THE BUILDER JANUARY 1926

Palestine in 1923

By BRO. MAJOR JOHN W. SHUMAN, M. D., California

FOLLOWING the hint we gave in the November number last year
concerning the brevity of his article on Palmyra Bro. Shuman has
contributed this account of a pilgrimage (in modern fashion) to the
Holy Land itself. The accompanying illustrations are from
photographs taken by Adeline D. Shuman.

WE did not think it fitting that we should leave Asia Minor without
visiting the Holy City. So in the latter part of June, 1923, we
drove by auto down the coast to Haifa: from thence on inland, over
a stretch of the first "chicken wire" laid-in-the-sand road we had
ever traveled upon, to this much visited, talked and written about
capital of Palestine. No other country has been played up to the
world so much and for so long a time as this. It matters not how
many write about it, no two stories will be the same, nor will
there be any great untruths in the telling.

Before this visit we had been living in Beirut, Syria, which is
about 175 miles northwest of Jerusalem, and had there known many
who had lived in Palestine for years; and as the time approached
for our trip, our study of the Bible and the Baedeker became more
intense. We not only had accompanying us a lady who "had visited
there", but we employed Abu (a regular Cook's guide for twenty
years) as our dragoman. We also had friends to visit in and about
Jerusalem. Our trip therefore was under the most favorable
circumstances. We also picked a time of the year when the country
is not crowded with tourists and pilgrims--the month of June.

On the road to Jerusalem we did not stop at Sidon and Tyre, for we
had been there before, and they were in Syria; we were anxious to
see towns of "the land which the Lord gave the Jews". We had to
stop at the frontier to let the French, who mandate Syria, "let us
out" and the British, who mandate Palestine, "let us in". So it was
late in the afternoon when we reached Nazareth.

Nazareth, the boyhood home of our Saviour, is not mentioned in the
Old Testament; if it is, it is by another name. It is situated
among hills, which are really the southern spurs of the Lebanons
just before they sink into the plain of Esdraelon. During the time
of Christ this city was of importance, with inhabitants of from
fifteen to twenty thousand; only about three thousand, mostly
Christians, live there now.

In Nazareth an incident happened which may have interest, it had at
least for us; Madam for a long time had been on the lookout for a
pair of ancient brass candle-sticks and could not find any that
just suited her. In Nazareth, in the cavelike old Synagogue in
which it is said that "Christ explained the Scriptures to the
Rabbis", she sighted a pair such as she had desired. I whispered to
Abu, "buy them ;" he answered, "It can't be done !" An old chap
standing nearby overheard us and following me out said, "I'll get
them for you, Effendi, for one Egyptian pound" (about $5.00). I
answered, "I will give you 25 Piasters" (a little over 35 cents at
that time) . He said, "but I am a poor man, my wife is dead and mY
children are sick." As I got into the automobile he climbed on the
running board and whispered, "one pound Syrian ($1.25) ?" I said,
"Yes, but where are the candle-sticks ?" He pulled them from under
his dirty, ragged old aba, muttering blessings and that he had
mistaken us for "wealthy Americans". With sand and lemon-juice as
old brass will, they cleaned up handsomely, and grace her sideboard
now.

After a night's rest in Hotel Galilee, under the usual
mosquito-netting with which beds are canopied the year round in
Syria and Palestine, we were on our way to the Sea of Galilee (Cut
No. 1). We put to sea from Tiberias (Cut No. 7) in a boat similar
to the one Peter used, bound for Bethsaida (the house of fish) an
ancient town now in ruins, on the north shore. As the wind was head
on the sail was useless, and the boatmen rowed. I removed my shoes
after drinking a hat full of water from the sea, and then washed my
feet from over the side of the boat, much to the ladies' chagrin
and the boatmen's displeasure, for it tended to turn the boat
sideways, to the side my feet dragged on. I did not experience, as
Peter did, any difficulty in sinking my feet in the water !

Capernaum (Cut No. 2), like Bethsaida, is only a mass of stones and
ruins, just as Jesus foretold concerning both these cities. A
Catholic branch has a little "home" with a couple of Priests in
attendance close by, who served us cakes and wine. Then having met
our auto, we drove back past Mary Magdalene's old home and a number
of other memorable places. Marked changes have taken place in this
country; for in the Master's time, on Galilee's northwestern
shores, there were many flourishing cities. The lake contained many
fish, in fact, fishing was then an industry which is not true
today. Another change may be noted; at Jacob's well (now called the
city of Nabulus), where Jesus met the woman of Samaria, the women,
as we went past, were filling their vessels with water as of yore;
but instead of jars or earthenware pitchers they used gasoline
cans, the kind of square tins so familiar to us who served in
France during the late war.

