_Riding into Nazareth.—Virgin’s Fountain.—Tricky Horses.—Cana of
Galilee.—Tiberias.—Story of Jesus and his Disciples.—Boat Ride on
the Sea of Galilee.—Capernaum.—Mounting Horses.—Disappearance of the
Dragoman.—A Serious Accident.—Lake Huleh.—Cesarea Philippi.—Mount
Hermon.—Crossing the River Pharpar.—Damascus.—Via Recta.—Bible
References to Courts.—Cup of Coffee.—Water Seller._
With the dragoman heading the company we rode into Nazareth single file
just as the sun went down. He seemed delighted to be leader of such a
large party of tourists, and as we marched along the people looked amazed
at the turnout. Our stay at this place was longer than at any of the
preceding places, for reaching there Saturday evening gave us Sunday as
an extra day of rest, as on that day no traveling was done.
Our tents were pitched near the “Virgin’s Fountain,” which is considered
one of the holy places of the city, because it is thought that Mary,
the mother of Jesus, was in the habit of going there for water. We took
pleasure in watching the women fill their large jars, which held perhaps
three gallons of water. Mothers with tiny babies upon their arms went to
the fountain, and young, laughing girls mingled with the crowd. Some of
them were in a hurry, while many stopped long enough to have a pleasant
chat and tell a bit of news. One would naturally suppose a jar holding
three gallons of water would be a heavy burden to carry; but the women
helped each other place them upon the head, after which the individual
walked off unconcerned, seemingly not having a fear as to the vessel
tumbling off. The bearing of water seemed to be one of the burdens placed
upon the women of that country, and they bore it cheerfully. Not a man
was to be seen carrying the smallest vessel. It was the custom for women
to carry water in Abraham’s time, for we read that when a servant was
sent to seek a wife for Isaac, and a certain city was reached, “he made
his camels to kneel down without the city by a well of water at the time
of the evening, even the time that women go out to draw water.”
The Sabbath Day Was not spent resting in our tents, for we had too
strong a desire to see something of the “city of Jesus.” No doubt you
remember that Mary and Joseph had their home in Nazareth before going
up to Bethlehem to be taxed; but the Nazareth of Joseph and Mary’s
time is not the Nazareth we looked upon, for since then battles have
been fought there, and the city destroyed several times. It has been
rebuilt, however, and each time the original site was used. The natives
were bright-faced and rather neatly dressed, and the contrast between
this city and others was great. We were not surprised to learn that
Protestantism had a hold there, and that solved the mystery.
Nazareth is built on the side of a hill and presented quite a beautiful
appearance. Upon one of the hills which surround the city is an
orphanage school for girls, which, we learned, was under the care of a
self-sacrificing woman. Early in life she left parents, home and friends,
went to Nazareth and took charge of the little girls who lived there,
teaching them the way to Christ. At first it may have seemed a thankless
task, but to-day it is plainly seen that her labors were not in vain. An
English society supplied her with funds. All money given for the support
of such institutions in a foreign land is well spent.
There is a Protestant church in Nazareth, and we attended services there.
Two ministers of the Church of England conducted the services, and the
story of the Shunammite woman was read to us. The preachers belonged to
our party; the congregation was made up mostly of tourists, and a small
company it was.
The first thirty years of Jesus’ life were spent in Nazareth; but “he did
not many mighty works there, because of their unbelief.” Jesus talked
very plainly to the people, and they were filled with wrath and “rose up
and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill
whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong.
But he, passing through the midst of them, went his way.” The mount of
precipitation is shown the traveler, and we tried to imagine how the
people appeared when Christ deliberately walked away from them.
We spent a restful day at Nazareth, which helped us to bear the journey
of the following week. Our hearts were filled with gratitude to the Lord,
and on bended knees we thanked him for the great privilege of being
permitted to see the city of the meek and lowly Nazarene.
