The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1897-03-26


An rmportant Discovery IN faiasiiae--F
-sa-rr xssi.zaaia<tsf-' neiishs.
The Palestine Exploration fund ha1
been for some time past carrying On
explorations on the south aide Of 's.n-
salem. the principal object being % o.
tsrmlno the exact line Of the oia van
on that part Of the town, says me ION
don Daily News. Il often chances tna1
IN seeking for some particular tnins
something else IL found and Huch =
frequently the case In archaeologleAt
explorations This Il what has taken
place AZ Jerusalem. Nehemiah, IN ae-
scribing the rebuilding OF the walls q
jerusalem. says; But the gate q ne
fountain repaired shaliun. the son Or
colhozeh. the ruler OF part Of Aizpani
he built Il and covered Il and set ~
the doors thereof, the locks thereof ana
the bars thereof and the wall Of me
pool OF Sloan BY the kings garden
and unto the stairs that 90 down ron
the city OF David" DR.. Bliss, who -
carrying on the explorations. Ia a re-
port lately received announces . as
covery which scarcely leaves a doubt
but he has found the old stairs men
toned BY the prophet Nehemiah. IN
a former report Dr. Bliss described an
ancient gate he had come upon near
the pool OF Sloan and which vas sup
posed 20 date from the time Of the En-
press Eudocla. but Il no doubt Was .
later construction At OF near 70 the
same gate which had been repaired ~
shallun. The stair which has been
come upon consists OF no less than
thirty-four large. broad steps and they
descend down exactly 70 the pool; they
indicate a line OF communication with
the Ophel ridge. which a. . continuation
Of the temple hill and Il accepted b.
most authorities a. tho site on which
the royal palace Of the kings stood.
and. OF course. the kings garden"
would be on the same ridge. There
may be more steps stiil 70 nnd as the
explorations 30 on. A these steps also
lead up TO the temple they may have
formed the ascent" Il Kings. 4. .
that 20 astoniahed the queen Of sheba
when she came 10 see Solomon. II IL
certainly a very striking thing 70 ina
that this great stair should have been
90 long hidden under ground and We
have no notice OF Il from the time Of
Nehemiah tlll the pick and shovel Of
the modern archaeologist have laid 4
bare Il Il decidedly a feather in the
cap Of the Palestine Exploration fund
and Il also rebounds 10 the credit Of
Dr. Bliss. including his eoadjuior. Mr..
Dickie. who have 20 successfully
brought out such valuable results By
their work. But this IL not al. in
the account Of the pilgrimage Of An
tonlnus Martyr published BY the Pal
estine Pilgrims Text society,", which
dates from the sixth century. this au-
tho- describes the descent By ~many
steps" to 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 from the height above the
level Of the church floor to have made
Il dlfaeut 10 have a door In thar dlrec-
ton. So there are stairs on the north
leading down. where there were arches
By which the church was entered, and
Il Il also supposed that there we're arch
e on the south side. leading out to the
pool. This church. according &c the
report, Possesses What is almost. n not
wholly. a unique feature. That Il that
the water coming through the rock-cut
conduit to the pool passes under the
altar. This. Il may Be- assumed. was
done 20 carry out the idea Of "a pure
river Of water Of life. clear a. crystal.
proceeding out Of the throne" (Reveia-
tons. xii u.