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ERUSALEM is the true Easter city.
Not only is Easter celebrated there
with gorgeous magnificence by the
Christian churches—Latin, Greek, Ar
menian, Coptic—but the large and ever
growing Jewish population of Jerusa
lem keeps the passover with all the
charm of its cosmopolitanism, and even the
Mohammedans have their Easter pilgrimage to
the grave of Moses.
The throng of Easter pilgrims from the whole
Christian world is a very remarkable sight. To
the westerner it Is a revelation of oriental Chris
tianity in all its picturesque devotion. Greeks,
from all over the Levant; Armenians from Tur
key, Persia and the Caucasus; Nestorians from
Mesopotamia and Persia; Syrians from Aleppo,
Damascus and Beyrout; Abyssinians from the
hermit land of northeast Africa; Copts from
Egypt, and men from the ancient churches of
southern India, and, above all, Russians who now
adays form by far the largest contingent of pil
grims—all these races mingle with Latins from
western Europe, with Germans, English, Ameri
cans, Scandinavians.
In the midst of all, and presenting an indl
•vlduality perhaps more distinct than all the oth
ers, you see the Mohammedan master of the land
—the Arab in his solemn garb and majestic bear
ing, and the Turkish official and soldier haughty
in the exercise of his duty to keep the Christian
pilgrims in check and to preserve order.
Elaborate processions and ceremonials make
holy week In Jerusalem a gorgeous event, where
the intimate note of the resurrection is not con
spicuous. Especially does it bring out the divi
sion of Christendom, so strikingly shown in the
way in which Latins, Greeks, Armenians and
Copts share the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.
Particularly at Easter the marvelous services of
the Greek orthodox church convey the priority of
this church in the Holy Land. And of these cere
monies, none, perhaps, is more impressive than
that of the washing of feet on the Thursday be
fore Easter.
On that day a platform is erected in the court
of the church, which is occupied by the Greek
bishop of Jerusalem and 12 high church digni
taries. Court, stairs, niches and every corner Is
crowded by the faithful to witness the enact
ment of the scene when Jesus washed the feet
of his disciples. The parts of Jesus, John, Peter
and Judas are each given to an ecclesiastic,
and are read with fine simplicity, though the
story is told with a certain freedom from gospel
text.
At the end the patriarch washes the feet of
the 12 clerics, and, repeating Jesus’ words, “Let
us go, for he that will betray me is nigh,” gives
the signal to arise, and they all withdraw to the
church. Then an olive branch, hanging over the
chancel of the platform, is pulled up to the roof
of the church amid shouts of joy.
Next day, Good Friday, all the lights in the
Holy Sepulcher church are extinguished. This is
symbolical of the agony and death of our Lord
■ and of his descent to hell, when the light of the
world was taken away for a brief space. Then,
on Saturday, the lights are rekindled —by a super
natural agency, so the tradition goes. As the
church dignitaries pray tn the chapel of the
sepulcher, draped in deep mourning, the stone
gathers a peculiar moisture which rises as a va
por and, suddenly bursting into a divine flame,
kindles the lights. It Is the custom of the people
to light candles from one another, and the faith
ful believe that the first of these candles Is kin
dled from that supernatural fire.
The dawn of Easter Sunday is celebrated by a
magnificent proceasion which enacts, In impres
sively dramatic fashion, the events of the resur
rection morn, when the women found the grave
open and empty. Then the Easter greeting re
sounds, “Christ is risen!” and the response, “He
Is truly risen!" Tho Greek mass, celebrated by
40 priests, ends the ceremony.
Although ths Easter of the orthodox church
does not coincide with that of the western
churches, holy week in Jerusalem is celebrated
predominantly according to the Greek calendar,
the services of the other churches being repeated
on their own dates.
In all the Greek orthodox countries —Russia,
Roumania, Greece, Bulgaria, Servia, Montenegro,
and a large part of Austria-Hungary—Easter is
celebrated with great fervor and devotion. The
Easter kiss is a well-known Incident of these
celebrations.
Jerusalem Is naturally full of churches, monas
teries, hospices and hospitals of the various
creeds, and every one of them at Easter brings
out Its own peculiar religious individuality. The
Latin church, for instance, whose establishment
in Jerusalem harks back to Godfrey de Bouillon
and his crusaders, has a number of oriental
churches united to the Roman Catholic church.
Thus there are the United Greeks, the United
Syrians, the United Nestorians, the United Ar
menians, the Maronites, all of whom celebrate
mass in their own tongue and so add In their
ceremonies and garb a picturesque distinctive
ness to the whole.
