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My Dear Father:—This morning, as I was coming
from the Temple, whither I had gone to worship and
witness the imposing ceremony of the presentation of the
First Fruits, I noticed a vast pile of edifices crowning the
opposite rock, which I was told was the Tower of Antonia.
It seemed to frown sternly down upon the Temple; and
upon its battlements glittered, at intervals, numerous
Roman eagles. I had so often heard you relate historical
events connected with this celebrated castle, that I
regarded it with peculiar interest. You, who had so frequently
described it to me, seemed to stand by my side
as I gazed upon it. The four towers, one at each corner,
are still as they stood when you fought from the northernmost
one, and defended it single-handed against the
Romans. But now these barbarians throng its courts,
and their bugles, which have sounded from the conquered
walls of every land on earth, are even heard in the ears of
the citizens of Jerusalem. The insolence and power of
the Roman garrison hath made the beautiful walk about
the base of the Tower almost deserted; but of this I was
not aware; and, attended only by my Ethiopian slave,
Onia, I lingered to admire the splendor of the cloister once
surrounding the treasure-house of the Temple, with its
terraces supported by white marble pillars, fifteen cubits

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high, when two Roman soldiers coming from one of the
city gates, approached me on their way back to the
castle. It was then that I saw I was alone, the company
who had left the temple with me being gone far in advance
of me. I drew my veil closely, and would have passed
them with a rapid step, when one of them placed himself
in my path, and catching hold of my veil tried to detain
me. I left it in his grasp and was flying, when the other
soldier arrested me. This was in full view of the castle,
and at my shrieks the barbarians in the castle laughed
aloud. At this crisis appeared a young Centurion, who
was on horseback, coming down the rocky path that
ascends the Rock of Zion, and calling aloud to them, he
galloped forward, and with his sword put the men, who
were drunk with wine, to immediate flight, and rescued
me, at the same time sending the two soldiers under
arrest into the castle. He then addressed me in the
gentlest manner, and apologised for the rudeness I had
met with at the hands of his men, saying that they should
be severely dealt with. I was struck with his manly
beauty, his civility, and his air of patrician command,
although he could not have been more than eight and
twenty. In order to escort me safely to the streets below,
he alighted from his horse, and leading him by the rein,
walked by my side. I confess to you, dear father, I had
not reached the house of my relative before my prejudices
against the Romans were greatly modified. I had found
in one of them as courteous a person as I had ever met
with among my own countrymen, and for his sake I was
willing to think better of his barbaric land and people.
He saw through my prejudices, and how I shrunk from

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him as he walked by me; and while we descended the
height he spoke eloquently in defence of his native land,
of its fair daughters, of its wise men, its brave chiefs, its
power and glory, and its dominion over the whole earth!

When I heard him use these last words, I sighed deeply,
for Judah, it is prophesied, should have dominion over the
whole earth, and these Romans therefore hold the dominion
that rightfully belongs to our people. How is this, dear
father? How is it that these barbaric men are permitted
by Jehovah to hold the sceptre that is the rightful heritage
of the Lion of the tribe of Judah? How many times in a
day, since I have been in Jerusalem, have I been reminded
of the degradations of my people? How is it that these
enemies of Jehovah, these worshipers of false gods, stand
in the Holy place, and usurp the power that God has given
to us?

I put these questions to Amos, the good priest, after I
had returned home; for my account of my adventure
naturally led to a conversation upon the Roman dominion
over the earth. It appears that this noble Centurion is not
unknown to Rabbi Amos, who speaks of him as one of the
most popular Roman officers in command in the city. I
am glad to hear this. He also gave me warning not to
approach again near the garrison points of the town, as the
soldiers take pleasure in giving annoyance to the citizens.

While I was writing the above, a commotion without,
as if something unusual was occurring, drew me to the
lattice, which overlooks the street that goes out of the
gate to Bethany, one of the most frequented thoroughfares
in the city. The sight that met my eyes was truly
imposing, but made my heart sink with shame. It was a

