The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1897-04-04
oln srAlRs 81 NEHaMIAH.
An Important Discovery IN rAlesiine-
Modern Archaealorists Dellght

An Important Discovery IN Faiesiine''
Modern Archaeologists Delight
The Palestine Exploration fund haa
been for some time past carrying On
explorations on the south aide Of 1eIn-
salem. the principal object being % az
termine the exact line Of the old van
on that part Of the town. says the Lon
don Daily News. II often chances tnat
In seeking for some particular thing
something else IL found and such y
frequently the case In archaeoloslcai
explorations This Is what has iaken
place at Jerusalem. Nehemiah, In de-
scribing the rebuilding Of the walls or
Jerusalem. says: But the gate OF me
fountain repaired Shallun. the son or
Colhozeh. the rrler OF part Of Mizpah;
be built Il and covered Il and 81 ~
the doors thereof. the locks thereof ana
the bars thereof and the wall Of the
pool Of Sloan by the kings garden
and unto the stairs that 60 down from
the city Of David" DR.. Bliss. Who u
carrying on the explorations. In q re-
port lately received announces dis
eovery which scarcely leaves q doubt
but he has found the old stairs men,
toned by the prophet Nehemiah. In
a former report Dr. Bliss described an
ancient gate be had come upon near
the pool Of Sloan and which was sup
nuanH fn Hnsa Fror. a.. fIrna ~ fhn Ema
press Eudocia. but Il no doubt was q
later construction ct or near 10 the
sane gate which had been repaired By
shaliun. The stair which has been
come upon consists Of no less than
thirty-four large. broad steps and they
descend down exactly TO the pool; they
Indicate a line OF communication with
the Ophel ridge. which IL a continuation
Of the temple hill and Il accepted BY
most authorities a. the site on vhich
the royal palace OF the kings stood.
and. OF course. the Kings garden
would be on the same ridge There
may be more steps still 10 hnd a. the
explorations 70 on. As these steps also
lead up TO the temple they may have
formed the ascent" q kings. T. 81
that 70 astonished the queen Of shehc
when she came 10 see Solomon. Il Il
certainly q very striking thing 10 ind
that this great stair should have been
20 long hidden under ground and We
have no notice OF II from the time Of
Nehemiah TN the pick and shovel Of
the modern arckaeologili have laid Il
bare. Il II decidedly feather In the
cap Of the Palestine Exploration fund
and Il also rebounds 10 the credit Of
DR.. Bliss. Including bis coadluior. MF.
Dickie. who have 90 successfully
brought out such valuable results b.
their work. But this Il not an. In
the account OF the pilgrimage Of An
toninua Martyr published By the Pal
estine Pilgrims Text society,". Which
dates from the sixth century. this au-
thor describes the descent By many
steps" 10 the fountain Of Sloan and
adds that there was a church there.
This church has also been found. along
with the stair The steps came down
al the west end Of the church, and
they seem froFo the height above the
level Of the church floor 70 have made
Il dlficult 10 have a door In TIA, dlrec-
ton. So there are stairs on tie north
leading down. where there we're arches
By which the church was entered. and
Il Is also supposed that there were arch
Is on the south side. leading out 10 the
pool This church. according 70 the
report. possesses what Il almost. n not
wholly. a unique feature That & that
the water coming through the rock -cut
conduit 10 the pool passes under the
altar. This. q may Be assumed. vas
done 20 carry out the Idea o. "a pure
river Of water OF lie. clear az crystal.
proceeding out Of the throne" Revela-
tons. xiii -.