bly, except that we are sometimes most sadly tormented with musquitoes and fleas. During the day we study Greek. About 4 o'clock we go to our instructor, who lives half a mile from us, and spend from one to two hours with him. He is the most learned man on the Island, is very kind to us, and takes great pains to assist us. He said one day, in reference to our work;-May you go on in the strength of the Lord, and accomplish the object, for which you have left your friends and your country.' It is very pleasant to enjoy the society of such a man; for most of the people here are ignorant to a degree, of which you can form no adequate conception. Think of the most ignorant family you ever knew, and then think that almost all the people here are still more ignorant. Multitudes of them cannot read a word. They who can read, have but few books and read but little. They have a few copies of the Bible in ancient Greek, but scarcely any of them understand it. In their own language, Modern Greek, the Old Testament has never been printed, and there are scarcely any copies of the New on the Island. We brought a few Testaments with us, and a little while since gave one to a priest who had never seen one before. Another priest saw it, and sent to us for one which we let him have. A few days after, he came and purchased another, and with it we gave him about a dozen Tracts. Last Sunday we had five lads at our room to read the Scriptures. We have distributed a large number of Tracts, obtained at Malta and Smyrna, and they have been very gratefully received. There is a printing press on the Island, at which there are now printing some Tracts for us. I think great good may be done in this way."

In the month of August, Mr. Fisk for a few days was so indisposed, as to call for the assistance of a physician. At other times he was engaged, as usual, in study, and in the distribution of Tracts, visiting

schools, giving religious instruction to children, making inquiries and researches with reference to the state of the surrounding countries, and the facilities which exist for the dissemination of scriptural knowledge. He visited and examined the state of the college which had then been established about five years. At that time there belonged to it 700 or 800 students, and fourteen Instructors-one Professor of Chemistry and Rhetoric, one of Mathematics, one of Theology, Geometry, &c., one of the Turkish language, one of the Latin and the French, and nine teachers of the ancient and modern Greek. The higher classes were required to study Plutarch, Xenophon, Demosthenes, Plato, Herodotus, Pindar, and the Iliad.

There was found connected with the college a good chemical laboratory, and a printing press. Funds had been collected, in part from the Greek community, and in part by private donation. A Russian gentleman had about that time given 20,000, or 30,000 dollars to the college. Lessons were recited once a week from the New Testament; and particular attention was given to an English work, called the "Young Minister's Companion," which had been introduced through the instrumentality of Messrs. Fisk and Parsons, and which the Professor translated, while a class of 30 or 40 pupils were engaged in writing it off in their own language. In reference to the last fact noticed, Mr. Fisk observes: -"Scarcely any event has given us more joy since we left America. Here were young men, members of one of the first literary institutions in the Turkish dominions, who are soon to be scattered over a considerable part of the empire, engaged in writing off the most salutary religious instructions. Certainly the hand of God is in this thing."

During the remaining weeks of his residence on the Island, he was engaged with his companion in labors, in disseminating the word of truth as oppor

tunity occurred. He explored the gloomy recesses of nunneries and monasteries, pouring into them the light of the Gospel. He scattered precious fragments of the Scriptures, not only through that Island, but through many of the isles of the Levant. He confronted the ancient and venerated errors and corruptions of priests and bishops, putting into their hands the word of God, and warning them against the cunning craftiness, and the lying wonders of "the man of sin." He spent about five months at Scio, during which time he and Mr. P. put in circulation 3,700 Tracts, and 41 copies of the Scriptures. On the 23d of October, they took passage for Smyrna, which place they reached in safety in 34 hours.

"Oct. 27. It is a year to-day since I said farewell, and left my father's house. How rich have been the mercies of God to me during the year. O that all the remaining years of my life may be entirely consecrated to his service. How has the year passed at home? Separated as we are, I would trust in God, respecting both myself and my friends. But it agitates the mind to think of those we love, when, for a long time, we cannot hear what befals them."

