The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1881-11-09
MISCELLANY.
THE MOSQUE OF OMAR.
BY REV. j. srocKBn1Der, U. 8. N.


The Mosque of Omar IL built on one of the
best authenticated of the holy places in Pal
estine. AT that srot Abraham built an altar,
and bound his son Isaac, and laid him on the
altar upon the wood. There was the thresh-
ing floor of Omar, where King David built an
altar and when he had laid his burnt offerings
on it and called upon the Lord, fire came
down upon the Offering. And because God
thus graciously answered the prayer of David,
he selected that as the spot on which his son
Solomon should build the splendid temple
he afterwards erected.
This is Mount Morah and the enclosure
in which the Mosque stands contains more
than thirty acres. Scattered over the grounds
are olive and cypress trees-those seen in the
picture are olive trees.
Passing through the very narrow streets of
Jerusalem, we enter the enclosure by % the
gate of the chain" which is guarded by
Turkish soldiers, aud are surprised at the ex-
tent of the grounds. We ascend over an ir-
regular surface to the platform on which
Soomon's temple was built. That edifice
being on the peak of Moriah, it was necessary
to build stone walls aud fill in with earth to
make a suitable approach to the temple. The
Mosque of Omar, built on the ruins of the
temple, is eight-sided, and from the middle
of the roof rises a lofty aud graceful DOME
The walls are of marble of several colors, and
these marbles, are arranged in fanoifn forms.
In the upper section Of the walls, you see
there are arched windows, seven In each of
the eight sides. In the piers that separate
the windows are admirable specimens Of ara
besque work on glazed tiles, and also in the
drum of the dome, as you see quite distinctly
in the picture. On panels over the windows
are Inscriptions in Arabic 10 the same bright
colors as the figures on the tiles. The entire
building is encircled with two lines of similar
Inscriptions.
There are four entrances to the Mosque,
corresponding TO tie four cardinal points of
the compass. Three of these entrances are
through enclosed marble porches; the fourth,
which is conspicuous in the illustration, is an
open porch, supported on marble columns
Each of the eight sides of the ediice is ca
feet long, and the diameter is 14s feet.
w y Will 6Ub6T JuC nlOoQu0 bufOuku Tic Optu
porch but before doing so will lay aside our
shoes, or which viii do as well, put slippers
on over them. 1t is holy ground on which
we are about to walk, and this custom carries
us back to the time of Moses see Elk. Iii. 8.
On entering the building the first object
that attracts our attention is the rock, Ru65st
es Sukhrah, that means Dome of the Rock. .,
An iron railing surrounds it, and over it is
hung canopy of rich silk of many colors.--
The rock is about 90 feet long and so feet
wide, and is not level with the floor of the
mosque, one end being five feet, and the
other, one above the pavement.
AS we gather around this rock, our thoughts
roam back to the day when Isaac was laid up
on it by his father; tar back in the ages be-
fore Christ. And coming dawn the centuries,
we reach the time when the magnificent tenn
pie of Solomon was built--an edi6ee which,
for splendor, has never been equaled No
wonder the Jews assemble every Friday after
noon under the walls of the temple and be-
wall its destruction. And coming down to
the lifetime of Christ we think of the wonder
full events that occurred In sight of Mount
Moriah Our Lords wonderful works in and
around the city His trial, condemnation and
crucifxion, and his ascension. And since
that day what famous men have gathered
around the " Dome of the Rock J" Christians
and Moslems, men of all religions and no re-
ligion, all have come with veneration like
that with which the children of the Pilgrims
approach Plymouth Rock.
The graceful dome stands directly over the
rock, and is supported by twelve Corinthian
columns, which form a circle GO feet in d.
ameter.
If now we look around, we will SEQ on the
walls and up in the dome variety Of orna-
mentation in gilt stucco in arabesqne Style
Barbaric spendor astonishes occidental eyes.
Under the Rock is a cave about twenty feet
! square, in which the guide will show you the
niche in which King David prayed; and