “On a line drawn from the north end of the Dead Sea towards the due west, the ridge has an elevation of 2500 Paris feet; and here, close upon the water-shed, lies the city of Jerusalem.” — RoUmon, vol. i. p 381

t Matt. xiii. 31. X See p. 54.

the daughters of Jer-usalem” as in Solomon’s days, “I charge you, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, by the gazelles, and by the hinds of the field.”* We saw also a very tall and beautiful lily, perhaps such a one as our Lord pointed to when he said, “Consider the lilies how they grow.” t

We this day visited the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, believed by so many to cover the very spot of Calvary where our Lord was crucified and buried, — a visit which awakened in our minds only feelings painful and revolting. The descriptions of this place commonly given in books of travels are perfectly accurate, and indeed the wonder is that the writers should have been so careful in describing what no serious mind can regard but as “lying wonders.” The church is not remarkable for elegance or beauty, and the pictures, with a few exceptions are far from being of the first order. In the centre stands a marble house enclosing the sepulchre. We entered and examined the sarcophagus, which is of white marble. Even the monks seemed to be a great deal more taken up with the silver lamps hung over it than with the tomb itself We were then led to a flat stone of reddish marble, on which, say the monks, the Saviour’s body was anointed. With lighted tapers we descended to a damp dark place, where Helena is said to have found the three crosses. The rock of Calvary, so called by the monks, is only a few paces from the sepulchre. Ascending some twenty steps into a small chapel, the guide lifted up a gilded star in the floor, and showed what is called the hole in the rock where the cross was fixed. In a dark chapel underneath lighted by a single lamp, he pointed to the well-known fissure in the rock, pretended to be the rent that was made when Jesus died. We had little patience to go round all the spots accounted sacred under the roof of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre; and each of us felt the blush of honest indignation rising in our face at the mingled folly and profanity of the whole scene. To do the monks justice, they seemed to have as little feeling of reverence toward the holy place as we could possibly have, and Ibraim, our Arali servant who accompanied us, was fully as deeply impressed as any of the party. The fissure in the rock, and the tombs of Joseph and Nicodemus (so called,) situated in a dark chapel behind the marble sepulchre, were the only objects which peculiarly drew our attention, both being in the * Song ii. 7. niKas + Luke xii. 27 natural rock. As for the rest, if Calvary was really with in these walls, then truly Popery has contrived to hide the place where the Redeemer died, as completely as she has done the person of the Redeemer himself. The simple work of Immanuel, in its essential native glory, is an idea far beyond the reach of Popery — or perhaps it is perceived, but on account of its mnate power, is studiously hid. “The god of this world hath blinded their minds, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.”

On the supposition that this spot is Calvary, the only probable reason that can be given for its being so near the city itself is, that “the place of a skull” was a sort of trench, by the walls, where criminals were executed. But the longer we remained in the Holy City, the more we were convinced that tills is not the true site of Calvary. We are told expressly in Scripture that “.Tesus suffered without the gate.” * And also, that “the place where he was crucifie’d was nigh to the city.” f But the site of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre is a long way within the walls of Jerusalem. We cannot believe that the ancient city was narrower or smaller in any way than the present Jerusalem. On the contrary, there is reason to believe that it was much more extensive. From the church, along the Via Dolorosa, to the western enclosure of the Mosque of Omar, is but a five minutes’ walk, and yet this must have been the whole breadth of the city, if the present Calvary was without the gate. How contrary is this to the description given by the Psalmist, “Jerusalem is buOded as a city that is compact together.”

On the whole we found it a relief to our minds to rest in the conclusion that the cleft rock and the holy sepulchre of the monks, have as little to do with the place where Jesus died, and the rocky tomb in the garden where they laid him, as the polished marbles and gaudy lamps by which the place is disfigured. 5

There is no tradition which may lead the mind to any other spot as the site of Calvary. It struck us forcibly

* Heb. .xiii. 12. t John xix. 20. t Ps. cxxii. 3.

§ It gave us unfeigned pleasure to hear from Professor Robinson, whom we afterwards met in Berlin, that he had dehberately arrived at the same conclusion. The clear and able statement of the argiunents against the present site of Calvary deduced from tlte topography and history of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Professor Robinson’s work (vol. ii. p. 64,) may justly be regarded as a final settlement of this long agitated question.

iMODRNERS — MOUNT MORIAH. 141

that some place among the tombs on the high ground above Gihon, was far more Ukely to have been the real situation. We could then understand how “Jesus bearing his cross 10 ent forth into a place called the place of a skull,” and “suffered without the gate.” There would be room for the “garden,” and the new sepulchre of Joseph might well be hewn out of its rocks. — But it is wisely ordered that a cloud of oblivion should rest over the spot where Immanuei died, and there is something pleasing to the mind in reflecting, that the turf that was stained with his blood, and the rocky tomb where he lay, are left unprofaned by the followers of a blind and wicked superstition.

This afternoon we heard again the wailing of mourners; some Arab had died, and his friends were lamenting him. How graphic is the description of this scene given by Solomon, “Man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets.” * The cry, “Allah, Allah,” and many similar exclamations, were mingled with the loud wailing, and the sound of instruments of music filled up the measure of confusion. We remembered the faithful description of this given in the gospel narrative, “when Jesus came into the ruler’s house, and saw the minstrels and the people making a noise.” f

In the cool of the day we enjoyed a delightful ride to the Moimt of Olives. Mounted on hardy Syrian horses of very small stature, we rode out at the Jaffa Gate. Here we saw the reapers busy cutting down barley in the valley of Gihon. Turning to the right we went round the northern wall of the city. The road is rough and in some parts difficult. Often the bare rock appears, and the way was covered with loose stones. It is made entirely by the feet of the animals that pass along it; and there is not so much as one road about Jerusalem upon ls;hich a wheeled carriage could run. Coming to the north-east corner of the walls, the valley of Jehoshaphat opened to our view, and the Mount of Olives across the valley appeared very beautiful, having much more variety of rocks, gardens, olive-yards, fig-trees, and patches of grain upon its sides, than we had expected to find. We now turned due south, riding still under the city wall, which is farther from the brow of the hill than we anticipated. In one point only, namely the S. E. corner, does the wall stand on the immediate brink of the valley, in other parts it is forty or fifty yards

* Eccl. xii. Tj. t Matt. .x. 23.

from the edge. Before reaching St. Stephen’s Gate, we came upon a small reservoir half full of water, in which an Arab was bathing. We could not learn its name or history. Near this stands the monument of St. Stephen, where he is said to have been stoned, and the gate called by his name is said to be that out of which they hurried him when “they cast him out of the city.” * We descended the steep side of Mount Moriah by the footpath leading from St. Stephen’s Gate, and crossed the dry bed of the Kedron by a small bridge. The path here widens out to a considerable breadth for about fifty yards, and then separates into two, the one leading directly up the face of the Mount of Olives, the otherwinding gently round the southern brow of the hill. Both of these footpaths lead to Bethany, and between them lies a square plot of gromid enclosed with a rough stone wall, and having eight very large old olive-trees.f This is believed to be Gethsemane. We stayed only to glance at it, for it needs to be visited in quiet and stillness; and choosing the path that leads straight up the hill, urged our little palfi-eys up the steep ascent. Mount Olivet was far from being a solitude this evening. One turbaned figure after another met us, and, to add to the interest of the scene, we recognised them by their features to be Jews. At one point we came upon a small company of Jev.’esses, not veiled like the Moslem ladies, but all dressed in their best attire. The reason of this unwonted stir among the solitudes of Olivet was, that Sir Moses Montefiore from London, who had come on a visit of love to his brethren in the Holy Land, had arrived at Jerusalem, and his tent was now pitched on one of the eminences of the hill. Multitudes of the Jews went out daily to lay their petitions before him.

We often halted during the ascent, and turned round to view the city lying at our feet, the deep valley of Jehoshaphat, and the surrounding hills. By far the finest and most affecting views of Jerusalem are to be obtained from some of these points. In a little after we came to the eminence where Sir Moses Montefiore had

* Acts vii. 58.

t Chateaubriand’s argument regarding the age of the olive-trees in Gethsemane is curious. He argues that they must be at least as old as the Eastern Empire, because the Turks, at the conquest, laid a tax of one medhie on every olive-tree then growing, while every olive-tree planted since that time is taxed at half its produce Now, he states, that the eight olive-trees of Gethsemane were charged only the one medine each.

pitched his tents. He had fixed a cord round the tents at a little distance, that he might keep himself in quarantine On the outside of this, a crowd of about twenty or thirty Jews were collected, spreading out their petitions before him. Some were getting money for themselves, some for their friends, some for the purposes of religion. It was an interesting scene, and called up to our minds the events of other days, when Israel were not strangers in their own land. Sir Moses and his lady received us with great kindness, and we were served with cake and wine. He conversed fi-eely on the state of the land, the miseries of the Jews, and the fulfilment of prophecy. He said that the Bible was the best guide-book in “the Holy Land; and with much feeling remarked, that, sitting on this very place, within sight of Mount Moriah, he had read Solomon’s prayer* over and over again. He told us that he had been at Saphet and Tiberias, and that there were 1500 Jews in the latter town, and more in the former; but they were in a very wretched condition, for first they had been robbed by the Arabs, then they suffered from the earthquake, and now they were plundered by the Druses. When Dr. Keith suggested that they might be employed in mailing roads through the land, as materials were abundant, and that it might be the beginning of the fulfilment of the prophecy, “Prepare ye the way of the people; cast up the highway, gather out the stones;”t Sir Moses acknowledged thelDenefit that would attend the making of roads, but feai-ed that they would not be permitted. He seemed truly interested in the temporal good of his brethren, and intent upon employing their young people in the cultivation of the vine, the olive, and the mulberry. We explained to him the object of our visit to this land, and assured him that the Church of Scotland would rejoice in any amelioration he might effect in the temporal condition of Israel.

Taking leave, we proceeded to the summitj through a plantation of fig-trees. From this the view on all sides is splendid and interesting in the extreme, but it was too near sunset to allow us to exhaust it. Looking to the north-west, the eye falls upon Naby-Samuel, believed by most travellers to be Ramah where Samuel was born,

* 1 Kincs viii. t Isa. lx:i. 10.

t The elevation of the central peak of the Mount of Olives above the sea, is given by Schubert at 2556 Paris feet, or 416 Paris feet above the ‘aUey of Jehoshaphat. Hence it appears to be 175 Paris feet higher than the highest point of Zion. — Robinson, vol. i- p. 106.

but by others Mizpeh, the rallying place of Israel.* It seems to be five or six miles distant, and forms one of the highest points of the landscape, crowned with a mosque which always catches the eye in the northern view. To the east and south-east, over the summits of a range of bare and rugged mountains, we looked down upon the Dead Sea, of aTdeep blue colour. The air was so clear, and every thing seen so distinctly, that our lirst momentary impression was, that we could ride dcnvn to it before nightfall; though in i-eality a long and difficult day’s journey lay between. Beyond it the range of Abarim, the brown barren mountains of Moab, rise steep and high, and bound the prospect. Over a dark rugged chain of hills between us and Jericho we could distinctly trace the valley of the Jordan and the verdure on its banks, bat the river itself was hid. The summits of Abarim present to the eye an almost even line, so that we could fix on no particular peaks, and yet some one of the mountain tops we were gazing on must be Bethpeor, and another Pisgah, the top of Nebo; the former ever memorable as the spot where Balaam stood when he wished to die the death of the righteous,t and the latter as the spot where Moses did ilideed die that blessed death.]: The sight of this mountain scene reminded us of a passage in Jeremiah, the force of which is lost in our version, but which had peculiar meaning when uttered in Jerusalem. It is in reference to the death of Jehoiakim, the son of pious Josiah, and the desolation that followed, “Go up to Lebanon, and cry; and lift up thy voice in Bashan, and cry from Abarim; for all thy lovers are destroyed.” 5 The cry of wo is first uttered from the heights of Lebanon, the northern boundary of the land; it is echoed back from Bashan, the eastern range; and then it resounds from Abarim, the mountains of Moab, seen so distinctly from Jerusalem. In this way the tidings of distress are carried from Lebanon to Bashan, from Bashan to Abarim, and from Abarim to the Capital itself

Turning to the west, we looked down upon Jerusalem — its mosques and domes, flat roofs and cupolas, being stretched out beneath us. We could now see the accuracy of the description, “As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the Lord is round about his people.” We obtained a complete view of Mount Moriah,

* 1 Sam. vii. 5. t Num. xxiii. 10. t Deut. x.xxiv. 1.

Jer. xxii. 20. Sec the original. il Ps. cxxv. 2.

the hill nearest us, occupied by the Haram Sherif, or “.noble sanctuary,” with its Mahometan mosques. Here probably is the very hill where Abraham’s uplifted hand was arrested when alDout to slay his son Isaac* Here the cry of David stayed the hand of the destroying angel.f Here Solomon built the house of the Lord,! where God dwelt between the cherubim. Here the lamb was slain every morning and evening for many generations, showing forth the sacrifice of the Lamb of God. Here in the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried. And here the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom, when Jesus yielded up the ghost, II and the way into the holiest was made manifest. But now the word of God is fulfilled, “He hath violently taken away his tabernacle, as if it were of a garden; he hath destroyed his places of assembly.”ir “The mountain of the house is become as the high place of the forest.” The mountain on which God’s house was built has literally become a place of heathen sanctuaries, like those which in Micah’s day were erected in groves and forests.

The present wall of the Haram is nearly identical with the enclosure of Solomon’s Temple on three sides. The Mosque of Omar stands in the centre, and probably on the spot where were the holy place and holiest of all. On the south stands the Mosque El Aksa, and there are several other oratories and sacred buildings round the walls. The rest of the area is beautifully laid out with cypress and orange trees, and here the Moslem ladies enjoy themselves on their holidays. No Christian is ordinarily permitted to enter these enclosures. No foot but those of the heathen, “the worst of the heathen,”!! is allowed to tread the court of God’s holy and beautiful house, so that “their holy places are defiled.” Surely the mountain of the house has become literally like “the high places of the forest.” How true and faithful is the word of the Lord! In the days of Hezekiah, Micah was sent to a flourishing city, “the perfection of beauty, and the joy of the whole earth.” He was to walk about Zion, and when he looked upon its towers and bulwarks, to say, “All these shall be desolate, and the ground on which they stand shall he ploughed as a field.” He was to pass by their ceiled houses and along their splendid

* Gen. xxii. 2, 9. t 1 Chron. xxi. 17. 2 Chron. iii, 1.

