Such are the "chief sights" in Nazareth which the Latin Church has to show, and in which it glories. The Greek Church, also, has something to exhibit, for she too has lier Church of the Annunciation. It is lo- cated over a foinitain, said to be that mentioned in one of the apocryphal gospels as adjoining the scene of that event. It is at a short distance from the present pub- lic fountain, and is sometimes distinctively called the Chapel of the Angel (iabriel.
Two localities possess, though in different ways, a certain interest which no one will fail to recognise. One of these is the "Foinitain of the Virgin," situated at the north-eastern extremity of the town, where, ac- cording to one tradition, the mother of Jesus received the angel's salutation (Luke i, 28). Though we may attach no importance to this latter belief, we must, on other accounts, regard the spring with a feeling akin to that of religions veneration. It derives its name from the fact that JIary, during her life at Naxareth, no doubt accompanied often by "tlic child Jesus," must have been accustomed to repair to this fountain for Avater. as is the practice of the women of tliat village at the present day. Certainly, as Dr. Clarke observes {Trai-ch, ii, 427), "if there be a spot tliroughout the Holy Land that was undoubtedly honored by her pres- ence, we may consider this to have been the place ; be- cause the situation of a copious spring is not liable to change, and because the custom of repairing thither to draw water has been continued among the female in- habitants of Nazareth from the earliest period of its his- tory." The well-worn path which leads thiliier from the town has been trodden bv the feet of almost count-
less generations. It presents at all hours a busy scene, from the number of those, hurrying to and fro, engaged in the labor of water-carrying. (See the cut, vol. iii, p. G32, of this Ci/dop(ccUa.^
The other place is tliat of the attempted Precipita- tion. We arc directed to the true scene of this occur- rence, not so much by any tradition as by internal in- dications in the Gospel history itself. A prevalent opin- ion of the country has transferred the event to a hill about two miles south-east of the town. I5ut tliere is no evidence that Nazareth ever occupied a different site from the present one; and that a mob, whose determi- nation was to put to death the object of their rage, should repair to so distant a place for that purpose is entirely incredible. The present village, as already stated, lies along the hill-side, but much nearer the base than the summit. Above the bulk of the town are several rocky ledges over which a person could not be thrown without almost certain destruction. Ihit tliere is one very remarkable precipice, almost perpendicular and forty or lifty feet high, near the JIaronite church, which may well be supposed to be the iilentical one over which the infuriated townsmen of Jesus attempted to hurl him. The singular precision with which the nar- rative relates the transaction deserves a remark or two. Casual readers would understand from the account that Nazareth was situated on the summit, and that (he jieo- ple brought Jesus ilown thence to the brow of the hill as if it were between the town and the valley. If these inferences were correct, the narrative and the locality would then be at variance with each other. Even He- land (^Palcest, p. 905) says: ""SaZapt^ — urbs tvdilicata super riipem, iinde Christum precipilare conati sunt." But the language of the evangelist, when more closely examined, is found neither to require the inferences in question on the one hand, nor to exclude them on the other. What he asserts is that tlie incensed crowd "rose up and cast .Fesus out of the city, and brouglit him Uf the brow of the hill on which the city was built, that they might cast him down headlong." It will be remarked here, in the first ])laco, that it is not said tliat the peoi)le eitiier went iiji or descended in or- der to reach the precipice, but simply that they took
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the Saviour to it, wherever it was; and, in the second place, that it is not said that the city was built "on the brow of the hill," but equally as well that the precipice was " on the brow," without deciding whether the cliff overlooked the town (as is the fact) or was below it. It will be seen, therefore, how very nearly the terms of the history approach a mistake and yet avoid it. As Paley remarks in another case, none but a true account could advance thus to the very brink of contradiction without falling into it. See Precipitation'.
5. Present Condition. — Modern Nazarethi belongs to the better class of Eastern villages. It has a popu- lation of 3000 or 4000 : a few are Mohammedans, the rest Latin and Greek Christians. There is one mosque, a Franciscan convent of huge dimensions, but display- ing no great architectural beauty, a small Slaronite church, a Greek church, and perhaps a church or chapel of some of the other confessions. Protestant missions have been attempted, but with no very marked suc- cess. Most of the houses are well built of stone, and have a neat and comfortable appearance. As streams in the rainy season are liable to pour down with vio- lence from the hills, every " wise man," instead of build- ing upon the loose soil on the surface, digs deep, and lays his foundation upon the rock (l-rvi t))v Trirpai') which is found so generally in that country at a certain depth in the earth. The streets or lanes are narrow antl crooked, and after rain are so full of mud and mire as to be almost impassable.