Bible work in Bible lands : or, Events in the history of the Syria mission

S PRINCETON, N. J.

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Bird, Isaac, 1793-1876.
Bible work in Bible lands

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SYRIA
MISSION FIELO.

BIBLE WORK

BIBLE LANDS;

OB,

EVENTS IN THE HISTORY OF THE SYRIA MISSION.

BY THE

Rev. ISAAC BIRD.

FULLY ILLUSTRATED.

PHILADELPHIA:
PRESBYTERIAN BOARD OF PUBLICATION,

1334 CHESTNUT STREET.

Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1872, by

THE TKUSTEES OF THE

PRESBYTERIAN BOARD OF PUBLICATION,
In the OflBce of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington.

Westcott & Thomson,
Slereoiypers and £lecirotypers, FhUada.

pROftKry

■fi£C. JAN 1882
THSOLOGICl

EDITOR'S PREFACE.

"When the great and good work yet in its infancy
in Syria shall have ripened into maturity, and when
the various religions of its mingled yet severed races
shall have melted into one in the blessed gospel of
Jesus Christ, the question will be asked, "Who were
the planters of these churches ? AYhence came the
beginnings of these glorious results? Under what
circumstances did the truth return to these lands, hal-
lowed by the footsteps of the apostles and of the Lord
himself?" . To preserve the records of this memorable
story has been a labor of love to the author of " Bible
Work in Bible Lands," himself one of the earliest la-
borers in the Syria mission field. But while a labor of
love to him, it is to the Church of the present as well
as of the future an invaluable boon. Already is the /
dawn of a new spiritual day breaking upon those his-
toric lands. Its rays are glittering on the summits of
Lebanon and Hcrmon, and glancing thence into the

1* 5

6 PREFACE.

valleys and over the plains of Syria. The gaze of

many is drawn thither, and gladly will they welcome

this first chapter, though not, as we trust and believe,

the last, in the story of the bringing to Christ's feet of

the dwellers in Bible lands.

J. W. D.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

PAGB

Introductory remarks — Mohammedans to be specially benefited
— First laborers — Operations commenced at Smyrna — Resi-
dents jfriendly to the object — Studies and labors in Scio — Tour
tothe "Seven Churches" 15

CHAPTER II.

Separation of Messrs. Fisk and Parsons — Voyage of Mr. Parsons
to Jafia — Doings at Jerusalem — Greek rebellion — Destruction
of Scio — Visit at Samos — Mr. Parsons ill at Syra — At Smyrna
— Voyage to Egypt — Death of Mr. Parsons 33

CHAPTER III.

The war in Smyrna — ^Reflections — Mr. Fisk — Bible labors in
Egypt — Sails for Malta — Is joined by Messrs. King and Wolff
— The three visit Egypt — Pass the desert — Reach Gazza, Jaffa
and Jerusalem — The morals of Jerusalem 49

CHAPTER IV.

Journey to Beirut — Messrs. Way and Lewis at Sidon — Lady
Hester Stanhope — Beirut — Emeer Besheer — Antoora — Con-
vents of Lebanon — Baalbec — Patriarch Jarwi — Residence of
Mr. King at Deir el Kommer — Arrival of Messrs. Goodell and

Bird 64

7

8 CONTENTS.

CHAPTER V.

PAOB

Bishop Monsignor Gandolfi at Beirut— A Maronite priest— De-
parture of two of the brethren for Jerusalem — Visits at Sidon,
Tyre, Acca, Nazareth, Nablus and Jerusalem 86

CHAPTER VI.

Preaching at Jerusalem — Papas Esa— Deacon Caesar — Sale of
Scriptures— Bible men arrested— Omar Effendi— Congratula-
tions at our release — Arrival of the Jaffa consul's son — Visit
to the governor and the mooUah — Our rooms opened — Rapid
sale of Testaments 106

CHAPTER VII.

Visit to Bethlehem and Hebron — Cave of Machpelah — Jews —
Sheikh Mohammed— Frank Mountain — Cave of David and
Saul — Governor of Jerusalem removed — At Jaffa — Beirut 118

CHAPTER VIII.

Mr. Goodell alone at Beirut — First patriarchal denunciation —
Letters from Rome — Mr. B. Barker, Bible agent, and Lady
Stanhope — Mr. King revisits Deir el Kommer — Conversations
with priests — Journey to Damascus, Hums, Hamah and
Aleppo — Firman against the Scriptures — Three months in
Aleppo — Eventful journey through Antioch and Tripoli to
Beirut 132

CHAPTER IX.

Reply to the patriarch's bull — Mr. Fisk robbed — Patriarch
Jarwi roused — Mr. King with Mr. Fisk at Jaffa and Jerusa-
lem— Pasha collecting taxes at Jerusalem — His cruelties —
Journey to Beirut — Robbers — Assad Shidiak — His casting a
lot about the pope — Mr. King leaves Syria 159

CONTENTS. 9

CHAPTER X.

PAGB

Shidiak and the patriarch — Sickness and death of Mr. Fisk —
Shidiak in custody of the patriarch — Escapes by night — De-
scribes in writing his sojourn with his holiness — Is visited by
his acquaintances and relatives — Priest Girgis mocks at him —
He is recaptured by the patriarch — Plot against the Bible
men — The Lord of Hosts breaks it up — Attack of Greeks on
the city — ^Mr. Goodell's house plundered before his eyes 184

CHAPTER XL

Phares Shidiak driven from home — Letters from Assad — He is
taken to the clutches of the patriarch, never again to be free —
Additions to our communion — ^A second papal bull — Excom-
munications— Sheikh Naameh Lattoof — Two youths of the
Trodd family — Lnprisonment and trial of Tannoos el Had-
dad — Mr. Smith's arrival — Priest Girgis — Bishop Zachariah
friendly — Bishop Gerasimus and the schools 207

CHAPTER XII.

Sick child taken to the mountains — Excommunications — Re-
moval from Eh-heden to Ba-whyta — Negotiations with the pa-
triarch— Sheikh Girgis of Besherry intercedes — Interview of
the sheikhs with his holiness — Sheikh Naameh exasperated
and indomitable ; the others pardoned 232

CHAPTER XIIL

Convent of Belmont — Monks afraid of the Bible — Worshipers
of Mary — An eclipse of the moon — Famous Greek preacher,
Miniati — Battle of Navarino and panic — Account of events
at Beirut and vicinity in various letters — Return to Beirut —
Retirement to Malta 250

10 CONTENTS.

CHAPTER XIV.

PAOI

Operations in Malta — Messrs. Whiting and Dwight — ^Visit to the
coast of Africa, to Greece, to Armenia — Labors at Beirut re-
Bumed — New curses — Patriarch excommunicated by Jos. Wolff
■ — Death of Assad Shidiak — Brummana village — Druzes —
Messrs. Parnell and Hamilton — Wortabet's labors in Sidon —
His death — two Jesuits — Lamartine eulogizes them — Outrage
of soldiers — Traits of Ibrahim Pasha «. 274

CHAPTER XV.

Mr. Thomson sets off with his family for Jerusalem — Becomes
isolated at Jaffa by war — Terrible earthquake — Horrors in
Jerusalem — The city taken by the Arabs and retaken by the
pasha — Mrs. Thomson's death at Jerusalem — Mr. Thomson
returns to Beirut 298

CHAPTER XVI.

Work in Beirut — Arrival of a press — Decease of Consul Abbott
at Eh-heden — Station at Jerusalem resumed by Messrs. Whit-
ing and Dodge — Death of the latter at Jerusalem — Druze ex-
citement with little present result — Mrs. Bird's ill health com-
pels the family to leave Syria — Mr. and Mrs. Smith's ship-
wreck— Death of Mrs. Smith — Triumph at Brummana —
Earthquake at Safed — Jerusalem abandoned — Good reasons —
Death of Mr. and Mrs. Hebard— New war at Beirut— Death of
Mrs. Wolcott 312

CHAPTER XVII.

Patriarch's ambition and defeat— Dr. and Mrs. DeForest— Death
of Mrs. Smith— Case of Raheel, tried for her faith— Abeih
occupied — Hasbeiya waking up — Fierce persecutions assail
the inquirers — Alarming threats — Temporary retreat to Abeih

CONTENTS. 11

PAQB

— Dishonorable meddling of the Russian consul — The perse-
cutors become advocates — The Protestants, after severe trials,
fence oiF a cemetery, have a church of seventeen members
and regular supply of preaching 348

CHAPTER XVIII.

New flames of war in 1845 — Druzes prevail — Maronite princes
driven from Abeih — Greeks killed at Hasbeiya — Death of the
patriarch — New election ends in quarrel and sacking of Cano-
been — Greek patriarch in trouble at Beirut — Meshaka and
his patriarch in discussion — Messrs. Wilson and Foote at
Tripoli — Yanni— Messrs. Wilson and Foote driven from Eh-
heden — Yanni unites with the church at Beirut — Abdallah
Zeidan — Ishoc el Kefroony — Safeeta 382

CHAPTER XIX.

Sidon — Messrs. Thomson and Van Dyck, laborers with helpers,
Tannoos el Haddad and Eleeas Fuaz — Sabbath services — The
hearers are laid under ban — A Jesuit preacher — Meetings in
Lady Stanhope's joon — Petitions from Deir el Kommer —
Church of seven members organized — Calls from Birteh, Kana,
Alma, Rasheiya — Cruelty of the governor of Tyre — Deir el
Kommer — Ain Zehalta out-station — Druzes attack Deir el
Kommer June 1, 1860, and on the 22d utterly destroy it —
Letter of Mrs. Bird — Wholesale butchery — A few saved by the
missionary — Attack and massacre at Hasbeiya — Destruction
of the city of Zahleh — Rush of people, wounded and im-
poverished, to Beirut — Task of feeding them — The part per-
formed by the Americans — The mission transferred to the
Presbyterian Board — Its present state — Letter of Rev. D. Stuart
Dodge 403

ILLUSTRATIONS

PAGE

1.— MAP OF THE SYRIA MISSION FIELD Frontispiece.

2.— MODERN TIIYATIRA 23

3.— MODERN PHILADELPHIA 29

4.— JOPPA, THE MODERN JAFFA 36

5.— JERUSALEM FROM THE EAST 54

6.— THE EMEER BESHEER 69

7.— REV. JONAS KING, D.D., IN ORIENTAL COSTUME 87

8.— NAZARETH 98

9.— BETHLEHEM 118

10.— MODERN HEBRON 121

11.— DAMASCUS 148

12.— THE MARONITE PATRIARCH 159

13.— CANA ISO

14.— ROBBING THE HOUSE OF DR. GOODELL, AT BEIRUT 203

15.— MT. LEBANON, WITH THE CANOBEEN CONVENT 211

16.— LATTOOFS WIFE AND DAUGHTER RESISTING THE PERSECUTORS. 235

17.— A SYRIAN GENTLEMAN 269

18.— SAFEETA, NORTHERN SYRIA 333

19.— BETHLEHEM 335

20.— DEIR EL KOMMER 351

21.— ABEIH SEMINARY, MT. LEBANON 359

22.— HASBEIYA 371

23.— MODERN SIDON 405

21.— HASBEIYA, ITS LOWER PORTION 421

2

Bible Work in Bible Lands.

CHAPTEE I

Introductory remarks — Mohammedans to be specially benefited —
First Laborers — Operations commenced at Smyrna — Kesidents
friendly to the object — Studies and labors in Scio — Tour to the
"Seven Churches."

IN the autumn of 1819, two young ministers of the ^
gospel embarked at Boston on a Christian enter-
prise in behalf of a needy race of people on the eastern
shores of the Mediterranean. The American churches
had sent forth men to the far East to teach and reclaim
from idolatry the degraded heathen of India ; they liad
done the same for the savages of the far West and among
the islands of the sea, and they were now directing their
efforts, as was fit, to a prominent and populous nation
nearer by — a nation who, though they had found their
way out from the sottish idolatry of their ancestors, still
had need that some man should guide them as truly as
the heathen themselves. Taking their stand on the
great fundamental truth that "there is no god but
God,'^ the Mohammedans had strongly condemned all
idolatry, and finding images in Christian temples, had
hastily classed all the professed followers of Jesus among
the nations who were to be put under tribute or be de-
stroyed. Bloody wars, for century after century, had

16

16 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

been waged betweeir the two parties, without any ap-
parent prospect of an end. Christians still continued to
use their images, and their antagonists to follow their
false prophet. It was high time that the former should
make a better choice of weapons, and exchange their
sword of steel for that of the gospel.

It seemed probable that, if by any means the ad-
versary could be convinced that the true disciples of
'*Esa" (Jesus) believed in only one God as truly as
himself, and that his prophet was under a gross mistake
in supposing that Christianity had anything of idolatry
in it, he might easily be persuaded to become a defender
instead of a persecutor of the Christian name, and this
cliange of attitude between those so long at variance
would be the gaining of a great nation.

To commence measures for the introduction of so
happy a change, Messrs. Fisk and Parsons set out on an
expedition to the Turco-Christian population of Western
Asia. They came to a landing first at Smyrna, the great
commercial emporium of the country, where they began
their labors. The plan before them was first to obtain
the sympathy and co-operation of the nominally Chris-
tian population, and through them to reach, in the end,
their long-avowed and oppressive enemies.

But before the native Christians could be made of use
in this desired capacity of co-workers it was necessary,
for their own sake as well as for that of their neighbors,
that they should themselves be persuaded to adopt cer-
tain changes. It was necessary that they should remove
out of their neighbors' way those very prominent stum-
bling-blocks consisting of church images and pictures,
that they should cease to invoke the help of dead men
and dead women, that they should cease to imitate the

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 17

heathen in giving to heaven a queen and to God a
mother, and, more than all, that they should hold and
teach that all hope of salvation for man rests on Christ
alone as the Saviour, and not on the priest or the sacra-
ments or ceremonies of any Church.

To effect such a change in the native Christians of the
country would require much time and labor and patience,
but the two brethren, in the name of their Lord and
Master, who is Head over all things to his Church, im-
mediately put their hands to the work, grasping lan-
guages, distributing Scriptures and other books, preach-
ing the gospel and conversing with the people according
to ability and opportunity.

They were not left without friendly assistance in be-
ginning their work. The representatives of English
societies, the Rev. Messrs. Jowett and Wilson, furnished
them from Malta with reading matter for distribution
and valuable advice for themselves. At Smyrna itself
the Rev. Mr. Williamson, Mr. John Lee, the Messrs.
Van Lennep and the Messrs. Perkins, with other foreign
residents, gave them their countenance and influence.
Mr. Williamson was the English chaplain for the city.
He warmly recommended the establishment of a press
at Smyrna especially for the Greeks, who were very-
fond of reading, and another press at Jerusalem with
Arabic type, for he said that among all the thousands
of readers, Greeks and Arabs, in the Turkish dominions,
there was found for them no such thing as a native
newspaper or any other periodical publication.

Mr. Lee was a native of Smyrna, a brother of the

British consul at Alexandria, somewhat adv^anced in

years, a great reader and a man of evident piety. He

requested his American friends to make free use of his

2*

18 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

large library and to look to him freely for any aid
which he could bestow, whether in the way of informa-
tion about the country or of financial credit. The
Messrs. Van Lennep were three brothers, merchants,
also born in the city and doing business together. They
welcomed the brethren into their large family circle, and
manifested a continually-increasing attachment both to
them and to their work.

The Messrs. Perkins were two brothers from Boston,
trading in partnership, and the two new-comers Avere
not disappointed in the friendly reception they expe-
rienced from these their own countrymen.

In the enjoyment of such a circle of friends, and con-
fident of the divine approbation, they were greatly
encouraged by their prospects. But before they could
enter into the heart of their work they must have the
gift of tongues. For this purpose, especially for the
acquisition of the modern Greek, after a short stay in
the city, they repaired to the island of Scio. Here was
a famous Greek seminary, the chief college of the nation,
having fourteen instructors and six or seven hundred
students. At the head of this fountain of knowledo^e for
the Greek nation was Professor Bambas, a man the like
of whom for learning, for religious sensibility and free-
dom from sectarian prejudice might be looked for in
vain through all the ranks of his co-religionists.

To this gentleman the brethren went with letters of
recommendation from the Rev. Mr. Jowett, of Malta,
and the British chaplain of Sm^^rna. He received them
with open arms, and immediately promised to give his
own time for their instruction. Some hours each day
were his own, and he might spend them upon his
friends. This special attention he was induced to pay

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 19

tlicni, in consideration, as he said, of the "sacred cause
to which they were devoted."

Further to illustrate the spirit of this excellent man,
the following facts may be mentioned. He took for a
text-book in the instruction of one of his higher classes
a volume presented him by his new American pupils,
called the " Young Minister's Companion,'' a compila-
tion specially prepared for the use of the theological stu-
dents at Andover in America. The professor would
dictate a translation from the English book, and the
pupils would write it from his lips in Greek. On his
first receiving this book, he exclaimed,

" Oh this must be excellent! I may make a selection
from it to print for the use of the ecclesiastics."

Of another book which these friends gave him he
said,

" I shall read this attentively, both for my own ad-
vantage and for the benefit of my pupils."

He had read the entertaining tract, " The Dairyman's
Daughter," it being one of the exercises of his little
American class to translate the book under his super-
vision into Greek. One day, as they were out with him
examining the apartments of a very splendid mansion
in the city, he observed,

" This is indeed elegant, but the chamber of the Dai-
ryman's Daughter was still more splendid."

When in the course of their translation exercises they
had come to the account of the last sickness and death of
the subject of the story, he remarked, "I have never been
able to read this account without weeping," and while
making his remarks upon the translation, he was so much
affected that he could not go on without pausing several
times to recover himself. While the brethren were dis-

20 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

tributing their tracts to the pupils in the college, he stood
by and added his strong recommendation to the gifts.
When, at a certain time, Mr. Fisk was ill, he called early
in the morning to see him, and expressed the solicitude
and tenderness of a father. During his call they read to
him portions of the last Keport of the British and For-
eign Bible Society, which he translated into Greek.
Afterward they read and sang the hymn :

"Kindred in Christ for his dear sake
A hearty welcome here receive."

He was so much interested in this hymn that he wished
them to transcribe both the hymn and tune for his own
use.

It was a rare chance to meet with a man like this in
Western Asia, and a rare privilege to enjoy his instruc-
tions and his patronage. It was also esteemed by our
friends to be a rare privilege to have the opportunity to
stimulate such a man in his Christian zeal, and by their
warm sympathy in their intercourse with him to add
something to the stability of his faith. They looked
forward with joyful hope to the immense improvement
which he, if his life was continued in his present station,
would effect in the character of his countrymen. But,
alas ! how little man can know what a day may bring
forth ! Even cities and institutions may, like men, be
compared to a flower of the field : " the wind passeth
over it, and it is gone."

During the six months' residence of Messrs. Fisk and
Parsons on this island they paid visits to four monas-
teries containing more than four hundred priests and
monks, and two other establishments for females having
between two and three luuidred nuns. These latter

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 21

were generally able to read, but of the former one hun-
dred and twenty only out of the four hundred could
read. Forty of the readers were priests. One is in-
clined to ask how it could ever have entered into the
heart of man to believe that by building half a dozen
spacious houses on this island, and taking from the com-
munity six hundred men and women and confining
them in these prison-houses, the glory of God would be
promoted ! Among all this crowd of men professedly
devoted to religion there appear to have been in use
only two New Testaments, and these had been printed in
Germany, two hundred years before, in ancient Greek —
unintelligible to them. One copy also of the Old Tes-
tament they possessed, safely locked up in a box. A
great many schools were visited where children were
taught to read, parrot like, in the ancient Greek psalter.
The introduction by the missionaries of thirty-five mod-
ern Greek Testaments and thirty-seven hundred intelli-
gible tracts must have been to these destitute islanders
of Scio as the rising sun after a long and dreary night.
To many they may have proved a warning voice unto
salvation against the day of approaching calamity.

Immediately on the return of the brethren to Smyrna
they made preparations for visiting the places where
once stood and flourished

THE SEVEN CHURCHES OF ASIA.

These places were once among the most populous and
famous cities of the western part of Asia Minor. Smyr-
na was one of them; the others lay around it in a semi-
circular line three or four hundred miles in extent.
These cities naturally had very early their important
churches, and no one who has ever read that wonderful

22 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

composition, the Book of the Kevelation, can easily for-
get the messages sent them by Jesus Christ through his
servant John in Patmos, each particular message being
accompanied by that solemn charge, ^' He that hath an
ear let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.''
And every serious-minded reader is inclined to ask,
" What is the state of these churches now ? Have they
heeded their message, and do they still exist and flour-
ish, or are they swept from the face of the earth?"

The Rev. David Lindsay, English chaplain at Con-
stantinople, had visited these places in 18 15, carrying with
him a few scriptures, but our travelers were going with
the additional advantages of having more and better
books and a better knowledge of the language of the peo-
ple. Of the church at Smyrna little need be said. The
messa2:e of the Lord to it contained no rebuke nor threat :
"I know thy works and tribulation and poverty (but thou
art rich). Fear none of those things which thou shalt
suffer. Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee
a crown of life.'' So Smyrna has survived the general
desolation that has come upon the other cities.

After leaving Smyrna the brethren first visited the
site of the " church in Pergamos," fifty miles north of
Smyrna. Here they found ruins of theatres, and of
temples. Christian and heathen, and particularly the vast
granite foundations of the defensive wall of an old castle.
All these antiquities showed that Pergamos was once a
strong and populous city. It was supposed to have still
a population of more than fifteen thousand souls, mostly
Turks. The Greeks and Armenians had each a church,
and the Jews a synagogue. The first of these had a
school of twenty boys connected with it, taught by one
of the priests. The explorers visited also the other

MODERN TIIYATIRA.

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 25

priests, and one, to whom they gave a New Testament,
read to them what the Spirit had said " to the angel of
the church at Pergamos/^

From this northern extremity of their circuit the
travelers take their course in a south-east direction to
examine the remains of the church in Thyatira, the city
of Lydia, the seller of purple. Acts xvi. 14.

They reached the place at the close of tlie second day
from Pergamos, after crossing an extensive plain and
seeing a number of villages.

Mr. Fisk writes : " We had a letter of introduction
from a Greek in Smyrna to Economo, the bishop's
procurator, and a principal man among the Greeks in
this town. This morning w^e sent the letter, and he
immediately called upon us. We then conversed some
time respecting the town. He says the Turks have
destroyed all remnants of the ancient church, and even
the place where it stood is now^ unknown. At present
there are in the town one thousand houses for which
taxes are paid to the government.

" Thyatira is situated near a small river, in the centre
of an extensive plain. At the distance of three or four
miles it is almost completely surrounded by mountains.
The houses are low, many of them of mud or earth. Ex-
cepting the governor's palace, there is scarcely a decent
house in the place. The streets are narrow and dirty,
and everything indicates poverty and degradation." *

The prevailing language of the place among all

* Since the time of tliis visit there hiis been instituted in Thyatira
a growing Protestant church with an educated preacher. "We may
hope that the Master will be able to say at the last, " I know thy
faith, and thy patience, and thy works, and the last to be more than
the first."
3

26 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

classes was Turkish. The modern Greek was, how-
ever, understood by some of that nation. Economo
spoke with gratitude of the copy of the Greek Testa-
ment which Mr. Lindsay left with them five years
before. The Turks had nine places of worship, and
the Greeks and Armenians one each. Of the schools,
one of fifty boys was taught by a priest, another of
twenty, by a layman, to each of which were given a few
tracts. For two or three other private schools were
also left tracts, and a co23y of the Testament for the
priests.

On the morning of November 11, after calling in a
while upon the thirty worshipers in the Armenian
church, the two travelers began their journey to Sardis.

Passing the village of Marmora, containing five hun-
dred houses, and having crossed a vastly extended plain,
they reached, at the foot of Mount Tmolus, the great
capital of the Lydian kings, the city of the far-famed
Croesus and scene of the private quarrel between the
two Roman republicans, Brutus and Cassius.

It was the last day of the week. They liad traveled
ten hours from Thyatira, and the best place for this
company of five men to lodge in for the Sabbath was a
room ten feet square in the hut of a Turk — a hut whose
floor and walls were earth, and its roof of the same
material, with grass growing upon it. Not a chair
or table was to be seen, and the proprietor seemed
to have nothing to live upon but his pipe and his
coifee !

In the morning, after their devotions, they took some
tracts and a Testament, and went to a neighboring mill
where three or four Greeks were living. The mill was
in full operation, as on a week day. They found two of

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 27

the men, with whom they read and conversed, and in
the upper part of the mill they had their usual Sabbath-
day service, attended, as it would seem, by these native
Greeks and their own traveling company. They wept
as they prayed among the ruins of this great and famous
city and while they sang the seventy-fourth Psalm,

" How long, eternal God, how long,
Shall men of pride blaspheme ?"

Here were once a few names which had not defiled
their garments. These are now walking with their
Redeemer "in white." But, alas! the church as a body
had only a name to live while they were dead. They
had not an ear to hear the voice of the divine admoni-
tion. They did not strengthen the things that were
ready to die, wherefore their candlestick has been
removed out of its place.

The next morning the brethren went out to view
more particularly the ruins of the place. They saw the
decayed walls of two churches, of the market and of an
ancient palace. Two marble columns were still stand-
ing, thirty feet high and six feet in diameter, and frag-
ments of similar pillars lay scattered on the ground.
Mr. Chandler, who was there sixty years before them,
found five pillars then standing instead of two. On a
high hill were the remains of an old castle whose walls
were still very strong.

There is not now a single Christian family in the
village. Three grist-mills are kept in operation by
nine or ten Greek men and boys, but none of them with
families.

The fourth of the " Seven Churches " visited by our
travelers was Philadelphia.

28 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

But tlie Turks did not like this name. It had too
much Greek in it, and so they called it Ala Shehr —
Beautiful City. It was still honored by being the
residence of a Greek archbishop. This prelate had
been in office but a few years, although himself an aged
man. Formerly he had a bishop under him, but at this
time not one. His diocese included Sardis on the west
and Laodicea on the east, but in it there were not more
than six or seven hundred Greek houses, and about
twenty priests. In Philadelphia there were only five
churches in use, but twenty others which were either too
small or too old to be used for worship. The houses in
the city numbered three thousand, two hundred and
fifty of them Greek. The visitors gave the archbishop
some tracts and a Testament. He had had a Testament
years before from Mr. Lindsay, but had given it away.
They afterward dined with the archbishop. It chanced
to be on a fast day, when the Greeks eat no meat.
"The dinner consisted of rice, soup, boiled beans,
several plates of herbs and a rich variety of fruits,
with bread and cheese, and a plenty of rakee (brandy),
rum and wine " — a somewhat singular dinner for a fast
day.

A school of thirty boys was taught in the place by a
young man. A small library was connected with the
school, in which was an old copy of the Greek Testa-
ment, the date and title-page lost, also a translation of
Goldsmith's " Greece," in modern Greek. The Turkish
was the prevailing language of this place, so that the
tracts in Greek were not much in demand.

One of the six mosques of the j^lace was pointed out
not only as having been a very ancient church, but as
the very one occupied by the Christians of the time of

3I0DKKN l'lllIiAL)i:LPniA.

8*

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 31

John. A sad relic of barbarous antiquity was found
about a mile west of the town — a wall built of human
bones. The structure was near thirty rods in length,
eight feet thick and ten high. According to tradition,
there was once a church dedicated to St. John near this
spot, and when a vast multitude were assembled there
to celebrate his festival, the enemy suddenly fell upon
them and slew them all. Their bodies were not burned
nor buried, but piled up in a long line as the bones now
lie. The wall now remaining seemed to be principally
if not wholly composed of bones. On breaking off
pieces, some small bones were found almost entire.

The last place to be visited in this direction was the
site of the church of Laodicea. But on account of ill-
ness, under which Mr. Parsons had been suffering for
more than a week, the travelers reluctantly gave up
their hope of completing their attempted excursion.
The disappointment, however, was felt the less keenly,
as they were assured that Laodicea was at that time
almost nothing but ruins, and that that part of the
country presented very little opportunity for evangelical
labor. They therefore turned their course directly to-
ward Smyrna, where in four days more they arrived in
health, having accomplished their journey in just three
weeks.

To complete the account of the seven churches, it may
properly be added here that Mr. Fisk on a subsequent
occasion made a visit to the ruins of Ephesus.

At the mean Turkish village of Aiasaluk, a quarter
of a mile from the old city and built from its fragments,
Mr. Fisk visited a building now called the Church of
St. John, supposed to have been once a church, after-
ward a mosque, but now a perfect wreck. He saw

32 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

within its walls some immensely large and high pillars
of red granite, said to have been taken from the temple
of Diana. The ancient city itself seems to have been
bounded on the east by a small hill, on the northern
side of which was the circus or stadium, having a length
from east to west of forty rods. The north or lower
side was supported by a wall on arches which still re-
main. The area where the races were run was now a
field of wheat. At the west end was the gate. The
walls adjoining it were still standing, and of consider-
able height and strength. The same was true of the
gateway of the famous theatre (Acts xix. 29), the site
of which was still plainly visible only a few yards
southward. Many columns and finely sculptured orna-
ments of buildings lay heaped among the ruins, but not
a single inhabitant was visible.

CHAPTER II.

Separation of Messrs, Fisk and Parsons — Voyage of Mr. Parsons to
Jaffa — Doings at Jerusalem — Greek rebellion — Destruction of
Scio-T-Visit at Samos — Mr. Parsons ill at Syra — At Smyrna —
Voyage to Egypt — Death of Mr. Parsons.

MORE than a year had gone by since our two trav-
elers and sojourners among strangers set out
upon their great work of benevolence. They had
labored together with one heart and one mind, by sea
and by land. Not for a single night or a single day
had they been separated. But now they felt themselves
irresistibly drawn in different directions. It was time
that a movement was made toward Jerusalem, the place
of their ultimate destination. But on the other hand,
as Paul felt himself bound to tarry yet a while at Ephesus
because of the effectual door that the Lord had opened
before him, so these brethren regarded the opening for
labor in the city of Smyrna and vicinity as pleading
strongly for a continuance of the work at that place.
It was therefore decided that Mr. Fisk should remain in
Smyrna, and that his colleague, with a native attendant,
should proceed directly to Jerusalem. The separation
took place on the 5th of December. A passage had
been engaged for Mr. Parsons on board a Greek vessel
carrying pilgrims to Jaffa. The two brethren went on
board together. There they sang, " Guide me, O thou
great Jehovah," united in prayer, commended each other
to the divine protection and gave the parting hand.

33

34 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

The vessel touched at the harbor of Scio, and afforded
Mr. Parsons another and last opportunity of seeing the
good Professor Bambas, who received his old pupil most
affectionately, listened attentively to the narrative of his
late tour among the churches, and dismissed him with
his renewed blessing on the work in which he was en-
gaged.

The pilgrims proceeded onward in their voyage in the
same path that was traversed by Paul in his last voyage
toward Jerusalem, passing in sight of Ephesus, and Mile-
tus, and Patmos, touching at Samos, Rhodes and the coast
cities of Cyprus, viewing, at short distance, Mt. Lebanon,
Beirut, Sidon, Tyre, Ptolemais, Mt. Carmel, Csesarea,
and at last reaching Jaffa, their destined port, on the
10th of February. The voyage had been long and
somewhat tedious, from contrary winds and frequent
detentions in harbor. But the gospel laborer went on
with his work, reading, preaching and discussing the
truths of God's word, and he had an attentive audience,
for they had nothing to do but to listen. Some of them
received lasting impressions, which they manifested by
searching out the preacher after they arrived in Jerusa-
lem and putting themselves in the way of obtaining ad-
ditional instruction.

At Jaffa, where they landed, the English consul, hav-
ing heard of Mr. Parsons' approach, sent his son and
his dragoman to receive him at the beach and conduct
him to his house, offering him a place in his family and
every assistance he could render. Mr. Parsons also
made the acquaintance of the Russian consul, to whom
he brought letters of recommendation. That gentleman
showed himself very kind and friendly, gave him liberty
to occujiy, while at Jerusalem, a room which he had at

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

35

his disposal in one of the convents, and invited him to
accompany him in the spring in a tour which he in-
tended to take in Mount Lebanon. He also offered to
take charge of all letters and packages from abroad di-
rected to his care for Mr. Parsons, and forward them
immediately to Jerusalem.

JAFFA, THE MODERK JOPPA.

Jaffa or Joppa* was always the seaport of Jerusalem,
and nothing but the lack of a good harbor for ships
prevented it from being one of the most splendid cities
of the coast. It is still the most common landing-place
for pilgrims on the way to the holy city, and at the time

* This place is often alluded to in the Scriptures, both of the Old
Testament and the New Testament, though in the former it is written
Japho and the latter Joppe. The cedars from Lebanon for Solo-
mon's temple came from Tyre to Japho. Jonah fled from the pres-
ence of the Lord to Japho. Peter raised Dorcas to life at Joppe by
the seaside. Cornelius sent men to Joppe to invite liim to Cuesarea.

36 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

of Mr. Parsons' visit offered strong inducements to be
made a missionary station and depot. The English
consul was favorable to the distribution of the Scrip-
tures, as were also the Russian consul and his proteges,
the Greek inhabitants, and besides, the annual stream
of pilgrims might there be supplied with the saving
word both before and after their visit to the holy city.

After some detentions by the rain, Mr. Parsons, in
company with the dragoman of the Russian consul as a
guide, set off on his way to Jerusalem. As they were
crossing the plain of Sharon, the path led them amid
cultivated fields of wheat and barley. Numerous herds
of cattle and flocks of sheep and goats were seen feeding
in every direction. Four hours' ride brought them to the
ancient Arimathea. On the north, in plain sight of the
pilgrim coming from Jaffa, was the village of Lydda,
where Peter cured Eneas of his eight years' palsy, the
consequence of which was that " all the inhabitants of
Lydda and Saron (or Sharon) turned to the Lord."

The travelers were invited to lodge in the Greek mon-
astery. They found its president a man of more than
common intelligence who had spent many years at Je-
rusalem, and was now stationed in this place to provide
for pilgrims. The village had two other monasteries, a
Greek church and several mosques.*

*Dr. Edward D. Clarke, in 1801, writes: "There is not a spot in
the holy land more fertile than the plain around Rama (Arimathea).
It resembles a continual garden. Rama and Lydda were the two
first cities of the holy land that fell into the hands of the Christians
when the army of the Crusaders arrived. Rama was then in its
greatest splendor, a magnificent city, filled with abundance of all the
luxuries of the East. It was exceedingly populous, adorned with
stately buildings and well fortified with walls and towers. The count
of Flanders was sent with five hundred cavalry to reconnoitre the
place and demand its surrender. He found the gates open. The in-

BIBLE WOPwK IX BIBLE LANDS. 37

During the evening several friends of the president
called to see Mr. Parsons. As Mr. Parsons was the first
man they had seen from the New World, they had a
great many inquiries to make of him, especially on the
subject of religion. Most of them listened with atten-
tion, and said, "It is well.'^

The next morning they resumed their way toward
Jerusalem. They had yet three hours to go before
leaving the plain to enter upon the " hill country of
Judea." At twelve o'clock they came to the village of
the noted Abu Goosh, a powerful sheikh of these moun-
tains who demands tribute from all the native pilgrims,
as well as from the Jerusalem convents on their account.
The convents are dependent to such an extent on the
patronage and gifts of such as come to them from abroad,
and the sheikh can so easily close up the passage be-
tween these convents and their port of entry, that they
are obliged to i^ay even large sums, at times, to keep up
the good understanding between them. Mr. Parsons,
on the present occasion traveling with an imperial fir-
man, the protection-paper of the sultan, and in company
with a consul's interpreter, was readily excused from pay-
ing the tribute money. The sheikh even invited him to
tarry and take some refreshment, by which, however,
the wily Arab may have expected to obtain a few pias-
ters as a present which he did not dare to demand in the
character of tribute.

habitants had all fled. Tlie jjlace became a rendezvous to the Chris-
tians, who remained there three entire days, regaling themselves
upon the abundance which was left to them by tlie absentees. Dur-
ing tliis time Eobert of Normandy Avas elected bishop of Rama and
Lydda, the whole army joining in thanksgiving to St. George, the
martyr and patron saint of Diospolis (Lydda) and Eama, to whom the
auspicious commencement of the enterprise was attributed."
4

38 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

They passed on a couple of hours and began to ascend
a high mountain, and in two hours more the guide ex-
claimed, " The Mount of Olives /" The holy city itself
was yet covered from sight by intervening hills. " The
mountains are round about Jerusalem." Whether
coming from the west or from the north, the traveler
does not discover the city till he is close upon it. In
half an hour more, having been eleven hours on the
way, the company entered the city. They found Bishop
Procopius, to whom Mr. Parsons had letters, and by
him were directed to the lodging-place kindly offered
him by the Russian consul at Jaffa.

Procopius was a sort of vice-patriarch at Jerusalem.
He was president of all the Greek convents or monas-
teries, and was one of the foreign agents of the British
and Foreign Bible Society. In kindness and Christian
sympathy he seems to have been another Professor
Bambas. He called on Mr. Parsons early the following
day, welcomed him to all the privileges of the monas-
tery where he was, and repeated his readiness to aid
him in his work to the extent of his power. Mr. Par-
sons presented him an excellent copy of the New Testa-
ment in Persian, translated by the lamented Henry
Martyn, which he took and read with fluency.

AVithin a few days Mr. Parsons visited the Church
of the Holy Sepulchre. The church is large, and covers
not only the sepulchre, but different apartments or
chapels for five or six separate sects of Christians —
Latins, Greeks, Armenians, etc. Near the middle of
the building is a large open area surrounded by a circle
of columns, in the centre of which is the small edifice
containing the tomb, and directly over it is tlie im-
mensely high and spacious dome of the church. The

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 39

small edifice measures on its outside twenty-nine feet by
eighteen and a half. Within it are two apartments.
In the inner one, on the riglit hand, is the tomb or sar-
cophagus, covered by a slab of marble two or three feet
in height; on the left is a space where three or four
men may stand or kneel and meditate upon the marble
coffin beside them. The apartment is lighted by burn-
ing lamps. Mr. Parsons seems to have entered alone,
and while he was standing there a pilgrim entered who,
at the sight of the tomb, wept and sobbed as over the
grave of a parent.

Mr. Parsons visited the Mount of Olives. Crossing
the Kedron, he observes, " The bed of the stream was
perfectly dry, notwithstanding the late copious rains."
Passing through the place where must have been the
Garden of Gethsemane, he says, " In fifteen or twenty
minutes we reached the summit of the Mount of Olives.
Here we had a delightful view of the city, and also of
the Dead Sea. Perhaps no place in the world com-
mands a finer prospect or is associated with events more
sacred and sublime. ^ David w^ent up by the side of
Mount Olivet, and wept as he went up, and had his
head covered, and he w^ent barefoot.' On the east side
of it our blessed Saviour raised Lazarus from the grave,
and on the west he endured the agony of Gethsemane.
Here he beheld the city and wept over it. From ihis
mount he was at one time conducted to Jerusalem with
shoutings of Hosanna to the Son of David !' and at an-
other with the cry of ' Crucify him ! crucify him !' From
this spot he gave his last commission : ' Go ye into all
the world and preach the gospel,' and then ascended and
*sat down on the right hand of the majesty on higli.'"

Procopius estimated the number of Jews in Jerusalem

40 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

at ten thousand, and that of Christians at two thousand.
An Armenian of distinction told him there were in
Jerusalem sixty families of Armenians, and in Palestine
four monasteries for that people, one each in Jerusalem,
Bethlehem, Kama and Jaffa, and that there was an Ar-
menian church on Mount Zion, outside of the city.

Mr. Parsons found and visited thirteen Greek monas-
teries Avithin the walls of the city, besides four others.
Catholic, Armenian, Syrian and Coptic. In Bethlehem
and other places in the neighborhood were found six or
seven more.

Under the Greek patriarchate of Jerusalem were thir-
teen bishoprics, viz., those of Petrea or Petra, Nazareth,
Lydda, Gaza, Philadelphia (all the five bishops of these
places reside at Jerusalem), Csesarea, Bashan, Ptolemais,
Bethlehem, Neapolis (Nablus), Jaffa, Mount Tabor and
Mount Sinai. (The bishop of the last place resides at
Constantinople.)

On Friday, April 20, were services suitable for the
anniversary of the crucifixion. The following day, the
Saviour being supposed to be lying in his grave, there
was celebrated around that spot the disgraceful exhi-
bition of

THE HOLY FIRE..

"The afternoon,'^ says Mr. Parsons, "was a memor-
able season. Every apartment of the church was crowd-
ed with Turks, Jews, Christians and people ' from every
nation under heaven.^ These assembled to witness the
supposed miraculous descent of the Holy Spirit under
the similitude of fir^e. It is estimated that at least five
thousand people were present. The governor of the
city and the Turlvs of rank were there. A very con-

BIBLE WORK IX BIBLE LANDS. 41

venlent place was allotted to me to observe distinctly
every ceremony. About twelve o'clock a body of Arab
Christians, natives of Palestine, were admitted to per-
form their part in the duties of the holy week. They
began by running round the holy sepulchre with all the
frantic airs of madmen, clapping their hands, throwing
their caps into the air, cuffing each other's ears, walking
half naked upon the shoulders of their companions,
hallooing or rather shrieking to the utmost extent of
their voices. This was the exhibition to five thousand
people who were in expectation of soon witnessing the
descent of the holy fire.

"About one o'clock the Turks entered the small
apartment of the Holy Tomb, extinguished the lamps
of the church, closed the door and set a watch. I was
determined myself to enter the sepulchre with the
Russian consul, to see from what direction the fire pro-
ceeded. But they replied : ^ The Turks will not give
permission to strangers to enter.' Shortly after, the
principal Greek priest entered the sepulchre, attended
by the Armenian patriarch, and also by the Syrian
patriarch. The first, however, entered the second apart-
ment unattended. Every eye was fixed as the time ap-
proached. As we stood Avaiting, suddenly there darted
from the sepulchre a flaming torch, which was carried
almost instantaneously to a distant part of the assembly.
I stood among the first to receive the fire, and to 2)rove
that, as to its power of burning, it contained no extra-
ordinary qualities. The zeal of the pilgrims to get a
part of the fire before the superior qualities departed,
as they say that, in a few minutes, it burns like other
fire, endangered the lives of many. Several were well-
uigh crushed to death. Some lighted caudles, others
4*

42 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

tow, with a view to preserve a part of its influence.
Some held the blaze to their faces, saying: ^ It does
not burn/ Others said, ^ Now, Lord, I believe ; for-
give my former unbelief.' After this the pilgrims
retired, abundantly satisfied with what they had seen
and heard.''

Among the last things, Mr. Parsons with a company
paid a visit to the Jordan. They set out from Jerusalem
at nine o'clock, and " at four p. M. pitched their tent
on the plains of Jericho." The village was then in-
habited by about three hundred Arabs. They were
awaked at two in the morning, and at five stood upon
the banks of the Jordan. ^' The current, in consequence
of the great rains, was rapid and violent. The banks
of the river were ten feet at least above the level of
the water. The pilgrims all rushed into the stream and
plunged themselves beneath the sacred waters." From
the point where they struck the river they proceeded
three or four miles to the south, through a desert
of sand, to the Dead Sea, satisfied themselves with the
taste of its bitter waters, and then set their faces again
toward Jerusalem.

Procopius kept a depository of the Scriptures, and
had them for sale in the different monasteries. Besides
what he might have disposed of in the city, Mr. Parsons
had sold about a hundred Greek psalters, and he had
sold since leaving Smyrna near fifty Greek Testaments.
Many applications had been made for Armenian Testa-
ments, of which unfortunately he had almost no supply.
He had distributed more than three thousand tracts,
some of which were destined to go a thousand miles
from the Holy City. In every instance the books had
been received not only without hesitation, but with a

BIBLE ^VORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 43

smile of gratitude. A pilgrim from Caramania (aDcient
Lycaonia) engaged to carry a supply to school teachers
and priests, saying they would be received with thank-
fulness. To some Armenians who applied for tracts
Mr. Parsons said, " Perhaps some of my friends will pass
through Armenia with Bibles and tracts for sale." "We
shall rejoice," said they, "and all will rejoice when they
arrive."

Whilst the pilgrims were preparing to start on their
return journey, there burst upon them the news of the
great rebellion of the Greek nation against the Turkish
government. The Greeks in Palestine were thrown
into the greatest confusion by an order from govern-
ment to surrender their arms, as also by the arrest of
the Russian consul at Jaffa. Mr. Parsons hoped to
find a place of quiet in some one of the islands of the
Archipelago. On the 8th of May he bade adieu to the
Beloved City, hoping and praying, in the words of
David, " If I shall find favor in the eyes of the Lord,
he will bring me again, and show me both it and his
habitation." In six hours he Avas at Rama, and at
Jaffa before sunset. At the gate of the city he was
stopped by two Turkish soldiers in front of several
cannon. One of the two men stood at his right hand,
the other at his left, with pistols and swords. In half
an hour came an order from the governor for him to
enter.

The English consul received him into his family, and
invited him to tarry till some fuller information should
be received respecting the disturbances. He called im-
mediately on the family of the Russian consul, and
found it in a most distressing situation. The consul
himself had, only a few hours before, secretly fled from

44 BIBLE WOEK IN BIBLE LANDS.

the city and set sail for Constantinople. This he did, as
they said, " to save himself from the bloody knife of the
Tark.^'

Mr. Parsons embarked the next day in a Greek vessel
bound to Scio, having for his fellow-passengers the
presiding priest of the church at Gethsemane and a
multitude of pilgrims. Among these great alarm had
been excited by the report that the Russian consul at
Acre had been beheaded. The next morning they were
in the port of Paphos, in Cyprus. Two miles distant
was the residence of the bishop, who, hearing of their
arrival,' sent bread and cheese and wine for their refresh-
ment. They passed the day and night on shore, sleep-
ing upon a bed of beanpods. Some days after this they
met with a vessel (Greek) having a flag entirely black,
with the exception of a white cross in the middle and a
red crescent beneath it.

"We were soon hailed,'' says Mr. Parsons, "and
ordered to lower our sails. The captain of the vessel,
with a number of soldiers, came on board, ordered our
flag (which was the Turkish) to be taken down, and
then, with the utmost contempt, trampled it under foot,
pronouncing a curse on him who should ever raise it.
'We do not take your vessel,' said they, 'nor do we
wish to molest Greek pilgrims, but we seek the blood of
Turks. They have executed our patriarch and our
bishops, and we are determined to stand in defence of
our lives and of our religion. All the Greeks in the
Morea and on the islands are in arms. If you are
arrested by a Turkish vessel, you must expect immediate
execution.' It is impossible to describe the consterna-
tion which now prevailed among the pilgrims. The
women especially lifted up their voices and wept. From

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 45

our vessel the black flag ship went in search of anotlier
pilgrim vessel which had accompanied us from Jaffa.
There they found two Turks and about thirty Jews.
They were all arrested and put in confinement. The
Turks were to be beheaded immediately and the Jews
reserved for trial. Our pilgrims stood on deck to wit-
ness the dreadful scene, but we were soon at too great a
distance to see what took place. During the day we
saw many other vessels with a similar flag. Prepara-
tions were now made on deck for self-defence. The
cannons were loaded and the marines supplied with
arms."

Soon after, they came to anchor in the port of Stam-
phalia. The same day arrived two other vessels, one
of -which was a prize taken by the Greeks from the
Turks. The next day Mr. Parsons visited a school in
the island and distributed fifty tracts among the scholars.
He had never observed so great a desire to receive re-
ligious books, and never had more pleasing evidence
that they would be read with attention. "Send us
books," said these poor islanders ; " we w^ant a supply
for our families — for our children."

As they proceeded on their voyage they were hailed
by another man-of-war, the captain of wdiich assured
them that they could not enter the harbor of Scio nor
the harbor of Smyrna, that the college of Scio was broken
up, and that Professor' Bambas had fled just in time to
save his life. The fate of Scio was one horrible to relate.
The sultan of the Turks had much of the lion in his
nature, and when he became fully assured of the ex-
tended plot of the Greeks against his government, he
was transported with the feeling of revenge. He deter-
mined on giving a blow which might strike dismay into

46 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

every Grecian heart. He began by cutting off the liead
of his chief interpreter and those of ten of the most
noted and influential Greeks of Constantinople. Next
he fell upon the priesthood. The venerable Patriarch
Gregory, universally respected for his blameless life and
reputed piety, was seized on coming out of his church
on Easter Sunday, dragged to his palace and hung up
like a dog over the gate, after which liis body was taken
down, trailed by the heels through the streets and thrown
into the sea. Priests and bishops followed in their turn,
and the promiscuous murder and burning of houses and
villages of all Greeks was inaugurated. This, of course,
wrought up the Greeks to a fury.

But the people of Scio, being comparatively prosper-
ous and happy, were unwilling to engage in a struggle
where success was so very doubtful, and where failure
would, to them, be unavoidable ruin. Nevertheless, a
war party came to them from the island of Samos, by
whose persuasions and acts the people became at length
compromised, and war was declared by the Turks
against them. Suddenly, on the 11th of April, the
Turkish fleet was seen steering toward the port, con-
sisting of seven ships of the line and twenty-five frigates
and corvettes. With these the captain pasha approached
the town, and immediately opened his broadsides upon
it. Most of the inhabitants fled ; only about five thou-
sand remained, trusting to the mercy of the Turks. The
pasha, with six thousand men, took possession of the
town, and, with assurance-; of safety, invited all the
fugitives to return to their homes and their occupations.
Many complied, and about one thousand entered into
the convent of St. Meenas. On the fourth day the
pasha ordered the thousand men of that convent to be

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 47

brought out, one by one, before liim, and each one, as
soon as he appeared, was put to death. Then came an
order for tlie general slaughter of all that remained in
the city and island. Some hid themselves in caves,
some fled to the mountains and some found means to
escape to the neighboring islands. Some well-favored
men, women and children were saved to be sold as
slaves. Out of eighty thousand persons, it was esti-
mated that twenty thousand were slain. The dwellings
of the people, the churches, the convents and the flourish-
ing college were broken open and pillaged, and plunder
in immense quantities was taken on board the ships.
Among those who escaped the sword of the Turks was
the noble-minded, kind-hearted Professor Bambas, who,
though driven from his high station in Scio, still lived
a powerful advocate of the Bible and of its universal
distribution.

Thus the prospects of Mr. Parsons became more and
more beclouded and embarrassing. The vessel touching
at Samos, Mr. Parsons reported himself to the English
consul, and accepted an invitation from him to remain
a few weeks in his family.

Mr. Parsons stayed at Samos four weeks, and then
sailed in a Genoese vessel to the island of Syra. Here
again he was welcomed into the family of the English
consul, and as the island was under the protection of the
French, he rested from the turmoil and perils of war.
But he had not enjoyed the privileges of his situation
many weeks before he was seized by a disease which
brought him to the gates of the grave, and from which
he was not sufficiently recovered to be removed until
the middle of November. On the 21st of that month
he set sail for Smyrna. He remained in Smyrna more

48 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

than a month, without, however, tliat improvement in
health which was hoped for, and a threatening cough
coming on, the physician recommended to him a voyage
to Alexandria and a trial of the air of Egypt. Accord-
ingly, the two brethren embarked together on the 9th
of January, and accomplished the voyage in five days.
The weather had been boisterous and uncomfortable.
The invalid arrived in great weakness, and two men
took him in a chair to his lodgings. He himself writes,
five days after his arrival : " It seems that this shattered
frame will not long endure so great weakness. With
Brother Fiyk I talk freely of finishing my work and of
meeting my final Judge, the Lord of missions. Heaven
looks desirable — to obtain the perfect image of God, to
know more of the existence of God as Father, Son and
Holy Ghost, to see without a glass the exceeding love
displayed on the cross, to observe the stations, orders
and employments of angels, to know how saints are em-
ployed in relation to this and to other worlds, to see
how God overrules sin, and why it is through great
tribulation that he brings his children to glory, — in a
word, to see God in all his attributes and his angels and
saints in all their glory. ^'

In this devout frame of mind he continued for twenty
days, his thoughts soaring upward, his prayers ascending
without ceasing, his body in great weakness, a tabernacle
ready to be dissolved and exchanged for the house not
made with hands eternal in the heavens. His final de-
parture as well as burial took place February 10, 1822.

CHAPTER III.

The war in Smyrna — Reflections — Mr. Fisk — Bible labors in Egypt —
Sails for Malta — Is joined by Messrs. King and Wolff — The three
visit Egypt — Pass the desert — Reach Gaza, Jaffa and Jerusalem —
The morals of Jerusalem.

MR. FISK, during the previous year, while his
fellow-laborer was at work among the pilgrims,
found himself shut up to the city and suburbs of Smyrna.
He was near the centre of a bloody civil war. '^ His
ear was pained, his soul was sick, with every day's
report of wrong and outrage" that filled that hapless
city. To the Turk all Greeks were made outlaws.
They were hunted like wild beasts. They were shot
at for sport to show the skill of the marksmen. Neigh-
bor would meet neighbor with a smile, and with a stab
lay him dead at his feet. The assassins would count up
their victims and glory in their numbers as the American
Indian glories in the number of his scalps.

When, in the good providence of God, his associate
from Jerusalem was restored to him, their hearts melted
together in new affection, and each found the other as
before, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord. From this
time it is obvious to remark how their mutual attach-
ment increased. They were both made keenly sensible
how much they owed, not only to their divine Master,
but also to each other, for spiritual strength and comfort
in their work. The invalid in his weakness leaned
upon his brother, and was happy in a strange land to

5 49

60 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

enjoy the help and sympathy and prayers of a long-
tried friend. The other was happy in feeling that
whatever he did for this his languishing fellow-servant
he did for his Master himself. And when the sad hour
of separation came, it is evident not only from his emo-
tions at the time, but from his frequent recurrence to the
event afterward, how heavy a blow he had himself
received.

But yet he in no wise permits his calamity to hinder
his diligence in business or his fervor of spirit in regard
to his work. His room is open to all callers, and
wherever there is Roman, Greek or Jew he seeks to
approach him, find out his sentiments, call his attention
to the Scriptures, and, if he can read, beg his acceptance
of a tract or purchase of a book.

Having remained in Egypt more than two months,
one of which he spent in a visit to Cairo, Mr. Fisk em-
barked for Malta, a friendly captain having offered him
his passage free. Here, in the society of Mr. and Mrs.
Temple from America, and of the two English mis-
sionaries, Messrs. Jowett and Wilson, he found that
rest and solace which he so much needed.

In this fortified island, filled with one hundred
thousand souls ground to the dust by Romish ignorance
and superstition and guarded by English cannon, Mr.
Fisk continued between eight and nine months, preach-
ing in public and in private, studying the Arabic and
perfecting himself in other languages. Meantime, he
was joined by his old acquaintance, the Rev. Jonas King,
from Paris, and by the Rev. Joseph Wolff, a converted
Jew under the patronage of the English. These, all
having the same destination, sailed together for Egypt
and Syria at the beginning of January. The voyage

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 51

was one of seven days. They occupied themselves in
Egypt for three months, preaching in the large cities,
visiting villages up and down the Nile, and disseminat-
ing as widely as possible the truth of God as contained
in religious tracts and in the Holy Scriptures. After
this, in company with a caravan, they hastened to make
the journey of the desert toward the holy land. On the
eleventh day they reached Gaza of the Philistines. At
this point their caravan, which had had a number of
accessions on the way, consisted of seventy -four persons,
forty-four camels and fifty-nine other animals.

In two days' more travel they came to Joppa, having
seen on the way neither stream of water nor smiling
village, thrifty field, vineyard nor olive grove.

Moving onward from Jaffa toward Jerusalem, Mr.
Fisk writes : " In about two hours we saw a Bedawin
horseman sitting on the ground, a little distance before
us, with his horse feeding by his side. As we advanced
he rose and boldly put himself in front of us all. The
Christians who were with us, and who rode forward,
stopped and turned from him as if he had been a lion.
As soon as Mr. Damiani, son of the consul, told him
who we were, he let us pass quietly, but tried hard to
get something from the rest of the company. But all
he got was a trifle from the mule-drivers to keep him
good-natured for the future. At 8 o'clock we crossed a
hill and then entered a valley, which we were half an
hour in passing. We next came among the mountains.
Here we saw at a distance a camp of Bedawin. As soon
as they saw us one of their horsemen rode on swiftly, as
if to intercept our path. He came into the road before
us, halted and looked at us again, and then rode off
Had we been Rayahs (/. e., Christian subjects of the grand

62 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

signor), he would not probably have left us without
money. For some time our road lay along the bed of a
brook in a deep ravine, with mountains of rocks rising
up like pyramids on each side of us. By degrees the
ascent became more steep till we reached the height of
these rugged mountains, where we had a good view of
the plains between us and Jaffa. It was often with dif-
ficulty that our beasts could walk, on account of the
roughness of the road and steepness of the ascent. These
mountains are covered with small shrubs suitable for
goats, of which we saw several large flocks. There are
no forests, but in the valleys and on the sides of the
hills are many olive and fig trees. At a place called
Sareen two or three fierce-looking armed Bedawin ap-
peared and began to demand tribute. We rode on very
carelessly, bid them good-morning and inquired after
their health. They began to talk loudly and ordered
us to stop, but we rode on, and they did not attempt to
stop us by force. When the native Christians and Jews
pass such places, they have no way to get on but to sat-
isfy the rapacity of these plunderers.

"At 12 o'clock we reached the village of Ibrahim
Abu Goosh, a sheikh who has under his command great
numbers of Bedawin, and who generally exacts tribute
from those who pass this road, but for some reason we
were permitted to pass in peace. We continued our
course among the hills over a road impassable for camels
and very difficult for mules and asses. Afler crossing
a high mountain we passed through a deep valley where
is a small village called Kaluna. The mountains here
are of a peculiar formation. They seem almost as if
built by the hand of man, and rise gradually, step by
step, like pyramids. Each step, however, is so fastened

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 53

into the ' everlasting hills' as to show that it was placed
there by the hand of Him who existed 'before the moun-
tains were brought forth.' On these steps, which are
sometimes tliree or four rods wide and sometimes only a
few feet, you see soil which produces shrubs, and, when
cultivated, vines, figs and olives. The country contin-
ued the same till we were within half an hour of Jeru-
salem, when all at once Mt. Olivet and the holy city
opened to our view.

"As we drew near the city we remembered how our
dear brother Parsons, when wars and rumors of wars
obliged him to leave the place, turned back his eyes as
he ascended the hill west of Jerusalem and wept and
said, ' If I shall find favor in the eyes of the Lord, he
will bring me again, and show me both it and his hab-
itation.' Alas for us ! these words were fulfilled in a
much higher sense than he then anticipated. Though
he was not permitted to return to the earthly Jerusalem,
yet his divine Saviour has given him an infinitely higher
felicity, even that of entering and enjoying that upper
Jerusalem where dwells the divine glory.

" \yith feelings not to be described, about 4 o'clock
we entered Jerusalem. The scenes and events of four
thousand years seemed to rush upon our minds — events
in which heaven, earth and hell had felt the deepest
interest.

" Jerusalem seems, in a general view, to be situated
on the side of a mountain descending gently toward the
east, where it is divided from Mt. Olivet by the brook
or valley of Kedron. The summit of the mountain on
which it stands is considerably higher than the city, so
that in coming from Jaffa you arrive near the place be-
fore you discover it.

5*

54

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

" On taking a nearer view of the city, you perceive
that it is built on several hills, viz. : Zion on the south-
western part, Calvary at the north-west, Moriah at
the south-east and Bezetha at the north-east. Accord-
ing to the ancient descriptions of Jerusalem, it included
another hill called Acra. This hill it is not now easy
to distinguish ; at least, we see nothing now which cor-
responds entirely to the description given of it by Jo-

JERUSALEM FROM THE EAST.

sephus. Before Titus besieged Jerusalem it had been
captured five times, and was once demolished by the
Babylonians. Titus spared the west wall and three
towers, ^ but for all the rest of the wall it was so thor-
oughly laid even with the foundation that there was
left nothing to make those that come thither believe
that it had ever been inhabited.' And since the time
of Titus the city has been often plundered, and at least

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 65

partially destroyed. In the space of so many ages it is
to be expected that some valleys should be filled up knd
some hills leveled. The south wall passes over Zion
near its summit, so that a great part of the hill is left
without the city. South of the hill is the deep val-
ley of the son of Hinnom. The same valley, turning
north, bounds Zion likewise on the west. The valleys
which separate it in the city from Calvary on the north
and Acra on the north-east are not deep. The valleys
north and west of Moriah at present are not at all
steep. Calvary, which is not called a mountain in the
Scriptures, was perhaps only a small elevation on a
greater hill which is now the northern part of the city ;
but the name is now given to the whole hill. Bezetha
is separated from Calvary by a wide valley, and east of
Calvary is also the dividing valley between Moriah' and
Bezetha, in which is the pool of Bethesda.

" \Ye have viewed Jerusalem from diiferent stations,
have walked around it and within it, and have stood on
the Mount of Olives with Joseph us^ description of it in
our hands, trying to discover the hills and valleys as laid
down by him nearly eighteen hundred years ago, and after
all our research we compare Jerusalem to a beautiful per-
son whom we have not seen for many years, and who has
passed through a great variety of changes and misfor-
tunes, which have caused the rose on her cheeks to fade,
her flesh to consume away and her skin to become dry
and withered and have covered her face with the wrinkles
of age, but who still retains some general features by
which we recognize her as the person who used to be
the delight of the circle in which she moved. Such is
the appearance of this holy city which was once ^ the
perfection of beauty, the joy of the whole earth.' "

56 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

The population of Jerusalem is differently estimated,
but may well enough be considered as equally divided
between Jews, Mohammedans and Christians, reckoning
five thousand to each. In general they are poor, igno-
rant, bigoted and deceitful.

The Muslims are distinguished for their pride and
cruelty. They are of the ruling class, and consequently
expect deferential treatment from other sects and partial
favor from the government. If the foreigners walked
into the Mohammedan streets, the boys pelted them
with stones ; if they walked outside the walls, they met
armed men looking sternly at them as if marking them
for plunder. Very little good was expected from re-
ligious discussion directly with Muslims. Few of them
had knowledge enough, and fewer had the desire, to
attempt a defence of their religion.

The Jews were somewhat better instructed and more
accessible, but not less hardened against the truth than
the Muslims. The latter believed in the divine mission
of Christ as a prophet of the highest eminence next to
Mohammed, but the Jews rejected him altogether. A
Mohammedan effendi, a teacher of Mr. Fisk at Jeru-
salem, had a great aversion to the Jews. " Once," he
said, "a Jew called on me at my house, and in con-
versation I asked him what he thought of Said-na Esa
(our Ijord Jesus). He said, * He was a vile impostor.'
I was so enraged at him that I was ready to stab him
with my hanjar on the spot. As he was my guest^ how-
ever, I could not do that, but I railed on him most
angrily, called him an unclean beast and other foul
names, and sent him away."

The Jews at Jerusalem are never offended at being
addressed on tlie subject of their faith. Tliey often

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 57

affect great wisdom about it, such as they — that is, the
learned among them — have got from the commentaries
of their rabbies. Here is a specimen by Mr. Fisk :
^'The young Rabbi Isaac ben Schloma and Rabbi
Yoosef Marcovitz, an old man of eighty, called at my
room. Mr. Wolff was present, and acted as interpreter.
I asked the Rabbi Marcovitz when he thought the
Messiah would come. He looked very wise a little
while, and then, changing his position, began to move
his body backward and forward, as is customary with
Jews in their synagogues and boys in their schools when
they read. He then said there were two things about
which it was not permitted to inquire: one was what
took place before the foundation of the world ; the other
was when the Messiah will come. Daniel said, ' The
time is sealed,' and what fool would presume to be
wiser than Daniel ?

'' ^But are there not Jews who do endeavor to ascer-
tain the time when the Messiah will come ?'

"'Yes; there are some such. But they are not up-
right. They are wicked Jews.''

" ' What is your opinion of the words of Israel in Gen.
xlix. 10, the sceptre shall not depart from Judah till
Shiloh come?'

" ' Shiloh is the name of a place,' Rabbi Isaac said.
* The word in Genesis means the Messiah. When the
word means a place, it is differently spelled.'

" The old man replied angrily, * I have more under-
standing than you.'

" The Hebrew Bible was then brought and examined,
and from more than twenty places the old man was
proved to have less understanding than the younger."

A Caraite Jew of Jerusalem, one of the sect who fol-

68 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

low the Scriptures alone, rejecting tradition, to whom
Mr. Wolif had presented a Hebrew New Testament,
afterwards came and expressed his gratitude, declaring
that he really loved Jesus Christ. The Kabbies received
the visits of the brethren kindly, but without any ap-
parent desire either to convert or to be converted. They,
as well as a large portion of their people, seemed to wish
to die at the holy city, expecting some great spiritual
advantage from having their dust mingled with that of
David and Solomon and the holy prophets.

STATE OF MORALS IN JERUSALEM.

It would seem as if. men endued with reason and re-
flection, dwelling in a place whose very name is holy,
and where so many circumstances are fitted to keep alive
a sense of the divine presence, would be remarkable for
holy and devout living. But it is disappointing and
distressing to every feeling heart to know that the very
opposite is the case. Our friends had not sufficient time
and experience at this their first visit to the city to be-
come qualified to speak with full authority of the state
of morals in the place. But beside what they had been
told by others, a few specimens fell under their own ob-
servation. A Mohammedan, belonging, as many think,
to the most honest class of the natives in Turkey, had
sold them a certain manuscript for a few dollars and was
paid on the spot. But thinking he might manage to
obtain something more from the strangers, he went be-
fore the authorities of the city and accused them of keep-
ing by force a book which he had only lent them to look
at. The defendants were able to produce very credible
witnesses that the bargain was fairly made and the arti-
cle honorably paid for, so that the judge was ashamed

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 59

to entertain the complaint, and would have subjected the
man to the bastinado had not the strangers plead him off.

At another time, a man who was a Romanist was
hired by them for a single week, and at the end of tlie
time was paid his wages. In a day or two he re-ap-
peared and told sorrowfully how he had found a hole in
his pocket and his money was all lost. They pitied the
man, and in whole or in part made up to him his mis-
fortune. Soon after this an article of furniture was
missing from one of the rooms and was found in this
same man's possession. He steadfastly denied the theft
and used many devices to clear himself, but at last made
a full confession, laying all the blame upon the devil
who had made him do it. Papas Esa, the tract and
book translator, was applied to for a good trusty boy
whom he could recommend to be employed for work
about the house. He answered, " You can't find such a
boy in all Jerusalem. They are all devils." A com-
pany excursion was arranged for visiting the Dead Sea
and the Jordan. Men of Jerusalem were engaged at a
rate of expense well understood by both parties. But
these hired men contrived so to annoy the party who
engaged them that by intimidation or otherwise they
forced from the company a considerable sum above what
was bargained for.

But what our travelers failed to discover in this pres-
ent short stay in the city appeared from subsequent ex-
perience. The next year's visit of Mr. Fisk to Jeru-
salem was made in company with the E,ev. AYilliam
Jowett, of Malta. When that gentleman had finished
his short visit in the city, he agreed with a respectable
Muslim muleteer to take him and his baggage to Beirut,
specifying how many and just what kind of animals he

60 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

must have. The man understood it, and swore by his
head it should be done as he wished. At the appointed
hour Mohammed was at the door with his animals below
waiting for the baggage. This was duly laid outside the
door for him to take down to the yard and lash upon his
animals. This done, he sent them forward with an at-
tendant, while he himself would wait and follow on with
the traveler. When Mr. Jowett overtook the animals and
saw what sorry things they were, half angry at the cheat,
he wheeled about and rode straight into the city without
saying a word. Mohammed soon arrived at the door
and found him resting at his ease on the sofa. One
word was all he needed to explain the difficulty, and he
disappeared. In about half an hour the Howadji was
again called down, and finding all things set right, re-
sumed his journey. In about twenty days Mohammed
was again in Jerusalem. He brought to Mr. Fisk two
papers, one of which was a recommendation for the
bearer to future travelers, and the other a line to Mr.
risk, in which Mr. Jowett, among other things, remarks :
" I find Mohammed to be a very kind and serviceable
ass when once you get the bits fairly in his mouth."

At a still later date, when Mr. Thomson, our mission-
ary, commenced the building of a wall to enclose the
American cemetery on Mt. Zion, he found the utmost
difficulty in getting men to commence the work. He
wrote that it was only after a desperate effort on their
part to carry their point, and after being convinced to
their full satisfaction that neither by flattery nor by
threats nor by any deception they could cheat him out of
his money, that they w^ould go seriously to their busi-
ness. " They showed a depth of depravity to which he
never before supposed human nature could sink.'' He

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 61

had with him a pious native assistant to oversee the
work, who more than once came in expressing his utter
astonishment that any such men could be found on the
face of the earth.

But all this will seem a matter of less surprise when
we consider the lack of preachers in Jerusalem and the
example of the ecclesiastics. One of the Greek priests
made the astonishing confession to Mr. Fisk that they
had in Jerusalem a hundred Greek priests and monks,
but among them all not a single preacher.

But this lack of preachers would not be so disastrous
were it not for the demoralizing influence of the priestly
example. Such were the abominations existing in the
large Armenian convent in Jerusalem, that two of its
chief bishops were constrained to leave it and repudiate
their own vows of celibacy by marrying wives. The
convent owed them for services debts of thousands of
dollars, debts which the convent people repeatedly ac-
knowledged before the government to be honestly due
them, but payment was refused under the false plea of
poverty.

