New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-03-27
G. S. SMITHS TRAVELS.
AN INTERESTING LETTER FROM JERU
SALEM.
TO \ FRIEND N THIS CITY-sCENEs
IN TIE REGION WITH WHICH THE LIFE
OF JESUS Is so INTIMATELY
CONNECTED.

IN THE REGION WITH WHICH THE LIFE
OF JESUS Is 50 INTIMATELY
CONNECTED.
Charles Stewart Smith. Rapid Transit Commits
sioner and former president OF the Chamber OF
Commerce. Is travelling abroad. but Is shortly to
return 10 New-York George Wilson. secretary
o' the Chamber OF Commerce. has just received a
letter from him dated Jerusalem. March which
IS given herewith:
II was a cherished aspiration Of my early years
TO visit tho three ancient cities TO which the West
ern world is indebted for is religion mGTali' ar
tho seven his Of Rome and looked from the tower
Of its capitol upon that wonderful panorama
which shows on the ono side the Forum ana col
osseum. and far across tho Campagna the que me
OF the Alhan Hills. and on the other IN" Pantheon
Angelic and beyond tho dome OF 81 Peters. which
seems from that distance suspended in arr
valuable and Interesting brorz- monument in the
world the equestrian statue of Marcus Aurehus.
be named among the three or four Of The gTeaI R
mans am iolerably familiar with Athens ana
seated upon the steps OF the Farthcnon and while
looking upon the hue Egean Sea nave nearu OH
the miracle Of history the achievements on me
Grcf b J and 9 '2S SGn 9 q Of
INNS nu1s Of Basihek when believe 10 he inter
more more graceful architecturally. than those OF
hFyP'- THE SITE OF JERUSALEM.
This is the frs; time however. that have seen
Jerusalem which 10 me. from It's situation ana MS
,orc associations Notwithstanding rs poverty dlr'
and desolation Is the most interesting spot OF 'h'9
earth II was founded. according TO Josephus
sorne four thousand years ago. upon a rock which
rfs TIA site 300 feet above the sea level. and from
ono hundred 20 two hundred feet above the sur
rounding valleys. which encompass u on All SUES
II made no mark in history until baV'a 'oon II
some one thousand years later from the Jebusi'es
and made II the capitol Of his Kingdom. o""e
hat date II has been the coveted prize OF all the
srr-oundlnr nations BEFORE the use Of gun
nowder and modern projectiles its position seemed
az ,ron-egnable from assault and capture except
hv famine or wan: OF water, az the hooN u
Prevons 10 the Crusades in the twelfth century
{, had been hesieged captured ana 49, go,
pSrtI"t3 ,. Of Nv nestience famine and internal
diseentons The Persians Egyptians. Greeks. no
IKE CRUSADERS held for eiehty-osht ears ab b
lcft their mark qnon rs nenury The Mahometan
mas been in almost undl.r,"q pos Seen the OBJ
city Sine InS Of the jtw and Christian
bo hold il in equal vencraon. and Ioia sgs,o ,,S
Ma ,a.red aeeociation TO that Of Mecca
Tho historical personages VINO nav U bsVa
neryeG YIN IN the memory OF mankind ard viii at 80
continue TO thc end of time; accnroInsc r na and
70 inc eFcr me christian era. which have 50
Ronie T moulded the civilization ot e'Fnesn
centuries s,hi wna oro Influential and has con-
nnered the Western wora' ana VIII '''
surely convert tho Orient
THE BIRTHPLACE OF CHRIST
-o,..- which has led this historic
roh ~ christian civilization and supersedea me
ma ,,r.or. - Greece and Rome has been concen-
as ~ the ,,e and death Of one man. tho carpen-
49,. son horn 1895 years ago within an easy Walk
eo, ,his CITY and who probably sine" his residence
4, Egypt during his infancy, never traFe"eo wv
hundred miles from home. He knew litne OF ho'"
, y. Crook or Romal literature. and nad oul
three Years Of public lfe He seemed 70 c'ain ~
vine origin and superb -man power ana AZ "e ae7
- .hi-tvthree suffered al ignominious death at the
bards az His own countrymen In Jerusalem Ihe I
IS universal impulse IN huiaI I. ~ Tho MN VINO
bir,brlaca and home surroundihgS or IN M ~
nave md ~ less ChrIst In His own country IS the
an "". .trs,,ioo ~ visit 70 Palestine. whether
one believes that this man was At once qNlre an.
