REV. W. J. HOWELL'S HORSEBACK RIDE THROUGH HISTORIC PALESTINE

 

Rev. W. J. Howell.

SS Kaiseren Maria Theresia.

Cortland Semi-Weekly Standard, Tuesday, April 21, 1903.

REV. W. J. HOWELL’S

Horseback Ride Through Historic Places in Palestine.

A FINE TRIP OF TWELVE DAYS.

A Day in Nazareth—The Sea of Galilee—Through Samaria—Sunset on Mt. Gerizim—The Well of Sychar—The Approach to Jerusalem.

   The following letter from Rev. W. J. Howell, pastor of the First Bapteist church, has been written to his church describing a portion of his trip through Palestine, and will be of general interest:

   On the Mediterranean for Egypt, Tuesday, March 17, 1903.

   To the Cortland Church:

    Dear Friends—At noon today we sailed away from the Holy Land with rare memories and emotions. On Thursday, March 5, we landed at Haifa near Mt. Carmel. I shall long remember that first vision of the Holy Land. I have spent twelve days in Palestine. The life of the tourist is the busiest life I have ever yet experienced. I intended to write once every week. I wrote before reaching Constantinople of Alhambra, Algiers and Malta, and hope you received it, but have no reply. I received a letter from Dr. Coats, and am very anxious to hear from him again, also from the superintendent and others. I cannot now write of Athens and Constantinople.

Carriage Drive to Nazareth.

   One party of 300 spent only five days in Palestine, and this is now already in Egypt. This great ship is on its way with only seventy-five passengers to Alexandria. In the quietude I will now write of the last twelve days. At Beyrut, which is the chief city of Syria, we spent one-half day. The American college at Beyrut has $1,000,000 worth of property, and is a mission college, largely cared for by the Presbyterians. It has 600 students who are taught in ten different languages. This school is one of the most wonderful forces of Syria. On my return I will tell you more fully of the missionary work in these lands. After visiting Beyrut we sailed for Haifa. There we left the ship and took carriages for Nazareth, 21 miles distant. The drive through the day was one of rapturous delight. The beautiful and historic plain of Esdraelon was on our right, and to the south is a valley of rare fertility. We drove along the northern boundary of the tableland. In all Palestine I have seen no landscape to surpass it for beauty. For the first three hours we drove along the northern base of Mr. Carmel, then turning to the left we crossed the famous river Kishon. We could see Carmel from the ship. This was the mount of sacrifice, and here the prophet slew the false prophets of Baal. On the north, of course, is Galilee. We were in the Galilee of Jesus. Nazareth is northeast from Carmel and has a population of 10,000. To the east and south lies the plain of Esdraelon, and the mountain range of Carmel. The southeastern boundary of the plain is the mountain range of Gilboa, and to the east lies Mt. Tabor in full view. We stopped the carriages for one-half hour to study the landscape. Jezreel, now a village and in Bible times a famous city, lies in the plain on the southeast side. The mountain of Little Hermon is at the eastern side of the plain near Mt. Tabor, and the village of Nain can easily be seen near its base. In that plain Saul fought with the Philistines. In the mountains of Gilboa, Saul and his son Jonathan were slain. The Kishon river is the chief river and flows through the midst of the plain. A very large part of Old Testament history occurred at places within range of our vision. The Bible will certainly henceforth be an interesting book to me. Such a trip as we have had will be a fifth gospel. We crossed a part of this plain before ascending to the tableland to the north of it. There were no fences as boundaries between the small farms. The farms were in long strips of land in straight lines and there was a ceaseless alternation of ploughed lands and grass lands. It was a picture long to be remembered, and the beauty was increased because the boundaries were straight lines. The view was more like looking on adjoining gardens than farms, because the plots were small and narrow.

On Horseback to the Sea.

   We rode in American carriages drawn by Arabian horses. My dragoman lives in Jerusalem,  is a Christian and is a member of the Episcopal church. He is an Arab or Syrian. The Episcopal church is about the only church doing mission work in Palestine. Our first night was spent in tents at Nazareth, with three persons in a tent. Rev. Hoyt of Philadelphia, one of our leading preachers in America, was with us and we enjoyed his companionship very much.

   The next morning we started on horseback for the Sea of Galilee. We had forty riding horse, and for the servants and for carrying tents and baggage we had about fifty mules and donkeys. The dragomen led the way. The hills and mountains are treeless, and valleys very beautiful. We passed through Cana of Galilee. On the “Horns of Hattin,” a large mountain, we first saw the Sea of Galilee. Here Jesus preached the Sermon on the Mount, and on top of this mountain is a large amphitheatre that will seat 100,000 people. Then we went down a steep slope to the Sea of Galilee. Our party went out on its waters in row boats and sail boats from the city of Tiberias. We sang gospel hymns, and we had happy worship together as we sang “Blue Galilee” and “Jesus, Savior, Pilot Me.” We sailed from the middle of the west coast to the north of the lake. On the west side, we passed the village of Magdala, the house of Magdalene, and Bethsaida, the home of James and John, and also the city of Capernaum. There is but little left to identify the sites of these former cities; they are now in ruins. We tented that night at Tiberias, and the next day we returned to Nazareth. We spent Sunday in Nazareth, and about the only rain on our entire trip was on that day, and as the hardest rain of a year. Before leaving Nazareth we visited the largest carpenter shop there, The Church of the Annunciation is on the traditional site where the angel announced to Mary the birth of the Savior. Tradition did not move my spirit, but the Scripture record of Gabriel’s visit came with new reality to me. The priest showed us the grotto in the rock, called “Mary’s Kitchen,” where she cooked for the holy family. The church was built 150 years ago. An altar is on the reputed spot, and I saw reverent people kneel and kiss the spot where they believe Mary stood when the angel Gabriel spoke to her.

