INTOLERANCE-THE TURKISH LANGUAGE.

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pictures, that their gods may not witness their sensuality. It is not at all strange, therefore, that we have an account of two English travellers in Russia, who met with many persons in the southern part of the empire, who suppose that St. Nicholas will succeed to the throne of heaven, when the Almighty shall die!

"How cheering it would be to see evangelical missionaries go forth to work among the Russians, to lead such idolators to the worship of the living God,—and if missionaries must be shut out of the empire, to see tracts* spread among them, inculcating the pure gospel and exposing such appalling superstitions!

(Signed)

Tabréez, Oct. 16th, 1835."

Very affectionately yours,

F. H.

If apologists for the intolerance towards Protestant missions, to which the bigoted priesthood in Russia impel the government, need an additional fact, they may be told, that Mr. Merrick and Dr. Grant, when on their way to Persia, applied to the Russian ambassador at Constantinople for passports that would allow them, in case of necessity, to travel in Georgia, and were refused such passports, on the ground of their being missionaries,—the new ukase to which I have before alluded, being referred to by the ambassador, as forbidding any clergyman to enter the empire without the emperor's permis

sion.

Our Nestorian ecclesiastics, the bishop and priest, went home about the middle of June, on account of the prevalence of the plague at Tabréez. In prospect of soon removing to Oroomiah, I did not think it expedient to have them return to Tabréez. After they left us, I directed my attention exclusively to the study of Turkish. The Azerbijân Turkish is not a written language, and the facilities for acquiring it are of course quite limited. I have constructed an English and Turkish dictionary of this language, containing about ten thousand words; and one of the German missionaries has prepared a small grammar. These helps, though imperfect, will afford great assistance to those who join our mission from time to time, in acquiring the language.

The Turkish, as here spoken, differs widely from the Osmanly, not only from the fact that the latter is enriched and polished from the stores of the classical Arabic and Persian, but also from the character and circumstances of the people who use the former, in these regions. The down-cast mein of the cowardly and oppressed Armenians, is not more deeply imprinted on their faces, than is their cowering timidity developed in the tones of their voices. And the

* This desirable work is now happily in efficient progress, particularly in the enlightened vicinity of the Russian capital, and not more in consequence of the cheering tolerance of government there, than of the christian zeal of English and American philanthropists, in occupying that open door.

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PRIEST ABRAHAM TEACHING ENGLISH.

cringing obsequiousness of the artful Persian peasant beams not more slyly from his cunning eye, than is it expressed in his style of speaking Turkish. The Turkish language has naturally and eminently the attributes of authority and command. It rolls on in its under key, abrupt periods and falling inflexions, far more sublimely than our own old Saxon. "The Serpent wishing to seduce Eve," as the fable, characterizing three of the Oriental languages, runs, "made use of Arabic-a language argumentative and persuasive. Eve addressed Adam in Persian-the dialect of tenderness, temptation and love. The angel Gabriel, commissioned to expel them from Paradise, having in vain addressed them in Arabic and Persian, made use at last of the Turkish—a language of menace and resembling muttering thunder. Hardly had he began to speak, when terror seized them and they left precipitately the abode of felicity."* The Turkish retains these characteristics, at Constantinople and in Asia Minor, where it is still the dominant language. But farther east, the rising inflexion and drawling, beseeching, evasive tones, prevail in it to an extent far greater than even in the native languages of the nominal Christians of those regions, who are accustomed to address their Muhammedan rulers and superiors in Turkish, but their own people respectively in their mother tongues. As all classes in northern Persia speak Turkish, it is of the first importance that missionaries there should acquire this language as soon as practicable after their arrival.

