Los Angeles herald., 1909-12-11
SYRIAN LIFE IS
WELL PORTRAYED
FORTY CHARACTERS GIVEN IN
COSTUME
Orient Stands Still, While America
Progresses, Is Statement of
Noted Lecturer from
Syria

p. A. Behannesey, a Syrian lecturer,
portrayed the life. manners customs
and relations of the different races Of
the Turkish Empire last night before
a large audience composed of MEM
bers of the Baptist churches of Los
Angeles in the Temple Auditorium.
Forty living characters attired in diff
ferent costumes of SYRIA and the east
and rejecting all the colors of the
rainbow, illustrated Behanneseys lee
ture. The characters represented were
the feudal nobility of the Orient, an
Oriental bride and groom, the bowling
Turkish dervish, Syrian Ameer, Egyp-
tian water carriers, Turkish farmers,
Arabian, Armenian, Syrian, Turkish,
Kurdish, Jewish and Maronitish men
and women.
In his lecture Behannesey touched
on many of the interesting features of
life in the Orient and Of the early his
tory of the eastern countries which
We're once representative of the cul-
ture and learning of the world, but
who are now comparatively just awak-
ening from a slumber that spans
period of 2000 years. The Syrian point
ed out in particular the peculiar fact
that the costumes of those countries
have in centuries practically under
gone no change while in America the
styles change every season. "A Syrian
woman said Mr.. Behannesey, re
ceVes twenty silk dresses on her we'd
ding day as a present from her hus-
band, but after their marriage these
dresses must las her almost a life
time"
Tribute to Turks
The lecturer paid a glowing tribute
to the young Turks and claimed as a
race they We're grossly misrepresented
1T was Abdul Hamtd and his reign
that We're to blame for the outrages
committed on the Armenians," said.
Behannesey.
Miss Rahme Haider. young Syrian
missionary, spoke on the religion of
Syria and her advancement toward
Christianity. Miss Haider stated that
the Hebrews were descendants Of the
Syrians and that Christ in reality was
a Syrian.
The lecture and entertainment was
given under the auspices of the South
ern California board of the Woman's
American Baptist Home Mission
society.
The proceeds will go toward the sup-
port of the Los Angeles Syrian mission
at 335 Bouchet street, on the east side
of the city. where more than 1000 Syr-
ians reside. The mission with its
Haider. herself a Syrian and a Chris
tian missionary for the Baptist church.
Dressed as Syrians
Mrs. ]. G. A. Henry chairman of the
Southern California board of the Wo-
mans American Baptist Home Mis-
sion society, was director of the lee
ture. The young men and women.
members of the Baptist churches of
the city who took part in the enter
tainment dressed as Syrians, were Miss
l.. Cox, Turkish mother-in-law; Mira
Shallenburger Turkish wife; Trula
Lady, Druse sheperdess; Eva Hosfer.
Mohammedan woman; VIII Hall, shek
of Islam: Dean Wadsworth, Lebanon
soldier: Alice Woodruff, Egyptian wa
ter carrier; It. II. Leavelle, Turkish
bridegroom: II. L. Healey. Galilean
shepherds; L. L. Jones, Egyptian bride;
Elias a. Shedowdy, Isace; Jennie
Wadsworth. Sarah" DR.. c. A.
Swall, Arab shepherd Grace Woolsey,
Arab shepherddess; w. w. Clapp, Arab
chief A. Buruss, ruth. the Moabi-
tess" j. ". Leebert, Turkish king.
and DR.. A. p. Graves who is so years
old. took the part of a patriarchal
cheftaip.