It was at Nabulus that we stopped for a visit with the two or three
hundred remaining Samaritans, still inhabiting the home of their
fathers. The samples we saw reminded me of certain Indian tribes in
our own land--just about to "peter-out" of existence ! The High
Priest (Cut No. 3), who claimed descent from Aaron--and I did not
dispute him--showed us a scroll of parchment which he said was an
"original writing by Moses". I couldn't read it so I believed him!

It was on the road from here to Jerusalem (Cut No. 4) that we
passed a huge stone pile used by bandits to stop an automobile only
an hour before, for loot; of which incident I wrote an account for
The Lutheran a few months ago. (1) When we got into Jerusalem we
were an hour late, and Cook's representatives were greatly relieved
because they knew that Old Abu, our guide, was coming along with us
and they were afraid that we had suffered mishap; but the only
holdup we had had was caused by a punctured automobile tire !

Following a night at the Continental Hotel, we were ready to take
in the sights. I will not tire you by following step by step our
excursions around and through the town and surrounding country, but
will pick out a few of the most interesting things. The Christian
is interested, for the most part, in the semi-golden Jerusalem of
the New Testament; few, if any of its landmarks remain, for the
third temple (so history relates) was burned to the ground by Titus
during the first century, fulfilling what Christ said during the
last week of His earthly life, that "Jerusalem should be destroyed
completely so that there should not be left one stone upon
another." However, the guide would have us believe that we stood on
the Temple site, and showed us the basement where Solomon is said
to have kept his horses and chariots. On this site Omar's mosque,
the most beautiful in the world, is erected, and is one of the most
sacred places of worship for the Moslems. Under its dome is a huge
black rock, said to be the very rock upon which Abraham went to
offer up Isaac, his son. In a glass box nearby are a few hairs from
the beard of the Prophet, Mohammed.

As we stood on this so-called site of the Temple looking eastward
across the brook of Kidron, Olivet's hill was easily recognized;
also the Garden of Gethsemane at the foot of it, in which it is
said traditional olive trees are still living and bearing fruit;
this is very unlikely. Calvary, the place of the skull, is a
subject of controversy, some placing it inside, others outside the
present wall of the city. These, and many other landmarks that
Christianity fain would claim, and over which endless controversy
continues and many battles with sword ad powder have taken place,
are in the possession of the Islamites. Even "The last footprint of
Christ", in a rock upon Mount Olivet, has a little mosquelike
structure over it, and a Moslem attendant. The Protestant is just
as surprised to find that the portion in charge of the Christian is
in the hands of Catholics; Roman, Greek, Russian and Armenian. The
new "Garden Tomb" of Christ, just outside the city, however, is in
the hands of Protestants. Abu, a devout Catholic, did not like us
to visit this new tomb, for to his mind, "it was sacrilege"!

I must confess that I was more interested in recent rather than
ancient history, in and about Jerusalem. Some of you may recall
that it was Jerusalem that the Kaiser had hoped to have, as the
ruling city of his "Kingdom to come" over the world; to this end he
had enlarged the Damascus gate for a triumphal entry in order to
permit automobiles to enter. He had "restorations" fairly well
started, and a huge beautiful group of buildings upon Mount Olivet
built; amongst the latter is a Lutheran church; on its ceiling he
had had painted a picture of Christ, one of himself (more than
life-size) and one of his wife, he and his wife supporting the
first with their hands. This edifice I took to be a "New Temple".
Outside, in the court yard of these, his official buildings, were
two great bronze statues, one of himself and the other of his life.
As already stated, Great Britain rules Palestine and these
buildings are used as administrative buildings. I thought it
strange that these statues and pictures should be allowed to
remain; then I had another thought, the English after all have
quite a sense of humor and I believe that they just let them stand
so that folks from all over the world may come and see them and
realize just what a dream William had.

We saw many narrow streets but I think that those in Bethany are
narrower and have sharper turns than in any other city of the
world. We demolished two fenders trying to negotiate a corner of
its "main street". Most all streets of the towns of Palestine must
be done on foot, or else astride an ass with the rider's feet
dragging!

Everywhere we encountered tourist-traps, e. g., things made to sell
to the tourist, beads, rugs, pictures, leaves of traditional olive
trees, etc.; and all tourists are anxious to take back souvenirs of
the Holy Country. A minister's wife was actually bottling up water
of the River Jordan to take home for her "husband to baptize babies
with" !

