Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1888-01-13
LIFE In JERUSALEM.
CHRISTIANITY AT ITS WORST, MO-
HAMMEDANISM AT ITS BEST.

count of the State of Affairs in the Holy
City-Destitute Jews from Arabia-The
American Colony.
Rev T. F. Wright, who has returned from
recently, talked with a reporter in
regard to the condition of affairs there at the
present time.
''The state of religion in Jerusalem is very
l remained five weeks in the
city, and was brought into contact with per-
sons of every class 1t must be confessed
that Christianity is seen at its worst there,
and Northumberland at it's best. The Mo
hamrnedan in the early morning hears the
cry: God is great, prayer is better than
Sleep arises, prepares himself, puts on his
white outer garment and goes up into the
mosque ground where Solomon's temple for
merly stood, and there goes through with his
devotions, bowling down before God and ask
ing that he may be guided through the day.
This means to him that he must be strictly
temperate, truthful in every statement, kind
to all men, and that he will in no case bow
down to any idol. In all Mohammedan lands,
idols, images and pictures are utterly ex-
clu(ed The single exception to this rule is
an equestrian statue of Mehemet Ali i'll the
the erection of this statue was strongly OPP
posed on the grounds that it might become
to some of the people an object of worship.
'sThe Christians in Jerusalem are in state
of bitter sectarian conflict. They are not
agreed among themselves as to the sacred
sites, and they have more than once come to
bloodshed in acting together in the celebra-
ton of some of the Christian festivals. In
f+l,c In6o rhnra
a silver star in the pavement marks the place
where our Lord is believed to have been
born. Mohammedan soldier of the
Turkish army stands always with loaded
musket to keep the Christian worshipers
from Staying each other In the
Church of the Holy Sepulcher, in Jeru-
salem, the traveller notices at once group Of
Turkish officials who have no interest in the
place and spend their time smoking and
drinking coffee and chatting with each other,
but whose presence is needed to keep the
monks from actual warfare. At the time of
Easter the Turkish guards are increased to a
whole regiment, so that it is difficult to make
ones way through them to reach the interior
of the church.
VARIOUS RIVAL SECTS.
ssIn the church the Latin Franciscans al
ternate with the Greek monks in the perfor-
nance of masses, and sometimes simultaneous
masses are performed by priests standing
within few feet of each other. The lamps
with which the shrines are decorated have
been apportioned to the different bodies
Latin, Greek, Armenian and Coptic-so that
they may not come INTO conflict in lighting
the place. The greatest and most unpleasant
excitement is reached at the time of the
descending of the holy fire, which is believed
by the more ignorant to descend from heaven,
and to be received by priest. 1t always
arrives at certain hour of a certain day,
and its arrival is waited for by a crowd
which surrounds the place, waiting for many
hours. When received every one present
seeks to light his candle in the flame; and
runners Immediately set forth to every part
of the land, seeking to obtain the prizes which
are offered to those who first arrive at the
outlying villages.
1.-THE bells on the Church of the Holy Sepul-
cher and on the Mount of Olives are rung by
the rival sects, apparently only for the pur
pose of expressing their Enkind feelings
They never sound in harmony; they never
ring chime, although they are fitted to &c
SO, but they continually raise in the ears of
the contemptrlous Mohammedan their un-
pleasant sounds.
"There is in Jerusalem at the present time
a remarkable American colony, which it was
my privilege carefully to examine About
twenty persons arrived in Jerusalem in the
year 1881, having gone mostly from the city
of Chicago where some Of their number had
been active Christian workers under Moody
and where they had been led to think that
they could do more good by going to the Holy
Land On their way out they received some
accessions from England Among their num-
Der is Mr.. II. J. Spafford, once a leading Chi
cago lawyer; another, Capt. Sylvester, was
formerly of the English army; another was a
clergyman Of the Church of England, who
visited the Holy Land in company with the
late Gen Gordon, and who decided to remain
with these people; another is a venerable
lady, the widow of colonel of the United
States regular army All are most deeply
interested in their work, and share and have
common purse, and now have become
known far and wide through the region, be
cause they make no profession of faith, but
simply acknowledge their allegiance to Christ
and express by constant deeds their desire tt
love their neighbors as themselves.
JEWS FROM ARABIA.
ssWhen they first arrived in Palestine an in
teresting migration Of Jews had just take1
place from Arabia About 300 Jews, calle(
Temanites, and believed by themselves to b
the remnant of the tribe of Cab, had movet
from the desert in which the tribe had Ions
had its home and had come to the Holy Land
They are small in stature, delicate in tea
lures, wholly free from the money changing
disposition, grateful for every kindness, ane
eminently childlike in their characters. They
were lying, when the Americans arrived, IL
the fields outside of the city with no one tt
care for them, The Americans iminediatel,
began to prepare daily rations OF soup TO
them, to tend the sick and in every way t.
watch over them according to their ability
At the present time the Temanites have es
tablisl,ed themselves in a prosperous colon,
south of the village of Sloan, and in thel
synagogue every week they have prayer IL
which Horatio Spafford and his friends ar
mentioned, and the divine blessing is invoked
upon them for their many good deeds.
ssThe house of these Americans is dali,
visited by persons coming from all parts o
the land to inquire into this wonderful phe
nomenon. The Bedouins Of the desert lea1
their tall spears against the wall, and az
cordially welcomed, and occupy room i
the house as long as they desire to remain
and the Americans, going fearlessly acros
the Jordan, have returned these visits an
been received with the utmost kindness, an
have had an influence over the lives of th
Bedouins They deal especially with tn
Adwan tribe, long known to be th
fiercest class east Of the Jordan. The fellf
hin, or peasant class of the country, find a
ways here a cordial welcome. No evenin
passes without seeing its company of poe
and rich, of peasants and Turkish effend
gathered in the salon, to listen to the hymn
which the Americans sweetly sing; an
every one, on leaving the room, expresses h
gratitude for what he has como to regard {
the greatest comfort of his life In this wa
Mohammedans and all classes in Je1usalel
are reached for good, and a lesson is taugf
Us in regard to the spirit in which Christia
missions should ne carried on."--Boston Al
ve't;ser lr.;e'A lew.
Neckties and Gloves.
Neckties were never before in such bI1gf
and vivid contrasts. Satin and silk tour
hands are the correct thing, and are wort
A1 .d.1 n &