The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1874-10-28


dence of having been previously Christian
church. Mussulman, Romauist and Greel
are of one accord with regard to the authen
ITCHY of the spot, so that there is proba
bility that here remains, if not David's tomb
at least that of one of the Kings of Judah
A mile or more north-wes of the Damas
Gus gate are the so called "TOmbs of the
judges" consisting of two chambers hewn
into the rock. Somewhat nearer the same
gate, but to the right of the Nablus road,
are the more extensive and more ornate
"Tombs of the Kings Indeed, they are
more properly catecombS. approached by a
vestibule heWn from the rocky wall. Its
facade still preserves the remains of broken
columns and pillars The forid decorations
of the stone roof and the rock benches, and
the inches in the wall of the inner cham
bers, bespeak the high rank of those whose
ashes here repose. Thettombs are ssdly
masre1 The satisfaction of certainty is
again spoiled By the suspicion that here we
see the burial place, not of the Kings, out
Queen Helena Of Adiabene, who, with her
children, was entombed at Jerusalem. She
embraced Judaism, and came to Jerusalem
from her kingdom on the Tigris during the
reign of the Emperor Claudius.
At the south end of the Kedron vale, where
it is often called the valley of Jehosaphat,
ON the east slope little above the bottom
of the valley, is the most striking group of
tombs about the Holy City. Not less strange
and diverse than the monuments themselves
are the characters of those whose memory
they perpetuate They are in part the me-
MORALS, in part the tombS of Zscharas, of
James, Jehosaphat and Absalom. They lie
contiguous, but were doubtless constructed
at different periods. The tomb of James,
situated back of the rest, might pass unob-
served because of the ruggedness of the spot.
1t consists simply Of these roughly hewn
chambers, the one behind the other, and en-
tirely devoid of ornament That of the
ilustriOus and good King Jehosaphat near
by, is also cut into the native rock and opens
only in front. Its portal, perhaps nine feet
wide, is supported upon Doric columns.
They relieve its otherwise cave-lke appear
ance, yawning darkly half way up the pre-
cipitous front of the ledge. Within are sew
eral gloomy chambers. The tomb of fZacharias,
whose righteous blood Christ reproaches the
Scribes and Pharisees with having shed, is
detached monolith, cubical in shape, crowned
with small pyramid, the whole being over
thirty feet in height. But the monument of
Absalom is the most conspicuous of them all
because of his illustrious wickedness) and
this barren land where every object may
di tinctly seen, is the first thing that
hes the glaece Of one On the southern
VII Of Iorish, or traversing the slopes of
KedrOn from Stephens gate. Like Zlcha-
riaS', it is single block standing out sepa-
rate from the rock from which it is hewn,
cube in form and surmounted with flask.
shaped tower of cut-stone. Its height is
nearly fifty feet, though the debris fallen at
its base detracts from the impression it
makes. Every side of the cube is adorned
with Ionic piasters, two in half, two in quar-
ter relief. Above, frieze of roses and
pendants encompasses the border. The gen.
eral effect is fantastic; but the blending of
Greek and Oriental styles is inharmonious.
Absalom was thrust through the heart
with darts by the hand of Joab in the wood
of Ephraim. Sacred History adds that the
people cast him into great pit in the
wood and laid very great heap of stones
upon him" This is not that heap. The
same history contains, f" "Absalom in his life
time had taken and reared up for himself
pillar, which is in the Kings dale: x = = and
he called the pillar after his own name; and
it is called unto this day, Abraham's place" !" :
The Kings dale is Kedron. r.
n 1t is well that the wicked should have
monuments. If mankind seek to stimulate
posterity to virtue by commemorating through
tablets and columns the deeds of great and
good men, parity of reasoning demands for
the warning of pOsterity, the perpetuation Of
the memory of the bad. The memorial of
the wicked man is most impressive when
erected by himself. If the inscription be
true, it is his condemnation; if false, biting
satire. The good that men do lives after
them. So does the evil, and it ought to be
rightly accredited. There will always be
hangmen, for self-killing can never be law
full. But how excellent for posterity when
the dying william spares his biographer the
invidious task of painting him black.
HANS GRAF.
Jerusalem, May, 1874.
Carlyle on Job.