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THE HOLY CITY*It*tidf©-i*ofel-ir-w,of20*liebe*stra50-00inbeid'gghfcnoseyt-f.Tbo JnWl I'llW’P Oi W*»liitf-t'*«na«i»luiu, J’alac# dt*«l«‘l «r Tower ofDmvJiI, MurlitUM, »nd Chim*li, at lulled l«j the llili(M»}« inFebruary, !«»»•Mb, Editor:-Before entering the city for the day we deem it proper to make some mention of the water supply, and climate fcf the country. Uain seldom falls from April till October, and during the interval clouds are seldom seen and the country soon becomes parched, and vegetation dry and burned with the exceeasive beat, except on the highlands, and alongthe banks of the fevr streams. The mean annual temperature at this city is tS2, at Jericho 72, and Bey rout 69 degrees. The long summer day is so hot and dry as to render work out of doors, or traveling, tedious, and perhaps dangerous, to visitors from northern climes, and consequently the early spi irg months are the most desirable'to visit the country, and in bo this regard we were exceedingly ft r-fcunate. At intervals during thespring and summer months the iSiroc co wind blows from the south and its character is best stated iu the following quotation from the Gospels. 14 When ye see the south wind blow then ye say there will te heat, and it cometh to pass,” and is correctly likened “unto the breath of a furnace.” In January and February snow falls in limited quantities, and ice forms in the pools, but soon gives way to the warm rays of the sun. The present winter is mentioned as having been unsualy cold, with falls of several inches of snow. During our stay the weather was warm and equable.—a cloudless sky, without rain cr frost. As you will anticipateiog the words of the Psalmist, which we quote: 44 O, God, the heathen nr* come into their inheritance; Thy holy temple have they defiled; they bavi laid Jerusalem on heaps; we are become a reproach to our neighbors, e scorn and derision to* them that are about us. How long, Lord? WiltTnou be angry forever? Shall Thyjealousy burn like a fire? ” They repeated the story of their former glory and confessed their sins with tear-and lamentations, with prayers calling upon the God of Abraham. Isaac and Jacob to remember and fulfil His* ancient promise to His chosen people Sitting on the ground were many old men and women repeating I he ■ promises with wailings and lamenta tions, while tears flowed freely dowrtheir wrinkled faces. On leaving*they were equally considerate, and we made note that considering the extreme old age of many, the wealth of the few, extreme poverty of many, the variety and singularity of the various costuti.es, eountres represented. bounded north by the eternal frosts of Siberia, and south by the Cape of Good Hope, all acting inunion and hqrnaony, performing theseextraordinary acts of devotion, thata scent; had passed before us, the likeor semblance of which we shall neveragain witness,On the southern brow ot Zion, andjust outside the walls, stands a group of buildings bearing the name of Caenaeulum. These buildiDgs, and the one next mentioned, have a his tory and interest second only to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. In an ** upper room ” is located the place where the Lord’s Sapper was instituted,. and from which it derives the name Caenaeulum We think a portion of its history will be interestingbut little water is found on this elevated range, and not one living foun- j Here the Virgin Mary is said to have tain of water exist* within the city. I died; the piece of the Martyrdom oi and only three are mentioned outssce St. Step tie n; where the Holy Ghost the walls, and are located in the lower part of the valley of Jebosaphat.The supply is collected in the time of winter rains in cisterns, one or more can be seen in each building. T* e water supply at our hotel was of this | character, but filtered by order of the | government, and thus rendered fairly good for the region. The winter rains had not yet fallen, and fears of a water famine were expressed. You will notice on entering the city that the streets are not straight, some are well, others badly paved and many without, ami rough. The projecting roofs of buildings entirely cover some, rendering them damp and slippery, and as all filth and garbage is thrown into them, and no cleaning done, it is not difficult to imagine their bad condescended upon the Apostles; the place where the Apostles concealed themselves with closed doors when Jesus stood m the midst of them and said, Peace bo unco you, and wnen He again appeared ^Thomas put his finger into His side, and into the place of the nails; here be supped with his dimples before the Passion and washed their feet, and the marble is shown on which He supped. Under the buildings are many vaults. One is pointed out as containing the tombs of David and Solomon, and over it a guard is stationed. Others are said to contain the remains of St Stephen, Ki cod emus, Gamaliel and many others Oyer these vaults is a room 50 by 30 feet, at one end is a niche, where at stated times Chris-dition, and it is perhaps needless to tians are permitted to celebrate mass, add that the smells* encountered in | at the other is a still larger one forMuslim uses, who have the control of ttie buildings. It is by their permission that the Latin Monks are permitted to visit, and.where they stih practice the washing of pilgrims feet on Maundy Thursday, A short dishot weather m the Holy City are not more agreeable than those met elsewhere. The Jew* of Palestine are not natives and represent every country on the globe, and reside almost exclusively m the four holy cities Jerusalem, Hebron, Tiberias, and Safet. The Jews of Damascus and Aleppo are men of gr^at wealth and where she spent the last years of I influence, being generally bankers, life and speak Arabic. Tfcoir number m the country is estimated at 12,000 and is believed to be increasing, and wealthy Jews residing in various countries send contributions which is used in educating Jewish children,He*’© they have three principal syna-aame Muristan, which meins madhouse. History elate* that A. D. 1050 wealthy men of Amalfi built on this spot homes of refuse for pilgrima visiting Jerusalem. The one 1 uiln for women was dedicated to St, Mary *fagdalen and the one for men to St John the Baptist. The celebrated Knightly Order of St. John of Jeru--lilem originated here, and whose Members took vowa of poverty, chastity and obedience, and whose dress was a black robe with a white crosson the left br-ast. When Saladin*entered Jerusalem in A, D. 1187 ho odged in the Crusaders Hospice on his site, and afterward he gave the whole area as an endowment to the Great Mosque of Omar. The Sultan as recently given the same to the Imperial Crown Prince of Germany, and at the time he visited the Holy l^and, and a German church will soon be built on the spot.During recent excavations a large uiar.de column was unearthed, cover'd with inscriptions in Latin, and re-ords the taking of the city by Titus i.he( Roman Emperor, and has beei* erected in the center of one of the principal streets.