reached his house and had sat down, he in- | to Turkish authority, and because we had quired what men we were. Providentially no passports, we returned to Oroomiah. those two young men that had overtaken us when crossing the mountains to Saat, and had heard and received our words with gladness, had now returned to Jeloo and were sitting in presence of the Turkish

Trebizond.

4, 1849.

Death of Mr. Hohannes.

WITH the missionary's feelings, both of sorrow and of joy, in connection with the circumstances mentioned in this communication, there will be many to sympathize. May there be many to pray that much good may result to the widow

and to the church from this affliction.

The little church in Trebizond has

At

officer. One of these, and another grey- LETTER FROM MR. POWERS, SEPTEMBER bearded man, answered the officer saying, "They are some deacons and teachers and admonishers of those who have departed from the true faith." The officer answered, "That is the business of their Patriarch and not mine." He asked us if we had passports. We replied, We are not acquainted with the customs of your country. When we came to your land no man told us we must take passports, therefore we have none. A Nes torian Malek, who was present, said to us, "Your feet must be put in the stocks, because you are going about deceiving our people and persuading them to depart from recently sustained a severe loss in the the truth, and to become English. Have death of one of its most valued memyou a letter from Mar Shimon, that you may bers, Mr. Hohannes, who died on the come among us?" We answered, "Sir! 15th ult. His death was occasioned by not one span have we departed from the a terrible sore under his left arm, which Bible. Have we done an evil thing that first made its appearance, one or two we have preached repentance before God, years ago, as a very slight swelling and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, that you merely. Months passed without his may not perish in your sins?" The officer then asked us, if we were traveling by taking the least notice of it, the swelling permission of Mar Shimon? We replied, meantime gradually increasing. "It is now sixteen years since the mission- length he had recourse to a quack, who aries have been laboring in Oroomiah, es- attended upon him two or three months, tablishing schools, distributing books, and and brought his patient nearly to the preaching the words of the holy gospel; and grave. A regular physician was then this is the fifth time that I have come to the applied to, but it was too late. He gradmountains. Four times under the govern- ually wasted away till the morning of ment of Noorally Bey I have safely traveled the day on which he died, when a bleedhere." The officer continued, "We and Mar Shimon are one family; if you have ing from the sore commenced, doubtless not his permission you have not ours. We from the opening of a blood-vessel, and replied, "Honored Sir! have we not done he died about sundown. It is said well that we have been turning to the old among the Armenians themselves, though faith these hundred families in Saat that I do not vouch for the correctness of it had become papists?" He said, "Perhaps without further examination, that this sore you are thieves that have come into the was occasioned by the cruel treatment country of our Sultan." We answered, Mr. Hohannes received, a little more than lages who will testify who we are." "Oh," three years ago, from the Armenian Prisaid he," since you are known here I will mates, when he was subjected to imprisnot punish you, but will send you to Gawar, onment, cold, hunger, and the bastinado, to the superior officer. He will do with you for the truth's sake. This much is ceras he pleases. tain, that at that time he was cruelly He then dismissed us for the night, that treated and suffered much; and when rewe might be ready in the morning to go leased from his confinement was scarcely to Gawar. In the morning very many alive, being in a state of insensibility, men came from the villages and entreat- unable to speak or open his mouth even. ed the officer that he would not punish us, nor send us to Gawar. For their sakes, I recollect myself sending a physician thanks to God, he released us. We under to his relief, with all speed, at the time. stand that a bishop, who had passed through The character of Mr. Hohannes as a the village where we were sitting on the Christian, has been one of the—perhaps first day we came to Jeloo, and who had the-most unexceptionable among us. I gone to this officer, caused our arrest. We know of no one in this church concerning also heard that Mar Shimon had sent mes- whom so few things derogatory might sages to the people that they should not have been said. If there was a member receive preachers if they should come among of this church to whom we might apply them. We much wished to spend many

"We will bring witnesses from these vil

days in the mountains, but through fear of the words "diligent in business, fervent certain Koords who had not yet submitted in spirit, serving the Lord," that member

YOL. ILY.

