382 CHRISTIAN SECTS 



SO far as relates to the teachings of Christ, appears to be 

 plain and simple, and I have studied it much. But is 

 it so? I go into one of your most sacred temples, the 

 Church of the Holy Sepulchre, to search for the simple 

 truths I find in the Gospels, and what do I see i One 

 altar erected in one section of the edifice by the Arme- 

 nians, another in another section by the Greeks, a third 

 in a third section by the Copts ; again one by the Roman 

 Catholics. No priest or communicant of any one of these 

 sects will religiously mix with one of any other ; and at 

 Easter, the most holy day for all for them, I see the theo- 

 logical rivalry of these several sects at so white a heat 

 that the Government is compelled to put a company or 

 two of Turkish troops — Mohammedans — within the por- 

 tals of this Christian church to prevent bloodshed on the 

 very steps of the altar. This leads me to think, not that 

 the Christ was wanting in the true spirit of prophecy, but 

 that His followers have lost touch with His true teach- 

 ings ; it leads me to think that true Christianity had dis- 

 appeared in the maze of doctrinal rivalry. And when 

 again I contemplate the fact that half of the Christian 

 world has seceded from the mother- church — I refer to 

 the Protestants — that this seceding half is divided into 

 yet more sects, all differing in many points of belief — 

 well," he continued, with a smile, " I am reconciled to our 

 one undisputed belief, which seems to suit both the lowly 

 and those who think— at least, as well as what the Chris- 

 tians of to-day can teach us." What Avas there for me to 

 say? He had covered the ground completely. I had no 

 answer. 



There is not much in Syria proper which distinguishes 

 it from Palestine, but the farther north you go the far- 

 ther you get away from the perfect ty])e of horse ; the 

 farther east you go the more you lose the stanchness 



