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+Project Gutenberg's Journal of a Residence at Bagdad, by Anthony Groves
+
+This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
+almost no restrictions whatsoever.  You may copy it, give it away or
+re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
+with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
+
+
+Title: Journal of a Residence at Bagdad
+
+Author: Anthony Groves
+
+Editor: Alexander Scott
+
+Release Date: August 7, 2009 [EBook #29631]
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
+
+*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK JOURNAL OF A RESIDENCE AT BAGDAD ***
+
+
+
+
+Produced by Free Elf, Anne Storer and the Online Distributed
+Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
+
+
+
+
+
+
+ Transcriber's Notes:
+ 1) Mousul/Mosul, piastre/piaster, Shiraz/Sheeraz,
+    Itch-Meeazin/Ech-Miazin/Etchmiazin,
+    each used on numerous occasions;
+ 2) Arnaouts/Arnaoots, Dr. Beagrie/Dr. Beagry,
+    Beirout/Bayrout/Beyraut(x2), Saltett/Sallett,
+    Shanakirke/Shammakirke, Trebizond/Trebisand - once each.
+ All left as in original text.
+
+ 3) M^R = a superscripted "R".
+
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+
+
+
+ JOURNAL
+ OF A
+ RESIDENCE AT BAGDAD,
+ &c, &c.
+
+
+
+
+ LONDON:
+ DENNETT, PRINTER, LEATHER LANE.
+
+
+
+
+ JOURNAL
+ OF A
+ RESIDENCE AT BAGDAD,
+
+ DURING THE YEARS 1830 AND 1831,
+
+ BY
+ M^R. ANTHONY N. GROVES,
+ MISSIONARY.
+
+ LONDON:
+ JAMES NISBET, BERNERS STREET.
+ M DCCC XXXII.
+
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+
+
+
+INTRODUCTION.
+
+
+This little work needs nothing from us to recommend it to attention.
+In its incidents it presents more that is keenly interesting, both to
+the natural and to the spiritual feelings, than it would have been
+easy to combine in the boldest fiction. And then it is not fiction.
+The manner in which the story is told leaves realities unencumbered,
+to produce their own impression. It might gratify the imagination, and
+even aid in enlarging our practical views, to consider such scenes as
+possible, and to fancy in what spirit a Christian might meet them; but
+it extends our experience, and invigorates our faith, to know that,
+having actually taken place, it is thus that they have been met.
+
+The first missionaries were wont, at intervals, to return from their
+foreign labours, and relate to those churches whose prayers had sent
+them forth, "all things that God had done with them" during their
+absence. To the Christians at Antioch, there must have been important
+edification, as well as satisfaction to their affectionate concern
+about the individuals, and about the cause, in the narrative of Paul
+and Barnabas. Nor would the states of mind experienced, and the spirit
+manifested, by the narrators themselves be less instructive, than the
+various reception of their message by various hearers. In these pages,
+in like manner, Mr. Groves contributes to the good of the Church, an
+important fruit of his mission, were it to yield no other. He had cast
+himself upon the Lord. To Him he had left it to direct his path; to
+give him what things He knew he had need of, and whether outward
+prospects were bright or gloomy, to be the strength of his heart and
+his portion for ever. The publication of his former little Journal was
+the erection of his Eben Ezer. Hitherto, said he to us in England, the
+Lord hath helped me. And now, after a prolonged residence among a
+people with whom, in natural things, he can have no communion, and
+who, towards his glad tidings of salvation, are as apathetic as is
+compatible with the bitterest contempt; after having had, during many
+weeks, his individual share of the suffering, and his mind worn with
+the spectacle, of a city strangely visited at once with plague, and
+siege, and inundation, and internal tumult; widowed, and not without
+experience of "flesh and heart fainting and failing," he again
+"blesses God for all the way he has led him,"[1] tells us that "the
+Lord's great care over him in the abundant provision for all his
+necessities, enables him yet further to sing of his goodness;"[2] and
+while his situation makes him say, "what a place would this be to be
+alone in now" if without God, he adds, "but with Him, this is better
+than the garden of Eden."[3] "The Lord is my only stay, my only
+support; and He is a support indeed."[4]
+
+It is remarkable, that at a time when the fear of pestilence has
+agitated the people of this country, and when the tottering fabric of
+society threatens to hurl down upon us as dire a confusion as that
+which has surrounded our brother, in a country hitherto regarded so
+remote from all comparison with our own; at a time when the records of
+the seasons at which the terrible voice of God has sounded loudest in
+our capital, are republished as appropriate to the contemplation of
+Christians at the existing crisis;[5]--this volume should have been
+brought before the Public, by circumstances quite unconnected with
+this train of God's dealings and threatenings to our land. The
+Christians of Britain ought to consider, that there is a warning voice
+of Providence, not only in the tumults of the people, and in the
+terrors of the cholera around them, but even in the publication of
+this Journal. It is not for nothing that God has moved Mr. Groves, as
+it were, to an advanced post, where he might encounter the enemy
+before them. The alarm may have, in a measure, subsided,[6] but if the
+people of God are to be ever patiently waiting for the coming of their
+conquering King, this implies a patient preparedness for those signs
+of his coming, the clouds and darkness that are to go before him, in
+the very midst of which they must be able to lift up their heads
+because their redemption draweth nigh. To provide for the worst
+contingencies is a virtue, not a weakness, in the soldier. That
+Christian will not keep his garments who forgets, that in this life,
+he is a soldier always. No army is so orderly in peace, or so
+triumphant upon lesser assaults, as that which is ready always
+for the extremest exigencies of war.
+
+To those who are looking for the glorious appearing of our great God
+and Saviour, Jesus Christ, this volume will exhibit indications of the
+advancement of the world towards the state in which he shall find it
+at his coming. The diffusion in the east of European notions and
+practices; the desire on the part of the rulers to possess themselves
+of the advantages of western intellect and skill; and on the side of
+the governed, the conviction of the comparative security and comfort
+of English domination; the vastly increased intercourse between those
+nations and the west, and the proposals for still further accelerating
+and facilitating that intercourse: all these things mark the rapid
+tendency, of which we have so many other signs, towards the production
+of one common mind throughout the human race, to issue in that
+combination for a common resistance of God, which, as of old, when
+the people were one, and had all one language, and it seemed that
+nothing could be restrained from them which they had imagined to
+do,--shall cause the Lord to come down and confound their purpose.
+Already has this unity of views and aims, with marvellous rapidity,
+prevailed in the European and American world; the press, the
+steam-engine by land and water, the multiplication of societies
+and unions, portend an advancement in it, to which nothing can
+set limits but the intervention of God: and now it appears that
+the mountain-fixedness of Asiatic prejudice and institution shall
+suddenly be dissolved, and absorbed into the general vortex.
+
+And to those who may have suspected, that the prospect of the return
+of Jesus of Nazareth to our earth for vengeance and expurgation of
+evil first, and then for occupation of rule, _under_ the face of the
+whole heaven, is but a speculative subject for curious minds, this
+little book presents matter of reflection. By circumstances of such
+urgent personal concernment, as those in which Mr. Groves and his
+departed wife have been placed, the merely speculative part of
+religion is put to flight. But we shall find them in the midst of
+confusion, and bereavement, and horror, clinging to this one hope for
+themselves and for the world, that the Lord cometh to reign, wherefore
+the earth shall be glad; deriving from this hope a delight in God, in
+the midst of all that seems adverse to such a sentiment, which, if it
+be not a proof of practical power in a doctrine, what is practical?
+
+On some few points, Mr. Groves has given a somewhat detailed
+expression of his own sentiments. One of the most important of these
+is re-considered in the notes by the writer of this introduction.
+Another, on which the interest of many has already been strongly
+excited, is the recognition of those men as ministers of God, who do
+not utter the word of his truth, and who are admitted to speak without
+the Spirit of his truth. The question, encompassed as it has been with
+difficulties foreign to itself, is but a narrow one. The preaching of
+the Gospel _is_ an ordinance of God. The preaching of what is not the
+Gospel is _no_ ordinance of God; and affords me no opportunity of
+shewing my respect for divine ordinances by my attendance upon it.
+That men possessing the Holy Ghost should confer spiritual gifts by
+the laying on of hands on those who in faith receive it, _is_ an
+ordinance of God: that men, not having the Holy Ghost, should lay
+hands on others for spiritual gifts, is _no_ ordinance of God.
+
+If the outward fact of what is named ordination, determines me to
+regard as now made of God a teacher, a pastor, an evangelist, a
+bishop, him who, to all intelligent and spiritual perception, is what
+he was, in error, and ignorance, and carnality; this is not respect
+for divine ordinances at all, but a faith in the _opus operatum_, a
+faith in transubstantiation transferred to men, denying the truth of
+my own perception, and clinging to the conclusion of my superstition,
+just as in the mass the senses are denied, and bread and wine visibly
+unaltered, are called flesh and blood. The arguments by which this
+notion is supported, are too complicated, and too contemptuous of
+unity or consistency, to be meddled with in our limited space. That
+Christ bade men observe what the Scribes and Pharisees taught on the
+authority of the law of Moses, is made a reason for reverencing what
+is taught on _no_ divine authority: Scribes and Pharisees, who
+pretended to no divine ordination, but rested their claims on their
+knowledge, are made specimens of the respect due to ordination, in
+the case of such whose ignorance and unsound teaching are allowed.
+But were not the Scribes and Pharisees in many things ignorant and
+unsound? Yes, truly; but were these the things of which the Lord
+said expressly, these things observe and do? To tell us that we must
+observe and do what is according to Scripture, however bad the men
+who teach it, ordained or unordained alike; what has this to do with
+ordination? True, this is no excuse for those who prostitute the form
+and name of God's ordinance, and know that it is prostituted: who say,
+"receive ye the Holy Ghost," and would laugh as being supposed to
+confer the Holy Ghost: but there is no necessity for running from this
+crime, to the error of which we have spoken. Let us acknowledge our
+wretchedness, and misery, and poverty, and blindness, and nakedness.
+When the laws were transgressed, and the everlasting covenant broken;
+then the _ordinance_ was _changed_, as Isaiah foretold it should,[7]
+among the causes why the earth is defiled under the inhabitants
+thereof.
+
+The Apostolic Epistles contain little, if any thing, to establish the
+pastoral authority in a single person of each church or congregation:
+and the omission of all allusion to such an office is often very
+remarkable from the occasion seeming to assure us, that it would have
+been mentioned had it existed. The Epistles of the Lord to the seven
+churches are therefore resorted to for proof of the existence and
+nature of the place of a single pastor with peculiar and exclusive
+powers. But neither there nor elsewhere is the fact of ordination once
+referred to, in relation to the receiving or rejection of those who
+claimed to speak in the name of Christ. In these very Epistles there
+is a commendation for disregarding for the truth's sake the highest
+titles of ecclesiastical office. "Thou canst not bear them which are
+evil: thou hast _tried_ them which say they are apostles, and are not,
+and hast found them liars."[8] I believe, "not to bear them which are
+evil" pastors, evangelists or apostles, is as commendable in England
+as in Ephesus in the eye of the Head of the Churches. Is there a
+syllable in the Bible to lead us to suppose that these liars were
+detected by any other means than those which Paul had already taught
+the Church? "Though _we_, or an angel from heaven, preach any other
+gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be
+accursed." As for the ordinance, such passages as Titus i. 9, make
+_selection_ a part of that ordinance: the bishop is to be one "holding
+fast the word of truth as he hath been taught." Now, on what authority
+shall this part of the ordinance, viz. selection, be omitted, and no
+flaw follow: while the presence or omission of a manual act in certain
+hands is to constitute the reality or absence of Divine ordination?
+
+                                                A. J. SCOTT.
+  _Woolwich, Aug. 16th, 1832._
+
+  [1] Page 155.
+
+  [2] Page 169.
+
+  [3] Page 122.
+
+  [4] Page 146.
+
+  [5] See "Narratives of two Families exposed to the great
+  Plague of London, 1665; with Conversations on a Religions Preparation
+  for Pestilence," and "God's Terrible Voice in the City," by Vincent;
+  both republished by Rev. J. Scott, of Hull.
+
+  [6] And yet what security is afforded by a present abatement
+  of the visitation? In Glasgow, cholera was regarded as departing, and
+  all but departed. The number of cases has since risen, for some time,
+  to above 300 at once, and the deaths not seldom to between one and two
+  hundred a day, in a population small compared with that of London.
+
+  [7] Chap. xxiv. ver. 5.
+
+  [8] Rev. ii. 2.
+
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+
+
+
+ JOURNAL
+ OF A
+ RESIDENCE AT BAGDAD.
+
+
+                              _Bagdad, April 2, 1830._
+
+We begin to find that our school-room is not large enough to contain
+the children, and we have been obliged therefore to add to it another.
+We have now fifty-eight boys and nine girls, and might have many more
+girls had we the means for instructing them; but we have as yet no
+other help than the schoolmaster's wife, who knows very little of any
+thing, and therefore is very unfit to bring those into order who have
+been educated without any order. But I have no doubt of the Lord's
+sending us, in due time, sufficient help of all kinds.
+
+_April 3._--An Armenian merchant from Egypt and Syria, was with us
+to-day; a Roman Catholic by profession, but an infidel in fact. He
+said it was all one to him, whether men were Armenian, Syrian,
+Mohammedan, or Jew, so that they were good. He had left Beirout about
+two months, and said there were none of the missionaries there then;
+but that he knew there the Armenian Catholic bishop, and an Armenian
+priest, who had left the Roman Catholic church, and who were in
+Lebanon--he said they were friends of his, and very good men. We feel
+interested in receiving some missionary intelligence, to know whether
+or not Syria is still deserted.
+
+We have received from Shushee a parcel of our Lord's Sermon on the
+Mount, in the vulgar Armenian. We were very much rejoiced at this, as
+it enabled us to supersede, in some little degree, the old language;
+but in determining that every boy sufficiently advanced, should learn
+a verse a day, we met with some opposition from two or three of the
+elder boys, and I think two will leave the school in consequence; but
+the Lord will easily enable us to triumph over all; of this I have no
+doubt, at all events I see my way clear come what will. Captain Strong
+has taken a letter for me to Archdeacon Parr, to ask for some school
+materials, such as slates and slate pencils for the school. I feel
+daily more established in the conviction, that our Lord has led us to
+this place, and that he will make our way apparent, as we go on in
+faithful waiting upon him.
+
+I cannot sufficiently thank God for sending my dear brother Pfander
+with me, for had it not been for him, I could not have attempted any
+thing, so that all that has now been done, must rather be considered
+his than mine, as I have only been able to look on and approve. But
+if the Lord's work is advanced, I can praise him by whomsoever it may
+be promoted.
+
+_June 12._--The circumstances of our situation are now going on so
+regularly, that there is little to write about, more than that the
+Lord's mercies are new every morning. Since Captain Strong left us,
+there has arrived here a Mr. and Mrs. Mignan, and another gentleman,
+named Elliot, neither of whom seem to know, at present, whether they
+will remain here or go on.
+
+The capidji or officer, who came from Constantinople, bringing a
+firman to the Pasha, is desired to take back with him a drawing of one
+of the soldiers whom Major T. is organizing for the Pasha. Major T.'s
+son is just arrived from India, and he also is going to organize a
+body of horse; in fact, every thing is tending to the establishment
+of an European influence, and it may be the Lord's pleasure thus to
+prepare the way for his servants to publish the tidings which the
+sheep will hear. This tendency to adopt European manners and
+improvements, is not only manifested in the military department, but
+in others more important. The Pasha has a great desire to introduce
+steam navigation on these two beautiful rivers. A proposal has been
+made from an agent of the Bristol Steam Company, to the Pasha, through
+Major T., to have a steam vessel in the first place between Bussorah
+and this place; and secondly, if possible, to extend the navigation,
+either by the old canal or by a new one, into the Euphrates and up
+to Beer. This navigation will bring one within three days of the
+Mediterranean,[9] without the fatigue, danger, and loss of time to
+which travellers are exposed in the present journey. It will be a most
+important opening for missionaries; for should this mode of conveyance
+once get established, the route by Constantinople would almost cease,
+and some arrangement would soon be made for going from Scanderoon to
+the different important stations in the Mediterranean.
+
+  [9] Impossible--within three days of Aleppo must be meant.
+
+There is a gentleman here on his return to England, a Mr. Bywater,
+whom Mr. Taylor wishes to undertake a survey of the Euphrates, from
+Beer to the canal, which connects it with this place. Till within
+about twenty years, heavy artillery came to this place by that river,
+so there can be but little doubt that a steam packet would be able to
+go; though it might not be of the same size as the one between this
+and Bussorah. The voyage between these places backwards and forwards,
+it is proposed to do in eight days, which now takes about six or seven
+weeks, and during the whole of the returning voyage, which is long,
+being against the current, you are at present exposed to the attacks
+of the Arabs every hour, whereas the steam packet would have nothing
+to fear from them. In fact, I feel the Lord is preparing great changes
+in the heart of this nation, or rather from one end of it to the
+other; and the events which have taken place in that part of the
+empire around Constantinople, have tended to the hastening on of these
+changes.
+
+Among the boys that come to me to learn English, I have one, the son
+of a rich Roman Catholic jeweller of this place. So important is the
+commercial relation between this place and India become, that the
+number who wish to learn English of me, is much greater than I can
+possibly take charge of, as this is not with me a primary object; but
+it is a most important field of labour, and one that might have, I
+think, very interesting results, for they will bear opposition to
+their own views more easily in another language than in their own: it
+does not come to them like a book written to oppose them, and thus
+truth may slide gently in. My Moolah, who is teaching me Arabic, and
+whose son I teach English, told me, that in two or three years he
+would send his son to England to complete his knowledge of English.
+Now to those who know nothing of the Turks, this may not appear
+remarkable, but to those who do, it will exhibit a striking breaking
+down of prejudice in this individual.
+
+There is a famous man here, a Mohammedan by profession, but in reality
+an infidel, who is the head of a pantheistic sect, who believe God to
+be every thing and every thing to be God, so that he readily admits,
+on this notion, the divinity of our blessed Lord. Infidelity is
+extending on every side in these countries. My Moolah said, that now
+a-days, if you asked a Christian whether he were a Christian, he
+would say, Yes; but if you asked him who Christ was, or why he was
+attached to him, he did not know. And in the same manner he said, if
+you asked a Mohammedan a similar question, he would also say, he did
+not know, but that he went as others went; but, he added, now all the
+_Sultans_ were sending out men to teach, the Sultan of England--the
+Sultan of Stamboul, &c. By this I imagine his impression is, that we
+are sent out by the king of England.
+
+Our school is, on the whole, going on very well. We have introduced
+classes, and a general table of good and bad behaviour, of lessons, of
+absence, and of attendance; and they all go on, learning a portion of
+Scripture every day in the vulgar dialect. This is something.
+
+I am beginning to feel my acquaintance with Arabic increase under the
+plan which I am now pursuing with the boys who learn English. They
+bring me Arabic phrases, and as far as my knowledge extends, I give
+them the meaning in English; and when that fails, I write it down for
+inquiry from the Moolah next day, and then by asking words in Arabic
+every day for the boys to give me the English, I at last get the
+expressions so impressed on my memory, that when I want them they
+arise almost without thought. Another advantage from the boys bringing
+phrases and words, is that they bring such as they use in the spoken
+Arabic, which is very different from the written. This is a plan I
+would recommend, whenever it can be adopted, to every missionary; for
+there is a stimulus to the memory in having the questions to ask every
+day, and having only the English written down, which nothing else
+gives.
+
+We have lately had a little proof of Turkish honesty. The man who
+sells us wood, charged us seven tagar, and brought us somewhat less
+than three.
+
+Our souls are much refreshed by the contemplation of our Lord's coming
+to complete the mystery of godliness. Oh, how long shall it be, ere he
+be admired in all them that believe.
+
+_June 26._--We have heard to-day from Mrs. G.'s brother J. from
+Alexander Casan Beg, mentioned in a preceding part of my journal, and
+from Mr. Glen. All our various accounts were welcome. Some of the
+information contained in them enables us to rejoice in those we love
+naturally, some in those we love spiritually.
+
+In the letters of Alexander C. Beg, and Mr. Glen, I have received the
+intelligence that the former would not now be able to join us, as he
+had previously received an offer from the Scottish Missionary Society,
+to become a missionary of theirs in India; for certain reasons,
+however, he does not at present seem able to accept it. Concerning
+this Mohammedan convert, it is impossible not to feel the deepest
+interest.
+
+We have just had some interesting conversation with a poor Jacobite,
+who is come from Merdin, with a letter from his matran or bishop,
+about two churches which the Roman Catholics have taken away from the
+Jacobites. His description of their state is striking. He says, the
+Pasha of Merdin cares neither for this Pasha, who is his immediate
+superior, nor for the Sultan; and that he encourages these disputes
+among the Christians, that he may get money from both parties, who
+bribe him by turns. He says, that the Yezidees, when they see a Syrian
+priest coming, will get off their horse and salute him, and kiss his
+hand, and that the Kourds are a much worse people than they, but that
+Roman Catholics are worse than either.--I was surprised to find that
+the Roman Catholic bishop has a school of fifty girls learning to read
+Arabic, and to work at their needle.
+
+We have heard to-day that the Mohammedans, inhabitants of the town,
+are much dissatisfied with the Sultan and with the Pasha, for
+introducing European customs. They say, they are already Christians,
+and one of them asked Mr. Swoboda, if it was true that the old missid
+or mosque near us, was to become again a Christian church, and whether
+the beating of the drums every evening after the European manner at
+the seroy or palace, did not mean that the Pasha was becoming a
+Christian. And they say, that the military uniforms now introducing,
+are haram or unlawful. Major T. has induced the Pasha to have a
+regiment dressed completely in the European fashion, and is now
+forming some horse regiments on the same plan. All these things will
+clearly tend to one of these two results--either to the overthrow
+of Mohammedanism by the introduction of European manners and
+intelligence, or to a tremendous crisis in endeavouring to throw off
+the burden which the great mass of the lower and bigoted Mohammedans
+abhor. But still the Lord knows, and has given his angels charge to
+seal his elect before these things come to pass.
+
+Our attention has again been directed to the subject of steam
+navigation between Bombay and England, by the arrival of Mr. James
+Taylor from Bombay. This gentleman has been engaged for some time in
+undertaking to effect steam communication by the Red Sea: with the
+view of making final arrangements on the subject he had just been to
+Bombay, and wished to have returned by the Red Sea, but difficulties
+arising, he determined to come by way of the Persian Gulf and this
+city, and to cross the desert. On his arrival here, he was made
+acquainted with the previous plans for steam navigation on these
+rivers; and he quickly perceived that if the river were navigable, and
+no other difficulties arose, the preference must be given to this
+route, as being at least ten days shorter to Bombay, and of the thirty
+or thirty-five days which remained, seven, or perhaps five, would be
+spent on two beautiful rivers, with opportunities of obtaining from
+its banks vegetables and fruits; and instead of the Red Sea, which is
+rocky, stormy, and little known, there would be the Persian Gulf,
+which has been surveyed in every part, and is peculiarly free from
+storms. From the mouth of the Persian Gulf, the boat would go direct
+to Bombay instead of going down to Columbo from the mouth of the Red
+Sea, and then up the western side of the Peninsula of India. In Egypt
+also they would have five days journey over the desert, whilst from
+Aleppo they would only have two to a place on the Euphrates, called
+Beer. Fuel also in abundance might be obtained here, either from wood
+or bitumen; in fact, Mr. Taylor feels that if it can be accomplished,
+it would save expense on the voyage. The only two difficulties that
+oppose themselves to this route are, first, the Arabs, and secondly,
+whether there be a sufficiency of water in the rivers. As to the
+Arabs, a steamer has nothing to fear, for by keeping mid-stream at
+the rate they go, no Arab would touch them or attempt to do it. The
+present vessels they have no power over in going down, but when they
+are dragged up by Arab trackers, then they are easily attacked.
+As to the second objection, the want of water, there appears no
+insurmountable difficulty here, as all the heavy ordnance from
+Constantinople were brought down the Euphrates from Beer, on rafts,
+or, as they are called, kelecks; these, independent of their width,
+being greater than that of a steamer, actually draw more water when
+heavily laden. There does not appear to be more than one place where
+there is a doubt, and that is at El Dar, the ancient Thapsacus, where
+we understand at one season, when the waters are at the lowest point,
+a camel can hardly go over; but still, perhaps, further information
+may be desirable. The Pasha has entered very heartily into this plan,
+and offered either to clear out an old canal, or to cut a new one
+between this river and the Euphrates. The mouth of the Euphrates is
+one extended marsh, which forms the best rice-grounds of the country.
+The distance between the two rivers at this place is about thirty
+miles. Mr. James Taylor thinks that travellers may reach England from
+this in twenty-three days, and Bombay in twelve: should this ever take
+place, steam boats will be passing twice a month up and down this
+river with passengers from India and England; the effects of such a
+change, both moral, spiritual, and political, none can tell, but that
+they must be great every one may see.
+
+I have been this morning talking with my Moolah about the two rivers,
+as to their capability of steam navigation. He decidedly gives the
+preference to the Euphrates, and says, that the average depth is the
+height of two men, or ten feet--even till considerably above Beer; but
+that the Tigris, above Mousul, is very shallow.[10]
+
+  [10] We have since discovered, by a survey of the Tigris,
+  that in its present state it will be only navigable to Mosul during
+  seven months in the year, from ledges of rock that pass across the
+  river.
+
+This possibility thus set before us of seeing those we love, and many
+of the Lord's dear servants here, is most comforting and encouraging:
+this place would become a frontier post of Christian labour, from
+which we might daily hope to send forth labourers to China, India, and
+elsewhere, and the work of publishing the testimony of Jesus be
+accomplished before the Lord come. However, we are in the Lord's
+hands, and he will bring to pass what concerns his own honour, and we
+will wait and see: a much greater opening has taken place since we
+came here than we could have hoped for, and much more will yet open
+upon us than we can now foresee. Things cannot remain as they are,
+whether they continue to advance as they are now doing, or whether
+bigotry be allowed to make a last vain effort to regain her ancient
+position; still some decided change must be the final result of the
+present state of things.
+
+From the Bible Society at Bombay, I have received accounts of their
+having sent me two English Bibles, fifty Testaments, twenty Arabic
+Bibles, fifty Syriac Gospels, fifty Syriac Testaments, fifty Armenian
+Bibles, one hundred Persian Psalters, seventy-five Persian Genesis,
+and six Hebrew Testaments. In this are omitted those which are most
+important to us, the Chaldean, the Persian, and the Arabic Testament;
+but perhaps when they receive a supply from the Parent Society, they
+will then forward these likewise.
+
+I have also received a letter from Severndroog, from the first tutor
+of my little boys, Mr. N., a true and dear person in the Lord, and he
+mentions that they had, since he last wrote, admitted to their
+church, four Hindoos and two Roman Catholics, and that one Hindoo
+still remains, whom they hope soon to admit.
+
+The following is the estimate of the time which the voyages, by the
+Red Sea, and by these rivers to India, would respectively occupy:
+
+ BY RED SEA.
+                      Miles.  Days.
+ London to Gibraltar   1000     7
+ Gibraltar to Malta    1000     8
+ Malta to Diametta      900     5
+ Diametta to Suez       150     5
+ Suez to Mocha         1100     6
+ Mocha to Columbo      1920    10
+ Columbo to Bombay     1000     7
+                              ---
+                               48
+
+ BY EUPHRATES.
+                      Miles.  Days.
+ London to Gibraltar   1000     7
+ Gibraltar to Malta    1000     8
+ Malta to Aleppo       1000     6
+ Aleppo to Beles         60     2
+ Beles to Bagdad    }           5
+ Bagdad to Bussorah }
+ Bussorah to Bombay             9
+                              ---
+                               37
+
+I have recently had some conversation with Mr. J. Taylor, who is
+waiting only to see the Pasha to make final arrangements.
+
+Another very important feature of the above plan for steam
+communication with India is, that those societies who have
+missionaries there, may send out their secretaries to encourage and
+counsel them, by which means they will be able not only to enter more
+fully into the feelings and circumstances of those they send, but will
+be able to make their own reports, which will be more agreeable to
+those engaged in the work--to tell about which must always be a
+difficult undertaking.
+
+I found yesterday that one of the gentlemen who came hither lately
+from India, was a Mr. Hull, the son of Mrs. Hull, of Marpool, near
+Exmouth, who, however, is not going across the desert, but round by
+Mosul and Merdin, to Stamboul. He hopes to be home in September.
+
+Mr. Pfander learnt from some Armenians yesterday, that they were much
+pleased with the children learning the Scriptures in the vulgar
+dialect; that they were so far able to understand the ancient language
+still read in their churches, and they expressed a wish that they
+might have a complete translation in the vulgar tongue. Those
+Bibles we now have from the Bible Society, are in the dialect of
+Constantinople, which is by no means generally or well understood
+here, where the Erivan dialect prevails, which they use in the
+Karabagh, in the north of Persia, and in all these countries. The
+missionaries at Shushee are going on with the New Testament: Mr.
+Dittrich has finished the translation of the four Gospels, and we hope
+it will be printed for the Bible Society this year, for we greatly
+need Armenian books in the vulgar dialect, by which we may, step by
+step, supersede the old altogether. We also greatly want Arabic
+school-books; but these we shall hope to get from Malta, through the
+labours of Mr. Jowett.
+
+We find the general feeling here, not only among Christians, but even
+among the Mohammedans, is a wish that the English power might prevail
+here, for although the Pasha does not directly tax them high, yet from
+a bunch of grapes to a barrel of gunpowder, he has the skimming of the
+cream, and leaves the milk to his subjects to do with as they can.
+Once a month at least the money is changed. When the Pasha has a great
+deal of a certain base money that he issues, he fixes the price higher
+by certain degrees, on pain of mutilation, and when he has paid it all
+away, or has any great sums to receive, he lowers the value by as many
+degrees as he has raised it before. And hearing, as they universally
+do now, of our government in India, that it is mild and equitable,
+most of them would gladly exchange their present condition, and be
+subject to the British government. This conduct on the part of the
+Pasha, begets an universal system of smuggling and fraud among all
+classes, so that the state of these people is indeed very, very bad.
+I never felt more powerfully than now, the joy of having nothing to do
+with these things; so that let men govern as they will, I feel my path
+is to live in subjection to the powers that be, and to exhort others
+to the same, even though it be such oppressive despotism as this. We
+have to shew them by this, that our kingdom is not of this world, and
+that these are not things about which we contend. But our life being
+hid where no storms can assail, "with Christ in God"--and our wealth
+being where no moth or rust doth corrupt, we leave those who are of
+this world to manage its concerns as they list, and we submit to them
+in every thing as far as a good conscience will admit.
+
+_July 12._--We have heard of two Jews, who have bought two Hebrew New
+Testaments, and a very respectable Jewish banker has been here to see
+Mr. Pfander, with the German Jew, whom I have mentioned before, and
+who is still desirous of leaving the broad road, without heart to
+trust in him who is in the heavenly path, the way, the truth, and the
+life. He is now here, endeavouring to obtain a livelihood by teaching
+a few boys Hebrew, and comes to read the book of Job in German with
+Mr. Pfander, without any of their explanations, one of which, as it
+regards Job, is as follows. They say that every individual of the
+human race actually existed in Adam, some in his nails, some in his
+toes, some in his eyes, mouth, &c. &c., and they think, in proportion
+to the proximity of the position of any person to the parts concerned
+in eating and digesting the forbidden fruit, will be their degree of
+guilt and measure of punishment here; so they consider that Job had
+his place near the mouth. Such are the follies which now occupy the
+minds of this interesting people, instead of the Lord of life and
+glory.
+
+Colonization appears to have entered into the contemplation of those
+engaged in steam-navigation, and the planting of indigo and sugar. To
+this end, the Pasha has granted them thirty miles of land on the banks
+of the river. Just before Mr. Taylor was to set off to go through the
+desert, news came that the Arab tribes on the road were at war among
+themselves, and that it would therefore not be safe for him to go that
+way, so he changed his route, and went on the 13th, by the way of
+Mousul and Merdin, nearly double the distance, and at the same time,
+Mr. Bywater and Mr. Elliot set off to Beer, from whence they intend
+going down the Euphrates and examining that river as far down as
+Babylon.
+
+The old Jew, who came with the German, heartily entered into some
+conversation about the coming of Christ. A school of Jewish children
+might, I think, easily be obtained here, if you would teach them
+English and the Old Testament only.
+
+Our Moolah has mentioned, that he has been reading the New Testament
+with another Moolah, who wishes to have a copy of Sabat's translation,
+thinking that that might stimulate them to answer it; but that the
+Propaganda edition is so vulgar, it offends them, for like the
+Greeks they seek after wisdom. Still, if they read, the testimony
+of God is delivered, and the plucking a few brands from the general
+conflagration, is the great work till the Lord come. They have a most
+proud and obstinate hatred against the name of Jesus, before whom all
+must bow.
+
+We have been interested by some inquiries made by our schoolmaster and
+his father, relative to our morning and evening prayers; he wanted to
+know what they were, and Mr. Pfander had the greatest difficulty in
+making him understand, that we prayed from a sense of our present
+wants. They said, they had heard from their books, that in the time of
+the apostles men were without form of prayer, and were enabled to pray
+from their hearts; but that it was not so now. They also asked some
+questions about the Lord's Supper, whether we used wine mixed with
+water or unmixed; bread leavened or unleavened. They seem anxious to
+know more, and may the Lord give an open door to them!
+
+We cannot help feeling, that the difficulties among the Mohammedans,
+and apostate Christian churches are great beyond any thing that
+can be imagined previous to experience. The difficulties of absolute
+falsehood are as nothing to those of perverted truth, as we see in the
+confounding infant baptism with the renewing of the Holy Ghost. In
+every thing it is the same, prayer, praise, love, all is perverted,
+and yet the name retained. The communications we received from Mr.
+G----l and others,[11] about the state of Christianity in these
+countries, is but too true, and what he states about the monks at
+Itch-Meeazin may be doubtless true; at least I suppose it is the seat
+of the Armenian Patriarch he means, for I know of no other Armenian
+church in these parts, where this service is kept up of reading the
+whole Book of Psalms every day. The office of a missionary in these
+countries is, to _live_ the Gospel before them in the power of the
+Holy Ghost, and to drop like the dew, line upon line, and precept upon
+precept, here a little and there a little, till God give the increase
+of his labours; but it must be by patient continuance in well doing
+against every discouraging circumstance, from the remembrance of what
+we ourselves once were.
+
+  [11] See Record, Oct. 1, 1829.
+
+We have this day heard, that the cholera or the plague is at Tabreez,
+and that they are dying 4 or 5,000 a day; but this, I have no doubt,
+is a gross exaggeration. May the Lord watch over the seed that seems
+sowing there, and make the judgments that are in the earth warnings to
+men to return to God. We also have the cholera here; but I trust not
+severely.
+
+The last Tartar who took our letters with the head of the ex-Khiahya
+was plundered, so that our letters were lost which we sent by him.
+
+We have been to-day in hopes of obtaining another Moolah, for teaching
+the children in the school to read and write Arabic. For two months we
+have been trying, without success, to obtain one, so great is their
+prejudice against teaching Christians at all, but especially
+themselves to read the New Testament; but as our Lord does every
+thing for us, we doubt not he will do this also if it be best.
+
+I am much led to think on those of my dear missionary brethren, who
+look for the kingdom of Christ to come in by a gradual extension of
+the exertions now making. This view seems to me very discouraging; for
+surely after labouring for years, and so little having been done, we
+may all naturally be led to doubt if we are in our places; but to
+those who feel their place to be to preach Jesus, and publish the
+Testament in his blood, whether men will hear or whether they will
+forbear, they have nothing to discourage them, knowing they are a
+sweet savour of Christ. I daily feel more and more, that till the Lord
+come our service will be chiefly to gather out the few grapes that
+belong to the Lord's vine, and publish his testimony in all nations;
+there may be here and there a fruitful field on some pleasant hill,
+but as a whole, the cry will be, "Who hath believed our report, and to
+whom is the arm of the Lord revealed."
+
+It is the constant practice here among the Jews, when they hear our
+blessed Lord's name mentioned, or mention it themselves, to curse him;
+so awful is their present state of opposition, Mohammedans will not
+hear, and Christians do not care for any of those things--such is the
+present state here; but if the Lord prosper our labour, we shall see
+what the end will be, when the Almighty word of God becomes
+understood. The poor German Jew still holds on; he has too much
+honesty to live by writing lying amulets, and too little faith to cast
+himself on the Lord; but his constant cry is, What shall I do to live?
+The insight he gives us into the state of the Jews here is most awful,
+but notwithstanding, there appears to me a most abundant field of
+labour among the 10,000 who are here. Yesterday he called me suddenly
+while at breakfast, to see a poor young Jewess who had been married
+but two months, and had fallen over the bridge with her little brother
+in her arms. The scene was awfully interesting. Not less perhaps than
+300 Jews, with their wives, were in the house, but tumultuous as the
+waves of the sea, without hope and without God in the world. There was
+no hope of recovering her. She had been in the water an hour and a
+half, and had there been life, they were acting so as to extinguish
+every spark. She was lying in a close room crowded to suffocation,
+with the windows shut; and they were burning under her nose charcoal
+and wool.
+
+The Armenian boys, who are learning English, go on with great zeal,
+and may in the course of time become very interesting.
+
+We have at length received information, that all our things are
+arrived at Bussorah, and among the rest, the lithographic press, which
+we hope to find most useful to us in our present position; every thing
+happens rightly and well; they have been delayed for some time in
+coming up the river, in consequence of a quarrel between the Pasha and
+the Arab tribe, the Beni-Laam, in consequence of the plunder of Dr.
+Beaky's boat, but we expect it will be settled, as the Pasha has
+acceded to the terms the Sheikh offered, and has sent him down a dress
+of honour.
+
+I am sometimes led, in contemplating the gentlemanly and imposing
+aspect which our present missionary institutions bear, and contrasting
+them with the early days of the church, when apostolic fishermen and
+tent-makers published the testimony, to think that much will not be
+done till we go back again to primitive principles, and let the
+nameless poor, and their unrecorded and unsung labours be those on
+which our hopes, under God, are fixed.
+
+We have just heard an interesting case. The gardener of the Pasha is a
+Greek, who was lately sent to him at his request from Constantinople,
+and yesterday (August 6), he became a Mohammedan. He had two daughters
+of thirteen and fourteen, whom he also wished to become Mohammedans;
+but they would not consent, and ran away to the factory, where they
+might have remained under English protection; but they would not stay,
+unless their brother, and his wife, and their servants could remain
+with them; so they left, as Major T---- had not room for them all,
+having already the family of one of the servants of the Pasha, who is
+imprisoned for some delinquency in connection with the revenue
+accruing to the Pasha from the bazaar.
+
+There has been with Mr. Pfander to-day one of the writers of the
+Pasha, and he read some parts of the Turkish New Testament, which he
+very well understood, and expressed much pleasure in the reading of;
+but when, on his being about to leave, Mr. P. asked him to accept of a
+Turkish Testament, he very politely declined it.
+
+There is another person come from Merdin, with the view of settling
+the affair between the Syrians and the Roman Catholics at Merdin. He
+is a weaver of Diarbekr; and from him Mr. Pfander learns, that in the
+last census taken by the Pasha, the Syrians were 700 families, and the
+Armenians 6,700: this certainly opens a most interesting field for
+Christian inquiry: he also said, that the Syrians in the mountains
+were perfectly independent of the Mohammedans, and among themselves
+are divided into little clans under their respective Bishops. He also
+stated, that reading and writing were much more cultivated among the
+independent Syrians than those in the plains.
+
+He also said there would be no difficulty whatever in going among the
+Yezidees with a Syrian guide. The language which the independent
+Syrians speak is Syriac, which is near the ancient Syriac, and that
+they understand fully the Syrian Scriptures when read in their
+churches. We hope, therefore, should the Lord spare our lives,
+to have an opportunity of circulating some of the many copies of the
+Scriptures in Syriac, which Mr. Pfander has brought from Shushee, and
+some that I expect will come from Bombay for me.
+
+The Gerba tribe of Arabs are come almost close to Bagdad, to check
+whom the Pasha intends sending out the troops that have been under the
+discipline of the English.
+
+We have also heard from the Syrian, that from Mousul to Mardin the
+road by the mountains of Sinjar is safer than by the plains. Among the
+Yezidees and Syrians, no Mohammedan lives. It is impossible to
+consider such an immense Christian population as that in Diarbekr,
+without feeling a wish to pour in upon it the fountains of living
+waters, which we are so abundantly blessed with. Oh, that some one
+would come out, and settle down in such a place as Diarbekr--what an
+abundant field of labour!
+
+_August 14._--A young Jew was here to-day, and bought three Arabic
+Bibles of Mr. Pfander, at 25 piastres of this place each, _i.e._ about
+5s. sterling. This is almost the beginning. Many might perhaps have
+been given away; but as we find that those of Mr. Wolff were generally
+burnt, we wish them to buy them, at least, at such a price that they
+would not burn them. He took away a Hebrew New Testament, but returned
+it again. I should feel deeply interested in some one coming to take
+charge of a Jewish school, in which the Old Testament, Hebrew, and
+Arabic, might be the basis of instruction. I make no doubt, that at
+once a most interesting school might be established here on a very
+large scale, for they have but one school of about 150 poor boys at
+their synagogue, or rather synagogues, for they have six, but all in
+one place, and forming one building; they have also three rabbies, and
+besides the boys which are taught at the above school, many others are
+educated at home by teachers. Now, nothing can be more distinct than
+their wish for a school, and their promise of supporting it on the
+basis of the Old Testament being taught as a school-book, which
+certainly, as a primary step, is a most important one to cause them,
+by the Lord's blessing, to see that the book which they now disfigure
+by monstrous interpretations, has yet in itself, by the illumination
+of God's Spirit, a clear, simple, and, in all essential points, an
+intelligible meaning, without the aid of man's exposition. But should
+they finally turn round and oppose the school, which as soon as the
+power of it is felt, they most assuredly would do, still some might
+remain, and if none should, there is still a most abundant field of
+labour in circulating the Scriptures, and in conversation among them
+in this city, and throughout Mesopotamia, where they abound in almost
+every town.
+
+We have heard from a Jew, that Sakies, the Armenian Agent of the East
+India Company, had given the Jews directions to treat Mr. Wolff when
+here with attention, and to invite him to their houses. The Jews here
+are closely connected with the English, at least many of them, who are
+under English protection.
+
+_August 15._ _Sunday._--The thermometer this day has been the highest
+hitherto for the year, 117 in the shade, and 155 in the sun.[12] This
+is the time when the dates ripen, and the most oppressive in the year;
+but by the Lord's great mercy, we are all in health and strength,
+though sometimes we feel a little disposed to think it is so hot, that
+we may be excused from doing any thing; but my English scholars keep
+me employed six hours a day, which prevents me from thinking much
+about the heat, though not from feeling it. I can truly say, it is far
+more tolerable than I expected, and yet there are few places on the
+face of the earth hotter. The temperature of India is not near so
+high; and I question, if there is any place, that for the year through
+would average so high.
+
+  [12] It has _since_ been so high as 118 in the shade, and 158
+  in the sun.
+
+_August 17._--The Jew has been here, and bought another Arabic Bible.
+I showed him one of the Hebrew Psalters of the Jews' Society. He
+greatly desired to have it; but I could not spare that; but promised
+him that when mine came up from Bussorah, I would let him know.
+
+We have this day a new Moolah, the best we could get, but not
+altogether such as we could have desired.
+
+The Jews here cannot believe that Christians know any thing of Hebrew,
+and are therefore surprised to see Hebrew books with us. Oh, should
+the Lord allow us to be of any use to this holy people, terrible from
+their beginning hitherto alike in the favour and indignation of
+Jehovah, we should esteem it a very great blessing; yet surely they
+ought to have here one missionary, whose whole soul might be drawn out
+towards this especial work.
+
+From some communications with a native of Merdin, we find that the
+custom of avenging murder and requiring blood for blood, exists among
+the independent Chaldeans and Syrians, and keeps them in continual
+warfare, where one happens to be killed by the inhabitants of another
+village. The inhabitants of the village of the person killed, feel it
+a necessary point of honour to revenge it.
+
+He also mentioned, that the Yezidees were no longer so numerous as
+formerly, but were greatly diminished by the plague, which happened a
+few years ago, by which Diarbekr lost 10,000 of its inhabitants.
+
+We had a visit from an Armenian, who was formerly treasurer to Sir
+Gore Ouseley; while speaking about Christianity, he said, it was no
+use to speak to the Armenians about it, for they all say, "How can we
+know any thing about such matters, and that, except as a sect, they
+are too ignorant to know or care about Christianity." They are indeed
+full of the pride of heart that appertains to sectarians, and
+obstinately resist the Scriptures being translated into the modern
+languages, because, say they, the ancient language was spoken in
+Paradise, and will be the language of heaven, and that, therefore,
+translating the sacred book into that which is modern, is a
+desecration. How wonderfully does Satan blind men, and how by one
+contrivance or another does he endeavour to keep God's word from them,
+as a real intelligible book, which the Spirit of God makes plain, even
+to the most unlettered; but the more we discover him endeavouring to
+pervert God's word from becoming intelligible, the more we should
+strive to let every soul have the testimony of God concerning his
+life in Christ, in a language he understands. In this point of view I
+look to the schools with comfort.
+
+_August 19._--Things here seem most unsettled, and require us to live
+in very simple faith as to what a day may bring forth. It is stated,
+that between 20 and 30,000 Arabs are close to the gates of the city.
+The Pasha has an army about 24 miles from hence; but unable to move,
+except all together, and there is another regiment under an English
+officer about 12 miles distant. The deposition of this Pasha seems to
+be the principal object of these Arabs, in which it is not impossible
+that they may be fully supported by the Porte. What will be the result
+of all this we are not careful to know, for we are not to fear their
+face, nor to be afraid, but the Lord will be to us a hiding place from
+the storm, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against a
+wall.
+
+A caravan has just come across the desert from Aleppo, with a guard of
+500 men, consisting of 300 camels. Letters brought by a Tartar from
+Constantinople have all been detained by the Pasha, except a few on
+mercantile concerns which have been delivered. So many packets sent by
+Constantinople have been in one way or another detained, that I have
+no other hope of letters than what my most gracious Lord's approved
+love gives me; all which he really desires me to have I shall receive,
+and more I would desire not to wish for.
+
+We have just heard, that Major T----'s brother, and the gentlemen who
+left Mousul were pursued by 500 Arabs; but all escaped except a horse
+of the Capidji,[13] an officer of the Sultan's, which was laden with
+money, collected by his master for the government at Constantinople;
+he could not go fast enough, so he fell into the hands of the Arabs.
+
+  [13] A Capidji Bashi is a messenger of the Porte, to collect
+  money, or bear especial messages of any sort.
+
+The Roman Catholic bishop has received accounts that Algiers is taken
+by the French, and also some forts in its neighbourhood. Aleppo is
+quiet, though the Arabs are in the neighbourhood.
+
+Our new Moolah has expressed his surprise at the contents of the New
+Testament, and wonders how Mohammedans can speak against it as they
+do. He intends coming to our Armenian schoolmaster on Sundays to read
+it with him; may the Lord most graciously send down his Spirit upon
+them, that the one who undertakes to teach what he does not know, may,
+by discovering his ignorance, be led to the fountain of all wisdom;
+and may the other learn to love him whose holy, heavenly, and divine
+name he has blasphemed.
+
+The cholera is much about, but the Lord preserves us all safe.
+
+The Pasha has made up his differences with the Arab tribe, and all the
+troops have returned, except those under Mr. Littlejohn, which still
+remain out for fear of an attack before all the harvest is thrashed
+and brought in.
+
+There are symptoms of great fear on the part of the Pasha, that a
+struggle is actually going on among those around him for superseding
+him in his Pashalic, in which they have apparently much probability of
+success, as the Porte has been greatly injured by his unwillingness to
+meet her necessities and afford her pecuniary help. Our security,
+however, is in this, that amidst all, the Lord knoweth them that are
+his, and will defend them amidst all turmoils and in the most
+troublous times--in this we find peace and quietness.
+
+The poor men who came to endeavour to obtain from the Pasha here the
+re-institution of the Syrian patriarch in those churches in Merdin,
+from which he had been ejected by the Roman Catholic bishop, are now
+returning without success, but carrying back with them two boxes of
+Arabic and Syrian New Testaments to the Patriarch. May the Lord water
+them by his most Holy Spirit, so that they may become the ground of
+living churches, instead of those of stone which they have lost.
+
+I have been much surprised to learn that all the Arab tribes on these
+rivers, except the Montefeiks, are Sheahs or followers of Ali, whom I
+had formerly thought followers of Omar.
+
+I have already mentioned, that on leaving Mousul, Mr. Taylor's party
+were attacked and obliged to return to Telaafer,[14] a village between
+Mousul and Merdin, whence, after having waited for a stronger escort,
+they proceeded towards Merdin, when the event related in the following
+letter took place; but the supposed death of the three gentlemen was
+unfounded. They were only made prisoners and carried to the mountains
+of Sinjar, among the Yezidees. These people are declared enemies of
+the Mohammedans, whom they hate; but, on the whole, except when their
+cupidity is excited, they are not unfriendly towards Christians. They
+seem, with the Sabeans and some others, such as the Druzes, to be
+descendants of the believers in the two principles who have blown
+their pestiferous breath at different times into every system of
+religion that has prevailed in these countries, corrupting all.
+However, these Yezidees, be they originally what they may, have now
+these three gentlemen in custody, and require 7,500 piastres of this
+place--about £75, for their liberation, and Major T. has sent a person
+from hence to treat about it.
+
+  [14] All this was wrong; they were treacherously robbed and
+  murdered, Mr. Jas. Taylor, Mr. Aspinal, a merchant of Bombay, and Mr.
+  Bawater, formerly, I think, in the marines.
+
+     "My dear Sir,
+
+     "It is, I can assure you, with a sincere and melancholy regret
+     at the dreadful, I may say horrible and awful event that I have
+     so lately witnessed, that I sit down now to address a few lines
+     to you. I feel quite unable to give you an entire relation of
+     our misfortunes, and shall content myself with saying, that out
+     of seven as happy people as could well exist on our departure
+     from Mousul, three only have returned. To one so well able to
+     look for consolation, where, I may say, in such an event
+     consolation is alone to be found, fortitude and patience in
+     suffering might well be found. I myself have not attained this,
+     and I may say this event has plunged me in the deepest
+     melancholy. For a relation of facts, I must refer you to
+     Captain Cockrell's letter to Major Taylor: we were attacked and
+     compelled to fly, and in the confusion, Mr. Taylor, his
+     servant, Mr. Bywater, and our companion, Mr. Aspinal, were
+     murdered. We, that is Captain Cockrell, Mr. Elliot, and myself
+     escaped, though I was, I believe, especially fired at, as on
+     descending the hill four or five whistled close past me. That
+     we were betrayed, and moreover, our companions assassinated by
+     our own party, no doubt exists in my mind. All that were killed
+     out of 500 people that were with us were these four. They
+     again, out of all, happened to be the only ones among us who
+     carried money. We have done every thing in our power to recover
+     their bodies but without effect: on our return to Telaafer,
+     after having been twenty-six hours on horseback in the desert,
+     we wrote a note, in the hope that they might be prisoners at
+     Sinjar, and offered 4,000 piastres for them if they were
+     brought in safe. The Kapidgi Bashi left for Merdin before we
+     could hear of our messenger; he returned after three days, and
+     said he had seen their clothes and pistols, and that they were
+     all murdered. Mr. Taylor he mentioned as having been run
+     through the body with a spear. This was one out of many reports
+     of a similar nature, and we were fain to give them up for dead.
+     (They could not possibly have been alive had they escaped, as
+     there was no water within twenty-four hours.) All our things
+     were pillaged. I lost all my papers, including your letters,
+     and all that was left were a few pairs of white trowsers. This
+     was most assuredly done by our own party; even our own baggage
+     man, before my eyes, almost laid hold of my turban and pistol,
+     which I had laid upon the ground, and on my laying hold on him,
+     actually drew his dagger. I never witnessed such villany in my
+     life. All our guards were laughing, as if nothing had occurred;
+     and, although I may be wrong, yet I do venture it as my
+     opinion, that there were no thieves at all, but that it was
+     treachery altogether. You will be surprised to hear that
+     Captain Cockrell and myself start to-morrow on the same road
+     as before. I trust in God alone for protection, as we have no
+     guards at all. If I ever reach Exeter I shall not fail to call
+     on Miss Groves; but after what has happened who can say, "He
+     shall do this."
+
+     "We take no baggage of any description, being fully aware of
+     the danger and impracticability of so doing; so that if we are
+     again attacked, we shall be able to gallop for our lives. Now,
+     adieu, my dear Sir. I will write from Constantinople if I
+     reach it; in the mean time excuse this hurried scrawl, and
+     believe me, ever
+
+                               "Yours very sincerely,
+                                                  "W. HULL."
+     "_Mr. A. N. Groves._"
+
+
+
+In consequence of the receipt of this intelligence, Major T. sent off
+Aga Menas to Mousul, to treat about the liberation of the captives,
+and we are anxiously waiting the result.
+
+My dear brother Pfander and myself having come to the conclusion, that
+with so large a school, and so many objects of one kind and the other
+as there are here requiring attention, it would be impossible for me
+to leave this and go with him into the mountains; this led to the
+further determination on his part to return to Shushee next year,
+having first spent a few months at Ispahan, to complete his knowledge
+of Persian; and I of course was prepared to be left quite alone, but
+still my heart was fully sustained with the confident hope that the
+Lord would not only do what was right, but exceedingly abundant above
+all I could ask. On all sides nothing but silence prevailed:--three
+packets of letters had been lost between Constantinople and this, and
+one between Tabreez and this, and all the letters from India had been
+detained, by the Arabs on the river being at war with the Pasha for
+four or five months. Therefore I knew nothing of the movements of any
+of my dear friends, and all was left to conjecture; sometimes, when
+faith was in full exercise, I felt assured that the Lord was doing all
+well; at others, I hardly knew what to think. I had written to my very
+dear friends in Petersburgh, Dr. W. and Miss K. to come if possible
+and as soon as possible; but their having left Petersburgh doubtless
+prevented their receiving my letter. From my dear friends in England I
+heard little; from Ireland not a word. Things were in this state, when
+suddenly there came in three Tartars bringing us three packets, so
+full of Christian love, sympathy, and such good tidings, that it
+almost overcame our hearts, weak from long abstinence from similar
+entertainment, and even on this day, the third from their arrival,
+they fill my heart till it runs over. To hear and see that those one
+most loves, are indeed joying and rejoicing in their holy, most holy
+relation to God in Christ,--the relationship of sons and daughters, to
+see them anxious to walk blameless in all the ordinances their Lord
+has left them, while they glory in being free from the law of
+condemnation, and desire to know no freedom from the law of loving
+obedience: moreover, to see them becoming more and more sensible to
+the great truth that inestimable as knowledge is, it is what devils
+may share, but that the love of Jesus, and a tenderness of conscience
+as to his will, is infinitely higher than that, and that therefore his
+high command to the members of his church to love one another as he
+loves them, can never be slighted by them:--oh, to see this it does
+indeed rejoice my heart, and I pray among us all that it may abound
+more and more, particularly among us who have been so graciously and
+so kindly led into all the holy freedom of the Gospel. Let us see we
+use it not as a cloak of maliciousness, but as the servants of Christ,
+loving and serving one another, not returning evil for evil, or
+reviling for reviling, but contrariwise blessing. The path God's
+children have to take when they are determined in the name of the Lord
+not to give the name of God's truth to any thing merely human, knowing
+that it is a vain thing to teach for doctrines the commandments of
+men, is so naturally offensive, that our zeal for the truth should
+lead us to pray for such especial graces of the Spirit as may prevent
+any unloveliness in our walk, preventing the Lord's dear children from
+coming, and seeing, and drinking of that well-spring in Christ by
+which we have been so refreshed and invigorated. Whilst we profess,
+my very dear friends, absolute freedom from man's control in the
+things relating to God, we only acknowledge in a tenfold degree the
+absoluteness of our subjection to the whole mind and will of Christ in
+all things. As he is our _life_ hid with him in God, so let him be our
+_way_ and our _truth_, both in doctrine and conversation. How many,
+from neglect of this lovely union, have almost forgotten to care about
+adorning the doctrine of God their Saviour in all things. Let us, my
+dear brethren and sisters, pray that we may be united in all the will
+of Christ. This is a basis not for time only but for eternity, and for
+that glorious day especially, when the Lord shall come to be glorified
+in all his saints, and admired in all them that believe. But not only
+did my packets bring me joyful tidings of the Lord's doings among
+those whom I especially know and love, but they also brought me
+intelligence that he had prepared for me help from among those who had
+been known and approved, and whom I especially loved. How I felt
+reproved for every doubt; and indeed the Lord so fully has let his
+goodness pass before me, that I am overwhelmed, and feel I can only
+lay my hand upon my mouth, and whilst overwhelmed with my own vileness
+and unworthiness of the least of all my most gracious Lord's loving
+kindnesses to me, yet glory in that dispensation of grace which
+ministers to us, not according to our deserts, but the unbought,
+unbounded love of God. My letters tell me that my very dear brethren
+and friends, Mr. P., Mr. C., his sister, and mother, and little babe,
+and Mr. N., are coming to join us, with possibly a fourth. Now this
+does seem altogether wonderful, and whilst not at all more than I
+ought to have expected, yet more than I had faith to expect. Yet while
+I have nothing to say for myself, I desire to say all for God: it is
+like him, all whose ways are wonderful, and, towards his church, full
+of mercy, goodness, and truth. Oh, how happy shall we be to await the
+Lord's coming on the banks of these rivers, which have been the scene
+of all the sacred history of the old church of God, and destined
+still, I believe, to be the scene of doings of yet future and deeper
+interest at the coming of the Lord; and whilst I should not hesitate
+to go to the furthest corner of the habitable earth, were my dear Lord
+to send me, yet I feel much pleasure in having my post appointed here,
+though the most unsettled and insecure country beneath the sun
+perhaps. In every direction, without are lawless robbers, and within
+unprincipled extortioners; but it is in the midst of these, that the
+Almighty arm of our Father delights to display his preserving mercy,
+and while the flesh would shrink, the spirit desires to wing its way
+to the very foremost ranks of danger in the battles of the Lord. Oh
+that we may more and more press on this sluggish, timid, earthly
+constitution, that is always wanting its native ease among the
+delights of an earthly happiness. Oh, may my very loving, zealous
+brethren, stir up my timid, languid spirit to the mild yet
+life-renouncing love of my dear Lord, which, whilst it was silent,
+was as strong, yea, stronger than death.
+
+My dear friend and brother P---- and his wife have been baptized too;
+to see this conformity to Christ's mind, is very delightful; and how
+wonderful, too;--so strong a current of prejudice is there against
+this simple, intelligible, and blessed ordinance. I learn also, that
+he and my dear friend the A----[15] are preaching the everlasting
+Gospel themselves, and with some others of those we love, employing
+others to preach it. This also is good news.
+
+  [15] They have 3,362 congregations, whereas the most numerous
+  body besides has but 1,946. See _Miss. Register._
+
+_September 10._--No accounts have been received from Sinjar regarding
+our travellers. I fear this is ominous, for if ransom is what the
+Yezidees want, would they not have contrived to forward some notice to
+Bagdad? however, a few days will most likely disclose the truth, as on
+the 8th Meenas reached Mousul.
+
+We have just heard that the Nabob of Lucknow's brother, on his return
+from a pilgrimage to Mished, was taken prisoner with the whole caravan
+by the Turcomans. This amiable Mohammedan came from India on a round
+of pilgrimages. He has visited Mecca and Kerbala, and was now
+returning again to this place on his way home to Lucknow, after which
+he purposed returning again, and going through Persia, Russia,
+Germany, &c. to England. He was robbed once before between this and
+Aleppo.
+
+The Pasha has just sent to the Factory to say, that the cholera has
+extended its ravages to Kerkook, and to ask for advice, and what is to
+be done should it reach this place with its epidemic violence. Mr.
+M---- is going therefore to write directions, and Major T---- will get
+them translated into Arabic, for the use of the people here. Blessed
+be the Lord's holy name, our charter runs, that in the pestilence,
+"though ten thousand fall at thy right hand, it shall not come nigh
+thee;" on this, therefore, we repose our hearts. The Pasha seems
+perplexed to know, in the event of its reaching Bagdad, where he shall
+go with his family for safety. It is certainly an awful thing to look
+at Tabreez, where they say, that 8,000 or 9,000 have died out of
+60,000; and two years ago at Bussorah, 1,500 out of 6,000, so that the
+houses were left desolate, and the boats were floating up and down the
+creek without owners, and when persons died in a house, the rest went
+away, and left the bodies there locked up. But we have in our
+dwellings a light in these days that they know nothing of, who know
+not our God either in his power or his love, so that the heart is
+enabled to cast all, even the dearest to it, on the exceeding
+abundance of his mercy.
+
+_September 10._--I fear the intelligence we have just received of
+poor Mr. J. Taylor, Mr. Bywater, and Mr. Aspinal, and the Maltese
+servant, leaves us little room to hope but that they have all been
+treacherously murdered. Our Moolah tells us, he received a letter from
+a friend of his at Merdin, stating, that they were murdered--not by
+the Yezidees at all, but by the party of Arabs sent by the Pasha of
+Mousul to protect them, in conjunction with a party from Telaafer, an
+Arab village, where they spent a night. It appears, that when the
+attack was made, Mr. Elliot, Captain Cockrell, and Mr. Hull galloped
+off after being stripped; but Mr. Taylor, Mr. Aspinal, and Mr. Bywater
+got entangled among these robbers, and Mr. A. shot one of the Arabs
+with his pistol; and afterwards Mr. B. shot another. It then became
+with these lawless plunderers, no longer a matter of simple robbery,
+but of revenge and death. They killed these two young men, and then
+pulling Mr. Taylor from his horse, killed him. I confess, when I saw
+them mounting their horses, strongly covered with offensive weapons of
+warfare, I felt very little comfort about them, for, if they were
+attacked, it would only be with an overwhelming force, or they would
+be given up in treachery, in both which cases almost all the danger
+arises from resistance. Those wretched plunderers seek not life, but
+booty; this quietly yielded, you may go; but if you use the sword, you
+perish by the sword. If you carry money, or any thing valuable, you
+are exposed to be stripped, and if you go armed, to be killed. About
+three years ago, the French interpreter was going the very same route,
+and near Telaafer he was attacked, and stripped; but they let him go
+free. The fate of these gentlemen has greatly affected us all. A delay
+must now take place in the steamboat communication, for it is not
+probable that this route can ever be so disregarded, but that some
+effort, sooner or later, will be made. Let our impatient hearts hush
+their murmurings; it is the work of a loving Father, who declares to
+his children, that all things shall work together for their good; yea,
+the disappointment of present hopes shall, by heavenly patience, yield
+the peaceable fruits of righteousness to those who are exercised
+thereby.
+
+_September 14._--We have just heard, that an order has been given out
+in one of the mosques, that the Mohammedans shall receive no printed
+books. Whether this watchfulness is the result of Mr. Pfander having
+employed a man, a Jew, to sell Bibles, Testaments, and Psalters, or
+whether, at the suggestion from the R---- C---- B----, I know not. How
+near the principles are of the beast and the false prophet--how easily
+they harmonize and help each other!
+
+We have lately heard some interesting details of the numbers of the
+Jews in the places north-east of Persia. A Jew who has travelled in
+these countries states, that there are,
+
+ _In._          _Language spoken._        _Families._
+
+ Samarcand       Turkish                      500
+ Bokhaura        Turkish and Persian        5,000
+ Mished          Turkish and Persian       10,000
+ Heerat          Turkish and Persian        8,000
+ Caubul         {Pashtoo, but Persian}        300
+ Bulkh-(Caubul) {  generally understood}      300
+
+There are also in the villages about some Jews, from 20 to 100
+families. Their knowledge of the Hebrew is very confined; very few
+understand it at all; they have also very little knowledge of the
+Talmud. We hope from time to time to collect more particulars to
+correct, confirm, or cancel these, and all other accounts of a similar
+nature, for in these countries it is not one account that can stand,
+and when confronted by 50 more, it can still be only considered as an
+approximation to truth.
+
+_September 16._--Our long expected packet by Shushee and Tabreez has
+just arrived. The messenger, on reaching Kourdistan, found it in such
+a state of danger and confusion, that he was afraid to proceed, but
+went back again, and came by a longer but more quiet way. Another
+cause of delay seems to have been their going to India, and back
+again to Tabreez. The information contained in this packet is most
+interesting. From Petersburgh we heard from several friends, all
+encouraging, comforting, and rejoicing us. The Lord seems to give
+them courage still to persevere; and dear sister ---- intends,
+after recruiting a little in England, to return again to her work
+there. I feel satisfied it is a most interesting field, and that ere
+long in Russia some tremendous changes will take place. The poor are
+anxious for the word of God, and the nobility despising the hierarchy,
+and, therefore, that blind priestly domination under which it has
+groaned, will finally fall to pieces; infidelity will take openly its
+side, and the Lord's saints theirs.
+
+Dear Mr. K---- tells us, that some dear American brother, by name
+Lewis, has sent him money to procure for his family a house in the
+country during the few months of a Russian summer. How loving and
+bountiful a Lord ours is, supplying his most affectionate and waiting
+servant with all he needs; it makes every little bounty so sweet when
+it comes from a Father through one of his vessels of mercy. Oh, who
+would not live a life of faith in preference to one of daily, hourly
+satiety--I mean as to earthly things; how very many instances of
+happiness should we have been deprived of, had we not trusted to, and
+left it to his love to fill us with good things as he pleased, and to
+spread our table as he has done, year after year, and will do, even
+here in this wilderness.
+
+From Shushee we have also heard, that our dear brother Z---- and an
+Armenian had been travelling and selling Bibles and Testaments. They
+went first to Teflis; from thence to Erzeroum, Erivan, Ech-Miazin, and
+back again to Shushee. What success he had in selling Bibles and
+Testaments we do not know, but at Erzeroum, he was accused by the
+Mohammedans before the Russian authorities, but let go. He returned
+home in safety under the hand of the Lord. There is also in the
+letters of our brethren most pleasing accounts of a young Armenian,
+the son-in-law of the richest Armenian merchant in Baku, supposed to
+be worth half a million. This young man, at a visit of Z---- and
+P----, was much interested by their conversation about the New
+Testament, and they went away, leaving him an interesting inquirer.
+He, however, still pursued his way alone, and attained a perfect
+understanding of the Armenian Testament, which at first he was able to
+read but indifferently. He then felt himself unable to proceed in
+mercantile transactions as before; so that his father-in-law told him,
+that much as he regretted separating from him, if he became so pious,
+they must part. Well, he said, he could not give up his convictions,
+and he was sure his Lord would not allow him to want; so he left his
+father-in-law, and learnt the trade of a taylor. From the very first
+he began to teach his wife, and she takes part with him; and he is now
+selling Bibles and Testaments, and circulating tracts among the
+Russian soldiers. This is a sight indeed! for centuries perhaps they
+have not seen one of their own body rising up, and choosing to suffer
+affliction with the people of God, rather than enjoy the pleasures of
+sin for a season; and the sight is as strange to Mohammedans as to
+Christians. May the Lord sustain, comfort, and bless him out of his
+heavenly treasures.
+
+From Tabreez our tidings are heavy, or rather would be, but that the
+Lord of love directs and orders all, and sees the end from the
+beginning, yet they have also good tidings too. I have already
+mentioned, that the cholera had been raging at Tabreez; but we learn,
+that not only this, but the plague is there also, to a most frightful
+extent. I will just copy here the account our dear sister
+Mrs. ---- has given us; and for whose safety we desire to bless
+the Lord; she says,
+
+     "Before this reaches you, you may have heard of the sorrow and
+     desolation that have befallen this city within these last two
+     months. Thousands around us have been cut off by the cholera
+     and the plague. The former raged so furiously for the first
+     month, that 2 or 300 died daily. Symptoms of the plague first
+     were discovered in the ark among the Russian soldiers, which
+     manifested itself by breaking out over the body in large boils;
+     the person attacked, feeling himself overcome by stupor; many
+     died before it was thought what it was; precautions were taken,
+     and they were sent out to camp at some distance from the town.
+     The disorder has not raged among them so much as it has in the
+     town. I cannot tell you how great the fear was that was struck
+     into the minds of the people. Many were taken ill through fear,
+     of which they died. Previous to the city being quite deserted,
+     men, women, children, of all denominations, collected
+     themselves together in large bodies, crying and beseeching God
+     to turn away his judgments from them: this they did bareheaded
+     and without shoes, humbling themselves, they said, because they
+     knew they were great sinners. The air resounded with their
+     cries day and night, particularly the latter, and often during
+     the whole of it. Oh, did they but know the truth as it is in
+     Jesus. At length all classes fled to the mountains, leaving the
+     town quite deserted. Alexander told me, on his return one day
+     from the city, that he had not met a person. All the shops in
+     the bazaar were forsaken, so that from this you may derive some
+     idea of the terror that has possessed this people."
+
+Mrs. ---- also tells us, that the establishment at Tabreez is
+going to be much reduced, and that therefore Mr. N---- is ordered back
+to India. This has tried them much, for they were just expecting two
+American missionaries, a Mr. Dwight and a Mr. Smith, with whom they
+were hoping to have acted happily for their common Lord. But the
+Lord's ways are not our ways, nor his thoughts our thoughts, so these
+things happen otherwise than we expected. However, wherever they go,
+may they be blessed, and a blessing. They purpose coming here on their
+way, which affords us much pleasure at the prospect of seeing them
+again. However, we are greatly rejoiced to think, that brethren from
+America have designed Tabreez for their station. Now between Shushee,
+Tabreez, and this place we have a little frontier line. Oh, may there
+be daily new ambassadors of mercy publishing the testimony of Jesus in
+all the world. Oh, that the end may quickly come.
+
+Our Moolah is dreadfully depressed to-day, at the prospect of the
+cholera and plague coming here, and he said to me, he thought the end
+of the world must be near, because of these wars, pestilences, and
+plagues.
+
+We have also heard that we shall most likely be obliged to leave this
+house after the year has expired; for the Sheahs have been complaining
+to the Seyd,[16] the owner of it, for letting it to the infidels for
+such a purpose. But we are not careful about these things; it will be
+as the Lord wills.
+
+  [16] Descendant of the Prophet.
+
+Nothing can show the stupid carelessness of these people more, than
+that, although they are frightened out of their reason almost at the
+prospect of the plague and cholera, yet they have actually allowed a
+whole caravan from Tabreez to come into the city without quarantine,
+or any kind of precaution.
+
+Oh, how joyful the promises in the Revelations are for "those written
+in the Lamb's book of life," for "those who have not the mark of the
+beast on them," for those who are to be sealed before the angels are
+allowed to hurt the earth. Yea, he will for his great name's sake hide
+us in the secret of his pavilion, so that he will put a song into our
+mouths; yea, he will encompass us with songs of deliverance. We feel
+that it now indeed especially becomes us neither to fear their fear
+nor be afraid.
+
+_Sept._--The weather is now become decidedly cooler. A fortnight
+since the average height of the thermometer in the shade, during the
+warmest part of the day, was 117; it is now lowered to 110. During the
+hottest time of the year, which is now just over, the quicksilver was
+rarely lower than 110, or higher than 118 in the shade, except in the
+morning, when the general range was from 87 to 93.
+
+The Seyd who has let us his house, and who we had heard intended to
+turn us out after the year was expired, has got into trouble with the
+Pasha, about some ground he rented, and for which he was to pay the
+Pasha a certain quantity of corn; but he says, what from the locusts,
+and the rain not coming at the usual time, and when it did come,
+coming in such unusual quantities, he lost his crop. He has now come
+begging us to take his case to Major T., to beg him to endeavour to
+settle it with the Musruff. Thus the Lord has brought him into
+difficulties, that if he were disposed to turn us out he would not be
+able this year. But he denies altogether having said any thing about
+turning us out, and it is not improbable that it is as he says; his
+family which is a large one, and once were opulent, feel it a great
+disgrace to let out the house of one of the descendants of the prophet
+to a Christian, and more especially as one of the rooms is over the
+street under which the Mohammedans have to walk, and this most
+especially offends them; but that we might not give them any
+unnecessary offence we have never occupied the room, though the
+most airy one we have.
+
+A Jew of Yezd has been with us, and told us that there are 300
+families of Jews in that city, and the same number at Ispahan.
+
+_Sept. 24._--A caravan has just arrived from Constantinople, by way of
+Aleppo. We have also heard that one caravan from Damascus has been
+plundered, and another from Kerkook: and a messenger likewise who came
+from Captain Campbell, from Tabreez, was also stopped, but having
+nothing besides letters, was suffered to pass. I note these events
+down merely that they may afford a little criterion of the unsettled
+state of the whole of the interior of this immense continent. In fact,
+the Lord is, amidst these commotions, preparing a way for his
+testimony to spread.
+
+The cholera, by the Lord's blessing, is decreasing, but it is reported
+that at Kerkook the mortality went as high as 100 a day; it has now,
+however, ceased.
+
+_Sept. 27._--The intelligence has been confirmed of the death of Mr.
+Taylor, Mr. Aspinal, and Mr. Bywater, as well as of a Maltese servant,
+and that the principal perpetrators were the Sheikh of Telaafer, in
+conjunction with a Sheikh of the Yezidees, who were with the caravan
+at the time.
+
+The Nawaub mentioned before, has been delivered by the Prince of
+Teheran sending an army into Khorassan, and with him all the caravan.
+
+_Sept. 29._--Meenas has just been here, and the only particulars he
+has given of the unfortunate travellers, in addition to that which we
+knew before is, that Mr. Aspinal made his escape with the others, but
+hearing a cry from Mr. Taylor and Mr. Bywater, he returned, and
+finding them surrounded by about fifty men, he drew his pistol and
+shot one man through the arm. This made them retire for a moment, but
+they advanced again: he then drew another pistol, and shot the Sheikh
+of the Yezidees, by name Bella. His son then rushed on them with the
+rest, and killed them all, and with them six other Christians--two on
+a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, and the others on mercantile business. The
+booty they then divided, half to the people of Telaafer, who were the
+guards of the murdered party, and the other half the Yezidees kept.
+The Yezidees do not appear at all to have wished to kill them, knowing
+their relation to the Resident here, from whom they hoped to get a
+handsome ransom. Perhaps no two events could more powerfully manifest
+the weakness of the Ottoman empire internally than this event which
+has happened to Mr. Taylor, and the pillage of a caravan going to
+Mousul, which was stripped of every thing but two boxes of books,
+which Mr. Pfander had sent; these they left as being too heavy, and
+they are now safe at Mousul. This caravan was stripped by persons
+nominally the subjects of the Pasha within two days journey of Bagdad,
+and the property divided with the most perfect impunity without any
+attempt at recovery. These gentlemen were robbed and killed by persons
+of a village subject to the Pasha of Mousul; and he has not the least
+prospect of bringing them to punishment.
+
+When Meenas gave the Syrians in Mousul an account of our school here,
+they were so much interested, that all their principal persons have
+written a letter to invite us to come there and establish schools
+among them, and also to desire that we should send to them some Arabic
+Testaments and Psalms. All this is most encouraging, and I plainly
+see, that were there twenty servants of Christ, faithful men, who
+would be content to work for the Lord in every way, there might soon
+be found abundant work for them. Mousul seems especially open to
+Christian influence. Many of those immediately connected with the
+Pasha are Christians, and many even among the Mohammedans have still
+Christian recollections. The letter from Mousul, Meenas tells us, will
+come in about three days; if so, Mr. Pfander proposes sending back a
+present of Arabic Testaments and Psalms, with the expression of our
+hope that the Lord may strengthen our hands, as he has made willing
+our hearts, to extend our labours unto them. Major T. often asks me if
+I think any missionary mechanics may still come out. The Lord does so
+much and so wonderfully, that I can almost hope this, notwithstanding
+the host of prejudices to be first surmounted.
+
+Marteroos, the schoolmaster, who we hear is on his way from Sheeraz,
+will, I trust, be a great comfort to us, and a help to the school. He
+taught two years in the school at Calcutta, and though solicited,
+would receive no salary; and also at Bushire. This is a trait of
+character so utterly unlike these countries, that we cannot but hope
+he will enter into our plans with a heartiness that we can expect few
+others would. From his understanding English, we hope he may be able
+to take not only the higher Armenian classes, but also to have time to
+translate such books as we need for the use of the school, and also
+little tracts for circulation.
+
+The Musruff, (or treasurer) of the Pasha told Major T. that they had
+begun the canal between the Tigris and Euphrates. This shews the Pasha
+is still anxious about the steam communication.
+
+Our Mohammedan Moolah still continues to read the New Testament, with
+the Armenian schoolmaster, who seems very sanguine that he will become
+a Christian. At all events, I bless God that he sees the record of God
+with his own eyes, so that if he now rejects the testimony, it will be
+God's that he rejects, and not the solemn mockery of Christ's most
+simple and most holy truth, which they have before seen.
+
+We were much delighted to find that those of the little boys who had
+been exercised in translating their own language into the vulgar, had
+retained such a clear knowledge of it, that though they were called
+upon quite unexpectedly, they understood it; whereas the bigger boys,
+who come to me for English, and the Moolah for Arabic, and who are
+considered to have finished the Armenian education, were not able to
+translate one word, at which they were not a little ashamed, though
+the fault was not theirs, but the plan of education. We are greatly
+encouraged by this, and led to hope, with the Lord's blessing we shall
+see, instead of a system of education, which after immense labour,
+terminates in nothing but _sound_ without _sense_ or instruction, a
+system that will at least bring God's word before them in a form
+intelligible and clear; yea, the very truth that God's Spirit has
+promised to bless, and which He has declared shall not return unto him
+void. Our schoolmaster fully enters into these plans for improvement,
+and really desires to do whatever we wish. Our Arabic Moolah also
+enters much into our wishes, and the boys are making double the
+progress they did under the old system. This is all of the Lord; and
+in fact, when I think of the doubts expressed before we commenced of
+our being allowed to work at all, and consider the quietness and peace
+the Lord has allowed us to enjoy in the prosecution of our work, I
+desire more entirely to cast my whole soul, with all its purposes and
+plans on the Lord, not to move but as he guides.
+
+The two great objects of the church in the latter days seem to me to
+be, independent of growing herself up into the stature of fulness in
+Christ, the publication of the testimony of Jesus in all lands, and
+the calling out of the sheep of Christ that may be imprisoned in all
+the Babylonish systems that are in the world. In both these may the
+Lord of his infinite mercy grant success. Oh, how consoling it is,
+under an overwhelming sense of powerless inefficiency, to one's work,
+to know that God has chosen to put the most precious gift in earthen
+vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of
+man, so that we may glory in our very weakness and ignorance, and
+natural insufficiency, knowing that the Lord's strength is made
+perfect in this very weakness. Dear and blessed Lord, make us every
+one willing to be nothing, that thou mayest in all things be
+glorified.
+
+_Oct. 2._--I have just seen a sight that interests me much; the
+Mohammedan Moolah sitting at one window of the school reading the
+Arabic New Testament, and the Armenian vartabiet (or schoolmaster)
+sitting at a table explaining to the son of the priest of this place
+the New Testament. This young man is just going to Ispahan to be
+ordained. This certainly is something gained, that the word of eternal
+truth is brought before them.
+
+In speaking yesterday to my Moolah about the fortress which the Sultan
+has ordered to be built between Damascus and Aleppo, to keep the road
+safe for caravans, and which is nearly finished, he told me that the
+Sultan had promised the European Sultans that he would govern and
+regulate his country like theirs; thus the minds of these people seem
+preparing step by step for changes.
+
+I have heard, that after we left Petersburgh, some of those, from
+whom we had experienced peculiar kindness, had become very active
+in visiting the poor in the neighbourhood of that city, and in
+circulating tracts and the Scriptures, till at last they attracted the
+notice of the governors of one of these villages, who arrested and
+examined them. Dr. W. was ordered to leave St. Petersburgh in
+twenty-four hours, and the Russian dominions in three weeks. Dear
+young Mr. ----, being an officer, was put into confinement,
+and ----, whose mother has often visited Africa, has since left
+her charge, and is returned to England for her health, but hopes with
+increased prospects of usefulness, to return to her former sphere of
+labour. They felt the cause of God had gained ground during their
+trials, and that their own souls had greatly rejoiced in the Lord.
+
+_Oct. 7._--We have just heard that a German watchmaker in this place
+has turned Mohammedan. This unprincipled man had a wife and children
+in Germany, yet wished to marry a Roman Catholic Armenian here; but
+knowing that the Bishop here would not marry them, he then went to the
+Musruff, (the chief officer of the Pasha,) and promised him that if he
+would get him this woman he would become a Mohammedan, and this he
+has now done, and he is using all his endeavours to compel the young
+woman he has married to follow his steps. This, at present, she
+resists, but she has little principle, as she knew before of his being
+married. The more I see of this people, the more I am struck with the
+necessity of our being made acquainted with the deep wickedness and
+corruption of the human heart, that we may never be hopeless as to
+these people, and think them some peculiarly iniquitous race; and on
+the other hand, we need a deep sense of the omnipotence of God's Holy
+Spirit, that we may never be discouraged; for the bones are indeed
+very, very dry. We hear this wretched man has been beating the woman,
+finding his entreaties failed.
+
+_Oct. 10._--The Lord has blessed us with a little girl, and every
+thing has been ordered by him most happily, so that we have wanted
+nothing that the luxury or wealth of England could supply. Bless the
+Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me bless his holy name; for
+indeed he daily loadeth us with benefits.
+
+_Oct. 14._--The news of the state of things in France, and of the
+Revolution there, has led us to look up to our Lord to see what the
+end will be of these movements. That they will help on the coming
+kingdom of our Lord we know, but how we cannot yet see. We have
+also heard not only that France has taken possession of Algiers,
+but is marching towards Tunis. Thus, step by step, Turkey is being
+dismembered; and although by infidel principles and by infidel hands,
+yet perhaps preparing the way for the publication of the Lord's love
+to man. We have also understood that an English force of 4,000 men, in
+200 ships, are assembled at Malta with the view of attacking Egypt;
+but this we do not believe, but regard it as French news, calculated
+to bring us, in the eyes of the Turks, as guilty alike with them in
+attacking the Turkish dominions. However, all these things render our
+situation here very profitable, for we know not what a day may bring
+forth, and are therefore obliged to look solely to our Lord. Not that
+this Pasha cares much, perhaps, about the taking of Egypt by the
+English, or the general reduction of the empire, for such is the state
+of this country, that the security of every little despot depends on
+the weakness of the supreme power. Yet notwithstanding this there may
+break out paroxysms of popular fury, that however short are terrible.
+But the Lord is our secure and sufficient refuge, and when he has a
+people to save--his chosen ones--he will put a fear into the hearts
+of their enemies. The Revolution in France seems to be the Infidel
+against the Jesuit, or ultra-Papistical party, which may lead to the
+removal of the Archbishop of Babylon from his consular authority,
+though his ecclesiastical influence would not, perhaps, be lessened by
+this.
+
+_Oct. 17._--The value of the English protection is beginning here to
+be so fully understood and felt, that the first merchant in Bagdad
+came to Major T. begging to be taken under it, and when Major T.
+declined, he requested that his son might; and the Seyd, our landlord,
+in explaining the reason of his wish for the Resident to take up his
+cause, stated, that it was not so much in order to obtain any present
+benefit, as that the government might see that he interested himself
+about him; as this, he said, would prevent him being subject to those
+oppressions he had been exposed to before. In fact, I do not believe,
+that during the late heavy exactions that have been made from all
+degrees and kinds of people, one individual under English protection
+has suffered, or that an attempt has been made to oppress one. I do
+not now, or on any other occasion, mention these events as pieces of
+political intelligence, but as necessary to give a view of the signs
+of the times. This consideration for the English does not arise from
+love, as the most intense hatred is manifested when it may with
+safety, as well as the most unconquerable and haughty contempt of
+Christianity and Christians; it seems with this people of God's curse,
+as with the mystical whore, they are consuming away in preparation for
+final destruction by the brightness of his coming.
+
+Mr. Pfander's Persian Moolah has altogether refused to translate
+Persian with him. He says he will read and converse with him, but not
+translate; so great is their contempt of Christians, that though it
+is only the Gulistan of Sadi, and therefore no religious book, they
+will not teach it. In fact, the difficulty of getting teachers here is
+very great. The Christians know nothing--the Mohammedans very little,
+and what they do know they will not communicate to a Christian. But
+all this is ceasing and must come down.
+
+_Oct. 18._--Our hearts have been deeply affected by a conversation
+which Mr. Pfander has had with the Mohammedan Moolah, who teaches our
+boys Arabic. He was telling Mr. P. that he was greatly struck by our
+Lord's precept, not when you make a feast, to invite the rich or those
+who can invite you again, but the poor who cannot; and that from these
+considerations he had been led to invite to an entertainment he had
+provided, all the poor persons he knew, to the surprise of his
+friends, to whom he explained his reasons. He also told Mr. Pfander he
+had often wished he were an animal rather than a man. There appears
+altogether a degree of uneasiness in his mind that may lead further.
+Thus God is making his holy and blessed word a testimony to the hearts
+of some; oh! may every success here be such as bears only the mark of
+God's workmanship by his word and his Spirit. That there are many
+souls here which will feel the power of God's omnipotent word, I can
+never doubt, when it comes fully and clearly before them.
+
+The German Jew, whom I have several times before mentioned, seems
+determined to become a professing Christian. His mind is convinced,
+but his heart I fear little, if at all, affected. He abhors the lying
+abominations of Judaism, which he finds among his brethren. He has
+certainly come thus far without being induced by any worldly motives,
+for had he continued, or would he now return to live by begging for
+Jerusalem and writing lying amulets, he might easily do it. He wishes
+to go to Bombay, and there become a Christian.
+
+We have just heard that one of the boys of the school and his mother,
+who took him away from us, have both become Roman Catholics. The
+inducement to these Armenians is, generally, the pecuniary relief they
+obtain from the bishop here, who has the administration of some funds
+entrusted to him for religious uses, which he exclusively gives to
+Roman Catholics, and with this he bribes those who can have no other
+attachment to their system beyond that which is hereditary, for in all
+other things, and in practice, it would be difficult to say whether of
+the two were most corrupt. But we trust, by the good hand of our God
+upon us, one day to have different systems of judgment than that of
+one corrupt system against another, even the holy, pure, unadulterated
+word of God against the corruptions of all men and all nominal
+churches.
+
+We have heard, to our great sorrow, that the plague has returned again
+to Tabreez, and that all have again left it; and also that the cholera
+has again returned to Kerkook, and committed dreadful ravages. Thus
+the Lord seems visiting the kingdoms of the false prophet with his
+sore judgments and plagues.
+
+_Oct. 21._--There has just been acting here a scene of duplicity,
+falsehood, and bloodshed, which appears strange to us, but is not
+uncommon in this land of misrule and cruelty. A Capidji (or
+Ambassador) from the Porte to the Pasha has been long expected, and
+with evident anxiety by him and those immediately about him, which was
+increased to the highest pitch, when by a messenger from Aleppo, the
+Pasha received the intelligence, that this man's intention was to
+supersede him, and of course to destroy him. It then became the object
+of the Pasha to endeavour to get him into his hands, which was the
+more difficult, as it is usual for the Capidji to read publicly his
+firman, and proclaim the successor at Mousul, or some place near, who,
+collecting the Arabs, marches to lay siege to this place, till the
+head of the Pasha is delivered to him. To prevent this, therefore, the
+Pasha made the Imrahor, or Master of the Horse, who has the whole
+arrangement of the military force, to write a letter to the Capidji,
+begging him to come here at once, and that he would, without a
+struggle, give the head of Daoud Pasha into his hand, whereas if he
+remained at Mousul, there must be an open contention about it.
+
+By this he was allured to approach the city, and the Pasha sent out
+700 or 800 men under pretence of showing him honour, to meet him and
+secure him in case any accounts of the true state of the case should
+reach him, that he might have no possibility of flight. Thus he was
+brought into the city, and his quarters appointed in the house of the
+Musruff; when, after the Pasha had obtained from him the declaration
+of his object, a Divan was called, and it was determined to put him to
+death. This event has thrown the city into great consternation, and
+every one who can, is buying corn in expectation of what is to follow.
+For the tragedy will not end here, as a friend of the Capidji is left
+behind at Mousul, and another Capidji is at Diarbekr, waiting the
+result of this negociation. So it appears that the Sultan is
+determined to act at once and decidedly against this Pasha. We are
+now, therefore to expect a siege, and a state of anxiety and fear in
+this city for some months; but the Lord, who sitteth in the heavens,
+is ordering all for his own glory, and for our safety, and he will
+provide for us.
+
+_Oct. 22._--We have this day heard that the Syrian Patriarch of Merdin
+has recovered one of his churches from the Roman Catholics, and is, on
+the whole, making, in a certain sense, a more successful stand against
+them; but not in the spirit of Christ, I fear. He has two of his
+priests who had turned Roman Catholics in prison.
+
+This day our new Armenian teacher has arrived from Sheeraz. He seems
+an interesting man; but our final plans with him are not yet
+arranged.
+
+We have also heard that the school at Bushire, established by Mr.
+Wolff, is going on badly. He promised to send out a teacher and money,
+neither of which having arrived, the school has dwindled to seventeen,
+and these are neglected.
+
+It is the common conversation to-day in the Bazaar that the Capidji
+was put to death last night. This man was the Accountant General of
+the Porte, and formerly Kiahya. Our Arabic Moolah has been buying
+corn, in the expectation of the present state of things here
+terminating in an open contest, in which he thinks the Pasha, now
+having no hope, will throw himself into the hands of Abbas Meerza, and
+that thus Bagdad will again become subject to Persia. Amidst all these
+wars and rumours of wars, our path is to sit still and wait the Lord's
+pleasure, which he will assuredly manifest to our heart's content, for
+they that wait upon the Lord, shall not make haste, nor be confounded,
+world without end.
+
+Our schoolmaster has come to a full understanding of the principles
+on which we intend to conduct the school: to have nothing that is
+_contrary to God's word admitted_, and I think he very fully and
+heartily enters into this plan. But he informs us that the parents of
+many of the children are dissatisfied with our superseding the church
+prayers, called the Shanakirke, by the New Testament, and ask, "Who
+are these people? Are they wiser than our Bishops and ancient fathers,
+that we should reject what they introduced?" This is what we must
+expect. But we can, with a quiet heart, leave all to the Lord, to
+order as he will. That the schoolmaster is truly on our side I feel
+very thankful, and, I hope, the hearts of many of the children.
+
+_November 10._--After having waited now several weeks for an
+opportunity to send letters and a parcel, and not having found any,
+from the extreme vigilance there is here to prevent any communications
+going to Constantinople, I have determined to avail myself of the
+offer of an Austrian merchant here, to enclose them in a bale of goods
+going to Aleppo, and to have them forwarded thence to Constantinople.
+It is a great comfort to know that all the intelligence essential to
+our cause, as being God's, will reach, and all that is separate from
+that, though it may not be against it, is of little consequence.
+
+We have had two Armenian priests to converse with Mr. Pfander, one
+from Nisibin; and the other from Diarbekr. The one from Nisibin said
+they had no printed books among them, and that they were very anxious
+to go into the Russian provinces, but were afraid, since the death of
+the Russian Ambassador, to make any attempt to go.
+
+The Armenians seem going from all the Mohammedan states that they can
+to Russia. From Erzeroum, great numbers have gone to the Karabagh, and
+thus they may people the desolate provinces of Georgia. The other
+Armenian Priest, from Diarbekr, confirmed the information we had
+previously obtained, that the Armenian population of that city was
+5,000 houses,[17] about 25,000 of all ages, and that they have two
+schools there, containing about 300 children, but no one cared about
+them.
+
+  [17] This is the only mode in the East by which any estimate
+  of the population can be attempted. They count the number of houses,
+  and allow one with another, five souls to each house. Some contain
+  many more, and few contain less, so that even thus, it can be but very
+  imperfectly ascertained.
+
+It is now an understood fact, that the Capidji, or messenger of the
+Sultan, who was left behind at Diarbekr, when his companion came on to
+arrange the affairs of this Pashalic, is collecting troops around
+Diarbekr, to attack Bagdad. This, however, will most probably be now
+deferred till the spring. So we may then expect a siege, unless things
+are arranged before. The Capidji who has been put to death appears to
+have been a man of great distinction, and to have rendered great
+services to the Sultan, both during the war and subsequent to it.
+
+The priest of Diarbekr said, they were too far off to be helped either
+by the Russians or the English; but I cannot help thinking, for such a
+purpose as schools, or getting through their means a large body of
+persons acquainted with God's word, it would be a most important
+position. It presents, however, many difficulties, and at all events
+would require some time to be spent in some place preparatory to
+settling among them, to obtain a knowledge of the Turkish and Armenian
+languages, and for these preparatory studies, should there be no
+determining principle, perhaps Shushee would be the best position,
+as the brethren there all know English, and some Turkish, and some
+Armenian.
+
+We are now fast approaching the termination of our first year's
+residence in Bagdad, and the Lord's mercies towards us have been
+exceeding great. We have been surrounded by many things that would
+have been dangerous, had not the Lord checked them by bringing them to
+nothing, both from disease and enemies; but, as he promised, they have
+not come nigh us. We have borne the heat without any diminution of
+natural strength. We are altogether standing on a more advanced
+position, that on entering Bagdad we could have hoped. Things are
+in preparation for the knowledge of God's holy word being extended,
+and thus one great object of missionary labour is in the way of
+attainment. But still, while I feel assured of there being some choice
+fruit from here and there a fruitful bough, I at the same time feel no
+less assured, that the great harvest will be of wickedness, and that
+the pestilence of infidelity is the great spreading evil, not the
+spreading of Millennial blessedness. As it was in the days of Noah, so
+do I believe it will be at the coming of the Son of Man; and as it was
+in the days of Lot, the great mass of mankind will be taunting the
+Church with, "Where is the sign of his coming?" which shews plainly
+enough that this will be a doctrine of the Church in the latter days,
+or how should it be reviled; so that our Lord, in contemplating the
+general apostacy, said, "When the Son of Man cometh shall he find
+faith in the earth?" Oh, then, how happy is it to be among those who
+love his appearing, who long for the termination of that dispensation
+which witnessed the humiliation of the Church under the world, and the
+rise of that glorious kingdom which shall not be dissolved, and into
+which no sorrow or sighing can enter. I feel the languages to be a
+great barrier. Whether the Lord will pour down this among the other
+gifts of the latter days, I do not know, but at present it is a great
+exercise of a Missionary's patience, to ask even for the common
+necessaries of life; but to speak out the fulness of a full heart, so
+as to be understood and felt is very, very difficult. The difficulties
+in the way of a literary acquaintance with these languages are by no
+means so great, as the study may be pursued alone, but the colloquial
+language can only be learned by intercourse with men, and this is far
+more difficult to attain by an European, who may have a very good
+knowledge of the language of books, and still be little understood in
+speaking. But still the time spent in the learning of a language among
+a people, every thought, and purpose, and habit of whose lives are
+diverse from your own, has this advantage, that you become in some
+measure acquainted with their peculiarities before you are in a
+situation to offend against them.
+
+We have heard that the Emperor of Russia has conferred some honours on
+the family of this Pasha, who are Armenian Christians, in Teflis.
+Things are beginning to look unsettled in Persia. Contentions have
+already arisen between the Prince of Kermanshah and the Prince of
+Hamadan, which seems to be but the precursor of a general state of
+confusion on the death of the Shah; and doubtless amidst all these
+commotions the Lord will move on his way, and the day of his coming
+advance. Oh, may we all labouring abundantly in patience, wait for
+that day, that when it does come we may be found watching.
+
+We have some anxieties about our dear friends who are journeying
+towards us. Whether the intelligence of the state of the Pashalic may
+deter them, or whether they will come on, trusting in the Lord, it is
+our daily prayer for them, that he would guide and preserve them.
+
+Our communications with Tabreez seem almost closed. Since we received
+the letter from Mrs. ----, relative to their leaving Tabreez,
+and going by this to India, we have neither seen them, nor heard of
+them. Whether, therefore, they are gone by Shiraz, or whether they are
+detained, we cannot tell; but the roads will soon become impassable
+from snow in the lofty range of mountains over which they will have to
+come.
+
+I shall now conclude this portion of our little history, with
+assuring those we love, that the Lord has been better than all our
+fears and all our hopes. The more we have proved him, the more we have
+found him to be faithful and gracious, and that not one of the good
+things he has promised to faith has been wanting; but his love has
+abounded far beyond our faith, yea, and they will yet abound more and
+more. Let us then encourage one another to prove him more, that we may
+have deeper experience of his faithfulness. We find the prospect of
+the approaching coming of our Lord a corrective of the allurements of
+the world, and an encouragement to a simple surrender of all we have
+as his stewards, to him and his service, as their only legitimate and
+worthy object, who has redeemed us from death with his own precious
+blood, making us a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy
+nation, a peculiar people, that we might shew forth his praises. Oh!
+may the Holy Spirit dwell in us more powerfully, that we may be ever
+fulfilling his great and glorious purpose.
+
+Accounts have just come to us by letters from Tabreez, that the plague
+has been ravaging that devoted city till 23,000 of its inhabitants
+have fallen victims to it and the cholera, and that when this letter
+came off (Oct. 28), they were still dying eighteen of a day, and this
+is not confined to the city;--the villages of the surrounding country
+have equally suffered; half the inhabitants have been swept away, the
+corn has never been reaped, and the cattle were wandering about
+without owners. The missionaries from America had not arrived then;
+most probably they are deterred by the intelligence of the state of
+Tabreez. Our dear friends the N----'s had never enjoyed better
+health--thus preserved of the Lord in the midst of the general
+devastation: they are also for the present, at the request of the
+Prince, detained till an answer from the Indian government is again
+received respecting them. A famine seems the inevitable consequence of
+the plague and pestilence at Tabreez. Surely these are among the signs
+of the times; but the Lord's command to us is, Let not your hearts be
+troubled.
+
+We have received no intelligence from Shushee, but we heard from
+Tartars that the plague had been in the Karabagh, which makes us
+additionally anxious to hear from thence: but doubtless since the
+plague at Tabreez, all intercourse with Russia from that side has been
+interdicted. Mr. Zaremba mentioned, that he had to pass through seven
+quarantines between Erzeroum and Shushee.
+
+I may also just add, that we have finally arranged with our new
+schoolmaster from Shiraz. We had given particular directions to the
+person who proposed sending for him, that if money were any object to
+him, (which we heard it was not) he should write and let us know what
+he would require. He however came, and when he came, he wanted a sum
+equal to about £84. sterling a year. This I was both unable and
+unwilling to give, and therefore fixed £30. as the utmost, and the
+rest has been made up by the Armenians among themselves, excepting
+£18. which has been given by Major T. He speaks English imperfectly,
+but thoroughly understands Armenian, and will teach the elder boys
+grammar and translating. He will also superintend the girl's school
+for one or two hours in the morning, and teach Mrs. G. Armenian.
+We also hope, as soon as may be, to get some tracts and little
+school-books translated into vulgar Armenian, but all this must depend
+on the blessing of the Lord on our undertaking. This brother has
+joined the Church of England in Calcutta: but he is himself at present
+a strict Armenian, yet I hope, not a bigoted man. But all our past
+experience has led us to look to the Lord alone for all profitable
+help. Those whom we think promise every thing, often occasion nothing
+but anxiety, and those from whom we expect the least we have reason
+abundantly to bless God for having sent us:--so wisely, so graciously,
+and yet in so sovereign a way does the Lord bring to pass his
+purposes, and bless his servants, that every thought of confidence
+in any creature may be destroyed, and the soul, by a thousand
+disappointments, when it has reposed elsewhere, at last be compelled
+to learn only to repose on the bosom of its Father, where love and
+faithfulness eternally dwell, and convince the soul of its past
+expectations from any other source.
+
+
+_February 14, 1831._
+
+An offer has been made to us by one of the richest Armenian merchants
+here, to send, at his own expense, two camel loads of books any where
+we wish, which has of course been thankfully accepted; and we think of
+sending at least one load to Diarbekr. He has also bought from our
+Armenian teacher, those Bibles he had procured from the Bible Society
+at Calcutta, who, with the many thus obtained, has determined to send
+more Bibles from Bushire, where he has already 200, to Julfa and
+Ispahan, and the villages round about, in which he says there are
+above twenty churches.
+
+I have this day settled all my accounts, and find, after every thing
+is paid, including the expenses of my baggage from Bushire, and of the
+house for ourselves, and school for another year, that our little
+stock will last us, with the Lord's blessing, two months longer, and
+then we know not whence we are to be supplied, but the Lord allows us
+not to be anxious; he has so wonderfully provided for us hitherto,
+that it would be most ungrateful to have an anxious thought. Even for
+my baggage, Major T. only allowed me to pay half the charge, and he
+has moreover told me, that should I at any time want money, only to
+let him know and he will lend it me. Now, really, to find here such
+kind and generous friends, is more than we could have hoped, but thus
+the Lord deals with us, and takes away our fears. That we may many
+times be in straits I have no doubt, but the time of our necessity
+will be the time for the manifestation of our Lord's providential love
+and munificence.
+
+There is one peculiar feature that runs through all education in the
+eastern churches, that it professes to be religious, which gives us an
+opportunity of introducing such books as may be useful, without its
+exciting any surprise or suspicion, or opposition.
+
+_Feb. 16._--The Pasha has sent Major T. word of the ravages the plague
+is making in Sulemania. The government and all who have it in their
+power have quitted it. This account has spread much consternation, in
+addition to which two men from Sulemania arrived here ill of the
+plague, one of whom has recovered. Major and Mrs. T., with their usual
+generous kindness to us, have offered us an asylum with them should
+the plague come here, where we should enjoy this great advantage, that
+as the house stands close to the river, a supply of water can be
+obtained without communication with the city. But at present we do not
+clearly see our way: should our school be broken up, I see not so much
+difficulty; it would be a most valuable opportunity for Mrs. G. making
+progress in the language; but we wait on the Lord and he will guide
+us. These do indeed seem awful times for these lands. We cannot be
+too thankful for the peace and joy the Lord allows us to feel in the
+assurance of his loving care.
+
+I was much struck by a remark of our Moolah yesterday, when speaking
+of the horror he felt at the prospect of the plague coming here. He
+said, the sword he did not fear, but the plague he did, for one was
+the work of man, the other of God. I replied to him, that feeling this
+God who directs the plague, to be my father, who loved me, I knew he
+would not suffer it to come nigh me unless he had no longer occasion
+for me, and then it would come as a summons from a scene of labour and
+many trials to one of endless joy. He said, Yes, it is very well for
+you not to fear death, who believe Christ to have atoned for you; but
+I fear to die.
+
+_Feb. 19._--To-day we have heard that the above report of the plague
+being at Sulemania is false; that it has been there, but has now left
+it; so we know not what to believe.
+
+_Feb. 21._--The expenses attendant on our packages from Bombay to this
+place, are as great as from England to Bombay. The boxes of books and
+medicine, and the press, with three boxes of books from the Bible
+Society, cost twenty-five pounds. Aleppo would certainly be the
+cheapest way to send them by, and by far the most speedy. It would be
+a great comfort to us, if this communication should ever be opened,
+for then we might freely communicate with, and hear from those we
+love. I sent a packet across the desert the other day, which we have
+every reason to think was intercepted. In fact, it is now very
+doubtful if any of the many letters we have sent, have gone safe, and
+none have reached us for these six months.
+
+Intelligence came to-day, that the Sultan has ordered the Pasha
+of Mosul, and another Pasha who is dependant on this Pasha, to
+discontinue all communication with him, as the enemy of the Sultan. A
+few weeks will, most probably, conclude this long-continued struggle,
+and, we hope, the insecurity and confusion attendant on it; yet, the
+Lord knows his purposes, and we have only to execute his will.
+
+_Feb. 24._--We have just heard, by a letter that came from Aleppo by
+way of Merdin and Mosul, that the caravan which left this place more
+than three months ago, entered Aleppo about thirty days ago. They
+remained in the desert till the Pasha of Aleppo had quitted that place
+on his expedition against the Pasha of Bagdad, from the fear, that if
+they entered the town he would seize their camels for the use of his
+army. Much alarm is entertained here by the inhabitants as to the
+result of this attack. From past experience they are led to expect
+great lawlessness, from both friends and foes. May the Lord keep our
+hearts in perfect peace, stayed on him. We now begin to feel that it
+is very doubtful when we shall see our dear friends: certainly no
+caravan will pass the desert till all these disturbances are settled.
+It may be also possible, that the journal and packet of letters I sent
+packed in a bale of goods belonging to a merchant here, may yet reach
+their destination.
+
+_Feb. 28._--This day brought us news of the arrival of our very dear
+and long expected friends and fellow-labourers safe at Aleppo, on the
+11th of January, after many delays and many trials. We had never been
+allowed to doubt our Lord's most gracious dealings with us, but yet
+this overwhelmed us with joy and praise; and this welcome news reaches
+us just as our dear brother Pfander is on the point of leaving us
+alone. We received, at the same time, a packet of letters from most of
+our dearest friends in England, at the very moment when our little all
+was within a month of coming to a conclusion, telling us that the Lord
+had provided us with supplies for at least four months to come, which
+we might draw for. Surely the Lord has most graciously seen fit to dry
+up those sources from whence we anticipated supply, that we might know
+we depend on him alone, and see how he can supply even here; we were
+ashamed of every little anxious feeling we had ever had, and were much
+encouraged to trust him more and more. My soul is led to abhor, more
+and more, that love of independence which still clings to it, when I
+see how it would shut me out from these manifestations of my Father's
+loving care. Oh! how hard it is to persuade the rebellious will and
+proud heart, that to depend on your Father's love for your constant
+support, is more for the soul's health, than to be clothed in purple
+and fare sumptuously every day--or at least, as we would say, on bare
+independence; and yet how plain it is to spiritual vision.
+
+We met together in the evening to bless the Lord for the past, and
+supplicate his continued blessing for the future--that he would
+accomplish what he had begun, that our hearts may never cease to
+praise and bless him. My soul was much comforted, especially with a
+text to which one of our dear correspondents called my attention,
+Zeph. iii. 17. "The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty, he
+will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy, he will rest in his
+love; he will joy over thee with singing." All the letters amounted to
+twenty-six, which, after so long an interruption of all intelligence,
+was an especial source of joy. And now we can think of our dear
+friends definitely as absolutely at Aleppo, only waiting for the
+termination of disturbances to join us.
+
+To-day, a Chaldean, from near Julimerk, came to see us, and we expect
+him again, with his brother, who, he says, can read, when I hope to
+obtain from him a fuller account of the state, numbers, and
+disposition, of his wild countrymen.
+
+A Mohammedan Effendi was with me to-day; a very amiable young man, who
+sees many things in the customs of his people bad, arising out of the
+Mohammedan laws. He came to borrow an Arabic bible for, he said, a
+poor schoolmaster, which I gladly lent him. Whether it be really for a
+schoolmaster, or for himself, I do not know.
+
+_March 4._--Read this morning, with peculiar pleasure, Hawker's
+Evening Portion: "How shall we sing the Lord's song in a strange
+land:" heightened as it was by the localities of our situation; but
+above all, by the unity of our experience with the sentiments of the
+writer; for we have indeed found the love of our Father, the pastoral
+care of our Elder Brother, and the consolation and visits of our
+Comforter, that which has enabled us to sing the Lord's song in this
+strange land, even the song of the redeemed.
+
+_March 13._--The time is now fast approaching when we expect the
+struggle for the Pashalic to commence, at the conclusion of the
+Ramazan. Yet it may all pass over, for the government of Turkey is so
+utterly without principle, that by a well timed application of money,
+all difficulties may be surmounted with the Porte, and as the Pasha
+seems now disposed to meet this desire, it may, especially in the
+present difficulties of the Sultan with Russia, lead, after all, to an
+amicable termination of one year's anxiety and suspense. We are now
+especially anxious for the pacification of these countries, that our
+dear friends may be able to pass over the desert, as our dear and kind
+brother Pfander left us last evening for Ispahan. It was a great
+rending to us all, and has left a vacuum we cannot easily hope to have
+filled up in all its parts; and till our dear brothers and sisters
+come, we shall be very solitary, and very much pressed; but our
+strength will be as our day. Had he seen it right to remain I might
+have crossed the desert to our dear friends; but this not being the
+case, it is impossible for me to leave this, and perhaps in the
+present state of things here, from apprehensions of plague and war, it
+would have been impracticable even if he had remained.
+
+Caravans pass much more frequently between this place and Damascus
+than between this and Aleppo, and it appears to me the shorter and
+better way of communication to Bayrout and Damascus to Bagdad than by
+Aleppo. Three caravans have passed over the desert from hence to
+Damascus within these few months. With one of these an Armenian with
+his wife and children went, and with another several Mohammedan
+families; thereby hoping to avoid the troubles they expected here. So
+at least we may venture for our Lord what men venture for their own
+various interests. In fact, it does not appear that any further danger
+is incurred than that of being plundered, or perhaps only a heavy
+exaction from the Arab tribes through whom the caravan passes, whose
+interest it is not to press so hard upon caravans as that they shall
+be stopped coming, but to levy a tax upon them sufficiently
+considerable to help to support the tribe.
+
+An English merchant and a Consul are about settling, if not
+already settled, at Damascus, which will still further facilitate
+communications; and besides the road from Beyraut to Damascus is much
+better than that from Latakeea to Aleppo. This arrangement, as well as
+that at Trebisand, shows that these countries are becoming the objects
+of public, or rather mercantile, interest.
+
+A Jew came to borrow an Arabic bible from me which I have let him
+have. Another Jew was with me yesterday, who translated the Hebrew
+into Arabic very tolerably; but, generally, they only learn to read,
+without understanding what they read.
+
+An Armenian Priest has just come to ask for four or five Armenian
+Bibles, to send to some villages between Hamadan and Teheran. This is
+a plan we like better than sending many to one place, not only as
+spreading knowledge further, but also from the greater probability of
+their being read.
+
+We have just seen another of the Chaldeans, from the mountains. He
+says that they understand the Syrian Scriptures; so that at least I
+hope to send a letter to the Bishop, with a copy or two of the Syrian
+Bible I have with me, that when they return next year they may bring
+me an account whether they understand them or not; and also it will
+serve as a means of opening a personal communication with their chief;
+as, by that time it may be possible that one or two of us may be able
+to return with these men to the mountains. As far as their personal
+assurances go, they promise me a most welcome reception. One of these
+people told me, if I would come to his village, he would kill a sheep
+for me, and I should have plenty, and 200 walnuts for two-pence; they
+said every thing was very abundant there and very cheap. Their pride
+seems much gratified by their being the head and the Mohammedans the
+tail in the mountains; so that they cannot open their mouths, or raise
+their hands against them.
+
+_March 15._--A packet of letters has just arrived from Shushee, after
+more than six months interruption, three days after our dear brother
+had left us. However, we got the messenger to set off immediately to
+overtake him, and he having seen the caravan on the way, promised to
+return in five days. In this packet I also received one letter from
+our dear brother J. B. Dublin, a note from dear Mr. R. informing me of
+his having forwarded the books to the brethren at Shushee. Surely they
+are worthy for whom he has done this, and he will be happy in being
+thus a fellow-helper in the truth. Mr. Knill also mentions their
+arrival safe at Petersburgh, and his purpose of forwarding them to
+Shushee. It has been a year of great trial at Shushee for the mission,
+but of exactly what nature and to what extent we know not, nor how
+things now stand in the communications to our dear fellow-helper who
+has just left us, as they are in German; but should he not be able on
+the road to write us a full account, he doubtless will when he has
+reached Kermanshah or Hamadan.
+
+We hear that the prince royal is marching against his brother the
+Prince of Kerman, by way of Ispahan, the roads, therefore, are very
+unsettled in Persia, but the Lord will encamp round about our brother
+and bear him safely through.
+
+_March 16._--The letters we yesterday received from Tabreez assured us
+of the willingness of the Armenian Bishop to have a school as soon as
+a fit person could be found; and on reading one of the tracts from
+Shushee, he said he would read it in his church to his flock. Mrs. N.
+also mentions the willingness among the Mohammedans to receive the
+New Testament, and that in many instances, pleasing results have
+manifested themselves; but of what kind she does not mention. She
+mentions also one of the principal Mohammedan merchants asking for a
+Testament to read on his road to Mecca. May the Lord stop him by it
+before he gets there, at the gates of the heavenly Jerusalem. In fact,
+there is room in these parts for much preparatory work, when the time
+comes that the power of the Gospel shall have taken such root as to
+show by the power and individuality it gives to the Christian
+character that their craft is in danger. They will do as they have
+done in Shushee; but by the Lord's blessing it may then be too late.
+What appears to me to require the greatest patience and the most
+unwavering perseverance, is the language; for, while on the one hand
+there is every thing to encourage, if we only take the burthen of the
+day on the day, there is such a natural tendency in the mind of man
+to accumulate all the difficulties together, and make one great
+impassable mountain, that it becomes more difficult than many would
+imagine, to go on successfully and happily like a little child. That
+measure of knowledge of a language which so enables one to move about
+in the common transactions of life, does not seem difficult to attain;
+but to be able to state clearly the power of moral distinctions, to
+detect the fallacy of false systems, and put beside them the true
+light of life, is another and a very difficult thing, but yet the Lord
+doubtless sees in this reasons of immense weight, or he would again
+bestow upon us the gifts of the Spirit as before.
+
+God our Father has most marvellously eased our way, and so great has
+been the kindness of our ---- here, that he would do any thing
+he could for us. He even told me the other day, never to let our work
+stand still for want of funds, for should I ever want any he would
+gladly supply me, and lend me for my personal wants whatever I might
+need. Now when we consider there is but one English family now
+resident in Bagdad besides our own, how like the Lord's acting it is
+to make them willing to supply to us the necessary help: not only does
+the Lord supply us with means necessary for our expense, but does not
+allow us when our little fund gets low, to know the anxiety of
+expecting, or thinking what we should do. And, surrounded as we have
+been these many months, by the alarm of war and the fear of plague or
+cholera, even our dear native islands have not been without their
+anxieties; but I have been much struck of late with the peculiar
+dealings of God towards his chosen; as of old, the pillar that was all
+darkness to the enemy, was light to the church in the wilderness, so
+now all this dark cloud, the darkness of which may be felt, which is
+spreading from one end of the Christian and Mohammedan world to the
+other, has, towards the church in her pilgrimage, its full steady
+bright light surmounted by "Behold he cometh!" Blessed assurance! But
+a little day of toil, and then we shall come with him, or rise to join
+his assembled saints, dressed all anew, with our house from heaven,
+that spiritual clothing meet for the new creature in Christ Jesus. Oh,
+what glorious liberty we are heirs to, as children of God, one day to
+love our Eternal Father, Son, and Spirit, with unalloyed affections,
+when our whole nature shall be again on the side of God, and not a
+place left for the enemy to put his foot to harass the heir of glory.
+
+_March 17._--A Chaldean Roman Catholic priest has been here to-day,
+and read me the same passages of the Psalms in the Chaldean and Syrian
+languages, and there appears to be no other difference than in
+character, as far as he read. The Syrians, the Chaldeans, and the
+Jews, might become most valuable objects of missionary labour, not
+only as being in greater numbers here, but from the great similarity
+of their languages, so that the mastering of the one would be to the
+mastering of the three, with very little additional trouble. I
+endeavoured to find out from him the difference between the spoken
+and written languages, and as far as he produced illustrations, the
+difference was only in pronunciation; the words seemed substantially
+the same. But there is a very strong prejudice to contend with in all
+those among these people who know any thing of these languages, in the
+contempt in which they hold their vulgar, and the reverence and
+sanctity they attach to their old language, so that I think tracts, in
+the shape of paraphrases on particular parts of the Scriptures, would
+be exceedingly valuable among them, as well as tracts generally. I
+trust we shall be able to turn our attention to these when we are
+able, from our knowledge of the languages, to judge sufficiently of
+translations or compositions.
+
+_March 18._--This evening the messenger I sent after Mr. Pfander with
+the letters from Shushee, returned with a letter, which I shall here
+insert, as it supplies a good deal of information concerning the dear
+brethren in the Karabagh.
+
+                   "_In the Desert near the Village Bakoobah_,
+                              "_17th March, 1831._
+
+     "My dear Brother,
+
+     "I am very much obliged to you, that you sent this man after me
+     with the letters from Shushee. He reached us a day's journey
+     and a half from Bagdad. We advance very slowly, only from five
+     to ten English miles a day, on account of the spring season,
+     when the Dschervedars[18] feed their horses on grass, and
+     because they waited for other parties which had yet been
+     behind. The weather is very fine; we had rain twice, but only
+     slightly. The remaining time of the day I spend in reading, and
+     conversation with the Persians in the caravan. The first day I
+     felt very solitary, but the second, and since, the Lord
+     afforded me plenty of opportunity to give testimony of him who
+     is our Saviour and Lord, and to distribute several tracts and
+     books among my fellow travellers, and this rejoiced my heart
+     greatly. According to the manner of our present travelling we
+     shall not be in Kermanshah till after twenty days. They speak
+     in the caravan from fear of the Arabs after this; but it will
+     be easy for the Lord to bring me safely through. The caravan is
+     increased to about 500 horses and 180 persons.
+
+       [18] Muleteers.
+
+     "Now something out of dear Zaremba's letters; but I had only
+     time to read them once over, so that I am not able to give you
+     any regular extracts out of them. Should I forget any thing I
+     will write it from Kermanshah or Hamadan. The letter was of
+     December last. All had been attacked with sickness more or
+     less, and dear Brother Sallett, stationed at Teflis, was called
+     home: he died of the cholera.
+
+     "The circumstance with the Armenians is this: The two deacons
+     did go on in their spiritual life prosperously, and continued
+     to give testimony of the truth. This excited so much the hatred
+     of the Armenian clergy against them, that soon after Zaremba's
+     arrival in Shushee from Erzeroum, the Armenian Archbishop of
+     the Karabagh desired to have them sent as prisoners to
+     Etchmiazin, the seat of the Armenian Catholicos,[19] near
+     Erivan. This the Russian Governor of Shushee, after he was
+     informed of it from Zaremba, did not allow. So it got a little
+     quiet: but these young Armenians thought it impossible, at
+     present, to remain longer in Georgia, and so they prepared for
+     their departure to Germany. But during this time the Armenian
+     clergy got an order from the Russian Governor of Teflis, that
+     the two deacons should appear before a council in Etchmiazin.
+     The Governor in Shushee did again so much for them, that they
+     should go to Teflis, and be allowed to lay their case before
+     the governor. Zaremba went with them, though he was not quite
+     well. The one of these deacons, he who assisted Dittrich in
+     translation, died there, happy in his Lord. The other went
+     at last, but in a very good state of mind and heart, to
+     Etchmiazin, putting his confidence in his Lord, for whom he was
+     going to suffer. The brethren had not yet heard more of him
+     than his arrival there. During the time Zaremba was at Teflis,
+     the cholera took daily many away, and some days before his
+     departure, our beloved Saltett, as mentioned before. Zaremba
+     got worse too, but reached Shushee again. After his arrival, he
+     and Hohenaker, and Dittrich had been attacked from the cholera,
+     but recovered again. During this time the person from
+     Etchmiazin arrived in Shushee, and preached and spoke against
+     our brethren, and condemned all the persons who sent their
+     children to them. So the school was broken up. But now the
+     children are beginning to collect again, and the school is
+     again opened. Dittrich was with his family, yet at Teflis,
+     where Zaremba wrote the letter. Hohenaker was gone to the
+     German village, where you stopped, and Haas was kept in Moscow,
+     in quarantine, because of the cholera. Two Armenian tracts had
+     been printed in Moscow, and the copies of the first were
+     already in Shushee. In Shushee they are printing the Armenian
+     Dictionary.
+
+       [19] Patriarch.
+
+     "With our not going to the mountains, they are quite contented;
+     but they think I should rather go to Tabreez than to Ispahan,
+     where I might go at any other time. I do not yet know what I
+     shall do. I shall see how the Lord will lead me. But this is
+     clear now, that a long stay at Ispahan I must give up. Zaremba
+     writes further, that he has now little hope to be able to go
+     any more on a journey, and therefore they rather wish that I
+     should travel and do the Lord's work in the neighbourhood of
+     Shushee, as long as the door is yet open. I cannot reject this,
+     and so I must for the present give up my plans for travelling
+     in Persia. If the way to Ispahan should be quite open, I would
+     go thither, distribute books, and see that I might be in
+     Shushee in July; if not, I shall go direct to Shushee.
+
+     "The case with the mission in Shushee, is now laid before the
+     Emperor, and so they are waiting what decision they may receive
+     from thence; but they are sure that the Lord will direct and
+     order every thing as it will be best, and therefore are not
+     discouraged. The Russian government does not yet in the least
+     hinder them in their work.
+
+     "My letters all arrived safely at Shushee, and the cause of
+     their not writing, was their own sickness and the plague all
+     round about them. It does not seem that one of our letters was
+     lost. Boxes with Armenian and Persian books are in Tabreez.
+     They speak good of the Americans. For the news in your letter I
+     thank you: we live certainly in a most eventful time, and we
+     have therefore the more to work so long as it is yet day. May
+     the Lord mightily bless you, your family, and work. In him,
+     under every circumstance, we have every reason to be glad and
+     to rejoice that we have him on our side.
+
+                               "Your affectionate brother,
+                                                 "C. G. PFANDER."
+
+     "P.S. From Alexander Kasembeg[20] they received a letter which
+     rejoiced them much. It seems to be good with him.
+
+       [20] This affords us unfeigned joy, as we had heard
+       from one who was with him in Cazan, an account that made
+       us a little anxious about him.
+
+     "The other Armenian in Baku[21] came to Shushee to be employed
+     in distributing tracts and Bibles. He has already made a
+     journey into Georgia, and preaches to Armenians and Turks."
+
+       [21] This is the Armenian whose history I gave a
+       little account of before, as the son-in-law of the richest
+       merchant in Baku, who has given up all the prospects of his
+       connection with his father-in-law, which are very considerable,
+       to endure afflictions with the people of God. This young
+       Armenian is another proof of the immense importance of having
+       those to bear testimony to the power of the Spirit's work in
+       regenerating the soul in the image of him that created it, from
+       among themselves. The people can see in him the contrast
+       between the past and the present man. They have also a
+       knowledge of the peculiar modes of thinking and feeling among
+       those with whom they have been educated, and been in the
+       closest terms of intimacy with from their infancy, that they
+       cannot have with foreigners.
+
+The two dear and most interesting deacons, of whom one is mentioned as
+having died in the faith in his way to suffer for the truth, and the
+other has gone to witness alone before his enemies and persecutors at
+Etchmiazin, were both in the school at Shushee, and in the study of
+and translating the word of God, had been led step by step, to see
+through the errors of the system by which they were bound.
+
+Another proof of the progress of the same spirit manifested itself in
+our infant beginnings. The two little Armenian boys who live with us,
+eat and live as we do; on being asked by the boys without, why they
+did not fast as their nation did for fifty days? without any knowledge
+or direction from me, they set about selecting from the New
+Testament, in conjunction with my own little boys, those passages
+which bear on the question, and which shew that if we eat not we are
+none the better, and if we do eat, none the worse. Remarks of a
+similar kind have many times occurred in the course of our
+translations from the Testament. At all events, there is a growing
+tendency in the minds of the children, to feel that God's word is the
+one rule on which they must justify all they impose, and thence the
+necessity of understanding it; and these principles upset at once the
+whole system of ignorant mummery which is now called or thought to be
+the religion of Jesus here. If it be the Lord's pleasure to spare our
+lives, and grant us the ability and opportunity to publish his truth,
+results will follow to rejoice our hearts, I have no doubt: God has
+declared it shall not return to him void, nor shall it. And to the
+Mohammedans also these converts from among the fallen churches become
+invaluable preachers, from their vernacular facility in the language,
+and from their being continually exposed to the question, why they do
+not do so and so; they are called upon by the very necessity of their
+position to defend with meekness and wisdom their new position;
+whereas, with us, they are satisfied with just simply making up their
+minds to this, that theirs is best for them, and yours best for you.
+
+_March 20._--The Moolah yesterday, in speaking of the contest between
+the Pasha and the Sultan, said, that if the English would guarantee
+both sides, both might be satisfied and make peace; but that if not,
+they would never believe one another, for says he, every Osmanli will
+lie. This opinion of their own low moral condition, is universal among
+Turks and Persians. This man has often said to me, No Osmanli cares
+for more than his own bread, and if that is safe, the whole empire may
+be destroyed.
+
+Two tribes of Arabs, whom the Pasha has brought up to help him in the
+approaching contest, in consequence of some feud between them, came to
+blows, and all last night and this morning were firing at one another
+in that quarter of the city which is on the other side of the river,
+where they are stationed.--It caused much alarm, and may be but a
+precursor to general confusion and greater trials; but the Lord
+Jehovah who sitteth on the everlasting hills, is our shield and
+defence. The firing has since ceased, and one of the tribes has been
+driven out of Bagdad.
+
+_March 21._--This day the packet of letters came by Bombay, which were
+sent off about four months after we left, and therefore have been
+about eighteen months on the road. The best way is to put all letters
+into the post-office, paying the postage, and they will then come
+generally in about eight months by Bombay, free of all expense but
+that paid in England; and it would afford us peculiar pleasure if
+our dear friends would write regularly by this route, for the
+opportunities by Constantinople are either rare or expensive.
+
+How strikingly do these letters prove the truth of our Lord's
+declaration, that those who leave father or mother, &c. for his sake
+and the gospel's, shall find a hundred fold, fathers, mothers,
+brothers, sisters, houses, lands, with persecutions. Surely we are
+rich indeed, in the love of the saints of our Lord, and in their
+prayers for us. These letters prove that our weak childish faith has
+not been without the Lord's blessing on his own work. Oh! then, what
+might be expected if we had been strong in the Lord and in the power
+of his might? Perhaps, however, he who has led us hitherto,
+insignificant as we are, may lead us onward still to magnify his grace
+in our weakness. Surely no missionaries, with so few pretensions to
+the love and confidence of the church of God, ever received more solid
+proofs of deep and hearty interest than we have during these ten
+months; this is no small point gained, and I think we may go further,
+and add, that many have been led by this weak effort of faith in us,
+to take steps they might not otherwise have ventured upon. I do not
+desire, for one moment, to set myself in opposition to those blessed
+institutions whose labours roused us from our lethargy: but only this
+I must say, that I do not think their plan is the best, or the only
+good one. Notwithstanding, I desire to bless God for them, and to
+co-operate with them, whenever I can. I do rejoice, with most
+unfeigned joy, at any honour God bestows upon them, and I should
+rejoice to see them multiplied a hundred fold; for whosoever brings a
+stone to the temple of our Lord and king, by whatever different means
+they may have laboured with from ourselves, shall be our father,
+mother, sister, brother. The only end we know of existence is the
+manifestation of that temple, and may the king's blessing and favour
+rest on the head of every one who labours for it, at home or abroad,
+under established institutions, or in any other way. By all, Christ is
+preached, and God the Father glorified, and the power of the Holy
+Ghost manifested. Unprofitable servants as we are, weak in faith, and
+infirm in purpose, except as the Lord day by day lifted us up, as it
+were, with one hand, and covered us with the other, and enabled us to
+stagger on our way; still, we cannot but feel that the Lord's goodness
+and care, which our weakness has elicited, may have moved in some
+small degree the hearts of the little band of six, who are coming to
+join us; and I hear that their simplicity and faith has yet further
+stirred up the spiritual affections of others to go and do
+likewise--but these are early days; if it be of the Lord, he will
+bless it; if not, we desire to be the first to lay our hands on our
+lips, and our faces in the dust, saying, We were deceived; the cause
+is the Lord's, not ours; with him we will leave its prosperity and
+defence.
+
+_March 28._--The plague has now absolutely, we believe, entered this
+unhappy city. Major T. and all those connected with the residency are
+preparing to leave for the mountains of Kourdistan; they have most
+kindly invited us to go with them and form part of their family; this
+is most truly kind, and there are many things to recommend it--the
+opportunities it would afford M. for learning Armenian, and me Arabic,
+and for observation on the country and people, besides our being
+delivered from all apparent danger either from the sword which
+threatens us from without, or the pestilence within. The absence of
+all these friends and so many of the principal Christian families who
+are going with them, leaves us exposed to the bigotry of the people in
+any tumults that may arise--all these things presented themselves to
+our minds. But there are considerations that outweigh these in our
+minds: in the first place, we feel that while we have the Lord's work
+in our hands we ought not to fly and leave it; again, if we go, it is
+likely that for many months we cannot return to our work, whereas the
+plague may cease in a month; opportunities of usefulness may arise in
+the plague that a more unembarrassed time may not present; and our
+dear friends from Aleppo may come and find no asylum. The Lord gives
+great peace and quietness of mind in resting under his most gracious
+and loving care, and as the great object of our lives is to illustrate
+his love to us, we believe that in the midst of these awful
+circumstances, he will fill our tongues with praise as he does fill
+our hearts with peace.
+
+I have just heard, that some Englishmen have been circulating tracts
+at Julfa, an Armenian town in the neighbourhood of Ispahan, and that
+the bishop has prohibited their circulation; this shews what we have
+to expect.
+
+I believe I have many times mentioned the deeprooted opposition which
+exists among the clergy and literary men in the East, to having any
+thing translated into the vulgar dialects: they are worse than the
+literati of Europe used to be with their Latin, many among whom, but
+lately came to see that it was no disgrace to communicate their ideas
+in a vernacular dress: as the common sense of mankind has triumphed
+over the literary pride of the learned, so we shall find that babes
+will one day overthrow the literary pride of these orientals. I
+obtained, the other day, a translation of one of Carus Wilson's little
+stories, into the vulgar Armenian of this place, for the little girls.
+The contrast between the effect produced by reading this in an
+intelligible language, and their usual lessons, was most striking: in
+the one there is of necessity a perfect indifference; but on reading
+the other, they begged and entreated they might have it to carry home,
+which is promised them for next week. Of this I had no doubt before;
+but the experiment has been most gratifying and encouraging.
+
+_March 29._--Yesterday Dr. Beagrie and Mr. Montefiore went and saw
+several patients they thought afflicted with the plague; but their
+minds were not perfectly made up. To-day, there is no longer any
+doubt. I accompanied Mr. Montefiore, in his visits, and now there are
+about twenty, and the number is increasing. Thus, then, this long
+expected scourge has visited this city, and our Father only knows when
+the awful visitation may cease. We can only cast ourselves on his holy
+and loving hands for safety or peace: into these hands we do cast
+ourselves, with all that is dearest to us in this world. We have
+proved our Jesus to be the Captain and Author of our hopes, and always
+found that in the power of his name we have obtained the victory.
+Nothing but the Lord's loving pity can prevent the most awful
+extension of the disease; not only are the people crowded together,
+two or three dying in one room, but the intercourse is perfectly
+unrestricted in all parts of the city, so that I fear what is now
+confined to one quarter, and might possibly, by a vigilant government
+be kept there, is spreading in all directions. We have, therefore,
+been forced to the most painful step of breaking up our school, for it
+would have been quite impossible to collect together eighty children
+from different parts of the city, without exposing all to danger. May
+the Lord enable us profitably to avail ourselves of our retirement, to
+cultivate a more extended communion with him who is our life. Dear M.
+is much staid on her God, and feels that as he has been, so he will be
+to us a hiding place in every storm.
+
+_April 1._--The plague is still increasing, but apparently not
+rapidly. We wait the Lord's pleasure in our own house. The only
+inconvenience is want of water, which cannot be had from without; and
+they say that when the plague becomes intense all the water carriers
+cease to ply; but the Lord hath said, in the time of famine ye shall
+be satisfied; on this promise we rest in peace.
+
+Two English gentlemen set off to-morrow across the desert with a
+single guide to Damascus, to examine the means of communication by
+water between the Mediterranean and Aleppo. From thence, should they
+be spared, they purpose going to Beer, and thence pass down the
+Euphrates with the view of ascertaining its fitness for steam
+navigation. Surveys have already been completed between this and
+Bussorah, of both the Tigris and Euphrates, by Mr. Ormsby, in part
+assisted by Mr. Elliot, and from Ana to Felugia by Captain Chesney
+of the Royal Artillery, and there remains between Beer and Ana to
+be examined. Through all that has yet been surveyed there is no
+obstruction, but it is expected there will be a little labour required
+in one or two points of what remains to be surveyed, before steam
+communications could proceed on the rivers. If these gentlemen thus
+labour for what perishes in the using, and run such risks, going as
+they are across the desert with a guide, whose language they do not
+understand, ought it to be called tempting God, in us going for such a
+work as ours is, to run similar risks and encounter similar dangers.
+
+The deaths at present from the plague are confined to the Mohammedans
+and the Jews. To avoid it, many of the Jews have gone to Bussorah,
+and the Kourds who brought it here have fled from the city; a large
+caravan of Christians are now thinking of returning to Mosul, who were
+driven from Mosul three or four years ago by plague and its attendant
+famine.
+
+The poor Jews have been robbed of every thing by the Arabs, and sent
+naked back, and there seems little better prospect for those who are
+going to Mosul: they have the Arabs on one side the road, and the
+Kourds on the other.
+
+It is striking how fully and simply the Mohammedans admit the expected
+coming of our Lord and the end of the world. The end of our Lord's
+coming they conceive to be to set his seal to Mohammed's mission, and
+that all Christians will become Mohammedans. Still these fundamental
+errors in their views do not prevent a clear and distinct expectation
+similar to that of the heathen at the time of our Lord's coming.
+Certainly no people can have a worse opinion of the state of the
+professors of their religion than the Mohammedans have; still, with
+the loss of zeal for their own, their heart seems full of a strong
+delusion to believe a lie, and hate the way of life, and above all,
+the Lord who is the true God and eternal life.
+
+How blessed the 91st Psalm feels at such moments as these, in looking
+round on one's little family, to know that every arrow that flies,
+winged with death, is no random shot, but that the Lord who is your
+life, and by whom your life is hid in God, directs them all. Call upon
+me, says the Lord, in the day of trouble, and I will deliver _thee_,
+and thou shalt _glorify me_. Blessed Lord, when thou hast (as thou
+most assuredly wilt do) delivered us, may we never forget to glorify
+and bless thee. Oh! what a blessed feeling it is to know that you are
+not under the general but especial and particular government of
+Jehovah--that he has redeemed you, and you are his--that he has
+engraven you on the palms of his hands; and that day and night he is
+watching to preserve you.
+
+_April 3._--An immense crowd of poor Jews left the city this morning,
+to escape the destruction of the plague. The Christians also are
+leaving in every direction they can find open. I fear these poor
+creatures in their flight can hardly fail to carry the plague with
+them.
+
+I have lately read several of Erskine's works, or little portions of
+his writings, and never did I see the pernicious effects of system
+displayed more legibly than in several of his most interesting, but as
+a whole, most delusive publications. In his view of Gospel freeness,
+and other places where similar views to those contained in that little
+work are promulgated, there seems, to my mind, a radical defect, that
+nothing in so good a man accounts for but the baneful effects of a
+system, and a secret insurmountable repugnance to the sovereignty of
+God's government, and the individuality of God's election in Christ
+Jesus, from before the foundation of the world. I do not mean that
+these doctrines are denounced; but they evidently are not entertained
+as the comfort and consolation of the soul, nor as they are
+represented by the Apostles, as the most overwhelming reasons for
+unlimited devotion to his service, who has thus chosen us with our
+bodies, souls, and spirits, which are his. He talks of spreading the
+beauty of the Lord Jesus, and the excellency of God's love, not only
+as the pasture of their souls, who are born again of the Spirit, of
+which they undoubtedly are the legitimate, the only food and means of
+their spiritual growth, but as the cause of spiritual life in the
+unregenerate by being believed. Now, this appears to me a radical and
+fundamental error. Food does not give life, though it sustains and
+expands it. What he says of the effects of love, in moulding the soul
+to the likeness of the object beloved, is most true; but in order to
+the existence of this love, not merely faith in God's love seems to be
+necessary, nor the reality of the things promised, but such a new
+creation in the soul, as shall see a desirableness in it and them.
+As we see in nature, when the heart is engaged by one object of
+affection, any demonstration of affection from another, which involves
+the relinquishment of it, not only does not give pleasure, but
+positive pain, though you know its reality, purity, and intensity; the
+fact is, the affections are occupied, and there is no place. So it is
+by nature with every man, and while he remains in this state, no
+knowledge of love, however real, intense, and devoted, when he sees
+its tendency to disconnect him from the only source of known
+enjoyment, by the substitution of that which he has no senses to
+appreciate, will ever be found available. It appears to me, that the
+spiritual immortal generation of the second Adam, the Lord from
+heaven, is in Scripture represented to be as real and absolute as the
+generation from our earthly head, and only invisible from being
+spiritual. It has its proper food, its proper growth. Without being
+thus begotten from above, though you could display all the beauties of
+him who is the chief among ten thousand, the altogether lovely, though
+you could display all the Father's love to the church from the day he
+commanded his gathering it, till this day, it would be as powerless as
+spreading the most sumptuous banquet before the dead.
+
+With respect to the general design of vindicating the government of
+God from the charge of partiality, which I feel to be at the bottom of
+Mr. Erskine's views, I do not see that the Lord has committed it to
+us, but, whenever in the Old Testament or in the New, he pleads with
+his children against their ingratitude, it is from the specialty of
+his love. He does not say to the Israelites, I have dealt with you
+after a common dealing with all; but, with what nation has the Lord
+dealt as with Israel. So, in the New, he says, "I have chosen you, not
+you me." In the prayer of our Lord, in John xvii. in the Epistles of
+Paul and Peter--in the Revelations, and so in all the called and
+chosen, and faithful, who are written in the Lamb's book of life, and
+have been from the foundation of the world, from the beginning to the
+end, I see a constant reference made, and the warmest and most
+enlarged attachment of the affections demanded, on the ground of
+peculiar, especial, and personal choice on the part of God. That all
+this is consistent with every perfection of God's character, and,
+therefore, with his equal justice and mercy, I have the fullest
+assurance, but that we are in possession of the means of shewing it,
+or that the Lord requires it at our hands, I feel fully assured of the
+contrary. And the danger Mr. E. seems to apprehend from stating the
+doctrines of election as they are usually stated, are more imaginary
+than real. For God, who by his Holy Spirit begets the soul again in
+the likeness of the divine nature, gives to that nature thus begotten
+the power of discriminating in its food between night-shade and sweet
+pasture.--When he has created in the soul of any human being the love
+of himself, he gives him, with this love, the privilege to rejoice
+that his name is written in heaven, and the minister of Christ is by
+no means embarrassed by all these apparent difficulties, for he has to
+display all the beauty of Christ, all the love of the Father, all the
+graces of the Spirit before the assembled world, knowing that all the
+sheep will hear, and feed, and grow, and that the goats will cavil and
+stamp down the pasture with their feet. But, ye believe not, because
+ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you, My sheep hear my voice and
+I know them, and they follow me. Again, he that is of God hath God's
+words, ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God. How and
+why this is we are not able nor willing to try to answer: all we can
+say is, hath not the Lord right to do what he will with his own. Shall
+the thing formed say to Him that formed it, "What makest thou?" And
+"Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right." And many, many more
+like it.
+
+_April 4._--We were last night alarmed by the voices of apparently
+thousands of persons on the other side of the river; by degrees the
+discharges of guns were mingled with the cries, which gradually
+extended also to this side the river. We concluded it must be from a
+tribe of Arabs having broken into the city, the noise being exactly
+similar, only much more violent, to that of the two tribes of Arabs
+who were contending the other day. But after an hour's suspense, we
+heard it was a concourse of Arabs to supplicate from God the removal
+of the plague from them.
+
+The deaths from the plague do not seem to increase with any rapidity,
+these two or three days; 150 perhaps is the highest any day. On a
+preceding occasion, about 60 years ago, it amounted to near 2000 a
+day. There is with us the father of our schoolmaster, who had the
+plague at that time, and says you might have walked from one gate of
+the city to the other, and hardly have met a person or heard a sound.
+We trust it may be the Lord's gracious purpose to take off the
+heaviness of his judgment, and spare yet a little longer this sinful
+city.
+
+The news from Europe also--how strange--how anxious; surely the Lord
+seems sifting the nations, and shewing their rulers that without the
+Lord's blessing their confidences, plans, and speculations, can never
+stand. That they should have discovered also that the spiritual and
+temporal character of the Pope's government are incompatible--surely
+these are signs in the times that may make the most sceptical enquire.
+Oh! how joyful a thought it is that the Lord is at hand, and our
+pilgrimage near ending.
+
+_April 7._--We had thought the Lord had removed the sword from us, but
+we hear it is now near at hand; and the plague seems extending, or
+every one is running away. Sometimes, on looking round on our dear
+little circle, the old heavy faithless flesh would seek its quiet,
+sheltered retreat under the lofty elms, but the Lord never allows the
+spirit for one moment to desire otherwise than to wait and see the
+salvation of our God, who will for his name's sake do wonderfully for
+us, that our hearts may rejoice in him. We hear the enemy is within
+three days of the city, and the Pasha is going out with all his Haram,
+whether to contend or fly we do not know, but we think from his
+character, the latter; but where shall he fly? If he flies with gold,
+there are those who will plunder him: if he flies without, he cannot
+stir a step. In fact, the moment his affairs are actually sinking, all
+the miserable elements of his present comparative strength turn
+against him.
+
+_April 9._--Stillness still prevails over the city, like the calm
+which precedes a convulsion; our neighbours are preparing for defence,
+by getting armed men into their houses, but we sit down under the
+shadow of the Almighty's wings, fully assured that in his name we
+shall boast ourselves. The Pasha, however, has not gone out as he
+intended yesterday.
+
+We have just heard that the reports of the plague has stopped for a
+little the approach of the enemies of the Pasha, still every thing is
+exceedingly unsettled. He is going to shut himself up in the citadel
+till the answer comes from Constantinople to his overtures, but all
+those about him are against him, and wishing for the arrival of his
+enemies. About fifty went out the other day, and seized on Hillah,[22]
+but they were driven out.
+
+  [22] Hillah is a small town on the river Euphrates, a little
+  below the ruins of Babylon. It was built in the year 495 of the
+  Hegira, or 1115 of the Christian era, in a district called by the
+  natives El Aredh Babel; its population does not exceed between 6 and
+  7000, consisting of Arabs and Jews, there being no Christians, and
+  only such Turks as are employed in the Government. The inhabitants
+  bear a very bad character. The air is salubrious, and the soil
+  extremely fertile, producing great quantities of rice, dates, and
+  grain of different kinds, though it is not cultivated to above half
+  the degree of which it is susceptible,--See Mr. Rich's Memoirs on the
+  Ruins of Babylon.--_Editor._
+
+_April 10._--The Lord has in many respects this day altered our
+position here. One of Major Taylor's seapoys has died of the plague,
+and now four of the servants are attacked. This has so alarmed Major
+T. and the family, that they are immediately going off to a country
+house, built by order of the Government of Bombay, for the Resident in
+the neighbourhood of Bussorah, and they may or may not return to this
+place. They have kindly offered us an asylum with them, and a passage
+in their boat. Having no immediate occupation here at present, I feel
+quite free to accept it, but there are considerations that prevent
+us.--Hitherto the Lord has kept us safe, and no symptom of plague has
+appeared in our dwelling--though it is all around us. We cannot move
+without coming in contact with numbers of people for many days, and
+being shut up in a small boat with the Arab sailors,[23] and even the
+very plague we may leave this city to avoid, may have reached Bussorah
+before we arrived there, as thousands have already set off from hence
+for that place; besides which, should it be the Lord's pleasure that
+the plague terminate soon, and we then wish to return, it may be many
+months before we may meet with an opportunity. The only advantage
+seems to be, that we should thus be apparently further removed from
+those troubles which seem likely to arise in the threatened attempt to
+depose this Pasha; yet, on the whole, we feel we may hold on with the
+Lord's blessing; but if we were once to leave our present post, it
+might be very difficult again to regain it.
+
+  [23] The whole of those who took down the boats died.
+
+The accounts brought us of the numbers of those who have died of the
+plague, on this side of the river alone, in little more than one
+fortnight, all agree in making it about 7000. The poor inhabitants
+know not what to do: if they remain in the city, they die of the
+plague; if they leave it, they fall into the hands of the Arabs, who
+strip them, or they are exposed to the effects of an inundation of the
+river Tigris, which has now overflown the whole country around Bagdad,
+and destroyed, they say, 2000 houses on the other side of the river,
+but I think this must be exaggerated; the misery of this place,
+however, is now beyond expression, and may yet be expected to be much
+greater. Dreadful as the outward circumstances of this people are,
+their moral condition is infinitely worse; nor does there seem to be a
+ray of light amidst it all. The Mohammedans look on those who die of
+the plague as martyrs, and when they die there is no wailing made for
+them; so that amidst all these desolations there is a stillness, that
+when one knows the cause is very frightful. The Lord enables us to
+feel the blessedness of the 91st Psalm, at least of the portion of
+those to whom that Psalm pertains; and we have, amidst all these very
+trying circumstances, a peace that passeth understanding. We feel
+indeed that we owe it to our Lord's love to be careful for nothing,
+neither to run or make haste as others, but to stand still and see the
+salvation of our God.
+
+There was a curious conversation going on last night, among some
+Mohammedans, outside our window, relative to the plague, which they
+said was an especial judgment on them and the Jews, but from which
+Christ would deliver the Nazarenes, and in all these calamities, it is
+remarkable how doubly heavy, they fall on these two classes. Feelings
+like these, and others that we know exist, make us clear to stay where
+we are in the midst of these judgments, trying as they are to natural
+feeling. That which comes to the ungodly _as judgments_, comes to the
+child of God, like the chariot of fire to Elijah. From these
+visitations as judgments, we have an especial promise of protection,
+and we trust in the midst of them some good may spring up; at all
+events, we feel that we shall have quite met our dear Lord's mind in
+giving this people a last opportunity of hearing, ere their house is
+left unto them desolate.
+
+_April 12._--I have just taken leave of the kind T.'s. The accounts of
+the dead are truly terrific; they say the day before yesterday 1200
+died, and yesterday Major T.'s man of business obtained a receipt to
+the amount of 1040 on this side of the river. If this statement can
+be relied on, the mortality, within and without the city, must be
+truly appalling, and should it not please the Lord soon to stay the
+destroying Angel's hand, the whole country must become one wide
+waste. Some very kind Armenians[24] have offered to provide what is
+necessary for our journey to Damascus, if we will go with them. The
+possibility of meeting our dear Brethren is a great temptation, but
+still we do not see clearly our permission to go, and the Lord has
+given us all such perfect peace in staying, and such perfect health,
+that we are even unwilling to go; we remain, therefore, and wait upon
+our Lord's love, which we feel assured will be manifested towards us
+amidst this scene of death; and afterwards we shall see why we
+remained, more clearly perhaps than now.
+
+  [24] The caravan they went by suffered the most complicated
+  misery both from the flood and the plague, and never succeeded in
+  prosecuting the journey.
+
+_April 13._--The plague has just entered our neighbour's dwelling,
+where they have collected together nearly thirty persons, not simply
+their own family. It seems as if a spirit of infatuation had seized
+them, for instead of making their number as small as possible, they
+seem to congregate as many together as they can.
+
+Oh! what a blessed portion is ours, to have the God of Israel and his
+unchangeable promises for our sure and abiding place of rest--our
+little sanctuary unto which we may always resort. Yea, in the secret
+of his pavilion he will hide us.
+
+_April 14._--This is a day of awful visitation. The accounts of deaths
+yesterday vary from between 1000 and 1500; and to-day, they say, is
+worse than any, and the increase in the numbers of deaths is exclusive
+of the immense multitudes who are dying without the city. One of our
+schoolmasters[25] is gone to Damascus, and has taken with him his
+little nephew who was boarding with us, so we are indeed now quite
+alone. In fact, nothing prevents the entire desertion of the city, but
+the dangers of the way, and the poverty of the inhabitants.
+
+  [25] He died afterwards--he was the one mentioned in my
+  former Journal as having come from Shiraz.
+
+_April 15._--The accounts of the mortality yesterday still more
+alarming--1800 deaths in the city. There was great danger of the
+bodies being left in the houses, and the inhabitants flying and
+leaving them unburied, but by great exertions on the part of some
+young men in one quarter of the town to bury the dead there, others
+have been stimulated in other quarters to similar exertions, and last
+night all were buried. Our Moolah has just been here; he says he has
+bought winding sheets for himself, his brother, and his mother.[26] He
+says that yesterday he was in the Jew's quarter, and only met one
+person, and that was a woman, who, when she saw him, ran in and locked
+the door. Meat, for some days, or any thing else from without, we have
+been unable to get. Water alone we have obtained. But, to-day, even
+that we cannot get at any price; every waterman you stop, answers he
+is carrying it to wash the bodies of the dead.
+
+  [26] Both he and his brother died.
+
+_April 16._--The accounts of yesterday are worse than any day, and an
+Armenian girl, who has been here this morning, said she saw, in a
+distance of about 600 yards, fifty dead bodies carrying to burial. The
+son of Gaspar Khan, our next neighbour, is dead. Two have been carried
+out from a little passage opposite our house to-day, where two more
+are ill. All you see passing have a little bunch of herbs, or a rose,
+or an onion to smell to, and yet as to real measures of precaution
+there has not been one step taken; not even contact avoided, and the
+most unrestrained intercourse goes on in every direction, so that
+nothing but the Lord's arm shortening it, can prevent the entire
+desolation of the whole province. The population of Bagdad cannot
+exceed 80,000, and of this number more than half have fled,[27] so
+that the mortality of 2000 a-day is going on among considerably less
+than 40,000 people. But the Lord tells us, when we hear or see these
+things, not to have our hearts troubled, for our redemption draweth
+nigh; and we believe it, and accept it as a sweet drop in the bitter
+cup that is now drinking to the very dregs by so many about us; and
+which, but for this expectation, would bow down the stoutest heart.
+
+  [27] Most of them were driven back by the increase of the
+  waters without.
+
+One of Major T.'s servants has just been here, who says the city is a
+perfect desert, only peopled by the dead, the bearers of the dead, and
+the water carriers. Our household are all in perfect health, thanks be
+to our loving Shepherd's care.
+
+_April 17._--To-day, as yesterday, we have heard nothing as to
+numbers. The accounts are very contradictory; some saying that there
+is very little plague, others, that it is heavier than any day; so
+that probably, in some parts of the city, it is very severe, and in
+others lighter.
+
+An Armenian told the schoolmaster that almost every one you meet is
+carrying cotton and things for the interment of the dead. We are
+left almost alone in our own neighbourhood, all having fled in one
+direction or another; we have been, however, all preserved in health,
+to the praise of the Keeper of Israel.
+
+Surely every principle of dissolution is operating in the midst of the
+Ottoman, and Persian empires. Plagues, earthquakes, and civil wars,
+all mark that the days of the Lord's coming are at hand, and this is
+our hope--on this our eyes and hearts rest as the time of repose, when
+all these trials shall cease, and the saints shall possess the
+kingdom.
+
+_April 18._--To-day the accounts are truly distressing. In the family
+of one of our little boys, consisting of six, four are laid down with
+the plague, father, mother, one son, and one daughter--only one son
+and a daughter remaining. Immense numbers of families will be
+altogether swept away, and many thousand of fatherless and motherless
+children left when this heavy judgment of God ceases. It is now become
+useless to attempt obtaining accurate accounts about numbers.
+
+_April 19._--Still heavy, heavy news. The Moolah has called to give us
+an account of the city. He says it now stands stationary at between
+1,500 and 2,000 a-day, and has been so for a fortnight. What a mass of
+mortality! Among the Pasha's soldiers, he says they have lost, in some
+of the regiments, above 500 out of 700.--And in the towns and villages
+without, the report is, that it is as bad or worse than within the
+city.
+
+_April 20._--The plague much the same. Among the Armenians nine were
+buried yesterday, and seven to-day. There are not left in the city
+more than 400, and now there is the plague in every third or fourth
+house. The water also is increasing, so that a little more will
+inundate the whole city on this side the river, as it has on the
+other, to the inexpressible additional misery of the poor people. The
+caravan which left for Damascus can neither advance nor return on
+account of the water. Yesterday four dead were carried out from the
+little passage opposite our house, making in all 14 dead from eight
+houses, and there are others now lying ill.
+
+_April 21._--To-day the accounts of the plague are rather more
+favourable, though another has been carried out from the passage
+opposite us, and there are some ill in three houses adjoining ours.
+The river has burst into the cellars of the Residency, and is within a
+foot of inundating the whole city.
