again in the flesh. The Lord was pleased, | not usually live so fast, under such conhowever, to permit three of the mission- stant excitement, under a strain upon all aries, with two of their wives, to visit their intellectual and moral powers, America again, after an absence of from which cannot but be unfavorable to long fifteen to twenty-five years, and to meet life. The physical burdens of a missome even of the older portion of that sionary, even if he were itinerating a company; though many had fallen asleep. great part of the time, and among a wild Now, at the end of a third of a century, or half-civilized people, would not wear three out of the four missionaries, and upon the springs of life as this feverish one of the wives, with the colored excitement, which wastes away the woman, are alive and in tolerable health. brain, and makes young men prematurely Perhaps three-fourths of the ministers, old. then in New England, of a similar age, In India we are obliged to "be sober," are not now alive. Certainly of the mis- and to let our "moderation be known sionaries in India at that time, neither unto all men." We early learn that the three-fourths nor one-half, nor, indeed, nerves must have rest; that we cannot more than one-tenth remain; though bear constant excitement; that it costs many are alive in their native land. Ex-too much to quarrel with any one, though cept Messrs. Meigs and Poor in Ceylon, we must "contend earnestly for the strictly speaking not in India, I think faith"; and we learn to be quiet, and so there are only two remaining who were avoid at least one cause of ill health. in it as missionaries, when we arrived; and they came out the same year. There are two, ordained afterwards, who were then in the country; but one of them is past labor.

I think then the Board have reason to be thankful for the goodness of God to their servants here; and the more so, if they consider that the brethren mentioned as in Ceylon when we arrived, and who still remain after a service of more than thirty-seven years, are onehalf of the company of missionaries, four in number, who commenced their labors in Jaffna at that time. Two (Richards and Warren) early went to their rest; the other two are the oldest missionaries either in Ceylon or India.

Oroomíah.

LETTER FROM MR. BREATH, JUNE 17,

1853.

THE following extracts from a recent letter contain items of information that will be read

with interest.

Schools-Gawar-Judgments.

Both seminaries have been disbanded for the season; but it can scarcely be called a vacation, inasmuch as some twenty pupils are still retained for instruction during a portion of the summer months. Of our seventy-eight village schools, fifty-nine have been already dismissed for the season; and probably most of the remaining nineteen will be suspended for the coming three months. Through the instrumentality of a (we hope) converted Jew, a school has been recently opened in the Jewish quarter of the city. It numbers thirty scholars; but it is doubtful whether Christian instruction can be introduced into it sufficiently to make it a profitable missionary undertaking.

To young missionaries, who feel that in coming to India they must look forward to an early grave, I would say that this should be no reason for declining to come, if the Lord has called you; as Martyn would not have refused the service, even had he known how soon it must end. But I would also say, that for those whose constitutions are not particularly unfitted for the climate, there is no reason for expecting an early death. It would be difficult perhaps to prove it by statistics; but, allowing those to return to their native land who have made full proof of the climate, and find they cannot bear it, and allowing a furlough of two years to those who have been twelve or fifteen years in the country, to recruit themselves by breathing the air of their native hills or plains, and this repeated, if necessary, I think the life of missionaries here would fully equal that of ministers at home. Not certainly that the climate is so good; but that they doment.

Our brethren in the mountains are of good heart, and interpret none of their discouragements as a "frowning providence." They consider that they have taken possession, and wish, as far as possible, to lay their plans accordingly. They do earnestly desire another family, that of a physician, to be immediately associated with them. I can appreciate their solicitude.

God is dealing with this land in judg-
The Persian newspaper states

1853.

Gawar :-Visit of Messrs. Rhea and Crane to Ishtazin.

Labors of the Sabbath.

303

The missionaries spent a very pleasant Sabbath in the valley, though not a little disappointed to find the villages almost depopulated of their men, who had gone down to the plains of Mosul, Bagdad and Damascus in the fall, and had not yet returned; their audiences, therefore, were made up of the old men, women and children. In the morning two old grey-headed men went to see them. One, whose eyes were dim from age, said to them, "I heard you were in our village; and I have come to hear from you the words of God."

that Shiraz has been partially destroyed by an earthquake, ten or twelve thousand persons having been buried beneath the ruins. The cholera is prevailing extensively at Tehran; and it is said that the plague is ravaging Khorassân. The large river which watered Isfahân, and fertilized the plain, it is affirmed, has disappeared. The fact that this river was previously, in a part of its course, subterranean, makes this startling report probable. The King is, besides, very unpopular. An attempt was made a short time since to poison him; and there" Soon a company of some thirty or forty mothis a wide impression that he will be made away with before long.

