tion, which is smooth and impenetrable, and minutes, swallow their supper,) to half past eight, thus receives the rain-water and carries it off into this is their habit. Several evenings they have the tanks under the house. There is no want of read the Arabian Nights' Entertainments; and flowing water in this mountainous country, as they seem marvellously amused with the gross there is in Malta. On the top of every house is fabrications contained in that book: the greater a large stone roller, for the purpose of hardening the falsehood, the greater seems their diversion. and flattening this layer of rude soil, so that the They are yet children. In understanding be men, rain may not penetrate: but, upon this surface, would be a text lost on them. This evening I as may be supposed, grass and weeds grow freely. explained the method of calculating the distance It is to such grass that the Psalmist alludes, as of a thunder-cloud from the interval between the useless and bad-“Let them be as the grass upon flash and the sound, a problem of the simplest nathe house-tops, which withereth afore it groweth ture, which I have known ever since I was a boy: up." (Ps. cxxix. 6.) In reference to the conclu- though I happened to have a good interpreter, so sion of that Psalm, I may add, that nothing could that I am sure the whole was sufficiently explainbetter express the contemptuous neglect which ed; and though I expected that the tempest about David there describes as falling on the wicked- our ears would render it the more interesting, yet "Neither do they which go by, say, The blessing it excited scarcely any attention, and probably was of the Lord be upon you: we bless you in the not understood, or possibly not believed. name of the Lord."

66

This is, indeed, the land of good wishes and overflowing compliments. Every passer-by has his "Alla ybarakek"-" God bless you!" Conversation is sometimes among strangers made up of a very large proportion of these phrases: for example-“Good morning." Answer, " May your day be enriched!"" By seeing you." You have enlightened the house by your presence."-"Are you happy?" Happy; and you also?"—"Happy." "You are comfortable, I am comfortable;" meaning, "I am comfortable, if you are." These sentences are often repeated; and, after any pause, it is usual to turn to your neighbor, and resume these courtesies many times. In Egypt, the Christian salutation is "Salamat:" among Mohammedans, every where, it is "Salam," but this is not allowed among Christians. In the southern half of Palestine, I subsequently found the ordinary salutation, between persons on the road, to be, "Owafy;" literally, "Good luck :" to which the person saluted, replies, "Alla yafik," that is, "May God give you good luck!”

Friday, Oct. 10.—I had to witness to-day one of those painful scenes of the undue influence of ecclesiastical rule, which they only can enter into, who have seen, in countries like our own, Chris

"and I cannot com

"True,"

tian liberty blessed with its proper fruits. Conversing with my Arabic reader, I said, “Mr. King and myself wish to sell as many of the Scripin the house. He said he was aware of this; but tures as we can." Copies, for this purpose, were that the sale of them had been prohibited by the Pope. "In this country," said he, "whatever "But," I said, "God the Pope tells us, we do." commands men to read the sacred Scriptures." "I know that," he replied; prehend why the Pope should forbid it—especially as the book is the same version as ours, and so very cheap: perhaps it is that these holy books may not be torn or dirtied by children-they are therefore kept in churches." "But," said I, "in this family, there is your father: you are five brethren: thus there are six who know how to take care of a book; and, in some families, there They have a remarkable way in this country are no children, or they are grown up." of paying honor to the first-born son. Both the he answered; "but the people at large are taught to refuse them." "Well," I said, "God has parents take their name from his. Thus the master of the house here is called Abu Michael, Fa- given us the sun: if Satan put up his hand before ther-of-Michael, because his eldest son was bap-it to turn the day into night, would you not think tized by the name of Michel. The servant has a it an act worthy of Satan?" He readily acknowson named Suleyman; and her name consequently ledged this. I bid him apply the comparison to has become Om-Suleyman, i. e. Mother-of-Suleyman. The practice is universal in this country. Thursday, Oct. 8, 1823.-Stormy weather continues: we are quite confined to the house; which, as there are no glass windows, is very uncomfortable. We are obliged to shut up the In the evening, my host mentioned to one of lattices with the wooden shutters, and sit almost the priests who was visiting, that I should go to in the dark. I asked the family how they manage Jerusalem. I began to talk with them of Christ in the long dreary weather of winter: they re- crucified. The priest, a very aged man, began to plied, that they entirely shut up the rooms, and talk of the cross. My host asked where the cross use lamps in the day-time. This, three months was: the priest told a very long story about its afterward, I found to be the only method, living discovery-its being transported to Constantinowhole days by candle-light.

