led by our survey to the painful, but inevitable conclusion, that the wide and white harvest before us must, in a great measure, drop down and perish for want of laborers. Without entirely suspending permanent operations of our mission, it is utterly impossible to give any adequate attention to these multitudes of Druzes, scattered all over Lebanon. Oh for more help! Without abandoning the Druzes, we resolved to receive and instruct them at our houses, as far as we could, and to employ our native assistants in this work, wherever they can operate with advantage.

21. The Druzes from Andara came down according to appointment made last week, and I have spent this afternoon and evening with them. They will remain some days in order to receive instruction. Oh that the Lord would open their hearts to receive with meekness and love the pure word of God.

"22. This day has been devoted to the company from Andara. They have made arrangements with the people of several villages to unite together, and all declare themselves Christians at the same time, with the hope that when the emeer sees so many of them of one mind, he will not venture to execute those plans of cruel persecution with which they are threatened. They are extremely urgent that I should visit them in their villages. But I do not see how it is possible. It will require a week, and there is no one here to attend to the numerous visitors from every part. I have made a conditional engagement to meet them in Andara on some day next week. Sheikh S., with several of his friends came down again to-day, and expect to hire a house and remain below as long as I choose to have them continue.

"Oct. 10. Tannoos El Haddad, and Tannoos El Kerem returned from a short tour upon the mountains. The movement amongst the Druzes is the great topic of conversation every where. Violent opposition is waking up. The emeer besheer has sent for the young sheikhs, and threatened them with the full measure of his wrath; and they are not a little alarmed, as indeed they well may be. What the final result will be is known only to God. Already, however, a division amongst them has been effected, and some through fear, are siding with the emeer. Many families are divided, the father against the son, etc. The father of several young sheikhs, who are now down here, appears to remain very firm. He declared in his oriental style, that wherever he went the blessed gospel would be in his right hand; if the emeer cut that off, he would hold it in his left; and if he cut this off, he would hold it in his mouth; and should he cut off his head, he will still retain it in his heart. May this not prove empty boasting. He is a fine looking old man, with a venerable white beard; and his rank, his age, and his talents, all unite to clothe him with authority and extensive influence."

"Instead of copying my daily journal any farther, I will merely state that the excitement amongst the Druzes continued, and visitors from all parts of Lebanon thronged my house until the early part of November. The winter then commenced, and rendered communication much more difficult, and broke up all our visits to the mountains. The season has been unusually wet and stormy. Still, many continue to come from the nearer villages; and it is highly probable that in the spring we shall have great numbers to attend to. In the mean time, persecution against the sheikhs has been even more violent than I had expected; and they are compelled, though with great reluctance, to pause in their course. This may be all ordered by a merciful providence for the highest good of the cause amongst them. It gives time to look around us, and make preparations for more regular and systematic operations in future. Had there occurred no intermission in the pressure upon us, all our regular labors must have been greatly deranged, and we very likely have been worn down by the work, while yet only a very small portion of them could have been attended to.

"To be at all prepared for such an emergency, we ought to have at least two missionaries devoted exclusively to the Druzes. These also should have

the means to employ all the good native help which the Syrian mission can produce. We were not only destitute of missionary laborers, but so cramped for want of funds, that we could scarcely move at all. To every plan for opening schools in the villages that designed to become Christian, we were obliged to say no. To every application from these interesting people, to place their children in the seminary, we were compelled to give the same discouraging answer. We wished to open two houses suitable for public worship, in two of the largest villages, but we had no funds. We could not even travel much. Nor could we avail ourselves of all the native help which God has furnished us. There never was a time in the history of the Syrian mission when men and means were so much needed, or where there was such a wide field for labor. It was very trying, and extremely discouraging at such a time, not only to find our number so reduced; but above all, to find our hands, few and feeble as we were, absolutely tied for want of funds. I spent many days in trying to make means where there actually were none, and was obliged to settle down in the disheartening conclusion, that we had not one dollar to meet this new emergency."

"Nov. 25. The Druzes who had become Greek papists were all seized by order of the pasha, a few days ago, and have been kept in prison ever since. I have just heard that five of them, who were fit for soldiers, have been sent to Damascus, and the rest have been allowed to return to their homes. This is an important step, as it shows that the pasha is not disposed to tolerate the conversion of the Druzes to Christianity. He has not molested our converts yet, and I have heard from a quarter entitled to credit, that they have nothing to fear. We, however, feel anxious, and do not cease to pray that God would turn the heart of this iron soldier to thoughts of peace and mercy. I had a long conversation with our friends to-day, and am greatly delighted with the spirit which they exhibit. They appear resolved to go not only to prison, but to death also, rather than deny Christ."