One hundred and seventy-two miles had been traveled from the time we
mounted our horses at Jerusalem up to the time Nazareth was reached,
and every mile of the way was traveled on horseback. It is hard to tell
how much suffering many of the poor horses endured, for the condition
of their backs was distressing. Only two out of the eighteen were in
good condition, and we two rode them. Some of the saddles fitted the
horses’ backs poorly, and that caused the skin to rub off, which created
a large sore place. When the hostlers removed the saddles in the evening
our sympathies were aroused, for never before had we seen anything to
equal the raw state of those horses’ backs. The men did not fancy having
spectators, and their faces indicated their displeasure; but we looked
anyway, and left when it suited us. The Arabs may have neglected to
give the animals proper care and attention, thus helping the sore to
grow larger and more inflamed. If the men had been less idle and more
attentive probably the faithful animals would have been in better trim
for traveling. Some of the horses were a little tricky, for they had a
habit of rolling. No matter whether on a smooth road or in a mud puddle,
when the desire to roll came to them down they went, and the patience of
the ladies was sorely tried, for they were sure to be upon the animals’
backs. The riders never thought it a funny thing for them to do, but
those who looked on naturally smiled.
Sunday’s rest at Nazareth was quite a benefit to us, and Monday morning
we were up early, ready for the onward march.
As we rode out of camp, the Virgin’s Fountain was again passed, and once
more we saw the water carriers busy. Bidding adieu to Nazareth we rode up
a steep hill, and looking back saw the white houses as they stood in the
bright sunlight. The last look was taken, and we passed over the brow of
the hill, feeling sure that the city of Jesus would be seen no more by us.
Kefr Kenna is a small village through which we passed, and where a short
stop was made. For centuries it was thought to be Cana of Galilee, where,
in the time of Christ, there was a marriage. You remember that Jesus,
his mother and the disciples were there. “And when they wanted wine, the
mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine.” Well, Jesus didn’t
seem quite ready to perform a miracle when his mother spoke to him, and
his reply was, “Mine hour is not yet come.” But no doubt the mother
felt his hour had come, so she told the servants to do whatever Jesus
instructed them to do. “Then Jesus saith unto them, Fill the water pots
with water. And they filled them up to the brim.” When the order to draw
out the water was given, lo, there was wine, and the governor drank of
it, speaking words of praise, for it was even better than the first which
had been passed; so at this place Jesus began to perform miracles.
Two immense stone jars were shown us, said to be the very jars our Savior
used at that marriage; but we do not vouch for the truth of the statement.
There was very little to interest us in Cana, therefore our stay was
short, and we rode on toward Tiberias, reaching there in time to eat our
noonday meal.
Tiberias is by the Sea of Galilee and was once the capital of Galilee;
but, like other cities of Bible times, it had been destroyed. Not very
many years ago the present city was partly destroyed by an earthquake,
and the walls tell the story. There are hot springs at Tiberias, and it
is said the water is too hot for immediate use. Many people who have
rheumatism go there to bathe and be cured if possible. It is said the
bath houses are filthy and abound in vermin; and, from what we saw of our
boatmen, we concluded the private houses must be in as bad a condition as
the bath houses.
The Sea of Galilee has another name which is, Lake of Gennesaret. On the
shores of this body of water Jesus stood when the people pressed upon
him, eager to hear the Word of God. And in our mind we saw the two empty
ships at the time the crowd was so great Jesus decided to go aboard one
of them, and asked Simon to push the boat from land. “And he sat down and
taught the people out of the ship.”
Fish are abundant in the lake now, just as they were in the time of
Christ; for you remember Jesus said to Simon, “Launch out into the deep,
and let down your nets for a draught.” Simon had been out all night
fishing, and had worked hard, but not a fish did he catch; and he felt
there was poor pay in throwing out the nets again. So, after telling
the Master of his ill luck, he said, “Nevertheless at thy word I will
let down the net.” And the result was “a great multitude of fishes.”
Then there was an accident, the net broke. “And they beckoned unto their
partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help
them. And they came and filled both the ships, so that they began to
sink.” The men were surprised to see so many fish, and were dreadfully
alarmed, too, lest all should be lost; but “Jesus said unto Simon, Fear
not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men.”
The lake was liable to sudden storms, and not a ripple could be seen when
boatmen started out from the shore; but soon the wind came down over the
hills, and in a little while the water would be wonderfully disturbed.
