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EBTEDIN.

five months ago, were alienating from him, and feet of strangers; and no compliment could have are now required to pay heavy sums. Some of been more seasonable. these were now actually living with their whole establishment in the convent; and, in the absence of the Latin superior, gave orders for our entertainment. Dinner was very heartily and hospitably prepared, in a manner quite contrasted with that at Ain el Warka.

RETURN TO ANTOURA.

We returned by sunset to Antoura; and in the evening, being the last evening of the week, we united, according to the custom of the church missionary society, in prayer for the success of Christian missions throughout the world.

Sunday, Sept. 28, 1823.-Mr. King, in the norning, preached in English from Luke ix. 58. Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man hath not where to lay his head -words so peculiarly descriptive of the daily hu

miliation of our Redeemer. "We all of us," Mr. King observed, "think too much of our comforts." He drew, in a very touching manner, the contrast of our Saviour's laborious ministry. In the evening, I preached in Italian, from 1 Cor. ii.

9-16.

RETURN TO BEIROUT.

Monday, Sept. 29.-I left Antoura for Beirout. Tuesday, Sept. 30.- Mr. Lewis and myself dined with our consul, Mr. Abbot. He gave several instances of the extreme difficulty of coming at the truth in this country-a topic peculiarly necessary to be upon the mind of a missionary.

DEIR EL KAMR.

Thursday, Oct. 2.-I went with Mr. Lewis, to the palace of Ebtedin, an hour's distance from Deir el Kamr. While waiting in one of the numerous rooms which surround the great court, the secretary came in, heard our business, and received our letters; which were, in fact, only to request passports. This is a ceremony which it was very desirable that we should perform; for, although an Englishman universally in this country commands respect, yet the authorities may reasonably expect the compliment of a visit to request their protection. The document, afterward given me in the afternoon, is sufficiently laconic; and runs in the following terms:

"This is to inform all who shall see it; and let them regard it universally:

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That whereas the bearer of this our order, Mr. Jowett, an Englishmen, is desirous to travel from place to place within the confines of the Mountain, it is our will that no man should contradict him; and wheresoever he goes, he shall enjoy protection, security, and respect. We have signified this. (Signed)

66

BECHIR.

(With the impression of his signet on the back of the paper.)

CONVERSATION ON THE DRUSES.

PREVIOUSLY to our waiting on the Emir, his physician, Seignior Bertrand, who speaks French well, came into the room where we were. Conversation turned, among other points, on the Druses. He divides them into three classes. Wednesday, Oct. 1.-Went, with Mr. Lewis to The first of these is the " Djahelin," a word which Deir el Kamr; which may be called the capital signifies the IGNORANT: these know nothing about of Mount Lebanon, as being the residence of the religion, and are never initiated into the secrets Emir Bechir, prince of the mountains. We went of the order: they are, indeed, assembled on the in fact expressly to pay our respects to him. The Thursday evening, in a place considered as a place journey took us nine very hot and tedious hours. of worship, from which, after an hour, they are Half way, at Ainep, we halted for some time, to required to withdraw; but, in every other respect, rest and refresh ourselves. We were here about they are kept in perfect ignorance and subjection. half way up one of the highest parts of Mount The remainder Seignior Bertrand divided into Lebanon; and higher steeps yet remained for us two classes-those who are partially admitted to to ascend in the course of the afternoon. Al- the knowledge of their mysteries, and those who though the season is not yet for the snow of Le- are perfectly initiated. The partially initiated may banon, (Jer. xviii. 14.) yet we found the cold flow-return, if they desire it, into the order of the ing waters coming from the rock of the field, ex-" Djahelin," but must never reveal what they quisitely exhilarating. We arrived at the pic- know. The third class, who are the perfect adepts, turesque valley of Deir el Kamr just by sunset. must ever remain such: these continue together The town, inhabited by about two thousand souls, late on the Thursday night, performing their cereis on the left hand mountain. At a distance, on monies, after all others have been excluded. the mountain of the other side, stands the palace of Ebtedin, presenting a very bold and martial front. We had a letter to a respectable man in the town, of the name of Yoosef Doomani, with whom Mr. King had lodged some weeks: his third son, Hanna, was Mr. King's preceptor in Arabic. All gave us an enthusiastic welcome. Before supper, the master of the house directed the servant to bring in a large brass pan, full of warm water, in which for the first, and indeed the only time, that I ever experienced such attention, he illustrated the ancient custom of washing the

