Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 247, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 November 1917 — PROSPEROUS CITY OF EAST [ARTICLE]

PROSPEROUS CITY OF EAST

Shechem, or Nablus, as It Is Now Called, Site of Impressive SceneA in Biblical History. A prosperous Oriental city nestled In a fertile valley between two mountains and surrounded by gardens and oliv#' groves, Shechem or Nablus, as It is now culled, occupies the site of sone of the most impressive scenes In Bible history, says the Christian Herald. Here Abraham pitched his tent and made the first stopping place in ills migration--ta-the.country of which the Lord -said: “Unto tliy seed will I give I his land." Here Joseph divided the Israelites Into two hosts, one of which encamped on the slope us Mount Ebul on the north and the other on slope of Mount Gerlzim on the south, while tlie Levites read the law of Moses which was to be the constitution >f the infant nation. Shechem seems to ave been a sort of capital for the .lebrew nation even after David had established his r< <ldence at Jerusalem, ns- wp read in I Kings 12 that all Israel assembled at Shechem to crown Rehoboani. The separatist elements of the nation sought to legitimatize their acts by making Shechem a temporary capital, although the residence of the northern kings was established at a point about six miles northwest and called Samarta. Shechem is nowhere mentioned by name in the New Testament, though till her it or suburb appearslnJohn 1;5 under the name of Sychar; and it was here, at Jacob’s well, that the Samaritan woman met Christ and first heard the message of his universal gospel. Jacob’s well is still pointed out and is almost the only undisputed landmark of our Lord’s earthly 4lfe. The •ity now contains about 25,000 inhabitNablus contains a small colony >f about 200 persons, who claim to be the descendants of the Israelites of ihe northern kingdom. They accept only the five books of Moses as being of divine authority and hold Mount Gerlzim to be the seat of their religion, insteadof J t-rusalem.