From Jerusalem To Nazareth

Corresnondence of TlIK CoURIER Kamallah, April 21, laso. LKAVINQ JERCJSALEM. At last we wero rcady to start. Our party numbcred Cvc, and besides a dragomán and one or two muletep.rs. Dr. N and wife, missionarics from Bcyrout, were familiar with tha Arabic language, so we were not particular, if our hcad man, Hassan, could talk but littlo English. Miss M - was a Sootch elderly maiden lady, but for a number of yeara liad boen living on the island of lschia, near Naples. Wo could not bave found ploasanter couipanions. It was hard to say good by at the Prussian hospice. It bad been our rosting place for two weeks, tho doctor and wife had been stopping there stilllonger, and Miss M about six weeks. We had been treated so hospitably, tliat really it seemed like home to us, and wo were sad to think ofleaving. The ohildren of our host had beoomc vory muoh attached to us all, and espccially.to Miss M , who had been with them so long, aud as they shook hands with her, toars were in their oyes. What pleasant, happy day thoso had becu 1 Could we ever forget tho views we had morning and evcning from 'our chambcr window, of Olivet, and the Temple and the Holy SapuWber ; then the promenades we had at eveniug on the level roof protocted by a balustrade ; and what fun wo all had one ovening clambering to the top of the domes forming part of the roof? Then, tho conversations at the tca table, tho songs we sang as Wü gathered about the littlc cabinet organ ; what an amount of phinning and discussing [irevious to uisking oxoursiontt to tlie Dead Soa, the niosquc of Omar, and latcly to Nazareth. And now wo were to pay, adieu ! It wa late in the season and we were the last of the travelors, who had been coming and going. The hospice was left desorted of guoets. Out of tho DamascusUate, slowly wendiiiK onr way to the top of tho ridge cailod So.iius, and then we turnod our borflM Deada tu tuko a i'arcwell view of tho Iloly City, Ho beautiful it looked "on the sidea of the north," with its many white domes, tuinarets pointing heavenward, its hills and valleys lighted up by the west; ern sun ! There werc the grand old walls boneath which we had takou so uiany walk.s, there was the dcep, picturesque valley of tho Kedron on the east, and the mount of Olives, which we had climbod up so often, and frooi which at the rising and setting oi' the gun we had obtained such glorioas views. And now we were taking our departure, very likcly never to return. How could wc control the fiood of our emotions ! Oh ! Jerusalem, nauie ever dear to me ! Type of the golden city in heaven above, can we ever ibrget thee ? Thine image is graven upon my heart, thy memory will be cherished as long as life lasts. Farewel!, Zion, city of our God ! We left the city about turee o'ulock, and arrived at this little village just bef'ore Kimsot, a short ridc for tho first day. Dr. N had a letter of introduction to a Quaker ruissionary here, who kindly gave U3 accommodationa for the night. The ladios had the Iarge dining or more properly " living " room, wbile the doctor and I occupied the parlor. The air was quite chilly and our friendo built a fire and boiled a kettlo of water. We were prepared to get our own nieals, and the sight was rather aiuusing, even to ourselves. Spirit lamps were set agoing to make tea ; but Mrs. N found her now one, that had so niniiy compartments and devices, a real little wonder, " multum in parvo," and had promiscd no much, after all, it did not work well. It took too long to boil the water. Miss M had her oup of cocoa boiling in a few moments, and laughed as she got out her oan of Chicago leef, as nico, sweet and toothsouic as oould be. A girl brought us a piaster' worth of goat's milk, and we had our evcning mcal. All was so novel we had a deal of sport and enjoyed it much. Naulouh, April 22. Hore we are, in a pretty village between the mountains of Ebal and Gerizini, in aneient times known as Shechem. Very weary after our long ride of eleven and a half hours. Early this morning we canie to BETHEL, very interesting from its historica! associations. Wo etopped at the forks of the road, and gathered a few flowers as a souvenir. The stones