IN BIBLE LAND

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume L, Issue 175, 5 November 1917, Page 7

IN BIBLE LAND

WITH THE MOU.NTED MEN. ANCIENT CHURCH DISCOVERED. BONES OF ST. GEORGE UNEARTHED. A New Zealand officer, writing to Sir James Allen from under date of Ist August, tells an interesting story of the discovery of an ancient Christian church with a beautiful mosaic, and the recovery of the bones of St. George. The writer states: "Three times the voice of a dead Greek 'Christianity - has called to our troops across the ages on the Army's ; journey from the Suez Canal, over the Desert of Sinai, and into Palestine. It seems a long time ago now, though it is only a year, since Major Crawshay Williams discovered and photographed a small -ancient building at Pelusium. with a cross over the stone lintel. At Phelusiat, "north of Mazar, New Zealanders found the marble remains of two splendid . churches with . polished columns. In Southern Palestine Australians have brougnt_ to light what remains the ravages of. time have left of a most beautiful church, and a magnificent mosaic has been lifted to tell the people of the Commonwealth (if that prove to be th« mosaic's destination) of the faith of an old! race, and of .an art in decoration prosecuted with, the fervour of believers. . .RELICS OF EARLY CHRISTIANS. 'The latest discovery was made at Shellal, between Beersheba and Khan Yunus. .Thus the church was on the : main road from Jerusalem to Egypt, the road the Ethiopian Eunuch took when he met Phillip, and was baptised. Shellal in Arabic means 'bubbling springs.' Perhaps it was at these springs, which to-day give", abundant water for our troops, that he was baptised. The hill on which the church was built was originally much, larger but heavy rains of centuries have washed the sides away. Hence the break in the inscription which would now stretch over the edge of the-' hill. 'ln their intervals of fighting and marching over desert and plain the men of the Desert Column have found no subject of discussion more interesting than this ancient floor, and the meaning of the allegories in mosaic has formed the theme of many a talk •in bivouac after the day's work was done. Is it surprising that to soldiers who are fighting for principles which had their birth in this cradle of Christianity, this discovery has served to put., a keen edge on their desire to see more.of the land of the Bible? Nothing will better illustrate their enthusiasm at the recovery of . this relic of early Christians than an account of the care taken in the removal of the mosaic, and the reverence with which the bones of the pious founder George, or St. George were placed in a casket. The work was done under the direction of the Rev. W. Maitland Woods, senior chaplain (G. of E.) of the Anzac Mounted Division, and during the fourteen days he and his willing band of workers were at their task they, were often within range of the enemy's guns, while frequently a Boche aeroplane crew displayed interest and suspicion at their earnest labours.

HOW THE CHURCH WAS DISCOVERED. 'When we were making ready for an advance on Gaza, the A..P-M. of the Anzac Mounted Division (Captain Jordan) went up a- high mound which dominated the oldest crossing of the Wadi Guzzee, and he found the Turks, <in digging a trench round the summit and making a machine-gun emplacement, had revealed the edge of the mosaic- He made sure a large platform existed ~and then some officers and men got to; work pri the hilltopV and, after removing some six feet of soil and debris, they cleared a mosaic floor, measuring some 27ft by. 18ft. The floor remained exposed till photographs and. drawings in colour and notes could be taken of it, and, after due deliberation as to the best, means of. removing it, the task of lifting, it began. 'The story of how .that was accomplished was; told me by 'Padre" .Maitland Woods in a few simple words, which' made light of many difficulties and trials. PaEADING .THE INSCRIPTION. 'The inscription, or that portion »of it (containing eight thousand small j pieces of mosaic) which has survived the .wrecking work of, rains, has "been \ , translated, by Mr A..-H. Smith ,of the j Department of Graeeo-Roman Anti- , puities, British .Museum, to read, thus:' 'X (sign of the . Cross). This temple spacious (? foundations) o was built i by our most holy., (bishop or similar, title), and most ipious,George .-.'. in the year 622] according to . . . (? the year of Gaza)..', The., era of .Gfazaj..commenced! B.C. v-61,.c-which ...would- give , the date : of. the church as. A.D,, ? £6l. Another possible era is that of Bojstra, then the date of the.church would be A.D. 727. -The -Rev. Mainland Woods, says, the'.inscription ,'elaborated, woiild .read something like this:. -'X. And so.;he con-»■'tributed:generously-.to;'the..building of this church here; he-who. was the most saintly- of us <all, and the most beloved of God, George .wasvhis. name,; and I the (building, was) erected' dn the 622 nd year after (the Roman foundation of the City of Gaza).' '•<. si '-_>.',~'-\ „• 'i.;'i.- r 'iV,* <::■:' THE BONES OF THE SAINT._ 'I quote the chaplain: 'Under this inscription were discovered the bones of the saint, lying "feet; to. east and arms crossed on chest. These, almost 1400 years old, crumbled at the touch. : The right forearm had been broken, and had set beautifully, which rwas evidenced by the extra bulging bone .growth around the fracture. There were skilled disciples of AEsculapius in those days. Such bones as would bear very careful handling were reverently - placed in a casket ,but this had to be done when the high wind of the afternoon had died down. 'We know little of St. George of Cappadocia, the patron saint of England, except that he was a soldier man, a Roman soldier, and that he was -converted to Christianity in Palestine which at the time of the building of this church at Shellal was the * radiating centre of Christianity—up , to 630 A. D., when Arab Mohammedanism swept like a fire over the country. The mosaic itself, so far as design is concerned, is animated by a classic gaiety, which savours somewhat of a recent Greek, mythology- The subject is from the words: 'l' am the true Vine, ye are the branches.': The vine grows from a most beautiful amphora, designed in many coloured"marbles, which must have been imported from East , and West. It embraces in its circles many animals, all of whom with two exceptions are making an obeisance to tt central 'dhalioe, which is the cher. d'oeuvre of the designer. It is possible that each animal represents seme settlement in this district which had embraced Christianity -...as the lion now stands for England, the eagle for Russia, and so on? Elijah was fed I by 'ravens,' but > were the tribe who I brought him food* Bedouins who were know as the Raven tribe, and who would be anxious to feed a holy man

in solitude? This idea, I believe, is now gaining ground. A rabbit in the top left-hand corner is being chased by a red hound; perhaps this is to represent a tribe which had! refused to ' become Christian. In front of the East end, where the altar would be, is a fish cut in half, one half in one panel, the other in another. Dagon was the fish god of the Philistines; does this mean his destruction? There are many other designs, among them a large basket of flowers carried on four handles, and a basket of fruit with birds pecking at it." PACKED AWAY IN CASES. "This mosaic and the remains of the saint. recovered from destruction by waters washing away the hill, aTe now in many cases packed away at a spot far from the scene of battle. -. They will some time after peace is declared ifind a safe repository in a city where they will be appreciated", '""it is to be hoped the generations who will admire the beautiful designs* and will have a reverence for all they stand for will also remember how the Empire's fighting men saved them for posterity."