+
+_April 22._--Having had occasion to-day to go out to the Residency, to
+endeavour to save some things from the water, which has come into all
+the cellars, in every way I was overwhelmed with the awful state of
+the city, and at the difficulty of obtaining help of any kind at any
+price. The servant of Major T----, who is left in charge of the house,
+told me he had applied in every direction, but could get no one to
+help him; one had a wife dead or dying, another a mother, another was
+employed in carrying water for the dead, and on our way, we saw the
+Court of the Meshid or Mosque full of graves; and no longer finding
+room there, they were burying the dead in the public road. When in
+want of water, I think we shall be obliged to go to the river and
+fetch it for ourselves, as a water-carrier is hardly now to be seen,
+except when followed by a man forcing him to carry water to some house
+where there is death. Amidst all, the Lord lets not his destroying
+angels enter our dwelling; though tens of thousands are falling around
+us, we are all, by his grace and holy keeping, well. The business of
+death is now come to that height, that people seem to take their
+nearest relations, and bring them for interment with as much
+indifference as they would transact the most ordinary business.
+
+_April 23._--The plague not decreasing; two more were brought out
+to-day from the passage opposite to us, making seventeen from eight
+houses near us. The mother of the Seyd, who owns our house, has been
+buried in her house, as no one could be found to bury her. Another
+most affecting instance has just occurred. A little girl of about
+twelve years old was seen carrying an infant in her arms, and being
+asked whose it was, she said, she did not know, but had found it in
+the road, having heard that both its parents were dead. Water now is
+not to be had for money; yet even in these times Israel's pillar has
+its bright side to Israel. These things must come to pass; but when we
+see these signs, we must remember that our redemption draweth nigh;
+and the Lord will be a little sanctuary for us, let him send however
+sore judgments on the earth.
+
+_April 24._--The plague still raging with most destructive violence;
+the two servants in our next neighbour's house are both dead, and two
+horses left, I fear, to starve. A poor Armenian woman has just been
+here, to beg a little sugar for a little infant she picked up in the
+street this morning; and she says, another neighbour of her's picked
+up two more. They have just been digging graves beside our house.
+Almost all the cotton is consumed, so that persons are wandering
+all over the city to find some, for burying their dead. Water not
+to be had at any price, nor a water-carrier to be seen. Oh, what
+heart-rending scenes sin has introduced into the world! Oh, when will
+the Lord come to put an end to these scenes of disorder, physical as
+well as moral? In one short month, not less than 30,000 souls have
+passed from time to eternity in this city, and yet, even now, no
+diminution apparently of deaths. Surely the judgment of the Lord is
+on this land? One more taken from the little passage opposite, making
+nineteen from the eight houses.
+
+_April 25._--To-day, three more from the same passage, making
+twenty-one from these houses. Such a disease I never heard of or
+witnessed; certainly not more than one in twenty recovers; every one
+attacked seems to die.
+
+This has been a heart-rending day. The accounts from the Residency,
+and the falling of a wall, undermined by the water, obliged me to go
+out, and I found nothing but signs of death and desolation; hardly
+a soul in the streets, unless such as were carrying the dead, or
+themselves affected with plague, and at a number of doors, and in the
+lanes, bundles of clothes that had been taken from the dead, and put
+out. The Court of the Mosque was shut, having no place left for
+burying, and graves were digging in every direction in the roads, and
+in the unoccupied stables about the city. The water also has increased
+so much as to be within a few inches of inundating the city. Should
+this further calamity come on this side, as it has on the other, the
+height of human misery will be near its climax, for where they will
+then bury their dead I know not. There seems no diminution in the
+plague yet, that we can discern. Two of the men we had helping to take
+Major T----'s things from the water are attacked; one of them is the
+fourth from a house, consisting of six. The remaining servant of Mr.
+T---- had intelligence brought while I was there, that his aunt was
+dead, which, he says, is the eighth near relation he has lost.
+
+Some of the Mohammedans, our neighbours, were sitting under our
+windows last evening, and were observing, that while two or three had
+been taken from every house, we only had remained free. And this is of
+the Lord's marvellous love. We consist of thirteen, including the
+schoolmaster's family, and the Lord has given his destroying angel
+charge to pass over our door.
+
+The Pasha has sent to desire, that he might have Major T----'s yacht
+drawn up near the Seroy or Palace to go into, in case the water should
+increase; and when the man was sent for, who had the charge of the
+vessel, he with another had run away, three were dead, and only one
+remained. These are surely the days of visitation for the pride of
+Edom. The man who sold cotton for burying the dead, the price of which
+he raised from 45 to 95 piastres, and who lived only two doors from
+us, died yesterday. There is no more cotton left in the city, and they
+now bury the dead in their clothes. The price of soap is raised four
+times higher than usual. I have been enabled, by the Lord's goodness,
+to get all our water-jars filled, though at twenty times the usual
+price. The bodies of persons of considerable wealth are now just put
+on the back of a donkey, or a mule, and carried away to be buried,
+accompanied by one servant. We have also much anxiety about the people
+of the Damascus-caravan, of which we can hear no tidings, whether or
+not they have been swallowed up by the inundation. Whether they have
+been able to retreat to some eminence, or what is become of them we
+know not. The poor women who have taken charge of the two poor little
+infants have sent to us for food for them, as in these countries they
+have no idea of bringing up children by hand. It may be to be
+instrumental in saving some of these poor little infants, and in
+helping the orphans that remain, that the Lord has allowed us to stay
+here. They are all Mohammedan children.
+
+_April 26._--For many days we have been unable to obtain any account
+of the number of deaths; but the _Chaoush_ of Major T---- has been
+with the Pasha this morning, who is in the greatest possible state of
+alarm, wishing to go, but not knowing how. One of his officers, whose
+business it is to inquire about the number of deaths daily, reported
+that it had reached 5,000, but yesterday was 3,000, and to-day less.
+Enormous as the mortality has been, I cannot but think this beyond the
+truth; yet it must be remembered, that the inundation kept immense
+masses of poor thronged together in the city, who, but for this, would
+have all fled in one direction or another.
+
+The accounts are heart-rending of little children left in the
+streets; five were left yesterday, a poor woman told us, near the
+Residency, and others in different directions. If the wrath of God is
+pouring out on the mystical Babylon, as it is on this province of the
+literal Babylon; the two antichrists are beginning to draw near their
+end. But for the presence of the Lord in our dwelling, as its light
+and joy, what a place would this be to be alone in now; but with Him,
+even this is better than the garden of Eden. These are invaluable
+situations for the experience of God's loving distinguishing care, and
+here we realize our pilgrim state much better than in the quiet of
+England, with all its external apparent security.
+
+The utmost number of daily deaths I heard of at Tabreez were 400, and
+here it is said to be 4,000, and yet the population certainly is not
+double. In going out to speak with a servant of Major T----, I saw a
+very decently dressed female lying in a dying state of plague at our
+door quite senseless; it is almost more than the heart can bear. Yet,
+that the Lord will even from these scenes prepare ways for the
+establishment of his truth, I feel fully assured, and this supports
+us. A north wind has regularly blown for these four days past, so that
+we hope the water will not again increase. Oh, may our Father of his
+infinite mercy take away these heavy heavy judgments, and make their
+present measure instrumental to the advancement of his kingdom. The
+Soochee Bashee, an officer of police, has just been here, and tells
+us, that the Pasha proposes removing to near Coote, a village on the
+Tigris, half way between this and Bussorah. At any other time, this
+would tend to most fearful convulsions within the city; but in the
+present state of things, perhaps, all may remain quiet, without a
+governor. When the plague, that now desolates the city ceases, we know
+not what may happen; but this we do know, that the love of our Father,
+and his gracious providence, will be magnified by all events, and that
+we shall yet praise him more and more. It seems to me more than
+probable that the Pasha does not intend to return. By the plague he
+has lost half his soldiers, and a great number of his Georgian slaves,
+who are his personal attached friends; he may now remove without
+obstruction perhaps, from any one, or the possibility of any
+communication being made to his enemies to intercept him; but time
+only will show; however this may be, it is certain that should the
+plague cease to-morrow, the city is in such a state, that no
+resistance could be made for one moment to any enemy. How invaluable
+the past proofs of the Lord's loving kindness and tender mercies are
+at such times, the remembrance of him from the Hill Mizar of the
+Hermonites. In going along the streets to-day, I saw several poor
+sufferers labouring under the plague; and a number of places, where
+clothes had been brought out and burnt.
+
+Our anxieties have been greatly increased by the illness of our dear
+little baby; but our unerring Physician has restored her to us to-day,
+we trust in a measure which promises amendment.
+
+_April 27._--To-day all thoughts are turned from the plague to the
+inundation, which from the falling of a portion of the city wall on
+the north-west side last night, let the water in full stream into the
+city. The Jews' quarter is inundated, and 200 houses fell there last
+night: we are hourly expecting to hear, that every part of the city is
+overflowed. A part also of the wall of the citadel is fallen. And, in
+fact, such is the structure of the houses, that if the water remains
+near the foundations long, the city must become a mass of ruins. The
+mortar they use in building is very like plaister of Paris, which sets
+very hard, and does very well when all is dry; but as soon as ever
+water is applied, it all crumbles to powder; and in building walls of
+four or five feet thick, they have only an outside casing of brick
+work thus cemented, and within it is filled up with dust and rubbish,
+so that what seems strong enough in appearance to bear any thing, soon
+moulders away, and by its own weight accelerates its ruin. It must be
+many many years, if ever, before the city can recover. But it seems
+to me, that this seat of Mohammedan glory, and of its proudest
+recollections, has received its death-warrant from the hand of the
+Lord. This inundation has not only ruined an immense number of houses
+in the city, and been the cause of tens of thousands dying of the
+plague, but the whole harvest is destroyed. The barley, which was just
+ready to be reaped, is utterly gone, and every other kind of corn must
+likewise be ruined, so that for 30 miles all round Bagdad, not a grain
+of corn can be collected this year, and perhaps, if all was quiet this
+might be of no consequence, for from Mosul and Kourdistan it might
+easily come; but this will be prevented by the enemies of the Pasha
+who surround us. The poor are beginning to feel immense difficulty in
+the city, for all the shops are shut, and there is a great scarcity of
+wood for firing; and should the water now cause a general inundation
+of the whole city, the heart sickens at the contemplation of the
+scenes that must follow; for the houses of the poor are nothing but
+mud, scarcely one of which will be left standing.
+
+For ourselves personally, the Lord has allowed us great peace, and
+assured confidence in his loving care, and in the truth of his
+promise, that our bread and our water shall be sure; but certainly
+nothing but the service of such a Lord as he is would keep me in the
+scenes which these countries do exhibit, and I feel assured will,
+till the Lord has finished his judgments on them, for the contempt of
+the name, nature, and offices of the Son of God; yet I linger in the
+hope he has a remnant even among them, for whose return these
+convulsions are preparing the way.
+
+_April 28._--News more and more disastrous. The inundation has swept
+away 7,000 houses from one end of the city to the other, burying the
+sick, the dying, and the dead, with many of those in health, in one
+common grave.[28] Those who have escaped, have brought their goods and
+the relics of their families, to the houses the plague has desolated,
+or desertion left unoccupied, and houses are yet falling in every
+direction.
+
+  [28] I have heard of eight thus buried in one house, or
+  rather belonging to one family, the remains of which are come to
+  reside next us in a house, where those who had the charge of it are
+  dead.
+
+The Lord has stopped the water just at the top of our street by a
+little ledge of high ground, so that as yet we are dry; and all free
+from the sword of the destroying angel. Scarcity of provision is
+beginning to be sensibly felt, so that very respectable persons are
+coming to the door to beg a little bread, or a little butter, or some
+other simple necessary of life. To-day, the number dying in the road
+was much greater than I have before seen, and the number unburied in
+the streets daily and hourly increases. The Seroy of the Pasha is a
+heap of ruins, and though he is most anxious to go, he cannot collect
+forty men to man the yacht, for all fear of him is now past, and love
+for him they have none; his distress beggars all description, for not
+a single native vessel is left in Bagdad, every one having been
+employed in taking down the crowds to Bussorah at the commencement of
+this dreadful calamity. I have from day to day mentioned the dead
+taken from the eight houses opposite to ours; that number has to-day
+reached twenty-four; in one of these, out of nine, one only survives;
+and I mention twenty-four not as all, but as those which have been
+seen carried out by some of the schoolmaster's family, who were
+however very little in that room which overlooks this passage. Of
+another family near the Meidan, out of thirteen one only remains, and
+I have no doubt there are hundreds of families similarly swept away;
+yet amidst all these trials to the servants of God, my heart does not
+despair for the work of the Lord, for no ordinary judgments seem
+necessary to break the pride and hatred of this most proud and
+contemptuous people; but the Lord will bring Edom down, and make a way
+for the Kings of the East to his holy habitation. We have taken one
+poor little Mohammedan baby, about three or four years old, from the
+streets, and are supplying a poor Armenian woman with pap for another;
+but what is this among so many? We know not what to do. It makes
+passing the streets most painful and affecting, thus to see little
+children from a month or six weeks, to two or four years, crying for a
+home, hungry, and naked, and wretched, and knowing not what to do, nor
+where to go. Thank God however, to-day the water is a little abated,
+about a span lower. Oh, may the Lord's mercy spare yet a little longer
+this wretched, wretched city. Oh, how does the glory of the Chalifat
+lie in ashes; she seems within a step of falling like her elder sister
+Babylon, the glory of the Chaldean's excellency, and in how many
+things has her spirit towards the church of God been as bad, yea
+worse, than hers. Missionaries in these countries have need of a very
+simple faith, which can glory in God's will being done, though all
+their plans come to nothing. It was but the other day we were
+surrounded by as interesting a school of boys, and a commencing one of
+thirteen girls, as the heart could desire; and now if the plague and
+desolation were to terminate to-morrow, and our scattered numbers were
+assembled, perhaps not more than half would remain to us. Yet dark as
+all the labours of the Lord's servants in these countries appears, I
+feel assured, that prophecy points them out as specially connected
+with many of the great events of the latter days. Yet it requires
+great confidence in God's love, and much experience of it, for the
+soul to remain in peace, stayed on him, in a land of such changes,
+without even one of our own nation near us, without means of escape
+in any direction; surrounded with the most desolating plague and
+destructive flood, with scenes of misery forced upon the attention
+which harrow up the feelings, and to which you can administer no
+relief. Even in this scene however, the Lord has kept us of his
+infinite mercy, in personal quiet and peace, trusting under the shadow
+of his Almighty wing, and has enabled us daily to offer up to his holy
+name praise, for suffering us to assemble in undiminished numbers,
+when tens of thousands have been falling around us. Neither is this
+all, for he has made us know why we staid in this place, and why we
+were never allowed to feel it to be our path of duty to leave the post
+we were in.
+
+_April 29._--Our situation is becoming daily still more extraordinary,
+and in many respects more trying, except that our Lord is our hiding
+place, who will preserve us from trouble, and will compass us about
+with songs of deliverance. The Pasha has fled, accompanied by his
+master of the horse, and his immediate family. His palace is left
+open, without a soul to take care of any thing. His stud of beautiful
+Arab horses are running about the streets, and are caught by those who
+care to take the trouble, and offered for sale for from £10. to £100.
+each; his stores also of corn are left open, and every one takes what
+he wants, or what he can carry away, which is a great relief to the
+poor, for the quantities are enormous, in expectation of a siege.
+
+The plague is working its destructive way, apparently with no other
+mitigation than that arising from decreasing numbers in the city; the
+inundation however, has prevented this having its full weight, for it
+has thronged the remaining population into a compass unnaturally
+disproportionate. The house next us, which belongs to a Seyd, who left
+it at the beginning of the plague, in charge of two servants who are
+dead, is now filled by twenty persons from different directions. The
+unburied dead, and the dying, are fearfully accumulating in the
+streets. So difficult it is now to find persons to bury, that even the
+priest of the Armenian church here, who died two days since, remains
+yet unburied.
+
+The water, thank God, is a little lower, but there seems now every
+prospect that the moment the waters decrease, the surrounding Arabs
+will come in, and plunder the city; yet even this is in the Lord's
+hands--our wisdom has ever been to sit still, and see the salvation
+of our God, and until we see his cloudy pillar arise from off our
+tabernacle, where we feel it has hitherto rested, and move forward,
+we shall yet judge our safety to be to sit still. We have in several
+instances seen, that there was reason to bless God for remaining
+quiet. We once thought of removing to the Residency, as a change to
+the dear children, and as being nearer to the water; but still on the
+whole we felt it best to remain here; and had we gone, we should have
+been in the midst of the plague; or had we gone, when the T----s went
+to Bussorah, what a state should we now be in, without the possibility
+of removing, and in danger of our lives from the inundation and
+falling of the walls, if we stayed.
+
+We had again considered, whether it would be right to leave this with
+the caravan for Damascus and Aleppo, which seemed the only opening
+there might possibly be for us, so that if we let that pass by, we
+must stay whether we would or not; still the Lord made us feel it was
+our path to stay looking to him. And had we gone, what a state should
+we have been in? For nearly three weeks they have been surrounded with
+water, continually increasing around them, so that now we know not
+what their situation may be, whether they are swept away, or remain;
+but at all events we bless God for having inclined our minds to stay.
+Why we did not join our dear and kind friends the T----s, in going to
+Bussorah, we do not yet so clearly see the reason of, because we have
+received no accounts thence, but it would have cut up alike our
+connection with our work here, and with our dear friends at Aleppo,
+with whom we feel it daily of more and more importance to have as
+speedy a meeting as possible for advice and counsel.
+
+We have just heard of the caravan already mentioned, as going to
+Damascus and Aleppo. The plague has taken off eight of the Armenians,
+and four have been drowned. The head of the caravan is dead of the
+plague also, besides many others; they must therefore return to
+Bagdad, instead of advancing on their journey; so in this instance at
+least we see great reason to bless God for keeping us back. Yea, the
+Lord will instruct us and teach us the way in which we should go, and
+will guide us with his eye; this is our confidence and comfort; and in
+such a time as this of unheard of perplexity, what a source of abiding
+peace is this. We feel it well to know our God in such circumstances
+as ours. Among the Armenians, thirteen died to-day, the largest number
+yet in one day.
+
+_April 30._--The report of the flight of the Pasha, it appears was not
+true, and arose from the two circumstances I have mentioned, of his
+horses having been seen running about the streets, and his supplies
+being open to the people. He has been for several days endeavouring to
+get away, and had drawn up for that purpose some boats under the
+Seroy. All his stables were levelled to the ground, and the place
+flooded with water. When the distress of the people was mentioned to
+him, he ordered one of his corn stores to be opened to them. However,
+to-day, blessed be God's Holy Name, _the waters have sunk more than a
+yard_, so we trust the great danger is over.
+
+To-day, one more was brought out dead from the eight opposite houses,
+making twenty-five, and we know there are four more lying ill there.
+Our poor schoolmaster, who went in the caravan, is dead, and was
+buried in his tent.
+
+_May 1._--The Lord has brought us all in safety to the beginning of
+another month, through the most trying period of my life; yet the Lord
+has every day filled our mouth with praise, and enabled us to see his
+preserving hand.
+
+To-day, as I passed along the street, I saw numbers of dead bodies
+lying unburied, and the dogs eating with avidity the loathsome food.
+Oh! it made my very heart sink. The numbers of the dead can now be no
+longer ascertained, for most of the bodies are buried either in the
+houses or in the roads; yet amidst all this, the Lord suffers not the
+destroying angel to enter our dwelling; but we feel the Lord has
+commanded the man with the ink-horn to write us down to be spared, as
+this is one of the vials of God's wrath on his enemies.
+
+_May 2._--We have heard nothing to-day to vary the general scene
+of our calamities; the intensity of this most desolating disease
+surpasses all thought. Numbers of families are altogether swept away;
+in numerous others, out of ten or twelve, only one, two, or three
+remain; but I hear of none, save our own, where death has not entered.
+Yet, while I bless and praise the Holy Name of our Lord, under whose
+wing alone we came here, and under whose wing alone we have trusted,
+the things my eyes have seen, and my ears heard, press upon my heart,
+and make me at times very sad; neither can I chase them from my mind.
+I can only look forward for comfort to that day, when the Lord himself
+will come to put an end to this dispensation of desolation, and
+introduce his own peace. Yea, come Lord Jesus, come quickly.
+
+We have just heard melancholy tidings of another caravan, which
+endeavoured to escape into Persia from the plague, but has been forced
+back again by the Arabs, the floods, and the scarcity of provisions,
+and besides numbers among them have died daily of the plague, so still
+we can bless God we did not leave our present position by this last
+opportunity. Let us then again bless him for not allowing us to make
+haste.
+
+_May 3._--To-day we trust the Lord has a little alleviated the
+virulence of the plague; many attacked yesterday, and the day before,
+have been rapidly recovering, and fewer deaths have taken place
+to-day--a great deal so far as we can ascertain. May God's holy name
+be praised, who is a hiding place from every storm. We had our water
+jars filled again to-day, when many, even of the rich, who have
+connections in every direction, find the greatest difficulty. "Your
+water shall be sure." We who are alone, and without a friend within
+hundreds of miles in any direction, have been supplied by our Lord's
+gracious ordering; thus he puts a new song into our mouths, even a
+song of thanksgiving. To-day all are well, even our dear little baby
+is quite recovered.
+
+_May 4._--The weather has for these two or three days past been
+beautifully fine, and clear, and hot, by which our God seems to have
+mitigated the symptoms of the plague. All accounts to-day are
+encouraging; the number of new cases few, and the number of those
+recovering many. Our eyes have also been rejoiced by the sight of
+three or four water-carriers passing again, after an interval of ten
+days; many more people have also been passing and repassing than
+before; so we trust the Lord is now taking away this desolating
+judgment, which, in less than two months, has carried away more than
+half the population of this city; for, allowing that it had been
+silently making its deadly course three weeks before it was
+discovered, it does not exceed eight weeks, and by far the greatest
+portion of deaths have been within the last four weeks.
+
+_May 5._--In my journal yesterday, I mention more than half the
+population as having been swept away in the inconceivably short space
+of two months, but every account I have received, convinces me that
+this is within the number; certainly not less than two thirds have
+been swept away, and this seems to have arisen from a complication of
+causes. At the time when the great mass of the population would have
+fled, and thus have thinned the city, the waters rose so high, that
+they could move only with great difficulty; they waited in the hopes
+of the water subsiding, instead of which, it so increased, that those
+who had left the town and could get back, were compelled to return;
+those who could not, were driven to seek some high ground where they
+might remain safe from the water, but in all cases they were crowded
+together without the power of moving their position.--Again, in the
+city, when by the death of immense multitudes the population became
+greatly thinned, the inundation of the water laid more than half the
+town level with the ground, and drove the remaining people to
+congregate together wherever they could find a dry place or an open
+house, so that often twenty or thirty came to reside together in the
+same house, as was the case next door to us; thus again the deaths
+became awfully great. Inquire where you will, the answer is, The city
+is desolate: around the Pasha four Georgians alone remain alive out of
+more than one hundred. The son of our Moolah, who is dead, told me
+to-day, that in the quarter where he lives, not one human being is
+left--they are all dead. Out of about eighteen servants and seapoys
+that Major T. left, fourteen are dead, two have now the plague,[29]
+and two remain well. Among the Armenians, more than half are dead. An
+Armenian who was with us to-day, tells us, there are not more than
+twenty-seven men left in one hundred and thirty houses. I, however,
+think that this is exaggerated.
+
+  [29] Those two died.
+
+At Hillah, the modern Babylon, (population 10,000), there is, Seyd
+Ibrahim told me to-day, scarce a soul left, and the dogs and the wild
+beasts alone are there feeding on the dead bodies. This Seyd Ibrahim
+is one of the surviving servants of Major T.; and is the only one of a
+family of fourteen who remains alive.--His four brothers, their wives,
+his own wife, their children, and his own, are all dead. If mystical
+Babylon is suffering, as the seat of this Archbishopric of the literal
+Babylon, the times are not far off when the river Euphrates shall be
+dried up for the kings of the east to pass over.
+
+For digging a grave they ask a sum that equals in England three
+pounds, in consequence of which numbers have remained unburied about
+the streets, so that the Pasha has been obliged to engage men, paying
+them at the same rate for each body they will throw into the river.
+
+In all the villages the desolation seems as complete as it is here.
+When day by day I rise and see our numbers complete, and all in
+health, my soul is indeed made to feel what cannot the Lord do? though
+ten thousand shall fall at thy right hand it shall not come nigh
+thee.--I do not yet see what effect all this is likely to have on our
+labours here--whether it will break down or build up barriers; yet we
+expect it will break down, for the Lord seems thus breaking to pieces
+the power if not the pride of this haughty people. I have been struck
+two or three times lately, in going out, with the intense hatred that
+lurks at the bottom of the hearts of this people against Christians;
+my dress manifested me to be one, and some Arabs I met, particularly
+the women, cursed me with the most savage ferocity as I passed, two
+or three calling out at me as though I were the cause of all their
+calamities; and the people who are come to live next door to us, are
+bitter against us, especially one man among them, who seems to have
+his heart quite corroded, because they are dying and we are preserved
+by our Lord's love; he sits and talks under our window, saying, "These
+Christians and Jews alone remain, but in the whole of Bagdad you will
+hardly find one hundred Mohammedans." This is altogether false, for
+though in proportion as many Christians may not have died as
+Mohammedans and Jews, yet the deaths among them have been enormous,
+as the preceding accounts will have shewn.
+
+Medicine I have found of no use. If you attack the fever, they die of
+prostration of strength; if you endeavour to support the constitution,
+they die of oppression on the brain. Those cases which first affected
+the head with delirium, have been the most fatal; next those with
+carbuncles, which did not appear, however, for a fortnight after the
+commencement of the disease. Among those who have recovered, almost
+the whole have had large glandular swellings, speedily separating and
+thus relieving the constitution.
+
+This night, the first time for three weeks, I have heard again the
+Muezzin's call to prayers, from the minarets of the Mosques.
+
+_May 6._--The water to-day is much decreased. I saw a man also with
+fresh meat in his hand. I likewise saw many recovering from the plague
+walking about, leaning on sticks, and sitting by the way-side. The
+number of deaths, among the Armenians, to-day, amounted to 11, which,
+considering that their whole remaining numbers cannot exceed 300 at
+present, is an enormous mortality, and has a little damped our hopes
+of a speedy conclusion to this awful visitation.
+
+_May 7._--Of the plague nothing satisfactory to-day. Thieves are
+multiplying in every direction; and news has come from Mosul that a
+new Pasha has arrived there, who only waited for the cessation of
+the plague to advance against Bagdad. Great part of his work of
+destruction is already done for him, as hardly a Georgian is left,
+and he will find money enough left without owners, to supply his own
+utmost rapacity, or the demands of the Sultan. The Lord is our only
+secure resting place, and we know that he who delivers us out of six
+troubles, can and will deliver us out of seven.
+
+The water is decreasing most rapidly, so that rice is beginning to
+be brought from the other side of the river; and as all those who
+monopolized the sale of wood, and not only asked enormous prices, but
+cheated in the weight, are all dead, every one now that needs wood
+takes it, so that the situation of the poor seems in this respect a
+little improved.
+
+There has not been among all the circumstances of this scene of
+complicated suffering, any one that has more painfully affected my own
+mind than the increasing number of infants and little children that
+have been left exposed in the streets, and the absolute impossibility
+of meeting such a state of things. We greatly desired to take one or
+two; but our own little baby was ill, so that by night Mary had hardly
+any rest, and at best, not being strong in such a climate, we came
+reluctantly to the decision that we were not able to undertake such an
+additional charge.
+
+This is an anxious evening. Dear Mary is taken ill--nothing that would
+at any other time alarm me, but now very little creates anxiety; yet
+her heart is reposing on her Lord with perfect peace, and waiting his
+will. A few hours, perhaps, may show us that it is but a little trial
+of our faith to draw us nearer the fountain of our life. To nature it
+seems fearful to think of the plague entering our dwelling; in our
+present situation, nothing but the Lord's especial love could sustain
+the soul in the contemplation of a young family, left in such a land,
+at such a time, and in such circumstances; but we feel we came out
+under the shadow of the Almighty's wing, and we know that his pavilion
+will be our sanctuary, let his gracious providence prescribe what it
+may. On his love, therefore, we cast ourselves with all our personal
+interests.
+
+_May 8._--The Lord has this day manifested that the attack of my dear
+dear wife, is the plague, and of a very dangerous and malignant kind,
+so that our hearts are prostrate in the Lord's hand. As I think the
+infection can have only come through me, I have little hope of
+escaping, unless by the Lord's special intervention. It is indeed an
+awful moment, the prospect of having a little family in such a country
+at such a time. Yet, my dearest wife's faith triumphs over these
+circumstances, and as she sweetly said to me to day, "The difference
+between a child of God and the worldling is not in death, but in the
+hope the one has in Jesus, while the other is without hope and without
+God in the world." She says, "I marvel at the Lord's dealings, but
+not more than at my own peace in such circumstances." She is now
+continually sleeping, and when roused feels it difficult to keep her
+dear mind fixed on any subject for a minute. These are indeed the
+floods of deep waters, but in the midst of them the Lord is working
+his mysterious way, yet that way, however bitter to nature, is for the
+everlasting consolation of his chosen ones. She said to me, a few
+minutes since, "What does the Lord say concerning me." I said, that
+you are a dear child of his. "Yes," she said, "of that I have no
+doubt." May the Lord of his infinite mercy sustain my poor weak soul
+amidst these heavy visitations, that at least we may magnify him,
+whether by life or by death; what a relief it is now to my mind to
+think that her's was so much set against moving, whenever I proposed
+it, and she often said in reply, "The Lord has given me no desire nor
+sense of the desirableness of moving, which I feel assured he would
+have done had he seen it best."
+
+_May 9._--My dearest, dearest wife still alive, and not apparently
+worse than yesterday. Oh! if it were the Lord's holy blessed will to
+spare her, it would indeed rejoice my poor foolish heart, but the Lord
+has enabled me to cast my wife, myself, and my dear dear children on
+his holy love, and to await the issue. Oh! what wrath there must be
+against these lands, if not only the inhabitants are swept away, but
+the Lord transplants also his own, who would teach them, to his own
+garden of peace. My soul has just been refreshed by these two verses
+of Psalm 116. "Return unto thy rest, O my soul, for the Lord hath
+dealt bountifully with thee. He has taken one of thy olive branches to
+glory, and is now perhaps about to take another, for precious in the
+sight of the Lord is the death of his saints, for he only takes them
+from the evil to come." Oh, but for Jesus, the never setting star of
+our heavenly way, amidst the wilderness what would our situation now
+be. Jesus is the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever, and our
+heavenly Father's love we have too often proved to doubt it now. But,
+poor nature is bowed very very low, when I look at my dear boys and
+little babe, and see only poor little Kitto to be left for their care
+for hundreds of miles around; it needs all those consolations of God's
+spirit to keep the soul from sinking also with the body; but the Lord
+has said, "Leave your fatherless children unto me," and to him we
+desire to leave them.
+
+We did feel assured that the Lord would spare our dear little united
+happy family; but his ways are not our ways, nor his thoughts our
+thoughts. Dear little Kitto, I feel for his situation also from my
+heart.
+
+All the conversation of my dear dying wife, for these twelve months
+past, but especially as our difficulties and trials increased, was on
+the peace she enjoyed in the Lord. Often and often she has said to me,
+notwithstanding the disparity of every thing external, I never in
+England enjoyed that sweet sense of my Lord's loving care that I have
+enjoyed in Bagdad. And her assurance of her Lord's love never forsook
+her, even after she felt herself attacked by the plague. While
+contemplating the mysteriousness of the Providence, her mind was
+overwhelmed; but when she thought on her Lord's love, she was
+confident in his graciousness. From almost the first, her brain has
+been so oppressed, that with difficulty she opens her eyes, and though
+she can answer a question of two or three words, Yes, or No; yet, if
+it involves the slightest exercise of thought, she always replies, "I
+do not know what you say." When I consider all I and the dear children
+lose, should we survive her, it is almost more than my heart can
+contemplate. On any essential point, for some years, we have never had
+divided judgment on any material point; in every work of faith, or
+labour of love, her desire was to animate, not to hinder. Such simple
+truth of purpose, and unaffected love, and confidence in her Lord, as
+dwelt in her dear departing spirit, I have seldom seen, and those who
+knew her intimately will not think I say too much. She has been to me
+in the relation of Christian wife, and Missionary wife, just what I
+felt I so much, so very much needed. And yet the Lord sees fit to take
+her to himself, and add one more from my little family to the chosen,
+faithful, and true company that surrounds his throne. Lord, then,
+though it cuts nature to the quick, makes me feel its deepest
+suffering, and meets me under the most complicated forms of trial, yet
+if it be for thy glory, and her glory, do, dear Lord, thine Almighty
+will, and we know thou wilt to thy chosen, make light spring up out of
+darkness.
+
+_May 10._--Last evening my dearest wife was more herself than she had
+been, till within a few hours of her being taken ill, which was
+manifested by her asking to see dear little baby, the first thing she
+had voluntarily asked for, since her illness, without being spoken to.
+She again mentioned the subject of her confidence in her Lord, and
+acquiescence in his will. She asked me what I thought of her
+situation. I said I had committed her to the Lord, who, I knew, would
+deal graciously by her. She replied, "Yes, that he will." She
+continued in this state of improvement till to-day at about nine
+o'clock, when her mind again began to wander. When I quoted to her,
+that to the Lord's servants light should spring up in darkness, she
+said, "Yes, that it shall." She said, "I feel much better than
+yesterday--don't you see that I am." In fact, my hopes of her being
+really improving would have been complete, but from that peculiar look
+of the eyes, which authors who have written on this subject, all
+denote as most fatal; from this, therefore, my hopes never were very
+high, yet though I had yesterday been enabled, through the Lord's
+grace, to lie in his hands like a weaned child, to-day the
+disappointment of the dear hope, slight as it was, of having her
+restored to us, has brought my soul again into very deep waters. She
+also this morning expressed her anxiety about the dear children, and
+her fear, least in attending her, I should take the plague, and they
+be left orphans here.
+
+In every respect, certainly the Lord has been most gracious to her.
+She is about to be transplanted to her native soil, where tears and
+sorrows shall never enter, and in the way of her removal, since the
+Lord's time is come, nothing can be more compassionate to her peculiar
+weakness of heart than not allowing her anxiety to dwell on the dear
+children, and their probable situation here. To have been happy in
+quitting them, amidst such a scene as now surrounds us, and in such a
+country, perhaps no mortal faith could have been equal to; the Lord,
+therefore, suffered not her mind to possess its usual sensibilities;
+but took them from her, and left her only to return to his bosom in
+peace.
+
+I feel the Holy Ghost again sustaining my poor weak heart in the
+prospect of losing such a wife, and remaining solitary here with three
+dear motherless children; but I know the Lord in whom I have believed,
+and he will not fail his chosen in one of all those good things he has
+promised. Our trials are indeed very very great; but the Lord, the
+comforter, is greater even than they. My dearest wife now (two
+o'clock,) is quite delirious. Dear spirit! I have attended her night
+and day since the evening of the 7th, on which she was taken ill, and
+I allow no one else to approach her. The Lord is my only stay, my only
+support, and he is a support indeed.
+
+_May 11._--This night has been the most trying of my life. How hard
+for the soul to see the object of its longest and best grounded
+earthly affections suffering without the power of affording relief,
+knowing too that a heavenly Father who has sent it, can relieve it,
+and yet seems to turn a deaf ear to one's cries; at the same time, I
+felt, in the depths of my soul's affections, that notwithstanding all,
+he is a God of infinite love. Satan has sorely tried me, but the Lord
+has shewn me, in the 22d Psalm, a more wonderful cry _apparently_
+unheeded, and the Holy Ghost has given me the victory, and enabled me
+to acquiesce in my Father's will, though I now see not the end of his
+holy and blessed ways. Dear, dear spirit! she will soon wing her way
+to where her heart has long been; and, if I am spared, I shall perhaps
+have reason to bless God for having removed her thus early.
+
+The plague has attacked two more of our household--the schoolmaster's
+wife and our maid-servant, and how far it will go now, no one knows
+but he who guides it by his sovereign will. My dearest Mary's
+sufferings for four or five hours last night were great; she was quite
+delirious, and her dear voice was so affected, that I could not make
+out two words connectedly. How mysterious are God's ways! Oh my soul,
+learn the lesson of patient submission to his holy will. I have cast
+myself upon him and he will guide me. Dear Mary, to-day has been quite
+insensible. It has indeed been a very painful day, but it is the
+condition of this world. Dear spirit! her heart has been so set on her
+Lord's coming of late, that it seemed quite to absorb her thoughts and
+heart. And now she will quickly join the holy assembly that are
+waiting to come with him. Surely such times as these, when the Lord is
+taking a ripe shock of corn from your field, are seasons to rejoice
+that your prayer for the quick accomplishment of the number of God's
+elect has been heard, and yet how hard it is for nature not to feel
+deep sorrow that a message has come for one of yours.
+
+Poor dear Kitto and the little boys are now become the sole nurses of
+the dear baby by night and by day. Oh, may the Lord watch over them
+and bless them. My last night's attendance on my dear wife, leaves me
+little hope of escaping the plague, unless it be our Father's special
+will to preserve me, for in her delirium she required so many times to
+be lifted from place to place, and to have all her clothes changed,
+that I can now only cry to the Lord to preserve me, if it may be a
+little while, for the dear children's sake.
+
+The Lord has most graciously provided us with a servant of Mrs. T's.
+to come and attend my dear Mary.[30] Oh may my soul bless him for this
+timely help, just when our own servant was taken ill. This woman has
+been in the midst of all the contagion, and has never taken it; so it
+may be the Lord's will to shew how he can work even in the midst of
+the darkest trials. She sits down beside the dear sufferer, keeps the
+flies from her face, and does every thing for her the fondest heart
+could desire. She came out with us from England, having gone there
+with Mrs. T.; is a native of these countries, knows all that is
+required in sickness, and how to perform the duties of a nurse, with
+the most unwearied patience, tenderness, and watchfulness. She also
+knows something of English, and having been with dear Mrs. T. in
+England, is acquainted with English customs. Surely the Lord heard my
+cry in the day of my deep distress, for such a person perhaps could
+not be got again within a thousand miles. That she should have been
+left too when all the rest went away. She has made dear Mary look so
+comfortable; she washes her and changes her, who though insensible,
+lies so quiet, and looks so composed. She said she knew the Lord would
+be very gracious, and he has been so indeed--he sees it right to take
+his sheep home to his fold; but he has so overwhelmed me by this proof
+of his loving kindness, this ray of light arising in the midst of my
+darkness, that it seems to have led my heart yet more and more to love
+him and to confide in him, that he may yet stay his rough wind in the
+day of his east wind. This kind friend, Mrs. T.'s servant, proposes to
+remain with us until all our family are either well or dead.
+
+  [30] This servant was an old servant of Mrs. R.'s, and came
+  out with us, and was much attached to dear Mary.
+
+_May 12._--Up to this day I am well, thank God, but seeing the ways of
+the Lord are so marvellous, I have arranged all my little concerns,
+and put them into the hands of dear Kitto, for the little boys and our
+dear little baby, till they arrive at some of those places where there
+may be some one to take care of them, and carry them to their
+guardians or my trustees. But as poor Kitto is so little able to
+provide even for himself, much less for the little boys, I shall now
+endeavour, the Lord enabling me, to arrange with this woman, Mariam by
+name, to undertake every thing for them till she can give them over
+to Major T., to whose family she is going, unless they return here.
+This woman was an old servant of dear Mrs. R. She has consented to
+undertake this charge, and is to remain with the dear, dear children.
+She knows enough of English to make herself understood by the dear
+children, and she thoroughly understands the language, manners, and
+habits of this people.--Whether it may ever be the Lord's will to call
+into exercise the arrangements of this plan or not, I trust I never
+shall forget the Lord's unspeakable mercy in shewing me, that when I
+saw no earthly protector for my poor children, his holy, loving, and
+fatherly hand could provide one if it were necessary. Oh, may my faith
+in him in the darkest day never fail, for it is a light that springeth
+up in darkness.
+
+Dearest Mary is gradually sinking into the bosom of the Lord, and to
+join in the society her soul has so long and so truly loved, of the
+lovers of the Lamb of God. Though the Lord has taken away the desire
+of my eyes, as it were with a stroke, and left me a few hours to cry
+unto him in the midst of my deep, deep waters; yet these visions of
+his love have so revived my soul, that my whole soul is brought to
+acquiesce in his holy and fatherly arrangements, with respect to her
+who was once the joy, the help, and companion of all in which I was
+engaged. I sit down now to wait, and see the salvation of my God, for
+doubtless he will reveal, in his own good time, the reason why he has
+acted so contrary, not only to mine, but especially my dear wife's
+strongest convictions, which were, that he would preserve us all safe
+through this calamity.
+
+When I now contemplate the spiritual state of dear Mary's mind for the
+last twelve months, I am not at all surprised that the Lord has taken
+her as a ripe shock of corn, but my expectation while watching her
+spiritual progress was so different. I saw her daily growing in the
+simple assurance of her Lord's love, and desiring under heaven neither
+to know nor serve any other than him. Her heart was panting for the
+Lord's coming, that the mystery of iniquity might be finished, and
+the mystery of godliness be fully established; but I thought not of
+all this being preparatory to her joining her Lord, but for the
+strengthening of my poor weak hands here. It never entered my heart
+that I was to be left alone, as far as earth is concerned, most alone.
+Those friends for whom this journal is alone designed, know how much
+she was to me, and how deservedly so: this, however, the Lord saw had
+its great, great dangers too, and may in his infinite mercy to us both
+have ripened her so rapidly for glory, and left me here to serve and
+praise; for I have felt it was very, very hard to be as the Apostle
+says, having a wife as though I had none. Now, when I go and look upon
+her having reached within one short step, the habitation of all her
+hopes; I have not a spiritual affection within my soul that would
+call her back; but poor nature bows reluctantly its head.
+
+The dear little baby also is but poorly. Her dear little cry of mamma,
+mamma, cuts my poor heart like a knife, to think, that from to-day or
+probably to-morrow, she must cease to know that endearing name, and
+such a mother too! However, the Lord tells his children to leave their
+fatherless, and doubtless motherless ones to him. Lord, I desire so to
+do; for he is a dear and kind father, though _nature_ cannot always
+see it, and indeed how could this be? for that which is _natural_ in
+us is, not only in its will opposed to God, but even in its best
+affections tainted from the fall. Were it not that the Lord whom we
+love and serve, is as infinite in his compassions, as he is mysterious
+in his ways, the days that must come when the excitement of present
+suffering will be past, and my soul begins to look round and see the
+extent of its desolations, in a country, too, where there is nothing
+to comfort or cheer me, would appear to me too dark to be borne, did I
+not know the Lord hath said, I will not leave you orphans, but I will
+come unto you; so if he does come and dwell more sensibly within me,
+even my poor dull and slow-growing spirit may soon be ripened and
+gathered into his kingdom, there to join my dear departing spirit in
+the realms of light.
+
+_May 13._--My dearest wife has reached the light of another day,
+still quietly sinking without a sigh and without a groan. This my
+prayer for her in the night of my darkness the Lord has mercifully
+heard. At present all the remaining ones of the family are well. I
+have separated the dear little boys and Kitto, and allow them to hold
+intercourse with none. The dear baby, and myself, and the maid, and
+the little boy of our sick servant, are also much separated, and this
+nurse, whom the Lord sent us, alone attends the sick; but yet so
+contagious is this fearful disease, that when it has once entered your
+dwelling, you can know no other safety than in your Lord's preserving
+care. These are indeed days of trial, but doubtless they will have
+their precious fruit in all God's children; for the eyes of the Lord
+are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry--for the
+Lord redeemeth the soul of his servants, therefore none of them that
+trust in him shall be desolate--no, not even I, poor and worthless as
+I am, I shall yet praise him who is the Lord of my life, and my God.
+
+The dear boys also keep up their spirits much better than the first
+two or three days after their dear mamma was taken ill. The magnitude
+of present danger to themselves, and to all, in some measure divides
+their thoughts, and prevents them from resting alone on that deeply
+affecting prospect before them, for they loved her most truly, and,
+Oh! how much reason had they to love her.
+
+I have just heard that the streets begin again to be crowded, shops
+here and there to be opened, and the gardeners are bringing things
+from without into the city. To think that so near the end we should
+have been thus visited, how mysterious! Yet my soul says, What thou
+seest not, thou shalt see. If it does but lead to my Lord's glory, I
+am sure it will lead to my dear sufferer's; then why should I repine?
+
+Water is also reduced to 1s. 3d. the skin, the price it was at before.
+For these proofs of mercy to the people, we will bless God in the
+midst of our own personal sorrows.
+
+_May 14._--This day dearest Mary's ransomed spirit took its seat among
+those dressed in white, and her body was consigned to the earth that
+gave it birth--a dark, heavy day to poor nature, but still the Lord
+was the light and stay of it.
+
+I cannot help exceedingly blessing my heavenly Father, however these
+calamities (for to nature they are such, though not to the heirs of
+glory) may end that he has allowed me to continue in health so long as
+to see every thing done I could have desired, and so infinitely more
+than I could have expected, for her whom I have so much reason to
+love.
+
+_May 15, 16._--I have heard to-day that the French Roman Catholic
+Archbishop of Babylon has been dead a long time, and two of his
+priests, and the remaining two fled. The poor schoolmaster's wife is
+dying, and our servant I trust, recovering: the rest of our household
+within and without, thank God, all continue in good health--even dear
+little baby, though rather cross from want of amusement, and from her
+teeth.
+
+They say new cases of plague have almost entirely disappeared; may the
+Lord grant its speedy disappearance altogether. We have had no
+intelligence from the Taylors since their departure, which makes us
+very anxious. As the waters are decreasing, the relics of those
+families which fled are returning; and, in numberless cases, out of
+eighteen in a family who left, only one or two return. The others died
+in the greatest misery and destitution of all things, distressed by
+the plague, the water, and scarcity, and the air in all the roads was
+tainted from the immense number of dead bodies lying by the way.
+
+I feel to-day many symptoms similar to those with which my dearest
+Mary's illness commenced--pains in the head and heaviness, pains in
+the back, and shooting pains through the glands and the arms. At
+another time I should think only of them as the result of a common
+cold; but now I know not how to discriminate, the beginnings are so
+similar. Should these be my last lines in this journal, I desire to
+ascribe all praise to the sovereign grace and unspeakable love of my
+heavenly Father, who, from before the foundation of the world, set his
+eye of redeeming love on me in the person of his dear and well-beloved
+Son. I bless God for all the way he has led me; and vile and wretched
+sinner as I feel I am, unworthily as I have in all my life served
+him, yet I feel he has translated the affections of my inmost soul
+from earth to heaven, from the creature to himself. As to the dear,
+dear helpless children, I have committed them to his love, with the
+full assurance that if he transplants me from hence to himself, to
+join the partner of my earthly history, he will provide them much,
+yea, very much better than I, or ten thousand fathers could do. To his
+love and promises, then, in Christ Jesus, I leave them; and strange
+and wonderful as his dealings appear, he has made my soul to acquiesce
+in them. To all the family of the redeemed of the Lord, especially
+those I know, I entreat you let your conversation be as it becometh
+the gospel of Christ; always abound in his most holy work, for you
+know your labour is not in vain in the Lord. Be as those who wait for
+their Lord with your lamp trimmed, for shortly he who shall come will
+come, and will not tarry. My soul embraces those I especially knew
+with all its powers, and desires for them that Christ may exceedingly
+be glorified in them, and by them, amen, and amen.
+
+_May 17._--To-day the fever has almost entirely left me, so that I
+feel a very little, except weakness, but never can I sufficiently
+praise God for the experience of yesterday. I certainly never expected
+again to have written in this journal, and few circumstances could
+have apparently presented themselves more trying to the heart, to have
+the prospect of soon leaving in a city like Bagdad, at this time,
+three helpless children, and the impossibility of making those
+provisions for them, which at another time might have been
+comparatively easy, seemed altogether more than the heart could
+support; yet so abundantly did the Lord allow his love to pass before
+me, so fully did he assure me of his loving care, that I felt no doubt
+for them--and, for myself, the prospect of soon joining him was
+specially exhilarating. He allowed me to see my free and full
+forgiveness and acceptance, and I never felt more the preciousness of
+such a salvation as the Gospel of Jesus provides for the sinner, than
+when I was as I thought, just entering eternity, to plead it as the
+ground of my hope before God. There seemed such simplicity in having
+only to believe you were redeemed by his love, and should be eternally
+preserved by the same, instead of having to do with weighing the sum
+of your beggarly services, all of which one hates now, and oh, how
+shall we hate them when we see him face to face. May our dear Lord
+make the promise he made to his disciples, good to my poor bereaved
+heart, and come himself and fill it with his fulness, that having him
+I may indeed feel I have all things.
+
+_May 18._--Our poor servant died last night, notwithstanding our hopes
+of her recovery, and has left one little orphan boy of seven years old
+with us. Oh that I could think of her transition from hence to
+eternity, and contemplate her, as the Lord to my unspeakable comfort
+allows me to contemplate my dear, dear wife, dwelling in the light of
+her Lord's countenance, where there is fulness of joy for evermore.
+
+The schoolmaster has just told me, that out of forty relations, he has
+now only four--the rest have all been swept away. The accounts we have
+of the misery, in which many of these died who endeavoured to fly, is
+truly heart-rending; with the water nearly half a yard high in their
+tents, without victuals or the means of seeking or buying any, they
+suffered every privation and misery that can be imagined, and one poor
+family which has returned, described the intense desire they had to
+return and die quietly in their houses. But return they could not, for
+the waters had so risen that there was no road, and no boats could be
+obtained, but at an immense price, which a few only could pay, and
+very few obtain even at any price.
+
+Oh! how many alleviations to the trials of parting with those we
+loved, the Lord allowed us in permitting us to see them surrounded by
+every comfort they could want, and with every attendance that could
+alleviate a moment's uneasiness.
+
+From the Taylors at Bussorah we have yet heard no accounts, and are
+therefore most anxious to know how the Lord has been moving among
+them. I have just heard that orders have come from Stamboul,[31] to
+the Pashas marching against this Pasha, to desire them to return, and
+that another messenger is on the way from Stamboul to bring his
+annual dress of investiture. Should it be really thus, our dear
+friends may soon be here from Aleppo; it would indeed be a great
+comfort; but the Lord regards, in this dispensation, our real
+advantage more than our sensible comfort, we therefore desire to leave
+all to his Holy, gracious ordering, who, though he orders all things
+after the counsel of his own free will, has no will towards us, but
+that we should be filled with the fulness of Christ, and be conformed
+to his image.
+
+  [31] Constantinople.
+
+_May 19._--The water to-day has again fallen considerably in price,
+and as far as we can judge, God has mercifully nearly extinguished
+this desolating plague. I now feel quite satisfied the attack I had
+the other day was an attack of the plague, though very slight. The
+schoolmaster, yesterday, was attacked in the same way with a pain in
+his back and head, and a pain in his glands, one of which is decidedly
+enlarged, but still it is very slight, and I trust to-morrow, with the
+Lord's blessing, to see him, with the exception of weakness, well
+again. We are, thank God, all well; the only thing I now suffer from
+is weakness and pain in the glands and under the arm, but there is no
+enlargement, and I trust in a day or two it will go entirely away. I
+heard, to-day, the Pasha had been ill of the plague this week; it is
+now reported he is dead; but we know nothing certain. One of his sons
+is also dead.
+
+This has been a heavy day with my poor heart, so slow a scholar am I
+under my dear Master's teaching. Yet I feel he will fill me with his
+own most blessed presence, and then I shall be able to bear easily all
+other bereavements. How strange it is that feeling should rule with so
+much more power than principle, over the happiness of the soul, even
+when the spirit still imparts strength to direct the conduct aright.
+The feelings seize on the slightest recollection; and oh, what fuel
+have they when every thing in the minutest daily occurrences, every
+thing in the events passing around us, at once come directly on the
+heart and press upon it; and when there is not a soul near, not only
+not to supply all that is lost, but not even a portion of it, and yet
+notwithstanding all this, that now weighs on me, I feel the Lord
+himself will be yet more to me than all I have lost. I feel I have
+been skimming too much on the surface of Christianity instead of being
+clothed with Christ. Oh! what a child am I in the life of faith, but I
+feel the Lord has my poor soul in his training, and though the
+discipline may seem severe, it is only the severity of uncompromising
+love.
+
+_May 20._--This has been a day of mercies at the hand of the Most
+High. For a day or two past, I had observed a little dust falling
+through a creak in the wall, and although on any other occasion, it
+would have excited no anxiety; yet, knowing the cellars were full of
+water, I thought it better this morning early to take out all our
+things from this room; it was our own, mine and dear Mary's, and
+therefore contained all we had of clothing, &c.; the dear little boys
+and the servant were helping me, and we had not finished taking out
+the last things above ten minutes, when the whole arch on which the
+room was built gave way--our little stock of things and ourselves
+being all safe. Oh! my soul, bless the Lord who watcheth over the ways
+of his children.
+
+Oh! how easy it is to kiss our dear and loving Father's hand when he
+turns bright providences towards us. How easy, then, it is to praise!
+but I feel my dearest teacher is teaching me the hardest lesson to
+kiss the hand that wounds, to bless the hand that pours out sorrow,
+and to submit, with all my soul, though I see not a ray of light. Oh,
+thou holy and blessed Spirit, come and help thy poor wayward scholar,
+who indeed would not entertain a hard thought of his dear and loving
+Father. Through much tribulation we must enter into the kingdom;
+therefore, blessed Lord, prepare me for thy service. I am a poor
+inexperienced soldier; clothe me with the whole armour of God, that my
+soul may praise in the darkest day. All but myself are quite well, and
+my indisposition seems only at present a little weakness, which
+perhaps the exertions of removing the things from our room to-day, and
+all the painful associations connected with it, has this evening a
+little increased: but the Lord is very pitiful, and says, Ask what you
+will of my Father, and he will give it you. Dear Lord, fill me with
+thyself, that there may be no more room for the grief of any creature.
+Thou, and thy Father, and the blessed Spirit, one eternal God alone,
+are eternally a satisfying portion.
+
+I am very anxious about the poor schoolmaster: should he die, he will
+be the last of our teachers; _three_ are already dead, and he alone
+remains.--Oh, my Lord, my soul desires to wait on thee for light,
+and to remember Mizar and Hermon--days when the sun shone upon our
+path; but the frost may be as necessary to bring the cover to full
+perfection as the genial sun and showers. Dear Husbandman, do thine
+own will, only make us bear much fruit, that thou mayest be glorified.
+
+_May 21._--Last night thieves endeavoured three times to force an
+outer door, but did not succeed--the whole city is swarming with them.
+
+To-day the Pasha of Mosul is come to Bagdad; what it portends we know
+not; but the Lord reigneth, therefore let the Saints rejoice; they can
+only accomplish his will who is our Father and our God.
+
+I have to-day sent off a messenger to Major T. to Bussorah, may he
+quickly return with good tidings of them all. To-day I have also heard
+of a caravan proposing to go to Aleppo. Every account we have of the
+plague confirms its almost entire disappearance. Our walking now is
+altogether by faith: we see not a ray of light for the future, but the
+Lord will let light spring out of darkness, so that his servants who
+wait upon him shall not always mourn. Oh how different a thing faith
+is in a cloudy and dark day, and when all things smile around. I had
+intentionally renounced the world, yet the Lord saw that I held more
+of it than I knew in the dear object he has removed. In England, where
+I had many dear Christian friends, she was my constant companion; but
+_here_ she was on earth all I had left--my sorrows, my hopes, my
+fears, she shared and bore them all. I feel Christ my Lord has in
+store for me in himself some great and special good in exchange for
+all this, but my poor weak faithless heart does not yet see the way of
+his going forth.
+
+Miriam is most kind to my sweet little helpless babe.
+
+_May 22._--Our dear Lord said to his sorrowing disciples, You have
+heard how I said unto you, I go away and come again unto you. _If ye
+loved me ye would rejoice because I said I go unto the Father_, that
+is, if you loved me above the enjoyment of my society and help, ye
+would rejoice; how hard this is: as it was true of the departing head,
+so it is true of every member, and yet I feel my selfish heart
+constantly forgetting that true love which under the crucifixion of
+all one's own feelings can truly rejoice at the happiness of an object
+beloved, even at this expense.
+
+This has again been an anxious day. Dear Henry complained this morning
+of a swelling under his ear, or rather under the angle of the jaw,
+where there was on feeling it, an evidently enlarged gland; however,
+to the praise of the Lord's great grace, it is evidently passing away
+without any general attack on the constitution. I really believe the
+Holy Ghost is making these events instrumental in working a deep sense
+on the minds of the dearest boys of the importance of their souls;
+there is a concern about religion, a willingness to talk about it I
+have not before observed. Oh, may the Lord's blessed spirit water
+these seeds till they become plants of renown, to the glory of our own
+Lord's great name.
+
+_May 23._--Oh my poor heart flutters like a bird when it contemplates
+the extent of its bereavement as a husband, a father, a missionary.
+Oh, what have I not lost! Dear Lord sustain my poor weak faith. Thy
+gracious visits sometimes comfort my soul; yet my days move heavily
+on; but the Lord who redeemeth the souls of his servants has declared,
+that none of those who trust in him shall be desolate. Lord I believe,
+help thou mine unbelief. I do indeed desire with my whole soul to cast
+myself into the ocean of thy love, and never to let Satan have one
+advantage over me, by instilling into my heart hard thoughts of thy
+ways. Surely we expect trials, and if so, and thou sendest one other
+than we expected, should it surprise us when we see but a point in the
+circle of thy providence, and thou seest the end from the beginning.
+
+_May 24._--To-day Kitto has been very unwell.
+
+_May 25._--To-day the dear baby is very unwell, but Kitto better. Thus
+the Lord interchanges his merciful trials and merciful reliefs. I feel
+one great want, "To be filled with all the fulness of Christ," that
+there may be no room for those fluctuations, which from short
+intervals of sweet peace, plunge me into depths of sorrow and
+astonishment: yet I know the Lord will heal, he will bind up what he
+has broken. O my soul, wait patiently on him to learn all, I know he
+would teach thee: let patience have her perfect work, for the trial of
+our faith is much more precious than of gold that perisheth. My eyes
+are daily, hourly looking unto the Lord for a little ray of light, but
+as yet I see none: yet we know that they that trust on the Lord shall
+not walk in darkness, but mercies shall encompass them about.
+
+_May 26._--To-day, thank God, all our household are tolerably
+well.--All accounts from without say the plague is ended. May the Lord
+grant it!
+
+_May 27._--My dear baby still very poorly. Dear Lord, I commit this
+tender delicate flower to thy loving gracious keeping. Oh my God, my
+soul has been much cast down within me; but thou hast enabled me to
+remember thee from the land of Jordan, and the Hermonites, from the
+hill Mizar. O Lord, only let thy love appear shining through the
+clouds that surround me, and my soul will rejoice; it is only when the
+adversary prevails so far as to say, He loves thee not, that my soul
+is overwhelmed within me; for if I have not the Lord, whom have I? for
+vile and worthless as all my manifestations of love have been, cold
+and dead as all my worship, low and doubting as all my confidence has
+been, yet Lord, all my desire is to love thee better and serve thee
+more singally, who art infinitely worthy of all love and all service.
+How strong our tower seems till the Lord blow upon its foundations,
+and then much that looked so fair, flies like the chaff of the summer
+threshing floor, and meet it is, if the immoveable parts of Christ's
+own building be found to connect the poor fluttering soul with the
+Rock of Ages. Oh may my soul drink daily more and more deeply into
+that spirit of adoption and love, and assurance of the Lord's favour,
+that gilded the last year of my dear, dear Mary's life.--Lord, I feel
+I am a very child; but Lord, lead thou me by thine own right hand. Oh
+my heart longs for Christian communion--some one to whom I can talk of
+Jesus and his ways, and with whom I may take counsel; yet it now seems
+as though many months must elapse before our dear friends can come
+from Aleppo, but the Lord knows what is best, and to him we leave all
+our cares, and the providing for all our necessities. I pray the Lord
+to pour down his Holy Spirit upon my poor heart, and strengthen it for
+trials. It was one of my dearest Mary's greatest comforts, as it has
+been mine, to know so many of those who were dear to the Lord, and had
+purposed wholly to follow him, were praying for our guidance and
+welfare;--this used to be in our evening walks, on the roof of our
+house, a theme of thanksgiving, and used daily to draw out our hearts
+to the Lord for the continual dew of his blessing upon them. Oh when
+they hear of all the Lord's dealing, may their spirits be stirred up
+within them to pray that I may be filled with him who filleth all in
+all. I long to love my Eternal God--Father, Son, and Spirit, more with
+all my undivided heart; the coldness of my love--the lowness of my
+desires is my abiding sorrow.
+
+_May 28._--To-day came letters from England, but Oh, how strangely
+altered; those very letters which would have animated anew all our
+endeavours, and led us to praise God together, had dearest Mary been
+here to share them, came winged with passages that wrung my heart. But
+still the love of the saints of God, of those we love, has much
+sweetness in it; and then again to hear of our dear sister's
+thoughtful love towards our tender little babe in providing her
+clothes, which, while they are doing, my heart heaves with the
+prospect of losing the sweet little flower--so tender--so needing more
+than a mother's care. But the Lord is most compassionately gracious,
+and what he does not reveal, he will hereafter.
+
+I have also had intelligence to-day that my dear brothers and sisters
+had been two months ago on the point of setting off for Aleppo; but
+whether they received news of the plague and returned, or are waiting
+at Anah, I know not, but I greatly need them--yet still the Lord knows
+best how much I need them, and when.
+
+When I think of my lowness in the attainments of the divine life, my
+little knowledge, and less love of my dear Lord, I wonder how he has
+so graciously allowed me a place in the hearts of his chosen, and that
+he should allow our weak, tottering, and faithless walk, to encourage
+the young and lusty eagles to take their higher flight is wonderful;
+but it is that the glory might be his.
+
+       *       *       *
+
+In concluding this portion of my journal, I shall just take a little
+view of the last two years, as it is now within a few days of two
+years since I left my dear, dear friends and native shore.
+
+From the day my dearest Mary and myself deliberately prepared to set
+out on the work in which we finally embarked, the Lord never allowed
+us to doubt that it was _his_ work, and that the result on the church
+of God would be greater than our remaining quietly at home. All our
+subsequent intercourse with his dear children in England, and in our
+journey, had a confirmatory tendency, and all the communications
+from the dear circle to whom we were known, insignificant as we
+were, convinced us that the cause of the Lord had suffered no
+detriment--that many had been led to act with more decision, and some
+to pursue measures which possibly might not otherwise have been
+undertaken.
+
+Again, the Lord's great care over us in his abundant provision for all
+our necessities, although every one of those sources failed we had
+calculated upon naturally when we left England, enabled us yet further
+to sing of his goodness.
+
+Then, as to our work; when we left England, schools entered not into
+our plan; but when we arrived here, the Lord so completely put the
+school of the Armenians into our hands, that on consultation both my
+dearest Mary, myself, and Mr. Pfander thought that the Lord's children
+and saints must take the work the Lord gives, particularly as there
+appeared no immediate prospect of other work. We entered on it, and by
+dear Mr. Pfander's most efficient help, the children were soon brought
+to translate God's word with understanding, and the school increased
+from 35 to near 80. My dearest Mary had long desired to undertake the
+girl's school exclusively; but previous to her confinement she did not
+feel able; but as soon as she got about, she undertook it heartily,
+and the dear little children were so attached to their employments,
+that they used to come on their holidays. She had got so far on in
+Armenian, as to be able to prepare for them, in large characters, some
+little pieces of Carus Wilson's, which I got translated into the
+Armenian of this place, and the dear little children were so
+interested by them, that they exceedingly desired to take them home,
+and read them to their mothers, which in two or three days they were
+to have done. For our own instruction in Arabic and Armenian, and for
+the school, we had five most competent teachers. Thus things went on
+up to the end of March, when the appearance of the plague obliged us
+to break up the school. But now two months have passed, and Oh! how
+changed. Half the children, or more, are dead; many have left the
+place; the five teachers are dead, and my dear, dear Mary. When I
+think on this, my heart is overwhelmed within me, and I remain in
+absolute darkness as to the meaning of my Lord and Father; but shall I
+therefore doubt him now, after so many proofs of love, because he acts
+inscrutably to me? God forbid! That the Lord made the coming of my
+dearest wife, and her multiplied trials and blessings, the instruments
+of her soul's rapid preparation for his presence, I have no doubt. I
+never heard a soul breathe a more simple, firm, and unostentatious
+faith in God. She never had a doubt but that it was for the Lord she
+left all that was naturally dear to her to expose herself to dangers
+from which, with a constitutional timidity, she shrunk. Her soul was
+most especially drawn out towards her Lord's coming, and this spread a
+gilded halo round every trial. She constantly exclaimed, as we walked
+on the roof of our house[32] of an evening, "When will he come?"
+Often she would say to me, I never enjoyed such spiritual peace as
+since I have been in Bagdad--such an unvarying sense of nearness to
+Christ, and assurance of his love and care; we came out trusting only
+under his wing, and he will never forsake us. Her strongest assurance
+was certainly that the Lord would not allow the plague to enter our
+dwelling; but when she saw that the Lord mysteriously accepted not
+this confidence, but let it rest even on her, it never disturbed her
+peace, as I have mentioned before. She said to me, "I know not which
+is to me most mysterious, that the Lord should have laid his hand upon
+me, or, having laid it, that I should enjoy such peace as I do." And
+in this peace and confidence, every subsequent moment of sensibility
+was passed. Her constant exclamation was, "I know he will do most
+graciously by me." Yet notwithstanding all the happiness I have in
+contemplating her among the redeemed, thus clothed in white; and
+notwithstanding the triumphing conviction I have in spite of the
+temptations of Satan, and the darkness that envelopes my present
+position, that all is the offspring of infinite love; yet at times the
+overwhelming loss I have sustained, in every possible way that a
+husband, a father, a missionary, and even a man, can know, so affects
+me that but for my Lord's loving presence, I should be overwhelmed.
+
+  [32] It is on account of the great heat in the summer that
+  the houses in Bagdad are built with flat roofs, to which the
+  inhabitants all move up at sunset, to dine and spend the night.
+
+I now wait till the arrival of my dear friends to consult with them as
+to our future plans. May the Lord, if it be his pleasure, quickly send
+them hither, and direct us in all our plans and purposes, so that we
+may be led to fulfil his will.
+
+_May 30._--A messenger has arrived from Bussorah, bringing
+intelligence of the kind Taylors; but the letters he brought were all
+taken from him, and he stripped to his shirt, a few miles from Bagdad.
+However, by word of mouth, he brings, on the whole, good accounts. All
+their immediate family are well; some have died, among those that
+accompanied them, and nearly all the Arab sailors, but as the letters
+are lost, we know not the particulars.
+
+_May 31._--I have had another proof of my heavenly Father's care. An
+Armenian merchant has sent his servant to me to say, he proposes
+sending him every day to buy for me what I want from the bazaar, and
+also to offer me any money I may want. The latter I had no occasion to
+accept, for when the Jew left the city who was to supply me, and the
+man died who was to obtain it for me, and I seemed left without
+remedy, an Armenian offered to supply whatever I might want, without
+any application on my part, and from him I have had what I needed.
+
+Whether or not the affairs of the Pasha are likely to be quietly
+settled, I know not; but I think there are some indications that the
+present Pasha will remain. So intensely ruined does the city appear,
+that the Pasha of Aleppo, who was to have come and dispossessed him,
+seems to have no desire for the exchange; and besides, the present
+Pasha has offered so large a sum of money, that there appears little
+doubt it will be accepted. Dispatches have arrived for him, the
+contents of which are not yet known; but the Pasha says, he has
+received the most satisfactory letters. He is, I believe, recovering
+daily his strength.
+
+Thus I finish this melancholy portion of my journal--one of those dark
+pages in the history of one's life, that whenever the thoughts stray
+towards it, chills to the very centre of one's being; and when we
+trace all its sources, and see they terminate in sin, Oh! how hateful
+must that thing be, which is fraught with such deadly consequences.
+Oh! what a blessedness it is, amidst all these lights and shades of
+life, to know that the Rock on which we rest is the same, and does not
+vary; and that whether he administers to us the bitter portion or the
+sweet, his banner over us is love.
+
+       *       *       *
+
+_June 5._--Reports are again spreading that the Pasha of Aleppo is
+within a few days of this place. But we sit down and patiently wait
+the event.
+
+_June 7._--To-day a letter has reached me from Major Taylor, being the
+first I have received since he removed his family from this place to
+Bussorah, on the breaking out of the plague here. In every one of the
+boats going down the river deaths occurred, but especially in theirs,
+they losing seven of their party. The plague broke out among the Arab
+sailors, who secreted a corpse in the boat several days, and from
+them it spread among his African servants, and seized Mrs. Taylor's
+brother-in-law, so that I cannot see my early conclusions were wrong
+as to not moving at that time. And, moreover, the Pasha, or rather
+Motezellim of Bussorah, has been driven out by a party of Arabs, and
+he is now come against the town with another large body of Turks, to
+endeavour to recover it; so that even this evil of the sword we should
+not have escaped. The Lord, therefore, leaves me nothing to regret,
+unless it be that I ought perhaps to have kept myself quite apart from
+the rest of the family, after I had been obliged by a sense of duty to
+go out during the time the plague was raging. It is easy to be wise
+after the events are past. The more I contemplate the circumstances in
+which I have of late been placed, the more I see of the trials and
+anxieties of the missionary life, and of the mysteriousness of God's
+dealings; I feel the more overwhelmed with the importance of the soul
+having a deep sense of the love of God in Christ, before it ventures
+upon such an undertaking. Our dear Father very often, in love,
+explains to us his reasons; at other times, he gives no account of his
+matters; in the one case to excite love and confidence, in the other,
+to exercise faith. It does seem to me, that no doctrines but those of
+the sovereign grace of God, and his love entertained towards the soul,
+before the foundation of the world, and the revelation by the Holy
+Ghost of the love and fellowship with Christ, and through him with the
+Father, so that we have thereby our life hid with him where no evil
+can reach us, can happily sustain the soul. There is something so
+filthy, so worthless in all our services, when events render it
+probable to the soul that soon it will appear before God, that the new
+creature cannot endure the deformity and defilement, and turns away
+its distressed sight to the love of the Lord, and the garment he has
+provided without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing. The experience of
+my dear dear Mary on this head was most striking. She often said to
+me, "They often talked to me, and I often read of the happiness of
+religion--but I can truly say I never knew what misery was till I was
+concerned about religion, and endeavoured to frame my life according
+to its rules--the manifest powerless inadequacy of my efforts to
+attain my standard, left me always further removed from hope and peace
+than when I never knew or thought of the likeness of Christ, as a
+thing to be aimed after; and it was not till the Holy Ghost was
+pleased of his infinite mercy to reveal the love of my Heavenly Father
+in Christ, as existing in _himself_ before all ages, contemplating me
+with pity, and purposing to save me by his grace, and to conform me
+to the image of Him whom my soul loves, that I really had peace, or
+confidence, or strength. And if in any measure I have been able to
+walk on with joy in the ways of the Lord, it has been from the
+manifestation of _his_ love, and not from the abstract sense of what
+is right, nor from the fear of punishment." This was the theme of her
+daily praise--the love and graciousness of her Lord; and I can set my
+seal, though with a comparatively feeble impression, to the same
+truths, that the sense of the love of Christ is the high road to walk
+in according to the law of Christ.
+
+_June 9._--I have heard from a German merchant, Mr. Swoboda, that
+above 15,000 persons, many sick with the plague, and others, were
+buried under the ruins of the houses that fell in the night the water
+burst into the city. Nothing can give a more awful impression of the
+mass of misery then in the city, than that such an event, which at
+another time, would have called forth every exertion to remove the
+sufferers, and have been the universal conversation and lamentation of
+the city, passed by without any effort to relieve them, and almost
+without a word of remark, but from those immediately connected with
+the sufferers. I hear that those who have closed their houses intend
+opening them on the 18th inst. I bless God for the intelligence; and
+trust the plague has quite left us. Mr. Swoboda tells me he does not
+expect to open his khan again for 12 months;--this, however, does not
+arise simply from the plague, but because the rich merchants have all
+left the city, and the principal Jews, from the apprehension of the
+coming of Ali Pasha from Aleppo, and that in consequence trade is at a
+stand.
+
+_June 10._--Last evening the guns of the citadel fired as for some
+good news, and we find, on enquiring, that a messenger has come from
+the Sultan, confirming the Pasha in his Pashalic.[33] The Tartars, who
+are the bearers of this intelligence, are expected to enter to-morrow
+or next day. This arrangement, it is reported, has been brought about
+by our Ambassador at Constantinople.--Should it be the Lord's pleasure
+that we now have a little peace and quietness here, it will be a great
+mercy, and an inconceivable relief from the disquietude of the last
+18 months; however, the Lord knows what is best for us. These
+difficulties have led my heart many times to him, when, perhaps, but
+for them, it would have rested on some lower object. This prospect of
+peace seems to bring nearer the possibility of our dear friends
+joining us from Aleppo, and this would indeed be a great comfort.
+
+  [33] All these reports were mere fables, got up for the
+  purpose of deceiving the people.
+
+_June 11._--This day has made manifest that more judgments are coming
+upon the city, and instead of a _Firman_ in favour Daoud Pasha,
+bringing peace, we can hear the sound of the cannon of the new Pasha.
+He will little regard the _Firman_ that has come from the Sultan, if
+it has really come, and which being here universally believed to have
+been procured through the instrumentality of our Ambassador, places
+the English in no very acceptable position; but the Lord is our tower,
+yea, our high tower, and into _him_ we run. The enemy is now about six
+miles off, and the whole city is in a state of commotion that cannot
+be described, every one armed with swords, pistols, and guns,
+preparing for the expected contest. O Lord, we commend ourselves to
+thy holy keeping, for thou neither slumberest nor sleepest. When all
+the difficulties of these countries follow upon one another as rapidly
+as they have of late done here, it seems very difficult to see how the
+word of life is to go forth as a testimony. Yet it will; for the Lord
+hath said it; therefore let not our hearts fail, or our hands hang
+down, for the Lord of all circumstances, who governs the most
+disastrous as well as the most prosperous, is our own Lord, the only
+begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. All the bazaars are
+closed, and we are taking in water again at an advanced price. Oh!
+Lord, when will thy holy and blessed kingdom of peace come, when the
+nations shall learn war no more, but love and light shall flourish in
+the Lord! Wherever the blasting influence of Mohammedanism extends,
+how iron bound all appears against the truth: yet even this the Lord
+will soften by his love, or break by his power. May my soul be daily
+more and more sensible of their misery and pride. Poor Mr. Goodell
+says, in a letter, that after all the labours the American
+missionaries have bestowed in Syria, they scarcely know an individual
+to whom their message has been peace, saving in the case of two or
+three Armenians of whom they hoped well. No one can imagine the
+disheartening feelings that often try the missionary's heart in the
+countries where Mohammedanism is professed and dominant, and where
+your mouth is sealed. Among heathens, and especially in India, you can
+publish your testimony, and this is a great comfort to the heart that
+knows what a testimony it is, and what promises are connected with its
+publication.
+
+Shortly after we ascended to the roof for our evening walk, we heard
+the cannon and small arms begin to fire, which informed us that the
+contest was begun within the city. About eight o'clock we heard
+multitudes crying out and shouting before the seroy, or palace, and
+the account was soon brought us that the inhabitants had broken in and
+seized the Pasha. After this all became quiet, except the firing of
+guns from the tops of the houses, to frighten off the thieves, and the
+cry of the watchmen, whom all, who can afford it in these trying
+occasions, keep to protect them. The Lord has hitherto extended his
+sheltering wing over us, though without sword, pistol, gun, or powder
+in the house; and the only men besides myself, are Kitto, who is
+deaf, and the schoolmaster's father, who is blind: but the Lord is our
+hope and our exceeding great reward.
+
+_June 12._ _Lord's day._--The wretched Pasha has just passed our house
+under a guard to the residence of Saleh Beg, almost the only male
+relation he suffered to live of the family he supplanted. The Lord is
+now visiting on him his cruelty and blood; so that what with the
+plague and now the sword, there will hardly be one of the apostate
+Georgians left.
+
+The day dawned quietly; but our house has just been attacked by a band
+of lawless depredators, asking for powder and offensive weapons. I
+told them I had none; but seeing a carpenter whom I knew, I told him I
+would let him and three others in, if they would promise me that no
+more should come in, which they did. So they entered, and were very
+civil, though they searched the house: I gave them some money, and
+they went away, promising that nothing more should be done to my
+house; but my only confidence is in the Lord. They wanted to go from
+the roof of my house to that of a rich neighbour's of mine, but I told
+them I could not allow that they should make my house a passage to
+his, and they were very civil and did not press it.
+
+A Frenchman who was teaching the Pasha's soldiers European discipline,
+has had his house stripped, and when they were on the point of killing
+him he turned Mohammedan. Before he was professedly a Roman Catholic,
+but really an infidel.
+
+Oh, my dear Mary, what a contrast to your kingdom of peace and love!
+Lord Jesus come quickly. For this I can now truly bless God that she
+is freed from this season of trouble and anxiety. The dear children
+bear it better than I could have hoped; but the Lord sustains and
+comforts us in the hope that as the new Pasha is near, this state of
+inquietude may not continue long. The Pasha of Mosul and an Arab chief
+have entered the city, and are now at the palace, so thank God, the
+state of anarchy is likely to be immediately put an end to. The crier
+has been publishing the determination of those now acting for the new
+Pasha, till he enters to punish all who commit any depredations, and
+desiring that the bazaars may be opened, and every one go about his
+own work. Should this be the end, we cannot but bless God that so
+great a storm has passed over so lightly. But the fact was, that the
+plague had destroyed all the powers of resistance. All Daoud Pasha's
+soldiers were dead--all his public servants were dead--and he, though
+recovering from the plague, unable to take any active part for
+himself. When he passed our house this morning, he was supported on
+his horse by six men. He is not yet killed, and on his expressing a
+wish to have his son brought to him, he was sent for immediately.
+Should they spare his life, it may augur that even the Turks are
+coming to a sense of their barbarism. It has been a great comfort to
+me to-day, to think on Noah's case, that God did not forget him amidst
+a condemned world.
+
+_June 14._--The people at the head of affairs have now begun to
+quarrel among themselves: some are for killing Daoud Pasha, some
+are for saving him, and the opposite parties are fighting in all
+directions; so when these troubles will terminate, or how, we have
+little knowledge. Our only resting place is in him who is the Shepherd
+of the fold of Israel.
+
+The Pasha of Mosul has been made prisoner, and part of the palace has
+been burnt and plundered: they have killed or put to flight the
+soldiers of the Pasha of Mosul, who came here as the agent of Ali
+Pasha, of Aleppo, the successor to Daoud Pasha, said to have been
+appointed by the Porte. The crier has again proclaimed Daoud as Pasha,
+and Saleh Beg his kaimacam or representative, till he recovers. Some
+say the Pasha of Aleppo is dead of the plague; some, that he is not
+coming, and that this entrance of the Pasha of Mosul and a famous Arab
+chief, was only a plot of theirs to get Bagdad into their own hands.
+What is true, what is false, it is now utterly impossible to tell, or
+what the result will be; but should Ali Pasha, if he is alive, be now
+sufficiently powerful to advance and attempt to dispossess this man,
+we may expect dreadful scenes. Last night the contest ended in
+plundering the poor Jews.
+
+Amidst this turmoil and interminable contention, a missionary with a
+family has much to try his faith, particularly in the early years of
+his missionary course, when he has no power in the language to take
+advantage of those opportunities which accidentally present
+themselves; for I am daily more and more convinced of the difficulty
+of speaking so as to be felt; at least in the first Eastern language
+one learns. The association of ideas, the images of illustration, are
+almost entirely different in many cases. The organs of pronunciation
+require a perfect new modelling, and perhaps not the least difficulty
+is to prevent one's heart from sinking at the little apparent progress
+made in understanding, and being understood, out of the common routine
+of daily life: the feeling will often arise, Surely I never shall
+learn. The difficulty is not, however, merely in words; you have to
+converse in the East generally with persons who have either no ideas
+on subjects of the deepest interest, or have attached some entirely
+different meaning to the terms you use to express those ideas; and
+which of the two occasions the most trouble, it is difficult to say.
+Notwithstanding, however, all difficulties, and all discouragements,
+and we seem now in the very centre of all, my soul was never more
+assured of the value of missionary labours among any people, it
+matters not whom, than now. There is, I am sure, what our blessed Lord
+declares, a _testimony_, in whatever measure we can proclaim his
+truth, or manifest his spirit, that is felt by those even who will
+not embrace it savingly. In reading Mrs. Judson's journal of the
+trials of the Burman mission, how deeply I now enter into them--how
+truly I can sympathize with them. It is wonderful how the Lord does
+sustain the heart when the time of trial comes. When I heard the
+struggle at the palace, last night, then saw it on fire, and heard the
+balls whizzing over our heads, and shortly after the screams of the
+poor Jews, whom they were plundering, a little way from the end of our
+street, my heart felt a repose in God that I cannot describe, and a
+peace that nothing but confidence in his loving care could give me, I
+feel assured. At times I feel so utterly useless, so devoid of every
+aptitude for the work in which I am engaged, that I wonder the Lord
+called me to it, yet the Lord may allow me to fill a place, though it
+be the lowest in missionary service. My greatest earthly treasure is
+the love of those who love the Lord, and in this I do feel rich,
+unworthy as I am of it. My heart longs for Christian communion; but
+such is the state of things here, that I feel almost as far from the
+prospect as when the first letter arrived from England, telling me so
+many were purposing to come. But what an inducement it is to patience
+to know, that all our trials and disappointments are the orderings of
+him who loved us, and gave himself for us.
+
+The day is passing quietly over, thank God; and they are removing the
+barricades from the streets.
+
+_June 15._--The account has just reached us, that the Pasha of Mosul
+was put to death last night. The reason assigned is, that he attacked
+Bagdad without any warrant, and had detained at Mosul the Tartars who
+were bringing the firman for Daoud Pasha. Oh! what a country, and what
+a government! Should the reinstatement of Daoud Pasha not be a truth,
+these circumstances will tend greatly to embitter the contest, and
+make the occupying of the city by the new Pasha a much more
+destructive and trying scene, than if these events had not occurred;
+but I feel that the Lord is disciplining, by these trials, the poor
+weak faith of his servant to lay hold on his strength, and not to rest
+on his own. I now give up all hope of seeing the dear brethren from
+Aleppo till the autumn. These scenes of anxiety and trouble strongly
+urge the heart forward to desire the day of the Lord to come, so
+wretched, so comfortless does all appear. I have quite given up the
+little we have to plunder, so that I feel quite at ease on that point,
+should it be the Lord's will to allow these scenes to continue, and us
+thus to be served. For the moment a season of lawlessness commences,
+you see the Mohammedan feeling relative to Christians. Now, for
+instance, that meat is scarce, if they see a butcher disposed to give
+a Christian some before them, they instantly put themselves into an
+attitude of hostility, and say, "What! will you give it to these
+infidels before us?" The other day, during the time of the
+disturbances in the city, the son of one of the most respectable
+Armenians here, went out, armed with pistol, sword, and gun to the
+coffee-house. They immediately began with saying, "What does this
+infidel with arms? Will he kill Moslems?" and they stripped him of
+all. The governing powers are beginning to recognize and feel the
+strength of those people called Christians; but this is never the
+thought of an Arab populace, who care for none of these things, and
+only think of present plunder.
+
+I have finished reading the account of the Burmese mission, and
+sympathize much more fully with the sufferers, than when I last
+read it, and I greatly admire and bless God for their steady and
+persevering devotedness to his holy service, amidst so many trials and
+so many discouragements. Such manifestations of the grace of Christ,
+tend much to encourage and strengthen the hands and hearts of those
+who are in any trials, whether similar or different. Whoever proves
+God to be among his dear children, becomes necessarily a light to the
+Church, for the Lord surely will be faithful to his promise and to his
+children's confidence; and the manifestation of this his faithfulness
+becomes the light of others.
+
+_June 16._ (_Friday._)--To-day all quiet within the city.
+
+_June 17._--For some weeks past hope and fear have alternated for my
+sweet little baby; but to-day hope finds not a place for her foot to
+rest on. I see the Lord has sent his message for her also; this comes
+very, very heavy; for from some days previous to dear Mary's death
+till now, I have been her constant nurse, and solicitude about her has
+in some measure served to distract my attention from the undivided
+dwelling on my heavier loss, till she has become so accustomed to my
+nursing, that as soon as ever she sees me, she stretches out her
+little supplicating hands for me to take her. All this has served to
+beguile my heart, and keep it in some degree occupied. But when the
+Lord takes from me this sweet little flower, I shall indeed be
+desolate. Why the Lord thus strips me, I do not now see; yet he does
+not allow me to doubt his love, amidst all my sorrows, and I know that
+light is sown for me, though it does not yet spring up. Oh! may my
+soul never cease to feel assured of my heavenly Father's unchangeable
+love; for with a doubt on this head _now_, what would my circumstances
+be? We know that tribulation worketh patience, and patience
+experience, and experience hope, and hope maketh not ashamed. Oh! may
+such a result spring from all my suffering!
+
+_June 26._--For some days I have had nothing to write about from
+without. All has been, on the whole, quiet, and we now wait for
+communications from Constantinople to see how things are likely to
+end. It appears now that Daoud Pasha has retired in favour of Saleh
+Beg, whether willingly or from necessity, is not known. The treasury
+and every thing else is given up into his hand; and he knows as well
+how to spend it as his predecessor did to collect it; he is therefore
+popular, but not esteemed by those of more understanding as a man of
+abilities. He, however, goes to the old Pasha Daoud every day for
+instructions.
+
+How all these events will operate upon our future labours, I cannot at
+all conceive; whether they will close up the little opening we had, or
+make a wider one, the Lord, on whom we wait, alone knows. I have been
+reading much lately of missionary labours, and am surprised to find
+how uniformly trials, and difficulties, and threatened destruction
+have hung over them for years, yet many of them the Lord has since
+singally blessed. We are, however, in the Lord's hands.
+
+I have just read through a second time Mr. Wolff's journal, and Mr.
+Jowett's second volume, and I confess that if my little experience
+entitles me to give my opinion, I think Mr. Jowett's judgment much the
+soundest as to the nature of the operations to be carried on in these
+countries; that the missionary corps should be as unencumbered as
+possible, and ready to remove at a moment's notice. I mean those
+engaged in the simple evangelist's office, disconnected from all
+secular callings; but should there be a band of enlightened saints,
+willing to take the handicraft departments of life, as their means of
+support, and unobserved access to the people, they might remain and
+carry on their work, when other and more ostensible teachers were
+obliged to fly: and this is doubtless the way the primitive churches
+were nourished, when their professed teachers fled.
+
+As to those colleges and large establishments contemplated by Mr.
+Wolff, even could they be established on the comprehensive principle
+proposed by his zealous and ardent mind, I fear it would lead much
+more to the diffusion of universal scepticism than the eternal
+excellency of the truth of God; if, I say, it could be attained, but
+for many reasons I feel it cannot be attained. The liberality of the
+Christian public is not up to such undertakings, even though they saw
+the utility to be clear. One cannot help being struck with Mr. Wolff's
+judging of others from himself; because he felt he was willing to make
+sacrifices, he promised for others as freely as for himself: but what
+has been the result even of the two schools he did establish, and
+promise to support from the funds of his patron and others? The
+burthen has rested on those who were persuaded through him of the
+willingness of others to co-operate. One is given up, and the other
+has dwindled down to about nineteen pupils, and these are educated on
+the native plan, so that, as far as divine light is concerned, it is
+in _statu quo_. The two colleges that were to be established at Aleppo
+and Tabreez, and towards which a beginning was made in promises and
+plans--nothing now is heard of them; nor do I think it is to be
+regretted. The object was too mixed for much of spiritual prosperity.
+The difficulty is not in getting houses and firmans: it is when you
+begin to wish to sit down and attack the strong holds of the enemy.
+The same with the letters of patriarchs and bishops: when the thing is
+new and they see not its bearings on their system, they are all
+friendliness--as among the heads of the Armenians, the Catholics, and
+other Bishops. But when they have seen the life-giving power of the
+divine word in the souls of two or three of their followers, under the
+instruction of such clear brethren as at Shushee, or the American
+brethren, all is changed, and when dear Zaremba was at Ech-Miazin the
+other day, and endeavoured to get the consent of the Armenian
+patriarch to the translation of the Scriptures, by Dittrich, his
+reception was every thing but kind; and they have actually dragged
+away one of their deacons from the dear brethren at Shushee, to try
+him at Ech-Miazin for heresy. I have also heard that the bishop of
+Ispahan, who superintends all these countries, even as far as India,
+has prohibited the reception of any tracts by his people, and would
+not let them have a school till the Roman Catholics appeared there and
+established one, taking away some of his flock, when he granted it. In
+fact, wherever the hierarchical spirit exists, there a spirit of
+domination and pride--there a spirit of Antichrist exists--whether in
+the Brahmin, the Mufti, or the Patriarch, there is a body of men who
+will not go in themselves, nor let others go in; it must be so, as
+Mr. Jowett justly observes, wherever the distinction between laity and
+clergy is kept up in opposition to the right and duty of each man to
+judge for himself. Mr. Jowett's words are, I think, "The principal
+religious characteristic of Syria and the Holy Land, (and he might
+have added, of all the ancient churches, and too many of the modern,)
+that which is common to all its professors and sects, is that _system
+of distinction between priesthood and laity_, felt even when not
+avowed; according to which, it seems to be the interest of a few
+professed teachers to hold the rest of their fellow-creatures in
+darkness." Those men, therefore, who, in a hasty visit, welcome you,
+and if you are well introduced, flatter you, no sooner see or feel
+your real design, than they become your enemies, and the missionary
+who should begin with any other expectation from present prospects,
+must be disappointed. For instance, had we been where there was a
+powerful clergy, we should have met with the greatest opposition in
+our school, because of our casting out of it the book which they so
+highly prize, called the Shammakirke. Yet no Christian teacher could
+conscientiously allow it--it was full of prayers to the Virgin, the
+Cross, &c. &c.; we therefore here succeeded, under God's blessing,
+because the laity were strong and the priesthood weak, without any
+serious struggle; but their progress has been very different at
+Shushee.
+
+The morals of the monks at Ech-Miazin are such that no parent in the
+country thinks himself justified in sending his child there to be
+educated. From such men, what can you expect? With them what can you
+do? I have for a long time been persuaded that the path for a child of
+God to pursue, is to follow his Lord, and not to ask the Sanhedrim's
+leave to preach the truth; and never to take any notice of them till
+they take notice of us. Dark as the cloud seems to be now around these
+lands, and difficult as it seems even to live in them, much more to
+labour in them; yet I do not at all think, to one having patiently
+attained a thorough knowledge of the colloquial Arabic, and the other
+colloquial languages in use, that the door is barred to a travelling
+unsettled missionary, or even to one resident many months in a place:
+neither do I think he should be discouraged from attempting schools,
+for although they may not stand above a year or two, you may by the
+Lord's blessing be the instrument of stirring up their minds to think
+and examine for themselves, and without violence lead them to question
+the truth of some of their dogmas; and when you have once dislodged
+the principle of implicit faith, you have at last opened the door for
+truth. I think it is much to be regretted that Mr. Wolff's wishes
+about Bussorah and Bushire did not succeed. In the one there is a
+permanent British Resident, and in the other a permanent British
+influence, that would have much favoured a school, and even perhaps
+finally more extensive operations; and I do still hope he may yet
+find some of his friends, who are as able as willing to take the
+necessary charge of these places, for they are now more disheartened
+than when nothing had been promised them. At Tabreez also, I think
+a most interesting school might be established; but let it be as
+comprehensive as it can with a safe conscience be, without pretending
+to a principle that includes all. If, upon such terms Mohammedans
+come, your conscience is not entangled, and you can go on steadily
+with your work. If they go, they go; if they stay, they stay; but take
+care how you take any of the gentiles by solicitation; it will tie
+your hands, and hamper all your proceedings. It looks promising to see
+the names of Princes and great men connected with our work; but I am
+persuaded that it is utterly spiritual weakness. Better do ever so
+little work with the whole soul, than ever so much, trimming between
+the world and the Church, and all very comprehensive plans must
+involve this: besides, from the outset, the feeling of duplicity
+that always must result from inducing men to contribute to support
+institutions under certain partial representations, which they would
+not embrace if you stated your real design, and the full truth.
+
+Besides these difficulties of money and principle, the unsettled state
+of these countries is such that learned orientalists would never come,
+even if they were in abundance; but the fact is, that even Europe is
+very scantily supplied with men who could direct such an institution,
+and if they could be found, unless the love of Christ were the spring
+of their actions--were they mere literary orientalists, their
+influence as it regards the kingdom of Christ would be worse than
+nugatory. For though you might hope to correct this evil by having
+others connected with the institution who might have the more
+immediate spiritual direction of the students, this would soon lead to
+strifes and divisions between the heads of the institution. That the
+spread of literature in the East will sap and finally overthrow
+_Mohammedanism_, I have little doubt; but this is the work of the men
+of the world, and the result, as it regards Christianity, very
+doubtful; but the missionary's object is one and indivisible: if
+Christ be not glorified, he gains nothing; but if he be but exalted,
+he has his rich reward.
+
+_June 28._ _Thursday._--There seems just sufficient strength in this
+wretched country to destroy itself: it has long lost the power of
+attacking its enemies with success, it has also lost the power of
+resistance against their attacks, neither can it longer stand without
+external support: there seems just sufficient power left to commit
+suicide. In this pashalic, though the Sultan cannot without extreme
+difficulty remove the Pasha, yet he effectually destroys its
+prosperity;--he ruins the merchant, he encourages every species of
+robbery, so that frequently, as at present, not a shop dare be opened
+but for the simplest necessaries. Nor does it operate against the
+prosperity of this city only, but all the trade of which this was a
+sort of intermediate place of transit between India, Mosul, Merdin,
+Damascus, and Aleppo, as well as on the other side from Europe, is so
+far interrupted, for not a merchant will now venture his goods across
+the desert. All attachment too seems entirely destroyed between the
+head and the members of the empire. ---- was with me to-day,
+who, speaking on the state of the Pashalic said, If the Sultan will
+let us have Daoud Pasha well, we neither want the Sultan nor a
+stranger; but we would rather put ourselves under the English, and let
+them govern as they do in Hindoostan. This feeling is exceedingly
+general, and in looking forward to the downfall of the empire, they
+seem quite to consider this country as the portion which will fall to
+England, and speak of it openly as a thing they desire. This arises
+from their hearing so much of our government in India.
+
+_June 29._--My dear little baby has had an attack of purulent
+ophthalmia, which gives me much anxiety; for three or four days she
+had been recovering a little, when this trying attack seized her dear
+little eyes; she was quite unable to open either of them.
+
+My mind has been much exercised these two days by reflections on the
+ease with which the soul is taken off from living in Christ. In
+prosperity, we are occupied with plans; in adversity, with our
+sorrows; in missionary labour, in preparation for what we intend to do
+for the Lord, and even in our very times of danger we are constantly
+exposed to the temptation of looking for relief to circumstances,
+rather than to the Lord of circumstances--to the love of the Lord of
+life. May the Lord of his great goodness grant that my soul may reap a
+full harvest from these reflections, and determine not only in words
+to know nothing but Jesus Christ and him crucified, as the subject of
+preaching, but as the object on which my soul constantly dwells, so
+that growing up into his fulness in understanding and love, may be the
+business of my future life, and much, yea, very much more, the simple
+purpose of my heart than it has ever yet been. Nothing can be to me
+clearer than that the work of the Lord will really prosper in the
+hands of his servants, in proportion as these servants prosper in
+their nearness to him. May his love, his life, his words, his wishes
+be the abiding incentives in my soul to simply living to him and for
+him, and for his creatures through him. How easy it is for one person
+to make one class of sacrifices, and another, another; but how hard to
+slay the darling idol, and to tear away the cherished indulgence:--how
+easy it is to exercise those graces which accord with our natural
+constitutions, how difficult those which mortify and run counter to
+them.
+
+May it be the labour and delight of my future life to see each
+cherished idol one by one fall prostrate, slain before my Lord's love.
+
+_July 1._--There has just been a transaction passing which
+illustrates, in a striking manner, the very loose connections which
+bind the parts of this empire together. I have already mentioned the
+death of the Pashas of Mosul and Merdin. Ali Pasha, in support of whom
+they had professedly marched against Bagdad, sent his treasurer to
+Saleh Beg, to commend him for what he had done in thus preserving the
+city by killing these two Pashas, requiring at the same time for
+himself, the payment of his expenses, as well as a sum of money for
+the Sultan, and promising that if this were given him he would return
+to Aleppo. Thus, after nearly two years confusion, all parties will be
+worse off than they were before. My reason for thinking it probable
+this will be the case is, that the Khaznadar or treasurer of Daoud
+Pasha, has accompanied the Khaznadar of Ali Pasha to his camp, who
+evidently doubts the result of his attempt. Indeed, it seems very
+doubtful if in any case he can succeed; for if he obtains the
+Pashalic, I think it very probable from the history of former Pashas,
+who, as strangers to the Pashalic, have been forced into it, that he
+will not be allowed to retain it. The fact is, that almost all his
+opposing force consists of Arabs, who become in a moment the servants
+of the highest bidder. It was only two days ago the Pasha detached one
+tribe from them; and I have little doubt that if he does not spare
+money he may soon break up all the confederacy.[34] Yesterday the
+soldiers of the late Pasha of Mosul came to the gates of the town, but
+were driven back into their encampment with loss; and one hundred of
+their mercenary troops (Arnaoots) came over to this Pasha, changing a
+pay of forty-eight piasters a month to one hundred, or about a pound
+sterling a month.
+
+  [34] We heard afterwards that the state of his health and the
+  lawlessness of the city prevented his getting access to his treasure.
+
+Every kind of provision is becoming extremely dear, from double to ten
+times its usual price; and I confess I see no present prospect of
+improvement, for the inundation swept away the harvest, and the plague
+has extended so far, that there have been no hands to cut down even
+that grain which remained, and the things which they might have sown,
+and which might in some measure have supplied the place of grain they
+were prevented from sowing by the Arabs, who were at enmity with the
+Pasha, and therefore laid waste the country. In contemplating the
+perplexity and uncertainty of events, according to all human
+calculation, that surrounds us, the knowledge that our own Lord is
+ordering all things not only for his own glory but also for ours,
+comes home continually to my soul with inexpressible comfort; and
+notwithstanding the anxious thoughts that sometimes arise, I am
+generally enabled at last to roll my burdens on his holy head, and
+this I know will sustain them.
+
+The dead weight about a missionary's neck in the first years of
+his labour is the language. So difficult is it to hear so as to
+understand, or to speak so as to be understood; for not only is it
+necessary to use right words, but with right accents, or you may often
+convey the very reverse of what you mean. Certainly, if I were quite
+alone, the plan I should pursue, would be to go into some family or
+place where the language I wish to learn alone is spoken, as brother
+King did in Syria to learn Arabic:--this being attained, a missionary
+is certainly not without the most interesting opportunities of
+usefulness.
+
+_July 2._ _Saturday._--Dear baby has suffered so much from her eyes
+to-day, that it tried my heart to the very bottom. And in addition to
+all this, the state of things here is assuming an alarming aspect.
+Without the city walls, the numbers of those who wish to plunder the
+city are increasing; and within, the same tendency is manifested among
+those who are intended for its protection, so that my heart has been
+at times very much pressed down; yet the Lord has sustained me. In the
+evening, as I was looking out, I saw the man come into the court yard,
+who brings and collects letters for Aleppo, and in his hand a letter
+for me. With what eagerness did I seize it, and anticipate its
+contents. Yet though good tidings, because tidings of the Lord's
+blessing them, and being in the midst of them, it contained tidings
+peculiarly heavy for me to receive at this moment, as it not only led
+me to anticipate no present prospect of seeing my dear brethren from
+Aleppo, but that it seemed very doubtful if it would be their path to
+come at all; at least if they did, it would be purely to join me, and
+this surely would not be the path of duty. I, however, receive this
+last trying providence at my loving Father's hands, adoring his love
+whilst I know not the modes of his going forth. It has not weighed me
+down so much as I thought it would; and the Lord allows me to feel
+assured he will yet do something for me. They seem to wish me to join
+them, but I do not yet see my way clear to leave this place to which
+the Lord has brought me. I feel daily more and more that my place in
+the church is very low, and it matters very little where I am for any
+good that is in me: yet by remaining, I keep the way open for those
+who are more able, and whose establishment is more important. I know
+my Lord will not cut me off from personal improvement by all his
+darkly gracious dealing, and perhaps I am now learning another part of
+that hard lesson, neither to glory in or trust in man. But still I
+bless God he is giving my dear brethren a door of utterance and
+prospects of usefulness where they are, and may my joy ever be in
+proportion to the glory that is brought to his blessed name, and the
+prosperity of his kingdom. Until the Lord, therefore, raises his
+fiery cloudy pillar, and bids me forth, I shall pursue my plan of
+endeavouring to converse in Arabic till the Lord is pleased to open my
+mouth by degrees, or as he please, to publish his whole truth. Should
+he send me some dear brother to help and comfort me, may he give me
+grace to praise him; if not, to hope in him and find in himself all I
+need. To the dear boys it has been a great disappointment, for it was
+the constant theme of their conversation, and a cheering expectation
+to see friends from England. However, our dear Father will order all
+things well; and I bless him exceedingly for sending out to Aleppo,
+our dear brethren and sisters. The Lord may make this event, which now
+seems so awakening and trying, yet for the furthering of the gospel in
+these lands: in fact, I should be almost sorry for _all_ of the
+brethren to leave Aleppo.
+
+_July 5._ _Tuesday._--I have had some interesting conversation with
+three poor people from _Karakoosh_,[35] a town about five hours from
+Mosul, composed of Roman Catholic Syrians. Every information I receive
+from that quarter, convinces me that Erzeroum, Diarbekr, and Mosul,
+would be most interesting head quarters for a missionary. The man told
+me that the Nestorians of the mountains, (like the Scotch) go once a
+year to receive the sacrament, whether upon their erroneous principle,
+or that from living scattered among the mountains they cannot make it
+convenient to meet often, I know not. The Syrians of the villages near
+Mosul speak among themselves Syriac, but in asking them if they
+understood the old Syriac, which is read, they reply, imperfectly; so
+that I have no doubt, for any instructive purpose, it is perfectly
+unintelligible, what with the mode of reading, and the difference of
+language. These are deeply interesting countries to those who can be
+happy in bestowing all their strength in planting under the prospect
+that others will reap the fruits. The Lord will water their way with
+little streams of comfort, and manifestations of the prospect of the
+future; but the preparatory work in these countries must occupy at
+least many, many years of missionary life. I shall never feel a
+missionary till I can deliver my message clearly and intelligibly;
+till then, I endeavour to drop a word, as it may be offered, and to
+instil a principle as an occasion may occur, or by seeking an
+occasion. The difficulty of this first step I daily feel to be
+increasing--I mean only that my sense of the difficulty is increasing;
+but the Lord daily comforts me, amidst the delays and trials of faith,
+by the clearest conviction of the large sphere of usefulness there is
+when once this is attained.
+
+  [35] _Karakoosh_ is a small town within twelve miles of
+  Mosul, containing about nine hundred houses, inhabited entirely by
+  Syrian or Jacobite Christians, many of whom are become Roman
+  Catholics. They speak Syriac, but so corrupted, that it is with great
+  difficulty they understand the Syriac of the Scriptures. There are
+  seven churches, four of which belong to the Roman Catholics, and the
+  remainder to the Jacobites. The road between Karakoosh and Mosul,
+  passes through the striking remains of Nineveh.
+
+All things in the city continue in the most unsettled state.
+
+Some of the lawless depredators came again to our house the day before
+yesterday, and wanted arrack; but they went away quietly, and they
+only talked about cutting off my head; but all this in mere bravado.
+The Lord thus graciously takes care of us. They look on me as a sort
+of dervish, because I do not drink arrack, nor use weapons of war, nor
+take men to guard my house.
+
+_July 9._--The camp of those without the city is moving down to-day
+towards us; and we hear a continued firing of cannon. It is reported
+they are come within half an hour's march of the city. The issue is in
+the Lord's hand. Nothing can exceed the fear and want of confidence
+that prevails throughout the city, every man's heart failing him for
+fear of those things which may be coming on us. Oh! what a resting
+place is the Lord's experienced love, and the assurance that all shall
+work together for good to those that love him; yet living thus in the
+midst of constant alarm, makes my heart sometimes long for that sweet,
+quiet Christian communion which I left behind in England.
+
+_July 10._ _Sunday._--In conversation to-day on the subject of
+invoking the Virgin Mary, with some Armenians and a Jacobite, I was
+struck with the readiness with which they all submit to Scripture; and
+this seems universal among all those who are not ecclesiastics by
+profession, or Roman Catholics. The curse of obstinate blindness seems
+to be left to those who join this apostate church, for truly it may
+be said of them, they come not to the light, because their deeds are
+evil--not their deeds as members of society, but as professed members
+of the mystical body of Christ.
+
+Our Lord's days are solitary--none to tune Zion's harps. Oh! how it
+makes the soul long for the courts of the Lord, where we may go up
+with the crowds to keep holiday; how precious now would appear some of
+those seasons of Christian communion which we enjoyed in dear England
+and Ireland. When dear Mary was with me, we had an unceasing source of
+happiness in conversing on our common hopes in our common Lord. Our
+communion also with our dear friends was thus rendered vivid, aided as
+it was and encouraged by the help of correspondence and conversation;
+but now letters have almost ceased to come, and I have no one to
+commune with. In addition to all this we are besieged, and every
+necessary of life is nearly three times its usual price, very bad, and
+to be got with difficulty. All night we hear nothing but firing and
+drums beating, and men shouting--all this, too, at present, without
+any prospect of termination, for those who are come against the city,
+are not strong enough to enforce the change they design, and those
+within have little to fear, so long as they have money and provisions
+to give the soldiers, which they say they have for two years;[36] so
+those who suffer are the poor people, who cannot help themselves. The
+Pasha of Aleppo is about an hour's distance; it does not seem to be
+his wish to act offensively against the city, but only to get into his
+power those few whom he wishes to displace and behead. Yet how much
+have I to bless God for, in that he keeps the little boys so free from
+alarm. Blessed Lord! these are indeed scenes and times that lead the
+soul to desire thy peaceful happy reign. Sometimes the sense of my
+dear, dear Mary's peace, safety, and joys, makes me feel my burthens
+lighter than though she had been with me; for to have those you love
+in such scenes is trying in proportion to this very love, which so
+sweetens times of mere labour or peace. I am sure the Lord _has_ dealt
+lovingly, and _will_.
+
+  [36] This report of the provisions of the city appeared, in
+  the sequel, to be unfounded.
+
+_July 14._--Since the ninth we have had little occurring but firing of
+guns from the citadel, and the noise and confusion at night occasioned
+by the soldiers.
+
+A circumstance has occurred to-day which a little tries me. The
+Armenian Priests are both dead; and the Armenian servant of Mrs. T.
+has asked if she might receive the communion with us, the next time we
+received it. Now, while I feel in my own soul that she knows nothing
+of the power of the divine life, yet how far I have authority from
+God's word to set up this, my private feeling, in the absence of any
+thing palpable to fix on as an objection, I do not see. I feel so
+utterly unworthy to place myself in the situation of a judge in such
+a case. I feel so exceedingly low in the divine life--I experience
+so little of the power of that life which was in Christ, subduing
+all things to the obedience of the Father's will--that I feel she
+may object more to my being accepted than I could to her. Yet,
+notwithstanding all this, I am conscious there is a difference--though
+I am only on the lowest step of Jacob's ladder, yet I do desire to
+ascend higher into the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to descend
+lower in my own esteem, so to be able to say without the pollution of
+affected humility, I feel myself less than the least of all saints.
+The divine life appears to me daily more and more a deep internal
+personal work, without which all external exertions and exercises will
+come to nothing; however fair, it will be at best but a fruitless
+blossom, that withers as soon as blown. Oh! how difficult it is not to
+deceive oneself with the appearance of Christian graces instead of the
+substance; how difficult not to substitute the _act_ for the _spirit_;
+that monster pride, how hard it is to kill, how chameleon like it
+changes its colour and seems to live on air, yea, on very vanity.
+
+_July 18._ _Lord's Day._--The warlike sounds of the cannon and mortars
+have abated within these three days. Oh that the Lord would quickly
+terminate this hateful civil strife. Yet at present there seems no
+prospect.
+
+How hard I feel it to-day to rise above the loss of my dear, dear
+Mary--it seems like a new wound just opened. It is so hard to feel the
+great honour and great proof of love the Lord has manifested towards
+me, in removing her I loved from the trials and sorrows of this earth
+to the ease and joy of his own Paradise, to join our dear little Mary,
+and sing there together his praise who washed them in his own blood,
+prepared them as vessels of honour, and then took them to himself.
+Sometimes I think I ought not to have gone out of our house during the
+plague, about Major T.'s affairs, but that I should have left them to
+their own fate; yet, at other times, I think, after all the kindness I
+had received from him, I ought not to have declined the dangerous
+service. Then again, I think that when I did go, I should have taken
+more precautions, and not have joined my dear family immediately,
+but remained apart; yet at last my heart comes round to the full
+assurance, that my dear and loving Lord would not have visited
+undesigned neglect, which sprang mainly from confidence in his loving
+care, with such a privation, had he not designed by it her speedy
+glory and my final good: now I shall go to her, but she shall not
+return to me.
+
+The dear little boys are very anxious to leave Bagdad, yet they do not
+complain, nor appear on the whole otherwise than happy, which is
+indeed a great mercy. My poor dear little nursling, the object of
+ceaseless care, seems rather gaining than losing ground, yet is still
+so frail, that a blast of wind seems enough to extinguish the little
+fire that burns; but if the Lord will, even this little fire shall yet
+burn brighter and brighter, and defy in his name the rudest blasts.
+
+Sometimes when I think on the complete stop the Lord has in his
+infinite wisdom seen fit to put to my little work here, I am
+astonished. Among those who are dead, is one who was translating the
+New Testament into the vulgar Armenian of this place, and had gone as
+far as Luke; and another gentleman, who was educated in Bombay, who
+was writing for me an English and Armenian Dictionary, in which he had
+proceeded about half way (10,000 words). In this dictionary there were
+not only the ancient and modern parallel words, but an explanation in
+vulgar Armenian, with examples. The probability of my meeting with one
+similarly qualified, able and willing again, is very small indeed; but
+with this, as with all the rest, it is the Lord, let him do what
+seemeth to him good. I wait to see his future pleasure manifested, and
+though I am now under a cloud of sorrow and separation from his
+service, may he sanctify it, and advance his glory by whomsoever he
+pleases, only giving me a heart to rejoice in their labours, and to
+love my Lord fervently, and then I hope I shall not complain. I never
+felt fit for much, and I daily now feel fit for less than I once
+thought I was, yet the Lord will not deny me a place in the body, and
+oh, may he give me a heart willing to take the lowest--that of
+washing the disciples' feet. Oh, for the spirit of our dear humble
+Lord in that wonderful transaction so calculated to stain human pride
+with the name of madness, but especially the pride of those who call
+themselves his.
+
+The weather is now getting intensely hot, and our cellars, which were
+our retreating places last year, are not habitable, the water being in
+them at least three feet high, and this, with the overflowing of the
+river, brought such swarms of mosquitos, that for several weeks it was
+almost impossible to sleep, and although now they are far less
+numerous, they are still very troublesome, so that if not on your
+guard every moment, you get stung by them.
+
+_July 20._--The weather is intensely hot, and we now begin seriously
+to miss the Serdaubs;[37] but I feel it most for dear little baby, to
+whom the heat is very, very trying. I also feel it very difficult to
+do any thing that requires the least exertion, and for the next six
+weeks we have no hope, of any mitigation, but rather an increase. The
+prospect too of affairs around us, leaves no resting place but in the
+love and favour of our Lord. The city is full of prophecies of the
+sorrows and desolations that are to come on this land; from the Pasha
+downward, this people seem devoted to astrology, believing lies, while
+they refuse to hear the truth; yet all their visions are of sorrow,
+lamentation, and woe.
+
+  [37] Cellars under ground, to which the inhabitants of Bagdad
+  retire during the heat of the day, from the months of June to
+  September.
+
+I feel sometimes very much tried with respect to my future pursuit of
+missionary labours; for I have not only lost the encouragement and
+comfort of a sweet society that made every place a home; but all these
+domestic cares, which she so willingly and so entirely bore, have
+fallen on me, and I hardly seem, at least during the weakness of my
+dear little baby, to have time for any thing but to attend to them.
+Had I been joined by our dear brothers and sisters from Aleppo, it
+would have been comparatively light; but now, I can take no step, and
+before I may be able, the Lord may graciously afford me new light; for
+this I will therefore, with his grace and help, patiently wait.
+
+_July 21._--In some conversation I have just had with the old father
+of our late schoolmaster, I have been encouraged to feel that it is
+almost impossible for a missionary, even of the humblest pretensions,
+and in the lowest degree qualified for his calling, which I can I
+think with unaffected truth say, I feel to be my own case--to live
+among these people, and not to lead them to some most important
+principles. This old man is not only theoretically persuaded of the
+sufficiency of the Scriptures, but in his understanding fully
+convinced. His acquaintance with Scripture is very extensive and
+accurate, and on my servant coming to ask him the explanation of words
+in the translation lately set forth by the Bible Society, it led to a
+conversation on the importance of having a translation that every
+woman and child can understand. He said, "Yes, and it is only the
+pride of the learned and of the bishops which prevents it: if books
+once became published in the dialects of the people, the old language
+would cease to be cultivated." This would doubtless be an infinite
+benefit, not only to the Armenians but to the Syrians and Chaldeans,
+and every Church of the East, among the people; a few learned men may,
+and most likely will, be found to extract what is valuable from the
+old language, if they have only enlightened judgment enough to leave
+the mass of rubbish behind. He mentioned the sermon on the Mount,
+which we received from Shushee, and said, that it opened the eyes of
+the children--yet even this dialect is very different from the one
+used here. I think this aged man understands and feels there is but
+one Church in the world; and he quoted that interesting passage, "Paul
+may plant and Apollos water, but God giveth the increase," to prove
+it.
+
+_July 22._--I have to-day received letters from London and Aleppo, and
+I have reason to bless God for all; yet they all come armed with
+sorrow; for they are full of her of whom the Lord has emptied me. In
+my strength I thought I could so entirely give her up to him, did he
+desire it, since he had made her so strong in himself, and filled her
+so full of his blessings; well, and even now, my soul doth magnify the
+Lord, though in so many ways, I still feel my great and trying loss.
+Perhaps the Lord has meant to teach me that the 91st Psalm, as dear
+brother Cronin writes, relates only to Christ's humanity, specially
+shewing how, from his cradle to his grave, his father watched over
+him, so that at last he laid down his life, but none took it from him;
+and he, in this great act, has made it over spiritually to us: he has
+left the natural plague because of sin, but destroyed the spiritual
+because of righteousness, even that righteousness which is by his own
+most precious blood.
+
+The Pasha of Aleppo, hearing of dear Edward Cronin, as an English
+physician, wishing to come to Bagdad, wished to engage him to come
+with him as his physician, and offered him 1500 piasters a month; but,
+anxious as they were to come, the circumstances of their party did
+not, on mature deliberation, allow them to separate, and Ali Pasha was
+unwilling to undertake the responsibility of the females with his
+camp. And, oh, how my soul blesses the Lord, now I think on it, that
+these obstacles were so graciously interposed; disease, delay, and
+trouble would have accompanied them, and, till now, they would have
+been detained in the desert, with little prospect of speedy admission
+into the city, which is firing against the camp, and the camp firing
+against the city, and they would have been exposed to the full power
+of a sun, which no one can tell how to estimate, but by actual
+exposure to it.
+
+I have also received a letter from Bussorah, stating that on the
+drying up of the inundations there, a fever has been spreading, and
+carrying off numbers. Major T.'s family had most of them been ill, but
+they were recovering. Mr. Bathie was very weak, and his wife dead. Dr.
+Beagry, the new surgeon of this station, also died, and immense
+numbers of those who had fled from the plague. Bussorah is still
+besieged, but expected soon to fall into the hands of the Motezellim.
+
+A letter has also reached me to-day by the same conveyance, from the
+Bible Society, dated 27th July last year, mentioning the sending of
+three cases of Arabic and Persian Scriptures to my dear brother
+Pfander. When I consider how God, in his infinite and unsearchable
+providence, has seen it fit to bring to nought all our plans by the
+disorganization of this at all times lawless land, I cannot but feel
+it a strong call to form very few plans for the future, and just to
+work by the day. Our hope was, when we came to Bagdad, to have been
+able to travel pretty extensively both in the mountains of Kourdistan
+and in Persia; but the state of the country, and other considerations,
+brought all these plans to nothing, so my dear friend and kind
+brother left me for Shushee, having been able to obtain much of the
+information he desired, without the journey. And I, instead of having
+a large present field of useful employment, and one prospectively
+increasing, am now without employment or prospect, and if it were not
+that I feel getting on a little in the colloquial language of the
+country, I should be almost without hope of remaining with advantage
+here; but while I feel this, my heart does not sink. The Lord will yet
+let his light shine out of the darkness, and will one day enable me to
+speak of his promises; for I daily feel more assured this is the great
+gift after which an evangelist is to press--it is the very instrument
+of his labour. And let such a missionary feel infinitely happier
+to hear it said he speaks very low Arabic, but that every body
+understands him; than very pure, but which is unintelligible, except
+to the Mollahs. If he speaks not in a very mixed dialect of Turkish,
+Persian, and Arabic, he will not be understood here; there is,
+however, still an immense preponderance of Arabic over the others.
+
+The British and Foreign School Society have also very kindly offered
+to afford what assistance their limited means will allow to the
+furtherance of Scripture instruction in the East. I shall endeavour
+to repay this free kindness by obtaining the best information I can,
+before I call on their aid, for nothing is so discouraging as failures
+from precipitate attempts; but so variable is the state of affairs in
+these countries, that previous to your judgment being matured by
+experience, you may be led, with the best intentions possible, to
+undertake, on a bright day, plans which, before they can be executed,
+prove as baseless as a vision, and which will leave nothing behind
+but the remembrance of useless expense and unproductive labour.
+
+_July 22._--I had with me to-day, for the last time as a patient, an
+officer of the Pasha's household who had the plague, and a large wound
+from a carbuncle, but is now quite well, and he was talking of the
+state of the city and country, and said, "Why do we wish to give our
+country into the hands of the Ghiaours,[38] and not to the Persians?
+It is because we know they will neither take our wives or daughters
+from us, nor rob us of our money, nor cut off our heads, but in Islam
+there is no mercy, no pity." He added, "Did you ever see me before I
+came about my leg?" I said, "No." "Yet," he said "you had mercy upon
+me, and cured me and my daughter (who also had had the plague), and
+why? It was from your heart--there was mercy there." I took this
+opportunity to explain the reason, as emanating from the command of
+Christ, and not the goodness of my heart, and how truly could I say
+it; for the Lord knows how, but for this, it would be a weariness unto
+me. Now this impatience of their own government is not the feeling of
+a few discontented men, but I am persuaded it is very general--how can
+such a kingdom stand?
+
+  [38] This word Ghiaour, or infidel, is applied by Mohammedans
+  to Christians without the least intention of personal offence; and
+  what is still more extraordinary, the Christians commonly designate
+  themselves by the same appellation.
+
+The government, if government it can be called, is now sending the
+soldiers round to every house to seek for wheat and rice. From some
+they take half, from others a third of their little store, while they
+have enough for two years in their own corn cellars, and this too when
+the necessaries of life are raised to between four and five times
+their usual price; and as for fruit and vegetables, which constitute
+in eastern countries, during summer, so large a portion of the food of
+all classes, not a particle is to be seen.
+
+Yesterday and to-day I have had two Roman Catholic merchants with me,
+and in quoting Scripture to them, I found them ready with the context;
+but the deadly evil is the separation of religion and its principles
+from the government and rule of every day and every moment. In these
+countries, where religious expressions are in every one's mouth, a
+missionary has most valuable employment, as he is able to bring their
+minds back to their own expressions, to their own import and power, as
+we are desired to do to those who heartlessly use that beautiful form
+of dedication in the communion service of the Church of England, "We
+here present unto thee our bodies, souls, and spirits to be a
+reasonable, holy, and lively sacrifice unto thee." Oh! that all who
+use these blessed words felt their power, and lived under it. Christ's
+name would soon be magnified from land to land.
+
+_July 23._--The Pasha has just sent me a fish, with his compliments,
+and a request that I will dress it for him: this is the way he
+collects the daily provisions for his household; one person sends him
+a dish of rice, another a dish of kebaub, another bread; at other
+times all this takes place because of custom, but now from necessity,
+for he has no servants scarcely to attend to him. This is the first
+time I have been so honoured, and when the fish was cooked and sent,
+he desired the servant to come back, and bring him a few kustawee
+dates to eat with it; that, however, you may not think these any very
+extravagant luxury, I may add, their value is somewhat less than a
+penny a pound. I note this as a little trait of manners that one would
+hardly credit, had not the fact come under his own observation.
+
+_July 24._ _Lord's Day._--Nothing among the perverted use of
+scriptural terms has ever struck me as more remarkable than the use
+the Church now makes of the expression, tempting God. In God's word it
+is uniformly placed among the sins of unbelief; but the Church now, by
+universal consent, places it among the sins of presumption, to which
+it is the very antipodes. For instance, it is one of the great crimes
+of Israel, their tempting God in the desert, and limiting the Holy One
+of Israel. How? By presumptuous confidence? No--but by saying he hath
+given bread, but _can he give meat_ also? This is the only sense I
+know in scripture given to tempting God, and that famous passage from
+which the erroneous impression has mainly sprung, in the interview of
+Satan with our Lord, is quite kindred. The object of Satan was to get
+our Lord's mind into a condition of doubting God, by leading him to
+argue, God has certainly said so, but will he do it? for our blessed
+Lord was manifestly as much tempting God by attempting to walk upon
+the water, as to cast himself into the air. What proves this to be the
+meaning is our Lord's quotation, "It is written, Thou shalt not tempt
+the Lord thy God." Now, where is this written? Why, in the Old
+Testament, where it uniformly implies doubt and distrust; in Exod.
+xvii. 2. "Therefore the people did chide with Moses, and said, Give us
+water that we may drink. And Moses said unto them, Why chide ye with
+me? Wherefore do ye tempt the Lord? And he called the name of the
+place Massah and Meribah, because of the chiding of the children of
+Israel; and because they tempted the Lord, saying, _Is the Lord among
+us, or not?_" (verse 7.) And it is in reference to this very passage,
+that in Deut. vi. 16. it is said "Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy
+God, as ye tempted him in Massah." And that we may not have a doubt of
+the meaning, see the application of the word tempting, as applied to
+our dear and blessed Lord. Is it ever in the sense of presumptuous
+confidence? Never; but always of scepticism and doubt. I do not mean
+to say there is not such a sin as presumptuous confidence; I am sure
+there is; but that is never called tempting God. The Israelites were
+guilty of this sin, when they went up contrary to the command of God
+to fight their enemies, after he had pronounced upon them the forty
+years wandering in the wilderness.
+
+I think that rightly understanding this is a matter of no small
+moment; for many are affrighted, and made sad in the ways of the Lord
+by the erroneous application of this Scripture; for to whom does the
+Church and the world alike now apply this term? Why, if they hear of a
+man selling his property, and becoming poor, like Barnabas, according
+to the exhortation of the apostles, and the _example of our Lord_, he
+is considered as tempting God by all according to the degree in which
+they wish to keep all or part of their own property. Again, if he
+exposes himself to dangers he might avoid, troubles he might escape,
+for what he believes the Lord's service, far from receiving any
+comfort or encouragement, he is again accused of tempting God. But
+tempting God is the deadly sin of an unregenerate mind, and is never
+charged on any saint, either in the Old or New Testament, that I
+recollect. Certainly, Peter did not tempt Christ, when he said, "If
+thou be he, bid me come unto thee on the water;" for he did not doubt
+our Lord's power; yet there was a measure of false confidence in
+himself, as well as of unbelief; but these are compatible with the
+holiest affections as a state. Tempting God belongs to the family of
+the tempter, and is a part of no child of God at any time. After his
+conversion, Peter asked a miracle of Christ; but it was in faith,
+however weak. When the sceptical Sadducees and the Pharisees, sought a
+sign it was to try him, can he do it? Therefore he said, Why tempt ye
+me, ye hypocrites? shewing it was a sin to tempt him as well as it was
+a sin to tempt his Father.
+
+I feel now that I had been led to expect a greater measure of freedom
+from the troubles which fall on the people, in the midst of which I
+find myself, than the dispensation under which I live warranted; I do
+not mean from those which spring directly out of the Lord's service,
+but those natural and national evils which God sends as judgments on
+the ungodly. This error arose from considering the temporal promises
+of the 91st Psalm, and other similar ones in multitudes of places, as
+the legitimate objects of faith: whereas I have been now led to see
+that they, like the curses, are but typical representations of that
+kingdom in which the saints of the Lord shall rejoice and be safe when
+his enemies are swept away as the chaff of the summer threshing floor.
+Yet even now, spiritually they are all ours. Not a hair of our head
+shall fall to the ground without our heavenly Father's permission.
+Therefore I feel these thoughts ought neither to trouble us, nor any
+more prevent our hand undertaking for Christ any service, than if a
+greater exemption was promised; for we know that whatever is allowed
+to befall us, whether natural or spiritual, if Christ is ours and we
+are his, they shall only so operate as to work out for us a far more
+exceeding and eternal weight of glory; for these sufferings and trials
+must be among all the things that work together for good to those who
+love Christ.
+
+_July 28._ _Thursday._--Up to this time the shells and balls of the
+besiegers have done us no harm. Two shells have passed just over us.
+The one fell on the roof of the house of an Arab family at a little
+distance from us, who were all asleep, and on bursting killed three:
+one cannon ball has just passed over us, besides musket balls
+innumerable, only two of which, however, I have felt so near as to
+endanger us. The one just passed by me and struck the wall, the other,
+by bending my head, passed just over me: yet dangerous as it seems in
+such circumstances to sleep on the roof, the suffocating heat of the
+rooms is insupportable. I recollect Mr. Wolff, when here, mentions it
+as so hot that he could not write his journal, and indeed such is the
+heat, that one unaccustomed to it feels almost perfectly unfitted for
+any laborious service either of mind or body, but particularly the
+former, for at least my own experience is, that the body is much less
+affected by it than the mind.
+
+Famine is making its destructive way here among the poor. All the
+necessaries of life are raised from four to six times their usual
+price, and often are not to be obtained at all, and in addition there
+is no labour going on in the city: every shop is closed, and every
+one's concern is to take care of his life or property. They are
+constantly killing persons in the streets, without the least inquiry
+being made after the perpetrators; nay, they are publicly and
+notoriously known, and no one regards it. Nothing can exceed the
+misery and fear that pervades the city. Yet amidst all these
+perplexities and troubles, the Lord reigns, and without him they can
+do nothing.
+
+_July 31._ _Lord's day._--A day that always dawns with sweet peace on
+my soul: I seem more especially to bring before my mind those with
+whom I think I took sweet counsel, and went to the house of God in
+company; and though now deprived of all that the heart can desire from
+holy fellowship on earth, there is something that brings me near those
+I love, when I think on their places of assembly, and their times of
+prayer. Though my dear Lord has broken my heart in pieces, and his
+hand is still resting on me in the person of my dear little dying
+baby, whose love and preference for the little care I know how to
+show, renders it one of those exquisitely painful trials, that the
+feelings know not how to obey the Lord in, when the spiritual judgment
+is brought quite down. Yet I can never help feeling it to be a mercy
+eternally to be thankful for, that the sense of my Father's love and
+Saviour's sympathy has never been taken from me amidst all my trials;
+nay, I do feel that the Lord is fitting me, by suffering and
+separation, for the work to which he has called me; he leaves me
+without a home, or the desire of one, and in that way prepares me for
+situations, which, during the life-time of my dearest Mary, would have
+been deeply trying. I bless God for the fourteen years uninterrupted
+domestic happiness we enjoyed together, above all, for the seven years
+spiritual communion in a common gracious Lord, who led us in unity of
+faith and spirit to that work from which he has taken her so early to
+himself, and from which, when the Lord dismisses me, I trust to ascend
+and sing the song of Moses and the Lamb with her for ever and ever. My
+great want is, more of Christ, more of his whole character; this I
+purpose, by the Spirit's help, more to meditate on, that all that
+hateful concern about self, that pollutes all I do, may be absorbed in
+one only thought of how he may be glorified. What I feel I want, is
+more holiness of spirit. I know the Lord is fitting me for his holy
+presence, and that he is the chief desire of my soul; yet, oh! the
+weakness of faith, the coldness of communion, the reserves of
+dedication. Oh, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief!
+
+A Mohammedan has been with me to-day, who is much alarmed at the
+state of the city, and wants to fly, but sees not now any opening.
+He told me, it was not this or that Pasha he cared about; but his
+property, his life, and the females of his family. Oh, what a relief
+to know, that my dear Mary is with her Lord; how light this makes my
+present trials. Yesterday they were fighting from before sun-rise till
+the afternoon, but could not effect an entrance into the city. The
+Lord preserves us all in simple dependence on himself.
+
+_August 2._ _Wednesday._--Accounts have arrived from the Hajjaj (Mecca
+and Medina, &c.) stating the mortality from plague and cholera to be
+most tremendous; many families that left this place on pilgrimage to
+escape the troubles, in the midst of which we have so long been, have,
+as we hear, suffered dreadfully. Thus God seems in wrath, making bare
+his holy arm against this wretched nation in all its length and
+breadth. My heart sometimes trembles for the dear brethren at Aleppo,
+lest at the conclusion of the hot season it should break out there. My
+only resource is God. The poor people here are beginning to sell their
+little all to buy bread, and in consequence of the badness and
+scarcity of provisions, dysentery is spreading its ravages in every
+direction, as well as fever.
+
+I have had with me to-day the translator to the late French Bishop,
+and two or three Roman Catholic merchants, all overwhelmed with fear.
+They say, the Sultan, on hearing of the death of the Pasha of Mosul,
+and the Vaivode of Merdin, has written to the Pasha of Aleppo, to
+spare neither man, woman, nor child in the city; but to let the very
+name of Bagdad be swept from his dominions. Though this is not
+altogether unlike the Sultan, I rather think it the report of those
+within the city, to make the inhabitants dread delivering it up into
+the hands of those without. How blessed a portion is ours, in the
+midst of all these perplexities, to stay ourselves on our God, and to
+confide in the sympathizing love of our Lord, who, worthless and vile
+as we are, will not overlook us; but for his name's sake, will take
+care of the very hairs of our heads, either in life or death. Amidst
+it all, what chiefly troubles me is, that I love my Father and my Lord
+so little, and that although there is not an object in the world, but
+his service and glory, for which I would desire to live; yet that,
+notwithstanding this I live so little for it. Three months have now
+passed since my dearest Mary has entered into her rest, which I have
+spent mostly in the sorrowful nursing of my poor dear sinking babe,
+and though her love and preference repays a hundred-fold all the
+trial, yet it pierces, while it pleases the heart, to see that
+connection so soon must cease. I often wonder at my strange
+indifference to my situation, which, but for my dear children, I think
+would be greater. I am afraid to think it is the fruit of faith I
+feel, in every other respect so weak; it seems more like the physical
+insensibility of one who is without a stake in what is passing. Oh,
+may my dear Lord, in every earthly tie he breaks, bind my poor soul
+doubly strong to himself for eternity, and to his service while here.
+
+_Aug. 3._--Some of the principal Christian families sent to me to-day,
+to request me to subscribe for guards to our quarter of the city, so
+that every night we might have about 40 on guard. This I saw my way
+clear in declining, believing that for Christ's servants the sword is
+not a lawful defence; whatever it may be the Lord's holy will I
+suffer, let it not be in acting against my convictions of his holy and
+blessed will, for though I feel as a sheep in the midst of wolves, the
+Lord does not allow my heart to be disturbed with any sense of
+personal insecurity. How beautifully all our blessed Lord's precepts
+hang together, and fit the one the other; if your consent to follow
+him in his poverty as he has commanded, you have little to fear in
+following his other commands of non-resistance: if you accept not the
+first, you will not accept the second, except in such circumstances as
+expose you to perhaps little comparative danger. May the Lord make me
+willing, whatever it costs, to learn all his will, and give me grace
+to love it. I have heard such instances to-day of hateful and
+abominable oppression and wickedness against the poor Christians, by
+the followers of those who have the name of rulers within the city,
+that my heart aches, and my soul loathes the place. But what can we
+expect, when these very persons robbed last night the house of Saleh
+Beg, himself from whom they receive their pay.
+
+A little butter and some sheep have been brought into the city; but
+they ask so enormous a price, that they have not yet been bought.
+
+I was struck with the quickness with which the mind apprehends the
+simple truth of God when unprejudiced by interest. I have, without
+even speaking contemptuously to the Christians of their fasting, taken
+various opportunities of expressing the liberty of a Christian to fast
+in such a way, and at such times, as he believes most conducive to his
+soul's advantage; and have pointed out to them, that to lay the stress
+on it they do, was quite perverting the very end and design of
+fasting; for that they are manifestly less afraid of violating
+Christ's commands than their own regulations, which, as they used
+them, were purely human. To-day, a question arose between two of them
+in my presence, about their fasts; and the one stated as clearly as
+could be wished, the uselessness of burthening their consciences about
+eating a little butter instead of oil, or such like, instead of
+seeking to flee from their lies, and drunkenness, and robbery, and
+cheating. There seems to me such a glorious moral power in God's word,
+that my heart never doubts of its producing marked effects, where it
+can be clearly and fully delivered; but, oh, the language, what a
+mountainous barrier!
+
+Last night, whilst lying on my bed, on the roof of my house, five
+balls passed over my head in about as many seconds, so close, that I
+threw myself off in expectation that the next might hit it or me; at
+times I almost determined to go down, but the danger of being shot did
+not appear so dreadful as the suffocating heat down stairs.
+
+_August 4._ _Thursday._--We have received accounts to-day of another
+messenger from Bussorah, with letters for us, having been stripped.
+How trying these dispensations are--how necessary for our peace that
+our eye should only rest on God, ordering in love every event
+concerning us, even to the arrival of a letter, so that he will allow
+nothing to fail us that is for our good. I have to-day finished
+reading through again Martyn's Memoir, by Sargent. How my soul admires
+and loves his zeal, self-denial, and devotion; how brilliant, how
+transient his career; what spiritual and mental power amidst bodily
+weakness and disease. Oh, may I be encouraged by his example to press
+on to a higher mark. When I think of my own spiritual weakness,
+contrasted with his spiritual power, it brings a striking warning home
+to my heart to seek a fuller and more abiding union with Jesus, from
+whom alone flows the living waters that make the branches fruitful; I
+am not now troubled about that intellectual difference between us,
+which might seem to make it impossible for me to do what he did: the
+Lord has made me, blessed be His holy name, contented in this respect
+with any difference I may feel between myself and his more exalted
+members; but my sorrow is caused by my want of that likeness to him,
+who is my Lord and King, which is alike the common inheritance of all
+the members of his mystical body. May I, however, henceforth make the
+most of my talent, that I be not numbered among the slothful servants
+at my dear Lord's most glorious and blessed appearing. The mild
+seriousness that pervades dear H. M.'s soul has for my heart a great
+charm. There is not a trait of eccentricity--all is like his Lord in
+its measure--he was solemn and serious as became his work, yet full of
+zeal and affection, which shewed itself, however, rather in the steady
+power of a course of action than in expression. It is astonishing what
+the world will endure from a child of God, whose manner gives them
+excuse for calling him an interesting eccentric madman; because then
+all he says they feel at liberty to laugh at; whereas, if the very
+same truths were declared to them in the calm seriousness of our
+Lord's manner, it would make them gnash on him with their teeth.
+
+_August 7._ _Lord's day._--This has been a day of trials and tears.
+The visions of the night were filled with her I have lost, and the
+day has been spent in weeping over her, I am soon, very soon, to lose;
+but this is only nature, my soul rests happily in my Lord. I had given
+up a little for his dear service! but he knew where the heart's
+reserves were, and has put his hand on them; yet, blessed hope, that
+gilds these darkest days--the day of the Lord is at hand, when we
+shall meet to part no more. Oh, may my heart live with this blessed
+vision ever before it, and labour each day for the Lord, as though it
+were to be the waking vision of the morning's dawn. My heart is very
+sad to think how profitless a servant I have been; but I do purpose,
+the Lord enabling me, to be more diligent, more devoted in the future.
+
+My mind has been much exercised with the question of the desirableness
+of keeping a journal of the soul's inmost workings; but after reading
+and thanking God for those of others, I feel I never could write one
+without the fear of its publication, and this would keep my soul in a
+continual struggle, either by tempting me to say too much or too
+little, more or less than the truth; for, if any but my most gracious
+and loving Lord knew me as I am, I should hide myself for ever from
+the face of man. Yet I pray the Lord, that he will by his Spirit write
+a journal on my soul, that I may truly feel how very meek and lowly it
+becomes me to be when I think of all his forgiveness, notwithstanding
+my transgressions against him. I feel there was something peculiarly
+gracious in my Lord's not sending me away to my sufferings and trials,
+till he had given me a cordial, in the assurance of his unchanging
+love. Oh, but for this, what would my past trials have been, had I not
+felt assured my Lord's love did not fluctuate with my feelings, nor
+depend upon my worthiness. Oh, what a blessed passage is that in Rom.
+v. "If, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death
+of his Son, _much more_ being reconciled we shall be saved by his
+life." Yet the more I feel of this assurance of such unmerited love,
+the more hateful sin appears in all its shapes, and the more my soul
+desires entire devotedness to the whole will of God, and conformity to
+my gracious Lord.
+
+_Aug. 9._--A contest has sprung up between the troops and the
+inhabitants of the city, in which, from the continued firing, I should
+fear there has been much slaughter. Our neighbours are also again
+making barricades across the street, near our door. I sometimes think
+I am too impatient under these trials, instead of being thankful for
+the mercies I enjoy, and waiting without anxiety upon the Lord to work
+as seemeth good to Him in his own time. I hope to strive more and more
+after this childlike confidence, which his experienced love so richly
+deserves.
+
+I did not expect my sweet little baby would have survived yesterday,
+yet she has this morning a little revived.
+
+In the hourly expectation of being plundered, I have put such things
+as I should be sorry to lose in a hole made in the wall, by the
+falling of a room. Yet I trust I am quite content the Lord should do
+as he sees best, even with respect to these. I sometimes sigh to join
+my dear Mary in the kingdom of peace and joy, and be ever with the
+Lord. Oh, may the Lord fully and quickly make me meet for the
+inheritance of the saints in light.
+
+_Aug. 13._ _Saturday._--The Arabs made an attack on the other side of
+the town to-day, but were repulsed. Another messenger from Bussorah is
+arrived, but stripped and plundered of our letters, and detained four
+days a prisoner by the Arabs. He has been near a month on his way.
+Bussorah, like Bagdad, is still besieged.
+
+_Aug. 14._ _Sunday._--My dear little baby and some others of my
+patients have occupied much of my time to-day; for though I give the
+people generally to understand, that unless in cases of necessity, I
+would rather see them on any other day; yet, there are many whom I
+have felt it to be my duty to see. The remainder of the day, however,
+was rendered profitless by extreme weariness, I having had to walk
+about with my poor little withering flower several hours through the
+night. I feel these trials all arise in what appears to me my present
+plain path of duty, so they do not greatly trouble me; though the
+progress in the language is almost altogether in abeyance; but, if I
+confine myself to my Lord's will, I feel he will manage all for me.
+
+I have had with me to-day an Armenian gunsmith, who has resided some
+years in Damascus; he says, the Christians there are treated very
+well, for though they will not allow them to ride on horseback in the
+city, yet, as inhabitants, they are well treated. He says, they are
+also very numerous, inhabiting not less than 15,000 houses; but, if
+from this we deduct 10,000, we shall probably be nearer the truth. The
+Jews are not so well treated. From Shaum (Damascus) to Beyraut, on the
+coast, is four days journey, to Acre four, to Tripoli six, to Aleppo
+ten, and the roads quite safe. From Damascus to Jerusalem is seven
+days journey, but through an unsafe country. On the journey from this
+place to Damascus, the only dangerous part of the road is between this
+and Hit, on the Euphrates, four days journey hence; after that a
+certain sum is paid to the Arab tribes, you may pass through. From
+Persian travellers, whom they hate, they extort, when they know them,
+a much greater sum, amounting sometimes to from £10. to £20. between
+this and Damascus. He says, you come to fresh water every second or
+third day.
+
+_Aug. 19._ _Friday._--Every thing seems darkening in this wretched
+city. Numbers of poor people are crying at the gates to be let out,
+that they may not be starved in the city; but they will not let them
+go. All the necessaries of life have risen to five times their usual
+price, and the pressure of this is increased tenfold by the time at
+which it has occurred. The bricklayers, carpenters, every trade has
+entirely ceased its occupations in the city since the commencement of
+the plague; so that all day-labourers, such as weavers and others, are
+thrown out of their employments, and without means of gaining their
+bread. In addition to this, the Arabs are breaking into every house
+where they expect to find a little corn or rice, so that it is a
+difficult choice either to be without provisions in danger of
+starving, or of being broken in upon by such ruffians, and stripped.
+We intend to bury a little box, containing some rice, and flour, and
+dates, under ground, that in the event of their breaking in, we may
+yet secure food for a few days, which may give us time to look about.
+The Lord, however, is very gracious, and will not try us above our
+strength, but will magnify his grace even in these scenes of trial and
+distress. The care of my dear little dying baby has taken my mind much
+off from dwelling on the distressing position in which we are, and,
+for aught I at present see, are likely to continue in, for those
+within the town feel it is their heads for which they are contending,
+and will therefore hold out to the very last. Yet in this whirlwind
+the Lord rides and reigns, and no part of the mystical body of Christ,
+however humble the member, will ever be forgotten: on this we rest and
+wait for light and deliverance.
+
+_Aug. 23._ _Tuesday._--Saturday last they made a sally from the city
+against a tribe of Arabs, friends of Ali Pasha, and after putting them
+to flight, and killing 100, they cut off the heads of 150 in cold
+blood afterwards. It appears that the obnoxious parties within the
+city are anxious to place the whole inhabitants of the city on such
+terms with the assailants that they shall fear the consequences of
+their entering the town as much as themselves. They have allowed about
+5000 of the very poorest to leave the city, but the enemy without will
+allow no more to pass. A letter came yesterday to Mr. Swoboda from a
+Bohemian, who is physician to Ali Pasha, in which he desired to
+communicate to all the Franks, that Ali Pasha had given the strictest
+orders to his soldiers not to molest one of them. To a certain extent
+this manifests good intentions; but we have had too much experience of
+the powerlessness of governors at such times to restrain their
+soldiers, to have much confidence in man: our confidence is in Him who
+will and does watch over us for good. From the daily increase in the
+price of provisions, and the daily coining new lies to feed the
+people with hopes instead of bread, I think things cannot remain long
+in their present position; yet the Lord knows. It is certain Bagdad is
+altogether ruined; and if those who belong to the neighbouring
+villages, and those who would leave it, were there ever so small an
+opening, were gone, the city would be a desert.
+
+I had a patient with me to-day, who told me that, out of a family of
+sixteen, he alone remains from the plague. Persons he added, who
+before these troubles were not worth a para, are seen riding about on
+fine horses and trappings, covered with gold and pearls, &c.; and, on
+the other hand, many who before were in very good circumstances, are,
+by the robbery of those who should protect them, reduced to beggary.
+It appears that Ali Pasha is in want of nothing but money and
+ammunition; and those within the town want every thing but these. This
+wretched city has suffered to an almost unparalleled extent the
+judgments of God within the last six months: the plague swept away
+more than two-thirds of its inhabitants--the flood has thrown down
+nearly two-thirds of its houses; and property and provisions of corn,
+dates, sugar, &c. &c. beyond all calculation, have been destroyed, and
+we are now suffering under daily increasing famine, and we have yet
+hanging over our heads the revengeful sword of resisted authority, and
+the unprincipled plunder of a lawless soldiery to complete the
+devastation. This Pashalic was just about to fall an easy prey into
+the hands of the Persians, who long to possess it, from their famous
+place of pilgrimage, Kerbala, being in the neighbourhood, and perhaps
+also to make up for their losses on their Russian frontier. Thus the
+Lord seems preparing these two great Mohammedan powers for their final
+overthrow, partly by the hands of each other, and partly by the hands
+of the Christian power. In the province of Kourdistan, the Persians
+have encroached much on the territory of this Pashalic already.
+
+Oh! how delightful it is to turn from these scenes of present and
+prospective strife to that happy approaching day, when the Lord shall
+come with ten thousand of his saints to establish his kingdom of peace
+and glory. Oh! may our cry never cease to be, "Come, Lord Jesus, come
+quickly;" and when he does come, may he find us in his service among
+the faithful, chosen, and true.
+
+_Aug. 24._ _Thursday._--Three months and ten days have now passed
+since the Lord took from me her who was on earth the supreme
+consolation of my life; and now, this day, he has taken from me my
+sweet little baby without a sigh, without the expression of pain
+during the whole of her illness; for this my heart can, even at this
+moment, bless the Lord; but it has left a void that has more than ever
+made the world appear a waste. The incessantly returning wants made
+even these times appear to wing a rapid flight; but now all is still
+as death, except the weeping of the poor nurse, who truly loved her,
+and watched over her night and day with unremitting care. Oh! what a
+time would these three months have been for dear Mary, had she lived,
+and what a day would this have been; but the Lord took her from the
+evil to come, and has now taken the dear little object of her love to
+her, to join her little sainted sister and dear little brother; four
+of us are gone, and three are left. May the Lord quickly prepare us
+all, and hasten his coming kingdom, that we may meet to part no more.
+And, Oh! may he make and accept the remnant of the worthless life he
+grants me, as a living sacrifice to his service. Notwithstanding I
+acquiesce, I trust, in the Lord's will from the bottom of my heart,
+yet I feel a desolation and loneliness of heart, on this last
+dispensation, that surpasses all I have felt in my last six months of
+trial. My sweet little baby remained an object for those affections to
+seize upon, which will exist while life lasts, however disciplined,
+and however the power of grace may prevail; but in one so weak in
+faith, so earthly as I am, they have had much, too much power, and
+therefore the Lord, in mercy to my soul, has swept them all away, that
+I may have nothing in this world left but his service. If this be his
+holy purpose, may my whole soul second so gracious an intention; and I
+pray the spiritual family which the Lord, according to his promise,
+has given me, fathers, mothers, sisters, and brothers, that their
+love and patience towards me may abound, that my spirit may be
+refreshed thereby, and my weakness encouraged to proceed--though
+faint, yet pursuing.
+
+_Aug. 25._ _Friday._--This day has taught me, that if I would not be
+entirely miserable, I must give up my whole time, and soul, and
+thoughts to my Lord; for if I look off him, I feel bordering on a
+gulf, the depth of which I cannot fathom. Oh! may the Holy blessed
+Spirit give me such views of the graciousness and exceeding riches of
+my Lord, that I may really feel, that in having him, I have all
+things. He alone is the same, yesterday, to-day, and for ever. All
+created things, the nearest, the dearest, the most beloved in the
+moment of greatest need and greatest felicity, elude the grasp, and
+flee away; but he abides always. I desire, therefore, the Lord
+enabling me, to give myself altogether to the preparation for my
+future labours more diligently than I have ever yet done; that though
+desolate on earth, I may hold the freest and sweetest communion with
+heaven; for of all preparation I feel the greatest, the most needful
+to be, that of the heart; in order to the constant sensible
+entertainment of Christ, from whose nearness all the spiritual
+faculties derive the sap and the fruit bearing strength.
+
+_Aug. 28._--To-day I feel the Lord has given me a victory, by turning
+my thoughts off my miserable self and temporary circumstances, to the
+contemplation of the happiness of those who are gone before me, and
+by enabling me to feel set off on my journey to meet them, and drawing
+every day one day's journey nearer, while I endeavour to forget I had
+ever been happy in domestic life, or ever possessed those dear
+objects; but nature was often too strong for me, as I dwelt on their
+felicity, and my journeying towards them daily, whether the Lord
+brings them with him, or I go before he comes. This hope does comfort
+me, for it is a real abiding truth, whether I drink the sweets of the
+consolation from it or not. I therefore now purpose, the Lord enabling
+me, after nearly six months interruption, to return to the studies
+preparatory to my future duties as an itinerating missionary. To this
+service I ever thought the Lord had called me, and for this I now see
+all his trials have been fitting me, for I am without a home and
+without a tie in the world, but my dear Lord's service. These trials
+have made me ready for entering on my work to any extent; as my dear
+little boys will no longer confine me to one place, but will soon be
+of an age to move about with me; or should their choice render other
+arrangements necessary, the Lord will open a way for them likewise.
+
+For an itinerating missionary on this side the desert, three languages
+are essentially important; Arabic, Turkish, and Persian: and this I
+feel, unless the Lord very especially helps me, will be _to me_ no
+ordinary labour; but, as I am surrounded by men who every day learn
+them for purposes of gain, I trust the Lord will not allow me to
+faint, or be discouraged till, for his own service I have attained
+them.
+
+The internal state of the city is daily becoming more and more
+critical: all the necessaries of life are risen to ten times their
+common price, and are even then with difficulty obtained. The
+abominations that are now committed in the face of day, makes the city
+appear ripe for the judgment of the cities of the plain; and the poor
+Christians principally suffer in the persons of their children in
+these abominable acts of violence; but to seek a remedy now is utterly
+useless, for all the power in the city is in the hands of the lawless
+mob, who are the perpetrators of all the wickedness. It makes one's
+heart ache to hear them weeping and telling of their sufferings.
+
+_August 29._--Last night some of the depredators broke into our house,
+and have taken away to the amount of about ten pounds from Kitto and
+myself, while we were all asleep upon the roof of the house, so there
+was nothing to hinder them from clearing the house; yet the Lord some
+how or other disturbed them, for though they took my clothes out of a
+box, they dropped them in their way to the window through which they
+entered, and a box containing my money in my room they never
+opened--in fact, it altogether appears they went away without
+accomplishing the purpose for which they came, and it so happened that
+from the constant expectation of the general plunder of the city, we
+had put away every thing of any particular value. Should we be
+plundered by the soldiers of Ali Pasha, we may possibly, if our lives
+be spared, obtain, as Mr. Goodell did, remuneration; but about this I
+do not feel anxious: the Lord will provide.
+
+From daylight this morning till near noon there was a pretty sharp
+contest between those within the city and those without, in which the
+latter got the advantage. My feeling is, that we are very fast
+approaching to a crisis, and in that crisis our eyes are unto the
+everlasting hills--to him who says, 'I will never leave thee nor
+forsake thee,' but who will be with us always even unto the end of
+the world. Oh! what a relief would a little time of peace and free
+communication with our dear friends be. The latest letters from
+England are dated nine months ago; and from many, nay all my dear
+friends at Exeter, the latest is nearly eleven months; so that all our
+trials come together. For five months the dear little boys have not
+set their foot without the door of our house, and I cannot but feel it
+is a great mercy of the Lord, that they are so happy and contented. I
+have never heard, during all this time, one word of complaint from
+them.
+
+_Aug. 30._--The inhabitants are building up gates in all the principal
+streets, both against the swarms of thieves who plunder by night, and
+in anticipation of the entrance of the opposing party, when a general
+pillage seems now fully expected by all. It often seems to me, on
+looking around and seeing all without God, and trusting to their puny
+efforts to avert impending evils, what a blessed portion we have who
+know him, believe in him, and love him, and know and feel, that
+without his permission, not one hair of our heads shall fall. Those
+within the city have also again been out and attacked another tribe of
+Arabs that were on Ali Pasha's side, pillaged and set fire to their
+camp, and brought the plunder into the city, among which was a great
+quantity of silk, which these Arabs had taken from a caravan coming to
+Bagdad from Persia in the time of the plague.
+
+_September 2._--I was sent for to-day to see the Pasha, who has, from
+the effects of a carbuncle on his toe lost one of the joints, and they
+have so treated it, that he will, I think, now certainly lose another.
+He was particularly kind and civil, and without any comparison, the
+most gentlemanly person I have met with in the East. There is an
+unaffected simplicity of manners, and a benevolence of countenance,
+which makes one wonder how all the accounts of his actions, which we
+may, I think, say we know to be true, could possibly be so. He made me
+a present of three small cucumbers, at this time the greatest rarity;
+and this may convey some idea to what extent the privations of the
+poor have gone, when the Pasha can hardly command a cucumber, which,
+with legumenous fruits of a similar kind, constitute a great portion
+of the food of the poor in ordinary times. As I returned from the
+Pasha a man levelled a gun at me, not with any intention to fire I
+believe, but just to show that independent boldness which fears no
+one, but dares to do what it chooses.
