2 85-567 58 Bainbridge, Miss C. 50c.; Cairo, Union 8. 8.

1,067 29

2,422 26

2,707 26 Legacies,

Nasbelya.

JOURNAL OF MR. THOMSON.

MR. THOMSON and Dr. Van Dyck, it is already known, have charge of the Hasbeiya station; though they reside for the present at Sidon. The former made a visit to Hasbeiya in October last; and he has sent to the Missionary House a journal of eight days spent in that place and its immediate vicinity. With the aid of this interesting communication, the reader will be able to inform himself more fully in regard to the conquests which the gospel is making in that region.

Changes-Place of Worship.

October 9. Our evening meeting has just closed. John Wortabet preached

which leads men to ask for the gospel, we rejoice and preach. God makes the occasion, presents the gospel, converts the soul. All is his work.

We have preaching every night to large audiences. The whole town is moved; and wherever I go, religion is the topic of conversation, not its externals, but the great cardinal truths of life and salvation. We are also in perfect peace. The old Emir is decidedly favorable; and no one presumes to move his tongue against the work. And the people now understand that we will not meddle in their worldly or political affairs; and, therefore, they do not trouble us about them. Thus we are permitted, and even expected, to know nothing but Christ

and him crucified.

The subjoined extract affords additional evidence of the change which the gospel has already effected at Hasbeiya.

an earnest and excellent sermon to about one hundred very attentive hearers. Most of these are comparatively new Protestants. I do not mean that they have not long heard the gospel; for most of the people here have been com- Hitherto we have all met in a large pelled to hear it, for years past, by the room, capable of holding about one very stringency and fury of the opposi- hundred; and a corner of it was curtion and persecution. Still the greater tained off for the women. But as our part of our audience have but recently congregation is becoming larger daily, declared themselves Protestants. Some the place is too straight for us. To are old and gray, but most are young remedy this, we have with our own hands men in the prime of life. They gener- broke down the wall between the chapel ally seem to be in earnest, and differ and an adjoining room. A poor widow, widely from the rude and wild crowd a member of the church, made the morthat set this work in motion six years tar, and plastered the parts which required ago. The movement in its origin, | it, according to Hasbeiya style. Two or moreover, was wholly worldly; now a three young women have sewed hard at fair proportion act from conviction. But the curtain, which is to be instead of the whatever be the motive or the occasion wall; and by to-morrow we shall have 3

VOL. XLVIII.

towards the south-east, when, entering the vineyards, I came to a solitary lodge in the gardens. Four posts, planted in the ground, supported a floor made of poles and platted cane, a few feet abovethe surface. Above this is the lodge, about six feet square and as many high, constructed by twisting and weaving green withs, leaves and all, into walls and a canopy, tight and snug and quite impenetrable to the rays of the sun. This is the home of the owner of these gardens for about eight months of the year. We have long known him as a quiet, serious Protestant, and for some time past as a humble applicant for admission to the church.

our chapel remodeled and neatly cur- I took the two deacons, and, having tained; while the stand, answering to a threaded the crooked lanes of the town, pulpit, has also had a new cover made climbed up the steep side of Hermon for it by the industry of the same females. The people are talking in earnest about building a church; and I think they will accomplish it before another year closes. The west wall of the female half of our chapel is also the wall of an adjoining house, the inhabitants of which have recently become our friends. There was a small hole in this wall, about three inches in diameter; and to-day the women of the house begged to have the aperture enlarged, that through it they might hear the preaching. Of course their request was complied with. May the light and breath of life reach many a perishing sinner through this opening! There is also a window on the men's side, about a foot square, so high that no one can see into the room; but cautious and timid Nicodemuses come by night, and sit beneath it during our evening worship.

After a joyful welcome from our friend, I crept into this little lodge through a small aperture, followed by the two deacons. There was just room 10. Much of this day has been taken enough for us four. I sat down upon up with visits from Emirs, Druze his hard bed, if a single quilt and pillow Sheikhs, and the elders of the place. can be called a bed. On the pillow lay All the leading men who so vehemently the Arabic Bible, Prayers for every day in opposed us and our work at first, now the week, Thomas à Kempis's Imitation seek our acquaintance and friendship. of Christ, and Dr. Smith's work on the Late in the afternoon, moreover, an Offices and Work of the Holy Spirit, all officer from the old Emir brought a well worn by constant use. It is imposprisoner to me, with a message from his sible to detail minutely our long and master to the effect that the man had interesting conversation, as it spread beaten and otherwise abused his mother-over the whole system of redemption. in-law, for which offence the Emîr had It was more than satisfactory, however; cast him into prison. But, hearing that it was delightful and refreshing. he professed to be a Protestant, he sent him to me, with the request that I would admonish and rebuke him, that he might do so no more. The Emir declared that out of respect to me he forbore this time to punish the fellow as he deserved; but that he could not suffer him to escape so easily, if he repeated the offence. I told the officer to carry my compliments to the Emîr, and inform him that I had never seen the prisoner before, and knew nothing about him; and, further, that in no case would I interfere with the administration of justice; that was his business as Governor; whereas mine was to preach the gospel and nothing else.

