ANTIOCH AND DAMASCUS.

65

8. The last of the caliphs was named Mostasem. He was so proud and vainglorious that he considered his subjects unworthy to behold his face. He therefore never appeared in public without wearing a vail of golden tissue. Whenever he rode through the streets, thousands would flock to get a glimpse of his golden vail.

9. But at length Hulaki, chief of the Tartars, took the city of Bagdad. He stripped off the golden vail of the caliph Mostaser, and put him alive into a leathern bag. The bag, with the poor caliph in it, was dragged by horses through the same streets where he had formerly ridden in triumph.

10. Thus perished the caliph Mostasem, being bruised to death on the pavements. With him ended the empire of the Saracens, in the year 1258 of the Christian era.

11. But the termination of this empire did not put an end to the religion of Mohammed. This continued to flourish, and finally extended over nearly all the countries of Asia and Africa, as I have stated.

CHAPTER XXXI.-ASIA-CONTINUED.

About Syria, Phoenicia, and Asia Minor.

1. I will now give you a short account of Syria, which lay to the north of Palestine. It was bounded north by Asia Minor, on the east by the river Euphrates and Arabia, on the south by Palestine and a part of Arabia, and west by the Mediterranean Sea.

2. Syria is frequently mentioned in the Bible. The people were engaged in almost constant wars with the Jews, from the time of David, nearly to the time of Christ, when it became a Roman province.

3. At this period its capital was Antioch [an'-te-ok], which was one of the most splendid cities in the world. This was the native place of St. Luke, and here both St. Peter and St. Paul lived for some time. Here, too, the followers of Christ were first called Christians.

4. Da-mas'-cus, another city of Syria, one hundred and thirty-six miles northward of Jerusalem, appears to have been known ever since the time of Abraham. It is frequently mentioned in the Bible; and here St. Paul was miraculously converted to the Christian faith.

8. Who was Mostasem? What can you say of him? 9. How did he die? 10. When did the empire of the Saracens end? 11. What of the religion of Mohammed ?

CHAP. XXXI.-1. Where was Syria situated? How was it bounded? 2. What of the people of Syria? 3. Capital of Syria? What great events took place at Antioch? 4. What of Damascus ? What took place there?

5. This city was famous in later times for making the best swords, sabers, and other cutlery; but the art which the people once possessed is now lost. The inhabitants of this city were also celebrated for manufacturing beautiful silks, to which the name of damask was given, from the place where they were made.

6. Another place in Syria mentioned in the Bible, was Tadmor, sometimes called "Tadmor in the Desert;" this was built by Solomon for the convenience of his traders; it was ten miles in extent, but it is now in ruins. The splendid remains of this place, consisting of columns and other things, beautifully sculptured in stone, show that it must have been a rich and powerful city. In modern times it is called Pal-my'-ra.

7. At the distance of thirty-seven miles northwest of Damascus are the remains of Balbec, a very splendid city in the time of the apostles, and then called He-li-op'-o-lis. It is now in ruins, and contains scarcely more than a thousand inhabitants.

8. I must not forget to mention Phoenice, or Phoenicia, which lay along the border of the Mediterranean Sea; it contained the cities of Tyre, Sidon, Ptolemais [tol-e-ma'-is], and other celebrated places. In very early times, the Phoenicians were famous for taking

5. What was Damascns celebrated for in ancient times? 6. What of Tadmor? 7. What of the ruins of Balbec? S. What of Phoenicia? What did it contain?

the lead in commerce, navigation, and other arts. They were then an independent nation, but in after times their country became a province of Syria.

9. Syria is at the present day governed by the Turks, and, like every other country under their sway, is stamped with an aspect of desolation and decay. The term Syria is now applied, not only to what anciently bore that name, but to Palestine also

CHAPTER XXXII.-ASIA-CONTINUED.
About Asia Minor, or Natolia.

1. Asia Minor, or Na-to'-li-a, as it is now called, lies at the northeastern corner of the Mediterranean Sea; it is a kind of peninsula, bounded on the north by the Euxine or Black Sea; on the west by the Egean [e-jee'-an] Sea; and on the east by Syria, Mesopotamia, and Armenia.

2. It is about six hundred miles in length, from east to west, and four hundred in breadth. It is at present under the government of Turkey, and its inhabitants are mostly believers in Mohammed. The chief city now is Smyrna, to which many vessels go from this country, and bring back figs, dates, and other things.

