AN ANCIENT CHRISTIAN CHURCH.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume XLV, Issue XLV, 16 November 1917, Page 1

AN ANCIENT CHRISTIAN CHURCH.

TROOPS', DISCO VERY IN PALESTINE. A BEAUTIFUL MOSAIC. • [From ;i Special Correspondent.] Near GAZA, August 1. Tliree times the voice of a dead Greek Christianity lias called to our troops across the ages on the. army's journey from Suez Canal., over the Desert of Sinai, and into Palestine. It seems a long time ago now, though it is only a year, since Major Grawsliay Williams discovered and photographed a small ancient building at Pelnsiuni with a cross over the stone lintel. . At Phelusiat. north of Mazar, New Zealandors found the marble remains of two splendid churches, with polished columns. In southern Palestine Australians have brought to light what remains the ravages of time have left of a most beautiful church, and a magnificent mosaic has been lifted to tell the people of the Commonwealth (if that prove to be the mosaic's destination) of the faith of an old race, and of an art in. decoration prosecuted with the fervor of believers. The latest discovery was made at Shellal, between Beersheba and Ivhan Ytinus. Thus the church was on the main road from Jerusalem to Egypt, the road the Ethiopian eunuch took when he met Philip and was baptised. Shellal in Arabic means "bubbling springs.'' Perhaps it was at these springs, which to-day give abundant water for our troops, that he was baptised. The hill on which the church was built was originally much larger, but heavy rains of centuries have washed the sides away. Hence the break in the inscription which would now stretch over the edge of the hill. In their intervals of fighting and marching over desert and plain the men of the desert column have found no subject of discussion more interesting than this ancient floor, and the meaning of tile allegories in mosaic has formed the theme o? many a talk hi bivouac after the clay's work was done. Is it surprising that, to soldiers who are fighting for principles which l\ad their birth in this cradle of Christianity, this discovery has served to put a keen edge on their desire to see more of tlie lane! of the Bible? Nothing will better illustrate their enthusiasm at the recovery of this relic of early Christians than an account of the care taken" in the removal of the mosaic, and the reverence with which the bones of the pious , founder George, or St. George, were placed in a. casket. The work was done ; under the direction of the Rev. W. Maitland Woods, senior chaplain (Church of England) of the Anzac Mounted Division, and during the 14 days he and his willing • band of workers were at their task they , \yere often within range of the enemy's s> guns, while frequently a Boche aeroplane crew displayed interest and suspicion at [ their earnest labors. -When we were making ready for an advance on Gaza the A.M.P. of the Anzac Mounted Division (Captain Jordan) went , up a high mound which dominated the [ oldest crossing of the Wadi Guzze, and he t found the Turks, in digging a trench I around the summit and making a machinegun emplacement, had revealed the edge