I inquired if they have the power of life and death: he replied, "No."-"But," I asked, "if any of them should reveal the secret?" He answered, "They would certainly kill him."-" Are any of them ever converted to Christianity, Judaism, or Mahommedanism?" "No: it would be death. They live, it is true, intermingled with Christians in the villages, but they never intermarry with them."

I alluded to their dress-He said, "In the precincts of the court, they made no distinction, not to offend the Emir "-and pointed out a person in

the room, whom from his dress we should not have known to be a Druse, but who, he said, was one of the highest adepts. He appeared about thirty-five years of age.

It is said that they make no proselytes; it being one of their opinions, that there is a certain number of souls already initiated, and which never increases or diminishes. When a Druse dies, his soul is supposed to migrate either into some animal, or some other living person: and thus, by constant transmigration, they never cease to exist; and, in due cycle, to appear upon the earth.

somewhat of a Mussulman appearance, in compliment to Abdallah Pacha, under whom he holds the sovereignty of the mountains.

After dinner we visited the Christian church; a small building, about a hundred yards from the precincts of the palace. The Emir does not attend it. In fact, he seems to be of no religionthinking that, perhaps, to be the most convenient way of satisfying persons of all religions. He formerly, it is said, used to have a Romish confessor; but has ceased even from that ceremony. Some, indeed, say that his confessor would no longer grant him absolution.

It is said to be death to show their sacred books to any uninitiated person: yet there are many The church is small. All the books were in manuscripts shown about, purporting to be of this Syriac. Here we saw nine young Greeks, chiefly description, procured furtively; and, when they Sciotes; whom the Emir lately brought from are lent or sold, it is done under promise of secu- Cairo. They are learning to read Arabic; and rity. A set of these books was put in our way, the priest is their schoolmaster. We have already some days ago, for purchase; and the enormous seen two of them in attendance upon the Emir. sum of five thousand dollars asked for them! I, There are said to be two thousand persons emfor my part, felt sufficiently content with the ac-ployed in and about the palace. In fact, we saw count given of them, in De Sacy's Chrestomathie many professions and trades going on in it-solArabe and in Niebuhr's Travels. Were I to be diers, horse-breakers, carpenters, black-smiths, as a missionary in the midst of them, I should pro-scribes, cooks, tobacconists, &c. There was in bably make no attempt to penetrate into their the air of this mingled assemblage, something mystery: so far as it might hinder the reception which forcibly brought to my recollection the deof the pure gospel, I should consider it as so scription of an eastern royal household, as given much of Satan's ground, and not go upon it; but to the Israelites by Samuel. 1 Sam. viii. 11—17. should invite them off from it, to walk with me in a plainer path. I entertain no doubt but that God would bless this method, eventually, in His own time and when converted, the Druses would, probably of this own accord, imitate that memorable act of the new converts at Ephesus-bring their books together, and burn them before all men -even though the price of them should be more than fifty thousand pieces of silver.*

INTERVIEW WITH THE EMIR BECHIR.

WE were then introduced with the usual forms to the Emir, had chairs given us, and were treated with coffee and sherbet. The political difficulties of the Emir are well stated by Burckhardt, in his interesting volume on Syria. I noted his physiogonomy, which is very strongly marked about the eye-brows, as though constant care and pain dwelt in that region. Once or twice his features relaxed into a smile; but his very smile was stern. Since his return, five months ago, from Egypt, he has been on a continual stretch, pursuing his enemies, and exacting extraordinary supplies. His age may be about sixty years. His inquiries were only about Spain and France, and the conversation was short.

PALACE OF EBTEDIN.

AFTER Seeing the Emir, we were shown over the palace. A beautiful long gun, taken from the French, was shown among other curiosities.

