FROM NABULUS TO NAZARETH, SAMARIA, JENIN, AND THE PLAIN OF ESDRAELON.
"Nabulus or Nablous, the ancient Shechem," wrote Frank in his journal, "is nearly as large as Jerusalem, though not so well situated. It has about thirteen thousand inhabitants, if the guide-book is to be trusted, and almost all of them are Moslems. There are one hundred and fifty Samaritans here, and five or six hundred Christians belonging mostly to the Greek Church, and there are a few Jews and other people not included in the above list. The town appears more prosperous and active than Jerusalem, and it is evident that the people are more industrious, and rely less on what they can make out of strangers.
VIEW OF NABULUS.
"We have walked through the town and looked at the bazaars, which are much like those of Jerusalem and Jaffa. The streets are so badly paved and full of dirt that we could easily believe we were again in the neighborhood of the Tower of David and Mount Moriah. The guide told us that the town had considerable trade with the country east of the Jordan, and a good deal of wool and cotton found its way from here to the seaboard, whence it was shipped to England and France. The country in the vicinity produces large quantities of olives, and there are more than twenty factories engaged in making soap from olive-oil. We passed one of these soap factories, and found the smells that arose from it were anything but agreeable.
"Seeing the olive-trees and the soap factories has made us desirous of knowing something about the manner of extracting the oil. Here is what we have learned on the subject:
"The custom of the country is not to allow any picking of the fruit of the tree until a day has been appointed by the authorities. If any olives fall to the ground before this date, they are gathered and preserved in brine or oil for eating, as they are the fattest olives from the trees, and fully ripe when they fall.
"On the day appointed for the gathering of the olives a public crier goes out and announces it. Then the people go to the orchards and gather the olives by beating or shaking the trees, very much as they gather the lower grades of apples in the New England States. The best olives are picked out for eating, and only the poorer ones are pressed for oil.
"Ten or twelve gallons of oil are often made from the product of a single tree, and an acre of good olive-trees will give a crop worth a hundred dollars. A good crop is only gathered every other year, and the olive seems to have its 'off season,' like the American apple and peach.
AN ANCIENT OLIVE-PRESS.
"We have seen several olive-presses, and they are very simple. There is a stone pan about six feet across and twelve inches deep, with a hole at one side for the escape of the oil. A roller of stone, with a hole through the centre for a long handle, is placed in the pan, and the apparatus is complete.
WOMEN WORKING AN OLIVE-PRESS.
"The olives are thrown into the pan, and then two men (or women) grasp the opposite ends of the handle and walk around in a circle; the weight of the roller crushes the olives, and after a while the oil flows slowly from the hole in the side of the pan. When the olives are crushed to a pulp, and no more oil will flow, the mass is mixed with water and placed in bags of coarse cloth. The remaining oil is forced out by treading with the feet, or by crushing in a press with heavy weights. The process of extracting oil from the olive was well known to the ancient inhabitants of the country, and is often mentioned in the Bible.
ANCIENT LAMPS (MATT. XXV. 1).
MODERN LAMPS.
"A great deal of olive-oil is sent from Palestine to other countries. It is an important article of food for the inhabitants, and takes the place of butter, and also of animal fat for cooking purposes. It is used for giving light, and is burnt in flat lamps of terra-cotta or other ware; some of the lamps are covered while others are open, and in either case there is a lip or projection at one side for the wick. In ancient times the wealthy inhabitants had lamps of silver and gold; and they are mentioned among the adornments of Solomon's Temple as having been made of the latter material. We have seen great numbers of these Eastern lamps, of terra-cotta, tin, and occasionally of brass. The lamps carried by the Ten Virgins—'five of them were wise, and five were foolish'—were undoubtedly of the exact form as those of to-day.
"So much for one of the industries of Nabulus, and of the land of the Bible generally.
