The community in Aleppo has long existed in its present relation to the pope. But the Syrian-Catholics of Damascus and of Râsheiya in Jebel esh-Sheikh, are recent converts. Except in these places, there are not known to be any other communities of this sect among the people of Syria. In Mount Lebanon, however, there are two or three small convents inhabited by Syrian-Catholic monks.

ARMENIANS.

The Armenians in Syria are properly to be regarded as foreigners. Yet they have been there so long, that the country has become their home; and they must not be overlooked in speaking of the native Christian sects. They are found only as merchants and mechanics in cities and large towns; and nowhere as cultivators of the soil. Their character, religious, intellectual, and national, is the same as elsewhere, and need not be described. Their number is very small.

Their ecclesiastical establishment is distinct from that of Constantinople. At their head is a patriarch, who is styled "Patriarch of Jerusalem," and whose diocese embraces also Egypt.'

ARMENIAN-CATHOLICS.

These are seceders from the Armenians to the papal church; as the Greek-Catholics are from the Greek church. Like them, too, the Armenian-Catholics still adhere to the oriental rite, and have changed few of their original ceremonies or dogmas. They are few in number; but have their patriarch, who resides in a convent at Bzummâr, on Mount Lebanon.2 It is worthy of remark, that this patriarchate existed

pa

1) See more respecting this triarch in Smith and Dwight's Researches in Armenia, I. pp. 40, 62.

2) See Burckhardt's Travels in Syria, etc. p. 186.

here under the protection of the government of this mountain, long before the sect was acknowledged and had its patriarch at Constantinople.

LATINS.

Native Roman Catholics, of the occidental rite, are very few in Syria. They exist only in connection with the convents of the Terra Santa at Jerusalem, Bethlehem, St. John in the Desert, Nazareth, and perhaps a few other places. They are ecclesiastically dependent on the convents, and form parishes under the immediate charge of the monks. Their language is Arabic, like that of all the other native inhabitants of the country.

There are also Latins at Aleppo; but whether of native or foreign descent, was not known.

CONVENTS.

Convents of native monks are very rare in Syria, except in the district of Mount Lebanon. Besides the Jacobite convent at Mâr Mûsa near Nebk, and the Greek convents of Saidanâya, and of Mâr Jirjis north of Tripolis, there is hardly another known to be inhabited by natives. All the convents in and around Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Ramleh, Yâfa, and in other cities, whether Greek, Armenian, or Latin, belong entirely to foreigners, and are occupied by them.

But while such is the case with the other parts of Syria, one of the most remarkable features of Mount Lebanon, is its multitude of convents. They are seen perched upon its rocks and scattered over its sides in every direction; even a glance at the map is sufficient to excite astonishment. While monasticism has declined, and almost gone out of date, in so many other countries; it continues here to flourish in its

pristine vigour, if not in its pristine spirit. The numerous convents are many of them small establishments; but they are well filled with monks, and abundantly endowed. There are also convents of nuns. The greatest number belong to the Maronites ;' but all the other sects above mentioned, excepting the Jacobites, have each at least one convent, and most of them several.

PROTESTANTS.

Protestants do not exist in Syria as a native sect, nor in any other part of the Turkish empire; nor are they, as such, tolerated. The government recognises and tolerates certain known sects of Christians; and the members of these, are allowed to transfer their relations from one sect to another, whenever they may choose. But Protestants are not among these sects; and therefore no one is legally allowed to profess Protestantism. It is by the operation of this principle of the Turkish government, and by this alone, that the rise of Protestantism in Syria is checked. Very many persons, from time to time, show a strong disposition to throw off the domination of their priests, and claim their right to the liberty of the Gospel. Probably at one time, (A. D. 1839,) nearly the whole nation of the Druzes would have declared themselves Protestants, and put themselves under Protestant instruction, could they have had secured to them, in that profession, the same rights as are enjoyed by the other Christian sects.

That England, while she has so deep a political interest in all that concerns the Turkish empire, should remain indifferent to this state of things in

1) The Maronite convent of Kanobin is said to have been built by Theodosius the Great, and was al

ready the seat of the patriarch before A. D. 1445. See Le Quien Oriens Chr. III. p. 63.

Syria, is a matter of surprise.' France has long been the acknowledged protector of the Roman Catholic religion, in the same empire; and the followers of that faith find in her a watchful and efficient patron; quite as efficient since the revolution of July, as before. The consequence is, that wherever there are Roman Catholics, France has interested partisans ; and were she to land troops in Syria to-morrow, every Roman Catholic would receive them with open arms, including the whole Maronite nation, now armed and powerful. In the members of the Greek church, still more numerous, but not now armed, the Russians have even warmer partisans. In Syria, the famed power of Russia is their boast; and though this feeling is carefully concealed from the Muslims, and would not be expressed to an Englishman, it often amounts almost to enthusiasm. Hence, wherever Russia sends her agents, they find confidential friends and informants; and were she to invade the country, thousands would give her troops a hearty welcome.

But where are England's partisans in any part of Turkey? Not a single sect, be it ever so small, looks to her as its natural guardian. Her wealth and her power are indeed admired; her citizens, wherever they travel, are respected; and the native Christians of every sect, when groaning under oppression, would welcome a government established by her, as a relief. Yet in this, they would not be drawn by any positive attachment, but forced by a desire to escape from suffering. England has no party in Syria bound to her by any direct tie.

Far different would be the case, did there exist in Syria a sect of Protestant Christians. There is no

1) The following remarks were first penned in A. D. 1839; but I do not perceive that the recent revoVOL. III.

lution and reversion of Syria to the immediate authority of the Sultan, detract at all from their force.

59

other Protestant power to whom such a sect could look for protection, nor would they wish to look elsewhere; for England's protection, whenever granted, is known to be more efficient than any other. To secure the existence of such a sect, the English government needs to take but a single step, and that unattended by difficulty or danger. It needs simply to obtain, for native Protestants, the same acknowledgment and rights, that are granted to other acknowledged Christian sects. Such a request, earnestly made, the Turkish government could not refuse. And were it done, but few years would probably elapse, before many in Syria would bear the Protestant name; and, it is hoped, would also be sincere and cordial adherents of the Protestant faith.

II. MUHAMMEDANS AND OTHER SECTS.

I add here merely the names of the other religious sects in Palestine and Western Syria, not Christians.

The Muhammedans, who constitute the lords of the country and the mass of the population, are Sunnites of the orthodox faith, and require no description.

The Metâwileh (Sing. Mutawâly) have their chief seat in the district Belâd Beshârah, and the vicinity, and have been already noticed. They are of the sect of 'Aly, and their faith is kindred to that of the Shiites (Shi'ah), the Muhammedans of Persia; but they are here regarded as heretics.'

The Druzes (ed-Derûz, Sing. ed-Derazy) are at home upon Mount Lebanon; but dwell also as far south as the district of el-Jebel west of Safed, in some parts of Haurân, and around Damascus. They were formerly masters of the country of Mount Leba

1) Sale's Koran, Prelim. Disc. c. VIII. Niebuhr Reisebeschr. II. p. 270, seq. 426, seq. Volney Voy

age II. p. 77, seq. Paris 1787. See above, pp. 373, 374, 376.