And this is the same Emîr, Mr. Thompson says, who swore to exterminate the Protestants from all Hermon, and who labored for years to

fulfill his oath.

A delightful Interview.

Some of our friend's remarks were amusing by their earnestness. One of the deacons inquired what he now thought about the saints, whom he formerly worshiped. "Oh," said he, "since I have learned to hang my soul with all its hopes on the blessed Savior alone, I have forgotten the very names of the saints." "Well; but you do not hate them?" "By no means; I love all true saints, whenever and wherever they have lived in ages past, or do now serve the Lord on the earth; but in the matter of salvation they have nothing to do with me, or I with them."

At the close of our visit we knelt in prayer. A delicious breeze among the boughs and silvery leaves of the large olive tree, overshadowing the lodge, seemed to whisper peace through this ancient and world-accepted emblem of peace. Fit place for prayer! Above us, in solemn majesty, towers the hoary head of Hermon. Beneath us, in yonder

11. Scenes of diversified interest lovely vale, the tall poplar and lowly occur in our daily labors. This morning | oleander unite to guard and shelter the

14. We had a room full of serious

infant Jordan; and many a generous | securing a suitable place of worship. The record fountain sends forth its crystal contri- of his sojourn in this place is full of interest. butions to the sacred river in which the Son of God was baptized. All around us the vine with its branches hangs over hearers last night; and a number rethe terrace walls, emblem of the Savior mained until a late hour, conversing on and his people; while the crushed clus- the great subject of salvation. .There ters pour forth the fragrant memorial of are about a dozen men here who have that precious blood which was our theme declared themselves Protestants; and as we knelt in prayer. many more are discussing and examining the matter with earnestness. A great hinderance to rapid progress is the scarcity of readers. Not half a dozen grown men can read; but the two or three pious persons who are members of the church, read well; and E. Y., a former pupil of our seminary, can conduct public worship with great propriety and profit to these ignorant villagers.

It was good to be on that mountainside, 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 pure canopy of heaven above our heads. Yes, it was good to be there. I crept forth from this humble lodge with eyes blinded with tears.

This

In the afternoon, as the old man was 15. From early morning till eleven coming to our preparatory lecture, I met o'clock at night I have been occupied him upon the stairs. Seizing my hand, with the affairs of this people, chiefly in. he said, "Ever since you left me this visiting and conversing with new inmorning, I have been looking up into quirers. I visited, by request, the family. heaven; and I see nothing there but of J. R., among others, and spent an Christ." Gazing earnestly up into the hour in conversing with the old man and clear blue sky, with a voice which almost his four sons about the gospel. frightened me, he repeated several times, was the home of the great Greek Pa"I see nothing in heaven but Christ." triarch, when he came here five years "I see nothing in heaven but Christ." ago to annihilate the Protestants, and put a stop to the spread of evangelical religion; and J. R. was his right arm in the work of persecution. Now he and his sons are declared Protestants; and in the very room where the patriarch had his divan, and took counsel daily with his friends as to the most effectual way to exterminate the gospel from Hasbeiya, I was permitted to preach Christ to this interesting family. This was the former Patriarch, who died without achieving his bad enterprise.

An Interesting Sabbath.

12. This Sabbath has been a day to be remembered., Long before the services began, the house was crowded. Including the sermon, the reception of new members, and the administration of the Lord's Supper, I spoke nearly three hours. No one moved from his place. Silent and solemn and earnest, the audi

ence listened as for their lives to the very last word; and many eyes, unused to weep, were bathed in tears.

Our little window has done good service to-day. The neighboring room was full of women; and they crowded round the window, as prisoners would hang about the only access to light and air. They remained perfectly quiet through

out the long service. There must have been at least one hundred and eighty present in all; and such an audience it has never been my privilege to address on missionary ground. I cannot doubt that the Spirit of God is operating on many minds in this community.

Visit to Rashaiah.

On the following day Mr. Thomson rode over the mountain to Rashaiah, to meet the Protestants of that village, and make arrangements for

His successor came from Constantinople, with ample purse and ample powers to carry on the war. For months his threatened visit hung in terror over the little company of Protestants. We were warned by official men to be on Our guard; for the new Patriarch had this nest of Protestants, if it cost him declared his determination to break up

their weight in gold. About two months ago we ascertained that he had actually left Damascus on his way to Hasbeiya; and we waited his coming with some anxiety for a few days; when, lo, he made his appearance in Sidon, not having accomplished any thing in Hasbeiya. It now comes out that at Rashaiah a quarrel arose between his men and the Druzes; that the Patriarch became alarmed; whereupon, it is said, he fled and lay hid two whole days without any thing to