CHAPTER XVII.

THE HOLY LAND-ITS SACRED ASSOCIATIONS GENERAL GRANT'S VISIT LANDING AT JAFFA-THROUGH THE HOLY LAND-VISIT TO THE HOUSE OF DORCAS-RIDE

TO JERUSALEM GRANT'S TRIUMPHAL

ENTRY INTO

A

JERUSALEM ·CEREMONIES AND HOSPITALITIES WALK OVER THE VIA DOLOROSA · -A VISIT TO THE HOLY PLACES -THE GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE BETHANY-MOUNT OLIVET- -MOUNT ZION-CALVARY

-TOUCHING REFLECTIONS.

Any journey in the East would be incomplete should the traveler forget or neglect to visit Jerusalem and its adjoining villages. The City of David, emblem of the New Jerusalem, and the places made sacred by the feet of Him who "spake as never man spake," are surely worthy of a visit by one journeying either for pleasure or profit. What hallowed, sacred memories cluster around the spot where once the Redeemer trod. Surely, if there be such a thing as "Hallowed Ground" it is here. Writes Mr. Young:Of course, to feel Jerusalem, one must come with faith. And if there be heathen questionings in any of our company, for this day at least we give ourselves up to faith. When I was on the Nile I found how much easier it was to be in accord with the monuments and the tombs, to go from Memphis to Thebes, believing-humbly believing-in every stone. But Egypt was the house of bondage after all, and when I came to Suez and looked over the shallow water and the sandy stretches to the grove of palms where Moses rested after he had crossed the Red Sea, all my sympathies were with the Israelites who had

escaped, and not with the hosts upon whom the waters rolled in a desolating flood. That is a question upon which one takes sides early in life; and although you come to see and hear many things on the other side, and to wonder at the many cruel necessities of the early dispensation, your feelings are set-they are a part of your life-and no amount of reason or historical research can do away with the impressions that came in the fresh young hours of your Sunday-school existence. Egypt was always the house of bondage, and you looked at the records of Rameses and Sesostris with a cold, curious feeling-as you would look at any extraordinary work of man. It was only history after all. But you come to the Holy Land with something of the feeling that you come to your home. Somehow you always belonged here for every name is a memory, and every step awakens the long-forgotten dreams and prayers of childhood, and over all, in the very air you breathe, is that supreme, that gracious, that holy presence-enfolding you, as it were, with incense-the presence of Jesus Christ. This was the city of great kings, of dynasties of kings, of prophets and judgesfounded by Melchizedeck, governed by Solomon, conquered by Alexander-with annals surpassing in historic renown that of any city in the world. But all are forgotten in the presence of that one name which embodies the faith and the hope of Christendom.

General Grant and his party had decided to visit the Holy Land. Their visit is described as follows:-We came to Jaffa an the morning of Sunday, the 10th of February. The Vandalia was waiting for us at Port Said, and as soon as we embarked she put out to sea. We had been absent just one month on Nile and other excursions, and it was something like coming home to find ourselves on the old deck among the familiar faces of our navy

friends. The sea had been stormy, but the General is a fortunate traveller and it went down in honor of his coming. We ran over to Jaffa on a calm sea, and when we came to the town the sea was like a mill pond. This had not been before during the winter, and it was with a feeling of relief, amounting, perhaps, to thankfulness, that we shot through the jagged rocks, scrambled up the side into a crowd of greasy, howling Arabs, and walked into one of the dirtiest streets in the world. We were at last in the Holy Land. We went to our Vice Consul's (Mr. Hardegg), and there we found welcome and entertainment. There was a little

archway of flowers and branches over the road, surmounted by the inscription, "Welcome, General Grant." and all the town was out to do us honor. The General, who moves immediately upon every point of interest, went to the house of Simon, the tanner, the house by the seaside, to which Peter came when he raised Tabitha from the dead, and preached that fine Gospel truth-the finest of all political truths-that God is no respecter of persons. The rain was

falling, but the wind was from the shore and kept down the sca. Our party for Jerusalem included four of the Vandalia's officers-Lieutenant Commander A. G. Cald

well, Lieutenant T. W. Miller, Engineer D. M. Fulmer and Midshipman William S. Hogg. All that Jaffa contained worthy of interest had been seen, and we prepared for the Holy City. We had three clumsy open wagons, each drawn by three horses, and we drove out of the town into the plain of Sharon, at about four in the afternoon.

It was too early in the season to see Palestine in its glory; but the plain was rich and fertile, sparkling with lilies and scarlet anemones, with groves of orange trees

bending under their yellow fruitage, with almond trees coming into bloom. We had been these many days in Egypt with no forest companions but the drooping date palms, and we had been lamenting the parched and barren fields that came from the bad Nile. It was grateful to see Palestine, therefore, in its greenness, and even the rain was so homelike that we welcomed it and drove steadily through it until, when the sun went down, we were in the town of Ramleh, where we remained for the night. Our first lodging in the Holy Land was humble enough, and by the time we reached Ramleh the rain was pouring. Still

we were in the most cheerful humor, ready only to see the bright side. Even Caldwell-who had to put on his uniform and sword and go out into the mud, with an. Arab, carrying a lantern, walking ahead, and two soldiers behind, and various dogs howling in escort-even Caldwell, who had to call on the Governor, seemed to think that there never was so jolly an errand. None of us volunteered to go along. We preferred to sit on the large-benches in a