position, made Phenicia great. It is connected with the earliest known civilisation, was famous for its ships, and had commercial connections far and wide, both in the East and the West.

In Syrophenicia, the chief cities were Tyre and Sidon. The city Tyre (Tor, 'rock') is celebrated in profane as well as in sacred history. Though one of the most ancient towns in the world (Joshua xix. 29), it is not so old as Sidon, which is the mother city (Is. xxiii. 12). Soon, however, the daughter surpassed her parent. In its workshops and marts the commerce of the ancient world reached its greatest height, so that Isaiah spoke of its merchants as princes, and its traders as nobles of the earth (xxiii. 8); and Ezekiel offers (xxvii.) a most elaborate and brilliant description of its traffic and opulence. A prosperous trade gave life and prosperity to the fine as well as the useful arts, and Solomon had from Tyre his most skilful workmen for the construction of the temple. The city, when in its pride, was adorned with beautiful edifices, among which may be mentioned a temple sacred to Melcarth, who was to the Tyrians the symbol of bodily strength, as Hercule's was to the Greeks.

At an early date was new Tyre erected, at a short distance from the ancient city, on a rocky island. It soon rose to the same prosperity as that which had been enjoyed by old Tyre. Shalmane'ser, in conquering Samaria, made himself master of the mother city, but could not subdue its offspring. Nebuchadnezzar (580 A. C.) reduced Tyre into subjection, after a siege of thirteen years' duration. In this conflict old Tyre seems to have perished. When Alexander the Great invaded Phenicia, he laid siege to Tyre (330 A. C.). Having, from ruins of the old city, made a mole or bridge, by which he had immediate access to the new city, he, after almost incredible efforts, carried the place by storm. From the devastation which ensued, Tyre arose, and again became a distinguished commercial mart. Indeed, its position was highly favourable, placed as it was on a kind of promontory running out from Syria into the Mediterranean, sheltered by mountains from injurious winds on the north and the east, and provided with a spacious port which storms could scarcely disturb. Its prosperity was durable as well as splendid. In the time of Christ it was still in full bloom. We are not informed whether Tyre was visited by our Lord, though we read that he went into its territories. At present, Tyre, under its old name a little changed, Sur, is a vast ruin, partly covered with sand or water, partly visible, with about two thousand inhabitants, living in huts rather than houses.

Shortly after Jesus had arrived, he was visited by a woman whose daughter was under demoni'acal influence. This person is described as 'a woman of Ca'naan,' a Greek, a Syro'pheni'cian by nation.' The former description has reference to the origin of her people; for in very early times tribes of the Ca

naanites dwelt in the north of Palestine, by some of whom Phenicia was peopled. These the Greeks called Phenicians, but the Israelites retained the old name. This description used by Matthew corresponds with the term 'Syropheni'cian of Mark, denoting the country which we call Phenicia, to which she belonged. The third epithet, Greek,' sets her forth as a Gentile or Pagan, the word "Greek' being used in that broad acceptation in which it stands when, for instance, Paul divides the whole world into 'Jews and Greeks' (1 Cor. i. 24); so that, Greek being the general title, she may be described as a Gentile of Phenicia. It is thus seen that the two evangelists are at one in their description. They appear to have been particular in that description, because it was necessary in order that their readers should understand what passed between Jesus and the woman.

To the first application made by her to Jesus, he gave no answer. The woman persisted; the disciples requested Jesus to send her away. As she still urged her petition, Jesus intimated

that first of all he had to offer his aid to the Jews. To this the woman replied, that if the Jews had the banquet, others might be permitted to gather up the crumbs. At this reply Jesus granted her petition. Her daughter was made whole from that very hour.

