SACRIFICES AT HOME TRIALS OF OUR FIELD. 495 their aching heads in the hour of despondency and gloom;—when I have thought of the delicate, the refined, the enlightened female missionary, the dew of her youth expended in ceaseless anxieties and unremitted toil-when I have followed her, in my imagination, to some secluded spot to which she is wont to retire, perhaps in the stillness of the evening hour, to think of her home, and to recall the looks and the affections of those from whom she is separated until they meet beyond the vale of death, where parting is unknown; and when I have there witnessed the deep, convulsive throes of her heart, while the tears chase each other over her pale and care-worn cheeks I have said in my haste-It is too much-can, does God require it? But when I have read of their love for the work, and how their consolations abounded in the midst of their trials;-when I have read of their holy enjoyment in God, of their sweet peace of mind, of their ardent aspirations after heaven, as faith unfolded to their enraptured vision the brightness of its glory;—when I have read of their composed, of their peaceful and triumphant death, and thought of the unfading brilliancy of that crown, which shall encircle their brows-I have said-It is not a vain thing to serve the Lord;-whatever sacrifices it involves, its rewards are infinitely preferable to earth's highest honors and purest pleasures."* We would not lay down the principle, that missionaries should, in all cases, be married men. There are fields, spheres of labor and circumstances, as there doubtless will be, till the world is converted, in which it is as clearly expedient for modern missionaries to go forth and labor single, as it was for Paul, in the "distress" of the times in which he lived; and modern Pauls, when duty requires it, will rejoice to make this sacrifice also, and follow in this particular the example of the great apostle. Most Christians at home have hardly yet known the meaning of the term, sacrifice, in connexion with the work of missions. How few, comparatively, have ever given to this cause, a contribution beyond their entire convenience, or even half what they might have given, without feeling it. God, in his providence, seems about to afford them an opportunity to learn the lesson and taste the luxury of making sacrifices. May they prize and embrace the privilege, and reap the recompense of reward. Our missionary field has necessarily been one of somewhat peculiar self-denial,-difficult of access-facilities for communication irregular and imperfect-encompassed by vast territories of Muhammedan dominion, and with a sickly climate. Any field, however, is far more trying to pioneers than to their successors. Ours may now be commonly reached by the missionary, in company with caravans, without much danger; and the fatigue of the long landjourney, with proper precautions, need not amount to very serious exposure to a lady. Our health-retreat holds out the grateful promise * Rev. Dr. W. R. Dewitt's sermon before the A. B. C. F. M. 1842, p. 18. 196 MISSION PREMISES-IMPORTANCE OF Hope. of relief from the sickliness of the climate. And our contiguous situation, in the city of Oróomiah, contributes much to the security and comfort of our residence. Our mission premises embrace about an acre, pleasantly shaded by numerous tall sycamores, enclosed on all sides, by a high mud-wall and entered by a single gate. Within this enclosure are the dwellings of the missionaries, (four families,) our seminary of about fifty pupils, our girl's boarding-school, of between twenty and thirty-and our printing establishment,—in_all, about one hundred individuals, besides our school for young Mŭhammedans and our medical dispensary. Our permanent community are regulated in their labors, studies, recitations and religious exercises, by the hours of the day, somewhat in the manner of a college in America, while the members of the mission are also abroad among the villages, more or less, visiting the schools and preaching the gospel. Our proximity to each other renders it easy for the missionaries to be together daily, or oftener, for business, or social and religious purposes, and is an unspeakable relief in case of sickness. Thus, far away in a benighted land, and in the heart of a Muhammedan city, We are a garden, walled around, Like trees of myrrh and spice we stand, To make the young plantation grow. We do not, however, expect entire exemption from sufferings, nor would we ask it, while cheered by the animating assurance, that if we suffer with Him [Christ,] we shall also reign with Him. While speaking of sacrifices, I should not omit to suggest, that in view of the self-denials and trials incident to his work, hope is an important element in the missionary's character. It is indeed a cardinal christian grace, in believers in general,-placed between faith and charity by an apostle. But it is preeminently indispensable, in the foreign laborer, who would be happy and successful, in his arduous undertaking. No doubting Thomas ought ever to be sent into the field, to hang as a mill-stone upon the necks of his sufficiently burdened brethren, magnifying difficulties, and creating the discouragements which he fancies to exist. The missionary must be disposed habitually to rejoice in hope, as well as be patient in tribulation and instant in prayer. Not that he need be, or should be, unduly sanguine in his expectations. In medio tutissimus ibis; safety lies between the two. He must expect great things, for Christ's kingdom-at least hope for them-or he will never attempt great things. The state and prospects of our mission to the Nestorians are in SCHOOLS-PROGRESS-THE PRESS. 