The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1897-11-10
AN IMPORTANT DISCOVERY
EXPLORATIONS at Jerusalem Result In q
Great Find for Arehaeologlsts.


The Palestine exploration fund has
been for some time past carrying on
explorations on the south side OF
Jerusalem, the principal object being
to determine the exact line Of the old
wall on that part Of the town. 1t
often chances that in seeking for
some particular thing something else
is found, and such is frequently tho
case in archaeological explorations
This is what has taken place at Je-
rusalem. Nehemiah, in describing
the rebuilding of the walls Of Jerusa-
lem, says. "But the gate of the foun-
tain repaired Shallun, the son of Col
hozcn, the ruler Of part Of Mizaph;
he built it, and covered it, and set up
the doors thereof, the locks thereof,
and the bars thereof, and the wall OF
tho pool of Sloan by the kings
garden, and unto the stairs that 60
down from the city of David" DR.
Bliss, who is carrying on the explora-
tons, in a report lately received, an
nounces a discovery which scarcely
leaves a doubt but he has found the
old stairs mentioned by the Prophet
Nehemiah.
In a former report DIR. Bits de-
scribed an ancient gate he had come
upon near the pool of Sloan, and
which was supposed to date from the
time of Empress Eudocia, but it, no
doubt, was a later construction at or
near to, the same gate which has been
repaired by Shallun. The stair which
has been come upon consists ofn less
than 81 large, broad steps, and they
descend down exactly to the pool;
they indicate q line Of communication
with the Ophol ridge, which is a con-
tinuation of the Temple hill, and 10
accepted by most authorities as the
site on which the royal palace of the
kings stood, and, of course, the
"king's garden" would be on the same
ridge. There may be more steps still
10 find, as the explorations 60 on, As !
these steps also lead up to the temrsa,
they may have formed the ascent"
Il Kings, K, s. that 50 astonished the
queen Of Sheba when she came to see
Solomon, 1t Is certainly a very strik-
ing thing to find that this great stair
should have been so long hidden
under ground, and we have no notice |
Of it from the time of Nehemiah till |
the pick and shovel of the modern ar |
chaoologist have laid it bare.
But this is not all, In the account |
Of the pilgrimage of Antoninus
Martyr, which dates from the sixth
century, this author describes the
descent by many steps" to the foun-
tain Of Sloan, and adds that there
was a church there. This church has
also been found, along with the stair.
The steps came down at the west end |
Of the church, and they seem from
heir height above the level of tho
,hurch floor to have made it difficult
o have door in that direction. So
here are stairs ON the north leading !
lown, where there were arches by |
which the church was entered, and
t is also supposed that there were
riches on the south side, leading out
o the pool, This church, according
o the report, possesses what is al
most, if not wholly, a unique feature.
That is that the water coming
trough the rock-cut conduit to the
'ool passes under the altar. This,
t may be assumed, was done to carry
nut the idea Of "a pure river of water
i life, clear as crystal, proceeding out
# the throne" Reyelation, xxi, ~
london Daily News.