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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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to begin . Refreshments were offered to the travellers , and especially to Elisaina , but he declared with earnestness , that , even amidst the idolaters of Egypt , he had scarcely ever allowed himself to taste food early in a morn * ing , and much less would he do so in Israel , and in the city of David , and on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem .
The commotion in the streets beqame greater and greater , and it was scarcely dawn when they set forth . All the doors of the houses were open , all the roofs were covered with persons watching their departure . HeloH , as he passed through the streets of Hebron in the ruddy light of the dawn , and
by the palm trees at the gate , was reminded that Hebron was one of the oldest cities in the world , even older than Zoan in Egypt ; that it had been conquered by Joshua , and given as a portion to Caleb , the bravest and most faithful of the explorers of the
laftd ; that it had afterwards become a city of the priests , and had been for seven years the residence of David ; that it had been taken by the Idumeans , and reconquered by the Maccabees , and once more incorporated with
Juda . But when he had passed the gate , and gained a view of the lovely valley in which it stands , full of vineyards and corn-fields , and looked around on the region where patriarchs had
tended their flocks and pitched their tents , and lived in friendly communion with Jehovah , all the high and enthusiastic feelings of the preceding day were renewed in his mind . From all the
cross-roads , men , women and children were streaming towards the highway that led to Jerusalem . They had scarcely proceeded a Sabbath-day ' s journey , when they saw the grove of terebinths ; cymbals , flutes and psalms resounded from the midst of it , and
hundreds were standing under the turpentine tree of Abraham , a tree of immense size and wide-spreading branches . Helon entered the grove of Mamre with feelings of religious veneration . Here Abraham had dwelt ; here the angels had appeared to him ; beneath these trees Isaac had been
promised , and the rite of circctmcision instituted ; here Iahnaael had been born land driven from his father ' s tent ; aud ' totit for off was the cave of Macpelah , Where Abraham an * S&rah , Isaac and ftebe&cft , Jacob and Lttah
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were buried . And on the spot consecrated by $ o many recollections , the children of these patriarchs were now preparing to depart on their festal pilgrimage to Jerusalem . The occasion ana the place seemed to banish from all hearts every other feeling but piety and good-will : mutual greetings were exchanged , friends and relatives
sought each other Out , and associated themselves for the journ ey * apd all faces beamed with joy * The priests and elders led the procession ; the people followed , and the slaves with the camels were placed In the midst of them ; the Levites had distributed themselves with their instruments
among the multitude , and as they set forward they sung this Psalm ( cxxii . ) : € How am I glad when they say unto me , We will go up to the house qf Jehovah ! My foot hath stood already in thy gates , O Jerusalem !
Jerusalem , thou beautifully built , Chief city , where all unite together ! Thither do the tribes go up , The tribes of Jehovah to the festival of remembrance , To praise the name of Jehovah . There are the thrones of judgment , The thrones of the house of David .
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem , May they prosper that love thee ! Peace be in thy walls , Prosperity in thy palaces ! For my brethren and companions' sake , I wish thee peace . For the sake of the temple of our God , I bless thee with good . '
"It is impossible to Conceive of the soul-felt exultation with which this Psalm was sung , arid of its effect on old and young . Now the voices rose like the iiotes of the itabuntin ^ lark ijpbn the summits of the hills , now sunk again in the depths 6 f the
valleys . How differently * did it operate mow upon the lieart of Helon , and when he had sung it before to his solitary harp oh his roof in Alexandria ! How did he bless the memory of Samuel , who had given his schools of
the prophets the' harp and the flute ; and of David , whd , bred * tfp among them , did not forget them even when seated on his throne , but appointed Levities for the cultivation or music , arid hin&self often laid down his scaptre toaaaupie the harp ! " ¦ *
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Helon * 3 Pilgrimage to Jermafem , ** ty ip £ Strauss . i £
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Jan. 2, 1823, page 15, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1780/page/15/
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