had yet been formed. Our visit was considered a favourable occasion for organising a church, and we were glad to assist in examining the candidates, and admitting them as members of the Church of Christ. One of them was the father of a family, with his young daughter, and another a converted Armenian priest, who seemed to receive the truth anew with full simplicity and sincerity of heart.

"The next day we continued our journey over the plain, and across the rugged mountains, and in three days reached Diarbekir, a large walled city, situated at the head waters of the Tigris, on the borders of the plains of Mesopotamia. We spent another delightful Sabbath with the native and missionary brethren here, and held sweet communion and fellowship together. One of the latter was an old friend of mine in college, and we enjoyed much our visit in the recollection of former scenes, and in relating our various experience since we separated.

"The climate is mild and genial at this season, and the scenery varied and picturesque. Through the kindness of the American ambassador at Constantinople, I have a large firman from the Sultan, bearing his great seal, which secures us the particular attention and entertainment of all the pashas and governors on the way, so that we are exceedingly enjoying the tour. In addition to this, we are cheered in our visit, and encouraged in our labours at each station, and thus go forward rejoicing in the Lord, and giving thanks at the remembrance of His holiness.

'On the following day we took our departure for Mosul. We are now mounted on a raft of a hundred inflated goat skins, and glide beautifully down the Tigris,

the Hiddekel of the Scriptures, another of the four rivers that flowed from the garden of Eden, 'that is it which goeth toward the East of Assyria.' A neat little house of poplar poles covered with wax-cloth, to protect us from the sun and rain, and fitted up with poplomans and lined within for our comfort. A guard of soldiers have volunteered to accompany us, free of expense, and sleep round us at night. Thus we float on with the current. It is the perfection of travelling, without the rattling of wheels, without dust, without steam even. The stream floats us on night and day, and at intervals we whirl past rocks, and dash swiftly down the rapids. The mountains and rocks rise in grandeur and sublimity on either side, as the noble river winds its way through.

'We spent the Sabbath at Hassankeefa, a city hewn out in the solid rocks, like Petra in the land of Edom. It is now crumbling to ruins, and the miserable population live in the tombs of the former dwellers in the rock. Yesterday we passed the river Chabur, the ancient Chebar, that comes down from the mountains of Chaldea, and flows into the Tigris. Here the prophet Ezekiel saw his sublime visions in the land of the Chaldeans, by the river Chebar, when the heavens were opened, and Jehovah manifested to him His peculiar presence and glory. I enjoyed anew these spiritual scenes as we gazed long upon the banks of that ancient river.

'NOVEMBER 9.-To-day at noon we are in sight of the walls and minarets of Mosul, and Nebby Jonas, the tomb of the prophet Jonah, that covers the ruins of the ancient Nineveh, 'that great city of three days journey.'

"Thus the Lord has protected and prospered us on our way, and followed us with goodness in all our journey.

In the words of the Psalmist we would exclaim, 'Bless the Lord, our soul; and all that is within us, bless his holy name.' Yours, &c.

C. N. R."

Below are given some of the incidents of the journey, communicated to the American Bible Society:

"As we left Tocat, Hagop Agha, the head of the Protestant community, and all the students of the seminary, in a body, accompanied us on our way to a hillside that overlooks the city. They then gathered around us in a circle, and we commended them to God, and the Bible as their rule of faith, and the guide of their lives, and exhorted them to shew forth the light of the gospel of Christ in this dark land, and be faithful unto death, that they might receive the crown of life at His right hand. One of their number, in return, thanked us cordially for our visit, and our societies for sending them. the Bible and the gospel of salvation, and prayed that the peace of God might abide with us on the journey, and the blessing of Heaven rest upon all our labours in the East. We then traversed a rugged, mountainous region, and in two days reached Sivas, a second missionary station of the American Board. The brethren, as before, came out on horseback, one hour in advance, to welcome us in the name of Christ. The city is beautifully situated upon an elevated plain between two ranges of limestone hills, with a stream of pure water flowing through. It contains a population of nearly 50,000; of whom 36,000 are Turks, 12,000 Armenians, and 300 Greeks. The Scriptures are kept publicly for sale at four different points in the city, and a new depository is about to be opened in front of the principal bazaar. There have been sold

M

during the last year:-Armenian Bibles, twenty-three; Testaments, thirty-five; Psalms, sixty-seven; Turkish Testaments, twenty-three; Græco-Turkish Testaments, ten; making 158 copies of Scriptures.

They likewise wished a large additional supply for the coming year. I then called upon the Armenian bishop. at the monastery. He is an amiable, venerable-looking man, and received me with the greatest politeness: 'Safa guelduig; khos guelduig;'-(You are welcome; most welcome.) I explained to him the object of the American Bible Society-to furnish the Bible in all the languages of the East; stating, that 'in America, every family who desires it has a copy of the Bible; and American Christians desire that every family in the East may also receive the Word of God.' He says, 'This is a very good work. Every family of my people also has, or can have the Bible if they wish. They can receive it both in the ancient and modern languages.'

"This was regarded as a most important admission by an Armenian bishop in the presence of the missionaries— that the Bible should have free circulation among his people.

"In the afternoon a public meeting of the Protestant community was held at the mission chapel. The Rev. Mr Jones, from England, addressed them in relation to his society, and I, from America, in behalf of the Bible cause. They were greatly interested in the account of our New Bible House at New York, and all the operations of the Bible Society, of which they had never before heard. And it was most pleasing to receive their warm expressions of gratitude for thus receiving the Bible and the gospel of Christ at our hands. The next day was the

Sabbath. We attended service in the native languages, and then administered the communion of the Lord's supper to the little church gathered here; and it was an occasion of deep interest to sit around the table of our Lord with these brethren in a strange land.

"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. longer believe that this can save us. A kitab (good book) taught us better."

66 6

Whence did you receive this book?'

We no

"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.'

66 6 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).

"They answer, 'We would be delighted to have a good missionary from America come and live among us, to in