The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-04-07

said DR.. James Buchanan Niles. ''Tht
eyes Of AToslem, Christian and Jew art
turned upon Jerusalem at Easter. fol
there is the center of their most sacred
associations. To the Moslem the city /;
sanctided not only as the holy place
made sacred by having held David, Solo
mon and Jesus, all revered by the follow
ers Of Bahomet, but it was from here
the site of the Temple of Solomon
where now stands the mosque, Dome
of the Rock that Mahomet was said to
have assembled to heaven. To the Chris
tan It Is sancdGed by the recollection
that in Jerusalem Jesus passed the last
week Of Bis life. and that there He was
crucided and rose from the dead. To
the Je wit is holy because it was not
only the capital Of the southern kingdom
Of Judah, but there was the Temple Sol
onion, the wonder Of the ancient world,
and the restoration of which the ancient
orthodox prays especially on the Pass
over
These are the reasons assigned By DR..
Niles for the overcrowding of Jerusa-
lem, which was forced upon his notice
when he was sent in that city in Easter
time. Dr. Niles, it viii be remembered,
Is the Brooklyn clergyman who had been
exploring Palestine for the purpose Of ex-
cavating its historic relics. He kindly
consented to tell the readers of the New
York Herald his experiences while at
tending the festival Of Easter in the holy
City.
ITO understand the crowds and follow
the clew Of the various celebrations TAX
Ing place at this time" said DR.. Niles.
1T Is necessary to remember that the
population Of Jerusalem is heterogeneous.
There are within its walls Fellaheen,
Arabs. Greeks, Russians, Jews English,
Germans, French and Americans. In Je-
rusalem are a number Of Catholic
churches preserving the organization of
the apostolic succession. Besides the
Catholics represented by the Franciscan
monks and the Dominicans there are the
Greek Catholics, Maronites. the Syrian,
or Jacobite, church; the Coptic and Abys-
rinian, the Armenian, the Russian church
and the Greek church proper. for though
the Russian church claims to be Greek
The Greek church proper is separate and
distinct therefrom. There are separate
patriarchs. bishops and priests for each
Of these denominations. and the rivalry
often runs high between them.
The ceremonies at Easter in the Cath
nlic churches are much like those to
which we are accustomed in America.
and therefore lack any special interest
for the visitor, bus the Greeks observe
Faster in the ancient. original fashion,
r,fusing to accept the Catholic ritual
she Greek church occupies a command
nS position at Easter; the other churches
such as the Armenian and Coptic, act in
harmony with 1t, celebrating Easter at
the time set by the Greek church, not
that of the Latin
This year for instance, Palm Sunday
If the Greek church corresponds with
the Easter Sunday Of the Latin church
SO that the Greek Easter does not occur
until April il. 1t sometimes happens
that Easter of the Greeks is an entire
month later than that of the Catholic
church. and while the Latins are rejoic-
ing on the Feast of the Resurrection the
Greeks are plunged into the depths of the
observance of Lent.
"The predominance Of the Greeks at
Jerusalem is chiefly due, not merely to
the preservation Of ancient traditions as
and Easter. but to the actual possession
Of the church Of the Holy Sepulcher, the
central Christian shrine of all Jerusalem.
[ win be remembered that during the
crusades the Catholic church gained pos
session of the church of the Holy Sepul-
chre eNpelling the Greek church, which
had SO long held this shrine. but after
the fire which took place in this church
IN 1SoS the Greeks turned the tables on
the western church, and since that time
the Catholics have had few privileges
within the edifice. The Coptic church has
secured the right to use some OF the
corners OF the buildings as chapels.
"Concident with Easter festival" con-
unued DR. Niles, "the Mohammedans
also celebrate a feast Neby Mousa. the
Prophet Moses 1t is claimed that this
feast was devised at the close Of the
crusades and has been observed for FIVE
or six hundred years only, as an offset
DO the Christian Easter. The Arabs saw
that the Christian pilgrims crowded
Jerusalem at Easter and they feared
some -Moslem outbreak. SO the feast
Neby Mousa was devised 1t is a pilgrim
age and festival in honor OF Moses. which
starts In ,le shape Of a procession which
leaves the mosque. Dome Of the Rock
on the site OF the ancient temple and
proceeds TO n Moslem shrine on the edge
af the Jordan. where the body of Moses
Is supposed 20 rest. This is near the
Dead Sea. opposite Mount Nebo. where
Moses died, according to the Biblical mar
ra1ive
There is no historical basis for the
suggestion chat the tomb of Moses is COW
cred by the Moslem shrine. for curiously
Enough The Nohammedams themselves
state ghat thei authority Tor the seloC-
ton Of this spot as he tomb of Moses
rests upon tno vision Of Q Greek monk.
Who claimed that in his dream he saw
the angels bear tho body of Moses from
its hidden tomb ON Mount Nebo 70 this
spot on tne western side of the Jordan.
where the DIohammedan MOSQUE now
stands.
'The fact ~ the s,iEht historical basis
Tor this shrine does not. however indu-
tnce The observance OF the festival OF
Neby Nousa. which is observed with
great solmeuity by the Arabs. Leaving
Jerusalem they march he the shrine
about days journey ana week is
spent ia lhe festivities connected with
the pilgrimage. The sight of the pro-
cessian as il starts from Jerusalem IS
strange. If rot impressive.
"Tbere is no semhlance Of order in the
indiscrimnate mob that comes through
the streets tn the strains Of an kinds Of
ancient primitive Instruments played ia
aH kinds 81 time and tune. The NOLAN
medan piisrims who have come from a
distance bring their docks OF sheep 10y
they have no money, and they must pep
force camp outside the city UnuI they
have sold their sheep Tor The money 70