New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-01-21

csn..poas.us. Of n. n. Y. rrIsuDs.

VIENNA, December 3; 1850
1 INTENDED TO draw some points from paper read
BY Prof Fleischer before the Saxon Academy Of
Science, as sort Of supplement to long letter
which sent The TRIBUNE some time snee but on
looking Il over am convinced that it is worthy Of
being more extensively "plundered." My national
pride, must confess, ia patifed at the manner in
which the American missionaries are notced-a
body of men, at least in the East whose contribu-
tons to science render them worthy Of the support
of our literary and scientific, as well as religious
world and whose services in the cause OF letters hnd
due acknowledgment among the greatest and wisest
men OF Germany. The subject Of Prof F1eischer's
paper is The Efforts toward Intellectual Culture
" now making in Beyrout, and its Arabic newspaper,
(" Hadikdt al Aehbdr'-a subject which am con-
vlnced OF interest 70 tne vast number Of readers
of The Missionary Herald and our leading reIigous
newspapers as well as to the scholar. venture.
therefore, to make pretty extensive abstract Of
the paper.
While every day confirms the fact says the Pro-
fessor that the grand historic part IN the worlds
drama played by Accommodation is &C an end,
that its once so active cyilizng principle has lost ts
moving power, and that the little which il has
adopted from foreign sources has thus far produced
but petty results and gives no hope OF anything bet
ter It is on the other hand clear that the Christian
element, not only in the European but also in the
Asiatic part Of the Moslem Empire, Is continually
spreading and gaining consistency, and hs relations
to and influence upon both the Government and
people becoming daily more important and evident.
The reasons for this are numerous and Of very va
riOus character: the reuslts of the freedom OF
Greece; the overpoweriug political influence OF tho
Western Powers; the prominent positions OF tho
Christian Embassies and C0nsuates in the Onents
the overwhelming circuit of European commercial
speculation the growing wealth Of Christian bust.
ress firms; the closer connection of Europe and
Asia by means of the steamship and electric tee~
graph; the increasing number OF Western travellers,
even from the princely classes Of society; the silent
but unwearied and successful labor of Christian mis-
siOnaries, especially upon the rising generation,
through schools and the multiplication Of books; and,
finally, the now large correspondence OF the Orr
entail Christians, both personal and by letter, with
those of the West It is perfectly natural that the
Christian population thus brought to sense of their
power and importance, should begin to demand the
final removal of all their disabilities of all the re-
naming links of the chains in which they have 30
long been bound, and be placed upon an equal, 500
cial, and political footing with the Mohammedan
pOpulation-a demand which the occasional out
breaks of the spirit of the old fanaticism only
strengthens and confirms them in.
Everybody knows how two or three Of the Eu-
ropean Powers specially interested in the Oriental
question, have taken advantage of these Efforts.
in the Danubian Princpalities-in hopes
Of making them subservient to their own selfish
ends. These fruits, which during centuries had
been drawing near to that point of rpeness when
they would have fallen by the operation of natural
laws if left to themselves, these Powers would
hasten and determine the direction of their fall.
They therefore set every possible influence at work.
hesfated at no instruments or means, and coon eff
tected what by such means may be affected among
n r. ri fo4a Il K
mOcks at reason and in which the spirit of intrigue
oins hands with instruction in the dance Of de-
mons. ft OF OF 1t
In happy contrast to all this with prudence, sef.
respect, and dignity, appears this strife for Eman-
,ipatiOn and closer connection with Christian Eu-
,Ope as q means of intellectual regeneration in
syria, and particularly in Beyrout. This old Phe-
noian commercial center, the port of Damas-
us, and therefore the great mart of the trads
4 the West with the back country of ASK
iinor, seems to be appointed By fate as the birth.
lace and cradle Of new civilization for those re.
ions. In fact, nowhere else the necessary
onditiOns to such an end 80 fully met. Its nobis
OsltiOn at the base of the densey peopled richly
cultivated Lebanon, its industry and brisk trada
9th by land and sea, have made this city for long
me, particularly for the last forty years, by far
he most important and fourishing place upon the
cast; and it is gaining and more that position
Ihch of yOre those somewhat more southern empo-
ums of trade, Tyre and Sidon, had in the worlds
Onmerce. .T .-.f .-.r
Compare what Prof. Robinson of New-York SAYS
BeyrOut in 1893, in his first edition of his Bib
heal Researches" with his description of the
ime city in his new work, as it appeared in 1852,
nd it will be clear to any one that a city of the
rient under the rule of the Turks and in spite OF
8 bombardment from the combined English and
AUSTRIAN fleets in 1910, which in these fourteen
ears could raise its population from 1900 TO
early 10000 must possess hardy life and great
over of development. Of these 1000 inhab-
ants-as was recently assured by DIR. Wetzstein,
russian Consul at Damascus-at least the half
Dnfess some form Of Christianity. Finally, Beyrout
now connected with Constantinople aud Alexan.
ria by electric telegraph, and macadamzed road
Chaussee) is constructing to connect it with Da-
lascus. Besides, all these proofs of the energy
nd permanent strength of the spirit of progress 10
eyr0ut, there is one element of this movement of
ocular importance, by which it is not merely rem
cred stronger and more rapid in its effects, but
Which leads and directs it; mean the here most
ctive and influential exchange, / may almost say
ombining, blending Of the highest Oriental and De-
idental intellectual ideas and culture. On the one
and we see the European and American Consul.
ties, the French-O Ottoman Bank, large class OF
lerchants immigrants from the West North
american Mission whose principal seat and print
~ establishment is here; on the other, large num-
er of cultivated sagaciOus thoughtful Christian
nen, natives of the country, in whom high intei-
ence and an enlightened and common zeal for the
levatiOn and Improvement OF their race has broken
own all preiudices and removed all the barriers.
which, according to Oriental ideas, must keep those
sunder who are separated by even slight diner.
noes of religious creeds This independence OF
houpbt and union of the feeling of nationality
With that of an unprejudced and universal human
y, as ratural .arsaouan "a renders theae men the