MISS VON FINKELSTEIN LECTURES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9189, 19 October 1888, Page 6

MISS VON FINKELSTEIN LECTURES.

" THE BEDOUINS OF THE DESERT." There was a large audience at the Opera House last evening to hear Miss von Finkel- - stein's lecture: on " The Bedouins of '- the Desert, or Bush Life in Palestine." The stage was arranged so as to represent the tent of a sheikh in a Bedouin encampment in; tne desert, and was perhaps the most realistic picture which ; she has yet put before her audiences. . There was the long black /tent ■ formed of black ? goats'; hair,: parted in the centre by a curtain separating the women from the men, and; grouped therein -.. were a typical Bedouin's -s family, just as they had been from the days of Abraham all through the ■ ages. Mis 3 von Finkelstein wosre the rich dress of a. chieftain's wife, a princess of the desert, a long trailing.black garment, ■- over which hung a rich robe of blue and gold, be- s tokening her -royal descent, a rich turban on her head, and on her arms wristlets and \ armlets, making just such a costume as ; Sarah wore four thousand years ago; with her was the daughter of the chieftain and the handmaiden of old (Hagar), clad inrobes which indicated her J Egyptian origin ; a ; daughter of the chieftain, a priest with the symbol of his : office; an iron rod, at the extremity of, which was the impress of an open hand, which helif up in battle, and blessed : and encouraged the warriors as he held it— * a custom illustrated in' the incident of the hands of Moses being stayed up during the battle; the ordinary Bedouin- guard; the 1 chieftain clad in red flowing / robes, and armed as was the patriarch, and a lad clad! : ; as would be Ishmael. A number of illustrated ,scenes tof Bedouin life l were then ] given, which showed/a wondrous revivficatiohof the' sketches and: phraseology of the Bible, as shown in the passages which the lecturess quoted from the Song of Solomon and from the Mosaic writings. / To-day was it j true as ever, the : son of the : desert was one I " whose hand was still - ; against every man, and every man's hand against him." The Bedouin was proud of his Abrahamic and : Ishmaelitish V traditions and ; history. It was only last year that she witnessed a dispute between .two Bedouin -tribes over I: a well // in / the . desert, ;which ; ; was almost : identical to that between the herdemen of Abraham and Lot. v The Bedouin ;; was :,'/;, independent, hospitable, brave, and fcept good faith; if he had once pledged his word. The story of /Deborah and Barak was given, showing how women took a ; part in the exciting scenes of , the times, and the murder of Sisera by the Israelitish priestess, Jael, as he turned into her tent, was -pourtfayed.■■■ •, The sounding of timbrels and dances and songs of the women on the-return. of the victors from battle was referred to. The battle-cry of old was "The Sword of the Lord and of Gideon!" t- All the change > to-day, was, " The Sword of the Lord and of Mahomet!" The Bedouin did not like work, and there-; fore he employed the Fellaheen to till the land and raise what crops he required. Though pretty laxy in his habits,' he indignantly repudiated the imputation of being a thief, though he was willing to admit that he was a " plunderer." Miss Von Finkelsteiri/gave",an amusing sketch of some tourists who went to Jericho, the Jordan, and the Dead ' Sea, without the' usual safe-conduct and guard. g Some of the party came back to Jerusalem, under the friendly; shelter ; of night;' clad in little more than their"boots, hats, pair of braces, and their eye-preservers—the Bedouins not needing these / luxuries, —having "fallen among; thieves" by ; the wayside. Perhaps the most ' graphic scenic and word pictures were those in v which" the lecburess described Eastern hospitality, and with her assistants illustrated the visit of the angels to the ; tent of ? Abraham; the '-' spreading |of I the table in the wilderness," the ; subsequent mear,' Sarah's curiosity, and its sequel. ;Stirring descriptions were ;also given? of camp life—the call to prayer at eventide— the songs with which evening was beguiled—the night alarm in the encamp-', ment—and /the folding of the tent ? and; stealing ' silently ' away., The scene at Adullam, where David /stole Saul's spear and cruse, was also shown in Bedouin camp life,: as also; the wonderful /speed with i which messages were transmitted by word of mouth by watchmen from signallin postg to signalling post.; The Bedouin was never ashamed to pray wherever and however he might.be. Whenever the ;' hour of Sprayer came he left business,; no matter how profitable the i bargain, aDd .turned to Mecca. , He believed that if he attended to the worship of ; God,: God would look after his business, and give him prosperity.". His worship was a continual round of prayer and praise ~-- to;, God for mercies; received. The lecturess gave an amusing description of the 5 visit of ; ; a Bedouin chief to Jerusalem at Easter time to; see the; sights of the city, and who on retiring to the bed chamber for the night had some difficulty in using the four-poster to the best advantage, having got under instead of into it. s A European lady, :in turn, visited a Bedouin encampment, and stayed there. Her Bedouin",sisters, after examining the mysteries of her wardrobe, and more especially thecoirsets, came to the conclusion that a wicked husband was endeavouring to ; crush her young life out, with bands of steel "or iron; in order to • again "throw , the handkerchief." * Many curious passages: of Scripture were illustrated and made, clear by the quaint customs and habits ;of -the people, which were cited, and many/persons will read their j Sacred Record ; with i renewed / interest! after; hearing the expositions which : : have been given ;of its historic features., The lecturess concluded an instructive and entertaining lecture by stating that if those who cavilled at Scripture, would go to the Holy Land, without prejudice, enter into the home life of the people both in ~ the town and in the desert, they would find the Bible written on every spot, and that it was there a monument as solid and enduring' as the eternal hills. The lecturess was • Frequently cheered ■ throughout the lecture, as also warmly ' applauded Jat its close. 1 1 Miss von Finkelstein lectures to-night on " The Jews at Home."