Greek Convent called upon us; and conversed, as they may naturally be expected to do, concerning the calamities of their Church. One of them stated the case thus: "Why do not the European Christian Powers unite in putting down our enemies? We are your brethren: when Abraham heard that Lot was taken by the five kings, he immediately set off with his company, and overtook them, and rescued his nephew." I need not repeat, that, upon this topic, which we inevitably hear frequently discussed, we find it best to be silent-our office being rather to draw religious uses from the melancholy state of things; and to apply the remedy to the heart, out of which proceed wars and fightings.

ABYSSINIAN PRIEST.

Shortly after this party had left us, another person entered. The moment he opened the door, I exclaimed, "You need not tell me of what country that man is. This is an Abyssinian." His resemblance to the few Abyssinians whom I have seen, and to the living picture given by Ludolf of Abba Gregorius, in complexion, form, and expression of countenance, his dress, his manner, all bespoke his nation. He bowed, or rather crouched and fawned, toward us; repeating the word "Salamât"-I will not say a thousand, or even a hundred times-but certainly so often, and with such profuse servility, that we knew not whether to be more amused or wearied and as this was his uniform custom at all future interviews, we as uniformly used to sum up our reply to him, in plain English, “Salamât a thousand times!"-"A thousand healths or compliments to you!" Not that this brevity on our part caused

him to intermit his reiterated Salamâts: for whatever powerful effects Western Nations may attribute to a direct, brief, and blunt method of accosting both friends and foes, the Men of the East are well acquainted with the maxim, that a soft tongue breaketh the bone. Oppression has taught them to carry gentleness to an excess. They are born and bred to the practice of refined insinuation or gross flattery; and it seems impossible to beat them off from that ground, since they expect to succeed on no other.

Both the Abyssinian Priest and myself speak Arabic too imperfectly, to make ourselves well understood by each other. I learn from him, however, that he has been in this City seven years; that there are about twenty Abyssinians in his Convent, and that he is the chief among them. Last year he says that seven Pilgrims set out from Abyssinia; of whom three were Priests and four Deacons. By the term Deacon may be meant merely persons who have taken the first degree in the Church, and read the Lessons in Divine Service: it is usual, in the East, for young men to do this, while they remain laymen; and this corresponds with the prima tonsura of the Church of Rome. One of these Pilgrims did not live to reach Jerusalem, but died at Damietta. The Priest informs me, likewise, that the daughter of the King of Abyssinia, mentioned by Mr. Connor*, is dead. The political news which they hear from Abyssinia is, that Subyadis is increasing in strength, and likely to fix himself in the situation of the late Ras Welled Selasse as Governor of Tigré: if he

* Christian Researches in the Mediterranean, p. 432.

should finally succeed, it may be of considerable advantage; as he is under personal obligation to Mr. Salt, and consequently a friend to the English.

GREEK CONVENT..

Tuesday, Nov. 25, 1823-We visited the principal Greek Convent, and had an interview with Daniel the Bishop of Nazareth; a man of acuteness and learning; very placid, but apparently much worne with anxiety on account of the oppressions suffered by the Greek Convents-And on the side of the oppressors there is power. To him, conjointly with the Bishop of Petra, is committed the charge of the affairs of this Patriarchate. The Patriarch himself, Polycarp, never visits Jerusalem. For more than a century this has been the custom; and indeed those of whom I inquired scarcely knew from how far back the Patriarch had been in the habit of taking up his residence at Constantinople. This he does, because a very large sum of money would be required by the Turks, on such an occasion as the entrance of a Patriarch within the Walls of Jerusalem. The Head Dragoman of the Convent was present, as also the Librarian. The Dragoman cried out, repeatedly, and with an earnestness which seemed almost like an appeal to our purses, "We want help! We need some assistance!" The Bishop himself speaks with much more pathos: when we condoled with him on their present afflictions he briefly replied, "It is for our sins: the measure of the chastisement of our sins is not yet filled up!" And these are expressions which he often uses with us. In allusion to the New Governor, who arrived only two days before us, I was saying that probably they had

not yet had much acquaintance with him: they answered, with a sad smile, "Our Governors soon make themselves known." Coming, in fact, as often as once a year, and sometimes oftener, they make a speedy, unceremonious approach to the purses of the different Communities: and then give place to a new, and equally hungry successor. As I was mentioned as Secretary of the Bible Society in Malta, the Bishop expressed his interest in the welfare of the Society-saying, "Your heart is set upon a good work"-or words to that effect. His colleague is, at present, ill of a fever.

The Librarian accompanied us to the Library. There are some books in Latin, French, and Italian; but not many-none in Ethiopic: the chief part are Greek. In the small inner rooms, several Greek Manuscripts, principally Scriptural, were shewn us: they did not appear to be of great antiquity. The Patriarch of Jerusalem, he tells us, is settled by the Will of his Predecessor, not by Election-the Patriarch of Constantinople, by Election of the Holy Synod; and the Patriarch of Antioch, also, by the same Synod of Constantinople. The Patriarch of Antioch takes up his residence at Damascus. The Patriarch of Alexandria he represented also as chosen at Constantinople. These are all of the Oriental Greek-Church.

It is one of the Canons of the Greek Convents of Jerusalem, that NO NATIVES CAN BELONG TO THEM. The Christians of this Communion are numerous in Palestine and Syria; but they rise to none of the dignities of this Patriarchate, nor are they admitted members of the Monasteries. Most generally they are married Priests. Their language is Arabic.

In the Convents here, Greek chiefly is spoken, and also Turkish; the Monks being all from Greece, Asia Minor, or the Archipelago.

Daniel takes his Episcopal title from Nazareth : his Colleague is styled "Ayios IIérgas," the Saint of "Αγιος Πέτρας, Petra," or "the Holy [Bishop] of Petra." Petra (the Metropolis of which is Karrac, three or four days' distant from Jerusalem, on the east of the Dead Sea, in which region are yet many Christians) is his Diocese. The title "Holy" is very commonly given, in this manner, to the Bishops; although, strictly, they do not allow the title "Saint" to any except those who work miracles. This Bishop is the one who, annually at Easter, performs the reputed Miracle of the Holy Fire: concerning which it is difficult to reflect without mingled emotions of horror and indignation.*

We visited some of the Monks; and went over the whole of the Convent, which is a very extensive but irregular building. The number of Monks whom it would well accommodate was stated at seventy: and here nearly all the resident Monks of Jerusalem abide. The other Greek Convents, in number about ten, are of far smaller dimensions; designed only for the reception of the Pilgrims, and merely occupied by by a Superior and one or two Monks during the absence of Pilgrims. They are, at present, nearly a solitude; no Greek Pilgrims having arrived for two years: formerly, this Communion could boast a much larger number of Pilgrims than any other. The number of Ecclesiastics, in the

See an account of this Holy Fire in Maundrell, and various Travellers; and in Mr. Connor's Journal, pp. 436, 437 of Christian Researches in the Mediterranean,