The Site Of Solomon's Temple Discovered.

of to-day , although no traveller but Mr . Prime has mentioned it . The tradition says , that there is a crypt , or vault , underneath the western side of the building , which is regarded as the Holy of Holies , and is said to contain the armour of Mohammed himself . The site is identical

with that of the Holy Place of the Jewish Temple , according to Mr . Beswick ' s plan of the Temple Area . About 22-1557 ft . by 29-54 ft . of the west side of the ancient site of the Holy Place now lies outside the western entrance of the Mosque , Kubbat

as Sakhra . If the Moslem devotees only knew it , the most sacred spot in the Harani Sanctuary is within the limits of the western entrance , Bab al Gharby , or 7 * 385 feet outside the inner post of the inner door-sill ; it is the central spot , where once stood the Mercy-seat in the middle of the

Holy Place . If Christian pilgrims only knew it , here would be the place of reverence , of prostration and kneeling ; the most sacred spot on earth to a Jew —now at the very threshold of the western door of the Mosque of Omar , exactly half-way between

the outer sill of the gate , Bab al Gharby , and inner sill of the same . The entire space within that western gate is one of the most sacred spots on earth , the exact central spot of the Hol y of Holies . The outside width of the gate is 20 cubits = 29-54

fset , exactly the width of the Sacred Place in the Temple ; and the north and south sides of the gate are in the identical places where the north and south sides of the Sacred Oratory once stood ; whilst the place where the Ark once lay is in the vestibule of the gate-way itself , and almost touching the sill of the inner door-way .

THE SAKIIUA CUT TO FIT THE POKCII OF THE TEMPLE . If the Sakhra was the Central Core of the Temple Area , and occupied a central position , as Mr . Beswick ' s discovery aud the Biblical statement by Ezekiel ( xliii . 12 )

affirm it to have done , then important consequences follow , which will subject this discovery to a very singular and severe , but very important test . And , if it stands this test , it would seem as if it were useless to subject it to any other . Granting tint the Sakhra ancl its apex had their site in the very centre of the Old Temple Area , where the Porch of the Temple stood ,

it would seem to be a natural inference that the Crown of the Rock would be cut clown in length , ancl depth , and width , to suit the length , width , and depth of the Porch of the Temple wherever the rock required if . Mr . Beswick assures us that such is the fact . The apex of the Sakhra is cut at the sides

as if to a pattern , and made to fit into the vestibule and porch of a temple having the plan and measurement of the Temple built by Solomon . According to Mr . Beswick ' s careful measurements of the Sakhraunder the Dome

, of the Rock , the northern side is cut clown vertically from the western edge of the crown , or from west to east , to a distance of 9 cubits = 13 * 2934 ft . ; and the distance of the nave-sill in Solomon ' s Temple to the front of the platform of

the Porch was also 9 cubits = 13-2934 ft . Hence the stones of the outer pavement of the Court were laid down up to the very sides of the vestibule and platform

of the Porch . Then again , the width of the eastern front was 30 cubits ; but if the thickness ( 2 cubits ) of the side-walls of the vestibule be deducted , there will be left 30—4 = 26 cubits = 38-4 ft ., inside measurement , as the length of vestibule inside . This accords with the shape of

the Sakhra , as the explorer sees it to-day . The Crown of the Rock is actually cut down to this length , 3 S 4 ft ., from north to south , by 13 . 2934 ft . from west to east . The Vestibule in Solomon ' s Temple was in length 38 ' 4 ft . by 7-3852 ft . And the

platform of the porch was also in length ( not including the width of side-walls or pilasters upon which the platform rested ) 38-4 ft . by 5-9 ft ., the total width being 7 ' 385 + 5-908 = 13-2934 ft . The crown of the Sakhra has these two vertical cuttings

of 7 * 385 aud 5-9 ft . in width on the northern side of the rock , made due east and west . Captain Wilson , of the Eng lish Palestine party , sent out in 1854 , says of these cuttings :

" On the western side it is cut down in three steps aud on the northern side in an irregular shape , th £ the object of which could not be discovered , " The two vertical cuttings have had their corresponding ones on the south side , but these have been almost defaced , althoug h still visible . And these cuttings are exactly as the same distance from the western wall at the vestibule aud platform of the Porch