■5 John vii. 37. II Matt, xxvii. 50, 51. If Lam. ii. 6.

*” Mic. iii. 12. ft Ezek. vii. 24.

streets, and to cry, “All these shall be heaps.” Last of all, he was to stgjid in the court of the temple in which they gloried, where God indeed dwelt on the earth, and to say, “It shall be as the high places of the heathen.” And now, as we stood on Mount Olivet, our eyes beheld these things brought to pass. This is the doing of the Lord! “Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints! Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name ] for thou only art holy; for all nations shall come and worship before thee, for thy judgments are made manifest.”*

We descended into the Valley of Jehoshaphat by a path further to the sotlth, which led us past the Jewish burying-ground, and onwards to the monuments of Absalom and Zacharias, cutout of the solid rock, which have been often described, and are well known. It occurred to us that the pillars, pilasters, and other ornaments, may have been added at a recent date, but that the square mass cut out of the rock of the mountain may be very ancient. Again we crossed the Kedron, and by a slanting path ascended to the south-east corner of the Haram; then, passing round the southern wall of the city, entered the Zion Gate a little before the gates were shut.

We spent the evening at the house of our kind friend Mr. Nicolayson. Here we found a fellow-countryman, who had been invited to meet us. He lives in Jerusalem in complete retirement, joins no church, and has no fellowship with Christians of any denomination, but waits for the coming of the Son of Man. He wears the long beard, turban, and flowing dress of the Easterns. He is a very pious, but singular man. On one occasion imagining that Elijah, “the watchman of Ephraim,” would soon be on the mountains of Israel, he went to seek him, though he knew nothing of the language of the country. He travelled as far as Sychar, keeping in his hand an Arabic list of vegetables, and other articles of food, so that by pointing to the written word, he was able to make himself understood. On another occasion, passing by the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the monks mistaking him for a Jew, rushed out upon him, and pursued him through the streets, into a house where he took refuge, threatening to kill him, unless he kissed a picture of the Virgin,

* Rev. XV. 3, 4.

in a New Testament which they held out to him. This he did, and saved his life. His object in residing here is that he may be one of the men “that sigh and cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst of Jerusalem.“=^ He is waiting also to hear the cr)% “Behold the bridegroom cometh,“”and to see if the Lord will yet employ him in any work for his ancient people. We obtained from him several interesting illustrations of Scripture. He told us, that his own house has a staircase from the flat roof down into the street, by which he could descend and escape without passing through the house, if danger called for it. This explains the command of the Lord, “Let him that is on the house-top not go down into the house, neither enter therein to take any thing out of the house.”! In reference to that passage, he remarked that he could fully understand it, for he felt himself to be in the position of the disciples in the days before Jerusalem was destroyed. He remarked also, as we had done previously, the manner in which the Arabs sing and clap the hands at the same time, as illustrating several passages of Scripture.^ We spent a pleasant evening thus conversing on the word of God within the gates of Jerusalem.

(June 11.) We had agreed to visit the Consul, Mr. Young, this forenoon, to receive information from him regarding the Jews. On going to him, he told us that a remarkaiSle circumstance’had occurred that morning. The Turkish Governor of Jerusalem had allowed Sir Moses Montefiore and his attendants to enter the tomb of David upon Mount Zion, and to pray over it, a privilege not granted to a Jew for many centuries. The Governor had called on Sir Moses the day before, and shown him great respect, and that morning had sent him a present of five sheep. The ground of the Governor’s respectful treatment of him was the fact of his being a native of Great Britain. Mr. Nicolayson was fortunate enough to be with Sir Closes at the time, and so obtained admittance also, and heard the Jews recite a long form of prayer, and read many of the Psalms, such as the xv, cxxii, cxxvi, over the tomb of the Sweet Singer of Israel. He described it as a solemn and affecting scene.

Mr. Young gave the following statistics of the Jews in the Holy Land; and having afterwards taken down Mr. Nicolayson’s information’on the same subject, we insert both together for the sake of comparison,

* Ezek. ix. 4. t Mark xiii. 15. t Ps. xlvii. 1. Isa. Iv. 12.

Mr. Young.

Mr. Nicolayson

5000 01

•6000

6000 or
148 JERUSALEM — JEWS IN THE HOLY LAND.

Jerusalem,

JVablous, -

Hebron,

Tiberias,

Saphet,

Kaipha,

Sidon,

Tyre,

Jaffa,

Acre, ...

Villages of Galilee, On the whole, Mr. Young reckoned that there are in round numbers about 10,000 Jews in the whole of Palestine. The difficulties, howev-er, in the way of procuring accurate statistics are very great. The Jews are unwilling to give their true numbers, and they are reduced from time to time by the ravages of the plague. Add to this, that few young men come to the land; so that it is not reckoning accurately to take the usual average of individuals iii a family. People who come here are generally elderly, and do not leave families behind them to increase the population or supply its vacancies. There is, without doubt, a constant influx of Jews into this country, yet not so great as to do more than supply the annual deaths. Their i)overty is great. The contributions from Europe of late have been smaller than usual; and when they arrive, instead of doing good, are the occasion of heart-burnings and strife. There is no such thing as “brethren dwelling together in unity”* in Jerusalem; no Jew trusts his brother.f They are always quarrelling, and frequently apply to the Consul to settle their disputes. The expectation of support from the annual European contributions leads many to live in idleness. Hence there are in Jerusalem 500 acknowledged paupers, and 500 more who receive charity in a quiet way. INIany are so poor that, if not relieved, they could not stand out the winter season. A few are shopkeepers; a few more are hawkers; and a very few are operatives. None of them are agriculturists — not a single Jew cultivates the soil of his fathers. Among other peculiar causes of poverty, they are obliged to pay more rent than other people for their houses; and their rabbisj frequently oppress and overreach those under their care. Whilst Mahomet Ali was in possession of this country, the government had been far more tolerant toward them

* Ps. cxxxiii. 1. + Is this a fulfilment of Micah vii. 2 — 6.

f This is a fulfilment of Ezek. xxxiv. 2, 3, continued down to this day.

JERUSALEM — JEWS — EIUTI3H CONSUL. 149

than before; and on two recent occasions, the Consul had got sentence pronounced in favour of the Jew against the Turk, a new event in the history of this people! Still the conniion people hate them, and they are exposed to continual wrongs. The soldiers occasionally break into their houses and compel them to lend articles which are never restored.

The professing Christians here — Greeks, Armenians, and Roman Catholics — are even more bitter enemies to Jews than Mahometans; so that in time of danger, a Jew would betake himself to the house of a Turk for refuge, in preference to that of a Christian. How little have these Christians the mind of Christ! Instead of His peculiarly tender love for Israel, they exhibit rooted hatred, and thus prove that they are Anti-chrh-t. So far do they carry their enmity, that no Jew dare at this day pass by the door of the Holy Sepulchre. On this account, the kindness of Protestants appears to them very striking; and convinces them that there is a real difference in the religion we profess. And they are now becoming strongly attached to British Christians. The fact of a British Consul being stationed here on their account has greatly contributed to this effect. How wonderful that a British Consul should be sent to the Holy Land, with special instructions to interest himself in behalf of the Jews, and having for his district the very region formerly allotted to the twelve tribes of Israel! And how much mora wonderful still, that our first Consul in Jerusalem should be one actuated by a deep and enlightened attachment to the cause of God’s ancient people! At present, however, the Jews m.ake less use of his influence than they might do; for they say, “if the Consul were to go away, revenge would be taken on us.” This is so much their feeling, Uiat when it was lately reported, that he was to be removed on account of the war that threatened, many Jews came to him, with tears running down their cheeks, entreating him to remain. There is also another singular fact, namely, that converted Jews have complete access to their brethren. Five converts are here at present, and the Jews treat them with kindness, allow them to visit their houses, and frequently visit them in return. Oh, that the day were come when “the fountain shall be opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness!” *

* Zech. xiii. 1.

15U JERUSALEM — GIHON — HILL OF EVIL COUNSEL.

In the afternoon we mounted our hardy little palfreys, and with Mr. Nicolayson for our guide, set out to visit some of the interesting spots around the city. Going out by the Jaffa Gate, we turned to the south, and crossed by the wall of the lower pool of Gihon — that being the usual way to Bethlehem. The name of Hinnom is very generally given to this western valley, as well as to the south of Zion; but if the two pools be really the pools of Gihon, it seems much more probable, that the valley on the west of the city is the vale of Gihon, while that on the south is the vale of Hinnom.* Crossing Solomon’s aqueduct, which we could trace far on its way to Bethlehem, we turned to the south-east, and climbed the hill immediately south of Mount Zion, parted from it by the deep vale of Hinnom. This ridge is named the Hill of Evil Counsel, because upon the summit a ruin is pointed out, which is called by the monks the country-house of Caiaphas, where the priests, scribes, and elders met and took counsel how they might kill Jesus. From this we had another pleasant view of the plain of Rephaim,t lying to the south-west. The reapers were gathering the ears of corn at the very time. The most prominent object to the south is a graceful conical hill, called

the Frank Mountain, and supposed by some to be Beth-haccerem, a suitable spot for “setting up a sign of fire.”t

To the north, we looked across the valley of Hinnom to Mount Zion, descending bold and steep into the ravine. Several parts were ploughed like a field as already mentioned, and on one part sheaves were standing. To the north-east, beyond the high wall of the mosque on Mount Moriah, we obtained the finest view we had yet seen of the Mount of Olives, with its three graceful summits. The depth of the Valley of Jehoshaphat (vale of Kedron) struck us very forcibly, and gave an appearance of great loftiness to INIount Olivet. To the east,

* Josh. XV. 8. It formed the northern boundary of the tribe of Judah, and hence Nchem. xi. 30, speaks of those who “dwelt from Beer-theln unto the valleii of Hinnom” — the two extremities of Judah.

t Isa xvii. 5. t Jer. vi. 1

VALLEY OP HINNOM — “FIELD OF BLOOD.” 151

we looked down the valley of the Kedion, towaid the Dead Sea, with the mountains of Moab beyond.

As we looked over the precipitous brow of the hill into the Valley of Hinnom, which is very deep, and shaded by trees hanging over its sides, we thought how, in other days, the cries of the human victims sacriiiced to Moloch must have risen from this valley, now so still and peaceful, to the palaces of Mount Zion — or perhaps only the sound of drums and other instruments drowning the cries of agony, that they might not disturb the mirth of the king. “What must Manasseh have felt after his conversion when he walked along the brow of this hill, and looked down into the valley below, or when he saw it from the towers of Zion T Surely the remembrance of his groves and idols, with their attendant horrors, and above all, the thought of his own murdered infants, must have led him the more earnestly to that blood that cleanseth from all sin. From Hinnom he would hft his weeping eyes to Moriah’s hill; and gazing on its altar, even /( e might, in the strength of a Saviour’s atonement, say, “Who is he that condemneth 7”

Descending gradually toward the eastern side of the ridge, we came to the spot pointed out as Aceldama, “the field of blood,” the field bought with the thirty pieces of silver, and “known to all the dwellers at Jerusalem.” * It lies opposite the south-east corner of Mount Zion. A charnel-house or square chamber sunk in the earth is still shewn here, and some of the cells have been lately opened; but we found no traces of that peculiar kind of earth said to have been found here, which had the property of causing dead bodies to decay within four-and-twenty-hours.f” A particular tree is pointed out as the tree on which Judas hanged himself a mere tradition, or rather a barefaced invention, but interesting as shewing that to this day the awful doom of the Son of Perdition is not forgotten by the dwellers of Jerusalem. At this point is obtained a remarkable view of the Valley of Jehoshaphat. It is wide and ample, in some parts terraced, and a small portion of it planted with gardens, which are

* Matt, xxvii. 7, 8. Acts i. 19.

t A recent traveller, W. R. Wilde, a medical gentleman, visited a sepulchre lately opened here, when he found the skulls to belong, not to Jews, but to individuals of different nations. He gives this fact on personal examination, as affording proof that this is “the field to bury strangers in.” The only abatement of this interesting evidence, is the possibility of these having been buried in it at a period later than the Jewish kingdom existed.

watered from the Pool of Siloam. The village of Siloam hangs over it on the right, and Ophel and Mount Zion slope down into it on the left. Its bosom is extensive enough to contain immense multitudes, such as Joel describes, “Let the heathen be awakened and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat “—” multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision.” * The scenery of this spacious valley was no doubt before the prophet’s eye as he uttered the prediction. Every height and hollow appeared before him thronged with armed multitudes, till he was made to realize the greatness of that last dread conflict, when from the neighbouring hill and city, the Lord’s voice shall be heard,“confounding his people’s enemies; — “the Lord shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem.”!

From this point, also, is seen the gentle hollow that marks the separation between Zion and Aloriah. At other points, it seems as if the one hill overlapped the other; but here it is quite easj’ to trace the line of separation. This hollow is the Tyropceon of Josephus, or Valley of the Cheesemongers, beginning near the Jaffa Gate, and running east to the wall of the Mosque, and then south till it opens out into the Valley of Jehoshaphat. It was no doubt much deeper and more distinct in ancient days. The debris of the ruins of many generations have been long filling it up. Between the Tyropceon and the Valley of Jehoshaphat, outside the walls of the city, stood the tower called in Scrii)ture, Ophel. The ridge ends there in a precipice of solid limestone rock, overhanging the Pool of Siloam, to the height of about sixty feet.” Due east from the Mount of EvU Counsel, on the other side of the valley, rises the hill called the Mount of Offence, or Mount of Corruption, on which, it is behoved, Solomon set up idols to his strange gods. It is just a lower ridge of the Mount of Olives, barren and rocky. We thought we could trace indications of former buildings on the face of the hill, near the top.

Winding down the hill, we reached the lowest part of the Valley of Jehoshaphat, a retired spot, pleasantly shaded with fruit-trees. Here is Nehemiah’s Well, or rather, there is little doubt, the ancient En-Rogel, “the fuller’s fountain.” There are the remains of ancient buildings over it, and a large tank beside it. It is 125 feet in depth. Formerly, the water seems to have been drawn

* Joel iii. 12, 14. + Joel iii. 16.

