HELON'S PILGRIMAGE TO JERUSALEM.

CHAPTER I.

ALEXANDRIA.

THE whole house was in commotion. The camels were receiving their load in the inner court, and drinking, before their journey, from the fountain beneath the palm trees. The slaves ran this way and that way: in the apartments of the women the maid servants were busily preparing the farewell meal for the son of their mistress, who, while she hurried in different directions and issued her commands, was repeating the words of the forty-second Psalm

As the hart panteth for the water brooks,
So panteth my soul after thee, O God!
My soul thirsteth for God,

The living God!

When shall I return

And appear before the face of God!

She had been born in the Holy Land, and her deceased husband had brought her to Egypt. The country in which her youthful days had been spent, and the journeys to Jerusalem, in which she had borne a part, rose up to her remembrance and with overflowing eyes she proceeded:

My tears have been my food day and night,
While they say unto me continually

"Where is thy God?"

The thought of her deceased husband rushed upon her mind, and her tears flowed in a fuller stream. Yet with a lighter heart, and with a less faltering voice, she procceded :

When I remember these things, my heart melteth within me ;
How I had gone with the multitude to the house of God,
How I had gone with the voice of joy and praise,

With the multitude that kept the festival.

At this moment Helon met her. She embraced him and said, "So once I went to the holy city, but now I must remain a captive in a strange land. All the day long this psalm of the sons of Korah dwells upon my mind. Thy father sang it the last evening that we spent together. Immediately after, he set out for the promised land, and returned no more."

Helon was moved by the distress of his mother. His feelings had been the same as hers, but he was near the accomplishment of his wishes. He was about to visit the holy city, and the grave of his father in the valley of Jehoshaphat; and raising himself from his mother's embrace, he replied, “Hast thou forgotten the thrice repeated chorus of that psalm?

Why art thou cast down, O my soul,

And why art thou disquieted within me ?

Hope thou in God; for I shall yet praise him
Who is my deliverer and my God."

Sallu, a young Jew, who had been purchased as a servant of her family six years before, now entered the apartment. He was dejected, and anxiously asked Helon," Wilt thou not take me with thee, master?" The mother replied, "Thou art free; yesterday thy six years expired, and it shall be Helon's last employment before his departure solemnly to emancipate thee." The youth kept his eyes fixed upon Helon as if he was still asking him, "Wilt thou not take me with thee, master?” “Why dost thou refuse thy freedom, Sallu ?” said Helon. "Master," replied he, "when thy father bought me, six years ago, I was a houseless, friendless boy. I have been brought up with thee, and if I now must leave thee, I

1

shall be again without a friend or a home. I will not leave thee: thou art going to Jerusalem, and, if I go not with thee, I shall never behold the altar of my God, nor the place to which I direct my prayers. Take me with thee, and I will be a servant in thy house all my days. I have called the elders, and they will be here immediately."

They endeavored to dissuade him from his purpose. Helon painted to him the value of freedom, and the mercy of Jehovah towards the bondsmen in Israel, in appointing their release in the seventh year. His mother promised him that he should not go forth empty handed; that she would give him "of her flock, and of her barn, and of her winepress, of all in which the Lord her God had blessed her," as the Lord had commanded by Moses in the law.* But Sallu replied, "Nay, but I will remain with thee: it is best for me to be here." The elders had now arrived.

"This youth," said one of them, "will be a servant of thy house. Come together to the gate."

The elders, with Helon, his mother and Sallu, went through the covered way, as far as the gate which opened to the outer court. Sallu stood beside the gate-posts. The elder asked him, "Wilt thou not leave Helon?" Sallu replied, "I will not leave him; for I love him and his house." Then Helon took an awl, and piercing his ears against the door post, made him his servant forever.† The elders pronounced a blessing, and Helon put a ring through the ears of Sallu, as a sign that he was become his property. The youth bounded for joy, and exclaimed, "I have bought thee with my blood. Wilt thou not now take me with thee to the Holy Land ?" "Go," said Helon, "to look after the camels, and prepare thyself for the journey."

The mother invited the elders to partake of the farewell supper with her and her son, at which Elisama was also to be present. They consented, and went back with her into the inner court. Helon remained awhile behind, to inspect the

preparations for the journey. The slaves were equipping three stately dromedaries, which, young, high spirited, and fleet, deserved the name of "ships of the desert." They had taken a long draught at the well, while the slaves laid in order the baggage which contained the food and clothing of the travellers, and presents for their host in Jerusalem. In the east, the expressions of friendship were made by deeds rather than by words, and the travellers destined for their host* costly caftans, Egyptian linen, a robe of thread of gold, and some books written on papyrus. The camels, kneeling down, received the burthen on their backs.

Helon's uncle, Elisama, who was to be his guide on the pilgrimage to the Holy Land, arrived, examined the preparations, and appointed to the slaves the hour of departure. Helon and he then went together into the inner court, where the elders were sitting under the palms beside the fountain, and enjoying the refreshing coolness of the evening. This inner court, around whose sides ran a portico and a gallery, was paved with green, white, yellow and black marble. An awning of various colors was stretched over it to shelter it from the burning rays of the sun; and in the middle was the fountain with its lofty palms. In Alexandria, as in the East generally, this was the place for the reception of visitors.

The meal was prepared, and the elders arose from beside the fountain to place themselves on cushions around the table. A venerable man with hoary locks took the place of honor, the middle place, on the middle cushion. The seven-branched lamp shed a bright light around, from its one and twenty flames. The slaves had strewed the table, the cushions and the floor with the flowers of spring. Sallu came with a silver basin, poured water on the hands of the guests, and when he had wiped them, sprinkled on them the fragrant nard. The most delicate productions of fertile Egypt were served up; among which the mother had not forgotten the fish of the

* The pers. n whose hospitality they should enjoy while at Jerusalem, † A rich Persian outer garment,

Nile, that her son might taste them once more before his departure. Helon lay* before Elisama, or, as it was called in the East, in his bosom.

Elisama, acting as father of the house, blessed the bread. He spread both his hands over it, and said, "Blessed be thou, O Lord our God, who causest bread to grow out of the earth;" and the rest answered "Amen." As this was an entertainment, the wine also was blessed. Elisama took the cup with both hands, then holding it with the right, at the height of a yard above the table, he praised the Lord and said, " Blessed be thou, O Lord our God, who hast given unto us the fruit of the vine;" and the rest again replied, "Amen." This done, he repeated the twenty-third psalm:

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures,

He leadeth me beside the soft flowing waters,

He refresheth my soul,

He leadeth me in the straight path

For his name's sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I fear no evil, for thou art with me;

Thy rod and thy staff comfort me.
Thou preparest a table for me
In the presence of mine enemies;
Thou anointest my head with oil;

My cup runneth over.

Surely goodness and mercy follow me all my life;

I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

This was the prayer with which the festive meal was usually hallowed in Israel. The guests helped themselves and enjoyed the feast. When the last dish was removed, Elisama began: "It is long since I repeated that beautiful psalm, with such a feeling of devotion as today. One might think that it had been written expressly for the feast on the evening before our departure for the Holy Land. 'Happy the people that know the sound of the trumpet!""

* Lay-leaned or reclined according to the eastern custom.