The celebrated Greek fire, sent forth every year by the
chief Greek bishop in Jerusalem, is manifestly an
impious cheat on a large scale. It is a foul blot on tlie
fair name of Christianity, and is enough to destroy all
reverence for truth and honesty in the whole city.
What marks this disgraceful exhibition as a dishonest
farce is the fact that even the Greeks themselves, in Jeru-
salem, never put forth this pretended miracle as a proof
of the divine character of the Christian religion, nor
even as a proof of the orthodoxy of the Greek Church.
It is only for the rabble. The thinking part of the
people among them are ashamed of it. The character of

6

62 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

the Latin convent has long been tliat of dark and
bloody treachery. The leading men there have been
Spaniards, and have a most unenviable reputation
among the French and Italian members of their own
fraternity. French and English travelers, however,
make this convent their most common resort. Mr.
risk was informed of a case in which an American
traveler, coming from Marseilles in feeble health, took
lodgings at that establishment, and was visited by a
French physician either professionally or as a friend.
One day this friend called and found the sick man had
just received a letter from abroad which he was about
to open and read after taking a little rest. He con-
versed as usual. Two hours after this the physician
called again, and behold the man was dead and buried.
The monks pretended that the man had renounced
Protestantism and become a good Catholic, not the
least intimation of which had he given to his French
friend. The latter disbelieved the whole story, and said
if the man had really become a Catholic the mere
funeral services could not have been performed in the
short time that elapsed between his last two visits.
But the monks prepared a tombstone with an epitaph,
which is still read over the man's grave, informing all
readers that this man, "repudiating all the errors of
Luther and Calvin, died in the bosom of the Holy
Koman Catholic Church." It had been noticed as re-
markable, and not without unfavorable suspicions, that
the reverendissimos and superintendents of the Propa-
ganda convents had died one after another in very
ra})id succession. Plain hints of foul usage were fre-
quently expressed by monks of other nationalities and
Pomish deputies themselves. A superior of the convent

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 63

of Harissa, in the vicinity of Beirut, speaking one day
of those Jerusalem friars, said as he put his hands upon
his gaunt sides, " I should be loth to trust my poor
body in their hands." Yet it so happened that that
same body was, shortly after, summoned to Jerusalem,
passed through the hands he had so much dreaded, and
in not far from a twelvemonth he was safely lodged in
his grave.

" What shall we do with these Spanish monks ?" said
Monsignor Gandolfi. " If we write to the Propaganda
we get no answer to our applications. If we write to
the pope neither will he vouchsafe any reply ; and we
cannot complain to the king of the French — he has be-
come a monk himself."

Poor Gandolfi ! After serving as the pope's legate forty
years in Syria, and becoming thoroughly disgusted with
the people, he was on the point of embarking for Italy.
His movements as well as his sentiments werje, no doubt,
w^ell known at Jerusalem. He would have been a fear-
ful witness of the things he had seen and known in the
Terra Sancta had he once reached Rome ; but just in
the nick of time, as he was about setting his foot upon
his waiting vessel at Beirut, he was seized by some
malady that suddenly terminated his life. An Italian
priest said to Mr. Fisk that before he came into the
holy land he had heard much of the Spanish friars as
being most holy men without fault or blemish. But
on coming among them he had found them the greatest
rascals (bisbirri) on the face of the earth. They were a
hypocritical and accursed " nazione,'^

CHAPTER IV.

Journey to Beirut — Messrs. Way and Lewis at Sidon — Lady Hester
Stanhope — Beirut — Eraeer Beshecr Antoora — Convents of Leb-
anon— Baalbec— Patriarch Jarwi — Residence of Mr. King at Deir
el Kommer — Arrival of Messrs. Goodell and Bird.

DURING their visit of two months at Jerusalem
the missionaries had distributed, chiefly among the
pilgrims, by sale and otherwise, a hundred New Testa-
ments and five thousand or more religious tracts.

The two Americans, leaving behind them their zealous
brother AVolff, who thought he had not yet said all his
last words to the Jews, commenced a land journey to
Beirut by way of Jaffa and Sidon. On coming in sight
of the latter place they spied an English ship of con-
siderable size anchored off the town, which proved most
unexpectedly to be a missionary ship commanded by a
pious ex-admiral of the British navy, chartered and em-
ployed expressly to bring to these shores two English
missionaries. They had come under the auspices of the
London Jews' Society. One of them was the Rev.
Lewis Way, a gentleman of wealth and engaged with
much enthusiasm in the Jewish cause. He had left
Sidon by land, and was occupying himself in fitting up
an establishment for himself and his fellow-laborers in
the vicinity of Beirut. His associate, however, the Rev.
Mr. Lewis, was still at Sidon, and with him they spent
a very agreeable Sabbath. The Rev. Jonas King, after-
ward eminent for his laborsi at Athens, on his way from

64

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 65

Paris to join Mr. Fisk at Malta, had passed through
Marseilles, where he had been furnished by the British
consul of that place with a letter of introduction to Lady
Hester Stanhope, who was known to enjoy a queenly
reputation in Syria, and being a niece of the younger
^yilliam Pitt, was believed to partake of his partiality
for Americans. Her residence being near to Sidon, Mr.
King now sent a messenger to her ladyship, bearing Con-
sul TurnbuU's letter. When the Sabbath was past she
sent her dragoman, Luigi Marone, to escort him to her
dwelling. "She gave him a very favorable reception.
They had a long conversation about America, about
Syria, the Bible Society and religion," and finally she
furnished him with letters of introduction to some of
her native friends.

Whether this kind treatment of Mr. King was owing
to his nationality, or to his natural suavity of manner,
or to the sincere respect he manifested toward the grand-
daughter of the Earl of Chatham, certain it is that the
interview was of a kind that could not have been cal-
culated upon. Neither the Stanhopes nor the Pitts,
with all their fame for statesmanship, seem to have
been very friendly to religion, and as for Lady Hester
herself, her prejudices were very strong against it. The
author of the book Eothen^ whose mother Lady Hester
remembered as "a sweet, lovely girP' of her acquaint-
ance in England, and who, on his mother's account,
was indulged with repeated familiar chats with her
ladyship at her establishment, represents her as religious
in no sense but what consisted with an overruling belief
in magic, sorcery and astrology. Her antipathy to the
Bible was such that she refused a call from Mr. Ben-
jamin Barker simply because he was in the employ of

6*

6Q BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

the Bible Society, while he was of a family for all of
whose members she professed the highest respect. Her
treatment of Mr. Wolff was an outrage. This zealous
convert from Judaism, after finishing his message to the
Jews at Jerusalem, followed his two American brethren
to -the parts about Lebanon. At Sidon he sent a note to
]\Iiss Williams, Lady Stanhope's maid of honor, to say
to lier that the letters she had entrusted to his care,
■when here before, he had safely delivered into the hands
of her friends in INIalta, and that those friends were in
good health. Without thanking him for his politeness.
Miss Williams replied that she had her positive orders
not to hav^e any communication with him, and that her
ladyship was thinking of issuing a circular to all her
friends in the land respecting these " wandering gentle-
men," to say that her ladyship disowned them all.

But, not fully satisfied with the reply prepared by
Miss Williams, her ladyship accompanied it with a note
of her own, more ada2:>ted, in her view, to the aggrava-
tions of the case. It was couched in the following
terms :

"I am astonished that an apostate should dare to
thrust himself into observation in my family. Had
you, whose real name I know not, been a learned Jew,
never could you have abandoned a religion rich in
itself, yet defective, to embrace a shadow of one. Light
travels faster than sound ; therefore the Supreme Being
could never have allowed his creatures to remain in
utter darkness for nearly two thousand years, until paid
speculating w^anderers might think it proper to lift their
venal voice to enlighten them.

"Hester Lucy Stanhope/'

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 67

To this note Mr. AVolfF mildly replied :

"I have just received a letter which bears your lady-
sliip's signature, but I find it difficult to believe it gen-
uine. As any communication with your ladyship's family
j)roceeded from kindly feelings toward the friends of
Miss Williams, I am at a loss to understand the mean-
ing of your ladyship in saying that I wished to thrust
myself into observation, as your ladyship's name was
not even alluded to in my letter. With respect to my
religious views and pursuits, 1 feel perfectly at rest, and
they must be quite immaterial to your ladyship. My
religious principles, however, would never permit me to
insult persons whom I never saw, and they enable me
to assure your ladyship that I always wish your lady-
ship happiness, and I have the honor to be,'' etc.

This letter was despatched by a Turkish messenger,
unsealed. The Turk was beaten by her ladyship's
order and the letter returned.*

Passing on to the important commercial city of
Beirut, the two missionaries were accommodated with
rooms in the convent of the Capuchins.f They had
scarcely become rested, however, in their comfortable

* Lady H. was not, as some have supposed, a daughter, but only a
distant relative, of the celebrated Philip Dormer Stanhope, commonly
known as Lord Chesterfield. The first Earl of Chesterfield was Philip
Stanhope, two of whose sons were named, severally, Henry and Alex-
ander. Charles Stanhope, the father of Lady H., was a grandson of
Henry, and Philip D. a grandson of Alexander. Charles Stanhope
is described as "a very eccentric man, a great mechanical genius and a
republican." Some of Lady H.'s peculiarities seem to have come to
her by inheritance.

■ f The Capuchins compose a Pomish religious order, wearing out-
wardly a long coarse garment girt round with a rope, and having a
peculiar caput or hood which gives the order its name. Their con-
vents in Syria are very few.

68 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

quarters before there arrived from the same direction
the reverendissimo, or padre superior of all the convents
belonging to the congregation of the Terra Santa; it
was therefore, of course, required that they should give
this man place. They had known this Roman dignitary
at Jerusalem, and now they took occasion to renew their
acquaintance and to hold converse with him on religious
themes.

The brethren having made the acquaintance of the
Greek bishop at Beirut, and of the English and other
consuls, prepared themselves to visit his excellency the
Emeer Besheer, the governor in chief of the mountains
of Lebanon. They had already seen the prince in
Egypt. At that interview he had condescended to
invite them to visit him when they should arrive in
Syria. And now, as they were expecting to spend
some months in Syria among his people, it seemed
every way expedient to comply with his invitation.

The prince had some special reasons for showing
favor to Englishmen (and such our two travelers were
recognized to be by the authorities), for he had once
been rescued by an English admiral* from danger, and
perhaps from death, when he had fallen under the dis-
pleasure of that barbarian Jezzar Pasha. He received
their call in a friendly manner, though thronged with
callers on business, and gave them passports for travel-
ing or residing in any part of the mountains under his
jurisdiction.

The Emeer Besheer was no common man. When a
young man, Jezzar Pasha, having heard of him, invited
him to Acca, and was charmed with his manners, ap-
pearance and address, " for," says his biographer, " he
* Sir Sidney Smith in 1799.

EMEER BESHEER.

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 71

was the most noble and majestic-looking prince of his
day/' His first step toward power displayed an
ominous vigor. He gave battle to his uncle at Deir
el Kommer, and drove him from his seat of power
quite out of the mountain, taking that seat himself in
undisturbed possession.

" So complete was the mastery he obtained over the
turbulent feudatories of Lebanon, and so strict the
etiquette he exacted, that all the emeers and sheikhs,
both Druze and Christian, who came to pay him their
respects, stood with folded arms before him until he
invited them to be seated, and until the invitation was
repeated a second or third time. The eifect produced
by his personal appearance was of itself sufficient to re-
duce the most rebellious spirit to abject submission. On
entering his divan you would see a venerable-looking
man sitting on his heels, leaning against a cushion, with
thick, shaggy brows overhanging eyes replete with fire
and vivacity, and a broad, massive beard reaching down
to his waist. The tone of his voice was deep, hollow
and sonorous, and few if any of the great men of the
mountain could stand before him without trembling.'^

Messrs. King and Fisk were next found in company
with the Kev. Mr. Way, at the village of Antoora near
Beirut. Mr. Way, having come to the belief that the
Jews were on the eve of a return to their native or
fatherland, had made the voyage hither with the hope
of being able, in some capacity, to facilitate this desimble
object.

His attention had been directed to an old building at
Antoora, once occupied as a Jesuit college, but now quite
forsaken and dilapidated. He was fitting it up, at con-
siderable expense, to be a centre of operations for all

72 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

Protestant religious societies. It is very questionable
whether any important benefit would have resulted from
the plan of Mr. Way had he been able to remain and
superintend its execution, but his expectations were sud-
denly cut off by his rapidly-declining health. After a
six weeks' visit to the land of which he had thought
and spoken so much, and where he had hoped to view
with his own eyes some magnificent displays of the divine
glory, he found himself obliged to leave it in the same
vessel which had brought him.

Mr. King now took a station for study at Deir el
Kommer,* while Messrs. Fisk and Wolif— the latter
having arrived from Jerusalem — remained a while at
Antoora.

This small village belongs to the district of Lebanon
called Kesru-dn, where, as well as in the mountainous
region farther north, there is a multiplicity of papal con-
vents. The brethren were disposed to ascertain by ex-
periment in what estimation the Scriptures were held
in these religious establishments and to learn whatever
else might be known respecting them. They therefore
made visits to several of those in the neighborhood, to
Mar Hanna esh Shu-6ir, Harissa, Bkoorki, Sliarfi,
Bzum-mar, Bshara and Mar Elee-as. At some of these
places they disposed of some copies of the Scriptures
and enjoyed profitable opportunities for religious dis-
cussion.

Mar Hanna belonged to the papal Greeks, and was
occupied by thirty or forty monks. About the year
1750 this convent became possessed of a printing estab-
lishment, introduced by Abdallah Zaw-khir, and by this

* An engraving of this interesting spot will be found in the latter
part of this volume. See '* List of Illustrations."

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 73

press have been printed nearly all the Arabic books now
used in their churches. Mr. Fisk tried to have a few
unobjectionable tracts printed there, but was unsuccess-
ful. Bkoorki was but a short walk from Antoora. It
was a somewhat spacious building, but chiefly in ruins,
and only remarkable for what it had been. It was
erected for a nunnery by a fanatical woman called Hen-
deeye, who finally lost entirely the confidence of the
public, and was obliged to flee the neighborhood to escape
the indignation of her own sect. Harissa belonged to tlic
Terra Santa congregation of Rome, and was built with
massive stone walls of a sufficient thickness to stand the
siege of a castle, having twenty or thirty rooms, but in-
habited by a single solitary Franciscan monk. During
a late disturbed state of the country the British consul,
John Barker, Esq., resorted to it as the safest asylum he
could find from surrounding dangers. Sharfi was one of
the only two convents on Lebanon belonging to the papal
Syrians under the notorious new patriarch Jarwi, who
himself was at that time residing at his other establish-
ment, a day's journey distant. Here at Sharfi was the aged
metropolitan Simon, late patriarch of the sect, and now
seventy-five years of age, together with -another bishop
and a priest. They said that the press, types and paper
procured by Bishop Jarwi in England were now in
this convent, but the patriarch had at Mar Ephram the
key of the room which contained them. It was the out-
door report that the present patriarch had supplanted
Simon, the late patriarch, by means of the money he
obtained in England. The brethren here gave away
four copies of the Scriptures and had a long discussion
on religious topics. A sheikh of the neighborhood, who
was present listening, sided with the missionaries, saying
7

74 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

a number of times, " tliat's so." The bishop afterwards
wrote to his visitors for more Scriptures.

At Bzum-mar the missionaries found the papal Ar-
menian patriarch Gregory, two bishops and two priests,
with twenty young men, studying for the ministry. Two
or three of the ecclesiastics spoke Italian. The branches
studied in this theological school were said to be gram-
mar, rhetoric, logic, metaphysics and theology, but
chiefly in books translated from Latin or Italian. Some
pupils studied Arabic and Turkish. A long discussion
was had with the bishops about popery, in which the
patriarch took little or no part. He seemed a jolly sort
of man, preferring to shift off the discussion of religious
subjects upon his bishops and priests, as if he had done
with all such matters, having taken a degree beyond
them.* Fifteen books were sold at this convent, but in
a private way, lest, as the purchasers said, the patriarch
should take offence.

The nunnery of Bshara was of the papal Greek de-
nomination. It had twenty-two inmates, beside, in an-
other apartment of the building, two priests, who con-
ducted the religious services of the institution. They
accepted a Bible, a New Testament and a Book of Gen-
esis. There was a very marked difference between the
spirit manifested here and that which appeared in the
IMaronite nunnery in the immediate vicinity, called Mar
Elee-as. This latter had four priests and forty nuns.
AVhcn a Bible was offered for the use of the nuns, one
of the priests objected, saying there were mistakes in the
book. Being challenged to prove it, he went and brought

^ When subsequently the persecuted Shidiak visited tliis prelate for
advice and instruction, one of the priests whispered in his ear, " If
you want to know good tobacco, go to the patriarch."

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 75

his own Arabic Bible, and found the two were precisely
alike. He was confounded and fell into a violent pas-
sion, railing vehemently against the Protestants for re-
jecting the Christian doctrines, particularly the seven
sacraments, and often quoting St. Augustine. When
Mr. Fisk called his attention repeatedly to the words of
Christ and asked, " What need have we of St. Augustine ?''
he replied, "What need have we of Christ ?'' The
anger of the man was quieted at last by the interference
of another priest. The visitors, having made another
ineffectual attempt to introduce a copy of the Scriptures,
took their leave.

Messrs. Fisk, King and Way made an excursion over
the mountains by way of Tripoli, Canobeen and the
Cedars. At Tripoli, two days north of Beirut, on the
sea-coast, they opened their boxes of sacred merchan-
dise, and the people, after manifesting a good deal of
timidity, at last ventured to buy a hundred books for
twenty dollars. One Turk bought a Bible, another
a Xew Testament, and a third a New Testament and a
copy of Genesis. In the evening the brethren sought
an interview with the Greek bishop of the place, who
received them kindly. The next day, breaking off at a
right angle from the sea-coast, they set out for the
mountains, and in nine hours came to the Convent of
Kos-hy-a. Its site was on the almost perpendicular side
of a mountain, at the bottom of a frightful chasm, and
it contained about a hundred Maronite monks. They
seemed dirty, stupid and ignorant. Not more than one-
fourth of them could read. They had a press with
which they printed their church books in Syriac, and in
Arabic with Syriac letters. This last they call Carshoon
printing. They had no Arabic type. When the su2)erior

76 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

was asked about his belief in tlie Scriptures, he gave the
usual stereotyped reply : ^^ I believe what the Church
believes/^ One of the priests revealed something of the
extent of his knowledge of the gospel by asserting that
St. Paul, before being converted to Christianity, was a
pagan. The travelers spent a Sabbath with this un-
taught company of people, and had with some of them
very long conversations, not without effect, for one of
them declared in private his conviction that the Protest-
ant views of Christian doctrine were right.

The next place of interest was the Convent of Cano-
been, the summer residence of the Maronite patriarch.
" We first ascended a very steep mountain," says Mr.
Fisk, '^and then descended one of the steepest I ever
attempted to pass. The road turns so often as nearly to
double the distance, and yet it is almost impassable for
steepness. We often crossed narrow ways, with a stu-
pendous precipice above us of immense rocks piled upon
each other almost perpendicularly, and with a similar
precipice below us.'^ The newly-elected patriarch re-
ceived them civilly. Simple-minded man ! he had not
yet learned what ravening wolves were concealed be-
neath the harmless-looking sheep he was beholding.
He even ventured to accept at their hands the gift of an
Arabic Bible and a Syriac New Testament.*

From Canobeen the travelers proceeded to the village
of Eh-he-den, distant a couple of hours, where they
spent the night with the liberal-minded sheikh Lattoof.
They found Eh-he-den to be one of the most elevated,

■^ He estimated the Maronite nation at one hundred to one hun-
dred and fifty thousand souls. They had forty or fifty convents and
ten or twelve bishops. The priests are by others reckoned to be
about one thousand, and the monks and nuns at sixteen hundred.

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 77

flourishing and beautiful villages of the mountains, and
might well be called what its name rather suggests — the
Eden or Paradise of Lebanon. The aged sheikh had in
the course of his life been considerably occupied in busi-
ness transactions with French residents in Tripoli, and
was able to hold conversation in that language, but his
subjects were all bigoted Maronites. No books were
sold here, and no free conversations were had among
the people.

The next night the brethren were entertained at the
house of Sheikh Girgis, of Besherry, whose generous
and cordial hospitality reminded them more than any-
thing they had hitherto met with of the noble treatment
of strangers by Arabs of which they had read.

The brethren had now to some extent explored the
two extremes of the Maronite population — the Kesru-an
district and the Gib-bee — and had reached the northern
boundary of the Emeer Besheer's dominions. And here
stands, like a venerable monument, the only clump of
ancient Lebanon cedars that has been saved from the de^
vouring tooth of time and the woodman's axe. Other trees
of the same kind, of more recent growth, are found in
different places, which are freely used, as needed, for timber
or for fuel, but these are held by the people in religious
reverence, and are likely to continue increasing in size
and in number for ages yet to come. They are clustered
tos^ether within a circumference of less than a mile at
the foot of some of the very highest ridges of Lebanon,
which sweep around them like the seats of an amphi-
theatre. Their number, on being counted, was found to
be more than three hundred, of all heights and sizes,
from the very lowest to those of ninety feet in height
and near forty in circumference. The fruit of the trees

7 *

78 BIBLE WOKK IN BIBLE LANDS.

is a large scaly truncated cone like those of the pine, but
barrel-shaped, and groAvs upward from the upper side
of the branches. The body of the cedar is straight and
sends out horizontal branches, shor ening as they ascend,
till the top of the tree is the point of a cone.

Passing eastward, the travelers found themselves in
half an hour on the other side of the mountain ridge,
descending into Coelosyria, the hollow or plain of Syria,
now called by the natives the Bkaa. In the south-east,
twenty miles or more distant, were visible the ruins of
Baal bee, to which they were now directing their course.
They did not reach the place that day, but tarried for
the night at a miserable, dirty village called Dyah el
Ahhmar, or the red village, and put up for the night in
a mean, dirty room with the earth for a floor.

Baalbec, as a village, is at present quite insignificant,
and is inhabited by Muslims of the sect called Meta-
wallies. Originally it was called by the Greeks Heli-
opolis, the city of the sun. It is situated on the eastern
border of the vast plain called the Valley of Baalbec.
Being watered by a copious fountain gushing forth from
the foot of Antilebanon, and having at its door the pro-
ducts of an immense fertile plain, it was once a large
and powerful metropolis. Its fame in modern times has
been due to the colossal and imperishable ruins of its
temple. Mr. Fisk, at his present visit, took an accurate
measurement of the walls of this temple and of the stu-
pendous materials of which they were composed. At the
north-west corner of the outer wall w^ere twelve or fifteen
stones thirty feet long by ten or twelve in breadth and
height, or three thousand solid feet or more each. Three
other stones were of the same breadth and height and
fifty-eight in length, and one other of the length of sixty-

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 79

eight feet. Moreover, this huge block of stone, of the
size of a small farm-house, was found inserted in the
wall on the top of three tiers of stones each fifteen feet
in height. Who lifted it and adjusted it in its place
in the wall forty-five feet above its foundation? The
natives said it was the work of angels. A block still
larger than any of the above was found at the quarry
close by, hewn out on three sides, but never detached
from the rock of which it formed a part.

Within the outer enclosure were great numbers of
ornamental columns, some of which were yet standing,
others lying prostrate, whose pedestals, however, still
remained in their places. In the southern part of the
enclosed area was a small temple by itself exquisitely
adorned with carvings.

From Baalbec the party turned westward by way of
Zdhh-leh, where they spent a night, and the next day
ended the week, Saturday evening, at Deir er Rugm,
otherwise called Mar Ephram. This convent has al-
ready been mentioned as one of the two establishments
of the kind belonging to the papal Syrians of the
mountains. The new patriarch, Peter Jarwi, was at
the time making the place his residence. The precious
flock of this "chief shepherd,^^ as he called himself,
consisted, so far as Mount Lebanon w^as concerned, of
one ex-patriarch, a bishop and priest at Deir Sharfeh,
and eight or ten priests and monks at Mar Ephram,
a flock of thirteen all told. He, however, professed to
have one other bishop in Beirut, two in Aleppo and
two more in Mesopotamia. He was building an addition
to his convent and pretended that he still expected to
put his press in operation. He denied that he went to
England to ask help from the Protestants, but said they

80 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

gave of their own accord and without conditions as to
how the money should be expended. He expressed
gratitude to Mr. Clymer, the American who gave him
the printing press, but none to the English who gave
him the money.

In his doctrinal views the patriarch showed himself a
thorough-bred papist, saying that under the form of
bread the laity receive the blood as well as the body of
Jesus Christ, because that which was given them was
his true, living body which could not be without blood,
saying also that outside the Romish Church there could
be no salvation, that the English had no priesthood,
and that all these efforts of various societies to convert
Jews, Turks, etc., would be found useless. His treat-
ment of these guests of his was nothing more than cold
civility. During the Sabbath they had no small dis-
putation with the monks. Sometimes nearly all of
them were present. " We told them,^' says Mr. Fisk,
"some plain truths about their popish doctrines and
practices, such, I suspect, as they never heard before.^^

Returning to Antoora the brethren visited the neigh-
boring Armenian convent of Krym* and the ancient
Maronite college of Ain Waraka, which is the chief
school for the higher branches among the people of that
sect, and is under the personal control of the patriarch.
In company with the Rev. Mr. Jowett from Malta, Mr.
Fisk made a second call at the convent of Bzum-mar.
They carried with them Bibles and Testaments, of
which they sold near twenty dollars' worth. Mr. Fisk
says : " I have seen no convent so good or so neat as

* This convent also, like that of Bzum-m^r, had a school for young
men. The only other Armenian convent in Lebanon is Beit Khashbo,
an hour's walk or more northward from Krym.

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 81

Bziini-mar, nor have I anywhere on the mountains met
with men of equal talents and acquisitions. They are
clever, enterprising and persevering."

Mr. King on arriving in the region of Beirut took up
liis residence at Deir el Kommer, Avhere he could study
and speak and hear nothing but Arabic. This place,
though it may fall a little below its rival Zahh-leh in its
population, was nevertheless very properly called the
capital of the mountains, as being in the immediate
vicinity of the seat of government at Bteddeen. The
record of the toleration and mild treatment of Mr. King
in this large village is interesting as showing in what
light Protestantism was viewed by the natives and with
what effect it fell upon the mass of popish minds to which
it was then first presented. A few incidents only of
this record can be introduced here.

Mr. King one day went to the church to witness the
baptism of a child. After he had returned home a con-
siderable number of women came in from the church
and took seats also with the family. On finding him-
self in such a company of veiled females he felt out
of place and rose to leave the room, but they at once
objected, and laying aside their veils begged him to
resume his seat. They acknowledged that they were
not acting after the stricter social customs of the place,
but from what they heard of him they considered him
an exception among men, and so they made him no
stranger, but a friend. Mr. King improved the occa-
sion to impress upon them some religious truth, and as
they had come from witnessing a baptism he took the
ISTew Testament and read and expounded to them the
beginning of the third chapter of John about the new
birth. They all listened with earnest attention, and

82 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

begged to know if he would not put on the black dress
and become their curate.

At another time he took up a church book that con-
tained what was said in the caption to be " The Ten
Commandments as they were written on tables of stone
and given to Moses.^^ On examination he found that
nothing was said in these commandments about making
or worshiping graven images or other likenesses. The
word " Sabbath '^ was turned into ^' the first day and
the feast days," and the tenth commandment was divided
into two. This to Mr. King seems to have been a new
discovery. He was well aware of the perversions which
popery had made of other parts of Scripture, but that it
would enter the holy of holies, violate the ark and take
such liberties with the tables of the covenant, and withal
give out that no change had been made, was a piece of
audacity of which he had not before suspected even
Home herself to be guilty.

'' Soon after I had read this," says Mr. King, " the
superior of the convent came in, and I remarked to him
what I had read, and observed that these were not the
Ten Commandments as delivered to Moses ; that there
was still another commandment not found here. He
seemed angry, and tried to make me believe that I was
under a mistake. I told him it was in vain for him to
try to do that, for I had read the ten commandments in
Hebrew, and that everybody knew that there was an-
other commandment which says, ^ Thou shalt not make
unto thee any graven image, nor any likeness of any-
thing/ etc. I really felt so indignant that any man
should dare to take away one of the commandments of
God, that I told the priest plainly it was an impious
thing and a lie to say that these were the ten com-

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 83

mandments of God as God gave them to Moses while
the second was entirely left out, the fourth one changed
and the tenth divided." His teacher then put in his
voice, saying, "If these were the commandments of the
church, they were the commandments of God/' Mr.
King replied that this was not true, for that some of the
popes had said one thing and others had said the oppo-
site, and could they both be from God ? But the teacher
would not believe that the priests had kept back the
second commandment, and said he would bring a Jew
and inquire of him whether such a commandment was
in the Jewish books. He saw it was in Mr. King's
Bible, but that was printed in England; it might be
false. He sent for a Bible printed at Home, which
must be true. Mr. King opened it at the place and told
him to read, and to his astonishment he found the truth
had been told him.

At one time a priest from the village called and in-
troduced the question whether Mary were the mother of
any other children beside Jesus. Mr. King gave some
reasons to believe that she was. " God forbid !'' said
the priest; "God pardon us!'' Saying this, he left the
room in anger and went and took his seat with the fam-
ily and began to talk against Mr. King in a great rage
for attempting to blast the reputation of Mary. Mr.
King rose to go to him. His teacher, fearing a quarrel,
begged him not to go ; bilt he went, and taking a seat
beside him, said mildly, "Aboona, I wish to say one
thing. We profess to be disciples of Christ, to be his
followers; it does not become us to speak with anger.
Christ was humble, and when men oj^posed him he did
not fall into a passion."

" True/' said the priest.

84 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

Mr. King proceeded : ^^ Here now are Muslims around
us and many who do not believe in Jesus Christ. Let
us show to them that we are Christians by our love one
to another and by our meekness. If I am in the dark
I wish to be enlightened. I do not wish to remain in
darkness and go to destruction."

" While I said this," says Mr. King, ^' the eyes of all
were fastened on us and the whole house was silent.
The padre seemed confused and ashamed, and said,
* What you say is true.' "

Mr. King then added, " I have one question to ask
you, Aboona, and then I have done. When the Lord
Jesus Christ commissioned his disciples to go and preach,
what did he tell them to preach, himself or his mother ?
and what did they preach? They preached Jesus Christ
and him crucified, salvation through his blood and in-
tercession alone — not one word about Mary. There is
not one syllable in all the epistles of Paul and the other
apostles about Mary."

All present listened attentively, and the priest said
calmly, "When you become well acquainted with Arabic,
I shall be glad to converse with you more."

Upon the arrival from America of Messrs. Goodell
and Bird with their families at Beirut, Mr. King bid
adieu, though not a final one, to his kind friends in
Deir el Kommer that he might come to the aid of his
new associates. The circumstances attending his depar-
ture he thus describes :

"A little before I left them the family appeared very
sorrowful, and some of them wept. The mother wept
much, and the priest with whom I had often conversed
sobbed like a child. I improved this occasion to tell
the priest his duty as a pastor, and spoke of the great

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 85

(lay of account, the responsibility that rested on him and
his duty to search the Scriptures. The family I ex-
horted to prepare for death and the solemn scenes of
eternity, to love the Lord Jesus Christ, to read the word
of God and have regard to all his ten commandments.

" It was truly an interesting scene, and I was surprised
to see the feeling they manifested. As I left the house
they loaded me with blessings, and as I passed through
the street many commended me to the care and protec-
tion of the Lord."

CHAPTEK V.

Bishop Monsignor Gandolfi at Beirut — A Maronite priest — Depar-
ture of two of the brethren for Jerusalem — Visits at Sidon, Tyre,
Bossa, Acca, Nazareth, Nabhis and Jerusalem.

AS for us new-comers who were waiting for the ar-
rival of our brother from the mountains, we found
it a great gratification and relief, on entering among this
people of new customs and of a strange language, to
be met by an old acquaintance with whom in our own
land we had often taken sweet counsel and gone to the
house of God in company. He was dressed in Arab
style, with loose robes and a thick, venerable beard, and
streams of Arabic were flowing from his lips as he ad-
dressed himself to the natives around him. It was quite
evident that since commencing his work in the land he
had made good use of his time and his tongue.

On the third evening after our landing we had the op-
portunity of spending an hour in company with the pope's
vicar, Monsignor Gandolfi, of Antoora. He had come
down from his mountain residence to perform the mar-
riage ceremony of the French consul and his bride. This
being over, he had called in for an evening's chat with
his familiar friends. Consul Abbott and his lady, at whose
house we had been hitherto hospitably entertained.
The opinions of this papal high priest and the freedom
with which he avowed them astonished us. He was
utterly sick of Syria. He was seventy-four years old
and had lived in the country thirty-nine years. The

86

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

87

sufferings he had undergone during his residence here no
one could tell nor would any one believe. Once he was
assaulted, threatened and stabbed at by the Druzes ; often
had he struggles with injustice, hypocrisy and baseness
of every kind, such as had destroyed all his confidence

THE BEV. JONAS KING, D.J)., IN ORIENTAL COSTUME.

in the people. The Spirit of God had long since left;
them. Various were the sects and parties that had
resorted to him as umpire in their endless disputes, and
so great had been the numbers whom he had been

88 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

obliged to entertain at his house that his salary had been
quite insufficient to save him from poverty. He sold
one farm some time ago to meet his necessary expenses,
and now more lately he had been forced to dispose of
another. For a number of years past the Catholic mis-
sions here had been neglected by the church, and for
himself he would leave the country as soon as he conve-
niently could. The English travelers who had called
on him had always given him pleasure, and the Ameri-
can Protestants had been objects of his cordial friendship
from the first of his acquaintance with them. But this
native people were of a different stamp. This terra
santa, this land of holiness, had become a land of devils.
It was no longer the blessed^ but the accursed, land. He
had had transactions of various kinds with princes and
people of all grades, with patriarchs, bishops, priests,
monks and laymen, and not one man of integrity had he
found among them all !

The intention of the two newly-arrived families had
been to push directly on to Jerusalem and at once take
U23 their permanent station at that city. But the Avinter
storms had begun, and our advisers, especially the con-
sul, who knew the country and the climate best, said
that for families like ours to undertake a journey of two
hundred miles, in such a country and at such a season,
was quite out of the question. We accordingly pro-
ceeded to obtain a home for the winter at Beirut. Mr.
King took up his quarters for a time with us.

One evening, soon after we had entered our new
habitation, we received a visit from a near neighbor, a
Maronite priest whose name was Simeon. His white
beard and solemn demeanor impressed us with venera-
tion. He brought with him, as a sort of introduction,

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 89

a present for the ladies of two beautiful young pigeons,
white as the snow of Lebanon. In return we offered
hira a copy of the Arabic Bible, but he refused to accept
it as a present, saying it would not be right before God
to do so ; it was a good book and worth paying for, and
we were good people for bringing such good books into
the country. He then took out a Spanish dollar and
said he should feel better to give that for the book than
to receive it as a gift. This was probably the first time
that he, though a priest and a man of three-score years
and ten, had ever possessed the entire Bible, and this
was the first time that a native Syrian had been known
to insist on paying for it.

The next day it was discovered that the two white
pigeons had found means to escape from their place of
confinement and had fled. But in the evening, behold,
our very reverend neighbor the priest makes a second
call, bringing the little escaped prisoners in his arms.
When we had thanked him anew for his kindness, he
said, in a meek and serious manner, " When the infant
Jesus was brought to the temple, and the aged Simeon
took him in his arms and blessed him, the parents of
the child, being poor, had nothing to bring but a pair
of turtle-doves or two young pigeons, and when I heard
of the arrival of these two good women I asked myself,
* What have I to bring them V and being poor, I could
think of nothing but these two young pigeons."

As we had had no reason to expect so special a mark
of attention from a Maronite priest, we considered it the
more binding on us to reciprocate his friendly advances.
Accordingly, we called on him a few days after and
found him living quite alone in a solitary upper cham-
ber, the entire furniture of which consisted of three old

90 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

pipes, a native lamp of coarse pottery, a mat on which
he was sitting, a small box and two or three other
articles of little value. All that we saw might be pur-
chased new in the market for less than five Spanish dol-
lars. According to the ancient custom of his church,
and which papal policy connives at in favor of the
Maronites, though a priest, he had been married. A
son of his was now residing near Antoora, and a daugh-
ter in Deir el Kommer. Our call upon him was short,
and he was a man so studious of peace that no serious
discussion was indulged in. Our acquaintance with the
old man thus pleasantly begun lasted unchanged for
many years. He was a rare specimen of a Romish
priest. In his professions of regard for us we always
believed him sincere. Though obliged to conform some-
what to the persecuting measures of his superiors, he
evidently sympathized in heart more with us than with
them.

One Sabbath day, on returning from our worship at the
consuFs, we found the owner of our house, a Muslim,
seated on the sofa, having called to pay his friendly
respects. His attendant, a papal Greek, had taken up
the Arabic Bible he had found upon the table and was
reading it to his master. Mr. King, having received the
book, turned to the history of Joseph and read a por-
tion of the story, and told the rest in his own words.
Seeing the Mohammedan interested he proceeded to
give him a brief summary of the true Christian faith,
saying we believe truly, as do the Muslims, that there is
no god hut God, that we worship only the one living
and true God, that we consider it profane to worship
pictures or saints or angels, that we never go to a priest
to obtain forgiveness of our sins, but only to God him-

BIBLE WOUK IN BIBLE LANDS. 91

self, and so on. The Muslim declared it was all good,
and turning to the man whom he had brought with him
he began to reproach him as an idolater for bowing down
before images and praying to saints. "You are all
wrong," said he; "all going astray. One Englishman
is worth fifty of you." Mr. King frequently encountered
Muslims in the streets and at their shops, and had re-
ligious conversation with them with uniform good
nature and evident good effect.

The Rev. Mr. Jowett, returning from Jerusalem,
whither he had gone in company with Mr. Fisk, was
invited to a home at our house. In giving us an ac-
count of his travels, he said he had made his journey
with very little precaution and entirely without arms.
Once he was stopped, but without any threatened danger
either to life or limb. Turks, he said, were afraid of Eng-
lishmen, and intimidation was the only way in which you
could obtain good treatment from them ; you will not get
it by flattery. The English are safe here, but for the
natives there is no security for a single day. At Acca
constant exactions were laid upon the people, as if the
government were making the experiment to see how
much they would bear, and it was really astonishing how
much they icould bear. But in these levies upon the
people there was no partiality. Muslims had to take
their share as well as Jews and Christians. Some few
days ago twenty-five Muslims at Acca were soundly
bastinadoed for attempting to make their escape from
the oppressions of the city. When a new governor
lately arrived at Jerusalem many of the most respect-
able inhabitants went before him in their tattered gar-
ments and made such a representation of their distress
that the Turk was affected to tears. " But," replied he,

92 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

" I can do nothing for you, nor can you expect any
better state of things at present, for even your brothers,
whom I have just left at Constantinople, are no better
off than you." Some of the poor monks at Jerusalem
were in great tribulation, and lived as if they had the
impression that tlie government might the next day
send for their heads.

That our associate, Mr. Fisk, might not dwell alone
at Jerusalem, and that a practical examination might be
made to ascertain the feasibility of a removal of one or
both of our missionary families to the city or neighbor-
hood of Jerusalem, it was concluded that Mr. Bird
with Mr. King should repair for a while to that city.

On the morning of the 2d of January, 1824, we who
were set apart for the journey were in readiness. Mr.
Jowett read a portion of the 20th chapter of the Acts, and
we all kneeled down and prayed ; and so, being recom-
mended by the brethren unto the grace of God, we de-
parted. We halted on the Sabbath at Sidon, where we
were entertained by the English agent, Yacob Abcarius,
or, as he was more commonly called, Yacob Aga. This
man had formerly been an archbishop in the Armenian
church, and as such was held in high estimation by his
sect. He had spent years in the national convent in the
holy city, as well as at Echmiazeen, the ecclesiastical
metropolis of his nation. Endowed by nature with a
fine personal appearance, dignified in his deportment,
well gifted in mind and rather fond of public life, he
had been promoted to the episcopacy, and had enjoyed
the confidence of his church to that extent that he had
been selected on some occasions to conduct their diplo-
matic concerns at the capital. But becoming utterly dis-

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 93

gusted with the corruptions of the clergy and convinced
of their errors in doctrine he gave them up, married a
wife at Beirut and accepted the office of an agent under
the English consul.*

At Tyre we were received and "lodged two days
courteously" by a brother-in-law of Mr. King's late
teacher in Deir el Kommer. His wife was a prodigy in
the land because she was able to read. Among the
ruins of this famous city we observed a magnificent
column of red Egyptian granite. It would have been
removed long ago to Acca to grace some new structure
in that city, but its giant size was too great for any
modern Pasha to lift. It formed the best part of a
native garden wall. It lay in near connection with the
high walls still standing of some vast church or cathedral,
conjectured by some to be that known to have been
built here by Constantine and consecrated by Eusebius
of Csesarea, father of church history.

Near Acca (or Acre) we found it convenient to spend
a night in a small village called Bossa, on the left of
the direct road to Acca. In the evening the muleteers

* His former life, in one respect, had not been without reproach.
But in this particular his conduct would not suffer in comparison
with that of his ecclesiastical compeers in the best standing; nor
was he complained of for this delinquency until he began his ap-
proach toward a reformation by becoming the husband of one wife.
For the public services he had rendered to the church he had accepted
a reward of two or three thousand dollars. He afterwards lent
this money, at high interest, to the convent at Jerusalem and lived
upon the income. After paying the interest several years the con-
vent suddenly stopped payment, not because it was not due, but under
the sole plea of poverty. Yet a respectable English traveler, who
passed this way in 1827, has ventured to characterize this man as
" one of the rascally converts of the missionaries who had run away
with the money of his convent."

94 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

and the people whom the arrival of strangers had at-
tracted together sat and heard with attention what Mr.
King had to say to them, while he read the New Testa-
ment and expounded it by order unto them. One of
our men, an old Muslim, often exclaimed, " truth,"
" truth," " that's a man of wisdom," " as for us, we are
all beasts." Two or three others gave signs of their
interest by using the common exclamation, '^ Lord have
mercy upon us."

In the morning we set off for Acca, proceeding directly
west. We had scarcely got clear from the houses of the
village before we began to hear calls from behind.
We turned and saw a little troop of people streaming
out from the village in haste to overtake us. One of
them was the priest of the village. They had heard
that we carried the gospel and other books to be dis-
posed of. They wished to see them. While they were
opening and examining them, kissing our hands and
gazing at us wonderingly, a poor blind man came pick-
ing his way carefully along, and as soon as he came to
the crowd he began to exhort his townsmen, saying with
lifted voice : " Buy the gospel, my friends, buy it — it
will do you good." He reminded us of the blind son
of Timeus, who, in the face of the crowd at Jericho,
manifested in a loud voice his faith in " Jesus the son of
David." The people took a number of copies of the
Book of Genesis, the Psalms and New Testament.
The priest wanted the entire Bible, but we could only
refer him to our d^pot in Acca, telling him the price
would be five piasters. He said "all right."

After Mr. King had exhorted them to study the
word of God attentively and ex|Tessed his hope that
it would make them wise unto salvation, we continued

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 95

on our way. In a very few hours we were in the house
over which waved the flag of England in the city of
Acca.

The most ancient name of this city was written in
Hebrew, Aco, the middle letter being marked as double.
Judges i. 31. Strabo (b. c. 50) wrote the name in
Greek, Ak-e; the native Arabs now call it Acca or
Akkeh. Ptolemy I., King of Egypt and Syria (b. c.
300), gave the city the new name of Ptolemais, but this,
though common in the time of our Saviour, was probably
never fully adopted by the people of the country, and
has long since gone out of use.

It is the only well-fortified city on the Syrian coast,
and has perhaps the best harbor, though this latter is
not much to say. In the history of the Crusades it
occupies a very prominent position. The Knights of
St. John made it their stronghold. Here, in the year
1291, after having been driven from every other spot in
the land, they were besieged by the exasperated Sultan
Ashraf, and the whole garrison of twelve thousand men
are said to have perished either in the stormy sea as
they attempted to get on board their ships, or by being
struck down with the sword of their conquerors.*

Our sense of security from the savage-looking men
without made some amends for the eccentricities and
cold reserve we met with from our sub-consular host,
Mr. M., who seemed to take special pains to show liis
antipathy to everything religious. We visited a school
in the city where we found in the teacher another mem-

* Napoleon Bonaparte besieged the place in 1799, but the garrison,
aided by the English navy under Sir Sidney Smith, made a success-
ful defence. Ibrahim Pasha took the city by assault in May, 1832,
and in the name of the sultan the combined fleets of Austria and
England retook it November 3, 1840.

96 BTBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

ber of the priesthood. He was seated, cudgel in hand,
giving out various orders to a company of forty spirited
Arab boys. The clamor of the lads and the still more
powerful voice of the teacher were almost deafening.
Mr. King begged leave to address a few words to the
school, which was granted. He spoke to them briefly
on the value of the Bible, which was the word of God,
saying that all Christian children ought to read it ; that
all would be judged by it, and therefore ought to regu-
late their lives by it; that all persons were bound to love
in their hearts our Lord Jesus Christ as our Saviour,
and so on. They looked around upon one another at
this strange talk from strange lips; some smiled, but
others listened thoughtfully. The consular dragoman
who accompanied us, as well as the teacher, evidently
did not relish the remarks, and we stayed but a short
time.

From the school we stepped into the adjoining church
and into the chamber of the priests. Here we found
three of the inmates sitting in company with three or
four of the common people. Mr. King began to speak
to them about the Arabic Bible which had been lately
printed by benevolent Christian people in Europe and
sent to the people of this country for their benefit. He
spoke also of the difference there is in the sight of God
between that part of religion which was seen in outward
worship and that which was unseen in the heart. One
of the priests offered a few replies approvingly, but the
two others sat as mute and unmoved as if all that had
been said to them had been in an unknown tongue or
had relation only to affairs of the people of the moon.
One of the laymen made a sensible remark or two, and
at the close, as we retired, one of the mute priests, to

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 97

show that we did not depart under his curse or displeas-
ure, followed us to the door, and with special courtesy
sprinkled us with rose-water.

In the evening of the Sabbath which we spent here
we made a call in company with Mr. M. on the Aus-
trian consul. Conversation turned on some of the doc-
trines of religion. A Muslim, one of the attendants of
the consul, began to find fault with our doctrine of the
Trinity. Mr. King of course stood up in its defence,
showing by various illustrations that though we could
not comprehend it or explain it fully, yet it could not
be called an absurdity. The discussion became consid-
erably extended and earnest, though in the utmost good
nature. The consul, though a Romanist, was in rapt
attention, but Mr. M. rose, saying our call was getting
to be too much prolonged. "Oh no, sir," exclaimed
the consul. " Do not break off this subject ; it is ex-
ceedingly interesting." But as we were with Mr. M.
in the relation of guests, we considered it impolite for
us to trespass farther on his patience, and so, following
his move, we took our leave.

The next day we arrived at Nazareth and found a
lodging-place in the Romish convent. Probably we
were the last of our class of men that enjoyed such a
privilege. Orders were even at that time on their way
from Rome requiring the monks to exclude from their
hospitality all men employed in Bible distribution.

We found in this spacious establishment only six in-
mates, where in flourishing times they had had twenty.
Ali Bey in 1807 reports them to have been thirteen, of
whom nine were Spaniards. In the time of Burckhardt
(1812) they were eleven. There was a long suite of
rooms on each side of the convent gallery entirely empty,

9

98

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

and for the most part of the time apparently quite use-
less. In one room of the building there was a small
school, taught by a sprightly young native who had
been educated in Rome and who conversed with us flu-
ently in Italian.

One of the monks conducted us round to see the in-

NAZARETH.

teresting objects afforded by the convent — the paintings,
the tapestry, and particularly the rich priestly robes,
adorned with gold and silver, nicely packed away in
several ample chests. As he entertained us the while
with conversation in Italian he complained that the
establishment had been left to languish very much dur-
ing these latter years. France particularly had failed
to send her usual remittances. Spain had been wanting,
too, as it appeared, since her nine monks of 1807 had

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 99

nearly or quite all disappeared, and if it had not been
for Portugal they might have been obliged to abandon
the convent altogether, " but Portugal," said he, " non
manca maV^ (never fails).

He showed us the room under the chapel where lived
the blessed virgin, and the rocky wall blackened by the
smoke of her kitchen fire. Just at the entrance into
this room we observed the fragment of a column two or
three feet long in a hanging position, being fastened at
the top by mason work into the floor of the chapel above
it; another corresponding fragment was fixed in the
ground below, as if once they had been united, forming
but one solid pillar. Two different traditions were
handed down respecting this mysterious phenomenon.
One was that the rude Saracens, when they conquered
the country, wantonly broke the column, and God by a
miracle held the upper part of it suspended thus in the
air; the other explanation was that when the angel
came to announce the glad news to Mary he stood be-
hind this pillar, and his voice shivering the centre of it
into fragments these two parts were left in their present
situation, and when this convent was built the upper
piece of the column was found still hanging in mid-air
and the floor of the chapel had to be built around it as
we saw it. But the monk, probably believing us to be
Protestants and ready to make objections, anticipated us
by saying, " For myself, I do not fully believe that this
was all one column, for you see the upper piece is gran-
ite and the lower one is marble."

We were conducted out to the traditional hill from the
brow of which the Nazarenes would have thrown Jesus
down. It was a fourth of a mile distant from the presen !:
village. Mr. Jowett seems to give credit to this tradi-

100 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

tion. Other travelers, however, are pointed to a differ-
ent locality.

Concerning this murderous attempt upon the life of
Jesus a most extraordinary account is given in a large
Latin book which we found in one of our rooms in the
convent. It was a book composed expressly to be a
guide to pilgrims visiting the '^holy places," and printed
probably at Rome. Under the head '^ Nazareth" was
found this entertaining narrative, in which all devout
Catholics who never had a Bible would be vastly inter-
ested :

" The populace of this village being enraged at a cer-
tain speech that Jesus made to them, seized him, dragged
him to a neighboring precipice and threw him down
headlong. He fell upon a rock. The rock melted at
his touch and received him into its soft bosom, from
which he rose unharmed and went his way, leaving be-
hind him the exact form of his body and the folds of
his dress as if they had been skilfully wrought in the
rock by the graver's tool." *

The last place of importance which we passed was
Nablus. This is, as the Arabs call the place, a corrup-
tion of Neapolis (new city.) Epiphanius changes Nablus
into Anablatha, as Ramah is changed into Aramathea.
Josephus calls the city both Neapolis and Sichem. It
was one of the chief cities of ancient Samaria, the ruins

* The hill or mountain of Nazareth is an eminence of many miles
in extent, coming down from the north-east and terminating rocky
and precipitous, overlooking the plain of Jezreel, a little south-west
of this village. The present site of Nazareth is probably the same
that it always was, not upon the toj?, but upon the eastern slope of
this mountain range, some little distance above its foot, where is
found the fountain which gave the town its life doubtless from the
very first.

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 101

of whose capital are still visible a few miles off. If
Sichern is the same place as Sychar, as many suppose,
then Nablus was the place of residence of the woman
whom Jesus met at the well of Jacob.

This city is the religious capital of the Samaritan
nation. We made a call on their high-priest Salami.
He was a man of a demeanor rather venerable, of the
age, as he said, of forty years, and the only legitimate
priest of God in all Palestine or perhaps in the world.
He was of the sons of Aaron, and had regularly suc-
ceeded his great ancestor in the priesthood, and his only
son, who was present before us, was to succeed him, for
the line could never run out nor be broken. There
were about sixty families of his nation in the city who
worshiped in his synagogue. But in other parts of the
world there were nations of Samaritans, especially the
native Indians of America. Mr. King told him the
native Indians were savages; they had no books and
no learning. That^ he said, was a lie, for they had both.
Jesus, he said, was the first of infidels, because he called
himself the Son of God ; however, as his works were
good, Samaritans did not think it right to curse him.
As to the interview between Jesus and the woman at
the well, all that was true about it was that Jesus made
some simple inquiries about the well, and the woman
informed him that it was the well of our father Jacob;
all the rest of the story that is told in the gospel of the
Christians was a lie. The Samaritans offer the sacrifice
of a lamb once a year, but not on the mountain, for fear
of the Mohammedans. (Dr. Robinson understood seven
lambs on the mountain.) This sacrifice, however, he
said, is not for sin, but merely as a memorial of former
things : men were not saved by sacrifices nor by a me-

102 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

diator ; those who had sinned must repent, but for those
who, like himself, had never sinned, not even this was
necessary. On being pressed a little, however, on this
])oint of sinlessness, he seemed to allow the possibility
that he might have some particle of sin attached to him,
but (putting the nails of his thumb and finger together
as if he were pinching a pin's head) he intimated it to
be quite an unappreciable quantity; he had always
loved God with all his heart and his neighbor as
himself !

Mr. King reminded him of the great promises of
prosperity made to God's people in case of their obedi-
ence, and of the curses that should come upon them if
they rebelled, and then told him that the low state of
the Samaritan nation was owing to the rejection by his
people of the great Prophet, the Messiah, the Lord
Jesus Christ.

He admitted that the nation exhibited the appearance
of being under a curse, and that their present scattered
and depressed condition was from the hand of God, but
that Jesus Christ had anything to do with it, that was
all a lie.

When Mr. King proposed that we should visit his
synagogue and look at the ancient copy of the Penta-
teuch which he possessed in the Hebrew language, he
hesitated, as if in doubt whether to consent or not, made
some frivolous excuses, and finally he could not find
the key.

Mr. King said humorously to the rabbi, " I can tell
you where the key of your synagogue is : it is in my
purse.'' The rabbi took the hint and joined in the
laugh. The key being now discovered, he led the way
to the holy place, brought out the sacred manuscript

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 103

and suffered Mr. King to take it into his own hands to
read it — a liberty which Mr. Fisk, when there, was not
allowed to assume. The book was found to contain the
ten commandments in Exodus just as we have them
from the Jews, but a supernumerary one is added at the
close, in these words: "Thou shalt make to thee an
altar of stones on Mount Gerizim."

Wishing to visit the ruins of the ancient Samaria, we
sent a request to the governor for one of his soldiers to
go with us as a guard. Word came back that the soldier
should be ready, but meantime the governor would be
glad to see us at his quarters. We went accordingly
and were well received. The governor, finding that Mr.
King spoke easily in Arabic, made considerable con-
versation. He said,

" I hear that you have no pictures in your churches ;
is it so ?"

" It is," answered Mr. King. '' Our holy book for-
bids the worshiping of images and pictures. It says,
* Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or
any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or
that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under
the earth : thou shalt not bow down thyself to them,
nor serve them.' We may have pictures in our houses
for ornament, but never for worship."

" That," said the governor, " is a very different thing
from having them in the churches. Do you believe
Christ to be God ?"

" We believe that there is but one God, existing as
Father, Son and Holy Ghost. This distinction I cannot
explain. We do not believe that there are three Gods,
neither do we believe that Christ is the Son of God as a
son is the child of an earthly father. We believe that

104 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

God gave him the Spirit without measure, that God was
with him, and that they are one/^

The governor listened calmly without any mark of
disapprobation, but some of the Turks around him ex-
claimed, ^' Istogfr Allah ! Istogfr Allah !" (God forbid !)

During the dialogue a collection of people assembled
about the door, some of whom came within. Perhaps
there were fifty men crowded together to gaze and
listen. Before them all Mr. King declared the message
of the gospel — that all men are by nature sinners and as
such are liable to punishment, that Christ as the Son of
man died to redeem us, and that there is no salvation
but by his blood.

We left Yoosef, our dragoman, to give the necessary
presents to the governor's attendants, who, as he after-
ward told us, set upon him rudely to get his money, but
the governor himself, to the last, showed all politeness,
and sent us a request that we would favor him with
another interview.

Samaria, now called Sebaste, we found to have occupied
a hemispherical eminence quite isolated from other hills
that surrounded it. The foundations of its wall of defence
were still plain to be seen. One long row of standing
columns remained on the southern slope of the hill, with
others elsewhere standing or lying separately ; the walls
of one large building were seen having yet a height of
some twenty feet. The remains of an old aqueduct were
found in the valley below, with a small stream of water
still traversing the broken pipes. A low hut, half under
ground, contained all the specimens we saw of humanity
in this once strong capital of the idolatrous Israelites.
We left with them a copy of the New Testament, which,
though none of them could read it, niiglit stimulate

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 105

them to learn, or which some friend might be found to
read to them.

The second day from Nablus brought us to the holy
city. As we approached the heart beat high with ex-
pectation. The summit of the Mount of Olives began
at length to show itself above the surrounding hills, and
suddenly the eye caught the broad, green dome of the
Mosque of Omar brooding proudly and profanely over
the hallowed spot where once rested the ark of God's
covenant and his mercy-seat. Then were observed the
lesser objects of interest — the mass of the city buildings,
the mosques with their high and slender minarets or
towers, the broad-walled Christian churches and convents
and the perfectly irregular jumble of little domes and
terraces of private dwellings. The hojila of travelers
moved rapidly on. We could not be permitted to halt
as we would and enjoy for a few moments the rush of
thought and emotion produced by this thrilling sight,
but we deeply sympathized with the royal poet when he
said, " I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go
unto the house of the Lord : our feet shall stand within
thy gates, O Jerusalem.''

We entered the city with the rest of our little caravan
at the western or Jaffa gate and proceeded directly to
the Greek convent of St. Michael, where we found our
brother Mr. Fisk and associate in good health, and
where the friendly superior was very ready to supply
us with lodgings.

Mr. King in a few days left us, expecting to be obliged
to visit Damascus in order to obtain a competent in-
structor in the Arabic language, but on arriving at Jaffa
he met with such a man as he wished, and concluded to
remain in that city till spring.

CHAPTER VI.

Preaching at Jerusalem — Papas E-sa — Deacon Cesar — Sale of Scrip-
tures— Bible men arrested — Omar Effendi — Congratulations at our
release — Arrival of the Jaffa consul's son^Visit to the governor
and the mooUah — Our rooms opened — Rapid sale of Testaments.

MR. FISK had already begun to preach sermons
occasionally at his room in the Greek language
as well as in the Italian. His audience consisted of six
or eight natives at most, but, considering the peculiar
state of society in Jerusalem, this number was perhaps
as large as could be reasonably expected. On account
of the strong sectarian zeal that prevailed in the city
every man was well marked and guarded by some
spiritual watchman or overseer. This oversight was not
as jealous and strict among the Greeks as among some
of the other sects, since their depressed circumstances at
this time made it a matter of interest to them to culti-
vate the good- will of the Protestants, to whom they let
their convents. Two men of the Greek denomination,
men of considerable importance, were always present at
the preaching of Mr. Fisk, one a priest, the other a
deacon. Papas E-sa Petros (priest Jesus Peter) was a
native of the country and a man of more learning, prob-
ably, than any other Christian in Jerusalem. He spoke
fluently four or five diiferent languages, and could read
more or less easily about fifteen. He read and spoke
well the French language, and had evidently borrowed
many of his ideas, both political and religious, from the

lOti

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 107

French. He often inquired particularly about the
creed and customs of Protestants, and said freely that
the English and American churches were more like the
primitive Christians than any other churches on earth.
He was employed extensively by Messrs. Wolft", Jowett
and Fisk as a translator of books and tracts into Arabic,
and in this department his services were invaluable.

Deacon Cesar, of whom mention is made in the jour-
nals of Mr. Parsons, was connected with the principal
Greek convent in the city. He was a young man of un-
common promise, comely in person, easy and modest in
manners and of an active, inquiring mind, yet strongly
attached to the superstitions in which he had been edu-
cated. He came and requested Mr. Fisk to teach him
Italian, proposing, in return, to assist him in his Arabic.
They two, in consequence, spent a part of almost every
day together reading the Scriptures and conversing
freely about the doctrines of religion. It was believed
that he had begun to understand and practically to feel
the difference between real and mere nominal Chris-
tianity.

As the pilgrims were beginning to collect at Jerusa-
lem from various parts of the country, our work of book
and tract distribution assumed a considerable degree of
importance. One day our young man Yoosef went out
with his books and in two or three hours^ time returned,
bringing us five or six dollars for the books he had sold.
Still more books had been asked for, and he went out
the next day with about the same success.

It appears that tidings of these things came to the
ears of certain of the chief priests and scribes which
dwelt in Jerusalem, and they doubted of them where-
unto this would grow. If they should let it thus alone

108 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

all Jerusalem might perad venture be filled with the
apostles' doctrine, and the English heretics would come
and take away both their place and nation. They
therefi^re took counsel together what they might do to
stop these proceedings. Their plan was quickly matured
and its execution begun. At about one o'clock in the
day, as Mr. Fisk and myself were occupied in our dif-
ferent rooms with our teachers, Moosa Beg, the governor's
sheriff, with half a dozen attendants, made his appear-
ance in our part of the convent, and after considerable
delay, during which he maintained an ominous silence
as to the object of his visit and kept up a continual in-
terchange of messages with the Latin convent, he ordered
us to accompany him before the authorities of the city.

First he brought us before the moollah or judge. He
was occupying his judgment-seat, with two or three as-
sistant judges or scribes at his side and with many sur-
rounding attendants. He spoke to our young drago-
man, saying, " Demand of these men who they are and
why they assume the liberty of wearing the white
turban.''

Mr. Fisk replied, "We are English (under English
protection), and all Englishmen wear the white turban."

"That is false," said he, and waving his finger
threateningly, he added, "you can't do that without a
firman."

" Behold the firman !" said Mr. Fisk, pulling it from
his bosom.

The judge took the document, cast a hasty glance
over it, and, immediately changing his tone, requested
us to be seated. " But," said he, still holding the paper
in his hand, " this is a traveling firman ; it gives you no
license to be trading in books. Why do you take the

BIBLE WOBK IN BIBLE LANDS. 109

liberty to be scattering about such things as these (hold-
ing up one of our books), which are neither Christian
books, nor Mohammedan, nor Jewish, which contain
fabulous stories that are profitable for nobody and which
nobody of sense will read V^ Saying this, he cast the
book contemptuously upon the floor.

Mr. Fisk assured him that the books we sold were
the Law, the Psalms of David and the Gospels, the
same books which Christians in all ages have received
and acknowledged as their holy Scriptures, and to sat-
isfy himself of the truth of this statement his Honor
need do nothing more than just to send^and liave brought
to him the Christian Scriptures from any of the convents
of the city and let the comparison be made before him.
He was not, however, disposed to take this trouble, but
contented himself with saying, " The Latins say these are
not Christian boohsJ^ Accordingly, as if this testimony
had decided the case, he gave in Turkish, as our drago-
man afterwards interpreted it to us, the following order
to Moosa Beg :

" Take these men to the governor, and with my com-
pliments tell him to put tliem in confinement and send
them neither pipes nor coifee nor anything else for their
comfort."

But notwithstanding this charge, the governor received
us with much more decency than the moollah, first al-
lowing us to be seated and then inquiring after our na-
tionality and demanding our firman. We went through
with much the same examination here as before the
judge, the governor remarking, as the judge had done,
that the Latins had declared that our books were not
Christian books. While the process of examination was
going on, the sheriff^ who ^yas sitting by, proposed to

10

110 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

his Excellency to have the sale of the books prohibited,
and then immediately called a crier^ and handing hira
one of our books ordered him to go to the Armenian
convent and proclaim that all books of this sort were
prohibited. The man went forth, and, as it afterwards
appeared, gave orders not only that these books should
not be bought nor sold, but also that all those that had
been bought should be given up.

The governor, finding that we were under English
protection and carried with us a regular firman from
Constantinople, was not disposed to send us to the com-
mon prison, but gave command that we be taken to the
Latin convent and held in custody till a decision on our
case could come from the pasha of Damascus. Our ene-
mies at the Latin convent, it was thought, would take
excellent care that we should not escape. But being
met on our'way to the convent by a messenger who said
they refused us admittance at the convent, our guard
took us for the moment to our own rooms. Here we
found men busily occupied in taking an inventory of all
our effects, searching closets and chests and making a
memorandum of everything, as if the proprietors were
defunct and all was to be immediately sold for the benefit
of the creditors. It was but a short time before we were
remanded back to the governor's, where, we were told,
we must spend the night. Our quarters were in a large,
dark basement room occupied by the governor's guards.
These men, having finished their work for the day, were
busying themselves, some in preparing coffee and food
for their supper, others in smoking their pipes or play-
ing chess, bestowing on us not the slightest attention.
The night shut in ; the cold wind blew through the open
grated windows, the little flickering lamp scarcely pre-

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. Ill

vailed against, the darkness, and as we sat upon the bare
stone floor and gazed upon the surrounding objects, the
guards and the smoked walls profusely hung round with
guns, cutlasses and similar instruments of death, we felt
that we were at least within one step of a felon's prison.

About ten in the evening our young dragoman, whom
we still kept with us, was sent for by the governor to
come up to his audience-room. As he went in he found
tliere, as he informed us, Omar Effendi, a man of great
influence in Jerusalem, being the head of the clan of the
green turbaUy who claim to be the lineal descendants of
the prophet. He had been acquainted with Mr. Fisk and
other Englishmen, having received their calls and wel-
comed them with politeness. The Eifendi, Yoosef said,
advised the governor to use cautious measures lest sever-
ity should cause unpleasant consequences. In reply the
governor, as if to palliate his conduct hitherto, inveighed
against the books as being mischievous because they
presumed to call "Saidna Esa" (our Lord Jesus) the
Son of God, whereas he was the slave of God (Abd Allah).
He said he did not find the men guilty of any high mis-
demeanor, but that their enemies had given currency to
evil reports. Yoosef was told, therefore, to go down to
us and say that we should not be retained in confine-
ment, and that to-morrow all would be amicably settled,
but possibly we might, after being dismissed, be required
to take lodgings in some other convent.

We presented ourselves once more in the reception-
room. The governor's manner was visibly softened.
He begged us to be seated and ordered coffee for our
refreshment. A few inquiries followed similar to those
of the afternoon, and of course the same answers were
repeated. In regard to Muslims' taking our books Mr.

112 BIBLE WOUK IN BIBLE LANDS.

risk explained, saying that when they came and wanted
them we did not refuse them, but that we always let
them know that they were Christian books and intended
especially for circulation among Christians. The gov-
ernor then made apologies and assigned us a chamber
for the night with his nephew, Ho-sein Beg. The
young man treated us with all possible honor and made
apologies till they became quite tiresome.

In the morning Ho-sein was seen in his bed-room ad-
joining performing devotions with his door wide open,
kneeling and standing by turns, often on his knees bend-
ing forward with his forehead on the floor, muttering
w^ords in a low tone, and sometimes fliintly chanting.
His prayers must have cost him half an hour's time,
while the governor's brother, who slept near us, des-
patched his in five minutes.* The governor provided
us with a warm breakfast of bread and eggs, but the
keys of our rooms were not given us. Ho-sein Beg had
assumed a studied reserve, and the governor was inacces-
sible, being thronged with company the whole forenoon.
After long hours of suspense and after a great deal of
palaver, we rightly guessed they were playing their card
for what they call a baksheesh, for wdiether guilty or in-
nocent, an accused man w^as expected to pay his present.
But we had had more done for us than usual. AYe had
not only been accused, but a governor's guard had re-
ceived us at our very door and marched us back and

* Perhaps the beg's devotions may have received an inspiration from
the circumstance that his window opened directly upon the court
of the sacred Mosque of Omar, and that that venerated temple was
scarcely a stone's throw distant, and also from another circumstance
which he had mentioned to us the evening before, viz., that this was
the same house in which our Lord Esa (Jesus) was tried and con-
demned.

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 113

forth in dignified procession through the crowded streets,
and, after admitting us to a public examination, had
lodged us under the very roof of the chief magistrate of
the city. A native could not have received such honor
without full pay. The man must pay when his irons
are put on, and pay when they are taken off. But we
did not see the matter just in that light. What honor
we had received we did not seek and would not pay
for.

To conclude, two or three men went with us to our
rooms, two of which they unlocked for us, and two
others — one of them being our large depot of scriptures
— they left locked, and put on the government seal. This
sealing, however, they said, was to be for a few days only,
and simply to please the moollah. After this they took
their seats, as if they were waiting to receive something,
but they were plainly told they could expect nothing so
long as our doors were closed.

Thus ended our first skirmish with the united forces
of the beast and the false prophet. They had imagined
a vain thing, and He that sitteth in the heavens had
them in derision. It was only a skirmish, but its issue
was a good omen of future victory whenever the de-
cisive battle should come.

Those few natives who had been our friends came
forth on this occasion with manifestations of sympathy
and courage. Even while we were yet in custody our
lad Constantine, whom, for his own benefit chiefly, Mr.
risk had given some little employment, had come, not-
withstanding his excessive natural timidity, urging his
way through the crowd and the military array around
the palace, to discover what was about to be done to us.
Georgis, a papist, came at the same time, proffering his

10*

114 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

service, and saying he was ready, if we wished, to go
right off to Jaffa and inform the consul of our case.
Deacon Cesar, the young Greek pupil of Mr. Fisk,
wrote him a line, as follows :

" Your absence, my dear master, brings to my soul
much affliction and melancholy, and as I cannot come
personally to see you, according to my wish, I pray you,
from a distance, be of good courage and fear not, for
God is with you and will soon deliver you from the
hands of your enemies. Much salutation to Mr. Bird.
^' Your afflicted pupil, Cesar.

"P.S. — Kemember the saying of the apostle: ^All that
will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.' '^

After our liberation came Papas Esa to call on us.
In a solemn and feeling manner he began, saying,
"I have slept not a wink all night. I could not
imagine why honest men, sitting peacefully in their
house, should be seized and carried off in such a man-
ner, like criminals, and I thought of nothing but that
war might have broken out between England and
Turkey. My little boy, in the night, began to speak
of you and to ask where you could now say your
prayers. I said, ^My son, you must pray for them,'
and he immediately rose from his couch and prayed.''

After this came in the good Deacon Cesar, and in a
half ecstasy of joy seized and squeezed our hands for
some time, saying, " You suffer for the love of Christ ;
our hearts have been with you. Nothing since the death
of Procopius has produced such a sensation in our con-
vent, for we are sure that you are spending your lives
for our good." Esa, a blunt, frank-hearted Catholic

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 115

carpenter, entered tlie room, and first of all, looking up-
ward, he exclaimed, " Nishkur Allah ! nislikhur Allah !
(thank God !) my wife and children and myself have
been praying to Jesus for you all night and have had
no sleep ; thank God, you are safe again !'' Then
coming up and kissing our hands, he repeated, time
after time, " Nishkur Allah !'^ The Syrian priest Isaac,
also, who had previously brought from his patriarch in
Mesopotamia a letter of introduction to Mr. Fisk, called
to offer his congratulations, and the venerable Greek
metropolitans, who seldom made calls, sent their ex-
pressions of joy at our safety, accompanied by a substan-
tial present, such as Melchizedec brought to Abraham.

In all this demonstration of regard some allowance,
no doubt, was due to Eastern hyperbole and compli-
ment, but, as a whole, it was made with an air of truth
and sincerity which we could not but respect.

We were sorry to learn that in this annoying bluster
of "pope and pagan" united the poor Jews had to
suffer with us. No mischief could be stirring but a
part of it must light on their shoulders. At the same
time that we were arrested the governor sent also to the
college, as it was called, of the Polish Jews, and turned
out all that were in it, listening to no remonstrance, and
sealed up the doors. The plea was, " You have Eng-
lish books here.'' The doors remained closed, of course,
till they were opened by the silver key that fits all locks
and breaks all seals in Turkey.