35

was Mr. Hohannes. His reason was un-point them to an example of the power clouded to the last moment, and his faith of faith and of religion, of which they never wavered. He conversed freely have been eye and ear witnesses. during all his sickness on the concerns

This is the first death which has occurred in the

than three years since.

Afntab.

of his soul, and the interests of Zion;
always cheerful, always resigned. By church at Trebizond since its organization, more
working day and night he had just got
out of debt for his house, had been mar-
ried about a year to a woman, who, with
the utmost tenderness and fidelity, has
attended upon him during his trying sick-
ness, and whose confinement is daily
expected. Yet he never intimated that it
was hard for him to be called away just
at this time, when, if ever, life must
seem desirable. Many times did he
bless God for having given him so kind
a wife to take care of him. On the
last day of his life he saw, with a smile,
his life's blood flowing in almost a con-
stant stream from his sore; and to his
weeping parents and other friends who
stood around him, he said, "When I was
born, you smiled, and I cried; now I
smile, why do you weep?" He gave
many and faithful exhortations to his
sorrowing wife, who is not pious, though
thoughtful, and to others also as he had
opportunity, not only on his dying day,
but during previous weeks. On his own
account he felt no regret at dying. About
ten minutes before he breathed his last
I said to him, you are going only a very
little while before us; we shall soon
follow you and meet you, I trust, in
heaven. To which he replied, "I hope
80."
And then, with a view to ascertain
how long we thought he might live, in-
quired, "Do you think in the course of
an hour I shall see my Lord ?"

LETTER FROM DOCT. SMmith, auguST
1, 1848.

THE object of this letter is to communicate the most important facts brought to light by a recent visit to Arabkir. "The trip occupied the interval between June 21st and July 27th." Doct. Smith had for his companion in the journey, a devoted member of the Aintab church, who speaks the modern Armenian fluently; "which, though not used at all in Aintab, is spoken as the main language in all the Armenian communities which

Mr. Hohannes has suffered much from his parents, who have never ceased to trouble him for his adherence to the truth. But he will suffer no more. All his sufferings, whether from persecution or sickness, he has borne with a meekness and patience that have won the admiration of all. He lived the life, and has died the death, of the righteous. Two things, in view of his death, give me great satisfaction. First, That in this church, where so many things have given us grief, there should have been one so signal instance of the power of divine grace. It is full of comfort and encouragement to us in our work. We have not labored for naught and in vain. The salvation of one such soul is a rich reward for all the missionary labor that has been expended in Trebizond. Secondly, That the surviving members have had so bright an example of a living faith in a dying hour. We can now

we visited."

Beleren.

After passing

After three days ride we reached the village of Beleren, where we spent the Sabbath among a population of sixty or eighty Armenians. Having no priest to prejudice their minds, this people were easy of access, and much of the day was spent in instructing them in divine truth. Two men informed us that since the reports of the evangelical movements in Aintab reached this village, they have been reading attentively the ancient Armenian Scriptures, for the purpose of investigating the alledged views of the Protestants; and that they now greatly rejoiced in the privilege of seeing some of them. over the field of doctrinal inquiries, among questions of practice they seemed most tried as to the course they should pursue in the education of their children; and one of them inquired whether it might not be best to remove to Aintab for this purpose. We have, in our church, an active brother of fifty or more years of age, who is well known and much respected by the inhabitants of this and the neighboring villages, and who might be useful among them as a colporteur; but we have been prevented thus far from sending him there, solely for the want of twenty or thirty dollars, the expense incident to a trip of two or three months.

Malatia.

