Beverly banner. [volume] (Beverly, N.J.) 1877-1964, 1925-06-12
Prepared BY the National Geographic So.
ciety Washington. D. CO

clety. washington, u VI
~ EDICATION of the Hebrew
University at Jerusalem en-
phasizes the newer aspects or
life in city which was once
religious capital.
Since King David, nearly three thou
Uand years ago, captured Jerusalem
and made 1t his capital, it has been a
coveted prize, sought not so much by
the nations for its military Importance
as for its sacredness to three of the
worlds greatest religions. For to the
Jew and the Mohammedan, as well as
the Christian, Jerusalem Is 'TThe Holy
City" Throughout its history the
wearied feet of millions Of pilgrims
from far-distant lands have never
ceased to climb over the rocky Judean
hills to pay homage and to worship
within its sacred walls. To the Jew, as
the home Of his forefathers, it has al
ways been of hallowed memory In
spite of the hundreds of years Of his
exile.
To the Christian, Jerusalem, with the
surrounding country, is truly THE
Holy Land" for it is the land of the
Lords birth, His ministry, His cruci-
fixion, His resurrection. Throughout
Christendom the names Jerusalem,
Mount of Olives, Bethlehem and Gar
den of Gethsemane are laden with
meaning, even to the smallest school
child.
To the Mohammedan, Jerusalem is
second only to Mecca in sanctity.
Repeatedly besieged, captured, and
recaptured, practically all of the great
nations of history have held sway over
the Holy City-the Israelltes, Egyp-
tians, Babylonians, Persians, Greeks,
Assyrians, Romans, Saracens, Crusad-
ers and Turks-and its surrender in
the past has nearly always meant the
destruction of It's buildings and the
wholesale slaughter of the population,
The treatment which Jerusalem re-
ceived at the hands Of her British cap
tors in December, 1918, stands out in
strong contrast to her past history of
suffering
Realizing the Importance of Jerusa-
lem to the Christians, the Jews, and
the Mohammedans, General Allenby
so planned his campaign that he cap
tured the town without firing single
shell into the ancient walled city.
The success of the whole campaign
very largely centered around the rail-
road from the Suez canal which was
constructed mile by mile as the army
moved forward.
Trip Now Made by Rail.
Before the war, in going to Jerusa-
lem it was necessary to proceed by
boat from Port Said to Jaffa, thence
by rail to Jerusalem, for the trip across
the sands of Sanai took about eight
days by camel. To-day the traveller can
go to bed on a comfortable train at the
canal, and arrive early the next morn
ing in Jerusalem.
This quick and comfortable trip has
been made possible by the last Cru
saders, many of whom sleep beneath
the lonely crosses that mark the road
from the Suez canal to the gates of
the Holy City.
The British have many accomplish
ments to their credit since they gained
control of Jerusalem, but, without ques-
ton, the greatest achievement has been
the bringing of water to the city. Be
fore the British occupation the only
water In Jerusalem was that which
was collected during the rainy season
in the dirty cisterns throughout the
city and that which was peddled In
goatskin water-bags on the backs of
men and donkeys.
The reservoirs or cisterns are from
twenty to thirty feet square and are
SO constructed that the water from
the buildings and streets flows into
them during the rainy season. AS sani-
tation In the past has been unknown
in the city, the condition of these els
terms can be imagined for no precau-
ton was taken to prevent the filth and
dirt of the streets from flowing In with
the water.
Water has always been the most pre-
cious thing in Palestine, and particu-
Iariy in Jerusalem. Although the
Turks ruled the city for more than four
hundred years, they had never pro-
yided an adequate water supply. With
in FIVE months after the arrival of the
British $4,000 gallons of water were
being piped into the city daily.
About Is miles from Jerusalem, out
beyond Bethlehem, on the Hebron road,
was great tank begun by Pontius Pr
late to supply water to the city. We
are told that the expense was so great
that when the Roman government
learned Of II the work as stopped at
Dnce and was never completed. The