In the evening of the day of our liberation we pre-
pared statements of what had happened for the use of
our friends and for the consuls at Jaffa and Beirut.
Next day we called on Omar Effendi, who assured us
of his sympathy, protested by the prophet and by his

116 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LAKDS.

faith that he knew nothing of our case till the evening
of our detention, when he immediately called on his
Excellency the mutsellim to inquire into it, and as soon
as he understood the matter he told his Excellency that
it would not do to treat Englishmen so. The books he
knew to be Christian books, for he had copies of them
presented him two or three years ago. We informed
him that some of our papers had been taken to the
governor and not restored. He promised to see to it.

Next day a servant of the effendi called, bringing us
several j^apers which he had obtained at the palace,
among which were two documents that had been en-
trusted to our care, directed to the reverendissimo of the
convents of the Terra Santa, whose arrival at Jerusalem
was daily expected. The same day a Jew came, and
said if we had any more Hebrew Bibles a friend of his
would be glad to purchase a quantity. Toward evening
also came an Armenian who, after assuring us of the
great grief their convent had experienced on our behalf,
proposed to purchase seven or eight Armenian Bibles.
But our books were under lock and seal, and no crier
had yet appeared to countermand the proclamation
against their sale.

Our notice sent to Mr. Damiani, consul at Jaifa,
brought us his son Yoosef, bearing his father's consular
firman. AYe attended him at once on a visit to the
governor. Mr. Damiani handed him his father's con-
sular credentials, the khut esh shereef of the sultan.
His Excellency, as was due from a servant of the sul-
tan, rose at once from his sitting posture, unrolled the
large sheet, put it reverently to his forehead as an ac-
knowledgment of its authority, then resuming his seat
and glancing his eye over the document, he commenced

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 117

again to make his apologies to tlic young consul. He
protested that it was an affair of the moollah, wlio sent
these two men unto him to be put in prison and in
chains. But he would not do it, and appealed to us to
say if he had not treated us well.

The judge, when we called with the consul, was a lit-
tle more civil than before, furnishing sweetmeats, pipes
and coffee, as to other decent people. But he still car-
ried a high look and spoke in a haughty tone. The
sultan's khut shereef did not raise him from his seat nor
receive his kiss of homage. After casting his eye over
it he began to say that when the complaint was first
brought to him it appeared that the books in question
were being sold in the markets to Muslims as well as
Christians, and that the books were bad books. But he
had now to say that the books and all things taken from
us should be restored and the sealed doors opened, but on
condition that we should sell no books to Muslims, for
they contained things that would make Muslims angry.
He then took up the Book of Genesis and began read-
ing aloud, as if to give us a specimen of how it would
enrage Muslims. When he came to " the Spirit of God
moved upon the face of the waters,'' he a second time
tossed the book upon the floor, saying, " That is infidel-
ity," as if it must not be said of God that he moves.
After this he softened down, gave us all of our books
that were in his possession and sent a man to go with us
and open our rooms.

Immediately after the opening of our depository
Yoosef again commenced his book operations, and in
four days brought us about fifty dollars from the sale of
one hundred and ninety copies of the New Testament,
chiefly among the Armenian pilgrims.

CHAPTER VII.

Visit to Bethlehem and Hebron — Cave of Machpelah — Jews — Sheikh
Mohammed — Frank Mountain — Cave of David and Saul —
Governor of Jerusalem removed — At Jaffa — Beirut.

WHILE Mr. Damiani was with us we thought it a
favorable opportunity to visit with him Hebron,
the ancient city of Abraham. Our way was through
Bethlehem. As we came near the walls of that place
there was plainly a great fermentation going on within
them. Men, women and children were seen staring

BETHLEHEM.

from every terrace, window and loophole of their
houses, not knowing but our little cavalcade might be
a band of officers sent on some threatening embassy
for their annoyance. They could not have feared

118

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 119

from our number that we were approaching with any-
such order as that of Herod against their young chil-
dren, but tlie miseries of a military siege which they
had lately passed through were fresh in their memory,
and the white turban coupled with arms which Mr.
Damiaui and some others carried were objects of their
execration and dread. Those who were near at hand
were soon relieved from whatever panic they might have
felt, and some of them gayly fell in with our train and
made part of our escort to the convent of the Nativity.
As we came near the convent, however, there issued
from it in threatening array a force of twelve or fifteen
armed guards. They hailed us tumultuously, wishing
to know our character, whether friends or foes, and
were answered by their own people, " Inglees, Inglees.^'
They then, though rather timidly, unbarred the gates.
The Greeks in their part of the convent (for the Latins
shared with them in the great building) received us
gladly, and Mr. Fisk enjoyed with them some enter-
taining conversation in their own language. In speak-
ing of their broken state of society Mr. Fisk asked,

"Have you no judge residing in your village to de-
cide your causes ?''

" No," said they, " none except the ' unjust judge J "
" How, then, do you get your difficulties settled ?"
" By brute force — by stones and clubs and daggers."
We saw the place where some suppose the infant Jesus
was born, and in immediate connection with it the
grotto where St. Jerome dwelt many years and wrote
many books.

On the following morning, near Bethlehem, we passed
three large pools or reservoirs for water, having walls of
mason work, and so placed that the water, after filling

120 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

tlie upper one, miglit descend successively into the two
others. They are called " Solomon's pools." Perhaps
Solomon alludes to these, Eccl. ii. 6.

We must have passed through or near the Plain of
Mamre, and, without having perceived a single village or
habitable dwelling, we came to the narrow, stony, muddy
streets of Hebron. For three hours the rain had been
drenching us, and we entered the city traversing the
bed of a running brook which was at the same time the
main street of the town. The German Jews were the
first friends who received us. The house we entered
was intolerably filthy, and the people who came flock-
ing in around us corresponded sadly in this respect with
the habitation. It was difficult, from their ignorance of
Arabic, to hold intelligible conversation with them, but
one of their number understood a little French, and
with him Mr. Fisk made shift to get on tolerably well.
Two fine-looking lads particularly attracted our atten-
tion. They were of the age of ten or twelve years, and
must, we thought, be the sons of some rich Jewish rabbi.
We found, on inquiry, that they had made advances far
beyond ordinary boyhood ; they were not even bachelors,
but both married men.

Among the number present were a few of the Sefartim
or Spanish Jews, who are proverbially of neater habits
than these Germans, who are called by the distinctive
name of Ashkenazim Jews. These Spaniards must
have been conscious that we were uncomfortably situ-
ated, and invited us to better quarters, where we had
good reason to be satisfied.

The evening wore away without eliciting anything
important of a religious nature. No man of informa-
tion appeared among them to enlighten or entertain us,

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

121

and we were too much exhausted to provoke much con-
versation.

Late in the evening a sudden bustle was created in our
little company, some saying, " Kise ! rise ! here comes the
sheikh V^ They generally obeyed the summons, but for
ourselves, suspecting what was probably his errand, we
did not feel like hailing his arrival with any pretended
joy or respect. We were barely civil to the man, and

MODERN HEBRON.

as for the family, it was hardly five minutes before every
one of them had disappeared, and the brawny-limbed
Sheikh Mohammed was left sitting in the midst. He
inquired whether we had brought any letter from the
governor of Jerusalem, and some other questions which
Mr. Fisk answered after their tenor, and when he had
counted his beads and whisked them about his hand
sufficiently, and sipped his coflec which our Yoosef pre-
pared for him, he ratlier coolly depai'tcd.
11

122 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

Early in the morning, though the rain was still fall-
ing, we went out to the farther limit of the city to see
the Mosque of Abraham, supposed to be built over the
cave of Machpelah. The doors were not open to
strangers. As we stepped into the open court there
came forth a gruff voice from a little distance, indicating
that our advance would be contested, and we withdrew,
hoping and believing that the time would come when
all who are Israel as well as all who are 0/ Israel shall
here be permitted, if they wish, to behold with their
own eyes the body, embalmed and preserved, of their
venerated forefather of long ages past.

Keturning toward our lodgings, whom should we
meet but our old friend Sheikh Mohammed, walking
out to look after our welfare. He passed a hasty saluta-
tion, and then, turning on his heel, marched on before
us upon the narrow sidewalk, as if to be our escort
homeward. But our path happened not to lead that
way. We were going to visit another locality which
took us away by a side alley, and so our unsuspecting
escort was left to proceed like a locomotive broken loose
from its train. The Jew who was our conductor was
afraid of consequences, but Mr. Fisk pushed him on.
We were led to the supposed tomb of Abner, the son of
Ner, whom Joab slew, then to the cistern of David, to
the sepulchre of Jesse his father, to the monument of
witness between Ephron and Abraham, to the wells of
Isaac and Jacob, etc.

Having finished our survey ^ve gave orders to Yoosef
to have our horses immediately got in readiness for re-
turning to Bethlehem. Entering our lodging-place w^e
found the inevitable Sheikh Mohammed duly arrived
and patiently waiting. He had had his pipe and coffee

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 123

once, and perhaps again, and when we came in was
amusing himself by turning over the leaves of an Arabic
Psalter which we had left on our carpet, though an in-
telligent Jew of the family told us he was unable to
read a syllable. Scarcely were we seated when it was
told us by some one that his sheikhship was expecting a
present. The sheikh had offered to send his son to
point out to us the place where it was said Abraham
entertained the angels, and Mr. Fisk was quite willing
to give him something under the name of compensation,
but nothing that should wear the appearance of a govern-
ment exaction. He handed him, therefore, a Spanish
dollar. The haughty lord tossed it back in disdain and
went muttering from the room. The Jews were agi-
tated, as if the sheikh might in some way make them
answer for our delinquency. Mr. Fisk meanwhile
picked up his dollar and went on adjusting his baggage
as if nothing had happened. But his sheikhship did not
mean to let even a dollar slip through his hands when it
could be secured so easily, so he soon reappeared and
took his seat in a chair that happened to be found in
the room, and began to say that all Euroj^eans, when
they visited Hebron, paid the sum of two hundred
piastres. Mr. Fisk immediately replied that he knew
better, and then handed him the pasha's buyordi^ or
passport, to look at, securing the bearer fi'om all de-
mands or annoyances whatever from the local rulers,
whether in Hebron or anywhere else. The man, if he
could not read, could at least recognize the seal of the
pasha, and as he returned the paper he remarked that
he cared little about receiving anything, but to be
offered a single dollar he took to be an indignity. We
were at liberty, he said, to go when and where we

124 BIBLE WORK IX BIBLE LANDS.

pleased, and if we had need of horses or guards he
would readily furnish them. Mr. Fisk handed him a
gold piece worth a trifle more than a dollar, and he
condescended to accept of it.

Our animals were not yet at the door, and just at this
juncture a messenger came from another sheikh, calling
himself Abd-er-Rahhman, who wished to do himself the
honor of calling upon us (/. e., of receiving his share of
tlie " 200"). Our answer was returned to him that we
could not wait, and immediately we took up our pack-
ages and left the house. As we threaded our way to-
ward the stables the Jew who guided us turned and said,
" There comes a soldier from the sheikh. We must go
back." Mr. Fisk 2:>ut his hand firmly on his shoulder
and pushed him along before him. We were soon
mounted, and Mr. Fisk started to pass from the yard
into the open street; but suddenly a man caught his
animal by the bits. Yoosef saw it and was there in
a moment, and there was something of a struggle be-
tween them. Other men were moving about the yard,
and we feared a wrangle and perhaps a mob; but
Yoosef seemed to understand the matter and soon set
all right, and catching up his white turban, which had
been knocked off, and twisting it rapidly about his
head, he straddled his animal and set us all off with an
impulse.

Sheikh Abd-er-Rahhman was left in high dudgeon.
Abd Allah, a man whom we had taken from Bethlehem,
was afraid to proceed with us, and we left him, expect-
ing to see no more of hinl till we arrived again at the
city of David. Sheikh Mohammed's man, however,
held on his way boldly. When we came near the place
of Abraham and the angels, which this man was to

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 125

show ns, Mr. Damiani and Yoosef chose to wait for us
at the road while the rest of us went aside to examine
the locality. The place shown was marked by a founda-
tion wall of some large building, probably a churcli of
Constantine or the Crusaders. The stones were large,
and we observed this peculiarity in them, that great
masses of sea shells entered into their composition.
Before we had fully satisfied our curiosity at this place
we heard the voices of our companions calling long and
loud after us. Abd Allah the Bethlehemite had arrived
from Hebron, and brought intelligence that the sheikh
who failed to see us, having come to our lodging and
found that we had escaped him, vented his rage furiously
upon poor Maallem Hai-eem, our friendly host, for not
having sooner informed him of our arrival, and declared
he would send after us a band of horsemen and take by
force that which we were bound to have given him in
courtesy. Abd Allah had fled frorji the inhospitable
city and come on as fast as his donkey could be urged
to come that he might apprise us of what had occurred.
Our consular friend looked very fierce, drew forth his
long blade, examined its edge, brandished it high in air,
as if to prove the strength of his arm, or to show the
company how much he could do for them, ^' come to
case in hand." But the case did not come, and in the
good providence of God we reached Bethlehem in safety
without the taking or the losing of any blood.

Next day we visited Frank Mountain and the re-
puted cave of David, where he cut off the skirt of Saul's
robe. 1 Sam. xxiv. 4. Both these places are situated in
a south-east direction from Bethlehem at the distance of
three or four miles. The former is a steep, isolated hill,
in form like a sugar loaf, and is a very attractive object
11 *

126 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

in the landscape as viewed from Olivet, and especially
from the convent of Mar Elee-as, between Jerusalem and
Betldehem. Its top, which was at the height of a few
hundred feet, was composed of gravelly earth, and was
evidently brought up to its present elevation artificially.
It presented a concave area of two hundred and seventy
paces in circumference, and from the firm wall founda-
tions that remain we may infer that it was once strongly
fortified.*

The cave that was shown us was considerably spa-
cious, being thirty-three paces by fifteen, and having
several passages leading to other apartments which
were said to be numerous and extensive, but we did not
explore them.

During this excursion to Hebron we sold sixteen
copies of the Scripture and distributed eighteen. We
also disposed of sixty religious tracts.

Some ten days passed, and we received a request from
the governor to make him a call. He had received a
communication from the pasha of Damascus, who, he
said, wished to see a copy of our firmans and a specimen
of our books. On returning to our rooms we sent
Yoosef with Mr. Fisk's firman to be copied, and also
four different books. Scripture portions, for the pasha's
examination. The governor took the books, as Yoosef

*DKtor Edward Robinson believes, from Josephus, that this was
the Acropolis of a large town called Herodmm, which was built by
Herod the Great, and whither Herod's dead body was brought from
Jericho for burial. (Josephus says : " The body was carried two
hundred furlongs to Herodium, where he had given order to be
buried.) Doctor Edward Clarke, from observing this mountain at a
distance and seeing its top to be hollow like a crater, pronounced the
mountain to be a volcano, and thought it to be situated on the borders
of the Dead Sea, thus suggesting that Sodom and Gomorrah were
overwhelmed by fire from this mountain.

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 127

informed us, and opening one of them and reading a
moment, he spit upon the book, exclaiming in their
common phrase, " Istogfr Allah."

It was scarcely two hours after this when our ears
Nvere saluted by the rapid discharges of musketry in
different parts of the city, and the roaring of cannon
from the walls and the castles. What was the announce-
ment by this sudden public demonstration ? It was no
other than that His Excellency, successor of Pontius
Pilate as governor of Jerusalem, and who spits con-
tempt upon God's holy word, is driven, like Nebuchad-
nezzar, from his office and his palace, and another man
is sent to occupy his place. The same day was also
signalized by the sale of about twenty dollars' worth of
books.

When Padre Bastiani, the new reverendissimo whom
we had been expecting, arrived at Jaffa, some one or
more of the priests in his train happened to fall in with
Mr. King in that city, and began to dispute and rail
very passionately against the Protestants, denouncing
them and their measures with a great deal of bitterness.
Mr. King, believing the reverendissimo and all his com-
pany to be of the same spirit, wrote immediately to
forewarn us of coming evil, beginning his letter with
the quotation, " The devil is come down to us, having
great wrath because he knoweth that he hath but a
short time." Some one had intimated to him that the
superior in particular was meditating violence against
him. But we at Jerusalem had become somewhat
assured, in regard to the approach of this company, by a
consular letter, just come from Beirut, in which Mr,
. A bbott says :

" I am obliged to you for the details of the occurrences

128 BIBLE WOKK IN BIBLE LANDS.

which have taken place with the governor and kadi
(judge), who seem to have got so deep into the mud
prepared for them by the Terra Santa priests that they
do not know how to get out without one or the other's
being suffocated in it.

" But the Lord will not suffer his cause to be over-
thrown by such vile means. I calculate that about this
time you will have received the buyordi (order) of the
pasha of Damascus, which I transmitted to Mr. Fisk by
express to Jaffa, and that it will have had the desired
effect of settling all matters with the governor, cadi and
other authorities quite to your satisfaction.

" With respect to the instigators of all this mischief
and scandal to Christianity (the monks), we will, with
divine assistance, devise some other means of bringing
them to their right senses.'^

But, beside this encouraging communication, we had
had by us for some weeks a sort of peace offering in the
shape of two large sealed packages of documents which
had the appearance of being of considerable value to the
reverendissimo. These, of course, we were bound to
transfer to his hands on his first arrival. They might
be a commission or instructions from the pope himself,
and we were curious to know what effect it might have
upon his spirit to see that these documents had been
faithfully kept and safely delivered to him by supposed
enemies.

Accordingly, on the first announcement of his rever-
ence being in the city, we handed the papers to Yoosef,
charging him to deliver them with our respectful saluta-
tions. When he returned he said the reverendissimo
had received him very politely, had made inquiries in
particular about the signori who sent him, and, learning

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 129

that one of them had lately been suffering from illness,
he expressed his condolence.

Wiiile in doubt in what estimation we should hold
our new neighbor the reverend is.si mo, it was with a hap})y
surprise that, almost immediately after the occurrence
above mentioned, we received another letter from
Consul Abbott, in which he says :

" It may be satisfactory and perhaps not useless that
you and Mr. Fisk should be j^ersonally acquainted with
the reverend issimo. He is just returned from examining
the state of all the dependencies of the Terra Santa in
Egypt, Tripoli, etc. We have had a good deal of com-
munication together on various subjects, and you may
well think I did not omit to acquaint him with the
occurrences that have befallen you through the machina-
tions of the members of his community at Jerusalem.
So far from attempting to discredit the fact, he related to
me many recent acts of iniquity committed by them,
deeply lamenting the unprincipled system that had
taken such deep root in the administration of the
temporal as well as spiritual interests of that establish-
ment. He has agreed to communicate with me from
Jerusalem, on this and other subjects, confidentially,
which intercourse may be of use to us."

Mr. Abbott's opinion of Father Bastiani, that his prin-
ciples did not harmonize with those of the monks, was
afterward confirmed by the circumstance that the man
did not survive one year after coming within the walls
of their convent and forming a part of their household.*

*That the death of Father Bastiani was brought about by the
Spanish monks was the opinion unhesitatingly avowed by his im-
mediate successor, who occupied his place for a time under the title
of president.

130 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

Had the reverendissimo reached Jerusalem a little
sooner we might have been saved from a good deal of the
annoyance that came to us from the direction of his con-
vent, and in many ways we might have profited by his
acquaintance, but our stay at Jerusalem was drawing to a
close. The disgraceful farce of the Greek fire, which came
off this year on Saturday, April 17, was nigh at hand,
when the pilgrims immediately prepare for their homes;
and Jerusalem, without pilgrims, offered at that time
few advantages for evangelical labor.

As soon, therefore, as that day of desecration was
past, we set our faces toward our place of rendezvous
at Beirut.

In parting from the convent, Mr. Fisk called the
head priest, Papas Joel, to his room to pay him his
rent. After giving him the money, he, in a frank,
downright manner, but in perfect good nature, adminis-
tered to him the following reproof. Looking him full
in the face, he said, *^ Now, Papas Joel, you must not
go to the bishops and tell them another such lie as you
told them last year. Don't say that the howadji paid
you but one hundred piastres when I have paid you
two hundred.^^ The papas laughed sheepishly, like an
unlucky boy when found out and reproved for his mis-
chief, and, putting up his money, turned and went his
way. The lie which he told, he probably thought to
be only a clever device, lawful, as " it was not mali-
cious and did not deny the Christian faith."

At Jaffa we found our brother King, who had here
spent the winter very agreeably in his favorite study.
His teacher being a Muslim, he read with him the Koran
and engaged him in many religious discussions. At the
commencement of their reading together the learned

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 131

sheikh showed himself very confident and fixed in his
own religious sentiments, arguing strongly and boldly,
as if he intended and hoped to make a convert of his
pupil. But as he went on it was observable that his
opinions and feelings became considerably modified.
He said one day, " I am willing you should love our
Lord Jesus. You ought to love him. I love him my-
self. I love him more than all things in this world —
more than my own life. But I wish you to call him
the Servant of God (Abd Allah), and not say, ^ God was
in him and he in God, and that they are one.' "

The next day, continuing the same subject, he said,
"I love you very much, and how sorry I am that so
good a man should be an infidel and doomed to ever-
lasting fire because he would believe that our Lord Jesus
is God V^ He cautioned Mr. King, in the discussion, to
be careful about his words, " lest," said he, " I should
be obliged to bear witness of them against you at the day
of judgment." Of late, however, his creed was so far
changed that he believed that Christians whose works

to

were good might be saved, but that the Muslims of this
land were so debased that God must destroy them.

We spent a Sabbath at Jaffa and had public services
at the consuFs. Mr. Fisk discoursed in Italian to a
company of fifteen from the words, " Who was delivered
for our offences and raised again for our justification."

During the ensuing ten days, under the care of our
heavenly Father (a part of us by sea and a part of us
by land), we made our way to Beirut, where we ex-
changed hearty congratulations and mingled our thanks
and praises to Him by whose good providence we had
been kept during these months of our sej^aration.

CHAPTER VIII.

Mr. Goodell alone at Beirut — First patriarchal denunciation— Letters
from Rome — Mr. B. Barker, Bil)le agent, and Lady Stanhope-
Mr. King revisits Deir el Koramer— Conversations with priests —
Journey to Damascus, Hums, Hamah and Aleppo — Firman
against the Scriptures— Three months in Aleppo — Eventful jour-
ney through Antioch and Tripoli to Beirut.

MR. GOODELL, during our winter's absence, had
been occupying the stand at Beirut, wrestling
alone against principalities, against powers and against
spiritual wickedness in high places, but still efficiently
protected from personal violence by the official influence
of our warm friend Consul Abbott. He had main-
tained a regular preaching service at the consul's on the
Sabbath, had held small meetings for reading the Scrip-
tures and for discussion with the natives, and had done
what was feasible in the way of schools.

He had no sooner been left thus alone in his station
than he was obliged to bear the brunt of the first papal
fulminations against the Bible enterprise. The patriarch
of the Maronites had seen some men and had heard
of others who had come into the land to introduce into
it the sunlight of God's word. Herod the king and all
Jerusalem with him were not more troubled at the visit
of the wise men than w^as this vigilant prelate of Leb-
anon at the sudden appearing of these Bil)le men.
Without waiting for instructions from Rome and with-
out consultation with his bishops, he lifted up his warn-
ing voice to his people after this fashion :

1.32

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 133

" May the apostolic benediction and heavenly grace de-
scend abundantly and abide continually upon the souls
and bodies of our people and of our flock, the children of
our community, the Maronites who inhabit the towns and
villages in every direction and of every rank and con-
dition ; the Lord God bless them. Amen. . . . AYe in-
form your love that the artful deceiver and enemy of good-
ness and enemy of the human race never ceases to infuse
his deadly poison into the members of the mystical body,
i. e., into the faithful sons of the holy Church, and dili-
gently and laboriously and with all his might to sow the
tares of corrupt doctrine in the field of the Lord of hosts.
This he does sometimes by himself and sometimes by
means of his followers the heretics, the impious enemies
of the Roman Church, the mother and mistress of all
churches and their guide, that he may thus, by deceits
of various kinds, turn Christians astray and lead the
simple into error. And now (may God confound him !)
he has instigated in these days some persons of the Eng-
lish nation, called Bible men — i.e., followers of the Bible
— who have arrived lately in the country, and they have
come to the village of Antoora under the character of
disseminators of their corrupt faith, clad in sheep's
clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. And
they have begun to travel among our community, the
Maronites, pretending that they wish to amuse them-
selves and see the country, but their heart is full of evil
and treachery. They bring with them books of the Old
Testament and the New, printed in various languages —
Syriac, Arabic and others. These also are of different
sorts, some of them replete with errors and some of them
correct in regard to the parts that are printed, but they
have omitted seven holy and divine books [the Apoc-

12

134 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

rypha], although these books omitted by them are received
by the Roman Church, and those who do not receive
them as holy and divine are anathematized by the holy
general Council of Trent in its fourth session, and their
object is to distribute these books of theirs among the
children of our community of Maronites, whose faith is
sound, established on the rock of Peter, and who have
never bowed the knee to the image of Baal. . . .
A thing stranger than all this is that they are engaged
in purchasing the holy Scriptures of the Old and New
Testaments printed in Rome the Magnificent (a thing
past endurance), and instead thereof distributing their
own books, above mentioned, gratis, in order that in the
course of time the true books of Scripture may no longer
be found, and that their books, full of errors, may re-
main in their stead.

^' And, not content with all this, they are continually
endeavoring to obtain, if possible, some of the children
of our people, and send them to their country that they
may there drink in the poison of their pernicious doc-
trines and return to disseminate it in this country
among our people the Maronites. Other things we do
not mention for fear of being tedious.

" Now, when we heard of the arts and the blasphemous
innovations of these deceivers, by which they degrade
the Christian faith and bring ruin to the Catholic re-
ligion and perdition to the souls of men, we have been
excited, by our paternal zeal, to meet this malady with
an eifectual remedy. . . . We therefore order and com-
mand, in accordance with the holy Council of Mount
Lebanon, all the children of our community of Maronites
. . . that from this time forward no one possess the
books of these above-mentioned persons, and we order

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 135

that all these books be either burnt in the fire by those
who possess them or that they bring them to us at the
convent of Canobeen.

" Moreover, we do not allow any one, whoever he
may be, of the children of our community, in any case,
to associate with the individuals above mentioned in
spiritual things or in whatever concerns the Christian
religion. . . . Nor do we allow any one to study in
their schools or peruse their compositions. And who-
ever shall audaciously act contrary to this our order
ten days after its publication, or shall hesitate to comply
with or shall prevent the execution of it, . . . if he be
an ecclesiastic he is prohibited, ipso facto, from the exer-
cise of his office, and if he be a layman he falls under
the penalty of excommunication, the absolution from
which is reserved to ourself

The above document, as compared with the original,
has been considerably abridged. His Holiness professes
to have made an effort not to be tedious, but in this he
failed altogether. In the original he enlarges much on
various points, such as the holiness of the Church, espe-
cially the Maronite Church, his fatherly affection for
his people, his care for their interests, the sly cun-
ning of the adversary, the greatness of the impending
danger, the warnings he is obliged to utter and the ter-
rible penalties he will be obliged to impose on the dis-
obedient. Perhaps among his own people his epithets
and repetitions added force to his proclamation. That
it had an effect for a time was sufficiently evident. The
solitary missionary at Beirut suddenly became an object
of odium and suspicion. All the children of the Maronite
community were especially shy of him. He became an
object of public gaze to all. The aged and venerable

136 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

priest Simeon ceased his friendly evening visits, and
many, as they met the Bible man in the streets, refused
to return his social salaam.

The good priest above mentioned, seeing the storm-
cloud rising, had, the evening before the anathema was
read in church, though with evident reluctance, returned
his Bible, not consenting either to burn it in the fire or
to make a three days' journey with it to Canobeen.
Few followed the priest's example by returning their
books, but there was no good reason to believe that any
copies of the Scriptures were either destroyed or given
up to the priests.

The Bible man meantime went on quietly in his voca-
tion, working at the language, preaching in English at
the consul's, distributing the Scriptures with increased
encouragement among the Greeks and reading and con-
versing about the great salvation with all who were
accessible.

In the midst of these occupations he writes : " I am
happy to say that a desire to become acquainted with
the sacred word has apparently increased in consequence
of there being no small stir about this way. Almost
every day a greater or less number of Arabs call upon
us to read the holy Scriptures. Some of them read
several hours in the course of the day ; some of them
spend the whole evening thus, and some not unfre-
quently ask permission to carry the sacred treasure
home with them for the night, promising to return it
the next morning. The desire for instruction appears
also to increase. Several adult females come occasionally
to be taught by Mrs. Bird or Mrs. Goodell, although
their attendance is very irregular and their disadvan-
tages very great, they being without Arabic books and

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 137

tlieir friends deriding tlieir efforts, yet it is evident they
are making improvement. While we pray that a bless-
ing may attend these very feeble efforts, which we are
grateful that we are able to make, we have much con-
fidence that, as we acquire a knowledge of the language,
the great Head of the Church will open to us among
this people a wide door of usefulness.'^

But the danger arising from the light of God's word
among the papal flock was not felt alone in Lebanon.
Rome herself was startled. An ancient and still vener-
ated college establishment of the Jesuits had fallen into
the hands of the Bible men and had become a radiating
point for all the untold evils which the word of God
in the vulgar tongue is known by experience to produce.*
Something must be done. The fearful ruin which the
Bible threatened to bring upon the Christian religion f
must by all means be prevented. To this end three
several documents, all of the same date and nearly of
the same tenor, were issued from the "eternal city" to the
following three several ecclesiastics : the new Maronite
patriarch. Bishop Hanna Maroni and Monsignor Bishop
Gandolfi, pope's legate for Syria; all were officially
signed, "Cardinal Somaglia, Dean of the Sacred Col-
lege, Proprefect," etc. Of these three epistles the second
one only will here be given :

" Most Illustrious and Rev. Sir : We have re-
ceived the unwelcome intelligence that a certain man by
the name of Wolff, of Bamberga, together with other
Bible men, has rented of you, for five years, an old col-
lege situated on Mount Lebanon, in Antoora. This
sacred society holds it for certain that your Excellency

* Doctrine of the Council of Trent, f Patriarch's proclamation.
12*

138 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

has not thought how great spiritual mischief this new
enterprise of the Bible men would produce among the
Catholics of that region. Under the cloak of pretended
zeal they are the heralds (banditti) of error and corrup-
tion. They distribute Bibles gratuitously, in the vulgar
tongue, but Bibles corrupted and depraved. It ought
not therefore to be permitted that such men should have
in Mount Lebanon an asylum from which they can
with impunity scatter abroad their poison, to the injury
of a nation, too, that has ever shown itself constant in
maintaining unsullied the deposit of the faith," etc., etc.

Consequent upon the receipt of these letters the patri-
arch had immediate recourse, for the recovery of the
college, to the Emeer Besheer, who consented, as many
other rulers before him have found it convenient to do,
" to give his power and strength unto the beast." He
sent his soldiers to quarter in the house of Bishop Ma-
roni, and vexed him until, for his relief, Mr. Lewis,
whom no law could have forced to do it, consented to
give up the papers of the contract and quit the premises.

Soon after our arrival at Beirut, Mr. Abbott received
information, through one of the Capuchin friars, that
about the time we left Jerusalem a general meeting of
the Terra Santa establishments was held in that city, at
which it was resolved that no Bible man should from
that time be received as a guest into any of their con-
vents or be granted any favor of hospitality whatever.
A friar had arrived at Beirut with a huge packet of
circulars to distribute, cautioning all people against the
Bible men. The same man was just embarking for
Rome, where he was going to make a full exposition
of all our proceedings.

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 139

In the midst of this imposing manifestation of hos-
tility to the Bible there came to Beirut a salaried agent
of the British and Foreign Bible Society, Benjamin
Barker, Esq., of Smyrna, a brother of John Barker,
Esq., British consul at Aleppo. He was not intim-
idated by the prevailing opposition to his work, but
made a full offer of his "pearls of great price" to the
people, and not without success. In spite of patriarchal
fulminations, copies of the Scriptures were sold in con-
siderable numbers at Beirut. One man living near us
said to Mr. Barker, " They have forbidden our reading
these books, but there are twenty of my neighbors as
well as myself who are determined to read them, for our
priests have been deceiving us. They have taught us to
be idolaters, contrary to the word of God."

Mr. Barker, as he was passing on southward toward
Jerusalem, had intended to make a call of civility on
Lady Stanhope, between whom and the Barkers there
had long been an intimacy, but he was doubtful how he
would be received. Her ladyship had courteously treat-
ed the Rev. Messrs. Way and King, to the latter of
whom she had even furnished letters of introduction to
her native friends — letters which Mr. King at the time
esteemed to be of more influence than those of a pasha.
But on the other hand she had manifested tow^ard Mr.
Wolff an uncommon rudeness. Mr. Barker, therefore,
without writing her a formal note, had taken care that
his intended visit should be intimated to her before-
hand, so that at least his appearance should not take
her by surprise. However, during his business deten-
tion at Beirut, the matter of his visit to her ladyship
was definitely settled by a letter written by her own
hand in the following courteous terms :

140 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

" Dear Sir : I have not forgotten you, as you seem
to suspect by what you said to my servant whom you
saw at Tripoli. He, as well as your brother, Mr. John
Barker, has acquainted me that it is your intention to
pay me a visit. I should be delighted to see you (as I
should any branch of Mr. Barker's family, for the
friendship I bear toward him has not diminished by a
long absence), but your professional duties will deprive
me of that pleasure.

" I have made a determination to have no communi-
cation with persons who interfere with religion. I
should never have seen Mr. Way had I known what
was the object of his visit here, and Mr. Barker may
recollect, as far back as eleven years ago, there was a

report of two Mr. I do not know who (considerable

men, however, and warmly protected by my cousin.
Lord Grenville) coming to Antioch to sell Bibles or re-
build churches ; in short, I have forgot what, but Mr.
Barker may perhaps recollect that, even at that time, I
declared that if they came near me I should shut the
door in their faces. Therefore I hope you will not take
unkindly a refusal dependent on a general line which I
have pursued for many years.

'''■ You may make this letter as public as you please,
in order that it may not be imagined that I can slight
any part of Mr. Barker's family. I hope, however, we
shall meet when the rage of Bibles and misguided zeal
is at an end ; till then believe me," etc.

Till when ? Till zeal for i\iQ Bible shall cease ? The
Christian religion has stood upon the Bible eighteen
hundred years. Will it now come to an end in good sea-
son for you to enjoy a pleasant visit from your friend ?

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 141

Since tliis communication passed between the two
friends both have gone beyond these mortal shores;
but had they lived they would have seen that from that
time to the present their chance of meeting according to
appointment has been rapidly growing more and more
distant.

Mr. King's residence of some months at the capital
of Lebanon had produced a deep impression on the
people. It had imparted to them the first reliable in-
formation they had recevied of Protestantism. He had
succeeded in gaining the confidence of many friends,
and ensuring for evangelical truth a respectful hearing.
It was worth while for him now, after a six months
absence, to revisit the people and see whether any fruit
of his labors for them remained. On his way up the
mountain he met with individuals to the number of
forty or more with whom he spoke, letting fall a few
words to direct their thoughts to the concerns of an-
other life. His friends of the house of Domani, whither
he again directed his steps, gave him a cordial greeting,
and many called to salute him on both the first and
second evenings after his arrival. Four priests of the
papal Greek Church were among the callers, and re-
ligion was the subject of their conversation. The next
day was the Sabbath, nearly the whole of which was
spent in receiving calls. Among those who came in
the evening were three priests with whom he conversed
two or three hours.

The next morning Aboona Girgius called, a papal
Greek priest from Barook, three miles distant toward
Damascus. In conversation they came upon the ex-
pression " thou art Peter,'' when the priest ventured to
affirm that the Bible declared Peter to be the head of the

142 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

church. Mr. King handed him his Bible, and begged
him to show him where that was said. He searched a
long time and finally closed the book and retired. The
same day came Aboona Germanus, superior of the
Maronite priests of the city. He received Mr. King
with all the kindness and attention which he manifested
last year, introducing him to his friends with flattering
compliments.

Aboona Saba from Deir Mokhollis, one of the two
superiors of the convents of the papal Greek Church,
called at the house of Mr. Domani. He was often
mentioned to Mr. King the previous summer as being
one of the most learned priests on Mt. Lebanon. ^^Go,''
said the people, " and dispute with Aboona Saba. Con-
vince him and we will follow you." He spoke Italian,
having spent ten years at Rome. He was very polite
and entered freely into conversation. He said the dis-
covery of America had been an injury to religion.
Infidels have made people believe that the natives of
that land could not be the descendants of Adam. He
asked of what sect the Americans were.

Mr. King said, " We are Protestants."

*' You have protested, then, against the true church."

" Noj sir; against the errors of the church."

"Errors in the church! No, no; that cannot be.
Old things are better than new."

" Very true. Therefore it was that we protested.
The Roman Church was full of new things, and so we
left it and returned to the old church of Christ and the
apostles."

The next day Priest Yoosef came in, and spoke of
the order that had come from the patriarch to destroy
all the books that had been distributed by the English,

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 143

but saying that neither he nor the people here would
obey the order.

Soon after Priest Yoosef had gone, Saad-ibu-Bas
a Maronite of Mr. King's former acquaintance, came in.
He said, " I suppose you have heard of the patriarch's
order?''

" Yes — that all the Bibles distributed by the English
should be burned. Why is that? Are they not the
word of God ?"

"Yes; I told one of our bishops that I had read
your Bible, and found it, word for word, like the one
printed in Rome, and asked him whether it made any
difference where the book was printed provided it was
the word of God ; and he said no. And suppose the
book were printed by a bad man, by a Muslim, where
would be the harm for me to receive it and read it?
He replied, ^ You might receive it from the hand of a
Muslim, but not from the English.' "

The man inquired of Mr. King what motives the
English had in printing the Bibles and sending them
here.

Mr. King replied, ^^ What motives had the Apostles
in going abroad and publishing the gospel ? It was the
command of Christ that they should make the gospel
known to all people. This command is binding on us.
What could have been our motive in doing what we did
for the Syrian patriarch Jarwi ? He came to England
and the English gave him money, a large sum of money,
and told him to go and print the word of God on Mt.
Lebanon. An American gave him a printing-press
which was worth some hundreds of dollars. Had they,
think you, any bad motives in doing this ?"
"No; but did the English really do this?"

144 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

'^Surely, and for the express purpose that you might
have the Bible. It is now five years since the patriarch
was in England. I called on him last summer, and
asked him why he did not print the word of God. He
said he had a right to do as he pleased. So your
Maronite patriarch takes the same course. He neither
gives you the Bible nor will he suffer us to do it.''

" Oh yes — we have Bibles printed at Rome."

"But what is the price of that Bible? At least a
hundred piasters. Such Bibles are useless. They are
not Bibles for the people. The truth is, the Romish
Church does not wish you to have the Scriptures."

" But the Church is of authority. ^ Thou art Peter,
and on this rock will I build my church.'"

"Yes. You profess to be built upon St. Peter.
Why do you not obey St. Peter ? He says you would
do well to go to the Scriptures as to ^a light shining
in a dark place.' "

"St. Augustine said that if the Church should say
the Scriptures were not good, he should say so too."

"By no means. He said this — that if the Church
had not received the Scriptures at first, he would not re-
ceive them. He did not mean your Roman Church, but
that of the apostles and their followers."

" I hear that the English have purchased in Kesru^n
some copies of the Scriptures printed in Rome and
burned them."

"That is a lie of some son of the father of lies. Any
Englishman who should burn the Bible would be ac-
counted a miscreant — a madman. The English do not
even burn the Koran."

The man parted with Mr. King as with a friend, and
seemed to carry away with him the impression that his

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 145

patriarch had taken a wrong step in issuing liis late
order.

One day Mr. King called in to see the superior, Ger-
manus. He found Priest Aioob (Job) Avith him. As
soon as he entered, the superior said to the priest, " This
man is my friend. The first time I saw him I loved
him. Go tell Father Paul to come and talk with him."
When Father Paul came the conversation turned upon
the apocryphal books that were left out of the English
Bibles. While this was under discussion four or five
other priests came and as many more of the common
people. The American was on all sides surrounded.
The superior himself sat in a chair outside of the ring, as
if to act as judge in the contest, and said but little. After
dismissing the Apocrypha, Father Paul said, "When
did the schism take place between the Church of Rome
and the English?"

" About three hundred years ago."

The superior asked, " What was the name of that
king of England who took the girl ? The schism began
with him."

" His name was Henry. He was a persecutor of Prot-
estants, lived and died a Roman Catholic, I believe."

Father Paul then repeated, " It is about three hun-
dred years since you left the Church ?"

" We never left the Church ; we only left the errors
of the Church."

" Errors of the Church !" said they all together ;
" the Church in error !"

" To be sure. So we believe ; so I believe."

Father Paul continued : " What is the difference be-
tween you and the Church? What occasioned the
division ?"

13

146 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

" If you will listen a little while I will tell you what
occasioned the division."

Here Mr. King entered into a detail of some of the
abominable practices of the Church of Rome about the
time of the Reformation, and on his remarking that the
Church at that time had become very corrupt, both
priests and people, Father Paul and all present ex-
claimed, " The Church corrupt ! the Church corrupt !
Impossible! Impossible T'

^^Not at all impossible. The Jewish Church was
once the only Church of God, and did it not fall into
error and wickedness ?"

" But the Christian Church cannot w^ander, for Christ
said, ^Lo, I am with you alway.'"

"Yes, with his Church to prevent it from destruc-
tion, but not from wandering, for St. Paul says that in
the last time there shall come in errors — many shall
depart from the faith, giving heed to doctrines of
devils" (Father Paul interrupting, "Yes, yes, that is
very true"), "forbidding to marry, and commanding
to abstain from meats which God hath created to be
received with thanksgiving."

This word among so many priests and monks was
like fire to powder, and there was at once an explosion
from the whole body of them. So great was the tumult
that for some time it was impossible to speak. At
length Father PauFs voice was heard above the rest,
say*

ms:

6>

" There's no such thing in the Bible. What you refer
to is a passage about keeping holy days."

"I mean what I said. It is the word of God. It is
in Paul's Epistle to Timothy."

" There is no such passage."

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 147

" Are you a priest and do yon not know yonr Bible
better than this ? Bring me your Bible and I will show
you the passage."

All now became very noisy, every one wishiitg to
speak to Mr. King at the same time. So he said, very
gently, " Brethren, listen." At this gentle request they
were all still, and he proceeded, repeating mildly what
he liad before said, and bringing to a conclusion the
history which he had begun to give them of the separa-
tion between the Protestant and Roman Churches. The
discussion had hardly reached its legitimate close when
it was announced that the hour of prayer had arrived.
All immediately arose and took their leave.

In the latter part of June, after a three weeks' visit
at the mountain capital, Mr. King, being joined by Mr.
Fisk from Beirut, set off on a. visit to Damascus and
Aleppo. They had also in company the Rev. Charles
Cook, an English Wesleyan. Passing a night at Jib
Jeneen and another at Demas, they reached, in twenty-
two traveling hours, the gates of the very celebrated
city of antiquity, Damascus. Here Messrs. Fisk and
Cook alighted from their beasts, because the Muslims
dwelling in Damascus consider their city to be so holy
that it would be polluted, desecrated, or some foul thing,
if a Christian should happen to be seen in it on horse-
back. But Mr. King was disposed to try somewhat the
mettle of these fanatical followers of a false prophet.
He would ride at any rate till he was stopped. He had
not proceeded many rods when a Muslim came up, and
finding he was a Frank and consequently a Christian,
ordered him down.

" For what reason ?"

148

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

" Come clown ! — come down !"

"But I am an Englishman. I have a firman from
the grand signor giving me leave to walk or ride where

"Dismount, I say, dismount!"
"What! an Englishman dismount?"
" No matter who he is, he must dismount/'
So the Englishman (for the English-speaking Ameri-
can was so accounted), with his firman, having tried his

DAMASCUS.

experiment, yielded to the force of circumstances and
consented to walk the rest of the way. They were in-
formed that not long before that time a French gentle-
man, a consul from Bagdad, attempted to maintain his
right to ride in the city, and was cruelly maltreated.
A firman from Constantinople was obtained for the
punishment of the offenders, but, like other laws and
orders from Constantinople, it fell dead.

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 149

Our travelers found it difficult, in all this great com-
mercial city, to obtain a place to lodge in for the night,
and were obliged at last to accept very uncomfortable
quarters with a private family. A friendly priest, how-
ever, Aboonah Michael, and he a Maronite, learning
their situation, obtained for them very decent lodgings
in the house of a brother Maronite of his.

They made here a visit of only twenty days, in which
time they conversed extensively with Maronites, Latins,
Greeks, Syrians, Jews and Muslims, and distributed a
few Scriptures. After this, Messrs. Fisk and King set
off in company with a large caravan northward for
Aleppo, Mr. Cook leaving them to return to Beirut.

At Kara they found about thirty Christian families,
half orthodox and half papal Greeks. Some of them
received the Scriptures. At Khaseeah also were about
the same number of Christian families and a Greek
priest. They asked for Scriptures, but the travelers
had none to give them. Hums (Emesa of the Fathers),
with twenty thousand inhabitants, had five hundred
Greek families and two churches. One of the deacons
was very friendly, and begged that if any fellow-
laborers of theirs should come to reside in Hums they
would come directly to his house. Thirty miles farther
on they arrived at Hamah, probably the Hamatli of
Scripture (Josh. xiii. 5), a large city like Hums. Here
were a thousand Greek Christians. The priest was
friendly to the distribution of the Scriptures. From
this place their caravan was increased to three or four
hundred souls, and, having been reconnoitered on their
march by Bedawin robbers and suffered excessively
from the driving; sand and heat of the sun and want of
acconiniodations, in four days they arrived at Aleppo.
13*

150 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LAIRDS.

They had on their journey some valuable opportuni-
ties to preach the gospel to Muslims. When they were
encamped at Kara several Muslims came around and
began to talk about religion. One asked Mr. King,
"Do you believe the Koran?" He answered, flatly,
" No." Another said that the sun, moon and stars were
all made for the pleasure of Mohammed. Another
asked, " What do you think of Christ?" He answered,
"He was the Son of God. God was in him. He
created all things. Pie will judge the world at the last
day. There 'is no salvation but by his blood." The
Muslims said, "God forbid! God forbid!" One of
them asked Mr. King, "Why do you not become a
Muslim and embrace the true faith?" He answered,
" Give me reasons. Show me proof that yours is the
true faith and I will turn Muslim. I am not a Christian
because my father was. Our father Ibrahim (Abraham)
left his father's religion because it was not the true re-
ligion. So ought I and so ought you to do in like case."

One day Mr. King had a good deal of conversation
with his man Haji Ahmed, telling him it was his duty
to examine for himself, etc. Ahmed listened very at-
tentively while the way of salvation was pointed out to
him. Soon after this. Sheikh Taw-ha, who was esteem-
ed the greatest sheikh in the caravan, rode up to Mr.
King and began to talk in a most violent manner, pour-
ing out a torrent of words and repeating with great
rapidity a multitude of verses from the Koran. After
a while he said, " You want reasons. Here are the
reasons, and yet you will not believe : ^ There is no God
but God.'" This he said very loud, and many Mus-
lims gathered around. Mr. King was apprehensive that
they were planning to pick a quarrel with him, and that

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 151

they were watching to catch something out of his mouth
as a pretext to insult or do him some violence. He
thought it, nevertheless, his duty to vindicate, before
them all, the cause of Christ, and as soon as he had
opportunity to say a word he said, " That there is no
God but God is one of the first articles of my belief, and
Jesus Christ is God."

At this Taw-ha began again in a most violent man-
ner, saying, " You are an idolater ; you worship images ;
I have seen them in your churches in Damascus and at
Jerusalem. You ask the priests to pardon your sins."

Mr. King denied, saying, " We do not — we do not."

" But I have seen them with my own eyes — with my
own eyesJ^

After hearing the man rail a long time, Mr. King
said, with a loud voice, " You do not know my faith.
The Meta-wallies call themselves Muslims. Would
you not be offended if I should call you a Meta-walli ?"

"Yes."

" I am an Englishman, and my faith is no more like
the faith of the Christians in this country than yours is
like that of the Meta-wallies. What signifies all your
talk till you know what I believe? I do not worship
images ; they are not in our churches. We do not pray
to saints : that would be a sin. We do not ask the
priest to forgive us : God alone can pardon sins, and to
him is our worship due."

On hearing this the sheikh lowered his voice a little
and said, "But you believe that Jesus Christ is the Son
of God?"

" Yes, because he was not begotten by man, but was
miraculously conceived by the power of the Holy
Ghost."

152 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

The conversation continued for some time longer, and
was brought to a close in much good humor.

When they were encamped near Er Rasta, on the
banks of the A-see-ah (Orontes), they could procure
neither milk nor leben. There was an encampment of
Bedawin half an hour distant, where they might have
procured milk, but the Arabs of the company were afraid
to go to them for it. " Toward night,^^ says Mr. King,
" seeing a Beda-wy leading his flocks on the other side
of the river, I passed over by a bridge, and going up to
him bade him salaam (peace). He returned my salu-
tation, but fixed his eye steadily upon me with all the
starings of an old warrior. His face was dark, his eyes
were sunk deep in his head, and his whole appearance
was that of one inured to want and accustomed to suf-
fer. I said to him, * I am a stranger. I am come to
ask you if you can furnish me with a little milk, for
which I will pay you.^ ' Bo,' said he, a word which I
did not understand, and asked an explanation. Turn-
ing to his flock he said,

^' * Here I wander about daily with my flock, but I
eat not of their flesh and have no profit. Government
takes all.'

" ^ There is a better world than this,' replied I, ^ which
we shall soon enter if we are j^repared for it. The
world we are in is fast passing away. In a few years
we shall return to the earth from whence we were taken.
I am a Christian. I believe in Christ. If we are in
him, and believe in him, and love him, we shall be hap-
py in the world to come. He died to redeem us. We
are all sinners. There is no salvation but through the
blood of Christ.'

" While 1 thus addressed him, his stern countenance

BIBLE WORK IX BIHI.E LANDS. 153

softened, and I said to myself, ' Who can tell but these
few words may be the means of leading his mind to God,
and saving his soul ?^ He offered me a pipe of tobacco
as a mark of friendship, and as I turned from him I
said, 'I shall probably never see you again in this world,
but I hope we may meet there (pointing upward) and
be happy.' '^

At Aleppo the brethren were kindly received by the
English consul, John Barker, Esq., and were entertained
for some days in his family. The very day after they
came, the pasha, who was a surly Turk, sent word to
the consul that a firman against the Christian Scriptures,
printed in England, had come to hand, and that all such
books as had been distributed must be called in and
placed in a sealed depot till they could be sent back.

This firman, however, on examination, was found not
to specify Scriptures from Englandy but made use of the
general expression " The Frank country '^ — Europe. It
also ordered that the books " be taken and cast into the
fire,'' at the same time that, in another place, it orders
them to be ^^ sent back." It was a document most bung-
lingly patched up, full of absurdities, repetitions, and
contradictions. Moreover, it required a violation of
articles of treaty. No Turk was at liberty to take and
destroy property belonging to Franks.

There seemed to be good reason to believe that the
document was purchased by Roman gold, and came
forth through unofficial and unpracticed hands. It,
however, procured for the whole anti-scriptural party a
temporary advantage. Even some of the Greek ecclesi-
astics, who had begun to fear the influence of the Scrip-
tures, took occasion to oppose their distribution by
pleading this firman as an excuse. The Turks them-

154 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

selves never showed any zeal in carrying out the order,
except as they were set on by anti-Bible men among the
nominal Christians.

The Protestant consuls, with Mr. Turner, the British
chargd at Constantinople, at their head, resisted the
order from the beginning, and from the difficulty of
executing it the matter in a few months passed into
oblivion.

The most of the three months spent by the two
brethren in Aleppo was occupied in study. They, with
Mr. Lewis, who had joined them from Beirut, maintained
a regular preaching service at the English consulate,
and they had occasional opportunities, which they im-
proved, of conversation with the people; but the threat-
ening firman had for a time the effect of preventing the
usual efforts for Scripture distribution.

On leaving Aleppo, Mr. King gave the only Arabic
Bible he had left to the man with whom he lived, and
Mr. Fisk gave his to a Greek priest from Killis.* This
priest reported that the Turks had been to Killis, taken
all the books they found in the churches (Greek and
Armenian) and put the priests under keeping; but after
examining the books, they restored both them and the
priests. They found no Bible Society books in the
churches, and the private houses they did not search.
'The priest urged the plea of poverty to Mr. Fisk, and
assured him that there was not in all Killis among the
Greeks an Arabic Bible.

In the latter part of October the missionaries, includ-
ing Mr. Lewis, accompanied by an English traveler,
Mr. Maddox, set out from Aleppo for Beirut. The
third day they came to Antakia, the village remnant
* A town a day or two north of Aleppo.

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 155

of the ancient Antioch, where tlie believers in Christ
were first called Christians. This once famous city
among the cities of the world, "third in rank for
beauty, extent and population," was supposed in 1824
to contain only five thousand inhabitants, five hundred
of whom were Christians, chiefly of the Greek rite.
And these Christians had no place of worship better
than a grotto, or hole in the rock, which the natives
were afraid to have the travelers visit lest it should
attract the attention of their Mohammedan masters and
bring upon them some act of oppression.

The missionaries found here the Greek patriarch who
had lately come on a visit and whom they had seen at
Damascus, where he resided. He informed them that
soon after they left Damascus the firman about the Scrip-
tures was made public in that city, and the governor
immediately sent after the Bible men by way of Jeru-
salem, supposing they had gone in that direction ; that
the Greeks were afraid of some injury in consequence
of the firman, but they had suffered none, nor had any
books been taken from them.

Leaving Antioch, the travelers passed a night at
Suadia (Swa-deey), near the mouth of the A-see-ah
(Orontes), and the next day, under torrents of rain,
they came to Casitb (or Kessab), a village of one
thousand Armenians. They were well treated in the
hovel of the sheikh, with whom they left an Armenian
New Testament, and also a second copy for his father,
the priest of the village.*

* Since this visit the village of Kessab has received attention from
the mission, and has, to a large extent, become Protestant, having an
evangelical church, with its own native pastor, and a new house of
worship.

156 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

Another day brought them to Ladikia (Laodlcea),
where they remained three days on account of the dis-
turbed state of the country. For fear of the Nuseireeyies
no muleteers could be obtained by the company to carry
them on. They therefore felt obliged to undertake a
passage to Tripoli by sea. From stress of weather,
however, they were forced to take shelter in a harbor
near the river Banias and the town and castle of
Merkab.

They obtained animals here and again commenced
their journey by land. It was past noon when they
got under way.

The storm which had been long threatening soon
broke upon them furiously, and they rode under pour-
ing water till night. A very friendly Turk with whom
they fell in at the khan, and who offered to be their
guide, took them up the mountain, steep and rocky, to
a little village of six or seven hovels, where they might
lodge for the night. At one of the doors they knocked,
and an old man with a white beard came and opened it.
Could they remain in his house for the night ? ^' No,"
said he, talking loudly and boisterously. He had no
room for them. After a while, however, he gave way
and consented to admit them. They found one half
the room filled with cotton seeds and cotton ; a lamb
was lying by the fire, and two cows stood in one corner.
One other corner only remained for the old man's
family of seven or eight persons. These stepped aside
to make room for the strangers and took their stand
among the bags of cotton. The fire had no outlet for
the smoke, but right glad to find any shelter from the
raging storm without, the travelers sat down, soaked
with rain, and had the few articles of baggage they had

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 157

brought from the boat, which also were wet as them-
selves, placed under and around them. They called for
wood. The fire was increased and so was the smoke.
"With streaming eyes they ate a fowl, a bit of bread and
a little fruit which they had brought. All except Mr.
Maddox had left their beds in the boat to go by water ;
but had they brought them they would have been wet
and useless for want of space. So each one endeavored
to sleep as best he could in the place he happened to take
on first entering, for there was no lying down without in-
commoding each other. Mr. King, who could not sleep,
contrived to beguile the time by conversing with the
family. The old man's name was Abraham, and they
were glad to find that he was of the Greek Church and
not one of the Nuseireeyies.

They were glad when they found that the morning
had dawned and the rain abated. At their leaving the
village they gave the old patriarch a few piasters, at
which he and all the rest of the family expressed them-
selves highly gratified. The neighbors also flocked out
to see them and wished them blessings and a happy
journey.

At Tartoos (Tortosa) they were treated with great
respect by the governor of the little village, who pro-
cured for them a room, invited them to dine at his
house and waited on them as they ate.

Off against Tartoos is the small island of Irwad,
once the site of a considerable city, the evidence of
whose existence still remains in various architectural
ruins. It has a name in the Scriptures, as the home of
the Ar\^dites (2 Kings xviii. 34 ; Ezek. xxvii. 8, 11), and
a present population of some thousands, chiefly Muslims.

At the river A brash their very obliging guide, Hadji

14

158 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

Ahmed, left them. He was passing from Ladlkia to
Tartoos, when he found our travelers at the khan of
Merkab, and offered them his services as a guide. He
delayed his own journey for their sakes, found for them
the village in the mountains, sleeping himself in the
stable; he introduced them favorably to the governor of
Tartoos, and there again lodged among the horses, ask-
ing in no case for money, or food either for himself or
his horse. Instead of going directly from Tartoos to
his house in the mountains, he went with the company
several hours out of his way till they came in sight of
Tripoli, and then, without asking for anything, accepted
thankfully a small reward and rode off. When thanked
for his generous services to men who were strangers in
the land he replied, " I, too, am a stranger from the land
of Egypt.''

Tripoli was reached at eight in the evening, where
they were hospitably entertained by the consular agent,
Mr. Catziflis, until their boat from Banias arrived with
their baggage. Meantime a Sabbath was passed, and
Mr. risk preached in Italian to a small audience con-
sisting of the consuls and persons belonging to their
families. From Tripoli the travelers proceeded by
land, lodging the first night in Batroon (ancient
Botrus), at the house of the Maronite priest Stephen,
and reached Beirut the next day, weary and worn after
a ride of fifteen hours. Nineteen days had they been
journeying from Aleppo in circumstances of exposure,
and at times of extreme discomfort, and they were not
now slow to express their gratitude for being found once
more under the same roof with those that cordially
sympathized with them in all their labors and priva-
tions.

THE MARONITE PATRIARCH.

CHAPTER IX.

Keply to the Patriarch's Bull — Mr. Fisk robbed — Patriarch Jarwi
roused — Mr. King with Mr. Fisk at Jaffa and Jerusalem — Pasha
collecting taxes at Jerusalem — His cruelties — Journey to Beirut —
Robbers — Assad Shidiak — His casting a lot about the Pope — Mr.
King leaves Syria.

T>EING now fully represented at Beirut, that is, both
-■-^ missions, American and English, we held consulta-
tions together on the interests of our common Protestant-
ism. Among other objects to be accomplished, we de-

159

160 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

cided in favor of a public reply to the slanderous proc-
lamation of the Maronite patriarch.

Of this reply the following is an epitome :

1. You accuse us of distributing the word of God
under the influence of Satan. Ans. You think then the
work of publishing God's own truth is a Satanic work.
Did not the apostles and Christ himself perform this
kind of work ? Paul recommends taking God's word
as a sword to fight the devil with. St. Cyprian says the
word of God brings the heretics out to the light and
refutes them.

2. You accuse us of distributing Bibles full of errors.
Our Bibles are a faithful reprint of your own Propa-
ganda Bible. Is that Bible full of errors ?

3. You say we have omitted seven holy books. The
Jews, from whom we had them, never said they were
holy. The early Fathers said they were not so. Jerome,
Gregory Theologus, Athanasius and the Council of
Laodicea reject them.

4. You glorify your Church as being founded on
Peter. Ans. Paul says there is no other foundation but
Jesus Christ. Chrysostom and others of the Fathers
say that the Pock on which the Church was founded
(Matt, xvi.) was not Peter, but Christ. Jerome, the
author of your own Vulgate Bible, expressly says that
" the bishop of Rome can claim no divine authority for his
Church above that of any other bishopJ'

5. You accuse us of preaching false doctrine. Ans.
We challenge you to the proof by the only true standard,
wdiich is the word of God.

6. You assert that we buy up the Bibles printed in
Rome that we may eradicate them from the land. Ans.
The accusation is utterly unfounded. A few years ago

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 161

it is well known that the English contributed a con-
siderable sum of money to enable the Syrian Catholic
Patriarch to print the Scriptures correctly, according to
the Roman Church. Could they do this and wish to
root out Roman Bibles from the land ?

7. You warn the people against receiving the Scrip-
tures, although accurately printed after the approved
Romish edition. Ans. No wonder, since the Council
of Trent declares that "the Scriptures in the vulgar
tongue do more harm than good.^^ But Jesus Christ
said, " Search the Scriptures,^^ and " Ye do err, not know-
ing the Scriptures," that is, because ye know not the
Scriptures. And the apostles exhort men to take heed to
the Scriptures as to '^ a light shining in a dark place,"
and affirm that *^ all Scripture is profitable for instruc-
tion, that the man of God may be perfect."

When this document was ready to be delivered over
to the hands of the translator* at Antoora, Mr. Fisk
was appointed to be the carrier. While on his way he
experienced one of those serio-comic adventures for
which Syria is somewhat remarkable. It was a time of
anarchy in Lebanon on account of the pending contest
for power between the reigning prince and the Druze
Sheikh Besheer. Mr. Fisk had finished more than half
his journey, having reached the foot of the mountains,
when a man suddenly showed himself by his side and
demanded of him a pinch of snuff. He soon caught Mr.
risk's beast by the halter to prevent his proceeding, but,
after a little expostulation from the rider, loosed his hold
and let him go on, keeping, however, near by and re-
peating his demand with increasing emphasis. Mr. Fisk,
to put him off and gain time, affected to understand
* Bisliop Hanna Marone.
14*

162 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

him literally, assuring him that he did not use the arti-
cle he wanted, at the same time spurring up his beast to
get out of his way. But he was not to be put off so.
He was sure that the man had some of the snuff that
he wanted, and quickening his pace, was again at the
liead of the animal and had brought him to a halt.
The mule-driver then came up and compelled him to
loose his hold. He then immediately drew forth a pis-
tol, cocked it, opened the pan, and removed the paper
put there to keep his powder dry, all the while having
his eye sternly fixed on his threatened victim. At this
moment the latter, without giving the villain time to
shut the pan, caught hold of the weapon with both his
hands, and a struggle ensued in which the rider was un-
horsed. The struggle continued, but neither was able
to wrest the pistol from the grasp of the other, when a
stout lad came up with an open knife and was about to
try its edge on Mr. Fisk's hands. The latter, not know-
ing how many more men of like occupation there might
be in the vicinity, gave up the contest for that time and
walked on. The man for the moment was quieted, but
soon began again to renew his clamor, and became so
furious and threatening that his antagonist felt impelled
to try again to gain possession of the pistol. He was
again unsuccessful ; but finally the man came to terms
so far as to accept the offer of a few piasters and not in-
sist that the snuff should be paid in kind.

He had now become all at once a different man, and
told Mr. Fisk of the dangers of the road he was traveling,
but said, '^ If you choose to go on, I will be your guide
and protector, and if fifty men meet you, never fear — it
shall be all upon me." Mr. Fisk believed him to be
sincere and trustw^orthy, but did not care to expose the

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 163

generous robber or himself to the possible harm that
might happen to them, and so turned his face backward
toward Beirut.

The reply to the patriarch, however, was in due time
translated, copied and sent, in manuscript form (for we
had then no press), in various directions in the moun-
tains, and, strange to say, it was received, even by
ecclesiastics in some cases, with approbation. Bishop
Stefano, of the Mar Moosa convent near Brummana,
recommended it to be read to his people. Khoori An-
ton, chief priest of the Greeks in Beirut, extolled it
highly, and called the patriarch hard names for having
said against us what he had in his manshoor.

But there was one among the ecclesiastics of Mount
Lebanon that did not like it. This was the notorious
Peter Jarwi, Roman Catholic patriarch of the papal
Syrians of the East, once Bishop of Jerusalem and soli-
citor in England for help to print the Scriptures which
he never printed.

Two or three months after the publication of the reply
to the Maronite patriarch's proclamation, we received a
sealed document headed thus : " A manifesto in the name
of the Lord. To all to whom these presents may come,
greeting.^'

It proceeded : " Whereas, we have lately seen an ad-
dress of the Bibliani (Bible men), dated January 1,
which they are pleased to call a reply to the manshoor
of our Right Rev. brother Joseph, Maronite patriarch
of Antioch, and we have seen it full of statements and
opinions reprobated by the holy Catholic Apostolic Roman
Church, mother and instructress of all churches, having
one visible head on earth, the pontiff, successor of St. Peter
the apostle, whom Jesus Christ constituted vicar in his

164 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

stead, entrusted to him the keys of heaven, to loose and
bind, and set him as a rock on which he built his
Church, and after his resurrection submitted to his care
his flock of sheep — that is, all Christians with their
governors and teachers ; that consequently all Catholic
believers of every condition, rank and office should
glorify God in their subjection as members united to
their head, who is the father of all believers, and that
they should receive no other doctrines than those of
their only mother the Roman Church, to whom it per-
tains not only to give them the holy Scriptures and to
declare what books are canonical, but to give their in-
terpretation also."

After this brief sentence for a preface, the prelate says
that the Bibliani insinuate that he is an accomplice with
them in the dissemination of the Scriptures. The crime
of such a thing would be so great that he cannot bear
even its insinuation. " Be it known, then, to all men,"
he says, " that when we first thought of obtaining a
press, we sought permission from the holy Society fur
Propagating the Faith, who gave a written recommenda-
tion of our design when as yet we were in the office of
Archbishop of Jerusalem. When we went to London
to obtain assistance it was with reference solely to the
Roman Catholics of that city, but the Protestant Eng-
lisli, of their ovm aGcord^ chose to make collections for
our benefit. We made known to them and to others,
in word, in writing and in print, that we, by the grace
of God, were Roman Catholic, yielding subjection to
the pontiff, and acknowledging him to be not merely
Bishop of Rome, but General Director and Head

OF THE WHOLE HABITABLE WORLD.* And wheu
* The dogma of infallibility anticipated.

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 165

they had collected their charities and were about to pre-
sent them to us^ we then, a second time, declared to
them all that if they consented to make this gift on the
ground of a mere charity, without any restriction what-
ever, we would receive it; otherwise, not. . . . We
therefore disclaim all shadow of confederacy and all
semblance of communion with these Bibliani in the
business of printing and disseminating the Scriptures,
and we hereby declare, affirm and publish to all men,
individually and collectively, of every rank, condition
and office, that we, by the grace of God, have never
been united with these men in their object, and, by the
grace of God, never will be. . . .

"Ignatius Peter,

" Ignoble Syrian Patriarch of Antioch.
" Given in the Convent of Mar Efram, Mount Leb-
anon, on the 9th day of tlie month Adar (March 20),
1825.''

The Bible men had declared that they did not buy up
Roman Bibles to get them out of circulation, but, on the
contrary, had given money to the Syrian patriarch to
increase their circulation. To refute the assertion of the
Bible men he should have shown, either that the Eng-
lish gave him no money, or that it was not to be applied
to the printing of Bibles. But he shows neither. How
the two parties (the English and the bishop) understood
each other the two following epistolary extracts suffi-
ciently explain. Professor Yates, of Oxford University,
writes to the bishop thus : " O thou good shepherd of
the Eastern flock, . . . you have come from the land
of Syria to England, to the city of London, to help us
in the good work of the Lord, even to accomplish the

166 BIBLE WOEK IN BIBLE LANDS.

printiDg of the word of God in the language of your
country. . . . You see, sir, how many thousands of
Christians there are in this land, sincere believers in the
Lord Jesus Christ, who are zealous for the gospel and
are engaged in discipling all men by the doctrines of
Christ, for so our Lord commanded," etc.

The archbishop replies : " I have received your letter
written in Syriac, and was gratified by it with gratifica-
tion unspeakable. ... I have come hither to receive
the donations of the Christian people dwelling in this
noble city and its neighborhood, and that I may procure
type to print the holy Scriptures, the doctrine of the
truth, that it may the more easily be acquired by all.
Now, I perceive here very many of every sect, not only
rejoicing, but associating together, in this work so neces-
sary to my flock.

^^ And I pray that our Lord Jesus Christ will grant
me to know and teach that knowledge of life which is
found in the divine Scriptures.

"The Lowly Gregory Peter Jarwi,

" Syrian Archbishop of Jerusalem.
"City of London, 1819."

Comparing these two letters with each other and with
the preceding strange " manifesto," we see two things —
not only that Protestants are not to be accused of buy-
ing up Komish Bibles to destroy them, but also that the
''Archbishop of Jerusalem" of 1819 and the "Ignoble
Patriarch of Antioch" of 1825 were two very different
men.

On the 1st of July we forwarded one of our joint let-
ters to Boston, of which the following abstract will show
the state of the work at that time :

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 167

"Notwithstanding all that has been attemptecl to frus-
trate our purposes and to throw a cloud over our mission,
we believe that we can say with truth, and we would
say it with the most devout thankfulness, that, so far as
Beirut is concerned, our prospects for usefulness never
wore a brighter aspect than at present.

" The menacing circulars of native ecclesiastics and
the denunciations from Rome were comparatively power-
less, but the imperial firman, for a time, spread conster-
nation throughout all Syria. Still, in the face of all
that is formidable in the whole combined, we have,
during the last six months, given away, lent and sold
in our neighborhood two hundred of our sacred books.

" The school that we established a year ago has pros-
pered beyond our most sanguine expectations. It con-
tains between eighty and ninety pupils, all Arabs and
all boys but two. One of the exceptions is the teacher's
wife, who is about fifteen years of age, the other a little
girl about ten. Three of the boys are of the Moham-
medan faith, two are Maronites, two papal Greeks and
the remainder of the original or orthodox Greek Church.
From the increased number of the pupils we have found
it necessary, for the last two months, to employ a writing-
master as an assistant.

" About four months ago we succeeded in establishing
a second school in a village several hours distant from
our city, which has twenty pupils. This, of course,
cannot enjoy so much of our supervision as the other,
but it is subject to the same regulations. The cost of it
will be about forty dollars annually.

" Four times a week through a part of the winter, and
twice a week the rest of the time, we addressed a com-
pany of beggars, consisting frequently of a hundred and

168 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

fifty persons, at the same time administering to them a
pittance for their bodily wants.

'^ Two or three ecclesiastics of high standing in the
Armenian Church have been, by the good providence
of God, brought into close connection with us — brought
to an intimate acquaintance with whatever we may ex-
hibit of correctness in Christian example or the sim-
plicity and purity in Christian worship, and to an open
renunciation of their former errors. They have already
written to their brethren in various parts, exposing the
errors of their Church and the wickedness of the priests,
and we cannot but hope that it is the design of Provi-
dence to make them, in their limited circle, reformers of
the age.

