Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-10-31
PROFEssoR ARBEELY.
A Learned Christian Syrian and
His Family Kmigrats to Ten
nessee.
Nov They Escaped During the
: Massacre AT Dahiaseui-AV
Chrisliau Under Turk
ish Rule.

Nov They Escaped During the
: j Massacre az Dahiaseus4AV /
Christian Under Turk
ish Rule.
Fb
oearier-Journsl. o.
The Courier ournal Office at the
Exposition had the pleasure last Fri
day otya visit from Prof Joseph A, |
Arbeely' and three sons. the larger |
portion Of
A SYRIAN FAMILY,
who recently came to this country and
settled at Maryville Blount county,
Tenn. The Professor is man of ad- |
vanesd years, earnest and cheerful by
turns, very learned man in all that
constitutes a Ohrislian scholar, He
was originally OF the Orthodox Greek
Church OF Syria, attended college at
Damascus and graduating with the
very highest honors, accepted chair
in the college as Professor Of Greek
Theology. The doctrines of the
Greek church, by the way, correspond
with the Episcopal church Of this
country. In addition to this he was
the teacher of the Arabic language.
After filing this chair for FIVE years,
he was created Antioch Patriarch, the
title Of an office which gave him the /
superintendent Of the two principal
colleges at Damascus and Beyrut.
All OF this was thirty-fve years ago,
about which time Protestant mis-.
sionsries from England and America
began to go to Syria.
A VALUABLE ASSISTANT.
Professor Arbeely was the first
scholar who was willing to teach
these foreigners the Arabic language,
q knowledge Of which was necessary to
their communication with the people
among whom they wished to labor.
The people were ianatical in their OBJ
lection to foreign missionaries, and
Professor Arbeely was forced to i'm,
part instructed to them secretly at
night Every dithoulty was thrown 10
the way Of these missionaries by the
authorities to prevent them establish
ing their mission. For seven years
these difficulties were experienced,
the missionaries being unable to pur
chase or rent property for Protestant
worship About this time Professor
Arbeelg bought ground in his own
nance on which be permitted the
Pfotestants TO erect places Of worship
For this utilization With the foreigners
he Incurred the hostility Of the
church authorities, who threatened to
have him removed from his high
Office.
MAHoMET A FALSE PROPHET.
The Musselmen became bitterly
hostile to him because he preached
against Mahomet, declaring him to be
a false prophet; that he had stolen
many passages from the Scriptures
which he had embodied in the Ko.
ran as inspired words. All this was
made the more effective by being pubs
lished in pamphlet, appealing to the
Judgment Of the .believerin Mahomet.
From this state Of affairs the hostility
OF the Musselmen became strengthened
and finally eliminated in the
HORRIBLE MASSACRE AT DAMASCUS
in 1860, where 5000 Christians were
slaughtered During this massacre
they sought the life Of Professor Ar.
beely. A large party Of young Mus.
Selmen, armed with deadly weapons
sent by their superiors, surrounded his
house. Seeing the tate in store for
him it he delayed, the Professor hid
himself in secret room in the second
story OF his house, which he entered
through a small window and from
| which be saw the houses Of the Christ.
iaDs about him being destroyed by fire
while the bloody work az slaughter
was being carried on by the enraged
Mohammedans. His wife, fearing
that their residence would be destroy:
cd by fire, clothed him in woman's
garments to enable him to make his
escape, but unfortunately forgot to
put wOmans sandals on his feet.
After be had reached the street thus
| clothed Musselman boy drew atten.
ton to him, saying,
This is NOT A WOMAN,
he has boots upon his feet" Being
near street corner, the disguised
Professor hastily turned it and escaped
before the attention Of the crowd
could be directed to him, and thus
preserved his life from the bloodthirs
~ fanatics He went to a friends
house, where he discarded his disguise
and assumed Musselman's Rarb.
when he started for the residence Of
the English Consul, which was pro.
tected BY government troops. o. his
way be was recognised by several ia.
natics, but be distracted their atten
ton by scattering the contents Of his
purse IN the streets, and while the
crowd scrambled for the coins their
would be victim effected his escape
and was received in the ConsuI's
house. Frr D..
AFTER THE MASSACRE,
be and bis entire family removed 10
Beyrut, where he acted in the dual
capacity OF President TO tho chief in
situations Of learning in Beyrut and
Lebanon, assuming at the same time
the teaching Of Arabic and It's
branches in those colleges. While
here he was Of invaluable assistance
TO DR.. Vandyke in translatiog the
English Bible into pure, elegant and
grammatical Arabic. But Mohamme.
dan hatred is not creature OF the mo
ment, and time and again while at
Beyrut his life was threatened. and
events transpiring to make him be
lieve that another revolution and
massacre was probable, be began to
look about for a home where he and
his family could worship God accord
ing 10 the dictates Of their conscience
lie therefore looked n I
TO THE PAR OFF NEW WORLD.
the United States, where he felt lib
erty OF conscience and happiness could
be enjoyed. He corresponded with
prominent persons 10 thirteen States.
asking tor information as 10 soil. eli,
mate and all the conditions which
we're necessary 10 the well,beinQ Of
persons Of Syrian birth. Maryville
Tennessee, was the point selected upon
as being the most desirable, and. arm.
ed with the highest testimonials from
the patriarchs, foreign COnsuls and
MISSIONARIES, the Professor in 1873
landed in New York with his vile
neice and six sons, two of whom, DR.
Abraham j., and Fadlallah j., are
physicians. Kaleel j. lisa druggist.