out as the person who would betray him, Matt. xxvi, 23; John xiii, 26.

Jowett allowed his European prejudices to influence him, and was annoyed by seeing Arab fingers in the dish, and still more when his host, on finding a dainty morsel, applied it to his mouth. He rightly says, "This was true Syrian courtesy and hospitality; and had I been sufficiently well bred, my mouth would have opened to receive it." He notices the tearing the cake of bread, and sopping up the fluid and vegetables in the dish.

The invitations to a feast are mentioned in Scripture, as illustrating the invitations to accept the Gospel glad-tidings, Luke xiv, 17. It is customary in the East to send messengers to say the feast is ready; and when the entertainment is over, to call all that pass, in the name of God, to come and partake, Luke xiv, 13. Morier and others describe this; and the invitations having been previously given and accepted, it would be rude to send an excuse then; this explains Luke xiv, 16-24. At these feasts there is still much ceremony about taking places, Luke xiv, 7-11. Morier saw the governor of Kashan, arriving late, had taken a low seat, but was requested to come up higher.

CHAPTER VI.

TRAVELING.

THERE were no inns like those of Europe for travelers in Judea and the neighboring nations, so that the people were obliged to carry everything they wanted with them, and to wait upon themselves, or upon each other. For this reason, as well as to protect each other, they usually traveled in companies. They did so when they went up to Jerusalem at the great festivals, directed Exod. xxiii, 17. Psa. lxxxiv, 6, 7, is descriptive of this custom. Joseph and Mary were returning home in one of these companies when they missed Jesus, Luke ii, 42–44. The Psalms called the Psalms of Degrees, Psa. cxx to cxxxiv, are supposed to have been sung by the devout Jews, while traveling to Jerusalem, on these occasions. Thus they now travel in large bodies as caravans for trade, or on the pilgrimage to Mecca,

in some respects like the Israelites on their march from Egypt; and like them, at first setting out, they are in haste and some confusion, Exod. xii, 33-39.

Although there are no inns like ours in the East, there are places called caravansaries, in which travelers rest themselves, and find shelter for their cattle. These are large buildings, consisting of a court-yard, with small rooms around it. They are without furniture, and the travelers take possession of them on paying a sum of money to the keeper of the caravansary. Sometimes there are small shops for the sale of food and other necessaries. In the very early times, as when Jacob's sons returned from Egypt, the inns mentioned (Gen. xliii, 21) were only places which, on account of some trees and water, were used by travelers for halting-places. Christ was born in one of the caravansaries at Bethlehem; and, as all the rooms were full, his parents were obliged to take shelter in a cattle-shed, or stable, Luke ii, 7.

Some travelers apply the term caravansary to these places on the roadside or open country, while such buildings in towns are called khans. Where neither exist, frequently one or more of the inhabitants are accustomed to receive travelers. Arundel describes the objects and scenes witnessed by travelers when resting at a khan, or the more private house called menzil, as suggesting many of the illustrations introduced by our Lord in his discourses while traveling, such as the camel-driver using his needle, Mark x, 25. The entertainment provided for the traveler used to be supplied by the neighbors in turn, or by those who offered; but traveling has now become so frequent that Europeans commonly make payment, or send to buy the food on their arrival. In the remote villages, such an offer is still considered an insult. In the towns payment is expected; but the Bedouins are not yet used to it.

Many of the caravansaries have been built as acts of charity; some have been very beautiful structures, but often are neglected and going to ruin.

In general, travelers, wherever they went, were received by the inhabitants with great kindness. Thus Abraham and Lot received the angels, supposing them to have been travelers, Gen. xviii and xix; and Gideon, Judg. vi, 11–19. St. Paul refers to their receiving angels without knowing it

at first, (Heb. xiii, 2,) to encourage Christians to be kind to strangers. Our Lord himself commends this, Matt. xxv, 35; and the first Christians were very attentive to practice it. St. Peter requires it, 1 Pet. iv, 9; and St. Paul does the same, 1 Tim. iii, 2; Tit. i, 8; and in other passages.

Most of the traveling mentioned in the Bible was on foot. The journeys of our Lord, and of his apostles, all appear to have been so made. The taking up carriages, (Acts xxi, 15,) means taking up their luggage or baggage, not getting into coaches, or what we call carriages.

When on journeys, their clothes would be tucked up, or "their loins girded." They usually carried staves in their hands, Num. xxi, 18; Matt. x, 10; often a second, lest one should break.