The Druzes have long been noted for deception on all matters appertaining to religion, and their motives in the present case are believed to have been in part, to secure some political immunities by making the christian profession. But it is not easy to account in this manner for all that has been seen; and at any rate it calls for gratitude to Him who gives the hearing ear and the willing mind, when a whole people, from any cause, place themselves in the way of hearing the gospel.

The Committee are expecting that the large reinforcement on the way, or soon, by leave of Providence, to go to this mission, will enable it to commence a station at Tripoli, or Ladakia, with a view to the people called Ansareea, more numerous, though less civilized, than the Druzes, who have for some time been thought to afford a more inviting field of labor, than can be found any where in Palestine, excepting perhaps Jerusalem. Respecting this field Mr. Thomson thus writes a little more than a year ago.

"Since the last previous date, I have spent ten days in a missionary tour to Tripoli, and Lebanon above that city. The field for usefulness in that quarter is wide, and very needy. The country called Akkar, northeast of Tripoli, is inhabited chiefly by Greek Christians and Ansareea, and is apparently more open for the distribution of books, than most others in Syria. The Greek

bishop of Akkar we have long known as a friendly man, who encourages the circulation of the word of God and other good books amongst the people of his diocese. One of our friends has lately made a considerable tour in that district, and met with a very cordial reception. I have engaged to send him a farther supply of books, to enable him to prosecute his benevolent labors to the utmost of his abilities. His zeal is extremely ardent, and he regrets deeply that a long life has all been spent in vain. Oh what a fool I have been!' said he to me. 'My youth and manhood were passed to no purpose at all. Now, when I am old and blind, I begin to delight in the service of God. I long to do good, to spread far and wide the blessed word of life, and beseech men to read and obey it, to trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, (may his name be blessed forever,) and forsake their lying vanities. But now, I am too old to do much, too blind to do any thing without help. When I sit thinking of my former life, of my dreadful folly, of the few days that remain for me to work, I often spring up from my seat, and start out of the house in order to hasten my work while life lasts.' This and a great deal more to the same purpose, filled my mind with a most agreeable surprise. I have met with very little like it in this country."

MISSION TO THE NESTORIANS.

OOROOMIAH.-Justin Perkins and Albert L. Holladay, Missionaries; Asahel Grant, M. D., Physician; William R. Stocking, Teacher; Mrs. Perkins, Mrs. Holladay, and Mrs. Stocking-Eight native helpers.

On the way.-Willard Jones, Missionary, and Mrs. Jones.

(1 station; 3 missionaries, 1 physician, 1 teacher, 4 female assistant missionaries, and $ native helpers ;-total, 17.)

Mrs. Grant Her disease mission had

Mr. and Mrs. Jones embarked July 17th at Boston, in the "Emma Isadora," capt. Fletcher, bound to Smyrna. was called away by death on the 14th of January. was fever, and her age twenty-five. Her life in the been exemplary and faithful, and her death was peaceful and happy. Having been the wife of the physician, she had become extensively known among the Persians and Nestorians, and her decease was generally and greatly lamented. The Nestorians offered public prayers for her recovery, and proposed that she should be buried within the walls of their church-where, as they said, "none but very holy men were ever interred.”

Three of the eight native helpers are bishops, two are priests, and three are deacons, and all, except one, reside with the mission. That one is the venerable Mar Elias, the oldest bishop in the province. The special service which he performs for the mission, is the superintendence of one of the mission schools. The following extract from the journal of Mr. Perkins, places him in an interesting light.

"Priest Abraham informed me, that Mar Elias, the venerable bishop resident in his native village, has commenced reading portions of the epistles statedly in his church, translating them from the ancient into the vernacular language. The priest added, that some of the people are much delighted with this innovation; while some others, and a profligate priest of the village among them, show impatience and dissatisfaction with the practice, and often complain that Mar Elias is constantly annoying them with the precepts of 'Paul, Paul, Paul;' of whom they seem before scarcely to have heard. Mar Elias passed a week with us not long ago, and sat with us from day to day in my study, where we were translating the epistles. He manifested much interest in the epistles, at the time, and this pleasing commencement of his reading and explaining them to his people seems to be the fruit of that visit.