497 creasingly encouraging. We have multiplied village-schools, from time to time, as teachers have become qualified in our seminary, to the utmost extent of our pecuniary means. These schools are now about twenty in number, besides the seminary and female boardingschool, all of which have, from their commencement, been in a flourishing condition. They contain about five hundred scholars; and it is delightful to mark the progress of these scholars, where, a few years ago, no schools existed,-to see them gradually rise, in the brief course of even the imperfect education which we are able to furnish them, from the rude, ignorant, squalid children, first collected, up to the comparatively intelligent young men, like plants grown up in their youth, and daughters, as corner-stones, polished after the similitude of a palace; and yet more delightful, to mark their rapid progress in religious knowledge, their increased attention to eternal things, and the hopeful conversion of here and there one from the power and bondage of sin, to the love and service of the living God. Our educational efforts hold out the cheering prospect, in connexion with our other labors, of furnishing the Nestorians with an intelligent and pious ministry; and with their aid, of gradually raising the whole mass to an intelligent and virtuous people. It is but a little more than two years since the arrival of our press, and the commencement of printing among the Nestorians. The power of this mighty agency can never be told, especially in its operations in a benighted land. The press has sometimes been called the modern gift of tongues. It is so; but is also much more. It is the gift of tongues stereotyped. Instead of the ephemeral unction of a Pentecostal occasion, by which every man was made to hear of the wonderful works of God in his own language, it gives to them all the permanent record of those wonderful works, to be read and re-read, and transmitted to successive generations. And instead of being limited to Jerusalem, or carried to their respective countries, by the living voice of all those Parthians and Medes and dwellers in Mesopotamia, as was the gospel originally conveyed, the press has the power of ubiquity. The same organ proclaims the truth, not in one country, nor two, nor ten, but on both continents, and in all lands; and in our day, almost simultaneously. I hardly need say, that our printing establishment, under the able and efficient management of Mr. Breath, promises unspeakable blessings to the Nestorians; and while it is like a tree of life to that people in particular, some of its leaves will not fail to prove a healing to the other nations also of those benighted regions, that are importuning us to make books for them, as well as for the native Christians. In connexion with my other labors, I have commonly spent a part of each day in the work of translation, and have thus been enabled to complete a version of the New Testament, and some smaller works for our schools. Parts of the New Testament are already printed, and we hope erelong to have the whole in free circulation, in our schools and among the people. Several Tracts, pre 498 PREACHINC IN THE NESTORIAN CHURCHES. pared by different members of our mission, are also dropping from the press as the rain, and their speech distilling as the dew. Dur ing my visit in the United States, I have superintended the preparation of models for a new font of Syriac type, which Mr. Hallock is now successfully engaged in casting, and which cannot fail greatly to facilitate our printing operations. But the most interesting department of our labors, is our preaching the gospel in the Nestorian churches, as already noticed. The scene is deeply interesting, as we take our places in those plain, venerable churches, that point us back so directly to early times, perhaps to apostolic labors-a Nestorian bishop standing on one hand, and a priest on the other, and a congregation, seated upon their coarse mats, or on the simple earth-floor, crowded shoulder to shoulder, and listening to the words of life, as they fall from the speaker's lips, with an eagerness of countenance, that would almost loose the tongues of those of our mission, who had not yet learned their language, and inspire them with the power of utterance. It is always an unspeakable privilege to preach the gospel of salvation; but