The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1875-07-24
JERUSALEM.
BY THE REV. II. 3. RIDGAwAY, D. D.

The Turks are yielding to an outside
pressure of Eropean opinion and an inside
pressure of pecuniary want, and opening
one after another all the places which were
once guarded against the touch of the Gin
fidel." The tombs of the patriarchs at He
bron are about the last to remain sealed.
My first thought on entering the grounds
of the mosque of Omar was, what decayed
beauty! Every thing seemed crumbling
to pieces. Yet, withal, the pavement, the
steps, gateways praying places, wear sub
stantial air, which reminds one of the pow
erful days of Mohammedanism and makes
you feel that this old mosque and it's sur
roundings really ally you to the nobler
structures of Solomon, Nehemiah and He.
rod, which formerly stood on this holy
ground. "The Dome of the Rock" first
arrests attention. 1t is of octagonal shape,
not so large as you would expect to find it,
but its proportions are just and general
appearance beautiful. The dome itself is
gem for grace. Unfortunately for me
the whole building was being renovated,
and perfect view was obstructed. The
great thing in the mosque is not the build
ing, but the rock WHICH the building con-
tans. The rock is there, the veritable rock
on which on this Mount Moriah Abraham
offered Isaac; on which David, in this
threshing floor of Aranan, offered sacri-
flee to stay the hand of the avenging an
gel; from which Mohamet, the prophet,
according to Meslem tradition, assembled to
heaven. 1t is great mass of the common
reddish limestone, such as prevails about
Jerusalem, projecting about five feet above
the general surface. Around it is some
beautiful lattice work. Near one of the
main pillars supporting the dome is an ex-
quistely carved marble oratory, where Sol
ONION is said to have prayed. The sup
ports are twisted columns, as is seen often
with the fig-trees, two and sometimes three
trees being twisted and growing into one
trunk. Under the rock is a cave appor-
toned to all sorts of holy associations in
connection with Abraham, David, Solomon
and Mohamet. The prints of Gabriels
fingers, in his effort to prevent the rock
from rising with Mohamet to heaven, are
pointed out; also Bel eL-4r,oah, the "well
of spirits" at the bottom, where departed
souls are confined. Unfortunately for these
traditions, the altar of sacrifice in the tenn
pie stood on this rock, and the venerated
cave was nothing more than a cesspool,
into which the waste water and blood ran
from the altar, and the "well of spirits p"
was but the escape pipe to the main drain
under the temple. On the whole the edi-
ideas of Christian architecture would be
pleased to see occupying the site of the
grandest temple of antiquity. Much of the
material is common, and some of the best
buildings.
Passing out of the Dome of the Rock"
at the south door through an open porch
supported on marble columns, you descend
to the main outside pavement in the direc-
ton of the mosque ell Aksa. On the right
is the noted marble pulpit ga gem of Arab
architecture, built by Barhan ed Din Kady,
A. d. 79S." Going on under the great
arch and down one step, and following a
broad tessellated avenue, with tall expresses
on either side, large fountain in the CEN
ter, you reach el-Aksa. Around are great
cisterns, connecting with some central res
ervoir under the area, and Immediately in
front of the door beautiful little marble
fountain, the sides of which are well worn
with the cords which for centuries have