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 Crrcker 
 
OF THE 
 
 REV. PL.I1VY FISK, A. ^.J 
 
 LATE - MISSIONARY TO PALESTINE. 
 
 BY ALVAN 
 
 Pastor of the Congregational Church in Sturbridge, Ms, 
 
 'And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast 
 labored, and hast not fainted." REV. ii, 3. 
 
 
 PUBLISHED BY CROCKER AND BREWSTER, 
 
 No. 47, Washington Street. 
 NEW-YORK: JONATHAN LEAVITT, 
 
 No. 182, Broadway. 
 1828, 
 
DISTRICT OF MASSACHUSETTS, TO WIT: 
 
 District Clerk's Office. 
 
 Be it remembered, that on the twenty-second day of December, A .D. 1827, in the 
 fifty-second year of the Independence of the United States of America, Crocker 
 <r Areivster,of the said district, have deposited in this office, the title of a book, 
 the right whereof they claim as Proprietors, in the words following to wit, 
 
 "Memoir of the Rev. Pliny Fisk, A. M. late Missionary to Palestine. By Alvan 
 Bond. Pastor of the Congregational Church in Sturbriclge, Ms. 
 
 "And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast labored, and 
 hast not fainted. Rev. ii, 3.*' 
 
 In conformity to the act of the Congress of the United States entitled, 'An act 
 for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of maps, charts, and books, 
 to the authors and proprietors of such copies, during the times therein mentioned;" 
 and also to an act entitled, 'an act, supplementary to an act, entitled, an act for 
 the'encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of maps, charts, and books, to 
 the authors and proprietors of such copies, during the times therein mentioned; and 
 extending the benefits thereof to the arts of designing, engraving, and etching 
 historical and other prints.' 
 
 v w rnVTS $ Clerk of the District 
 N W. DAVIS, J of Ma j ttachusetts , 
 
THE establishment of a Protestant Mission in Palestine 
 forms an important era in the history of modern missions. 
 That country has been so exclusively under Papal and 
 Mahommedan dominion, that it has been regarded as not 
 only a perilous, but hopeless enterprise, to attempt there 
 the introduction of evangelical religion. The church, since 
 the commencement of the present century, having awaked 
 to bolder efforts, has watched "the signs of the times" as 
 they respect the Jewish and Mahommedan nations nations 
 which, like the walled cities of the Anakims, have seemed 
 to defy whatever exertion the church could make to gain 
 possession. Investigation has of late been made, respecting 
 the practicability of introducing the Gospel among these 
 "aliens." Christians in Great Britain have taken the lead 
 in this good work, and sent men to search out the land, 
 whose report has been, "Let us go up at once and 
 possess it: for we are well able to overcome it." 
 
 The same object soon arrested the attention of in- 
 dividuals in this country, and information relating to it was 
 anxiously sought. A communication from a missionary 
 at Madras, published in the London Missionary Register for 
 1818, and republished in some of the religious Journals of 
 New England, was one of the first documents, in which facts 
 were developed that suggested the expediency of establish- 
 ing a mission in Jerusalem. About the same time a letter 
 
IV PREFACE. 
 
 from Smyrna stated, on good authority, that missionaries 
 would be tolerated in the Turkish empire. 
 
 These communications made a strong impression on the 
 minds of some, which led them to feel, that the time had ar- 
 rived for the American church to act, and without delay 
 take possession of the Holy Land. The subject was ac- 
 cordingly submitted to the consideration of the Prudential 
 Committee of the American Board of Missions, at a meet- 
 ing held at Andover, September 23, 1818, the anniversary 
 of the Theological Seminary. After careful deliberation, 
 and fervent prayer for divine guidance, the resolution was 
 unanimously adopted; That a mission be established forth- 
 with in Palestine. On the same day Messrs. Parsons and 
 Fisk were appointed to that station. 
 
 At the Monthly Concert of prayer in October following, 
 the proposal was submitted to the Old South and Park- 
 street churches, that they become responsible for the sup- 
 port of one at least of these missionaries. To this they 
 readily acceded, and their annual contributions have 
 amounted to more than what was then pledged. 
 
 For some of the particulars already stated, and others 
 that will be found in the Memoir, the writer is indebted to 
 the favors of correspondents, which, with much pleasure, 
 he now acknowledges. 
 
 It has pleased Him, whose "ways are past finding out," 
 to remove these beloved men from a field of danger, of 
 suffering, and of extensive usefulness having called them, 
 we doubt not, to a higher, purer sphere of service and en- 
 joyment. Mr. Parsons fell an early victim to a disorder, to 
 which severe hardship and an unfavorable climate contribut- 
 ed. "Few men in any employment, even among those who 
 have been distinguished for their piety, leave so spotless a 
 name as was left by Mr. Parsons."* For an account of 
 
 * See Thirteenth Annual Report of the Board of Missions. 
 
PREFACE. V 
 
 his labors, and an exhibition of the winning excellencies of 
 his character, the reader is referred to the Memoir of his 
 life. His surviving colleague, though left to bear a while 
 "the heat and burden of the day," was not long separated 
 from him. But in the midst of judgment God has remem- 
 bered mercy, in the cheering proofs he has given that he 
 approves the Mission, to which they consecrated themselves 
 with martyr-like devotion. 
 
 The circumstances, connected with the field of labor to 
 which they were sent, did not encourage the expectation, that 
 a long life would be given them as the period of their labor. 
 It was foreseen that they, who should first engage in a 
 mission to Palestine, would have to prepare their minds for 
 sustaining an arduous, hazardous struggle. They were 
 going forth, as they well knew, to besiege a great empire 
 of sin, where Satan from ancient times has held undisputed 
 possession of his strong holds, and erected his mightiest 
 bulwarks. "The mission to that country," it has been well 
 remarked, "is not for the faint-hearted, the irresolute, 
 for him who shrinks from the shock of arms, or the fierce 
 and long contested battle. It is for minds of firmer nerve, 
 of more comprehensive views, of more unbending fortitude, 
 which, borne upward by the promises of God, can overlook 
 a thousand obstacles, and dangers, and disheartening oc- 
 currences, lying in the way to ultimate and triumphant 
 success." The church, indeed, has reason to expect, from 
 the nature of this enterprise, that its final achievement, 
 though certain, will require strong faith, fervent prayer, and 
 expensive sacrifices even the lives of many of her most 
 beloved sons. It is, however, an offering, long since due 
 to the Holy Land, and which, there is reason to believe, is 
 well-pleasing in the sight of Heaven. 
 
 The responsible, but pleasing task of preparing a Me- 
 moir of Mr. Fisk, endeared to the writer, as he was, by 
 *1 
 
VI PREFACE. 
 
 personal acquaintance and Christian friendship, has been 
 performed amidst many other labors, and some embar- 
 rassments, arising from the difficulty experienced in col- 
 lecting the requisite materials, a part of which have come 
 from very great distances. This has occasioned, unavoid- 
 ably, a considerable delay in the publication of the work. 
 
 Some of the documents, transmitted to this country by 
 Mr. Fisk, have in part been published in religious periodi- 
 cals, particularly the Missionary Herald. From these it has 
 been necessary to make copious selections, as well as from 
 his private journal and correspondence. The constant aim 
 of the Compiler has been, to make such a selection from 
 the copious and valuable materials collected, as will furnish 
 a just exhibition of the life and character of this eminent 
 Missionary; and as may, with a Divine blessing, subserve 
 the cause to which, with untiring zeal and diligence, he 
 devoted his talents and sacrificed his life. 
 
 If this record of his religious exercises and benevolent 
 works may but excite others to emulate his sterling virtues, 
 or inspire any one with the holy resolution to gird himself 
 for the perils, conflicts, and sacrifices of the same self-deny- 
 ing service, the labor of preparing it for the press will not 
 have been in vain. That such may be the results, this volume 
 is respectfully committed to the Christian public, and is com- 
 mended with earnest prayer to the blessing of Almighty God. 
 
 Sturbridge, Ms. Dec. 1827. 
 
CHAPTER I. 
 
 Including the period preceding his admission to College. 
 
 Birth Parentage Early traits of character Conver- 
 sion Commencement of classical studies Object 
 in view Admission to College, 13 20 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 From his admission to Colkge till he joined the Theolog- 
 ical Seminary at Jlndover. 
 
 Scholarship Christian character Embarrassments 
 Study of Theology License to preach His reflec- 
 tions Labors at Wilmington, Vt. Reason for re- 
 suming theological studies, 20 31 
 
 CHAPTER IE. 
 
 From the commencement to the conclusion of his profes- 
 sional studies at the Theological Seminary. 
 
 Application to study Habits of active piety Inter- 
 course with fellow-students Intercourse with the 
 faculty Exertions abroad Self-examinations Sea- 
 sons of fasting Missionary feelings and inquiries 
 
Vlll CONTENTS. 
 
 Offer of himself for the service of the American 
 Board of Missions Conclusion of his theological 
 studies Appointment to the Palestine Mission, .... 31 87 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 From the commencement of his agency under the Board 
 of Missions till his embarkation for Palestine, and 
 arrival at Smyrna. 
 
 Ordination Southern agency Visit to Savannah 
 Difficulties Excursion to St. Mary's Proposition 
 to the Savannah missionary Society Patronage re- 
 ceived Visit to Charleston Efforts in the city 
 Letter to Rev. R. S. S. Raleigh Return to New 
 England Letter to the Savannah Sabbath School 
 Visit to his friends Farewell sermon at Boston 
 Embarkation Voyage Stop at Malta Arrival at 
 Smyrna, 87 107 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 Residence in Smyrna and Scio in connexion with Mr. 
 Parsons and visit to the "Seven Churches of JLsia" 
 
 Kind reception Employments and reflections On 
 the death of his Mother Residence in Scio Pro- 
 fessor Bambas Printing and distribution of Tracts 
 Greek College Studies and researches' Return 
 to Smyrna Tour in Asia Minor Visit to Haivali 
 Pergamos Thyatira Sardis Philadelphia Sick- 
 ness of Mr. Parsons Ephesus, 108 140 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 From the time. Mr. Parsons left him for Judea till their 
 re-union at Smyrna. 
 
 Departure of Mr. Parsons Extracts from letters 
 Conversation with a Jew Visit to Sedicui Cook- 
 lujah Bournabat Armenian School Interview 
 with a Turk Commencement of the Greek revo- 
 lution Turkish barbarities Alarming rumors 
 The plague Reflections Removal to Sedicui 
 Intelligence from Mr. ParsonsDiscussion with an 
 intelligent Catholic Historical Sketch of Smyrna, 1401 67 
 
CONTENTS. IX 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 Passage from Smyrna to Egypt, and residence in that 
 country. 
 
 Reason for going to Egypt Letters respecting efforts 
 in behalf of Jews Kindness of the English consul 
 at Smyrna Christian intercourse with Mr. Parsons 
 Letter to J. Evarts, Esq. Death of Mr. Parsons 
 Letter to his father relating to this event Reflec- 
 tions Interviews with Englishmen Researches re- 
 lating to Catholics Coptic Christians Greek 
 Christians Conversation with a Jewish physician 
 Jewish school-master A Jew of Salonica Passage 
 up the Nile Visit to Cairo The pyramids Mr. 
 Temple's arrival at Malta noticed, 168 200 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 Residence and employment in Malta in connexion with 
 Mr. Temple. 
 
 Reasons for going to Malta Interest in the Theologi- 
 cal Seminary, Andover Practical inquiries Bibli- 
 cal inquiries Pasha's institution at Cairo Malta 
 Bible Society meeting Extensive circulation of the 
 Scriptures and Tracts Historical notice of Malta 
 Valetta Citta Vecchia The catacombs Condition 
 of the people Literary Institutions Religious state 
 Discussions with a Catholic priest Preaching 
 Distribution ofthe Bible Remuneration for services 
 as chaplain Greek youth Employment of the 
 mission press Christian intercourse and fellowship, 200 227 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 Return to Egypt and labors during Ms second residence 
 
 Voyage Attention from consuls Discussion with 
 Jews Visit to the tomb of Parsons Interview 
 with four Rabbies Catholic convent 111 temper 
 of a curate Coptic convent Interview at the 
 Danish consul's Excitement created Visit to Ro- 
 setta Mouth of the Nile Passage to Cairo Labors 
 in that city Visit to a Jewish synagogue Descrip- 
 tion of a Soofi Upper Egypt Interview with a 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 bishop Visit to Bladia Siout Abutig Akmin 
 Minschich Girge The Doum tree Negadel 
 Thebes Temple of Luxar House offered for 
 lodgings Temple of Carnac Antiquities of Gor- 
 non Return Visit to Kene Denderah Dishne 
 Cargo of slaves Coptic Christians Description of 
 a grotto Coptic school and convent Anxious day 
 Arrival at Cairo Retrospect Jewish wedding 
 Shoobreh- Emeer Besheer Reflections, 227264 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 Journey from Egypt to Jerusalem through the desert, 
 including his labors and observations in the Holy 
 City and vicinity. 
 
 Commencement of the journey The caravan The 
 wilderness Sabbath reflections Sufferings by heat 
 Shore of the Mediterranean Entrance into Syria 
 Annoyance from Bedouins Gaza Esdood 
 Scenery of the country Approach to Jerusalem 
 Entrance- Description Letter Introduction to 
 the governor First Sabbath Visit to Gethsemane 
 Siloah Bethlehem Field of the shepherds 
 Celebration of the Lord's Supper Visit to the 
 Church of the Holy Sepulchre The holy fire Un- 
 pleasant occurrence Concert of prayer on Mount 
 Olivet Cave of Jeremiah Prison of Zedekiah 
 Bethany Valley of Jehoshaphat Sepulchre of the 
 kings Monastery of the Cross Tombs of the 
 prophets and the Sanhedrim Conversation with 
 priests Preparation for journeying Visit to the 
 Dead Sea River Jordan Jericho Apple of Sodom 
 Intercourse with Jews, and various Christian sects 
 Mount Moriah Pentecost of Oriental Christians, 265 313 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 Journey from Jerusalem to Bey root and Mount Lebanon, 
 and residence in Jintoora. 
 
