44 HOEMUZD KASSAM, ESQ., ON BIBLICAL LAKDS, THEIR 



In the first place I have to remark that, as is tlie case all 

 •over Asiatic Turkey, nine-tenths of the population of those 

 •countries are Mohammedan, and the remainder are a mixture 

 of Christians and semi-Gentile sects, as the Yezeedees, 

 commonly nicknamed "devil worshippers," Shabbaks, and 

 Sabeans, who are also styled Christians of St. John. The first 

 of these are found in Assyria, Northern Mesopotamia, Coor- 

 distan, Russia, and Persia. Doul.)tless these people are 

 descended from the ancient Assyrians, but having been 

 under the yoke of Islam for the last thirteen centuries, 

 and in close connexion Avith Mohammedans and Christians, 

 they have adopted some tenets of both. They profess 

 to believe in Christ as well as Mohammed, and they prac- 

 tise baptism, but circumcision is optional with them. 

 Though they believe and adore the God of revelation, 

 they pay great honour and veneration to Satan, who they 

 declare will one day be restored to his original status as the 

 chief of all angels. On this account they think it wrong to 

 abuse him, and say, " woe betide those who utter a word 

 against him, for they would be punished by him at the end 

 of time for their hatred of him ! " 



The Shabbaks are found both in Assyria and Northern 

 Mesopotamia, and are more like Moslems than any semi- 

 pagan sect. Indeed those who have not mixed with them 

 much would never think that they are not Mohammedans. 

 Though I myself ^vas intimately connected Avitli them for 

 some time during my explorations in Assyria, I did not know 

 that they were not Moslems until I became very intimate 

 with two of their elders. I found that they believed in 

 Christ and in His Divinity, but dare not make such an 

 avowal before a Moslem. They adore the blessed virgin 

 almost as much as the oriental Christians and Roman 

 Catholics, and call her the " Mother of God." None of their 

 child)-en are initiated into the mysteries of their religion 

 until they pass the age of puberty. 



The Sabeans, mentioned in Job, Isaiah, Ezekiel, and Joel, 

 •as !^511i7 Sheba, and variably styled in modern time as 

 " Christians of St. John " and " Mendeans," from Mendai 

 Djalie, who was, as it is alleged, a disciple of St. John the 

 Baptist, are found in Southern Babylonia and the districts of 

 imcient Susiana. They are no doubt descendants of the 

 ancient Babylonians, and were originally of the same 

 'nationality as the Sabeans Avho inhabited the province of 

 ■Orfa, the ancient Edessa and Haran in Northern Mesopo- 



