ILLUSTRATIONS. TO FACE PAGE 1. THE MOUNT OF OLIVES AND JERUSALEM FROM THE NORTHEAST, This view exhibits Jerusalem in relation to the surrounding hills-"The hills stand about Jerusalem." On the left hand is the Mount of Olives, with the Church of the Ascension on its summit, and its sides clothed with olive trees. The deep gorge between this and the city is the Valley of Jehoshaphat. The small building far in, with the cupola top, is the Tomb of Absalom. The Garden of Gethsemane is near the bottom of the valley, and out of sight, on the side of the Tomb of Absalom. Beyond is the Hill of Offence, and the Hill of Evil Counsel. The building in the city, with the large dome, is the Mosque of Omar; and the dark building, apparently on the city wall to the left, is the Mosque of El Aksa. The whole space included by the walls at that angle, is the beautiful open space now called the Haram Es Shereef, the ancient site of Solomon's Temple. The farthest gate in the wall, in front of the Mosque of Omar, is the Golden gate, now closed, and alluded to on page 90. The gate nearer to the observer is St. Stephen's gate. The road travelled by camels and foot passengers leads from Anathoth. Farther off, on the right, are persons entering the city by the Damascus gate, on the road leading to Nablous and Nazareth. To the extreme right is the Hill of Scopus, and beyond it lies the path by which we entered the city, leading to the Jaffa gate, which is near the large square tower of Hippicus. The mass of buildings with a cupola, seeming to be embraced as in a triangle by three minarets, is the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Not far from the tower of Hippicus, but too small to be visible, is the English Church on Mount Zion. The building with a cupola on the left is the Armenian Church and Convent of St. James. Beyond this are the hills in the direction of Bethlehem. Bethany is on the left of the picture, out of sight, on the slope of the Mount of Olives. 2. THE GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE, This is a good representation of the present appearance of the ancient olive trees, but gives the idea of greater extent than is actually covered by the garden. It is now inclosed in walls. The city wall is upon the right, the dome of the Mosque of Omar just peeping over the top. The Golden gate is beneath the battlements on the wall. The small, light colored building down in the centre, is Absalom's Tomb. Beyond the village of Siloam, and farther still, high up, are the ruins of the house of Annas, the High Priest, on the Hill of Evil Counsel. On the left are buildings upon the lower part of the Mount of Olives. xvi ILLUSTRATIONS. 3. CHURCH OF THE HOLY SEPULCHRE, TO FACE PAGE This gives a correct view of the court in front of the main entrance to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. The low arched doorway leading to this court is not seen, but is towards the left side of the picture. The square tower belongs to the church. The people are going in at the main entrance. The collection of churches and chapels united together under a common roof, and the convents extend far back to the right and left. 4. FIELDS OF BETHANY, The spectator is supposed to be looking towards Bethany from the East. The village lies upon the slope of a hill. The square building next to the uppermost in the village, is pointed out as the House of Lazarus. An apocryphal tradition of course. Beyond, and not in sight, is the place pointed out as the tomb. The buildings on the high hill are on the top of the Mount of Olives. Beyond and below is Jerusalem, shut out by the Mount. 5. ARCH IN THE VIA DOLOROSA, . 74 82 . 102 This is a part of the street through which our Lord was led from the House of the Roman Governor to Calvary, and therefore called "the sorrowful way." The arch is the arcade of the Ecce Homo, so called from a tradition altogether improbable, if not impossible. that it was here Pontius Pilate presented our Lord to the enraged multitude, when he said, “Behold the man!" The drawing gives a very accurate representation of what you see constantly in Jerusalem. 6. THE RIVER JORDAN, . . 120 The banks of the Jordan are lined with trees and shrubs; amongst them the willow prevails. The river is always rapid. The bathing place is one of the most beautiful parts of it. The river is here about thirty feet wide, and is supposed to be the place where our Lord was baptized by John. The number of pilgrims when we were there, was much greater than is here represented. 