The Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1852-1853, 1853-05-04
Sa Samaritans---Pentatenoh--Th The

.Sa m a aritans-,-Pen Pentatench--The
Living Evidences of the Bible
In a letter descriptive Of the hill country
of Palestine, Bayard Taylor thus speaks Of
the ancient SamariLans and the Samaritan
Pentatench;
Nablons is noted for the existence Of a
small remnant of the ancient Samaritan
The stock has gradually dwindled away, and
amounts TO only 40 families, containing lit
lie more than l50 individuals. They live
in peculiar quarter Of the city, and are
easily distinguished from the other inhabl-
tans in the cast Of the figures. After Oul
ruide, a native OF Na1loas, had pointed oa
! IIhree or four, had no difficulty in recog.
Inizing all the others we met. They have
j lone but not prominent noses, like the Jews
.smaIl obIong eyes, narrow lips, ard fair com
D,cxion. most Of them have brown hair
| They appear to be held in considerable 30
floQuy by lhe Nlosuins Our at,enlant, h,
was Of the low class OF Arabs, to2E the boy
Ithat we met very uncerimoniou5'y by TIT
4 head. calling out; ''lIere is another Samar
Ijlau." He then conducted us TO their syn
aooslie, to see the celebrated Pentateuch
which is there preserved. We were takel
to small open court, shaded by an Aprlco
tree, where lhe priest, an old man III greer
robe and white tuban, was scat in med
italion. IIphad a long grey be2rl and blacl
eyes, that lighted up with sudden expires
sion of eager greed when we promise hin
backshish Tor sight Fthe sacred book
He rose, and took us into sort Of chapel
followed by a number Of Samaritan boys
Kneeling down at a niche in the wall, he pro
cured aom behind wooden case a piece G
ragged parchment written with Ilebrewchar
acJers. But the guide was familiar wit
this deception, and rated him SO soundly, tina
after little hesitation, he laid the fragmen
away, and produced la>ge tin cylinder
covered with piece Of green satin embroid
cled in gold. The boys stopped down ant
revmcntly kissed the biazored cover, beton
il was removed. Vhe cylinder slipping back
by two rows Of hinges opened at the sam
time the parchment scroI which was role
at both ends. 1t was indeed very anccr
manuscript, and in remarkable preservation
The rents have been carefully repaired, an
the scroll neatly sriched upon another parch
ment, covered on the outside with viole
satin. The priest informed me that it wa
written by the son of Aaron. but this doe
not coincide with the fact that Samauta
penCatench is different fron that OF the Jew
1t is however, no doubt one OF the oldeS
parchment records in the world, anl the Sa
naritans look upon it with unboanded fait
: and reverence. The PeniaCench, accordin
; to their version, contains thcir only form {
, religion. They reject everything else whic
: the Old Testament contains: Three or tou
! days ago was their grand feast of sacrifice
when they made burnt Offering OF aaml
on the top of Mount Gerizin. Within
short time it is said. they have shown som
curiosity to become acquainted with The Ne
Testament, and the High Priestsent to il
/ rusaIem to procure Arabic copies.
/ asked one ofthcse wild eyed boys whetl
crhe could read the sacred work. 30
| YES, said the priest, ''all these boys ca
1 read it," ana the one | addressed immed
t ately pulling a volume from his breast, an
t commenced reading in fluent Hebrew. 1t a
Q peared to be part Of their church seryic
or both the prizes. and boab, or their keel
: or. kept up a running series Of response
d and occasionally the whole crowd shoutt
, out some deep mouthed word in chorus.-
i The old man leaned forward, with an e.
preston as deep and intense as if the te
d had become incaroate in him, following WI
+ his lips, the sound Of the boys voice,
+ was a strange picture Of religious enthu'
e asm, and was Of ITSELF the sufficient to cor
is vince me of the legitimacy OF the Samaf
IS ans decent. When | rose to leave, ga
II him The promised fee; and smaller one
is the boy who read the service. This was
IS signal for 4 general attack from the do
W keeper, and all The boys who were preseE
of They surrounded me with. eyes sparklll
with the desire Of gain, kissed the bord
IN of my jacket, stroked my beard coaxing
g with their hands, which, they then kis.e
and were ready it SO seemed TO me, TO +
$. on my neck in heap, and embrace me
: ter tie old Hebrew fashion. The prize
:" clamorously followed, with glowing fa'
in and the whole scene was Of such rio'c
a. and bac,hanalian character, that / wo,
neverhave imagined that men could bect
%. trollcd by such passionate ayarlce,