In the evening, the family meet to smoke-talk -hear some new thing, or some old thing-yawn --and retire to bed. From half past six o'clock at the present season (at which hour they, in five

In Beirout, and many other places, the flat roof consists of a hard cement, although not so good as that which is used in Malta.

all who would prohibit the reading of the sacred Scriptures. I added-" While you remain willingly under this yoke of ignorance, do you not feel as if you deserved to remain under the Turkish yoke?"

ple, &c. "But," I said, "this cross was wood: our Lord Jesus Christ, who suffered upon it, is yet alive in heaven, near to every one of us: He can give life to our hearts." The priest looked half amazed. My host further explained my meaning aloud. "He says"-quoting me that that cross, which the empress Helen found, was wood." "Yes," said the priest, "but HOLY WOOD." I again began my remarks; to which, however, no

further notice was paid. That line of a hymn place. The court yards and the tops of the came into my mind:

"Christ, and his cross, is all our theme!"

-now in what manner would this poor priest have taken up this theme? He would probably have told his congregation a long story about the empress Helen, interwoven with many miraculous circumstances; and the service would have concluded, with the people's thronging to kiss a piece of the holy wood of the true cross! May the missionaries of the west bring these people out of their darkness, by truly preaching Christ and him crucified!

houses are again crowded with guests. The expression," that preach ye upon the house-tops,' appears nothing unnatural to those who daily see these houses. They are low and flat, and flatroofed; and would give an opportunity to speak to many on the house, and many in the court-yard below. The continuance of the feasting illustrates Judges xiv. 12.

Monday, Oct. 13. This evening I had some conversation with Asaph, the servant, about prayer. He asked me why I went to bed so early. I said, I did not go to sleep; but I wished to have some time to read, meditate, and pray. He asked me why I did not pray in the sitting-room below. There happened to be a dispute at that very moment going on. I answered, "Many of you re

999

Saturday, Oct. 11, 1823.-The stormy weather has ceased. I am informed that, in Deir el Kamr, about one-third of the population are Greek Catho-peat your prayers in company; I can see your lips lics, one-third Maronites, and one-third Druses. going, but the heart needs quiet and silence. Our The difference between Greek Catholics (or, as Saviour said, "Thou, when thou prayest, enter they call themselves, Melchites) and Maronites, into thy closet; and, when thou hast shut the is, that the Greek Catholics use Arabic and Greek door, pray to thy Father which is in secret." in their services; but the Maronites, Syriac and (Matt. vi. 6.) Asaph speaks a very vulgar AraCarshun. Both acknowledge the supremacy of bic, and so quick that I can with difficulty underthe Pope. The Maronites appear to be the ge- stand him. My hope is, that, when I speak about nuine natives of Mount Lebanon; the Greeks, religion to these people, though I cannot perfectly whether of the Oriental church or converts to understand them, they may competently underthe papacy, appear to be descendants of the Greek stand me. empire. There may be, one tells me, about one hundred of the Oriental Greeks (not Romanists, but those called orthodox,) in the mountains; but not more. In Damascus, they are numerous, and have a Patriarch, entitled Patriarch of Antioch. In Aleppo, Beirout, Saide, and Sour, there are many; but, in the mountains, the papal interest is dominant, and has excluded them."

The Melchite priests of Dier el Kamr are furnished from a very large convent not far distant, called Deir el Mhalles, where is a bishop who has visited Italy. The college for Syriac or Carshun is at Ain el Warka.

There are two Melchite and two Maronite churches in Deir el Kamr.