NEHEMIAh’s well — WELL OP JOAE. 153

up by a Persian wheel, such as we saw at El Arish and many other places, but now an old Arab let down a skin vessel and gave us drink. The water was delightful. By this well in ancient times was drawn the border between Judah and Benjamin, for it is said with minute accuracy, that “the border came down (from the Valley of Rephaim) to the end of the mountain, and descended to the Valley of Hinnom, and descended to En-Rogel.” * In this spot, so near the city, and yet so completely secluded, the two youths Jonathan and Ahimaaz tarried when Absalom took possession of Jerusalem, that they might carry tidings to David.f Among these pleasant fruit-trees also was “the stone of Zoheleth, which is by En-Rogel,” where Adonijah made a feast, at the time he aspired to the throne, when their mirth was so suddenly arrested by the shouts of joy in the city proclaiming Solomon to be king.| Perhaps it may be from the prominent part which Joab acted in that memorable scene that the well is called by the Arabs to this day Beer-Eyub, “the well of Job,” or Joab.

Proceeding up the valley, we passed through a smaL grove of olives, pomegranates, and figs. A girl came running to us with her lap full of ripe apricots. Her head was ornamented with a circle of silver coins. Here we found people busily employed, some treading out corn by the feet of the ox and the ass, others winnowing what had been trodden out already. This peaceful scene in so retired a valley, near a refreshing well, served to explain the prophet’s manner of reproving the indolence of backsliding Israel, “Ephraim is an heifer that is taught, and loveth to tread out the corn.”5 The winnowing with the shovel, recalled to our minds the “clean provender which hath been winnowed with the shovel and the fan.” 1|

We passed the mouth of the Vale of Hinnom, and approaching the rock of Ophel above described, came to an old mulberry-tree, whose roots are now supported by a terrace of rough stones, said to mark the place where Manasseh caused the prophet Isaiah to be sawn asunder.^ Three Arabs were reclining under its plentiful shade, and seemed to wonder why we gazed.

Passing under the rocky face of Ophel, we came to the Pool of Siloam. We were surprised to find it so entire,

* Josh, xviii. 16. t 2 Sam. xvii. 17. t 1 Kings i. 9, 11

$ Ho& X. 11. II Isa. XXX. 24. Heb. xi. 37.

exactly resembling the common prints of it. It is in the form of a paraDelogram, and the walls all romid are of hewn stones. The’steps that lead down into it, at tht eastern end, are no doubt the same which have been there for ages. The water covered the bottom to the depth of one or two feet. At the western end, climbing a little way into a cave hewn out of a rock, we descended a few steps into the place from which the water flows into the pool. It is connected by a long subterranean passage, running quite through the hill to the Fountain of the Virgin, or moi’e propedy the Fountain of Siloam, the entrance to which is a considerable way farther up the Valley of Jehoshaphat. Through this passage the water flows softly from the fountain till it finds its way into the pool, not as generally represented in pictures by pouring over the mouth of the cave, but secretly from beneath. Wild flowers, and among other plants the caper-tree, grow luxuriantly around its border.

We are told that “the wall of the Pool of Siloah, by the king’s garden,” * was rebuilt in the days of Nehemiah. There can be no doubt that this is the very spot; and possibly the present walls and steps may be as ancient as the days of om- Lord. While sitting on the margin, we could imagine the history of the blind manf realized before us. VVe had seen that very day a blind man in the streets of Jerusalem as we passed by. Now It was to such a man that our Lord said, “Go, wash in the Pool of Siloam.” The man obeys — comes out at the gate — descends the sloping side of Zion, gropes his way down these steps, and feels for the cool water with his hand; then laves his clay-anointed eyes, and they open! Now he sees the glory of Jerusalem, but above all, comes back to see the face of the Son of God, tue light of the world, whose word commanded the light to slune on his dark eye-balls and his darker heart. The water of this pool flows out through a small channel cut or worn in the rock, and descends to refresh the gardens which are planted below on terraces, illustrating the expression “a fountain of gardens,” J for a fountain in such a situation waters many gardens. These are the remains of “the king’s garden,”^ mentioned by Nehemiah and by Josephus.ll

Leaving the pool, we turned northward, proceeding up

* Neh iii. 15. t John ix. I Song iv. 15.

$ Neh. iii. 15. li Ant. vii. c 14, § 4.

the Valley of Jehoshaphat with the village of Siloam on our right, which literally hangs upon the steep brow of the Mount of Offence. Three or four hundred yards up the valley, we came to the spring or foujitain-head of Siloam, beneath the rocky side of Moriah. It is commonly called the Fountain of the Virgin, from a foolish tradition of the monks. We came to a wide cavern partly or entirely hewn out by the hands of man; and descending two flights of steps cut in the rock, worn smooth and white Tike marble, we cam.e to the water. From this point it flows through the subterranean canal already mentioned, and supplies the Pool of Siloam. But it flows in such perfect stillness, that it seemed to us to be a standing pool, until we put our hands into it, and felt the gentle current pressing them aside. Nothing could be more descriptive of the flow of these waters than the words of Isaiah, “The waters of Siloah that go softly.” * The calm silent stream of grace and power which flows from under the throne of a reconciled God is, by this simple figure, finely contrasted with the loud noisy promises of Rezin and Remaliah’s son. The believing soul has a secret and unfailing spring of quiet joy ever flowing from “the holy place of the tabernacles of the Most High,” which forms a complete contrast to the rude and boisterous mirth of the ungodly. We drank with joy of the cool water, which we found sweet and pleasant, all the sweeter because of the sacred recollections with which it was associated. It seemed to be a much frequented spring: for some came to drink, some to draw water to wash their clothes, and others were conveying it to their camels.

It has been suggested with much probability, that this fomitain may haVe an artificial connection with another fountain said to be under the Mosque of Omar in the heart of Moriah; for the flow of water seems too large and too calm to be the commencement of a spring in a limestone rock. But there does not appear to be any solid foundation for the conjecture of Dr. Robinson, that this may be the pool of Bethesda. It bears no resemblance to any of the other pools around the city; nor can we see where the five porches could have stood, for it is a cavern five-and-twenty feet deep in the solid ro(;k. And most certainly the irregular flow sometimes observed in the fountain, cannothave any thing to do with

Isa. viii. 6. taxS a-sSnn “that go so as to be unperceived, or escape observation.”

the troubling of the water of Bethesda, for we are ex. pressly told, that “an angel went down at a certain season into the pool and troubled the water.” =^ That was a miraculous event, plainly intended to typify the Lord Jesus, the true “house of mercy;” for it is worthy of remark, that this was the only occasion in which Jesus healed only one out of a multitude of sick folk. He wished to show that he was the true pool of Bethesda. On every- other occasion “he healed them all.” Probably this fountain bore the same name as the Pool of Siloam, with which it is so strongly connected, and is to be regarded as

Siloah’s brook that flowed

Fast by the oracle of God. It was with a full remembrance of this day’s pleasant visit to the Fountain of Siloam, that the following lines occurred at an after period, when stretched in our tent Under the brow of Carmel.

Beneath Moriah’s rocky side

A gentle fountain springs,

Silent and soft its waters glide.

Like the peace the Spirit brings.
The thirsty Arab stoops to drink

Of the cool and quiet wave;
And the thirsty spirit stops to think

Of Him who came to save.
Siloam is the fountain’s name;

It means “one sent from God;”
And thus the holy Saviour’s fame
It gently spreads abroad.

O grant that I like this sweet well,

May Jesus’ image bear;
And spend my life — my all — to tell

How full his mercies are.

We now passed further up the Valley of Jehoshaphat, and observed with interest on the sides of the Mount of Olives, immediately opposite where the Temple stood, the Jewish burying-ground. Innumerable white flat stones overspread the valley, with short Hebrew inscriptions, generally very simple and uninteresting. It is here that the old Jews desire to be buried, that they may reach bliss without needing to make their way underground to the Valley of Jehoshaphat, as others require to do who die elsewhere. They expect to arise from these tombs at the resurrection, and see Messiah among the first. How awful their disappointment when they find that they die only to pass forthwith into consuming * John V. 4.

terrors, and that they arise only to the resurrection of damnation! Disappointed hope will aggravate the wo of a poor lost man of Israel, — he thought he was at the gate of heaven, and finds himself in the porch of hell! Here we crossed the Kedron, and examined minutely the supposed tombs of Zechariah, James the Just, Jehoshaphat, and the monument called Absalom’s Pillar, mentioned above. This last may possibly occupy the site of “the pillar which Absalom reared up for himself in the king’s dale, and called after his own name, Absalom’s Place.”* The Jews believe it to be so, and cast many a stone at it in abhorrence as they pass. The original pillar seems to have been a square mass hewn out of the solid rock, about sixteen feet high. The columns, pilasters, and triglyphs which now adorn it, are evidently not Jewish work, and may be of much later origin.

We left the valley, and ascended the southern limb of the Mount of Olives by the Jericho road. We wished to view Jerusalem from the spot where the Saviour is supposed to have stood when he “was come near, and beheld the city and wept over it.”t Mr. Nicolayson guided us to the place. The road to Jericho crosses the shoulder of the hill, so that when a traveller is approaching Jerusalem, the city is brought into full view all at once by a turn of the road. The scene is truly magnificent: the air is so clear and the view so comprehensive. The city lies, not under your feet, but almost on a level with you. You look across the valley to the temple rising fall before you, and think that you could count every tower, every street, and every dwelling. Jesus saw all this before him, and its guilty people were themselves as fully open to his view in that wonderful moment, when his tears testified his unutterable love to Israel, and his words declared their fearful doom. Oh, that we could stand and look on Israel now, with our Master’s love and bowels of compassion! We stood awhile to realize that mysteriously interesting moment, and then rode on towards Bethany. The road slopes gently down the other side of the hill, and you are immediately out of sight of Jerusalem. Climbing another shoulder of the hill, and looking back, we obtained another view of the city, but a distant one; not the one spoken of in the gospel, where it is said, “when He came near.” The road is very rocky, often indeed worn out of the solid limestone.

* 2 Sam. xviii. 18. + Luke xix. -11.

Descending and leaving the Jericho road, we came quite suddenly upon Bethany, called by the Arabs Azarieh, from the name of Lazarus. We found this ever-memorable village to be very like what we could have imagined it. It lies almost hidden in a small ravine of Mount Olivet, so much so that from the height it cannot be seen. It is embosomed in fruit-trees, especially figs and almonds, olives and pomegranates. The ravine in which it lies is terraced, and the terraces are covered either with fruit-trees or waving grain. There are not many houses, perhaps about twenty, inhabited, but there are many marks of ancient ruins. The house of Lazarus was pointed out to us, a substantial building, probably a tower in former days, and selected to bear the name of the House of Lazarus by traditionists, who did not know how else than by his worldly eminence such a man could draw the special regard of the Lord Jesus. They did not know that Christ loveth freely. The sepulchre called the Tomb of Lazarus attracted more of our attention. We lighted our tapers, and descended twenty-six steps cut in the rock to a chamber deep in the rock, having several niches for the dead. Whether this be the very tomb where Lazarus laj’ four days, and which yielded up its dead at the command of Jesus, it is impossible to say. The common objection that it is too deep seems entirely groundless, for there is nothing in the narrative to intimate that the tomb was on a level with the ground, and besides it seems not unlikely that there was another entrance to the tomb farther down the slope. A stronger objection is, that the tomb is in the immediate vicinity of the village, or actually in it, but it is possible that the modern village occupies ground a little different from the ancient one. However this may be, there can Ide no doubt that this is “Bethany, the town of Marv and her sister Martha, nigh unto Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs off”.”* How pleasing are all the associations that cluster around it! Perhaps there was no scene in the Holy Land which afforded us more unmingled enjoyment: we even fancied that the curse that every where rests so visibly upon the land had fallen more lightly here. In point of situation, nothing could have come up more completely to our previous imagination of the place to which Jesus delighted to retire at evening from the bustle of the city, and the vexations of the unbelieving multitudes — sometimes traversing the

* John xi. ], 18,
MOUNT or OLIVES — CHURCH OP THE ASCENSION. 159

roai oy which we had come, and perhaps oftener still coming up the face of the hill by the footpath that passes on the nortn of Gethsemane. What a peaceful scene! Amidst these trees, or in that grassy field, he may often have been seen in deep communion with the Father. And in sight of this verdant spot it was that he took his last farewell of the disciples, and went vipward to resume the deep, unbroken fellowship of “his God, and our God,” uttering blessings even at the moment when he began to be parted from them.* And it was here that the two angels stood by them in white apparel, and left vis this glorious message, “The same .Tesus which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.” f

As we purposed to visit Bethany again, we were contented to leave it the sooner, and following another footpath, ascended to the summit of the Mount of Olives. Near the top is the Tomb of Huldah the prophetess, which we entered and examined. It is a large chamber cut out of the natural rock. On what authority the name of Huldah is attached to It, we do not know. Not far from it we visited the C’hurcli of the Ascension, originally built by Helena, the mother of Constantine, a. d. 326, over the spot where it is said that our Lord ascended from the earth, and where the inhabitants still pretend to shew the pi’int of his last footstep! This tradition, though very ancient, is directly at variance with the words of the Evangelist. It evidently arose from the circumstance of this being the most conspicuous summit of the hill, and perhaps in some measure from the appearance, which does exist, of something like the footmark in the limestone rock. But the simple words of the Evangelist decide the matter, “He led them out as far as to Bethany.”J He led them beyond the summit, and down the other side of the hill, as far as the retired village of Bethany; and in the spot where he so often parted with them for the night, he now parted with them for “a little while,”^ till the hour should come, when again “his feet shall stand upon the Mount of 01ives.”||

We passed across the face of the Mount of Olives, towards the northern summit of the hill, and there descending into the valley of the Kedron, considerably to the north of the city, crossed over to the Tombs of the Kings. We first clambered down into a large area

* Luke xxiv. &!. t Acts i. 11. t Luke xxiv. 50.

$ John xiv. 19. Zech. xiv. 1.

which has been cut out of the solid rock, and on the west side of which is a wide entrance which slopes down under the rock. The band of carved work over the entrance is very beautiful, representing a vine branch with bunches of grapes. With lighted tapers we crept through the low aperture which leads from the portico into an inner apartment, where are entrances to the chambers of the mighty dead. We examined with interest the remains of the stone doors described by many who have visited the place. One is pretty entire, but lying on the ground. The pannels are carved in the rock, and also the tenons or hinges, which are suited to sockets cut in the rocky wall. It was to such abodes of the dead that Job referred when he said, “Now should I have lain still and been quiet; I should have slept: then had I been at rest with kings and counsellors of the earth, which built desolate places for themselves.” * Isaiah also refers to them, where he says, “All the kings of the nations, even all of them lie in glory every one in his own house.”! And again, “Go get thee unto this treasurer, even unto Shebna, which is over the house, and say. What hast thou here, and M’laom hast thou here, that thou hast hewn thee out a sepulchre here, as he that heweth him out a sepulchre on high, and that graveth an habitation for himself in a rock f”J The sloping ground at the entrance reminded us of what is said of John at the sepulchre of Christ, “He stooping down and looking in saw the linen clothes lying.”

