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"I found on the plains of Ephesus some Greek peasants, men and women, employed in pulling up tares and weeds from the wheat. It reminded me of Matt. xiii, 28., I addressed them in Romaic, but found they understood very little of it, as they usually answered me in Turkish. I ascertained, however, that they all belonged to villages at a distance, and came there to labor. Not one of them could read, but they said, there were priests and a schoolmaster in the village to which they belonged, who could read. I gave them some Tracts, which they promised to give to their priest and schoolmaster. Tournefort says, that when he was at Ephesus there were thirty or forty Greek families there. Chandler found only ten or twelve individuals. Now no human being lives in Ephesus; and in Aiasaluck, which may be considered as Ephesus under another name, though not on precisely the same spot of ground, there are merely a few miserable Turkish huts. The candlestick is removed out of his place. 'How doth the city sit solitary that was full of people.'

"While wandering among the ruins, it was impossible not to think, with deep interest, of the events which have transpired on this spot. Here has been displayed, from time to time, all the skill of the architect, the musician, the tragedian, and the orator. Here some of the most splendid works of man have been seen in all their glory, and here the event has shown their transitory nature. How interesting would it be to stand among these walls, and have before the mind a full view of the history of Ephesus from its first foundation till now! We might observe the idolatrous and impure rites, and the cruel and bloody sports of Pagans succeeded by the preaching, the prayers, the holy and peaceable lives of the first Christians-these Christians martyred, but their religion still triumphing-pagan rites and pagan sports abolished, and the simple worship of Christ instituted in their room. We might see the

city conquered and reconquered, destroyed and rebuilt, till finally Christianity, arts, learning, and prosperity, all vanish before the pestiferous breath of 'the only people whose sole occupation has been to destroy.'

"The plain of Ephesus is now very unhealthy, owing to the fogs and mist which almost continually rest upon it. The land, however, is rich, and the surrounding country is both fertile and healthy. The adjacent hills would furnish many delightful situations for villages, if the difficulties were removed which are thrown in the way by a despotic government, oppressive agas, and wandering banditti."

CHAPTER VI.

FROM THE TIME WHEN HIS

COMPANION LEFT HIM

FOR JUDEA TILL THEIR RE-UNION AT SMYRNA.

it was

AFTER mature deliberation and much prayer, judged, that the interests of the mission would be promoted by a temporary separation, during which Mr. Fisk should remain at Smyrna, pursuing study, and making researches in the vicinity, and his colleague travel in Judea, visit Jerusalem, and make inquiries respecting the most eligible place for a permanent missionary establishment. In reference to this contemplated separation the journal of Mr. Fisk is continued as follows:

"Smyrna, Nov. 29, 1820. Devoted the day to fasting and prayer. It had, for some time, been a question, whether one of us ought not to remain some longer in Smyrna, and the other proceed without further delay to Judea. It is desirable that some one should be here to carry on the work of distribution, and to get more Tracts printed at Constantinople, or Scio. Till a chaplain arrives, he can occupy these rooms, and preach in the chapel on

the Sabbath; and the Messrs. Van Lenneps have generously offered, in case one of us sees fit to remain, to give him his board.. The state of things here is such, that we cannot feel willing to leave the place; and we are not willing to have our visit to Jerusalem delayed any longer. If only one of us goes, he will have an interpreter who understands English, a faithful man, and a good nurse in case of sickness. As to missionary labor and research, probably one may do about as much, at least during the present season, as both could do. On the whole it seems, so far as we can judge, that the interests of our mission are likely to be most effectually promoted by a temporary separation. We contemplate it with reluctance; but our rising murmurs are hushed by contrasting our case with the separation, to which our brethren were called who first went to India. We hope to be again united, after a short time, to prosecute the original plan of our mission.

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"Dec. 5. In the afternoon carried the baggage of Mr. Parsons on board the vessel. All are to be on board at eight o'clock, expecting to sail in the night. It is now thirteen months since we sailed from Boston. During this period we have spent every day and every night together. Thus far the Lord has prospered and blessed us. We should be ungrateful not to trust him for the future. We shall be separated, for a time, from each other, but we hope not to be separated from Him, 'who sticketh closer than a brother.?

"6. Last evening Mr. Parsons left me to go to Judea. We went on board the vessel together. There we sung,

'Guide me, O thou great Jehovah,'

united in prayer, commended each other to the divine protection, and gave the parting hand. To be separated from my only Christian brother, is a trial indeed. But we have not come to this land to seek

our own gratification. When duty calls, we must

obey. "16.

The Rev. Mr. Bellamy arrived as chaplain to the English factory.

"Sabbath, 17. Mr. Bellamy read prayers, and I then preached, from 2 Cor. v, 10. This probably closes my public labors with this congregation."

TO A LADY IN CONNECTICUT.

"Smyrna, Nov. 22, 1820.-I know better now than ever before how to prize the society of Christians. I know too, I trust, better than ever, that a person may be happy without their society. Yes, there is something in the religion of Christ which raises the soul superior to all created sources of enjoyment, and brings it into such a state of union with God, as leaves it independent of all other, beings. Have you experienced this? Do you know how the heart rests in God, and is filled with peace? To be diligently employed in his service; to have the consciousness, that with all our imperfections, it is our sincere aim to please him; to possess a confirmed hope through the blood of Christ, that after a few days we shall be entirely conformed to him, and completely happy with him; to have the heart filled with his love, and the mind stayed on him; this is heaven begun on earth. The attainment of this felicity is indeed difficult, but I trust not impossible. Without this, whether surrounded, as you are, by tender and faithful friends, or doomed, as I am, to wander among the brutal and savage of our race, we are 'poor, and wretched, and miserable.' Let us pray often and earnestly that the light of the divine countenance may be our daily comfort.

"You will perhaps expect me to say something about this country. A country with which so many interesting associations are connected, you will

suppose, cannot fail to furnish a great variety of intelligence, and important incidents. It is indeed interesting to pass the places, where the Greeks and Persians fought, where Homer wrote, and especially where Apostles preached, and martyrs died. But the savageness and ignorance which now prevail, render it extremely difficult to obtain correct intelligence, or true explanations respecting the things we see. If you wish for a concise description of the state of this country, natural, political, literary, and religious, read Genesis i, 2, the first part of the verse. No description could be more apposite.

"When you have read, pray, that the latter part of the verse may soon be as applicable, as the first part is now. If God say,-'Let there be light,'there will be light."

TO ONE OF HIS MISSIONARY BRETHREN.

"Smyrna, Nov. 26, 1820.-This evening I have read your last letter to brother Parsons, and your last to me. I do most sincerely thank you for this letter. Many of your interrogations come home to the conscience, and make me feel ashamed of myself, and excite desires and resolutions to pray more, and strive more earnestly after spirituality. Till I received your letter, I had cherished some hope, that we might be neighbors. But providence calls you the other way. The will of the Lord be done. Go, beloved brother, and the Lord be with you, as he was with Moses. Probably at this time you are a "beggar" in Georgia or Carolina. I wish I could get a letter into your hands without delay. But as this will not probably reach you, till your southern tour is completed, I need say nothing about your course. I bless God, however, that you are going thither, and hope you will preach with as much zeal, and as much effect, as ever Peter the hermit did. My

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