Gawar.

ers and their children," Mr. Rhea says, "gathered around us, to whom we read the parable of the Pharisee and the Publican, and tried to illustrate the difference between the religion of the heart, and that of mere formalism and hypocrisy. They seemed to grasp the meaning of the para

VISIT OF MESSRS. RHEA AND CRANE TO ble, and were delighted with its simple truthful

ISHTAZIN.

LAST Spring Messrs. Rhea and Crane made a short excursion to the valley of Ishtazin, for the purpose of preaching the gospel of Christ to the rude inhabitants of that secluded district. They had attempted to go thither in the winter, but were driven back by a storm. Now, however, they found it comparatively easy to perform the journey.

A Penitent Sufferer.

It was on a Saturday afternoon that our brethren reached the village of Mar Ogen, the good old pipe-maker, whose name has been so often mentioned in the Herald. Here they designed to spend the approaching Sabbath. On their arrival, however, they were made sad by an accident, which had happened to their pious friend. He had been a cripple for some twenty years; and now a fall from a roof a few nights before had inflicted a further injury. But these brethren were greatly edified by the Christian spirit of the aged Nestorian. "Though in great pain," they say," and hardly able to move his body, he was giving glory to God in his afflictions. He was much rejoiced to see us; and we were no less glad to see him. It was very pleasant to sit by him, and bring to his mind words of consolation from God's rich stores. In the midst of his sufferings, he would sometimes break out into audible petitions, like the following: 'O Lord Jesus, thou art the King of glory, the King of kings, and Lord of lords. Thou art great, and holy, and merciful. I am a sinner. I am condemned. My face is black. My bones are rotten. O Lord Jesus, have mercy upon me, poor and blind and naked and miserable. O Lord Jesus Christ, I am a sinner; I am vile. I am lost; but do thou remember me.'"

ness, commending itself at once to their consciences."

Messrs. Rhea and Crane ascended to the vil

lage of Serpil, three miles distant. They were received with less cordiality, however, than they had met with below; though some listened with earnestness to the words of eternal life. After their return to the village of Mar Ogen, they were pained by the desecration of the Sabbath which they beheld around them. "We saw an old lady," writes Mr. Rhea, "sitting with the pieces of a garment before her, inspecting them very intently, and apparently just ready to begin her work. When asked if she intended to sew on the Sabbath, she exclaimed, 'No,' with abhorrence. She said she was only contriving to see how the pieces would fit, and to-morrow she would sew them. Perhaps no one would think of ploughing or harvesting; and yet they do not hesitate to assemble and put timbers on a new roof, alleging that it is the only day when they are all together."

In the afternoon our young brethren went to a neighboring village. "Quite a number of women came around us," Mr. Rhea continues," and listened to the story of the Samaritan woman. The word in every mouth seemed to be, We are lost sheep. We have no shepherd. We are vile. We are on the way to hell. Our place is in the fire.' Many seem to despair of ever being delivered from the bondage of sin. True, they are willing slaves; but it is a privilege to declare to them that liberty wherewith Christ makes his people free." In the evening the missionaries returned to Mar Ogen's village, weary but rejoicing, and made their bed in the open air.

Affecting Interviews.

Next morning Messrs. Rhea and Crane went out to see the villagers at their daily tasks. "We

found one man," the narrative says, "digging | Crane in the evening, one of whom said, “There

is no hope. This work will never go with us, sinners and infidels." They told her of an almighty Savior, who had conquered death and hell. They told her of the woman who bathed the feet of Jesus with her tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head, and those precious words which fell from his lips. Again she smote upon her breast, and said, "Alas for us! Would to God that it might." Our brethren found those, and they were not a few, who rashly trust all to God's mercy, let them live as they may. There are others who have no idea of religion as a per