A great deal of obscurity hangs over the history of these interesting sepulchres. Some have supposed them to be the work of Herod and his family, and others have called them the tomb of Helena, Queen of Adiabene, who being converted to the Jewish faith along with her son was buried near Jerusalem.

As the sun was nearlj’-down we began to move homewards, and from a rising ground between the tombs and the city we obtained a much more pleasing view of Jerusalem, with its domes and minarets, than is afforded by any of the other approaches on this side. We entered the Damascus Gate before sunset. Spending the evening with INIr. Nicolayson, we saw again the cus-

* Job iii. 13, 14.

t Isa. xiv. 18. Compare Ezek. xxxii. 17 — end. May not the prophet have derived the scenery of this passage from some such sepulchres s these?

t Isa. xxii. 15, 16. $ John xx. 5.

torn which had attracted our attention at Damietta, and which illustrates several passages in the gospel. While we sat at meat several persons came in, though uninvited, and seating themselves by the wall, joined in the conversation.*.

These are specimens of the days we spent in Jerusalem. Every object that met our view was invested with a sacred interest in our eyes, and that interest increased instead of diminishing the more we examined the place.

Early one moi-ning two of us set out to visit Gethsemane. The sun had “newly risen; few people were upon the road, and the valley of Jehoshaphat was lonely and still. Descending the steep of Mount Moriah, and crossing the dry bed of the brook Kedron, we soon came to the low rude wall enclosing the plot of ground which for ages has borne the name of Gethsemane. Clambering over we examined the sacred spot and its eight olive-trees. These are very large and very old, but their branches are still strong and vigorous. One of them we measured, and found to be nearly eight yai’ds in girth round the lower part of the trunk. Some of them are hollow with age, but filled up with earth, and most have heaps of stones gathered round their roots. The enclosure seems to have been tilled at some recent period. At one corner some pilgrim has erected a stone and carved upon it the Latin words,” et hie tenuerunt e.um’’ marking it as the spot where Judas betrayed his Master with a kiss. The road to Bethany passes by the foot of the garden, and the more private footpath up the brow of the hill passes along its northern wall. Looking across the Kedron, the steep brow of Moriah and sombre wall of the Haram with its battlements, and the top of the Mosque of Omar, shut in the view. At evening, when the gates of Jerusalem are closed, it must be a perfect solitude. Our blessed Master must have distinctly seen the band of men and officers sent to apprehend him, with their lanterns and torches, and glittering weapons, descending the side of Moriah and approaching the garden. By the clear moonlight, he saw his three chosen disciples fast asleep in his hour of agony; and by the gleam of the torches, he observed his cruel enemies coming down to seize him and carry him away to his last sufferings; yet “he was not rebellious, neither turned away back.”-y

See p. 6’J + Isa. 1. 5.

IG
mH JERUSALEM — POOL OF BETHESDA.

He viewed the bitter cup that was given him to drink, and said, “Shall I not drink it 1” * We read over all the passages of Scripture relating to Gethsemane, while seated together there. It seemed nothing wonderful to read of the weakness of those three disciples, when we remember that they were sinful men like disciples now; but the compassion, the unwavering love of Jesus, appeai’ed by the contrast to be infinitely amazing. For such souls as ours, he rent this vale with his strong crying and tears, wetted this ground with his bloody sweat, and set his face like a flint to go forward and die. “While we were yet sinners Christ died for us.” f Each of us occupied part of the time alone — in private meditation — and then we joined together in prayer — putting our sins into that cup which our Master drank here, and pleading for our own souls, for our far distant friends, and for the flocks committed to our care.

It is probable that Jesus often resorted to this place, not only because of its retirement, but also because it formed a fit place of meeting, when his disciples, dispersed through the city by day, were to join his company in the evening, and go with him over the hill to Bethany. And this see’ms the real force of the original words,

“rioXXj*-!; crviiiixOn b ‘ItjcoCj hti ficra rciv fiaQr)r(ov avroii.’’’’” JeSUS

ofttimes rendezvoused at this spot with his disciples.”

As the day advanced, we repassed the brook Kedron, visited the spot where Stephen is said to have been stoned, and entered the city by the gate which bears his name. Here we delayed a little to examine the large dry reservoir which is generally called “the Pool of Bethesda.” It is 360 feet long by 1.30 feet broad, and about 70 feet deep. A low parapet of large stones runs along the margin, over which you look into the vast dry basin below. The bottom is partly covered with rubbish, and partly planted with a few flowers and old trees. At the further end are two arches, forming entrances into dark vaults, which are generally believed to be remains of the five porches. Dr. Robinson has conjectured that this very deep pool was part of the trench of the castle of Antonia, which stood on the north-west corner of the ancient temple; and it seems exceedingly probable that this is the case. But is it not probable that when the trench of Antonia was dug, dividing it from the hill Bezetha, advantage was taken of the Pool of Bethesda pre-

* John xviii. 11. t Rom. v. 8. t John xviii. 2.

viously existing in this place 1 There can be little doubt, from the manner in which the sides are cemented, that it was anciently a pool, and it bears the name of a pool among the native population to this day. That the Poo’ ofBethesda was in the immediate vicinity of the Temple, and also near one of the gates of the city, there can be no doubt; andthatit wasalai-ge and important reservoir, seems also probable from the narrative of the gospel. But there is no other pool at present remaining in Jerusalem which answers this description; so that it may really be the case that this large reservoir, though used as part of the trench of Antonia, is still the remains of the interesting Pool of Bethesda. While we were leaning over the parapet and jnusing over the past, some Moslem boys began to gather stones and throw them at us, crying “Nazarani.” We had approached nearer the gate of the mosque than Christian feet are permitted to do. An E.gyptian soldier who was by took our part, and we quietly retired. Being without a guide, we had the pleasure of losing our way, and wandering up and down for about an hour in the streets of Jerusalem, before we found our home on the brow of Mount Zion.

In the afternoon we spent five hours in receiving from Mi-. Xicolayson full information regarding the numbers and condition of the Jews in Palestine. The Committee of our Church who sent us forth, had furnished us with a list of questions to be investigated and answered. These we shall set down in order, with the information we received in reply to them.

I. What is the number of Jews in Jerusalem and in

the Holy Landl We have already set down briefly the answer to this question.* A few more particulars may be added. In Jerusalem 1000 Jews pay taxes, and all of these are males from thirteen years old and upwards. The Jews marry when very young, so that, allowing five to a family, there are 5000, represented by the 1000 who pay taxes, in Jerusalem. Foreign Jews, however, such as Russians, Poles, and Hungarians, and many others, continue under the protection of European powers, and pay no ‘taxes. These may amount to 2000, which would give about 7000 Jews to Jerusalem. This is the largest statement of the number of Jews in the Holy City that we

* See p. 1 18.

any where received, and is no doubt above the rea amount; for the average of five to a family appears to be far too great.

The destruction of Saphet by an eai’thquake in 1837* occasioned the dispersion of many of the Jews who dwelt there. Of these, some settled at Acre, and some at Jerusalem. In the cities along the coast, the Jews have been increasing of late. In Tyre, formerly a Jew was not allowed to spend a night; but the Pasha’s government changed the law, and now a congregation and rabbi have settled there. They are chiefly from the Barbary coast. The recent occupation of Algiers by the French enabled the Jews of that coast to claim protection as French subjects, and this induces them to leave home more freely for purposes of trade. The same class of Jews are found in Sidon and Beyrout. At the utmost, the whole Jewish population of Palestine may be reckoned at about 12,000. This is the largest estimate which we received; yet comparing it with their numbers in the days of Solomon, we may well say in the words of Isaiah, there are “few men left.” f

II. Has the number of Jews in Palestine been increasing of late years’^

Their numbers did increase decidedly during the first five years of the Pasha’s government, that is from 1832 to 1837, — a time which coincides with the occupation of Algiers by the French. Many came from the Barbary coast, who settled chiefly at Saphet and on the coast. During the last two years there has been little or no increase. There is always an influx, but then the mortality is great, and the number that come do no more than supply the places of those cut off. The change of climate at the advanced period of life in which many come, the new habits which the country forces them to form, their being crowded together in damp, unwholesome residences, all combine to shorten their days. This diminution in the numbers of Jews returning to their own land, seems to be caused by the ravages which the plague has been making for two years past; by the rise in the price of provisions; by the embarrassed finances of the Jewish

* See an interesting account of this event published by Erasmus S. Caiman, who was aftei-wards our faithlul and aflectionate companion in travel.

t Isa. xxiv. 6.

community, their debt amounting to nearly 8000Z.; and by the oppressions which they suffer from the rabbis. Some have actually left, and several have said that they would gladly leave Jerusalem if it were in their power. Their reasons for coming into the land are, 1. The universal belief that every Jew who dies out of the land must perform a subterraneous passage back to it, that he may rise in the Valley of Jehoshaphat. 2. They believe that to die in this land is certain salvation, though they are not exempted from “the beating in the grave, and the eleven months of purgatory.” 3. They believe that those who reside here have immediate communication with Heaven, and that the rabbis are in a manner inspired. 4. They expect the appearing of Messiah. The Jews in Palestine have always cherished the hope of his coming, and of their own restoration. This opinion has now even more weight with them than formerly, for they partake of the general impression that a crisis is approaching. The Jews here, as a nation, are far from infidel, but there are many whose minds are fully occupied with their miseries.

III. Are the Jews in Palestine supported by their bretfiren in other parts of the world?

Generally speaking, they are all supported by a yearly contribution made by their brethren in other lands. All foreign Jews residing in Palestine are entirely dependent on contributions from Europe, except a few who have property in Europe. These latter either bring their little property with them, or make it over to friends in Europe, on condition of their sending them an annual sum to the Holy Land, upon which they live here. But even these may receive their share, as every Jew, rich or poor, who has been one year in the country, has a share allotted to him if he chooses to take it. The sum received by each individual is very small; much is swallowed up by their differences and quarrels, and much is required to pay the interest of their debt. Five ducats, or about y., 10s. a-head, is thought a good contribution. At present, however, it is even smaller. The way of collecting the European contributions used to be this. Messengers (an-’Sa’, sheleeheem) were sent from Jerusalem to the different cities in Europe, where collections were made, and these brought the money to Palestine. This was a very expensive method, for nearly one-fourth of the sum collected was spent in paying the expenses of the messengers. Of late years, however, another plan has been adopted. The money is sent to Amsterdam, where it is received by a rich Jewish merchant, Hirsh Lehren, called on this account “President of the Holy Land,” and he transmits it to the Austrian Consul at Beyrout, by whom it is conveyed to the Jews at Jerusalem. The average amount may be 7000 ducats = 14,000 dollars = 2b0,000 piastres, or 2800/. But there is something to be deducted even from this. Often there is a non? (kedamah); that is, something to be paid out to individuals before the sum is distributed. A list of these is kept. They are persons who have been specially named by friends in Europe who sent the money. The largest collections come from Amsterdam; not much from Britain. Some Jews, chiefly Spanish, are supported by being readers in the places devoted to study (nrr’, yishvioth). A small sum is appropriated by legacy to each of the persons who are chosen to study there. This yields perhaps 100 or 150 piastres a year to the individual.

IV. Is there kept tip constant and rapid communication between the Jews in Palestine, and those in other parts of the world?

The Rabbis of Palestine maintain a constant communication with their brethren all over the world. In one respect, indeed, it may be said, that Jerusalem is not the centre of Jewish influence; for there is little outgoing from it; the Jews are stationar)’ there; yet, on the other hand, it is true that Jerusalem is the heart of the nation, and every thing done there or in the Holy Land will tell upon the whole Jewish world. When conversions take place, although they wish to keep them quiet, still the intelligence is soon communicated, and known and spoken of every where. A Jew said lately to Mr. Nicolaj’son, that he believed that in a short time no young Jews would be allowed to come to the Holy Land, if the missionaries continued to labour as they were doing. They would trut only old confirmed Jews there, who would be able to meet their arguments. The communication, however, is by no means rapid, being carried on by means of messengers. Much mischief has often arisen from this system, for the rabbis sometimes interceyt the letters of poor Jews, which they fear may be complaining of their conduct.

V. From what countries do the Jews princivally come?

The greatest numbers come from Poland, and the Austrian dominions. Many come from Russia, and manymore would come if they were not hindered.* There are some from Wallachia and Moldavia; a few from Germany: a few from Holland; but scarcely any from Britain. All these being Europeans receive the name of Ashkenazim.j The native Jews, that is, those Jews who are subjects of the country, are called Sephurdim, and are almost all of Spanish extraction. They come principally from Turkey in Europe, from Saloniki, Constantinople, and the Dardanelles. Those who come from Asia Minor are chiefly from Smyrna. Many have come from Africa, especially of late years, from Morocco, and the Barbary coast, from Algiers, Tunis, and Tripoli. These bring French passports, and are therefore under protection. There are a few from Alexandria and Cairo. Mr. Nicolayson never saw any Jews from India, though several have gone to India and returned. They have occasional communication by individuals with Yemen and Sennah. There are many Spanish Jews, and several Polish families, who have been here for generations, whose fathers and grandfathers have died here, and who are really natives of Palestine. But most even of these count themselves foreigners still, and they generally contrive to make a tour to Europe some time in their life.

VI. Are there many Rabins in Palestine?

There is often a great mistake made about the rank of those who get the title of Rabbi. The truth is, all are included in that class who are not in the class yliiD oj? (am haaretz), that is the uneducated. Formerly, the Rabbis were a kind of clergy, and were appointed by laying on of hands, but now there is no such distinction. The official Rabbi does not even preside in the synagogue, but deputes this to another, the Hazan, who is often chosen because of his fine voice. The only part of the duty which is reserved peculiarly for the priest, is the pronouncing the blessing. None but a Cohen, a priest of Aaron’s line, can give this. In the synagogue any one may be called up to read. This custom appears

* There is a day coming when the prophecy shall be fulfilled, “I will say to the north, Give up.” Isa. xliii. 6.

t Gen. X. 3. Ashkenaz, son of Gomer, gives origin to the namci as Sepharad, mentioned ia Obadiah 20, does to Sephardim.

168 NUMKtRB AND CONDITION OF

to be as old as the days of our Lord.* The only distinction made is, that first a Cohen is called up to read, then a Levite, then a common Israelite. INIost of the Jews in the Holy Land spend their time in a sort of study or reading. Crowded in their families, however, they cannot really devote themselves to study; and their disputes also are a great hinderance. They study nothing but Talmudical books, and even in this department there is none of them who can be called learned when compared with Jews in Europe.

