Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1888-10-19
SEMI WEEKLY WORLD.
a sYRiAN.s STORY.
Thrilling Narrative of n Terrible Massacr
of Christians in Damascus.

thrilling Narrative of Terrible Massacre
of Christians in Damascus.
A gentleman Of medium height and
slender built, with black hair and dark
complexion. appeared before small
audience in the chapel of the Woodland
Avenue Presbyterian Church not long
ago. TWAS understood that he was to
make a missionary address, but he sur
prised his hearers with something re-
freshingly dflerentfrom the stereotyped
missionary dissertation. As an ex-
ample OF concisenes and good English
the effort should have been heard by
many ministers. The speaker was Mr.
Mulfanna f. Barakat, Of Syria, now a
student at Auburn Theological Semi
nary. lie took AZ his text the words of
God to Saul. fund in the ninth chapter
,f.Acts; saul! SAUL why persecutest
thou mc?"
The speaker said that Syria is oc-
cupied by two classes, the proper resi-
dents, who are descendants OF the
Phnaicinns, and who are descended
from the time OF the apostles. The
Others arr the Mohanmcdans, the inn
ported nlab tanls The capital OF the
cinlgtry Is Damascus, city OF 1000
inhsb ,ants. l20,U0 of whom are
Mnhmmcdans. who persecute the
Chrisiilns. Approaching Damascus,
one sots An open space which will be
pointed out to the visitor as the very
spot where Saul heard the voice:
''sSaui, saul, why persecutest thou mop
III street mentioned IN the Acts as the
rect called straight IL not straight,
and the Acts il careful 20 explain that
II Is merely called Straight. Mr. Null
hanna lived in Damascus near this
street. lie referred frequently and
with bitter emphasis to the Mohamme-
dams who conquered the country and
subjected To tho sword all who refused to
accept their religion The very same
Islam means 10 conquer. The belief
O: the Mohammedans ia that God
il Just TO punish other nations,
while His m frey IL extended to-
ward the Mohamm ,daas. They de-
clare that ut the iay oi Judgment the
people will be gathered bs nations. the
thr stians headed by Christ the Islam.
itrs by Mohammcd, and So on. Each
ma lon lal by is prophet will be re-
m.nlfel to walk narrow way like the
edge of sword. Thus in single lile
they Will b. walking toward Heaven.
whea suddenly there VIII come CRY
from Heaven aud all will tumble down
a. hali Another seet will try II and
mort the same fate. Finally only the
Mohammedans viii remain and they,
conducted by Mohampcd. will hear %
voice from Ieaycn ersing; "A sinful
nation but mereiful God. welcomed
1heif heayrn II DO a large garden
with fruits. Their angels viii be wait
ers 70 serge them with roast beef and
all ltisurics.
The niost thrilling part Of the ed lress
was tie Syrian 4 jry Of the terrible
nsass ere IN Damascus twenty.six years
awu H. said; Conc evening my father
r Turned home earlier than usnal and
We children heard hin talking seriously
with mother about danger OF an out
1r,mk tnong the NJ ,liammedans. Ncxt
morning NV broth aud |, then small
boys. wont 70 school ~ usual. Soon
WI heard screaming, Nnd the teachers
ran away. Wa emerged from tho
school building o. $50 the houses in
flames. The women whose husbands
sons aud brothers bad becn murdered
by the Mohammelans had taken refuge
Ia iiouso and we ran IN among them,
III "a the mob burned the sehool-hause.
We iinaily made Hn elf0rt TO reach
hnniu bat we ionnd the baiidu Is on
the str iet ealleh Straight through
which wa hiti 10 pass. on tire. and we
rouid not grt iron IA Back Of us was
tbs NOS. in front of az the fire A
HoAmm sdan found us crying aud
babe as follow him Many Moham
l.
houses and murdered them. We eN.
pHeted the same fata and refused Ia
20 Then aaothog Mphemmedan lifted
an axe dripping with blood over as as
fta Kill rs. and We ran to the FIRST.
mentioned Mohammedau, for we saw
he bad no weapon. no proved g. be y
kind man and kept us concealed nine
LAYS. cur parents aud sisters had
taken refuge In the castle, and ! can
not describe the scene when our mother
learned that her boys wsre alive aud
when The family Was again united for
the first time after tho massacre. It was
proved 10 be the last time Nv father
was ont 10 get food for the children
and was never s1a'n seen alive. My
mother frantieally searched for him
She asked man II he had seen my
father. His oniy reply was TO show 4
blood stained weapon My mother
understood then She never recovered
from tho shock Fhrn my sister. hay,
ny no one TO care for her. died The
others OF Us finally sought safety in
Alcxandria. and there again We wer,
compelled 10 pass through another ter
fiBlu massacre Of Christians by Mo.
bammHlsns We .led g. Amhr RIGA, the
anl Of the free, whore we arrived fout
years ago Cispe q sd Pun Deaier.