The Sepulchre Of Christ.

building popularly known as the Mosque of Omar is , and always was known to be , outside the temple area , you will be forced to admit that it was not built by the Moslems—the only reason ever advanced by any one for assigning the building of it to them being- that on that rock stood the Holy

of Holies , or the altar of the Jews . If it was not built by the Moslems , it was by the Christians ; and if by them , ifc could not be other than the church which Constantino erected over what he believed to be the cave in which the body of our Lord was laid . The architecture is of his age , and

neither he nor any other Christian ever built a church in Jerusalem , or any where else , the whole floor of which was occupied by a great rock with a cave in it , but that which Eusebius describes as the one erected by that emperor . " He commenced with the Tabernaclewhich was

, the model for Solomon ' s Temple . He showed that the apparent anomalies in the dimensions given in Exodus , which had hitherto so sorely encumbered restorers of the Tabernacle , vanished directly it was assumed that the Tabernacle had a " ridge . - " " It was a tent ; and like every tent from

before the time of Moses to the present day , it had a ridge . When once tliis is suggested , the whole becomes clear . Thus , every dimension of the

Tabernacle is a multiple of 5 , except the curtains , which are 14 , because they were measured along the slope . There were only four pillars in the interior , but five in the porch , as there must be if there was a ridge ; and the same number necessitated an unequal number of boards ( nine ) behind .

In fact , the moment you assume the ridge , which was indispensable as a protection against the weather , all the difficulties disappear , ancl every part of the Bible description becomes intelligible . " When the Tabernacle ^ ' came to be superseded ba more permanent structureit was ied

y , cop literally in plan ancl arrangement , with this marked distinction , that in the edifice of the Temple , eveiy dimension of the Tabernacle was exactly doubled . Thus , the Holy of Holies in the Tabernacle was a cube of 10 cubits ; in the Temple

of 20 . The Holy place in the Tabernacle was a double cube of 10 ; in the Temple , of 20 cubits . The porch of the Tabernacle was 5 cubits by 10 ; of the Temple , 10 by 20 . The verandah of the Tabernacle was 5 cubits wide , the chambers that surrounded the Temple measured 10 . But

perhaps the most remarkable coincidence is that the angle of the roof made the Tabernacle 15 cubits in height , and consequently the Temple was raised by a false roof , or upper chamber , till its hei ght was 30 cubits . "

The dimensions of the court are not given either in the Bible or Josephus , but it may safely be inferred that , like the edifice , they were double those of the Tabernacle ; and that the court therefore measured 100 cubits by 200 , or 150 ft . by 300 ft . This is the more probable because the courts of EzekieFs Temple were of that size . In the edifice

itself the only difference between Ezekiel ' s dimensions and those of Solomon arises from the introduction of a range of chambers between the Temple court and the north court . The Temple of Zerubbabel followed the measurements of Solomon and of Ezekielas appears

, by comparing the notices of Esdras , Josephus , and Hecatasus of Abclera . So far the pre-Christian temples . The Temple ' of Herod is much more important , because its foundations can still be traced out , and it thus

becomes the turning-point of all topographical inquiries at Jerusalem . The authorities for restoring it are Josephus and the book Iliddotli , in the Talmud . The house itself was only repaired . It was still standing as rebuilt , by Zerubbabel when Herod took it in hand , and the dimensions

were not altered ; the only difference between it and Solomon ' s being that ifc retained the passao-e between the external chambers of Ezekiel , making the width 60 instead of 40 cubits . Two wings were also added to the facade , each 20 cubitssquare , so that the whole building measured 100 * cubits long and 100 cubits wide . It is evident that a building 100 cubits wide could not stand in

a courtyard of the same dimensions , and allow a passage round it . We consequently find the breadth of the court increased to 135 cubits , or 202 ft . 6 in ., and the length between the porticoes 1 S 7 cubits , or 280 ffc ., leaving 20 ft . for the cloisters ancl the thickness of the walls . The court was

strongly fortified , having- three gates on the north and three on the south side , and one , the most magnificent of all , towards the east . What had been the outer court , or Court of the Gentiles , was cut in two , ancl appropriated to the women ; its breadth was also 135 cubits . Its extent east

and west can be fixed with very tolerable accuracy by the protraction of the outer court . It must have been as nearly as possible 40 cubits , or 60 ffc . The important and characteristic addition which Herocl made was the great Court of the Gentiles , with its " Royal Porch , " 600 ft . long and 100 ft .

wide , supported by 162 Corinthian columns , which divided it into three aisles , of which the centre one was 100 ft . high . The Court of the Genfciles surrounded the whole of the other courts , and formed a square , as Josephus expressly states , of which the external measurement was one stadium , or 600 ft ., on each side .

Having obtained these general dimensions , the lecturer next proceeded to apply them to the existing remains . All agree that the south-western angle of the Harem enclosure is one of the angles of the Temple area . Eor 600 ft . eastwards from this angle along the south wall all is

prac tically solid . But at that point a range of vaults is reached , unequally spaced , badly constructed , and not only of much more modern age , but too weak to have supported the Temple . So far , therefore , did the Temple extend , and iu this direction the