out huge rocks from the little piece of ground, perhaps one tenth of an acre, which he had terraced upon the steep bank of the river. He had already toiled five long months, and expected to toil five more, before his patch would be ready for the plough. As we drew near, he lighted his pipe; and we sat down together. We spoke to him of the great concern, the salvation of his undying soul. He made the universal excuse, We have no priest or deacon to teach us.' We told him that our Lord Jesus was able and willing to do more for him than any priest or deacon could. We dwelt upon his love, his sufficiency, his will-sonal matter. Long since they have committed ingness to take poor sinners by the hand, and conduct them safe through all life's trials to his blessed kingdom. We were pleased with the simple-hearted manner in which he listened. He said, if there was only a person to tell him these pleasant tidings two or three times more, men might strike him, beat him and revile him, but he would not say a word."

their souls to their ecclesiastics, hoping, with what little incidental aid they can render by their fasts, prayers, alms and sacraments, and the observance of the vain and (in some cases) almost blasphemous customs of their church, all will be safe.

There are still others whose God is a hard master. They fast, pray, and give alms; but their Our brethren found another very poor man on sins increase upon them in a tenfold ratio to his knees, digging with his hands, and pulling their good works. Every day they have the the stones out of his little patch of ground. He most humiliating exhibitions of the vileness of said the water, every year, washed the soil away, their hearts, and the strong hold which sin has and left the rocks bare; and it was necessary, over them. The sound of free pardon and every year, to dig them out again. He looked almighty grace has never fallen upon their ears; poor and miserable, indeed. "We told him of a and they sink down into settled despair. "Who," better country," Mr. Rhea continues; "and as thought our brethren, "can tell the joy of him we dwelt upon its glories, his interest was awak-whose privilege it is to tell to these dwellers in ened. He thought it was our own country; and the mountains such glad tidings."

he was ready even then to set out with us to reach it. But when we told him that it was the New Jerusalem, he said, 'Ah, this is not for us. We are vile. Our very soil is vile. Look at those rocks. So hard are these hearts of ours. Our place is in the fire.' We endeavored to inspire the poor creature with hope that it might be otherwise."

Further down the river the missionaries saw a man ploughing his little field, his wife following after him, gathering up the stones. "They both stopped," Mr. Rhea says, "and sat down to gether; and we sat with them. We preached Jesus, and forgiveness through his precious blood. The poor woman listened seriously; and her husband looked up, and expressed much surprise when we assured him that there was in Jesus free mercy for all the past, and free grace for all that is to come. We invited them to go to Jesus,

Conclusion.

Messrs. Rhea and Crane spent Tuesday and Wednesday among the other villages of Ishtazin, accompanied by a cordial old friend, the father of the former malek of the district. " Wherever we went," the narrative says, "the mothers and their children, with the few men who were left, gathered around us; and we had opportunities of meeting with almost every individual, and making known Christ. We returned to our homes on Thursday, much strengthened in body, and refreshed in spirit, grateful for the privilege of visiting a valley, whose spiritual destitution appeals so touchingly to our sympathies."

Syria.

B'hamdun.

and they said, 'We will come.' Poor people! LETTER FROM MR. BENTON, JUNE 6, 1853. No one who does not mingle with them, can know the hopeless bondage in which they are enslaved. A gleam of hope flashes across their minds, and they say, 'We will come'; but it is often as the morning cloud, and the early dew. Still we sow in hope."

Spiritual Death.

Several women came to Messrs. Rhea and

MR. AND MRS. BENTON are now at B'hamdun, devoting themselves to the spiritual interests of the Arabs in that village. The following extracts will show what encouragement they find in their present situation.

Since our arrival at this village, April

19, we have been in daily intercourse | villages of Christians or Druzes, containing sev with the people. No degree of opposi- eral thousands of inhabitants, all accessible from tion has appeared from any quarter to this place. Of the labors of himself and wife, impede the progress of the gospel in this he speaks as follows: and the neighboring places. A deep impression has been made in favor of Protestant Christianity, evidently from the residence of some of the mission families in B'hamdun, during the summer months, for the past fifteen years and more. All have seemed friendly, Greeks, Maronites and Druzes; and all have repeatedly requested us to reside permanently among them.