"I inquired of priest Abraham whether the good bishop would not be deterred from his work by this opposition of one of his priests and some of his people. 'No,' replied priest Abraham; 'Mar Elias is waked up and deeply engaged in the undertaking.""

The

The other two bishops, besides receiving instruction, assist members of the mission in acquiring the language of the Nestorians, and accompany them in their excursions to the villages. priests, when not engaged in study, are occupied in translating, and two of the deacons in copying by the pen-the press, for want of a printer, not being yet brought into use. The special duty of the third deacon is to accompany the members of the mission in their

excursions.

sun.

It seems that the press and type designed for this mission are still lying at Trebizond, it not being deemed expedient to remove the printing establishment to Ooroomiah until there should be a printer to take charge of it. But after the copyist has done his best, the bringing in of the press would be like the breaking forth of the About four hundred copies of cards have been made; and one of the Gospels and six of the shorter Epistles have been translated, and are ready for copying and for printing. There is the most affecting destitution of the word of life among the Nestorians of Ooroomiah. Excepting the Psalms, which enter largely into the prescribed mode of worship, the mission has discovered but one copy of the Old Testament, and that was in three or four separate volumes, the property of several individuals. There is a present supply of the Gospels in the Nestorian character, printed by the British and Foreign Bible Society; but scarcely more than a single copy of the Acts of the Apostles and of the Epistles can be found, and none of the Book of Revelation in their own character. And yet they are a nominally Christian people, holding the Scriptures in the highest reverence, and professing to make them the rule of their faith and practice.

The Seminary contains fifty scholars, and there are sixteen girls in a boarding-school. The three free schools contain seventy pupils, about one in seven of whom are females. The average

congregation on the Sabbath is sixty-five. The seminary is of course in its incipient state, giving instruction only in the mere elements of knowledge. Its value, among the instrumentalities employed by the mission, will appear in an extract from a report made concerning it at the close of the last year.

"Our seminary includes those attending to the elements of the native language, those reading the modern Syriac, those studying the ancient Syriac and translating from the ancient into the modern, those attending to various branches in English, and a class in Hebrew. The different classes attending to study in their own language receive instruction from two of the most intelligent native teachers, a priest and a deacon, under the superintendence of Mr. Stocking, with the occasional assistance of Mr. Perkins. The more advanced scholars, attending to English and Hebrew, are under the immediate instruction of the members of the mission. Several of these are ecclesiastics; of whom two are bishops, three priests, and four deacons. They all evince an interest in their studies; and their progress furnishes evidence, not only of industry and application, but also of good natural talents. In addition to other regular exercises, there is one weekly in declamation, in which nearly all the members of the seminary engage; and in this branch, so novel to them, there is much interest and very pleasing improvement. The benefits of this institution are beginning to be appreciated, alike by the ecclesiastics and the people. The scholars in the first rudiments of their own language receive twelve and a half cents per week for their board; and the more advanced receive twenty-five cents. Among those who are studying English are most of our native helpers, some of whom translate, and others copy cards and tracts, about half of the time, in connection with pursuing their studies; and for their labor receive regular wages. The class in Hebrew, four in number, make rapid proficiency, that language being very similar to their own. Being ecclesiastics, they and their people may derive much benefit from their attention to Hebrew.

"Among the most hopeful circumstances, connected with this seminary and the female boarding-school, is the attendance of the members on religious exercises. On the Sabbath, they all attend our English service, and meet for Sabbath school instruction in their own language, having spent an hour with the Sabbath school teachers in preparing for the exercise on Saturday. In the afternoon of the Sabbath they attend a religious exercise, conducted by Mr. Perkins, in the same language. Ten of the most advanced natives connected with the seminary, are with the mission families daily, at their family devotions, and regularly at their stated social prayer meetings. They all manifest a good degree of interest in these religious exercises; and we trust that the good seed, though sown in weakness, will, in due time, spring up in their hearts and bring forth fruit unto salvation.”

At least two of the boys are from the heart of the Koordish mountains, which is at present inaccessible to the missionary. In February, Mr. Perkins makes the following statement concerning this promising institution.

"We have just placed eleven more of the most promising boys of our seminary on a permanent foundation, by doubling their stipend, to enable them to prosecute their studies without interruption. We give them fifty cents per week, during their actual attendance at school, which is sufficient to board and clothe them. They have all commenced studying English, making the