"^. ^ix-fsv'i:' V'SiR^ s-^ \W. ' ^ ^j % '^'f ^.J'"' w4mvdRW»*v««a«.-waw(' " ^ k 1sti^cimt» t :H- LLUSTRATIil) § » %.% #.# noH 1121 D^^n Sir Richard Tempi.e // Z--<^ -^^^c^-^i- /^^, T, ''l^(^'- A V \ c a?/ UJ < O u. O < Z < Co oa: <t ALESTINE MM LLUSTRATED. BY SIR RICHARD TEMPLE, " Thou hast heen a refuge from the storm, and a shadow from the heat." LONDON: W. H. ALLEN & CO., 13 WAi'ERLOO PLACE, PALL MALL. s.w. 1888. {All Rii/lits Beserved ) LONDON. PRINTED BY W. U ALLEN AND CO., 13 WATERLOO PLACE, PALL MALL. While we praise the Lord for all the wonders of His power, tvisdom and love, displayed in a system which is to wax old and perish, loe may therein contemplate, as in a glass, those new heavens and that new earth of whose duration there shall be no end. Read Nature; Nature is a friend to truth. Nature is Christian, preaches to mankind. And bids dead matter aid ms in our creed. The sun, that fountain of life and heart of the world, the moon shining unth a lustre borrowed from his beams, the stars glittering by night in the clear firmament, the air giving health to all things that live and move, the rain and the dew descending from above, the how which compasseth the heavens about with a circle of glory, the voice of thunder and the piercing power of lightning — all these are ready to instruct us in the mysteries of faith. They speak their Maker as they can. But want and ask the tongue of man. (Bishop Horne, 1771.) 20P3101 PHEI^ ACE I DESIRE to state at the outset what is, and what is not, to be expected from this book. My main purpose is to present a reproduction of thirty-two studies made by me in oil - colours of very important scenes in the Holy Land. These illustrate the record of my journey to many of the most sacred places in the world. The description is arranged according to the route taken in my journey. The geographical order of the places is in this wise : — Joppa — Ajalon — Jerusalem — Bethlehem — Jordan — Jericho — Bethel — Shiloh — Shechem — Samaria — Dothan -- Esdraelon — Jezreel — Tabor — Nazareth — Cana — Gennesareth — Tiberias. It will be seen, then, that the descriptive survey com- prises a part only of the Holy Land, though the most vi PREFACE. important part. It does not include the southern division of Hebron and Gaza, nor the northern division of CiBsarea Philippi and Merom, nor the coast of Tyre and Sidon. It does not extend to the region east of the Jordan. The record includes a general account of my journey, and fully explains the coloured sketches which I took on the spot. The affording of such explanation is indeed the primary object. But, in order that the explanation may be complete for each illustration, a resume is given of the Scriptural events relating to the scene which is depicted. The narrative, then, is so arranged as to set forth the subjects which are pictorially represented. Thus the purpose of the work is strictly limited to the representation of many important scenes as they appear at this time, and to the exposition of the sacred topography or history relating to them. I do not undertake to do any more than this in a matter which has been, and is being, investigated by the most recent authorities. But even this will be found hard of accomplishment. No pains have been spared to verify the authorities, and to embody the results of the latest researches so far as they concern the particular points which I adduce. I duly remember that Picturesque Palestine has of — PREFACE. vii late been most ably and fully delineated by wood - cuts and steel engravings. But these illustrations do not, of course, go beyond the exhibition of form with light and shade. Now my illustrations attempt something more, or something different, in that they display colouring. Such a task has not usually been undertaken by previous illustrators, and has something of novelty in it. Some passages in Ruskin's writings are so specially ap- plicable to colouring in sacred scenery that I will cite them here : " Of all God's gifts to the sight of man, colour is the holiest, the most divine, the most solemn. We speak I'ashly of gay colour and sad colour, for colour cannot at once be good and gay. All good colour is in some degree pensive, the loveliest is melancholy. God has employed colour in His creation as the unvarying accompaniment of all that is purest, most innocent, most precious ; while, for things pre- cious only in material uses, or dangerous, common colours are reserved. ... I know no law more severely without exception than this of the connection of pure colour with profound and noble thought. The ascertainment of the sanctity of colour is not left to human sagacity. The sacred chord of colour, blue, purple, and scarlet, with viii PREFACE. white and gold, as appointed in the Tabernacle, this chord is the fixed base of all colouring with the workmen of every great age. ... A faithful study of colour will always give power over form, though the most intense study of form will give no power over colour." R. T. The Nash, Kempsey, NEAB Worcester. IX LIST OF COLOURED ILLUSTRATIONS. I. LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. XXIV. XI LIST OF AUTHORITIES. Anderson. '• Palebtine Exploration." Barclay. " Report on Sliechem." Burckhardt's Traoels. Clarke. "Travels in Palestine and Syria." 