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Ramleh (sandy, from the sandy tracts on which it stands). Here we dismounted at the Hotel Frank, where a good lunch was prepared, and we, needing no further preparation, commenced this meal with eagerness. Mr. Floyd, who evidently understood the wishes of the ladies, entreated all the married ladies and gentlemen to go into a separate room for lunch; and as I had the good fortune to be one of this happy company, I took my seat meekly and quietly beside my wife. After being thus refreshed, we took a walk through the hedges of prickly pear to an ancient tower, from the top of which we had a beautiful view, as far as the sea near to Gaza.

Mounting our horses, we rode on. The afternoon was very hot. A lady of our party fell from her horse on account of giddiness, but soon mounted again; and riding on we passed through the Valley of Ajalon, where the moon stood still when Joshua fought against the five kings (Josh. x. 12). We passed Gezer, which Pharaoh gave for a present to his daughter, Solomon's wife. When we were getting rather weary, we saw in the distance, to our great delight, a small encampment of white tents. This was our resting-place for the night. After a ride of twenty-six miles we found our tents very comfortable, and after a good dinner we felt quite at home; but in the night we were somewhat disturbed by the chattering of our guards, and towards morning by the cat-like cries of the jackals.

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On Tuesday we made an early start, and rode through a pretty pass over the mountains of Judæa. Passing Kirjath-jearim (city of forests), where the ark rested twenty years (1 Sam. vii. 1, 2), we entered into the territory of Benjamin, and in the distance was pointed out the birth-place of John the Baptist, also Emmaus. These two places reminded us of the beginning and ending of that holy life on earth of that One who came to do 'His Father's business.' Two prominent persons were brought to our notice, the Forerunner and the Master,-the one preaching repentance, the other, having overcome death, preaching the resurrection. Having rested for refreshment under some olive trees, we made our last start for Jerusalem. Our minds were filled with curious musings. Was it possible that in a few minutes Jerusalem would be seen by us mortals, the city of the Great King? While thus pondering, our attention was attracted by our dragoman, who said, 'Jerusalem!' I cannot express in words our feelings. It is a moment never to be forgotten. And in a little we saw the Mount of Olives, and solemnly we rode towards these sacred places, and entered the city by the Jaffa Gate; and the noise of the horses' hoofs on the stones told us that we were indeed at Jerusalem.

Soon we found a comfortable room in the Hotel Mediterranean. My friend, the Rev. Mr. Kelk, came to see me, and we went to a prayer-meeting, which I thought a very suitable way of commencing our sojourn in so holy

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a city. Then we visited the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Can this indeed be the place where He was laid? Whether or not this is the exact spot, it was to us that afternoon a most solemn place.

After dinner we found Mr. Kelk's native servant (a handsome fellow he was) waiting to escort us with a lantern to his master's house. Every one must carry a lantern after dark. We spent a very pleasant evening, having the pleasure of meeting the Rev. Mr. Freidlander, who is a converted Jew, and is a missionary to his own people. He is a very clever linguist, and can read our service and preach in four languages. After prayers we again followed our guide with lantern to our hotel; and thanking our Lord for permitting us to come to see this Holy City, we retired to rest.

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CHAPTER II.

JERUSALEM.

HE next day we took a quiet walk through the city, going down the Via Dolorosa, the street along which our Lord carried

His cross, passing the traditional house of St. Veronica, who wiped the Saviour's face with her handkerchief; also the house of Simon the Cyrenian, where the mark on the wall, said to be made by the cross, is shown. We went into the chapel of Ecce Homo. Behind the altar there is an archway, said to be the same arch from which Pilate said, ' Behold the Man.' A little farther on was pointed out Pilate's house, on the threshold of which is believed to have stood the Scala Santa now in Rome. Then we entered the Church of St. Anne, given by the Sultan to the French after the Crimea; and farther on, our guide, pointing to a very dirty pool nearly filled up with refuse, said, 'The Pool of Bethesda.' I felt very disappointed and sad that such should be the present state of the once famous healing pool, where our Lord had shown forth that He was the Great Healer

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of mankind. A certain Mr. Moseley offered to clean the pool out, but as the Government wanted him to give them the money, and they would do it, he declined.

We then passed out of the city by St. Stephen's Gate, across the Valley of Jehoshaphat, to the Garden of Gethsemane. This spot is nicely kept by the Franciscan Friars. There is a very old olive tree, under which it is said Christ prayed; and as we stood there, the events of that dark night before the crucifixion came to our minds. We visited this sacred place many times, reading the accounts given in the different Gospels; but I think I never realized its awfulness more than when, after partaking of the Holy Communion at the English Church, on the Thursday before Good Friday, we walked out with lanterns to Gethsemane, and I read by the light of the lantern the details of that awful night. All seemed to be so real, as if we had been there looking on-witnessing the fearful agony of the Man of Sorrows, and hearing in the distance the noisy crowd, headed by Judas, coming towards the place. Oh, may the remembrance of that night make us realize more than ever before the terrible character of sin! Near at hand we saw the Grotto of Agony, the place where the disciples slept, and the terra damnata of the betrayal. The monk gave us some beautiful flowers, and we pursued our way up the side of the Mount of Olives, and on the way sat down under an olive tree to admire the great

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