 Departure from Jerusalem Arrival at Acre Tyre 
 Sidon Beyroot Visit to Emeer Besheer Descrip- 
 tion of the palace, &c. Female head-dress Resi- 
 dence at Antoora Convents of the mountains- 
 Infant baptism Missionary interview Visit to 
 
 Bzomer Tripoli Convent of Mar Antonius Rug- 
 Redness of the way Statistical Cedars of Lebanon 
 
CONTENTS. XI 
 
 Mountain snow Plain of Celo-Syria Ruins of 
 Balbec Exposure to a night-storm Peter Jarvvy 
 Chaos of dialects Visit to colleges Return to 
 Beyroot, , 314335 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 Journey to Jerusalem with Mr. Jowett, subsequent resi- 
 dence thei'6) and return to Beyroot. 
 
 A night at Nabi Yoanas Tyre Mosque at Acre 
 Reflections on the conversion of Mussulmans 
 Mount Carmel and sundry objects of interest to- 
 wards Nazareth Description of Nazareth Tabor 
 and Hermon Tiberias Capernaum Jewish Col- 
 lege Safet Mount of Beatitudes Cana of Galilee 
 Advice of a padre Plain of Esdraelon Sychar 
 
 The Samaritans Arrival at Jerusalem Two 
 
 Greek ecclesiastics Letter from the patriarch of 
 Antioch Syrian baptism Turkish effendi Com- 
 mencement of regular Protestant worship Arrest 
 and imprisonment Interviews with the Turkish 
 governor and judge Sale of Scriptures Sudden 
 arrival of a new governor Result of the difficulties 
 experienced Turkish exactions Visit to Hebron 
 French mountain Sickness Greek ordination 
 Return to Beyroot Natural history Reflections 
 Letters, , 335380 
 
 CHAPTER XHI. 
 
 Journey to the principal cities in the north part of Syria, 
 residence at Jaffa and Jerusalem, and final return to 
 Beyroot. 
 
 Way to Damascus Approach to the city View of it 
 Population Departure for Aleppo Intense heat 
 Alarms Uncomfortable condition at Shekhoon 
 Addition to the caravan Arrival at Aleppo Ex- 
 citement occasioned Letter to Mr. Temple Resi- 
 dence in the city Visit to Antioch Ruins of an 
 earthquake Remnant of the church Departure 
 for Tripoli Thunder storm Hospitality of a shekh 
 Natural scenery Difficulties at Lattakia Water 
 passage to Tripoli attempted Turkish insolence 
 Journey by land resumed Severe storm encounter- 
 ed Lodge in the mountains Governor of Tartoos 
 Turkish guide Arrival at Tripoli Return to 
 
[1 CONTENTS. 
 
 Beyroot Residence at Jaffa Strange reports 
 Character of the people given in a Letter Depart- 
 ure for Jerusalem Reception Anniversary of the 
 Crucifixion Prayer-meeting on Mount of Olives 
 Oppressive acts of the pasha of Damascus Instance 
 of torture Governor of Ramla Journey from Jeru- 
 salem Political disturbances Midnight outcry 
 Attack by Arabs Arrival at Nazareth Cana Ti- 
 berias Face of the country Final return to Bey- 
 root Letter to a Theological student Advice to a 
 niece Short excursion to Hadet Arabic school 
 Letter to the Society of Inquiry on Missions, 
 Princeton,. 380-415 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 Last sickness and death concluding remarks. 
 
 Season sickly Account of liis sickness His death 
 and burial Mr. Goodell's remarks Dying epistles 
 to Mr. Temple To Mr. King To his father- 
 Tribute of esteem from Mr. Jowett Observations 
 of Mr. Bird Testimony of the American Board 
 Conclusion, 415 437 
 
REV. PLINY FTSK. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 INCLUDING TUB PERIOD PRECEDING HIS ADMISSION 
 TO COLLEGE. 
 
 PLINY FISK was born at Shelburne, Mass. June 24, 
 1792. He was the fourth son of Mr. Ebenezer 
 Fisk, whose place of nativity was Sutton in the same 
 State. The maiden name of his mother was Sarah 
 Barnard. His parents were virtuous and worthy. 
 They lived retired and in moderate circumstances. 
 But though "to fortune and to fame unknown," they 
 exhibited evidence of humble piety, and trained up 
 iheir children 'in the nurture and admonition of the 
 Lord.' 
 
 The subject of this Memoir was, from early youth, 
 distinguished by an engaging disposition, and unu- 
 sual sobriety. Though generally disinclined to 
 youthful vanities, he was not destitute of vivacity,, 
 and humor. A prominent trait in his early char- 
 acter, and one that was distinct in his subsequent 
 life, was persevering application. Whatever the 
 business might be, to which his attention was call- 
 ed, he did not shrink from it on account of difficulty 
 or labor; but promptly applied himself to it, and 
 persevered, till his work was done. As a child he 
 was faithful, dutiful, and affectionate. Pleasure as 
 well as duty moved him to meet with readiness thp 
 
14 MEMOIR OF 
 
 wishes of his parents; and he was one whom they 
 fondly hoped to retain with them, to be the stafl' 
 and solace of their declining years. Hence it was 
 not without some reluctance that they listened to 
 the expression of a desire on his part to receive a 
 public education an event which they had some 
 reasons to anticipate from his early partiality for 
 books and study. His literary advantages, during 
 the first seventeen years of his life, were confined 
 to a common English school; but these were dili- 
 gently improved. Great industry and perseverance 
 characterized his earliest application to elementary 
 studies. Soon he manifested a taste for mathemat- 
 ical science. His predilection for this science was 
 such, even in childhood, that it was thought advis- 
 able for him to defer attention to it, till he had made 
 competent proficiency in the other elementary 
 branches. He obtained permission, however, to de- 
 vote his evenings during a winter quarter to the 
 study of arithmetic, and at the close of the term, he 
 had acquired a good knowledge of the principal 
 rules. 
 
 The Christian example and counsel of pious pa- 
 rents made, at an early period, such deep impressions 
 on hjs mind, as were favorable to the susceptibility 
 of the stronger convictions of religious truth. In 
 his sixteenth year he was led to realize his lost con- 
 dition, and to feel that he must be in earnest about 
 his salvation. After a season of pungent convic- 
 tions and great anxiety of mind, he discovered with 
 the eye of faith 'the Lamb of God, which taketh 
 away the sin of the world,' and believing he rejoic- 
 ed with joy unspeakable. At this time he manifest- 
 ed a very thorough acquaintance with the opera- 
 tions of his heart, uncommon clearness in his relig- 
 ious views and feelings, and was able to give dis- 
 tinctly 'a reason of the hope' he began to cherish, 
 It was very soon perceived that his piety would be 
 ardent and active- 
 
HEV. PLINY FISK. 15 
 
 The following account of his religious experience 
 was written by himself about two years after he be- 
 gan to hope that he was a Christian. 
 
 "I consider the whole of my life till my sixteenth 
 year, as having been one continued course of re- 
 bellion against God. Not one holy affection can I 
 find by examination during that whole period. Nev- 
 er did my heart exercise any love for God never 
 was I willing that God should reign a Sovereign on 
 his throne. I have even wished there were no 
 God, or that he would annul the penalties of 
 guilt, and proclaim impunity to offenders. As I 
 was educated in a religious family, and heard much 
 conversation about the things of religion, I often 
 felt alarmed at the prospect of dying in my sins, 
 and going down to destruction. Such fears, how- 
 ever, though frequent, were of short duration. Oft- 
 en did I resolve to become a pious, prayerful youth; 
 but thess, resolutions were forgotten, as soo'n as I 
 renewed iriy intercourse with thoughtless compan- 
 ions. Although convinced that delays are danger- 
 ous, yet I cherished the fond hope, that at some fu- 
 ture period, when others should be seen turning 
 to the Lord, or when the time of trial and distress 
 should come, or when I was laid upon a dying bed, 
 I should make my peace with God. So astonish- 
 ing was my stupidity, that I supposed, a few weeks 
 of seriousness would, at any future time, ensure my 
 conversion. Destitute of a sense of dependance on 
 the renewing influences of the Holy Spirit, I was 
 trusting to works, to be performed at a future day. 
 and under the influence of the carnal mind which is 
 enmity against God. 
 
 "In the summer and autumn of 1807, it being a 
 season of general stupidity among Christians, I in- 
 dulged myself in sin with less restraint, than I had 
 ever felt before. Never did the concerns of relig- 
 ion make so light impressions on my mind I was 
 busily employed in plans of vain amusement and 
 sinful pleasure. I longed to be released from the 
 
16 
 
 MEMOIR OF 
 
 restraints of parental authority, that I might feel 
 more free to pursue my career of youthful folly; 
 and yet I wished to avoid all those appearances that 
 would lower me in the estimation of the sober part 
 of society. But God in mercy did not suffer me to 
 proceed to such lengths in wickedness, as my de- 
 praved heart would, unrestrained, have led me. 
 
 "While many professed Christians were thus sleep- 
 ing, and the youth were pursuing their career of sin 
 with unusual levity, a few of Zion's friends, alarm- 
 ed for the cause of religion and the souls of sinners, 
 commenced a meeting for prayer. Though at first 
 but few attended, the number soon increased; and 
 after a few weeks they were frequent and full. On 
 the first day of Jan. 1808, I met an intimate associ- 
 ate, with whom I had spent much time in sin, and 
 he thus addressed me; 'Remember, you have an 
 immortal soul that must exist beyond the grave eith- 
 er in happiness or woe!' I knew not till then of 
 any change in his feelings. His address took hold 
 of my heart; and after much reluctance, and many 
 hard struggles for a few days, I determined to for- 
 sake the vanities of youth, and seek religion. I 
 endeavored carefully to keep my mind on religious 
 subjects, I read much, prayed often, and frequently 
 attended religious meetings. I began to conclude 
 that I was a subject of genuine conviction and 
 should soon be converted. 
 
 "The person who first addressed me, after a sea- 
 son of anxious inquiry, which continued about 
 three weeks, was relieved from his burden of anxiety 
 and distress, and gave evidence of having 'passed 
 from death unto life.' This was to me a trying time* 
 The hope of being soon relieved from my fears of 
 hell had afforded me some comfort, which now 
 was gone. I had been serious and anxious, quite as 
 long, I imagined, as persons generally were previ- 
 ously to conversion. But I did not feel, as I had 
 expected I should. I therefore began to fear that 
 
BEV. PLINY 1'ISK. 17 
 
 my expectations of being converted were delusive. 
 This led me to more diligence and earnestness. I 
 began to think that what I had considered convic- 
 tion, was not; and that something more was neces- 
 sary to constitute a Christian, than anxious thoughts, 
 or convictions of sin. I now realized, in some 
 measure, the power of the doctrines of grace. I 
 found myself to be 'dead in trespasses and sins' 
 I had no heart to love God I was vexed that a just 
 God possessed all power, and would do his pleasure., 
 without regard to the dictates of his creatures. 
 During all this time, though wearisome days and 
 nights were appointed me, I continued in rebellion 
 against God, and refused to accept of mercy on the 
 terms of the gospel. And I am fully persuaded that I 
 should have continued in my sins, and rejected the Sa- 
 viour, and grieved away the Spirit, had not God, of his 
 own good pleasure, applied to my heart 'the washing 
 of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost/ 
 " 'Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within 
 me, bless his holy name,' who was pleased, as I 
 humbly trust, to deliver me from the servitude of 
 sin, in which I must otherwise have perished with 
 the enemies of God. I had spent my living upon 
 physicians, and when I 'was nothing better, but rather 
 grew worse,' then, as I hope, the Lord was pleased 
 to speak the word, that I might be healed. And, O 
 how sweet the joys of believing in Jesus! what pleas- 
 ures didst thou my soul 'realize, when the light of 
 God's countenance first shone upon thee? What 
 can compare with the joy and peace of believing in 
 Jesus? When compared with this, how mean are all 
 the pleasures, which honor, wealth, power, and seji- 
 sual gratification can afford! 
 
 'Could I command the spacious earth> 
 And the more boundless sea; 
 For one blest hour at thy right hand 
 Pd give them both away. 1 
 
 "Give me 'affliction with the people of God,' rather 
 than 'the pleasures of sin for a season.' bat fhe 
 
18 MEMOIR OF 
 
 Lord be my God, and may I never be unfaithful in, 
 his cause. I devote myself, O Lord, to thee. Wilt 
 thou accept the offering? Cleanse me from my 
 sins save me from stupidity keep me humble 
 prepare me for thy service, and make me an instru- 
 ment of good in the world may thy kingdom come, 
 and thy will be done on earth as in heaven; for thine 
 is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for- 
 ever. Amen." 
 
 After a season of trial and self-examination young 
 Fisk professed religion, and was received to the 
 church in his native town, under the pastoral care of 
 the Rev. Theophilus Packard, D. D. From this time 
 he manifested a deep solicitude for the salvation of 
 sinners, and often exhorted, and affectionately urg- 
 ed them to immediate repentance. At an early pe- 
 riod he was requested to assist in the services of pri- 
 vate religious meetings, and his performances, 
 though but a youth, were appropriate, judicious, and 
 impressive. To religious meetings of this kind he 
 was always partial; and such was his facility of 
 communication, his earnestness, and faithfulness^ 
 that he rendered them in a high degree profitable. 
 Many will long remember, how on such occasions 
 he warned them with entreaties and tears to be rec- 
 onciled to God. 
 
 His love for the service of his Divine Master was 
 so strong, that he very soon determined on devot- 
 ing himself to it, in the w6rk of the ministry. His 
 feelings were communicated to his parents; and 
 though they had once tried to discourage him from 
 pursuing a public education, they now acceded 
 cheerfully to his wishes, promising him whatever- 
 assistance, it was in their power to render. He ac- 
 cordingly commenced his preparatory studies about 
 a year after he had professed religion, and pursued 
 them principally under the direction of Rev. Moses 
 Hallock, of Plainfield, Mass. His application to 
 study was vigorous and diligent; but he kept such 
 
HEV. PLINY FISK. 19 
 
 watch over his heart, that no apparent check was 
 given to the ardor of his piety. A letter, which he 
 wrote at this time, will show the state of his relig- 
 ious feelings. 
 
 "Plainjield, Sept. 8, 1810. 
 
 "Dear Brother We have publicly renounced the 
 world, and avouched the Lord to be our God. Do 
 we feel the importance of living according to our 
 holy profession? What will it avail us, that we have 
 been with Christians here, that we have set down 
 with them at the table of the Lord, unless our 
 hearts are true to the Redeemer's cause? If 
 we would be disciples of Christ, we must deny our- 
 selves, take up the cross, and follow him. We can- 
 not serve Mammon, and at the same time render 
 acceptable service to God. Our great business 
 must be, to act for God; we must pray without 
 ceasing, watch and persevere, 'lay aside every 
 weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, 3 
 and run, wrestle, and fight with patience. O let us 
 take heed that the curse, denounced against Meroz, 
 fall not upon us let us love Christ not in word 
 only, but in deed and in truth let us frequent the 
 closet, attend to the Scriptures, meditate much on 
 heavenly things, feel as if we were pilgrims and 
 strangers here below, and seek 'a city, which hath 
 foundations, whose builder and maker is God.' 
 