Just such a thing happened when Jesus asked his disciples to get in a
boat and go before him to the other side of the sea. After the disciples
left him “he departed into a mountain to pray.” It was evening. Jesus
was alone on land and the disciples were in their boats toiling away at
the oars; “and about the fourth watch of the night he cometh unto them,
walking upon the sea, and would have passed by them.” Oh, how frightened
all were, for they imagined the object to be a spirit, and it troubled
them. But “immediately he talked with them, and saith unto them, Be
of good cheer: it is I; be not afraid. And he went up unto them into
the ship; and the wind ceased: and they were sore amazed in themselves
beyond measure, and wondered.” Then Peter thought he would like to try
walking on the water, too. “But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was
afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me!” Poor
Peter had not faith enough to carry him through when the waves rolled
around him; but “Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and
said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?” Can
you not imagine Christ standing with outstretched hands on the turbulent
waters of Galilee? Then think of Peter on the verge of sinking. To-day
Jesus stands ready to save all who call upon him.
Travelers usually have a strong desire to take a boat ride on the Sea
of Galilee, and our company were as anxious as any who ever visited its
shores. Arrangements were therefore made for a ride from Tiberias to
Capernaum. Two boats, with the boatmen, were procured, and they were
large enough to hold the party and rowers very nicely.
The men were strong, able-bodied fellows, and you will think so, too,
when I tell you that each passenger was carried to the boats by them. You
see, two of the boatmen put their hands together in such a manner as to
form a seat, and we sat upon their hands as comfortably as you please,
and kept from falling off by placing our arms about their necks. The
water was not deep enough to reach our feet, so we got along very well.
You may imagine the sight to have been amusing, for over half of the
number weighed one hundred and seventy-five pounds apiece, and one old
man almost tipped the scales at three hundred. The boatmen, no doubt,
were anxious to place such burdens in the boat. The strong odor of fish
was rather unpleasant, and it seemed best to close the eyes and thereby
shut away the filthy condition of boat and men. The day was beautiful and
the lake very smooth. The wind sometimes comes down over the hills, and
as of old the result is a restless, uneasy sea. We were glad the water
was not troubled that day.
The sun shone very hot, and when it struck the water its rays caused
our eyes to smart. At the end of three hours Tell Hum was before us.
After landing we walked up a hill through a rank growth of weeds higher
than our heads, and there looked upon what is thought to be Capernaum,
one of the chief cities of Palestine in Christ’s time, where much of
his time was spent in healing the sick and teaching the people. Jesus
upbraided many cities for their neglect of duty, and Capernaum was among
the number. Now read his warning words, “And thou, Capernaum, which art
exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty
works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would
have remained until this day. But I say unto you, That it shall be more
tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee.”
The prophecy was fulfilled and all houses and churches were leveled to
the ground. The hot sun shining upon the rank growth of weeds proved
to be extremely disagreeable to us, therefore we shortened our stay.
Entering the boats again, we were rowed to camp.
The tents were pitched near Magdala, about three miles from Tiberias,
and our stopping place that night was only a few feet from the water,
a beautiful looking place, but an extremely damp one. The gentlemen of
the party took a good bath in the Sea of Galilee and pronounced it quite
refreshing; the ladies were denied that privilege, for bathing dresses
were too far away; so we missed that pleasure.
We retired rather late that night, but were quite willing to arise early
the next morning, and by seven o’clock were in the saddle. Horseback
riding was not so fatiguing now, and there really seemed to be a little
pleasure in traveling over hill and plain.
I have told you about riding horseback, but you may not know how we
mounted our horses. If plenty of rocks were to be found at the different
stopping places mounting a horse was not so very hard; but many times the
rocks were so small it would have taken hours and hours to throw them
together to make a pile large enough for us to stand upon. No chairs, no
rocks to stand on; then how did we mount? Well, the dragoman held out
his hand and we put our foot upon it; then, after having placed one of
our hands upon the horn of the saddle, we prepared to jump. Mr. Heilpin
always said, “Ready? Now, one, two, three;” and by the time he had said
three we were usually up in the saddle. But sometimes “three” was said,
when no attempt had been made to jump; then one, two, three was repeated.
Often our calculations and his counting failed to come out right; for
we had forgotten to spring. Mounting the horses was real amusing, but
awfully trying. Practice makes perfect, it has been said, and after a
few lessons every one of the women was more active, and we mounted in a
hurry.