"We went to the great mosque, which was once a Christian church, built by the Crusaders, and afterward belonging to the Knights of St. John. In another part of the town is the Jama-el-Kadra, a mosque which is asserted to stand on the spot where the brethren of Joseph brought his coat to Jacob. It was formerly a church, like the great mosque, and the guide pointed out some of the crosses of the Crusaders that the Moslems had not been able to obliterate altogether. Then we went to the quarter of the Samaritans, which was the most curious of all the sights of Nabulus.
"The origin of the Samaritans is described in 2 Kings xvii. 24-41, and the present sect at Nabulus is supposed to be descended from them. Two hundred years ago there were small bodies of them in Cairo, Damascus, and one or two other places, but the only one now in existence is that which we are describing.
SAMARITANS BEARING TRIBUTE—AN ASSYRIAN SCULPTURE (2 KINGS XVII. 3).
"They preserve their ancient faith and form of worship, and they have a temple on Mount Gerizim, above the town, where annually they celebrate the Feast of the Passover and eat of the Paschal lamb. They showed us a copy of the Pentateuch, which is claimed to be the oldest in existence. The high-priest who held and opened it says it was written by a grandson of Aaron. There is good reason to doubt that it is more than a thousand years old, and the case containing it belongs to the fourteenth or fifteenth century. They would not let us unroll and examine it, and so we must accept the statement of others, who have had a better opportunity, that the parchment is fifteen inches wide and from twenty to thirty yards long, and contains the whole of the first five books of the Old Testament."
There was not time to spare for the ascent of Mount Gerizim, which rises above Nabulus, and is ascended chiefly for the view from the summit. The top of the mountain is covered with ruins, and the spot is pointed out where Abraham was about to slay Isaac when his hand was stopped by divine interposition. There have been Jewish temples, Roman castles, Christian churches, and Moslem mosques on Mount Gerizim, and, as Frank states in his journal, the Samaritans go there to celebrate the Feast of the Passover, and perform other ancient rites.
The party made a late start from Nabulus in the direction of Jenin and Nazareth. As they rode from their camp Doctor Bronson called the attention of the boys to the fact that the streams east of the town flowed into the Mediterranean, while those to the west found their way into the Jordan and the Dead Sea. The route lay through a region of pleasing valleys and plains not unlike those they had seen the day before, and for part of the way they followed an ancient road which the guide said belonged to the time of the Romans, or might even be older by a few centuries. There was a succession of olive and fig orchards, interspersed with gardens and fields, and the terraces on the hill-sides showed that not a foot of arable soil had been overlooked. There were numerous villages clinging to the hill-sides, or nestled among the rocks, and altogether the landscape was full of picturesque effects.
SEBUSTIEH, THE ANCIENT SAMARIA.
Through scenes like these they made their way for two hours and more, when the guide called their attention to a village on the side of a broad hill. Immediately in front of them was the ruin of a Roman gate-way, with two of its arches standing, and not far from the gate-way was a group of natives with the ever present camel. Old olive-trees were on the slopes and through the valley, and covered the hill where stood the village to which the guide pointed.
"That is Sebustieh," said the Doctor, "a modern village on the site of ancient Samaria."
"I've been reading about it as we rode along," said Fred. "It is the spot where King Omri placed the capital of the kingdom of Israel, and where Ahab built the temple of Baal after marrying Jezebel, the daughter of the King of Sidon. We can find much of the history of Samaria in the Books of the Kings in the Old Testament. The names of the prophets Elisha and Elijah are connected with Samaria, and it was here that King Herod the Great devoted much time and effort to make the most beautiful city of Palestine."
When Fred had finished his account of Samaria the travellers moved on. They reached the village in a quarter of an hour or so, and were taken at once to the ruined Church of St. John, which is now used as a mosque. The inhabitants gathered around the door, and at first refused permission for the strangers to enter; but the dragoman had taken the precaution to bring a permit from the Governor of Nabulus, and to engage a soldier from the same official. The permit and the soldier had the effect of opening the doors, and also of keeping the natives in order. The modern residents of Samaria have none of the qualities of the good Samaritan of scriptural renown, and show no hesitation at the robbery of travellers when the latter are without protection.
