Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-03
CHAPEL EXHIBITING
HISTORIC STONES
Famous Church Treasures
Are Being Displayed
at Cathedral.

Added to the store Of religious
treasures at Washington Cathedra
are three historic stones newly placed
on exhibition in the entrance Of the
Bethlehem Chapel Of the Holy Ma
tivity, which are attracting much in
terest from the thousands OF pilgrims
who visit this national shrine.
These stones are the Sinai stone
from the Chapel of Moses on Mount
Sinai, whence the tablets of the Ten
Commandments were delivered to the
Prophet Moses; an ancient mama
not in the form of huge stone bowl.
and the Columbus stone, from Santo
Domingo, once a part or the Oldest
church on the Western Hemisphere.
The Cathedral authorities plan to
cut the Sinai stone into slabs and
place these slabs in the pavement
before the high altar Of the Cathe'
dral, so the priest. when reading the
stone from the site where Moses re-
ceived them, about 1892 BIC.
History Of Possession.
The history of how these stones
came to Washington Cathedral is one
of absorbing interest.
Col. Robert NJ. Thompson OF Wash
fngton, who visited the traditional
site which the Jews consider sacred
as the spot where Moses received
the Commandments. presented the
Sinai stone. Centuries ago the SITE
fell into Christian hands and on 1t
was built a little temple. known as
the Chapel Of Moses. Around TINS
chapel grew a monastery Of the East.
ern Orthodox Church. This chapel
survived the vicissitudes Of the CEN
turtles, Amid the ravages OF the
Turks and the conflicts OF the Cru.
saders, all held the sacred chapei
inyioIate from harm because OF the
ancient religious traditions. Then
came the World War. and during the
fighting the German forces knocked
1t to pieces with artillery FIRE.
Col. Thompson, on one or his trips
through that country. became inter
ested in the restoration OF the niue
chapel and the abbot, approaching
his help, asked him If he would not
like a little stone from the ruins:
The colonel said "yes" and expected
iust a small piece of the historic ma
terial. but he received a large block
Of the stone, which he presented
forthwith to Washington Cathedral.
The Columbus stone. which is as
ISOLATED with the name or the great
discoverer of America. was the grit Oh
the late William E. Curtis. world
traveller and author. who received II
from an old priest in the partially
ruined church in Santo Domingo
which dates back to the time OF Co.
Iumbus and was the first Christian
church erected in the American Con.
tfnent. This stone thus forms MIS-
toric link with Americas beginning.
Jewish Mamma Pot.
A curious history is connected with
the Jewish mamma pot, whlcn was
presented to the Cathedral by Kew.
s. Harrington Littell, an American
missionary, who received 1t from
Right Rev. William c. Wnite' -. ~
ANGLICAN Bishop of Honan. China.
THE mama pot came from a crum.
bling synagogue Of a community or
Chinese Jews in the western part
Of China, north Of the Thibetan bor-
der. These Chinese Jews live in des-
perate poverty They are Chinese IN
aupearance, but have preserved MANY
Of the ancient rites Of the Jews. They
have been in this isolated community
since the year 200 BIC. 1t is thought
that they were part OF the dispersion
of the Ten Lost Tribes OF Israel,
about whose fate there has been so
much dispute in history.
Bishop White had shown many
kindnesses to the congregation OF this
primitive synagogue and. out OF graf
itude, they presented him with the
mama pot, a big stone vessel rudely
moulded, a traditional object to them.
The bishop presented it to Rev. Mr..
Iiittell while the latter was on a visit
to his diocese, and the recipient de-
termined that the final resting place
of the historic vessel should be in
Washington Cathedral.
The collection of historic objects.
such as stones. trees, plants. paint
ings and books, at washington Ca
thedral is growing rapidly. 1t is ex-
pected that in the years to come 1t
win be a veritable treasure house OF
such articles, attracting art lovers
and antiquarians from many lands.