While riding along one day we all lost sight of our dragoman, and it
seemed quite strange to be without him. Yosef undertook to be our pilot,
but as he became confused we concluded he answered the purpose but
poorly; and the outlook to gain camp seemed rather uncertain. One of the
party rode ahead and called out, “I’ll take you through; follow me.” We
decided it was too much like the blind leading the blind, but just at
that time the dragoman put in an appearance and we followed him. After
riding a long distance a good resting place was found near a beautiful
fountain. Each person used his own pleasure as to how the time should be
spent. Some wrote letters and others took a nap. My time was spent in
admiring the surroundings and reading a little. Every one seemed to enjoy
the rest immensely, and when the call to leave was given we were loath to
quit the spot.
Serious accidents sometimes happen to tourists, and I shall have to tell
you of one which happened to one of our number. Just before the second
call was given one of the ladies desired a switch, and as she stepped
down to the place where they could be found her knee twisted and the bone
snapped. Being near enough to hear it, I immediately went to her asking
the question, “Are you hurt?” and the reply was, “Call the doctors;”
which I did; and when the examination was made a serious break was
announced. The doctors belonged to our party, but their medicines and
instruments were at home. Servants were sent to camp in a gallop for
bedstead, mattress and a board. The gentlemen made splints and gave their
large white silk handkerchiefs for bandages. The bone was set and six men
carried her to camp, and it was nine o’clock by the time we reached there.
The lady was of a very cheerful disposition, and therefore bore this
misfortune uncomplainingly. I shall never forget that time, as a great
gloom was cast over the company, and it seemed as though death had come
into our midst.
Our camping place for that night was Ein-Baluka, and it seemed to be in
the neighborhood of Bedouin Arabs, which fact was not pleasant to think
of; but we got along all right and the watchful eye of the Lord was over
us there, as well as at every other camping place. There was no other
way for the lady to travel but by horseback, so a mattress was fastened
upon the animal’s back and Miss W. placed upon it, being tied there with
sheets.
It looked very odd to see her riding backward, but there was no other
way, for the broken limb had to be kept perfectly straight, as the least
bit of a bend made it very painful. Her horse did not go out of a walk,
yet there was a motion which caused the limb to roll. It was necessary to
remedy that before going very far, and the lady said laughingly, “I’ll
fix something to hold it still,” and forthwith a shawl-strap was brought
forth. One end was placed about the afflicted limb, and the other end
of the strap was held in her hand. That proved to be just the thing and
saved much pain, because the foot was kept in its place.
Four days she was carried over the rough roads, crossing over Mount
Hermon and the river Pharpar. A watchful eye was kept over the patient
sufferer all of the way, and Arab men walked by her side to help when
needed. In our line of march the company was headed by the dragoman, then
Miss W. and the rest of us coming after, all riding single file.
One day a great marshy place was crossed, and as misfortunes don’t come
singly, it happened that Miss W.’s horse had to stick in the mud. Some
of the gentlemen, with the help of an Arab, lifted the cripple from the
horse and placed her upon the ground; after which the servants worked
faithfully to extricate the animal. Considerable time was lost, but
finally he was set free and we once more moved on.
Often such accidents happen when horses and donkeys are disabled; and as
the owners of them can not take the animals over the mountain or remain
to feed them the poor things must be left to suffer and finally die of
starvation. My heart was made to ache for the animals which we saw by the
roadside, unable to walk and left to die.
There were no more mishaps after this, and the crippled member was never
heard to utter a complaint, and was the most cheerful one of the party.
She was aware of the fact that the fracture would leave its results for
life, but notwithstanding she was cheerful. If the lady could speak to
you she would tell you her trust was in the One who watches over all of
his children, for Miss W. was a Christian. When at home this lady was a
diligent worker in the Sunday school, and all along the journey she paid
great attention to the noted Bible places, for, said she, “I shall tell
it all to my class when I get home.”
Children, did you ever think how much hard work your Sunday-school
teachers do, that they may be able to show you the way to Christ? They
are concerned about your soul’s salvation, and many, many hours are
anxiously spent in thinking and studying the best plan to present the
Word of God to you Sunday after Sunday. Oh do not pass the truths by
thoughtlessly, for remember that your reward in the end will be meted out
according to the opportunity you had of learning the right.
We are getting on toward the end of our journey, and this time we find
the tents pitched at Lake Huleh, better known, perhaps, as the “Waters of
Merom.”