-v\’e will conclude after making some mention of the Christian churches. First the Greek church is the strongest branch, and has 18 monasteries, with ehurehes, schools, hospital printing press, and Hospices of sufficient capacity to nccommocate 3,000 pilgrims ot one time, and if anyone Is destitute they will be lodged gratis and they kc-'p a kitchen where the poor pilgrim may buy food at cost prices, and also maintain a school for the education of Arab children. They are native Arabs speaking the language of the country, and having their own married clergy, and the Patriarch of Jerusalem is their head. The Patriarch, superior clergy, and monks are foreigners from the Greek Islands and speak the Greek language Their number is given at about 1,800. The Armenians are a branch of this church and numberabout 300, and are all foreigners engaged m tjjade, and their spiritual ruler is styled Patriarch of Jernsa-lepi. They have a convent on Mt Zion, and is one of the largest and richest m the city, and its church is dedicated to St Jamesand takes rank with the most gorgeous They have accommodations lor 1,000 pilgrims, a museum, seminary, photographic studio, and printing-press. Toe Latins are mainly seceders from the Greek church, and natives of Syria, and speak the Arabic language, their ecxesiaatical establishments are known as Terra Santa convents, and are.under the superintendence o a waro**n, and a Latin Patriarch is appointed for Jerusalem and he has spiritual oversight of the county, butno of the convh ts. The Catho ics have five churches, monasteries, convents, hospital, printing press, and several large schools. As we havetance north of the buildings is shown stated tbt} church aodthe site of the Virgin’s residence, nod °P « home 13 1 (‘‘ued near the JaffaI f, i-Near the /Aon Gate is located a building Defiled “The Palace of Cai-phas under the control of the Aruie mans and where they will show you the stone that once closed the door of the Sepulchre, and here for the second time your attention will be called gogues and many small ones. The i t° a prison in which they allege Jesusstatement was made that they are j not permitted to pass the church of jwas confined.Gate. The Ri-hop is consecrated in Eng’and having head quarters here, and takes charge of all Church of England Churches in Syria, Egypt and Asia Minor. Tim German Templars aie a secular body, and have schools here, at Jaffa and Carmel, and they believe that the time has come for repeqplmg aad civilizing anew Palestine. At the British Consulate a literary and scientific society meet*The pilgrim will.now he shown the ! and have a library which is openthe Holy Sepulchre, for the reason 1 where Peter stood'when he de-they crucified Jesus, and are excluded nied his Master, and the stone on from entering the idararo, and view-j which the cock was roosting when he ing the spot where once stood Kitig.crew? and in the hillside near at handdaily.Solomon's Temple, and until recently Christians were excluded, but are now admitted on payment of a fee. The rules, or regulations, are sever**, and do not accord with true Christian charity.It being Friday we must first go to the “Jews Place of Wailing.” It is located in the Jewish quarters, oh the lower slope of Mt. Zion, on the out side of the south-west wall of the Ha-ram, in a retired place. Here is the only spot where they are permitted to freely assemble, look at, touch, and weep oyer the old stones hewn and laid in this ancient wall by their ancestors. Moving with a crowd along a n«rrow and filthy lane we arrive at a quadrangular paved area, on one side bounded with low houses, and the Haram on the other, In the wall are five courses of large levelled stones of ancient appearance and worn, and a few partially displaced. We were politely received, and chairs provided for our use from adjoining bouses, with copies of the Old Testament in Hebrew handed u», some of the party were able to read them, others not, Here was to be seen pil* grims*oflboth sexes, of all ages and conditions, • and representing every quarter of the globe, raising a voice of wailing over what they believe tobe a desolate and dishonored sanctuary, Notfbeing able I to read the Hebrew, wetbad to retort to our guide book,*and|leaniedIthey were repeat-is a cave where Peter hid himself after he denied his Master.*The Cite del, as it is now designated, Stands near the Jaffa Gate and forms part of thowall. Informer days it was called the Tower of David, and occupies the site of the more ancient Tower of Hippieus, which was built by Herod the Great. The lower portion is constructed of bevelled stones measuring from 9 to 33 feet in length, and four feet wide, and this Is also considered ancient wall. The heigth of the antique part is 40 feet above the fosse, and the tower called David rises still 29 feet, and made of solid stone, andl from its top another fine view can be taken. The foundation is formed of natural rock hewn into shape, and faced with masonry, and looks as if it was sufficient to withstand the effect of the ancient battering ram. It is garrisoned by Turkish soldiers, and every morning during our stay they pissed out at the Jaffa Gate, and were drilled on the common in front of the hotel, the music was enlivening to the strangers, and the soldiers appeared wellfor the kind of people.Entering^ narrow street taking usthrough one end of the square of the Holy Sepulchre, and not far from the church are several large buildings, and immense piles of ruins, and designated “The Muristan” One of the buildings in old times was used as an asylum for the iiuane, and henoe thehka01 4tlPCtbvI£nI91yoilA»UAItlb8c
Newspaper Details
Hornellsville Weekly Tribune
Hornellsville, New York, US
Fri, Jul 20, 1888
Page 2
Full Page
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GB 18 Jun 2021
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