384 CLOSE OF A TERM-EMBLEM-CATECHISM. June 2. At our native service, I gave an exposition of the third chapter of Colossians, which presents many points of deep practical importance. The usual number at this meeting, is about seventy, consisting mostly of the members of our seminary and female boarding-school. The fact of its being the last Sabbath of the present term gave additional interest, and at the close of the usual service, Mr. Holladay made a few remarks, adapted to the occasion. The members of the seminary have never given us such cheering evidence of rapid improvement as at the present time. And their serious attention at our religious services, often leads us to hope that the Holy Spirit is near them. They have already acquired much knowledge of the Scriptures and have listened to many solemn appeals, and our hope and prayer is that the seed sown may soon spring up in their hearts. After meeting, about a dozen members of the seminary applied to me for Bibles and Testaments to take with them to their homes, that they may study them and read them to their friends, during the vacation. In this dark Moslem land, it is cheering to behold even the form of godliness; and while we ardently desire to witness its power, we should not forget to be grateful, that Christianity has even a name here. Encompassed, as it has been for centuries, by bloody enemies, its existence is almost a miracle, and we cannot doubt that the Lord has important designs, in relation to the extension of his kingdom, in thus preserving it here, even in name. The Nestorians have many practices, which to us might seem almost absurd; but which exert a strong influence in attaching them to the christian religion. For instance, whenever they write, or copy a Ms., at the top of each page on the right hand corner, they make three dots, a stroke of the pen underneath, and a single dot under that, to remind the reader of the doctrine of the Trinity, and the incarnation of Christ, the three upper dots meaning, triune, or three persons, but one God-the stroke, representing the divine throne, and the dot beneath, the human nature of our Lord. The value of such expedients can be fully appreciated only where this cardinal doctrine of our religion is virulently blasphemed, as is the case in Mŭhammedan countries. In like manner, in accordance with a verse in the chapter expounded to-day, "Whatsoever ye do, in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus,"-they always repeat, as a kind of charm, "in thy name, O Lord," whenever they engage in any act or undertaking however trivial. The thoughtlessness and even levity with which this is often done, is indeed painful to observe; still, the practice, on the whole, contributes much to inspire in them a general regard and reverence for that Name which all heaven adores, but which, in these benighted lands, is so habitually and wantonly blasphemed. June 10. A day or two since, in a bundle of papers from America, I received from a friend two numbers of " a Biblical Catechism designed for Infant-schools," prepared for the Massachusetts Sab SILENT PROGRESS DEATH OF A CHILD. 385 bath School Society. This morning, I put one of the numbers into the hauds of John, who has become master of our language sufficiently to read, with considerable ease, almost any of our books on common subjects. John was greatly delighted with the catechism, and at length brought it into my study, and commenced reading and explaining it to the bishop and priest who were with me. They too seemed equally pleased and promptly answered the questions, as John proposed them in order, through nearly the whole of the first number. They were particularly gratified to find that a book, from distant America, should be so fully adapted to their own Scriptures, and the bishop remarked of it, "here is a fresh evidence that your religion and ours are essentially one." John proposes to translate this catechism, for the use of our Nestorian Sabbath Schools. He can do it without much assistance, and it may thus be very useful,—perhaps the means of salvation to some who are ready to perish. Our friends in America, by sending us small works, which can there be purchased for a few cents, may do incalculable good with a trifling pecuniary sacrifice. He was June 13. The deacon from Mar Sergis called on me for a Bible, which I promised him at the time we visited his village. highly gratified with the treasure, implored many blessings to rest on me in return, promising also to attend our seminary and learn to read. In thus scattering copies of the Scriptures among this people, as well as in our other humble efforts for their benefit, we are encouraged by the parables and the promises of our Lord. The kingdom of heaven, in his account of it, resembles the grain of mustard seed, which at length becomes a tree; and again, the small piece of leaven, which silently diffuses itself through the whole lump. The word of the Lord will not return unto him void. CHAPTER XXIII. JOURNAL: AUGUST-DECEMBER, 1839. "It opens a new chapter in