The Winslow mail., 1899-02-11
THE KAISER HONORED
He Is Permitted to Enter Into the
Tomb Of David.
First Christian I'm Four Centuries
Accorded the F0DOr OF Admit
tance to the Famous Shrine
in Jerusalem.

One of the special favors granted to
Emperor William on his recent visit to
Jerusalem was the permission from
the sultan to visit the so-calleG tomb OF
David For nearly four centuries this
shrine has been under the watch and
ward Of the Moslems. No Christian
during all that time has been allowed to
approach it. This facc was brought to
the attention of the emperor by the
man who guards the spot. Hence the
privilege granted to his imperial majes-
ty OF Germany is a notable one.
But now comes one Johannes Wink
ler, who publishes * the Volllsbladt. of
Lirz, Austria, challenge to- the en-
ceror He states that on April % Of
this year. being then on visit to the
holy places of Jerusalem, he and a
companion named Rarhaele Lorenzo,
were admitted to the famous tomb.
IL c-aim;: that backsnee@h, or bride.
CT ere franc secured the good Offices of
the Mohannedan attendant who not
5Ely granted him admittance to the
sacred spot but removed the oriental
rug which covers the sepulcher. He
admits that when he visited the same
place 13 years ago he was rot even al
lowed to peep through tie grated door
that opens upon the chamber where
the sarcophagus is preserved.
In view of all these facts he claims
that he, and not Emperor William, is
the first Christian since the middle
ages who has been granted view of
the famous shrine.
Nevertheless Herr Winkler, on the
face of the facts, is wrong. He thought
he was gazing upon the reputed tomb
of David. lie was really gazing upon
a mere simulacrum. TO understand
the true facts of the case if is necessary
to go back into ancient history.
In the early centuries of Christian
ity it was n mooted point whether the
tomb of David was in Bethleh hem or in
Jerusalem. The reference in l. Kings,
chapter 2, verse 10, and David
slept with his fathers, and was buried
in the city of David" was at one time
interpreted as meaning that David was
buried in Bethlehem, his native city,
But against this passage was placed
the text in Acts OF 2, 20, when Peter, ad
dressing the ether eleven in the city of
Jerusalem on the Day Of Pentecost,
said: Brethren, 1 may say unto you
truly Of the patriarch David that he
both died and was buried, and his tomb
is with US unto this day"
On the whole the general consensus
of tradition points to Jerusalem as the
place of David's burial. 1t also argues
that the scenes of the Last Supper and
of the miraculous gift Of tongues IN
the Pentecost were enacted in the iden-
teal chamber which contains DaviGis
tomb. ST. Helena in the fourth cen
tury identified the spot which was thus
triply honored. \ church and convent
of Franciscan monks always cast a
jealous eye upon the holy place, be-
cause they looked upon David as one
of the witnesses to their faith. In
1879 they succeeded so far as to forbid
all Christian pilgrims to enter the SPOT.
In 1547 they wrested the church and
convent from the Franciscans and
turned the buildings into a mosque.
Since that time the genuine tomb of
David, which is said to be in one Of the
subterranean chambers, has been
closed to Christians.
But in small room in an upper
story of the mosque there is a coun-
terieit sareophagus exactly like the
real one. This is covered with a veil OF
red and green satin, embroidered with
verses from the Koran. Christians
have occasionally been allowed to peep
through the grated door which shuts
in this mimic treasure. But the veil
has never been lifted. save under great
financial pressure. And even then the
visitor was cheated by view Of the
imitation. not the original.
1t seems that the emperor saw the
original. Herr KinlIier saw only the
counterfeit.-N. y. Herald