The tomb of John the Baptist is pointed out in the space enclosed by the walls of the church, but the tradition concerning it is on very doubtful authority. The places of his imprisonment and execution are also shown, but there is no mention of them by the early writers until after the third century.
The summit of the hill is covered with ruins, and there is an open space once surrounded with columns, of which fifteen are still in position, but without their capitals. Partly down the hill are the remains of the colonnade erected by King Herod, and intended to form the great street of the city. There were two rows of these columns about fifty feet apart, and they were more than half a mile in length: enough of the columns are standing to give an idea of the original magnificence of the place.
VIEW OF JENIN, THE ANCIENT ENGANNIM.
Leaving Sebustieh, our friends continued their ride, and just about sunset came to Jenin, where the tents were ready for them. It began to rain as they arrived, but as there was no wind, and the clouds soon broke away, nobody suffered any special inconvenience.
Frank was about to ask a question concerning their camping-place, when the Doctor proceeded to give the desired information.
"Jenin," said he, "is the ancient Engannim, and is just at the entrance of the Plain of Esdraelon. The plain is sometimes called the battle-field of Palestine, and was probably the ancient Plain of Jezreel. The battle in which Saul and Jonathan his son were slain took place a little beyond here, near the modern village of Zerin, the ancient Jezreel."
The evening was passed in reading about the battles that had taken place in the neighborhood, and in studying the map of the Plain of Esdraelon. When they left the wretched village the next morning, and looked upon the beautiful plain spread below them, the boys were full of enthusiasm about the region they were traversing, and showed an excellent knowledge of the positions indicated on the map.
"That must be Taanach," said Frank, pointing to a rounded hill on the left, as they looked down the valley.
"Yes," replied the Doctor, "that is Taanach, and beyond it is Megiddo, which you readily perceive is a strong point for an army to occupy."
"That's what we read about last night," said Fred. "Taanach was one of the points where Joash was held back in his attacks on the Canaanites, and it was afterward the head-quarters of Sisera, who also held Megiddo. Megiddo was where Joash was killed in a battle with the Egyptians, as we read in 2 Chronicles, chap. xxv., and back of it are the hills of Manasseh."
The road from Jenin passed near the base of Mount Gilboa, and as our friends followed the ridge on which their track lay they found themselves on the water-shed between the Dead Sea and the Mediterranean. They passed the village of Zerin, the ancient Jezreel, where Jezebel was thrown to the dogs, and where Ahab's palace is supposed to have stood. To the east of the village is the spring of Harod and the fountain of Jezreel, where Saul's army made its last camp. It is on the slope of Mount Gilboa, and directly in front of the position where the Philistines were posted before the battle. By going still farther to the north we come to Endor, where Saul had his interview with the witch. Most of these points lay too far from the road to allow time for a visit, but they were visible from the high points of the route, or their positions were easily indicated.
MAP OF THE VALLEY OF ESDRAELON.
Other battles than those of the Bible were recalled by this ride over the plain, and among the hills that bordered it. The guide pointed out the spot where Saladin defeated the Hospitallers and Templars when he conquered Palestine, and also where Napoleon Bonaparte and Kleber defeated a Turkish army much larger than their own. The Doctor said they were not far from where Nebuchadnezzar's army was encamped when Judith cut off the head of Holofernes, and a little farther away was the scene of the defeat of the Jews by the army of Vespasian.
"No wonder it is called the battle-field of Palestine," said he, "when it has been the scene of so much warfare. No other part of the country has been traversed by so many armies as this, and in no other place have so many historic battles been fought. There is hardly an acre of the Plain of Esdraelon that has not been moistened by the blood of the victims of war. The soil is fertile, or would be if it were well cultivated, but it has shared the fate of other parts of Palestine, and is suffering from neglect."
At the suggestion of the guide they made a slight détour from their route in order to visit the village of Nain, which is celebrated in Scripture as the scene of the raising of the widow's son (Luke vii. 7-15). There is nothing of interest in the village itself, and it is probably no larger in population than it was two thousand years ago. The hill-sides near it are fairly honey-combed with tombs, but hardly any of them are of modern date.