During the day Bedouin Arab camps were passed, and we saw their tents,
which were made of goats’ hair closely woven together, making them
water-tight. Plenty of fish are found in the waters of Lake Huleh, and
Bedouin Arabs go there to fish and hunt. These people are of a roving
nature, therefore remain but a short time at one place. Their families
go with them, of course, and that means the donkeys, camels, sheep and
goats. As long as pasture is green, they stay at one place, only moving
when pasture becomes scarce.
I wonder how many of you ever saw a buffalo. Well, we saw a few of them
on the low ground at the head of the lake. They were very small compared
with those of the western plains of this country; they seemed to be
gentle and were not disturbed at all by our company passing by.
The next camping place was at the base of Mount Hermon, whose top was
capped with snow. Not far from the tents springs of water gushed out from
beneath the rocks. Just beyond the springs was a large cave, where people
went to worship a god called “Pan.”
The country through which we traveled that day was beautiful. Plenty
of green grass was to be seen, and olive groves were all around us. We
crossed an old Roman bridge, and found our canvas homes in an olive grove
which had a stream of clear mountain water flowing through it.
The situation of Banias was beautiful on the side of the mountain, with
ravines and sparkling streams of water about it. Only a few houses were
in the village, and not much of interest was to be seen there; but
wherever we went while passing through Palestine Jesus and his disciples
were brought plainly to our minds, and is it any wonder that our faith in
the Bible grew stronger? I think not.
Banias, or Cesarea Philippi, is thought to be the scene of Christ’s
transfiguration, the place where his outward form was changed; for we
read of his face shining as the sun and of his raiment being white as the
light. Christ’s presence was felt in Cesarea Philippi, for we read again
that when he came into the coasts he asked his disciples these questions:
“Whom do men say that I, the Son of man, am?” When they answered him, “he
saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and
said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” No human being
had made such a revelation to Simon Peter, but the “Father which is in
heaven.”
On the top of a hill near our camping place were seen the ruins of an
old castle. Some of the party, accompanied by a guide, went up the hill
to see them, and those of us who were left behind went to our tents and
spent that time resting.
The men did not reach camp till late in the evening, and some of us
feared an accident had happened, or the pathway to camp had been lost;
but mealtime brought every one around the board, happy and in good
spirits.
Bedtime came later that night than usual because of the delay, so we were
the losers, for next morning we were not allowed to sleep any later than
usual.
At this point our journey in Palestine ends, and now we enter Syria.
From Cesarea Philippi we rode up the side of Mount Hermon, said to be
the highest mountain in Syria. On the top of it snow and ice are found
the year round. In Bible times this mountain was sometimes called Sion,
also Serion. It has several peaks, and upon one of them are to be found
the ruins of a temple supposed to have been erected there years and
years ago for the worship of Baal. Now Baal was an idol; so temples and
altars erected for the worship of that god were usually built upon high
places. We read that Josiah beat down the altars which had been erected
“on top of the upper chambers of Ahaz.” The Israelites were instructed
to “utterly destroy all the places wherein the nations which ye shall
possess served their gods, upon the high mountains, and upon the hills.”
The worship of Baal in those times was so great that human beings—sons of
families—were offered as burnt offerings to him. No wonder instructions
were given to “utterly destroy all the places.”
We did not ride to the top of Mount Hermon, because it was not necessary;
but a ridge to the right of it was crossed, and we found the way steep
and wonderfully rough. Never before had we gone over such roads, and
there was considerable danger connected with the trip. The Lord took care
of us, as usual, and we came out all right.
Lunch was eaten that day near a Druse village. They are a people who
greatly detest Christians, so we were very careful not to give occasion
for offense. Our stop there was not any more agreeable to us than it
seemed to be to them, so we were quite willing to ride on as soon as
possible after luncheon.
In the afternoon we crossed the swiftly flowing river Pharpar. A number
of Arab men, who were almost naked, led our horses through the rushing,
dashing water, and it took but a little while for us to find that each
man knew his business well. The water was quite deep, almost up to our
feet, and the current was so swift it seemed the horses would surely go
down stream instead of right across. We realized how necessary it was
to have our horses led by men who not only knew the fording place, but
who were strong and able to manage horses when in water. Those Arabs
assisted both men and women to cross over, and indeed not any one of the
party could have crossed without help.
