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closes up with chibouk, coffee, and sherbet. He gives us also a warm cloak of fur. Our room is hung round with various arms, swords, pistols, guns, for impressive effect.

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"A beautiful, clear morning of pure air. The doctor has many patients, the Moodir's wife's sister, the Usbashi, (major,) &c. One of them says he is not sick, but wishes to get fat like the Moodir. Go to see three full-length sculptures of kings, cut in the rock outside the wall, very ancient, now much broken and defaced. we make a call upon the Usbashi (major) at the barracks. The Pasha's commissioners are there. They rise as we approach, and receive us upon carpets and cushions in the open air. The sky is pure, and the air delightful, and the view of the mountain ranges, the valley and villages, and the whole panorama around, is magnificent.

"The priest from Deirra, a Nestorian village, one hour distant, calls to see us-population fifty. Six can read, have the Bible in the church, and have Testaments in the village; wishes all to have the Testament. He preaches when they have the sacrament, twenty or thirty times a year. He preaches repentance, has a congregation of forty; has prayers every day, morning and evening, and two services on Sunday. Just now a band of the Moodir's Koordish soldiers return from one of the mountain districts, armed with guns and swords, on foot and on horseback, with the music of drums, in great style. They had been out to gather taxes from the villages around. Then we call upon the Moodir and commissioners, in his reception-room, and have an audience with them; very pleasant. In the evening Shemmas Jeremiah relates his history and

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experience. He was a Catholic Nestorian or Chaldean monk, in a convent near Elkosh. He was directed to 1st Timothy, fourth chapter, first three verses. He reflected upon this, went to the missionaries at Mosul, Dr Perkins and Mr Stocking, from Oroomeah. He went with them and taught in their schools, and there embraced the truth. Amadich has a population of 2500; of whom 2000 are Moslems, 350 Syrians, 100 Nestorians, and 50 Jews; formerly it contained 14,000, and was the residence of the Sultan.

"SUNDAY, 23d.

"This morning the brother of Osman Bey, Abuzed Bey, the Koordish chief, calls to see us. We then receive a call from the Moodir. He offers us his horse to ride out and visit the Nestorians in Dare. We descend the steep hillside without the walls. On the right is a beautiful. valley, planted with trees and gardens. In a few minutes the priest, on horseback, and a number of his people come out to meet us, and escort us to their village. We climb a steep hill, and then come down to Dare, a beautiful little village under the high mountain rock. A pure spring of water gushes out and flows down the valley. Trees and fertile gardens with nuts, pomegranates, figs, and grapes are in front. We visit the church, a large stone building with three arched rooms. They have cotton, nuts, onions, and various fruit offerings given to support the church. We send to call the people, and they assemble, old men, women, and children, priest and deacon, thirty in number, when we preach to them the gospel of salvation, through faith in Christ. They listen with much interest and reverence, and respond frequently to the word of everlasting life.

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INTERESTING PEOPLE.

"Then we sit out with them in the open air, they gather around on their knees in a circle, and say they will put a chain upon us to keep us long with them. The summer retreat of the Mosul missionaries is here.

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There are no pictures in the church, but a small cross, which they say they kiss from love to Christ. Then they bring us a lunch of pomegranates, honey, nuts, eggs, and bread, which we eat in the shade, and much enjoy it together. After which we talk further of Christ and His cross, &c., and then ride down to Komani, past fields of rice, cotton, wheat, tobacco, and gardens of various fruit trees. Komani has a new, neat church, and contains a population of 300, all Nestorians. The people are delighted to see us, and salute us with much respect and reverence. We called them into the church, and spoke to them of their sins, Christ, repentance, and eternal salvation. They listened with intense interest, and frequently responded, and seemed greatly to enjoy the truth. They desire much to have an American missionary to come and live among them, to teach them the Bible, and to preach to them the gospel of salvation. Eight in the village can read, and they have no Bible. It was a Sabbath of great interest among the mountain Nestorians. They are a simple-hearted, pure-minded people, and entirely ready to receive the gospel.

"We also visited the house where Dr Grant lived in Amadia. There he spent some time in the midst of his labours of love and mercy to this people. The owner of the house, a venerable old man, lived with him. He says, since the days of Adam in the flesh, there was never such He prayed much, read his Bible, and preached

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the gospel to all. The Holy Ghost was with him in all that he said and did.

"MONDAY, 24th.

"This morning the Moodir calls upon us, and the Usbashi, or commander of the fortress, and a number of patients came for medicine. Then a Moslem sheik and the Usbashi, or major of the troops. Afterward the commissioners of the Pasha came in to smoke a chibouk and take coffee with us, and then Osman Bey, the Koordish chief, a very bold, fearless man in appearance, and having much of the fierce spirit of his native mountains. See also the woman, a widow, and her daughter, who had been stripped of all her possessions by a plundering Koordish chief, and listen to her tale of oppression and wrong. Saw also one Jew, a probable descendant of the ten captive tribes. He says there are 500 Jews in Amadia. They have been waiting 1800 years for (Christ) the Messiah, and He has not come yet.

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TUESDAY, 25th. "Aalam Effendi Moodir, of Amadieh, a very kind, hospitable man.

"A cold, foggy, rainy morning. The snow is on the mountains. The Moodir, mounted on his Arab horse, with a band of his attendants and a band of music, escorted us out of the city, and then he gives us his salaams in parting. We ride over to the Nestorian village of Bibudi. The villagers all gather on the house-tops to welcome us; they are exceedingly friendly. It is a wedding day, and they are all dressed in their gay clothing. The church is a very neat stone building, with

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NESTORIAN VILLAGES.

a low door. They all come around, priests, deacons, men, women, and children, and we preach the gospel to them; tell them to believe the Bible, trust in God, have faith in Christ, and pray for the Holy Spirit to dwell in their hearts, and guide them to everlasting life. They heartily respond, and greatly desire a missionary to live among them, and teach them the way of eternal salvation; they wished that we should stay with them. The village is beautifully situated under the mountain range, and overlooking the valley. We then pursue our way. The fog rests on the mountain, and clears from the landscape before us. The sun shines out underneath the clouds upon the white waterfalls and snow-capped peaks, like a scene of resplendent glory, more beautiful in its effect than any I have ever before seen. Pass through two Chaldean Catholic Nestorian villages, and arrive at evening at Daoudich. The Moodir Achmed Effendi, a very pleasant gentleman, receives us with much hospitality, and gives us a cordial reception in his palace castle. The landscape to-day was most beautiful. The fields are cultivated with grain, rice, and olive trees. The mountain ranges rise on either hand, and the valley stretches before us in picturesque and varied beauty.

"Daoudich contains a population of eighty Catholic Nestorians. A small Nestorian village is about one hour distant. We have a very animated conversation in the evening with the Moodir, on the subject of religious. liberty. He says there is the same God over Moslems, Christians, Jews, and Yesidees, and all should be brothers.

"WEDNESDAY, 26th. "A fine view from the castle fort, of the rugged snow

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