Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1871-10-13
Discoveries at jerusalem


Mount MosiAh has been found to be shaip
cisg or ridge, wi-h 50 little space upon the top
as scarcely to afford room for temple Of small
dimensions. Ga ST. sides it fell Of rapidly and
very steeply, except from northwest 10 south
east, the direction d which the ridge runs The
area on tae summit vas enlarged by vals built
along the dec.i.ide., tie OUTSIDE walls deep down
the valleys, from 100 t. $50 feet below ihe ares
on which tho temple buildings stood One hun
tred feet agsin below this lsy the origia. bed
Of the brook hii'ol. The foundations Of the
tempe, therefore, were 80 feet sbove the deco
dedles around. This area Originally built by
Solomon sud enlarged by iieroi still exists, run
Ming Oh the south along the vsliey Of Hinuom,
lOdJ feet, and along tie kiiron 1900 feet
This inc'os2re Was originally covered with
splendid ediaces. First we're the p3rii.1s ~
covered walss, built along the outer walls, and
overlooking the hilron and Hinuom TAey
were magnificent structures, resembling the nave
snd aisies Of Gothic catheiras. The middle
walk CT nave was forty. five ieet broad and the
two aisles thirty feet. The aises were 50 feet
high, and the nave, rising like oleve-sory. be-
tween the two, was more than 100 feet high.
Add now terrace walls to the height Of the por-
ticos, snd We have a solid aud continuous wall
of masoaTy 80 fee, high. Bat these we're only
the outer buildings Of the temple ares The
porticos opened inwardly upon a court paved
with marble, and open to the sky Steps led up
to second court. Beyond this again. through
beautiful estewGys, wss a third. and rising
above them all Was fourth, in which stood the
temple proper, ascending story above story, and
taid to have been 100 or even $50 feet bich
lhese norisontal measurements have been veri-
fed. Oi course, We cannot voucb for the cor
rpgtunEs Of fstp -
structures. We have the less reason. however
to doubt the lsst, as we have established the
first II one looked upon Mount Moriah from
the Mount Of Olives opposite. coming rouud ,bp
brow CT Olives en- the way from Retbenv ,e
our Lord did when beholding the CITY. il must
have been sight which, forlsrchitectursl beauty
and grandeur, perhsps, has never been eouslled
certainly not surpassed. 1t was an artificial
mouutsin from the deep rsyines belev, wall. col
umn, ROOF. pinnacle. eliminating in the temple
within and above all, and probably measuring
between $50 and GOO feet.
The palace OF Solomon, too, added to the i'm
pressiyeness Of the sight 1t is settled bv rece,,
discoveries that this pile buildings was on the
southeast corner ofthe sres. Joining on the Eop,e
of the Lord above, and extending below 10 the
Kings gardens, where the two valleys r,st and
the waters Of Silozm 20 softlv.' All tbesc
buildings, portieos, columns, pinnacles, altar
and temple have perished. Not one stone re-
mains upon another which hss not been thrown
down. The area alone remsins, aud the mss
sive substruc;ures that for three thousand Years
have been sleeping in their courses The pres
erSstion has bern due TO the ruin. Buildings
so vast have been toppled down the slopes of the
Moriah that the original defes a nd valleys have
been almost obliteraied. What h.d been regard
ed az the original surface has been found TO be
debris from 20 to 90 feet deep.
Vita pick-sxc ami shovel Brithish explorers
have been down 10 the original foundations
Fallen columns have been met with, and avoided,
or way blasted through them. The e;nders of
burnt jerusalem have been cut through and
turned up to the lighi-rich medals deposited by
the treasures of Jewish pride. The seal Of
Haggs,, in ancient Hebrew characters, was pick