HELIOPOLIS, AND OTHER SIGHTS AND SCENES.
The next morning we set off for Heliopolis.
Heliopolis, or the "City of the Sun," is the same which is called "On"
in the Bible. Joseph's wife came from On, where her father was a man of
wealth and importance.
The ride from Cairo to Heliopolis is delightful. We went across the edge
of the desert, and on our way were struck by a solitary dome marking a
tomb. This is the tomb of Saladin's brother, Malek Adhel, to whom
Richard Coeur de Lion wished to marry his sister Matilda.
[Illustration: ARAB SITTING IN FRONT OF HIS TENT.]
Beyond this our road lay through green fields and shady avenues of
acacias. The air was filled with a delicious perfume and with the
humming of the wild bees. We saw Arabs, with bare legs and turbaned
heads, tilling the ground, oxen treading out the corn, long strings of
camels and asses bringing home provender.
It was, indeed, a living Bible picture.
The land of Goshen was opening before us. We were looking at the same
scenes among which Joseph and his brethren had moved. The strings of
asses laden with corn were like the strings of asses which Joseph's
brethren had taken back laden to their dear father in Canaan.
It was a solemn feeling to be treading the very ground, and looking at
the very fields over which the patriarchs once trod.
A village called Matarieh stands near where the city of Heliopolis once
stood. Here a sycamore was shown to us under which Joseph and the Virgin
Mary and Infant Saviour are said to have rested when they fled into
Egypt from King Herod. The gardens of Matarieh were in former times
famed for their balsams. They were first brought from Judea, and were of
the same species as trees from which was made the "Balm of Gilead" that
we read of in the Bible.
Heliopolis, the "City of the Sun," was so called because in ancient
times there was a magnificent temple in it which was dedicated to the
sun. Besides the temple of the sun, there was in Heliopolis another
temple, dedicated to the bull Mnevis.
Cambyses, a king of Persia, took the city about five hundred years
before the birth of our Lord. He burnt the temples and destroyed the
palaces. Some of the obelisks escaped, and were afterwards taken to Rome
and Alexandria. One is still left. It is about sixty-five feet high.
Part of a Sphinx was found near it some time ago, so that it is supposed
that an avenue of Sphinxes led up to it, and that it is one of two
obelisks which probably stood at the entrance of the Temple of the Sun.
Wild bees had made their nests on the top of the obelisk, and came down
upon us in swarms, as is their wont to travellers. Lucy was frightened;
and though Hugh tried to look very brave, he did not feel quite at ease
any more than myself. However, we came to no harm, though they buzzed
all about us. The obelisk stands in a garden of rosemary and other
herbs, which perhaps attracted the bees to it as their home.
In vain we wandered hither and thither, searching for some other traces
of the bygone glories of this City of the Sun. Here it was that Joseph
once lived. Here it was that Moses was made "learned in the wisdom of
the Egyptians." Here the wise and learned men of Egypt used to assemble.
Here was once heard "joy and the voice of melody." Where is it now? All
is silent, still. This solitary pillar alone stands to mark the scene of
long-forgotten pomp and glory.
Thus do earthly cities vanish. But the heavenly city which our Saviour
has prepared for them that love him, will endure for evermore. Its
glories are far brighter than ever were those of this City of the Sun,
and are unfading; be it ours to have a part in that new and blessed
city!
The next morning we met some travellers who had been to a Copt wedding,
of which the lady gave us an account.
"The family was a rich one," she said, "and everything was most
splendid. The inner court of the house was beautifully lighted, and was
crowded with guests. In the middle were the musicians, with all sorts of
instruments: Arab flutes, dulcimers, fiddles; the noise was deafening.
"The master of the house took us to an up-stairs room in which were the
guests of higher rank. These were all men. Though the Copts are not
Mohammedans, it seems the custom for their women to live in as great
retirement as the Mohammedan women do, and also for them to cover their
faces when they go out of doors.
"We were taken into a large room covered with rich carpets, and lighted
by a number of wax candles and a large chandelier. We were led to a
large divan, where pipes, coffee, sweetmeats, and sherbet were handed to
us, whilst we listened to the songs of the singing women.
"These singing women are called 'Alme.' They attend the weddings of all
the rich people in Cairo, and are paid by contributions from the guests.
Generally they make a good sum at a wedding, especially those who are
clever enough to invent songs at the moment.
"We stayed in this room for a long time, and then I was taken to that
part of the house where the ladies of the family live. At the entrance
some negress slaves were waiting to receive me and lead me to the room
in which the lady of the house awaited me. She was mounted on a complete
throne of cushions, and some eighty or ninety guests, all ladies, were
with her. They were dressed in every variety of colour, and their
dresses were all embroidered in gold. The young ladies wore pretty gauze
veils, pink, white, or blue. These were all edged with needlework; some
in gold, some in silver. The elder ladies wore gorgeous Cashmere shawls
thrown over their heads and shoulders, and most of them wore diamond
ornaments.
"I was conducted to the seat of honour by the side of the lady of the
house, and a narghile (a sort of pipe) was brought to me. Then a china
saucer was filled with bonbons from a tray covered with all sorts of
confectionery, and was handed to me with some rose sherbet.
"After this I was taken into another room to see the bride. She was a
girl about twelve years old. She lay on a sofa, with her face muffled up
in some kind of white stuff which was ornamented with diamonds, and was
bound on by a band of diamonds. Her nurse was with her. The poor child
was very tired, and more than half asleep. When the covering was removed
that I might see her face, she moved uneasily, as if she did not like to
be disturbed. She was dressed in satin, scarlet, and gold, and had a
white cashmere shawl round her waist. She wore a number of splendid
ornaments.
"It was nearly midnight when we came away. The cool night air was
delicious after all the heat and glare of the house. It was a glorious
night, the sky radiant with stars which sparkled more brightly than the
little bride's diamonds."
[Illustration: VISIT TO THE HAREM.]
It was now time for us to go to the mission schools, which we all very
much wanted to see.
We went first to the girls' school, where we saw a number of children
copying portions of Holy Scripture in Arabic. They wrote beautifully.
Lucy took a great fancy to one little girl, and stood beside her,
watching her, for a long time. The child stole a shy glance at her now
and again; a kindly feeling sprang up between them, though they could
not understand each other's language.
We were told that the language taught in the schools generally is
Arabic, but that some of the children learn English. They are taught
reading, writing, arithmetic, needlework, embroidery, and, in fact,
everything that can be useful to them. They read the Bible, and many of
them can say large portions of it by heart.
We next went to the ragged school. There we saw a number of little
children, some of them not more than three years old. They are fed and
clothed, and stay at school all day, only going home at night. They
looked very happy.
Besides these schools, there is also a school for Coptic young men.
These schools were all founded by the Rev. Theophilus Lieder (a German
clergyman, head of the mission in Egypt) and his wife. So great a work
needed much self-denial, courage, energy, industry. But Mr. and Mrs.
Lieder gave these willingly for love of Jesus Christ, and of the lambs
of his flock. He has helped their work, for he always blesses the work
which is done from love to him. Very few of us can do such a great work
for Jesus Christ as Mr. and Mrs. Lieder have done. But we can all do
something for him. And if we love him, he will help even our smallest
work in his name. For he has said, "Whosoever shall give to drink unto
one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a
disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward."
On our way home from the schools we rode round the principal bazaars, a
never-failing pleasure to Hugh and Lucy.