Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1895-07-07
IN THE HOLY LAND.
Description of fine Birth
place of Jesus.
SACRED PLACE VISITED.
An Interesting Letter from Judge A.
W. Terrell to the Austin
Statesman.
SACRED PLACE VISITED.
JERUSALEM. NAV 20.

JEhGsAbEAls hhy s's
I passed through the jana COR Joppa)
gate, and turning to the left passed
the tower of David to traverse the
road to Hebron. so famed In legend and
In Jewish history. i am about to see
where Abraham and Isaac, Jacob and
Joseph, Leah the tender-eyed, and the
aged Sarah were laid to rest in the
cave of Macphelah. which the pa
triarch purchased with silver pieces,
which was In those days the money of
the merchant.
a bright May morning dawned over
the bleak and trackless limestone
mountains that surrounded Jerusalem,
and with an escort of cavalry, which
was more ornamental than necessary,
journeyed to the south over a splendid
turnpike road for twenty-four miles to
Hebron. The scenery, while bold, is
not attractlve; naked, gray limestone
mountains meet the eye in every di-
rectlon. The stratincatlon of the rock
is horizontal and the ascent Is rot
gradual and even, but In benches, as at
Mount Bonnell above Austin; go that
sometimes near a mountain top one
could drive along one of those benches
quite around the mountain. Sometimes
the benches are green with the vcrdure
OF the olive orchards which grow
everywhere, even in the narrow val
leys.
on the wayslde, on the top of q bleak
mountain, four miles from Jerusalem,
Is shown a square tomb about twenty
feet high and about twenty feet square
which Christians, Jews and Moslems
agree Is the tomb of Rachel. Here
childless women of all races have come
to pray for children, and here every
Friday the Jews, who keep the key
to the tomb, come to worship. Near
this spot and by the wayside two wells
are seen which have been cut through
the solid rock. These are holy wells.
for tradition informs us that here the
wise men saw the star which they fol-
lowed until II led them to the manger
at Bethlehem, which Is near. To the
right OF the road and near by is seen
depression in large rock like that
made by a man on soft substance.
The guide reverently pointed II out IS
the impression made by the Savior
when he lay there resting by the way
side.
In sight OF this spot and on an aini-
nence to the left OF the road is the
village of Bethlehem, the name OF
which has not been changed through
the centuries. a quick drive through
n small, well-built town. whose people
looked neat and intelligent, brought
me to n church on the crest of the
mount, covering the spot where Christ
was born. The stable of the kahn was
cut out of the soft limestone rock,
making sort of cave; over this the
church of the nativity has been erect
ed. DIR. Dwight Presbyterian mis-
sionary, thinks that there Is no doubt
of this being the real spot OF the
nativity OF Christ; ST. Jerome and
Justin Martyr early In the Christian
era, believed It. The prosecutions at
Jerusalem during successive conquests
never extended to this village, whose
inhabitants especially preserved their
traditions.
The church covering the cave was
built by Constantine In 327 who sent
workmen from Constantinople TO plan
and construct 1t. can neither de-
scribe nor remember the various
shrlnes In this holy place, nor could |
understand the religious services con-
Quoted in strange language by an
Armenian patriarch. Splendid shrlnes
Quoted at different times by Catholic,
Greek, Armenian. Clopt and Abbysin-
ian priests, but no Protestant shrine IL
seen. At the spot behind glass
frame. and in front OF a beautiful pic
ture OF a child one sees costly gems,
diamonds. emeralds, etc. the gift OF
devout princes and others. The loca-
tlon OF the church is commanding. To
the east at the foot OF the hill is the
field OF Boaz; a few hundred PAGES of
on to the hill Is the Well OF David.
whose waters he wished for so much
In the cave OF Aduilam. There is
abundant reason for believing that this
church OF the nativity covers the very
spot where Christ was born. Learned
men of all Christian nations believe II,
and both tradition and history conspire
to prove Il. / entered its portals OPP
pressed with feeling Of awe, listened
to the chanting OF the patriarc'., who
wore a jeweled mitre or crown. sur
mounted by q cross, and who wag ~
sisted in the solemn ceremonies oy