that they are very earnest in their desires to escape from it. One of them told me that he knows four more, within a few miles of Beyroot, who are in the same state. This man's case has already enlisted the tender mercies of two of the papal bishops. The bishop of Zahaly has traveled over the snowy heights of Lebanon, to aid the bishop of Beyroot to bring the lost sheep back to the fold. Council after council has been held, and the poor man has been assailed with the two strong arguments of the pope, money and torture. It is enough to drive a man mad to be assailed night and day, with the cries of mother and sisters, relatives and friends, bribes, honors, prisons, poison, and death. He is much afraid for his life, and appears to entertain no doubt but that he will be poisoned, if they get him in their power and he refuses to submit to the church. It is singular that they all have this same fear. Would to God we had as much evidence of the real piety of these priests, as we have of several of the common people, who are now suffering the same storm of opposition."

The past year has been signalized by an extraordinary religious excitement among the Druzes. These people are a sort of heretical Mohammedans, numbering sixty or seventy thousand souls. They are found chiefly in the mountains of Lebanon, and in the country south of Damascus, called the Hauran. The sect originated with Hakem, a caliph of Egypt and a cruel prince, but derived its name from El Drusi, a zealous disciple of the caliph. The Druzes believe Hakem to be the tenth and last and most important incarnation of God, and render him divine honors as such. They have ever taken great pains to conceal the nature of their religion. It appears to be a compound of Mohammedanism, Christianity, and Paganism. Four centuries and a half after the death of the founder of this sect, it became united and powerful under one chief. Inhabiting the rugged mountains of Libanus, they have for many ages maintained a free and independent spirit in the midst of despotism. They have ever been warlike, and have remained a semi-independent province of the Turkish dominions, down to the summer of 1835. Ibrahim Pasha then appeared suddenly and unexpectedly before Der El Kamer, their capital, at the head of eighteen thousand men, and deprived their whole community of their arms, which every individual before was accustomed to wear on his person.

Previous to this time, and as early as 1831, the brethren at Beyroot began to have hopes of introducing the gospel among the Druzes of Mount Lebanon. A Druze woman was in the habit of coming daily to listen to the reading of the Scriptures and to religious conversation. Often her face was bathed in tears, while she replied, "That's the truth." She continued her visits until she was taken sick of the plague, of which she died. An old man also, an Akal, or one initiated into the mysteries of the Druze religion, came, and after much disputation, professed to receive the gospel, and in proof of his sincerity brought one of the secret books of his religion, and gave it to the missionaries. Moreover, on a certain occasion,

when one of the missionaries was on the mountains, he was invited to attend one of the religious weekly meetings of the Druzes, and at their request, after their service was over, read and expounded a portion of the word of God.

In the year 1835, the prospects among the Druzes became much more favorable. Mr. Bird and others spent the hot summer months at Aaleih, a Druze village upon the mountains. Here Mrs. Dodge gathered a female school among them, and Mr. Bird had a small Druze audience at his Arabic preaching every Sabbath. The people heard with apparent candor and interest, and read the New Testament with eagerness. Some were usually present at the family prayers of the missionary, which on their account were conducted in the Arabic language. At this time Mr. Smith visited eight or nine of their villages, casting himself entirely on their noted hospitality, and holding forth the word of life wherever he went. He was everywhere listened to with respectful attention-though, as the Druzes have been remarkable for their deceptive character, he was careful not to make too much of this. The experiment showed, however, that they were perfectly approachable, and open to this species of missionary labor. It was immediately after the completion of this tour by Mr. Smith, that Ibrahim Pasha disarmed the Druzes as he did also the more numerous Christians-throughout the mountains.

A considerable number of Druzes continued to attend the Arabic services of the missionaries on the Sabbath, after their return to Beyroot-a part coming down from the mountains, and a part coming from a settlement in the suburbs of the city. Many, and among others one family circle of ninety members, made numerous and urgent applications to be received into the protestant christian sect, and come under the religious care of the mission. But there were strong reasons to believe that their chief motive was to avoid being pressed into the pasha's army-an evil, to which, by a singular fortune, only Moslems were then subject.

The commencement of the year 1836 was signalized by an important event. A Druze with his wife had embraced the protestant christian religion, and on this account was apprehended and thrown into prison as a malefactor, who, according to Moslem law, was deserving of death for renouncing the religion of the prophet. In the prospect of a violent death, he remained steadfast in the faith he had embraced, and when called before the Mohammedan tribunal, he witnessed a good confession. He was probably the first Druze subjected to this trial on account of a profession of faith in the Lord Jesus; though many of them before had nominally embraced the christian religion. Meanwhile zealous efforts were made to effect his release from imprisonment, and after

seventeen days, these efforts, through the merciful providence of God, were successful. Thus the important fact became settled and known throughout the mountains, that a Druze might become a Christian, and a protestant Christian too, with impunity. The Druze man, who had thus manfully borne up under persecution, was, with his wife, received into the christian church on the first day of the last year, at which time they and their six children were baptized, and, in accordance with their own request, received christian names. These were the first Mohammedans baptised by American missionaries in Syria. A paragraph from Mr. Thomson's letter on the occasion is quoted in this connection.

