Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1914-12-06

~ NE OF the most desirable re.
suits Of the present world
war will be the elimination
Of Turkey as Power and the liberia
tion of the territories under her
yoke, including the Holy Land, with
all the sites of Biblical history and
the, Sayiour's life.
Prime Minister Asquith and other
Representatives Of the allies have de-
clared that "this war means the end
OF Turkey"
OF course, these speakers did not
take into consideration the POSSIBLE.
ity that Germany, the great ally of
Turkey, might win. but at any rate
they make It certain that II the
Allies win the Turk will be driven
from his conquered territories.
Then, ut last, we shall see an end
Of the outrageous conditions that
allow the barbarous Turks to control
the holy city Of Jerusalem, with the
tSepulchre OF the Saviour. the Tenn.
pie OF Solomon and It's other almost
fnnumerable sacred sites.
Christian civilization has. gained
some rights In Jerusalem. but in
other sacred places Of the Holy Land
Christians are entirely shut out by
the Turks or must venture there at
the risk of their lives.
In Jerusalem the American tourist
could, before the war, visit such
sites rs the Garden Of Gethsemane,
with the OLIVE tree where the
Saviour was betrayed by Judas, and
the Garden Tomb OF Jesus, near
Mount Calvary.
Many OF the most interesting parts
of Jerusalem have. however, not been
open to the visitor or the explorer.
Chief among these is the site Of the
Temple of Solomon. which cannot be
touched by Christian or a Hebrew
because it Is occupied by Moham-
medan mosque.
Excavations in the temple area may
still reveal the Altar of Sacrifice. the
Brazen Altar, the Table of Shewl
bread, the Molten Sea and various
other sacred objects mentioned in the
Bible.
The Palace or Solomon, where he
received the Queen OF Sheba, is u,
building concerning which great in
terest is naturally felt. 1t was built
of the cedars Of Lebanon" When
the stones Of Herod's palace are I'M
earthed 1t Is not improbable that
beneath these may be found the
cedars Of Solomon's building. for In
those times they had habit Of build.
ing on the ruins Of their predecessors.
s. A notable instance of a Biblical
site of extraordinary interest from
which investigators are entirely ex-
cluded is the Tomb of Abraham and
! the Hebrew patriarchs at Hebron in
Palestine. It was here that Abraham,
the forefather Of all the Israelites,
dwelt with his family, as the Book
of Genesis tells us.
Before he died Abraham bought
the Cave Of Machpelah from Ephron
the Hittite as burial place for him
self and his family Genesis xyiii.).
! The site Of the Cave Of Hebron has
been known from time immemorial.
1t was known In early Christian
. times. and in the days OF the Saviour.
No confusion has ever arisen as to Its
position, such rs has occurred in the
case Of other Bible sites.
Tho Cave Of Machpelah Is situated
within an Enclosure called the Ha-
ram, formed by gigantic Herodian
wall. Above the cave stinds q
church built by the Crusaders in
11s7. but since converted 1anto a
mosque and for many centuries in
the possession Of the TURKS.
In the cave were buried. !. hbraham,
his wife, Sarah; his son, isaac; the
lattsr's wife, Rebekah; Ja1bb, son Of
Isaac; Leah, wife of Jhcob, and
Joseph, son of Jacob and Rachel. In
the mosque above the cayS are monu-
ments in the form Of tomSs to Sarah,
Isaac Rebekah, Jacob. Leah and
JOSEPH, but they do mott inclose the
sctual bones. These ard presumably
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