3. Asia Minor appears to have been settled in very early times. Several kingdoms have arisen and flourished here at different periods, but it has never been the seat of any great empire. The kingdom of Lydia, in Asia Minor, existed as early as eight hundred years before Christ. Ar-dy'-sus, who reigned seven hundred and ninetyseven years B. C., appears to have been one of its earliest kings.

4. The last king of Lydia was Crœsus [cre'-sus], who was a friend of men of learning. Æsop, the author of many of our pleasing fables, lived at his court, and was a great favorite with him. Croesus was also so famous for his great riches, that to this day we say, "Ar rich as Croesus." But, in spite of his wealth, he was conquered by Cyrus, king of Persia, 548 B. C.

5. From this period, Lydia, with a great part of Asia Minor, continued subject to the Persian empire till the time of Alexander, about 330 B. C., when it was conquered by that famous leader.

8. What of the Phoenicians? 9. What of Syria? To what is this name now ap plied?

CHAP. XXXII.-1. Give the situation and boundaries of Asia Minor. 2. Its extent. Government. Inhabitants. What of Smyrna? 3. What of Asia Minor? What of Lydia? Ardysus? 4. What can you tell of Croesus? 5. What of Lydia? By whom was it conquered?

6. Three hundred years before Christ, Pontus, which had once been a part of Lydia, became an independent country. It continued to flourish for many years, and Mith-ri-da'-tus VII. successfully maintained a war with the Romans for a long time.

7. By his skill and courage he baffled the best generals of the empire. But at length, in the year 64 B. C., he was conquered, and his kingdom, with the rest of Asia Minor, was subjected to the Roman dominion.

8. Notwithstanding the wars in Asia Minor, the country became filled with people, and superb cities rose up in various parts of it. Eph'-e-sus, situated in Lydia, was a splendid place, and it had a temple dedicated to the heathen goddess Diana, so magnificent, that it was called one of the Seven Wonders of the world.

9. This temple was one hundred and twenty years in building; but a man named E-ros'-tra-tus, wishing to make himself remembered forever, set it on fire, and it was burnt to the ground.

10. There were also many other fine cities in Asia Minor, several of which are mentioned in the New Testament. Among these was Tarsus, the birth-place of Paul; also, Per'-ga-mos, Thy-a-ti'-ra,

6. What of Pontus? Mithridates VII.? 7. By whom was Mithridates conquered? 8. What of Ephesus? 9. Temple of Diana? How was it destroyed? 10. What other cities were there in Asia Minor?

Sardis, Philadelphia, and La-od-i-ce'-a, which are spoken of in the book of Revelation.

11. These places are all sunk into poverty and insignificance, and some of them are mere heaps of ruins. Sardis, once the proud capital of Croesus, has experienced more misfortunes than almost any other place on the globe; it has been burned to the ground by hostile armies, it has been overturned by earthquakes, and devastated by war. A few fragments of walls and columns are the only remains of its former grandeur.

12. Through the labors of Paul, Barnabas, Silas, Timothy, Luke, and perhaps others, Christianity was early planted ir nearly all the divisions of Asia Minor. The country is very beautiful by nature, but the present inhabitants are blind worshipers of Mohammed, and are barbarous in their manners and customs.

CHAPTER

XXXIII.-ASIA-CONTINUED.

A Brief View of Several Nations.

1. I HAVE now related the history of the most celebrated countries of Asia. But there are several other territories, and some of them very extensive, of which I can say only a few words in this little book.

2. In ancient times, the Scythians inhabited the northern parts of Asia. They were a warlike yet savage people, and very expert with the bow and arrow. Many of the Asiatic and European kings endeavored to subdue them, but were generally defeated.

3. At different times, vast numbers of the Scythians used to overrun the more civilized countries that lay south of them. A tribe of Scythians founded the powerful empire of Parthia, which afterward extended its sway over Persia and other countries. This empire began in the year 250 B. C., and continued five hundred years.

4. In more modern times, the regions inhabited by the Scythians have been called Tartary, and the people Tartars. The modern inhabitants are not much more civilized than the ancient ones. More than one celebrated conqueror has arisen among the Tartars.

11. What can you say of these cities now? 12. Who planted Christianity in Asia Minor? What of the country and inhabitants?

CHAP. XXXIII.-2. What of the Scythians? Where did they live? 8. What of Parthia? 4. What is the name given to the countries formerly inhabited by the Scy. thians, Parthians, &c.? Do the Tartars remain nearly the same as the ancient in habitants?