pmr,,r ~ whether as Mahomet asserted He was
nnx IN Arnbassador sent by God TO this earth no
u,nrds and Ills work. Jesus Chrst was the greatest
o-c ,ra so,e NJ men To celebrate His birth, ny
cannon consent the roll Of the centure, mas pseH
cbnnged ana is now reckoned backward and rot-
n5 f,o,o Us advent 20 the world Monuments %
His me 1,0rv and 10 celebrate the religion Nnlcn r.
fonndei slrdle the world. for all Christian trl'Ip
pay little attention TO he controversfS oi ,ons ~
and psychologists concerning the exact oc1o %. 10
the holy places whether or not the Cnufcn o! ~
Sepuchre covers the place Of the ~, or
consecrated by tradition. Is Of small consequence me
imnor,ant fact remains that here on ms M dnu
rendous events recorded by contemporaneous W.T.
as In tho four Gospels. So accept WllHErN ~.
sacred legends for what they arr worth me WIZ,
i1es o. Homer. as Renan has n1eiy SAID are moi
bjstorv. they were gathered out o. the msts Oh ora
,mdj,jor centuries before they were sung nN
Homer hut they have An immense vaie asli' lIo,n
bar ,oetic beauty as descriptive ~ the local 'o"I
Inc manners and customs ana o ne , nm a ~
women Of remote antiquity 30 VIII NE ''s r ~
paiestine. They are or great dhuG'l " ~ -
three centuries after ther and be-
and traditions were inves igaied Ioca,ra dnu -
nyed on the spot by such Intelligent persons a. me
Empress Helena for tYampr W. nus a,d tbero is
nos "i ,sr more Of truth than error in the stories
ae ,tcv have come down To us
rNDTsPUTED FACTS
-,,bs,anding the e1agscrIt!ons with which
-, hayo been overaid BY the lapse Of centuries
80 hsve n proper conception OF jerusalem and Its
.,-roundings one must have carefully studied IS
,'-,o,,. and topography. Win this knowledge In
- q c-,lk around the walls and observa lions
H"n, inc Mount Of Olives will give one an idea OF
to,y the city appeared In the time Of Christ The
,, q, the temples Of Solomon and Herod is. beyond
dsnute now occupied by the fine Dome OF the Rock
on the Eastern HILL and separated by the IyropcSn
Vaalier on the Western HI. on The site OF the
Cbmrch o, the Sepulchre or IN It's Immediate VEN
Nv is doubtless the place Of the CrucinHlon ana me
toi' 81 ne Tine OF solomon connected by an
arcoed bridge TIC remains OF which are now visible
i1hhe rnountiins around Jerusalem, the views o.
80 Il" T,,dsn and the Dead Sea unchanged since
Christ walked over he roads 10 Bethany 10 Nisit
ne home OF Lazarus or down 10 His birthplace
tpn,hinh@m The olive. the hg and the almond trees
are suI in bloom in this ricimty aItholfh me lack
= Garden with pools OF water. wei hled me ROOF
Of Sloan is SIN IN exist but IL ieeeve, e,,e
drainage OF the ci'y. so mat ho' even INC "'"'''
or camels will drink there -, .,..,,., ,o,o,s
When we arrived at Jerusalem ne prnoipaI i p
~. ia And and we sought quarters IN the casa
ToVa the hospce OF the order Of ST. ppnh er
,bc ~