Then there are the Copts, the Armenians, the
Syrian Jacobites, the Nestorians, the Abyssinlans,
besides Greeks and Protestants. The relative
standing of the various churches is in a measure
expressed in the way they share the 15 lamps
that burn In the Holy Sepulcher chapel, which
is in the center of the stone that was rolled away
from Jesus’ grave by the angels. Five of these
lamps belong to the Latins, five to the Greeks,
four to the Armenians and one to the Copts.
Away from the ecclesiastical ceremonial the
pilgrim in Easter time seeks the traditional
places where our Lord spent his last days and
nights. Os these Gethsemane is the principal
goal, and here the difference in creed among the
many visitors Is obliterated by an earnest and
quiet devotion which is unexpectedly free from
the emotional. '
Another figure has a prominent place In Easter
celebrations in Jerusalem; that of Moses, whose
liberation of the Jewish people from the yoke of
Egypt Is commemorated in the ancient Hebrew
paschal feast.
There is a very little known Mohammedan
celebration which, though no longer so general as
formerly, is still a most interesting one. To
the Mohammedan, it must be remembered, Jeru
salem Is a holy city, like Mecca and Medina, and
there is a saying among Arabs, “Syria is the
blessed county, Palestine the holy land, and Je
rusalem, the holy city, Is the holy of holies.”
Native Mohammedans and pilgrims make up
a procession and issue from the Sltti Myriam
gate. They are joined by throngs of their breth
ren from the neighboring villages, and, amid the
wildest enthusiasm, with standards being borne
aloft and to the typical Arab music of drum and
fife, the pilgrimage proceeds in the direction of
the Dead sea.
As the Arabs claim common descent with the
Jews^from Abraham, the Holy Land holds tra
ditions equally sacred to them. Jerusalem is
second only to Mecca In sanctity because it con
tains, according to tradition, the rock of Abra
ham’s sacrifice, over which the famed mosque of
Omar is built. The Arab pilgrimage to the burial
place of Moses recalls the similar one to the tomb
of Noah, near the ruins of Baalbek, a short dis
tance from Damascus.
In cosmopolitan charm Easter in Constantinople
almost equals that found in Jerusalem. The capital
of the Turkish empire is, of course, in itself highly
cosmopolitan; and there is no other city in the
world where so many languages are heard in the
streets, not by foreigners, but by the variegated
native population. The background here Is not
Jewish and Mohammedan, as in Jerusalem, but
Mohammedan and Christian, with a strong tinge
s of Spanish Jewry. ।
THE BULLETIN. IRWINTON. GEORGIA.
Os the native Christians the Greeks predomi
nate, but there has always been a very numerous
Armenian element in Constantinople. The mag
nificent Greek orthodox ceremonial well reflects
the towering strength of that church in the
Levant, which for centuries, under the absolute
rule of the Ottoman sultans, acted in the capacity
of imperial overseer of the Christian people un
der Turkish sway. Until the comparatively recent
rise of the Balkan nationalities —Roumanian,
Servian, Bulgarian, Montenegrin—Greek was the
language of all cultured people of orthodox faith
outside of Russia and Austria-Hungary. And
Greek intellectual, social and political control
through the unifying power of the Greek church
was more complete under Ottoman rule than it
had been under the Byzantine emperors.
Recent events have once more shown the force
of the people of Greek speech. Through the
breaking away of the Bulgarian church and the
erection of a Bulgarian exarchate, Greek in re
ligion, but Bulgarian in speech and political aims,
it has been, temporarily weakened.
“Christos Anesti” —“Christ is risen”—is the
Easter cry in Constantinople that you hear on
all sides accompanied by the exchange of the tra
ditional kiss. “Paskalla Foulia” —“flowers of
Easter time” —are sold everywhere to the festive
throng In the narrow streets. In the butcher
shops you see the passover lambs with gilded
feet and the choice pieces—the kidneys—placed
on a gold foil.
The variety of types and costumes seen in this
throng where the West meets the East is most
remarkable. All the Christians of the Levant are
there; Bulgarians in embroidered jackets;
Greeks from the mountains, sporting the fustanel
la, the kilt which resembles a dancer's skirt;
burly men from the Adriatic, Levantines, Arme
nians; ladies in the latest Paris fashions, genuine
and otherwise, and, of course, a host of French,
Germans, Italians, Austrians, Russians, English
and Americans.
The Mohammedan is by no means inconspicu
ous, whether he be Turk, Arab In flowing robes,
Persian merchant, Albanian soldier, Kurdish
hamal in his Sunday dress or even negro women
in yellow dress. The westerner wends his way
from Pera across the bridge through the suburbs
of Jubalee-Kepoosee, past the Rose mosque—Gul
Jamee —to the .Christian quarter of Imi-Kapoo,
where he finds the festive joy of the Greek
Easter.