In traveling they wore sandals to protect their feet; the necessity for these being strong for travelers in the desert is shown by the expression, "shoes of iron and brass," Deut. xxxiii, 25: this text also denotes God's care for his. people. The Bedouins carry small pincers to draw out the thorns from their feet. Burkhardt describes an Arab as borrowing a pair of sandals belonging to his friend which he knew were hidden under a date-bush: he impressed his foot upon the sand close by, that his friend might know who had taken them, his foot being turned, so as to show the direction in which he was going to travel.

The chariots mentioned in the Bible, were little, if at all, better than carts. The nobility even of England had no better wheel conveyances three hundred years ago. The chariot in which the eunuch rode (Acts viii, 28) was probably something of this sort.

Wheel carriages are almost unknown in the East; persons are carried in a palanquin, or litter, by men, or placed on poles, which are slung to the backs of camels or mules. Females often ride short distances on asses, driven by a servant on foot, as the Shunammite, 2 Kings iv, 24.

The camel is often mentioned in Scripture, particularly in the Book of Genesis. It is the most useful animal for traveling in the East through the sandy deserts, as it can go for a long time without water, and its feet are particularly adapted to those countries. The women usually travel in a sort of blanket or cradle; Rebekah and her dam

sels no doubt did so, Gen. xxiv, 61, 65. The camel in the East is expressively called "the ship of the desert."

When traveling as messengers they often use dromedaries, which are swifter than horses, and can be trained to proceed more than a hundred miles a day. Job speaks of the swiftness of a post, ix, 25.

Asses were used by persons of rank, Judg. v, 10; x, 4; xii, 14; also for traveling, Josh. ix, 4; 1 Kings xiii, 23; 2 Kings iv, 24; 2 Sam. xvi, 2; 1 Sam. xxv, 20. Our Lord himself rode upon an ass, in his triumphal entry into Jerusalem. The patriarchs had no horses. Egypt was famous for them, but there were none or very few in Judea. The Jewish ruler was forbidden to procure them, Deut. xvii, 16. This prohibition was to prevent the Jews from trusting in their own strength as a nation, and to hinder their commerce with Egypt, whence Solomon procured his horses, 1 Kings x, 28; 2 Chron. ix, 28. The Arabs now are famous for their horses, which are remarkably swift.

The ancient Greeks were very attentive to strangers, as we find from Homer, and several other old writers; any instance of unkindness or injury done to a stranger was considered a very great crime. Several cases of this sort are mentioned in the Bible; and the attention paid to strangers among the Arabs is strongly proved by many instances stated by modern travelers.

Captains Irby and Mangles relate, that, on two occasions, they arrived at Arab camps very late. They halted before a tent, but found the owner and his family, having arranged their carpets, had retired to rest for the night. It was surprising, they say, to see the good-humor with which all rose again, and kindled a fire, the wife kneading the dough, and preparing supper; while the Arabs, who accompanied them as guides, made no apology, though the nights were bitter cold, but received all as a matter of course.

Robinson relates an amusing instance of the regard for hospitality proving disadvantageous. His Arab guides purchased a kid for supper, and proceeded to kill and dress it, on pitching their tent at night; but they were followed by the Bedouins who had sold it, and who thus became their guests; it was necessary to give them the chief portion; and those who had bought and paid for the kid had only

the fragments! Stephens describes one of his Arab guides being recognized by a woman, who, on account of this her friend, led them to her tent, where they were hospitably received by her husband. The tent, though near their road, was so placed as to be concealed from view, probably to escape the notice of travelers.

Eastern travelers often have noticed, that to eat with a stranger is promising him security and protection. Niebuhr therefore recommends to secure the friendship of a guide by a meal as soon as possible. The expression, Psa. xli, 9, shows the stress also laid on this in former times.

Shaw describes an Arab as usually, when the meal was prepared, going to a rising ground, calling aloud upon all to come and partake of it, though no one was within hearing. See Prov. ix, 3. Job speaks of eating alone as a

wrong act, Job xxxi, 17.

Christians, in the first ages, seldom traveled without letters from some persons well known to the brethren, and they were sure of a kind reception wherever they went. Calmet thinks that the second and third Epistles of St. John were letters of this sort. When a person had once been received as a guest, he was expected to call again whenever he came the same way; those who received him would also call on him, if they visited his country. Their children continued to do the same; and they provided themselves with some token, as a proof of this friendship. It was usually a piece of lead or stone, divided in half; one piece was kept by each family, and produced when any of them visited the other. Sometimes a name was written upon it. This custom seems to be alluded to in that beautiful passage, Rev. ii, 17, where it is said, "To him that overcometh will I give a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it." The words translated "a white stone," may be considered as describing one of these tokens; the meaning of the passage appears to be, that the faithful should have a mark or token given them, by which they should hereafter be acknowledged by Christ as his friends, and received into his favor. The "new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it," refers to that new spirit which is put into the heart of those who are