"I availed myself of the occasion to preach on the subject of baptism, and endeavored to explain the true meaning and intention of the ordinance. The congregation was larger than usual, and the attendance more deep and solemn than I have ever witnessed in our chapel. The day will be long remembered by us all as one of thrilling interest. We were not without anxiety for some. time, lest the government, urged on by fanatical men, would proceed with rigor against Kasim for being baptised, and punish him as an apostate from the Mohammedan faith. I distinctly and repeatedly informed him, previous to baptising him, that this might be the result; but his mind never hesitated or wavered. He appeared ready to suffer martyrdom, rather than deny his Lord. Thanks to God, he has not yet been called to undergo this severe trial of his faith. We all felt considerable anxiety for some time, particularly, as immediately after the baptism, all those persons in the vicinity of Beyroot who had been Christians and turned Moslems by the compulsion of the former government, but had been allowed to return to their religion by Mohammed Ali, were the very next day thrown into prison, and were finally banished from the country. Kasim being regarded by the government as a Moslem, as all Druzes are, we did not know what measures they might pursue. Up to this time, however, nothing has been done, and we hope that no notice will be taken of it. The brother of Kasim and his wife are very importunate in their request to be baptised, and we shall probably grant their petition ere long. May God, in whose hands are the hearts of all men, incline these Mohammedan rulers to abrogate the bloody law of the Koran, which denounces death without ransom upon all apostates from the faith. But we cannot wait until they become willing that men should obey the command of Jesus Christ."

A series of brief extracts from Mr. Thomson's journal will bring the history of the late extraordinary excitement among the Druzes down to February of the present year.

"Sept. 6. So many of the Druzes are now applying for christian instruction, and so earnestly, that it appeared to me to demand that some plan for special effort in their behalf should be immediately devised and carried into execution, so far as the weak state of our mission would admit. I therefore wrote to Mr. Hebard (who is residing at Der El Kamer in order to study Arabic) to come down to Beyroot for consultation; and to-day he came. We have spent the whole day in consultation and prayer. Mr. Nicolayson from Jerusalem was also with us, and entered with deep feeling into the case. We were clearly of opinion that the present was an extrordinary call of Providence to labor in behalf of this people, and that for this purpose every other work that interfered with this, should, for the present, be suspended. Indeed, I am

so constantly taken up in receiving visits from all parts of Lebanon, that I have no time for any thing else.

"7. Sheikh S., from B., in the heart of Lebanon, came to-day with the same request for christian instruction, not only for himself, but in behalf of his father and four brothers, leading sheikhs of the mountains. He asks not for protection, or money, or temporal advantage in any way, but solely for religious instruction; and declares, with great apparent sincerity, that his only desire is to secure the salvation of his soul. Concerning their own superstition, he says he knows that it is utterly false and pernicious; and that, having for three years read the Bible, and compared the various sects with it, he is persuaded that they have forsaken the word of God, and imposed upon men a multitude of human inventions, designed, not for the good of the people, but to augment the power and wealth of the priesthood. He mentioned with special abhorrence auricular confession, and forgiveness of sin by the priest. Also, their long fasts, their prayers to saints, their worship of images and pictures, etc., showing that he was well acquainted with the leading differences between us and them; and by his pertinent quotations from the Bible, proving that he had read it with attention and understanding.

"9. Aleih. Having spent a great part of yesterday in conversing with Druzes, I made an arrangement with sheikh S. to meet him in the mountains; and in the evening came up to this place for that purpose, and also to see the sheikhs of this and some of the neighboring villages, who have applied for religious instruction. The papists are very busy, both with arguments and authorities. I have very little doubt that they will succeed in raising such a storm of persecution, as few of these poor deluded people will be able to breast. Still, we have a wide field for labor, and great will be our sin, if we neglect to sow the good seed as fast as we can. The sheikhs attended an Arabic service this evening, which I appointed after my arrival, and listened to the doctrines of the gospel with great apparent interest.