That night our camping place was close to the river and very near to
a mountain village. We were now well on our way to Damascus. We found
the road long and the ride extremely wearisome, with nothing special to
attract our attention.
When the caravan road leading from Damascus to Egypt was gained, we were
reminded of Saul and what befell him on his way to the same city. You
remember how cruelly he had been acting, how he had put Christian men
and women in prison, and then how he stood by and saw Stephen stoned?
Well, the Lord knew how to stop Saul in his cruel work, for before the
city was gained, and somewhere on the road I’ve been telling you about,
we read that “suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:
and he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul,
why persecutest thou me?” And then for three days this man was blind, and
those who were with him led him to the city. Instead of persecuting the
Christians, as heretofore, Saul preached Christ; after which his life was
in peril, for the Jews decided to kill him.
The exact spot where this great man was stricken down is not known, but
we do know he journeyed on the road which led to Damascus.
A large caravan of camels, on the way to Egypt, stopped to rest and feed
close to where we were lunching. Such sights were quite common to us, and
but little attention was paid to them. They journeyed on toward Egypt,
and we moved on toward Damascus. When within a few miles of the city we
halted, and camped there for the night.
The next morning every one in the party was anxious to leave camp early,
but the dragoman seemed unusually anxious to take his time; so we were
compelled to exercise patience. In very good time, however, we started
on the way, and after getting a short distance from camp a view of the
old city burst suddenly upon us. There were the domes and minarets
pointing heavenward; and as we drew nearer and nearer to the city the
groves, gardens and winding streams were seen. Truly the sight was a very
beautiful one, and no doubt the ride across the desert plains helped us
to enjoy the scene to its fullest extent. The dragoman was anxious to
make as good an appearance going into the city as possible, so he rode
on before and we all followed after. Finally the hotel was reached, and
with joy each one dismounted, giving the horses over to the care of the
men who were there waiting. That night we slept under a roof instead of
under canvas, and it was the first time since leaving Jerusalem. I am not
sure we slept any more soundly there than in our tents, but there was
such a satisfaction in knowing that the roof which covered us was more
than canvas, and that thieves could enter only at the door. For a night
or two our shoes were left upon the floor instead of being placed under
the pillow, and how pleasant it was to know the baggage was safe without
being tied to the bedstead!
Perhaps you wonder what became of the afflicted one of the party. Well,
she was taken right along with us to Damascus, and when it came time for
us to leave the city both she and her friend remained behind, while we
journeyed on and on.
There was great pleasure in being in comfortable, home-like quarters,
and the drawing room was quite a lively place for a while. Our clothes
looked the worse for wear, and they were exchanged for those which were
not soiled and travel-stained. It was surprising to see what a change had
been brought about in the appearance of each one, not only in dress but
in looks, for everybody seemed bright and cheerful.
Miss W. was compelled to eat all of her meals in her own room, since she
was unable to go from place to place. We did not forget the invalid, or
neglect her either, and at such times as were convenient we gathered in
her room. At the expiration of three days we journeyed on through Syria
toward the seaport town of Beyrut, each night camping by the way.
Damascus is said to be the oldest city of the world. Way back in
Abraham’s time mention was made of it as being the home of Eliezer, his
steward. A number of times Damascus is spoken of in the Bible, and we
believe it was as flourishing a city then as it is these years.
The rivers Pharpar and Abana supply Damascus with water, and great canals
convey it far and wide over the surrounding country. No doubt you have
read about these two rivers in connection with the Bible story of Naaman
the leper. He knew the rivers were beautifully clear, and his preference
was to wash in them rather than in the water the prophet directed him to
wash in for the cleansing of the leprosy.
There is a street in Damascus which is called Via Recta. It runs from the
east to the west gate. We were told it was “the street called Straight.”
In Bible times the Lord directed Ananias in a vision to go into that
street and make inquiry for Saul of Tarsus. Ananias was timid about
going; Saul’s reputation was not good, for it was known far and wide how
he had been treating all who called upon the name of the Lord. But the
timid feelings were cast aside and the desire of the Lord followed out.