The procession of the Greek clergy—some of
them strikingly handsome men with their long
beards and blue eyes—starts from the patriarchal
palace and proceeds past the Turkish guards, who
keep the crowd in check, to the Greek church.
Though small, it Is richly adorned with chiseled
chancel and pillars with Ivory eagles. After long
litanies, prayers, responsorles and benedictions
characteristic of Greek ritual, the Easter gospel
is read.
This is done In no less than six languages, and,
curiously enough, two of them are Mohammedan,
Arabic and Persian. t The others are French and
Italian, Albanian and Greek. The Greek is read,
or, rather, sung, with a peculiar Intonation by the
deacon, and the others are read by special read
ers in characteristic garb. Meanwhile mass is
being celebrated in a niche of the altar, where
the patriarch blesses the Easter offerings.
The faithful in their festive mood are quite
free in their behavior and remarks as they listen
to the readings in six languages, of which only
Greek, French and Italian is really understood.
After the service the patriarch and his attendants
retire to the patriarchal palace; where a reception
is held.
INSURANCE FOR
CAPHOLPLANNED
Govirnor Asks Attorney General If The
Insurance Appropriation Law Will
Allow Him To Act
THREE FIRESIN STATEHOUSE
Investigation Reveals Conditions That
Call For Prompt Action
By State
I
Atlanta—
Stirred by three recent fires at the
capitol which have threatened its de
struction, and by revelations of dan
gerous conditions existing in the build
ing in event of a serious blaze. Gov
ernor Harris will take action to se
cure early and adequate insurance for
this valuable property.
The legislature’s appropriation of
$75,000 a year is far more than is
needed for payment of present insur
ance policies carried by the state on
public buildings. The act appropriat
ing this money stipulates that it is for
paying Insurance premiums accruing
within the next two years. The gover
nor is uncertain whether or not this
places a legal limitation upon paying
this money out for additional insur
ance on the capitol building.
Although the capitol building was
erected at a cost of nearly $1,000,000,
Governor Harris does not now think
that the building would be valued at
more than $600,000 or $700,000. He
stated that he will use every effort to
get as much insurance on the building
as would be allowed by Georgia laws,
which, upon the governor’s estimate
of the building’s value, would be in
the neighborhood of $300,000 or $350,-
000 worth of insurance.
Employees at the state capitol have
been busy recently in cleaning up the
basement, the condition of which, it
is stated, was the cause of the fire.
As a result of an investigation made
immediately after the fire the follow
ing conditions, it is said, were re
vealed:
■ The entire capitol is subject to fire,
there being wide openings between all
floors which would allow flames to
spread over the entire building. The
marble wainscoting of the walls would
quickly crumble under intense heat
due to their calcium composition.
Although originally believed to be of
fireproof construction, recent confla
grations and big fires have convinced
Governor Harris and other state of
ficials that the capitol building is not
in any sense a fireproof structure.
I
Georgia Manufactures Increase
Increases are reported in the exten
sion of manufacturing establishments
in Georgia in the five-year period cov
ered by the census of 1914, upon which
report has just been made.
Manufacturing capital has been in
creased within that period by $56,071,-
000, or 27.6 per cent over that of 1909;
and in the growth from $42,000 to $56,-
000 average capital for each establish
ment, there is evidence of the same
gratifying progress.
While decreases are shown with ref
erence to the number of establish
ments, proprietors and firm members,
the report is an encouraging on^ along
the line of better and stronger organ
ization which has brought with it, not
only increased capital, but increased
business in proportion.
Class “A” Roads Enter Petition
The class “A” railroads in the state
of Georgia have filed a petition with
the state railroad commission for a
revision of intrastate rates freight
tariffs. The class “A” roads are the
Georgia railroad, the Atlanta and
West Point and the Western and At
lantic. Every railroad in the state,
with the exception of the Louisville
and Nashville, which is a class “C”
road, has now filed petitions with the
commission for rate revisions. The
class “C” roads were the first, to file
petitions. All revisions asked are
based upon the Intrastate revisions
recently authorized by the interstate
commerce commission.
The class “A” roads ask that their
rate proportions, be preserved with
the rates of the class “C” roads in
Instances of increases that may be
granted by the commlsision.
Republicans in Two Organizations
There are now two complete Repub
lican party organizations in the state
of Georgia, and two complete sets of
Republican delegates from this state
to the Republican national convention
Each organization claims to be the
regular and authentic organization,
and each will lay its claims of regu
larity and authenticity before the cre
dential committee of the Chicago con
vention.
Each delegate to Chicago is unln
structed as regards the Republican
nominee for president, and each dele
gate from the state-at-large is divided
“50-55" between white delegates and
negro delegates.
