THERE are so many excellent works upon Palestine and the East that I would have hesitated to ask a welcome for this volume by the reading public had it not seemed to me that there was a place that had not been filled. Our generation has witnessed such a recognition of the literary, religious and social needs of the "Young Folks" as the world has never before known. Great libraries of books have been written to meet and direct their tastes; great periodicals have appealed to them for support; young people's societies have been everywhere encouraged, and the Christian Endeavor movement has within a few years gathered more than a million members. Yet, amid the, vast mass of literature prepared for Christian young people we do not find a satisfactory account of that portion of the world which has been hallowed forever by the feet of our Lord, his Apostles, and other chosen men of God.

      I do not forget the well written "Family Journey" of Edward Everett Hale, but one who reads it for information concerning the East is disappointed. The description of the countries visited is subordinate to the story, and when one has finished it he has much more vivid impressions of the adventures of the "Horners" and "Stuyvesants" than of Egypt and [3] Palestine. Yet any work that will serve to interest Young Folks in Bible Lands is a gain. It is impossible to trace the footsteps of Christ and the Apostles, and to visit the scenes rendered sacred by their history, without a deeper, more living interest in their lives. "Palestine," says Renan, "is a Fifth Gospel." It is a "Gospel" which brings nearer to us, as a real, living presence, Him who lived at Nazareth, sailed on Galilee, preached in the Temple, and suffered on Calvary.

      In this work, while I have endeavored to write in a very simple style, easily understood by the young reader, and to present the facts in an attractive shape, my primary object his been to convey such information as would give a correct and satisfactory conception of the East as it is today. I was attended on my recent tour by several friends who were still young enough to be eager inquirers after historical as well as geographical knowledge of the countries visited. These appear in almost every chapter; their occasional adventures serve to give a little spice to the story of travels, and their inquiries and conversation bring out many of great interest. These friends, who will recognize themselves in the names of "Will," "David" and "Bayard," were very agreeable traveling companions, and it adds very much to the pleasure of recalling the scenes visited that they revive also memories of such pleasant companionship.

      This work begins with our arrival upon the coast of Asia. Before landing at Smyrna, we had visited Great Britain, the countries of Western Europe, Switzerland, Italy and Greece. We had looked upon [4] and studied the various localities in Italy and Greece which are connected with New Testament history; among them Rome, Puteoli, Corinth and Athens. We subsequently visited Egypt. This portion of our tour is omitted from this volume, which confines itself to Asia. Should this work be greeted with such a reception as to show that it has met a need, another volume, one upon European and Egyptian travel, may follow in the course of time.

      While the Young Folks have been constantly kept in view in the preparation of these pages, the author thinks that they will also interest older persons. I do not think it presumptuous to say that one can find few works which will give the average reader clearer views of Palestine and the most famous localities mentioned in the Word of God. Indeed, this volume will be found to contain some information found in no similar work. The excursions to Tarsus and Antioch are out of the usual line of travel. In conclusion, I assure the reader that while the conversation sometimes reported is a device for bringing out the facts, the most conscientious regard for accuracy in the details concerning the Lands, its people, and its history, have been impressed upon every page. [5]

[YFBL 3-5]