 "The friends of missions here met last week and 
 paid over their subscription, amounting to be- 
 tween fifty and sixty dollars. The Rev. Mr. H. of 
 C. who left us this morning, mentioned an individ- 
 ual in his church, who, in addition to an annual 
 subscription of six dollars, paid at one time $100, 
 and said, if the missionary chest were empty, he 
 would give more. O my dear brother, while some 
 give their money and others their time to God, let 
 'us not keep back from our duty. 
 
 Your brother, P, FISK/' 
 
20 MEMOIR OF 
 
 The last paragraph in the above extract shows, 
 that Mr. Fisk began at an early period to feel an 
 interest in the missionary cause. It was about this 
 time that a Foreign mission was first proposed to 
 the American churches. The subject arrested his 
 attention, engaged his feelings, and led him to deter- 
 mine, should he become qualified, to go 'far hence 
 to the Gentiles.' His aged father has said, since 
 the death of his son, that before he left the paternal 
 roof to prepare himself for the service of the church, 
 he had in view a Foreign mission an object on 
 which he steadily kept his eye, and with reference 
 to which he carefully disciplined both mind and 
 body. Possessed, as he was, of ardent piety, vigor 
 of mind, unyielding fortitude, and a physical con- 
 stitution naturally robust, and rendered more so by 
 the healthful breezes of his native mountains, his 
 early decision to become a missionary may be re- 
 garded, as the result of sound judgment and en- 
 lightened zeal. To this early fixedness of purpose 
 respecting the object of pursuit he was indebted 
 under God for no small share of the singular excel- 
 lences which belonged to him as a missionary to 
 the heathen. His great object lay constantly be- 
 fore him, and it was his unceasing prayer to God 
 that he might be fitted for it. 
 
 Having completed his preparatory studies, he of- 
 fered himself in 1811 for admission to Middlebury 
 College, Vermont: he went unaccompanied by friend 
 or acquaintance, and was admitted on examination 
 to an advanced standing. 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 .FROM HIS ADMISSION TO COLLEGE, TILL HE JOINED 
 THE THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY, ANDOVER, MASS. 
 
 THE review of Mr. Fisk's collegiate course, fur- 
 nishes few occurrences of very special 
 
REV. PLTNY FISK. 21 
 
 It does not appear, that he was ambitious to be 
 distinguished among his associates by literary 
 honors. His ruling passion was rather to be good 
 than great. His standing as a scholar will be 
 learnt from a communication prepared by a gentle- 
 man then connected with the faculty of the college 
 of which he was a member. 
 
 "His talents," this gentleman observes, "were 
 highly respectable; though as a scholar he never 
 greatly distinguished himself. He had an aversion 
 to the study of the ancient languages. Owing to 
 his reluctance to apply himself closely to the inves- 
 tigation of difficult passages, the knowledge he ac- 
 quired of these languages, was somewhat imper- 
 fect. The branches of science which belonged to 
 my department the mathematics and natural phi- 
 losophy he pursued with more eagerness and 
 greater success. But even here he was good, rath* 
 er than excellent." 
 
 His early taste for mathematical studies has been 
 mentioned. He became more and more deeply in- 
 terested in this department of science, the farther 
 he pursued it. Had he applied himself to -the extent 
 of his powers, he would doubtless have excelled. 
 But he feared the influence which intense applica- 
 tion to the sciences might have on his piety: his 
 primary object was to grow in the knowledge of 
 Christ Jesus his Lord. The spirit with which he 
 pursued his studies may be learned from his corres- 
 pondence. In a letter to one of his brothers, after 
 giving an abstract of a philosophical lecture which 
 he had just heard, he thus concludes: "In contem- 
 plating the subject, I found many wonders connect- 
 ed with it, which I cannot comprehend. It gives 
 me adoring views of God, and humbling views of 
 the knowledge and power of man especially of 
 myself. Dear brother, let us remember, these ma- 
 terial forms will soon decay. These spirits of ours 
 will soon pass into eternity. Time is short, yet 
 
MEMOIR OF 
 
 much depends on its improvement. Let us spend 
 it well as it passes, continually doing or getting 
 good. 
 
 'Count that day lost, whose low descending sun 
 Sees from thy hand no worthy action done.' 
 
 "Some part of our time should be spent in secret 
 prayer and self-examination. I hope you will be 
 faithful to yourself, and act the Christian in your in- 
 tercourse with others. And may the grace of our 
 Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit." 
 
 It is a fact, which we have thought proper not to 
 conceal, that Mr. Fisk's classical education was im- 
 perfect. His deficiences, however, were by no 
 means to be attributed to want of intellectual 
 power: but partly to embarrassments under which 
 lie labored, and partly to the mistaken notion that 
 vigorous and persevering application to the sciences 
 was necessarily unfavorable to the cultivation of the 
 religious affections. There can be but little if any 
 doubt, that on this subject he erred. He became, 
 at last, convinced of this, when subjected to the dis- 
 advantages occasioned by his early neglect of clas- 
 sical studies. It was the experience of these disad- 
 vantages, that led him to say to the Society of In- 
 quiry respecting Missions, at Andover, soon after he 
 arrived at Smyrna, "I beg leave to submit to you 
 one remark, which seems to me important, respect- 
 ing the qualifications of a missionary. It is this; 
 More knowledge of languages should be acquired. 1 
 say more knowledge of languages, rather than a 
 knowledge of more languages. To have such an ac- 
 quaintance with Latin, Greek, and Hebrew, as will 
 enable you not only to read them with familiarity, 
 but to speak and write them, would be of very great 
 utility in this country, and I presume, in any part of 
 Asia; probably in any part of the world. And let 
 me add, that it would be well, if the wife of a mis- 
 sionary were to know Italian, French, and Latin. " 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 2o 
 
 These remarks show how important he consider- 
 ed literary attainments, after he had become engag- 
 ed in his work. And when we read the history of 
 such men as Edwards, and Scott, and Martyn, we 
 have evidence that intense and laborious study is 
 not incompatible with ardent and active piety. 
 
 While it is admitted that Mr. Fisk did not at first 
 distinguish himself as a scholar, it may be said, that, 
 as a Christian, he was surpassed by very few. The 
 gentleman, alluded to above, has made this addi- 
 tional statement: "He brought with him to the col- 
 lege a religious character of inestimable value. His 
 piety was of no ordinary stamp. It was strikingly 
 operative. It never slumbered nor slept. It was 
 not a flame that dazzled for a moment, and then 
 flickered and died. away. Like the vestal fire, it 
 was always alive, always bright. In forwarding his 
 Master's work he was ever active and energetic. 
 
 "In the year 1812, the hearts of Christians were 
 cheered with a revival of religion in the college. 
 It was not so powerful as has, at some other times, 
 been experienced, still it was enough so to warm 
 the hearts, and engage the energies of all the offi- 
 cers and students who loved to witness the advance- 
 ment of the Redeemer's kingdom. In this happy 
 company Mr. Fisk stood in the foremost rank. The 
 influence he exerted on his fellow students was most- 
 salutary. The pious were animated, and stimulated 
 to duty by his example. Sinners, even the vilest,, 
 listened to his pathetic admonitions, for they all be- 
 lieved 
 
 'That he was honest in the sacred cause/ 
 
 "It is not unlikely that, at the final reckoning, a num- 
 ber of the young men, who were then members of the 
 institution, will declare to his everlasting rejoicing, 
 that he was the instrument in the hand of God oi' 
 turning them from sin to holiness." 
 
 In this sketch of his collegiate course, given by 
 who watched with paternal interest the de- 
 
24 MEMOIR OF 
 
 velopement, not only of his intellectual faculties, 
 but of his Christian virtues, we have a valuable tes- 
 timonial, showing the excellence of his character, 
 and the motive that urged him onward in his course; 
 a motive that grew stronger and stronger, as he ad- 
 vanced love for souls. This was the main spring of 
 his movements, the secret of his success in the cause 
 of Christian benevolence. 
 
 The following additional testimony comes from a 
 class-mate of his who now occupies an important 
 station in the Church. "As a Christian, he was dis- 
 tinguished for decision and zeal, and a promptitude in 
 seizing opportunities for promoting the spiritual in- 
 terests of others. His deportment was uniformly 
 amiable, and it was manifest, that the love of God 
 had, in no ordinary degree, been shed abroad in his 
 heart. Never shall I forget the readiness and the so- 
 lemnity with which, when unexpectedly requested 
 at the time, he addressed our class, as we were as- 
 sembled around the grave of one of our number, 
 who had died in a neighboring town." 
 
 Such was his character, while pursuing study as 
 a member of college. By his Christian example 
 and exhortations, he made a deep impression on 
 the minds of many, an impression that some will 
 never forget. One, who is now a useful min- 
 ister of the Gospel, stated to the compiler, that 
 it was in co'nsequence of a faithful admonition re- 
 ceived from Fisk, that he was roused from sinful 
 stupidity, and led, as he trusts, to seek religion, and 
 take a stand on the Lord's side. Others, perhaps, 
 might be found, who could testify to the same thing 
 in respect to themselves, Such an example of 
 Christian zeal and fidelity, is worthy the attention of 
 every pious student. It evinces that much good 
 may be done, even while preparing for a more ex- 
 tended sphere of benevolent labors. 
 
 Without disparagement to Mr. F., or reflection 
 upon his friends, it may be stated, that bis energy 
 
HEY. PLTNV F13K. 25 
 
 was put to the test, and his faith occasionally tried 
 by struggles with pecuniary embarrassment. Ex- 
 pensive and protracted sickness in his father's fam- 
 ily frustrated the prospect of assistance from pater- 
 nal resources. No Education Societies then existed 
 to proffer their patronage to the indigent, but pious 
 youth, whose longing eye was turned towards the 
 ministry of the Gospel. When he commenced his 
 collegiate course, little encouragement of support 
 beyond his own limited means, was presented. His 
 main dependence was upon his exertions, in con- 
 nexion with a rational reliance on divine Providence. 
 He adopted a course of rigid economy, and during 
 the vacation was employed in the instruction of 
 common English schools. These means, however, 
 could not enable him to meet all the expenses ne- 
 cessarily incurred. But though perplexed he was 
 not in despair. Under embarrassing circumstances 
 he used, to the best advantage in his power, the 
 means he had to extricate himself, and then com- 
 mitted his way to God. Having, as he humbly 
 hoped, a sincere desire to be employed in the vine- 
 yard of his Master, he cherished the sweet confi- 
 dence that his Lord, if he had a service for him to 
 perform, would enable him to prepare for it. 
 
 Experience has often taught the children of God 5 
 that "the Lord delivereth his servants, that trusted in 
 him," that "they which trust in him shall be as mount 
 Zion that cannot be moved." So his experience in- 
 structed him. He found that his confidence was 
 not misplaced, nor disappointed. Friends were 
 yaised up from unexpected quarters, from whom 
 such assistance was occasionally received, as en- 
 abled him to prosecute, with little interruption, his 
 classical studies. At a certain time, when pressed 
 for want of funds to meet present demands, and not 
 knowing whither to look for aid in this emergency, 
 he unexpectedly received thirty dollars, a donation 
 
26 %1EMOIR OF 
 
 from a merchant in Boston.* In acknowledging the 
 receipt of this sum, which came so opportunely to 
 his relief, he remarks; "So Providence provides 
 for me." 
 
 At the close of his collegiate course he would 
 have gone directly to some Theological Seminary; 
 but from this he was detained a year in conse- 
 quence of debts which had accumulated, notwith- 
 standing his economy, the avails of his own indus- 
 try, and some assistance from benevolent individu- 
 als. But it was a year rendered useful to others, as 
 well as profitable to himself, as will hereafter appear. 
 
 Alluding to the difficulties above mentioned, one, 
 who was well acquainted with him while in college, 
 thus observes; "I have often contemplated him, as 
 affording a remarkable illustration of the fact, that 
 a student, surrounded by many discouraging circum- 
 stances, and not distinguished at first as a scholar, 
 may in a few years, by well directed and perse- 
 vering diligence, outstrip those who once were be- 
 fore him, and leave them far behind both in intel- 
 lectual attainments and real usefulness." 
 
 Mr. Fisk received his first degree, in August, 
 1814. On the following September he commenced 
 the study of Theology under the direction of his 
 pastor, Rev. Dr. Packard, boarding at the same time 
 with his father. The following are some of his re- 
 flections in prospect of being soon engaged in the 
 work of the ministry. "The work seems great, 
 difficult, arid responsible. I feel that I am very 
 inadequate to sustain its labors. Young, inexpe- 
 rienced, weak in faith, inclined to sin, how can J 
 think of engaging in a work of such magnitude. 
 How can I fulfil a task, under which Gabriel, with- 
 out special aid, must sink. My help must come 
 from God." 
 
