40,000 men, besides women and children. It was afterwards rebuilt, and attained considerable importance, but never regained its former splendour or its independence: for all the future conquerors of Syria mastered it without opposition. After being several times in the hands of the Syrians and Egyptians alternately, it fell under the power of the Romans, and in the time of our blessed Lord was a moderately wealthy city. About A.D. 44 it was sufficiently important to have incurred Herod's displeasure, and not long afterwards it appears to have contained Christian converts. Of the many branches of industry and trade for which it was anciently noted, one always remained in Sidon—namely, the manufacture of much fine glass, for which the sand of this coast was peculiarly adapted. At the time of the Crusades this city was taken by the Christians; was retaken by Saladin; and, after having changed hands several times, was laid waste by the Saracens. Shortly afterwards it was restored by the French king, Louis IX., and for a long time continued to be a place of some importance; but it is now sunk to an inconsiderable place, known by the name of Saida. The present town, which when seen from a distance presents an imposing appearance, lies on a promontory, on the north side of a hill, the summit of which is crowned by the ruins of a castle said to have been built and surrounded with a wall by Louis IX. West of the hill stands a large old church, which has been converted into a mosque. The houses are large, but the streets, like those of all the Turkish towns, are ill built, dirty, and full of ruins. It is enclosed on the land side by a wall, which runs across the promontory from sea to sea, and is kept in tolerable repair. The inner harbour was choked up by the Druse Emir, Fahkredine, when he established an independent power, and wished to prevent the Grand Seignior from landing with a maritime force. Large vessels lie in the outer harbour, where they are

(1) Acts xii. 20. And Herod was highly displeased with them of Tyre and Sidon but they came with one accord to him, and, having made Blastus the king's chamberlain their friend, desired peace; because their country was nourished by the king's country.

(2) Acts xxvii. 3. And the next day we touched at Sidon. And Julius courteously entreated Paul, and gave him liberty to go unto his friends to refresh himself.

protected by a ledge of rocks from the south-west winds, but exposed to the north. Outside the town, on a rock in the sea, is a castle of the time of the Crusades, the form of which is in part adapted to that of the rock. It is connected with the shore at the northern end of the city, by a stone causeway, with nine arches, lying between the inner and outer ports. The neighbouring country is exceedingly beautiful, and abounds in gardens and groves of mulberries, bananas, and other fruit-trees. As long as Saida was the trading port of Damascus it was much frequented by merchants, especially the French; but within the last five-and-twenty years it has been superseded by the flourishing city of Beirout, and is now little frequented.

We must not forget, when we meditate on the fall of Sidon, the yet more grievous fate denounced by our blessed Lord1 on those who do not heed the call to a holy life, which if that city had been privileged to hear, it would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.

(1) Matt. xi. 21, 22. Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for

SMYRNA, the second of the Seven Churches of Asia, is mentioned next after Ephesus, most probably because it was nearest to it. It is a very ancient city, situated on the east coast of Lydia, at the extremity of a gulf called the gulf of Smyrna, and near the mouth of the river Meles. At a very early period of its history it was destroyed by the Lydians, and lay waste until the time of Alexander the Great. It was rebuilt about two miles to the north of the old city, and in the time of the first Roman Emperors was one of the finest cities of Asia, and was the court of justice for all the district of Æolis. Smyrna was in this prosperous condition when a Christian Church was founded here, the members of which, though poor in this world's goods, were rich in faith.' It was foretold to

(1) Rev. ii. 9. I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich,) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.

them that they should suffer for the name of Christ, and have tribulation for ten days,' that is, prophetic years; a prophecy which was fulfilled during the persecution of Diocletian, which lasted for that time, and fell very heavily on this as on others of the Eastern Churches. But together with these tidings of coming adversity was coupled the comforting promise, "Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life."

In the year 170 the Church of Smyrna afforded an example of devotion to the faith which agrees nobly with the character given to it in the Sacred Volume. A persecution was raised by order of the Roman Emperor, and the chief magistrate of Smyrna was ordered to expose to wild beasts or to burn at the stake all those who professed the Christian religion. A number of persons accused of the crime of belonging to the hated sect were called on to deny their faith, and on their refusal they were cruelly tortured by scourging and being pierced with nails or thorns; but still continuing steadfast, they were thrown to wild beasts. Last of all, the aged Polycarp was brought forward, who, it is said, was a disciple of St. John, and had been appointed Bishop of Smyrna by the beloved Apostle. The Roman magistrate, moved at the affecting sight, and anxious to save the courageous old man, advised him to conceal his name, and offered to release him if he would but swear by the Emperor's good fortune and defy Christ. Polycarp answered, "Fourscore and five years have I been His servant, yet in all this time hath He not so much as once hurt me; how, then, may I speak evil of my King and Sovereign Lord who hath brought me salvation?" The magistrate replied, “I have wild beasts to which I will throw thee, unless thou take a better way." This threat serving only to strengthen him in the way that he had chosen, the magistrate added, "I will tame thee with fire if thou heed not the wild beasts." Then said Polycarp, "You threaten me with fire, which shall burn for the space of an hour and shall be within a little while after put out and

(1) Rev. ii. 10. Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.

extinguished; but you know not the fire of the judgment to come, and of everlasting punishment, which is reserved for the wicked and ungodly. But why make you all these delays? Give me what death soever you list." While standing at the stake, to which he was soon after bound, he uttered the following prayer. "O Father of Thy Well-Beloved and Blessed Son Jesus Christ, by Whom we have attained the knowledge of Thee, the God of angels and powers, and of every creature, and of all just men which live before Thee, I give Thee thanks that Thou hast vouchsafed to grant me this day that I may have my part among the number of martyrs in the cup of Christ, unto the resurrection of eternal life, both of body and soul, through the operation of the Holy Spirit, among whom I shall this day be received into Thy sight for an acceptable sacrifice and as Thou hast prepared and revealed the same before this time, so Thou hast accomplished the same, O Thou most true God, Which canst not lie. Wherefore, I in like case for all things praise Thee, bless Thee, and glorify Thee by our everlasting Bishop Jesus Christ, to Whom be glory evermore. Amen.' Thus was this holy man faithful unto death; and who can doubt that there has been given to him a crown of life?

Smyrna was destroyed by an earthquake seven years after this event, but the Emperor Aurelius caused it to be rebuilt in more than its former splendour. It afterwards, however, repeatedly suffered from earthquakes. There are few places in the Turkish dominions which have, in proportion to their size, so great a population as Smyrna, and it is the most thriving town in the Levant, with respect both to export and import trade. It is a better built town than Constantinople, and is still improving, substantial stone houses being now generally erected instead of wooden buildings. The number of inhabitants amounts to about 130,000, among whom there is so large a population of Christians as to render the town unclean in the eyes of strict Mahometans, who call it Infidel Izmir, the latter name being a corruption of Smyrna. It stands at the foot of a range of mountains which enclose it on three sides. The only ancient ruins are upon the mountains behind the town and to the south. Upon the highest summit stand the