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although many resort to it from a more unworthy motive than that of mourning, yet I have seen others around these tombs, the outpouring of whose sorrow told of withered hopes and blighted happiness that no affectation could produce. How much greater reverence and respect is paid to the remains of the dead in the East than in our own country. The oriental looks forward to visiting the tomb of a friend for days and even years to come; and every thing about it is kept clean, neat, and elegant. Rows of tall cypresses shade the snow-white marble, interspersed with flowers and grass plots. At night small twinkling lamps are hung in the different sepulchres, and the Bulbul's song fills up the intervals of female lamentation.

In our country a graveyard is seldom or never visited by the relatives of the deceased, who daily pass its walls unmoved; while within, it is generally the most slovenly and unsightly spot in the vicinity. The rankest nettles grow upon the graves, till the sexton asks why the tenant cumbereth the ground, and upturns the ashes of the philosopher to make room for the body of the fool; and the green lichen soon creeps over the proud monument of the noble to tell that even his memory is forgotten. But a truce to reflection. In the burial ground to which I have referred there were hundreds of Turkish women, showing by the very position they assumed at the grave, how long ancient customs are preserved in the East. Sitting upon the ground is the posture of grief in that country. When the Israelites hung their harps by Babel's stream they sat down and wept; and this attitude of mourning is frequently alluded to in other parts of Scripture (1 Kings, xiii. 30;-2 Chron. xxxv. 25;-Jer. ix. 17-20;—Amos, v. 16.) It is that adopted by the modern Hebrews who go to mourn over the stones of Jerusalem; and so characteristic is it of sorrow, that it was made by the Romans the emblem of their captivity, when

"Lone Judea wept beneath her palm."

This is also the attitude in which the lower order of Irish women sing the keenan over the graves of their friends at the present day; and in Ireland we find a similarity of custom to the Easterns in the hired criers at wakes and funerals.

Connected with the Jews, I must now say a few words upon

the different religious sects, and the English and American missionaries in Jerusalem. I was not long in the Holy City until I found my way to the residence of the Rev. Mr. Nicolayson, the Jewish missionary, and was received by him and his family with the greatest kindness and affection. Their dwelling is on the side of Mount Sion, in rather an unfrequented quarter of the town, and nearly opposite David's castle. In the evenings, after the fatigues of the day, in attending processions, or exploring ancient remains, it was indeed a comfort to sit and enjoy an hour's conversation with that interesting family; to talk about the land we had left, or consider the state and prospects of that in which we sojourned; and then to close the day with the service of our holy religion, and to hear the Scriptures read and expounded within the walls of Salem, and on the side of Sion, was indeed a privilege. In Mrs. Nicolayson I found a countrywoman, and though I had not the pleasure of meeting her before my visit to Jerusalem, yet we were acquainted with so many mutual friends in our native land, that we very soon cast off the reserve that generally follows a first introduction; if, indeed, the Irish ever require such inducements to become intimate in foreign countries. I shall long remember with delight and gratitude the happy evenings I spent under their roof.

Missionary labour must ever proceed slowly among the Jews in Jerusalem. And although I do not see that Scripture warrants the belief that the Israelites will be converted as a nation till after their restoration; yet some have come out and embraced Christianity in despite of the persecution which they knew awaited them from their brethren. For my own part, I only wonder that a Jew resident in Jerusalem ever becomes a Christian; for, perhaps, in no other place upon the globe is Christianity presented to him in a more unchristian spirit; the character and conduct of those who generally profess it is neither calculated to gain his confidence nor respect. Indeed both Jew and Mohammadan can justly point to the different religious sects, and ask, is this your religion? is this the creed you would have us to adopt? I am sure that if any of my enlightened Roman Catholic fellow-countrymen were to witness the scenes, and to know the real state of Christianity among those persons belonging to their church in Jerusalem, they would blush for

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their superstitious practices and be ashamed to acknowledge them as fellow worshippers.

The erection of the Hebrew church, in which the service of the church of England is to be celebrated in the Hebrew tongue, will, I trust, under the Almighty's blessing, work much good. The Jewish Society have reason to rejoice in being privileged to commence such a work; it is an undertaking worthy the high cause in which they are engaged. The Hebrew language, in which the service will be read, and the Scriptures expounded, together with the simplicity of our liturgy, will form a striking contrast to the mockery and impious miracle-mongering handicraft that the Jew has been heretofore told was Christianity; and will doubtless attract many of that people to attend the services of our holy religion, and lead them to believe in that Saviour whom their fathers crucified, and they still reject.

