Christianity is an out-of-doors religion. From the birth in the grotto at Bethlehem (where Joseph and Mary took refuge because there was no room for them at the inn) to the crowning death on the hill of Calvary outside the city wall, all of its important events too place out–of-doors. Except the discourse in the upper chamber at Jerusalem, all of its great words, from the sermon on the mount to the last commission of the disciples, were spoken in the open air. How shall we understand it unless we carry it under the free sky and interpret it in the companionship of nature? -from the Preface A popular pastor, poet, and educator at the turn of the 20th century, Henry Van Dyke journeyed to Palestine and returned with a renewed vision of and devotion to Christianity. An appreciator of nature from earliest childhood, he brings a unique perspective to this storied land, offering impressions of travel in body and spirit that continue to inspire pilgrims and secular tourists alike. From the imposing immensity of the solitary, regal plateau of Judea to the close intimacy of the narrow, steep, slippery streets of Jerusalem, this 1908 book is like no other you’ll find about the Holy Land, one that finds new faith and fresh wisdom in old land and ancient sky. Also available from Cosimo Classics: Van Dyke’s The Spirit of America and The Spirit of Christmas OF INTEREST TO: students of Christianity, armchair travelers