The Republican journal., 1870-05-19
JERUSALEM IN THE FIRST CHRISTIAN
CENTURY.
From Harper's MONTH

In the first century of the Christian era the civil
lied world rested in unexampled peace. 1t was
the most tranquil period Europe has ever known.
No general war disturbed the prosperity OF Gaul,
Italy, or the East; no widespread revolution car
red carnage and desoation to the populous provin-
ces of imperial Rome. 1t was a golden, autumnal
season Of classic civilization, when the ripened
fruits of long years of material and mental progress
were showered upon mankind, and when The inter-
nal decay of the mighty empire was hidden IN Its
exterior and splendid tranquility. Compared with
the later centuries the first was sngularly frugal of
human life. In the seventeenth century all Europe
was torn by fierce religious wars, and men died
by myrads to crafty the fanatical malice OF kings
and priests. In the eighteenth the obstinate vanity
Of Louis a Frederick, or George Ill, covered
land and sea with slaughter. In the dawn of the
nineteenth, millions of the human race perished by
the iron will of Napoleon; and the young genera
ton of Europe and America have seldom knoW Wn
any long repose from the dreadful duties OF the
camp. But in the first century no battle of civi-
lized men occurred equal in Importance to Sadowa
no siege, except that Of Jerusalem, as destructive
as that of SebastopO. Under its imperial masters,
whether madmen, philosophers, OF monsters, the
Roman world almost forgot the art OF warfare, and
weighed down by a general tyranny, gave Itself
lan9uidly to the pursuits of peace.
A magnificent form of civilization at once grew
up. Men every where clustered together in cities,
and surrounded themselves with the countless ap-
riances of Il luxurious life The theatre and am
phitheatre, the aqueduct and bath, the graceful
temples of yellow marble, the groves and gardens,
the triumpha arches. the forums filled with statues
and lined with coionnades were repeated i'll all
those centres of artistic taste that sprungup under
the fostering of Successive empcrors from the
feSarea OF Palestine to the distant WlltlS OF Britain
or G;ml. The Roman empire embraced within its
limits chain of cities farer than the prou,lest cap-
tals of modern EurOpe--a thrOng of municipalities
destined to become the future centres OF Christian
thought. AT the mouth of the venerable Nile stood
Alexandria. lis population was nearly million.
1t controlled the commerce of the world, ana Us
vast fleets often covered the Mederraneaii. 1t
al thp E3St--UaV SuIpnIit. lnttillpctll
al its uuyel sity and its library, its philosophers
and critics, filled the age with active speculation
Antioch, on the Syrian shore. stlll retained IT'S
luxurious charms. In the midst OF It's alocalyplc
sisters Epheslis gttered with artistic decorations,
and maintained in all their magniticence the Tenn
pic aud the ritual of Diana Greece hoasted the
corrupt elegance of Cornth, the higher taste of in
comparable Athens. Far to the west Carthage had
risen from lis ruins 10 new Importance. Spain
adorned with the temples and the aqueducts
OF Saragossa and Cordoya; the banks of the Rhine
and the Wilus of Gaul were SOWn with magnificent
cities; and the camps of Britain swiftly grew into
populouS capitals and peaceful homes. In the
midst of the series of provincial towns stood con-
quering Rome, the mistress of them all, slowly
gathering within her bosom the wealth, the lux
ury, the corruption of the world
But of all the imperial cities the most wonderful
was still Jerusalem. In mysterious antiquity
none OF them could rival her. The tower of Salem
had been contemporary with that of Bema OF
Semirams, of the glory of ThebeS and the youth of
Memnon. Jerusalem had seen the splendorS of her
conquerors of Babylon and Egypt sink into decay.
A thousand Years had passed since David founded
the city of Mount Zion, and still, i'll the first cen
tury, with a singular vitality, the holy site was
covered with magnificent buildings, and IA new
Temple had risen on Mount Moriah, to surpass the
glory of that of solomon. When the seven hills of
Rome had been desOate waste and the AcrOpo-
lis the retreat OF shepherds-When all Europe was
"A wilderness, and savage hunters rOaned over the
site of its fAirest cities, Jerusalem had Shone over
the East beacon of light, and had observed and,
i
She had been often conquered, but never subdted
More than once leVeled to the ground she had
riScd from her ashes. Eor thousand years the
priests nad chanted 'hc fsalms OF Dayn rom
Mount Moflali' unless Ill raptlVily OF exile, ana
SUN INC IefuSaiel ol HeTod anu Nero was III ler
hiil5nhleehi Il,ial ara hei sacred poill' ihe fNa
ana me peer OF Athehs anu itoihe.
IN 'i'e ll'"iH :" llcr contehpora!les me eWlsh
1iEtt @ Steills ~ nay eA',.ei an lntcst uisilht ;
ie 't"s Hti' @ Iote" ioi tii.li Sotls 'i,, M .:ii
hi'l4hu Ipt Eseh III .le.i cai't,' IL! tlies .espis
''itn 1 I nv ~, p n,. ~ ~,
lr" ,hc l''l.:neu .'IeehS ttu ho'ls' u IeluSro SEQ
~ iti n III ~ -; eu''a " ~ tti
~ ~ 49, ~ .9t. . " ~ y ~ ~ i4 IN ' ~ " " ~ go q
'' ''' '''1 m , ~, ' ., ~ 1 viiVs, leop' a
a. o " ~, iI' wv. Nv y -,
'a ,7t t; '',i, I , i
they repaid it by shower of ridcule aud sarcasm.
lhe homan writers rom Cicero to Iactus, pant
, hn nn Inns, va thau m
shipping the empty air or a passing cloud: the
people of Rome, Of adoring the vest animals and
no author OF That intellectual age had discovered
i 'e nSto ni ~ t'J sh tht h nv meae tots sun
% III" trials % of human soul Were nober themes than
the olympic sports or the triumphs of Hero. Nc
Roman writer had studied with care the Jewish
or il eof1ta;aea on ;o the S'oSe oFaee'
Vat 'S even 10 tbe Creeks and Romans mvster
ou> awe invested the holy city. They heard with
wonder of that inner shrine where no image of ;
deity was to be seen, but within which no profane
eye was allowed to gaze OF the golden candiestlck
v ca r" W. mo,p o ,at ~, t VI 1ou ~,
! the fairest statues of Phidias. the most elorou,
representations of Jupiter and Apollo, We're only
an ahomnation fhey mad learned thatthe despis
ga lorees Msrt ioohg lorWru 20 le M auNen o.
sg1, and who should subject a nations TO his sway
and emperors and kings had been startled an,
reused to cruelty by their untlinching faith. Blu
no hcathen writer could nave supposed that tn
,Lt 3o 'h vas he,r 70 e t a "o o %. n"uueS
race was to come forth a generous symnatby fo
the suffering and the sad of every land; that from
mysterious Jerusalem was to descend upon tn
Wofa 'tllh lhal taugnt llle common notierhoo'
" III '' >'' ~ = -----e-- - - -''s'''' source
Tho cuban cause IS again brought proml
nehtly into notice by the arrival in Nev
York or Gen. Jordan, the COMMANDMENT
Chief of the nsurgent forces The object o
his visit al this time is to make known TIN
status of the Cuban cause, and 10 procure