+
+_September 6._--There is nothing new; but the uninterrupted stream of
+misery is still swelling with its bitter waters: depredation and
+scarcity increasing and advancing with pretty equal steps. There seems
+to be signs of money beginning to fail from the treasury of the Pasha,
+as his kanjaar (a dagger), richly studded with diamonds, was offered
+for sale the other day. The palace of the Pasha, or rather its ruins,
+are filled with Arnaouts, a mercenary band of soldiers, who employ
+their time in making and drinking arrack, and knocking down the walls
+of the palace, wherever they yield a hollow sound, in search of the
+hidden treasures of the Pasha. In these countries it is a universal
+custom to bury or build up in the walls of houses their treasures,
+from the insecurity in which they always live.
+
+Mr. Swoboda has received a letter from a friend of his in the Pasha's
+camp, stating that there was a large pile of letters and parcels for
+Europeans within the city, in the possession of the Pasha. This is
+trying to us, but still it brings the hope that we may yet soon
+receive intelligence of our friends.
+
+It seems as if the angel of destruction was resting on this city as
+on Babylon, to sweep it from the earth. They are actually pulling down
+the roofs of the bazaars to sell and burn the wood, destroying
+buildings for fuel, that a hundred times the worth of the wood will
+not replace, and filling up the roads with rubbish so as to render
+them scarcely passable. The state of anarchy which prevails must be
+witnessed to be understood. If it were not that the soul feels it is
+the Lord's province to bring order out of confusion and good out of
+evil, it would utterly despair in such a scene, where every element at
+work seems wickedness; but amidst all, our eyes are unto him.
+
+_September 7._--Weak in body and mind, I could sometimes almost
+impatiently wish for a change. Yet the Lord is very gracious, and
+suffers us to have quite enough for our health and strength; and as
+for money, a Roman Catholic merchant was with me yesterday, begging
+that if I wanted any more, I would take it from him, for they seem all
+to have that kind of confidence even in our national character, that
+they will generally without hesitation, let you have money. For
+myself, I know not if my mind preys on my body, or my body on my mind,
+or whether they mutually act and re-act one on the other; yet I feel
+on the whole thus much, that if it appeared the Lord's most gracious
+pleasure to direct my steps away from this place for a season, I
+should be thankful. Nevertheless, I desire to say from my heart, not
+my will, O Lord, but thine be done. In Arabic, I think I make daily
+progress, and I feel fully assured, should the Lord spare my life for
+this blessed work, that I shall one day be able to preach the
+unsearchable riches of Christ intelligibly, perhaps even fluently. Yet
+from the natural badness of my memory, considerable time will be
+requisite, unless the Lord vouchsafe to me his especial help to this
+end, for which I daily pray, for I want not opportunity but language
+to preach Christ.
+
+_Sept. 9._ _Friday._--Every thing continues still increasing in price,
+and in an increased ratio the sufferings of the poor: if they leave
+the city they are stripped and driven back; if they remain they are
+starved; and even the dates are just come to an end, upon which for
+near three weeks, both the people and the cattle have been feeding.
+The Pasha has this day taken the jewels of his wives to sell, from
+which and some other signs, I am led to think his course is nearly
+run, and that ere long he will follow the fate of his predecessor. Ali
+Pasha told the Suffian-Effendi, who went out to him to endeavour to
+accommodate matters, that he had come for one head only, but that
+after the way in which he had been treated, he would not be satisfied
+with less than _ten_; and if, at that time, which was nearly a month
+ago, he had determined to take ten, I fear a hundred would not now
+satisfy him.
+
+A poor Roman Catholic priest was with me to-day, telling me of his
+distress, while one of his opulent flock was sitting by him. He said
+the Jews would not allow their poor to beg from others; by which I
+thought he meant to give a pretty intelligible hint that his flock
+ought to be ashamed. But his rich hearer only said, "The Lord is
+merciful, and he will provide." On this side the desert, the
+professing Christians are not certainly priest-ridden as they are in
+most Roman Catholic countries, or even on the other side of the
+desert, in consequence of there being no powerful and wealthy
+communities like the monasteries in Mount Lebanon, to bring down the
+heavy arm of the Turks upon them; for without the Turks they can do
+little, and these petty governments joyfully interfere in their
+strifes to extort money from both parties, though in this respect,
+Bagdad has been better off than most Pashalics for nearly sixty years
+past, since the time of Suliman Pasha, whose slave the present Pasha
+was, but liberated on his death. Since him there have been Ali Pasha,
+Suliman Pasha the younger, Abdallah Pasha, and Seyd Pasha, all of whom
+have been murdered after a longer or shorter period. Daoud Pasha has
+now been fourteen years in possession of the power he obtained by the
+murder of his predecessor, and seems now not far from sharing the
+same fate.
+
+_Sept. 10._ _Saturday._--The evening before last the thieves broke
+into the house of one of the sons of the Pasha, and killed three of
+the servants: if they serve the Pasha so what have others to expect?
+Instead of being surprised that things are so bad, my surprise is that
+they are not worse, seeing the city is entirely at the mercy of those
+who are capable of every abomination and cruelty; and there is no
+other restraint upon them than what God puts into their hearts by the
+undefined fear of possible retribution. The most valuable articles
+known to belong to the Pasha, from whom they had been stolen, were
+sold openly in the streets, without the least notice being taken, and
+thus also they shoot individuals when they please, in the open day and
+in the public thoroughfares, and no one stops to see who it is or why
+it is, but every one hastens off as fast as he can lest he should
+share the same fate. And the passengers in the streets are not only
+exposed to be shot at by those prompted by deliberate enmity, but this
+armed rabble is continually drunk, and, without the least provocation,
+fire at men or women. I seem to think, if it did please the Lord to
+put an end to these scenes of sorrow and trial, my heart would be very
+thankful; yet perhaps in this I deceive myself, and all my gratitude
+would be as a morning cloud. However, this I know, the Lord will not
+suffer me to be tried above what he will enable me to bear, and on
+this assurance, in the darkest day, may the blessed Spirit enable my
+heart to repose. This is my daily comfort.
+
+_Sept. 12._ _Monday._--The poor are again permitted to leave the city,
+and it is reported, that when Ali Pasha heard that those had been
+robbed who came out before, he threw some of the supposed plunderers
+into the river, and cut off the heads of others. However this may be,
+5 or 600 now daily go out and suffer no molestation. This is a great
+mercy, for within the city every article of food has disappeared
+except buffaloes' and camels' flesh, and this at about twenty times
+its usual price. Should this state of things continue, it seems to
+me from present appearances, that a general plunder will be the
+consequence. To-day they have pillaged the houses of some Jews.
+Yesterday they broke open the house of Major Taylor's chaoush. They
+are very slow to interfere with those under English protection; but
+when their natural thievish propensities are stimulated by want and
+opportunity, from what may they be expected to withhold themselves?
+
+Things within the city are now come to that pass, that I heard from
+the Meidan to-day (the place where the principal Turks reside) that
+they have determined to wait five days more, and if Ajeel, the Sheikh
+of the Montefeik Arabs, or some other efficient aid, does not arrive,
+they will cut off the heads of Daoud Pasha and Saleh Beg, who is his
+Kaimacam, or Lieutenant Governor, and send them to Ali Pasha, for the
+city can bear no more.
+
+When I consider all the misery in the city, and the privations not
+only among the poor, but the rich, and consider how we have been
+provided for, it does seem to me most marvellous, strangers as we
+were, and without a friend. Before the plague, in our ignorance of the
+probable time of its continuance, and with the certain knowledge that
+in the midst of the greatest want, there was not a soul that could
+help us, we took in enough of wheat, rice, soap, and candles, to last
+till within a very few weeks. When dear Mr. Pfander left us, we made
+him some sausages, called in this country _pastourma_: he, however,
+took but a few, and the rest remained with us, and served us both
+during the plague, and now in the famine to vary our food a little,
+though somewhat dry and as hard as wood, and still of them one or two
+remains. The dear boys also had some pigeons: these also served us for
+many days. We then had two goats for my poor dear little baby, and to
+give us milk; but provisions became so dear that we were obliged to
+kill one; this we divided among the poor: the second at last we also
+killed, and potted in its fat. This by little and little we are
+consuming. We have also got four or five hens, which lay two or three
+eggs a-day. Thus the Lord has provided for us till now; and if we have
+not had abundance, we have never suffered from want. And now, when
+wheat and rice is not to be bought, and if possessed in quantities
+would expose the possessors to inevitable pillage, the Lord has so
+graciously supplied us, that we avoid both want and the danger of
+possessing provisions in the house, for before the kind Taylors left
+this, they gave me permission to take from the Residency whatever I
+might want, and this I now take by little and little as I need, and
+the house of the Resident is so far respected in public opinion, that
+openly disorganized as things are, I do not think they will commit any
+violence upon it.
+
+I am sure there are many who, in reading this, will bless God for his
+goodness to us, so utterly unworthy as we are; but, oh! if they could
+be witnesses of the misery that others suffer, and from which his
+mercies have freed us, they would indeed praise him. For, even when
+provisions were to be had, had we been obliged to purchase at the
+price things then were and are now, we must inevitably have run in
+debt; but as it is we have enough of money for more than a month to
+come. Therefore, bereaved and incapable as I yet feel of all
+enjoyment, I desire to bless the Lord for all his great goodness
+and care over us, of the least of whose mercies I feel infinitely
+unworthy. And though my faith does not enable me fully now to feel,
+in unison with my _soul's judgment_, on my heavenly Father's dealings
+toward me, when time has removed the bitter cup farther distant, it
+may not possess all its present intensity of bitterness, to which also
+so many circumstances have tended to add additional pungency--not a
+friend near, not a communication from any of those far away. I have
+ever felt one abiding source of comfort, in that I knew I enjoyed the
+prayers of many whose prayers I truly value, and through these I
+believe I shall yet stand complete in all the will of God, to remove
+or to remain, to live or to die. The Lord will quickly come, and then
+his power and great glory will be manifested to the joy of his chosen
+and the confusion of his enemies.
+
+_Sept. 14._ _Wednesday._--While I feel more convinced every day that a
+missionary in these countries, who really would cast himself upon his
+Lord, and share in its revolutions and national judgments, has more to
+prepare his mind for them previously to his entering upon it than he
+can well conceive: yet on the other hand, I feel more confirmed in the
+opinion, that amidst this disjointed disorganized state of society,
+there are more doors of irregular missionary service open than he can
+possibly occupy. For though he can perhaps find few opportunities of
+publicly preaching Christ; yet in conversation, and the preparation
+and circulation of tracts, I think there are immense opportunities
+afforded. Yet for conversation much time will be required in acquiring
+a facility in the language by most, till the Lord is pleased to pour
+down from on high, his gifts of the Spirit--and as to tracts, at
+present we have none. The Turkish Armenian tracts, printed at Malta,
+are not clearly understood here; neither do I think the Arabic or
+Turkish spoken on the other side of the desert would be so either, if
+I may judge from the translations into Turkish and Arabic. In fact, it
+would appear desirable if the object of a missionary be to labour in
+the east, that he should study on this side the desert if possible;
+though the difficulties of a family are great here amidst the constant
+succeeding commotion of this disturbed country. There is no retiring
+place within at least some hundred miles, at all times by a dangerous
+journey, but in such times as these almost impassable. And the
+elements of disorder do not arise only from the state of the Ottoman
+empire, but from the vicinity of Persia, daily encroaching on this
+side, as I have mentioned before, both from religious and political
+motives, and this spirit is encouraged by the constant weakening of
+the pashalic. About fifty or sixty years ago, commenced the government
+of Suliman Pasha the elder, who continued twenty-three years in his
+situation and died in his bed. This Pasha raised Bagdad from a place
+of little mercantile consideration to be one of the most important
+places of traffic in the east, and he allured merchants from all
+parts by the equity and firmness of his government. From that to the
+present time, this pre-eminence has been enjoyed by Bagdad, and it has
+been the central place of trade between the east and the west; and for
+these purposes, if improved, a more desirable situation could not be
+imagined under a firm and wise administration. This Suliman Pasha
+strengthened the Georgian interest in this pashalic prodigiously by
+the purchasing of an immense number of Georgian slaves whom he
+manumitted at his death. One of these, Ali Pasha, who married his
+daughter, succeeded him, and was murdered at prayers after about five
+years reign. Suliman Pasha who succeeded him, also married a daughter
+of the former Suliman, he governed about three years, and was then put
+to death. He was succeeded by Abdallah Pasha, who was the treasurer of
+Ali Pasha; he continued about three years, and was put to death. To
+him succeeded Seyd Pasha, son of Suliman Pasha the elder, who, at the
+end of about three years, was also put to death. To these last who had
+thus succeeded and murdered one another, succeeded Daoud, the present
+Pasha, who to avoid a like fate with his predecessors, cut off every
+man about him who could possibly afford him any umbrage; but while on
+the one hand he secured himself, on the other he so weakened the
+Georgian interest, that when his affairs became involved in
+difficulty, there was none to help but creatures who had ministered to
+his avarice which he had gratified at the expence of every loyal
+feeling (if such an expression can be used by a Turk.) But still,
+though previous to the plague, the Georgians had been thus diminishing
+in numbers, and more so in intellectual and moral character, still
+they were a strong body; but the plague swept them nearly all away.
+All this taking place at this peculiar juncture when there is no
+recruiting their strength from Georgia, which is now in the hands of
+the Russians, and when the heart of the Sultan is peculiarly set
+against the whole mameluke rule seems to indicate the period of their
+downfall to be near at hand. Should Ali Pasha now succeed in getting
+possession of the city, the Georgian government of these renegade
+slaves will be ended as that of their brethren in apostacy was in
+Egypt. But, however things may terminate, there are no elements of
+recovery, fall they must; for the curse of God is upon them from the
+hands of one tyrant after another, till some powerful nominal
+Christian government will accept the government of them, for which
+they are daily ripening, which they are daily expecting, and which
+will finally happen, unless they fully adopt a European policy and
+plan, and this by another road, will lead to the same end, the
+overthrow of Mohammedanism and the establishment of infidelity. I have
+just thus cursorily made these remarks, that no missionary may
+deceive himself by expecting any long period of peace and quietness.
+If it comes, he may bless God; but if it be withheld, he must
+calculate upon it. And I think those who are lightly armed for their
+work--who can run, and fly, and hide, and at all events have only
+their own lives to care about, will be happiest amidst all their
+privations and trials between Bagdad and China. But for those who have
+known the endearment of domestic life, or who are by nature peculiarly
+susceptible of its happiness it may truly be said, this is a living
+martyrdom. It is: but it is _for Christ_, who will soon come and wipe
+away all tears from our eyes. I desire daily to feel it is a world in
+which my gracious Lord was an outcast, and where it would be to my
+loss if I made me a home. May the Lord make me willing to serve him on
+these or any other terms he may manifest at his pleasure.
+
+This morning some persons who were employed for the purpose, set at
+liberty two of the principal Georgians who were imprisoned in the camp
+of Ali Pasha.
+
+The Armenian servant to whom I lent an Armenian Testament, with the
+translation into the modern Constantinople dialect, came to me to say
+how much better he understood it than he did before in the old
+language, and his countenance seemed quite to brighten up at the sense
+of his attainment. Among the Armenians I think there is an open door,
+especially among the young, their ears are open and thirsting for
+information on every subject.
+
+The father of the Armenian schoolmaster was to-day speaking with me on
+the difficulty of that passage, "Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I
+hated." He said he felt just in that state as though God had said to
+him, I will not receive you. I longed to preach to him fully so far as
+I am able, Him who saith, Whosoever cometh to me I will in no wise
+cast out; but I have many difficulties: he is very deaf, and Armenian
+and Turkish, not Arabic, are the languages he understands. The
+languages greatly try me, for though I feel by the Lord's mercy making
+daily progress, yet still I feel four or five years must pass before I
+am fully prepared even in this department of my labour, and happy
+shall I be if in that time it be accomplished.
+
+_Sept. 15._ _Thursday._--After a night of anxious suspense, the day
+has dawned in comparative peace; the cry that Ali Pasha's troops were
+entering the city, began soon after we had retired to rest, and
+continued till near morning. Now we hear that Daoud Pasha had fled
+from the house of Saleh Beg during the night and endeavoured to enter
+the citadel, but the soldiers would not admit him. He is now in the
+hands of the people of the Meidan. The Chaoush Kiahya of Ali Pasha has
+entered the city, and every one is in an awful state of suspense as to
+the future fate of the inhabitants, at least of the higher classes. I
+have just set up the English flag that they may know the inhabitant of
+the house is a stranger here, who has nothing to do with the strife
+of the city. If, after this, the Lord allows them to enter our
+habitation, may his holy and blessed will be done. I think the Lord
+has allowed my mind to be in perfect peace as to the result.
+
+The poor wives of the Pasha are kissing the hands of passers by,
+begging that they will give them an asylum. Poor sufferers! all are
+afraid to interfere so as to afford them that which they want. At
+present, words and appearances are peaceable. May the Lord of his
+mercy grant that they may continue so.
+
+To-day we killed two fowls to have a little fresh meat. Thus the Lord
+has kept us through all this time of trial, and we have enough
+remaining for five or six days, blessed be his holy name. This day has
+ended in perfect peace, not a disturbance or an individual molested.
+The principal thieves, who, at the head of various gangs, were robbing
+the city in every direction, are now doing all they can to escape, for
+they are perfectly known. Thus the gracious hand of the Lord has
+removed in one day the siege and famine, and fear and terror, from the
+lawless within, and the undefined terrors from those who are without,
+so that all seems joy and gladness to the poor inhabitants. In the
+conclusion of this affair Ali Pasha has conducted himself amidst
+numberless provocations with a moderation and prudence that does him
+the highest honour; bless the Lord for all his mercies. This will be
+the first night for months that we shall retire to rest without the
+hateful sounds of civil strife saluting our ears, or disturbing our
+rest.
+
+_Sept. 16._ _Friday._--Another peaceful day. Ali Pasha has collected
+all the principal Georgians together in his camp. When the late Pasha
+went out to his camp, he rose from his seat and embraced him, and told
+him not to fear; that the Sultan had ordered his life to be spared; to
+Saleh Beg also assurances of safety were given, and in fact up to this
+time not one individual has been put to death. It remains yet to be
+seen whether this be a cloak or real moderation. However, from the
+great body of the citizens all fear is removed, and both animals and
+inhabitants alike rejoice in returning abundance. The wheat that was
+sold on Wednesday, for 250 piasters, was sold on Thursday for 40,
+and other things in proportion, besides which, vegetables have
+re-appeared, which, for five months, were not to be procured, at any
+price.
+
+I sent out to-day the chaoush of Major Taylor to Ali Pasha, to enquire
+if there were any letters or packets for the Residency or for me; but
+I found there were none to my great disappointment. However, Ali Pasha
+was very civil; enquired after the Resident, hoped there would be
+perpetual and increasing affection between them, &c. &c. We have now
+to wait to see how these fair beginnings will end. I have just seen
+the Hakeem Bashee or chief Physician of Ali Pasha, who is an Italian,
+and to my great joy found he had locked up in his box for me many
+letters and newspapers, which he from time to time collected in the
+camp; whenever any messenger was brought in, and his packets examined,
+all that were for Europeans he took out, and put in his box; to-morrow
+he promises to let me have those that were addressed to me. He tells
+me that Ali Pasha has two interpreters, natives of Cyprus, who speak
+Turkish, Italian, and Romaic. It appears that a great change is
+contemplated in the government of this Pashalic.
+
+One of the two gentlemen whom Major Taylor sent to examine the
+Euphrates from Beles to Anah, has arrived at Aleppo on his way to
+Beles. From Anah to Bussorah there is no insurmountable impediment in
+the way of steam navigation. The part that now remains to be examined
+is from Beer to Anah.
+
+_Sept. 18._ _Lord's day._--To-day I have received a long missing
+letter from the dear Taylors, in which Major Taylor most kindly and
+generously offers, should any thing happen to me, to consider my dear
+boys as his own, till he has an opportunity of sending them safely to
+the hands of their friends in England. Thus the Lord provides, thus he
+orders for us. This kind offer of Major T. was quite unsolicited, for,
+though when I felt attacked by the plague, I had written a letter
+making this request, yet, on my recovery, I destroyed it.
+
+I also received a letter from Dr. Morrison, in China, in which he
+expresses his conviction of the importance of missionaries learning to
+earn their subsistence by some occupation, however humble, rather than
+be dependant as they now are, on societies. I confess my mind so far
+entirely agrees with him, that, if I had to prepare for a missionary
+course, I would not go to a college or an institution, but learn
+medicine, or go to a blacksmith's, watchmaker's, or carpenter's shop,
+and there pursue my preparatory studies. I do not mean to say, that
+this should be to the exclusion of preparatory studies in language,
+and the deepest preparatory Scripture studies, but, in conjunction
+with them, for I am satisfied it is a much greater blessing to
+missionaries to lead those down who either by birth or other
+circumstances may have been a little removed from the lower orders of
+society than to raise those of humble birth to the rank of gentlemen
+in the world, who neither by education, habits, nor intercourse are
+enabled happily or profitably to fill such a station--but it is that
+yoke of mere human ordination, the necessity of a _title from man to
+preach_ and _administer_ as it is called the sacraments, of which not
+so much as a hint is contained in the New Testament, it is that awful
+distinction between laity and clergy which are the things that tie up
+all hands, and put bodies of men into situations of trial, who, but
+for this delusion, would be without any comparative difficulties.
+Without these we should learn to judge of men's fitness for their
+work, not by their being ordained or unordained by this or that
+denomination of men, but according to the rule of the apostles, by
+their doctrine and walking as they had them for "ensamples;" if they
+came otherwise, though apostles or angels, let them, says the apostle,
+be accursed. Oh, if this principle of the apostles were set up in
+proving all things and holding fast that which is good, we should not
+hear so good a man, and one so much to be loved, as Mr. Bickersteth,
+misleading his readers by telling them to adhere to an unsound
+_authorised_[39] teacher, rather than go to a sound and unauthorised
+one; to one who is authorised by the head of the church, though not by
+the head of the state. So said not Paul, but, "if I or an angel come
+preaching any other doctrine, let him be accursed." In all the Apostle
+Paul's trials with the false teachers, and in all the directions given
+respecting them to the various churches, he never once alludes to
+their appointment by the apostles or any other human being, or bodies
+of human beings, as even a collateral ground of consideration and
+preference, but always to the truth, the truth, the truth; if they
+preach that, well; if they do not, it matters not who they are, nor
+whence they came, from heaven or earth, they are to be rejected. God
+grant the day may quickly come when the church of God may care as
+little about the opinions of bishops and presbyteries or any other
+association of men, _apart from their piety and truth_, as the Lord
+and his Apostles cared about the opinions of the Sanhedrim. So far as
+their estate or authority is temporal, let us obey them, but let us
+keep our souls free.
+
+  [39] By whom authorised, of God or of man?
+
+It is said that all these provinces, from Bussorah to Bagdad,
+Sulemania, Mosul, Diarbekr, Merdin, Orfa, and Aleppo, are to be under
+the government of Ali Pasha; at all events there seems to be such a
+change contemplated, that at present I do not see it right to remove,
+especially as the Lord has provided an asylum in the event of any
+thing happening to me, in the bosom of Mr. Taylor's family, for my
+dear boys.
+
+Under Daoud Pasha the people were oppressed by monopolies in every
+article of consumption. Ali Pasha seems determined to put an end to
+the system. The cryer yesterday proclaimed that meat was to be sold
+for no more than two piasters an oke,[40] and that if any man took
+more he should be hanged on the spot to his own crooks. One of the
+butchers, near the Meidan, who was detected yesterday, selling meat
+for three piasters, was instantly hanged. After which, the butchers
+went to the officer who superintends their affairs, and offered him
+considerable sums of money as a bribe, but he would pay no attention
+to them.
+
+  [40] About five-pence a pound.
+
+_Sept. 21._ _Wednesday._--Nothing can exceed the attention and respect
+that is paid to Daoud by Ali Pasha; for his life, he said, he had
+nothing to fear; the Sultan had pardoned him, and a firman had come to
+that effect, but that the Sultan wished him to go to Constantinople on
+the morrow or the day after. Therefore he leaves this, and his wives
+go with him, and his eldest son, Hassan Beg, who has had all his
+property made him a present of by Ali Pasha, and every thing they
+choose to select for the convenience of the journey, is to be provided
+for them. There is something in this treatment so utterly unlike any
+thing that has been ever witnessed before, that people know not what
+to make of it; the Turks cannot be brought to believe but that there
+must be some treachery under it; for my own part, I do believe that so
+far as Ali Pasha is concerned, this is not true.
+
+The Turks here are also much startled at seeing their long robes and
+turbans thrown away for an European military uniform, with epaulets
+and other decorations; and they say that Ali Pasha himself has quite
+adopted the European dress, so what changes we may expect I know not,
+but certainly great ones are contemplated; any change approximating to
+this has not been introduced from the days of the Patriarchs till now.
+Drinking is no longer a covert offence that they practice in secret;
+but wine and spirits are brought in their trays as regular articles of
+consumption. The fact is, that Mohammedanism and Popery have received,
+and are receiving, such hard knocks that their power will certainly
+sink, even though the name may remain, and I do expect that this state
+of powerlessness in these two bodies will open ways for God's elect
+among them to come out.
+
+I had yesterday a long and most interesting conversation with a very
+respectable Armenian Roman Catholic merchant of this place, most
+timidly fearful of having his faith touched; yet the Lord opened the
+way to the introduction of the conversation on some very interesting
+topics--on the duty of reading God's word for ourselves, and on the
+worship of the Virgin, on all of which, little by little, he conversed
+freely.--He seemed well acquainted with the Scriptures I quoted, but
+had never thought about the questions, and this is the great
+preparatory work in this country, to get men to think on the things of
+the soul's everlasting interests, and to feel that these things have
+to do with the various relations of life. In all countries custom has
+much power; but in the East it is despotic.
+
+I have been much struck in reading some letters in the Record, on the
+Church and Dissent, which has made me feel the necessity and value of
+that word of our blessed Lord.--"If thine eye be single, thy whole
+body shall be full of light." Surely if the Scripture be sufficient to
+decide any question, it is sufficient to decide the question of what a
+child of God ought to do when a man, calling himself a minister of
+Christ, propagates errors among any section of Christ's church. Does
+not Paul say, Who is Paul or Apollos, but ministers by whom ye
+believe? What, then, is the Church of England, or Scotland, or the
+Dissenters, but various ministries, by which we believe? And the same
+apostle--the exalter of the Lord of life, and the abaser of every high
+thought of man, says, "If I or an angel from heaven preach any other
+gospel than that you have received, let him be accursed." Does Paul
+set up the principle that men are to be received not according to the
+truth or error of their doctrine, but according to the sect to which
+they belong, or the mode or circumstance of ordination? Never: but the
+very reverse. With the apostle it is always the truth--the truth--the
+truth; let those judge who wish to see.
+
+Now, I will just state a strong case, but a fact. I was one day
+travelling in the mail, and a certain person in one corner began a
+most obscene conversation, with a gentleman who came to see him at the
+door of the mail, while it was changing horses. Opposite him, in the
+other corner, was his own son. When the mail arrived at the place to
+which we were going, on getting out, I asked the people at the coach
+office, who that person was. I had previously considered him as an
+officer in the army, but, to my amazement, was told he was the
+Rev. ----. This individual has since been made a dignitary of
+the Church of England, and has had other preferment bestowed upon him;
+and this is but part of what might be said. You will say this is an
+extreme case. But it is a matter of fact. Am I to remain under the
+ministry of such a teacher? It not only shocks the affections of a
+child of God, but the very common sense of the world, and, if our eyes
+were single, it would, in proportion strike us till we should come
+down to the apostle's rule, about receiving teachers--those who preach
+the truth, and walk as ye have us for an ensample.
+
+As to example on which so much stress is laid, what example does a man
+give to his children or neighbourhood, when he continues to sit under
+the ministry of one whom he believes to be not a preacher but a
+perverter of the truth? Why, that the Church of England and its forms,
+even in the midst of our unfaithful ministry, is dearer to him than
+Christ's Church and his truth, under less agreeable external
+circumstances. On the other hand, what example does he give if he quit
+this, which may be granted on all hands to be an unsound ministry, for
+a sound one? Why, that he loves Christ's Church and truth so much
+better than any circumstances, that though it may cost him pain and
+sorrow he leaves the one for the other.
+
+There seems an idea prevalent, and kept up in all these letters, which
+is in fact most untrue--that a man, by leaving the church[41] becomes
+a dissenter in principle. Whereas I think many who have merely
+followed the line which the apostle recommends, of turning away from
+false teachers, are not at all thereby rendered in love with dissent
+as one system set up against another system. It appears to me, that a
+sectarian Church of England-man, and a sectarian Dissenter, whose only
+desire is to see augmented the respective members of those who follow
+them, are equally removed from the mind of Christ. The thing devoutly
+to be prayed for, for them all is, that when they respectively
+approach the nearest to the meaning of the divine word and the mind of
+Christ, they might be respectively strengthened and made willing in
+those things to borrow from each other, and all sides to remember that
+that love which covereth many faults is more valuable a thousand times
+than that sectarian zeal that magnifies every weakness and infirmity
+into a mortal sin, and which delights in evil surmisings and evil
+speakings.
+
+  [41] I use this term, though in its sense of national
+  churches, I think it absolutely unscriptural.
+
+The term which passes current with so many who are attached to the
+Church of England exclusively of "our apostolic church," it may not be
+amiss for a moment to dwell on. Where then does this apostolic
+similarity dwell, and in what does it consist?
+
+Is it in the mode of appointment of Bishops? _Formerly_ it was the
+work of the church, with which the state had nothing to do. _Now_, it
+may be the work of an infidel ministry, for infidel purposes.
+
+Is it the state and pomp of the episcopacy, the titles--"Your Grace,"
+"Your Lordship," your palaces, your carriages, and fame, and hosts of
+idle livery servants?
+
+Is it in the mode of appointment to the cure of souls? _Then_ it was
+in the choice of the church; or, if of new churches, the appointment
+of those who had gathered them. _Now_, this cure is publicly sold like
+cattle in the market to the highest bidder, and a large proportion of
+the remainder may be in the hands of an infidel Lord Chancellor, to
+give as he pleases.
+
+Is it the Liturgy? However valuable it may be, no one will pretend to
+say the apostles used one.
+
+And even in the places of public worship, their grandeur, or their
+neatness, or their convenience are equally unlike the places of
+meeting of the apostles, who were happy to assemble in an upper loft.
+Instead, therefore, of saying the Church of England is _Apostolic_, it
+is infinitely more true to say she is _Romish_, in all those things on
+the distinction of which she prides herself and becomes distinguished.
+And the broad line of distinction between her and the apostate mother
+of harlots, commences when she comes to those points, whereon all the
+churches of Christ agree--the doctrines she professes, and which are
+to a very great extent scriptural and pure; and may the Lord water her
+truth while he sweeps away her dross and tin. Believing, as I do, her
+connection with the state to be an unmitigated evil as it relates to
+her spiritual power, I cannot but rejoice that this false ground of
+confidence and support which has made toryism stand too often in the
+place of truth and piety, as a recommendation to her highest places of
+trust, is crumbling underneath her, only her bonds will be burnt in
+the fire. May she have the holy wisdom to strengthen what remains,
+that when the times of her dominion shall pass by, the time of her
+spiritual splendour may return. In short, though there be much that is
+intolerable in the Church of England, much may be modified, and may
+yet, possibly, remain; but this is clear, that that swelling of the
+bosom which distinguishes a true son of the Church of England,
+considered as a sectarian, when he enunciates the term of "Our
+Apostolic Church," if it refers to discipline as well as doctrine, and
+external circumstances as well as internal principles, is the merest
+delusion that ever was published, and the most unsubstantial vision
+that ever formed the basis of pride, and one that will now remain
+unmasked no longer. May the Lord grant her grace in her day of trial,
+to run into her real ark of strength--the truth of God. What is
+contrary to God's will in her, may he make her ready, nay, anxious to
+throw off, as an incubus that oppresses her. What is not contrary, yet
+not essential, may she hold with that degree of tenacity only which
+such things deserve, and remain alone valiant for the truth on the
+earth.
+
+Many will say this is written by the hand of an enemy. But I protest
+before Him whom I love and serve, however unworthily, that I love the
+Church of Christ in the midst of her, fervently desiring their
+spiritual pre-eminence, and praying for her prosperity.
+
+The detestable association between the Dissenters, considered as a
+body, and the calumniators and degraders of the Lord of life, for the
+beggarly purposes of this world's power, sufficiently prove to my
+mind, that a spirit, which is not of God's children, rests among them
+too extensively somewhere, as I have before mentioned; and even the
+true children among them, who have been drawn into such an ungodly
+coalition, show great spiritual weakness. In the word of God I see
+Christ exalted and his truth; and not churches, apostles, or prophets;
+all things are to be proved, and that which is good to be kept.
+Apostles are to be tried, and if found _liars_, to be rejected. Think
+you, when the church of Ephesus, in the Apocalypse is commended by our
+Lord, for trying those who said they were apostles and were not, and
+when she had found them liars, that her members for example, still sat
+under their ministry. What a strange perversity of judgment prejudice
+casts over the mind. I cannot imagine any holier more acceptable
+service to our dear and blessed Lord and master, than that of
+endeavouring to unite in true and holy union, all the real members of
+his now (as to external circumstances) painfully divided body, for the
+Lord enables me to feel and to know, that amidst all the divisions and
+hard names that prevail among the members, there does really exist a
+body bound together for eternity, in all the essentials of Divine
+truth.
+
+_Sept. 24._--Nothing of any striking moment relative to our situation
+has occurred since the last date: all is quiet. Yet circumstances have
+taken place of the deepest interest, which makes my soul rejoice in
+God. In a packet of letters, I received the other day from India and
+Bussorah, was one from a person whom I met here, a gay thoughtless
+officer in the army, who seems now really seeking for light and life.
+Of this I am sure, that with that soul, it never can be again as in
+times past; the name of Christ will either be a savour of life unto
+life, or of death unto death. Oh! how strange a thing here does a
+consciousness of divine life in the soul appear, and how affecting is
+it to receive that news fresh from the heart of one who has seen, in
+spiritual things, men as trees walking. May the Lord complete what he
+has begun, and make his recovered child a burning and a shining light
+in that land of darkness, where he sojourns. This intelligence comes
+too at a very acceptable time, for I have had a slight attack of fever
+for these last ten days, which, though it is not worth mentioning,
+has, like all fevers, left me weak, and with a tendency to depression.
+Nor is this all the good the Lord has done me. The Roman Catholic
+merchant whom I mentioned before, has been again with me. He told me,
+that when I came from England I brought a letter for him, which is
+true, from a very dear friend, in which he was requested to come every
+day to see me, and talk with me, for I was neither a Roman Catholic, a
+Greek, an Armenian, nor belonging to any other denomination, but a
+Christian. He, however, never came. Shortly after my arrival I met him
+at the house of another merchant, and as I could not talk with him, my
+dear brother Pfander did; but nothing could exceed the timid reserve
+and coldness with which he answered all questions respecting religion.
+But yesterday he told me, "Now I do not fear to converse with you."
+Surely here is something gained. May the Lord grant me grace to pour
+in the sincere milk of the word. At present I see nothing more than a
+willingness to hear and consider; but this is almost like finding a
+spring in the desert, when you are parched with thirst.
+
+I have also received from Mr. Brandram, the Secretary of the Bible
+Society, a kind and generous letter from that noble institution, which
+enables me to enter on their work with all my heart, leaving the
+question of money free, and only seeking the soul's profit of those on
+whom their benefits are bestowed: if I obtain money, well--if not, I
+am only to seek a fair guarantee that the people will read and take
+care of the books I have without money full liberty to give. These
+books are arrived at Bussorah, so that when they reach me, what with
+those I already have, and those coming from Constantinople or Smyrna,
+I shall have quite a depository. All these circumstances at present
+make me determine to stay here, the Lord enabling me, though we again
+hear that the Persians are at Sulemania. I was lately informed that
+Capt. Chesney, with a gentleman from Bombay, and his wife, had
+endeavoured to pass on to Shiraz from Bushire; but that they were not
+allowed to enter that place. They next tried by Shuster, but from
+hence likewise they were obliged to turn back. They appear to have
+made a third trial with more success; but an Armenian, who was with me
+the other day, said he saw them at Ispahan stripped of every thing
+they had, and obliged to borrow money for their journey, which, as I
+have before observed, the English always obtain without the least
+difficulty.
+
+_October 9._ _Lord's Day._--It is just one fortnight since the Lord
+has laid me on the bed of sickness and suffering; for nearly a
+fortnight previous an attack of typhus fever had been making its
+steady advances. I had lost all appetite, strength, and ability to
+sleep, accompanied by that strange overwhelming depression of mind
+that inclines one to weep one knows not why. But this day fortnight I
+was completely laid by, and this is the first day I have had my
+clothes on since.
+
+_Oct. 11._--The Lord still allows me to feel convalescent, and I
+cannot but think of his mercies to me in my solitary and lonely
+situation, with all these tendencies to depression, which are
+concomitants of the disease. He sent me from time to time such
+cheering intelligence, as enabled me to hope his cause would prosper,
+and that all these turmoils were only the more speedily preparing the
+way for it. I certainly now close this journal with more of hope than
+I have been led to entertain for many months, yet not without some
+fears.
+
+The few Georgians that remained from the plague have been nearly all
+put to death, so that the Georgian government of Bagdad is, as I
+anticipated, now extinguished. The elements of disorder and weakness
+are so interwoven in this wretched government, that it will require a
+measure of energy and wisdom not often found united, to establish a
+better order of things; but I desire to leave all in the Lord's hands.
+I shall here then conclude my journal for the present, and most humbly
+and heartily pray, that all the trials, public and private, recorded
+in it, may redound to the glory of him who is the Lord of lords, and
+King of kings; and that my soul may not lose its portion of profit.
+
+       *       *       *
+
+I had thought of finishing my journal for the present, but as it has
+been delayed going for want of an opportunity, I add the following.
+
+_Oct. 14._--All in the city is quiet yet. There is no apparent
+confidence: men seem waiting to see how things will turn out. Every
+thing is very dear, as it must necessarily be for some time. The
+greatest part of the inhabitants are dead, and many of the survivors
+have become rich, either by the death of relations or by robbery, and
+no one will do any thing without an exorbitant remuneration. I have
+just had a quantity of rice cleaned, for doing which, previously to
+the plague I gave a piastre and a half, and now I have given six
+piastres.
+
+We have an Armenian bishop coming here in the room of the priests who
+are dead. I know not what his plan of operation will be; but the Lord
+is on our side.
+
+I had a visit yesterday from the Abbé Troche, who has the
+superintendence of the Catholic mission here; he was very pleasant;
+but nothing particular passed, as many others were present. My
+conversations with the Roman Catholic merchant I have before
+mentioned, are still very open and free. Oh! may the Lord water and
+bless them.
+
+_Oct. 17._--Several of the elder boys, who had fled from the plague
+with their parents, have been with me since their return. My heart
+feels deeply interested about them; yet I see not plainly my way. I
+certainly never felt teaching in a school to be my proper work, and
+now much less than ever; yet they need instruction and desire it, and
+I think they are attached to me. May the Lord give me a wise and
+understanding heart, that I may rightly see the service he requires of
+me. I much wish for the counsel of my dear brethren at Aleppo; and
+perhaps the Lord may soon send some of them to me.
+
+_Oct. 18._--I have heard to-day we are to have no other Roman Catholic
+bishop in the room of him who is dead; nor any French Consul, but only
+an agent; this may take off many restraints; for the late bishop had
+given out we were worse than either the Mohammedans or Jews, and this
+had made a great impression on his flock; for he was a very liberal
+man, and therefore influential among them. However, I very much
+question if things will now be kept under the same restraint; so that
+should the Lord lead me to open the school again, I should not be
+surprised if many Roman Catholics came; for they all acknowledge that
+our boys learned more in three months than theirs in two years. The
+new Pasha is likewise exceedingly desirous of cultivating the closest
+friendship with our Resident, who has most kindly offered me any aid
+he can possibly lend me; and besides all this, the letters I have this
+day received from England and Ireland, shew me that my very dear
+friends have been making provision for my school; so that altogether,
+it seems to me the Lord's will I should try again; and in due time,
+when I am fit for other service, he may raise up help that will take
+this out of my hands. I desire to be ready to do any work, however
+humble and contrary to my nature, that I think the Lord appoints for
+me. I hear also, that at Aleppo, the French intend only having an
+Agent instead of a Consul; whereas, our government has just sent a
+Consul out to Damascus with an English merchant, and one to Aleppo,
+and last year we had a Consul established at Trebizond. I think Ali
+Pasha will do all in his power to promote the steam navigation of
+these rivers; and he is evidently a man of a very different character
+from the Georgians who preceded him. They cherished most of all the
+pride and pomp of Turkish power, with all its inveterate prejudices,
+ignorance, and narrowness of mind, so that if you had any business of
+the least difficulty, you could never get them to attend five minutes
+to it. But not so Ali Pasha: he apprehends with facility; and you at
+least have the satisfaction of knowing you are understood. He has been
+at Trieste, and in Hungary, and seems acquainted, to a limited extent,
+with several of the public journals of Europe. He dresses nearly as an
+European, and his brother-in-law quite so, with the exception of the
+hat; which is as yet very trying to the genuine Asiatics, who look on
+their own dress as that which it would be a sin to change. The Pasha
+also seems perfectly indifferent to hoarding money.
+
+Things in the city are still very dear, arising from the harvest of
+last year not having been reaped, and various other causes. We have to
+pay three times the usual price for most things; but after such
+tremendous visitations as we have suffered, we cannot expect that
+things can return to their usual course in a day.
+
+_Oct. 22._--I have had with me to-day a gentleman who was formerly
+attached to Mr. Morier's mission in Persia. He fled from the plague
+at Tabreez, and arrived at Kermanshah four days after dear brother
+Pfander left it, who, by his conversations in the caravan, had left so
+distinct an impression, that he thought Mohammed a liar, that when he
+reached Kermanshah, he found his situation very difficult, nay
+dangerous, and he was obliged hastily to quit it. He went to Hamadan,
+and remained there three days in the house of a priest, from whence he
+proceeded to Ispahan. All the villages between Hamadan and Ispahan are
+Armenian. The journey takes about ten days. When he arrived at
+Ispahan, Abbas Meerza being at Yezd, he went there, was treated with
+great honour and respect, and a firman given him to go where he liked:
+he returned to Ispahan, and from thence went to Tabreez, which place
+he reached before the plague broke out the second time. This account
+makes me long to hear from his own pen the course of the Lord's
+dealings with him. The same gentleman told me that the plague in
+Tabreez was much worse the second than the first time. Kermanshah is
+absolutely destroyed, and the governor, a grandson of the king, is
+reported to have collected from the property of the dead five lacs of
+piasters. In Kourdistan, also, they say it has been dreadful. In
+Saggas, Banah, and Sulemania, he says the desolation is shocking. How
+wonderful God's visitations on these nations are; it makes the soul
+that the Lord has appointed to be in the midst of them often say,
+Lord, let thy kingdom come; yea, speedily, that thy people may know
+peace and safety.
+
+I have sent to see the number of the poor little boys of my school
+that remain, and I find that they amount to 25 out of 80, and that
+I may expect near 30, should I get a master for them. I shall,
+therefore, endeavour to accomplish this, the Lord enabling me, and
+when I feel strong enough to begin again.
+
+I am very anxious about the dear N----'s at Tabreez, from whom I have
+not received a line. Abbas Meerza ordered large pits to be dug for
+those who died of the plague, and when they were full to have them
+covered in. The Ambassador, and the English, Russian, and other public
+functionaries, had fled, and from a packet that came from Capt.
+Campbell, who has now the charge of the mission since the death of Sir
+John Macdonald, we know that he was safe up to a late date.
+
+_Oct. 26._--I was much struck with an account which Mr. Swoboda, an
+Austrian merchant, gave me to-day, of a conversation he had with the
+brother-in-law of Ali Pasha. He said that now, in Stamboul, the
+Christians went to the mosque, and the Mohammedans to the Church;
+there was no difference. How strikingly this shows the rapid progress
+of that infidel spirit in these countries, which is spreading in
+Europe; surely these then are such signs as should keep us on the
+watch for our Lord.
+
+Accounts have just come that the struggle has commenced at Damascus,
+that supreme seat of bigotry, between the new and the old regime, and
+it remains to be seen how it will terminate. I already hear of one or
+two Roman Catholic boys, who will now come to the school, who before,
+during the life of the bishop, were afraid. My health I also feel
+daily establishing; and that I shall soon be able to enter on real
+labour again, with the Lord's blessing, I sincerely trust.
+
+_Oct. 27._--The affairs of the city appear daily more and more
+settling again; provisions are coming in in abundance, and the price
+gradually lowering. The roads also are becoming more open and safe:
+for all these signs of tranquility we bless the Lord and take courage,
+and trust we may yet serve him in this land of our pilgrimage. Also
+across the desert we hear the road is tranquil.
+
+_Oct. 28._--To-day the Jew called whom I mentioned in my journal of
+last year, as having come to Mr. Pfander: he is a Jewish Rabbi, who
+disbelieving Judaism, and possibly preferring Christianity, seems to
+be in both without heart or principle. He brought with him a Polish
+Jew, who is the tailor of Ali Pasha. He saw Mr. Wolff at Jerusalem,
+and speaks of him with high admiration. The Rabbi told me he was
+reading with him the German New Testament. May the Lord send his holy
+fire on the altar of their hearts, that they may really, heartily, and
+zealously enter into his truth. If there is any gift my soul longs
+for, it is to be able to speak to every one in his own tongue wherein
+he was born, the wonderful works of God; for want of this, in
+countries like this, where you are surrounded by many different
+languages, the heart gets overwhelmed with the difficulties that seem
+to spread on every side; as, for instance, with these Jews, they know
+little Arabic, and I do not know German, and thus we stand incapable
+of any such conversation as is likely to search the heart.
+
+_Nov. 1._--I have been reading with considerable attention the
+remarks, or rather reflections, of Jonathan Edwards, on the Life of
+Brainerd, wherein he endeavours to recommend to the Church of God, the
+_disinterested_ and _unmercenary_ love of God, by which he means the
+love of him for his abstract perfections apart from the consideration
+of any personal interest or happiness arising out of his especial love
+to his chosen. This is all very fine and very philosophical, but in
+my humble apprehension, most unscriptural. Does God any where in
+Scripture, when appealing to his chosen, or expostulating with them,
+argue on the ground of his abstract perfections, or of his especial
+love and distinguishing grace towards them? Throughout the Old
+Testament this is the controversy, not that they slighted his abstract
+perfections, but disregarded his especial favour. All the invitations
+to return, appeal to what Edwards would call the selfish and mercenary
+feelings. What! had not Moses respect unto the recompense of reward;
+and in all the 11th of the Hebrews, where is this abstraction held
+up? When our dear and blessed Lord exhorts to faithfulness,
+watchfulness, devotion, does he represent an abstraction as a motive,
+or without our own everlasting participation with him with whom there
+is fulness of joy for evermore. Paul thought it not mercenary to think
+on his crown, or to encourage his converts by the consideration, that
+present sorrow for the Lord, works for them a far more exceeding and
+eternal weight of glory. Again, eye hath not seen nor ear heard the
+things which God hath prepared for them that love him. Our blessed
+Lord makes promises to whoever leaves father or mother for his
+sake,[42] and John encourages his disciples, by telling them that they
+were made sons of God, and that they were to be made like their Lord;
+he saw nothing debasing in this contemplation, but instantly adds, "he
+that hath this hope purifieth himself even as he is pure." This is the
+promise he hath promised even eternal life. In fact, the doctrine of
+rewards, as an incentive to the saints, prevails from one end to the
+other of the sacred volume. The notion that a love which springs from
+a sense of being beloved, must be selfish and mercenary, is the
+greatest delusion imaginable. It may be, and in proportion as its
+power is really known and felt, is the most holy, self-denying, pure,
+and devoted of all affections, an affection that seeketh not her own,
+but the glory of the object beloved. If Edwards would set up dear D.
+Brainerd and his Indians in favour of the abstract system, we may set
+up the Moravians and their Esquimaux in favour of the other. But why
+set up one set of worms and their conduct against another set of worms
+and theirs, when we have the record of God in our hands? Let us see
+how our Heavenly Father proposes himself to our love, confidence, and
+affections, and what incentives he proposes as inducements to the
+sinner to return, and the saint to persevere to the end, and not
+attempt to be wise above that which is written. That God is infinitely
+adorable in his abstract perfections I am sure, though I cannot fathom
+these abstract perfections, nor conceive of him but as revealed in his
+blessed word in connection with his chosen, and as personally
+exhibited by him who was the brightness of his Father's glory, and the
+express image of his person, and this is not in abstractions or apart
+from our happiness.
+
+  [42] Matt. xix. 28, 29; Luke xviii. 29, 30.
+
+Again, when Edwards endeavours to prove it is enthusiasm in an
+individual to imagine that Christ, in an especial manner died for him,
+I think he destroys the peculiar stimulus to devotedness, which the
+doctrines of election in their widest latitude, contain above the
+doctrines of Armenianism, and he throws a coldness over all the
+doctrines of grace. In Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, David, Daniel, and
+others, with the Apostles of our Lord and Paul, it was both personal
+and open, but because not equally open to the rest of God's children,
+I do not believe the holy and blessed Spirit allows it to be less
+individual and personal.
+
+If, however, his opponents were practically such men as he describes,
+we cannot too deeply deplore it; but he writes so much more like the
+advocate of a sect, than an impartial enquirer after truth, that,
+without a particular knowledge of the case, one cannot help suspecting
+his picture of those he is writing against, to be very highly
+coloured. In fact, on the truth of God, it seems philosophical
+declamation, without scriptural proof: on the subject of his opponent,
+it is assertion in the lump, concerning masses of individuals, without
+proof or discrimination.
+
+_Nov. 4._--We have here now at the head of affairs, under the Pasha,
+one of those extraordinary men who are capable of any thing good or
+bad. Under Daoud Pasha he, for a long time, cruelly oppressed the
+people, but more especially the Jews, till at last a conspiracy was
+formed against him, and by the influence of the father of the Serof
+Bashee of the Pasha, who is one of the serofs, or bankers,[43] of the
+Sultan at Constantinople, an order was procured for his being put to
+death. Daoud Pasha did not execute this order, but imprisoned him, and
+as he had been the instrument of extorting money for him, he concluded
+he had not failed at the same time to enrich himself. In their
+endeavours to extort his money from him they drew the bow-string so
+tight that they nearly strangled him: however he recovered: he told
+them he had a certain sum of money, and where it was, which Daoud
+Pasha had previously agreed he should collect for himself. This his
+rapacious miserable master had the meanness to take from him. He had
+some friends who exerted themselves to save his life; which was
+spared. However, only a few days before the entrance of Ali Pasha,
+orders were again issued to put him to death, as he was detected
+holding communication with those without the city; but again
+intercession was made for him, and he was again spared. He was
+instantly taken into favour by Ali Pasha, on his entrance into the
+town, who has made him his treasurer and accountant-general (Musruff
+and Deftardar); and in fact, the whole business of the Pashalic is in
+his hands. He is at work night and day: till after midnight he is
+engaged in business, and long before dawn he is to be seen on
+horseback. He never sleeps at home, but each night at a different
+friend's house, though the Pasha gave him the best house (taken with
+all its accompaniments) in Bagdad. When the Pasha heard that Major
+Taylor's house, which is on the river, had suffered by the flood, he
+instantly gave it to him, and he now intends occupying it. This man is
+not only acquainted with all the internal affairs of the city, but he
+is connected with all the tribes of Arabs from Bussorah to Merdin;
+knows all their relations, enmities, friendships, and divisions,
+external as well as internal, and has ability and tact to take
+advantage of them. He is also acquainted with the agriculture of the
+country between the two rivers, and greatly desires to advance and
+improve it. What two such men as Ali Pasha and he may effect, should
+the Lord allow them to remain, it is impossible to conceive; but
+certainly great changes. He has now his old enemy, the Serof Bashee,
+in prison, and is bastinadoing him to get money out of him. But his
+general carriage to the inhabitants is much changed, though he has now
+twice the authority, which clearly, I think, manifests the altered
+temper of the government. To the English, he is a most devoted friend,
+and especially to the Resident, to whom he feels he owes his life, for
+he is at once a firm friend, and, I fear, an implacable enemy: one of
+those men from whom if you can once extort the assurance that you are
+safe, you may be at ease; whereas, in general, from the Pasha
+downwards, the more they assured you of your safety, the more reason
+you felt you had to fear.
+
+  [43] The bankers in Turkey are generally Jews, and possessed
+  of great wealth.
+
+_Nov. 7._--I have been to-day calling on several of the most
+respectable Roman Catholic merchants of this place, who have, some of
+them, repeatedly called on me; but, partly from want of health, and
+partly from want of spirits, I have not hitherto returned their
+visits. They received me with the greatest kindness, and the
+opportunities these visits afforded of bringing in God's word as the
+only standard of truth, I feel to be very valuable. It seems perfectly
+new to them to have the sentiments or conduct of themselves or others
+measured by this holy and blessed book; such a use they never in their
+lives saw made of it, so that it strikes them exceedingly; and the
+Lord's spirit may make something here or there rest on their hearts. I
+feel that the door for my particular line of usefulness is opening,
+and as I advance in the practical use of the language, I have
+confidence the Lord will yet shew me greater things than these.
+
+There is a new Roman Catholic priest here, formerly an Armenian. He
+has been trying to see if he can get my school boys to come to him if
+he opens a school: they have all refused; and this strengthens me in
+my purpose of not delaying the re-opening of mine longer than I am
+obliged. Should I not be able to get a master from Bussorah, for whom
+I have written, there has been an Armenian with me, who offers to
+come, a most respectable man; him, therefore, I may consider, as
+ready, should the other fail. Thus, the Lord provides. With my English
+class, I purpose, the Lord willing, to begin after another fortnight.
+My greatest difficulty will be I fear, to obtain an Arabic teacher;
+the mortality among the Mollahs has been enormous. Here then I shall
+end for the present, I fear this too long, and, in many respects,
+tedious, journal of the last five months, as the messenger goes
+to-morrow or the day after.
+
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+
+
+
+NOTES.
+
+
+Mr. Groves having so strongly expressed his condemnation of Mr.
+Erskine's view of Divine Truth, in pages 102, 103, and 104 of his
+Journal, the Editor, who believes Mr. Groves to be in error regarding
+the extent of the Atonement, has felt it to be a duty not to allow his
+statements to pass unaccompanied with a plain declaration of the
+truth. The following Notes on some of the principal points touched
+upon by Mr. Groves, have been contributed by a brother who bears him
+much love, the Rev. A. J. Scott, of Woolwich, not so much with any
+view of detailed discussions of Mr. Groves's positions, as simply to
+exhibit truth, as the best antidote to error.
+
+
+NOTE A, page 102.
+
+Mr. Groves has referred to the effects of system. One of the most
+important of these is, that opposite systems lead men to take such
+opposite views of the evidence itself by which the truth of the
+conflicting opinions must be tried. Of this he here furnishes an
+instance, in saying so strongly that the "sovereignty of God's
+government, and the individuality of God's election," are "represented
+by the Apostles as the most overwhelming reasons for unlimited
+devotion to his service, who has thus chosen us." Many of the very
+passages, doubtless, to which he would turn for the establishment of
+this assertion, would be enjoyed by others, as proofs how available
+is the general "kindness of God our Saviour towards _man_," as an
+argument for loving and serving him. When Paul persuades the Ephesians
+to "walk in love as Christ also hath loved _us_, and hath given
+himself for _us_;"[44] when Peter recommends to his brethren patient
+meekness in suffering, by the consideration that "Christ also suffered
+for _us_, the just for the unjust,"[45] the power of this over the
+mind of one man depends on his understanding by "_us_" the fallen
+world; and of another, on its reminding him only of distinguishing
+personal obligations to sovereign election. Now, suasives to holiness,
+or what are felt as such, as they continually recur in Scripture,
+produce on a devout mind a much deeper conviction of the truth of the
+doctrines from which they are derived, than a formal assertion can.
+When, by the same expressions, one man is habitually carried to this,
+another to that, view of the Divine character, and each experiences,
+that in what he sees, there is a practical tendency towards the state
+of the heart and form of life at which he aims as good: this becomes
+to each, as instances accumulate, a far stronger reason than bare
+propositions, could be for growing in confidence, that the belief
+which thus impresses him is indeed the truth of God.
+
+  [44] Eph. v. 2.
+
+  [45] 1 Pet. ii. 21.
+
+And one accustomed to observe the effects of system will not wonder
+that expressions like those above cited, still less that those in
+which Christ is spoken of as having "loved _the church_ and given
+himself for _it_," should thus come to be regarded as containing an
+argument for a selective atonement. It is by such a doctrine being
+perceived in them, that they practically impress the feelings of many.
+And yet, in truth, how are they inconsistent with the universal love
+of God and propitiation of Christ? Of course, where a common benefit
+is received, its efficacy, as a motive to grateful returns, is
+limited to those who recognize and value it. A patriot has delivered
+millions of ignorant, suspicious, ungrateful countrymen. His services
+are to be used as an argument for joining in some effort for his
+honour; and those who acknowledge and bless his exertions are
+especially addressed, and reminded that "he loved _you_, laboured for
+_you_, achieved happiness for _you_." Would this contain even an
+insinuation, that they were the exclusive objects of his disinterested
+ardour? In such an address not only would the common benefit be
+mentioned peculiarly as a good bestowed on themselves; but their
+acknowledgment of it, and their distinguishing susceptibility to the
+feeling of its worth, would be referred and appealed to, as reasons
+why that was looked for and demanded of them, which from others might
+be as justly asked, but not so naturally expected. Such appeals are
+the apostolic epistles to the churches, as contrasted with their
+proclamation of Christ to the world.
+
+
+NOTE B, page 103.
+
+The moral condition of man, his seeing no desirableness in the object
+presented to him by the Gospel, Mr. Erskine shews, at great length, to
+be the grand obstacle to his enjoying it. The capacity to know and
+believe, he indeed conceives to bring with it the capacity to enjoy.
+But if a change in the moral state is necessary in receiving the
+truth, this surely obviates the objection that such truth would be
+unpalatable and uninfluential to those whose moral state is
+_unchanged_.
+
+Our business, however, is not with Mr. E. but with the truth of the
+matter. Mr. Groves' remarks refer to the _nature_ of regeneration, and
+to the _necessity_ of a change in the affections, in order to man's
+appreciating the object presented to him in the Gospel: these he
+considers as objections to the doctrine that the simple knowledge
+and belief of that object are "the cause of spiritual life in the
+unregenerate;" and he uses the analogy of food, which he says, is not
+the cause of life, although it be the support of it. Certainly the
+contemplation of Jesus is not the cause, but it is the commencement
+and exercise of spiritual life, which needs no commencement of a
+distinct kind from its subsequent functions. As to the analogy of
+food, it will be seen whether the language of Scripture bears us out
+in making the same distinction between the source and the sustenance
+of spiritual, as of natural life.
+
+What, indeed, is meant to be asserted? Is it, that men have life in
+them _first_, to capacitate them to eat the flesh and drink the blood
+of the Son of Man? This seems to be said: but Himself hath said,
+"Except ye eat the flesh and drink the blood of the Son of Man, ye
+have _no_ life in you." Not life then without the food, or before the
+food, but _by_ the food. This banquet _is_ to be spread before the
+dead. Thus only shall any live. Is spirit and life in men first from
+another source, and then do they take and profit by his words? But
+"the entrance of his words _giveth_ light," and that light is life.
+"The words that I speak unto you," says the Lord, "_they_ are spirit,
+and they are life": and that spirit, the spirit of his words, he tells
+us it is that "quickeneth" or produceth life. Is there, then, no need
+for regeneration? Surely there is: but it does not follow that the
+principle of regeneration is one, and that of faith another to be
+superadded to it. "We are born," says Peter, "not of corruptible seed,
+but of the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever;" adding, in
+very remarkable language, "This is the word which by the Gospel is
+preached unto you." An explanation which removes all doubt as to the
+meaning of James, when he says, "Of his own will begat he us with the
+word of truth," that is, according to Peter, with the Gospel preached.
+John, in like manner, tells us, that "whatsoever is born of God
+overcometh the world," and if we ask, what is born of God? Is it a
+principle antecedent and necessary to faith? He answers, It is faith
+itself. "This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our
+faith."
+
+
+NOTE C, page 104.
+
+The question is not whether the scheme of salvation is merely
+reconcilable with divine love and justice, but how it constitutes the
+grand proof and manifestation of these attributes, and in general, of
+the perfections of God. In it he undertakes to shew himself worthy of
+love, and thus to win our love to himself. Any other means to that end
+than such as should prove his own worthiness, He could not use. One
+may confer a benefit on an individual from a thousand various motives,
+of which one only may be morally right. In event of any of the others
+having prompted the action, the benefactor may be regarded with
+gratitude, but then it is either because the motive is mistaken for
+the nobler one, or the gratitude is a mere reflected selfishness. As
+an example of the latter sort, the Jews, in the days of the Son of Man
+upon earth, had a love to God, a zeal for God, founded on their
+conviction of his partiality for their people. They regarded him as
+the God of the Jews only, and not also of the Gentiles. Its fruits
+were, their carrying the Lord to the brow of the hill to destroy him,
+because he reminded them of Naaman and the widow of Sarepta, as
+preferred to objects of bounty among their own people; and their
+endeavouring to tear Paul in pieces when he spake of a commission
+given him by Jesus to the Gentiles. They were indeed zealous, the
+apostle bears them witness in the Holy Ghost, and fully believed in
+God's sovereign election of their nation. There is yet a zeal like
+their's--let us beware of it.
+
+It will not do to represent the Gospel scheme of salvation as not only
+_leaving_, but involving, the moral character of God in difficulty;
+and then to say we can still believe him holy, just, and good
+notwithstanding. The atonement was designed to prove and establish
+these attributes: to be the ground of our confidence in them, and of
+our love to God because of them. We are not to believe in them in
+spite of the plan of redemption; but, because of the plan of
+redemption. The words of John, "we love him because he first loved
+us," and "herein is the love of God manifested towards us, because he
+sent his Son into the world that we might live through him," imply
+that the believer's delight in the essential excellence of God (which
+delight alone is divine love) springs out of the display of that
+excellence in the cross of Christ. An atonement for all, arising out
+of love to all, proves that it is indeed justice that inflicts
+vengeance on the impenitent; not partial, personal hatred, not
+indifference, not cruelty. A limited atonement, just because it gives
+no proof that they are beloved--gives no proof that nothing else than
+justice could have punished them. It gives, on the other hand, no
+proof that forgiving love has been that which saved the elect, as it
+is to an arbitrary distinction it teaches them to look as the ultimate
+cause of their hope. I care not to be told that they acknowledge love
+in their salvation notwithstanding. I repeat, the redemption is to
+_prove_ the divine character, not merely to leave us the possibility
+of believing it.
+
+Finally, This scheme obliges to believe that Jesus has broken the law,
+and transgression of the law is sin. This he assuredly did, if he
+loved not all mankind as himself. It is an ignorant answer to say,
+that for him to break the law was not sin. To break the moral law, and
+to be a sinner, are not things arbitrarily put together; they are two
+names for the same thing. It is worse to say he need not keep the law
+because he was God. The law is the transcript of the character of God:
+opposition to it is opposition to that character. Made of woman,
+besides, he was made under the law. All praises of his goodness and
+moral perfection are so many varied expressions for the completeness
+with which he kept the law. And oh! indeed, what part of it so
+peculiarly his own, as to love his neighbour as himself?
+
+I say, therefore, again, to limit the divine love, to limit the
+atonement, the grand expression of that love, is to limit the love of
+Christ, and thus to make Christ a sinner. He that hath seen him hath
+seen the Father. No moral difference surely is so great as that
+between a breaker and a keeper of the law of love. What a moral
+difference, then, between the character of a God manifested in the
+one form and in the other.
+
+
+
+
+APPENDIX.
+
+
+The following letters are added, because they contain some interesting
+details of the Lord's dealings with this our dear brother, which are
+not contained in the Journal. And the reader will observe, that the
+last letter is of a later date than the conclusion of the Journal.
+
+
+                                   BAGDAD, _Oct. 15th, 1831._
+
+     The Lord has just raised me up from a typhus fever, which, for
+     the last month, has been pressing a little hard on my strength,
+     but more on my spirits. The loss of my dearest Mary was so
+     deeply felt by my poor desolate heart, that, at times, I bore
+     up with difficulty; but the Lord shewed me that my sorrow was
+     so selfish, so earthly, so unworthy of his love, and poured in
+     besides such hopes and prospects as to my future work, that
+     sustained and comforted me.
+
+     I send with this a Journal of four months, from which you will
+     see what has been passing amongst us.
+
+     I have lately received many letters from my dear brethren at
+     Aleppo, and I think either Mr. Cronin or Mr. and Mrs. Parnell
+     will come to me the first opportunity, which will be an
+     unspeakable relief to my mind; for I long for some one to whom
+     I may unburthen my soul; for although my Lord is always near,
+     yet, as I see in Paul, so I find in myself, that the society of
+     Christian brethren and sisters, so long as we are in the flesh,
+     will always afford a sweet consolation.
+
+     I feel that Jesus meant his Church to be a body, not isolated
+     members. We have each a little ministry essential to the
+     happiness and building up of the mystical body--that there
+     should be no schism, but that all the members might love and
+     care one for the other.
+
+     This place has been governed by Georgians, Apostate Christians,
+     just as the Memelukes, another race of Apostate Christians,
+     formerly governed Egypt. The Sultan has extirpated the first,
+     and now the second, and the Janissaries who had a somewhat
+     similar origin, have, at Stamboul, experienced a similar fate.
+     Those of the Georgians who have had their lives spared will be
+     sent to Stamboul. It is certainly the design of Ali Pasha and
+     the Sultan, to make many changes here, and I wait to see the
+     Lord's goings. It appears to me probable that most important
+     openings may be afforded by these changes to our operations in
+     these quarters: but I have seen such things these last twelve
+     months, that my soul rests only upon God, to see how he will
+     move. His ways are so deep, so out of sight, that what we think
+     likely, He, in a month, brings to nothing, and yet in his own
+     good time, will bring the most wonderful and unexpected things
+     to pass. I have never ceased to bless God for the sweet
+     assurance of his unchanging love, for the sake of Him who is
+     our life, our dear and blessed Jesus. He has supplied me, I
+     know not how, in the midst of famine, pestilence, and war; and
+     though I have heard from none in England for more than a year,
+     especially from those that supply my wants, the Lord has not
+     suffered me to want, or to be in debt, and though the
+     necessaries of life have amounted to almost twenty times their
+     value during our late trials, he has not suffered me personally
+     to be much affected by it. His loving-kindness and care have
+     been wonderful.
+
+     Of all the political and religious agitations of England, I
+     have heard only whispers; but I am very anxious to receive a
+     full account. For many months all communication has been
+     entirely cut off; not a message has come though the road has
+     now been open a month.
+
+     The Lord has graciously allowed me to see the signs of
+     spiritual life in three souls of late, through my
+     instrumentality; and as the Lord gives me utterance, I trust I
+     shall be able to speak to many others. The difficulties of the
+     language are fading away one by one. I had occasion to
+     translate a public document from the new Pasha to the Resident
+     at Bussorah, concerning business of the utmost importance and
+     secrecy, in which the Resident, who is a most competent judge,
+     tells me I succeeded fully.
+
+     I often think my dear friends in England will be sadly
+     discouraged at the Lord's dealings with our mission: so
+     difficult is it to act faith in dark seasons. However, should
+     their faith and hope fail, the Lord will either raise up others
+     or find me some little occupation by which I may live. His
+     goodness in the way of provision has been so wonderfully
+     manifested, that my heart feels quite easy that He will find a
+     way for the support of his servant.
+
+     _Oct. 24._--Since writing the above, I have received your
+     letter of March last, by Bombay. Oh! how welcome it came! Oh!
+     how it refreshed me! Surely there exists not in the world a
+     more loving little Church than these dear believers amongst
+     whom the Lord has brought us into one fellowship. I assure you,
+     widely as I am separated from this beloved family in body, I am
+     truly one with them in spirit, and am greatly refreshed by the
+     springs of the Lord's grace, that run amongst them.
+
+     I received several letters with yours, from England and
+     Ireland; and the zeal of those dear friends who had provided
+     for my school, made me finally determine, the Lord willing, and
+     supplying me masters, to try again. I have sent one of the
+     bigger boys round, and I trust, with new boys, I shall begin
+     with thirty.
+
+     The Bible Society have sent me a number of Books with a
+     generous letter, nobly generous as to the principles of
+     distribution. And there appears a prospect of great changes
+     which may open a much wider door of usefulness here than I now
+     have: I had thoughts of leaving this place, but the Resident
+     entreats me not to go, and promises, should any thing happen to
+     me, that he will be a father to my dear boys, till he can send
+     them by an unexceptionable opportunity to England. All these
+     things make me feel that the Lord still means me to stay here,
+     and see his salvation.--Infidelity is making open and manifest
+     strides amongst the Mohammedans on the other side of the
+     desert, and in Persia, and we shall soon see the same spirit
+     that is working in Europe working here: amidst these tempests,
+     I sometimes think 'tis hard to live. Yet, my dear friend, it is
+     sweet to live hardly for Jesus.
+
+     After all my sufferings and all my sorrows, my heart is not
+     discouraged. We have first the clods of the language to break
+     up, then to prepare the ground, then to sow the seed, and
+     through all to look for the precious showers from on high, and
+     lastly for the fruit. Let us, then, like the husbandman
+     patiently wait.
+
+     The evil of the pressure of the world on the soul I feel as
+     fully as you can do; not the luxurious worldliness of Europe,
+     yet the pursuit of the language, and the absolute
+     uncongeniality of all around, disorders the soul greatly.
+     During Mary's life, or rather pilgrimage, I never wanted
+     spiritual refreshment; I sometimes used to fear it stole away
+     those hours that the language and other calls demanded; but now
+     whilst I am sensibly proceeding in the language, my soul knows
+     not that animated joy of heavenly communion with the saints on
+     earth which I once enjoyed. Jesus still is near, still comforts
+     and supports; but yet I feel he meant his Church to be a body.
+     The miserable substitute of man's ordination for the Holy
+     Ghost's, has destroyed the true unison and order of the Church
+     of Christ, by substituting that which is artificial for that
+     which is of God; by appointing man to be the artificer of a
+     work God alone can accomplish. Now the Church presents a
+     monstrous aspect, a great mis-shapen head called the clergy,
+     and as mis-shapen a body called the laity. All the members
+     being crowded into the head, and leaving the body without
+     office or service, this did not the Spirit. How blessed it is
+     among all these disorders to know that the Lord cares for his
+     own, and will keep them as the apple of his eye, watching day
+     and night lest any hurt them. Thus, were we preserved when we
+     little thought it, by our Shepherd's care. There is something,
+     I think, in this view of the body being thus composed of
+     members of various orders, various services, from the most
+     minute to the most important, all tending to the one great end,
+     the glory of the only Head and the Church's glory in him, that
+     greatly comforts the weak. When the Lord first led me to feel
+     interested in the service of his cause abroad, I framed to
+     myself some _beau-ideal_ of a missionary that if I now
+     entertained would destroy all happiness. Since the Lord has led
+     me to see how truly low my place is in his holy blessed body,
+     amidst all this humiliation he makes me feel happy in the
+     thought I am a member, though embracing little that pride would
+     lead to aim at. If I am but allowed to minister to my dear and
+     holy brethren on the other side of the desert I shall feel
+     happy and thankful. Sometimes I am overwhelmed with the
+     condescension that he should allow me to feel part of his
+     mystical body, though so weak so useless.
+
+     On the subject of baptism all the dear brethren at Aleppo have
+     finally agreed and been baptized; thus the last little
+     difference that I know between us is closed. How gracious the
+     Lord is!
+
+     The Lord has laid his hand heavily on them. Dear Newman is but
+     just raised from a bed of sickness. The schoolmaster whom they
+     brought is so unwell, that dear John Parnell and his wife have
+     taken him for the change of air to the water's side; they too
+     have both been very ill. Mrs. Cronan is daily getting weaker
+     and weaker, so they are prevented joining me now from ill
+     health, as before from the disturbances, and in a short time
+     Mrs. Parnell expects to be confined, which will still delay
+     them, as well as the expectation of a friend or two from
+     England and Ireland. Should the Lord not remove these
+     difficulties to their coming before the spring, and my Bibles
+     and Testaments arrive from Bussorah, I purpose, the Lord
+     willing, perhaps even in about two months, going by the way of
+     Mosul, Merdin, Diarbekr, Orsa, and Beer to Aleppo, there to
+     consult and to be refreshed, should the Lord graciously smile
+     upon us, and in my way to distribute his word and see the state
+     of the places above mentioned.
+
+     When Mr. Newman was at the worst, and they had given up all
+     hopes of him, they anointed him with oil according to the 14th
+     of the 5th of James, and prayed over him, and the Lord had
+     mercy on them, yea, and on me also, and restored him. It seems
+     to me truly scriptural, and if the Church of Rome has perverted
+     it to superstitious ends, ought we therefore to cast aside so
+     plain a precept? By many it would be called plain popery, but
+     this we must bear. I can feel a happiness in submitting to
+     these directions of the Lord by the Spirit; they seem to us
+     little, but surely whatsoever is of sufficient importance for
+     the Spirit to command or direct, is sufficiently important for
+     us worms to obey. With regard to miracles my mind is not at
+     present prepared to embrace them fully: but this I do feel that
+     the Apostle Paul, in Corinthians 12 and 14, when speaking of
+     supernatural gifts for the edifying the Church and doing the
+     work of God, points them out as things to be desired and prayed
+     for then, and if they were desired to be prayed for then, why
+     not now? I look on the argument from experience in the churches
+     as of no weight, for unless it can be proved the churches have
+     received faith on these powers, their not possessing the
+     power is according to the whole analogy of faith. That
+     distinguishing between apostolic times and present times is to
+     my mind so dangerous a principle, and puts into the hands of
+     any one so disposed, a sword that seems to me to reach the very
+     vitals of the Gospel.
+
+     I would have you pray for me, especially that Christ may be in
+     me daily, my glorious loving Lord and satisfying portion, whose
+     presence can make even this waste howling wilderness like the
+     garden of Eden. Little did I think how poor I was in the
+     anointed Lamb of God till he stripped me bare, and left me here
+     to stand months alone with himself, and then I saw how much of
+     that apparent love and zeal I felt flowed from human fountains.
+     I bless his name, he left me yet a little while untainted to
+     cheer, support, and comfort me, but my stature, my dear friend,
+     I pray I may not again, mistake nor think I am approaching
+     towards manhood when a very child in spiritual growth. When
+     surrounded by all the love and kindness I experienced amongst
+     you, encouraged by your sympathy and prayers, those thousand
+     weaknesses I since have felt I hardly know the smart of. Amidst
+     dangers, sorrows, and death I have walked for many months; and
+     these scenes have tried the very foundation, yet it was most
+     gracious of the Lord, when he let the plague reach me and laid
+     me on my couch to give me the sweetest comfort from a full
+     assurance of his favour and forgiveness, when there was as I
+     thought but a step between me and death. Yet whilst he has
+     never left me without the sense of being his, He has shewn me
+     how much I have to aim at, how earnestly to desire to be filled
+     with all his fulness.
+
+
+                                   BAGDAD, _Dec. 25th, 1831_.
+
+     Your most kind and welcome letter arrived this day, together
+     with several others from my beloved friends in England, all by
+     Bombay. It does, indeed, truly refresh my heart, to hear of the
+     Lord's love to you all. Do you not praise God for these dear
+     brothers and sisters he has given us? How rich we are in our
+     sweet little church; a more loving, holy, and blessed little
+     family cannot surely be found upon earth. Unworthy as I am to
+     be one of you, yet I bless God that I am one. My heart is
+     running over with thankfulness at the Lord's goodness to you
+     all, and to me through you, and be not discouraged because I am
+     blasted, and my bough no longer green, as it once was, the Lord
+     has yet dealt most bountifully with me. In all but my dear
+     Mary's place my path is opening again. I have hired one
+     schoolmaster, and expect another. My English boys are most
+     zealous and attached: my prospects of Bible circulation in
+     Persia much opening. To the Jews here I have sold all my Hebrew
+     Bibles, at about 3s. 6d. each: this is more to them than 12s.
+     would be in England, and though it seems little, it answers an
+     end of getting God's word amongst them. I had an Armenian
+     bishop with me the other day, asking for Persian Testaments to
+     send to Ispahan; and a Roman Catholic merchant has promised to
+     take a parcel for me to Teheran, and to distribute them there.
+     Besides these there are others whom I hope to find subservient
+     to this end. For some days I had been making preparations to
+     cross the desert, in order to consult with my dear brethren
+     there about our future measures; but when I came to put
+     together all the items of expense, I found I had not money
+     enough, so I gave up the plan of going with my dear boys, and
+     proposed waiting till Major Taylor came, and leaving them in
+     the Residency, under his and dear Mrs. Taylor's kind care, to
+     go alone. Your letter, however, has relieved all my pecuniary
+     difficulties, and we shall now go altogether or remain
+     together. The love of you all in thinking of and caring for me
+     quite overwhelms me, as I see it to be the Lord's love in and
+     through you all. He not only feeds us in this wilderness, but
+     also provides for the school, so as to overwhelm me with a
+     sense of his care over the most unworthy of his servants. My
+     wonder is, how it is possible for me to love him so little.
+     Since I left England, this is the first purpose I really
+     thought desirable, that the want of sufficient money has put a
+     stop to; and this you see but for a moment; not but that I can
+     get money at any time, but I am determined not to borrow money
+     till my affairs come to the utmost straits, and then only for
+     the simplest necessaries.
+
+     I have received a letter from England, which gives me a painful
+     impression of the state of most of the religious societies.
+     Indeed, I fear they cannot stand on their present basis. May
+     the Lord gently lead them right. The spirit of compromise to
+     gain the world has ruined all; yet are there some sweet spirits
+     amongst them. I would rather have the love that could love
+     amidst a thousand faults, than the zeal that will endure but
+     one. Some, I know, would call this a sickly sort of feeling,
+     but the more I see of their fiery condemnation and sarcastic
+     scorn, the more I am sure it is not of Christ. It is only
+     turning the truth of God into a sort of chimney for the escape
+     of nature's pride and passion.
+
+     My second plan for going to Aleppo has been defeated by my
+     having heard a very bad account of the Arab Sheikh of the
+     Caravan. The Lord graciously gave me an opportunity of seeing
+     his true character before I was alone involved with him in the
+     desert, where, indeed, you are fearfully at their mercy, and
+     where they have so many means of oppressing you.
+
+     _Dec. 29._--How gracious it was of the Lord to send me your
+     letter, just before expense became inevitable, for either for
+     the journey, or for shutting up; you must expend money, as
+     during the time of the plague raging, you can obtain nothing,
+     not even bread, and, if you could, you would be afraid to use
+     it. What unspeakable peace it brings to the soul to have Jesus
+     to look to, and to know that his eye is not averted, though all
+     seems dark. Blessed doctrines of grace! how they comfort when
+     the soul would sink under sin: to know that for Christ's sake
+     we are pardoned. Yea, though we have played the harlot with
+     many lovers, the Lord has restored us, and decked us for his
+     bride against the day of his espousals. Oh what a day, the day
+     of the marriage supper of the Lamb will be, may our hearts be
+     waiting for it, with holy expectation. Pray for me that my
+     faith fail not, nor my Lord's love even appear little in my
+     eyes; but that I may always be enabled to say, "Though he slay
+     me yet will I trust in him." If it be, that all my hopes
+     finish, may his holy blessed will be done. I often wonder how
+     he keeps up my hope as he does; but still I do hope even
+     against hope: and I would call upon you, and all my dear
+     friends, brethren, and sisters in Christ, to rejoice with me at
+     the prospect of that blessed day which is dawning upon us, when
+     we shall see our beloved as he is, and dwell with him for ever,
+     when our vile bodies will be changed and made like unto his
+     glorious body, when the whole number of his elect family will
+     be completed, and we shall reign with him in glory.
+
+     _Jan. 16, 1832._--My dear little boy, Frank, is just laid down
+     in a fever, so I cannot now go to Aleppo. Thus the Lord
+     frustrates all our plans and purposes.
+
+
+                                THE END.
+
+
+
+
+
+End of Project Gutenberg's Journal of a Residence at Bagdad, by Anthony Groves
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+      The Project Gutenberg eBook of Journal Of A Residence At Bagdad, by Anthony N. Groves.
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+<pre>
+
+Project Gutenberg's Journal of a Residence at Bagdad, by Anthony Groves
+
+This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
+almost no restrictions whatsoever.  You may copy it, give it away or
+re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
+with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
+
+
+Title: Journal of a Residence at Bagdad
+
+Author: Anthony Groves
+
+Editor: Alexander Scott
+
+Release Date: August 7, 2009 [EBook #29631]
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
+
+*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK JOURNAL OF A RESIDENCE AT BAGDAD ***
+
+
+
+
+Produced by Free Elf, Anne Storer and the Online Distributed
+Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
+
+
+
+
+
+
+</pre>
+
+
+
+<div class="box">
+<p class="center">Transcriber&#8217;s Notes:</p>
+
+<p>1) Mousul/Mosul, piastre/piaster, Shiraz/Sheeraz,<br />
+Itch-Meeazin/Ech-Miazin/Etchmiazin,<br />
+each used on numerous occasions;</p>
+
+<p>2) Arnaouts/Arnaoots, Dr. Beagrie/Dr. Beagry,<br />
+Beirout/Bayrout/Beyraut(x2), Saltett/Sallett,<br />
+Shanakirke/Shammakirke, Trebizond/Trebisand - once each.</p>
+
+<p class="center">All left as in original text.</p></div>
+
+<hr style="width: 95%;" />
+
+
+<h1>JOURNAL</h1>
+
+<h3>OF A</h3>
+
+<h1>RESIDENCE AT BAGDAD,</h1>
+
+<h3>&amp;c., &amp;c.</h3>
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+
+
+
+<p class="center">
+LONDON:<br />
+DENNETT, PRINTER, LEATHER LANE.
+</p>
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+
+
+
+<h1>JOURNAL</h1>
+<h3>OF A</h3>
+<h1>RESIDENCE AT BAGDAD,</h1>
+
+<h3>DURING THE YEARS 1830 AND 1831,</h3>
+
+<p>&nbsp;</p>
+
+<h3>BY</h3>
+<h2>M<sup>R</sup>. ANTHONY N. GROVES,</h2>
+<h3>MISSIONARY.</h3>
+
+<p>&nbsp;</p>
+
+<p class="center">LONDON:<br />
+<strong>JAMES NISBET, BERNERS STREET.</strong><br />
+M DCCC XXXII.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<h2>INTRODUCTION.</h2>
+
+
+<p>This little work needs nothing from us to recommend
+it to attention. In its incidents it presents
+more that is keenly interesting, both to the
+natural and to the spiritual feelings, than it would
+have been easy to combine in the boldest fiction.
+And then it is not fiction. The manner in which
+the story is told leaves realities unencumbered, to
+produce their own impression. It might gratify
+the imagination, and even aid in enlarging our
+practical views, to consider such scenes as possible,
+and to fancy in what spirit a Christian might meet
+them; but it extends our experience, and invigorates
+our faith, to know that, having actually
+taken place, it is thus that they have been met.</p>
+
+<p>The first missionaries were wont, at intervals,
+to return from their foreign labours, and relate to
+those churches whose prayers had sent them forth,
+&ldquo;all things that God had done with them&rdquo;
+during their absence. To the Christians at Antioch,
+there must have been important edification,
+as well as satisfaction to their affectionate
+concern about the individuals, and about the
+cause, in the narrative of Paul and Barnabas.
+Nor would the states of mind experienced, and the
+spirit manifested, by the narrators themselves be
+less instructive, than the various reception of
+their message by various hearers. In these pages,
+in like manner, Mr. Groves contributes to the
+good of the Church, an important fruit of his
+mission, were it to yield no other. He had cast
+himself upon the Lord. To Him he had left it
+to direct his path; to give him what things He
+knew he had need of, and whether outward
+prospects were bright or gloomy, to be the
+strength of his heart and his portion for ever.
+The publication of his former little Journal was
+the erection of his Eben Ezer. Hitherto, said he
+to us in England, the Lord hath helped me. And
+now, after a prolonged residence among a people
+with whom, in natural things, he can have
+no communion, and who, towards his glad tidings
+of salvation, are as apathetic as is compatible with
+the bitterest contempt; after having had, during
+many weeks, his individual share of the suffering,
+and his mind worn with the spectacle, of a city
+strangely visited at once with plague, and siege,
+and inundation, and internal tumult; widowed,
+and not without experience of &ldquo;flesh and heart
+fainting and failing,&rdquo; he again &ldquo;blesses God for
+all the way he has led him,&rdquo;<a name="FNanchor_1_1" id="FNanchor_1_1"></a><a href="#Footnote_1_1" class="fnanchor">[1]</a>
+tells us that &ldquo;the
+Lord&#8217;s great care over him in the abundant provision
+for all his necessities, enables him yet further
+to sing of his goodness;&rdquo;<a name="FNanchor_2_2" id="FNanchor_2_2"></a><a href="#Footnote_2_2" class="fnanchor">[2]</a>
+and while his situation
+makes him say, &ldquo;what a place would this be to be
+alone in now&rdquo; if without God, he adds, &ldquo;but with
+Him, this is better than the garden of Eden.&rdquo;<a name="FNanchor_3_3" id="FNanchor_3_3"></a><a href="#Footnote_3_3" class="fnanchor">[3]</a>
+&ldquo;The Lord is my only stay, my only support; and
+He is a support indeed.&rdquo;<a name="FNanchor_4_4" id="FNanchor_4_4"></a><a href="#Footnote_4_4" class="fnanchor">[4]</a></p>
+
+<p>It is remarkable, that at a time when the fear of
+pestilence has agitated the people of this country,
+and when the tottering fabric of society threatens
+to hurl down upon us as dire a confusion as that
+which has surrounded our brother, in a country
+hitherto regarded so remote from all comparison
+with our own; at a time when the records of the
+seasons at which the terrible voice of God has
+sounded loudest in our capital, are republished as
+appropriate to the contemplation of Christians at
+the existing crisis;<a name="FNanchor_5_5" id="FNanchor_5_5"></a><a href="#Footnote_5_5" class="fnanchor">[5]</a>&mdash;this volume should have
+been brought before the Public, by circumstances
+quite unconnected with this train of God&#8217;s dealings
+and threatenings to our land. The Christians
+of Britain ought to consider, that there is a warning
+voice of Providence, not only in the tumults of
+the people, and in the terrors of the cholera
+around them, but even in the publication of this
+Journal. It is not for nothing that God has
+moved Mr. Groves, as it were, to an advanced
+post, where he might encounter the enemy before
+them. The alarm may have, in a measure, subsided,<a name="FNanchor_6_6" id="FNanchor_6_6"></a><a href="#Footnote_6_6" class="fnanchor">[6]</a>
+but if the people of God are to be ever
+patiently waiting for the coming of their conquering
+King, this implies a patient preparedness for
+those signs of his coming, the clouds and darkness
+that are to go before him, in the very midst of
+which they must be able to lift up their heads because
+their redemption draweth nigh. To provide
+for the worst contingencies is a virtue, not a
+weakness, in the soldier. That Christian will not
+keep his garments who forgets, that in this life, he
+is a soldier always. No army is so orderly in peace,
+or so triumphant upon lesser assaults, as that which
+is ready always for the extremest exigencies of
+war.</p>
+
+<p>To those who are looking for the glorious appearing
+of our great God and Saviour, Jesus
+Christ, this volume will exhibit indications of the
+advancement of the world towards the state in
+which he shall find it at his coming. The diffusion
+in the east of European notions and practices;
+the desire on the part of the rulers to possess themselves
+of the advantages of western intellect and
+skill; and on the side of the governed, the conviction
+of the comparative security and comfort of English
+domination; the vastly increased intercourse between
+those nations and the west, and the proposals
+for still further accelerating and facilitating that
+intercourse: all these things mark the rapid tendency,
+of which we have so many other signs, towards
+the production of one common mind throughout
+the human race, to issue in that combination for
+a common resistance of God, which, as of old,
+when the people were one, and had all one language,
+and it seemed that nothing could be
+restrained from them which they had imagined to
+do,&mdash;shall cause the Lord to come down and
+confound their purpose. Already has this unity
+of views and aims, with marvellous rapidity, prevailed
+in the European and American world;
+the press, the steam-engine by land and water,
+the multiplication of societies and unions, portend
+an advancement in it, to which nothing can
+set limits but the intervention of God: and now
+it appears that the mountain-fixedness of Asiatic
+prejudice and institution shall suddenly be dissolved,
+and absorbed into the general vortex.</p>
+
+<p>And to those who may have suspected, that
+the prospect of the return of Jesus of Nazareth
+to our earth for vengeance and expurgation of
+evil first, and then for occupation of rule,
+<em>under</em> the face of the whole heaven, is but a
+speculative subject for curious minds, this little
+book presents matter of reflection. By circumstances
+of such urgent personal concernment,
+as those in which Mr. Groves and his departed
+wife have been placed, the merely speculative
+part of religion is put to flight. But we shall
+find them in the midst of confusion, and bereavement,
+and horror, clinging to this one hope for
+themselves and for the world, that the Lord
+cometh to reign, wherefore the earth shall be
+glad; deriving from this hope a delight in God,
+in the midst of all that seems adverse to such a
+sentiment, which, if it be not a proof of practical
+power in a doctrine, what is practical?</p>
+
+<p>On some few points, Mr. Groves has given a
+somewhat detailed expression of his own sentiments.
+One of the most important of these is
+re-considered in the notes by the writer of this
+introduction. Another, on which the interest of
+many has already been strongly excited, is the
+recognition of those men as ministers of God,
+who do not utter the word of his truth, and who
+are admitted to speak without the Spirit of his
+truth. The question, encompassed as it has been
+with difficulties foreign to itself, is but a narrow
+one. The preaching of the Gospel <em>is</em> an ordinance
+of God. The preaching of what is not the
+Gospel is <em>no</em> ordinance of God; and affords me
+no opportunity of shewing my respect for divine
+ordinances by my attendance upon it. That men
+possessing the Holy Ghost should confer spiritual
+gifts by the laying on of hands on those who in
+faith receive it, <em>is</em> an ordinance of God: that men,
+not having the Holy Ghost, should lay hands on
+others for spiritual gifts, is <em>no</em> ordinance of God.</p>
+
+<p>If the outward fact of what is named ordination,
+determines me to regard as now made of
+God a teacher, a pastor, an evangelist, a bishop,
+him who, to all intelligent and spiritual perception,
+is what he was, in error, and ignorance,
+and carnality; this is not respect for divine ordinances
+at all, but a faith in the <em>opus operatum</em>,
+a faith in transubstantiation transferred to men,
+denying the truth of my own perception, and
+clinging to the conclusion of my superstition,
+just as in the mass the senses are denied, and
+bread and wine visibly unaltered, are called flesh
+and blood. The arguments by which this notion
+is supported, are too complicated, and too contemptuous
+of unity or consistency, to be meddled
+with in our limited space. That Christ bade men
+observe what the Scribes and Pharisees taught
+on the authority of the law of Moses, is made
+a reason for reverencing what is taught on <em>no</em>
+divine authority: Scribes and Pharisees, who
+pretended to no divine ordination, but rested
+their claims on their knowledge, are made
+specimens of the respect due to ordination, in
+the case of such whose ignorance and unsound
+teaching are allowed. But were not the Scribes
+and Pharisees in many things ignorant and unsound?
+Yes, truly; but were these the things
+of which the Lord said expressly, these things
+observe and do? To tell us that we must
+observe and do what is according to Scripture,
+however bad the men who teach it, ordained
+or unordained alike; what has this to do with
+ordination? True, this is no excuse for those
+who prostitute the form and name of God&#8217;s
+ordinance, and know that it is prostituted: who
+say, &ldquo;receive ye the Holy Ghost,&rdquo; and would
+laugh as being supposed to confer the Holy
+Ghost: but there is no necessity for running
+from this crime, to the error of which we have
+spoken. Let us acknowledge our wretchedness,
+and misery, and poverty, and blindness, and
+nakedness. When the laws were transgressed,
+and the everlasting covenant broken; then the
+<em>ordinance</em> was <em>changed</em>, as Isaiah foretold it
+should,<a name="FNanchor_7_7" id="FNanchor_7_7"></a><a href="#Footnote_7_7" class="fnanchor">[7]</a> among the causes why the earth is
+defiled under the inhabitants thereof.</p>
+
+<p>The Apostolic Epistles contain little, if any
+thing, to establish  the pastoral authority in a
+single person of each church or congregation:
+and the omission of all allusion to such an office
+is often very remarkable from the occasion
+seeming to assure us, that it would have been
+mentioned had it existed. The Epistles of the
+Lord to the seven churches are therefore resorted
+to for proof of the existence and nature
+of the place of a single pastor with peculiar and
+exclusive powers. But neither there nor elsewhere
+is the fact of ordination once referred to,
+in relation to the receiving or rejection of those
+who claimed to speak in the name of Christ.
+In these very Epistles there is a commendation
+for disregarding for the truth&#8217;s sake the highest
+titles of ecclesiastical office. &ldquo;Thou canst not
+bear them which are evil: thou hast <em>tried</em> them
+which say they are apostles, and are not, and
+hast found them liars.&rdquo;<a name="FNanchor_8_8" id="FNanchor_8_8"></a><a href="#Footnote_8_8" class="fnanchor">[8]</a>
+I believe, &ldquo;not to bear
+them which are evil&rdquo; pastors, evangelists or
+apostles, is as commendable in England as in Ephesus
+in the eye of the Head of the Churches. Is
+there a syllable in the Bible to lead us to suppose
+that these liars were detected by any other
+means than those which Paul had already taught
+the Church? &ldquo;Though <em>we</em>, or an angel from
+heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than
+that which we have preached unto you, let him
+be accursed.&rdquo; As for the ordinance, such passages
+as Titus i. 9, make <em>selection</em> a part of
+that ordinance: the bishop is to be one &ldquo;holding
+fast the word of truth as he hath been taught.&rdquo;
+Now, on what authority shall this part of the
+ordinance, viz. selection, be omitted, and no flaw
+follow: while the presence or omission of a manual
+act in certain hands is to constitute the reality or
+absence of Divine ordination?</p>
+
+<p style="margin-left: 30em;">A. J. SCOTT.</p>
+
+<p><em>Woolwich, Aug. 16th, 1832.</em></p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_1" id="Page_1">[Pg 1]</a></span></p>
+<h2>JOURNAL</h2>
+<h3>OF A</h3>
+<h2>RESIDENCE AT BAGDAD.</h2>
+
+<hr style="width: 15%;" />
+
+<p style="margin-left: 30em;">
+<em>Bagdad, April 2, 1830.</em></p>
+
+<p>We begin to find that our school-room is not
+large enough to contain the children, and we have
+been obliged therefore to add to it another. We
+have now fifty-eight boys and nine girls, and
+might have many more girls had we the means for
+instructing them; but we have as yet no other
+help than the schoolmaster&#8217;s wife, who knows very
+little of any thing, and therefore is very unfit to
+bring those into order who have been educated without
+any order. But I have no doubt of the Lord&#8217;s
+sending us, in due time, sufficient help of all kinds.</p>
+
+<p><em>April 3.</em>&mdash;An Armenian merchant from Egypt
+and Syria, was with us to-day; a Roman Catholic
+by profession, but an infidel in fact. He said it
+was all one to him, whether men were Armenian,
+Syrian, Mohammedan, or Jew, so that they were
+good. He had left Beirout about two months,
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_2" id="Page_2">[Pg 2]</a></span>
+and said there were none of the missionaries
+there then; but that he knew there the Armenian
+Catholic bishop, and an Armenian priest,
+who had left the Roman Catholic church, and
+who were in Lebanon&mdash;he said they were friends
+of his, and very good men. We feel interested
+in receiving some missionary intelligence, to know
+whether or not Syria is still deserted.</p>
+
+<p>We have received from Shushee a parcel of
+our Lord&#8217;s Sermon on the Mount, in the vulgar
+Armenian. We were very much rejoiced at this,
+as it enabled us to supersede, in some little degree,
+the old language; but in determining that
+every boy sufficiently advanced, should learn a
+verse a day, we met with some opposition from
+two or three of the elder boys, and I think two
+will leave the school in consequence; but the Lord
+will easily enable us to triumph over all; of this I
+have no doubt, at all events I see my way clear
+come what will. Captain Strong has taken a letter
+for me to Archdeacon Parr, to ask for some
+school materials, such as slates and slate pencils
+for the school. I feel daily more established in
+the conviction, that our Lord has led us to this
+place, and that he will make our way apparent, as
+we go on in faithful waiting upon him.</p>
+
+<p>I cannot sufficiently thank God for sending my
+dear brother Pfander with me, for had it not
+been for him, I could not have attempted any
+thing, so that all that has now been done, must
+rather be considered his than mine, as I have only
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[Pg 3]</a></span>
+been able to look on and approve. But if the
+Lord&#8217;s work is advanced, I can praise him by
+whomsoever it may be promoted.</p>
+
+<p><em>June 12.</em>&mdash;The circumstances of our situation
+are now going on so regularly, that there is little
+to write about, more than that the Lord&#8217;s mercies
+are new every morning. Since Captain Strong
+left us, there has arrived here a Mr. and Mrs.
+Mignan, and another gentleman, named Elliot,
+neither of whom seem to know, at present, whether
+they will remain here or go on.</p>
+
+<p>The capidji or officer, who came from Constantinople,
+bringing a firman to the Pasha, is
+desired to take back with him a drawing of one
+of the soldiers whom Major T. is organizing for
+the Pasha. Major T.&#8217;s son is just arrived from
+India, and he also is going to organize a body of
+horse; in fact, every thing is tending to the
+establishment of an European influence, and it may
+be the Lord&#8217;s pleasure thus to prepare the way
+for his servants to publish the tidings which the
+sheep will hear. This tendency to adopt European
+manners and improvements, is not only manifested
+in the military department, but in others
+more important. The Pasha has a great desire
+to introduce steam navigation on these two beautiful
+rivers. A proposal has been made from an
+agent of the Bristol Steam Company, to the
+Pasha, through Major T., to have a steam vessel
+in the first place between Bussorah and this place;
+and secondly, if possible, to extend the navigation,
+either by the old canal or by a new one, into
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[Pg 4]</a></span>
+the Euphrates and up to Beer. This navigation
+will bring one within three days of the
+Mediterranean,<a name="FNanchor_9_9" id="FNanchor_9_9"></a><a href="#Footnote_9_9" class="fnanchor">[9]</a>
+without the fatigue, danger, and loss of
+time to which travellers are exposed in the present
+journey. It will be a most important opening
+for missionaries; for should this mode of
+conveyance once get established, the route by
+Constantinople would almost cease, and some
+arrangement would soon be made for going from
+Scanderoon to the different important stations in
+the Mediterranean.</p>
+
+<p>There is a gentleman here on his return to
+England, a Mr. Bywater, whom Mr. Taylor
+wishes to undertake a survey of the Euphrates,
+from Beer to the canal, which connects it
+with this place. Till within about twenty years,
+heavy artillery came to this place by that river, so
+there can be but little doubt that a steam packet
+would be able to go; though it might not be of the
+same size as the one between this and Bussorah.
+The voyage between these places backwards and
+forwards, it is proposed to do in eight days, which
+now takes about six or seven weeks, and during
+the whole of the returning voyage, which is long,
+being against the current, you are at present
+exposed to the attacks of the Arabs every hour,
+whereas the steam packet would have nothing to
+fear from them. In fact, I feel the Lord is preparing
+great changes in the heart of this nation, or
+rather from one end of it to the other; and the
+events which have taken place in that part of the
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[Pg 5]</a></span>
+empire around Constantinople, have tended to the
+hastening on of these changes.</p>
+
+<p>Among the boys that come to me to learn English,
+I have one, the son of a rich Roman Catholic
+jeweller of this place. So important is the commercial
+relation between this place and India become,
+that the number who wish to learn English
+of me, is much greater than I can possibly take
+charge of, as this is not with me a primary object;
+but it is a most important field of labour, and one
+that might have, I think, very interesting results,
+for they will bear opposition to their own views
+more easily in another language than in their own:
+it does not come to them like a book written to
+oppose them, and thus truth may slide gently in.
+My Moolah, who is teaching me Arabic, and
+whose son I teach English, told me, that in two
+or three years he would send his son to England
+to complete his knowledge of English. Now to
+those who know nothing of the Turks, this may
+not appear remarkable, but to those who do, it
+will exhibit a striking breaking down of prejudice
+in this individual.</p>
+
+<p>There is a famous man here, a Mohammedan by
+profession, but in reality an infidel, who is the
+head of a pantheistic sect, who believe God to be
+every thing and every thing to be God, so that he
+readily admits, on this notion, the divinity of our
+blessed Lord. Infidelity is extending on every
+side in these countries. My Moolah said, that
+now a-days, if you asked a Christian whether he
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[Pg 6]</a></span>
+were a Christian, he would say, Yes; but if you
+asked him who Christ was, or why he was attached
+to him, he did not know. And in the
+same manner he said, if you asked a Mohammedan
+a similar question, he would also say, he did
+not know, but that he went as others went; but,
+he added, now all the <em>Sultans</em> were sending out
+men to teach, the Sultan of England&mdash;the Sultan
+of Stamboul, &amp;c. By this I imagine his impression
+is, that we are sent out by the king of England.</p>
+
+<p>Our school is, on the whole, going on very
+well. We have introduced classes, and a general
+table of good and bad behaviour, of lessons, of
+absence, and of attendance; and they all go on,
+learning a portion of Scripture every day in the
+vulgar dialect. This is something.</p>
+
+<p>I am beginning to feel my acquaintance with
+Arabic increase under the plan which I am now
+pursuing with the boys who learn English. They
+bring me Arabic phrases, and as far as my knowledge
+extends, I give them the meaning in English;
+and when that fails, I write it down for
+inquiry from the Moolah next day, and then by
+asking words in Arabic every day for the boys to
+give me the English, I at last get the expressions
+so impressed on my memory, that when I want
+them they arise almost without thought. Another
+advantage from the boys bringing phrases and
+words, is that they bring such as they use in the
+spoken Arabic, which is very different from the
+written. This is a plan I would recommend,
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[Pg 7]</a></span>
+whenever it can be adopted, to every missionary;
+for there is a stimulus to the memory in having
+the questions to ask every day, and having only the
+English written down, which nothing else gives.</p>
+
+<p>We have lately had a little proof of Turkish
+honesty. The man who sells us wood, charged
+us seven tagar, and brought us somewhat less
+than three.</p>
+
+<p>Our souls are much refreshed by the contemplation
+of our Lord&#8217;s coming to complete the mystery
+of godliness. Oh, how long shall it be, ere
+he be admired in all them that believe.</p>
+
+<p><em>June 26.</em>&mdash;We have heard to-day from Mrs.
+G.&#8217;s brother J. from Alexander Casan Beg,
+mentioned in a preceding part of my journal, and
+from Mr. Glen. All our various accounts were
+welcome. Some of the information contained in
+them enables us to rejoice in those we love naturally,
+some in those we love spiritually.</p>
+
+<p>In the letters of Alexander C. Beg, and Mr.
+Glen, I have received the intelligence that the
+former would not now be able to join us, as he
+had previously received an offer from the Scottish
+Missionary Society, to become a missionary of
+theirs in India; for certain reasons, however, he
+does not at present seem able to accept it. Concerning
+this Mohammedan convert, it is impossible
+not to feel the deepest interest.</p>
+
+<p>We have just had some interesting conversation
+with a poor Jacobite, who is come from Merdin,
+with a letter from his matran or bishop, about two
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[Pg 8]</a></span>
+churches which the Roman Catholics have taken
+away from the Jacobites. His description of their
+state is striking. He says, the Pasha of Merdin
+cares neither for this Pasha, who is his immediate
+superior, nor for the Sultan; and that he encourages
+these disputes among the Christians, that
+he may get money from both parties, who bribe
+him by turns. He says, that the Yezidees, when
+they see a Syrian priest coming, will get off their
+horse and salute him, and kiss his hand, and that
+the Kourds are a much worse people than they,
+but that Roman Catholics are worse than either.&mdash;I
+was surprised to find that the Roman Catholic
+bishop has a school of fifty girls learning to read
+Arabic, and to work at their needle.</p>
+
+<p>We have heard to-day that the Mohammedans,
+inhabitants of the town, are much dissatisfied
+with the Sultan and with the Pasha, for introducing
+European customs. They say, they are
+already Christians, and one of them asked Mr.
+Swoboda, if it was true that the old missid or
+mosque near us, was to become again a Christian
+church, and whether the beating of the drums
+every evening after the European manner at the
+seroy or palace, did not mean that the Pasha was
+becoming a Christian. And they say, that the
+military uniforms now introducing, are haram or
+unlawful. Major T. has induced the Pasha to
+have a regiment dressed completely in the European
+fashion, and is now forming some horse regiments
+on the same plan. All these things will
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[Pg 9]</a></span>
+clearly tend to one of these two results&mdash;either to
+the overthrow of Mohammedanism by the introduction
+of European manners and intelligence, or to
+a tremendous crisis in endeavouring to throw off
+the burden which the great mass of the lower and
+bigoted Mohammedans abhor. But still the
+Lord knows, and has given his angels charge to
+seal his elect before these things come to pass.</p>
+
+<p>Our attention has again been directed to the
+subject of steam navigation between Bombay and
+England, by the arrival of Mr. James Taylor from
+Bombay. This gentleman has been engaged for
+some time in undertaking to effect steam communication
+by the Red Sea: with the view of making
+final arrangements on the subject he had just
+been to Bombay, and wished to have returned by
+the Red Sea, but difficulties arising, he determined
+to come by way of the Persian Gulf and
+this city, and to cross the desert. On his arrival
+here, he was made acquainted with the previous
+plans for steam navigation on these rivers; and he
+quickly perceived that if the river were navigable,
+and no other difficulties arose, the preference
+must be given to this route, as being at least ten
+days shorter to Bombay, and of the thirty or
+thirty-five days which remained, seven, or perhaps
+five, would be spent on two beautiful rivers,
+with opportunities of obtaining from its banks vegetables
+and fruits; and instead of the Red Sea,
+which is rocky, stormy, and little known, there
+would be the Persian Gulf, which has been surveyed
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[Pg 10]</a></span>
+in every part, and is peculiarly free from
+storms. From the mouth of the Persian Gulf,
+the boat would go direct to Bombay instead of
+going down to Columbo from the mouth of the
+Red Sea, and then up the western side of the
+Peninsula of India. In Egypt also they would
+have five days journey over the desert, whilst
+from Aleppo they would only have two to a place
+on the Euphrates, called Beer. Fuel also in
+abundance might be obtained here, either from
+wood or bitumen; in fact, Mr. Taylor feels that
+if it can be accomplished, it would save expense
+on the voyage. The only two difficulties that oppose
+themselves to this route are, first, the Arabs,
+and secondly, whether there be a sufficiency
+of water in the rivers. As to the Arabs, a
+steamer has nothing to fear, for by keeping mid-stream
+at the rate they go, no Arab would touch
+them or attempt to do it. The present vessels
+they have no power over in going down, but when
+they are dragged up by Arab trackers, then they are
+easily attacked. As to the second objection, the
+want of water, there appears no insurmountable
+difficulty here, as all the heavy ordnance from
+Constantinople were brought down the Euphrates from
+Beer, on rafts, or, as they are called, kelecks;
+these, independent of their width, being greater
+than that of a steamer, actually draw more water
+when heavily laden. There does not appear to be
+more than one place where there is a doubt, and
+that is at El Dar, the ancient Thapsacus, where
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[Pg 11]</a></span>
+we understand at one season, when the waters are
+at the lowest point, a camel can hardly go over;
+but still, perhaps, further information may be
+desirable. The Pasha has entered very heartily
+into this plan, and offered either to clear out an
+old canal, or to cut a new one between this river
+and the Euphrates. The mouth of the Euphrates
+is one extended marsh, which forms the best rice-grounds
+of the country. The distance between
+the two rivers at this place is about thirty miles.
+Mr. James Taylor thinks that travellers may
+reach England from this in twenty-three days,
+and Bombay in twelve: should this ever take
+place, steam boats will be passing twice a month
+up and down this river with passengers from India
+and England; the effects of such a change, both
+moral, spiritual, and political, none can tell, but
+that they must be great every one may see.</p>
+
+<p>I have been this morning talking with my
+Moolah about the two rivers, as to their capability
+of steam navigation. He decidedly gives the
+preference to the Euphrates, and says, that the
+average depth is the height of two men, or ten feet&mdash;even
+till considerably above Beer; but that the
+Tigris, above Mousul, is very
+shallow.<a name="FNanchor_10_10" id="FNanchor_10_10"></a><a href="#Footnote_10_10" class="fnanchor">[10]</a></p>
+
+
+<p>This possibility thus set before us of seeing
+those we love, and many of the Lord&#8217;s dear servants
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[Pg 12]</a></span>
+here, is most comforting and encouraging:
+this place would become a frontier post of Christian
+labour, from which we might daily hope to
+send forth labourers to China, India, and elsewhere,
+and the work of publishing the testimony
+of Jesus be accomplished before the Lord come.
+However, we are in the Lord&#8217;s hands, and he
+will bring to pass what concerns his own honour,
+and we will wait and see: a much greater opening
+has taken place since we came here than we could
+have hoped for, and much more will yet open
+upon us than we can now foresee. Things cannot
+remain as they are, whether they continue to
+advance as they are now doing, or whether bigotry
+be allowed to make a last vain effort to regain her
+ancient position; still some decided change must
+be the final result of the present state of things.</p>
+
+<p>From the Bible Society at Bombay, I have received
+accounts of their having sent me two
+English Bibles, fifty Testaments, twenty Arabic
+Bibles, fifty Syriac Gospels, fifty Syriac Testaments,
+fifty Armenian Bibles, one hundred Persian
+Psalters, seventy-five Persian Genesis, and
+six Hebrew Testaments. In this are omitted those
+which are most important to us, the Chaldean,
+the Persian, and the Arabic Testament; but perhaps
+when they receive a supply from the Parent
+Society, they will then forward these likewise.</p>
+
+<p>I have also received a letter from Severndroog,
+from the first tutor of my little boys, Mr. N., a
+true and dear person in the Lord, and he mentions
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[Pg 13]</a></span>
+that they had, since he last wrote, admitted
+to their church, four Hindoos and two Roman
+Catholics, and that one Hindoo still remains, whom
+they hope soon to admit.</p>
+
+<p>The following is the estimate of the time which
+the voyages, by the Red Sea, and by these rivers
+to India, would respectively occupy:</p>
+
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;">
+<img src="images/029.png" width="500" height="245" alt="image" title="" />
+</div>
+
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[Pg 14]</a></span>
+</p><p>I have recently had some conversation with Mr.
+J. Taylor, who is waiting only to see the Pasha
+to make final arrangements.</p>
+
+<p>Another very important feature of the above
+plan for steam communication with India is, that
+those societies who have missionaries there, may
+send out their secretaries to encourage and counsel
+them, by which means they will be able not only
+to enter more fully into the feelings and circumstances
+of those they send, but will be able to
+make their own reports, which will be more agreeable
+to those engaged in the work&mdash;to tell about
+which must always be a difficult undertaking.</p>
+
+<p>I found yesterday that one of the gentlemen
+who came hither lately from India, was a Mr.
+Hull, the son of Mrs. Hull, of Marpool, near
+Exmouth, who, however, is not going across the
+desert, but round by Mosul and Merdin, to
+Stamboul. He hopes to be home in September.</p>
+
+<p>Mr. Pfander learnt from some Armenians
+yesterday, that they were much pleased with the
+children learning the Scriptures in the vulgar
+dialect; that they were so far able to understand
+the ancient language still read in their churches,
+and they expressed a wish that they might have a
+complete translation in the vulgar tongue. Those
+Bibles we now have from the Bible Society, are in
+the dialect of Constantinople, which is by no
+means generally or well understood here, where the
+Erivan dialect prevails, which they use in the
+Karabagh, in the north of Persia, and in all these
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[Pg 15]</a></span>
+countries. The missionaries at Shushee are going
+on with the New Testament: Mr. Dittrich has
+finished the translation of the four Gospels, and
+we hope it will be printed for the Bible Society
+this year, for we greatly need Armenian books in
+the vulgar dialect, by which we may, step by step,
+supersede the old altogether. We also greatly
+want Arabic school-books; but these we shall hope
+to get from Malta, through the labours of Mr.
+Jowett.</p>
+
+<p>We find the general feeling here, not only among
+Christians, but even among the Mohammedans, is
+a wish that the English power might prevail here,
+for although the Pasha does not directly tax them
+high, yet from a bunch of grapes to a barrel of
+gunpowder, he has the skimming of the cream,
+and leaves the milk to his subjects to do with as
+they can. Once a month at least the money is
+changed. When the Pasha has a great deal of a
+certain base money that he issues, he fixes the
+price higher by certain degrees, on pain of
+mutilation, and when he has paid it all away,
+or has any great sums to receive, he lowers the
+value by as many degrees as he has raised it
+before. And hearing, as they universally do now,
+of our government in India, that it is mild and
+equitable, most of them would gladly exchange
+their present condition, and be subject to the
+British government. This conduct on the part of
+the Pasha, begets an universal system of smuggling
+and fraud among all classes, so that the
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[Pg 16]</a></span>
+state of these people is indeed very, very bad. I
+never felt more powerfully than now, the joy of having
+nothing to do with these things; so that let
+men govern as they will, I feel my path is to live in
+subjection to the powers that be, and to exhort
+others to the same, even though it be such
+oppressive despotism as this. We have to shew
+them by this, that our kingdom is not of this
+world, and that these are not things about which
+we contend. But our life being hid where no
+storms can assail, &ldquo;with Christ in God&rdquo;&mdash;and our
+wealth being where no moth or rust doth corrupt,
+we leave those who are of this world to manage
+its concerns as they list, and we submit to them
+in every thing as far as a good conscience will
+admit.</p>
+
+<p><em>July 12.</em>&mdash;We have heard of two Jews, who
+have bought two Hebrew New Testaments, and
+a very respectable Jewish banker has been here
+to see Mr. Pfander, with the German Jew,
+whom I have mentioned before, and who is still
+desirous of leaving the broad road, without heart
+to trust in him who is in the heavenly path, the
+way, the truth, and the life. He is now here,
+endeavouring to obtain a livelihood by teaching a
+few boys Hebrew, and comes to read the book
+of Job in German with Mr. Pfander, without any
+of their explanations, one of which, as it regards
+Job, is as follows. They say that every individual
+of the human race actually existed in Adam,
+some in his nails, some in his toes, some in his
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[Pg 17]</a></span>
+eyes, mouth, &amp;c. &amp;c., and they think, in proportion
+to the proximity of the position of any person
+to the parts concerned in eating and digesting
+the forbidden fruit, will be their degree of guilt
+and measure of punishment here; so they consider
+that Job had his place near the mouth. Such
+are the follies which now occupy the minds of
+this interesting people, instead of the Lord
+of life and glory.</p>
+
+<p>Colonization appears to have entered into the
+contemplation of those engaged in steam-navigation,
+and the planting of indigo and sugar. To
+this end, the Pasha has granted them thirty miles
+of land on the banks of the river. Just before
+Mr. Taylor was to set off to go through the
+desert, news came that the Arab tribes on the
+road were at war among themselves, and that
+it would therefore not be safe for him to go that
+way, so he changed his route, and went on the
+13th, by the way of Mousul and Merdin, nearly
+double the distance, and at the same time, Mr.
+Bywater and Mr. Elliot set off to Beer, from
+whence they intend going down the Euphrates
+and examining that river as far down as Babylon.</p>
+
+<p>The old Jew, who came with the German,
+heartily entered into some conversation about the
+coming of Christ. A school of Jewish children
+might, I think, easily be obtained here, if you
+would teach them English and the Old Testament
+only.</p>
+
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[Pg 18]</a></span>
+Our Moolah has mentioned, that he has been
+reading the New Testament with another Moolah,
+who wishes to have a copy of Sabat&#8217;s translation,
+thinking that that might stimulate them to answer
+it; but that the Propaganda edition is so vulgar,
+it offends them, for like the Greeks they seek
+after wisdom. Still, if they read, the testimony
+of God is delivered, and the plucking a few
+brands from the general conflagration, is the great
+work till the Lord come. They have a most
+proud and obstinate hatred against the name of
+Jesus, before whom all must bow.</p>
+
+<p>We have been interested by some inquiries
+made by our schoolmaster and his father, relative
+to our morning and evening prayers; he wanted
+to know what they were, and Mr. Pfander had
+the greatest difficulty in making him understand,
+that we prayed from a sense of our present wants.
+They said, they had heard from their books, that
+in the time of the apostles men were without form
+of prayer, and were enabled to pray from their
+hearts; but that it was not so now. They also
+asked some questions about the Lord&#8217;s Supper,
+whether we used wine mixed with water or unmixed;
+bread leavened or unleavened. They
+seem anxious to know more, and may the Lord
+give an open door to them!</p>
+
+<p>We cannot help feeling, that the difficulties
+among the Mohammedans, and apostate Christian
+churches are great beyond any thing that can be
+imagined previous to experience. The difficulties
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[Pg 19]</a></span>
+of absolute falsehood are as nothing to those of
+perverted truth, as we see in the confounding
+infant baptism with the renewing of the Holy
+Ghost. In every thing it is the same, prayer,
+praise, love, all is perverted, and yet the
+name retained. The communications we received
+from Mr. G&mdash;&mdash;l and
+others,<a name="FNanchor_11_11" id="FNanchor_11_11"></a><a href="#Footnote_11_11" class="fnanchor">[11]</a>
+about the state of Christianity in these countries, is
+but too true, and what he states about the monks
+at Itch-Meeazin may be doubtless true; at
+least I suppose it is the seat of the Armenian
+Patriarch he means, for I know of no other Armenian
+church in these parts, where this service
+is kept up of reading the whole Book of Psalms
+every day. The office of a missionary in these
+countries is, to <em>live</em> the Gospel before them in
+the power of the Holy Ghost, and to drop like
+the dew, line upon line, and precept upon precept,
+here a little and there a little, till God give the
+increase of his labours; but it must be by patient
+continuance in well doing against every discouraging
+circumstance, from the remembrance of
+what we ourselves once were.</p>
+
+<p>We have this day heard, that the cholera or
+the plague is at Tabreez, and that they are dying
+4 or 5,000 a day; but this, I have no doubt, is a
+gross exaggeration. May the Lord watch over
+the seed that seems sowing there, and make the
+judgments that are in the earth warnings to men
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[Pg 20]</a></span>
+to return to God. We also have the cholera here;
+but I trust not severely.</p>
+
+<p>The last Tartar who took our letters with the
+head of the ex-Khiahya was plundered, so that
+our letters were lost which we sent by him.</p>
+
+<p>We have been to-day in hopes of obtaining
+another Moolah, for teaching the children in
+the school to read and write Arabic. For two
+months we have been trying, without success, to
+obtain one, so great is their prejudice against
+teaching Christians at all, but especially
+themselves to read the New Testament; but as our
+Lord does every thing for us, we doubt not he
+will do this also if it be best.</p>
+
+<p>I am much led to think on those of my dear
+missionary brethren, who look for the kingdom
+of Christ to come in by a gradual extension of
+the exertions now making. This view seems to
+me very discouraging; for surely after labouring
+for years, and so little having been done, we
+may all naturally be led to doubt if we are in
+our places; but to those who feel their place to
+be to preach Jesus, and publish the Testament
+in his blood, whether men will hear or whether
+they will forbear, they have nothing to discourage
+them, knowing they are a sweet savour of Christ.
+I daily feel more and more, that till the Lord
+come our service will be chiefly to gather out the
+few grapes that belong to the Lord&#8217;s vine, and
+publish his testimony in all nations; there may
+be here and there a fruitful field on some pleasant
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[Pg 21]</a></span>
+hill, but as a whole, the cry will be, &ldquo;Who hath
+believed our report, and to whom is the arm of the
+Lord revealed.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>It is the constant practice here among the
+Jews, when they hear our blessed Lord&#8217;s name
+mentioned, or mention it themselves, to curse
+him; so awful is their present state of opposition,
+Mohammedans will not hear, and Christians
+do not care for any of those things&mdash;such
+is the present state here; but if the Lord prosper
+our labour, we shall see what the end will be,
+when the Almighty word of God becomes understood.
+The poor German Jew still holds on;
+he has too much honesty to live by writing
+lying amulets, and too little faith to cast himself
+on the Lord; but his constant cry is, What shall
+I do to live? The insight he gives us into the
+state of the Jews here is most awful, but
+notwithstanding, there appears to me a most abundant
+field of labour among the 10,000 who are
+here. Yesterday he called me suddenly while
+at breakfast, to see a poor young Jewess who
+had been married but two months, and had fallen
+over the bridge with her little brother in her
+arms. The scene was awfully interesting. Not
+less perhaps than 300 Jews, with their wives,
+were in the house, but tumultuous as the waves
+of the sea, without hope and without God in the
+world. There was no hope of recovering her.
+She had been in the water an hour and a half,
+and had there been life, they were acting so as
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[Pg 22]</a></span>
+to extinguish every spark. She was lying in a
+close room crowded to suffocation, with the
+windows shut; and they were burning under her
+nose charcoal and wool.</p>
+
+<p>The Armenian boys, who are learning English,
+go on with great zeal, and may in the course of
+time become very interesting.</p>
+
+<p>We have at length received information, that
+all our things are arrived at Bussorah, and among
+the rest, the lithographic press, which we hope
+to find most useful to us in our present position;
+every thing happens rightly and well; they have
+been delayed for some time in coming up the
+river, in consequence of a quarrel between the
+Pasha and the Arab tribe, the Beni-Laam, in
+consequence of the plunder of Dr. Beaky&#8217;s boat,
+but we expect it will be settled, as the Pasha
+has acceded to the terms the Sheikh offered, and
+has sent him down a dress of honour.</p>
+
+<p>I am sometimes led, in contemplating the gentlemanly
+and imposing aspect which our present
+missionary institutions bear, and contrasting them
+with the early days of the church, when apostolic
+fishermen and tent-makers published the testimony,
+to think that much will not be done till
+we go back again to primitive principles, and
+let the nameless poor, and their unrecorded and
+unsung labours be those on which our hopes,
+under God, are fixed.</p>
+
+<p>We have just heard an interesting case. The
+gardener of the Pasha is a Greek, who was
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[Pg 23]</a></span>
+lately sent to him at his request from Constantinople,
+and yesterday (August 6), he became a
+Mohammedan. He had two daughters of thirteen
+and fourteen, whom he also wished to become
+Mohammedans; but they would not consent, and
+ran away to the factory, where they might have
+remained under English protection; but they
+would not stay, unless their brother, and his
+wife, and their servants could remain with them;
+so they left, as Major T&mdash;&mdash; had not room for
+them all, having already the family of one of the
+servants of the Pasha, who is imprisoned for some
+delinquency in connection with the revenue accruing
+to the Pasha from the bazaar.</p>
+
+<p>There has been with Mr. Pfander to-day one of
+the writers of the Pasha, and he read some parts
+of the Turkish New Testament, which he very
+well understood, and expressed much pleasure in
+the reading of; but when, on his being about to
+leave, Mr. P. asked him to accept of a Turkish
+Testament, he very politely declined it.</p>
+
+<p>There is another person come from Merdin,
+with the view of settling the affair between the
+Syrians and the Roman Catholics at Merdin.
+He is a weaver of Diarbekr; and from him Mr.
+Pfander learns, that in the last census taken
+by the Pasha, the Syrians were 700 families, and
+the Armenians 6,700: this certainly opens a
+most interesting field for Christian inquiry: he
+also said, that the Syrians in the mountains were
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[Pg 24]</a></span>
+perfectly independent of the Mohammedans, and
+among themselves are divided into little clans
+under their respective Bishops. He also stated,
+that reading and writing were much more cultivated
+among the independent Syrians than those
+in the plains.</p>
+
+<p>He also said there would be no difficulty whatever
+in going among the Yezidees with a Syrian
+guide. The language which the independent
+Syrians speak is Syriac, which is near the ancient
+Syriac, and that they understand fully the
+Syrian Scriptures when read in their churches.
+We hope, therefore, should the Lord spare our
+lives, to have an opportunity of circulating some
+of the many copies of the Scriptures in Syriac,
+which Mr. Pfander has brought from Shushee,
+and some that I expect will come from Bombay
+for me.</p>
+
+<p>The Gerba tribe of Arabs are come almost
+close to Bagdad, to check whom the Pasha
+intends sending out the troops that have been
+under the discipline of the English.</p>
+
+<p>We have also heard from the Syrian, that from
+Mousul to Mardin the road by the mountains of
+Sinjar is safer than by the plains. Among the Yezidees
+and Syrians, no Mohammedan lives. It is
+impossible to consider such an immense Christian
+population as that in Diarbekr, without feeling
+a wish to pour in upon it the fountains of living
+waters, which we are so abundantly blessed with.
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[Pg 25]</a></span>
+Oh, that some one would come out, and settle
+down in such a place as Diarbekr&mdash;what an abundant
+field of labour!</p>
+
+<p><em>August 14.</em>&mdash;A young Jew was here to-day,
+and bought three Arabic Bibles of Mr. Pfander,
+at 25 piastres of this place each, <em>i.e.</em> about 5s.
+sterling. This is almost the beginning. Many
+might perhaps have been given away; but as we
+find that those of Mr. Wolff were generally
+burnt, we wish them to buy them, at least, at
+such a price that they would not burn them.
+He took away a Hebrew New Testament, but
+returned it again. I should feel deeply interested
+in some one coming to take charge of a Jewish
+school, in which the Old Testament, Hebrew, and
+Arabic, might be the basis of instruction. I make
+no doubt, that at once a most interesting school
+might be established here on a very large scale,
+for they have but one school of about 150 poor
+boys at their synagogue, or rather synagogues,
+for they have six, but all in one place, and forming
+one building; they have also three rabbies,
+and besides the boys which are taught at the
+above school, many others are educated at home
+by teachers. Now, nothing can be more distinct
+than their wish for a school, and their promise
+of supporting it on the basis of the Old Testament
+being taught as a school-book, which certainly,
+as a primary step, is a most important one
+to cause them, by the Lord&#8217;s blessing, to see that
+the book which they now disfigure by monstrous
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[Pg 26]</a></span>
+interpretations, has yet in itself, by the illumination
+of God&#8217;s Spirit, a clear, simple, and, in all
+essential points, an intelligible meaning, without
+the aid of man&#8217;s exposition. But should they
+finally turn round and oppose the school, which
+as soon as the power of it is felt, they most
+assuredly would do, still some might remain, and
+if none should, there is still a most abundant field
+of labour in circulating the Scriptures, and in
+conversation among them in this city, and throughout
+Mesopotamia, where they abound in almost every town.</p>
+
+<p>We have heard from a Jew, that Sakies, the
+Armenian Agent of the East India Company, had
+given the Jews directions to treat Mr. Wolff
+when here with attention, and to invite him to
+their houses. The Jews here are closely connected
+with the English, at least many of them,
+who are under English protection.</p>
+
+<p><em>August 15.</em> <em>Sunday.</em>&mdash;The thermometer this
+day has been the highest hitherto for the year,
+117 in the shade, and 155 in the
+sun.<a name="FNanchor_12_12" id="FNanchor_12_12"></a><a href="#Footnote_12_12" class="fnanchor">[12]</a>
+This is the time when the dates ripen, and the most
+oppressive in the year; but by the Lord&#8217;s great
+mercy, we are all in health and strength, though
+sometimes we feel a little disposed to think it
+is so hot, that we may be excused from doing
+any thing; but my English scholars keep me
+employed six hours a day, which prevents me
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[Pg 27]</a></span>
+from thinking much about the heat, though not
+from feeling it. I can truly say, it is far more
+tolerable than I expected, and yet there are few
+places on the face of the earth hotter. The
+temperature of India is not near so high; and I
+question, if there is any place, that for the year
+through would average so high.</p>
+
+<p><em>August 17.</em>&mdash;The Jew has been here, and
+bought another Arabic Bible. I showed him
+one of the Hebrew Psalters of the Jews&#8217; Society.
+He greatly desired to have it; but I could
+not spare that; but promised him that when mine
+came up from Bussorah, I would let him know.</p>
+
+<p>We have this day a new Moolah, the best we
+could get, but not altogether such as we could
+have desired.</p>
+
+<p>The Jews here cannot believe that Christians
+know any thing of Hebrew, and are therefore
+surprised to see Hebrew books with us. Oh,
+should the Lord allow us to be of any use to this
+holy people, terrible from their beginning hitherto
+alike in the favour and indignation of Jehovah,
+we should esteem it a very great blessing; yet
+surely they ought to have here one missionary,
+whose whole soul might be drawn out towards
+this especial work.</p>
+
+<p>From some communications with a native of
+Merdin, we find that the custom of avenging
+murder and requiring blood for blood, exists
+among the independent Chaldeans and Syrians,
+and keeps them in continual warfare, where one
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[Pg 28]</a></span>
+happens to be killed by the inhabitants of another
+village. The inhabitants of the village of the
+person killed, feel it a necessary point of honour
+to revenge it.</p>
+
+<p>He also mentioned, that the Yezidees were no
+longer so numerous as formerly, but were greatly
+diminished by the plague, which happened a few
+years ago, by which Diarbekr lost 10,000 of its
+inhabitants.</p>
+
+<p>We had a visit from an Armenian, who was
+formerly treasurer to Sir Gore Ouseley; while
+speaking about Christianity, he said, it was no
+use to speak to the Armenians about it, for they
+all say, &ldquo;How can we know any thing about
+such matters, and that, except as a sect, they are
+too ignorant to know or care about Christianity.&rdquo;
+They are indeed full of the pride of heart that
+appertains to sectarians, and obstinately resist the
+Scriptures being translated into the modern languages,
+because, say they, the ancient language
+was spoken in Paradise, and will be the language
+of heaven, and that, therefore, translating the
+sacred book into that which is modern, is a
+desecration. How wonderfully does Satan blind men,
+and how by one contrivance or another does he
+endeavour to keep God&#8217;s word from them, as a
+real intelligible book, which the Spirit of God
+makes plain, even to the most unlettered; but
+the more we discover him endeavouring to pervert
+God&#8217;s word from becoming intelligible, the more
+we should strive to let every soul have the testimony
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[Pg 29]</a></span>
+of God concerning his life in Christ, in a
+language he understands. In this point of view
+I look to the schools with comfort.</p>
+
+<p><em>August 19.</em>&mdash;Things here seem most unsettled,
+and require us to live in very simple faith as to
+what a day may bring forth. It is stated, that
+between 20 and 30,000 Arabs are close to the
+gates of the city. The Pasha has an army about
+24 miles from hence; but unable to move, except
+all together, and there is another regiment under
+an English officer about 12 miles distant. The
+deposition of this Pasha seems to be the principal
+object of these Arabs, in which it is not impossible
+that they may be fully supported by the
+Porte. What will be the result of all this we
+are not careful to know, for we are not to fear
+their face, nor to be afraid, but the Lord will be
+to us a hiding place from the storm, when the
+blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against a
+wall.</p>
+
+<p>A caravan has just come across the desert
+from Aleppo, with a guard of 500 men, consisting
+of 300 camels. Letters brought by a Tartar
+from Constantinople have all been detained by
+the Pasha, except a few on mercantile concerns
+which have been delivered. So many packets
+sent by Constantinople have been in one way
+or another detained, that I have no other hope
+of letters than what my most gracious Lord&#8217;s
+approved love gives me; all which he really desires
+me to have I shall receive, and more I
+would desire not to wish for.</p>
+
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[Pg 30]</a></span>
+We have just heard, that Major T&mdash;&mdash;&#8217;s
+brother, and the gentlemen who left Mousul
+were pursued by 500 Arabs; but all escaped
+except a horse of the
+Capidji,<a name="FNanchor_13_13" id="FNanchor_13_13"></a><a href="#Footnote_13_13" class="fnanchor">[13]</a>
+an officer of the
+Sultan&#8217;s, which was laden with money, collected
+by his master for the government at Constantinople;
+he could not go fast enough, so he fell
+into the hands of the Arabs.</p>
+
+<p>The Roman Catholic bishop has received accounts
+that Algiers is taken by the French, and
+also some forts in its neighbourhood. Aleppo is
+quiet, though the Arabs are in the neighbourhood.</p>
+
+<p>Our new Moolah has expressed his surprise at
+the contents of the New Testament, and wonders
+how Mohammedans can speak against it as they
+do. He intends coming to our Armenian schoolmaster
+on Sundays to read it with him; may the
+Lord most graciously send down his Spirit upon
+them, that the one who undertakes to teach what
+he does not know, may, by discovering his ignorance,
+be led to the fountain of all wisdom; and
+may the other learn to love him whose holy, heavenly,
+and divine name he has blasphemed.</p>
+
+<p>The cholera is much about, but the Lord preserves
+us all safe.</p>
+
+<p>The Pasha has made up his differences with the
+Arab tribe, and all the troops have returned, except
+those under Mr. Littlejohn, which still remain
+out for fear of an attack before all the harvest is
+thrashed and brought in.</p>
+
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[Pg 31]</a></span>
+There are symptoms of great fear on the part
+of the Pasha, that a struggle is actually going on
+among those around him for superseding him in
+his Pashalic, in which they have apparently much
+probability of success, as the Porte has been greatly
+injured by his unwillingness to meet her necessities
+and afford her pecuniary help. Our security,
+however, is in this, that amidst all, the Lord
+knoweth them that are his, and will defend them
+amidst all turmoils and in the most troublous
+times&mdash;in this we find peace and quietness.</p>
+
+<p>The poor men who came to endeavour to obtain
+from the Pasha here the re-institution of the Syrian
+patriarch in those churches in Merdin, from which
+he had been ejected by the Roman Catholic
+bishop, are now returning without success, but
+carrying back with them two boxes of Arabic and
+Syrian New Testaments to the Patriarch. May
+the Lord water them by his most Holy Spirit, so
+that they may become the ground of living churches,
+instead of those of stone which they have lost.</p>
+
+<p>I have been much surprised to learn that all the
+Arab tribes on these rivers, except the Montefeiks,
+are Sheahs or followers of Ali, whom I had formerly
+thought followers of Omar.</p>
+
+<p>I have already mentioned, that on leaving Mousul,
+Mr. Taylor&#8217;s party were attacked and obliged
+to return to
+Telaafer,<a name="FNanchor_14_14" id="FNanchor_14_14"></a><a href="#Footnote_14_14" class="fnanchor">[14]</a>
+a village between Mousul
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[Pg 32]</a></span>
+and Merdin, whence, after having waited for a
+stronger escort, they proceeded towards Merdin,
+when the event related in the following
+letter took place; but the supposed death of the
+three gentlemen was unfounded. They were only
+made prisoners and carried to the mountains of
+Sinjar, among the Yezidees. These people are
+declared enemies of the Mohammedans, whom
+they hate; but, on the whole, except when their
+cupidity is excited, they are not unfriendly towards
+Christians. They seem, with the Sabeans
+and some others, such as the Druzes, to be descendants
+of the believers in the two principles who
+have blown their pestiferous breath at different
+times into every system of religion that has prevailed
+in these countries, corrupting all. However,
+these Yezidees, be they originally what they may,
+have now these three gentlemen in custody, and
+require 7,500 piastres of this place&mdash;about &pound;75,
+for their liberation, and Major T. has sent a person
+from hence to treat about it.</p>
+
+<div class="blockquot">
+<p>&ldquo;My dear Sir,</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;It is, I can assure you, with a sincere
+and melancholy regret at the dreadful, I may say
+horrible and awful event that I have so lately
+witnessed, that I sit down now to address a few
+lines to you. I feel quite unable to give you an
+entire relation of our misfortunes, and shall content
+myself with saying, that out of seven as happy
+people as could well exist on our departure from
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[Pg 33]</a></span>
+Mousul, three only have returned. To one so well
+able to look for consolation, where, I may say, in
+such an event consolation is alone to be found,
+fortitude and patience in suffering might well be
+found. I myself have not attained this, and I
+may say this event has plunged me in the deepest
+melancholy. For a relation of facts, I must refer
+you to Captain Cockrell&#8217;s letter to Major Taylor:
+we were attacked and compelled to fly, and in the
+confusion, Mr. Taylor, his servant, Mr. Bywater,
+and our companion, Mr. Aspinal, were murdered.
+We, that is Captain Cockrell, Mr. Elliot, and
+myself escaped, though I was, I believe, especially
+fired at, as on descending the hill four or
+five whistled close past me. That we were betrayed,
+and moreover, our companions assassinated
+by our own party, no doubt exists in my mind.
+All that were killed out of 500 people that were
+with us were these four. They again, out of all,
+happened to be the only ones among us who carried
+money. We have done every thing in our power
+to recover their bodies but without effect: on our
+return to Telaafer, after having been twenty-six
+hours on horseback in the desert, we wrote a note,
+in the hope that they might be prisoners at Sinjar,
+and offered 4,000 piastres for them if they were
+brought in safe. The Kapidgi Bashi left for
+Merdin before we could hear of our messenger;
+he returned after three days, and said he had seen
+their clothes and pistols, and that they were all
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[Pg 34]</a></span>
+murdered. Mr. Taylor he mentioned as having
+been run through the body with a spear. This
+was one out of many reports of a similar nature,
+and we were fain to give them up for dead. (They
+could not possibly have been alive had they escaped,
+as there was no water within twenty-four
+hours.) All our things were pillaged. I lost all
+my papers, including your letters, and all that
+was left were a few pairs of white trowsers. This
+was most assuredly done by our own party; even
+our own baggage man, before my eyes, almost laid
+hold of my turban and pistol, which I had laid upon
+the ground, and on my laying hold on him, actually
+drew his dagger. I never witnessed such
+villany in my life. All our guards were laughing,
+as if nothing had occurred; and, although I may
+be wrong, yet I do venture it as my opinion,
+that there were no thieves at all, but that it was
+treachery altogether. You will be surprised to
+hear that Captain Cockrell and myself start to-morrow
+on the same road as before. I trust in
+God alone for protection, as we have no guards
+at all. If I ever reach Exeter I shall not fail to
+call on Miss Groves; but after what has happened
+who can say, &ldquo;He shall do this.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;We take no baggage of any description, being
+fully aware of the danger and impracticability of
+so doing; so that if we are again attacked, we
+shall be able to gallop for our lives. Now, adieu,
+my dear Sir. I will write from Constantinople if
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[Pg 35]</a></span>
+I reach it; in the mean time excuse this hurried
+scrawl, and believe me, ever</p>
+
+<p><span style="margin-left: 20em;">&ldquo;Yours very sincerely,</span><br />
+<span class="smcap" style="margin-left: 25em;">&ldquo;W. Hull.</span>&rdquo;<br />
+&ldquo;<em>Mr. A. N. Groves.</em>&rdquo;</p></div>
+
+<p>In consequence of the receipt of this intelligence,
+Major T. sent off Aga Menas to Mousul,
+to treat about the liberation of the captives, and
+we are anxiously waiting the result.</p>
+
+<p>My dear brother Pfander and myself having come
+to the conclusion, that with so large a school, and so
+many objects of one kind and the other as there
+are here requiring attention, it would be impossible
+for me to leave this and go with him into
+the mountains; this led to the further determination
+on his part to return to Shushee next
+year, having first spent a few months at Ispahan, to
+complete his knowledge of Persian; and I of course
+was prepared to be left quite alone, but still my
+heart was fully sustained with the confident hope
+that the Lord would not only do what was right,
+but exceedingly abundant above all I could ask.
+On all sides nothing but silence prevailed:&mdash;three
+packets of letters had been lost between Constantinople
+and this, and one between Tabreez and this,
+and all the letters from India had been detained,
+by the Arabs on the river being at war with the
+Pasha for four or five months. Therefore I knew
+nothing of the movements of any of my dear
+friends, and all was left to conjecture; sometimes,
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[Pg 36]</a></span>
+when faith was in full exercise, I felt assured that
+the Lord was doing all well; at others, I hardly
+knew what to think. I had written to my very
+dear friends in Petersburgh, Dr. W. and Miss K.
+to come if possible and as soon as possible; but
+their having left Petersburgh doubtless prevented
+their receiving my letter. From my dear friends
+in England I heard little; from Ireland not a
+word. Things were in this state, when suddenly
+there came in three Tartars bringing us three packets,
+so full of Christian love, sympathy, and such
+good tidings, that it almost overcame our hearts,
+weak from long abstinence from similar entertainment,
+and even on this day, the third from their
+arrival, they fill my heart till it runs over. To
+hear and see that those one most loves, are indeed
+joying and rejoicing in their holy, most holy
+relation to God in Christ,&mdash;the relationship of sons
+and daughters, to see them anxious to walk blameless
+in all the ordinances their Lord has left them,
+while they glory in being free from the law of
+condemnation, and desire to know no freedom
+from the law of loving obedience: moreover, to
+see them becoming more and more sensible to the
+great truth that inestimable as knowledge is, it is
+what devils may share, but that the love of Jesus,
+and a tenderness of conscience as to his will, is
+infinitely higher than that, and that therefore his
+high command to the members of his church to
+love one another as he loves them, can never
+be slighted by them:&mdash;oh, to see this it does
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[Pg 37]</a></span>
+indeed rejoice my heart, and I pray among us
+all that it may abound more and more, particularly
+among us who have been so graciously
+and so kindly led into all the holy freedom of the
+Gospel. Let us see we use it not as a cloak of
+maliciousness, but as the servants of Christ, loving
+and serving one another, not returning evil for
+evil, or reviling for reviling, but contrariwise
+blessing. The path God&#8217;s children have to take
+when they are determined in the name of the
+Lord not to give the name of God&#8217;s truth to any
+thing merely human, knowing that it is a vain
+thing to teach for doctrines the commandments of
+men, is so naturally offensive, that our zeal for
+the truth should lead us to pray for such especial
+graces of the Spirit as may prevent any unloveliness
+in our walk, preventing the Lord&#8217;s dear children
+from coming, and seeing, and drinking of that
+well-spring in Christ by which we have been so
+refreshed and invigorated. Whilst we profess, my
+very dear friends, absolute freedom from man&#8217;s
+control in the things relating to God, we only
+acknowledge in a tenfold degree the absoluteness
+of our subjection to the whole mind and will of
+Christ in all things. As he is our <em>life</em> hid with
+him in God, so let him be our <em>way</em> and our <em>truth</em>,
+both in doctrine and conversation. How many,
+from neglect of this lovely union, have almost
+forgotten to care about adorning the doctrine of God
+their Saviour in all things. Let us, my dear brethren
+and sisters, pray that we may be united in
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[Pg 38]</a></span>
+all the will of Christ. This is a basis not for time
+only but for eternity, and for that glorious day
+especially, when the Lord shall come to be glorified
+in all his saints, and admired in all them that
+believe. But not only did my packets bring me joyful
+tidings of the Lord&#8217;s doings among those whom
+I especially know and love, but they also brought
+me intelligence that he had prepared for me help
+from among those who had been known and
+approved, and whom I especially loved. How I
+felt reproved for every doubt; and indeed the
+Lord so fully has let his goodness pass before
+me, that I am overwhelmed, and feel I can only
+lay my hand upon my mouth, and whilst overwhelmed
+with my own vileness and unworthiness
+of the least of all my most gracious Lord&#8217;s
+loving kindnesses to me, yet glory in that dispensation
+of grace which ministers to us, not according
+to our deserts, but the unbought, unbounded
+love of God. My letters tell me that my very
+dear brethren and friends, Mr. P., Mr. C., his
+sister, and mother, and little babe, and Mr. N.,
+are coming to join us, with possibly a fourth. Now
+this does seem altogether wonderful, and whilst
+not at all more than I ought to have expected,
+yet more than I had faith to expect. Yet while
+I have nothing to say for myself, I desire to say
+all for God: it is like him, all whose ways are
+wonderful, and, towards his church, full of mercy,
+goodness, and truth. Oh, how happy shall we
+be to await the Lord&#8217;s coming on the banks of
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[Pg 39]</a></span>
+these rivers, which have been the scene of all the
+sacred history of the old church of God, and destined
+still, I believe, to be the scene of doings of
+yet future and deeper interest at the coming of
+the Lord; and whilst I should not hesitate to go
+to the furthest corner of the habitable earth, were
+my dear Lord to send me, yet I feel much pleasure
+in having my post appointed here, though
+the most unsettled and insecure country beneath
+the sun perhaps. In every direction, without
+are lawless robbers, and within unprincipled
+extortioners; but it is in the midst of these,
+that the Almighty arm of our Father delights to
+display his preserving mercy, and while the
+flesh would shrink, the spirit desires to wing
+its way to the very foremost ranks of danger
+in the battles of the Lord. Oh that we may more
+and more press on this sluggish, timid, earthly
+constitution, that is always wanting its native
+ease among the delights of an earthly happiness.
+Oh, may my very loving, zealous brethren, stir up
+my timid, languid spirit to the mild yet life-renouncing
+love of my dear Lord, which, whilst it
+was silent, was as strong, yea, stronger than death.</p>
+
+<p>My dear friend and brother P&mdash;&mdash; and his
+wife have been baptized too; to see this conformity
+to Christ&#8217;s mind, is very delightful; and
+how wonderful, too;&mdash;so strong a current of prejudice
+is there against this simple, intelligible,
+and blessed ordinance. I learn also, that he and
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[Pg 40]</a></span>
+my dear friend the
+A&mdash;&mdash;<a name="FNanchor_15_15" id="FNanchor_15_15"></a><a href="#Footnote_15_15" class="fnanchor">[15]</a>
+are preaching the
+everlasting Gospel themselves, and with some
+others of those we love, employing others to
+preach it. This also is good news.</p>
+
+<p><em>September 10.</em>&mdash;No accounts have been received
+from Sinjar regarding our travellers. I fear this is
+ominous, for if ransom is what the Yezidees want,
+would they not have contrived to forward some
+notice to Bagdad? however, a few days will most
+likely disclose the truth, as on the 8th Meenas
+reached Mousul.</p>
+
+<p>We have just heard that the Nabob of
+Lucknow&#8217;s brother, on his return from a pilgrimage
+to Mished, was taken prisoner with the
+whole caravan by the Turcomans. This amiable
+Mohammedan came from India on a round of
+pilgrimages. He has visited Mecca and Kerbala,
+and was now returning again to this place on
+his way home to Lucknow, after which he purposed
+returning again, and going through Persia,
+Russia, Germany, &amp;c. to England. He was
+robbed once before between this and Aleppo.</p>
+
+<p>The Pasha has just sent to the Factory to
+say, that the cholera has extended its ravages
+to Kerkook, and to ask for advice, and what is
+to be done should it reach this place with its
+epidemic violence. Mr. M&mdash;&mdash; is going therefore
+to write directions, and Major T&mdash;&mdash; will
+get them translated into Arabic, for the use of
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[Pg 41]</a></span>
+the people here. Blessed be the Lord&#8217;s holy
+name, our charter runs, that in the pestilence,
+&ldquo;though ten thousand fall at thy right hand,
+it shall not come nigh thee;&rdquo; on this, therefore,
+we repose our hearts. The Pasha seems perplexed
+to know, in the event of its reaching
+Bagdad, where he shall go with his family for
+safety. It is certainly an awful thing to look at
+Tabreez, where they say, that 8,000 or 9,000
+have died out of 60,000; and two years ago at
+Bussorah, 1,500 out of 6,000, so that the houses
+were left desolate, and the boats were floating
+up and down the creek without owners, and
+when persons died in a house, the rest went
+away, and left the bodies there locked up. But
+we have in our dwellings a light in these days
+that they know nothing of, who know not our
+God either in his power or his love, so that the
+heart is enabled to cast all, even the dearest to it,
+on the exceeding abundance of his mercy.</p>
+
+<p><em>September 10.</em>&mdash;I fear the intelligence we have
+just received of poor Mr. J. Taylor, Mr. Bywater,
+and Mr. Aspinal, and the Maltese servant, leaves
+us little room to hope but that they have all
+been treacherously murdered. Our Moolah tells
+us, he received a letter from a friend of his at
+Merdin, stating, that they were murdered&mdash;not
+by the Yezidees at all, but by the party of Arabs
+sent by the Pasha of Mousul to protect them, in
+conjunction with a party from Telaafer, an Arab
+village, where they spent a night. It appears,
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[Pg 42]</a></span>
+that when the attack was made, Mr. Elliot,
+Captain Cockrell, and Mr. Hull galloped off
+after being stripped; but Mr. Taylor, Mr. Aspinal,
+and Mr. Bywater got entangled among
+these robbers, and Mr. A. shot one of the Arabs
+with his pistol; and afterwards Mr. B. shot
+another. It then became with these lawless
+plunderers, no longer a matter of simple robbery,
+but of revenge and death. They killed these
+two young men, and then pulling Mr. Taylor
+from his horse, killed him. I confess, when I
+saw them mounting their horses, strongly covered
+with offensive weapons of warfare, I felt very
+little comfort about them, for, if they were
+attacked, it would only be with an overwhelming
+force, or they would be given up in treachery,
+in both which cases almost all the danger arises
+from resistance.  Those wretched plunderers
+seek not life, but booty; this quietly yielded,
+you may go; but if you use the sword, you perish
+by the sword. If you carry money, or any thing
+valuable, you are exposed to be stripped, and if
+you go armed, to be killed. About three years
+ago, the French interpreter was going the very
+same route, and near Telaafer he was attacked,
+and stripped; but they let him go free. The
+fate of these gentlemen has greatly affected us
+all. A delay must now take place in the steamboat
+communication, for it is not probable that this
+route can ever be so disregarded, but that some
+effort, sooner or later, will be made.  Let our
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[Pg 43]</a></span>
+impatient hearts hush their murmurings; it is
+the work of a loving Father, who declares to his
+children, that all things shall work together for
+their good; yea, the disappointment of present
+hopes shall, by heavenly patience, yield the peaceable
+fruits of righteousness to those who are exercised
+thereby.</p>
+
+<p><em>September 14.</em>&mdash;We have just heard, that an
+order has been given out in one of the mosques,
+that the Mohammedans shall receive no printed
+books. Whether this watchfulness is the result
+of Mr. Pfander having employed a man, a Jew,
+to sell Bibles, Testaments, and Psalters, or
+whether, at the suggestion from the R&mdash;&mdash; C&mdash;&mdash;
+B&mdash;&mdash;, I know not. How near the principles
+are of the beast and the false prophet&mdash;how easily
+they harmonize and help each other!</p>
+
+<p>We have lately heard some interesting details
+of the numbers of the Jews in the places north-east
+of Persia. A Jew who has travelled in these
+countries states, that there are,</p>
+
+<div class='center'>
+<table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" summary="">
+
+<tr>  <td align='center'><em>In.</em></td>  <td align='center'><em>Language spoken.</em></td>  <td align='center'><em>Families.</em></td>  </tr>
+<tr>  <td align='left'>Samarcand</td>  <td align='left'><span style="margin-left: .5em;">Turkish</span></td>  <td align='left'>500</td>  </tr>
+<tr>  <td align='left'>Bokhaura</td>  <td align='left'><span style="margin-left: .5em;">Turkish and Persian</span></td>  <td align='left'>5,000</td>  </tr>
+<tr>  <td align='left'>Mished</td>  <td align='left'><span style="margin-left: .5em;">Turkish and Persian</span></td>  <td align='left'>10,000</td>  </tr>
+<tr>  <td align='left'>Heerat</td>  <td align='left'><span style="margin-left: .5em;">Turkish and Persian</span></td>  <td align='left'>8,000</td>  </tr>
+<tr>  <td align='left'>Caubul</td>  <td align='left'>{Pashtoo, but Persian}</td>  <td align='left'>300</td>  </tr>
+<tr>  <td align='left'>Bulkh-(Caubul)</td>  <td align='left'>{ &nbsp;&nbsp;generally understood}</td>  <td align='left'>300</td>  </tr>
+
+</table></div>
+
+
+<p>There are also in the villages about some Jews,
+from 20 to 100 families. Their knowledge of the
+Hebrew is very confined; very few understand
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[Pg 44]</a></span>
+it at all; they have also very little knowledge
+of the Talmud. We hope from time to time to
+collect more particulars to correct, confirm, or
+cancel these, and all other accounts of a similar
+nature, for in these countries it is not one account
+that can stand, and when confronted by 50 more, it
+can still be only considered as an approximation
+to truth.</p>
+
+<p><em>September 16.</em>&mdash;Our long expected packet by
+Shushee and Tabreez has just arrived. The
+messenger, on reaching Kourdistan, found it in
+such a state of danger and confusion, that he was
+afraid to proceed, but went back again, and
+came by a longer but more quiet way. Another
+cause of delay seems to have been their going to
+India, and back again to Tabreez. The information
+contained in this packet is most interesting.
