You cannot tell how interesting it is to be preaching in the holy tongue in the Holy Land. We stammer a good deal, you may believe, and yet we find it easy to make them know what we mean -the difficult thing is to understand them-so that I have sometimes carried on an argument where I did not understand the answers on the other side. Who knows but God may leave a blessing behind? "She hath done what she could." A missionary in this land should be able to speak the Hebrew; and, for the full work, Judeo-German, Judeo-Spanish, and Arabic, are indispensable. Stir up young men who love the Jews to prepare themselves for this work. I feel very much that this is the centre of the Jewish world, and that one stroke here is worth twenty in another land. The Jews are much more accessible here. Affliction has bowed down their hearts; they have no merchandise to make them worldly, and to take off their attention. Many of them, especially of the young, are seeking knowledge. Mr. Nicolayson of Jerusalem, and Mr. Pieritz, a converted Jew, are real men of God. The latter is with us just now. He is a most singular man, and has already been the means of converting some of the most learned Rabbis in Jerusalem. There are three now upon the point of making an open profession. Our great want will be laborers“ Δεήθητε οὖν τοῦ κυρίου του θερισμοῦ, ὅπως ἐκβάλη ἐργάτας εἰς τὸν θέρισμὸν αὐτοῦ. ""*

The Sephardim then showed us their other synagogue and reading-room, hanging over the sea of Galilee. One of the Ashkenazim, a doctor and inquirer after Christ, invited us secretly to his house. He also visited us at our tent. A widow also brought us a present of milk. This is just a sketch of the way in which we conduct our inquiries. Andrew and I paid a very interesting visit to a small number of Jews, in a village three hours from Saffet, upon the great Mount Naphtali. It was a fine wild mountain ride, and we had a kind reception. They spread the table with a kind of milk-the same that Jael gave to Sisera-fine Jewish bread and cheese, and whilst we partook of their hospitality, we repaid them by telling them the words of everlasting life.

Saffet is one of the most delightful spots in the Holy Land--a city set on a hill that cannot be hid. The air is cool and most delicious. The Jews belonging to Saffet are between 1500 and 2000, though scattered at present a good deal through fear of their enemies. We lived in a Jewish house, and visited their synagogues and themselves for several days. I cannot but think, for many reasons, that Saffet is the most desirable place for a mission to Israel in the Holy Land. It is entirely unoccupied as a field of missionary labor. It is one of the four holy cities with the Jews. The communication with Jerusalem is so intimate, that all that is done in the one place is known in the other. The number Pray ye, therefore, the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth laborers into his harvest."-LUKE X. 2.

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of Jews was at one time far greater than at Jerusalem. They will most probably increase again there. The climate is delightful. It is the spot prophesied where light was to arise on the people that sit in darkness and the shadow of death. This was the idea of the deputation before going there, and it is much confirmed by our visit. I fear 1 must not begin to describe the places in this wonderful land. Oh it is pleasant to wander by the very lake where Jesus wandered, and to look upon the very precipice at Nazareth where they wanted to throw him down! We went from Beyrout to Sidon, and then to Tyre, reading the prophecies all the way, and looking on their awful fulfilment. From Tyre we crossed to Saffet. We went through Asher, and understood, from the multitude of olive-trees, how he was to dip his foot in oil. It is curious how distinctly you can mark the difference between the tribes. We entered Naphtali, full of wild wooded and rocky hills. The evergreen oak covers the most of its mountains; the white jasmine hanging in beautiful festoons from tree to tree; and the long yellow broom-making a pleasing variety. Singular deep ravines intersect the mountains-all completely woodedthe haunt of the wolf and hyæna, whose howling at night is often very frightful, relieved all the day by the soft cooing of the turtle. These wadys open sometimes into a pleasant plain of richest soil, bearing here and there a crop of barley, falling under the Arab's sickle. The villages and ruins are mostly on the tops of the hills. We heard of a poor Jew being shot by the Bedouins, a few hours before us. His friends were going to carry home his body.

