The daily morning journal and courier., 1901-10-17
AN ELOQUENT DISCOURSE
REV. 4. J. SMITH 1T THE GEACE
 M. F. CHURCH
"The Church of the Holy sepulch chre" Was the Topic Treated in n Masterly Manner Historic Palestine, the Holy Land, Splendidly Described.


 The address of Rev. A. J. Smith al
 the M. E. church Sunday morning on
 'The Church of the Holy Sepulchre'
 was listened to by large and appre-
 ciative audience. He said in brief
 There Is no place on the face of tht
 globe so attractive as Palestine. To its
 sacred shores millions of pilgrims have
 come, and every year the number of
 them increases Fifty three French
 priests journeyed with me to the Holy
 Fields, and while in the City of David a
 pilgrimage of five hundred persons
 marched into the Jaffa gate of Jerusa-
 lem at one time.
 I longed to see the Promised land as
 others did and do. that I might visit
 the place where He was born and see
 those fields at Bethelehen, in which the shepherds kept their fiocks, that night the gates of heaven opened and the an- gelic choir sang '"rhe Gloria in Excel sis" I wanted to climb the hills of Nazareth, that I might walk where the sat. I was anxious to visit the village or bGJIdUy tJStL II1Ellt bliilih cL llitii who so often was entertained In the home of Mary Martha and Lazarus. My heart yearned to see the Mt. of Oliver, that might place my feet in that foot print of my Lord when He stood on Oli- vet brow, and beholding the city of Jerusalem ''wept over it." that I might with mine own eyes, see Mt Zion beau tiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth.
 But from what arises to-day this world wide attraction to the Holy Land. Is 1t because of the excellency of it's government. An! government it has none except that exercised by the bloody and ferocious Turk, whose chief business is to keep the people in abject servitude at the point of the sword and dagger. Is it because of it's territorial extent? No The Palestine is among the heart of countries only 140 miles long and 40 miles wide, II is endeared to the hearts of men because the Son of God once walked it's Holy Hills and made it forever sacred by His holy life, sacrificial death, glorious resurrection and triumphant ascension.
 Let us imagine ourselves entering the Jdlld SdlG ltltO liic Clly OL Jtl uSdieii. What a continuous throng of people you meet coming and going. Pause just a moment and look at the crowd. There are costumes of every color and shape under the sun. The multitude is conn posed mostly of men, legs, arms and faces Drowned and blackened by ex- posture to the sun and heat Here you may see representatives from every na- tion upon the earth. Passing on through David's street you are surrounded by Turks and Arabian Jews and Gentiles, while all around you are tradesmen and hawkers, the halt the lame, the leper and the beggar. But we must hasten on. You will be forced to notice the narrow dirty, slippery streets and the open little shops in which the Oriental sits, smoking his pipe or sipping his Turkish coffee. As in old time the money changers are here in great num- bers But take care. Here comes long string of camels stridlng along with their great burdens. You will never know how ugly the camel is nor how useful until you visit the East | About half way down David's street we turn to the left into Christian street, and find ourselves in front of the | Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
 II am not so much a believer in sacred | places as some. But when 1 stood in | front of this church the very pavement | of which has been worn smooth not | only with the feet of those who walk | thereon, but with the hands and knees [ and tears of pilgrims from every land, I could not help feeling that if there | be one place more consecrated than l another it is this. I was not thus i'm l pressed with New Calvary or Gordens : Calvary I am of the opinion that it is ! rightly named and that it is essential 1 ly Gordens and not the tomb of our Lord. It is outside of the present city walls, but So orignally was the site of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, as is clearly proven by the recent dis ,overy of the old walls of the city by the Russians If then the traditions which make this church contain the site where they crucitied Him be true, hen may we we'll uncover our heads, md take off our shoes, for the place