The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-11-01
JERUSALEM AS 1T is TO-DAY.
THE HOLY CITY As THE KAISER
WILL SEE IT.

History of the site of the Church
william Is to Dedicate - German
Lnnd-End OF an Imperial Dream.
From the London Times
Greater activity in pushing forward mrt-
nicipal Improvements and other public
works exists just now in and about Jeru-
salem that has before been witnessed in
modern times. Roads throughout the coun-
try are being repaired and new ones con-
strueted. The ancient mule tracks up
Scopus and over the Mount of Olives
which served Titus and his men of war.
along which David fed from Absalom as
he was stoned and cursed by Shemei. and
which have been climbed by generations of
Jebusites and Jews Romans, Moslems and
Christian knights, pilgrims and tourists,
are being replaced by a modern carriage
road, built at the wish of the German EN-
press that she may be able to reach these
sacred sites without fatigue. The Jaffa
| gate of Jerusalem, which has been used
as a carriage roadway for entering the
| city, Is to be appropriated TO pedestrians.
While wide entrance for carriages on the
south of the ancient gate, and between it
and the tower Of David, is being made by
filing up the old moat of the citadel
All this preparation, and much more, is
undertaken in view of the approaching
visit of the German Emperor, when he is
to dedicate the imposing new German
church called the Church of the Redeemer.
which is just being completed. The other
sevrai German enterprises here-the new
German hospital. the lepers hospital. the
chidren's hospital, the deaconesses' school
| Schneller's orphanage and the hospice of
the knights of st. John-are on tip-toe of
| expectation, especially those which are to
be honored by a royal visit. The expendi-
ture OF public money and attention in view
OF TINS event shows the popularity which
| the German Emperor enjoys in the Otto
man dominions Everything indicates a
most enthusiastic reception from all
classes of the Sultan's subjects Even the
fellaheen of the villages and the boatmen
of Jaffa gladly pay, with many expressions
of devotion, the tax of about shllKngs
per head required to pay for this road
building.
There is much in the history of the site
| of the new German church that Is well
worth noting. 1t occupies the eastern half
of the large Enclosure to the south of the
Church of the Holy Sepulchre known as
! the "Muristan." This plot has historic
mention as early as the reign of Charlie
magne. who devoted much attention to the
holy places of Jerusalem. On this very
ground he erected a hospice for pilgrims
Bernhard of Eichstadt, a monk, acknowl-
edged its hospitality in So and spoke of a
1 church here, with western rites. called ST
Maria Latina, in charge of Benedictnes.
The peace that lasted during Charlie
magne's friendly intercourse and exchange
| of costly presents with Khalif Haroun Ell
Rachid ceased when the Holy Land came
under the power of the Egyptian khalifs
This hospice and church, in common with
| all the churches of Jerusalem, were de-
stroyed This was in 1910, under the rule
of Hakem. After his death intercourse
was renewed with the west through Ital-
| ian seaports, and churches were rebuilt
In 1868 merchants of Amalh purchased the
| ground in question and built a hospice
For Its services there was founded a small
! brotherhood of hospitallers, and this grew
in few years into the powerful and cele-
brated order of the knights of st. John,
which added warlike enterprises to its
deeds of mercy in caring for pilgrims and
the sick.
This knightly spirit was fostered by the
circumstances of those times when the
crusades were undertaken by which Jeru-
salem was wrested from the Turks of Asia
Minor. This new order of knights filed
their area with great structures-the
Church of st. John Baptist, hospital
supported by 124 columns where 1000 pill
grlms could find shelter; the palace of the
master of the order, the dwellings of the
knights and an armory and news. Upon
the northeast corner of the Enclosure stood
the Church of ST. Mary Major, and ad-
joining 1t on the south the cloister of the
affiliated order of nuns. This church was
built in the old French style and resem-
bled the Church of st. Anne, now stand
ing near the st. Stephens gate.
1t is this church of which the ruins
We're uncovered by the German architects
a few years ago. Its restoration was I'M
dertaken and is now approaching compile
ton under the patronage and close per-
sonal interest of the German Emperor. An
ornamental arch bearing designs symbolic
OF the twelve months of the year, which
originally formed the northern entrance,
was found stin standing. and now occupies
Its ancient place in the new structure, and
forms its most interesting feature. The
coster also was found in good preserva,
ton, and may now be seen much as it
was in the days when Baldwin was King
| in Jerusalem.
Christian rule terminated within a cen.
fury. In 1lH Saladin conquered the city
and took up his quarters in the property
which had belonged TO the knights OF St
| John. The cloister. from which the nuns
| had fled. he converted into a madhousp