The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-06-26
N | N E v Ell.
Religion in 1.-THE American and
Dominican Fathers Mission.
Eastern Christianity as Expe-
rienced To-Day.
4 New Translation Of the Bible and EXtraor.
binary Results Looked For.
TEE TOMB OF JONAH.

HERALD special correspondent, dating in Mosu',
supplies the following valuable and highly Interest,"
ing communication, the facts having been annoted
almost entirely amidst the bricks OF Nineveh:"-
Religion.
MosuI, May IS, 1870.
Apart from its proximity to the remains Of Nine
yeh there is little indeed to attract the general
traveller to visit The city OF Mosul Thanks to Its
position the Tgrs and the industry OF it's inhabt
ants, 1t boast OF population OF 10000 or 1000,
who are reputed to be very wealthy. As city 1t
differs in no respect from the general Oriental pat
tern-narrow streets, square, 1atrOofed houses,
straight, vaulted bazaars turbaned men, yelled
women ana an abundance OF dOnkeys. 1t Is simply
q smaller edition Of Bagdad, or BassOrah or Aleppo.
To Americans 1t is also OF some interest, as having
been the scene OF twenty years ofAmerican mission
airy labor. Outside the walls in the cemetery where
Europeans are usually inferred, dozen or more OF
simple graves contain the remains OF such among
the missionaries as have here finished their
/ am sorry, however, to have TO add that this Is
almost the only Of the former operations OF the
mission. Six years ago the field was abandoned,
and though there Is still small Protestant church,
numbering some sixty or seventy members, IL is
constantly growing smaller, and few more years
Will almost certainly witness Its total extinction.
Upon the population III general no impression
whatever was made by twenty years OF conscien-
tious earnest labor The Europeans here, indeed,
speak OF the American missionaries with great re-
spect, but they add that the work In which they
were engaged was one In which success cannot be
hoped for. Such converts were made came from
a Christian church-the HISTORIANS; there not an
instance on record Of Mussulman having been
drawn over to the true faith.
Strkngly different to this somewhat sad story OF
wasted effort is the brilliant success OF the French
mission or the Dominican Fathers. This mission
numbers several thousand converts ana Is now
erecting a handsome church-an erection which,
when finished, VIII be the most imposing edifce in
Mosul One need not seek far, however, for the ex-
PLANTATION OF this difference. The people in Mosul
upon whom both missions have exclusively directed
their prosely batteries Eastern Christians
whose ritual and creed varies but slightly from those
Of the Church Of Rome. From church to the
other is indeed but step, and the Christians OF
Nosu have the strongest OF secular to make
it, for, let them but become Catholics and the
French government, which Is represented here by
Q full Consul, viii go any length to protect them,
while, II they become Protestants they are, rather
more defenceess than before, Tor they are disOwned
by the Church they leave, while the heads OF the
Church they Join have no political influence what.
ever. IL should be remembered that the Dominican
Fathers have failed among the Mussulman as COM
pleiely as the American mission has done: they
cannot boast single convert. In zeal ana pa
uence ana unseihShness OF purpose both
missions are equal. One among the Domini-
can Fathers inaeed renounced the most brilliant
prospects TO Join the MISSION. He was house
surgeon at the Hospital ST. Louis, in Paris, and,
while still young man, had achieved high repu-
taton for the neaness and precision OF his surgical
operations. l am not violating any confidence by
adding that the Fathers themselves are ashamed or
the al Characters OF their converts In this part
OF The world Christian means drunkard, "a liar
ana q cheat. I'll Mussulnan touches his Forehead
says 10 rdssee ana tells me anything, said one OF
the Fathers, the other day. IL believe him; but II
Christian, seeing me doubt a statement, begins To
swear To It's truth, stop him and say don't swear,
my Irend when you oiier 10 fake an oath l
know you are telling lalsehood.'" Such is the
Eastern CHRISTIAN character as displayed by ITS
friends. Who can wonder that the Moslem cannot
be converted to The religion of the cross
"a MEDICAL STU
The Turkish government have just sent here an
English physician, Ut the request OF the Pacna, Tor
the general good OF the city. People will have TO pay
the government But 1t is something III this country
TO be able 10 obtain the services OF frank phys
can even foT payment, it Is curious to see how
can medical missionaries found great difficulty In
Inducing Tie Mussalmans TO take tner prescriptions
Now. the people place no confidence in their own
''hakeemsn or physicians, but have unbounded con-
fdence In European medicine The Dominican Mis-
sion have Tor many years Kept dispensayy and the
doctor is gong attend there TO give advice to
the very poor. The general report, however, Is that
the doctor VIII have to spend most OF his time in
attending the Pacha, who drinks u great deal more
arraok than Is good Tor him, and Is otherwise I'M
prudent.
