The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1843-06-27 00:00:00

observed a large number of the

clergy

The Rev. H. WNEILE, who occupied the chair, said the
object of the meeting was to hear a❑ address upon the sub-
ject of Christian education in Syria, from their Christian
friend and brother, Assaad Yacoob Kayat, a native of that
country. He (the chairman) would not interpose between the
auditory and their promised gratification by any prolonged
observations; it might, however, he proper to state for the
information of some present, that four years ago a Church of
England Sr ,ty r 'romoting Cj 'stian ednr ' -

_ oat:. , lor N. ,taristian education in Syria,
was instituted in this country under the patronage of the
Lord Bishop of London, the Earl of Chichester, Lord F.

Egerton, Lord Bexley, and Sir Thomas Acland, and it was
under the management of a highly influential committee of both
clergymen and laymen. The operations of the society were
two-fold, in Syria and in England. In Syria with the con-
sent, and he might add, with the active co-operation of the
Patriarch of Antioch, and the bishops of his province, several
schools had been formed. The Patriarch was himself a sub-
scriber to a school at Damascus where 200 boys were now
under Christian edimation. There was also a school at Bey-
rout, the native place of their friend who would presently
address them, containing 140 boys, and at each of these towns
there was also a school for girls. This was an important and
interesting feature in the case, because owing to the influence
of surrounding Mahornedenism the female character had been
long neglected and debased in that part of the world. Even
the females of the more wealthy Christians had been totally
destitute of education, but now, we were happy to find that
private teachers were employed in some such families, and
schools were in process of operation for the female children
of the poor. In Tripoli and other places, schools for boys

had ben lately established

society concerning a printing press which had been opened
at Beyrout, the first fruits of which were elementary works,
containing the Nicene and the Lord's Drayer, and the 51st
Psalm, in the Arabic language. The operations of the society
had been chiefly-confined to the education of some young
men from Syria, whom they were desirous- of instructing in
the secular, as well as the sacred, branches of a competent
education, in order that they might return to their own
country and prove effectual instruments for the encourage-
ment of literature, and the general civilization of their peo-
ple,. as well as for the direct propagation of the -gospel of
God.. It was to give further information upon these interest-
ing topics, and to-elicit that Christian sympathy in the cause
which never failed to be followed by the legitimate result of
Christian sympathy, namely, Christian liberality, that their
friend was now among them. (Cheers.)

AsnAn Y. KAYAT then came forward to deliver his
ture, and he was warmly received. He speaks English v
fluently, almost every word being correctly pronounced,
the emphasis properly placed. He commenced by some
lusions to his first visit to Liverpool four years ago, wh
he was introduced by the chairman, as a minister of
blessed Gospel, and he gratefully acknowledged the kindr
and support then bestowed upon him, which had been
means of enabling him to carry on his scl
Christian education in Syria. He would
formation respecting his proceedings before he gave hi:
ture upon the manners and customs of his own count
illustration of the Holy Scriptures. Some would urn!
remember that he had spent two years in this cour
deavouring to obtain such English instruction a
enable hint to carry on his scheme for raising up
agency in Syria. In 1840 he had the honour of I
with Lord and Lady Francis Egerton, with who
yelled through the country, and then he er
mence the work of introducing CI
to spread the knowledge of our
the truth as it is

,ewe for exter

,stian education, in orde
at Redeemer, and eaten

deed, for one individual, and nothing but the deternainatim
he had formed in his own mind enabled him to proceed
Unfortunately, as soon as he had organised his plan t
expedition to overthrow the Egyptian govern

at wen

forth from this country ; it did incalculable evil to the inha-
bitants—nay, it was impossible to -conceive all the suffering

they underwent in consequence of the war. It pleased God
at.that time to permit him to labour among the afflicted—

those who were labouring under sickness arising from the
destruction of their property, agues, fevers, and other mala-
dies—in Lebanon ; and he found the little knowledge he bad
of medicine of great service in the relief of many. At the
same time he pressed upon the minds of the people the im-
portance of education, showing them that had they been an
enlightened people they would not have incurred so
much misery during the war. By degrees he obtained
confidence ; nothing could remove him from the path
of duty ; and he persevered although ha was exposed
to ignorance, bigotry, and all sorts of difficulty which, of
course, must present themselves to the first reformer. But
God enabled him to persevere, and after continuing three
years in this cause, his•friends in London, who had formed
themselves i-- '•.-. to assist in working out his

