The second was the city of Solomon, from B.C. 1000 to B.C. 597, a space of 400 years. The third, that of Nehemiah, which lasted for some 300 years. Then came the magnificent City of Herod; then the Roman city, which grew up on the ruins Titus had made; it again was followed by the Mahomedan city; and that again by a Christian city; and now, for six hundred years, the modern city has stood on the ruins of those that preceded it." So we can well conceive what good ground the Committee have to write thus: "Rubbish and débris cover every foot of the ground, save where the rock crops up at intervals. The rubbish is the wreck of all these cities, piled one above the other. If we examine it, we have to determine at every step among the ruins of which city we are standing Solomon, Nehemiah, Herod, Hadrian, Constantine, Omar, Godfrey, Saladin, Suleiman-each in turn represents a city. It has been the task of the Fund to dig down to the rock itself, and lay bare the secrets of each in succession.”—(E. Condor Gray.)

Among many other difficulties which the Explorers have had to encounter may be mentioned the looseness of the débris, causing much danger to the excavators; the impure state of the soil, saturated with the sewage of ages; the opposition of the Muslims, the interference of the Pasha and local authorities, the indolence of Oriental workmen― notwithstanding all this, the results have been most satisfactory, and will be referred to in their proper places in the description of the City.

PRESENT SIZE AND ASPECT OF

JERUSALEM.

"The town itself covers an area of more than two hundred and nine acres, of which thirty-five are occu

pied by the Haram-esh-Sherif; the remaining space is divided into different quarters, the Christian Quarterincluding the part occupied by the Armenians—taking up the western half; the Mahomedans have the north-east portion; the Jews the south-east. The whole population is now about 16,000.* The circumference is very nearly two and a quarter miles, while the extent of the city (small as it is, it now seems too large for the population) may be illustrated by the fact that it would nearly occupy the space included between Oxford Street and Piccadilly on the north and south, and Park Lane and Bond Street on the east and west."-(Our Work in Palestine, p. 28.)

Jerusalem stands on a bald mountain ridge, surrounded by limestone hills-glaringly white. It is enclosed by walls averaging about thirty-five feet in height, and, although massive in appearance, far from being substantial. Around the walls are thirty-four towers, and in the walls are seven gates, five open and two closed. The open gates are

(1.) The Jaffa Gate, called by the Arabs Bab-el-'Khalîl -Gate of Hebron, or "The Friend". -on the west. It leads to Hebron.

(2.) The Damascus Gate, called Bab-el-'Amûd, or Gate of the Columns, on the north between the two ridges of the city, and leading to Samaria and Damascus.

(3.) The Gate of the Tribes, Bab-el-Asbât, or, according to the Franks, St. Stephen's Gate, the reputed site of the stoning of Stephen (p. 179), leading to Olivet and Bethany.

(4.) The Dung Gate, or the Gate of the Western Africans, Bal-el-Mughâribeh, leading to Silwân (Siloam).

* See p. 117.

(5.) Zion Gate, or Gate of the Prophet David, Bab enNeby Dâûd, on the ridge of Zion.

The closed gates are―

(6.) The Golden Gate, Bal-ed Dahâriyeh, i.e., the Eternal Gate, in the eastern wall of the Haram (p. 141).

(7.) The Gate of Herod, called by the Arabs Bâb esZahery, i.e., the Gate of Flowers, open now occasionally for the benefit of the soldiers, who drill just outside it.

Streets. The principal are—“The Street of David," leading from the Jaffa Gate to the Haram; "The Street of the Gate of the Column," runs from the Damascus Gate until it is joined by the" Street of the Gate of the Prophet David," under which name it continues to Zion Gate. "Christian Street" runs from the Street of David to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. The Via Dolorosa begins at the Latin Convent and terminates at St. Stephen's Gate.

POPULATION. RELIGIONS.

In

The population of Jerusalem is variously stated. Our Work in Palestine, quoted above (p. 116), it is given as 16,000, but more recent estimates give it as at least 20,000.

The Muslims are for the greater part natives. There are also a considerable number of Dervishes connected with the Haram, and also a colony of Africans.

The Jews number about 8000 to 9000, and are divided into two sections-the Sephardim, of Spanish origin, and the Ashkenazim, chiefly of German and Polish origin (p. 62). The Jews in Jerusalem are mainly sustained by charity, Jews everywhere having sent contributions to their poor brethren of the Holy Land. Many, perhaps the majority, have been drawn hither from idle and worthless motives, although some have gone as a pious act, and among devout Jews, burial at Jerusalem has been looked upon as the great

desideratum. There is "The Rothschild Hospital," founded in 1855, which has done much good service. Sir Moses Montefiore's mission has been to assist the Jews, not by indiscriminate charity, but by giving them means and scope for labour. In January, 1875, being in the 91st year of his age, he resigned his position as President of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, and a testimonial to him having been resolved upon, he requested it might take the form of a scheme for improving the condition of the Jews in Palestine generally, and Jerusalem particularly. About £11,000 only has been as yet contributed to the fund, although the amount anticipated was £200,000. The reason of the smallness of the contributions was that a rumour went abroad that the scheme was only to continue idle Jews in idleness. Sir Moses Montefiore, at the age of ninety-two, went to Jerusalem, in company with Dr. Löwe, to investigate the real state of the Jewish community. He considers the people are eager, and physically able, to work—that they have only lacked opportunity, and states that they are more industrious than many men even in Europe, otherwise none of them would remain alive." He proposes colleges, public schools, houses with plots of ground for cultivation, etc., and proceedings are in progress to purchase land and build houses for this purpose, in and around Jerusalem. It is to the young that this will be a special boon, the habits of the older members of the community being too deep rooted to allow them to fall at once into the radical changes proposed. The express object of the "Montefiore Testimonial Fund" is "the encouragement of agriculture, and' other mechanical employments, among the Jews of Palestine."

There are several institutions already in efficient working order for the Jews in Jerusalem-The House of Industry, Girls' Work School, etc.

The Greek Church (p. 64) flourishes in Jerusalem, having at its head the Patriarch of Jerusalem, who resides here, in the convent beside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Fourteen sees are subject to him. The Greeks have about twenty monasteries in the neighbourhood.

The Armenians number about 300. Their patriarch, who is styled "Patriarch of Jerusalem," lives at the monastery next Zion Gate.

The Copts (p. 65) have two monasteries, at one of which their Bishop resides.

The Latins (p. 65) number about 1800. They have a Monastery, an Industrial School, two Girls' Schools, and an Hospital.

The Protestants have but a small, though exceedingly useful community in Jerusalem. A Mission of Enquiry was instituted in 1820 by the Society for Promoting Christianity among the Jews. Dr. Dalton, the first missionary, came to reside here in 1824. In 1841 the Governments of England and Prussia entered into an agreement to establish here a Bishopric of the Anglican Church, the Diocese to embrace Mesopotamia, Chaldea, Syria, Palestine, Egypt, and Abyssinia. The church is on Mount Zion. In connection with it are two good schools, in and outside the city. The first Bishop was Dr. Alexander, the present is Dr. Gobat.

The evangelical work at Jerusalem presents many features of interest. The Krishona of Basle, a kind of lay mission, which seeks to propagate Christianity by means of artisans and tradesmen, whose callings give them ready access to the people, occupies several points in Palestine, and has its centre. at Jerusalem and branches at Jaffa and Bethlehem. The Deaconesses of Kaiserswerth have opened a real "Good Samaritan" Establishment, which is open to every suffering human creature, of whatever faith. An orphanage and