 In January, 1815, he was examined by the Frank- 
 ftn. Association of congregational ministers, and re- 
 
 * Mr, fjgn^y Howes. 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 27 
 
 ceivcd from that body a license to preach the Gos- 
 pel. In reference to the new and responsible 
 business, in which he was commissioned to engage,, 
 he records this prayer: "Almighty Saviour, to thee 
 I look for assistance in discharging the important 
 duties which now devolve upon me. Thou knowest 
 my weakness, ignorance, want of experience, and 
 the temptations to which I shall be exposed. Do 
 thou strengthen, instruct, and support me. I pray 
 for assistance in the choice of texts, in studying and 
 preparing sermons. Teach me the true meaning of 
 thy word. Let me never adopt sentiments, or form 
 determinations hastily. Enable me to resist the 
 influence of all unhallowed motives; give me a 
 spirit of devotion; make me, studious and faithful. 
 May I be prudent and zealous, humble and decided, 
 conciliatory and consistent. Give me health of 
 body and soundness of mind. Let my preaching 
 be solemn and interesting, doctrinal, experimental^ 
 or practical, as the occasion may require. O my 
 God, enable me to preach 'in demonstration of the 
 spirit, and with power, and wilt thou give the word 
 an efficient influence, that it may reach the hearts 
 of men.' " 
 
 After a painful review of his deficiencies and sins, 
 which he speaks of in a manner, evincing deep con- 
 trition and self-abhorrence, he continues the record 
 of his feelings: "I will throw myself on divine 
 mercy, and hope and wait for the consolations of 
 religion. A ray of light enters my benighted soul. 
 Though heavy laden with guilt, Jesus appears 
 mighty to save. My soul again leaps for joy to see 
 my Redeemer. O my Saviour, do I not love thee, 
 and long to be conformed to thy imagef Do I not 
 sincerely mourn my levity, my stupidity, and my un- 
 faithfulness? Lord, thou knowest my heart, is not 
 sin the burden, and holiness the delight of my soulr 
 Let me see thy glory, and my own vilehess, be de- 
 livered from the power of sin, and assimilated to 
 thee, and it is enough: t have all things," 
 
, ? y MEMOIR OF 
 
 About the first of March following, Mr. Fisk was 
 invited to preach in Wilmington, Vermont; and he 
 went immediately to that place, where he continued 
 his labors not far from eight months. He found that 
 the minds of the people there had been unhappily 
 agitated, and parly animosities excited in conse- 
 quence of the dismission of their pastor. These 
 unpleasant circumstances appeared rather forbid- 
 ding; and the field of labor, into which he was sent 
 to make his first ministerial efforts, did not promise 
 much success. But as he was a stranger, he deter- 
 mined to know no party, and take no interest in the 
 controversy which had been in agitation. He went 
 directly about his appropriate business. His labors 
 were blessed, and the attention of the people was 
 soon directed to religious subjects. Party jealou- 
 sies and strife were forgotten, while religion became 
 the topic of general inquiry and interest. Meetings 
 for prayer and conference were frequent, and well 
 attended throughout the town; and it was evident 
 that the Holy Spirit had come down with power to 
 revive his work. 
 
 The cheering prospect of a revival of religion, it 
 may well be supposed, produced no ordinary effect 
 upon a mind like Mr. Fisk's. "His spirit was stirred 
 in him," and his best powers were brought into 
 vigorous exercise. Under the conviction, that the 
 present was a momentous crisis with the people, on 
 the termination of which everlasting consequences 
 depended, he was abundant in labors. He felt his 
 responsibility, and while the field was white to har- 
 vest, he resolved to spare himself neither strength 
 nor toil Many in that place are ready to witness, 
 "how he kept back nothing that was profitable unto 
 them; but shewed them and taught them publicly 
 and from house to house, testifying to them repent- 
 ance toward God, and faith toward the Lord Jesus 
 Christ." As soon as practicable he visited most of 
 the families in the town, and conversed personally 
 
KEV. PLINY PISK. 29 
 
 with almost every individual on the subject of re- 
 ligion. In performing this useful and laborious ser- 
 vice he proceeded systematically. In the morning 
 he formed his plan, designated the families which 
 he purposed to visit, and limited the time which he 
 was to spend in each house; and during the day he 
 usually accomplished all that he expected. His 
 uniform topic of conversation on these excursions 
 was religion. When he called on a family he would 
 often tell how much time he had allotted for the 
 visit, and propose religion as the first subject, on 
 which to converse. Usually this subject would oc- 
 cupy all the moments appropriated for the visit, 
 and the listening household were seldom desirous oi 
 having it changed, seldom weary of the persuasive 
 earnestness, with which their visitor urged them to 
 attend to "the things which belonged to their peace." 
 In these private interviews he was ever solemn, 
 faithful, familiar, affectionate; and he failed not to 
 leave the impression that he was a man of God. 
 
 Respecting the fruits of his labors no definite 
 statements can be made. Under his unwearied 
 ministrations numbers were awaked from their sleep 
 of sin, and brought, it is hoped, into the kingdom of 
 Christ. There prevailed throughout the congrega- 
 gation which he addressed, general seriousness and 
 earnest attention. A remarkable spirit of inquiry 
 respecting divine truth was also excited, all seemed 
 anxious to hear, and know the truth. 
 
 An individual from that town, speaking of the 
 happy effect of Mr. Fisk's exertions while there, ob- 
 serves: "Were I to state my impressions respecting 
 the most visible and salutary result of his labors, 
 I should say, it was the restoration, in a good degree, 
 of peace and harmony in the society, and a revival 
 of piety in the church. To the people of God it 
 was peculiarly a 'time of refreshing from the pre- 
 sence of the Lord.' I am persuaded that many oi 
 them look back upon it as one of their most precioire 
 
MEMOIR OF 
 
 ' "I 
 
 seasons of spiritual enjoyment, a season in whicii 
 they made rich acquisitions of scriptural knowledge. 
 During his residence there he established a Sab- 
 bath school, and, if I mistake not, it was on a subse- 
 quent visit that he organized a Ladies' and Gentle- 
 men's Missionary Association. He was extremely 
 popular; but he had grace and good sense enough 
 to prevent his sustaining any injury from it." 
 
 In view of the fact that he was so acceptable and 
 successful in this commencement of his ministerial 
 labors, the inquiry may arise in the minds of some, 
 why did he relinquish his work after a few months 
 service, and conclude to spend three years more in 
 professional studies at a Theological Seminary? In 
 reply to such a question it may be stated, that it 
 was his settled determination, before he left college. 
 to avail himself of the important advantages of a 
 public Theological education: And for this pur- 
 pose nothing prevented his proceeding directly to 
 Andover, but the necessity of earning the means to 
 defray some arrearage expenses which his educa- 
 tion incurred. In doing this he sought a situation 
 where he might be useful to others, while helping 
 himself As he had already devoted considerable 
 attention to theological subjects, and particularly 
 to the study of the Scriptures, and had become 
 familiar with the routine of occasional religious 
 meetings, in which he had been useful, he concluded 
 to apply, after some further study, for license to' 
 preach the Gospel. With reference to a temporary 
 season of ministerial labor he was authorized, as 
 has been stated, to preach as a domestic missionary, 
 or to some vacant parish. When he went to Wil- 
 mington, he engaged for a limited time to labor 
 with them, though not as a candidate for settlement. 
 He gave them no reason to expect he would con- 
 sent to remain long with them. 
 
 Towards the close of Mr. Fisk's first engagement 
 with the people of W^Juf services were so accept- 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 
 
 able, and so highly useful, that a renewed applica- 
 tion was made to him to continue with them longer, 
 than at first he contemplated. He was willing 
 to stay till near the time, when he purposed t enter 
 the Theological Seminary. Lest, however, his as- 
 sent to such a proposal, together with a growing 
 mutual attachment, might lead some still to cherish 
 the hope that he would be prevailed on to settle 
 with them in the ministry, he made it a condition, 
 that such expectations should be laid aside, and that 
 they should regard him only as a sojourner among 
 them. Again he assured them that it was his fixed 
 intention to resume his theological studies, to qualify 
 himself for the work of a missionary to the heathen. 
 From this object, which became dearer to him the 
 more it was contemplated, nothing could divert his 
 mind. 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 FROM THE COMMENCEMENT TO THE TERMINATION OF 
 HIS PROFESSIONAL STUDIES AT THE THEOLOGICAL 
 SEMINARY, ANDOVER, MASS. 
 
 IN November 1815 Mr. Fisk became a member 
 of the Theological Seminary, and was admitted, 
 after a few weeks, to the benefits of the charity- 
 fund. The studies, employments, and scenes, to 
 Syhich he was introduced at this time, were pecu- 
 liarly congenial to his feelings, and awakened his 
 mind to a high pitch of excitement. He appre- 
 ciated the valuable privileges with which he was 
 favored, and resolved to profit by them. With an 
 ardent thirst for sacred knowledge he entered the 
 jrich fields which opened to his view, and which 
 furnished powerful inducements for laborious re- 
 search. Here he found materials for 4i the feast of 
 reason," though he had been but moderately inter- 
 ested with the enqhantm.ents f classic ground. 
 
MEMOIR OP 
 
 Lest, however, the richness of the intellectual ban- 
 quet might impair his relish for devotion and holy 
 living, he united with diligent and close attention 
 to study habits of active piety. 
 
 In respect to his intellectual features nothing 
 very brilliant or striking was developed. The cre- 
 ations of a fertile and glowing imagination were 
 not found among the productions of his mind. Nor 
 was he distinguished for boldness and vividness of 
 conception. The power of analysis he possessed 
 in a high degree; and his talents in general were 
 solid, rather than splendid. With soundness of 
 judgment he united quickness of perception, and 
 acute discrimination. His compositions, though 
 destitute of ornament, were characterized by plain- 
 ness, point, and perspicuity. He evinced a more 
 than ordinary degree of mental power, and, as will 
 hereafter appear, a capacity for rapid improvement. 
 
 In respect to his theological attainments no more 
 can be said, perhaps, than is true of many oth- 
 ers, who in subsequent life move in a humbler 
 sphere of ministerial labor, and never rise above the 
 ordinary degree of distinction. To the prescribed 
 course of studies he devoted careful and punctual 
 attention, and at the usual examinations acquitted 
 himself with respectability. He studied the Scrip- 
 tures with great care and deep interest, select por- 
 tions of which he committed daily to memory, and 
 was accustomed to introduce with great effect for 
 illustration or proof in his extemporaneous exer- 
 cises. 
 
 It was in the art of holy living, and in devising and 
 executing plans of usefulness, that Mr. F. excelled. 
 Here we see him in his strength, and here we dis- 
 cover the secret of that influence which he after- 
 wards exerted in the world. In these respects his 
 fellow students were soon prepared to feel, and 
 acknowledge, that he was before them. In hijs 
 intercourse with the members of his class and with 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 33 
 
 individuals of other classes, it was his uniform en- 
 deavor to exert an influence favorable to their piety, 
 and to enlist their feelings in objects of benevolence. 
 He loved to converse on the subject of refigious 
 experience, and would often inquire of those with 
 whom he was most intimate, respecting the pres- 
 ent state of their own hearts, their present views 
 and, feelings, their hopes, fears, difficulties, and 
 trials. 
 
 An extract or two from his journal will introduce 
 him in this profitable connexion with his brethren. 
 
 ''Feb. 20, 1816. I have had this evening a most 
 delightful interview with two of the brethren, H. 
 and T. O the happy, the blessed communion of 
 kindred souls! I felt my heart united to theirs by 
 the tenderest ties. I love them most cordially. 
 We conversed upon our alarming stupidity in the 
 service of God, on the evidences of our piety, on 
 intercourse with God. We kneeled down together 
 and attempted to pray. In such seasons how do 
 hearts unite, and souls melt and mingle into union. 
 
 "Feb. 28. Last Sabbath eve I met with six of 
 my dear brethren, and had a free and profitable 
 conversation on the state of our hearts, and the 
 low state of religious feeling in the Seminary. The 
 season was precious, and may it prove a prelude 
 to better times. This evening I have been again 
 engaged most sweetly with a few of my brethren 
 in mingling souls. O how I love such seasons! 
 They are rich in spiritual good and pleasures. 
 Would God, I were worthy to live in such society 
 as I now enjoy. 
 
 "March I. Had an interview with my classmate, 
 B. We conversed respecting our own religious 
 experience. A very precious time. The Lord 
 grant, that I may have a better relish for spiritual 
 discourse." 
 
 If a fellow Christian was laboring under trials 
 of mind, he was one of the first to attend to his 
 
04 MEMOIR OF 
 
 case, which he did, with true Christian concern; 
 and he urged it on others, as a subject that should 
 awaken their sympathies, and engage their earnest 
 prayers. Having for a long time carefully studied 
 cases of conscience, he was qualified to administer 
 counsel and consolation to such as were walking in 
 darkness. Many can bear testimony to the broth- 
 erly kindness which he manifested towards them, 
 under the circumstances that have been men- 
 tioned. In the time of affliction Fisk was found a 
 brother indeed. It was his practice to call on some 
 of his most intimate associates, and say, ''brother 
 * is laboring under distress of mind, or is suffer- 
 ing some painful visitation of providence; now he 
 needs our prayers, and I wish you to meet me at 
 my room for the purpose of holding a prayer meet- 
 ing on his account." If any were absent in con- 
 sequence of some afflictive dispensation, his prayers 
 would be frequent and fervent, and the expression 
 of his affectionate heart would follow them. A 
 particular instance of such attention the writer well 
 remembers. A class-mate was summoned home 
 unexpectedly to bury a dear friend. During his 
 absence, as he afterwards learnt, his case deeply 
 affected the feelings of Mr. Fisk, who on this occa- 
 sion invited a few persons to unite with him in 
 seasons of special prayer for him who was absent 
 and in affliction, and to whom he soon forwarded the 
 following letter. 
 
 "Dear Brother, Though tve could not feel all 
 that you felt, when you left us, yet you will easily 
 believe that our hearts were not wholly insensible. 
 I am sure we did then, and do still bear a part in 
 that burden which a righteous Providence has laid 
 upon you. I often experience a melancholy pleas- 
 ure in sitting down, and recollecting the very 
 pleasant seasons -we have enjoyed together, and 
 then directing my thoughts to your present situa- 
 tion. Sometimes I imagine you have returned, and 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. by 
 
 \ve are conversing together on the mournful scenes 
 into which you have been called. I begin to in- 
 quire respecting the support you have realized, and 
 the effect which the afflictive event has pro'duced 
 on your surviving friends; and I enjoy the rhomen- 
 tary pleasure of thinking, that you and they have 
 been supported, comforted, and benefitted, in this 
 season of deep distress. Yes, 1 trust the Lord does 
 sustain your sinking spirits, and comfort your aching 
 hearts. Can we not see in this event evidence that 
 your heavenly Father is faithful? You have longed, 
 and prayed, that he would make you humble, wean 
 you from the world, increase your piety, and fit you 
 to be a good minister of Jesus Christ. Is not this the 
 method, the wisest and kindest, effectually to show 
 you what is in your heart to teach you the uncer- 
 tain nature of all earthly enjoyments to lead you 
 to more zeal and diligence in cultivating your Chris- 
 tian graces to prepare you to sympathize with the 
 afflicted, and administer to them counsel and con- 
 solation and, in short, to fit your own soul for the 
 enjoyments of that purer world, where sin and sor- 
 row cannot enter? O my brother, I do rejoice to 
 think that such are the gracious designs of Heaven 
 towards you. May you have grace so to improve, 
 and submit to this dispensation, as to gain finally 
 all these precious advantages. And if we are per- 
 mitted to live together again, may we both experi- 
 ence the salutary effects of this visitation. 
 
