Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-08-01

uuder the city the buried Jerusalem !
observations have collected for him are
well worth considering
Professor Henry A. Harper. n man
OF mark among litterateurs, whose mind
has for years been bent upon the re-
NCaling of the past through eXplora-
ton in the vicinity Of Jerusalem, pre-
sents herewith a story that teens with
Interesting facts which ne has learned,
and for the first time made public, ana
tells TO the layman the tale Of the re-
vealing Of wonders that were supposed
10 have disappeared forever from human
sight This is the statement specially
prepared by Professor Harper, who
Nouohes for the authenticity Of all the
discoveries and explorations to which he
refers:
"All existing maps as 10 the extent
of Old Jerusalem on it's southern side
are wrong What was the position until
the last finds? Taking the southeast
angle Of the Haram wall; we knew
from Sir Charles Warren that a wall.
or portion, was underneath the debris
on 'Ophel.' but now we find that the
city wall extended more than ZOO yards
beyond that southeast angle.
IA jewish wall. 16 feet thick dn one
portion 10 fecO extends beyond the pool
OF Sloan The dimensions Of the true
pool have been traced. Also. IL Is
proved that the wall included both the
pools Of Sloan. The pool spoken OF
I'm the sacred text has undoubtedly been
found. 1t is hoped that the whole site
may be cleared out.
Here, again, the spade shows how
faulty all the 'guesses' Of authorities were.
pools outside the walls, and yet there
was that clear statement in the Old
Testament that the rulers and the peo-
pie Of Jerusalem clearly understood and
valued the water supply, for does not
The passage run; why should the kings
of Assyria come here and find water ?
NVo read of the steps taken to preserve
that particular water supply. Was IL roa-
sonable. then, 10 think that on this SIDE
of the city two important pools would be
left urdefended and open to an invader?
"Then, again. flight Of broad steps
has been found. apparently leading down
20 the pools. Thirty-two OF these steps,
or stairs have been uncovered The
explorers viii follow them up and see
where they lead to- Those who found
the stairs consider them TO be Jewish:
those who have not seen them say they
consider them clearly OF the Byzantine
age. The interest about them is that
Nehemiah ill.,. Is makes mention OF
certain stairs which so down from the
city OF David: also, In chapter Kill, 81
Of the THANKSGIVING procession whica
went up by the stairs Of the city OF
David From the position of these
stairs and the pool of Sloan now un-
covered, it would appear reasonable to
conclude that down these stairs our
Lord must Himself have gone when ht
visited the pool Probably the true
meaning OF these stairs Will be found
This year. as the discoveries have in
etructions 10 push on.
"For those whose interests In Jerusalem
excavations Is confined mainly TO early
Christian churches, there has been a grca
find for the Church of EUdoXia has beer
uncovered--an its plan laid bare. 1t was
built Across the stairs l have Spoken
OF. and close 10 the pool OF Sloan. TIT
old wall found is In general eight fec
thick. but in places the base wall Il
nineteen feet thick. Read any Of tn
O,l Testament statements as 10 th'
walls OF Jerusalem, their strength, etc.
md say If a wall OF the thickness nov
found does not bear out the statements
"Another matter. but this ii may b
said Is conjecture. IT is distinctly as
serted In the Bible Oh. Chronicle. tx. 80
that David and Solomon were buried Il
The city Of David: so also Hezekah Oh
rshronicle xxi, $50: They buried him II
The chieftest Cor highesD OF the sepul
shres OF the sons of David From othe
passages both in the Bible and In Jose
phus, we gather that the Royal Tomb
were close TO this great flight OF stairs
and II is the confident hope of all thos
who have studied the question that er
long we shall have the sensational stor
Of the discovery both Of Davlds tom
ard also of Solomons.
ITO some this may seem an idle dream
do not think so. The Jewish historic
tells that these tombs were careful
hidden, but II the whole OF the groun
IL examined with the care and skill al
ready shown by Or. Bliss, do not sc
anything 10 prevent him from fndn
these tombs Eusebius and Jerome plac
the tomb OF David at Bethlehem; IN
Roman Lady Paula expected TO ind ia
mausoleum Of David at Bethlehem; $
we cannot expect any help from the earl
Christian fathers.
Then. again. there Is passage
Isaiah xii. the 9Th to the 18th verse
'Ye gathered together the waters OF In
lower pool. The houses have y
broken down TO forlify the wall. y
made also ditch between the two wall
for the water OF the old pool The Re
viseG Version says "a reservoir betwee
=. the two walls. What looks Ike a 'dtci