As an illustration of the fulfilment of prophecy so far as it respects the present state of the Holy Land, we will give, by way of introduction to what follows on the general subject, an account of its past and present condition as related first by Canon Tristram, who appears to have a thorough knowledge of the country; and next, as given from personal observation by M. Renan himself:-"I am thoroughly acquainted," says the Canon, "with Southern Judea. The whole country south of Hebron is a series of rolling downs, bare and covered with turf, something like the Sussex Downs, but with a richer soil. Here every mile or two testifies by its ruined heaps to the density of a past population, and the very arrangement of the old houses is a proof of the former value of land. They are almost always clustered on the sides of steep hills, and their rear portion is hollowed out of the cliff after the manner of tombs. We are told that the Horites, i.e., cave men, occupied the land before the Amorites, and these appear to have been their dwellings; more extensively excavated, and fronts of masonry added, by their Jewish successors. These ruins have all preserved their traditional names in the vernacular Arabic; we were able to identify the unchanged names of most of the cities of Judah to which David sent presents during his exile at Ziklag. The whole region is desolate, without inhabitants, save a few wandering Phalin and Kaabina Arabs, whose supply of water is often precarious. Yet the environs of these ruined towns are dotted with wells, scores of which I have examined, but all dry. Sometimes more than a dozen could be counted round a single town. Again, close to the gate of each city may be seen, sometimes broken, but very often still perfect, the old oilpress-the common property of the community, a large

circular trough, like a huge cider-press, sometimes hewn out of the native rock, sometimes with the crushing-stone, like a great mill-stone, lying by its side. Yet for ages not an olive-tree has existed in the district. Again, the whole of the bare hill sides are studded with the ancient winepresses (1 once found eleven in the course of a morning's ride), among the few undoubted remains of the Israelitish stone-work of the regal period-simple contrivances-two parallel troughs, hewn in the native rock, with holes so pierced between them that the juice could drain into the lower one. The disproportionate number of these wine-vats is explained by the fact that while the olives could be best carried home, the grapes could not bear transportation, and therefore each proprietor had his own press in his vineyard. But now from Eshcol to Beersheba not a vine exists. we have these records carved in the rocks, of the days when Judah did bind his foal unto the vine, and his ass's colt unto the choice vine; he washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes.'

Yet

"Whence has come the change? Simply from the denudation of timber. The primeval forest was exchanged by man for the olive, with its evergreen verdure filling the valleys and crowning the hill tops. These attracted showers from those clouds which now pass over the arid region to waste their treasures on the deserted forests of Gilead. And then the slopes were terraced and clad with vines, while the fig tree studded every corner. Nor were the waters wasted as they drained from the hills. Long conduits winding on their sides conveyed them to carefully cemented reservoirs, of which the country is full, and whence, in summer, the gardens were watered by the foot. But the havoc of war, neglect, and misgovernment, destroyed the olives, the vines

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soon perished, the terraces crumbled, the conduits were broken or choked, and the land is desolate."

In speaking of his visit to the Holy Land, the birth-place of Him of whom the prophets foretold, M. Renan says: "I have traversed, in all directions, the country of the Gospels; I have visited Jerusalem, Hebron, and Samaria; scarcely any important locality of the history of Jesus has escaped me. All this history, which at a distance seems to float in the clouds of an unreal world, thus took a form, a solidity, which astonished me. The striking agreement of the texts with the places, the marvellous harmony of the Gospel ideal with the country which served it as a frame-work, are like a revelation to me. I had before my eyes a fifth Gospel, torn but still legible."

1

In describing the town of Nazareth, where Jesus was "brought up," Renan says: "The horizon from the town is limited. But if we ascend a little, the plateau, swept by a perpetual breeze, which overlooks the highest houses, the prospect is splendid. On the West are seen the fine outlines of Carmel, terminated by an abrupt point which seems to plunge into the sea. Before us are spread out the double summit which towers above Megiddo; the mountains of the country of Shechem, with their holy places of the patriarchal age; the hills of Gilboa, the small picturesque group to which are attached the graceful or terrible recollections of Shunem and of Endor; and Tabor with its beautiful rounded form, which antiquity compared to a bosom. Through a depression between the mountains of Shunem and Tabor, are seen the valley of the Jordan, and the high plains of the Peræa, which form a continuous line from the Eastern side. Anthony the Martyr, at the end of the sixth century drew an enchanting picture of the fertility of the environs, which

1 See his Introduction.

he compared to Paradise. Some valleys on the Western side fully justify this description. Such was the horizon of Jesus. This enchanted circle, cradle of the Kingdom of God, was for years His world."

This is a glowing description of the "country of the Gospels," no doubt; nor is it by any means a purely fanciful one. But from the account which M. Renan gives of it, one thing in particular is strikingly apparent, that he has proved quite to his own satisfaction that the land of the Bible is not "an unreal world," as it seemed to him to be previously to his having visited and looked upon the "goodly land" for himself. The "History of Jesus," he says, then "took a form, a solidity, which astonished me."

And so, we may add, since his rule appears to be, "see for yourself and then believe," if he had, when in the Holy Land, been afforded an opportunity of witnessing "the miracles of Jesus," they also would have doubtless taken "a form and a solidity," which would have "astonished" him. The "country of the Gospels" he has seen for himself, and has proved it to be as to names, places, existing customs, etc., in exact accordance with the Gospel history; and he therefore so far believes. But his faith, poor fellow, is weak, and he must therefore see in order to believe; but, unfortunately, the miracles and prophesying having all disappeared with the persons to whom they were attributed, not a visible vestige of them remained, and in reference to these therefore, poor Renan is doomed to return with the lament, “I have not seen and therefore cannot believe!"

In immediate connection with the foregoing quotation from Renan, the beautiful scene is somewhat changed. He represents it to be very different now from what it once was. "The fountain," he says, "where formerly the life and

gaiety of the little town were concentrated, is destroyed; its broken channels contain now only a muddy stream. Southwards the more sombre aspect of the Samaritan hills foreshadows the dreariness of Judea beyond, parched as by a scorching wind of desolation and death." But "even in our times," he continues, "Nazareth is still a delightful abode, the only place, perhaps, in Palestine in which the mind feels itself relieved from the burden which oppresses it in this unequalled desolation."

Again, in describing, as it once was, the country of the Galileans, whom he represents as "an energetic, brave, and laborious people,” he says: "The country abounded in fresh streams and in fruits; the large farms were shaded with vines and fig trees; the gardens were filled with trees bearing apples, walnuts, and pomegranates. We may judge of this by some enclosures in the neighbourhood of Nazareth. The aspect of the great farms is still well preserved in the south of the country of Tyre (ancient tribe of Asher). Traces of the ancient Palestinian agriculture, with its troughs, threshing floors, winepresses, mills, &c., cut in the rock, are found at every step. . . . The saddest country in the world is, perhaps, the region round about Jerusalem. Galilee, on the contrary, was a very green, shady, smiling district, the true home of the Song of songs and the songs of the wellbeloved. During the two months of March and April the country forms a carpet of flowers of an incomparable variety of colours. The animals are small and extremely gentle :delicate and lively turtle doves; blue birds so light that they rest on a blade of grass without bending it; crested larks, which venture almost under the feet of the traveller; little river tortoises, with mild and lively eyes; storks, with grave and modest mien, which, laying aside all timidity, allow