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diff --git a/29631-8.txt b/29631-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..f9c72d4 --- /dev/null +++ b/29631-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,8126 @@ +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 + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK JOURNAL OF A RESIDENCE AT BAGDAD *** + +***** This file should be named 29631-8.txt or 29631-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/9/6/3/29631/ + +Produced by Free Elf, Anne Storer and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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