The herald., 1898-11-02
TIE KAISER AT MT. ZION
ANNEXES A PIECE OF TURKISH
TERRITORY
ABODE OF THE VIRGIN MARY
Given to Emperor William and in Turn
Placed at the Disposal of German
Catholics
Associated Press Special Wire

i
JERUSALEM, Oct. 3l.-(Delayed ir
transmission.) Emperor William proceed
ed to Mount Zion today, where he attended
the ceremony of hoisting the German and
Turkish flags on piece of ground which,
according to tradition, was formerly occu
pied by the abode of the Virgin Mary, and
which the Sultan presented to the German
Emperor. The latter subsequently form
ally presented the ground to the German
Catholics.
Emperor William has telegraphed to the
Pope saying:
II am happy to be able to inform Your
Holiness that, thanks to the benevolent in
tervention of His Majesty, the Sultan, who
has not hesitated to give me proof of his
personal friendship, have been able to ac-
quire at Jerusalem the abode of the Holy
Virgin. l decided to place this ground,
the disposal of my Catholic subjects. 1t re-
joices my heart to be able thus to prove how
dear to me are the religious interests OF
Catholics whom Divine Providence has
placed in my care.
II beg Your Holiness to accept assurance
of my sincere attachment"
| The Pope replied, thanking His Majesty
and expressing satisfaction at the gift, for
which he was sure the German Catholics
would be deeply grateful.
| The Emperor, at the close of the cere-
mony of consecrating the Church of the
Redeemer, read an address, during which he
said:
"From Jerusalem came the light, in splen-
dor, from which the German nation became
great and glorious, and what the Germanic
peoples have become they became under the
banner of the cross, the emblem of self
| sacrificing charity.
day, shall [ ring out the cry, voicing my
ardent hope, to all Peace on earth.
His Majesty then renewed the vow of his
| ancestors, saying:
II and my house will serve the Lord"
The Emperor called upon all present to
| make the same vow, including prayer that
"God grant that confidence in the Almighty,
brotherly love, resignation in suffering and
efficient work, may remain the German
nations noblest ornament and that the
spirit of peace may more and more pene-
trate the evangelical church."
The conservation ceremony at the Church
| of the Redeemer was attended with the
greatest pomp. Early in the morning huge
crowds began to collect. The route of the
imperial cortege was lined with Turkish
troops and German sailors. The church
was filled with uniformed officials. In the
course of the service, which was very i'm
pressive, Emperor William read the consti-
tuition of the church and expressed the hope
that the ministrations there would be fol-
lowed by the divine blessing.
Cardinal Kopp, prince bishop of Breslau,
| whom Emperor William had informed of
his acquisition of the abode of the Virgin,
replied, saying:
"Your majesty has added new link to
the chain of recurrent proof of your just
disposition and sovereign solicitude for your
Catholic subjects and at the same time you
have instituted a lasting inheritance, which
has given joy to the whole Catholic Chris
tianity and will always be held and cherished
by German Catholics in grateful remem-
brance of an emperor's magnanimity."
The Church of the Redeemer is hand
some limestone building, surmounted by a
square Gothic tower, designed by Emperor
| William. The altar within the dome is
richly ornamented in gold and mosaic with
the head of Christ.
The organ stands in the north apse, and in
the south apse, which is painted in Moorish
style, stands white font, the gift of the
| Duke of Mecklenburg
pressive. Their majesties, who were seated
near the steps Of the altar, were the central
figures in a setting Of crimson, blue, gold and
silver that cleaned and flashed in the sun
! light, down the broad naye and along the
aisles between arched colonnades Of white
IshonA unsn crowds Of men In evening dress