Licking Valley courier. [volume] (West Liberty, Ky.) 19??-current, 1913-09-18
BELIEVE IN signs
Turk SuperstitiOus Regarding
Triumph Of Christianity.
Column of Black Marble or 5asalt In
Mosque, Shows Sympathy When
Christian Enters, by Sweating
or Weeping.

Many superstitious beliefs are held
by Mohammedans about the final tri-
umph OF Christianity over Mohamme-
danism. Such beliefs are very wide
spread throughout the Turkish en-
pire as well as in Asia Minor.
In Damascus tourists are shown a
little tower, part of great mosque
which was destroyed by fire many
years ago, in which there is believed
by the Turks to be a copy of the
gospel. They believe that when the
tower is opened and the holy hook re-
vealed Christianity will once more be-
come the dominant religion OF the
country. Consequently the tower,
which could not be entered without
the help Of a ladder and which is said
to be Theoretically sealed, is guarded
day and night by Turkish soldiers.
At Jerusalem also the famous gold
en- gate is built up so that none can
pass 1t, because there is belief that
through it Christian prince will en-
ter and proclaim the triumph OF the
Christian religion.
At Constantinople, when visitors to
the mosque of st. Sophia were admit
ted to the gallery-which is not per-
mitted now, as the building is said to
be unsafe-they were shown a little
fast locked door through which, 1t is
said, a priest who was in the act OF
dispensing the holy sacrament fled,
bearing the sacred elements with him,
on the news being brought to him
that the Turks had succeeded in en-
tering the city. There he is said to
remain to this day. waiting for the
return of the Christian to power,
when he will come forth and finish
the sacred rite.
At Ballk.li, a place close to Con.
stantinople, there is a miraculous
healing fountain, to which every year
on a certain day crowds OF people
suffering from horrible diseases re-
sort for healing, either coming them
selves or being brought by their
friends. A great fair is held at the
same time, at which thousands Of peo-
pie who do not require a cure gather
to enjoy themselves with the games
and shows, feasting and making
merry.
There is in the neighborhood both
Greek and an Armenian hospital
and also an Armenian church, as
well as the Greek church in which
is the healing fountain. The story is
to the effect that a priest was in the
act of grilllng some fish for his din
ner when word was brought TO him
that the Turks had captured Con
stantinople.
The priest, instantly preparing tc
fee, tossed the fish from his grid
iron into the fountain, with the com
mand to2remain thare till the Turks
. were driven from the city. The fish
| faithful to this charge, may be seer
) In the fountain to this day, with the
marks of the grldiron on one side
). for they were only half done wher
3 they were returned to the water.
. ION one OF the two visits / paid Il
s Balik-li," writes Lady Ramsey in thu
b Sunday School Times, 81 certainl.
}. saw fish in the fountain, but the lieh
!. was too dim for me to make on
J. whether there we're marks Of tn
e gridiron on them or not
o "On the day OF healing the water |
y drawn from the fountain by attend
i ant priests and poured into two larg
casks, from which the people take
d in cuds or other vessels brought b
. themselves and pour II over their sore
o heads, arms or legs, as the cas-
= may be. often the water runs bac
e into the casks as they bend owe
IS them. but they and the rest of III
10 crowd go on dipping and drinkin
N and LAYING all the same.
G. ut is a disgusting sight, and Il
church is filled with steam from the
,r wet clothes and bodies and stihir
ID with evil odors. II is not only Chri
Ig tlans who seek a cure In this Chri
II tian church-Turks, and belie'
IS Jews also. frequent II. or course,
~ is only the ignorant Of any race wi
10 do so.
ar AT Ak.Hissar, a town which no
I'd occupies the site OF Thyatlra, one
ar the seven churches OF Asia, there
In a mosque that was originally churt
ce in Byzantine times. A minaret h
er been added to II to complete It's trar
formation into a mosque. On I
point of the minaret we noticed I'll
there was n metal ornament In {
On form OF cross inclosed In a Giro
no and inquired OF the imam-Moha
- medan priest-how such thi
came to be there.
70 "He replied that the mosque HI
NC ing been originally ChrisS
ng church, II was necessary TO have I
Christian symbol to protect I
ne minaret, which had been in dana
IN. Of falling, Inside the building was
/, | column OF black marble or bas
rot standing by itself, and the imam
formed us that whenever a Christi
entered the place the column show
its sympathy by sweating or weepii
He maintained that II was doing
lly at that moment and, rubbing II W
in. his hand, asked me to observe Il
The his palm was wet II was. ] ca
/. deny IT, Nor do pretend to