Saffet cannot be hid, being on the very top of a lofty hill. It was destroyed by an earthquake on the 1st Jan. 1837, in which multitudes of Jews perished. It is to this moment an awful monument of the swift destruction which God can bring upon a city. More than half of the houses are ruins-of beautiful white stone. Olives, and vines, and pomegranates grow in great luxuriance among them. The hill is so steep, that the roof of one row of houses is the pathway for the row above. There is a shattered castle on the suminit. We climbed to the top, narrowly escaping some long serpents which darted out of the ruins. Oh what a view of the sea of Galilee is before you-at your feet! It is about three hours' descent to the water's edge, and yet it looks as if you could run down in as many minutes. The lake is much larger than I had imagined-hemmed in by the mountains on every side -sleeping as calmly and softly as if it had been the sea of glass which John saw in heaven. We tried in vain to follow the course of the Jordan running through it. True, there were clear lines such as you see in the wake of a vessel, but then these did not go straight through the lake. The hills of Bashan are very high and steep steep where they run into the water. At one point, a man pointed out to us where the tombs in the rocks are-where the poor demoniacs used to live-and near it the hills were exactly

what the Scripture describes-a steep place where the swine ran down into the sea. On the north-east of the sea, Hermon rises very grand, intersected with many ravines full of snow. Turning the eye to the west side of the lake, the point nearest you is evidently the land of Gennesareth. It is the only part of the banks where there is a plain of any extent. It seems to run about five miles along the west side of the lake, and two miles inward to the roots of the hills of Naphtali. I knew it at once by its rich vegetation and its verdure. It has a few trees also. Here stood Čapernaum, and here, I should think, Chorazin and Bethsaida.*

LETTER XVI.

TO HIS FAMILY.

BOUJA, 22nd August, 1839.

MY DEAR FATHER AND MOTHER,-I have just this day received your kind letter, addressed to Constantinople. It has been a great refreshment to me, and I feel very thankful to God for bringing it safe to my hand. If you have read Eliza's letter first, you will see that I have had a long and dangerous illness, but that it has pleased God again to restore me to health. I know you will not be satisfied without a full and particular account of it from beginning to end, and therefore I send this along with Eliza's. Before beginning, let me say, that if you will only lay aside all anxiety and murmuring, you will find, as I do, only matter for thankfulness and praise. You will find fresh proofs that God is watching over your son, unworthy as he is, yea, is leading him by the hand in ways that he knew not. I may also mention that I have now been 19 days entirely free from fever, that the medical man has long ceased to visit me, that I am daily gaining my wonted strength and vigor, and that a week hence I expect to be on the Danube, if that be God's will.

You will notice, in reading an account of our tour to the lake of Tiberias, that we had intended to visit Damascus also, and to spend three weeks, instead of a fortnight, in our inquiries. This we were unable to do, from the disturbed state of the country. We had therefore a week to spend in Beyrout before the sailing of the steamboat for Smyrna. You cannot tell how grieved we were at this, both because it was spending money in doing nothing, and also because of the heat of Beyrout. We thought of going up to Mount Lebanon, but we did not know rightly where to go, and we had no distinct object in view. Accordingly, we just remained in the inn at Beyrout. The thermometer was generally For a continuation of this Letter see page 524.

about 85° or 90° in the day-time, but often 96° in the night. It is this which makes the heat peculiarly oppressive. There is no land breeze. Every thing is still in the night.

I felt quite well till the Thursday, but that evening (25th July) felt weary and oppressed. What the occasion of my illness was I do not exactly know. The doctor said it was something disagreeing with my stomach. Some thought it was the heat. I myself thought it was by infection, for I had that day seen and touched a young Glasgow lad ill of fever. However this may be, it was the will of our Father, who is wisest of all, and more loving even than you, that I should become severely ill that night. I soon went to bed, and remembering how useful an emetic is on such occasions, took one which Dr. Hunter had packed up for me. This did me a great deal of good. The Doctor came a little after -Dr. Gerstmann-a converted Jew, and delightful young German-the physician to the Jerusalem mission, who happened to be in Beyrout at the time. His treatment of me I do not exactly remember; however, it seemed very good, and was very successful. He insisted on my leaving town the next evening, which I did upon an ass's back, and ascended about 1000 feet to a fine airy house among mulberry gardens. Here I was stretched upon my mat, which I have sent home to you, and a mattress upon the floor.