have still one more item Of news to send from
MoSui-a trans alton Of the English Bible Is be-
ing made here me translator Is the English consul,
Mr.. Rassam, brother Of the ADyssnan captive
Consul Rassan. THIS gentleman is perhaps the
most learned and profound among living Arabic
scholars. Nearly all his lie lie has been III the en-
poy OF the British government as an agent among
the Bedaween, and he speaks nuently each OF the
eight diaets Of the DESERT few years ago Mr.. Ras
sam, opening Hebrew Bible was astonlshed TO md
that though he scarce knew anything OF Hebrew
except the character in which 1t was written, he
~ AZ "a MI e hn tun ~
He in short at once recognized the Hebrew OF Gen
ess as almost exactly the same dialect OF Arabic.
now spoken by The Bedaween who rodIn over the
desert ia the Immediate nelghborhood or Mount
SlnaA. HIS surprise may be imagined But the most
startling part oil the story ~ mat nearly all the pas
sages Mmch nave perpieXed European Hebraists
present no difficulty whatever 10 Mr.. Rassam--such
passage for instance, as that about the sons OF
GOD taxing unto themselves wives from among the
daughters of men. lie denies, among other things,
thai the prophecy reads "a virgin shall cOncelvcu
He contends that the natural meaning or the
woman" Mr. Rassam is now in treaty
with London publishing hrm to bring
appears We may have over again second "Co.
lenso sensation. Ii Mr.. Rassams story be literally
true-if tle Bedaween about Mount Sinai really
speak pure and undenled Bible Hebrew-the whole |
matter Can be readily proved.
A PLEASANT HOME.
Mr. Ressam's house, by the way, Is by FAR the |
most Imposing in Mosul, and as beautiful specimen
OF Saracen domestic architecture, Is worth Visit.
IL has history, too, which illustrates strikingy
what law and government were there only thirty |
years ago. IL then built by the richest mercha ut
OF Mos4l. This mans wealth excited the envy and |
malice OF the tAen relgning Pacha, who very coolly
sent his soldiers 10 arrest the fortunate trader on
charge OF treason. The vic5ims sole real offence |
was ms riches: but he put TO death and all his
personal property con6scated. His heirs, when the |
Pacha died, regaiDed possession OF the house and |
sold it 10 Mr.. Rassam for $4,000. Its original cost
was 500 0OO enormous sum In this country, where
stoGe and labor and carving are very cheap.
NINEvEH.
Every one who comes here visits the remains OF
Nlheven There are three places where antiquities
nave been found--the mound opposite Mosul, close
10 the village OF Nineve where NJ. BOtta lrst made
excavations; the mound OF Tell Nimroud, where Mr.
LaydTo found the marbles now in The London British
museum, and the mounds at KhOrsabad, where NJ
Botta feapeu SO rich harvest thanks TO the libe-
RAINY q the French government. The first is
Bill pierced WIN passages and holes, through
which one can walk, but there is nothing to be seen
except PLAIN stone walls, with arrow-headed cune
form Inscriptions. The second, Mr.. Layard, with
prudent forcihought, closed up 80 thai tie remain
Ing marbles might not be defaced by the action Of
the weather or the barDarism OF European travellers.
Nothing Is TO be seen there either. But the third
still repay traveller for his jour
ney snail briefly give an account trip To these
mounds from which have just returned.