"In conversation afterwards, with sheikh M., he told me that they were constantly beset by the catholics, but that he would never join them-rather than that, he would live and die a Druze. The catholics have threatened them with the wrath of the emeer besheer, if they do not cease to receive our books, and break off all connection with us. And this threat they will probably be able to carry into effect. Oh how many and severe are the trials to which a man is subject, in this country, for adhering to the truth! I feel very sorry for this family of young and interesting sheikhs. They scarcely know what to do; and have conversed with so much apparent frankness and feeling about their condition, that my own heart has become more deeply interested for them, than for any Druzes with whom I am acquainted. May the Lord in his infinite mercy renew their dark hearts, and guide their feet in the way everlasting.

"10. Spent a large part of yesterday, which was the Sabbath, in conversing with the Druzes of this village. Attended also the Arabic sabbath school, and afterwards had an interesting visit from the Greek priest. He said that it was no part of the plans of the Greek church to enlarge her borders by making converts; and that, for his part, he did not want to make any. He is a very old man, having been priest of the village thirty-six years. But alas! the gospel way of salvation is as great a secret to him as to a Hindoo, and he is as utterly dead to all spiritual feeling, as the stones of his church, which the people so reverently kiss as they pass by the sacred walls.

"12. Went to B'T. and spent the day in conversing with the large family of sheikhs there. These sheikhs are the governors, under the emeer, of all this part of Lebanon. The greater part of them appear resolved to become Christians, at all hazards. Alas! how little do they know of that religion which they profess to be so anxious to embrace. The mother of the sheikhs in A. is married to the richest and most powerful sheikh in B’T., and she sent

word, by Mrs. Hebard, who accompanied me to B'T., to her children, encouraging them to become Christians, and approving also of the plan which they had proposed to her, to place the youngest boys in our seminary.

"This has been an extremely busy day. Several sheikhs have come down from the mountains, and appear to be determined to take houses and remain below to receive religious instruction. They do not wish to return to the mountains until they are instructed, received, and baptised. May God aid me in this solemn crisis. I scarcely know how to dispose of such zealous and earnest applications.

"In the evening Abd Allah, from B'H., came with several leading Druzes from Andara, the highest habitable part of Lebanon. They profess to act in the name of all the Druzes of their village; and earnestly request us to open schools, build a church, receive and baptise them all forthwith. I spent the whole evening in as plain an exposition of the gospel way of salvation as I could give. And they return to their village intending to visit me again in one week from this time, when they will bring others with them. My tongue is weary with, but not of, preaching the gospel. I have talked all day, and at night till late bed-time.

"We had a large congregation at evening worship, which is conducted precisely like a prayer meeting. The leading man amongst the Druzes of Rass Beyroot, his wife, and children were present. They appear all of one mind, to forsake their ancient religion, and become Engleese' as they call it. May God bestow upon them that which now they do not want, no, nor even understand.

"15. Spent all this day in translating a brief summary of christian doctrines, which we have determined to put to press immediately, for the benefit of our numerous inquirers. We find it very difficult to conduct our religious instructions profitably under present circumstances, without something of the kind.

"16. Sabbath. A very busy day. After preaching, both in English and Arabic, and conversing all the vacant time with Druzes from Hadet, and other places, and expounding Scripture in Arabic at evening worship, I feel wearied. Promised the sheikh of the Druzes of H. to visit them on next Tuesday. The work has grown too large for me to attend to, and I resolved to request Mr. Hebard to return from his residence in Der El Kamer, and devote his time to the Druzes; and also to write to Mr. Lanneau, proposing to him the propriety of his coming to our assistance for a time.

"18. After spending the early part of the day with Druzes at my house, I went, according to promise, to Hadet to visit the Druzes in that village. They are living in the very heart of Maronite fanaticism, and are watched by keen-eyed and, I fear, cruel hearted monks, who swarm in two or three large convents on the adjacent hills. This is the village of Asaad Shidiak, and here his family still resides. Our Druze friends have already been threatened with secular vengeance. Alas! I fear these threats will not be in vain. The ruling emeer of the district is a rough violent bigot, and a heartless persecutor from of old. The Druzes seem firmly resolved to bear any thing, rather than give up their connection with us. But when I reflect how many and powerful their enemies, how few and weak their friends, and remember that they are poor ignorant heathen, without the knowledge or fear of God, and that we cannot receive them into our church on the same easy terms as the native sects of the country, there appears but little ground to hope that they will persevere. It is plainly our duty, however, to be instant in season and out of season, to preach the word with all diligence, and leave the results with God. "Spent a large part of this day in prayer and consultation, with brother Hebard on the present state of our mission. We have felt our extreme weakness pressing us on all hands. With the seminary and the press, our hands are more than full; and according to appearances for the last month we ought to have two or three laborers solely devoted to the Druzes. We have been