The morning call., 1894-01-17
AN ANCIENT LANDMARK.

The story of the destruction of the great
mosque at Damascus requires confirma-
ton. 1t seems almost incredible that the
Turkish authorities should have sup
| pressed information of an event of such
Importance, especially as it was sure
to transpire through the Europeans who
live at Damascus. But the accident may
have occurred. and if it has. it will figure
10 history as a momentous event.
No city in the world has such a history
Damascus. Whether it is, as the guide
books say, the nest ancient city in the
world, or whether it was antedated by
Thebes, or some of the old cities of Egypt,
1t Is OF very ancient date; it was a flourish
ing city when Abraham viewed it from the
hills on his pilgrimage from Mesopotamia,
aud it turns up ut intervals all through the
history of the Jews. 1t was the greatest
city of Western Asia in the time Of Naa-
man. the Syrian. and it still maintained its
RANK at the time of the Roman invasion of
Syria. 1t figures largely in the history of
the Crusades. and after a long period Of
peace it played part in the wars between
Egypt and Turkey. All this time it was
the chief seat of the manufacture of Asiatic
silks. woods. cottons and steel. All over
the world queens reposed their limbs on
rugs of Damascus wool, and warriors car
ried into battle Damascus blades.
OF this very building, which is said to
have been burned, the origin is lost in the
night of time. 1t has been supposed to be
Identical with the temple of Rimmon,
where Naaman, the leper. worshiped
Baal and Moloch. 1t may have been
hoary with age in the time of Elisha. 1t
was one Of the earliest temples of Asia
where Christian services were held, and
also one of the earliest seats of the re-
ligion of Mohammed. Until sixty years ago
no Christian or Jew was allowed to set
foot in the building under penalty of
death. though under the chief dome was q
grave in which the head of John the Bap-
tist was said to repose. Like the graves
Of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob at Hebron.
the presence of the remains of the evan
gelist at Damascus involved a strain upon
the faith of so orthodox a believer as
Dean Stanley; but the East is full of such
memorials of the dead, which the pious
| accept without inquiry.
The future of Damascus will depend in
large part upon the removal of Turkish
fanaticiSm by education. 10 1860 the Mos
lens rose, burned the Christian quarter
and nearly eXieTminaied the Christian
population. The massacre went on for
three days, and it is said that 5000 people
of both sexes and all ages perished This
| atTocious event, it must be remem bered,
took place in the year of Liucoln'S cleo
tiOn. OF those who escaped most of the
Jews and Christians moved to Beyrut or
Egypt. OF course, city which is liable TO
such outbreaks cannot attract capital or
attain abiding prosperity. Times are
changing, however. There is now good
road from Beyrut to Damascus. and a rail-
road from Joppa to Jerusalem. A heavy
force of Turkish regulars is stationed in
the castle. and however inefficient the
| Government may be, it is ruthless in sup
pressing disorder. Damascus would have
a future if it were inhabited by the right
| kind of people. 1t is the natural outlet of
! the vast desert which spreads through the
! ancient MesopOtamIa and Persia to the
| borders of AfghsDistan; and though this
region is in the main desert, it contains
many fertile spots, and is inhabited by
tribes Of laborious and industrious men.
| What they need they can get better from
| Damascus than from anywhere else; it is
| the natural market for their wool and
their goats hair and their raw silk. 1t is
said to have the finest climate in the world.
No one. saws the prOverb, who eau live at
| Damascus ever wants TO 90 elseWhera