SUMMONS TO PRAYERS-WORSHIP OF THE VIRGIN. 68 back from the shore. But Ilium fuit! Troy was! Not even its precise location can now be determined. The Straits of Dardanelles resemble an immense river, flowing majestically between two elevated and fertile hills. They are sixty miles long and from four to six miles wide. I regretted that we did not happen to enter them by day, that I might have surveyed, to better advantage, their hallowed shores. I could not, however, regret the fine south wind that was bearing us so rapidly along through those narrow waters. It is perhaps ten chances to one, that vessels are not kept by headwinds at their entrance for days, and often for weeks. Dec. 19. At daybreak, we arrived at an expansion in the Straits around which are several Turkish villages and castles. There we were obliged to lie until sunrise, as no vessel is allowed to proceed upward except during the day. Just at the southern entrance of this expansion, Xerxes is said to have thrown across his famous bridge. Tall minarets towered over each village and castle, and as the dawn advanced, Muhammedan priests announced from their tops the hour of prayer. How strange was that shrill summonsLa Allah il Alláh, v Muhammed Rasool Allah-There is no God but God, and Muhammed is his prophet, sounded then for the first time in my ears. But from that day forward, for the last eight years, it has been a sound far more familiar to me than the cockcrowing in the morning. The fields about those villages were clothed with beautiful verdure and appeared fertile; and at a small distance back, lofty mountains rose, then capped with snow. In the afternoon, we left the Straits and entered the Sea of Marmora, the island of that name appearing at a distance ahead. Dec. 20. At daybreak we found ourselves gently moving, about fifteen miles below Constantinople, and there a dead calm kept us, all that day. A Greek who spoke a little English, to while away the long hours, seemed inclined to religious discussion. He inquired of me whether we worship the virgin Mary. I told him that I worshipped God only. He replied, "but we worship the virgin," and proceeded to demonstrate the reasonableness of the practice. "Suppose," said he, "that you were a king and I a subject; if I wanted a favor, I should not go directly to you, but to some friend who was your favorite, and who would intercede for me; and just so we go to Mary and the other saints and worship them, that they may thus be induced to intreat God in our favor." "But you would come directly to the king, in the case supposed," said Ï, “if the way were opened to you and especially if you were even invited by him to come; and Christ has promised in the Scriptures to be an advocate and no one can doubt his being a prevalent one-with the Father, for all who will come humbly and penitently to him; and the apostle accordingly exhorts believers to come boldly right to the throne of mercy that they may find grace to help in time of need." He assented to the truth of what I said, but seemed unwilling to admit the impiety of paying adoration to departed mortals. ARRIVAL AT CONSTANTINOPLE. 69 How often have I since heard this same hackneyed simile, for the want of solid argument, urged in support of saint-worship, by persons belonging to the different oriental churches. Dec. 21. About 1 o'clock in the morning, being awaked by the noise of casting anchor on deck, we dressed and went out and found ourselves in the harbor of Constantinople. We regretted that we had not come in by day, as the view to the approaching traveller is said to be indescribably grand and beautiful, on the first sight, the loss of which subsequent familiarity can never fully redeem. As soon as it was light we rose and went on deck, and were absolutely astonished at the splendors by which we were surrounded. An immense city on every hand! Lofty towers-magnificent mosks with their peering minarets- - and gilded palaces stretched away in endless succession. Seraglio Point-the perfection of beauty-an earthly paradise-lay smiling before us challenging our first gaze as if conscious of the matchless loveliness of its enchanting bowers. The spacious harbor-the famous Golden Horn-seemed half filled with vessels of all sizes, kinds and colors, whose spars and rigging formed a continuous and almost interminable forest. And to give to the whole the fullest effect, a glorious sunrise poured an unwonted radiance over one of the finest of mornings. We stood and gazed in mute astonishment till our eyes were tired, but not sated, with the vast, new, strange and almost fairy scene. About 8 o'clock, I went on shore with the captain. I was unable to make myself understood by an individual of the thronging multitudes around me. I therefore mutely followed the captain. He soon met with an acquaintance who invited us to his countinghouse. I was interested to observe their cordial style of mutual salutation—a