Four days farther brought us to Malatia, where is a population of three to five thousand Armenians. We spent

ET

quently his intercourse with us was frequent, and, on leaving, we sold him a book on Christian doctrine, and he declared his intention to test all its teachings by the Scriptures, of which he has a complete copy.

be p nine days in this city, and during the have heard much of this new sect, (Prowhole time, if we except two or three testant,) will you do me the favor to quespersons, were in constant, unrestrained tion this man on some of the points of intercourse with this large community. difference between his church and ours," The individuals excepted are persons and thus the way was opened to a who have avowed their Protestant senti- discussion of two hours. In its proments in times past, and were cautioned gress the Vartabed evinced a comprivately by the Vartabed against visit-mendable degree of candor, and where ing us or receiving us into their houses. the errors of his church are gross he One of these men became enlightened confessed them so; and on one or two in Aintab, during a stay of some weeks important points where he declared the which he made here in 1848, and since Armenians were not in error, he admitthat time he has been an attentive read-ted that "the fathers were their only er of the New Testament which he authority. After leaving the episcopate bought then. About two months before the merchant avowed his full conviction our visit, he wrote for and obtained from that all he had heretofore heard against us, by a mulateer, a copy of the Old the Protestants was calumny, and he Testament; and in this short interval he evidently was shocked at the guilt of had become familiar with many impor- their ecclesiastics, who, knowing the tant passages in the Psalms and prophets. truth, contended against it. SubseAs an aid in his investigations, one of our brethren furnished him, a year ago, with a list of proof passages upon important doctrines and duties; and these he has wielded with great power, in his intercourse with his nation. Various attempts have been made to annoy him, but his extensive friendship with Mohammedans has made them of little avail, and lately the Vartabed, to prevent Three days from Malatia brought them to his formal separation from the Armenian Arabkir, where they remained twelve days. The church, has foregone, in case of his visit to this place had been induced by the report, daughter, a large marriage fee, and or- which was current some months before, and dered the priest to tie the knot gratui- which has been several times referred to in pretously. Through the Vartabed's per-vious letters from the missionaries, that some sonal efforts, however, this man and two of those who are known as his disciples, were prevented from being with us as much as they desired, though he came repeatedly, and afforded us many proofs of his warm and intelligent attachment to the truth. Probably we conversed on the subject of religion with two or three hundred Armenians during our stay in Malatia, and among them several manifested a deep interest in what they heard. I cannot refrain from recording one incident in detail.

Arabkir.

hundreds in the place had openly avowed evangelical views; and by the fact that their Vartabed had publicly espoused Protestantism, and joined the Protestant community in Aintab. Arabkir is about two hundred miles in a north-north-east direction from Aintab.

We found that the excitement of last winter was a simple struggle between two parties for their candidate for the episcopacy; and that their former Vartabed only commenced preaching Protestantism, when he found that he could no longer hope to retain his elevated posiA Merchant's Prejudice Removed. tion in the Armenian community. But though we may not look upon this eccleA merchant from Caisarea, who was siastic as a self-denying defender of the occupying a room in the khan where we truth, who forsook voluntarily a lucrative were, was so prejudiced against us from and honorable post to protest against the reports, that when others were constant- errors of his church, we cannot but adly calling, he kept aloof from all inter-mire the grace of God which convinced course with us. One day the Vartabed him of those errors, so that, when driven requested him to bring my companion to from that post, the occasion was made the episcopate, and as a former acquaint- use of by him for preaching publicly the ance was given as a reason, I advised our brother to accept the invitation. After usual salutations the merchant addressed the Vartabed,-"Holy Father, I

true way of salvation. Many, probably hundreds, thus heard evangelical truths, who would otherwise have died without ever having a doubt excited but that

water baptism was spiritual regeneration, The place of worship at Aintab having become and that confession and penance, without "exceedingly uncomfortably crowded for the repentance, secures the forgiveness of summer months," and some persons being presins. vented from attending services from this cause

In the closing part of his letter, Doct. Smith refers to the many doors open around Aintab, and the loud call for the employment of more native helpers than they have means to employ; and makes an earnest appeal for increased pecuniary aid, that they may, more efficiently, prosecute their work. "The truth is, the Spirit of God has made this place a centre of light, and Providence calls upon us to let that light shine; and sad shall we feel if our influence is straitened for want of funds when God so signally invites us to go up and take possession of the land."