" In our own families we have daily opportunities for
reading and expounding the Scriptures and speaking of
the things of God to a greater or less number of per-
sons, and the voice of Providence, unless we misinterpret
it, is, ' Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not your peace,
for I have much people in this city.' ''

Messrs. Fisk and King, who had passed the winter
chiefly at Jaffa and Jerusalem, after a tedious detention
at the latter place, reappeared with us at Beirut in May,
1825. The history of their labors and adventures during
their absence was of considerable interest.

At Jaffa began the first regular stated Protestant
preaching in the native language in Palestine. Mr.
King on nine successive Sabbaths delivered nine Arabic
discourses to an audience of six or eight to twenty
hearers, in the house of the English consulate. The
house stood by the sea-side, and its foundations may
have belonged, for aught wc know, to " Simon the tan-

BIBLE WOEK IN BIBLE LANDS. 169

ner." The inclination of the people was such as would
evidently have led them to assemble in greater numbers
had not priestly jealousy laid the meetings under the
ban of excommunication.

At the close of March the brethren went on to Ramla
and Jerusalem. At the former place they were glad to
be assured by the Greek superior that none of the books
sold there the year before had been taken away, nor had
the people suffered any annoyance from the sultan's
firman. In going on to Jerusalem they fully expected,
on account of the influence of the Latin friars in the
city, to be received with more than usual reserve. But
these men had found themselves unable to make the
anti-Bible edict accomplish all that was intended by it.
The Greeks, instead of being shy, were more friendly
than ever. Some of them, hearing of their approach,
came out with lanterns to meet them. At the convent
they were received by the inmates with open arms, and
it was told them that when it was announced in the city
that they were expected prayers were offered up for
them by the priests.

They had just become quietly settled in their convent-
home when the pasha of Damascus, in his annual visita-
tion for his " tribute money," appeared with his army
of three thousand men and encamped near the western
gate of Jerusalem. His arrival had always been, to
some extent, the harbinger of desolation and woe, since
no law but his own will limits his demands upon the
people, but this year it might be said of his visit, with
special emphasis, " These be the days of vengeance."

The brethren, in their present visit, could do but lit-
tle in the way of preaching. Amid the suffering and ter-
ror that pervaded the city the people were intensely oc-

15

170 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

cupied with tlie question how they should save their
persons and their property. The soul was little thought
of. Yet some few persons (on two or three occasions,
twenty) came together of a Sabbath to hear a discourse
from Mr. King in Arabic, or from his colleague in
Greek, English, or Italian. At Mr. Fisk's last dis-
course he had eighteen hearers, a majority of whom
were Greek priests.

The pasha's measures in making his collections were
perfectly tyrannical. Says Mr. King, '' The Greeks at
this time were in great affliction. Terror and distress
were spread through the city. Last night the pasha
took the superior of the convent of Mar Elee-as, a
Greek, and gave him five hundred blows on his feet, in
order to make him confess that he had concealed in his
convent the treasures of the people of Bethlehem, who
have all fled to Hebron. He also threatened to raze
the convent to the ground, and to send his soldiers to
the great Greek convent in Jerusalem and take away
whatever was pleasant to his eyes in case the priests
should not deliver to him such a sum of money before
the end of the day.

" The soldiers have been about the city breaking open
houses, taking men into custody, binding them, beating
thejTi and putting them in prison. This tliey do to
Greeks, Armenians, Roman Catholics, and even Mus-
lims, as well as Jews, so that the whole city is filled with
consternation. The Greek Metropolitans are under
guard, and soldiers are stationed in the principal con-
vents. Of all the inhabitants none have so much reason
to fear as the Greeks. They are poor. No pilgrims
come now to bring them relief, and their country is at
war with the Porte. Their countenances are pale with

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 171

terror, and I may say that with very few exceptions
tliey are literally in tears. Our hearts sicken with the
cry of grief all around us. Jerusalem now weepeth sore
in the night and her tears are on her cheeks; among all
her lovers she hath none to comfort her.

" The soldiers are stationed around upon the wall, and
we hear at times, or fancy we hear, the cries of those who
are suffering under the hands of Turkish cruelty. The
severities suffered by Flavinus, the superior of the con-
vent of Mar Elee-as,* which were almost incredible, with
attending circumstances, were thus told by himself:
' Two days after the arrival of the pasha, one of his soldiers
came with a Greek monk to the convent, and told me
that the pasha wished to see me to inquire what treasures
I had received from the peasants of Bethlehem. I
showed the soldier seven trunks, and told him those were
the things of the peasants. I then showed him my own
things, and told him those were mine. He then brought
me to the pasha, who immediately asked me what things
I had belonging to the peasants, and I told him the
same that I had told the soldier. The pasha replied,
" You infidel, confess. The staff is ready ! Tell what
else youVe got.'^ I answered, " There is nothing.^^ As
often as he asked me what else I had, I made him the
same answer, and when he threatened me with the bas-
tinado, I replied, " Use the staff or the sword ; my head is
at your disposal." The pasha then ordered them to lay
me down, and they fastened my ankles between a pole
and a cord twisted round it; two men then lifted up
the pole on their shoulders, and ten others, five to each
foot, laid on the blows. After a little while the pasha
ordered them to stop, and said to me, "Is there no
* This convent is midway between Jerusalem and Bethlehem.

172 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

more ?" I answered, ^^ There is none/' Then he order-
ed the blows to be applied again. This was done three
times successively. Chains were then brought and put
on my neck and legs, and my arms were bound behind
me. After remaining a while in this state, I gave my
keeper fifteen piasters to take the chains oiF.

" ' Afterward came the Tefenkgi Bashi, and tried to
make me promise to pay eighty purses, but I told him I
had none to pay. He then brought a cord and tied it
about my neck, as if to strangle me, and tightened it
till my eyes seemed starting out of my head ; the cord
was then removed, and the officer asked me again if I
would pay, and I again replied, ^^ I have nothing.^'
" Are you not afraid of death ?'' said he. '^ Why should
I be afraid of it?" said I. "I must die once, and
whether it be to-day or to-morrow it makes no difference.'^
The cord was applied and tightened a second time, and
afterward again just above my eyes and upon my tem-
ples. After this I remained there on the open ground,
without food and without sleep, for three days and nights,
when I was taken up and brought into the convent.' "

The chief Greek convent was accustomed to pay
yearly one hundred and twenty purses, and against all
demands above this it was protected by a high-sounding
firman from Constantinople ; but in spite of sultans and
firmans the convent had to pay two hundred purses,
beside endless presents to the pasha's officers and ser-
vants, as well as to members of the city government.
The bishop affirmed that the pasha's visit had cost them
in all not less than about twenty-five thousand dollars.

The share that fell to the Latins was very nearly the
same. The Armenians fled from their convent to Heb-
ron, but the governor of Jerusalem sent a force to bring

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 173

them back, and so they were compelled to bear, like
the rest, the cliastisement of which all were partakers.
Rabbi Mendel, chief among the Jews of the city, was
seized and thrown into prison, under a demand of thirty
thousand piasters. But the rabbi happened to be a
European subject, and at the order of the Spanish con-
sul of Aleppo, Mr. Diirighello, who was then at Jeru-
salem, he was released. This, however, did not release
his people from their share of the inevitable exaction. ,

Omar Effendi, chief of the green-turbaned Muslims,
and Moosa Beg (the same who carried the missionaries
to prison the year before), were both called upon for
large contributions. The former was taken with the
pasha to Damascus, the latter was left in Jerusalem iu
prison till he should pay the debt.

To secure a contribution from Aboo Goosh, the power-
ful sheikh of the mountains between Jerusalem and
Jaffa, the pasha obtained possession of his brother, Abder
Rahh-man, and sent him in custody to Nablus till the
sum of thirty-five purses should be forthcoming for his
ransom. The sheikh was in a rage, and declared that
he would not 'pay jive paras, though the whole country
should he sunk. He wrote to the three great convents in-
sisting that they should take this matter off his hands
and settle the account with the pasha, or otherwise not
another pilgrim should pass through his mountains,
either to or from the Holy City. So here was a new
and unavoidable item of expense for these convents, al-
ready so heavily drawn upon.

The four missionaries (including Messrs. Lewis and
Dalton) had made up their minds to leave Jerusalem
on Saturday, the 30th of April, in company with the
Spanish consul and three English travelers, but they

15 «

174 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

were providentially detained by the failure of their
muleteers to bring their animals in season. The pro-
posed arrangement between Aboo Goosh and the con-
vents had not been fully completed, and the metro-
politan bishops sent in to the detained ones a congratu-
latory message, saying, " Every hindrance to your going
to-day is for good." They remained, therefore, over the
Sabbath, and the two Americans preached on that day
their last sermons in the holy city.

By Monday morning everything had been settled by
the convents; the roads were pronounced free. Aboo
Goosh himself appeared at Jerusalem and gave the mis-
sionaries a recommendatory letter to his brother, at his
mountain village. They set off accordingly, and at
evening found the other travelers waiting for them at
Ramleh. These, by commencing their journey a day
too soon, had found themselves subject to new imposi-
tions on their way, costing them about twenty dollars
each.

The next day they all started again on their journey,
but instead of passing on to Jaffa, as is common, they,
with the exception of the consul, took a direction north-
ward, passing by Lydda, the city of .^neas the para-
lytic, and making for Nazareth through the interior.
The second evening they encamped at Ain Lejjoon, a
place which, like " the way which goeth down to Jeri-
cho," had been somewhat noted for its inhospitalities.
The adventures of the night and of the following day
are thus described by Mr. King :

" After pitching our tents in the centre of the khan
an old Egyptian Arab came and sat down by us, and
told us that we were in a bad neighborhood and that we
must be on our guard through the night if we wished to

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 175

keep our things from being stolen. This caution he re-
peated two or three times. Before retiring to rest I
proposed that a watch should be kept by some of our
servants, as I supposed, not only from what the old
Egyptian had told us, but from what I had heard pre-
viously, that the place was rather dangerous. A servant
of Mr. Lewis was one of the first appointed to keep
watch, and when we lay down to sleep he took his sta-
tion in an old tower which rose a little above the wall
of the khan.

*^ Being much fatigued I soon fell into a sound sleep,
but about one o'clock we were all suddenly awakened
by a terrible outcry and the firing of guns. From the
noise I supposed we were attacked by a band of robbers,
and that they and our servants and the muleteers were
perhaps actually killing each other.

" Some sprang up in a fright, crying out that we were
attacked. One, as he started out of his sleep, not know-
ing what he did, got hold of his pillow instead of his
pistol under it; others seized their arms; all were in
confusion. When the noise had a little abated we
learned that a trunk of Mr. Lewis had been stolen by a
couple of Arabs. The alarm had been given by a mule.
Ali, one of our muleteers, had tied the mule to his leg,
so that he might be awakened in case any one should
attempt to steal his animal. The mule, being disturbed
by the thieves, gave a sudden jerk, which awakened his
master just in time to catch a glimpse of them as they
left the khan. He set up the cry of 'Kobbers!' but
could not follow them, being tied to his mule. When
the morning came we agreed to go in search of the
trunk. Presently three Arabs came to look at us, and
some of our party seized upon them and bound them

176 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

with cords. I remonstrated and said, ^I can have
nothing to do with such proceedings.' These men were
afterward released, and two others who were suspected
were seized at a neighboring mill and brought in with
their hands tied behind them. They were fastened to
each other by ropes about their necks and led off before
the caravan.

"As we left the khan and passed over the stream,
which I call a branch of the river Kishon, the two
Arabs who walked bound before us made signs and
called out to three or four men that were sitting down
near the village, and in a minute or two after I heard
those other men calling as if to some person or persons
at a distance. In the land of the Philistines, as we
came from Egypt, I had seen the Arabs spring up like
grasshoppers, where at first only two or three were
visible, and I felt very sensibly that our present situa-
tion was dangerous. So I hastened forward to speak to
our friends who were in the foremost part of the kojilay
near the two prisoners, for the company was at this time
stretched along in Indian file, with muleteers and bag-
gage in the rear. Our path lay down the gentle de-
clivity of one of those hills which skirt the borders of
the plain of Jezreel, and on either side of us were high
weeds and grass, so that we naturally fell into the posi-
tion above mentioned. On coming up to the prisoners
I said to our leader, ' You had better let these men go ;
you will be in difficulty ; the safest way is to let them go.'
To this I had no reply. But the words were scarcely
out of my mouth when an Arab came furiously riding
along by the side of the kofila, then stopped suddenly,
turned and set up a loud cry. I then said, ^ They are
coming,' and again requested that the two Arabs should

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 177

be liberated. No answer was given, but in a moment
we saw a large company of Arabs pouring down upon
us, and I then ordered a Muslim who was near to me to
untie the prisoners and let them go.

" At this instant the dragoman of Dr. B , an Eng-
lish traveler, leveled his piece to shoot the Arab who
first came on horseback. I presumed that if he fired
we should, in all probability, be cut down by the in-
furiated mob that was coming, and I cried to him not

to fire, and so did Dr. B . But he did not seem to

hear, and a Muslim, one of our company, ran up and
caught hold of his gun. The Muslim had no sooner
done this than one of the Arabs who was pursuing us
came up in a most determined manner, and, running up
to the prisoners, with one blow of his sword severed the
rope that bound them together, then cut the cords that
tied their hands and set them at liberty, giving one of
them a heavy blow upon the shoulder, for what reason
I could not understand.

" While this was passing every part of our kofila was
attacked by the Arabs, who poured down upon us like
a torrent, some on horses, some on foot, with drawn
swords, guns and heavy clubs, at the same time setting
up a tremendous yell like the war-whoop of the Ameri-
can savage. It was no time for parley ; all was con-
fusion. No one knew what to expect, whether life or
death. The latter, however, seemed to stare us full in
the face. Some of our men I saw falling from their
animals, and all of us were put in motion and driven
like a flock of sheep before a band of wolves. I was
unarmed, and if I had had arms I should not have
used them.

" The cry was ^ Flee !' and we fled, or rather we were

178 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

forced on by the Arabs. They were among us and
around us, beating us with their heavy clubs and guns,
brandishing their swords, riding by us on their swift
horses and screaming like so many furies. One of them
aimed a deadly blow at Mr. Fisk, which providentially
did but just graze his forehead, knocked off his turban
and slightly touched his arm. Flight from the assailants
was impossible. We were, for the most part, badly
mounted ; their horses were fleet as the wind ; we had
twelve miles to go over the plain ; we were unacquainted
with the road ; our pursuers knew every turn.

" Our baggage was at length cut off. There seemed
now to be a little cessation of fury on the part of the
enemy, and I hoped that, being content with the pos-
session of our baggage, they would let us go in })eace.
But in a moment I saw them coming on again, and
thought that probably all was lost, and that having got
possession of our baggage and yet were not satisfied,
they now intended to take our lives. It was an awful
moment. I could only say, ^Heaven defend us!' I
was in front of the kofila and a little distance ahead
when an Arab sheikh came flying up to me on his steed,
with a large club in his hand. Making a halt, I ad-
dressed him, calling him, ' Brother,' and said, ' Do me
no harm. I have not injured you.' I spoke to him
words of peace and gentleness. Upon this he let down
his club which he had been brandishing, halted, listened
and presently turned away. Soon after I saw him
driving back some of our pursuers, and the cry of
' Ah-man !' (safety) was heard by us. The baggage,
too, to my surprise, was permitted to come on. No life
was lost, and I now presume it was not the intention of

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 179

the Arabs to kill us, for if this had been their design
there was nothing to hinder it.

"The attack was a gallant one, and was made by
them as if they were fully resolved to carry their point
through life or death, and I have no doubt that, had
any one of their party fallen by our hands, it would
have been the signal for the slaughter of us all. I will
now say, ^ The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my
deliverer, my God, my strength, in whom I will trust.^ ^'

At Nazareth the four Bible men, being forbidden en-
tertainment at the Latin convent, lodged at the house
of the Greek priest, and the next day went on a visit to
Tiberias. " The morning was fine," writes Mr. King ;
" all around me was peace and stillness, and I could not
but feel in my bosom emotions of gratitude and joy. I
had been for about two months at Jerusalem in the midst
of sorrow and sighing. I had seen the tear of oppression
and heard the groans of the bruised, the wounded and
the dying; our journey from thence was through a
troubled country, and we had just escaped, as it were,
from the jaws of death. This, I might say, was the first
day of peace I had enjoyed since the day of my arrival
at Jerusalem." They visited Cana of Galilee, with
which Mr. King expressed himself charmed. It is
called by the natives Kfer Kenni. " It is situated on
the slope of a hill overlooking a most lovely plain, be-
yond which the prospect is limited by lofty mountains.
Its beautiful situation, its vicinity to the mountains, its
excellent water, the character of its inhabitants, one-
half of them being Christians, and its vicinity to Acca,
Tiberias, Safet and Nazareth, conspire to render it an
inviting place for a missionary station.

They spent a Sabbath at Safet, where they made some

180

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

visits among the Jews, and on the subsequent day, pass-
ing through one of the finest parts of the country they
had yet seen, they reached the little city of Tyre, from
which two more days brought them to Beirut.

Their "journeyings often/' so far as this land was
concerned, had now come to an end. Mr. King, how-
ever, after recruiting a little, went to spend a short
season with his old acquaintances at Deir el Kommer.

He took with him as teacher a very intelligent young
Maronite named Assad Shidiak, who had received a fin-
ished education at the patriarch's college of Ain Waraka.
His theological knowledge was considerable — far be-
yond what was claimed by the great majority even of
Maronite priests. Mr. King found him a most interest-
ing companion. They were together from morning till
night, and spent hours, almost every day, in discussing

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 181

religious subjects. The candor of Shidiak was uncom-
mon, as well as his patience in listening to the argu-
ments of his antagonist. It was seen that in his com-
position he had nothing of the bigot or the fanatic, and
their disputations always ended in good nature. After
many earnest discussions in which Popery and Protest-
antism were set hand to hand in hopeless contest, he
said, in a rather pleasant mood, " Now I am going to
have this question decided by lot, which is to be pre-
ferred, the pope or the Bible men — the Protestants.
I take my Testament, and, as I open it at random, the
first passage I set my eye upon shall be for the Protest-
ants." He opened the book and his eye fell upon Luke
i. 2, last phrase, ^^ ministei^s of the word.^' He was struck
with its appropriateness. The Protestants make every-
thing of the WORD. They print it, they spread it in all
languages, they preach from it, they appeal to it to
prove all their doctrines ; they are called, therefore,
Bible men — men of the word of God.

^' Now," said he, " I shall open for the pope." He
opened, and directing his eye, just as before, on the first
corner of the page, he caught the word " unclean/^ " the
unclean spirit." Luke xi. 24. " When he goes out of
a man," he returns with "seven others more wicked
than himself." He was struck as with an electric shock.
He closed the book, rose from his seat and walked the
room in silence. The subject was not again broached
that day.

It cannot be denied that under the circumstances the
lots fell on two very remarkable passages, and the effect
on the young man's mind was not to be wondered at.
It was enough to have impressed a mind trained among
a people even less superstitious than his. He remem-

16

182 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

bered cases in Scripture where divine decisions had
been received by means of a lot (Acts i. 26, etc.). The
appeal he had made was virtually an appeal to God, and
it seemed as if God had so received it and given answers
too intelligent and apposite to be the work of chance.
But, however clearly it might have appeared to the
mind of Shidiak that God himself had spoken iu that
room and decided the great question between pope and
Protestant, yet it soon appeared that the impression he
received was not enduring. He was neither a converted
man nor an antagonist of the pope. He still continued,
however, with Mr. King in the capacity of instructor,
and was very useful in assisting him to prepare his
farewell address to his Syrian friends.

Though the letter might be read with profit by other
religious denominations, yet it was composed ijarticulm^ly
for such acquaintances of his as belonged to the Papal
church. They, as was natural, had urged him to acknow-
ledge the pope, and so to become a member of the holy
Catholic apostoliG Roman Church. He, in this address,
gives his reasons why he cannot do this, quoting various
doctrinal passages from the Scriptures and setting in their
immediate connection the doctrines of the pope contra-
dicting them. This composition was put into a neat style
of Arabic by Shidiak, who then transcribed numerous
copies to be sealed and forwarded to individuals designa-
ted by Mr. King. The letter was afterward put into
general circulation as a tract, at first in manuscript and
then in print. It has since appeared also in other lan-
guages.

Just before the setting out of Mr. King for Amer-
ica we visited, by invitation, the Shidiak family at
Hadet. While there we had also the opportunity of

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 183

calling on the two emeers of this village who had tlie
last winter joined in the rebellion against the Emeer
Besheer, who had punished them with the loss of their
eyes and of their tongues.

The Emeer Phares described the process of punish-
ment in his case. He said his eyes were pierced to the
depth of half a finger with a red-hot iron, and his
tongue was sliced off twice, being held out with a hook.
After the first cutting he had cried out " YaaJchi ^ (O my
brother !), words which he could easily pronounce without
a tongue ; but they said, '^ The rebel can talk yet ; we
must slice him again. '^ And so they did. Neverthe-
less both the princes spoke still quite intelligibly.

The Emeer Phares professed to be a Christian, and
of the Maronite church, yet he conversed with freedom
on the subject of religion, confessed some of the errors
of Popery and begged us to call again. He even sent
the next day to Beirut to invite Messrs. Eisk and King
to come out again and spend the day with him. The
brother of this man was called Sulman, and was a
Muslim. As Mr. King addressed him, he asked, " Are
you that Mr. King, of Beirut, who lately wrote the let-
ter on Popery?" He said the letter had been read to him,
and he thought it was unanswerable. This led to much
interesting conversation about the gospel way of salva-
tion. He showed by his talk that he was a Muslim,
but he listened attentively, as did also his son, to all
that was said in behalf of Christianity.

CHAPTER X.

Shidiak and the Patriarch — Sickness and death of Mr. Fisk — Shi-
diak in custody of the Patriarch — Escapes by night — Describes
in writing his sojourn with his Holiness — Is visited by his ac-
quaintances and relatives — Priest Girgis mocks at him — He is re-
captured by the Patriarch — Plot against the Bible men — The
Lord of Hosts breaks it up — Attack of Greeks on the city — Mr.
Goodell's house plundered before his eyes.

SHIDIAK, who had been engaged with Mr. King,
soon came into our employ at Beirut. He produced
a letter which he had quite lately received from his
patriarch, in which that " faithful pastor of the Lord's
flock,'' as he styled himself, felt in duty bound to warn
him against giving to us or receiving from us any in-
struction whatever, and said that he had received fre-
quent letters from Rome urging him " by all means and
in every way to persecute those individuals so long as
one of them should remain in the country." Still the
young sheikh ventured on coming, and commenced,
under our direction, a small school for the instruction
of Arab boys in Nah-hoo — Arabic grammar. But soon
this bold step of his was made known at head quarters,
and drew forth a letter from Patriarch Joseph Peter so
threatening and violent that he thought proper, for a
time at least, to show it deference, and so returned once
more to his home in Hadet. His brother Tannoos also,
who had been engaged for some weeks instructing Mr.
risk and copying tracts, went with hira.

184

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 185

But in less than a month the former was again at his
post. This bold defiance of the patriarch's authority
produced quite a sensation at Beirut. One evening
there came in eight or ten of his neighboring acquaint-
ances, and among them the active priest Girgis, a former
fellow-student of Assad's at Ain Waraka, and now a
spy, doubtless, of the bishop and patriarch. They were
standing around him engaging him in animated con-
versation. One of them, by way of expostulation, in-
quired of their heretical friend what great plan he had
in his mind — what he proposed to accomplish by his
present extraordinary course. A short pause ensuing.
Priest Girgis felt constrained to make answer to the
question. Like Elihu, he was "full of the matter and
ready to burst like a new bottle of wine."* Speaking
in a loud voice, he said, " I can tell you what he means
to do. He means to introduce among us a new gos-
pel dispensation. He will bring us a new holy Bible,
accompanied with his own learned notes and comment-
aries. We shall have no more need of the holy fathers.
Gregory, Chrysostom, Augustine and the rest will all be
old-fashioned ; they'll stand for nothing before this new
angelic doctor. He'll raise up many that will trumpet
his praise and cry, ' Who is like unto this great maallemf
Who is able to dispute with him ? Hosanna to the in-
comparable Assad ibn esh Shidiak, the holy prophet of
Hcldet !' "

All this, accompanied with due emphasis and gesture,
brought forth a burst of laughter. Assad himself joined
mildly in the laugh, sensible, evidently, that the best
argument the priest knew how to use in the premises
was ridicule.

* Job xxxii. 18, 19.
16*

186 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

In his late short absence he had had various conversa-
tions with the princes and others of his village respect-
ing the sentiments advanced in Mr. King's letter. The
Emeer Phares had previously had it in mind to write
something by way of reply to it. ^' But/' says the
emeer, "when King affirms that the gospel says thus
and so, I cannot contradict him, for I do not know
what the gospel does say. Pray, can you lend me a
cojiy of the Bible ? And yet I fear the priests. What
will they say to it? Will they not excommunicate
me?"

On hearing this report respecting the prince, that he
wanted a Bible to aid him in refuting the Bible (for Mr.
King's arguments were all Bible), we took pains to re-
move his embarrassment as soon as possible by sending
him one, hoping that the priests, in consideration of his
worthy object, would consent to make an exception in
his case, and hoping also that the book, being read to
him, would prove a light not only to the blind prince
himself, but also to his reader. How far the emeer
proceeded in his pious undertaking we never learned.
The probability is that, either from the prohibition of
the priests or from the inherent difficulties of the task
itself, he did not succeed.

At this point in our work it pleased God to throw us
into deep affliction. We had just lost one of our two
elder brethren, to whom Ave had been wont to look up
for counsel, instruction and social sympathy, and now it
was so ordained that we should be deprived of the other.
Our endeared and venerated brother Fisk, our earthly
stay and staff, just at the moment of entering on his
course as an efficient preacher in the native tongue, was
suddenly cut down by a malignant fever, leaving the

BIBLE WOllK IN BIBLE LANDS. 187

rest of us, in our inexperience and conscious unfitness,
to pursue our way alone.*

The patriarch had abundant time to get word of the
return of Shidiak to our employ, and we were every day
expecting from his hand a paper of excommunication.
But instead of this there arrived a letter of benediction
by a special messenger, and he no less a personage than
the patriarch's own brother. His Holiness, two or three
years ago, was chief instructor in the patriarchal college
of Ain "VYaraka, and the brightest scholar he had was
Assad Shidiak. He, therefore, knew the young man
well, and how much trouble he might cause him if he
made him his enemy. He thought it expedient, evi-
dently, before resorting to the extreme measure of ex-
communication, to try the use of gentle means still
longer. Accordingly, the letter now sent by him con-
tained not only a paternal blessing on the head of the
" dear son Assad,'' but also the promise of a lucrative
employment. Moreover, the messenger himself had
brought a verbal promise of forty purses in money, if,
as was understood, that was the amount which the Bible
men had given to purchase his adhesion to them. Assad
at once assured Priest Nicolas that he had received
nothing whatever on such an account, and that his
wages as instructor were far from being extravagant.
If Assad had been disposed to play the villain at this
time, he might have acknowledged the report to be
true, accepted the patriarch's two thousand dollars and
gone back into quiet security in the bosom of his

* Mr. Fisk was born in Shelburne, Massachusetts, June 24, 1792,
graduated at Middlebury College, Vermont, in 1814, and at Andover
in 1818. He and his associate, Parsons, were college classmates. A
memoir of Mr. Fisk has been published by Kev. Dr. Alvan Bond, of
Norwich, Connecticut, and one of Mr. Parsons by llev. D. O. Morton.

188 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

" Mother Church." But he preferred the truth to the
money. Perhaps it was because the Lord had given
him a new heart. Perhaps it was this which gave him
such an entire equanimity while in hourly expectation
of the patriarch's curse. Possibly it was this which
moved him to go with Priest Nicolas and put himself
in the patriarch's power. He believed that he could do
the patriarch good. He had before this expressed a de-
sire to have an interview with his Holiness, that he
might repel some of the slanders he (the patriarch) had
heard and remove the suspicions he had conceived
against him, solemnly assuring him that in what he did
he was acting not from love of publicity or love of gain,
but from honest conviction of the truth. Moreover, he
hoped even to conciliate the patriarch's good-will toward
the dissemination of the Scriptures and the enlighten-
ment of his nation. The rest of us did not share with
him in his expectations of the good to come from his ac-
cepting the patriarch's invitation, and strongly advised
him to refuse going. But, like Paul on his last visit to
Jerusalem, he would not be persuaded, and we ceased,
saying, "The will of the Lord be done."

The first news we had of him after his departure was
by the following letter, which was quite corroborative
of the best hopes we had formed of him : " I am now at
the convent of Alma, and, thanks to God ! I arrived in
good health. But as yet I have not seen the patriarch.
I pray God the Father and his only Son Jesus Christ
our Lord that he will establish me in his love, that I
may never exchange it for any created thing, that neither
death nor life, nor things j^resent nor things to come,
nor height nor depth, nor riches nor honor, nor dignity
nor office, nor anything in creation, shall separate me

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 189

from this love. I hope you will \way to God for me,
and I beg this not only from yourself, but from all the
brethren and sisters, after giving them — especially Mr.
Goodell — abundant salutations.'^

After this, weeks having passed with no word of ad-
ditional intelligence, we sent a trusty messenger with a
line to him. Happily the messenger found him alone,
and, after a short conversation, received from him the
following billet :

" Your note has reached me, and has added another
proof to the many I have received of your kind regard
for me. I now beseech you once more to pray for me
that I may be delivered from the dark devices of men.
I find myself reduced quite to an extremity. One or
more of three things are before me — either to be thought
mad, or to commit sin, or to offer up my life. I call
upon God for deliverance. I cannot now write fully,
but the bearer will tell you all.''

The messenger informed us that the emeer of that dis-
trict had threatened to send him to Bteddeen to be put
in prison. Assad had replied to him that he was ready
to go to prison and to death. He was engaged in daily
disputations with the patriarch and others. His coun-
tenance wore a shade of melancholy and his eyes were
red apparently with weeping.

He was not literally in prison, but was under constant
surveillance, was denied the privilege of society and the
use of books, was accused of being possessed of the devil
and threatened with death by his own bishop if he did
not repent. He endured this kind of treatment for two
months and then made his escape in the night. He rose
at twelve o'clock, and, leaving on his couch a paper with
the Scripture quotation, " Come out of her, my people,"

190 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

etc., he set off for Beirut on foot, committing himself to
God for protection and strength. The darkness was
such that he often found himself astray from his path,
sometimes stumbling over rocks and hedges, sometimes
wading in water or miring in mud. After some hours
of weariness and anxiety he arrived at a place on the
sea-shore where he found a large boat thrown up, under
cover of which he threw himself and gained a little rest ;
then addressing himself again to his task, at about the
rising of the sun, he was joyfully received at one of the
mission-houses at Beirut.

Toward evening a Maronite youth of our acquaintance
arrived, who was present in the morning at Deir Alma
when it was first discovered that Assad had fled. The
startling intelligence was communicated to the patriarch
and his train when they were chanting their matins in
the chapel. Immediately they were all in a quandary,
looking very blank at each other, inquiring what was to
be done. One man among them who was friendly to
Assad and had spoken encouragingly to him, telling
him he was right, now came out boldly in Assad's de-
fence. "This,'' said he, "is just what you had reason
to expect. Why should not the man leave you ? What
had he here to do ? What had he here to enjoy ? Books
he had none, friendly society none, conversation against
religion abundant, insults upon his opinions and feelings
abundant. Why should he not leave you ?" Others —
especially the great ones — were full of pity for the " poor
maniac," and sent in quest of him in every direction,
lest, perad venture, he might be found starving in some
cavern, or floating in the sea, or dashed in pieces at the
bottom of some precipice.*

* At our request Sheikh Assad, soon after his return, gave us a

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 191

This successful escape of Shidiak from custody excited
a strong commotion in the neighborhood. Yoosef el
Khoori, a burly old constable, sent for him to come and
see him, and afterward came himself for an interview at
his lodgings. In the latter case the English consul
happened to be present, so that if he had any designs
against the fugitive his purpose w'as thwarted. He,
doubtless, immediately made known his failure to the
patriarch, who had employed him, and who next sent for
help to his family in Hadet. Two of his elder brothers
and a furious uncle came, and were closeted with him
for half an hour. Their talk was loud and imperious.
They were three against one, and seemed bent on gain-
ing their point by dint of superior noise and numbers.
They assailed him with rebukes and sneers in so harsh
and unfeeling a manner that it made one tremble to
hear them. To use a phrase of the brother Tannoos on
a subsequent occasion, their "hearts were iron against
him." They contradicted, scoifed at him, threatened
him, called him mad, under the power of Satan, and so
on. Assad was not intimidated nor was he vanquished,

narrative of this visit of his to the patriarch, in writing. Tlie docu-
ment is too long to be inserted here, but the following incident, among
many, is worthy of special record: "The bishop and priest" (Bishop
Blabul and Priest Bernandus, of Gazeer) " then begged me, in pres-
ence of the patriarch, to say that my faith was like that of the Koman
Catholic Church. I replied that I feared to tell a fiilsehood by de-
claring that I believe a thing while in my reason I actually do not
believe it. 'But,' said they, 'the patriarch here will absolve you
from the sin of the falsehood.' I turned to the patriarch and put the
question to him whether he would so absolve me. He answered that
he ivould. I replied, * What the law of nature itself condemns it is
not within the power of any man to make lawful.' " Priest Bernan-
dus himself, before this document was published, borrowed a copy in
manuscript at Beirut, read it and testified to its truth. Papal priests,
then, claim the power to forgive sins in advance.

192 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

but he finally told them he would leave the English and
go home as they wished, on one condition, namely, that
they would obtain from the patriarch a written assur-
ance, on the faith of a Christian, that he would not
molest him — not abridge his liberty of speech. This
they would not attempt to do. No man, they said,
could approach the patriarch with such a proposal. But
Assad was firm, and they had to return without their
prey. The brother Mansoor, however, could not go
without calling him to the door and quietly but threat-
eningly telling him that his life would not be safe if he
did not submit.

After they were gone Assad walked the room in deep
thought for some time, and then betook himself to the
loft at the end of the room, where he usually slept, and
threw himself upon his couch, evidently in prayer. Just
then a knock was heard at the door. It proved to be
Galeb, one of the younger brothers. He had probably
come to the neighborhood with the rest, but chose not to
appear till now. Assad was called, but making no an-
swer, his brother was conducted to the reception-room,
where Assad, with a full and heavy heart, not long after
made his appearance. The two brothers saluted each
other with considerable embarrassment, and sat together
for some time not unlike the manner of Job and his
comforters, when " none spake a word unto him, because
they saw that his grief was exceeding great.'^ Assad
had had trial enough for one day, and evidently wished
to be alone, and Galeb, sympathizing with his sadness,
after a few unmeaning remarks, went his way. He ap-
peared again, however, the following day, and spoke
freely, and the next day came the youngest brother,
Phares, accompanied by the mother. All united in

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 193

urging Assad to come home with them to Hadet. But
to no purpose. Pie answered all their arguments and
remained steadfast. To his mother he said, ^' Of what
use would it be that I should go home with you ? You
wish me to go, you say, that I may show people that I
am not mad. But you, who come here and see and con-
verse with me, still say I am mad. How shall I con-
vince others that I am not mad when my own mother,
who is with me, believes that I am so ? Or do you im-
agine that when I get out among you the air of Hadet
will change my opinions, or induce me to be silent?
These are vain expectations. I see nothing to be gained.
If I should go forth among you and tell people what I
believe, that you are all going astray — that you are wor-
shiping idols instead of the living God — that I could
wish to tear down every picture in your churches — that
the bread and wine of the mass are not Jesus Christ — that
the pope is the Beast of the Revelation, whose business
it is to deceive the people and destroy their souls — by
all this I should injure your feelings, enrage the people,
stir up the persecuting spirit of the emeers, bishops,
and patriarchs, and then come back here just as I am
now."

Finally, to silence his mother's Importunities and put
an end to the interview, he sat down and wrote a paper
for her to show to her friends, and to whomsoever it
might concern, in which he declared his belief in the
Holy Trinity — that Christ was God — that Mary was
his mother — that he was not a follower of the English
— that his religion was not from them, etc., all which
she was right glad to know, and, taking and carefully
folding the paper, went home evidently much pacified.

Yoosef el Khoori, the burly old sheikh, having
17

194 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

failed to intimidate the refugee; now, through the medium
of one of the priests, offers him his daughter in mar-
riage.

In concert with the rest the bishop of Beirut, whose
ordinary dwelling is high in the mountains, is now
walking about the suburbs of Beirut. Meeting a young
friend of ours one day he took the opportunity to inquire
about his spiritual son, Assad Shidiak, asking why he
did not go home to his mother's house, and saying he
had nothing to fear there any more than in Beirut.

Many other proofs existed of commotion in the ene-
my's camp about these days. There were plots con-
cocting and measures preparing to put, if possible, an
effectual stop to the spread of this leaven of heresy — to
cut off these '^ false apostles " from all residence in the
country — to unite all sects, including even the Jews and
Muslims, in a conspiracy not to rent them any of their
houses, so that the vagabonds should be compelled either
to leave the country, or, like Jeremiah's outcast sons of
Zion, become desolate in the streets and die embracing
dunghills.

Besides the hostile measures of the Maronites, a new
battery was opened uj^ou us by the Syrian Catholic
bishop at Deir Sharfi. One of our cooks who belonged
to his fold received from him a peremptory order to
leave his situation at once or be excommunicated. It
was a great trial to the poor man, but he could not stay.
To complete the combination of influences for the
recovery of Assad, the patriarch himself sends him, by
a special messenger, as before, a letter couched in the
softest terms, expressing his continued paternal regard,
gently reproving his distrustful son for leaving Deir
Alma so abruptly, as if he had thought himself in

BIBLE AVORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 195

danger, assuring him that there was no real ground for
his apprehensions, whatever he might have thought, and
finally urging him to put an end to the prevailing scan-
dal by retiring from Beirut to his own home in Hadet.
There he might remain in quiet, and no violence or harm
should be offered him.

To this plausible and, as it proved, thoroughly deceit-
ful epistle the patriarch had set his own hand and seal.
Such a written assurance of safety was nearly or quite
all that Assad had demanded in his interAdew with his
uncle and brothers, and for which they had pretended
that no one would dare apply to his Holiness. It as-
sured Assad's safety even without the condition of his
silence. It seems as if the three delegates, in reporting
to the patriarch the result of their abortive mission, had
informed him of the terms on which alone he would
consent to leave his present asylum, and his Holiness
now accepts the terms.

Assad was sensibly moved and encouraged by this in-
sidious letter, and wrote, as we suppose, a favorable reply.
It was one of his weaknesses that he was too artless and
confiding. He had not yet known the depths of Satan,
as they speak. He had indeed read in the Appendix of
the Romish Bible the declaration, "/i5 is our duty to de-
stroy heretics/^ and had been astounded by it, and had
called it a doctrine of Nero ; but he had probably never
read, in so many words, the standing Romish maxim,
that for the good of the Church ^^It is our duty to break
promises made to heretics/^ though the former of these
" duties'' seems to involve the latter, for to deceive a
heretic is surely not worse than killing him.

We supposed that the patriarch, as soon as he received
this yielding letter of Assad, sent it directly to the fam-

196 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

ily at Hadet, enjoining upon them to hasten and bring
Iiim to their house; for, on the very next day after the
letter was written, a deputation of four came for him,
among whom was the youngest brother, in whom the
others knew that Assad much confided, and whose pres-
ence they rightly judged would increase the probability
of their success. Suffice it to say they succeeded.

A majority of us opposed his going. One of our
number spoke against it most earnestly, and as he was
departing took him by the hand and said solemnly,
^^ Assad, I expect never again to see your face on earth.''
He smiled incredulously at these fears, made some brief
reply, gave us his last spoken salaam, made us his last
bow, and we saw his face no more. All of us knew
there was danger before him. He knew this himself.
But neither he nor we imagined such a complication of
perils and sufferings as that through which he was des-
tined to make his way during the rest of his short life.

The patriarch and bishop, with their combined forces,
had now, in their warfare against the gospel, obtained a
signal advantage. By one of those stratagems, or rather
by a series of those stratagems, which are reckoned justi-
fiable in war, they had succeeded in capturing one of the
most formidable champions of their foe. But God had
determined that their plan of operations for the remain-
ing part of the campaign should become like the coun-
sel of Ahithophel. He- gave them other things to
think of beside turning Bible men out of doors and
banishing them from the land. The bishop, who had
come down on this business, suddenly had to betake
himself to a precipitate flight, and was glad to regain in
safety his mountain fastnesses, while the Bible men and
their families, instead of being houseless, found them-

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 197

selves the only families that had houses in all the sub-
urbs of Beirut.

These sudden and unlooked-for events were brought
about by no human skill or foresight. To us who were
on the ground they seemed to be the acts of a special
divine interposition.

The very day after the departure of our persecuted
friend, and, as we loved to think, Christian brother,
there sailed into our harbor, late in the evening, three
or four Greek vessels of war. A considerable number
of other ships, whose approach had been descried off at
sea, were evidently bearing toward the same destination.
The whole city was panic-struck. Muslims were in
dread of the enemy from without, and Christians of the
enemy from within, the city. Among the Christians,
every man — especially every prominent man, bishop,
priest, wealthy merchant or scribe — felt himself exposed
to violence or insult, and if he could flee he fled.

At the earliest dawn in the morning an irregular dis-
charge of musketry announced that the expected attack
upon the town had begun. Some scores of Greeks had
been lauded from the ships, and having taken a position
on the eastern side of the city, where the cannon of the
castles could not harm them, seemed bent on making a
breach in the walls with musket bullets. The attack was
perfectly harmless except to the assailants, who received
a few scattering but damaging shots through the loop-
holes in the city walls. As the day drew on the Greeks
gradually retired toward their ships, leaving some fifteen
of their comrades dead upon the field. During the whole
of this mock attack the fleet remained quietly at anchor
some miles distant. But, presently after, the sails were
unfurled, and thirteen vessels were seen coming forward

198 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

in threatening array against the city. Three or four of
the largest led the van. These few alone seemed to
reach their appointed station for the attack, and, with-
out waiting for the rest to come up, immediately began
pouring forth their broadsides. The firing of tlie men-
of-war was most inaccurate in its range and feeble in its
effects. Some of the balls passed whizzing over our
heads nearly half a mile off. Two were lodged in the
empty house of the consul at a similar distance, and
others fell scatteringly around us in the mulberry gar-
dens. In the city a few house-walls were pierced, one
l^oor Christian boy had both his legs shot off, and half
a dozen other persons were either killed or wounded.

What might have been the result of this attempt upon
the city in ordinary circumstances it is impossible to
say. The assailants might have been willing to accept
a heavy contribution from the citizens, and so leave the
city without actually entering it, or they might have
taken possession and given it over to indiscriminate
plunder and slaughter. But we were saved from these
possible calamities by another interposition signally
providential. He who '^ hath his way in the whirlwind
and in the storm ^' came and stood in the gap, and said
to the Greek, "Hitherto shalt thou come, but no farther."
A thick black cloud which had been gathering in the west
swept terribly over the place, borne by a furious wind.
The whole Turkish navy could not have better defended
our city. The ships became suddenly unmanageable
and were seen scudding before the tempest back to their
anchorage ground. The cloud was " big with mercy."
Who can tell how many lives it saved, how much ruin
and misery it prevented ? *^ The Lord looked through
the cloud and troubled " the Greeks, " and they said, Let

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 199

US flee from the face of this people, for the Lord fighteth
for them against" us.

As the land forces were loitering along back toward
their vessels we improved the occasion to distribute
among them all the Greek tracts we could muster,
which were received with all civility.

At our houses, during the day of the attack, all was
panic and confusion. Besides attending to the personal
Avants of the people who fled to us for protection, the
day was mostly spent in receiving and storing goods
brought by our neighbors, preparatory to a general
flight to the mountains.

In a day or two it was proclaimed that an army from
Abdallah Pasha was in rapid march toward Beirut for
its protection. The army was composed of Muslims of
the coast and Bedawin Arabs of the desert. Through
fear of this " protection " the whole vicinity outside of
the city was at once cleared of its inhabitants. As soon
as the army made its appearance it was announced by
the usual military signals of the rattle of drums and the
booming of cannon. At the same moment the large
flag-ship of the Greek admiral was seen spreading her
white sails to the wind and slowly moving from the
harbor, while the others, in bustling activity, were pre-
paring to follow. The whole fleet soon disappeared in
the direction of Cyprus.

The army saw the departing enemy ; they found the
hundreds of houses around the city unoccupied ; what
better opportunity for pillage could be presented to a
Bedawin Arab horde whose trade was robbery and
whose military reward was plunder? At once, like the
Nile on arriving at the Delta, the army of pillagers
spread themselves to the right and left and began their

200 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

work. Strokes of violence, with club and stone dashing
through doors and windows, were heard on every side.
Closets and chests were smashed in pieces and their con-
tents taken into possession or strewed upon the floors.
Even our own houses, though the natives generally
feared the Franks, were not wholly secure. The house
of Mr. Goodell was broken into and pillaged before his
eyes. His own account of this bold transaction is here
given in his own words :

" Several parties of the Bedawin came in the course of
the day to our house, but I told them we were English
and they went away. At last some of their more reso-
lute and reckless ones came, and in their strong, gut-
tural voices called upon me to 'iftah el bab' (open the
door). I told them I should not iftah el hab ; that
they saw from my dress I was not a native ; that the
house was English, and if they broke it open they did
it at their peril, for the sultan would soon hear of it,
etc. They said they knew neither English nor sultan,
and they fell to work in good earnest. Fine-looking,
noble fellows, those Arabs ! — choice, independent spirits,
the very lords of the desert, with a voice like thunder,
were those Bedawin Arabs.

" I had barricaded the door very strongly with stones
and wood, and they must have been half an hour in
cutting tlieir way through. During this time I was
reasoning with them from a narrow window above, show-
ing them how they were violating the most solemn
treaties, and calling upon them to desist. Sometimes
they would stop a few moments and listen to what I had
to say, and then return with redoubled ardor to their
work. One man leveled his gun and threatened to
shoot mc, and I stepped aside a moment from the win-

ROBBING THE HOUSE OF DR. GOODELL, AT BEIRUT.

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 203

dow. At last they cut and split that door to pieces,
and then rushed up like so many tigers for their prey.
Several Turks from the city who knew us came along
at this time, and they hastened up after them and stood
at the door of Mrs. GoodelFs room and did not permit
one of them to enter there.

^' They seized hold of boxes, trunks, kitchen utensils,
everything that came in their way, and carried them off,
and I in the mean time threw as many articles as I
could into Mrs. GoodelFs room, and some of my things
I even snatched out of their hands and threw in there,
when any one had laid hold of more than he could
well defend or carry away at once. On this account
one of them came very coolly the next day to claim
some tobacco which he said I stole from him while he
was engaged in the lawful work of plundering my house.
But really it was a false charge. He could not prove it
and I refused to pay him.

" Three times I sent to the city to the English consul,
informing him of my situation, and three times he sent
to the leader of these troops, and three times the old
sheikh sent horsemen to protect me. But no sooner had
these horsemen left the city than they galloped off to
plunder for themselves.

" At last, what with my own remonstrances and those
of the Turks that were present, together with the assur-
ance that complaints had already been lodged against
them, they ceased operations, begged pardon for what
they had done, hoped I had not been very much fright-
ened nor very much injured, took what they had got
and went off.''

At this time, with the exception of our OAvn two
families, we knew not of one that was left in all the

204 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

vicinity outside the walls of the city. We had, however,
a single neighbor, a French merchant, who, perhaps un-
fortunately, had sent away his family and was keeping
house alone. The Arabs entered his dwelling, broke in
pieces most of his trunks and furniture, his piano among
the rest, and took from his person some few hundred
piasters.

Monsieur P had worked hard for his money,

and was very sensibly touched by his losses. He wept
while he related to us the story of the robbery — how
the canaille ruffians insulted him, took him by the
throat, drew their daggers upon him and threatened
to take his life.

Having had a rather discreditable exhibition of what
kind of protection the pasha's troops were affording to
the citizens of Beirut, we concluded to have Mr. Good-
elFs residence vacated for the present and unite the two
families into one. But our increased numbers did not
avail entirely to save us from the rapacity of burglars.
Twice our store-room below was dug through by night
and spoils taken from it, and at another time we were
roused at midnight by robbers at our very chamber-
doors. These last, however, finding themselves dis-
covered, fled with the greatest precipitation, and neither
they nor any of their kin gave us any further molesta-
tion.

In fine, through all this upheaving, collision and
panic of the people, we were enabled gratefully to say,
with the exception of Mr. Goodell's temporary priva-
tion, that we had suffered neither harm nor loss. As
for the bishop of Beirut, his visions had suddenly ex-
ploded ; he had early made his exit to the mountains,-
and his fellow-conspirators were now intent upon their

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 205

own affairs. The people favored us as their safe-guard,
and we might probably, for a moderate compensation, have
had our choice among all the houses of the suburbs.

The pasha was liable for the spoliations of his sol-
diers in the houses of Franks. Monsieur P made

application for reimbursement, and the pasha put him
oflP, declaring that the guilty men were not his, but sol-
diers from the mountains. Mr. Goodell, therefore, pro-
vided himself with a drawing of his house and of the
men who violated it, and our friend, Yacob Aga, was
despatched by the consul to claim remuneration for the
spoiling of an Englishman's house by his soldiers.

Yacob was ushered into the presence of the pasha and
his courtiers, with all the ceremony due to a messenger
on important business from the chief consul of the
pashalic. There he stood, a tall, upright figure, comely
in countenance and dignified in manner, for it was not
the first time that he had stood before kings. The de-
mand was made in the name of his Honor the Eno^lish
consul. The inventory of lost articles, with their values
annexed, was handed in and examined. But his High-
ness and those about him began, as was expected, to
demur and quibble, saying it was the work of men of
the neighborhood, and not by their trusty Arab sol-
diers. Yacob assured them there could be no mistake
about it, for there were plenty of witnesses that could
testify who the men were. But when he saw them still
disposed to cavil and prolong the talk, he drew the pic-
ture from his bosom and said,

"Dukhl-kom, Effendom (I pray your Excellency),
and all you here present, let me call your attention.
Just look! here is the very house just as it was; you
see the men at the door beating and saying, ^IJtah!

18

206 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

iftahr (open! open!); you see their striped beneeshes,
their loose yellow turbans, their blue sherivals and their
dark faces. Look at them. That's the sort of people
that did this mischief. Judge ye. Are they Beirut men ?
Are they mountain men ? And there you see the Frank
himselfstanding above and saying to them, * Dukhl-kom,
don't break open my house. Allah ye-tow-wil aa-mar-
kom ! (may God prolong your days !) this house is Eng-
lish ; you're breaking the laws ; your pasha will punish
you.' "

The pasha gazed at the picture with astonishment.
He could not dispute what kind of men they were that
were represented on the 23aper, and, without stopping to
reflect that the drawing might be a mere work of fancy,
he at once yielded his point, and, in his mortification,
fell to railing against the man who drew the picture,
wishing to know by what satanic art he could have put
the exact likeness of those men on paper — " how could
he have caught their features in the midst of such a
bustle?" He next turned his tirade against the consul
who had sent to get away his money. ^' Perhaps the
Englisliman has never seen money. Let him come here
and look at my strong boxes, that he may know what
money is. "Go, give him a little of it," said he to his
sarrdf, " Let him have a little specimen to keep by
him, that lie may know what kind of a thing is money."
The command was obeyed. The money was soon count-
ed out, the bag was brought forth, carefully sealed up,
and delivered to the messenger, and on opening it at
Beirut it was found to contain the exact amount of the
bill, including five separate paras (fifth parts of a cent),
to make it very precise.

CHAPTER XI.

Phares Shidiak driven from home — Letters from Assad — He is taken
to the clutches of the patriarch, never again to be free — Additions
to our communion — A second Papal bull — Excommunications —
Sheikh Naameh Lattoof — Two youths of the Trodd family — Im-
prisonment and trial of Tannoos el Haddad — Mr. Smith's arrival
— Priest Girgis — Bishop Zachariah friendly — Bishop Gerasimus
and the schools.

THE day after the plundering of the suburbs Phares
Shidiak came to us with the following account of
himself: "Yesterday morning, as I was in my room
reading the New Testament, my brother Mansoor enter-
ed, and, drawing a sword that he had, struck me on the
neck. I continued with the book in my hand till some
one snatched it from me. Mansoor afterward drew up his
musket, threatening to shoot me, but my mother inter-
posed and prevented him. My brother Tannoos, hear-
ing a bustle, came in with a cane, and, without stopping
to inquire, began cudgeling me, calling out, ^ Will you
leave off your heresy and go to church like other people,
or not?' Mansoor, not finding Assad in the house, as
he expected, went to Assad's chest which stood near me,
seized all the books he had received from you — Hebrew,
Syriac, Italian and Arabic — tore them one after another
in pieces and strewed them on the floor. I left the house
and came down near to where the soldiers of the emeer
are encamped, and passed the night there in company
with my brother Galeb ; this morning he returned home,

207

208 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

and I, without his knowledge^ came here, fully deter-
mined never to go home again. And now I will go to
some place, either in this country or some other, where
I can enjoy my liberty."

Phares seemed resolute In his determination to with-
stand the pressure put upon him, but his family friends
called repeatedly to see him, and, partly by flattery and
partly by force, took him home again.

We waited three days more without hearing any-
thing additional from Hadet, and, being solicitous to
know what further might have happened to Assad, we
sent a special messenger to inquire, who brought us this
letter from his own hands :

" You ask respecting my health. I answer, I am in
a state of anxiety, but not like that in which I was some
days ago. On Thursday last, on returning from a visit
to the Emeer Sulman, I found upon the floor the rem-
nants of the holy Scriptures, torn in pieces, as there is
reason to believe, by order of the bishop. When I was
told that my brother Mansoor had done this, I returned
to the emeer and informed him of the afikir. He sent
to call Mansoor, while I returned to the house. I now
learned that my brother Phares had gone off: After
searching for him for some time I went down to the Inn
in quest of him, but he was not to be found. As I was
on my way returning from the inn I prayed to God that
he would take everything from me if necessary, only
letting faith and love to him remain in my heart. As I
went on a man came up and gave me information that
all the consuls at Beirut were slain and that you also
were slain with them. The report came from a man who
said he had deposited goods with you for safety. I ask-
ed the man if it was really true, and he reaffirmed that

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 209

it was. Ask me not what was the state of my feelings
at that moment.

" On reaching home I heard this terrible news con-
firmed, and at the same time looking out and seeing the
heap of ashes near the house, all that remained of the
eleven copies of the Holy Scriptures that had been de-
stroyed, I burst into tears and committed all my con-
cerns into the hands of God, saying, ^ The Lord gave,
and the Lord hath taken away ; blessed be the name of
the Lord,' and so I prayed on with tears and groanings
which I cannot describe. I afterward heard that Phares
was probably in the neighborhood, and I set off again
in search of him, by night, but found him not. When
I heard the news of your death confirmed I sent off a
messenger for him, that wherever he might be found,
he might be induced to return, and when I received his
letter informing me that he had gone to your house I
yet could not believe that the former report concerning
you was false.

" But when the truth on this subject began to appear,
then I heard, by a person who came to me yesterday
evening, that the patriarch and the Emeer Besheer had
made an agreement to put me to death, and that they
had sent a man to lie in wait for me for that purpose. I
was afterward told, by another person, that some of the
servants of the emeer were appointed to accomplish this
end.

'' Here I am, then, in a sort of custody, enemies with-
in and enemies without. One of my brothers, the other
day, advised me to surrender myself unconditionally to
the mercy of the bishop, whereupon I wrote the bishop
a letter (a copy of which I here enclose) and gave it to
my brother Tannoos, begging him to take it to the

18*

210 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

bishop and bring me his reply. Tannoos read the let-
ter, and without saying a word threw it down in con-
tempt. I then gave it to my uncle with the same re-
quest, but as yet I have had no reply.*

" All my concerns I commit into the hands of God
who created me. Through the blood of our Lord Jesus
Christ I hope that all my distresses will be for the best.''

Thus closed the life of liberty for this persecuted dis-
ciple. On the day that the above letter was written, or
the day after, he was seized by his relatives and con-
ducted to the patriarch. One week after, Phares ap-
peared at Beirut direct from Deir Alma, whither he had
accompanied the convoy having his brother Assad in
charge. On arriving, Phares delivered us the few fol-
lowing words, written in Assad's well-known hand : "If
you can find a vessel setting oif for Malta in the course
of four or five days, send me word ; if not, pray for
your brother Assad."

This letter was replied to by Phares, but the messen-
ger was seized and robbed. The victim had been effec-
tually secured and all access to him prevented. He was
soon taken to Canobeen, a convent built in the side of a
high cliff of Lebanon, most difficult of access, and sur-
rounded on all sides by an unmingled Maronite popula-
tion. He made attempts to escape, but was always dis-
covered, brought back, beaten, and in every way abused,
till finally he was walled up in a narrow cell, where, in
utter filth and neglect and obloquy, he languished three
years, and whether crushed by these accumulated suffer-
ings, or whether by starvation or by poison, he at length
died.

* Tlie letter contained a strong argument against all image-wor-
ship.

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

211

A solemn and joyful day was the first of January,
1827. It was the day of the general concert of prayer
for the spread of the gospel. It was the day of our
communion season at Beirut, and what was more, it was
the day of the ingathering of the first fruits of our Syr-
ian labors.

MT. 1.EBAMOX, "WITH THE CANOBEEN CONVENT IN THE MIBDIiE FOBE-
GKOXJND.

We held our meeting in one of our largest upper
rooms. The number of the names together was fifteen ;
five missionaries, including Mr. Nicolayson, six Arme-
nians (including two wives), Mrs. Abbott and daughter,
and two young men, sons of a mountain sheikh. Two
of the Armenians were our Sidon friends, Yacob Aga
and priest Stefan, the latter in Mr. GoodelFs employ.

Before this little assembly Mrs. Abbott and the two
hopefully converted Armenian ecclesiastics presented
themselves and made a public profession of their faith

212 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

in Christ, and entered into covenant with God and with
the little company of missionary believers.

Mrs. Abbott was born and educated in Italy, and
came to Beirut a member, of course, of the prevailing
church of her country. After the consul, on our arrival
at Beirut, had kindly consented that we should have
weekly preaching at his house, she favored the meetings
with her regular attendance, and listened with evident
interest to the discourses. Her interest was seen to in-
crease apace, and she not only exhibited a marked
pleasure in our Sabbath-day exercises, but also began to
make one of our number at our week-day meetings for
prayer and conference. Without any impulsive excite-
ment, and before we were prepared to recognize the hap-
py event, it became evident that she had fully embraced
the truth as it is in Christ, and had decided to cast in
her lot with the Lord's people.*

Bishop Dionysius Carabet, who entered the service of
the mission, was born at Constantinople, spent thirty-
six years of his life in the Armenian convent at Jeru-
salem, during the last nine of which he enjoyed the
office of bishop or archbishop, and for a long time was
chief secretary of the establishment. In the year 1824,
becoming sick of the superstitions of his church and
skeptical as to its doctrines, he left the convent and
what property he possessed (which the convent refused
to deliver up to him), and came to Sidon, intending to
proceed to Constantinople and end his days in his native
city. At Sidon, however, he obtained a consular agency
for the kingdom of Naples, but after a short time was
transferred to the employ of Mr. Goodell, at Beirut.

* Mrs. Abbott became a widow in 1834, and was afterward adopted
into the mission as tlie wife of the Eev. Dr. Tliomson.

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 213

Arclibishop as he was, lie used profane language freely,
and at first appeared quite unconscious that it was
wrong, but on being admonished for it, he abandoned
the practice. He invariably attended our divine ser-
vice on the Sabbath, though it was generally in English,
and appeared greatly pleased with the serious manner
in which it was conducted, the like of whicli he was
pleased to say was nowhere else to be found in Syria.

Being harassed with letters from his convent, inviting,
beseeching and commanding him to return, he renounced
his monastic vows, and to cut oif all hope and possi-
bility of reconciliation with his Church he entered into
the married state.

So bold a step, which, in fact, set at naught the whole
monastic system of his Church, became matter of sur-
prise and discussion throughout all Syria. His case
came up for consideration in an Armenian council held
at Bagdad, but it was concluded there that nothing
could be done against him. It is true, however, that a
firman for his arrest was afterward obtained at. Con-
stantinople, as well as for the arrest of his two brethren
who had offended in the same manner, but the order
was never put in execution.*

Gregory Wortabet, another of our helpers, was born in
Boloo, a town in Bithynia, in 1798. He early became
an orphan by the loss of both his parents, and, looking
upon the world as full of vanity and vexation of spirit,

* When the mission in 1828 retired for a time to Malta, Bishop
Carabet accompanied it, and was very useful in aiding Mr. Goodell
in the printing of his translations. He had hoped that after the
Russian war was over he might continue in Mr. Goodell's connection
at Constantinople, but meeting at Smyrna with a deadly persecution,
he fled and came once more to Beirut, where, in 1850, he died at the
age of about seventy-five years.

214 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

he was for many years a very serious-minded and, in
his way, prayerful youth, and profited in his own re-
ligion above many his equals in his own nation. Being
of this turn of mind, he was noticed by the priesthood,
was furnished with the means of a tolerable education,
was sent to Jerusalem and occupied for a time the office
of secretary to Bishop Gabriel, of that city. Here also
he was ordained a wortabet or priest. By the wicked-
ness of two of the bishops in the convent, who hated
him for his integrity and for the partiality of the patri-
arch and others toward him, his life in Jerusalem was
made wretched, and he accepted the appointment of
navirag, or collector of funds among the churches of
Cappadocia and Bithynia. He was so well received by
the people, so successful in his occupation and so much
flattered and caressed, that his brain was turned. He
became proud and vain, ceased all devotional habits,
and, seeing corruption everywhere prevalent among the
priesthood, he joined in their abominations and became
an infidel.

" I sought,'' he says, ^^ only worldly ease and pleasure
and honor and profit. Of what is called the soul I had
not one thought. I looked upon man as the grass of
the field that springs up and flourishes and then dies for
ever. I violated my monastic vow October 30, 1825,
and, agreeably to the instructions of Paul, took to myself
a wife. After the lapse of several months, having ob-
tained a residence near the missionaries and being inti-
mate with them morning and evening, and indeed at all
times, I became by degrees more inclined to read the
gospel, and began to compare the missionaries' works
and all that was done in their families with their preach-
ing and with the precepts of the gospel. From day to

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 215

day I read and examined the word of God, and I found
that their actions were in perfect accordance with it, and
that even the most minute part of their conduct was
regulated by it. I read the word of God with them
every day and every night for three months. We went
through the whole New Testament from beginning to
end. A light began to dawn upon me. I endeavored
to commit my soul to the divine teaching. I became
fully satisfied of the authenticity and inspiration of the
Scriptures. I acknowledged with my whole heart the
living God to be the Creator of the world and to be
my God.''*

The influence of the Bible was extending around
Beirut; the members of the Shidiak family were dis-
pleased with the patriarch's treatment of Assad, and
some clamored for his liberation ; two sons of Sheikh
Lattoof, of Eh-heden, having business with the English
consul, naturally accepted, meantime, of an invitation to
board with us; all these things were a vexation of spirit
to the prelate of Canobeen, who thereupon favored the
public with another manshoor, of which the following
is the substance : " To all our beloved sons of the Ma-
ronite nation : We wish to inform you that, as we before
issued a manshoor against certain Bible men, in which
we condemned their books and commanded them to be
burned, and prohibited all persons from all sorts of inter-
course of a religious nature with them, these impostors,

* Wortabet accompanied the other members of the mission com-
pany to Malta and continued a short time to render service in the
printing of the New Testament translation, after which he returned
and resided at Sidon, where he exhibited a remarkable zeal for the
gospel. When our hopes of his future usefulness were highest he
was suddenly taken from us. He died of cholera in Sidon, Septem-
ber 10, 1832.

216 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

enemies of the Roman Catholic Church, instructed by
their master, tliat hellish dragon, who never — not even
for one moment — desists from waging war with the
faithful, are still unwearied in sowing the tares of their
heretical doctrine. . . . And now, since we cannot re-
strain ourselves from opposing this evil, which grows
upon us every day, . . . we command and ordain, by
the word of the Lord, which is almighty, that all our
people separate themBelves from these Bible men, fol-
lowers of the Scrij)tures, with a perfect separation as
to all connection or commerce whatever, religious or
worldly,^ etc., etc., closing with the usual threats of de-
gradation to priests and of excommunication to laymen
if they disobey.

The petty princes and sheikhs of the mountains were
now excited by the priests to break up our schools. The
ruling druze sheikh at Shoo-air began the work by vio-
lently threatening the teacher and compelling him to
resign.

Next followed the school at Mhait-ty and that of
Kfer Akkab, these being in the Maronite district. But
other schools out of their sphere of influence — as at Tri-
poli, Tripoli-port, and those in Merj Aioon, Hasbei-ya,
Rashei-ya, Deir Meemas and Jedeideh — were spared a
while.

Priest Girgis, of Beirut, zealously co-operated with
the measures of his patriarchal master. He sent for our
Maronite servant-woman and ordered her to leave our
service that very week, under pain of the greater ex-
communication. Her remonstrances against such hard
usage were earnest but unavailing. ^' I am a poor
woman,^^ she said, "with a blind husband and three
small children on my neck, and the times are hard;

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 217

how am I to get along?" "I know nothing about
that," said the priest. "Such are the orders of his
Blessedness, and so it must be." He finally offered to
give her a letter stating her case if she would carry it to
the patriarch ; peradventure he might excuse her. But
a journey of fifty or sixty miles across mountains and
valleys seemed for her too great a task, and she did not
accept his offer. Mrs. Dalton's servant-woman was laid
under the same interdict, and both these needy women
were thus forced from their situations.

In connection with these events it was given out in
terrorem that, on the coming Sabbath, the Maronite
church would be hung around with black, and that the
priest by the light of a solitary candle would read, in a
tremendous voice, an excommunication against all those,
by name, who still continued to have intercourse with
the Protestants. The two Maronite daughters spoken of
above would doubtless have shown still more reluctance
in leaving their places, with which they had professed
themselves to be so well satisfied, but in view of such a
storm rising np, so lowering and so black, they would
rather flee at a sacrifice than to face it. Something like
what was threatened did actually come to pass, but in
no such imposing form. Peter Te-en, teacher of Mr.
Nicolayson, in Safet, Anton Adam, our translator, and
two or three others were looking for a share in the tem-
pest, but when it came it burst alone on the head of
l^oor Peter. The youth, however, bore it right man-
fully. All the harm it did him was that of detaining
him one day longer at Beirut than he had intended, for
the Maronite muleteer who had agreed to set out with
him the next day for Safet broke his engagement, be-
cause faith with heretics was not to be kept. But Peter

19

218 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

found some Driize or Jew who had conscience enough
to keep his word, and though he was additionally
threatened with an arrest from the Emeer Besheer, yet
he went off unmolested in the face of all his enemies.

Even our guest, Sheikh Naameh Lattoof, thought it
not impossible that his name might be with others on
the black list, for on the day preceding the Sabbath of
the curse he was invited by the ever vigilant priest,
Girgis, to an interview in which he was closely cate-
chised.

Like many others in the land, Sheikh Naameh seems
never to have been a papist from conviction, but only by
birth and tradition. Sheikh Lattoof, the father, was
strongly inclined to the latitudinarianism of the French,
with which people he had had much to do. The son,
on having his attention directed to the Scriptural argu-
ments of Protestants, could not contradict them, but was
almost persuaded to be a Protestant. It was this half-
persuasion which made him ready to give short answers
to the priest's catechetical questions. Not long after
these events the two young sheikhs returned to their
home in Zgarta, near Tripoli.

Among the subjects of special persecution at this time
in Beirut were a lad named Assad Khei^t and two
cousins of the family of Trodd. They were all of the
Greek denomination. The first had been our pupil for
years, and had become so much attached to us that his
friends became alarmed lest he should leave his church.
He also became alarmed at the threats uttered against
him, and ceased to visit us. Of the other two, Ferj
Allah Trodd was a young man of more than twenty
years, thoughtful and quiet, not specially gifted in intel-
lect, but respectable for his candor and independence.

BIBLE VVOHK IN BIBLE LANDS. 219

"VVe were, however, most interested in his cousin Michael.
He was considerably younger, and much more sprightly,
social and communicative. Their chief foe was Nicola
Trodd, one of their own household, as the Saviour had
taught them to expect. This uncle held the office of
secular agent of the Greek church of the city. He
managed the church funds, and assumed, even in spiritual
matters, a sort of associate authority with the bishop.
Uniting himself with his Maronite associates in fulfilling
their ^^ bounden duty to destroy heretics,^' he procured
and read in the church an address, as if from the bishop,
denouncing and threatening to punish all such as should
continue to hold intercourse with the Protestants.
Again, on the succeeding Sabbath, the same ceremony
was enacted, only with increased emphasis and acrimony,
and in concert wdth a similar one in the church of the
Maronites. Even previous to this second denunciation,
Michael's father had been so much opposed to his course
that he had threatened to disinherit him if he did not
cease to come to us ; but now, after this new, emphatic
tirade, his feelings of paternal responsibility for his son
were kindled with new ardor, and he was determined on
more compulsory measures.

Michael went home that evening from one of his ac-
customed visits, and took his usual seat at the supper-
table. AVhile he was in that posture his father came in,
accompanied by his brother, the notorious Nicola. Anger
shot forth from both their countenances. As they ap-
proached toward Michael he fled from the table, and,
gaining an outer terrace of the house, he leaped to the
earth and ran from the ciCy. He came back to us
weary, hungry and naked (that is, in his undress), and
we ministered to his wants.

220 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

By all these hostile demonstrations the whole vicinity
was in commotion. It was in some of its features like a
general revival of religion. Our houses were thronged
with inquirers, and we could do little else but converse
with the people on the great subject of salvation from
morning till night.

In spite of all efforts to intimidate our friend Ferj
Allah, he continued with us for a whole week, night
and day, near the close of which time a communication
was sent him by his furious uncle. He comes right to
the point thus :

" What a base, abominable and filthy name have you
gotten to yourself! Time will never remove the stain.
You rest under the power of our excommunication.
You have put yourself on the ground of disobedience to
the ecclesiastical authorities as well as to the orders of our
lord the sultan (the most high and most merciful God
assist him !), and have made yourself the common talk
of the whole town. David in his time said, * Deliver
me from disgrace,' but you have gone abroad to seek
and buy it, and you shall soon see the fruits of your
folly at the hand of the government.