The Yishmoth are not seats of learning; they are rather situations of emolument, though originally intended to encourage learning. There are nominally thirty-six of these reading-places in Jerusalem, but often the books belonging to two or three are collected into one. These have been established by individuals for behoof of their souls. They left a little money to furnish them, and to enable a few persons to devote themselves to study there, and to be trained up in the law, for this is a no? (zechuth), or deed of merit. Five or six readers are elected to each of them, one or two of whom are expected to be always reading the Talmud there, and each of these receives 100 or 150 piastres a-year to maintain him. These appointments are obtained by favour and private influence. In many cases the rooms are much neglected.

VII. What are the peculiar characteristics of the Jews

in Palestine?

Their principal characteristic is, that they are all strict Rabbinists, though in this they can hardly be said to differ from the Polish Jews. They are also superstitious in the extreme. Their real characteristic may be inferred from the fact, that those who come are the elite of the devotional and strictly religious Jews of other countries. They have so little trade that their covetousness and cheating are turned upon one another.

VIII. IV/iat are the feelings of the Jeics in Palestine

towards Christiariity?

IX. What success has attended the efforts hitherto made

for their conversion?

These two questions involve each other. The first effort of the London Society in this country was made in the

* Luke iv. 16.

year 1820 by a Swiss clergyman named Tschudi, who was employed chiefly in distributing the Scriptures to the Jews. Joseph Wolff then made two visits to Jerusalem, and had a good deal of personal intercourse with the Jews. He was always enabled to leave this impression behind him, that Christians were reahy seeking the conversion of Israel, and that without Christ there is no forgiveness. Soon after, Mr. Lewis Way came to the East with the view of forming a mission, accompanied by Mr. Lewis, an Irish clergyman, (the same whose kindness and Christian hospitality we afterwards enjoyed,) and by several converted Jews. He rented a convent at Antoura, intending to make it a place where missionaries might prepare themselves, but ill-health forced him to return home. In 1824, Dr. Dalton, a medical man, was sent out to aid Mr. Lewis in forming a settlement in J’ -usalem; but the latter returned home that same autumn. Upon this Dr. Dalton made an arrangement with two American missionaries who had arrived, named King and Pliny Fisk, to rent one of the small convents for their establishment. Pliny Fisk, however, died in October 1825, before the arrangement v.^as completed; and Dr. Dalton was again left atone. It was to aid him that Mr. Nicolayson was sent to this country in December 1825. But very soon after his ari’ival, Dr. Dalton died, in January 1826, of an illness caught on a tour to Bethlehem. Mr. Nicolayson returned to Beyrout, and studied the language more thoroughly during that winter. In the summer of the same year (1826), a rebelUon broke out, and Mr. Nicolayson retired to Saphet and lived there tUl June 1827, having much intercourse with the Jews. Considerable impression was made, and the rabbis grew jealous of him. They threatened to excommunicate the man who let him his house, and the woman who washed his clothes, so that he was forced to return to Beyrout. He then left the country for four years, and travelled on the Barbary coast. In 1832 he returned, and came to Beyrout with his family at the time when the Pasha had nearly taken Acre. The country was now quite open, so that he spent the summer at Sidon, and had intercourse with Christians and Jews. He was beginning to build a cottage there, when the jealousy of the Greek priests threw obstacles in his way. In 1833, Mr. Caiman came, and he and Mr. Nicolayson made a tour together to the holy cities. Mr. Caiman’s sweetness of tempei and kindly manner gained upon the Jews exceedingly

At Jerusalem they consulted with Ysa Petros, a Greek priest, who was very friendly, as to the practicability of renting a house in that city. They visited Tiberias, and had many discussions with the Jews, the results of which were often very encoui-aging; and last of all spent an interesting fortnight at Saphet. On returning to Beyrout, they found “that two American Missionaries had arrived on their way to Jerusalem to labour among the native Christians. They all resolved to attempt the renting of a house in the Holy City. Accordingly, in the autumn of 1833, Mr. Nicolayson and family removed to Jerusalem, to the house on Mount Zion where he now lives, and spent a quiet comfortable winter. In the spring of 1834, Mr. Thomson, an American Missionary, arrived, and about the same time the rebellion broke out. One Sabbath morning, the Missionaries found themselves environed, the soldiers having left the town to the mercy of the Fellahs; and an earthquake happened the same day. They were shut up in their dwelling till the Friday when Ibraim arrived, but remained in a state of siege for five or six weeks. During ten days they had to live upon rice alone. Sickness followed. Mrs. Thomson, of the American Mission, died of brain fever, produced by the alarm and other circumstances. Mrs. Nicolayson was ill for three or four weeks, and Mr. Nicolayson feU iU soon after, so that they had to leave for Beyrout, and thus lost that summer. In the spring of 1835, Dr. Dodge and Mr. Whiting, two more American Missionaries, arrived. Mr. Whiting boarded with Mr. Nicolayson in Jerusalem, but Dr. Dodge died in the middle of the same year he came out. From this time the Jewish Mission may be accounted as established in the Holy City. In 1835, the subject of a Hebrew Church on Mount Zion was started in England, and in 1836 Mr. Nicolayson was called to England to consult regarding it. He returned in July 1837, and laboured alone in Jerusalem for a year. But in July 1838, Mr. Pieritz and Mr. Levi, converted Jews, but not in orders, were sent out to strengthen the Mission here; and in December, Dr. cJerstmann, and his assistant Mr. Bergheim, both converted Jews, and both medical men, arrived. They have ‘thus made Jerusalem the centre of the Mission to the Jews in Palestine. Mr. Young, the English Consul, had fixed his quarters here about three months before our arrival. The efforts made have been blessed to the conversion of some Jews in Jerusalem, tfKaigh it is still the day of small things. A Jew named Simeon was awakened at Bucharest by reading a New Testament and some tracts which he received from a Jew who did not understand them. He was convinced, but had many difficulties which he could not get over. A converted Jew came and preached at Bucharest, and advised him to go to the Missionaries at Constantinople. He went, but could not find them out. He proceeded to Smyrna, where he met with another inquiring Jew named Eliezer. Mr. Nicolayson was in Smyrna at the time on his way to Jerusalem. When Simeon heard that a missionary from the Holy City was there, he immediately came to him, and opened up his mind. Mr. Nicolayson brought him as a servant to Jerusalem. During Mr. Nicolayson’s absence in 1836-7, he was under the care of Mr. Caiman. His wife for a long time refused to follow him from Wallachia, and bitterly opposed his change; but being induced to come to Jerusalem, and being regularly instructed by Mr. Pieritz, and also affected by an illness, she gave good evidence of having undergone a saving change, and now she speaks like a missionary to her country-women. The whole family, consisting of Simeon, his wife, a boy, and girl, were baptized in Jerusalem after last Easter. This is the family at whose house we heard the German service last Sabbath-day.

Another case was that of Chaii or Hymen Paul, an amiable young Jew, an acquaintance of Simeon, who became intelligently convinced of the truth. He was baptized last Pentecost, and at his own desire sent to England.

The first native Jew awakened at Jerusalem was Rabbi Joseph, in September 1838. He was a learned young man, and so bitterly was his change opposed by the Jews, that the Missionaries were obliged to send him away to Constantinople before he was baptized. Three rabbis have very lately become inquirers after the truth, and seem determined to profess Christianity openly. We afterwards received a fuller account of these two last cases from Mr. Pieritz. These are all the known fruits of the Mission in the way of conversion.

When Rabbi Joseph was awakened, a herem or ban of excommunication was pronounced in the synagogues against the Missionaries, and all who should have dealings with them. But when Dr. Gerstmann, the medical man, came in December, the Jews immediately began to break through it. Another herem was pronounced, hut in vain. No cne regarded it, and Rabbi Israel refused to pronounce it, saying that he wovild not be the cause of hindering his poor and sick brethren from going to be healed. This interesting fact shows the immense value of medical missionaries.

The more general fruits of the establishment of the Mission have been these: 1. The distinction between true and false Christianity has been clearly opened up before the eyes of the Jews. 2. The study of the Old Testament has been forced upon them; so that they cannot avoid it. 3. The word of God has become more and mo)’e the only ground of controversy. The authority of the Talmud is not now appealed to; the only dispute about it being whether it is to be referred to at all, or what is its real value 1

The support of inquirers and converts is one of the chief difficulties that meets a Missionary here. The institution of a printing press, to afford them both manual and mental labour, has been proposed. An hospital for the sick has also been set on foot.

X. JJliat modes of operation have been employed?

The mode of operation is entirely by personal intercourse. The Missionaries frequently make tours to other towns, and dispose of copies of the Old Testament. Mr. Nicolayson has sold about 5000 Hebrew Bibles. The Missionaries never dispose of the New Testament, except to those in whom they have confidence. They at one time sold a box of fifty New Testaments, bound up with the Old. But they afterwards found the New Testament torn out, and blank leaves inserted in stead, with Jarchi’s Commentary written on them. The Jews will not take tracts except privately. Many of their Old Testaments have been conveyed to Bagdad and to India.

XI. How far is the health of the Missionaries affected

by the climate?

The climate of Jerusalem is decidedly healthy. The sicknesses and deaths among the Missionaries above mentioned, can hardly be attributed to the climate. Dr. Dalton was very delicate when he came; Mrs. Thomson died of brain fever; and Dr. Dodge’s death was occasioned by a hurried journey, in which he was much exposed.

XIII. JVhat kind of house accommodation is there, and tvhat is the expense of living in Palestine 1

The house accommodation in Jerusalem is tolerably comfortable. One of the Missionaries pays £15, and another £17 a-year, as house-rent. In the winter it is difficult to keep the houses dry, the rain causing much dampness, but the sorest privations are want of Christian society, and public means of grace. A Missionary here meets with many trials which he did not anticipate. He must have great patience, and must make up his mind to suffer delays and disappointments, which are much more trying than merely temporal privations, which are really small. A Missionary coming out must not expect full work at once, he must be willing to stand by and wait. Often we may say, “His strength is to sit still.” The Christian Missionary enjoys perfect liberty to carry on his operations under the Egyptian government, more so, indeed, than under the British government at Malta or in India. No one inquires what he is about.

Provisions are easily got; but the expense of living is rising continually. The price of food is now double what it once was, and some things are four times as high as when Mr. Nicolayson first came. This arises from there being more money in the country. If boarding could be obtained in Jerusalem, then an individual might easUy live here on less than £100 a-year. But this is not to be had, so that a Missionary must keep a house and servants, and lay up stores for the season. This is the only way of managing here; and this would require at least £100 a-year. In’addition to the salaries of the Missionaries, the London Society pay all the travelling expenses of their missionary tours.

The business of the day being over, we enjoyed a walk outside the Zion Gate. As’we sat upon the brow of the hill, we were led to rejoice in the thought, that as certainly as “Zion is now ploughed as a field,” the day is coming when “the Lord of Hosts shall reign in Mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before his ancients gloriously.” *

Two flocks were moving slowly up the slope of the

hill, the one of goats, the other of sheep. The shepherd

was going before the flock, and they followed, as he led

the way toward the Jaffa Gate. We could not but re-

* Isa. xxiv. 23.

member the Saviour’s words, “When he putteth foi’th hia own sheep, lie goeth before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.” *

In the evening we visited the Consul, who had invited the Governor of Jerusalem to meet us. The Turk occupies the house said to have belonged to Pontius Pilate. He came in, attired in full Eastern costume, a handsome young man, attended by three servants, one of whom carried his pipe. The servants remained in the room, near the door, and kept their eye on their master. On occasion of a slight motion of the hand, one of them stepped forward and took the pipe, and then resumed his place as before, watching his master’s movements, as if to anticipate his wishes. This is the custom which we observed in Egypt f as illustrating Psalm cxxiii, “Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters — so our eyes upon the Lord our C4od, until that he have mercy upon us.”| He was very affable, and seemed highly entertained with examining our eye-glasses and watches. He drank wine with us also, probably to shew how liberal a high-born Mussulman can be.

In the evening we planned an excursion to Hebron, and next day (Jiuie 13) set out by 7 a. m., accompanied by the Consul and his lady, Mr. Nicolayson, and Mr. George Dalton. Some were mounted on mules, and some on horses; the saddles, as usual, broad and uncomfortable. Crossing the Vale of Gihon, we turned due south, and travelled over the fine plain of Rephaim. About three miles from the city, we came to a well, where tradition has fixed the scene of Matt. ii. 10. It is one of the few beautiful traditions associated with sacred places. The tradition is, that the wise men, who for some time had lost the guidance of the star which brought them from their country, sat down beside this well to refresh themselves, when one of their number saw the reflection of the star in the clear water of the well. He cried aloud to his companions, and” when they saw the

* John X. 4. A traveller once asserted to a Syrian shepherd, that the sheep knew the dress of their master, not his voice. The shepherd, on the other hand, asserted it was the voice they knew. To settle the point, he and the traveller changed dresses, and went among the sheep The traveller, in the shepherd’s dress, called on the sheep, and tried to lead them; hut “they knew not his voice,” and never moved. On the other hand, they ran at once at the call of their owner, though thua disguised.

t See p. 89. i Ps. cxxiii. 2.

BETHLEHEM — RACHEL’s SEPULCHRE 175

star they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.” This well may perhaps be the fountain of Nejjhtoah*

We passed the Convent of Elijah; for the monks suppose that the prophet fled this way to Beersheba,t and under a neighbouring tree, they pretend to show the mark left by his body as he lay asleep on the rocky ground, though it is hard stone. From this point we obtained our first sight of Bethlehem, lying about three miles to the south upon a considerable eminence, and possessing at a distance a peculiarly attractive appearance. We meant to visit it in returning, and therefore at present contented omselves with a distant view of the place where the memorable words were spoken by the Angel, “Fear not, for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy; mito you is born this day in the city of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.“| About a mile and a half further to the south we came to a tomb, built like the whited sepulchres of the East, but believed to be RacheVs Sepulchre. The tomb is no doubt modern, erected probably by the Mahometans; but the spot may justly be regarded as the place where Rachel died and was buried, “And there was but a little way to come to Ephrath (/. e. Bethlehem Ephratah§); and Rachel travailed, and she had hard labour — and Rachel died, and was buried in the way to Ephrath, which is Bethlehem; and Jacob set a pillar upon her grave; that is the pillar of Rachel’s grave unto this day.’’ll The Jews frequently visit it; and many (as Benjamin of Tudela says they used to do in his days) have left their names and places of abode in Hebrew inscribed upon the white plaster in the interior walls. To the west of the tomb, on the face of a hill, stands a large and pleasant-looking village called Bet-Jalah, inhabited, we are told, entirely by Christians. May this not be the ancient Zelzah, “by Rachel’s sepulchre in the border of Benjamin,”ir where Saul was told that his father’s asses had been found 1 In other passages of Scripture** the place is called Zelah, from which the modern name might easily be formed by prefixing the common syllable “Bet” (that is, “house”), and softening the sibilant letter. If so, then this is the spot where they buried the bones of Saul and Jonathan — “in Zelah, in the sepulchre of Kish his father.”