+From Petersburgh we heard from several
+friends, all encouraging, comforting, and rejoicing
+us. The Lord seems to give them courage still
+to persevere; and dear sister&nbsp;&mdash;&mdash;&nbsp;intends, after
+recruiting a little in England, to return again to
+her work there. I feel satisfied it is a most
+interesting field, and that ere long in Russia
+some tremendous changes will take place. The
+poor are anxious for the word of God, and the
+nobility despising the hierarchy, and, therefore,
+that blind priestly domination under which it has
+groaned, will finally fall to pieces; infidelity will
+take openly its side, and the Lord&#8217;s saints theirs.</p>
+
+<p>Dear Mr. K&mdash;&mdash; tells us, that some dear
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[Pg 45]</a></span>
+American brother, by name Lewis, has sent him
+money to procure for his family a house in the
+country during the few months of a Russian
+summer. How loving and bountiful a Lord ours
+is, supplying his most affectionate and waiting
+servant with all he needs; it makes every little
+bounty so sweet when it comes from a Father
+through one of his vessels of mercy. Oh, who
+would not live a life of faith in preference to
+one of daily, hourly satiety&mdash;I mean as to earthly
+things; how very many instances of happiness
+should we have been deprived of, had we not
+trusted to, and left it to his love to fill us with
+good things as he pleased, and to spread our
+table as he has done, year after year, and will do,
+even here in this wilderness.</p>
+
+<p>From Shushee we have also heard, that our
+dear brother Z&mdash;&mdash; and an Armenian had been
+travelling and selling Bibles and Testaments.
+They went first to Teflis; from thence to Erzeroum,
+Erivan, Ech-Miazin, and back again to Shushee.
+What success he had in selling Bibles and Testaments
+we do not know, but at Erzeroum, he was
+accused by the Mohammedans before the Russian
+authorities, but let go. He returned home in
+safety under the hand of the Lord. There is also
+in the letters of our brethren most pleasing accounts
+of a young Armenian, the son-in-law of
+the richest Armenian merchant in Baku, supposed
+to be worth half a million. This young
+man, at a visit of Z&mdash;&mdash; and P&mdash;&mdash;, was much
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[Pg 46]</a></span>
+interested by their conversation about the New
+Testament, and they went away, leaving him an
+interesting inquirer. He, however, still pursued
+his way alone, and attained a perfect understanding
+of the Armenian Testament, which at first
+he was able to read but indifferently. He then
+felt himself unable to proceed in mercantile transactions
+as before; so that his father-in-law told
+him, that much as he regretted separating from
+him, if he became so pious, they must part.
+Well, he said, he could not give up his convictions,
+and he was sure his Lord would not allow
+him to want; so he left his father-in-law, and
+learnt the trade of a taylor. From the very first
+he began to teach his wife, and she takes part
+with him; and he is now selling Bibles and
+Testaments, and circulating tracts among the
+Russian soldiers. This is a sight indeed! for
+centuries perhaps they have not seen one of their
+own body rising up, and choosing to suffer
+affliction with the people of God, rather than
+enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; and the
+sight is as strange to Mohammedans as to Christians.
+May the Lord sustain, comfort, and bless
+him out of his heavenly treasures.</p>
+
+<p>From Tabreez our tidings are heavy, or rather
+would be, but that the Lord of love directs and
+orders all, and sees the end from the beginning,
+yet they have also good tidings too. I have
+already mentioned, that the cholera had been
+raging at Tabreez; but we learn, that not only
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[Pg 47]</a></span>
+this, but the plague is there also, to a most frightful
+extent. I will just copy here the account
+our dear sister Mrs.&nbsp;&mdash;&mdash; has given us; and
+for whose safety we desire to bless the Lord;
+she says,</p>
+
+<div class="blockquot">
+<p>&ldquo;Before this reaches you, you may have heard
+of the sorrow and desolation that have befallen
+this city within these last two months. Thousands
+around us have been cut off by the cholera and
+the plague. The former raged so furiously for
+the first month, that 2 or 300 died daily. Symptoms
+of the plague first were discovered in the
+ark among the Russian soldiers, which manifested
+itself by breaking out over the body in
+large boils; the person attacked, feeling himself
+overcome by stupor; many died before it was
+thought what it was; precautions were taken,
+and they were sent out to camp at some distance
+from the town. The disorder has not raged
+among them so much as it has in the town. I
+cannot tell you how great the fear was that was
+struck into the minds of the people. Many were
+taken ill through fear, of which they died. Previous
+to the city being quite deserted, men,
+women, children, of all denominations, collected
+themselves together in large bodies, crying and
+beseeching God to turn away his judgments from
+them: this they did bareheaded and without shoes,
+humbling themselves, they said, because they
+knew they were great sinners. The air resounded
+with their cries day and night, particularly the
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[Pg 48]</a></span>
+latter, and often during the whole of it. Oh,
+did they but know the truth as it is in Jesus.
+At length all classes fled to the mountains, leaving
+the town quite deserted. Alexander told me,
+on his return one day from the city, that he
+had not met a person. All the shops in the
+bazaar were forsaken, so that from this you may
+derive some idea of the terror that has possessed
+this people.&rdquo;</p></div>
+
+<p>Mrs.&nbsp;&mdash;&mdash; also tells us, that the establishment
+at Tabreez is going to be much reduced,
+and that therefore Mr. N&mdash;&mdash; is ordered back
+to India. This has tried them much, for they
+were just expecting two American missionaries,
+a Mr. Dwight and a Mr. Smith, with whom they
+were hoping to have acted happily for their
+common Lord. But the Lord&#8217;s ways are not
+our ways, nor his thoughts our thoughts, so these
+things happen otherwise than we expected.
+However, wherever they go, may they be blessed,
+and a blessing. They purpose coming here on
+their way, which affords us much pleasure at
+the prospect of seeing them again. However,
+we are greatly rejoiced to think, that brethren
+from America have designed Tabreez for their
+station. Now between Shushee, Tabreez, and
+this place we have a little frontier line. Oh,
+may there be daily new ambassadors of mercy
+publishing the testimony of Jesus in all the
+world. Oh, that the end may quickly come.</p>
+
+<p>Our Moolah is dreadfully depressed to-day,
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[Pg 49]</a></span>
+at the prospect of the cholera and plague coming
+here, and he said to me, he thought the end of
+the world must be near, because of these wars,
+pestilences, and plagues.</p>
+
+<p>We have also heard that we shall most likely
+be obliged to leave this house after the year has
+expired; for the Sheahs have been complaining
+to the Seyd,<a name="FNanchor_16_16" id="FNanchor_16_16"></a><a href="#Footnote_16_16" class="fnanchor">[16]</a>
+the owner of it, for letting it to
+the infidels for such a purpose. But we are not
+careful about these things; it will be as the Lord
+wills.</p>
+
+<p>Nothing can show the stupid carelessness of
+these people more, than that, although they are
+frightened out of their reason almost at the
+prospect of the plague and cholera, yet they
+have actually allowed a whole caravan from
+Tabreez to come into the city without quarantine,
+or any kind of precaution.</p>
+
+<p>Oh, how joyful the promises in the Revelations
+are for &ldquo;those written in the Lamb&#8217;s book
+of life,&rdquo; for &ldquo;those who have not the mark of
+the beast on them,&rdquo; for those who are to be
+sealed before the angels are allowed to hurt the
+earth. Yea, he will for his great name&#8217;s sake
+hide us in the secret of his pavilion, so that he
+will put a song into our mouths; yea, he will
+encompass us with songs of deliverance. We
+feel that it now indeed especially becomes us
+neither to fear their fear nor be afraid.</p>
+
+<p><em>Sept.</em>&mdash;The weather is now become decidedly
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[Pg 50]</a></span>
+cooler. A fortnight since the average height of the
+thermometer in the shade, during the warmest
+part of the day, was 117; it is now lowered to 110.
+During the hottest time of the year, which is now
+just over, the quicksilver was rarely lower than 110,
+or higher than 118 in the shade, except in the
+morning, when the general range was from 87
+to 93.</p>
+
+<p>The Seyd who has let us his house, and who
+we had heard intended to turn us out after the
+year was expired, has got into trouble with the
+Pasha, about some ground he rented, and for
+which he was to pay the Pasha a certain quantity
+of corn; but he says, what from the locusts, and
+the rain not coming at the usual time, and when
+it did come, coming in such unusual quantities, he
+lost his crop. He has now come begging us to take
+his case to Major T., to beg him to endeavour
+to settle it with the Musruff. Thus the Lord
+has brought him into difficulties, that if he were
+disposed to turn us out he would not be able this
+year. But he denies altogether having said any
+thing about turning us out, and it is not improbable
+that it is as he says; his family which is a
+large one, and once were opulent, feel it a great
+disgrace to let out the house of one of the descendants
+of the prophet to a Christian, and more
+especially as one of the rooms is over the street
+under which the Mohammedans have to walk,
+and this most especially offends them; but that
+we might not give them any unnecessary offence
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[Pg 51]</a></span>
+we have never occupied the room, though the most
+airy one we have.</p>
+
+<p>A Jew of Yezd has been with us, and told us
+that there are 300 families of Jews in that city,
+and the same number at Ispahan.</p>
+
+<p><em>Sept. 24.</em>&mdash;A caravan has just arrived from
+Constantinople, by way of Aleppo. We have
+also heard that one caravan from Damascus has
+been plundered, and another from Kerkook: and
+a messenger likewise who came from Captain
+Campbell, from Tabreez, was also stopped, but
+having nothing besides letters, was suffered to
+pass. I note these events down merely that they
+may afford a little criterion of the unsettled state
+of the whole of the interior of this immense continent.
+In fact, the Lord is, amidst these commotions,
+preparing a way for his testimony to spread.</p>
+
+<p>The cholera, by the Lord&#8217;s blessing, is decreasing,
+but it is reported that at Kerkook the mortality
+went as high as 100 a day; it has now,
+however, ceased.</p>
+
+<p><em>Sept. 27.</em>&mdash;The intelligence has been confirmed
+of the death of Mr. Taylor, Mr. Aspinal, and Mr.
+Bywater, as well as of a Maltese servant, and that
+the principal perpetrators were the Sheikh of Telaafer,
+in conjunction with a Sheikh of the Yezidees,
+who were with the caravan at the time.</p>
+
+<p>The Nawaub mentioned before, has been delivered
+by the Prince of Teheran sending an
+army into Khorassan, and with him all the caravan.</p>
+
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[Pg 52]</a></span>
+<em>Sept. 29.</em>&mdash;Meenas has just been here, and the
+only particulars he has given of the unfortunate
+travellers, in addition to that which we knew before
+is, that Mr. Aspinal made his escape with
+the others, but hearing a cry from Mr. Taylor
+and Mr. Bywater, he returned, and finding them
+surrounded by about fifty men, he drew his pistol
+and shot one man through the arm. This made
+them retire for a moment, but they advanced
+again: he then drew another pistol, and shot the
+Sheikh of the Yezidees, by name Bella. His
+son then rushed on them with the rest, and killed
+them all, and with them six other Christians&mdash;two
+on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, and the others
+on mercantile business. The booty they then divided,
+half to the people of Telaafer, who were the
+guards of the murdered party, and the other half
+the Yezidees kept. The Yezidees do not appear
+at all to have wished to kill them, knowing
+their relation to the Resident here, from whom they
+hoped to get a handsome ransom. Perhaps no two
+events could more powerfully manifest the weakness
+of the Ottoman empire internally than this
+event which has happened to Mr. Taylor, and the
+pillage of a caravan going to Mousul, which was
+stripped of every thing but two boxes of books,
+which Mr. Pfander had sent; these they left as
+being too heavy, and they are now safe at Mousul.
+This caravan was stripped by persons nominally the
+subjects of the Pasha within two days journey of
+Bagdad, and the property divided with the most
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[Pg 53]</a></span>
+perfect impunity without any attempt at recovery.
+These gentlemen were robbed and killed by persons
+of a village subject to the Pasha of Mousul;
+and he has not the least prospect of bringing them
+to punishment.</p>
+
+<p>When Meenas gave the Syrians in Mousul an
+account of our school here, they were so much
+interested, that all their principal persons have
+written a letter to invite us to come there and
+establish schools among them, and also to desire
+that we should send to them some Arabic Testaments
+and Psalms. All this is most encouraging,
+and I plainly see, that were there twenty servants
+of Christ, faithful men, who would be content to
+work for the Lord in every way, there might soon
+be found abundant work for them. Mousul seems
+especially open to Christian influence. Many of
+those immediately connected with the Pasha are
+Christians, and many even among the Mohammedans
+have still Christian recollections. The letter
+from Mousul, Meenas tells us, will come in about
+three days; if so, Mr. Pfander proposes sending
+back a present of Arabic Testaments and
+Psalms, with the expression of our hope that the
+Lord may strengthen our hands, as he has made
+willing our hearts, to extend our labours unto
+them. Major T. often asks me if I think any
+missionary mechanics may still come out. The
+Lord does so much and so wonderfully, that I can
+almost hope this, notwithstanding the host of prejudices
+to be first surmounted.</p>
+
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[Pg 54]</a></span>
+Marteroos, the schoolmaster, who we hear is on
+his way from Sheeraz, will, I trust, be a great
+comfort to us, and a help to the school. He taught
+two years in the school at Calcutta, and though
+solicited, would receive no salary; and also at
+Bushire. This is a trait of character so utterly
+unlike these countries, that we cannot but hope
+he will enter into our plans with a heartiness that
+we can expect few others would. From his understanding
+English, we hope he may be able to take
+not only the higher Armenian classes, but also to
+have time to translate such books as we need for
+the use of the school, and also little tracts for circulation.</p>
+
+<p>The Musruff, (or treasurer) of the Pasha told
+Major T. that they had begun the canal between
+the Tigris and Euphrates. This shews
+the Pasha is still anxious about the steam communication.</p>
+
+<p>Our Mohammedan Moolah still continues to
+read the New Testament, with the Armenian
+schoolmaster, who seems very sanguine that he
+will become a Christian. At all events, I bless
+God that he sees the record of God with his own
+eyes, so that if he now rejects the testimony, it will
+be God&#8217;s that he rejects, and not the solemn
+mockery of Christ&#8217;s most simple and most holy
+truth, which they have before seen.</p>
+
+<p>We were much delighted to find that those of
+the little boys who had been exercised in translating
+their own language into the vulgar,
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[Pg 55]</a></span>
+had retained such a clear knowledge of it,
+that though they were called upon quite
+unexpectedly, they understood it; whereas the
+bigger boys, who come to me for English,
+and the Moolah for Arabic, and who are
+considered to have finished the Armenian education,
+were not able to translate one word, at
+which they were not a little ashamed, though
+the fault was not theirs, but the plan of
+education. We are greatly encouraged by this, and
+led to hope, with the Lord&#8217;s blessing we shall see,
+instead of a system of education, which after
+immense labour, terminates in nothing but <em>sound</em>
+without <em>sense</em> or instruction, a system that will
+at least bring God&#8217;s word before them in a form
+intelligible and clear; yea, the very truth that
+God&#8217;s Spirit has promised to bless, and which He
+has declared shall not return unto him void. Our
+schoolmaster fully enters into these plans for
+improvement, and really desires to do whatever we
+wish. Our Arabic Moolah also enters much into
+our wishes, and the boys are making double the
+progress they did under the old system. This is
+all of the Lord; and in fact, when I think of the
+doubts expressed before we commenced of our
+being allowed to work at all, and consider the
+quietness and peace the Lord has allowed us to
+enjoy in the prosecution of our work, I desire
+more entirely to cast my whole soul, with all its
+purposes and plans on the Lord, not to move but
+as he guides.</p>
+
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[Pg 56]</a></span>
+The two great objects of the church in the
+latter days seem to me to be, independent of
+growing herself up into the stature of fulness
+in Christ, the publication of the testimony of
+Jesus in all lands, and the calling out of the
+sheep of Christ that may be imprisoned in all
+the Babylonish systems that are in the world.
+In both these may the Lord of his infinite mercy
+grant success. Oh, how consoling it is, under an
+overwhelming sense of powerless inefficiency, to
+one&#8217;s work, to know that God has chosen to put
+the most precious gift in earthen vessels, that the
+excellency of the power may be of God and not of
+man, so that we may glory in our very weakness
+and ignorance, and natural insufficiency, knowing
+that the Lord&#8217;s strength is made perfect in this
+very weakness. Dear and blessed Lord, make us
+every one willing to be nothing, that thou mayest
+in all things be glorified.</p>
+
+<p><em>Oct. 2.</em>&mdash;I have just seen a sight that
+interests me much; the Mohammedan Moolah sitting at
+one window of the school reading the Arabic New
+Testament, and the Armenian vartabiet (or schoolmaster)
+sitting at a table explaining to the son of the
+priest of this place the New Testament. This young
+man is just going to Ispahan to be ordained.
+This certainly is something gained, that the word
+of eternal truth is brought before them.</p>
+
+<p>In speaking yesterday to my Moolah about the
+fortress which the Sultan has ordered to be built
+between Damascus and Aleppo, to keep the road
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[Pg 57]</a></span>
+safe for caravans, and which is nearly finished, he
+told me that the Sultan had promised the European
+Sultans that he would govern and regulate
+his country like theirs; thus the minds of these
+people seem preparing step by step for changes.</p>
+
+<p>I have heard, that after we left Petersburgh,
+some of those, from whom we had experienced
+peculiar kindness, had become very active in
+visiting the poor in the neighbourhood of that city,
+and in circulating tracts and the Scriptures, till
+at last they attracted the notice of the governors
+of one of these villages, who arrested and
+examined them. Dr. W. was ordered to leave St.
+Petersburgh in twenty-four hours, and the Russian
+dominions in three weeks.  Dear young Mr.&nbsp;&mdash;&mdash;,
+being an officer, was put into confinement,
+and&nbsp;&mdash;&mdash;, whose mother has often visited Africa, has
+since left her charge, and is returned to England
+for her health, but hopes with increased prospects
+of usefulness, to return to her former sphere of
+labour. They felt the cause of God had gained
+ground during their trials, and that their own
+souls had greatly rejoiced in the Lord.</p>
+
+<p><em>Oct. 7.</em>&mdash;We have just heard that a German
+watchmaker in this place has turned Mohammedan.
+This unprincipled man had a wife and children
+in Germany, yet wished to marry a Roman
+Catholic Armenian here; but knowing that the
+Bishop here would not marry them, he then went
+to the Musruff, (the chief officer of the Pasha,)
+and promised him that if he would get him this
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[Pg 58]</a></span>
+woman he would become a Mohammedan, and
+this he has now done, and he is using all his
+endeavours to compel the young woman he has
+married to follow his steps. This, at present, she
+resists, but she has little principle, as she knew
+before of his being married. The more I see of
+this people, the more I am struck with the
+necessity of our being made acquainted with the
+deep wickedness and corruption of the human
+heart, that we may never be hopeless as to these
+people, and think them some peculiarly iniquitous
+race; and on the other hand, we need a deep
+sense of the omnipotence of God&#8217;s Holy Spirit,
+that we may never be discouraged; for the bones
+are indeed very, very dry. We hear this wretched
+man has been beating the woman, finding his
+entreaties failed.</p>
+
+<p><em>Oct. 10.</em>&mdash;The Lord has blessed us with a little
+girl, and every thing has been ordered by him most
+happily, so that we have wanted nothing that the
+luxury or wealth of England could supply.  Bless
+the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me
+bless his holy name; for indeed he daily loadeth
+us with benefits.</p>
+
+<p><em>Oct. 14.</em>&mdash;The news of the state of things in
+France, and of the Revolution there, has led us to
+look up to our Lord to see what the end will be of
+these movements.  That they will help on the
+coming kingdom of our Lord we know, but how
+we cannot yet see. We have also heard not only
+that France has taken possession of Algiers, but
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[Pg 59]</a></span>
+is marching towards Tunis. Thus, step by step,
+Turkey is being dismembered; and although by
+infidel principles and by infidel hands, yet perhaps
+preparing the way for the publication of the Lord&#8217;s
+love to man. We have also understood that an
+English force of 4,000 men, in 200 ships, are
+assembled at Malta with the view of attacking
+Egypt; but this we do not believe, but regard it
+as French news, calculated to bring us, in the
+eyes of the Turks, as guilty alike with them in
+attacking the Turkish dominions. However, all
+these things render our situation here very
+profitable, for we know not what a day may bring
+forth, and are therefore obliged to look solely
+to our Lord. Not that this Pasha cares much,
+perhaps, about the taking of Egypt by the English,
+or the general reduction of the empire, for such is
+the state of this country, that the security of every
+little despot depends on the weakness of the
+supreme power. Yet notwithstanding this there
+may break out paroxysms of popular fury, that
+however short are terrible. But the Lord is our
+secure and sufficient refuge, and when he has a
+people to save&mdash;his chosen ones&mdash;he will put a fear
+into the hearts of their enemies. The Revolution
+in France seems to be the Infidel against the
+Jesuit, or ultra-Papistical party, which may lead
+to the removal of the Archbishop of Babylon from
+his consular authority, though his ecclesiastical
+influence would not, perhaps, be lessened by this.</p>
+
+<p><em>Oct. 17.</em>&mdash;The value of the English protection
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[Pg 60]</a></span>
+is beginning here to be so fully understood and
+felt, that the first merchant in Bagdad came to
+Major T. begging to be taken under it, and
+when Major T. declined, he requested that his
+son might; and the Seyd, our landlord, in explaining
+the reason of his wish for the Resident to take
+up his cause, stated, that it was not so much in
+order to obtain any present benefit, as that the
+government might see that he interested himself
+about him; as this, he said, would prevent him being
+subject to those oppressions he had been exposed
+to before. In fact, I do not believe, that
+during the late heavy exactions that have been
+made from all degrees and kinds of people, one
+individual under English protection has suffered,
+or that an attempt has been made to oppress one.
+I do not now, or on any other occasion, mention
+these events as pieces of political intelligence, but
+as necessary to give a view of the signs of the
+times. This consideration for the English does
+not arise from love, as the most intense hatred is
+manifested when it may with safety, as well as
+the most unconquerable and haughty contempt of
+Christianity and Christians; it seems with this
+people of God&#8217;s curse, as with the mystical whore,
+they are consuming away in preparation for final
+destruction by the brightness of his coming.</p>
+
+<p>Mr. Pfander&#8217;s Persian Moolah has altogether
+refused to translate Persian with him. He says
+he will read and converse with him, but not translate;
+so great is their contempt of Christians, that
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[Pg 61]</a></span>
+though it is only the Gulistan of Sadi, and therefore
+no religious book, they will not teach it. In
+fact, the difficulty of getting teachers here is
+very great. The Christians know nothing&mdash;the
+Mohammedans very little, and what they do know
+they will not communicate to a Christian. But
+all this is ceasing and must come down.</p>
+
+<p><em>Oct. 18.</em>&mdash;Our hearts have been deeply affected
+by a conversation which Mr. Pfander has had
+with the Mohammedan Moolah, who teaches our
+boys Arabic. He was telling Mr. P. that he was
+greatly struck by our Lord&#8217;s precept, not when
+you make a feast, to invite the rich or those who
+can invite you again, but the poor who cannot;
+and that from these considerations he had been led
+to invite to an entertainment he had provided, all
+the poor persons he knew, to the surprise of his
+friends, to whom he explained his reasons. He
+also told Mr. Pfander he had often wished he
+were an animal rather than a man. There appears
+altogether a degree of uneasiness in his
+mind that may lead further. Thus God is making
+his holy and blessed word a testimony to the hearts
+of some; oh! may every success here be such
+as bears only the mark of God&#8217;s workmanship by
+his word and his Spirit. That there are many
+souls here which will feel the power of God&#8217;s
+omnipotent word, I can never doubt, when it comes
+fully and clearly before them.</p>
+
+<p>The German Jew, whom I have several times
+before mentioned, seems determined to become a
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[Pg 62]</a></span>
+professing Christian. His mind is convinced, but
+his heart I fear little, if at all, affected. He abhors
+the lying abominations of Judaism, which he
+finds among his brethren. He has certainly come
+thus far without being induced by any worldly
+motives, for had he continued, or would he now
+return to live by begging for Jerusalem and writing
+lying amulets, he might easily do it. He
+wishes to go to Bombay, and there become a
+Christian.</p>
+
+<p>We have just heard that one of the boys of
+the school and his mother, who took him
+away from us, have both become Roman Catholics.
+The inducement to these Armenians
+is, generally, the pecuniary relief they obtain from
+the bishop here, who has the administration of some
+funds entrusted to him for religious uses, which
+he exclusively gives to Roman Catholics, and
+with this he bribes those who can have no other
+attachment to their system beyond that which is
+hereditary, for in all other things, and in practice,
+it would be difficult to say whether of the two were
+most corrupt. But we trust, by the good hand of our
+God upon us, one day to have different systems of
+judgment than that of one corrupt system against
+another, even the holy, pure, unadulterated word
+of God against the corruptions of all men and all
+nominal churches.</p>
+
+<p>We have heard, to our great sorrow, that the
+plague has returned again to Tabreez, and that all
+have again left it; and also that the cholera has
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[Pg 63]</a></span>
+again returned to Kerkook, and committed dreadful
+ravages. Thus the Lord seems visiting the
+kingdoms of the false prophet with his sore
+judgments and plagues.</p>
+
+<p><em>Oct. 21.</em>&mdash;There has just been acting here a
+scene of duplicity, falsehood, and bloodshed,
+which appears strange to us, but is not uncommon
+in this land of misrule and cruelty. A Capidji (or
+Ambassador) from the Porte to the Pasha has
+been long expected, and with evident anxiety by
+him and those immediately about him, which was
+increased to the highest pitch, when by a messenger
+from Aleppo, the Pasha received the intelligence,
+that this man&#8217;s intention was to supersede
+him, and of course to destroy him. It then became
+the object of the Pasha to endeavour to get
+him into his hands, which was the more difficult, as
+it is usual for the Capidji to read publicly his firman,
+and proclaim the successor at Mousul, or some
+place near, who, collecting the Arabs, marches to
+lay siege to this place, till the head of the Pasha
+is delivered to him. To prevent this, therefore,
+the Pasha made the Imrahor, or Master of the
+Horse, who has the whole arrangement of the
+military force, to write a letter to the Capidji, begging
+him to come here at once, and that he would,
+without a struggle, give the head of Daoud
+Pasha into his hand, whereas if he remained at
+Mousul, there must be an open contention about it.</p>
+
+<p>By this he was allured to approach the city,
+and the Pasha sent out 700 or 800 men under
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[Pg 64]</a></span>
+pretence of showing him honour, to meet him and
+secure him in case any accounts of the true
+state of the case should reach him, that he
+might have no possibility of flight. Thus he
+was brought into the city, and his quarters
+appointed in the house of the Musruff; when, after
+the Pasha had obtained from him the declaration
+of his object, a Divan was called, and it was
+determined to put him to death. This event has
+thrown the city into great consternation, and every
+one who can, is buying corn in expectation of what
+is to follow. For the tragedy will not end here,
+as a friend of the Capidji is left behind at Mousul,
+and another Capidji is at Diarbekr, waiting the
+result of this negociation. So it appears that the
+Sultan is determined to act at once and decidedly
+against this Pasha. We are now, therefore to expect
+a siege, and a state of anxiety and fear in this
+city for some months; but the Lord, who sitteth
+in the heavens, is ordering all for his own glory,
+and for our safety, and he will provide for us.</p>
+
+<p><em>Oct. 22.</em>&mdash;We have this day heard that the
+Syrian Patriarch of Merdin has recovered one of
+his churches from the Roman Catholics, and is, on
+the whole, making, in a certain sense, a more
+successful stand against them; but not in the
+spirit of Christ, I fear. He has two of his priests
+who had turned Roman Catholics in prison.</p>
+
+<p>This day our new Armenian teacher has arrived
+from Sheeraz. He seems an interesting man;
+but our final plans with him are not yet arranged.</p>
+
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[Pg 65]</a></span>
+We have also heard that the school at Bushire,
+established by Mr. Wolff, is going on badly. He
+promised to send out a teacher and money, neither
+of which having arrived, the school has dwindled
+to seventeen, and these are neglected.</p>
+
+<p>It is the common conversation to-day in the Bazaar
+that the Capidji was put to death last night.
+This man was the Accountant General of the Porte,
+and formerly Kiahya. Our Arabic Moolah has
+been buying corn, in the expectation of the present
+state of things here terminating in an open contest,
+in which he thinks the Pasha, now having no
+hope, will throw himself into the hands of Abbas
+Meerza, and that thus Bagdad will again become
+subject to Persia. Amidst all these wars and
+rumours of wars, our path is to sit still and wait
+the Lord&#8217;s pleasure, which he will assuredly manifest
+to our heart&#8217;s content, for they that wait upon
+the Lord, shall not make haste, nor be confounded,
+world without end.</p>
+
+<p>Our schoolmaster has come to a full understanding
+of the principles on which we intend to conduct
+the school: to have nothing that is <em>contrary to
+God&#8217;s word admitted</em>, and I think he very fully and
+heartily enters into this plan. But he informs us
+that the parents of many of the children are
+dissatisfied with our superseding the church prayers,
+called the Shanakirke, by the New Testament,
+and ask, &ldquo;Who are these people? Are they
+wiser than our Bishops and ancient fathers, that
+we should reject what they introduced?&rdquo; This is
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[Pg 66]</a></span>
+what we must expect. But we can, with a quiet
+heart, leave all to the Lord, to order as he will.
+That the schoolmaster is truly on our side I feel
+very thankful, and, I hope, the hearts of many
+of the children.</p>
+
+<p><em>November 10.</em>&mdash;After having waited now several
+weeks for an opportunity to send letters and
+a parcel, and not having found any, from the extreme
+vigilance there is here to prevent any communications
+going to Constantinople, I have determined
+to avail myself of the offer of an Austrian
+merchant here, to enclose them in a bale of goods
+going to Aleppo, and to have them forwarded thence
+to Constantinople. It is a great comfort to know
+that all the intelligence essential to our cause, as
+being God&#8217;s, will reach, and all that is separate
+from that, though it may not be against it, is of
+little consequence.</p>
+
+<p>We have had two Armenian priests to converse
+with Mr. Pfander, one from Nisibin; and the
+other from Diarbekr. The one from Nisibin said
+they had no printed books among them, and
+that they were very anxious to go into the Russian
+provinces, but were afraid, since the death of the
+Russian Ambassador, to make any attempt to go.</p>
+
+<p>The Armenians seem going from all the Mohammedan
+states that they can to Russia. From
+Erzeroum, great numbers have gone to the Karabagh,
+and thus they may people the desolate provinces
+of Georgia. The other Armenian Priest,
+from Diarbekr, confirmed the information we had
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[Pg 67]</a></span>
+previously obtained, that the Armenian population
+of that city was 5,000
+houses,<a name="FNanchor_17_17" id="FNanchor_17_17"></a><a href="#Footnote_17_17" class="fnanchor">[17]</a>
+about 25,000 of all
+ages, and that they have two schools there, containing
+about 300 children, but no one cared about them.</p>
+
+<p>It is now an understood fact, that the Capidji,
+or messenger of the Sultan, who was left behind
+at Diarbekr, when his companion came on to arrange
+the affairs of this Pashalic, is collecting
+troops around Diarbekr, to attack Bagdad. This,
+however, will most probably be now deferred till
+the spring. So we may then expect a siege, unless
+things are arranged before. The Capidji who has
+been put to death appears to have been a man of
+great distinction, and to have rendered great
+services to the Sultan, both during the war and
+subsequent to it.</p>
+
+<p>The priest of Diarbekr said, they were too far
+off to be helped either by the Russians or the
+English; but I cannot help thinking, for such a
+purpose as schools, or getting through their means
+a large body of persons acquainted with God&#8217;s
+word, it would be a most important position. It
+presents, however, many difficulties, and at all
+events would require some time to be spent in some
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[Pg 68]</a></span>
+place preparatory to settling among them, to obtain
+a knowledge of the Turkish and Armenian
+languages, and for these preparatory studies,
+should there be no determining principle, perhaps
+Shushee would be the best position, as the brethren
+there all know English, and some Turkish,
+and some Armenian.</p>
+
+<p>We are now fast approaching the termination
+of our first year&#8217;s residence in Bagdad, and the
+Lord&#8217;s mercies towards us have been exceeding
+great. We have been surrounded by many things
+that would have been dangerous, had not the Lord
+checked them by bringing them to nothing, both
+from disease and enemies; but, as he promised,
+they have not come nigh us. We have borne the
+heat without any diminution of natural strength.
+We are altogether standing on a more advanced
+position, that on entering Bagdad we could have
+hoped. Things are in preparation for the knowledge
+of God&#8217;s holy word being extended, and
+thus one great object of missionary labour is in
+the way of attainment. But still, while I feel
+assured of there being some choice fruit from here
+and there a fruitful bough, I at the same time feel
+no less assured, that the great harvest will be of
+wickedness, and that the pestilence of infidelity
+is the great spreading evil, not the spreading of
+Millennial blessedness. As it was in the days of
+Noah, so do I believe it will be at the coming of
+the Son of Man; and as it was in the days of Lot,
+the great mass of mankind will be taunting the
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[Pg 69]</a></span>
+Church with, &ldquo;Where is the sign of his coming?&rdquo;
+which shews plainly enough that this will be a
+doctrine of the Church in the latter days, or how
+should it be reviled; so that our Lord, in
+contemplating the general apostacy, said, &ldquo;When
+the Son of Man cometh shall he find faith in the
+earth?&rdquo; Oh, then, how happy is it to be among
+those who love his appearing, who long for the
+termination of that dispensation which witnessed
+the humiliation of the Church under the world, and
+the rise of that glorious kingdom which shall not
+be dissolved, and into which no sorrow or sighing
+can enter. I feel the languages to be a great
+barrier. Whether the Lord will pour down this
+among the other gifts of the latter days, I do not
+know, but at present it is a great exercise of a
+Missionary&#8217;s patience, to ask even for the common
+necessaries of life; but to speak out the fulness
+of a full heart, so as to be understood and felt is
+very, very difficult. The difficulties in the way of
+a literary acquaintance with these languages are
+by no means so great, as the study may be pursued
+alone, but the colloquial language can only be
+learned by intercourse with men, and this is far
+more difficult to attain by an European, who may
+have a very good knowledge of the language
+of books, and still be little understood in speaking.
+But still the time spent in the learning of a language
+among a people, every thought, and purpose,
+and habit of whose lives are diverse from
+your own, has this advantage, that you become in
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[Pg 70]</a></span>
+some measure acquainted with their peculiarities
+before you are in a situation to offend against them.</p>
+
+<p>We have heard that the Emperor of Russia has
+conferred some honours on the family of this Pasha,
+who are Armenian Christians, in Teflis. Things
+are beginning to look unsettled in Persia.
+Contentions have already arisen between the
+Prince of Kermanshah and the Prince of Hamadan,
+which seems to be but the precursor of a general
+state of confusion on the death of the Shah; and
+doubtless amidst all these commotions the Lord
+will move on his way, and the day of his coming
+advance. Oh, may we all labouring abundantly
+in patience, wait for that day, that when it does
+come we may be found watching.</p>
+
+<p>We have some anxieties about our dear friends
+who are journeying towards us. Whether the
+intelligence of the state of the Pashalic may deter
+them, or whether they will come on, trusting in
+the Lord, it is our daily prayer for them, that he
+would guide and preserve them.</p>
+
+<p>Our communications with Tabreez seem almost
+closed.  Since we received the letter from
+Mrs.&nbsp;&mdash;&mdash;, relative to their leaving Tabreez,
+and going by this to India, we have neither seen
+them, nor heard of them. Whether, therefore, they are
+gone by Shiraz, or whether they are detained, we
+cannot tell; but the roads will soon become impassable
+from snow in the lofty range of mountains
+over which they will have to come.</p>
+
+<p>I shall now conclude this portion of our little
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[Pg 71]</a></span>
+history, with assuring those we love, that the Lord
+has been better than all our fears and all our
+hopes. The more we have proved him, the more
+we have found him to be faithful and gracious,
+and that not one of the good things he has promised
+to faith has been wanting; but his love has
+abounded far beyond our faith, yea, and they will
+yet abound more and more. Let us then encourage
+one another to prove him more, that we may
+have deeper experience of his faithfulness. We
+find the prospect of the approaching coming of
+our Lord a corrective of the allurements of the
+world, and an encouragement to a simple surrender
+of all we have as his stewards, to him and his
+service, as their only legitimate and worthy object,
+who has redeemed us from death with his own
+precious blood, making us a chosen generation, a
+royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people,
+that we might shew forth his praises. Oh! may
+the Holy Spirit dwell in us more powerfully, that
+we may be ever fulfilling his great and glorious
+purpose.</p>
+
+<p>Accounts have just come to us by letters from
+Tabreez, that the plague has been ravaging that
+devoted city till 23,000 of its inhabitants have
+fallen victims to it and the cholera, and that when
+this letter came off (Oct. 28), they were still dying
+eighteen of a day, and this is not confined to
+the city;&mdash;the villages of the surrounding country
+have equally suffered; half the inhabitants
+have been swept away, the corn has never been
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[Pg 72]</a></span>
+reaped, and the cattle were wandering about without
+owners. The missionaries from America had
+not arrived then; most probably they are deterred
+by the intelligence of the state of Tabreez. Our
+dear friends the N&mdash;&mdash;&#8217;s had never enjoyed better
+health&mdash;thus preserved of the Lord in the
+midst of the general devastation: they are also
+for the present, at the request of the Prince, detained
+till an answer from the Indian government
+is again received respecting them. A famine
+seems the inevitable consequence of the plague
+and pestilence at Tabreez. Surely these are
+among the signs of the times; but the Lord&#8217;s command
+to us is, Let not your hearts be troubled.</p>
+
+<p>We have received no intelligence from Shushee,
+but we heard from Tartars that the plague had
+been in the Karabagh, which makes us additionally
+anxious to hear from thence: but doubtless
+since the plague at Tabreez, all intercourse with
+Russia from that side has been interdicted. Mr.
+Zaremba mentioned, that he had to pass through
+seven quarantines between Erzeroum and Shushee.</p>
+
+<p>I may also just add, that we have finally arranged
+with our new schoolmaster from Shiraz.
+We had given particular directions to the person
+who proposed sending for him, that if money were
+any object to him, (which we heard it was not)
+he should write and let us know what he would
+require. He however came, and when he came,
+he wanted a sum equal to about &pound;84. sterling a year.
+This I was both unable and unwilling to give,
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[Pg 73]</a></span>
+and therefore fixed &pound;30. as the utmost, and the
+rest has been made up by the Armenians among
+themselves, excepting &pound;18. which has been given
+by Major T.  He speaks English imperfectly,
+but thoroughly understands Armenian, and will
+teach the elder boys grammar and translating.
+He will also superintend the girl&#8217;s school for one
+or two hours in the morning, and teach Mrs. G.
+Armenian. We also hope, as soon as may be, to
+get some tracts and little school-books translated
+into vulgar Armenian, but all this must depend
+on the blessing of the Lord on our undertaking.
+This brother has joined the Church of England
+in Calcutta: but he is himself at present a strict
+Armenian, yet I hope, not a bigoted man.
+But all our past experience has led us to look to
+the Lord alone for all profitable help. Those
+whom we think promise every thing, often occasion
+nothing but anxiety, and those from whom
+we expect the least we have reason abundantly
+to bless God for having sent us:&mdash;so wisely, so
+graciously, and yet in so sovereign a way does
+the Lord bring to pass his purposes, and bless
+his servants, that every thought of confidence
+in any creature may be destroyed, and the soul,
+by a thousand disappointments, when it has reposed
+elsewhere, at last be compelled to learn only
+to repose on the bosom of its Father, where love
+and faithfulness eternally dwell, and convince
+the soul of its past expectations from any other
+source.</p>
+
+
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[Pg 74]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>&nbsp;</p>
+<p style="margin-left: 30em;">
+<em>February 14, 1831.</em></p>
+
+<p>An offer has been made to us by one of the
+richest Armenian merchants here, to send, at his
+own expense, two camel loads of books any where
+we wish, which has of course been thankfully
+accepted; and we think of sending at least one
+load to Diarbekr. He has also bought from our
+Armenian teacher, those Bibles he had procured
+from the Bible Society at Calcutta, who, with the
+many thus obtained, has determined to send more
+Bibles from Bushire, where he has already 200,
+to Julfa and Ispahan, and the villages round about,
+in which he says there are above twenty churches.</p>
+
+<p>I have this day settled all my accounts, and
+find, after every thing is paid, including the expenses
+of my baggage from Bushire, and of the
+house for ourselves, and school for another year,
+that our little stock will last us, with the Lord&#8217;s
+blessing, two months longer, and then we know
+not whence we are to be supplied, but the Lord
+allows us not to be anxious; he has so wonderfully
+provided for us hitherto, that it would be
+most ungrateful to have an anxious thought.
+Even for my baggage, Major T. only allowed me
+to pay half the charge, and he has moreover told
+me, that should I at any time want money, only
+to let him know and he will lend it me. Now,
+really, to find here such kind and generous friends,
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[Pg 75]</a></span>
+is more than we could have hoped, but thus the
+Lord deals with us, and takes away our fears.
+That we may many times be in straits I have no
+doubt, but the time of our necessity will be the
+time for the manifestation of our Lord&#8217;s providential
+love and munificence.</p>
+
+<p>There is one peculiar feature that runs through
+all education in the eastern churches, that it professes
+to be religious, which gives us an opportunity
+of introducing such books as may be useful,
+without its exciting any surprise or suspicion,
+or opposition.</p>
+
+<p><em>Feb. 16.</em>&mdash;The Pasha has sent Major T. word
+of the ravages the plague is making in Sulemania.
+The government and all who have it in their
+power have quitted it. This account has spread
+much consternation, in addition to which two men
+from Sulemania arrived here ill of the plague, one
+of whom has recovered. Major and Mrs. T., with
+their usual generous kindness to us, have offered
+us an asylum with them should the plague come
+here, where we should enjoy this great advantage,
+that as the house stands close to the river, a
+supply of water can be obtained without communication
+with the city. But at present we do not
+clearly see our way: should our school be broken
+up, I see not so much difficulty; it would be a
+most valuable opportunity for Mrs. G. making
+progress in the language; but we wait on the
+Lord and he will guide us. These do indeed
+seem awful times for these lands. We cannot be
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[Pg 76]</a></span>
+too thankful for the peace and joy the Lord allows
+us to feel in the assurance of his loving care.</p>
+
+<p>I was much struck by a remark of our Moolah
+yesterday, when speaking of the horror he felt at
+the prospect of the plague coming here. He
+said, the sword he did not fear, but the plague he
+did, for one was the work of man, the other of
+God. I replied to him, that feeling this God
+who directs the plague, to be my father, who
+loved me, I knew he would not suffer it to come
+nigh me unless he had no longer occasion for me,
+and then it would come as a summons from a
+scene of labour and many trials to one of endless
+joy. He said, Yes, it is very well for you not to
+fear death, who believe Christ to have atoned for
+you; but I fear to die.</p>
+
+<p><em>Feb. 19.</em>&mdash;To-day we have heard that the
+above report of the plague being at Sulemania is
+false; that it has been there, but has now left it;
+so we know not what to believe.</p>
+
+<p><em>Feb. 21.</em>&mdash;The expenses attendant on our packages
+from Bombay to this place, are as great as
+from England to Bombay. The boxes of books
+and medicine, and the press, with three boxes of
+books from the Bible Society, cost twenty-five
+pounds. Aleppo would certainly be the cheapest
+way to send them by, and by far the most speedy.
+It would be a great comfort to us, if this
+communication should ever be opened, for then we
+might freely communicate with, and hear from
+those we love. I sent a packet across the desert
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[Pg 77]</a></span>
+the other day, which we have every reason to
+think was intercepted. In fact, it is now very
+doubtful if any of the many letters we have sent,
+have gone safe, and none have reached us for
+these six months.</p>
+
+<p>Intelligence came to-day, that the Sultan has
+ordered the Pasha of Mosul, and another Pasha
+who is dependant on this Pasha, to discontinue all
+communication with him, as the enemy of the
+Sultan. A few weeks will, most probably, conclude
+this long-continued struggle, and, we hope, the
+insecurity and confusion attendant on it; yet, the
+Lord knows his purposes, and we have only to execute
+his will.</p>
+
+<p><em>Feb. 24.</em>&mdash;We have just heard, by a letter that
+came from Aleppo by way of Merdin and Mosul,
+that the caravan which left this place more than
+three months ago, entered Aleppo about thirty
+days ago. They remained in the desert till the
+Pasha of Aleppo had quitted that place on his
+expedition against the Pasha of Bagdad, from the
+fear, that if they entered the town he would seize
+their camels for the use of his army. Much alarm
+is entertained here by the inhabitants as to the
+result of this attack. From past experience they
+are led to expect great lawlessness, from both
+friends and foes. May the Lord keep our hearts
+in perfect peace, stayed on him. We now begin
+to feel that it is very doubtful when we shall see
+our dear friends: certainly no caravan will pass
+the desert till all these disturbances are settled.
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[Pg 78]</a></span>
+It may be also possible, that the journal and
+packet of letters I sent packed in a bale of goods
+belonging to a merchant here, may yet reach their
+destination.</p>
+
+<p><em>Feb. 28.</em>&mdash;This day brought us news of the arrival
+of our very dear and long expected friends
+and fellow-labourers safe at Aleppo, on the 11th
+of January, after many delays and many trials.
+We had never been allowed to doubt our Lord&#8217;s
+most gracious dealings with us, but yet this
+overwhelmed us with joy and praise; and this welcome
+news reaches us just as our dear brother Pfander
+is on the point of leaving us alone. We received,
+at the same time, a packet of letters from most of
+our dearest friends in England, at the very moment
+when our little all was within a month of
+coming to a conclusion, telling us that the Lord
+had provided us with supplies for at least four
+months to come, which we might draw for. Surely
+the Lord has most graciously seen fit to dry up
+those sources from whence we anticipated supply,
+that we might know we depend on him alone, and see
+how he can supply even here; we were ashamed
+of every little anxious feeling we had ever had,
+and were much encouraged to trust him more and
+more. My soul is led to abhor, more and more,
+that love of independence which still clings to it,
+when I see how it would shut me out from these
+manifestations of my Father&#8217;s loving care. Oh!
+how hard it is to persuade the rebellious will and
+proud heart, that to depend on your Father&#8217;s love
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[Pg 79]</a></span>
+for your constant support, is more for the soul&#8217;s
+health, than to be clothed in purple and fare
+sumptuously every day&mdash;or at least, as we would
+say, on bare independence; and yet how plain it
+is to spiritual vision.</p>
+
+<p>We met together in the evening to bless the Lord
+for the past, and supplicate his continued blessing
+for the future&mdash;that he would accomplish what he
+had begun, that our hearts may never cease to
+praise and bless him. My soul was much comforted,
+especially with a text to which one of our
+dear correspondents called my attention, Zeph.
+iii. 17. &ldquo;The Lord thy God in the midst of thee
+is mighty, he will save, he will rejoice over thee
+with joy, he will rest in his love; he will joy over
+thee with singing.&rdquo; All the letters amounted to
+twenty-six, which, after so long an interruption
+of all intelligence, was an especial source of joy.
+And now we can think of our dear friends definitely
+as absolutely at Aleppo, only waiting for the
+termination of disturbances to join us.</p>
+
+<p>To-day, a Chaldean, from near Julimerk, came
+to see us, and we expect him again, with his
+brother, who, he says, can read, when I hope to
+obtain from him a fuller account of the state,
+numbers, and disposition, of his wild countrymen.</p>
+
+<p>A Mohammedan Effendi was with me to-day;
+a very amiable young man, who sees many things
+in the customs of his people bad, arising out of the
+Mohammedan laws. He came to borrow an Arabic
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[Pg 80]</a></span>
+bible for, he said, a poor schoolmaster, which
+I gladly lent him. Whether it be really for a
+schoolmaster, or for himself, I do not know.</p>
+
+<p><em>March 4.</em>&mdash;Read this morning, with peculiar
+pleasure, Hawker&#8217;s Evening Portion: &ldquo;How shall
+we sing the Lord&#8217;s song in a strange land:&rdquo;
+heightened as it was by the localities of our situation;
+but above all, by the unity of our experience
+with the sentiments of the writer; for we have
+indeed found the love of our Father, the pastoral
+care of our Elder Brother, and the consolation
+and visits of our Comforter, that which has
+enabled us to sing the Lord&#8217;s song in this strange
+land, even the song of the redeemed.</p>
+
+<p><em>March 13.</em>&mdash;The time is now fast approaching
+when we expect the struggle for the Pashalic to
+commence, at the conclusion of the Ramazan. Yet
+it may all pass over, for the government of
+Turkey is so utterly without principle, that by a
+well timed application of money, all difficulties
+may be surmounted with the Porte, and as the
+Pasha seems now disposed to meet this desire, it
+may, especially in the present difficulties of the
+Sultan with Russia, lead, after all, to an amicable
+termination of one year&#8217;s anxiety and suspense.
+We are now especially anxious for the pacification
+of these countries, that our dear friends may be
+able to pass over the desert, as our dear and kind
+brother Pfander left us last evening for Ispahan. It
+was a great rending to us all, and has left a vacuum we
+cannot easily hope to have filled up in all its parts;
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[Pg 81]</a></span>
+and till our dear brothers and sisters come, we shall
+be very solitary, and very much pressed; but our
+strength will be as our day. Had he seen it right
+to remain I might have crossed the desert to our
+dear friends; but this not being the case, it is
+impossible for me to leave this, and perhaps in the
+present state of things here, from apprehensions
+of plague and war, it would have been impracticable
+even if he had remained.</p>
+
+<p>Caravans pass much more frequently between
+this place and Damascus than between this and
+Aleppo, and it appears to me the shorter and
+better way of communication to Bayrout and Damascus
+to Bagdad than by Aleppo. Three caravans
+have passed over the desert from hence to Damascus
+within these few months. With one of these an
+Armenian with his wife and children went, and
+with another several Mohammedan families;
+thereby hoping to avoid the troubles they expected
+here. So at least we may venture for our Lord
+what men venture for their own various interests.
+In fact, it does not appear that any further danger
+is incurred than that of being plundered, or perhaps
+only a heavy exaction from the Arab tribes
+through whom the caravan passes, whose interest
+it is not to press so hard upon caravans as that they
+shall be stopped coming, but to levy a tax upon
+them sufficiently considerable to help to support
+the tribe.</p>
+
+<p>An English merchant and a Consul are about
+settling, if not already settled, at Damascus, which
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[Pg 82]</a></span>
+will still further facilitate communications; and
+besides the road from Beyraut to Damascus is
+much better than that from Latakeea to Aleppo.
+This arrangement, as well as that at Trebisand,
+shows that these countries are becoming the objects
+of public, or rather mercantile, interest.</p>
+
+<p>A Jew came to borrow an Arabic bible from me
+which I have let him have. Another Jew was
+with me yesterday, who translated the Hebrew
+into Arabic very tolerably; but, generally, they
+only learn to read, without understanding what
+they read.</p>
+
+<p>An Armenian Priest has just come to ask for
+four or five Armenian Bibles, to send to some
+villages between Hamadan and Teheran. This is
+a plan we like better than sending many to one
+place, not only as spreading knowledge further,
+but also from the greater probability of their
+being read.</p>
+
+<p>We have just seen another of the Chaldeans,
+from the mountains. He says that they understand
+the Syrian Scriptures; so that at least I
+hope to send a letter to the Bishop, with a copy or
+two of the Syrian Bible I have with me, that
+when they return next year they may bring me
+an account whether they understand them or not;
+and also it will serve as a means of opening a
+personal communication with their chief; as, by that
+time it may be possible that one or two of us may
+be able to return with these men to the mountains.
+As far as their personal assurances go, they promise
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[Pg 83]</a></span>
+me a most welcome reception. One of these people
+told me, if I would come to his village, he would
+kill a sheep for me, and I should have plenty, and
+200 walnuts for two-pence; they said every thing
+was very abundant there and very cheap. Their
+pride seems much gratified by their being the head
+and the Mohammedans the tail in the mountains;
+so that they cannot open their mouths, or raise
+their hands against them.</p>
+
+<p><em>March 15.</em>&mdash;A packet of letters has just arrived
+from Shushee, after more than six months
+interruption, three days after our dear brother had
+left us. However, we got the messenger to set
+off immediately to overtake him, and he having
+seen the caravan on the way, promised to return
+in five days. In this packet I also received one
+letter from our dear brother J. B. Dublin, a note
+from dear Mr. R. informing me of his having
+forwarded the books to the brethren at Shushee.
+Surely they are worthy for whom he has done this,
+and he will be happy in being thus a fellow-helper
+in the truth. Mr. Knill also mentions their arrival
+safe at Petersburgh, and his purpose of forwarding
+them to Shushee. It has been a year of great
+trial at Shushee for the mission, but of exactly
+what nature and to what extent we know not, nor
+how things now stand in the communications to
+our dear fellow-helper who has just left us, as they
+are in German; but should he not be able on the
+road to write us a full account, he doubtless will
+when he has reached Kermanshah or Hamadan.</p>
+
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[Pg 84]</a></span>
+We hear that the prince royal is marching
+against his brother the Prince of Kerman, by way
+of Ispahan, the roads, therefore, are very
+unsettled in Persia, but the Lord will encamp
+round about our brother and bear him safely
+through.</p>
+
+<p><em>March 16.</em>&mdash;The letters we yesterday received
+from Tabreez assured us of the willingness of the
+Armenian Bishop to have a school as soon as a fit
+person could be found; and on reading one of the
+tracts from Shushee, he said he would read it in his
+church to his flock. Mrs. N. also mentions the
+willingness among the Mohammedans to receive the
+New Testament, and that in many instances, pleasing
+results have manifested themselves; but of what
+kind she does not mention. She mentions also one
+of the principal Mohammedan merchants asking
+for a Testament to read on his road to Mecca.
+May the Lord stop him by it before he gets there, at
+the gates of the heavenly Jerusalem. In fact, there
+is room in these parts for much preparatory work,
+when the time comes that the power of the Gospel
+shall have taken such root as to show by the power
+and individuality it gives to the Christian character
+that their craft is in danger. They will do as
+they have done in Shushee; but by the Lord&#8217;s
+blessing it may then be too late. What appears
+to me to require the greatest patience and the
+most unwavering perseverance, is the language;
+for, while on the one hand there is every thing to
+encourage, if we only take the burthen of the day on
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[Pg 85]</a></span>
+the day, there is such a natural tendency in the mind
+of man to accumulate all the difficulties together,
+and make one great impassable mountain, that it
+becomes more difficult than many would imagine,
+to go on successfully and happily like a little child.
+That measure of knowledge of a language which
+so enables one to move about in the common transactions
+of life, does not seem difficult to attain;
+but to be able to state clearly the power of moral
+distinctions, to detect the fallacy of false systems,
+and put beside them the true light of life, is another
+and a very difficult thing, but yet the Lord
+doubtless sees in this reasons of immense weight,
+or he would again bestow upon us the gifts of the
+Spirit as before.</p>
+
+<p>God our Father has most marvellously eased
+our way, and so great has been the kindness of
+our&nbsp;&mdash;&mdash; here, that he would do any thing he could for
+us. He even told me the other day, never to let
+our work stand still for want of funds, for should
+I ever want any he would gladly supply me, and
+lend me for my personal wants whatever I might
+need. Now when we consider there is but one
+English family now resident in Bagdad besides our
+own, how like the Lord&#8217;s acting it is to make them
+willing to supply to us the necessary help: not
+only does the Lord supply us with means necessary
+for our expense, but does not allow us when our
+little fund gets low, to know the anxiety of expecting,
+or thinking what we should do. And,
+surrounded as we have been these many months,
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[Pg 86]</a></span>
+by the alarm of war and the fear of plague or
+cholera, even our dear native islands have not
+been without their anxieties; but I have been much
+struck of late with the peculiar dealings of God
+towards his chosen; as of old, the pillar that was
+all darkness to the enemy, was light to the church
+in the wilderness, so now all this dark cloud, the
+darkness of which may be felt, which is spreading
+from one end of the Christian and Mohammedan
+world to the other, has, towards the church in her
+pilgrimage, its full steady bright light surmounted
+by &ldquo;Behold he cometh!&rdquo; Blessed assurance!
+But a little day of toil, and then we shall come
+with him, or rise to join his assembled saints,
+dressed all anew, with our house from heaven, that
+spiritual clothing meet for the new creature in
+Christ Jesus. Oh, what glorious liberty we are
+heirs to, as children of God, one day to love our
+Eternal Father, Son, and Spirit, with unalloyed
+affections, when our whole nature shall be again
+on the side of God, and not a place left for the
+enemy to put his foot to harass the heir of glory.</p>
+
+<p><em>March 17.</em>&mdash;A Chaldean Roman Catholic priest
+has been here to-day, and read me the same passages
+of the Psalms in the Chaldean and Syrian
+languages, and there appears to be no other difference
+than in character, as far as he read. The
+Syrians, the Chaldeans, and the Jews, might become
+most valuable objects of missionary labour,
+not only as being in greater numbers here, but from
+the great similarity of their languages, so that the
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[Pg 87]</a></span>
+mastering of the one would be to the mastering of
+the three, with very little additional trouble. I
+endeavoured to find out from him the difference
+between the spoken and written languages, and
+as far as he produced illustrations, the difference
+was only in pronunciation; the words seemed substantially
+the same. But there is a very strong
+prejudice to contend with in all those among these
+people who know any thing of these languages, in
+the contempt in which they hold their vulgar, and
+the reverence and sanctity they attach to their old
+language, so that I think tracts, in the shape of
+paraphrases on particular parts of the Scriptures,
+would be exceedingly valuable among them, as
+well as tracts generally. I trust we shall be able
+to turn our attention to these when we are able,
+from our knowledge of the languages, to judge
+sufficiently of translations or compositions.</p>
+
+<p><em>March 18.</em>&mdash;This evening the messenger I sent
+after Mr. Pfander with the letters from Shushee,
+returned with a letter, which I shall here insert,
+as it supplies a good deal of information concerning
+the dear brethren in the Karabagh.</p>
+
+<p><span style="margin-left: 20em;">&ldquo;<em>In the Desert near the Village Bakoobah</em>,</span><br />
+                <span style="margin-left: 25em;">&ldquo;<em>17th March, 1831.</em></span></p>
+
+<div class="blockquot">
+<p>&ldquo;My dear Brother,</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;I am very much obliged to you, that you
+sent this man after me with the letters from Shushee.
+He reached us a day&#8217;s journey and a half
+from Bagdad.  We advance very slowly, only
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[Pg 88]</a></span>
+from five to ten English miles a day, on account
+of the spring season, when the
+Dschervedars<a name="FNanchor_18_18" id="FNanchor_18_18"></a><a href="#Footnote_18_18" class="fnanchor">[18]</a>
+feed their horses on grass, and because they
+waited for other parties which had yet been behind.
+The weather is very fine; we had rain
+twice, but only slightly. The remaining time of the
+day I spend in reading, and conversation with the
+Persians in the caravan. The first day I felt very
+solitary, but the second, and since, the Lord afforded
+me plenty of opportunity to give testimony of
+him who is our Saviour and Lord, and to distribute
+several tracts and books among my fellow travellers,
+and this rejoiced my heart greatly. According
+to the manner of our present travelling we
+shall not be in Kermanshah till after twenty days.
+They speak in the caravan from fear of the Arabs
+after this; but it will be easy for the Lord to
+bring me safely through. The caravan is increased
+to about 500 horses and 180 persons.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;Now something out of dear Zaremba&#8217;s letters;
+but I had only time to read them once over, so
+that I am not able to give you any regular extracts
+out of them. Should I forget any thing I
+will write it from Kermanshah or Hamadan. The
+letter was of December last. All had been attacked
+with sickness more or less, and dear Brother
+Sallett, stationed at Teflis, was called home:
+he died of the cholera.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;The circumstance with the Armenians is this:
+The two deacons did go on in their spiritual life
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[Pg 89]</a></span>
+prosperously, and continued to give testimony of
+the truth. This excited so much the hatred of
+the Armenian clergy against them, that soon after
+Zaremba&#8217;s arrival in Shushee from Erzeroum,
+the Armenian Archbishop of the Karabagh desired
+to have them sent as prisoners to Etchmiazin,
+the seat of the Armenian
+Catholicos,<a name="FNanchor_19_19" id="FNanchor_19_19"></a><a href="#Footnote_19_19" class="fnanchor">[19]</a>
+near Erivan. This the Russian Governor of Shushee,
+after he was informed of it from Zaremba, did
+not allow. So it got a little quiet: but these
+young Armenians thought it impossible, at present,
+to remain longer in Georgia, and so they prepared
+for their departure to Germany. But during this
+time the Armenian clergy got an order from the
+Russian Governor of Teflis, that the two deacons
+should appear before a council in Etchmiazin.
+The Governor in Shushee did again so much for
+them, that they should go to Teflis, and be allowed
+to lay their case before the governor. Zaremba
+went with them, though he was not quite well.
+The one of these deacons, he who assisted Dittrich
+in translation, died there, happy in his Lord.
+The other went at last, but in a very good state
+of mind and heart, to Etchmiazin, putting his
+confidence in his Lord, for whom he was going
+to suffer. The brethren had not yet heard more of
+him than his arrival there. During the time
+Zaremba was at Teflis, the cholera took daily
+many away, and some days before his departure,
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[Pg 90]</a></span>
+our beloved Saltett, as mentioned before. Zaremba
+got worse too, but reached Shushee again.
+After his arrival, he and Hohenaker, and Dittrich had
+been attacked from the cholera, but
+recovered again. During this time the person
+from Etchmiazin arrived in Shushee, and preached
+and spoke against our brethren, and condemned
+all the persons who sent their children to them.
+So the school was broken up. But now the children
+are beginning to collect again, and the school
+is again opened. Dittrich was with his family,
+yet at Teflis, where Zaremba wrote the letter.
+Hohenaker was gone to the German village,
+where you stopped, and Haas was kept in
+Moscow, in quarantine, because of the cholera.
+Two Armenian tracts had been printed in Moscow,
+and the copies of the first were already
+in Shushee. In Shushee they are printing the
+Armenian Dictionary.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;With our not going to the mountains, they are
+quite contented; but they think I should rather
+go to Tabreez than to Ispahan, where I might go
+at any other time. I do not yet know what I
+shall do. I shall see how the Lord will lead me.
+But this is clear now, that a long stay at Ispahan
+I must give up. Zaremba writes further, that he
+has now little hope to be able to go any more on
+a journey, and therefore they rather wish that I
+should travel and do the Lord&#8217;s work in the
+neighbourhood of Shushee, as long as the door is yet
+open. I cannot reject this, and so I must for the
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[Pg 91]</a></span>
+present give up my plans for travelling in Persia.
+If the way to Ispahan should be quite open, I
+would go thither, distribute books, and see that
+I might be in Shushee in July; if not, I shall go
+direct to Shushee.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;The case with the mission in Shushee, is now
+laid before the Emperor, and so they are waiting
+what decision they may receive from thence; but
+they are sure that the Lord will direct and order
+every thing as it will be best, and therefore are
+not discouraged. The Russian government does
+not yet in the least hinder them in their work.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;My letters all arrived safely at Shushee, and
+the cause of their not writing, was their own sickness
+and the plague all round about them. It does
+not seem that one of our letters was lost. Boxes
+with Armenian and Persian books are in Tabreez.
+They speak good of the Americans. For the news
+in your letter I thank you: we live certainly in a
+most eventful time, and we have therefore the
+more to work so long as it is yet day. May the
+Lord mightily bless you, your family, and work.
+In him, under every circumstance, we have every
+reason to be glad and to rejoice that we have him
+on our side.</p>
+
+<p><span style="margin-left: 20em;">&ldquo;Your affectionate brother,</span><br />
+<span class="smcap" style="margin-left: 25em;">&ldquo;C. G. Pfander.</span>&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;P.S. From Alexander
+Kasembeg<a name="FNanchor_20_20" id="FNanchor_20_20"></a><a href="#Footnote_20_20" class="fnanchor">[20]</a>
+they received
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[Pg 92]</a></span>
+a letter which rejoiced them much.  It seems to be good with him.</p>
+
+<p>&ldquo;The other Armenian in
+Baku<a name="FNanchor_21_21" id="FNanchor_21_21"></a><a href="#Footnote_21_21" class="fnanchor">[21]</a>
+came to Shushee
+to be employed in distributing tracts and Bibles.
+He has already made a journey into Georgia, and
+preaches to Armenians and Turks.&rdquo;</p></div>
+
+<p>The two dear and most interesting deacons, of
+whom one is mentioned as having died in the
+faith in his way to suffer for the truth, and the other
+has gone to witness alone before his enemies and
+persecutors at Etchmiazin, were both in the
+school at Shushee, and in the study of and translating
+the word of God, had been led step by step,
+to see through the errors of the system by which
+they were bound.</p>
+
+<p>Another proof of the progress of the same spirit
+manifested itself in our infant beginnings. The
+two little Armenian boys who live with us, eat
+and live as we do; on being asked by the boys
+without, why they did not fast as their nation
+did for fifty days? without any knowledge or direction
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[Pg 93]</a></span>
+from me, they set about selecting from
+the New Testament, in conjunction with my own
+little boys, those passages which bear on the
+question, and which shew that if we eat not we
+are none the better, and if we do eat, none the
+worse. Remarks of a similar kind have many
+times occurred in the course of our translations
+from the Testament. At all events, there is a
+growing tendency in the minds of the children, to
+feel that God&#8217;s word is the one rule on which
+they must justify all they impose, and thence the
+necessity of understanding it; and these principles
+upset at once the whole system of ignorant
+mummery which is now called or thought to be the
+religion of Jesus here. If it be the Lord&#8217;s pleasure
+to spare our lives, and grant us the ability
+and opportunity to publish his truth, results will
+follow to rejoice our hearts, I have no doubt:
+God has declared it shall not return to him void,
+nor shall it. And to the Mohammedans also
+these converts from among the fallen churches
+become invaluable preachers, from their vernacular
+facility in the language, and from their being
+continually exposed to the question, why they do
+not do so and so; they are called upon by the
+very necessity of their position to defend with
+meekness and wisdom their new position; whereas,
+with us, they are satisfied with just simply making
+up their minds to this, that theirs is best for them,
+and yours best for you.</p>
+
+<p><em>March 20.</em>&mdash;The Moolah yesterday, in speaking
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[Pg 94]</a></span>
+of the contest between the Pasha and the Sultan,
+said, that if the English would guarantee both
+sides, both might be satisfied and make peace;
+but that if not, they would never believe one
+another, for says he, every Osmanli will lie.
+This opinion of their own low moral condition, is
+universal among Turks and Persians. This man
+has often said to me, No Osmanli cares for more
+than his own bread, and if that is safe, the whole
+empire may be destroyed.</p>
+
+<p>Two tribes of Arabs, whom the Pasha has
+brought up to help him in the approaching contest,
+in consequence of some feud between them,
+came to blows, and all last night and this morning
+were firing at one another in that quarter of the
+city which is on the other side of the river, where
+they are stationed.&mdash;It caused much alarm, and
+may be but a precursor to general confusion and
+greater trials; but the Lord Jehovah who sitteth
+on the everlasting hills, is our shield and defence.
+The firing has since ceased, and one of the tribes
+has been driven out of Bagdad.</p>
+
+<p><em>March 21.</em>&mdash;This day the packet of letters came
+by Bombay, which were sent off about four months
+after we left, and therefore have been about
+eighteen months on the road. The best way is
+to put all letters into the post-office, paying the
+postage, and they will then come generally in
+about eight months by Bombay, free of all expense
+but that paid in England; and it would
+afford us peculiar pleasure if our dear friends
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[Pg 95]</a></span>
+would write regularly by this route, for the opportunities
+by Constantinople are either rare or expensive.</p>
+
+<p>How strikingly do these letters prove the truth
+of our Lord&#8217;s declaration, that those who leave
+father or mother, &amp;c. for his sake and the gospel&#8217;s,
+shall find a hundred fold, fathers, mothers, brothers,
+sisters, houses, lands, with persecutions.
+Surely we are rich indeed, in the love of the saints
+of our Lord, and in their prayers for us. These
+letters prove that our weak childish faith has not
+been without the Lord&#8217;s blessing on his own work.
+Oh! then, what might be expected if we had been
+strong in the Lord and in the power of his might?
+Perhaps, however, he who has led us hitherto,
+insignificant as we are, may lead us onward still
+to magnify his grace in our weakness. Surely no
+missionaries, with so few pretensions to the love
+and confidence of the church of God, ever received
+more solid proofs of deep and hearty interest
+than we have during these ten months; this
+is no small point gained, and I think we may go
+further, and add, that many have been led by this
+weak effort of faith in us, to take steps they might
+not otherwise have ventured upon. I do not desire,
+for one moment, to set myself in opposition
+to those blessed institutions whose labours roused
+us from our lethargy: but only this I must say,
+that I do not think their plan is the best, or the
+only good one.  Notwithstanding, I desire to
+bless God for them, and to co-operate with them,
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[Pg 96]</a></span>
+whenever I can. I do rejoice, with most unfeigned
+joy, at any honour God bestows upon them, and
+I should rejoice to see them multiplied a hundred
+fold; for whosoever brings a stone to the temple of
+our Lord and king, by whatever different means
+they may have laboured with from ourselves, shall
+be our father, mother, sister, brother. The only
+end we know of existence is the manifestation of
+that temple, and may the king&#8217;s blessing and
+favour rest on the head of every one who labours
+for it, at home or abroad, under established
+institutions, or in any other way. By all, Christ is
+preached, and God the Father glorified, and the
+power of the Holy Ghost manifested. Unprofitable
+servants as we are, weak in faith, and infirm
+in purpose, except as the Lord day by day lifted
+us up, as it were, with one hand, and covered us
+with the other, and enabled us to stagger on our
+way; still, we cannot but feel that the Lord&#8217;s
+goodness and care, which our weakness has elicited,
+may have moved in some small degree the
+hearts of the little band of six, who are coming
+to join us; and I hear that their simplicity and
+faith has yet further stirred up the spiritual affections
+of others to go and do likewise&mdash;but these
+are early days; if it be of the Lord, he will bless
+it; if not, we desire to be the first to lay our hands
+on our lips, and our faces in the dust, saying, We
+were deceived; the cause is the Lord&#8217;s, not ours;
+with him we will leave its prosperity and defence.</p>
+
+<p><em>March 28.</em>&mdash;The plague has now absolutely, we
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[Pg 97]</a></span>
+believe, entered this unhappy city. Major T. and
+all those connected with the residency are preparing
+to leave for the mountains of Kourdistan;
+they have most kindly invited us to go with them
+and form part of their family; this is most truly
+kind, and there are many things to recommend it&mdash;the
+opportunities it would afford M. for learning
+Armenian, and me Arabic, and for observation
+on the country and people, besides our being
+delivered from all apparent danger either from
+the sword which threatens us from without, or
+the pestilence within. The absence of all these
+friends and so many of the principal Christian families
+who are going with them, leaves us exposed
+to the bigotry of the people in any tumults that
+may arise&mdash;all these things presented themselves to
+our minds. But there are considerations that outweigh
+these in our minds: in the first place, we
+feel that while we have the Lord&#8217;s work in our
+hands we ought not to fly and leave it; again, if
+we go, it is likely that for many months we cannot
+return to our work, whereas the plague may cease
+in a month; opportunities of usefulness may arise
+in the plague that a more unembarrassed time may
+not present; and our dear friends from Aleppo
+may come and find no asylum. The Lord gives
+great peace and quietness of mind in resting under
+his most gracious and loving care, and as the great
+object of our lives is to illustrate his love to us,
+we believe that in the midst of these awful circumstances,
+he will fill our tongues with praise as he
+does fill our hearts with peace.</p>
+
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[Pg 98]</a></span>
+I have just heard, that some Englishmen have
+been circulating tracts at Julfa, an Armenian town
+in the neighbourhood of Ispahan, and that the
+bishop has prohibited their circulation; this shews
+what we have to expect.</p>
+
+<p>I believe I have many times mentioned the deeprooted
+opposition which exists among the clergy and
+literary men in the East, to having any thing translated
+into the vulgar dialects: they are worse
+than the literati of Europe used to be with their
+Latin, many among whom, but lately came to see
+that it was no disgrace to communicate their ideas
+in a vernacular dress: as the common sense of
+mankind has triumphed over the literary pride of
+the learned, so we shall find that babes will one
+day overthrow the literary pride of these orientals.
+I obtained, the other day, a translation of one of
+Carus Wilson&#8217;s little stories, into the vulgar Armenian
+of this place, for the little girls. The contrast
+between the effect produced by reading this
+in an intelligible language, and their usual lessons,
+was most striking: in the one there is of necessity
+a perfect indifference; but on reading the other,
+they begged and entreated they might have it to
+carry home, which is promised them for next week.
+Of this I had no doubt before; but the experiment
+has been most gratifying and encouraging.</p>
+
+<p><em>March 29.</em>&mdash;Yesterday Dr. Beagrie and Mr.
+Montefiore went and saw several patients they
+thought afflicted with the plague; but their minds
+were not perfectly made up. To-day, there is no
+longer any doubt. I accompanied Mr. Montefiore,
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[Pg 99]</a></span>
+in his visits, and now there are about twenty, and
+the number is increasing. Thus, then, this long
+expected scourge has visited this city, and our
+Father only knows when the awful visitation may
+cease. We can only cast ourselves on his holy
+and loving hands for safety or peace: into these
+hands we do cast ourselves, with all that is dearest
+to us in this world. We have proved our Jesus
+to be the Captain and Author of our hopes, and
+always found that in the power of his name we
+have obtained the victory. Nothing but the
+Lord&#8217;s loving pity can prevent the most awful
+extension of the disease; not only are the people
+crowded together, two or three dying in one room,
+but the intercourse is perfectly unrestricted in all
+parts of the city, so that I fear what is now confined
+to one quarter, and might possibly, by a
+vigilant government be kept there, is spreading
+in all directions. We have, therefore, been forced
+to the most painful step of breaking up our school,
+for it would have been quite impossible to collect
+together eighty children from different parts of
+the city, without exposing all to danger. May
+the Lord enable us profitably to avail ourselves of
+our retirement, to cultivate a more extended communion
+with him who is our life. Dear M. is much
+staid on her God, and feels that as he has been,
+so he will be to us a hiding place in every storm.</p>
+
+<p><em>April 1.</em>&mdash;The plague is still increasing, but
+apparently not rapidly. We wait the Lord&#8217;s pleasure
+in our own house. The only inconvenience
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[Pg 100]</a></span>
+is want of water, which cannot be had from without;
+and they say that when the plague becomes
+intense all the water carriers cease to ply; but the
+Lord hath said, in the time of famine ye shall be
+satisfied; on this promise we rest in peace.</p>
+
+<p>Two English gentlemen set off to-morrow across
+the desert with a single guide to Damascus, to examine
+the means of communication by water between
+the Mediterranean and Aleppo. From
+thence, should they be spared, they purpose
+going to Beer, and thence pass down the Euphrates
+with the view of ascertaining its fitness for
+steam navigation. Surveys have already been
+completed between this and Bussorah, of both the
+Tigris and Euphrates, by Mr. Ormsby, in part
+assisted by Mr. Elliot, and from Ana to Felugia
+by Captain Chesney of the Royal Artillery, and
+there remains between Beer and Ana to be examined.
+Through all that has yet been surveyed
+there is no obstruction, but it is expected there
+will be a little labour required in one or two points
+of what remains to be surveyed, before steam
+communications could proceed on the rivers. If
+these gentlemen thus labour for what perishes in
+the using, and run such risks, going as they are
+across the desert with a guide, whose language
+they do not understand, ought it to be called tempting
+God, in us going for such a work as ours is, to
+run similar risks and encounter similar dangers.</p>
+
+<p>The deaths at present from the plague are confined
+to the Mohammedans and the Jews. To
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[Pg 101]</a></span>
+avoid it, many of the Jews have gone to Bussorah,
+and the Kourds who brought it here have fled
+from the city; a large caravan of Christians are
+now thinking of returning to Mosul, who were
+driven from Mosul three or four years ago by
+plague and its attendant famine.</p>
+
+<p>The poor Jews have been robbed of every thing
+by the Arabs, and sent naked back, and there
+seems little better prospect for those who are going
+to Mosul: they have the Arabs on one side the
+road, and the Kourds on the other.</p>
+
+<p>It is striking how fully and simply the Mohammedans
+admit the expected coming of our Lord
+and the end of the world. The end of our Lord&#8217;s
+coming they conceive to be to set his seal to Mohammed&#8217;s
+mission, and that all Christians will become
+Mohammedans. Still these fundamental
+errors in their views do not prevent a clear and
+distinct expectation similar to that of the heathen
+at the time of our Lord&#8217;s coming. Certainly no
+people can have a worse opinion of the state of
+the professors of their religion than the Mohammedans
+have; still, with the loss of zeal for their
+own, their heart seems full of a strong delusion to
+believe a lie, and hate the way of life, and above
+all, the Lord who is the true God and eternal life.</p>
+
+<p>How blessed the 91st Psalm feels at such moments
+as these, in looking round on one&#8217;s little
+family, to know that every arrow that flies, winged
+with death, is no random shot, but that the Lord
+who is your life, and by whom your life is hid in
+God, directs them all. Call upon me, says the
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[Pg 102]</a></span>
+Lord, in the day of trouble, and I will deliver
+<em>thee</em>, and thou shalt <em>glorify me</em>. Blessed Lord,
+when thou hast (as thou most assuredly wilt do)
+delivered us, may we never forget to glorify and
+bless thee. Oh! what a blessed feeling it is to
+know that you are not under the general but
+especial and particular government of Jehovah&mdash;that
+he has redeemed you, and you are his&mdash;that
+he has engraven you on the palms of his hands; and
+that day and night he is watching to preserve you.</p>
+
+<p><em>April 3.</em>&mdash;An immense crowd of poor Jews left
+the city this morning, to escape the destruction of
+the plague. The Christians also are leaving in
+every direction they can find open. I fear these
+poor creatures in their flight can hardly fail to
+carry the plague with them.</p>
+
+<p>I have lately read several of Erskine&#8217;s works, or
+little portions of his writings, and never did I see
+the pernicious effects of system displayed more
+legibly than in several of his most interesting, but
+as a whole, most delusive publications. In his
+view of Gospel freeness, and other places where
+similar views to those contained in that little work
+are promulgated, there seems, to my mind, a
+radical defect, that nothing in so good a man accounts
+for but the baneful effects of a system,
+and a secret insurmountable repugnance to the
+sovereignty of God&#8217;s government, and the individuality
+of God&#8217;s election in Christ Jesus, from
+before the foundation of the world. I do not
+mean that these doctrines are denounced; but
+they evidently are not entertained as the comfort
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[Pg 103]</a></span>
+and consolation of the soul, nor as they are represented
+by the Apostles, as the most overwhelming
+reasons for unlimited devotion to his service, who
+has thus chosen us with our bodies, souls, and
+spirits, which are his.  He talks of spreading
+the beauty of the Lord Jesus, and the excellency
+of God&#8217;s love, not only as the pasture of their souls,
+who are born again of the Spirit, of which they
+undoubtedly are the legitimate, the only food and
+means of their spiritual growth, but as the cause of
+spiritual life in the unregenerate by being believed.
+Now, this appears to me a radical and fundamental
+error. Food does not give life, though it sustains
+and expands it. What he says of the effects
+of love, in moulding the soul to the likeness of the
+object beloved, is most true; but in order to the
+existence of this love, not merely faith in God&#8217;s love
+seems to be necessary, nor the reality of the things
+promised, but such a new creation in the soul, as
+shall see a desirableness in it and them. As we
+see in nature, when the heart is engaged by one
+object of affection, any demonstration of affection
+from another, which involves the relinquishment of
+it, not only does not give pleasure, but positive
+pain, though you know its reality, purity, and intensity;
+the fact is, the affections are occupied,
+and there is no place. So it is by nature with
+every man, and while he remains in this state, no
+knowledge of love, however real, intense, and
+devoted, when he sees its tendency to disconnect
+him from the only source of known enjoyment, by
+the substitution of that which he has no senses to
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[Pg 104]</a></span>
+appreciate, will ever be found available. It appears
+to me, that the spiritual immortal generation
+of the second Adam, the Lord from heaven,
+is in Scripture represented to be as real and absolute
+as the generation from our earthly head,
+and only invisible from being spiritual. It has its
+proper food, its proper growth. Without being
+thus begotten from above, though you could display
+all the beauties of him who is the chief among
+ten thousand, the altogether lovely, though you
+could display all the Father&#8217;s love to the church
+from the day he commanded his gathering it, till
+this day, it would be as powerless as spreading
+the most sumptuous banquet before the dead.</p>
+
+<p>With respect to the general design of vindicating
+the government of God from the charge of
+partiality, which I feel to be at the bottom of Mr.
+Erskine&#8217;s views, I do not see that the Lord has
+committed it to us, but, whenever in the Old
+Testament or in the New, he pleads with his
+children against their ingratitude, it is from the
+specialty of his love. He does not say to the Israelites,
+I have dealt with you after a common
+dealing with all; but, with what nation has the
+Lord dealt as with Israel. So, in the New, he
+says, &ldquo;I have chosen you, not you me.&rdquo; In the
+prayer of our Lord, in John xvii. in the Epistles of
+Paul and Peter&mdash;in the Revelations, and so in all
+the called and chosen, and faithful, who are written
+in the Lamb&#8217;s book of life, and have been from
+the foundation of the world, from the beginning
+to the end, I see a constant reference made, and
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[Pg 105]</a></span>
+the warmest and most enlarged attachment of the
+affections demanded, on the ground of peculiar,
+especial, and personal choice on the part of God.
+That all this is consistent with every perfection of
+God&#8217;s character, and, therefore, with his equal
+justice and mercy, I have the fullest assurance,
+but that we are in possession of the means of
+shewing it, or that the Lord requires it at our
+hands, I feel fully assured of the contrary. And
+the danger Mr. E. seems to apprehend from stating
+the doctrines of election as they are usually stated,
+are more imaginary than real. For God, who by
+his Holy Spirit begets the soul again in the likeness
+of the divine nature, gives to that nature thus begotten
+the power of discriminating in its food between
+night-shade and sweet pasture.&mdash;When he
+has created in the soul of any human being the love
+of himself, he gives him, with this love, the privilege
+to rejoice that his name is written in heaven, and
+the minister of Christ is by no means embarrassed
+by all these apparent difficulties, for he has to display
+all the beauty of Christ, all the love of the Father,
+all the graces of the Spirit before the assembled
+world, knowing that all the sheep will hear,
+and feed, and grow, and that the goats will cavil
+and stamp down the pasture with their feet. But,
+ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep,
+as I said unto you, My sheep hear my voice and
+I know them, and they follow me. Again, he
+that is of God hath God&#8217;s words, ye therefore
+hear them not, because ye are not of God. How
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[Pg 106]</a></span>
+and why this is we are not able nor willing to try
+to answer: all we can say is, hath not the Lord
+right to do what he will with his own. Shall the
+thing formed say to Him that formed it, &ldquo;What
+makest thou?&rdquo; And &ldquo;Shall not the Judge of all
+the earth do right.&rdquo; And many, many more like it.</p>
+
+<p><em>April 4.</em>&mdash;We were last night alarmed by the
+voices of apparently thousands of persons on the
+other side of the river; by degrees the discharges
+of guns were mingled with the cries, which gradually
+extended also to this side the river. We concluded
+it must be from a tribe of Arabs having
+broken into the city, the noise being exactly similar,
+only much more violent, to that of the two tribes
+of Arabs who were contending the other day. But
+after an hour&#8217;s suspense, we heard it was a concourse
+of Arabs to supplicate from God the removal
+of the plague from them.</p>
+
+<p>The deaths from the plague do not seem to increase
+with any rapidity, these two or three days;
+150 perhaps is the highest any day. On a preceding
+occasion, about 60 years ago, it amounted
+to near 2000 a day. There is with us the father
+of our schoolmaster, who had the plague at that
+time, and says you might have walked from one
+gate of the city to the other, and hardly have met a
+person or heard a sound. We trust it may be the
+Lord&#8217;s gracious purpose to take off the heaviness
+of his judgment, and spare yet a little longer this
+sinful city.</p>
+
+<p>The news from Europe also&mdash;how strange&mdash;how
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[Pg 107]</a></span>
+anxious; surely the Lord seems sifting the nations,
+and shewing their rulers that without the Lord&#8217;s
+blessing their confidences, plans, and speculations,
+can never stand. That they should have discovered
+also that the spiritual and temporal character
+of the Pope&#8217;s government are incompatible&mdash;surely
+these are signs in the times that may
+make the most sceptical enquire. Oh! how joyful
+a thought it is that the Lord is at hand, and
+our pilgrimage near ending.</p>
+
+<p><em>April 7.</em>&mdash;We had thought the Lord had removed
+the sword from us, but we hear it is now
+near at hand; and the plague seems extending, or
+every one is running away. Sometimes, on looking
+round on our dear little circle, the old heavy
+faithless flesh would seek its quiet, sheltered
+retreat under the lofty elms, but the Lord never
+allows the spirit for one moment to desire otherwise
+than to wait and see the salvation of our God,
+who will for his name&#8217;s sake do wonderfully for us,
+that our hearts may rejoice in him. We hear the
+enemy is within three days of the city, and the Pasha
+is going out with all his Haram, whether to contend
+or fly we do not know, but we think from his character,
+the latter; but where shall he fly? If he
+flies with gold, there are those who will plunder
+him: if he flies without, he cannot stir a step.
+In fact, the moment his affairs are actually sinking,
+all the miserable elements of his present comparative
+strength turn against him.</p>
+
+<p><em>April 9.</em>&mdash;Stillness still prevails over the city,
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[Pg 108]</a></span>
+like the calm which precedes a convulsion; our
+neighbours are preparing for defence, by getting
+armed men into their houses, but we sit down
+under the shadow of the Almighty&#8217;s wings, fully
+assured that in his name we shall boast ourselves.
+The Pasha, however, has not gone out as he intended
+yesterday.</p>
+
+<p>We have just heard that the reports of the
+plague has stopped for a little the approach of the
+enemies of the Pasha, still every thing is exceedingly
+unsettled. He is going to shut himself up in
+the citadel till the answer comes from Constantinople
+to his overtures, but all those about him are
+against him, and wishing for the arrival of his
+enemies. About fifty went out the other day,
+and seized on
+Hillah,<a name="FNanchor_22_22" id="FNanchor_22_22"></a><a href="#Footnote_22_22" class="fnanchor">[22]</a>
+but they were driven out.</p>
+
+<p><em>April 10.</em>&mdash;The Lord has in many respects this
+day altered our position here. One of Major Taylor&#8217;s
+seapoys has died of the plague, and now four
+of the servants are attacked. This has so alarmed
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[Pg 109]</a></span>
+Major T. and the family, that they are immediately
+going off to a country house, built by order
+of the Government of Bombay, for the Resident
+in the neighbourhood of Bussorah, and they may or
+may not return to this place. They have kindly
+offered us an asylum with them, and a passage
+in their boat. Having no immediate occupation
+here at present, I feel quite free to accept it,
+but there are considerations that prevent us.&mdash;Hitherto
+the Lord has kept us safe, and no symptom
+of plague has appeared in our dwelling&mdash;though
+it is all around us. We cannot move without
+coming in contact with numbers of people for
+many days, and being shut up in a small boat with
+the Arab
+sailors,<a name="FNanchor_23_23" id="FNanchor_23_23"></a><a href="#Footnote_23_23" class="fnanchor">[23]</a>
+and even the very plague we may
+leave this city to avoid, may have reached Bussorah
+before we arrived there, as thousands have
+already set off from hence for that place; besides
+which, should it be the Lord&#8217;s pleasure that the
+plague terminate soon, and we then wish to return,
+it may be many months before we may meet
+with an opportunity. The only advantage seems to
+be, that we should thus be apparently further removed
+from those troubles which seem likely to arise
+in the threatened attempt to depose this Pasha;
+yet, on the whole, we feel we may hold on with
+the Lord&#8217;s blessing; but if we were once to leave
+our present post, it might be very difficult again
+to regain it.</p>
+
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[Pg 110]</a></span>
+The accounts brought us of the numbers of those
+who have died of the plague, on this side of the
+river alone, in little more than one fortnight, all
+agree in making it about 7000. The poor inhabitants
+know not what to do: if they remain in
+the city, they die of the plague; if they leave it,
+they fall into the hands of the Arabs, who strip
+them, or they are exposed to the effects of an inundation
+of the river Tigris, which has now overflown
+the whole country around Bagdad, and destroyed,
+they say, 2000 houses on the other side of
+the river, but I think this must be exaggerated;
+the misery of this place, however, is now beyond
+expression, and may yet be expected to be much
+greater. Dreadful as the outward circumstances
+of this people are, their moral condition is infinitely
+worse; nor does there seem to be a ray of
+light amidst it all. The Mohammedans look on those
+who die of the plague as martyrs, and when they
+die there is no wailing made for them; so that
+amidst all these desolations there is a stillness,
+that when one knows the cause is very frightful.
+The Lord enables us to feel the blessedness of the
+91st Psalm, at least of the portion of those to
+whom that Psalm pertains; and we have, amidst
+all these very trying circumstances, a peace that
+passeth understanding. We feel indeed that we
+owe it to our Lord&#8217;s love to be careful for nothing,
+neither to run or make haste as others, but to
+stand still and see the salvation of our God.</p>
+
+<p>There was a curious conversation going on last
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[Pg 111]</a></span>
+night, among some Mohammedans, outside our
+window, relative to the plague, which they said
+was an especial judgment on them and the Jews,
+but from which Christ would deliver the Nazarenes,
+and in all these calamities, it is remarkable
+how doubly heavy, they fall on these two classes.
+Feelings like these, and others that we know
+exist, make us clear to stay where we are in the
+midst of these judgments, trying as they are to
+natural feeling. That which comes to the ungodly
+<em>as judgments</em>, comes to the child of God, like the
+chariot of fire to Elijah. From these visitations
+as judgments, we have an especial promise of protection,
+and we trust in the midst of them some
+good may spring up; at all events, we feel that we
+shall have quite met our dear Lord&#8217;s mind in giving
+this people a last opportunity of hearing, ere
+their house is left unto them desolate.</p>
+
+<p><em>April 12.</em>&mdash;I have just taken leave of the kind
+T.&#8217;s. The accounts of the dead are truly terrific;
+they say the day before yesterday 1200 died, and
+yesterday Major T.&#8217;s man of business obtained a
+receipt to the amount of 1040 on this side of the
+river. If this statement can be relied on, the mortality,
+within and without the city, must be truly
+appalling, and should it not please the Lord soon
+to stay the destroying Angel&#8217;s hand, the whole
+country must become one wide waste. Some very
+kind Armenians<a name="FNanchor_24_24" id="FNanchor_24_24"></a><a href="#Footnote_24_24" class="fnanchor">[24]</a>
+have offered to provide what is
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[Pg 112]</a></span>
+necessary for our journey to Damascus, if we will
+go with them. The possibility of meeting our
+dear Brethren is a great temptation, but still we
+do not see clearly our permission to go, and the
+Lord has given us all such perfect peace in staying,
+and such perfect health, that we are even
+unwilling to go; we remain, therefore, and wait
+upon our Lord&#8217;s love, which we feel assured will
+be manifested towards us amidst this scene of
+death; and afterwards we shall see why we remained,
+more clearly perhaps than now.</p>
+
+<p><em>April 13.</em>&mdash;The plague has just entered our
+neighbour&#8217;s dwelling, where they have collected
+together nearly thirty persons, not simply their
+own family. It seems as if a spirit of infatuation
+had seized them, for instead of making their number
+as small as possible, they seem to congregate
+as many together as they can.</p>
+
+<p>Oh! what a blessed portion is ours, to have the
+God of Israel and his unchangeable promises for
+our sure and abiding place of rest&mdash;our little
+sanctuary unto which we may always resort. Yea,
+in the secret of his pavilion he will hide us.</p>
+
+<p><em>April 14.</em>&mdash;This is a day of awful visitation.
+The accounts of deaths yesterday vary from between
+1000 and 1500; and to-day, they say, is
+worse than any, and the increase in the numbers
+of deaths is exclusive of the immense multitudes
+who are dying without the city. One of our
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[Pg 113]</a></span>
+schoolmasters<a name="FNanchor_25_25" id="FNanchor_25_25"></a><a href="#Footnote_25_25" class="fnanchor">[25]</a> is gone to Damascus, and has
+taken with him his little nephew who was boarding
+with us, so we are indeed now quite alone.
+In fact, nothing prevents the entire desertion of
+the city, but the dangers of the way, and the poverty
+of the inhabitants.</p>
+
+<p><em>April 15.</em>&mdash;The accounts of the mortality yesterday
+still more alarming&mdash;1800 deaths in the
+city. There was great danger of the bodies being
+left in the houses, and the inhabitants flying and
+leaving them unburied, but by great exertions on
+the part of some young men in one quarter of the
+town to bury the dead there, others have been
+stimulated in other quarters to similar exertions,
+and last night all were buried. Our Moolah has
+just been here; he says he has bought winding
+sheets for himself, his brother, and his
+mother.<a name="FNanchor_26_26" id="FNanchor_26_26"></a><a href="#Footnote_26_26" class="fnanchor">[26]</a>
+He says that yesterday he was in the Jew&#8217;s quarter,
+and only met one person, and that was a woman,
+who, when she saw him, ran in and locked
+the door. Meat, for some days, or any thing else
+from without, we have been unable to get. Water
+alone we have obtained. But, to-day, even that
+we cannot get at any price; every waterman you
+stop, answers he is carrying it to wash the bodies
+of the dead.</p>
+
+<p><em>April 16.</em>&mdash;The accounts of yesterday are worse
+than any day, and an Armenian girl, who has been
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[Pg 114]</a></span>
+here this morning, said she saw, in a distance of
+about 600 yards, fifty dead bodies carrying to
+burial. The son of Gaspar Khan, our next neighbour,
+is dead. Two have been carried out from
+a little passage opposite our house to-day, where
+two more are ill. All you see passing have a little
+bunch of herbs, or a rose, or an onion to smell to,
+and yet as to real measures of precaution there has
+not been one step taken; not even contact avoided,
+and the most unrestrained intercourse goes on in
+every direction, so that nothing but the Lord&#8217;s arm
+shortening it, can prevent the entire desolation of
+the whole province. The population of Bagdad
+cannot exceed 80,000, and of this number more
+than half have
+fled,<a name="FNanchor_27_27" id="FNanchor_27_27"></a><a href="#Footnote_27_27" class="fnanchor">[27]</a>
+so that the mortality of 2000
+a-day is going on among considerably less than
+40,000 people. But the Lord tells us, when we
+hear or see these things, not to have our hearts
+troubled, for our redemption draweth nigh; and
+we believe it, and accept it as a sweet drop in the
+bitter cup that is now drinking to the very dregs
+by so many about us; and which, but for this expectation,
+would bow down the stoutest heart.</p>
+
+<p>One of Major T.&#8217;s servants has just been here,
+who says the city is a perfect desert, only peopled
+by the dead, the bearers of the dead, and the
+water carriers. Our household are all in perfect
+health, thanks be to our loving Shepherd&#8217;s care.</p>
+
+<p><em>April 17.</em>&mdash;To-day, as yesterday, we have
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[Pg 115]</a></span>
+heard nothing as to numbers. The accounts are
+very contradictory; some saying that there is very
+little plague, others, that it is heavier than any
+day; so that probably, in some parts of the city,
+it is very severe, and in others lighter.</p>
+
+<p>An Armenian told the schoolmaster that almost
+every one you meet is carrying cotton and things
+for the interment of the dead. We are left almost
+alone in our own neighbourhood, all having fled in
+one direction or another; we have been, however,
+all preserved in health, to the praise of the Keeper
+of Israel.</p>
+
+<p>Surely every principle of dissolution is operating
+in the midst of the Ottoman, and Persian empires.
+Plagues, earthquakes, and civil wars, all
+mark that the days of the Lord&#8217;s coming are at hand,
+and this is our hope&mdash;on this our eyes and hearts
+rest as the time of repose, when all these trials shall
+cease, and the saints shall possess the kingdom.</p>
+
+<p><em>April 18.</em>&mdash;To-day the accounts are truly distressing.
+In the family of one of our little boys,
+consisting of six, four are laid down with the
+plague, father, mother, one son, and one daughter&mdash;only
+one son and a daughter remaining. Immense
+numbers of families will be altogether
+swept away, and many thousand of fatherless and
+motherless children left when this heavy judgment
+of God ceases. It is now become useless to attempt
+obtaining accurate accounts about numbers.</p>
+
+<p><em>April 19.</em>&mdash;Still heavy, heavy news. The
+Moolah has called to give us an account of the
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[Pg 116]</a></span>
+city. He says it now stands stationary at between
+1,500 and 2,000 a-day, and has been so for a
+fortnight. What a mass of mortality! Among
+the Pasha&#8217;s soldiers, he says they have lost, in
+some of the regiments, above 500 out of 700.&mdash;And
+in the towns and villages without, the report
+is, that it is as bad or worse than within the city.</p>
+
+<p><em>April 20.</em>&mdash;The plague much the same. Among
+the Armenians nine were buried yesterday, and
+seven to-day. There are not left in the city more
+than 400, and now there is the plague in every
+third or fourth house. The water also is increasing,
+so that a little more will inundate the whole
+city on this side the river, as it has on the other,
+to the inexpressible additional misery of the poor
+people. The caravan which left for Damascus
+can neither advance nor return on account of the
+water. Yesterday four dead were carried out
+from the little passage opposite our house, making
+in all 14 dead from eight houses, and there are
+others now lying ill.</p>
+
+<p><em>April 21.</em>&mdash;To-day the accounts of the plague
+are rather more favourable, though another has
+been carried out from the passage opposite us, and
+there are some ill in three houses adjoining ours.
+The river has burst into the cellars of the Residency,
+and is within a foot of inundating the whole city.</p>
+
+<p><em>April 22.</em>&mdash;Having had occasion to-day to go
+out to the Residency, to endeavour to save some
+things from the water, which has come into all
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[Pg 117]</a></span>
+the cellars, in every way I was overwhelmed with
+the awful state of the city, and at the difficulty
+of obtaining help of any kind at any price. The
+servant of Major T&mdash;&mdash;, who is left in charge
+of the house, told me he had applied in every
+direction, but could get no one to help him; one
+had a wife dead or dying, another a mother,
+another was employed in carrying water for the
+dead, and on our way, we saw the Court of the
+Meshid or Mosque full of graves; and no longer
+finding room there, they were burying the dead
+in the public road. When in want of water, I
+think we shall be obliged to go to the river and
+fetch it for ourselves, as a water-carrier is hardly
+now to be seen, except when followed by a man
+forcing him to carry water to some house where
+there is death. Amidst all, the Lord lets not
+his destroying angels enter our dwelling; though
+tens of thousands are falling around us, we are
+all, by his grace and holy keeping, well. The
+business of death is now come to that height,
+that people seem to take their nearest relations,
+and bring them for interment with as much indifference
+as they would transact the most ordinary business.</p>
+
+<p><em>April 23.</em>&mdash;The plague not decreasing; two more
+were brought out to-day from the passage opposite
+to us, making seventeen from eight houses near us.
+The mother of the Seyd, who owns our house, has
+been buried in her house, as no one could be
+found to bury her. Another most affecting instance
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">[Pg 118]</a></span>
+has just occurred. A little girl of about
+twelve years old was seen carrying an infant in
+her arms, and being asked whose it was, she said,
+she did not know, but had found it in the road,
+having heard that both its parents were dead.
+Water now is not to be had for money; yet even
+in these times Israel&#8217;s pillar has its bright side
+to Israel. These things must come to pass; but
+when we see these signs, we must remember that
+our redemption draweth nigh; and the Lord will
+be a little sanctuary for us, let him send however
+sore judgments on the earth.</p>
+
+<p><em>April 24.</em>&mdash;The plague still raging with most
+destructive violence; the two servants in our next
+neighbour&#8217;s house are both dead, and two horses
+left, I fear, to starve. A poor Armenian woman
+has just been here, to beg a little sugar for a
+little infant she picked up in the street this morning;
+and she says, another neighbour of her&#8217;s
+picked up two more. They have just been
+digging graves beside our house. Almost all the
+cotton is consumed, so that persons are wandering
+all over the city to find some, for burying their
+dead. Water not to be had at any price, nor a
+water-carrier to be seen. Oh, what heart-rending
+scenes sin has introduced into the world! Oh,
+when will the Lord come to put an end to these
+scenes of disorder, physical as well as moral? In
+one short month, not less than 30,000 souls have
+passed from time to eternity in this city, and yet,
+even now, no diminution apparently of deaths.
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">[Pg 119]</a></span>
+Surely the judgment of the Lord is on this land?
+One more taken from the little passage opposite,
+making nineteen from the eight houses.</p>
+
+<p><em>April 25.</em>&mdash;To-day, three more from the same
+passage, making twenty-one from these houses.
+Such a disease I never heard of or witnessed;
+certainly not more than one in twenty recovers;
+every one attacked seems to die.</p>
+
+<p>This has been a heart-rending day. The accounts
+from the Residency, and the falling of a wall,
+undermined by the water, obliged me to go out, and
+I found nothing but signs of death and desolation;
+hardly a soul in the streets, unless such as were carrying
+the dead, or themselves affected with plague,
+and at a number of doors, and in the lanes, bundles
+of clothes that had been taken from the dead, and
+put out. The Court of the Mosque was shut,
+having no place left for burying, and graves were
+digging in every direction in the roads, and in
+the unoccupied stables about the city. The water
+also has increased so much as to be within a few
+inches of inundating the city. Should this further
+calamity come on this side, as it has on the other,
+the height of human misery will be near its
+climax, for where they will then bury their dead
+I know not. There seems no diminution in the
+plague yet, that we can discern. Two of the
+men we had helping to take Major T&mdash;&mdash;&#8217;s
+things from the water are attacked; one of them
+is the fourth from a house, consisting of six.
+The remaining servant of Mr. T&mdash;&mdash; had intelligence
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">[Pg 120]</a></span>
+brought while I was there, that his aunt
+was dead, which, he says, is the eighth near relation
+he has lost.</p>
+
+<p>Some of the Mohammedans, our neighbours,
+were sitting under our windows last evening,
+and were observing, that while two or three had
+been taken from every house, we only had remained
+free. And this is of the Lord&#8217;s marvellous
+love. We consist of thirteen, including
+the schoolmaster&#8217;s family, and the Lord has given
+his destroying angel charge to pass over our
+door.</p>
+
+<p>The Pasha has sent to desire, that he might
+have Major T&mdash;&mdash;&#8217;s yacht drawn up near the Seroy
+or Palace to go into, in case the water should
+increase; and when the man was sent for, who
+had the charge of the vessel, he with another
+had run away, three were dead, and only one
+remained. These are surely the days of visitation
+for the pride of Edom. The man who sold
+cotton for burying the dead, the price of which
+he raised from 45 to 95 piastres, and who lived
+only two doors from us, died yesterday. There
+is no more cotton left in the city, and they now
+bury the dead in their clothes. The price of
+soap is raised four times higher than usual. I
+have been enabled, by the Lord&#8217;s goodness, to
+get all our water-jars filled, though at twenty
+times the usual price. The bodies of persons of
+considerable wealth are now just put on the back
+of a donkey, or a mule, and carried away to be
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">[Pg 121]</a></span>
+buried, accompanied by one servant. We have
+also much anxiety about the people of the
+Damascus-caravan, of which we can hear no tidings,
+whether or not they have been swallowed up by
+the inundation. Whether they have been able
+to retreat to some eminence, or what is become
+of them we know not. The poor women who
+have taken charge of the two poor little infants
+have sent to us for food for them, as in these
+countries they have no idea of bringing up children
+by hand. It may be to be instrumental in
+saving some of these poor little infants, and in
+helping the orphans that remain, that the Lord
+has allowed us to stay here. They are all Mohammedan
+children.</p>
+
+<p><em>April 26.</em>&mdash;For many days we have been unable
+to obtain any account of the number of deaths;
+but the <em>Chaoush</em> of Major T&mdash;&mdash; has been with
+the Pasha this morning, who is in the greatest
+possible state of alarm, wishing to go, but not
+knowing how. One of his officers, whose business
+it is to inquire about the number of deaths
+daily, reported that it had reached 5,000, but
+yesterday was 3,000, and to-day less. Enormous
+as the mortality has been, I cannot but think
+this beyond the truth; yet it must be remembered,
+that the inundation kept immense masses
+of poor thronged together in the city, who, but
+for this, would have all fled in one direction or
+another.</p>
+
+<p>The accounts are heart-rending of little children
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">[Pg 122]</a></span>
+left in the streets; five were left yesterday, a
+poor woman told us, near the Residency, and
+others in different directions. If the wrath of
+God is pouring out on the mystical Babylon,
+as it is on this province of the literal Babylon;
+the two antichrists are beginning to draw near
+their end. But for the presence of the Lord
+in our dwelling, as its light and joy, what a place
+would this be to be alone in now; but with Him,
+even this is better than the garden of Eden.
+These are invaluable situations for the experience
+of God&#8217;s loving distinguishing care, and here we
+realize our pilgrim state much better than in the
+quiet of England, with all its external apparent
+security.</p>
+
+<p>The utmost number of daily deaths I heard
+of at Tabreez were 400, and here it is said to
+be 4,000, and yet the population certainly is not
+double. In going out to speak with a servant of
+Major T&mdash;&mdash;, I saw a very decently dressed
+female lying in a dying state of plague at our
+door quite senseless; it is almost more than the
+heart can bear. Yet, that the Lord will even
+from these scenes prepare ways for the establishment
+of his truth, I feel fully assured, and this
+supports us. A north wind has regularly blown
+for these four days past, so that we hope the
+water will not again increase. Oh, may our
+Father of his infinite mercy take away these
+heavy heavy judgments, and make their present
+measure instrumental to the advancement of his
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">[Pg 123]</a></span>
+kingdom. The Soochee Bashee, an officer of
+police, has just been here, and tells us, that the
+Pasha proposes removing to near Coote, a village
+on the Tigris, half way between this and Bussorah.
+At any other time, this would tend to most fearful
+convulsions within the city; but in the present
+state of things, perhaps, all may remain quiet,
+without a governor. When the plague, that
+now desolates the city ceases, we know not what
+may happen; but this we do know, that the
+love of our Father, and his gracious providence,
+will be magnified by all events, and that we shall
+yet praise him more and more. It seems to me
+more than probable that the Pasha does not intend
+to return. By the plague he has lost half
+his soldiers, and a great number of his Georgian
+slaves, who are his personal attached friends;
+he may now remove without obstruction perhaps,
+from any one, or the possibility of any communication
+being made to his enemies to intercept
+him; but time only will show; however this may
+be, it is certain that should the plague cease
+to-morrow, the city is in such a state, that no
+resistance could be made for one moment to any
+enemy. How invaluable the past proofs of the
+Lord&#8217;s loving kindness and tender mercies are at
+such times, the remembrance of him from the Hill
+Mizar of the Hermonites. In going along the
+streets to-day, I saw several poor sufferers labouring
+under the plague; and a number of
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">[Pg 124]</a></span>
+places, where clothes had been brought out and
+burnt.</p>
+
+<p>Our anxieties have been greatly increased by
+the illness of our dear little baby; but our unerring
+Physician has restored her to us to-day,
+we trust in a measure which promises amendment.</p>
+
+<p><em>April 27.</em>&mdash;To-day all thoughts are turned
+from the plague to the inundation, which from
+the falling of a portion of the city wall on the
+north-west side last night, let the water in full
+stream into the city. The Jews&#8217; quarter is inundated,
+and 200 houses fell there last night: we
+are hourly expecting to hear, that every part of
+the city is overflowed. A part also of the wall
+of the citadel is fallen. And, in fact, such is the
+structure of the houses, that if the water remains
+near the foundations long, the city must become
+a mass of ruins. The mortar they use in building
+is very like plaister of Paris, which sets
+very hard, and does very well when all is dry;
+but as soon as ever water is applied, it all crumbles
+to powder; and in building walls of four or five
+feet thick, they have only an outside casing of
+brick work thus cemented, and within it is filled
+up with dust and rubbish, so that what seems
+strong enough in appearance to bear any thing,
+soon moulders away, and by its own weight
+accelerates its ruin. It must be many many
+years, if ever, before the city can recover. But
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">[Pg 125]</a></span>
+it seems to me, that this seat of Mohammedan
+glory, and of its proudest recollections, has received
+its death-warrant from the hand of the
+Lord. This inundation has not only ruined an
+immense number of houses in the city, and been
+the cause of tens of thousands dying of the plague,
+but the whole harvest is destroyed. The barley,
+which was just ready to be reaped, is utterly
+gone, and every other kind of corn must likewise
+be ruined, so that for 30 miles all round Bagdad,
+not a grain of corn can be collected this year,
+and perhaps, if all was quiet this might be of no
+consequence, for from Mosul and Kourdistan it
+might easily come; but this will be prevented by
+the enemies of the Pasha who surround us.
+The poor are beginning to feel immense difficulty
+in the city, for all the shops are shut, and
+there is a great scarcity of wood for firing; and
+should the water now cause a general inundation
+of the whole city, the heart sickens at the
+contemplation of the scenes that must follow;
+for the houses of the poor are nothing but
+mud, scarcely one of which will be left standing.</p>
+
+<p>For ourselves personally, the Lord has allowed
+us great peace, and assured confidence in his loving
+care, and in the truth of his promise, that our
+bread and our water shall be sure; but certainly
+nothing but the service of such a Lord as he is
+would keep me in the scenes which these countries
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">[Pg 126]</a></span>
+do exhibit, and I feel assured will, till the
+Lord has finished his judgments on them, for
+the contempt of the name, nature, and offices of
+the Son of God; yet I linger in the hope he has
+a remnant even among them, for whose return
+these convulsions are preparing the way.</p>
+
+<p><em>April 28.</em>&mdash;News more and more disastrous.
+The inundation has swept away 7,000 houses
+from one end of the city to the other, burying
+the sick, the dying, and the dead, with many of
+those in health, in one common
+grave.<a name="FNanchor_28_28" id="FNanchor_28_28"></a><a href="#Footnote_28_28" class="fnanchor">[28]</a>
+Those who have escaped, have brought their goods
+and the relics of their families, to the houses the
+plague has desolated, or desertion left unoccupied,
+and houses are yet falling in every direction.</p>
+
+<p>The Lord has stopped the water just at the
+top of our street by a little ledge of high ground,
+so that as yet we are dry; and all free from the
+sword of the destroying angel. Scarcity of provision
+is beginning to be sensibly felt, so that
+very respectable persons are coming to the door
+to beg a little bread, or a little butter, or some
+other simple necessary of life. To-day, the number
+dying in the road was much greater than I
+have before seen, and the number unburied in
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">[Pg 127]</a></span>
+the streets daily and hourly increases. The
+Seroy of the Pasha is a heap of ruins, and though
+he is most anxious to go, he cannot collect forty
+men to man the yacht, for all fear of him is now
+past, and love for him they have none; his distress
+beggars all description, for not a single
+native vessel is left in Bagdad, every one having
+been employed in taking down the crowds to
+Bussorah at the commencement of this dreadful
+calamity. I have from day to day mentioned the
+dead taken from the eight houses opposite to
+ours; that number has to-day reached twenty-four;
+in one of these, out of nine, one only survives;
+and I mention twenty-four not as all, but
+as those which have been seen carried out by
+some of the schoolmaster&#8217;s family, who were however
+very little in that room which overlooks this
+passage. Of another family near the Meidan,
+out of thirteen one only remains, and I have no
+doubt there are hundreds of families similarly
+swept away; yet amidst all these trials to the
+servants of God, my heart does not despair for
+the work of the Lord, for no ordinary judgments
+seem necessary to break the pride and hatred of
+this most proud and contemptuous people; but
+the Lord will bring Edom down, and make a
+way for the Kings of the East to his holy habitation.
+We have taken one poor little Mohammedan
+baby, about three or four years old, from the
+streets, and are supplying a poor Armenian
+woman with pap for another; but what is this
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">[Pg 128]</a></span>
+among so many? We know not what to do. It
+makes passing the streets most painful and affecting,
+thus to see little children from a month or
+six weeks, to two or four years, crying for a home,
+hungry, and naked, and wretched, and knowing
+not what to do, nor where to go. Thank God
+however, to-day the water is a little abated, about
+a span lower. Oh, may the Lord&#8217;s mercy spare
+yet a little longer this wretched, wretched city.
+Oh, how does the glory of the Chalifat lie in
+ashes; she seems within a step of falling like her
+elder sister Babylon, the glory of the Chaldean&#8217;s
+excellency, and in how many things has her spirit
+towards the church of God been as bad, yea
+worse, than hers. Missionaries in these countries
+have need of a very simple faith, which can
+glory in God&#8217;s will being done, though all their
+plans come to nothing. It was but the other day
+we were surrounded by as interesting a school
+of boys, and a commencing one of thirteen girls,
+as the heart could desire; and now if the plague
+and desolation were to terminate to-morrow, and
+our scattered numbers were assembled, perhaps
+not more than half would remain to us. Yet
+dark as all the labours of the Lord&#8217;s servants in
+these countries appears, I feel assured, that prophecy
+points them out as specially connected with
+many of the great events of the latter days.
+Yet it requires great confidence in God&#8217;s love,
+and much experience of it, for the soul to remain
+in peace, stayed on him, in a land of such changes,
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">[Pg 129]</a></span>
+without even one of our own nation near us,
+without means of escape in any direction; surrounded
+with the most desolating plague and
+destructive flood, with scenes of misery forced
+upon the attention which harrow up the feelings,
+and to which you can administer no relief.
+Even in this scene however, the Lord has kept
+us of his infinite mercy, in personal quiet and
+peace, trusting under the shadow of his Almighty
+wing, and has enabled us daily to offer up to his
+holy name praise, for suffering us to assemble
+in undiminished numbers, when tens of thousands
+have been falling around us. Neither is this
+all, for he has made us know why we staid
+in this place, and why we were never allowed
+to feel it to be our path of duty to leave the
+post we were in.</p>
+
+<p><em>April 29.</em>&mdash;Our situation is becoming daily still
+more extraordinary, and in many respects more
+trying, except that our Lord is our hiding place,
+who will preserve us from trouble, and will compass
+us about with songs of deliverance. The
+Pasha has fled, accompanied by his master of the
+horse, and his immediate family. His palace is
+left open, without a soul to take care of any thing.
+His stud of beautiful Arab horses are running
+about the streets, and are caught by those who
+care to take the trouble, and offered for sale for
+from &pound;10. to &pound;100. each; his stores also of corn
+are left open, and every one takes what he wants,
+or what he can carry away, which is a great relief
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130">[Pg 130]</a></span>
+to the poor, for the quantities are enormous, in
+expectation of a siege.</p>
+
+<p>The plague is working its destructive way, apparently
+with no other mitigation than that arising
+from decreasing numbers in the city; the inundation
+however, has prevented this having its full
+weight, for it has thronged the remaining population
+into a compass unnaturally disproportionate.
+The house next us, which belongs to a Seyd, who
+left it at the beginning of the plague, in charge
+of two servants who are dead, is now filled by
+twenty persons from different directions. The
+unburied dead, and the dying, are fearfully accumulating
+in the streets. So difficult it is now to
+find persons to bury, that even the priest of the
+Armenian church here, who died two days since,
+remains yet unburied.</p>
+
+<p>The water, thank God, is a little lower, but there
+seems now every prospect that the moment the
+waters decrease, the surrounding Arabs will come
+in, and plunder the city; yet even this is in the
+Lord&#8217;s hands&mdash;our wisdom has ever been to sit still,
+and see the salvation of our God, and until we
+see his cloudy pillar arise from off our tabernacle,
+where we feel it has hitherto rested, and move
+forward, we shall yet judge our safety to be to sit
+still. We have in several instances seen, that
+there was reason to bless God for remaining quiet.
+We once thought of removing to the Residency, as
+a change to the dear children, and as being nearer
+to the water; but still on the whole we felt it best to
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131">[Pg 131]</a></span>
+remain here; and had we gone, we should have been
+in the midst of the plague; or had we gone, when
+the T&mdash;&mdash;s went to Bussorah, what a state should
+we now be in, without the possibility of removing,
+and in danger of our lives from the inundation
+and falling of the walls, if we stayed.</p>
+
+<p>We had again considered, whether it would be
+right to leave this with the caravan for Damascus
+and Aleppo, which seemed the only opening
+there might possibly be for us, so that if we let
+that pass by, we must stay whether we would or
+not; still the Lord made us feel it was our path
+to stay looking to him. And had we gone, what a
+state should we have been in? For nearly three
+weeks they have been surrounded with water,
+continually increasing around them, so that now
+we know not what their situation may be, whether
+they are swept away, or remain; but at all events
+we bless God for having inclined our minds to
+stay. Why we did not join our dear and kind
+friends the T&mdash;&mdash;s, in going to Bussorah, we do
+not yet so clearly see the reason of, because we
+have received no accounts thence, but it would
+have cut up alike our connection with our work
+here, and with our dear friends at Aleppo, with
+whom we feel it daily of more and more importance
+to have as speedy a meeting as possible for
+advice and counsel.</p>
+
+<p>We have just heard of the caravan already
+mentioned, as going to Damascus and Aleppo.
+The plague has taken off eight of the Armenians,
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132">[Pg 132]</a></span>
+and four have been drowned. The head of the
+caravan is dead of the plague also, besides many
+others; they must therefore return to Bagdad,
+instead of advancing on their journey; so in this
+instance at least we see great reason to bless God
+for keeping us back. Yea, the Lord will instruct
+us and teach us the way in which we should go,
+and will guide us with his eye; this is our confidence
+and comfort; and in such a time as this of
+unheard of perplexity, what a source of abiding
+peace is this. We feel it well to know our God
+in such circumstances as ours. Among the Armenians,
+thirteen died to-day, the largest number yet
+in one day.</p>
+
+<p><em>April 30.</em>&mdash;The report of the flight of the
+Pasha, it appears was not true, and arose from the
+two circumstances I have mentioned, of his horses
+having been seen running about the streets, and his
+supplies being open to the people. He has been
+for several days endeavouring to get away, and
+had drawn up for that purpose some boats under
+the Seroy. All his stables were levelled to the
+ground, and the place flooded with water. When
+the distress of the people was mentioned to him,
+he ordered one of his corn stores to be opened to
+them. However, to-day, blessed be God&#8217;s Holy
+Name, <em>the waters have sunk more than a yard</em>,
+so we trust the great danger is over.</p>
+
+<p>To-day, one more was brought out dead from
+the eight opposite houses, making twenty-five, and
+we know there are four more lying ill there. Our
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133">[Pg 133]</a></span>
+poor schoolmaster, who went in the caravan, is
+dead, and was buried in his tent.</p>
+
+<p><em>May 1.</em>&mdash;The Lord has brought us all in safety
+to the beginning of another month, through the
+most trying period of my life; yet the Lord has
+every day filled our mouth with praise, and enabled
+us to see his preserving hand.</p>
+
+<p>To-day, as I passed along the street, I saw
+numbers of dead bodies lying unburied, and the
+dogs eating with avidity the loathsome food. Oh!
+it made my very heart sink. The numbers of the
+dead can now be no longer ascertained, for most
+of the bodies are buried either in the houses or in
+the roads; yet amidst all this, the Lord suffers not
+the destroying angel to enter our dwelling; but
+we feel the Lord has commanded the man with
+the ink-horn to write us down to be spared, as this
+is one of the vials of God&#8217;s wrath on his enemies.</p>
+
+<p><em>May 2.</em>&mdash;We have heard nothing to-day to vary
+the general scene of our calamities; the intensity
+of this most desolating disease surpasses all
+thought. Numbers of families are altogether
+swept away; in numerous others, out of ten or
+twelve, only one, two, or three remain; but I hear
+of none, save our own, where death has not entered.
+Yet, while I bless and praise the Holy
+Name of our Lord, under whose wing alone we
+came here, and under whose wing alone we have
+trusted, the things my eyes have seen, and my
+ears heard, press upon my heart, and make me at
+times very sad; neither can I chase them from my
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_134" id="Page_134">[Pg 134]</a></span>
+mind. I can only look forward for comfort to that
+day, when the Lord himself will come to put an
+end to this dispensation of desolation, and introduce
+his own peace. Yea, come Lord Jesus,
+come quickly.</p>
+
+<p>We have just heard melancholy tidings of another
+caravan, which endeavoured to escape into
+Persia from the plague, but has been forced back
+again by the Arabs, the floods, and the scarcity of
+provisions, and besides numbers among them have
+died daily of the plague, so still we can bless God
+we did not leave our present position by this last
+opportunity. Let us then again bless him for not
+allowing us to make haste.</p>
+
+<p><em>May 3.</em>&mdash;To-day we trust the Lord has a little
+alleviated the virulence of the plague; many attacked
+yesterday, and the day before, have been
+rapidly recovering, and fewer deaths have taken
+place to-day&mdash;a great deal so far as we can ascertain.
+May God&#8217;s holy name be praised, who is
+a hiding place from every storm. We had our
+water jars filled again to-day, when many, even
+of the rich, who have connections in every direction,
+find the greatest difficulty. &ldquo;Your water
+shall be sure.&rdquo; We who are alone, and without a
+friend within hundreds of miles in any direction,
+have been supplied by our Lord&#8217;s gracious ordering;
+thus he puts a new song into our mouths,
+even a song of thanksgiving. To-day all are well,
+even our dear little baby is quite recovered.</p>
+
+<p><em>May 4.</em>&mdash;The weather has for these two or three
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_135" id="Page_135">[Pg 135]</a></span>
+days past been beautifully fine, and clear, and hot,
+by which our God seems to have mitigated the
+symptoms of the plague. All accounts to-day are
+encouraging; the number of new cases few, and
+the number of those recovering many. Our eyes
+have also been rejoiced by the sight of three or
+four water-carriers passing again, after an interval
+of ten days; many more people have also been
+passing and repassing than before; so we trust
+the Lord is now taking away this desolating judgment,
+which, in less than two months, has carried
+away more than half the population of this city;
+for, allowing that it had been silently making its
+deadly course three weeks before it was discovered,
+it does not exceed eight weeks, and by far the
+greatest portion of deaths have been within the
+last four weeks.</p>
+
+<p><em>May 5.</em>&mdash;In my journal yesterday, I mention
+more than half the population as having been
+swept away in the inconceivably short space of
+two months, but every account I have received,
+convinces me that this is within the number;
+certainly not less than two thirds have been swept
+away, and this seems to have arisen from a
+complication of causes. At the time when the great
+mass of the population would have fled, and thus
+have thinned the city, the waters rose so high,
+that they could move only with great difficulty;
+they waited in the hopes of the water subsiding,
+instead of which, it so increased, that those who
+had left the town and could get back, were compelled
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_136" id="Page_136">[Pg 136]</a></span>
+to return; those who could not, were
+driven to seek some high ground where they might
+remain safe from the water, but in all cases they
+were crowded together without the power of moving
+their position.&mdash;Again, in the city, when by
+the death of immense multitudes the population
+became greatly thinned, the inundation of the
+water laid more than half the town level with the
+ground, and drove the remaining people to congregate
+together wherever they could find a dry
+place or an open house, so that often twenty or
+thirty came to reside together in the same house,
+as was the case next door to us; thus again the
+deaths became awfully great. Inquire where you
+will, the answer is, The city is desolate: around
+the Pasha four Georgians alone remain alive out
+of more than one hundred. The son of our Moolah,
+who is dead, told me to-day, that in the quarter
+where he lives, not one human being is left&mdash;they
+are all dead. Out of about eighteen
+servants and seapoys that Major T. left, fourteen
+are dead, two have now the
+plague,<a name="FNanchor_29_29" id="FNanchor_29_29"></a><a href="#Footnote_29_29" class="fnanchor">[29]</a>
+and two remain
+well. Among the Armenians, more than
+half are dead. An Armenian who was with us
+to-day, tells us, there are not more than twenty-seven
+men left in one hundred and thirty houses.
+I, however, think that this is exaggerated.</p>
+
+<p>At Hillah, the modern Babylon, (population
+10,000), there is, Seyd Ibrahim told me to-day,
+scarce a soul left, and the dogs and the wild beasts
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_137" id="Page_137">[Pg 137]</a></span>
+alone are there feeding on the dead bodies. This
+Seyd Ibrahim is one of the surviving servants of
+Major T.; and is the only one of a family of fourteen
+who remains alive.&mdash;His four brothers, their
+wives, his own wife, their children, and his own,
+are all dead. If mystical Babylon is suffering, as
+the seat of this Archbishopric of the literal Babylon,
+the times are not far off when the river Euphrates
+shall be dried up for the kings of the east
+to pass over.</p>
+
+<p>For digging a grave they ask a sum that equals
+in England three pounds, in consequence of
+which numbers have remained unburied about the
+streets, so that the Pasha has been obliged to
+engage men, paying them at the same rate for
+each body they will throw into the river.</p>
+
+<p>In all the villages the desolation seems as complete
+as it is here. When day by day I rise and
+see our numbers complete, and all in health, my
+soul is indeed made to feel what cannot the Lord
+do? though ten thousand shall fall at thy right
+hand it shall not come nigh thee.&mdash;I do not
+yet see what effect all this is likely to have on our
+labours here&mdash;whether it will break down or build
+up barriers; yet we expect it will break down, for
+the Lord seems thus breaking to pieces the power
+if not the pride of this haughty people. I have
+been struck two or three times lately, in going
+out, with the intense hatred that lurks at the bottom
+of the hearts of this people against Christians;
+my dress manifested me to be one, and some
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_138" id="Page_138">[Pg 138]</a></span>
+Arabs I met, particularly the women, cursed me
+with the most savage ferocity as I passed, two or
+three calling out at me as though I were the cause
+of all their calamities; and the people who are come
+to live next door to us, are bitter against us, especially
+one man among them, who seems to have his
+heart quite corroded, because they are dying and
+we are preserved by our Lord&#8217;s love; he sits and
+talks under our window, saying, &ldquo;These Christians
+and Jews alone remain, but in the whole of
+Bagdad you will hardly find one hundred Mohammedans.&rdquo;
+This is altogether false, for though
+in proportion as many Christians may not have
+died as Mohammedans and Jews, yet the deaths
+among them have been enormous, as the preceding
+accounts will have shewn.</p>
+
+<p>Medicine I have found of no use. If you attack
+the fever, they die of prostration of strength;
+if you endeavour to support the constitution, they
+die of oppression on the brain. Those cases
+which first affected the head with delirium, have
+been the most fatal; next those with carbuncles,
+which did not appear, however, for a fortnight
+after the commencement of the disease. Among
+those who have recovered, almost the whole have
+had large glandular swellings, speedily separating
+and thus relieving the constitution.</p>
+
+<p>This night, the first time for three weeks, I
+have heard again the Muezzin&#8217;s call to prayers,
+from the minarets of the Mosques.</p>
+
+<p><em>May 6.</em>&mdash;The water to-day is much decreased.
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_139" id="Page_139">[Pg 139]</a></span>
+I saw a man also with fresh meat in his hand. I
+likewise saw many recovering from the plague
+walking about, leaning on sticks, and sitting by
+the way-side. The number of deaths, among the
+Armenians, to-day, amounted to 11, which, considering
+that their whole remaining numbers cannot
+exceed 300 at present, is an enormous mortality,
+and has a little damped our hopes of a
+speedy conclusion to this awful visitation.</p>
+
+<p><em>May 7.</em>&mdash;Of the plague nothing satisfactory to-day.
+Thieves are multiplying in every direction;
+and news has come from Mosul that a new Pasha
+has arrived there, who only waited for the cessation
+of the plague to advance against Bagdad.
+Great part of his work of destruction is already
+done for him, as hardly a Georgian is left, and he
+will find money enough left without owners, to
+supply his own utmost rapacity, or the demands
+of the Sultan. The Lord is our only secure resting
+place, and we know that he who delivers us
+out of six troubles, can and will deliver us out of
+seven.</p>
+
+<p>The water is decreasing most rapidly, so that
+rice is beginning to be brought from the other side
+of the river; and as all those who monopolized the
+sale of wood, and not only asked enormous prices,
+but cheated in the weight, are all dead, every one
+now that needs wood takes it, so that the situation
+of the poor seems in this respect a little improved.</p>
+
+<p>There has not been among all the circumstances
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_140" id="Page_140">[Pg 140]</a></span>
+of this scene of complicated suffering, any one
+that has more painfully affected my own mind
+than the increasing number of infants and little
+children that have been left exposed in the streets,
+and the absolute impossibility of meeting such a
+state of things. We greatly desired to take one
+or two; but our own little baby was ill, so that by
+night Mary had hardly any rest, and at best, not
+being strong in such a climate, we came reluctantly
+to the decision that we were not able to
+undertake such an additional charge.</p>
+
+<p>This is an anxious evening. Dear Mary is
+taken ill&mdash;nothing that would at any other time
+alarm me, but now very little creates anxiety; yet
+her heart is reposing on her Lord with perfect
+peace, and waiting his will. A few hours, perhaps,
+may show us that it is but a little trial of
+our faith to draw us nearer the fountain of our
+life. To nature it seems fearful to think of the
+plague entering our dwelling; in our present
+situation, nothing but the Lord&#8217;s especial love
+could sustain the soul in the contemplation of a
+young family, left in such a land, at such a time,
+and in such circumstances; but we feel we came
+out under the shadow of the Almighty&#8217;s wing,
+and we know that his pavilion will be our sanctuary,
+let his gracious providence prescribe what it
+may. On his love, therefore, we cast ourselves
+with all our personal interests.</p>
+
+<p><em>May 8.</em>&mdash;The Lord has this day manifested that
+the attack of my dear dear wife, is the plague, and
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_141" id="Page_141">[Pg 141]</a></span>
+of a very dangerous and malignant kind, so that
+our hearts are prostrate in the Lord&#8217;s hand. As
+I think the infection can have only come through
+me, I have little hope of escaping, unless by the
+Lord&#8217;s special intervention. It is indeed an awful
+moment, the prospect of having a little family
+in such a country at such a time. Yet, my dearest
+wife&#8217;s faith triumphs over these circumstances,
+and as she sweetly said to me to day, &ldquo;The difference
+between a child of God and the worldling is
+not in death, but in the hope the one has in Jesus,
+while the other is without hope and without God
+in the world.&rdquo; She says, &ldquo;I marvel at the Lord&#8217;s
+dealings, but not more than at my own peace in
+such circumstances.&rdquo; She is now continually
+sleeping, and when roused feels it difficult to
+keep her dear mind fixed on any subject for a
+minute. These are indeed the floods of deep
+waters, but in the midst of them the Lord is
+working his mysterious way, yet that way, however
+bitter to nature, is for the everlasting consolation
+of his chosen ones. She said to me, a few
+minutes since, &ldquo;What does the Lord say concerning
+me.&rdquo; I said, that you are a dear child of his.
+&ldquo;Yes,&rdquo; she said, &ldquo;of that I have no doubt.&rdquo;
+May the Lord of his infinite mercy sustain my
+poor weak soul amidst these heavy visitations, that
+at least we may magnify him, whether by life
+or by death; what a relief it is now to my mind
+to think that her&#8217;s was so much set against moving,
+whenever I proposed it, and she often said in reply,
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_142" id="Page_142">[Pg 142]</a></span>
+&ldquo;The Lord has given me no desire nor sense
+of the desirableness of moving, which I feel assured
+he would have done had he seen it best.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p><em>May 9.</em>&mdash;My dearest, dearest wife still alive,
+and not apparently worse than yesterday. Oh! if
+it were the Lord&#8217;s holy blessed will to spare her,
+it would indeed rejoice my poor foolish heart, but
+the Lord has enabled me to cast my wife, myself,
+and my dear dear children on his holy love, and
+to await the issue. Oh! what wrath there must
+be against these lands, if not only the inhabitants
+are swept away, but the Lord transplants also his
+own, who would teach them, to his own garden of
+peace. My soul has just been refreshed by these
+two verses of Psalm 116. &ldquo;Return unto thy rest,
+O my soul, for the Lord hath dealt bountifully
+with thee. He has taken one of thy olive
+branches to glory, and is now perhaps about to
+take another, for precious in the sight of the Lord
+is the death of his saints, for he only takes them
+from the evil to come.&rdquo; Oh, but for Jesus, the
+never setting star of our heavenly way, amidst
+the wilderness what would our situation now be.
+Jesus is the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever,
+and our heavenly Father&#8217;s love we have too often
+proved to doubt it now. But, poor nature is
+bowed very very low, when I look at my dear
+boys and little babe, and see only poor little Kitto
+to be left for their care for hundreds of miles
+around; it needs all those consolations of God&#8217;s
+spirit to keep the soul from sinking also with the
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_143" id="Page_143">[Pg 143]</a></span>
+body; but the Lord has said, &ldquo;Leave your fatherless
+children unto me,&rdquo; and to him we desire to
+leave them.</p>
+
+<p>We did feel assured that the Lord would spare
+our dear little united happy family; but his ways
+are not our ways, nor his thoughts our thoughts.
+Dear little Kitto, I feel for his situation also from
+my heart.</p>
+
+<p>All the conversation of my dear dying wife, for
+these twelve months past, but especially as our
+difficulties and trials increased, was on the peace
+she enjoyed in the Lord. Often and often she has
+said to me, notwithstanding the disparity of every
+thing external, I never in England enjoyed that sweet
+sense of my Lord&#8217;s loving care that I have enjoyed
+in Bagdad. And her assurance of her Lord&#8217;s love
+never forsook her, even after she felt herself attacked
+by the plague. While contemplating the
+mysteriousness of the Providence, her mind was
+overwhelmed; but when she thought on her Lord&#8217;s
+love, she was confident in his graciousness. From
+almost the first, her brain has been so oppressed,
+that with difficulty she opens her eyes, and though
+she can answer a question of two or three words,
+Yes, or No; yet, if it involves the slightest exercise
+of thought, she always replies, &ldquo;I do not
+know what you say.&rdquo; When I consider all I
+and the dear children lose, should we survive
+her, it is almost more than my heart can contemplate.
+On any essential point, for some years,
+we have never had divided judgment on any material
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_144" id="Page_144">[Pg 144]</a></span>
+point; in every work of faith, or labour of
+love, her desire was to animate, not to hinder.
+Such simple truth of purpose, and unaffected love,
+and confidence in her Lord, as dwelt in her
+dear departing spirit, I have seldom seen, and
+those who knew her intimately will not think I
+say too much. She has been to me in the relation
+of Christian wife, and Missionary wife, just what
+I felt I so much, so very much needed. And yet
+the Lord sees fit to take her to himself, and add
+one more from my little family to the chosen, faithful,
+and true company that surrounds his throne.
+Lord, then, though it cuts nature to the quick,
+makes me feel its deepest suffering, and meets
+me under the most complicated forms of trial,
+yet if it be for thy glory, and her glory, do, dear
+Lord, thine Almighty will, and we know thou
+wilt to thy chosen, make light spring up out of
+darkness.</p>
+
+<p><em>May 10.</em>&mdash;Last evening my dearest wife was
+more herself than she had been, till within a few
+hours of her being taken ill, which was manifested
+by her asking to see dear little baby, the first
+thing she had voluntarily asked for, since her illness,
+without being spoken to. She again mentioned
+the subject of her confidence in her Lord,
+and acquiescence in his will. She asked me
+what I thought of her situation. I said I had
+committed her to the Lord, who, I knew, would
+deal graciously by her. She replied, &ldquo;Yes, that
+he will.&rdquo; She continued in this state of improvement
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_145" id="Page_145">[Pg 145]</a></span>
+till to-day at about nine o&#8217;clock, when her
+mind again began to wander. When I quoted to
+her, that to the Lord&#8217;s servants light should spring
+up in darkness, she said, &ldquo;Yes, that it shall.&rdquo;
+She said, &ldquo;I feel much better than yesterday&mdash;don&#8217;t
+you see that I am.&rdquo; In fact, my hopes of
+her being really improving would have been complete,
+but from that peculiar look of the eyes,
+which authors who have written on this subject,
+all denote as most fatal; from this, therefore, my
+hopes never were very high, yet though I had
+yesterday been enabled, through the Lord&#8217;s grace,
+to lie in his hands like a weaned child, to-day the
+disappointment of the dear hope, slight as it was,
+of having her restored to us, has brought my soul
+again into very deep waters. She also this morning
+expressed her anxiety about the dear children,
+and her fear, least in attending her, I should take
+the plague, and they be left orphans here.</p>
+
+<p>In every respect, certainly the Lord has been
+most gracious to her. She is about to be transplanted
+to her native soil, where tears and sorrows
+shall never enter, and in the way of her removal,
+since the Lord&#8217;s time is come, nothing can be more
+compassionate to her peculiar weakness of heart
+than not allowing her anxiety to dwell on the dear
+children, and their probable situation here. To
+have been happy in quitting them, amidst such a
+scene as now surrounds us, and in such a country,
+perhaps no mortal faith could have been equal to;
+the Lord, therefore, suffered not her mind to possess
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_146" id="Page_146">[Pg 146]</a></span>
+its usual sensibilities; but took them from
+her, and left her only to return to his bosom in
+peace.</p>
+
+<p>I feel the Holy Ghost again sustaining my poor
+weak heart in the prospect of losing such a wife,
+and remaining solitary here with three dear motherless
+children; but I know the Lord in whom
+I have believed, and he will not fail his chosen
+in one of all those good things he has promised.
+Our trials are indeed very very great; but the
+Lord, the comforter, is greater even than they.
+My dearest wife now (two o&#8217;clock,) is quite delirious.
+Dear spirit! I have attended her night
+and day since the evening of the 7th, on which she
+was taken ill, and I allow no one else to approach
+her. The Lord is my only stay, my only support,
+and he is a support indeed.</p>
+
+<p><em>May 11.</em>&mdash;This night has been the most trying
+of my life. How hard for the soul to see the object
+of its longest and best grounded earthly affections
+suffering without the power of affording
+relief, knowing too that a heavenly Father who
+has sent it, can relieve it, and yet seems to turn
+a deaf ear to one&#8217;s cries; at the same time, I
+felt, in the depths of my soul&#8217;s affections, that
+notwithstanding all, he is a God of infinite love.
+Satan has sorely tried me, but the Lord has shewn
+me, in the 22d Psalm, a more wonderful cry <em>apparently</em>
+unheeded, and the Holy Ghost has given
+me the victory, and enabled me to acquiesce in my
+Father&#8217;s will, though I now see not the end of his
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_147" id="Page_147">[Pg 147]</a></span>
+holy and blessed ways. Dear, dear spirit! she
+will soon wing her way to where her heart has
+long been; and, if I am spared, I shall perhaps
+have reason to bless God for having removed her
+thus early.</p>
+
+<p>The plague has attacked two more of our household&mdash;the
+schoolmaster&#8217;s wife and our maid-servant,
+and how far it will go now, no one knows
+but he who guides it by his sovereign will. My
+dearest Mary&#8217;s sufferings for four or five hours
+last night were great; she was quite delirious,
+and her dear voice was so affected, that I could
+not make out two words connectedly. How mysterious
+are God&#8217;s ways! Oh my soul, learn the
+lesson of patient submission to his holy will. I
+have cast myself upon him and he will guide me.
+Dear Mary, to-day has been quite insensible.
+It has indeed been a very painful day, but it is the
+condition of this world.  Dear spirit! her heart
+has been so set on her Lord&#8217;s coming of late, that
+it seemed quite to absorb her thoughts and heart.
+And now she will quickly join the holy assembly
+that are waiting to come with him. Surely such
+times as these, when the Lord is taking a ripe
+shock of corn from your field, are seasons to rejoice
+that your prayer for the quick accomplishment
+of the number of God&#8217;s elect has been heard,
+and yet how hard it is for nature not to feel deep
+sorrow that a message has come for one of yours.</p>
+
+<p>Poor dear Kitto and the little boys are now
+become the sole nurses of the dear baby by night
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_148" id="Page_148">[Pg 148]</a></span>
+and by day. Oh, may the Lord watch over them
+and bless them. My last night&#8217;s attendance on
+my dear wife, leaves me little hope of escaping
+the plague, unless it be our Father&#8217;s special will
+to preserve me, for in her delirium she required
+so many times to be lifted from place to place,
+and to have all her clothes changed, that I can
+now only cry to the Lord to preserve me, if it may
+be a little while, for the dear children&#8217;s sake.</p>
+
+<p>The Lord has most graciously provided us with a
+servant of Mrs. T&#8217;s. to come and attend my dear
+Mary.<a name="FNanchor_30_30" id="FNanchor_30_30"></a><a href="#Footnote_30_30" class="fnanchor">[30]</a>
+Oh may my soul bless him for this timely
+help, just when our own servant was taken ill.
+This woman has been in the midst of all the contagion,
+and has never taken it; so it may be the
+Lord&#8217;s will to shew how he can work even in the
+midst of the darkest trials. She sits down beside
+the dear sufferer, keeps the flies from her face,
+and does every thing for her the fondest heart
+could desire. She came out with us from England,
+having gone there with Mrs. T.; is a native
+of these countries, knows all that is required in
+sickness, and how to perform the duties of a nurse,
+with the most unwearied patience, tenderness,
+and watchfulness. She also knows something of
+English, and having been with dear Mrs. T. in
+England, is acquainted with English customs.
+Surely the Lord heard my cry in the day of my
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_149" id="Page_149">[Pg 149]</a></span>
+deep distress, for such a person perhaps could not
+be got again within a thousand miles. That she
+should have been left too when all the rest went
+away. She has made dear Mary look so comfortable;
+she washes her and changes her, who though
+insensible, lies so quiet, and looks so composed.
+She said she knew the Lord would be very gracious,
+and he has been so indeed&mdash;he sees it right
+to take his sheep home to his fold; but he has so
+overwhelmed me by this proof of his loving kindness,
+this ray of light arising in the midst of my
+darkness, that it seems to have led my heart yet
+more and more to love him and to confide in him,
+that he may yet stay his rough wind in the day of
+his east wind. This kind friend, Mrs. T.&#8217;s servant,
+proposes to remain with us until all our family
+are either well or dead.</p>
+
+<p><em>May 12.</em>&mdash;Up to this day I am well, thank God,
+but seeing the ways of the Lord are so marvellous,
+I have arranged all my little concerns, and
+put them into the hands of dear Kitto, for the
+little boys and our dear little baby, till they arrive
+at some of those places where there may be some
+one to take care of them, and carry them to their
+guardians or my trustees. But as poor Kitto is
+so little able to provide even for himself, much
+less for the little boys, I shall now endeavour,
+the Lord enabling me, to arrange with this woman,
+Mariam by name, to undertake every thing
+for them till she can give them over to Major T.,
+to whose family she is going, unless they return
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_150" id="Page_150">[Pg 150]</a></span>
+here. This woman was an old servant of dear
+Mrs. R. She has consented to undertake this
+charge, and is to remain with the dear, dear children.
+She knows enough of English to make
+herself understood by the dear children, and she
+thoroughly understands the language, manners,
+and habits of this people.&mdash;Whether it may ever
+be the Lord&#8217;s will to call into exercise the arrangements
+of this plan or not, I trust I never shall
+forget the Lord&#8217;s unspeakable mercy in shewing me,
+that when I saw no earthly protector for my poor
+children, his holy, loving, and fatherly hand
+could provide one if it were necessary. Oh, may
+my faith in him in the darkest day never fail, for
+it is a light that springeth up in darkness.</p>
+
+<p>Dearest Mary is gradually sinking into the
+bosom of the Lord, and to join in the society her
+soul has so long and so truly loved, of the lovers
+of the Lamb of God. Though the Lord has
+taken away the desire of my eyes, as it were
+with a stroke, and left me a few hours to cry
+unto him in the midst of my deep, deep waters;
+yet these visions of his love have so revived my
+soul, that my whole soul is brought to acquiesce
+in his holy and fatherly arrangements, with respect
+to her who was once the joy, the help, and companion
+of all in which I was engaged. I sit
+down now to wait, and see the salvation of my
+God, for doubtless he will reveal, in his own
+good time, the reason why he has acted so contrary,
+not only to mine, but especially my dear
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_151" id="Page_151">[Pg 151]</a></span>
+wife&#8217;s strongest convictions, which were, that he
+would preserve us all safe through this calamity.</p>
+
+<p>When I now contemplate the spiritual state
+of dear Mary&#8217;s mind for the last twelve months,
+I am not at all surprised that the Lord has taken
+her as a ripe shock of corn, but my expectation
+while watching her spiritual progress was so
+different. I saw her daily growing in the simple
+assurance of her Lord&#8217;s love, and desiring under
+heaven neither to know nor serve any other
+than him. Her heart was panting for the Lord&#8217;s
+coming, that the mystery of iniquity might be
+finished, and the mystery of godliness be fully
+established; but I thought not of all this being
+preparatory to her joining her Lord, but for the
+strengthening of my poor weak hands here. It
+never entered my heart that I was to be left
+alone, as far as earth is concerned, most alone.
+Those friends for whom this journal is alone
+designed, know how much she was to me, and
+how deservedly so: this, however, the Lord saw
+had its great, great dangers too, and may in his
+infinite mercy to us both have ripened her so
+rapidly for glory, and left me here to serve and
+praise; for I have felt it was very, very hard to
+be as the Apostle says, having a wife as though
+I had none. Now, when I go and look upon her
+having reached within one short step, the habitation
+of all her hopes; I have not a spiritual
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_152" id="Page_152">[Pg 152]</a></span>
+affection within my soul that would call her back;
+but poor nature bows reluctantly its head.</p>
+
+<p>The dear little baby also is but poorly. Her
+dear little cry of mamma, mamma, cuts my poor
+heart like a knife, to think, that from to-day or
+probably to-morrow, she must cease to know that
+endearing name, and such a mother too! However,
+the Lord tells his children to leave their
+fatherless, and doubtless motherless ones to him.
+Lord, I desire so to do; for he is a dear and
+kind father, though <em>nature</em> cannot always see it,
+and indeed how could this be? for that which is
+<em>natural</em> in us is, not only in its will opposed to
+God, but even in its best affections tainted from
+the fall. Were it not that the Lord whom we love
+and serve, is as infinite in his compassions, as he
+is mysterious in his ways, the days that must come
+when the excitement of present suffering will be
+past, and my soul begins to look round and see
+the extent of its desolations, in a country, too,
+where there is nothing to comfort or cheer me,
+would appear to me too dark to be borne, did I
+not know the Lord hath said, I will not leave you
+orphans, but I will come unto you; so if he does
+come and dwell more sensibly within me, even my
+poor dull and slow-growing spirit may soon be
+ripened and gathered into his kingdom, there to
+join my dear departing spirit in the realms of
+light.</p>
+
+<p><em>May 13.</em>&mdash;My dearest wife has reached the light
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_153" id="Page_153">[Pg 153]</a></span>
+of another day, still quietly sinking without a
+sigh and without a groan. This my prayer for her
+in the night of my darkness the Lord has mercifully
+heard. At present all the remaining ones
+of the family are well. I have separated the dear
+little boys and Kitto, and allow them to hold
+intercourse with none. The dear baby, and myself,
+and the maid, and the little boy of our sick
+servant, are also much separated, and this nurse,
+whom the Lord sent us, alone attends the sick;
+but yet so contagious is this fearful disease, that
+when it has once entered your dwelling, you can
+know no other safety than in your Lord&#8217;s preserving
+care. These are indeed days of trial, but
+doubtless they will have their precious fruit in all
+God&#8217;s children; for the eyes of the Lord are upon
+the righteous, and his ears are open unto their
+cry&mdash;for the Lord redeemeth the soul of his servants,
+therefore none of them that trust in him
+shall be desolate&mdash;no, not even I, poor and worthless
+as I am, I shall yet praise him who is the
+Lord of my life, and my God.</p>
+
+<p>The dear boys also keep up their spirits much
+better than the first two or three days after their
+dear mamma was taken ill. The magnitude of
+present danger to themselves, and to all, in some
+measure divides their thoughts, and prevents them
+from resting alone on that deeply affecting prospect
+before them, for they loved her most truly,
+and, Oh! how much reason had they to love her.</p>
+
+<p>I have just heard that the streets begin again
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_154" id="Page_154">[Pg 154]</a></span>
+to be crowded, shops here and there to be opened,
+and the gardeners are bringing things from without
+into the city. To think that so near the end
+we should have been thus visited, how mysterious!
+Yet my soul says, What thou seest not, thou shalt
+see. If it does but lead to my Lord&#8217;s glory, I am
+sure it will lead to my dear sufferer&#8217;s; then why
+should I repine?</p>
+
+<p>Water is also reduced to 1s. 3d. the skin, the
+price it was at before. For these proofs of mercy
+to the people, we will bless God in the midst of
+our own personal sorrows.</p>
+
+<p><em>May 14.</em>&mdash;This day dearest Mary&#8217;s ransomed
+spirit took its seat among those dressed in white,
+and her body was consigned to the earth that gave
+it birth&mdash;a dark, heavy day to poor nature, but
+still the Lord was the light and stay of it.</p>
+
+<p>I cannot help exceedingly blessing my heavenly
+Father, however these calamities (for to nature
+they are such, though not to the heirs of glory)
+may end that he has allowed me to continue in
+health so long as to see every thing done I could
+have desired, and so infinitely more than I could
+have expected, for her whom I have so much
+reason to love.</p>
+
+<p><em>May 15, 16.</em>&mdash;I have heard to-day that the
+French Roman Catholic Archbishop of Babylon
+has been dead a long time, and two of his priests,
+and the remaining two fled. The poor schoolmaster&#8217;s
+wife is dying, and our servant I trust,
+recovering: the rest of our household within and
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_155" id="Page_155">[Pg 155]</a></span>
+without, thank God, all continue in good health&mdash;even
+dear little baby, though rather cross from
+want of amusement, and from her teeth.</p>
+
+<p>They say new cases of plague have almost entirely
+disappeared; may the Lord grant its speedy
+disappearance altogether. We have had no intelligence
+from the Taylors since their departure,
+which makes us very anxious. As the waters are
+decreasing, the relics of those families which fled
+are returning; and, in numberless cases, out of
+eighteen in a family who left, only one or two
+return. The others died in the greatest misery
+and destitution of all things, distressed by the
+plague, the water, and scarcity, and the air in all
+the roads was tainted from the immense number
+of dead bodies lying by the way.</p>
+
+<p>I feel to-day many symptoms similar to those
+with which my dearest Mary&#8217;s illness commenced&mdash;pains
+in the head and heaviness, pains in the
+back, and shooting pains through the glands and
+the arms. At another time I should think only
+of them as the result of a common cold; but now
+I know not how to discriminate, the beginnings
+are so similar. Should these be my last lines in
+this journal, I desire to ascribe all praise to the
+sovereign grace and unspeakable love of my heavenly
+Father, who, from before the foundation of
+the world, set his eye of redeeming love on me in
+the person of his dear and well-beloved Son. I
+bless God for all the way he has led me; and vile
+and wretched sinner as I feel I am, unworthily as
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_156" id="Page_156">[Pg 156]</a></span>
+I have in all my life served him, yet I feel he has
+translated the affections of my inmost soul from
+earth to heaven, from the creature to himself. As
+to the dear, dear helpless children, I have committed
+them to his love, with the full assurance
+that if he transplants me from hence to himself,
+to join the partner of my earthly history, he will
+provide them much, yea, very much better than I,
+or ten thousand fathers could do. To his love and
+promises, then, in Christ Jesus, I leave them;
+and strange and wonderful as his dealings appear,
+he has made my soul to acquiesce in them. To all
+the family of the redeemed of the Lord, especially
+those I know, I entreat you let your conversation
+be as it becometh the gospel of Christ; always
+abound in his most holy work, for you know your
+labour is not in vain in the Lord. Be as those who
+wait for their Lord with your lamp trimmed, for
+shortly he who shall come will come, and will not
+tarry. My soul embraces those I especially knew
+with all its powers, and desires for them that
+Christ may exceedingly be glorified in them, and
+by them, amen, and amen.</p>
+
+<p><em>May 17.</em>&mdash;To-day the fever has almost entirely
+left me, so that I feel a very little, except weakness,
+but never can I sufficiently praise God for the experience
+of yesterday. I certainly never expected
+again to have written in this journal, and few circumstances
+could have apparently presented themselves
+more trying to the heart, to have the prospect
+of soon leaving in a city like Bagdad, at this time,
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_157" id="Page_157">[Pg 157]</a></span>
+three helpless children, and the impossibility of
+making those provisions for them, which at another
+time might have been comparatively easy, seemed
+altogether more than the heart could support; yet
+so abundantly did the Lord allow his love to pass
+before me, so fully did he assure me of his loving
+care, that I felt no doubt for them&mdash;and, for myself,
+the prospect of soon joining him was specially
+exhilarating. He allowed me to see my free
+and full forgiveness and acceptance, and I never
+felt more the preciousness of such a salvation as
+the Gospel of Jesus provides for the sinner, than
+when I was as I thought, just entering eternity,
+to plead it as the ground of my hope before God.