of the mosaic. He made sure a large platform existed,, and then some officers and men got to work on the hill-top. and after ■removing some 6ft of soil and debris they cleared a mosaic floor measuring some 27ft by 18ft. The floor remained exposed till photographs, drawings in color,-—and notes could be taken of it, and after" due deliberation as to the best means of removing it the task of lifting it began. The story of how.-that was accomplished was told me by " Padre " Itaitland Woods in a few simple words, which made light of many difficulties and trials. I quote the chaplain's language, which mqdestly describes how the little party, in spare time (for they had other heavy duties to do after they left the hill-top each. day), exercised extraordinary care and vigilance to preserve the mosaic as it was when the Christian worshippers gazed on it nearly 14 centuries ago: " * • "A number of engineers, under. Major C. E. Wilson, R.E., assisted me in the removal," the . chaplain said. "First a trench was dug all round the floor, so that we could work, only stooping as low as our knees. Then after carefully cleaning the portion to be first removed hot glue was poured over it and linen canvas spread over the glue. When the glue was cold a razor blade was inserted between the mosaic along a line previously agreed upon, and the blade was worked gently to awl fro until a . very small chisel could be inserted. .This slow and laborious method was persevered in until the portion was isolated, and then three layers of (a) rubble, (b) grey cement, and '(c) white thin plaster immediately uude the mosaic stones were all carefully withdrawal from \he part to be removed, which' then .was like a drumhead. " As the s'abjtrata were' taken away boards were placed underneath the mosaic and were built up with flat stones, these '/piers ' taking the weight and preventing fractures. The inscription was the most 'ambitious removal so far as size was concrned. We worked from 6 a.m. till 2 p.ni. on a floor of earth iairning with intense heat from the sun. without a single stop. But the result was worthy of the effort, as although the inscription contains 8,000 small pieces of mosaic, we did not lose one stone. The box in which it was to be placed had been specially made by the engineers. In it was mixed a bath, two inches deep, of plaster of paris, and when this' was at the setting point the fragile mosaic was freed from the ground and slowly pushed into the sticky substance and coaxed down absolutely level. Iu two hours' time the canvas and glue were washed off and. the mosaic, padded with tibbin (the finely-cut straw used for camel feed), was sealed in its case. This process was carried out with each separate piece. The work took 14 days, and when we were half through I was told I could, have no more piaster' of paris, as there was no move available. This was a terrible blow to me. but young Coveney, all engineer officer! said ; he knew where there was ;ui excellent pocket (jf clay a mile down the wadi, and Egyptian laborers were set to tread it and mix it with tibbin, and the rest of ; the mosaic was slid into boxes filled with a 'float' of this mixture, which has now ; set admirably." , _ The inscription, or that portion of . it which has survived the wrecking work | of rains, lias been translated bv Mr A. . H. Smith, of the department of Grajco- • Roman antiquities. British Museum, to ( read thus : " X (sign of the Cross). This , temple with spacious (? foundations) was ; built by our most holy (bishop or similar : title) and most pious George in the ; year 622 according to ""( '! the year of Gaza." The era of Gaza commenced i;.c. 61, which would give the date of the [ church as A.n. 561. Another possible ova ; is that of Bostra. Then the date of the ;■ church would be a.d. 727. The Rev. Maitlancl Woods says the inscription : elaborated would read" something like this : " X. And so he contributed generously • to the building of this church here: lie \ who was the most saintly of us all. and ' the most beloved of God," George was his ■ the 622 nd year after (tlTe Roman foimda- " tion of the city of Gaza." Again 1 quote .' the chaplain •. 2 "Under this inscription 'were oist covered the bones . of the " (Saint, e" lying feet to east and arms crossed 3 on chest. These, almost 1,400 . years , old, crumbled, at the. -itoueh. "The . right forearm had been broken, and had e set beautifully,' which was evidenced by

the extra bulging,hone growth aronffd tha fracture. There were skilled disciples of in those days. Such hones ks would bear very careful handling Ihvera reverently placed, in a casket, hut this had to be done' when the high wind of the afternoon had died idown.

" We know little of St. George of C&ppadocia,. the patron Saint of England; except that he was a soldier man, a Soman soldier,...and that he was converted to Christianity. in Palestine, which at the time of the building of this church at Shellal wns the radiating centre of Christianity—"up to 639 a.d., when Arab-Mo-, haiumedanism swept like a fire over the country. . The mosaic. itself, so fair as design is concerned, is animated by a classic gaiety which savors somewhat of a recent Greek mythology. The subject is from the words: "I am the true vine, ye are the branches." The vine grows from a most beautiful Amphora, designed- in many-colored marbles which must have been imported from East and West. ■:•• It embraces in its circles many animals, all of whom, with two exceptions," are making an obeisance to a central chalice, which is the chef d'oeuvre of the designer. Is it possible that each animal represents some settlement in this district which had 'embraced Christianity, as the lion now stands for England, the eagle for Russia, and so on? , Elijah was fed by "ravens," but were the tribe who brought him food Bedouins who were known as the Eaven tribe, and who would be anxious to feed a holy man in solitude? This idea, I believe, is now gaining ground. A rabbit in the top left-hand comer is being chased by -a red hound. Perhaps this is to represent a tribe which had refused to become Christian. In front of the east end, where the altar would be, is a fish cut-in half, one half in one panel, the other in Si*?,? 16 ?- Da g°n was the fish god of the 1 hilistines; does this mean his destrucThere are many other designs, among them a large-basket of flowers car.ried on four handles, and a basket of fruit with birds pecking at it." This mosaic and the remains of the\ saint, recovered from destruction by waters ■ washing away the' hill, are now in many cases packed away at a spot far from the scene of battle. They will, some time 1 after peace is -declared, find a safe repository, in a city where they will be appreciated. .It is to be hoped the generations who will admire the beautiful designs and will have, a reverence for all they stand for will also remember how the Empire's fighting men saved them for posterity.