 "Your bereaved parents, I trust, are supported by 
 that religion they have so long professed, and are 
 resigned to the painful chastisement It is God's 
 design to prepare his children for heaven. But, O 
 how much must be done to accomplish this end! 
 How many mercies, how many afflictions! IIoW 
 many idols must be torn away how many sins 
 subdued how many sufferings endured! God is a 
 kind and faithful Father to his children. He will 
 supply their wants, or leave them destitute; gratify;. 
 
ob MEMOIR OF 
 
 or disappoint their wishes; smile, or frown, as may 
 be most conducive to the final good of his great 
 family. He will take care to carry them through 
 such a course of discipline, as shall at last prepare 
 them to enjoy him in heaven. It is our part to learn 
 to view every thing that concerns us, as a part of 
 that system of means by which, if we are faithful 
 to ourselves, our heavenly Father is purifying our 
 souls from sin, and fitting us for seats at his right 
 hand. So may you, and your mourning parents, 
 view your present trials, and share all the benefits 
 of sanctified affliction. Yours sincerely, P. FISK." 
 
 Expecting to spend his life in arduous labor on 
 missionary ground, he wag careful to subject himself 
 to such a degree of bodily exercise, as would prevent 
 that languor and debility which so often result from 
 sedentary habits. Walking was a frequent mode 
 of exercise. But his were emphatically "walks of 
 usefulness." Those intervals of relaxation he im- 
 proved to valuable purposes. He always aimed to 
 have some object in view, that the time required for 
 exercise might not be lost; and usually this object 
 was a free conversation with some one of his breth- 
 ren, respecting their own hearts or some truth of 
 religion some Christian duty some plan of use- 
 fulness or the moral condition of the world the 
 claims of missions, &c. Perhaps he would have in 
 view a short visit to some family, a prayer meeting. 
 a religious conference. Many will long remember 
 the precious and profitable interviews which they 
 enjoyed with him during some of those seasons. 
 
 One, who is now a missionary to the heathen, has 
 said, "I well remember those interviews, which I 
 liad with Mr. Fisk, while walking for exercise; for 
 it was during one of them that myself, if I feel any 
 thing of a missionary spirit, was led to feel. At thos 
 times his soul rose on high* He was far before Us 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. o< 
 
 in holy living. He would come to my room and pro- 
 pose a walk, "But where shall we go? and what 
 shall we talk about?" would be his first inquiries. 
 Once when I went with him, he led me to the house 
 of an aged negro. The old man appeared gratified, 
 and like a Christian. Mr. Fisk viewing him and 
 his aged companion as standing on the brink of the 
 grave, introduced the subject of death, requesting 
 me to state, what constituted a preparation for death. 
 After a few remarks were made, he resumed the 
 subject, and pursued it. We prayed and then re- 
 turned. When returning, after having visited a 
 family for the purpose of religious conversation 
 with the members, he would say; "The next time 
 we pray for ourselves, we must pray for these per- 
 sons." When on the way to attend a religious 
 meeting he would inquire; "On what subject shall 
 we discourse'?" Perhaps he would mention one, 
 give a brief view of it, divide it, and then say to me; 
 "You may speak on which part you please, and I 
 will take the other; and you may begin or conclude 
 the subject, as shall best suit your feelings." Once 
 as we were returning from one of these excursions, 
 during which he had conversed much ,about the 
 heathen, he remarked; "How little we feel, that 
 probably now there are 500,000,000 of people en- 
 tirely ignorant of the Saviour!" The thought came 
 home to my soul. At another time in view of the 
 rapid and mighty operations of the present day he 
 said; "We must hasten forward, or we shall not be 
 able to do any thing. It seems to me much as it 
 did, when I went to 'a raising' while a boy. Sev- 
 eral men would grasp a beam at once, and I had to 
 hasten, or it would soon be out of my reach, and then 
 I could help none; so it seems to me now, and we 
 must hasten forward." 
 
 An intimate friend of Mr. Fisk, speaking of their 
 mutual intercourse, has said; "I rarely knew of an 
 occasion, when it was necessary to give him any 
 4 
 
38 MEMOIR OF 
 
 thing like a reproof. But once when sitting in my 
 room with the door open, I heard him, as he came 
 from the lecture room, talking quite earnestly and 
 saying, "I was provoked with brother * * * * because 
 he continued to speak, after the Professor had given 
 his opinion." I called to him by name, he replied, 
 "What do you want?" I said, "The sun will go 
 down by and by." He answered, "Very well." In 
 about fifteen minutes he came into my room with 
 an honest and affectionate smile, took me by the 
 hand, and said, "I am ready now to have the sun 
 go down." This instance serves to show, with what 
 a spirit he received a reproof, and how readily he 
 profited by it. There was no kindness which he so 
 gratefully received from a fellow student, as a re- 
 proving hint. And he enjoined it upon all his in- 
 timate associates, as a pledge of Christian friend- 
 ship, that they should frankly tell him of every fault, 
 and every impropriety of deportment, which they at 
 any time should detect in him. The same kind ser- 
 vice he was careful to perform, as a matter of duty, 
 as well as Christian faithfulness. 
 
 From the observations which have been made re- 
 specting the religious intercourse of Mr. Fisk, with 
 the members of the Seminary, it must not be infer- 
 red, that there was about him any thing which sa- 
 vored of religious austerity, or of that excessive re- 
 serve which repels familiarity. On the contrary he 
 was remarkably affable and familiar. The merest 
 child might feel free to approach him, and would be 
 sure to meet from him the unaffected expression of 
 kindness. During intervals of relaxation from the 
 engagements of the study and the closet, he was 
 always cheerful, occasionally humorous, and in- 
 dulged an agreeable "flow of soul," which rendered 
 him a very pleasant companion. It was a source of 
 regret to him, that he did not exhibit an example of 
 more gravity; though it was seldom that any thing 
 appeared in him inconsistent with the deportment 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. o9 
 
 of an exemplary follower of Jesus. They who en- 
 joyed the privilege of intimate acquaintance with 
 him, will never forget how they "took sweet counsel 
 together, and walked unto the house of God ii* com- 
 pany." 
 
 His intercourse with the Professors of the Semi- 
 nary was uniformly modest and respectful. He went 
 to them, as one would go to his father, for the coun- 
 sel which their experience might enable them to 
 give; and though in matters of faith he called no 
 man Rabbi, yet~he used to express much confidence 
 in their judgment, and profited by their advice in 
 cases, where he was not fully satisfied respecting the 
 expediency of any measure, or the path of duty. 
 He greatly endeared himself to them, and they had 
 a high respect for his character as a Christian, and a 
 man. 
 
 One of them has remarked concerning him, that 
 "he was very ardent in the pursuit of knowledge, 
 and in his religious duties. But his ardor was tem- 
 pered with great sobriety and judgment. He was 
 attentive to the laws and regulations of the Semi- 
 nary, and suffered nothing to divert him from his 
 appropriate business and duties, as a theological 
 student. To every subject, wkich came under con- 
 sideration, he brought strong excitement, and vjgor- 
 ous effort of mind. 
 
 He made visible advances in piety from year to 
 year, and felt it to be indispensable to have his 
 growth in grslce no less evident, than his progress 
 in knowledge. Sensible of his failings, he pursued 
 no object with more zeal, than the difficult work of 
 correcting them. He received advice from us in a 
 most dutiful manner; and regarded those as his best 
 friends, who most plainly reminded him of his faults, 
 for the purpose of helping him to avoid them. He 
 was so pious and exemplary, so prudent and amia- 
 ble, that his influence was great over the minds of 
 his fellow students. They, who were conversant 
 
40 MEMOIR, OF 
 
 with one so wakeful, could hardly indulge in heavi- 
 ness. His influence was permanent, rather greater, 
 after he was gone, over those who remembered him, 
 than, at the time, over those who, were more inti- 
 mate with him. The familiarity became less appar- 
 ent, and the sanctity more. 
 
 One thing more, worthy of special notice, is the 
 valuable habit he formed, of uniting Christian action 
 with study and devotion. I might enlarge here, but 
 it is presumed this trait in his character will not be 
 overlooked in the account that will be given of his 
 life." 
 
 Such is the expression of esteem cheerfully con- 
 tributed by one of his beloved instructors at Ando- 
 ver; and it is what each of them doubtless would 
 subscribe to, as they all stood equally high in his 
 estimation, and he probably did in theirs. 
 
 In every concern of importance Mr. Fisk solic- 
 ited counsel and advice from those whose age, ex- 
 perience, and judgment claimed, as he thought, his 
 confidence. Among his advisers may be mentioned 
 in particular his former pastor, Rev. Dr. Packard, 
 the Professors of the Seminary at Andover, and 
 members of the Prudential Committee of the Board 
 of Missions. Others were consulted by him, as op- 
 portunity occurred. Many of his letters were writ- 
 ten for the purpose of eliciting the views and advice 
 of his correspondents on points, where he hesitated 
 to rely implicitly on the decisions of his own judg- 
 ment. This habit originated not in the want oi 
 mental decision or independence, but in a strong 
 desire to be kept invariably in the path of duty. 
 
 The trait of character, to which the preceding re- 
 marks relate, may be beautifully illustrated by ref- 
 erence to a part of his correspondence, not only 
 while connected with the Theological Seminary, 
 but after he had become engaged in his missionary 
 work. 
 
HEV*. PL.INY FISK. 4J 
 
 "Theological Seminary, August, 1817. 
 
 "Reverend and Respected Instructors. I take 
 this method to make you acquainted with my past 
 and present views, and to ask your advice, respect- 
 ing a question of deep interest to me, viz: What is 
 my duty in respect to missions? Early in life I pro- 
 fessed religion, and soon desired the work of the 
 Gospel ministry. About this time I read Home and 
 Buchanan on the subject of missions. The sub- 
 ject deeply interested my feelings more than a year, 
 and for a few months engrossed a large share of my 
 attention. The result was a conviction that it was 
 my duty, and an earnest desire, to be a missionary to 
 the heathen. 
 
 "Knowing that I was liable to misjudge, that my 
 resolution might fail, that Providence might defeat 
 my purpose, I said but little, except to particular 
 friends. Since that time I have endeavored to 
 watch the indications of Providence, and inquire 
 after duty. My conviction of duty and desire to 
 perform it increased, till I left college. This single 
 object, a mission to the heathen, was almost invari- 
 ably before me. And this was the principal thing 
 that led me to this Seminary. Here I have endea- 
 vored to set aside all former decisions, and re-ex- 
 amine the whole subject. At times I have had fears, 
 arising from the apprehension that my qualifications 
 may be deficient; this point I have thought it safe 
 to submit to the decision of others. Though the 
 result of my examination has, on the whole, been 
 such as to lead me to conclude, it would be right to 
 offer myself for the service of Christ among the 
 heathen, still my views may have been wrong. If 
 so, it seems desirable to have them corrected now. 
 
 Having made this statement, I most cheerfully 
 submit the question, whether I shall offer myself to 
 the Board or not. Asking your advice and prayers, 
 4* 
 
42 MEMOIR OF 
 
 that I may be disposed of in such way as the Head 
 of the church shall approve, it is, Reverend Instruc- 
 tors, with sincere pleasure that I submit myself, 
 your pupil, PLINY FISK." 
 
 With reference to what will appear in a subse- 
 quent journal, it may be proper to state, that the 
 above communication was made, after the Professors 
 had proposed to Mr. Fisk the business of an agent 
 for Benevolent Institutions and objects in this coun- 
 try. On this disclosure of his feelings, they became 
 satisfied that his path of duty led obviously to a 
 foreign mission, and they advised him to this course. 
 
 Extracts from a confidential correspondence with 
 the Rev. Dr. Woods, Andover, hereafter inserted, 
 will further illustrate the same trait of character, 
 developed in the preceding letter. See Chapters 
 
 V. VIII. X. 
 
 While a member of the Theological Seminary, 
 Mr. Fisk devised and executed plans for doing- 
 good, not only to his fellow-students, and to the stu- 
 dents in the Academy,* and the inhabitants of the 
 town, but to the people in a number of the adjacent 
 towns. His great efforts were directed to the re- 
 ligious improvement of young people. To gain 
 access to them he proposed the formation of Bible 
 classes in a number of the neighboring societies. 
 His plan being approved by the respective pastors, 
 he engaged in it with zeal, and pursued it with suc- 
 cess. His feelings on the subject are expressed in 
 a letter to one of his brothers. 
 
 "Theological Seminary , August 13, 1817. 
 
 "My dear Brother, The account you gave of the 
 success of the catechetical association in S. afforded 
 me a pleasure not easily described. I imagine you 
 already perceive the anticipated effects of the plan. 
 It is no longer a matter of theory. You have made 
 
 * Phillips Academy, a flourishing Institution; situated near the Theo- 
 logical Seminary. 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 43 
 
 the experiment, and begin to find that the study of 
 the Scriptures on this plan is practicable, easy, in- 
 teresting, and profitable. You find it calculated, no 
 doubt, to excite the prayers of Christians, in behalf 
 of the rising generation, to call into exercise the 
 best affections, and the tenderest concern of their 
 instructers; and you will find, I hope, in the end, 
 that the word of God is able to make wise unto 
 salvation. 
 
 "You will find it important to persevere with un- 
 remitted exertion in the business you have begun. 
 For, however difficult it may be to get such a plan 
 in operation at first, believe me, it is ten times more 
 difficult to manage with such skill, such accommo- 
 dation to circumstances and wishes, and such inde- 
 fatigable perseverance, as to carry the thing along 
 successfully from year to year, so as to secure the 
 greatest possible advantages. You will feel the 
 necessity of frequent, earnest, persevering prayer. 
 Without the blessing of God all exertions will prove 
 fruitless. Do all, therefore, in faith and humble 
 dependence on divine aid. When I contemplate 
 the effect of what is now doing in Shelburne, when 
 I consider how much influence may be exerted in 
 the formation of character, in deciding the temporal 
 and eternal destinies of many, when I think how- 
 much God may be honored, and how many souls 
 may be saved by these efforts, the subject rests on 
 my mind with indescribable solemnity. O may God 
 give you grace to be faithful, and bless you with 
 the effusion of his Spirit. 
 
 "You may be gratified to hear how I succeed in 
 this kind of business this summer. In R. a course 
 has been pursued, very similar to that adopted with 
 you, and with just about the same success. About 
 180 now attend, Sabbath evenings, at different 
 school houses. Once a month, Saturday P. M., I 
 meet with them at the meeting house. More than 
 100 were at the last meeting. One of mv brethren 
 
44 MEMOIR OF 
 
 attends with me statedly. In W., about seven miles 
 from this, we have formed another association, con- 
 sisting of between 40 and 50 members. I love this 
 business, and it becomes in my estimation, more and 
 more important. Who can calculate the advan- 
 tages which would result to society, were all our 
 youth well instructed in the Scriptures? Let us do 
 what lies in our power towards accomplishing so 
 desirable an object." 
 
