Massachusetts spy and Worcester advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1823-1825, 1824-03-24
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FROM THE HAMPSHIRE (NAss.) GAZETTE.
JERUSALEM.

JERUSALEM.
Jerusalem occupies the eastern de.
clvlty of barren mountain, and from
lis eleveted situation, the climate is
comparatively cold, and the ground is
sometimes covered with snow. 1t is 81
miles east of the Mediterranean, and %
west of the river Jordan. Its latitude
is nearly the same with that of Savan-
nah in Georgia. The present walls
were built in the 18th century, by Soil
man the Magnificent Emperor of the
Turks, and are composed of Reddish
treestone.. DR.. Richardson says they
are composed OF limestone.) Jerusalem
does not ADM: of defence, being com
manded by the neighbouring heights.
The boundaries of the present city do
not correspond with the ancient limits.
Two thirds of the hill of Zion are now
excluded from the city. Calvary, or
Golgotha, where Christ was cruci6ed,
was situated without the walls, but the
hill now called Calvary, where the
tomb OF the Saviour is shown to the pill
grim, is within the city. Many travel
lers, however, doubt the identity ofAis
tomb.
The most beautiful building in Jeru-
salem is the Mosque of Omar, which oc-
cupies the site of Solomon's Temple Oh
Moriah. 1t is group of mosques, e.
rected at different times, in an enclos-
ure 1869 feet long by 825 broad. The
two most NE gnifcenl buildings are called
Ell .AkSa and el Sahara. The latter is an
octagonal temple, having eight sides Of
81 feet each, and is 1859 feet in diam
eter. 1t is surmounted by superb Gu
pola, elevated 50 feet. 1t is built over
the rock Sahara, where the Mahome-
tans pretend 10 show the print of their
prophets foot, protected by a cage of
gilt wire. They are taught to beneye
that this rock is surrounded by "a guard
OF 10000 angels. Near the rock, in
the pavement, is piece of green mar
bic, fastened down by four or FIVE gilt
nails, which, they affirm, is the gate of
Paradise They relate that the devil
once removed some of the nails in at
tempting to pass, but was overheard.
and beaten back forever. In this tenn
pie there is a Koran four feet long and
two and a half broad. Every night.
1870 lamps are lighted up here, and
IT'S in the mosque Aksa. No Christian
is permitted TO set his feet within the
walls of Moriah on pain of death.
When Jerusalem was under the do
minion of the Christians in the 18th
century, the Mosque of Omar was con-
verted into a Church, but after the city
was retaken by the Saracens, the mos
| que was consecrated TO God and Ma.
homet, and the golden cross, which gilt
tered on its dome, was cast down and
dragged through the streets.
Jerusalem has experienced a great
variety of changes, since the time OF
Christ. 1t was destroyed by the Ro-
mans, A. d. 70--no fewer than HOO
600 of the Jews persisted, and a final
period was put 10 their national exls-
tence. In the year l18, the Emperour
Adrian, being incensed by the turbulent
spirit OF the Jews, made complete de-
vastation of the city, and sowed it with
salt. he rebuilt it in the year 1874, es-
tablished Roman colony in it, aud ded-
lcated temple TO Jubiter. The Jews
destroyed the new city, which was cal
led Aelia Capitoina, but Adrian once
more restored it, and forbid the Jews
from entering the city, or looking at it
on pain of death. In the wear 326,
Helena, the mother of Constantine, the
first Christian Emperor. discovered, as
is pretended, the true Cross, in cave
on Mount Calvary, and ordered mag.
nlhcent Church to be erected on the
spot. called the Church ofthe Holy Sep.
ulchre. Jerusalem, under the protec-
ton OF Constantine, became splendid
Christian city, aud piIgrimages soon
rose into vogue, and have continued to
the present day. In 1862, the Emperour
Jnllan, who hated the Christians and
tavoured the Jews, made an attempt to
rebuild the temple, but was prevented
as some authors relate, by fiery erup-
lions from The earth. In Gil, the Per-
SLAMS took Jerusalem, and almost des-
troyed the Holy Sepulchre and the
Churches of Constantine aud Helena.
and carried the true Cross, SO called, to