Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1849-01-04
The Dead sea Expedition

I;sut. Lynch Of the y. s: Ship SUD-
ply, who recently explored the Dead
Sea, has written an exceedingly interes-
ting letter in regard to his discoveries in
that region. The most important part
of it relates to his finding a small native
Christian Colony. He says that on the
9th day on the Southern Sea, his COM
pany were Frustrated by the hot blasts
of Simoou, sweeping from the Deserts
of Arabia, which was followed by five
days of intense and sitting heat. On
the afternoon of the l4th day, on the
coast Of Moab, to their surprise. they
were greeted by deputation of Chris
tians from Kerak, the Keijah Moab of
Bible. Lieut.. Lynch thus describes
them, and his interview with them. The
following extracts will be read with great
interest by American Christians and
others:
The joy of this people at meeting US
was unbounded. They caressed US,
bought us water, and leban, (sour milk, J
all they had, and some of them spent
nearly the whole night hunting wild
boar, wherewith to regale us. When
told that our forms of worship in Amer
lea, were different from theirs, they re-
piled: "What matters it? Christ died
for all! Do you not believe in him q
When told that we did, they said. '"Then
what are forms before God! He looks
to the heart! We are brothers !" And
brothers they continued to call US to the
last.
We could not trace their origin, but
concluded that they are either the de-
scendants Of one Of the last tribes con-
verted to Christianity, who, in the fast
ness of the mountains, had escaped the
Mahommedan alternative Of " the Koran
or the sword" or the crusades under the
Christian Lord of Kerak. They number
about $50 families, and live in the town ;
the only one now left, in the once popu-
loussountry of Moab. Within the walls
! are also the huts of 100 Muslin families,
and outside are the black tents Of the
fierce tribe Kera-Keyeh, numbering $50
fighting men.
The Christians gave us an invitation to
visit their town, about seventeen miles
distant in the mountains; but, while hos
pitably urging us to 60, they did moi
conceal the perils Of the visit for they
confessed that they were outnumbered
and overawed, and in an emergency
would not dare openly to assist us.
determined, however, to accept theil
invitation at all hazards; for it was evi
dent that, unless recruited by more
bracing atmosphere, we must inevitably
perish. In this opinion the lamented Mr.
Dale concurred with me.
I will not tire you with an account Of
the visit--of The tfeachery with which
we were threatened, and our return il
battle array, with the hostile Sheikh al
prisoner--but simply express my con
yiction, that, but for the timely infolm
ton given by the Christians, we should
never have seen our boats again.
These poor Christians are much tyr
anized over by our Muslin neighbors.--
Their only place Of retreat, when threat
ened with violence. is their little eel
of church, which can scarcely hole
twenty families. Their account, which
in its narration bore the impress Of truth
seems confirmed by the circumstance tina
in the centre Of their little church Their,
is well. which supplies them with wa
ter until their provisions are exhausted
or the restless nature Of their persecu
tors. takes them elsewhere, The objee
| of all their hopes Is to build a churcl
sufficiently large to hold all their wive
and children; for with ell their ifltoler
ance, the Musiims respect the house 0
Him whom they call - Issa, the Prophe
| Of the Christians"
The foundasiOn and . part Of the wall
| q church have been built, but tn
work Is discontinued from the want q
means--the sirocco and the locust hay
ing swept their harvest for several year,
They gave me. an appeal to their Chris