 When his regular engagements would admit, it 
 was a common thing with Mr. F. to walk from six 
 to ten miles, for the purpose of attending a religious 
 meeting; and if there were some hurri&le cottage on 
 or near his way, he would not fail to call; for he 
 loved to preach the gospel to the poor. At the alms- 
 house in A., having obtained permission, he com- 
 menced, and regularly attended, when practicable, 
 a religious service on Sabbath evening. His ser- 
 vices were always gratefully received. In his inter- 
 course with the surrounding community he was so 
 judicious and conciliating, that he was uncommonly 
 popular, and in his plans successful. His praise still 
 lingers in those churches, where the influence of his 
 benevolent zeal and labors was so happily felt. 
 
 In concluding this chapter, the attention of the 
 reader will be called more particularly to the devo- 
 tional habits of Mr. F. his intercourse with God. 
 He was eminently a man of prayer. He spent much 
 time in secret devotion and meditation. On the 
 Sabbath, particularly, his soul seemed to be drawn 
 so near to God and heaven, that it cost a reluctant 
 effort to bring back his mind to the business of this 
 life. He was always careful to avoid all study, 
 leading, and conversation, that did not tend directly 
 to aid devotion. Prayer and praise, and benevolent 
 labors, constituted his uniform employment on the 
 day of sacred rest. 
 
 A species of prayer frequent with him, and which 
 he inculcated much on others, was intercession. IF 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 45 
 
 he wrote a letter to a friend, he observed a season 
 of secret prayer for that friend. And on receiving 
 a letter, he had no sooner broken the seal, than he 
 repaired to his closet, where not unfrequently he 
 would remain a long time. 
 
 It was the practice of Mr. Fisk in his devotional 
 meditations and reflections to direct his attention, 
 at the time, to some specific subject; some question 
 of duty, some besetting sin, some plan of useful- 
 ness, the evidences he had of personal piety, &c. 
 He kept distinct journals, in which he recorded his 
 feelings and reflections on particular subjects and 
 inquiries. Copious extracts will be given from three 
 of his journals, which related to different topics 
 of meditation and research. And instead of inter- 
 mingling the reflections contained in these journals 
 in chronological order, each one will be introduced, 
 and continued separately from the others. This 
 method is adopted for the purpose of preventing the 
 abrupt termination of thought, which otherwise 
 would frequently occur; and also to put the reader 
 in possession of a connected series of reflections 
 and inquiries on highly interesting and important 
 subjects. 
 
 The first series of extracts will be taken from a 
 Journal of Reflections, relating to the subject of 
 SELF-EXAMINATION. 
 
 "Jlndover, Theological Seminary, July 4, 1816. A 
 few days since I asked brother C. to give, me a 
 theme for meditation. He answered, 'What evi- 
 dence have you, that you are a Christian?' This 
 morning I have read the 8th chapter of 'Baxter's 
 Saints' Rest,' the object of which is to show how 
 we may discern our title to the saint's rest. Re- 
 flections, suggested by the question proposed, and 
 the chapter read, have led me to the conclusion, 
 that I ought to make more thorough work in search- 
 ing into the state of my own soul, than I have ever 
 yet, done. I propose now to take up the question 
 
46 MEMOIR OF 
 
 which was suggested to me, and examine it, for the 
 purpose of ascertaining more definitely, whether I 
 am a disciple of Christ or not. It seems proper to 
 institute this inquiry, because, if I am deceiving my- 
 self, I must perish, unless I discover the delusion. 
 My eternal interest is at stake. I am now to inquire 
 into my title to heaven. Come then, O my soul, 
 apply thyself to this work. Lay aside thy love of 
 ease, and bring all thy powers to the investigation. 
 Remember, thou art now to attend to thy most im- 
 portant concerns, to transact business of awful mo- 
 ment. And, O Thou Spirit of light and truth, be 
 present with thine aid. Thy presence I invoke, 
 thine assistance I implore. Deny me not. Give me 
 light. Let me understand the rules by which I 
 should try myself; and may I at length, after a com- 
 plete and impartial investigation, come to a correct 
 conclusion. My inquiries shall have respect to 
 three particulars: 
 
 "I. The origin of religion in my soul; 
 
 "II. Subsequent religious exercises; 
 
 "HI.' External fruits of piety. 
 "I. Was my heart ever renewed*? Momentous 
 question! I would weigh it as in the fear of God. 
 The Bible speaks of a new creation, a transforming 
 and renewing of the mind, a new birth, a new heart, 
 of dying to sin, of being brought out of darkness 
 into light, of being reconciled to God, of being 
 in Christ, and of being separate from the world. All 
 these are but different modes of expressing the same 
 thing. Have I ever experienced this? Once I was 
 stupid in respect to religion, and devoted to sin; 
 my affections were engrossed with the things of this 
 world, while God and religion found no place in 
 my heart. Whether the great change has taken 
 place or not, I can safely state as follows: 
 
 "There was a time when my attention was ar- 
 rested, and fixed on the concerns of religion; my 
 goul seemed precious, time short, life uncertain, 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 47 
 
 eternity near, the pleasures, honors, and riches of 
 the world worthless, and the whole course of life 
 I had pursued, extremely wicked and dangerous. 
 For awhile the sovereignty of God appeared to me 
 to be a capricious attribute, and my heart was full 
 of those cavils and objections so common with the 
 ungodly. I murmured against God. I refused to 
 submit myself to his disposal, to yield obedience to 
 his laws, or to trust in his Son for salvation. I la- 
 bored to reform my life, and seemed to succeed. I 
 labored to reform my heart, but all in vain. I re- 
 peated my efforts, and still failed of success. 
 
 "At length a change took place in my affections 
 and views. 1 had new hopes and fears, new joys 
 and sorrows, new attachments and aversions. O 
 my God, what was that change? Did my heart then 
 submit to thee, or was it delusion? Was that 
 change only such as sinners may experience, and 
 remain impenitent still; or was it a new creation: 
 Two things, I think, are true concerning it 
 
 "First. It is such a change as I have never experi- 
 enced before or since. There was then an alteration 
 in the state of my mind, of which I have never been 
 conscious at any other time. But, 
 
 "Secondly. It was not altogether such a change, 
 as it appears to me the Bible describes. I some- 
 times find a difficulty in discovering in it any thing 
 which answers exactly to being slain or crucified. 
 I fear I was not entirely cut off, as by a sword, from 
 all my self-righteous hopes, and carnal desires. I 
 find a want of evidence, that the death-blow was 
 struck. 
 
 "In some respects that change resembles regen- 
 eration, and in other respects it is unlike it. There 
 seems in it something different from any of the 
 operations of the unrenewed mind, and from all the 
 modifications of sin. Still, considered as a genu- 
 ine renovation of the heart, it appears to be attended 
 with some great, if not radical defects. In short, 
 
48 MEMOIR OF 
 
 1 am inclined to believe, that it is altogether unsafe 
 for me to retain a hope that I am a Christian, unless 
 I shall find very decisive evidence in considering 
 the two other particulars proposed. If I there find, 
 that what was apparently defective at first, has been 
 improving since, my hope will be confirmed. The 
 exercises, the nature of which I have now been ex- 
 amining, took place about eight years ago. I have 
 had ample time for careful examination of the rea- 
 sons of my hope, but would here record against my- 
 self, that I have criminally neglected the subject. 
 
 "August, 1816. II. What evidence of piety can I 
 obtain from my subsequent religious exercises? Here I 
 propose to consider the several graces which con- 
 stitute Christian character. 
 
 "First, I inquire respecting my LOVE TO GOD. - 
 Look back, my soul, and review all thy religious 
 exercises, then examine the present state of thy af- 
 fections, and say, dost thou love God? Are thy 
 meditations of him sweet and delightful? Hast thou 
 often, yea habitually, viewed him as present; and 
 dost thou love to be in his presence? Dost thou 
 rejoice in his greatness, and goodness, and holiness, 
 and sovereignty? Is it thy delight, that he governs 
 the Universe; that thyself, thy concerns, and all 
 other beings and interests are in his hands, and 
 at his disposal, as the clay is in the hands of the pot- 
 ter? Is it thy happiness, that God has a perfect 
 knowledge of thy character, as well as that of others? 
 Wouldst thou, if it were possible, make any change 
 in his attributes? Wouldst thou conceal any thing 
 from Him? Is God the source of such happiness to 
 thee, that thou couldst be satisfied in the enjoyment 
 of him, were there no other being in existence? Does 
 the consideration, that the Lord reigns, reconcile 
 thee to thy lot, and thy trials, whatever they may be? 
 Dost thou desire above all things else, that God may 
 be honored, that all intelligent beings may see 
 his perfections, that all his purposes may be ac~ 
 
REV. PLTNY FISK. 49 
 
 complished, and that all things may be rendered 
 subservient to the display of his glory? Dost thou 
 feel a cordial interest in the advancement of his 
 cause and kingdom; such as the true patriot feels in 
 the cause of his country? Dost thou love him for 
 his own perfections? Dost thou love him for the fa- 
 vors he bestows upon thee; and receive these favors 
 as his unmerited gifts, bestowed on one most un- 
 worthy? Dost thou long to be like him, to love 
 what he loves, to hate what he hates, to be happy 
 in what pleases him, and to be grieved with what 
 offends him'? I charge thee, my soul, by thine 
 eternal interest, to put these questions to thyself; 
 to weigh and answer them conscientiously, deliber- 
 ately, impartially, seriously, prayerfully, and fre- 
 quently. 
 
 "Sometimes I take great delight in contemplat- 
 ing the Divine character, law, and government. I 
 long to be holy as God is holy, and to have others 
 like him. The perfections exhibited in his works, 
 and revealed in his word, are to me glorious and 
 lovely. But still there are certain things, connected 
 'with God's government of the world, which have 
 been exceedingly trying to me, and which at times 
 give rise to feelings which I ought not to have. The 
 world is full of sin and misery, which, had he seen 
 fit, he could have prevented. When I have thought 
 of this, I have murmured, queried, speculated. 
 The fact is plain that God governs the world, and 
 controls every event; and yet the world is full of sin 
 and woe. I cannot discover the reasons why it is 
 so; though I can see, that by this means God will 
 have an opportunity to make manifest his abhor- 
 rence of sin, his justice, and his mercy. Had it not 
 been so, there had been no displays of punitive jus- 
 tice, no ransomed sinners, no bleeding Saviour, no 
 songs of redeeming love in heaven. Still much 
 darkness overspreads the subject. Restless curios- 
 ity starts many questions, to which no answer can be 
 
50 MEMOIR OF 
 
 found. Is my heart, nevertheless, filled with love 
 to this Supreme Governor, 'whose judgments are un- 
 searchable, and whose ways are past finding out?' 
 
 "Once I was opposed to the sovereignty of God. 
 But for more than eight years I have not been con- 
 scious of any such opposition; though at times, I 
 think, I have had very clear views of this divine at- 
 tribute. My mind has occasionally been perplexed 
 with difficulties during this period, but has never, 
 as before, felt unreconciled to the doctrine. I have 
 had feelings in view of the subject directly the re- 
 verse of what I once had; and have rejoiced in view 
 of divine sovereignty as heartily, as I once opposed 
 it. I love to think of God as a holy, just, merciful, 
 infinite Sovereign. When I see the world filled 
 with sin and suffering, and am ready to sink at the 
 melancholy spectacle, I find relief in reflecting, that 
 the Lord reigns, that his dominion is over all. I 
 would not take the sceptre out of his hands. 'The 
 Lord reigneth; let the earth rejoice; let the multi- 
 tude of isles be glad.' Rejoice O my soul. Call 
 into exercise thy warmest affections, and be happy 
 while lost in God, the fountain of excellence and 
 bliss. Let thy love to him never grow cold, or 
 weary, or inconstant. 
 
 "November. I inquire, secondly, respecting the 
 NATURE OF MY REPENTANCE. My desire is to dis- 
 tinguish between the 'sorrow of the world,' and 
 'godly sorrow.' The former I have often experi- 
 enced; of the latter I cannot speak with so much 
 confidence. Once I was blind to the evil of sin in 
 general; and in particular to the number and aggra- 
 vation of my own transgressions. 'I was alive 
 without the law once,' and except for some overt 
 transgression, felt but little consciousness of guilt. 
 But I have since realized, that sin is an evil and bit- 
 ter thing; and that my own sins are exceedingly 
 numerous and aggravated. I have felt at times, as 
 if there was peculiar force and propriety in the ex- 
 pression, plague of the heart. 'The leprosy lies 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 51 
 
 deep within.' I have felt that unbelief, obstinacy, 
 vanity, and a host of sins both of heart and life, filled 
 up my days, and made up my character. Many 
 things, which once appeared lawful, and even laud- 
 able, appear now exceeding sinful and odious; and 
 never more so, I think, than when all thought of 
 punishment is out of mind. When I think of no 
 one but myself, and of nothing but my past conduct 
 and present state of heart, I abhor myself. When I 
 think of my sins, as vinlations of God's reasonable 
 and holy law, they appear inexcusable, and criminal 
 beyond description. When I consider them as 
 committed against God, they look like a compound 
 of the most presumptuous rebellion, the most wan- 
 ton ingratitude, the most wicked irreverence. When 
 I dwell on their tendency, as it respects my fellow- 
 sinners, they seem to be unmixed malevolence. 
 
 "Sometimes I turn off my eyes from the more de- 
 cent exterior, and take a view of my heart, looking 
 down deep into its recesses, to canvass its motives, 
 and watch its operations; and I feel a conviction, 
 that I have been like a whited sepulchre full of all 
 uncleanness. I can say that sin, especially my own, 
 is to me indeed hateful. But there are some sins, 
 of which I have often been guilty, that are attended 
 with present gratification. Have I repented of these? 
 Do they, the idea of punishment being out of 
 mind, excite my abhorrence? Am I effectually 
 weaned from them all? Alas! the sinful propen- 
 sities of my heart are not yet all slain. But I hate 
 them; yes, I am sure, I hate them. But why? 
 They disturb my peace, and expose my soul to ruin. 
 Is this the reason? I would look carefully and criti- 
 cally into this matter. 
 
 u After having looked at this question, as cau- 
 tiously as I can, it does appear to me, that I can, 
 by divine aid, slay my darling sins for the sake of 
 my Saviour. 
 