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pageant, with banners, eagles, trumpets, and gilded
chariots! but not the pageant of a king of Israel, like
those which dazzled the streets of Jerusalem in the days
of Solomon and king David! not the triumphant passage
of an Israelitish prince, but of the Roman governor! Preceded
by a cohort of horse, he rode in a gilded war-chariot,
lolling at his ease beneath a silken shade of blue silk,
fringed with gold. The horses were snowy-white, and
covered with silver mail, and adorned with plumes. He
was followed by another body of cavalry, chiefly composed
of richly attired young men, and at the head of them,
looking more like a ruler and prince than the indolent
Pilate, I beheld the generous Centurion who had aided my
escape from the two soldiers. His eye sought the lattice
at which I stood, and I drew back, but not before he had
seen me and saluted me. Certainly, father, this youth is
noble and courteous enough to be a Jew, and should any
providence cause us to meet again, I shall try and convert
him from his idolatry to serve the living Jehovah. I was
not pleased with the appearance of the governor. He is a
dark, handsome man, but too fleshy, and with the countenance
of a man given to much wine; and I learn that
he is naturally indolent and luxurious, and deficient in
decision of character. He is a particular friend of the
Roman Emperor, and to his partiality he owes the governorship
here. It is, however, better to have a table-lover
and idle man for our master, than a cruel and active tyrant
like his predecessor, in an insurrection against whom was
slain that eminent man, the father of John, the cousin of
Mary, of whom I spoke to you in my last letter.

And this reminds me that I had something to relate to

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you. You will remember, dear father, that I alluded to
an excitement that is increasing every day, in reference to
a new prophet, who is preaching in the wilderness of Jericho,
and whose life is as austere as was that of Elijah!
For three weeks past several parties of citizens have been
to the valley of Jordan to see and hear him, and have so
far been carried away by him, as to have been baptized of
him in Jordan, confessing their sins. Among these is
John, the cousin and betrothed of Mary, who, having heard
much said of the power with which this man spoke, by
those who had returned, also went to satisfy his curiosity,
and, as he says, with a secret hope that God had again
remembered Israel, and sent to us a prophet of reconciliation.
Upon his return we saw that his countenance was
animated beyond its wont, for he is usually of a sad and
gentle aspect, and that his fine eyes beamed with an ardent
hope, that seemed new-born in his soul. He thus recounted
to us his visit to the prophet of Jordan:

“After leaving the gate and crossing the brook and valley
of Kedron, I encountered a large company, who were
ascending the road that winds over the south side of Olivet.
These were men, women, and children, and they were
provided with food in baskets, and travel as our people do,
when they come up to the Feast of the Passover. I found
on joining them that they were directing their steps also
towards the wilderness, in order to hear the great prophet,
whose fame was in all men's mouths. Among them were
priests and judges, Sadducees, and Pharisees, and Esenes,
and even men of no faith; for even in Judah, we have
many ten thousands who believe in no God, so long has it
been since Jehovah hath visited his people!

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“Passing on ahead of this company, I being wellmounted,
and they travelling slowly, I at length reached
the summit of the hill, from which I obtained a distant
view of the valley of the Jordan, and even thought I could
make out the town of Jericho, though the distance was
thirty or more miles. I looked back to take a parting
glance at the city. How like “the City of God” it
crowned its lordly hills! All the glory of Jerusalem, of
the past, came before my memory, and I sighed that that
glory had departed, not in the destruction of its edifices,
for Jerusalem is still magnificent and imposing, but in the
downfall of its power. I heard, distant as I was, the
strains of the Roman bugles, echoing over the valleys
where the prophets, priests and kings lay buried, and
reverberating from the Temple walls, the sacred echoes of
which, aforetime, had been awakened by the voice of God!
Gethsemane, the fair garden of Solomon, where he tried to
create a second Eden, lay at my feet, its walls broken,
and its walks wild and overgrown; here and there a fig or
an olive, or a palm tree only, remaining to tell the passing
traveller that here was `the delight of gardens, the abode
of pleasure and of mirth, from which were excluded all
who were sorrowful, that no tears might fall upon its
enameled floors, dedicated to voluptuous joy.' This
description of it, given by our poets, passed through my
mind, as I beheld its melancholy and deserted aspect—
looking more like a place of tears than of joy, as if its
shades would invite the sorrowful to weep in them, rather
than the silvery feet of the dancer!

“I soon reached the pretty town of Bethpage, where,
at the inn, I beheld several horsemen just mounting to go

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in the direction of Jericho. Several of them I knew, and,
on joining the cavalcade, learned they were for the most
part drawn out of Jerusalem on the same errand of curiosity
with myself. But one of them, however, a wealthy
young noble of Arimathea, was actuated by the same
holy desire that burned in my bosom, a desire that we
might, in the prophet who was called John, discover a
man sent from God. The others were bent on commerce,
on pleasure, on mere idle curiosity, to see one of whom every
one talked in all the land of Judea. As Joseph of Arimathea
and I rode together, we conversed about the man we
expected to see, and the different reports which were noised
abroad respecting him. My companion seemed to believe
that he was a true prophet, for being very well read
in the scriptures, he said that the SEVENTY WEEKS of Daniel
were now about completed, when the Messiah was to
come! I then asked him if he believed that the Messiah,
who was to be `a Prince and King, and have dominion
from the sea to the ends of the earth,' would come in the
wilderness, clad in the skins of wild beasts? To this he
replied, that he could not regard this prophet as the Messiah,
for when the Christ should come, he was `suddenly
to come to the Temple,' and that we should doubtless first
see him there; but that he was greatly in hopes that the
prophet we were going to see, would prove to be the forerunner,
foretold by Malachi. Having a roll of the Prophet
Daniel with me, for I took the Prophets along to compare
what I should hear the preacher of Jordan proclaim, with
them, I saw to my surprise, that not only the seventy
weeks had about reached their completion, but that the
expiration of the `thousand two hundred and ninety days'