+There seemed such simplicity in having only to
+believe you were redeemed by his love, and should
+be eternally preserved by the same, instead of
+having to do with weighing the sum of your beggarly
+services, all of which one hates now, and
+oh, how shall we hate them when we see him face
+to face. May our dear Lord make the promise
+he made to his disciples, good to my poor bereaved
+heart, and come himself and fill it with his fulness,
+that having him I may indeed feel I have all
+things.</p>
+
+<p><em>May 18.</em>&mdash;Our poor servant died last night,
+notwithstanding our hopes of her recovery, and
+has left one little orphan boy of seven years old
+with us. Oh that I could think of her transition
+from hence to eternity, and contemplate her, as
+the Lord to my unspeakable comfort allows me to
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_158" id="Page_158">[Pg 158]</a></span>
+contemplate my dear, dear wife, dwelling in the
+light of her Lord&#8217;s countenance, where there is
+fulness of joy for evermore.</p>
+
+<p>The schoolmaster has just told me, that out of
+forty relations, he has now only four&mdash;the rest have
+all been swept away. The accounts we have of
+the misery, in which many of these died who endeavoured
+to fly, is truly heart-rending; with the
+water nearly half a yard high in their tents, without
+victuals or the means of seeking or buying
+any, they suffered every privation and misery
+that can be imagined, and one poor family which
+has returned, described the intense desire they
+had to return and die quietly in their houses. But
+return they could not, for the waters had so risen
+that there was no road, and no boats could be obtained,
+but at an immense price, which a few only
+could pay, and very few obtain even at any price.</p>
+
+<p>Oh! how many alleviations to the trials of parting
+with those we loved, the Lord allowed us in
+permitting us to see them surrounded by every
+comfort they could want, and with every attendance
+that could alleviate a moment&#8217;s uneasiness.</p>
+
+<p>From the Taylors at Bussorah we have yet
+heard no accounts, and are therefore most anxious
+to know how the Lord has been moving among
+them. I have just heard that orders have
+come from Stamboul,<a name="FNanchor_31_31" id="FNanchor_31_31"></a><a href="#Footnote_31_31" class="fnanchor">[31]</a>
+to the Pashas marching
+against this Pasha, to desire them to return, and
+that another messenger is on the way from Stamboul
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_159" id="Page_159">[Pg 159]</a></span>
+to bring his annual dress of investiture. Should
+it be really thus, our dear friends may soon be
+here from Aleppo; it would indeed be a great
+comfort; but the Lord regards, in this dispensation,
+our real advantage more than our sensible
+comfort, we therefore desire to leave all to his
+Holy, gracious ordering, who, though he orders
+all things after the counsel of his own free will,
+has no will towards us, but that we should be
+filled with the fulness of Christ, and be conformed
+to his image.</p>
+
+<p><em>May 19.</em>&mdash;The water to-day has again fallen
+considerably in price, and as far as we can judge,
+God has mercifully nearly extinguished this desolating
+plague. I now feel quite satisfied the attack
+I had the other day was an attack of the
+plague, though very slight. The schoolmaster,
+yesterday, was attacked in the same way with a
+pain in his back and head, and a pain in his glands,
+one of which is decidedly enlarged, but still it is
+very slight, and I trust to-morrow, with the
+Lord&#8217;s blessing, to see him, with the exception of
+weakness, well again. We are, thank God, all
+well; the only thing I now suffer from is weakness
+and pain in the glands and under the arm,
+but there is no enlargement, and I trust in a day
+or two it will go entirely away. I heard, to-day,
+the Pasha had been ill of the plague this week; it
+is now reported he is dead; but we know nothing
+certain. One of his sons is also dead.</p>
+
+<p>This has been a heavy day with my poor heart,
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_160" id="Page_160">[Pg 160]</a></span>
+so slow a scholar am I under my dear Master&#8217;s
+teaching. Yet I feel he will fill me with his own
+most blessed presence, and then I shall be able to
+bear easily all other bereavements. How strange
+it is that feeling should rule with so much
+more power than principle, over the happiness of
+the soul, even when the spirit still imparts strength
+to direct the conduct aright. The feelings seize
+on the slightest recollection; and oh, what fuel
+have they when every thing in the minutest daily
+occurrences, every thing in the events passing
+around us, at once come directly on the heart
+and press upon it; and when there is not a soul
+near, not only not to supply all that is lost, but
+not even a portion of it, and yet notwithstanding
+all this, that now weighs on me, I feel the Lord
+himself will be yet more to me than all I have
+lost. I feel I have been skimming too much on
+the surface of Christianity instead of being clothed
+with Christ. Oh! what a child am I in the life
+of faith, but I feel the Lord has my poor soul in
+his training, and though the discipline may seem
+severe, it is only the severity of uncompromising
+love.</p>
+
+<p><em>May 20.</em>&mdash;This has been a day of mercies at
+the hand of the Most High. For a day or two
+past, I had observed a little dust falling through
+a creak in the wall, and although on any other
+occasion, it would have excited no anxiety; yet,
+knowing the cellars were full of water, I thought
+it better this morning early to take out all our
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_161" id="Page_161">[Pg 161]</a></span>
+things from this room; it was our own, mine and
+dear Mary&#8217;s, and therefore contained all we had of
+clothing, &amp;c.; the dear little boys and the servant
+were helping me, and we had not finished
+taking out the last things above ten minutes, when
+the whole arch on which the room was built gave
+way&mdash;our little stock of things and ourselves being
+all safe. Oh! my soul, bless the Lord who watcheth
+over the ways of his children.</p>
+
+<p>Oh! how easy it is to kiss our dear and loving
+Father&#8217;s hand when he turns bright providences
+towards us. How easy, then, it is to praise! but
+I feel my dearest teacher is teaching me the hardest
+lesson to kiss the hand that wounds, to bless
+the hand that pours out sorrow, and to submit,
+with all my soul, though I see not a ray of light.
+Oh, thou holy and blessed Spirit, come and help
+thy poor wayward scholar, who indeed would not
+entertain a hard thought of his dear and loving
+Father. Through much tribulation we must enter
+into the kingdom; therefore, blessed Lord, prepare
+me for thy service. I am a poor inexperienced
+soldier; clothe me with the whole armour
+of God, that my soul may praise in the darkest
+day. All but myself are quite well, and my indisposition
+seems only at present a little weakness,
+which perhaps the exertions of removing the things
+from our room to-day, and all the painful associations
+connected with it, has this evening a little
+increased: but the Lord is very pitiful, and says,
+Ask what you will of my Father, and he will give
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_162" id="Page_162">[Pg 162]</a></span>
+it you. Dear Lord, fill me with thyself, that there
+may be no more room for the grief of any creature.
+Thou, and thy Father, and the blessed Spirit,
+one eternal God alone, are eternally a satisfying
+portion.</p>
+
+<p>I am very anxious about the poor schoolmaster:
+should he die, he will be the last of our teachers;
+<em>three</em> are already dead, and he alone remains.&mdash;Oh,
+my Lord, my soul desires to wait on thee for
+light, and to remember Mizar and Hermon&mdash;days
+when the sun shone upon our path; but the frost
+may be as necessary to bring the cover to full perfection
+as the genial sun and showers. Dear Husbandman,
+do thine own will, only make us bear
+much fruit, that thou mayest be glorified.</p>
+
+<p><em>May 21.</em>&mdash;Last night thieves endeavoured three
+times to force an outer door, but did not succeed&mdash;the
+whole city is swarming with them.</p>
+
+<p>To-day the Pasha of Mosul is come to Bagdad;
+what it portends we know not; but the Lord
+reigneth, therefore let the Saints rejoice; they
+can only accomplish his will who is our Father
+and our God.</p>
+
+<p>I have to-day sent off a messenger to Major
+T. to Bussorah, may he quickly return with good
+tidings of them all. To-day I have also heard of
+a caravan proposing to go to Aleppo. Every account
+we have of the plague confirms its almost
+entire disappearance. Our walking now is altogether
+by faith: we see not a ray of light for the
+future, but the Lord will let light spring out of
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_163" id="Page_163">[Pg 163]</a></span>
+darkness, so that his servants who wait upon him
+shall not always mourn. Oh how different a thing
+faith is in a cloudy and dark day, and when all
+things smile around. I had intentionally renounced
+the world, yet the Lord saw that I held
+more of it than I knew in the dear object he has
+removed. In England, where I had many dear
+Christian friends, she was my constant companion;
+but <em>here</em> she was on earth all I had left&mdash;my sorrows,
+my hopes, my fears, she shared and bore
+them all. I feel Christ my Lord has in store for
+me in himself some great and special good in exchange
+for all this, but my poor weak faithless
+heart does not yet see the way of his going forth.</p>
+
+<p>Miriam is most kind to my sweet little helpless
+babe.</p>
+
+<p><em>May 22.</em>&mdash;Our dear Lord said to his sorrowing
+disciples, You have heard how I said unto you, I
+go away and come again unto you. <em>If ye loved
+me ye would rejoice because I said I go unto the
+Father</em>, that is, if you loved me above the enjoyment
+of my society and help, ye would rejoice;
+how hard this is: as it was true of the departing
+head, so it is true of every member, and yet I feel
+my selfish heart constantly forgetting that true
+love which under the crucifixion of all one&#8217;s own
+feelings can truly rejoice at the happiness of an
+object beloved, even at this expense.</p>
+
+<p>This has again been an anxious day. Dear Henry
+complained this morning of a swelling under his ear,
+or rather under the angle of the jaw, where there
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_164" id="Page_164">[Pg 164]</a></span>
+was on feeling it, an evidently enlarged gland; however,
+to the praise of the Lord&#8217;s great grace, it is
+evidently passing away without any general attack
+on the constitution. I really believe the Holy Ghost
+is making these events instrumental in working a
+deep sense on the minds of the dearest boys of the
+importance of their souls; there is a concern about
+religion, a willingness to talk about it I have
+not before observed. Oh, may the Lord&#8217;s blessed
+spirit water these seeds till they become plants of
+renown, to the glory of our own Lord&#8217;s great
+name.</p>
+
+<p><em>May 23.</em>&mdash;Oh my poor heart flutters like a bird
+when it contemplates the extent of its bereavement
+as a husband, a father, a missionary. Oh,
+what have I not lost! Dear Lord sustain my poor
+weak faith. Thy gracious visits sometimes comfort
+my soul; yet my days move heavily on; but the
+Lord who redeemeth the souls of his servants has
+declared, that none of those who trust in him shall
+be desolate. Lord I believe, help thou mine unbelief.
+I do indeed desire with my whole soul to
+cast myself into the ocean of thy love, and never to
+let Satan have one advantage over me, by instilling
+into my heart hard thoughts of thy ways.
+Surely we expect trials, and if so, and thou sendest
+one other than we expected, should it surprise us
+when we see but a point in the circle of thy providence,
+and thou seest the end from the beginning.</p>
+
+<p><em>May 24.</em>&mdash;To-day Kitto has been very unwell.</p>
+
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_165" id="Page_165">[Pg 165]</a></span>
+<em>May 25.</em>&mdash;To-day the dear baby is very unwell,
+but Kitto better. Thus the Lord interchanges
+his merciful trials and merciful reliefs. I
+feel one great want, &ldquo;To be filled with all the
+fulness of Christ,&rdquo; that there may be no room for
+those fluctuations, which from short intervals of
+sweet peace, plunge me into depths of sorrow and
+astonishment: yet I know the Lord will heal, he
+will bind up what he has broken. O my soul,
+wait patiently on him to learn all, I know he would
+teach thee: let patience have her perfect work,
+for the trial of our faith is much more precious
+than of gold that perisheth. My eyes are daily,
+hourly looking unto the Lord for a little ray of
+light, but as yet I see none: yet we know that
+they that trust on the Lord shall not walk in darkness,
+but mercies shall encompass them about.</p>
+
+<p><em>May 26.</em>&mdash;To-day, thank God, all our household
+are tolerably well.&mdash;All accounts from without
+say the plague is ended. May the Lord grant it!</p>
+
+<p><em>May 27.</em>&mdash;My dear baby still very poorly.
+Dear Lord, I commit this tender delicate flower to
+thy loving gracious keeping. Oh my God, my
+soul has been much cast down within me; but
+thou hast enabled me to remember thee from the
+land of Jordan, and the Hermonites, from the
+hill Mizar. O Lord, only let thy love appear
+shining through the clouds that surround me, and
+my soul will rejoice; it is only when the adversary
+prevails so far as to say, He loves thee not, that
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_166" id="Page_166">[Pg 166]</a></span>
+my soul is overwhelmed within me; for if I have
+not the Lord, whom have I? for vile and worthless
+as all my manifestations of love have been,
+cold and dead as all my worship, low and doubting
+as all my confidence has been, yet Lord, all
+my desire is to love thee better and serve thee
+more singally, who art infinitely worthy of all love
+and all service. How strong our tower seems till
+the Lord blow upon its foundations, and then
+much that looked so fair, flies like the chaff of the
+summer threshing floor, and meet it is, if the immoveable
+parts of Christ&#8217;s own building be found
+to connect the poor fluttering soul with the Rock
+of Ages. Oh may my soul drink daily more and
+more deeply into that spirit of adoption and love,
+and assurance of the Lord&#8217;s favour, that gilded the
+last year of my dear, dear Mary&#8217;s life.&mdash;Lord, I feel
+I am a very child; but Lord, lead thou me by
+thine own right hand. Oh my heart longs for
+Christian communion&mdash;some one to whom I can
+talk of Jesus and his ways, and with whom I may
+take counsel; yet it now seems as though many
+months must elapse before our dear friends can
+come from Aleppo, but the Lord knows what
+is best, and to him we leave all our cares, and the
+providing for all our necessities. I pray the Lord
+to pour down his Holy Spirit upon my poor heart,
+and strengthen it for trials. It was one of my
+dearest Mary&#8217;s greatest comforts, as it has been
+mine, to know so many of those who were dear
+to the Lord, and had purposed wholly to follow
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_167" id="Page_167">[Pg 167]</a></span>
+him, were praying for our guidance and welfare;&mdash;this
+used to be in our evening walks, on the
+roof of our house, a theme of thanksgiving, and
+used daily to draw out our hearts to the Lord for
+the continual dew of his blessing upon them. Oh
+when they hear of all the Lord&#8217;s dealing, may their
+spirits be stirred up within them to pray that I
+may be filled with him who filleth all in all. I
+long to love my Eternal God&mdash;Father, Son, and
+Spirit, more with all my undivided heart; the
+coldness of my love&mdash;the lowness of my desires is
+my abiding sorrow.</p>
+
+<p><em>May 28.</em>&mdash;To-day came letters from England,
+but Oh, how strangely altered; those very letters
+which would have animated anew all our endeavours,
+and led us to praise God together, had
+dearest Mary been here to share them, came
+winged with passages that wrung my heart. But
+still the love of the saints of God, of those we
+love, has much sweetness in it; and then again to
+hear of our dear sister&#8217;s thoughtful love towards
+our tender little babe in providing her clothes,
+which, while they are doing, my heart heaves
+with the prospect of losing the sweet little flower&mdash;so
+tender&mdash;so needing more than a mother&#8217;s care.
+But the Lord is most compassionately gracious,
+and what he does not reveal, he will hereafter.</p>
+
+<p>I have also had intelligence to-day that my dear
+brothers and sisters had been two months ago on
+the point of setting off for Aleppo; but whether
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_168" id="Page_168">[Pg 168]</a></span>
+they received news of the plague and returned,
+or are waiting at Anah, I know not, but I greatly
+need them&mdash;yet still the Lord knows best how
+much I need them, and when.</p>
+
+<p>When I think of my lowness in the attainments
+of the divine life, my little knowledge, and
+less love of my dear Lord, I wonder how he has
+so graciously allowed me a place in the hearts of
+his chosen, and that he should allow our weak,
+tottering, and faithless walk, to encourage the
+young and lusty eagles to take their higher flight
+is wonderful; but it is that the glory might be
+his.</p>
+
+<hr style='width: 25%;' />
+
+<p>In concluding this portion of my journal, I shall
+just take a little view of the last two years, as it
+is now within a few days of two years since I left
+my dear, dear friends and native shore.</p>
+
+<p>From the day my dearest Mary and myself deliberately
+prepared to set out on the work in which
+we finally embarked, the Lord never allowed us
+to doubt that it was <em>his</em> work, and that the result
+on the church of God would be greater than our
+remaining quietly at home. All our subsequent
+intercourse with his dear children in England,
+and in our journey, had a confirmatory tendency,
+and all the communications from the dear circle
+to whom we were known, insignificant as we
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_169" id="Page_169">[Pg 169]</a></span>
+were, convinced us that the cause of the Lord
+had suffered no detriment&mdash;that many had been
+led to act with more decision, and some to pursue
+measures which possibly might not otherwise have
+been undertaken.</p>
+
+<p>Again, the Lord&#8217;s great care over us in his
+abundant provision for all our necessities, although
+every one of those sources failed we had calculated
+upon naturally when we left England, enabled
+us yet further to sing of his goodness.</p>
+
+<p>Then, as to our work; when we left England,
+schools entered not into our plan; but when we
+arrived here, the Lord so completely put the school
+of the Armenians into our hands, that on consultation
+both my dearest Mary, myself, and Mr. Pfander
+thought that the Lord&#8217;s children and saints must
+take the work the Lord gives, particularly
+as there appeared no immediate prospect of
+other work. We entered on it, and by dear Mr.
+Pfander&#8217;s most efficient help, the children were
+soon brought to translate God&#8217;s word with understanding,
+and the school increased from 35 to near
+80. My dearest Mary had long desired to undertake
+the girl&#8217;s school exclusively; but previous
+to her confinement she did not feel able; but as
+soon as she got about, she undertook it heartily,
+and the dear little children were so attached to
+their employments, that they used to come on
+their holidays. She had got so far on in Armenian,
+as to be able to prepare for them, in large
+characters, some little pieces of Carus Wilson&#8217;s,
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_170" id="Page_170">[Pg 170]</a></span>
+which I got translated into the Armenian of this
+place, and the dear little children were so interested
+by them, that they exceedingly desired to
+take them home, and read them to their mothers,
+which in two or three days they were to have done.
+For our own instruction in Arabic and Armenian,
+and for the school, we had five most competent
+teachers. Thus things went on up to the end of
+March, when the appearance of the plague obliged
+us to break up the school. But now two months
+have passed, and Oh! how changed. Half the
+children, or more, are dead; many have left the
+place; the five teachers are dead, and my dear,
+dear Mary. When I think on this, my heart is
+overwhelmed within me, and I remain in absolute
+darkness as to the meaning of my Lord and Father;
+but shall I therefore doubt him now, after
+so many proofs of love, because he acts inscrutably
+to me? God forbid! That the Lord made the
+coming of my dearest wife, and her multiplied
+trials and blessings, the instruments of her soul&#8217;s
+rapid preparation for his presence, I have no
+doubt. I never heard a soul breathe a more simple,
+firm, and unostentatious faith in God. She
+never had a doubt but that it was for the Lord
+she left all that was naturally dear to her to expose
+herself to dangers from which, with a constitutional
+timidity, she shrunk. Her soul was most
+especially drawn out towards her Lord&#8217;s coming,
+and this spread a gilded halo round every trial.
+She constantly exclaimed, as we walked on the roof
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_171" id="Page_171">[Pg 171]</a></span>
+of our house<a name="FNanchor_32_32" id="FNanchor_32_32"></a><a href="#Footnote_32_32" class="fnanchor">[32]</a>
+of an evening, &ldquo;When will he come?&rdquo;
+Often she would say to me, I never enjoyed such
+spiritual peace as since I have been in Bagdad&mdash;such
+an unvarying sense of nearness to Christ,
+and assurance of his love and care; we came out
+trusting only under his wing, and he will never
+forsake us. Her strongest assurance was certainly
+that the Lord would not allow the plague to enter
+our dwelling; but when she saw that the Lord
+mysteriously accepted not this confidence, but let
+it rest even on her, it never disturbed her peace,
+as I have mentioned before. She said to me, &ldquo;I
+know not which is to me most mysterious, that the
+Lord should have laid his hand upon me, or,
+having laid it, that I should enjoy such peace as
+I do.&rdquo; And in this peace and confidence, every
+subsequent moment of sensibility was passed. Her
+constant exclamation was, &ldquo;I know he will do
+most graciously by me.&rdquo; Yet notwithstanding all
+the happiness I have in contemplating her among
+the redeemed, thus clothed in white; and
+notwithstanding the triumphing conviction I have in
+spite of the temptations of Satan, and the darkness
+that envelopes my present position, that all
+is the offspring of infinite love; yet at times the
+overwhelming loss I have sustained, in every possible
+way that a husband, a father, a missionary,
+and even a man, can know, so affects me that but
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_172" id="Page_172">[Pg 172]</a></span>
+for my Lord&#8217;s loving presence, I should be overwhelmed.</p>
+
+<p>I now wait till the arrival of my dear friends to
+consult with them as to our future plans. May
+the Lord, if it be his pleasure, quickly send them
+hither, and direct us in all our plans and purposes,
+so that we may be led to fulfil his will.</p>
+
+<p><em>May 30.</em>&mdash;A messenger has arrived from Bussorah,
+bringing intelligence of the kind Taylors;
+but the letters he brought were all taken from
+him, and he stripped to his shirt, a few miles from
+Bagdad. However, by word of mouth, he brings,
+on the whole, good accounts. All their immediate
+family are well; some have died, among
+those that accompanied them, and nearly all the
+Arab sailors, but as the letters are lost, we know
+not the particulars.</p>
+
+<p><em>May 31.</em>&mdash;I have had another proof of my
+heavenly Father&#8217;s care. An Armenian merchant has
+sent his servant to me to say, he proposes sending
+him every day to buy for me what I want from
+the bazaar, and also to offer me any money I may
+want. The latter I had no occasion to accept, for
+when the Jew left the city who was to supply me,
+and the man died who was to obtain it for me,
+and I seemed left without remedy, an Armenian
+offered to supply whatever I might want, without
+any application on my part, and from him I have
+had what I needed.</p>
+
+<p>Whether or not the affairs of the Pasha are
+likely to be quietly settled, I know not; but I
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_173" id="Page_173">[Pg 173]</a></span>
+think there are some indications that the present
+Pasha will remain. So intensely ruined does the
+city appear, that the Pasha of Aleppo, who was to
+have come and dispossessed him, seems to have
+no desire for the exchange; and besides, the present
+Pasha has offered so large a sum of money,
+that there appears little doubt it will be accepted.
+Dispatches have arrived for him, the contents
+of which are not yet known; but the Pasha
+says, he has received the most satisfactory letters.
+He is, I believe, recovering daily his strength.</p>
+
+<p>Thus I finish this melancholy portion of my
+journal&mdash;one of those dark pages in the history
+of one&#8217;s life, that whenever the thoughts stray
+towards it, chills to the very centre of one&#8217;s being;
+and when we trace all its sources, and see they
+terminate in sin, Oh! how hateful must that thing
+be, which is fraught with such deadly consequences.
+Oh! what a blessedness it is, amidst
+all these lights and shades of life, to know that
+the Rock on which we rest is the same, and does
+not vary; and that whether he administers to us
+the bitter portion or the sweet, his banner over us
+is love.</p>
+
+<hr style='width: 25%;' />
+
+<p><em>June 5.</em>&mdash;Reports are again spreading that the
+Pasha of Aleppo is within a few days of this place.
+But we sit down and patiently wait the event.</p>
+
+<p><em>June 7.</em>&mdash;To-day a letter has reached me from
+Major Taylor, being the first I have received since
+he removed his family from this place to Bussorah,
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_174" id="Page_174">[Pg 174]</a></span>
+on the breaking out of the plague here. In every
+one of the boats going down the river deaths
+occurred, but especially in theirs, they losing seven
+of their party. The plague broke out among the
+Arab sailors, who secreted a corpse in the boat
+several days, and from them it spread among his
+African servants, and seized Mrs. Taylor&#8217;s
+brother-in-law, so that I cannot see my early
+conclusions were wrong as to not moving at that
+time. And, moreover, the Pasha, or rather
+Motezellim of Bussorah, has been driven out by a
+party of Arabs, and he is now come against the
+town with another large body of Turks, to endeavour
+to recover it; so that even this evil of the
+sword we should not have escaped. The Lord,
+therefore, leaves me nothing to regret, unless it
+be that I ought perhaps to have kept myself quite
+apart from the rest of the family, after I had been
+obliged by a sense of duty to go out during the
+time the plague was raging. It is easy to be wise
+after the events are past. The more I contemplate
+the circumstances in which I have of late
+been placed, the more I see of the trials and
+anxieties of the missionary life, and of the mysteriousness
+of God&#8217;s dealings; I feel the more overwhelmed
+with the importance of the soul having
+a deep sense of the love of God in Christ,
+before it ventures upon such an undertaking. Our
+dear Father very often, in love, explains to us his
+reasons; at other times, he gives no account of
+his matters; in the one case to excite love and
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_175" id="Page_175">[Pg 175]</a></span>
+confidence, in the other, to exercise faith. It
+does seem to me, that no doctrines but those of
+the sovereign grace of God, and his love entertained
+towards the soul, before the foundation of
+the world, and the revelation by the Holy Ghost
+of the love and fellowship with Christ, and through
+him with the Father, so that we have thereby
+our life hid with him where no evil can reach us,
+can happily sustain the soul. There is something
+so filthy, so worthless in all our services, when
+events render it probable to the soul that soon it
+will appear before God, that the new creature
+cannot endure the deformity and defilement, and
+turns away its distressed sight to the love of the
+Lord, and the garment he has provided without
+spot or wrinkle, or any such thing. The experience
+of my dear dear Mary on this head was most
+striking. She often said to me, &ldquo;They often
+talked to me, and I often read of the happiness of
+religion&mdash;but I can truly say I never knew what
+misery was till I was concerned about religion, and
+endeavoured to frame my life according to its
+rules&mdash;the manifest powerless inadequacy of my
+efforts to attain my standard, left me always
+further removed from hope and peace than when
+I never knew or thought of the likeness of Christ,
+as a thing to be aimed after; and it was not till
+the Holy Ghost was pleased of his infinite mercy
+to reveal the love of my Heavenly Father in
+Christ, as existing in <em>himself</em> before all ages,
+contemplating me with pity, and purposing to save
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_176" id="Page_176">[Pg 176]</a></span>
+me by his grace, and to conform me to the image
+of Him whom my soul loves, that I really had
+peace, or confidence, or strength. And if in any
+measure I have been able to walk on with joy in
+the ways of the Lord, it has been from the manifestation
+of <em>his</em> love, and not from the abstract sense
+of what is right, nor from the fear of punishment.&rdquo;
+This was the theme of her daily praise&mdash;the love
+and graciousness of her Lord; and I can set my
+seal, though with a comparatively feeble impression,
+to the same truths, that the sense of the love
+of Christ is the high road to walk in according to
+the law of Christ.</p>
+
+<p><em>June 9.</em>&mdash;I have heard from a German merchant,
+Mr. Swoboda, that above 15,000 persons,
+many sick with the plague, and others, were buried
+under the ruins of the houses that fell in the night
+the water burst into the city. Nothing can give
+a more awful impression of the mass of misery
+then in the city, than that such an event, which at
+another time, would have called forth every exertion
+to remove the sufferers, and have been the
+universal conversation and lamentation of the city,
+passed by without any effort to relieve them,
+and almost without a word of remark, but from
+those immediately connected with the sufferers.
+I hear that those who have closed their houses
+intend opening them on the 18th inst. I bless
+God for the intelligence; and trust the plague has
+quite left us. Mr. Swoboda tells me he does not
+expect to open his khan again for 12 months;&mdash;this,
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_177" id="Page_177">[Pg 177]</a></span>
+however, does not arise simply from the
+plague, but because the rich merchants have all
+left the city, and the principal Jews, from the
+apprehension of the coming of Ali Pasha from
+Aleppo, and that in consequence trade is at a
+stand.</p>
+
+<p><em>June 10.</em>&mdash;Last evening the guns of the citadel
+fired as for some good news, and we find, on enquiring,
+that a messenger has come from the Sultan,
+confirming the Pasha in his
+Pashalic.<a name="FNanchor_33_33" id="FNanchor_33_33"></a><a href="#Footnote_33_33" class="fnanchor">[33]</a>
+The Tartars, who are the bearers of this intelligence,
+are expected to enter to-morrow or next day.
+This arrangement, it is reported, has been brought
+about by our Ambassador at Constantinople.&mdash;Should
+it be the Lord&#8217;s pleasure that we now have
+a little peace and quietness here, it will be a
+great mercy, and an inconceivable relief from the
+disquietude of the last 18 months; however, the
+Lord knows what is best for us. These difficulties
+have led my heart many times to him, when, perhaps,
+but for them, it would have rested on some
+lower object. This prospect of peace seems to
+bring nearer the possibility of our dear friends
+joining us from Aleppo, and this would indeed be
+a great comfort.</p>
+
+<p><em>June 11.</em>&mdash;This day has made manifest that
+more judgments are coming upon the city, and
+instead of a <em>Firman</em> in favour Daoud Pasha, bringing
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_178" id="Page_178">[Pg 178]</a></span>
+peace, we can hear the sound of the cannon
+of the new Pasha. He will little regard the <em>Firman</em>
+that has come from the Sultan, if it has really
+come, and which being here universally believed
+to have been procured through the instrumentality
+of our Ambassador, places the English in no very
+acceptable position; but the Lord is our tower,
+yea, our high tower, and into <em>him</em> we run. The
+enemy is now about six miles off, and the whole
+city is in a state of commotion that cannot be
+described, every one armed with swords, pistols, and
+guns, preparing for the expected contest. O
+Lord, we commend ourselves to thy holy keeping,
+for thou neither slumberest nor sleepest. When
+all the difficulties of these countries follow upon
+one another as rapidly as they have of late done
+here, it seems very difficult to see how the word
+of life is to go forth as a testimony. Yet it will;
+for the Lord hath said it; therefore let not our
+hearts fail, or our hands hang down, for the
+Lord of all circumstances, who governs the most
+disastrous as well as the most prosperous, is our
+own Lord, the only begotten of the Father, full
+of grace and truth. All the bazaars are closed,
+and we are taking in water again at an advanced
+price. Oh! Lord, when will thy holy and blessed
+kingdom of peace come, when the nations shall
+learn war no more, but love and light shall flourish
+in the Lord! Wherever the blasting influence of
+Mohammedanism extends, how iron bound all appears
+against the truth: yet even this the Lord
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_179" id="Page_179">[Pg 179]</a></span>
+will soften by his love, or break by his power.
+May my soul be daily more and more sensible of
+their misery and pride. Poor Mr. Goodell says,
+in a letter, that after all the labours the American
+missionaries have bestowed in Syria, they scarcely
+know an individual to whom their message has
+been peace, saving in the case of two or three
+Armenians of whom they hoped well. No one
+can imagine the disheartening feelings that often
+try the missionary&#8217;s heart in the countries where
+Mohammedanism is professed and dominant, and
+where your mouth is sealed. Among heathens,
+and especially in India, you can publish your testimony,
+and this is a great comfort to the heart
+that knows what a testimony it is, and what
+promises are connected with its publication.</p>
+
+<p>Shortly after we ascended to the roof for our
+evening walk, we heard the cannon and small
+arms begin to fire, which informed us that the
+contest was begun within the city. About eight
+o&#8217;clock we heard multitudes crying out and shouting
+before the seroy, or palace, and the account
+was soon brought us that the inhabitants had
+broken in and seized the Pasha. After this all
+became quiet, except the firing of guns from the
+tops of the houses, to frighten off the thieves, and
+the cry of the watchmen, whom all, who can afford
+it in these trying occasions, keep to protect them.
+The Lord has hitherto extended his sheltering
+wing over us, though without sword, pistol, gun,
+or powder in the house; and the only men besides
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_180" id="Page_180">[Pg 180]</a></span>
+myself, are Kitto, who is deaf, and the schoolmaster&#8217;s
+father, who is blind: but the Lord is our
+hope and our exceeding great reward.</p>
+
+<p><em>June 12.</em> <em>Lord&#8217;s day.</em>&mdash;The wretched Pasha
+has just passed our house under a guard to the
+residence of Saleh Beg, almost the only male relation
+he suffered to live of the family he supplanted.
+The Lord is now visiting on him his
+cruelty and blood; so that what with the plague
+and now the sword, there will hardly be one of
+the apostate Georgians left.</p>
+
+<p>The day dawned quietly; but our house has
+just been attacked by a band of lawless depredators,
+asking for powder and offensive weapons. I
+told them I had none; but seeing a carpenter
+whom I knew, I told him I would let him and
+three others in, if they would promise me that no
+more should come in, which they did. So they entered,
+and were very civil, though they searched
+the house: I gave them some money, and they
+went away, promising that nothing more should be
+done to my house; but my only confidence is in
+the Lord. They wanted to go from the roof of
+my house to that of a rich neighbour&#8217;s of mine,
+but I told them I could not allow that they
+should make my house a passage to his, and they
+were very civil and did not press it.</p>
+
+<p>A Frenchman who was teaching the Pasha&#8217;s
+soldiers European discipline, has had his house
+stripped, and when they were on the point of
+killing him he turned Mohammedan. Before he
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_181" id="Page_181">[Pg 181]</a></span>
+was professedly a Roman Catholic, but really an
+infidel.</p>
+
+<p>Oh, my dear Mary, what a contrast to your
+kingdom of peace and love! Lord Jesus come
+quickly. For this I can now truly bless God that
+she is freed from this season of trouble and anxiety.
+The dear children bear it better than I could have
+hoped; but the Lord sustains and comforts us in
+the hope that as the new Pasha is near, this state
+of inquietude may not continue long. The Pasha
+of Mosul and an Arab chief have entered the city,
+and are now at the palace, so thank God, the state
+of anarchy is likely to be immediately put an end to.
+The crier has been publishing the determination
+of those now acting for the new Pasha, till he
+enters to punish all who commit any depredations,
+and desiring that the bazaars may be opened, and
+every one go about his own work. Should this
+be the end, we cannot but bless God that so
+great a storm has passed over so lightly. But the
+fact was, that the plague had destroyed all the
+powers of resistance. All Daoud Pasha&#8217;s soldiers
+were dead&mdash;all his public servants were dead&mdash;and
+he, though recovering from the plague, unable
+to take any active part for himself. When
+he passed our house this morning, he was supported
+on his horse by six men. He is not yet
+killed, and on his expressing a wish to have his
+son brought to him, he was sent for immediately.
+Should they spare his life, it may augur that even
+the Turks are coming to a sense of their barbarism.
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_182" id="Page_182">[Pg 182]</a></span>
+It has been a great comfort to me to-day,
+to think on Noah&#8217;s case, that God did not forget
+him amidst a condemned world.</p>
+
+<p><em>June 14.</em>&mdash;The people at the head of affairs
+have now begun to quarrel among themselves:
+some are for killing Daoud Pasha, some are for
+saving him, and the opposite parties are fighting
+in all directions; so when these troubles will
+terminate, or how, we have little knowledge. Our
+only resting place is in him who is the Shepherd
+of the fold of Israel.</p>
+
+<p>The Pasha of Mosul has been made prisoner,
+and part of the palace has been burnt and plundered:
+they have killed or put to flight the soldiers
+of the Pasha of Mosul, who came here as
+the agent of Ali Pasha, of Aleppo, the successor
+to Daoud Pasha, said to have been appointed
+by the Porte. The crier has again proclaimed
+Daoud as Pasha, and Saleh Beg his kaimacam
+or representative, till he recovers. Some say the
+Pasha of Aleppo is dead of the plague; some,
+that he is not coming, and that this entrance of
+the Pasha of Mosul and a famous Arab chief, was
+only a plot of theirs to get Bagdad into their
+own hands. What is true, what is false, it is
+now utterly impossible to tell, or what the result
+will be; but should Ali Pasha, if he is alive,
+be now sufficiently powerful to advance and attempt
+to dispossess this man, we may expect dreadful
+scenes. Last night the contest ended in plundering
+the poor Jews.</p>
+
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_183" id="Page_183">[Pg 183]</a></span>
+Amidst this turmoil and interminable contention,
+a missionary with a family has much to try his
+faith, particularly in the early years of his missionary
+course, when he has no power in the language
+to take advantage of those opportunities
+which accidentally present themselves; for I am
+daily more and more convinced of the difficulty of
+speaking so as to be felt; at least in the first
+Eastern language one learns. The association of
+ideas, the images of illustration, are almost entirely
+different in many cases. The organs of pronunciation
+require a perfect new modelling, and perhaps not
+the least difficulty is to prevent one&#8217;s heart from
+sinking at the little apparent progress made in
+understanding, and being understood, out of the
+common routine of daily life: the feeling will
+often arise, Surely I never shall learn. The difficulty
+is not, however, merely in words; you have
+to converse in the East generally with persons
+who have either no ideas on subjects of the deepest
+interest, or have attached some entirely different
+meaning to the terms you use to express those
+ideas; and which of the two occasions the most
+trouble, it is difficult to say. Notwithstanding,
+however, all difficulties, and all discouragements,
+and we seem now in the very centre of all, my
+soul was never more assured of the value of missionary
+labours among any people, it matters not
+whom, than now. There is, I am sure, what our
+blessed Lord declares, a <em>testimony</em>, in whatever
+measure we can proclaim his truth, or manifest
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_184" id="Page_184">[Pg 184]</a></span>
+his spirit, that is felt by those even who will
+not embrace it savingly. In reading Mrs. Judson&#8217;s
+journal of the trials of the Burman mission, how
+deeply I now enter into them&mdash;how truly I can
+sympathize with them. It is wonderful how the
+Lord does sustain the heart when the time of trial
+comes. When I heard the struggle at the palace,
+last night, then saw it on fire, and heard the balls
+whizzing over our heads, and shortly after the
+screams of the poor Jews, whom they were plundering,
+a little way from the end of our street, my
+heart felt a repose in God that I cannot describe,
+and a peace that nothing but confidence in his
+loving care could give me, I feel assured. At
+times I feel so utterly useless, so devoid of every
+aptitude for the work in which I am engaged, that
+I wonder the Lord called me to it, yet the Lord
+may allow me to fill a place, though it be the
+lowest in missionary service. My greatest earthly
+treasure is the love of those who love the Lord,
+and in this I do feel rich, unworthy as I am of it.
+My heart longs for Christian communion; but such
+is the state of things here, that I feel almost as
+far from the prospect as when the first letter
+arrived from England, telling me so many were
+purposing to come. But what an inducement it
+is to patience to know, that all our trials and
+disappointments are the orderings of him who loved
+us, and gave himself for us.</p>
+
+<p>The day is passing quietly over, thank God;
+and they are removing the barricades from the
+streets.</p>
+
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_185" id="Page_185">[Pg 185]</a></span>
+<em>June 15.</em>&mdash;The account has just reached us,
+that the Pasha of Mosul was put to death last
+night. The reason assigned is, that he attacked
+Bagdad without any warrant, and had detained
+at Mosul the Tartars who were bringing the firman
+for Daoud Pasha. Oh! what a country,
+and what a government! Should the reinstatement
+of Daoud Pasha not be a truth, these circumstances
+will tend greatly to embitter the contest,
+and make the occupying of the city by the
+new Pasha a much more destructive and trying
+scene, than if these events had not occurred; but
+I feel that the Lord is disciplining, by these trials,
+the poor weak faith of his servant to lay hold on
+his strength, and not to rest on his own. I now
+give up all hope of seeing the dear brethren
+from Aleppo till the autumn. These scenes of
+anxiety and trouble strongly urge the heart forward
+to desire the day of the Lord to come, so
+wretched, so comfortless does all appear. I have
+quite given up the little we have to plunder, so
+that I feel quite at ease on that point, should it
+be the Lord&#8217;s will to allow these scenes to continue,
+and us thus to be served. For the moment
+a season of lawlessness commences, you see the
+Mohammedan feeling relative to Christians. Now,
+for instance, that meat is scarce, if they see a
+butcher disposed to give a Christian some before
+them, they instantly put themselves into an attitude
+of hostility, and say, &ldquo;What! will you give
+it to these infidels before us?&rdquo; The other day,
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_186" id="Page_186">[Pg 186]</a></span>
+during the time of the disturbances in the city, the
+son of one of the most respectable Armenians
+here, went out, armed with pistol, sword, and
+gun to the coffee-house. They immediately began
+with saying, &ldquo;What does this infidel with
+arms? Will he kill Moslems?&rdquo; and they stripped
+him of all. The governing powers are beginning
+to recognize and feel the strength of those people
+called Christians; but this is never the thought of
+an Arab populace, who care for none of these
+things, and only think of present plunder.</p>
+
+<p>I have finished reading the account of the Burmese
+mission, and sympathize much more fully
+with the sufferers, than when I last read it, and I
+greatly admire and bless God for their steady and
+persevering devotedness to his holy service,
+amidst so many trials and so many discouragements.
+Such manifestations of the grace of Christ,
+tend much to encourage and strengthen the hands
+and hearts of those who are in any trials, whether
+similar or different. Whoever proves God to be
+among his dear children, becomes necessarily a
+light to the Church, for the Lord surely will be
+faithful to his promise and to his children&#8217;s confidence;
+and the manifestation of this his faithfulness
+becomes the light of others.</p>
+
+<p><em>June 16.</em> (<em>Friday.</em>)&mdash;To-day all quiet within
+the city.</p>
+
+<p><em>June 17.</em>&mdash;For some weeks past hope and fear
+have alternated for my sweet little baby; but to-day
+hope finds not a place for her foot to rest on.
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_187" id="Page_187">[Pg 187]</a></span>
+I see the Lord has sent his message for her also;
+this comes very, very heavy; for from some days
+previous to dear Mary&#8217;s death till now, I have
+been her constant nurse, and solicitude about her
+has in some measure served to distract my attention
+from the undivided dwelling on my heavier
+loss, till she has become so accustomed to my
+nursing, that as soon as ever she sees me, she
+stretches out her little supplicating hands for me
+to take her. All this has served to beguile my
+heart, and keep it in some degree occupied. But
+when the Lord takes from me this sweet little
+flower, I shall indeed be desolate. Why the
+Lord thus strips me, I do not now see; yet he
+does not allow me to doubt his love, amidst all my
+sorrows, and I know that light is sown for me,
+though it does not yet spring up. Oh! may my
+soul never cease to feel assured of my heavenly
+Father&#8217;s unchangeable love; for with a doubt on
+this head <em>now</em>, what would my circumstances be?
+We know that tribulation worketh patience, and
+patience experience, and experience hope, and
+hope maketh not ashamed. Oh! may such a result
+spring from all my suffering!</p>
+
+<p><em>June 26.</em>&mdash;For some days I have had nothing to
+write about from without. All has been, on the
+whole, quiet, and we now wait for communications
+from Constantinople to see how things are likely
+to end. It appears now that Daoud Pasha has
+retired in favour of Saleh Beg, whether willingly
+or from necessity, is not known. The treasury
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_188" id="Page_188">[Pg 188]</a></span>
+and every thing else is given up into his hand;
+and he knows as well how to spend it as his predecessor
+did to collect it; he is therefore popular,
+but not esteemed by those of more understanding
+as a man of abilities. He, however, goes to the
+old Pasha Daoud every day for instructions.</p>
+
+<p>How all these events will operate upon our
+future labours, I cannot at all conceive; whether
+they will close up the little opening we had, or
+make a wider one, the Lord, on whom we wait,
+alone knows. I have been reading much lately
+of missionary labours, and am surprised to find
+how uniformly trials, and difficulties, and threatened
+destruction have hung over them for years,
+yet many of them the Lord has since singally
+blessed. We are, however, in the Lord&#8217;s hands.</p>
+
+<p>I have just read through a second time Mr.
+Wolff&#8217;s journal, and Mr. Jowett&#8217;s second volume,
+and I confess that if my little experience entitles
+me to give my opinion, I think Mr. Jowett&#8217;s
+judgment much the soundest as to the nature
+of the operations to be carried on in these countries;
+that the missionary corps should be as unencumbered
+as possible, and ready to remove at
+a moment&#8217;s notice. I mean those engaged in the
+simple evangelist&#8217;s office, disconnected from all
+secular callings; but should there be a band of
+enlightened saints, willing to take the handicraft
+departments of life, as their means of support,
+and unobserved access to the people, they might
+remain and carry on their work, when other and
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_189" id="Page_189">[Pg 189]</a></span>
+more ostensible teachers were obliged to fly: and
+this is doubtless the way the primitive churches
+were nourished, when their professed teachers fled.</p>
+
+<p>As to those colleges and large establishments
+contemplated by Mr. Wolff, even could they be
+established on the comprehensive principle proposed
+by his zealous and ardent mind, I fear it
+would lead much more to the diffusion of universal
+scepticism than the eternal excellency of the
+truth of God; if, I say, it could be attained, but for
+many reasons I feel it cannot be attained. The
+liberality of the Christian public is not up to such
+undertakings, even though they saw the utility
+to be clear. One cannot help being struck with
+Mr. Wolff&#8217;s judging of others from himself; because
+he felt he was willing to make sacrifices, he
+promised for others as freely as for himself: but
+what has been the result even of the two schools
+he did establish, and promise to support from the
+funds of his patron and others? The burthen has
+rested on those who were persuaded through him
+of the willingness of others to co-operate. One
+is given up, and the other has dwindled down to
+about nineteen pupils, and these are educated on
+the native plan, so that, as far as divine light is
+concerned, it is in <em>statu quo</em>. The two colleges
+that were to be established at Aleppo and Tabreez,
+and towards which a beginning was made in
+promises and plans&mdash;nothing now is heard of them;
+nor do I think it is to be regretted. The object
+was too mixed for much of spiritual prosperity.
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_190" id="Page_190">[Pg 190]</a></span>
+The difficulty is not in getting houses and firmans:
+it is when you begin to wish to sit down and
+attack the strong holds of the enemy. The same
+with the letters of patriarchs and bishops: when
+the thing is new and they see not its bearings on
+their system, they are all friendliness&mdash;as among
+the heads of the Armenians, the Catholics, and
+other Bishops. But when they have seen the
+life-giving power of the divine word in the souls
+of two or three of their followers, under the instruction
+of such clear brethren as at Shushee, or
+the American brethren, all is changed, and when
+dear Zaremba was at Ech-Miazin the other day,
+and endeavoured to get the consent of the Armenian
+patriarch to the translation of the Scriptures,
+by Dittrich, his reception was every thing
+but kind; and they have actually dragged away
+one of their deacons from the dear brethren at
+Shushee, to try him at Ech-Miazin for heresy.
+I have also heard that the bishop of Ispahan, who
+superintends all these countries, even as far as
+India, has prohibited the reception of any tracts
+by his people, and would not let them have a
+school till the Roman Catholics appeared there
+and established one, taking away some of his flock,
+when he granted it. In fact, wherever the hierarchical
+spirit exists, there a spirit of domination
+and pride&mdash;there a spirit of Antichrist exists&mdash;whether
+in the Brahmin, the Mufti, or the Patriarch,
+there is a body of men who will not go in
+themselves, nor let others go in; it must be so, as
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_191" id="Page_191">[Pg 191]</a></span>
+Mr. Jowett justly observes, wherever the distinction
+between laity and clergy is kept up in opposition
+to the right and duty of each man to judge
+for himself. Mr. Jowett&#8217;s words are, I think,
+&ldquo;The principal religious characteristic of Syria
+and the Holy Land, (and he might have added,
+of all the ancient churches, and too many of the
+modern,) that which is common to all its professors
+and sects, is that <em>system of distinction between
+priesthood and laity</em>, felt even when not avowed;
+according to which, it seems to be the interest of
+a few professed teachers to hold the rest of their
+fellow-creatures in darkness.&rdquo; Those men, therefore,
+who, in a hasty visit, welcome you, and if
+you are well introduced, flatter you, no sooner
+see or feel your real design, than they become your
+enemies, and the missionary who should begin
+with any other expectation from present prospects,
+must be disappointed. For instance, had we been
+where there was a powerful clergy, we should have
+met with the greatest opposition in our school, because
+of our casting out of it the book which they
+so highly prize, called the Shammakirke. Yet no
+Christian teacher could conscientiously allow it&mdash;it
+was full of prayers to the Virgin, the Cross, &amp;c. &amp;c.;
+we therefore here succeeded, under God&#8217;s blessing,
+because the laity were strong and the priesthood
+weak, without any serious struggle; but their progress
+has been very different at Shushee.</p>
+
+<p>The morals of the monks at Ech-Miazin are
+such that no parent in the country thinks himself
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_192" id="Page_192">[Pg 192]</a></span>
+justified in sending his child there to be educated.
+From such men, what can you expect? With
+them what can you do? I have for a long time
+been persuaded that the path for a child of God
+to pursue, is to follow his Lord, and not to ask
+the Sanhedrim&#8217;s leave to preach the truth; and
+never to take any notice of them till they take
+notice of us. Dark as the cloud seems to be now
+around these lands, and difficult as it seems
+even to live in them, much more to labour in
+them; yet I do not at all think, to one having patiently
+attained a thorough knowledge of the colloquial
+Arabic, and the other colloquial languages
+in use, that the door is barred to a travelling
+unsettled missionary, or even to one resident many
+months in a place: neither do I think he should
+be discouraged from attempting schools, for
+although they may not stand above a year or two,
+you may by the Lord&#8217;s blessing be the instrument
+of stirring up their minds to think and examine for
+themselves, and without violence lead them to
+question the truth of some of their dogmas; and
+when you have once dislodged the principle of
+implicit faith, you have at last opened the door
+for truth. I think it is much to be regretted that
+Mr. Wolff&#8217;s wishes about Bussorah and Bushire
+did not succeed. In the one there is a permanent
+British Resident, and in the other a permanent
+British influence, that would have much favoured
+a school, and even perhaps finally more extensive
+operations; and I do still hope he may yet find
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_193" id="Page_193">[Pg 193]</a></span>
+some of his friends, who are as able as willing
+to take the necessary charge of these places, for
+they are now more disheartened than when nothing
+had been promised them. At Tabreez also, I
+think a most interesting school might be established;
+but let it be as comprehensive as it can
+with a safe conscience be, without pretending to a
+principle that includes all. If, upon such terms
+Mohammedans come, your conscience is not entangled,
+and you can go on steadily with your work.
+If they go, they go; if they stay, they stay; but
+take care how you take any of the gentiles by
+solicitation; it will tie your hands, and hamper all
+your proceedings. It looks promising to see the
+names of Princes and great men connected with
+our work; but I am persuaded that it is utterly
+spiritual weakness. Better do ever so little work
+with the whole soul, than ever so much, trimming
+between the world and the Church, and all very
+comprehensive plans must involve this: besides,
+from the outset, the feeling of duplicity that always
+must result from inducing men to contribute to
+support institutions under certain partial
+representations, which they would not embrace if you
+stated your real design, and the full truth.</p>
+
+<p>Besides these difficulties of money and principle,
+the unsettled state of these countries is such that
+learned orientalists would never come, even if
+they were in abundance; but the fact is, that even
+Europe is very scantily supplied with men who
+could direct such an institution, and if they could
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_194" id="Page_194">[Pg 194]</a></span>
+be found, unless the love of Christ were the
+spring of their actions&mdash;were they mere literary
+orientalists, their influence as it regards the
+kingdom of Christ would be worse than nugatory.
+For though you might hope to correct this evil by
+having others connected with the institution who
+might have the more immediate spiritual direction
+of the students, this would soon lead to strifes
+and divisions between the heads of the institution.
+That the spread of literature in the East will sap
+and finally overthrow <em>Mohammedanism</em>, I have
+little doubt; but this is the work of the men of
+the world, and the result, as it regards Christianity,
+very doubtful; but the missionary&#8217;s object
+is one and indivisible: if Christ be not glorified,
+he gains nothing; but if he be but exalted, he
+has his rich reward.</p>
+
+<p><em>June 28.</em> <em>Thursday.</em>&mdash;There seems just sufficient
+strength in this wretched country to destroy
+itself: it has long lost the power of attacking its
+enemies with success, it has also lost the power of
+resistance against their attacks, neither can it longer
+stand without external support: there seems just
+sufficient power left to commit suicide. In this
+pashalic, though the Sultan cannot without extreme
+difficulty remove the Pasha, yet he effectually
+destroys its prosperity;&mdash;he ruins the merchant, he
+encourages every species of robbery, so that frequently,
+as at present, not a shop dare be opened but
+for the simplest necessaries. Nor does it operate
+against the prosperity of this city only, but all the
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_195" id="Page_195">[Pg 195]</a></span>
+trade of which this was a sort of intermediate place
+of transit between India, Mosul, Merdin, Damascus,
+and Aleppo, as well as on the other side from Europe,
+is so far interrupted, for not a merchant will
+now venture his goods across the desert. All attachment
+too seems entirely destroyed between the head
+and the members of the empire.&nbsp;&mdash;&mdash; was with me
+to-day, who, speaking on the state of the Pashalic
+said, If the Sultan will let us have Daoud Pasha
+well, we neither want the Sultan nor a stranger;
+but we would rather put ourselves under the English,
+and let them govern as they do in Hindoostan.
+This feeling is exceedingly general, and in
+looking forward to the downfall of the empire,
+they seem quite to consider this country as the
+portion which will fall to England, and speak of
+it openly as a thing they desire. This arises from
+their hearing so much of our government in India.</p>
+
+<p><em>June 29.</em>&mdash;My dear little baby has had an
+attack of purulent ophthalmia, which gives me much
+anxiety; for three or four days she had been recovering
+a little, when this trying attack seized her
+dear little eyes; she was quite unable to open
+either of them.</p>
+
+<p>My mind has been much exercised these two
+days by reflections on the ease with which the
+soul is taken off from living in Christ. In
+prosperity, we are occupied with plans; in
+adversity, with our sorrows; in missionary
+labour, in preparation for what we intend to
+do for the Lord, and even in our very times of
+danger we are constantly
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_196" id="Page_196">[Pg 196]</a></span>
+exposed to the temptation of looking for
+relief to circumstances, rather than to the Lord of
+circumstances&mdash;to the love of the Lord of life.
+May the Lord of his great goodness grant that my
+soul may reap a full harvest from these reflections,
+and determine not only in words to know nothing
+but Jesus Christ and him crucified, as the subject
+of preaching, but as the object on which my soul
+constantly dwells, so that growing up into his fulness
+in understanding and love, may be the business
+of my future life, and much, yea, very much
+more, the simple purpose of my heart than it has
+ever yet been. Nothing can be to me clearer than
+that the work of the Lord will really prosper in the
+hands of his servants, in proportion as these servants
+prosper in their nearness to him. May his love,
+his life, his words, his wishes be the abiding
+incentives in my soul to simply living to him and
+for him, and for his creatures through him. How
+easy it is for one person to make one class of
+sacrifices, and another, another; but how hard to slay
+the darling idol, and to tear away the cherished
+indulgence:&mdash;how easy it is to exercise those
+graces which accord with our natural constitutions,
+how difficult those which mortify and run counter
+to them.</p>
+
+<p>May it be the labour and delight of my future
+life to see each cherished idol one by one fall
+prostrate, slain before my Lord&#8217;s love.</p>
+
+<p><em>July 1.</em>&mdash;There has just been a transaction
+passing which illustrates, in a striking manner, the
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_197" id="Page_197">[Pg 197]</a></span>
+very loose connections which bind the parts of
+this empire together. I have already mentioned
+the death of the Pashas of Mosul and Merdin.
+Ali Pasha, in support of whom they had professedly
+marched against Bagdad, sent his treasurer to
+Saleh Beg, to commend him for what he had
+done in thus preserving the city by killing these
+two Pashas, requiring at the same time for himself,
+the payment of his expenses, as well as a
+sum of money for the Sultan, and promising that
+if this were given him he would return to Aleppo.
+Thus, after nearly two years confusion, all parties
+will be worse off than they were before. My
+reason for thinking it probable this will be the
+case is, that the Khaznadar or treasurer of
+Daoud Pasha, has accompanied the Khaznadar
+of Ali Pasha to his camp, who evidently doubts
+the result of his attempt. Indeed, it seems
+very doubtful if in any case he can succeed;
+for if he obtains the Pashalic, I think it very
+probable from the history of former Pashas, who,
+as strangers to the Pashalic, have been forced
+into it, that he will not be allowed to retain it.
+The fact is, that almost all his opposing force consists
+of Arabs, who become in a moment the
+servants of the highest bidder. It was only two
+days ago the Pasha detached one tribe from them;
+and I have little doubt that if he does not spare
+money he may soon break up all the
+confederacy.<a name="FNanchor_34_34" id="FNanchor_34_34"></a><a href="#Footnote_34_34" class="fnanchor">[34]</a>
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_198" id="Page_198">[Pg 198]</a></span>
+Yesterday the soldiers of the late Pasha of Mosul
+came to the gates of the town, but were driven
+back into their encampment with loss; and one
+hundred of their mercenary troops (Arnaoots)
+came over to this Pasha, changing a pay of forty-eight
+piasters a month to one hundred, or about
+a pound sterling a month.</p>
+
+<p>Every kind of provision is becoming extremely
+dear, from double to ten times its usual price;
+and I confess I see no present prospect of
+improvement, for the inundation swept away the
+harvest, and the plague has extended so far, that
+there have been no hands to cut down even that
+grain which remained, and the things which they
+might have sown, and which might in some measure
+have supplied the place of grain they were prevented
+from sowing by the Arabs, who were at enmity
+with the Pasha, and therefore laid waste the
+country. In contemplating the perplexity and uncertainty
+of events, according to all human calculation,
+that surrounds us, the knowledge that our own
+Lord is ordering all things not only for his own
+glory but also for ours, comes home continually
+to my soul with inexpressible comfort; and
+notwithstanding the anxious thoughts that sometimes
+arise, I am generally enabled at last to roll my
+burdens on his holy head, and this I know will
+sustain them.</p>
+
+<p>The dead weight about a missionary&#8217;s neck in
+the first years of his labour is the language. So
+difficult is it to hear so as to understand, or to
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_199" id="Page_199">[Pg 199]</a></span>
+speak so as to be understood; for not only is it
+necessary to use right words, but with right accents,
+or you may often convey the very reverse
+of what you mean. Certainly, if I were quite
+alone, the plan I should pursue, would be to go
+into some family or place where the language I
+wish to learn alone is spoken, as brother King did
+in Syria to learn Arabic:&mdash;this being attained, a
+missionary is certainly not without the most
+interesting opportunities of usefulness.</p>
+
+<p><em>July 2.</em> <em>Saturday.</em>&mdash;Dear baby has suffered
+so much from her eyes to-day, that it tried my
+heart to the very bottom. And in addition to all
+this, the state of things here is assuming an alarming
+aspect. Without the city walls, the numbers
+of those who wish to plunder the city are increasing;
+and within, the same tendency is manifested
+among those who are intended for its protection,
+so that my heart has been at times very much
+pressed down; yet the Lord has sustained me.
+In the evening, as I was looking out, I saw the
+man come into the court yard, who brings and
+collects letters for Aleppo, and in his hand a letter
+for me. With what eagerness did I seize it, and
+anticipate its contents. Yet though good tidings,
+because tidings of the Lord&#8217;s blessing them, and
+being in the midst of them, it contained tidings
+peculiarly heavy for me to receive at this moment,
+as it not only led me to anticipate no present
+prospect of seeing my dear brethren from Aleppo,
+but that it seemed very doubtful if it would be
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_200" id="Page_200">[Pg 200]</a></span>
+their path to come at all; at least if they did, it
+would be purely to join me, and this surely would
+not be the path of duty. I, however, receive this
+last trying providence at my loving Father&#8217;s hands,
+adoring his love whilst I know not the modes of
+his going forth. It has not weighed me down so
+much as I thought it would; and the Lord allows
+me to feel assured he will yet do something for
+me. They seem to wish me to join them, but I
+do not yet see my way clear to leave this place to
+which the Lord has brought me. I feel daily
+more and more that my place in the church is very
+low, and it matters very little where I am for any
+good that is in me: yet by remaining, I keep the
+way open for those who are more able, and whose
+establishment is more important. I know my
+Lord will not cut me off from personal improvement
+by all his darkly gracious dealing, and perhaps
+I am now learning another part of that hard
+lesson, neither to glory in or trust in man. But
+still I bless God he is giving my dear brethren a
+door of utterance and prospects of usefulness
+where they are, and may my joy ever be in proportion
+to the glory that is brought to his blessed
+name, and the prosperity of his kingdom. Until
+the Lord, therefore, raises his fiery cloudy pillar,
+and bids me forth, I shall pursue my plan of
+endeavouring to converse in Arabic till the Lord is
+pleased to open my mouth by degrees, or as he
+please, to publish his whole truth. Should he
+send me some dear brother to help and comfort
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_201" id="Page_201">[Pg 201]</a></span>
+me, may he give me grace to praise him; if not,
+to hope in him and find in himself all I need.
+To the dear boys it has been a great disappointment,
+for it was the constant theme of their
+conversation, and a cheering expectation to see
+friends from England. However, our dear Father
+will order all things well; and I bless him
+exceedingly for sending out to Aleppo, our dear
+brethren and sisters. The Lord may make this
+event, which now seems so awakening and trying,
+yet for the furthering of the gospel in these lands:
+in fact, I should be almost sorry for <em>all</em> of
+the brethren to leave Aleppo.</p>
+
+<p><em>July 5.</em> <em>Tuesday.</em>&mdash;I have had some interesting
+conversation with three poor people from
+<em>Karakoosh</em>,<a name="FNanchor_35_35" id="FNanchor_35_35"></a><a href="#Footnote_35_35" class="fnanchor">[35]</a>
+a town about five hours from Mosul,
+composed of Roman Catholic Syrians. Every information
+I receive from that quarter, convinces
+me that Erzeroum, Diarbekr, and Mosul, would
+be most interesting head quarters for a missionary.
+The man told me that the Nestorians of the mountains,
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_202" id="Page_202">[Pg 202]</a></span>
+(like the Scotch) go once a year to receive the
+sacrament, whether upon their erroneous principle,
+or that from living scattered among the
+mountains they cannot make it convenient to meet
+often, I know not. The Syrians of the villages
+near Mosul speak among themselves Syriac, but in
+asking them if they understood the old Syriac,
+which is read, they reply, imperfectly; so that I
+have no doubt, for any instructive purpose, it is
+perfectly unintelligible, what with the mode of
+reading, and the difference of language. These
+are deeply interesting countries to those who can
+be happy in bestowing all their strength in planting
+under the prospect that others will reap the
+fruits. The Lord will water their way with little
+streams of comfort, and manifestations of the
+prospect of the future; but the preparatory work
+in these countries must occupy at least many, many
+years of missionary life. I shall never feel a
+missionary till I can deliver my message clearly
+and intelligibly; till then, I endeavour to drop a
+word, as it may be offered, and to instil a principle
+as an occasion may occur, or by seeking an occasion.
+The difficulty of this first step I daily feel
+to be increasing&mdash;I mean only that my sense of
+the difficulty is increasing; but the Lord daily
+comforts me, amidst the delays and trials of faith,
+by the clearest conviction of the large sphere of
+usefulness there is when once this is attained.</p>
+
+<p>All things in the city continue in the most unsettled
+state.</p>
+
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_203" id="Page_203">[Pg 203]</a></span>
+Some of the lawless depredators came again
+to our house the day before yesterday, and wanted
+arrack; but they went away quietly, and they
+only talked about cutting off my head; but all this
+in mere bravado. The Lord thus graciously takes
+care of us. They look on me as a sort of dervish,
+because I do not drink arrack, nor use weapons
+of war, nor take men to guard my house.</p>
+
+<p><em>July 9.</em>&mdash;The camp of those without the
+city is moving down to-day towards us; and we
+hear a continued firing of cannon. It is reported
+they are come within half an hour&#8217;s march of the
+city. The issue is in the Lord&#8217;s hand. Nothing
+can exceed the fear and want of confidence that
+prevails throughout the city, every man&#8217;s heart
+failing him for fear of those things which may be
+coming on us. Oh! what a resting place is the
+Lord&#8217;s experienced love, and the assurance that
+all shall work together for good to those that love
+him; yet living thus in the midst of constant
+alarm, makes my heart sometimes long for that
+sweet, quiet Christian communion which I left
+behind in England.</p>
+
+<p><em>July 10.</em> <em>Sunday.</em>&mdash;In conversation to-day on the
+subject of invoking the Virgin Mary, with some
+Armenians and a Jacobite, I was struck with the
+readiness with which they all submit to Scripture;
+and this seems universal among all those who are
+not ecclesiastics by profession, or Roman Catholics.
+The curse of obstinate blindness seems to
+be left to those who join this apostate church, for
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_204" id="Page_204">[Pg 204]</a></span>
+truly it may be said of them, they come not to
+the light, because their deeds are evil&mdash;not their
+deeds as members of society, but as professed
+members of the mystical body of Christ.</p>
+
+<p>Our Lord&#8217;s days are solitary&mdash;none to tune
+Zion&#8217;s harps. Oh! how it makes the soul long
+for the courts of the Lord, where we may go up
+with the crowds to keep holiday; how precious
+now would appear some of those seasons of Christian
+communion which we enjoyed in dear England
+and Ireland. When dear Mary was with
+me, we had an unceasing source of happiness in
+conversing on our common hopes in our common
+Lord. Our communion also with our dear friends
+was thus rendered vivid, aided as it was and encouraged
+by the help of correspondence and conversation;
+but now letters have almost ceased to
+come, and I have no one to commune with. In
+addition to all this we are besieged, and every
+necessary of life is nearly three times its usual
+price, very bad, and to be got with difficulty. All
+night we hear nothing but firing and drums
+beating, and men shouting&mdash;all this, too, at present,
+without any prospect of termination, for those
+who are come against the city, are not strong
+enough to enforce the change they design, and
+those within have little to fear, so long as they
+have money and provisions to give the soldiers,
+which they say they have for two
+years;<a name="FNanchor_36_36" id="FNanchor_36_36"></a><a href="#Footnote_36_36" class="fnanchor">[36]</a>
+so those
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_205" id="Page_205">[Pg 205]</a></span>
+who suffer are the poor people, who cannot help
+themselves. The Pasha of Aleppo is about an
+hour&#8217;s distance; it does not seem to be his wish
+to act offensively against the city, but only to get
+into his power those few whom he wishes to displace
+and behead. Yet how much have I to bless
+God for, in that he keeps the little boys so free
+from alarm. Blessed Lord! these are indeed
+scenes and times that lead the soul to desire thy
+peaceful happy reign. Sometimes the sense of
+my dear, dear Mary&#8217;s peace, safety, and joys,
+makes me feel my burthens lighter than though
+she had been with me; for to have those you love
+in such scenes is trying in proportion to this very
+love, which so sweetens times of mere labour or
+peace. I am sure the Lord <em>has</em> dealt lovingly,
+and <em>will</em>.</p>
+
+<p><em>July 14.</em>&mdash;Since the ninth we have had little
+occurring but firing of guns from the citadel, and
+the noise and confusion at night occasioned by the
+soldiers.</p>
+
+<p>A circumstance has occurred to-day which a
+little tries me. The Armenian Priests are both
+dead; and the Armenian servant of Mrs. T. has
+asked if she might receive the communion with
+us, the next time we received it. Now, while I
+feel in my own soul that she knows nothing of the
+power of the divine life, yet how far I have authority
+from God&#8217;s word to set up this, my private
+feeling, in the absence of any thing palpable to
+fix on as an objection, I do not see. I feel so utterly
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_206" id="Page_206">[Pg 206]</a></span>
+unworthy to place myself in the situation of a
+judge in such a case. I feel so exceedingly low
+in the divine life&mdash;I experience so little of the
+power of that life which was in Christ, subduing
+all things to the obedience of the Father&#8217;s will&mdash;that
+I feel she may object more to my being accepted
+than I could to her. Yet, notwithstanding
+all this, I am conscious there is a difference&mdash;though
+I am only on the lowest step of Jacob&#8217;s
+ladder, yet I do desire to ascend higher into the
+unsearchable riches of Christ, and to descend
+lower in my own esteem, so to be able to say without
+the pollution of affected humility, I feel myself
+less than the least of all saints. The divine life
+appears to me daily more and more a deep internal
+personal work, without which all external exertions
+and exercises will come to nothing; however
+fair, it will be at best but a fruitless blossom,
+that withers as soon as blown. Oh! how difficult
+it is not to deceive oneself with the appearance
+of Christian graces instead of the substance;
+how difficult not to substitute the <em>act</em> for the
+<em>spirit</em>; that monster pride, how hard it is to kill,
+how chameleon like it changes its colour and seems
+to live on air, yea, on very vanity.</p>
+
+<p><em>July 18.</em> <em>Lord&#8217;s Day.</em>&mdash;The warlike sounds of
+the cannon and mortars have abated within these
+three days. Oh that the Lord would quickly terminate
+this hateful civil strife. Yet at present
+there seems no prospect.</p>
+
+<p>How hard I feel it to-day to rise above the loss
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_207" id="Page_207">[Pg 207]</a></span>
+of my dear, dear Mary&mdash;it seems like a new
+wound just opened. It is so hard to feel the
+great honour and great proof of love the Lord has
+manifested towards me, in removing her I loved
+from the trials and sorrows of this earth to the ease
+and joy of his own Paradise, to join our dear little
+Mary, and sing there together his praise who
+washed them in his own blood, prepared them as
+vessels of honour, and then took them to himself.
+Sometimes I think I ought not to have gone out
+of our house during the plague, about Major T.&#8217;s
+affairs, but that I should have left them to their
+own fate; yet, at other times, I think, after all
+the kindness I had received from him, I ought
+not to have declined the dangerous service. Then
+again, I think that when I did go, I should have
+taken more precautions, and not have joined my
+dear family immediately, but remained apart;
+yet at last my heart comes round to the full assurance,
+that my dear and loving Lord would not have
+visited undesigned neglect, which sprang mainly
+from confidence in his loving care, with such a privation,
+had he not designed by it her speedy glory
+and my final good: now I shall go to her, but she
+shall not return to me.</p>
+
+<p>The dear little boys are very anxious to leave
+Bagdad, yet they do not complain, nor appear on
+the whole otherwise than happy, which is indeed
+a great mercy. My poor dear little nursling, the
+object of ceaseless care, seems rather gaining than
+losing ground, yet is still so frail, that a blast of
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_208" id="Page_208">[Pg 208]</a></span>
+wind seems enough to extinguish the little fire that
+burns; but if the Lord will, even this little fire
+shall yet burn brighter and brighter, and defy in
+his name the rudest blasts.</p>
+
+<p>Sometimes when I think on the complete stop
+the Lord has in his infinite wisdom seen fit to put
+to my little work here, I am astonished. Among
+those who are dead, is one who was translating the
+New Testament into the vulgar Armenian of
+this place, and had gone as far as Luke; and
+another gentleman, who was educated in Bombay,
+who was writing for me an English and Armenian
+Dictionary, in which he had proceeded about half
+way (10,000 words). In this dictionary there were
+not only the ancient and modern parallel words,
+but an explanation in vulgar Armenian, with
+examples. The probability of my meeting with
+one similarly qualified, able and willing again, is
+very small indeed; but with this, as with all the
+rest, it is the Lord, let him do what seemeth to
+him good. I wait to see his future pleasure
+manifested, and though I am now under a cloud
+of sorrow and separation from his service, may he
+sanctify it, and advance his glory by whomsoever
+he pleases, only giving me a heart to rejoice in
+their labours, and to love my Lord fervently, and
+then I hope I shall not complain. I never felt
+fit for much, and I daily now feel fit for less than
+I once thought I was, yet the Lord will not deny
+me a place in the body, and oh, may he give me
+a heart willing to take the lowest&mdash;that of washing
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_209" id="Page_209">[Pg 209]</a></span>
+the disciples&#8217; feet. Oh, for the spirit of our
+dear humble Lord in that wonderful transaction
+so calculated to stain human pride with the name
+of madness, but especially the pride of those who
+call themselves his.</p>
+
+<p>The weather is now getting intensely hot, and
+our cellars, which were our retreating places last
+year, are not habitable, the water being in them
+at least three feet high, and this, with the overflowing
+of the river, brought such swarms of mosquitos,
+that for several weeks it was almost impossible
+to sleep, and although now they are far less
+numerous, they are still very troublesome, so that
+if not on your guard every moment, you get stung
+by them.</p>
+
+<p><em>July 20.</em>&mdash;The weather is intensely hot, and we
+now begin seriously to miss the
+Serdaubs;<a name="FNanchor_37_37" id="FNanchor_37_37"></a><a href="#Footnote_37_37" class="fnanchor">[37]</a>
+but I feel it most for dear little baby, to whom the
+heat is very, very trying. I also feel it very
+difficult to do any thing that requires the least
+exertion, and for the next six weeks we have no
+hope, of any mitigation, but rather an increase.
+The prospect too of affairs around us, leaves no
+resting place but in the love and favour of our Lord.
+The city is full of prophecies of the sorrows and
+desolations that are to come on this land; from
+the Pasha downward, this people seem devoted to
+astrology, believing lies, while they refuse to hear
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_210" id="Page_210">[Pg 210]</a></span>
+the truth; yet all their visions are of sorrow, lamentation,
+and woe.</p>
+
+<p>I feel sometimes very much tried with respect
+to my future pursuit of missionary labours; for I
+have not only lost the encouragement and comfort
+of a sweet society that made every place a home;
+but all these domestic cares, which she so willingly
+and so entirely bore, have fallen on me, and I
+hardly seem, at least during the weakness of my
+dear little baby, to have time for any thing but
+to attend to them. Had I been joined by our
+dear brothers and sisters from Aleppo, it would
+have been comparatively light; but now, I can
+take no step, and before I may be able, the Lord
+may graciously afford me new light; for this I will
+therefore, with his grace and help, patiently wait.</p>
+
+<p><em>July 21.</em>&mdash;In some conversation I have just had
+with the old father of our late schoolmaster, I
+have been encouraged to feel that it is almost
+impossible for a missionary, even of the humblest
+pretensions, and in the lowest degree qualified
+for his calling, which I can I think with unaffected
+truth say, I feel to be my own case&mdash;to
+live among these people, and not to lead them to
+some most important principles. This old man
+is not only theoretically persuaded of the sufficiency
+of the Scriptures, but in his understanding
+fully convinced. His acquaintance with Scripture
+is very extensive and accurate, and on my
+servant coming to ask him the explanation of
+words in the translation lately set forth by the
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_211" id="Page_211">[Pg 211]</a></span>
+Bible Society, it led to a conversation on the importance
+of having a translation that every woman
+and child can understand.  He said, &ldquo;Yes,
+and it is only the pride of the learned and of the
+bishops which prevents it: if books once became
+published in the dialects of the people, the old
+language would cease to be cultivated.&rdquo; This
+would doubtless be an infinite benefit, not only to
+the Armenians but to the Syrians and Chaldeans,
+and every Church of the East, among the people;
+a few learned men may, and most likely will, be
+found to extract what is valuable from the old
+language, if they have only enlightened judgment
+enough to leave the mass of rubbish behind. He
+mentioned the sermon on the Mount, which we
+received from Shushee, and said, that it opened
+the eyes of the children&mdash;yet even this dialect is
+very different from the one used here. I think
+this aged man understands and feels there is but
+one Church in the world; and he quoted that
+interesting passage, &ldquo;Paul may plant and Apollos
+water, but God giveth the increase,&rdquo; to prove it.</p>
+
+<p><em>July 22.</em>&mdash;I have to-day received letters from
+London and Aleppo, and I have reason to bless
+God for all; yet they all come armed with sorrow;
+for they are full of her of whom the Lord has
+emptied me. In my strength I thought I could
+so entirely give her up to him, did he desire it,
+since he had made her so strong in himself, and
+filled her so full of his blessings; well, and even
+now, my soul doth magnify the Lord, though
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_212" id="Page_212">[Pg 212]</a></span>
+in so many ways, I still feel my great and trying
+loss. Perhaps the Lord has meant to teach me
+that the 91st Psalm, as dear brother Cronin
+writes, relates only to Christ&#8217;s humanity, specially
+shewing how, from his cradle to his grave, his
+father watched over him, so that at last he laid
+down his life, but none took it from him; and he,
+in this great act, has made it over spiritually to
+us: he has left the natural plague because of sin,
+but destroyed the spiritual because of righteousness,
+even that righteousness which is by his own
+most precious blood.</p>
+
+<p>The Pasha of Aleppo, hearing of dear Edward
+Cronin, as an English physician, wishing to come
+to Bagdad, wished to engage him to come with
+him as his physician, and offered him 1500 piasters
+a month; but, anxious as they were to come,
+the circumstances of their party did not, on
+mature deliberation, allow them to separate,
+and Ali Pasha was unwilling to undertake the
+responsibility of the females with his camp. And, oh,
+how my soul blesses the Lord, now I think on it,
+that these obstacles were so graciously interposed;
+disease, delay, and trouble would have accompanied
+them, and, till now, they would have been
+detained in the desert, with little prospect of
+speedy admission into the city, which is firing
+against the camp, and the camp firing against the
+city, and they would have been exposed to the
+full power of a sun, which no one can tell how to
+estimate, but by actual exposure to it.</p>
+
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_213" id="Page_213">[Pg 213]</a></span>
+I have also received a letter from Bussorah,
+stating that on the drying up of the inundations
+there, a fever has been spreading, and carrying off
+numbers. Major T.&#8217;s family had most of them
+been ill, but they were recovering. Mr. Bathie
+was very weak, and his wife dead. Dr. Beagry,
+the new surgeon of this station, also died, and
+immense numbers of those who had fled from
+the plague. Bussorah is still besieged, but expected
+soon to fall into the hands of the Motezellim.</p>
+
+<p>A letter has also reached me to-day by the same
+conveyance, from the Bible Society, dated 27th
+July last year, mentioning the sending of three
+cases of Arabic and Persian Scriptures to my dear
+brother Pfander. When I consider how God, in
+his infinite and unsearchable providence, has seen
+it fit to bring to nought all our plans by the
+disorganization of this at all times lawless land, I
+cannot but feel it a strong call to form very few
+plans for the future, and just to work by the day.
+Our hope was, when we came to Bagdad, to have
+been able to travel pretty extensively both in the
+mountains of Kourdistan and in Persia; but the
+state of the country, and other considerations,
+brought all these plans to nothing, so my dear
+friend and kind brother left me for Shushee,
+having been able to obtain much of the information
+he desired, without the journey. And I, instead
+of having a large present field of useful
+employment, and one prospectively increasing, am
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_214" id="Page_214">[Pg 214]</a></span>
+now without employment or prospect, and if it
+were not that I feel getting on a little in the
+colloquial language of the country, I should be
+almost without hope of remaining with advantage
+here; but while I feel this, my heart does not
+sink. The Lord will yet let his light shine out of
+the darkness, and will one day enable me to speak
+of his promises; for I daily feel more assured this
+is the great gift after which an evangelist is to
+press&mdash;it is the very instrument of his labour.
+And let such a missionary feel infinitely happier
+to hear it said he speaks very low Arabic, but
+that every body understands him; than very pure,
+but which is unintelligible, except to the Mollahs.
+If he speaks not in a very mixed dialect of
+Turkish, Persian, and Arabic, he will not be understood
+here; there is, however, still an immense
+preponderance of Arabic over the others.</p>
+
+<p>The British and Foreign School Society have
+also very kindly offered to afford what assistance
+their limited means will allow to the furtherance
+of Scripture instruction in the East. I shall
+endeavour to repay this free kindness by obtaining
+the best information I can, before I call on their
+aid, for nothing is so discouraging as failures from
+precipitate attempts; but so variable is the state
+of affairs in these countries, that previous to your
+judgment being matured by experience, you may
+be led, with the best intentions possible, to
+undertake, on a bright day, plans which, before they
+can be executed, prove as baseless as a vision, and
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_215" id="Page_215">[Pg 215]</a></span>
+which will leave nothing behind but the remembrance
+of useless expense and unproductive labour.</p>
+
+<p><em>July 22.</em>&mdash;I had with me to-day, for the last
+time as a patient, an officer of the Pasha&#8217;s household
+who had the plague, and a large wound from
+a carbuncle, but is now quite well, and he was
+talking of the state of the city and country, and
+said, &ldquo;Why do we wish to give our country into
+the hands of the
+Ghiaours,<a name="FNanchor_38_38" id="FNanchor_38_38"></a><a href="#Footnote_38_38" class="fnanchor">[38]</a>
+and not to the Persians?
+It is because we know they will neither
+take our wives or daughters from us, nor rob us
+of our money, nor cut off our heads, but in Islam
+there is no mercy, no pity.&rdquo; He added,
+&ldquo;Did you ever see me before I came about my
+leg?&rdquo; I said, &ldquo;No.&rdquo; &ldquo;Yet,&rdquo; he said &ldquo;you had
+mercy upon me, and cured me and my daughter
+(who also had had the plague), and why? It was
+from your heart&mdash;there was mercy there.&rdquo; I took
+this opportunity to explain the reason, as emanating
+from the command of Christ, and not the
+goodness of my heart, and how truly could I say
+it; for the Lord knows how, but for this, it would
+be a weariness unto me. Now this impatience of
+their own government is not the feeling of a few
+discontented men, but I am persuaded it is very
+general&mdash;how can such a kingdom stand?</p>
+
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_216" id="Page_216">[Pg 216]</a></span>
+The government, if government it can be called,
+is now sending the soldiers round to every house
+to seek for wheat and rice. From some they take
+half, from others a third of their little store, while
+they have enough for two years in their own corn
+cellars, and this too when the necessaries of life are
+raised to between four and five times their usual
+price; and as for fruit and vegetables, which
+constitute in eastern countries, during summer, so
+large a portion of the food of all classes, not a
+particle is to be seen.</p>
+
+<p>Yesterday and to-day I have had two Roman
+Catholic merchants with me, and in quoting
+Scripture to them, I found them ready with the
+context; but the deadly evil is the separation of
+religion and its principles from the government
+and rule of every day and every moment. In
+these countries, where religious expressions are in
+every one&#8217;s mouth, a missionary has most valuable
+employment, as he is able to bring their minds
+back to their own expressions, to their own import
+and power, as we are desired to do to those
+who heartlessly use that beautiful form of dedication
+in the communion service of the Church of
+England, &ldquo;We here present unto thee our bodies,
+souls, and spirits to be a reasonable, holy, and
+lively sacrifice unto thee.&rdquo; Oh! that all who use
+these blessed words felt their power, and lived
+under it. Christ&#8217;s name would soon be magnified
+from land to land.</p>
+
+<p><em>July 23.</em>&mdash;The Pasha has just sent me a fish,
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_217" id="Page_217">[Pg 217]</a></span>
+with his compliments, and a request that I will
+dress it for him: this is the way he collects the
+daily provisions for his household; one person
+sends him a dish of rice, another a dish of kebaub,
+another bread; at other times all this takes place
+because of custom, but now from necessity, for he
+has no servants scarcely to attend to him. This is
+the first time I have been so honoured, and when
+the fish was cooked and sent, he desired the servant
+to come back, and bring him a few kustawee
+dates to eat with it; that, however, you may
+not think these any very extravagant luxury, I
+may add, their value is somewhat less than a penny
+a pound. I note this as a little trait of manners
+that one would hardly credit, had not the fact
+come under his own observation.</p>
+
+<p><em>July 24.</em> <em>Lord&#8217;s Day.</em>&mdash;Nothing among the
+perverted use of scriptural terms has ever struck me
+as more remarkable than the use the Church now
+makes of the expression, tempting God. In God&#8217;s
+word it is uniformly placed among the sins of
+unbelief; but the Church now, by universal consent,
+places it among the sins of presumption, to which
+it is the very antipodes. For instance, it is one of
+the great crimes of Israel, their tempting God in
+the desert, and limiting the Holy One of Israel.
+How? By presumptuous confidence? No&mdash;but
+by saying he hath given bread, but <em>can he give
+meat</em> also? This is the only sense I know in
+scripture given to tempting God, and that famous
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_218" id="Page_218">[Pg 218]</a></span>
+passage from which the erroneous impression has
+mainly sprung, in the interview of Satan with
+our Lord, is quite kindred. The object of Satan
+was to get our Lord&#8217;s mind into a condition of
+doubting God, by leading him to argue, God has
+certainly said so, but will he do it? for our blessed
+Lord was manifestly as much tempting God by
+attempting to walk upon the water, as to cast
+himself into the air. What proves this to be the
+meaning is our Lord&#8217;s quotation, &ldquo;It is written,
+Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.&rdquo; Now,
+where is this written? Why, in the Old Testament,
+where it uniformly implies doubt and distrust;
+in Exod. xvii. 2. &ldquo;Therefore the people did
+chide with Moses, and said, Give us water that
+we may drink. And Moses said unto them, Why
+chide ye with me? Wherefore do ye tempt the
+Lord? And he called the name of the place
+Massah and Meribah, because of the chiding of
+the children of Israel; and because they tempted
+the Lord, saying, <em>Is the Lord among us, or not?</em>&rdquo;
+(verse 7.) And it is in reference to this very
+passage, that in Deut. vi. 16. it is said &ldquo;Thou shalt
+not tempt the Lord thy God, as ye tempted him
+in Massah.&rdquo; And that we may not have a doubt
+of the meaning, see the application of the word
+tempting, as applied to our dear and blessed
+Lord. Is it ever in the sense of presumptuous
+confidence? Never; but always of scepticism
+and doubt. I do not mean to say there is
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_219" id="Page_219">[Pg 219]</a></span>
+not such a sin as presumptuous confidence; I
+am sure there is; but that is never called
+tempting God. The Israelites were guilty of
+this sin, when they went up contrary to the command
+of God to fight their enemies, after he had
+pronounced upon them the forty years wandering
+in the wilderness.</p>
+
+<p>I think that rightly understanding this is a matter
+of no small moment; for many are affrighted,
+and made sad in the ways of the Lord by the
+erroneous application of this Scripture; for to
+whom does the Church and the world alike now
+apply this term? Why, if they hear of a man
+selling his property, and becoming poor, like Barnabas,
+according to the exhortation of the apostles,
+and the <em>example of our Lord</em>, he is considered
+as tempting God by all according to the degree
+in which they wish to keep all or part of their
+own property. Again, if he exposes himself to
+dangers he might avoid, troubles he might escape,
+for what he believes the Lord&#8217;s service, far from
+receiving any comfort or encouragement, he is
+again accused of tempting God. But tempting
+God is the deadly sin of an unregenerate mind,
+and is never charged on any saint, either in the
+Old or New Testament, that I recollect. Certainly,
+Peter did not tempt Christ, when he said,
+&ldquo;If thou be he, bid me come unto thee on the
+water;&rdquo; for he did not doubt our Lord&#8217;s power;
+yet there was a measure of false confidence in
+himself, as well as of unbelief; but these are
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_220" id="Page_220">[Pg 220]</a></span>
+compatible with the holiest affections as a state.
+Tempting God belongs to the family of the
+tempter, and is a part of no child of God at any
+time. After his conversion, Peter asked a miracle
+of Christ; but it was in faith, however
+weak. When the sceptical Sadducees and the
+Pharisees, sought a sign it was to try him, can he
+do it? Therefore he said, Why tempt ye me, ye
+hypocrites? shewing it was a sin to tempt him as
+well as it was a sin to tempt his Father.</p>
+
+<p>I feel now that I had been led to expect a
+greater measure of freedom from the troubles
+which fall on the people, in the midst of which
+I find myself, than the dispensation under
+which I live warranted; I do not mean from
+those which spring directly out of the Lord&#8217;s
+service, but those natural and national evils
+which God sends as judgments on the ungodly.
+This error arose from considering the
+temporal promises of the 91st Psalm, and other
+similar ones in multitudes of places, as the legitimate
+objects of faith: whereas I have been now
+led to see that they, like the curses, are but typical
+representations of that kingdom in which the
+saints of the Lord shall rejoice and be safe when
+his enemies are swept away as the chaff of the summer
+threshing floor. Yet even now, spiritually they
+are all ours. Not a hair of our head shall fall to
+the ground without our heavenly Father&#8217;s permission.
+Therefore I feel these thoughts ought
+neither to trouble us, nor any more prevent our
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_221" id="Page_221">[Pg 221]</a></span>
+hand undertaking for Christ any service, than if
+a greater exemption was promised; for we know
+that whatever is allowed to befall us, whether natural
+or spiritual, if Christ is ours and we are
+his, they shall only so operate as to work out for
+us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of
+glory; for these sufferings and trials must be
+among all the things that work together for good
+to those who love Christ.</p>
+
+<p><em>July 28.</em> <em>Thursday.</em>&mdash;Up to this time the
+shells and balls of the besiegers have done us no
+harm. Two shells have passed just over us. The
+one fell on the roof of the house of an Arab family
+at a little distance from us, who were all asleep,
+and on bursting killed three: one cannon ball has
+just passed over us, besides musket balls innumerable,
+only two of which, however, I have felt so
+near as to endanger us. The one just passed by
+me and struck the wall, the other, by bending my
+head, passed just over me: yet dangerous as it
+seems in such circumstances to sleep on the roof,
+the suffocating heat of the rooms is insupportable.
+I recollect Mr. Wolff, when here, mentions it
+as so hot that he could not write his journal, and
+indeed such is the heat, that one unaccustomed
+to it feels almost perfectly unfitted for any laborious
+service either of mind or body, but particularly
+the former, for at least my own experience
+is, that the body is much less affected by it
+than the mind.</p>
+
+<p>Famine is making its destructive way here
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_222" id="Page_222">[Pg 222]</a></span>
+among the poor. All the necessaries of life are
+raised from four to six times their usual price, and
+often are not to be obtained at all, and in addition
+there is no labour going on in the city: every
+shop is closed, and every one&#8217;s concern is to take
+care of his life or property. They are constantly
+killing persons in the streets, without the
+least inquiry being made after the perpetrators;
+nay, they are publicly and notoriously known,
+and no one regards it. Nothing can exceed the
+misery and fear that pervades the city. Yet
+amidst all these perplexities and troubles, the
+Lord reigns, and without him they can do nothing.</p>
+
+<p><em>July 31.</em> <em>Lord&#8217;s day.</em>&mdash;A day that always dawns
+with sweet peace on my soul: I seem more
+especially to bring before my mind those with
+whom I think I took sweet counsel, and went
+to the house of God in company; and though
+now deprived of all that the heart can desire
+from holy fellowship on earth, there is something
+that brings me near those I love, when I
+think on their places of assembly, and their
+times of prayer. Though my dear Lord has
+broken my heart in pieces, and his hand is still
+resting on me in the person of my dear little
+dying baby, whose love and preference for the
+little care I know how to show, renders it one
+of those exquisitely painful trials, that the feelings
+know not how to obey the Lord in, when the
+spiritual judgment is brought quite down. Yet
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_223" id="Page_223">[Pg 223]</a></span>
+I can never help feeling it to be a mercy eternally
+to be thankful for, that the sense of my
+Father&#8217;s love and Saviour&#8217;s sympathy has never
+been taken from me amidst all my trials; nay,
+I do feel that the Lord is fitting me, by suffering
+and separation, for the work to which he has
+called me; he leaves me without a home, or the
+desire of one, and in that way prepares me for
+situations, which, during the life-time of my
+dearest Mary, would have been deeply trying.
+I bless God for the fourteen years uninterrupted
+domestic happiness we enjoyed together, above
+all, for the seven years spiritual communion in a
+common gracious Lord, who led us in unity of
+faith and spirit to that work from which he has
+taken her so early to himself, and from which,
+when the Lord dismisses me, I trust to ascend
+and sing the song of Moses and the Lamb with
+her for ever and ever. My great want is, more
+of Christ, more of his whole character; this I
+purpose, by the Spirit&#8217;s help, more to meditate
+on, that all that hateful concern about self, that
+pollutes all I do, may be absorbed in one only
+thought of how he may be glorified. What I
+feel I want, is more holiness of spirit. I know
+the Lord is fitting me for his holy presence, and
+that he is the chief desire of my soul; yet, oh!
+the weakness of faith, the coldness of communion,
+the reserves of dedication. Oh, Lord, I believe;
+help thou mine unbelief!</p>
+
+<p>A Mohammedan has been with me to-day,
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_224" id="Page_224">[Pg 224]</a></span>
+who is much alarmed at the state of the city,
+and wants to fly, but sees not now any opening.
+He told me, it was not this or that Pasha he
+cared about; but his property, his life, and the
+females of his family. Oh, what a relief to
+know, that my dear Mary is with her Lord; how
+light this makes my present trials. Yesterday
+they were fighting from before sun-rise till the
+afternoon, but could not effect an entrance into
+the city. The Lord preserves us all in simple
+dependence on himself.</p>
+
+<p><em>August 2.</em> <em>Wednesday.</em>&mdash;Accounts have arrived
+from the Hajjaj (Mecca and Medina, &amp;c.)
+stating the mortality from plague and cholera
+to be most tremendous; many families that left
+this place on pilgrimage to escape the troubles,
+in the midst of which we have so long been,
+have, as we hear, suffered dreadfully. Thus
+God seems in wrath, making bare his holy arm
+against this wretched nation in all its length and
+breadth. My heart sometimes trembles for the
+dear brethren at Aleppo, lest at the conclusion
+of the hot season it should break out there. My
+only resource is God. The poor people here are
+beginning to sell their little all to buy bread, and
+in consequence of the badness and scarcity of
+provisions, dysentery is spreading its ravages in
+every direction, as well as fever.</p>
+
+<p>I have had with me to-day the translator to
+the late French Bishop, and two or three Roman
+Catholic merchants, all overwhelmed with fear.
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_225" id="Page_225">[Pg 225]</a></span>
+They say, the Sultan, on hearing of the death of
+the Pasha of Mosul, and the Vaivode of Merdin,
+has written to the Pasha of Aleppo, to spare
+neither man, woman, nor child in the city; but
+to let the very name of Bagdad be swept from
+his dominions. Though this is not altogether
+unlike the Sultan, I rather think it the report
+of those within the city, to make the inhabitants
+dread delivering it up into the hands of those
+without. How blessed a portion is ours, in the
+midst of all these perplexities, to stay ourselves
+on our God, and to confide in the sympathizing
+love of our Lord, who, worthless and vile as we
+are, will not overlook us; but for his name&#8217;s sake,
+will take care of the very hairs of our heads,
+either in life or death. Amidst it all, what
+chiefly troubles me is, that I love my Father and
+my Lord so little, and that although there is not
+an object in the world, but his service and glory,
+for which I would desire to live; yet that, notwithstanding
+this I live so little for it. Three
+months have now passed since my dearest Mary
+has entered into her rest, which I have spent
+mostly in the sorrowful nursing of my poor dear
+sinking babe, and though her love and preference
+repays a hundred-fold all the trial, yet it pierces,
+while it pleases the heart, to see that connection
+so soon must cease. I often wonder at my strange
+indifference to my situation, which, but for my
+dear children, I think would be greater. I am
+afraid to think it is the fruit of faith I feel, in
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_226" id="Page_226">[Pg 226]</a></span>
+every other respect so weak; it seems more like
+the physical insensibility of one who is without a
+stake in what is passing. Oh, may my dear
+Lord, in every earthly tie he breaks, bind my
+poor soul doubly strong to himself for eternity,
+and to his service while here.</p>
+
+<p><em>Aug. 3.</em>&mdash;Some of the principal Christian families
+sent to me to-day, to request me to subscribe
+for guards to our quarter of the city, so that every
+night we might have about 40 on guard. This I
+saw my way clear in declining, believing that for
+Christ&#8217;s servants the sword is not a lawful defence;
+whatever it may be the Lord&#8217;s holy will I suffer,
+let it not be in acting against my convictions of
+his holy and blessed will, for though I feel as a
+sheep in the midst of wolves, the Lord does not
+allow my heart to be disturbed with any sense of
+personal insecurity. How beautifully all our
+blessed Lord&#8217;s precepts hang together, and fit
+the one the other; if your consent to follow him in
+his poverty as he has commanded, you have little
+to fear in following his other commands of non-resistance:
+if you accept not the first, you will
+not accept the second, except in such circumstances
+as expose you to perhaps little comparative
+danger. May the Lord make me willing,
+whatever it costs, to learn all his will, and give
+me grace to love it. I have heard such instances
+to-day of hateful and abominable oppression
+and wickedness against the poor Christians,
+by the followers of those who have the
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_227" id="Page_227">[Pg 227]</a></span>
+name of rulers within the city, that my heart
+aches, and my soul loathes the place. But what
+can we expect, when these very persons robbed
+last night the house of Saleh Beg, himself from
+whom they receive their pay.</p>
+
+<p>A little butter and some sheep have been
+brought into the city; but they ask so enormous
+a price, that they have not yet been bought.</p>
+
+<p>I was struck with the quickness with which
+the mind apprehends the simple truth of God
+when unprejudiced by interest. I have, without
+even speaking contemptuously to the Christians
+of their fasting, taken various opportunities of
+expressing the liberty of a Christian to fast in
+such a way, and at such times, as he believes
+most conducive to his soul&#8217;s advantage; and
+have pointed out to them, that to lay the stress
+on it they do, was quite perverting the very
+end and design of fasting; for that they are
+manifestly less afraid of violating Christ&#8217;s commands
+than their own regulations, which, as
+they used them, were purely human. To-day,
+a question arose between two of them in my
+presence, about their fasts; and the one stated
+as clearly as could be wished, the uselessness
+of burthening their consciences about eating
+a little butter instead of oil, or such like, instead
+of seeking to flee from their lies, and drunkenness,
+and robbery, and cheating. There seems
+to me such a glorious moral power in God&#8217;s
+word, that my heart never doubts of its producing
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_228" id="Page_228">[Pg 228]</a></span>
+marked effects, where it can be clearly
+and fully delivered; but, oh, the language, what
+a mountainous barrier!</p>
+
+<p>Last night, whilst lying on my bed, on the roof
+of my house, five balls passed over my head in
+about as many seconds, so close, that I threw
+myself off in expectation that the next might
+hit it or me; at times I almost determined to
+go down, but the danger of being shot did not
+appear so dreadful as the suffocating heat down
+stairs.</p>
+
+<p><em>August 4.</em> <em>Thursday.</em>&mdash;We have received
+accounts to-day of another messenger from
+Bussorah, with letters for us, having been stripped.
+How trying these dispensations are&mdash;how necessary
+for our peace that our eye should only rest
+on God, ordering in love every event concerning
+us, even to the arrival of a letter, so that he
+will allow nothing to fail us that is for our good.
+I have to-day finished reading through again
+Martyn&#8217;s Memoir, by Sargent. How my soul
+admires and loves his zeal, self-denial, and devotion;
+how brilliant, how transient his career;
+what spiritual and mental power amidst bodily
+weakness and disease. Oh, may I be encouraged
+by his example to press on to a higher
+mark. When I think of my own spiritual weakness,
+contrasted with his spiritual power, it brings
+a striking warning home to my heart to seek a
+fuller and more abiding union with Jesus, from
+whom alone flows the living waters that make
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_229" id="Page_229">[Pg 229]</a></span>
+the branches fruitful; I am not now troubled
+about that intellectual difference between us,
+which might seem to make it impossible for me
+to do what he did: the Lord has made me,
+blessed be His holy name, contented in this
+respect with any difference I may feel between
+myself and his more exalted members; but my
+sorrow is caused by my want of that likeness to
+him, who is my Lord and King, which is alike
+the common inheritance of all the members of
+his mystical body. May I, however, henceforth
+make the most of my talent, that I be not numbered
+among the slothful servants at my dear
+Lord&#8217;s most glorious and blessed appearing.
+The mild seriousness that pervades dear H. M.&#8217;s
+soul has for my heart a great charm. There is
+not a trait of eccentricity&mdash;all is like his Lord
+in its measure&mdash;he was solemn and serious as
+became his work, yet full of zeal and affection,
+which shewed itself, however, rather in the
+steady power of a course of action than in expression.
+It is astonishing what the world will
+endure from a child of God, whose manner gives
+them excuse for calling him an interesting eccentric
+madman; because then all he says they feel
+at liberty to laugh at; whereas, if the very same
+truths were declared to them in the calm seriousness
+of our Lord&#8217;s manner, it would make
+them gnash on him with their teeth.</p>
+
+<p><em>August 7.</em> <em>Lord&#8217;s day.</em>&mdash;This has been a
+day of trials and tears. The visions of the night
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_230" id="Page_230">[Pg 230]</a></span>
+were filled with her I have lost, and the day
+has been spent in weeping over her, I am soon,
+very soon, to lose; but this is only nature, my
+soul rests happily in my Lord. I had given up
+a little for his dear service! but he knew where
+the heart&#8217;s reserves were, and has put his hand
+on them; yet, blessed hope, that gilds these
+darkest days&mdash;the day of the Lord is at hand,
+when we shall meet to part no more. Oh,
+may my heart live with this blessed vision ever
+before it, and labour each day for the Lord,
+as though it were to be the waking vision of
+the morning&#8217;s dawn. My heart is very sad to
+think how profitless a servant I have been;
+but I do purpose, the Lord enabling me, to
+be more diligent, more devoted in the future.</p>
+
+<p>My mind has been much exercised with the
+question of the desirableness of keeping a journal
+of the soul&#8217;s inmost workings; but after reading
+and thanking God for those of others, I feel I
+never could write one without the fear of its
+publication, and this would keep my soul in a
+continual struggle, either by tempting me to say
+too much or too little, more or less than the
+truth; for, if any but my most gracious and
+loving Lord knew me as I am, I should hide
+myself for ever from the face of man. Yet
+I pray the Lord, that he will by his Spirit
+write a journal on my soul, that I may truly
+feel how very meek and lowly it becomes
+me to be when I think of all his forgiveness,
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_231" id="Page_231">[Pg 231]</a></span>
+notwithstanding my transgressions against him.
+I feel there was something peculiarly gracious
+in my Lord&#8217;s not sending me away to my sufferings
+and trials, till he had given me a cordial,
+in the assurance of his unchanging love. Oh,
+but for this, what would my past trials have
+been, had I not felt assured my Lord&#8217;s love did
+not fluctuate with my feelings, nor depend upon
+my worthiness. Oh, what a blessed passage is
+that in Rom. v. &ldquo;If, when we were enemies,
+we were reconciled to God by the death of his
+Son, <em>much more</em> being reconciled we shall be
+saved by his life.&rdquo; Yet the more I feel of this
+assurance of such unmerited love, the more
+hateful sin appears in all its shapes, and the
+more my soul desires entire devotedness to the
+whole will of God, and conformity to my gracious
+Lord.</p>
+
+<p><em>Aug. 9.</em>&mdash;A contest has sprung up between
+the troops and the inhabitants of the city, in
+which, from the continued firing, I should fear
+there has been much slaughter. Our neighbours
+are also again making barricades across
+the street, near our door. I sometimes think
+I am too impatient under these trials, instead
+of being thankful for the mercies I enjoy, and
+waiting without anxiety upon the Lord to work
+as seemeth good to Him in his own time. I
+hope to strive more and more after this childlike
+confidence, which his experienced love so
+richly deserves.</p>
+
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_232" id="Page_232">[Pg 232]</a></span>
+I did not expect my sweet little baby would
+have survived yesterday, yet she has this morning
+a little revived.</p>
+
+<p>In the hourly expectation of being plundered,
+I have put such things as I should be sorry to
+lose in a hole made in the wall, by the falling
+of a room. Yet I trust I am quite content
+the Lord should do as he sees best, even with
+respect to these. I sometimes sigh to join my
+dear Mary in the kingdom of peace and joy,
+and be ever with the Lord. Oh, may the Lord
+fully and quickly make me meet for the inheritance
+of the saints in light.</p>
+
+<p><em>Aug. 13.</em> <em>Saturday.</em>&mdash;The Arabs made an
+attack on the other side of the town to-day,
+but were repulsed. Another messenger from
+Bussorah is arrived, but stripped and plundered
+of our letters, and detained four days a prisoner
+by the Arabs. He has been near a month
+on his way. Bussorah, like Bagdad, is still
+besieged.</p>
+
+<p><em>Aug. 14.</em> <em>Sunday.</em>&mdash;My dear little baby and
+some others of my patients have occupied much
+of my time to-day; for though I give the people
+generally to understand, that unless in cases
+of necessity, I would rather see them on any
+other day; yet, there are many whom I have
+felt it to be my duty to see. The remainder of
+the day, however, was rendered profitless by
+extreme weariness, I having had to walk about
+with my poor little withering flower several
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_233" id="Page_233">[Pg 233]</a></span>
+hours through the night. I feel these trials all
+arise in what appears to me my present plain path
+of duty, so they do not greatly trouble me; though
+the progress in the language is almost altogether
+in abeyance; but, if I confine myself to my
+Lord&#8217;s will, I feel he will manage all for me.</p>
+
+<p>I have had with me to-day an Armenian gunsmith,
+who has resided some years in Damascus;
+he says, the Christians there are treated very
+well, for though they will not allow them to
+ride on horseback in the city, yet, as inhabitants,
+they are well treated. He says, they are also
+very numerous, inhabiting not less than 15,000
+houses; but, if from this we deduct 10,000, we
+shall probably be nearer the truth. The Jews
+are not so well treated. From Shaum (Damascus)
+to Beyraut, on the coast, is four days journey, to
+Acre four, to Tripoli six, to Aleppo ten, and
+the roads quite safe.  From Damascus to
+Jerusalem is seven days journey, but through
+an unsafe country. On the journey from this
+place to Damascus, the only dangerous part of
+the road is between this and Hit, on the
+Euphrates, four days journey hence; after that
+a certain sum is paid to the Arab tribes, you may
+pass through. From Persian travellers, whom
+they hate, they extort, when they know them,
+a much greater sum, amounting sometimes to
+from &pound;10. to &pound;20. between this and Damascus.
+He says, you come to fresh water every second
+or third day.</p>
+
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_234" id="Page_234">[Pg 234]</a></span>
+<em>Aug. 19.</em> <em>Friday.</em>&mdash;Every thing seems darkening
+in this wretched city. Numbers of poor
+people are crying at the gates to be let out, that
+they may not be starved in the city; but they
+will not let them go. All the necessaries of life
+have risen to five times their usual price, and the
+pressure of this is increased tenfold by the time
+at which it has occurred. The bricklayers, carpenters,
+every trade has entirely ceased its occupations
+in the city since the commencement of
+the plague; so that all day-labourers, such as
+weavers and others, are thrown out of their
+employments, and without means of gaining their
+bread. In addition to this, the Arabs are breaking
+into every house where they expect to find
+a little corn or rice, so that it is a difficult choice
+either to be without provisions in danger of
+starving, or of being broken in upon by such
+ruffians, and stripped. We intend to bury a
+little box, containing some rice, and flour, and
+dates, under ground, that in the event of their
+breaking in, we may yet secure food for a few
+days, which may give us time to look about.
+The Lord, however, is very gracious, and will
+not try us above our strength, but will magnify
+his grace even in these scenes of trial and distress.
+The care of my dear little dying baby
+has taken my mind much off from dwelling on
+the distressing position in which we are, and,
+for aught I at present see, are likely to continue
+in, for those within the town feel it is their
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_235" id="Page_235">[Pg 235]</a></span>
+heads for which they are contending, and will
+therefore hold out to the very last. Yet in
+this whirlwind the Lord rides and reigns, and
+no part of the mystical body of Christ, however
+humble the member, will ever be forgotten: on
+this we rest and wait for light and deliverance.</p>
+
+<p><em>Aug. 23.</em> <em>Tuesday.</em>&mdash;Saturday last they made
+a sally from the city against a tribe of Arabs,
+friends of Ali Pasha, and after putting them to
+flight, and killing 100, they cut off the heads
+of 150 in cold blood afterwards. It appears
+that the obnoxious parties within the city are
+anxious to place the whole inhabitants of the
+city on such terms with the assailants that they
+shall fear the consequences of their entering the
+town as much as themselves. They have allowed
+about 5000 of the very poorest to leave the city,
+but the enemy without will allow no more to
+pass. A letter came yesterday to Mr. Swoboda
+from a Bohemian, who is physician to
+Ali Pasha, in which he desired to communicate
+to all the Franks, that Ali Pasha had given
+the strictest orders to his soldiers not to molest
+one of them. To a certain extent this manifests
+good intentions; but we have had too much
+experience of the powerlessness of governors
+at such times to restrain their soldiers, to have
+much confidence in man: our confidence is in
+Him who will and does watch over us for good.
+From the daily increase in the price of provisions,
+and the daily coining new lies to feed
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_236" id="Page_236">[Pg 236]</a></span>
+the people with hopes instead of bread, I think
+things cannot remain long in their present position;
+yet the Lord knows. It is certain Bagdad
+is altogether ruined; and if those who belong
+to the neighbouring villages, and those who
+would leave it, were there ever so small an
+opening, were gone, the city would be a desert.</p>
+
+<p>I had a patient with me to-day, who told me
+that, out of a family of sixteen, he alone remains
+from the plague. Persons he added, who before
+these troubles were not worth a para, are seen
+riding about on fine horses and trappings, covered
+with gold and pearls, &amp;c.; and, on the other
+hand, many who before were in very good
+circumstances, are, by the robbery of those who
+should protect them, reduced to beggary. It
+appears that Ali Pasha is in want of nothing but
+money and ammunition; and those within the town
+want every thing but these. This wretched city has
+suffered to an almost unparalleled extent the judgments
+of God within the last six months: the
+plague swept away more than two-thirds of its
+inhabitants&mdash;the flood has thrown down nearly
+two-thirds of its houses; and property and provisions
+of corn, dates, sugar, &amp;c. &amp;c. beyond
+all calculation, have been destroyed, and we are
+now suffering under daily increasing famine, and
+we have yet hanging over our heads the revengeful
+sword of resisted authority, and the
+unprincipled plunder of a lawless soldiery to
+complete the devastation. This Pashalic was
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_237" id="Page_237">[Pg 237]</a></span>
+just about to fall an easy prey into the hands of
+the Persians, who long to possess it, from their
+famous place of pilgrimage, Kerbala, being in
+the neighbourhood, and perhaps also to make up
+for their losses on their Russian frontier. Thus
+the Lord seems preparing these two great Mohammedan
+powers for their final overthrow, partly
+by the hands of each other, and partly by the
+hands of the Christian power. In the province
+of Kourdistan, the Persians have encroached
+much on the territory of this Pashalic already.</p>
+
+<p>Oh! how delightful it is to turn from these
+scenes of present and prospective strife to that
+happy approaching day, when the Lord shall
+come with ten thousand of his saints to establish
+his kingdom of peace and glory. Oh! may our
+cry never cease to be, &ldquo;Come, Lord Jesus, come
+quickly;&rdquo; and when he does come, may he find
+us in his service among the faithful, chosen, and
+true.</p>
+
+<p><em>Aug. 24.</em> <em>Thursday.</em>&mdash;Three months and ten days
+have now passed since the Lord took from me
+her who was on earth the supreme consolation of
+my life; and now, this day, he has taken from
+me my sweet little baby without a sigh, without
+the expression of pain during the whole of her
+illness; for this my heart can, even at this moment,
+bless the Lord; but it has left a void that
+has more than ever made the world appear a
+waste. The incessantly returning wants made
+even these times appear to wing a rapid flight; but
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_238" id="Page_238">[Pg 238]</a></span>
+now all is still as death, except the weeping of
+the poor nurse, who truly loved her, and watched
+over her night and day with unremitting care.
+Oh! what a time would these three months have
+been for dear Mary, had she lived, and what
+a day would this have been; but the Lord took
+her from the evil to come, and has now taken the
+dear little object of her love to her, to join her
+little sainted sister and dear little brother; four
+of us are gone, and three are left. May the Lord
+quickly prepare us all, and hasten his coming
+kingdom, that we may meet to part no more.
+And, Oh! may he make and accept the remnant
+of the worthless life he grants me, as a living
+sacrifice to his service. Notwithstanding I acquiesce,
+I trust, in the Lord&#8217;s will from the bottom
+of my heart, yet I feel a desolation and loneliness
+of heart, on this last dispensation, that surpasses
+all I have felt in my last six months of trial. My
+sweet little baby remained an object for those
+affections to seize upon, which will exist while life
+lasts, however disciplined, and however the power
+of grace may prevail; but in one so weak in faith,
+so earthly as I am, they have had much, too much
+power, and therefore the Lord, in mercy to my
+soul, has swept them all away, that I may have
+nothing in this world left but his service. If this
+be his holy purpose, may my whole soul second so
+gracious an intention; and I pray the spiritual
+family which the Lord, according to his promise,
+has given me, fathers, mothers, sisters, and brothers,
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_239" id="Page_239">[Pg 239]</a></span>
+that their love and patience towards me
+may abound, that my spirit may be refreshed
+thereby, and my weakness encouraged to proceed&mdash;though
+faint, yet pursuing.</p>
+
+<p><em>Aug. 25.</em> <em>Friday.</em>&mdash;This day has taught me,
+that if I would not be entirely miserable, I must
+give up my whole time, and soul, and thoughts to
+my Lord; for if I look off him, I feel bordering on
+a gulf, the depth of which I cannot fathom. Oh!
+may the Holy blessed Spirit give me such views of
+the graciousness and exceeding riches of my Lord,
+that I may really feel, that in having him, I have
+all things. He alone is the same, yesterday, to-day,
+and for ever. All created things, the nearest,
+the dearest, the most beloved in the moment
+of greatest need and greatest felicity, elude the
+grasp, and flee away; but he abides always. I
+desire, therefore, the Lord enabling me, to give
+myself altogether to the preparation for my future
+labours more diligently than I have ever
+yet done; that though desolate on earth, I may
+hold the freest and sweetest communion with
+heaven; for of all preparation I feel the greatest,
+the most needful to be, that of the heart; in order
+to the constant sensible entertainment of Christ,
+from whose nearness all the spiritual faculties
+derive the sap and the fruit bearing strength.</p>
+
+<p><em>Aug. 28.</em>&mdash;To-day I feel the Lord has given me
+a victory, by turning my thoughts off my miserable
+self and temporary circumstances, to the contemplation
+of the happiness of those who are gone
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_240" id="Page_240">[Pg 240]</a></span>
+before me, and by enabling me to feel set off on
+my journey to meet them, and drawing every day
+one day&#8217;s journey nearer, while I endeavour to
+forget I had ever been happy in domestic life, or
+ever possessed those dear objects; but nature was
+often too strong for me, as I dwelt on their felicity,
+and my journeying towards them daily, whether
+the Lord brings them with him, or I go before he
+comes. This hope does comfort me, for it is a
+real abiding truth, whether I drink the sweets of
+the consolation from it or not. I therefore now
+purpose, the Lord enabling me, after nearly six
+months interruption, to return to the studies preparatory
+to my future duties as an itinerating missionary.
+To this service I ever thought the Lord
+had called me, and for this I now see all his trials
+have been fitting me, for I am without a home
+and without a tie in the world, but my dear Lord&#8217;s
+service. These trials have made me ready for
+entering on my work to any extent; as my dear
+little boys will no longer confine me to one place,
+but will soon be of an age to move about with
+me; or should their choice render other arrangements
+necessary, the Lord will open a way
+for them likewise.</p>
+
+<p>For an itinerating missionary on this side the
+desert, three languages are essentially important;
+Arabic, Turkish, and Persian: and this I feel,
+unless the Lord very especially helps me, will be
+<em>to me</em> no ordinary labour; but, as I am surrounded
+by men who every day learn them for purposes
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_241" id="Page_241">[Pg 241]</a></span>
+of gain, I trust the Lord will not allow me to
+faint, or be discouraged till, for his own service
+I have attained them.</p>
+
+<p>The internal state of the city is daily becoming
+more and more critical: all the necessaries of life
+are risen to ten times their common price, and are
+even then with difficulty obtained. The abominations
+that are now committed in the face of day,
+makes the city appear ripe for the judgment of the
+cities of the plain; and the poor Christians principally
+suffer in the persons of their children in
+these abominable acts of violence; but to seek a
+remedy now is utterly useless, for all the power in
+the city is in the hands of the lawless mob, who
+are the perpetrators of all the wickedness. It
+makes one&#8217;s heart ache to hear them weeping and
+telling of their sufferings.</p>
+
+<p><em>August 29.</em>&mdash;Last night some of the depredators
+broke into our house, and have taken away
+to the amount of about ten pounds from Kitto and
+myself, while we were all asleep upon the roof of
+the house, so there was nothing to hinder them
+from clearing the house; yet the Lord some how
+or other disturbed them, for though they took
+my clothes out of a box, they dropped them in
+their way to the window through which they entered,
+and a box containing my money in my room
+they never opened&mdash;in fact, it altogether appears
+they went away without accomplishing the purpose
+for which they came, and it so happened that
+from the constant expectation of the general
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_242" id="Page_242">[Pg 242]</a></span>
+plunder of the city, we had put away every thing
+of any particular value. Should we be plundered
+by the soldiers of Ali Pasha, we may possibly,
+if our lives be spared, obtain, as Mr. Goodell
+did, remuneration; but about this I do not feel
+anxious: the Lord will provide.</p>
+
+<p>From daylight this morning till near noon
+there was a pretty sharp contest between those
+within the city and those without, in which the
+latter got the advantage. My feeling is, that
+we are very fast approaching to a crisis, and in
+that crisis our eyes are unto the everlasting hills&mdash;to
+him who says, &lsquo;I will never leave thee nor
+forsake thee,&rsquo; but who will be with us always even
+unto the end of the world. Oh! what a relief
+would a little time of peace and free communication
+with our dear friends be. The latest letters
+from England are dated nine months ago; and
+from many, nay all my dear friends at Exeter, the
+latest is nearly eleven months; so that all our trials
+come together. For five months the dear little
+boys have not set their foot without the door of
+our house, and I cannot but feel it is a great mercy
+of the Lord, that they are so happy and contented.
+I have never heard, during all this time,
+one word of complaint from them.</p>
+
+<p><em>Aug. 30.</em>&mdash;The inhabitants are building up gates
+in all the principal streets, both against the swarms
+of thieves who plunder by night, and in anticipation
+of the entrance of the opposing party,
+when a general pillage seems now fully expected
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_243" id="Page_243">[Pg 243]</a></span>
+by all. It often seems to me, on looking
+around and seeing all without God, and trusting
+to their puny efforts to avert impending evils,
+what a blessed portion we have who know him,
+believe in him, and love him, and know and feel,
+that without his permission, not one hair of our
+heads shall fall. Those within the city have
+also again been out and attacked another tribe
+of Arabs that were on Ali Pasha&#8217;s side, pillaged
+and set fire to their camp, and brought the
+plunder into the city, among which was a great
+quantity of silk, which these Arabs had taken
+from a caravan coming to Bagdad from Persia
+in the time of the plague.</p>
+
+<p><em>September 2.</em>&mdash;I was sent for to-day to see
+the Pasha, who has, from the effects of a carbuncle
+on his toe lost one of the joints, and
+they have so treated it, that he will, I think,
+now certainly lose another. He was particularly
+kind and civil, and without any comparison, the
+most gentlemanly person I have met with in the
+East. There is an unaffected simplicity of manners,
+and a benevolence of countenance, which
+makes one wonder how all the accounts of his
+actions, which we may, I think, say we know to
+be true, could possibly be so. He made me a
+present of three small cucumbers, at this time
+the greatest rarity; and this may convey some
+idea to what extent the privations of the poor
+have gone, when the Pasha can hardly command
+a cucumber, which, with legumenous fruits of a
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_244" id="Page_244">[Pg 244]</a></span>
+similar kind, constitute a great portion of the
+food of the poor in ordinary times. As I returned
+from the Pasha a man levelled a gun at me, not
+with any intention to fire I believe, but just to
+show that independent boldness which fears no
+one, but dares to do what it chooses.</p>
+
+<p><em>September 6.</em>&mdash;There is nothing new; but the
+uninterrupted stream of misery is still swelling
+with its bitter waters: depredation and scarcity
+increasing and advancing with pretty equal steps.
+There seems to be signs of money beginning to
+fail from the treasury of the Pasha, as his kanjaar
+(a dagger), richly studded with diamonds,
+was offered for sale the other day. The palace
+of the Pasha, or rather its ruins, are filled with
+Arnaouts, a mercenary band of soldiers, who employ
+their time in making and drinking arrack,
+and knocking down the walls of the palace,
+wherever they yield a hollow sound, in search of
+the hidden treasures of the Pasha. In these countries
+it is a universal custom to bury or build up
+in the walls of houses their treasures, from the
+insecurity in which they always live.</p>
+
+<p>Mr. Swoboda has received a letter from
+a friend of his in the Pasha&#8217;s camp, stating
+that there was a large pile of letters and
+parcels for Europeans within the city, in the possession
+of the Pasha. This is trying to us, but
+still it brings the hope that we may yet soon receive
+intelligence of our friends.</p>
+
+<p>It seems as if the angel of destruction was
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_245" id="Page_245">[Pg 245]</a></span>
+resting on this city as on Babylon, to sweep it
+from the earth. They are actually pulling down
+the roofs of the bazaars to sell and burn the wood,
+destroying buildings for fuel, that a hundred
+times the worth of the wood will not replace, and
+filling up the roads with rubbish so as to render
+them scarcely passable. The state of anarchy
+which prevails must be witnessed to be understood.
+If it were not that the soul feels it
+is the Lord&#8217;s province to bring order out of confusion
+and good out of evil, it would utterly
+despair in such a scene, where every element
+at work seems wickedness; but amidst all, our
+eyes are unto him.</p>
+
+<p><em>September 7.</em>&mdash;Weak in body and mind, I
+could sometimes almost impatiently wish for a
+change. Yet the Lord is very gracious, and
+suffers us to have quite enough for our health
+and strength; and as for money, a Roman Catholic
+merchant was with me yesterday, begging
+that if I wanted any more, I would take it
+from him, for they seem all to have that kind of
+confidence even in our national character, that
+they will generally without hesitation, let you
+have money. For myself, I know not if my
+mind preys on my body, or my body on my mind,
+or whether they mutually act and re-act one on
+the other; yet I feel on the whole thus much,
+that if it appeared the Lord&#8217;s most gracious
+pleasure to direct my steps away from this
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_246" id="Page_246">[Pg 246]</a></span>
+place for a season, I should be thankful. Nevertheless,
+I desire to say from my heart, not my
+will, O Lord, but thine be done. In Arabic, I
+think I make daily progress, and I feel fully
+assured, should the Lord spare my life for this
+blessed work, that I shall one day be able to
+preach the unsearchable riches of Christ intelligibly,
+perhaps even fluently. Yet from the natural
+badness of my memory, considerable time will
+be requisite, unless the Lord vouchsafe to me
+his especial help to this end, for which I daily
+pray, for I want not opportunity but language to
+preach Christ.</p>
+
+<p><em>Sept. 9.</em> <em>Friday.</em>&mdash;Every thing continues still
+increasing in price, and in an increased ratio
+the sufferings of the poor: if they leave the city
+they are stripped and driven back; if they remain
+they are starved; and even the dates are
+just come to an end, upon which for near three
+weeks, both the people and the cattle have been
+feeding. The Pasha has this day taken the
+jewels of his wives to sell, from which and some
+other signs, I am led to think his course is nearly
+run, and that ere long he will follow the fate of his
+predecessor. Ali Pasha told the Suffian-Effendi,
+who went out to him to endeavour to accommodate
+matters, that he had come for one head only, but
+that after the way in which he had been treated,
+he would not be satisfied with less than <em>ten</em>; and
+if, at that time, which was nearly a month ago,
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_247" id="Page_247">[Pg 247]</a></span>
+he had determined to take ten, I fear a hundred
+would not now satisfy him.</p>
+
+<p>A poor Roman Catholic priest was with me
+to-day, telling me of his distress, while one of
+his opulent flock was sitting by him. He said
+the Jews would not allow their poor to beg
+from others; by which I thought he meant
+to give a pretty intelligible hint that his flock
+ought to be ashamed. But his rich hearer
+only said, &ldquo;The Lord is merciful, and he will
+provide.&rdquo; On this side the desert, the professing
+Christians are not certainly priest-ridden
+as they are in most Roman Catholic countries,
+or even on the other side of the desert,
+in consequence of there being no powerful
+and wealthy communities like the monasteries
+in Mount Lebanon, to bring down the
+heavy arm of the Turks upon them; for without
+the Turks they can do little, and these
+petty governments joyfully interfere in their
+strifes to extort money from both parties, though
+in this respect, Bagdad has been better off than
+most Pashalics for nearly sixty years past, since
+the time of Suliman Pasha, whose slave the
+present Pasha was, but liberated on his death.
+Since him there have been Ali Pasha, Suliman
+Pasha the younger, Abdallah Pasha, and Seyd
+Pasha, all of whom have been murdered after
+a longer or shorter period. Daoud Pasha has
+now been fourteen years in possession of the
+power he obtained by the murder of his predecessor,
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_248" id="Page_248">[Pg 248]</a></span>
+and seems now not far from sharing the
+same fate.</p>
+
+<p><em>Sept. 10.</em> <em>Saturday.</em>&mdash;The evening before
+last the thieves broke into the house of one of
+the sons of the Pasha, and killed three of the
+servants: if they serve the Pasha so what have
+others to expect? Instead of being surprised
+that things are so bad, my surprise is that they
+are not worse, seeing the city is entirely at the
+mercy of those who are capable of every abomination
+and cruelty; and there is no other restraint
+upon them than what God puts into their hearts
+by the undefined fear of possible retribution.
+The most valuable articles known to belong to
+the Pasha, from whom they had been stolen,
+were sold openly in the streets, without the
+least notice being taken, and thus also they
+shoot individuals when they please, in the open
+day and in the public thoroughfares, and no one
+stops to see who it is or why it is, but every
+one hastens off as fast as he can lest he should
+share the same fate. And the passengers in the
+streets are not only exposed to be shot at by
+those prompted by deliberate enmity, but this
+armed rabble is continually drunk, and, without
+the least provocation, fire at men or women.
+I seem to think, if it did please the Lord to
+put an end to these scenes of sorrow and trial,
+my heart would be very thankful; yet perhaps
+in this I deceive myself, and all my gratitude
+would be as a morning cloud. However, this
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_249" id="Page_249">[Pg 249]</a></span>
+I know, the Lord will not suffer me to be tried
+above what he will enable me to bear, and on
+this assurance, in the darkest day, may the blessed
+Spirit enable my heart to repose. This is my
+daily comfort.</p>
+
+<p><em>Sept. 12.</em> <em>Monday.</em>&mdash;The poor are again permitted
+to leave the city, and it is reported, that
+when Ali Pasha heard that those had been
+robbed who came out before, he threw some
+of the supposed plunderers into the river, and cut
+off the heads of others. However this may
+be, 5 or 600 now daily go out and suffer no
+molestation. This is a great mercy, for within
+the city every article of food has disappeared
+except buffaloes&#8217; and camels&#8217; flesh, and this
+at about twenty times its usual price. Should
+this state of things continue, it seems to me
+from present appearances, that a general plunder
+will be the consequence. To-day they have
+pillaged the houses of some Jews. Yesterday
+they broke open the house of Major Taylor&#8217;s
+chaoush. They are very slow to interfere with
+those under English protection; but when their
+natural thievish propensities are stimulated by
+want and opportunity, from what may they be
+expected to withhold themselves?</p>
+
+<p>Things within the city are now come to that
+pass, that I heard from the Meidan to-day (the
+place where the principal Turks reside) that
+they have determined to wait five days more,
+and if Ajeel, the Sheikh of the Montefeik Arabs,
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_250" id="Page_250">[Pg 250]</a></span>
+or some other efficient aid, does not arrive,
+they will cut off the heads of Daoud Pasha and
+Saleh Beg, who is his Kaimacam, or Lieutenant
+Governor, and send them to Ali Pasha, for
+the city can bear no more.</p>
+
+<p>When I consider all the misery in the city,
+and the privations not only among the poor,
+but the rich, and consider how we have been
+provided for, it does seem to me most marvellous,
+strangers as we were, and without a friend.
+Before the plague, in our ignorance of the
+probable time of its continuance, and with the
+certain knowledge that in the midst of the
+greatest want, there was not a soul that could
+help us, we took in enough of wheat, rice, soap,
+and candles, to last till within a very few weeks.
+When dear Mr. Pfander left us, we made him
+some sausages, called in this country <em>pastourma</em>:
+he, however, took but a few, and the rest remained
+with us, and served us both during the
+plague, and now in the famine to vary our food
+a little, though somewhat dry and as hard as
+wood, and still of them one or two remains. The
+dear boys also had some pigeons: these also
+served us for many days. We then had two
+goats for my poor dear little baby, and to give
+us milk; but provisions became so dear that
+we were obliged to kill one; this we divided
+among the poor: the second at last we also
+killed, and potted in its fat. This by little and
+little we are consuming. We have also got four
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_251" id="Page_251">[Pg 251]</a></span>
+or five hens, which lay two or three eggs a-day.
+Thus the Lord has provided for us till now; and
+if we have not had abundance, we have never
+suffered from want. And now, when wheat and
+rice is not to be bought, and if possessed in
+quantities would expose the possessors to inevitable
+pillage, the Lord has so graciously
+supplied us, that we avoid both want and the
+danger of possessing provisions in the house, for
+before the kind Taylors left this, they gave me
+permission to take from the Residency whatever
+I might want, and this I now take by little and
+little as I need, and the house of the Resident
+is so far respected in public opinion, that openly
+disorganized as things are, I do not think they
+will commit any violence upon it.</p>
+
+<p>I am sure there are many who, in reading
+this, will bless God for his goodness to us, so
+utterly unworthy as we are; but, oh! if they
+could be witnesses of the misery that others
+suffer, and from which his mercies have freed
+us, they would indeed praise him. For, even
+when provisions were to be had, had we been
+obliged to purchase at the price things then were
+and are now, we must inevitably have run in
+debt; but as it is we have enough of money
+for more than a month to come. Therefore,
+bereaved and incapable as I yet feel of all enjoyment,
+I desire to bless the Lord for all his
+great goodness and care over us, of the least
+of whose mercies I feel infinitely unworthy.
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_252" id="Page_252">[Pg 252]</a></span>
+And though my faith does not enable me fully
+now to feel, in unison with my <em>soul&#8217;s judgment</em>,
+on my heavenly Father&#8217;s dealings toward me,
+when time has removed the bitter cup farther
+distant, it may not possess all its present intensity
+of bitterness, to which also so many circumstances
+have tended to add additional pungency&mdash;not
+a friend near, not a communication
+from any of those far away. I have ever felt one
+abiding source of comfort, in that I knew I enjoyed
+the prayers of many whose prayers I truly
+value, and through these I believe I shall yet
+stand complete in all the will of God, to remove
+or to remain, to live or to die. The Lord will
+quickly come, and then his power and great glory
+will be manifested to the joy of his chosen and the
+confusion of his enemies.</p>
+
+<p><em>Sept. 14.</em> <em>Wednesday.</em>&mdash;While I feel more convinced
+every day that a missionary in these countries,
+who really would cast himself upon his
+Lord, and share in its revolutions and national
+judgments, has more to prepare his mind for them
+previously to his entering upon it than he can
+well conceive: yet on the other hand, I feel more
+confirmed in the opinion, that amidst this disjointed
+disorganized state of society, there are
+more doors of irregular missionary service open
+than he can possibly occupy. For though he can
+perhaps find few opportunities of publicly preaching
+Christ; yet in conversation, and the preparation
+and circulation of tracts, I think there are immense
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_253" id="Page_253">[Pg 253]</a></span>
+opportunities afforded. Yet for conversation
+much time will be required in acquiring
+a facility in the language by most, till the Lord
+is pleased to pour down from on high, his gifts of
+the Spirit&mdash;and as to tracts, at present we have
+none. The Turkish Armenian tracts, printed at
+Malta, are not clearly understood here; neither
+do I think the Arabic or Turkish spoken on the
+other side of the desert would be so either, if I
+may judge from the translations into Turkish and
+Arabic. In fact, it would appear desirable if
+the object of a missionary be to labour in the east,
+that he should study on this side the desert if
+possible; though the difficulties of a family are
+great here amidst the constant succeeding commotion
+of this disturbed country. There is no
+retiring place within at least some hundred miles,
+at all times by a dangerous journey, but in such
+times as these almost impassable. And the elements
+of disorder do not arise only from the state
+of the Ottoman empire, but from the vicinity of
+Persia, daily encroaching on this side, as I have
+mentioned before, both from religious and political
+motives, and this spirit is encouraged by
+the constant weakening of the pashalic. About
+fifty or sixty years ago, commenced the government
+of Suliman Pasha the elder, who
+continued twenty-three years in his situation
+and died in his bed. This Pasha raised Bagdad
+from a place of little mercantile consideration
+to be one of the most important places of traffic
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_254" id="Page_254">[Pg 254]</a></span>
+in the east, and he allured merchants from all
+parts by the equity and firmness of his government.
+From that to the present time, this pre-eminence
+has been enjoyed by Bagdad, and it
+has been the central place of trade between the
+east and the west; and for these purposes, if improved,
+a more desirable situation could not
+be imagined under a firm and wise administration.
+This Suliman Pasha strengthened the Georgian
+interest in this pashalic prodigiously by the
+purchasing of an immense number of Georgian
+slaves whom he manumitted at his death. One of
+these, Ali Pasha, who married his daughter,
+succeeded him, and was murdered at prayers
+after about five years reign. Suliman Pasha
+who succeeded him, also married a daughter of
+the former Suliman, he governed about three
+years, and was then put to death. He was succeeded
+by Abdallah Pasha, who was the treasurer
+of Ali Pasha; he continued about three
+years, and was put to death. To him succeeded
+Seyd Pasha, son of Suliman Pasha the elder,
+who, at the end of about three years, was
+also put to death. To these last who had thus
+succeeded and murdered one another, succeeded
+Daoud, the present Pasha, who to avoid a like
+fate with his predecessors, cut off every man
+about him who could possibly afford him any umbrage;
+but while on the one hand he secured
+himself, on the other he so weakened the
+Georgian interest, that when his affairs became
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_255" id="Page_255">[Pg 255]</a></span>
+involved in difficulty, there was none to help but
+creatures who had ministered to his avarice which
+he had gratified at the expence of every loyal
+feeling (if such an expression can be used by a
+Turk.) But still, though previous to the plague,
+the Georgians had been thus diminishing in
+numbers, and more so in intellectual and moral
+character, still they were a strong body; but the
+plague swept them nearly all away. All this
+taking place at this peculiar juncture when there
+is no recruiting their strength from Georgia,
+which is now in the hands of the Russians, and
+when the heart of the Sultan is peculiarly set
+against the whole mameluke rule seems to indicate
+the period of their downfall to be near at
+hand. Should Ali Pasha now succeed in getting
+possession of the city, the Georgian government
+of these renegade slaves will be ended as that of
+their brethren in apostacy was in Egypt. But,
+however things may terminate, there are no
+elements of recovery, fall they must; for the
+curse of God is upon them from the hands of one
+tyrant after another, till some powerful nominal
+Christian government will accept the government
+of them, for which they are daily ripening,
+which they are daily expecting, and which will
+finally happen, unless they fully adopt a European
+policy and plan, and this by another
+road, will lead to the same end, the overthrow
+of Mohammedanism and the establishment of infidelity.
+I have just thus cursorily made these
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_256" id="Page_256">[Pg 256]</a></span>
+remarks, that no missionary may deceive himself
+by expecting any long period of peace and
+quietness. If it comes, he may bless God; but
+if it be withheld, he must calculate upon it.
+And I think those who are lightly armed for
+their work&mdash;who can run, and fly, and hide, and
+at all events have only their own lives to care
+about, will be happiest amidst all their privations
+and trials between Bagdad and China. But for
+those who have known the endearment of domestic
+life, or who are by nature peculiarly susceptible
+of its happiness it may truly be said, this is
+a living martyrdom. It is: but it is <em>for Christ</em>,
+who will soon come and wipe away all tears
+from our eyes. I desire daily to feel it is a world
+in which my gracious Lord was an outcast, and
+where it would be to my loss if I made me a
+home. May the Lord make me willing to serve
+him on these or any other terms he may manifest
+at his pleasure.</p>
+
+<p>This morning some persons who were employed
+for the purpose, set at liberty two of the principal
+Georgians who were imprisoned in the
+camp of Ali Pasha.</p>
+
+<p>The Armenian servant to whom I lent an Armenian
+Testament, with the translation into the
+modern Constantinople dialect, came to me to
+say how much better he understood it than he did
+before in the old language, and his countenance
+seemed quite to brighten up at the sense of his
+attainment.  Among the Armenians I think
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_257" id="Page_257">[Pg 257]</a></span>
+there is an open door, especially among the young,
+their ears are open and thirsting for information
+on every subject.</p>
+
+<p>The father of the Armenian schoolmaster was
+to-day speaking with me on the difficulty of that
+passage, &ldquo;Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I
+hated.&rdquo; He said he felt just in that state as though
+God had said to him, I will not receive you. I
+longed to preach to him fully so far as I am able,
+Him who saith, Whosoever cometh to me I will
+in no wise cast out; but I have many difficulties:
+he is very deaf, and Armenian and Turkish, not
+Arabic, are the languages he understands. The
+languages greatly try me, for though I feel by the
+Lord&#8217;s mercy making daily progress, yet still I
+feel four or five years must pass before I am fully
+prepared even in this department of my labour,
+and happy shall I be if in that time it be accomplished.</p>
+
+<p><em>Sept. 15.</em> <em>Thursday.</em>&mdash;After a night of anxious
+suspense, the day has dawned in comparative
+peace; the cry that Ali Pasha&#8217;s troops were entering
+the city, began soon after we had retired
+to rest, and continued till near morning. Now
+we hear that Daoud Pasha had fled from the
+house of Saleh Beg during the night and endeavoured
+to enter the citadel, but the soldiers would
+not admit him. He is now in the hands of the people
+of the Meidan. The Chaoush Kiahya of Ali
+Pasha has entered the city, and every one is in
+an awful state of suspense as to the future fate
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_258" id="Page_258">[Pg 258]</a></span>
+of the inhabitants, at least of the higher classes.
+I have just set up the English flag that they may
+know the inhabitant of the house is a stranger
+here, who has nothing to do with the strife of the
+city. If, after this, the Lord allows them to
+enter our habitation, may his holy and blessed
+will be done. I think the Lord has allowed my
+mind to be in perfect peace as to the result.</p>
+
+<p>The poor wives of the Pasha are kissing the
+hands of passers by, begging that they will give
+them an asylum. Poor sufferers! all are afraid to
+interfere so as to afford them that which they want.
+At present, words and appearances are peaceable.
+May the Lord of his mercy grant that they may
+continue so.</p>
+
+<p>To-day we killed two fowls to have a little fresh
+meat. Thus the Lord has kept us through all this
+time of trial, and we have enough remaining for
+five or six days, blessed be his holy name. This
+day has ended in perfect peace, not a disturbance
+or an individual molested. The principal thieves,
+who, at the head of various gangs, were robbing
+the city in every direction, are now doing all they
+can to escape, for they are perfectly known. Thus
+the gracious hand of the Lord has removed in
+one day the siege and famine, and fear and terror,
+from the lawless within, and the undefined terrors
+from those who are without, so that all seems joy
+and gladness to the poor inhabitants. In the conclusion
+of this affair Ali Pasha has conducted himself
+amidst numberless provocations with a moderation
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_259" id="Page_259">[Pg 259]</a></span>
+and prudence that does him the highest honour;
+bless the Lord for all his mercies. This will
+be the first night for months that we shall retire to
+rest without the hateful sounds of civil strife saluting
+our ears, or disturbing our rest.</p>
+
+<p><em>Sept. 16.</em> <em>Friday.</em>&mdash;Another peaceful day. Ali
+Pasha has collected all the principal Georgians together
+in his camp. When the late Pasha went out
+to his camp, he rose from his seat and embraced
+him, and told him not to fear; that the Sultan had
+ordered his life to be spared; to Saleh Beg also
+assurances of safety were given, and in fact up to
+this time not one individual has been put to death.
+It remains yet to be seen whether this be a cloak or
+real moderation. However, from the great body
+of the citizens all fear is removed, and both animals
+and inhabitants alike rejoice in returning abundance.
+The wheat that was sold on Wednesday,
+for 250 piasters, was sold on Thursday for 40, and
+other things in proportion, besides which, vegetables
+have re-appeared, which, for five months,
+were not to be procured, at any price.</p>
+
+<p>I sent out to-day the chaoush of Major Taylor
+to Ali Pasha, to enquire if there were any letters
+or packets for the Residency or for me; but I
+found there were none to my great disappointment.
+However, Ali Pasha was very civil; enquired
+after the Resident, hoped there would be
+perpetual and increasing affection between them,
+&amp;c. &amp;c. We have now to wait to see how these
+fair beginnings will end. I have just seen the
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_260" id="Page_260">[Pg 260]</a></span>
+Hakeem Bashee or chief Physician of Ali Pasha,
+who is an Italian, and to my great joy found he
+had locked up in his box for me many letters and
+newspapers, which he from time to time collected
+in the camp; whenever any messenger was brought
+in, and his packets examined, all that were for
+Europeans he took out, and put in his box; to-morrow
+he promises to let me have those that were
+addressed to me. He tells me that Ali Pasha has
+two interpreters, natives of Cyprus, who speak
+Turkish, Italian, and Romaic. It appears that
+a great change is contemplated in the government
+of this Pashalic.</p>
+
+<p>One of the two gentlemen whom Major Taylor
+sent to examine the Euphrates from Beles to Anah,
+has arrived at Aleppo on his way to Beles. From
+Anah to Bussorah there is no insurmountable impediment
+in the way of steam navigation. The
+part that now remains to be examined is from Beer
+to Anah.</p>
+
+<p><em>Sept. 18.</em> <em>Lord&#8217;s day.</em>&mdash;To-day I have received
+a long missing letter from the dear Taylors, in
+which Major Taylor most kindly and generously
+offers, should any thing happen to me, to consider
+my dear boys as his own, till he has an opportunity
+of sending them safely to the hands of their friends
+in England. Thus the Lord provides, thus he
+orders for us. This kind offer of Major T. was
+quite unsolicited, for, though when I felt attacked
+by the plague, I had written a letter making this
+request, yet, on my recovery, I destroyed it.</p>
+
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_261" id="Page_261">[Pg 261]</a></span>
+I also received a letter from Dr. Morrison, in
+China, in which he expresses his conviction of the
+importance of missionaries learning to earn their
+subsistence by some occupation, however humble,
+rather than be dependant as they now are, on
+societies. I confess my mind so far entirely agrees
+with him, that, if I had to prepare for a missionary
+course, I would not go to a college or an institution,
+but learn medicine, or go to a blacksmith&#8217;s,
+watchmaker&#8217;s, or carpenter&#8217;s shop, and there pursue
+my preparatory studies. I do not mean to
+say, that this should be to the exclusion of preparatory
+studies in language, and the deepest preparatory
+Scripture studies, but, in conjunction
+with them, for I am satisfied it is a much greater
+blessing to missionaries to lead those down who
+either by birth or other circumstances may have
+been a little removed from the lower orders of society
+than to raise those of humble birth to the rank
+of gentlemen in the world, who neither by education,
+habits, nor intercourse are enabled happily or
+profitably to fill such a station&mdash;but it is that yoke
+of mere human ordination, the necessity of a
+<em>title from man to preach</em> and <em>administer</em> as it is
+called the sacraments, of which not so much as
+a hint is contained in the New Testament, it is that
+awful distinction between laity and clergy which
+are the things that tie up all hands, and put bodies
+of men into situations of trial, who, but for this
+delusion, would be without any comparative difficulties.
+Without these we should learn to judge of
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_262" id="Page_262">[Pg 262]</a></span>
+men&#8217;s fitness for their work, not by their being ordained
+or unordained by this or that denomination
+of men, but according to the rule of the apostles,
+by their doctrine and walking as they had them
+for &ldquo;ensamples;&rdquo; if they came otherwise, though
+apostles or angels, let them, says the apostle,
+be accursed. Oh, if this principle of the apostles
+were set up in proving all things and holding fast
+that which is good, we should not hear so good a
+man, and one so much to be loved, as Mr. Bickersteth,
+misleading his readers by telling them to adhere
+to an unsound <em>authorised</em><a name="FNanchor_39_39" id="FNanchor_39_39"></a><a href="#Footnote_39_39" class="fnanchor">[39]</a>
+teacher, rather
+than go to a sound and unauthorised one; to one
+who is authorised by the head of the church, though
+not by the head of the state. So said not Paul,
+but, &ldquo;if I or an angel come preaching any other
+doctrine, let him be accursed.&rdquo; In all the Apostle
+Paul&#8217;s trials with the false teachers, and in all the
+directions given respecting them to the various
+churches, he never once alludes to their appointment
+by the apostles or any other human being, or bodies
+of human beings, as even a collateral ground of consideration
+and preference, but always to the truth,
+the truth, the truth; if they preach that, well;
+if they do not, it matters not who they are, nor
+whence they came, from heaven or earth, they
+are to be rejected. God grant the day may quickly
+come when the church of God may care as little
+about the opinions of bishops and presbyteries or
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_263" id="Page_263">[Pg 263]</a></span>
+any other association of men, <em>apart from their
+piety and truth</em>, as the Lord and his Apostles
+cared about the opinions of the Sanhedrim. So
+far as their estate or authority is temporal, let us
+obey them, but let us keep our souls free.</p>
+
+<p>It is said that all these provinces, from Bussorah
+to Bagdad, Sulemania, Mosul, Diarbekr, Merdin,
+Orfa, and Aleppo, are to be under the government
+of Ali Pasha; at all events there seems
+to be such a change contemplated, that at present
+I do not see it right to remove, especially as the
+Lord has provided an asylum in the event of any
+thing happening to me, in the bosom of Mr.
+Taylor&#8217;s family, for my dear boys.</p>
+
+<p>Under Daoud Pasha the people were oppressed
+by monopolies in every article of consumption.
+Ali Pasha seems determined to put an end to the
+system. The cryer yesterday proclaimed that
+meat was to be sold for no more than two piasters
+an oke,<a name="FNanchor_40_40" id="FNanchor_40_40"></a><a href="#Footnote_40_40" class="fnanchor">[40]</a>
+and that if any man took more he
+should be hanged on the spot to his own crooks.
+One of the butchers, near the Meidan, who was
+detected yesterday, selling meat for three piasters,
+was instantly hanged. After which, the butchers
+went to the officer who superintends their affairs,
+and offered him considerable sums of money as a
+bribe, but he would pay no attention to them.</p>
+
+<p><em>Sept. 21.</em> <em>Wednesday.</em>&mdash;Nothing can exceed
+the attention and respect that is paid to Daoud
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_264" id="Page_264">[Pg 264]</a></span>
+by Ali Pasha; for his life, he said, he had nothing
+to fear; the Sultan had pardoned him, and a firman
+had come to that effect, but that the Sultan
+wished him to go to Constantinople on the morrow
+or the day after. Therefore he leaves
+this, and his wives go with him, and his eldest
+son, Hassan Beg, who has had all his property
+made him a present of by Ali Pasha, and every
+thing they choose to select for the convenience of
+the journey, is to be provided for them. There is
+something in this treatment so utterly unlike any
+thing that has been ever witnessed before, that
+people know not what to make of it; the Turks
+cannot be brought to believe but that there must
+be some treachery under it; for my own part, I
+do believe that so far as Ali Pasha is concerned,
+this is not true.</p>
+
+<p>The Turks here are also much startled at seeing
+their long robes and turbans thrown away for an
+European military uniform, with epaulets and
+other decorations; and they say that Ali Pasha
+himself has quite adopted the European dress, so
+what changes we may expect I know not, but
+certainly great ones are contemplated; any change
+approximating to this has not been introduced from
+the days of the Patriarchs till now. Drinking is no
+longer a covert offence that they practice in secret;
+but wine and spirits are brought in their trays as
+regular articles of consumption. The fact is, that
+Mohammedanism and Popery have received, and
+are receiving, such hard knocks that their power
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_265" id="Page_265">[Pg 265]</a></span>
+will certainly sink, even though the name may remain,
+and I do expect that this state of powerlessness
+in these two bodies will open ways for God&#8217;s
+elect among them to come out.</p>
+
+<p>I had yesterday a long and most interesting conversation
+with a very respectable Armenian Roman
+Catholic merchant of this place, most timidly fearful
+of having his faith touched; yet the Lord opened
+the way to the introduction of the conversation on
+some very interesting topics&mdash;on the duty of reading
+God&#8217;s word for ourselves, and on the worship
+of the Virgin, on all of which, little by little, he
+conversed freely.&mdash;He seemed well acquainted with
+the Scriptures I quoted, but had never thought
+about the questions, and this is the great preparatory
+work in this country, to get men to think on
+the things of the soul&#8217;s everlasting interests, and
+to feel that these things have to do with the various
+relations of life. In all countries custom has much
+power; but in the East it is despotic.</p>
+
+<p>I have been much struck in reading some letters
+in the Record, on the Church and Dissent, which
+has made me feel the necessity and value of
+that word of our blessed Lord.&mdash;&ldquo;If thine
+eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of
+light.&rdquo; Surely if the Scripture be sufficient to decide
+any question, it is sufficient to decide the
+question of what a child of God ought to do when
+a man, calling himself a minister of Christ, propagates
+errors among any section of Christ&#8217;s church.
+Does not Paul say, Who is Paul or Apollos, but
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_266" id="Page_266">[Pg 266]</a></span>
+ministers by whom ye believe? What, then, is
+the Church of England, or Scotland, or the Dissenters,
+but various ministries, by which we believe?
+And the same apostle&mdash;the exalter of the
+Lord of life, and the abaser of every high thought
+of man, says, &ldquo;If I or an angel from heaven
+preach any other gospel than that you have received,
+let him be accursed.&rdquo; Does Paul set up
+the principle that men are to be received not according
+to the truth or error of their doctrine, but
+according to the sect to which they belong, or the
+mode or circumstance of ordination? Never: but
+the very reverse. With the apostle it is always
+the truth&mdash;the truth&mdash;the truth; let those judge
+who wish to see.</p>
+
+<p>Now, I will just state a strong case, but a fact.
+I was one day travelling in the mail, and a certain
+person in one corner began a most obscene conversation,
+with a gentleman who came to see him at
+the door of the mail, while it was changing horses.
+Opposite him, in the other corner, was his own
+son. When the mail arrived at the place to which
+we were going, on getting out, I asked the people
+at the coach office, who that person was. I had
+previously considered him as an officer in the army,
+but, to my amazement, was told he was the Rev.&nbsp;&mdash;&mdash;.
+This individual has since been made a
+dignitary of the Church of England, and has had
+other preferment bestowed upon him; and this is
+but part of what might be said. You will say this
+is an extreme case. But it is a matter of fact.
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_267" id="Page_267">[Pg 267]</a></span>
+Am I to remain under the ministry of such a
+teacher? It not only shocks the affections of a
+child of God, but the very common sense of the
+world, and, if our eyes were single, it would, in
+proportion strike us till we should come down to
+the apostle&#8217;s rule, about receiving teachers&mdash;those
+who preach the truth, and walk as ye have us for
+an ensample.</p>
+
+<p>As to example on which so much stress is laid,
+what example does a man give to his children or
+neighbourhood, when he continues to sit under the
+ministry of one whom he believes to be not a
+preacher but a perverter of the truth? Why,
+that the Church of England and its forms, even in
+the midst of our unfaithful ministry, is dearer to
+him than Christ&#8217;s Church and his truth, under less
+agreeable external circumstances. On the other
+hand, what example does he give if he quit this,
+which may be granted on all hands to be an unsound
+ministry, for a sound one? Why, that he
+loves Christ&#8217;s Church and truth so much better
+than any circumstances, that though it may cost
+him pain and sorrow he leaves the one for the other.</p>
+
+<p>There seems an idea prevalent, and kept up in
+all these letters, which is in fact most untrue&mdash;that
+a man, by leaving the
+church<a name="FNanchor_41_41" id="FNanchor_41_41"></a><a href="#Footnote_41_41" class="fnanchor">[41]</a>
+becomes a dissenter
+in principle. Whereas I think many who have
+merely followed the line which the apostle recommends,
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_268" id="Page_268">[Pg 268]</a></span>
+of turning away from false teachers, are not
+at all thereby rendered in love with dissent as one
+system set up against another system. It appears
+to me, that a sectarian Church of England-man,
+and a sectarian Dissenter, whose only desire is to
+see augmented the respective members of those
+who follow them, are equally removed from the
+mind of Christ. The thing devoutly to be prayed
+for, for them all is, that when they respectively
+approach the nearest to the meaning of the divine
+word and the mind of Christ, they might be respectively
+strengthened and made willing in those
+things to borrow from each other, and all sides to
+remember that that love which covereth many
+faults is more valuable a thousand times than that
+sectarian zeal that magnifies every weakness and
+infirmity into a mortal sin, and which delights in evil
+surmisings and evil speakings.</p>
+
+<p>The term which passes current with so many
+who are attached to the Church of England exclusively
+of &ldquo;our apostolic church,&rdquo; it may not be
+amiss for a moment to dwell on. Where then
+does this apostolic similarity dwell, and in what
+does it consist?</p>
+
+<p>Is it in the mode of appointment of Bishops?
