The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1884-08-28
The Stone Of the Scpulcher.

Seldom have | been so interested in
an antiquity rs l was in the door OF
this royal cemetery. 10 the left of
this hole was n groove, in which u
monster block of granite, shaped like
u milestone, fitted quite snugly. One
man from below could roll this stone
over lhe portal, if he was initiatcd; but
100 could not move it il they knew not
the art A low, dark passage, scarce
" large enough to admit man, led 10
this ancient but ingenious door, and
| was the only avenue by which it could
be opened prior to the excavations of
our own times. The mouth of this Sc
cret passage was neatly closed with n
trap door. placed on the very brink of
a pit. Only those thoroughly acqluint-
ed with the place could ever have de-
tected the methods of entrance. Evi-
IDENTITY grave ghouls were feared in
those days. and here as much now us
in your own land.
Now can understand how the stone
was ''rolled away" from the door of
the Lords sepulcher! Now can un-
dersland why "that other disciplen
stopped down and looked into the
tomb.
We entered the hole with lighted
candles, and prowled around to our
! hearts content in the magnificent
! apartments of rock beyond. The CHS
ell marks on the wall were as fresh as
II they had been made yesterday, save
where tourists, yearning after cheap
Immortality, have used candle flames
10 smoke their names upon the stone.
There appeared to be four large cham
bers, with numerous apses hewn out
for the reception OF one, two or three
bodies. Of course the sarcophagi and
most of the doors have long since
yielded to the onslaughts of time AMI
Christian vandals. Ono sarcophagus
Is still exhibited ut the Louvre, l be-
lieye.
Mr.. Floyd told me of touching
tragedy which occurred some twenty
years ago in these tombs. A party got
to joking as to the amount of courage
it would require to visit the tombs at
the dead of night alone. without light.
A wager of one pound was the result,
and one supposedly brave man agreed
to come that night and stick his knife
into n log of wood that was deposited
In an inner chamber for this purpose.
Night came. The party accompanied
the man to grove near by with Ian
terms. examined his knife, and then
waited while he made the descent
Ten. fifteen, twenty minutes passed,
but the man did not return. The 9TH
ers then became alarmed and went in
search for him. They found him in
! the appointed vault, lying over the log
! in question-dead!
An investigation developed the fact
that the knife was still sticking in the
log. but had passed through one of the
mans coat tails. 1t WAS pitch dark, and
doubtless the man had become fright
ened almost to distraction as he crept
/ TO the log. In this excited condition it
is supposed that he stuck the knife
through his garment Then, when he
arose. and was suddenly pulled back.
IL is hardly wonder that life departed
out of him from sheer terror.
! Undoubtedly these subterranean cav
tiles were once the tombs of great men;
but scholars differ as TO the antiquity
they represent. Some throw them
back to the time of David, while others
maintain that they are not moro au-
cient than the Herodian age. AS near
US | can learn the ma iority of thinkers
incline to the belief that the tombs
were constructed by Helena, the wild
owed Queen of Monobazus. King of
Adiabane, during the time of tho fam
Inc predicted by Agabua in the days OF
Claudius C8Sar.-JeruSGlen Cor. Ncu
Orleans Times Democrat.