* .losh. XV. 9. t 1 Kiiir’S xix. 1 Liiko ii. 10

$ Mic. V. 2 II Gen. xxxv. 16, 19, 20. If 1 Sam. x, 2.

Josh, xviii. 28. 2 Sam. xxi. 11.

SOLOMON S POOLS.

Leaving Bethlehem about half a mile to the east, and proceeding still in a southerly direction, we came down in a short lime to the valley, whei-e lie the three large and singular reservoirs, called Solomon’s Pools. They are situated at a short distance from one another, each on a different level, so that the water flows from the upper into the middle pool, and from the middle into the lower pool, from which it is conveyed by a stone aqueduct round the hills to Bethlehem, and from Bethlehem to Jei-usalem. The walls of the pool are of solid masonry covered over with cement. Close by is a Saracenic fort with high walls and a battlement, perhaps originally intended to protect the pools. Under the shade of its walls we left our mules, and proceeded to measure the pools with a line as accurately as the ground would admit. The result was as follows: —

1. The Upper or Western

Pool

Length of north side,
of south side,

Breadth of west side,
of east side,

Depth at one point,

389 feet
380 ...
229 ...
236 ...
25 ...

2. The Middle Pool.

Length,

Breadth of west side,.
of east side,

4-25 feet.
158 ...
250 ...

3. The Lowest or Eastern

Pool

Length,

583 feet.

Breadth on the west side,.. 148 ...
... on east side,... 202 ...

At all the corners there are flights of steps descending into them. The water is pure and delightful, and each of the pools was about half full. Of the great antiquity of these splendid reservoirs there can be no doubt, and there seems every probability that they are the work of Solomon. This pleasant valley being so near the spot where his father David fed his sheep would be always interesting to the king; but the only reference to the pools in Scripture, appears to be in Ecclesiastes, where he describes the manner in which, forsaking the fountain of living waters, — “the God that appeared unto him twice,” — he sought every where for cisterns of earthlj’ joy. “I made me gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all kinds of fruits. I made me pools of

ROAD TO HEBRON — oIPHEEK. 177

water, to water therewith the wood that bringeth fortn trees.“* It is highly probable, that, besides other purposes, these cisterns were intended to water rich gardens in their vicinity; and in the lower parts of the valley, at present covered with ripe crops of waving grain, there would be a splendid situation for the gardens, and orchards, and nurseries of fruit-trees, wdiich the Preacher describes. In Josephus and in the Talmud, this place is called Etham.f The former says concerning it, “There was a certain place about fifty furlongs distant from Jerusalem (more than six miles) whiclT is called Etham; very pleasant it is in fine gardens, and abounding in rivulets of water. Thither Solomon used to ride out in the morning.”! Beautiful insects, especially very large dragon-flies, with fine variegated wings, were fluttering round the water. We refreshed ourselves at a fountain close by, on the north-west corner of the upper pool, to which we descended by steps. This is said by tradition to be “the spring shut up, the fountain sealed,” to which the church is compared in the Song. 5 It was usual in former times to cover up the well’s mouth for the sake of the precious living water. In the fields around the reapers were busy at barley-harvest. It was somewhere near this very spot that Naomi found them reaping as she returned from the captivity of Moab, “they came to Bethlehem in the beginning of barley-harvest,” and some of these fruitful fields may have been the field of Boaz, where Ruth gleaned after the reapers, in the same manner as the Syrian women were doing when we passed.

After leaving the pools, the road conducted us for some time over very rocky hills. The rude mountain track was generally lined with fragrant shrubs and wild flowers, the pink, the cistus, of a fine lilac colour, the oleander, in great profusion and very tall. Among the trees the Balut or evergreen oak was by far the most fi*equent, and occasionally our well-known honeysuckle hung its flowers over some bush or shrub, reminding us of home. On many of these hills we could distinctly see that the brushwood had usurped the ancient terraces made for the vine. We came to a considerable valley, cultivated to some extent, at the extremity of which, where the ground begins to rise again, is a village called Sipheer. Can this be a remnant of the name ofKirjath-

* Reel. ii. 5, 6. + See also 2 Chron. xi. G. Antiq. viii. 7. 3. $ Song iv. 12. II Ruth i. 22.

178 V4t.LEy OF HEBRON.

Sepher, the city smitten by Othniel, when he giiined Achsah, Caleb’s daughter?* Perhaps this valley may be the field which she asked from her father; but we haa no time to search for the upper and the nether springs that once watered it. Other travellers have found sepulchral caves there. Ruins occasionally met our eye, chiefly on eminences, the remains no doubt of the towns and villages of Judah. On our left one ruin was called ‘Bet-hagar,” that is, “house of stone,” another “Bet-Immer,” with an ancient pool still remaining. About an hour from Hebi’on, there is a large, and evidently much frequented fountain, named Ain-Derwa. Many camels were drinking out of the troughs, and our horses and mules were glad to join them. This is possibly “^/(e well of Sir ah’’’ at which Abner was refreshing himself when Joab’s messengers found him and treacherously brought him back to Hebron to be slain. f

We had now spent nearly eight hours on the road, riding very leisurely. About two miles from the town we entered the Valley of Hebron, the way running through vineyards which make the approach very pleasant. Fig-trees and pomegranates in great abundance were evey where intermixed with the vines, and the hills above were covered with verdant olive-trees. The vines were in great luxuriance, and the flowers just forming into the grape, so that the delightful fragrance diffused itself far and wide. “The fig-tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grapes give a good smell.”!: In many of the vineyards we saw the towers, built for protection and for other uses, and frequently referred to in Scripture. 5 We encamped about four o’clock on a verdant plot of ground opposite the northern portion of Hebron, pitching our tents under some fine olive-trees. Beauty lingers around Hebron still. God blesses the spot where he used to meet with Abraham his friend. It lies in a fine fertile valley, enclosed by high hills on the east and west. The houses are disposed in four different quarters, which are separated from each other by a considerable space. The largest portion is to the S. E. around the Mosque, the houses running up the eastern slope. The ruins of ancient houses are still higher up. The fourfold division of the town gives it a singular appearance, while the cupolas on the houses, and the vigorous olive-trees that

Josh. XV. 16. t 2 Sam. iii. 26.

t Song ii. 13. $ Isa. v. 2. Matt. xxi. 33.

are interspersed throughout the town, add greatly to its beauty. Some miles north of the town we passed four bare walls, which are called jjy the Jews the ruins of Abraham’s house, and the plain around it is called the Plain of Mamre. We felt much inclined, however, to believe that the fine valley on the south-east side of the town is the true plain of Mamre.

The Moslem Governor, hearing of the arrival of the English Consul, sent him the present of a sheep, and soon after waited upon us. Mr. A’icolayson acted as interpreter. When the Consul thanked him for his kind present, he replied, “It is all the blessing of Abraham. It is only what should be done in the city of El-Halil. Had Abraham been here he would have sent a sheep or a calf, and we are in Abraham’s stead.” The Arabic name of the town is El-Halil, “the beloved,” so called in memory of Abraham, “the friend of God.”

An old Jew, Rabbi Haiim, who is now blind with age nearing of the arrival of ilr. Kicolayson, sent him an oka of wine in token of respect and kindness. This little incident in the city where Abraham dwelt was peculiarly affecting, and showed in a very clear light the friendly feelings which the Jews of Palestine entertain towards Protestant Missionaries, though fully aware of the object which they have in view. A Greek Christian, named Elias, who was acquainted with our fellow-travellers, showed us great attention.

When the darkness came down, we saw some fine specimens of the glow-worm around our tents. Overhead, the sky was splendid; the stars being unusually large and brilliant from the clearness of the atmosphere. For the same reason, many more stars are visible to the naked eye than in our northern sky. We recollected that it was here, in the plain of Mamre, under the same sky, that God “brought Abraham forth abroad, and said, Look toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: so shall thy seed be.”* The same sight recalled with new power the gracious promise, “They that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament, and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.” f

We all met for evening worship in one tent. Mr.

Nicolayson read Genesis xviii, and prayed with a full

heart for Israel, that they to whom the promises were

made might soon enjoy the Redeemer’s communion as

* Gen. XV. 5. + Dan. xii. 3.

Abraham enjoyed it here; and that we might receive Abraham’s spirit of intercession for a perishing world.

(June 14.) This mor-ning we awoke early, and tried to realize the feelings of a true child of Abraham in Hebron, meditating over all the Scriptures that relate to it. The deep terraces of the mountain afford sweet spots for retirement.

We had scarcely breakfasted when the Governor paid us a second visit, offering to conduct us to see the mosque, which is believed to cover the cave of Machpelah. The appearance of this man in the midst of his attendants was any thing but prepossessing. He was an illlooking Moslem, an oldish man, with fine grey beard, very marked nose, and dark suspicious eyes. The duty of paying attention to Christian travellers seemed to be a very irksome one to his Mahometan pride. He brought two sheep with him as a present to the Consul, doubling the gift of the previous day.

We proceeded toward the Mosque, the Consul’s janissary going before. Several Jews joined in the train. As we passed through the streets, the boys and girls cried Nazarani, teaching us that “the Nazarene” is still a term of reproach in this land. The Mosque is a large quadrangular building, with two minarets at the opposite corners.” The lower half of the walls is evidently of the highest antiquity; the stones are very large, and each of’them is bevelled in the edge, in the same manner as the ancient stones of the ternpte wall of Jerusalem. One stone which we measured was 24 feet by 4, and another was still larger. On the two principal sides there are sixteen pilasters, on the other two sides ten, composed of these immense stones, with a simple projecting cope at the top. Above this, the buiding is evidently of Mahometan origin, and is sm’mounted by a battlement. We were allowed to ascend the wide massy staircase that leads into the interior of the building. The door into the mosque was thrown open, but not a foot was allowed to cross the marble threshold. We were shown the window of the place which contains the tombs of Abraham and Sarah, beneath v.-hich is understood to be the cave of Machpelah. There is none of the sacred places over which the Moslems keep so jealous a watch as the tomb of Abraham. It was esteemed a very peculiar favour that we had been admitted thus far, travellers in general being forbidden to ajiproach even the door of Llie Mosque. A letter from the GovernoT of Jerusalem who had been with us on the evening before we set out, gained us this privilege.

A little farther on, we were permitted to look through a window, where we saw one of the tombs covered with a rich carpet of green silk. This is called the Tomb of Joseph, although we know fi-om Scripture that Joseph was not buried here, but at Shechem.* The only persons mentioned in Scripture as buried at Machpelah are Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebecca, Jacob and Leah.f The Jews believe that this remarkable building is one of the works of Solomon; and from the peculiar form of the building, and the great size of the stones, thei’e seems every probabiUty that it is of Hebrew origin. It is by no means improbable, that it was built by “the Jews to keep in remembrance the burying-place of the father of their nation and the fiuend of God. The Jews at present are permitted only to look through a hole near the entrance, and to pray with their face toward the grave of Abraham.

After leaving this, we climbed the highest hill to the south-east of Hebron, to obtain, if possible, that view of the plain of Sodom which Abraham had on that morning when it was destroyed from heaven. In the valley, we passed with some difficulty through the vineyards, regaled by the delightful fragrance. At one part we came upon a company of villagers treading out their corn; five oxen were employed on one floor. Some of the villagers also were winnowing what had been trodden out, and others were passing the grain through a sieve to separate it from the dust. We remembered Amos ix. 9. This valley is called Wady Nazarah, “the valley of the Nazarenes,” for what reason we could not ascertain. The sides of the hill were very rocky and slippery, but the top was covered wi,th vines. We sat down under the shade of some bushes, and calmly contemplated the fine view on every side. The town, divided into four parts, lay immediately beneath us. The pool, the mosque, the flat roofs, the domes, were all distinctly marked. The vineyards stretch up the hills beautifully, and groves of deep green olives enclose it on every side.. Hebron is embosomed in hills. The more ancient houses are on the east side of the valley, and there are traces of ruins running up the hill behind Machpelah. The ancient town is supposed by some to have been built more upon

* Acts vii. 16. t Gen. xlix. 31; 1. 13.

the hill where the mosque stands, and if so, the tradition of the rabbis is not altogether absurd, that the rays of the rising sun gilding thetovvers of Hebron used to be seen from the temple at Jerusalem, and gave the sign of the time for Idlling the morning sacrilice. Hebron was also one of the Refuge cities, and therefore probablyconspicuous from afar. Looking to the south, over a high I’idge of hills, the eye stretches into a wildernessland of vast extent. In that direction lay Carmel, where Nabal fed his flocks.* But the most interesting view of all was toward the east, not on account of its beauty, but on account of its being in all probability the view which Abraham had when he “looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain, and beheld, and lo the smoke of the country went up as the smoke of a furnace.” f A high ridge intercepts the view of the Dead Sea, but the deep valley formed by it, and the hills of Moab on the other side, are clearly seen. If Abraham stood on the hill where we were now standing, then he saw not the plain itself, but “the smoke of the country rising up” as from a furnace. If he saw the plain, then he’must have stood on that intervening ridge nearer the Dead Sea.

There can be little doubt that it was in this direction that Abraham led the three angelic men on their way toward Sodom, and we felt it a solemn thing to stand where Abraham drew near and pleaded with the Lord, “Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked ]” What wonders of mercy and judgment these mountains have seen!

Returning to the town, we visited the large Pool of Hebron. It is quite entire, of solid and ancient masonry, and measures 133 feet square. This is no doubt the pool over which David commanded the hands and feet of the murderers of Ishbosheth t6 be hung up.t There is another pool in the town, but not so large. ‘We then visited the Tomb of Othniel, a sepulchre cut out in the rock, with nine niches. We plucked hyssop from the crevices of the outer wall. 5 It grows in small stalks, with thickly-set leaves. We visited several other sepulchres near the town; in the town itself is shown what is pretended to be the tomb of Abner, and of Jesse, the father of David, and even that of Esau. In the streets, mothers were carrying their childi’en on the shoulder; some of

* 1 Sam. XXV. 2. t Gen. xix. 28. y 2 Sam, iv. 12-

$ 1 Kings iv. 33. II Isa. xlLx. 22.

