Image Description from historic lecture booklet: "Damascus lies on the western margin of the great Syrian desert in a plain of luxuriant verdure, surrounded on three sides by mountains thirty miles in extent. the district is regarded by the Arabs as an earthly reflection of Paradise--an orchard traversed by streams of flowing water. Damascus is supposed to be the oldest city in the world-- certainly the longest for continued existence. It was first mentioned in the Bible in Abraham's time (Gen. 14:15) It is altogether likely that Abraham stopped here on his way from UR of the Chaldees. It has successfully passed under the dominion of the Assyrian, Babylonians, Persians, Macedonians, Romans, Saracens, and finally was captured by the Turks in 1516. And today it is still the capital of nearly all Syria, and is the most populous and flourishing city of the East."
Image Description from historic lecture booklet: "The city of Beyrout was formerly called Berytus. It was named after Julia Augusta Felix Berytus, the daughter Emperor Augustus. It has about 120,000 inhabitants 38 Christian churches. The Christian element is growing stronger every year. Being the most important city on the Syrian coast of the Mediterranean, it is quite natural that it should become the center of missionary work."