We found the number of friendly-alone, the missionaries have felt constrained to disposed persons much larger than it divide the congregation; "so that hereafter, we was two years ago, and frequent kind shall have in Aintab, two Protestant places of greetings in private places convinced us, worship on the Sabbath, and two preaching serin connection with reliable information, vices at each." that there were many anxious to listen to our instructions. But the efforts of the Vartabed and priests were constant and unwearied to prevent every kind of intercourse with us, and we only received calls from about thirty Armenians, seven of whom avowed themselves evangelical. No one however has yet been separated from the old church, and all therefore stand in fear of its persecutions. They feel much their need of spiritual food, and yet in their present circumstances they could not make up their minds to go in quest of it at the danger of their ease and worldly gains. It was sad so to leave them; but the strong contrast between the cries of the people of Aintab and vicinity for "Bread," and this turning away from it through fear in Arabkir, was so great, that I deemed it my duty to return home without spending a third of the time which I had originally intended. For the present, the Scriptures and other influences going Herald, that a letter had been received from Mr. forth from Erzeroom, through the individ- Dodd, dated September 12, announcing the danuals from Arabkir who reside there, and gerous illness of his fellow-laborer, Mr. Maynard. through the Vartabed of Geghi, who There is now the painful necessity of stating, that occasionally writes the brethren paternal he is no longer a fellow-laborer on earth. His epistles, are the main hope for the evan-missionary work, in which he was obviously gelization of Arabkir. From their for- much interested, has been short; but "God's mer Vartabed, who is now with us, we ways are not our ways." may not hope much; for he is not a learned man, and we have great fears that his principles are not well established.

As his loss of his former honors, and his present position in regard to the truth, seem to have been forced upon him, time alone will show what he is at heart. He has engaged in business for his own support, and while in the pursuit of his worldly concerns, may do much by pro claiming his former views as errors, and his ecclesiastical practices as subversive of the gospel scheme of salvation. His mingling on an equal footing with the large company of devoted brethren found in Aintab, and the Spirit's blessing upon the instructions which he hears from us, may be the means of bringing him, at an early day, to the foot of the cross, for pardon and eternal life, and we pray daily for this result; though his appearance thus far, we must confess to be that of an unbelieving worldling.

Salonica.

LETTER FROM MR. Dodd, septeMBER
18, 1849.

Death of Mr. Maynard.

It was mentioned in the last number of the

Mr. Maynard sailed from Boston, for his work among the Jews, on the 30th of January last, accompanied by Mr. Dodd. After spending some time at Constantinople, they arrived at Salonica, the new field which they were to occupy, April 2d. Both have been much encouraged by

the

appearance

ward with cheering hope to their future labors.
Mr. Maynard's own feelings are indicated in a
letter dated August 29th, only a few days before
his sickness. "I have not lost a day," be says,
"from my own ill health, since I have been here."
"I believe we are at least ordinarily successful
. Our
in the acquisition of this language."
English service is attended as well as usual."
"There seems to be a prospect that we shall
have preaching enough to do, as soon as we are
able, in Hebrew-Spanish, Turkish and Greek.
But we want help, and shall want it more.'
"There is an encouraging state of feeling among
the Greeks. Two or three young men manifest
much friendliness, and seem to be sincere inqui.

of the field, and have looked for

rers after the truth." The short tour which he
had taken he thought had been of service to his
health; as well as by giving him a knowledge of
the necessities of the people, and the way in
which tours should be conducted for the distribu-
tion of the Scriptures. Tonka mot of

