Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1873-07-09


subterranean cisterns which received the
water have likewise been explored. They
are hewn in the solid rock of Moriah and
it has been estimated that they are capa
BILE of containing, from six to eight mil.
lion gallons.
The temple itself is gone. In the en-
phatic language of the judgment pronounc'
ed upon it, not one stone has been left
upon another. But the substructions OIL
| the temple courts remain, and constitute
the most wonderful relics of ancient Jeru
salem. The Bible student and the anti
quarry will feel as deep an interest in them
as the members of the craft may hope
therefore. that you will all ACCOMPANY me
while l endeavor to explain the more re.
markable of them. We first 20 to small
open area just outside the great temple
platform on the west, between Moriah and
Zion. Here is speciman of ancient mura
architecture. A portion of the sustaining
wall of the outer court is standing. The
stones are of enormous size-each course
about four feet six inches high, and each
stone from ten to twelve feet long. We
visit it on Friday-the eve OF the Jewish
Sabbath /; and We see there a group of
strange figures: Old men lettering on
their slaves, and frail, haggard women,
dressed in the costumes of every country
of Europe and Asia. Some of them are
on their knees some burying their faces
in the rents of the old stones some kissing
them and sobbing and wailing as if their
hearts would break. They are Jews who
have wandered hither from the ends of the
earth. that with failing eyes they may gaze
on, and with last breath wall over, the fall
en- and desecrated ruins Of the sanctuary
whose very dust is still dear to them. We
now 60 to the southeastern angle of the
temple area, which rises from the very
brink Of the Kidron valley. The angle
remains, as founded by those famous ma
sons sent down by Hiram Tyre. The
stones are colossal. Had | not myself
measured them 1 could scarcely credit the
statement l shall give Of their magnitude.
The hight of each course is little over
FIVE feet, and the stones range from ten to
thirty feet in length, all noble Z" corner
stones, polished after the simllitude of a
palace" Each stone is beveled at the
edge, so that the surface of the wall has
the appearance of finely executed panel
work. The elevation of the wall, externally
above the present surface, is 73 feet. The
English engineers sunk shaft to the
foundation, which they discovered, laid
upon the solid rock, at the depth Of 60
feet. The masonry of this angle must,
when perfect, have been about $50 feet
high. 1t stands, as have said, upon the
rocky side of Moriah, which here sinks,
almost perpendicularly, 200 feet and more
to the bottom of the Kidron. And, be-
sides, on the summit of the wall stood the
royal porch, one hundred feet in height.
Consequently the top of the porch was go
feet above the foundation of the wall, and
no less than $50 feet above the bottom of
the Kidron. This was the pinnacle of
the temple" which was the scene Of one
part of our Lords temptation. These
details enable one to understand the temp
ter's words, " If Thou be the Son of God
cast myself down." The masonry at the
south-w estern angle Of the temple area is
even finer than at the south, eastern. At
present this angle rises 80 feet above the
ground, where there is manifestly vast
accumulation of rubbish, which in the
course of ages, and during the repeated
distinctions of the city, has tumbled down
from the temple court on the one side, and
from, no hot Of IIon On ha othar
Capt. Warren, of the royal engineers,
with great labor and at no little risk, sunk
a shaft to the foundation which he discov
cred laid upon the rock, at the enormous
depth of about 100 feet. The grandeur
of this angle almost surpasses conception.
The courses are nearly six feet in depth +;
and the corner-stones range from 20 to 40
feet in length. One stone. which | myself
measured, and which is placed in the
angle, ITO feet above the foundation, is
81 feet long, and weighs, according to the
closest calculation could make, upwards
of 100 tons. l believe, sir, may say
that to raise a stone Of such colossal size
to such position, would try the skill of
even our modern engineers.
l can never forget my last visit to the
temple, and my last walk around the
crumoling walls of the holy city. The
sun Was declining in the west. Its rays
fell on the gilded crescent which rises over
the dome of the rock, and they lighted up,
with a rich, rudy hue, the venerable walls
of the harem; but the Tyrop@in and
Kidron valleys were left in deep shade
The howl Of the hungry jackal was already
heard on the side Of Olivet, and the
prowling wild dog was seen stealing anon
the tombs of the Jewish cemetery. Not "a
human being was visible. Fear had driven
them all within the gates of the city. |
wandered on along the base of the temple
wall, and | saw, away down in the dark
ening gloom of the kdron, on my right
the traditional tombs of Absalom, Jeremiah
and Hezekiah; then, further up, the dark
old olives and white wall, which mark the
site of Gethsemane then the quaint old
church dedicated to the Virgin; then
perhaps, Calvary itself. Then L crossed
the little ridge, now desolate, on which the
suburb of Bezetha once stood; then
passed on to Zion, here also desolate; then
| turned south and wen: down into the
valley of Hinnom, and walked on, won.
dering at the silence, and saddened by the
aspect Of desolation all around, until the
cry of the muezzin warned me that the sur
had set, and that the gates would soon be
closed for the night. | turned hastily
scrambled up the steep bank of Hinnom
and entered the city through the Joppa
gate, having on my right the massive
square keep, still called "the tower OIL
David" Early on the following morning
long before the sun had risen. left Jeru.
salem. probably forever. Yet the memory
of that last evenings walk, of the silence
and the sadness, and the gathering gloom
and the ruins, and the desolation, remains
with me still fresh as ever. More than
Al