The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1919-04-17
INTERESTING STORY
FROM HOLY Land
CAPT. FRANK LEE OF sAUK CEN.
TIRE ENJOYING UNUSUAL
EXPERIENCE. ''
CROSSES The RIVER JORDAN
ANCIENT JERUSALEM A WOND-
ERFUL CITY-FOUR DAYS IN
ITALY ENROUTE.

, The Herald is privileged to publish
this week an extremely interesting
letter from Frank Lee, dated at Da-
mascus, Syria, March 10, 1919. En-
route Frank spent time in Italy. He.
has splendid descriptive ability and
news from the section famous in
biblical times when it described by an
eyewitness one knows in doubly in
teresting. Capt. Lee is doing Red
Cross refugee work. The letter fol-
lows:
Damascus, Syria, March 10, 1919.
Dear Mother and all:
At last I have arrived at the end
of the rainbow.
We landed at Port Said, Egypt,
from which place l cabled you Of my
safe arrival. We proceeded on to
Jerusalem by way of the new British
railroad across the desert. On my
arrival at Jerusalem found that they
needed workers at this place for inn
mediate relief work and was assigned
here for duty. -
will attempt to give you some idea
of conditions here and my trip, etc. i
have written you some about Italy
and you have all heard enough about
France from the boys who were there,
sand 1 will not take much time or
space about Italy. -
,, Rome, as you know, is noted for its
ancient ruins, dating back to 400
wears B. C. It is indeed very in
teresting city and I had time to look
it over thoroughly. ! also went to
Naples and saw Pompei and descended
into the crater of Vevuivius. Needless
to saw this latter experience was very
exciting as we did not know just
when old -Vesuivius might start an
eruption and cover US as he did
Pompei. Pompei was very interesting
From the ruins they had excavated
and the various things they have
found in the houses and which saw
in the National Museum at Naples, one
would think they were living in an
advanced age. The sculpture and
bronze statues they executed We're IN
deed marvellous. l do not think any
physicians office in the States contains
a more complete outfit of instruments
than I saw in the museum and which
were recovered from Z one OF the
houses. These instruments were made
of silver and wonderful Workmanship
and precision was displayed. Hundreds
Saof various other objects were equally
amazing. You will recall that this
city was destroyed in the year 10 A.
d. Of course all of Italy is wonder
full country and the better class OF
people are very fine and are more than
courteous and refined No other ma
ton can show them anything when 1t
comes to politeness and courtesy. L
will reserve details about my stay In
Italy till 1 return. ~.
I know you are more Interested III
Jerusalem.
l had four days there and put IN
most of the time seeing the points OF
interest. visited the Holy Sepulcar,
the tomb of Jesus as we'll as Calvary
which of course Immediately adJolns::
I also went through the Mosque. OF
Omar. This is the place where you
have to put on slippers. The, latter
building is one of the most ornate and
wonderful in the world as it is all
MOSAIC. 1t contains the original, rock
on which Abraham prepared to sacrl-,
fee his son Isaac. The prophet Mo
named assembled to heaven from this
rock $50 his followers say, and they
are the most numerous in Jerusalem.)
The rock started on the way to
. Heaven with him in the cloud of fire
I believe, and the angel Gabriel placed
a restraining finger on 1t and II re
manned about four feet suspended in
the air. To allay the fear of those OF
insufficient faith a wall was built un-
der it and on which it now reposes. If
any one should question the fact that
this rock, which is. as large as house,
started on its way to Heaven and was
restrained by Gabriel all you have 70
do to be convinced is to look at the
imprint of his finger, on the rock. This
is pointed out to you with all sincerity
by the Mohamred guide in attendance.
Next l visited the wall of the "Wail-
ing Jew"
The following day I and one OF the
nurses who was off duty secured
guide and gary and visited the follow
ing places:
The well where the three wise; men
saw the star and where Mary and
Joseph rested on their way to Bethle-
hem before Jesus was born, at this
time Joseph was on his way to. pay
taxes. We next visited the tomb Of
Rachel the woman who lived and had
her being in this country when the
world was yet young, From there we
visited the Church of, the Nativity,
which contains the place OF the birth
of Jesus. Tie manager is not there,
bat the grotto Ii the same. The place
where the shepherd WATCHED ms
sheep; the hill where Judas hanged
lrnntnned nm Pare IN