SPANISH AND POLISH SYNAGOGUES — RABBI HAIIM. 183

whom had their eyes painted with stibium,* and all of them had anklets, answering to Isaiah’s “tinkling ornaments about the feet.” f

In the atternoon, we paid a visit to the Jewish quarter. We were told that there are about eighty German and Polish Jews in this place. They have two synagogues; one belonging to the Spanish, the other to the Polish Jews. We first visited the Spanish synagogue, the larger of the two. It is not more than forty feet ui length, and though clean, is but poorly furnished. The seats were half- broken benches, reminding us of some of our neglected country churches. The lamps were of ornamented brass; the reading-desk nothing more than an elevated part of the floor railed in. There was nothing attractive about the ark; and the only decorations were the usual silver ornaments on the rolls of the law, and a few verses in Hebrew written on the curtain and on the walls. Fourteen children were seated on the floor, with bright sparkling eyes, getting a lesson in Hebrew from an old Jew. The Polish synagogue was even poorer than the Spanish. It had no reading-desk at all, but only a stand for the books. However, it surpassed the other in its lamps, all of which were elegant; and one of them of silver, — the gift of Asher Bensamson, a Jew in London, who sent the money for it to Jerusalem, where the lamp was made.

Leaving the synagogue, we stepped into one of the yishviothov reading-rooms. The books were not well kept, not even clean — the dust was lying thick on some of them, and only two persons were studying in the room. There are three more of these reading-rooms in Hebron.

We next found our way to the house of the old blind Rabbi Haiim, who had sent the present of wine on our arrival. We were very kindly received in the outer court of his house, where we were invited to sit down, and had an interesting interview with this aged Jew. He had come to this land when twenty-four years of age, and had spent fifty- years in it. Like Isaac, his eyes had become dim, so that he could not see. About a dozen Jews and as many children gathered round us, while several Jewesses stood at a little distance listening in silence to the conversation. Mr. Nicolayson conversed freely with them, told the errand upon which we had come, and stated the desire and aim of Christians in regard to their salvation. We were glad to be permitted

* Ezek. xxiii. 40. t Isa. ill. la

184 HEBRON — Abraham’s oak.

thus to meet with Israel tn their own land. They brought us sherbet and water. We remarked that the dress of the Jewish women is peculiarly graceful, and they have fine pleasant countenances. Many of them wear rich ornaments even when engaged in domestic duties.

In the evening, we rode out of the town to see Abraham’s Oak, about a mile to the north-west. It is an immense spreading oak, admitted to be one of the largest trees in Palestine, and very old. Possibly it occupies the site of that tree which Jerome saw pointed out in his days as Abraham’s Oak. We found the spread of its branches to be 256 feet in circumference, and 81 feet in diameter. Round the narrowest part of the trunk, we measured 22 feet 9 inches, and at the point where the branches separate, 25 feet 9 inches. It was under such a tree that Abraham pitched his tent, when “he came and dwelt under the oaks of Mamre which is in Hebron.”* And it was under such a tree that he spread refreshment for his heavenly guests.f The ride from this tree to the town is through vineyards of the most rich and fertile description, each one having a tower in the midst for the keeper of the vineyard. We were told that bunches of grapes from these vineyards sometimes weigh 6 lb., every grape of which weighs 6 or 7 drams. Sir Moses Montefiore mentioned, that he got here a bunch of grapes about a yard in length. Such a bunch the spies carried on a staff betwixt two. In Hebron, there are 1330 Mahometans who pay taxes, about 200 who do not pay; add to this 700 Jews. At the usual average of Eastern families, this will give less than 10,000 inhabitants.

(June 15.) We broke up our encampment this morning by the dawn, and enjoyed a splendid sunrise. We left the vale of Hebron and its verdant vines with regret, traversing the same road which we had come. In four hours we came down upon the pools of Solomon. Here we turned off to the right, winding round the hills, and following the course of the old aqueduct that carried water into Jerusalem. At this point, a small but beautiful and verdant valley lay beneath us, called by the Arabs “El Tos,” “the cup,” from its appearance. This may have been one of the spots where David loved to wander with his sheep, and where he meditated such Psalms as the 23d, “He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.”y: A gentle brook

* Gen. xiii. 13 See the Hebrew. t Gen. xviii. 8. t Ps. xxii. 2.

meanders through the bottom of the valley. There is also an ancient village with well cultivated gardens. Due east of us, the Frank Mojantain, with its sloping sides and flat top, formed the most prominent object. If this be Belli-haccerein, a more suitable place for a signal of fire could not be imagined.* As we approached Bethlehem, the hills were well terraced, and vines and figs abounded. The towers in the vineyards appeared to us more numerous than usual. Bethlehem stands on the top of a hill, on the south side steep and rocky. The white limestone rocks were like marble, and reflected the sun’s rays, so as to be very painful to the eyes. They were also so slippery, that we found it safer to go up on foot.

When near the top we came upon “the well that is by the gate of Bethlehem.” It is protected by a piazza of four small arches, under which the water is drawn up through two apertures.f Sevei-al people were under this porch, and one had descended the well to clean it out, so that we longed in vain for a draught of the water which David desired so earnestly. The situation of this well would suit exactly the description given in Chronicles,]; and the direction of the supposed geographical position of the cave of Aduilam, to the south-east of Bethlehem, over the hill of Tekoah. We felt it interesting to realize the scene. The hosts of the Philistines were encamped in the valley of Repjiaim; their garrison was at Bethlehem, and David was in the cave of Aduilam. In the burning heat of noon-day, he looked toward the hill that lay between him and his native town, and casually exclaimed, “Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, that is at the gate!” His three mightiest captains instantly resolve to express their love to their chief, and their devotion to the cause of God, by putting their lives in jeopardy, in drawing some of the water of this deep well, even under the darts of their enemies. “And the three brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David.”

The white stone of which the hill is composed, and of

* Jer. vi. 1.

t Professor Robinson thinks that these are only openings over the aqueduct which here passes through a deep vault or reservoir, and that there is no well of living water in or near the town; vol. ii. p. I(13.

t 1 Chron. xi. 17.

which the town is built, makes it very hot, and gives it a dusty appearance. The tig-trees, olives, and pome» granates, and the ripe barley fields which cover the north side, show that it is still capable of being made what its name signiiies, “The House of Bread.” At present, however, the plague was raging in Bethlehem, and we could not find bread even in the bazaar, so that we had to seek for food at the Latin Convent. This convent is a very substantial building, like a castle. Its outer gate is very low, intended, it is said, in former days, to prevent the Arabs riding in to plunder. Some have supposed that there is reference to this custom in the Proverb, “He that exalteth his gate seeketh destruction.” * But this may more probably refer to the proud and wealthy enlarging their gate after the manner of a palace; for we can hardly imagine that the Arab plunderers entered the houses of Israel in the time of Solomon. The church, generally supposed to have been built by Helena, A. D. 326, is a line spacious building, and the rows of Corinthian columns are substantial masses of granite. It was delightful to repose a while in the cool atmosphere of this venerable pile; but the monks who seemed to be ignorant and unpolished men, would have us away to see the sacred places of the Nativity. We descended to the grotto, which they call the stable where our Lord was born. Here they showed a marble manger as the place where the heavenly babe was laid; but they had the honesty to allow that “this was not the original manger, though the spot was the same.” They showed the stone where Mary sat, and pointed to a silver star as marking the spot where the Saviour was born. The star is intended to represent that which “stood over where the young child was.” The grotto is illumined by many handsome lamps, and there are several paintings by the first artists. Yet all is only a miserable profanation; like the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, it called up in our bosoms no other feelings than disgust and indignation. If this cave was really the place of the nativity, then Popery has successfully contrived to remove out of sight the humiliation of the stable and the manger. “The mystery of iniquity,” which pretends to honour, and yet so effectually conceals both the obedience of Christ which he began at Bethlehem, and the sufferings of Christ which he accomplished at Calvary, has with no less success disfigured and concealed the places where * Prov. xvii. 19.

these wonders were “seen of angels.” Though the tradition that Christ was born in this cave is of the highest antiquity, yet there seems no douljt, from the simple words of the Gospel narrative, that it cannot be the true place, for it is said, “She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.” * There is no evidence that the stable of an eastern khan was ever in a grotto cut out of the rock.

We were conducted to another cavern in the rock, further to the east, where the monks said that the Virgin Mary lived. But we enjoyed far more a visit to the roof of the convent, where we could breathe the pure air, and look up to the deep blue sky, and down upon the fields and valleys around Bethlehem. These are stOI the same as in the night when the angel of the Loi-d proclaimed, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.” f It filled us with unmingled pleasure to gaze upon the undulating hills and valleys stretched out at our feet, for we were sure that am.ong these David had often wandered with his flock, and in some of them the shepherds had heard the voice that brought the tidings of a Saviour born. Nearly due south lay a prominent hill about six miles distant, which we were told was the hill of Tekoah, giving name also to the wilderness around. The withered sides of this hill were once traversed by the prophet Amos, along with the herdmen that fed their cattle there.]: But we saw neither flock nor herd. One interesting association connected with this convent is, that Jerome lived and died here. His eyes daily looked upon this scene, and here he translated the “V’ord of God into Latin. We did not, however, find in the convent any one who seemed to have inherited the industry or learning of Father Jerome.

Remounting our horses, we bade farewell to our monkish friends, and wound slowly down the northern slope of Bethlehem, amongst vineyards and barley fields, where the reapers were engaged as in the days when Ruth and Naomi returned from the land of Moab. We soon arrived at the well of the Magi, where the Holy City comes in view. We could not but linger at the spot. Behind us lay Bethlehem, before vis Jerusalem; — on the one hand, the spot where the love of God was first made manifest; on the other, the spot where that love was completed in Immanuel’s death; — on the one hand the Luke ii. 7. t Luke ii. 10. t Amos i.

spot where Jesus was born; on the other, the spot where Jesus died! This is the route by which Tasso’s pilgrims* are represented as approaching and getting their first view of the Holy City. When they see the minarets, the domes and bulwarks of the city, they burst out into a cry of ecstasy —

Ecco apparir Gierusalem si vede,

Ecco additar Gierusalem si scorge,

Ecco da mille voci unitamente,

Gierusalem salutare si sente.

(“Behold Jerusalem in prospect lies!

IBeliold Jerusalem salutes their eyes!

At once a thousand tongues repeat the name,

And hail Jerusalem with loud acclaim.” *)

The view of Jerusalem from the south is not neaiiy so desolate as the view from the western approach; still, when seen from afar, it is “like a cottage in a vineyard, like a lodge in a garden of cucumbers.” f Hardly any thing is visible but the bare wall with its battlement, surrounding you see not what. Coming near we were startled by the depth of Hinnom, with its rocks and caves, and by the bold front of Zion.

We had scarcely seated ourselves at Mr. Nicolayson’s hospitable board, when letters from home were put into our hands, the first that we had received since our departure. It was truly refreshing to hear that all our friends were well, and our flocks not left uncared for. One of our letters brought the news that the Auchterarder case had been decided against our Church in the House of Lords. We all felt it a solemn thing to receive such tidings in Jerusalem. They seemed to intimate a time of coming trial to the Church of Scotland. The time seemed to be come when judgment must begin at the house of God in Scotland; and we called to mind the clear intimations of prophecy, that “there shall be a time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation,” at the very time when Israel shall be delivered. We closed our Saturday evening together, by reading the 2d chapter of Luke.

(June 16. Sabbath.) We had agreed beforehand to meet together this day, and join in the communion of the Lord’s Supper. It was therefore with feelings of sacred interest that we saw the dawn of a Sacrament-Sabbath in Jerusalem. The solemn scenes which we had witnessed during the week — Calvary, Gethsemane, Bethany, * Canto 3, 3. t Isa. i. 8.

and Bethlehem, were well fitted to attune our hearts to partake of the sacred ordinance. In walldng through the streets and the crowded bazaar to the Consul’s house, which was the place of meeting, we felt a peculiarlyvivid reality in the truth, that it was for common sinners such as these now walking in the streets of Jerusalem, and ourselves among the rest, that Jesus died. It was for souls nowise moi-e exalted by nature, or more worthy of his love, than the present inhabitants, that “God was manifest in flesh.” How strange! how passing knowledge does the love of Christ appear in such a view! How free the way to the Father for the chief of sinners; and how personal the application of redemption! Had Christ met one of us that day upon the streets of Jerusalem, he would have said, “Wilt tkou be made whole J”

We met in the same upper room where we had met last >Sabbath. There were fourteen gathered together, including two converted Jews, and a Christian from Nazareth, who had been brought to know the truth under the American missionaries. “It v.^as a time of refreshing from the presence of the Lord. After the usual morning prayers of the Church of England, Mr. Nicolayson preached on 1 John i. 3, “Truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ,” with fervent simplicity. Dr. Keith joined with him in administering the broken bread and poured out wine. In the evening, Mr. Bonar preached from John xiv. 2, 3, “In my Father’s house are many mansions,” &c., on the behever’s desire to be with Christ, and Christ’s desire to be with his people. Feelings of deepest solemnity filled our hearts, while we worshipped in an upper room, after such a feast, where we had been showing the Lord’s death “till he come” * and “his feet stand upon the Mount of Olives.” f And it was with more than ordinary fervour that we joined in the prayer that Israel might soon have their solemn feasts restored to them, and the ways of Zion no longer mourn, and that even now the Holy Spirit, who, in this city, came down on the apostles, would again descend on us, and on all the churches. After singing together the last part of the 116th Psalm, we separated. On our way to our home on Mount Zion, we gazed upon the Mount of Olives, on which the last rays of the evening sun were pouring their golden lustre, and remembered how, after the fii-st Lord’s Supper, Jesus went out there to his ago-

1 Cor. xi. 26. f Zech. xlv. 4.

ny in Gethsemane; and how from the other side of that mountain he was “received up into heaven.”

(June 17.) This morning at six o’clock, we attended the Hebrew service in the Mission-house. Mr. Nicolayson read the Liturgy in Hebrew, in a very beautiful manner, Mr. Bergheim, Simeon, and ourselves responding. It was truly interesting to hear the holy tongue made use of in believing prayer in the name of Jesus. The greater part of this day was devoted to making up our journals, and writing letters to Scotland.

