THE MAJESTIC TEMPLE.

117

the great Mosque of Omar. The grounds surrounding it are very extensive. They comprise about one-seventh of the modern city. This inclosure corresponds, in part at least, with the ancient temple area. The site was purchased by David, having been the threshing-floor of Ornan the Jebusite. An altar was built, and materials were collected for the temple; but the building was erected by Solomon. It was begun about the year 1012 B.C. This building, or temple, stood within courts and cloisters of great beauty, and was connected by a stone bridge, spanning the Tyropoon Valley, with the royal palace on Mount Zion.

It was on the temple end of this bridge that Titus stood, and held parley with the Jews, who refused to surrender Zion after the loss of Moriah. This temple was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar 586 B.C., and was rebuilt by Zerubbabel about 520. It was changed, modified, destroyed, and rebuilt a number of times; and finally came the Great Temple of Herod, made of white marble, with roofs lavishly adorned with gold. This is the temple which the Roman army, under Titus, utterly overthrew and destroyed, leaving not one stone upon another.

Mount Moriah was only a narrow, sharp, crooked ridge; and it is stated, with what truth I know not, that when the architect Hiram was brought to Jerusalem, and conducted by King Solomon to

118

FOUNDATION-WALLS.

the summit of Olivet, from which he was shown the situation and outlines of the hill Moriah, he pointed to Scopus, the broad elevation a mile. north of the city, and said, " There is the ground for the temple." But David had bought Moriah, "the threshing-floor and the oxen, for fifty shekels of silver;" and there, on Moriah, Solomon decided the temple should stand.

The foundation-walls on which the great Temple of Solomon, made of stone, marble, cedar, and gold, was built, still remain. In other words, the foundations of the platform on which the temple stood are yet in existence. That platform, or area, covered a large space of ground, — not less than thirty acres, according to some authorities. The foundation-stones of this vast platform (a part of them) are forty feet in length, and of proportionate breadth and thickness. These were firmly bound together with clamps of iron and lead, and, by the same means, fastened to the native rock that lies below.

We saw fifteen rows of massive square pillars, at equal distances apart, but of unequal sizes. These were some forty feet high, and were connected together by strong arches overhead. Here are what are called Solomon's Stables. We descended into the damp, unpleasant cavern, and on our way were shown a stone trough, which is said to be the cradle of the infant Christ! In certain of these stone pillars mortises had been cut

GREATER THAN CHEOPS.

119

through, to afford facilities for tying the horses of Solomon's time, so the guide assured us.

No part of the temple itself remains. That is entirely effaced from the earth, so that not a fragment can be recognized. But the stupendous base, or platform, of Solomon's Temple, which I have imperfectly described, was "constructed in so substantial a manner, that neither time, nor the devastations of barbarian force, nor the mighty bruit of earthquakes, has had power to break it up. So large are the stones of which the outer walls are built, so artistically are they laid together in relation to each other, and so firmly mortised at their interior edges and at their points of junction with the native rock, that it is safe to say, that no power that human hands can apply will ever remove them, nor will any volcanic force affect them, less than that which would elevate the bed of the sea, and sink the mountains into the deeps.'

The contents of this gigantic platform of stone are supposed to be more than five million cubic yards! Hence the magnitude of this underground structure is greater than that of the Pyramid of Cheops, which has been considered the largest artificial pile in the world. It required eight years, with its one hundred and fifty thousand builders, to complete this temple-platform; and the stone of which it was constructed had to be carried only a half-mile. The ground directly to the east of this platform falls precipitately two or three

120

SHEBA'S QUEEN OVERCOME.

hundred feet to the bottom of the Brook Kidron, and beyond this brook is Olivet.

It is written in 1 Kings vii. 10, that the foundations of Solomon's Temple were formed of" costly stones, even great stones, stones of ten cubits, and stones of eight cubits. And the great court round about was with three rows of hewed stones." I make no attempt to describe the temple, - that wonderful edifice which was "covered with cedar above upon the beams, that lay on forty-five pillars, fifteen in a row. And there were windows in three rows, and light was against light in three ranks. And all the doors and posts were square, with the windows: and light was against light in three ranks." The magnificence of this temple was beyond description; and "when the Queen of Sheba had seen all Solomon's wisdom, and the house that he had built, and the meat of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers, and their apparel, and his cupbearers, and his ascent by which he went up unto the house of the Lord, there was no more spirit in her."

In the center of this ancient platform, of which I have spoken, and on a raised area of white marble, stands the most majestic mosque (which is a Mohammedan house of prayer) in the world, the Mosque of Omar. It is octagonal in form, and one hundred and fifty feet in diameter. It is surmounted by a very imposing and graceful dome.

SPLENDOR OF THE MOSQUE.

121

This costly structure, outside and in, "is a blaze of color in brilliant marbles, fine mosaics, stained glass, and beautiful Saracenic tiles." Obtaining permission, through our consul at Jerusalem, to enter this building, so sacred to the Mohammedan world, we went in, and explored it through and through. At the vestibule we were required to divest our feet of shoes, and to put on light slippers, which are kept there for the use of visitors. In one place, there were groups of people muttering their prayers in an unknown tongue; in another, they were chanting in solemn monotones; and, in another, kneeling, and kissing the floor.

The mosques on Mount Moriah are considered by the Mohammedans as the most holy of their churches, except the ones at Mecca. The best time to observe their ceremonies is on Friday,the Mohammedan sabbath; but, like the Catholic churches in all large cities, they are always open to worshipers. The visitor, on entering the mosque, is required to walk softly, and not to speak, except in subdued tones. We did not visit. the great mosque on Friday. We preferred another day; and we found the grandeur of the exterior, and the gorgeousness of the interior, of this edifice fully up to our exalted expectations.

Omar, the second calif of the Moslems (or Mohammedans), was born A.D. 581. His early history is little known; but, previous to his conversion, he was an ardent persecutor of Mohammed