The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1860-09-05
From the National Tntelligcncer.
y THE CRADLE OF CHRISTIANITY"

AhE ShAbLE VT thhiSIlANtl y.
Judaism. ever an isolated religion, had
passed away IRON the hills OF Palestine, and
Christianity had not only supplanted it, but
had triumphed also over the worship oil Bel
and Ashtarte and the other forms OF Pagan
ism which Of old existed along the coast
Aad over all the northern half of Syria---An-
sioch, afterwards the " Eve OF the Christian
churches" certainly not excepted. But a
new religion and new power suddenly
arose in the barren peninsula to the south,
and the Arabs, under the successors OF Ma
homet, rushed as fierce and ruthless yicturs
into Syria, began the greatest and most de.
s,ructive series Of changes which that coun-
iry has undergone. The stern kaled inau-
gnraied the supremacy Of islamism amidst
torrents Of blood. Jerusalem became Ma
hometan cify--a mosque arose on the site of
the Temple. BY aud bs the rule Of the IA,
matte Maslen proved So anbearable that the
tale Of suffering brought home by pilgrims
aroused all Europe to rescue the Holy Land
FROM the grasp OF the Saracen. Peter the
Hermit, Godfrey. rancred, Richard the Ii.
on-Heart, headed the fiery onsets, and fur a
time the chivalry Of the West proved more
than match for the walled cities and swarm
ing hosts opposed to them. For several ge-
nerations the seacoast and the mountains
were held by the crusaders; the brave counts
of Tripoli and Tnolouse ruled their districts
with settled sway, and not few ruined cas-
ties in the mountains date their origin from
that period. But, under the peerless Saladn
ia Prince as chiyalrous, accomplished. wise
and humane as any that fought on the side of
49, AZ. sl.. 80
with dashing yalar; and long before the roy
al shroud raised aloft on his lance proclaimed
at Damascus that the proud Saladn was no
mov, Syria had again fallen under the do
minion Of the Crescent. The religion OF
Christ finally gave way before that Of Ma
homet. Only in parts Of the Lebanon range,
which offered refuge from the intolerant
Moslem. did any Christian population exist !;
and there and nel. arose the sect Of the Nd.
ronifes, who have preserved their seligion
(such as it isl TO the present day.
Once more, and in still more dreadful form,
the waves Of war and conquest rolled over
the country. Mongol and Turk. in repeated
invasions. desoiated the land, destroying ci-
ties, massacreing inhabitants. and sweeping
away first the rule Of the Saracen Caliphs,
and latterly the dominion of the Egyptian
Mamelukes. For upwards Of three centuries
the Turks have ruled in Syria, and they sciH
moi nd. much longer. Thus ends its past
history.
The present aspect Of Syria only too Rtly
accords with its past history. 1t y land in
ruins. The population is not tenth Of what
it once was, aud cultivation has proportion
ally decreased. Many towns have wholly
disappeared; mounds of ruins still evidence
1he sites Of others. The slopes Of Lebanon
and the barren hillsides Of Judea show marks
Of the ancient terraces, and vast regions OF
desert plain on the eastern side Of the noun
tains were Of old the seat Of populous towns.
The present population Of Syria, from Anti
och TO AleppO, TO the deserts of Arabia, does
not exceed two and half millions; whereas
Judea alone, in the time Of Titus. contained
four millions! At Whatever point the trav-
eler enters the country he steps upon ruins.
Even at thriving and busting Beyrout he is
reminded that there Of old was the greatest
school OF law in the Roman empire; aud the
ruins disinterred in every part Of the ensi-
rons show that the city Is but shadow oi
what il was. OF Seiucia, once containing
COG, 900 inhabitants, nothing remains but bali
dozen houses, the crumbing piers and jet.
ties If the once noble harbOr. Tyre has Jeff
only its site. SidOn il village, Acre Is j
miserable substitute for Ptoemais; only %
900 remain Of the 100000 inhabitants 81 An
tioch. OF the ten cities which gave iheil
name to the district Of DeeapoIis MOI one r..
mains; aud that Jerusalem is miserably fallen
no one who has troll its streets will deny.
Every where il IS the same tale Of decay. APP
proach the land Iron the side OF Egypt, aud
ruins are foand extending for miles into the
Desert. Proceed thence through the Hauran,
The vast plains wing east Of the Dead Sea and
ssuth 81 Damascus, and IN the painful soil.
tube We eOme upon the remains Of goodly
cities. and find enduring evidences Of ancient
civilization. Journey nor,hward past Damas.
Gus, dawn the valley Of the Orontes, and ru.
ms still present themselves every where
or take the route from iismah 20 Aleppo, and
al along The road you discover the remain.
af ancient; villages, numerous agBedBcts, ci-.
terms fallen il, ruined foriresses, and vanish.
Ing temples.
Sgeh is Modern syris--a mere erBmbling
skeleton Of the eKuberant life which reignetl
there 4 old. Il sere unjust 70 charge appn
the Government Of the Turk the existing de-
s0lsiiun. II Gas IN the Ruthless wars which
preceded and attended the FIRST establishment
If Seljookisn and Turkish power that the
dismal ruin was effected. The fault of the
recent administration Of the 0ttomans 10 81.
ria has been Of negative rsiber than posi-.
tive kind. Il has given no help to the reeu.
pefatiye energies Of the population. IL has
lent no hand 70 lift Syria out Of the fallen
state ID which that 6ne country has lain for
centuries. Bat Syria has still . future. and
i will not be an ignoble one. AZ surely -
the world moves and civilization spreads, the
energies sni weslfh ~ Earnpc win Be draw
into The cauniry. 1'hr syrian peninsula.
which sas ~ kighsay " commerce. bstsern
the East anil The West. will be - sgain. The
railway vii ,tt run il ihe trafk II lie cars.
van. The commerce. II tie laiisn and Aus
tralian World sill yer stream II part aero.s
Syria lrpm the Persian Gull IL tie I..,sbi.
Aleppa, Aafioch. Suedish. Bsyrogi vii start
tafa aese lffss .nN Emf..s. 49, $500, -