The bishop and priest were not inactive, when they returned to their homes. A few weeks after they left Tabréez, a young Nestorian, who happened to be in this city on business, called on me. He told me that priest Abraham had commenced teaching English in his native village and was succeeding very well; adding, moreover, that he was himself one of the pupils. I could not believe the statement, as I had never intimated to the priest the expediency or practicability of his accomplishing anything of the kind. To test the truth of the boy's story, however, I produced an English spelling-book and told him to read. tried him in several places, on some of the first pages of the book, and to my utter astonishment, he read with considerable accuracy. In this unexpected development, I hardly knew which to admire most, the enterprise and success of the priest as a teacher, or the talents and perseverance of the boy as a learner. This first English school among the Nestorians, originated by one of their own ecclesiastics, is, I trust, a harbinger of a brighter day, about to rise upon that long benighted people.

Soon after our associates reached Tabréez, Dr. Grant went to Oróomiah, to rent for us a house and make other arrangements preparatory to our removal to that city. I was myself necessarily detained at home, to put our effects in portable order and make

* Biblical Repository and Quarterly Observer, Oct. 1836, p. 433.

RENTING A HOUSE-INTEMPERANCE.

225

other preparations at Tabréez. And two of the German missionaries, Messrs. Hoernle and Schneider, happening to be going to Oróomiah on a tour of observation in the borders of Koordistân, kindly engaged to interpret for Dr. G. and render him all other needed assistance.

Nov. 6. Dr. G. reached us on his return from Oróomiah, having been quite successful in accomplishing the objects of his journey. Among the Nestorians, he met with the same kind reception which they manifested to me, during my visit among them the previous year. The governor, too, showed him great kindness. In addition to many polite attentions, his Excellency interested himself in forwarding the particular object of Dr. G's visit; and, through their united efforts and the aid of the German brethren, we were enabled to secure a very comfortable dwelling.

I shall not find it more convenient elsewhere than here, to allude to the subject of intemperance in Persia,-particularly as the following statements from a letter in answer to inquiries addressed to me by a gentleman in America, were written about the same time with the foregoing pages of this chapter.

"To the several points on which you request information, I will reply in the order in which you state them. 'What are the habits of the people with regard to temperance?' While I search in vain. among the people around me, for a single trait that ennobles my native country, one circumstance, which is characteristic alike of Persia and America, is almost daily thrust upon my view, viz. beastly intemperance. What are the principal means of intoxication? Among what classes and to what extent does that vice prevail?' The intoxicating article, most used here, is the wine of the country, which is almost as plentiful and cheap as the springs of water. Another article, considerably used, is arrák, (Asiatic brandy,) distilled from dried grapes, or from the residue after the wine is extracted. European liquors are also rolling in upon the country like a flood. Our missionary brethren, who have just arrived, were preceded but one week by a caravan, bearing, among other poisons of the kind, eighteen barrels of New England rum! What an indignity cast upon the poor brutes even that are made to plod their way over a journey of near seven hundred miles, crossing almost impassable mountains and groaning beneath their almost intolerable burdens, which tend only to degrade the species that drive them incomparably below themselves! I see no other article of American manufacture, in the markets here, than New England Can the enterprising of my country send to Muhammedan Persia no better commercial representative! Well may the American churches multiply their missionaries to this country, if it were merely to repair the evils that are sown here by New England rum! I may say in general that intemperance prevails among all classes in Persia. Many-a great many, of the Nestorians are intemperate; and the Armenians are still more fearfully so. The Muhammedans

rum.

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EFFECT OF EXAMPLE ON THE MUHAMMEDANS.

too are becoming intemperate. Though their Prophet forbade the use of wine, and, as he supposed, of all intoxicating drinks, inasmuch as the art of distillation was then unknown, still multitudes in Persia, in the face of what they assert to be a divine prohibition, give themselves up to habitual intemperance. While they despise the christian population, as they detest the dogs in the streets and the swine upon the mountains, they still shamefully wallow with these same nominal Christians in this filthiest of their vices.