The origin of the title Deir el Kamr was related to me thus. There was once a convent here dedicated to the Virgin Mary; to her the words in Canticles vi. 10, "fair as the moon" are often applied; and her picture may frequently be seen painted as a countenance on a full moon. This convent, having such a picture, obtained the name of Deir el Kamr, or "Convent of the Moon," an abbreviation of "Convent of our Lady, fair as the moon." Since that period, the town has gradually been built here, and bears the same name.

May not these things remind us of the inventions of the Israelites of old in this land? (Jer. xliv. 17.) "We will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth, to burn incense unto the queen of heaven," a title given now to the Virgin Mary. In fact, Christianity in these countries, with all its corruptions and imagery, seems not like a new and distinct religion, incompatible with the old heathen superstitions; but as something which easily accommodated itself to them, and soon became wrought up together, not a new plant, sprung up from wholly a right seed. This is not the Christianity of Christ and his apostles. Sunday, Oct. 12, 1823.-I have in view two of the houses where, last Sunday, marriages took

There are two branches of language which are comparatively little learned, that is, little exercised, by persons, who may nevertheless attain the reputation of being great linguists: these are, the speaking of a language, and the hearing of it spoken so as to understand it. Of these two, the hearing with intelligence is, beyond all comparison, the most difficult; while both of them are, to missionaries, essential and indispensable acquisitions.

RETURN TO BEIROUT.

Wednesday, Oct. 15, 1823.-Having been unwell since the rains began, and fearing to be worse, I set off for Beirout this morning. When I had been on my journey about half an hour, the sun rose, in the midst of the most majestic clouds, above the high range of Lebanon. The view of the palace of Ebtedin was peculiarly noble. But how melancholy are these grand and lovely prospects rendered by reflections on the state of man-the being who is creeping upon the surface of that earth, which God has so beautifully formed, and which at this early hour, he every day so gloriously illuminates! How are our feelings of rapture checked, when, on viewing a lovely scene, we remember that it is the residence of a man of blood! The more I know of the people of the east, the greater is the value which I see stamped upon the labors of Missionary Societies.

At Ainep, where we again halted before noon to refresh ourselves, there was a great mourning. About thirty Sheiks sat assembled in a wide circle near the khan; and thence proceeded up the hill to assist in the burying of some great man, one of the Druses. One of the company, a most venerable figure with a snowy beard, stood up for some minutes, and harangued the assembly with apparently much dignified emotion. He seemed to me the very picture of Abraham communing with the

children of Heth. I was particularly struck to observe that, though of these Sheiks the greater part consisted of Druses, known by their broadstriped dress, yet there were many Christians who joined in the funeral procession. The house of mourning seems, in every country, to be, in some measure, consecrated to the spirit of amity: there, religious antipathies are at least suspended, if not extinguished; and persons, who would not have thought of meeting in the same church, yet willingly assemble over one and the same

Whatever other fashions may have changed in the east-and yet we may truly believe that very few have varied-there is one still stationary, the sight of which carries us back to the remotest Scripture antiquity: I mean the fashion of splendid dresses. I had a full specimen of it this evening in the lady of the house. She produced from her wardrobe at least ten heavy outer garments, coats of many colors embroidered and spangled with gold and silver and flowers. I was weary with her showing them, at which she seemed surprised. There are some of them as old as the date of her marriage, some still older. They are only worn on great festivals, as Christmas, Easter, &c. when she sits in state to receive her friends, and hands coffee and a pipe to them. It is whimsical, however, to see how her splendid dresses are contrasted with her humble daily occupations: for, in the ordinary duties of the house, she is to be found sweeping out the kitchen, boiling the pot, &c. and she eats her meals when her husband and his friends have finished, sitting on the ground with her children and servants at the parlor door; and such, generally, is the condition of females in eastern countries. She wears an infinity of braids, which hang down all the length of her back, and terminate in gold sequins, which, together with those that she wears on her head, may be worth from five to ten pounds sterling. The advice of St. Peter is quite forgotten in this land. The ornament of a meek and quiet spirit appears to be very little known; but the adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, and putting on of apparel, is most studiously retained. In fact, none can go to greater excess, in this particular, than the bishops and clergy themselves, who, on all high festivals, are decked in such gorgeous and almost effeminate robes, as must necessarily lead the fashion, and tend to annihilate the simplicity which becomes Christians.