+<em>Formerly</em> it was the work of the church, with
+which the state had nothing to do. <em>Now</em>, it
+may be the work of an infidel ministry, for infidel
+purposes.</p>
+
+<p>Is it the state and pomp of the episcopacy, the
+titles&mdash;&ldquo;Your Grace,&rdquo; &ldquo;Your Lordship,&rdquo; your
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_269" id="Page_269">[Pg 269]</a></span>
+palaces, your carriages, and fame, and hosts of
+idle livery servants?</p>
+
+<p>Is it in the mode of appointment to the cure of
+souls? <em>Then</em> it was in the choice of the church; or,
+if of new churches, the appointment of those who
+had gathered them. <em>Now</em>, this cure is publicly sold
+like cattle in the market to the highest bidder,
+and a large proportion of the remainder may be in
+the hands of an infidel Lord Chancellor, to give as
+he pleases.</p>
+
+<p>Is it the Liturgy? However valuable it may be,
+no one will pretend to say the apostles used one.</p>
+
+<p>And even in the places of public worship, their
+grandeur, or their neatness, or their convenience are
+equally unlike the places of meeting of the apostles,
+who were happy to assemble in an upper loft. Instead,
+therefore, of saying the Church of England is <em>Apostolic</em>,
+it is infinitely more true to say she is <em>Romish</em>, in
+all those things on the distinction of which she prides
+herself and becomes distinguished. And the broad
+line of distinction between her and the apostate mother
+of harlots, commences when she comes to those
+points, whereon all the churches of Christ agree&mdash;the
+doctrines she professes, and which are to a
+very great extent scriptural and pure; and may
+the Lord water her truth while he sweeps away
+her dross and tin. Believing, as I do, her connection
+with the state to be an unmitigated evil as
+it relates to her spiritual power, I cannot but rejoice
+that this false ground of confidence and support
+which has made toryism stand too often in the
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_270" id="Page_270">[Pg 270]</a></span>
+place of truth and piety, as a recommendation to
+her highest places of trust, is crumbling underneath
+her, only her bonds will be burnt in the fire.
+May she have the holy wisdom to strengthen what
+remains, that when the times of her dominion shall
+pass by, the time of her spiritual splendour may
+return. In short, though there be much that is
+intolerable in the Church of England, much may
+be modified, and may yet, possibly, remain; but
+this is clear, that that swelling of the bosom which
+distinguishes a true son of the Church of England,
+considered as a sectarian, when he enunciates the
+term of &ldquo;Our Apostolic Church,&rdquo; if it refers to
+discipline as well as doctrine, and external circumstances
+as well as internal principles, is the
+merest delusion that ever was published, and the
+most unsubstantial vision that ever formed the
+basis of pride, and one that will now remain unmasked
+no longer. May the Lord grant her
+grace in her day of trial, to run into her real ark
+of strength&mdash;the truth of God. What is contrary
+to God&#8217;s will in her, may he make her ready, nay,
+anxious to throw off, as an incubus that oppresses
+her. What is not contrary, yet not essential,
+may she hold with that degree of tenacity
+only which such things deserve, and remain alone
+valiant for the truth on the earth.</p>
+
+<p>Many will say this is written by the hand of an
+enemy. But I protest before Him whom I love
+and serve, however unworthily, that I love the
+Church of Christ in the midst of her, fervently
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_271" id="Page_271">[Pg 271]</a></span>
+desiring their spiritual pre-eminence, and praying
+for her prosperity.</p>
+
+<p>The detestable association between the Dissenters,
+considered as a body, and the calumniators
+and degraders of the Lord of life, for the beggarly
+purposes of this world&#8217;s power, sufficiently prove
+to my mind, that a spirit, which is not of God&#8217;s
+children, rests among them too extensively somewhere,
+as I have before mentioned; and even the
+true children among them, who have been drawn
+into such an ungodly coalition, show great spiritual
+weakness. In the word of God I see Christ exalted
+and his truth; and not churches, apostles, or
+prophets; all things are to be proved, and that
+which is good to be kept. Apostles are to be
+tried, and if found <em>liars</em>, to be rejected.
+Think you, when the church of Ephesus, in the
+Apocalypse is commended by our Lord, for trying
+those who said they were apostles and were not,
+and when she had found them liars, that her
+members for example, still sat under their ministry.
+What a strange perversity of judgment prejudice
+casts over the mind. I cannot imagine any holier
+more acceptable service to our dear and blessed
+Lord and master, than that of endeavouring to
+unite in true and holy union, all the real members
+of his now (as to external circumstances) painfully
+divided body, for the Lord enables me to feel and
+to know, that amidst all the divisions and hard
+names that prevail among the members, there
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_272" id="Page_272">[Pg 272]</a></span>
+does really exist a body bound together for eternity,
+in all the essentials of Divine truth.</p>
+
+<p><em>Sept. 24.</em>&mdash;Nothing of any striking moment
+relative to our situation has occurred since the
+last date: all is quiet. Yet circumstances have
+taken place of the deepest interest, which makes
+my soul rejoice in God. In a packet of letters, I
+received the other day from India and Bussorah,
+was one from a person whom I met here, a gay
+thoughtless officer in the army, who seems now
+really seeking for light and life. Of this I am
+sure, that with that soul, it never can be again as
+in times past; the name of Christ will either be a
+savour of life unto life, or of death unto death. Oh!
+how strange a thing here does a consciousness of
+divine life in the soul appear, and how affecting is
+it to receive that news fresh from the heart of one
+who has seen, in spiritual things, men as trees
+walking. May the Lord complete what he has begun,
+and make his recovered child a burning and
+a shining light in that land of darkness, where
+he sojourns. This intelligence comes too at a
+very acceptable time, for I have had a slight
+attack of fever for these last ten days, which,
+though it is not worth mentioning, has, like all
+fevers, left me weak, and with a tendency to depression.
+Nor is this all the good the Lord has
+done me. The Roman Catholic merchant whom
+I mentioned before, has been again with me.
+He told me, that when I came from England I
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_273" id="Page_273">[Pg 273]</a></span>
+brought a letter for him, which is true, from a
+very dear friend, in which he was requested to
+come every day to see me, and talk with me, for I
+was neither a Roman Catholic, a Greek, an Armenian,
+nor belonging to any other denomination, but
+a Christian. He, however, never came. Shortly
+after my arrival I met him at the house of another
+merchant, and as I could not talk with him, my
+dear brother Pfander did; but nothing could exceed
+the timid reserve and coldness with which he
+answered all questions respecting religion. But yesterday
+he told me, &ldquo;Now I do not fear to converse
+with you.&rdquo; Surely here is something gained. May
+the Lord grant me grace to pour in the sincere
+milk of the word. At present I see nothing more
+than a willingness to hear and consider; but this
+is almost like finding a spring in the desert, when
+you are parched with thirst.</p>
+
+<p>I have also received from Mr. Brandram, the
+Secretary of the Bible Society, a kind and generous
+letter from that noble institution, which enables
+me to enter on their work with all my heart,
+leaving the question of money free, and only seeking
+the soul&#8217;s profit of those on whom their benefits
+are bestowed: if I obtain money, well&mdash;if not, I
+am only to seek a fair guarantee that the people
+will read and take care of the books I have without
+money full liberty to give. These books are
+arrived at Bussorah, so that when they reach me,
+what with those I already have, and those coming
+from Constantinople or Smyrna, I shall have quite
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_274" id="Page_274">[Pg 274]</a></span>
+a depository. All these circumstances at present
+make me determine to stay here, the Lord enabling
+me, though we again hear that the Persians are at
+Sulemania. I was lately informed that Capt.
+Chesney, with a gentleman from Bombay, and his
+wife, had endeavoured to pass on to Shiraz from
+Bushire; but that they were not allowed to enter
+that place. They next tried by Shuster, but from
+hence likewise they were obliged to turn back.
+They appear to have made a third trial with more
+success; but an Armenian, who was with me the
+other day, said he saw them at Ispahan stripped of
+every thing they had, and obliged to borrow money
+for their journey, which, as I have before observed,
+the English always obtain without the least difficulty.</p>
+
+<p><em>October 9.</em> <em>Lord&#8217;s Day.</em>&mdash;It is just one fortnight
+since the Lord has laid me on the bed of
+sickness and suffering; for nearly a fortnight previous
+an attack of typhus fever had been making
+its steady advances. I had lost all appetite,
+strength, and ability to sleep, accompanied by
+that strange overwhelming depression of mind that
+inclines one to weep one knows not why. But this
+day fortnight I was completely laid by, and this
+is the first day I have had my clothes on since.</p>
+
+<p><em>Oct. 11.</em>&mdash;The Lord still allows me to feel convalescent,
+and I cannot but think of his mercies
+to me in my solitary and lonely situation, with all
+these tendencies to depression, which are concomitants
+of the disease. He sent me from time to
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_275" id="Page_275">[Pg 275]</a></span>
+time such cheering intelligence, as enabled me to
+hope his cause would prosper, and that all
+these turmoils were only the more speedily preparing
+the way for it. I certainly now close this
+journal with more of hope than I have been led
+to entertain for many months, yet not without
+some fears.</p>
+
+<p>The few Georgians that remained from the
+plague have been nearly all put to death, so that
+the Georgian government of Bagdad is, as I anticipated,
+now extinguished. The elements of
+disorder and weakness are so interwoven in this
+wretched government, that it will require a measure
+of energy and wisdom not often found united,
+to establish a better order of things; but I desire
+to leave all in the Lord&#8217;s hands. I shall here
+then conclude my journal for the present, and
+most humbly and heartily pray, that all the trials,
+public and private, recorded in it, may redound to
+the glory of him who is the Lord of lords, and
+King of kings; and that my soul may not lose its
+portion of profit.</p>
+
+<hr style='width: 25%;' />
+
+<p>I had thought of finishing my journal for the
+present, but as it has been delayed going for want
+of an opportunity, I add the following.</p>
+
+<p><em>Oct. 14.</em>&mdash;All in the city is quiet yet. There is
+no apparent confidence: men seem waiting to see
+how things will turn out. Every thing is very
+dear, as it must necessarily be for some time.
+The greatest part of the inhabitants are dead, and
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_276" id="Page_276">[Pg 276]</a></span>
+many of the survivors have become rich, either by
+the death of relations or by robbery, and no one
+will do any thing without an exorbitant remuneration.
+I have just had a quantity of rice cleaned,
+for doing which, previously to the plague I gave a
+piastre and a half, and now I have given six
+piastres.</p>
+
+<p>We have an Armenian bishop coming here in
+the room of the priests who are dead. I know not
+what his plan of operation will be; but the Lord
+is on our side.</p>
+
+<p>I had a visit yesterday from the Abb&eacute; Troche,
+who has the superintendence of the Catholic
+mission here; he was very pleasant; but nothing
+particular passed, as many others were present.
+My conversations with the Roman Catholic merchant
+I have before mentioned, are still very open
+and free. Oh! may the Lord water and bless
+them.</p>
+
+<p><em>Oct. 17.</em>&mdash;Several of the elder boys, who had
+fled from the plague with their parents, have been
+with me since their return. My heart feels deeply
+interested about them; yet I see not plainly my way.
+I certainly never felt teaching in a school to be my
+proper work, and now much less than ever; yet they
+need instruction and desire it, and I think they are
+attached to me. May the Lord give me a wise and
+understanding heart, that I may rightly see the
+service he requires of me. I much wish for the
+counsel of my dear brethren at Aleppo; and perhaps
+the Lord may soon send some of them to me.</p>
+
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_277" id="Page_277">[Pg 277]</a></span>
+<em>Oct. 18.</em>&mdash;I have heard to-day we are to have no
+other Roman Catholic bishop in the room of him
+who is dead; nor any French Consul, but only an
+agent; this may take off many restraints; for the late
+bishop had given out we were worse than either the
+Mohammedans or Jews, and this had made a great
+impression on his flock; for he was a very liberal
+man, and therefore influential among them. However,
+I very much question if things will now be
+kept under the same restraint; so that should the
+Lord lead me to open the school again, I should not
+be surprised if many Roman Catholics came; for
+they all acknowledge that our boys learned more
+in three months than theirs in two years. The
+new Pasha is likewise exceedingly desirous of cultivating
+the closest friendship with our Resident,
+who has most kindly offered me any aid he can
+possibly lend me; and besides all this, the letters
+I have this day received from England and Ireland,
+shew me that my very dear friends have been
+making provision for my school; so that altogether,
+it seems to me the Lord&#8217;s will I should try
+again; and in due time, when I am fit for other
+service, he may raise up help that will take this
+out of my hands. I desire to be ready to do any
+work, however humble and contrary to my nature,
+that I think the Lord appoints for me. I hear also,
+that at Aleppo, the French intend only having an
+Agent instead of a Consul; whereas, our government
+has just sent a Consul out to Damascus
+with an English merchant, and one to Aleppo, and
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_278" id="Page_278">[Pg 278]</a></span>
+last year we had a Consul established at Trebizond.
+I think Ali Pasha will do all in his power to
+promote the steam navigation of these rivers; and
+he is evidently a man of a very different character
+from the Georgians who preceded him. They cherished
+most of all the pride and pomp of Turkish
+power, with all its inveterate prejudices, ignorance,
+and narrowness of mind, so that if you had any
+business of the least difficulty, you could never get
+them to attend five minutes to it. But not so Ali
+Pasha: he apprehends with facility; and you at
+least have the satisfaction of knowing you are
+understood. He has been at Trieste, and in
+Hungary, and seems acquainted, to a limited
+extent, with several of the public journals of
+Europe. He dresses nearly as an European, and
+his brother-in-law quite so, with the exception of
+the hat; which is as yet very trying to the
+genuine Asiatics, who look on their own dress
+as that which it would be a sin to change. The
+Pasha also seems perfectly indifferent to hoarding
+money.</p>
+
+<p>Things in the city are still very dear, arising
+from the harvest of last year not having been
+reaped, and various other causes. We have to
+pay three times the usual price for most things;
+but after such tremendous visitations as we have
+suffered, we cannot expect that things can return
+to their usual course in a day.</p>
+
+<p><em>Oct. 22.</em>&mdash;I have had with me to-day a gentleman
+who was formerly attached to Mr. Morier&#8217;s
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_279" id="Page_279">[Pg 279]</a></span>
+mission in Persia. He fled from the plague at
+Tabreez, and arrived at Kermanshah four days
+after dear brother Pfander left it, who, by his conversations
+in the caravan, had left so distinct an
+impression, that he thought Mohammed a liar,
+that when he reached Kermanshah, he found his
+situation very difficult, nay dangerous, and he
+was obliged hastily to quit it. He went to Hamadan,
+and remained there three days in the house
+of a priest, from whence he proceeded to Ispahan.
+All the villages between Hamadan and
+Ispahan are Armenian. The journey takes about
+ten days. When he arrived at Ispahan, Abbas
+Meerza being at Yezd, he went there, was treated
+with great honour and respect, and a firman given
+him to go where he liked: he returned to Ispahan,
+and from thence went to Tabreez, which place he
+reached before the plague broke out the second
+time. This account makes me long to hear from
+his own pen the course of the Lord&#8217;s dealings with
+him. The same gentleman told me that the plague
+in Tabreez was much worse the second than the first
+time. Kermanshah is absolutely destroyed, and the
+governor, a grandson of the king, is reported to have
+collected from the property of the dead five lacs of
+piasters. In Kourdistan, also, they say it has been
+dreadful. In Saggas, Banah, and Sulemania, he says
+the desolation is shocking. How wonderful God&#8217;s
+visitations on these nations are; it makes the soul
+that the Lord has appointed to be in the midst of
+them often say, Lord, let thy kingdom come;
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_280" id="Page_280">[Pg 280]</a></span>
+yea, speedily, that thy people may know peace and
+safety.</p>
+
+<p>I have sent to see the number of the poor little
+boys of my school that remain, and I find that they
+amount to 25 out of 80, and that I may expect
+near 30, should I get a master for them. I shall,
+therefore, endeavour to accomplish this, the Lord
+enabling me, and when I feel strong enough to
+begin again.</p>
+
+<p>I am very anxious about the dear N&mdash;&mdash;&#8217;s at
+Tabreez, from whom I have not received a
+line. Abbas Meerza ordered large pits to be
+dug for those who died of the plague, and when
+they were full to have them covered in. The Ambassador,
+and the English, Russian, and other
+public functionaries, had fled, and from a packet
+that came from Capt. Campbell, who has now the
+charge of the mission since the death of Sir John
+Macdonald, we know that he was safe up to a
+late date.</p>
+
+<p><em>Oct. 26.</em>&mdash;I was much struck with an account
+which Mr. Swoboda, an Austrian merchant, gave me
+to-day, of a conversation he had with the brother-in-law
+of Ali Pasha. He said that now, in Stamboul,
+the Christians went to the mosque, and the
+Mohammedans to the Church; there was no difference.
+How strikingly this shows the rapid progress
+of that infidel spirit in these countries, which
+is spreading in Europe; surely these then are such
+signs as should keep us on the watch for our Lord.</p>
+
+<p>Accounts have just come that the struggle has
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_281" id="Page_281">[Pg 281]</a></span>
+commenced at Damascus, that supreme seat of
+bigotry, between the new and the old regime, and
+it remains to be seen how it will terminate. I
+already hear of one or two Roman Catholic boys,
+who will now come to the school, who before,
+during the life of the bishop, were afraid. My
+health I also feel daily establishing; and that I
+shall soon be able to enter on real labour again,
+with the Lord&#8217;s blessing, I sincerely trust.</p>
+
+<p><em>Oct. 27.</em>&mdash;The affairs of the city appear daily
+more and more settling again; provisions are
+coming in in abundance, and the price gradually
+lowering. The roads also are becoming more open
+and safe: for all these signs of tranquility we bless
+the Lord and take courage, and trust we may yet
+serve him in this land of our pilgrimage. Also
+across the desert we hear the road is tranquil.</p>
+
+<p><em>Oct. 28.</em>&mdash;To-day the Jew called whom I mentioned
+in my journal of last year, as having
+come to Mr. Pfander: he is a Jewish Rabbi,
+who disbelieving Judaism, and possibly preferring
+Christianity, seems to be in both without heart or
+principle. He brought with him a Polish Jew,
+who is the tailor of Ali Pasha. He saw Mr. Wolff
+at Jerusalem, and speaks of him with high admiration.
+The Rabbi told me he was reading with
+him the German New Testament. May the Lord
+send his holy fire on the altar of their hearts, that
+they may really, heartily, and zealously enter into
+his truth. If there is any gift my soul longs for,
+it is to be able to speak to every one in his own
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_282" id="Page_282">[Pg 282]</a></span>
+tongue wherein he was born, the wonderful works
+of God; for want of this, in countries like this,
+where you are surrounded by many different
+languages, the heart gets overwhelmed with the
+difficulties that seem to spread on every side; as,
+for instance, with these Jews, they know little
+Arabic, and I do not know German, and thus we
+stand incapable of any such conversation as is likely
+to search the heart.</p>
+
+<p><em>Nov. 1.</em>&mdash;I have been reading with considerable
+attention the remarks, or rather reflections,
+of Jonathan Edwards, on the Life of Brainerd,
+wherein he endeavours to recommend to the
+Church of God, the <em>disinterested</em> and <em>unmercenary</em>
+love of God, by which he means the love of him
+for his abstract perfections apart from the consideration
+of any personal interest or happiness
+arising out of his especial love to his chosen. This
+is all very fine and very philosophical, but in my
+humble apprehension, most unscriptural. Does
+God any where in Scripture, when appealing to
+his chosen, or expostulating with them, argue on
+the ground of his abstract perfections, or of his
+especial love and distinguishing grace towards
+them? Throughout the Old Testament this is the
+controversy, not that they slighted his abstract
+perfections, but disregarded his especial favour.
+All the invitations to return, appeal to what
+Edwards would call the selfish and mercenary
+feelings. What! had not Moses respect unto the
+recompense of reward; and in all the 11th of the
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_283" id="Page_283">[Pg 283]</a></span>
+Hebrews, where is this abstraction held up?
+When our dear and blessed Lord exhorts to faithfulness,
+watchfulness, devotion, does he represent
+an abstraction as a motive, or without our own everlasting
+participation with him with whom there is fulness
+of joy for evermore. Paul thought it not mercenary
+to think on his crown, or to encourage his
+converts by the consideration, that present sorrow
+for the Lord, works for them a far more exceeding
+and eternal weight of glory. Again, eye hath
+not seen nor ear heard the things which God hath
+prepared for them that love him. Our blessed
+Lord makes promises to whoever leaves father or
+mother for his
+sake,<a name="FNanchor_42_42" id="FNanchor_42_42"></a><a href="#Footnote_42_42" class="fnanchor">[42]</a>
+and John encourages his disciples,
+by telling them that they were made sons of
+God, and that they were to be made like their Lord;
+he saw nothing debasing in this contemplation, but
+instantly adds, &ldquo;he that hath this hope purifieth
+himself even as he is pure.&rdquo; This is the promise
+he hath promised even eternal life. In fact, the
+doctrine of rewards, as an incentive to the saints,
+prevails from one end to the other of the sacred
+volume. The notion that a love which springs
+from a sense of being beloved, must be selfish
+and mercenary, is the greatest delusion imaginable.
+It may be, and in proportion as its power
+is really known and felt, is the most holy, self-denying,
+pure, and devoted of all affections, an
+affection that seeketh not her own, but the glory
+of the object beloved. If Edwards would set up
+dear D. Brainerd and his Indians in favour of the
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_284" id="Page_284">[Pg 284]</a></span>
+abstract system, we may set up the Moravians
+and their Esquimaux in favour of the other. But
+why set up one set of worms and their conduct
+against another set of worms and theirs, when we
+have the record of God in our hands? Let us see
+how our Heavenly Father proposes himself to our
+love, confidence, and affections, and what incentives
+he proposes as inducements to the sinner to
+return, and the saint to persevere to the end, and
+not attempt to be wise above that which is written.
+That God is infinitely adorable in his abstract perfections
+I am sure, though I cannot fathom these
+abstract perfections, nor conceive of him but as revealed
+in his blessed word in connection with his
+chosen, and as personally exhibited by him who was
+the brightness of his Father&#8217;s glory, and the express
+image of his person, and this is not in abstractions
+or apart from our happiness.</p>
+
+<p>Again, when Edwards endeavours to prove it
+is enthusiasm in an individual to imagine that
+Christ, in an especial manner died for him, I
+think he destroys the peculiar stimulus to devotedness,
+which the doctrines of election in their
+widest latitude, contain above the doctrines of
+Armenianism, and he throws a coldness over all
+the doctrines of grace. In Abraham, Isaac, and
+Jacob, David, Daniel, and others, with the Apostles
+of our Lord and Paul, it was both personal
+and open, but because not equally open to the
+rest of God&#8217;s children, I do not believe the holy
+and blessed Spirit allows it to be less individual
+and personal.</p>
+
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_285" id="Page_285">[Pg 285]</a></span>
+If, however, his opponents were practically such
+men as he describes, we cannot too deeply deplore
+it; but he writes so much more like the
+advocate of a sect, than an impartial enquirer
+after truth, that, without a particular knowledge
+of the case, one cannot help suspecting his picture
+of those he is writing against, to be very highly
+coloured. In fact, on the truth of God, it seems
+philosophical declamation, without scriptural proof:
+on the subject of his opponent, it is assertion in
+the lump, concerning masses of individuals, without
+proof or discrimination.</p>
+
+<p><em>Nov. 4.</em>&mdash;We have here now at the head of
+affairs, under the Pasha, one of those extraordinary
+men who are capable of any thing good or bad.
+Under Daoud Pasha he, for a long time, cruelly
+oppressed the people, but more especially the Jews,
+till at last a conspiracy was formed against him,
+and by the influence of the father of the Serof
+Bashee of the Pasha, who is one of the serofs,
+or bankers,<a name="FNanchor_43_43" id="FNanchor_43_43"></a><a href="#Footnote_43_43" class="fnanchor">[43]</a>
+of the Sultan at Constantinople, an
+order was procured for his being put to death.
+Daoud Pasha did not execute this order, but imprisoned
+him, and as he had been the instrument
+of extorting money for him, he concluded he had
+not failed at the same time to enrich himself. In
+their endeavours to extort his money from him
+they drew the bow-string so tight that they nearly
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_286" id="Page_286">[Pg 286]</a></span>
+strangled him: however he recovered: he told
+them he had a certain sum of money, and where
+it was, which Daoud Pasha had previously
+agreed he should collect for himself. This his
+rapacious miserable master had the meanness
+to take from him. He had some friends who
+exerted themselves to save his life; which was
+spared. However, only a few days before the
+entrance of Ali Pasha, orders were again issued
+to put him to death, as he was detected holding
+communication with those without the city; but
+again intercession was made for him, and he was
+again spared. He was instantly taken into
+favour by Ali Pasha, on his entrance into the
+town, who has made him his treasurer and accountant-general
+(Musruff and Deftardar); and
+in fact, the whole business of the Pashalic is in
+his hands. He is at work night and day: till
+after midnight he is engaged in business, and long
+before dawn he is to be seen on horseback. He
+never sleeps at home, but each night at a different
+friend&#8217;s house, though the Pasha gave him the
+best house (taken with all its accompaniments) in
+Bagdad. When the Pasha heard that Major
+Taylor&#8217;s house, which is on the river, had suffered
+by the flood, he instantly gave it to him, and
+he now intends occupying it. This man is not
+only acquainted with all the internal affairs of the
+city, but he is connected with all the tribes of Arabs
+from Bussorah to Merdin; knows all their relations,
+enmities, friendships, and divisions, external
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_287" id="Page_287">[Pg 287]</a></span>
+as well as internal, and has ability and tact to
+take advantage of them. He is also acquainted
+with the agriculture of the country between the
+two rivers, and greatly desires to advance and
+improve it. What two such men as Ali Pasha
+and he may effect, should the Lord allow them
+to remain, it is impossible to conceive; but certainly
+great changes. He has now his old enemy,
+the Serof Bashee, in prison, and is bastinadoing
+him to get money out of him. But his general carriage
+to the inhabitants is much changed, though
+he has now twice the authority, which clearly,
+I think, manifests the altered temper of the government.
+To the English, he is a most devoted
+friend, and especially to the Resident, to whom
+he feels he owes his life, for he is at once a firm
+friend, and, I fear, an implacable enemy: one of
+those men from whom if you can once extort the
+assurance that you are safe, you may be at ease;
+whereas, in general, from the Pasha downwards,
+the more they assured you of your safety, the
+more reason you felt you had to fear.</p>
+
+<p><em>Nov. 7.</em>&mdash;I have been to-day calling on several
+of the most respectable Roman Catholic merchants
+of this place, who have, some of them,
+repeatedly called on me; but, partly from want of
+health, and partly from want of spirits, I have not
+hitherto returned their visits. They received me
+with the greatest kindness, and the opportunities
+these visits afforded of bringing in God&#8217;s word as
+the only standard of truth, I feel to be very
+valuable. It seems perfectly new to them to have
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_288" id="Page_288">[Pg 288]</a></span>
+the sentiments or conduct of themselves or
+others measured by this holy and blessed book;
+such a use they never in their lives saw made
+of it, so that it strikes them exceedingly;
+and the Lord&#8217;s spirit may make something here
+or there rest on their hearts. I feel that the
+door for my particular line of usefulness is opening,
+and as I advance in the practical use of the
+language, I have confidence the Lord will yet
+shew me greater things than these.</p>
+
+<p>There is a new Roman Catholic priest here, formerly
+an Armenian. He has been trying to
+see if he can get my school boys to come to him
+if he opens a school: they have all refused;
+and this strengthens me in my purpose of not
+delaying the re-opening of mine longer than I
+am obliged. Should I not be able to get a
+master from Bussorah, for whom I have written,
+there has been an Armenian with me, who
+offers to come, a most respectable man; him,
+therefore, I may consider, as ready, should
+the other fail. Thus, the Lord provides. With
+my English class, I purpose, the Lord willing,
+to begin after another fortnight. My greatest
+difficulty will be I fear, to obtain an Arabic
+teacher; the mortality among the Mollahs
+has been enormous. Here then I shall end
+for the present, I fear this too long, and, in
+many respects, tedious, journal of the last
+five months, as the messenger goes to-morrow
+or the day after.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_289" id="Page_289">[Pg 289]</a></span></p>
+<h2>NOTES.</h2>
+
+
+<p>Mr. Groves having so strongly expressed his condemnation
+of Mr. Erskine&#8217;s view of Divine Truth, in pages
+102, 103, and 104 of his Journal, the Editor, who believes
+Mr. Groves to be in error regarding the extent
+of the Atonement, has felt it to be a duty not to
+allow his statements to pass unaccompanied with a
+plain declaration of the truth. The following Notes
+on some of the principal points touched upon by Mr.
+Groves, have been contributed by a brother who bears
+him much love, the Rev. A. J. Scott, of Woolwich, not
+so much with any view of detailed discussions of
+Mr. Groves&#8217;s positions, as simply to exhibit truth, as
+the best antidote to error.</p>
+
+<hr style="width: 25%;" />
+
+<p class="center"><strong>NOTE A, page <a href="#Page_102">102</a>.</strong></p>
+
+<p>Mr. Groves has referred to the effects of system. One
+of the most important of these is, that opposite systems
+lead men to take such opposite views of the evidence itself
+by which the truth of the conflicting opinions must be
+tried. Of this he here furnishes an instance, in saying
+so strongly that the &ldquo;sovereignty of God&#8217;s government,
+and the individuality of God&#8217;s election,&rdquo; are &ldquo;represented
+by the Apostles as the most overwhelming reasons for unlimited
+devotion to his service, who has thus chosen us.&rdquo;
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_290" id="Page_290">[Pg 290]</a></span>
+Many of the very passages, doubtless, to which he would
+turn for the establishment of this assertion, would be enjoyed
+by others, as proofs how available is the general &ldquo;kindness
+of God our Saviour towards <em>man</em>,&rdquo; as an argument
+for loving and serving him. When Paul persuades the
+Ephesians to &ldquo;walk in love as Christ also hath loved <em>us</em>,
+and hath given himself for
+<em>us</em>;&rdquo;<a name="FNanchor_44_44" id="FNanchor_44_44"></a><a href="#Footnote_44_44" class="fnanchor">[44]</a>
+when Peter recommends
+to his brethren patient meekness in suffering, by the consideration
+that &ldquo;Christ also suffered for <em>us</em>, the just for the
+unjust,&rdquo;<a name="FNanchor_45_45" id="FNanchor_45_45"></a><a href="#Footnote_45_45" class="fnanchor">[45]</a>
+the power of this over the mind of one man depends
+on his understanding by &ldquo;<em>us</em>&rdquo; the fallen world; and of
+another, on its reminding him only of distinguishing personal
+obligations to sovereign election. Now, suasives to
+holiness, or what are felt as such, as they continually recur
+in Scripture, produce on a devout mind a much deeper
+conviction of the truth of the doctrines from which they
+are derived, than a formal assertion can. When, by the
+same expressions, one man is habitually carried to this,
+another to that, view of the Divine character, and each
+experiences, that in what he sees, there is a practical tendency
+towards the state of the heart and form of life at
+which he aims as good: this becomes to each, as instances
+accumulate, a far stronger reason than bare propositions,
+could be for growing in confidence, that the belief which
+thus impresses him is indeed the truth of God.</p>
+
+<p>And one accustomed to observe the effects of system
+will not wonder that expressions like those above cited,
+still less that those in which Christ is spoken of as having
+&ldquo;loved <em>the church</em> and given himself for <em>it</em>,&rdquo; should thus
+come to be regarded as containing an argument for a selective
+atonement. It is by such a doctrine being perceived in
+them, that they practically impress the feelings of many.
+And yet, in truth, how are they inconsistent with the universal
+love of God and propitiation of Christ? Of course,
+where a common benefit is received, its efficacy, as a motive
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_291" id="Page_291">[Pg 291]</a></span>
+to grateful returns, is limited to those who recognize
+and value it. A patriot has delivered millions of ignorant,
+suspicious, ungrateful countrymen. His services are to
+be used as an argument for joining in some effort for his
+honour; and those who acknowledge and bless his exertions
+are especially addressed, and reminded that &ldquo;he loved
+<em>you</em>, laboured for <em>you</em>, achieved happiness for <em>you</em>.&rdquo;
+Would this contain even an insinuation, that they were the
+exclusive objects of his disinterested ardour? In such an
+address not only would the common benefit be mentioned
+peculiarly as a good bestowed on themselves; but their acknowledgment
+of it, and their distinguishing susceptibility
+to the feeling of its worth, would be referred and appealed
+to, as reasons why that was looked for and demanded of
+them, which from others might be as justly asked, but not
+so naturally expected. Such appeals are the apostolic epistles
+to the churches, as contrasted with their proclamation
+of Christ to the world.</p>
+
+<p>&nbsp;</p>
+<p class="center"><strong>NOTE B, page <a href="#Page_103">103</a>.</strong></p>
+
+<p>The moral condition of man, his seeing no desirableness
+in the object presented to him by the Gospel, Mr.
+Erskine shews, at great length, to be the grand obstacle
+to his enjoying it. The capacity to know and believe, he
+indeed conceives to bring with it the capacity to enjoy.
+But if a change in the moral state is necessary in receiving
+the truth, this surely obviates the objection that such truth
+would be unpalatable and uninfluential to those whose
+moral state is <em>unchanged</em>.</p>
+
+<p>Our business, however, is not with Mr. E. but with
+the truth of the matter. Mr. Groves&#8217; remarks refer to the
+<em>nature</em> of regeneration, and to the <em>necessity</em> of a change in
+the affections, in order to man&#8217;s appreciating the object
+presented to him in the Gospel: these he considers as objections
+to the doctrine that the simple knowledge and
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_292" id="Page_292">[Pg 292]</a></span>
+belief of that object are &ldquo;the cause of spiritual life in
+the unregenerate;&rdquo; and he uses the analogy of food, which
+he says, is not the cause of life, although it be the support
+of it. Certainly the contemplation of Jesus is not the
+cause, but it is the commencement and exercise of spiritual
+life, which needs no commencement of a distinct kind from
+its subsequent functions. As to the analogy of food, it
+will be seen whether the language of Scripture bears us
+out in making the same distinction between the source and
+the sustenance of spiritual, as of natural life.</p>
+
+<p>What, indeed, is meant to be asserted? Is it, that men
+have life in them <em>first</em>, to capacitate them to eat the flesh
+and drink the blood of the Son of Man? This seems to be
+said: but Himself hath said, &ldquo;Except ye eat the flesh and
+drink the blood of the Son of Man, ye have <em>no</em> life in you.&rdquo;
+Not life then without the food, or before the food, but <em>by</em>
+the food. This banquet <em>is</em> to be spread before the dead.
+Thus only shall any live. Is spirit and life in men first
+from another source, and then do they take and profit by
+his words? But &ldquo;the entrance of his words <em>giveth</em> light,&rdquo;
+and that light is life. &ldquo;The words that I speak unto you,&rdquo;
+says the Lord, &ldquo;<em>they</em> are spirit, and they are life&rdquo;: and that
+spirit, the spirit of his words, he tells us it is that &ldquo;quickeneth&rdquo;
+or produceth life. Is there, then, no need for regeneration?
+Surely there is: but it does not follow that the
+principle of regeneration is one, and that of faith another to
+be superadded to it. &ldquo;We are born,&rdquo; says Peter, &ldquo;not of
+corruptible seed, but of the word of God, which liveth and
+abideth for ever;&rdquo; adding, in very remarkable language,
+&ldquo;This is the word which by the Gospel is preached unto
+you.&rdquo; An explanation which removes all doubt as to the
+meaning of James, when he says, &ldquo;Of his own will begat
+he us with the word of truth,&rdquo; that is, according to Peter,
+with the Gospel preached. John, in like manner, tells us,
+that &ldquo;whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world,&rdquo;
+and if we ask, what is born of God? Is it a principle antecedent
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_293" id="Page_293">[Pg 293]</a></span>
+and necessary to faith? He answers, It is faith
+itself. &ldquo;This is the victory that overcometh the world,
+even our faith.&rdquo;</p>
+
+<p>&nbsp;</p>
+<p class="center"><strong>NOTE C, page <a href="#Page_104">104</a>.</strong></p>
+
+<p>The question is not whether the scheme of salvation is
+merely reconcilable with divine love and justice, but how
+it constitutes the grand proof and manifestation of these
+attributes, and in general, of the perfections of God. In
+it he undertakes to shew himself worthy of love, and thus
+to win our love to himself. Any other means to that end
+than such as should prove his own worthiness, He could
+not use. One may confer a benefit on an individual from
+a thousand various motives, of which one only may be
+morally right. In event of any of the others having
+prompted the action, the benefactor may be regarded with
+gratitude, but then it is either because the motive is mistaken
+for the nobler one, or the gratitude is a mere reflected
+selfishness. As an example of the latter sort, the
+Jews, in the days of the Son of Man upon earth, had a
+love to God, a zeal for God, founded on their conviction
+of his partiality for their people. They regarded him as
+the God of the Jews only, and not also of the Gentiles.
+Its fruits were, their carrying the Lord to the brow of the
+hill to destroy him, because he reminded them of Naaman
+and the widow of Sarepta, as preferred to objects of bounty
+among their own people; and their endeavouring to tear
+Paul in pieces when he spake of a commission given him by
+Jesus to the Gentiles. They were indeed zealous, the apostle
+bears them witness in the Holy Ghost, and fully believed
+in God&#8217;s sovereign election of their nation. There is yet a
+zeal like their&#8217;s&mdash;let us beware of it.</p>
+
+<p>It will not do to represent the Gospel scheme of salvation
+as not only <em>leaving</em>, but involving, the moral character
+of God in difficulty; and then to say we can still believe
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_294" id="Page_294">[Pg 294]</a></span>
+him holy, just, and good notwithstanding. The atonement
+was designed to prove and establish these attributes: to be
+the ground of our confidence in them, and of our love to God
+because of them. We are not to believe in them in spite
+of the plan of redemption; but, because of the plan of redemption.
+The words of John, &ldquo;we love him because he
+first loved us,&rdquo; and &ldquo;herein is the love of God manifested
+towards us, because he sent his Son into the world that we
+might live through him,&rdquo; imply that the believer&#8217;s delight
+in the essential excellence of God (which delight alone
+is divine love) springs out of the display of that excellence
+in the cross of Christ. An atonement for all, arising out of
+love to all, proves that it is indeed justice that inflicts vengeance
+on the impenitent; not partial, personal hatred,
+not indifference, not cruelty. A limited atonement, just
+because it gives no proof that they are beloved&mdash;gives no
+proof that nothing else than justice could have punished
+them. It gives, on the other hand, no proof that forgiving
+love has been that which saved the elect, as it is to an arbitrary
+distinction it teaches them to look as the ultimate
+cause of their hope. I care not to be told that they acknowledge
+love in their salvation notwithstanding. I repeat,
+the redemption is to <em>prove</em> the divine character, not
+merely to leave us the possibility of believing it.</p>
+
+<p>Finally, This scheme obliges to believe that Jesus has
+broken the law, and transgression of the law is sin. This
+he assuredly did, if he loved not all mankind as himself.
+It is an ignorant answer to say, that for him to break the
+law was not sin. To break the moral law, and to be a
+sinner, are not things arbitrarily put together; they are
+two names for the same thing. It is worse to say he need
+not keep the law because he was God. The law is the transcript
+of the character of God: opposition to it is opposition
+to that character. Made of woman, besides, he was
+made under the law. All praises of his goodness and
+moral perfection are so many varied expressions for the
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_295" id="Page_295">[Pg 295]</a></span>
+completeness with which he kept the law. And oh! indeed,
+what part of it so peculiarly his own, as to love his
+neighbour as himself?</p>
+
+<p>I say, therefore, again, to limit the divine love, to limit
+the atonement, the grand expression of that love, is to limit
+the love of Christ, and thus to make Christ a sinner. He
+that hath seen him hath seen the Father. No moral difference
+surely is so great as that between a breaker and a
+keeper of the law of love. What a moral difference, then,
+between the character of a God manifested in the one form
+and in the other.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_297" id="Page_297">[Pg 297]</a></span></p>
+<h2>APPENDIX.</h2>
+
+
+<p>The following letters are added, because they contain
+some interesting details of the Lord&#8217;s dealings with
+this our dear brother, which are not contained in the
+Journal. And the reader will observe, that the last letter
+is of a later date than the conclusion of the Journal.</p>
+
+<div class="blockquot">
+<p>
+<span style="margin-left: 20em;" class="smcap">Bagdad</span>, <em>Oct. 15th, 1831.</em></p>
+
+<p>The Lord has just raised me up from a typhus fever,
+which, for the last month, has been pressing a little hard
+on my strength, but more on my spirits. The loss of my
+dearest Mary was so deeply felt by my poor desolate heart,
+that, at times, I bore up with difficulty; but the Lord
+shewed me that my sorrow was so selfish, so earthly, so
+unworthy of his love, and poured in besides such hopes
+and prospects as to my future work, that sustained and
+comforted me.</p>
+
+<p>I send with this a Journal of four months, from which
+you will see what has been passing amongst us.</p>
+
+<p>I have lately received many letters from my dear brethren
+at Aleppo, and I think either Mr. Cronin or Mr. and Mrs.
+Parnell will come to me the first opportunity, which will
+be an unspeakable relief to my mind; for I long for some
+one to whom I may unburthen my soul; for although my
+Lord is always near, yet, as I see in Paul, so I find in myself,
+that the society of Christian brethren and sisters, so
+long as we are in the flesh, will always afford a sweet consolation.</p>
+
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_298" id="Page_298">[Pg 298]</a></span>
+I feel that Jesus meant his Church to be a body, not
+isolated members. We have each a little ministry essential
+to the happiness and building up of the mystical body&mdash;that
+there should be no schism, but that all the members might
+love and care one for the other.</p>
+
+<p>This place has been governed by Georgians, Apostate
+Christians, just as the Memelukes, another race of Apostate
+Christians, formerly governed Egypt. The Sultan
+has extirpated the first, and now the second, and the Janissaries
+who had a somewhat similar origin, have, at Stamboul,
+experienced a similar fate. Those of the Georgians
+who have had their lives spared will be sent to Stamboul.
+It is certainly the design of Ali Pasha and the Sultan, to
+make many changes here, and I wait to see the Lord&#8217;s
+goings. It appears to me probable that most important
+openings may be afforded by these changes to our operations
+in these quarters: but I have seen such things these
+last twelve months, that my soul rests only upon God, to see
+how he will move. His ways are so deep, so out of sight,
+that what we think likely, He, in a month, brings to
+nothing, and yet in his own good time, will bring the most
+wonderful and unexpected things to pass. I have never
+ceased to bless God for the sweet assurance of his unchanging
+love, for the sake of Him who is our life, our dear and
+blessed Jesus. He has supplied me, I know not how, in
+the midst of famine, pestilence, and war; and though I
+have heard from none in England for more than a year,
+especially from those that supply my wants, the Lord has
+not suffered me to want, or to be in debt, and though the
+necessaries of life have amounted to almost twenty times
+their value during our late trials, he has not suffered me
+personally to be much affected by it. His loving-kindness
+and care have been wonderful.</p>
+
+<p>Of all the political and religious agitations of England,
+I have heard only whispers; but I am very anxious to
+receive a full account. For many months all communication
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_299" id="Page_299">[Pg 299]</a></span>
+has been entirely cut off; not a message has come
+though the road has now been open a month.</p>
+
+<p>The Lord has graciously allowed me to see the signs of
+spiritual life in three souls of late, through my instrumentality;
+and as the Lord gives me utterance, I trust I shall
+be able to speak to many others. The difficulties of the
+language are fading away one by one. I had occasion to
+translate a public document from the new Pasha to the
+Resident at Bussorah, concerning business of the utmost
+importance and secrecy, in which the Resident, who is a
+most competent judge, tells me I succeeded fully.</p>
+
+<p>I often think my dear friends in England will be sadly
+discouraged at the Lord&#8217;s dealings with our mission: so
+difficult is it to act faith in dark seasons. However, should
+their faith and hope fail, the Lord will either raise up
+others or find me some little occupation by which I may
+live. His goodness in the way of provision has been so
+wonderfully manifested, that my heart feels quite easy
+that He will find a way for the support of his servant.</p>
+
+<p><em>Oct. 24.</em>&mdash;Since writing the above, I have received your
+letter of March last, by Bombay. Oh! how welcome it
+came! Oh! how it refreshed me! Surely there exists
+not in the world a more loving little Church than these dear
+believers amongst whom the Lord has brought us into one
+fellowship. I assure you, widely as I am separated from
+this beloved family in body, I am truly one with them in
+spirit, and am greatly refreshed by the springs of the Lord&#8217;s
+grace, that run amongst them.</p>
+
+<p>I received several letters with yours, from England and
+Ireland; and the zeal of those dear friends who had provided
+for my school, made me finally determine, the Lord
+willing, and supplying me masters, to try again. I have
+sent one of the bigger boys round, and I trust, with new
+boys, I shall begin with thirty.</p>
+
+<p>The Bible Society have sent me a number of Books
+with a generous letter, nobly generous as to the principles
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_300" id="Page_300">[Pg 300]</a></span>
+of distribution. And there appears a prospect of great
+changes which may open a much wider door of usefulness
+here than I now have: I had thoughts of leaving this place,
+but the Resident entreats me not to go, and promises, should
+any thing happen to me, that he will be a father to my dear
+boys, till he can send them by an unexceptionable opportunity
+to England. All these things make me feel that the
+Lord still means me to stay here, and see his salvation.&mdash;Infidelity
+is making open and manifest strides amongst the
+Mohammedans on the other side of the desert, and in
+Persia, and we shall soon see the same spirit that is working
+in Europe working here: amidst these tempests, I sometimes
+think &#8217;tis hard to live. Yet, my dear friend, it is
+sweet to live hardly for Jesus.</p>
+
+<p>After all my sufferings and all my sorrows, my heart is
+not discouraged. We have first the clods of the language
+to break up, then to prepare the ground, then to sow the
+seed, and through all to look for the precious showers
+from on high, and lastly for the fruit. Let us, then, like
+the husbandman patiently wait.</p>
+
+<p>The evil of the pressure of the world on the soul I feel
+as fully as you can do; not the luxurious worldliness of
+Europe, yet the pursuit of the language, and the absolute
+uncongeniality of all around, disorders the soul greatly.
+During Mary&#8217;s life, or rather pilgrimage, I never wanted
+spiritual refreshment; I sometimes used to fear it stole
+away those hours that the language and other calls demanded;
+but now whilst I am sensibly proceeding in the
+language, my soul knows not that animated joy of heavenly
+communion with the saints on earth which I once enjoyed.
+Jesus still is near, still comforts and supports; but yet I
+feel he meant his Church to be a body. The miserable
+substitute of man&#8217;s ordination for the Holy Ghost&#8217;s, has
+destroyed the true unison and order of the Church of
+Christ, by substituting that which is artificial for that
+which is of God; by appointing man to be the artificer of a
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_301" id="Page_301">[Pg 301]</a></span>
+work God alone can accomplish. Now the Church presents
+a monstrous aspect, a great mis-shapen head called
+the clergy, and as mis-shapen a body called the laity. All
+the members being crowded into the head, and leaving the
+body without office or service, this did not the Spirit.
+How blessed it is among all these disorders to know that
+the Lord cares for his own, and will keep them as the apple
+of his eye, watching day and night lest any hurt them.
+Thus, were we preserved when we little thought it, by our
+Shepherd&#8217;s care. There is something, I think, in this
+view of the body being thus composed of members of
+various orders, various services, from the most minute to
+the most important, all tending to the one great end, the
+glory of the only Head and the Church&#8217;s glory in him, that
+greatly comforts the weak. When the Lord first led me
+to feel interested in the service of his cause abroad, I
+framed to myself some <em>beau-ideal</em> of a missionary that if I
+now entertained would destroy all happiness. Since the
+Lord has led me to see how truly low my place is in his
+holy blessed body, amidst all this humiliation he makes me
+feel happy in the thought I am a member, though embracing
+little that pride would lead to aim at. If I am but
+allowed to minister to my dear and holy brethren on the
+other side of the desert I shall feel happy and thankful.
+Sometimes I am overwhelmed with the condescension that
+he should allow me to feel part of his mystical body, though
+so weak so useless.</p>
+
+<p>On the subject of baptism all the dear brethren at Aleppo
+have finally agreed and been baptized; thus the last little
+difference that I know between us is closed. How gracious
+the Lord is!</p>
+
+<p>The Lord has laid his hand heavily on them. Dear
+Newman is but just raised from a bed of sickness. The
+schoolmaster whom they brought is so unwell, that dear
+John Parnell and his wife have taken him for the change
+of air to the water&#8217;s side; they too have both been very ill.
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_302" id="Page_302">[Pg 302]</a></span>
+Mrs. Cronan is daily getting weaker and weaker, so they
+are prevented joining me now from ill health, as before
+from the disturbances, and in a short time Mrs. Parnell
+expects to be confined, which will still delay them, as well
+as the expectation of a friend or two from England and
+Ireland. Should the Lord not remove these difficulties
+to their coming before the spring, and my Bibles and Testaments
+arrive from Bussorah, I purpose, the Lord willing,
+perhaps even in about two months, going by the way of
+Mosul, Merdin, Diarbekr, Orsa, and Beer to Aleppo, there
+to consult and to be refreshed, should the Lord graciously
+smile upon us, and in my way to distribute his word and
+see the state of the places above mentioned.</p>
+
+<p>When Mr. Newman was at the worst, and they had
+given up all hopes of him, they anointed him with oil
+according to the 14th of the 5th of James, and prayed over
+him, and the Lord had mercy on them, yea, and on me also,
+and restored him. It seems to me truly scriptural, and if
+the Church of Rome has perverted it to superstitious ends,
+ought we therefore to cast aside so plain a precept? By
+many it would be called plain popery, but this we must
+bear. I can feel a happiness in submitting to these directions
+of the Lord by the Spirit; they seem to us little, but
+surely whatsoever is of sufficient importance for the Spirit
+to command or direct, is sufficiently important for us worms
+to obey. With regard to miracles my mind is not at
+present prepared to embrace them fully: but this I do feel
+that the Apostle Paul, in Corinthians 12 and 14, when
+speaking of supernatural gifts for the edifying the Church
+and doing the work of God, points them out as things to be
+desired and prayed for then, and if they were desired to
+be prayed for then, why not now? I look on the
+argument from experience in the churches as of no weight,
+for unless it can be proved the churches have received
+faith on these powers, their not possessing the power is
+according to the whole analogy of faith. That distinguishing
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_303" id="Page_303">[Pg 303]</a></span>
+between apostolic times and present times is to my
+mind so dangerous a principle, and puts into the hands of
+any one so disposed, a sword that seems to me to reach the
+very vitals of the Gospel.</p>
+
+<p>I would have you pray for me, especially that Christ may
+be in me daily, my glorious loving Lord and satisfying portion,
+whose presence can make even this waste howling
+wilderness like the garden of Eden. Little did I think
+how poor I was in the anointed Lamb of God till he
+stripped me bare, and left me here to stand months alone
+with himself, and then I saw how much of that apparent
+love and zeal I felt flowed from human fountains. I bless
+his name, he left me yet a little while untainted to cheer,
+support, and comfort me, but my stature, my dear friend,
+I pray I may not again, mistake nor think I am approaching
+towards manhood when a very child in spiritual
+growth. When surrounded by all the love and kindness
+I experienced amongst you, encouraged by your sympathy
+and prayers, those thousand weaknesses I since have felt
+I hardly know the smart of. Amidst dangers, sorrows,
+and death I have walked for many months; and these
+scenes have tried the very foundation, yet it was most
+gracious of the Lord, when he let the plague reach me and
+laid me on my couch to give me the sweetest comfort from a
+full assurance of his favour and forgiveness, when there
+was as I thought but a step between me and death. Yet
+whilst he has never left me without the sense of being his,
+He has shewn me how much I have to aim at, how earnestly
+to desire to be filled with all his fulness.</p></div>
+
+<p>&nbsp;</p>
+<div class="blockquot">
+<p><span style="margin-left: 20em;" class="smcap">Bagdad</span>, <em>Dec. 25th, 1831</em>.
+</p>
+
+<p>Your most kind and welcome letter arrived this day,
+together with several others from my beloved friends in
+England, all by Bombay. It does, indeed, truly refresh
+my heart, to hear of the Lord&#8217;s love to you all. Do you
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_304" id="Page_304">[Pg 304]</a></span>
+not praise God for these dear brothers and sisters he has
+given us? How rich we are in our sweet little church; a
+more loving, holy, and blessed little family cannot surely
+be found upon earth. Unworthy as I am to be one of
+you, yet I bless God that I am one. My heart is running
+over with thankfulness at the Lord&#8217;s goodness to you
+all, and to me through you, and be not discouraged because
+I am blasted, and my bough no longer green, as it once
+was, the Lord has yet dealt most bountifully with me. In
+all but my dear Mary&#8217;s place my path is opening again. I
+have hired one schoolmaster, and expect another. My
+English boys are most zealous and attached: my prospects
+of Bible circulation in Persia much opening. To the Jews
+here I have sold all my Hebrew Bibles, at about 3s. 6d.
+each: this is more to them than 12s. would be in England,
+and though it seems little, it answers an end of getting
+God&#8217;s word amongst them. I had an Armenian bishop with
+me the other day, asking for Persian Testaments to send to
+Ispahan; and a Roman Catholic merchant has promised to
+take a parcel for me to Teheran, and to distribute them there.
+Besides these there are others whom I hope to find subservient
+to this end. For some days I had been making preparations
+to cross the desert, in order to consult with my
+dear brethren there about our future measures; but when
+I came to put together all the items of expense, I found I
+had not money enough, so I gave up the plan of going with
+my dear boys, and proposed waiting till Major Taylor
+came, and leaving them in the Residency, under his and
+dear Mrs. Taylor&#8217;s kind care, to go alone. Your letter,
+however, has relieved all my pecuniary difficulties, and we
+shall now go altogether or remain together. The love of
+you all in thinking of and caring for me quite overwhelms
+me, as I see it to be the Lord&#8217;s love in and through you all.
+He not only feeds us in this wilderness, but also provides
+for the school, so as to overwhelm me with a sense of his
+care over the most unworthy of his servants. My wonder
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_305" id="Page_305">[Pg 305]</a></span>
+is, how it is possible for me to love him so little. Since
+I left England, this is the first purpose I really thought
+desirable, that the want of sufficient money has put a stop
+to; and this you see but for a moment; not but that I can
+get money at any time, but I am determined not to borrow
+money till my affairs come to the utmost straits, and then
+only for the simplest necessaries.</p>
+
+<p>I have received a letter from England, which gives me a
+painful impression of the state of most of the religious societies.
+Indeed, I fear they cannot stand on their present
+basis. May the Lord gently lead them right. The spirit
+of compromise to gain the world has ruined all; yet are
+there some sweet spirits amongst them. I would rather
+have the love that could love amidst a thousand faults, than
+the zeal that will endure but one. Some, I know, would
+call this a sickly sort of feeling, but the more I see of their
+fiery condemnation and sarcastic scorn, the more I am sure
+it is not of Christ. It is only turning the truth of God into
+a sort of chimney for the escape of nature&#8217;s pride and passion.</p>
+
+<p>My second plan for going to Aleppo has been defeated
+by my having heard a very bad account of the Arab Sheikh
+of the Caravan. The Lord graciously gave me an opportunity
+of seeing his true character before I was alone involved
+with him in the desert, where, indeed, you are
+fearfully at their mercy, and where they have so many
+means of oppressing you.</p>
+
+<p><em>Dec. 29.</em>&mdash;How gracious it was of the Lord to send me
+your letter, just before expense became inevitable, for
+either for the journey, or for shutting up; you must expend
+money, as during the time of the plague raging, you can
+obtain nothing, not even bread, and, if you could, you
+would be afraid to use it. What unspeakable peace it
+brings to the soul to have Jesus to look to, and to know
+that his eye is not averted, though all seems dark. Blessed
+doctrines of grace! how they comfort when the soul
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_306" id="Page_306">[Pg 306]</a></span>
+would sink under sin: to know that for Christ&#8217;s sake we
+are pardoned. Yea, though we have played the harlot
+with many lovers, the Lord has restored us, and decked
+us for his bride against the day of his espousals. Oh what
+a day, the day of the marriage supper of the Lamb will be,
+may our hearts be waiting for it, with holy expectation.
+Pray for me that my faith fail not, nor my Lord&#8217;s love
+even appear little in my eyes; but that I may always be
+enabled to say, &ldquo;Though he slay me yet will I trust in
+him.&rdquo; If it be, that all my hopes finish, may his holy
+blessed will be done. I often wonder how he keeps up my
+hope as he does; but still I do hope even against hope:
+and I would call upon you, and all my dear friends,
+brethren, and sisters in Christ, to rejoice with me at the
+prospect of that blessed day which is dawning upon us,
+when we shall see our beloved as he is, and dwell with him
+for ever, when our vile bodies will be changed and made
+like unto his glorious body, when the whole number of
+his elect family will be completed, and we shall reign with
+him in glory.</p>
+
+<p><em>Jan. 16, 1832.</em>&mdash;My dear little boy, Frank, is just laid
+down in a fever, so I cannot now go to Aleppo. Thus
+the Lord frustrates all our plans and purposes.</p></div>
+
+<p>&nbsp;</p>
+<p class="center"><strong>THE END.</strong></p>
+
+<hr style="width: 95%;" />
+
+<div class="footnotes"><h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3>
+
+<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_1_1" id="Footnote_1_1"></a>
+<a href="#FNanchor_1_1"><span class="label">[1]</span></a> Page <a href="#Page_155">155</a>.</p></div>
+
+<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_2_2" id="Footnote_2_2"></a>
+<a href="#FNanchor_2_2"><span class="label">[2]</span></a> Page <a href="#Page_169">169</a>.</p></div>
+
+<div class="footnote">
+<p><a name="Footnote_3_3" id="Footnote_3_3"></a>
+<a href="#FNanchor_3_3"><span class="label">[3]</span></a> Page <a href="#Page_122">122</a>.</p></div>
+
+<div class="footnote">
+<p><a name="Footnote_4_4" id="Footnote_4_4"></a>
+<a href="#FNanchor_4_4"><span class="label">[4]</span></a> Page <a href="#Page_146">146</a>.</p></div>
+
+<div class="footnote">
+<p><a name="Footnote_5_5" id="Footnote_5_5"></a>
+<a href="#FNanchor_5_5"><span class="label">[5]</span></a>
+See &ldquo;Narratives of two Families exposed to the great
+Plague of London, 1665; with Conversations on a Religions
+Preparation for Pestilence,&rdquo; and &ldquo;God&#8217;s Terrible
+Voice in the City,&rdquo; by Vincent; both republished by Rev.
+J. Scott, of Hull.</p></div>
+
+<div class="footnote">
+<p><a name="Footnote_6_6" id="Footnote_6_6"></a>
+<a href="#FNanchor_6_6"><span class="label">[6]</span></a>
+And yet what security is afforded by a present
+abatement of the visitation? In Glasgow, cholera was regarded
+as departing, and all but departed. The number of cases
+has since risen, for some time, to above 300 at once, and
+the deaths not seldom to between one and two hundred a
+day, in a population small compared with that of London.</p></div>
+
+<div class="footnote">
+<p><a name="Footnote_7_7" id="Footnote_7_7"></a>
+<a href="#FNanchor_7_7"><span class="label">[7]</span></a>
+Chap. xxiv. ver. 5.</p></div>
+
+<div class="footnote">
+<p><a name="Footnote_8_8" id="Footnote_8_8"></a>
+<a href="#FNanchor_8_8"><span class="label">[8]</span></a>
+Rev. ii. 2.</p></div>
+
+<div class="footnote">
+<p><a name="Footnote_9_9" id="Footnote_9_9"></a>
+<a href="#FNanchor_9_9"><span class="label">[9]</span></a>
+Impossible&mdash;within three days of Aleppo must be meant.</p></div>
+
+<div class="footnote">
+<p><a name="Footnote_10_10" id="Footnote_10_10"></a>
+<a href="#FNanchor_10_10"><span class="label">[10]</span></a>
+We have since discovered, by a survey of the Tigris,
+that in its present state it will be only navigable to Mosul during
+seven months in the year, from ledges of rock that pass across the
+river.</p></div>
+
+<div class="footnote">
+<p><a name="Footnote_11_11" id="Footnote_11_11"></a>
+<a href="#FNanchor_11_11"><span class="label">[11]</span></a>
+See Record, Oct. 1, 1829.</p></div>
+
+<div class="footnote">
+<p><a name="Footnote_12_12" id="Footnote_12_12"></a>
+<a href="#FNanchor_12_12"><span class="label">[12]</span></a>
+It has <em>since</em> been so high as 118 in the shade,
+and 158 in the sun.</p></div>
+
+<div class="footnote">
+<p><a name="Footnote_13_13" id="Footnote_13_13"></a>
+<a href="#FNanchor_13_13"><span class="label">[13]</span></a>
+A Capidji Bashi is a messenger of the Porte, to collect
+money, or bear especial messages of any sort.</p></div>
+
+<div class="footnote">
+<p><a name="Footnote_14_14" id="Footnote_14_14"></a>
+<a href="#FNanchor_14_14"><span class="label">[14]</span></a>
+All this was wrong; they were treacherously robbed and
+murdered, Mr. Jas. Taylor, Mr. Aspinal, a merchant of Bombay,
+and Mr. Bawater, formerly, I think, in the marines.</p></div>
+
+<div class="footnote">
+<p><a name="Footnote_15_15" id="Footnote_15_15"></a>
+<a href="#FNanchor_15_15"><span class="label">[15]</span></a>
+They have 3,362 congregations, whereas the most numerous
+body besides has but 1,946. See <em>Miss. Register.</em></p></div>
+
+<div class="footnote">
+<p><a name="Footnote_16_16" id="Footnote_16_16"></a>
+<a href="#FNanchor_16_16"><span class="label">[16]</span></a>
+Descendant of the Prophet.</p></div>
+
+<div class="footnote">
+<p><a name="Footnote_17_17" id="Footnote_17_17"></a>
+<a href="#FNanchor_17_17"><span class="label">[17]</span></a>
+This is the only mode in the East by which any estimate
+of the population can be attempted. They count the
+number of houses, and allow one with another, five souls
+to each house. Some contain many more, and few contain
+less, so that even thus, it can be but very imperfectly
+ascertained.</p></div>
+
+<div class="footnote">
+<p><a name="Footnote_18_18" id="Footnote_18_18"></a>
+<a href="#FNanchor_18_18"><span class="label">[18]</span></a>
+Muleteers.</p></div>
+
+<div class="footnote">
+<p><a name="Footnote_19_19" id="Footnote_19_19"></a>
+<a href="#FNanchor_19_19"><span class="label">[19]</span></a>
+Patriarch.</p></div>
+
+<div class="footnote">
+<p><a name="Footnote_20_20" id="Footnote_20_20"></a>
+<a href="#FNanchor_20_20"><span class="label">[20]</span></a>
+This affords us unfeigned joy, as we had heard from one
+who was with him in Cazan, an account that made us a little
+anxious about him.</p></div>
+
+<div class="footnote">
+<p><a name="Footnote_21_21" id="Footnote_21_21"></a>
+<a href="#FNanchor_21_21"><span class="label">[21]</span></a>
+This is the Armenian whose history I gave a little account
+of before, as the son-in-law of the richest merchant in Baku,
+who has given up all the prospects of his connection with his
+father-in-law, which are very considerable, to endure afflictions
+with the people of God. This young Armenian is another
+proof of the immense importance of having those to bear testimony
+to the power of the Spirit&#8217;s work in regenerating the soul
+in the image of him that created it, from among themselves. The
+people can see in him the contrast between the past and the
+present man. They have also a knowledge of the peculiar
+modes of thinking and feeling among those with whom they
+have been educated, and been in the closest terms of intimacy
+with from their infancy, that they cannot have with foreigners.</p></div>
+
+<div class="footnote">
+<p><a name="Footnote_22_22" id="Footnote_22_22"></a>
+<a href="#FNanchor_22_22"><span class="label">[22]</span></a>
+Hillah is a small town on the river Euphrates, a little
+below the ruins of Babylon. It was built in the year 495
+of the Hegira, or 1115 of the Christian era, in a district
+called by the natives El Aredh Babel; its population does
+not exceed between 6 and 7000, consisting of Arabs and
+Jews, there being no Christians, and only such Turks as
+are employed in the Government. The inhabitants bear a
+very bad character. The air is salubrious, and the soil
+extremely fertile, producing great quantities of rice, dates,
+and grain of different kinds, though it is not cultivated to
+above half the degree of which it is susceptible,&mdash;See Mr.
+Rich&#8217;s Memoirs on the Ruins of Babylon.&mdash;<em>Editor.</em></p></div>
+
+<div class="footnote">
+<p><a name="Footnote_23_23" id="Footnote_23_23"></a>
+<a href="#FNanchor_23_23"><span class="label">[23]</span></a>
+The whole of those who took down the boats died.</p></div>
+
+<div class="footnote">
+<p><a name="Footnote_24_24" id="Footnote_24_24"></a>
+<a href="#FNanchor_24_24"><span class="label">[24]</span></a>
+The caravan they went by suffered the most complicated
+misery both from the flood and the plague, and never succeeded in
+prosecuting the journey.</p></div>
+
+<div class="footnote">
+<p><a name="Footnote_25_25" id="Footnote_25_25"></a>
+<a href="#FNanchor_25_25"><span class="label">[25]</span></a>
+He died afterwards&mdash;he was the one mentioned in my
+former Journal as having come from Shiraz.</p></div>
+
+<div class="footnote">
+<p><a name="Footnote_26_26" id="Footnote_26_26"></a>
+<a href="#FNanchor_26_26"><span class="label">[26]</span></a>
+Both he and his brother died.</p></div>
+
+<div class="footnote">
+<p><a name="Footnote_27_27" id="Footnote_27_27"></a>
+<a href="#FNanchor_27_27"><span class="label">[27]</span></a>
+Most of them were driven back by the increase of the
+waters without.</p></div>
+
+<div class="footnote">
+<p><a name="Footnote_28_28" id="Footnote_28_28"></a>
+<a href="#FNanchor_28_28"><span class="label">[28]</span></a>
+I have heard of eight thus buried in one house, or
+rather belonging to one family, the remains of which are
+come to reside next us in a house, where those who had
+the charge of it are dead.</p></div>
+
+<div class="footnote">
+<p><a name="Footnote_29_29" id="Footnote_29_29"></a>
+<a href="#FNanchor_29_29"><span class="label">[29]</span></a>
+Those two died.</p></div>
+
+<div class="footnote">
+<p><a name="Footnote_30_30" id="Footnote_30_30"></a>
+<a href="#FNanchor_30_30"><span class="label">[30]</span></a>
+This servant was an old servant of Mrs. R.&#8217;s, and
+came out with us, and was much attached to dear Mary.</p></div>
+
+<div class="footnote">
+<p><a name="Footnote_31_31" id="Footnote_31_31"></a>
+<a href="#FNanchor_31_31"><span class="label">[31]</span></a>
+Constantinople.</p></div>
+
+<div class="footnote">
+<p><a name="Footnote_32_32" id="Footnote_32_32"></a>
+<a href="#FNanchor_32_32"><span class="label">[32]</span></a>
+It is on account of the great heat in the summer that the
+houses in Bagdad are built with flat roofs, to which the inhabitants
+all move up at sunset, to dine and spend the night.</p></div>
+
+<div class="footnote">
+<p><a name="Footnote_33_33" id="Footnote_33_33"></a>
+<a href="#FNanchor_33_33"><span class="label">[33]</span></a>
+All these reports were mere fables, got up
+for the purpose of deceiving the people.</p></div>
+
+<div class="footnote">
+<p><a name="Footnote_34_34" id="Footnote_34_34"></a>
+<a href="#FNanchor_34_34"><span class="label">[34]</span></a>
+We heard afterwards that the state of his health and
+the lawlessness of the city prevented his getting access to
+his treasure.</p></div>
+
+<div class="footnote">
+<p><a name="Footnote_35_35" id="Footnote_35_35"></a>
+<a href="#FNanchor_35_35"><span class="label">[35]</span></a>
+<em>Karakoosh</em> is a small town within twelve miles of
+Mosul, containing about nine hundred houses, inhabited
+entirely by Syrian or Jacobite Christians, many of whom
+are become Roman Catholics. They speak Syriac, but
+so corrupted, that it is with great difficulty they understand
+the Syriac of the Scriptures. There are seven
+churches, four of which belong to the Roman Catholics,
+and the remainder to the Jacobites. The road between
+Karakoosh and Mosul, passes through the striking remains
+of Nineveh.</p></div>
+
+<div class="footnote">
+<p><a name="Footnote_36_36" id="Footnote_36_36"></a>
+<a href="#FNanchor_36_36"><span class="label">[36]</span></a>
+This report of the provisions of the city appeared, in
+the sequel, to be unfounded.</p></div>
+
+<div class="footnote">
+<p><a name="Footnote_37_37" id="Footnote_37_37"></a>
+<a href="#FNanchor_37_37"><span class="label">[37]</span></a>
+Cellars under ground, to which the inhabitants of
+Bagdad retire during the heat of the day, from the months of
+June to September.</p></div>
+
+<div class="footnote">
+<p><a name="Footnote_38_38" id="Footnote_38_38"></a>
+<a href="#FNanchor_38_38"><span class="label">[38]</span></a>
+This word Ghiaour, or infidel, is applied by Mohammedans
+to Christians without the least intention of personal
+offence; and what is still more extraordinary, the Christians
+commonly designate themselves by the same appellation.</p></div>
+
+<div class="footnote">
+<p><a name="Footnote_39_39" id="Footnote_39_39"></a>
+<a href="#FNanchor_39_39"><span class="label">[39]</span></a>
+By whom authorised, of God or of man?</p></div>
+
+<div class="footnote">
+<p><a name="Footnote_40_40" id="Footnote_40_40"></a>
+<a href="#FNanchor_40_40"><span class="label">[40]</span></a>
+About five-pence a pound.</p></div>
+
+<div class="footnote">
+<p><a name="Footnote_41_41" id="Footnote_41_41"></a>
+<a href="#FNanchor_41_41"><span class="label">[41]</span></a>
+I use this term, though in its sense of national
+churches, I think it absolutely unscriptural.</p></div>
+
+<div class="footnote">
+<p><a name="Footnote_42_42" id="Footnote_42_42"></a>
+<a href="#FNanchor_42_42"><span class="label">[42]</span></a>
+Matt. xix. 28, 29; Luke xviii. 29, 30.</p></div>
+
+<div class="footnote">
+<p><a name="Footnote_43_43" id="Footnote_43_43"></a>
+<a href="#FNanchor_43_43"><span class="label">[43]</span></a>
+The bankers in Turkey are generally Jews, and possessed
+of great wealth.</p></div>
+
+<div class="footnote">
+<p><a name="Footnote_44_44" id="Footnote_44_44"></a>
+<a href="#FNanchor_44_44"><span class="label">[44]</span></a>
+Eph. v. 2.</p></div>
+
+<div class="footnote">
+<p><a name="Footnote_45_45" id="Footnote_45_45"></a>
+<a href="#FNanchor_45_45"><span class="label">[45]</span></a>
+1 Pet. ii. 21.</p></div>
+
+
+</div>
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+<pre>
+
+
+
+
+
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+</body>
+</html>
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+Project Gutenberg's Journal of a Residence at Bagdad, by Anthony Groves
+
+This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
+almost no restrictions whatsoever.  You may copy it, give it away or
+re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
+with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
+
+
+Title: Journal of a Residence at Bagdad
+
+Author: Anthony Groves
+
+Editor: Alexander Scott
+
+Release Date: August 7, 2009 [EBook #29631]
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ASCII
+
+*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK JOURNAL OF A RESIDENCE AT BAGDAD ***
+
+
+
+
+Produced by Free Elf, Anne Storer and the Online Distributed
+Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
+
+
+
+
+
+
+ Transcriber's Notes:
+ 1) Mousul/Mosul, piastre/piaster, Shiraz/Sheeraz,
+    Itch-Meeazin/Ech-Miazin/Etchmiazin,
+    each used on numerous occasions;
+ 2) Arnaouts/Arnaoots, Dr. Beagrie/Dr. Beagry,
+    Beirout/Bayrout/Beyraut(x2), Saltett/Sallett,
+    Shanakirke/Shammakirke, Trebizond/Trebisand - once each.
+ All left as in original text.
+
+ 3) M^R = a superscripted "R".
+
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+
+
+
+ JOURNAL
+ OF A
+ RESIDENCE AT BAGDAD,
+ &c, &c.
+
+
+
+
+ LONDON:
+ DENNETT, PRINTER, LEATHER LANE.
+
+
+
+
+ JOURNAL
+ OF A
+ RESIDENCE AT BAGDAD,
+
+ DURING THE YEARS 1830 AND 1831,
+
+ BY
+ M^R. ANTHONY N. GROVES,
+ MISSIONARY.
+
+ LONDON:
+ JAMES NISBET, BERNERS STREET.
+ M DCCC XXXII.
+
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+
+
+
+INTRODUCTION.
+
+
+This little work needs nothing from us to recommend it to attention.
+In its incidents it presents more that is keenly interesting, both to
+the natural and to the spiritual feelings, than it would have been
+easy to combine in the boldest fiction. And then it is not fiction.
+The manner in which the story is told leaves realities unencumbered,
+to produce their own impression. It might gratify the imagination, and
+even aid in enlarging our practical views, to consider such scenes as
+possible, and to fancy in what spirit a Christian might meet them; but
+it extends our experience, and invigorates our faith, to know that,
+having actually taken place, it is thus that they have been met.
+
+The first missionaries were wont, at intervals, to return from their
+foreign labours, and relate to those churches whose prayers had sent
+them forth, "all things that God had done with them" during their
+absence. To the Christians at Antioch, there must have been important
+edification, as well as satisfaction to their affectionate concern
+about the individuals, and about the cause, in the narrative of Paul
+and Barnabas. Nor would the states of mind experienced, and the spirit
+manifested, by the narrators themselves be less instructive, than the
+various reception of their message by various hearers. In these pages,
+in like manner, Mr. Groves contributes to the good of the Church, an
+important fruit of his mission, were it to yield no other. He had cast
+himself upon the Lord. To Him he had left it to direct his path; to
+give him what things He knew he had need of, and whether outward
+prospects were bright or gloomy, to be the strength of his heart and
+his portion for ever. The publication of his former little Journal was
+the erection of his Eben Ezer. Hitherto, said he to us in England, the
+Lord hath helped me. And now, after a prolonged residence among a
+people with whom, in natural things, he can have no communion, and
+who, towards his glad tidings of salvation, are as apathetic as is
+compatible with the bitterest contempt; after having had, during many
+weeks, his individual share of the suffering, and his mind worn with
+the spectacle, of a city strangely visited at once with plague, and
+siege, and inundation, and internal tumult; widowed, and not without
+experience of "flesh and heart fainting and failing," he again
+"blesses God for all the way he has led him,"[1] tells us that "the
+Lord's great care over him in the abundant provision for all his
+necessities, enables him yet further to sing of his goodness;"[2] and
+while his situation makes him say, "what a place would this be to be
+alone in now" if without God, he adds, "but with Him, this is better
+than the garden of Eden."[3] "The Lord is my only stay, my only
+support; and He is a support indeed."[4]
+
+It is remarkable, that at a time when the fear of pestilence has
+agitated the people of this country, and when the tottering fabric of
+society threatens to hurl down upon us as dire a confusion as that
+which has surrounded our brother, in a country hitherto regarded so
+remote from all comparison with our own; at a time when the records of
+the seasons at which the terrible voice of God has sounded loudest in
+our capital, are republished as appropriate to the contemplation of
+Christians at the existing crisis;[5]--this volume should have been
+brought before the Public, by circumstances quite unconnected with
+this train of God's dealings and threatenings to our land. The
+Christians of Britain ought to consider, that there is a warning voice
+of Providence, not only in the tumults of the people, and in the
+terrors of the cholera around them, but even in the publication of
+this Journal. It is not for nothing that God has moved Mr. Groves, as
+it were, to an advanced post, where he might encounter the enemy
+before them. The alarm may have, in a measure, subsided,[6] but if the
+people of God are to be ever patiently waiting for the coming of their
+conquering King, this implies a patient preparedness for those signs
+of his coming, the clouds and darkness that are to go before him, in
+the very midst of which they must be able to lift up their heads
+because their redemption draweth nigh. To provide for the worst
+contingencies is a virtue, not a weakness, in the soldier. That
+Christian will not keep his garments who forgets, that in this life,
+he is a soldier always. No army is so orderly in peace, or so
+triumphant upon lesser assaults, as that which is ready always
+for the extremest exigencies of war.
+
+To those who are looking for the glorious appearing of our great God
+and Saviour, Jesus Christ, this volume will exhibit indications of the
+advancement of the world towards the state in which he shall find it
+at his coming. The diffusion in the east of European notions and
+practices; the desire on the part of the rulers to possess themselves
+of the advantages of western intellect and skill; and on the side of
+the governed, the conviction of the comparative security and comfort
+of English domination; the vastly increased intercourse between those
+nations and the west, and the proposals for still further accelerating
+and facilitating that intercourse: all these things mark the rapid
+tendency, of which we have so many other signs, towards the production
+of one common mind throughout the human race, to issue in that
+combination for a common resistance of God, which, as of old, when
+the people were one, and had all one language, and it seemed that
+nothing could be restrained from them which they had imagined to
+do,--shall cause the Lord to come down and confound their purpose.
+Already has this unity of views and aims, with marvellous rapidity,
+prevailed in the European and American world; the press, the
+steam-engine by land and water, the multiplication of societies
+and unions, portend an advancement in it, to which nothing can
+set limits but the intervention of God: and now it appears that
+the mountain-fixedness of Asiatic prejudice and institution shall
+suddenly be dissolved, and absorbed into the general vortex.
+
+And to those who may have suspected, that the prospect of the return
+of Jesus of Nazareth to our earth for vengeance and expurgation of
+evil first, and then for occupation of rule, _under_ the face of the
+whole heaven, is but a speculative subject for curious minds, this
+little book presents matter of reflection. By circumstances of such
+urgent personal concernment, as those in which Mr. Groves and his
+departed wife have been placed, the merely speculative part of
+religion is put to flight. But we shall find them in the midst of
+confusion, and bereavement, and horror, clinging to this one hope for
+themselves and for the world, that the Lord cometh to reign, wherefore
+the earth shall be glad; deriving from this hope a delight in God, in
+the midst of all that seems adverse to such a sentiment, which, if it
+be not a proof of practical power in a doctrine, what is practical?
+
+On some few points, Mr. Groves has given a somewhat detailed
+expression of his own sentiments. One of the most important of these
+is re-considered in the notes by the writer of this introduction.
+Another, on which the interest of many has already been strongly
+excited, is the recognition of those men as ministers of God, who do
+not utter the word of his truth, and who are admitted to speak without
+the Spirit of his truth. The question, encompassed as it has been with
+difficulties foreign to itself, is but a narrow one. The preaching of
+the Gospel _is_ an ordinance of God. The preaching of what is not the
+Gospel is _no_ ordinance of God; and affords me no opportunity of
+shewing my respect for divine ordinances by my attendance upon it.
+That men possessing the Holy Ghost should confer spiritual gifts by
+the laying on of hands on those who in faith receive it, _is_ an
+ordinance of God: that men, not having the Holy Ghost, should lay
+hands on others for spiritual gifts, is _no_ ordinance of God.
+
+If the outward fact of what is named ordination, determines me to
+regard as now made of God a teacher, a pastor, an evangelist, a
+bishop, him who, to all intelligent and spiritual perception, is what
+he was, in error, and ignorance, and carnality; this is not respect
+for divine ordinances at all, but a faith in the _opus operatum_, a
+faith in transubstantiation transferred to men, denying the truth of
+my own perception, and clinging to the conclusion of my superstition,
+just as in the mass the senses are denied, and bread and wine visibly
+unaltered, are called flesh and blood. The arguments by which this
+notion is supported, are too complicated, and too contemptuous of
+unity or consistency, to be meddled with in our limited space. That
+Christ bade men observe what the Scribes and Pharisees taught on the
+authority of the law of Moses, is made a reason for reverencing what
+is taught on _no_ divine authority: Scribes and Pharisees, who
+pretended to no divine ordination, but rested their claims on their
+knowledge, are made specimens of the respect due to ordination, in
+the case of such whose ignorance and unsound teaching are allowed.
+But were not the Scribes and Pharisees in many things ignorant and
+unsound? Yes, truly; but were these the things of which the Lord
+said expressly, these things observe and do? To tell us that we must
+observe and do what is according to Scripture, however bad the men
+who teach it, ordained or unordained alike; what has this to do with
+ordination? True, this is no excuse for those who prostitute the form
+and name of God's ordinance, and know that it is prostituted: who say,
+"receive ye the Holy Ghost," and would laugh as being supposed to
+confer the Holy Ghost: but there is no necessity for running from this
+crime, to the error of which we have spoken. Let us acknowledge our
+wretchedness, and misery, and poverty, and blindness, and nakedness.
+When the laws were transgressed, and the everlasting covenant broken;
+then the _ordinance_ was _changed_, as Isaiah foretold it should,[7]
+among the causes why the earth is defiled under the inhabitants
+thereof.
+
+The Apostolic Epistles contain little, if any thing, to establish the
+pastoral authority in a single person of each church or congregation:
+and the omission of all allusion to such an office is often very
+remarkable from the occasion seeming to assure us, that it would have
+been mentioned had it existed. The Epistles of the Lord to the seven
+churches are therefore resorted to for proof of the existence and
+nature of the place of a single pastor with peculiar and exclusive
+powers. But neither there nor elsewhere is the fact of ordination once
+referred to, in relation to the receiving or rejection of those who
+claimed to speak in the name of Christ. In these very Epistles there
+is a commendation for disregarding for the truth's sake the highest
+titles of ecclesiastical office. "Thou canst not bear them which are
+evil: thou hast _tried_ them which say they are apostles, and are not,
+and hast found them liars."[8] I believe, "not to bear them which are
+evil" pastors, evangelists or apostles, is as commendable in England
+as in Ephesus in the eye of the Head of the Churches. Is there a
+syllable in the Bible to lead us to suppose that these liars were
+detected by any other means than those which Paul had already taught
+the Church? "Though _we_, or an angel from heaven, preach any other
+gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be
+accursed." As for the ordinance, such passages as Titus i. 9, make
+_selection_ a part of that ordinance: the bishop is to be one "holding
+fast the word of truth as he hath been taught." Now, on what authority
+shall this part of the ordinance, viz. selection, be omitted, and no
+flaw follow: while the presence or omission of a manual act in certain
+hands is to constitute the reality or absence of Divine ordination?
+
+                                                A. J. SCOTT.
+  _Woolwich, Aug. 16th, 1832._
+
+  [1] Page 155.
+
+  [2] Page 169.
+
+  [3] Page 122.
+
+  [4] Page 146.
+
+  [5] See "Narratives of two Families exposed to the great
+  Plague of London, 1665; with Conversations on a Religions Preparation
+  for Pestilence," and "God's Terrible Voice in the City," by Vincent;
+  both republished by Rev. J. Scott, of Hull.
+
+  [6] And yet what security is afforded by a present abatement
+  of the visitation? In Glasgow, cholera was regarded as departing, and
+  all but departed. The number of cases has since risen, for some time,
+  to above 300 at once, and the deaths not seldom to between one and two
+  hundred a day, in a population small compared with that of London.
+
+  [7] Chap. xxiv. ver. 5.
+
+  [8] Rev. ii. 2.
+
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+
+
+
+ JOURNAL
+ OF A
+ RESIDENCE AT BAGDAD.
+
+
+                              _Bagdad, April 2, 1830._
+
+We begin to find that our school-room is not large enough to contain
+the children, and we have been obliged therefore to add to it another.
+We have now fifty-eight boys and nine girls, and might have many more
+girls had we the means for instructing them; but we have as yet no
+other help than the schoolmaster's wife, who knows very little of any
+thing, and therefore is very unfit to bring those into order who have
+been educated without any order. But I have no doubt of the Lord's
+sending us, in due time, sufficient help of all kinds.
+
+_April 3._--An Armenian merchant from Egypt and Syria, was with us
+to-day; a Roman Catholic by profession, but an infidel in fact. He
+said it was all one to him, whether men were Armenian, Syrian,
+Mohammedan, or Jew, so that they were good. He had left Beirout about
+two months, and said there were none of the missionaries there then;
+but that he knew there the Armenian Catholic bishop, and an Armenian
+priest, who had left the Roman Catholic church, and who were in
+Lebanon--he said they were friends of his, and very good men. We feel
+interested in receiving some missionary intelligence, to know whether
+or not Syria is still deserted.
+
+We have received from Shushee a parcel of our Lord's Sermon on the
+Mount, in the vulgar Armenian. We were very much rejoiced at this, as
+it enabled us to supersede, in some little degree, the old language;
+but in determining that every boy sufficiently advanced, should learn
+a verse a day, we met with some opposition from two or three of the
+elder boys, and I think two will leave the school in consequence; but
+the Lord will easily enable us to triumph over all; of this I have no
+doubt, at all events I see my way clear come what will. Captain Strong
+has taken a letter for me to Archdeacon Parr, to ask for some school
+materials, such as slates and slate pencils for the school. I feel
+daily more established in the conviction, that our Lord has led us to
+this place, and that he will make our way apparent, as we go on in
+faithful waiting upon him.
+
+I cannot sufficiently thank God for sending my dear brother Pfander
+with me, for had it not been for him, I could not have attempted any
+thing, so that all that has now been done, must rather be considered
+his than mine, as I have only been able to look on and approve. But
+if the Lord's work is advanced, I can praise him by whomsoever it may
+be promoted.
+
+_June 12._--The circumstances of our situation are now going on so
+regularly, that there is little to write about, more than that the
+Lord's mercies are new every morning. Since Captain Strong left us,
+there has arrived here a Mr. and Mrs. Mignan, and another gentleman,
+named Elliot, neither of whom seem to know, at present, whether they
+will remain here or go on.
+
+The capidji or officer, who came from Constantinople, bringing a
+firman to the Pasha, is desired to take back with him a drawing of one
+of the soldiers whom Major T. is organizing for the Pasha. Major T.'s
+son is just arrived from India, and he also is going to organize a
+body of horse; in fact, every thing is tending to the establishment
+of an European influence, and it may be the Lord's pleasure thus to
+prepare the way for his servants to publish the tidings which the
+sheep will hear. This tendency to adopt European manners and
+improvements, is not only manifested in the military department, but
+in others more important. The Pasha has a great desire to introduce
+steam navigation on these two beautiful rivers. A proposal has been
+made from an agent of the Bristol Steam Company, to the Pasha, through
+Major T., to have a steam vessel in the first place between Bussorah
+and this place; and secondly, if possible, to extend the navigation,
+either by the old canal or by a new one, into the Euphrates and up
+to Beer. This navigation will bring one within three days of the
+Mediterranean,[9] without the fatigue, danger, and loss of time to
+which travellers are exposed in the present journey. It will be a most
+important opening for missionaries; for should this mode of conveyance
+once get established, the route by Constantinople would almost cease,
+and some arrangement would soon be made for going from Scanderoon to
+the different important stations in the Mediterranean.
+
+  [9] Impossible--within three days of Aleppo must be meant.
+
+There is a gentleman here on his return to England, a Mr. Bywater,
+whom Mr. Taylor wishes to undertake a survey of the Euphrates, from
+Beer to the canal, which connects it with this place. Till within
+about twenty years, heavy artillery came to this place by that river,
+so there can be but little doubt that a steam packet would be able to
+go; though it might not be of the same size as the one between this
+and Bussorah. The voyage between these places backwards and forwards,
+it is proposed to do in eight days, which now takes about six or seven
+weeks, and during the whole of the returning voyage, which is long,
+being against the current, you are at present exposed to the attacks
+of the Arabs every hour, whereas the steam packet would have nothing
+to fear from them. In fact, I feel the Lord is preparing great changes
+in the heart of this nation, or rather from one end of it to the
+other; and the events which have taken place in that part of the
+empire around Constantinople, have tended to the hastening on of these
+changes.
+
+Among the boys that come to me to learn English, I have one, the son
+of a rich Roman Catholic jeweller of this place. So important is the
+commercial relation between this place and India become, that the
+number who wish to learn English of me, is much greater than I can
+possibly take charge of, as this is not with me a primary object; but
+it is a most important field of labour, and one that might have, I
+think, very interesting results, for they will bear opposition to
+their own views more easily in another language than in their own: it
+does not come to them like a book written to oppose them, and thus
+truth may slide gently in. My Moolah, who is teaching me Arabic, and
+whose son I teach English, told me, that in two or three years he
+would send his son to England to complete his knowledge of English.
+Now to those who know nothing of the Turks, this may not appear
+remarkable, but to those who do, it will exhibit a striking breaking
+down of prejudice in this individual.
+
+There is a famous man here, a Mohammedan by profession, but in reality
+an infidel, who is the head of a pantheistic sect, who believe God to
+be every thing and every thing to be God, so that he readily admits,
+on this notion, the divinity of our blessed Lord. Infidelity is
+extending on every side in these countries. My Moolah said, that now
+a-days, if you asked a Christian whether he were a Christian, he
+would say, Yes; but if you asked him who Christ was, or why he was
+attached to him, he did not know. And in the same manner he said, if
+you asked a Mohammedan a similar question, he would also say, he did
+not know, but that he went as others went; but, he added, now all the
+_Sultans_ were sending out men to teach, the Sultan of England--the
+Sultan of Stamboul, &c. By this I imagine his impression is, that we
+are sent out by the king of England.
+
+Our school is, on the whole, going on very well. We have introduced
+classes, and a general table of good and bad behaviour, of lessons, of
+absence, and of attendance; and they all go on, learning a portion of
+Scripture every day in the vulgar dialect. This is something.
+
+I am beginning to feel my acquaintance with Arabic increase under the
+plan which I am now pursuing with the boys who learn English. They
+bring me Arabic phrases, and as far as my knowledge extends, I give
+them the meaning in English; and when that fails, I write it down for
+inquiry from the Moolah next day, and then by asking words in Arabic
+every day for the boys to give me the English, I at last get the
+expressions so impressed on my memory, that when I want them they
+arise almost without thought. Another advantage from the boys bringing
+phrases and words, is that they bring such as they use in the spoken
+Arabic, which is very different from the written. This is a plan I
+would recommend, whenever it can be adopted, to every missionary; for
+there is a stimulus to the memory in having the questions to ask every
+day, and having only the English written down, which nothing else
+gives.
+
+We have lately had a little proof of Turkish honesty. The man who
+sells us wood, charged us seven tagar, and brought us somewhat less
+than three.
+
+Our souls are much refreshed by the contemplation of our Lord's coming
+to complete the mystery of godliness. Oh, how long shall it be, ere he
+be admired in all them that believe.
+
+_June 26._--We have heard to-day from Mrs. G.'s brother J. from
+Alexander Casan Beg, mentioned in a preceding part of my journal, and
+from Mr. Glen. All our various accounts were welcome. Some of the
+information contained in them enables us to rejoice in those we love
+naturally, some in those we love spiritually.
+
+In the letters of Alexander C. Beg, and Mr. Glen, I have received the
+intelligence that the former would not now be able to join us, as he
+had previously received an offer from the Scottish Missionary Society,
+to become a missionary of theirs in India; for certain reasons,
+however, he does not at present seem able to accept it. Concerning
+this Mohammedan convert, it is impossible not to feel the deepest
+interest.
+
+We have just had some interesting conversation with a poor Jacobite,
+who is come from Merdin, with a letter from his matran or bishop,
+about two churches which the Roman Catholics have taken away from the
+Jacobites. His description of their state is striking. He says, the
+Pasha of Merdin cares neither for this Pasha, who is his immediate
+superior, nor for the Sultan; and that he encourages these disputes
+among the Christians, that he may get money from both parties, who
+bribe him by turns. He says, that the Yezidees, when they see a Syrian
+priest coming, will get off their horse and salute him, and kiss his
+hand, and that the Kourds are a much worse people than they, but that
+Roman Catholics are worse than either.--I was surprised to find that
+the Roman Catholic bishop has a school of fifty girls learning to read
+Arabic, and to work at their needle.
+
+We have heard to-day that the Mohammedans, inhabitants of the town,
+are much dissatisfied with the Sultan and with the Pasha, for
+introducing European customs. They say, they are already Christians,
+and one of them asked Mr. Swoboda, if it was true that the old missid
+or mosque near us, was to become again a Christian church, and whether
+the beating of the drums every evening after the European manner at
+the seroy or palace, did not mean that the Pasha was becoming a
+Christian. And they say, that the military uniforms now introducing,
+are haram or unlawful. Major T. has induced the Pasha to have a
+regiment dressed completely in the European fashion, and is now
+forming some horse regiments on the same plan. All these things will
+clearly tend to one of these two results--either to the overthrow
+of Mohammedanism by the introduction of European manners and
+intelligence, or to a tremendous crisis in endeavouring to throw off
+the burden which the great mass of the lower and bigoted Mohammedans
+abhor. But still the Lord knows, and has given his angels charge to
+seal his elect before these things come to pass.
+
+Our attention has again been directed to the subject of steam
+navigation between Bombay and England, by the arrival of Mr. James
+Taylor from Bombay. This gentleman has been engaged for some time in
+undertaking to effect steam communication by the Red Sea: with the
+view of making final arrangements on the subject he had just been to
+Bombay, and wished to have returned by the Red Sea, but difficulties
+arising, he determined to come by way of the Persian Gulf and this
+city, and to cross the desert. On his arrival here, he was made
+acquainted with the previous plans for steam navigation on these
+rivers; and he quickly perceived that if the river were navigable, and
+no other difficulties arose, the preference must be given to this
+route, as being at least ten days shorter to Bombay, and of the thirty
+or thirty-five days which remained, seven, or perhaps five, would be
+spent on two beautiful rivers, with opportunities of obtaining from
+its banks vegetables and fruits; and instead of the Red Sea, which is
+rocky, stormy, and little known, there would be the Persian Gulf,
+which has been surveyed in every part, and is peculiarly free from
+storms. From the mouth of the Persian Gulf, the boat would go direct
+to Bombay instead of going down to Columbo from the mouth of the Red
+Sea, and then up the western side of the Peninsula of India. In Egypt
+also they would have five days journey over the desert, whilst from
+Aleppo they would only have two to a place on the Euphrates, called
+Beer. Fuel also in abundance might be obtained here, either from wood
+or bitumen; in fact, Mr. Taylor feels that if it can be accomplished,
+it would save expense on the voyage. The only two difficulties that
+oppose themselves to this route are, first, the Arabs, and secondly,
+whether there be a sufficiency of water in the rivers. As to the
+Arabs, a steamer has nothing to fear, for by keeping mid-stream at
+the rate they go, no Arab would touch them or attempt to do it. The
+present vessels they have no power over in going down, but when they
+are dragged up by Arab trackers, then they are easily attacked.
+As to the second objection, the want of water, there appears no
+insurmountable difficulty here, as all the heavy ordnance from
+Constantinople were brought down the Euphrates from Beer, on rafts,
+or, as they are called, kelecks; these, independent of their width,
+being greater than that of a steamer, actually draw more water when
+heavily laden. There does not appear to be more than one place where
+there is a doubt, and that is at El Dar, the ancient Thapsacus, where
+we understand at one season, when the waters are at the lowest point,
+a camel can hardly go over; but still, perhaps, further information
+may be desirable. The Pasha has entered very heartily into this plan,
+and offered either to clear out an old canal, or to cut a new one
+between this river and the Euphrates. The mouth of the Euphrates is
+one extended marsh, which forms the best rice-grounds of the country.
+The distance between the two rivers at this place is about thirty
+miles. Mr. James Taylor thinks that travellers may reach England from
+this in twenty-three days, and Bombay in twelve: should this ever take
+place, steam boats will be passing twice a month up and down this
+river with passengers from India and England; the effects of such a
+change, both moral, spiritual, and political, none can tell, but that
+they must be great every one may see.
+
+I have been this morning talking with my Moolah about the two rivers,
+as to their capability of steam navigation. He decidedly gives the
+preference to the Euphrates, and says, that the average depth is the
+height of two men, or ten feet--even till considerably above Beer; but
+that the Tigris, above Mousul, is very shallow.[10]
+
+  [10] We have since discovered, by a survey of the Tigris,
+  that in its present state it will be only navigable to Mosul during
+  seven months in the year, from ledges of rock that pass across the
+  river.
+
+This possibility thus set before us of seeing those we love, and many
+of the Lord's dear servants here, is most comforting and encouraging:
+this place would become a frontier post of Christian labour, from
+which we might daily hope to send forth labourers to China, India, and
+elsewhere, and the work of publishing the testimony of Jesus be
+accomplished before the Lord come. However, we are in the Lord's
+hands, and he will bring to pass what concerns his own honour, and we
+will wait and see: a much greater opening has taken place since we
+came here than we could have hoped for, and much more will yet open
+upon us than we can now foresee. Things cannot remain as they are,
+whether they continue to advance as they are now doing, or whether
+bigotry be allowed to make a last vain effort to regain her ancient
+position; still some decided change must be the final result of the
+present state of things.
+
+From the Bible Society at Bombay, I have received accounts of their
+having sent me two English Bibles, fifty Testaments, twenty Arabic
+Bibles, fifty Syriac Gospels, fifty Syriac Testaments, fifty Armenian
+Bibles, one hundred Persian Psalters, seventy-five Persian Genesis,
+and six Hebrew Testaments. In this are omitted those which are most
+important to us, the Chaldean, the Persian, and the Arabic Testament;
+but perhaps when they receive a supply from the Parent Society, they
+will then forward these likewise.
+
+I have also received a letter from Severndroog, from the first tutor
+of my little boys, Mr. N., a true and dear person in the Lord, and he
+mentions that they had, since he last wrote, admitted to their
+church, four Hindoos and two Roman Catholics, and that one Hindoo
+still remains, whom they hope soon to admit.
+
+The following is the estimate of the time which the voyages, by the
+Red Sea, and by these rivers to India, would respectively occupy:
+
+ BY RED SEA.
+                      Miles.  Days.
+ London to Gibraltar   1000     7
+ Gibraltar to Malta    1000     8
+ Malta to Diametta      900     5
+ Diametta to Suez       150     5
+ Suez to Mocha         1100     6
+ Mocha to Columbo      1920    10
+ Columbo to Bombay     1000     7
+                              ---
+                               48
+
+ BY EUPHRATES.
+                      Miles.  Days.
+ London to Gibraltar   1000     7
+ Gibraltar to Malta    1000     8
+ Malta to Aleppo       1000     6
+ Aleppo to Beles         60     2
+ Beles to Bagdad    }           5
+ Bagdad to Bussorah }
+ Bussorah to Bombay             9
+                              ---
+                               37
+
+I have recently had some conversation with Mr. J. Taylor, who is
+waiting only to see the Pasha to make final arrangements.
+
+Another very important feature of the above plan for steam
+communication with India is, that those societies who have
+missionaries there, may send out their secretaries to encourage and
+counsel them, by which means they will be able not only to enter more
+fully into the feelings and circumstances of those they send, but will
+be able to make their own reports, which will be more agreeable to
+those engaged in the work--to tell about which must always be a
+difficult undertaking.
+
+I found yesterday that one of the gentlemen who came hither lately
+from India, was a Mr. Hull, the son of Mrs. Hull, of Marpool, near
+Exmouth, who, however, is not going across the desert, but round by
+Mosul and Merdin, to Stamboul. He hopes to be home in September.
+
+Mr. Pfander learnt from some Armenians yesterday, that they were much
+pleased with the children learning the Scriptures in the vulgar
+dialect; that they were so far able to understand the ancient language
+still read in their churches, and they expressed a wish that they
+might have a complete translation in the vulgar tongue. Those
+Bibles we now have from the Bible Society, are in the dialect of
+Constantinople, which is by no means generally or well understood
+here, where the Erivan dialect prevails, which they use in the
+Karabagh, in the north of Persia, and in all these countries. The
+missionaries at Shushee are going on with the New Testament: Mr.
+Dittrich has finished the translation of the four Gospels, and we hope
+it will be printed for the Bible Society this year, for we greatly
+need Armenian books in the vulgar dialect, by which we may, step by
+step, supersede the old altogether. We also greatly want Arabic
+school-books; but these we shall hope to get from Malta, through the
+labours of Mr. Jowett.
+
+We find the general feeling here, not only among Christians, but even
+among the Mohammedans, is a wish that the English power might prevail
+here, for although the Pasha does not directly tax them high, yet from
+a bunch of grapes to a barrel of gunpowder, he has the skimming of the
+cream, and leaves the milk to his subjects to do with as they can.
+Once a month at least the money is changed. When the Pasha has a great
+deal of a certain base money that he issues, he fixes the price higher
+by certain degrees, on pain of mutilation, and when he has paid it all
+away, or has any great sums to receive, he lowers the value by as many
+degrees as he has raised it before. And hearing, as they universally
+do now, of our government in India, that it is mild and equitable,
+most of them would gladly exchange their present condition, and be
+subject to the British government. This conduct on the part of the
+Pasha, begets an universal system of smuggling and fraud among all
+classes, so that the state of these people is indeed very, very bad.
+I never felt more powerfully than now, the joy of having nothing to do
+with these things; so that let men govern as they will, I feel my path
+is to live in subjection to the powers that be, and to exhort others
+to the same, even though it be such oppressive despotism as this. We
+have to shew them by this, that our kingdom is not of this world, and
+that these are not things about which we contend. But our life being
+hid where no storms can assail, "with Christ in God"--and our wealth
+being where no moth or rust doth corrupt, we leave those who are of
+this world to manage its concerns as they list, and we submit to them
+in every thing as far as a good conscience will admit.
+
+_July 12._--We have heard of two Jews, who have bought two Hebrew New
+Testaments, and a very respectable Jewish banker has been here to see
+Mr. Pfander, with the German Jew, whom I have mentioned before, and
+who is still desirous of leaving the broad road, without heart to
+trust in him who is in the heavenly path, the way, the truth, and the
+life. He is now here, endeavouring to obtain a livelihood by teaching
+a few boys Hebrew, and comes to read the book of Job in German with
+Mr. Pfander, without any of their explanations, one of which, as it
+regards Job, is as follows. They say that every individual of the
+human race actually existed in Adam, some in his nails, some in his
+toes, some in his eyes, mouth, &c. &c., and they think, in proportion
+to the proximity of the position of any person to the parts concerned
+in eating and digesting the forbidden fruit, will be their degree of
+guilt and measure of punishment here; so they consider that Job had
+his place near the mouth. Such are the follies which now occupy the
+minds of this interesting people, instead of the Lord of life and
+glory.
+
+Colonization appears to have entered into the contemplation of those
+engaged in steam-navigation, and the planting of indigo and sugar. To
+this end, the Pasha has granted them thirty miles of land on the banks
+of the river. Just before Mr. Taylor was to set off to go through the
+desert, news came that the Arab tribes on the road were at war among
+themselves, and that it would therefore not be safe for him to go that
+way, so he changed his route, and went on the 13th, by the way of
+Mousul and Merdin, nearly double the distance, and at the same time,
+Mr. Bywater and Mr. Elliot set off to Beer, from whence they intend
+going down the Euphrates and examining that river as far down as
+Babylon.
+
+The old Jew, who came with the German, heartily entered into some
+conversation about the coming of Christ. A school of Jewish children
+might, I think, easily be obtained here, if you would teach them
+English and the Old Testament only.
+
+Our Moolah has mentioned, that he has been reading the New Testament
+with another Moolah, who wishes to have a copy of Sabat's translation,
+thinking that that might stimulate them to answer it; but that the
+Propaganda edition is so vulgar, it offends them, for like the
+Greeks they seek after wisdom. Still, if they read, the testimony
+of God is delivered, and the plucking a few brands from the general
+conflagration, is the great work till the Lord come. They have a most
+proud and obstinate hatred against the name of Jesus, before whom all
+must bow.
+
+We have been interested by some inquiries made by our schoolmaster and
+his father, relative to our morning and evening prayers; he wanted to
+know what they were, and Mr. Pfander had the greatest difficulty in
+making him understand, that we prayed from a sense of our present
+wants. They said, they had heard from their books, that in the time of
+the apostles men were without form of prayer, and were enabled to pray
+from their hearts; but that it was not so now. They also asked some
+questions about the Lord's Supper, whether we used wine mixed with
+water or unmixed; bread leavened or unleavened. They seem anxious to
+know more, and may the Lord give an open door to them!
+
+We cannot help feeling, that the difficulties among the Mohammedans,
+and apostate Christian churches are great beyond any thing that
+can be imagined previous to experience. The difficulties of absolute
+falsehood are as nothing to those of perverted truth, as we see in the
+confounding infant baptism with the renewing of the Holy Ghost. In
+every thing it is the same, prayer, praise, love, all is perverted,
+and yet the name retained. The communications we received from Mr.
+G----l and others,[11] about the state of Christianity in these
+countries, is but too true, and what he states about the monks at
+Itch-Meeazin may be doubtless true; at least I suppose it is the seat
+of the Armenian Patriarch he means, for I know of no other Armenian
+church in these parts, where this service is kept up of reading the
+whole Book of Psalms every day. The office of a missionary in these
+countries is, to _live_ the Gospel before them in the power of the
+Holy Ghost, and to drop like the dew, line upon line, and precept upon
+precept, here a little and there a little, till God give the increase
+of his labours; but it must be by patient continuance in well doing
+against every discouraging circumstance, from the remembrance of what
+we ourselves once were.
+
+  [11] See Record, Oct. 1, 1829.
+
+We have this day heard, that the cholera or the plague is at Tabreez,
+and that they are dying 4 or 5,000 a day; but this, I have no doubt,
+is a gross exaggeration. May the Lord watch over the seed that seems
+sowing there, and make the judgments that are in the earth warnings to
+men to return to God. We also have the cholera here; but I trust not
+severely.
+
+The last Tartar who took our letters with the head of the ex-Khiahya
+was plundered, so that our letters were lost which we sent by him.
+
+We have been to-day in hopes of obtaining another Moolah, for teaching
+the children in the school to read and write Arabic. For two months we
+have been trying, without success, to obtain one, so great is their
+prejudice against teaching Christians at all, but especially
+themselves to read the New Testament; but as our Lord does every
+thing for us, we doubt not he will do this also if it be best.
+
+I am much led to think on those of my dear missionary brethren, who
+look for the kingdom of Christ to come in by a gradual extension of
+the exertions now making. This view seems to me very discouraging; for
+surely after labouring for years, and so little having been done, we
+may all naturally be led to doubt if we are in our places; but to
+those who feel their place to be to preach Jesus, and publish the
+Testament in his blood, whether men will hear or whether they will
+forbear, they have nothing to discourage them, knowing they are a
+sweet savour of Christ. I daily feel more and more, that till the Lord
+come our service will be chiefly to gather out the few grapes that
+belong to the Lord's vine, and publish his testimony in all nations;
+there may be here and there a fruitful field on some pleasant hill,
+but as a whole, the cry will be, "Who hath believed our report, and to
+whom is the arm of the Lord revealed."
+
+It is the constant practice here among the Jews, when they hear our
+blessed Lord's name mentioned, or mention it themselves, to curse him;
+so awful is their present state of opposition, Mohammedans will not
+hear, and Christians do not care for any of those things--such is the
+present state here; but if the Lord prosper our labour, we shall see
+what the end will be, when the Almighty word of God becomes
+understood. The poor German Jew still holds on; he has too much
+honesty to live by writing lying amulets, and too little faith to cast
+himself on the Lord; but his constant cry is, What shall I do to live?
+The insight he gives us into the state of the Jews here is most awful,
+but notwithstanding, there appears to me a most abundant field of
+labour among the 10,000 who are here. Yesterday he called me suddenly
+while at breakfast, to see a poor young Jewess who had been married
+but two months, and had fallen over the bridge with her little brother
+in her arms. The scene was awfully interesting. Not less perhaps than
+300 Jews, with their wives, were in the house, but tumultuous as the
+waves of the sea, without hope and without God in the world. There was
+no hope of recovering her. She had been in the water an hour and a
+half, and had there been life, they were acting so as to extinguish
+every spark. She was lying in a close room crowded to suffocation,
+with the windows shut; and they were burning under her nose charcoal
+and wool.
+
+The Armenian boys, who are learning English, go on with great zeal,
+and may in the course of time become very interesting.
+
+We have at length received information, that all our things are
+arrived at Bussorah, and among the rest, the lithographic press, which
+we hope to find most useful to us in our present position; every thing
+happens rightly and well; they have been delayed for some time in
+coming up the river, in consequence of a quarrel between the Pasha and
+the Arab tribe, the Beni-Laam, in consequence of the plunder of Dr.
+Beaky's boat, but we expect it will be settled, as the Pasha has
+acceded to the terms the Sheikh offered, and has sent him down a dress
+of honour.
+
+I am sometimes led, in contemplating the gentlemanly and imposing
+aspect which our present missionary institutions bear, and contrasting
+them with the early days of the church, when apostolic fishermen and
+tent-makers published the testimony, to think that much will not be
+done till we go back again to primitive principles, and let the
+nameless poor, and their unrecorded and unsung labours be those on
+which our hopes, under God, are fixed.
+
+We have just heard an interesting case. The gardener of the Pasha is a
+Greek, who was lately sent to him at his request from Constantinople,
+and yesterday (August 6), he became a Mohammedan. He had two daughters
+of thirteen and fourteen, whom he also wished to become Mohammedans;
+but they would not consent, and ran away to the factory, where they
+might have remained under English protection; but they would not stay,
+unless their brother, and his wife, and their servants could remain
+with them; so they left, as Major T---- had not room for them all,
+having already the family of one of the servants of the Pasha, who is
+imprisoned for some delinquency in connection with the revenue
+accruing to the Pasha from the bazaar.
+
+There has been with Mr. Pfander to-day one of the writers of the
+Pasha, and he read some parts of the Turkish New Testament, which he
+very well understood, and expressed much pleasure in the reading of;
+but when, on his being about to leave, Mr. P. asked him to accept of a
+Turkish Testament, he very politely declined it.
+
+There is another person come from Merdin, with the view of settling
+the affair between the Syrians and the Roman Catholics at Merdin. He
+is a weaver of Diarbekr; and from him Mr. Pfander learns, that in the
+last census taken by the Pasha, the Syrians were 700 families, and the
+Armenians 6,700: this certainly opens a most interesting field for
+Christian inquiry: he also said, that the Syrians in the mountains
+were perfectly independent of the Mohammedans, and among themselves
+are divided into little clans under their respective Bishops. He also
+stated, that reading and writing were much more cultivated among the
+independent Syrians than those in the plains.
+
+He also said there would be no difficulty whatever in going among the
+Yezidees with a Syrian guide. The language which the independent
+Syrians speak is Syriac, which is near the ancient Syriac, and that
+they understand fully the Syrian Scriptures when read in their
+churches. We hope, therefore, should the Lord spare our lives,
+to have an opportunity of circulating some of the many copies of the
+Scriptures in Syriac, which Mr. Pfander has brought from Shushee, and
+some that I expect will come from Bombay for me.
+
+The Gerba tribe of Arabs are come almost close to Bagdad, to check
+whom the Pasha intends sending out the troops that have been under the
+discipline of the English.
+
+We have also heard from the Syrian, that from Mousul to Mardin the
+road by the mountains of Sinjar is safer than by the plains. Among the
+Yezidees and Syrians, no Mohammedan lives. It is impossible to
+consider such an immense Christian population as that in Diarbekr,
+without feeling a wish to pour in upon it the fountains of living
+waters, which we are so abundantly blessed with. Oh, that some one
+would come out, and settle down in such a place as Diarbekr--what an
+abundant field of labour!
+
+_August 14._--A young Jew was here to-day, and bought three Arabic
+Bibles of Mr. Pfander, at 25 piastres of this place each, _i.e._ about
+5s. sterling. This is almost the beginning. Many might perhaps have
+been given away; but as we find that those of Mr. Wolff were generally
+burnt, we wish them to buy them, at least, at such a price that they
+would not burn them. He took away a Hebrew New Testament, but returned
+it again. I should feel deeply interested in some one coming to take
+charge of a Jewish school, in which the Old Testament, Hebrew, and
+Arabic, might be the basis of instruction. I make no doubt, that at
+once a most interesting school might be established here on a very
+large scale, for they have but one school of about 150 poor boys at
+their synagogue, or rather synagogues, for they have six, but all in
+one place, and forming one building; they have also three rabbies, and
+besides the boys which are taught at the above school, many others are
+educated at home by teachers. Now, nothing can be more distinct than
+their wish for a school, and their promise of supporting it on the
+basis of the Old Testament being taught as a school-book, which
+certainly, as a primary step, is a most important one to cause them,
+by the Lord's blessing, to see that the book which they now disfigure
+by monstrous interpretations, has yet in itself, by the illumination
+of God's Spirit, a clear, simple, and, in all essential points, an
+intelligible meaning, without the aid of man's exposition. But should
+they finally turn round and oppose the school, which as soon as the
+power of it is felt, they most assuredly would do, still some might
+remain, and if none should, there is still a most abundant field of
+labour in circulating the Scriptures, and in conversation among them
+in this city, and throughout Mesopotamia, where they abound in almost
+every town.
+
+We have heard from a Jew, that Sakies, the Armenian Agent of the East
+India Company, had given the Jews directions to treat Mr. Wolff when
+here with attention, and to invite him to their houses. The Jews here
+are closely connected with the English, at least many of them, who are
+under English protection.
+
+_August 15._ _Sunday._--The thermometer this day has been the highest
+hitherto for the year, 117 in the shade, and 155 in the sun.[12] This
+is the time when the dates ripen, and the most oppressive in the year;
+but by the Lord's great mercy, we are all in health and strength,
+though sometimes we feel a little disposed to think it is so hot, that
+we may be excused from doing any thing; but my English scholars keep
+me employed six hours a day, which prevents me from thinking much
+about the heat, though not from feeling it. I can truly say, it is far
+more tolerable than I expected, and yet there are few places on the
+face of the earth hotter. The temperature of India is not near so
+high; and I question, if there is any place, that for the year through
+would average so high.
+
+  [12] It has _since_ been so high as 118 in the shade, and 158
+  in the sun.
+
+_August 17._--The Jew has been here, and bought another Arabic Bible.
+I showed him one of the Hebrew Psalters of the Jews' Society. He
+greatly desired to have it; but I could not spare that; but promised
+him that when mine came up from Bussorah, I would let him know.
+
+We have this day a new Moolah, the best we could get, but not
+altogether such as we could have desired.
+
+The Jews here cannot believe that Christians know any thing of Hebrew,
+and are therefore surprised to see Hebrew books with us. Oh, should
+the Lord allow us to be of any use to this holy people, terrible from
+their beginning hitherto alike in the favour and indignation of
+Jehovah, we should esteem it a very great blessing; yet surely they
+ought to have here one missionary, whose whole soul might be drawn out
+towards this especial work.
+
+From some communications with a native of Merdin, we find that the
+custom of avenging murder and requiring blood for blood, exists among
+the independent Chaldeans and Syrians, and keeps them in continual
+warfare, where one happens to be killed by the inhabitants of another
+village. The inhabitants of the village of the person killed, feel it
+a necessary point of honour to revenge it.
+
+He also mentioned, that the Yezidees were no longer so numerous as
+formerly, but were greatly diminished by the plague, which happened a
+few years ago, by which Diarbekr lost 10,000 of its inhabitants.
+
+We had a visit from an Armenian, who was formerly treasurer to Sir
+Gore Ouseley; while speaking about Christianity, he said, it was no
+use to speak to the Armenians about it, for they all say, "How can we
+know any thing about such matters, and that, except as a sect, they
+are too ignorant to know or care about Christianity." They are indeed
+full of the pride of heart that appertains to sectarians, and
+obstinately resist the Scriptures being translated into the modern
+languages, because, say they, the ancient language was spoken in
+Paradise, and will be the language of heaven, and that, therefore,
+translating the sacred book into that which is modern, is a
+desecration. How wonderfully does Satan blind men, and how by one
+contrivance or another does he endeavour to keep God's word from them,
+as a real intelligible book, which the Spirit of God makes plain, even
+to the most unlettered; but the more we discover him endeavouring to
+pervert God's word from becoming intelligible, the more we should
+strive to let every soul have the testimony of God concerning his
+life in Christ, in a language he understands. In this point of view I
+look to the schools with comfort.
+
+_August 19._--Things here seem most unsettled, and require us to live
+in very simple faith as to what a day may bring forth. It is stated,
+that between 20 and 30,000 Arabs are close to the gates of the city.
+The Pasha has an army about 24 miles from hence; but unable to move,
+except all together, and there is another regiment under an English
+officer about 12 miles distant. The deposition of this Pasha seems to
+be the principal object of these Arabs, in which it is not impossible
+that they may be fully supported by the Porte. What will be the result
+of all this we are not careful to know, for we are not to fear their
+face, nor to be afraid, but the Lord will be to us a hiding place from
+the storm, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against a
+wall.
+
+A caravan has just come across the desert from Aleppo, with a guard of
+500 men, consisting of 300 camels. Letters brought by a Tartar from
+Constantinople have all been detained by the Pasha, except a few on
+mercantile concerns which have been delivered. So many packets sent by
+Constantinople have been in one way or another detained, that I have
+no other hope of letters than what my most gracious Lord's approved
+love gives me; all which he really desires me to have I shall receive,
+and more I would desire not to wish for.
+
+We have just heard, that Major T----'s brother, and the gentlemen who
+left Mousul were pursued by 500 Arabs; but all escaped except a horse
+of the Capidji,[13] an officer of the Sultan's, which was laden with
+money, collected by his master for the government at Constantinople;
+he could not go fast enough, so he fell into the hands of the Arabs.
+
+  [13] A Capidji Bashi is a messenger of the Porte, to collect
+  money, or bear especial messages of any sort.
+
+The Roman Catholic bishop has received accounts that Algiers is taken
+by the French, and also some forts in its neighbourhood. Aleppo is
+quiet, though the Arabs are in the neighbourhood.
+
+Our new Moolah has expressed his surprise at the contents of the New
+Testament, and wonders how Mohammedans can speak against it as they
+do. He intends coming to our Armenian schoolmaster on Sundays to read
+it with him; may the Lord most graciously send down his Spirit upon
+them, that the one who undertakes to teach what he does not know, may,
+by discovering his ignorance, be led to the fountain of all wisdom;
+and may the other learn to love him whose holy, heavenly, and divine
+name he has blasphemed.
+
+The cholera is much about, but the Lord preserves us all safe.
+
+The Pasha has made up his differences with the Arab tribe, and all the
+troops have returned, except those under Mr. Littlejohn, which still
+remain out for fear of an attack before all the harvest is thrashed
+and brought in.
+
+There are symptoms of great fear on the part of the Pasha, that a
+struggle is actually going on among those around him for superseding
+him in his Pashalic, in which they have apparently much probability of
+success, as the Porte has been greatly injured by his unwillingness to
+meet her necessities and afford her pecuniary help. Our security,
+however, is in this, that amidst all, the Lord knoweth them that are
+his, and will defend them amidst all turmoils and in the most
+troublous times--in this we find peace and quietness.
+
+The poor men who came to endeavour to obtain from the Pasha here the
+re-institution of the Syrian patriarch in those churches in Merdin,
+from which he had been ejected by the Roman Catholic bishop, are now
+returning without success, but carrying back with them two boxes of
+Arabic and Syrian New Testaments to the Patriarch. May the Lord water
+them by his most Holy Spirit, so that they may become the ground of
+living churches, instead of those of stone which they have lost.
+
+I have been much surprised to learn that all the Arab tribes on these
+rivers, except the Montefeiks, are Sheahs or followers of Ali, whom I
+had formerly thought followers of Omar.
+
+I have already mentioned, that on leaving Mousul, Mr. Taylor's party
+were attacked and obliged to return to Telaafer,[14] a village between
+Mousul and Merdin, whence, after having waited for a stronger escort,
+they proceeded towards Merdin, when the event related in the following
+letter took place; but the supposed death of the three gentlemen was
+unfounded. They were only made prisoners and carried to the mountains
+of Sinjar, among the Yezidees. These people are declared enemies of
+the Mohammedans, whom they hate; but, on the whole, except when their
+cupidity is excited, they are not unfriendly towards Christians. They
+seem, with the Sabeans and some others, such as the Druzes, to be
+descendants of the believers in the two principles who have blown
+their pestiferous breath at different times into every system of
+religion that has prevailed in these countries, corrupting all.
+However, these Yezidees, be they originally what they may, have now
+these three gentlemen in custody, and require 7,500 piastres of this
+place--about L75, for their liberation, and Major T. has sent a person
+from hence to treat about it.
+
+  [14] All this was wrong; they were treacherously robbed and
+  murdered, Mr. Jas. Taylor, Mr. Aspinal, a merchant of Bombay, and Mr.
+  Bawater, formerly, I think, in the marines.
+
+     "My dear Sir,
+
+     "It is, I can assure you, with a sincere and melancholy regret
+     at the dreadful, I may say horrible and awful event that I have
+     so lately witnessed, that I sit down now to address a few lines
+     to you. I feel quite unable to give you an entire relation of
+     our misfortunes, and shall content myself with saying, that out
+     of seven as happy people as could well exist on our departure
+     from Mousul, three only have returned. To one so well able to
+     look for consolation, where, I may say, in such an event
+     consolation is alone to be found, fortitude and patience in
+     suffering might well be found. I myself have not attained this,
+     and I may say this event has plunged me in the deepest
+     melancholy. For a relation of facts, I must refer you to
+     Captain Cockrell's letter to Major Taylor: we were attacked and
+     compelled to fly, and in the confusion, Mr. Taylor, his
+     servant, Mr. Bywater, and our companion, Mr. Aspinal, were
+     murdered. We, that is Captain Cockrell, Mr. Elliot, and myself
+     escaped, though I was, I believe, especially fired at, as on
+     descending the hill four or five whistled close past me. That
+     we were betrayed, and moreover, our companions assassinated by
+     our own party, no doubt exists in my mind. All that were killed
+     out of 500 people that were with us were these four. They
+     again, out of all, happened to be the only ones among us who
+     carried money. We have done every thing in our power to recover
+     their bodies but without effect: on our return to Telaafer,
+     after having been twenty-six hours on horseback in the desert,
+     we wrote a note, in the hope that they might be prisoners at
+     Sinjar, and offered 4,000 piastres for them if they were
+     brought in safe. The Kapidgi Bashi left for Merdin before we
+     could hear of our messenger; he returned after three days, and
+     said he had seen their clothes and pistols, and that they were
+     all murdered. Mr. Taylor he mentioned as having been run
+     through the body with a spear. This was one out of many reports
+     of a similar nature, and we were fain to give them up for dead.
+     (They could not possibly have been alive had they escaped, as
+     there was no water within twenty-four hours.) All our things
+     were pillaged. I lost all my papers, including your letters,
+     and all that was left were a few pairs of white trowsers. This
+     was most assuredly done by our own party; even our own baggage
+     man, before my eyes, almost laid hold of my turban and pistol,
+     which I had laid upon the ground, and on my laying hold on him,
+     actually drew his dagger. I never witnessed such villany in my
+     life. All our guards were laughing, as if nothing had occurred;
+     and, although I may be wrong, yet I do venture it as my
+     opinion, that there were no thieves at all, but that it was
+     treachery altogether. You will be surprised to hear that
+     Captain Cockrell and myself start to-morrow on the same road
+     as before. I trust in God alone for protection, as we have no
+     guards at all. If I ever reach Exeter I shall not fail to call
+     on Miss Groves; but after what has happened who can say, "He
+     shall do this."
+
+     "We take no baggage of any description, being fully aware of
+     the danger and impracticability of so doing; so that if we are
+     again attacked, we shall be able to gallop for our lives. Now,
+     adieu, my dear Sir. I will write from Constantinople if I
+     reach it; in the mean time excuse this hurried scrawl, and
+     believe me, ever
+
+                               "Yours very sincerely,
+                                                  "W. HULL."
+     "_Mr. A. N. Groves._"
+
+
+
+In consequence of the receipt of this intelligence, Major T. sent off
+Aga Menas to Mousul, to treat about the liberation of the captives,
+and we are anxiously waiting the result.
+
+My dear brother Pfander and myself having come to the conclusion, that
+with so large a school, and so many objects of one kind and the other
+as there are here requiring attention, it would be impossible for me
+to leave this and go with him into the mountains; this led to the
+further determination on his part to return to Shushee next year,
+having first spent a few months at Ispahan, to complete his knowledge
+of Persian; and I of course was prepared to be left quite alone, but
+still my heart was fully sustained with the confident hope that the
+Lord would not only do what was right, but exceedingly abundant above
+all I could ask. On all sides nothing but silence prevailed:--three
+packets of letters had been lost between Constantinople and this, and
+one between Tabreez and this, and all the letters from India had been
+detained, by the Arabs on the river being at war with the Pasha for
+four or five months. Therefore I knew nothing of the movements of any
+of my dear friends, and all was left to conjecture; sometimes, when
+faith was in full exercise, I felt assured that the Lord was doing all
+well; at others, I hardly knew what to think. I had written to my very
+dear friends in Petersburgh, Dr. W. and Miss K. to come if possible
+and as soon as possible; but their having left Petersburgh doubtless
+prevented their receiving my letter. From my dear friends in England I
+heard little; from Ireland not a word. Things were in this state, when
+suddenly there came in three Tartars bringing us three packets, so
+full of Christian love, sympathy, and such good tidings, that it
+almost overcame our hearts, weak from long abstinence from similar
+entertainment, and even on this day, the third from their arrival,
+they fill my heart till it runs over. To hear and see that those one
+most loves, are indeed joying and rejoicing in their holy, most holy
+relation to God in Christ,--the relationship of sons and daughters, to
+see them anxious to walk blameless in all the ordinances their Lord
+has left them, while they glory in being free from the law of
+condemnation, and desire to know no freedom from the law of loving
+obedience: moreover, to see them becoming more and more sensible to
+the great truth that inestimable as knowledge is, it is what devils
+may share, but that the love of Jesus, and a tenderness of conscience
+as to his will, is infinitely higher than that, and that therefore his
+high command to the members of his church to love one another as he
+loves them, can never be slighted by them:--oh, to see this it does
+indeed rejoice my heart, and I pray among us all that it may abound
+more and more, particularly among us who have been so graciously and
+so kindly led into all the holy freedom of the Gospel. Let us see we
+use it not as a cloak of maliciousness, but as the servants of Christ,
+loving and serving one another, not returning evil for evil, or
+reviling for reviling, but contrariwise blessing. The path God's
+children have to take when they are determined in the name of the Lord
+not to give the name of God's truth to any thing merely human, knowing
+that it is a vain thing to teach for doctrines the commandments of
+men, is so naturally offensive, that our zeal for the truth should
+lead us to pray for such especial graces of the Spirit as may prevent
+any unloveliness in our walk, preventing the Lord's dear children from
+coming, and seeing, and drinking of that well-spring in Christ by
+which we have been so refreshed and invigorated. Whilst we profess,
+my very dear friends, absolute freedom from man's control in the
+things relating to God, we only acknowledge in a tenfold degree the
+absoluteness of our subjection to the whole mind and will of Christ in
+all things. As he is our _life_ hid with him in God, so let him be our
+_way_ and our _truth_, both in doctrine and conversation. How many,
+from neglect of this lovely union, have almost forgotten to care about
+adorning the doctrine of God their Saviour in all things. Let us, my
+dear brethren and sisters, pray that we may be united in all the will
+of Christ. This is a basis not for time only but for eternity, and for
+that glorious day especially, when the Lord shall come to be glorified
+in all his saints, and admired in all them that believe. But not only
+did my packets bring me joyful tidings of the Lord's doings among
+those whom I especially know and love, but they also brought me
+intelligence that he had prepared for me help from among those who had
+been known and approved, and whom I especially loved. How I felt
+reproved for every doubt; and indeed the Lord so fully has let his
+goodness pass before me, that I am overwhelmed, and feel I can only
+lay my hand upon my mouth, and whilst overwhelmed with my own vileness
+and unworthiness of the least of all my most gracious Lord's loving
+kindnesses to me, yet glory in that dispensation of grace which
+ministers to us, not according to our deserts, but the unbought,
+unbounded love of God. My letters tell me that my very dear brethren
+and friends, Mr. P., Mr. C., his sister, and mother, and little babe,
+and Mr. N., are coming to join us, with possibly a fourth. Now this
+does seem altogether wonderful, and whilst not at all more than I
+ought to have expected, yet more than I had faith to expect. Yet while
+I have nothing to say for myself, I desire to say all for God: it is
+like him, all whose ways are wonderful, and, towards his church, full
+of mercy, goodness, and truth. Oh, how happy shall we be to await the
+Lord's coming on the banks of these rivers, which have been the scene
+of all the sacred history of the old church of God, and destined
+still, I believe, to be the scene of doings of yet future and deeper
+interest at the coming of the Lord; and whilst I should not hesitate
+to go to the furthest corner of the habitable earth, were my dear Lord
+to send me, yet I feel much pleasure in having my post appointed here,
+though the most unsettled and insecure country beneath the sun
+perhaps. In every direction, without are lawless robbers, and within
+unprincipled extortioners; but it is in the midst of these, that the
+Almighty arm of our Father delights to display his preserving mercy,
+and while the flesh would shrink, the spirit desires to wing its way
+to the very foremost ranks of danger in the battles of the Lord. Oh
+that we may more and more press on this sluggish, timid, earthly
+constitution, that is always wanting its native ease among the
+delights of an earthly happiness. Oh, may my very loving, zealous
+brethren, stir up my timid, languid spirit to the mild yet
+life-renouncing love of my dear Lord, which, whilst it was silent,
+was as strong, yea, stronger than death.
+
+My dear friend and brother P---- and his wife have been baptized too;
+to see this conformity to Christ's mind, is very delightful; and how
+wonderful, too;--so strong a current of prejudice is there against
+this simple, intelligible, and blessed ordinance. I learn also, that
+he and my dear friend the A----[15] are preaching the everlasting
+Gospel themselves, and with some others of those we love, employing
+others to preach it. This also is good news.
+
+  [15] They have 3,362 congregations, whereas the most numerous
+  body besides has but 1,946. See _Miss. Register._
+
+_September 10._--No accounts have been received from Sinjar regarding
+our travellers. I fear this is ominous, for if ransom is what the
+Yezidees want, would they not have contrived to forward some notice to
+Bagdad? however, a few days will most likely disclose the truth, as on
+the 8th Meenas reached Mousul.
+
+We have just heard that the Nabob of Lucknow's brother, on his return
+from a pilgrimage to Mished, was taken prisoner with the whole caravan
+by the Turcomans. This amiable Mohammedan came from India on a round
+of pilgrimages. He has visited Mecca and Kerbala, and was now
+returning again to this place on his way home to Lucknow, after which
+he purposed returning again, and going through Persia, Russia,
+Germany, &c. to England. He was robbed once before between this and
+Aleppo.
+
+The Pasha has just sent to the Factory to say, that the cholera has
+extended its ravages to Kerkook, and to ask for advice, and what is to
+be done should it reach this place with its epidemic violence. Mr.
+M---- is going therefore to write directions, and Major T---- will get
+them translated into Arabic, for the use of the people here. Blessed
+be the Lord's holy name, our charter runs, that in the pestilence,
+"though ten thousand fall at thy right hand, it shall not come nigh
+thee;" on this, therefore, we repose our hearts. The Pasha seems
+perplexed to know, in the event of its reaching Bagdad, where he shall
+go with his family for safety. It is certainly an awful thing to look
+at Tabreez, where they say, that 8,000 or 9,000 have died out of
+60,000; and two years ago at Bussorah, 1,500 out of 6,000, so that the
+houses were left desolate, and the boats were floating up and down the
+creek without owners, and when persons died in a house, the rest went
+away, and left the bodies there locked up. But we have in our
+dwellings a light in these days that they know nothing of, who know
+not our God either in his power or his love, so that the heart is
+enabled to cast all, even the dearest to it, on the exceeding
+abundance of his mercy.
+
+_September 10._--I fear the intelligence we have just received of
+poor Mr. J. Taylor, Mr. Bywater, and Mr. Aspinal, and the Maltese
+servant, leaves us little room to hope but that they have all been
+treacherously murdered. Our Moolah tells us, he received a letter from
+a friend of his at Merdin, stating, that they were murdered--not by
+the Yezidees at all, but by the party of Arabs sent by the Pasha of
+Mousul to protect them, in conjunction with a party from Telaafer, an
+Arab village, where they spent a night. It appears, that when the
+attack was made, Mr. Elliot, Captain Cockrell, and Mr. Hull galloped
+off after being stripped; but Mr. Taylor, Mr. Aspinal, and Mr. Bywater
+got entangled among these robbers, and Mr. A. shot one of the Arabs
+with his pistol; and afterwards Mr. B. shot another. It then became
+with these lawless plunderers, no longer a matter of simple robbery,
+but of revenge and death. They killed these two young men, and then
+pulling Mr. Taylor from his horse, killed him. I confess, when I saw
+them mounting their horses, strongly covered with offensive weapons of
+warfare, I felt very little comfort about them, for, if they were
+attacked, it would only be with an overwhelming force, or they would
+be given up in treachery, in both which cases almost all the danger
+arises from resistance. Those wretched plunderers seek not life, but
+booty; this quietly yielded, you may go; but if you use the sword, you
+perish by the sword. If you carry money, or any thing valuable, you
+are exposed to be stripped, and if you go armed, to be killed. About
+three years ago, the French interpreter was going the very same route,
+and near Telaafer he was attacked, and stripped; but they let him go
+free. The fate of these gentlemen has greatly affected us all. A delay
+must now take place in the steamboat communication, for it is not
+probable that this route can ever be so disregarded, but that some
+effort, sooner or later, will be made. Let our impatient hearts hush
+their murmurings; it is the work of a loving Father, who declares to
+his children, that all things shall work together for their good; yea,
+the disappointment of present hopes shall, by heavenly patience, yield
+the peaceable fruits of righteousness to those who are exercised
+thereby.
+
+_September 14._--We have just heard, that an order has been given out
+in one of the mosques, that the Mohammedans shall receive no printed
+books. Whether this watchfulness is the result of Mr. Pfander having
+employed a man, a Jew, to sell Bibles, Testaments, and Psalters, or
+whether, at the suggestion from the R---- C---- B----, I know not. How
+near the principles are of the beast and the false prophet--how easily
+they harmonize and help each other!
+
+We have lately heard some interesting details of the numbers of the
+Jews in the places north-east of Persia. A Jew who has travelled in
+these countries states, that there are,
+
+ _In._          _Language spoken._        _Families._
+
+ Samarcand       Turkish                      500
+ Bokhaura        Turkish and Persian        5,000
+ Mished          Turkish and Persian       10,000
+ Heerat          Turkish and Persian        8,000
+ Caubul         {Pashtoo, but Persian}        300
+ Bulkh-(Caubul) {  generally understood}      300
+
+There are also in the villages about some Jews, from 20 to 100
+families. Their knowledge of the Hebrew is very confined; very few
+understand it at all; they have also very little knowledge of the
+Talmud. We hope from time to time to collect more particulars to
+correct, confirm, or cancel these, and all other accounts of a similar
+nature, for in these countries it is not one account that can stand,
+and when confronted by 50 more, it can still be only considered as an
+approximation to truth.
+
+_September 16._--Our long expected packet by Shushee and Tabreez has
+just arrived. The messenger, on reaching Kourdistan, found it in such
+a state of danger and confusion, that he was afraid to proceed, but
+went back again, and came by a longer but more quiet way. Another
+cause of delay seems to have been their going to India, and back
+again to Tabreez. The information contained in this packet is most
+interesting. From Petersburgh we heard from several friends, all
+encouraging, comforting, and rejoicing us. The Lord seems to give
+them courage still to persevere; and dear sister ---- intends,
+after recruiting a little in England, to return again to her work
+there. I feel satisfied it is a most interesting field, and that ere
+long in Russia some tremendous changes will take place. The poor are
+anxious for the word of God, and the nobility despising the hierarchy,
+and, therefore, that blind priestly domination under which it has
+groaned, will finally fall to pieces; infidelity will take openly its
+side, and the Lord's saints theirs.
+
+Dear Mr. K---- tells us, that some dear American brother, by name
+Lewis, has sent him money to procure for his family a house in the
+country during the few months of a Russian summer. How loving and
+bountiful a Lord ours is, supplying his most affectionate and waiting
+servant with all he needs; it makes every little bounty so sweet when
+it comes from a Father through one of his vessels of mercy. Oh, who
+would not live a life of faith in preference to one of daily, hourly
+satiety--I mean as to earthly things; how very many instances of
+happiness should we have been deprived of, had we not trusted to, and
+left it to his love to fill us with good things as he pleased, and to
+spread our table as he has done, year after year, and will do, even
+here in this wilderness.
+
+From Shushee we have also heard, that our dear brother Z---- and an
+Armenian had been travelling and selling Bibles and Testaments. They
+went first to Teflis; from thence to Erzeroum, Erivan, Ech-Miazin, and
+back again to Shushee. What success he had in selling Bibles and
+Testaments we do not know, but at Erzeroum, he was accused by the
+Mohammedans before the Russian authorities, but let go. He returned
+home in safety under the hand of the Lord. There is also in the
+letters of our brethren most pleasing accounts of a young Armenian,
+the son-in-law of the richest Armenian merchant in Baku, supposed to
+be worth half a million. This young man, at a visit of Z---- and
+P----, was much interested by their conversation about the New
+Testament, and they went away, leaving him an interesting inquirer.
+He, however, still pursued his way alone, and attained a perfect
+understanding of the Armenian Testament, which at first he was able to
+read but indifferently. He then felt himself unable to proceed in
+mercantile transactions as before; so that his father-in-law told him,
+that much as he regretted separating from him, if he became so pious,
+they must part. Well, he said, he could not give up his convictions,
+and he was sure his Lord would not allow him to want; so he left his
+father-in-law, and learnt the trade of a taylor. From the very first
+he began to teach his wife, and she takes part with him; and he is now
+selling Bibles and Testaments, and circulating tracts among the
+Russian soldiers. This is a sight indeed! for centuries perhaps they
+have not seen one of their own body rising up, and choosing to suffer
+affliction with the people of God, rather than enjoy the pleasures of
+sin for a season; and the sight is as strange to Mohammedans as to
+Christians. May the Lord sustain, comfort, and bless him out of his
+heavenly treasures.
+
+From Tabreez our tidings are heavy, or rather would be, but that the
+Lord of love directs and orders all, and sees the end from the
+beginning, yet they have also good tidings too. I have already
+mentioned, that the cholera had been raging at Tabreez; but we learn,
+that not only this, but the plague is there also, to a most frightful
+extent. I will just copy here the account our dear sister
+Mrs. ---- has given us; and for whose safety we desire to bless
+the Lord; she says,
+
+     "Before this reaches you, you may have heard of the sorrow and
+     desolation that have befallen this city within these last two
+     months. Thousands around us have been cut off by the cholera
+     and the plague. The former raged so furiously for the first
+     month, that 2 or 300 died daily. Symptoms of the plague first
+     were discovered in the ark among the Russian soldiers, which
+     manifested itself by breaking out over the body in large boils;
+     the person attacked, feeling himself overcome by stupor; many
+     died before it was thought what it was; precautions were taken,
+     and they were sent out to camp at some distance from the town.
+     The disorder has not raged among them so much as it has in the
+     town. I cannot tell you how great the fear was that was struck
+     into the minds of the people. Many were taken ill through fear,
+     of which they died. Previous to the city being quite deserted,
+     men, women, children, of all denominations, collected
+     themselves together in large bodies, crying and beseeching God
+     to turn away his judgments from them: this they did bareheaded
+     and without shoes, humbling themselves, they said, because they
+     knew they were great sinners. The air resounded with their
+     cries day and night, particularly the latter, and often during
+     the whole of it. Oh, did they but know the truth as it is in
+     Jesus. At length all classes fled to the mountains, leaving the
+     town quite deserted. Alexander told me, on his return one day
+     from the city, that he had not met a person. All the shops in
+     the bazaar were forsaken, so that from this you may derive some
+     idea of the terror that has possessed this people."
+
+Mrs. ---- also tells us, that the establishment at Tabreez is
+going to be much reduced, and that therefore Mr. N---- is ordered back
+to India. This has tried them much, for they were just expecting two
+American missionaries, a Mr. Dwight and a Mr. Smith, with whom they
+were hoping to have acted happily for their common Lord. But the
+Lord's ways are not our ways, nor his thoughts our thoughts, so these
+things happen otherwise than we expected. However, wherever they go,
+may they be blessed, and a blessing. They purpose coming here on their
+way, which affords us much pleasure at the prospect of seeing them
+again. However, we are greatly rejoiced to think, that brethren from
+America have designed Tabreez for their station. Now between Shushee,
+Tabreez, and this place we have a little frontier line. Oh, may there
+be daily new ambassadors of mercy publishing the testimony of Jesus in
+all the world. Oh, that the end may quickly come.
+
+Our Moolah is dreadfully depressed to-day, at the prospect of the
+cholera and plague coming here, and he said to me, he thought the end
+of the world must be near, because of these wars, pestilences, and
+plagues.
+
+We have also heard that we shall most likely be obliged to leave this
+house after the year has expired; for the Sheahs have been complaining
+to the Seyd,[16] the owner of it, for letting it to the infidels for
+such a purpose. But we are not careful about these things; it will be
+as the Lord wills.
+
+  [16] Descendant of the Prophet.
+
+Nothing can show the stupid carelessness of these people more, than
+that, although they are frightened out of their reason almost at the
+prospect of the plague and cholera, yet they have actually allowed a
+whole caravan from Tabreez to come into the city without quarantine,
+or any kind of precaution.
+
+Oh, how joyful the promises in the Revelations are for "those written
+in the Lamb's book of life," for "those who have not the mark of the
+beast on them," for those who are to be sealed before the angels are
+allowed to hurt the earth. Yea, he will for his great name's sake hide
+us in the secret of his pavilion, so that he will put a song into our
+mouths; yea, he will encompass us with songs of deliverance. We feel
+that it now indeed especially becomes us neither to fear their fear
+nor be afraid.
+
+_Sept._--The weather is now become decidedly cooler. A fortnight
+since the average height of the thermometer in the shade, during the
+warmest part of the day, was 117; it is now lowered to 110. During the
+hottest time of the year, which is now just over, the quicksilver was
+rarely lower than 110, or higher than 118 in the shade, except in the
+morning, when the general range was from 87 to 93.
+
+The Seyd who has let us his house, and who we had heard intended to
+turn us out after the year was expired, has got into trouble with the
+Pasha, about some ground he rented, and for which he was to pay the
+Pasha a certain quantity of corn; but he says, what from the locusts,
+and the rain not coming at the usual time, and when it did come,
+coming in such unusual quantities, he lost his crop. He has now come
+begging us to take his case to Major T., to beg him to endeavour to
+settle it with the Musruff. Thus the Lord has brought him into
+difficulties, that if he were disposed to turn us out he would not be
+able this year. But he denies altogether having said any thing about
+turning us out, and it is not improbable that it is as he says; his
+family which is a large one, and once were opulent, feel it a great
+disgrace to let out the house of one of the descendants of the prophet
+to a Christian, and more especially as one of the rooms is over the
+street under which the Mohammedans have to walk, and this most
+especially offends them; but that we might not give them any
+unnecessary offence we have never occupied the room, though the
+most airy one we have.
+
+A Jew of Yezd has been with us, and told us that there are 300
+families of Jews in that city, and the same number at Ispahan.
+
+_Sept. 24._--A caravan has just arrived from Constantinople, by way of
+Aleppo. We have also heard that one caravan from Damascus has been
+plundered, and another from Kerkook: and a messenger likewise who came
+from Captain Campbell, from Tabreez, was also stopped, but having
+nothing besides letters, was suffered to pass. I note these events
+down merely that they may afford a little criterion of the unsettled
+state of the whole of the interior of this immense continent. In fact,
+the Lord is, amidst these commotions, preparing a way for his
+testimony to spread.
+
+The cholera, by the Lord's blessing, is decreasing, but it is reported
+that at Kerkook the mortality went as high as 100 a day; it has now,
+however, ceased.
+
+_Sept. 27._--The intelligence has been confirmed of the death of Mr.
+Taylor, Mr. Aspinal, and Mr. Bywater, as well as of a Maltese servant,
+and that the principal perpetrators were the Sheikh of Telaafer, in
+conjunction with a Sheikh of the Yezidees, who were with the caravan
+at the time.
+
+The Nawaub mentioned before, has been delivered by the Prince of
+Teheran sending an army into Khorassan, and with him all the caravan.
+
+_Sept. 29._--Meenas has just been here, and the only particulars he
+has given of the unfortunate travellers, in addition to that which we
+knew before is, that Mr. Aspinal made his escape with the others, but
+hearing a cry from Mr. Taylor and Mr. Bywater, he returned, and
+finding them surrounded by about fifty men, he drew his pistol and
+shot one man through the arm. This made them retire for a moment, but
+they advanced again: he then drew another pistol, and shot the Sheikh
+of the Yezidees, by name Bella. His son then rushed on them with the
+rest, and killed them all, and with them six other Christians--two on
+a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, and the others on mercantile business. The
+booty they then divided, half to the people of Telaafer, who were the
+guards of the murdered party, and the other half the Yezidees kept.
+The Yezidees do not appear at all to have wished to kill them, knowing
+their relation to the Resident here, from whom they hoped to get a
+handsome ransom. Perhaps no two events could more powerfully manifest
+the weakness of the Ottoman empire internally than this event which
+has happened to Mr. Taylor, and the pillage of a caravan going to
+Mousul, which was stripped of every thing but two boxes of books,
+which Mr. Pfander had sent; these they left as being too heavy, and
+they are now safe at Mousul. This caravan was stripped by persons
+nominally the subjects of the Pasha within two days journey of Bagdad,
+and the property divided with the most perfect impunity without any
+attempt at recovery. These gentlemen were robbed and killed by persons
+of a village subject to the Pasha of Mousul; and he has not the least
+prospect of bringing them to punishment.
+
+When Meenas gave the Syrians in Mousul an account of our school here,
+they were so much interested, that all their principal persons have
+written a letter to invite us to come there and establish schools
+among them, and also to desire that we should send to them some Arabic
+Testaments and Psalms. All this is most encouraging, and I plainly
+see, that were there twenty servants of Christ, faithful men, who
+would be content to work for the Lord in every way, there might soon
+be found abundant work for them. Mousul seems especially open to
+Christian influence. Many of those immediately connected with the
+Pasha are Christians, and many even among the Mohammedans have still
+Christian recollections. The letter from Mousul, Meenas tells us, will
+come in about three days; if so, Mr. Pfander proposes sending back a
+present of Arabic Testaments and Psalms, with the expression of our
+hope that the Lord may strengthen our hands, as he has made willing
+our hearts, to extend our labours unto them. Major T. often asks me if
+I think any missionary mechanics may still come out. The Lord does so
+much and so wonderfully, that I can almost hope this, notwithstanding
+the host of prejudices to be first surmounted.
+
+Marteroos, the schoolmaster, who we hear is on his way from Sheeraz,
+will, I trust, be a great comfort to us, and a help to the school. He
+taught two years in the school at Calcutta, and though solicited,
+would receive no salary; and also at Bushire. This is a trait of
+character so utterly unlike these countries, that we cannot but hope
+he will enter into our plans with a heartiness that we can expect few
+others would. From his understanding English, we hope he may be able
+to take not only the higher Armenian classes, but also to have time to
+translate such books as we need for the use of the school, and also
+little tracts for circulation.
+
+The Musruff, (or treasurer) of the Pasha told Major T. that they had
+begun the canal between the Tigris and Euphrates. This shews the Pasha
+is still anxious about the steam communication.
+
+Our Mohammedan Moolah still continues to read the New Testament, with
+the Armenian schoolmaster, who seems very sanguine that he will become
+a Christian. At all events, I bless God that he sees the record of God
+with his own eyes, so that if he now rejects the testimony, it will be
+God's that he rejects, and not the solemn mockery of Christ's most
+simple and most holy truth, which they have before seen.
+
+We were much delighted to find that those of the little boys who had
+been exercised in translating their own language into the vulgar, had
+retained such a clear knowledge of it, that though they were called
+upon quite unexpectedly, they understood it; whereas the bigger boys,
+who come to me for English, and the Moolah for Arabic, and who are
+considered to have finished the Armenian education, were not able to
+translate one word, at which they were not a little ashamed, though
+the fault was not theirs, but the plan of education. We are greatly
+encouraged by this, and led to hope, with the Lord's blessing we shall
+see, instead of a system of education, which after immense labour,
+terminates in nothing but _sound_ without _sense_ or instruction, a
+system that will at least bring God's word before them in a form
+intelligible and clear; yea, the very truth that God's Spirit has
+promised to bless, and which He has declared shall not return unto him
+void. Our schoolmaster fully enters into these plans for improvement,
+and really desires to do whatever we wish. Our Arabic Moolah also
+enters much into our wishes, and the boys are making double the
+progress they did under the old system. This is all of the Lord; and
+in fact, when I think of the doubts expressed before we commenced of
+our being allowed to work at all, and consider the quietness and peace
+the Lord has allowed us to enjoy in the prosecution of our work, I
+desire more entirely to cast my whole soul, with all its purposes and
+plans on the Lord, not to move but as he guides.
+
+The two great objects of the church in the latter days seem to me to
+be, independent of growing herself up into the stature of fulness in
+Christ, the publication of the testimony of Jesus in all lands, and
+the calling out of the sheep of Christ that may be imprisoned in all
+the Babylonish systems that are in the world. In both these may the
+Lord of his infinite mercy grant success. Oh, how consoling it is,
+under an overwhelming sense of powerless inefficiency, to one's work,
+to know that God has chosen to put the most precious gift in earthen
+vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of
+man, so that we may glory in our very weakness and ignorance, and
+natural insufficiency, knowing that the Lord's strength is made
+perfect in this very weakness. Dear and blessed Lord, make us every
+one willing to be nothing, that thou mayest in all things be
+glorified.
+
+_Oct. 2._--I have just seen a sight that interests me much; the
+Mohammedan Moolah sitting at one window of the school reading the
+Arabic New Testament, and the Armenian vartabiet (or schoolmaster)
+sitting at a table explaining to the son of the priest of this place
+the New Testament. This young man is just going to Ispahan to be
+ordained. This certainly is something gained, that the word of eternal
+truth is brought before them.
+
+In speaking yesterday to my Moolah about the fortress which the Sultan
+has ordered to be built between Damascus and Aleppo, to keep the road
+safe for caravans, and which is nearly finished, he told me that the
+Sultan had promised the European Sultans that he would govern and
+regulate his country like theirs; thus the minds of these people seem
+preparing step by step for changes.
+
+I have heard, that after we left Petersburgh, some of those, from
+whom we had experienced peculiar kindness, had become very active
+in visiting the poor in the neighbourhood of that city, and in
+circulating tracts and the Scriptures, till at last they attracted the
+notice of the governors of one of these villages, who arrested and
+examined them. Dr. W. was ordered to leave St. Petersburgh in
+twenty-four hours, and the Russian dominions in three weeks. Dear
+young Mr. ----, being an officer, was put into confinement,
+and ----, whose mother has often visited Africa, has since left
+her charge, and is returned to England for her health, but hopes with
+increased prospects of usefulness, to return to her former sphere of
+labour. They felt the cause of God had gained ground during their
+trials, and that their own souls had greatly rejoiced in the Lord.
