crifices of Abraham, glorified by the
prayers of King David, consecrated by the Temple of Solomon, and made
additionally sacred by the ascension of the Prophet of Allah. The
Moslems forbid the entrance of Jews into the Haram, although the Jews
have as great reverence for the place as the Moslems."

In the centre of the Area, on a raised embankment or platform, paved
with marble slabs, stood a handsome octagonal building covered below the
window line with marbles of various hues and above that line by
decorated tiles of blue-and-white porcelain edged with green. As we
stood on the marble pavement and gazed at the tiling mellowed by age,
and at the round lead-covered dome above, the guide continued his
explanations.

"This edifice, called by the Moslems the Dome of the Rock," said he,
"but better known as the Mosque of Omar, is built on the site of the
Temple of Herod, and also on the site of the Temple of Solomon, which
preceded that of Herod. Each side of the octagon is sixty-six feet in
length, and the top of the dome is one hundred and fifteen feet above
this platform."

Underneath a small pavilion at the entrance, attendants laced slippers
to our feet and then conducted us into the Mosque. On the floor lay
precious Oriental rugs. Overhead in the dome, the light entered through
richly stained glass windows, tinting and beautifying the interior and
disclosing the mosaic decorations of the ceiling and the Arabic
inscriptions on the walls. At one side was an exquisitely carved wooden
pulpit inlaid with ivory and mother-of-pearl. In the centre of the
Mosque a great rock, at least fifty feet long and almost as wide, rose
to the height of our heads. A beautifully designed, gilded and bronzed
iron railing prevented infidel fingers from touching the rock.

[Illustration: WE WILL TAKE THE PICTURE AND INCLUDE THE TURKS IN IT.]

"This mountain-top, the crown of Mount Moriah," said the Moslem
dragoman, as we stood reverently before it, "is the place where the arm
of Abraham was stayed as he lifted the knife to slay his son. This rock,
in David's time, was the threshing floor of Araunah, whose oxen
trampled out the grain upon it until the time when King David purchased
the land and built here an altar to the Lord. When King Solomon erected
the temple upon the site prepared and dedicated by his father David,
this Holy Rock became the altar upon which the priests of the temple
offered sacrifices. When Mohammed, the Prophet of G