CHAPTER I.

JAFFA.

N February 28, 1880, we started from Port Said by the Austrian Lloyds steamer Apollo. The night was fine, the sea calm, and over our head the moon gave forth her silvery light. Many tales had we heard concerning the dangerous landing at Jaffa, so our minds were somewhat perplexed and doubtful as to whether we should be able to land if it was rough. When shall we learn the lesson that sufficient for the day is the evil thereof? Our anxieties were needless, for the sea was calm all the way. Early next morning we were on deck, straining our eyes to catch the first sight of land-the Promised Land. God grant that when we are nearing the true Promised Land,' on the last voyage of this life, we may gaze with the same eagerness, and behold with as great delight the heavenly as we did on that morning the earthly Canaan, and discern on that land not the footprints, but the glorious form of the Son of Man to welcome us unto the Father's home!

At seven o'clock the steamer cast anchor near the

shore off Joppa, and in a few minutes a crowd of small boats surrounded the steamer, and a noise issued forth from their occupants that was for a time quite deafening and bewildering. Men in different coloured jerseys-on some of which we saw the familiar name of Cook-came on board. Immediately all anxiety and confusion ceased from our troubled brains; we knew we were safe, but gathered still more confidence when a happy-faced, gentlemanly man approached, whose name was Floyd (Cook's agent), and whose hand we grasped as the hand of a dear old friend, trusting that he would prove a dear new friend. We were soon conveyed by boats to the shore, and thence by carriages to the hotel. Can it be possible? Yes, it is true, our feet have touched the land so much desired, and the desire of past years commences to be realized.

After breakfast at the Hotel Jerusalem, we went to see Simon's house, passing through the streets of Jaffa. Jaffa is beautifully situated, overlooking the sea. The word jafeh is a word meaning beautiful, which gave its name to Jaffa or Joppa. To the port of Jaffa came the rafts for Solomon's temple, and from that port Jonah embarked on his distant voyage. But why go to see Simon's house? Because we read in the Acts of the Apostles that St. Peter came to Joppa from Lydda, and after that he had healed Tabitha, 'he tarried many days in Joppa with one Simon a tanner,' and on the flat roof of Simon's house, overlooking the waves of the Western Sea, the vision appeared to St.

Peter which foretold the breaking down of the wall of partition, the throwing open of the gates of heaven to all those whom God had made clean.

We soon arrived at the door of the house, which though not the same, is no doubt built on the site of the original house. We went on the roof, and tried to realize that blessed vision, and to thank God that now the kingdom is open to all believers. The house belongs to Mussulmans, and is regarded by them as sacred. A small mosque or praying place is in one of the rooms, which is said by the occupants to commemorate the fact that 'the Lord Jesus here asked God for a meal, and the table came down at once,' a remarkable instance of the vulgar corruption of miracles so common in Mussulman traditions; and in this case, curious as an evident confusion of the Mahometan versions of the feeding of the five thousand, and of the Last Supper, with the vision of St. Peter. Outside the door is a spring of fresh water, such as must always have been needed for purposes of tanning. We let down the leathern bottle, and brought up some water, which we tasted.

After this we visited the missionary of the Church Missionary Society, the Rev. Longman Hall, and found him in a mission-room in the midst of an Arabic service. It was a pleasing sight to witness a native. missionary by Mr. Hall's side, preaching the same gospel which St. Peter had preached to Cornelius and his friends. In the afternoon we had an English

service in a schoolroom; and as Mr. Hall was not very well, I gave a short address from Gen. xlv. 19, and tried to animate those present, fellow-travellers and myself, to greater zeal and interest in missionary work; that having a Father in heaven, and an Elder Brother at His right hand, we should pray God that the outcome of our journey would be, that we should love our God better, and be inspired with a deeper desire to show forth His love to those who are still in darkness.

We visited Miss Arnot's schools for girls, and heard them sing in Arabic and English. She has 57 girls, all boarders, mostly orphans; yet I trust not orphans any longer, for Jesus had come to them. Miss Smith, who is helping Miss Arnot, told us that a little girl came to her room at half-past one every day to ask her to talk with her and pray with her. Oh that we might realize more the existence of our great adversary! Listen to the testimony of this girl, taken from among the heathen: 'The devil says to me, "Why go to Miss Smith's room? Don't go!" but I will go.'

We visited Mrs. Hay's schools for boys, and also Miss Mangen's Medical Institution, with which we were much interested. The patients seemed so thankful to have a comfortable bed and medical attention. We saw a man who had been tempted to go back to his home, where some men were waiting for him, who beat him, and he escaped and returned here in a fainting state. This was an instance of persecution,

because he had been led to see that his old religion, he being a Moslem, was false.

I was convinced that a good work is going on at Joppa, and pray that the hands of those who are labouring here may be strengthened to labour long for the glory of their Lord.

On Monday, Ist March, we made an early start. The horses were drawn up before the hotel, and we were told that if we did not like the horse which was chosen for us, we must say so, because we could not change it until we got to Jerusalem. I mounted a fiery-looking steed, which I found had been refused by a young lady of our party. I soon found out that the quick discernment of this lady had been correct, for my pony turned out a very troublesome beast to ride, not having been broken in. Notwithstanding, off we started, passing through the orange and lemon groves just outside Jaffa, our dragoman pointing out the traditional place where St. Peter raised Tabitha (Acts ix. 36–41). Leaving this we crossed the plain of Sharon (from

, level, referring apparently to its freedom from rock and stone). As in days gone by, so now, the chief fame of this plain is its excellence as a pasture land. We noticed Bedouin tents and vast flocks of sheep, the true descendants of the herds fed in Sharon in David's reign under Shitrai the Sharonite (1 Chron. xvii. 29).

Towards mid-day we arrived at ancient Arimathea,