Cheraw gazette. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1835-1838, 1837-08-30
EARTHoUAKE IN SYRIA.

Extract of letter to the Editor OF the Charles
ton Observer from the Rev. John F. Lanneau,
formerly of Charleston, Missionary of the
American Bolrd; dated. Jerusalem JAM "a
1887.
In Naples, Acre, Nassareth, Sour, Sid.
on, Beyroot, Mount Lebanon, TIberias, and.
Saffet, the greatest injury has been sustain
ed. In the latter towns, as mentioned In
nv last under date of the 18th inst. the
destruction ofpropcry and lives has been
awful. In Tiberias number Of houses
have fallen, and several hundred lives los::.
But in Safitt, about 30 miles North of 1t,
the whole town is one heap Of ruins, and at
the least calculation, three thousand persons
have been crushed 10 death. This town
You may perhaps be aware, Was one OF the
tour places which the Jews, cons dered
sacred or holy in tins country; viz: Jerusa:
lem, Hebron. Tiberias, Satftt. 1t has de.
rived IFS sanctity from the fact, that several
of their great Doctors orthe law, who lived
in the time Of the second Temple, are said
TO have been buried there. For years if
not centuries, they have had University
there for the education Of their Rabbles, OF
whom there were usually number from
different countries in Europe. For some
time past also, there was Hebrew and
Arabic press in operation among them, and
on the whole, 1t WAS as celebrated among
the Jews for its peculiar saucrIty, as It was
distinguished for its splendid situation, com.
mandng from its lofty position the whoe
country around. 1t has been supposed
by some commentators and travellers
to be the "City set on hill," which the
Saviour had in view, when, in his Sermon
on the Mount Of Gallce, he compared his
disciples to such "town which could not
he hid" The. Jews have notion that
their Messiah will reign here forty years
before he will take up his residence in Je'
rusaIem. What effect this dreadful catas.
trophe will nave upon their faith, remains
to be seen. The calamity has fallen most
severely upon their nation, as a large pro.
portion ofthe inhabitants were their rkinsman
according TO the flesh. AS soou as the
intelligence. was received here, messengers
and individuals with. money, food and cloth
ing, were despatched 10 relieve the suffer.
ings otthe whetchcd survivors. a sub
scrip,ion was also opened in Beyroot, and
large supply Of the necessaries of lite,
and incidence were forwarded, in charge
of the Rev. VIM. NJ. Thomson, one of our
Missionaries, and Mr. Calman, a converted
Jew and Missionary 10 the Jews in Syria
and Palestine. We have not yet received
their report, bu, Jewish friend returned 10
day from Il visit there and says that the sui
ferings of the survivors have been dtstres.
sing beyond measure. Many have died
for want of clothing and food, and otherS
from their bruises and wounds, ana the
number Of the dead yet beneath the RUNS
.are so great, that they are apprehensiVe
that unless soon relieved they may occa'
sion a pestilence. One difficulty in the
way Of their speedy removal is the aboml-
nable regulations ofthclr government When
such public calamity occurs, the law is
that a S one musrnot bemovcd before an or
dor from Sultan or Pasha, and the arrival ola
proper officer Of government, as one half OF
the ruined properly is conliscated 10 the
mowers that be. You can readily imagine
the effects Of such an outrageous violation
of helaws of humanity; but this is but a
specimen Of the character ofthe government
which has reduced one Of the finest coun-
tries OH the globe 70 baTeuness aud desola.
lion. -