This narrative is not without its difficulties. No wonder; for the materials out of which it is formed are very scanty, and nearly two thousand years old. The words, however, which are put into Christ's mouth are, as they stand, scarcely in unison with his character as already depicted, in which the largest benevolence appears, and a most liberal view of the Samaritans—a race of impure blood, more hateful to the Hebrews than Gentiles themselves. The discrepancy with the mind of Christ is seen, not so much in his intimating that his mission first regarded descendants of Abraham; for this fact in his life is perfectly compatible with the most comprehensive philanthropy; since every benevolent effort, how widely soever it may eventually extend, must have a narrow spot on which to begin its operations; for exertions that begin by being general, soon become weak, and end in disappointment. The difficulty rather lies in the use by Jesus of the arrogant and contemptuous terms employed by the Jews of his day to designate men of their own and men of heathen blood, namely, 'children' and 'dogs.' There may, however, have been something in his tone or manner which took from these words their invidiousness, or which even rebuked those (perhaps his companions) who used them offensively to others; or there may have been an undue confidence and eagerness on the part of the woman, as if, relying on the readiness with which Jesus ministered to the sick and necessitous, she in her mind and manner safely reckoned on, and almost demanded, the aid she sought. The assistance of the Messiah

was not to be had as a matter of course, nor merely for purposes of healing. Jesus was a spiritual teacher, not a physician, and his healing powers were to be used solely so as to promote the gospel. But the gospel was promoted only so far as faith, hope, and charity, were diffused. In consequence, his miraculous aid could be granted in those cases, and in that degree merely, in which some moral result was secured. In order to secure some moral result, Jesus may, in the case before us, have seen it necessary to employ language which conduced to a proper state of mind on the part of the suppliant. Certainly, the favour is at last conceded in consequence of the appearance of a moral state of mind which the Saviour approved. Had our Lord been averse to render aid to this woman as being a pagan, he would at once have dismissed her, as requested by his attendants, in whom we behold the exclusiveness of Judaism in its genuine qualities. As Jesus did not comply with their request, so did he not share their prejudices; and he seems to have allowed the woman to follow him, with the benign intention of first improving her character, and then granting her request by restoring her daughter's mind to soundness. Nor is there any difficulty in the opinion that, while he wished to correct the woman's faults, he also sought to loosen his disciples' prejudices.

It may serve to make the reader better acquainted with the real nature of the New-Testament writings, if we remark that a few verses contain all the record left us of this visit of our Lord to Syrophenicia. Surely he who did and said so much at Capernaum, must have said and done much also on this comparatively long journey. Yet has all memory of it vanished. It is a collection of fragments that Providence has handed down to us in the writings of evangelists; fragments, however, so precious as to occasion a most earnest desire for the united and blended whole found in no record, but solely in the life of Christ itself. Since, however, the historical notices of Jesus left us are fragmentary and defective, we need not be surprised if difficulties occur, and, after all attempts at explanation, remain. Here, however, as in all God's dealings with man, we have enough for use, but nothing for satiety; all, and no more, than is needful to inform, stimulate, and discipline our minds.

Sidon or Zidon (Seida or Seid), older than even Tyre, lay some miles to the north of the latter, on the coast of the Mediterranean. Founded by Canaan's eldest son, it grew into note

so as to earn, before the days of Jo'shua, the epithet of 'great,' which it well merited (Gen. x. 15; Josh. xi. 8). It was assigned to the tribe Asher, but never taken possession of (Josh. xix. 28; Judg. xi. 8). Sidon had a king of its own (Jer. xxvii. 3), and Jezabel, the wife of Ahab, was a daughter of a king of Sidon (1 Kings xvi. 31). The city stood in a plain, bordered by the Syrian mountains, scarcely two hours broad. At first, Sidon

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was the capital of Phenicia, whose inhabitants were sometimes hence called Sidonians. Sidon sent forth colonies who founded great states-for instance, Carthage. One of its colonies, namely Tyre, outstripped its parent state, which then began to decline, and at last became a dependency on Tyre. Sidon was often overcome, and with less difficulty than Tyre, for it was not so strong by nature. When the Assyrian king Shalmane'zer invaded Phenicia (720 A.C.), he subjected the Sidonians. Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, made himself master of Sidon as well as Tyre. Cyrus, who founded the Persian empire, took Sidon from the Egyptians, who had reduced it under their power. Alexander the Great drove the Persian governor Straton out of the place, and made a gardener who, though poor, was of the royal blood, king of Sidon. Under his sway the state again flourished. After Alexander's death, it came under the Syrian kings. Then the Egyptians were its lords; and in the year 66 A. C. it became a part of the great Roman empire. In the days of our Saviour, it had lost some of its former splendour and a large part of its population.

