Remarks by Mr. Goodell.

In August. This month has been very sickly among the natives. Scarcely a day has passed but some have died; frequently two or three in a day; and in a few instances, eight or ten. In the neighborhood where I live, death has entered almost every house except my own. As the Christians, as well as the Mussulmans, make the most bitter wailings on the death of their relatives, our ears have been constantly assailed with the sounds of grief.

The diseases, that have proved so fatal, have been the dysentery, and the bilious fever. The natives attribute them to the uncommon cold of the last winter. The Franks have generally enjoyed health, except a few strangers, who brought the fever with them from Cyprus. Both of Mr. Bird's children have been afflicted with the ophthalmia, but are now better. During the month, Mon. Signor Gondolfy, the pope's vicar, died of the dropsy, at An

toora.

In September.-The diseases, which were so prevalent and fatal in August, continued, though with less violence, through most of the present month. They appear to have raged through the whole country, as well high upon the mountain, as on the coast. An English merchant of this place died about the 15th inst. either from the fever, with which he was attacked, or from the improper medical treatment, which he received.

we shall adopt a more satisfactory arrangement, by selecting the kindred portions, wherever found, and bringing them together under their appropriate heads.

Preliminary Remarks.

It may not be amiss, perhaps, to introduce the extracts, by a recapitulation of several facts and observations, which have already appeared in different parts of this work.

Let it be remembered, then, with grateful pleasure, that upon our American churches was conferred the high privilege of sending the first regular protestant mission to Palestine. This mission was commenced by Messrs. Fisk and Parsons, who preached their farewell sermons in Boston, previous to embarkation, in the autumn of 1819.

Mr. Parsons was the first protestant missionary, who visited the holy land, with a view to a permanent establishment, and the disturbed state of the country obliged him to leave within a few months. Only six years have elapsed, since his visit was made; and soon after, he died. Messrs. Fisk and King, accompanied by Mr. Wolff, arrived in Judea in the spring of 1823, four years ago, from which time the mission may be regarded as permanently established: but the station at Beyroot, now the principal, and indeed the only, missionary station in Syria, (there being none, at present, in the holy land,) was not commenced by Messrs. Bird and Goodell until the autumn of that year.

Mr. Fisk died in the fall of 1825, and Mr.

that Mr. Fisk sickened and died. His disease was a bilious fever.

nal plan and his engagements with the Board, just before that melancholy event. Mr. Wolff remained not long in that part of Asia. The few other protestant missionaries, who have visited that country, at different times, have not continued long, by reason of death, or sickness, or other causes. During the past year, Messrs. Bird and Goodell were the only protestant laborers in that field.*

It is, therefore, a fact worthy of notice, in order duly to appreciate the existing state of things in Western Asia, that, while but six

* Since the above was put in type, we recollected, that the Rev. John Nicholayson arrived at Beyroot, in December 1825, as a missionary to the Jews. He is mentioned in one of the extracts on the following pages. We take this opportunity also to say, that in September last, the missionaries in Syria were favored with a visit from the Rev. Mr. McPherson, Methodist missionary at Alexandria, in Egypt. The following extract from Mr. Goodell's notice of this visit, is made to show the catholic spirit which animates the labors of missionaries generally. "We had much sweet counsel with this brother, and the benefits of his visit, we trust, are mutual. He certainly was the means of refreshing our spirits, and he himthe work of God amongst us."-Ed. self appeared greatly encouraged by what he saw of

was first attempted on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean, not a single protestant missionary has resided there so long as three years.

It should be remarked, also, that these missionaries have been obliged to spend much of their time in acquiring various and difficult languages, and in travelling through the country, spying out the land, and becoming acquainted with its people. Travellers, indeed, there had been in Palestine, before them; but none of these travellers explored the country with reference to missionary operations. Hence, with respect to the country and its inhabitants, the best sites for missionary stations, the most assailable points of attack, and the best modes of operation; our missionaries have had almost every thing to learn.-The death of Mr. Fisk, too, after he had gone through the land, formed his opinions of the people, acquired their languages, and gained to some extent their confidence, was a most mysterious and disheartening event: it greatly diminished the moral power of the mission.

The intelligence now to be given, will show, that, notwithstanding the shortness of the time since the mission was established-notwithstanding the fewness of the missionaries, and the many embarrassments under which they have been compelled to labor-notwithstanding that, according to any ordinary mode of calculation, the time has not come to expect any great and visible effects, as the consequence of their labors;*-yet, as will be

seen,

their labors have produced very considerable results.

Our readers are aware, that the nominally Christian church of Western Asia, (for it is little better than nominally Christian,) is divided into a number of sects. The principal of these sects are the Greek, Armenian, Syrian, Nestorian, and Roman Catholic. The Catholic is subdivided; and the more important subdivisions, with which the missionaries of the Board have come into actual contact, are the Maronite, and a Catholic branch of the ancient Greek church.t

The sects, upon which the missionaries are exerting the strongest influence, are the Maronites, who are Catholics, and the Armenians, who have no connexion with the Catholic church.

