Here did Judas come over the brook Kedron with the hungry, cruel mob and betray Him with a kiss. It wuz in this place that our Lord give that glorious promise that lightens life and death:
Every leaf of the old olive trees seemed trembling and full of memories of that hour. To the west was the valley of Jehosiphet, beyend is the city of the King. Back of you is Bethany, the home of the friends of Jesus where he tasted sometimes the human sweets of friendship, in the home of Lazarus and his sisters, Mary and Martha. A beautiful soul Mary wuz, and Martha, poor creeter! I've always been sorry for her, workin' away doin' the housework when she would much rather, no doubt, set and listen as Mary did, but somebody had to be cookin'. So she jest drouged round the house.
You can see the Dead Sea and the river Jordan, where our Lord wuz baptized and the Dove descended out of the gardens of heaven and lit on him, whilst the voice of the father God spoke, "This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased."
Not far away from there is Jericho. On the southwest rises the Hill of Zion, one of the four hills on which Jerusalem stands. As I looked on it I spoke to my pardner almost onbeknown to me, "Oh, Josiah! how many times we've sung together:
'The Hill of Zion yields a thousand sacred sweets, Before we reach the heavenly fields or walk the golden streets.'
"But," sez I, "did you ever expect to set your mortal eyes on't?" He wuz affected, I could see he wuz, though he tried to conceal it by nibblin' on some figs he had bought that mornin'.
Miss Meechim wuz all carried away with the seen as the guide pinted out the different places. Robert Strong and Dorothy didn't seem to want to talk much, but their faces wuz writ over with characters of rapt and reverential emotion.
Arvilly for once seemed to forgit her canvassin' and her keen bright eyes wuz softened into deep thought and feeling. Tommy, who had heard us talkin' about Herod walling in that part of the city, wonnered how any man could be so wicked as the cruel king who killed all the little children, and he wonnered if there ever wuz another king in the hull world so wicked.
And my Josiah soothed his childish feelings by assuring him that all such wicked rulers wuz dead and buried ages ago.