The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1895-08-14
GREAT TEMPLE
RoLY SOPHIA, THE GLORY OF
CONSTATINOPLE.

I, sight That Makes a Life Impression.
u,.to,v of One of the Grandest Edifices
in the World--What One Sees and
Feels on Entering the Greatest
Church of the MOhammedans.
# YOU ascend of a clear afternoon to
| he TOP of Bulgurlu, a mountain just
cross the Bosphorus from Constantine
be YOU will see one of the most beauti-
4 hi sights in the world. The city, with
glundreds of mosques and white min
refs. lies at your feet; few miles be-
Ov. from the deep blue waters of the
4 ga of Marmora, rise the Islands of the
Prince up into the air; while to the east
&eOne lonely caravan route loses itself
{ nong the hills of Asia, and when the eye
His he Imagination continues the jour
4 lev till it reaches the far away lands of
Sfental splendor that we know best
Iough poets dreams. But on the Eu-
&Dpean side the massive turrets and min
bets of Holy Sophia tower up above the
Aouse tops and hold the attention and
house the muse of ancient history. Holy
sOpha is now the st. Peters of Moham-
edanSm; a Christian church has be-
pme a mosque. Centuries ago, when all
bat was best in the world was centered
the shores of the Bosphorus, the
hpeTor of the east took thought, as did
pOm)n, in the days of Israe's glory,
bdWWed a temple to the Lord. The
lmoeSt corners of the Greek empire
Fe lispoiled of their treasures and
#EeS that God might be glorified at the
#pita When years had passed away
81 church was complete and J1stinian,
emperor, on the day of dedication,
Sed bis hands to heaven, and, with a
glbeating heart, exclaimed: ooh, Sol
Ahon, | have surpassed thee" For eight
fndred years this church was the CEN
81 Of the Christian faith of the east.
tin 1853 the Turks came rushing into
#Iope like a pack of angered wolves
"a drove the Christians toward the west.
RlS INVASION meant for western Europe
IA renaissance and the new life, but for
nStantinOple it meant death and desc
Rtlon, Hundreds of women and chill
sPn We're slaughtered by the affairs OF
.Ry Sophia, and since that day it is the
pezzin who, in his ministrations, looks
28aTd Mecca and calls upon MOhammed
not the priest wi Ii hands aloft look
Tor the vision of the cross and the
r8t.
tlSht hundred years Christian church
oVO years a Mohammedan mosque;
lteen hundred years the sanctuary OF
rSeleSs prayers beneath Gods stars.
with reverence that one lays aside
shoes on crossing the threshold,
the place is holy ground. l shall
Vf forget she experience of my en-
flce' The long, dark climb up the
lung street, the strange mutter of the
OIkeeper, the solemn and strange act
'emoving the shoes, the noiselesS
'S@ge between the curtains and at last
VISION A vast space of hazy light,
ough which the CLEANS of the thou
ny OF lamps fell like rays from the
~ On four sides massive pillars Of
O'su marbles rising till their forms
'me almost lost in the distance;
'Hu over the immense stretch of floor
'nOroken field of rich velvetry Turk
rugs; just above the center the
NV seeming to swing in midair with
"uy visible means of support, and
IL the pale haze OF llght the
Sence of God.
''i 'he galleries the view is even
sublime. 1 slowed myself in a cor
1u' peered over the railing. The
'ppers began to assemble. 1t was
lYH'1 Of Ramadan, during which
- no Turk may eat or work until
sn'' aud during this month the city
- Win pilgrims. Quietly the men
~ barefoot, carrying their shoes