The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1872-05-19
Present Condi,ion,, or Jerusalem.

tnls account OF the present condition of
the Holy City:
Jerusalem, once ''the joy of the whole
world" has fallen low; it is Jerusalem,
but not "the city of the great King" It
is q poor place, with narrow, crooked
Lanes or streets, badly paved. damp and
nlthy: The people are poor, and there
Is no trade or commerce, as it is in the
midst of barren land. and remote from
the line OF the worlds business, How
the people live isa mystery. The city is
walled entirely around, and rs the walls
are in good condition, from it's external
appearance from all points, one would
expect rich and beautiful town within.
clam oring for "barksheesh," and lepers
sit by the wey.side exhibiting picture
only to be seen to be realized.
Frequently, during my sojourn here
OF seven weeks, have ascended the
Mount Of Olives, and sitting under an
olive tree, contemplated the great events
in the past history of Jerusalem, and en-
deavored to realize that when the Sa-
viOur was upon earth, and when he also
walked the same road that I now walk,
and gazed upon the same natural scenes:
and as l look down upon the city, I
think OF the words of Christ, while also
looking from tho same mount, "Not one
stone shall remain upon another;" and
how true! Nothing now remains of that
Jerusalem but the site, now the modern
Jerusalem. Often hive I entered the
Church Of the Holy SepulcLre, on Cal
valry. and there silently mused. The
painful minuteness of detail in which
holy places are marked out and shown as
Identical, detraots greatly from ones en-
joyment. I believe the church, or build
ings. on Calvary, occupy the very rock,
but l do not believe in the identity of
spots to fraction. While standing by
the rock which is marked as the very
place where stood the cross, I believe
one is within few feet of the place,
which is quite sufficient And as to the
Sepulchre in small marble building in
the centre of O rotunda, above the floor,
do not believe in it, andye am of faith
that it is over the tomb hewn in the
rock. The tomb now shown is a plain
marble sarcophagus, much like bath
tub, and this does not appear much like
tomb hewn in the rock.
There is nothing to be seen Of the rock
OF Calvary, being all covered with build
lngs and marble floors, except that por-
tion where the CROSS was elevated, (which
ID some fifteen feet higher than the
tomb,) and this is only seen through
as said, by the earthquake at the cruci-
fxion. Pilgrims are now gathering here
for Easter-Russians, Persians, Armeni.
ans, Greeks, &C., &o.-and they present
q unique picture in their curious COS.
TUNES. They daily enter the Church of
the Holy Sepulchre, and kiss every old
stone from the entrance throughout, firm
IN their belief of every place identified.
1t is all interesting scene long to be re.
membered.
L have been around the city without
the walls many times, as also upon them,
and either has its interest. Three times
have 1 been within the Mosque of Omar,
OF Mount Mcr;ah, tho site os Sclomon's
Temple. The mosque, being the second
holy place in Mahometanism, is much
out of repair and greatly neglected, as
also the surrounding grounds, an inte-
resting comment upon Che religion of
that people as to sacred places. The
vaults or extensive arches under the
platform on the South side, are exceed
lngly interesting, and I supposed to be
of tho time of Solomon.
have twice explored the extcneiye
quarrles under Jerusalem, which bear
the marks Of quarrying as distinct as
though Of yesterday. They extend pro-
baby to the temple, and no doubt were
used for the great temple of 1000 B. c.
They are difficult of exploring, as one
has in many places to crawl on hands
and feet.
I have been to Jericho, and bathed in
the Jordan, as well as the Dead Sea, in
which I was borne up like cork. Have
visited Bethany, Bethlehem and he.
bron, where Abraham was buried, also
the pools of Solomon, &c., &C., and in
fact every place of interest hereabonts,
and next week start overland for the Sea
OF Galilee. Nazareth. &C., &c., to Bey-
rout, and again to Damascus, where
am in hopes OF joining q party for
Palmyra. and on my return will 20 to
Smyrna, Constantinople, &c, &c., and
thence to Greece, Albania, Montenegro.
&c., &c.
The weather is beautiful in Palestine:
flowers are in bloom, and all nature is in
its most gorgeous array, whore there ia
an opportunity of being SO. Under the
turkish Government everything is left
to decay. and nothing is repaired or re-.
newed, consequently has neglected ap.
pearance.