involve her in the sin of schism. The standing declaration in her testimony is, "we condemn the following errors and testify against all who maintain them." Among the maintainers of some of the errors condemned we find every other church. To invite their ministers to our pulpits would be to neutralize our testimony against them. The declaration, that a nation that does not own Jesus Christ as its King, is in rebellion against him, and that his people should refuse to incorporate with it, is an essential part of our testimony, and vital to our organic existence. A practical nullification of this would be suicidal.

But would this be the effect of changing her established usage on this point? We are not now considering exceptional cases of departure that have never come under the notice of Synod; but of the result of a judicial decision reversing our past, settled position. All see clearly that to incorporate with the nation would neutralize our testimony against its constitutional wrongs, and therefore we refuse to incorporate with it. And is it not equally plain that to incorporate with a church would have the same effect on our testimony against what is wrong in its constitution and practice.

It will be said that the measure in question will not lead to ecclesiastical incorporation. This is the very point at issue. Let us examine it for a little.

Every church has its standards which its ministers at their ordination are pledged to maintain. The Covenanting Church holds and teachis wrong to perform any political act that would involve political fellowship with the United States government. The position of all other churches is, that this is not wrong but a duty. Voting, sitting on juries and similar acts are done by their members and approved by their courts. It is with a knowledge of this that a Covenanter minister invites a minister of another church to preach in his pulpit. What is this but in so far to neutralize the testimony of that minister that performed this act of courtesy; and what is this, if sanctioned by Synod, but to declare our testimony nugatory and our practice unjustifiable. It would be a practical laying down of our testimony.

This is no matter of experiment. It has been tested, and if we would learn from the lessons of history we should be slow to adopt a course that nearly a half century ago threatened the life of the witnessing church in this country.

Before the disruption of 1833 the same course was pursued by those who at that time, to enjoy the freedom that they coveted, left the witnessing church. Has their success been such as to warrant us to try the experiment? Let us take warning and avoid the danger before it is too late.

It is argued, that because occasional hearing is permitted in the church the interchange of pulpits should be permitted also. That this would be consistent we admit. But were the assumption true, the conclusion does not follow. In order to justify the inference, it should be proved that the permission is right. One step aside can never be brought forward as an argument for taking another. This kind of logic always betrays a bad cause, or a feeble advocate, or both. But

we deny the assumption. The church has never said that it was right for her members to wait on the preaching of ministers of other denominations; every act of Synod on the subject has been on the other side, and were a case to come up by appeal or reference from the lower courts, we are confident that there is faithfulness enough in Synod yet to reaffirm her long established position. And it is, perhaps, well that the question has come up to show where we stand, and to stir up the witnesses for the whole truth, to more vigorous efforts to maintain both in profession and practice the testimony committed to them. "Hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown." "He that is faithful in that which is least, is faithful in much."

NOTES OF TRAVEL IN THE HOLY LAND.

T. S.

LATAKIYEH, May 30, 1877.

REV. S. O. WYLIE-Dear Brother: Having, in company with Mr. and Mrs. Easson and Miss Mizpah Metheny made a short trip through Palestine, I thought that though books on the subject are innumerable, it might interest some of the younger readers of the REFORMED PRESBYTERIAN AND COVENANTER to have a running description of the places visited.

And now as to our journey. We left Latakiyeh March 26th, in an English merchant vessel, for Beirut, and I never was in such a pig pen in my life. It was a mercy we only had one night to put in on her, or we would have wished we had died when we were little. We were glad enough to get on shore next morning, where we stayed until Thursday evening, when we embarked for Jaffa or Joppa on the French Messageries Line. Next morning we anchored before Joppa. It has no harbor, nothing but open sea, and on account of the rocks is very unsafe anchorage in stormy weather. It was quiet this morning, and we landed without difficulty except from the harpies, who think it is their province to eat Franks. When they found us able to speak with them in their own tongue, they fell back and left us in peace. We went to the Howard Hotel for breakfast, (the only one in the place.) Jaffa does not make as pretty a picture from the sea as Latakiyeh does. Still it is quite pretty. You can see yet, if you want to, the house where Dorcas was raised to life by Peter, and the house of "Simon the Tanner." It is wonderful how many things "remain unto this day."