In the afternoon, we visited the Castle of David, the only stronghold now remaining upon Mount Zion. It is a little to the south of the Jaffa Gate, and overhangs the vale of Gihon. The lower part of one of the towers is evidently of great antiquity. The stones are very large, and bevelled” in their edges, and we were told that it is perfectly solid. This is believed to be the tower of Hippicus, said by Josephus to be one mass (oiSafiov ituKcm), and which was spared by Titus when the temple and city were destroyed. May it not be still more ancient, the site at least of “the stronghold of Zion” which David took from the Jebusites? * Or “the tower of David,” to which the neck of the Church is compared, “Thy neck is like the tower of David builded for an armory V f Descending into the vale of Hinnom, we tried to sketch the steep view of Mount Zion; then returning, gathered several specimens of the Spi/ia Clu-isti. This plant, called Nabka by the Arabs, grows abundantly on the hills of Jerusalem; the branches are very pliable, so as easily to be platted into a crown, while the thorns are very many, and shari”), and about an inch in length. The tradition seems highly probable, that this was the plant of which the Roman soldiers platted a crown of thorns for the brow of Christ.

Towards evening, we visited that part of the Old Temple wall to which the Jews are allowed to go, that they may pray and weep over the glory that is departed. It is a part of the western enclosure of the Haram, and the access to it is by narrow and lonely streets. The Jew who was our guide, on approaching the massy stones, took off his shoes and kissed the wall.

Every Friday evening, when the Jewish Sabbath begins, some Jews may be found here deeply engaged in prayer;

* 2 Sam. V. 7. t Song iv. 4. t Matt, xxvii. 29.

for they believe that prayer still goes up with most acceptance before God, when breathed through the crevices of that building of which Jehovah said, “Mine eyes and my heart shall be there perpetually.” * This custom they have maintained for centuries, realizing the prophetic words of Jeremiah, “Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? Behold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow, M’hich is done unto me, wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger.”! We counted ten courses of those massy stones one above another. One of them measured fifteen feet long by three broad; another was eight feet square; others farther south were twenty-four feet long. They are bevelled like the immense stones of the mosque at Hebron, and are of a very white limestone resemlling marble. Some of them are worn smooth with the tears and kisses of the men of Israel. Above the large stones the wall is built up with others smaller and more irregular, and is evidently of a modern date, affording a complete contrast to the ancient building below. Later in the evening, Mr. M’Cheyne went to visit the same spot, guided by Mr. George Dalton. On the way, they passed the houses where the lepers live all together, to the east of the Zion Gate within the walls. A little further on, the heaps of rubbish on Mount Zion, surmounted by prickly pear, were so great, that at one point they stood higher than the city wall. The view of Mount Olivet from this point is very beautiful. The dome of the mosque El Aksa appeared to be torn and decayed in some places, and even that of the Mosque of Omar seemed far from being splendid. Going along by the ancient valley of the Tyropceon, and passing the gate called by the monks the Dung Gate, now shut up, Mr. Dalton pointed out in the wall of the Haram, near the south-west corner, the singular traces of an ancient arch, which Professor Robinson had discovered to be the remains of the bridge from the Temple to Mount Zion, mentioned frequently by Josephus, and remarkable as a work of the highest antiquity. The stones in the temple wall that form the spring of this ancient bridge are of enormous size. This interesting discovery goes to prove that the large bevelled stones, which form the foundation of the present enclosure of the Haram in so many parts, are really the work of Jewish hands, and the remains of the outer wall of the Temple of Solomon. Neither is this conclusion in

1 Kings i.. 3. + Lam. i. 12 the least conti-adictory to the prophecy of our Lord, “There shall not be left here one stone upon another that shall not be thrown down,” for these dreadful words were spoken in reference to the Temple itself, which was “adorned with goodly stones and gifts;” and they have been fearfully fulfilled to the very letter, for the Mosque of Omar, entirely a Moslem building, stands upon the rock of Moriah, probably on the very spot where the Temple stood.

The Jewish place of wailing is a little to the north of this ancient bridge. Here they found a young Jew sitting on the ground. His turban, of a greyish colour peculiar to the Jews here, shaded a pale and thoughtful countenance. His prayer-book was open before him, and he seemed deeply engaged. Mr. Dalton acting as interpreter, he asked what it was he was reading. He showed the book, and it happened to be the 22d Psalm. Struck by this providence, Mr. M’Cheyne read aloud till he came to the 16th verse, “They pierced my hands and my feet;” and then asked, “Of whom speaketh the prophet this?” The Jew answered, “Of David and all his afflictions.” “But David’s hands and feet were not pierced!” The Jew shook his head. The true interpretation was then pointed out to him, that David was a prophet and wrote these things of Immanuel, who died for the remission of the sins of many. He made the sign with the lip which Easterns make to show that they despise what you are saying. “Well, then, do you know the way of forgiveness of which David speaks in the 32d Psalm!” The” Jew shook his head again. For here is the grand error of the Jewish mind, “The way of peace they have not known.”

The same evening we visited all the synagogues of Jerusalem at the time of evening prayer. They are six in number, all of them small and poorly furnished, and four of them under one roof The lamps are the only handsome ornaments they contain. The reading-desk is little else than an elevated part of the floor, enclosed with a wooden railing. The ark has none of the rich embroidery that distinguishes it in European synagogues. As it was an ordinary week-day, we found in every synagogue the Jewish children who had been receiving instruction in reading: and in one of the largest, a group by themselves was pointed out to us as being orphan children who are taught free. After examining the synagogues, we paid a vi’sit to a Rabbi, whose house, like that of Justus, “joined hard to the synagogue.”* We walked with him upon the roof looking down upon the city. The roof had a railing or battlement, as commanded in the law, “Thou shalt make a battlement for thy roof “f There are thirty-six yishvioth, or reading-rooms, for the study of the Law in the Holy City. In one of these close by, some old men were busy at evening prayer. The evening prayers in general seemed not to be well attended. Our guide, who was a Jew, on coming to his own synagogue, immediately left us and went up to the fi-ont of the ark, praying very devoutly, but with much ostentation. We were much impressed with the melancholy aspect of the Jews in Jerusalem. The meanness of their dress, their pale faces, and timid expression, all seem to betoken great wretchedness. They are evidently much poorer than the Jews of Hebron; and “the crown is fallen from their heads; wo unto them that they have sinned.” J

At night we had another opportunity of obtaining information as to the experience of Missionaries in labouring among the Jews of Palestine. The principal subject of conversation was — the literary qualijicutions of missionaries for Palesti-ne. The Hebrew is the most necessary language for one who labours among the Jews in this country, and it is spoken chiefly in the Spanish way. A Missionary should study the character and elements of Arabic in his own country, and the more thoroughly he is master of these the better, but the true pronunciation can be acquired only on the spot. Yet Arabic is not so absolutely necessary as Hebrew. Spanish, too, is useful, and also German, and he must know Italian, for the purpose of holding intercourse with Europeans in general. Judeo-Spanish is the language of the Sephardim, and Judeo-Polish of the Ashkenazim (/. e. Jews from Europe). All of them know a little of Italian. All Jews in Palestine speak Hebrew, but then they often attach a meaning to the words that is not the true meaning or grammatical sense, so that it is absolutely necessary to know the vernacular tongue, in order to be sure that you and they understand the same thing by the words employed. A Missionary ought to be well grounded in prophecy, and he should be one who fully and thoroughly adopts the principles of literal interpretation, both in order to give him hope and perseverance, and in order to fit him for reasoning with Jews. It is not so much

* Acta xviii. 7. t Deut xxii. 8. t Lam. v. 16.

preaching talents as controversial that are required; yet it is to Ije hoped that both may soon be needed. He ought to have an acquaintance with Hebrew literature to the extent of understanding the Talmud, so as to be able to set aside its opinions. Acquaintance, too, with the Cabbala is necessary, in order to know the sources of Jewish ideas, and how scriptural arguments are likely to affect their minds. Zohar is one of the best Cabbalistic commentaries. A knowledge of Chaldee and Sja-iac would also be very useful. In a mission to the Jews there ought to be both Jewish and Gentile labourers; the Gentile to form the nucleus, the other to be the effective labourers. If a converted Jew go through a course of education, and be ordained, he would combine the advantages of both; still a Gentile fellow-labourer would always be desirable. Faith and perseverance are the grand requisites in a missionary to Israel. He should never abandon a station unless in the case of absolute necessity. He may make occasional tours in the country round about, but he must have a centre of influence. It is of the highest importance to retain his converts beside him, and form them into a church; for two reasons: — 1. Little is done if a man is only convinced or even converted, unless he is also trained up in the ways of the Gospel. 2. The influence of sincere converts belonging to a mission is very great. It commends the cause of Christ to others. At the same time it ought, if possible, to be made a rule to give no support to converts, except in return for labour, either literary or agricultural.

(June 18.) Early next morning some of our company set out to make a farewell visit to Bethany, and the more notable scenes on the east of the city. We passed through the bazaar and narrow ruined streets, and purchased some articles as memorials of Jerusalem. Issuing forth by St. Stephen’s Gate, we crossed the Kedron, and once more visited Gethsemane, a spot which called forth fresh interest every time we saw it, and has left a fragrant remembrance on our mind that can never fade away. Passing the northern wall, we went up the face of the Mount of Olives, stopping every now and then and looking round upon “the perfection of beauty.” Jeremiah says that “all her beauty is departed.” * How passing beautiflil, then, it must have been in ancient days!

* Lam. i. 6.

Crossing by the north of the Church of the Ascension, and standing on the summit of the Mount of Ohves, we once more enjoyed the commanding prospect of the Dead Sea, stretching to the south, calm and of the deepest blue, and the mountain range of Moab beyond. From this point of view we couldsee the full meaning of Ezekiel, where he says, “Thine elder sister is Samaria, she and her daughters that dwell at thy left hand; and thy younger sister, that dwelleth at thy right hand, is Sodom and her daughters.” * And as we turned from the view of that mysterious lake, under whose heavy waters lie “Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them, set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire,”f and looked down upon the place where Jesus “came near and beheld the city, and wept over it,” we felt that the recent sight of Sodom’s doom may have kindled into a flame the Redeemer’s unutterable compassion, when he seemed to manifest in his person the tender words of the prophet, “How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? how shall I deliver thee, Israell how shall I make thee as Admah ■? how shall I set thee as Zeboim 1 Mine heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together.”!

From the same height we took our last view of the course of the Jordan, marked only by the strip of verdure on its banks. Beyond lay the valley of Shittim, in the plains of Moab, a wilderness of pasture-land, said to be fifteen miles long by ten miles broad, affording ample room for the goodly tents of the many thousands of Israel.^ Not far from that spot Elijah ascended to heaven in his fiery chariot, and his mantle floated down upon his holy successor. And from the same open sky, at another time, the Spirit descended like a dove, and abode upon the Saviour when he was baptized by John in Jordan.

Another prominent object in the scene is the remains of an ancient village on the height nearly south from Bethany, and about half a mile distant; it is called Abu-Dis. May not this be the remains of Bethphag-e, the village” over againsV the Jericho road, where the disciples obtained the colt and brought it to Jesus’! No other trace of Bethphage has ever been found, neither has any traveller found an ancient name for Abu-Dls that has any probability of being the true one. The only

* Ezek. xvi. 46. The left hand is the north, and the right hand the loath, m Eastern phraseology.

Jude 7. t IIos. xi. 8. 5 Num. xxii. 1; xxv. 1 objection is, that Abu-Dis is not upon the Jericho road but half a mile to the south of it. But the words of the Evangelist, rightly understood, do not imply that Bethphage was on the Jericho road, or that Jesus entered the village. Jesus was travelling from Jericho probably by the present highway, “And when iliey came nigh to Jerusalem, unto Bethphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, he sendeth forth two of his disciples, and saith unto them. Go your way into the village over against you.’”* The simple meaning appears to be, that when they came to the confines of these two villages, lying on the back of the Mount of Olives, (and Bethphage may be named first, because the more conspicuous of the two,) Jesus sent two of the disciples to the village on the opposing height. Had he passed through the village, there would have been no need to send messengers to fetch the colt.

Leaving the summit, we descended, over a lower brow of the hill, upon “the town of Mary and her sister Martha,” concealed by terraces, and rocks, and fig-trees. We lingered here for a considerable time, occasionally attended by some of the simple country people, and reading over to ourselves the flth chapter of John. It is a fragrant spot; the name of Christ was poured forth here in his wonderful deeds of love and tenderness, like Mary’s pound of ointment of spikenard very costly, and the fragrance is as fresh to a true disciple’s heart as on the day when it was done.

We left Bethany with regret, and proceeded to Jerusalem by the broad and rocky pathway, which appears to be the ancient road. It was along this way Jesus rode upon the ass’s colt; here they spread their garments in the way, and cut down branches of the trees and strewed them in the way, and cried Hosanna! You first obtain a distant view of part of Jerusalem before leaving the ridge on which Bethany stands; again you lose it, descending into a ravine; then ascending, you wind round the Mount of Olives, with the Mount of Offence beneath you, when suddenly the whole city comes into view. We read over the 11th chapter of Mark as we traversed this interesting road. It was by this road Jesus was walking when he said to the fig-tree, “No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever;” and the next morning they saw it dried up from the roots, and Jesus

* Mark xi. 1, 2.

said, “Whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea, he shall have whatsoever he saith.”* Many such fig-trees now line the road, and we pulled some of their leaves for a memorial.

Leaving the track, and descending the steep of the Mount of Offence, we tried to find our way into the valley of Jehoshaphat through the hanging village of Siloam. With great difficulty we succeeded, for the houses, many of which are ancient sepulchres hewn in the rock, are placed one above another in a very singular manner. As we sat at the Pool of Siloam, the deep shade of the rock was truly refreshing. We read over John ix. and vii. 37. We also paid a last visit to the fountain further up, and gathered some of the white pebbles from beneath its soft-flowing waters. We then ascended to the wall of the city, and entering by the Zion Gate, once more passed through the Jewish quarters, and looked upon the miseries of Israel in the city where David dwelt. “How hath the Lord covered the daughter of Zion with a cloud in his anger!” f They are by far the most miserable and squalid of all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and if we could have looked upon their precious souls, their temporal misery would have appeared but a faint emblem of the spiritual death that reigns within. “Ah sinful nation! a people laden with Iniquity! The whole head is sick, and the whole heart is faint.” I May we never lose the feelings of intense compassion toward Israel, which these few days spent in Jerusalem awakened; and never rest till all the faithful of the church of our fathers have the same flame kindled in their hearts!

* Mark xi. 14, 20, 23. t Lam. ii. 1. t Isa. i. 4, 5.

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