Moving Picture Age (Jan-Dec 1922)

Here are further experiences incurred while photographing the geographical history of the Bible The LAND of the CHRIST J. E. HOI.LEY Cincinnati, Ohio [The concluding part of an article begun in the issue of December, 1921] FROM the Maritime Plain on the west to the Jordan Valley in the east the hills rise precipitously, forming a rocky backbone through the center of Palestine from north to south. More Bible history is recorded as having taken place in this highland than in all the other parts of the land. North from Jerusalem are Gibea of Saul, Ramah, Bethel, Ai, Mich-Mash, Shiloh, Shechem, Samaria, Ophrah, and Tirzah, which brings us to the plains of Esdraelon with the cities of Jenin, Megiddo, Jezreel ; to the east is Mount Gilboa, to the north Morah, and to the west Mount Carmel. We associate these with such characters as Saul, Samuel] Deborah, Elijah, Ahab, Jezebel, Jehu, and Herod. Elijah confused the purposes of Jezebel in Mount Carmel. His bitter enemy was Ahab at Jezreel. Just over at Morah Elijah restored the son of the Shulumite to life. Jesus also restored the son of the widow of Nain to life at the same mountainside. The city of Nain is Endor, where resided the witch who predicted the death of Saul. Here, between Morah and Gilboa, lies the plain of Beth-Shean, where Saul met with utter defeat, ending his life, and where his son Jonathan, fast friend of David, was slain. Close up against the base of Gilboa, Gideon selected his 300 men who attacked the Amelikites with simple weapons — torches and pitchers — and frightened them to death. So much history crowds itself into our minds that the mass becomes confusing. There is no end to the negative that an enthusiast would expose upon these historic surroundings, and to its value to the student of Bible history. More blood has been shed in battle on the plain of Esdraelon than on any spot of its size on earth. The people have met in combat for so many centuries that the disposition to fight is in their makeup. I shall never forget the novel experience our party had at Gideon's Spring on this plain. • A Little Action We lunched there, and in the process of time some 15 or 20 natives dropped in, coming from different quarters. They performed for us very nicely while we were filming the cliff at the spring, until one, a kind of leader in the community, I believe, suggested that we make a photograph of them and deliver it immediately. We explained that it would be impossible to do so. Then the bully suggested that they compel us to perform this impossible Bethany — home of Mary, Martha, Lazarus, and Simon the Leper The Tower of David feat. In spite of all the art of our interpreter (by this time we had found him to be a real diplomat) they were determined that it should be done or they would disable the car and we would have to walk back to Nazareth. This time our cameraman waxed brave. He dissembled the tripod; placing one end in the hands of the chauffeur and one in mine, he seized the third, preparing to meet the brawlers should they attack us. We naturally reasoned that this being the third very unpleasant incident, our finish was not far hence. The whole crowd, headed by the bully, was arguing with our interpreter and crowding closer to the Ford near by when suddenly a voice sounded out, more musical than the guttural ones of the natives surrounding us. He was a newcomer, and had overheard enough of the conversation in his approach to sense the nature of the discussion. He called out something in Arabic, and then translated into English these glorious words : "These are Americans ; you shall not harm them." He then proceeded to tell them that if they even touched with their fingertips any of our apparatus he would see to it that they carried us on their backs to Nazareth, if it took his entire tribe, located a few miles away. A Fellow-Traveler It was a very unusual coincidence. He, Mohammed AH by name, had sailed with us from New York on the Aquatania a few weeks earlier and also from Marseilles across the Mediterranean. For years he had peddled linens in the United States and was a naturalized citizen. When he heard that there were some photographers in the country he had surmised that we were the men and had set out to find us. Whatever feeling he may have had on meeting us, I am frank to say that I never had more pleasure in meeting a man in all my life than I had in meeting Mohammed Ali. So we did not walk to Nazareth. If it be truth that a Ford can sing, this one sang as it moved on over the splendid rocky road toward the city of the Holy Family. Nazareth Nazareth was the scene of the annunciation of the birth of Jesus to the Virgin Mary. Jesus, as a boy, we can imagine, played over the hills and accompanied his mother to the famous city fountain and to the priests in 'their synagogue. (Continued on page 30) 13