 'Yes, my Redeemer, they shall die! 
 My heart has so decreed,' 
 
52 MEMOIR OF 
 
 I know not whether I have ever felt that overwhelm- 
 ing sense of sin, which some have experienced; but 
 I still think, that for eight years past nothing has 
 been so disagreeable, so odious to me, as sin. Lord, 
 thou knovvest my heart. Is not sin my greatest 
 burden, the object of my strong aversion, and set- 
 tled detestation. 
 
 "December. I inquire, thirdly, respecting the 
 GENUINENESS OF MY FAITH. Am I a believer? Do 
 the exercises of my mind, as they have been for some 
 years past, afford evidence that 1 am a child of God; 
 that mine is a living faith? Let me inquire respect- 
 ing my faith in God in Christ in the Holy Ghost 
 in the promises and threatenings of the Bible. 
 Do I believe there is a God% My understanding as- 
 sents to the evidence of his existence. But with 
 my heart and soul do I believe, that there is one 
 Supreme Being who created, who upholds, and who 
 governs all things'? I think I am not deceived, when 
 I answer, yes. Much of the time during the past 
 eight years, I have had a very different sense of 
 Divine existence, from what I formerly had. I now 
 think of God, as a Being, of whose existence I feel 
 as well assured, as of rny own. I think of him, as 
 the Governor of the Universe, and I realize a calm 
 and secret confidence in his government. I never 
 confided so implicitly in my best friend, as I some- 
 times am enabled to confide in God; he is my Sup- 
 porter in trouble; my Light in darkness; my Guide 
 in doubt; my Refuge in danger; my Benefactor; my 
 All. In time of fear, perplexity, and trial, I fly to 
 him, and trust in him to scatter the clouds, or to en-- 
 able me to endure the storm. His Name is indeed 
 a strong tower. I would run into it and be safe. 
 This evening I feel a sweet peace in my soul, while 
 I commit whatever respects my education, charac- 
 ter, health, life, usefulness, and salvation, to the 
 hands of God. I can place unbounded confidence 
 in his government, and leave all to his disposal. 
 
REV. PLINY F1SK. 
 
 "Jan. 5, 1817. This morning I would inquire re- 
 specting my faith in Christ. I have read what the 
 Bible says of him, and what Christians have thought 
 concerning him. I have examined the different 
 views which individuals have had of Christ; and 
 endeavored to ascertain what true fo.ith in him is. 
 And now by the light of revelation I would look 
 into my heart, and see whether true faith can there 
 be found. Have I felt my own need of a Saviour, 
 and in Jesus of Nazareth have I recognized 'the 
 Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the 
 world?' Have L had a lively perception of his divine 
 fulness, and the efficacy of his blood; and received him 
 as my Prophet, Priest, and King? My heart is deceit- 
 ful, and I am afraid to trust it. Divine Redeemer, 
 search me and try me, and show me what I am. 
 Let me see the precise state of my affections 
 towards thee. Show me what are my real views of 
 thy dignity and official character. Lord, thou 
 knowest all things; dost thou not fcno-w 9 that I 
 believe in thee, and rely entirely on thee for sal- 
 vation? Have I any other Saviour any other Hope? 
 
 "Evening. My views of Christ to-day, though 
 not enrapturing, have been comforting. And now 
 I am beset with the temptation to give a favorable 
 coloring to my feelings, such as facts will not jus- 
 tify. But what would this avail? I cannot deceive 
 Omniscience. What if I should describe such 
 views and feelings, as Edwards, or Pearce had? 
 Would it make me feel, as they did? No This 
 temptation, however, shows me something of my 
 heart, of its hypocrisy and wickedness. May I 
 always take occasion from such unhallowed work- 
 ings of my heart, to inspect critically its operations, 
 and detect the wrong which lies there concealed. 
 Yes, thou deceitful heart, when thou dost prompt 
 .me to listen to temptation, I will bring thee to 
 light, and expose thy corruption; I will watch and 
 pray. With so much depravity how greatly do I 
 
54 MEMOIR OF 
 
 need a Saviour- just such a Saviour as IMMANUEL'? 
 
 he is precious. Without his all-sufficient help I 
 must perish. In him then let me trust. And can 
 he, will he receive such a wretch'? 'Lord I believe, 
 help thou mine unbelief.' 
 
 ^Jan. 12. Have been to-day to the table of my 
 Lord, and contemplated the memorials of his body 
 and blood. This was a time for the exercise of faith. 
 But I have had reason to complain of my dulness, 
 especially my wandering thoughts; though at some 
 precious moments my faith fixed on Jesus, as my 
 Lord and my God. 
 
 "In the examination of myself, to which, for some 
 months, I have been attending, I have been too neg- 
 ligent. It is now my heart's desire that the Holy 
 Spirit may assist me, in being more thorough, more 
 discriminating, more impartial. If my religious af- 
 fections can be accounted for from the influence 
 of sympathy, education, religious society, self- 
 righteousness, or hypocrisy, may I know it. I desire 
 to discover the worst of myself. Blessed Spirit, 
 enable me to watch carefully every emotion of my 
 soul, and to classify its exercises according to their 
 moral character. 
 
 "Jan. 15. What is my faith in the Holy Spirit? 
 
 1 have a firm belief in his personal existence and 
 influence. Is this belief practical? This morning I 
 have felt deeply the need of his influences. There 
 is nothing I desire so much for myself and my 
 friends, as the influences of the Holy Ghost. I am 
 clearly convinced, that my sins will prevail, and my 
 lusts increase their strength in spite of all my efforts, 
 unless the Holy Spirit purify and elevate my affec- 
 tions. I am persuaded that he can give me humil- 
 ity, repentance, benevolence, faith, love, and every 
 grace. Blessed Agent in the work of salvation, it is 
 thine to sanctify; O let thy purifying influences 
 come into my soul, and make me holy. 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. OU 
 
 "Jan. 19. Let me inquire to-day respecting my 
 faith in the promises and threateuings of the Bible. 
 I open the word of God and read the promises; 
 promises to individuals and to the church^ embrac- 
 ing temporal and spiritual blessings. How shall I 
 determine, whether my views on this subject are 
 those of a true believer: I know the views of a 
 thoughtless sinner; and am conscious of the fact, 
 that mine have been changed in respect to this sub- 
 ject. But are my new views right? When my pros- 
 pects are the darkest, and when Zion is covered 
 with a cloud, do I find relief in recurring to what 
 God has promised? I can distinctly recollect sea- 
 sons, when, after such a view of myself, and of the 
 state of the world, as tended to depress my spirits, 
 some promise of God has come to my mind; my 
 fears were removed, my hope supported, my soul 
 relieved. Whatever God has said shall be, I can 
 often view as fact: I think I can live upon the prom- 
 ises which are exceeding great and precious. 
 
 "The threatenings of Jehovah also demand implicit 
 faith. He has threatened to punish his children, 
 when they wander; to pour ut his fury upon his 
 enemies, and punish them with everlasting destruc- 
 tion. Do I habitually realize the truth and import 
 of these threatenings? Though I sometimes have 
 but a faint sense of Jehovah's wrath against sin; 
 yet at other times I have a clear perception of the 
 propriety of his executing his threatenings, as he 
 has assured us he will do. I have occasionally ex- 
 perienced an emotion of complacency, mingled with 
 dread, when contemplating the wrath of God, which 
 is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness;' for 
 , he will thus honor his name, and fulfil his word. 
 Let me then fear to sin, and turn speedily from all 
 iniquity. 
 
 "February. If love to God, repentance, and faith, 
 differ essentially from the exercises and affections 
 which have been described, as my own, I am as yet 
 
>6 MEMOIR OF 
 
 unable to discover the difference. From day to day 
 I enjoy some delightful contemplations of God 
 my meditations on his character and government 
 are sweet. I have also humbling views of myself as 
 a sinner; guilty every day and hour of some sinful 
 thought, feeling, or action. I take great delight in 
 resting on God, as the Governor of the world; on 
 Christ, as my only Redeemer; on the Holy Spirit, 
 as my Sanctifier. But though I find, upon a gen- 
 eral examination of my religious experience, so 
 much comfort and hope; yet, I discover so many 
 defects, and so much danger of deception, that I 
 would search still further, and inquire respecting 
 the fruits of holiness. 
 
 "O omniscient Spirit, as I proceed, discover to 
 me the genuine traits of Christian character, and 
 the real state of my own heart. Help me to sit, as 
 an impartial judge, on myself, and let me not mis- 
 take the character and tendency of my words and 
 actions. Give me patience to pursue the investiga- 
 tion, and faithfully to weigh evidence as it rises. If 
 I am deceived, may the discovery be made to me; 
 and, if I am thine, may I be confirmed in my faith 
 and hope. Amen. 
 
 "Dec. 1818. III. What external fruits of piety me, 
 exhibited in my life? Though true religion consists 
 essentially in a right state of heart; yet, 'the tree 
 is known by its fruits;' and, 'out of the abundance of 
 the heart the mouth speaketh.' Professions and 
 hopes are vain, if the life is not regulated by the 
 word of God. Do I bring forth the fruits of right- 
 eousness? Though perhaps, the Christian never 
 says a word, or performs an action, which the sinner 
 may not say or do; yet there must, on the whole, be 
 a very great difference between the life and conver- 
 sation of a saint, and of a sinner. When I review 
 my life, I find much reason for indulging fears and 
 doubts. I serve myself. I am influenced by the 
 example, tho maxims, and the .<tdvic,e of the world. 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 57 
 
 I am not industrious in my Master's business, am not 
 devoted to it with singleness of heart. Still it is 
 the desire of my soul to obey God, and serve no 
 other master. When I lay my plans, and form my 
 resolutions for life, nothing seems so important as 
 to please God. To live, and not serve him; to live 
 in rebellion against him, would be to me worse than 
 death. Nothing is so dreadful to me, as the thought 
 of dishonoring my profession, and bringing reproach 
 on the cause of Christ. 
 
 "From different sources I find some grounds to 
 hope, that Christ will own me as one of his follow- 
 ers. Every examination of the question, however, 
 leads me to the following results: If I am a Chris- 
 tian, I have not that evidence which removes all 
 doubt. It will take me all my life to prove my adop- 
 tion, and make my 'calling and election sure.' All 
 my graces are very weak, and need to be strength- 
 ened, that I may serve and honor my Saviour all my 
 life. There are some great defects in my religious 
 character; in my habits of thinking, feeling, and 
 acting, which must receive serious attention. There 
 is much that must be destroyed, much that must be 
 entirely new-modelled. I am destitute, to an un- 
 happy degree, of the supports and consolations 
 which religion is calculated to afford. I am very 
 unprofitable in the vineyard, arid accomplish very 
 little for the honor of Christ, or the welfare of souls." 
 
 It will occur to every one, acquainted experiment- 
 ally with Christian character, that the preceding 
 journal is an analysis of religious experience, con- 
 ducted in a manner that indicates no ordinary de- 
 gree of self-knowledge. It shows that careful and 
 constant attention to personal piety, which, many 
 doubtless are obliged to confess, has often been 
 greatly neglected; especially when the mind has 
 been occupied, as his at the same time was, with the 
 engrossing studies and engagements of a public 
 Seminary. It evinces a practical sense of the im- 
 
5S MEMOIR OF 
 
 portance of the many exhortations urged in the 
 Bible, to attend to the important business of self- 
 examination. "Keep thy heart with all diligence." 
 "Commune with your own heart." "Let us search 
 and try our ways." "Recollect yourselves, O nation 
 not desired." "Examine yourselves." "Prove your 
 own selves." "Let every man prove his own work, 
 and then shall he have rejoicing in himself, and not 
 in another." 
 
 The neglect of this duty is one reason, why 
 Christians enjoy so little of the consolations of a 
 good hope, and suffer so much from a dread un- 
 certainty of what will be their condition after death. 
 It was owing much to self-knowledge that Mr. Fisk 
 was enabled to face so calmly the perils of his Chris- 
 tian warfare, and finally to meet death without 
 dismay. 
 
 "Distrust and darkness of a future state, 
 
 la that which makes mankind to dread their fate; 
 
 Dying is nothing; but. 'tis this we fear. 
 
 To be, we know not what we know not where." 
 
 In addition to the systematic and laborious atten- 
 tion which Mr. Fisk devoted to the important busi- 
 ness of self-examination, he was in the habit of 
 observing frequently days of FASTING and PRAYER. 
 He kept a journal of his exercises and reflections 
 on such occasions, from which extracts will now be 
 introduced. 
 
 "M-.trch, 1817. This day is devoted to fasting and 
 prayer. It is our business, therefore, to confess our 
 sins privately and publicly, and to be humble for them; 
 to pray for what we need, especially for what we 
 need as a Seminary, and to devote ourselves anew 
 to God. To assist rny contemplations, and enable 
 me to view, both collectively and separately, my 
 transgressions, I would record against myself the 
 sins and imperfections which I can recollect. 
 
 "I have been negligent in secret prayer. I have 
 not been fervent and incessant, as I ought to have 
 
REV. PLINY FI3K. 59 
 
 been, in praying that the trustees of this Seminary 
 may be guided by divine wisdom, and preserved 
 from all worldly ambition and carnal policy; that 
 they may be harmonious, humble, prayerful, spirit- 
 ual, and holy. 
 
 "I desire to be humble, that I have prayed so lit- 
 tle for our respected Professors. I view it to be of 
 incalculable importance, that they be eminently 
 wise, humble, and holy men. But how little have I 
 prayed that they may be so. Had all the mem- 
 bers of the Seminary prayed as they ought for them, 
 who can tell, how much clearer views they might 
 have had of divine truth, how much more spiritual 
 and edifying their prayers, and preaching, and con- 
 versation might have been, how much more they 
 might have encouraged us in doing good, and 
 assisted us in preparing to be ministers of Jesus 
 Christ! The way to obtain blessings from them, is 
 to pray down blessings upon them. But if the 
 blessings which I obtain are only in proportion to 
 the purity and fervor of my prayers, how few they 
 will be. O may their souls be filled with the com- 
 forts of religion, and may they have so much sense 
 of divine things, and such clear views of duty, as 
 will enable them to say, and do, the best things 
 in the best manner. *The Lord bless them, and 
 never let them be cold in devotion, insensible to the 
 worth of souls, or engaged in building up a great 
 temporal cause in the world, forgetful of the true 
 spiritual cause of Jesus. 
 