7. BETHLEHEM, . . 125 Bethlehem is on the side of a hill. The road winds up to the village, and you enter it by the arched way on the right. The high walls built up from the valley, with the square tower inside, are the churches and convents covering the place of the nativity. The small square tower on the left hand, on the slope of a hill, is a watchtower to guard the vineyards and oliveyards. Beyond is seen the place where the shepherds are supposed to have been watching their flocks by night. The hills beyond are the mountains of Engedi, and in that direction is the Dead Sea. The village rises up beyond the edge of the picture on the right, and in that direction is the road to the Pools of Solomon and to Hebron. 8. SHRINE OF THE NATIVITY, On the left hand is the place of the Nativity, and on the right the recess of the manger. The lamps are of richly chased silver, and are kept burning night and day. 132 ILLUSTRATIONS. xvii 9. INCLOSURE OF THE TEMPLE, JERUSALEM, TO FACE PAGE . . 135 A very accurate picture of the Mosque of Omar, and its beautiful inclosure, called the Haram Es Shereef, or "the Holy, the Noble." The Mosque el Aksa, once a Christian Church, is the farthest building. On the left hand is the Mount of Olives, crowned with the Church of the Ascension. The Golden gate is in the wall at the left hand. The right hand is the line of cloistered buildings for schools, and the residences of the Dervishes and Santons of the Mosque. This is supposed to be the site of Solomon's Temple. In 2. Kings xx. 20, we read, that among "the acts of King Hezekiah and his might, he made a pool and a conduit, and brought water into the city." This reservoir answers the description, and is probably the work of this king. It is now called by the people of Jerusalem, Birket el Hummam, or the Pool of the Bath, because it supplies a bath in the vicinity. But the picture is here introduced because it gives a correct view of a portion of the city, and a good idea of the prevailing style of domestic architecture. Wood being scarce, the roofs are of stone and cemented, and are almost universally surmounted by oven-shaped domes, the better to carry off the rain. The tops of the houses are therefore resorted to constantly, when the sun is not oppressive, and from them fine views are obtained of the city, and the surrounding hills, as in this case. In the background, crowned with the Church of the Ascension, is the Mount of Olives. Lower down in the city, at the right hand, is the dome and upper part of the Mosque of Omar. On the extreme left are the tower and domes of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. 11. MOUNT GERIZIM AND THE VALE OF NABLOUS, . The spectator is supposed to be upon a part of Mount Ebal, which fills up the right hand of the picture. On the left is Mount Gerizim. These two remarkable hills, standing at the opening of the valley, and as it were defying each other, the one the mount of blessing, the other of cursing, are each about eight hundred feet high, and not actually as far apart as the view might lead one to suppose. On the top of Gerizim is seen a small Mohammedan Wely, and not far from it is the place where the Samaritans perform their annual sacrifice. The city seen in the valley is about two miles distant, and is now called Nablous, by the Romans Neapolis, and in the New Testament Sychar. (See John iv. 5.) The valley is exceedingly beautiful and fertile, the hills abrupt and barren. 12. JACOB'S WELL AT SYCHAR,. On the right and left are portions of Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim. In the foreground, upon a low mound rising from the level plain, is the opening beneath which are found the remains of Jacob's Well. There was formerly, probably, a porch over it, supported by columns, but it has been gradually covered up by an accumulation of earth. Now it is as seen in the print, only we found the hole covered over with a large stone, which we had to remove. My friend descended a short distance, and found the remains of columns, and was satisfied, by throwing stones down, that the well was deep, and water still there. There is little doubt but that here is the representation of a spot where our Lord uttered some of the most impressive words of His doctrine. Pointing to the ground which rises on the left, He said, "Woman, believe me, the hour cometh when ye shall neither in this mountain nor yet at Jerusalem worship the Father." "God is a Spirit, and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth." Upon the right 141 150 152 |