December 1930
T h e
K i n g ’ s
B u s i n e s s
562
Mouktar of the community called and invited the staff to a community feast to be held in the open on one of the hills near our camp. On occasions like this, they turn out en masse, wear their most colorful regalia, and pro vide the very best things to eat that they are able to offer. They always kill a goat or a couple of kids, and frequently they have chicken, and sometimes turkey. It was unfortunate for me that I was compelled to leave before this unusual feast occured. P r im it iv e A g r ic u l t u r a l M e t h o d s The methods of agriculture employed by the natives of southern Palestine are as primitive as are their habits of living. With a team of cows, or a team composed of a cow and a donkey, they stir the land by the use of a wooden plow. They sow and plant with about the same measure of inefficiency. It is not a surprise that they receive small harvests, but it is rather to be marveled at that they are able to raise any crop at all. This is espec ially true when one considers the small rainfall. Despite the apparent barrenness of the limestone hills, the plains and the valleys are fertile, and they produce good crops of wheat, barley, and dura (which is a species of corn) ; also tomatoes, cucumbers, and other vegetables. In most of the Near East countries, harvesting and threshing are done according to the methods of three thou sand or more years ago. Wheat and barley are cut with hand sickles, or, if too short for cutting, they are pulled up by the roots. I frequently saw from ten to twenty persons in a field, men and women, gathering crops in that way. The piles are then gathered up, tied upon the backs of camels or donkeys, and taken to the village threshing floor. These threshing floors are important institutions in the various communities. They are simply areas of ground set aside for the purpose in or near the village. Each laborer is assigned to his space. Men, women, children, donkeys, oxen, camels, and even cows, contribute their part to the threshing. The animals, occasionally hitched together in amusing combinations, are driven about over the straw, sometimes hitched to sleds or to devices which remind one of the disc harrow. This work is usually given to the children to do. As the grain is separated from the straw, it is winnowed by being tossed into the air, the wind blowing the straw and chaff away from the grain. One of these threshing floors adjoined our camp. In Palestine, the harvesting and threshing of a small crop of grain requires a pathetically long time. But time is the element of which the oriental has the most, so de lays make little difference to him. Our experience in dwelling in tents among these prim itive people was exceedingly interesting. G I F T B I B L E S Take note o f the Bible Premium Offer in the ad vertisement on inside back cover page. A very suit able gift for Sunday-school pupils. The Bible and one year’ s subscription to The King’ s Business (new or renewal) for $3.25 (U. S . ) ; Canada and foreign countries, $3.50. Write for information about other Bibles. A» §£»
Christmas Greeting B y F. W . P itt
God be thy God amid the world’s distresses, Give thee sure anchorage in stormy days, Be thy Defender when the foe oppresses, Answer thy prayers and tune thy heart to praise. Meet all thy needs according to His riches, With His delights bring comfort to thy soul; Keep back the snare which subtlety bewitches, Heal thy heart agony and make thee whole. . i Thus shall thy Christmastide be full of pleasure, For He who gave His Son will with Him give Love, joy, and peace in overflowing measure To those who in and for and to Him live. _ Living in Tents Among the Arabs ■{Continued from page 555) _
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another. Likewise, while at their work on the excavation, they frequently sang in a minor strain as they carried their baskets of dirt. They also have a sense of humor, and they appreciate.greatly any little pleasantry or innocent trick played on them. One day I slipped the pipe of one of the workmen, which he was not using at the moment, into the basket of broken potsherds and awaited the re action. Upon discovering his pipe in the basket, he was much amused, and responded with the word “ antika, meaning antiques, the name which the Arabs have learned to apply to all “ finds” which are put into the baskets. Illiterate as they are, they are proud of their language. On one occasion I addressed a little lad in English. He responded, pointing to himself with an air of pride, and saying, “ Arab.’” Occasionally one of the men about our camp would seem to be somewhat anxious to learn a few American words, but all of them were ready at any time to turn instructors .and to teach us the names of things in their tongue. It pleased them that we showed a desire to understand their language. These natives are also given to hospitality. It was quite customary for them to offer to share their black bread with any one of us who happened to be present when they stopped to eat their lunch. Once in a while they would send some item of their native food for our table. These were instances when there must have been more joy in giving than in receiving. Before I left the camp, which was before the close of the excavation, the
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