Asaad Shidiak, whose ingenious and interesting statement of his religious experience,

*See this subject more fully illustrated at pp. 212214 of the Missionary Herald for the last year.-Ed. +See an account of these and other sects, abridged from Jowett's Researches, at pp. 92, 126, 164, of the Missionary Herald, vol. xxii.-Ed.

tion of the last and of the present numbers of this work, belonged to the Maronite church, until his eyes were opened by the Scriptures to the errors and corruptions of that denomination.

Asaad Jacob, whose letter to the Corresponding Secretary, in imperfect English, was inserted in the number for January of the present year, belongs to the ancient Greek church. Another short letter from him has lately been received, by the Secretary, and will appear at a future time.

The missionaries have hope concerning a member of the Greek Catholic church, whose name is Yooseph Leflufy, that he has become truly pious, and from principle will join the little company of reformers.

To these we add a priest and an archbishop of the Armenian church, both of whom are now to be numbered with the friends and followers of the Lord Jesus: and another archbishop of the Armenian church, whose understanding has so far been convinced, that he co-operates with the missionaries in their work of reformation, and gives some ground to hope, that ere long he may be with them in heart, as well as in action.

The priest is spoken of by Mr. Goodell under the name of Wortabet. He is a young man, who left the Armenian convent at Jerusalem, about two years ago, thoughtless, and without settled principle. Entering the service of Mr. Goodell, as literary assistant, he of course had many conversations with that missionary, and received much instruction. Until last summer, however, no strong hold seems to have been taken on his conscience. But then he became deeply serious, and began in earnest to seek for true religion in the heart, which there is much reason to believe he has obtained.

The name of the archbishop is Dionysius. He is familiarly called Garabet or Carabet, an Armenian word signifying a forerunner, which was given him, at his own request, by Mr. Goodell, in the hope that he might prove, as he seems likely to do, the forerunner of great good to his nation. He was born at Constantinople; spent 36 years of his life in the Armenian convent at Jerusalem, the last nine of which he was bishop; and for a long time was principal secretary to the establishment. He is now about 50 years old; and on account of his age, his services, his acquirements, and his general standing, is considered as sustaining in his church the rank of an archbishop, and in his official documents, subscribes him

self as such. Three years ago, disgusted with the superstitions and corruptions of his church, he left the convent, and what property he possessed, (about 1000 dollars, which the convent refused to deliver up to him,) and came to Sidon, intending to proceed to Constantinople, and end his days in his native city. But meeting with Mr. Goodell at Sidon, he became his instructor in the Armenian-Turkish language, or the Turkish language written in the Armenian character, and has remained with him ever since.

Archbishop as he was, he used profane language, and at first appeared perfectly unconscious that it was sinful. But on being admonished, he abandoned the practice. He invariably attended divine service on the Sabbath, and appeared greatly pleased with the seriousness with which it was conducted; the like to which, he said, was no where else to be found in Syria. Being harrassed with letters from his convent, inviting, beseeching, commanding him to return, he renounced his monastic Vows, and, to cut off all hope and possibility of his return, entered into the marriage state. So bold a step, which, in fact, set at nought || the whole monastic system of his church, became matter of surprise and of conversation throughout Syria. An Armenian council being held, soon after, at Bagdad, near the site of the ancient Babylon, at which were present priests and bishops from Jerusalem, and from Echmiazin, in the Greater Armenia, the residence of the chief patriarch of the Armenian church, as well as from other parts of the East, the case of Dionysius was brought forward and discussed. Whether the grand patriarch, whose ample diocess embraces two-and-forty archbishoprics, was himself present, we are not informed. But after long inquiry, no way was found in which the revolted subject could be brought to punishment. At this council, the priesthood were treated by the laity with the disrespectful freedom, which was exemplified in the public meeting at Constantinople, of which an account remains to be given.-What progress the archbishop has made in the attainment of piety, will be made to appear more fully as we proceed.

The name of the other Armenian archbishop, is Jacob Aga. He has resided with the English consul at Sidon, as his Agent. In consequence of his marrying a wife from a Maronite family, she and all her father's house were excommunicated, by the Maronite patriarch. For a more particular account of him, see vol. xxi. pp. 171, 209; and p. 19, of the present volume.

VOL. XXIII.

A few words concerning the Maronites, and the Armenians, although but little more than a repetition of what has been said in a former volume, will serve to illustrate still further, the intelligence which is to follow.

The Maronites reside chiefly on Mount Lebanon, and in the adjacent cities, and, speaking the Arabic language, come more especially within the sphere of Mr. Bird's labors. They derive their origin and name from John Maron, or Maro, in an early age of the Christian church. Since the year 1182, they have been closely connected with the Catholic church, and the connexion has ever been, and now is, cherished, by the court of Rome, with the most jealous care.

