The Ordway new era., 1913-01-31

handed the Moslem his stan. inside
which he had placed the money in
question. and swore he had paid the
debt. To the establishment OF the on
lockers the chain then rose to its
present height.
The principal building. the Mosque
Of Omar. is highly praised by many
great authorities. Professor Lewis
says: 1T Is undoubtedly one OF the
most beautiful buildings in existence"
Mr.. Ferguson. speaking as an archi-
tect. says: THE one thing I was least
prepared for was the extreme beauty
OF the interior OF the building. l re-
member perfectly the effect OF the
1nj Mahal and the other great i'm
perial tombs of Agra and Delhi. and
am tolerably familiar with most of the
trmbs and tomb-like buildings in
other countries, But. as far as
know. the Dome OF the Rock sur
passes them all. There is an elegance
OF proportion. and an appropriateness
OF detail which does not exist in any
other building am acquainted with.
It's mosaics are complete and beauti-
full in design. and its painted glass.
though comparatively modern (six-
tsenth century,. is more beautiful
than any in this country. These. COM
bined with the mystery Of the great
Rock. occupying the whole floor of
the sanctuary. make up a whole. as
fur as ] know. unrivaled in the world"
Before entering the building shoes
must be removed or covered with
slippers.
No sound disturbs the solemn still
ness which reigns around. even the
football OF the Moslem worshiper is
noiseless: no organ peals forth har-
monious notes; no whiterobed choirs
chant the praises OF the Almighty and
Eternal God. who OF old shed forth
the brightness of his glory. the great.
ness OF his majesty. and the tender.
ness OF his love on this spot.
All is still. and the stiffness seems
to attach itself to the visitor; as a
whisper sounds SO loud the voice is
used as little as possible. and then
soft and low. A dim religious light
pervades the building. and a feeling
Of awe and of reverence steals slowly
DER the astonished and wondering
traveller. When the sun glints through
the colored windows. OF so many va
ried shapes that no two are alike. and
yet all are in perfect harmony, their
marvellous beauties amaze the behold.
err. AS the sunbeams linger on their
beauty they shed their brightness on
the mosaics and tiles OF the dim in
terror. the gilded cornices. friezes and
capitals. The exquisite beauty OF the
decorations gradually appears and the
more one becomes accustomed to the
light. the more one fingers under the
Dome. and the greater grows the ad-
miration.
The Moslem pilgrim feels not the
spell Of the beauty of the building.
He has come to worship: his thoughts
are fixed on the great rock in the
middle space. which rises from one
foot to five feet above the marble
pavement. A hole leads to a cave be-
meath. This cave is about six feet
high and fioored with white marble,
below which the Moslems think is the
Well CT Spirits, and in order to prove
this the attendant stamps with his
foot and a hollow sound is heard. The
floor was only made. so the Moslems
say, to prevent gossiping women from
speaking to the departed.
The rock is believed to be one of
the rocks OF Paradise: and 1t stands
on a palm tree. beneath which flows
one of the streams of Paradise. This
rock is the center OF the world, and
on the day OF resurrection the Angel
Israfil will stand upon it to blow the
last trumpet. 1t is also eighteen miles
nearer heaven than any other place
in the world and beneath 1t Is the