Show LETTER FROM ASIA david in the psalm has the following behold how good and how pleasant it is f for or brethren to dwell together in unity it is like the precious dew of hermon and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of zion mount hermon and mount carmel were anciently proverbial for their riches mount hermon is located on the lebanon and furnished the timber for the beautiful temple built by solomon its riches and attractive location have furnished the poet food for both ancient and modern composition david counted it among the foremost blessings fr from am the lord but even this mountain has had to undergo a change its cedars are things mostly to be spoken of and its once flue vineyards and orchards are now more or less great stone fields which at first sight one would think of but little use the arab squeezes a hard earned living from the stony soll soil and makes up the loss in cheating angor or robbing as the case may be what is known as high hermon P or the high peaks of the eanon lebanon is this winter covered with snow and has been so for several weeks mahln making the country look quite wintry thia is somewhat unusual as an for many years the winters have not been so severe as the present yet in all the lower country and on the low mountains where cultivation has a footing everything flourishes t trees blooming oranges and lemons ripe and ripening and many shrubs and trees clothed in their summer dress giving but little sign of winter here also are located hundreds of moderately fine cottages with the most pleasant locations upon the sides and tops of the mountains facing the sea mount carmel is situated southwest from nazareth Naz axeth and Is ia nt not as high as mount hermon it is also a stone mountain with but little e earth to support vegetation but here the value of the land and its fertility combined with the climate are fully demonstrated here a gernian german colony of spiritual israel 11 as they denominate themselves have located their society is known as the temple society 11 and was orl originated by one herr kristof hot hoffman in germany this man felt moved to do something for the restoration to of israel to their inheritance but he understood israel to be a spiritual people to be gathered out ont of all nations through faith in christ he said the angel which john the Revelator saw flying through the midst of heaven having the everlasting gospel etc was about to come and that the time was to be about 1886 1836 his labors resulted in the formation of this society the intention and first enthusiasm were good but lacking power and organization it has gradually crumbled hway away until the present time finds the society divided into several factions by outside elements while internally grave g ve questions arise concerning i doctrinal points the rising genera generation tion and other unforeseen perplexities the writer of this article has found the study of the people I 1 le interesting here is a people POOP ne fin in ma many ny respects much like the saints even believing in the message contained in revelations xiv 6 67 7 but being the work of man without the spirit of revelation saying thus saith the lord it was doomed to go the way of the world in it were no men like toe the prophets joseph smith brigham bri gen am young and john taylor when the first enthusiasm in the cause was spent they were without confidence in none one another how different with us though robbed of our homes persecuted and exiled yet like doves to their window did the people flock to the standard bearer and no power could divide their strength this society is however composed of good solid material the people are very religious and quite moral and by their industry economy and ZA honest dealings have built up confidence and set a good example to the natives we have some members in the colony among whom brother G grau deserves honorable mention he is laboring for the good of his fel lowman and is liberal with his bis means for the the up building of the kingdom of god god d grant that we may find many s such men they are am jewels for any comm community to possess As I 1 have said these people ale have fully demonstrated eatnon d what diligence gence and skill A can do here they he have bought up some desert lands on the side of the mountains have terraced the mountain picked ick ten of the largest rocks and iam ladd tho the land out into vineyards and they are obtaining very fair returns for their labor so BO much so that they have encouraged the idle arab to th make an effort america has many fine places and is rich with good things but the country is large and can therefore support its millions with perfect ease but when we con template that this comparatively small land once had a population cumbe numbe numbering rin i g many millions of inhabitants and that the kings of israel could raise an army in ina a few days that for numbers would even astonish von moltke one can best understand the ferrilli fer fertility tilli of the soil boll and climate A small piece of land well tilled rewarded its owner with immense profits the spies whom moses sent out to spy the land came to the brook eschol and cut down from thence one cluster of grapes and they bare it between two upon a staff this has astonished many men not familiar with the blessings of god but those who are skeptical as to what god has said and done and what has yet to be done according to holy writ should pay particular attention to the progress of this land from now on within the last half century the land of promise has been dedicated by holy men and the blessings they predicted should come are be beginning I 1 nning to be seen the se seeds eds for th the return of the glory of lebanon and carmel axe are sown gown we th e rightful owners of this oft blest land are now seeking their inheritance an and d when the they have endured their com coming I 1 ng tribulations in again founding th their air city they will yet be called th the e I 1 blessed of the lord 12 and I 1 ten men will yet take a holof hold of the skirts of a jew saying we will go with you f in the gardens therease there ther eare are v vegetables ege ta growing and everything shows the advent of early summer with watermelons water melons and other fruits in plenty and the climate is so pleasant that one is not conscious of the fact that christmas has been spent here we only read of santa claus making his christmas visits wrapped in coats of fur we read ra about your frolics snowballing and sleigh riding and about the season for balls and pax parties ties christmas here finds the farmer and gardener busily preparing paring for the summer when old Fire sol drives the faithful toiler under his vine and fig tree there to quietly enjoy the fru fruits it s of his patient toll P F F HAIFA syria jah 8 1889 |