Wisconsin tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1847-1854, 1847-10-29


the mosque, built Of variegatcd marbles
and lis vast dome. and its noble marble
platform, with lis flights Of steps and light
arcades land the green lawn which slopes
away all round, and the row of cypress
trees under which a company of worship
ers were at their prayers. But how could
we, coming from a Christian land, attend
much to present things, when the sacred
/ past seemed spread before our eyes? I
was looking, almost all the while. to see
where the Sheepgate was, through which
the lambs for sacrifice were brought: and
the Watergate, through which the priest
went down to the spring of Sloan for
water for the ritual publication. saw
where the temple itself must have stood,
and planned how lar the outer courts ex-
tended - the Court of the Gentiles, the
Court of the Women, the Treasury. where
the chest stood on the right of the en-
trance, and the right hand might give
without the left hand knowing: and the
place where the scribes sat 10 teach, and
where Christ so taught in their Jealous
presence as to make converts Of those who
were sent 10 apprehend him. | saw the
place where the altar must have stood
and where arose, night and morning, for
long centuries, the smoke of the sacrifices.
saw where the golden vine must have
hung its clusters on the front of the Holy
Place, and where, again, the innermosl
chambers must have been = the Holy OF
Holes, the dweliing-pgce of Jehovah,
where none bat the High Priest might
enter, and he only once a year. Thes.
places have been familiar to ny minds
eye from my youth up almost as ia
mlliar as my own house and now look
ed al the very ground they had occupied
and the very scenery they had command
ed, with an emotion that the ignorant Of
careless reader of the New Testament
could hardly conceive Of And the review
of time was hardly less interesting than
that Of place. Here, my thoughts were
led back to The early days when David
and Solomon chose the ground, and lev
cled the summit of Mount Mori4h, and
began the Temple of Jehovah. | could
see the layishing of SoIomon's wealth
upon the edifice, and the fall of its pomP
under INVADERS who worshtpped the sun
and the rebuilding in the days of Nche-
miah, when the citizens worked on the
walls with arms in their girdIes; and in
the full glory and security as most Of
the Jews thought) of their Temple while !
they paid tribute to the Romans. @! the |
proud Mohammedans before my eyes
were very like the proud Jews who mock !
cd at the idea that their Temple should
be thrown down. I saw now the area
where they stood in their pride, and where
before a generation had passed away, no
stone was left upon another, and the ploW
was brought to tear up the last remains
of the foundations. Having witnessed
this heart-breakjng sight, the Jews were
banished from the city, and were not even
permitted to sec their Zion from afar of.
In the age Of Constantine they were al
lowed to appgoach SO as to see the city !
from the surrounding hills; - mournlui
liberty, like that Of permitting an exile 10
never to land. At length, the Jews were
allowed to purchase of the Roman sol
diers leave to enter Jerusalem once a year
- on the day when the city fell before
Titus.
And what to do? How did they spend
that one day of the year! l will tell for
l saw it, The mournful custom abides
to tnis day.
l have said how proud and prosperous
looked the mosque of Omar, with its
marble buildings, its green lawns, and its
gaily dressed peopIe-some at prayer an
der the expresses, some converslng under
the arcades - female davotees in white
sitting on the grass, and merry children
running on the slopes: - all these ready
and eager to stone to death, any Christ
ian or jew who should dare to set his foot
within the walls. This is what we saw
within. Next we went around the outside
till we came, by narrow crooked pass
age, to a desoIate spot, inhabited by des-
o!ate people. Under high, massive, and
very ancient wall was dusty narrow
space, Enclosed on the other side by the
backs Of modern dwellings. fl remember