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Extract from a Letter ¦ , written by an Inhabitant of th $ Isle of Cyprus , who had escaped the massacre qf the Christians . ( Translated from the French , for the Monthly Repository . )
OUR beloved country is stained with the innocent blood of our Christian brethren , shed by the hands of barbarians I It is the duty of such of us as have been suffered , through the interposition of Divine Providence , to elude the tyrant's grasp ., to consecrate the memory of those illustrious
warriors , and to expose to the world the inhumanity which has doomed them to destruction . Every country of Europe , every nation of the earth which still cherishes heartfelt religion , which has not utterly renounced the venerable attribute of reason , must _ — , _ — _ _ r w
¦™ » daer whilst listening to a recital of « te horrible calamities that have be-™ iea the inhabitants bf our island . Wot the ten « ter add ptoiful alone , but *« e hardest heart must surely weft * t *** nm ef such ovttrwhelmiBg * F mis # ^ *«* ar © well acquainted with the
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distinguished excellencies of the holy father Cyprian , the archbishop of mkr island , the government of which devolved upon him in virtue of a privilege attached to oar arehiepiseopal see . His disinterested generosity , his genius , his ardent pursuit of every species of virtue , the austerity with which he exacted of himself the
fulfilment of his duties , and the condescending sweetness of his manners , had rendered this extraordinary man an object not only of respect and veneration to the Christians , but of esteem and affection to the Mussulmans
themselves ; for to them he had rendered important services , having even saved the lives of many who had incurred the resentment of their rulers . He enjoyed , as far as it was possible in our unhappy country , the reward of his wise conduct ; and the terrible events
which had successively taken place in the capital of the empire , had failed to disturb the tranquillity of our island , in consequence either of the pacific temper of the people , or of the vigilant superintendence of the archbishop . Suddenly , however , the Muhassil ( Turkish governor ) presented
himself to the holy father , and on the authority of the Sultan ' s firman , required that he should cause all the Christians to deliver up their arms . The archbishop immediately gave the requisite orders for their delivery ; and , to prevent alarm and confusion , be seat his own officers to accompany the Turkish officer * who were appointed to search the houses of the inhabitants .
A change of conduct was visible as soon as the Muhassil was possessed of the Christians' arms : assuming an air of authority , he deprived the Archbishop of his power . The Turks , excited by him , began to invent the most atrocious calumnies against the
Christians ; accusing them , for instance , of having mixed the flesh of ft wine with other provisions ia dinners of which they had invited them to partake five-years before ; of having * had intercourse with the wives of the Turks 3 and of other crimes of a similar nature .
On the strength of these chimerical oh ^ rges , a considerable number of Christiflma * many of them ecclesiastics , wtre imprisoned . The Archbishop exp&s tafeted with thrf Mubaesi ) , and 4 feiHft& < kN § the enlargement oFthe pri-00 mm * The -Mabaosii replied , « at tb « greater part of them had been
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Extract from a Letter respecting the Massacre at Cyprus . 397
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probation— "Son , thou art ever with we , " hast never departed from the way of ' my commandments , and " all that I have is thine . " But , " it was meet that we should make merry and be glad , for this thy brother was dead , and is alive again , and was lost , and is found . "
There is much and just cause for gladnens ; this th y l > rother , who was dead in sin 9 is become alive unto rig hteousness . He who was lost in the profligacy of vicious transgression , in the regenerated state which humble and sincere repentance has brought about , is found again , and joyfully received into favour .
MARY HUGHES . P . S . I should scarcely have courage to offer this paper for insertion , differing widely as it does from what I esteem high authority , were I not well
assured , that should it c £ , ll forth any reply , it will be dictated in the true spirit of Christian meekness ; and were I not well convinced that the
author of the tract before adverted to , is as truly desirous as I can be , that the parables of our heavenly Teacher should be examined in' every possible light , that we may be enabled with more certainty to ascertain their true meaning .
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), July 2, 1823, page 397, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1786/page/29/
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