Studies in a Mosque - The Search For Mecca

SABIANS AND CHRISTIANS OF ST. JOHN. 277
the chief rabbi, had joined the religion of John, and the
Jews in revenge massacred the greater number of
the Sabians, and the remnant, after having destroyed
Jerusalem by divine aid, migrated to another land.
It was at this time (continues the tradition, in defiance
of chronology) that Moses attacked them, and fought
in single combat with the Sabiaii champion, Ferrokh
Malka (King Pharaoh), who drove the false prophet
into the sea. But the waters opened behind Moses
and let him escape, whilst the Sabians pursuing were
all drowned, except Ferrokh Malka and thirty fol-
lowers, who fled to Shuster. Here, being deprived of
their clergy, a new teacher was sent them, named
Abu-1-Faras Adam, who performed miracles and taught
them the law, and ordained bishops and priests ; and
then returned to the invisible world beyond the tur-
quoise mountain. After this the Sabians were greatly
persecuted by the Muslims, and were scattered abroad.
To centuries of oppression were added the horrors of
the plague, which in 1831 (they say, with a curious
leap in the chronology) carried off all the clergy, so
that for ten years the Sabians had to do without marriage.
At this time they went back to Shuster. Some
established themselves at Suk-esh-Shuyukh on the
Euphrates. They chose fresh priests and bishops,
and the order has been unbroken ever since. Misfor-
tunes have reduced them to four thousand souls ; but
their books say they have still many evil things to
endure, that they will yet again be deprived of their
priests, and their numbers will be diminished even
more.