“ On a subsequent occasion, whilst praying for a guide to direct them in the new way, sleep again overcame them, "and they saw themselves in a Christian church, where an old man with a long beard, dressed in a coarse brown serge garment, and holding a lighted taper, glided before them, and smiling benignantly, never ceased to cry, 'Let those who want the truth follow me."' After three months' search through the city for the living representative of the vision, one of the Shadili recognised him in the person of Fray Emanuel Forner, Superior of the Convent of the Spanish Franciscans at Damascus. ”

“ Bearing in mind that the Sufis are par excellence visionary enthusiasts, and that visions of God under different aspects, together with frequent nightly ascents to heaven, are among some of the reported miracles of their leaders; moreover, that many of them are taught to regard Christians as infidels, not because they deem Jesus to be a God, but because they regard Him as the one only God, we are not disposed to place that reliance on the Shadili apparitions which "P." evidently does; especially do we distrust the alleged vision of the Blessed Virgin. ”

“ The society has now assumed a socialistic character, with private meetings for prayer, and with other precautions of a secret order. The number of converts has greatly increased. At the end of 1869 the males in the city of Damascus amounted to 500 ”

“ All things visible and invisible are an emanation from Him, and are not really distinct from Him—this is the Eastern origin of the classical European 'divince particula aurw.' 3. Heaven and hell and all the dogmas of positive faiths are allegoric?, whose esoteric meaning is known only to the Sufi. 4. Religions are a matter of indifference ”