Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1858-06-08
BULWER on THE DESTRUCTION OF
JERUSALEM

JERUSALEM.
lew weeks ago. Sir l.. Bulwer Lytton de-
llvered lecture in Lincoln, which city he has
1or number of years represented in Parlia-
Peht; lie gave an outline of the history of the
DaDylOnlan, AsSyrian, Persian Egyptian
Ureek and jewish nations and closed with the
l0lioWlng powerful and dramatic description of
the destruction OF Jerusalem by Titus:
Slx years after the birth Of our Lord Judea
ana Samaria became Roman province, under
subordinate governors, the most famous of
WnOm was POntiuS Plate These governors be-
came so oppressive that the Jews broke out into
rebellion; and seventy years after Christ Jeru-
salem was finally besieged by I titus afterwards
Emperor of Rome. No tragedy on the STAGE
mas the same scenes OF appalling terror as are to
be found IN the history of this siege The city
itself was rent by factions at the deadIiest war
win each other; all the elements Of civil hatred
had broke loose; the streets were slippery with
the blood OF citizens; brother slew brother: the
granarles were set on fire: famine wasted those
whom the sword did not STAY. In the midst of
these civil massacres, the Roman armies ap-
peared before the walls ef Jerusalem Then
for short time the rival factions united against
the common foe; they were again the gallant
cOuntrymen of David and JOshua-they Sailed
forth and scattered the eagles OF Rome But
this triumph was brief; the ferocity of the i'll
fated Jews soon again wasted itself on each
other. And Titus marched On-encamped his
the Roman general gaZed with awe on the
strength and splendor of the city of jehovah
Let US here pauSe-and take, ourselves a
mOurnful glance at Jerusalem, rs il then was
The city was fortified by triple wall save on
one side, where 1t was protected by deep and
impossible ravineS. These walls, of the most
solid masonry, were guarded by strong towers:
opposite to the lOftieSt of these towers Titus
had encamped. From the height of that tower
the sentinel might have seen stretched below
the whole Of that fair territory of Judea. about
to pass from the cOuntrymen Of David With
In these walls was the palace Of the kings-its
roof OF cedar, its doors of the rarest marbles,
Its chambers filed with the costliess tapestries
and vessels Of gold and silver Groves and
gardens cleaning with fountains adorned with
statues OF bronze, divided the courts of the pal
ace itself But high above all, upon n precipi-
tous rock, rose the temple fortified and adorned
by Solomon This temple was as strong with
out as cltadel-within moro sdOrned than
palace On entering. you behold porticOs of
numberless columns Of porphyry. marble and
alabaster; gates adorned with gold and silver
among which was the wonderful gate called
the Beautiful. Further on. through a vast arch
was the sacred portal which admitted into the
Interior of the temple itSelf-all sheeted over
wIth gold. and oyerhung by vine tree of gold
the branches OF which were as large as a man
Ihe roof OF the temple even on the outside, was
over with golden spikes, to prevent the birds
settling there and defling the holy dome At
distance. the whole temple look ked like a mount
OF snow, fretted with golden pinaces But
alas the veil OF that temple had already been
rent aSunder BY an inexpiable crime and the
Lord of Hosts did not fight with Israel But the
enemy Is laundering at the wall. All around
the city rose immense machines, from which
Titus poured down mighty fragments Of rock
and showers of fire. The walls gave way
the city was eEtered-the temple itself was
stOrmed. Famine in the meanwhile had made
such havoc, that the beSieged were more like
sPeetres than living men they deycured the
belts TO their swords, the sandals to their feet
Even nature itself so perished away, that mo-
tner deyOured her own infant; fulfilling the awful
words OF the wsrlike prophet who had first led
the Jews towards the land of promise The
tender and de'.cIte women amongst you. who
would not adventure to set the sole of her foot
upon the ground for delicateness and tenderness
her eye shall be evil towards her young one
and the children that she shall bear for she
shall eat them tor want of all things secretly in
the siege and straitness wherewith thine enemy
shall distress thee in thy gates STILL as if the
Toe and the famine was not scourge enou Oh
citizens smOte and murdered each other as thew
met In the way-false prophets ran bowling
through the streets-eyery image Of despair
completes the CHASTITY picture of the fall of Je-
rusalem. And now the temple was set on fire,
the jews rushing through the flames to perish
the 10th Of August; the whole hill on which
stood the temple was one gigantic blaze OF fire
the roofs OF cedar craShed-the golden pin
acles Of the dome were like spikes of crimson
fame. Through the lurId atmosphere all was
carnage and Slaughter the echoes of shrieks
and yells rang back from the Hill of Zion and
the Mount of Olives. Amongst the smoking
ruins, and over piles Of the dead, Titus planted
the standard Of Rome. Thus were fulfilled the
last avenglng prOphecies-thus perished Jeru-
salem In that dreadful day, men still were
living who might have heard the warning voice
ot him they crucifed-' Verify say unto you
all. these things shall come upon this genera
ton. OJerusalem. Jerusalem thou
that kilIest the prophets and stOnest them that
are sent to thee behold your house
u left unto you desolatel' y And thus were the
Hebrew people scattered over the face Of the
earth, still retaining to this hour their mySte-
riOus identity-still living proof Of those
prophets they had scOrned or slain--still vainly
awaiting that Messiah whose divine mission
was fulfilled eighteen centuries ago, upon
Mount Calvary
~ The London Express gives the following