February 1926
T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
62
lives and service will put you to shame. You willJ>® using some funds which have been furnished by hands that toil for their daily bread and who are ignorant of the Subtle strategy of some of the denominational boards in the use. of money given for the salvation of the heathen. But bear in mind this: The old Book will reprove and rebuke you. You will have no peace of God that passeth understanding” and some day you and the board which is behind you will have to face the record in God’s Book, and—woe unto you in that day!
of there being a hell; that the modern mind rejects a salvation by the shedding' of blood; that it recognizes Jesus Christ as a good man—perhaps, so far as is known, the best man that ever lived. He set a good example for the age in which He lived, but the intel lectual development of this new age demands new ideals and new conceptions of Christ.” Well__farewell, Mr. Modernist Missionary! You will find some men and women of God on yonder field whose
¿Uc. ÉÌ Jerusalem (See photographic reproduction of the Jews Walling Place faring page 59)
years B. C. This race was succeeded by a Semitic race of a higher type, and these new inhabitants erected houses of a very rough type, and surrounded their rude homes with a low wall which constituted the first defences of the ancient city. If Jerusalem is the Salem mentioned in Gen. 14:18, the history of the city may be said to have commenced in B. C. 1930. This Scripture teils us that Abraham was met in the King’s Dale by the King of Sodom and Melchize- dek, Priest and King of Salem. Com paring other Scripture references, it seems probable that Salem was after wards known as Jerusalem. This view was held by Josephus. At the time when the city definitely comes into the scope of history, about 1500 B. C., it appears to have been tributary to Egypt. ; _ The recent discovery of the Tel-el-*, Amarna tablets has thrown a great I deal of light on this remote period of its history. Some of these tablets are letters written by the Governor of Jerusalem and the adjoining country to one of the Kings of Egypt. After describing his difficulties with hostile peoples, he implores assistance. He seems to have been a native chief holding the city by gift of the King. About fifty years after the date of this Governor’s messages, Joshua led the Children of Israel into the Prom ised Land, crossing the, Jordan from the direction of Moab, and capturing Jericho and Ai. These victories greatly impressed the inhabitants of Gibeon. They therefore decided not to oppose the progress of the Israelites, and they also succeeded in tricking Joshua into making a league with them. The reigning king of Jerusa lem, Adonizedec, was filled with indig nation against the Gibeonites and determined to punish them. He therefore formed a league with other kings, who with their armies, marched upon Gibeon, but Joshua met and ut terly defeated them. For the next seven years Joshua was engaged in the conquest of Palestine, but event ually this came to an end, and the di vision of the land- between the vic torious tribes was finally settled. — (Rev.) Austin H. Atkins in “ Word of Truth” (London).
bakery, the highest quality being util ized for the purpose of Holy Com munion. Distribution of the inferior kinds is made twice a week, and on the appointed day many of the beg gars, for which Jerusalem is famous, line up for their share. Speaking of beggars, there are none in all the world who can surpass, and few who can equal, those of the Holy City. One of the saddest sights in Jerusalem is that of the Leper Colony, just inside the Zion Gate. The poor creatures there are kept rigidly apart from others, nor can I imagine anyone desiring to go near them. The foul disease of leprosy seems to have clung to Palestine and Jerusalem for thou sands of years, and, according to the law of Moses, lepers were compelled to dwell alone outside the camp, while suspects were shut up for seven days. The Zion Gate, which opens onto the Leper Colony, is comparatively modern, but it provides an interesting example of what has already been mentioned. Used in the erection of the Gate, behind the wooden door, was an ancient stone bearing a Latin in scription which records a victory of the Emperor Trajan, and its age is given as A. D. 116. It was evidently cut at the time when this part of the city was occupied by a Roman camp, and it is possible that archaeological treasures may exist beneath buildings of all descriptions, only to be revealed when these ancient dwellings crumble to dust. Pew cities have made such a con tribution to history as the Holy City has. From very earliest times it has been the scene of varied and thrilling events, and although its name signi fies the habitation of peace, its history has been written in blood. Its narrow streets have echoed and re-echoed with the clash of arms, with the shouts of the victors and the groans of the vanquished. It has witnessed a long succession of sieges and destructions, including some of the most appalling to be found in all history. It is not definitely known when the hills and valleys of Jerusalem were first populated, but it is believed that a primitive people, whose origin and history are enshrouded in mystery, settled on this site as early as 3,000
NE of the charms of Jerusa lem is the number of inter esting relics which may be seen off the beaten track. A walk through the Jewish
quarter of the old city, where the Btreets are scarcely two yards wide and little arched recesses six feet square, opening directly upon the nar row streets, form the shops,' cannot fail to be interesting. The Ben Yacob and Eskniaz Synagogues are very elaborate in some respects, and, compared with the ridiculously small shops and houses with which they are sur rounded, are remarkably spacious. It is curious to notice how the very stones of Jerusalem bear striking tes timony to the vicissitudes through which the city has passed. In ordin ary houses numbers of carved heads or portions of columns taken from much older and more important buildings may be seen, and these valuable relics of antiquity are almost lost in their common-place setting. Perhaps the most interesting relic of its kind in the Jewish quarter is the Quariat, the synagogue of a strict sect of Jews, of whom only fourteen remain in Jeru salem, though they are much more numerous in Constantinople and Rus- sia. Oppressed by their brethren, they guard their place of worship with ex traordinary care. The synagogue is wholly subterranean- There is a prim itive altar and prayer-desk, and these, with one or two crude lamps, are the only articles in the vault. Yet the Quarrien have held onto this chamber with' remarkable tenacity for more than two hundred years. One is amply rewarded by a tour through the quaint lanes at the back of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and underneath the courtyard of the Greek Convent is a bakery which sup plies the poor of Jerusalem with bread. Considering the limited space at the disposal of the bakers, the num ber of loaves they turn out is aston ishing. In pre-war days over 30,000 were distributed weekly. The money is supplied by the Greek Church and Convent and from special collections made all over the world. Owing to the decrease in funds from Russia, the output of loaves is now restricted to 6,000 per wetek. There are three kinds of bread baked in this curious
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