+
+_Oct. 7._--We have just heard that a German watchmaker in this place
+has turned Mohammedan. This unprincipled man had a wife and children
+in Germany, yet wished to marry a Roman Catholic Armenian here; but
+knowing that the Bishop here would not marry them, he then went to the
+Musruff, (the chief officer of the Pasha,) and promised him that if he
+would get him this woman he would become a Mohammedan, and this he
+has now done, and he is using all his endeavours to compel the young
+woman he has married to follow his steps. This, at present, she
+resists, but she has little principle, as she knew before of his being
+married. The more I see of this people, the more I am struck with the
+necessity of our being made acquainted with the deep wickedness and
+corruption of the human heart, that we may never be hopeless as to
+these people, and think them some peculiarly iniquitous race; and on
+the other hand, we need a deep sense of the omnipotence of God's Holy
+Spirit, that we may never be discouraged; for the bones are indeed
+very, very dry. We hear this wretched man has been beating the woman,
+finding his entreaties failed.
+
+_Oct. 10._--The Lord has blessed us with a little girl, and every
+thing has been ordered by him most happily, so that we have wanted
+nothing that the luxury or wealth of England could supply. Bless the
+Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me bless his holy name; for
+indeed he daily loadeth us with benefits.
+
+_Oct. 14._--The news of the state of things in France, and of the
+Revolution there, has led us to look up to our Lord to see what the
+end will be of these movements. That they will help on the coming
+kingdom of our Lord we know, but how we cannot yet see. We have
+also heard not only that France has taken possession of Algiers,
+but is marching towards Tunis. Thus, step by step, Turkey is being
+dismembered; and although by infidel principles and by infidel hands,
+yet perhaps preparing the way for the publication of the Lord's love
+to man. We have also understood that an English force of 4,000 men, in
+200 ships, are assembled at Malta with the view of attacking Egypt;
+but this we do not believe, but regard it as French news, calculated
+to bring us, in the eyes of the Turks, as guilty alike with them in
+attacking the Turkish dominions. However, all these things render our
+situation here very profitable, for we know not what a day may bring
+forth, and are therefore obliged to look solely to our Lord. Not that
+this Pasha cares much, perhaps, about the taking of Egypt by the
+English, or the general reduction of the empire, for such is the state
+of this country, that the security of every little despot depends on
+the weakness of the supreme power. Yet notwithstanding this there may
+break out paroxysms of popular fury, that however short are terrible.
+But the Lord is our secure and sufficient refuge, and when he has a
+people to save--his chosen ones--he will put a fear into the hearts
+of their enemies. The Revolution in France seems to be the Infidel
+against the Jesuit, or ultra-Papistical party, which may lead to the
+removal of the Archbishop of Babylon from his consular authority,
+though his ecclesiastical influence would not, perhaps, be lessened by
+this.
+
+_Oct. 17._--The value of the English protection is beginning here to
+be so fully understood and felt, that the first merchant in Bagdad
+came to Major T. begging to be taken under it, and when Major T.
+declined, he requested that his son might; and the Seyd, our landlord,
+in explaining the reason of his wish for the Resident to take up his
+cause, stated, that it was not so much in order to obtain any present
+benefit, as that the government might see that he interested himself
+about him; as this, he said, would prevent him being subject to those
+oppressions he had been exposed to before. In fact, I do not believe,
+that during the late heavy exactions that have been made from all
+degrees and kinds of people, one individual under English protection
+has suffered, or that an attempt has been made to oppress one. I do
+not now, or on any other occasion, mention these events as pieces of
+political intelligence, but as necessary to give a view of the signs
+of the times. This consideration for the English does not arise from
+love, as the most intense hatred is manifested when it may with
+safety, as well as the most unconquerable and haughty contempt of
+Christianity and Christians; it seems with this people of God's curse,
+as with the mystical whore, they are consuming away in preparation for
+final destruction by the brightness of his coming.
+
+Mr. Pfander's Persian Moolah has altogether refused to translate
+Persian with him. He says he will read and converse with him, but not
+translate; so great is their contempt of Christians, that though it
+is only the Gulistan of Sadi, and therefore no religious book, they
+will not teach it. In fact, the difficulty of getting teachers here is
+very great. The Christians know nothing--the Mohammedans very little,
+and what they do know they will not communicate to a Christian. But
+all this is ceasing and must come down.
+
+_Oct. 18._--Our hearts have been deeply affected by a conversation
+which Mr. Pfander has had with the Mohammedan Moolah, who teaches our
+boys Arabic. He was telling Mr. P. that he was greatly struck by our
+Lord's precept, not when you make a feast, to invite the rich or those
+who can invite you again, but the poor who cannot; and that from these
+considerations he had been led to invite to an entertainment he had
+provided, all the poor persons he knew, to the surprise of his
+friends, to whom he explained his reasons. He also told Mr. Pfander he
+had often wished he were an animal rather than a man. There appears
+altogether a degree of uneasiness in his mind that may lead further.
+Thus God is making his holy and blessed word a testimony to the hearts
+of some; oh! may every success here be such as bears only the mark of
+God's workmanship by his word and his Spirit. That there are many
+souls here which will feel the power of God's omnipotent word, I can
+never doubt, when it comes fully and clearly before them.
+
+The German Jew, whom I have several times before mentioned, seems
+determined to become a professing Christian. His mind is convinced,
+but his heart I fear little, if at all, affected. He abhors the lying
+abominations of Judaism, which he finds among his brethren. He has
+certainly come thus far without being induced by any worldly motives,
+for had he continued, or would he now return to live by begging for
+Jerusalem and writing lying amulets, he might easily do it. He wishes
+to go to Bombay, and there become a Christian.
+
+We have just heard that one of the boys of the school and his mother,
+who took him away from us, have both become Roman Catholics. The
+inducement to these Armenians is, generally, the pecuniary relief they
+obtain from the bishop here, who has the administration of some funds
+entrusted to him for religious uses, which he exclusively gives to
+Roman Catholics, and with this he bribes those who can have no other
+attachment to their system beyond that which is hereditary, for in all
+other things, and in practice, it would be difficult to say whether of
+the two were most corrupt. But we trust, by the good hand of our God
+upon us, one day to have different systems of judgment than that of
+one corrupt system against another, even the holy, pure, unadulterated
+word of God against the corruptions of all men and all nominal
+churches.
+
+We have heard, to our great sorrow, that the plague has returned again
+to Tabreez, and that all have again left it; and also that the cholera
+has again returned to Kerkook, and committed dreadful ravages. Thus
+the Lord seems visiting the kingdoms of the false prophet with his
+sore judgments and plagues.
+
+_Oct. 21._--There has just been acting here a scene of duplicity,
+falsehood, and bloodshed, which appears strange to us, but is not
+uncommon in this land of misrule and cruelty. A Capidji (or
+Ambassador) from the Porte to the Pasha has been long expected, and
+with evident anxiety by him and those immediately about him, which was
+increased to the highest pitch, when by a messenger from Aleppo, the
+Pasha received the intelligence, that this man's intention was to
+supersede him, and of course to destroy him. It then became the object
+of the Pasha to endeavour to get him into his hands, which was the
+more difficult, as it is usual for the Capidji to read publicly his
+firman, and proclaim the successor at Mousul, or some place near, who,
+collecting the Arabs, marches to lay siege to this place, till the
+head of the Pasha is delivered to him. To prevent this, therefore, the
+Pasha made the Imrahor, or Master of the Horse, who has the whole
+arrangement of the military force, to write a letter to the Capidji,
+begging him to come here at once, and that he would, without a
+struggle, give the head of Daoud Pasha into his hand, whereas if he
+remained at Mousul, there must be an open contention about it.
+
+By this he was allured to approach the city, and the Pasha sent out
+700 or 800 men under pretence of showing him honour, to meet him and
+secure him in case any accounts of the true state of the case should
+reach him, that he might have no possibility of flight. Thus he was
+brought into the city, and his quarters appointed in the house of the
+Musruff; when, after the Pasha had obtained from him the declaration
+of his object, a Divan was called, and it was determined to put him to
+death. This event has thrown the city into great consternation, and
+every one who can, is buying corn in expectation of what is to follow.
+For the tragedy will not end here, as a friend of the Capidji is left
+behind at Mousul, and another Capidji is at Diarbekr, waiting the
+result of this negociation. So it appears that the Sultan is
+determined to act at once and decidedly against this Pasha. We are
+now, therefore to expect a siege, and a state of anxiety and fear in
+this city for some months; but the Lord, who sitteth in the heavens,
+is ordering all for his own glory, and for our safety, and he will
+provide for us.
+
+_Oct. 22._--We have this day heard that the Syrian Patriarch of Merdin
+has recovered one of his churches from the Roman Catholics, and is, on
+the whole, making, in a certain sense, a more successful stand against
+them; but not in the spirit of Christ, I fear. He has two of his
+priests who had turned Roman Catholics in prison.
+
+This day our new Armenian teacher has arrived from Sheeraz. He seems
+an interesting man; but our final plans with him are not yet
+arranged.
+
+We have also heard that the school at Bushire, established by Mr.
+Wolff, is going on badly. He promised to send out a teacher and money,
+neither of which having arrived, the school has dwindled to seventeen,
+and these are neglected.
+
+It is the common conversation to-day in the Bazaar that the Capidji
+was put to death last night. This man was the Accountant General of
+the Porte, and formerly Kiahya. Our Arabic Moolah has been buying
+corn, in the expectation of the present state of things here
+terminating in an open contest, in which he thinks the Pasha, now
+having no hope, will throw himself into the hands of Abbas Meerza, and
+that thus Bagdad will again become subject to Persia. Amidst all these
+wars and rumours of wars, our path is to sit still and wait the Lord's
+pleasure, which he will assuredly manifest to our heart's content, for
+they that wait upon the Lord, shall not make haste, nor be confounded,
+world without end.
+
+Our schoolmaster has come to a full understanding of the principles
+on which we intend to conduct the school: to have nothing that is
+_contrary to God's word admitted_, and I think he very fully and
+heartily enters into this plan. But he informs us that the parents of
+many of the children are dissatisfied with our superseding the church
+prayers, called the Shanakirke, by the New Testament, and ask, "Who
+are these people? Are they wiser than our Bishops and ancient fathers,
+that we should reject what they introduced?" This is what we must
+expect. But we can, with a quiet heart, leave all to the Lord, to
+order as he will. That the schoolmaster is truly on our side I feel
+very thankful, and, I hope, the hearts of many of the children.
+
+_November 10._--After having waited now several weeks for an
+opportunity to send letters and a parcel, and not having found any,
+from the extreme vigilance there is here to prevent any communications
+going to Constantinople, I have determined to avail myself of the
+offer of an Austrian merchant here, to enclose them in a bale of goods
+going to Aleppo, and to have them forwarded thence to Constantinople.
+It is a great comfort to know that all the intelligence essential to
+our cause, as being God's, will reach, and all that is separate from
+that, though it may not be against it, is of little consequence.
+
+We have had two Armenian priests to converse with Mr. Pfander, one
+from Nisibin; and the other from Diarbekr. The one from Nisibin said
+they had no printed books among them, and that they were very anxious
+to go into the Russian provinces, but were afraid, since the death of
+the Russian Ambassador, to make any attempt to go.
+
+The Armenians seem going from all the Mohammedan states that they can
+to Russia. From Erzeroum, great numbers have gone to the Karabagh, and
+thus they may people the desolate provinces of Georgia. The other
+Armenian Priest, from Diarbekr, confirmed the information we had
+previously obtained, that the Armenian population of that city was
+5,000 houses,[17] about 25,000 of all ages, and that they have two
+schools there, containing about 300 children, but no one cared about
+them.
+
+  [17] This is the only mode in the East by which any estimate
+  of the population can be attempted. They count the number of houses,
+  and allow one with another, five souls to each house. Some contain
+  many more, and few contain less, so that even thus, it can be but very
+  imperfectly ascertained.
+
+It is now an understood fact, that the Capidji, or messenger of the
+Sultan, who was left behind at Diarbekr, when his companion came on to
+arrange the affairs of this Pashalic, is collecting troops around
+Diarbekr, to attack Bagdad. This, however, will most probably be now
+deferred till the spring. So we may then expect a siege, unless things
+are arranged before. The Capidji who has been put to death appears to
+have been a man of great distinction, and to have rendered great
+services to the Sultan, both during the war and subsequent to it.
+
+The priest of Diarbekr said, they were too far off to be helped either
+by the Russians or the English; but I cannot help thinking, for such a
+purpose as schools, or getting through their means a large body of
+persons acquainted with God's word, it would be a most important
+position. It presents, however, many difficulties, and at all events
+would require some time to be spent in some place preparatory to
+settling among them, to obtain a knowledge of the Turkish and Armenian
+languages, and for these preparatory studies, should there be no
+determining principle, perhaps Shushee would be the best position,
+as the brethren there all know English, and some Turkish, and some
+Armenian.
+
+We are now fast approaching the termination of our first year's
+residence in Bagdad, and the Lord's mercies towards us have been
+exceeding great. We have been surrounded by many things that would
+have been dangerous, had not the Lord checked them by bringing them to
+nothing, both from disease and enemies; but, as he promised, they have
+not come nigh us. We have borne the heat without any diminution of
+natural strength. We are altogether standing on a more advanced
+position, that on entering Bagdad we could have hoped. Things are
+in preparation for the knowledge of God's holy word being extended,
+and thus one great object of missionary labour is in the way of
+attainment. But still, while I feel assured of there being some choice
+fruit from here and there a fruitful bough, I at the same time feel no
+less assured, that the great harvest will be of wickedness, and that
+the pestilence of infidelity is the great spreading evil, not the
+spreading of Millennial blessedness. As it was in the days of Noah, so
+do I believe it will be at the coming of the Son of Man; and as it was
+in the days of Lot, the great mass of mankind will be taunting the
+Church with, "Where is the sign of his coming?" which shews plainly
+enough that this will be a doctrine of the Church in the latter days,
+or how should it be reviled; so that our Lord, in contemplating the
+general apostacy, said, "When the Son of Man cometh shall he find
+faith in the earth?" Oh, then, how happy is it to be among those who
+love his appearing, who long for the termination of that dispensation
+which witnessed the humiliation of the Church under the world, and the
+rise of that glorious kingdom which shall not be dissolved, and into
+which no sorrow or sighing can enter. I feel the languages to be a
+great barrier. Whether the Lord will pour down this among the other
+gifts of the latter days, I do not know, but at present it is a great
+exercise of a Missionary's patience, to ask even for the common
+necessaries of life; but to speak out the fulness of a full heart, so
+as to be understood and felt is very, very difficult. The difficulties
+in the way of a literary acquaintance with these languages are by no
+means so great, as the study may be pursued alone, but the colloquial
+language can only be learned by intercourse with men, and this is far
+more difficult to attain by an European, who may have a very good
+knowledge of the language of books, and still be little understood in
+speaking. But still the time spent in the learning of a language among
+a people, every thought, and purpose, and habit of whose lives are
+diverse from your own, has this advantage, that you become in some
+measure acquainted with their peculiarities before you are in a
+situation to offend against them.
+
+We have heard that the Emperor of Russia has conferred some honours on
+the family of this Pasha, who are Armenian Christians, in Teflis.
+Things are beginning to look unsettled in Persia. Contentions have
+already arisen between the Prince of Kermanshah and the Prince of
+Hamadan, which seems to be but the precursor of a general state of
+confusion on the death of the Shah; and doubtless amidst all these
+commotions the Lord will move on his way, and the day of his coming
+advance. Oh, may we all labouring abundantly in patience, wait for
+that day, that when it does come we may be found watching.
+
+We have some anxieties about our dear friends who are journeying
+towards us. Whether the intelligence of the state of the Pashalic may
+deter them, or whether they will come on, trusting in the Lord, it is
+our daily prayer for them, that he would guide and preserve them.
+
+Our communications with Tabreez seem almost closed. Since we received
+the letter from Mrs. ----, relative to their leaving Tabreez,
+and going by this to India, we have neither seen them, nor heard of
+them. Whether, therefore, they are gone by Shiraz, or whether they are
+detained, we cannot tell; but the roads will soon become impassable
+from snow in the lofty range of mountains over which they will have to
+come.
+
+I shall now conclude this portion of our little history, with
+assuring those we love, that the Lord has been better than all our
+fears and all our hopes. The more we have proved him, the more we have
+found him to be faithful and gracious, and that not one of the good
+things he has promised to faith has been wanting; but his love has
+abounded far beyond our faith, yea, and they will yet abound more and
+more. Let us then encourage one another to prove him more, that we may
+have deeper experience of his faithfulness. We find the prospect of
+the approaching coming of our Lord a corrective of the allurements of
+the world, and an encouragement to a simple surrender of all we have
+as his stewards, to him and his service, as their only legitimate and
+worthy object, who has redeemed us from death with his own precious
+blood, making us a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy
+nation, a peculiar people, that we might shew forth his praises. Oh!
+may the Holy Spirit dwell in us more powerfully, that we may be ever
+fulfilling his great and glorious purpose.
+
+Accounts have just come to us by letters from Tabreez, that the plague
+has been ravaging that devoted city till 23,000 of its inhabitants
+have fallen victims to it and the cholera, and that when this letter
+came off (Oct. 28), they were still dying eighteen of a day, and this
+is not confined to the city;--the villages of the surrounding country
+have equally suffered; half the inhabitants have been swept away, the
+corn has never been reaped, and the cattle were wandering about
+without owners. The missionaries from America had not arrived then;
+most probably they are deterred by the intelligence of the state of
+Tabreez. Our dear friends the N----'s had never enjoyed better
+health--thus preserved of the Lord in the midst of the general
+devastation: they are also for the present, at the request of the
+Prince, detained till an answer from the Indian government is again
+received respecting them. A famine seems the inevitable consequence of
+the plague and pestilence at Tabreez. Surely these are among the signs
+of the times; but the Lord's command to us is, Let not your hearts be
+troubled.
+
+We have received no intelligence from Shushee, but we heard from
+Tartars that the plague had been in the Karabagh, which makes us
+additionally anxious to hear from thence: but doubtless since the
+plague at Tabreez, all intercourse with Russia from that side has been
+interdicted. Mr. Zaremba mentioned, that he had to pass through seven
+quarantines between Erzeroum and Shushee.
+
+I may also just add, that we have finally arranged with our new
+schoolmaster from Shiraz. We had given particular directions to the
+person who proposed sending for him, that if money were any object to
+him, (which we heard it was not) he should write and let us know what
+he would require. He however came, and when he came, he wanted a sum
+equal to about L84. sterling a year. This I was both unable and
+unwilling to give, and therefore fixed L30. as the utmost, and the
+rest has been made up by the Armenians among themselves, excepting
+L18. which has been given by Major T. He speaks English imperfectly,
+but thoroughly understands Armenian, and will teach the elder boys
+grammar and translating. He will also superintend the girl's school
+for one or two hours in the morning, and teach Mrs. G. Armenian.
+We also hope, as soon as may be, to get some tracts and little
+school-books translated into vulgar Armenian, but all this must depend
+on the blessing of the Lord on our undertaking. This brother has
+joined the Church of England in Calcutta: but he is himself at present
+a strict Armenian, yet I hope, not a bigoted man. But all our past
+experience has led us to look to the Lord alone for all profitable
+help. Those whom we think promise every thing, often occasion nothing
+but anxiety, and those from whom we expect the least we have reason
+abundantly to bless God for having sent us:--so wisely, so graciously,
+and yet in so sovereign a way does the Lord bring to pass his
+purposes, and bless his servants, that every thought of confidence
+in any creature may be destroyed, and the soul, by a thousand
+disappointments, when it has reposed elsewhere, at last be compelled
+to learn only to repose on the bosom of its Father, where love and
+faithfulness eternally dwell, and convince the soul of its past
+expectations from any other source.
+
+
+_February 14, 1831._
+
+An offer has been made to us by one of the richest Armenian merchants
+here, to send, at his own expense, two camel loads of books any where
+we wish, which has of course been thankfully accepted; and we think of
+sending at least one load to Diarbekr. He has also bought from our
+Armenian teacher, those Bibles he had procured from the Bible Society
+at Calcutta, who, with the many thus obtained, has determined to send
+more Bibles from Bushire, where he has already 200, to Julfa and
+Ispahan, and the villages round about, in which he says there are
+above twenty churches.
+
+I have this day settled all my accounts, and find, after every thing
+is paid, including the expenses of my baggage from Bushire, and of the
+house for ourselves, and school for another year, that our little
+stock will last us, with the Lord's blessing, two months longer, and
+then we know not whence we are to be supplied, but the Lord allows us
+not to be anxious; he has so wonderfully provided for us hitherto,
+that it would be most ungrateful to have an anxious thought. Even for
+my baggage, Major T. only allowed me to pay half the charge, and he
+has moreover told me, that should I at any time want money, only to
+let him know and he will lend it me. Now, really, to find here such
+kind and generous friends, is more than we could have hoped, but thus
+the Lord deals with us, and takes away our fears. That we may many
+times be in straits I have no doubt, but the time of our necessity
+will be the time for the manifestation of our Lord's providential love
+and munificence.
+
+There is one peculiar feature that runs through all education in the
+eastern churches, that it professes to be religious, which gives us an
+opportunity of introducing such books as may be useful, without its
+exciting any surprise or suspicion, or opposition.
+
+_Feb. 16._--The Pasha has sent Major T. word of the ravages the plague
+is making in Sulemania. The government and all who have it in their
+power have quitted it. This account has spread much consternation, in
+addition to which two men from Sulemania arrived here ill of the
+plague, one of whom has recovered. Major and Mrs. T., with their usual
+generous kindness to us, have offered us an asylum with them should
+the plague come here, where we should enjoy this great advantage, that
+as the house stands close to the river, a supply of water can be
+obtained without communication with the city. But at present we do not
+clearly see our way: should our school be broken up, I see not so much
+difficulty; it would be a most valuable opportunity for Mrs. G. making
+progress in the language; but we wait on the Lord and he will guide
+us. These do indeed seem awful times for these lands. We cannot be
+too thankful for the peace and joy the Lord allows us to feel in the
+assurance of his loving care.
+
+I was much struck by a remark of our Moolah yesterday, when speaking
+of the horror he felt at the prospect of the plague coming here. He
+said, the sword he did not fear, but the plague he did, for one was
+the work of man, the other of God. I replied to him, that feeling this
+God who directs the plague, to be my father, who loved me, I knew he
+would not suffer it to come nigh me unless he had no longer occasion
+for me, and then it would come as a summons from a scene of labour and
+many trials to one of endless joy. He said, Yes, it is very well for
+you not to fear death, who believe Christ to have atoned for you; but
+I fear to die.
+
+_Feb. 19._--To-day we have heard that the above report of the plague
+being at Sulemania is false; that it has been there, but has now left
+it; so we know not what to believe.
+
+_Feb. 21._--The expenses attendant on our packages from Bombay to this
+place, are as great as from England to Bombay. The boxes of books and
+medicine, and the press, with three boxes of books from the Bible
+Society, cost twenty-five pounds. Aleppo would certainly be the
+cheapest way to send them by, and by far the most speedy. It would be
+a great comfort to us, if this communication should ever be opened,
+for then we might freely communicate with, and hear from those we
+love. I sent a packet across the desert the other day, which we have
+every reason to think was intercepted. In fact, it is now very
+doubtful if any of the many letters we have sent, have gone safe, and
+none have reached us for these six months.
+
+Intelligence came to-day, that the Sultan has ordered the Pasha
+of Mosul, and another Pasha who is dependant on this Pasha, to
+discontinue all communication with him, as the enemy of the Sultan. A
+few weeks will, most probably, conclude this long-continued struggle,
+and, we hope, the insecurity and confusion attendant on it; yet, the
+Lord knows his purposes, and we have only to execute his will.
+
+_Feb. 24._--We have just heard, by a letter that came from Aleppo by
+way of Merdin and Mosul, that the caravan which left this place more
+than three months ago, entered Aleppo about thirty days ago. They
+remained in the desert till the Pasha of Aleppo had quitted that place
+on his expedition against the Pasha of Bagdad, from the fear, that if
+they entered the town he would seize their camels for the use of his
+army. Much alarm is entertained here by the inhabitants as to the
+result of this attack. From past experience they are led to expect
+great lawlessness, from both friends and foes. May the Lord keep our
+hearts in perfect peace, stayed on him. We now begin to feel that it
+is very doubtful when we shall see our dear friends: certainly no
+caravan will pass the desert till all these disturbances are settled.
+It may be also possible, that the journal and packet of letters I sent
+packed in a bale of goods belonging to a merchant here, may yet reach
+their destination.
+
+_Feb. 28._--This day brought us news of the arrival of our very dear
+and long expected friends and fellow-labourers safe at Aleppo, on the
+11th of January, after many delays and many trials. We had never been
+allowed to doubt our Lord's most gracious dealings with us, but yet
+this overwhelmed us with joy and praise; and this welcome news reaches
+us just as our dear brother Pfander is on the point of leaving us
+alone. We received, at the same time, a packet of letters from most of
+our dearest friends in England, at the very moment when our little all
+was within a month of coming to a conclusion, telling us that the Lord
+had provided us with supplies for at least four months to come, which
+we might draw for. Surely the Lord has most graciously seen fit to dry
+up those sources from whence we anticipated supply, that we might know
+we depend on him alone, and see how he can supply even here; we were
+ashamed of every little anxious feeling we had ever had, and were much
+encouraged to trust him more and more. My soul is led to abhor, more
+and more, that love of independence which still clings to it, when I
+see how it would shut me out from these manifestations of my Father's
+loving care. Oh! how hard it is to persuade the rebellious will and
+proud heart, that to depend on your Father's love for your constant
+support, is more for the soul's health, than to be clothed in purple
+and fare sumptuously every day--or at least, as we would say, on bare
+independence; and yet how plain it is to spiritual vision.
+
+We met together in the evening to bless the Lord for the past, and
+supplicate his continued blessing for the future--that he would
+accomplish what he had begun, that our hearts may never cease to
+praise and bless him. My soul was much comforted, especially with a
+text to which one of our dear correspondents called my attention,
+Zeph. iii. 17. "The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty, he
+will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy, he will rest in his
+love; he will joy over thee with singing." All the letters amounted to
+twenty-six, which, after so long an interruption of all intelligence,
+was an especial source of joy. And now we can think of our dear
+friends definitely as absolutely at Aleppo, only waiting for the
+termination of disturbances to join us.
+
+To-day, a Chaldean, from near Julimerk, came to see us, and we expect
+him again, with his brother, who, he says, can read, when I hope to
+obtain from him a fuller account of the state, numbers, and
+disposition, of his wild countrymen.
+
+A Mohammedan Effendi was with me to-day; a very amiable young man, who
+sees many things in the customs of his people bad, arising out of the
+Mohammedan laws. He came to borrow an Arabic bible for, he said, a
+poor schoolmaster, which I gladly lent him. Whether it be really for a
+schoolmaster, or for himself, I do not know.
+
+_March 4._--Read this morning, with peculiar pleasure, Hawker's
+Evening Portion: "How shall we sing the Lord's song in a strange
+land:" heightened as it was by the localities of our situation; but
+above all, by the unity of our experience with the sentiments of the
+writer; for we have indeed found the love of our Father, the pastoral
+care of our Elder Brother, and the consolation and visits of our
+Comforter, that which has enabled us to sing the Lord's song in this
+strange land, even the song of the redeemed.
+
+_March 13._--The time is now fast approaching when we expect the
+struggle for the Pashalic to commence, at the conclusion of the
+Ramazan. Yet it may all pass over, for the government of Turkey is so
+utterly without principle, that by a well timed application of money,
+all difficulties may be surmounted with the Porte, and as the Pasha
+seems now disposed to meet this desire, it may, especially in the
+present difficulties of the Sultan with Russia, lead, after all, to an
+amicable termination of one year's anxiety and suspense. We are now
+especially anxious for the pacification of these countries, that our
+dear friends may be able to pass over the desert, as our dear and kind
+brother Pfander left us last evening for Ispahan. It was a great
+rending to us all, and has left a vacuum we cannot easily hope to have
+filled up in all its parts; and till our dear brothers and sisters
+come, we shall be very solitary, and very much pressed; but our
+strength will be as our day. Had he seen it right to remain I might
+have crossed the desert to our dear friends; but this not being the
+case, it is impossible for me to leave this, and perhaps in the
+present state of things here, from apprehensions of plague and war, it
+would have been impracticable even if he had remained.
+
+Caravans pass much more frequently between this place and Damascus
+than between this and Aleppo, and it appears to me the shorter and
+better way of communication to Bayrout and Damascus to Bagdad than by
+Aleppo. Three caravans have passed over the desert from hence to
+Damascus within these few months. With one of these an Armenian with
+his wife and children went, and with another several Mohammedan
+families; thereby hoping to avoid the troubles they expected here. So
+at least we may venture for our Lord what men venture for their own
+various interests. In fact, it does not appear that any further danger
+is incurred than that of being plundered, or perhaps only a heavy
+exaction from the Arab tribes through whom the caravan passes, whose
+interest it is not to press so hard upon caravans as that they shall
+be stopped coming, but to levy a tax upon them sufficiently
+considerable to help to support the tribe.
+
+An English merchant and a Consul are about settling, if not
+already settled, at Damascus, which will still further facilitate
+communications; and besides the road from Beyraut to Damascus is much
+better than that from Latakeea to Aleppo. This arrangement, as well as
+that at Trebisand, shows that these countries are becoming the objects
+of public, or rather mercantile, interest.
+
+A Jew came to borrow an Arabic bible from me which I have let him
+have. Another Jew was with me yesterday, who translated the Hebrew
+into Arabic very tolerably; but, generally, they only learn to read,
+without understanding what they read.
+
+An Armenian Priest has just come to ask for four or five Armenian
+Bibles, to send to some villages between Hamadan and Teheran. This is
+a plan we like better than sending many to one place, not only as
+spreading knowledge further, but also from the greater probability of
+their being read.
+
+We have just seen another of the Chaldeans, from the mountains. He
+says that they understand the Syrian Scriptures; so that at least I
+hope to send a letter to the Bishop, with a copy or two of the Syrian
+Bible I have with me, that when they return next year they may bring
+me an account whether they understand them or not; and also it will
+serve as a means of opening a personal communication with their chief;
+as, by that time it may be possible that one or two of us may be able
+to return with these men to the mountains. As far as their personal
+assurances go, they promise me a most welcome reception. One of these
+people told me, if I would come to his village, he would kill a sheep
+for me, and I should have plenty, and 200 walnuts for two-pence; they
+said every thing was very abundant there and very cheap. Their pride
+seems much gratified by their being the head and the Mohammedans the
+tail in the mountains; so that they cannot open their mouths, or raise
+their hands against them.
+
+_March 15._--A packet of letters has just arrived from Shushee, after
+more than six months interruption, three days after our dear brother
+had left us. However, we got the messenger to set off immediately to
+overtake him, and he having seen the caravan on the way, promised to
+return in five days. In this packet I also received one letter from
+our dear brother J. B. Dublin, a note from dear Mr. R. informing me of
+his having forwarded the books to the brethren at Shushee. Surely they
+are worthy for whom he has done this, and he will be happy in being
+thus a fellow-helper in the truth. Mr. Knill also mentions their
+arrival safe at Petersburgh, and his purpose of forwarding them to
+Shushee. It has been a year of great trial at Shushee for the mission,
+but of exactly what nature and to what extent we know not, nor how
+things now stand in the communications to our dear fellow-helper who
+has just left us, as they are in German; but should he not be able on
+the road to write us a full account, he doubtless will when he has
+reached Kermanshah or Hamadan.
+
+We hear that the prince royal is marching against his brother the
+Prince of Kerman, by way of Ispahan, the roads, therefore, are very
+unsettled in Persia, but the Lord will encamp round about our brother
+and bear him safely through.
+
+_March 16._--The letters we yesterday received from Tabreez assured us
+of the willingness of the Armenian Bishop to have a school as soon as
+a fit person could be found; and on reading one of the tracts from
+Shushee, he said he would read it in his church to his flock. Mrs. N.
+also mentions the willingness among the Mohammedans to receive the
+New Testament, and that in many instances, pleasing results have
+manifested themselves; but of what kind she does not mention. She
+mentions also one of the principal Mohammedan merchants asking for a
+Testament to read on his road to Mecca. May the Lord stop him by it
+before he gets there, at the gates of the heavenly Jerusalem. In fact,
+there is room in these parts for much preparatory work, when the time
+comes that the power of the Gospel shall have taken such root as to
+show by the power and individuality it gives to the Christian
+character that their craft is in danger. They will do as they have
+done in Shushee; but by the Lord's blessing it may then be too late.
+What appears to me to require the greatest patience and the most
+unwavering perseverance, is the language; for, while on the one hand
+there is every thing to encourage, if we only take the burthen of the
+day on the day, there is such a natural tendency in the mind of man
+to accumulate all the difficulties together, and make one great
+impassable mountain, that it becomes more difficult than many would
+imagine, to go on successfully and happily like a little child. That
+measure of knowledge of a language which so enables one to move about
+in the common transactions of life, does not seem difficult to attain;
+but to be able to state clearly the power of moral distinctions, to
+detect the fallacy of false systems, and put beside them the true
+light of life, is another and a very difficult thing, but yet the Lord
+doubtless sees in this reasons of immense weight, or he would again
+bestow upon us the gifts of the Spirit as before.
+
+God our Father has most marvellously eased our way, and so great has
+been the kindness of our ---- here, that he would do any thing
+he could for us. He even told me the other day, never to let our work
+stand still for want of funds, for should I ever want any he would
+gladly supply me, and lend me for my personal wants whatever I might
+need. Now when we consider there is but one English family now
+resident in Bagdad besides our own, how like the Lord's acting it is
+to make them willing to supply to us the necessary help: not only does
+the Lord supply us with means necessary for our expense, but does not
+allow us when our little fund gets low, to know the anxiety of
+expecting, or thinking what we should do. And, surrounded as we have
+been these many months, by the alarm of war and the fear of plague or
+cholera, even our dear native islands have not been without their
+anxieties; but I have been much struck of late with the peculiar
+dealings of God towards his chosen; as of old, the pillar that was all
+darkness to the enemy, was light to the church in the wilderness, so
+now all this dark cloud, the darkness of which may be felt, which is
+spreading from one end of the Christian and Mohammedan world to the
+other, has, towards the church in her pilgrimage, its full steady
+bright light surmounted by "Behold he cometh!" Blessed assurance! But
+a little day of toil, and then we shall come with him, or rise to join
+his assembled saints, dressed all anew, with our house from heaven,
+that spiritual clothing meet for the new creature in Christ Jesus. Oh,
+what glorious liberty we are heirs to, as children of God, one day to
+love our Eternal Father, Son, and Spirit, with unalloyed affections,
+when our whole nature shall be again on the side of God, and not a
+place left for the enemy to put his foot to harass the heir of glory.
+
+_March 17._--A Chaldean Roman Catholic priest has been here to-day,
+and read me the same passages of the Psalms in the Chaldean and Syrian
+languages, and there appears to be no other difference than in
+character, as far as he read. The Syrians, the Chaldeans, and the
+Jews, might become most valuable objects of missionary labour, not
+only as being in greater numbers here, but from the great similarity
+of their languages, so that the mastering of the one would be to the
+mastering of the three, with very little additional trouble. I
+endeavoured to find out from him the difference between the spoken
+and written languages, and as far as he produced illustrations, the
+difference was only in pronunciation; the words seemed substantially
+the same. But there is a very strong prejudice to contend with in all
+those among these people who know any thing of these languages, in the
+contempt in which they hold their vulgar, and the reverence and
+sanctity they attach to their old language, so that I think tracts, in
+the shape of paraphrases on particular parts of the Scriptures, would
+be exceedingly valuable among them, as well as tracts generally. I
+trust we shall be able to turn our attention to these when we are
+able, from our knowledge of the languages, to judge sufficiently of
+translations or compositions.
+
+_March 18._--This evening the messenger I sent after Mr. Pfander with
+the letters from Shushee, returned with a letter, which I shall here
+insert, as it supplies a good deal of information concerning the dear
+brethren in the Karabagh.
+
+                   "_In the Desert near the Village Bakoobah_,
+                              "_17th March, 1831._
+
+     "My dear Brother,
+
+     "I am very much obliged to you, that you sent this man after me
+     with the letters from Shushee. He reached us a day's journey
+     and a half from Bagdad. We advance very slowly, only from five
+     to ten English miles a day, on account of the spring season,
+     when the Dschervedars[18] feed their horses on grass, and
+     because they waited for other parties which had yet been
+     behind. The weather is very fine; we had rain twice, but only
+     slightly. The remaining time of the day I spend in reading, and
+     conversation with the Persians in the caravan. The first day I
+     felt very solitary, but the second, and since, the Lord
+     afforded me plenty of opportunity to give testimony of him who
+     is our Saviour and Lord, and to distribute several tracts and
+     books among my fellow travellers, and this rejoiced my heart
+     greatly. According to the manner of our present travelling we
+     shall not be in Kermanshah till after twenty days. They speak
+     in the caravan from fear of the Arabs after this; but it will
+     be easy for the Lord to bring me safely through. The caravan is
+     increased to about 500 horses and 180 persons.
+
+       [18] Muleteers.
+
+     "Now something out of dear Zaremba's letters; but I had only
+     time to read them once over, so that I am not able to give you
+     any regular extracts out of them. Should I forget any thing I
+     will write it from Kermanshah or Hamadan. The letter was of
+     December last. All had been attacked with sickness more or
+     less, and dear Brother Sallett, stationed at Teflis, was called
+     home: he died of the cholera.
+
+     "The circumstance with the Armenians is this: The two deacons
+     did go on in their spiritual life prosperously, and continued
+     to give testimony of the truth. This excited so much the hatred
+     of the Armenian clergy against them, that soon after Zaremba's
+     arrival in Shushee from Erzeroum, the Armenian Archbishop of
+     the Karabagh desired to have them sent as prisoners to
+     Etchmiazin, the seat of the Armenian Catholicos,[19] near
+     Erivan. This the Russian Governor of Shushee, after he was
+     informed of it from Zaremba, did not allow. So it got a little
+     quiet: but these young Armenians thought it impossible, at
+     present, to remain longer in Georgia, and so they prepared for
+     their departure to Germany. But during this time the Armenian
+     clergy got an order from the Russian Governor of Teflis, that
+     the two deacons should appear before a council in Etchmiazin.
+     The Governor in Shushee did again so much for them, that they
+     should go to Teflis, and be allowed to lay their case before
+     the governor. Zaremba went with them, though he was not quite
+     well. The one of these deacons, he who assisted Dittrich in
+     translation, died there, happy in his Lord. The other went
+     at last, but in a very good state of mind and heart, to
+     Etchmiazin, putting his confidence in his Lord, for whom he was
+     going to suffer. The brethren had not yet heard more of him
+     than his arrival there. During the time Zaremba was at Teflis,
+     the cholera took daily many away, and some days before his
+     departure, our beloved Saltett, as mentioned before. Zaremba
+     got worse too, but reached Shushee again. After his arrival, he
+     and Hohenaker, and Dittrich had been attacked from the cholera,
+     but recovered again. During this time the person from
+     Etchmiazin arrived in Shushee, and preached and spoke against
+     our brethren, and condemned all the persons who sent their
+     children to them. So the school was broken up. But now the
+     children are beginning to collect again, and the school is
+     again opened. Dittrich was with his family, yet at Teflis,
+     where Zaremba wrote the letter. Hohenaker was gone to the
+     German village, where you stopped, and Haas was kept in Moscow,
+     in quarantine, because of the cholera. Two Armenian tracts had
+     been printed in Moscow, and the copies of the first were
+     already in Shushee. In Shushee they are printing the Armenian
+     Dictionary.
+
+       [19] Patriarch.
+
+     "With our not going to the mountains, they are quite contented;
+     but they think I should rather go to Tabreez than to Ispahan,
+     where I might go at any other time. I do not yet know what I
+     shall do. I shall see how the Lord will lead me. But this is
+     clear now, that a long stay at Ispahan I must give up. Zaremba
+     writes further, that he has now little hope to be able to go
+     any more on a journey, and therefore they rather wish that I
+     should travel and do the Lord's work in the neighbourhood of
+     Shushee, as long as the door is yet open. I cannot reject this,
+     and so I must for the present give up my plans for travelling
+     in Persia. If the way to Ispahan should be quite open, I would
+     go thither, distribute books, and see that I might be in
+     Shushee in July; if not, I shall go direct to Shushee.
+
+     "The case with the mission in Shushee, is now laid before the
+     Emperor, and so they are waiting what decision they may receive
+     from thence; but they are sure that the Lord will direct and
+     order every thing as it will be best, and therefore are not
+     discouraged. The Russian government does not yet in the least
+     hinder them in their work.
+
+     "My letters all arrived safely at Shushee, and the cause of
+     their not writing, was their own sickness and the plague all
+     round about them. It does not seem that one of our letters was
+     lost. Boxes with Armenian and Persian books are in Tabreez.
+     They speak good of the Americans. For the news in your letter I
+     thank you: we live certainly in a most eventful time, and we
+     have therefore the more to work so long as it is yet day. May
+     the Lord mightily bless you, your family, and work. In him,
+     under every circumstance, we have every reason to be glad and
+     to rejoice that we have him on our side.
+
+                               "Your affectionate brother,
+                                                 "C. G. PFANDER."
+
+     "P.S. From Alexander Kasembeg[20] they received a letter which
+     rejoiced them much. It seems to be good with him.
+
+       [20] This affords us unfeigned joy, as we had heard
+       from one who was with him in Cazan, an account that made
+       us a little anxious about him.
+
+     "The other Armenian in Baku[21] came to Shushee to be employed
+     in distributing tracts and Bibles. He has already made a
+     journey into Georgia, and preaches to Armenians and Turks."
+
+       [21] This is the Armenian whose history I gave a
+       little account of before, as the son-in-law of the richest
+       merchant in Baku, who has given up all the prospects of his
+       connection with his father-in-law, which are very considerable,
+       to endure afflictions with the people of God. This young
+       Armenian is another proof of the immense importance of having
+       those to bear testimony to the power of the Spirit's work in
+       regenerating the soul in the image of him that created it, from
+       among themselves. The people can see in him the contrast
+       between the past and the present man. They have also a
+       knowledge of the peculiar modes of thinking and feeling among
+       those with whom they have been educated, and been in the
+       closest terms of intimacy with from their infancy, that they
+       cannot have with foreigners.
+
+The two dear and most interesting deacons, of whom one is mentioned as
+having died in the faith in his way to suffer for the truth, and the
+other has gone to witness alone before his enemies and persecutors at
+Etchmiazin, were both in the school at Shushee, and in the study of
+and translating the word of God, had been led step by step, to see
+through the errors of the system by which they were bound.
+
+Another proof of the progress of the same spirit manifested itself in
+our infant beginnings. The two little Armenian boys who live with us,
+eat and live as we do; on being asked by the boys without, why they
+did not fast as their nation did for fifty days? without any knowledge
+or direction from me, they set about selecting from the New
+Testament, in conjunction with my own little boys, those passages
+which bear on the question, and which shew that if we eat not we are
+none the better, and if we do eat, none the worse. Remarks of a
+similar kind have many times occurred in the course of our
+translations from the Testament. At all events, there is a growing
+tendency in the minds of the children, to feel that God's word is the
+one rule on which they must justify all they impose, and thence the
+necessity of understanding it; and these principles upset at once the
+whole system of ignorant mummery which is now called or thought to be
+the religion of Jesus here. If it be the Lord's pleasure to spare our
+lives, and grant us the ability and opportunity to publish his truth,
+results will follow to rejoice our hearts, I have no doubt: God has
+declared it shall not return to him void, nor shall it. And to the
+Mohammedans also these converts from among the fallen churches become
+invaluable preachers, from their vernacular facility in the language,
+and from their being continually exposed to the question, why they do
+not do so and so; they are called upon by the very necessity of their
+position to defend with meekness and wisdom their new position;
+whereas, with us, they are satisfied with just simply making up their
+minds to this, that theirs is best for them, and yours best for you.
+
+_March 20._--The Moolah yesterday, in speaking of the contest between
+the Pasha and the Sultan, said, that if the English would guarantee
+both sides, both might be satisfied and make peace; but that if not,
+they would never believe one another, for says he, every Osmanli will
+lie. This opinion of their own low moral condition, is universal among
+Turks and Persians. This man has often said to me, No Osmanli cares
+for more than his own bread, and if that is safe, the whole empire may
+be destroyed.
+
+Two tribes of Arabs, whom the Pasha has brought up to help him in the
+approaching contest, in consequence of some feud between them, came to
+blows, and all last night and this morning were firing at one another
+in that quarter of the city which is on the other side of the river,
+where they are stationed.--It caused much alarm, and may be but a
+precursor to general confusion and greater trials; but the Lord
+Jehovah who sitteth on the everlasting hills, is our shield and
+defence. The firing has since ceased, and one of the tribes has been
+driven out of Bagdad.
+
+_March 21._--This day the packet of letters came by Bombay, which were
+sent off about four months after we left, and therefore have been
+about eighteen months on the road. The best way is to put all letters
+into the post-office, paying the postage, and they will then come
+generally in about eight months by Bombay, free of all expense but
+that paid in England; and it would afford us peculiar pleasure if
+our dear friends would write regularly by this route, for the
+opportunities by Constantinople are either rare or expensive.
+
+How strikingly do these letters prove the truth of our Lord's
+declaration, that those who leave father or mother, &c. for his sake
+and the gospel's, shall find a hundred fold, fathers, mothers,
+brothers, sisters, houses, lands, with persecutions. Surely we are
+rich indeed, in the love of the saints of our Lord, and in their
+prayers for us. These letters prove that our weak childish faith has
+not been without the Lord's blessing on his own work. Oh! then, what
+might be expected if we had been strong in the Lord and in the power
+of his might? Perhaps, however, he who has led us hitherto,
+insignificant as we are, may lead us onward still to magnify his grace
+in our weakness. Surely no missionaries, with so few pretensions to
+the love and confidence of the church of God, ever received more solid
+proofs of deep and hearty interest than we have during these ten
+months; this is no small point gained, and I think we may go further,
+and add, that many have been led by this weak effort of faith in us,
+to take steps they might not otherwise have ventured upon. I do not
+desire, for one moment, to set myself in opposition to those blessed
+institutions whose labours roused us from our lethargy: but only this
+I must say, that I do not think their plan is the best, or the only
+good one. Notwithstanding, I desire to bless God for them, and to
+co-operate with them, whenever I can. I do rejoice, with most
+unfeigned joy, at any honour God bestows upon them, and I should
+rejoice to see them multiplied a hundred fold; for whosoever brings a
+stone to the temple of our Lord and king, by whatever different means
+they may have laboured with from ourselves, shall be our father,
+mother, sister, brother. The only end we know of existence is the
+manifestation of that temple, and may the king's blessing and favour
+rest on the head of every one who labours for it, at home or abroad,
+under established institutions, or in any other way. By all, Christ is
+preached, and God the Father glorified, and the power of the Holy
+Ghost manifested. Unprofitable servants as we are, weak in faith, and
+infirm in purpose, except as the Lord day by day lifted us up, as it
+were, with one hand, and covered us with the other, and enabled us to
+stagger on our way; still, we cannot but feel that the Lord's goodness
+and care, which our weakness has elicited, may have moved in some
+small degree the hearts of the little band of six, who are coming to
+join us; and I hear that their simplicity and faith has yet further
+stirred up the spiritual affections of others to go and do
+likewise--but these are early days; if it be of the Lord, he will
+bless it; if not, we desire to be the first to lay our hands on our
+lips, and our faces in the dust, saying, We were deceived; the cause
+is the Lord's, not ours; with him we will leave its prosperity and
+defence.
+
+_March 28._--The plague has now absolutely, we believe, entered this
+unhappy city. Major T. and all those connected with the residency are
+preparing to leave for the mountains of Kourdistan; they have most
+kindly invited us to go with them and form part of their family; this
+is most truly kind, and there are many things to recommend it--the
+opportunities it would afford M. for learning Armenian, and me Arabic,
+and for observation on the country and people, besides our being
+delivered from all apparent danger either from the sword which
+threatens us from without, or the pestilence within. The absence of
+all these friends and so many of the principal Christian families who
+are going with them, leaves us exposed to the bigotry of the people in
+any tumults that may arise--all these things presented themselves to
+our minds. But there are considerations that outweigh these in our
+minds: in the first place, we feel that while we have the Lord's work
+in our hands we ought not to fly and leave it; again, if we go, it is
+likely that for many months we cannot return to our work, whereas the
+plague may cease in a month; opportunities of usefulness may arise in
+the plague that a more unembarrassed time may not present; and our
+dear friends from Aleppo may come and find no asylum. The Lord gives
+great peace and quietness of mind in resting under his most gracious
+and loving care, and as the great object of our lives is to illustrate
+his love to us, we believe that in the midst of these awful
+circumstances, he will fill our tongues with praise as he does fill
+our hearts with peace.
+
+I have just heard, that some Englishmen have been circulating tracts
+at Julfa, an Armenian town in the neighbourhood of Ispahan, and that
+the bishop has prohibited their circulation; this shews what we have
+to expect.
+
+I believe I have many times mentioned the deeprooted opposition which
+exists among the clergy and literary men in the East, to having any
+thing translated into the vulgar dialects: they are worse than the
+literati of Europe used to be with their Latin, many among whom, but
+lately came to see that it was no disgrace to communicate their ideas
+in a vernacular dress: as the common sense of mankind has triumphed
+over the literary pride of the learned, so we shall find that babes
+will one day overthrow the literary pride of these orientals. I
+obtained, the other day, a translation of one of Carus Wilson's little
+stories, into the vulgar Armenian of this place, for the little girls.
+The contrast between the effect produced by reading this in an
+intelligible language, and their usual lessons, was most striking: in
+the one there is of necessity a perfect indifference; but on reading
+the other, they begged and entreated they might have it to carry home,
+which is promised them for next week. Of this I had no doubt before;
+but the experiment has been most gratifying and encouraging.
+
+_March 29._--Yesterday Dr. Beagrie and Mr. Montefiore went and saw
+several patients they thought afflicted with the plague; but their
+minds were not perfectly made up. To-day, there is no longer any
+doubt. I accompanied Mr. Montefiore, in his visits, and now there are
+about twenty, and the number is increasing. Thus, then, this long
+expected scourge has visited this city, and our Father only knows when
+the awful visitation may cease. We can only cast ourselves on his holy
+and loving hands for safety or peace: into these hands we do cast
+ourselves, with all that is dearest to us in this world. We have
+proved our Jesus to be the Captain and Author of our hopes, and always
+found that in the power of his name we have obtained the victory.
+Nothing but the Lord's loving pity can prevent the most awful
+extension of the disease; not only are the people crowded together,
+two or three dying in one room, but the intercourse is perfectly
+unrestricted in all parts of the city, so that I fear what is now
+confined to one quarter, and might possibly, by a vigilant government
+be kept there, is spreading in all directions. We have, therefore,
+been forced to the most painful step of breaking up our school, for it
+would have been quite impossible to collect together eighty children
+from different parts of the city, without exposing all to danger. May
+the Lord enable us profitably to avail ourselves of our retirement, to
+cultivate a more extended communion with him who is our life. Dear M.
+is much staid on her God, and feels that as he has been, so he will be
+to us a hiding place in every storm.
+
+_April 1._--The plague is still increasing, but apparently not
+rapidly. We wait the Lord's pleasure in our own house. The only
+inconvenience is want of water, which cannot be had from without; and
+they say that when the plague becomes intense all the water carriers
+cease to ply; but the Lord hath said, in the time of famine ye shall
+be satisfied; on this promise we rest in peace.
+
+Two English gentlemen set off to-morrow across the desert with a
+single guide to Damascus, to examine the means of communication by
+water between the Mediterranean and Aleppo. From thence, should they
+be spared, they purpose going to Beer, and thence pass down the
+Euphrates with the view of ascertaining its fitness for steam
+navigation. Surveys have already been completed between this and
+Bussorah, of both the Tigris and Euphrates, by Mr. Ormsby, in part
+assisted by Mr. Elliot, and from Ana to Felugia by Captain Chesney
+of the Royal Artillery, and there remains between Beer and Ana to
+be examined. Through all that has yet been surveyed there is no
+obstruction, but it is expected there will be a little labour required
+in one or two points of what remains to be surveyed, before steam
+communications could proceed on the rivers. If these gentlemen thus
+labour for what perishes in the using, and run such risks, going as
+they are across the desert with a guide, whose language they do not
+understand, ought it to be called tempting God, in us going for such a
+work as ours is, to run similar risks and encounter similar dangers.
+
+The deaths at present from the plague are confined to the Mohammedans
+and the Jews. To avoid it, many of the Jews have gone to Bussorah,
+and the Kourds who brought it here have fled from the city; a large
+caravan of Christians are now thinking of returning to Mosul, who were
+driven from Mosul three or four years ago by plague and its attendant
+famine.
+
+The poor Jews have been robbed of every thing by the Arabs, and sent
+naked back, and there seems little better prospect for those who are
+going to Mosul: they have the Arabs on one side the road, and the
+Kourds on the other.
+
+It is striking how fully and simply the Mohammedans admit the expected
+coming of our Lord and the end of the world. The end of our Lord's
+coming they conceive to be to set his seal to Mohammed's mission, and
+that all Christians will become Mohammedans. Still these fundamental
+errors in their views do not prevent a clear and distinct expectation
+similar to that of the heathen at the time of our Lord's coming.
+Certainly no people can have a worse opinion of the state of the
+professors of their religion than the Mohammedans have; still, with
+the loss of zeal for their own, their heart seems full of a strong
+delusion to believe a lie, and hate the way of life, and above all,
+the Lord who is the true God and eternal life.
+
+How blessed the 91st Psalm feels at such moments as these, in looking
+round on one's little family, to know that every arrow that flies,
+winged with death, is no random shot, but that the Lord who is your
+life, and by whom your life is hid in God, directs them all. Call upon
+me, says the Lord, in the day of trouble, and I will deliver _thee_,
+and thou shalt _glorify me_. Blessed Lord, when thou hast (as thou
+most assuredly wilt do) delivered us, may we never forget to glorify
+and bless thee. Oh! what a blessed feeling it is to know that you are
+not under the general but especial and particular government of
+Jehovah--that he has redeemed you, and you are his--that he has
+engraven you on the palms of his hands; and that day and night he is
+watching to preserve you.
+
+_April 3._--An immense crowd of poor Jews left the city this morning,
+to escape the destruction of the plague. The Christians also are
+leaving in every direction they can find open. I fear these poor
+creatures in their flight can hardly fail to carry the plague with
+them.
+
+I have lately read several of Erskine's works, or little portions of
+his writings, and never did I see the pernicious effects of system
+displayed more legibly than in several of his most interesting, but as
+a whole, most delusive publications. In his view of Gospel freeness,
+and other places where similar views to those contained in that little
+work are promulgated, there seems, to my mind, a radical defect, that
+nothing in so good a man accounts for but the baneful effects of a
+system, and a secret insurmountable repugnance to the sovereignty of
+God's government, and the individuality of God's election in Christ
+Jesus, from before the foundation of the world. I do not mean that
+these doctrines are denounced; but they evidently are not entertained
+as the comfort and consolation of the soul, nor as they are
+represented by the Apostles, as the most overwhelming reasons for
+unlimited devotion to his service, who has thus chosen us with our
+bodies, souls, and spirits, which are his. He talks of spreading the
+beauty of the Lord Jesus, and the excellency of God's love, not only
+as the pasture of their souls, who are born again of the Spirit, of
+which they undoubtedly are the legitimate, the only food and means of
+their spiritual growth, but as the cause of spiritual life in the
+unregenerate by being believed. Now, this appears to me a radical and
+fundamental error. Food does not give life, though it sustains and
+expands it. What he says of the effects of love, in moulding the soul
+to the likeness of the object beloved, is most true; but in order to
+the existence of this love, not merely faith in God's love seems to be
+necessary, nor the reality of the things promised, but such a new
+creation in the soul, as shall see a desirableness in it and them.
+As we see in nature, when the heart is engaged by one object of
+affection, any demonstration of affection from another, which involves
+the relinquishment of it, not only does not give pleasure, but
+positive pain, though you know its reality, purity, and intensity; the
+fact is, the affections are occupied, and there is no place. So it is
+by nature with every man, and while he remains in this state, no
+knowledge of love, however real, intense, and devoted, when he sees
+its tendency to disconnect him from the only source of known
+enjoyment, by the substitution of that which he has no senses to
+appreciate, will ever be found available. It appears to me, that the
+spiritual immortal generation of the second Adam, the Lord from
+heaven, is in Scripture represented to be as real and absolute as the
+generation from our earthly head, and only invisible from being
+spiritual. It has its proper food, its proper growth. Without being
+thus begotten from above, though you could display all the beauties of
+him who is the chief among ten thousand, the altogether lovely, though
+you could display all the Father's love to the church from the day he
+commanded his gathering it, till this day, it would be as powerless as
+spreading the most sumptuous banquet before the dead.
+
+With respect to the general design of vindicating the government of
+God from the charge of partiality, which I feel to be at the bottom of
+Mr. Erskine's views, I do not see that the Lord has committed it to
+us, but, whenever in the Old Testament or in the New, he pleads with
+his children against their ingratitude, it is from the specialty of
+his love. He does not say to the Israelites, I have dealt with you
+after a common dealing with all; but, with what nation has the Lord
+dealt as with Israel. So, in the New, he says, "I have chosen you, not
+you me." In the prayer of our Lord, in John xvii. in the Epistles of
+Paul and Peter--in the Revelations, and so in all the called and
+chosen, and faithful, who are written in the Lamb's book of life, and
+have been from the foundation of the world, from the beginning to the
+end, I see a constant reference made, and the warmest and most
+enlarged attachment of the affections demanded, on the ground of
+peculiar, especial, and personal choice on the part of God. That all
+this is consistent with every perfection of God's character, and,
+therefore, with his equal justice and mercy, I have the fullest
+assurance, but that we are in possession of the means of shewing it,
+or that the Lord requires it at our hands, I feel fully assured of the
+contrary. And the danger Mr. E. seems to apprehend from stating the
+doctrines of election as they are usually stated, are more imaginary
+than real. For God, who by his Holy Spirit begets the soul again in
+the likeness of the divine nature, gives to that nature thus begotten
+the power of discriminating in its food between night-shade and sweet
+pasture.--When he has created in the soul of any human being the love
+of himself, he gives him, with this love, the privilege to rejoice
+that his name is written in heaven, and the minister of Christ is by
+no means embarrassed by all these apparent difficulties, for he has to
+display all the beauty of Christ, all the love of the Father, all the
+graces of the Spirit before the assembled world, knowing that all the
+sheep will hear, and feed, and grow, and that the goats will cavil and
+stamp down the pasture with their feet. But, ye believe not, because
+ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you, My sheep hear my voice and
+I know them, and they follow me. Again, he that is of God hath God's
+words, ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God. How and
+why this is we are not able nor willing to try to answer: all we can
+say is, hath not the Lord right to do what he will with his own. Shall
+the thing formed say to Him that formed it, "What makest thou?" And
+"Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right." And many, many more
+like it.
+
+_April 4._--We were last night alarmed by the voices of apparently
+thousands of persons on the other side of the river; by degrees the
+discharges of guns were mingled with the cries, which gradually
+extended also to this side the river. We concluded it must be from a
+tribe of Arabs having broken into the city, the noise being exactly
+similar, only much more violent, to that of the two tribes of Arabs
+who were contending the other day. But after an hour's suspense, we
+heard it was a concourse of Arabs to supplicate from God the removal
+of the plague from them.
+
+The deaths from the plague do not seem to increase with any rapidity,
+these two or three days; 150 perhaps is the highest any day. On a
+preceding occasion, about 60 years ago, it amounted to near 2000 a
+day. There is with us the father of our schoolmaster, who had the
+plague at that time, and says you might have walked from one gate of
+the city to the other, and hardly have met a person or heard a sound.
+We trust it may be the Lord's gracious purpose to take off the
+heaviness of his judgment, and spare yet a little longer this sinful
+city.
+
+The news from Europe also--how strange--how anxious; surely the Lord
+seems sifting the nations, and shewing their rulers that without the
+Lord's blessing their confidences, plans, and speculations, can never
+stand. That they should have discovered also that the spiritual and
+temporal character of the Pope's government are incompatible--surely
+these are signs in the times that may make the most sceptical enquire.
+Oh! how joyful a thought it is that the Lord is at hand, and our
+pilgrimage near ending.
+
+_April 7._--We had thought the Lord had removed the sword from us, but
+we hear it is now near at hand; and the plague seems extending, or
+every one is running away. Sometimes, on looking round on our dear
+little circle, the old heavy faithless flesh would seek its quiet,
+sheltered retreat under the lofty elms, but the Lord never allows the
+spirit for one moment to desire otherwise than to wait and see the
+salvation of our God, who will for his name's sake do wonderfully for
+us, that our hearts may rejoice in him. We hear the enemy is within
+three days of the city, and the Pasha is going out with all his Haram,
+whether to contend or fly we do not know, but we think from his
+character, the latter; but where shall he fly? If he flies with gold,
+there are those who will plunder him: if he flies without, he cannot
+stir a step. In fact, the moment his affairs are actually sinking, all
+the miserable elements of his present comparative strength turn
+against him.
+
+_April 9._--Stillness still prevails over the city, like the calm
+which precedes a convulsion; our neighbours are preparing for defence,
+by getting armed men into their houses, but we sit down under the
+shadow of the Almighty's wings, fully assured that in his name we
+shall boast ourselves. The Pasha, however, has not gone out as he
+intended yesterday.
+
+We have just heard that the reports of the plague has stopped for a
+little the approach of the enemies of the Pasha, still every thing is
+exceedingly unsettled. He is going to shut himself up in the citadel
+till the answer comes from Constantinople to his overtures, but all
+those about him are against him, and wishing for the arrival of his
+enemies. About fifty went out the other day, and seized on Hillah,[22]
+but they were driven out.
+
+  [22] Hillah is a small town on the river Euphrates, a little
+  below the ruins of Babylon. It was built in the year 495 of the
+  Hegira, or 1115 of the Christian era, in a district called by the
+  natives El Aredh Babel; its population does not exceed between 6 and
+  7000, consisting of Arabs and Jews, there being no Christians, and
+  only such Turks as are employed in the Government. The inhabitants
+  bear a very bad character. The air is salubrious, and the soil
+  extremely fertile, producing great quantities of rice, dates, and
+  grain of different kinds, though it is not cultivated to above half
+  the degree of which it is susceptible,--See Mr. Rich's Memoirs on the
+  Ruins of Babylon.--_Editor._
+
+_April 10._--The Lord has in many respects this day altered our
+position here. One of Major Taylor's seapoys has died of the plague,
+and now four of the servants are attacked. This has so alarmed Major
+T. and the family, that they are immediately going off to a country
+house, built by order of the Government of Bombay, for the Resident in
+the neighbourhood of Bussorah, and they may or may not return to this
+place. They have kindly offered us an asylum with them, and a passage
+in their boat. Having no immediate occupation here at present, I feel
+quite free to accept it, but there are considerations that prevent
+us.--Hitherto the Lord has kept us safe, and no symptom of plague has
+appeared in our dwelling--though it is all around us. We cannot move
+without coming in contact with numbers of people for many days, and
+being shut up in a small boat with the Arab sailors,[23] and even the
+very plague we may leave this city to avoid, may have reached Bussorah
+before we arrived there, as thousands have already set off from hence
+for that place; besides which, should it be the Lord's pleasure that
+the plague terminate soon, and we then wish to return, it may be many
+months before we may meet with an opportunity. The only advantage
+seems to be, that we should thus be apparently further removed from
+those troubles which seem likely to arise in the threatened attempt to
+depose this Pasha; yet, on the whole, we feel we may hold on with the
+Lord's blessing; but if we were once to leave our present post, it
+might be very difficult again to regain it.
+
+  [23] The whole of those who took down the boats died.
+
+The accounts brought us of the numbers of those who have died of the
+plague, on this side of the river alone, in little more than one
+fortnight, all agree in making it about 7000. The poor inhabitants
+know not what to do: if they remain in the city, they die of the
+plague; if they leave it, they fall into the hands of the Arabs, who
+strip them, or they are exposed to the effects of an inundation of the
+river Tigris, which has now overflown the whole country around Bagdad,
+and destroyed, they say, 2000 houses on the other side of the river,
+but I think this must be exaggerated; the misery of this place,
+however, is now beyond expression, and may yet be expected to be much
+greater. Dreadful as the outward circumstances of this people are,
+their moral condition is infinitely worse; nor does there seem to be a
+ray of light amidst it all. The Mohammedans look on those who die of
+the plague as martyrs, and when they die there is no wailing made for
+them; so that amidst all these desolations there is a stillness, that
+when one knows the cause is very frightful. The Lord enables us to
+feel the blessedness of the 91st Psalm, at least of the portion of
+those to whom that Psalm pertains; and we have, amidst all these very
+trying circumstances, a peace that passeth understanding. We feel
+indeed that we owe it to our Lord's love to be careful for nothing,
+neither to run or make haste as others, but to stand still and see the
+salvation of our God.
+
+There was a curious conversation going on last night, among some
+Mohammedans, outside our window, relative to the plague, which they
+said was an especial judgment on them and the Jews, but from which
+Christ would deliver the Nazarenes, and in all these calamities, it is
+remarkable how doubly heavy, they fall on these two classes. Feelings
+like these, and others that we know exist, make us clear to stay where
+we are in the midst of these judgments, trying as they are to natural
+feeling. That which comes to the ungodly _as judgments_, comes to the
+child of God, like the chariot of fire to Elijah. From these
+visitations as judgments, we have an especial promise of protection,
+and we trust in the midst of them some good may spring up; at all
+events, we feel that we shall have quite met our dear Lord's mind in
+giving this people a last opportunity of hearing, ere their house is
+left unto them desolate.
+
+_April 12._--I have just taken leave of the kind T.'s. The accounts of
+the dead are truly terrific; they say the day before yesterday 1200
+died, and yesterday Major T.'s man of business obtained a receipt to
+the amount of 1040 on this side of the river. If this statement can
+be relied on, the mortality, within and without the city, must be
+truly appalling, and should it not please the Lord soon to stay the
+destroying Angel's hand, the whole country must become one wide
+waste. Some very kind Armenians[24] have offered to provide what is
+necessary for our journey to Damascus, if we will go with them. The
+possibility of meeting our dear Brethren is a great temptation, but
+still we do not see clearly our permission to go, and the Lord has
+given us all such perfect peace in staying, and such perfect health,
+that we are even unwilling to go; we remain, therefore, and wait upon
+our Lord's love, which we feel assured will be manifested towards us
+amidst this scene of death; and afterwards we shall see why we
+remained, more clearly perhaps than now.
+
+  [24] The caravan they went by suffered the most complicated
+  misery both from the flood and the plague, and never succeeded in
+  prosecuting the journey.
+
+_April 13._--The plague has just entered our neighbour's dwelling,
+where they have collected together nearly thirty persons, not simply
+their own family. It seems as if a spirit of infatuation had seized
+them, for instead of making their number as small as possible, they
+seem to congregate as many together as they can.
+
+Oh! what a blessed portion is ours, to have the God of Israel and his
+unchangeable promises for our sure and abiding place of rest--our
+little sanctuary unto which we may always resort. Yea, in the secret
+of his pavilion he will hide us.
+
+_April 14._--This is a day of awful visitation. The accounts of deaths
+yesterday vary from between 1000 and 1500; and to-day, they say, is
+worse than any, and the increase in the numbers of deaths is exclusive
+of the immense multitudes who are dying without the city. One of our
+schoolmasters[25] is gone to Damascus, and has taken with him his
+little nephew who was boarding with us, so we are indeed now quite
+alone. In fact, nothing prevents the entire desertion of the city, but
+the dangers of the way, and the poverty of the inhabitants.
+
+  [25] He died afterwards--he was the one mentioned in my
+  former Journal as having come from Shiraz.
+
+_April 15._--The accounts of the mortality yesterday still more
+alarming--1800 deaths in the city. There was great danger of the
+bodies being left in the houses, and the inhabitants flying and
+leaving them unburied, but by great exertions on the part of some
+young men in one quarter of the town to bury the dead there, others
+have been stimulated in other quarters to similar exertions, and last
+night all were buried. Our Moolah has just been here; he says he has
+bought winding sheets for himself, his brother, and his mother.[26] He
+says that yesterday he was in the Jew's quarter, and only met one
+person, and that was a woman, who, when she saw him, ran in and locked
+the door. Meat, for some days, or any thing else from without, we have
+been unable to get. Water alone we have obtained. But, to-day, even
+that we cannot get at any price; every waterman you stop, answers he
+is carrying it to wash the bodies of the dead.
+
+  [26] Both he and his brother died.
+
+_April 16._--The accounts of yesterday are worse than any day, and an
+Armenian girl, who has been here this morning, said she saw, in a
+distance of about 600 yards, fifty dead bodies carrying to burial. The
+son of Gaspar Khan, our next neighbour, is dead. Two have been carried
+out from a little passage opposite our house to-day, where two more
+are ill. All you see passing have a little bunch of herbs, or a rose,
+or an onion to smell to, and yet as to real measures of precaution
+there has not been one step taken; not even contact avoided, and the
+most unrestrained intercourse goes on in every direction, so that
+nothing but the Lord's arm shortening it, can prevent the entire
+desolation of the whole province. The population of Bagdad cannot
+exceed 80,000, and of this number more than half have fled,[27] so
+that the mortality of 2000 a-day is going on among considerably less
+than 40,000 people. But the Lord tells us, when we hear or see these
+things, not to have our hearts troubled, for our redemption draweth
+nigh; and we believe it, and accept it as a sweet drop in the bitter
+cup that is now drinking to the very dregs by so many about us; and
+which, but for this expectation, would bow down the stoutest heart.
+
+  [27] Most of them were driven back by the increase of the
+  waters without.
+
+One of Major T.'s servants has just been here, who says the city is a
+perfect desert, only peopled by the dead, the bearers of the dead, and
+the water carriers. Our household are all in perfect health, thanks be
+to our loving Shepherd's care.
+
+_April 17._--To-day, as yesterday, we have heard nothing as to
+numbers. The accounts are very contradictory; some saying that there
+is very little plague, others, that it is heavier than any day; so
+that probably, in some parts of the city, it is very severe, and in
+others lighter.
+
+An Armenian told the schoolmaster that almost every one you meet is
+carrying cotton and things for the interment of the dead. We are
+left almost alone in our own neighbourhood, all having fled in one
+direction or another; we have been, however, all preserved in health,
+to the praise of the Keeper of Israel.
+
+Surely every principle of dissolution is operating in the midst of the
+Ottoman, and Persian empires. Plagues, earthquakes, and civil wars,
+all mark that the days of the Lord's coming are at hand, and this is
+our hope--on this our eyes and hearts rest as the time of repose, when
+all these trials shall cease, and the saints shall possess the
+kingdom.
+
+_April 18._--To-day the accounts are truly distressing. In the family
+of one of our little boys, consisting of six, four are laid down with
+the plague, father, mother, one son, and one daughter--only one son
+and a daughter remaining. Immense numbers of families will be
+altogether swept away, and many thousand of fatherless and motherless
+children left when this heavy judgment of God ceases. It is now become
+useless to attempt obtaining accurate accounts about numbers.
+
+_April 19._--Still heavy, heavy news. The Moolah has called to give us
+an account of the city. He says it now stands stationary at between
+1,500 and 2,000 a-day, and has been so for a fortnight. What a mass of
+mortality! Among the Pasha's soldiers, he says they have lost, in some
+of the regiments, above 500 out of 700.--And in the towns and villages
+without, the report is, that it is as bad or worse than within the
+city.
+
+_April 20._--The plague much the same. Among the Armenians nine were
+buried yesterday, and seven to-day. There are not left in the city
+more than 400, and now there is the plague in every third or fourth
+house. The water also is increasing, so that a little more will
+inundate the whole city on this side the river, as it has on the
+other, to the inexpressible additional misery of the poor people. The
+caravan which left for Damascus can neither advance nor return on
+account of the water. Yesterday four dead were carried out from the
+little passage opposite our house, making in all 14 dead from eight
+houses, and there are others now lying ill.
+
+_April 21._--To-day the accounts of the plague are rather more
+favourable, though another has been carried out from the passage
+opposite us, and there are some ill in three houses adjoining ours.
+The river has burst into the cellars of the Residency, and is within a
+foot of inundating the whole city.
+
+_April 22._--Having had occasion to-day to go out to the Residency, to
+endeavour to save some things from the water, which has come into all
+the cellars, in every way I was overwhelmed with the awful state of
+the city, and at the difficulty of obtaining help of any kind at any
+price. The servant of Major T----, who is left in charge of the house,
+told me he had applied in every direction, but could get no one to
+help him; one had a wife dead or dying, another a mother, another was
+employed in carrying water for the dead, and on our way, we saw the
+Court of the Meshid or Mosque full of graves; and no longer finding
+room there, they were burying the dead in the public road. When in
+want of water, I think we shall be obliged to go to the river and
+fetch it for ourselves, as a water-carrier is hardly now to be seen,
+except when followed by a man forcing him to carry water to some house
+where there is death. Amidst all, the Lord lets not his destroying
+angels enter our dwelling; though tens of thousands are falling around
+us, we are all, by his grace and holy keeping, well. The business of
+death is now come to that height, that people seem to take their
+nearest relations, and bring them for interment with as much
+indifference as they would transact the most ordinary business.
+
+_April 23._--The plague not decreasing; two more were brought out
+to-day from the passage opposite to us, making seventeen from eight
+houses near us. The mother of the Seyd, who owns our house, has been
+buried in her house, as no one could be found to bury her. Another
+most affecting instance has just occurred. A little girl of about
+twelve years old was seen carrying an infant in her arms, and being
+asked whose it was, she said, she did not know, but had found it in
+the road, having heard that both its parents were dead. Water now is
+not to be had for money; yet even in these times Israel's pillar has
+its bright side to Israel. These things must come to pass; but when we
+see these signs, we must remember that our redemption draweth nigh;
+and the Lord will be a little sanctuary for us, let him send however
+sore judgments on the earth.
+
+_April 24._--The plague still raging with most destructive violence;
+the two servants in our next neighbour's house are both dead, and two
+horses left, I fear, to starve. A poor Armenian woman has just been
+here, to beg a little sugar for a little infant she picked up in the
+street this morning; and she says, another neighbour of her's picked
+up two more. They have just been digging graves beside our house.
+Almost all the cotton is consumed, so that persons are wandering
+all over the city to find some, for burying their dead. Water not
+to be had at any price, nor a water-carrier to be seen. Oh, what
+heart-rending scenes sin has introduced into the world! Oh, when will
+the Lord come to put an end to these scenes of disorder, physical as
+well as moral? In one short month, not less than 30,000 souls have
+passed from time to eternity in this city, and yet, even now, no
+diminution apparently of deaths. Surely the judgment of the Lord is
+on this land? One more taken from the little passage opposite, making
+nineteen from the eight houses.
+
+_April 25._--To-day, three more from the same passage, making
+twenty-one from these houses. Such a disease I never heard of or
+witnessed; certainly not more than one in twenty recovers; every one
+attacked seems to die.
+
+This has been a heart-rending day. The accounts from the Residency,
+and the falling of a wall, undermined by the water, obliged me to go
+out, and I found nothing but signs of death and desolation; hardly
+a soul in the streets, unless such as were carrying the dead, or
+themselves affected with plague, and at a number of doors, and in the
+lanes, bundles of clothes that had been taken from the dead, and put
+out. The Court of the Mosque was shut, having no place left for
+burying, and graves were digging in every direction in the roads, and
+in the unoccupied stables about the city. The water also has increased
+so much as to be within a few inches of inundating the city. Should
+this further calamity come on this side, as it has on the other, the
+height of human misery will be near its climax, for where they will
+then bury their dead I know not. There seems no diminution in the
+plague yet, that we can discern. Two of the men we had helping to take
+Major T----'s things from the water are attacked; one of them is the
+fourth from a house, consisting of six. The remaining servant of Mr.
+T---- had intelligence brought while I was there, that his aunt was
+dead, which, he says, is the eighth near relation he has lost.
+
+Some of the Mohammedans, our neighbours, were sitting under our
+windows last evening, and were observing, that while two or three had
+been taken from every house, we only had remained free. And this is of
+the Lord's marvellous love. We consist of thirteen, including the
+schoolmaster's family, and the Lord has given his destroying angel
+charge to pass over our door.
+
+The Pasha has sent to desire, that he might have Major T----'s yacht
+drawn up near the Seroy or Palace to go into, in case the water should
+increase; and when the man was sent for, who had the charge of the
+vessel, he with another had run away, three were dead, and only one
+remained. These are surely the days of visitation for the pride of
+Edom. The man who sold cotton for burying the dead, the price of which
+he raised from 45 to 95 piastres, and who lived only two doors from
+us, died yesterday. There is no more cotton left in the city, and they
+now bury the dead in their clothes. The price of soap is raised four
+times higher than usual. I have been enabled, by the Lord's goodness,
+to get all our water-jars filled, though at twenty times the usual
+price. The bodies of persons of considerable wealth are now just put
+on the back of a donkey, or a mule, and carried away to be buried,
+accompanied by one servant. We have also much anxiety about the people
+of the Damascus-caravan, of which we can hear no tidings, whether or
+not they have been swallowed up by the inundation. Whether they have
+been able to retreat to some eminence, or what is become of them we
+know not. The poor women who have taken charge of the two poor little
+infants have sent to us for food for them, as in these countries they
+have no idea of bringing up children by hand. It may be to be
+instrumental in saving some of these poor little infants, and in
+helping the orphans that remain, that the Lord has allowed us to stay
+here. They are all Mohammedan children.
+
+_April 26._--For many days we have been unable to obtain any account
+of the number of deaths; but the _Chaoush_ of Major T---- has been
+with the Pasha this morning, who is in the greatest possible state of
+alarm, wishing to go, but not knowing how. One of his officers, whose
+business it is to inquire about the number of deaths daily, reported
+that it had reached 5,000, but yesterday was 3,000, and to-day less.
+Enormous as the mortality has been, I cannot but think this beyond the
+truth; yet it must be remembered, that the inundation kept immense
+masses of poor thronged together in the city, who, but for this, would
+have all fled in one direction or another.
+
+The accounts are heart-rending of little children left in the
+streets; five were left yesterday, a poor woman told us, near the
+Residency, and others in different directions. If the wrath of God is
+pouring out on the mystical Babylon, as it is on this province of the
+literal Babylon; the two antichrists are beginning to draw near their
+end. But for the presence of the Lord in our dwelling, as its light
+and joy, what a place would this be to be alone in now; but with Him,
+even this is better than the garden of Eden. These are invaluable
+situations for the experience of God's loving distinguishing care, and
+here we realize our pilgrim state much better than in the quiet of
+England, with all its external apparent security.
+
+The utmost number of daily deaths I heard of at Tabreez were 400, and
+here it is said to be 4,000, and yet the population certainly is not
+double. In going out to speak with a servant of Major T----, I saw a
+very decently dressed female lying in a dying state of plague at our
+door quite senseless; it is almost more than the heart can bear. Yet,
+that the Lord will even from these scenes prepare ways for the
+establishment of his truth, I feel fully assured, and this supports
+us. A north wind has regularly blown for these four days past, so that
+we hope the water will not again increase. Oh, may our Father of his
+infinite mercy take away these heavy heavy judgments, and make their
+present measure instrumental to the advancement of his kingdom. The
+Soochee Bashee, an officer of police, has just been here, and tells
+us, that the Pasha proposes removing to near Coote, a village on the
+Tigris, half way between this and Bussorah. At any other time, this
+would tend to most fearful convulsions within the city; but in the
+present state of things, perhaps, all may remain quiet, without a
+governor. When the plague, that now desolates the city ceases, we know
+not what may happen; but this we do know, that the love of our Father,
+and his gracious providence, will be magnified by all events, and that
+we shall yet praise him more and more. It seems to me more than
+probable that the Pasha does not intend to return. By the plague he
+has lost half his soldiers, and a great number of his Georgian slaves,
+who are his personal attached friends; he may now remove without
+obstruction perhaps, from any one, or the possibility of any
+communication being made to his enemies to intercept him; but time
+only will show; however this may be, it is certain that should the
+plague cease to-morrow, the city is in such a state, that no
+resistance could be made for one moment to any enemy. How invaluable
+the past proofs of the Lord's loving kindness and tender mercies are
+at such times, the remembrance of him from the Hill Mizar of the
+Hermonites. In going along the streets to-day, I saw several poor
+sufferers labouring under the plague; and a number of places, where
+clothes had been brought out and burnt.
+
+Our anxieties have been greatly increased by the illness of our dear
+little baby; but our unerring Physician has restored her to us to-day,
+we trust in a measure which promises amendment.
+
+_April 27._--To-day all thoughts are turned from the plague to the
+inundation, which from the falling of a portion of the city wall on
+the north-west side last night, let the water in full stream into the
+city. The Jews' quarter is inundated, and 200 houses fell there last
+night: we are hourly expecting to hear, that every part of the city is
+overflowed. A part also of the wall of the citadel is fallen. And, in
+fact, such is the structure of the houses, that if the water remains
+near the foundations long, the city must become a mass of ruins. The
+mortar they use in building is very like plaister of Paris, which sets
+very hard, and does very well when all is dry; but as soon as ever
+water is applied, it all crumbles to powder; and in building walls of
+four or five feet thick, they have only an outside casing of brick
+work thus cemented, and within it is filled up with dust and rubbish,
+so that what seems strong enough in appearance to bear any thing, soon
+moulders away, and by its own weight accelerates its ruin. It must be
+many many years, if ever, before the city can recover. But it seems
+to me, that this seat of Mohammedan glory, and of its proudest
+recollections, has received its death-warrant from the hand of the
+Lord. This inundation has not only ruined an immense number of houses
+in the city, and been the cause of tens of thousands dying of the
+plague, but the whole harvest is destroyed. The barley, which was just
+ready to be reaped, is utterly gone, and every other kind of corn must
+likewise be ruined, so that for 30 miles all round Bagdad, not a grain
+of corn can be collected this year, and perhaps, if all was quiet this
+might be of no consequence, for from Mosul and Kourdistan it might
+easily come; but this will be prevented by the enemies of the Pasha
+who surround us. The poor are beginning to feel immense difficulty in
+the city, for all the shops are shut, and there is a great scarcity of
+wood for firing; and should the water now cause a general inundation
+of the whole city, the heart sickens at the contemplation of the
+scenes that must follow; for the houses of the poor are nothing but
+mud, scarcely one of which will be left standing.
+
+For ourselves personally, the Lord has allowed us great peace, and
+assured confidence in his loving care, and in the truth of his
+promise, that our bread and our water shall be sure; but certainly
+nothing but the service of such a Lord as he is would keep me in the
+scenes which these countries do exhibit, and I feel assured will,
+till the Lord has finished his judgments on them, for the contempt of
+the name, nature, and offices of the Son of God; yet I linger in the
+hope he has a remnant even among them, for whose return these
+convulsions are preparing the way.
+
+_April 28._--News more and more disastrous. The inundation has swept
+away 7,000 houses from one end of the city to the other, burying the
+sick, the dying, and the dead, with many of those in health, in one
+common grave.[28] Those who have escaped, have brought their goods and
+the relics of their families, to the houses the plague has desolated,
+or desertion left unoccupied, and houses are yet falling in every
+direction.
+
+  [28] I have heard of eight thus buried in one house, or
+  rather belonging to one family, the remains of which are come to
+  reside next us in a house, where those who had the charge of it are
+  dead.
+
+The Lord has stopped the water just at the top of our street by a
+little ledge of high ground, so that as yet we are dry; and all free
+from the sword of the destroying angel. Scarcity of provision is
+beginning to be sensibly felt, so that very respectable persons are
+coming to the door to beg a little bread, or a little butter, or some
+other simple necessary of life. To-day, the number dying in the road
+was much greater than I have before seen, and the number unburied in
+the streets daily and hourly increases. The Seroy of the Pasha is a
+heap of ruins, and though he is most anxious to go, he cannot collect
+forty men to man the yacht, for all fear of him is now past, and love
+for him they have none; his distress beggars all description, for not
+a single native vessel is left in Bagdad, every one having been
+employed in taking down the crowds to Bussorah at the commencement of
+this dreadful calamity. I have from day to day mentioned the dead
+taken from the eight houses opposite to ours; that number has to-day
+reached twenty-four; in one of these, out of nine, one only survives;
+and I mention twenty-four not as all, but as those which have been
+seen carried out by some of the schoolmaster's family, who were
+however very little in that room which overlooks this passage. Of
+another family near the Meidan, out of thirteen one only remains, and
+I have no doubt there are hundreds of families similarly swept away;
+yet amidst all these trials to the servants of God, my heart does not
+despair for the work of the Lord, for no ordinary judgments seem
+necessary to break the pride and hatred of this most proud and
+contemptuous people; but the Lord will bring Edom down, and make a way
+for the Kings of the East to his holy habitation. We have taken one
+poor little Mohammedan baby, about three or four years old, from the
+streets, and are supplying a poor Armenian woman with pap for another;
+but what is this among so many? We know not what to do. It makes
+passing the streets most painful and affecting, thus to see little
+children from a month or six weeks, to two or four years, crying for a
+home, hungry, and naked, and wretched, and knowing not what to do, nor
+where to go. Thank God however, to-day the water is a little abated,
+about a span lower. Oh, may the Lord's mercy spare yet a little longer
+this wretched, wretched city. Oh, how does the glory of the Chalifat
+lie in ashes; she seems within a step of falling like her elder sister
+Babylon, the glory of the Chaldean's excellency, and in how many
+things has her spirit towards the church of God been as bad, yea
+worse, than hers. Missionaries in these countries have need of a very
+simple faith, which can glory in God's will being done, though all
+their plans come to nothing. It was but the other day we were
+surrounded by as interesting a school of boys, and a commencing one of
+thirteen girls, as the heart could desire; and now if the plague and
+desolation were to terminate to-morrow, and our scattered numbers were
+assembled, perhaps not more than half would remain to us. Yet dark as
+all the labours of the Lord's servants in these countries appears, I
+feel assured, that prophecy points them out as specially connected
+with many of the great events of the latter days. Yet it requires
+great confidence in God's love, and much experience of it, for the
+soul to remain in peace, stayed on him, in a land of such changes,
+without even one of our own nation near us, without means of escape
+in any direction; surrounded with the most desolating plague and
+destructive flood, with scenes of misery forced upon the attention
+which harrow up the feelings, and to which you can administer no
+relief. Even in this scene however, the Lord has kept us of his
+infinite mercy, in personal quiet and peace, trusting under the shadow
+of his Almighty wing, and has enabled us daily to offer up to his holy
+name praise, for suffering us to assemble in undiminished numbers,
+when tens of thousands have been falling around us. Neither is this
+all, for he has made us know why we staid in this place, and why we
+were never allowed to feel it to be our path of duty to leave the post
+we were in.
+
+_April 29._--Our situation is becoming daily still more extraordinary,
+and in many respects more trying, except that our Lord is our hiding
+place, who will preserve us from trouble, and will compass us about
+with songs of deliverance. The Pasha has fled, accompanied by his
+master of the horse, and his immediate family. His palace is left
+open, without a soul to take care of any thing. His stud of beautiful
+Arab horses are running about the streets, and are caught by those who
+care to take the trouble, and offered for sale for from L10. to L100.
+each; his stores also of corn are left open, and every one takes what
+he wants, or what he can carry away, which is a great relief to the
+poor, for the quantities are enormous, in expectation of a siege.
+
+The plague is working its destructive way, apparently with no other
+mitigation than that arising from decreasing numbers in the city; the
+inundation however, has prevented this having its full weight, for it
+has thronged the remaining population into a compass unnaturally
+disproportionate. The house next us, which belongs to a Seyd, who left
+it at the beginning of the plague, in charge of two servants who are
+dead, is now filled by twenty persons from different directions. The
+unburied dead, and the dying, are fearfully accumulating in the
+streets. So difficult it is now to find persons to bury, that even the
+priest of the Armenian church here, who died two days since, remains
+yet unburied.
+
+The water, thank God, is a little lower, but there seems now every
+prospect that the moment the waters decrease, the surrounding Arabs
+will come in, and plunder the city; yet even this is in the Lord's
+hands--our wisdom has ever been to sit still, and see the salvation
+of our God, and until we see his cloudy pillar arise from off our
+tabernacle, where we feel it has hitherto rested, and move forward,
+we shall yet judge our safety to be to sit still. We have in several
+instances seen, that there was reason to bless God for remaining
+quiet. We once thought of removing to the Residency, as a change to
+the dear children, and as being nearer to the water; but still on the
+whole we felt it best to remain here; and had we gone, we should have
+been in the midst of the plague; or had we gone, when the T----s went
+to Bussorah, what a state should we now be in, without the possibility
+of removing, and in danger of our lives from the inundation and
+falling of the walls, if we stayed.
+
+We had again considered, whether it would be right to leave this with
+the caravan for Damascus and Aleppo, which seemed the only opening
+there might possibly be for us, so that if we let that pass by, we
+must stay whether we would or not; still the Lord made us feel it was
+our path to stay looking to him. And had we gone, what a state should
+we have been in? For nearly three weeks they have been surrounded with
+water, continually increasing around them, so that now we know not
+what their situation may be, whether they are swept away, or remain;
+but at all events we bless God for having inclined our minds to stay.
+Why we did not join our dear and kind friends the T----s, in going to
+Bussorah, we do not yet so clearly see the reason of, because we have
+received no accounts thence, but it would have cut up alike our
+connection with our work here, and with our dear friends at Aleppo,
+with whom we feel it daily of more and more importance to have as
+speedy a meeting as possible for advice and counsel.
+
+We have just heard of the caravan already mentioned, as going to
+Damascus and Aleppo. The plague has taken off eight of the Armenians,
+and four have been drowned. The head of the caravan is dead of the
+plague also, besides many others; they must therefore return to
+Bagdad, instead of advancing on their journey; so in this instance at
+least we see great reason to bless God for keeping us back. Yea, the
+Lord will instruct us and teach us the way in which we should go, and
+will guide us with his eye; this is our confidence and comfort; and in
+such a time as this of unheard of perplexity, what a source of abiding
+peace is this. We feel it well to know our God in such circumstances
+as ours. Among the Armenians, thirteen died to-day, the largest number
+yet in one day.
+
+_April 30._--The report of the flight of the Pasha, it appears was not
+true, and arose from the two circumstances I have mentioned, of his
+horses having been seen running about the streets, and his supplies
+being open to the people. He has been for several days endeavouring to
+get away, and had drawn up for that purpose some boats under the
+Seroy. All his stables were levelled to the ground, and the place
+flooded with water. When the distress of the people was mentioned to
+him, he ordered one of his corn stores to be opened to them. However,
+to-day, blessed be God's Holy Name, _the waters have sunk more than a
+yard_, so we trust the great danger is over.
+
+To-day, one more was brought out dead from the eight opposite houses,
+making twenty-five, and we know there are four more lying ill there.
+Our poor schoolmaster, who went in the caravan, is dead, and was
+buried in his tent.
+
+_May 1._--The Lord has brought us all in safety to the beginning of
+another month, through the most trying period of my life; yet the Lord
+has every day filled our mouth with praise, and enabled us to see his
+preserving hand.
+
+To-day, as I passed along the street, I saw numbers of dead bodies
+lying unburied, and the dogs eating with avidity the loathsome food.
+Oh! it made my very heart sink. The numbers of the dead can now be no
+longer ascertained, for most of the bodies are buried either in the
+houses or in the roads; yet amidst all this, the Lord suffers not the
+destroying angel to enter our dwelling; but we feel the Lord has
+commanded the man with the ink-horn to write us down to be spared, as
+this is one of the vials of God's wrath on his enemies.
+
+_May 2._--We have heard nothing to-day to vary the general scene
+of our calamities; the intensity of this most desolating disease
+surpasses all thought. Numbers of families are altogether swept away;
+in numerous others, out of ten or twelve, only one, two, or three
+remain; but I hear of none, save our own, where death has not entered.
+Yet, while I bless and praise the Holy Name of our Lord, under whose
+wing alone we came here, and under whose wing alone we have trusted,
+the things my eyes have seen, and my ears heard, press upon my heart,
+and make me at times very sad; neither can I chase them from my mind.
+I can only look forward for comfort to that day, when the Lord himself
+will come to put an end to this dispensation of desolation, and
+introduce his own peace. Yea, come Lord Jesus, come quickly.
+
+We have just heard melancholy tidings of another caravan, which
+endeavoured to escape into Persia from the plague, but has been forced
+back again by the Arabs, the floods, and the scarcity of provisions,
+and besides numbers among them have died daily of the plague, so still
+we can bless God we did not leave our present position by this last
+opportunity. Let us then again bless him for not allowing us to make
+haste.
+
+_May 3._--To-day we trust the Lord has a little alleviated the
+virulence of the plague; many attacked yesterday, and the day before,
+have been rapidly recovering, and fewer deaths have taken place
+to-day--a great deal so far as we can ascertain. May God's holy name
+be praised, who is a hiding place from every storm. We had our water
+jars filled again to-day, when many, even of the rich, who have
+connections in every direction, find the greatest difficulty. "Your
+water shall be sure." We who are alone, and without a friend within
+hundreds of miles in any direction, have been supplied by our Lord's
+gracious ordering; thus he puts a new song into our mouths, even a
+song of thanksgiving. To-day all are well, even our dear little baby
+is quite recovered.
+
+_May 4._--The weather has for these two or three days past been
+beautifully fine, and clear, and hot, by which our God seems to have
+mitigated the symptoms of the plague. All accounts to-day are
+encouraging; the number of new cases few, and the number of those
+recovering many. Our eyes have also been rejoiced by the sight of
+three or four water-carriers passing again, after an interval of ten
+days; many more people have also been passing and repassing than
+before; so we trust the Lord is now taking away this desolating
+judgment, which, in less than two months, has carried away more than
+half the population of this city; for, allowing that it had been
+silently making its deadly course three weeks before it was
+discovered, it does not exceed eight weeks, and by far the greatest
+portion of deaths have been within the last four weeks.
+
+_May 5._--In my journal yesterday, I mention more than half the
+population as having been swept away in the inconceivably short space
+of two months, but every account I have received, convinces me that
+this is within the number; certainly not less than two thirds have
+been swept away, and this seems to have arisen from a complication of
+causes. At the time when the great mass of the population would have
+fled, and thus have thinned the city, the waters rose so high, that
+they could move only with great difficulty; they waited in the hopes
+of the water subsiding, instead of which, it so increased, that those
+who had left the town and could get back, were compelled to return;
+those who could not, were driven to seek some high ground where they
+might remain safe from the water, but in all cases they were crowded
+together without the power of moving their position.--Again, in the
+city, when by the death of immense multitudes the population became
+greatly thinned, the inundation of the water laid more than half the
+town level with the ground, and drove the remaining people to
+congregate together wherever they could find a dry place or an open
+house, so that often twenty or thirty came to reside together in the
+same house, as was the case next door to us; thus again the deaths
+became awfully great. Inquire where you will, the answer is, The city
+is desolate: around the Pasha four Georgians alone remain alive out of
+more than one hundred. The son of our Moolah, who is dead, told me
+to-day, that in the quarter where he lives, not one human being is
+left--they are all dead. Out of about eighteen servants and seapoys
+that Major T. left, fourteen are dead, two have now the plague,[29]
+and two remain well. Among the Armenians, more than half are dead. An
+Armenian who was with us to-day, tells us, there are not more than
+twenty-seven men left in one hundred and thirty houses. I, however,
+think that this is exaggerated.
+
+  [29] Those two died.
+
+At Hillah, the modern Babylon, (population 10,000), there is, Seyd
+Ibrahim told me to-day, scarce a soul left, and the dogs and the wild
+beasts alone are there feeding on the dead bodies. This Seyd Ibrahim
+is one of the surviving servants of Major T.; and is the only one of a
+family of fourteen who remains alive.--His four brothers, their wives,
+his own wife, their children, and his own, are all dead. If mystical
+Babylon is suffering, as the seat of this Archbishopric of the literal
+Babylon, the times are not far off when the river Euphrates shall be
+dried up for the kings of the east to pass over.
+
+For digging a grave they ask a sum that equals in England three
+pounds, in consequence of which numbers have remained unburied about
+the streets, so that the Pasha has been obliged to engage men, paying
+them at the same rate for each body they will throw into the river.
+
+In all the villages the desolation seems as complete as it is here.
+When day by day I rise and see our numbers complete, and all in
+health, my soul is indeed made to feel what cannot the Lord do? though
+ten thousand shall fall at thy right hand it shall not come nigh
+thee.--I do not yet see what effect all this is likely to have on our
+labours here--whether it will break down or build up barriers; yet we
+expect it will break down, for the Lord seems thus breaking to pieces
+the power if not the pride of this haughty people. I have been struck
+two or three times lately, in going out, with the intense hatred that
+lurks at the bottom of the hearts of this people against Christians;
+my dress manifested me to be one, and some Arabs I met, particularly
+the women, cursed me with the most savage ferocity as I passed, two
+or three calling out at me as though I were the cause of all their
+calamities; and the people who are come to live next door to us, are
+bitter against us, especially one man among them, who seems to have
+his heart quite corroded, because they are dying and we are preserved
+by our Lord's love; he sits and talks under our window, saying, "These
+Christians and Jews alone remain, but in the whole of Bagdad you will
+hardly find one hundred Mohammedans." This is altogether false, for
+though in proportion as many Christians may not have died as
+Mohammedans and Jews, yet the deaths among them have been enormous,
+as the preceding accounts will have shewn.
+
+Medicine I have found of no use. If you attack the fever, they die of
+prostration of strength; if you endeavour to support the constitution,
+they die of oppression on the brain. Those cases which first affected
+the head with delirium, have been the most fatal; next those with
+carbuncles, which did not appear, however, for a fortnight after the
+commencement of the disease. Among those who have recovered, almost
+the whole have had large glandular swellings, speedily separating and
+thus relieving the constitution.
+
+This night, the first time for three weeks, I have heard again the
+Muezzin's call to prayers, from the minarets of the Mosques.
+
+_May 6._--The water to-day is much decreased. I saw a man also with
+fresh meat in his hand. I likewise saw many recovering from the plague
+walking about, leaning on sticks, and sitting by the way-side. The
+number of deaths, among the Armenians, to-day, amounted to 11, which,
+considering that their whole remaining numbers cannot exceed 300 at
+present, is an enormous mortality, and has a little damped our hopes
+of a speedy conclusion to this awful visitation.
+
+_May 7._--Of the plague nothing satisfactory to-day. Thieves are
+multiplying in every direction; and news has come from Mosul that a
+new Pasha has arrived there, who only waited for the cessation of
+the plague to advance against Bagdad. Great part of his work of
+destruction is already done for him, as hardly a Georgian is left,
+and he will find money enough left without owners, to supply his own
+utmost rapacity, or the demands of the Sultan. The Lord is our only
+secure resting place, and we know that he who delivers us out of six
+troubles, can and will deliver us out of seven.
+
+The water is decreasing most rapidly, so that rice is beginning to
+be brought from the other side of the river; and as all those who
+monopolized the sale of wood, and not only asked enormous prices, but
+cheated in the weight, are all dead, every one now that needs wood
+takes it, so that the situation of the poor seems in this respect a
+little improved.
+
+There has not been among all the circumstances of this scene of
+complicated suffering, any one that has more painfully affected my own
+mind than the increasing number of infants and little children that
+have been left exposed in the streets, and the absolute impossibility
+of meeting such a state of things. We greatly desired to take one or
+two; but our own little baby was ill, so that by night Mary had hardly
+any rest, and at best, not being strong in such a climate, we came
+reluctantly to the decision that we were not able to undertake such an
+additional charge.
+
+This is an anxious evening. Dear Mary is taken ill--nothing that would
+at any other time alarm me, but now very little creates anxiety; yet
+her heart is reposing on her Lord with perfect peace, and waiting his
+will. A few hours, perhaps, may show us that it is but a little trial
+of our faith to draw us nearer the fountain of our life. To nature it
+seems fearful to think of the plague entering our dwelling; in our
+present situation, nothing but the Lord's especial love could sustain
+the soul in the contemplation of a young family, left in such a land,
+at such a time, and in such circumstances; but we feel we came out
+under the shadow of the Almighty's wing, and we know that his pavilion
+will be our sanctuary, let his gracious providence prescribe what it
+may. On his love, therefore, we cast ourselves with all our personal
+interests.
+
+_May 8._--The Lord has this day manifested that the attack of my dear
+dear wife, is the plague, and of a very dangerous and malignant kind,
+so that our hearts are prostrate in the Lord's hand. As I think the
+infection can have only come through me, I have little hope of
+escaping, unless by the Lord's special intervention. It is indeed an
+awful moment, the prospect of having a little family in such a country
+at such a time. Yet, my dearest wife's faith triumphs over these
+circumstances, and as she sweetly said to me to day, "The difference
+between a child of God and the worldling is not in death, but in the
+hope the one has in Jesus, while the other is without hope and without
+God in the world." She says, "I marvel at the Lord's dealings, but
+not more than at my own peace in such circumstances." She is now
+continually sleeping, and when roused feels it difficult to keep her
+dear mind fixed on any subject for a minute. These are indeed the
+floods of deep waters, but in the midst of them the Lord is working
+his mysterious way, yet that way, however bitter to nature, is for the
+everlasting consolation of his chosen ones. She said to me, a few
+minutes since, "What does the Lord say concerning me." I said, that
+you are a dear child of his. "Yes," she said, "of that I have no
+doubt." May the Lord of his infinite mercy sustain my poor weak soul
+amidst these heavy visitations, that at least we may magnify him,
+whether by life or by death; what a relief it is now to my mind to
+think that her's was so much set against moving, whenever I proposed
+it, and she often said in reply, "The Lord has given me no desire nor
+sense of the desirableness of moving, which I feel assured he would
+have done had he seen it best."
+
+_May 9._--My dearest, dearest wife still alive, and not apparently
+worse than yesterday. Oh! if it were the Lord's holy blessed will to
+spare her, it would indeed rejoice my poor foolish heart, but the Lord
+has enabled me to cast my wife, myself, and my dear dear children on
+his holy love, and to await the issue. Oh! what wrath there must be
+against these lands, if not only the inhabitants are swept away, but
+the Lord transplants also his own, who would teach them, to his own
+garden of peace. My soul has just been refreshed by these two verses
+of Psalm 116. "Return unto thy rest, O my soul, for the Lord hath
+dealt bountifully with thee. He has taken one of thy olive branches to
+glory, and is now perhaps about to take another, for precious in the
+sight of the Lord is the death of his saints, for he only takes them
+from the evil to come." Oh, but for Jesus, the never setting star of
+our heavenly way, amidst the wilderness what would our situation now
+be. Jesus is the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever, and our
+heavenly Father's love we have too often proved to doubt it now. But,
+poor nature is bowed very very low, when I look at my dear boys and
+little babe, and see only poor little Kitto to be left for their care
+for hundreds of miles around; it needs all those consolations of God's
+spirit to keep the soul from sinking also with the body; but the Lord
+has said, "Leave your fatherless children unto me," and to him we
+desire to leave them.
+
+We did feel assured that the Lord would spare our dear little united
+happy family; but his ways are not our ways, nor his thoughts our
+thoughts. Dear little Kitto, I feel for his situation also from my
+heart.
+
+All the conversation of my dear dying wife, for these twelve months
+past, but especially as our difficulties and trials increased, was on
+the peace she enjoyed in the Lord. Often and often she has said to me,
+notwithstanding the disparity of every thing external, I never in
+England enjoyed that sweet sense of my Lord's loving care that I have
+enjoyed in Bagdad. And her assurance of her Lord's love never forsook
+her, even after she felt herself attacked by the plague. While
+contemplating the mysteriousness of the Providence, her mind was
+overwhelmed; but when she thought on her Lord's love, she was
+confident in his graciousness. From almost the first, her brain has
+been so oppressed, that with difficulty she opens her eyes, and though
+she can answer a question of two or three words, Yes, or No; yet, if
+it involves the slightest exercise of thought, she always replies, "I
+do not know what you say." When I consider all I and the dear children
+lose, should we survive her, it is almost more than my heart can
+contemplate. On any essential point, for some years, we have never had
+divided judgment on any material point; in every work of faith, or
+labour of love, her desire was to animate, not to hinder. Such simple
+truth of purpose, and unaffected love, and confidence in her Lord, as
+dwelt in her dear departing spirit, I have seldom seen, and those who
+knew her intimately will not think I say too much. She has been to me
+in the relation of Christian wife, and Missionary wife, just what I
+felt I so much, so very much needed. And yet the Lord sees fit to take
+her to himself, and add one more from my little family to the chosen,
+faithful, and true company that surrounds his throne. Lord, then,
+though it cuts nature to the quick, makes me feel its deepest
+suffering, and meets me under the most complicated forms of trial, yet
+if it be for thy glory, and her glory, do, dear Lord, thine Almighty
+will, and we know thou wilt to thy chosen, make light spring up out of
+darkness.
+
+_May 10._--Last evening my dearest wife was more herself than she had
+been, till within a few hours of her being taken ill, which was
+manifested by her asking to see dear little baby, the first thing she
+had voluntarily asked for, since her illness, without being spoken to.
+She again mentioned the subject of her confidence in her Lord, and
+acquiescence in his will. She asked me what I thought of her
+situation. I said I had committed her to the Lord, who, I knew, would
+deal graciously by her. She replied, "Yes, that he will." She
+continued in this state of improvement till to-day at about nine
+o'clock, when her mind again began to wander. When I quoted to her,
+that to the Lord's servants light should spring up in darkness, she
+said, "Yes, that it shall." She said, "I feel much better than
+yesterday--don't you see that I am." In fact, my hopes of her being
+really improving would have been complete, but from that peculiar look
+of the eyes, which authors who have written on this subject, all
+denote as most fatal; from this, therefore, my hopes never were very
+high, yet though I had yesterday been enabled, through the Lord's
+grace, to lie in his hands like a weaned child, to-day the
+disappointment of the dear hope, slight as it was, of having her
+restored to us, has brought my soul again into very deep waters. She
+also this morning expressed her anxiety about the dear children, and
+her fear, least in attending her, I should take the plague, and they
+be left orphans here.
+
+In every respect, certainly the Lord has been most gracious to her.
+She is about to be transplanted to her native soil, where tears and
+sorrows shall never enter, and in the way of her removal, since the
+Lord's time is come, nothing can be more compassionate to her peculiar
+weakness of heart than not allowing her anxiety to dwell on the dear
+children, and their probable situation here. To have been happy in
+quitting them, amidst such a scene as now surrounds us, and in such a
+country, perhaps no mortal faith could have been equal to; the Lord,
+therefore, suffered not her mind to possess its usual sensibilities;
+but took them from her, and left her only to return to his bosom in
+peace.
+
+I feel the Holy Ghost again sustaining my poor weak heart in the
+prospect of losing such a wife, and remaining solitary here with three
+dear motherless children; but I know the Lord in whom I have believed,
+and he will not fail his chosen in one of all those good things he has
+promised. Our trials are indeed very very great; but the Lord, the
+comforter, is greater even than they. My dearest wife now (two
+o'clock,) is quite delirious. Dear spirit! I have attended her night
+and day since the evening of the 7th, on which she was taken ill, and
+I allow no one else to approach her. The Lord is my only stay, my only
+support, and he is a support indeed.
+
+_May 11._--This night has been the most trying of my life. How hard
+for the soul to see the object of its longest and best grounded
+earthly affections suffering without the power of affording relief,
+knowing too that a heavenly Father who has sent it, can relieve it,
+and yet seems to turn a deaf ear to one's cries; at the same time, I
+felt, in the depths of my soul's affections, that notwithstanding all,
+he is a God of infinite love. Satan has sorely tried me, but the Lord
+has shewn me, in the 22d Psalm, a more wonderful cry _apparently_
+unheeded, and the Holy Ghost has given me the victory, and enabled me
+to acquiesce in my Father's will, though I now see not the end of his
+holy and blessed ways. Dear, dear spirit! she will soon wing her way
+to where her heart has long been; and, if I am spared, I shall perhaps
+have reason to bless God for having removed her thus early.
+
+The plague has attacked two more of our household--the schoolmaster's
+wife and our maid-servant, and how far it will go now, no one knows
+but he who guides it by his sovereign will. My dearest Mary's
+sufferings for four or five hours last night were great; she was quite
+delirious, and her dear voice was so affected, that I could not make
+out two words connectedly. How mysterious are God's ways! Oh my soul,
+learn the lesson of patient submission to his holy will. I have cast
+myself upon him and he will guide me. Dear Mary, to-day has been quite
+insensible. It has indeed been a very painful day, but it is the
+condition of this world. Dear spirit! her heart has been so set on her
+Lord's coming of late, that it seemed quite to absorb her thoughts and
+heart. And now she will quickly join the holy assembly that are
+waiting to come with him. Surely such times as these, when the Lord is
+taking a ripe shock of corn from your field, are seasons to rejoice
+that your prayer for the quick accomplishment of the number of God's
+elect has been heard, and yet how hard it is for nature not to feel
+deep sorrow that a message has come for one of yours.
+
+Poor dear Kitto and the little boys are now become the sole nurses of
+the dear baby by night and by day. Oh, may the Lord watch over them
+and bless them. My last night's attendance on my dear wife, leaves me
+little hope of escaping the plague, unless it be our Father's special
+will to preserve me, for in her delirium she required so many times to
+be lifted from place to place, and to have all her clothes changed,
+that I can now only cry to the Lord to preserve me, if it may be a
+little while, for the dear children's sake.
+
+The Lord has most graciously provided us with a servant of Mrs. T's.
+to come and attend my dear Mary.[30] Oh may my soul bless him for this
+timely help, just when our own servant was taken ill. This woman has
+been in the midst of all the contagion, and has never taken it; so it
+may be the Lord's will to shew how he can work even in the midst of
+the darkest trials. She sits down beside the dear sufferer, keeps the
+flies from her face, and does every thing for her the fondest heart
+could desire. She came out with us from England, having gone there
+with Mrs. T.; is a native of these countries, knows all that is
+required in sickness, and how to perform the duties of a nurse, with
+the most unwearied patience, tenderness, and watchfulness. She also
+knows something of English, and having been with dear Mrs. T. in
+England, is acquainted with English customs. Surely the Lord heard my
+cry in the day of my deep distress, for such a person perhaps could
+not be got again within a thousand miles. That she should have been
+left too when all the rest went away. She has made dear Mary look so
+comfortable; she washes her and changes her, who though insensible,
+lies so quiet, and looks so composed. She said she knew the Lord would
+be very gracious, and he has been so indeed--he sees it right to take
+his sheep home to his fold; but he has so overwhelmed me by this proof
+of his loving kindness, this ray of light arising in the midst of my
+darkness, that it seems to have led my heart yet more and more to love
+him and to confide in him, that he may yet stay his rough wind in the
+day of his east wind. This kind friend, Mrs. T.'s servant, proposes to
+remain with us until all our family are either well or dead.
+
+  [30] This servant was an old servant of Mrs. R.'s, and came
+  out with us, and was much attached to dear Mary.
+
+_May 12._--Up to this day I am well, thank God, but seeing the ways of
+the Lord are so marvellous, I have arranged all my little concerns,
+and put them into the hands of dear Kitto, for the little boys and our
+dear little baby, till they arrive at some of those places where there
+may be some one to take care of them, and carry them to their
+guardians or my trustees. But as poor Kitto is so little able to
+provide even for himself, much less for the little boys, I shall now
+endeavour, the Lord enabling me, to arrange with this woman, Mariam by
+name, to undertake every thing for them till she can give them over
+to Major T., to whose family she is going, unless they return here.
+This woman was an old servant of dear Mrs. R. She has consented to
+undertake this charge, and is to remain with the dear, dear children.
+She knows enough of English to make herself understood by the dear
+children, and she thoroughly understands the language, manners, and
+habits of this people.--Whether it may ever be the Lord's will to call
+into exercise the arrangements of this plan or not, I trust I never
+shall forget the Lord's unspeakable mercy in shewing me, that when I
+saw no earthly protector for my poor children, his holy, loving, and
+fatherly hand could provide one if it were necessary. Oh, may my faith
+in him in the darkest day never fail, for it is a light that springeth
+up in darkness.
+
+Dearest Mary is gradually sinking into the bosom of the Lord, and to
+join in the society her soul has so long and so truly loved, of the
+lovers of the Lamb of God. Though the Lord has taken away the desire
+of my eyes, as it were with a stroke, and left me a few hours to cry
+unto him in the midst of my deep, deep waters; yet these visions of
+his love have so revived my soul, that my whole soul is brought to
+acquiesce in his holy and fatherly arrangements, with respect to her
+who was once the joy, the help, and companion of all in which I was
+engaged. I sit down now to wait, and see the salvation of my God, for
+doubtless he will reveal, in his own good time, the reason why he has
+acted so contrary, not only to mine, but especially my dear wife's
+strongest convictions, which were, that he would preserve us all safe
+through this calamity.
+
+When I now contemplate the spiritual state of dear Mary's mind for the
+last twelve months, I am not at all surprised that the Lord has taken
+her as a ripe shock of corn, but my expectation while watching her
+spiritual progress was so different. I saw her daily growing in the
+simple assurance of her Lord's love, and desiring under heaven neither
+to know nor serve any other than him. Her heart was panting for the
+Lord's coming, that the mystery of iniquity might be finished, and
+the mystery of godliness be fully established; but I thought not of
+all this being preparatory to her joining her Lord, but for the
+strengthening of my poor weak hands here. It never entered my heart
+that I was to be left alone, as far as earth is concerned, most alone.
+Those friends for whom this journal is alone designed, know how much
+she was to me, and how deservedly so: this, however, the Lord saw had
+its great, great dangers too, and may in his infinite mercy to us both
+have ripened her so rapidly for glory, and left me here to serve and
+praise; for I have felt it was very, very hard to be as the Apostle
+says, having a wife as though I had none. Now, when I go and look upon
+her having reached within one short step, the habitation of all her
+hopes; I have not a spiritual affection within my soul that would
+call her back; but poor nature bows reluctantly its head.
+
+The dear little baby also is but poorly. Her dear little cry of mamma,
+mamma, cuts my poor heart like a knife, to think, that from to-day or
+probably to-morrow, she must cease to know that endearing name, and
+such a mother too! However, the Lord tells his children to leave their
+fatherless, and doubtless motherless ones to him. Lord, I desire so to
+do; for he is a dear and kind father, though _nature_ cannot always
+see it, and indeed how could this be? for that which is _natural_ in
+us is, not only in its will opposed to God, but even in its best
+affections tainted from the fall. Were it not that the Lord whom we
+love and serve, is as infinite in his compassions, as he is mysterious
+in his ways, the days that must come when the excitement of present
+suffering will be past, and my soul begins to look round and see the
+extent of its desolations, in a country, too, where there is nothing
+to comfort or cheer me, would appear to me too dark to be borne, did I
+not know the Lord hath said, I will not leave you orphans, but I will
+come unto you; so if he does come and dwell more sensibly within me,
+even my poor dull and slow-growing spirit may soon be ripened and
+gathered into his kingdom, there to join my dear departing spirit in
+the realms of light.
+
+_May 13._--My dearest wife has reached the light of another day,
+still quietly sinking without a sigh and without a groan. This my
+prayer for her in the night of my darkness the Lord has mercifully
+heard. At present all the remaining ones of the family are well. I
+have separated the dear little boys and Kitto, and allow them to hold
+intercourse with none. The dear baby, and myself, and the maid, and
+the little boy of our sick servant, are also much separated, and this
+nurse, whom the Lord sent us, alone attends the sick; but yet so
+contagious is this fearful disease, that when it has once entered your
+dwelling, you can know no other safety than in your Lord's preserving
+care. These are indeed days of trial, but doubtless they will have
+their precious fruit in all God's children; for the eyes of the Lord
+are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry--for the
+Lord redeemeth the soul of his servants, therefore none of them that
+trust in him shall be desolate--no, not even I, poor and worthless as
+I am, I shall yet praise him who is the Lord of my life, and my God.
+
+The dear boys also keep up their spirits much better than the first
+two or three days after their dear mamma was taken ill. The magnitude
+of present danger to themselves, and to all, in some measure divides
+their thoughts, and prevents them from resting alone on that deeply
+affecting prospect before them, for they loved her most truly, and,
+Oh! how much reason had they to love her.
+
+I have just heard that the streets begin again to be crowded, shops
+here and there to be opened, and the gardeners are bringing things
+from without into the city. To think that so near the end we should
+have been thus visited, how mysterious! Yet my soul says, What thou
+seest not, thou shalt see. If it does but lead to my Lord's glory, I
+am sure it will lead to my dear sufferer's; then why should I repine?
+
+Water is also reduced to 1s. 3d. the skin, the price it was at before.
+For these proofs of mercy to the people, we will bless God in the
+midst of our own personal sorrows.
+
+_May 14._--This day dearest Mary's ransomed spirit took its seat among
+those dressed in white, and her body was consigned to the earth that
+gave it birth--a dark, heavy day to poor nature, but still the Lord
+was the light and stay of it.
+
+I cannot help exceedingly blessing my heavenly Father, however these
+calamities (for to nature they are such, though not to the heirs of
+glory) may end that he has allowed me to continue in health so long as
+to see every thing done I could have desired, and so infinitely more
+than I could have expected, for her whom I have so much reason to
+love.
+
+_May 15, 16._--I have heard to-day that the French Roman Catholic
+Archbishop of Babylon has been dead a long time, and two of his
+priests, and the remaining two fled. The poor schoolmaster's wife is
+dying, and our servant I trust, recovering: the rest of our household
+within and without, thank God, all continue in good health--even dear
+little baby, though rather cross from want of amusement, and from her
+teeth.
+
+They say new cases of plague have almost entirely disappeared; may the
+Lord grant its speedy disappearance altogether. We have had no
+intelligence from the Taylors since their departure, which makes us
+very anxious. As the waters are decreasing, the relics of those
+families which fled are returning; and, in numberless cases, out of
+eighteen in a family who left, only one or two return. The others died
+in the greatest misery and destitution of all things, distressed by
+the plague, the water, and scarcity, and the air in all the roads was
+tainted from the immense number of dead bodies lying by the way.
+
+I feel to-day many symptoms similar to those with which my dearest
+Mary's illness commenced--pains in the head and heaviness, pains in
+the back, and shooting pains through the glands and the arms. At
+another time I should think only of them as the result of a common
+cold; but now I know not how to discriminate, the beginnings are so
+similar. Should these be my last lines in this journal, I desire to
+ascribe all praise to the sovereign grace and unspeakable love of my
+heavenly Father, who, from before the foundation of the world, set his
+eye of redeeming love on me in the person of his dear and well-beloved
+Son. I bless God for all the way he has led me; and vile and wretched
+sinner as I feel I am, unworthily as I have in all my life served
+him, yet I feel he has translated the affections of my inmost soul
+from earth to heaven, from the creature to himself. As to the dear,
+dear helpless children, I have committed them to his love, with the
+full assurance that if he transplants me from hence to himself, to
+join the partner of my earthly history, he will provide them much,
+yea, very much better than I, or ten thousand fathers could do. To his
+love and promises, then, in Christ Jesus, I leave them; and strange
+and wonderful as his dealings appear, he has made my soul to acquiesce
+in them. To all the family of the redeemed of the Lord, especially
+those I know, I entreat you let your conversation be as it becometh
+the gospel of Christ; always abound in his most holy work, for you
+know your labour is not in vain in the Lord. Be as those who wait for
+their Lord with your lamp trimmed, for shortly he who shall come will
+come, and will not tarry. My soul embraces those I especially knew
+with all its powers, and desires for them that Christ may exceedingly
+be glorified in them, and by them, amen, and amen.
+
+_May 17._--To-day the fever has almost entirely left me, so that I
+feel a very little, except weakness, but never can I sufficiently
+praise God for the experience of yesterday. I certainly never expected
+again to have written in this journal, and few circumstances could
+have apparently presented themselves more trying to the heart, to have
+the prospect of soon leaving in a city like Bagdad, at this time,
+three helpless children, and the impossibility of making those
+provisions for them, which at another time might have been
+comparatively easy, seemed altogether more than the heart could
+support; yet so abundantly did the Lord allow his love to pass before
+me, so fully did he assure me of his loving care, that I felt no doubt
+for them--and, for myself, the prospect of soon joining him was
+specially exhilarating. He allowed me to see my free and full
+forgiveness and acceptance, and I never felt more the preciousness of
+such a salvation as the Gospel of Jesus provides for the sinner, than
+when I was as I thought, just entering eternity, to plead it as the
+ground of my hope before God. There seemed such simplicity in having
+only to believe you were redeemed by his love, and should be eternally
+preserved by the same, instead of having to do with weighing the sum
+of your beggarly services, all of which one hates now, and oh, how
+shall we hate them when we see him face to face. May our dear Lord
+make the promise he made to his disciples, good to my poor bereaved
+heart, and come himself and fill it with his fulness, that having him
+I may indeed feel I have all things.
+
+_May 18._--Our poor servant died last night, notwithstanding our hopes
+of her recovery, and has left one little orphan boy of seven years old
+with us. Oh that I could think of her transition from hence to
+eternity, and contemplate her, as the Lord to my unspeakable comfort
+allows me to contemplate my dear, dear wife, dwelling in the light of
+her Lord's countenance, where there is fulness of joy for evermore.
+
+The schoolmaster has just told me, that out of forty relations, he has
+now only four--the rest have all been swept away. The accounts we have
+of the misery, in which many of these died who endeavoured to fly, is
+truly heart-rending; with the water nearly half a yard high in their
+tents, without victuals or the means of seeking or buying any, they
+suffered every privation and misery that can be imagined, and one poor
+family which has returned, described the intense desire they had to
+return and die quietly in their houses. But return they could not, for
+the waters had so risen that there was no road, and no boats could be
+obtained, but at an immense price, which a few only could pay, and
+very few obtain even at any price.
+
+Oh! how many alleviations to the trials of parting with those we
+loved, the Lord allowed us in permitting us to see them surrounded by
+every comfort they could want, and with every attendance that could
+alleviate a moment's uneasiness.
+
+From the Taylors at Bussorah we have yet heard no accounts, and are
+therefore most anxious to know how the Lord has been moving among
+them. I have just heard that orders have come from Stamboul,[31] to
+the Pashas marching against this Pasha, to desire them to return, and
+that another messenger is on the way from Stamboul to bring his
+annual dress of investiture. Should it be really thus, our dear
+friends may soon be here from Aleppo; it would indeed be a great
+comfort; but the Lord regards, in this dispensation, our real
+advantage more than our sensible comfort, we therefore desire to leave
+all to his Holy, gracious ordering, who, though he orders all things
+after the counsel of his own free will, has no will towards us, but
+that we should be filled with the fulness of Christ, and be conformed
+to his image.
+
+  [31] Constantinople.
+
+_May 19._--The water to-day has again fallen considerably in price,
+and as far as we can judge, God has mercifully nearly extinguished
+this desolating plague. I now feel quite satisfied the attack I had
+the other day was an attack of the plague, though very slight. The
+schoolmaster, yesterday, was attacked in the same way with a pain in
+his back and head, and a pain in his glands, one of which is decidedly
+enlarged, but still it is very slight, and I trust to-morrow, with the
+Lord's blessing, to see him, with the exception of weakness, well
+again. We are, thank God, all well; the only thing I now suffer from
+is weakness and pain in the glands and under the arm, but there is no
+enlargement, and I trust in a day or two it will go entirely away. I
+heard, to-day, the Pasha had been ill of the plague this week; it is
+now reported he is dead; but we know nothing certain. One of his sons
+is also dead.
+
+This has been a heavy day with my poor heart, so slow a scholar am I
+under my dear Master's teaching. Yet I feel he will fill me with his
+own most blessed presence, and then I shall be able to bear easily all
+other bereavements. How strange it is that feeling should rule with so
+much more power than principle, over the happiness of the soul, even
+when the spirit still imparts strength to direct the conduct aright.
+The feelings seize on the slightest recollection; and oh, what fuel
+have they when every thing in the minutest daily occurrences, every
+thing in the events passing around us, at once come directly on the
+heart and press upon it; and when there is not a soul near, not only
+not to supply all that is lost, but not even a portion of it, and yet
+notwithstanding all this, that now weighs on me, I feel the Lord
+himself will be yet more to me than all I have lost. I feel I have
+been skimming too much on the surface of Christianity instead of being
+clothed with Christ. Oh! what a child am I in the life of faith, but I
+feel the Lord has my poor soul in his training, and though the
+discipline may seem severe, it is only the severity of uncompromising
+love.
+
+_May 20._--This has been a day of mercies at the hand of the Most
+High. For a day or two past, I had observed a little dust falling
+through a creak in the wall, and although on any other occasion, it
+would have excited no anxiety; yet, knowing the cellars were full of
+water, I thought it better this morning early to take out all our
+things from this room; it was our own, mine and dear Mary's, and
+therefore contained all we had of clothing, &c.; the dear little boys
+and the servant were helping me, and we had not finished taking out
+the last things above ten minutes, when the whole arch on which the
+room was built gave way--our little stock of things and ourselves
+being all safe. Oh! my soul, bless the Lord who watcheth over the ways
+of his children.
+
+Oh! how easy it is to kiss our dear and loving Father's hand when he
+turns bright providences towards us. How easy, then, it is to praise!
+but I feel my dearest teacher is teaching me the hardest lesson to
+kiss the hand that wounds, to bless the hand that pours out sorrow,
+and to submit, with all my soul, though I see not a ray of light. Oh,
+thou holy and blessed Spirit, come and help thy poor wayward scholar,
+who indeed would not entertain a hard thought of his dear and loving
+Father. Through much tribulation we must enter into the kingdom;
+therefore, blessed Lord, prepare me for thy service. I am a poor
+inexperienced soldier; clothe me with the whole armour of God, that my
+soul may praise in the darkest day. All but myself are quite well, and
+my indisposition seems only at present a little weakness, which
+perhaps the exertions of removing the things from our room to-day, and
+all the painful associations connected with it, has this evening a
+little increased: but the Lord is very pitiful, and says, Ask what you
+will of my Father, and he will give it you. Dear Lord, fill me with
+thyself, that there may be no more room for the grief of any creature.
+Thou, and thy Father, and the blessed Spirit, one eternal God alone,
+are eternally a satisfying portion.
+
+I am very anxious about the poor schoolmaster: should he die, he will
+be the last of our teachers; _three_ are already dead, and he alone
+remains.--Oh, my Lord, my soul desires to wait on thee for light,
+and to remember Mizar and Hermon--days when the sun shone upon our
+path; but the frost may be as necessary to bring the cover to full
+perfection as the genial sun and showers. Dear Husbandman, do thine
+own will, only make us bear much fruit, that thou mayest be glorified.
+
+_May 21._--Last night thieves endeavoured three times to force an
+outer door, but did not succeed--the whole city is swarming with them.
+
+To-day the Pasha of Mosul is come to Bagdad; what it portends we know
+not; but the Lord reigneth, therefore let the Saints rejoice; they can
+only accomplish his will who is our Father and our God.
+
+I have to-day sent off a messenger to Major T. to Bussorah, may he
+quickly return with good tidings of them all. To-day I have also heard
+of a caravan proposing to go to Aleppo. Every account we have of the
+plague confirms its almost entire disappearance. Our walking now is
+altogether by faith: we see not a ray of light for the future, but the
+Lord will let light spring out of darkness, so that his servants who
+wait upon him shall not always mourn. Oh how different a thing faith
+is in a cloudy and dark day, and when all things smile around. I had
+intentionally renounced the world, yet the Lord saw that I held more
+of it than I knew in the dear object he has removed. In England, where
+I had many dear Christian friends, she was my constant companion; but
+_here_ she was on earth all I had left--my sorrows, my hopes, my
+fears, she shared and bore them all. I feel Christ my Lord has in
+store for me in himself some great and special good in exchange for
+all this, but my poor weak faithless heart does not yet see the way of
+his going forth.
+
+Miriam is most kind to my sweet little helpless babe.
+
+_May 22._--Our dear Lord said to his sorrowing disciples, You have
+heard how I said unto you, I go away and come again unto you. _If ye
+loved me ye would rejoice because I said I go unto the Father_, that
+is, if you loved me above the enjoyment of my society and help, ye
+would rejoice; how hard this is: as it was true of the departing head,
+so it is true of every member, and yet I feel my selfish heart
+constantly forgetting that true love which under the crucifixion of
+all one's own feelings can truly rejoice at the happiness of an object
+beloved, even at this expense.
+
+This has again been an anxious day. Dear Henry complained this morning
+of a swelling under his ear, or rather under the angle of the jaw,
+where there was on feeling it, an evidently enlarged gland; however,
+to the praise of the Lord's great grace, it is evidently passing away
+without any general attack on the constitution. I really believe the
+Holy Ghost is making these events instrumental in working a deep sense
+on the minds of the dearest boys of the importance of their souls;
+there is a concern about religion, a willingness to talk about it I
+have not before observed. Oh, may the Lord's blessed spirit water
+these seeds till they become plants of renown, to the glory of our own
+Lord's great name.
+
+_May 23._--Oh my poor heart flutters like a bird when it contemplates
+the extent of its bereavement as a husband, a father, a missionary.
+Oh, what have I not lost! Dear Lord sustain my poor weak faith. Thy
+gracious visits sometimes comfort my soul; yet my days move heavily
+on; but the Lord who redeemeth the souls of his servants has declared,
+that none of those who trust in him shall be desolate. Lord I believe,
+help thou mine unbelief. I do indeed desire with my whole soul to cast
+myself into the ocean of thy love, and never to let Satan have one
+advantage over me, by instilling into my heart hard thoughts of thy
+ways. Surely we expect trials, and if so, and thou sendest one other
+than we expected, should it surprise us when we see but a point in the
+circle of thy providence, and thou seest the end from the beginning.
+
+_May 24._--To-day Kitto has been very unwell.
+
+_May 25._--To-day the dear baby is very unwell, but Kitto better. Thus
+the Lord interchanges his merciful trials and merciful reliefs. I feel
+one great want, "To be filled with all the fulness of Christ," that
+there may be no room for those fluctuations, which from short
+intervals of sweet peace, plunge me into depths of sorrow and
+astonishment: yet I know the Lord will heal, he will bind up what he
+has broken. O my soul, wait patiently on him to learn all, I know he
+would teach thee: let patience have her perfect work, for the trial of
+our faith is much more precious than of gold that perisheth. My eyes
+are daily, hourly looking unto the Lord for a little ray of light, but
+as yet I see none: yet we know that they that trust on the Lord shall
+not walk in darkness, but mercies shall encompass them about.
+
+_May 26._--To-day, thank God, all our household are tolerably
+well.--All accounts from without say the plague is ended. May the Lord
+grant it!
+
+_May 27._--My dear baby still very poorly. Dear Lord, I commit this
+tender delicate flower to thy loving gracious keeping. Oh my God, my
+soul has been much cast down within me; but thou hast enabled me to
+remember thee from the land of Jordan, and the Hermonites, from the
+hill Mizar. O Lord, only let thy love appear shining through the
+clouds that surround me, and my soul will rejoice; it is only when the
+adversary prevails so far as to say, He loves thee not, that my soul
+is overwhelmed within me; for if I have not the Lord, whom have I? for
+vile and worthless as all my manifestations of love have been, cold
+and dead as all my worship, low and doubting as all my confidence has
+been, yet Lord, all my desire is to love thee better and serve thee
+more singally, who art infinitely worthy of all love and all service.
+How strong our tower seems till the Lord blow upon its foundations,
+and then much that looked so fair, flies like the chaff of the summer
+threshing floor, and meet it is, if the immoveable parts of Christ's
+own building be found to connect the poor fluttering soul with the
+Rock of Ages. Oh may my soul drink daily more and more deeply into
+that spirit of adoption and love, and assurance of the Lord's favour,
+that gilded the last year of my dear, dear Mary's life.--Lord, I feel
+I am a very child; but Lord, lead thou me by thine own right hand. Oh
+my heart longs for Christian communion--some one to whom I can talk of
+Jesus and his ways, and with whom I may take counsel; yet it now seems
+as though many months must elapse before our dear friends can come
+from Aleppo, but the Lord knows what is best, and to him we leave all
+our cares, and the providing for all our necessities. I pray the Lord
+to pour down his Holy Spirit upon my poor heart, and strengthen it for
+trials. It was one of my dearest Mary's greatest comforts, as it has
+been mine, to know so many of those who were dear to the Lord, and had
+purposed wholly to follow him, were praying for our guidance and
+welfare;--this used to be in our evening walks, on the roof of our
+house, a theme of thanksgiving, and used daily to draw out our hearts
+to the Lord for the continual dew of his blessing upon them. Oh when
+they hear of all the Lord's dealing, may their spirits be stirred up
+within them to pray that I may be filled with him who filleth all in
+all. I long to love my Eternal God--Father, Son, and Spirit, more with
+all my undivided heart; the coldness of my love--the lowness of my
+desires is my abiding sorrow.
+
+_May 28._--To-day came letters from England, but Oh, how strangely
+altered; those very letters which would have animated anew all our
+endeavours, and led us to praise God together, had dearest Mary been
+here to share them, came winged with passages that wrung my heart. But
+still the love of the saints of God, of those we love, has much
+sweetness in it; and then again to hear of our dear sister's
+thoughtful love towards our tender little babe in providing her
+clothes, which, while they are doing, my heart heaves with the
+prospect of losing the sweet little flower--so tender--so needing more
+than a mother's care. But the Lord is most compassionately gracious,
+and what he does not reveal, he will hereafter.
+
+I have also had intelligence to-day that my dear brothers and sisters
+had been two months ago on the point of setting off for Aleppo; but
+whether they received news of the plague and returned, or are waiting
+at Anah, I know not, but I greatly need them--yet still the Lord knows
+best how much I need them, and when.
+
+When I think of my lowness in the attainments of the divine life, my
+little knowledge, and less love of my dear Lord, I wonder how he has
+so graciously allowed me a place in the hearts of his chosen, and that
+he should allow our weak, tottering, and faithless walk, to encourage
+the young and lusty eagles to take their higher flight is wonderful;
+but it is that the glory might be his.
+
+       *       *       *
+
+In concluding this portion of my journal, I shall just take a little
+view of the last two years, as it is now within a few days of two
+years since I left my dear, dear friends and native shore.
+
+From the day my dearest Mary and myself deliberately prepared to set
+out on the work in which we finally embarked, the Lord never allowed
+us to doubt that it was _his_ work, and that the result on the church
+of God would be greater than our remaining quietly at home. All our
+subsequent intercourse with his dear children in England, and in our
+journey, had a confirmatory tendency, and all the communications
+from the dear circle to whom we were known, insignificant as we
+were, convinced us that the cause of the Lord had suffered no
+detriment--that many had been led to act with more decision, and some
+to pursue measures which possibly might not otherwise have been
+undertaken.
+
+Again, the Lord's great care over us in his abundant provision for all
+our necessities, although every one of those sources failed we had
+calculated upon naturally when we left England, enabled us yet further
+to sing of his goodness.
+
+Then, as to our work; when we left England, schools entered not into
+our plan; but when we arrived here, the Lord so completely put the
+school of the Armenians into our hands, that on consultation both my
+dearest Mary, myself, and Mr. Pfander thought that the Lord's children
+and saints must take the work the Lord gives, particularly as there
+appeared no immediate prospect of other work. We entered on it, and by
+dear Mr. Pfander's most efficient help, the children were soon brought
+to translate God's word with understanding, and the school increased
+from 35 to near 80. My dearest Mary had long desired to undertake the
+girl's school exclusively; but previous to her confinement she did not
+feel able; but as soon as she got about, she undertook it heartily,
+and the dear little children were so attached to their employments,
+that they used to come on their holidays. She had got so far on in
+Armenian, as to be able to prepare for them, in large characters, some
+little pieces of Carus Wilson's, which I got translated into the
+Armenian of this place, and the dear little children were so
+interested by them, that they exceedingly desired to take them home,
+and read them to their mothers, which in two or three days they were
+to have done. For our own instruction in Arabic and Armenian, and for
+the school, we had five most competent teachers. Thus things went on
+up to the end of March, when the appearance of the plague obliged us
+to break up the school. But now two months have passed, and Oh! how
+changed. Half the children, or more, are dead; many have left the
+place; the five teachers are dead, and my dear, dear Mary. When I
+think on this, my heart is overwhelmed within me, and I remain in
+absolute darkness as to the meaning of my Lord and Father; but shall I
+therefore doubt him now, after so many proofs of love, because he acts
+inscrutably to me? God forbid! That the Lord made the coming of my
+dearest wife, and her multiplied trials and blessings, the instruments
+of her soul's rapid preparation for his presence, I have no doubt. I
+never heard a soul breathe a more simple, firm, and unostentatious
+faith in God. She never had a doubt but that it was for the Lord she
+left all that was naturally dear to her to expose herself to dangers
+from which, with a constitutional timidity, she shrunk. Her soul was
+most especially drawn out towards her Lord's coming, and this spread a
+gilded halo round every trial. She constantly exclaimed, as we walked
+on the roof of our house[32] of an evening, "When will he come?"
+Often she would say to me, I never enjoyed such spiritual peace as
+since I have been in Bagdad--such an unvarying sense of nearness to
+Christ, and assurance of his love and care; we came out trusting only
+under his wing, and he will never forsake us. Her strongest assurance
+was certainly that the Lord would not allow the plague to enter our
+dwelling; but when she saw that the Lord mysteriously accepted not
+this confidence, but let it rest even on her, it never disturbed her
+peace, as I have mentioned before. She said to me, "I know not which
+is to me most mysterious, that the Lord should have laid his hand upon
+me, or, having laid it, that I should enjoy such peace as I do." And
+in this peace and confidence, every subsequent moment of sensibility
+was passed. Her constant exclamation was, "I know he will do most
+graciously by me." Yet notwithstanding all the happiness I have in
+contemplating her among the redeemed, thus clothed in white; and
+notwithstanding the triumphing conviction I have in spite of the
+temptations of Satan, and the darkness that envelopes my present
+position, that all is the offspring of infinite love; yet at times the
+overwhelming loss I have sustained, in every possible way that a
+husband, a father, a missionary, and even a man, can know, so affects
+me that but for my Lord's loving presence, I should be overwhelmed.
+
+  [32] It is on account of the great heat in the summer that
+  the houses in Bagdad are built with flat roofs, to which the
+  inhabitants all move up at sunset, to dine and spend the night.
+
+I now wait till the arrival of my dear friends to consult with them as
+to our future plans. May the Lord, if it be his pleasure, quickly send
+them hither, and direct us in all our plans and purposes, so that we
+may be led to fulfil his will.
+
+_May 30._--A messenger has arrived from Bussorah, bringing
+intelligence of the kind Taylors; but the letters he brought were all
+taken from him, and he stripped to his shirt, a few miles from Bagdad.
+However, by word of mouth, he brings, on the whole, good accounts. All
+their immediate family are well; some have died, among those that
+accompanied them, and nearly all the Arab sailors, but as the letters
+are lost, we know not the particulars.
+
+_May 31._--I have had another proof of my heavenly Father's care. An
+Armenian merchant has sent his servant to me to say, he proposes
+sending him every day to buy for me what I want from the bazaar, and
+also to offer me any money I may want. The latter I had no occasion to
+accept, for when the Jew left the city who was to supply me, and the
+man died who was to obtain it for me, and I seemed left without
+remedy, an Armenian offered to supply whatever I might want, without
+any application on my part, and from him I have had what I needed.
+
+Whether or not the affairs of the Pasha are likely to be quietly
+settled, I know not; but I think there are some indications that the
+present Pasha will remain. So intensely ruined does the city appear,
+that the Pasha of Aleppo, who was to have come and dispossessed him,
+seems to have no desire for the exchange; and besides, the present
+Pasha has offered so large a sum of money, that there appears little
+doubt it will be accepted. Dispatches have arrived for him, the
+contents of which are not yet known; but the Pasha says, he has
+received the most satisfactory letters. He is, I believe, recovering
+daily his strength.
+
+Thus I finish this melancholy portion of my journal--one of those dark
+pages in the history of one's life, that whenever the thoughts stray
+towards it, chills to the very centre of one's being; and when we
+trace all its sources, and see they terminate in sin, Oh! how hateful
+must that thing be, which is fraught with such deadly consequences.
+Oh! what a blessedness it is, amidst all these lights and shades of
+life, to know that the Rock on which we rest is the same, and does not
+vary; and that whether he administers to us the bitter portion or the
+sweet, his banner over us is love.
+
+       *       *       *
+
+_June 5._--Reports are again spreading that the Pasha of Aleppo is
+within a few days of this place. But we sit down and patiently wait
+the event.
+
+_June 7._--To-day a letter has reached me from Major Taylor, being the
+first I have received since he removed his family from this place to
+Bussorah, on the breaking out of the plague here. In every one of the
+boats going down the river deaths occurred, but especially in theirs,
+they losing seven of their party. The plague broke out among the Arab
+sailors, who secreted a corpse in the boat several days, and from
+them it spread among his African servants, and seized Mrs. Taylor's
+brother-in-law, so that I cannot see my early conclusions were wrong
+as to not moving at that time. And, moreover, the Pasha, or rather
+Motezellim of Bussorah, has been driven out by a party of Arabs, and
+he is now come against the town with another large body of Turks, to
+endeavour to recover it; so that even this evil of the sword we should
+not have escaped. The Lord, therefore, leaves me nothing to regret,
+unless it be that I ought perhaps to have kept myself quite apart from
+the rest of the family, after I had been obliged by a sense of duty to
+go out during the time the plague was raging. It is easy to be wise
+after the events are past. The more I contemplate the circumstances in
+which I have of late been placed, the more I see of the trials and
+anxieties of the missionary life, and of the mysteriousness of God's
+dealings; I feel the more overwhelmed with the importance of the soul
+having a deep sense of the love of God in Christ, before it ventures
+upon such an undertaking. Our dear Father very often, in love,
+explains to us his reasons; at other times, he gives no account of his
+matters; in the one case to excite love and confidence, in the other,
+to exercise faith. It does seem to me, that no doctrines but those of
+the sovereign grace of God, and his love entertained towards the soul,
+before the foundation of the world, and the revelation by the Holy
+Ghost of the love and fellowship with Christ, and through him with the
+Father, so that we have thereby our life hid with him where no evil
+can reach us, can happily sustain the soul. There is something so
+filthy, so worthless in all our services, when events render it
+probable to the soul that soon it will appear before God, that the new
+creature cannot endure the deformity and defilement, and turns away
+its distressed sight to the love of the Lord, and the garment he has
+provided without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing. The experience of
+my dear dear Mary on this head was most striking. She often said to
+me, "They often talked to me, and I often read of the happiness of
+religion--but I can truly say I never knew what misery was till I was
+concerned about religion, and endeavoured to frame my life according
+to its rules--the manifest powerless inadequacy of my efforts to
+attain my standard, left me always further removed from hope and peace
+than when I never knew or thought of the likeness of Christ, as a
+thing to be aimed after; and it was not till the Holy Ghost was
+pleased of his infinite mercy to reveal the love of my Heavenly Father
+in Christ, as existing in _himself_ before all ages, contemplating me
+with pity, and purposing to save me by his grace, and to conform me
+to the image of Him whom my soul loves, that I really had peace, or
+confidence, or strength. And if in any measure I have been able to
+walk on with joy in the ways of the Lord, it has been from the
+manifestation of _his_ love, and not from the abstract sense of what
+is right, nor from the fear of punishment." This was the theme of her
+daily praise--the love and graciousness of her Lord; and I can set my
+seal, though with a comparatively feeble impression, to the same
+truths, that the sense of the love of Christ is the high road to walk
+in according to the law of Christ.
+
+_June 9._--I have heard from a German merchant, Mr. Swoboda, that
+above 15,000 persons, many sick with the plague, and others, were
+buried under the ruins of the houses that fell in the night the water
+burst into the city. Nothing can give a more awful impression of the
+mass of misery then in the city, than that such an event, which at
+another time, would have called forth every exertion to remove the
+sufferers, and have been the universal conversation and lamentation of
+the city, passed by without any effort to relieve them, and almost
+without a word of remark, but from those immediately connected with
+the sufferers. I hear that those who have closed their houses intend
+opening them on the 18th inst. I bless God for the intelligence; and
+trust the plague has quite left us. Mr. Swoboda tells me he does not
+expect to open his khan again for 12 months;--this, however, does not
+arise simply from the plague, but because the rich merchants have all
+left the city, and the principal Jews, from the apprehension of the
+coming of Ali Pasha from Aleppo, and that in consequence trade is at a
+stand.
+
+_June 10._--Last evening the guns of the citadel fired as for some
+good news, and we find, on enquiring, that a messenger has come from
+the Sultan, confirming the Pasha in his Pashalic.[33] The Tartars, who
+are the bearers of this intelligence, are expected to enter to-morrow
+or next day. This arrangement, it is reported, has been brought about
+by our Ambassador at Constantinople.--Should it be the Lord's pleasure
+that we now have a little peace and quietness here, it will be a great
+mercy, and an inconceivable relief from the disquietude of the last
+18 months; however, the Lord knows what is best for us. These
+difficulties have led my heart many times to him, when, perhaps, but
+for them, it would have rested on some lower object. This prospect of
+peace seems to bring nearer the possibility of our dear friends
+joining us from Aleppo, and this would indeed be a great comfort.
+
+  [33] All these reports were mere fables, got up for the
+  purpose of deceiving the people.
+
+_June 11._--This day has made manifest that more judgments are coming
+upon the city, and instead of a _Firman_ in favour Daoud Pasha,
+bringing peace, we can hear the sound of the cannon of the new Pasha.
+He will little regard the _Firman_ that has come from the Sultan, if
+it has really come, and which being here universally believed to have
+been procured through the instrumentality of our Ambassador, places
+the English in no very acceptable position; but the Lord is our tower,
+yea, our high tower, and into _him_ we run. The enemy is now about six
+miles off, and the whole city is in a state of commotion that cannot
+be described, every one armed with swords, pistols, and guns,
+preparing for the expected contest. O Lord, we commend ourselves to
+thy holy keeping, for thou neither slumberest nor sleepest. When all
+the difficulties of these countries follow upon one another as rapidly
+as they have of late done here, it seems very difficult to see how the
+word of life is to go forth as a testimony. Yet it will; for the Lord
+hath said it; therefore let not our hearts fail, or our hands hang
+down, for the Lord of all circumstances, who governs the most
+disastrous as well as the most prosperous, is our own Lord, the only
+begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. All the bazaars are
+closed, and we are taking in water again at an advanced price. Oh!
+Lord, when will thy holy and blessed kingdom of peace come, when the
+nations shall learn war no more, but love and light shall flourish in
+the Lord! Wherever the blasting influence of Mohammedanism extends,
+how iron bound all appears against the truth: yet even this the Lord
+will soften by his love, or break by his power. May my soul be daily
+more and more sensible of their misery and pride. Poor Mr. Goodell
+says, in a letter, that after all the labours the American
+missionaries have bestowed in Syria, they scarcely know an individual
+to whom their message has been peace, saving in the case of two or
+three Armenians of whom they hoped well. No one can imagine the
+disheartening feelings that often try the missionary's heart in the
+countries where Mohammedanism is professed and dominant, and where
+your mouth is sealed. Among heathens, and especially in India, you can
+publish your testimony, and this is a great comfort to the heart that
+knows what a testimony it is, and what promises are connected with its
+publication.
+
+Shortly after we ascended to the roof for our evening walk, we heard
+the cannon and small arms begin to fire, which informed us that the
+contest was begun within the city. About eight o'clock we heard
+multitudes crying out and shouting before the seroy, or palace, and
+the account was soon brought us that the inhabitants had broken in and
+seized the Pasha. After this all became quiet, except the firing of
+guns from the tops of the houses, to frighten off the thieves, and the
+cry of the watchmen, whom all, who can afford it in these trying
+occasions, keep to protect them. The Lord has hitherto extended his
+sheltering wing over us, though without sword, pistol, gun, or powder
+in the house; and the only men besides myself, are Kitto, who is
+deaf, and the schoolmaster's father, who is blind: but the Lord is our
+hope and our exceeding great reward.
+
+_June 12._ _Lord's day._--The wretched Pasha has just passed our house
+under a guard to the residence of Saleh Beg, almost the only male
+relation he suffered to live of the family he supplanted. The Lord is
+now visiting on him his cruelty and blood; so that what with the
+plague and now the sword, there will hardly be one of the apostate
+Georgians left.
+
+The day dawned quietly; but our house has just been attacked by a band
+of lawless depredators, asking for powder and offensive weapons. I
+told them I had none; but seeing a carpenter whom I knew, I told him I
+would let him and three others in, if they would promise me that no
+more should come in, which they did. So they entered, and were very
+civil, though they searched the house: I gave them some money, and
+they went away, promising that nothing more should be done to my
+house; but my only confidence is in the Lord. They wanted to go from
+the roof of my house to that of a rich neighbour's of mine, but I told
+them I could not allow that they should make my house a passage to
+his, and they were very civil and did not press it.
+
+A Frenchman who was teaching the Pasha's soldiers European discipline,
+has had his house stripped, and when they were on the point of killing
+him he turned Mohammedan. Before he was professedly a Roman Catholic,
+but really an infidel.
+
+Oh, my dear Mary, what a contrast to your kingdom of peace and love!
+Lord Jesus come quickly. For this I can now truly bless God that she
+is freed from this season of trouble and anxiety. The dear children
+bear it better than I could have hoped; but the Lord sustains and
+comforts us in the hope that as the new Pasha is near, this state of
+inquietude may not continue long. The Pasha of Mosul and an Arab chief
+have entered the city, and are now at the palace, so thank God, the
+state of anarchy is likely to be immediately put an end to. The crier
+has been publishing the determination of those now acting for the new
+Pasha, till he enters to punish all who commit any depredations, and
+desiring that the bazaars may be opened, and every one go about his
+own work. Should this be the end, we cannot but bless God that so
+great a storm has passed over so lightly. But the fact was, that the
+plague had destroyed all the powers of resistance. All Daoud Pasha's
+soldiers were dead--all his public servants were dead--and he, though
+recovering from the plague, unable to take any active part for
+himself. When he passed our house this morning, he was supported on
+his horse by six men. He is not yet killed, and on his expressing a
+wish to have his son brought to him, he was sent for immediately.
+Should they spare his life, it may augur that even the Turks are
+coming to a sense of their barbarism. It has been a great comfort to
+me to-day, to think on Noah's case, that God did not forget him amidst
+a condemned world.
+
+_June 14._--The people at the head of affairs have now begun to
+quarrel among themselves: some are for killing Daoud Pasha, some
+are for saving him, and the opposite parties are fighting in all
+directions; so when these troubles will terminate, or how, we have
+little knowledge. Our only resting place is in him who is the Shepherd
+of the fold of Israel.
+
+The Pasha of Mosul has been made prisoner, and part of the palace has
+been burnt and plundered: they have killed or put to flight the
+soldiers of the Pasha of Mosul, who came here as the agent of Ali
+Pasha, of Aleppo, the successor to Daoud Pasha, said to have been
+appointed by the Porte. The crier has again proclaimed Daoud as Pasha,
+and Saleh Beg his kaimacam or representative, till he recovers. Some
+say the Pasha of Aleppo is dead of the plague; some, that he is not
+coming, and that this entrance of the Pasha of Mosul and a famous Arab
+chief, was only a plot of theirs to get Bagdad into their own hands.
+What is true, what is false, it is now utterly impossible to tell, or
+what the result will be; but should Ali Pasha, if he is alive, be now
+sufficiently powerful to advance and attempt to dispossess this man,
+we may expect dreadful scenes. Last night the contest ended in
+plundering the poor Jews.
+
+Amidst this turmoil and interminable contention, a missionary with a
+family has much to try his faith, particularly in the early years of
+his missionary course, when he has no power in the language to take
+advantage of those opportunities which accidentally present
+themselves; for I am daily more and more convinced of the difficulty
+of speaking so as to be felt; at least in the first Eastern language
+one learns. The association of ideas, the images of illustration, are
+almost entirely different in many cases. The organs of pronunciation
+require a perfect new modelling, and perhaps not the least difficulty
+is to prevent one's heart from sinking at the little apparent progress
+made in understanding, and being understood, out of the common routine
+of daily life: the feeling will often arise, Surely I never shall
+learn. The difficulty is not, however, merely in words; you have to
+converse in the East generally with persons who have either no ideas
+on subjects of the deepest interest, or have attached some entirely
+different meaning to the terms you use to express those ideas; and
+which of the two occasions the most trouble, it is difficult to say.