are so plenty it would have been a vory easy matter for Jacob to arrange a rocky pillow, or set up an altar to his fa ther's God. Jacob's ladder ! How often we had picCould it bo possible that we wcro, perhaps, on the very spot whero the patriarch had that heavonly visión, and saw the angels ascending und doscending. "And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said : How dreidful is this place ! this is none othor but the of God, and this is the gato of heaven." For awhile in the forenoon the path was very rough and stony, so much so that we ofton found it a relief, when the descent into the valleys was steop, to get off our horses and walk. Passed a great many vineyards, and in somo places the vines wero trailed along on the surface of the ground. There were a great many round watoh towers built of stone and covercd with sticks and brush- no doubt similar tothe towers spoken of by our Saviour in his parables. It was a picasant change to enter a long, deep, and narrow valley, the hillsides terraced and green with vinos and olive orchards. Soon we carne to a wild romantic spot, called " The llobber's Glon," with a opring of cool refreshing water, as great a joy to the traveler in I'alestine almost, as an oasis in tho desert. We turnod aside a little way to visit anothcr interesting sight. SUILOII. Hcre we took lunch under an old oak tree. Nothing but two ruina of what were, perhaps, temples, now mark the spot. Imagination must rcvivify the past. Hcre was the ark of the covenant, Eli was the pricst, and little Samuel hoard the voice of the Lord calling hiin, and the third time answered, " Speak, for thy servant heareth." "And all Israel from Dan even unto Bcersheba, knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the Lord." As we read together the ürstchapter of I. Samuel, wo tbought with whatjoy and gladness Hannah must have made the little coat which she brought her little boy cvery year, when thcy came up to this place to offer the yearly racrifice. There was her darling child, the answer to many a pleading prayer. He was girded with a linen ephod, slept in the temple, oponed the doora of the house of the Lord, ministering before Him. No wonder her heart rejoiced, and she sang a song of thankfulncss. " The Lord raiseth up the poor out of the duBt, to sot thom among princos and to wake thetn inherit the tlirone of glory." jacob's well. Just at dusk wo reaobed thil saored shrine of all. pilgrims throuph tho Holy Land. We werc very weary with our long ride, it was too late to tarry but a few min utes, thero was nothing to bo seen but the ruins of an old churoh built by the Crusad ers, and a large spaoe onoe walled up ani arched over, but now in a dilapidated am neglocted condition, the mouth of the wel boing almost entirely choked up with loose stonos. Hassan and one or two others drop ped a pebblo through the nlight opening no larger than a man's hand. There was long pau.se before it struok the water below proving that thcro was really a well there and onuofiireatdepth. But, notwithstand ing, the presont had so little to interest us and wo could not linger, tbe memories o the past üllcd our hearts with doepost emo tions, as wo gazed upoo that hallowed spot That wcll was dug way back in the infane of our raco, of its living waters Jacob him self had drank, nnd his childron, and hi oattlc. VVhat nountlcss multitudes durin all those ages had it rofreshed ! Amon that nuinber wero our Saviour and bis dis oiples : " Jobus tborcforo being wcary wit hi jouruoy sat thus on tha well." We re cali that romarkablo oonvorsatioo with th woinan of Samaría, about the " water o ife." How true his words I Tlius water nee HO pure, bright and sparkling, wus ow stagnant and simt up in its dark and noleansed walls; but the " water oí' lile" s still flowing, living, and "springing up nto everlaíting lifo," oí' which _if a man ïall drink " lic ahall novcr tliirst." Nazauktii. Airii M. We have at lakt arrived at our journoy's nd. The weather has been dolightful, noiïeir too bot nor too oold. The country is eautiful just at thif time, so soon at'cer tho ltter raiiis," and before the lields havo ecome pare-hed aud brown by the fierce ïeat of' thu