The Massacres in Syria Author:Unknown Author Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: they now retain their old Balbet territories, angmented in numbers, and with as much fanatical bravery as they exhibited in their most powerful days. They are in... more » alliance with the Druses, and regard the Maronites with great bitterness. THE ANSAEIANS. I.—Religious Divisions. This sect is a very ancient one, and is considered by some anthorities to be identical with the ancient religions tribe of Satenians, or Assassins, by whom the Crusaders were secretly opposed. They are likewise knowu as Nasarians, and sometimes as Ensyrians. They dwell among high mountain chains in the pashalik of Tripoli, and are divided into castes or classes, known by different manifestations of idolatrous faith ; firstly, the Shamsia, or fire-worshippers, said to adore the Sun ; secondly, the Kdbia, or worshippers of the Dog ; and thirdly, the Kadmousia, who practise obscene rites, and are believed to have some ceremonies resembling the ancient Gnostic mysteries, which are not to be mentioned at all. The origin of these Ansarians, or Assassins, is given as follows in the " Bibliothèque Orientale," on the anthority of Assemani. ?.—Story Of Nasar. "In the year of the Greeks 1202 (a.d. 891) there lived at the village of Nasar, in the environs of Kousa, an old man, who, from his fastings, his continual prayers, and his poverty, passed for a saint. Several of the common people declaring themselves his partisans, he selected from among them twelve disciples, to propagate his doctrine. But the commandant of the place, alarmed at his proceedings, seized the old man, and confined him in prison. In this reverse of fortune, his situation excited the pity of a girl who was a slave to the jailer ; she determined to give him his liberty ; aad an opportunity was offered to effect her design. One day, when t...« less