The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1900-04-26

Sick Women Well.
clear that shrine must be eStab-
lished at home. which should out-do
even the Tomb of the Prophet at Mecca
There was as yet no Djalma or Grand
Mosque in Spain. the services of Islam
being everywhere held in contiscated
churches. and most of these divided
with worshippers Of another creed In
Cordova, Christians and Mahommedans
bowed beneath the same roof, almost
before the very affairs where the earlier
Romans rendered homage to their gods
With considerable difficulty, but perfect
fairness. Ahdu-r- rahman finally bought
the whole structure-the Priests receiv-
ing their purchase-money in gold and
church. which they dedicated to Saints
Faustus and Marcial: and then the
Christians quilted the cathedral, bear
ing in solemn procession the images of
the Saints and all their treasures. The
ground was at once cleared for the
Grand Djalma which was designed to
he one OF the wonders of the world.
BY this time good Caliph was we'll ad-
vanced in wears: but he drew all the
plans himself and devoted some hours
every day to actual labor with his own
hands on the sacred structure He
never had the Joy of Worshipping in it.
however at least not in the flesh Be
him safely across the mystical Bridge of
Al >crat fine as a hair and sharp as Il
sword which according to the Koran
spans the eternal abyss. and across it
the Faithful nlilaculously pass into
paradise, While the wicked are lost in
the depths beneath.
Then \ bdu-r-zah,naM' som Iiichem
|. took mp the good work and carried it
on during his lifetime at enormous
cost. The plans OF its founder We're
faithfully copied. except that it soon be
came necessary to more than double the
original size. as the immense mosque
proved too small to accommodate the
ever-increasmg multitudes OF pilgrims.
Al-EIakem | l. constructed the Mahrab
or "Ho1iest of Holes" wherein was de
posted the richly illuminated manu-
script of the Koran. This priceless relic
was torn III pieces by Don Alfonso's
Christian soldiers in the year l46, when
Ben Sagiah delivered mp Cordova. This
Moslem Holy of HOLES was called bv the
Spaniards Del Zancarron' in derision
of the foot-bone of the Mahomet All
pilgrims walked seven times around the
sacred place, AS was done at Mecca:
hence the toot-Worn pavement, which
to-day shows a deep hollow, circular in
form, surrounding the point of devotion
Ahdll-r- rahman Ill built the beauti-
full minaret. and Al-Mansur added the
eight .naves on the Eastern side. The
last named monarch was gathered to his
fathers in the year 1902 ; and after his
death nothing more was done to the
mosque until the thirteenth century,
when it was seized by barbarian Span
iardS. who have ever since been destroy
ing its symmetry and etfacing its origi-
nal character by repeated mutilations.
Roman Catholic choirs and affairs were
erected in the very middle, by order of
Charles V. and stalls, pulpits, shrines.
confessionals, images and other church
paraphernalia scattered all over it.
You may travel the wide world over
and find no sanctuary. of any faith, so
impressive as this temple of Allah, none
which seems so fit a dwelling place for
Him who fills all space, above the petty
creeds and dogmas of men. Perhaps it
is the immense width and depth of the
interior, its inlinitude of columns and
mysterious perspectives, combined with
the ancient traditions of the place, that
the Caliphs and render the common
place world of the twentieth century
illusory and unreal. The whole place
seems peopled with shadowy forms,
standing with supplicating hands and
faces turned toward Mecca, or PROSTATE
upon their prayer-rugs; while from the
Minaret, far overhead, sounds the Muez-
zins' cry, Come to Prayer! Prayer is
better than sieep?"
The most beautiful feature Of the
interior is it's dense forest of many
colored marble columns, supporting the
Moorish arches of the roof, which
broods over all like the sense of God S
benefcence,-not affair off, but near and
tangible. Originally there were 1900 of
these shafts, and upwards of a thous-
and yet remain. 1t is marble LADY,
rinth, of endless yistas and mystifying
space One is astonished at the infinite
.ss