Men say they have found in Jerusalem the tomb of Adam, the first man. They have also found the tomb of Christ—His sepulcher—and right near Christ’s tomb they have found in the rock a hole which they say is where the cross was put when Christ was crucified. Over these places they have built a church, called the Church ofthe Holy Sepulcher. There is one thing, however, that they could not put under this Church of the Holy Sepulcher—that is, the place from which Christ ascended into Heaven, for that spot is on a hill just outside ofJerusalem, called the Mount of Olives.
The Moslems say Mohammed ascended into Heaven too,and not very far from the Church of the Holy Sepulcher is the place. Over this place the Moslems have built a building called the Mosque of Omar, though it really is not a mosque at all and was not built by Omar. It is much more beautiful than the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, however, and, indeed, some even say it is one of the most beautiful buildings in the World. It is built over the spot where the wonderful temple of Solomon stood. It is made of beautiful marble and tile and has abowl-shaped dome.
Underneath the Mosque of Omar is a huge rock on which oxen used to be sacrificed. On this same rock Abraham,so they say, was about to kill his son as he was ordered to do by the Lord, who wanted to test him, when an angel sent by the Lord stopped his hand. From this same rock Mohammed ascended to Heaven—so they say. The stone tried to follow him, but the archangel Gabriel held it back; and finger prints of archangels are shown you to prove the story true.
Part of the Temple of Solomon is still standing. It is a piece of the foundation wall.