Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-07

Three Slots for Cross Raising.
On the western side, a preclpitous de-
clivity overlooking the garden below, are
three shots, each being Enthusiastically an
aperture in which the foot of a cross was
placed SO as to facilitate the raising of 1t
after the body had been fastened onto it,
The three crosses thus faced west in easy
sight Of the two principal roads outside
JerusaleZn-the Damascus to the north go
ing out to the heather world, and the other
skirting the city, leading around to the
gate which is now called the Jaffa gate
and which is the principal entrance to
Jerusalem. On this eventful hill can also be
clearly seen the rents In the rocks caused by
earthquake, one huge boulder still hanging
over the precipice the hillside, appar-
emily having been cleft from the larger
half standing on the hilltop.
Across narrow road to the west of Col
gOtha is large garden owned by the Do
miricans and surrounded by solid walls, in
side which are seen the ruined foundations
of a church built in the middle Of the fl
teenth century on the traditional site of
st. Stephens martyrdom This further seems
to verify that this was the stonng place,
for they were dragging st. Stephen out TO
throw him down from the stoniug place,
but the Infatuated mob killed him before he
arrived there.
The ground around the ruins of St Ste
phen's Church is honeycombed with rock
cut toubs, in seine places tier above tier.
Here an interesting discovery was made
some years ago. tomb was found bear
ing this inscription: ITO Noms and Onesti-
mus. deacons Of the Church of the Witness
of the Resurrection of Christ, buried near
their Lord" This inscription seems to
point to the Lords tomb as being very near
by. The Scripture says: Now in the place
where He was cruciied there was garden;
and in the garden new sepulcher.''
Some thirty years ago. cave cut in the
rock was discovered in this vicinity. to
81 -s,k 81
IRENE declivity of the hill This tomb, after
much Investigation and consideration, was
accepted by a society IN England as the
tomb most likely to be that Of Christ.
The Tomb in the Garden.
The tomb is undoubtedly very ancient An
interesting feature Is small aperture
which reminds one of st. Johns looking
in to behold the body" This Garden of
the Tomb is about four acres In size and
seems to answer to the garden of Joseph
of Arimathea. who buried the Lords body
within his own new sepulchre wherein was
never man vet laid" The tomb Is about
DO feet distant from the summit of the
hill. II was originally small rock-cut
Jewish tomb The fact of there being a
head cavity IN the receptacle at the north
east corner and its being situated as 10
face directly the Valley OF Jehosa phat are
clear proofs OF its having been built for d
Hebrew.
There are signs that crusaders of the
twelfth century erected arched build
ing before the tomb \ sum of about $50
GO was raised IN England by subscriptions
from all those who were in favor of the
tomb being bought and held sacred on the
supposltion that 1t might very possibly be
the real size of the resurrection OF the
SAVIOR.
1t is deplorahle to see in Jerusalem the
Bitterness Of the different Christian sects.
especially q t such times of general reioicinc
: ne ff1rfc TINS md
hammedan soldiers stationed on all sides
with guns in hand But if this newly dis
covered site is the true sepulcher, then it
IS a relief and a deep satisfaction - know
! that no such strife and revolving scenes;
, have taken place here.
To visit this peaceful spot fills one with
q solemnitv and reverence which is undis-
tuFbed either by mans jealousy or unrel}a-
bic traditions Here on this quiet hilltop.
overlooking the picturesque city with Its
many white domes and minarets dazzling
| IN the sunshine. and In the vicinity OF that
beautiful Mount of Olives of sacred ruent-
cries, which rises grandly toward the east
here. surrounded by nature in all her beau
ty and simplicity. one can worship in per
feet peace and harmony the God who sent
His Son to bring peace to the world.
Moslems Guard the Tomb.
The Moslom Notwithstanding. surrounds
US again. but only to protect the sacred
spot for. it being a Mohammedan burial
place. no one dares modest It, So here. too,
the Mosen fuif1ls his role of protecting the
most sacred places In Palestine such as the
tomhs Of Abraham and Jacob In Hebron,
the tomb of David on Mount Zion and the
Mosque of Omar on the temple area. Bat
for the jealous. scrupulous custody of the
unspeakable Turk the sarcophagus and en-
balTned body of the Patriarch Jacob would
| now be in the Partisan Louvre or the Brit
| ish Museum
| This spot surely fllfls in all its details
| the demands OF ancient history and pre-
sents us with a site that seems far more
| likely to be the real place of the crucihxion
| than the traditional spot, now inclosed
within the city walls. even though this has
been accepted for SO many years. Would
! not, then. this undesecrated "gseen hill