5,000 Auto Tags Ordered
Secretary of State Phil Cook has
placed an order for 5,000 more auto
mobile license tags for 1916. He ex
pects that this additional 5,000 kags
will be used up, which will make a
total registration of 40,000 automobiles
In Georgia this year. The secretary
of states expects that the gross re
turns from the new automobile law
this year will amount to approximate
ly $120,000. A great many more cars
have been registered this year than
last, but the fees will not increase in
proportion.
PURE FOOD LAW
IS BEING VIOLATED
Many Articles Fail To Come Up To
The Standard Set By The
Atlanta— -
I The department of agriculture hasO
completed a series of tests made of
samples of food products submitted to '
it for analysis. Accoi^ng to the re- ’
port of the chemist miny of these
samples failed to comply with the pro
visions of the pure food law. In the |
tests completed tomato catsup was I
. found to be composed, in part, of pu-1
trid and decomposing vegetable mat
ter; misbranded and Unfit. Samples
of “pure apple” vinegar were found to S
be adulterated and misbranded, water |
substituted in part for cider vinegar. |
In several instances the quantity S
of contents were not as stated on the |
label.
Samples of colored distilled vinegar |
were also found to be adulterated and I
misbranded and water substituted in |
part for cider vinegar.
, Samples of vanilla submitted were t
found to be misbranded in quantity, |
and in some instances being 8.4 per I
cent less than the quantity declared |
on the label.
Judge Russell To Resign
Chief Justice “Dick” Russell, for I
nine years a member of the bench I
of the state court of appeals, stated I
that he will tender his resignation to j
Governor Harris. He will give as his ■
reason the desire to resume the prac- i
tice of law.
Judge Russell stated that his resig- !
nation will become effective on or j
about June 1.
He said that he has not yet decided
when he will present the governor
his resignation, for the reason that he |
has certain matters of the court upon
his hands which he wishes to com
plete before he takes up the matter of
resignation. It will depend upon how
early he can find his official matters
of immediate importance satisfactori- I
ly disposed of.
“I should not like to have my resig
nation become effective with an un
completed case before me,” he said. “It
will, therefore, depend upon the sta
tus of the court’s business as June 1
nears. I think, however, that I can
say definitely that my resignation will
, become effective on one of the three
days between May 29 and June 2.
War Hits Cotton Planters
Commissioner J. D. Price of the
state department of agriculture said
that thA European war would have a
decidedly adverse effect upon cotton
production throughout the south dur
ing the next year. The difficulty un
der which the southern farmer labors,
and particularly the Georgia farmer,
according to the commissioner, is
their inability to secure a good fertil
izer for the enrichment of their soil.
“The scarcity of potash is present
ing a problem to the farmer,” said the
commissioner. “The best potash avail
able before the war was secured from
Germany. We could purchase it then
at a cost of about 75 cents the unit
after its incorporation Into the ferti
lizer. At the present time, it costs
as much as $6 per unit and none is
to be had at that price.”
To Condemn Vast Georgia Acreage
Suit for the condemnation of 18,-
494.61 acres of timbered lands in Fan
nin. Lumpkin and Union counties,
Georgia, has been filed in the United
States district court. The purpose of
the action is to perfect titles within
the north Georgia forest reservation.
Under an agreement, the United States
government was to buy the land In
volved in the present suit at prices
ranging from $5 to $7 an acre. How
ever it is alleged in the petition, upon
examination, that the titles were
found defective in many respects, and
also other claimants appeared from
’ time to time. It is for the purpose of
removing the cloud from titles and to
satisfy these claimants that the suit
has been filed.
Progressives To Meet
The state convention of the Pro
, gresslve party has been called to
meet in Atlanta May 13. This call
was issued at a meeting of the state
[ Progressive committee, at which meet
ing every district in the state was
represented. At this meeting the col
or line in the activities of the Progres
sive party was strictly drawn, and ex
plicit instructions were Issued to each
conuty and district that all but white
voters should be excluded from the
, county and district that all but white
' matter of a state ticket will come up.
Georgia Leads In Value of Peach Crop
, A late official report from Washing
ton shows that Georgia, In the value
■ of the peach crop, led all other states.
■ California produced a large quantity,
but fell short In quality, had to ac
■ cept a smaller price than did Georgia
i and took second place in the measure
■ of dollars. Georgia is admittedly pre
l eminent in the pbach world and ad-
I vances its lead with each recurring
season.
i
Shippers Make Protest
i The railroad commission is in re
• ceipt of numerous protests from ship
• pers throughout the state protesting •
i vigorously against the commission
i granting any advance in freight rates,
i The shlpers contend that the rates
' now In force should be reduced and
■ not advanced. The state railroad com
’ mission has on file a petition from the
• carriers asking a revision of intra
i state rates. A hearing on the peti
i tion has bene set for June 26, at which
i every one interested will have an op
portunity to appear.