peculiarly so, in such circumstances. Never have I addressed audiences elsewhere, respecting which, it might apparently with so much truth be said, that they received the word with gladness. Some of the native clergy, who have been a considerable time under the influence of our mission, are becoming themselves very able and faithful preachers of the gospel. Often have I heard them address their people, with a solemnity and power, which we associate with the preaching of apostles. The earnest, moving voice of priests Abraham, Dunka and Yohannan, who are in middle life, and the less pungent, but affectingly serious and tremulous tones of the venerable Mar Elias, urging their people to repentance and salvation, are so vivid in my recollection, as to seem often to be still sounding in my ears! They, and a few others of the clergy, go out not only in company with the missionaries, but alone also, and address other congregations on the Sabbath. The attendance on our preaching, during the winter and spring previous to my leaving the field, was full, and a deep solemnity pervaded the assemblies. Indeed, an unwonted interest, on the subject of religion, appeared to be awakened and extending itself throughout the whole province of Oróomiah. The indications that the Holy Spirit was verily in the midst of us, and around us, were clear and often very impressive,-not in the thunder, nor the whirlwind, nor the earthquake; but in the still, small voice, that convinced many of their sins and their need of a Saviour, and led some to Christ, to the saving of their souls. Such was the state of our mission, when I reluctantly left the field, more than a year ago, on account of the impaired health of Mrs. Perkins. Many of the nominal Christians, who, when I went among them, about nine years since, found such ready apologies for their sins and immoralities, in their depressed political condition, CHANGE PROSPECTS- -MOUNTAIN NESTORANS. 499 now as readily turn the scale against themselves, recognizing in the rigor of their bondage, the hand of a kind heavenly Father, scourg ing them for their backslidings, and seeking to reclaim and save them. The church that was dead, while it had a name to live, is beginning to awake, and arise. into life. The great valley which was full of bones, very many and dry, is beginning to feel the quickening power of the breath of Jehovah. Bone is coming to its bone, and the ghastly, lifeless skeleton begins to be invested with flesh with spiritual comeliness and vitality. In a word, the Lord is moving, through the agency of our mission, and by the influence of his Spirit, upon the entire body of the Nestorians of Oróomiah, a population of between thirty and forty thousand, waking them to thought and reflection, and a work, which may, in a certain and interesting sense, be called, a revival of religion, still and gradual, but deep and general, is in progress among them, which promises to make them again a people whose God is the Lord. A verdant oäsis has thus suddenly sprung up around us, in the midst of that great moral wilderness, as yet indeed small, but bidding fair rapidly to extend, until it shall cause the whole mighty desert to bud and blossom as the rose ! I anticipate such a result, as I have before suggested, and at no very distant period, not by any human might or power, nor by miracles, strictly so called; but by, "my Spirit, saith the Lord;" by the promised, and to some extent, the already vouchsafed, blessing of Jehovah, on the humble efforts which American Christians are putting forth for the revival of religion among the Nestorians. Pure religion once revived among the remnant of that ancient missionary church-situated as it is in the centre of Muhammedan dominion and far toward the centre of benighted Asia, and still possessing, as it does, rare native capabilities, as well as such felicity of location, for the effective renewal of its missionary efforts, and it must be most emphatically a city set on a hill whose light can never be hid. It must shed forth such a flood of celestial radiance as shall scatter the thick clouds and sweep away the mighty barriers of Mŭhammedan and Papal abominations, that have so long hedged them in and lowered over them, and send forth hosts of heralds of the gospel, of a stamp so primitive as shall soon ring the joyful sound over the mountains and plains and deserts, and through the valleys, of their own benighted continent, and aid efficiently in speeding its flight through all the world. The success of the branch of our mission to the Nestorians of Koordistân, is at present naturally regarded as somewhat problematical, alike from the peculiarities of the country, the character of the people, and the existing disturbances arising from the efforts of the Turkish government to subject those wild mountain tribes. First excited hopes, in relation to such fields, are usually subject to a measure of chastening, as has been the case with the Zulus of South Africa, the Druses of Mt. Lebanon, and many of our western In |