The Washington times., 1902-06-15
ShRY0CK IN JERUSALEM.


pauy with 4 large party OF Baltimoreans
on the good ship Celtic, White Star
Line. He was so well pleased with his
trip that he has already, it is said, en-
gagged rooms for himself and Mrs. Shry-
ock on a steamer which will leave next
fall for an excursion over the same
route. General Shryock. as is well
known, is one of the most advanced Ma
sons in this country. AS there were
166 other Masons on the Celtic, 1t was
natural that anything historic connect
ed with the order would be of deep in
terest. In fact, the Masons on board
did not wait to explore the time-honor-
ed places of the Old World. The mem
bers of the order on the steamer got
together in short time and formed the
Celtic Masonic Association. of which
General Shryock was elected president.
AS distinguished and advanced members
of the order from all parts of the United
States and Canada were on the ship,
this was quite an honor for Maryland.
The most interesting feature OF the
trip from a Masonic standpoint was 4
lodge meeting held in quarries under
| the site of King Solomon's Temple, Jeru-
salem. Only few pieces of the walls
of the original temple remain, and the
| site is now occupied by the Mosque
Omar. The extensive excavations in thy
| hillside under the temple, from which
stone for the famous building was ia
ken. still bear the autographs OF the
ancient workmen in the shape of in
| scriptions names and various devices
| carved in stone along the walls.
| General Shryock conceived the idea of
| boI
| in this underground cavern. some 300
or more feet beneath the surface and
directly under the site of the famous
/ temple of centuries past. The other
members of the order in the party en-
! Enthusiastically concurred. and through
the good Offices of members OF the Roya.
Solomon Mother Ledge of Jerusalem
permission for the meeting was OBJ
| tained.
Entrance to the Guarries was through |
a hole in the ground at least quar-
ter of mile from the main cavern. |
Lanterns and torches were used to light |
the rugged narrow way leading down |
ward and inward. Affairs ard ether fur |
niturc of a lodge room were improvised, |
and in the dim candle light, on the even |
ing of April 8, General Shryock conduct |
ed regular lodge meeting, the only one |
held there since the time OF Solomon. |
There were present 1876 of the American
Masons. and a number of members Of
the Jerusalem lodge.
After the meeting Grand Master Tad
rus, of the local lodge. presented to
each OF the visitors a souvenir gaycl
made from wood cut from the Mount of
Olives. and a Keystone from stone taken
from the quarries.
The cavern in which the ceremony
took place is about $50 feet long and
70 feet wide. Its sides are broken by
extending blocks Of stone 80 feet or more
long and 90 feet high. 1t is thought
that these were cut out Of the solid
rock when the temple was built. but,
not being needed. were not removed
from their beds. They are covered
with inscriptions. presumably those of
wcrkmen in Solomon's time. Repre-
sentatives of twentysix grand lodges
took part in the ceremonies.
General Shryock was elected an hon.
orary member of the Royal Solomon
Mother Lodge of Jerusalem. He was
also elected honorary grand master OF
the Grand Lodge of Egypt while in that
country. He attended a meeting of Bad
Helouan Lodge, twenty miles from
Cairo. in the desert The meeting was
opened and conducted in Arabic, but in
honor OF the visitors the closing was in
English. These we're the only words
that General Shryock and his fellow
American Masons understood. although
Of course, they knew what the various
ceremonies meant.
While in Egypt General Shryock was
guest of Idris Bey Raghed. grand mas
ter of the Grand Lodge of that country,
and brought home with him large pho
tograph containing the autograph of
Idris.
ALL the Americans were surprised to
find that the better class of Egyptians
spoke English fuently. They were ex-
ceedingIy cordial, and seemed delighted
to pay every attention to the visitors.
Idris Bey Raghed is a member of the
Khedives household.
Contrary to reports that reached this
country" says General Shryock, 1--WE
did not have much trouble in reaching
Constantinople nor much Inconvenience
after we reached there. 1t is true that
the Turks object TO the Celtic's ap-
preaching the city. They could not un-
why so many foreigners wished
to visit the capital, and under orders.
are always on the lookout for invasions.
While the Celtic flew a commercial flag
she was barred, but when Captain
ran up the naval flag OF Great
Britain. as he was privileged to do, be-
ing an officer of the British naval re-
soon as We got into harbor-there are no
docks here-the ship swarmed with po-
lice officials and government spies, prob
ably $50 being on our decks at one time.
They did not molest US. however, ex-
cept by their very undesirable presence,
nor were we especially molested while
in the city We had good hotel ac-
there.
THE Turks care nothing for foreign
fisitors and would rather they would
stay away. About the only ones who
Welcome outsiders are the shopkeepers
md they are not very enterprising in
pushing trade The city is filthy, far
behind the times, and overrun with
logs. Our greatest delight was in watch
ng the crowds passing TO and fro over
he bridge leading 10 Stamboul. The
liffcrent highly colored dresses, the
curious headgear, and the faces of the
several nationalities made an impress
i've picture.
Jerusalem and its surroundings.
ontinued General Shryock, ARE just
bout as they were in the time of Christ,
which, of course, makes the attraction
tronger for the visitor. The hotel ac-
there were the worst we
ouud anywhere, and the people we en-
ountered were attractive only in his
oric picturesqueness. a railroad runs
rom Jaffa to Jerusalem. 1t is road
t the usual second class European Fl