" But it was not God's
will that he should be removed in this way.
About this time the trouble with the Shazlis also came to a head. The
Shazlis were Sufis, or mystics, esoterics of El Islam, who tried to
spiritualize its material portions. Richard was most interested in them,
and he used to study them and their history. The mystic side of their
faith especially appealed to him. He thought he saw in it a connexion
between Sufiism in its highest form and Catholicism; and indeed it was
so. He followed it up unofficially, disguised as a Shazli, and unknown
to any mortal except myself. He used to mix with them, and passed much
of his time in the Maydan at Damascus with them. Many of the Shazlis
were secretly converted to Christianity in the spring of 1870. It was
only natural that it should be so, for there was a link between the
highest form of Sufiism and the true Catholic Church. Before long the
news of these conversions leaked out, and the Wali determined to crush
conversion, because it would add to European influence, of which he was
already jealous, and he persecuted and imprisoned the converts. Richard
endeavoured to protect them, and thus brought himself into conflict with
the Wali.
Richard thought very seriously of this revival of Christianity in Syria,
and wrote to the Protestant missionaries about it. He also wrote to Sir
Henry Elliot and to Lord Granville on the subject, so impressed was he
with its vigour and vitality.
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