On Saturday I had a little fever, and, complaining of a roaring like the sea in my ears, was bled with leeches behind the ears. This relieved me; and on Sabbath morning the doctor pronounced me free from any disease. By mid-day I was still better. The question now then was, shall we sail by this steamer, or shall we wait for three weeks longer at Beyrout? The Doctor feared to advise; still he thought it better I should go; and, indeed, the thought of staying three weeks more in Beyrout seemed intolerable to me. We embarked the same day, assisted by many kind friends whom we had made. I was very weak, so that I could hardly stand without support. I was very sick in the small boat, so that I lost both sight and hearing. But I had not been long in the steamer till I felt greatly better. The cool sea-breeze revived me, and I found myself by sunset talking a little with 4 Jews whom we met now for the 4th time. Andrew Bonar mentions them in his published Alexandria letter. They were very sorry to see me laid low; and I felt that it was like a testimony to them that we were seeking their salvation, and not our own things. Both Andrew and Mr. Calman were very sick the whole way to Smyrna, so that they could only help me when the vessel stopped. Nobody on board could speak English, except one young gentleman, who had a little. I had therefore to call up all my Italian, and never before learned so much the use of it. The stewards were all kindness to me-putting me to bed, and bringing me every thing I wanted. By mistake I drank some green tea, which

prevented by sleeping, so that on Monday morning, when we arrived off Cyprus, I was in high fever. We waited from 6 to 12 at anchor. The heat was intense-not a breath of wind. They helped me on deck under the awning, and an umbrella too; but I felt as I never felt before. I knew that I had a Father in heaven, who had forgiven and redeemed me, and therefore I resolved to fear no evil. My voice became very low, almost inaudible. I thought my head would burst in two. At last my faculties, one by one, began to give way. I could not remember where we were going. Still I thought of you all; and though I could not expect ever to see you again, I prayed that my death might be more blessed to you than all my life had been.

I got leeches from Cyprus, and when the ship set sail got the steward to put them on the back of my head, but only 4 of them would bite. The cool breeze revived me very much, and by sunset I was able to totter about the deck. I felt that I needed blood to be taken from my head still, and fell upon the plan of making my nose bleed, which it did plentifully, and relieved me much. That night I slept pretty well till morning, but awoke feverish again. We stayed at Rhodes from 6 to 12, and this again was a dreadful time to me. I remained below, however, and found it better than the deck. I slowly revived after the vessel moved and the breeze sprung up. That evening I could walk the deck pretty well, and felt stronger than I had yet done. I began to enjoy the view of the lovely islands of Greece, Patmos, and Samos, and the view of a splendid English frigate, in full sail, which hailed us. The very sight of something English was pleasing. I thought there were hundreds on board the frigate who had homes and kindred like me, and yet, perhaps, not one looked to them in the same way as I did. That evening the steward bathed my feet in hot water and vinegar, and put me to bed, so that I slept well, and was refreshed.

The next day, Thursday, the awning could not be put up, so I could not go on deck. I felt the heat very much, and had a little feverishness. In the evening the awning was up, and I could sit on the deck. At 7 Smyrna came in sight, to my great thankfulness and joy. The sun set as we stepped ashore and took up our rest in the inn; but when I looked around, it was dismal indeed. The walls were so thin, that I knew it would be like an oven when the sun was up. The rooms were small. The noise of sailors and passers by was dreadful; and to complete all, the English doctor lived out of town, and so, we were told, did Mr. Calhoun a gentleman whom we met in Egypt, who was very kind to us, and asked us to come to him when we came to Smyrna. Salvo, the innkeeper, told us he had another inn an hour's ride into the country. I asked the name of the place. At Bouja, a country village. We were told that both Mr. Calhoun and the doctor lived in the same village.