Mount Tabor was in full view from the road for a considerable time, and so were other hills and mountains mentioned in sacred history. From the Plain of Esdraelon to Nazareth the road wound through a broken country, and in many places it was quite steep. Nazareth is about four hundred feet higher than the plain, and consequently the ascending parts of the route preponderated over the descents. The town is surrounded by hills, and is not visible until quite close at hand, in consequence of its secluded position.
THE PLAN OF NAZARETH.
1. New quarter of the Latin Convent; 2. Church of the Annunciation; 3. Protestant Church; 4. Protestant Parsonage; 5. Protestant Mission School; 6. Protestant Missionary's House: 7. Convent of French Nuns; 8. The "Mensa Christi;" 9. House of the Mufti; 10. House of the Turkish Governor; 11. Mosque; 12. Mission Hospital.
Doctor Bronson explained to his young companions that Nazareth is not mentioned in the Old Testament, though some writers have attempted to identify it as having a history earlier than the Christian era. According to the biblical account it was a small village at the time of our Saviour's birth, and the name of Nazarene was used in derision. The modern name of the place is En-Nasira, and down to the time of Constantine it was almost exclusively occupied by Samaritan Jews. Its present population is estimated at six or eight thousand: nearly half the inhabitants are Moslems, and the balance are separated into various Christian sects, of which the orthodox Greeks are the most numerous. The town is divided into the Moslem quarter, the Greek quarter, and the Latin quarter, and the various Christian sects are under the protection of foreign powers, though generally subject to Turkish rule.
VIEW OF NAZARETH.
It was on Saturday evening that our friends reached Nazareth, and very properly they determined to remain there till Monday. The tents were pitched in a little grove just outside the town, and in a picturesque position, where all the surroundings were agreeable to the eye. The guide offered to lodge them in the Latin convent; but they preferred the freedom and comfort of the tents, and wisely concluded that a visit to the convent would be all they would need of it. So many pilgrims visit Nazareth that both the Greeks and Latins have found it necessary to maintain establishments there for the benefit of their adherents. The poor are lodged gratuitously, but those who can afford to make payment are expected to do so at the same rate as in a hotel.
The evening was passed in reading, by the light of candles, the story of the Annunciation, as given in the New Testament, and in commenting upon the identification of the spot by modern Christians. Doctor Bronson said there could be no doubt whatever that this was the place described in the Bible, though there might be some question as to the exact spot in Nazareth where the event occurred. He said it was a curious circumstance that for three centuries after the birth of Christ there was not a Christian inhabitant in Nazareth, and the first Christian pilgrimage was made there not earlier than the sixth century. In the sixth or seventh century two churches were built there, and from that time the place has been a prominent one in the history of the religion of Bethlehem.
In good time next morning all were out of bed and ready to start for the Latin convent, where service was to be held. We will let one of the youths tell the story of what they saw and heard:
"The convent is supposed to be on the site of the house of the Virgin Mary; at any rate the Latin monks press that claim for it, and it is not disputed by the Greeks, though the latter say that the angel first appeared to Mary at the fountain and not in her house. Consequently, the Greek Church of the Annunciation is over the fountain, while the Latin one is above the site of the house where the Virgin dwelt.
"The Latin convent is on the side of the hill, and is a prominent feature in the picture of Nazareth. There are several buildings clustered together, and at first sight we were reminded of the Church of the Nativity at Bethlehem and its massive surroundings. There is a high wall surrounding the buildings, and the gate through which we passed is heavy enough to resist the attack of any ordinary band of Arabs. We entered a court-yard which was open to the sky, and then passed to another and smaller one directly in front of the church. The sacred building is about seventy feet by fifty, and was completed in its present form a century and a half ago. Several churches have stood here, and the materials of each have been used in the erection of its successor, so that we may fairly believe that some parts of the first church of Nazareth are to be seen here.
"The interior of the building consists of a nave and aisles, formed by four piers that support the roof. The whole of the interior is covered with paintings and tapestry representing scenes in the Saviour's life, and there is a fine organ and an altar dedicated to the angel Gabriel. We did not spend much time over this part of the church, as we were all impatient to descend to the Grotto of the Annunciation, which is below the floor.