^' If you return this day we will receive you, as says
the apostle, ^Receive him who forsakes his infamy,^
and we will take off the tax laid upon you. But if you
do not return, prepare for consequences. The hand of
the wazeer (pasha) is powerful. If you think to be
protected by the Franks, remember what happened to
Ibn Khlat and Ibn Zreek.

^' Moreover, if God has seen fit to open the way to
you to take so corrupt a course, what have you to do
with my son Yacob that you should take him with you
as a waiter? If Yacob connects himself with you in

BIBLE WORK IX BIBLE LANDS. 221

your evil way, kes-met Allah! [a great oath] my anger
shall know no bounds. I'll annihilate you with an
utter destruction, and no repentance shall avail you.
You know who I am.''

An immediate answer was requested by the messenger.
"Tell the writer," said Ferj Allah, "he may expect au
answer within three days^

The messenger informed Ferj Allah that his uncle
had obtained authority from the governor to hold all his
property in custody until he should return to his good
standing in the church, and that Michael also had been
heavily taxed.

Tannoos el Hadad, our honest, Christian-hearted
schoolmaster, was arrested and taken before the gov-
ernor, who asked him why he was attempting to change
the religion of the country, and without further cere-
mony sent him to the common prison. AVe informed
the consul of the case, who immediately sent his drago-
man with us to see the prisoner. He was in a narrow,
dirty dungeon, without air or light, and fit only for the
worst of criminals. As they had accused him of no
crime but that of corru[)ting religion, he felt that he was
suffering for Christ's sake and was happy to enjoy the
honor. He prayed for his persecutors, and begged us
to quiet all the apprehensions his wife and mother might
feel respecting him. As we were coming away we asked
tlie dragoman, wlio was a papist, what he thouglit of the
imprisonment of a man so irreproachable. His reply
was,

" Are not those books forbidden ?"

By this it seemed that he as well as the governor
knew the real crime was the teaching of the children to
read the IS'ew Testament and the Psalms in the school.

19*

222 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

As this accusation was not likely to injure the teacher
much, a new one was afterward invented which it was
believed would answer the purpose better, and when
AYortabet was deputed by the consul to demand the
prisoner's release as keeper of the English cemetery, the
governor said nothing about religion nor books, but the
man had committed a heinous crime against morality.
Wortabet still demanded, in the consul's name, the
liberation of the accused and the production of the lad
who was said to be the accuser. The former demand was
granted, and an official was despatched with Wortabet to
open the prison door, but about the lad the governor
could not answer. In the way as they went whom should
they meet but Nicola Trodd, whom the official immedi-
ately hailed and asked, earnestly, " Where is that boy ?
We want the boy." The wakeel of the bishop was
greatly embarrassed. The demand was repeated. Nicola
wished to know what was the matter ; he was very igno-
rant. A few more words passed between them, and it
was proposed to look into the subject " to-morrow."

On hearing all this account the consul was greatly
exasperated, the more so as he said the same Trodd had
only the day before brought an accusation to him against
his own nephew, Ferj Allah Trodd, which turned out
to be totally false.

The morning came, and Mr. Abbott invited Nicola to
an interview. He sent his brother in his stead. The
consul would not see him, but sent another message to
the wakeel demanding that he produce the "^o?/." But
the boy is gone to the mountains, and Nicola shakes his
cloak and is in utter ignorance of this whole matter.
Messengers are next sent to the governor to say that a
man under English protection having been seized and

BIBLE WOKK IN BIBLE LANDS. 223

imprisoned under accusation of a crime, and the examina-
tion of the case having been appointed for to-day, the
consul begs leave to say that all on his side are ready for
the trial. ^' Bring on the witnesses T^

The governor, after giving a few silly excuses and
seeing that he was compromised in an affair of which he
was utterly ashamed, rose and cried out to his scribes
and constables,

" Up ! Go about your business ! Clear away this
muddle forthwith ! You that have thrown us into this
swamp and mire, get us out of it ! Produce the 6oy,
whether above ground or below ground ! Find him !
bring him \'^

The chief secretary spoke, and said the whole matter
had better be dropped and have no further trouble about
it, but he was told that such a course would not satisfy
the consul. However, under the circumstances, the main
witness being in the mountains twenty miles off, no trial
could be had till another "to-morrow,'' and so Nicola
had one more lease to live and breathe for twenty-four
hours, unconvicted and uncondemned before any tribunal
but that of his own conscience.

The morrow came, and the governor quite unexpect-
edly sent word that the said boy was at hand and the
trial might go on. Four of our Protestant company
were appointed to attend the trial. The lad proved to
be one that had formerly attended our Italian school.
Pie came forward, took a respectful posture before the
judge, and, without any oath or ceremony, commenced
recounting his story of the crime. When he had finish-
ed, any one was allowed to make such remarks as he
chose, the judge meantime sitting a silent spectator and
listener. Being cross-questioned, the lad soon found

224 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

himself involved in puzzling contradictions, and in a
short time began to refuse to answer questions at all.
The judge looked steadfastly at him, as if wondering at
his bold wickedness, and was heard to say, in a low
voice, " Ah, he's a sad fellow ! he's an accursed rogue !
it's a plot of the devil."

When the boy had thoroughly finished his testimony
the mother, who had previously sought the privilege of
bearing testimony to corroborate that of her son, was sent
for. While waiting for the mother's arrival some words
were addressed to the witness that might work upon his
conscience, particularly the words of the commandment
about bearing false witness against one's neighbor. He
sat uneasily. His eyes w^andered about hurriedly, and he
finally rose, and, kneeling by the ear of the judge, con-
fessed to him in a whisper the whole truth. His whole
testimony had been a tissue of lies. But a certain man
had offered him a reward if he would go to the governor
and enter such an accusation, and so he did. The man
in question was Nicola Trodd, and the reward Avas to be
a paper of recommendation testifying to the good charao-
ter and poverty of the bearer and requesting alms from
all good people. So ended this attack !

On the 18th of February, 1827, we were favored by
the arrival of the Rev. Eli Smith, accompanied by the
English missionaries, Gobat, Kugler and Muller, and a
colored man from Abyssinia. The four last named were
destined for the gospel work in Egypt. Mr. Gobat has
since become bishop of Jerusalem. Mr. Smith, our
American brother, afterward so eminent for his high
scholarship and labors, had come to cast in his lot with
us, to aid us in sowing the good seed, and to share w^ith
us in the prospective harvest. This new missionary, de-

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 225

siroiis of obtaining a knowledge of the Arabic in the
most rapid way possible, engaged our schoolmaster, Tan-
noos, to go ^vlth him and board in a neighboring village
where he would be obliged to speak the language and
liear no other spoken. With this friendly man and, as
we believed, Christian brother at his side for sympathy
and instruction, and having no interruptions, his studies
were very successful. It was well for the missionary
and well for the schoolmaster that his school was broken
up ; for though Nicola could not do this by false accu-
sation, he succeeded in doing it by opening a free school
in the name of the church and persuading his neighbors
to patronize it. These neighbors, for his zeal in behalf
of the church, overlooked his iniquity. Moreover, the
school went on without expense to us, and was taught
by an acquaintance of ours and a friend of the Bible
cause.

Our Maronite woman returned to our employ, declar-
ing that the priests had broken their engagement to find
her work. Priest Girgis of course loaded her with his
curse and excommunication from society. After some
time she chanced one day to spy the priest near the
house, and accosted him, as it appeared, in no very civil
language, and there succeeded a war of words such as
seldom happens between a pastor and one of his flock.
To conclude the affray the priest hurried round to our
door and wished to see the man of the house. He was
invited to come up and see him at his leisure. But this
he probably would not have done even though a vision
like that of Peter should have taught him that we were
neither "common nor unclean." Finally, an opportunity
was given him for an interview just at the middle of our
out-door stairway. He stood waiting at the bottom in

226 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

company with some of the Maronite neighbors. He
seemed afraid to set foot on our polluted stone steps,
though they were outside the house and copiously washed
every few days by the pure rain of heaven and bleached
in the sun. But when he saw that further condescension
was not to be had, he wrapped his priestly robes tight
about himself, and, summoning all his resolution to the
task, he mounted up his half way, and there we sat nearly
side by side. Scanning his new colloquist up and down
a moment, he said,

" I am not inferior to you, sir, Ana kod-dak " (I am
your equal).

" Very well, sir ; please proceed."

He then spread out his complaints against the woman
as being one that had no principle and no religion, going
about uttering insufferable slanders against him, and
would we harbor such a woman in our family ?

" But we have never heard of these slanders. We must
have more evidence before turning the woman out of
doors.''

He then called upon the bystanders to testify, which
they did, saying they had heard the woman cwse Jiis
heard and call him hard names. He was then assured
that cursing and calling hard names were not approved
in our house nor agreeable to us in any shape, but that
such talk was hardly to be called slander, and that,
moreover, it was not a sin peculiar to the woman.
Cursing and calling hard names was a very fashionable
weakness in the, neighborhood in those days.

He began to wax warm and to press his case with
vehemence, reproaching us with countenancing wicked-
ness in our house. He finally said that if nothing could
be done by persuasion, he would see what could be done

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 227

by force, and that nothing short of a law-suit would sat-
isfy hira. Saying this, he rose and went off with his
companions, muttering his resentment.

On inquiring of the woman why she had so spoken
against the priest, she said she had been much insulted
as she passed people in the streets in consequence of the
priest's anathema, and so (as is the custom of the coun-
try) she returned evil for evil and cursing for cursing.
The priest being the medium and instrument of her
degradation before the people, she naturally vented her
outraged feelings upon Mm. And, indeed, in this act
the woman had a good deal to say for herself The
priest threw the first stone. He began the cursing, she
does but follow his example. Besides, he curses in pub-
lic, she only in private. He curses her soul, she only
his heard.

Our school agent, Yoosef Lufloofy, and his brother
Michael, temporarily with us, were put under excom-
munication by the patriarch of the papal Greek church.
The former having occasion to go into the city saw all
his old acquaintances turning their backs upon him, and
one, more zealous than the rest, lifted up his voice in the
words of the 68th Psalm, ^^ Arise, O God, let thine ene-
mies be scattered ; let them also that hate thee flee be-
fore thee.'' Yoosef endeavored to make light of all this,
though he evidently felt the insult keenly. He very
soon wrote to his patriarch on the subject, and endeav-
ored to draw him into a discussion, but his Holiness
refused.

This movement against the gospel, concocted by the
Maronite patriarch, was intended to enlist all the papal
interests in the land — patriarchs, bishops and jjriests —
and to enlist also, from the Greek community, as many

228 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

as, by intimidation, flattery or purchase, could be in-
duced to join hands in the enterprise. The papal Syrian
bishop at Deir Sharfi had driven away our cook ; the
papal Greek patriarch had struck at the family of Luf-
loofy ; the bishop Benjamin and his wakeel, Nicola, were
subsidized from the Greeks of Beirut, and Bishop Ger-
asimus from those of Hasbeiya and Merj Aioon. The
last mentioned lent his aid in the enterprise by breaking
up our schools that remained in the region of Mt. Her-
mon. The only bishop that stood up boldly against
this papal assault was Bishop Zachariah, residing at
Tripoli. In visiting the schools at Tripoli, Lufloofy
had cultivated a familiarity with him, and on his hear-
ing that Yoosef had been excommunicated, he wrote him
a letter, not of condolence, but of congratulation. The
bishop also wrote to the mission, enclosing a copy of a
letter to ^^ his Blessedness " the Greek patriarch, in which
he earnestly deprecated the persecution of the distributors
of the Bible and the closing of the schools.

Previous to the arrival of Bishop Zachariah-'s letter we
had sent a request to the patriarch, which he answered
thus :

"About the schools, we reply that we had been in-
formed of their establishment and had never forbidden
them. But particularly of those at Hasbeiya and Merj
Aioon we at first had no knowledge. Afterward, when
disputes and divisions about them arose among the
people, we, in order to restore harmony, wrote to them,
saying, ^ Have you lived so many years in the habit of
teaching your own children at your own expense, and
now do you look to others to instruct them as a charity?
What has happened to you to render such a step neces-
sary ? — a step which has introduced among you variance

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 229

and strife/ Tliis, and this only, was the amount of our
letter to them."

Here are two questions the patriarch asks about the
schools, but he gives no order.

With regard to Bishop Zachariah's letter, the patriarch
replies: "He begs us to write a circular to all our
people, exhorting them to receive these schools of yours.''
[In the bishop's copy to us there is nothing about such
a " circular."] " Now we acknowledge the work to be
one of the greatest benevolence, and one for which we
render you hearty thanks, but to send out a public proc-
lamation to our people to receive them is a thing which,
through fear of the late firman forbidding this work, we
cannot do." [The firman forbade the boohs, not the
schoolsJ] "That we should, however, actually foi'bid
this work is equally impossible, since the books yua
bring, the Old and New Testaments and the Psalter, we
have examined and pronounce to be such as are univer-
sally received among us, and you will, for their distri-
bution, have your reward. . . .

" We shall write hereafter to Bishop Gerasimus, our
brother, to see if there is a prospect that the schools can
go on among his people without divisions, and if the
people generally wish for them, let them be continued ;
there can be no objection. . . .

"Please God, we shall not be wanting in our compli-
ance with whatever you demand. Let us hear from
you often. Inform us in what way we can be service-
able to you, and may the Lord prolong your days. So
prays for you,

" JNIethodius,

" Patriarch of Antioch and all the East.
" Damascus, March 27, 1827."
20

230 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

Bishop Gerasimus in announcing to ns the breaking
up of the schools wrote us in these words : " We have
to inform you that there was sent by the elders of the
village and others, to his Holiness the patriarch of
Antioch, a letter respecting the schools established by
you among our people, saying they wished to have them
broken up, and there came an answer from his Blessed-
ness ordering them to be abolished. Therefore, accord-
ing to the order, we have given instructions that the
school in Hasbeiya, as well as those in Merj Aioon, shall
be discontinued according to the universcd wish J'

The "universal wish of the people '' was to abolish the
schools, yet the parents somehow would continue,
against their will, to send their children to them, and
there was no means of enabling them to act according
to their universal wish but to obtain an " order " from
the patriarch, and this " order " is briefly comprehended
in these words, " Why do you look to strangers for your
schools ?" " This, and this only," the patriarch declares,
was his " order." One would suppose they might have
done according to theiv "universal wish" without it.
Moreover, the " order " was for the village of Hasbeiya
only, for there was the only quarrel about the school.
Yet, upon this " order," Bishop Gerasimus gives us to
understand he abolished also the three other schools in
Merj Aioon. To the people, however, the bishop, whose
letter was shown us, spoke of no " order," nor even of
any patriarchal permission, to destroy the schools. He
spoke in this way :

"We have searched into this matter with all dili-
gence and have discovered it to be full of deadly poison,
for these men are full of heresy and vile infidelity and
monstrous blasphemy against the sacraments, ceremonies

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 231

and customs of our religion, and the result of this work
of theirs will be future vexation and corruption to no
small extent, and we fear lest the dragon should corrupt
your thoughts and lest the evil serpent should infuse his
mortal poison. We are bound, therefore, to put a total
and final stop to these schools, for what concord hath
Christ with Belial, or what part hath he that believeth
with an infidel?'^

After all, contrary to " the universal wish " and to
patriarchal ^^ orders,'^ and in spite of all the doses of
poison, heresy, infidelity and monstrous blasphemy
which were attempted to be poured down the throats of
these people by the Bible men, they still upheld the
schools, until the bishop was forced to come to them in
person, and then and there confess to them that he was
impelled to this course hy letters v^hich he had received^
not from the patriarch, hwi from 31ansoor ed Dahh-dahh,
Maronite secretary of the Emeer Besheer, whom he "dared
not disoblige;'^ just as Bishop Zachariah said in his letter
to the patriarch, " it was done solely to please the Eo-
manists of the WestJ^

CHAPTER XII.

Sick cliild taken to the mountains — Excommunications — Keraoval
from Eh-heden to Ba-whyta — Negotiations with the patriarch —
Slieikh Girgis, of Besherry, intercedes — Interviews of the sheikhs
with his Holiness — Sheikh Naameh exasperated and indomitable ;
the others pardoned.

WE had a sick infant that was pining away danger-
ously, and to save its life a skillful foreign physi-
cian advised a residence for a time in a higher atmosphere.
The young sheikh Naameh Lattoof was with us at the
tune, and invited us to his father's house in Eh-heden.
No place in the mountains could have been oflPered more
favorable for the health of the child. We obtained a
paper from the Eraeer Besheer to the Emeer Ameen,
his son, who had command over the district of the Gib-
beh, where Eh-heden was situated. It was an order for
our safety and respectful treatment. Armed thus with
a safe conduct from the source of all authority in the
mountains, we supposed we should be safe anywhere till
we should have time to present it to the subordinate
prince for his more local orders.

The patriarch was, of course, kept well informed of
all our movements, and no sooner had we reached Eh-
heden than the people were summoned to the church to
hear the patriarchal excommunication against the family
of our host. The document had doubtless been made
ready beforehand and was waiting our arrival.

232

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 233

After speaking of the " infernal hardihood which the
unliappy and wretched Lattoof el Ash-shi and his sons
had reached in having dared to associate themselves
with the family of a Bi])le man/' and that, too, in spite
of many warnings, he proceeds :

"We, therefore, make known to all that those sons
of wickedness, Lattoof el Ash-shi and his sons, together
with all the rest of the family, both male and female,
have fallen under the heavier excommunication, and
now we, by the word of the Lord, which is almighty,
do confirm this curse upon them. They are therefore
accursed y cut off from all Christian communion; and let
the curse envelop them as a robe and spread thr^ough all
their members like oil, break them in pieces like a patterns
vessel and loither them like the fig tree cursed by the mouth of
the Lord himself; let the evil angel rule over them by day
and by night, asleep and awake, and in whatever circum-
stances they may be found. We permit no one to visit
them, or employ them, or do them a favor, or give them a
salutation, or converse with Hiem in any form or manner,
but let them be avoided as a putrid member and as hellish
dragons.'^

He goes on with a similar warning against all com-
munication with the Bible man and his family, and
closes with his patriarchal " blessing on the obedient.''

We were furnished with a copy of this proclamation
by the good bishop Stephen Dwyhee, of Eh-heden,
Bome ten days after it was read in the church.

A patriarchal document similar to the above, specially
intended for Lattoof, was read before his window in his
hearing. After copying for our own use the order of
the Emeer Besheer to his son to ensure our protection
on the mountains, Naameh set off immediately with

234 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

the original to present it to the younger emeer at Ge-
bail.

The darkness of the evening had scarcely begun when
our ears were suddenly assailed with loud and continued
screams of some females out of doors in distress. The
servant-girl came running in, saying they were beating
the daughters of Lattoof at the oven. They had gone
out with their mother, as usual, to prepare their bread
for the Sabbath. The oven being owned in common
by the two sheikhs, Bootrus and Lattoof, the former
l}ad sent his men to drive these excommunicated females
away. Sheikh Lattoof hastened out to see what might
be done for the protection of his wife and daughters, and
was followed by the sheikh's mother-in-law. He was
met by one of the bullies of Bootrus, who brought him
to the ground by a blow of his club. When he had re-
covered himself he was seen standing apart from the
crowd that had collected, with a violent man close be-
fore him, club in hand, threatening him furiously with
death if be did not leave the ground. One of the
daughters also came and begged him to go into the
house. At the same time, in the midst of the idle crowd
of spectators near by, were seen the other daughter and
the mother screaming and holding with all the-ir might
the club of another bully, who, with his turban knocked
off, was wringing and twisting in vain to free the weapon
from their hands. These three were the only apparent
actors in the exhibition.

The sheikh suffered himself to be led into the house
and laid on his bed. He had one deep cut in his scalp
and two or three others in the scalp and face. While
those wounds were being dressed the tumult without
became quieted and tlie mother and daughters came in.

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 237

The grandmother Imd been struck and seemed badly
hurt. The mother had a bruised arm, about which,
however, she made little ado. The young daughters
c^me in gay as larks, complaining of nothing and tell-
ing us not to be alarmed, and that this was a small affair
compared with some which they had experienced in their
intercourse with Sheikh Bootrus. He had sometimes
fought against them with sivords instead of clubs. But
the old lady took the matter more seriously. She sat
and held her broken hand and wrist, and, recollecting
that she was once sole mistress of a great share of the
property now held by Sheikh Bootrus and that it had
been taken from her illegally, she moaned forth in her
agony,

" O thou son of Yem-meen ! O thou son of Yera-
meen ! Is it not enough that you should eat up my
property? Must you also beat and bruise my poor
body at this rate ? O thou son of Yem-meen !"

It was an unlooked-for mercy that the young daugh-
ters had escaped so nearly unhurt. They had been in
the thickest of the fight, and borne, with their mother,
the brunt of the battle. But they told us that the
howalieSj the emeer's tax-gatherers, had been near them
and shielded them from the blows of Sheikh Bootrus'
men. It is probable, however, that they owed their
escape more to their own heroic courage, for, to a specta-
tor, they, as well as the mother, seemed nerved to a bold-
ness and strength quite beyond the capacity of such
feeble frames.

The two sheikhs lived in opposite ends of the same
house, so that the terraces of both parts were on the
same level. During the night heavy steps were heard
of men coming from Sheikh Bootrus' pai't of the house

238 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

and walking over our heads. They were evidently
watchmen, set to prevent any persons passing to or from
the house. Once they sent us a stone of considerable
size, which came thundering down the chimney into the
fireplace. But they were restrained from all further
violence by Him who maketh the wrath of man to praise
him and restrains the remainder of it, so that they neither
broke through our terrace nor assailed us with any more
stones, nor with threats or revilings. Moreover, our
little invalid boy, whom the mountain air had already
begun to revive, slept sweetly.

The following day being Sabbath we rested according
to the commandment. On Monday morning early
Yoosef Lattoof and the Bible man left the village and
went toward Tripoli. On the way we came to Ain
Siba-il, where Is-hoc Turbyhh, a friend and relative of
Lattoof, dared to send us a breakfast and inquire the
news. A daughter of his was affianced to Sheikh
Naameh, which added to his interest in our case. At
his advice we spent the day under a pear tree in sight
of his house. He had sent a messenger to Canobeen to
negotiate in behalf of Lattoof and the excommunicants.
We waited for the issue. As there came no favorable
news from his Holiness we went for the night, at Is-hoc's
advice, to the neighboring Greek convent of Hantoora to
lodge.

The next evening found us in Tripoli, where Sheikh
Naameh, after having visited Beirut as well as the prince
at Gebail without succeeding according to his mind, met
us and advised that we remove the family from Eh-
heden to the neighboring district of Dun-neey, equally
favorable for its atmosphere and under Mohammedan
government.

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 239

We visited the two brothers governing the district,
told them our story, and their ready answer was, " Go
through all our district, and the village and the house
you like best are yours/'

We engaged a man to go with us to prepare a house
in the village of Ba-whyta, and, moreover, obtained an-
imals and men to remove the family and goods from
Eh-heden to Ba-whyta '^before to-morrow night." We
had intimated to the sheikhs that they might have diffi-
culty in obtaining the goods on account of the patriarch's
excommunication. They laughed at the suggestion, and
seemed glad to show in what contempt they held the
priestly tyranny of such a man. The outlawed families
had, in their eleven days' confinement, suffered somewhat
from famine, and more, perhaps, from fear and anxiety.
But the life of no one had been lost, and our infant had
suddenly been relieved of every threatening symptom.

But to return to the patriarch. It was to have been
expected that when his Holiness should hear that his
chief adversary, the Bible follower, had fled, he would
be quieted, but, on the contrary, he seems to have be-
come, if possible, more bellicose and unrelenting than
ever, for while the latter and his young fellow-fugitive
are hastening out of his way, he follows close at their
heels with new thunderbolts. Repeating his curses of
" the infernal Lattoof and his whole family," and prais-
ing the zeal of those who "drove the prowling w^olves"
away, he exhorts the Sheikhs Daw-hir to "persecute
those devils" from all places under their authority.

Sheikh Solyman Daw-hir, one of the men addressed,
happened to be a man in sympathy w4th the persons
thus heartily anathematized. He w^as at Lattoof 's when
the Bible family arrived there, and honored us with a

240 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

short call. He was an eye-witness of the uproar the
same evening before the house of the two sheikhs, and
knew whether the patriarch had spoken the truth in
calling it an uprising of the people against the foreign
family, by which the offenders were driven in a moment
like prowling wolves from the village. It was from this
sheikh's mouth at Gebail that Naameh Lattoof first
learned the fact of the uproar, and said to him, " Had
you been there, so equally divided were the parties that
blood as well as water would have flowed down the
streets of Eh-heden.*

Our retirement from Eh-heden did little or nothing
toward mitigating the severity of the patriarch's quar-
antine against the family of our host. The wife and
daughters of the oppressed sheikh had managed to walk
out to the next village, Besherry, and to profit by an
interview with their friend Sheikh Girgis, of that place,
who was ever ready to lend them all the aid in his
power. We also occasionally sent them from Ba-whyta
some partial relief.

The patriarch improved the occasion of the first Sab-
bath of our residence in Ba-whyta to cause to be pub-
lished against us his stereotyped anathema. But he
was now attempting to operate beyond his limits. His
system of church discipline was found to be much less
adapted to Mohammedan than to princely rule. His
spiritual weapons of chain and prison and quarantine
were wanting. The proclamation instead of setting the
whole people off at a speechless distance from us brought
them to our door. Scarcely a moment of the day passed

*Eli-heden is copiously watered by a mill stream running through
the midst of it.

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 241

without the presence of some of the villagers immedi-
ately about us.

Sheikh Girgis, of the neighboring village of Besherry,
looking at the untoward events that had passed, though
an undoubted friend of both the persecuted families,
considered it a hopeless effort in Lattoof any longer to
withstand the power of the patriarch. He thought him
to be like the king with ten thousand going to make
war with him that cometh against him with twenty
thousand. He had better send an embassage and desire
conditions of peace. So when Lattoof wrote to him for
advice he replied in the inflated style of the country as
follows :

" Honored Brother : After saluting you, I have to
say that your letters reached us yesterday, and we lost
no time in communicating the subject to his Holiness,
enclosing your letters in mine. We addressed ourselves
in a strain of intercession to the great ocean of his pity,
and from the abundance of his compassion his high
pleasure was moved to accept our petition whenever you
and the sheikhs, your sons, should come and do your-
selves the honor to kiss the footsteps of his Holiness,
with entire submission, with a firm resolution to quit all
connection with the Bible men, and with sincere peni-
tence for the past.

"Our advice to you is, therefore, that now you call
together your sons and come, all of you, this very day,
that we may go, we and you in company, and kiss the
tracks of his Holiness. As for ourself, our special de-
sire is, that there be no delay, as we have no time to
lose, intending, if God will, to go to-morrow to kiss
the hand of his Excellency the Emeer Ameen (may
God assist him !), at the convent of Meifook. If you

21

242 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

wish for the favor of God and of his Holiness come at
once, you and your sons with you, without delay. Tarry
not.^'

This letter Sheikh Lattoof took, and enclosing it in
one of his own, sent it to his two sons, who were with
us at Ba-whyta, recommending their compliance with
the counsel of their worthy Besherry friend. Yoosef at
once complied, and set oif for Eh-heden ; but as for
Naameh, he did not at all covet '^ the honor of Ussing
the tracks of his HoUncss,^^ nor could he believe that his
father was really in earnest in wishing him to do so.
He, therefore, sent by Yoosef a respectful letter to his
father, excusing himself from coming, and hoping that
he would be willing to go on and enjoy the honor and
profit of the proposed interview without him.

The three sheikhs repaired to the patriarch at Deman,
a convent across the chasm over against Canobeen. The
prison of Assad Shidlak was at Canobeen. His Holi-
ness was doubtless unwilling to summon these new
"devils'' for trial in so close contiguity with the
old one.

After the kissing part of the ceremony was over the
trial began. "What is this, Lattoof, that you have been
doing? How could you send all the way to Beirut to
bring us those heretics and place them down here in my
very beard? Why did you not bring them direct to
Canobeen itself and seat them in the patriarchal chair,
and send me off to be a pastor of sheep and goats?
What new spirit has possessed you ? What new faith
have you? Let us know the articles of your creed."

" I wish," said the sheikh, " to be summoned before
some man of religion and conscience, and then I shall
be ready to declare my faith what it is, but until that is

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 243

done I shall excuse myself from the duty. With regard
to the religion and conscience of your Blessedness, here
is the evidence of what sort they are/' showing his swol-
len hand and lifting up with it the bandage from his
gashed forehead.

" But what have I to do with all that?"

" All this is the work of your Blessedness, and it is
written in the book of God for you to account for."

"I wish you distinctly to understand, Lattoof, that it
is not you, but your son Naameh, that I have particu-
larly in view in what I am uow doing— that wicked
youth who unites with the heretics and assists them, and
even preaches their doctrines in public harangues."

" Pray, who ever heard my son Naameh preach ?"

" I have many witnesses to prove that he preached
not only in Eh-heden, but also in Tripoli."

" I tell you it is all an abominable lie."

Sheikh Girgis, to whom this report was no less new
and incredible than it was to Lattoof, united in assuring
his Blessedness that such a thing could not have taken
place, and that it was a slander from some enemy.

" No ; it is really true. I know all about this matter,
and if that youth Kaameh — that miserable Rabshoon*
the second — does not cease from his work of heresy, I'll
be the death of him. I am able to accomplish it. I
can do what the Emeer Besheer cannot, and wherever
that Rabshoon may think to hide himself, in that place
I shall be sure to send and burn hhnJ^

" Had it not been for the emeer you would have put
an end to him long ago. The emeer seems to be the
man of peace and of conscience, and you the man of
blood."

* Lord of hell. Sliidiak was Kabshoon the first.

244 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

The patriarch then acknowledged that he had written
to the Emeer Besheer to instruct the Emeer Anieen not
to suffer Naameh to leave Gebail alive.

A long talk was then had about an arrangement for
the absolution of the family, but it was all to no pur-
pose, as the main transgressor had not yet presented
himself. Nothing would do but that Yoosef should
immediately return and inform his brother that his
presence was absolutely necessary to a settlement, and
that in the mean time the father should remain at Deman
waiting Naameh^s arrival. Sheikh Girgis left the place,
having, as he had before intimated, an appointment to
meet the prince at Deir Meifook.

Yoosef appeared in due time at Ba-whyta, bringing a
letter from the father expressed in such terms that he
was convinced his father was now in earnest. The
patriarch had to a certain extent promised to procure
the return of their property which the emeer had taken
from them. It was added, also, in the letter, that his
Blessedness had pledged himself before the sheikhs,
bishops and others present that Naameh should be per-
fectly secure from all personal restraint or harm pro-
vided he came.

As his presence might subserve the cause of truth by
revealing the false impressions and accusations of the
patriarch, and might relieve the sufferings of the family,
we did not attempt to dissuade him from going. He
accordingly set off, taking with him Arabi, our faithful
Muslim, to bring us word again if any mischief should
befall him. Yoosef remained with us.

The third day after he left us he reappeared and gave
us the following account of his visit. The patriarch re^
ceived him with remarkable courtesy, ordering sherbet

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 245

and coffee and handing him even his own pipe to smoke.
Soon his Blessedness entered upon the business before
them, saying :

" My son Naameh, what is this new religion which
you are about setting up among us? You have the
honor of being a descendant of one of the most respect-
able families of our nation — a family who have always
lived in quiet spiritual union with our sons of the
Maronite Church. Why should you now turn away
from their pious example and lend your aid to heretics ?
You know to what trouble and expense I was put to
dislodge those Bible men from Antoora, and now you
are renewing the same sort of trouble by giving them
a residence in the Gibbeh. Why do you thus take part
against your own mother Church, and by your example
give occasion of infidelity and offence to the whole
Maronite nation ?'^

" I would answer you," said Naameh, " by asking
why your Blessedness issues against those worthy men
proclamation after proclamation filled from beginning to
end with notorious misstatements and false uisinuations,
and thus become yourself the occasion of infidelity and
offence to the whole Maronite nation ?"

The dialogue thus spiritedly begun waxed warmer
and warmer : " What are those worthy individuals you
speak of? Will you call men worthy or even honest
who buy men to become of their religion ? — who seduce
men from their own Church by means of their money?''

" I will tell you,'' said Naameh, " what I myself have
witnessed. At a certain time I was present when one
of the sons of the Church came to a Bible man pleading
poverty and wanting money, declaring himself ready to
become one of his followers, to believe all that he be-

21*

246 BIBLE WOKK IN BIBLE LANDS.

lieved and to reject all doctrines that he rejected. The
Bible man answered, ' We buy no man's religion here,
sir ;' then pointing to a New Testament on his table, he
added, ' There are my doctrines. Take that book and
read it and obey it, and I ask you not to be my follower,
nor is it of any consequence whether you ever see my
face again.' ''

" Those Bible men are but a club of devils."

" Were they as fond as some others of quarrels and
other devilish work, they would have come, not to Eh-
heden only, but to Canobeen, and ridden upon your
neck, for these men are not in the country by permission
of the emeer nor yet of the pasha : they are under the
shield of a special firman of the grand signor. But they
are men of peace, and retire from contention wherever
they find it."

" They are men abiding under the anger of God, in-
corrigible heretics, and the only proper medicine for
them is leadJ^

The patriarch then accused Naameh of having entered
his name on our books as one of the Bible company, and
of having come to Canobeen in secret three several times
to effect the escape of Shidiak.

" These accusations are, the whole of them, perfectly
false."

" But my witness is no less a man than Priest Girgis
of Beirut.

"And will you receive the testimony of such a man
as that ? Go to Beirut and hear what the people say of
him. See him strut and swagger through the streets,
spreading his robes to the wind, stroking and smooth-
ing his beard, and talking big as if he were an aga of
the Janisaries. He is a reckless hypocrite, unfit for

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 247

the priesthood, and unfit to be a witness against any
man."

The patriarch became extremely excited, and threat-
ened to put Naameh in confinement by the side of Shidiak.

" I am not one of your Ain Waraka boys," said Naameh,
" nourished at your expense and bound to you by oaths,
that you should think to do by me as you do by them.
Do not think that I came on this visit through any fear
of your excommunication, nor that I came to be fright-
ened by threats. I am not under your authority, and
if you order me to be seized, here is my hanjar, I shall
do my best to defend myself."

Lattoof, whose great aim now was to appease the pa-
triarch, rose in opposition to his son and requested him
to be quiet; but at this Naameh, vexed into a fury at see-
ing his father taking part against him, drew his hanjar
and cried out, " I^eave me, father, leave me ! I shall
stab myself with impatience !" The excitement had be-
come intense, and, as it was evident that no progress was
making toward peace, the parties separated in mutual
dissatisfaction.

Naameh was conducted for retirement to the room of
Bishop Simaan, who had been the patriarch^s messenger
to the emeer at Gebail, who saw Naameh there and
treated him rudely, but who was now perfectly changed.
He had completely shifted sides. He could not have
shown Naameh more marked attention than he did now;
he made every apology for what he had said at Gebail,
called the patriarch hard names, patted Naameh on the
shoulder, saying, " Keep up your courage, man ; don't
be frightened by the animal, but use with him the stout-
est language you are master of." Thus spake a bishop
respecting his patriarch in the patriarch's own house.

248 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

Naameh continued firm in his position, quite as unyield-
ing as the patriarch himself. Lattoof, on the contrary,
was all compliance. Quieting his conscience by the plea
of necessity, he made a ready sacrifice of all principle,
and whatever his master proposed he received without
a moment's hesitation, saying, " Just as you please, my
lord — -just as you please."

But even this blind submission did not avail him, for
his "lord" still kept all his "blessedness" to himself.
Not a particle of it could he spare to the sheikh or to
any member of the family. The curse must remain,
wrapping them round like a robe and spreading through
their members like oil, until such times as ^'Babshoon
the second'^ should also come and tender his submission.
It was in vain that the sheikh said, " Naameh is of age ;
he must act for himself. He is not an inmate of my
house ; he is not under my authority. If he will remain
obstinate or wicked, that is no fault of mine. It is no
fault of my family." Two days or more being spent
in fruitless attempts to effect an arrangement, Naameh
mounted his horse and left the place.

After an interval of a week or two Naameh made a
second visit to the patriarch, but with as little success as
before. The interview was almost a repetition of the
former one. He said to tlie patriarch, " I have learned
one thing in this quarrel, and that is that the Almighty
is not under your direction. He does not come and go
at your bidding. Once I should have trembled under
your excommunication, for fear of the curse of God in
this life and the next. But now I see little difference.
I neither see my body shivered like a potter's vessel, nor
feel the curse like oil in my veins, nor feel the torments
of that evil angel whom you have set to belabor me day

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 249

aiul night. And as to my spirit, I know if I have done
anything to cut me off from communion with God and
his people, that God has excommunicated me without
your agency, but if not, your curse will not injure me."

At hearing these last words the patriarch raised his
fists, and, striking them upon his knees in a rage, said,
" That's the doctrine of the accursed Bible man."

Naameh finally left the patriarch abruptly, declaring
that unless he lowered his demands he would never
submit to them. A week after this Is-hoc Turbyhh re-
ceived a letter from his Holiness informing him that in
consequence of the sincere repentance of Sheikh Lattoof
he had blessed him and all his family with the exception
of Naameh, who had been deluded and corrupted uy the
accursed Bible man.

CHAPTER XIII.

Convent of Belmont — Monks afraid of the Bible — Worshipers of
Mary— An eclipse of the moon — Famous Greek preacher, Miniati
— Battle of Navarino and panic — Account of events at Beirut
and vicinity in various letters — Keturn to Beirut — Ketirement to
Malta.

THE Irish physician who had recommended a moun-
tain air for the invalid child spoke highly also of
the Greek convent of Belmont, near Tripoli, as a place
of residence, having himself resided there for a time.
To this place, therefore, we next retired, the rains of the
mountains and the cool air threatening to become uncom-
fortable. It was past the middle of October, and we
had reaped all the sanitary advantage we could expect
from our mountain climate. Nothing had occurred
during our stay in Ba-whyta to interrupt our harmony,
and as we departed the neighbors gathered around us,
and, with every appearance of good-will, gave us their
parting salaams.

At the convent of Belmont, which seemed to be well
peopled and well kept, we were shown to a set of rooms
in a separate wing of the building, where we might live
quite aloof from the regular inmates of the establishment.
The Greeks received us kindly, as their sect generally
had done. The mild-tempered Rey-is called in upon us
the first evening to tender to us his welcome. He was
a man of gray hairs, gentle and frank-hearted in his
demeanor, and came fully up to the favorable repre-

250

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 251

sentation we had received of him from our friend Dr.
Madden.

It was two or three evenings after this, when Sheikh
Naameh had come down from Ba-whyta, that we returned
the call of the superior in his large reception-room. On
this occasion the greater part of the inmates of the Deir
were present, and Sheikh Naameh narrated before them
the whole account of his late difficulty with the Maronite
patriarch. They paid close attention to the recital, some-
times amused and sometimes execrating the patriarch.

Attention was next turned to the operations of the
Protestants in this land. An elderly man, a scribe of
the Mohammedan prince of the district, ventured to say
that the Greeks at first were very ready to receive the
Protestants and co-operate with them, but since the sul-
tan's firman came out against them they had chosen to
take an entire neutral stand, neither blessing nor cursing
them. But after confessing that he never had read the
firman, he was told for his better information that there
had been no firman at all against Protestants — that
the proclamation which he had in mind was not against
men of any class, but simply against books, against the holy
books written by Moses and David and Paul. The fir-
man had not a word to say about Protestants any more
than about the Greeks, so that cutting off intercourse and
friendship for such a firman was hardly justifiable. It
was true that the Greeks had fallen away from their first
cordiality; the old man had only misstated the true rea-
son, which was that Ihe Books of 3Ioses discouraged the
worship of the "holy jnduresJ^ Probably this thought
was the reason which led one of the priests immediately
to introduce the subject of worshiping images and jmc-
tures. Naameh could not endure the practice, and spoke

252 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

decidedly against it. The priest fired up in a moment,
and declared that whoever refused to worship the sacred
pictures was a heretic. Their discussion was a rude as-
sault upon the prevailing friendly feeling of the company.
But the blame was the priest's. Naameh challenged
him to justify or show the lawfulness of that kind of
worship.

" I'll show it/' said he, " both from the Old Testa-
ment and from the New, referring to chapter and verse."

" I defy you to do it," said Naameh.

A deacon was despatched to bring the boasted proofs.
He brought a large folio book. A lamp was set in the
middle of the room. The priest took the book, saying,
*^ Here are the Old and New Testaments," and seating
himself beside the lamp began to read. It was not
scripture that he was reading, but might be a preface to
something in point, and so the sheikh listened a while
in silence, but soon he began to be impatient, and hurried
him on to his " proofs, chapter and verse." The priest
said, " Wait, wait a minute, have patience/' and read on
and on, referring to different authors, but especially to
St. John of Damascus. Naameh waited for the finishing
of a half a folio page or more, when, discovering that
his patience profited him nothing, he would bear it no
longer, and expostulated with the priest, saying, "Where
are your proofs from the Old and New Testaments ?"

" What !" said the priest ; " are these no proofs ?"

" No," said Naameh ; " in all you have read I have
not heard a proof that is worth a straw, and, besides, it
is not scripture."

The priest shut his great book with a slam, blew out
the lamp he had been reading by, and took his former
seat. This closed the interview. As we rose to make

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 253

our bows and salaams the Rey-is spoke to Naameh aside
and apologized for his over-zealous priest, saying that
he was half mad and not worth minding.

The Maronite patriarch was very sensitive on the sub-
ject of purchasing a man^s religion. In a Protestant it
was unpardonable, but it seems that he himself had made
use of such an inducement to buy Lattoof back after
turning him out of church. It was a consideration of
no small importance to Lattoof to repossess his property,
and after his restoration he made an early call on his
Blessedness to know what he desired to do in regard to
it. Respecting this call the sheikh furnished his son
Naameh at Deir Belmont with the following account.
He says :

" I have just come from a visit to his Holiness to ob-
tain the fulfillment of his word of promise to me. On
proposing my business his Blessedness said to me, ^ I can
do nothing about this matter. Your son Naameh is still
with the accursed Bible man, and I have just now been
credibly informed that such is his state of corruption in
their heresy that he once kneeled down for the miserable
heretic to lay his hands upon him and pray over him,
and that he afterwards rose and kissed his hands.' I
told him it was an abominable lie. He said he could
prove it by two substantial witnesses. I assured him
the story was a downright lie from beginning to end.
He then raised his voice to a very loud pitch, and I
raised mine louder than his, till at last he said, ^ Leave
me, Lattoof; I have once let you out of your difficulty
and quitted you, and now all I want of you is to quit
me. It is written * that in the year 1845 the people shall
rise up against their superiors and throw off' their alle-

* By Bernardus, a Koman bishop.
22

254 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

giance, and you are now making a beginning of that
work. The Lord avenge himself upon you.' I replied,
*The Lord will not avenge himself upon me at your
dictation. He is not under your command ; if he were
so, I would no longer serve him. I have not come here
to-day to beg oItyis of your Holiness, that you should wish
to drive me from your presence. I have come to demand
my right^ to request you to fulfill a solemn promise, but
as you refuse this, I have nothing more to say.' With
that I rose, turned my back upon him and left him with-
out a compliment. On reaching Besherry I related the
whole occurrence to Sheikh Girgis and Sheikh Zaitar,
and when I had finished they both said, ^ Well doneJ "

An eclipse of the moon occurred on the 3d of Novem-
ber, and as we were gazing at it Sheikh Naameh remarked
that on such occasions the people in the mountains were
accustomed to get out all their brass plates and vessels
and drum upon them, and make as much noise and
clangor as possible until the moon should give back her
light. The sister of the superior sitting by, who had
had a threescore years' experience in this life, explained
to us the nature of this phenomenon and the design
and utility of the ringing of bells and kettles. It was
the same identical old story of the great dragon attempt-
ing to swallow the moon and being frightened away by
the tumult. But even Sheikh Naameh himself had
never known the cause of the eclipse, and when told he
was struck with admiration and delight at the new dis-
covery.

One of the best informed and most influential persons
among the men of the convent was Deacon Athanasius.
He made us a friendly call soon after we came, and
inquired frankly, and apparently without any sinister

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LAND». 255

motive, respecting Protestant doctrines and customs.
He saw that we differed in many points from the Greeks,
but instead of condemning, he in some things commend-
ed us. It was painful to find a man of his ability readily
confessing that the great objection of the Greeks to the
free circulation of the scriptures was the discredit into
which it brought the use of the holy images.

The " mad priest," whose name was Neophytus, was
after all the most social, if not the most friendly, of all
the inmates of the convent. He was in a bad state of
health, and two or three days after the ceremony of his
"scripture proofs" he called in at our room for a little
medicine and sat and talked a long time with a feeling
of the utmost good-nature. He honored us with many
calls and friendly talks, but endeavored to profit us most
by commending to our admiration the excellences of the
blessed Virgin, the queen of heaven.

The superior himself seldom favored us with a call,
being very much absorbed in the concerns of his vines
and olive trees, but he was always accessible and kind
when sought for. His knowledge of scripture, we were
told, was remarkable, and he evidently took delight in
repeating scripture incidents for the instruction and en-
tertainment of present company. For an example, one
evening as a number of us were together in his receiving-
room he began to narrate some events in the history of
Daniel.

" The king of Babylon had been pressed by his people
to put Daniel to death, and he finally consented to have
him cast into a den where there were seven lions. There
the prophet remained without food six days. To make
sure that the lions should devour him, nothing was
given them to eat for all these six days. Daniel, by

256 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

this time, was nearly dying with hunger. Now there
was a certain prophet in Judea called Habbakuk, who
had prepared a dinner for his laborers in the field, and
was about to take it to them, when an angel from heaven
appeared to him and said, ^ Take this dinner which thou
hast prepared and go to Babylon, and give it to Daniel
the prophet who is shut up in the den of lions.' ' Go
to Babylon V exclaimed Habbakuk, in astonishment.
* Where am I, and where is Babylon, that I should go
from here to carry a dinner to the prophet Daniel?'
But while he wondered the angel took him up by the
hair of his head and flew with him through the air to
Babylon and set him down with his dinner beside the
den of lions, and so Daniel was fed and relieved."

Some doubts being expressed (though it were a pity to
spoil an entertaining story) as to whether these facts
were to be found in the Bible history of Daniel, the
Bible was brought and examined, but the story was not
there. The good Rey-is Simeon had read it in a book
called "The Idol Bel and the Dragon," one of those
"divine books," as the Maronite patriarch styles them,
which the Bible men are cursed for leaving out of the
Bible.

On the 8th of November a French corvette brought
news of the terribly destructive battle of Navarino, in
Greece, where a Turkish fleet of more than one hundred
vessels, nearly all of them vessels of war, was destroyed
by a combined force of twenty-four vessels of the Eng-
lish, French and Russians, the allies not losing a single
ship. So tremendous a blow upon Mohammedan power
could not fail to make itself felt through the nation.
But in what way would this feeling be manifested ? was
the inquiry. Would it be by the sudden cry of revenge

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 257

or by the sullen acquiescence of the fatalist? Turks as
well as Christians were all taken by surprise and were
without any matured or general plan of action. Through
the country generally there were no serious insurrections
heard of, no thirst for the blood of Christians, but rather
a silent waiting to ascertain and follow the course that
should be indicated by the government at Constantinople.

While the foregoing events were transpiring in the
north of Lebanon, the elements were not much less dis-
turbed with the brethren and friends at Beirut. The
exciting causes were political as well as religious. A
few extracts from letters received from that quarter
during the summer and autumn fall naturally in place
at this point of our narrative. Mr. Goodell, August 7,
writes : " Sheikh Naameh arrived here last evening, and'
we were happy to hear of your prosperous voyage and
journey. That which has happened since your arrival
[the excommunication] is nothing more than was reason-
ably to be expected considering the relation of the two
sheikhs' families and our own relation to the patriarch.
We hope, however, the Emeer Ameen will give you
due protection ; if not, you will perhaps do well not to
stay long at Eh-heden.

" As to Beirut affairs, the Greeks (corsairs) have been
here the most of the time since you went away. Mr.
Abbott lately had an express from Cairo in eleven days.
This was understood by all the people of Beirut. The
next morning early the consul sent several camel loads
of furniture to the mountains. This too was known to
all the people of Beirut. And the very same morning a
Greek privateer came in with several prizes. This also
was known, and all Beirut was in an uproar. But the
22*

258 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

express in question brought no political news whatever,
and the general excitement is now calmed down.

" We were much pleased with Deir el Kullaa, which
we lately visited, and took a house of the monks close by
the convent. We go up probably this week, so that by
next week you may perhaps hear of some such explosion
in this quarter as you have had in yours. I do not in-
tend myself to dispute w^ith any of the monks, but I will
get the consul to disputing as often as I can and will be
his dragoman, taking the dragoman's liberty to explain,
enlarge and help on his argument.''

A letter from Mr. Abbott, the consul, of the same
date was as follows : " It was almost of course that
Sheikh Bootrus would avail himself of every advantage
to trouble and annoy Sheikh Lattoof, and he found the
patriarch's anathema very fit for his purpose. Naameh
related to the emeer at Gebail the occurrences at Eh-
heden ;* the emeer laughed at it, but gave him an order
which he said would set matters right. Naameh, think-
ing it was not sufficiently strong and explicit, particu-
larly as to what concerned himself, brought it to me.
I have directed my dragoman to represent the matter in
a strong light to the emeer, and to require that he would
permit no such scandalous transactions and insist that
Naameh should be properly protected in the execution
of the service for which I have employed him with you.

" We propose to move to Deir el Kullaa as soon as
everything is prepared for us."

Four days after his first, Mr. Goodell writes : " We

wrote to you by Sheikh Naameh, who, I fear, will lose

his letters and his life before this reaches you. The

next day after Sheikh Naameli was gone I wrote you

* Simply the anathemas, not the outrage in the evening.

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 259

by express, and the consul sent a second letter which he
had received from the Emeer Besheer. These letters, I
fear, will fall into the hands of your enemies.

" By your letters from Tripoli, received this morning,
it would seem that, like Paul and Silas, you have been
exposed to assaults of violence for the name of Christ,
and have had to flee hither and thither to save your
lives. Think it not strange concerning this fiery trial,
but rather rejoice. . . .

"The Emeer Besheer advises me not to go on the
mountain with Mr. Abbott, as it may be the occasion of
something scandalous. The Maronites appear to be quite
resolved to fight ^ for their altars.'

" We deeply sympathize with you all, but we know
who governs the world, and that he can cause even these
commotions to turn out for the furtherance of the gos-
pel. The poor monks of Deir el Kullaa have just sent
word to Mr. Abbott that if I go up with him they
must flee, for the patriarch has threatened them with
something terrible in case of their receiving me.''

Mr. Goodell, August 22 : " The Allies have agreed on
a course of policy. They do not declare war against the
Porte, but they acknowledge the independence of the
Greeks, and require a stop to be put to the war against
them. The Turks at Constantinople, as might be sup-
posed, rave and bluster and threaten, but it is not ex-
pected that they Avill fight.

" Mr. Abbott has written a very strong letter to the
emeer respecting your case, but without avail, and re-
dress could hardly be expected either at Acca or at Con-
stantinople. You know what fanaticism has done at
Malta, and in Mear Ireland' occasionally. The moun-
taineers feel very sore. Our fare, for aught I see, must

260 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

be at times like that of the apostles, when persecuted in
one city, fleeing to another. The patriarch did all he
could to prevent Mr. Abbott himself from going to the
mountains.

^^ Where I shall flee, in case of war, I cannot tell.
But the Lord will provide. There is great consternation
in Beirut among Muslims as well as Christians, and
Franks are leaving the city or sending their effects to the
mountains."

Consul Abbott, August 29 : " The alarm and con-
sternation in the present crisis of politics are at such
a pitch that I am extremely puzzled how to get on.
Neither of my dragomans would dare write another let-
ter to the emeer for me after what has passed, as they
would be placed between two fires, and they are turning
their faces toward the mountains for an asylum, whither
they have already sent their valuables for security in the
event of an uproar, so you may imagine in what a situa-
tion I am placed. Ever since I came to Deir el Kullaa,
near a fortnight now, I have been perpetually teased,
and have been thrice obliged to leave my family for
days together. The noise and stir at Eh-heden has
prevented Mr. Goodell's family from going with mine
to the mountain. His children have been very unwell,
and Mrs. Goodell lies in a sick bed, but I hope, by the
mercy of God, she may soon be restored to her accus-
tomed health."

Mr. Goodell, September 7 : " Your long and affection-
ate communications were truly welcome. I became so
affected in reading Mrs. Bird's that I had to give it to
Mrs. Goodell to read. I assure you we deeply sympa-
thize with you, rejoicing in all your joys and sorrowing
in all your sorrows. I have much confidence tliat all

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 261

that has befallen you will tend to open the eyes of many,
and will thus promote the cause of the gospel. This
week has been full of terror to Franks as well as the
native Christians. The latter fled in such numbers from
the city on Sunday and Monday, with their baggage, that
the Turkish authorities put a stop to it, and sent to Acca
to know the cause of all this consternation, saying that
the Franks had frightened them all. Mr. Gabriel Chas-
seaud (English vice-consul) fled with his bed and gun,
and is happy as a king on the mountain — happy to es-
cape with his life, though all his property should go.

" The cause of this fear apparently is the very great
number of messengers that have passed lately without
bringing any letters and without bringing any news,
except, it is said, that one of them threw out a dark
hint. Some surmised that the sultan had been killed
by some of the opposers of his new system, and that
there would be a massacre of all Christians, natives and
Franks; some supposed that war was declared, . . .
and my Armenians were almost sure that their heads
would be demanded. Mr. Abbott wrote to me to send
him, without delay, all the fearful and faint-hearted, and
I sent him yesterday Mrs. Goodell and the children, and
the Armenians, Carabet and Wortabet, with their wives
and baggage. Mrs. GoodelPs removal increased the
consternation of our neighbors to the highest pitch.
The people had kept their eyes on us, saying that we
had always heretofore stood at our posts while consuls
and other Franks went away. . . . Assad Yacob has
come and slept with us every night the week past.
Michael Trodd and Hanna el Khoory also pass their
nights with us. Tanuoos el Haddad appears truly like
a Christian."

262 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

Mr. Goodell, September 10 : " Last night Priest An-
tone (Greek) came out and passed the night with us.
Several of the people were with us also. We read the
Scriptures as usual, and I prayed in Arabic. The priest
broke out in the midst of my prayer, saying it was good
and beseeching God to grant all my petitions. After
this we had much interesting conversation till quite
late. The priest was very zealous, talking and sweating
and preaching, and the last generally in a very orthodox
manner.^'

Mr. Smith, September 23 : " G M (an Arab

servant) has just returned from the mountains, whither
he has been to see the patriarch. He was at Canobeen
when his Blessedness first heard of your arrival, and saw
his rage. He says it was reported to the patriarch that
you began immediately on your arrival to disseminate
your sentiments. The first message of his Blessedness
to the Emeer Ameen, he says, was unsuccessful. He

then sent a bishop,* who had not returned while G

was there.

" Only one English subject remains in the city, and
there is not a single European vessel in the harbor."

Mr. Goodell, September 24: "The pasha and the
authorities at Beirut are doing all they can to allay the
fears of the native Christians and to assure them of pro-
tection and safety. All the Muslims of the city have
their arms with them, and during the night take turns
in patroling the city. Those who sleep have their arms
at their pillows.

^' My Armenians are, I think, doing much good on

* This was the bishop that was rude to Sheikh Naameh at Gebail,
but afterward, at Deman, called the patriarch a beast, and encouraged
Naameh to defend himself boldly.

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 263

the mountains. All sorts of people call on them to con-
verse on religion. It is apparently much better for the
cause than if I were there. Yacob Aga also has, we
think, done good at Joon, and Yoosef Lufloofy is useful
at Sidon. Our Tannoos is of great use here. More or
fewer Arabs are always present at our evening prayers
and on the Sabbath."

September 25 : " Soon after the messenger was gone
yesterday, Galeb Shidiak came and brought another let-
ter from Phares for you. He says it is true, as we have
heard from a sheikh, that Assad's moustache and hair
have fallen off through the excess of his sufferings.

" The number of those who read the scriptures with
us increases. Priest Antone is very friendly to Tannoos
and to us all. Our conversation is always of the spiritual
kind, and the children of his church rejoice greatly to
see him with us, reading the scriptures with us and
hearing our prayers. We carefully avoid all disputes,
and so does he, and so do all that come.

" There is at present the prospect of a wide door being
opened to us among the Druzes. They all appear to
look upon us as friends, and I am inclined to think will
tell us all about their secret religion. I should not be
surprised to find their religion more like Protestantism
than like any other religion in this country. As to war,
the probability of it seems to have passed, and every
day makes it appear more unlikely to happen."

Mr. Smith, October 4 : " I have received an invita-
tion from the Beirut convent, since the arrival there of
the Greek patriarch, to come and make them a visit.
We have here little that is new, except that the Chris-
tians of the different sects seem to be less afraid of us
than formerly. I suppose the news of the day, by

264 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

almost turning their brains, has made them forget, in
some measure, the threats and anathemas of their priests.
Priest Antone continues very friendly. Finding at his
last visit some one with us who, he feared, would in-
form the renowned Nicola Trodd, he has not been here
of late. He, however, often sends his salutations, and
the other day he urged Tannoos to come to his church,
saying that he need not worship the pictures nor do
anything contrary to his conscience. Tannoos continues
with me, and, so far as I perceive, gives good evidence
of being a true Christian."

Mr. Goodell, October 16: "The naval battle that
took place lately off our coast was heard here and at
Sidon and Soor, but no one can tell between what ships
it happened. The plague is raging in the mountains in
several villages. A Greek cruiser came in yesterday and
took a French vessel out of the harbor. To-day they
are parading backward and forward before the city.
The Emeer Besheer lately sent a private message to
Consul Abbott to say that, in case of war, he must not
trust himself to the mountains for safety, as he could not
take it upon him to deny his being in his princedom if
the pasha should demand him. The consul returned
for answer that it was no wonder he could not protect
him, for he could not even manage that infamous petty
priest at Canobeen."

Consul Abbott to Mr. Goodell, dated Deir el Kullaa,
October 19 : "At last, this evening, I have received an
answer to my letter by express to Smyrna. Luckily
the admiral was at that place when my letter arrived, and
there is little doubt that we shall be taken good care of
in case of any hostilities with the Turks, which do not
at present seem very probable. By comparing dates and

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 265

circumstances I am more and more confirmed in my
opinion that all will go on quietly without bloodshed
between us and the Turks on the subject of the Greek
emancipation/'

Mr. Abbott to Mr. Goodell, November 7 : "I have
received an express from my nephew, dated 3 o'clock
to-day, saying that a French ship, just in, has brought
the news that hostilities have commenced against the
Turks by the united English and French fleets having
attacked and destroyed the fleet of the grand seignor.

" Should this really be the case, I would advise you
to remove all your most valuable property again up to
this place, and as for yourselves, contrive to get up to
Mansuruyah quietly at your leisure, where I have se-
cured the Emeer Shedeed's house by an order from him
just now put into my hands. When we all meet and
put our dear ones in a quiet and secure place, we will
consult upon the next measures to be taken for our own
comfort or security. But before you take any decisive
step you had better get every necessary information as
to the authenticity of the report that ha^ spread such a
terrible alarm among our French neighbors.

"Let nothing disturb the quiet of your mind nor that
of your dear family under the present or any other pub-
lic alarms. Let us put our trust in Him to whom we
belong."

Past 10 o'clock p. M. : " I wrote you more than two
hours ago on the subject of our trials. Send Mrs.
Goodell and what is dear to you up to us. I have told
you of the place at Mansureeyeh. It will hold us all.
I have stopped the messenger and sent my letter by
Eleeas Fuaz, the weather being very untoward."

Mr. Goodell to us at Deir Belmont, dated Mansu-

23

266 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

reey eh, November 8 : "We fled from Beirut hither this
morning before sunrise. All the other Franks, consuls
and their dependents, fled last night. A French corvette
came expressly to bring the news that the combined fleets
of Mohammed Ali and of the sultan fired upon the Eng-
lish and French fleets, when the latter sunk all the
former to the bottom of the ocean, not leaving, it is said,
a man to escape. Some of the Franks here have em-
barked on board the corvette, and the rest have fled to
the mountains. I left everything behind, but hope yet
to secure both your things and mine. This is to advise
you to take good care of yourselves. We are in the
house of the Emeer Shedeed, taken only yesterday (mark
the Providence !) by the English consul, and before he
heard of this war report. It is two hours from Beirut
and one from Deir el Kullaa. The Lord be with you
and preserve us all from the hand of the wicked !"

Mr. Smith, Mansur, November 10 : " You will have
heard that we have fled from Beirut. The consuFs fam-
ily will join us soon, and we hope to find ourselves com-
fortably situated. Mr. Abbott has informed the emeer
of what has happened, at the same time telling him that
he expects a man-of-war along soon to look after us.
Should one come we shall not forget you. Mr. Abbott
is in very good spirits and is very attentive.

" We did not hear of the late battle until after sunset
on the 7th, and then dispatched Eleeas Fuaz to the con-
sul in one of the rainiest nights I ever saw. After spend-
ing the night till late in packing, and having received,
about 2 o'clock in the morning, an answer from Mr.
Abbott, we set off* on foot before sunrise, having been
able to obtain only two donkeys for the children and
Mrs. Goodell, the last of whom was sick abed when the

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 267

news arrived, and thus, some on boards and some on
broken pieces of the ship, it came to pass that we escaped
all safe, Mr. Goodell and family to Mansureeyeh, and Mr.
St. J. and I to Deir el Kullaa.

"All our houses are etill undisturbed, and though we
escaped with nothing except our money and the clothes
on our backs, through the attentions of our Arab
friends we have been able to obtain our most valuable
articles."

Mr. Goodell, Mansureeyeh, November 12 : "We have
got into very fine quarters. I think it not improbable
that we may winter here, even should there be peace.
The priests and people are very friendly indeed so far.
Mrs. GoodelFs fright and flight entirely cured her. We
are translating the official account of the battle, by the
request of Mr. Abbott, into Arabic, to be circulated every-
where. I expect much good to grow out of all this. I
am glad we wrote our joint letter to Mr. Jowett when
we did. I am glad you have been kicking up such a
dust in all your neighborhood. I am glad for almost
everything and sorry for nothing, unless it be our own
indolence. Let us go on laboring and praying fervently
that by all these events the kingdom of Christ may be
advanced. All the sheikhs and emeers and priests and
monks and people in this quarter are in high glee at the
news."

From the Armenian brethren, Carabet and Wortabet :

" We received a letter from you yesterday, and we en-
joyed your desired love with great joy and comfort.
We give thanks to God that keeps you and all true be-
lievers in him and his Son, and all who trust in the name
of Jesus he delivers j&om every evil and every tempta-

268 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

tion as he has done for yon. We are joyful very much,
and our hearts are filled with comfort on God's gifts
whereby all your family are in life and in health. Al-
though you have had affliction in some respects, we hope
you have comforts too from Him whom you trust.

"All we are very well, and stay with our beloved
brother, Mr. Goodell, in Mansurie, giving praise to God
for all his providence in this world. We are not neg-
lectful to remember you and yours in our prayers in
every time, and we ask you for this purpose, that is, to
pray for all of us, and we, hoping to see you in a short
time, remain your real friends,

"D. Carabet,
"J. G. Wortabet."

Mr. Goodell, November 29: "All is quiet in Alexan-
dria. The pasha there offers a wager of fifty purses that
there will be no war. Everything quiet at Cyprus.
The Maltese families are returning from the mountains
to Beirut. Letters from Constantinople say that the sul-
tan received the news of the great battle with ^grandis-
sima calma.^ "

December 8 : " The Emeer Shedeed is now in this
village. His mother came a fortnight ago. He is very
civil and polite, and is also something of a scholar — is
exceedingly kind and agreeable with Brother Smith, but
very cautious not to speak my name, or to have any con-
versation with me. Since his mother came she has had
constantly with her two or three priests who say I ought
not to be here. Mrs. Goodell has been twice to see her
with Mrs. Abbott. The emeer is also kind to Tannoos,
and I think would not object to his going and residing
anywhere in his district with Mr. Smith.

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

269

"Mr. Abbott thinks you had better move on this
way soon.''

December 17 : "A few days ago the princess here re-
ceived a letter from the bishop, saying he had heard
that Mrs. Goodell had been twice in company with Mrs.

SYRIAN GENTLEMAN.

Abbott to see her, and that if she permitted Mrs. Good-
ell to enter her house again, he should be under the
necessity of putting her under " the great excommunica-
tion."

The disturbances in consequence of the war new»

23 «

270 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

having chiefly passed away at Beirut there seemed no
reason for staying away from our proper station. We
therefore came to a satisfactory settlement with our ven-
erable superior, Priest Simeon, engaged animals for our
goods, and made our way by land in two days to Beirut.
Public feeling there, and in all the region, settled down
from its apprehensions, but the late hurricane in the
Morea had left many ominous clouds in the political
horizon. All the great powers of Europe were agitated.
Russia was seen to be threatening to seize the present
occasion to weaken still further the Turkish power, and
to wage a war with the Porte on her own account. Such
a war was distasteful to the French and English, and in
view of its possibility they withdrew many of their rep-
resentatives in the Turkish dominions.

About the 1st of February the French consul, by
order of his ambassador, removed his flag, and in a note
to Mr. Abbott assured him that a similar order was
prepared for him, which order came accordingly before
the close of the month.

On the 14th of March war was actually declared by
Kussia, and though the fact was not then known in
Syria, it w^as acted upon as if it were. Our circum-
stances became very embarrassing. The loss of our
consul, war in the north, pestilence approaching from
the south,* together with the cutting off of commerce
and of our pecuniary resources, all moved us to a con-
sultation whether the divine will were not sufficiently
indicated that we should retire for a time from our
field. After due deliberation and looking to the Father
of Lights for wisdom to direct, w^e decided to charter for
our use an Austrian vessel lying at anchor in the har-
* Scores were carried off daily in Acca by the plague.

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 271

bor, which was offered to take us to Malta. We com-
menced sending on board our goods April 24, carefully
wrapping in flag-mats all articles known to be susceptible
of the contagion of the city, for the plague had already
begun its work there. Including the families of our

two Armenians and that of Mr. N , the English

missionary, we made up twenty-one passengers.

When we were all safe on board we felt that we had
much cause for gratitude for having been enabled to
accomplish so successfully a work to which we had
for weeks been looking forward with no little anxiety.
It was at first doubtful whether we could find a con-
venient vessel for so large a company. It was also un-
certain whether we should be permitted to embark at all,
or at least without great molestation, especially as we
were taking with us two families of natives. The consul
himself had to steal away, leaving all his baggage be-
hind him, to be taken care of by his friends.

At our departure not an enemy opened his mouth in
triumph over us. As we passed through the streets, those
from whom we might have expected scorn said to us, in
all sobriety, " The Lord preserve and prosper you !" Our
young friend Michael Trodd was anxious to go with us,
though against the known wishes of his parents, whom
he regarded with every appearance of due affection, and
at the moment of our final separation he clung around
Mr. Smithes neck and wept outright. Assad Khaiat,
who had been persecuted and alienated from us, now
came, and of his own accord confessed with tears his
fault, hoped if we returned we should find him a dif-
ferent person from what he had lately been, and begged
a constant remembrance in our prayers. Tannoos el
Hadad could hardly be reconciled to be torn away

272 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

from his old pupil and messmate. He also would have
been glad to go where we went and lodge where we
lodged until death should us part, but it was made to
appear his duty to remain and serve Christ among his
countrymen, and he patiently submitted. Priest Antone
took pains to call and bid us farewell, as did many others
not to be named. Some who we were persuaded were
specially friendly to us did not call, either on account
of the prevailing plague or because our sudden departure
was yet a secret to them.

It was now about four years and a half from the time
that the first missionaries still living came to anchor in
the roadstead of Beirut. We had then no intention of
staying at that place any longer than was necessary to
obtain animals or a boat to take us onward toward Jeru-
salem. We were, however, prevented from proceeding,
first by the season, next by the advice of brethren then
on the ground, and afterward by a fruitless examination
of the country for a better place for our work — an
examination which extended from Beirut to Hebron,
which answer to the Dan and Beersheba of Palestine.
Every succeeding year strengthened the evidence that
our remaining at Beirut was a well-advised measure, for
in no other place, probably, south of Constantinople could
there have been found a spot where there was so much
readiness in the people to inquire after the truth, united
with so much safety in declaring it.

At this pause in the progress of the mission, it is
natural to recur to the events of its history to ascertain
of what practical utility it has been. Those who, ac-
cording to the notable missionary proverb, had been led
to ^^ expect great things,'' were perhaps some of them
disappointed. But if the things it had done were not

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 273

to be called "great," it had accomplished something. It
had made the Christian public more familiarly ac-
quainted with the present condition of one of the most
interesting portions of the globe. It had proved the
practicability of Protestant missions under the Moham-
medan government. It had exposed to view some import-
ant traits in the present character of Mohammedism
and Popery. It had made known to thousands of Mo-
hammedans that the worship of images and saints is not
a part of Christianity. It had shown to thousands of
nominal Christians that the English, or, in other words,
all Protestants, are not the Free-masons and infidels
which Jesuits and others had reported them to be.
Above all, w^e could not doubt that it had accomplished
one good thing against which money and human labor
and sacrifices are not to be laid in the balance — it had
increased the number of that happy throng who shall
'* ascribe dominion and glory for ever and ever to Him
that loved them and washed them from their sins in his
own blood.''

CHAPTER XIV.

Operations in Malta — Messrs. Whiting and Dwight — ^ Visit to the
coast of Africa, to Greece, to Armenia — Labors at Beirut resumed
— New curses — Patriarch excommunicated by Jos. Wolflf — Death
of Assad Shidiak — Brummana village — Druzes — Messrs. Parnell
and Hamilton — Wortabet's labors in Sidon — His death — Two
Jesuits — Lamartine eulogizes them — Outrage of soldiers — Traita
of Ibrahim Pasha.