Speaking of the River Jordan (Cut No. 8), I don't think that I was
ever more disappointed in my life than I was the morning I first
saw this far famed stream; it was swift, muddy, narrow, and its
banks were covered with stunted brush and weeds; the morning was
hot and the air full of buzzing insects. A group of Russian peasant
women, pilgrims, were camped close by; they washed and cooked with
and drank this dirty water. I remarked, "the Missouri river has
this one backed off the map for beauty, grandeur, cleanliness, and
everything, the only difference being that it never had as good a
press agent as the Jordan; David never saw and wrote up the
Missouri." This little stream is the only river the Promised Land
ever had, so it has been greatly loved and admired.

There is something wrong with my sense of appreciation, for when
talking, a short time ago, with a man who had also visited
Palestine, and he asked me "Did you enjoy the Dead Sea ?" I
answered "No, it was dead, dry and dusty." Said he, "But, my dear
sir, it was so quiet and grand you could think and drink in the
beauty !" Yes, I could think how nice a cold drink was going to
taste as soon as I got back to the hotel--and it did! The Galilean
Lake is beautiful and yields beautiful thoughts; the Dead Sea is
sad, salty and silent and makes one yearn for other parts. It is
1,300 feet below the Mediterranean.

One evening we had dinner with an official of the British
Government and his wife, most delightful people. Not being a
politician, we were allowed to ask political questions. We
inquired, "Just what does the English Government see in Palestine,
and what does it expect to do with it?" His answer was
characteristic, "We will just have to wait and see." What will the
outcome be? For centuries Palestine has been a part of the "Riddle
of the Ages". For the world traveler it is the best sight-seeing
place in the world. At Easter time (and two separate and distinct
Easters about two weeks apart are celebrated in that city) housing
facilities are inadequate; and for a number of months each year, if
you would visit Jerusalem you should make reservations early. To
the Christian, Jew and Mohammedan, Jerusalem and its vicinity is
the earthly fountain of their religion. He who reads and hears and
does not travel, does not have his faith broken nor shattered by
actual sights of the Holy Land. To him "it is a Paradise on earth",
the one truly green spot in this world. Why Southern California has
water to spare for that poor distressed wilderness ! The
dyed-in-the-wool Jew of Russia especially, and a few of those of
the U.S. (though most of the latter know better) want to "go back
and reconstruct the Temple, etc." Surely it is only a vision, for
I saw many Jews that had gone back, with their Fords and American
household goods and ideas with them, anxiously awaiting an
opportunity to get back to the U. S. A.

ZIONISM

As everyone knows, the Jews, from time immemorial, have "gone back"
to reinhabit Palestine and its chief cities. Today this movement is
termed zionism. It has a huge following in this country; this is
also called the re-birth of the ancient capital of Jewry. The
Chaluzim (Jewish pioneers) have made zionism a vital and dynamic
thing, and they would have us believe in this country that today
the suburbs of Jerusalem rival the works of Solomon. It was 40
years ago that the first pioneers started to go there; it is during
the past four years that the movement has really gotten under way.
As we drove through North Palestine American-made farm machinery
was in evidence, and it was obvious that an attempt was being made
to use the same although the "hand gleaners" were at work in the
small fields just as in the days of Naomi and Ruth. However, the
swift river Jordan offers plenty of irrigating and hydro-electric
power, should there ever be a demand for it.

Palestine's civilization of today, its customs and ideas are not as
they were in Abraham's time, but are an admixture of those of
Egypt, Babylon, Italy, Greece, Crusade, Turkey, England, America,
and, I opine, that like all other civilization, it will continue to
change--

"The moving finger writes; and having writ, 
Moves on: nor all your Piety nor wit 
Shall lure it back to cancel half a line, 
Nor all your tears wash out a word of it."

Yet Americans, and not Jews, who had lived there many years and who
do (from choice) continue to live there--as for example the
American Colony--are quite happy in Palestine. They run a school,
put up American visitors tavern-like, and have a splendid
up-to-date American group of buildings with the U. S. Flag flying
overhead. Theirs is a life where each is "safe under his own vine
and fig tree, where strife cometh not".

How the native Palestinian feels is clearly shown in the following
recent Associated Press report:

"The Mohammedan and Christian Arabs closed their shops today and
ceased work on the occasion of the arrival of the Earl of Balfour
as a protest against the famous declaration which he issued as
foreign secretary, committing Great Britain to the support of the
establishment of a Jewish homeland in Palestine." (2)

The United States Consular Service makes it very pleasant and
convenient for American visitors in any foreign country, but
especially in Palestine. One example of this occurred on this trip;
three telegrams from Beirut to our hotel failed to reach us in as
many days; but another, through the Consulate, reached us in thirty
minutes, calling us back to Beirut. Thus ended our pilgrimage.

NOTES

(1) "Bandits and Massacres," The Lutheran, April, 1924. By John W.
Shuman.
(2) Los Angeles Evening Press, March 25, 1925, Page 1; Foot of 2nd
Column.
