to Constantinople to hire it for another year. Under the Ottoman government, the man gets an office who can pay the greatest price for it, and then his object is to regain the money he has paid out, and procure as much more as he can. The consequence is such extortion and oppression as impoverish the people, discourage industry, and depopulate the country. There are in Sedicui a few Turkish families, who have a small mosque without a minaret. There is one man, a Turkish priest, said to be the only Turk in the village, who can read and write. He is now advanced in life, has four wives, one of whom he married a short time since. There are between one and two thousand Greeks, who have a church, four priests, and two schools. I visited the priests, and inquired whether they had the Scriptures in Romaic. They said-No. I inquired if they had them in ancient Greek. They said only the New Testament. I then gave them a Testament for the church, and told them I had others in Smyrna for sale. They immediately offered to purchase three copies. I also visited the school, heard the scholars read, and gave Tracts to all who could read them, accompanied with advice and exhortation.

"About half an hour after leaving Sedicui on our return, we stopped to look at a tumulus, a little west of our path. The base is about 30 rods in circumference. It is said to be the tomb of Andremon, the leader of the first Ionian colony which came from Greece to this country. After entering the town we passed through the Jews' neighborhood, and called at a place near the synagogue, where their schools are taught, saw six schools in which were about 150 boys reading Hebrew. There are some other schools which we did not see.

"Feb. 2. Mr. Jackson gave me the use of his horse, and Mr. Hansen, a young man who lives with him, rode out with me to Cooklujah, a Greek vil

lage four or five miles from Smyrna, a little south of east. The inhabitants are all Greeks. There is one church, four priests, one school, and perhaps 100 houses. I carried with me a Testament and 50 Tracts. Sold the Testament to the priests, and gave part of the Tracts to them, and the rest to the school. There were in the school 60 boys; but only ten could read in the Tracts. They have no school book but the Psalter and Prayer book in ancient Greek. The master and a priest, who were present, told me that they do not understand this language, yet the one reads his church service wholly in this, and the other teaches a school in which are no books in any other language. It gives me great satisfaction to supply men, in such circumstances, with the pure word of God, and with religious Tracts in a language which they can under

stand.

65.

On

Went with Mr. Jackson and his family to Bournabat, a village at a little distance from Smyrna, on the N. E. We went to the house of a Jew. each door post was a little tin case containing a roll, on which were written the ten commandments. Visited the Greek priest and five schools. In these schools are about 100 boys. In one of them the boys read very well, and seemed to understand what they read. There is one Greek church and three priests, one Catholic church, and one mosque. The number of houses is supposed to be about 1,000. The number of Turks and Greeks is said to be nearly equal. There are a few Jews, and a few Armenians. Distributed 60 Tracts.

"6. Mr. Van Lennep has just returned from Sedicui, and tells me, that the Tracts which I distributed are read with great interest. One man arose in the night, and lighted his candle to read a Tract.

"14. For some weeks past, I have occasionally giving instruction in English to a young Armenian,

a dragoman of the English consul. To-day I went with him to visit the principal school of the Armenians. It consists of two branches, each under the instruction of a priest. In one branch, are about 65 boys, chiefly small, who merely learn to read and write their own language. In the other branch 12 or 15 young men study the grammar of the language. The head master says, there are about 800 Armenian houses in town. I showed him an Armenian and a Turko-Armenian Testament. He said a bishop had just set out for Armenia, who wished for some very much; and as he would rest a while at Menimen, they could be sent to him there. I requested him to send these two, which he promised to do without delay."

On the 22nd of Feb. a Turk, Suleiman Effendi, was introduced to Mr. Fisk, to whom after some conversation he showed a Turkish Testament. Suleiman read the title page, and then turning to Matt. v. he read and replied; "Very good." The Testament was presented to him, which he received with expressions of gratitude. "This is the first opportunity," Mr. Fisk says, "I have had to put the Gospel into the hands of a Mahommedan. His heart is in the hand of God."

Having made an engagement for the purpose with the Russian consul, he went to visit the Greek vessels in port, which sailed under the Russian flag, to supply them with Testaments and Tracts.

The next day the Mahommedan, to whom the Testament had been given, called and told Mr. Fisk, that in reading it, he found it easy to be understood, and very good. He was then directed to the last chapter of Revelation, which he read with apparent pleasure, till he came to the last verses. He then said with some emphasis, "One God." He probably thought, as was supposed, that too much was said of Christ.

"Sabbath, March 18. My Greek scholars came to my room, having been previously invited, for the purpose of reading the Scriptures. We read the first seven chapters of Matthew. I asked them questions, and made remarks upon what was read. As they were going away, they said;-'We thank you very much for your instructions. They are very necessary for us. Unfortunately we do not have such instruction in this country. If you are willing, we shall be glad to come in this way every Sabbath.' Blessed be God for such opportunities of laboring for the spiritual good of my fellow

men."

In a number of instances he learnt that individuals, to whom he had given a Testament, had been employed in reading it to little circles of hearers, who collected for the purpose, and who were themselves unable to read.

"March 30. Two men have been hung to-day in the streets of Smyrna. They were put to the torture, and, confessions being extorted from them, they were immediately sentenced and executed. They are to remain hanging three days. It is not easy to describe the horror which is excited, by seeing the body of a fellow being suspended in the street of a city, which is not more than ten feet wide, where people are constantly passing, and in front of a shop, where business is constantly transacted."

From the last mentioned date the political affairs of the country assumed such an attitude, that Mr. Fisk considered it necessary to remain quiet, lest the missionaries should be suspected of being concerned in producing the revolt of the Greeks from Turkish dominion, an event which was then of frequent occurrence. In the mean time he pursued his studies, and improved every safe opportunity that occurred, to engage in more active labors. Alarming rumors were often in circulation, which occasioned among the Greeks the

fearful apprehension, that they should become the victims of Turkish violence. So great was the consternation produced among them even by a slight disturbance, that they repeatedly fled to vessels in the harbor, or concealed themselves in other places.

Under date of May 18, Mr. Fisk speaks of these disturbances. "It is now nearly two months since we heard of the revolt in Maldavia, and Wallachia. Confusion and alarm have been constantly increasing in town since. Several Greeks have been assassinated. A short time since the janizaries assumed the government of the town, which had previously been in the hands of the moslem. Three days ago a pasha arrived, and took possession of the government. Such is his rank, that he has liberty, according to the laws of the Ottoman empire, to execute seven men daily, without giving the privilege of a trial, or assigning any reason for his conduct. Half the people of the place have been trembling for their lives.

"While armed men have been passing and repassing almost constantly in the streets, while some have been assassinated, while the apprehension has existed, that the few acts of violence already committed, are but 'the beginning of sorrows,' I would be grateful, that I have been preserved in peace and tranquillity, and permitted to pursue as usual my studies."

As the political changes of the country affected the situation and prospects of Mr. Fisk and his fellow laborer, he considered it expedient to keep a journal of such events as came under his own observation. From a document, containing a particular account of the disturbances which took place at Smyrna, some extracts will be inserted.

From the 1st to the 16th of June he records little else but scenes of consternation, oppression and bloodshed. On the night of the 16th, there were