meetings in this delightful quarter of the world. Remember here were
our first parents placed, when in innocence and happiness they were
created by Almighty God; here in the Garden of Eden they dwelt
enjoying the light of His countenance; here they fell in guilt and
misery, and were banished from the presence of their offended God;
here was the prophecy fulfilled, for here was born our Blessed
Saviour. By Him was the great and wondrous work of redemption
accomplished; He offered Himself a sacrifice for the sins of the
whole world; He gave us the Everlasting Gospel, and He has become
our mediator with God: by Him we gain access to the Father; by His
blood only can we be cleansed; by His merits only can we hope for
salvation; and only through His Grace assisting us can we perform
that which is right and well-pleasing in the eyes of our Heavenly
Father: then believing in Him, trusting in Him, rejoicing in Him,
Christ will be our All in all _here_, and All in all _hereafter_.
There are many lakes and small inland seas in Asia, memorable as
having been the scene of our Blessed Saviour's labors, trials, and
triumphs. Not the most insignificant on the list is the lake of
Genesareth, sometimes called the Sea of Galilee, or Sea of Tiberias;
for near here is situated Nazareth, the great city of Jesus Christ.
About six miles to the south stands the hill of Tabor, which a
venerable tradition assigns as the scene of Christ's
transfiguration; and on the south-west side of the Gulf of St. Jean
d'Acre is Mount Carmel, where, we are told, the prophet Elijah
proved his divine mission by the performance of many miracles.
Thousands of Christians once lived in caves of the rocks around this
mountain, which then was covered with chapels and gardens: at the
present day naught but scattered ruins remain to prove the truth of
these statements."

MR. WILTON. "A most extraordinary fact relating to this sea is, that
its waters are 300 feet below the level of the Mediterranean: and
this reminds me of the Dead Sea, situated in Palestine, which
covers from 450 to 500 square miles; for its waters are no less than
1300 feet below the Mediterranean. We are told by many who have
visited this sea, that neither fish nor shells are to be found in
it, and that its shores, frightfully barren, are never cheered by
the note of any bird. The inhabitants in its vicinity, however, are
not sensible of any noxious quality in its vapor; and the accounts
of birds