“Woman, believe me, the hour is near
     When He, if ye rightly would hail him,
   Will neither be worshipped exclusively here. 
     Nor yet at the altar of Salem.

   For God is a spirit, and they, who aright
     Would perform the pure worship he loveth
   In the heart’s holy temple will seek with delight
     That spirit the Father approveth.”

Through the knowledge of Christ obtained by the Samaritan woman in this conversation, many of her sect were induced to believe on him.

Shechem, or Sichem, is a very ancient place; though we do not find it mentioned as a city until the time of Jacob, who purchased a piece of land, and dug the well of which we have just spoken.  The city lay between the two mountains Ebal and Gerizim.  It was made a city of refuge.  Joshua 20:  7. 21. 20, 21.  Quite a number of events mentioned in the Old Testament occurred here.  It was at Shechem Joshua met the assembled people for the last time.  It was here that Rehoboam was made king, and the ten tribes rebelled.

In after time Shechem became the chief seat of the people who thenceforth bore the name of Samaritans.  They were made up in part of emigrants from other eastern nations.  When the Jews returned from their long captivity in Babylon, and began to rebuild Jerusalem and their temple, the Samaritans desired to aid them in their work.  “Let us build with you,” was their request.  The Jews refused to admit them to this privilege; hence a strong hatred between the two sects arose.  The Samaritans erected their temple on Mount Gerizim.

Shechem received the new name of Neapolis from the Greeks—­a name which it retains to the present day.  The city has passed through many changes, which, had we time to recount them, might be of deep interest to the reader.  But it would take a larger space to do this than we can now occupy.  The Samaritans are still here; but their number now is small, not exceeding one hundred and fifty.  They have a synagogue, where they preserve several ancient copies of the books of Moses, and among them one ancient manuscript which they believe to be three thousand four hundred and sixty-five years old, saying it was written by Abishua, the son of Phinehas (1 Chron. 6:  3, 4.) The manuscript, so travellers who have seen it say, is very ancient; but they do not all think it so old as the Samaritans pretend it is.

Mount Gerizim is still held in great veneration by the Samaritans.  Four times a year they ascend it in solemn procession, to worship.  The old feeling of hostility between them and the Jews is still existing.

The city of Neapolis, or, as the Arabs call it, Nablous, is long and narrow, stretching close along the northeast base of Mount Gerizim.  The population is about eight thousand souls, all Mohammedans, with the exception of about five hundred Greek Christians, and the one hundred and fifty Samaritans already mentioned.  Those who have taken part in its eventful past history are gone.  But never shall be heard there a more glorious voice than that which uttered those sublime words of heavenly truth to the woman at Jacob’s well.