TO dwell on the operations of the missionaries while
in Malta with any degree of particularity would
not comport with the special object of these pages, which
is to record transactions pertaining especially to Syria.
Suffice it to say that in the absence of Mr. Temple, the
official superintendent of the press, this powerful agent
was kept in full motion, sending forth as usual its
various tracts and books, and especially working off the
Armeno-Turkish Testament, a translation to which Mr.
Goodell and his two Armenian associates, while in Syria,
had devoted the main portion of their time. An ex-
ploring tour on the neighboring coast of Africa was
performed by one of the brethren, and also a similar one
by another, in company with the Rev. Dr. Anderson,
in Greece and the Greek islands.*

In the autumn of 1829 the war in Turkey came to a
close ; the English consul soon after returned to his post
at Beirut ; Mr. Goodell was detached from the work in

* A history of this latter tour, from the pen of Dr. Anderson, has
been given to the public in a valuable little volume.
274

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 275

Syria, to continue his labors more directly in behalf of
the Armenians in another field, and the Rev. Mr.
Whiting, who arrived at Malta from America in Feb-
ruary was substituted in his place. Mr. Smith, with
the Rey. Mr. Dwight, another newly-arrived mission-
ary, entered, in March, upon a tour of research in Asia
Minor among the Armenian nation. Bishop Carabet
was to be continued in the employ of Mr. Goodell, and
Wortabet, having nearly lost the use of his eyes, left
our employ, and, returning to Syria, entered into an
employment by himself in Sidon, of which city his wife
was a native.

Thus shorn of its strength, the station at Beirut was,
after a two years' intermission, once more occupied.
The separation of the two families who had been so
long connected in Syria was attended with many regrets
on both sides. On this subject we find our beloved
brother who was left behind in Malta expressing him-
self thus : " Our dear brethren and sisters left us on the
1st instant and sailed in -the Vincitore, a Maltese brig,
directly for Beirut. Again and again have they been
both publicly and privately commended to the care and
guidance of the great and good Shepherd who gathers
the lambs in his arms and carries them in his bosom,
and again and again has his blessing been implored
upon their labors. To those of us who for many years
have been so closely associated in missionary work, who
have passed together through so many scenes of trouble
and of joy, who have seen so much of the goodness of
God toward our families, who have so often been in cir-
cumstances to comfort, assist and encourage each other,
and have so often borne each other's burdens, the sepa-
ration was not a little trying. We had become ex-

276 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

ceedingly endeared to each other by numerous tender
and affecting associations. But though we may never
meet again at the table of the Lord or at the baptismal
font, or be refreshed by each other's company again in
this world, I trust that neither this nor any other created
thing will ever be able to separate them or us from the
love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord/'

On the morning after our coming to anchor at Beirut
we were visited by our old steadfast friends Tannoos el
Haddad and Eleeas Fuaz, as well as by the English
dragoman with a congratulatory message from the con-
sul and an invitation to his house. Our friends gave us
information of many events of a local character affecting
the interests of our work. Maallem Aioob, one of our
chief enemies in the Custom-house, had been displaced ;
Mansoor ed Dahh-dahh, another prominent enemy at
Bteddeen, had been made to give place to a much more
amiable and reasonable man, the Emeer Ameen. Encour-
aged by this last change, our young Sheikh Naameh el
Ash-shi had indulged the hope of obtaining from the
Emeer Besheer the restoration of his father's property, and
he had been at the consul's now more than a month on
this business. His long continuance with the consul had
begun again to trouble the patriarch, and the latter was
threatening to issue a new bull of excommunication
against him for his prolonged contact with the English.
Our young friend Anton Adam, who had formerly served
as a translator, was also threatened for a like offence.
Sheikh Girgis of Besherry had been down to have a con-
sultation with our consul about some difficulty in which
he showed himself willing to receive aid from a Protest-
ant, an act strictly forbidden by the patriarch. An
aid-de-camp of the Russian General Diebitsch, returning

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 277

lately from a visit to Jerusalem, had publicly expressed
his extreme disgust at tlie priestly farce of the Greek
fire as exhibited at the holy sepulchre. Moreover, Eleeas
Fuaz himself had come forth and taken a new and de-
cided stand on the side of the Lord.

The day after we landed the Maronite priests repeated
in their church the usual warnings and denunciations
against the heretics. On the Sabbath we commenced
once more our customary preaching service at the con-
sul's. Tannoos and Eleeas were with us, though neither
of them understood much of the English. They had
both entirely ceased to attend worship at the Greek
church, as they could not unite with the rest in all their
ceremonies, and they w^ere unwilling to disturb their
quiet by appearing singular among them. Still the
priests had passed no sentence of excommunication upon
either of them. Eleeas in our Arabic meetings readily
took an active part in the exercises and spoke with
marked propriety. His change had been produced in-
strumentally by the faithful admonitions of his friend
Tannoos.

Mansoor Shidiak had been bereaved of his wife and
had himself been very seriously ill, both of which vis-
itations he himself received as a judgment of God upon
him for his ill treatment of his brother Assad. Sheikh
Naameh informed us that in consequence of his aliena-
tion from the Maronite doctrines he had been obliged to
give up his marriage contract with the daughter of Is-hoc
Turbyhh. This gentleman was not only a relative of
the Ash-shi family, but was a man of wealth, spoke and
wrote well in French, and to become his son-in-law must
have been an honor and a great w^orldly advantage to
the young sheikh. If he really relinquished this honor

24

278 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

and advantage from religions principle, it was what few
mere men of the world would probably have done.

He gave us another piece of information, namely, that
he had not long since had an interview with his Holi-
ness the patriarch. Being on a visit to some friends in
the neighborhood of Bkoorki, where the patriarch was
residing, his friends took him in for a respectful call.
Among other common topics his Holiness conversed
about an excommunication which he himself had lately
received from the Protestant missionary, Joseph Wolif,
by which not only he (the patriarch) but all his people
were laid under a curse. He promised to furnish the
sheikh with the perusal of it, hoping evidently that, as one
of the Maronite people threatened by Wolff, he would
feel himself insulted by it.* Nothing unkind on either
side took place during the interview.

* A duplicate of this paper of excommunication, written by Wolff
himself, fell into our hands. It was couched in language by which
his Holiness, St. Joseph, was probably not often addressed, and sug-
gested thoughts which might well affect his conscience. Whether it
was best to visit the patriarch with such an explosion, others, per-
haps, beside his Holiness, might question. But it was doubtless the
design of Mr. Wolff in this case to mimic and ridicule the proud style
of the patriarch himself in his anathemas, as his countryman, Luther,
ridiculed the pope in using papal language, saying, " I, Dr. Martin
Luther, declare this or that," and quoting the pope's own Latin hex-
ameter, "Sic volo, sic jubeo, sit pro ratione voluntas."

The anathema of Wolff was this : " To our friend the Antiochian
patriarch of the sect of the Maronites : The Lord renew your heart and
drag you out of the Eomish Church. After bestowing from our hand
upon you and upon your beard the apostolic blessing, we give you
information that we at present are in Alexandria preaching the gos-
pel to the Jews, Mohammedans and Catholics, and it has come to my
knowledge that Assad Shidiak is still in prison by your order.
Therefore, I command you forthwith to set him at liberty, and if you
do it not on arrival of this letter, and kneel down before him submis-
sively and kiss his hand and beg his pardon, I will send a herm upon

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 279

A letter had been received by the Shidiak family at
Hadet, signed and sealed by the patriarch, giving them
intelligence that Assad Shidiak had died of fever at
Canobeen on the 25th of September, after an illness of
ten days. The family observed the usual mourning
ceremonies, and the surrounding friends, including all
the emeers, paid to the family in Hadet their visits of
condolence according to the custom of the country. Re-
ports of the death of this Christian martyr had often
previously come abroad, but none of them with the ap-
parent authenticity of the present. None had come with
the signature and seal of the patriarch, and none had been
received and acted upon as credible by the family and the
public men of the village. Besides, from that day for-
ward no man was ever found to say that he had visited
the convent of Canobeen and discovered that the pris-
oner was living. We have therefore good reason to be-
lieve that his death actually occurred at the time specified.

As to the manner of his death it was strange that
during a fever of ten days no word should have been
sent to the family. It was more commonly reported by
those who were in a situation to judge that the event
was sudden and unexpected. In regard to a burial, it
appears that he had none. He could not be buried in
consecrated ground. His body was therefore taken out,
it was said, a little distance from the convent and laid
by the side of a wall, the stones of which were thrown
down upon it. For a heretic, who deserved no burial
at all, this was thought to be burial enough.

you, and upon all the Maronites, and upon the Pope of Rome, who is
anti-christ, and you shall go to perdition. Repent, therefore, and
believe in Christ. (Signed) Joseph Wolff,

" The Englishman and missionary of Jesus Christ."

280 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

But neither the hand and seal of the patriarch nor all
the mourning ceremonies of the relatives and friends of
the Shidiak family could convince all minds that the
man was really dead. He was at first decoyed into the
patriarch's power by fraud, and it was believed that the
same fraud would naturally be used to maintain that
power, and that the story of the patriarch about the
man's death was fabricated to rid himself of the trouble
of constant w^atching to prevent efforts from without to
liberate his prisoner. Even one of the mountain princes,
though himself a Maronite, was a sharer in this incredu-
lity as to the death of Assad.

As long as a shadow of doubt hung over the fate of
this man of God, it was a thing to be desired, if oppor-
tunity offered, that the convent should be examined and
the fact of his life or death ascertained. Such an oppor-
tunity was presented when in 1832 Syria fell under the
power of Ibrahim Pasha. He readily gave leave to a
young Scottish merchant to go, furnished with an escort
of soldiers, and search the convent from top to bottom,
which was actually done in presence of the patriarch.
The soldiers went heartily and rudely to their work,
paying no deference to the feelings of his Holiness, open-
ing every cell and closet and striking every chest where
he might be concealed, and calling upon Assad to "come
fo7'thJ' But, alas, the patriarch had finished his work
too early for them. " There was no voice nor any that
answered.'' He will "come forth" only at the voice of
the last trump, when " the trumpet shall sound and the
dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be
changed." And oh how changed will he appear ! — raised
from the filth and squalidness of a three years' dungeon
to the dignity of a martyr's crown, and arrayed in the

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 281

" fine linen white and clean, which is the righteousness
of saints."

During the summer of 1831 a residence was obtained
by the author on the mountains, at the village of
Brummana, under the government of Druzes. We
were visited freely and treated with all respect both by
the authorities and by the people. The Emeer Man-
soor, the chief ruler of the place, was a man of sixty
years, having a powerful frame, of more than six feet in
stature and of dignified deportment. He had a large
family ; two or three of the sons were men and had in-
fluence in the government of the place ; a daughter of
his, Druze as she was, became the wife of the Emeer
Besheer the less, of the Shehab family, and a Maronite.
The family was therefore had in estimation. The sons
had either professed Christianity or were about to do so.
The father was not a Druze of the initiated class called
aakils, neither was he careful to be thought a great ad-
mirer of the Koran. He had but one wife, and con-
demned the practice of polygamy. In conversation on
the liberty which the Koran gives of having many
wives, he said, "I tell my Muslim friends the angel
Gabriel never brought such a precept down to the
prophet; he brought that down himself." Even the
aakils among the Druzes of the village were forward to
court our acquaintance. When a short call was made
upon us by the chief reader in their khulweh (church), he
was found very aifable and gentle in his manners, often
giving his hand in token of assent and listening with
attention to all that was said about the gospel. Four or
five others were present to listen and to assist in the
conversation. The aakil declared that the Druzes did
not profess to have any new revelation from God ; no

24*

282 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

inspired book had come from heaven since the Koran ;
the Druzes had their peculiar book of j^rai/ers, but no
book from God like the Law, the Psalms, the Gospel
and the Koran. All present said they believed in the
gospel.

It may have been an hour that the conversation con-
tinued, and at the end the aakil begged a copy of the
Bible and of the "Dairyman's Daughter.'' After this
the brother of this man was at our house, and said, " Sir,
it is your bounden duty to come and read to us the gospel
at our Thursday evening meetings." Accordingly, on
that same evening four or five women came to conduct
both the missionary and his wife to their meeting.
Their reader was present when we entered, and he and
four or five others rose respectfully and pointed us to
the "highest room" in the company. A few remarks
only were made, and then the reader called upon a
young man near by to assist him in commencing their
services. The aakil placed himself near the light, and,
sitting erect, began reciting the preface to the Koran.
After this came two or three other books, partly, as it
appeared, of poetry and partly of prose, including a few
leaves of the Koran. There was no exercise but read-
ing, with now and then a word of explanation; no
rising, kneeling or bowing the face to the ground, after
the manner of the Muslims. But evidently this meet-
ing was not to be taken as a specimen of one of the more
secret meetings, where aakils only are admitted. Many
of those present at this meeting were of the uninitiated,
whom they call jah-hils.

When their reading Avas finished a brother of the reader
came and asked if we had brought our Bible. As we
had not, a friendly Druze woman brought forward a

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 283

New Testament that had been given her, and they h*s-
teued attentively to the reading of the Sermon on the
Mount, with brief expository remarks.

At the close of this latter reading they were, of course,
profuse in their professions of admiration at the doctrines
of Jesus ; wished to be learners of us ; they were " very
near" to us in regard to religion — that is, not having
images, etc. It was told them in reply that in order to
be very near to us it would be quite necessary for them
to believe two things which the Koran denies— ^rs^,
that Seidna Esa (the Lord Jesus) actually died ; and
secondly, that he died for our sins. They smiled, but
made no reply.

After that evening, as long as we remained in the
place, the Druzes came daily to our house to hear about
the gospel, and on the succeeding Sabbath about a dozen
came in to attend our evening devotions.

In our joint report for the year (1831) we wrote thus :
" Some time since a Druze woman at Beirut was in the
habit of coming daily to the house of our school-teacher
to listen to the reading of the scriptures and religious
conversation. Her face was often bathed in tears while
she repeated ever and anon, ^ That's the truth !' Her
coming was interrupted by the prevalence of the plague
among the people, and, as she never came again, the in-
ference was that she was one of the victims of the dis-
ease. AVe have hope that she died a penitent believer.
A man somewhat advanced in years, and who was one
of the aakils, came also to the house of the same teacher,
and, after hearing and opposing the truth for some time,
at length gave up his opposition, and as a proof of his
conviction offered to bring us one of the secret books of
his religion, with which offer he has since complied. A

284 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

considerable Dumber among tbe princely families of the
Druzes have within a few years become nominally
Christian. Two or three families or clans that remain
will very likely think it expedient to follow their
example. But the common people do not as yet seem
disposed to imitate their princes. Should our mission
be continued, the experiment will no doubt ere long be
fully tried, whether a pure gospel may not produce on
this despised and uninstructed people results which the
deformed Christianity of this country has never yet
been able to effect.

" The Nusairiyeh of the parts beyond Tripoli, said by
some to be a race of Druzes, but more erratic and un-
civilized than they, have been furnished by us with a
few copies of the word of life, which, as the agent as-
sured us, they had begun to read with great satisfaction.
A missionary station at Tripoli or Ladikeea seems de-
sirable, not merely for the benefit of the Christian part
of the population, but also in special reference to this
half pagan people.

"In failure of all reinforcements of laborers from
home, it has been with peculiar pleasure that we have
enjoyed the correspondence and aid of a company of
English brethren at Aleppo, who, though originally
destined to a station farther on in the East, have hitherto
been providentially detained on our coast. Two of them
are at present with us at Beirut, imparting to us that
strength and comfort which are the natural result of
familiar Christian intercourse. For ourselves we should
be willing their detention from their prospective field
should be indefinitely prolonged, but we would not dare
oppose what might seem to them to be a call of Provi-
dence. We are anxiously hoping for an addition of

BIBLE WOBK IN BIBLE LANDS. 285

laborers in our section of the Lord's vineyard. May
our hope not be long deferred ! Alone we feel too weak
in many respects to answer the natural calls of the work
here and the wishes and the probable expectations of
American Christians."

The two English brethren above referred to were
Messrs. Parnell and Hamilton, the former the eldest son
of Sir Henry Parnell, who occupied a distinguished po-
sition under the British government. They were mem-
bers of a company who had set out on a missionary enter-
prise at their own charges, and, having arrived at Aleppo,
were intending to proceed with Messrs. Newman and
Cronin, their associates at that city, to unite with Dr.
Groves, already at Bagdad. Mrs. Parnell had accom-
panied her husband as far as Ladikeea, near which place
she met with a fall from her horse and died of the in-
juries she then received. These brethren came to make
our acquaintance and witness our mode of operation.
Mr. Hamilton, from his declining health, concluded to
return to England. His companion, after a three
months' visit, returned to his associates at Aleppo, hav-
ing first shown his good- will toward us by ordering out
from England, in behalf of our enterprise, a lithographic
press and a munificent addition to our mission library.
The company left Aleppo for Bagdad on the 19th of
April. In four days they came to the large village of
Aintab, where they were detained seventeen days wait-
ing for a caravan. They sold here twenty-seven copies
of the Armeno-Turkish Scriptures, and were told they
might have found sale for two hundred if they had had
them. Copies of Mr. Goodell's translation went oif
freely, though some were shy of them because they had
not been authorized by the Church. The company, at

286 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

the close of their stay, fell under the displeasure of the
governor for selling a book or two to Muslims, and an
order was given them to leave the place, which they had
already engaged to do by a caravan that Avas just on the
move. However, a popular excitement was beginning
to rise against them, and they could not get free from
the village without a few volleys of stones.

The visit of this little company to Aintab at this time
may have been a distant exciting cause of that remark-
able spirit of inquiry and great success of the gospel
which have since made that place so remarkable.

Through the influence of Wortabet, our zealous Ar-
menian brother in Sidon, an earnest inquiry prevailed
about the scriptures and the way to be saved. A dis-
cussion of the Christian doctrines in writing was set on
foot, and on account of Wortabet's want of familiarity
with the Arabic we engaged our Arabic teacher, Tan-
noos, to go to liis assistance. He returned in a few days
confirming the accuracy of the reports which our sanguine
brother had sent us. He brought at the same time a let-
ter from Wortabet, saying, " My neighbor Nahass, since
my answer to him, says to the people (who saw my proofs
about the pope and who w^ent to him to ask about the
matter) that their fathers were mistaken in receiving the
pope as head of the church of Christ. Two-thirds of
the people here are not fasting, but are eating meat in
this Lent openly, and the priests are not able to say a
word to them. The people come to me always, and I
am engaged with them daily in respect to the evangel-
ical way. Many things there are to be written to you
if they were not dangerous at these times of war.''

Mr. Nicolayson also, who went to aid the native
brethren at Sidon, writes thus : ^^ As the press of busi-

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 287

ness at Wortabet's magazine increases, conversations and
discussions increase. By the blessing of God I trust
much good will result from it. Yesterday we had a
long and interesting discussion with a respectable Mus-
lim from the camp of Acca, in which he frankly avowed
that the more intelligent and reflecting Muslims now-a-
days own that they have no solid hope of salvation,
being well aware that such is the state of morals among
them that they cannot possibly be received to heaven ;
and as to Mohammed's power to carry them there, this
is believed by ignorant fanatics only.

"This morning the same Muslim came again, and with
him an Armenian who had accompanied him yesterday
and taken part in the discussion. The Muslim said, ^ I
am going to the camp to-day, but I leave you this man to
be further instructed by you, for he is still in the dark.'
A Ions: conversation ensued between AYortabet and this
Armenian, which the former closed at the end of four
hours with a most affectionate and truly eloquent ad-
dress on regeneration, telling him that without this all
pretence to religion is boshJ^

Subsequently Wortabet writes : " The keeper of the
journal of Ibrahim Pasha, as he is my friend, came to
my magazine and told me something useful to all nations
which Mohammed Ali Pasha desires to do, but I cannot
explain to you. Mr. Nicolayson, when he comes, will
know and write it to you.

" Hannah Bah-hari [pasha's prime minister] sent me
his salaam by the writer of the journal. He was com-
ing from Acca and is going northward to join Ibrahim
Pasha, and he asked me many things before many peo-
ple here about the kingdom of Christ. I told him, be-
fore Jews and Turks, as much as I know, and he was

288 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

very glad to hear me. He is a Turk truly, but an in-
telligent one.''

Wortabet hints in the above letter that he is expect-
ing the arrival of Mr. Nicolayson at Sidon, and that he
will write on some important subjects more fully than
he himself was able to do. Mr. Nicolayson's predicted
letter was this :

" Could Wortabet write you himself, he would have
much to tell you, but I shall condense it as much as
possible. The work among Jews and Christians has
continued as usual without change, but as it regards
Muslims it has increased very much in importance and
publicity. It is, indeed, such as to astonish very many.

" As to what he has hinted to you concerning Moham-
med Ali's plans, as communicated to him by the chief
journal-keeper of Ibrahim, it is to this effect : Wortabet
had been explaining to him the expectations which the
scriptures warrant us to entertain respecting the speedy
establishment of the Messiah's kingdom in peace and
righteousness. This led the above-mentioned personage
to remark that should Mohammed Ali be questioned as
to his designs if successful, he would declare his inten-
tion to be to dethrone Sultan Mahmood for his injustice
and incapacity, and to place his son on the throne, with
the condition that he should receive forty-four counsel-
ors, which would give the government the nature of a
limited monarchy. The object of this change should be
to put an end to all war and oppression and to establish
universal peace and equality, and for this purpose he
would have the new government formed by the advice
and aid of the European powers, and its great object
secured by mutual compacts and treaties with them."

Three days after the above Mr. Nicolayson writes :

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 289

"The Jews give me no peace till I scrape together
whatever can be found in the shape of Hebrew Bibles
and psalters, that they may purchase them. To-day we
have been taken up almost all the time with Jews and
Muslims. Among the latter is a certain Naseer Aga, a
Damascene, who is often very useful to cut short some
of the false reasonings of the rest. He does not allow
them to assert that the gospel we possess is corrupted
and different from the original."

Thus was our ardent and unwearied Armenian brother
proceeding in his career of usefulness when we received
an alarming letter from Mr. Nicolayson that he was
dangerously ill. Two pious young men who were with
us set off immediately to render him aid. But human
aid was found to be unavailing. The first subsequent
word respecting him was that he was no better, and the
second was that he was no more.

The following extract of a letter from his wife is worth
preserving. It describes a conversation with her hus-
band after indications had begun to appear of occasional
wanderings of mind :

"We asked him, 'Where are you?' He replied,
' With the merciful Jesus, and he is with me.' ' AVhere
is Jesus V ' He is present in every place.' ' Is he near
you or afar off?' ' He is near at my side.'

" We asked him various questions, which he answered
correctly, repeating some passages from the gospel. He
remained in this situation, answering questions -which
we put to him, until sunrise on Monday, September 10,
after which he was not able to speak. An hour and a
half before noon his spirit left this world of trouble and
went to Jesus his beloved, in whom he trusted."

At the time of the funeral services, to the disgrace of

25

290 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

humanity an altercation arose in the miclst of the solem-
nities. The grave had been prepared in the cemetery
of the Greek Catholics. It was consecrated ground,
and according to papal law no heretical, unbelieving
corpse could be permitted to rest in a place so holy. A
number of men, therefore, united in declaring that the
law of their cemetery should not be violated. What
should be done ? The procession had reached the grave
and were waiting. It seemed as if they must take the
dead back to his house. But Yoosef Lufloofy, brother-
in-law of the deceased, boldly stood forth and asserted
his right to at least as much of that cemetery as con-
tained the bones of his own brother, long since dead,
and declared that there his brother-in-law should lie.
So saying, he seized the shovel and fell to work. The
grave was soon opened without opposition, and the two
dead were left, brother-in-law with brother, Protestant
and Catholic slumbering together in peace, and no ap-
prehensions are entertained that either of them on the
resurrection morn will complain of having been defiled
by the bones of the other.

There were two Jesuit missionaries, a German and a
Frenchman, who, according to the established rule of
the papacy for counteracting and neutralizing Protestant
influence, were about this time commencing labors in the
vicinity of Beirut. They were occupying the college
establishment at Antoora, from which the Rev. Mr.
Lewis had been formerly driven. Lamartine, the French
poet, while for a time he was residing in Beirut, says of
them : " The two young fathers often came to visit us at
Beirut, and afforded us a society as agreeable as unex-
pected.'' In regard to their work and success he re-
marks: "They neglected no means or opportunity of

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 291

propagating among the Druzes some ideas of Christian-
ity, but the effect of their proceedings was confined to
baptizing in secret, and, even unknown to the parents,
young children of families into which they had introduced
themselves under pretence of giving medical advice. I be-
lieve they will return to Europe without having suc-
ceeded in naturalizing in Lebanon a taste for more ex-
tended knowledge. The French father was worthy of a
professorship at Rome or Paris.'^ Speaking of their
failure he says, "It was owing to this simple reason, viz.,
that the^'e are no politics in the religion of the East, and
therefore Catholicism has no means of domination. Now,
as it is by human means chiefly that the Jesuitical
system has acted and does act upon religion, this coun-
try does not suit it." *

One hot day in summer, while an encampment of the
pasha's soldiers were lying near the walls outside the
city, some of them strolled into our enclosure and began
plucking the fruit and eating. Our house-servant went
to warn them off, and a quarrel commenced between
them in which stones were thrown very freely. One of
the soldiers fell with a bad gash in the forehead, the
others ran down to the camp. As a number of us were
gathered about the fallen combatant examining his
wound and binding it up, a little party from the camp,
having got the news, came rushing into the garden
armed with muskets and saying hurriedly, " Where is
the guilty man ? Where is he ?" holding their guns in
readiness to blow the man through if they could see him.
The children were affrighted and ran, crying out with
terror, while to increase their excitement the soldiers
leveled their guns at them as if they would shoot them.
* Itinerary, Vol. II., p. 43.

292 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

The guilty man who threw the missile was a mile oif
ere this, and they, perceiving no one present that showed
any signs of guilt, and supposing that the Frank who
stood there supporting the wounded man and fixing on
his bandage must have had something to do with it,
seized him at a venture and conducted him by the arms
out into the street and toward the camp. Along the
street were crowds of other soldiers whom curiosity or
indignation had brought out from the camp, who, seeing
a man dragged out like a murderer, thought him to be
the true culprit, and thought it good enough for him to
receive a little chastising before he was crucified, and so
began a sort of gauntlet execution with slaps and cuffs
and such like from behind. One man broke a staff over
his shoulder, the broken piece whizzing by and striking
before him in the sand. Another came to the front,
brandishing his gun and twisting his face and eyes into
all the contortions of a fury. Being brought to the
middle of the camp, they bound his wrists together be-
hind him and seated him flat on the open ground. He
must have been a ludicrous object to behold, in the midst
of a thousand spectators looking on, squatted down with-
out a sign of a seat (as a Frank never sits), without a
carpet or a mat (as a decent Arab never sits), his coat
torn open in the back, his hat crushed in at the side, his
hands and arms drawn back outof position, and passers-
by stopping to gaze, sneer and spit at him.

His position was not only ridiculous, but somewhat
uncomfortable withal. To sit bent in the middle at an
angle of ninety degrees, without arms before to balance
and nothing behind to support, soon becomes wearisome.
Then there was the scorching sand beneath and a mid-
day summer's sun above; the tight ligature was painful,

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 293

and soon destroyed all motion and nearly all sense of
feeling in his hands. What some avenging brother of
the wounded, possibly dead, man, coming from his
bloody corpse, might do from behind, he could not see,
but he could not help imagining to himself what kind
of a sensation it would be to feel the plunge of a bayonet
into his back, and what a tremendous change might in
one moment more be wrought in the mode and place of
his existence. But his hour had not come.

News of the occurrence had spread in all directions.
Crowds of spectators from within and from without the
city were collected about the camp-ground to witness
the possible execution of a Frank. The first man that
presented himself to attempt anything that looked like
interference was our newly-arrived brother Dodge. As
he attempted to approach he was rudely driven back,
and stood with the crowd greatly embarrassed. Next
the dragoman of the English consul passed by in sight,
but was not allowed to come within speaking distance.
The English consul-general in full uniform, with his
mounted janizaries and other attendants, next appeared,
coming at full gallop as if they intended to effect a res-
cue by a coup cle main. Instantly the whole camp was
roused, the drums beat, stones flew like hail, bayonets
bristled and hedged up the passage. The strife was
short. The consul, yielding to such immense odds, left
the Egyptians masters of the field, and, drawing off his
forces in good order, made his way by a circuitous route
into the city.

The concourse of citizens, excited by these novel
movements, continued to increase insomuch that the
commander of the neighboring castle overlooking the
camp-ground became alarmed for the safety of the sol-

25 «

294 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

diery, and was seen arranging liis cannon so as to sweep
in the direction of the multitude in case any violence
should be attempted against the soldiers. At the end
of about forty minutes the governor of the city was seen,
accompanied by the American consul and other officials,
issuing from the gate of the city and approaching the
camp. The Egyptians, knowing their errand and not
daring any further to trespass on the authority of the
civil government, quietly gave up their prisoner. He was
taken, bound as he was, to the governor's palace, where
in a large open courtyard were sitting in solemn conclave
all the European consuls, with their vice-consuls, drago-
mans, etc., as well as the governor, judge and other dig-
nitaries of the city. The wounded man was also brought
in in a senseless state and laid before them on the pave-
ment of the court. They had just begun to interchange
views as to what measures should be taken to repair the
outrage of the soldiers when one of the subordinate
officers, who had brought in the wounded man, glancing
his eyes indignantly at the Franks and speaking in an
undertone, vented his spite by threatening terrible ven-
geance in case the man should die. M. Jorelle, the
French vice-consul, overheard the speech and immedi-
ately rose and said loudly,

" Gentlemen, I stay here no longer. If in the very
palace of the governor of this city we cannot be secure
from insult and from threats of assassination by these
soldiers, it is time for us to look out for our own safety.^'

The judge looked up with open mouth as if thunder-
struck. The whole company rose from their seats, and
the consuls, agreeing to meet at the English consulate,
passed out, and the whole assemblage dispersed. At this
second meeting, the consuls decided to draw up a suit-

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 295

able representation of the insolence and violence of the
Egyptian soldiery, and to demand proper measures to
repress them, and that this document, with the signatures
of the whole consular body, be forwarded to the pasha
immediately. This being done all retired to their
homes.

At the end of three months a court appointed by the
pasha was organized at Beirut, and the soldiers were
brought to trial in presence of the American consul.
The sentence agreed on, and announced by the judges
to the consul, was a punishment of the soldiers, gradu-
ated according to their different degrees of criminality,
but the servant who threw the stone they left to the
discretion of the consul, to be dealt with as he saw fit.

Soon after this Mr. Chasseaud received a communica-
tion from his Highness the pasha, officially confirming
the sentence of the court in regard to the soldiers, but
concluding with these remarkable words : " It is known
to you that according to the decision of the court afore-
said, it was determined that the servant of the Frank,
who threw the stone, be subjected to a punishment of
three hundred stripes, . . . and you must know that this
punishment will be insisted on.^^ The consul was
highly offended at the deception practiced by the judges,
and determined to ignore their report altogether. The
servant absented himself from the neighborhood for a
time, and nothing was ever again said about him or
about the report against him. He might have been to
blame in the affray, but the witnesses in his case were
never examined. This at least was to be said for him,
he fought on his own ground and where his adversaries
were interlopers and trespassers.

As for the soldiers, Ibrahim made sure that they

296 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

should undergo their sentence. Visitors at Acca saw
them there laboring as convicts on the public works.
The pasha was a severe, perhaps cruel, disciplinarian.
Anything like disobedience or cowardice in soldiers, and
anything like superstition or bigotry in priests, he could
not bear with. His own coolness and daring in the
face of an enemy were proverbial. He would be occu-
pied in skirmishes with the enemy all day, and at night
when he loosed his girdle balls would fall from it by
the handful. So the natives had it, and even Lady
Stanhope told it for a truth.* In the midst of the
assault upon Acca, it is related that he met a man re-
treating to the rear with a bloody finger or something
of the kind. ^^ Coward,'' said he, giving him a severe
cut with his sword, " go on, you're wounded now."

In religion he was quite an unbeliever, and of course
had no patience with extremists. Had the prophets
appeared under his government he would not have
endured any of them. " They were all bad men," he
said, ^^ and our prophet was the worst among them all."
On hearing of the imprisonment of Shidiak for his
faith he entered into the project for his release with all
the ardor of a partisan, ordered the Emeer Besheer who
was with him to furnish a guard for the purpose, saying,
" If you object to doing it, I will send a band of my
own Egyptians. ^^ When the pasha had obtained posses-
sion of Acca and the interior neighborhood, including
Nablus, the time came round for the annual liadge or
pilgrimage to Mecca. The usual caravan was forming
at Damascus, and the pasha of that city sent to the
Nablusians to furnish, as formerly, the usual supply of
water-jars for the journey. The people sent to Ibrahim
Eotlicn, chop. 8, p. 74.

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 297

to know if they should comply with the demand. He
said, ^^ No ; let them ask of me.'' " But they are un-
willing to ask of you." "Very well/' said Ibrahim,
" then let there never he hadgeJ^

The pride and bigotry of the Damascenes is well
known. So holy was their city that no Jew or Christian
could enter it riding, and when the English consul-gen-
eral was appointed for Syria, with his station at Damas-
cus, the Muslim population there, when they heard of it,
rose with one voice, declaring that the English consul-
general should never enter there alive. The consul,
during the siege of Acca, visited the pasha, and inquired
about the probability of his being able to occupy the
station to which he was appointed. The pasha encour-
aged him, by all means, to take up his abode there.
" But I suppose," said the consul, " it will be necessary
for me, at least, to adopt the Arab dress in the city."
" Wait a little," said Ibrahim ; " I'll insure that you
shall go there in Arab dress, or English dress, or without
any dress, if you choose." And his promise was kept, for
when the consul went there to hoist his infidel flag in
that holy city he was met and welcomed by a vast cav-
alcade and crowds of people on foot, some of whom
actually spread their garments in the way for him to
ride over them.

CHAPTER XV.

Mr. Thomson sets oflf with his family for Jerusalem — Becomes iso-
lated at Jaffa by war — Terrible earthquake — Horrors in Jerusa-
lem— The city taken by the Arabs, and retaken by the pasha —
Mrs. Thomson's death at Jerusalem— Mr. Thomson returns to
Beirut.

OUR, new associate, the Rev. W. M. Thomson,* to
whom it was assigned to reoceupy the station at
Jerusalem, set oif with his family for that city in April,
1834. On reaching Jaffa by sea, without waiting for
the landing and forwarding of his goods he hastened to
see his family safely settled at their new residence, which
had been prepared and waiting for them for some
months past. Mr. Nicolayson, our English fellow-la-
borer, with his family, was already in occupation of a
part of the tenement. The war-spirit was abroad in tlie
land. The natives were rising to drive away Ibrahim
Pasha and his soldiers from the possession of Jerusa-
lem. Leaving his family in Jerusalem, and returning
for his goods to Jaffa, Mr. Thomson saw on his way
many of the fellaheen (Arab peasants) ready armed and
equipped for the deadly strife, and found at Jaffa the
pasha preparing to march against them. He, therefore,
with all despatch put everything in readiness, and the
very next day set off on his return to Jerusalem.

Evil tidings, like Job's messengers, had poured in

* Rev. W. M. Thomson, D. D., author of " The Land and the
Book."

298

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 299

upon them at Jaffa, and the men they met to-day more
than confirmed the bad reports of yesterday. Several
travelers who had started from Jaffa the day before were
returning in great terror, not having been able to get up
the mountains. After passing these, there dashed by
them an express bearing news to the pasha. '^ I wa?
greatly struck," says Mr. Thomson, *^ with the appear-
ance of the man. He sat erect, and firm as a statue
on its pedestal. His countenance was fixed and steady,
and every muscle and joint screwed down tight. With
a firm grasp he held his cocked musket at arm's length
and parallel with the horizon, and, dashing his heavy
stirrup-irons into the sides of his swift Arabian, he flew
over the ground like an eagle hastening to his prey."

When Mr. Thomson had reached Ramleh he was in-
formed that a battle had been fought already between
the fellaheen and a party of the pasha's cavalry, and
that the latter had been driven down the mountains
with the loss of their commander and many others. A
reinforcement of two separate detachments of cavalry
arrived at Ramleh during the night. Reports were every
day more and more alarming. The whole of the hill-
country of Judea, from Nablus to Hebron, was in com-
motion. The governor of Jeruisalem had fled, and his
father, who had been governor the year before and was
displaced, was at the head of the rebels. It was con-
fidently reported that the city had been taken by the
native peasants and plundered. The consul at Ramleh
and his family strongly urged Mr. Thomson to escape
with them back to Jaffa, but in vain. They themselves
succeeded in getting through safely with their goods, but
a certain captain and his family, who attempted the
same thing, under the same escort, becoming detached

300 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

from the company, were attacked by robbers and stripped
entirely naked, and in this plight had to walk all the
rest of the way to Jaffa.

On the next day occurred a frightful earthquake.
The people of Ramleh rushed forth into the fields to es-
cape from the falling ruins of their houses, nearly every
one of which was more or less injured. At night they
ventured back, but at ten o'clock there burst forth again
a tremendous screaming, as if from another earthquake.
All fled once more into the open air, and remained out
for hours, fearing to trust themselves within those threat-
ening walls of stone. Two or three times subsequently,
during Mr. Thomson's stay, the place was visited with
these disturbances, and he became convinced that, both
for safety and for comfort, Jaifa was better than Ramleh
as a place where he might wait until these Avar-clouds
should pass away. When, under the keeping of Provi-
dence, he reached Jaffa in safety, he found the city
swarming with soldiers and vexed with the plague. A
large addition to the Egyptian army was brought by
five men-of-war from Alexandria. Six thousand men
were soon on their march for Jerusalem. Mr. Thomson
had nearly determined to set off with them, but was
providentially, and, as it proved, very mercifully, de-
tained. The pasha, on arriving at the first difficult
mountain defile, sent one detachment of his forces to
clear the adjacent heights, and another was stationed to
guard the entrance, while the main body was to keej)
directly on its march. The defile was successfully
passed, and the signal was given for the detachment in
the rear to advance and join the rest of the army. But
the commander failed to obey the order, and fell into the
hands of the fellaheen. He and only two hundred of

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 301

his thousand men found their way back to Jaffa, de-
spoiled of everything but life. Had not Mr. Thomson
been prevented from executing his purpose of accom-
panying the army, he would undoubtedly have been at-
tached to this rear division of it, and have shared its
perils and losses, among which latter might have been
the loss of life.

The troops being withdrawn from Jaifa, the city was
exposed to the assaults of the fellaheen. For some days
a constant firing of musketry and of cannon was kept
up with more or less fatal effect. The enemy without,
not being in numbers sufficient to take the city, con-
tented themselves with harassing the garrison and de-
stroying the gardens of the suburbs. Great fear, how-
ever, pervaded the city, and the English and American
consuls and many others packed up their goods and
sought an asylum from the war in boats, intending to
proceed to Beirut or Cyprus, or to some other port, or
even to remain at sea till the troubles were over.

Mohammed Ali, being informed of the state of the
country and the dangers to which his son was exposed,
sent on from Alexandria fresh supplies for the war, and
soon came to Jaffa himself in person. AVith an army
of twelve thousand men at Jaffa, and as many more ex-
pected from the Bedawin by land, and with the ten thou-
sand offered by the Emeer Besheer in case of necessity,
Ibrahim could not fail to succeed. Accordingly, after a
war of fifteen days the fellaheen forces were so far scat-
tered and subdued that Mr. Thomson ventured to make
a night-push for Jerusalem. He reached the city on the
second day without molestation.

"But oh," he exclaims, "what horror, what faintness
seized my heart when I came in sight of our house and

2f.

302 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

saw that part of it which Mrs. Thomson occupied all
torn to pieces by the cannon of the castle V^

He was permitted, however, to find the inmates all
alive and joyful at his safe return. What had occurred
at Jerusalem during these weeks of war and earthquake
is graphically and touchingly described in the subjoined
letter of Mrs. Thomson, addressed to her sister in Amer- .
ica, dated Jerusalem, May 30, 1834:

" The last Sabbath was one never to be forgotten by
myself and by hundreds in this afflicted city. My hus-
band had nearly a week previous gone to Jaffa for the
purpose of bringing up our things. The rebels marched
toward Jerusalem, but the pasha's soldiers dared not
leave the city to oppose them, for there is treachery
within the walls, and they feared, with too much reason,
that the gates would be shut upon them if they should
sally forth.

" We were not greatly alarmed, however, until rising
on Sabbath morning we received the assurance that we
were literally in a besieged city. We are within a few
rods of the tower or castle, and I saw, for the first time
in my life, the cannon brought out to be mounted upon
the walls, accompanied with other preparations for car-
rying on the work of death. We are staying in the
house of the kind Mr. Nicolayson, from whom and his
lady we receive every possible kindness. At 11 o'clock
A. M. our two little families convened for reading the
scriptures and prayer. Mr. Nicolayson's selections all
had a bearing on our present circumstances, and were
eminently calculated to inspire confidence in God. As
he read some of those last conversations of our Saviour
with his disciples, it seemed almost as if we were realiz-
ing the same scenes, and we felt every word to be appli-

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 303

cable to ourselves. Still we were yet ignorant to what
extent we were soon to be called to ' possess our souls in
patience.'

" When our worship closed my babe was brought to
be nursed, and I had scarcely taken him before the
house above and around began to shake violently.
'What is this?' said Mrs. Nicolayson in consterna-
tion. Instantly the truth flashed upon my mind. I ex-
claimed, 'An earthquake!' and rushed out of the room.
I descended the stairs amid a shower of dust and
stones, a large one being precipitated from the top of
the wall which narrowly escaped crushing little William's
head. Everlasting gratitude to God for his preserving
goodness !

"On gaining the garden I felt somewhat relieved.
But, my dear sister, it was an awful sight to see the high
stone walls of our garden shivering like leaves in a tem-
pest, a part giving way and the whole threatened with
the same fate, the house also shaking as if the next mo-
ment it would fall prostrate, and the very earth trem-
bling beneath our feet as if no longer able to support its
surface. What power but the Almighty can succor in
such awful circumstances ? To whom can we fly but to
Him who holds all nature in his hands ? To Him and
to the blood of atonement that speaks pardon and peace
I did in these terrific scenes endeavor to look ; yes, to
cast myself upon the mercy of God in Christ and await
with resignation the result of these unlooked-for calami-
ties. In a few moments the streets were filled with the
weeping, lamentation and woe of afflicted multitudes
who had fled from houses that threatened to bury them
beneath their ruins. Several families, all Jews, came to
take shelter in our large garden, and it was truly affect-

304 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

ing to see these bigoted descendants of Abraham coming
for protection in the hour of danger to the house of a
Christian, really appearing to derive comfort from our
composure and our confidence that God would protect
us.

"The shocks continued through the afternoon and
night, also on the next day and night, but not so violent
as the first. It is predicted by the Latin monks that to-
morrow, the seventh day from the first, will be the most
tremendous shock yet experienced. But, poor mortals,
they ^know not what will be on the morrow.^ We must
acknowledge, however, that present appearances rather
indicate a return. ... I was obliged by another shock,
though slight, to throw down my pen, seize my infant
and run out of the house just as I had written the word
' return J The weather is exceedingly hot and sultry,
thermometer at 90° in the shade. In addition to this
there is an uncommon dryness in the air. . . . What
will be the termination of this season our heavenly Father
only knows. Circumstances more appalling than these
in which we are now placed I had hardly ever imagined.
I hesitate to describe them. I have no wish to excite
your sympathy at the expense of your comfort. But
before this reaches you all these troubles will have been
caused to subside, through the good providence of Him
who has all events under his control ; ... or should he
in infinite wisdom determine otherwise, we may be at
rest where wars and rumors of wars shall never reach us
more.

" Owing to the continued tremblings and quakings of
the earth we thought it prudent to sleep in the garden.
But here a new danger met us. The engagements be-
tween the soldiers on the walls and the peasantry with-

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 305

out were carried on principally at night on account of
the heat of the day. The fellahs got possession of a
small convent without the city which enabled them to
aim at the soldiers, and though they had no cannon, yet,
because we were so near the castle, the balls from their
muskets flew whizzing over our heads and around us
in every direction. We lay thus for three or four nights,
and then concluded that it was better to fall into the
hands of the Lord than into the hands of men, and so
returned into our partially-dilapidated dwelling. Per-
haps you would not call it partially dilapidated were you
to see the fissures in the walls and terraces, the half-fallen
ceilings, the sunken floors, and other marks that tell of
ruin and threaten to make it a mass of rubbish.

..." Through the mercy of God we are not yet left
houseless. I and my little family have a small open
room or house in the garden, but of so ancient a date
that it would require no bad shaking to bring its rotten
stone arches down upon our heads. Mr. Nicolayson's
family find shelter in some lower rooms formerly used
for lumber. Imagine us lying down at night with more
than a mere possibility that our beds might be our tombs,
endeavoring, but often without success, to compose our-
selv^es to rest amid the firing of musketry and the roar-
ing of cannon. Oh how different are our feelings in
committing ourselves to God for nightly protection, un-
der so many appalling circumstances, from what they
were in our own peaceful country ! How very trifling
now appear many, many things to which I once attached
importance ! Even all that earth calls good or great
dwindles into nothing when we encounter the horrors
of war, earthquake and scarcity, if not famine. These
things bring the realities of eternity near. Had not our

26*

306 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

dear Christian friends been most providentially supplied
with stores out of which they have hospitably entertained
us, I know not what we should have done in this emer-
gency. You may think me selfish, perhaps, in dwelling
so much on our own affairs and saying little or nothing
about the state of the city, the war and the sufferings of
others. The truth is we know nothing of things with-
out, and are obliged to sit in our houses day after day in
the most painful suspense. Rumors and conjectures —
some of them frightful enough — we have indeed heard,
but we question the truth of all. We are troubled with
very few visitors. The disloyalty or disaffection to the
pasha is so universal among the Muslims that they are
said to be all quarantined in their houses. One thing
is certain, that those who used to visit us come in no
more. The streets are silent and deserted, patrolled
only by a vigilant soldiery. It is said, and I believe
this story at least, that several communications have
passed between the fellaheen and the Turkish citizens.
Some of these have been intercepted.'^

Another date. — ^' Several days, my dear sister, have
elapsed since the close of what I last wrote. Many of
these were days of such awful interest that I could com-
mand neither opportunity nor composure sufficient to
describe the appalling scenes around me. Even after
the danger had in some measure subsided I could not
recall the past but with feelings of such horror that for
the sake of my dear babe, whose health is much affected
by mine, I have felt it my duty to keep my mind as
calm as possible. In this endeavor I have been merci-
fully assisted with strength from above. I called upon
God in my trouble ; he heard my prayer and strength-
ened me with strength from on high.

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 307

'^At sunset, May 31, Mr. Nicolayson ascended the
terrace to ascertain the state of matters, and returned
with the assurance that the walls were manned as usual,
the gates closed and the soldiers at their posts. We re-
tired to rest. . . . About midnight I was awakened by
a loud discharge of fire-arms, and the balls whistled
around us in such a manner that I was sure the engage-
ment was within the walls.

" I hastily awoke Mr. Nicolayson. AYe all dressed as
soon as possible, taking care not to awake the children.
The narrow street that passed our front door led di-
rectly to houses occupied by soldiers. Mr. Nicolayson
went there to listen, and found the soldiers removing
their effects with the utmost expedition into the castle.
That which we had anticipated and feared was now but
too certain. The city was betrayed, and we were at the
mercy of a lawless and ferocious multitude. The gates
of the castle closed — morning dawned — the morning
sacred to Him who came to bring peace and good-will
to men ; the day also on which, according to rule, you,
with many of your beloved friends, were to commemo-
rate the love of our Redeemer. Under what different
circumstances was your sister to spend its hours ! After
the retiring of the soldiers we were not left long in
suspense. The awful silence was broken by the shouts
of the fellahs, the firing of musketry, etc., while from
the streets were heard the breaking open of doors and
the running of men to and fro. To add to our distress,
our servant, who had been on the terrace, rushed into
the room, pale with terror, exclaiming that the fellahs
were murdering the people and plundering the city.
Whither could we fly for refuge but to Him who said,
'Call upon me in the day of trouble, I will deliver

308 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

thee/ We did call upon him, and sought him not in
vain. Mr. Nicolayson read the scriptures, and oh how
rich and appropriate seemed every line, especially our
Lord's last conversation and prayer recorded in John,
and many of the Psalms composed, ages ago, in this
very vicinity, and under similar circumstances ! They
seemed written expressly to quiet our fears and confirm
our confidence in God. If our hearts did not deceive
us, we did not so much dread death. Oh no, I longed
to leave a world of so much wickedness, cruelty and
sorrow, and enter one where all is love and purity and
peace. But nature — weak, terrified nature — shrunk
from the possibility of personal injury and the terrors
of a violent death. My infant too — my heart sickened
when I looked at him. His smiles and caresses went to
my very soul, and I was obliged to resign him to the
care of others.

" During the day the soldiers made a sally from the
castle and drove the fellahs into the lower part of the
city, and, although again shut in, they kept up a con-
stant fire upon the rebels. Our house being near the
castle, we spent two days unmolested by the fellaheen,
but within the constant sound of door-breaking and
plundering. . . .

"Mr. Nicolayson afterward, finding the house was
beginning to be robbed, hired ten men to guard it.
They did their duty pretty well, still, on one occasion,
a furious fellah rushed into the part of the house where
we were and drew his sword to kill the dog, and next
he seized our servant by the collar, and was going to
run him through, on pretence of his being one of the
nezzam soldiers. Being assured, however, that he was
an Englishman and our servant, he let him go, and

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 309

then left the house, taking with him, however, such of
my clothes as hit his fancy. All this day and night,
and the greater part of the next day, we Avere literally
in the very din of war. We all stowed ourselves in a
small lower room, where the walls were very thick, and
heard the cannon balls whistle over and around us. One
large ball entered the dome of the little room in the
garden where I had slept and tore a large hole through it,
scattering the rocks and mortar all over the place where
I and the babe used to lie. At every discharge of the
cannon from the castle the fellahs in the houses would
set up a prodigious shout of defiance, and at stated
periods they made signals to each other all over the city.
I cannot tell you how this unearthly sound fell upon
my ears. It was neither a yell, a shriek nor a shout,
but a compound of all, and being prolonged while the
voice could sustain it, was unutterably terrific.

" Near the close of the week our guard had become so
exorbitant in their demands that we felt assured that
unless relief should soon arrive our purses, at least,
would no longer be in our own power. About noon,
however, their tone altered, and we observed that the
numbers assembled in our garden were decreasing. At
4 o'clock Mr. Nicolayson heard some one say very hur — "

At this point in her letter Mrs. Thomson, startled by
a note of alarm, sprang to her infant and fled from the
room, leaving as evidence of her fright a large blot
where her pen fell across the face of her paper. She
never finished the letter, but Mr. Thomson, on inquiry,
supposed that the unfinished sentence ought to be con-
cluded nearly thus : " Mr. Nicolayson heard some one
say very hurriedly, * They are coming — flee as soon as
you can/ " It was probably the voice of some fellah

310 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

calling out to his comrades below to flee from the face
of the pasha, who was just entering the city. Imme-
diately not a fellah was to be seen, and this was the last
fright which those anxious mothers had to suffer from
the war. The pasha once more had sole possession of
the town. The peasants were, indeed, not yet subdued,
but henceforth their fighting was all to be done outside
the city.

It might be reasonably expected that a state of excite-
ment so intense and so protracted could not have been
endured by a lady of Mrs. Thomson's delicate sensibil-
ities without a serious injury to her health. Accord-
ingly, the month of June had not closed before she was
attacked with a bilious complaint, which was soon suc-
ceeded by an intensely painful ophthalmia, accompanied
by a high inflammatory fever. It was in this suffering
condition that Mr. Thomson found her, when, on the
11th of July, by a night journey and with considerable
risk, he arrived once more at Jerusalem. Her symp-
toms daily grew more aggravated. She became quite
blind. No remedies seemed to give more than a partial
relief, and she herself, from nearly the first, indulged
no hope of recovery. She lingered for ten days longer,
when her spirit, happy in God, was released from all
the sufferings of earth, and welcomed, we cannot doubt,
to a home where neither earthquake, nor war cry, nor
cannon's roar, nor shrieks of terror, can disturb her.

The thought of death never alarmed her. She had
for many weeks been in the higher, clearer regions of
faith, ready to depart at any time. Her remains were
deposited in the cemetery of the Greek church on the
top of Zion, near the sepulchre of David.*

* Mrs. Thomson was a native of Baltimore, Maryland, and had

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 311

Another important loss to the mission, occasioned by
this unhapj^y war, was sustained in the death of our old
friend and translator, Papas Esa. He was taken ofiP by
a disease supposed to have been brought on by excess of
labor in burying his chests and walling up his door at
the beginning of the war.

Mr. Thomson, after his bereavement, found a tem-
porary home with his brethren at Beirut, where he
arrived on the 5th of August.

been successfully engaged with her sister in conducting a female
seminary in Princeton, N. J., and afterwards in Jamaica, L. I. She
was born in the year 1800.

CIIAPTEK XVI.

Work in Beirut — Arrival of a press — Decease of Consul Abbott at Eh-
heden — Station at Jerusalem resumed by Messrs. Whiting and
Dodge — Death of the latter at Jerusalem — Druze excitement with
little present result — Mrs. Bird's ill health compels the family
to leave Syria — Mr. and Mrs. Smith's shipwreck — Death of Mrs.
Smith — Triumph at Brummana — Earthquake at Safet — Jerusa-
lem abandoned — Good reasons — Death of Mr. and Mrs. Hebard
— New war. at Beirut — Death of Mrs. Wolcott.

WHILE our friends in the south were suffering the
horrors of war, we at Beirut were enjoying unin-
interrupted quiet, and our work went on in its customary-
routine. Mrs. Smith commenced a promising little
school for girls in one of the rooms of the missionary-
house. Successful efforts were made for temperance re-
form, the consul himself, with a number of the natives,
signing the total abstinence pledge. Books were given
and sold to a number of Druzes, who seemed to be wak-
ing up to the inquiry whether our religion was one
which they could believe in and adopt as a nation. Our
printing press arrived, and was suffered to pass the cus-
tom house without any vexatious detention. A quarrel
took place between the pope's new legate and the Ma-
ronite bishop of Beirut respecting their ecclesiastical
rank and authority, and Maronites were forbidden the
privilege of worshiping in the Latin chapel in our city.
The watchful shepherd at Canobeen, in another general
proclamation, warned his beloved flock against the raven-

312

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 313

ing wolves in sheep's clothing, and a school teacher re-
ceived a communication from his bishop, threatening
him with penalties if he did not at once forsake our
employ.

Four days before the death of Mrs. Thomson we
were called in a similar manner to part with our re-
spected, kind and steadfast friend. Consul Abbott. He
was on a short excursion over the mountains for his
health's sake. Arriving at the village of Eh-heden
he was too feeble to proceed any farther, and at the
house of his friend. Sheikh Lattoof, he in a few days
resigned his spirit into the hands of Him that gave it,
expressing a hope for mercy only through the blood of
Jesus Christ. He was a high-minded, well-bred gen-
tleman, foremost in dignity and influence among the
Beirut consuls, and though an Episcopalian by profes-
sion and habit, he showed no sectarian prejudice, but
treated both us and our message with uniform and un-
looked-for respect.

The mission station at Jerusalem, once more vacant
by the departure of Mr. Thomson, was again resumed
by Messrs. Whiting and Dodge, the latter of whom, at
the end of three months, was laid by the side of his
American sister in the dust of Mt. Zion. He had been
at his new station a little more than a month when he
was called for to attend upon a case of dangerous sick-
ness in one of the mission families at Beirut. In re-
turning to Jerusalem his last day's journey was long
and wearisome, and almost immediately after it both he
and his companion, Mr. Nicolayson, were similarly at-
tacked with fever. Mr. Nicolayson, after a serious ill-
ness, recovered, but Dr. Dodge lingered nearly a month,
till his power of resisting the disease came to an end on

27

314 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

the 28tli day after its first attack. His colleague, Mr.
Whiting, says : " Our departed brother had endeared
himself exceedingly to us all. His example and conver-
sation were highly honorable to the gospel and edifying
to all who knew him. He had very enlightened views
of tlie whole subject of education, and a happy talent
for instructing and engaging the attention of the young.
His medical knoAvledge, moreover, gave him peculiar
advantages for intercourse among the people.*

As the Egyptian government in Syria became stable
and seemed likely to be lasting, the Druzes were full
of apprehension lest ere long the pasha should send
orders and impress them into his army. To this event
they looked forward as an insufferable calamity. They
sought, therefore, most earnestly some foreign protection,
and particularly that of the English. Many individ-
uals from among them called from time to time to in-
quire all about our Protestant sentiments, for they knew
we differed from the Christians of this country, and that
our faith was comparatively unobjectionable. One re-
spectable young sheikh in particular, of the family of
Kadi, from the village of Bshamon, made us repeated
visits. There was a marked difference between this man
and most others of his nation. He had nothing of that
fawning flattery and evident hypocrisy which are almost
inseparable from the Druze character. He bore the
evident marks of a man of candor, honesty, open-heart-
edness and prudence. Sheikh Kawsim, as he was called,
assured us that a number of the first men of his nation
had read our books and gave them their approval to

* Dr. Dodge was a native of New Castle, Me., and received his
preparatory and professional education, both in medicine and the-
ology, chiefly in Brunswick. His age was thirty-two.

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 315

that extent that they could subscribe to them as contain-
ing the religion of their choice. They would open their
villages to our books, our schools, and our worship, and
openly proclaim themselves Protestant Christians, on the
sole condition that the English nation would guarantee
in their behalf that they should have the same privileges
as were accorded to other Christians of the land ; in par-
ticular, that they should not be impressed into the army,
but like them, serve only as militia when called upon to
defend their own mountains. The sheikh had little
doubt that if the chiefs of whom he spoke should lead
off in the proposed movement, the whole nation would
follow.

We gave the sheikh no definite reply as to what we
could undertake to do in the premises, but when our
brethren who were absent at Jerusalem returned we con-
ferred together and concluded that we were not in pos-
session of facts enough to give our Druze friends much
encouragement. We could of course give them no gov-
ernmental pledges, nor could we at present, with our
imperfect knowledge of the state of the nation, under-
take even to recommend them to English or American
protection.

When the sheikh next appeared he was accompanied
by some others of his people, and among them the Emeer
Hyder and his son, of Shwifat, a large village near Bei-
rut. We told them of our difficulties, and embraced
the opportunity to explain to them fully what Protest-
antism was. They professed to understand the matter,
and it was not unsatisfactory to them. They wished,
they said, to become Protestants " both in profession and
in hearU^ They also expressed the hope that if the
Druzes, as a nation, should decline to fall in with the

316 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

proposed arrangement, the way might still be opened to
any individuals among them who might be disposed to
avail themselves of the j)rivilege.

At Aaleih, a pleasant mountain village, which was
made a missionary residence for the summer, these visits
of the Druzes were continued and the conversations
renewed. At our Sabbath-day preaching also we had
Druzes among our auditors.

Respecting this temporary opening for the truth
among the Druzes it may be remarked that no imme-
diate and permanent changes were eflPected by it. It
proved to be a season of mere seed-time. It furnished
an invaluable opportunity for proclaiming the message
of God to the nation. The intercourse of the mission-
aries with the people was free and familiar for many
months. At one period their call for attention demand-
ed nearly all the resources of the mission. To hundreds
and thousands of them were the distinguishing doctrines
of the gospel explained, and the people were made to
perceive what they had never known before, and what it
would have required long years in peaceable times to tell
them, that the religion of Jesus Christ was not a religion
of ceremonies, nor of image-worship, nor of laxness of
morals, as was all the Christianity they had ever seen or
heard of, but that it had its seat in the heart and its fruit
in every good work. After bestowing much labor upon
them by preaching, conversation, schools and scripture
distribution, the missionaries were pained and not a little
disappointed to find the door gradually closing against
them, and to see so few individuals on whom the truths
of the gospel had apparently made any permanent im-
pression. They were consoled, however, by the reflection
that they had done their duty to the nation, and, having

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LA^'DS. 317

declared to them all the counsel of God, they were pure
from their blood.

But though it did not please God on this occasion to
bless his word to them to the extent that was hoped for,
yet it would be wrong hastily to conclude that the
Druzes had received no lasting benefit. We cannot now
tell how much good seed lies buried in the soil that may
yet spring up and bear fruit. Indeed, one lasting ben-
efit, evidently resulting from the occasion, was the thirst
for knowledge and the increasing patronage of education
which they have lately manifested. Numbers of their
children have been more or less thoroughly instructed at
the high school of the mission at Abeih, and lately, side
by side with ours, they have themselves instituted a
high school which is taught by a Protestant native and
with the use of books printed at our Protestant press.
Another important benefit has resulted from this Druze
movement, which is the permanent respect which the
missionaries seem to have won from the Druze commu-
nity. The latter are thoroughly persuaded that the
missionaries wish them well. They are ready, therefore,
to befriend them in their turn when the other sects set
themselves against them. One of the missionaries,
speaking of the straits to which they have sometimes
been reduced, lately wrote, saying, " I know not what
we should have done had it not been for the favor of the
Druzes."

The 23d of August was a very interesting Sabbath at
Aaleih. Our service in Arabic was attended by not far
from forty individuals. In the afternoon at our English
worship, which was conducted by the Rev. Mr. Pease,
late of Cyprus, we enjoyed the presence of our new
neighbor Mr. Moore, recently appointed British consul

27 *

318 BIBLE WOKK IN BIBLE LANDS.

in place of the late Consul Abbott. This was the last
Sabbath spent by the author and his family on Mt. Leb-
anon. Twelve days afterward we bade adieu to our be-
loved missionary associates and embarked on board of a
Greek vessel for Smyrna on our way to America. Of
all our ten embarkations this was by far the most pain-
ful we had experienced. No charms of native land, or
of kindred, or of early home and friends, were like those
of the work and the associates that we were now com-
pelled to leave. An exile from his country, or one who
has failed in his chosen business of life and feels fit for
no other, might easily sympathize with us in that sad
hour. We yielded to the apparent will of God as indi-
cated in the advice of the physician and a vote of the
mission, but with the expectation of a return to the
work in case of returning health.

The Rev. Eli Smith, during the summer, was supply-
ing Arabic preaching at the chapel in Beirut with a
small company of hearers, but which, later in the autumn,
increased from fifty to eighty.

The press as yet had done but little, on account of
deficiency in type. But measures had been taken to
remedy the defect, and great expectations were enter-
tained of the future usefulness of that instrumentality.

For the wider distribution of the scriptures and to
enlarge the influence of the press it was concluded to
send forth the trustworthy brother Tannoos El Haddad
as a colporteur and catechist. With his knowledge of the
scriptures, accompanied by his kind, modest and yet
earnest mode of addressing his countrymen, no mission-
ary probably could do better than he in such a work —
perhaps not so well.

A boys' boarding-school was opened with six pupils,

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 319

wliicli it was intended should be enlarged to become in
time an institution for the supply of schoolmasters and
preachers of the gospel. The boys attended the mission
meetings for worship, formed a class in the Sabbath-
school, were under daily religious training, and were
giving great satisfaction to their teachers.

The female school at Beirut was highly prosperous,
having about forty pupils, two of whom were Jewish
girls. A large number from Mohammedan families had
attended during the summer, but for some unknown rea-
son did not return after the vacation in August. This
school was originated and cherished particularly by Mrs.
Eli Smith, to whom was added afterwards Miss Williams.
A small school for Druze girls was taught in the sum-
mer on the mountains by Mrs. Dr. Dodge. A similar
one was also opened for Mohammedans and others at
Jerusalem.

The Sabbath-school at Beirut was attended by nearly
twenty females and half as many males, all of whom
were always present at Arabic preaching. A European
Sabbath-school or Bible class was also in operation in
the chapel of the American consulate. The common
schools were five, with three hundred pupils.

In the early part of 1836 the mission was strength-
ened by the arrival of three new laborers, Messrs. Lan-
neau and Hebard and Miss Tilden. Mr. Hebard was
retained at Beirut, the others were assigned to Jerusalem
as colaborers with Mr. and Mrs. Whiting.

The desirableness of a more complete and elegant
fount of Arabic type, one more conformed to the stand-
ard of native taste, was thought sufficiently great to
justify a visit by one of the missionaries to Germany.
Mr. Smith was accordingly deputed to accomplish this

320 BIBLE WOKK IN BIBLE LANDS.

important object. The declining health of Mrs. Smith
also seeming to require a voyage, they both embarked,
with three English fellow passengers, in a Prussian
schooner for Smyrna. For want of favorable winds,
probably, their passage was made around the eastern end
of the island of Cyprus. Coming to the coast of Cara-
mania, the ship at nine o'clock at night ran upon rocks
and was lost. The passengers and crew reached the
shore, but of their goods Mr. Smith was able to save
nothing from the wreck, with the exception of a travel-
ing-bag, two mattresses and a small trunk containing
money. The bag contained cloaks and shoes, but these,
as well as the mattresses, had been soaked with water,
and were useless. Mrs. Smith, in her feeble state, with
a consumptive cough, had no resource but to spend the
night in the open air, upon the damp sand, and with
her feet thoroughly wet. In the morning they discov-
ered a large Egyptian lumber-boat not far off, the cap-
tain of which received them on board, offering to take
them to any near harbor which they might choose. But
he proved himself a villain. About noon he brought
his passengers into the desert harbor of Salef ki (Seleucia).
He had them now, as he supposed, entirely in his power,
and could, for the rest of their voyage with him, extort
from them whatever terms he chose. He made the most
exorbitant demands, and insisted on being paid in ad-
vance. For the sole purpose, evidently, of carrying his
j)oint, he kept his vessel at anchor in this miserable
nook forty-eight hours, the passengers spending their
days under the shade of a tree, in a boisterous wind,
and their nights in the open air. Their food was dry
biscuit, saved from the wreck, some rice and oil pur-
chased from the captain, and fresh fish caught by the

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 321

Prussian sailors. Their cooking dish was a copper
wash-basin, and fingers were the knives and forks. On
making the discovery of three other lumber vessels
anchored at a distance, the passengers determined to
have nothing more to do with their Egyptian, and to
risk their chance with the other boats. They accord-
ingly paid the man off, and he immediately quitted the
harbor.

It was still two days before they could come to terms
with either of the other boats, they also desiring to im-
prove the opportunity to make a speculation. But at
length, on the sixth day after the shipwreck, they were
once more under sail. A company of twenty-two per-
sons was on board ; there was a great want of suitable
food for any but hardy sailors, and for cooking and eat-
ing they had but one pot, one pan, one plate and a few
wooden spoons. One of the three English passengers,
who was feeble at his first embarkation, sunk under his
exposures, and was buried in the sea. In four days they
entered the harbor of Castello Rosso. Here they found
a Greek vessel ready to sail for Smyrna, and immediately
took passage in it. They were two days and two nights,
with cold and sometimes tempestuous winds, in getting
to Rhodes, during which time Mrs. Smith, rather than
endure the filth and confined air of the narrow cabin,
kept her place night and day on deck. As was to be
expected, she took cold. All her symptoms were aggra-
vated ; and when, after three days' resting on shore, she
was called to resume her voyage, she had to be carried
to the vessel in a chair. Touching at Scio, Mrs. Smith
was furnished by the missionaries, Mr. and Mrs. Hous-
ton, with a blanket to sleep under, instead of her cloak.
Twenty-nine days from the time of their first disaster

322 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

brought them to Sm}rrna, where they were joyfully re-
ceived into the family of the Rev. Mr. Temple. Mrs.
Smith was brought and laid upon her bed of languish-
ing, from which she with good reasons never expected
to rise. There we once more saw her wearing the same
sweet smile as ever on her face, and wishing that all her
friends when they called to see her would also bring
their smiles ; it would cheer and comfort her heart.
Every care was bestowed upon her, but her life, which
from this time was one of suffering, gradually wasted
away till her release came on the 30th of September.

The character of Mrs. Smith is one of those which it
is difficult to commend too highly. Such a full assem-
blage and such a perfect symmetry of Christian graces
are very rarely met with in one and the same person.*

Mr. Smith remained in Smyrna and Constantinople
attending to some preparations for the producing of the
Arabic type, whence he proceeded to Egypt to accom-
pany Dr. Edward Robinson in his celebrated Tour of
Research in the Holy Land. Having accomplished
this enterprise he repaired to Leipsig, in Germany,
where he superintended the casting of the most beauti-
ful fount of Arabic type the world had ever seen. In
the mechanical preparations for this noble achievement,
he was greatly indebted to Mr. Homan Hallock, the
very ingenious missionary printer at Smyrna. Mr.
Smith, after a visit to his native land, was once more
found at his post in Beirut, after an absence of the
greater part of five years. His types, together with Mr.
Hurter, a new printer, had arrived before him. Mean-
time, however, the press, with all its deficiencies, had

* See the interesting biography of Mrs. Sarah L. H. Smith, by
Eev. Dr. E. Hooker.

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 323

not been entirely dormant, but had turned off a million
and a half of pages.

During the rule of Ibrahim Pasha in Syria, it was
understood that men were to be left free in their religious
sentiments; there was to be no persecution. The Emeer
Besheer, in his government of the mountains, yielded
tacitly to this law\ The Maronite patriarch, however,
did what he dared to do against it. He had not for-
gotten the visit to Canobeen made by the soldiers of the
pasha. The priests no doubt shared in his feeling of
resentment, and endeavored to shut out the Bible men
from all residence in the mountains. Brummana was
called a Druze village, and the English consul and the
Protestant missionaries had more than once been freely
admitted there. But the patriarch having gained one
or two of the young princes, made at length a serious
attempt to close up this place also. Mr. Thomson,
having hired a residence there, was determined to assert
his right, and moved up both his family and the board-
ing-school. The priests immediately set about their
measures of annoyance. The people w^ere enjoined not
to have any intercourse with the new-comers. A girl in
the family came home from the church one day bitterly
Aveeping. The priest had excommunicated her, forbid-
den her entering the church, terrified her with the most
dreadful curses, and ordered her immediately to quit
Mr. Thomson's house. Moreover, the young emeers
and princesses were rather remiss in exercising their
authority for the church, and the priest was bold enough
to address even them with insolence, and laid them
under an excommunication. Meeting one day a lad
that w^as bringing to the missionary family some articles
he had been sent to purchase, the priest seized them and

324 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

took them from him by force ; in all which acts of an-
noyance he declared he was simply carrying out the
orders of his lord the patriarch.

The princes did not long maintain any stand against
their spiritual rulers. They sent a public crier one
evening, proclaiming through the village, in the name
of the emeers, that no one should sj^eak to the heretics,
nor sell to them, nor visit them, nor befriend them in
any way whatever; those who spoke to them should
have their tongues cut out, and those who sold to them
should be bastinadoed, and have their houses burned
and their orchards cut down. Copies of the scriptures
that had been given or sold to the people were searched
out and burned. One of the princes even went in per-
son to a Greek school and violently took all the psalters
he could find and destroyed them.

