DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.12665#0237
PLACE OF THE TEMPLE.
221
village, in the centre of which is a small octagonal
building, erected, it is said, over the spot from
which our Saviour ascended into heaven ; and the
print of his foot, say the monks, is still to be seen.
This print is in the rock; enclosed by an oblong
border of marble ; and pilgrims may at any time
be seen taking, in wax, impressions of the holy
footstep; and for this, too, they are indebted to
the research and bounty of the Empress Helena.
Descending again to the ruined monastery, at
the place where our Saviour, more than 1800
years ago, wept over the city and predicted its
eternal ruin, I sat down on a rough stone to sur-
vey and muse over the favoured and fallen Je-
rusalem. The whole city lay extended before me
like a map. I could see and distinguish the streets,
and the whole, interior to the inner side of the far-
ther wall; and oh 1 how different from the city of
our Saviour's love. Though even then but a
mere appendage of imperial Rome, it retained the
magnificent wonders of its Jewish kings, and, pre-
eminent even among the splendid fanes of heathen
worship, rose the proud temple of the great King
Solomon. Solomon and all his glory have depart-
ed ; centuries ago, the great temple which he built,
the " glory of the whole earth," was a heap of ru-
ins ; in the prophetic words of our Saviour, not
one stone was left upon another ; and, in the wan-
ton spirit of triumph, a conquering general drove
"his plough over its site. For years its very site
lay buried in ruins, till the Saracen came with his
221
village, in the centre of which is a small octagonal
building, erected, it is said, over the spot from
which our Saviour ascended into heaven ; and the
print of his foot, say the monks, is still to be seen.
This print is in the rock; enclosed by an oblong
border of marble ; and pilgrims may at any time
be seen taking, in wax, impressions of the holy
footstep; and for this, too, they are indebted to
the research and bounty of the Empress Helena.
Descending again to the ruined monastery, at
the place where our Saviour, more than 1800
years ago, wept over the city and predicted its
eternal ruin, I sat down on a rough stone to sur-
vey and muse over the favoured and fallen Je-
rusalem. The whole city lay extended before me
like a map. I could see and distinguish the streets,
and the whole, interior to the inner side of the far-
ther wall; and oh 1 how different from the city of
our Saviour's love. Though even then but a
mere appendage of imperial Rome, it retained the
magnificent wonders of its Jewish kings, and, pre-
eminent even among the splendid fanes of heathen
worship, rose the proud temple of the great King
Solomon. Solomon and all his glory have depart-
ed ; centuries ago, the great temple which he built,
the " glory of the whole earth," was a heap of ru-
ins ; in the prophetic words of our Saviour, not
one stone was left upon another ; and, in the wan-
ton spirit of triumph, a conquering general drove
"his plough over its site. For years its very site
lay buried in ruins, till the Saracen came with his