Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1882-02-01
THE SUMMIT OF ollxET.


the SUMMIT OF 0llvET.
csssssssass csz's ossssipsisa sssAs atls v ~
Mssst - Owes.
Iron Letter 10 The New York SUM-
We reach the summit Of Olivet. Leav-
ing for the present the old tower ON the
left, the tombs Of the prophets on the
right and "ruins" near the brow Of the
mountain We 60 to the old crowning
mosque. There II . sheik here, too. He
il In command and leyies his tribute.
They al do. Near II . church 10 com.
memorate the ascension. After our
guide has embraced and kissed his sheik
also We mount the dark winding stairs
Of this nainaret. 1t is called Tur The
wind blows quite cool. The view on
every point is superb. It il the finest
prospect about Jerusalem, q il il seen
from every part Of the city. So from it
all the prominent objects are visible,
Below us Immediately are the trim ter
races. where corn is sometimes raised on
Lodges of rock; but the olive trees are
not plentiful but sporadic. There are
enough OF them even unto this day to
vindicate the name of Olivet. There is
clear sky. No haze obecures the
sight. The mountain is q ridge. and
rises above Mount Moriah some 22O
feet. The walls Of the city and octagonal
mosque on the temples right, and few
Expresses and the dark dome seen under
us, though across the deep ravine. Here
Jerusalem and its churches and holy
places is indeed "golden Jerusalem.
From Stephens to the Golden Gate, and
from the Golden Gate to the southeast
corner, the magnifcence Of the eastern
walls 10 appreciated in all their beauty
and strength. We cannot see the tombs
on the hither side Of the Valley OF Jehos-
aphat, nor the multitude OF fat Jewish
gravestOnes' awaiting removal when the
dry bones OF Ezekiel shall rattle for the
judgment; but the massive masonry Of
the old wallis shows grandly, although
100 feet of it is still concealed by piles
OF rubbish. The city in its four eleva-
tions, with their angles and gardens,
towers and domes. stands out and up in
its lights and shades. Wrap your coat
about you for it is cold on the minaret.
and take your glass for the far-off east
ern view. Not yet-wait. Below you to
the east, is the beginning Of that " Will
derness OF Judea," which no one that
saw the Sahara around Damascus can
mistake for smiling land. Over white.
hot hills, and over gray, verdureless
wales, in involutions and convolutions.
and swathed in simmering sunshine, the
bleak landscape descends for miles, until
1t melts into the valley Of the Jordan,
whose course can be traced by its zone
OF greenery. The glare is not 90 great
in mid-afternOon to see the line of the
valley or the dark line of the river as it
enters the starkstill Dead Sea, portion
If which, like a BLUSH cadaver in an
immense sarcophagus, is discovered be-
tween the brown hills and cliffs of the
intervening wilderness and the range on
the horizons verge. A few olives break
the sameness Of the color till the pale
azure of the Dead Sea is reached by the
vision. Above it is massive wall so
remote as to seem like an exhalation.
and yet SO near that it's shadows and
ridges appear. These mountains are
fifty miles away. They are the ever
beauteous mountains of Moab.
The truth is that Oivet is not q half
hours walk, and even If the ascension
were at Bethany, which is beyond Olivet,
is not an hour away. But whatever be
the fact, Olivet is holy ground. 1t was
chosen by the Savior for His most con-
fiding utterances. Was it not here that
He talked of what would befall Jerusa-
lem, His disciples and Himself? Was
it not here that He spoke some OF the
wisest parallels, and prayed and rested
at evening, after turmoil and toll Of the
city and day? Was it here that He ago.
nized und gave mp Hio own will ~ DO
His Fathers will I? If His ascension was
at Bethany, certainly He passed-even
as We are now passing-over Olivet to
reach Bethany.
On the summit OF Olivet we find
newly built cloister for nuns. It was
built by o French princess. Mime. La
tour d'Auvergne, and is to be eventually
her tomb. It is said to be the spot
where our Saviour taught his disciples
TO pray. In the inner court of the clois-
ter is arranged, on little tables, the
Lords prayer in thirty-three different
languages. As we enter, our Spanish
pilgrims crowd the court and surround
the tomb Of the princess. A lite-size
figure in white marble lies at full length
over the sarcophagus, and is said to be a
good likeness. The face and figure are
those Of beautiful woman, angelic in
death. Sweet lavender and other flow
ornament the garden and give their
aroma to the shaded walks, and all is in
neat and dainty contrast with the dirt
and slovenliness Of the city. The prin-
cess lie absent now on visit to France,
her native country, but her workmen