New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-08-21

silver star, which the Greeks stole from the shrine
Of the Nativity, at Bethlehem. The Lstins, how
ever, not long since demolished ri et arBs a chap
Ell which the Greeks commenced buildngo on Mount
Zion. But il the employment of material weap-
ons has been abandoned for the time, there is none
ihe less war OF words and of sounds still going
on. Go into thu Holy Sepuchre, when mass Is
icing celebrated, and yea can scarcely endure the
din. No sooner does the Greek choir begin its
shrll chant than the Latins fy to the assault,
They have an organ, and terribly does that organ
strain It's bellows and labor its pipes to drown the
rival singing. You think the Latns will carry
the day, when suddenly the cymbaIs Of the Abysin-
ians strike in with harsh brazen cang, and for the
moment triumph. But there are Copts, and Ma
ronites, and Armenians, and know not how many
other sects who must have their share, and the
service that should have been many toned har-
mony, pervaded By one grand spirit of devotion.
becomes discordant orgy betting the rites Of
Belial.
A long time ago-I do not know the precise
number Of years-the Sultan granted frman, in
answer to the application of both Jews and Chris
tians, allowing the members of each sect to put
to death any person belonging to the other sect,
who should be found inside Of their churches or
synagogues. The irman has never been recalled,
though in every place but Jerusalem it remains
dead letter. Here, although the Jews freely per-
nit Christians to enter their synagogue, Jew
who should enter the Holy Sepulchre would be
lucky if he escaped with his life Not long since,
an English gentleman, who was taken by the
monks for Jew, was so severely beaten that ne
was confined to bed for two months. What worse
than scandal, what abomination, that the spot
looked upon by so many Christians as the most
awfuy sacred en- earth, should be the scene of
such british intolerance never pass the group
of Turkish officers, quietly smoking their long
pipes and slipping their coffee within the vestibule
Of the Church, without feeling of humiliation.
Worse than the money-changers whom Christ
scourged out Of the Temple, the guardians of this
edifce make use Of His crucifxOn and resurrec
ton, as a means Of GAIN You may buy piece
of the stone covering the Holy Sepulchre, duly
certified by the Greek Patriarch OF Jerusalem, for
about s.. At Bethlehem, which | visited this
morning, the Latin monk who showed US the man.
ger, the pit where 10000 innocents were barred,
and other things, had much less to say Of the sa-
credness or authenticity Of the place, than of the
injustice of allowing the Greeks share in its pos
session.
made the round of the Holy Sepulchre on
Sunday, while the monks were celebrating the
festival of the Invention of the Cross in the chapel
of the Empress Helena. AS the finding of the
cross by the Empress is almost the only author
ity for the places inclosed within the Holy Sc
pulchre went there inclined to doubt their au-
thentcity, and came away with my doubt vastly
increased. The building is a confused labyrinth
of chapes, choirs, shrines, starcases and vaults
without any definite plan or any architectural
beauty, though very rich in parts and fall of pic
turesque effects. Golden lamps continually burn
before the sacred places, and you rarely visit it
without seeing some procession of monks, with
crosses censers and tapers, threading the shad-
owy passages, from shrine to shrine. 1t is aston
ishing how many localities are assembled under
one roof At first, you are shown the stone on
which Christ re sted from the burden of the cross
then, the place where the soldiers cast lots for
his garments, both Of them adjoining the Sepul-
chre. After seeing this, you are taken to the
Pillar of Flagelaton; the stocks the place of
browning with thorns the spot where lie met
His mother; the cave where the Empress Helena
found the cross: and lastly, the summit of Mount
Calvary. The Sepulchre is a small marble build
ing in the center of the church. We removed
our shoes at the entrance, and were taken by a
Greek monk, first into a sort of ante. chamber
lighted with golden lamps, and having in the CEN
ter. inclosed in case of marble, the stone on
which the angel sat- STOPPING through low
door, we entered the Sepulchre itself. Forty
lamps Of gold burn uEceasngly above the white
marble slab, which, as the monks say, protects
the stone wherein the body Of Christ was laid.
Az we again emerged our guide led us up fight
of steps to second story, ia which stood a
shrine, literally blazing with gold. Kneeng or
the marble floor, he removed golden shield and
showed us the hole in the rock Of Calvary, where
the cross was planted. Close beside it was the
assure produced by the earthquake which follow
the crucifXiOn. But to my eyes, aided by the
light Of dim taper, it was no violent rup-
ture, such an earthquake would produce and
the rock did not appear to be the same as that OF
which Jerusalem is built. As we turned to leave,
water, which he sprnkled on our hands, bestow-
ing double portion on a rosary of sandal wood
which carried But it was Mahometan rosary,
brought from Mecca, and containing the sacred
number Of ninety nine beads.
have not space here to state all the arguments
for and against the localities in the Holy Sepul-
chre. ] came to the conclusion that none Of
them were authentic, and am glad to have the
concurrence of such distinguished authority as
DIR. Robinson. So far at this being a matter Of
regret for one, rejoice that those sacred spots
are lost to the world. Christianity does not need
them, and they arc spared daily proclamation in
the name Of religion. We know that Christ has
walked on the Mount Of Olives, and gone down to
the Pool Of Sloan, and tarred in Bethany; we
know that here, within the circuit OF our vision,
He has suffered agony and death, and that fro n