Considerable delay has, no doubt, taken place in its erection; but great difficulty was experienced, first in procuring the ground, and subsequently in conveying the necessary materials from Jaffa, as no timber of sufficient size for constructing such a building grows in Judea at present. The ground which has been purchased for the purpose is just beside the missionary residence on the side of Sion; and I have marked it in the map as near the site as the want of the necessary instruments enabled me to do.*

Some idea may be formed of the prejudices that exist among the Osmanlees as to the right of Christians of any denomination

*The papers of the 19th December, 1840, contain the following intelligence with regard to this church :-We received last night a letter from our correspondent at Constantinople, dated Nov. 20, which states that Mahomet Ali had granted a firman to the Society for the Conversion of the Jews, for building a Protestant church in the city of Jerusalem, but that the Porte has not thought fit to ratify that firman." And now (1844) we see that the Porte has from day to day procrastinated and put off the granting of this firman, and it is very questionable whether it may be ever induced to accede to our request. Had, however, this church been commenced, and its exterior finished as a simple dwelling, instead of a modern ecclesiastical gothic structure, it would not have awakened the jealousy of other sects, nor aroused the superstitions of the Mohammadans, but have passed unnoticed; and internally it might have been fashioned in any way the architect pleased, and perfectly in accordance with the form and ritual of the Church of England.

534

THE BRITISH CONSUL.

occupying any of the sacred soil in or around the Holy City, and of the obstacles that lay in the way of this purchase, when I state, that the American missionaries were refused permission to enclose a small plot of ground outside the walls for a family burial-place, because the shadow of the minaret of the mosque that covers the tomb of David fell upon the spot at sunset!

To preach with effect, or indeed at all to gain access to the Hebrews upon religious subjects, the missionary must be not only well acquainted with their language and peculiar opinions, but also versed in their laws, traditions, Targums, and Talmuds; for the Israelites in Jerusalem are generally a learned people, and spend their time in discoursing upon these subjects. I know no man possessing the requisite qualifications for this office in a higher degree than Mr. Nicolayson, who is, indeed, eminently fitted for the holy work in which he is engaged.

The labours of the American missionaries, the Rev. Messrs. Thompson and Whiting, are more among the general Christian population of the city; and not only to the high character of these gentlemen in particular, but to that of the Western missionaries generally throughout the East, I must bear most ample testimony, both as to their zeal and usefulness-particularly in the establishment of schools.

Since our visit to Jerusalem, three events have occurred there, worthy the attention of the religious world, and of all who desire the restoration of the kingdom of Judah. The first of these, insignificant as it may appear to some, yet, even in a political point of view, of vast importance to others, is the establishment of a British consul in the Holy City. This may in truth be hailed by all who have the interest of Jerusalem at heart, as a work bright with promise, and which will, it is to be hoped, be one of enduring benefit. Soon, I trust, will our trans-Atlantic brethren send their stars and stripes to flutter in amity beside that banner which has so long braved the battle and the breeze, and now floats as the protective emblem of our nation from the walls of Jerusalem. He is the first, and as yet the only authorised Christian representative in the Holy City since the Crusaders were driven from its battlements.

The second interesting and important event is that of the deputation sent out by the church of Scotland, consisting of Dr. Keith and other eminent ministers of that persuasion, to

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inquire into the state of the Jewish people in Jerusalem. We have received the most valuable information as the result of their investigations, and it is cheering-though but in accordance with the spirit of the times--to witness the interest that is felt and is daily increasing throughout the whole Christian world in behalf of the scattered seed of Abraham.

And the third, and last in point of time, though the first in consequence, is the appointment of an Anglo-Prussian bishop, my esteemed friend Dr. Solomon Alexander-himself one of the seed of Abraham-to the see of Jerusalem.

In addition to the Jews and Mohammadans that inhabit Palestine, some of whom may be always found in Jerusalem, the several religious sects may be divided into Latins or Roman Catholics, Greeks, Armenians, Copts, Maronites, Abyssinians, native Christian Arabs, and Syrian Christians who dissent from some of the tenets of all the preceding sects, besides Druses and Metouailes. Most of these denominations, but particularly the ecclesiastics, may be recognised by the peculiarities of their dress. That of the Latins is a simple brown habit, girt with a white knotted cord round the waist, from which hangs a rosary and crucifix. Their heads are shaven at the back part only, and they, as well as all the friars in the Holy City, wear their beards long; a small black skull-cap barely covers the crown of the head; a hood is attached to the collar of the dress, which hangs down behind, but can be worn up in wet weather; and rude sandals clothe the feet. Notwithstanding all their privations, fasting and want of necessary comforts, many of the monks were as fat and portly as aldermen. Seven years is the period they are required to spend in Palestine; and during this time they visit most of the convents and holy places; but heartily do they wish for the completion of their penance, (for such it is to many,) and long to return to the sunny shores of Spain or Italy.

Their convent is an immense establishment, and its roof commands one of the most splendid views of the city. The number of monks there at the period of our visit was but forty-five, who were a mixture of Spaniards and Italians; the principal is always an Italian.

Not the least interesting, and decidedly the most curious part of the building is the pharmacy, to which we were invited by the father who presided over the compounding department, a