a parent's life to bury a child," was the remark of one who had read this chapter with the bleeding, yet soothed and acquiescing, sensibilities, of a christian parent. We were called, July 23, to read that painful chapter a second time, in the death of Justin Humphrey, our youngest son, after a severe sickness of two weeks. His disease appeared at first to be only a bilious diarrhoea, which, however, soon passed into a violent fever. We were obliged to watch its progress, while it preyed upon our helpless little one, ignorant alike of its precise nature and of any 386 VISIT TO TABREEZ-INFANT'S CALL. means by which it might be arrested or mitigated, with no physician within five hundred miles of us,—a position like that in which we had met our former bereavement, more trying to parents than can be known till experienced. Our babe was nearly a year old, and had never been ill an hour until seized by the disease of which he died. Worn out with watching and solicitude, during his sickness, Mrs. P. had become feeble, and this, together with some items of business for our mission, led us to make an excursion to Tabreez, in the hope that her health might be benefitted by the change of air and scene. Aug. 3. We reached Tabréez at 7 o'clock in the morning. Our journey was comfortable and had the desired effect of restoring Mrs. P. to her usual health. Soon after our arrival, Mr. Merrick put into my hand the following lines, which he had penned after hearing of the death of our little boy. An infant sister had died five years before, and a brother survived. J. H. was the first one removed by death, of the five infant children of members of our mission, who were born within the period of two months and baptized the same day, as noticed in a preceding chapter. These facts will explain some allusions in the lines that follow. If an apology be needed for their insertion, it must be found in the hearts of bereaved parents, in the solitude of a benighted land. "To the Rev. J. and Mrs. C. B. P., the following lines are affectionately inscribed, by their sympathizing missionary brother, JAMES L. MERRICK. THE INFANT'S CALL. Lovely spirit, can it be, Art akin the least to me, Filled with pleasure and affright? Perfection seeming half-divine, Beams awful thro' those smiles of thine. Darling brother, do not fear, Angel, what will brother say, Lovely brother, do not call Me an ANGEL with awed tone; Thy fond heart proclaims its own. You need not love our dear ones less, Lovely sister, is it true? In our circle then remain; Well I know the silken ties, Dost thou know how near our birth? O why should such a beauteous wreath, Dearest brother, I was there, Dearest sister, much inclined, 387 388 A MEERZA-PRINCE-INCREASED power. You must be very happy there; Ere long may we your glory share. Brother, lift thine eyes above! O how sweet his glories shine! Behold, he comes, what raptures swell, Sister bear me on thy wing; Let us meet Him in the skies! The reader hardly need be told, that this beautiful wreath for the tomb of our babe, was very soothing to our wounded hearts, at that time, and hardly less so in the re-perusal, when our only surviving child and the remaining four of the band of five, were suddenly taken from us, a few months afterward. Aug. 5. Wishing to improve my time to advantage while at Tabréez, I engaged a Meerza to give me lessons in Persian. He is the same who taught me the Turkish language, soon after our first arrival in Persia. He was for two years a member of Mr. Haas's school, and has thus become quite intelligent, is much attached to missionaries, and, professedly, to their object. He once made the declaration to one of the German brethren, "I believe in Jesus;" and he has often made similar remarks to me. Were he not restrained by the terror of Muhammedan intolerance, I little doubt that he would gladly make an open profession of Christianity. Though convinced of its truth, he has, however, probably, but very inadequate views of its spiritual requisitions. Aug. 23. My Meerza stated to me, that last night, to use his own words, he "preached to a large number of Mussulmâns, from the fifth chapter of Matthew;" and when at the close, he demanded, what word of that chapter is not good, "all exclaimed, that it was excellent." Who can tell what good may result from the impressions which he and many other young Mussulmans received in that missionary school? Aug. 24. In company with Mr. Merrick, I waited on Kahramân Meerza, the prince-governor of Azerbijân. He has just returned. from Tehran. The king rewarded his late visit to the capital, with considerable increase of power, both in the extent of his territory and of his prerogatives. His title now is, Naib Sultân-lord lieutenant-the same which his father, Abbas Meerza, had, while he was so long heir-apparent to the throne. On the prince's arrival, to make his courtiers and officers sensible of his augmented authority, he ordered a Persian noble to be seized and bastinadoed, and fined him two thousand dollars, without alleging any particular |