The Towrr Where
AMONG the places of Interest In Pal
eBtihe there are few that appeal to
us as strongly and as tenderly as
the site of the town where Jesus spent
his boyhood.
"Wrapped In silence and mystery as are
the' years of his childhood and early man
hood, we yet cherish the memory of the
home at Nazareth, which sheltered that
sacred life, and of the environments and
scenery which must have had some share
ia shaping the character of this wonder
ful child, while guided by the devotion of
a gentle mother.
Especially are we filled with tender rev
erence when we are privileged to look
upon the very village where he dwelt, and
to stand upon the threshold of his home
and think of the boy who spent a quiet,
uneventful life, doubtless doing many kind
deeds of kindness and ever dutiful and
obediont in a land where the tie between
parent and child is most sacred.
As we enter the "workshop of Joseph,"
whether we accept the site or not. we at
once picture to ourselves the gentle lad
standing by the carpenter's "bench lending
a helping hand.
The story which first endears this vil
lage to us is that of the annunciation. It
was to a maiden of this town that tho
angel gave his wondrous message. It Is
a strange fact 'that -we do not hear any
mention of Nazareth until this great event.
Since then It has become a household
word, covered with glory .and surrounded
by traditional sites reverently guarded.
Through its history and these sites, over
which magnificent edifices have been built,
Nazareth has become the goal of all Chris
tian pilgrims and visitors to the Holy
Land.
Next in interest to Bethlehem the site
of Christ's birth Is Nazareth, the home
of his mother, Mary, and the town , of his
boyhood and scene of his early labors.
It is a peculiar fact that until the time
of -the great Constantine there were no
Christians living in Nazareth, nor pil
grims to visit it until the sixth . century.
In w0 two churches were built hero one
over Mary's house and w-e other over the
site of tho annunciation.
After the capture of Jerusalem, -TaS-cred
tho Crusader built a church ia Naz
areth, but Sultan BIbaro destroyed It in
12G3 A. D. It lay in ruins till 1C20, when
tho great Fakhr-ed-Diu gave the Fran
ciscans leave to rebuild it. So that now
the grotto of the annunciation Is in the
hands of the Latins.
Scfurioh, the site of the birthplace of tho
Virgin, is five miles away from Nazareth.
There are ruins of a Crusader's castle on
a hill above a -village.
Valley of Nazareth.
The Plain of Esdraelon, above which" is
Cituated the village of Nazareth, is 20 miles
wide and 40 long. This Is a delightful
spot In a delightful land. It Is a re
markable plain, having been the battle
field of nations, and one of the most
beautiful in the world for extent and fer
tility, as well as for its great historical
interest. It takes four hours to cross It
Above the plain rise three great mountains
as though guarding the plain.
From the hilltops atoove the Tillage one
sees the most magnificent view in .all
Palestine. Twenty hills are visible. Here !
are the four .majestic mounts of historic
interest. CarmeL Hermon, Tabor and
Gllboa. Tall -and stately,; they stand guard
ing the plain of the Esdraelon each glo
rious in its history of the past. In the
plains are villages over sites of great In
terest Naln, Cana, Endor and Jezreel.
"At the foot of the mountains of Galilee
In a basin of 00 feet above the sea level
and . 400 above the plain, carefully se
cluded from the outer world, lies the town
of Nazareth, nestling in a green Hollow
on the hill. -
It is significant that he who lived a life
of seclusion for 30 years should have
dwelt In this most sheltered of villages in
all Palestine. Perhaps the retiring situa
tion of the town accounts for the prov
erb: "Can any good thing come out of
Nazareth?" Some one has well said that
"he who made all things out of nothing
came from a place that had no history-"
Where Jesus Meditated.
On the lovely hills around this little
town Jesus probably spent many an hour
of repose far above the din and bustle
of the crowd below, away from all the
misery and wickedness of the town. He
could gaze peacefully on the wonderful
landscape before him and meditate on
his great mission to mankind.
The most prominent building in Naz
areth is the Latin convent rising above
the other buildings, appearing like some
great mediaeval castle. Towering above
it is a Turkish minaret, givirig the town
a touch of Oriental grace. Even here the
star and crescent glitters beside tho cross
of Christ. Tall palms wave their green
branches above the white buildings and
stately cypresses stand like dark pillars,
forming an effective background.
It is with a feeling of reverence that
one approaches Nazareth and one is filled
with a sense of love for these everlast
ing hills which saw his presence, and these
vales where his voice so often resounded.
