Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-11-12

body of Christ was anointcd for burial.
This is u slab OF rosc-colored marble
about 9 feet wide and I feet long. The
stone Is set In the floor and much of
Its surface has been Worn away by the
kissing Not few of the pilgrims
them just large enough to make Il
shroud. They lay these on the stone
and think them blessed by the contact
They will carry the cloth back home
and be buried in 1t, believing that
such a shroud will be Il sure passport.
to heaven. '''.a.e
Near the stone of JUNCTION is the spot
on which it is said the Virgin Mary
stood while Christ was on the cross
1t is also worn away by kissing Going
on into the great rotunda and turning
to the right we reach Il church belonging
to the Greeks, ut the front of which
stands a marble column as high as Il
chair and about as big around as Il
four gallon crock. This is the center of
the world. and is honorcd as such.
saw Russian peasant girls kissing II.
and further on observed them kissing
holy place after holy place until it
seemed to me their lips must wear out.
Kisses are pressed upon these spots
by thousands of mouths every day, and
if every lin leaves its microbes MI the
diseases of the world must The in the
bacteria here.
COVERED WITH DIAMONDS.
1t Is hard to estimate the value OF
the offerings which the pilgrims lay on
these shrnes. Those who come are of
all classes. and some bring the savings
of years The poor lay their pennies in
| the hands of the priests and drop them
| In the slot boxes which may be seen at
almost every corner. There Is mucn
| gold and precious stones. a lifc-siZcd
image of the Virgin Mary which saw
, in the Greek church was covered with
| diamonds Tic image was made OF
| wax, and was dressed in satins and
| silks It's face was painted. An oval
pearl as big rs the end of my thumb
| hung on the forehead, while the waXen
| fingers held Il score or more rings.
| Some of the rings were set with di;L-
monds, some with sapphrcs and rubies,
| and others with opals. Opals In Palcs-
tine are looked upon as the sign OF
good luck and not bad, as with US.
The most of the rings were costly.
| and each was presented to the virgin
| MS n love Offering. On the silkcn lap
| of The image lay n great golden heart
as thick as my fist and about six inches
| in width, II was studded with emeralds
| and diamonds This heart is a present
from Franz Joseph. the emperor OF
| Austria, who has made many cosby
| riffs TO the church Of the Holy Sepul-
| Cher In the grotto Of the church of the
| Nativity at Bethlehem is similar
| statue. which Is even moro gorgeouslE
| decorated. although some OF It's jewels
are said to he paste.
| IN THE CHURCH OF THE HOLY
SEPULCHER.
The church OF the Holy Sopnlcher
Is n beehive of superstition. IL Is sup
poscd TO stand on the spot where
| christ was cruciflcd. The Bible tells us
| that this was outside Jerusalem, but
| the church of the Sepucher Is today
| far within the walls. This. however.
is not II proof that the place Is no'
| correct, for the walls Of Jerusalem
' have been thrown down and rebuilt
again and again, and this is especial
" so Of those on Mount Zion. where
| this great church stands. Tho mi
| where Christ was cruciticd was made
| nm OF terraces of rock, and that Is
| the nature of the foundation of this
| church. The place was located by 81.
| Helena. the mother Of Constantine the
| Great who came here about 500 years
| after Christ died and found the true
cross among the rubbish on tho side
of tho hIll whore the church stands.
she had the cross dug out and carried
to Constantinople, whence later on
| some picccs of It were sent to Rome.
| One section as long as your arm IS