which we pay about eight dollars a month. When we left Smyrna we hired a Greek (Martino,) who has travelled much with Europeans in this country, to come with us. He is a poor man, and cannot read a word of any language; but he speaks Greek, French, Italian, and Turkish. When we travel, he knows the country, and acts as our guide. He is our interpreter, and steward. I am now learning him to read Italian.

"Our living hefe costs us generally about 60 or 70 cents a day. We find here no good meat nor milk nor butter. Bread is very good, and also rice; fruit, such as oranges, lemons, almonds, &c. are very cheap. Wine costs five or six cents only per quart; and except water, is the common drink of the country.

"The weather is very hot, so that we cannot study so much as we could last winter. Except a degree of debility produced by the heat, we enjoy good health.

"Our situation for learning Greek is peculiarly favorable. Our instructor is the first Teacher in the Greek college, and a man of learning. We shall remain here perhaps three months longer, and then return to Smyrna.

"Our time has been occupied thus far, and will be principally occupied for months, perhaps for years, in studying languages, and in collecting information about the country, and in distributing Bibles and Tracts. If our mission is the object of divine favor, we may live yet to preach the Gospel to Turks and Jews, as we used to preach in our own country. But we know not what a day may bring forth, and desire to commit ourselves and all our plans to the divine disposal.

"The people here are very friendly to us, and we live quietly. They all (except a few Turks and Jews) profess to be Christians, and consider themselves in the way to future happiness. But they know very little about Christianity, have very few Bibles,

and suppose that religion consists very much in making the sign of the cross, bowing before pictures of Christ, the Virgin Mary, the Apostles and Saints, and in performing other religious ceremonies. They receive Greek Tracts very readily, and they who can read are interested in perusing them. I hope we shall do something to promote their spiritual welfare while we reside on the Island."

*"On the 13th of June the conductor of the col

lege press, was engaged to furnish 5,000 copies of a Tract on Reading the Scriptures, selected from the works of Chrysostom, and translated into Modern Greek. When the Tract was ready for distribution, trial was soon made of the manner in which it would be received. The result was such, as to suggest the immediate publication of another-"The end of Time," by Dr. Watts, translated also into Modern Greek. With these little heralds it was easy to gain access to the schools, the monasteries, and the nunneries; in short, to any class of the Greek population. Professor B. warmly seconded the circulation of Tracts among his pupils, by urging them to study, and retain in their memories, what had been so generously put into their hands. Within a few weeks numerous copies were on their way to Thessalonica, Crete, Corfu, Ipsera, and many other places. The success of these incipient efforts was incomparably more rapid and encouraging, than could have been expected."

TO HIS FATHER.

Scio, July 24, 1820.

"My very dear Father, It is now ten or twelve weeks since we came to this Island. It has one city in which we resided six or seven weeks. We are now five or six miles from it. We have two chambers in a good house, and live very comforta

* See 12th Annual Report of the American Board, p. 39.

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, “Jouts nal of Messrs. Parsons and Fisk."