Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-08-12

Within this narrow enclosure there are
over 80 so-called sacred sites. belonging
to, different sects.@ among whom. there is
the intensest rivalry. To keep down strife
II is necessary to have Turkish soldiers
on guard all the time. They look
strangely out of place in a Christian
church. and especially in the Church Of
the Holy Sepulchre, lounging around.
smoking their cigarettes and gazing at
Christian pilgrims with a half amused
smile. 1t made me almost feel like TURN
ing Peter the Hermit and going forth
10 preach another crusade. But their
presence seems necessary. There is move
only one entrance to the church. An
other was closed up recently by Sultan
Abdul Hamid to prevent strife. 1t is
well known that the question of the Gus
tody Of the keys of the church led to
the Crimean war. Among the sacred
places pointed out in the Church of the
Holy Sepulchre are the center OF the
earth, the exact spot where the dust
was procured for the creation of Adam,
the actual grave of Adam, where you re-
member Mark Twain wept profusely on !
account of the death OF his kinsman. 1t
is said that when the Lord was cruel
fed a drop of his blood fell on Adams
skull and made II alive. Most of the
places in the church are connected with
the chapel of the Parted Raiment mark
the death of our Lord. Among these are
ing the site where his garments were
gambled for; the places where they
crowned him with thorns; and where
they scourged him; these, though, were
in the praetorium or judgment hall OF
PLATE, as we are told very distinctly in
Matthew 27:27-31, John 1871 and following;
the spot where they nailed him to the
cross; the rock where the cross stood.
with the cavity in which 1t rested; the
place where the Roman centurion stood
when he said: This is the son of God;
the altar or Stabot, where Mary thai
mother Of Jesus stood, and where she re-
ceived his body after 1t was taken from
the cross; the stone of JUNCTION, where
the body was annointed, which is de-
voutly kissed by pilgrims, especially Rus
sian pilgrims, many of whom / saw
kissing It; the 'tomps OF Joseph of Arim-
athea and of Nicodemus; the altar of the
penitent thief; the spots of the crosses
where the two thieves stood, etc, ETC.,
almost an infinitum. AS 1 said, there are
about 30 chapels under the one roof Of
the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Chief
among them are the Syrian chapel, where
they still use the Aramaic language; the
Abyssinian and Croptic chapels; all OF
these are small; the Roman Catholic
chapel In this is said to be the post to
which Jesus was tied when scourged.
The post is covered up, but the visitor
Is allowed to touch II with a stock
through a hole In the Greek chapel.
every Easter eve the Holy Fire is sup
posed TO come down. The fire is
brought down on a wire and is pushed
through a window, when every one within
reach struggles to light his torch by 1t,
and then hurries to carry the sacred
flame back home 70 churches and
friends. OF course II is all a pious fraud
so much of fraud that since the 18th
century the Roman Catholics have re-
fused to share in 1t, and it has since
then been perpetrated by the Greeks
alone. But there are many millions OF
them who believe in il and many thou
sands of them come every year to catch
the first sparks of the fire.
THE HOLY SEPULCHRE. 49,.
But the chief place of interest in the
Church OF the Holy Sepulchre is the Sc
pulchre itself This is in the center OF
the church. 1t is entered through avesti-
bule II feet long by 10 feet WIDE call
ed the Angels chapel. The walls of this
chanel are very thick and are lined with
marble. In the outer chapel Is lamps
are kept continually burning, of which
s belong to the Greek Catholics, to
the Roman Catholics, to the Armenians
and one to the Copts. The chapel OF
the sepulchre itself is only liz feet
long by feet wide. Only or per-
sons can 60 in at time. From the
ceiling are suspended 4S lamps belonging
to the four sects just named. The sur
face OF the tomb is overlaid with mar
BILE. +~~s .-'
Personally, 1 do not believe that this
was the real tomb of our Lord. think
1t Is in a different place, as 1 shall try
to show. But 1 confess was deeply