"There is a stairway of fifteen marble steps between the first two columns as you enter the church, and down this stairway we went, after a brief inspection of the decorations of the walls and a glance at the high altar.
THE ANNUNCIATION.
"At the foot of the steps we entered the so-called 'Chapel of the Angels,' which contains shrines dedicated to St. Joachim and the angel Gabriel. Beyond the shrines is an opening or passage leading to the Chapel of the Annunciation, which is an apartment fifteen feet by ten, as near as we could judge, and has a marble altar showing the spot where Mary stood during the Annunciation. A column near the entrance marks the position of the angel, and a little distance from it is a fragment of a column hanging from the roof, and said to be suspended by miraculous power. We wanted to examine it closely, but the monk in charge of the place hurried us on, and evidently did not wish a careful inspection of the hanging column.
"Beyond the Chapel of the Annunciation is the Chapel of Joseph, and farther on is a small cavern hewn from the solid rock, and said to have been the kitchen of Mary.
"The general arrangement of the altars, lamps, and decorations was a constant reminder of Bethlehem, and when the monks began their service we found it was very nearly the same. As soon as the ceremony was over in the grotto it was announced that the hour for service in the church had arrived, and we all went to attend it. The congregation numbered two or three hundred persons, including the twenty-five or thirty Italian and Spanish monks in charge of the convent, and perhaps fifty pilgrims, while the balance was made up of our party and the Latin Christians living at Nazareth. The notes of the organ sounded finely through the old church, and when we remembered that we were on the spot where the Christian world believes the coming of our Saviour was announced to his mother, we were deeply impressed with the solemnity of the occasion.
"Let me tell you here the story of the Santa Casa, or Holy House, as we heard it from the monks, and as it is told in the history of the Catholic Church since the fifteenth century:
"'The house in which Mary lived was carried away by angels, who lifted it from its foundations and bore it away when the infidels conquered the country and began the expulsion of the Christians. They carried it, in a.d. 1291, to the heights overlooking Finme, in Hungary. It rested there about three years, and was then transported to the coast of Italy, where it remained five or six months. A third and last removal occurred in the year 1294 or 1295 to the place where it now stands in the town of Loretto, twelve miles south of Ancona, and three miles from the sea-shore.' Great numbers of pilgrims are said to go there every year to see it, and the building is carefully preserved from injury. The Latin monks believe the story implicitly, and they point out the exact position which the house formerly occupied.
"We went from the church to see the house and workshop of Joseph, now fitted up as a chapel, and in possession of the Latins; and then we visited the 'Chapel of the Table of Christ,' where there is a table of solid rock, on which Jesus and his disciples are said to have eaten frequently. From this place we went to the synagogue where he was teaching when the Jews drove him out, and to the rock where they were about to cast him down. From there we went to the Fountain of the Virgin, where the Greeks have their Church of the Annunciation. When we had seen this we were told that the round of the holy places of Nazareth was complete, unless we wished to see the 'Mount of the Precipitation,' about two miles away.
"We declined the journey, as there is a great deal of doubt concerning the accuracy of the tradition. Doctor Bronson said we should not miss the view from the hill back of Nazareth, and so we climbed there a little before sunset and had a magnificent prospect.
THE COUNTRY NEAR NAZARETH, WITH THE TOWN IN THE DISTANCE.
"The best point for the view was said to be Neby Ismail, and we certainly have seen nothing finer in all Palestine. The hills are less barren than in most other parts of the country that we have visited, and the plains and valleys present an appearance of fertility. Mounts Tabor, Hermon, and Carmel were in the picture, and beyond the latter we had a glimpse of the blue waters of the Mediterranean bounding the western horizon. Then we looked down on the Plain of Esdraelon and on the upper Valley of the Jordan, and lingered as long as time would permit. I cannot begin to tell you of the thoughts and associations that crowded upon us in looking upon the place so intimately connected with the life of the Saviour, and the scenes of so many other events that form a part of our Bible history."