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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 27, 1903)
Jerusalem Reproduced at -World's Fair I spf-nccnce cf The IJei.) If nny rp"n:1 Christmas In Jcrusilem, the Ho!y City. It wsuld not have t'e:n necrsa-y for hl-n to cross the seal nnd travel nfar In illen lnd. Ho rouM hnvi come to St. Loui?, where, cn a trnct of land I c'udel l.t lh World's fair grounli, Jerusalem Is belnrt built. True, It in not the ac u il Jerulem of Hible timer, lu'. It In a reprod icti-in, mari'c'ouMly nc?urt.tc, of the Jerunlo-n that Ftm.ls to day upen tho ilc In P.ilertliie which for thirty-. Iglit ccr.tiir'ei ha-i teon holy grrund revered a'.lke by Jew, Chrls:lan and Mos lem. Many remarkable thing sre being pre. parol fcr ths World's filr, but none that nurpaHi' this In any of the e-ssentl-il de menti of human Intercut. Here Rnd there thtotichout the rr unds are reproduction i of celebrated buildings, rurh as buve Veen before at othe exporltlons, though not In Bjch numbrr nnd excellence of we ll c M in; but haie, for tho first line In the world, u c'ty Is b?lng reproduced, an.l thnt city tho one of nil the world mo-t Intensely Interesting to thi perp'e of Christendom. This Is not a panorama or cycloramn, It may bo proper to point out to those who are Incredulous; It la an actual city, Which Is being built outdoors, of wood nnd staff, and It Is no toy city, but Is of actual size so far as the area that Is be ttiff rebuilt goes. This reproduction of Jerusalem occupies over clevtn acres of land. It Includes practically ail the features of the Holy City which are of dpeply Intimate Inter est to tho Bible student and toony per son to whom the wonderful story of Jesus of Nazareth, or the narratives of the Old Testament uro of Interest. When the World's fair opens, nothing will be lack ing In "The New Jerusalem," as this re production Is called, to show life In the modern city of the Great Kins cs It really Is with Moslem and Jew and Christian dwelling In separate quarters or ming ling together In the curious and quulnt marts-of trade. ' ' Jerusalem, St. Louis, U. 8. A., will be peopled by natives of Jerusalem, the Holy City. Arrangements are being made whereby about 1,000 Inhabitants of Jeru salem will be brought to 81. Louis, to take up their residence during the seven months of the exposition Inside this eleven-acre walled city. Among these will be Moham medan, Jews and Christians, each wor shipping after his own fashion and liv ing hi own life here In the reproduced city, just as he lives and worships at home. Here the Mohammedan will nnd his sacred mosque, - the Jew his syna gogue, the Christian his church or chapel. Here each will walk about familar streets, dwell In house! Identical In pattern with those In which they dwell at home, and engage In the same trades or other occupations that engage their time and talents In the Holy City. - Entering at the Jaffa gate the pilgrim finds himself Inside the walled city of Jerusalem. Bcforo him stretches the Street of David, the widest thoroughfare in the city. On the left side Is the moat guarding the citadel, and on the right a line of quaint houses, while farther alorg on that Ide appear two modern hotels, which are I, a TEMPLE reproduced Just as they stand In the Holy City. These hoBtelrles, the Grand New hotel and the Central , hotel, are already built, and will accommodate dur.ng the exposition the numerous persons connected with the management cf the "New Jerusa lem." The Btreet of David runs on to the weet gate, crossing the Via Dolorosa, along which thoroughfare, according to tradition, Jesus bore his cross on the way to th crucifixion cn Calvary. Here will ba shown the Ecca Homo arch, upon which Pontlua Pilate stood when he cried to the populace, "Behold the man!" One of the points of Interest on the tUht hand side of the Street cf David Lj the wheat market, with dirt floor. In which Jew and Clentlle strive for commercial mas tery. It Is vastly less magnificent than the stock exchange In New York, but as a place cf business activity In this raced city It has Us unfailing Interest. Passing through Christian street to the south, the World'a fair pilgrim or crusader may enter an open space In which tUnds the church of the Holy Sepulchre, with the Holy Sepulchre Itself reproduced In proper position at the east end. This Church of the Holy Sepulchre has been for cen turies the subject of controversy amongst 3 . k ' "i ! ! . r 1 i 1 ' fc,, k, - V AREA SHOWING ELIJAH'S TOMB IN - . - ' . 