"Ten Days in Palestine."

Auckland Star, Volume XVI, Issue 3851, 20 December 1882, Page 4

"Ten Days in Palestine."

The Rev. Alexander Keid repeated his I popular and entertaining lecture, "Ten ! Days in Palestine," last evening, in the;=; North Shore Wcsloyao Ohurcb, to a large < and appreciative audience. Tea days in a oountry which bears a hallowed reputation, fragrant -with sacred memories, seem almost too brief a stay for a traveller to gather mucb information, but Mr Reid travels with his eyes »pea to every object of general - interest, and his discourses are always full ;; of instruction. He is particularly alive to ; the beautiful in its Eeveral aspects—the ■ poe'ic, historic, and devotional, His ! sketches of the beauties of Sjria, and the people of Palestine, were extremely ia« 1 structiyfs. strange, however, as it may | seem, the inhabitants of these sacred and; > classical latds are eutirely Wanting in that § spirit of industry and enerpy which dis-1 tmguiehed the islaLders of Europe. We are a:; told that in Jerusalem eveu, men of immense - wealth live in houses which are studiously rendered squ»lid and wretched without, H though the inner arrangements are com' ? for (able and costlj, and that Palestine ■ rec.ives even a slight and slovenly culture. :\ All intelligent travellers agree in the state-; f rarnt that Palestine displays abundant evidences of ntiural fertility, thatiufacV it is a'' land flowing with milk and honey;" '•! but the people are almost too indolent to gather Heaven's free gift*. The Brothers " Bartif y, assisted by ladies and gentlemen of the district, gave a number of vocal and ' instrumental pi ces. At ths close of the lecture a col'ection was made on behalf of the liabilities incurred by recent improve'"\ ment^ to the canrcb ; ahd'finally a Tote of hatks to Mr Keid was carried by accljtmaion, endiDg with the benediction. i ■