He was, however, doubtless mistaken as to the
real effect of this tour on his health. He went,

in company with a clerical friend from Boston,
into Thessaly, in the month of August, when the
exposure to the direct rays of the sun on the
burning plains, and sleeping in the open air at

night, (an exposure which was the result of inex.
perience,) were almost sure to engender dauger-
ous disease, especially in the head. And, in fact,
both sickened of the same fever, and both died
about the same time, the one at Salonica, as is
now to be related, the other in the house of Dr.
King at Athens. May other young missionaries
profit in view of this painful experience and seri-

ous loss to the cause of missions.

also, and notwithstanding repeated applications of leeches, the fever raged on until Sabbath noon, when we thought him dying. But he continued apparently just at the point of death, until Monday morning. He then revived a little, and continued to afford us some hope of his recovery until Thursday night, when he fell asleep.

He was delirious during nearly the whole progress of the disease, sometimes violently so, requiring two at his bedside to take care of him. But this did not prevent our knowing the state of his feelings. His thoughts were mostly upon spiritual things, and his delirium was of these thoughts.

For a few days he seemed like Job, given over into Satan's hands for trial. His sins overwhelmed him. His hope was gone, and he would shriek in his delirium, "I am lost!" "I am this moThis death, of course, does not indicate an un- ment in hell!" But he gained the vichealthy climate at Salonica, or an unfavorable tory through our Lord Jesus Christ over situation. In a letter dated August 30th, Mr. his fears, and from Sabbath morning he Dodd had spoken very favorably of the climate, seemed to be at rest upon Jesus's bosom. and of the situation they had been enabled to During Sabbath night he called his procure.. "With the exercise of common pru- wife to his bedside, and gave parting dence," he says, "no greater than would be re-messages to his mother and brothers. quired at home, we have had our ordinary health." "We have as much reason to expect good health as in any city of the East."

The following letter from Mr. Dodd, giving some particulars in regard to Mr. Maynard's sickness and death is dated September 18th.

I wrote to you last week informing you of the dangerous illness of brother Maynard and the slight hope we entertained that he would recover. Our fears are realized. He died Friday morning, Sept. 14th, half an hour after midnight.

On Monday morning he cried out, "Now blessed Savior, receive my spirit among the spirits around thy throne." "Blessed Savior, I trust in thee; though thou slay me, yet will I trust in thee; but thou wilt not slay me for thou hast promised." After this his reason left him, except perhaps at intervals, momentary intervals, of half consciousness. But his delirium showed that his mind was at peace and his fears driven away. He would at times break out into rapturous exclamations, "What a glorious gospel!"

with his hands clasped, looking upward, and with a joyful smile upon his face, for some time.

During the last three hours before death he continued in a heavy stupor, motionless and insensible to any bodily impressions, only breathing. At midnight he gently ceased to breathe, and the spirit returned to God who gave it.

As I think I wrote to you, Mr. Parker," What a lovely Savior!" and then lay an American clergyman, was visiting us, and desiring to visit Mount Olympus, was anxious that one of us should accompany him. As brother Maynard felt the need of some recreation, after being confined the whole summer, he consented to go. It was excessively warm weather while he was gone, and after his return he complained much of head-ache and sleeplessness, until Saturday, September 1st, when a strong fever set in, accompanied by inflammation of the head. Our physician, in whom we have great confidence, was immediately sent for, and by bleeding and the application of leeches, the fever was apparently subdued and we expected his recovery; but the fever and inflammation of the head broke out afresh, and on Thursday, the 6th, inflammation of the stomach was discovered

You will know how to sympathize with us in this bereavement. His widow most of all needs sympathy and prayer. We rejoice in the grace God has given her. Our infant station also needs much prayer. God has laid his hand heavily upon it, and taken away the eldest of its two members. I know he can give me grace and strength to perform al! its duties alone, and I trust he will do so, and cause the station to prosper hereafter