Saul was found and the message was delivered, and after Saul’s sight had
been restored he “arose and was baptized.” After his conversion Saul
“preached Christ in the synagogues.” The Jews opposed him and watched day
and night to take his life; “but Saul increased the more in strength,
and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is
very Christ.” When the danger of being killed was greatest, “then the
disciples took him by night, and let him down by the wall in a basket,”
and by that means Saul’s life was spared a while longer to preach boldly
for Jesus.
A window was shown us, said to be the window from which Saul was let
down on that memorable night. The houses of Ananias and Naaman were also
shown, but we shall never know whether they were really the houses in
which those Bible characters lived. Naaman’s house had been turned into
a hospital, and we hope many sufferers have been made well inside of its
walls.
There were no beautiful residences to admire while passing along, and you
can scarcely imagine how strange it seemed to look at high blank walls.
In the far East houses are built with a court—an enclosed space—and on
all sides of it are doors which lead into different rooms. Our hotel had
an upper story, and the stairway which led to it opened on one corner of
the court.
Every one going into a house must first pass through a gate in the high
wall. There are a great many references in the Bible to the courts of
houses, and you know king Ahasuerus made a feast in a court. It was
customary for the door of a court to be locked, and consequently a
servant attended to the opening of it. You remember when Peter was placed
in prison by Herod and guarded by four soldiers he was released from his
chains and set at liberty by the angel of the Lord? Well, Peter came
“to the house of Mary the mother of John, whose surname was Mark,” and
“knocked at the door of the gate, and a damsel came to hearken.” These
instances show that the custom of having houses with courts to-day is the
custom of centuries ago.
The bazaars of Damascus are very highly spoken of all over the world, and
every traveler is anxious to visit them soon after reaching the city. We
found the bazaars to be shops like open stalls, in avenues roofed over.
When a customer purchases goods he walks up to the stall and is waited
upon by the merchant, who is usually sitting down cross-legged. The
purchaser stands on the street, which is very narrow, and the throng of
buyers and wayfarers have a good chance to jostle him about unpleasantly.
Merchants make much ado in selling their goods, for they talk furiously.
To me it seemed a fight was brewing; but by and by the sale was completed
and quiet reigned until another purchaser happened along. We wanted to
purchase a few silk handkerchiefs, and before an attempt at a sale was
made we were furnished with a cup of coffee each; after which an effort
was made to sell the articles. Sales are not always made, for the buyer
is not always pleased with the goods.
You may wonder how large the cups were, so I’ll just tell you they held
perhaps two tablespoonfuls of coffee ready to drink. That may seem
like a very little bit, but it was quite enough, for we had to get rid
of grounds too. In that country coffee is pounded in a mortar, making
the grain as fine as powder. After having been boiled the mixture is
sweetened, and then you get rid of it as best you can. A very strange
custom you will think, but in time one becomes used to it.
While walking along we noticed some of the bazaars were without salesmen,
and upon inquiry found the men had gone to the mosque for prayers. No
matter when the hour of prayer came, business was cast aside, and away
they went. Could not many Christians learn a lesson from the Mohammedans
to-day? Surely they could.
[Illustration: _Water Seller._]
The rattle of wagons is not heard in those roofed streets, but donkeys
and camels quietly make their way through the crowd, not caring whether a
person is stepped upon or not.
A missionary to the Jews, from London, England, made the acquaintance
of our party, and through his kindness we were permitted to visit some
of the best private houses in the city. Space will not allow me to tell
you what was seen there, but before leaving the city of Damascus I want
to tell you about the man who is in the picture. He is a water seller
who goes along the streets selling water to those who desire a drink. Do
you see the cup in his outstretched hand? And there upon his back is the
leather bottle which holds the water. When walking along he calls out
in loud tones, “Let him that is athirst come and drink;” and then comes
a great noise from the knocking together of the tin cups. I do not know
whether the man sells much water or not, for we did not stand still long
enough for us to watch him.
Many years ago a great many Christians lived in Damascus, but the Moslems
burned a portion of the city in which they lived, and thousands were put
to death. The Christian population is now on the increase, and there is
safety on the streets of Damascus for all Christian people. Missionaries
have worked faithfully, scattering the good seed there. May the old and
young alike pray the Lord to bless all efforts for good; and, little
children, may the Lord help you all to get the missionary spirit, so that
some day you may go forth and battle for the right.