VISIT TO "THE SEVEN CHURCHES."

In November, Mr. Fisk, in company with Mr. P. took a circuit of 300 miles for the purpose of visiting the places where once stood and flourished the seven churches of Asia. The journal which follows, gives an account of this tour.*

"Nov. 1, 1820. At half past eight left Smyrna. We took Martino to provide food and interpret for us. Had agreed beforehand with Serkish, an Armenian, to furnish horses, and go as our guide. He

*The journal now introduced was written by Mr. Fisk, though when forwarded to the Board, it was signed also by Mr. Parsons, and on this account it is called in the Missionary Herald, vol. 17, "Joyr. nal of Messrs. Parsons and Fisk."

provides one horse for our baggage, one for Martino, and two for us. He takes a servant to assist him in the care of the horses, so that we are, in all, five men with six horses. He defrays all expenses for himself, his servant, and his horses, and we pay him thirty-seven and a half piastres (five dollars) a day. We carry a trunk, and two large sacks, filled with Testaments, Tracts, clothes, &c.

"We took a circuitous course around the east end of the gulf of Smyrna, left Bournabat on the right, passed along the northeastern shores of the gulf, having on our right broken mountains, apparently of granite.

"At half past twelve stopped for dinner, at a Turkish coffee house. It was built of mud and small stones; and was about ten feet square and ten high. The roof was of pine bushes. The ground served for a floor. The front was entirely open to the road. The furniture consisted of a sofa, pipes, and coffee cups. The Turkish landlord sat on the sofa, with a pipe in his hand, and a sword and pistols behind him. He invited us to sit down with him, and a young Arab slave brought us sweetmeats and coffee. After eating of food which we carried with us, we obtained a watermelon of the Turk, and resumed our journey. In the course of the day passed three similar taverns. ternoon our course was nearly north. sight of a few scattered houses, and villages, one of which had a mosque. three reached the village Menimen. Our road all day was level, passing over a rich plain, having the sea at no great distance on our left, and a range of barren mountains on our right. Met with many camels on the road, and saw some flocks of sheep and herds of cattle, feeding on the plains.

In the afPassed in three small At half past

"2. At seven o'clock commenced our journey. In three quarters of an hour, crossed the Hermus. It is now about six or eight rods wide, and not above

three feet deep, but sometimes, in rainy seasons, it swells into a torrent. Passed in sight of ten small villages, one of which has a minaret. At twelve

on

stopped at a Greek tavern. It was a small mud house without a floor, and almost without furniture. Dined on food which we carried with us. Left 24 Tracts for a Greek school in the vicinity, which we had not time to visit. At half past four saw, our left hand, near the road, the ruins of a town, which, we concluded, must have been the ancient Myrina. The place is near the sea-shore, at the head of a gulf. Strabo speaks of Myrina as situated here, or not far distant; and some maps insert the name in this place. Many pillars of granite eight or ten feet long, and a foot and a half thick, and some fragments of marble, were scattered on the ground. Among them was a large statue of white marble. The arms and part of the head are gone. The body is about six feet long and three thick. Once, perhaps, it was an object of worship; now it lies entirely neglected, as we trust all relics of idolatry will be, at some future day. No walls remain, and there is no building on the spot.

"At sunset crossed the Caicus. It was about as large as the Hermus, and is now sometimes called the Rindicus.

"At six we came to an old khan, now deserted, on account of the place being unhealthy. It is nine and a half hours north from Menimen. Like other khans, it is a quadrangular building, with a large open square in the centre. The best room we could find had been accessible to cattle, and had neither floor nor furniture; but we could hear of no better lodging place in the vicinity, and we had already been riding three hours in a heavy rain. We begin to understand what Henry Martyn meant, when he spoke of lodging in a stable. We found three or four Greeks about the khan; but all of them very stupid and unable to read, and either unable or unwilling to do much for our comfort.