I have often, in my dealings with the people of this country, felt that a most apt motto for them, as serving to remind them of two duties in which they chiefly fail, would be "LOVE THE TRUTH AND PEACE." There are no faults which so constantly harass our spirits here as falsehood and vociferation.

GANDOLFI, THE POPE'S APOSTOLIC VICAR.

Thursday, Oct. 16, 1823.-The Pope's Apostolic Vicar, Monseignior Gandolfi, whose residence at Antoura has been before noticed, being at present in Beirout, I waited on him with our consul. The remark made with respect to many of the Latins in this country, that such and such a one is no bigot, carries with it a very partial satisfaction to those who desire to see an ecclesiastic well acquainted with what the truth is, and sincerely and ardently attached to the truth, and zealous in its propagation.

The conversation of Monseignior Gandolfi was that of an acute, polite, and social person, who knows the world. He is now about seventy years of age, and came to his present situation before the breaking out of the French revolution. As representative of the Pope, he is properly the organ of communication to the churches of Syria upon subjects of dogmatical theology.

His sway, in matters of discipline, is extremely limited. The professing Roman Catholics among the natives are governed by their own respective hierarchies; these, of course, keep their own affairs as close as may be; and lay themselves open as seldom as possible to inspection or interference from Rome. Even the Latin friars, established in the various convents from Jerusalem to Aleppo, are not under his jurisdiction: they have their respective Superiors in Syria and Palestine, who correspond each with the general of his own order in Rome. When the Propaganda was in power, and still more when the Jesuits were in authority, the situation now held by Monseignior Gandolfi must have been one of the greatest influence. In reading the "Lettres Edifiantes el Curieuses," or the document hereafter given in this volume on the subject of education-a business which was much in the hands of the Jesuits-the magnitude of the office of Apostolic Legate about a hundred years ago, and previously, becomes very apparent.

DRUSES.

A principal topic of our conversation was the remarkable religious divisions in this country. These have been already recorded in the opening part of this volume. The Druses, universally, are an object of curiosity to all residents and visiters in Syria, and, consequently, they are a frequent subject of conversation; and yet all appear to me equally in the dark as to what the Druses really are. Some of their peculiar customs or observances are all which writers or persons in the country can describe. One thing noticed by Monseignior Gandolfi seemed to the company an inexplicable wonder in their character." You shall see," he observed, "a young man among them dissolute in the highest degree, given to every vice, and altogether unbridled; yet, on his becoming initiated, in an instant his character is changed to sobriety and even rigid virtue: instead of drinking wine freely, he drinks water only; his passions are curbed; his vices seem to drop off from him; and he is as strict as before he was licentious." This description struck the hearers with amazement; nor did they seem to know how to account for it. Some secret principle in the religious

theory of the Druses was what their minds were evidently turning to, as the operative cause of such miraculous conversions. I endeavored, there fore, to explain them upon a principle which every man who examines his own heart may easily descry. Admitting the fact, as stated, to be true, yet it may be nothing more than a change from the indulgence of the lusts of the flesh to the more dominant tyranny of the lusts of the spirit-the demon of pride expelling the demon of licentiousness. The unclean spirit, as our Lord describes, is gone out of the man; but, ere long, seven other spirits, still more wicked, enter in, and take up their abode in the restless, unhumbled heart; and the last state of that man is worse than the first. All assented to this view; but, with it, the conversation on this topic dropped.

There is, however, reason to doubt how far the fact stated may be a matter of mere appearances. The Druses are said by Burekhardt to be more observant of outward decorum than of genuine morality.

and spirits. I gave him much counsel: and, as he expects one day to go to Rome again, to fill some office as interpreting secretary, I reminded him, that one word from him might do great good or great harm; and especially cautioned him, never to sign his name to any thing which he knew to be unchristian or untrue. I gave him a sketch of the tribulations, which may be expected to fall on all those who uphold a system of deceit and error; and, in the contemplation of his possibly living to witness troublous times, gave him for a motto these words "La fede vincitrice nelle tribolazioni"-" Faith triumphant in tribulations”— explaining that I did not, by "The Faith," mean any particular form of words, or constitution of a church; but a personal, living faith, dwelling in a man's heart, working by love, and leading him to Christ for constant support.