+Notwithstanding, however, all difficulties, and all discouragements,
+and we seem now in the very centre of all, my soul was never more
+assured of the value of missionary labours among any people, it
+matters not whom, than now. There is, I am sure, what our blessed Lord
+declares, a _testimony_, in whatever measure we can proclaim his
+truth, or manifest his spirit, that is felt by those even who will
+not embrace it savingly. In reading Mrs. Judson's journal of the
+trials of the Burman mission, how deeply I now enter into them--how
+truly I can sympathize with them. It is wonderful how the Lord does
+sustain the heart when the time of trial comes. When I heard the
+struggle at the palace, last night, then saw it on fire, and heard the
+balls whizzing over our heads, and shortly after the screams of the
+poor Jews, whom they were plundering, a little way from the end of our
+street, my heart felt a repose in God that I cannot describe, and a
+peace that nothing but confidence in his loving care could give me, I
+feel assured. At times I feel so utterly useless, so devoid of every
+aptitude for the work in which I am engaged, that I wonder the Lord
+called me to it, yet the Lord may allow me to fill a place, though it
+be the lowest in missionary service. My greatest earthly treasure is
+the love of those who love the Lord, and in this I do feel rich,
+unworthy as I am of it. My heart longs for Christian communion; but
+such is the state of things here, that I feel almost as far from the
+prospect as when the first letter arrived from England, telling me so
+many were purposing to come. But what an inducement it is to patience
+to know, that all our trials and disappointments are the orderings of
+him who loved us, and gave himself for us.
+
+The day is passing quietly over, thank God; and they are removing the
+barricades from the streets.
+
+_June 15._--The account has just reached us, that the Pasha of Mosul
+was put to death last night. The reason assigned is, that he attacked
+Bagdad without any warrant, and had detained at Mosul the Tartars who
+were bringing the firman for Daoud Pasha. Oh! what a country, and what
+a government! Should the reinstatement of Daoud Pasha not be a truth,
+these circumstances will tend greatly to embitter the contest, and
+make the occupying of the city by the new Pasha a much more
+destructive and trying scene, than if these events had not occurred;
+but I feel that the Lord is disciplining, by these trials, the poor
+weak faith of his servant to lay hold on his strength, and not to rest
+on his own. I now give up all hope of seeing the dear brethren from
+Aleppo till the autumn. These scenes of anxiety and trouble strongly
+urge the heart forward to desire the day of the Lord to come, so
+wretched, so comfortless does all appear. I have quite given up the
+little we have to plunder, so that I feel quite at ease on that point,
+should it be the Lord's will to allow these scenes to continue, and us
+thus to be served. For the moment a season of lawlessness commences,
+you see the Mohammedan feeling relative to Christians. Now, for
+instance, that meat is scarce, if they see a butcher disposed to give
+a Christian some before them, they instantly put themselves into an
+attitude of hostility, and say, "What! will you give it to these
+infidels before us?" The other day, during the time of the
+disturbances in the city, the son of one of the most respectable
+Armenians here, went out, armed with pistol, sword, and gun to the
+coffee-house. They immediately began with saying, "What does this
+infidel with arms? Will he kill Moslems?" and they stripped him of
+all. The governing powers are beginning to recognize and feel the
+strength of those people called Christians; but this is never the
+thought of an Arab populace, who care for none of these things, and
+only think of present plunder.
+
+I have finished reading the account of the Burmese mission, and
+sympathize much more fully with the sufferers, than when I last
+read it, and I greatly admire and bless God for their steady and
+persevering devotedness to his holy service, amidst so many trials and
+so many discouragements. Such manifestations of the grace of Christ,
+tend much to encourage and strengthen the hands and hearts of those
+who are in any trials, whether similar or different. Whoever proves
+God to be among his dear children, becomes necessarily a light to the
+Church, for the Lord surely will be faithful to his promise and to his
+children's confidence; and the manifestation of this his faithfulness
+becomes the light of others.
+
+_June 16._ (_Friday._)--To-day all quiet within the city.
+
+_June 17._--For some weeks past hope and fear have alternated for my
+sweet little baby; but to-day hope finds not a place for her foot to
+rest on. I see the Lord has sent his message for her also; this comes
+very, very heavy; for from some days previous to dear Mary's death
+till now, I have been her constant nurse, and solicitude about her has
+in some measure served to distract my attention from the undivided
+dwelling on my heavier loss, till she has become so accustomed to my
+nursing, that as soon as ever she sees me, she stretches out her
+little supplicating hands for me to take her. All this has served to
+beguile my heart, and keep it in some degree occupied. But when the
+Lord takes from me this sweet little flower, I shall indeed be
+desolate. Why the Lord thus strips me, I do not now see; yet he does
+not allow me to doubt his love, amidst all my sorrows, and I know that
+light is sown for me, though it does not yet spring up. Oh! may my
+soul never cease to feel assured of my heavenly Father's unchangeable
+love; for with a doubt on this head _now_, what would my circumstances
+be? We know that tribulation worketh patience, and patience
+experience, and experience hope, and hope maketh not ashamed. Oh! may
+such a result spring from all my suffering!
+
+_June 26._--For some days I have had nothing to write about from
+without. All has been, on the whole, quiet, and we now wait for
+communications from Constantinople to see how things are likely to
+end. It appears now that Daoud Pasha has retired in favour of Saleh
+Beg, whether willingly or from necessity, is not known. The treasury
+and every thing else is given up into his hand; and he knows as well
+how to spend it as his predecessor did to collect it; he is therefore
+popular, but not esteemed by those of more understanding as a man of
+abilities. He, however, goes to the old Pasha Daoud every day for
+instructions.
+
+How all these events will operate upon our future labours, I cannot at
+all conceive; whether they will close up the little opening we had, or
+make a wider one, the Lord, on whom we wait, alone knows. I have been
+reading much lately of missionary labours, and am surprised to find
+how uniformly trials, and difficulties, and threatened destruction
+have hung over them for years, yet many of them the Lord has since
+singally blessed. We are, however, in the Lord's hands.
+
+I have just read through a second time Mr. Wolff's journal, and Mr.
+Jowett's second volume, and I confess that if my little experience
+entitles me to give my opinion, I think Mr. Jowett's judgment much the
+soundest as to the nature of the operations to be carried on in these
+countries; that the missionary corps should be as unencumbered as
+possible, and ready to remove at a moment's notice. I mean those
+engaged in the simple evangelist's office, disconnected from all
+secular callings; but should there be a band of enlightened saints,
+willing to take the handicraft departments of life, as their means of
+support, and unobserved access to the people, they might remain and
+carry on their work, when other and more ostensible teachers were
+obliged to fly: and this is doubtless the way the primitive churches
+were nourished, when their professed teachers fled.
+
+As to those colleges and large establishments contemplated by Mr.
+Wolff, even could they be established on the comprehensive principle
+proposed by his zealous and ardent mind, I fear it would lead much
+more to the diffusion of universal scepticism than the eternal
+excellency of the truth of God; if, I say, it could be attained, but
+for many reasons I feel it cannot be attained. The liberality of the
+Christian public is not up to such undertakings, even though they saw
+the utility to be clear. One cannot help being struck with Mr. Wolff's
+judging of others from himself; because he felt he was willing to make
+sacrifices, he promised for others as freely as for himself: but what
+has been the result even of the two schools he did establish, and
+promise to support from the funds of his patron and others? The
+burthen has rested on those who were persuaded through him of the
+willingness of others to co-operate. One is given up, and the other
+has dwindled down to about nineteen pupils, and these are educated on
+the native plan, so that, as far as divine light is concerned, it is
+in _statu quo_. The two colleges that were to be established at Aleppo
+and Tabreez, and towards which a beginning was made in promises and
+plans--nothing now is heard of them; nor do I think it is to be
+regretted. The object was too mixed for much of spiritual prosperity.
+The difficulty is not in getting houses and firmans: it is when you
+begin to wish to sit down and attack the strong holds of the enemy.
+The same with the letters of patriarchs and bishops: when the thing is
+new and they see not its bearings on their system, they are all
+friendliness--as among the heads of the Armenians, the Catholics, and
+other Bishops. But when they have seen the life-giving power of the
+divine word in the souls of two or three of their followers, under the
+instruction of such clear brethren as at Shushee, or the American
+brethren, all is changed, and when dear Zaremba was at Ech-Miazin the
+other day, and endeavoured to get the consent of the Armenian
+patriarch to the translation of the Scriptures, by Dittrich, his
+reception was every thing but kind; and they have actually dragged
+away one of their deacons from the dear brethren at Shushee, to try
+him at Ech-Miazin for heresy. I have also heard that the bishop of
+Ispahan, who superintends all these countries, even as far as India,
+has prohibited the reception of any tracts by his people, and would
+not let them have a school till the Roman Catholics appeared there and
+established one, taking away some of his flock, when he granted it. In
+fact, wherever the hierarchical spirit exists, there a spirit of
+domination and pride--there a spirit of Antichrist exists--whether in
+the Brahmin, the Mufti, or the Patriarch, there is a body of men who
+will not go in themselves, nor let others go in; it must be so, as
+Mr. Jowett justly observes, wherever the distinction between laity and
+clergy is kept up in opposition to the right and duty of each man to
+judge for himself. Mr. Jowett's words are, I think, "The principal
+religious characteristic of Syria and the Holy Land, (and he might
+have added, of all the ancient churches, and too many of the modern,)
+that which is common to all its professors and sects, is that _system
+of distinction between priesthood and laity_, felt even when not
+avowed; according to which, it seems to be the interest of a few
+professed teachers to hold the rest of their fellow-creatures in
+darkness." Those men, therefore, who, in a hasty visit, welcome you,
+and if you are well introduced, flatter you, no sooner see or feel
+your real design, than they become your enemies, and the missionary
+who should begin with any other expectation from present prospects,
+must be disappointed. For instance, had we been where there was a
+powerful clergy, we should have met with the greatest opposition in
+our school, because of our casting out of it the book which they so
+highly prize, called the Shammakirke. Yet no Christian teacher could
+conscientiously allow it--it was full of prayers to the Virgin, the
+Cross, &c. &c.; we therefore here succeeded, under God's blessing,
+because the laity were strong and the priesthood weak, without any
+serious struggle; but their progress has been very different at
+Shushee.
+
+The morals of the monks at Ech-Miazin are such that no parent in the
+country thinks himself justified in sending his child there to be
+educated. From such men, what can you expect? With them what can you
+do? I have for a long time been persuaded that the path for a child of
+God to pursue, is to follow his Lord, and not to ask the Sanhedrim's
+leave to preach the truth; and never to take any notice of them till
+they take notice of us. Dark as the cloud seems to be now around these
+lands, and difficult as it seems even to live in them, much more to
+labour in them; yet I do not at all think, to one having patiently
+attained a thorough knowledge of the colloquial Arabic, and the other
+colloquial languages in use, that the door is barred to a travelling
+unsettled missionary, or even to one resident many months in a place:
+neither do I think he should be discouraged from attempting schools,
+for although they may not stand above a year or two, you may by the
+Lord's blessing be the instrument of stirring up their minds to think
+and examine for themselves, and without violence lead them to question
+the truth of some of their dogmas; and when you have once dislodged
+the principle of implicit faith, you have at last opened the door for
+truth. I think it is much to be regretted that Mr. Wolff's wishes
+about Bussorah and Bushire did not succeed. In the one there is a
+permanent British Resident, and in the other a permanent British
+influence, that would have much favoured a school, and even perhaps
+finally more extensive operations; and I do still hope he may yet
+find some of his friends, who are as able as willing to take the
+necessary charge of these places, for they are now more disheartened
+than when nothing had been promised them. At Tabreez also, I think
+a most interesting school might be established; but let it be as
+comprehensive as it can with a safe conscience be, without pretending
+to a principle that includes all. If, upon such terms Mohammedans
+come, your conscience is not entangled, and you can go on steadily
+with your work. If they go, they go; if they stay, they stay; but take
+care how you take any of the gentiles by solicitation; it will tie
+your hands, and hamper all your proceedings. It looks promising to see
+the names of Princes and great men connected with our work; but I am
+persuaded that it is utterly spiritual weakness. Better do ever so
+little work with the whole soul, than ever so much, trimming between
+the world and the Church, and all very comprehensive plans must
+involve this: besides, from the outset, the feeling of duplicity
+that always must result from inducing men to contribute to support
+institutions under certain partial representations, which they would
+not embrace if you stated your real design, and the full truth.
+
+Besides these difficulties of money and principle, the unsettled state
+of these countries is such that learned orientalists would never come,
+even if they were in abundance; but the fact is, that even Europe is
+very scantily supplied with men who could direct such an institution,
+and if they could be found, unless the love of Christ were the spring
+of their actions--were they mere literary orientalists, their
+influence as it regards the kingdom of Christ would be worse than
+nugatory. For though you might hope to correct this evil by having
+others connected with the institution who might have the more
+immediate spiritual direction of the students, this would soon lead to
+strifes and divisions between the heads of the institution. That the
+spread of literature in the East will sap and finally overthrow
+_Mohammedanism_, I have little doubt; but this is the work of the men
+of the world, and the result, as it regards Christianity, very
+doubtful; but the missionary's object is one and indivisible: if
+Christ be not glorified, he gains nothing; but if he be but exalted,
+he has his rich reward.
+
+_June 28._ _Thursday._--There seems just sufficient strength in this
+wretched country to destroy itself: it has long lost the power of
+attacking its enemies with success, it has also lost the power of
+resistance against their attacks, neither can it longer stand without
+external support: there seems just sufficient power left to commit
+suicide. In this pashalic, though the Sultan cannot without extreme
+difficulty remove the Pasha, yet he effectually destroys its
+prosperity;--he ruins the merchant, he encourages every species of
+robbery, so that frequently, as at present, not a shop dare be opened
+but for the simplest necessaries. Nor does it operate against the
+prosperity of this city only, but all the trade of which this was a
+sort of intermediate place of transit between India, Mosul, Merdin,
+Damascus, and Aleppo, as well as on the other side from Europe, is so
+far interrupted, for not a merchant will now venture his goods across
+the desert. All attachment too seems entirely destroyed between the
+head and the members of the empire. ---- was with me to-day,
+who, speaking on the state of the Pashalic said, If the Sultan will
+let us have Daoud Pasha well, we neither want the Sultan nor a
+stranger; but we would rather put ourselves under the English, and let
+them govern as they do in Hindoostan. This feeling is exceedingly
+general, and in looking forward to the downfall of the empire, they
+seem quite to consider this country as the portion which will fall to
+England, and speak of it openly as a thing they desire. This arises
+from their hearing so much of our government in India.
+
+_June 29._--My dear little baby has had an attack of purulent
+ophthalmia, which gives me much anxiety; for three or four days she
+had been recovering a little, when this trying attack seized her dear
+little eyes; she was quite unable to open either of them.
+
+My mind has been much exercised these two days by reflections on the
+ease with which the soul is taken off from living in Christ. In
+prosperity, we are occupied with plans; in adversity, with our
+sorrows; in missionary labour, in preparation for what we intend to do
+for the Lord, and even in our very times of danger we are constantly
+exposed to the temptation of looking for relief to circumstances,
+rather than to the Lord of circumstances--to the love of the Lord of
+life. May the Lord of his great goodness grant that my soul may reap a
+full harvest from these reflections, and determine not only in words
+to know nothing but Jesus Christ and him crucified, as the subject of
+preaching, but as the object on which my soul constantly dwells, so
+that growing up into his fulness in understanding and love, may be the
+business of my future life, and much, yea, very much more, the simple
+purpose of my heart than it has ever yet been. Nothing can be to me
+clearer than that the work of the Lord will really prosper in the
+hands of his servants, in proportion as these servants prosper in
+their nearness to him. May his love, his life, his words, his wishes
+be the abiding incentives in my soul to simply living to him and for
+him, and for his creatures through him. How easy it is for one person
+to make one class of sacrifices, and another, another; but how hard to
+slay the darling idol, and to tear away the cherished indulgence:--how
+easy it is to exercise those graces which accord with our natural
+constitutions, how difficult those which mortify and run counter to
+them.
+
+May it be the labour and delight of my future life to see each
+cherished idol one by one fall prostrate, slain before my Lord's love.
+
+_July 1._--There has just been a transaction passing which
+illustrates, in a striking manner, the very loose connections which
+bind the parts of this empire together. I have already mentioned the
+death of the Pashas of Mosul and Merdin. Ali Pasha, in support of whom
+they had professedly marched against Bagdad, sent his treasurer to
+Saleh Beg, to commend him for what he had done in thus preserving the
+city by killing these two Pashas, requiring at the same time for
+himself, the payment of his expenses, as well as a sum of money for
+the Sultan, and promising that if this were given him he would return
+to Aleppo. Thus, after nearly two years confusion, all parties will be
+worse off than they were before. My reason for thinking it probable
+this will be the case is, that the Khaznadar or treasurer of Daoud
+Pasha, has accompanied the Khaznadar of Ali Pasha to his camp, who
+evidently doubts the result of his attempt. Indeed, it seems very
+doubtful if in any case he can succeed; for if he obtains the
+Pashalic, I think it very probable from the history of former Pashas,
+who, as strangers to the Pashalic, have been forced into it, that he
+will not be allowed to retain it. The fact is, that almost all his
+opposing force consists of Arabs, who become in a moment the servants
+of the highest bidder. It was only two days ago the Pasha detached one
+tribe from them; and I have little doubt that if he does not spare
+money he may soon break up all the confederacy.[34] Yesterday the
+soldiers of the late Pasha of Mosul came to the gates of the town, but
+were driven back into their encampment with loss; and one hundred of
+their mercenary troops (Arnaoots) came over to this Pasha, changing a
+pay of forty-eight piasters a month to one hundred, or about a pound
+sterling a month.
+
+  [34] We heard afterwards that the state of his health and the
+  lawlessness of the city prevented his getting access to his treasure.
+
+Every kind of provision is becoming extremely dear, from double to ten
+times its usual price; and I confess I see no present prospect of
+improvement, for the inundation swept away the harvest, and the plague
+has extended so far, that there have been no hands to cut down even
+that grain which remained, and the things which they might have sown,
+and which might in some measure have supplied the place of grain they
+were prevented from sowing by the Arabs, who were at enmity with the
+Pasha, and therefore laid waste the country. In contemplating the
+perplexity and uncertainty of events, according to all human
+calculation, that surrounds us, the knowledge that our own Lord is
+ordering all things not only for his own glory but also for ours,
+comes home continually to my soul with inexpressible comfort; and
+notwithstanding the anxious thoughts that sometimes arise, I am
+generally enabled at last to roll my burdens on his holy head, and
+this I know will sustain them.
+
+The dead weight about a missionary's neck in the first years of
+his labour is the language. So difficult is it to hear so as to
+understand, or to speak so as to be understood; for not only is it
+necessary to use right words, but with right accents, or you may often
+convey the very reverse of what you mean. Certainly, if I were quite
+alone, the plan I should pursue, would be to go into some family or
+place where the language I wish to learn alone is spoken, as brother
+King did in Syria to learn Arabic:--this being attained, a missionary
+is certainly not without the most interesting opportunities of
+usefulness.
+
+_July 2._ _Saturday._--Dear baby has suffered so much from her eyes
+to-day, that it tried my heart to the very bottom. And in addition to
+all this, the state of things here is assuming an alarming aspect.
+Without the city walls, the numbers of those who wish to plunder the
+city are increasing; and within, the same tendency is manifested among
+those who are intended for its protection, so that my heart has been
+at times very much pressed down; yet the Lord has sustained me. In the
+evening, as I was looking out, I saw the man come into the court yard,
+who brings and collects letters for Aleppo, and in his hand a letter
+for me. With what eagerness did I seize it, and anticipate its
+contents. Yet though good tidings, because tidings of the Lord's
+blessing them, and being in the midst of them, it contained tidings
+peculiarly heavy for me to receive at this moment, as it not only led
+me to anticipate no present prospect of seeing my dear brethren from
+Aleppo, but that it seemed very doubtful if it would be their path to
+come at all; at least if they did, it would be purely to join me, and
+this surely would not be the path of duty. I, however, receive this
+last trying providence at my loving Father's hands, adoring his love
+whilst I know not the modes of his going forth. It has not weighed me
+down so much as I thought it would; and the Lord allows me to feel
+assured he will yet do something for me. They seem to wish me to join
+them, but I do not yet see my way clear to leave this place to which
+the Lord has brought me. I feel daily more and more that my place in
+the church is very low, and it matters very little where I am for any
+good that is in me: yet by remaining, I keep the way open for those
+who are more able, and whose establishment is more important. I know
+my Lord will not cut me off from personal improvement by all his
+darkly gracious dealing, and perhaps I am now learning another part of
+that hard lesson, neither to glory in or trust in man. But still I
+bless God he is giving my dear brethren a door of utterance and
+prospects of usefulness where they are, and may my joy ever be in
+proportion to the glory that is brought to his blessed name, and the
+prosperity of his kingdom. Until the Lord, therefore, raises his
+fiery cloudy pillar, and bids me forth, I shall pursue my plan of
+endeavouring to converse in Arabic till the Lord is pleased to open my
+mouth by degrees, or as he please, to publish his whole truth. Should
+he send me some dear brother to help and comfort me, may he give me
+grace to praise him; if not, to hope in him and find in himself all I
+need. To the dear boys it has been a great disappointment, for it was
+the constant theme of their conversation, and a cheering expectation
+to see friends from England. However, our dear Father will order all
+things well; and I bless him exceedingly for sending out to Aleppo,
+our dear brethren and sisters. The Lord may make this event, which now
+seems so awakening and trying, yet for the furthering of the gospel in
+these lands: in fact, I should be almost sorry for _all_ of the
+brethren to leave Aleppo.
+
+_July 5._ _Tuesday._--I have had some interesting conversation with
+three poor people from _Karakoosh_,[35] a town about five hours from
+Mosul, composed of Roman Catholic Syrians. Every information I receive
+from that quarter, convinces me that Erzeroum, Diarbekr, and Mosul,
+would be most interesting head quarters for a missionary. The man told
+me that the Nestorians of the mountains, (like the Scotch) go once a
+year to receive the sacrament, whether upon their erroneous principle,
+or that from living scattered among the mountains they cannot make it
+convenient to meet often, I know not. The Syrians of the villages near
+Mosul speak among themselves Syriac, but in asking them if they
+understood the old Syriac, which is read, they reply, imperfectly; so
+that I have no doubt, for any instructive purpose, it is perfectly
+unintelligible, what with the mode of reading, and the difference of
+language. These are deeply interesting countries to those who can be
+happy in bestowing all their strength in planting under the prospect
+that others will reap the fruits. The Lord will water their way with
+little streams of comfort, and manifestations of the prospect of the
+future; but the preparatory work in these countries must occupy at
+least many, many years of missionary life. I shall never feel a
+missionary till I can deliver my message clearly and intelligibly;
+till then, I endeavour to drop a word, as it may be offered, and to
+instil a principle as an occasion may occur, or by seeking an
+occasion. The difficulty of this first step I daily feel to be
+increasing--I mean only that my sense of the difficulty is increasing;
+but the Lord daily comforts me, amidst the delays and trials of faith,
+by the clearest conviction of the large sphere of usefulness there is
+when once this is attained.
+
+  [35] _Karakoosh_ is a small town within twelve miles of
+  Mosul, containing about nine hundred houses, inhabited entirely by
+  Syrian or Jacobite Christians, many of whom are become Roman
+  Catholics. They speak Syriac, but so corrupted, that it is with great
+  difficulty they understand the Syriac of the Scriptures. There are
+  seven churches, four of which belong to the Roman Catholics, and the
+  remainder to the Jacobites. The road between Karakoosh and Mosul,
+  passes through the striking remains of Nineveh.
+
+All things in the city continue in the most unsettled state.
+
+Some of the lawless depredators came again to our house the day before
+yesterday, and wanted arrack; but they went away quietly, and they
+only talked about cutting off my head; but all this in mere bravado.
+The Lord thus graciously takes care of us. They look on me as a sort
+of dervish, because I do not drink arrack, nor use weapons of war, nor
+take men to guard my house.
+
+_July 9._--The camp of those without the city is moving down to-day
+towards us; and we hear a continued firing of cannon. It is reported
+they are come within half an hour's march of the city. The issue is in
+the Lord's hand. Nothing can exceed the fear and want of confidence
+that prevails throughout the city, every man's heart failing him for
+fear of those things which may be coming on us. Oh! what a resting
+place is the Lord's experienced love, and the assurance that all shall
+work together for good to those that love him; yet living thus in the
+midst of constant alarm, makes my heart sometimes long for that sweet,
+quiet Christian communion which I left behind in England.
+
+_July 10._ _Sunday._--In conversation to-day on the subject of
+invoking the Virgin Mary, with some Armenians and a Jacobite, I was
+struck with the readiness with which they all submit to Scripture; and
+this seems universal among all those who are not ecclesiastics by
+profession, or Roman Catholics. The curse of obstinate blindness seems
+to be left to those who join this apostate church, for truly it may
+be said of them, they come not to the light, because their deeds are
+evil--not their deeds as members of society, but as professed members
+of the mystical body of Christ.
+
+Our Lord's days are solitary--none to tune Zion's harps. Oh! how it
+makes the soul long for the courts of the Lord, where we may go up
+with the crowds to keep holiday; how precious now would appear some of
+those seasons of Christian communion which we enjoyed in dear England
+and Ireland. When dear Mary was with me, we had an unceasing source of
+happiness in conversing on our common hopes in our common Lord. Our
+communion also with our dear friends was thus rendered vivid, aided as
+it was and encouraged by the help of correspondence and conversation;
+but now letters have almost ceased to come, and I have no one to
+commune with. In addition to all this we are besieged, and every
+necessary of life is nearly three times its usual price, very bad, and
+to be got with difficulty. All night we hear nothing but firing and
+drums beating, and men shouting--all this, too, at present, without
+any prospect of termination, for those who are come against the city,
+are not strong enough to enforce the change they design, and those
+within have little to fear, so long as they have money and provisions
+to give the soldiers, which they say they have for two years;[36] so
+those who suffer are the poor people, who cannot help themselves. The
+Pasha of Aleppo is about an hour's distance; it does not seem to be
+his wish to act offensively against the city, but only to get into his
+power those few whom he wishes to displace and behead. Yet how much
+have I to bless God for, in that he keeps the little boys so free from
+alarm. Blessed Lord! these are indeed scenes and times that lead the
+soul to desire thy peaceful happy reign. Sometimes the sense of my
+dear, dear Mary's peace, safety, and joys, makes me feel my burthens
+lighter than though she had been with me; for to have those you love
+in such scenes is trying in proportion to this very love, which so
+sweetens times of mere labour or peace. I am sure the Lord _has_ dealt
+lovingly, and _will_.
+
+  [36] This report of the provisions of the city appeared, in
+  the sequel, to be unfounded.
+
+_July 14._--Since the ninth we have had little occurring but firing of
+guns from the citadel, and the noise and confusion at night occasioned
+by the soldiers.
+
+A circumstance has occurred to-day which a little tries me. The
+Armenian Priests are both dead; and the Armenian servant of Mrs. T.
+has asked if she might receive the communion with us, the next time we
+received it. Now, while I feel in my own soul that she knows nothing
+of the power of the divine life, yet how far I have authority from
+God's word to set up this, my private feeling, in the absence of any
+thing palpable to fix on as an objection, I do not see. I feel so
+utterly unworthy to place myself in the situation of a judge in such
+a case. I feel so exceedingly low in the divine life--I experience
+so little of the power of that life which was in Christ, subduing
+all things to the obedience of the Father's will--that I feel she
+may object more to my being accepted than I could to her. Yet,
+notwithstanding all this, I am conscious there is a difference--though
+I am only on the lowest step of Jacob's ladder, yet I do desire to
+ascend higher into the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to descend
+lower in my own esteem, so to be able to say without the pollution of
+affected humility, I feel myself less than the least of all saints.
+The divine life appears to me daily more and more a deep internal
+personal work, without which all external exertions and exercises will
+come to nothing; however fair, it will be at best but a fruitless
+blossom, that withers as soon as blown. Oh! how difficult it is not to
+deceive oneself with the appearance of Christian graces instead of the
+substance; how difficult not to substitute the _act_ for the _spirit_;
+that monster pride, how hard it is to kill, how chameleon like it
+changes its colour and seems to live on air, yea, on very vanity.
+
+_July 18._ _Lord's Day._--The warlike sounds of the cannon and mortars
+have abated within these three days. Oh that the Lord would quickly
+terminate this hateful civil strife. Yet at present there seems no
+prospect.
+
+How hard I feel it to-day to rise above the loss of my dear, dear
+Mary--it seems like a new wound just opened. It is so hard to feel the
+great honour and great proof of love the Lord has manifested towards
+me, in removing her I loved from the trials and sorrows of this earth
+to the ease and joy of his own Paradise, to join our dear little Mary,
+and sing there together his praise who washed them in his own blood,
+prepared them as vessels of honour, and then took them to himself.
+Sometimes I think I ought not to have gone out of our house during the
+plague, about Major T.'s affairs, but that I should have left them to
+their own fate; yet, at other times, I think, after all the kindness I
+had received from him, I ought not to have declined the dangerous
+service. Then again, I think that when I did go, I should have taken
+more precautions, and not have joined my dear family immediately,
+but remained apart; yet at last my heart comes round to the full
+assurance, that my dear and loving Lord would not have visited
+undesigned neglect, which sprang mainly from confidence in his loving
+care, with such a privation, had he not designed by it her speedy
+glory and my final good: now I shall go to her, but she shall not
+return to me.
+
+The dear little boys are very anxious to leave Bagdad, yet they do not
+complain, nor appear on the whole otherwise than happy, which is
+indeed a great mercy. My poor dear little nursling, the object of
+ceaseless care, seems rather gaining than losing ground, yet is still
+so frail, that a blast of wind seems enough to extinguish the little
+fire that burns; but if the Lord will, even this little fire shall yet
+burn brighter and brighter, and defy in his name the rudest blasts.
+
+Sometimes when I think on the complete stop the Lord has in his
+infinite wisdom seen fit to put to my little work here, I am
+astonished. Among those who are dead, is one who was translating the
+New Testament into the vulgar Armenian of this place, and had gone as
+far as Luke; and another gentleman, who was educated in Bombay, who
+was writing for me an English and Armenian Dictionary, in which he had
+proceeded about half way (10,000 words). In this dictionary there were
+not only the ancient and modern parallel words, but an explanation in
+vulgar Armenian, with examples. The probability of my meeting with one
+similarly qualified, able and willing again, is very small indeed; but
+with this, as with all the rest, it is the Lord, let him do what
+seemeth to him good. I wait to see his future pleasure manifested, and
+though I am now under a cloud of sorrow and separation from his
+service, may he sanctify it, and advance his glory by whomsoever he
+pleases, only giving me a heart to rejoice in their labours, and to
+love my Lord fervently, and then I hope I shall not complain. I never
+felt fit for much, and I daily now feel fit for less than I once
+thought I was, yet the Lord will not deny me a place in the body, and
+oh, may he give me a heart willing to take the lowest--that of
+washing the disciples' feet. Oh, for the spirit of our dear humble
+Lord in that wonderful transaction so calculated to stain human pride
+with the name of madness, but especially the pride of those who call
+themselves his.
+
+The weather is now getting intensely hot, and our cellars, which were
+our retreating places last year, are not habitable, the water being in
+them at least three feet high, and this, with the overflowing of the
+river, brought such swarms of mosquitos, that for several weeks it was
+almost impossible to sleep, and although now they are far less
+numerous, they are still very troublesome, so that if not on your
+guard every moment, you get stung by them.
+
+_July 20._--The weather is intensely hot, and we now begin seriously
+to miss the Serdaubs;[37] but I feel it most for dear little baby, to
+whom the heat is very, very trying. I also feel it very difficult to
+do any thing that requires the least exertion, and for the next six
+weeks we have no hope, of any mitigation, but rather an increase. The
+prospect too of affairs around us, leaves no resting place but in the
+love and favour of our Lord. The city is full of prophecies of the
+sorrows and desolations that are to come on this land; from the Pasha
+downward, this people seem devoted to astrology, believing lies, while
+they refuse to hear the truth; yet all their visions are of sorrow,
+lamentation, and woe.
+
+  [37] Cellars under ground, to which the inhabitants of Bagdad
+  retire during the heat of the day, from the months of June to
+  September.
+
+I feel sometimes very much tried with respect to my future pursuit of
+missionary labours; for I have not only lost the encouragement and
+comfort of a sweet society that made every place a home; but all these
+domestic cares, which she so willingly and so entirely bore, have
+fallen on me, and I hardly seem, at least during the weakness of my
+dear little baby, to have time for any thing but to attend to them.
+Had I been joined by our dear brothers and sisters from Aleppo, it
+would have been comparatively light; but now, I can take no step, and
+before I may be able, the Lord may graciously afford me new light; for
+this I will therefore, with his grace and help, patiently wait.
+
+_July 21._--In some conversation I have just had with the old father
+of our late schoolmaster, I have been encouraged to feel that it is
+almost impossible for a missionary, even of the humblest pretensions,
+and in the lowest degree qualified for his calling, which I can I
+think with unaffected truth say, I feel to be my own case--to live
+among these people, and not to lead them to some most important
+principles. This old man is not only theoretically persuaded of the
+sufficiency of the Scriptures, but in his understanding fully
+convinced. His acquaintance with Scripture is very extensive and
+accurate, and on my servant coming to ask him the explanation of words
+in the translation lately set forth by the Bible Society, it led to a
+conversation on the importance of having a translation that every
+woman and child can understand. He said, "Yes, and it is only the
+pride of the learned and of the bishops which prevents it: if books
+once became published in the dialects of the people, the old language
+would cease to be cultivated." This would doubtless be an infinite
+benefit, not only to the Armenians but to the Syrians and Chaldeans,
+and every Church of the East, among the people; a few learned men may,
+and most likely will, be found to extract what is valuable from the
+old language, if they have only enlightened judgment enough to leave
+the mass of rubbish behind. He mentioned the sermon on the Mount,
+which we received from Shushee, and said, that it opened the eyes of
+the children--yet even this dialect is very different from the one
+used here. I think this aged man understands and feels there is but
+one Church in the world; and he quoted that interesting passage, "Paul
+may plant and Apollos water, but God giveth the increase," to prove
+it.
+
+_July 22._--I have to-day received letters from London and Aleppo, and
+I have reason to bless God for all; yet they all come armed with
+sorrow; for they are full of her of whom the Lord has emptied me. In
+my strength I thought I could so entirely give her up to him, did he
+desire it, since he had made her so strong in himself, and filled her
+so full of his blessings; well, and even now, my soul doth magnify the
+Lord, though in so many ways, I still feel my great and trying loss.
+Perhaps the Lord has meant to teach me that the 91st Psalm, as dear
+brother Cronin writes, relates only to Christ's humanity, specially
+shewing how, from his cradle to his grave, his father watched over
+him, so that at last he laid down his life, but none took it from him;
+and he, in this great act, has made it over spiritually to us: he has
+left the natural plague because of sin, but destroyed the spiritual
+because of righteousness, even that righteousness which is by his own
+most precious blood.
+
+The Pasha of Aleppo, hearing of dear Edward Cronin, as an English
+physician, wishing to come to Bagdad, wished to engage him to come
+with him as his physician, and offered him 1500 piasters a month; but,
+anxious as they were to come, the circumstances of their party did
+not, on mature deliberation, allow them to separate, and Ali Pasha was
+unwilling to undertake the responsibility of the females with his
+camp. And, oh, how my soul blesses the Lord, now I think on it, that
+these obstacles were so graciously interposed; disease, delay, and
+trouble would have accompanied them, and, till now, they would have
+been detained in the desert, with little prospect of speedy admission
+into the city, which is firing against the camp, and the camp firing
+against the city, and they would have been exposed to the full power
+of a sun, which no one can tell how to estimate, but by actual
+exposure to it.
+
+I have also received a letter from Bussorah, stating that on the
+drying up of the inundations there, a fever has been spreading, and
+carrying off numbers. Major T.'s family had most of them been ill, but
+they were recovering. Mr. Bathie was very weak, and his wife dead. Dr.
+Beagry, the new surgeon of this station, also died, and immense
+numbers of those who had fled from the plague. Bussorah is still
+besieged, but expected soon to fall into the hands of the Motezellim.
+
+A letter has also reached me to-day by the same conveyance, from the
+Bible Society, dated 27th July last year, mentioning the sending of
+three cases of Arabic and Persian Scriptures to my dear brother
+Pfander. When I consider how God, in his infinite and unsearchable
+providence, has seen it fit to bring to nought all our plans by the
+disorganization of this at all times lawless land, I cannot but feel
+it a strong call to form very few plans for the future, and just to
+work by the day. Our hope was, when we came to Bagdad, to have been
+able to travel pretty extensively both in the mountains of Kourdistan
+and in Persia; but the state of the country, and other considerations,
+brought all these plans to nothing, so my dear friend and kind
+brother left me for Shushee, having been able to obtain much of the
+information he desired, without the journey. And I, instead of having
+a large present field of useful employment, and one prospectively
+increasing, am now without employment or prospect, and if it were not
+that I feel getting on a little in the colloquial language of the
+country, I should be almost without hope of remaining with advantage
+here; but while I feel this, my heart does not sink. The Lord will yet
+let his light shine out of the darkness, and will one day enable me to
+speak of his promises; for I daily feel more assured this is the great
+gift after which an evangelist is to press--it is the very instrument
+of his labour. And let such a missionary feel infinitely happier
+to hear it said he speaks very low Arabic, but that every body
+understands him; than very pure, but which is unintelligible, except
+to the Mollahs. If he speaks not in a very mixed dialect of Turkish,
+Persian, and Arabic, he will not be understood here; there is,
+however, still an immense preponderance of Arabic over the others.
+
+The British and Foreign School Society have also very kindly offered
+to afford what assistance their limited means will allow to the
+furtherance of Scripture instruction in the East. I shall endeavour
+to repay this free kindness by obtaining the best information I can,
+before I call on their aid, for nothing is so discouraging as failures
+from precipitate attempts; but so variable is the state of affairs in
+these countries, that previous to your judgment being matured by
+experience, you may be led, with the best intentions possible, to
+undertake, on a bright day, plans which, before they can be executed,
+prove as baseless as a vision, and which will leave nothing behind
+but the remembrance of useless expense and unproductive labour.
+
+_July 22._--I had with me to-day, for the last time as a patient, an
+officer of the Pasha's household who had the plague, and a large wound
+from a carbuncle, but is now quite well, and he was talking of the
+state of the city and country, and said, "Why do we wish to give our
+country into the hands of the Ghiaours,[38] and not to the Persians?
+It is because we know they will neither take our wives or daughters
+from us, nor rob us of our money, nor cut off our heads, but in Islam
+there is no mercy, no pity." He added, "Did you ever see me before I
+came about my leg?" I said, "No." "Yet," he said "you had mercy upon
+me, and cured me and my daughter (who also had had the plague), and
+why? It was from your heart--there was mercy there." I took this
+opportunity to explain the reason, as emanating from the command of
+Christ, and not the goodness of my heart, and how truly could I say
+it; for the Lord knows how, but for this, it would be a weariness unto
+me. Now this impatience of their own government is not the feeling of
+a few discontented men, but I am persuaded it is very general--how can
+such a kingdom stand?
+
+  [38] This word Ghiaour, or infidel, is applied by Mohammedans
+  to Christians without the least intention of personal offence; and
+  what is still more extraordinary, the Christians commonly designate
+  themselves by the same appellation.
+
+The government, if government it can be called, is now sending the
+soldiers round to every house to seek for wheat and rice. From some
+they take half, from others a third of their little store, while they
+have enough for two years in their own corn cellars, and this too when
+the necessaries of life are raised to between four and five times
+their usual price; and as for fruit and vegetables, which constitute
+in eastern countries, during summer, so large a portion of the food of
+all classes, not a particle is to be seen.
+
+Yesterday and to-day I have had two Roman Catholic merchants with me,
+and in quoting Scripture to them, I found them ready with the context;
+but the deadly evil is the separation of religion and its principles
+from the government and rule of every day and every moment. In these
+countries, where religious expressions are in every one's mouth, a
+missionary has most valuable employment, as he is able to bring their
+minds back to their own expressions, to their own import and power, as
+we are desired to do to those who heartlessly use that beautiful form
+of dedication in the communion service of the Church of England, "We
+here present unto thee our bodies, souls, and spirits to be a
+reasonable, holy, and lively sacrifice unto thee." Oh! that all who
+use these blessed words felt their power, and lived under it. Christ's
+name would soon be magnified from land to land.
+
+_July 23._--The Pasha has just sent me a fish, with his compliments,
+and a request that I will dress it for him: this is the way he
+collects the daily provisions for his household; one person sends him
+a dish of rice, another a dish of kebaub, another bread; at other
+times all this takes place because of custom, but now from necessity,
+for he has no servants scarcely to attend to him. This is the first
+time I have been so honoured, and when the fish was cooked and sent,
+he desired the servant to come back, and bring him a few kustawee
+dates to eat with it; that, however, you may not think these any very
+extravagant luxury, I may add, their value is somewhat less than a
+penny a pound. I note this as a little trait of manners that one would
+hardly credit, had not the fact come under his own observation.
+
+_July 24._ _Lord's Day._--Nothing among the perverted use of
+scriptural terms has ever struck me as more remarkable than the use
+the Church now makes of the expression, tempting God. In God's word it
+is uniformly placed among the sins of unbelief; but the Church now, by
+universal consent, places it among the sins of presumption, to which
+it is the very antipodes. For instance, it is one of the great crimes
+of Israel, their tempting God in the desert, and limiting the Holy One
+of Israel. How? By presumptuous confidence? No--but by saying he hath
+given bread, but _can he give meat_ also? This is the only sense I
+know in scripture given to tempting God, and that famous passage from
+which the erroneous impression has mainly sprung, in the interview of
+Satan with our Lord, is quite kindred. The object of Satan was to get
+our Lord's mind into a condition of doubting God, by leading him to
+argue, God has certainly said so, but will he do it? for our blessed
+Lord was manifestly as much tempting God by attempting to walk upon
+the water, as to cast himself into the air. What proves this to be the
+meaning is our Lord's quotation, "It is written, Thou shalt not tempt
+the Lord thy God." Now, where is this written? Why, in the Old
+Testament, where it uniformly implies doubt and distrust; in Exod.
+xvii. 2. "Therefore the people did chide with Moses, and said, Give us
+water that we may drink. And Moses said unto them, Why chide ye with
+me? Wherefore do ye tempt the Lord? And he called the name of the
+place Massah and Meribah, because of the chiding of the children of
+Israel; and because they tempted the Lord, saying, _Is the Lord among
+us, or not?_" (verse 7.) And it is in reference to this very passage,
+that in Deut. vi. 16. it is said "Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy
+God, as ye tempted him in Massah." And that we may not have a doubt of
+the meaning, see the application of the word tempting, as applied to
+our dear and blessed Lord. Is it ever in the sense of presumptuous
+confidence? Never; but always of scepticism and doubt. I do not mean
+to say there is not such a sin as presumptuous confidence; I am sure
+there is; but that is never called tempting God. The Israelites were
+guilty of this sin, when they went up contrary to the command of God
+to fight their enemies, after he had pronounced upon them the forty
+years wandering in the wilderness.
+
+I think that rightly understanding this is a matter of no small
+moment; for many are affrighted, and made sad in the ways of the Lord
+by the erroneous application of this Scripture; for to whom does the
+Church and the world alike now apply this term? Why, if they hear of a
+man selling his property, and becoming poor, like Barnabas, according
+to the exhortation of the apostles, and the _example of our Lord_, he
+is considered as tempting God by all according to the degree in which
+they wish to keep all or part of their own property. Again, if he
+exposes himself to dangers he might avoid, troubles he might escape,
+for what he believes the Lord's service, far from receiving any
+comfort or encouragement, he is again accused of tempting God. But
+tempting God is the deadly sin of an unregenerate mind, and is never
+charged on any saint, either in the Old or New Testament, that I
+recollect. Certainly, Peter did not tempt Christ, when he said, "If
+thou be he, bid me come unto thee on the water;" for he did not doubt
+our Lord's power; yet there was a measure of false confidence in
+himself, as well as of unbelief; but these are compatible with the
+holiest affections as a state. Tempting God belongs to the family of
+the tempter, and is a part of no child of God at any time. After his
+conversion, Peter asked a miracle of Christ; but it was in faith,
+however weak. When the sceptical Sadducees and the Pharisees, sought a
+sign it was to try him, can he do it? Therefore he said, Why tempt ye
+me, ye hypocrites? shewing it was a sin to tempt him as well as it was
+a sin to tempt his Father.
+
+I feel now that I had been led to expect a greater measure of freedom
+from the troubles which fall on the people, in the midst of which I
+find myself, than the dispensation under which I live warranted; I do
+not mean from those which spring directly out of the Lord's service,
+but those natural and national evils which God sends as judgments on
+the ungodly. This error arose from considering the temporal promises
+of the 91st Psalm, and other similar ones in multitudes of places, as
+the legitimate objects of faith: whereas I have been now led to see
+that they, like the curses, are but typical representations of that
+kingdom in which the saints of the Lord shall rejoice and be safe when
+his enemies are swept away as the chaff of the summer threshing floor.
+Yet even now, spiritually they are all ours. Not a hair of our head
+shall fall to the ground without our heavenly Father's permission.
+Therefore I feel these thoughts ought neither to trouble us, nor any
+more prevent our hand undertaking for Christ any service, than if a
+greater exemption was promised; for we know that whatever is allowed
+to befall us, whether natural or spiritual, if Christ is ours and we
+are his, they shall only so operate as to work out for us a far more
+exceeding and eternal weight of glory; for these sufferings and trials
+must be among all the things that work together for good to those who
+love Christ.
+
+_July 28._ _Thursday._--Up to this time the shells and balls of the
+besiegers have done us no harm. Two shells have passed just over us.
+The one fell on the roof of the house of an Arab family at a little
+distance from us, who were all asleep, and on bursting killed three:
+one cannon ball has just passed over us, besides musket balls
+innumerable, only two of which, however, I have felt so near as to
+endanger us. The one just passed by me and struck the wall, the other,
+by bending my head, passed just over me: yet dangerous as it seems in
+such circumstances to sleep on the roof, the suffocating heat of the
+rooms is insupportable. I recollect Mr. Wolff, when here, mentions it
+as so hot that he could not write his journal, and indeed such is the
+heat, that one unaccustomed to it feels almost perfectly unfitted for
+any laborious service either of mind or body, but particularly the
+former, for at least my own experience is, that the body is much less
+affected by it than the mind.
+
+Famine is making its destructive way here among the poor. All the
+necessaries of life are raised from four to six times their usual
+price, and often are not to be obtained at all, and in addition there
+is no labour going on in the city: every shop is closed, and every
+one's concern is to take care of his life or property. They are
+constantly killing persons in the streets, without the least inquiry
+being made after the perpetrators; nay, they are publicly and
+notoriously known, and no one regards it. Nothing can exceed the
+misery and fear that pervades the city. Yet amidst all these
+perplexities and troubles, the Lord reigns, and without him they can
+do nothing.
+
+_July 31._ _Lord's day._--A day that always dawns with sweet peace on
+my soul: I seem more especially to bring before my mind those with
+whom I think I took sweet counsel, and went to the house of God in
+company; and though now deprived of all that the heart can desire from
+holy fellowship on earth, there is something that brings me near those
+I love, when I think on their places of assembly, and their times of
+prayer. Though my dear Lord has broken my heart in pieces, and his
+hand is still resting on me in the person of my dear little dying
+baby, whose love and preference for the little care I know how to
+show, renders it one of those exquisitely painful trials, that the
+feelings know not how to obey the Lord in, when the spiritual judgment
+is brought quite down. Yet I can never help feeling it to be a mercy
+eternally to be thankful for, that the sense of my Father's love and
+Saviour's sympathy has never been taken from me amidst all my trials;
+nay, I do feel that the Lord is fitting me, by suffering and
+separation, for the work to which he has called me; he leaves me
+without a home, or the desire of one, and in that way prepares me for
+situations, which, during the life-time of my dearest Mary, would have
+been deeply trying. I bless God for the fourteen years uninterrupted
+domestic happiness we enjoyed together, above all, for the seven years
+spiritual communion in a common gracious Lord, who led us in unity of
+faith and spirit to that work from which he has taken her so early to
+himself, and from which, when the Lord dismisses me, I trust to ascend
+and sing the song of Moses and the Lamb with her for ever and ever. My
+great want is, more of Christ, more of his whole character; this I
+purpose, by the Spirit's help, more to meditate on, that all that
+hateful concern about self, that pollutes all I do, may be absorbed in
+one only thought of how he may be glorified. What I feel I want, is
+more holiness of spirit. I know the Lord is fitting me for his holy
+presence, and that he is the chief desire of my soul; yet, oh! the
+weakness of faith, the coldness of communion, the reserves of
+dedication. Oh, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief!
+
+A Mohammedan has been with me to-day, who is much alarmed at the
+state of the city, and wants to fly, but sees not now any opening.
+He told me, it was not this or that Pasha he cared about; but his
+property, his life, and the females of his family. Oh, what a relief
+to know, that my dear Mary is with her Lord; how light this makes my
+present trials. Yesterday they were fighting from before sun-rise till
+the afternoon, but could not effect an entrance into the city. The
+Lord preserves us all in simple dependence on himself.
+
+_August 2._ _Wednesday._--Accounts have arrived from the Hajjaj (Mecca
+and Medina, &c.) stating the mortality from plague and cholera to be
+most tremendous; many families that left this place on pilgrimage to
+escape the troubles, in the midst of which we have so long been, have,
+as we hear, suffered dreadfully. Thus God seems in wrath, making bare
+his holy arm against this wretched nation in all its length and
+breadth. My heart sometimes trembles for the dear brethren at Aleppo,
+lest at the conclusion of the hot season it should break out there. My
+only resource is God. The poor people here are beginning to sell their
+little all to buy bread, and in consequence of the badness and
+scarcity of provisions, dysentery is spreading its ravages in every
+direction, as well as fever.
+
+I have had with me to-day the translator to the late French Bishop,
+and two or three Roman Catholic merchants, all overwhelmed with fear.
+They say, the Sultan, on hearing of the death of the Pasha of Mosul,
+and the Vaivode of Merdin, has written to the Pasha of Aleppo, to
+spare neither man, woman, nor child in the city; but to let the very
+name of Bagdad be swept from his dominions. Though this is not
+altogether unlike the Sultan, I rather think it the report of those
+within the city, to make the inhabitants dread delivering it up into
+the hands of those without. How blessed a portion is ours, in the
+midst of all these perplexities, to stay ourselves on our God, and to
+confide in the sympathizing love of our Lord, who, worthless and vile
+as we are, will not overlook us; but for his name's sake, will take
+care of the very hairs of our heads, either in life or death. Amidst
+it all, what chiefly troubles me is, that I love my Father and my Lord
+so little, and that although there is not an object in the world, but
+his service and glory, for which I would desire to live; yet that,
+notwithstanding this I live so little for it. Three months have now
+passed since my dearest Mary has entered into her rest, which I have
+spent mostly in the sorrowful nursing of my poor dear sinking babe,
+and though her love and preference repays a hundred-fold all the
+trial, yet it pierces, while it pleases the heart, to see that
+connection so soon must cease. I often wonder at my strange
+indifference to my situation, which, but for my dear children, I think
+would be greater. I am afraid to think it is the fruit of faith I
+feel, in every other respect so weak; it seems more like the physical
+insensibility of one who is without a stake in what is passing. Oh,
+may my dear Lord, in every earthly tie he breaks, bind my poor soul
+doubly strong to himself for eternity, and to his service while here.
+
+_Aug. 3._--Some of the principal Christian families sent to me to-day,
+to request me to subscribe for guards to our quarter of the city, so
+that every night we might have about 40 on guard. This I saw my way
+clear in declining, believing that for Christ's servants the sword is
+not a lawful defence; whatever it may be the Lord's holy will I
+suffer, let it not be in acting against my convictions of his holy and
+blessed will, for though I feel as a sheep in the midst of wolves, the
+Lord does not allow my heart to be disturbed with any sense of
+personal insecurity. How beautifully all our blessed Lord's precepts
+hang together, and fit the one the other; if your consent to follow
+him in his poverty as he has commanded, you have little to fear in
+following his other commands of non-resistance: if you accept not the
+first, you will not accept the second, except in such circumstances as
+expose you to perhaps little comparative danger. May the Lord make me
+willing, whatever it costs, to learn all his will, and give me grace
+to love it. I have heard such instances to-day of hateful and
+abominable oppression and wickedness against the poor Christians, by
+the followers of those who have the name of rulers within the city,
+that my heart aches, and my soul loathes the place. But what can we
+expect, when these very persons robbed last night the house of Saleh
+Beg, himself from whom they receive their pay.
+
+A little butter and some sheep have been brought into the city; but
+they ask so enormous a price, that they have not yet been bought.
+
+I was struck with the quickness with which the mind apprehends the
+simple truth of God when unprejudiced by interest. I have, without
+even speaking contemptuously to the Christians of their fasting, taken
+various opportunities of expressing the liberty of a Christian to fast
+in such a way, and at such times, as he believes most conducive to his
+soul's advantage; and have pointed out to them, that to lay the stress
+on it they do, was quite perverting the very end and design of
+fasting; for that they are manifestly less afraid of violating
+Christ's commands than their own regulations, which, as they used
+them, were purely human. To-day, a question arose between two of them
+in my presence, about their fasts; and the one stated as clearly as
+could be wished, the uselessness of burthening their consciences about
+eating a little butter instead of oil, or such like, instead of
+seeking to flee from their lies, and drunkenness, and robbery, and
+cheating. There seems to me such a glorious moral power in God's word,
+that my heart never doubts of its producing marked effects, where it
+can be clearly and fully delivered; but, oh, the language, what a
+mountainous barrier!
+
+Last night, whilst lying on my bed, on the roof of my house, five
+balls passed over my head in about as many seconds, so close, that I
+threw myself off in expectation that the next might hit it or me; at
+times I almost determined to go down, but the danger of being shot did
+not appear so dreadful as the suffocating heat down stairs.
+
+_August 4._ _Thursday._--We have received accounts to-day of another
+messenger from Bussorah, with letters for us, having been stripped.
+How trying these dispensations are--how necessary for our peace that
+our eye should only rest on God, ordering in love every event
+concerning us, even to the arrival of a letter, so that he will allow
+nothing to fail us that is for our good. I have to-day finished
+reading through again Martyn's Memoir, by Sargent. How my soul admires
+and loves his zeal, self-denial, and devotion; how brilliant, how
+transient his career; what spiritual and mental power amidst bodily
+weakness and disease. Oh, may I be encouraged by his example to press
+on to a higher mark. When I think of my own spiritual weakness,
+contrasted with his spiritual power, it brings a striking warning home
+to my heart to seek a fuller and more abiding union with Jesus, from
+whom alone flows the living waters that make the branches fruitful; I
+am not now troubled about that intellectual difference between us,
+which might seem to make it impossible for me to do what he did: the
+Lord has made me, blessed be His holy name, contented in this respect
+with any difference I may feel between myself and his more exalted
+members; but my sorrow is caused by my want of that likeness to him,
+who is my Lord and King, which is alike the common inheritance of all
+the members of his mystical body. May I, however, henceforth make the
+most of my talent, that I be not numbered among the slothful servants
+at my dear Lord's most glorious and blessed appearing. The mild
+seriousness that pervades dear H. M.'s soul has for my heart a great
+charm. There is not a trait of eccentricity--all is like his Lord in
+its measure--he was solemn and serious as became his work, yet full of
+zeal and affection, which shewed itself, however, rather in the steady
+power of a course of action than in expression. It is astonishing what
+the world will endure from a child of God, whose manner gives them
+excuse for calling him an interesting eccentric madman; because then
+all he says they feel at liberty to laugh at; whereas, if the very
+same truths were declared to them in the calm seriousness of our
+Lord's manner, it would make them gnash on him with their teeth.
+
+_August 7._ _Lord's day._--This has been a day of trials and tears.
+The visions of the night were filled with her I have lost, and the
+day has been spent in weeping over her, I am soon, very soon, to lose;
+but this is only nature, my soul rests happily in my Lord. I had given
+up a little for his dear service! but he knew where the heart's
+reserves were, and has put his hand on them; yet, blessed hope, that
+gilds these darkest days--the day of the Lord is at hand, when we
+shall meet to part no more. Oh, may my heart live with this blessed
+vision ever before it, and labour each day for the Lord, as though it
+were to be the waking vision of the morning's dawn. My heart is very
+sad to think how profitless a servant I have been; but I do purpose,
+the Lord enabling me, to be more diligent, more devoted in the future.
+
+My mind has been much exercised with the question of the desirableness
+of keeping a journal of the soul's inmost workings; but after reading
+and thanking God for those of others, I feel I never could write one
+without the fear of its publication, and this would keep my soul in a
+continual struggle, either by tempting me to say too much or too
+little, more or less than the truth; for, if any but my most gracious
+and loving Lord knew me as I am, I should hide myself for ever from
+the face of man. Yet I pray the Lord, that he will by his Spirit write
+a journal on my soul, that I may truly feel how very meek and lowly it
+becomes me to be when I think of all his forgiveness, notwithstanding
+my transgressions against him. I feel there was something peculiarly
+gracious in my Lord's not sending me away to my sufferings and trials,
+till he had given me a cordial, in the assurance of his unchanging
+love. Oh, but for this, what would my past trials have been, had I not
+felt assured my Lord's love did not fluctuate with my feelings, nor
+depend upon my worthiness. Oh, what a blessed passage is that in Rom.
+v. "If, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death
+of his Son, _much more_ being reconciled we shall be saved by his
+life." Yet the more I feel of this assurance of such unmerited love,
+the more hateful sin appears in all its shapes, and the more my soul
+desires entire devotedness to the whole will of God, and conformity to
+my gracious Lord.
+
+_Aug. 9._--A contest has sprung up between the troops and the
+inhabitants of the city, in which, from the continued firing, I should
+fear there has been much slaughter. Our neighbours are also again
+making barricades across the street, near our door. I sometimes think
+I am too impatient under these trials, instead of being thankful for
+the mercies I enjoy, and waiting without anxiety upon the Lord to work
+as seemeth good to Him in his own time. I hope to strive more and more
+after this childlike confidence, which his experienced love so richly
+deserves.
+
+I did not expect my sweet little baby would have survived yesterday,
+yet she has this morning a little revived.
+
+In the hourly expectation of being plundered, I have put such things
+as I should be sorry to lose in a hole made in the wall, by the
+falling of a room. Yet I trust I am quite content the Lord should do
+as he sees best, even with respect to these. I sometimes sigh to join
+my dear Mary in the kingdom of peace and joy, and be ever with the
+Lord. Oh, may the Lord fully and quickly make me meet for the
+inheritance of the saints in light.
+
+_Aug. 13._ _Saturday._--The Arabs made an attack on the other side of
+the town to-day, but were repulsed. Another messenger from Bussorah is
+arrived, but stripped and plundered of our letters, and detained four
+days a prisoner by the Arabs. He has been near a month on his way.
+Bussorah, like Bagdad, is still besieged.
+
+_Aug. 14._ _Sunday._--My dear little baby and some others of my
+patients have occupied much of my time to-day; for though I give the
+people generally to understand, that unless in cases of necessity, I
+would rather see them on any other day; yet, there are many whom I
+have felt it to be my duty to see. The remainder of the day, however,
+was rendered profitless by extreme weariness, I having had to walk
+about with my poor little withering flower several hours through the
+night. I feel these trials all arise in what appears to me my present
+plain path of duty, so they do not greatly trouble me; though the
+progress in the language is almost altogether in abeyance; but, if I
+confine myself to my Lord's will, I feel he will manage all for me.
+
+I have had with me to-day an Armenian gunsmith, who has resided some
+years in Damascus; he says, the Christians there are treated very
+well, for though they will not allow them to ride on horseback in the
+city, yet, as inhabitants, they are well treated. He says, they are
+also very numerous, inhabiting not less than 15,000 houses; but, if
+from this we deduct 10,000, we shall probably be nearer the truth. The
+Jews are not so well treated. From Shaum (Damascus) to Beyraut, on the
+coast, is four days journey, to Acre four, to Tripoli six, to Aleppo
+ten, and the roads quite safe. From Damascus to Jerusalem is seven
+days journey, but through an unsafe country. On the journey from this
+place to Damascus, the only dangerous part of the road is between this
+and Hit, on the Euphrates, four days journey hence; after that a
+certain sum is paid to the Arab tribes, you may pass through. From
+Persian travellers, whom they hate, they extort, when they know them,
+a much greater sum, amounting sometimes to from L10. to L20. between
+this and Damascus. He says, you come to fresh water every second or
+third day.
+
+_Aug. 19._ _Friday._--Every thing seems darkening in this wretched
+city. Numbers of poor people are crying at the gates to be let out,
+that they may not be starved in the city; but they will not let them
+go. All the necessaries of life have risen to five times their usual
+price, and the pressure of this is increased tenfold by the time at
+which it has occurred. The bricklayers, carpenters, every trade has
+entirely ceased its occupations in the city since the commencement of
+the plague; so that all day-labourers, such as weavers and others, are
+thrown out of their employments, and without means of gaining their
+bread. In addition to this, the Arabs are breaking into every house
+where they expect to find a little corn or rice, so that it is a
+difficult choice either to be without provisions in danger of
+starving, or of being broken in upon by such ruffians, and stripped.
+We intend to bury a little box, containing some rice, and flour, and
+dates, under ground, that in the event of their breaking in, we may
+yet secure food for a few days, which may give us time to look about.
+The Lord, however, is very gracious, and will not try us above our
+strength, but will magnify his grace even in these scenes of trial and
+distress. The care of my dear little dying baby has taken my mind much
+off from dwelling on the distressing position in which we are, and,
+for aught I at present see, are likely to continue in, for those
+within the town feel it is their heads for which they are contending,
+and will therefore hold out to the very last. Yet in this whirlwind
+the Lord rides and reigns, and no part of the mystical body of Christ,
+however humble the member, will ever be forgotten: on this we rest and
+wait for light and deliverance.
+
+_Aug. 23._ _Tuesday._--Saturday last they made a sally from the city
+against a tribe of Arabs, friends of Ali Pasha, and after putting them
+to flight, and killing 100, they cut off the heads of 150 in cold
+blood afterwards. It appears that the obnoxious parties within the
+city are anxious to place the whole inhabitants of the city on such
+terms with the assailants that they shall fear the consequences of
+their entering the town as much as themselves. They have allowed about
+5000 of the very poorest to leave the city, but the enemy without will
+allow no more to pass. A letter came yesterday to Mr. Swoboda from a
+Bohemian, who is physician to Ali Pasha, in which he desired to
+communicate to all the Franks, that Ali Pasha had given the strictest
+orders to his soldiers not to molest one of them. To a certain extent
+this manifests good intentions; but we have had too much experience of
+the powerlessness of governors at such times to restrain their
+soldiers, to have much confidence in man: our confidence is in Him who
+will and does watch over us for good. From the daily increase in the
+price of provisions, and the daily coining new lies to feed the
+people with hopes instead of bread, I think things cannot remain long
+in their present position; yet the Lord knows. It is certain Bagdad is
+altogether ruined; and if those who belong to the neighbouring
+villages, and those who would leave it, were there ever so small an
+opening, were gone, the city would be a desert.
+
+I had a patient with me to-day, who told me that, out of a family of
+sixteen, he alone remains from the plague. Persons he added, who
+before these troubles were not worth a para, are seen riding about on
+fine horses and trappings, covered with gold and pearls, &c.; and, on
+the other hand, many who before were in very good circumstances, are,
+by the robbery of those who should protect them, reduced to beggary.
+It appears that Ali Pasha is in want of nothing but money and
+ammunition; and those within the town want every thing but these. This
+wretched city has suffered to an almost unparalleled extent the
+judgments of God within the last six months: the plague swept away
+more than two-thirds of its inhabitants--the flood has thrown down
+nearly two-thirds of its houses; and property and provisions of corn,
+dates, sugar, &c. &c. beyond all calculation, have been destroyed, and
+we are now suffering under daily increasing famine, and we have yet
+hanging over our heads the revengeful sword of resisted authority, and
+the unprincipled plunder of a lawless soldiery to complete the
+devastation. This Pashalic was just about to fall an easy prey into
+the hands of the Persians, who long to possess it, from their famous
+place of pilgrimage, Kerbala, being in the neighbourhood, and perhaps
+also to make up for their losses on their Russian frontier. Thus the
+Lord seems preparing these two great Mohammedan powers for their final
+overthrow, partly by the hands of each other, and partly by the hands
+of the Christian power. In the province of Kourdistan, the Persians
+have encroached much on the territory of this Pashalic already.
+
+Oh! how delightful it is to turn from these scenes of present and
+prospective strife to that happy approaching day, when the Lord shall
+come with ten thousand of his saints to establish his kingdom of peace
+and glory. Oh! may our cry never cease to be, "Come, Lord Jesus, come
+quickly;" and when he does come, may he find us in his service among
+the faithful, chosen, and true.
+
+_Aug. 24._ _Thursday._--Three months and ten days have now passed
+since the Lord took from me her who was on earth the supreme
+consolation of my life; and now, this day, he has taken from me my
+sweet little baby without a sigh, without the expression of pain
+during the whole of her illness; for this my heart can, even at this
+moment, bless the Lord; but it has left a void that has more than ever
+made the world appear a waste. The incessantly returning wants made
+even these times appear to wing a rapid flight; but now all is still
+as death, except the weeping of the poor nurse, who truly loved her,
+and watched over her night and day with unremitting care. Oh! what a
+time would these three months have been for dear Mary, had she lived,
+and what a day would this have been; but the Lord took her from the
+evil to come, and has now taken the dear little object of her love to
+her, to join her little sainted sister and dear little brother; four
+of us are gone, and three are left. May the Lord quickly prepare us
+all, and hasten his coming kingdom, that we may meet to part no more.
+And, Oh! may he make and accept the remnant of the worthless life he
+grants me, as a living sacrifice to his service. Notwithstanding I
+acquiesce, I trust, in the Lord's will from the bottom of my heart,
+yet I feel a desolation and loneliness of heart, on this last
+dispensation, that surpasses all I have felt in my last six months of
+trial. My sweet little baby remained an object for those affections to
+seize upon, which will exist while life lasts, however disciplined,
+and however the power of grace may prevail; but in one so weak in
+faith, so earthly as I am, they have had much, too much power, and
+therefore the Lord, in mercy to my soul, has swept them all away, that
+I may have nothing in this world left but his service. If this be his
+holy purpose, may my whole soul second so gracious an intention; and I
+pray the spiritual family which the Lord, according to his promise,
+has given me, fathers, mothers, sisters, and brothers, that their
+love and patience towards me may abound, that my spirit may be
+refreshed thereby, and my weakness encouraged to proceed--though
+faint, yet pursuing.
+
+_Aug. 25._ _Friday._--This day has taught me, that if I would not be
+entirely miserable, I must give up my whole time, and soul, and
+thoughts to my Lord; for if I look off him, I feel bordering on a
+gulf, the depth of which I cannot fathom. Oh! may the Holy blessed
+Spirit give me such views of the graciousness and exceeding riches of
+my Lord, that I may really feel, that in having him, I have all
+things. He alone is the same, yesterday, to-day, and for ever. All
+created things, the nearest, the dearest, the most beloved in the
+moment of greatest need and greatest felicity, elude the grasp, and
+flee away; but he abides always. I desire, therefore, the Lord
+enabling me, to give myself altogether to the preparation for my
+future labours more diligently than I have ever yet done; that though
+desolate on earth, I may hold the freest and sweetest communion with
+heaven; for of all preparation I feel the greatest, the most needful
+to be, that of the heart; in order to the constant sensible
+entertainment of Christ, from whose nearness all the spiritual
+faculties derive the sap and the fruit bearing strength.
+
+_Aug. 28._--To-day I feel the Lord has given me a victory, by turning
+my thoughts off my miserable self and temporary circumstances, to the
+contemplation of the happiness of those who are gone before me, and
+by enabling me to feel set off on my journey to meet them, and drawing
+every day one day's journey nearer, while I endeavour to forget I had
+ever been happy in domestic life, or ever possessed those dear
+objects; but nature was often too strong for me, as I dwelt on their
+felicity, and my journeying towards them daily, whether the Lord
+brings them with him, or I go before he comes. This hope does comfort
+me, for it is a real abiding truth, whether I drink the sweets of the
+consolation from it or not. I therefore now purpose, the Lord enabling
+me, after nearly six months interruption, to return to the studies
+preparatory to my future duties as an itinerating missionary. To this
+service I ever thought the Lord had called me, and for this I now see
+all his trials have been fitting me, for I am without a home and
+without a tie in the world, but my dear Lord's service. These trials
+have made me ready for entering on my work to any extent; as my dear
+little boys will no longer confine me to one place, but will soon be
+of an age to move about with me; or should their choice render other
+arrangements necessary, the Lord will open a way for them likewise.
+
+For an itinerating missionary on this side the desert, three languages
+are essentially important; Arabic, Turkish, and Persian: and this I
+feel, unless the Lord very especially helps me, will be _to me_ no
+ordinary labour; but, as I am surrounded by men who every day learn
+them for purposes of gain, I trust the Lord will not allow me to
+faint, or be discouraged till, for his own service I have attained
+them.
+
+The internal state of the city is daily becoming more and more
+critical: all the necessaries of life are risen to ten times their
+common price, and are even then with difficulty obtained. The
+abominations that are now committed in the face of day, makes the city
+appear ripe for the judgment of the cities of the plain; and the poor
+Christians principally suffer in the persons of their children in
+these abominable acts of violence; but to seek a remedy now is utterly
+useless, for all the power in the city is in the hands of the lawless
+mob, who are the perpetrators of all the wickedness. It makes one's
+heart ache to hear them weeping and telling of their sufferings.
+
+_August 29._--Last night some of the depredators broke into our house,
+and have taken away to the amount of about ten pounds from Kitto and
+myself, while we were all asleep upon the roof of the house, so there
+was nothing to hinder them from clearing the house; yet the Lord some
+how or other disturbed them, for though they took my clothes out of a
+box, they dropped them in their way to the window through which they
+entered, and a box containing my money in my room they never
+opened--in fact, it altogether appears they went away without
+accomplishing the purpose for which they came, and it so happened that
+from the constant expectation of the general plunder of the city, we
+had put away every thing of any particular value. Should we be
+plundered by the soldiers of Ali Pasha, we may possibly, if our lives
+be spared, obtain, as Mr. Goodell did, remuneration; but about this I
+do not feel anxious: the Lord will provide.
+
+From daylight this morning till near noon there was a pretty sharp
+contest between those within the city and those without, in which the
+latter got the advantage. My feeling is, that we are very fast
+approaching to a crisis, and in that crisis our eyes are unto the
+everlasting hills--to him who says, 'I will never leave thee nor
+forsake thee,' but who will be with us always even unto the end of
+the world. Oh! what a relief would a little time of peace and free
+communication with our dear friends be. The latest letters from
+England are dated nine months ago; and from many, nay all my dear
+friends at Exeter, the latest is nearly eleven months; so that all our
+trials come together. For five months the dear little boys have not
+set their foot without the door of our house, and I cannot but feel it
+is a great mercy of the Lord, that they are so happy and contented. I
+have never heard, during all this time, one word of complaint from
+them.
+
+_Aug. 30._--The inhabitants are building up gates in all the principal
+streets, both against the swarms of thieves who plunder by night, and
+in anticipation of the entrance of the opposing party, when a general
+pillage seems now fully expected by all. It often seems to me, on
+looking around and seeing all without God, and trusting to their puny
+efforts to avert impending evils, what a blessed portion we have who
+know him, believe in him, and love him, and know and feel, that
+without his permission, not one hair of our heads shall fall. Those
+within the city have also again been out and attacked another tribe of
+Arabs that were on Ali Pasha's side, pillaged and set fire to their
+camp, and brought the plunder into the city, among which was a great
+quantity of silk, which these Arabs had taken from a caravan coming to
+Bagdad from Persia in the time of the plague.
+
+_September 2._--I was sent for to-day to see the Pasha, who has, from
+the effects of a carbuncle on his toe lost one of the joints, and they
+have so treated it, that he will, I think, now certainly lose another.
+He was particularly kind and civil, and without any comparison, the
+most gentlemanly person I have met with in the East. There is an
+unaffected simplicity of manners, and a benevolence of countenance,
+which makes one wonder how all the accounts of his actions, which we
+may, I think, say we know to be true, could possibly be so. He made me
+a present of three small cucumbers, at this time the greatest rarity;
+and this may convey some idea to what extent the privations of the
+poor have gone, when the Pasha can hardly command a cucumber, which,
+with legumenous fruits of a similar kind, constitute a great portion
+of the food of the poor in ordinary times. As I returned from the
+Pasha a man levelled a gun at me, not with any intention to fire I
+believe, but just to show that independent boldness which fears no
+one, but dares to do what it chooses.
+
+_September 6._--There is nothing new; but the uninterrupted stream of
+misery is still swelling with its bitter waters: depredation and
+scarcity increasing and advancing with pretty equal steps. There seems
+to be signs of money beginning to fail from the treasury of the Pasha,
+as his kanjaar (a dagger), richly studded with diamonds, was offered
+for sale the other day. The palace of the Pasha, or rather its ruins,
+are filled with Arnaouts, a mercenary band of soldiers, who employ
+their time in making and drinking arrack, and knocking down the walls
+of the palace, wherever they yield a hollow sound, in search of the
+hidden treasures of the Pasha. In these countries it is a universal
+custom to bury or build up in the walls of houses their treasures,
+from the insecurity in which they always live.
+
+Mr. Swoboda has received a letter from a friend of his in the Pasha's
+camp, stating that there was a large pile of letters and parcels for
+Europeans within the city, in the possession of the Pasha. This is
+trying to us, but still it brings the hope that we may yet soon
+receive intelligence of our friends.
+
+It seems as if the angel of destruction was resting on this city as
+on Babylon, to sweep it from the earth. They are actually pulling down
+the roofs of the bazaars to sell and burn the wood, destroying
+buildings for fuel, that a hundred times the worth of the wood will
+not replace, and filling up the roads with rubbish so as to render
+them scarcely passable. The state of anarchy which prevails must be
+witnessed to be understood. If it were not that the soul feels it is
+the Lord's province to bring order out of confusion and good out of
+evil, it would utterly despair in such a scene, where every element at
+work seems wickedness; but amidst all, our eyes are unto him.
+
+_September 7._--Weak in body and mind, I could sometimes almost
+impatiently wish for a change. Yet the Lord is very gracious, and
+suffers us to have quite enough for our health and strength; and as
+for money, a Roman Catholic merchant was with me yesterday, begging
+that if I wanted any more, I would take it from him, for they seem all
+to have that kind of confidence even in our national character, that
+they will generally without hesitation, let you have money. For
+myself, I know not if my mind preys on my body, or my body on my mind,
+or whether they mutually act and re-act one on the other; yet I feel
+on the whole thus much, that if it appeared the Lord's most gracious
+pleasure to direct my steps away from this place for a season, I
+should be thankful. Nevertheless, I desire to say from my heart, not
+my will, O Lord, but thine be done. In Arabic, I think I make daily
+progress, and I feel fully assured, should the Lord spare my life for
+this blessed work, that I shall one day be able to preach the
+unsearchable riches of Christ intelligibly, perhaps even fluently. Yet
+from the natural badness of my memory, considerable time will be
+requisite, unless the Lord vouchsafe to me his especial help to this
+end, for which I daily pray, for I want not opportunity but language
+to preach Christ.
+
+_Sept. 9._ _Friday._--Every thing continues still increasing in price,
+and in an increased ratio the sufferings of the poor: if they leave
+the city they are stripped and driven back; if they remain they are
+starved; and even the dates are just come to an end, upon which for
+near three weeks, both the people and the cattle have been feeding.
+The Pasha has this day taken the jewels of his wives to sell, from
+which and some other signs, I am led to think his course is nearly
+run, and that ere long he will follow the fate of his predecessor. Ali
+Pasha told the Suffian-Effendi, who went out to him to endeavour to
+accommodate matters, that he had come for one head only, but that
+after the way in which he had been treated, he would not be satisfied
+with less than _ten_; and if, at that time, which was nearly a month
+ago, he had determined to take ten, I fear a hundred would not now
+satisfy him.
+
+A poor Roman Catholic priest was with me to-day, telling me of his
+distress, while one of his opulent flock was sitting by him. He said
+the Jews would not allow their poor to beg from others; by which I
+thought he meant to give a pretty intelligible hint that his flock
+ought to be ashamed. But his rich hearer only said, "The Lord is
+merciful, and he will provide." On this side the desert, the
+professing Christians are not certainly priest-ridden as they are in
+most Roman Catholic countries, or even on the other side of the
+desert, in consequence of there being no powerful and wealthy
+communities like the monasteries in Mount Lebanon, to bring down the
+heavy arm of the Turks upon them; for without the Turks they can do
+little, and these petty governments joyfully interfere in their
+strifes to extort money from both parties, though in this respect,
+Bagdad has been better off than most Pashalics for nearly sixty years
+past, since the time of Suliman Pasha, whose slave the present Pasha
+was, but liberated on his death. Since him there have been Ali Pasha,
+Suliman Pasha the younger, Abdallah Pasha, and Seyd Pasha, all of whom
+have been murdered after a longer or shorter period. Daoud Pasha has
+now been fourteen years in possession of the power he obtained by the
+murder of his predecessor, and seems now not far from sharing the
+same fate.
+
+_Sept. 10._ _Saturday._--The evening before last the thieves broke
+into the house of one of the sons of the Pasha, and killed three of
+the servants: if they serve the Pasha so what have others to expect?
+Instead of being surprised that things are so bad, my surprise is that
+they are not worse, seeing the city is entirely at the mercy of those
+who are capable of every abomination and cruelty; and there is no
+other restraint upon them than what God puts into their hearts by the
+undefined fear of possible retribution. The most valuable articles
+known to belong to the Pasha, from whom they had been stolen, were
+sold openly in the streets, without the least notice being taken, and
+thus also they shoot individuals when they please, in the open day and
+in the public thoroughfares, and no one stops to see who it is or why
+it is, but every one hastens off as fast as he can lest he should
+share the same fate. And the passengers in the streets are not only
+exposed to be shot at by those prompted by deliberate enmity, but this
+armed rabble is continually drunk, and, without the least provocation,
+fire at men or women. I seem to think, if it did please the Lord to
+put an end to these scenes of sorrow and trial, my heart would be very
+thankful; yet perhaps in this I deceive myself, and all my gratitude
+would be as a morning cloud. However, this I know, the Lord will not
+suffer me to be tried above what he will enable me to bear, and on
+this assurance, in the darkest day, may the blessed Spirit enable my
+heart to repose. This is my daily comfort.
+
+_Sept. 12._ _Monday._--The poor are again permitted to leave the city,
+and it is reported, that when Ali Pasha heard that those had been
+robbed who came out before, he threw some of the supposed plunderers
+into the river, and cut off the heads of others. However this may be,
+5 or 600 now daily go out and suffer no molestation. This is a great
+mercy, for within the city every article of food has disappeared
+except buffaloes' and camels' flesh, and this at about twenty times
+its usual price. Should this state of things continue, it seems to
+me from present appearances, that a general plunder will be the
+consequence. To-day they have pillaged the houses of some Jews.
+Yesterday they broke open the house of Major Taylor's chaoush. They
+are very slow to interfere with those under English protection; but
+when their natural thievish propensities are stimulated by want and
+opportunity, from what may they be expected to withhold themselves?
+
+Things within the city are now come to that pass, that I heard from
+the Meidan to-day (the place where the principal Turks reside) that
+they have determined to wait five days more, and if Ajeel, the Sheikh
+of the Montefeik Arabs, or some other efficient aid, does not arrive,
+they will cut off the heads of Daoud Pasha and Saleh Beg, who is his
+Kaimacam, or Lieutenant Governor, and send them to Ali Pasha, for the
+city can bear no more.
+
+When I consider all the misery in the city, and the privations not
+only among the poor, but the rich, and consider how we have been
+provided for, it does seem to me most marvellous, strangers as we
+were, and without a friend. Before the plague, in our ignorance of the
+probable time of its continuance, and with the certain knowledge that
+in the midst of the greatest want, there was not a soul that could
+help us, we took in enough of wheat, rice, soap, and candles, to last
+till within a very few weeks. When dear Mr. Pfander left us, we made
+him some sausages, called in this country _pastourma_: he, however,
+took but a few, and the rest remained with us, and served us both
+during the plague, and now in the famine to vary our food a little,
+though somewhat dry and as hard as wood, and still of them one or two
+remains. The dear boys also had some pigeons: these also served us for
+many days. We then had two goats for my poor dear little baby, and to
+give us milk; but provisions became so dear that we were obliged to
+kill one; this we divided among the poor: the second at last we also
+killed, and potted in its fat. This by little and little we are
+consuming. We have also got four or five hens, which lay two or three
+eggs a-day. Thus the Lord has provided for us till now; and if we have
+not had abundance, we have never suffered from want. And now, when
+wheat and rice is not to be bought, and if possessed in quantities
+would expose the possessors to inevitable pillage, the Lord has so
+graciously supplied us, that we avoid both want and the danger of
+possessing provisions in the house, for before the kind Taylors left
+this, they gave me permission to take from the Residency whatever I
+might want, and this I now take by little and little as I need, and
+the house of the Resident is so far respected in public opinion, that
+openly disorganized as things are, I do not think they will commit any
+violence upon it.
+
+I am sure there are many who, in reading this, will bless God for his
+goodness to us, so utterly unworthy as we are; but, oh! if they could
+be witnesses of the misery that others suffer, and from which his
+mercies have freed us, they would indeed praise him. For, even when
+provisions were to be had, had we been obliged to purchase at the
+price things then were and are now, we must inevitably have run in
+debt; but as it is we have enough of money for more than a month to
+come. Therefore, bereaved and incapable as I yet feel of all
+enjoyment, I desire to bless the Lord for all his great goodness
+and care over us, of the least of whose mercies I feel infinitely
+unworthy. And though my faith does not enable me fully now to feel,
+in unison with my _soul's judgment_, on my heavenly Father's dealings
+toward me, when time has removed the bitter cup farther distant, it
+may not possess all its present intensity of bitterness, to which also
+so many circumstances have tended to add additional pungency--not a
+friend near, not a communication from any of those far away. I have
+ever felt one abiding source of comfort, in that I knew I enjoyed the
+prayers of many whose prayers I truly value, and through these I
+believe I shall yet stand complete in all the will of God, to remove
+or to remain, to live or to die. The Lord will quickly come, and then
+his power and great glory will be manifested to the joy of his chosen
+and the confusion of his enemies.
+
+_Sept. 14._ _Wednesday._--While I feel more convinced every day that a
+missionary in these countries, who really would cast himself upon his
+Lord, and share in its revolutions and national judgments, has more to
+prepare his mind for them previously to his entering upon it than he
+can well conceive: yet on the other hand, I feel more confirmed in the
+opinion, that amidst this disjointed disorganized state of society,
+there are more doors of irregular missionary service open than he can
+possibly occupy. For though he can perhaps find few opportunities of
+publicly preaching Christ; yet in conversation, and the preparation
+and circulation of tracts, I think there are immense opportunities
+afforded. Yet for conversation much time will be required in acquiring
+a facility in the language by most, till the Lord is pleased to pour
+down from on high, his gifts of the Spirit--and as to tracts, at
+present we have none. The Turkish Armenian tracts, printed at Malta,
+are not clearly understood here; neither do I think the Arabic or
+Turkish spoken on the other side of the desert would be so either, if
+I may judge from the translations into Turkish and Arabic. In fact, it
+would appear desirable if the object of a missionary be to labour in
+the east, that he should study on this side the desert if possible;
+though the difficulties of a family are great here amidst the constant
+succeeding commotion of this disturbed country. There is no retiring
+place within at least some hundred miles, at all times by a dangerous
+journey, but in such times as these almost impassable. And the
+elements of disorder do not arise only from the state of the Ottoman
+empire, but from the vicinity of Persia, daily encroaching on this
+side, as I have mentioned before, both from religious and political
+motives, and this spirit is encouraged by the constant weakening of
+the pashalic. About fifty or sixty years ago, commenced the government
+of Suliman Pasha the elder, who continued twenty-three years in his
+situation and died in his bed. This Pasha raised Bagdad from a place
+of little mercantile consideration to be one of the most important
+places of traffic in the east, and he allured merchants from all
+parts by the equity and firmness of his government. From that to the
+present time, this pre-eminence has been enjoyed by Bagdad, and it has
+been the central place of trade between the east and the west; and for
+these purposes, if improved, a more desirable situation could not be
+imagined under a firm and wise administration. This Suliman Pasha
+strengthened the Georgian interest in this pashalic prodigiously by
+the purchasing of an immense number of Georgian slaves whom he
+manumitted at his death. One of these, Ali Pasha, who married his
+daughter, succeeded him, and was murdered at prayers after about five
+years reign. Suliman Pasha who succeeded him, also married a daughter
+of the former Suliman, he governed about three years, and was then put
+to death. He was succeeded by Abdallah Pasha, who was the treasurer of
+Ali Pasha; he continued about three years, and was put to death. To
+him succeeded Seyd Pasha, son of Suliman Pasha the elder, who, at the
+end of about three years, was also put to death. To these last who had
+thus succeeded and murdered one another, succeeded Daoud, the present
+Pasha, who to avoid a like fate with his predecessors, cut off every
+man about him who could possibly afford him any umbrage; but while on
+the one hand he secured himself, on the other he so weakened the
+Georgian interest, that when his affairs became involved in
+difficulty, there was none to help but creatures who had ministered to
+his avarice which he had gratified at the expence of every loyal
+feeling (if such an expression can be used by a Turk.) But still,
+though previous to the plague, the Georgians had been thus diminishing
+in numbers, and more so in intellectual and moral character, still
+they were a strong body; but the plague swept them nearly all away.
+All this taking place at this peculiar juncture when there is no
+recruiting their strength from Georgia, which is now in the hands of
+the Russians, and when the heart of the Sultan is peculiarly set
+against the whole mameluke rule seems to indicate the period of their
+downfall to be near at hand. Should Ali Pasha now succeed in getting
+possession of the city, the Georgian government of these renegade
+slaves will be ended as that of their brethren in apostacy was in
+Egypt. But, however things may terminate, there are no elements of
+recovery, fall they must; for the curse of God is upon them from the
+hands of one tyrant after another, till some powerful nominal
+Christian government will accept the government of them, for which
+they are daily ripening, which they are daily expecting, and which
+will finally happen, unless they fully adopt a European policy and
+plan, and this by another road, will lead to the same end, the
+overthrow of Mohammedanism and the establishment of infidelity. I have
+just thus cursorily made these remarks, that no missionary may
+deceive himself by expecting any long period of peace and quietness.
+If it comes, he may bless God; but if it be withheld, he must
+calculate upon it. And I think those who are lightly armed for their
+work--who can run, and fly, and hide, and at all events have only
+their own lives to care about, will be happiest amidst all their
+privations and trials between Bagdad and China. But for those who have
+known the endearment of domestic life, or who are by nature peculiarly
+susceptible of its happiness it may truly be said, this is a living
+martyrdom. It is: but it is _for Christ_, who will soon come and wipe
+away all tears from our eyes. I desire daily to feel it is a world in
+which my gracious Lord was an outcast, and where it would be to my
+loss if I made me a home. May the Lord make me willing to serve him on
+these or any other terms he may manifest at his pleasure.
+
+This morning some persons who were employed for the purpose, set at
+liberty two of the principal Georgians who were imprisoned in the camp
+of Ali Pasha.
+
+The Armenian servant to whom I lent an Armenian Testament, with the
+translation into the modern Constantinople dialect, came to me to say
+how much better he understood it than he did before in the old
+language, and his countenance seemed quite to brighten up at the sense
+of his attainment. Among the Armenians I think there is an open door,
+especially among the young, their ears are open and thirsting for
+information on every subject.
+
+The father of the Armenian schoolmaster was to-day speaking with me on
+the difficulty of that passage, "Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I
+hated." He said he felt just in that state as though God had said to
+him, I will not receive you. I longed to preach to him fully so far as
+I am able, Him who saith, Whosoever cometh to me I will in no wise
+cast out; but I have many difficulties: he is very deaf, and Armenian
+and Turkish, not Arabic, are the languages he understands. The
+languages greatly try me, for though I feel by the Lord's mercy making
+daily progress, yet still I feel four or five years must pass before I
+am fully prepared even in this department of my labour, and happy
+shall I be if in that time it be accomplished.
+
+_Sept. 15._ _Thursday._--After a night of anxious suspense, the day
+has dawned in comparative peace; the cry that Ali Pasha's troops were
+entering the city, began soon after we had retired to rest, and
+continued till near morning. Now we hear that Daoud Pasha had fled
+from the house of Saleh Beg during the night and endeavoured to enter
+the citadel, but the soldiers would not admit him. He is now in the
+hands of the people of the Meidan. The Chaoush Kiahya of Ali Pasha has
+entered the city, and every one is in an awful state of suspense as to
+the future fate of the inhabitants, at least of the higher classes. I
+have just set up the English flag that they may know the inhabitant of
+the house is a stranger here, who has nothing to do with the strife
+of the city. If, after this, the Lord allows them to enter our
+habitation, may his holy and blessed will be done. I think the Lord
+has allowed my mind to be in perfect peace as to the result.
+
+The poor wives of the Pasha are kissing the hands of passers by,
+begging that they will give them an asylum. Poor sufferers! all are
+afraid to interfere so as to afford them that which they want. At
+present, words and appearances are peaceable. May the Lord of his
+mercy grant that they may continue so.
+
+To-day we killed two fowls to have a little fresh meat. Thus the Lord
+has kept us through all this time of trial, and we have enough
+remaining for five or six days, blessed be his holy name. This day has
+ended in perfect peace, not a disturbance or an individual molested.
+The principal thieves, who, at the head of various gangs, were robbing
+the city in every direction, are now doing all they can to escape, for
+they are perfectly known. Thus the gracious hand of the Lord has
+removed in one day the siege and famine, and fear and terror, from the
+lawless within, and the undefined terrors from those who are without,
+so that all seems joy and gladness to the poor inhabitants. In the
+conclusion of this affair Ali Pasha has conducted himself amidst
+numberless provocations with a moderation and prudence that does him
+the highest honour; bless the Lord for all his mercies. This will be
+the first night for months that we shall retire to rest without the
+hateful sounds of civil strife saluting our ears, or disturbing our
+rest.
+
+_Sept. 16._ _Friday._--Another peaceful day. Ali Pasha has collected
+all the principal Georgians together in his camp. When the late Pasha
+went out to his camp, he rose from his seat and embraced him, and told
+him not to fear; that the Sultan had ordered his life to be spared; to
+Saleh Beg also assurances of safety were given, and in fact up to this
+time not one individual has been put to death. It remains yet to be
+seen whether this be a cloak or real moderation. However, from the
+great body of the citizens all fear is removed, and both animals and
+inhabitants alike rejoice in returning abundance. The wheat that was
+sold on Wednesday, for 250 piasters, was sold on Thursday for 40,
+and other things in proportion, besides which, vegetables have
+re-appeared, which, for five months, were not to be procured, at any
+price.
+
+I sent out to-day the chaoush of Major Taylor to Ali Pasha, to enquire
+if there were any letters or packets for the Residency or for me; but
+I found there were none to my great disappointment. However, Ali Pasha
+was very civil; enquired after the Resident, hoped there would be
+perpetual and increasing affection between them, &c. &c. We have now
+to wait to see how these fair beginnings will end. I have just seen
+the Hakeem Bashee or chief Physician of Ali Pasha, who is an Italian,
+and to my great joy found he had locked up in his box for me many
+letters and newspapers, which he from time to time collected in the
+camp; whenever any messenger was brought in, and his packets examined,
+all that were for Europeans he took out, and put in his box; to-morrow
+he promises to let me have those that were addressed to me. He tells
+me that Ali Pasha has two interpreters, natives of Cyprus, who speak
+Turkish, Italian, and Romaic. It appears that a great change is
+contemplated in the government of this Pashalic.
+
+One of the two gentlemen whom Major Taylor sent to examine the
+Euphrates from Beles to Anah, has arrived at Aleppo on his way to
+Beles. From Anah to Bussorah there is no insurmountable impediment in
+the way of steam navigation. The part that now remains to be examined
+is from Beer to Anah.
+
+_Sept. 18._ _Lord's day._--To-day I have received a long missing
+letter from the dear Taylors, in which Major Taylor most kindly and
+generously offers, should any thing happen to me, to consider my dear
+boys as his own, till he has an opportunity of sending them safely to
+the hands of their friends in England. Thus the Lord provides, thus he
+orders for us. This kind offer of Major T. was quite unsolicited, for,
+though when I felt attacked by the plague, I had written a letter
+making this request, yet, on my recovery, I destroyed it.
+
+I also received a letter from Dr. Morrison, in China, in which he
+expresses his conviction of the importance of missionaries learning to
+earn their subsistence by some occupation, however humble, rather than
+be dependant as they now are, on societies. I confess my mind so far
+entirely agrees with him, that, if I had to prepare for a missionary
+course, I would not go to a college or an institution, but learn
+medicine, or go to a blacksmith's, watchmaker's, or carpenter's shop,
+and there pursue my preparatory studies. I do not mean to say, that
+this should be to the exclusion of preparatory studies in language,
+and the deepest preparatory Scripture studies, but, in conjunction
+with them, for I am satisfied it is a much greater blessing to
+missionaries to lead those down who either by birth or other
+circumstances may have been a little removed from the lower orders of
+society than to raise those of humble birth to the rank of gentlemen
+in the world, who neither by education, habits, nor intercourse are
+enabled happily or profitably to fill such a station--but it is that
+yoke of mere human ordination, the necessity of a _title from man to
+preach_ and _administer_ as it is called the sacraments, of which not
+so much as a hint is contained in the New Testament, it is that awful
+distinction between laity and clergy which are the things that tie up
+all hands, and put bodies of men into situations of trial, who, but
+for this delusion, would be without any comparative difficulties.
+Without these we should learn to judge of men's fitness for their
+work, not by their being ordained or unordained by this or that
+denomination of men, but according to the rule of the apostles, by
+their doctrine and walking as they had them for "ensamples;" if they
+came otherwise, though apostles or angels, let them, says the apostle,
+be accursed. Oh, if this principle of the apostles were set up in
+proving all things and holding fast that which is good, we should not
+hear so good a man, and one so much to be loved, as Mr. Bickersteth,
+misleading his readers by telling them to adhere to an unsound
+_authorised_[39] teacher, rather than go to a sound and unauthorised
+one; to one who is authorised by the head of the church, though not by
+the head of the state. So said not Paul, but, "if I or an angel come
+preaching any other doctrine, let him be accursed." In all the Apostle
+Paul's trials with the false teachers, and in all the directions given
+respecting them to the various churches, he never once alludes to
+their appointment by the apostles or any other human being, or bodies
+of human beings, as even a collateral ground of consideration and
+preference, but always to the truth, the truth, the truth; if they
+preach that, well; if they do not, it matters not who they are, nor
+whence they came, from heaven or earth, they are to be rejected. God
+grant the day may quickly come when the church of God may care as
+little about the opinions of bishops and presbyteries or any other
+association of men, _apart from their piety and truth_, as the Lord
+and his Apostles cared about the opinions of the Sanhedrim. So far as
+their estate or authority is temporal, let us obey them, but let us
+keep our souls free.
+
+  [39] By whom authorised, of God or of man?
+
+It is said that all these provinces, from Bussorah to Bagdad,
+Sulemania, Mosul, Diarbekr, Merdin, Orfa, and Aleppo, are to be under
+the government of Ali Pasha; at all events there seems to be such a
+change contemplated, that at present I do not see it right to remove,
+especially as the Lord has provided an asylum in the event of any
+thing happening to me, in the bosom of Mr. Taylor's family, for my
+dear boys.
+
+Under Daoud Pasha the people were oppressed by monopolies in every
+article of consumption. Ali Pasha seems determined to put an end to
+the system. The cryer yesterday proclaimed that meat was to be sold
+for no more than two piasters an oke,[40] and that if any man took
+more he should be hanged on the spot to his own crooks. One of the
+butchers, near the Meidan, who was detected yesterday, selling meat
+for three piasters, was instantly hanged. After which, the butchers
+went to the officer who superintends their affairs, and offered him
+considerable sums of money as a bribe, but he would pay no attention
+to them.
+
+  [40] About five-pence a pound.
+
+_Sept. 21._ _Wednesday._--Nothing can exceed the attention and respect
+that is paid to Daoud by Ali Pasha; for his life, he said, he had
+nothing to fear; the Sultan had pardoned him, and a firman had come to
+that effect, but that the Sultan wished him to go to Constantinople on
+the morrow or the day after. Therefore he leaves this, and his wives
+go with him, and his eldest son, Hassan Beg, who has had all his
+property made him a present of by Ali Pasha, and every thing they
+choose to select for the convenience of the journey, is to be provided
+for them. There is something in this treatment so utterly unlike any
+thing that has been ever witnessed before, that people know not what
+to make of it; the Turks cannot be brought to believe but that there
+must be some treachery under it; for my own part, I do believe that so
+far as Ali Pasha is concerned, this is not true.
+
+The Turks here are also much startled at seeing their long robes and
+turbans thrown away for an European military uniform, with epaulets
+and other decorations; and they say that Ali Pasha himself has quite
+adopted the European dress, so what changes we may expect I know not,
+but certainly great ones are contemplated; any change approximating to
+this has not been introduced from the days of the Patriarchs till now.
+Drinking is no longer a covert offence that they practice in secret;
+but wine and spirits are brought in their trays as regular articles of
+consumption. The fact is, that Mohammedanism and Popery have received,
+and are receiving, such hard knocks that their power will certainly
+sink, even though the name may remain, and I do expect that this state
+of powerlessness in these two bodies will open ways for God's elect
+among them to come out.
+
+I had yesterday a long and most interesting conversation with a very
+respectable Armenian Roman Catholic merchant of this place, most
+timidly fearful of having his faith touched; yet the Lord opened the
+way to the introduction of the conversation on some very interesting
+topics--on the duty of reading God's word for ourselves, and on the
+worship of the Virgin, on all of which, little by little, he conversed
+freely.--He seemed well acquainted with the Scriptures I quoted, but
+had never thought about the questions, and this is the great
+preparatory work in this country, to get men to think on the things of
+the soul's everlasting interests, and to feel that these things have
+to do with the various relations of life. In all countries custom has
+much power; but in the East it is despotic.
+
+I have been much struck in reading some letters in the Record, on the
+Church and Dissent, which has made me feel the necessity and value of
+that word of our blessed Lord.--"If thine eye be single, thy whole
+body shall be full of light." Surely if the Scripture be sufficient to
+decide any question, it is sufficient to decide the question of what a
+child of God ought to do when a man, calling himself a minister of
+Christ, propagates errors among any section of Christ's church. Does
+not Paul say, Who is Paul or Apollos, but ministers by whom ye
+believe? What, then, is the Church of England, or Scotland, or the
+Dissenters, but various ministries, by which we believe? And the same
+apostle--the exalter of the Lord of life, and the abaser of every high
+thought of man, says, "If I or an angel from heaven preach any other
+gospel than that you have received, let him be accursed." Does Paul
+set up the principle that men are to be received not according to the
+truth or error of their doctrine, but according to the sect to which
+they belong, or the mode or circumstance of ordination? Never: but the
+very reverse. With the apostle it is always the truth--the truth--the
+truth; let those judge who wish to see.
+
+Now, I will just state a strong case, but a fact. I was one day
+travelling in the mail, and a certain person in one corner began a
+most obscene conversation, with a gentleman who came to see him at the
+door of the mail, while it was changing horses. Opposite him, in the
+other corner, was his own son. When the mail arrived at the place to
+which we were going, on getting out, I asked the people at the coach
+office, who that person was. I had previously considered him as an
+officer in the army, but, to my amazement, was told he was the
+Rev. ----. This individual has since been made a dignitary of
+the Church of England, and has had other preferment bestowed upon him;
+and this is but part of what might be said. You will say this is an
+extreme case. But it is a matter of fact. Am I to remain under the
+ministry of such a teacher? It not only shocks the affections of a
+child of God, but the very common sense of the world, and, if our eyes
+were single, it would, in proportion strike us till we should come
+down to the apostle's rule, about receiving teachers--those who preach
+the truth, and walk as ye have us for an ensample.
+
+As to example on which so much stress is laid, what example does a man
+give to his children or neighbourhood, when he continues to sit under
+the ministry of one whom he believes to be not a preacher but a
+perverter of the truth? Why, that the Church of England and its forms,
+even in the midst of our unfaithful ministry, is dearer to him than
+Christ's Church and his truth, under less agreeable external
+circumstances. On the other hand, what example does he give if he quit
+this, which may be granted on all hands to be an unsound ministry, for
+a sound one? Why, that he loves Christ's Church and truth so much
+better than any circumstances, that though it may cost him pain and
+sorrow he leaves the one for the other.
+
+There seems an idea prevalent, and kept up in all these letters, which
+is in fact most untrue--that a man, by leaving the church[41] becomes
+a dissenter in principle. Whereas I think many who have merely
+followed the line which the apostle recommends, of turning away from
+false teachers, are not at all thereby rendered in love with dissent
+as one system set up against another system. It appears to me, that a
+sectarian Church of England-man, and a sectarian Dissenter, whose only
+desire is to see augmented the respective members of those who follow
+them, are equally removed from the mind of Christ. The thing devoutly
+to be prayed for, for them all is, that when they respectively
+approach the nearest to the meaning of the divine word and the mind of
+Christ, they might be respectively strengthened and made willing in
+those things to borrow from each other, and all sides to remember that
+that love which covereth many faults is more valuable a thousand times
+than that sectarian zeal that magnifies every weakness and infirmity
+into a mortal sin, and which delights in evil surmisings and evil
+speakings.
+
+  [41] I use this term, though in its sense of national
+  churches, I think it absolutely unscriptural.
+
+The term which passes current with so many who are attached to the
+Church of England exclusively of "our apostolic church," it may not be
+amiss for a moment to dwell on. Where then does this apostolic
+similarity dwell, and in what does it consist?
+
+Is it in the mode of appointment of Bishops? _Formerly_ it was the
+work of the church, with which the state had nothing to do. _Now_, it
+may be the work of an infidel ministry, for infidel purposes.
+
+Is it the state and pomp of the episcopacy, the titles--"Your Grace,"
+"Your Lordship," your palaces, your carriages, and fame, and hosts of
+idle livery servants?
+
+Is it in the mode of appointment to the cure of souls? _Then_ it was
+in the choice of the church; or, if of new churches, the appointment
+of those who had gathered them. _Now_, this cure is publicly sold like
+cattle in the market to the highest bidder, and a large proportion of
+the remainder may be in the hands of an infidel Lord Chancellor, to
+give as he pleases.
+
+Is it the Liturgy? However valuable it may be, no one will pretend to
+say the apostles used one.
+
+And even in the places of public worship, their grandeur, or their
+neatness, or their convenience are equally unlike the places of
+meeting of the apostles, who were happy to assemble in an upper loft.
+Instead, therefore, of saying the Church of England is _Apostolic_, it
+is infinitely more true to say she is _Romish_, in all those things on
+the distinction of which she prides herself and becomes distinguished.
+And the broad line of distinction between her and the apostate mother
+of harlots, commences when she comes to those points, whereon all the
+churches of Christ agree--the doctrines she professes, and which are
+to a very great extent scriptural and pure; and may the Lord water her
+truth while he sweeps away her dross and tin. Believing, as I do, her
+connection with the state to be an unmitigated evil as it relates to
+her spiritual power, I cannot but rejoice that this false ground of
+confidence and support which has made toryism stand too often in the
+place of truth and piety, as a recommendation to her highest places of
+trust, is crumbling underneath her, only her bonds will be burnt in
+the fire. May she have the holy wisdom to strengthen what remains,
+that when the times of her dominion shall pass by, the time of her
+spiritual splendour may return. In short, though there be much that is
+intolerable in the Church of England, much may be modified, and may
+yet, possibly, remain; but this is clear, that that swelling of the
+bosom which distinguishes a true son of the Church of England,
+considered as a sectarian, when he enunciates the term of "Our
+Apostolic Church," if it refers to discipline as well as doctrine, and
+external circumstances as well as internal principles, is the merest
+delusion that ever was published, and the most unsubstantial vision
+that ever formed the basis of pride, and one that will now remain
+unmasked no longer. May the Lord grant her grace in her day of trial,
+to run into her real ark of strength--the truth of God. What is
+contrary to God's will in her, may he make her ready, nay, anxious to
+throw off, as an incubus that oppresses her. What is not contrary, yet
+not essential, may she hold with that degree of tenacity only which
+such things deserve, and remain alone valiant for the truth on the
+earth.
+
+Many will say this is written by the hand of an enemy. But I protest
+before Him whom I love and serve, however unworthily, that I love the
+Church of Christ in the midst of her, fervently desiring their
+spiritual pre-eminence, and praying for her prosperity.
+
+The detestable association between the Dissenters, considered as a
+body, and the calumniators and degraders of the Lord of life, for the
+beggarly purposes of this world's power, sufficiently prove to my
+mind, that a spirit, which is not of God's children, rests among them
+too extensively somewhere, as I have before mentioned; and even the
+true children among them, who have been drawn into such an ungodly
+coalition, show great spiritual weakness. In the word of God I see
+Christ exalted and his truth; and not churches, apostles, or prophets;
+all things are to be proved, and that which is good to be kept.
+Apostles are to be tried, and if found _liars_, to be rejected. Think
+you, when the church of Ephesus, in the Apocalypse is commended by our
+Lord, for trying those who said they were apostles and were not, and
+when she had found them liars, that her members for example, still sat
+under their ministry. What a strange perversity of judgment prejudice
+casts over the mind. I cannot imagine any holier more acceptable
+service to our dear and blessed Lord and master, than that of
+endeavouring to unite in true and holy union, all the real members of
+his now (as to external circumstances) painfully divided body, for the
+Lord enables me to feel and to know, that amidst all the divisions and
+hard names that prevail among the members, there does really exist a
+body bound together for eternity, in all the essentials of Divine
+truth.
+
+_Sept. 24._--Nothing of any striking moment relative to our situation
+has occurred since the last date: all is quiet. Yet circumstances have
+taken place of the deepest interest, which makes my soul rejoice in
+God. In a packet of letters, I received the other day from India and
+Bussorah, was one from a person whom I met here, a gay thoughtless
+officer in the army, who seems now really seeking for light and life.
+Of this I am sure, that with that soul, it never can be again as in
+times past; the name of Christ will either be a savour of life unto
+life, or of death unto death. Oh! how strange a thing here does a
+consciousness of divine life in the soul appear, and how affecting is
+it to receive that news fresh from the heart of one who has seen, in
+spiritual things, men as trees walking. May the Lord complete what he
+has begun, and make his recovered child a burning and a shining light
+in that land of darkness, where he sojourns. This intelligence comes
+too at a very acceptable time, for I have had a slight attack of fever
+for these last ten days, which, though it is not worth mentioning,
+has, like all fevers, left me weak, and with a tendency to depression.
+Nor is this all the good the Lord has done me. The Roman Catholic
+merchant whom I mentioned before, has been again with me. He told me,
+that when I came from England I brought a letter for him, which is
+true, from a very dear friend, in which he was requested to come every
+day to see me, and talk with me, for I was neither a Roman Catholic, a
+Greek, an Armenian, nor belonging to any other denomination, but a
+Christian. He, however, never came. Shortly after my arrival I met him
+at the house of another merchant, and as I could not talk with him, my
+dear brother Pfander did; but nothing could exceed the timid reserve
+and coldness with which he answered all questions respecting religion.
+But yesterday he told me, "Now I do not fear to converse with you."
+Surely here is something gained. May the Lord grant me grace to pour
+in the sincere milk of the word. At present I see nothing more than a
+willingness to hear and consider; but this is almost like finding a
+spring in the desert, when you are parched with thirst.
+
+I have also received from Mr. Brandram, the Secretary of the Bible
+Society, a kind and generous letter from that noble institution, which
+enables me to enter on their work with all my heart, leaving the
+question of money free, and only seeking the soul's profit of those on
+whom their benefits are bestowed: if I obtain money, well--if not, I
+am only to seek a fair guarantee that the people will read and take
+care of the books I have without money full liberty to give. These
+books are arrived at Bussorah, so that when they reach me, what with
+those I already have, and those coming from Constantinople or Smyrna,
+I shall have quite a depository. All these circumstances at present
+make me determine to stay here, the Lord enabling me, though we again
+hear that the Persians are at Sulemania. I was lately informed that
+Capt. Chesney, with a gentleman from Bombay, and his wife, had
+endeavoured to pass on to Shiraz from Bushire; but that they were not
+allowed to enter that place. They next tried by Shuster, but from
+hence likewise they were obliged to turn back. They appear to have
+made a third trial with more success; but an Armenian, who was with me
+the other day, said he saw them at Ispahan stripped of every thing
+they had, and obliged to borrow money for their journey, which, as I
+have before observed, the English always obtain without the least
+difficulty.
+
+_October 9._ _Lord's Day._--It is just one fortnight since the Lord
+has laid me on the bed of sickness and suffering; for nearly a
+fortnight previous an attack of typhus fever had been making its
+steady advances. I had lost all appetite, strength, and ability to
+sleep, accompanied by that strange overwhelming depression of mind
+that inclines one to weep one knows not why. But this day fortnight I
+was completely laid by, and this is the first day I have had my
+clothes on since.
+
+_Oct. 11._--The Lord still allows me to feel convalescent, and I
+cannot but think of his mercies to me in my solitary and lonely
+situation, with all these tendencies to depression, which are
+concomitants of the disease. He sent me from time to time such
+cheering intelligence, as enabled me to hope his cause would prosper,
+and that all these turmoils were only the more speedily preparing the
+way for it. I certainly now close this journal with more of hope than
+I have been led to entertain for many months, yet not without some
+fears.
+
+The few Georgians that remained from the plague have been nearly all
+put to death, so that the Georgian government of Bagdad is, as I
+anticipated, now extinguished. The elements of disorder and weakness
+are so interwoven in this wretched government, that it will require a
+measure of energy and wisdom not often found united, to establish a
+better order of things; but I desire to leave all in the Lord's hands.
+I shall here then conclude my journal for the present, and most humbly
+and heartily pray, that all the trials, public and private, recorded
+in it, may redound to the glory of him who is the Lord of lords, and
+King of kings; and that my soul may not lose its portion of profit.
+
+       *       *       *
+
+I had thought of finishing my journal for the present, but as it has
+been delayed going for want of an opportunity, I add the following.
+
+_Oct. 14._--All in the city is quiet yet. There is no apparent
+confidence: men seem waiting to see how things will turn out. Every
+thing is very dear, as it must necessarily be for some time. The
+greatest part of the inhabitants are dead, and many of the survivors
+have become rich, either by the death of relations or by robbery, and
+no one will do any thing without an exorbitant remuneration. I have
+just had a quantity of rice cleaned, for doing which, previously to
+the plague I gave a piastre and a half, and now I have given six
+piastres.
+
+We have an Armenian bishop coming here in the room of the priests who
+are dead. I know not what his plan of operation will be; but the Lord
+is on our side.
+
+I had a visit yesterday from the Abbe Troche, who has the
+superintendence of the Catholic mission here; he was very pleasant;
+but nothing particular passed, as many others were present. My
+conversations with the Roman Catholic merchant I have before
+mentioned, are still very open and free. Oh! may the Lord water and
+bless them.
+
+_Oct. 17._--Several of the elder boys, who had fled from the plague
+with their parents, have been with me since their return. My heart
+feels deeply interested about them; yet I see not plainly my way. I
+certainly never felt teaching in a school to be my proper work, and
+now much less than ever; yet they need instruction and desire it, and
+I think they are attached to me. May the Lord give me a wise and
+understanding heart, that I may rightly see the service he requires of
+me. I much wish for the counsel of my dear brethren at Aleppo; and
+perhaps the Lord may soon send some of them to me.
+
+_Oct. 18._--I have heard to-day we are to have no other Roman Catholic
+bishop in the room of him who is dead; nor any French Consul, but only
+an agent; this may take off many restraints; for the late bishop had
+given out we were worse than either the Mohammedans or Jews, and this
+had made a great impression on his flock; for he was a very liberal
+man, and therefore influential among them. However, I very much
+question if things will now be kept under the same restraint; so that
+should the Lord lead me to open the school again, I should not be
+surprised if many Roman Catholics came; for they all acknowledge that
+our boys learned more in three months than theirs in two years. The
+new Pasha is likewise exceedingly desirous of cultivating the closest
+friendship with our Resident, who has most kindly offered me any aid
+he can possibly lend me; and besides all this, the letters I have this
+day received from England and Ireland, shew me that my very dear
+friends have been making provision for my school; so that altogether,
+it seems to me the Lord's will I should try again; and in due time,
+when I am fit for other service, he may raise up help that will take
+this out of my hands. I desire to be ready to do any work, however
+humble and contrary to my nature, that I think the Lord appoints for
+me. I hear also, that at Aleppo, the French intend only having an
+Agent instead of a Consul; whereas, our government has just sent a
+Consul out to Damascus with an English merchant, and one to Aleppo,
+and last year we had a Consul established at Trebizond. I think Ali
+Pasha will do all in his power to promote the steam navigation of
+these rivers; and he is evidently a man of a very different character
+from the Georgians who preceded him. They cherished most of all the
+pride and pomp of Turkish power, with all its inveterate prejudices,
+ignorance, and narrowness of mind, so that if you had any business of
+the least difficulty, you could never get them to attend five minutes
+to it. But not so Ali Pasha: he apprehends with facility; and you at
+least have the satisfaction of knowing you are understood. He has been
+at Trieste, and in Hungary, and seems acquainted, to a limited extent,
+with several of the public journals of Europe. He dresses nearly as an
+European, and his brother-in-law quite so, with the exception of the
+hat; which is as yet very trying to the genuine Asiatics, who look on
+their own dress as that which it would be a sin to change. The Pasha
+also seems perfectly indifferent to hoarding money.
+
+Things in the city are still very dear, arising from the harvest of
+last year not having been reaped, and various other causes. We have to
+pay three times the usual price for most things; but after such
+tremendous visitations as we have suffered, we cannot expect that
+things can return to their usual course in a day.
+
+_Oct. 22._--I have had with me to-day a gentleman who was formerly
+attached to Mr. Morier's mission in Persia. He fled from the plague
+at Tabreez, and arrived at Kermanshah four days after dear brother
+Pfander left it, who, by his conversations in the caravan, had left so
+distinct an impression, that he thought Mohammed a liar, that when he
+reached Kermanshah, he found his situation very difficult, nay
+dangerous, and he was obliged hastily to quit it. He went to Hamadan,
+and remained there three days in the house of a priest, from whence he
+proceeded to Ispahan. All the villages between Hamadan and Ispahan are
+Armenian. The journey takes about ten days. When he arrived at
+Ispahan, Abbas Meerza being at Yezd, he went there, was treated with
+great honour and respect, and a firman given him to go where he liked:
+he returned to Ispahan, and from thence went to Tabreez, which place
+he reached before the plague broke out the second time. This account
+makes me long to hear from his own pen the course of the Lord's
+dealings with him. The same gentleman told me that the plague in
+Tabreez was much worse the second than the first time. Kermanshah is
+absolutely destroyed, and the governor, a grandson of the king, is
+reported to have collected from the property of the dead five lacs of
+piasters. In Kourdistan, also, they say it has been dreadful. In
+Saggas, Banah, and Sulemania, he says the desolation is shocking. How
+wonderful God's visitations on these nations are; it makes the soul
+that the Lord has appointed to be in the midst of them often say,
+Lord, let thy kingdom come; yea, speedily, that thy people may know
+peace and safety.
+
+I have sent to see the number of the poor little boys of my school
+that remain, and I find that they amount to 25 out of 80, and that
+I may expect near 30, should I get a master for them. I shall,
+therefore, endeavour to accomplish this, the Lord enabling me, and
+when I feel strong enough to begin again.
+
+I am very anxious about the dear N----'s at Tabreez, from whom I have
+not received a line. Abbas Meerza ordered large pits to be dug for
+those who died of the plague, and when they were full to have them
+covered in. The Ambassador, and the English, Russian, and other public
+functionaries, had fled, and from a packet that came from Capt.
+Campbell, who has now the charge of the mission since the death of Sir
+John Macdonald, we know that he was safe up to a late date.
+
+_Oct. 26._--I was much struck with an account which Mr. Swoboda, an
+Austrian merchant, gave me to-day, of a conversation he had with the
+brother-in-law of Ali Pasha. He said that now, in Stamboul, the
+Christians went to the mosque, and the Mohammedans to the Church;
+there was no difference. How strikingly this shows the rapid progress
+of that infidel spirit in these countries, which is spreading in
+Europe; surely these then are such signs as should keep us on the
+watch for our Lord.
+
+Accounts have just come that the struggle has commenced at Damascus,
+that supreme seat of bigotry, between the new and the old regime, and
+it remains to be seen how it will terminate. I already hear of one or
+two Roman Catholic boys, who will now come to the school, who before,
+during the life of the bishop, were afraid. My health I also feel
+daily establishing; and that I shall soon be able to enter on real
+labour again, with the Lord's blessing, I sincerely trust.
+
+_Oct. 27._--The affairs of the city appear daily more and more
+settling again; provisions are coming in in abundance, and the price
+gradually lowering. The roads also are becoming more open and safe:
+for all these signs of tranquility we bless the Lord and take courage,
+and trust we may yet serve him in this land of our pilgrimage. Also
+across the desert we hear the road is tranquil.
+
+_Oct. 28._--To-day the Jew called whom I mentioned in my journal of
+last year, as having come to Mr. Pfander: he is a Jewish Rabbi, who
+disbelieving Judaism, and possibly preferring Christianity, seems to
+be in both without heart or principle. He brought with him a Polish
+Jew, who is the tailor of Ali Pasha. He saw Mr. Wolff at Jerusalem,
+and speaks of him with high admiration. The Rabbi told me he was
+reading with him the German New Testament. May the Lord send his holy
+fire on the altar of their hearts, that they may really, heartily, and
+zealously enter into his truth. If there is any gift my soul longs
+for, it is to be able to speak to every one in his own tongue wherein
+he was born, the wonderful works of God; for want of this, in
+countries like this, where you are surrounded by many different
+languages, the heart gets overwhelmed with the difficulties that seem
+to spread on every side; as, for instance, with these Jews, they know
+little Arabic, and I do not know German, and thus we stand incapable
+of any such conversation as is likely to search the heart.
+
+_Nov. 1._--I have been reading with considerable attention the
+remarks, or rather reflections, of Jonathan Edwards, on the Life of
+Brainerd, wherein he endeavours to recommend to the Church of God, the
+_disinterested_ and _unmercenary_ love of God, by which he means the
+love of him for his abstract perfections apart from the consideration
+of any personal interest or happiness arising out of his especial love
+to his chosen. This is all very fine and very philosophical, but in
+my humble apprehension, most unscriptural. Does God any where in
+Scripture, when appealing to his chosen, or expostulating with them,
+argue on the ground of his abstract perfections, or of his especial
+love and distinguishing grace towards them? Throughout the Old
+Testament this is the controversy, not that they slighted his abstract
+perfections, but disregarded his especial favour. All the invitations
+to return, appeal to what Edwards would call the selfish and mercenary
+feelings. What! had not Moses respect unto the recompense of reward;
+and in all the 11th of the Hebrews, where is this abstraction held
+up? When our dear and blessed Lord exhorts to faithfulness,
+watchfulness, devotion, does he represent an abstraction as a motive,
+or without our own everlasting participation with him with whom there
+is fulness of joy for evermore. Paul thought it not mercenary to think
+on his crown, or to encourage his converts by the consideration, that
+present sorrow for the Lord, works for them a far more exceeding and
+eternal weight of glory. Again, eye hath not seen nor ear heard the
+things which God hath prepared for them that love him. Our blessed
+Lord makes promises to whoever leaves father or mother for his
+sake,[42] and John encourages his disciples, by telling them that they
+were made sons of God, and that they were to be made like their Lord;
+he saw nothing debasing in this contemplation, but instantly adds, "he
+that hath this hope purifieth himself even as he is pure." This is the
+promise he hath promised even eternal life. In fact, the doctrine of
+rewards, as an incentive to the saints, prevails from one end to the
+other of the sacred volume. The notion that a love which springs from
+a sense of being beloved, must be selfish and mercenary, is the
+greatest delusion imaginable. It may be, and in proportion as its
+power is really known and felt, is the most holy, self-denying, pure,
+and devoted of all affections, an affection that seeketh not her own,
+but the glory of the object beloved. If Edwards would set up dear D.
+Brainerd and his Indians in favour of the abstract system, we may set
+up the Moravians and their Esquimaux in favour of the other. But why
+set up one set of worms and their conduct against another set of worms
+and theirs, when we have the record of God in our hands? Let us see
+how our Heavenly Father proposes himself to our love, confidence, and
+affections, and what incentives he proposes as inducements to the
+sinner to return, and the saint to persevere to the end, and not
+attempt to be wise above that which is written. That God is infinitely
+adorable in his abstract perfections I am sure, though I cannot fathom
+these abstract perfections, nor conceive of him but as revealed in his
+blessed word in connection with his chosen, and as personally
+exhibited by him who was the brightness of his Father's glory, and the
+express image of his person, and this is not in abstractions or apart
+from our happiness.
+
+  [42] Matt. xix. 28, 29; Luke xviii. 29, 30.
+
+Again, when Edwards endeavours to prove it is enthusiasm in an
+individual to imagine that Christ, in an especial manner died for him,
+I think he destroys the peculiar stimulus to devotedness, which the
+doctrines of election in their widest latitude, contain above the
+doctrines of Armenianism, and he throws a coldness over all the
+doctrines of grace. In Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, David, Daniel, and
+others, with the Apostles of our Lord and Paul, it was both personal
+and open, but because not equally open to the rest of God's children,
+I do not believe the holy and blessed Spirit allows it to be less
+individual and personal.
+
+If, however, his opponents were practically such men as he describes,
+we cannot too deeply deplore it; but he writes so much more like the
+advocate of a sect, than an impartial enquirer after truth, that,
+without a particular knowledge of the case, one cannot help suspecting
+his picture of those he is writing against, to be very highly
+coloured. In fact, on the truth of God, it seems philosophical
+declamation, without scriptural proof: on the subject of his opponent,
+it is assertion in the lump, concerning masses of individuals, without
+proof or discrimination.
+
+_Nov. 4._--We have here now at the head of affairs, under the Pasha,
+one of those extraordinary men who are capable of any thing good or
+bad. Under Daoud Pasha he, for a long time, cruelly oppressed the
+people, but more especially the Jews, till at last a conspiracy was
+formed against him, and by the influence of the father of the Serof
+Bashee of the Pasha, who is one of the serofs, or bankers,[43] of the
+Sultan at Constantinople, an order was procured for his being put to
+death. Daoud Pasha did not execute this order, but imprisoned him, and
+as he had been the instrument of extorting money for him, he concluded
+he had not failed at the same time to enrich himself. In their
+endeavours to extort his money from him they drew the bow-string so
+tight that they nearly strangled him: however he recovered: he told
+them he had a certain sum of money, and where it was, which Daoud
+Pasha had previously agreed he should collect for himself. This his
+rapacious miserable master had the meanness to take from him. He had
+some friends who exerted themselves to save his life; which was
+spared. However, only a few days before the entrance of Ali Pasha,
+orders were again issued to put him to death, as he was detected
+holding communication with those without the city; but again
+intercession was made for him, and he was again spared. He was
+instantly taken into favour by Ali Pasha, on his entrance into the
+town, who has made him his treasurer and accountant-general (Musruff
+and Deftardar); and in fact, the whole business of the Pashalic is in
+his hands. He is at work night and day: till after midnight he is
+engaged in business, and long before dawn he is to be seen on
+horseback. He never sleeps at home, but each night at a different
+friend's house, though the Pasha gave him the best house (taken with
+all its accompaniments) in Bagdad. When the Pasha heard that Major
+Taylor's house, which is on the river, had suffered by the flood, he
+instantly gave it to him, and he now intends occupying it. This man is
+not only acquainted with all the internal affairs of the city, but he
+is connected with all the tribes of Arabs from Bussorah to Merdin;
+knows all their relations, enmities, friendships, and divisions,
+external as well as internal, and has ability and tact to take
+advantage of them. He is also acquainted with the agriculture of the
+country between the two rivers, and greatly desires to advance and
+improve it. What two such men as Ali Pasha and he may effect, should
+the Lord allow them to remain, it is impossible to conceive; but
+certainly great changes. He has now his old enemy, the Serof Bashee,
+in prison, and is bastinadoing him to get money out of him. But his
+general carriage to the inhabitants is much changed, though he has now
+twice the authority, which clearly, I think, manifests the altered
+temper of the government. To the English, he is a most devoted friend,
+and especially to the Resident, to whom he feels he owes his life, for
+he is at once a firm friend, and, I fear, an implacable enemy: one of
+those men from whom if you can once extort the assurance that you are
+safe, you may be at ease; whereas, in general, from the Pasha
+downwards, the more they assured you of your safety, the more reason
+you felt you had to fear.
+
+  [43] The bankers in Turkey are generally Jews, and possessed
+  of great wealth.
+
+_Nov. 7._--I have been to-day calling on several of the most
+respectable Roman Catholic merchants of this place, who have, some of
+them, repeatedly called on me; but, partly from want of health, and
+partly from want of spirits, I have not hitherto returned their
+visits. They received me with the greatest kindness, and the
+opportunities these visits afforded of bringing in God's word as the
+only standard of truth, I feel to be very valuable. It seems perfectly
+new to them to have the sentiments or conduct of themselves or others
+measured by this holy and blessed book; such a use they never in their
+lives saw made of it, so that it strikes them exceedingly; and the
+Lord's spirit may make something here or there rest on their hearts. I
+feel that the door for my particular line of usefulness is opening,
+and as I advance in the practical use of the language, I have
+confidence the Lord will yet shew me greater things than these.
+
+There is a new Roman Catholic priest here, formerly an Armenian. He
+has been trying to see if he can get my school boys to come to him if
+he opens a school: they have all refused; and this strengthens me in
+my purpose of not delaying the re-opening of mine longer than I am
+obliged. Should I not be able to get a master from Bussorah, for whom
+I have written, there has been an Armenian with me, who offers to
+come, a most respectable man; him, therefore, I may consider, as
+ready, should the other fail. Thus, the Lord provides. With my English
+class, I purpose, the Lord willing, to begin after another fortnight.
+My greatest difficulty will be I fear, to obtain an Arabic teacher;
+the mortality among the Mollahs has been enormous. Here then I shall
+end for the present, I fear this too long, and, in many respects,
+tedious, journal of the last five months, as the messenger goes
+to-morrow or the day after.
+
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+
+
+
+NOTES.
+
+
+Mr. Groves having so strongly expressed his condemnation of Mr.
+Erskine's view of Divine Truth, in pages 102, 103, and 104 of his
+Journal, the Editor, who believes Mr. Groves to be in error regarding
+the extent of the Atonement, has felt it to be a duty not to allow his
+statements to pass unaccompanied with a plain declaration of the
+truth. The following Notes on some of the principal points touched
+upon by Mr. Groves, have been contributed by a brother who bears him
+much love, the Rev. A. J. Scott, of Woolwich, not so much with any
+view of detailed discussions of Mr. Groves's positions, as simply to
+exhibit truth, as the best antidote to error.
+
+
+NOTE A, page 102.
+
+Mr. Groves has referred to the effects of system. One of the most
+important of these is, that opposite systems lead men to take such
+opposite views of the evidence itself by which the truth of the
+conflicting opinions must be tried. Of this he here furnishes an
+instance, in saying so strongly that the "sovereignty of God's
+government, and the individuality of God's election," are "represented
+by the Apostles as the most overwhelming reasons for unlimited
+devotion to his service, who has thus chosen us." Many of the very
+passages, doubtless, to which he would turn for the establishment of
+this assertion, would be enjoyed by others, as proofs how available
+is the general "kindness of God our Saviour towards _man_," as an
+argument for loving and serving him. When Paul persuades the Ephesians
+to "walk in love as Christ also hath loved _us_, and hath given
+himself for _us_;"[44] when Peter recommends to his brethren patient
+meekness in suffering, by the consideration that "Christ also suffered
+for _us_, the just for the unjust,"[45] the power of this over the
+mind of one man depends on his understanding by "_us_" the fallen
+world; and of another, on its reminding him only of distinguishing
+personal obligations to sovereign election. Now, suasives to holiness,
+or what are felt as such, as they continually recur in Scripture,
+produce on a devout mind a much deeper conviction of the truth of the
+doctrines from which they are derived, than a formal assertion can.
+When, by the same expressions, one man is habitually carried to this,
+another to that, view of the Divine character, and each experiences,
+that in what he sees, there is a practical tendency towards the state
+of the heart and form of life at which he aims as good: this becomes
+to each, as instances accumulate, a far stronger reason than bare
+propositions, could be for growing in confidence, that the belief
+which thus impresses him is indeed the truth of God.
+
+  [44] Eph. v. 2.
+
+  [45] 1 Pet. ii. 21.
+
+And one accustomed to observe the effects of system will not wonder
+that expressions like those above cited, still less that those in
+which Christ is spoken of as having "loved _the church_ and given
+himself for _it_," should thus come to be regarded as containing an
+argument for a selective atonement. It is by such a doctrine being
+perceived in them, that they practically impress the feelings of many.
+And yet, in truth, how are they inconsistent with the universal love
+of God and propitiation of Christ? Of course, where a common benefit
+is received, its efficacy, as a motive to grateful returns, is
+limited to those who recognize and value it. A patriot has delivered
+millions of ignorant, suspicious, ungrateful countrymen. His services
+are to be used as an argument for joining in some effort for his
+honour; and those who acknowledge and bless his exertions are
+especially addressed, and reminded that "he loved _you_, laboured for
+_you_, achieved happiness for _you_." Would this contain even an
+insinuation, that they were the exclusive objects of his disinterested
+ardour? In such an address not only would the common benefit be
+mentioned peculiarly as a good bestowed on themselves; but their
+acknowledgment of it, and their distinguishing susceptibility to the
+feeling of its worth, would be referred and appealed to, as reasons
+why that was looked for and demanded of them, which from others might
+be as justly asked, but not so naturally expected. Such appeals are
+the apostolic epistles to the churches, as contrasted with their
+proclamation of Christ to the world.
+
+
+NOTE B, page 103.
+
+The moral condition of man, his seeing no desirableness in the object
+presented to him by the Gospel, Mr. Erskine shews, at great length, to
+be the grand obstacle to his enjoying it. The capacity to know and
+believe, he indeed conceives to bring with it the capacity to enjoy.
+But if a change in the moral state is necessary in receiving the
+truth, this surely obviates the objection that such truth would be
+unpalatable and uninfluential to those whose moral state is
+_unchanged_.
+
+Our business, however, is not with Mr. E. but with the truth of the
+matter. Mr. Groves' remarks refer to the _nature_ of regeneration, and
+to the _necessity_ of a change in the affections, in order to man's
+appreciating the object presented to him in the Gospel: these he
+considers as objections to the doctrine that the simple knowledge
+and belief of that object are "the cause of spiritual life in the
+unregenerate;" and he uses the analogy of food, which he says, is not
+the cause of life, although it be the support of it. Certainly the
+contemplation of Jesus is not the cause, but it is the commencement
+and exercise of spiritual life, which needs no commencement of a
+distinct kind from its subsequent functions. As to the analogy of
+food, it will be seen whether the language of Scripture bears us out
+in making the same distinction between the source and the sustenance
+of spiritual, as of natural life.
+
+What, indeed, is meant to be asserted? Is it, that men have life in
+them _first_, to capacitate them to eat the flesh and drink the blood
+of the Son of Man? This seems to be said: but Himself hath said,
+"Except ye eat the flesh and drink the blood of the Son of Man, ye
+have _no_ life in you." Not life then without the food, or before the
+food, but _by_ the food. This banquet _is_ to be spread before the
+dead. Thus only shall any live. Is spirit and life in men first from
+another source, and then do they take and profit by his words? But
+"the entrance of his words _giveth_ light," and that light is life.
+"The words that I speak unto you," says the Lord, "_they_ are spirit,
+and they are life": and that spirit, the spirit of his words, he tells
+us it is that "quickeneth" or produceth life. Is there, then, no need
+for regeneration? Surely there is: but it does not follow that the
+principle of regeneration is one, and that of faith another to be
+superadded to it. "We are born," says Peter, "not of corruptible seed,
+but of the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever;" adding, in
+very remarkable language, "This is the word which by the Gospel is
+preached unto you." An explanation which removes all doubt as to the
+meaning of James, when he says, "Of his own will begat he us with the
+word of truth," that is, according to Peter, with the Gospel preached.
+John, in like manner, tells us, that "whatsoever is born of God
+overcometh the world," and if we ask, what is born of God? Is it a
+principle antecedent and necessary to faith? He answers, It is faith
+itself. "This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our
+faith."
+
+
+NOTE C, page 104.
+
+The question is not whether the scheme of salvation is merely
+reconcilable with divine love and justice, but how it constitutes the
+grand proof and manifestation of these attributes, and in general, of
+the perfections of God. In it he undertakes to shew himself worthy of
+love, and thus to win our love to himself. Any other means to that end
+than such as should prove his own worthiness, He could not use. One
+may confer a benefit on an individual from a thousand various motives,
+of which one only may be morally right. In event of any of the others
+having prompted the action, the benefactor may be regarded with
+gratitude, but then it is either because the motive is mistaken for
+the nobler one, or the gratitude is a mere reflected selfishness. As
+an example of the latter sort, the Jews, in the days of the Son of Man
+upon earth, had a love to God, a zeal for God, founded on their
+conviction of his partiality for their people. They regarded him as
+the God of the Jews only, and not also of the Gentiles. Its fruits
+were, their carrying the Lord to the brow of the hill to destroy him,
+because he reminded them of Naaman and the widow of Sarepta, as
+preferred to objects of bounty among their own people; and their
+endeavouring to tear Paul in pieces when he spake of a commission
+given him by Jesus to the Gentiles. They were indeed zealous, the
+apostle bears them witness in the Holy Ghost, and fully believed in
+God's sovereign election of their nation. There is yet a zeal like
+their's--let us beware of it.
+
+It will not do to represent the Gospel scheme of salvation as not only
+_leaving_, but involving, the moral character of God in difficulty;
+and then to say we can still believe him holy, just, and good
+notwithstanding. The atonement was designed to prove and establish
+these attributes: to be the ground of our confidence in them, and of
+our love to God because of them. We are not to believe in them in
+spite of the plan of redemption; but, because of the plan of
+redemption. The words of John, "we love him because he first loved
+us," and "herein is the love of God manifested towards us, because he
+sent his Son into the world that we might live through him," imply
+that the believer's delight in the essential excellence of God (which
+delight alone is divine love) springs out of the display of that
+excellence in the cross of Christ. An atonement for all, arising out
+of love to all, proves that it is indeed justice that inflicts
+vengeance on the impenitent; not partial, personal hatred, not
+indifference, not cruelty. A limited atonement, just because it gives
+no proof that they are beloved--gives no proof that nothing else than
+justice could have punished them. It gives, on the other hand, no
+proof that forgiving love has been that which saved the elect, as it
+is to an arbitrary distinction it teaches them to look as the ultimate
+cause of their hope. I care not to be told that they acknowledge love
+in their salvation notwithstanding. I repeat, the redemption is to
+_prove_ the divine character, not merely to leave us the possibility
+of believing it.
+
+Finally, This scheme obliges to believe that Jesus has broken the law,
+and transgression of the law is sin. This he assuredly did, if he
+loved not all mankind as himself. It is an ignorant answer to say,
+that for him to break the law was not sin. To break the moral law, and
+to be a sinner, are not things arbitrarily put together; they are two
+names for the same thing. It is worse to say he need not keep the law
+because he was God. The law is the transcript of the character of God:
+opposition to it is opposition to that character. Made of woman,
+besides, he was made under the law. All praises of his goodness and
+moral perfection are so many varied expressions for the completeness
+with which he kept the law. And oh! indeed, what part of it so
+peculiarly his own, as to love his neighbour as himself?
+
+I say, therefore, again, to limit the divine love, to limit the
+atonement, the grand expression of that love, is to limit the love of
+Christ, and thus to make Christ a sinner. He that hath seen him hath
+seen the Father. No moral difference surely is so great as that
+between a breaker and a keeper of the law of love. What a moral
+difference, then, between the character of a God manifested in the
+one form and in the other.
+
+
+
+
+APPENDIX.
+
+
+The following letters are added, because they contain some interesting
+details of the Lord's dealings with this our dear brother, which are
+not contained in the Journal. And the reader will observe, that the
+last letter is of a later date than the conclusion of the Journal.
+
+
+                                   BAGDAD, _Oct. 15th, 1831._
+
+     The Lord has just raised me up from a typhus fever, which, for
+     the last month, has been pressing a little hard on my strength,
+     but more on my spirits. The loss of my dearest Mary was so
+     deeply felt by my poor desolate heart, that, at times, I bore
+     up with difficulty; but the Lord shewed me that my sorrow was
+     so selfish, so earthly, so unworthy of his love, and poured in
+     besides such hopes and prospects as to my future work, that
+     sustained and comforted me.
+
+     I send with this a Journal of four months, from which you will
+     see what has been passing amongst us.
+
+     I have lately received many letters from my dear brethren at
+     Aleppo, and I think either Mr. Cronin or Mr. and Mrs. Parnell
+     will come to me the first opportunity, which will be an
+     unspeakable relief to my mind; for I long for some one to whom
+     I may unburthen my soul; for although my Lord is always near,
+     yet, as I see in Paul, so I find in myself, that the society of
+     Christian brethren and sisters, so long as we are in the flesh,
+     will always afford a sweet consolation.
+
+     I feel that Jesus meant his Church to be a body, not isolated
+     members. We have each a little ministry essential to the
+     happiness and building up of the mystical body--that there
+     should be no schism, but that all the members might love and
+     care one for the other.
+
+     This place has been governed by Georgians, Apostate Christians,
+     just as the Memelukes, another race of Apostate Christians,
+     formerly governed Egypt. The Sultan has extirpated the first,
+     and now the second, and the Janissaries who had a somewhat
+     similar origin, have, at Stamboul, experienced a similar fate.
+     Those of the Georgians who have had their lives spared will be
+     sent to Stamboul. It is certainly the design of Ali Pasha and
+     the Sultan, to make many changes here, and I wait to see the
+     Lord's goings. It appears to me probable that most important
+     openings may be afforded by these changes to our operations in
+     these quarters: but I have seen such things these last twelve
+     months, that my soul rests only upon God, to see how he will
+     move. His ways are so deep, so out of sight, that what we think
+     likely, He, in a month, brings to nothing, and yet in his own
+     good time, will bring the most wonderful and unexpected things
+     to pass. I have never ceased to bless God for the sweet
+     assurance of his unchanging love, for the sake of Him who is
+     our life, our dear and blessed Jesus. He has supplied me, I
+     know not how, in the midst of famine, pestilence, and war; and
+     though I have heard from none in England for more than a year,
+     especially from those that supply my wants, the Lord has not
+     suffered me to want, or to be in debt, and though the
+     necessaries of life have amounted to almost twenty times their
+     value during our late trials, he has not suffered me personally
+     to be much affected by it. His loving-kindness and care have
+     been wonderful.
+
+     Of all the political and religious agitations of England, I
+     have heard only whispers; but I am very anxious to receive a
+     full account. For many months all communication has been
+     entirely cut off; not a message has come though the road has
+     now been open a month.
+
+     The Lord has graciously allowed me to see the signs of
+     spiritual life in three souls of late, through my
+     instrumentality; and as the Lord gives me utterance, I trust I
+     shall be able to speak to many others. The difficulties of the
+     language are fading away one by one. I had occasion to
+     translate a public document from the new Pasha to the Resident
+     at Bussorah, concerning business of the utmost importance and
+     secrecy, in which the Resident, who is a most competent judge,
+     tells me I succeeded fully.
+
+     I often think my dear friends in England will be sadly
+     discouraged at the Lord's dealings with our mission: so
+     difficult is it to act faith in dark seasons. However, should
+     their faith and hope fail, the Lord will either raise up others
+     or find me some little occupation by which I may live. His
+     goodness in the way of provision has been so wonderfully
+     manifested, that my heart feels quite easy that He will find a
+     way for the support of his servant.
+
+     _Oct. 24._--Since writing the above, I have received your
+     letter of March last, by Bombay. Oh! how welcome it came! Oh!
+     how it refreshed me! Surely there exists not in the world a
+     more loving little Church than these dear believers amongst
+     whom the Lord has brought us into one fellowship. I assure you,
+     widely as I am separated from this beloved family in body, I am
+     truly one with them in spirit, and am greatly refreshed by the
+     springs of the Lord's grace, that run amongst them.
+
+     I received several letters with yours, from England and
+     Ireland; and the zeal of those dear friends who had provided
+     for my school, made me finally determine, the Lord willing, and
+     supplying me masters, to try again. I have sent one of the
+     bigger boys round, and I trust, with new boys, I shall begin
+     with thirty.
+
+     The Bible Society have sent me a number of Books with a
+     generous letter, nobly generous as to the principles of
+     distribution. And there appears a prospect of great changes
+     which may open a much wider door of usefulness here than I now
+     have: I had thoughts of leaving this place, but the Resident
+     entreats me not to go, and promises, should any thing happen to
+     me, that he will be a father to my dear boys, till he can send
+     them by an unexceptionable opportunity to England. All these
+     things make me feel that the Lord still means me to stay here,
+     and see his salvation.--Infidelity is making open and manifest
+     strides amongst the Mohammedans on the other side of the
+     desert, and in Persia, and we shall soon see the same spirit
+     that is working in Europe working here: amidst these tempests,
+     I sometimes think 'tis hard to live. Yet, my dear friend, it is
+     sweet to live hardly for Jesus.
+
+     After all my sufferings and all my sorrows, my heart is not
+     discouraged. We have first the clods of the language to break
+     up, then to prepare the ground, then to sow the seed, and
+     through all to look for the precious showers from on high, and
+     lastly for the fruit. Let us, then, like the husbandman
+     patiently wait.
+
+     The evil of the pressure of the world on the soul I feel as
+     fully as you can do; not the luxurious worldliness of Europe,
+     yet the pursuit of the language, and the absolute
+     uncongeniality of all around, disorders the soul greatly.
+     During Mary's life, or rather pilgrimage, I never wanted
+     spiritual refreshment; I sometimes used to fear it stole away
+     those hours that the language and other calls demanded; but now
+     whilst I am sensibly proceeding in the language, my soul knows
+     not that animated joy of heavenly communion with the saints on
+     earth which I once enjoyed. Jesus still is near, still comforts
+     and supports; but yet I feel he meant his Church to be a body.
+     The miserable substitute of man's ordination for the Holy
+     Ghost's, has destroyed the true unison and order of the Church
+     of Christ, by substituting that which is artificial for that
+     which is of God; by appointing man to be the artificer of a
+     work God alone can accomplish. Now the Church presents a
+     monstrous aspect, a great mis-shapen head called the clergy,
+     and as mis-shapen a body called the laity. All the members
+     being crowded into the head, and leaving the body without
+     office or service, this did not the Spirit. How blessed it is
+     among all these disorders to know that the Lord cares for his
+     own, and will keep them as the apple of his eye, watching day
+     and night lest any hurt them. Thus, were we preserved when we
+     little thought it, by our Shepherd's care. There is something,
+     I think, in this view of the body being thus composed of
+     members of various orders, various services, from the most
+     minute to the most important, all tending to the one great end,
+     the glory of the only Head and the Church's glory in him, that
+     greatly comforts the weak. When the Lord first led me to feel
+     interested in the service of his cause abroad, I framed to
+     myself some _beau-ideal_ of a missionary that if I now
+     entertained would destroy all happiness. Since the Lord has led
+     me to see how truly low my place is in his holy blessed body,
+     amidst all this humiliation he makes me feel happy in the
+     thought I am a member, though embracing little that pride would
+     lead to aim at. If I am but allowed to minister to my dear and
+     holy brethren on the other side of the desert I shall feel
+     happy and thankful. Sometimes I am overwhelmed with the
+     condescension that he should allow me to feel part of his
+     mystical body, though so weak so useless.
+
+     On the subject of baptism all the dear brethren at Aleppo have
+     finally agreed and been baptized; thus the last little
+     difference that I know between us is closed. How gracious the
+     Lord is!
+
+     The Lord has laid his hand heavily on them. Dear Newman is but
+     just raised from a bed of sickness. The schoolmaster whom they
+     brought is so unwell, that dear John Parnell and his wife have
+     taken him for the change of air to the water's side; they too
+     have both been very ill. Mrs. Cronan is daily getting weaker
+     and weaker, so they are prevented joining me now from ill
+     health, as before from the disturbances, and in a short time
+     Mrs. Parnell expects to be confined, which will still delay
+     them, as well as the expectation of a friend or two from
+     England and Ireland. Should the Lord not remove these
+     difficulties to their coming before the spring, and my Bibles
+     and Testaments arrive from Bussorah, I purpose, the Lord
+     willing, perhaps even in about two months, going by the way of
+     Mosul, Merdin, Diarbekr, Orsa, and Beer to Aleppo, there to
+     consult and to be refreshed, should the Lord graciously smile
+     upon us, and in my way to distribute his word and see the state
+     of the places above mentioned.
+
+     When Mr. Newman was at the worst, and they had given up all
+     hopes of him, they anointed him with oil according to the 14th
+     of the 5th of James, and prayed over him, and the Lord had
+     mercy on them, yea, and on me also, and restored him. It seems
+     to me truly scriptural, and if the Church of Rome has perverted
+     it to superstitious ends, ought we therefore to cast aside so
+     plain a precept? By many it would be called plain popery, but
+     this we must bear. I can feel a happiness in submitting to
+     these directions of the Lord by the Spirit; they seem to us
+     little, but surely whatsoever is of sufficient importance for
+     the Spirit to command or direct, is sufficiently important for
+     us worms to obey. With regard to miracles my mind is not at
+     present prepared to embrace them fully: but this I do feel that
+     the Apostle Paul, in Corinthians 12 and 14, when speaking of
+     supernatural gifts for the edifying the Church and doing the
+     work of God, points them out as things to be desired and prayed
+     for then, and if they were desired to be prayed for then, why
+     not now? I look on the argument from experience in the churches
+     as of no weight, for unless it can be proved the churches have
+     received faith on these powers, their not possessing the
+     power is according to the whole analogy of faith. That
+     distinguishing between apostolic times and present times is to
+     my mind so dangerous a principle, and puts into the hands of
+     any one so disposed, a sword that seems to me to reach the very
+     vitals of the Gospel.
+
+     I would have you pray for me, especially that Christ may be in
+     me daily, my glorious loving Lord and satisfying portion, whose
+     presence can make even this waste howling wilderness like the
+     garden of Eden. Little did I think how poor I was in the
+     anointed Lamb of God till he stripped me bare, and left me here
+     to stand months alone with himself, and then I saw how much of
+     that apparent love and zeal I felt flowed from human fountains.
+     I bless his name, he left me yet a little while untainted to
+     cheer, support, and comfort me, but my stature, my dear friend,
+     I pray I may not again, mistake nor think I am approaching
+     towards manhood when a very child in spiritual growth. When
+     surrounded by all the love and kindness I experienced amongst
+     you, encouraged by your sympathy and prayers, those thousand
+     weaknesses I since have felt I hardly know the smart of. Amidst
+     dangers, sorrows, and death I have walked for many months; and
+     these scenes have tried the very foundation, yet it was most
+     gracious of the Lord, when he let the plague reach me and laid
+     me on my couch to give me the sweetest comfort from a full
+     assurance of his favour and forgiveness, when there was as I
+     thought but a step between me and death. Yet whilst he has
+     never left me without the sense of being his, He has shewn me
+     how much I have to aim at, how earnestly to desire to be filled
+     with all his fulness.
+
+
+                                   BAGDAD, _Dec. 25th, 1831_.
+
+     Your most kind and welcome letter arrived this day, together
+     with several others from my beloved friends in England, all by
+     Bombay. It does, indeed, truly refresh my heart, to hear of the
+     Lord's love to you all. Do you not praise God for these dear
+     brothers and sisters he has given us? How rich we are in our
+     sweet little church; a more loving, holy, and blessed little
+     family cannot surely be found upon earth. Unworthy as I am to
+     be one of you, yet I bless God that I am one. My heart is
+     running over with thankfulness at the Lord's goodness to you
+     all, and to me through you, and be not discouraged because I am
+     blasted, and my bough no longer green, as it once was, the Lord
+     has yet dealt most bountifully with me. In all but my dear
+     Mary's place my path is opening again. I have hired one
+     schoolmaster, and expect another. My English boys are most
+     zealous and attached: my prospects of Bible circulation in
+     Persia much opening. To the Jews here I have sold all my Hebrew
+     Bibles, at about 3s. 6d. each: this is more to them than 12s.
+     would be in England, and though it seems little, it answers an
+     end of getting God's word amongst them. I had an Armenian
+     bishop with me the other day, asking for Persian Testaments to
+     send to Ispahan; and a Roman Catholic merchant has promised to
+     take a parcel for me to Teheran, and to distribute them there.
+     Besides these there are others whom I hope to find subservient
+     to this end. For some days I had been making preparations to
+     cross the desert, in order to consult with my dear brethren
+     there about our future measures; but when I came to put
+     together all the items of expense, I found I had not money
+     enough, so I gave up the plan of going with my dear boys, and
+     proposed waiting till Major Taylor came, and leaving them in
+     the Residency, under his and dear Mrs. Taylor's kind care, to
+     go alone. Your letter, however, has relieved all my pecuniary
+     difficulties, and we shall now go altogether or remain
+     together. The love of you all in thinking of and caring for me
+     quite overwhelms me, as I see it to be the Lord's love in and
+     through you all. He not only feeds us in this wilderness, but
+     also provides for the school, so as to overwhelm me with a
+     sense of his care over the most unworthy of his servants. My
+     wonder is, how it is possible for me to love him so little.
+     Since I left England, this is the first purpose I really
+     thought desirable, that the want of sufficient money has put a
+     stop to; and this you see but for a moment; not but that I can
+     get money at any time, but I am determined not to borrow money
+     till my affairs come to the utmost straits, and then only for
+     the simplest necessaries.
+
+     I have received a letter from England, which gives me a painful
+     impression of the state of most of the religious societies.
+     Indeed, I fear they cannot stand on their present basis. May
+     the Lord gently lead them right. The spirit of compromise to
+     gain the world has ruined all; yet are there some sweet spirits
+     amongst them. I would rather have the love that could love
+     amidst a thousand faults, than the zeal that will endure but
+     one. Some, I know, would call this a sickly sort of feeling,
+     but the more I see of their fiery condemnation and sarcastic
+     scorn, the more I am sure it is not of Christ. It is only
+     turning the truth of God into a sort of chimney for the escape
+     of nature's pride and passion.
+
+     My second plan for going to Aleppo has been defeated by my
+     having heard a very bad account of the Arab Sheikh of the
+     Caravan. The Lord graciously gave me an opportunity of seeing
+     his true character before I was alone involved with him in the
+     desert, where, indeed, you are fearfully at their mercy, and
+     where they have so many means of oppressing you.
+
+     _Dec. 29._--How gracious it was of the Lord to send me your
+     letter, just before expense became inevitable, for either for
+     the journey, or for shutting up; you must expend money, as
+     during the time of the plague raging, you can obtain nothing,
+     not even bread, and, if you could, you would be afraid to use
+     it. What unspeakable peace it brings to the soul to have Jesus
+     to look to, and to know that his eye is not averted, though all
+     seems dark. Blessed doctrines of grace! how they comfort when
+     the soul would sink under sin: to know that for Christ's sake
+     we are pardoned. Yea, though we have played the harlot with
+     many lovers, the Lord has restored us, and decked us for his
+     bride against the day of his espousals. Oh what a day, the day
+     of the marriage supper of the Lamb will be, may our hearts be
+     waiting for it, with holy expectation. Pray for me that my
+     faith fail not, nor my Lord's love even appear little in my
+     eyes; but that I may always be enabled to say, "Though he slay
+     me yet will I trust in him." If it be, that all my hopes
+     finish, may his holy blessed will be done. I often wonder how
+     he keeps up my hope as he does; but still I do hope even
+     against hope: and I would call upon you, and all my dear
+     friends, brethren, and sisters in Christ, to rejoice with me at
+     the prospect of that blessed day which is dawning upon us, when
+     we shall see our beloved as he is, and dwell with him for ever,
+     when our vile bodies will be changed and made like unto his
+     glorious body, when the whole number of his elect family will
+     be completed, and we shall reign with him in glory.
+
+     _Jan. 16, 1832._--My dear little boy, Frank, is just laid down
+     in a fever, so I cannot now go to Aleppo. Thus the Lord
+     frustrates all our plans and purposes.
+
+
+                                THE END.
+
+
+
+
+
+End of Project Gutenberg's Journal of a Residence at Bagdad, by Anthony Groves
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