The Armenians, who come more especially into Mr. Goodell's sphere, have their origin in the ancient country of Armenia, and from thence derive their name. The vast territory east and northeast of Syria and Palestine is occupied by the Armenians, in company with other sects. In Palestine, they have four monasteries, the one at Jerusalem, of which more will be said by and by, being the most splendid and opulent in the holy city. In Constantinople, there are supposed to be not less than 100,000 Armenians, among whom, as they are a body of enterprising merchants, there is immense wealth. The Armenians are the bankers of the East, and rule the mercantile republic, from Constantinople to Calcutta; and travelling much, for the purposes of trade, they have become the most intelligent of the oriental sects, and on that account are the most likely subjects for reform.*Mr. Goodell thus speaks of them in his letter of latest date.

Most of the principal men of their nation live, and some of them like princes, at Constantinople. They are not in the least degree under clerical influence, but give their priests and bishops the appellation of dogs, even to their faces, and frequently say to them, "You know nothing, and care for nothing, but to eat, drink, and be merry.' They Occasionally attend church from respect to their nation, but they are tired with the sumptuous and unmeaning ceremonials of their religion, give no credence to the lying wonders of their legends and ghostly fathers, and look, with no feelings but those of disgust, upon the ridiculous traditions, the su

*The Armenian church is said to number 42,000 individuals in the Russian provinces; 70.000 in Per

sia; and in Turkey, 1,500,000: while, as is intimated above, the merchants in her communion are found every where, in the East.-Ed.

14

perstitious rites, and the ten thousand absurdities, of their antiquated crumbling church. They would at once suppress most of the clergy, and sweep away at a stroke most of the convents and existing ecclesiastical institutions, were they not afraid that many of the bigotted and less informed Armenians, in other places, would, in consequence, become papists.

It is to be hoped, that we may be the means of rescuing many of these bold and influential characters from the chilling and repulsive spirit of infidelity, into whose horrid grasp they seem likely, if left to themselves, to fall; and many of their more scrupulous brethren, who are, if not of inferior capacity, yet of inferior information to themselves, from the no less horrid tyranny and cruel bondage of superstition; and of bringing them all "into the glorious liberty of the children of God."

General Labors.

The philological, grammatical, and other labors of Mr. Goodell, will first be described.

The grammar which I had commenced in Turkish and Italian, I changed, at the suggestion of Mr. Fisk, to Turkish and English. Should it ever be published, it will not, in consequence of this change, be in so great demand; but it will, it is believed, be more useful to English and American missionaries, and less useful to Roman Catholic missionaries. This is now reduced to form; and though very imperfect, it contains as many principles of the language, as I have hitherto been able to furnish, and will, it is hoped, facilitate the studies of future missionaries.

For the same reason, and at the sug gestion of the same brother, I have changed my dictionary to Turkish and English, and English and Turkish. The latter part of the work is comparatively easy; for, having all the English words in alphabetical order, I have only to put down against them Turkish words, as I meet with them from day to day.

But

the former is very difficult; for all the Turkish words are first to be found, and then to be arranged. I have not been able to find any book in any language, which contains all the Turkish words; and much less, which contains them in alphabetical order. Signor Wortabet is employed three hours a day in finding and arranging them.

Signor Carabet and myself completed, sometime since, the translation of the four Gospels into Turkish Armenian; and should have proceeded to translate the Acts of the Apostles, and

the Epistles, had I not received intelligence from Mr. Leeves of Constantinople, that he had employed an Armenian, with the sanction of the patriarch, to revise the old translation, so as to make it intelligible to the common people, and that he had nearly completed it. As this is not from the original Greek, my own translation, should it prove to be a good one, though not wanted immediately, will, it is hoped, be of use at some future period. At any rate, the work of translating has been a useful exercise to me, for I, had no good books in the language to read; and if I had, I should still have been without a dictionary by which I could find out the meaning of the words in them.

We have recently translated some account of the last hours of Mr. Fisk, together with "Mr. King's Farewell Letter to his friends in Syria; with additions by another hand." This last has widely circulated in Arabic, and has apparently been useful in opening the eyes of many of the people.

Signor Wortabet, who is now, by consular authority, constituted my secretary, made several copies of Christ's sermon on the mount, which I sent to Cyprus, to Egypt, to Armenia, and other places. I also sent one with a letter to the Armenian archbishop at Sidon. The following is a literal translation of his answer.

"To Mr. Goodell, our spiritual and beloved brother in Beyroot; Peace.

"The first fruits of your new garden, viz. the translation into the vulgar Turkish, which you have made from the fifth to the seventh chapter of the Gospel of Mathew inclusive, we having read, and most diligently employed our thoughts upon, and not finding any defect, have greatly rejoiced with joy. And we besought of the Great God, that he would in his mercy favor those works of a similar nature, which you have in your fruitful mind, by which poor Armenians, who are ignorant of their mother tongue, may know, and with good attention may understand, what are the commands of God, and what are the various services it is necessary to render him. And moreover, the translation of the Old Testament being in your thoughts, God can raise up helpers if you need them.

"Nothing more, except that there prays for you JACOB ABGARIUS."

Some of the literary labors of Mr. Bird, are alluded to by Mr. Goodell, and the effect of them, as here described, taken in connexion with the surprising efficacy of similar labors when directed to the Armenian church, of