There are sweet flowers growing on the sides of Lebanon; but at the top
there are ice and snow.
The traveller ate some ice, and gave some to the horses; and the poor
beasts devoured it eagerly, and seemed quite refreshed by their cold
meal.
The snow of Lebanon is spoken of in the Bible as very pure and
refreshing. "Will a man leave the snow of Lebanon, which cometh from the
rock of the field?"--Jer. xviii. 14.
The traveller earnestly desired to behold the cedars of Lebanon: for a
great deal is said about them in the Bible; indeed, the temple of Solomon
was built of those cedars. It was not easy to get close to them; for
there were craggy rocks all around: but at last the traveller reached
them, and stood beneath their shade. There were twelve very large old
trees, and their boughs met at the top, and kept off the heat of the sun.
These trees might be compared to holy men, grown old in the service of
God: for this is God's promise to his servants,--"The righteous shall
flourish like the palm-tree: he shall grow like a cedar in
Lebanon."--Psalm xc. 11, 12.
DAMASCUS.
This is the capital of Syria.
It is perhaps the most ancient city in the world. Even in the time of
Abraham, Damascus was a city; for his servant Eliezer came from it.
But Damascus is most famous, on account of a great event which once
happened near it. A man going towards that city suddenly saw in the
heavens a light brighter than the sun, and heard a voice from on high,
calling him by his name.
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