, 1860-11-06

Bad Conduct Of the Chrisfians-State Of affairs
at Dansaeus-Nore Executions.

Correspondence Of the Boston Traveller.
BEEnou7 syria, Sept. ., 1sGo.
The character OF the Christians of Syria Is
SO low, mean and despicablc, that were 1t not
for the fact that they belong to the common
brotherhood of man and arc now great suffer
ers, they would receive but little sympathy
from those who know them welt They arc
entirely deficient In what Is called In civilized
countries, a sense Of hoEor-and are SO deceit
ful, tEcacherous aud ignoblc, that they furnish
the best evidence in the world Of the natural
deprayity Of the human heart, and the fnaac-
auacy OF their forms of religion and their re-
liyious teachers for the work Of clyilizing md
christeanizinS the people. The people arc
3cspisc their priests. The Bible is kept from
all but The Protestant sect, hichirvcry small,
mot numbering In all Syria and Palestine more
than one thousand men, women and children,
and the Greeks, Greek Co{holies, 4taronites,
Jcsuits, are all quarrcli1s among each other
aud among themselves. The Grcaksa and Greek
Dsuses in wrging warfare against the Maron-
tics, and arc their most uncompromising foes
Among themselves they have no percc-
The leader in the anil Bishop party in Tyre
il alr. Akkaad, the American Consular Agcut,
and under the protection Of tue american flag
" Is inyulncrablc to all the spiritual fnlnlfna-
tions Of the Church. The United States Con-
sui at Bcyrort has been besciged by the Bishop
and his party to interfere in the matter, aud
break down the opposition Of lis subordinate,
but his answer la uniformly the same: If
you have any criminal charges to bring against
the Consular Agent, will examine them, but
the American government, which protects all
religions Mike in the United States, will not
in,e1.c1e T., ....ttars Of coacicucc aud chnrcs. Il
discipline in Syria The ofacrcs aud agents Of
the American government arc not questioned
OF tnnucnsed concerning their religious opln-
ions."
The Patrlarch Of the Gregorian party has
been to Egypt to collect funds for the poor Of
syraa, but he furnishes relief only to those who
adopt his calendar ind obey his will Others
retain all their collections, and furnish relief
to no one Ono priest still has sixty thousand
p!astres intended for distribution, and bis peo-
pie make loud complaints against his avar1ce
and dishonesty. The priests ,Who went to
America few years ago to collect funds for
schools and hospitals, have also defrauded the
people, who hare now lost confidence IN them
almost entirely.
Many Christians Of Damascus are low selling
their souls to the devil By giving Turks aud
Arabs Of that city certificates Of good chasae.
ter, knowing full well that they murdered
many OF their brethren They do this for mo-
ncy, aud thus rob Justice Of herduc aud screen
the guilty from punishment
The Christians OF Sidon who Witnessed the
massacre Of their relatives aud friends, and
! who have since been constitutedagentsfo for the
Turkish Government, to pay out the daily al"
lowance to the poor Refugees from Haahe5ta
/ and Rashcyis, hive Just been detected In an at
| tempt to rob them nfouc-fourth Of the scanty
allowance provided by The Moslcm authorities
for the purpose ofkceping them alives There
II little In such character to arouse sympathy
or excite hrothcrly regard. Christian mission
! aries are nowhere moro needed than among
p; the so:caslcd CArIst:aas Of Syria for never, ID
| my opinion, has ..tlio term Christian been 90
1misapplled as to the people Of the Holy Land.
Mr.. Consul Brnut, of Damascus, writes
The Local authorities continue to supply d
little money and bread, but the supply will
not suffice; when the cold and damp weather.
arrives, firing md warm bedding aud clothing