We dined in an open court-yard, overlooking the valley to the sea. Wine was not brought, being prohibited; as the Emir wished to keep up

* On the subject of the Druses, see the account of them, in a former part of this volume; and pp. 444-446 of "Christian Researches in the Mediterranean."

INTERVIEW WITH A YOUNG ABYSSINIAN.

WHILE looking round these premises, my eye was caught by the figure of a dark-colored young man, sitting under a tree writing Arabic. His air and his countenance bespoke somewhat of superior feeling. On my approaching, he rose. We sat down together; and, in reply to my questions, he informed me that he was an Abyssinian. There is something in the very sound of that name, which awakens all my sympathies. I en tered into conversation with him, in Italian; and briefly learnt his history, as follows:-He is now eighteen years of age: he was eight years old, when he was taken in Abyssinia, and made a slave, and carried into Egypt. Here he served a Mohammedan master, who tried every art of bribery and of terror to induce him to become Mussulman; but in vain: he never would change his religion. His master dying, he entered into the service of another; when the opportunity offered of going to study at Milan, for the purpose of introducing learning into Egypt. This was about 1818. The Kiaya Bey, or prime minister of the Pacha, manifested, when he was presented, the greatest rage at his having remained a Christian. In Italy he learned Italian, which he speaks easily; and he there also acquired a certain air of European courtesy, which Egypt could not have taught him; although, possibly, it may be innate; for the Abyssinians are generally celebrated for gentleness of manners. On his returning to Egypt, the Emir, during his visit there, obtained him, together with the other slaves whom he has brought hither. The name given him is Moose el Habeshi; but, knowning that the Abyssinians never give Jewish names, I asked if that was his real name.* He said, no, his proper name was

The Christians of Syria, on the contrary, freely give Old Testament names to their children.

or that I shall certainly fall asleep unless he comes to talk with me. I desired him to sit down, and read aloud the third chapter to the Romans; and then I explained to him its contents, as well as I was able, in his native tongue.

Christinos. He has quite forgotten the Abyssinian | of age, loiters into my room, wondering how I can language. While in Cairo, he became a Roman bear to be alone; supposing my head must ache, Catholic. There was a great rivalry between the two Christian secretaries of the Pacha Mallem, Hanna Taouil, a Copt; and Nallem Ghali, a Roman Catholic. The Copt, by means of his countrymen, raised taxes and performed offices of the civil business so much cheaper than the other, that the Pacha thought him a fit man to send to the upper country: he therefore went with the expedition to Dongola. Mallem Ghali had given some affront to Ibrahim Pacha; who shot him; and, with his death, the Roman Catholic interest suffered a great blow. When I asked Moose if he desired ever to return to his own country, he expressed his hopes, with tears, that he should. I related the business of the Amharic version of the sacred Scriptures, and encouraged him to expect happier days for his country. He mentioned that priests alone get safely from Abyssinian to Jerusalem, but it is not till they have been beaten, and robbed of all that can be got out of them, by the Mohammedans on the coast of the Red Sea. He says there are several Abyssinians, as he was, kept as slaves, in private houses in Cairo. I invited him to visit me at Deir el Kamr: he said that the Emir would probably not permit him; but he is very kind to him. I promised to send him some Arabic Scriptures, for himself and the youths around him at school. "Do," he said: "you will be doing a great charity." I gave him my name on paper; that if he ever should visit Malta, he might find me. I described to him Abu Rumi and M. Asselin. He seemed to have some knowledge of Abu Rumi; and M. Asselin he had seen in the house of his Mohammedan master. He mention

ed, what I never had heard before, that the Abyssinians, when they catch Mohammedans, some times compel them to become Christians. The converse is too well known to be the case.

RETURN TO DEIR EL KAMR.

Friday, Oct. 3, 1823.—This morning Mr. Lewis returned to Beirout; while I determined to spend some days with this family at Deir el Kamr, and to read Arabic with the third son, Hanna, who had been preceptor to Mr. King.

