"Oh, weep for those that wept by Babel's stream,
Whose shrines are desolate, whose land a dream;
Weep for the harp of Judah's broken spell,
Mourn—where their God hath dwelt, the godless dwell!"Lorenzo Snow.
LETTER IX.
The Stone of Unction.—The Holy Sepulchre.—The Chapel of the Angel.—Hill of Calvary.—The hole in which the Cross was planted.—House of Pilate.—"Behold the Man!"—The true Cross.—A terrible Massacre.—Turkish Guards.—Christianity despised by Jews and Mohammedans.—Farewell to Jerusalem.—Gala day.—Arab Agriculture.—Shechem.—Ferocious People.—The Olive.—Samaria.
Palestine, March 8th, 1873.
Editor Deseret News:
Among the variety of objects which claimed our attention while at Jerusalem, was the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. It is an extensive building, with a host of sacred relics and holy places, grouped together within a few yards of one another; among others, the place of the Savior's crucifixion; the spot where His body was anointed for burial; where the Virgin stood and witnessed the crucifixion; the place where His body was wrapped in linen clothes; the rent in the rock produced by the earthquake; the place where the soldiers cast lots for His raiment; the column to which He was bound when scourged; the place where He was stripped by the soldiers; and the prison in which He was incarcerated previous to being led to the place of crucifixion, etc.
In front of this building is a small area, occupied by a sort of bazar for the sale of sacred relics, and used also as a place of gathering for all classes of pilgrims. Within this building, near the door, surrounded by a low railing, is the Stone of Unction, which consists of a marble slab, on which the body of the Savior is said to have been anointed for the burial. This, we were told, however, is not the real stone, as that was concealed underneath to prevent devout pilgrims from carrying it off or wearing it away by constant kissing, as was the case with the bronze toe at St. Peter's, Rome. Several lamps are suspended over this sacred spot, and kept constantly burning.
We proceeded to the apartment appropriated to the Holy Sepulchre, twenty-six feet long by eighteen broad, ornamented by a dome. We entered first a small apartment called the Chapel of the Angel, where it is said he sat upon the stone which had been rolled away from the door of the sepulchre. A portion of this stone stands upon a low pedestal, though it is asserted that the real stone was stolen by the Armenians, and is now exhibited in their chapel. From this apartment a low narrow door opens into the vault of the sepulchre. It has a dome roof sustained by short marble columns. The place where the Savior's body is said to have lain, is covered by a marble slab, considerably worn at the edges by the continued kissing of pilgrims. A large number of gold and silver lamps are suspended over it, and kept constantly burning. It is fitted up as an altar; above it are costly gifts, thickly set with precious stones, presented by different sovereigns of Europe.
A Greek priest was officiating when we entered, who signified his recognition of our presence by scattering sweet perfumery in great abundance over our persons. All pilgrims were sprinkled in like manner, who were constantly crowding in upon their hands and knees, kissing the cold marble, sobbing and bathing it with their tears. This is said to have been hewn in the rock, but we could see no rock—the floor, tomb and walls are all marble.