1801. Gonder. " Handbook to the Bible." " Tent-work in Palestine." "Judas Maccabaeus." Fuller "Holy Warre." " Pisgah View of Palestine." 16-50. Etlyot (Abbe). 1714. Josephus. " Wars of the Jews." " Antiquities of he Jews." " Apion." " Life." Judith (Book of). Maccabees. Books I. and II. MaundreW s " Journey in Palestine." Michaud. " Histoire des Croisades." 1841. Mills. " History of the Crusades." Palestine Exploration Society. " Twenty-one Years' VN'ork." 1886. Fvrter. " Mui'ray's Handbook to Palestine." 1876. " History of the Knights Templar." xii LIST OF AUTHORITIES. Stanley (Dean). " Sinai aud Palestine." " History of the Jewish Church." Robinson. "Biblical Researches." 1841. Survey of Western Palestine. 1887. Thompson. "The Land and the Book." Tristram. "Land of Israel." "Bible Places." 1886. Vertot (Abbe). 1819. Warren. " Underground Jerusalem." " Temple or Tomb." Wilhen. " Geschichte der Kreuzziige." 1829. William of Tyre (Archbishop). Wilson. " Lands of the Bible." 1847. —— XIU CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. TRAVEL IN PALESTINE. Best season for travelling in Palestine. — The climate. — The spring. The winter time. — Climate and atmosphere in February and early March. — Stormy weather. —Atmospheric effects.— Disadvantages and advantages also. —Life in tents. —Shelter in monasteries.—Rides on horseback.—Servants and equipage. —Journey from London to Jeru- salem. — Comparative scales of expense of touring in Palestine. The Palestine Exploration Fund F- ^ CHAPTER II. SHARON AND PEILISTU. Landing at Joppa. — Sacred history of the place.—Orange groves. — Plains of Sharon and Philistia. —Carriage road.—Halt at Ramleh. Lydia, Modiu and Bethorou.—Valley of Ajalon. —Moonlight view.— Mountains of Judaea. —Nicopolis-Emmaus.—Kirjath-Jearim.—Suburbs 13 of Jerusalem.—Identification of Scriptural sites . ^. —— xiv CONTENTS. CHAPTER III. JERUSALEM. The Four Quarters of Jerusalem—Ziou, Akra, Moriah, Bezetha.—View from height near Jaffa Gate. —City Bazaars. —Debris of the ancient city.—The mosque of Omar.— Subterranean reservoirs of Moriah. Wailing-place of the Jews.—The Temple enclosure. — Zion.—The Church Missionary Society. —Via Dolorosa. —Church of the Holy Sepulchre. — Structures of the Knights of St. John.—English Mission to the Jews.—Ophthalmic Hospice.—Sunset view of Jerusalem p. 29 CHAPTER IV. THE NEIGHBOUEHOOD OF JERUSALEM. The Jaffa and Damascus Gates.— Possible site of Calvary. —Ancient tombs. —Mount Scopus and camp of Titus.—The brook Kedron.—The Garden of Gethsemane.—The tomb of the Virgin Mary.—View from Mount of Olives. —The village of Bethany.—Place where Our Lord wept over Jerusalem.—Corner of the Temple enclosure.—Ophel and Siloam.—The glen of Hinnom.—Hill of Evil Counsel.—View of Mount Zion. —Its characteristics.— Circuit of Jerusalem . j). 49 CHAPTER V. BETHLEHEM. Road to Bethlehem.—Rachel's tomb.—Town of Bethlehem.—Basilica of Constantine.—Cave of the Nativity.—Chamber of St. Jerome. Missionary establishments.—Solomon's Pools. —Fields of Ruth and Boaz.—The Frank mountain.—View of Bethlehem on the height p. 74: —— CONTENTS. XV CHAPTER VI. THE DEAD SEA. Wilderness of Judaa.—Monastery of Mar Saba. —Lovely view of the Dead Sea.—Abraham and the Cities of the Plain. —Bedouin escort. Descent to the Salt Lake. —En-gedi. —Water of the Lake. —Peculiar foreground. —View towards the desert. —Traces of earthquakes and igneous agencies. — Antique associations. — Chedorlaomer and Abra- ham . p. 81 CHAPTER Vn. THE JORDAN AND JERICHO. First view of the Jordan stream and banks.— Halting-place at the broad pool. —Bathing-place of the pilgrims. —Crossing of the Israelites under Joshua.—Formation of their national character.—Approach to Jericho. —Site of the later city. —Crimes of Herod the Great—His last days. —Site of the elder Jericho. —Channels of irrigation. Derived from the famous Fountains. —Past and present cultivation. Mount Quarantania. —Traditional scene of the Temptation.—Ascent of the mountain.—General view of the Jericho landscape . 7). 96 CHAPTER Vm. THE CENTRAL RIDGE OP PALESTINE. Extent of the Central Ridge.—Its physical character—Its ravines and passes. —Its rock formations.—Its vegetation. —Loss of its forests. Its animals, wild and tame. —Its landscape. —Its inhabitants. Their primaeval descent.—The preservation of their manners and customs without change.—Their social condition. —Their religion. Their aspect and demeanour. —State of the country . • P- 116 —— XVI CONTENTS. CHAPTER IX. BETHEL. Tei-ritorv of Benjamin. — The Rock Rimmon. — Michmash.