The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1871-12-10

The christian Revival in Syria.
During tina last three years very sim
gular movement towards Christianity has
been going on among the Moslems Of Syria.
According tos1 writer In the London Tablet,
ire movement commenced at the close OF
1868 with certain of the Shadili-Safs or
Mystics-esoterics from Ell Islam, settled In
the vicinity OF Damascus. In the Maydan
suburb Of that city resided one Abd-el-
Karin Hatar, leader Of the sect In ques-
ton, who was wont to assemble his dis
cipIes around him to the number of sixty
or seventy, and to "spend days and nights
in praying for enlightenment before the
Throne of Grace" The strising result OF
scribed by the writer in tho Tablet, to whom
We refer:
Presently, after persevering in this new
path, some Of them began to be agitated by
doubts and disbelief; the religion did not
tor. They becams uncertain, disauieted, un-
determined, yet unable, for fear of being be-
trayed. to declare even one to another the
thought which tormented them. Two years
had been spent In this anxious unhappy state,
each thinking himself the only one thus sub
ject to the tortures Of conacience. Al length
they were assured by q vision that it was the
Yet such was their dread Of treachery that
none could trust his secret with his neighbor
till they had sounded sne another, and had
found that the same idea was nppermost in
every mind. One night about forty Of them,
headed by Abd-el-Karim Matar, met for their
| usual prayers, and, after prolonged devotional
| acts, all fell asleep, and our Lord was pleased
to appear to each one separately. They woke
one, taking courage, recounted his vision to
| the others, when each responded, I also saw
him9 Christ had SO consoled, comforted and
exhorted them to follow His faith, and they
were 40 filed with q joy they had never known,
that they were hardly dissuaded from running
about the streets, to proclaim that Christ is
God, but they were admonished that they
| would only be slaughtered, and rob the city of
AL hope of entering the same fold. They
wanted guide, director and friend, who
would assist their lettering steps in the !, new
mercifully to provide them with the object OF
their desire. One night, after meeting fol-
acts Of devotion, as before mentioned, sleep
Christian church, whore an old man With a
long white beard, dressed in q coarse brewn
serge garment, and holding o lighted taper,
alided before them, and, smiling GenignantttiEy
truth follow me- On awaking, each told his
dream to the other. and they agreed to occupy
themselves in seeking the person who had aP
| the city and its environs for period of three
months, during which they continued to pray
One day it so happened that one of the new
chance the Monastery Of the Rev. Fathers O
| the Terra Santa, near Bah Tuna, the north
eastern gate of Damascus. What was his as
tonish ment to see in the superior, Fra Emanus e.
Former, the parsonage who had appeared u
him in his dream"
They all desired to be baptized and in
structed in the doctrines of Christianity
After some precautionary delay, Fra En-
anuel Forner complied with their request
The forty were received into the Church
- ia bod sVnr o0d a
two hundred and fifty converts, who hell
regular prayer-ineetings in each other
houses, which in due time did not fail t
attract the attention of their Moslem neigh
bors. The ulemas of Damascus wer
thrown into q state of the utmost conster
!. the town-house of the Algerine emir, ADD
el-Kader, at which a resolution was passe
, pronouncing sentence of death against tn
, converts. Fourteen of them were cast int
, prison by order of Rashed Pacha, wher
, they remained for three months, when, o
( the solicitation of the Russian consul, NJ
, Maccuf, they were temporarily released
Twelve of them were subsequently rear
rested ard transported to the dungeons c
, Hanak Kalessi, the Dardanelles fortress
3 their wives and children being left in
, starving condition at Damascus. Finally
they were landed on the coast of BarbarJ
and banished to the distant interior settle
, ment of Moorzook. But these severitie
+ have by no means, as it appears from tn
2 statements of the Tablet, suppressed til
= movement they were designed to crush.
a ia affirmed that there are now five thousan
= neophyt ties in Damascus alone.
q When it becomes necessary for families
have their furniture repaired and retted they ofte
experience great difficulty in finding competent pc
culty also arises when they wish have pictures
framsd In shG s dop pe