The extent to which intemperance prevails, among the nominal Christians of this country, may be inferred from two or three facts. The Sabbath is particularly devoted to dissipation. The mummery of their religious forms is repeated at a very early hour in the morning, and the rest of the day is given up, by the mass, to festivity and carousal. During some of their numerous fasts, the more rigid part abstain from the use of wine. But in anticipation of the abstinence, and to make up for it, each fast is introduced and followed by a drunken revel. And such is the impression which the intemperance of the nominal Christians makes upon their Muhammedan neighbors, that often when a Muhammedan is seen intoxicated, his countrymen tauntingly exclaim, that man has left Muhammed and has gone to Jesus!

Among the Muhammedans also, particularly among the higher classes, many of whom are becoming lax and skeptical in regard to the claims of their religion, intemperance prevails to an appalling extent. I sometimes see respectable merchants falling down in the streets, or reeling in the arms of their companions. Soon after Dr. Grant's arrival, I accompanied him to the palace to introduce him to the governor of this city. His Excellency was ill-broken down by hard drinking-and he requested the Dr. to do something for him. Dr. G. examined his case and made out a prescription, directing, that while taking the medicine, he should eat no stimulating food and drink no wine. The governor replied, I cannot go a day without my wine. This poor man is young, amiable and intelligent; but like numbers of his rank in Persia, is a self-immolated victim to the bloody shrine of Bacchus.

Is intemperance on the increase, or has it within a few years been diminished?' The evil has of late rapidly increased in Persia, particularly since the importation of European liquors commenced. The Muhammedans make no virtue of moderate drinking. They regard it as the peculiar privilege of Christians, to drink alcohol, and think they live greatly below their privilege, if they fail to drink it to intoxication. And whenever they themselves break over their scruples and fall into the use of intoxicating liquors at all, they act in full consistency with these principles. The rapid increase of intemperance among the Muhammedans is the consequence.

'What effects have intoxicating liquors on the health, character and condition of the people?' The effects here are much the same as in America and other countries. They destroy health-break

EVILS HOPE-REMOVAL.

227

the heart-beggar families-multiply vices-excite quarrels-shed blood and brutalize the species. I was deeply affected, on one occasion, by a simple story from my Armenian servant which may illustrate this point. I was walking out a little distance from the city, and the servant was with me. As we approached some beautiful gardens, I observed that he began to weep. I inquired the cause, and he answered me as follows: 'Sir, I have not come this road before for six years; and it always makes me weep to come here. My father once owned those fine gardens. He drank much wine. It made him a fool. He got into a quarrel and killed a Mussulman. He was shut up in prison-came near losing his life -and escaped only by giving the governor all his property. Before, he was rich. He owned a good house and four horses and these gardens, and kept two servants. Now, we have all of us, my father, my wife, my child and myself, nothing to buy bread and clothes with, but the five dollars a month which you pay me for living with you.' By the time his story was told, his heart was melted. Yet such are not strange tales in Persia, any more than in America."

Still there is hope even for Persia. One of the most animating scenes that I have witnessed since my return to America, was the Washingtonian celebration, in May 1842, in Boston.

As I stood upon the beautiful common, and watched the vast procession, moving on with manly step to the martial airs, and read the various appropriate mottoes on their shining banners, a thrill of moral sublimity kindled in my bosom that I had seldom if ever experienced. I was saddened, however, when I thought of Persia in contrast; but again I was cheered; for in that procession I saw a pledge, as I thought, that Boston, at least, would inflict on Persia little more New England rum; and round the world the star of temperance moves.

CHAPTER XIV.

REMOVAL TO OROOMIAH.

HAVING put all our effects in portable order during the previous week, we started, Monday morning, Nov. 16th, for Oroomiah. Dr. Grant had preceded us several days, to see that our dwelling should be in a habitable state on our arrival, leaving Mrs. G. to accompany Mrs. P. and myself. The German brethren were still at-Oróomiah, and had had the kindness to superintend some repairs for us. The weather was delightful. We had long apprehended the commence