sun. Everywhore there is a rofusion of flowers, tho crops are grpeq nd luxuriant, and one's impression of the and will be very favorable. Others, wbo ome in cold winter, meeting bleak. winds nd often snow storins, or who come in auumn when all vegetation is brown, the jrooka dried up, in either case pronounce ie country treeless, desolate and barren, ie only interest being in the associations f the past. Henee, sucb diverse accounts 'rom travelors coming here at different seasons of the yoar. April is the best month o visit Palestino. Yesterday, the Samaritans in Nabloue were to hold their aDnual feast of the Passver, as they have done for many hundred 'ears. The sect is now very small. They lave a very ancient copy of the Oíd Testa ment. We were sorry we eouU not tarry o witness that most ancient and interesting ereniony. They go up on Mount Gerizim, ust south of' the town, and there, girded nd ütaff in hand, bh if ready for a journey hey e;it, in haste, the strangcly ptvpurcd moal. Soon al'ter leaving Nablous we cune lo ancient Samaría, where that awful siege and faminc took place, but Elislm prophsiod, "To-morrow about this time .shall a mcasure of fine flour bo sold for a shekel," te. As we climbed up the ascent to the miserable village surrounded with the remains of fortner grandeur, half a score or more of raggod, dirty Arab children followed us, clainoring for lacJcsluxsh. One little 'ellow kopt plucking spears of barley aud 'eeding Miss M 's horse, which pleased ïer no much shc threw hiin several quarter nasters. The little urchin had on, apparently, but one artiele of clothing. When we went round the place on foot, seeking ho many ruins scattered about, a troop of children and several grown persons followed us, sonie acting as self-appointed guides, all beggiug for baekBhcosh. Passed by a ïuettuiug noor wnerc girln were pounding out tho barley with clubs, and winnowing ho grain in the wind, so it seems barley ïarveat begins about this time. Shall I ever forget that magnifk-ent view we had from a high hill just beyond Samaria, and tho lovely charming valley into which Wu doscended ! Tlio doctor said it was as fine as many an Alpine scène. At unch undcr the olive trees ho bought a owl of Idian. at tho village near by, a favorito dish with the Araba. It looks likc thick, sour milk, but is made ofsweptmilk 'ermentod witb yeast or old leban. About wonty natives gathered around u, watchng eyery movement with the greatest curiosity. To-day we passed through the great plain of Esdraelon, the scène of so many faiaous attjes. Mount Hennon with its gnowolad peak was ever in view to the north. [ can speak of only two places of interest among the many we saw on the way. Of course as we passed Jezreol we thought of the story of the vineyard, how Ahab coveted his neighbor's possession, and unrightoously took it, prompted by his wioked wife, Jezebel. And at Shunem, whilo we wore resting under a fig tree after lunch in the heat of the day, weread the fourth chapter of II. Kings. Right over there to the left was Mt. Carmel, where dwelt Elisha, the prophet. We could imagine the Shunamito woman, with her servant, hastening across the plaio to get counsel of the man of God. That twenty-sixth verse, I remember, was the text for my little brother Bcrtie's funeral sermón. "Is t well with thee? Is it wcll with thy huaband? Is it well with tho ohild ? And she answered, It is woll." Herfaith and importunity were rewarded by the restoration of her belovcd boy. And th9 is Nazáreth, the home of Joseph and Mary and the divine child, Jesús. These twelve or fifteen mountains cnclosing the place like a grand ampitheatre, soem to gaard it from intrusión. What an interesting thought! Here our Saviour passed his boyhood days. How often he trod theso mouhtain paths aud gazed upon these same scences ! With the young men and maidens he carne to this copious fountain, he shared tueir sports, their oys, their sorrowH ; and somewhere here was that oarpenter's humble rooi', beneath which his hand worked wilh hammer, saw and adz. What a pleaeant home that must have been; for it was ligbted up by the emile and presence of' Him who was to be King of Kintrs and Lord of Lords.