270 JOURNEYS IN KUKDISTAN LETTER xxvm

The church is a place of refuge when a Kurdish attack
is expected. Nine years ago the people carried into it
all their movables that they valued most, believing it to
be secure, but the Kurds broke in in force and took all
they wanted. The few sacred treasures of the village and
the Eucharistic leaven are hidden in an elevated recess in
the wall. The graveyard, which contains only a few flat
slabs imbedded in the soil, is the only possible camping-
ground ; but though it is clean and neat, it looked so
damp and felt so cold that I preferred to accept a big
room with walls six feet thick in the priest's house, even
though it overhangs the torrent with its thunder and clash.

forms part of the daily prayer. The earlier portion is chanted antiphon-
ally in semi-choirs—

'' Semi-choir—1st. At the dawn of day we praise Thee, 0 Lord: Thou art
the Redeemer of all creatures, give us by Thy mercy a peaceful day, and
give us remission of our sins.

'{ 2d. Cut not off our hope, shut not Thy door against our faces, and
cease not Thy care over us. 0 God, according to our worthiness reward us
not Thou alone knowest our weakness.

'c 1st. Scatter, 0 Lord, in the world love, peace, and unity. Raise up
righteous kings, priests, and judges. Give peace to the nations, heal the
sick, keep the whole, and forgive the sins of all men.

'' 2d. In the way that we are going may Thy Grace keep us, 0 Lord, as
it kept the child David from Saul. Give us Thy mercy as we are pressing
on, that we may attain to peace according to Thy will. The Grace which
kept the prophet Moses in the sea, and Daniel in the pit, and by which
the companions of Ananias were kept in the fire, by that Grace deliver us
from evil.

1' Whole, choir.—In the morning we all arise, we all worship the Father,
we praise the Son, we acknowledge the Holy Spirit. The grace of the
Eather, the mercy of the Son, and the hovering of the Holy Spirit, the
Third Person, be our help every day. Our help is in Thee. In Thee, our
true Physician, is our hope. Put the medicine of Thy mercy on our wounds,
and bind up our bruises that we be not lost. Without Thy help we are
powerless to keep Thy commandments. 0 Christ, who helpest those
who fulfil Thy will, keep Thy worshippers. We ask with sighing, we
beseech Thy mercy, we ask forgiveness from that merciful One who opens
His door to all who turn unto Him. Every day I promise Thee that to-
morrow I will repent: all my days are past and gone, my faults still re-
main. 0 Christ, have mercy upon me, have mercy upon me."