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XVI.

THE MOUNT OF OLIVES.

Visit to el Haram esh Sherîf.-Dimensions of the Haram Area.-The Temple Area.Portions of the Ancient Wall still remaining.-Marks of Solomon's Architects.-North Wall of the Temple Area obliterated.-El Mawâzîn, the Scales.-Catherwood's Description of the Haram Area.-Saracenic Pulpit.-Interior of the Dome of the Rock.— Es Sukhrah, the Sacred Rock.-Site of the Altar of Solomon's Temple.-Cave beneath es Sukhrah.-Jâmi'a el Aksa.-Vaults beneath the South-eastern Corner of the Haram Area. Captain Warren's Theory regarding the Site of the Temple.-Solomon's Palace. -Solomon's Stables.-Cloister of Herod.-Jesus questioned by the Jews in Solomon's Porch. The Apostles in Solomon's Porch.-Mount Moriah.-Abraham and Isaac.— David and Araunah.-Solomon and the Temple.-Destruction of the Temple by the Babylonians.—Dedication of the Walls of Jerusalem by Nehemiah.—Dedication of the Restored Temple by Herod.- Destruction of the Temple by Titus.- Fulfilment of Christ's Prediction.-The Golden Gate.-Cisterns beneath the Temple Area.-Watersupply of the Temple.-Adequate Supply of Water within the City when besieged.— Size and Extent of Ancient Jerusalem.-Valley across the North-east Corner of the Haram.-Pool of Bethesda.-Birket Isrâîl.-Tower of Antonia.-Rescue of Paul by the Roman Garrison.-Pompey.-Titus.—Adrian.—Wailing-place of the Jews.—Robinson's Arch.-Discovery of the Pier by Captain Warren.-Rock-cut Channel and Bridge in the Bed of the Tyropoon.-Wilson's Arch.-Bâb el Mughâribeh.-Double Gate.Triple Gate.-Single Gate.-Moslem Cemetery.-Results of Captain Warren's Explorations. Tombs in the Valley of Jehoshaphat.-Tomb of Zechariah.-Tomb of St. James.-Tomb of Absalom.-Tomb of Jehoshaphat.-Graves of the Jews on Olivet.— Retrospective Reflections regarding the Historic Significance of the Temple Mount.— Typical and Symbolical Allusions to the Temple in the Old and New Testaments.

April 30th. Evening.

By the usual means we gained admittance to-day to "the noble sanctuary," or el Haram esh Sherîf, as it was called by our Moslem guide, whom we procured to accompany us on our visit to the noteworthy sites within it.

It is a curious fact that no two writers agree as to the exact dimensions of the Haram platform. The west wall is about sixteen hundred feet long, though Mr. Catherwood gives sixteen hundred

DIMENSIONS OF THE HARAM AREA.

493 and seventeen. The east wall is about fifteen hundred and twenty feet long, but Dr. Robinson makes it fifteen hundred and twentyeight. The area is nearly one hundred feet broader at the north end than at the south, though measurements again differ-Catherwood making the north wall ten hundred and twenty feet long, and the south nine hundred and forty; while Robinson gives ten hundred and sixty one way, by nine hundred and fifty-five the other. A careful comparison of a dozen measurements shows divergences along every line, but our own numbers are sufficiently near the truth; and the result of all only shows that, in shape, the Haram platform is not an exact parallelogram, and that no two of the walls are of the same length, or run exactly parallel to each other. The area thus defined is much larger than was that of the Temple, though even this has been questioned. By an apparent consent, however, amongst critics, the Tower of Antonia is supposed to have occupied the north-west corner of the Haram area, but just how much of the space was thus taken up cannot now be ascertained; and this renders it difficult, if not impossible, to fix with certainty the precise site of the Temple itself. The common opinion is that the Temple, at least that of Herod, was erected on or near the platform upon which the Kubbet es Sukhrah-Dome of the Rock, or Mosk of Omar-now stands; and, with its various enclosing walls, courts, and cloisters, the space occupied by it may have been about nine hundred feet from east to west, and not far from six hundred feet from north to south. This is Captain Warren's theory, and may be the correct one, though others believe that the Temple area was an exact square. The portions of the east wall still remaining, and of the west wall at the Jews' place of wailing, are undoubtedly ancient. The same is probably true, in the main, with regard to the existing south wall; nor is there any reason to believe that Nehemiah, when he repaired the wall of Jerusalem, constructed it on new foundations; and no doubt Herod, also, built upon old foundations when he restored the Temple.'

One of the most interesting discoveries of Captain Warren is supposed to prove that the eastern wall of the present Haram area is part of, or built upon, the foundations laid down by King Solo

1 Neh. ii. 17; iii. 1-32; iv. 6.

mon. By means of a shaft and gallery driven beneath the Moslem graves that abound along the line of that wall, this foundation was reached on its eastern side; and upon the stones there found were discovered the marks and signs of the Phoenician builders, which, in all probability, were made by the architects sent to Solomon by Hiram, King of Tyre. The west wall at the Jews' wailing-place, doubtless, rests upon foundations equally ancient. The north wall of the Temple area appears to have been entirely obliterated, probably by the Romans, for Titus made his attacks against the Holy House from that quarter, and would necessarily demolish that wall during the siege and destruction of the Temple. According to this, the northern part of the present Haram area appertained to the Tower of Antonia and its outworks, and the large space thus occupied-perhaps one-third of the whole-must have been subsequently cleared of ruins and included within the present area of the Haram. This was probably accomplished gradually, age after age, as the materials that encumbered the space were needed in the construction of the city walls or the erection of castles and houses; until, finally, what rubbish remained was carried off by the Moslems, in order to enlarge the approach to their magnificent Mosk of es Sŭkhrah.

With no other escort but our Muhammedan guide, we entered the jealously guarded precincts of the Haram, and were conducted down a gradual decline, for some distance over smooth rock, and thence upon the sward, or grass, to the foot of a flight of steps which lead up to the lofty and pointed arches which stand on the paved platform of the mosk, called el Mawâzîn, or the Scales, because on the Day of Judgment the scales are to be suspended there to weigh the evil and the righteous. Most of the pavement is of the common limestone of the country, and detracts from the general appearance of that extensive platform, and of the various small structures reared here and there upon its surface.

A detailed description of this platform, and the general area of the Haram, is given by Mr. Catherwood, with whom I was well acquainted, who spent six weeks in and about the mosk, taking measurements, and making plans and drawings. He entered by the main gate-way, on the west side, and says:

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