The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1860-10-17
BIA COUNTY. PA, WEDNESDAY OCTOBER II, 1860
The MarOnites and DrnSes.

INV hutVHlbOC uhu
They are a sect of the Romish Church,
composed of the followers of John Maron,
who held some peculiar views respecting
the nature OF Christ. Although his doctrine
was denounced by the Pope, his followers
have joined the church of Rome and are sub.
ject to the Pope. They have been the most
hostile opposers Of evangelical TRUTH that
our missionaries have encountered in Tur.
key. Such are the people who are called
Syrian Christians The following account
of the Druses, which we extract from the
Philadelphia Christian Observer. will be
read with interest
WHO ARE THE DRUsEsf
The Druses are an offshoot of the Moham-
medans, and, like the Maronites, they derive
iheir name from religious imposter, "El
Druse." None of these indicate difference
of race. Three hundred years after John
Maron had preached his philosophy among
the peasantry OF Lebanon, one of the pre-
tended descendants Of Fatima, the daughter
of Mohammed, ruled Egypt and Syria. Ell
Hakim was one of those strange men who
occasionally appear III the world, and being
half fool, half knave, succeeded in inducing
the ignorant to believe and follow him asa
god Hakim was assisted in his imposture
by two sbler men than himself, one Of
whom was Gel Druse," the prophet Of the
Druses.
The religion of the Druses ID kept secret
by their laws but in the several wars,
which have been so frequent of late years in
the Lebanon, many oe their sacred books
have fallen into the hands OF their opponents.
1t was from the volumes SO obtained that
the famous French oriental scholar formed
that history of the Druses which still holds
It's place as the standard work on the history
and religious ceremonies of this strange peo-
pie. The Mormon doctrine Of spiritual
marriages is found in their sacred books
/ Their cardinal doctrine, however, is that
Hakim is tho last incarnation of The Deity !;
| Hakim, who sacrificed Is, 900 victims 10 his
| ferocity, stands 10 the Druses in the place
of God. II is death TO a Druse TO reveal
any secret of his religion, and death TO a
SHIisiidH " AliilS III ICioAiOl ~
their theology They believe in The abstract
unity of God, but belieye him to ever re-
main in a passive state. They believe that
there will be no other incarnation Of the
/ Deity until Hakim shall appear again
at the day OF Judgment. They also believe
in the transmigration and pre-existence Of
souls, and that men existed and fell in
| previous state. They believe in the crea
! ton of a fixed number of souls, who are TO
be saved, and that these are the souls of
/ Druses AS a consequence, they desire TO
! make no converts. In practice, they are
free mason, and they are sworn TO support
each other 1t ia for this reason that they
rush to warfare with such readiness al the
blood revenge, and many instances are on
record where they have carried ont this
principle 10 its fullest extent. They are,
however, generous and hospitable, and he
with whom they have eaten bread always
sure of their friendship and support. In
, 1852, when the Arabs were numbering and
plundering Christians around Damascus, a
Druse shek took several of the Christian
villages under his protection. Such are the
/ people who are now arranged it hostile ar.
ray. The Maronites more numerous-the
Druse- more warl:ke. AT Damascus it was
not the Druses, but the MosIem mob that
murdered and slaughtered the Christians
/ Thousands of the Maronites-defencele
women and children flying from their foes
have sought security at Beirut, and now
! they depend for bread upon the Christian
/ residents and the Christian missionaries.