The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1910-11-15

They even kiss the stones OF the
streets here, not knowing or forgetting
that there have been three or four
~Jerusalenas buried below the site OF
the present one.
| have seen these pilgrims crawling
on their knees through the Church
Of the Holy Sepulcher. They creep
INTO the Vestibule and kiss the stone
of JUNCTION upon which i Is claimed
the body Of Christ was aurointed ior
burial This is a slab OF ro~e-coIored
marble about two feet wide ana seven
feet long. The stone IS set in the floor
ana much Of its surface has been
% the light We reach u church be-
longing TO the Greeks. at the front 81
which stands a marble column as high
as q chair and about a big around
as q f~our-gallon crock. This Is the
center of the world. and Is houored as
such. l saw Russian peasant girls
kissing it. and further on observed
them kissing holy place after holy
until It seemed TO me their lips must
Near out. Kisses are pressed upon
these spots by thousands Of mouths
every day. and II every lip leaves its
microbes all the diseases OF the world
must be IN the lacteriae here.
Covered With Diamonds.
1t IS hard to estimate the value Of
the offerings which the pilgrims lay
&At bIie~S Sic sIitS- 4 4igSt ~ tRi}it a4c
Of all classes. al some bring the saw
in@s 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 much gold and precious
stones. \ life-siZcd image of the Nlr-
gin Mary, which I saw in Greek
church was covered with diamonds.
The image was made OF wax. and was
dressed in satins and silks rs face
was painted. An oval pearl as tig
s the end Of my thumb hung on the
forehead, While the axe fingers held
a score or more rings. Some Of the
rings we're set with diamonds, some
with sapphires and rubice. and others
with opals. Opa1s in Palestine are
looked upon as the sign or good luck
and not bad. as with Us.
The most Of the rings were costly,
and each was presented u the Virgin
as a love Offering. On the silken lap
Of the image lay q great golden heart
IS thick as my fist and about six
inches in width. It was studied with
emeralds and diamonds. This heart Il
a present from Franz Joseph, the I1m-
peror Of Austria. who has made many
costly gifts TO the Church IF the Holy
Sepulch7e. n the grotto Of the Church
of the Nativity at Bethlehem Is n SIM
liar statue. which IS even more gorge
ousIy decorated, although some Of It's
i Jewels are SaI0 10 ne paSNe.
In sl,e Church Of the Holy Sepulchre.
The Church Of the Holy Sepulchre
is a beehive Of superstition. Ii IS sup
: posed to stand on the spot where
] Christ wa crucitied. The bible tells
Us that this was outside Jerusalem,
hut the Church Of the SeDuichre Is
t TODAY FAR within the walls. This. how
: ever. is not 3 proof that the place IL
not correct, for the walls OF Jerusalem
p ~-rn 90 It'll
j again and again, and this is especially
i so Of those on Mount Zion, where his
: great church stands. The hill where
: Christ was crucifed was made UP Of
terrace Of rock, and that is the nature
Of the foundation Of this church. The
b place was located by ST. Helena, the
a mother Of Constantine the Great who
. came here about 300 years after
s Christ died and found the true cross
e among the rubbish on the side Of the
Y nill where the church stands. She
I had the cross dug out and carried to
q consfantinonse. whence later some
e the world that 7 venture you could
o section as long as your arm fs SAID
to be hare IN Jerusalem, and there are
so many other pieces scattered over
: the world that 7 venture YOU could
Il build a house with them.
Shortly after this discovery 4 church
was erected on the spot and since then
others have been built. destroyed and
: rahIiIt until We now have this great
eaiice, which has. l venture, al area
O Of several acres. It is ~sUrmoGnted
By a cross rising from d dome as big
k as that Of our National Capitol
& The Church Of thc Sepuichre IS not
r beautiful and its position IN the heart
( If Jerusalem surrounded by bazaars.
: converts, monasteries and hotels is b.
s nc means imposing. The front q II
5 is covered with carvings, some OF
which are from ancient temples, ana
over the doors are bas-reliefS Of scenes
from the Bible. one Of these repre-
>, sants the raising Of Lazarus, Win the
Savior standing at the front and mary
~ his feet. At the command Of thrlSt
. lazarus is seen rising from the dead
= and in the background are spectators,
some IF whom are holding their noses
:, as an evidence perhaps Of the coTrup-
. ton which had begun to take place
bofor. tho corp9o came to life,