The position of the town is very remark
able. Unlike Bethlehem and Hebron, the
village of Nazareth docs not stand out
picturesquely on the billtopst but lies in
the basin and on the steep slope of the
hill, to which it clings like an amphithe
ater. The hill oji which it stands is" conspicu
ous for Its height In tho line of rocky hill
tops enclosing the valley of Esdraelon.
Some of tho buildings on the hill seem to
hang over tho preclplco, others are half
hidden among the verdure in the ravine
below.
The bill rises C00 feot above the valley.
"We can Imagine the boy Jesus often climb
ing up the hill to view the distant moun
tains and the blue sea, and to look on the
vast scenery which had .so much histor
ical Interest for him, -for the tiold cliff
overhanging Esdraelon commands a grand
view.
Nazareth is the chief commercial town
of Galilee. It is the market of exchange
between Acra and Haifa -and the Beda-
weens.
Kenan expressed his feelings about Naz
areth by saylnjr that "no plana in tha
THE SUNDAY OREGON! AN, - PORTLAND, DECEMBER 18, 1901.
Jesus Spent His Boyhood
world was so well adapted to dreams of
absolute happiness."' "
The most Interesting sito in Nazareth
Is situated on the . outskirts of the village.
It Is the "Fountain of the Virgin." This
pretty spot brings the tenderest thoughts
to our minds. It 13 here that the boy
Jesus must have come dally with his
mother bearing the pitcher to be filled
with water for the little home.
We can picture him helping her and
doing deeds of kindness at the village
well, helping the needy and offering his
youthful strength to the aged or blind
to fill their water pots.
The Latin Convent stands on the site
believed by tho "Franciscans to be that
of the Annunciation. It is surrounded
by high walls. Tho gateway leads to j
a largo courtyard, where pilgrims in
blue serge gowns fastened by a leath
er girdle pace up and down telling
their beads.
The church is somber and solemn
looking. The sound of chanting- and
the odor of Inconse issues forth at the
hours of vespers and matins. The
church is about 70 feet square, divided
into aisles by massive piers support
ing a vaulted roof.
The great shrine below Is reached b.y 15
steps. Here Is a vestibule of 25 feet
in width and 10 deep. In the sanctum
is a marble slab, where a cross marks
the spot of the angel's appearance to
the Virgin. A toroken cloumn hangs
suspended from this roof: This is the
work of tho infidel. Miraculous stories
are told about the strange position of
this column.
Tho whole sanctum and vestibule are
paved in marble. The light of many
silver lamps shed a dim radiance over
the faces of pious monks on bended
knee, offering fervent paternosters to
the Virgin Mary. All around are pil
grims some before the altar, kissing
the marble floor, others returning
from tho Cave of Our Lady carrying
stones they havo broken off the rocks
as precious relics. Above the altar is
a painting depicting tho tradition of
the site. It was donated by the Em
press of Austria.
Behind tho Grotto of the Annuncia
tion are everal chambers hewn in thfe
rock. One of these is "Mary's Kitch
en." Further on is a room, the door
of which is walled up now. The monks
tell us It was through this door that
the Virgin passed out to the village
well.
Buildings With Traditions.
There is a story told about this
"Holy House" having been carried by
angels from Nazareth to Loreto, . in
Italy, where, it stands loday for the
benefit of devout worshipers who can
not go to Nazareth!
Another site which. -Is reverently
guarded Is the traditional workshop of
Joseph. Above it is a Latin church, in
which a large painting represents the
child Jesus helping Joseph at tho
bench.
Another, ehanel near br in a. vaulted.
1
cave exhibits the "Table of Christ"
where he often had supper with his
disciples. The table is a solid rock
projecting three feet from the floor. 1
A large church . stands over the site
of the synagpgue "where Christ taught,
and a high cliff overhanging the valley
Is pointed out as the "Mount of Pre
cipitation" from whence the people
wished to cast him when angered toy.
his doctrine. '
Though Josephus wrote of Galilee as
being covered by towns with not less
than 1500 inhabitants each, yet today
there are not more than 700 or 800 in
habitants in Nazareth. The- .greater
number are Christians belonging to the
Greek and Latin churches.
Being a Christian town, the women
go unveiled. The Naxarenes are re
markable tor their beauty. They are
a noble, upright people, and ate proud
of the fact that they are treading on
soli made sacred by the feet of Jesusv -
At -the Virgin's fountain these lovely
maidens come gracefully bearing their
pitchers on their heads: Here they
meet and .hear the hews of the day.
This fountain Is really the only cer
tain relic of the days of Jesus. The
Greeks, in opposition to the Latins,
have built a church over it, stating
that it was here that the angel brought
the great news to the Virgin while she
was filling her pitcher at the well.
