Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1904-05-30

places than in former times. Now one
can enter the Dome OF the Rock and
descend into the Crypt OF Fl Aksa,
down amid the foundations OF
SolCmOns Temple, where but a few
years ago it was almost impossible for
a Christian TO penetrate, and in talk
with Jussuf Pacha Alkhalidy, who may
be termed the mayor of Jerusalem,
and who is also the deputy for
Palestine, l learned much of the be
ginning of education in the holy city.
He told me that there were three or
four Moslem schools in Jerusalem,
and that. if clever, the poorer children
could rise, and, through the mission
schools founded by the various sects,
advance themselves. The Eo-lGm
placed no obstacle in the way OF such
advancement, although l laughingly
said there seemed to be enough mis-
siOns in Jerusalem alone to proseiytiz6
the whole OF the east. The Bedouins,
he said, were still imperviOus to educa-
ton; they had none. About GO per
cent Of the MOslems in Jerusalem
learned the Koran. How little this
might mean / know from seeing the-
Kuttabs, or schools, IN Cairo, where
only the Koran is taught, but At least
all this proves that today the fana-
ticism of the Moslem is lessened, ami
he is more nearly carrying out the
teaching OF Mohammed TO respect ana
reverence Christ as a prophet. One
may wander about Jerusalem and
around its walls without fear Of evh.
And how impressive it is to stand out
side the north wall, facing the double
towers and embattled walls of the
Damascus Gate. in the early morning
light, the piercing sun just climbing
over the Mount of Olives,
At the Gate.
A crowd of BedOuins, ana Nubians
and MOslems, with camels, and asses,
sheep, goats, and horsemen are
clustering at the gate. We pass
through them and into the outer
tower; a Turkish officer and his guard
dash through; We jump aside as does
everything, 10 let them pass, and then
go in through the narrow streets, max
ing our way past the great temple
area, hating as one ever must in
passing. to listen TO the constant hum,
as of a vast swarm OF bees, at the
Jews wailing place; IL is the hum of
prayer beneath the heavens against
that ancient wall, a strange pathetic
sight that We reverentially leave, and
pass on through an open space, partly
shut in by the giganuc prickly pear.
and so We come TO the little gate on
the southern side of the city. We
step 10 pass out OF tbs little square
gate, which is Ike the Neelle's Eye
gate, now shown at the foundations OF
the PUssia1 chC~-h -ith.n the walls,
and outside We look down the Valley
CT HinnOm on our right, and as We
turn 10 the left. round by the tower
ing walls of the temple area, We look
into the deep slit OF the Valley of
JehOsOphat.
At evening n the half light, when
the new Russian church al the foot or
the mount AMI the great tower on the
hill are but dimIy seen, it is well to
wander down into the valley, 10 cross
the brook KidrOn-a bridge nov
spans the steam's beG-and then, but
a little way, the hill can be climbed to
Gethsemane, now not, as Tancred saw
it, an open garden of olives, but a
walled-in space, with painted reliefs.
of stations of the Cross, and a Fran
ciscan monastery keeping guard over
the locked-up Garden. But the venef
able olive trees, of enormous size and
age, are very real, and full Of intense
meaning The view around is shut out
by the wall, but outside that wall one
can climb up TO a ruin of an cid fort.
just where the view OF the city bursts
on the eye OF those who have come
over the mount from Bethany. Again.
half the view is blocked by a modern
building; yet from the old fort wall
one looks out over Jerusalem Of today.
here where traditions asserts that
Christ wept over it What a glorious
beauty there is in the scene; of what
terrific import were the events enact
ed there, Before US is Mount Sion
and the Temple, the whole area of
the city of David and below US
Gethsemane and Golgotha, with all the
lessons the world has not yet learned