He did not, poor youth, forget before his departure those two words, which might very properly be taken for the motto to the armorial bearings of Syria-" Give, give." We willingly administered to his necessities. Much could we wish that there were as ardent a desire for the sacred Scriptures, as there is for the supply of the wants of the body! God alone can put this spiritual desire into their hearts-a hungering and thirsting after righteous

ness.

We prevailed on him to wait, and attend our morning service, which we had somewhat earlier on his account. I preached in Italian. He then took his staff, as we could not persuade him to stay air of a young pilgrim. any longer, and walked away, very much with the

DIFFICULTY OF TRAVERSING MOUNT LEBANON.

Sunday, Oct. 19, 1823.-Yesterday evening and In the evening of this day, looking out at my this morning, I have had much conversation with Luigi Assemanni. He gave me this account of window on the vast irregular cliffs of Mount Lethe studies at Ain el Warka. The age of enter-banon, with the convents Deir el Shafi and Ybzuing the college is various from eleven to eighteen years of age; the term of complete study is four years. In the first year, they learn the Syriac grammar; in the second, they read the book of the church-offices, both in Syriac and Arabic; in the third, they study, as he expressed it, prosody; but, on my asking his meaning, he said that he was not himself versed in this, and did not quite understand it ;* in the fourth year, they are occupied with moral theology, not dogmatical. All who are admitted must study with a view to the priesthood.

The present Maronite Patriarch, Joseph, was of this college. He has been elected but a few months: he adds Peter to his name, as being successor of St. Peter in the See of Antioch. He resides at Kanobiu, beyond Tripoli. The men, when they have taken orders, are at the command of the Patriarch, to be sent to Damascus, or elsewhere, as he may choose.

LUIGI ASSEMANNI.

young

mar upon different summits far above me, and thinking of the toil of the next day's visit to them, the animating words of Isaiah came into my mind with peculiar force. The distance of Ybzumar may be less than five miles, in a direct line; but, to reach it, we shall have to wind round the base of mountains, to go through the length of valleys, cend hills by difficult traverses on most rugged so as to cross them at their extremities, and to assingle-footed paths, during four hours, chiefly with the sun upon us; and the same on our return. Eight hours of toil and burning heat, in order to have the opportunity of selling the sacred Scriptures, and converse upon religion! It is well: and it is delightful to think, that, while such mountains furnish an emblem of the spiritual difficulties and perplexities through which we have to wind our way, they have supplied to the evangelical prophet fine image for describing the future success of this work."Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall he made low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough

a

I find this young man to be very feeble in health places plain: and the glory of the Lord shall be

* Query, if this may be what is referred to in the account of the course of education, from which I have, in a subsequent page, made extracts, signifying what we would call Belles Letters.

revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it."

* 2 Thess. ii. 7-12

CONVENT OF DEIR EL SHAFI.

Monday, Oct. 20, 1823.-We set forth, Mr. Fisk and myself, on sure-footed asses, skilled to climb the mountains. The road is, for the first half of it, the same as that to Ain el Warka. We were overtaken on the way by a Maronite bishop, who appeared to me more delicate than any native whom I had yet seen, having furnished himself with a small umbrella of white muslin: he just returned our salutations, and spurred forward, being well mounted. We turned off to the right, to reach the convent of Deir el Shafi, situated on a fertile eminence, commanding a magnificent view of the sea, the town and harbor of Beirout, and all the intermediate country. Eighteen monasteries may be, seen from it. The air is pure; and, even on the hottest days, they here enjoy a breeze. It is pleasantly screened by groves of pine trees full of sap, which rise up the side of the mountain in the back ground.