A "Fountain of the Annunciation" is
certainly mentioned in the apocryphal
Gospel of St. James.
The fountain receives water from the
hill, and never runs dry. It overflows
and sends rivulets to tho gardens.
Doubtless this spring flowed.here 1300
years ago. Her are .olive groves, yine--tards,
fig trees and pomegranates, with
their scarlet blossoms, and thousands of
wild flowers adorning tho spot where
the boy Jesus drank from the stream
and rested by the shade of tho treds.
Filled With Memories of Christ.
Ono cannot walk through the streets
of Nazareth or linger at the fountain
or wander" among tlc olive groves
without thinking of hiro who as a child
trod .these very paths, -and whose name
is foVever linked to . the little village,
giving It a glory for Christian- pil
grims and visitors throughout the ages
to come. The whole locality la" filled
with memories of "hiro.
Tere this wondrous child, grew up ia
tho obscurity - of bis simple home,
working In Joseph's shop, with "no fur
ther means 'of education than the He
brew Scriptures' and the grand book of
nature around him In the plains and
hills of Galilee.
What historical memories must have
filled his mind as "he gazed on theso
hills! Here took place the touching in
cidents in- the lives of David and Jon
athan. Here Elijah and - Ellsha had
their wondrous experiences, and here
were fought -many battles by-Israel.
He would learn many Important
truths by meditating on the past his
, tor? oJLhls. ra". and hxe ia this quiet
LATIN CHURCH BUILT OVER
solitude and meditation ho grew and
waxed strong In spirit and increased
in wisdom and stature.
Thoughhe was only taught from tho
Jowlsh Law arid did not mix with the
multitudes of a city, yet he emerged
from this quiet -village life knowing all
things, and being the truth and light
Itself. Thus Jesus of Nazareth has
been and always will be the greatest
miracle of history.
. EVANGELINE BEN-OLIEL.
When the Cowboy
Speaks in Epigrams
STEWART EDWARD WHITE, writ
ing In the Outlookt says that the
cowboy has two kinds of vivid speech,
one dependent on tho apt use of a sin
gle word, the other consisting of elab
orate phrase" with humorous intention.
A cowboy-once told of the arrival of
a tramp by saying, "Ha -rsifted into
camp." Could any verb bo more ex
pressive? Doe3 it not convey exactly
the lazy, careless, out-at-heels shuf
fling gait of the "hobo"?
Again a range cook, objecting to pur
Nazareth, Its' Environment, History and Traditions; the
Goal of All Christian Pilgrims
THE SI TE OF THE HOUSE OF JESUS
poseless idling about his fire, shouted,
'If you fellows come moping around
here any more, I'll sure make you hard
to catch!"
"Fish in that pond, son? Why, there's
some fish in there "big enough to rope,"
another advised.
"I quit shoveling," one explained the
story of his life, "because I couldn't
see nothing ahead vof shoveling but
dirL" The same man described plow
ing as "looking at a mule's tall all
day."
One of the most succinct epitomes of
the motifs of fiction was offered by an
old fellow who looked over my shoulder
as I was reading a novel. "Well, son,"
said he, "what they doing now, kissing
or killing?"
Speaking of a companion who was
"putting on too much swagger," a cow
boy said, "He walks like a man with a
new suit of wooden underwear." And
in answer to, an: Inquiry as to, a mutual
acquaintance. "Jim? Oh, poor old Jim!
For tho last -week or so he's been
nothing but an insignificant atom of
humanity hitched to a boll."
Occasionally a straight sentence In
idiomatic English cotces out in the
midst of cowboy lingo. "If your brains
were all made of dynamite,, you couldn't
blow Uio top of your head off," said
AND MARY IN NAZARETH.
one. 'That little horse'll throw yotf
so high the blackbirds will build nests
In your hair before you come down,"
said another.
In Arizona a group of men gathered
about a camp fire, all silent except a
youth who talked a good deal about
himself. Finally one of the cow
punchers grew tired of his bragging,
and drawled:
"Say, son, if you want to say some
thing big, why don't you say 'ele
phant'? "
"In this country," said an old "al
kali," "thar is more cows and less but
ter, more rivers and less water, and
you kin see farther and see leas than,
in any other country in the world."
Something New In Manufactures.
"Tou say Charley Spender is a man
ufacturer? I thought he was just a
plain loafer. What line is he In?"
"He makes trouble for his father."
Cincinnati Commercial-Tribune.
The Mocklng-Bird Woman.
An old woman who owned a small mocking
Bird, said, "Goodness me, this Is shocking!
Hero It Is Christmas Eve,
And I really hellevo
The poor creature has not sot a otocklnx."