Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-10-18

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cross. They are described by Rufinus
IN 40 and again by Theodoret in 40.
IN ola the church was destroyed by the
Persians. but was rebuilt in go with
additions. Two centuries later it was
destroyed by fire. In 1910 It was pulled
to the ground by the Moalems. but was
rebuilt. enlarged and beautified by the
| crusaders. In 1857. in 1244 and 1910 it
was also destroyed. being rebuilt each
time. and has met with various other
damages and disasters. In 1908 it was
almost entirely burned down, the dome
fell IN. the chapel of the sepulcher was
crushed and nothing was saved except
the east part OF the building where
traces OF the original walls may still
be dtatinguished,
The Greeks Contrived to secure for
themselves the larger part Of the church
ing most of the funds 10 pay the ex-
penses. For long time the dome threat
ened to fall, but In 1865, after long nego-
In vas .nc reached
resenting the Roman Catholics: Alexan-
DER II. OF Rusefa. representing the ortho-
aox Greeks. and the liberal Sultan Abdul
| paired ~ . French architect at the ex-
pense OF the sovereigns named. The orig
mai dome was secured by iron braces
and false dome was built above to pre-
tect 1t. The inner side of the lower dome
was lined with lead. the exterior of the
upper dome was covered with boards.
then with felt. and lastly with lead.
These braces were intended to be only
temporary. 1t was expected that after
| further negotiations between the repre-
sentatives of the Greek and Latin
| churches under the patronage of Louis
| Napoleon that an agreement would bs
reached under which the entire church
| could be restored. but the Franco-Prus-
sian war. occurring few years later.
| terminated the reign of Louis Napoleon,
and since that time nothing has been
dene.
The dome is said to be a wreck. The
plaster frequently falls from the walls.
| examinations have declared that the
chapel of the sepulcher is again in con-
Itinual danger of being crushed by it's fee
BILE and crumbling canopy of iron, stone
| 1t was expected that the visit Of Kaiser
William to the Holy Land in 1898 would
| be followed by important concessions to
! Protestants in Jerusalem, but nothing
| 1t was understood that representative
4 of the sultan would present the emperor
4 with solemn ceremony the eCaenaculum.
the building in which the Last Supper is
| said to have taken place. This building
has been in the possession of the Turks
1 for thousand years, ever since the cru
saders, and Christian pilgrims are not
permitted to enter its walls. Some years
ago cardinal archbishop of the Roman
| Catholic church was actually refused the
i privilege of erecting an altar and cele-
Friday. Tourists can get in by the lib
eral use of baksheesh. We went with a
dragoman from the hotel and were ad-
mitted, but it costs much money. and the
nh ~ no n 1nd vii
y names while we were there.
/ The appearance oe the room does NOT
justify confidence in the story. 1t is :,
heavily arched and vaulted chamber. such
!, as you find in the crypts of ancient cas-
u ties and cathedrals, and adjoins what l.
said to be the Tomb of David. 1t seems
almost certain that if the Last Supper
had occurred in such close proximity to
the grave of the great king of Israel. that
fact would have been mentioned in the
story as told by the disciples.
i Christians are not permitted to see tho
tomb. which is also controlled by the
Mcslems. but in an adjoining room is
shown a model upon the payment of
piasters. The original has occasionally
been seen by foreigners of influence
through the favor of the governor, and
one who saw it recently tells me that the
model is very much like the original, ex-
jcept that it is not SO richly embellished
The tomb is an immense sarcophagus ot
rough stone covered with a pail of green
satin tapestry embroidered with inscrp
tons from the Koran in gold. Above it il
a canopy,,of brilliant colors, also en-
brOidered. and two candles and a litt!,
lamp stand near by, and are always kept
I burning. The wall and the ceiling Of the
room are veneered with tiles
1t is possible that this is the genuine
tomb of David, for his sepulcher appears
!, to have been known at the time of Christ
On the day of Pentecost Peter spoke OF
this day The present tomb has been
d venerated continuously since the time OF
the Empress Helena. and has not been
lost sight Of since Josephus tells tina.
1 Hyrcanus. the high priest, robbed 1t OF
$4,000 talents. with which to bride Antiocu=
i to abandon the siege of Jerusalem. and
that Herod the Great attempted to find
an immense store of gold in the sarcoph-
4 agus but was driven out of the tomb By
miraculous flames of fire.
i Before Emperor William went to Jeru.
salem it was published that the sultan
had decided to present the Caenaculum to
him, but the story appears to have been
untrue. The chief object Of the kaiser s
visit was to participate in the dedication
of new German Lutheran church, by
far the handsomest piece of modern ar
chitecture in Palestine, which occupies
the site of the ancient temple of the Or
der of Hospitalers and knights of st.
John: presented to the late Emperor
| gift embraced nearly a block of ground
which is still covered with the ruins OF
the hospice of st. John. and is one of the
| best locations in the city, being not more
| than a hundred yards from the Church of
| the Holy Sepulcher.
| Jerusalem suffered a thorough cleansing
| before the war lord of Germany came
| and as have already told you. new roads
were constructed to various points of In
| terest for his benefit. 1t was discovered
long afterward that he had invited rep
resentatives of the several evangelical
denominations in the United States, but
only the Lutherans were represented.
Through the stupidity of some aid-de-
camp or clerk the invitations were adj
dressed to The Superintendent of the
Presbyterian Church. United States Of
America" and ITO the Superintendent of
the Baptist Church. United States Of
America and, Of course, were not de-
livered. 1t appears that the aid-de-camp
did not have sense enough to get the
proper addresses at the American en-
bassy. The address of the Lutherans was
obtained from the court chaplain of Ber-
lin, and of course was correct.