The elevated site of many of these monasteries, well chosen for air, retirement, and security, often brings to the mind that expression, Oh inhabitant of Lebanon, that maketh thy nest in the cedars!

visited in winter by tremendous thunder-storms, and enveloped in thick and cold mists. The wall at the end of this hall in which we are sitting, bears witness, by a large fissure in it, to the alarms which they must suffer during the mountain storms; and they have not yet procured a lightning conductor: they asked us questions on this subject; and seemed chiefly influenced by the fear that, if such an apparatus were not placed properly, it might do them harm instead of good, by attracting the electric fluid. Many smatterers in philosophy visit Syria, but they have no confidence in them. We recommended them, for the safety of a building on which so much money has been expended, to send at once for a skilful man from England. The Armenians are not a race of men fearful of expense; being rich and closely connected with one another in whatever part of the world they are to be found.

The Patriarch has been seven years and a half in his office. We were presently joined by one of two bishops, now residing in the convent; and by another ecclesiastic, whose name I regret not to have noted down, a very lively and intelligent man of about thirty-eight years of age, aspirant to a bishopric, and not unlikely to be promoted. The Patriarch speaks a very little Italian; but the other two speak it well. The bishop is of Aleppo, but has been passing much of his time here; and blessed himself that he was not in that city at the time of the dreadful earthquake.

Mr. Fisk had made a contract for the sale of a large number of Armenian New Testaments, which he brought with him. Of these they greatly preferred the Venice edition, to that printed in Russia.

In the occupants, however, of Deir el Shafi, there is a melancholy air of somnolency. The Partriarch, who visited England, Mar Gregorius Peter Giarve, resides here only two months in the summer, for coolness: the rest of the year he lives at Mar Ephraim, a spot more inland. We were received by a bishop, who formerly was Partriarch for five years, and who was succeeded by Giarve. From his conversation the following particulars were obtained. The whole patriarchate contains one patriarch and seven bishops. Of these bishops, two are in Aleppo; one is in Meso- As noon drew on, the table was spread for dinpotamia, and another will be appointed there in ner. We dined alone with the Patriarch, and lieu of one deceased; one is in Beirout; and were certainly never better treated than here. there are two at this convent, one of whom we He seemed to take a particular pleasure in giving did not see, he being on an excursion in the neigh-us proofs of the excellence of his vintage, orderborhood. In Jerusalem, they have no religious house; but their Syro-Catholic pilgrims go to the Latin convent. In Cairo, they have one Syrian establishment; a merchant's house, I understood him to mean.

The upper part of this convent was built about forty years ago, and appears substantial: there is a considerable building some few yards detached from it, lower down the hill, (for it is all built on the side of a steep acclivity,) of the date of only ten years, but likely to be unserviceable, unless great expense is laid out upon it; the roof being broken in some material parts. In this second building we were informed, lies the printing press, with the other materials brought from London and Paris.

CONVENT OF YBZUMAR.

We proceeded, by a rough and hot road, to the convent of Ybzumar. This is the residence of the Catholic Armenian Patriarch, and is a noble establishment. We were courteously received by the Patriarch, in the large divan; a more spacious and well furnished room, than any I have yet seen in Syria. The convent has been built twentyeight years: in summer, it must be delightfully cool; but standing on so high an eminence, it is

ing different kinds of wine to be brought in succession; so that it became necessary for us to have a strict eye to the proper limits on such an occasion. After dinner, he took his repose: and I also was obliged to lie down, being much fatigued with the morning's ride; but could take no rest, my mind being filled with the scene around me. In the mean time Mr. Fisk, surrounded by the young men, produced his Armenian stores, the whole of which were purchased by them. The room in which I lay down belonged to one of the students, a hopeful bright youth, who speaks Italian well, and who seemed gratified in showing me attention. His little library was select, containing Armenian and Italian, books; and, no doubt, he has an ambition to be useful. It is impossible not to desire that such an ambition may receive a right direction; but, for this end, a purer knowledge of truth, than we find in these regions, is wanted: and, indeed, the ambition itself needs to be supplanted by a higher motive than, we fear, exists in the generality of these students. After half an hour, I joined the company, who were all, under the direction of the ecclesiastic above mentioned, making their purchases. They soon after dispersed; and the ecclesiastic proceeded to take us over the establishment.

The church is, after their manner, heavily