But there was a strong reaction among the people.
The consul also, being informed of the proceedings, was
highly offended, and procured an officer from the Emeer
Besheer to put an immediate stop to them. The officer
came to the village and instituted a formal examination
of the complaints. The emeers and the missionary had
leave to state their cases in turn before the commis-
sioner. The emeers pleaded that they were under orders
from their spiritual head to use their civil power to guard
the church, and of course they must obey him. It was
the business of the civil ruler to defend the true relig-
ion. Their chief speaker often repeated the maxim,
" No sword, no church."

Mr. Thomson, on his part, defended the principle of
religious liberty. The discussion had become somewhat
extended when the officer, growing weary of it, took up
the subject himself, and said in his own rough way,

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 325

"What! Do you dare say the sword shall reign over
the conscience? No such thing. His Highness the
viceroy will not allow it. Neither will his Happiness
the Enieer Besheer permit the sword to be used in de-
fence of any church. What ! suppose I wish to change
my religion ; shall I have my head cut off for it ? For
example, I am a Druze, I wish to become a Christian ;
must I be killed for that?'^ This last was a home
thrust, and put an effectual stop to the controversy.
The emeers dropped their heads in confusion, for all of
them, except the old father, had recently made this very
change.

Thus, after four or five hours' animated dispute, the
assembly broke up, the commissioner declaring that no
one should annoy the family of Mr. Thomson in any
manner ; and lifting his hand and casting a stern look
upon the princes, he said, " Who is there that ivill dare
rebel against the mandate of the governor^ of these moun-
tains f

In the evening the officer gathered the people together
at the house of Mr. Thomson, and in the name of the
Emeer Besheer revoked the order of the village princes,
proclaiming full liberty to all to visit the Protestant
family, to trade with them, serve them, carry them on
their shoulders if they liked, and that no one should be
called to account for any such acts, either by the emeers
of Brummana or by any one else. The triumph seems
to have been complete. The Emeer Besheer would not
formerly have done so much, but he had come under a
new regime. He had become " learned in the wisdom
of the Egyptians.''

Mr. Thomson, some time after this contest had passed
by, opened his doors to his neighbors for evening prayers

28

326 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LAN

in Arabic. Soon he had a room full of people every
niirht, and had thus for weeks an audience of from
twenty to forty persons, to whom he preached seven
times a week with all the plainness of which he was
master.

Mr. Thomson had had sad experience of the eifects
produced by an earthquake. But the account he gives
ns of the visitation that occurred on New Year's day of
1837 shows it to have been worse than any similar
event in this land, perhaps in the past century, unless it
were that of Aleppo in 1822.

In the present case, the shaking of the earth was per-
ceptible all along the Syrian coast, but as a calamity, it
was known only between Beirut and Jerusalem. Among
other places that had specially suffered was the Jewish
city of Safed, seated high up upon the mountains that
overlook the sea of Galilee, which was almost wholly de-
molished. From the reports which came respecting the
place, it was known that the necessities and distress of the
inhabitants who had survived the first sudden destruction
must be extreme. The good people of Beirut, therefore,
were constrained to make a collection for their relief,
and Messrs. Thomson and Caiman* were chosen a dep-
utation to carry and administer it. The journey was
one of exposure at that unpropitious season, and among
villages in ruins, where lodges are few and where storms
are to be endured without a shelter, but it was one quite
befitting the missionary office. Their work was emi-
nently like that of the good Samaritan, to take care of
those that were left " wounded and half dead.''

On their way the two delegates ascertained at Sidon
that at that place from seventy to a hundred houses had
* An English missionary to tlie Jews.

BIBLE WORK IX BIBLE LANDS. 327

been wholly or partially thrown down, with the loss of
some few lives. At Tyre, and in many villages in the
iuterior, similar damages were witnessed along the way.
On the ascent of the mountain of Safed several fear-
ful rents and cracks in the earth and rocks appeared,
giving j)ainful indicatious of what might be expected
among the house-walls of the city above. But all antici-
pations proved to be as nothing when the reality burst
upon their sight. "Up to this moment,^' says Mr.
Thomson, "I had refused to credit the accounts that
had come to us, but the first frightful glance convinced
me that it was not in the power of language to overstate
such a ruin. The Jewish j^ortion of the city, containing
a population of five or six thousand, was built around
the slope of a very steep mountain, so steep and so com-
pactly occupied that the roof of the lower house formed
the street of the one above it, the streets thus rising like
a stairway one step above another. Thus, when the tre-
mendous shock came and dashed every house to the
ground in a moment, the upper house fell with a double
force upon the lower, and that upon another, and this
seems to have been the true cause of the almost unpre-
cedented loss of life in this calamity. Some of the lower
houses were covered up to a great depth with the ruins of
many others which were above them. From this also it
occurred that a vast number of persons who were not
instantly killed perished before they could be dug out,
and some were taken out five, six, and one, I was told,
seven days after the shock, still alive. One solitary
man, who had been a husband and a father, found his
wife with one child under her arm and the babe with
the breast still in its mouth. He supposed that the
babe had not been killed by the falling ruins, but had

328 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

died of hunger endeavoring to draw nourishment from
the lifeless mother. Parents heard the voices of their
little ones crying, "Father! father!" "Mother! mother!"
their voices growing fainter and fainter till hushed in
death, while they themselves were either struggling
desperately to free themselves or laboring to remove the
fallen timber and rocks from their children. What a
scene of horror must have been that long black night
which closed upon them In half an hour after the over-
throw ! without a light or the possibility of getting
one, four-fifths of the population under the ruins, dead,
or dying with frightful groans, and the earth still trem-
bling and shaking as if terrified with the desolation it
had wrought.

"All around the hill," writes Mr. Thomson, " nothing
is seen but one vast chaos of stone and earth, timbers
and boards, tables, chairs, beds and clothing, mingled
in horrible confusion. Men were everywhere at work,
worn out and woe-begone, uncovering their houses in
search of the mangled and putrefied bodies of departed
friends, while here and there I noticed companies of
two or three, each clambering over the ruins bearing a
dreadful load of corruption to the narrow house ap-
pointed for all living. I covered my face and passed
on through the half living, wretched survivors of Safed.
Some were weeping in despair and some laughing in
callousness still more distressing. Here an old man sat
solitary on the wreck of his once crowded house ; there
a child was at play, too young to realize that it had
neither father nor mother, brother nor relation, in this
wide world. They flocked around us — husbands that
had lost their wives, wives their husbands, parents with-
out children, children without parents, and not a few

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 329

who were the solitary remnants of large connections.
The people were scattered abroad, above and below
the ruins, in tents of old boards, old carpets, mats,
canvas, brush and earth, and not a few dwelling in
the open air, while some poor wretches, wounded and
bruised, were left among the prostrate buildings, every
moment exposed to death from the loose rocks around
and above them.

"As soon as our tent was pitched Mr. Caiman and
myself set off to visit the wounded. Creeping under a
wretched covering intended for a tent, which was the
first we came to, we found an emaciated young female
lying on the ground covered with the filthiest garments
I ever saw. Her wounds were in a state of mortifica-
tion, and when the poor old creature that was waiting
upon her lifted up the cover of her feet a moment's
glance convinced me that she could not possibly survive
another day. The foot and the flesh also had actually
dropped off from the leg, leaving the bone entirely bare.
Sending for some laudanum to relieve the intolerable
agony of her last hours, we went on to other, but equally
dreadful, scenes.

" Not to shock the feelings by detailing at length what
we saw, I will mention only one other case. Clamber-
ing over a pile of ruins and entering a low vault by a
hole, I found eight of the wounded crowded together
under a vast pile of crumbling rocks, some with legs
broken in two or three places, others so horribly lace-
rated and swollen as scarcely to retain the shape of mor-
tals, while all, being left without washing, changing
bandages or dressing wounds, were in so deplorable a
state as to render it impossible for us to remain with
them long enough to do them any good. Although

330 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

protected by spirits of camphor, breatliing through my
handkerchief dipped in it, and fortified with a good
share of resolution, I was obliged to retreat.

'^ Convinced that while they remained in such a char-
nel-house as this, without air but such as would be fatal
even to men in health, no medicine or surgical treatment
could afford them relief, we returned to our tent resolv-
ing to erect a large shanty of boards, broken doors and
timber, for the accommodation of the wounded. In this
work was spent the remainder of our first day.

" We found the greatest difficulty in getting boards
and timber, and when carpenters came they were with-
out proper tools. In time, however, we got something
in the shape of saws, axes, nails and mattocks, and all
of us laboring hard, before night the second day the
result began to appear. The governor visited and great-
ly praised our work, declaring that he had not thought
that such a thing could have been erected.

*' Some of the wounded were brought and laid down
before us long before any part of the building was ready
for their reception. After dark I accompanied the priest
to visit the remainder of the Christian population of the
village. These were never numerous, and having lost
about one-half of their number, are now crowded into
one great tent. Some were wounded, some were or-
phans, some were poor. To all of them we gave as we
were able according to their need.

" During the building of the shanty the earth contin-
ued still to tremble, and once with so violent a motion
that a cloud of dust was seen rising from the ruins, and
the people rushed out from their remaining houses in
dismay. Many began to pray with lamentable cries,
and females beat their breasts with all their strength

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 331

and tore their garniGiits in despair. Even the workmen
of the shanty threw down their tools and fled."

Having prepared their little hospital, collected the
wounded, distributed medicines, furnished clean band-
ages for wounds and hired a native physician to attend
in their place, the two philanthropists went on to the city
of Tiberias. The calamity here had not been so sweep-
ing as at Safed. Seven hundred only of twenty-five
hundred had perished here, whereas at Safed the number
was five or six thousand out of ten thousand. The only
Jewish physician in Tiberias had his wife and children
struck dead before him, and his own leg broken below
the knee and held fast by rocks that had fallen upon it.
So he remained two whole days, all around him being
too much occupied with the cries and necessities of their
own friends to notice his case. He endeavored to pull
down upon himself the overhanging rocks to put an end
to his existence, but could not effect it. He was finally
relieved, and was now doing well. At the baths, a mile
and a half from the city, no house had been demolished.
Luby, where Mr. Thomson remembered to have slept
some years before, was a ghastly heap of ruins. The
old sheikh survived, but his whole family of eleven per-
sons perished. In Segara every house was destroyed.
Kefr Kenna (Cana of Galilee) was left unharmed, but
Arana was a perfect desolation. At Nazareth the large
Latin convent had suffered considerably. From this place
the brethren went directly home, arriving after a twelve
days' absence.

Here again Mr. Thomson is constrained to bear wit-
ness to the amazing absence of humanity and moral
principles among the natives of the land. He exclaims,
" There is no flesh in the stony heart of man. Nothing

332 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

but dreadful punishments, oft inflicted by the govern-
ment, jDreserved the ruined villages from becoming
scenes of indiscriminate plunder. Taking advantage of
the necessities of their neighbors, no man would work
except for enormous wages. The head rabbi of Tibe-
rias told me they had to pay about sixty dollars for
every burial, although it required only an hour or two
to accomplish it. He had paid out of the public purse
upwards of seventy thousand piasters for this purpose
alone. Nor were Jews a whit behind the Muslims in
this cold-hearted villany. I never saw a Jew helping
another Jew except for money. After our hospital was
-finished we had to pay a high price to have the poor
wounded creatures carried into it. Not a Jew, Chris-
tian or Turk lifted a hand to assist us except for high
wages.''

The Syria mission originated in the cherished desire
of American Christians to restore the honor and power
of Christianity in the holy land, and especially in the
city where was offered the great Sacrifice for the sin of
tlie world, and that city was constantly held as one of
the stations of the mission from the time of its being
first visited by Mr. Parsons, and was regularly occupied,
if war, sickness or death did not prevent, for the space
of twenty years. The message of the gospel was declared
there by Messrs. Fisk and King, and afterward by
others to small audiences. During the hot months of
1841 the preaching service was transferred from Jerusa-
lem to Bethlehem, at which latter place there was a con-
siderable improvement in the number of hearers. To
most of the Bethlehemites preaching was a new thing.
Some had never before heard an evangelical sermon,
and in general they listened with attention. A consid-

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

335

erable number of them were from the Latin Cliurch.
These often expressed their regret that they had no
scriptural instruction from their priests, and that their
public prayers were in an unknown tongue.

The ecclesiastics of the three large convents of Beth-
lehem were of course opposed to the residence of the
Protestants there, and had it not been for the intrepid,
independent spirit of the people, they would have been
driven out of their coasts.

BETHLEHEM.

Bethlehem was found to be a cool and healthy place
for summer residence, and, with the neighboring villages,
presented an inviting field for the Bible work. A small
common school was kept up here notwithstanding the
opposition of the monks, and the teacher boldly avowed
himself to be a Protestant. A similar school was
opened in Jerusalem, against which the monks could in

336 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

no way prevail except by opening a school of their own
on the same plan, thus accomplishing one great object
of the Protestant school and relieving the foreign treas-
ury from the expense. The monks, however, got little
credit for this forced charity to the people, for they
thanked the Protestants as the real cause of it, and
begged them to go on establishing schools in all the vil-
lages, that the monks might be roused up to go and do
likewise.

A small school taught by Miss Tildin was attended
by ten or twelve girls, mostly from Muslim families.
Five native girls had been taken into the mission fam-
ilies with excellent success. It had softened the pop-
ular prejudice against female education, and many
applications were received from parents both in Jerusa-
lem and in Bethlehem to have their daughters taken for
the same object.

In book distribution less was now done than in former
years, on account of the disturbed state of the country
and the fewness of the pilgrims. But in proportion
more copies were sent to places at a distance, as Hasbeiya
and Rasheiya villages, near Mt. Hermon, toward Da-
mascus. Some went to Nablus, Nazareth, Jaffa and
neighboring villages, and the books most sought for
were Bibles and Testaments.

Two individuals who were brought into notice at this
station deserve a special mention. One was Tannoos
Kerm, a native of Nazareth, and claimed by the Latin
church at that place. He had been a married man, but
residing at Safed at the time of the earthquake, he was
then bereaved of his wife and three children. He came
in his solitariness and begged to be received as a helper
in the gospel work. The missionaries had had some

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 337

knowledge of the man by report, and his personal ac-
quaintance confirmed their confidence in his Christian
character. He was employed as school teacher with
success, and to the great satisfaction of his employers,
and not only so, but was also, to some extent, a teacher
of the missionaries themselves. The other of the two
persons alluded to was the son of Omar Effendi, the
chief sheikh of the green-turban men, the descendants
of the prophet Mohammed, the same man who in 1824
interposed in behalf of the missionaries in Jerusalem
when accused by the Latin monks for "selling bad
books.'' This young man seemed to cherish a high re-
spect for the Protestant religion, as his father also evi-
dently did. He had for some time shown himself
specially friendly to Mr. Whiting, but one day in par-
ticular, at a call he made upon him, he addressed hira
in the following remarkable terms : " You know, sir,
how Jesus and his disciples were at first persecuted, and
how their teachings were rejected by almost all the
people, and how afterwards they gained influence and
prospered, and the gospel everywhere triumphed. So
you now, though hated and despised by some, yet have
no need to be discouraged. Have patience, and after a
while people will be convinced that the truth is with
you. And if you do not in your day see much success,
those that come after you will. This is not the work
of a day. It takes a long time to eiFect important
changes in men's opinions and conduct.'^

" This man," Mr. Whiting remarks, " is in an inter-
esting state of mind. He reads the Bible much. He
assures me he has read the New Testament many times
through. His frequent references to passages in both
the Old and New Testaments show that he has read

29

338 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

them both with some attention/^ Surely it was not to
have been expected that so much could be said of a
young Mohammedan brought up as he must have been,
honored for his relationship to the prophet, and enjoying
such enticing worldly prospects among his own nation.

It has been intimated that the labors of the mission
ceased at the Jerusalem station in 1843. Through a
part of this year, and nearly the whole of the previous
one, Mr. Whiting was the only member of the mission
occupying the place. He was seven days distant from
his brethren in Beirut, Mrs. Whiting was suifering
from ill health, and no American colleague was likely
soon to be sent him to share his anxieties and aid in
his labors. Meantime a loud call for help came from
the thousands ready to perish among the hills and vales
of Lebanon, and it was thought be$t that, for a time at
least, Jerusalem should be left to the co-laborers from
England, and that the American forces should be con-
centrated more in the region of Beirut and the neigh-
boring mountains. Accordingly Mr. Whiting was
transferred first to Beirut, and shortly after to Abeih.

The station of Jerusalem certainly, in prospect, pre-
sented many attractions for Christian effort, and perhaps
no friend of Christian missions had questioned the pro-
priety of making the trial of it. But in regard to the
continuance or the reoccupying of the station, the follow-
ing remarkable providences are worthy of special consid-
eration. Of the first two missionaries destined to the
Holy City, Messrs. Parsons and Fisk, the former was per-
mitted to visit the place one short winter only, and he
died. The latter made it three visits, amounting in all to
a stay of six or eight months, and he died. Next an Irish
physician was sent from the Jews' Society, England, to

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 339

occupy the city as a permanent station. He resided there
three or four months and died. After remaining vacant
six years a resohite attempt was made to reoccupy the
station by Messrs. Thomson and Nicolayson with their
families. Mrs. Thomson was suddenly taken away ere
she had become settled in her house, and her husband,
like a man met by a club at the door, was driven
straight back to his starting-place. The intended occu-
pation, however, was immediately after carried out by
Messrs. Whiting and Dodge. The latter was spared to
occupy his post but a little more than a month when he
was seized with a fever which carried him off. Mr.
Lanneau joined Mr. Whiting in 1836, and was obliged
to leave in 1840. Mr. and Mrs. Sherman, from Amer-
ica, arrived in the latter part of 1839, and departed in
1842, leaving Mr. Whiting alone. The most favored
of the American laborers in the Holy City were Mr. and
Mrs. Whiting, who were privileged, though suffering
under much bodily infirmity, to hold their position from
the close of 1834 to 1843 ; but they were obliged to
seek summer residences in Bethlehem or elsewhere, and
once to retire for two years to their native land.

To these untoward providences may be added those
which removed by death the only three persons in Jeru-
salem who ever appeared to give promise of being es-
sentially useful to the mission, namely, Procopius in
1822, Papas Cesar in 1826, and Papas Esa in 1834.
The evangelical Bishop Alexander, from England, was
removed by death after a few years' residence at his see,
and his assistant, Mr. Nicolayson, did not long survive
him. Thus this mission station, either by death or by
permanent removal, sustained a loss of twenty laborers
in twenty years. And may it not be considered a prov-

340 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

idence having the same unfavorable aspect, that the
people of that devoted city have been so left of God
that they are notoriously more debased in moral cha-
racter, and less impressible by gospel truth, than almost
any other people in the land, if not in the world ?

All these things taken together form an assemblage
sad to contemplate, and not a little discouraging to the
hope of the speedy regeneration of Jerusalem. Some
indeed may receive them as being divinely so ordered
to try the faith of believers, but others may perhaps
quite as reasonably understand them as part of the curse
still resting upon the city, and as indicating that the
"forty and two months'^ during which it "shall be
trodden under foot of the Gentiles" are not yet fulfilled.

The mission station at Beirut was in 1840 further
weakened by the loss of two more of its members, viz.,
Mr. and Mrs. Hebard. Mrs. Hebard died on the 8th
of February.* From this time Mr. Hebard himself,
from his anxieties and deep affliction, became incapaci-
tated for the proper discharge of his missionary duties,
and had virtually arrived at the end of his work. He
visited Smyrna and Alexandria and other places in quest
of health without avail, and finally set off for the United
States. But while on his passage, near Malta, he was
found too much reduced to proceed. He was accord-
ingly taken on shore, and five days after died in the
triumph of faith, f

* Mr?. Hebard came to Beirut in 1835 with the special object of
aiding Mrs. Smith, who was her particular friend, in the duties of
her female school. She arrived as Miss Kebecca W. Williams,
originally from East Hartford, Connecticut. Her marriage with Mr.
Hebard occurred in October, 1836.

t Mr. Hebard was born in Lebanon, New Hampshire, and gradu-
ated at Amherst College.

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 341

The discontent of the Lebanon monntaincers with the
measures of the Egyptian government broke out into open
rebellion, and the month of June, 1840, was mostly a
month of war. The state of affairs at Beirut in the be-
ginning of July was such that the newly-arrived mis-
sionaries, Messrs. E. R. Beadle, Keyes and L. Thompson,
with their wives and Miss Tilden, retired for a time from
the tumult of the region of Beirut to a more quiet resi-
dence at Jerusalem.

Mr. W. M. Thomson writes about this time, "The
truth is that our good city of Beirut is not a very quiet
abode in these days, and it has required an effort to keep
from being swept overboard by the fierce tempest of war
that has raged since the last thirty-five days. Messrs.
Beadle and Thompson having closed their doors, I could
not see a single friendly light in all the suburbs of Bei-
rut. Every family has fled to town except those who
have taken refuge in my house. Our native friends.
Bishop Carabet, Tannoos el Haddad, Aboo Yoosef and
E. Fuaz, with their families, I placed in our large book
magazine in the city. As to my own house, I was think-
ing, as I went round at bed-time to see that all was quiet,
that we very much resembled an encampment of Ish-
maelites. Beside Mr. and Mrs. Wolcott, Dr. Van Dyck
and other inmates of the family, we have forty or fifty
others, with all the boys of the seminary whom we were
not able to send home. Most of these people have wives
and children, and have brought their goods and chattels
with them. That which can be stowed away is but a
portion of the whole mass, while the remainder is sta-
tioned, like the Arna-oot soldiers (Albanians), who are
firing around us in regular confusion, in every nook and
corner. Though one's heart bleeds to sec the fear and

29 *

342 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

distress and despair of this poor people, yet it would
have disturbed the gravity of a much soberer person
than I am to have Avalked about the premises and seen
this strange congregation asleep.

^^ As to the city, it is about as full as my house. The
whole population of the vast gardens has poured into it
from the land side, and the pasha from the other side
has emptied in from his ships many thousands of his
troops. Since the area within the walls is very small
at best, the town with the men on the housetops resem-
bles a North River steamboat as she leaves the wharf.
You will be able to unite with us in devout gratitude
that in the midst of such scenes we are all kept in health
and in safety from the violence of evil men.'^

The commander of the English squadron at Besika
Bay, near Smyrna, having heard of the insurrection of
the mountaineers against Ibrahim Pasha, sent vessels of
war to Beirut to reconnoitre, and it was soon understood
that a fleet of the combined powers of Europe was ready
to appear to compel the pasha to give up his hold on
Syria and return into Egypt. In these circumstances
the missionaries at Beirut availed themselves of the in-
vitation of Captain Latimer, of the American corvette
Cyane, to embark on board his vessel for Cyprus till the
war should be ended.

The Cyane was anchored directly opposite the town
in full view of all. that was passing both on the water
and on shore, and it was no common relief to our friends
to find themselves seated and safe from war's alarms
under the ample awning of one of their country's ships.
The very next morning there appeared in the west an
immense fleet of ships sweeping round the cape, led on
by the flag-ship of the British Admiral, Sir Robert

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 343

Stopford. These vessels, added to those already col-
lected in the harbor, made up a fleet of fifty-one sail.
Beside the twenty-four Turkish transports there were
only six war vessels with Turkish and Austrian flags,
all the rest being English. " They anchored,'' writes Mr.
Thomson, "in concerted positions, and the whole harbor
through the day presented a scene of the highest ex-
citement. The stern command from the harsh-tongued
trumpet, the heavy plunge of the strong-armed anchor,
the low but mighty murmur of thousands in active prep-
aration, spreading over the whole surface of the sea, the
boats with oflicers in full dress flitting across the water
in every direction, in prompt obedience to the mysterious
signals of Admiral Stopford flying at the mast-head of
the Princess Charlotte, united with all the din and hurry
and confusion of a large armament of different nations,
customs and costumes coming to anchor, composed such
a scene as is rarely beheld and never forgotten."

The cannonading of the city began on the following
day and continued daily for nearly a week, when the
main body of the fleet was withdrawn. In the midst of
this season of cannonading, however, the Cyane left the
scene of war and came to anchor before Larnaca, in Cy-
prus, and after landing her passengers proceeded toward
Jaffa to look after the missionaries in that direction.

Solyman Pasha was obstinately determined to hold
possession of Beirut to the last extremity, and it was
after a month, in the night of the 9th of October, that he
evacuated the city. The allies took possession of it the
following day, and on that day it so hai:)pened that Mr.
Wolcott arrived from Cyprus, being deputed by his
companions to ascertain the progress of the war and
what had happened to the mission property at Beirut.

344 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

He came first to the house of the American consul in
the city. It had been thoroughly pillaged. The Egyp-
tian soldiers had carried off whatever they thought
proper, and the rest they had wantonly destroyed.
Chairs, tables, mirrors, etc., lay scattered about on the
floors all broken to pieces. The consul himself had but
just landed from one of the ships where he had been
staying during the bombardment. Mr. Wolcott met
him at his house. He could give no information re-
specting the fate of the missionaries' houses out of the
city, but it was discovered that the magazine under the
consulate, where had been stowed most of the effects of
Messrs. Beadle and Keyes, had not been broken open.

Having made these discoveries, Mr. Wolcott proceeded
directly to the mission-house, some fifty rods out from
the city walls, which had been the residence of himself
and Mr. Hebard. As he drew near he was encouraged
by seeing the American flag, which he had hoisted be-
fore his departure, still flying. Soon he met his janizary,
who gave him the cheering assurance that he had kept his
post through the whole siege, and that although the
soldiers had encamped in his garden, yet, except by the
cannon of the allies, the place had not been violated.
The walls of the house had been pierced and grazed in
a number of places, two bombs had burst in the yard,
carrying away the stone gate-posts, and marks of the
storm were visible in the trees and fences around, but
the furniture within was entirely unharmed. The li-
brary-room with its delicate and costly apparatus for the
seminary, its invaluable manuscripts and books, and
especially the large number of folio volumes of the
Christian Fathers, remained safe, just as when left.
With a grateful heart Mr. Wolcott repaired to the house

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 345

of Mr. Thomson. The wall in front of it had been
raised to double its height by the soldiers and used as a
breast-work. The eonsular janizary had fled, but an-
other native guard, whom Mr. Thomson had placed in the
house, had remained the only occupant. Though much
exposed, it had wholly escaped injury. Its basement
had been filled with goods which the natives brought
thither for safety, and all had remained untouched. Mr.
Smith's house remained to be examined. The field
around it had been ploughed up by the cannon balls, but
on entering the inclosure no traces of war could be seen.
The beautiful cypresses were still standing in their places,
and the orange and lemon trees were bending unplucked
beneath their rich load. The basement of this house
had been used for the printing establishment, and the
press which might so easily have been broken, and the
types which might so conveniently have been trans-
muted into bullets, were waiting in good order to be set
forward again in the work of God.

A preservation so entire Mr. AYolcott and his asso-
ciates had not suffered themselves to expect. The
violence and rapacity of man seemed to have been
restrained by the visible hand of God, and to him,
therefore, they did not fail to render their grateful ac-
knowledgments.

Egyptian rule in Syria was now near its end. Simul-
taneously with the loss of Beirut, Ibrahim Pasha, with
that part of his army under his immediate command,
suffered a signal defeat in the mountains near by, and in
about three weeks Acca, the only well- fortified city on
the Syrian coast, fell into the hands of the allies. From
this time Ibrahim acted only on the defensive, and com-
menced a retreat in which he made no pause till he found

346 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

himself again in his native Egypt. The Emeer Besheer,
who was allotted a certain time to determine whether he
would give in his adhesion to the conquering party or
not, debated his conditions till his allotted time was
past, and was taken and sent a prisoner to Malta, from
which place he was transferred to Constantinople, in the
vicinity of which city he died.

The missionaries now made haste to return to their
station, but their schools were all disbanded, and it was
a considerable space before their operations reverted to
their former regular course. The greatest damage had
been inflicted upon the boarding boys' seminary, from
which a number of the more advanced youths, allured
by offers of high wages, had been induced to join the
army in the capacity of interpreters. As a counterbal-
ance, however, to this loss, the seminary had been fa-
vored by the accession of a well-educated teacher from
the patriarch's own college at Ain Waraka. The reg-
ular Sabbath-day worshiping congregation, which had
been composed of near a hundred persons, had been
scattered to the winds, but the sanctuary doors were
again thrown open, and the free invitation to enter went
forth to all who were athirst for the water of life ; old
faces and new faces were drawn together, and the place
of preaching became again a favorite resort to a goodly
number.

The long-expected fount of the improved Arabic type
arrived from Smyrna in the spring of 1841, together
with Mr. Hurter, the printer. The cliief superintendent,
the Rev. Eli Smith, D. D., came soon after from th^
United States.

The youths' seminary was removed for the summer
to Aa-raia, on the mountain, under the care of Messrs.

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 347

Keyes and L. Thompson. Messrs. Wolcott and Van
Dyck were stationed at Deir el Kommer, a central posi-
tion among the Driizes; it being a time when this
people attracted almost the whole attention of the mis-
sion. They were awake as probably they never were
before to inquire after the truth as it is in Jesus, and
more tongues than could be had were needed to declare
the true way of life to the perishing, yet it pleased God,
whose judgments are unsearchable and his ways past
finding out, to bereave the needy laborers of one more
of their number. The lot fell upon Mrs. Wolcott.
The heats of summer were past, and Mr. and Mrs.
Wolcott had come down from their mountain residence
in Deir el Kommer, when, after a very short interval,
the latter was taken ill and sunk rapidly into the arms
of death, expressing the deepest penitence and humility,
and with the faith of Stephen, uttering among her last
words, the martyr's prayer, "Lord Jesus, receive my
spirit.''

CHAPTER XVII.

Patriarch's ambition and defeat — Dr. and Mrs. DeForest — Death of
INIrs. Smith — Case of Eaheel, tried for her faith — Abeih occupied
— Hasbeiya waking up — Fierce persecutions assail the inquirers
— Alarming threats — Temporary retreat to Abeih — Dishonorable
meddling of the Kussian consul — The persecutors become advo-
cates— The Protestants, after severe trials, fence off a cemetery,
have a church of seventeen members and regular supply of
preaching.

IN the time of tlie Sheikh Besheer, the proper chief
of the Druzes, the interests of that nation had a pow-
erful influence in the government of the mountains.
But when that chieftain fell, and the Emeer Besheer
reigned without a rival, the Maronite people, led by
their hierarchy, assumed to themselves a new import-
ance, and treated their Druze fellow citizens with disre-
spect, and sometimes with haughty contempt. A series
of events in the course of years had conspired to in-
crease in the Druzes their sense of degradation, and their
envy and hatred toward their lordly Maronite neighbors
became excessive. The Druze sheikhs, who still held
the government over many villages in the mountains,
perceived a growing insubordination in their Christian
subjects, in which insubordination the patriarch was
known to encourage them. The course of that ambi-
tious prelate had become such as to leave little doubt
that he intended to make himself virtually the chief
ruler of the mountains, and to break down the power

348

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 349

of the Druzes, if not even to drive them from the whole
of Lebanon. They became aware of the patriarch's
plan about the same time that it was discovered that he
had been sending petitions to the Sultan to drive the
Protestants out of the country as disturbers of the peace.
The subsequent conduct of his Holiness had been but a
further development of his plan. The large sums of
money sent by France and Austria for the sufferers in
the late war he had, as w^as generally believed, hoarded
up for military purposes. A Christian prince (the
Emeer Milhem), late governor of Beirut, w^as chosen
by him to lead his forces, and ample funds were en-
trusted to him to hire retainers. The Christians were
encouraged to look to the patriarch rather than to their
Druze governors for the regulation of their civil affairs.
He had required Druze owners of houses to refuse let-
ting their houses to Protestants for temporary residences,
and now he was interfering with the education of their
children, and so effectually that to avoid an 0i3en quar-
rel the Druze chiefs in Deir el Kommer felt oblio-ed to
allow a school to be broken up which they had solicited
to be established for their own children. By the patri-
arch's authority a committee of select men was ap-
pointed in Deir el Kommer who interfered boldly with
the government of the sheikhs; and finally the ruling
prince of the mountains, occupying the seat of the late
Emeer Bcsheer, was surrounded with a council whose
evident design was to strip the Druze sheikhs of the
last vestige of their power.

The oppressed Druzes thought that they had borne
these encroachments long enough, and one day in tlie
month of October, 1841, soon after Messrs. Smith, ^Vol-
cott and Van Dyck had left Deir el Kommer, at a con-

30

350 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

certed hour the leaders of all the feudal families, at the
head of their meu, poured into that village from every
side. About half the town was pillaged and burned,
and the ruling prince was besieged in his palace.

The prelate of Canobeen was roused. He immediately
proclaimed a crusade, armed two of his own bishops, and
ordered them, in the true style of Peter the Hermit or of
the belligerent popes, to march at the head of his troops.
They assembled at the palace of the Emeer Milhem, at
the foot of Lebanon, to the number of four or five
thousand men. As they attempted to ascend, however,
to meet the foe, they were confronted by the infuriated
people of a single village, and driven like sheep down
the mountain. This was but a specimen of the success
of the Druzes in nearly all their subsequent encounters.
The new crusaders found it impossible to penetrate to
their own capital to relieve it from its besiegers. On
one occasion, however, a detachment reached about half
way toward it, and in a mixed village burned all the
Druze houses found in it. The next visit was by the
Druzes, Avho finished the desolation by burning all the
houses of the Christians. From this time was inaugu-
rated a system of mutual pillage and burning among all
the border villages of the two races. Villages were
destroyed by the dozen, and convents, some of them
the richest the Maronites possessed; were plundered and
burned. Deir el Kommer surrendered and gave up its
arms. The chief prince and his suite were permitted to
retire on consenting to leave the government chest
behind them. But they were robbed and maltreated on
their Avay, and the president of the new Maronite
council walked the whole distance to Beirut barefoot
and with only a single article of dress upon him. The

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 353

villages of Hadct and Ba-abda, in the latter of which
villages was the palace of the Eraeer Milliem, the patri-
arch's commander-in-chief, shared in the common de-
struction. The war continued as it began, under the
impulse of the worst passions. On the part of the
Druzes, it was a war of defence for altars and firesides ;
on that of the Maronites, a w^ar of intended extermi-
nation. Outrages were common on both sides, but in
most if not all cases the Maronites were apparently the
aggressors, and, where they had opportunity, conducted
themselves worse than their enemies.*

The final result was decidedly in favor of the Druzes.
They were left in undisputed possession of their moun-
tain district. The patriarch's ambition was comj)lctely
humbled, while all, even his own party, cast upon him
the blame of the whole mischief. After the disastrous
issue of this " holy war '' of the patriarch, and his futile
negotiations at Constantinople, he seems to have re-
mained for a season in quiet seclusion. The Druzes, by
their struggle, had lost nothing of their friendliness to the
mission, but continued loud in their demands for schools.

* Of the spirit of the papists, let the following letter of a bishop
to his men in the field serve as a specimen : " We understand you
have been helped to a victory over the insolent infidel enemies of the
holy faith at Meristeh, which victory has been by the favor of God
most high, and by the intercession of his mother. We praise to the high-
est degree your zeal, only you have been faulty in not burning the vil-
lage. The entire correct course was to have burned it. Hereafter,
take good heed, if you are victorious, not to stop short of burning
and entire destruction. Our only caution, beloved sons and honored
brethren, is that you abuse not the women. Aside from that, burn,
kill, plunder, hesitate at nothing whatever. Be ever constant in
prayer and corifessions, inasmuch as this is a holy war; go on and
fear nothing: and we lift up the hands of supplication to the Father
of lights that he may a^esist you and give you victory."
30 *

354 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

At this period the mission strength was increased by
the addition of Dr. and Mrs. De Forest, and at the same
time weakened by the death of the second Mrs. Smith.
Among the many evidences adduced in proof of the pe-
culiar fitness of Mrs. Smith for the position she occupied
was ^^her well-ordered household, which, while it gave a
comfortable home to her family, furnished a useful and
impressive model to ihQ natives of her own sex who
frequently came to inspect it.'' She had the finishing
polish to put upon the mind and spirit of a fine little
daughter of the land, whom the first Mrs. Smith had
taken to bring up and rescue from the poverty and im-
pending infamy to which she was exposed in the house
of her birth.

This youthful daughter became, particluarly by the
kind treatment and religious instruction of the two
Mrs. Smiths, so strongly attached to the family that
neither parents nor relatives, nor the powers that be, civil
or ecclesiastical, could persuade her to leave it. She ])e-
came a member of the Protestant Church, and lier case
came to be made a matter of public examination and
trial, and was remarkable as the one which brought to a
favorable issue at Beirut the question whether native
Protestants sliould be considered before the law as on an
equal footing with native members of other Christian
churches.

The father of Rah eel (Rachel) had died, and the widow
not sustaining a good reputation, the daughter had not
for two years spent a night at the home of her childhood.
Soon after her union with the mission church at Beirut
the mother insisted on her return to her own family,
saying that an offer had been made for her in marriage
and she must come and get herself ready. Rahcel was

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 355

of age and was (Ictcrmincd not to marry a Greek, and
especially one whom her mother would be likely to
choose for her. However, she went, in company with
one of the missionaries, to visit her mother, and on that
occasion was treated with proper civility, but on a sec-
ond visit she was forcibly detained. Kecourse was im-
mediately had to the consul, who sent his janizaries,
and, in spite of the family and the collected neighbors,
effected her release. The mother and the son-in-law,
with a party of Albanian soldiers, threatened to take the
young woman by violence, and the Prussian consul liv-
ing near by received her for safety into his family. The
pasha was of course complained to by the relatives, but
on hearing the full account of the case from the janiza-
ries he seemed satisfied, notwithstanding, he said, it wa&
important that he should see the girl himself and have
an account of the matter from her own lips. He sent,
therefore, a polite request to his Excellency, the consul,
that he would favor him with the girl's presence under
the escort of a dragoman and a janizary from the con-
sulate. The request was readily complied with, and
poor Raheel was taken to appear before the pasha and
his full council.

" Girl,'' said the pasha, " what is your story ?"
Raheel — "When I was a little girl my father gave
me to Mr. Smith to be a member of his family. He has
brought me up as his child. When my father died he
left me with Mr. Smith, and now his house is my home.
Yesterday I called to see my mother, and was forcibly
detained contrary to my remonstrances and those of my
friend who accompanied me. That friend hastened to
inform Mr. Smith, who came, and then I escaped."
" Did he take you away contrary to your will ?"

356 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

"No/'

" Where do you now wish to live ?"

"With Mr. Smith/'

" AYhy do you not wish to live with your mother ?"

" There are reasons which cannot be told here."

" But I wish to know what they are.''

"They are sufficient; but as I have been taught from
my childhood, I think it is not proper that I should
mention them."

The pasha knew the reasons and told them quietly to
his council, who sat by. Then turning to Raheel he said,
"Well, girl, you may go to the place you have chosen."
So the girl was conducted back, and the civil liberty of
Protestants was so far vindicated. But this was not all
the trial to which the poor girl was to be subjected.
Another suit was brought against her by the Greek
bishop of the city, and the pasha was induced to send a
demand verbally that she should appear that very day
before the bishop and offer her religious confession ac-
cording to the custom of the Greek Church. Raheel
was consulted as to what she would do. She replied
that she was not a member of the Greek Church nor
subject to the bishop, nor would she confess to him or
any of his clergy. The English and Prussian consul-
generals were consulted and their advice taken. Even
the natives themselves protested loudly against the
bishop for this interference with the rights of the laity,
and not only the orthodox Greeks, but the Greek Cath-
olics also, for once took sides with the Protestants against
such a demand from a Greek ecclesiastic. AVhen Ra-
heel's answer was reported back to the pasha, he imme-
diately replied that the relatives had been complaining
to him that the missionaries were endeavoring to make

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 357

the girl a Protestant by force, and now all he wished was,
that siie should go before the bishop as she had been be-
fore him, declare her mind freely, and then go where she
chose. This liberal reply of the pasha was a great relief
to the anxieties>of the Protestant friends of Kaheel. But
she was quite reluctant to appear before the bishop at all.
It would be a great trial to her own feelings, as it prob-
ably would be to his, and the missionaries were unwill-
ing to use any constraint with her in the case. It was
therefore concluded that she should return answer to the
j^asha that she acknowledged in no sense w^hatever the
authority of the Greek bishop, and had no sort of con-
nection with him; that the pasha was the person whom
she knew as the governor of the country, and if he saw
fit to command her she would again appear before him,
as she had already done, and satisfy any doubts he might
have respecting her ecclesiastical relations. This final
reply of Raheel was given to the dragoman of the pasha,
to be communicated in case the latter should again call
up the subject. Nothing more was heard of the matter,
and the missionaries were encouraged to believe that the
right of a native Christian to become a Protestant if he
chose would not again be brought in question.

The village of Abeih began to be thought of for the
use that might be made of it for the mission work. It
was situated in the Druze quarter of Lebanon, high on
its western slope, overlooking the sea and the plain of
Beirut, and contained about two hundred Druze and
Maronite families. Among its buildings were two pal-
aces of the emeers and two small convents. For quiet-
ness and safety, if not for health, it was preferable as a
place of residence to Deir el Kommer. Besides, it had
the advantage of being by half the distance nearer to

358 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

Beirut. The missionaries decided to make it one of
their central stations, and to it they designated Messrs.
Whiting, Thomson and Van Dyck. In a little time the
shyness and reserve of the native residents disappeared,
and both Maronites and Druzes began to look upon
their new neighbors as their best friends. Even the
Maronite priests and monks, perhaps constrained by
witnessing the friendly disj^osition of their people, evi-
dently sought the missionaries' good-will. During the
first summer of their residence at Abeih, Mr. Thomson
remarked that he had had more friendly intercourse with
the Maronite priestliood than during all his previous
missionary life. This was in the year 1843.

They had a good school in Abeih numbering fifty
pupils, and these were taught by a Maronite who had
lately embraced evangelical sentiments. He had suf-
fered the usual denunciations of the Maronite bishop,
but without any great annoyance. The Latin convent
in the village had had no occupant for many years, but
now, according to the established law of papal resistance,
an Italian monk was sent to fit up the building and open
an opposition school for teaching Italian and Arabic.

The mission-school in this village of Lebanon in-
creased in importance, and at a later day became known
as the Abeih seminary. Its pupils were here trained
for work as evangelists, and have gone forth to preach
the gospel all through Syria and the East. The sem-
inary buildings were erected in 1849. They are of
compact limestone, one story in height, and stand on
sloping ground facing northward. Within its walls the
intelligent young men of Syria are now preparing for
the work of the ministry.

Beside this school at Abeih, others were at this time

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 361

in operation on the mountains, containing between three
and four hundred pupils, of whom about one half were
Druzes. The number of schools might now have been
doubled had not funds unhappily been wanting.

Among the mountains of Anti Lebanon, near the foot
of Mt. Hermon and the sources of the Jordan, north-
east of Tyre, is a large village called Hasbeiya, inhab-
ited by Druzes and a considerable number of Arab
Christians of the Greek rite. In the infancy of the
Syrian mission, in 1826 and 1827, we had there a flour-
ishino^ school, as also in some smaller towns in the neiah-
borhood. Through this channel, and from books ob-
tained from the stations at Beirut and Jerusalem, the
people had acquired some knowledge of a class of
Christians called English or Protestants. Individuals
among them had visited these new men at Beirut, and
learned, to some extent, their peculiar articles of belief.
It happened that there arose a dispute among the Greeks
of Hasbeiya about taxation, and one party resolved to
leave the Greeks and form some new organization.
Accordingly they sent a deputation to Beirut to negotiate
a union with the Protestants. The missionaries told
them fully what Protestantism w^as, bade them go home,
pay their taxes as good citizens should, become reconciled
with their neighbors, and as soon as they could write and
say they had done this, they would send them a teacher,
and perhaps finally come in person. They gave them no
encouragement to suppose that they could save them from
taxation ; nevertheless, the men still chose to carry out
their plan of union with the Protestants, and left Beirut
saying they would conform to the advice given them,
but that to the Greek Church they never would return.

Unexpectedly, in a few days, word came from Has-

31

362 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

beiya that they had complied with the proposed condi-
tions and begged that the promises made them might be
fulfilled immediately. Two of the native brethren were
consequently sent them, and after them Messrs. Smith
and Whiting went to them in person. These last were
gratified with the appearance of the men quite beyond
their expectations, and were convinced that the excite-
ment had its origin in something higher than mere
earthly considerations or human agency. They were
visited, from time to time, by different missionaries and
by the native brethren, some of the latter, by long prac-
tice, having become very effective defenders and advo-
cates of the evangelical truth. A good school was
taught in the town by an energetic and decided young
man, zealous for the gospel, apt to learn and apt to teach.
He had, of his own notion, committed to memory the
Assembly's shorter catechism, and was teaching it to his
pupils. Many others, men and women as well as chil-
dren, had learned and were learning portions of the
catechism and scripture passages.

In the heat of summer, six months after the first steps
had been taken, Mr. Thomson went to them accom-
panied by Tannoos el Haddad. Their arrival was most
timely. The whole town was in commotion. Thirty
horsemen, with five or six priests, had come to town the
day before from Zahleh, sent, as was believed, by the
patriarch to bring back his wandering sheep by force.
They went to work with true persecuting zeal, leaving
no measures untried. Entreaties, threats, bribes, re-
proaches and actual violence were all employed. In
tliis work they were helped on by a band of youths,
who had entered into a league like the Jerusalem Jews
ao-ainst Paul. The confusion and distress in the Protes-

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 363

tant families were indescribable. At length an order,
procured by Mr. Wood, the English consul at Damascus,
came from the pasha, commanding the emeer of the
place to protect the Protestants. The party of horse-
men then retired, not, however, without some little
success.

Notwithstanding the pasha's order, the five priests of
the village, aided by the mischievous " Society,^' were
still able to carry on a system of annoyance. The Prot-
estants were repeatedly beaten, spit upon, turned out of
their houses, and everywhere exj^osed to execrable abuse.

All this, however, did not prevent the two friends
from holding a meeting for worship and instruction
every evening, nor from interviews with the peoj^le dur-
ing the day. Exhausted by the constant excitement and
labor, and by the hot wind that blew, the missionary
friends were compelled to seek a little relaxation.
About midnight they set off toward Mt. Hermon.
After riding eighteen hours almost continuously they
came to the village of Jibbata. Here they were startled
by a messenger, post-haste from Hasbeiya, bringing a
hurried note from Shaheen, leader of the Protestants,
imploring them to return immediately, " wherever they
might be overtaken, by day or by night." The noto-
rious " Society " had risen in arms, and sent Shaheen a
written order to leave the town by three o'clock the
same day, ^^ on 'penalty of deathj' It was now just mid-
night. Mr. Thomson mounted his horse at once, leaving
his company behind, and, riding hard, entered Hasbeiya
alone about nine o'clock in "the morning. The town
seemed deserted. The shops were shut, and neither
friend nor foe was seen in the streets. The Protestants
had all fled, and the " Society," having accomplished all

364 BIBLE WORK IX BIBLE LANDS.

they wislied at liorae, had gone off on a foray against
some neighboring Bedawin.

AVhen Tannoos arrived they both went to the palace
of the emeer, wliere they found a large assembhige of
enieers and elders of the town. The chief emeer re-
lated a history of the material events which had taken
place daring the last thirty hours, from which it ap-
peared that the whole power of the town was In the
hands of those armed '^ young men," and that the
emeer himself had signed a paper making himself their
tool. He begged Mr. Thomson to use his influence to
bring about some amicable arrangement. Mr. Thom-
son made no engagement, assured them all that the de-
parture of Shaheen and his friends was without his
advice or knowledge; that he had come to Hasbelya as a
spiritual Instructor simply ; that as his friends had now
been driven away he should go with them, and that if
they should return, and again request him to come to
them on the same errand, he should undoubtedly do so.
They all said that he should be most welcome.

For three nights Mr. Thomson had been without
sleep, and after another wearisome day his fourth night
commenced with his being thronged by anxious wives
and mothers giving him messages to their sons and
husbands, and charging him to protect them from Injury.
It was surprising and affecting to see what anxiety they
evidently felt for their friends, while they expressed
none for themselves, although left In the midst of their
enemies, and some of them so poor as not to know how
or where they should find their dally bread.

"At eleven o'clock/' says Mr. Thomson, "we bade
them farewell with many prayers and tears, and set for-
ward to join Shaheen and his company. I had received

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 365

a letter from tliem in the evening, informing me wlicre
I should find them, and begging me to come to them
immediately. I reached the camp at daybreak, threw
myself on the ground and slept until sunrise, not having
closed my eyes for the best part of four nights, three of
which had been spent in riding or hard work.

" I found the poor people on the open mountain with-
out tent or bed or covering of any kind, half perished
with cold, and very hungry. I had directed my servant
to purchase what bread he could carry with him. This
they devoured like locusts. We then set forward toward
Abeih, but our progress w^as slow. The heat of the
day was equal to the cold of the night, and some of the
company climbed to the top of Lebanon with great
difficulty. We reached Mokhtara after dark. We were
nobly entertained by Sheikh Seid Jemblaut (son of the
old sheikh). He made a feast for the whole company,
and expressed the liveliest interest in their cause. I had
been of some service to this young sheikh, in making his
peace with the government after the last Druze war, and
now that he is restored to his home and his authority
his generous gratitude knows no bounds. The next day
I divided the company into two parties, and sent one to
Mr. Whiting at Aintab, and took the other with me to
Abeih. They will remain with us a few days until some
satisfactory arrangement can be made for their return.^'

The whole company was soon assembled at Abeih,
and continued there many weeks listening attentively
to religious instruction. When the way seemed open
for their return, Bootrus el Bistani, a native assistant,
went with them to their homes. On their way they met
a company of three hundred Hasbeiyans going for some
purpose to Beirut. They saluted the party, but received

31 *

366 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

in return only revilings and threats. It was no good
omen, but they kept on, thankful that they had escaped
without suffering any violence. They found their
friends in Hasbeiya still in great fear, but they ventured,
notwithstanding, to have a meeting for public worship
on the Sabbath, and about forty of them attended.

In a few days the patriarch made his appearance from
Damascus. He came to try what his personal presence
might effect. Of course, his coming increased the gen-
eral irritation against them, and they sent word to the
missionaries advising them not to visit them during the
present excitement among their enemies, lest, if any
disorders should occur, the missionaries should be ac-
cused as the cause. The party of three hundred, who
were met on their way to Beirut, returned, and, after
holding a council outside of the town with men from
other villages, entered Hasbeiya with jubilant demon-
strations, shouting, firing guns and chanting songs of
vengeance against the Protestants. In this manner they
went directly to the patriarch. They brought news that
all the American missionaries had been banished from
Constantinople, Smyrna and Greece, and that some had
been stoned and murdered even with the connivance of
the government. The patriarch sent to Damascus de-
manding of the pasha that the Emeer Khaleel, who had
favored the Protestants, should be removed from the
governorship of Hasbeiya, assuring him that if it was
not done there would follow an insurrection in the
province. The emeer was intimidated, and feared to
punish anybody.

One Sabbath as our native brother, Eleeas Fuaz, who
had come to aid them in their meetings, was going to the
place of worship with three others, the men, women and

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 367

children joined in mocking, cursing and stoning them ;
the place of worship was surrounded and the services
prevented. The enieer was informed of this, but he
talked loud and did nothing. ^' After this,'' Eleeas
writes, " I am distressed on account of the unquiet state
of our friends here ; they are shut up in their houses
and dare not go out. They cannot move from one place
to another without being abused, cursed and stoned, and
sometimes threatened with death.''

Four or five days after, he writes : " I set out to go
to our worship this morning, avoiding the road that
passes by the Greek church for fear of another disturb-
ance. I was met by a company of boys, who imme-
diately surrounded me on all sides and began to stone
me. The stones seemed to fall on me like rain, on my
back and legs and head. One struck me below the eye,
and with such force that it seemed as if my head had
flown off my shoulders. I was struck almost senseless,
so as not to know where I was, while the blood was
flowing in a stream down my face. Leading men in
the Greek community, and among them Girgis er Rey-is,
Shaheen Da-oon and others, were standing in the bishop's
yard looking on and laughing. Eleeas once more carried
his complaint to the prince, all bloody as he was, but
the most the prince dared do for him was to send one
of his soldiers to see that he should not be set upon by
the Greeks on his way to his house. But the house
itself, when they came to it, was found to be surrounded
by a company of young men and boys who were trying
to break open the door, and who continued to occupy
their place several hours, reviling, throwing stones and
calling upon Eleeas to produce certain Protestants whose
blood they " wished to drink." They cursed the relig-

368 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

ion of the English, called them water-dogs, and vowed
to burn their religion out of their town though it should
cost them thirty lives to accomplish it. With all the
cursing and bitterness and bloody threats of these men,
it does not appear that any man^s life was directly taken
by them, but the means of annoyance they used were so
many, and so long continued, that eventually most of
the Protestants made some compromise with their ene-
mies and obtained leave for the present to dwell in
quiet.

How much of this violent crushing down of the
rights of conscience was owing to foreign intervention
we may never certainly know, but there chanced to come
to light, just at this time, the following significant diplo-
matic document, addressed by his Excellency the Rus-
sian Consul General to his Highness the Pasha of
Damascus : " However I may desire to address your
Highness on the subject [of the defections in Hasbeiya]
in a friendly manner, I must remind you that I am a
servant of the magnificent Emperor of Russia, and that
we have the right of protecting the Greek Church in
the Ottoman dominions. I should greatly regret it if
I were compelled to change my language, and protest
against every proceeding which may lead to the humil-
iation of the Greek church at Hasbeiya, and to the
encouragement of the pretended Protestants, especially
as the Sublime Porte does not recognize among her sub-
jects any such community.'^

Did it comport with the dignity of a Russian Consul
General to argue that because the Church of England,
i. e., the Protestants, had never been formally recognized
by the Turkish government, therefore the Russian
Church had a higher claim to protection than the Eng-

BIBLE WOKK IN BIBLE LANDS. 369

llsli ? Eussia may claim a right to lord it over the
consciences of her oivn subjects, and confine them by law
Avithin the pale of the Greek Church, but that she should
claim such a right in Turkey is assuming a good deal
for the nineteenth century.

Notwithstanding the conformity of the evangelical
party, in some respects, to their former church, there
were not wanting some among them who continued to
declare that their conformity was a union " under pro-
test,'^ and that they never could consent to remain in
that false position. They kept up a continued corre-
spondence with the missionaries, and when the storms
of war and persecution had somewhat subsided they
renewed their calls for help. A native assistant wns
afforded them, but they earnestly desired a fully educated
minister of the gospel. Accordingly, the Kev. Simeon
H. Calhoun, who had not been long in Syria, went to
them, accompanied by our able preacher, Tannoos el
Haddad. They began with an audience of thirty hearers,
and this number seems to have continued pretty regu-
larly. On the eighteenth and last day of their visit
Tannoos discoursed to them with unusual ability and
effect. The little audience was melted into tears, some
of them sobbing aloud.

They continued in comparative quietness for some
months, having visits from the missionaries and their
native helpers, till the governor, Saad ed Deen, was
called by the pasha to render an account of his gov-
ernment for the past three years. It was probably a
Russo-Turkish examination, particularly as to the causes
of the failure of the measures against the new English
(Protestant) church attempted to be set up in Hasbeiya.
He could not show a clean record. He must be kept

370 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

in durance for failure in the duty which he owed to the
"magnificent Emperor of Russia," of whose right to rule
over him he had never before heard. He could be re-
leased only when those " pretended Protestants '' should
be " burnt out."

Letters came from the emeer of a very threatening
character. A council was held in the palace of the act-
ing governor, where some proposed to crush at once the
heretical intruders. But to this the Emeer Ahmed,
eldest son of the Saad ed Deen, flatly opposed himself.
He boldly declared that if anything more of that kind
was attempted he would defend the Protestants with all
his might, even to becoming a Protestant himself. They
could not agree, and the council broke up. A second
one was held, at which one of the speakers was Shaheen
Da-oon, who, with Girgis er Rey-is, stood among the
rest in the bishop's yard and laughed at the pelting of
our Eleeas Fuaz. This man now stood forth more bold
than Gamaliel and said,

" Why should we persecute these people ? Why ex-
communicate them? Why not have dealings with them?
Are they not Christians as well as we? Yes, and better
Christians, too, than we. They do not lie, nor curse,
nor drink, nor swear. Look at Nicola Haslab and
Khaleel el Khoori ; what were they once, and what are
they now ? You had better go and do like them. As
for me, I'll have nothing to do with this business. I've
troubled the people of God long enough, and if all my
five sons were to become Protestants now, I would not
oppose them."

One of the sons of this man Da-oon was already an
open defender of the Protestants and of their doctrines.
This council ended like the other. But the pressure

IIASliEIYA.
A. The Protestant Church erected in 1854, B. The Greek Chnrch.

Sheikh.

D. Palace of the Dnazo

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 373

was continued increasingly at Damascus, and the emeer
wrote the most earnest letters, till the governor finally
sent orders to the Protestants that they must positively
conform to the Greek Church and attend that form of
worship. They still refused and remonstrated, saying,

"Will your Excellency indeed compel us to violate
our consciences, to do what is contrary to the holy Scrip-
tures, to bow down before pictures, pray to dead saints,
and such things ? Send us away to Damascus, send us
to the galleys, cut off our heads, but do not send us to
the Greek Church."

The governor replied, " You need do nothing wrong,
nothing against your consciences. You have only to go
to the church and stand there and hear the priest read
the prayers. This you 7nust do, voluntarily or involunta-
rily."

" Voluntarily, never !" said they. " Let all here pres-
ent bear witness if your Excellency send us to the church
it will be hy force, but willingly we will not go.''

The governor then called the priests, and called also a
guard, and all were marched off together to the church ;
but the priests refused, in these farcical circumstances, to
go through with the usual ceremonies, and the company
separated and went to their homes. This manoeuvre
was repeated but twice, and they became sick of it ; but
though this kind of worship was too ridiculous to be
continued, all were strictly forbidden by the government
to assemble with the missionaries, and by special desire
of the governor the missionaries temporarily left the
place.

The Emeer Saad ed Deen returned to his post breath-
ing out threatenings and slaughter against the new dis-
ciples, declaring he would rid the place of them if he

32

374 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

had even to take their lives. He forged a bond against
one of the leaders for the sum of eight hundred dollars,
and put him into prison till he should pay the debt.
The Prussian consul unofficially interposed his kind
offices for the prisoner, and the latter, after paying forty
dollars of the eight hundred, was set at liberty. The
prince would have taken the same course with another
man of property among them, but was prevented by the
remonstrances of his two sons.

For many months this 'Svild boar of Hermon," as he
was fitly called by Mr. Thomson, continued to waste the
tender vine of Hasbeiya until after the imperial firman
of November, 1847, securing the rights of Protestants,
was published, when he sent to invite all those scattered
men to return to their homes and pursue their occupa-
tions in peace.

But the Christian patriarch was not so ready to yield
obedience to the powers that be as was the Mohamme-
dan prince. He must try one expedient more. He
first secures in some way the neutrality of the prince,
and then issues a sweeping decree of excommunication
against all the heretical English, and all that aid, abet
or assist them in any way. The chief Christian popu-
lation being of the Greek Church, it was easy for them
to shun the excluded ones themselves, and to make it to
consist with the interest of the Druzes and Muslims to
shun them also.

Thus cut off from favor and sympathy with almost all
their fellow-citizens, and obtaining no redress from the
prince, they were soon reduced to an extreme of distress.
But the Lord, in whom they trusted, would not give
them up to despair. He gradually softened the hearts
of the Druzes and Muslims, and even some of the Chris-

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 375

tians, who began in secret, and then more and more
openly, to relieve their necessities, so that finally the net
was broken and the fishes escaped. One fish was all
that the patriarch and his hirelings had caught after so
much toil. Not much of a draught for so much outlay!

For a term of almost two years these tried believers
had been alone buffeting the floods of ungodly men.
Their enemies had used every promising expedient, and
had failed. The prospect of a long season of repose was
now brighter than ever it had been. The prevailing
cholera had disappeared, and the missionaries were con-
strained to make another visit to them and inquire into
their state, especially as it was commonly reported that
there were divisions among them. Mr. Whiting and
Tannoos el Haddad, men eminently pacific in their dis-
positions, were sent to them to unite and comfort their
hearts. They found them living in quietness with all
around them. Most of the neighbors conversed freely
and had business dealings freely with them. One im-
portant object, for which they had been laboring for
years past against the opposition of governors and priests,
they had at length obtained — it was a cemetery already
set apart and fenced ; and it was thought a remarkable
providence that in these four years during which they
had been held as schismatics and heretics, though they
had had no cemetery, they had also had no need of one,
for during this whole space of time not one of their com-
pany and no member of their families had died.

On the fifth of July, at Hasbeiya, a sermon was
preached and a church of sixteen members organized.
The next day being the Sabbath, after a discourse by
John Wortabet, and after the admission of another
member to the church, the Lord's Supper was adminis-

376 BIBI.E WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

tered. All these exercises were calculated to make a
strong impression, and at the close the native brethren,
inspired by one common feeling of Christian affection,
began to embrace and salute each other "with a holy
kiss," according to the Oriental method, breathing all
the while some short prayer or hearty thanksgiving.
Good Deacon Tannoos, with glistening eyes, repeated
aloud the words of the devout old saint, " Lord, now
lettest thou thy servant depart in peace." " This mani-
festation of fraternal love," says Mr. Thomson, " was so
sudden, spontaneous and natural as to be very affecting
and delightful. We who had known this people from
their first steps toward evangelical religion could
hardly recognize in these humble, devout and spiritual
worshipers the rude, noisy, ignorant and worldly com-
pany that then caused us so much trouble." The sight
must have abundantly rewarded this unwearied laborer
for those exposures, those tiresome journeys and those
successive sleepless nights through which he had for-
merly passed in looking after these sheep scattered and
driven about among the mountains.

With the approbation of all concerned, young AYor-
tabet was to remain to lead their meetings and minister
to them the word. He was not only an acceptable and
instructive preacher, but was considerably experienced
also as a physician.

The early mission-schools in Hasbeiya, Deir Memass,
Gedeideh and Rasheiya (Rasheiyet el Fkhar), had some
little influence in introducing the Protestant name into
this district of country. In the last of the above-men-
tioned villages the teacher's name was Yacob, whose
son, Eleeas, came, from time to time, to Beirut to receive
his father's wages. He was a pupil in the school, and

BIBLE WORK IX BIBLE LANDS. 377

tliere learned to read the Psalter and the New Testament
as schoolbooks. He grew up, however, a heedless youth,
and became a juggler, a sleight-of-hand trickster, and
given to much wine. But it appears that his early impres-
sions, received from the word of God in the school, had
taken firm hold upon him and would not let him go till
they brought him home to the fold of the great She])herd.
This is that Eleeas Yacob (or son of Yacob) mentioned
by Mr. Whiting in his late visit to this neighborhood,
and who united w^ith the church of Beirut in 1843.
" To this man's influence,'^ Mr. Thomson says, " may be
traced the first enlightening of Tannoos Kerm of Safed "
(a native assistant of Mr. Whiting at Jerusalem w'ho
lost his family in the earthquake at Safed, and is now
connected with the Jewish missionaries at that place).
" Eleeas has also a discij^le named Dawhir Ab-bood, in
el Kheiam, and Dawhir also has a disciple in one of his
neighbors, and so the leaven is spreading. These two
men, Yacob and Dawhir, have a knowledge of scripture
which is remarkable, and, being naturally shrewd men,
they have a poAver of argument which their adversaries
cannot gainsay or resist. They are both physicians, and
are in the habit of making long tours through Houran
and the parts east of Jordan as far south as Kerek, and
to those parts they have already gone, and will continue
to go, preaching the gospel of the kingdom. The results
of that school are known only to Him who chooses the
weak things of the world to confound the things that
are mighty. '^

A few months more, and Mr. Thomson made another
visit to this little community, and on the first evening
after his arrival listened, with a hundred others, to an
excellent sermon by the young j^i'^^^her, Wortabet.

32^^

378 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

Most of those who attended were young men in the
prime of life. The two preachers had discoursed every
night to large audiences. The whole town was moved.
Wherever they went religion was all the talk. All was
perfect peace. The old emeer had become decidedly
favorable, and no one presumed to move his tongue
against the work. The various emeers, Druze sheikhs
and elders of the town made their friendly calls. All
the leading men who so vehemently opposed the mis-
sionaries at the beginning now sought their acquaint-
ance and friendship. The ruling emeer let a man out
of prison and sent him to Mr. Thomson, because the
man pretended that he was a Protestant ; and this was
the same emeer who had sworn to exterminate the Prot-
estants from all Hermon, and had labored for years to
fulfill his oath !

One day Mr. Thomson and two deacons went up the
side of Mt. Hermon to a solitary lodge where lived a
poor man, a vine-dresser, and known as an humble appli-
cant for admission to the Protestant communion. They
had a joyful reception, and all three squeezed in to the
lodge, finding space just sufficient to contain the four.
For a bed there was a single quilt and pillow. On the
latter lay the Arabic Bible, '^ Prayers for every Day in the
Week,'' Thomas A. Kempis and Dr. Smith's work on
the Spirit, all of them well worn by use. They discussed
the whole history of redemption. At the close they
knelt in prayer. Says Mr. Thomson, ^' It was good to
be there on that mountain side, in that lodge beneath
that olive, among those clustering vines, with that old
man of humble mien and tearful eye, the voice of prayer
ascending from full hearts to the canopy of heaven above
our heads. Yes, it was good to be there. I crept forth

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 379

from this luimble lodge with eyes bedimmed with tears.
In the afternoon," continues Mr. Thomson, "as the ohl
man was coming to our preparatory lecture, I met him
upon the stairs. Seizing my hand, he said, ' Ever since
you left me this morning I have been looking up into
heaven, and I see nothing there but Christ,' and gazing
up into the clear blue sky, with a voice so earnest that it
almost frightened me, he repeated, 'I see nothing in
heaven hut Christy I see nothing in heaven but Christ.^ ''

The next day (Sabbath) a sermon was preached, new
members were admitted and the Lord's Supper was cele-
brated. Long before the time, the house was crowded
with people, and those outside pressed together at the
windows to listen. Three hours were spent in that
meeting. No one moved from his place. All were
silent and solemn. They listened as for their lives to
the very last word, and many eyes unused to weep
were bathed in tears. The number present was sup-
posed to be about one hundred and eighty.

The following day Mr. Thomson went to Rasheiya,
the village of Eleeas Yacob. Here he had a room full
of people to whom he preached the word. About a
dozen men here called themselves Protestants, and many
more were examining and discussing the great question.
Few men in the village could read, and Eleeas, having
been taught formerly for a while at the mission semi-
nary, was so far beyond the rest in respect to education
that he was able to conduct worship very acceptably.
By request the missionary visited the next day a family
at Hasbeiya, and spent an hour in conversing with an
old man and his four sons about the gospel. This was
the house of entertainment for the Greek patriarch
when, five years ago, he came to Hasbeiya to annihilate

380 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

the Protestants, and this man was his right arm in the
work of persecution. Now both he and his sons were
declared Protestants. One evening the head man of
the Maronites was present at the preaching, and his son
was believed to be a sincere convert. Druzes were be-
ginning to inquire what these things meant, and in the
surrounding villages the truth seemed to be stirring up
the people. Mr. Thomson was, on this account, looking
for another storm to break out from some quarter, nor
were his fears groundless.

Mr. Thomson next rode to Ibel and spent a few hours
with Eleeas Yacob, and next to el Kheiam, two miles
farther southward, where lived Dawhir, Eleeas Yacob's
disciple. His whole soul was engaged in the subject of
religion, into which he threw his accustomed energy and
fearlessness. They had worship together, and afterward
the leading men of the village assembled with them,
and conversed about religion till late at night. About
this time thirty new names were added to the number
of Protestants in Hasbeiya, and forty-five persons at
Ibel had petitioned the government to be enrolled with
that community.

Such were the religious prospects of Hasbeiya and
vicinity near the close of the year 1851, when there
came over the whole region a new tempest of persecu-
tion, anarchy and war. Wortabet, however, maintained
his stand firmly and reputably, and was ordained over
the people as their regular pastor. Under his ministra-
tion the Protestant community became more compact,
orderly and efficient. At their own charges they built
themselves a house of worship, and when they heard of
the opening of China for the word of God, and the re-
solve of English Christians to send to that heathen land

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 381

a million New Testaments, tlicy threw in their share, of
about thirty dollars, for tlie same object.

Eleeas Yacob made two successful tours to the east
and south, in company with a native Protestant friend,
preaching sometimes in the native churches, and gaining
the assent of whole villages at once to enroll themselves
as Protestants. In this work Eleeas supported himself
entirely by his own medical practice.

The Kev. W. W. Eddy, who had been stationed at
Sidon, visited Hasbeiya in 1857, and also the village of
Kheiam, where he spent a Sabbath and had an audience
from five different villages, who showed great earnest-
ness in inquiring after the truth. In a letter of still
later date, Mr. Eddy speaks, with peculiar gratification,
of some very earnest Protestants in Deir Memas. They
liad endured for many months a cruel course of persecu-
tion from the Greeks and from the Mohammedan gov-
ernment of the district, but, under all this, had been
continually increasing in numbers. Mr. Eddy was
with them several days, and was astonished and de-
lighted to find gathered together each evening, after
the severe labors of the day in harvesting, an audience
of above a hundred souls, all eager, attentive and se-
rious. The number of full-grown men professing Prot-
estantism was above sixty, and though only a part of
the women of their families had openly joined them,
counting these and their children, the community num-
bered fully one hundred and twenty souls, the largest
professed Protestant community at that time in Syria.

CHAPTEE XVIII.

New flames of war in 1845 — Drnzes prevail — Maronite princes driven
from Abeih — Greeks killed at Hasbeiya — Death of the patriarch — ■
New election ends in quarrel and sacking of Canobeen — Greek
patriarch in trouble at Beirut — Meshaka and his patriarch in
discussion — Messrs. Wilson and Foote at Tripoli — Yanni— Messrs.
Wilson and Foote driven from Eh-heden — Yanni unites with the
church at Beirut — Abdallah Zeidan — Is-hoc el Kefroony — Safeeta.

