THE CEDAR OF LEBANON 



oft-frequented source. The mighty conquerors of 

 olden days, the despots of Assyria, the Pharaohs of 

 Egypt, the proud and idolatrous monarchs of Ju- 

 dah, the Hebrew Commonwealth itself, the warlike 

 Amorites of patriarchal times, and the moral maj- 

 esty of the Messianic Age, are all compared to the 

 towering Cedar in its regal loftiness and supremacy. 

 Its huge trunk, massive branches, great height, 

 wide-spreading, tabular, densely umbrageous crown, 

 dark green at all seasons, are so well known that 

 they have been condensed into the phrase "cedar- 

 like," in common use to-day by writers who wish 

 to portray the general aspect of certain trees. 

 Further, the colour, character, and peculiar fragrance 

 of the wood frequently mentioned by Old Testament 

 writers lead, both in ancient and modern times, to 

 the name "cedar" being given wide application. 

 To-day it is applied to a variety of trees, some 

 closely and others very remotely related to the true 

 Cedars. In fact, nowadays its use is far too am- 

 biguous and connotes little besides character of 

 wood and perhaps fragrance. It is, however, an 

 unconscious tribute to the reputation of the 

 Cedar of Lebanon so deeply established in the 

 minds of mankind and, perhaps, the most re- 

 nowned and most venerated natural monument in 

 the world. 



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