Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1874-04-04
that Luke, his fellow-trayeIer,


with Paul during his bondage in
Rome, and would have more leisure
to compile it than afterwards, while
actually engaged in missionary la
borS. s-. --. .--.. d., .....l.' ..s
A little church covers The site of
Paul's SHRED hOuse;n and, as usual,
the monks show the visitors a series
of relics and results of astonishing
miracles, which small children, and
Superstitious, ignorant people, try to
believe. For instance, they show
one the chain with which Paul was
fastened to his guard; and in the
crypt is pointed out Il fountain that
miraculOusly gushed forth in answer
to the prayers of Panl for water
with which to baPtizen his converts,
made from day to day; hut as SINH
Lar springs are found all round the
| foot of the Capltoline Mount, WHY
may not this one also be of natural
| production?
But, passing from this long digres-
sion concerning the founder of the
Christian system among the Gentiles,
let us return to our perch. Looking
to the south, at the foot of the hill,
one sees the remains of the famous
Roman Forum, from which the F'Sa-
cred Wayn leads south past the Pal
aces of the Caesars; and in full view
is the spot where stood the tower
residence of Cicero, which was only.
few hundred yards from the Fo-
rum. On the west of the SACRED
Way" is the Triumphal Arch of Ii
tus, erected to commemorate II 3a.
THE DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM,
and the end of the Jewish nation.
The INSCRIPTION, sculpture, and bust
reliefs on the arch, all describe that
terrible event which occurred l 800
| years ago. Lone cannot walk under
that arch, or stand and lookup at it,
without crowd of strange thoughts
filling his mind. There it stands, a
stone witness, bearing testimony all
over it of the final destruction of the
Jewish nation, and the Scattering of
"God's chosen people" to the four
quarters of the, earth and the isles of
the sea, after they had endured as a
theOcratic nation for a period almost
as long as that which has passed
away since their dispersion. ~ sir
A few hundred yards farther
down the Via Sacra, there looms up
the mighty ruins of n9iHt.l-yrlaa n
r .Gf THE COLISEUM ta hl8I
next to- the p yramids the greatest
structure of human hands. Tens of
thousands of the captive Jews We're
compelled to toll at It's erection for
many years, in close proximity Of
the arch constructed to celebrate
their downfall and humiliation. But
the Roman Empire, then so proud
and mighty, was ere long laid as low
at that of Judea.
In front of the Coliseum, and
standing across the Appian Way, is
the great Triumphal Arch of Con-
stantine, the first Christian Emperor.
1t is in an excellent state of preser
walton, after enduring the tooth of
time for 800 years. The statues of
the Emperor on the upper fronts
still look perfect. An inscription on
the arch alludes to the cessation of
the Christian prosecutions.
The excavation already made in
H. THE ROMAN FORUM, Z
uncovering the floors and founda-
tiOns, must equal a space of 10 or Il
acres. The accumulation of rubbish
was to, the depth of 20 to 80 feet.
Whole acres of the marble floors.
have been laid bare. 5 10
Hundreds of fragments of columns
have been found, and the, work of
exploration still proceeds. 1t is near
ly impossible to convey an intellt-
gent idea of this Forum, where the
interests of ancient Rome comes to
its climax. 1t was the focal point of
Roman civil life and actions. 1t was
the seat of Government. B." Every.
stone had its story; every pillar was
u witness to wonderful history. 1t
was here the Roman Senate had its
assemblies, and where the destinies
of the world were discussed. 1t was
adorned with magnificent mOnu-
ments, but they were SO crowded up
on one another, and so often destroy
ed by fire, and rebuilt, that it is ex-
ceedinglv difficult for me, right on
the spot, to get them all clearly M
my mind. The origin of the Forum
dates backtO. thetim of the alliance
of the Romans and the Sabines, 700
years B. C4alIt covered most of the
low gronnd surrounded by five of the
seven hills on which the city was an
cientlv built. The celebrated Cloaca
1 Maxima sewer was constructed TO
| dram the marshy ground upon winch
was subsequently erected the temples
which clustered around and over the
\ Forum: and it yet performs that du-
| ty as perfectly as it did $500 years
ago.
\ The magnificent Arch of Septimus
/ Severus still stands at the upper end
I of the Forum, but shows the destrue-
tive marks of fire uponiit. The Tenn
pie of Concord, erected b. G. l2l by
Consul Opimus, stood just behind
the Arch. A pavement of cO.ored
marbles and some fragments of fOun-
,dation remain. Here it was that Ci-
.cerO pronounced those eloquent ora
lttions against the Catiline eonsplra-
ttOrs, before the Roman Senate. y
/ little to the east is the famous .r
MAMERTINE PRISONS, t .-
4 excavated in the solid rock under
| the. Capitol Hill, 600 years before the
n a,SChristian era. A modern staircase
n Heads into the horrible dungeons.
, Originally the prisoners were let
down through hole in the middle
.of the ceiling, which was arched over
with stone. Not y ray of light pene-
trated into these fearful caverns. In
to these dungeons the Catilme con
spirators were flung. A staircase led
Iip the rock wall of the Capitol to
|. I'll te open space above, near the Tem-
, pl. Of Concord. 1t was by this stair
cas- e Cicero came forth aud announc-