1 -cf: 1 --f - 1 ... f . - i . . . - v " . : ' v s . . f i ' "qT 0 t . . : , - Tirjaaifr v. TEMPLE AREA SHOWING MOSQUE OF scholars and eccleslasts. Traditionally, It Is built upon the site of the crucifixion. The original Church of the Holy Sepulchre was erected upon the present site by the Emperor Constantino. The church was destroyed and rebuilt repeatedly, In the' centuries of fierce struggle for possession of the Holy City between . Christian and Moslem. Wheal the Crusaders took Jerusa lem they enlarged the extent of tho church considerably. The present building was erected early in the nineteenth century, but certain features of the mediaeval arch itecture remain, and these are being repro duced in "connection with the replica of this venerable church at St. Louts. - .' The large court In front of the church. Its pavement worn by the feet of Innu merable pilgrims, is to be reproduced ac curately. Beneath the central dome of the church, which was rebuilt by the Greeks after having been destroyed by fire, is the sepulchre, within a white marble edi fice. This Is divided Into two small edi fices, in the first, or which Is found the stone where the angels were seated when they replied to the holy women, "He is i not her, but ; Is risen." The second sanctuary, encloses the sepulchre. Lights from lamps of gold and silver are always - i t ' " . V"1-, i CENTER. OMAR. burning In this chapel and the air is redolent with , burning perfumes. At Oberammergau there Is an annual pro duction of the Passion Play, which has at tracted world wide attention. There the believe to be the sepulchre of the Savior. Here at St. Louis will be shown," In repro duced outward aspect, what many persons belive to be the sepulchre of the Savior. For long uses devout men and women have made pilgrimages to that spot from many parts of the world. But there Is now building within this World s fair tract a structure which is a more prominent architectural feature In Jerusalem than the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Tho mosque of Omar Is being reproduced In staff, resting upon Its mighty platform, with its wonderful dome towering high above the city. The site of the Holy Sepulchre Is disputed, but no one questions that the ground upon which stands the mosque of Omar Is the Identical site of Solomrn's temple and the temple of Herod tha Great, from which Chris scourged the money changers. .This considerable tract of land In Jerusalem, known to Christendom us the temple area and called the Huramea Bherlf by the Mohammedans, has been holy grounds for nearly 4.000 years. Temple after temple hus been bullded upon It, to fall before successive , lnvuders-rAs rlan. Roman, Mohammedan; within this area have worshipped the followers of the God of Abraham, the believers In Jesus of Nazareth and the zealous and fanatio adherents of Mohammed. Even a Pagan temple, built by Hadrian, has occupied the site of Solomon's magnificent temple. At times, for generations, the area has been but a tumble of ruins, yet It has not ceased, for a moment, to be venerated as a holy place by the followers of some great religious prophet. Around the walla razed and rebuilt from time to time, the great religions of the world have surged and struggled for possession of the area; these walls have been drenched with blood, and ithe maimed bodies of defender and ; aggressor have strewn the area. Even the Saracenic mosque now standing has hanged masters repeatedly, being taken ..by the Crusalera under Godfrey of ! Bouillon in the year 1099. Then the cross ; took the place of the crescent, until the expulsion of tho Christians by Saladln, when once more the Moslem symbol was planted. Now the Mohammedans hold the area fnd worship within the mosque built by 'the great Omar, or at the prnyer-places (Here and there within the sacred en closure. It was not until recent years that Spew or Christian was permitted to enter Shis enclosure, except on peril of death, o sealoua were its Moslem keepers lest jhe sacred space be profaned by those who, jlfrom their standpoint, ore unbelievers. ."Strenuous efforts were made for many Sears to obtain photographs or drawings the Interior of the mosque. Only ry strategy and bribery, nnd even .the I hen at great risk, could any person other Jhan a Mohammedan enter. ; It Is this sacred enclosure, with its grand mosque and other interesting structures, that la being reproduced at St. Louis. Dur '. (Continued on Page Sixteen.) i t