, 1886-09-21
MODERN JERUSALEM
A TRAVELLERS REALISTIC VIEW OF
THE HOLY CITY.

Christian Conceptions of the Place Con
trasted with tho Turkish Actually
walls Only Two and - Half Miles
About-Scenes.
We will take a walk. The city is not
iarge-the (walls not very long-suppose
We take them on our left and see how
long it takes to come back again. The
way about the walls Ia first by the well
made modern road that leads to Bethle-
hem-by the deep. dry moat n by the
rim OF Hinnom vale. Then by a donkey
path 1t takes the left-now up, 10 down;
now by the burying ground. M by old
gates and older stones, skirting the Ked-
ron vale. and then G~ehennah's gulch;
then by a narrow foot path past the gar
den patches, past old knotted. gnarled
olive trees; past Bethany's mud houses
clinging TO the dreary, blistered walls
and past the golden gate-skirting the
valley OF Jehosaphat Wit his rock tomb
and that of Absalom aud Z%achariah; past
the st. Ste phen gate that gives a view OF
sad Gethsemane and Olivet. then through
among the Moslem graves and tombs
where waiting women sit and mourn their
dead; past the Damascus gate, in view OF
Jeremiah's cave where erst he sat 30
many recluse years and pondered DER the
past, and prophesied of future woes; then
past more walls and heaps of rubbish,
stone and aged olive trees that have seen
the tears and heard the signs of centuries,
we come back to the modern homes and
streets again, and on a modern pavement
by a lot of modern traders shop stands
We by Jaffa gate again.
II RIA CITY OF DAVID.
Look at your watch. Not quite sixty
minutes gone since we stood here before,
yet we have comprised all these walls
about-been clear around the present
Jewish city, which now Is twice as large
as was it wnen the Savior died on Cal-
varyi Now are these walls two miles and
n half about; then, perhaps, n fraction
more than one-a city then upon IA walled
space-wlth lions hill, Moriah-with all
its temples, houses, streets, about the size
of SIX modern church blocksl Such was
the magnitude of tine great city of David,
"A mere speck upon this Ju lean noun
tain range; "A barren place amid more bar
rem places; city without sewerage, gas or
aqueducts; city without streets where
carriage wheels could roll-merely a hor-
nets nest hanging to a rock. an eagles
nest among the mountain crags.
But let us pass the gate and step within
within Jerusaleml How your blood
tingles-how play your nerves; the very
senses throb as you come In where David
came, and stand upon the place where
stood the priests and prophet len of old,
Were stood and taught the Saviour of
the world, where stood the Jewish kings,
and those who came with fire and sword
md dragged them forth to grace tine AS
syrian or a Roman holiday Within the
walls that well surround the center Of the
world; within the city unto which all
Christendom bows low; upon the spot OF
the great Christian worlds hallowed as.
socintionsl
Well. we will go beyond the gates and
pace the streets Of David aud his genera
tions. For ten or twenty rods you'll find
tbemfaiIly good. A carriage might come
into that extent-no more. The street hat
leads still farther on Is steep and stepped
and narrow. Follow IL down-come down
the dirty, slippery stone. Take heed here
lest you fall The lining shops are low
and small, and reek with noisome odors.
Hut come along, yet mind the mud and
hlth-it thicken- every step. The way IS
straight and steep and full of mud. The
crowd of hurrying people chokes it up; so
do the laden donkeys-laden with goods
and city sculch and fifth that Craze your
Taiment. We give it up. The mud aud
filth increases every stcpi Our boots are
wet and foul, our clothes are splashed
with over filthy mlre. Enough OF this
we turn about, retrace our dubious steps
and hunt another street-turn to the one
called Christian.
a VALE OF HUMILIATION.
The Christian street-there's nothing in
a name is a vale OF humiliation. Wet,
muddy. filthy still and paved with ran
dom rocks that hurt your feet clear
through thick leather so,es, and speak
aloud OF penance. The shops are thick
and low and very badly kept; the windows
dirty; floors and walls a crying, muddy
shame; the whole a den of desolation.
Ambitious tradesmen beck and call you
In. They shout their wares and tell Of
photographs for sale and things olive
wood; swing rosaries before your face aud
faunt the cruciix as though they dealt in
herr.ngs, But you have little care to
look about your feet, lest they should
slip AMI let you down. Disguised every
step. you turn not to the right to seek the
holy sepulcher, but take the left and
climb for a higher and dryer soil.
And this is Jerusalem. The thrill you
felt at coming through the gate is gone.
Gone is the nervous thrill. the pious
thoughts, the sentiment that captured you
withal, gone are your hopes of peace, and
quiet, thou -htful rest within these times
stained walls, as back you take your way
To your hotel without the walls to gain
yous room, invoke a fire, to rest FOUR bones
before; scrape off the mud and dry your
well wet boots. Jerusalem my happy
homs; name ever dear to mel May be in
mental theory, as we g throu III It's
6 reefs aud see its shrines while sitting In
our soft arm cnai at home, but here we
stop and think. Tomorrow we may have
courage to try again.
Without the city walls are many mod
ern hulldinxs-hote,s and hospitals. Offices
Of the government, aud many a pretty
private house AMI shop. Al these were
built within a score OF years-ambitious
Jews have sent some MONEY here to help
this revival work, to help to renew the
city's lie. ambitious churches make a
show Of enterprise-one vieing with the
other: hopeful hotel keepers who hope 10
thrive upon the tourists pur eat all
events the city-outside the gates is look
ing up again. Within-well, you know
my opinion Of it a.ready-Davenport.
Iowa, Democrat
A Natural Mistake.
Mr.. h. "a prominent politician Uncle
Rastus, ! want you 10 come up to my
house and vindlcate the kitchen ceiling.