The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1920-12-10

came queen of England as She had been Of
France.
Many tales are told Of the ghosts domiciliated
IN the vicinage of the Holy Sepulcher; in particu-
lar. of the disembOdied spirits of the high per
sonages buried there. Among item are Godfrey
OF Bouillon and his brother Baldwin, with whom
Il certain brother John. for long years a fixture
OF the church, was reputed to hold regular con.
verse. Haunting the receptacles of their mortal
remains. he was heard talking with shadows and
receiving answer in supernatural voices.
Brother John made himself useful. too. IN q
more positive fashion. Going the rounds in the
garb Of Il Franciscan friar-for. though belong.
ing to a reigning house, he had renounced the
world and its vanities-he removed tie coats Of
arms and the inscribed tablets left behind by vain
glorious pilgrims to bear witness that they actu-
ally had been there, as modern tourists deface
things Of beauty or sancity with their uninterest-
ing names. Brother John avcrrcd that his vol.
untary task was sanctioned by Il permit from both
the pope and the emperor. After his death the
Turkish authorities continued TO police The
shrine, exercising a strict supervision over the
worshipers of all denominations that hocked 70
the scene of his whilom labors. for it was Gods
decree. proclaimed a divine of the fourteenth cen.
fury. that the Holy Sepulcher should belong 70
the intidels until the Christians were altogether
sinless.
Though as yet that desideratum has not been
attained, the Holy Sepulcher. with the other holy
places of the Holy Land, is once more i'm Chris
tan hands. From the Jewish and MahOmmedan
points of view the Holy of Holes i'm Jerusalem is
the inclOsed space where SOlomOn's temple stood
on the site now occupied by the Dome of the
Rock and the Jami' el.AQsa or Distant House Of
Prayer. on the mount Of Abraham's and David's
sacrifices. With its latticed screens OF ebony. its
brOcaded curtains, its stained glass and mosaics
I'm their somewhat faded glory, the Dome of the
Rock stands in the solitude of the sacred precinct
like one of those palaces hewn of q single opal
or turquoise we read Of in oriental fairy tales.
Approaching it. the MOslem pilgrim has to OBJ
serve q strict ceremonial. AS he enters he puts
his right foot forward. begging pardon for his
sins and invoking Gods mercy. Walking round
the Rock, he must keep it on his rilht hand. re-
versing the process followed when making the
circuit of the kaaba at Mecca. Before proceed.
ing to the cave underneath. he must probe his
heart and strive for humility of spirit. utteriny
the prayer of Solomon: 80 God, forgive those
that have sinned and relieve the init red"
Mary's Prayer Niche.
Not far away is a small building which con.
tains a recess revered as Mary's prayer niche
where the Virgin Mother Is supposed to have sat
deyoutly rocking the cradle of her infant son.
Here the Moslem pilgrim recites the chapter Of
the Koran entitled Miriam, because it gives an
account Of several circumstances relating to the
most pious and obedient of the four perfect WON.
Ell.
entrance to paradise opens In the Well of the
Leaf. THIS was discovered, during the Caliphate
Of Omar. by a man Of the Banu Tamin who. climb