MISS VON FINKELSTEIN'S LECTURES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9188, 18 October 1888, Page 5

MISS VON FINKELSTEIN'S LECTURES.

" DOMESTIC AND CITY LIFE IN JERUSALEM." Miss Von Finkelstein gave her second lecture in the Opera House last evening, to a still larger audience, the subject being, " Domestic and City Life in Jerusalem." The interest in these lectures is evidently increasing, as was manifested by the spacious building being crowded in all parts with attentive and appreciative listeners. The platform was decorated to illustrate the interior of a " parlour in Jerusalem," with divans, etc., the members of the family and the euests present being represented in their Oriental costume. First, the wife of the well-to-do citizen, richly apparelled and wearing her jewels, and her hair wondrously plaited with coins intertwined ; the young maiden attired in crimson silk, but without jewels; the Circassian handmaiden , the Mahomedan gentleman, the Christian Arab, and the bread or watervendor of the streets. The lecturess started by saying it was evident that the Apostle referred to the first-named—the wife of the citizen—specially when he said, " Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel," while so stereotyped was Oriental custom that co-day in the streets of Jerusalem the water-carrier renewed the invitation of the Hebrew prophet of old, " Ho everyone that tbirsteth," &c. The first part of the lecture was devoted to a description of the city of Jerusalem, which from its sacred and hallowed associations, its prophets and martyrs, would ever retain a hold upon the affections of the Christian, and remind him of the New Jerusalem, with its golden streets and the gates of pearl. In childhood as she wandered over its hills and dales, and trod again the scenes visited by the prophets and sanctified by the presence of the Incarnate, she was carried back in spirit to the time when He was once a child, and mingled in the joys and sorrows of daily life in Palestine. The lecturess then described the ancient city, " the joy of the whole earth," its walls and its gates,* its watch towers, its watchmen, so frequently referred* to by the prophets, and even the very mountains round about Jerusalem" had been selected as the symbol and illustration of Divine defence and protection. In fact the Bible was written on the wails of Jerusalem to-day. A capital sketch was given of the combination of Eastern custom and Western civilisation in the Holy City, the descendant of the patriarchs and the London " dude" jostling each other in the narrow ill - paved streets, and the passing donkey laden with charcoal occasionally having the advantage of both, by jamming against the wall. Up to a late date the city gates were shut at sunset and not opened till sunrise, but belated travellers with their camels got in by a narrow postern gate, on the production of " backsheesh.' This gave an opportunity for explaining the origin of the parable that " It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter theKingdomof Heaven," which was done in a simple and impressive manner. Those narrow postern gates were called "The eye of the needle," from their resemblance to the eye of the large wooden needles used in fixing the tents. The camel had to be unloaded, its fore feet lifted over the bottom sill of the gate, and then by hauling and pushing it was got through, so the rich man had to be divested of his pride and self-conceit, and all else that he possessed before he could enter into the kingdom of heaven. The incident seized upon by the Saviour to illustrate his views was to be seen to-day as eighteen centuries ago. The lecturess then described the domestic life of the people—the husband returning to his home after the labours of the day, the wife kissing her husband's right hand, and pouring water over his hands and feet, a custom of respect. Then followed the invitation to the guest to take the seat of honour; the repast, which brought out many of the incidents of " The Last Supper"—the custom of breaking bread with prayer, of dipping into the same dish, of giving the sop _o r crosom of honour, and of learinimorous description those they lyr an Eastern courtship. The ymttig man had nothing to do with choosing his wife, his mother and sisters did that, and instead of courting the girl he flattered her grandmother, and the young lady received the attentions by deputy. To compensate for this disadvantage his father arranged all the money matters. An alliance having been arranged, then came the marriage, in which was repeated all the incidents of the Scripture parable, the bridegroom coming at midnight, the virgins with the oil in their lamps, the guests having on their wedding garments, and the door being shut after the wedding party had entered into the house where the wedding festivities were to be held. Miss von Finkelstein said here again Scripture repeated itself, and silenced tho jest and sneer of the infidel. The various veils of | the women were shown, indicating their rank, condition and religion, and some of the women in their strolls, in a flirtation, could use a veil as deftly as their Western sisters used a fan. In closing, the lecturess said Jerusalem would ever remain the most interesting place on earth, as the scene of prophecy fulfilled, and of the great drama with which the history of our race was associated. The lecture was throughout admirable in composition, tone, and illustration, and Miss von Finkelstein kept enchained tho attention of her auditory from commencement to finish. Many of those > present went away from the hall not only knowing more about Oriental customs and habits—of the history of Palestine—but of the parables of the Sacred Record than they had ever known before. To-night Miss von Finkelstein will lecture on "The Bedouins of the Desert; or, Bush Life in Palestine."