After breakfast we took a wagon for Jerusalem. There is a road made and covered with broken stones, but no earth over them. It is not kept in repair, and we were "well shaken before taken " to Jerusalem. The road out of the city and through the gardens is delightful. A shower had cleared the atmosphere and laid the dust. The sun shone out clear and warm, and the breeze wafted the scent of the orange blossoms. It was such a day as an Arab's soul loves, when he can lounge in the sun and doze by the hour.

We crossed the "Plain of Sharon," and its wild flowers growing in profusion brought to mind him who said, "I am the Rose of Sha

ron."

We stopped to water the horses at Ramleh, said to be "Arimathea." There remains in it nothing ancient but a tower supposed to be the belfry of a Christian church of the Crusades. We rode on through the valley of Ajalon, over which Joshua commanded the sun and moon to stand still, on through Bab Il Wady, the Door of the Valley, past Modin, the city and cemetery of the Maccabees. Further on to the right we came to "Aboo Gosh," a village on a high hill, called after a famous robber, and supposed to be Kirjeth Jearim, where the "Ark of God" found shelter. They had a rough way over which to carry it when David undertook to remove it to Jerusalem. Not much wonder the oxen shook it. We saw in the distance "Mizpeh," a watch tower, certainly in its commanding height. It grew dark and we hastened on to the Holy City. What mingled feelings as you approach this ancient sacred town, where our Lord walked and taught, and where the closing scenes of the great work of Redemption were enacted. We entered at the Damascus gate, for it is still a city with walls and gates, and stopped at the Damascus Hotel near by. It was nine P. M. then, and we were weary and hungry. We took tea and retired to rest, and next morning commenced sight seeing. We first visited the Tower of David or Hippicus, said to have been left by Titus to show the prowess of his troops. A few modern cannon would soon smash it. It is situated on Mt. Zion, at the southwest corner, and from it can be seen the Pool of Hezekiah, to which he brought water from the Upper Gihon. It is green and slimy now.

We went to a Latin convent to see, underground, parts of three parallel streets on which they came in digging for the foundations of the house. They cleaned out the rubbish and left them as they were. Being arched over they made good foundations for the building. Ancient they are without doubt, and may not our Saviour have walked through them? There is on one side a narrow aqueduct filled with clear, cool water. They have by a pump utilized it, making it supply the convent now. One is relieved to come across something genuinely old, even though it be under a Latin convent.

We then visited a Latin church, said to be very handsome, but whose beauty was spoiled to me by what was written over the door, in Arabic and German, "Perfect forgiveness granted here, every day; and everlasting!" O Rome! when will thy blasphemies cease?

Monday morning, April 3d, we visited the "Church of the Holy Sepulchre," where they have gathered the scenes of more wonderful events than in any other given space under the sun. Here laid over the grave (?) is the marble slab on which Joseph of Arimathea laid the body of our Lord, here is the pillar to which Jesus was tied when he was scourged, here the place of crucifixion, the centre of the world, marked by a short marble pillar, the place where St. Helena found the true cross (now in Rome); yes, and the skull of Adam!! When the soldier pierced our Saviour's side a drop of the blood settled down in the earth until it reached Adam's body and resurrected it, and here, when he re-died, his skull was buried! The church is really three, the centre a three-tiered dome, in which is the Sepulchre. Opening

