The Cedar of Lebanon

Waiapu Church Gazette, Volume 35, Issue 3, 1 May 1944, Page 8

The Cedar of Lebanon

The Cedar .of Lebanon is a tree much celebrated from the most ancient times for its beauty, its magnificence, and its longevity, as well' as for the excellence and durability of its timber. It is often mentioned m Scripture; it supplied the woodwork of Solomon's temple; and m the poetry of the Old Testament it is a . frequent emblem of prosperity, strength and stability. Of the celebrated cedars of Lebanon, only a f ew now remain. The largest group consists of a grove of some 400 trees, about three-quarters of a mile' in circumference, partly - old trees, and partly you'rig ones. Travellers belieVe that most of the trees m the grove, may be 200 years Old, and several between the ages of 400 and 800 years. There are a number of trees whose age is incalculable. One of these is reported to be at least 63 feet m circumference. These trees are more remarkable for girth than statue, their . height hardly exceeding 50 feet. The rules by which botanists determine the age of tree's are not applicable to them, for their stems have ceased to grow m regular concentric rings; they owe their prolonged existence to the superior vitality of a portion of their bark> Which has survived the : decay of the rest. Russenger, who made a study of these trees, is inclined to admit that they may m some cases be 2000 years old. The Arabs, of all creeds, have a traditional veneration for these trees; they believe that an- evil fate would surely overtake* any one who shall 1 dare to lay sacrilegous hands on the "saints," as they fondly call them. Contrary to all popular belief, remains of the great cedar forest -of Solomon's time exists m more places than the grove at the head of Kedisha Valley which is now so sacred to the natives of that ''district.