Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1925-01-01
ANTIOCH YIELDS
new TREASURE
Ancient Church Where Paul
and Barnabas Preached
Is Unearthed.

WaShfngtOn.-The ancient city OF
Antioch, in Syria, which already has
yielded rich treasures Of antiquity, is
the scene of explorations which have
just disclosed an early church as
site where Paul and Barnabas are be-
lieved to have preached.
A bulletin from the Washington
headquarters OF the National Geo
graphic society, based on commune
cation by William I'll. Hall, says:
"For thousand years Antioch was
the capital city that ruled the indus
tries, trade, and commerce Of the Eu-
pirates and Tigris valleys. And now
the turn of fortunes wheel has again
directed the stream of trade past her
doors.
"She has become the natural outlet
for the wealth OF cotton, corn. and
dates produced in the valley Of MesO-
potamia.
A Dramatic Invasion.
.'In the days of its glory the people
OF Antioch were gathered in the great
theater listening to a famous actress
while the Persians were besieging the
city. They trusted to their splendid
Notifications and feared naught. At
point in the play the actress paused.
while, with arm Outstretched toward
the mountain above the city, she ex-
claimed, Behold, the Persians are
conner There was great applause, the
audience thinking 1t a fine bit of stage
play; but as shower Of arrows dark
ened the sky, the people turned to be-
hold that instead Of play it was reality.
The enemy was within the walls, and
plumber and destruction had already
begun.
when we read the story Of Ben
Hur and follow him about the streets
Of that splendid city, or enter with
him the palaces of the rich, or see
Messiah gaming with his friends In the
magnificent palace on the island in the
Orontes, or watch with breathless in
terest as the hero guides the four feet
Arab steeds through the maze of the
chariot race. Antioch seems tabled
city Of ancient times, living in story
only.
EAST and West Still Conflict.
'Tt la hard to come to reality and
think of American motOrcars rushing
along the roads where Ben Hur guided
his matchless Arab steeds. or Of great
motor lOrries trundling across the
plain where the long trains of camels
brought their caravans of riches from
the East The hippodr0me where Ben
Hur, the Jew. contested with MESSIAH,
the Roman, is In ruins, but the East
and the West are just as surely in
conflict today.
According to the Roman ref0rmer
and satirist, Juvenal, from Antioch
also, the waters of the Orontes over
flowed into the Tiber, and thence came
guperstitions and indulgences and ex-
cesses that caused the corruption Of
Rome This may be true, but also it
was Sin Antioch that the disciples were
first called Christians
"The most magnificent splendor Of
Antioch was It's great street. This ran
straight through the city from east to
west. At each end there was an i'm
pressive gate. The eastern gate was
later known as the Gate Of st. Paul.
It was still standing As years ago, al
most complete; but now even the fOun-
datiOns have been removed for build
ings in the modern city. The western,
or Daphne gate, was called the Gate
of the Cherubim,' for over this gate
Titus placed the golden cherubim he
had taken from the temple In Jerusa-
lem.
"These two gates were about four
miles apart. Between them was a
grand boulevard
A Fifth Avenue of the Ancients.
"On each side of the street was
double row of columns. The outside
aisle in each case was rooted over,
furnishing a shady walk in summer
and a dry and sheltered way during
the winter storms. Between the inner
rows Of columns was broad highway
for chariots and horsemen.
"This street was lined with magnifi
cent public buildings, temples, shrines
and palaces of the mobiles.
''Many other streets crossed the
great street, always at right angles,
and at every intersection arches were
erected, called 'tetrapyli.'
"About the middle Of the city an
other broad street, also colonnaded,
extended from the river to the noun
tain. In this street. near the river,
was located the Nymphaeum. men,
toned previously. and where it crossed
the great street was created the
'0mphalos.'
'"This altar was the center Of the
city and was devised in imitation of
that at Delphi, which had been erect
ed by the ancient Greeks, supposing
Delphi to be the center OF the world.
Here was d sitting statue of Apollo.
the patron god of the Seleucids.
"Outside the eastern gate for a dis
tance OF two miles King Herod of the
Jews built continuation Of the great
street.
"Herod's street also had row of
columns and was paved with marble.
II traversed the portion of the city