"In the afternoon, two of the Kuzelbash Koords, from a village twelve hours distant, called upon us. One is the son of the sheik, or chief man of the village. They expressed a desire to become Protestants, and embrace the Gospel of Christ. I asked them why they wished to change their religion. They replied: we formerly worshipped a cane, or staff, with which the sheik, or priest, beat us, to drive away our sins. We used to meet once a week and receive this beating, and repeat certain incantations. Then we confessed our sins to the sheik, and once a year offered a sacrifice of sheep to this cane. We no longer believe that this can save us. A kitab (good book) taught us better.' "Whence did you receive this Book?' "We know not,' they say. 'It teaches us that Christ is alive, and the other prophets are dead. It teaches us to love our enemies, and pray for them. It is ten years since we began to learn these truths.' "What is the name of this Book?' "We call it Boyurook' (book of authority or command), they answer. 'A khojah, or teacher, reads to us from this Book, the sheik explains it, and we then pray to God through Christ, as his Book teaches.' "I tell them we also have the same Book in America, and call it 'Ingil" (Gospel of Salvation). 234 แ They answer, have a good mission live among us, to in tion. We are calle and our enemies Bo flocks because we w do.' "We tell them the secution for believing faithful, God will del their enemies; that lage, and preach this Salvation even to the "Inshallah' (God) claim. They tell us th receive the Gospel with savage Koords. We represent their case of p authorities, that they m science to believe in the Christ, as the late firma to all the subjects of hi influence of a single u teach these poor Kuzelba Asia Minor, the folly of lead them to believe Saviour from sin. On our journey. The breth distance on the plain, an NATIVE PREACHER. 237 The s I leave, he presses me warmly by the and says, 'If we both live in the faith of iospel, we will meet again in heaven.' He d to be a man of excellent liberal spirit for of ecclesiastic in the Armenian Church. Ve afterward visited the school under his tion, and found a class of larger boys transthe Bible from the ancient to the modern age, which they can understand. r says that ours is a correct translation, and not differ from the ancient version. Thus ble is penetrating among the Armenians r schools and families, and we trust will ing them from the darkness and deadness rstition to the light and life of the Gospel t. I was much interested in the experine of the native preachers. He first obcopy of the ancient Armenian Bible at with this he retired to a cave for two fasted and prayed. Then Christ reself to him, and told him to go forth repentance, and keep the Sabbath day edience to this command he would pent, and in the name of the Lord to repent. At that time he sufsecution; now, these old things y, and all nd devoted home new. The Gosand, Bibles and seventy-one Testaments; five Ancient Armenian and two Turkish Testaments; eight Koordish Gospels; fifty Armenian and five Turkish Psalins; and four English, one Arabic, and one French Testament; making 169 copies of the Scriptures. I visited the two Protestant schools, numbering thirty-three pupils, in which the Scriptures are daily taught. Their system is to commit verses of Scripture, and repeat them on the Sabbath. One little boy, five years old, recited for me nearly the whole of the first chapter of Matthew correctly and well. Also a blind boy seemed quite in advance of the rest in his knowledge of the Scriptures. It was interesting to know that the Bible is likewise taught to the blind in this far off land. Thus the children are instructed to meet and overthrow the corrupt doctrines of the Oriental churches, and defend a pure faith from the Word of God. It is worthy of remark, that the Bible is always made the standard of appeal in every discussion among the common people. In the evening we attended the examination of candidates preparatory to organizing the first Protestant church at Kharpoot. Ten presented themselves for admission. I was much pleased to find all not only sound in doctrine, but also spiritually acquainted with the Scriptures. "The next day was the Sabbath. In the morning we attended service in the new chapel near ORGANIZING A CHURCH. 241 Castle Rock. It was filled with a large and attentive congregation; and after sermon, I briefly addressed them in relation to the Bible Cause, enforcing upon them the duty of circulating the Bible and preaching the Gospel in all the towns and villages around. In the afternoon a still larger audience assembled in the Mission Chapel, to witness the formation of the first evangelical church in the city. The ten candidates then came forward, gave their assent to the confession of faith, and were all baptized and received into membership of the Church of Christ. Among the number was a converted Armenian priest, who became convinced of the truth by studying the Bible, and now received the Gospel anew, in full sincerity and simplicity of heart. Afterward the Rev. Mr. Jones and myself administered to them the communion of the Lord's Supper; and it was a peculiar delight to sit down for the first time with these elect ones around the table of Christ, and partake of the emblems of his death and atonement for the sins of the world. We trust and pray that this may be the beginning of kindling again the pure light of the Gospel of salvation in all this land. In the evening a Turkish effendi, wearing a large white turban, called to see us. He said, 'I have a Testament, and am reading it with much interest; but I cannot understand the doctrine of the Trinity.' We said to him, that |
