Smyrna times., 1895-04-10

parents, Mr.. and Mrs. VIM. M. Bell, !
about a visit to Egypt Below is an
other one of even more interest directed |
to his sister, Miss Laura A. Bell, about
visit to Jerusalem and many scenes
and incidents commemorative of the |
Savior's life.
U. S. F. S., "SAN FRANCISCO"
ATHENS, GREECE,
Monday, March 18, 1895.
AS l said in my last letter that l
would visit the Holy Lands before l
would write again, will now try and
give you a description of the trip from
Yafa, Syria, to Jerusalem aud return.
This is also from the journal.
March 11th, Monday. y.-Yafa and
Jerusalem.-The swell had quieted
down enough to allow one of Cooks
men to come off and see if any of us
wanted to visit the city of Jerusalem.
A party of fifty-seyen was very quickly
made up and at about 1915 we started,
all hands piled into one of the barges
supplied for tourists. On the way in
to the city we passed the very rock to
which Andromeda was chained when
she was rescued by Perseus. Yafa is
the main entrance to the Holy Land,
and travellers rush through it eager to
cross the Plain of Sharon, ascend the
mountains of Judea and behold the
city of David and Solomon.
We all boarded the train and after
several purchases of oranges and other
necessaries we started on our ascent.
After passing through several pretty
villages, we finally came about night.
fall to our destination. Winding in
and around the mountains of Judea
reminds one forcibly of traversing the
Rockies. We all selected carriages at
the station and were driven to the Yafa
Gate. The first impression that struck
one was that it was quite cold. We
passed in through the gate and were
soon in front of David's tower; on
which David saw his vision; and which
was built three hundred years before
Christ. Passing on little way we
came to the Church of the Holy Sep
ulchre. 1t is in fact a cluster of
churches, chapels and shrines, built
separately, at different periods, but
now covered with one roof
Under Constantine the Great, the
sight of the crucifxion of the Saviour
was earnestly sought for, and on the
spot which was then fixed upon, a
church of great splendor was built.
Since that time the splendid work has
been desecrated, destroyed, rebuilt,
damaged and added to over and over
again. On entering the sight that
meets your eye is the stone couch upon
which Christ was annointed before
burial. 1t is of white marble and along
the edges it is worn where pilgrims
have kissed il. A little farther on we
came to the shrine built upon the spot
where Christ was buried. The inside
of the tomb is magnificent Only the
oostliest Of articles were used in itI
construction, and it was nearly covered
on the inside with rich mosaics. Colo
. lamps burn everywhere. After entering
the portal and just before entering thu
tombs, there is a splendid bas relief o
Christ just before the cruci6xion
Quite a number of pilgrims were ther'
I worshipping.
After leaving the tomb of Christ We
visited the tombs of St, Peler, St. Pau
and st. Luke. After seeing all to b,
seen in the church, we wound in anC
about several nearly covered streets
. and at last came to the hotel Fell, ou
abiding place. The guide advised III
to take our supper and retire early a
we had big days journey ahead of Vi
tomorrow.
q March 18th. Tuesday, Jerusalem
D After somewhat scanty breakfast o
coffee and bread (the custom of th,
country we started out on our day.
journey. Our first stop was the Mosqu,
of Omar. 1t is Moslem building anC
o. is built upon the summit of Mt. Morial
and partly on the foundation of Sol
Omon's Temple. 1t is splendid struc
ture and it also has lot of mosaic
work IN its construction. A band o
Arabic writing from the Koran encir
cles the base of the dome. The writinl
.. is in gold on blue background. TIL,
dome of the structure Is of a pal,
greenish tint and looks very yretty
q from short distance. There are fou
gates leading into the grand rotunda
the north, south, east and west, th
last of which is called the gate of Para
disc. After taking off our shoes ant
putting on the sandals, we entered
The real summit of Mt. Moriah nov
appeared. The identical rock upol
which Abraham offered his son, Isaac
as a sacrifice, is about sixty feet long
forty feet wide, and seven feet abov
the ground; and lowering as faithful
= Mohommedans assert, without supper
over a cavern, which. through a hol
In the rock, has received the blood q
ls innumerable sacrifices. The Ark Q
the Covenant is supposed to be hurie
below, on which account, no Jew is o.
lowed to enter the mosque at all. Afte
viewing the footprint of Christ, W
walked around the outer court and on
D OF the attendents took us to plate c
y jasper with nineteen golden nails in Il
The guide told us that according TO th
Mohommedan belief one Of the golde
nails was to come up at the end of eac
Y generation; also, that there are thre
D and half nails more to come up, afte
which occurrence the world woul
come to an end. They also claim this
re when the dreaded calamity above n
ferred to, happens, that from this spC
the jasper will respond the trump'
D. blast announcing the Judgment,
- After leaving the Mosque Of Omal
we went and saw where Christ drov
the money changers aud those ths
, aold dawes from the cifv gates W