t, but
neither its fertility nor its dimensions bear comparison with those
which it attained in former days; and hardly a tree remains of the
celebrated groves of balsam, spice, and fruit-bearing trees, and the
palms which earned for Jericho the title of "The City of the Palm
Trees," and which made its neighboring plain the garden of
Palestine--the "divine district" as Joseph us calls it. This
fertility was owing entirely to skilful irrigation, traces of no less
than twelve aqueducts having been discovered. No class of sufferers
more frequently claimed and obtained from Jesus the exercise of his
compassion and healing power than that represented by blind
Bartimaus. The malady of blindness is grievously common in Palestine,
the proportion of those thus afflicted being one in every hundred of
the population, whereas in Europe the proportion is only one in a
thousand_.

CHRIST'S TRIUMPHAL ENTRY INTO JERUSALEM

And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage,
unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples. Saying unto
them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall
find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose _them_, and bring _them_
unto me. And if any _man_ say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord
hath need of them; and straightway he will send them. All this was
done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet. And
the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them. And brought the
ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set _him_
thereon. And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way;
others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed _them_ in the
way. And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried,
saying, Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed _is_ he that cometh in
the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest. And when he was come
into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is this? And the
multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of
Galilee.--_St. Matt, xxi: 1-4., 6-11_.

* * * * *

_NOTE BY THE ARTIST_

_Had Jesus omitted to command to bring its mother along with the
colt, upon which he elected to ride, his disciples would probably
have brought her as a matter of course. It is the custom of the
country; and as journeys are accomplished at a walking pace, mares
and she-asses are frequently accompanied by their foals. It may be
n