hearty kiss, which is common among all orientals after even a short separation. We were first offered pipes which we both declined, our captain presenting the rare anomaly of a Greek who does not smoke. Next came coffee, in cups twice as large as a thimble, without sugar and so strong as to be quite bitter. The captain soon transferred me to other hands-and they again to others; and I was thus shifted from one to another, I knew not whom, and led about I knew not whither, till at length a Greek beckoned me to follow him. I began to feel like a stranger in a strange land. I, however, followed him; and he soon knocked at a door which was opened, and what was my relief to be grasped by the hand and welcomed by the voice of an American, who told me that he was Mr. Goodell. He and Mr. Dwight returned with me immediately to our vessel to conduct Mrs. Perkins, who had long been waiting the result of my adventure, to our very grateful temporary resting-place among beloved missionary brethren, which we reached just three months from the day we embarked at Boston. 70 PUBLIC BUILDINGS. CHAPTER V. CONSTANTINOPLE, AND VOYAGE THENCE TO TREBIZOND. ume. A particular description of Constantinople would require a volI shall not attempt even a general one. Such descriptions are not wanting; and as a minute account of the place formed no part of my object in visiting it, nor enters into the purpose of this work, though I saw its most interesting objects, I shall tax the reader with no farther notices of our stay there except to quote a few of the very brief records of passing incidents which I made at the time, and then hasten along toward the still distant country of our destination. I may remark in general, however, in this connection, that the charm of the admiring traveller, which so transports him on the first view, is soon broken when he lands, especially, if it be in the suburb of Galata, through which Europeans usually pass on their way to Pera, the Frank quarter. The exterior of the whole city greatly belies its real character. The houses are generally frail, miserable fabrics built of wood, and the streets are more narrow, crooked and filthy than could well be conceived to exist in connection with the fair, enchanting scenes spread out to the eye of the observer as he enters the harbor. To these general remarks, however, we should make some exceptions, particularly in regard to public buildings. Many of the mosks are vast and magnificent structures, grand and beautiful in their proportions and exceedingly durable in their materials and construction. Think of the celebrated St. Sophia, the ancient christian church, coming down the many long centuries of its original hallowed use and its subsequent desecration to the worship of the False Prophet, still in a state of such unimpaired preservation! And some of the other mosks are but little inferior to it. Several of the bazárs, the Egyptian in particular, are lofty arched ranges, built of brick and lime, and in a style to stand for ages. The great aqueduct is still in use and in a state of good repair. Some of the barracks and other edifices devoted to the department of the army and navy are very spacious and imposing, and well adapted to the purposes for which they are intended. And last, though not least, several of the palaces of the Sultan and other members of the imperial family are tasteful and finely constructed. This is particularly true of the new palace reared by the late Sultán,-completed but just before his death,—and now occupied by his son and successor to the throne. This quite eclipses all its predecessors in elegance and symmetry, as well as in its dazzling splendors of "eastern gold." But, not to multiply the exceptions which might be somewhat farther extended, the mass of the shops AN ARMENIAN REFORMER. 71 and private dwellings, throughout the great Osmanly capital, are miserable structures, which, however, have often, at even a near view, a very specious external appearance. We remained at Constantinople about five months. It was then the outpost of the mission stations occupied by the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions in that direction. Our object in this delay was to acquire some knowledge of the Turkish language to facilitate our travelling beyond,-and to wait for the warm part of the year before attempting to cross the lofty mountains on our route, which are nearly impassible in winter. We moreover desired, rather than expected, that a medical companion might join us before we proceeded to Persia. We soon commenced the study of Turkish and pursued it as our business, during our stay at Constantinople, enjoying an excellent home in the family of Mr. Goodell who then resided in the suburb of Galata, and pleasant American society in the small circle of our missionaries, and of commodore Porter, our chargé d'affaires, Mrs. Brown, his sister, and several gentlemen attached to