to a corm
views, thought proper to send for him back in c
in organising a more permanent system, for he hai
them that as the Syrian Christians spoke the same L

bore the same climate, resided in the same country as th,
Mahometans, they could therefore become the most eligibl
labourers in the work of God throughout the East, inasmuc

as their language extended to almost all the Mahome-
tans in Asia, and among the most numerous tribes in Africa.
The lecturer then proceeded at great length to give as ac-
count of the manners and customs of the inhabitants of
Syria ; their costume, domestic habits and ceremonies ; sheav-
ing that in the present day these existed in strict accordance
with the descriptions given in the Sacred Scriptures. He
observed that, throughout all ages, various nations, and va-
rious conquerors, Greeks, Romans, Persians, Saracens, the
Crusaders, Turks, and Egyptians, had entered the land of
Syria ; all kinds of languages were introduced, and every
effort was taken to destroy Christianity, but they had
all been in vain. The manners and customs of the na-
tives each still illustrated the Holy Scriptures. Had
the names of their cities been altered by the succes-
sive invaders, confusion would have been thrown upon
Biblical history, and Christianity would hare been exposed
to the infidel objection that it was not true, since in the land
where its chief events took place the places mentioned in the
word of God did not exist. A Church was formed of the
converts to Christianity, but Christianity, it should be re
membered, had existed in the land from the time of our Se
viour, and no Mahomedan invasion, no sufferings, no torture
no tyranny, nor all the most severe and oppressive measure
adopted by the various conquerors to fat

Mahomedanism, had been effectual. Thus the Christians re-
tained their religion, while all the people had kept close to
those native manners and ceremonies which to this day
il-
lustrated the Holy Scriptures. He then rdferred to several
passages from the Old and New Testaments, mentioning the
custom at the time of the event, and showed that the very
same customs were observed to this day. The events,
too, recorded in the sacred volume were familiar to the
people, while the most important circumstances attend-
ing the several invasions of the country were absolutely un-
known to them. Passing from the illustrations of Scrip-
ture, which we regret having no room to give in detail,
the lecturer gave an interesting account of the progress
which education is making in Syria, and of the relaxations
of which he had set an example in the case of his own wife,
of the prevailing customs with regard to females, whereby
they were gradually being raised to the position which they
ought to till. A complete change was being effected by the
means of education among

of saciet

thus, he said, the effect uF native agency in spre

and knowledge was found most effectual. Six vo

were now receiving instructior

. - -
the society ; and the lecturer concluded by a lengthened and
impressive appeal to the sympathiee of Liverpool to raise
fund sufficient to have one native youth educated here tc
enable him to do good in his native land.

sture of the

The CHAIRMAN mentioned the imt.
Roman Catholic priest, who went about this city coirecti.
subscriptions from the Protestants under the name of tin
Archbishop of Tripoli, and said that in this case of Assaad
Kayat there was no fear of imposition, for the whole thing
had been examined on the spot, and there could be no doubt
whatever of his character arid object
A collection was then made; shortly after which the pro-
ceedings terminated.
The second lecture was delivered last night, Mr. Adam
Hodgson in the chair. The subject was an account of the
Christian church at Antioch, which it was shown had main-
tained the great essentials of the true faith. The details were
interesting and very minute. The wife of Alsaad was pre-
sent, and attracted much attention. • The third and last lec-
ture of the series will be delivered on Friday next.

His Grace the Duke of Cleveland has engaged a number
of workmen to cut a drain in order to have water conveyed
fLom the place in the Flats-wood, near Barnard-castle,
where several men had formerly made the attempt to sink a
pit, but were prevented by an overflow of water. It is sup-
posed that there is good coal at the place, and that the neigh-
bourhood will receive considerable benefit if his Grace be
successful in his undertaking.