CHAPTER V.

JERUSALEM, BETHLEHEM, AND NEIGHBOURHOOD.

RECRUITED by this hospitality, we left the house and entered the city by the Jaffa gate, going first. to the Mediterranean hotel, as I had a little commission to execute with the worthy host there. From the roof of this hotel, on a second visit, we obtained a view of many of the interesting features of the city, especially Hezekiah's pool.

We next directed our steps to the Jews' place of wailing, where are the ancient stones in situ which they regard as belonging to the court of the temple, and which is the nearest approach they are permitted to make to the sacred site.

We entered by a narrow approach, and witnessed the spectacle mentioned by nearly all visitors to Jerusalem. There were three or four aged men and one woman; one or two of the number were reading their sacred books, and the others pressing themselves against the stones in apparently deep grief.

I gazed awhile on the touching scene, so fraught with scripture memories. How plainly it told of

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the separation of the children of Israel from other nations, by the Lord who delivered them from the house of bondage and brought them into the good land; but they forgat Him and "they tempted and provoked the most High God, and kept not his testimonies" (Ps. lxxviii. 56), "and his servants some they beat, and some they killed, and when, last of all, he sent his son, they took him and killed him and cast him out of the vineyard." (Mark xii. 8.) Now are they dispersed among the Gentiles, a nation scattered and peeled.

Who can behold the scene before us, and not recognize the city which was for the people, and the people who were for the city? But now strangers inhabit their inheritance, and their houses are turned to aliens; "the elders have ceased from the gate, the young men from their music." (Lam. v.)

After contemplating this sad spectacle for awhile, I drew near to scrutinize one of the stones, and found that my steps had been followed by a young Arab, who now, with all imaginable impertinence, came up and offered to break me off a lump of one of the stones if I would give him bakhsheesh. I need hardly say that I did not accept his offer; but the fearlessness with which it was made, and the silent endurance on the part of the aged sons of