The inhabitants of B'hamdun are either Greeks or Maronites. The Druzes belong to other villages around us. Intercourse is free between the different sects of Christians, and between the different communities of Christians, Druzes, and Mohammedans. In some places all these communities send their children to the same school; they all assemble promiscuously on funeral occasions; and their habits of mind and life are more similar than we have found elsewhere in Syria. Like the inhabitants of other mountains, the Lebanonites are more independent in thought and action, of simpler habits and character, and more accessible and democratic, than the inhabitants of cities.

Two Bible classes were opened, April 24. Both have increased in numbers and interest, particularly the class for the women, which is conducted by Mrs. Benton. More than twenty women were present on the last Sabbath, some of whom appear to receive the messages of and to be nigh to the kingdom of God. salvation with much gladness of heart, After the class had dispersed, others came, begging Mrs. Benton to repeat to them what she had said to the others.

From fifteen to twenty have attended the other class; and there is now also a little Sabbath school of twenty or thirty little girls. We hope soon to form another for the little boys, and to find, as in truth we have felt, that "He that openeth, and no man shutteth," has here opened a wide and effectual door, and has much people all around us. I verily believe that there is not at present, within the whole territory occupied by our mission, a more promising field than this part of

Lebanon.

Choctaws.

STATION REPORTS.

B'hamdun is beautiful for situation, and of a delightful climate. It commands an extensive prospect of the Mediterranean, which forms not less than a third part of the boundary of its visible THE reports of the missionaries among the horizon, and is about three thousand six Choctaws having been received, an abstract of hundred feet below; of Beirût, with its these documents will now be submitted to the gardens, about twelve miles distant; and readers of the Herald. The statistics of the also, at this season, of Cyprus, nearly one churches, it will be seen, are incomplete. It is suphundred miles distant, when behind its posed, however, that nearly one hundred persons mountains the sun sinks into the sea.have been admitted to the ordinances of the gosImmediately around us, on these goodly pel within the past year. mountains, and in the valleys, are thousands of vineyards, orchards and gardens, covering all their sides, and crowning their summits with the choicest foliage and fruits. The climate is more uniform, and of a more agreeable temperature, than that of New England. The average of the thermometer for May, resulting from about eighty observations, was only 66° 20'; and for June 73° 20. These days it varies between 74° and 78°, seldom rising above 80°, and sometimes falling below 70°.

Stockbridge.

This station suffered not a little from the absence of Mr. Byington. His elders endeavored of a resident missionary were very much needed. to sustain the ordinary services; but the labors Within the last two years, thirteen persons have been received into this church, and eight have died. The number of communicants is nominally 141; but Mr. Byington thinks there are not so many, who are "true to their Lord and Master." There are nine preaching places in his field.

The boarding-school has materially improved within the last few months. The chairman of the trustees was present at its opening, January 26, and also at its close, June 22. "He expressed himself as happily disappointed in the general appearance of the scholars. Considering the

shortness of the session, he was gratified with | has embraced geography, grammar, arithmetic, their evident progress." The number of "appropriation pupils" was thirty-one, of day schol

The boarding-school has had an average at tendance of forty-two pupils, the highest number having been forty-eight. A few of these, how-good. "At Doaksville, Fort Towson, and Pine ever, are day-scholars; and a few are boarded by their friends. The course of study has been the same as heretofore reported, with the addition of Brown's Guide to Science and a small work on physiology. "The Bible is daily read and studied," Mrs. Wright says; "and great pains are taken to convince the scholars that they are not merely intellectual, but moral and accountable beings. Hence the inculcation of divine

Ridge," Mr. Kingsbury says, "all within the bounds of the congregation, there is a weekly prayer meeting; and all of these I attend. There is now no chaplain at the Fort. The monthly concert is attended in the two former places, at both of which I am present. The family at Pine Ridge put in their contributions at Doaksville. All the children are furnished with the means of giving their mite every month. The collections at these concerts, the past year, have amounted to $246,90."

Five persons were received into the Pine Ridge church by profession, during the last twelvemonth. One of these is the surgeon at Fort Towson, two miles from Doaksville; respecting whom Mr. Kingsbury writes as follows: "He is one of the most skillful and kindest of physicians; and now he is an exemplary, active Christian. With his pious lady, he has a Sunday school at the Fort, and takes an active part in prayer meetings. He feels a lively interest in our mission, and has