THE HOUSE OF SIMON THE TANNER.

33 Philistia; eastward, over the gardens and across the plain of Sharon to the distant hills of Judæa; and northward, following the line of the coast, the eye caught faintly the dim outline of well-wooded Carmel; while westward the great and wide sea rolled far away to the distant horizon. From this stand-point we descended to the extreme north-west corner of the city, to visit the house of Simon

the Tanner. I felt more interested in this site than I had anticipated. The waves thundering against the rocks at its base gave most emphatic testimony that it "is by the sea-side." Nobody, of course, pretends that the existing house, with its well and tanner's slab, is the identical one upon whose roof Peter went "to pray about the sixth hour;" and there falling into a trance, saw heaven open, and heard that voice thrice repeated which prepared him to preach the Gospel of salvation to the

heathen world.' We Gentiles should regard this vision of Peter with special interest; and I see no reason why tradition may not have preserved the knowledge of the site where the miracle occurred. Both Christians and Moslems reverence the place, and several of the latter were performing their mid-day prayers on an adjoining terrace while we were there.

The tradition is quite ancient, and the site has at least this much in its favor-it is in Jaffa, and "by the sea-side," or, rather, just above it; and, from the nature of the locality, it is highly probable that the home of the Tanner was in that immediate vicinity. Many years ago, when I first visited the spot, there were only a few shattered arches above the basement vault, and the whole surroundings were extremely filthy and offensive.

If Simon lived near his business, his house was probably on the shore south of the city, where the tanneries now are located, and most likely were in Peter's day. These manufacturing establishments are generally removed to a distance beyond the walls, and with good reason; for they are extremely offensive, as well as prejudicial to health. But there is no reason to suppose that Simon's dwelling-house was near his tannery, and it may have occupied the identical site now assigned to it.

We visited the tanneries, and saw how the red and yellow leather of Jaffa is manufactured, after which we spent an hour at a large pottery; and I was delighted to find the whole complete, and in full operation, according to the Biblical description. There was the potter sitting at his frame, and turning the wheel with his foot. Or, as the idea is expanded in the Apocrypha: "So doth the potter, sitting at his work and turning the wheel about with his feet: he fashioneth the clay with his arm." The potter had a heap of the prepared clay near him, and a pot of water by his side. Taking a lump in his hand, he placed it on the top of the wheel, which revolves horizontally, and smoothed it into a low cone, like the upper end of a sugar-loaf; then, thrusting his thumb into the top of it, he opened a hole down through the centre, and this he constantly widened by pressing the edges of the revolving cone between his hands. As it enlarged and became thinner, he gave it 2 Ecc. xxxviii. 29, 30.

1 Acts x. 9-15.

whatever shape he pleased with the utmost ease and expedition. This, I suppose, is the exact point of those Biblical comparisons between the human and the Divine Potter: "O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the Lord. Behold, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house

of Israel." The same idea is found in many passages. When Jeremiah was watching the potter, the vessel was marred in his hand; and "so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it."" I had to wait a long time for that, From some defect in the clay, or be

but it happened at last.

1

1 Jer. xviii. 6.

5

Jer. xviii. 4.