THE civil war of 1841 resulted, as has been seen,
in favor of the Druzes. The Christian princes of
the Shehab family, of whom the Emeer Besheer Shehab
was chief, were displaced, and on the ruins of the She-
hab dynasty rose the power of the Druze feudal sheikhs.
The Shehabs, however, were still somewhat numerous,
and bore their degradation with impatience. The Mar-
onite sect were exasperated by their late defeat, by the
plunder of their pro[)erty and the burning of their
homes, and having been deluded for some years by
vain promises of remuneration, the people were more
than ready to unite with these fallen princes in avenging
themselves on their Druze enemies. The Maronite
clergy also, whose authority had been greatly reduced
by the late conflict, were by no means reluctant to see
the question of power again submitted to the arbitra-
ment of war.

In such a state of feeling the flame was easily kindled.
Kobberies and murders became frequent, and the Maron-
ites did not refrain from open threats of a second appeal
to arms. The collision came. After a skirmish on the

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 383

30th of April, 1845, below the village of Abeih, the
Druzes descended in force upon Hadet, Ba-abda and
the Wady, as it is called, drove the inhabitants to Bei-
rut, and plundered their houses. Baadran, Meristeh,
Ammatoor and Bathir, places near el Muktara, with
several others in the Shoof district, were burned, and
after ten days the Maronites had all been driven a
second time out of the Druze portion of the mountains,
with the exception of Deir el Kommer and Abeih and
vicinity. At- the latter place remained some of the
Shehab emeers, and the Druzes insisted that they should
go Avith the rest of their tribe. They were themselves
willing to go, but their people in the village would not
consent to it; and as neither party would accept the
terms, an attack upon Abeih became inevitable. Sheikh
Hamood, with his body of Druzes, was in the immedi-
ate neighborhood, at Kfer Metta, all ready for an as-
sault. With a large force collected from the neighboring
villages, he commenced the attack with great fury, and
so continued till, through the intervention of Mr. Thom-
son with a flag of truce, the besieged consented to a
surrender. The Maronite houses of the village, includ-
ing their convent, had been burned, the people having
fled for refuge to the palaces of the emeers. The chief
monk of the convent was killed, as was also the Italian
monk of the Latin convent, who had been sent to coun-
teract the influence of the Protestant school. One of
the two palaces had been captured, and all who were
in it slain ; the other contained five hundred and sev-
enty-five survivors, who gave themselves up and were
escorted by a guard, under the British consul general,
to Beirut.

The war in Lebanon extended its influence to Has^

384 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

beiya. A regular battle was fought there, and many-
were slain.

The storm of war, however, soon spent . itself, and in
July (1845) the missionaries were nearly all again occu-
I3ying their mountain residences at Abeih, Bhamdoon,
Ainab and Bshamon. At the last place Mr. Laurie,
lately from Mosul, had a fine congregation to address
every evening. At Ainab, Mr. Lanneau found the peo-
ple quite ready to listen to the gospel, and at Abeih
they had preaching three times every Sabbath to as large
congregations as before the war, and the number of
Druze hearers had increased. Applications for schools
from surrounding villages were frequent.

The vicissitudes of the Lebanon war, which had been
so harmless to the persons of the missionaries j proved of
a very different character to their arch foe at Canobeen.
Finding himself impotent in attempting to rule by spir-
itual power, he grasped after the temporal, and the bub-
ble burst under his grasp. In the former of the late
two wars, which his own i3eople accused him of foment-
ing, so far from gaining any addition to his power, it is
said that he even fled from his stronghold in the moun-
tain cliff to some more secret hiding-place lest peradven-
ture he should be found and taken to grace the proces-
sion of a Druze triumph. Again, in the second struggle
he saw his people scattered and peeled as perhaps they
had never been before. His once powerful prince, to
whom he had looked to back up his measures, was gone
from his country. Turks and Druzes now ruled over
his great family. His sons and daughters, setting at
naught his paternal counsels, which he had so kindly
given them in his repeated Manslioors, w^ere running
madly after the Bible men, reading the scriptures — which

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 385

it was not lawful to read except fc^r the priests alone —
and, moreover, using their own ^^ private judgment" on
what they read, actually trying to understand it!

He came to the patriarchal throne in the plenitude of
power. The prince of the mountains was a son of his
own church. No Christian sect in Lebanon claimed
equality with his, either in numbers, wealth, dignity or
influence. He doubtless expected that his term of ad-
ministration would be one of ease and honor. From
this high elevation, therefore, his fall was not only fatal
to his peace, but also fatal, as it appears, to his life. He
did not long survive this last defeat of his people, but
died, as did his exiled prince, of a broken heaii;.

When the bishops came together to make choice of a
new patriarch, it would seem that " Satan came also
among them." The election was decidedly stormy.
Two rival candidates were in the field, presented by the
two extremes of the Maronite territory, the Gib-beh and
Kesru-an, the north and the south. They met at a
midway place, the convent of Meifook, near Gebail.
Two ballotings were had, and no choice. Then Bishop
Boolus, the Gib-beh candidate (perhaps without the
consent of his party), withdrew his name, and Bishop
Yoosef was chosen. Upon this the Besherry party rose
upon the new patriarch and upon his bishops, beat them
and drove them homeward to Kesru-iln ; then they turned
back upon Canobeen itself, entered it and plundered it,
and this notwithstanding the French consul was there to
guard it.

This violation of the holy capital of the Maronite
Church by the hands of her own sons was, if possible,
more sacrilegious than that of 1832 by the armed
force in search of the martyr Shidiak. The more scru-

S3

386 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

pulous of the family would have revolted at such an act
lest the holy father from the vault below, where they
had placed him, should awake and hurl upon them his
curses for such audacity. But these were the Besherry
boys who had before this threatened to rescue Assad
from his dungeon, who had dared to refuse water for
the patriarch's gardens, laughed at his curses and cursed
him in their turn ; and now they were determined that
if another patriarch of such an '^unclean spirit" was to
be forced upon them, he should, when he came to his
house, find it empty at least, if not "swept and gar-
nished."

The Greek patriarch at Damascus was in trouble at
this time, not only with the secession of the little flock
at Hasbeiya, but also with a powerful antagonistic party
at Beirut. The bishop of Beirut had died, and the pa-
triarch came from Damascus to consecrate another. His
will was to put into the office one against whom the
people had insuperable objections. They believed that
he was moved in his choice by large bribes and by the
fact that his candidate was a native Greek, while they
wanted one of their own countrymen. His overbearing
temper, his evident love of gain and his double dealing
became so apparent that they could bear him no longer.
They almost mobbed him, and in one of their gatherings,
among the cries from the multitude was this : " Think
not that you are in Hasbeiya now ; this is Beirut." He
was also advised to take warning from what had hap-
pened to the Pope of Rome, who had lately fled to
Gaeta. Beirut became too uncomfortable for him, and
he was constrained to seek his Damascus home, crossing
Lebanon and Antilebanon in mid-winter on horseback,
though more than eighty years old, leaving the people

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. ^7

behind him quite satisfied to remain without either
bishop or patriarch.

It may be remarked in this connection that the papal
Greek patriarch, the only one of any note beside the two
above mentioned, was subjected to a worrisome contro-
versy with a powerful son of his church who lately left
popery for Protestantism. This man was Dr. Michael
Meshaka. Meshaka had been at heart an infidel, but had
been converted by reading a translation of Keith on the
Prophecies. He had come out with all boldness before
priests and people to defend the scriptures against all the
added perversions and traditions of men. " This,'^ says
Mr. Smith, " has brought on a controversy between him
and his former patriarch, and, as Meshaka is probably
the most intelligent layman in the country and the pa-
triarch the most learned ecclesiastic, attention is directed
from all quarters to what is going on between them.
The doctor favors me with a copy of all the correspond-
ence between him and his antagonist. It is deeply in-
teresting both from the ability displayed and the deep
Christian sincerity that animates him. Every word of
the documents in my hand deserves to be translated and
printed at home.''

The city of Tripoli was occupied as a mission station
in 1848 by Messrs. AYilson and Foote. They had the
very efficient aid of Mr. Yanni, the American consular
agent in the city, and the countenance at least of an-
other young man, a decided, though not very active,
Protestant, who had an honorable employment under
government. The former was a relative of the late con-
sular agent, Girgis Catziflis, who had some considerable
acquaintance with Messrs. Fisk, King, and other early
missionaries, and had to some extent adopted their sen-

388 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

timents. He had long been a Protestant in sentiment,
and had been for many months in the daily habit of
reading the scriptures and of private prayer. He was
bold and zealous in declaring the truth to others, and
had begun to draw upon himself the usual consequences
of such a course. Yet his natural vivacity and exces-
sive occupation in business rendered it doubtful whether
the man's chief treasure was really in heaven.

As Tripoli was not considered a healthy residence in
summer, the two brethren looked out for a more eligible
place on the neighboring mountains. No situation could
be more desirable than Eh-heden, if the fanaticism of
the people would suffer it. They knew that twenty years
before, a Bible man and family had been driven from the
village by order of the patriarch, but the patriarch, and,
as they thought, the disposition of the people also, had
been changed since then, and they concluded to obtain a
lodgment there if possible. They took all the advice
and procured all the papers of protection that seemed
necessary, hired their houses and took their keys. But
when they arrived with their families and furniture,
they found their houses opened and occupied, and they
themselves refused admission. Under orders from the
patriarch a mob had assembled, who first attempted to
burn the houses and afterward began in earnest to tear
them down. The two families camped out for the night
in the open air and returned home the next day. The
result of this uproar was a fine of seventy dollars upon
the obedient sons of the patriarch and an ofiicial guaranty
from the government for the missionaries to reside iu
whatever part of the mountains they might choose. The
English consul, without the knowledge of the brethren,
laid the facts of the case before the British government

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 389

at home, and Lord Palmerston promptly administered a
severe rebuke both to the patriarch and to the emeer for
what had been done by their order or connivance.

For years after this the favorite summer residence for
the Tripoli brethren was Dooma, about eight hours south-
east of their station, where they gained the confidence
and good-will of the people, and had schools and relig-
ious meetings among them, the latter of which even the
priest himself approved and attended. In Tripoli Messrs.
Wilson and Foote soon commenced a preaching service,
in which they were assisted by young John Wortabet,
who then resided as a physician in the city. Antonius
Yanni was ever active, always present at the preaching
and the Bible class, exhorting all to study the holy Bible,
and stirring up the bishop and the priests to preach to
the people in the churches. He himself, however, de-
clined from year to year uniting himself with what he
believed to be the only pure church in the land ; but in
June, 1855, when he could resist the voice of conscience
no longer, he went to Beirut and publicly united with
the mission church. AYhen he returned home he told
the family what he had done. They were wild with
rage, and assailed him unmercifully with their threats
and reproaches. No one should feed him ; no one should
bring him drink ; his wife should leave him and take
his tw^o children with her, for it was not a Protestant
that she married, but a Greek. The brother, his part-
ner in business, predicted their common ruin, and the
mother again and again wished that he and the beast that
carried him to Beirut had been overwhelmed by the floods
they had to cross, and that he had been swept into the
sea. He had brought his whole house under reproach.
In regard to himself she cared little. " Let him think

33*

390 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

what he chooses and believe what he chooses," she said,
" and go to heaven or hell as he chooses, bnt let him not
disgrace his family by openly forsaking the Greek
Church."

The bishop took the matter more coolly. He said to
the mother, " For several years your son has given us a
great deal of trouble. When by any accident he has
come to our church- worship, nothing has pleased him.
Our supplications to the saints have been as rumbling
thunder in his ears. Our sacred pictures are a staring
abomination in his eyes, and the smoke of our holy incense
is but a stench in his nostrils. He has omitted no op-
portunity to sow tares in the minds of our people, and,
indeed, the devil in our church would give us less trou-
ble than he. Better that he should be out of the church
than in it." Through all these agitating scenes the man
was enabled to maintain his self-control and to exhibit a
spirit which commanded the respect even of his enemies.
He very strenuously recommended the establishing of a
mission station at Hums, a large inland village two days
north of Damascus, and perhaps chiefly from his strong
recommendation of the place Mr. Wilson removed thither
in 1855. Previous to this Mr. Foote had departed for
America, and Yanni was now left comparatively alone
at Tripoli. But the grace of God was sufficient for him,
and Dr. Jessup, who, with Mr. Lyons, came the next
year, wrote of him saying, " He is a light shining in a
dark place ; he seems to have been raised up of God for
some high and holy purpose, and his conscientious Chris-
tian course has been a source of great encouragement to
Mr. Lyons and myself in this spiritual wilderness."

When told that the Hums station might have to be
given up, Yanni was grieved and said, " Sooner than give

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 391

up Hums, I would go there myself and preach the gospel
four months in the year. Perhaps I could go also three
months to Hamah. It would be hard for me to give
up my business and leave my family, but I would do it
sooner than give up Hums." He was offered the hon-
orable and highly lucrative post of vice consul for
Russia, but he promptly refused the offer, simply because
it would bring him into too close relations with the Greek
Church. Respecting Ishoc, the proud, hard-hearted
brother, it is recorded that "his hostility to his broth-
er's religious views grew more and more intense. He
joined with the rest of the family in the growing per-
secution against him, and looked down upon him with
cold contempt. But the time came when this proud
brother was attacked by a mortal disease. The skill of
the physician was baffled. Antonius was assiduous in
his attentions to his loved and suffering brother. He
spent nearly the whole of one night in the telegraph
office, conversing with Dr. "Van Dyck, at Beirut, about
the case, but all without avail. From the very first
the patient seemed convinced that his end was near, and
his heart was softened. Every day he called Antonius
and begged him to read to him from the Bible. He
listened with all the eagerness of a dying man, and his
brother explained more fully what he read, talked much
with him and prayed with him. At length Ishoc said,
'Now read to me about some great sinner who was
saved.' Antonius read to him about the publican and
about Zaccheus. ' No !' said he ; ' about some greater
sinner than any of ihem.^ Then he read to him of the
thief on the cross. 'Ah ! that comes nearer to my case.
Read that again.' Again and again he read it over,
and Ishoc seemed cncourao-ed to imitate the thief in

392 BIBLE WOKK IN BIBLE LANDS.

laying hold of Christ, and declared his belief in Christ
as the only saviour of lost sinners. He then told his
mother to take away those eihondi (the sacred pictures)
which had been hung all around the head of his bed
through the superstitious zeal of his mother and his
wife. ^ Take them away/ he said, ^ it is trifling to trust
in pictures. Such a religion will never do to die by.'
Turning to his brother he begged him to forgive him
for having persecuted him so long, and said, ^ Dear An-
ton ins, you have conquered me with love. You have
never spoken an unkind word to me, and nothing but
God^s grace could have enabled one of your impulsive
nature to be so calm and patient.' He begged and en-
treated his wife and mother to trust in Christ alone.
Toward the last a company of priests, with their black
flowing robes and swinging censers, came to burn incense
and ofier their prayers to the Virgin Mary on his behalf.
He saw them entering the room and beckoned them all
to stop, telling them and all the family that he had done
for ever with such things, and could not allow anything
now to come between him and his Saviour. They were
astonished at the change wrought in him, but he called
his brother and said, ^ Bring the Bible and read to them,
that these priests also may be profited.'

"Just before he died he called his whole family
around his bed and spoke to them in a clear voice about
his trust in Jesus as his Saviour, and raising both hands
he called out loudly, ^ None hut Christ,^ and died."

The Rev. Samuel Jessup, writing of Anton ius Yanni,
May 11, 1869, says, "He always and everywhere uses his
religion. I went with him to see his property at Ah-ba
one day last summer, and as we were riding among the
fig trees I noticed some on one side of the road with a

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 393

ring of red mud around them. Ou inquiry, I learned
that on the feast day of St. John the people thus paint all
their fig trees, saying that St. John will then make them
fruitful. Mr. Yanni forbade the workmen paintiiig
his trees. The workmen obeyed him, but assured him
that he would have no fruit. Indeed, he expected none,
because it was not tlie fruitful year ; but there we saw
before us his trees to be the only trees in the region that
were bearing well. Those painted 'in honor of St. John
had no fruit on them.

"A little farther on we passed under a beautiful little
olive tree, and Mr. Yanni said to me, ' Do you see your
tree?' MVhat do you mean?' said I. ^Why, that
beautiful tree is consecrated to you and your successors.'
'How so?' said I. 'Well, I 'will tell you. When I
bought it last year, my farmer told me that for five or
six years the tree had not borne an olive, and it was not
worth the ground it stood on, and urged me to cut it
down and plant another in its place. But I told him
to dig about it and dung it another year, and if it did
not do well, then I would cut it down, and if it bore
well, then it should be henceforth dedicated to the mis-
sionaries in Tripoli, and now you see how God has
blessed it for you.' In fact there was not another tree
around us so loaded wath olives, and my jars, from which
I am eating every day, have been filled with its delicious
fruit.

" Mr. Yanni spends considerable time at this place,
and sometimes comes out to the village on Sundays.
He has produced a very decided reform in the mode of
keeping the Sabbath in the village, although all the in-
habitants are Maronites. He always has prayers every
night with his men, and they have become so, at length,

394 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

that they do not like to have anythhig occur to keep
them from the service. One old man, however, has
given him a good deal of trouble on the score of Sab-
bath-breaking, and seems utterly incorrigible. He is
very penurious, and owns a great many goats, upon
which he quite sets his heart. One Sunday Mr. Yanni
saw him mending his plough, and after arguing the
matter with him, said, ^ You try to cheat the Lord out
of the time that belongs to him. This is his day, not
yours. But you will gain nothing in the end. I should
not wonder if a wolf should come and kill one of your
goats this very night. The old man dismissed the
matter, saying he was too old to learn. Sure enough,
the next morning his shepherd brought him a dead goat
from his flock and told him that a wolf had killed it
only a few hours before, and that perhaps Mr. Yanni
would buy a piece of the meat. The old man was not
more struck with the circumstance than was Mr. Yanni
himself Some time afterward the man lost another goat,
and Yanni said to him, ^Ah, you have 'been working
again on the Sabbath, contrary to your promise.' He
confessed that it was so, but said he could not learn
easily.

" Mr. Yanni was building a house at Ah-ba, and had
burned a lime-kiln. The lime was just ready to be re-
moved from the kiln on a Saturday night when, from
every appearance, there was a heavy storm preparing.
Men could not be had to secure the lime immediately,
as they were all busy about their own work, but they
said to him, if the storm held off, they would come early
in the morning and make a bee, and get all the lime in
before it should rain. ^ No ! never ! never !' said he.
^ If I lose all my property j I will not work on Sunday.

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 395

The Lord says, "Them that honor rae I will honor/' and
if the Lord spoils my lime I shall not have spoiled my
conscience, and I know he will make it up to me in
some way.' Then he rebuked them severely for thus
tempting him after all that he had taught them. So he
prayed in secret that the Lord would get honor to him-
self among that simple-minded people. * I trembled,'
said he, ^all the forenoon as I saw the storm thickening.
But I knew I was right, and when the men came beg-
ging me to let them go to work, I detained them by
reading the Bible to them. The storm came all around
with great fury — thunder and hail and wind and tor-
rents of rain. The little dry bed of a stream near by
the lime-kiln became a roaring river in a few moments,
but not a drop of water fell on that kiln, nor within an
eighth of a mile of it. All around, the country was
deluged with rain, but that little village got only a few
scattering hail-stones.' The people were amazed, and
from that time they have held Mr. Yanni in a sort of
superstitious regard.

" These items," Mr. Jessup testifies, " are all literally
true. What I have not myself seen I have heard from
the mouths of many witnesses, and from some who
would rather they had not been true."

Another prominent witness for the truth appeared in
Tripoli in 1858, whose history is thus given by Mr.
Lyons; "Abdallah Zeidan was originally of the Greek
sect. Several years ago he was a merchant in Aleppo.
Having failed in business from the dishonesty of his
debtors, he invoked the aid of the saints, and particu-
larly of the Virgin Mary, relying on their assistance.
One man who owed him five thousand piasters having
fled to Alexandria, Abdallah followed him. Meeting

396 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

him in the street, he demanded that he should pay the
debt or else make oath in the church before the picture
of the Holy Virgin that he owed him nothing. The
man chose the latter. The parties appeared together,
and the unscrupulous debtor took a solemn oath before
the picture that he owed Abdallah nothing. Horrified
at the man's falsehood and perjury, and strong in his
belief in the power of the Virgin, Abdallah seized hold
upon her picture and shaking it with great violence im-
plored her earnestly to interpose in his behalf. He ex-
pected to see the man fell down dead before leaving the
house. But how great was his mortification and sur-
prise, after all his prayers and imprecations, to see the
perjured man walk safely and unharmed from the church
into the street. From that moment his faith in the Vir-
gin was shaken.'' At Beirut, on his return from Egypt,
he was attracted by the sight of our Protestant book de-
pository, and there found a book on popery and on the
worship of pictures and saints. He begged the book as
a gift and took it home. By comparing its teachings
with those of the scriptures he was gradually led to un-
derstand and receive the truth. He afterw^ard removed
his family to Hums, where he was twice imprisoned by
the bishop for his Protestantism. He then removed to
Tripoli. In the spring of 1858 he applied for admission
to the Protestant Church, where, after some months'
delay, he was received.

Another notable member of the church at Tripoli is
Ishoc (Isaac) el Kefroony, from a Greek village twelve
miles north-east of Tripoli, called Sheikh Mohammed.
Mr. S. Jessup says of him, *^ About nine years ago he
heard the gospel and became convinced of the truth and
declared himself a Protestant. From that day to this

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 397

he has been the subject of bitter persecution." The
Muslim beg cliose him for his secretary, rejecting the
applications of a large number of wealthy and influen-
tial Greek, Maronite and Muslim applicants, "because,"
said he, "you are the only man in all this region whom
I can fully trust." The beg tells others that Ishoc's
scrupulous honesty far surpasses anything he had ever
heard of. Once his enemies went in the night and de-
stroyed fifty dollars' worth of his property. The beg
was very angry about it, and offered to destroy all that
those men possessed. But Ishoc would not consent,
saying, "I have learned not to render evil for evil."
Ishoc was for years quite alone, but of late others have
come out and stand by his side.

Safeeta,* an out station of Tripoli, nearly thirty miles
from it north-eastward, is a large village inhabited by
Greek Arabs and Nusairiyeh.* At first the come-
outers were chiefly inclined by worldly motives to seek
relationship with Protestants, and since then they have
experienced a series of instructions and persecutions
very similar to those of their brethren of Mt. Hermon.
They were visited in 1865 by Dr. Post, then stationed
at Tripoli, who found them gathered together again
after having been dispersed like sheep by devouring
wolves. The doctor says, " The family of tax-gatherers
previously alluded to used all means of fraud and
bribery to induce the Muslim governor to oppress them
and steal their property, that they might be forced by
starvation back to their old religion. Turkish soldiers
were sent to the houses and ordered to break all that
could be broken and to eat all that could be eaten, to
beat the men and abuse the women.

* Sec Illustration on page 333.
34

398 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

"These cruel orders were so effectually carried out
that the people were driven from the village, and In
many of the houses all that they had laid by in store as
provision for winter was stolen from them. Even the
wheat on the threshing-floors was taken and the straw
set on fire by these ruthless barbarians."

In October of the next year the same visitor reports,
saying, " The Protestants are enjoying a rest after their
severe distresses, and an abundant harvest has supplied
their present wants. The young men, Hanna and Yoo-
sef, who came from Safeeta to Abeih Seminary, as well as
the two girls who studied In the girls' school in Beirut,
have filled the minds of the youth here of both sexes
with an ardent desire for knowledge.

" But again the tidings of evil came, that on January
22, 1867, the whole Protestant community of Safeeta
were arrested — men, women and children — and thrust
into prison in a small room, and a fire of cut straw was
made on the floor to torment them with the smoke, but
they were finally released by the Influence of some whose
hearts relented. On one evening they assembled for
worship with Yoosef, the native preacher, and while
there the government horsemen attacked the whole com-
munity, broke open their houses and plundered them,
and dispersed all of their number without exception —
old and young, mothers and children, boys and girls —
into the wilderness, and this In the night-time.

" They despatched a messenger to Tripoli and Beirut
for aid, and efforts were at once made to secure better
treatment for these oppressed people. These efforts were
finally successful, and the brethren at Tripoli were rejoic-
ing In hope that now at last that suffering flock of the
Lord might enjoy a permanent peace.'^

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 399

To the evidence already adduced, showing the power
of the gospel in this northern part of Syria, may be
added some facts in the colporteur's experience. One
of these self-denying and useful helpers in the dissemi-
nation of the gospel, whose name was Ishoc esh Shemaa,
after visiting various other places, came to the village of
Sheikh Mohammed, where resided his namesake Ishoc
el Kefroony, of whom he speaks thus :

"He is always ready to receive every brother who
arrives at that place. He seems much advanced in spir-
itual knowledge. We spent our evenings in prayer and
praise. Multitudes of the villagers assembled with us
desiring to hear of the salvation of the gospel, and they
seemed to rejoice in it. I rejoiced, too, to teach them
the way of life, and I trust our meetings were blessed.
Several persons, however, in the village opposed us, and
broke into the house of one of the Protestants, beat him
and robbed him, and took away his wife. Then one of
the priests raised the cry, ^ Whoever loves God let him
collect wood to burn the house where this preacher is,
and destroy these gospel men and their leader with them.'
That was a fearful night. The whole Greek part of the
village gathered in a mob with weapons, wood and fire-
brands, to come down the hill to Ishoc's house and de-
stroy it. Ishoc himself was then not at home. But
see how God protects his people ! Across the little val-
ley is a part of the same village, inhabited by Muslims,
who are friends of our brother. A child, moved by some
influence 7\ot ourSy carried them word that the Christian
people of the village were coming down toward the val-
ley to burn Ishoc's house. In one moment all the
Muslim agas and their men armed themselves, crossed
the valley and stood before the house. The mob, as

400 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

they came down, called out, ^ Who's there?' The answer
was, * We are here, and if you do anything to the owner
of this house we'll burn you7' houses and leave not one of
you alive.'' When they heard this they fled, leaving us
in peace. Had not these Muslims come to us the house
would most certainly have been burned, and we who
were in it might have been all killed. When Ishoc
returned and heard what had happened he smiled and
said, ^ Not a hair of our heads shall fall to the ground
without our Father.' After this the brother whose
house was plundered went down to Tripoli and brought
an order from the government to have the case tried and
one of the Protestants to be in the court to try it. This
so alarmed the Greeks that they immediately restored to
him his wife and all his stolen property, and begged
the man's pardon. Thus does God. take care for his
children.

" We went to Beit Millat to find an elderly man, a
brother in Christ, named Hanna el Khoori. We reached
the village very late, and nobody would tell us where
he lived, for he was greatly persecuted. But providen-
tially, as we were passing a certain house we heard some
one reading aloud, and thought this must be the place.
So we entered, and he rose to receive us, saying, ^ You
are very welcome.' And in this way our conversation
commenced. I said to him, ' I thank Jesus Christ, my
brother, who has given you this book.' He burst into
tears and fell on my neck, saying, * I am a poor sinful
man ; I am not worthy to be named in the same breath
with the name of Christ.' And then he wept again,
and I wept, and the brother who was with me wept.
Then we began to rejoice together in the Lord, who had
saved us with his own blood and granted us everlasting

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 401

comfort and joy. Oh what a blessed, happy night was
that !

" Hanua told us of all his trials and persecutions — how
he had been excommunicated from the Maronite Church,
and how priests had come from Tripoli to bring him
back to them. But they could not convince him ; and
when he told me his answers to them, I was amazed at
his knowledge of the scriptures. Then a company of
the people assembled with us, and we spent eight hours
that night in reading the scriptures and prayer. This
brother, Hanna, was once president of the Papal Broth-
erhood, a society among the Maronites, and now he is so
poor that he had no food to set before us. When he
had learned the truth of the gospel he was put out of
office and another man was chosen president in his place,
and he, too, has followed Hanna in embracing the gos-
pel, and nearly twelve men in their connection have
been similarly enlightened. Hanna is indeed very poor,
but he said, * I am ready to die for the gospel ; I must
attend first of all to my soul's salvation.' Oh how my
heart rejoiced at w^hat I saw in the house of this brother
of Beit Millat !

" I went to Meshta, where the people all know me,
and they were greatly enraged when I spoke to them of
the gospel. My grandfather and father were both very
wicked men, and had often shed human blood. My
father was a strolling singer and player on stringed in-
struments, and he used to bring me to Meshta from
Hums when I was a lad to sing with him. So the peo-
ple remembered me, and in the evening they crowded
together and insulted me and threatened my life. One
of the priests said, ^ Far better rob and kill and stroll
about, as did your father, than carry about those books

34*

402 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

and come to preach to us.' I assured them my father
repented and died in the gospel faith, but this made them
more angry still. I found I could not stay in Meshta,
so I hastened next day to go to Kefroon, but in a forest,
on the way to that place, a ruffian from Meshta, whom
I had seen the night before, sprang upon me from the
bushes and knocked me to the ground with a club. He
then knocked down also my companion, a young man
from Safeeta. I sprang up and ran, but he pursued me
and bruised my shoulder and back with his club until I
entered Kefroon, but as no one would allow us to stay
there, I had to return to Safeeta. A man in Kefroon
so far befriended me as to procure an armed man to go
with me and save me from further violence. Yet in all
this I rejoiced that I was counted worthy to suffer per-
secution for the cross of Christ.''

A man from the village of Mahardee came from time
to time to buy Bibles at Hums to sell again. The vil-
lage is north of Hamath, contains four thousand inhab-
itants, wild and uninstructed. The only Protestant in
it was a sheikh, who, for want of the cash or for some
other reason, gave his sword for a Bible. In that half-
civilized region, where most men wear arms and where
he himself had found use for his sword in self-defence,
he had chosen to give up his w^eapon of steel and trust
to the sword of the Spirit. This sword of the sheikh
was brought to the missionary at Hums and by him
sent as a trophy to the American Bible Society. We
may expect to hear something more hereafter from that
village, Mahardee.

CHAPTER XIX.

Sidon — Messrs. Thomson and Van Dyck, laborers, with helpers, Tan-
noos el Haddad and Eleeas Fuaz — Sabbath services — The hearers
are laid under ban — A .Jesuit preacher — Meetings in Lady Stan-
hope's Joon — Petitions from Deir el Komraer — Church of seven
members organized — Calls from Birteh, Kana, Alma, Kasheiya —
Cruelty of the governor of Tyre — Deir el Kommer — Ain Zehalta
oat-station — Druzes attack Deir el Kommer Jime 1, 1860, and on
the 22d utterly destroy it — Letter of Mrs. Bird — Wholesale butch-
ery— A few saved by the missionary — Attack and massacre at
Hasbeiya — Destruction of the city of Zahleh — Kush of people,
wounded and impoverished, to Beirut — Task of feeding them —
The part performed by the Americans — The mission transferred to
the Presbyterian Board — Its present state — Letter of Mr. Dodge.

SIDON began to be occupied as a regular mission sta-
tion by Messrs. Thomson and Van Dyck in 1855.
They were accompanied by the two native preachers,
Tannoos el Haddad and Eleeas Fuaz. Their way had
been prepared to some extent by the residence here of
Bishop Yacob Aga, and more especially by the zealous,
though brief, labors of Priest Wortabet, with whom
Tannoos himself had sometimes been associated. They
commenced with two services on the Sabbath, with an
average attendance of thirty or more hearers, though
sometimes the number amounted to fifty or sixty.

Their chapel was repeatedly placed under the ban of
the priests, spies were stationed within and without it,
yet a goodly number of hearers would always attend.
The enemy, in self-defence, suddenly introduced the
novelty of preaching themselves. A capuchin friar was

4U3

404 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

imported for that object from Beirut. Some said the friar
was now attempting something beyond his reach ; others
said he was an eloquent preacher, only they couldnH un-
derstand his Arabic. The Greek Catholic bishop, who
spent part of his time in the city, and sometimes preached
about the Virgin or about the Protestants, could not
satisfy his people. They demanded preaching about the
gospel. In a time of great drought the Maronites not
only joined the other sects in having prayers for rain,
but got up a splendid procession through the streets,
carrying on high a cross and a picture of the Virgin.
The bishop refused to do this, saying, " We should
only make ourselves a laughing-stock to the Protest-
ants.^' Six men had been publicly recognized by the
government as Protestants, and had paid their taxes as
such. All but one of these had been subject to special
persecution. Schools, visits, Bible reading, etc., were
all employed to draw the attention of the people to the
great subject of salvation, and not without eflPect. Re-
ligious discussions were rife in every direction.* Re-
ligious truth was spreading in the neighboring villages.
In Joon itself, the village of the celebrated Lady Stan-

* Sidon is now (1872) a prosperous station of the Syria mission, and
is occupied by Rev. Messrs. Eddy and Dennis. The view which we
give is taken from a point south of the city, looking across a little bay
which curves inward almost to a complete semi-circle just south of the
seaside gate. Although much of the city is not visible from this direc-
tion, yet that which is seen is the quarter occupied by the mission-
aries and the scene of the mission operations in the city. Near to
the mark over the large building on the left is the home of Mr. Eddy,
while the highest building on the right, under the other mark, is that
of the girls' boarding-school. The church-building and boys' school
are not in sight, being hidden behind the buildings in the foreground.
In the female boarding-school are about twenty scholars, who are
trained here for future usefulness.

'l''"!lliRf^:3B||[i;[i[i|!l(([||n|p

il llli

lisfiliiui^':
iiliiiiiiilJiiiiiiiii,

1

ilili:il'iili!ii:[:ltt^^^^^

406 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

hope, a zealous Sidonlan had obtained a residence, and
his house was constantly visited by inquirers. They
had regular meetings every evening for the study of the
scriptures. Could her late ladyship have lived to see
that fearful "rage of Bibles" spreading till it had reached
her very doors, her hope of ever seeing her friend Barker
again must have been faint indeed.

A brother of this same zealous Protestant at Joon was
exerting the same kind of influence in the large village
of Birteh, directly east of Sidon, on the mountains. A
number of families there had combined together and de-
clared themselves Protestants. Tyre and the mountains
above it were in great need of a separate laborer. In
Kana (given by Joshua to the tribe of Asher, Josh. xix.
28) there had been a decided movement among the most
respectable part of the people. The same was true of
Alma, higher up in the mountains of Antilebanon.

This general and increasing attention to the new doc-
trines was seen by the priests to endanger their interests,
and they combined in a united onset upon the new fol-
lowers of the gospel. Many of course were sifted out as
chaff from the wheat, but more or less of the good seed
was left. At Sidon particularly the number of new
persons that continued to come filled up the place of
those that left.

Repeated applications were made by some of the most
respectable men from Deir el Kommer for schools and a
laborer at that place. They were reminded of the treat-
ment received there by our brethren. Smith, Wolcott and
Van Dyck, a few years ago, but they said, " We are not
such fools now as we were at that time. We have learned
something since then both in regard to our hierarchy
and in regard to yourselves." In a short time a Prot

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 407

estant CImrcli was organized in Sidon consisting of seven
members, which was soon increased by others from the
city itself and from neighboring villages.

The people of Kana sent out a deputation with a
petition signed by twenty-six persons asking for a
preacher and a school. Dawhir Abbood, who was im-
mediately called from Kheiam, when he went and saw
their earnestness, was greatly delighted. Mr. Eddy
visited Kana and found all but one of the twenty-six
petitioners still in the same mind and profiting by the
instructions of Abbood. About forty assembled for
worship and instruction. From Kana he proceeded to
Alma. The people here had been assailed by persecu-
tion in vain. At this time Satan was using another
mode of trial — that of internal division. Mr. Eddy
spent three days with them, and succeeded in restoring
harmony between the parties. After this, in company
with his father, who was on a visit to Syria, Mr. Eddy
made a visit to Alma, and on the Sabbath administered
the Lord^s Supper and baptized two children. The
meetings were attended by from fifty to seventy persons.

At Kana the bishop and some of the most wealthy men
of Tyre came out together, and had a formal meeting with
the Protestants to seek to influence them, but all in vain.
Next came the prior of the convents and tried his skill,
and the effect of all this effort was that two more of the
papists came out and added their names to the list of Prot-
estants. The number soon increased to forty, who were
considered earnest and hopeful inquirers. The priests
were exasperated. The French consul was appealed to,
and the pasha was induced to grant leave to the good
Catholics of the village to punish their heretical neigh-
bors in any way they chose. So beating, fining with

408 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

false claims for debts, etc., were duly practiced, yet the
Protestant numbers continued to increase. The wrath
of man praised the Lord. The same was true of the
people of the village of Eleeas Yacob, Easheiyet el Fak-
har. 'But the Kana Protestants, perhaps because they
were nearer the rod of the oppressor, were pursued with
a malignity surpassing all others. Several of the women
had been unmercifully beaten. One woman had twice
had her food poisoned by her Catholic cook. One
mother was assailed so furiously that her* child was
dashed from her arms and killed ; another was herself
nearly killed. The men, after paying their taxes for the
year, were called upon to pay them a second time. The
head man of the village called on the governor of Tyre,
showed him his receipt, with the governor's own signa-
ture, acknowledging his payment of all government dues
for the year, but this only seemed to enrage the tyrant,
who ordered him to be beaten and put in prison. The
other Protestants were sent for, but only two could be
found. These were brought and immediately put under
the bastinado and then into prison. They had been
beaten in the most merciless manner with the staff upon
their feet, and besides that, had been kicked and tram-
pled on to make them lie still. Two of them were
beaten again in the morning, and then all were let go.
They laid a complaint against the governor before the
notorious Kurschid Pasha (nicknamed cursed pasha)
at Beirut, and after a pretended examination into their
case and after a detention of two months, all the while
out of business, they received an award of twenty or
thirtv dollars, from which, however, they must pay their
two months' board and the surgeon's fee for attending
to the healing of their wounds. Mix Pope and Turk

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 409

together after tliis sort, and we see what kind of civil
government comes out of the compound.

Deir el Kommer. — After the occupation of this city
and capital of Lebanon for a short time by three or four
of our missionaries in 1841, it was left vacant for some
years, but in the latter part of 1855 it was again occu-
pied, with the view of making it a permanent station, by
the Rev. William Bird, son of the author, who, with his
wife and Miss Cheney, had joined the mission two years
before. He was accustomed to have a Bible-class in the
morning of every Sabbath, and regularly a preaching ex-
ercise in the afternoon to about twenty-five persons. He
saw much of the people in private interviews, and found
them very accessible in conversation. But the schools
were the most prosperous department of the station. In
about a year the number of schools was seven and the
pupils two hundred. Four schools, one of them for girls,
were in the city itself. An examination of the three boys'
schools was publicly appointed for a certain day. A
friend offered a large room in his house for the occasion.
The day was rainy, but there was an attendance of a hun-
dred and fifty spectators, among whom was the Turkish
governor of the mountains. The exercises passed off
well and gave great satisfaction. The female school
commenced with twelve pupils, but in less than six
months had over fifty, and required a second teacher.
When the missionary arrived there was not more than a
half dozen Christian females who could read; in 1857
half of these fifty scholars were good readers.

^' Fifteen years ago," wrote the missionary, " a man
of my calling coukl hardly be permitted to buy his
necessary food in the market, and when he finally left
the place he was followed with stones and curses ; now

35

410 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

the same kind of man is welcomed and honored. Then
fear kept many even of his friends from calling on him;
now even the priests return his calls, and the bishop
himself has done it. The old Emeer Besheer, once
leagued with the patriarch in persecution, is passed
away, and his ruined palace is used as barracks for
soldiers. His second prime minister, who did much
against Protestantism, and whose mansion was a strong-
hold of the enemy, is no more, and what remains of
the habitation of this Ahithophel is now the abode of
the missionary, and furnishes apartments for scripture
schools and a Protestant chapel. His sons-in-law were
leaders in the movement which brought us hither, and
are among our firmest friends. His grandchildren learn
the folly of popery within his own walls. Time was
when every one trembled at the anathema of the clergy ;
now the latter dare not show their weakness by uttering
such an announcement."

At the near out-station of Ain Zehalta there was a
small Protestant community, and five persons were
church members. Khaleel, a native helper, held reg-
ular religious services with them, and with an audience
larger than that at the capital.

Such was the state of the mission-work in Deir el
Kommer, and such its prospects, when there came on
the desolating and barbarous war of 1860, which swept
that city, for the time, out of existence. The indica-
tions of war had been many for a number of months,
both Maronites and Druzes giving out mutual threats
and mutually committing murders. On the 25th of
May, the Druzes of Bshamon sent down a small party
to escort to the mountains some of their own men, who
were occupied in their silkworks on the plain. One of

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 411

these men was murdered by the Maronites, and two
others wounded. About the same time twenty Maro-
nites from Deir el Kommer set out for their homes
from Beirut, and hearing evil tidings turned back for
fear. One of these, however, being in the employ of
the governor, joined himself to a troop of Turkish sol-
diers going toward the Deir, supposing that a servant
of the governor would be as safe as his soldiers; but lie
was, notwithstanding, recognized by Druzes on the way,
and boldly shot, the Turkish soldiers apparently con-
niving at the deed. Such a murder immediately before
the eyes of a Turkish guard naturally excited in the
city the most violent resentment. The cry through the
streets was loud for vengeance. The reports of musket
shots were heard in different directions, and it was not
known but that each of these discharges killed a Druze.
But the elders and the more cool among the people suc-
ceeded in quieting the tumult, one Druze only having
been killed and only a few others wounded.

At this time, in the Kesru-an district, a Christian
army of some thousands was already collected, and
w^as advancing to annihilate the Druzes, as they said,
or drive them from the mountains. They commenced
their work about the 27th of May, at Beit Miri, burn-
ing all the houses of the Druzes and driving their
owners aw^ay. This village being situated on a high
and conspicuous elevation, the fire was seen that night
far and wide, and served as a war signal to the whole of
Lebanon. Fire and sword at once began their work of
desolation, and did not cease till all the important vil-
lages in Southern Lebanon were, either by flight or by
the sword, emptied of their Christian inhabitants.

For two days the mountains w^ere covered with smoke,

412 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

the smoke of consuming villages, extending from the
northern boundary of the Druze region to the villages
south of Sidon. In these two days also the imposing
army of Maronites from the north was met by the furi-
ous Druzes and scattered to the winds. There remained
within the Druze limits but three villages from which
they could apprehend any further annoyance, namely,
Deir el Kommer, Hasbeiya and Zahleh. These, accord-
ing to the programme, came next to be destroyed.

Operations against the Deir were commenced on the
1st of June. It so happened that at this eventful moment
our missionary was away from home. Quieted by the
peaceful assurances of the Druzes and of the Turkish
garrison, and fearing for the safety of the little commu-
nity at Ain Zehalta, Mr. Bird had gone to see if their
village had shared the common ruin. We are furnished
with a graphic account of the situation of the mission
family in these times from the pen of his wife in a letter
to her friends in America. On the morning of May 31
she writes :

" The whole Deir is enveloped in a cloud of smoke.
Exactly where it comes from we cannot tell, for we can
see nothing at a distance, but we were told yesterday
that villages were burning in every direction. We have
many fears for Ain Zehalta, our out-station. Two of
our church members from that village are staying with
us, Khaleel, our native helper, and Assad his brother.
For aught they know their houses are burned, and they
made penniless and their wives and children homeless.
There seems less probability that the Druzes will dare
to attack this place.

"June 1. — Mr. Bird has gone to Ain Zehalta with a
guard of soldiers from the governor. The object is to

BIBLE AVORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 413

find out the state of the poor Protestants there and to
see if he can do anything for them. As to ourselves,
we have of course been and are still in danger, but not
like the native people. Both parties here are friendly
to Franks and would not harm us intentionally, but
there is no knowing what a party of enraged Druzes
would do in a fight. The people of the place all tell us
they will do their utmost to defend us. Whenever there
is an alarm, women and children flock to us for refuge.
Last night five families, beside single persons, slept on
our premises. We have thousands and thousands of
piasters belonging to the people concealed in our house,
and a great amount of valuables of all kinds. We have
many opportunities of doing good by showing kindness
to the distressed. The people call down blessings upon
Mr. Bird as he passes through the streets. The ^old
men' (sheikhs) have invited him to attend several of
their deliberations, and when he enters the room they all
rise to receive him. Twenty years ago missionaries were
stoned out of the town. But hark ! I hear firing. Yes,
the whole place is full of excitement.'^

"Ten days after writing the above I once more, at my
first leisure hour, open my portfolio. God be praised,
we are all safe. The firing we heard was no false alarm.
In an hour after I had put up my pen, which I had been
using all unconscious of danger, the Druzes were upon
us and the battle had commenced in earnest. It lasted
about six hours, at the end of which time the victorious
enemy had set nearly every house in our part of the town
on fire. I will not attempt to describe my feelings in
being alone amid such horrors. The firing was dread-
ful, the bullets ^vhizzing and screaming over our heads,
rattling down into the court, and even entering the

35*

414 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

house. One of our teachers, while standing near a
window, received a ball through the fleshy part of his
shoulder. We barricaded our most exposed windows,
stoned up the outside gate, and gave the strictest orders
to all that not a single gun should be fired from the
premises. Then we dressed up three men in Mr. Bird's
old clothes and distributed them about the house to show
that it was inhabited by foreigners. Then we shut our-
selves within doors, and I tried to look to the Lord for
deliverance. He sustained me wonderfully, and I did
not once lose my self-control. There was one anxious
moment, I assure you, wheii we saw one of the Druzes
jump upon our study roof. We knew not then but our
turn had come: But Khaleel, our good native helper
from Ain Zehalta, opened the parlor door and cried out
to him that it was an English house, and asked if he did
not see the flag. The Druze bowed politely and said we
should not be harmed. Oh what a moment of relief it
was when we saw him retire ! Shall I ever forget it ?

"Our men, who were all armed, then stacked their
guns and said, ' Now we are safe.' But the Druzes were
still as thick as bees all around us, and it required our
utmost efforts to keep them ofl", as they came from dif-
ferent directions. They entered a house opposite ours
and set it on fire, after regaling themselves with a sup-
per that was cooking on the fire. Our boys' school-
house, next house to ours, was nearly all burned, and
the teachers, who lived in it, lost nearly all they pos-
sessed.

" It was a fearful evening. I cannot with my poor
eyes and hasty pen give you any idea of it. And tlien
to have Mr. Bird away ! I feared for him lest liis alarm
for us would make him push on to reach his home even

BIBLE WOBK IN BIBLE LANDS. 415

in the face of the bullets. You can imagine how he
must have felt as he came in view of the town, and
looked in vain for his loved home amid the curling
flames and clouds of smoke. He stayed with the soldiers
that night at Bteddeen, and reached us at early dawn in
tiie morning.

"As soon as he returned some of the men of the place
wished him to go to Besheer Beg, chief of the Druzes of
this district, with a flag of truce and ask for peace. So
we fastened a white handkerchief to a cane and he started
oif, with one of our Frank-dressed Arabs for an attend-
ant. They found the beg about a mile distant, sitting
under a tree and surrounded by his bands of armed men.
He made many fair promises, but the sequel showed how
little we could rely on them.

"About an hour after this interview the Druzes poured
down upon us once more, all ready for battle if resist-
ance should be offered, but the people were destitute of
ammunition and food, and not a gun was fired. The
Druze men were followed by troops of women, and to-
gether they went from house to house, plundering and
carrying off" on their backs beds, mats, divans, indeed
everything they could lay their hands on that w^as port-
able. This pi under- work was carried on for two days.

"The number of Christians killed and wounded on
the day of the battle was about eighty, and of the
Druzes double that number. Four hundred houses
were burned.

" The anxious and care-burdened days we have passed
since the attack, I cannot describe to you. When the
people found that the Druzes did not touch uSj they
came in upon us with a rush, bringing goods and chat-
tels also till there was no room to receive them. For a

416 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

number of days we had seven entire families, beside
enough others to make up a hundred persons. Since
then the number has been reduced to thirty. Even the
aged bishop took refuge with us for two nights and a
day, bringing with him, for safe keeping, his golden
mitre; and the French Jesuit, who has been zealously
teaching the people here that it was a mortal sin to come
to our house, sent a note requesting permission to come
himself.^'

The Turkish garrison, placed in the town for its
defence, did nothing to prevent or interrupt the mutual
slaughter. To them it was evidently as the entertain-
ment of a Spanish bull-fight. They did indeed send
orders to stop the incendiarism, but permitted the work
of plunder to go on. The main suffering fell upon the
suburbs of the city, the population of which, being pur-
posely hemmed in by watchful Druzes close around them,
were crowded to the centre, where the houses remained
mostly unharmed. Here they were kept under guard
as prisoners of war.

Two weeks after this bloody struggle the mission fam-
ily were in part removed from these scenes to the neigh-
boring station of Abeih, and they were followed by the
missionary himself two days after. One of these two
days being the Sabbath, Khaleel preached to an assembly
of fifty persons, to some of whom this was their first as
well as last sermon. On Thursday of that week, death
came upon the people like a sweeping tornado. " Every
remaining house was broken into, and every man and
boy that could be found was struck down and slaughtered
with the knife or the hatchet. The few that escaped were
but a small fractional part of the whole. The rank or
the age of the victim made no difference. The mur-

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 417

derers entered the governor's palace and hewed down
by scores, if not by hundreds, those who had fled thither
for safety. Blood is said to have run from the drain of
the great court like water in a time of rain. ^ Cursed
be their anger, for it was fierce, and their wrath, for it
was cruel.' The whole city has been blotted out from
the face of the earth, and we are stationless, homeless
and heart-broken.'^ These are the words of the mis-
sionary, and he proceeds : "• On the 22d, the day after
the butchery, I went over and saw on my way crowds
of widows and orphans, and mingled my tears with
theirs as I passed them. Many of the poor children
had been my scholars, and some of them members of
my Bible-class. I have no words to exj^ress my horror
and indignation at the sight of their misery.

"So far as we personally are concerned, we cannot
complain. I was treated with the utmost respect by
the chieftains and all. Our house and goods had not
been touched. Those whom w^e left in charge at our
departure and those who had fled to the house for refuge
had not been molested, though all seemed in imminent
danger. The chiefs gave me an escort to guard me and
those with me on my way back Abeih, and thus it came
to pass that the whole company of fifty were brought in
safety from the impending slaughter." More than half
of them were men and lads, who w^ould most certainly
have been massacred had they not come under the shelter
of this Protestant wing.

Simultaneously with the first attack on Deir el Kom-
mer and its surrender, the same process, as if by fixed
arrangement, was going on at our other exposed station,
Hasbeiya, where Druzes were the chief rulers. For two
days the Christians defended bravely their houses and

418 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

families, but on the third they were persuaded by Othman
Beg, the commander of the Turkish garrison, to take ref-
uge with him in the castle, with the most solemn assur-
ances of his efficient safeguard. Sitt Na-eefeh, a sister of
Said Beg Jimblaut, of Mokhtara, at the same time invited
the Protestants to come under her keeping. Her invita-
tion was accepted by Khaleel el Khoori, Kosta Majdelani,
the schoolmaster, and some others, after they had once en-
tered the castle, but Shaheen Barakat (Aboo Mansoor),
Nicola Haslab and some others of the Protestants who
had entered the castle remained, trusting to the promises
and oaths of the beg. Here he kept them many days
on short rations, all the while maintaining an ominous
silence as to what he intended to do with them, until a
large force of Druzes arrived from the Hooran. This
event was the signal for something new. In a day or
two the voices of the Druzes around the castle door were
heard chanting their war song. Every article belong-
ing to the garrison was at the same time removed from
the lower court, the men were all ordered to assemble
below and the women and children above. Armed sol-
diers were placed at the stairs that no one should reas-
cend them. When all was ready the outer door was
thrown wide open, and what followed is too horrid to
be described. It was a pack of famished wolves leaping
into the sheepfold. The slaughter was complete. If
two or three women were killed by random bullets, or
two or three men, by leaping through a window or feign-
ing themselves dead, Avere saved from the jaws of the
lions, they were accidental exceptions.

*' Just before the slaughter Aboo Mansoor, one of the
leading Protestants, a man of faith and prayer, seeing
the preparations going on, and that there was no hope of

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 419

escape, called out in a loud voice to the assembly, com-
posed of a few Protestants and multitudes of the Greeks
and Maronites : ^ My dear brethren, time is short. The
Druzes are about to be let in upon us, and we are all
going like sheep to the slaughter. We shall soon leave
this world and stand before God. In whom will you
trust ? There is no Saviour but Jesus Christ. Look to
him, call upon him, trust in him, and he will save. Re-
pent and believe, and he will not cast you off. Let
every one call on the name of the Lord Jesus, the Sa-
viour.' Great numbers of them then called out with him
to Jesus Christ to save their souls. Aboo Mansoor and
others of the Protestants continued in prayer, and he,
while in this act, was slain by the Druzes and literally
hewn to pieces."

Some remarkable incidents in this bloody tragedy are
contained in the French Roman Catholic periodical,
"Xa Revue des Deux Mondes.^^ The source from which
the account is here copied, aside from its inherent inter-
est, will justify its insertion in this place.

" The population of Hasbeiya," says the writer, " was
composed of a number of Muslim emeers of the house
of Shehab, some thousands of orthodox Greeks, a great
number of Maronites and a community of Protestants,
cruelly persecuted by all the other sects. Notwithstand-
ing the ill treatment, however, of the Protestants, they
at the moment of danger made common cause with the
emeers and their other fellow-citizens for the defence of
their country.

"The aged Barakat (Shaheen, Aboo Mansoor), beloved
and venerated throughout the mountains on account of
his piety, chose to march to the combat (notwithstanding
Lis age of seventy years), and to fight by the side of his

420 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

son Mansoor. It was this Mansoor who, freeing a pas-
sage for himself through the ranks of the Druzes, seized
the standard of the enemy, cut off the head of him that
bore it, and waving the flag on high, returned with it
as a trophy to his friends.

" The Christians were finally induced to give them-
selves up to the protection of Othman Beg. This man,
having disarmed them, kept them ten days in the castle
dying with hunger. The Druzes at last came and said
that their chiefs demanded the heads of their emeers
and the heads of a certain number of Christians, whose
names they gave ; with this they would be satisfied. . . .
Then commenced a scene of carnage the hoi-ror of which
no pen can portray. One thousand and fifty disarmed
men, Christians and Mohammedan emeers, were slaugh-
tered one after another, proscribed and unproscribed, all
alike. The Turks took no active part in the butchery,
but contented themselves with simply maintaining order.

" One of the first victims was George, the civil head
of the Greek community.* The civil head of the Prot-
estants was more fortunate. Passing through the midst
of the living and the dead, he made his way to a small
back room already filled with emeers and Christians,
some of them bleeding and dying. Hastily throwing
off his clothes, he besmeared himself with blood and
stretched himself on the floor as one that had been killed
and despoiled. The Druzes approached and slew upon
him three or four others, whose dead bodies served still

* This man was called Girgis er Eey-is. He was in the service of
the governor, the Emeer Saad ed Deen, and though professedly a
Greek, he was nevertheless a strict keeper of the Sabbath, and from
being a persecutor had become a staunch friend of the Protestants,
by whom also he was held in the highest esteem.

HASBEIYA, ITS I^OWKR PORTION.
C. Castle where the massacre of the Christiaus took i)hico in 1S60,

36

422 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

more effectually to conceal him. Tlie night came on.
He rose and dressed himself with a bloody chemise and
with a pair of wide Arab trowsers which had been left
on one of the bodies, and having made a hole in the
wall, he crept into an adjoining chamber where there
was an opening through which he escaped into the gar-
den and into the street, and so finally, amid many addi-
tional dangers, to the palace of the Sitt."

The enormities of this crusade of. Turks and Druzes
against Christians gave fury to the sympathetic fanati-
cism of the Mohammedans of Damascus, resulting in the
sudden and utter destruction of the whole Christian
quarter of that great city. Frank houses, convents and
even consulates shared in the common destruction. The
Franciscan convent contained many European friars and
nearly a thousand refugees of the natives, all of whom
were put to the sword. One Protestant missionary, Rev.
Mr. Graham, was slain in the streets. The bold native
Protestant champion, Dr. Meshaka, who was vice-con-
sul for the United States, was attacked in his own con-
sulate by some savage Koords, and fled into the street.
He was shot at repeatedly and assailed with clubs and
axes and swords. His Muslim servant stayed by him
and warded off many a death-blow, and his master was
finally rescued by a few Algerines under Abd el Kader,
and brought, all gashed with wounds and nearly naked,
to the house of a faithful Muslim friend, who bound up
his wounds and for a month took the greatest care of
him. Many persons had fled from the desolations of
Hasbeiya and vicinity only to meet death at Damascus.
Yoosef Barakat, a younger son of Shaheen of Hasbeiya,
was in a remarkable manner saved, with his whole fam-
ily of seven. They were all Protestants, and two of

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 423

them in communion with the church. The wife had
been educated in the family of our missionary, Dr. De
Forest. When the ruffians broke into Yoosef's house,
the family were all scattered in every direction. The
wife was several times a prisoner, but by giving up her
jewels one after another she was let go, and finally came
to the house of the English consul, where all the seven
from different quarters were at last brought together.

Beside the four principal towns above specified, the
large interior villages of Resheiyat el Wady and Jezzeen,
containing together four or five thousand inhabitants,
and with them two hundred smaller villages, were, in
this Turco-Druze war, either wholly or partially de-
stroyed, and their Christian population either murdered
or driven away. Deir el Mokhollis, the chief convent
of the papal Greeks" near Sidon, was violated, its inmates
slain and its goods and chattels, with its valuable library,
plundered. Mr. Wilson's station at Hums became un-
safe, and he removed to the region of Tripoli, but on
his way was robbed and held in captivity for a while by
the Arabs. How many of the smaller villages about
Damascus suffered in like manner is untold.

Great excitement also pervaded all the cities of the
coast, and it is confidently believed that massacres would
have been perpetrated in them like those of the interior
had not the Muslims been overawed by a few foreign
ships of war on the coast. At Sidon whole companies
of Christian fugitives from the mountains were denied
entrance into the city, and were overtaken and slain
by their Druze pursuers or shot down by the Turks
themselves from the city walls. The governor of the
city insolently refused a guard for the houses of the mis-
sionaries, and they were compelled to remove for safety

424 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

to Beirut. Yet even in Beirut Christians, both foreign
and native, judging from outward appearances, for a
number of days considered themselves in danger of vio-
lence and death, and subsequent revelations have made it
clear that a plot against the town had actually been ma-
tured, and failed only on account of ships in the harbor.
A similar deliverance was vouchsafed by Providence to
Acca and other maritime cities. That this wholesale
slauo^hter of Christians was not disag^reeable to the Turk-
ish government was evident not only from their promot-
ing rather than preventing it, but also from an authen-
ticated declaration years ago of one of the most eminent
pashas of Damascus, namely, that the Turkish govern-
ment could maintain its ascendency in Syria only ^^hy
cutting down the Christian sects.^^

The punishment awarded to the guilty in this bloody
war was shockingly inadequate to the crimes committed.
The governor and military commander at Damascus,
three Turkish officers, superintendents of the Hasbeiya
massacre, and one hundred and seventeen others were
indeed all shot. Fifty-six Damascene citizens died on
the scaffold. Eleven prominent men were exiled and
their property confiscated. The Turk who presided and
"kept order ^' at the massacre in Deir el Kommer, the
pasha at Beirut, and four or five other Turkish officials
were condemned to perpetual imprisonment, and several
Druzes to death, but none of these latter sentences were
ever executed, and hundreds of others, chiefly Druzes,
who were proved guilty of murder, went scot free. Not
a Druze was punished.

After this a body of commissioners from the European
powers was sent to estimate the damages for which the
Turkish government ought to make due reparation to

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 425

the remaining Christians. Those commissioners failed to
agree among themselves, and the benefit looked for from
their appointment fell very far short of the public ex-
pectation. It was well, however, that they came, and
could as eye-witnesses officially report back to their gov-
ernments the depth of misery to which the poor Lebanon
and Damascene Christians were reduced, and could also in
some degree supervise the distribution of the alms sent
for the naked, the hungry and the houseless from sym-
pathizing fellow-Christians in Europe. Crowds in thou-
sands after thousands of fugitives from Damascus and
all parts of the mountains, driven by fear and poverty,
poured down to Sidon, and especially to Beirut, nearly
all of whom were reduced to beggary, and must be fed
or die, and all the contributions of all Europe and Amer-
ica were scarcely enough for them "that everyone might
take a little." So far had the supply fallen below the
demand in the month of November that Lord Dufferin,
one of the English commissioners, felt constrained to
advance from his own private funds a loan of twenty-five
thousand dollars to save many that were not only suffer-
ing, but actually pining away and perishing from want.
The depth of wretchedness into which the Christian
population of the country were thrown by this barbarian
butchery, and the part taken by our missionaries in ad-
ministering such relief as they svere able, may be seen
from the following extracts from a letter of Dr. Thom-
son :

"We are now spending for food, clothing, bedding,
shelter, hospital and soup-kitchen at the rate of about
sixty thousand piasters a week, and yet we seem to make
little impression on the mighty mass of misery around us.
The actual working of all these departments of charity

426 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

devolves wholly upon ov/r mission. I have the clothing,
bedding, shelter and soup-kitchen under my special care;
Dr. Van Dyck takes charge of the hospital and the sick
in general. Mr. Jessup has the enormous business of
distributing bread to about six thousand persons daily,
and two of our native brethren, Bootrus Bistany and
Micha-eel Aramon, have the daily distribution to about
two thousand five hundred poor.

^' The English merchants devote much of their time
to our committee meetings, and cheerfully help in man-
aging the large financial business connected with this
vast charity. . . . The extent of the calamity is bewil-
dering. Yesterday we had an appeal in behalf of three
or four thousand refugees from Baalbec and adjacent
regions who fled over Lebanon to Besherry, near the
cedars, and are there naked and starving ; that is four
days to the north. Word also came from Mr. Ford that
fifteen hundred of the escaped from Hasbeiya and re-
gions about there had just reached Sidon, and more were
coming, while thousands are wandering about in Belad
Beshara, three days to the south of us. Again, to the
eastward going from here to Yabrood, two days beyond
Damascus toward Palmyra, the whole region has been
scathed and burnt over and the Christian population
ruined. The victims far exceed one hundred thousand.
The killed alone in Damascus are more than five thou-
sand. And then remember that in all places the killed
are men and boys, the stamina of the population, who
find the work and furnish the support. This country
has no factories where women can go and find employ-
ment and gain a living.

" I went to distribute clothing yesterday to one room.
There were six women, all newly-made widows, with no

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 427

male child or friend to comfort or care for them. An-
other room had five such widows. A friend of mine
has taken nine women into his family, all widoivs, made
such in the slaughter at Deir el Kommer. None of
these widows saved avything, and they are in rags, ex-
cept so far as we have clothed them. Mr. Calhoun,
through scenes of great anxiety, still holds the important
position of Abeih. But Mr. Ford, after working himself
almost to death here, has gone to Sidon to do the same
there for Hasbeiyans and other thousands there and to
the south of Sidon.

" In regard to the effects of this desolating war, or
rather massacre, particularly on the interests of the mis-
sion, it has been ascertained that among the victims that
fell scarcely a dozen were from among those that had
professed themselves Protestants. Very few of the sta-
tions or out-stations were more than temporarily inter-
fered with, and most of them not at all. Every mis-
sionary, and nearly or quite every missionary teacher
and helper, was spared ; and when peace came, many of
them were immediately and intensely engaged in the very
work that occupied their divine Master — in feeding the
hungry, as he did, by thousands at once, in preaching to
them at the same time the gospel of the kingdom, and
in healing, so far as means could go, 'all manner of sick-
ness and all manner of disease among the people.' Lord
Dufferin, in speaking of the part borne by the Syrian
missionaries in this work of humanity and religion,
awards to them unmeasured commendation, declaring
that ' without their indefatigable exertions the supplies
sent from Christendom could never have been properly
distributed no7' the starvation of thousands of the needy
been prevented.' "

428 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

Thus in the most favorable circumstances possible were
the missionaries introduced to the personal knowledge
and acquaintance of multitudes of the natives whom they
came into this land to benefit, but who otherwise would
never have seen them, and probably never have heard
of them, except it might be in priestly proclamation,
styling them " wolves in sheep's clothing and enemies of
the human racer

In less than two months after the assassin's hand was
stayed the missionaries were able to say, "The Beirut
station continues its operations, the press is working, the
female school is open as usual, and the boys' school would
be but that the school-room is full of refugees, the trans-
lation of the scriptures has been resumed, the printing
of the voweled edition of the New Testament is about to
be commenced, and, what is more important than all,
our chapel is crowded with hearers, and we have and
are likely to have more direct missionary work to do in
Beirut than ever before. Mr. Calhoun has remained at
his station, where he has kept up his regular preaching
service both in Abeih and in Aramlin, the congregations
being as large as before the war, if not larger. The
common schools at these two places have been re-opened
at the urgent request of both Christians and Druzes,
and we are inclined to think that even at Deir el Kom-
mer, when the old settlers that escaped shall return and
new ones come in, the door for the gospel will be open
there wider than in the days of its prosperity. Mr.
Ford has increased calls upon him for mission work, not
only for the city of Sidon itself, but for his out-stations
of Cana, Alma and the villages of Merj Aioon.

" So far from having nothing to do now in Syria,"
says Mr. Ford, " we never were so busy in our lives be-

BTBI.E WORK IN BIIJLE LANDS. 429

fore. There is no lack of opportunity for tlie direct
preaching of the gospel at nearly all our stations, and at
some of them the congregations are very large and the
])eople quite at leisure to listen to the truth."

Ever since the terrible visitation already described,
Syria has remained in comparative peace and the
mission has been steadily increasing in strength. This
increase has appeared more especially in three particu-
lars— in its'laborerSf in its educational jpreparations, and
in its press. Its ministry has held its own in point of
numbers. One strong man has been translated to a
higher sphere, and others have left the field finally or
for a time, but their places have been filled by new re-
cruits, and in the female branch more than filled. INIean-
time, all have been growing strong in speech, so that it
may be said now, as it never could have been before, that
we have in the work a force of ten or twelve men able
to announce the gospel message about as well in Arabic
as in English. In this estimate, however, the men of
the college roust be included. The theological seminary,
in its new organization, the female boarding-school, with
its full complement of teachers, and the new college for
literature and science will conspire to establish a new
era in Arab thought in Syria, while the press, with its
varied and elegant typography, and its power of turning
out annually ten million pages of human and divine in-
struction, will contribute nourishment for the awakened
minds and softened hearts of perishing millions.

This great and glorious enterprise for Syria lately
passed, by mutual agreement, from the hands of the
American Board of Missions to those of the Presbyterian
Board. What the state and condition of it was at the
time of the transfer may be seen in part by the follow-

430 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

ing extracts from an account written by a laborer on the
ground, the Rev. D. Stuart Dodge :

" The Syria mission was originally planted to evan-
gelize the non-Christian sects, especially the Mohamme-
dans; its work among nominal Christians was only a
means to this end. Oriental Christianity stood as the
chief stumbling-block to labors among the heathen be-
yond. This it was necessary to remove by exhibiting a
Christian church with a purer faith and holier life. The
gospel must be preached in the vernacular; only natives
could do this to the best advantage and to the extent
demanded. All efforts, therefore, have been primarily
directed to the Oriental churches.

"1. The Maronites, dwelling principally on Mt. Leb-
anon north of Beirut, descendants of the ancient Syrians,
and numbering two hundred thousand. They are pa-
pists, the common people ignorant, the priesthood edu-
cated and powerful, the patriarch ruling with a rod of
iron.

"2. The papal Greeks, numbering fifty thousand, of
pure Arab stock, the proudest, most intelligent and en-
terprising people of Syria.

"3. The Orthodox Greek Church, embracing one hun-
dred and fifty thousand ; its higliest dignitaries foreign-
ers, rarely speaking Arabic, and having little sympathy
with the customs and wants of their people.

" In respect to all these sects, therefore, it is a signifi-
cant and encouraging fact that, just as tlie mission is
transferred, the people which it seeks to evangelize were
never in a more favorable condition for enlarged and vig-
orous effort. The leaven scattered through so many years
is not only apparent from a gradually-increasing spirit
of inquiry, but unlooked-for events have now stirred up

BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS. 431

tlie wliole mass to an unwonted ferment, and we arc eni-
^pliatically called to take advantage of the opportunity.

"The material equipment for this work is at hand.
1. Churches have been erected in many of the prominent
towns and villages. The Sidon station has seven com-
modious and permanent buildings. All the stations
have school-houses or accommodations for worship in de-
sirable localities. Beirut, the strategic base of the mis-
sion, a city of eighty thousand inhabitants, the chief
seaport and centre of influence in Syria, has now a sub-
stantial and graceful structure on a commanding site,
with sittings for four hundred and fifty persons, and
with a tower and clock, which stands up before all eyes
a solid argument for Protestantism.

"2. Educational institutions have been established.
The theological seminary has recently been re-organized.
Mr. Calhoun, Dr. H. H. Jessup and Mr. Eddy are the
efficient professors. The number of students is small,
but no effort will now be spared to give this institution
the prominence its vital work demands. The college is
year by year attracting more widely the attention and
confidence of the people. Drs. Bliss, Yan Byck, Post,
Wortabet and others are absorbed in efforts to build it
up on a basis of sound, systematic evangelical culture.
It has eighty students in the literary and medical depart-
ments, with already extensive cabinets and apparatus, a
hospital, dispensary and other aj^pointments. It is not
organically connected with the mission, an independent
organization being deemed necessary. This, however,
tends even more effectively to promote the objects of the
mission. Its one comprehensive aim is to raise up men
from among the people themselves to evangelize their
own country.

432 BIBLE WORK IN BIBLE LANDS.

"An academy is located at A belli to prepare teachers
for primary schools on the mountain and to fit students
for the college. District schools exist throughout the
field. A noble /e??ia^c academy flourishes at Beirut, with
forty boarders and as many more day scholars. This
school already exerts a wide influence, and is to become a
centre for woman's work among women. A smaller in-
stitution at Sidon educates teachers for infant schools and
wives for native helpers, whilst schools, chiefly primary,
have been established at different places by Scotch and
English societies.

"3. The press, also at Beirut and near the church,
has long been felt in all parts of the Orient. It sends
out annually from five to six millions of pages in vari-
ous departments of religious and secular knowledge.
The type and electrotype plates are made on the prem-
ises. Mr. Hallock is the able manager. Dr. Van Dyck
has now issued six editions of the Old Testament and
eight of the New almost wholly at the expense of the
American Bible Society. A voweled Bible has just
been finished for Mohammedan readers, and portions of
the gospel have been issued for the blind.

"All these agencies are now in active operation. They
need only such facilities as can readily be supplied, and
then they should be pushed to their utmost capacity.

^' The field is ready, the machinei^y is provided; let the
MEN be forthcoming. '^

THE END.

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