   West of Nazareth is the highest hill or mountain, and here we had a fine view. Nazareth is in a basin surrounded by a cluster of hills, or rather it is partly on the hillside. I stood on Precipitation hill, where they were intending to cast Jesus headlong. I visited some Christian homes and an orphanage for girls, which is cared for by the Episcopal church. Here some gospel hymns were sung very sweetly. There are now but few Jews here, but many Mohammedans and some Catholics. I went to Mary’s well or fountain, and felt sure that Mary, the mother of our Savior, came there, and also felt that the boy Jesus was often there. In this, his Nazareth home, I thought of him again and again with love.

Through Samaria.

   It was feared that the plain of Esdraelon could not be crossed because of the rains for several weeks preceding. One-half of our party gave it up and went back to the steamer. But I was intent on going overland to Jerusalem on horseback through Samaria. Most of that day, Monday, we were in that plain or in the edge of the highlands on the east. We passed by the city of Nain, and thought of the young man whom Jesus restored to life. Mt. Tabor is near but east of Nain. Endor is very near. Here lived the witch whom Saul consulted before the battle of Gilboa. Nain is a disappointment in its little clay huts. We left Mt. Tabor on our left to the east, and Mt. Gilboa further on was to the left also. We passed through Shunem. I think it was the dirtiest village on the entire trip. Second Kings, fourth chapter, is the record of the Shunammite woman who entertained the prophet Elijah. Jezreel is at the opposite pole of her ancient glory as a city. It is in ruins, and is an unsightly hamlet now. Near there, Saul fought the Philistines, and there King Ahab and Jezebel lived. Jezreel is on a high hill in the plain. Looking back we could see Nazareth, and at the base of the hill was the stream where Gideon’s men lapped the water as they ran. Four days at Galilee, and then on to Samaria. We passed through many large olive groves. The beautiful flowers grow wild, and the “lily of the field” greets the eye often.

Sunset on Mt. Gerizim.

   We passed Dothan and its plain, where Joseph was sold to the caravan. We saw there many flocks of sheep. We traveled the same road to the south of Shechem over which Joseph came to Dothan. As we looked across that broad plain, we recalled that “they saw Joseph afar off.” We found several pits at Dothan. In three hours we reached Samaria. Here Philip came preaching Christ. There kings of Israel reigned 900 years. We recalled how the Syrians besieged the ancient city till there was a great famine, and also recalled the account of the lepers at the gate. On that hill is now the largest camping ground in the Holy Land. Here was located Ahab’s ivory palace, also Herod’s palace. I was pleased and surprised to learn that English Baptists have a mission church and school there, and one at Shechem also. I called on the Baptist missionary at Shechem and found he had been there twenty-five years. There are only two Baptists churches in the Holy Land. After spending the night at Shechem we climbed to the top of Mt. Gerizim. What a steep mountain, and what a Biblical history! From the summit of Mt. Gerizim, we saw the sun set. Mt. Ebal is at the side of Mt. Gerizim, and between these two mountains was the “Place of Sacrifice” where 1,000,000 Israelites camped. Gerizim was the mount of “Blessing,” and Ebal the mount of “Cursing.” When the Samaritans were ostracized by the Jews of Jerusalem after the return from captivity they built a temple on Mt. Gerizim. Just one mile east from here is Jacob’s well. So near, that I now see why the woman of Samaria said to Jesus, that our fathers worshipped God in this mountain. One-quarter of a mile from Jacob’s well is the village of Sychar. There at the well we read in the Scriptures of Christ’s conversation with the woman about the water of life, while his disciples were in the city to buy bread, either in Sychar or Shechem. The town of Shechem now has a population of 25,000. It is chiefly a Mohammedan city now. Joseph’s tomb is between Jacob’s well and Sychar. This well is now 75 feet deep. We left Shechem early in the morning, and at noon reached Shiloh. It is only a rocky steep hill rising in the midst of a plain, and the top is a level surface of a few acres. Here stood the tabernacle. We were on sacred ground. Here Eli died. Here Samuel’s mother came once a year to worship. Now nothing remains but a heap of stones.

Approaching Jerusalem.

   From Shiloh we came to Jerusalem, passing Bethel on the way. Near here Abraham pitched his tent. On this road from Bethel to Jerusalem, Jesus is supposed to have passed when he was 12 years old. At Bethel Jacob had his vision and saw angels descending on a ladder from heaven. We are now within two or three hours’ ride of Jerusalem, and here we found our only rain of the entire week. I could write pages on the minor, yet Biblical scenes along that road before Jerusalem is sighted, but they are forgotten.

   All are alert; we ride faster; we talk less to each other; each wants a vision of the city of his Lord and King. It would take a lifetime to describe Jerusalem. This letter is already like a sermon, it seems to have no ending, and I must be forgiven this sermonic length lest I forget entirely how to preach.

   Fortunately for you, my fountain pen has just now failed me.

   I greet you one and all in the Lord. “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.”

   Your pastor, W. J. Howell.