In the afternoon, he called his mother into the room, and begged me to explain the object of the missionaries in this country; which I did fullydwelling especially on this, "that the Son of God had come to save man, and yet thousands as yet do not know Him." I find that the more simply this truth is told, the stronger the case appears to them-and the more strongly does it affect my own mind. This grand view throws all controversial matter to an infinite distance in the back-ground. Snnday, Oct. 5.-There are three marriages in the town to-day. They are to be performed in the evening: but, throughout the day there has been a continual firing of muskets in token of rejoicing; and, in the court-yard and on the roof of the house of one of the parties, I can see from my window a constant throng of guests, who occasionally set up a joyous cry: yet this is not a rich family. An almost ruinous hospitality is sometimes kept up on these occasions.

My host's fourth son, a youth of seventeen years'

In the evening I attended one of the marriages. Three priests assisted in performing it. A multitude of men and boys set off with lights in their hands, an hour after sunset, from the house of the bridegroom (leaving the bridegroom in his father's house) to that of the bride. After waiting nearly half an hour, the bride came out, attended by her female friends, and the procession began; the men going first, and after them the women with the bride in their front. On their coming near the church, they halted, while the bridegroom proceeded first into the church with his father and companions (in number certainly more than thirty; see Judges xiv. 10, 11.) to be ready to receive his bride. After this, the bride and her party entered by the door and apartment belonging to the women. Both then stood together in the middle of the church before a lighted desk, the bride being covered. An incessant noise and tumult, which no authority of the priests could appease, prevailed throughout the ceremony, which lasted near half an hour. The whole being ended, the friend of the bridegroom, standing behind him, lifted him up in his hands like a child; shouting, at the same time, for joy. This practical joke, however, as well as the tumult, was a mark that the parties were of the lower rank. The bridegroom was only fifteen years of age.

in special reference to the custom of general prayer Monday, Oct. 6, 1823.-We observed this day for the more abundant influences of the Holy Spirit.

In the afternoon, three Jewish females entered the house, to pay a visit to the mistress. They were strangers, but were politely treated with ing them attentively: and, expressing my wish to sherbet. I observed my preceptor, Hanna, watchcall on the Jewish families here, he would have dissuaded me. Jews are looked upon very badly." "And in what "In this place," said he, "the Now, as we expect all men to love one another, part of the world," I asked, "are they not so? we must expect Christians and Jews to do so: but which is to make the first move? which has is commanded to do so?" He promptly and inthe strongest obligation to love the other?—which genuously answered, “Christians."

He informs me that there are about thirty Jewish families in Deir el Kamr.

Wednesday, Oct. 8.-This evening the season broke. Thunder and lightning and rain came from the west. The romantic valley of Deir el Kamr, and the high ranges of Lebanon, were clothed with mantles of thick mist; and the whole prospect became dreary and cheerless.

In the morning of this day-not an hour too soon-the master of the house had laid in a stock of earth; which was carried up, and spread evenly on the roof of the house, which is flat. The whole roof is thus formed of mere earth, laid on and rolled hard and flat: not, as in Malta, of a composi

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crucified. The priest, a very aged man, began to talk of the cross. My host asked where the cross was: the priest told a very long story about its discovery-its being transported to Constantinople, &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!

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 Catholics, one-third Maronites, and one-third Druses. The difference between Greek Catholics (or, as they call themselves, Melchites) and Maronites, is, that the Greek Catholics use Arabic and Greek in their services; but the Maronites, Syriac and Carshun. Both acknowledge the supremacy of the Pope. The Maronites appear to be the genuine natives of Mount Lebanon; the Greeks, whether of the Oriental church or converts to the papacy, appear to be descendants of the Greek 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

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 repeat your prayers in company; I can see your lips going, but the heart needs quiet and silence. Our Saviour said, "Thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet; and, when thou hast shut the door, pray to thy Father which is in secret."" (Matt. vi. 6.) Ásaph speaks a very vulgar Arabic, and so quick that I can with difficulty understand him. My hope is, that, when I speak about religion to these people, though I cannot perfectly understand them, they may competently understand me.

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

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