A TRIP TO PALESTINE

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 4, Issue 116, 11 June 1941, Page 2

A TRIP TO PALESTINE

OBSERVATIONS OF NEW ZEALAND SERGEANT WEALTH OF BIBLICAL INTEREST

The following letter describing a trip made in Palestine has been recciAred from Sergeant 1). G. Walton, of Waimana, and makes very interesting reading.

We caught the return train at 9 o'clock and made the connection with the Palestine express on the other side of the canal. We travelled most of the way in the night and, when in the morning Ave awoke, we saAA r green trees, hills and shallow rivers and miles and miles of orange groves with theiir big juicy oranges and sweet smelling blossom.

We abandoned the train at Ludd and bargained Avith, a taxi driver to take us to Jerusalem Avhere Ave had decided to make our headquarters. The taxi fare for this cost us 10 piastres each equal to 2/-;, and for a distance of about 20 miles it was Avell worth it. Here on this short journey Ave passed quite a lot of the land rich in Biblical history and on reaching Jerusalem at 10 a.m. on Monday AA r e stayed at the Y.M.C.A., Avhich cost us 3/- per night for bed and breakfast, which is very reasonable. In the afternoon avc visited some parts of Jerusalem. Now there are two Jerusalems, the old and the neAV. The old Jerusalem is) that part of this city Avhich lies insi.dei the walls and the neAV part is that outside the walls. The old city is entirely sur rounded by a huge Avail and there are several openings in it and these are called gates so Avhen II refer to the differdnt gates you Avill knoAV to which I refer. Our first visit to the old city AA r e entered by the Jaffa gate, the entrance leading to and from Jalfa. The present Avail of Jerusalem Avas built by the Turks in 1538 and is about 2% miles in circumference. Next to the Jaffa gate is made a huge break in the wall, this Avas done in honour of the visit of Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany Avhen he visited Jerusalem in 1899.

Well Ave entered Jaffa gate and passed the citadel of David, a huge fortress Avhere Avere garrisoned Turkish soldiers and come to King DaA rid's street. This street is narrow, in fact about twice the Avidth of a room, so you can realise that as this is one of the main streets >n old Jerusalem. Some, of the others arc just alley Avays and of course there are no motor cars inside the gates, but only donkeys.

This street is one of the busy marketing centres through AA r hich aat passed to the Church of the Holv Sepulchre. On the Avay to this church aa 7 c followed the route taken by Jesus Avhen he carried the cross on the Avay io the crucintion. This street is called "Via Dolorosa" meaning the "Way of Pain" and it begin-: at the home of Pontius Pilate. Today over each o-f these religious places are built churches, convent:: or monasteries.

From the residence of Pontius Pilate (this being station number one) there are fourteen stations o f passion, places Avhere some incident occurred to Jems when hq was being led to Calvary. Well Ave entered the church of the Holy Sepulchre Avhere Christ was crucified. Oi course in those days there was no church here, but the first church Avas built by Empress Helena in the year 326 A.D. It Avas herei that she found the three crosses, so sh > had all the rubbish cleared awav and built the first church over tlv. j place of crucifixion which is Calvary. To-day the church is heavily strengthened with scaffolding both inside and out, which has been erected, by the British to strengthen Llie building as it Avas scA-'erely damaged and strained by an earthquake in 1928. In this church are th*i places of the crucifixion and whero Joseph washed and annointed thf bodv of Jesus Avith olive oil beforj placing it in the Holy tomb. Afs this is the place where Jesus Avai buried so then it is named the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

Wc pass through the door and arc held in amazement at the; massivtv ness of the Avhole building. Tlk> church has two portals dating from the time of the Crusaders. How ever to-day one of them is closed up, Just past the entrance is the Ston<; of Unction -where the body of Jesm was annointed and nearby is tin l spot where Mary Magdalene watched the annointment. Next we enter ;i circular hall with a high dome, this is called %he Rotunda.

Here are eighteen large pillar* which support the huge dome, fi" feet in diameter. In the centre of

this hall is .the Holy Sepulchre where Christ Avas buried. Before entering tho actual tomb Ave pas<i into the Angel's Chapel. In the centre of this chapel is a stone sal in marble and this is the remains ot the one Avhich closed the door of the Holy Sepulchre and, which ay as rolled aAvay by the Angel so it is now named the Angel's Chapel. In front of the tomb are great brass ornaments and hanging lamps which burn perpetually Avith olive oil. Tin whole entrance is verv attractiA'c.

Passing through to the actual tomb one lias to stoop down on account of the smallness of the entrance, even the mightiest ruler lias to stoop to enter here. Inside, one'? feelings and emotions are uncontrollable, and one cannot help but feel the sadness and, reverence held at this one little spot. The tomb is now lined with slabs of marble, some of which is' used as an altar and overhead hang forty-three lamps belonging to different religious sects and these also are always kept aligh\ Jews are the only people prohibited from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

From the "Rotunda" we proceeded to the Ghapel on Mt. Calvary, and it is here that is the twelfth station of Passion, the raising of the "Cross" oil the top of Mt. Calvary. Part of the Mt. still protrudes through the floor and this is, pointed out to visitors. Here are life-like models of Jesus and the! Virgin Mary. The model of Mary is done In gold and on her person are diamonds, jewels and other precious stones, gold and emeralds are* donated by kings, queens and other nobility and now the value of this Replica of the Virgin Mary is worth £3,500,000.

This scene absolutely left lis standing in aAve. We, Avho know so much and yet so little, and are eonvinced that avc knoAV very little of our Bible, for this place is an education by itself. Continuing round the church AA'e Avere shown Avhere Jesus AA T as croAvned Avitli a croAvn of thorns and to the pillar which he was bound and scourged.

In all we spent a very interesting timet in the church. Leaving here we retraced our steps along "Via Dolorosa" ancl branched off a narrow alley which led to the Wailing Wall. No doubt you all have heard of it. This, is where the Jews come to pray and wail for their sick and loved sons and while we were there we saw an endless stream of people coming to pay their respects, but modern times are gradually making a mockery of it.

After doing all this we felt thai we had done enough for that day so wei wandered slowly back to the hestel, had dinner and went to bed, and Ave Avere as excited as little children on a holiday for on our beds Ave had nice clenn sheets, avc felt like spending all our holiday.-: in bed. To be continued.