Conversation Of Phares With The Bishop Of Beyroot


After Galeb had gone, we put a great many questions to Phares, and he

communicated some interesting particulars. Among others was the

following:



"The day that Asaad and myself left you, (the 17th,) the bishop of

Beyroot was at the next house, and I went to salute him.



"He said to me, 'I understand you have become English, too. You

reason on the subject of religion.'



"But," said I, "is every one English, if he reasons on that subject?"



Bishop.--"But you read in the Bibles of the English."



Phares.--"Yes, and from whom is the Bible? is it from the English, or

from God?"



B.--"But it is printed by the English."



P.--"Well, is it altered in any place?"



B.--"See, now you have begun again to argue on the subject of

religion. I tell you, young man, cease this heretical habit, or you are

excommunicated."



Phares informed us of three or four Bibles and New Testaments, that we

had given at different times to individuals in Hadet, which had lately

been destroyed by order of the bishop. This news, together with a

discovery we yesterday made in the neighbouring house, of two covers of

the New Testament, whose contents had long ago been torn out, shews us

anew, if new evidence were wanting, that if the Gospel is ever

introduced again in its power and purity into this country, it will be

with a desperate struggle.



Two brothers of Phares, Mansoor and Galeb, came to converse with him

anew. We saw them seated together on the ground, at a little distance

from the house, but afterwards saw them no more. It is singular that

Phares should have left without coming either to take his cloak, or bid

us farewell.[J]



28. Having heard nothing particular directly from Asaad since he left,

especially since the affair of the books, I yesterday sent him a line,

and to-day received the following reply:



More

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