CAPERNAUM.



JESUS was born at Bethlehem, and grew up at Nazareth, yet neither of these places is called his home. To Capernaum alone is this fond word applied.

In this, "his own city," Jesus began his ministry. Doubtless his object in selecting this town from all others, was the close connection it had with the surrounding country, and also with foreign countries. The city itself was full of active industry, and the country for miles around was densely populated, the population comprising nearly every nationality. Here might have been found the Jew and the Greek, the Arab and the Egyptian, the Roman and the Persian all bringing their merchandise into the busy little city.

The maps of Palestine place Capernaum about twenty miles north-east from Nazareth, on the western shore of Tiberias, about two miles from the river Jordan. 

Notwithstanding the greatness and fame of this city, and the wonderful events that transpired within and around it at the time of Christ's sojourn there, yet at the present time, the site of the city is not agreed upon by the various explorers of "Bible Land."

There is no doubt in my own mind that the ruins now known as Tell Hum mark the real location of ancient Capernaum. Captain Wilson adopts this theory, and thinks he has found traces of a main street leading from the ruins of Tell Hum in the direction of Chorazin. This would correspond with the old carriage-road built by the Romans through Capernaum. Dr. Robinson, Dr. Porter, and some other explorers object to this as the real ruins of Capernaum; but time and space would not admit of my giving their objections and arguments, if I had the desire, which I have not, for I am satisfied that Capernaum and Tell Hum are one and the same place, and are situated as described above.

Chorazin lies about two and a half miles north of Capernaum, and is now called Khorazy. The ruins of this town are fully as large as those of Capernaum, and are situated partly in a valley, and partly on a rocky hill. From this elevation there is a beautiful view of the sea of Tiberias, and also of many other interesting scenes, ruins of towns, monasteries, and cathedrals. Oh! What a change since our dear Lord walked the streets of these towns. Then, all was life and animation. Now, all is silence and desolation. Yet how the pulse quickens and the heart throbs as we think that "Jesus has been here. He has walked these streets. His eye beheld these towns in their perfect beauty."




MAGGIE ABDELL.





PATMOS.

PATMOS is a small island off the southwestern coast of Asia Minor, about twenty miles south of Samos. It is a continuous rock, fifteen miles in circumference, for the most part rugged and barren; the coast is lofty, with many capes, and several good harbors. The only town stands on a high, rocky eminence rising abruptly from the sea, and contains about 400 houses, which with fifty more at La Scala, the landing-place, may be said to be the only habitations in the island. In the middle of the town is the monastery of St. John, a massive building, erected by the emperor Alexius Commenes. About half way up the mountain, between La Scala and the town, is a natural grotto, where it is said St. Jqhn had his apocalyptic visions. A small church is built over it. Patmos was a place to which persons were banished; and here St. John was exiled (Rev. 1:9), most probably in Domitian's reign. It is now called Patino.




THE COURTESIES OF LIFE


WM. WIRT'S letter to his daughter, on the "small, sweet courtesies of life," contains a passage from which a deal of happiness might be learned: "I want to tell you a secret. The way to make yourself pleasing to others, is to show them that you care for them. The whole world is like the miller at Mansfield, 'who cared for nobody no, not he because nobody cared for him.' And the whole world would serve you so, if you gave the same cause. Let every one, therefore, see that you do care for them, by showing them what Sterne so happily calls the small courtesies, in which there is no parade, whose voice is too still to tease, and which manifest themselves by tender and affectionate looks and little kind acts of attention, giving others the preference in every little enjoyment at the table, in the field, walking, sitting, or standing."