Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1869-06-02
Scene at the Holy Sepulchre.


But my Copt guide came across
me in my hidiag-place, and thinking
doubtless, that one could be learning
nothing of Jerusalem in a dark cafe
he insisted that ! should 90 with him
to the holy sepuchre, where a grand
mass was ON the point of being per
formed. Passing through the narrow
streets again, / entered into an open
court, from the busiest parts of the
bazaar, and found the avenues lined
with pretty Syrian women, who offer
ed for sale olivc-wood rosaries and
crosses, shells from the Dead Sea, oak
of Mamre, boxes from Hebron, carved
relics from the grotto at Bethlehem,
ard. In fine aouuonirs fro ~. o,-ary holy
spot in Palestine but j soon forgot
their clamors, at the strange sight OF
tho Turkish guard, as turned an
angle directly fronting the entrance
TO the Sepnlchre. In the recess were,
at least, ffty soldiers, heavily armed
with great pistols and curved sabres
some were lolliDg on mats, listening
TO tales OF love and war, Others were
smoking and talking; but all this
clanking of sabres, and cleaning OF
atagans, grated harsbly on my most
sacred pilgrim dreamings; but soon
learned that these guards of Turks
were necessary TO prevent the Christ.
ians from cutting each others throats.
1t is, alas, too truel A pilgrim from
one country believes the pilgrim from
another to be barbarian and a cheat,
and is sure TO be eternally damned
the monk Of Madrid scowls on the
monk Of Gareb as on a man who is
hnrrying to his bed of everlasting fire,
and the feeling between Irish landlords
and tenants is fraternal compared with
the bitterness Of heart in which Greek
bishop speaks Of an Armenian friar.
Nothing but shrugs and curses-in a
Galilean, not Christian spirit-that
men meet each at this tomb Latin
encounters Copt; Greek, HISTORIAN
each asserts that the other is an in
truder into the Holy House-their
salutations are scowls of hate, their
worship is scufile What wonder,
then. that the SCARED negroes and
hired bashi- bazouks despise the Christ
ians, and call them "dogs," when their
presence is daily required to prevent
disgraceful fightg Let me give you
an example The Copts are worship
ping before the shrine; long before
they have finished their service Of
sixty minutes, the Amenians have
gathered in numbers about their choir
mot to join them in prayers, but TO
hum profane airs, to hiss the priests,
and 10 jabber, jest, and snarl at their
rvals--for the lore Of Christ. As the
hour draws near for the first party to
cease, the parties Of the second part
commence TO crowd, and push into
their plaees--one side trying TO stay
vnv rruond Of time beyond thoir right
the other endeavoring to dispossess
them a second before they are bound
to retire-to steal an instant from the
false, is surely triumph for the true
church. But the instant these priests
and worshippers come to blows-an
affair of candles, crooks, and crueifixes
tho Turkish guard is amongst them,
and the ferocious rivals complete their
services under the protection of a line
of Moslem matchlocks. "AUdh.H-
AHdhl There is no God but God, and
Mohdmmed is HIS prophet " The
Christians cry out: "Why has our
ark been taken from usY Is the Turk
better guard for the Tomb Of Christ
than the Nazarene 7" The facts an
swer, Under the Moslem rule, each
and every tribe or people Of the earth
can come in whatever tongue or ritual
they may use, and offer praises TO our
Father who is in heaven. How, under
Christian ruleY Would the Russian
divide his privilege with a Frank
Would the Greek kneel with the Copt
The American Methodist with the
Spanish CatholicY No. The vices oI
jealousy and hatred, born in the pride
of creed, show themselves too plainly
here, where, above all places on the
earth, the hearts of men should be
full OF charity and love.-AppletonS
Journal.