- Their flocks in quiet movement from out the mountain-
paths to the sheltering fold in the village for the night, again
to lead them forth on to-morrow, and to do likewise day after day.
To see the tender solicitude of the Oriental shepherd for his
sheep adds much to one's appreciation of the beauty and fitness of
the teaching of the Master in his parable of the Good Shepherd.
But it is near the sunset hour of my only evening in these sacred
mountains. I seek a vantage-ground and watch the King of Day sink
slowly down to his couch of rest behind the western mountains and
the farther sea. Oh, how beautiful! The sky is ablaze with a glory
indescribable by mortal tongue. All space seems vocal with praise
to the God of love and beauty.
In the strange and peaceful quiet of that evening I felt the
presence of a mysterious, subtle influence stirring within me. In
the shower of gold flung out as a good-night to me, and as the
star of evening smiled down upon me in the purpling twilight and
began calling her myriads of companions to their sentry-posts to
keep watch over me through the hours of the night in that strange
land, I felt, I think, the spirit of the poetry,
"Sunset and evening star,
And one clear call for me," etc.,
in its fullness. Indeed, the air seemed vibrant with a living
personality, which, without undue stretching of the imagination, I
recognized as the SPIRIT OF HISTORY come to tell me the wonderful
story of those wonderful mountains. Enraptured I listened.
SAID THE SPIRIT: "Long before Gad was attracted by these heights
and valleys, tribes of people lived here in their simplicity, yet
in sin. The land seemed not different from other lands. Here were
towering wooded mountain, rocky ravine, and strong-flowing
fountain; here the beast prowled among the rocks, the bird nested
in the trees, and the sweet-scented flowers graced all the
landscape. The storms beat upon the mountains and the waters
rushed in madness to the valley in the rainy season, and the sun
scorched the vegetation and dried up the fountains in the dry
season. Thus in monotony centuries passed.
"But one day the God of heaven sent messengers to encamp here, and
from that time these mountains on which you now stand have been
considered sacred - because pressed by the feet of angels. Yonder
to the northeast, only a little way, is where that event took
place. Jacob, rich in herds and flocks, was on his way home from
far-off Euphrates, but he was much troubled at the thought of
meeting his brother who had sought to take his life about twenty
years previously. He was picking his way slowly over these
mountains leading his company and cattle when there appeared in
his way a host of angels. He was not frightened, but in gladness
of heart he cried out, 'Mahanaim,' - God's host. And although the
wise people of your day are not quite sure as to the exact
location of this meeting, yet be happy in the thought that you are
now only a few miles from the sacred spot, if, indeed, you are not
just where it occurred. Had you then stood here you could have
seen the glorious light of their presence, and could almost have
heard the rustle of their heaven-plumed pinions.
"After this meeting Jacob wandered a little farther to the south,
and just over yonder, on the Jabbok, he spent a whole night in
prayer and in wrestling with the Angel Jehovah, thinking it was a
mere man. There he gained a great victory over self, and he
received the new name, 'Israel.' And on the next day, a little
farther to the south, he met his erst-while angry and murderous
brother in peace and happy reconciliation.
"A few centuries pass. Then the mighty Moses conquers all this
region; and a little later these Ajlun Mountains were given to the
tribe of Gad as a permanent home. But, in the course of time, the
native tribes prove troublesome; and then the great Gideon, having
gained a decisive victory down in the valley, followed the fleeing
enemy, 'faint, yet pursuing,' right through this very district.
"Later the Ammonites were punished in a great battle by Israel's
'out-cast,' and mighty warrior, Jephthah.
"But look again at Mahanaim where Jacob met the angels. The place
in later centuries became a center of other events of interest.
There, after the death of Saul, Ish-bosheth established his
capital, and forth from its gates he sent his armies under Abner
to fight that he might secure the scepter of all Israel to
himself. But after two years of struggle he was treacherously
slain and his cause was hopelessly lost. There, too, David sought
refuge from Absalom; and out from those same gates through which
Ish-bosheth had sent armies against him, David sent armies against
his own son. And there above one of the gates of Mahanaim the
voice of his weeping arose when he heard the news of the death of
his strange misguided boy.
"Time passed on and the Israelites turned from the God of heaven
to worship at the shrines of other gods. Then, to punish them for
their sin God sent a strange invader into these mountains who
carried away the people by thousands into cruel captivity in a
land far toward the sun-rising.
"Later the Romans came and planted olive trees and built fine
cities and established enduring roads. But Rome is fallen, and
where she moved in power and splendor ruin only remains, and the
unambitious, ignorant Bedouin feeds his flock and lives in
idleness amidst broken down terraces and thorn-covered fertile
soil.