the legation. Dec. 30. In company with Messrs. Goodell and Dwight, I crossed the harbor and visited the city of Constantinople. We called on Peshdamâlján, who was at the head of the Armenian college. He was an intelligent, and very liberal man, and was doing for the Armenians what Prof. Bambas has done for the Greeks, in the line of education. Though a layman, he was said to exert more influence over the Armenian clergy, than any ecclesiastic, and this influence was most decidedly in favor of the diffusion of knowledge and the study of the Holy Scriptures. Indeed, no Armenian at Constantinople was permitted at that time, to take priest's orders, unless he had been a considerable period under his instruction. Five theological students were reciting when we entered the room; and on this occasion he proposed to the missionaries to have the Bible printed in the vernacular tongue, in successive volumes, each consisting of a single book. Our interview with him was a very pleasant one. This laborious, excellent man has since died. He had accomplished a great work for the reformation of his countrymen. Many of the evangelical Armenians who have since come under the influence of our missionaries and taken their stand as witnesses and advocates for the truth, refer their earliest religious impressions to the instructions which they received from Peshdamâlján. He emerged alone from the deep darkness of the degraded Armenian church, and shone as a resplendent luminary, till a large cluster, each brighter than himself, rose around him and more than filled his place; and he, as we trust, was then transferred to a higher orbit. He may perhaps not inappropriately be styled the father of the reformation now in progress among the Armenians, inasmuch as he seems to have been the instrument of commencing it; though his was a very still and retiring course-furnishing a good example of the class whose 72 A MONTHLY CONCERT. "Silent prayers and labors Heaven employs Jan. 2. We dined with commodore Porter. He is a gentleman of much simplicity of manners and character, was very kind in his attentions to the missionaries; and he appeared to represent quite well the manly, unostentatious vigor of our republican government. Jan. 6. To-day occurred the annual concert of prayer for the conversion of the world. At 12 o'clock, we held a meeting at Mr. Dwight's, first an hour in Turkish, and afterward an hour in English. A more interesting season I have seldom enjoyed. There were present four Armenians, three Greeks, an English sea-captain and the missionaries. One of the Greeks, who speaks English, and for his evangelical artlessness of character and manners, may be called a Nathaniel, gave some account of the Sandwich Island Mission. The natives present appeared highly delighted with the narration. The same Greek then concluded that part of the meeting with a prayer in Turkish. But the circumstance that gave the deepest interest to the occasion, was the case of two of the Armenians, whose names have since become familiar to the friends of missions in America. I refer to Hohannes and Senacherim. Hohannes had first, for some time, been groping in darkness which he deeply felt, but from which he knew not where to look for one to guide him. At length he met with Senacherim, and on incidentally intimating his feelings to him, was surprised and delighted to find him in a state of mind very similar to his own. From that day forward, they were accustomed to meet together, in retired' places, for prayer and conversation, still seeking for spiritual guides. After some time, they heard of the American missionaries, and tremblingly searched them out, and to their unspeakable joy found in them just the assistance for which they had so long sought and prayed. To-day, they opened their hearts in a most artless and affecting manner, and detailed these circumstances to the missionaries, not seeming themselves to imagine that there was anything of special interest in their case. Their mutual attachment had become very peculiar, like that which existed between David and Jonathan. They had formally pledged to each other all the assistance in their power, in the trials and persecutions which they apprehended they might be called to suffer from their degraded, bigotted countrymen, in seeking to know and follow the truth. Of these young men, I noted in my Journal of that date, that they seemed designed by Providence to become champions in the work of Armenian reformation. They have since verified this hope,-Hohannes in his abundant labor and patience at Constantinople, and during his exile for the name of Christ to Caesarea, where also a work of revival commenced under his influence; and Senacherim in his faithful labors at home in the face of reproach and persecution for several years, till his pious ardor brought him to the United States for an education, that he might be qualified for still greater usefulness |