off this are three churches or chapels belonging separately to the Greeks, Latins and Armenians. The building is old, and covered with the usual amount of gaud found in Catholic churches. Afterwards we went down into the quarries, recently opened, from which it is supposed the stone was taken for Solomon's Temple. In the afternoon we took animals and rode up the Mount of Olives. How delightful to come on something genuine, some place where the feet of our Lord had trod, to look around on the landscape on which, no doubt, many times his eyes rested. From its summit you could see below, in the west, the "City of the great King," not as he saw it, however, "Mount Sion standing most beautiful," Mount Moriah, desecrated now by the worship of the false prophet; to the east and south the Dead Sea, the Jordan, and across it the mountains of Moab, from whose Pisgah point Moses viewed this "Promised Land," How many stirring events in the world's history transpired in this area which bounds our vision! How still and silent the land, once jubilant with the shouts of thousands coming to thy solemn feasts, O Jerusalem! Now thou art given over to "strong delusions" and into the hands of barbarians. Even this mount is desecrated by their worse than "old wives' fables." In a little room they have the stone on which Jesus stood when he was ascending up to heaven, and in which he left the track of his foot; a giant he must have been to have left such a track-the print of his staff is beside it. We came down the mount and round by the "Valley of Jehoshaphat.” Across it is Absalom's Pillar or tomb; whether his grave, or the "pillar he reared up in the king's dale," I cannot tell. On past "Enrogal" and round where Gihon comes down by Mount Sion and meeting Jehoshaphat forms the "Valley of Hinnom," on beyond, through the Valley of Gihon and round again to the Damascus gate, from whence we came out. Next day we went to Bethlehem, passing Rachel's tomb on the road. It cannot be the pillar Jacob set over her grave, it looks like Moslem handicraft. The town is large and closely built, and well situated. Of course a church covers the manger, and you have the exact spot where Mary lay. Here also you are shown a cave full of Mary's milk, congealed to the consistency of fresh soap. Melted and used internally it benefits her less favored sisters, whose supply of the lacteal fluid is limited. If you don't believe me, I had a piece of the stuff in my hand, and have talked with women who have found the remedy infallible.

Wednesday we started out early, across the "Wilderness of Judea" to visit the Dead Sea and Jordan. A very wilderness it is. We rode on by the Brook Cherith, and crossing it, came to the gorge where tradition says Elijah was fed by the ravens. Though the rest of the brook was dry, there was still water in the gorge. We passed several heaps, at the place where Achan was stoned. Also saw the site of the inn of the "Good Samaritan," and we too were "going down to Jericho." We camped at the "Fountain of Elisha," which he healed with the cruse of salt. Between this fountain and Mount Quarantana, is the reputed site of ancient Jericho. Next morning we mounted and started for the Dead Sea, passing through the modern Jericho, a dirty

mud built town. We reached the sea about ten o'clock and took a bath in its waters. The specific gravity of the water is greater than your body, so that you float like a stick of wood on its surface. The water is excessively salt and bitter, stinging any break in your skin like fire. The land around is desolate in the extreme, not a green thing to be seen, and not a fish in its waters. We rode back to the Jordan and lunched by its swift, muddy stream. It had not overflowed its banks, for it was not yet "wheat harvest." The barley was ripe and cut in some places. We washed in Jordan and cleansed ourselves from the stickiness of the Dead Sea. Then, as it grew cooler, returned to camp, and next day went back to Jerusalem. Saturday we visited the Haram (Mosque of Omar) on the site of Solomon's Temple. It is a jumbled building of irregular architecture, built apparently of the ruins of other buildings, for of the many pillars, no two are alike. They are fine specimens of different kinds of marble.

It was

a Christian church during the Crusades. On the site of the Holy of Holies is a stone hanging between earth and heaven! on which Mohammed stood when he was to ascend to heaven. It started after him and was only stopped by Gabriel, the angel, who caught it and held it while Mohammed got away. I saw the track of his fingers in the stone, so you may believe the story. When he comes back to the world he will alight on that stone, and it will go back to its place. When we went below we saw that it was held up by pillars. We asked why, and they said it frightened the women so to see it hanging they had to build it to comfort them. They have a stone which had 19 nails in it. Gabriel comes down at times and takes one out, and now there are 3 remaining; when they are all out the end of the world will come. If you put a piece of money on the stone you pass at once to Paradise. There were some twenty English and Americans present, but no one wanted to go to heaven! The interesting place was under ground, where arched passages stand 200 feet below ground, and those who have studied the question say they are remains of Solomon's Temple, or of the original temple. MOLLIE DODDS.

THE SHORTER CATECHISM ANALYZED,

A SMALL work with this title was published many years ago, and was for a time successfully used in the households of our church as a manual in the religious instruction of children. Among all publications that we have seen intended to indoctrinate youth in the fundamental truths of religion as set forth in the Shorter Catechism, we give this by far the preference. Its simplicity, clearness, and thoroughness warrant its claim to the position to which we have assigned it. We give the title in full:

"THE SHORTER CATECHISM ANALYZED; being a distinct exhibition of the particular doctrines under each question, with appropriate proofs from Scripture. By Gilbert McMaster, A. M., pastor of the Reformed Presbyterian congregation, Duanesburgh."

The copy before us is of the second edition, published in 1825. It contains a very flattering recommendation taken from the Edinburgh