The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-07-22
William Jennings Bryan Among the Lebanons
BY VILLAIN Jennings Bryan

known as the house of Naanan the
leper, is now very appropriately used
for a lepers' home. There is no Gn-
certainty about the river ALBANIA, and
another river near Damascus is known
as Pharpar. An ancient wall sur
rounds the city, and one Of the largest
mosques in the world occupied ground
first dedicated to heather temple and
afterward to the Church of st. John
the Baptist, erected by Arcadius, the
son of Theodosius
The big-tailed sheep described by
Herodotus is TO be found on the streets
of Damascus. 1t is a peculiar breed,
and the tail, which is considered a
great delicacy is often so heavy as to-
seem a burden to the sheep. 1t is
broad, covered with wool. and some-
times ends in a curl. We also saw
here the long-eared goats, as curious
looking in their way as the sheep.
And what shall we say of the Da-
mascus dog? He is to be found every
where and has no owner. We counted
eighteen in one group and 22S in one
forenoon's ride They live on charity
and fight Whenever an opportunity Of
fers. 1t seems to be against the law
of the sultan to kill dogs, as one learns
to his regret after he has heard thenr
braking at all hours OF the night. IL
is superfiuous to add that the flea is aS
common as the dog, and as Indifferent
also to the peace of the stranger.
A new railroad which is buildinG
from Damascus to the south will SOON
make it possible to go to Galilee in al
few hours but now il is more con-.
venient to- return to Beyrout and GOD
to Haifa by boat. This we did, andi
having a couple of days at Beyrouti
we learned something of the religiousi
work done there.
In the division Of territory the Pres
byterians of America were, in 1870, ash
signed the country around BeyrOut.l
The district is divided into the Bey-
ToUt, Lebanon Sidon and Tripoli sta
lions, and at all of these stations
schools as well as churches are beings
established. So successful has the works
been that the native communities now
contribute half a dollar for every dol
lar sent from America. There is also
an American press at BeyrOut which
publishes the Bible in Arabic, some So
900 copies being issued last year, in
addition to religious tracts of various
! kinds One of the leaders in the mis-
| sionary movement, Rev. II. II. Jessup,
! has completed his fiftieth year Of ser.
ice among the Syrians.
! The Syrian Protestant college is also
! located at BeyrOut, and occupies a
| beautiful site overlooking the sea and
| in sight of the highest peak Of tho,
LebanOns. While Christian in manage
| ment, this college is not denominations
al, but is under the control of an
American board representing a num-
Der of churches. Between 600 and 700
young men are in attendance, and it's
| graduates are scattered throughout the
world. Within it's halls are to be found
PrOtestants, Catholics (both Greek
and Roman), Armenians Jews and
/ Mohammedans, and its influences in
these parts can scarcely be overesti-
mated.
The present president of the college,
| DR.. Howard s. Bliss, is the worthy son
of the colleges first president DE- DAN
iel Bliss whose religious and educa-
tional work in this territory covers
more than half a century. The elder
| Bliss, now past SO, and his wife, are
enjoying an enViable experience. Their
active labOrs over with minds still
alert and with hearts still young. they
are spending the evening of their lives
near the scenes of their labOrs AMI
among the children and grandchildren
| who have blessed their home Their
rest has been earned and the peace OF
| their latter years is a meTited reward.
Surely they illustrate the blessedness
of lives cOnsecrated to a high purpose
and rich in noble service
Copyright. 1896 by Joseph B. Bowles.
Copyright in Great Britain. All rights
reserved.)