The Sidonians worshipped, under the name of Asta'rte' or A'shteroth, a female divinity similar to Venus and Juno. They appear to have had an inventive genius, and are said to have discovered the art of making glass, and were the first to weave fine linen.

Sidon is still a place of some importance. It stands on an eminence which stretches somewhat into the sea, rising from a beautiful plain that is environed by hills. Considerable remains attest the size and grandeur of the ancient city.

Christianity was soon known in Sidon. Tradition makes Peter to have converted many of its citizens to the gospel. The place was visited by Paul when sailing to Italy. At a later period it became the see of a bishop. The Moha'mmedans have in Sidon at present fourteen mosques.

CHAPTER II.

JESUS RETURNS FROM SYROPHENICIA TO GALILEE, THROUGH THE DECA POLIS-FORETELS HIS DEATH.

Summer, A. D. 29.

When Jesus did not find in Phenicia the secrecy which he desired, he made a tour through at least some of the cities of the Decapolis, and so delayed his return to the Sea of Galilee. The Decapolis (ten cities) embraced ten allied or confederate cities, the greater number, if not all, of which lay on the eastern side of

the Jordan. These ten cities stood scattered in different parts, each having its own dependent territory. They enjoyed in common certain privileges conceded by the Romans, under whose dominion they were. The ancients are not agreed as to what cities formed members of the union. All, however, place in the number these six-namely, Ga'dara, Ge'rasa, Hippos, Pella, Philadelphia, and Scytho'polis.

Of Scythopolis and Gadara we have spoken. Hippos was an ancient city on the eastern portion of Manasseh, on the east of the Lake of Gennesareth. It stood nearly opposite Tiberias. By Augustus it was given to Herod the Great, and on his death it was incorporated with the Roman province of Syria. Gerasa (Jerash) lies to the south-east of Gadara on a high plain, or plateau, in the hills of Marad, on nearly the same parallel of latitude as Samaria. The district is fertile and lovely. Fine ruins still mark the spot.

The position of Pella has not as yet been certainly ascertained, though we know that it was a part of Perea. It may have stood near the Jabbok, or Wady Zerka, on Mount Gilead, south-west of Gerasa. The name has an historical interest, especially because in it, on the destruction of Jerusalem, members of the church in that guilty capital sought refuge, taking warning from the prophetic words of their Lord. Still more to the south stood Philadelphia, which is the Greek name for the ancient Rabbath Ammon (Deut. iii. 11), the chief city of the Ammonites, which was not conquered by the Hebrews till the time of David (2 Sam. xii. 29). On the spot are still found ample ruins, especially a large amphitheatre with fifty ascending rows of seats and a piazza of at least fifty columns.

Which of these cities Jesus now visited we have no means of ascertaining. In our gospels he appears near the Sea of Tiberias shortly after his quitting Phenicia. But ere he reached the lake it is probable that he visited Cesare'a Phili'ppi, which stood in nearly the same latitude with Tyre, and near which he certainly was not long after his visit to Phenicia. A consideration of the relative position of the localities in which Jesus was at the time, suggests that from Phenicia he crossed the country to Cesarea Philippi, and then, keeping along the eastern side of the Jordan, visited Gerasa, and it may be some of the other cities of the Decapolis. In this way he would secure the end which took him to Phenicia; for by keeping in the territory of Philip and the Romans, he avoided the snares of his countrymen and gained time to preach the gospel.

Cesare'a Phili'ppi was an ancient city in the tribe of Na'phtali, at the foot of Mount Hermon. Its earlier name was Pa'neas, or Pa'nium; for the fine and fruitful district in which it stood was consecrated to the heathen god Pan, who was worshipped there. Originally it formed a part of Upper Galilee; but in the time of