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drew presently nigh! We were both surprised at this
coincidence with the advent of this new prophet; and joy
and fear trembled in our hearts, tempered with hopes we
dared not utter.

“`Those who have heard him,' said Joseph, as we rode
into the village of Bethany, `say that he publicly proclaims
himself the forerunner of the Messiah. The opinion
of the more ignorant who have listened to him is, that it
is Elijah himself, risen to life! while others assert that it
is Enoch, come down from heaven; and not a few believe
him to be Isaiah.'

“In this manner, conversing, we crossed the hill of
Bethany, where, tradition says, stood the Tree of the
Knowledge of Good and Evil, and also, where rested the
foot of Jacob's ladder; and from which place, it is believed
by many, all good men after the resurrection shall ascend
into the third heaven; for it is the common belief that the
throne of Jehovah is directly above it.

“At length, after a long day's ride, during which we
had overtaken and passed many large companies hurrying
forward to hear the prophet, also meeting many returning,
spreading wonderful accounts of his eloquence, wisdom,
and power, we came in sight of Jericho. The city is very
stately, with its Roman towers and palaces, it being the
favorite summer resort of the governors. Its situation, in
a green valley, was refreshing to the eyes, after our dreary
ride all day over the broken and barren hills. On our left,
a mile before you come to the town, we passed the ruins
of the tower and house of Hiel, who rebuilt Jericho in the
days of the Kings. To the right was the field where the
Chaldean army defeated our fathers in battle, and took

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King Zedekiah captive; it was now covered with beautiful
gardens, and smiled as if peace had ever dwelt in its
sweet shades. On an eminence, to the north of us, about
half a league off, Joseph, who had often travelled this
way, made me take notice of the ruins of Ai, and of the
hill of ambush, where lay the warriors of Joshua, who
surprised and cut off the city. As we approached the
city, I could not but recall the period when Israel's hundred
thousands, shod with the sandals they had worn forty
years in the wilderness, marched seven times around it.
In imagination I heard their martial tread shaking the
very earth, and beheld the princely Joshua, standing
aloof on an eminence near, directing the solemn march.
I heard again the thunder of the trumpets of the hosts of
God seven times sounded, and saw the proud wall of the
city fall, darkening the whole heavens with the clouds of
dust that rolled over the heads of awe-struck Israel! But
how different was the reality! The setting sun was gilding
the firmly standing towers, turrets, pinnacles, and battlements
of the Roman city, lending to it a splendor that
moved the soul to admiration; and the blue sky bent
serenely without a cloud above it; and the circling vale,
instead of echoing to the tread of an armed host, for whom
Jehovah fought, was now filled with Roman knights and
ladies on gay parties of pleasure, and processions of
maidens moving to the cemetery of the tombs, clad in
snow-white vestments, casting flowers in their path, and
chanting sacred songs; for it was the day in which the
daughters of Jericho celebrate the hapless fate of the lovely
daughter of Jephtha, by visiting her sepulchre; for she
was born and buried in this city, where Jephtha long dwelt.

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“At the gate we were stopped by a Roman soldier, who
demanded our passports and the traveller's tribute, which
humiliating affair settled, we rode into the city; for it
was our intention to pass the night there, and early in the
morning walked to the banks of the Jordan, where we understood
the prophet was teaching and baptizing.”

At this point of the narrative of the cousin of Mary, dear
father, I will close this letter. We had all listened with
the deepest attention, not so much for the interest it contained
in itself, as on account of the admirable manner in
which he recited what he had seen; his face being calmly
beautiful, his eyes soft and expressive, his voice musical,
and his whole aspect the true and expressive manifestation
of the intelligence, gentleness, amiability, and noble ardor
of piety which belong to his whole character. In my next I
will resume his narrative, dear father, for when I have
given it to you wholly, I have many things to ask you to
which it gives rise in my mind. May the blessing of the
God of Israel be upon thee, my dear father!

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