The Diary of Evelyn Forrest’s Trip to Palestine
Sunday April 20, 1930
Easter — Jerusalem
Awake at daylight on this most important day of our trip. (5:30 a. m.) Up and ready to start for the service in the Garden Tomb.
(7:00 a.m.) 
Mr. Smalley conducted the service and Richard gave the message. He spoke with great liberty and a fresh anointing. A large crowd had gathered to worship the living Christ. “He is not here, He is risen!â€
After the service we had breakfast and then prepared for the 11 o’clock service in the American Church. Richard preached again to a large congregation. “Tharsio.â€
After lunch we started immediately for Beer-sheba, which is miles south west of Jerusalem. The road led through Bethlehem, Hebron, and the plains of Mamre (Gen. 18). It was a wonderful drive, cold, so we had to pull our coat collars close and wish for heavier wraps, but the scenery was beautiful. First over the rocky hill of Judea, not far below Bethlehem, we saw the ridge of mountains in which the Cave of Adullam is found. It is where David and his followers hid from Saul. The plains of Mamre are now covered with vineyards, every foot of ground is under cultivation; the rocks have been gathered and used to build terraces and walls. The whole plain is blossoming like a well-watered garden!
A Moslem Mosque high on the ridge near Hebron is said to mark the spot where Abraham’s oak once stood. We did not stop at Hebron on the way down for we were hurrying to reach Beer-sheba in time for the evening service in our chapel there. Mr. David Solomon, his wife and little daughter are stationed there.
(4:00 p. m.) We reached the ancient city and drove up to the Mission House. Mrs. Solomon served us tea. Then we took a walk around the city and visited an old well, which they claim dates back to the time of Abraham. It is true that Abraham dug wells at Beer-sheba, and the groves worn in the rocks all the way around the top of the well are sufficient evidence of antiquity.
Richard preached to the native congregation gathered in the chapel in the mission compound. David interpreted the message in Arabic. After the service seventeen bright young men gathered in the living room of the mission for a social chat. Mrs. Solomon served us Arabic coffee.
(9:00 p. m.) We had a big native dinner. . . . We retired immediately after that big dinner!