 "I have not prayed as I ought for my brethren. 
 I have feared that they would become cold, specu- 
 lative, formal, uninteresting, and indisposed to 
 those active exertions which make ministers useful. 
 I have feared that they would be influenced too 
 much by love of ease, honor, literary fame, or 
 fashionable living. But how little, and how poorly 
 have I prayed, that they might be led by the divine 
 Spirit to renounce the world, to act according to 
 
CO MEMOIR OF 
 
 the purity and simplicity of the religion of Jesus, and 
 to lead lives of holy self-denial and active devoted- 
 ness to the cause of the Redeemer. I might have 
 prayed often for each of my brethren particularly; 
 and whenever I have directed' my eye, or turned my 
 thoughts to one of them, I might have raised a peti- 
 tion to heaven for his spiritual good. Would God, 
 that I loved this duty more, that my heart would 
 rise spontaneously on all occasions, and every hour 
 in the day, to call down blessings on myself and 
 others. 
 
 "I have prayed too little that my brethren may 
 enjoy the comforts, understand the doctrines, and 
 discharge the duties of religion; do good by their 
 prayers, their letters, and visits while here, by their 
 exertions in vacations, and by their example and 
 preaching as long as they live. 
 
 "I have prayed much less than I ought for others 
 connected with this Institution the instructors and 
 members of the Academy the families that wor- 
 ship with us the people around us those who 
 pray for our peace and those who have imbibed 
 ungrounded prejudices either for, or against us. 
 
 "I have prayed too little for those who have, in 
 former years, occupied these places. They are 
 scattered over the earth, filling important stations; 
 we ought to pray for them. In answer to our pray- 
 ers a blessing might attend their labors, and souls 
 be converted. 
 
 "I have prayed too little for the future peace and 
 purity of this Seminary. I would not make it the 
 burden of my prayer that wealth may flow into it. 
 Riches are dangerous, not to individuals only, but 
 to communities, and to all public institutions. I 
 would not pray, therefore, for any more wealth than 
 may be consecrated 'Christo at Ecclesiae.*' But I 
 ought to have prayed frequently and fervently that 
 God would take all the concerns of the Seminary 
 
 To Christ and the Church. 
 
KEV. PLINY FISK. Gl 
 
 into his care; that he would in kindness send pros- 
 perity or adversity; increase, or diminish our num- 
 ber, our wealth, and our reputation, just as shall 
 most conduce to the promotion of holiness, humility, 
 and those habits and principles which make the most 
 holy, godly, and successful ministers. Who can 
 tell how much the character of the future trustees, 
 professors, and students of this Seminary may depend 
 on the prayers of its present members! And yet, if 
 none offer more effectual prayers than I do, ho\v 
 little can be expected from this source. 
 
 "I have not been faithful in praying for myself, 
 that I might have a heart to pray for others, and to 
 discharge my duty towards them; that I might be 
 enabled to exhibit a pious example before all around 
 me; that all my visits, conversation, and letters, may 
 be useful; that I may have divine teaching in all my 
 studies, and divine direction in all my duties; and 
 that my whole heart and soul may be transformed 
 into the image of my Saviour. O that I might have 
 a heart to pray more. 
 
 "March 26. Some of my brethren have proposed 
 to make the spiritual welfare of this Institution and 
 the Academy an object of special prayer to-day. 1 
 gladly join them in this service. May the good 
 Spirit grant us his aid; for I am fully convinced 
 that, without it, our prayers, our fasts, and our con- 
 versation about our stupidity and obligations, will 
 avail nothing. On thinking of our state, I cannot but 
 be affected with a sense of the dangerous tendency 
 of the example I have set before those around me. 
 
 "There has not been in my deportment suitable 
 Christian sobriety. 1 have often said things thought- 
 lessly, which tended to provoke unprofitable laugh- 
 ter. I have done this, even when serious subject^ 
 were the theme of our discourse. I have been par- 
 ticularly faulty in this respect at table, and when 
 in company with a small number of my brethren, 
 I Jiave rarely done it when in a large company, ar 
 
MEMOIR OP 
 
 only one. In large circles I am on my guard; 
 tvith only one there is no temptation. O that my 
 conversation were always such as becometh the 
 Gospel! And after so many years spent in attending 
 to religion, and inculcating it on others, am I still 
 given to folly? And must I then despair? Ah! if I 
 could despair of doing any thing in my own strength, 
 and learn to depend on the aid of the divine Spirit, 
 I might hope. To him 1 w r ould now resort. But 
 my cold heart remains unaffected. If a wish, a 
 promise, a prayer, a pang of grief, would answer, I 
 should have been exemplary in my conversation 
 long ago. But all these have failed of producing 
 the desired effect. So hard is it for those, who are 
 disposed by nature and accustomed by habit to do 
 evil, to learn to do well. I cannot but hope I shall 
 live to see the day when, by divine grace. I shall 
 have overcome the levity which is my besetting sin. 
 Omnipotent grace can help me overcome it. I look 
 forward with trembling joy to the time when all 
 iny conversation shall be discreet and sober. 
 
 "August 1, 1817. This day is the semi-annual 
 fast of this Seminary. Morning Exceedingly dull 
 and destitute of all profitable contemplations, I 
 can scarcely find in myself any disposition to pray, 
 read, meditate, resolve against sin, or engage in any 
 exercise suitable for the day. I can scarcely mourn, 
 that I have so little feeling. 
 
 "Noon Have just returned from hearing Mr. 
 W. pronounce a eulogy on our brother Day. Eulo- 
 gies appear to me generally to be too highly colored. 
 Not so tnir,. I knew the deceased. He walked 
 with God. He was a friend a saint. O how soberly 
 and prayerfully he lived! 
 
 'May the great purpose, may the glow divine 
 
 That warmed his bosom, now inspirit mine. 
 
 To imitate my God, to bless mankind, 
 
 The sweet and sovereign passion of my mind. 
 
 Be such his praise, be such my glorious aim, 
 
 Till my soul, kindl'd at so fair a flame, 
 
 And wing'd for bliss and heaven, like his shall rjSjf. 
 
 To joia hel kiudrefl angete in the sltes/ 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. C3 
 
 ; Long may the recollection of what my brother 
 was, be a powerful stimulus to me to become like 
 him. O for that spirit of humility, of self-denial, of 
 prayer, of Christian sobriety, which he possessed. 
 
 "Troubled still with the same unfruitful state oi 
 mind as in the morning. What shall I do? What 
 method shall I take to become heavenly-minded? 
 Sometimes I derive advantage from visiting my 
 brethren, from reading, from secret prayer, from self- 
 examination. But alas! I have no heart for any of 
 these exercises. A faint wish to do something, or 
 have something done for me, sometimes begins to 
 arise in my heart, and then it is overcome by stu- 
 pidity. Sometimes a retired walk for meditation, 
 the recollection of past experience, or writing a 
 religious letter does me good; but I have now no 
 heart for either. If another felt as I feel, I should 
 exhort him to repent, to give himself up to God, to 
 fly to Christ, to mourn and weep over his wretched 
 state. I see no way for me, but to do as I should 
 exhort others. 
 
 "Evening Heard this afternoon an excellent ser- 
 mon from Mr. F. on Peter's recovery from back- 
 sliding. 'When he thought thereon he wept.' If I 
 could think of my sins and weep, it would be well. 
 When the flint shall melt, my heart may But the 
 Holy Spirit can subdue and purify it can make 
 me what a Christian should be. Sinful as I am, 
 hard as my heart is, and unyielding as my sinful 
 habits are, still I will venture to pray, and hope, that 
 God will give me grace to do the following things 
 viz: 
 
 "1. To guard against levity in manners, looks, 
 words, and conduct; and to be grave, solemn, dis- 
 creet, and devotional. 
 
 "2. To be more constant, serious, and spiritual 
 in the duties of the closet reading, praying, medi- 
 tation, and self-examination. 
 
04 MEMOIR OF 
 
 "3. To be more industrious, and to fill up every 
 moment in doing or getting good, by study, conver- 
 sation, exercise, or devotion. j 
 
 "4. To be more sincere and spiritual in [the 
 religious services of every day, at table, in my room, 
 in the chapel, and on the Sabbath. 
 
 "5. To cultivate a better temper towards my 
 fellow men, more tenderness, patience, sympathy 
 love, and forbearance. Amen, 
 
 'i)ec. 19, 18i7. With several of my brethren I 
 have set apart this day for fasting and prayer. My 
 mind this morning is in a very serious and agreeable 
 state. My usual morning devotions were particu- 
 larly pleasant. My room-mate and I united repeat- 
 edly in social prayer. It was easy, and solemn, and 
 agreeable, to pray that our Saviour would be with 
 us and our brethren to-day to pray that he would 
 grant the light of his countenance to one who is 
 in darkness. I then read with interest the book of 
 Joel with Scott's Practical Observations. O that I 
 could 'sanctify a fast.' In my closet I have been 
 enabled, with some degree of feeling, to confess my 
 sins, my neglect of secret prayer, self-examination, 
 and the Scriptures; my intemperance in eating, and 
 my sinfulness of heart and life. O I am vile my 
 sins are aggravated my heart seems to be little 
 else than a mass of corruption my life is filled up 
 with irregularities I am sick of myself. Dear 
 Saviour, make me like thyself; give me such com- 
 passion for souls, as led thee to die for them; such 
 love to my heavenly Father, as led thee to esteem 
 *R meat and drink to do his will; and let all my 
 brethren possess, and exhibit, the same spirit. 
 
 'Dec. 25, 1817. Ten o'clock, A. M. I hope to 
 have four or five hours to spend now without inter- 
 ruption in fasting and prayer, With immediate ref- 
 erence to the great work of preaching the Gospel. 
 The exceeding vileness of my heart, my great want 
 of love to Chjist, and compassion for the souls of 
 
kE\ . PLINY TiSK. OD 
 
 men, and my ignorance on divine subjects, make it 
 exceedingly important that I fast and pray. After 
 imploring divine aid in the duties of the day, read 
 the 2d and 3d chapters of Ezekiel, and meditated 
 on the magnitude of the preacher's work, the diffi- 
 culties and trials he must encounter, and his con- 
 stant need of divine aid, guidance, and support. 
 'Who is sufficient for these things?' 
 
 "Endeavored to recollect arid acknowledge the 
 distinguishing favor of the Redeemer, in selecting 
 me for the ministry, and giving me so many advant- 
 ages for preparation, and so much comfort and suc- 
 cess in my few feeble labors. Endeavored also to 
 humble myself for my want of purity, love, and 
 activity, and for my abuse of privileges, while pre- 
 paring for so sacred a work. O how little have I 
 learned of God, of truth, of duty! 
 
 "Spent some time in pleading that I may be qual- 
 ified for the work of the ministry; gave myself up 
 to the Redeemer, to be employed as he shall see 
 best; to be prospered or disappointed, .to be hon- 
 ored or despised, to be afflicted and disposed of, as 
 he may appoint. And now, blessed Jesus, I would 
 consider myself wholly thine. Amen. 
 
 "Jan. 20, 1818. To-day I devoted a few hours 
 to self-mortification, fasting and prayer, that I may 
 be enabled to keep under my body, and bring it into 
 subjection; to be temperate in all things, to. keep 
 my heart with all diligence, to subdue every wanton 
 desire, and to be holy like my Redeemer. 
 
 "Read with unusual interest some parts of the 
 Epistle which gives cautions against lusts, and re- 
 quires us to be spiritually-minded. It seems to me 
 that I desire to be spiritual, to live no longer to the 
 lusts of the flesh, but to the will of God. But O, 
 how strong the old corruption! How deeply it is in- 
 terwoven with every feeling and principle of my 
 moral nature! But it is my work, the grace of God 
 assisting, to subdue this corruption; and looking to 
 6* 
 
66 MEMOIR OE 
 
 God for help, I do now soberly resolve, never to 
 cease my efforts, till the work is done. 
 
 ."February 27, 1818. Semi-annual fast of the 
 Seminary. This morning I have been in my closet, 
 endeavoring to recollect and confess my sins. I 
 could do little more than enumerate the black 
 catalogue. The time spent in my closet has often 
 been short, and I have hasted away without getting 
 near to God. 
 
 "I have had many wandering thoughts, and vain 
 desires, and much stupidity in seasons of public and 
 social devotion: In short the history of my closet, 
 my studies, my meals, my devotions, my intercourse 
 with others, my meditations, and all my words, ac- 
 tions, and feelings, seems to be little else than an 
 account of the various forms and operations of sin. 
 The dawn of the morning finds me awaking to sin. 
 and the shades of the evening find me ending the 
 day as I began it. If I sometimes get half a thought ; 
 Or half a wish raised towards heaven, my corruptions 
 drag me down again to earth, to cold formality, to 
 moral death. Thus my God is treated by a worm 
 whom he created and upholds. Thus my Redeem- 
 er is treated by a sinner whom he died to redeem, 
 and who professes to love him supremely. 
 
 "Sept. 4. Semi-annual fast. This morning 1 
 have been enabled to confess my sins with more 
 than my usual feeling. In looking back on my con- 
 duct, and inward on my heart, I feel ready to sink. 
 Can I ever be pardoned? Can I ever be made holyr 
 O how cheering is the hope, that I shall sooner OB 
 later be entirely conformed to GOD!" 
 
 It will have been perceived in the preceding 
 pages, that Mr. Fisk possessed a missionary spirit. 
 The deep interest which he took in the subject of 
 missions, while connected with the Seminary, will 
 be now more particularly evinced. A missionary 
 now in the field, who was intimate with him at this 
 
11EV. PLINY FISK. 67 
 
 period, has remarked concerning him, that he lov- 
 ed the cause of Jesus in heathen lands. "And I be- 
 lieve," says he, "nothing of a worldly nature could 
 tempt him to give up the heathen. He indeed has 
 told me that he had large offers made him, as a pe- 
 cuniary compensation, if he would accept a settle- 
 ment in this country. 'But,' said he, 'brother B.. 
 it must be a settled principle, that, if a man has de- 
 voted himself to the service of Christ among the 
 heathen, and is accepted in this service, no church, 
 no college, no body of men, ought to ask him to 
 stay in this country.' When he thought that there 
 were any movements to detain one in America, 
 whose heart felt as his did for the heathen, his 
 soul at times would almost take fire. I have seen 
 his countenance kindle with vivid expression, while 
 speaking on this subject. But when devoted and 
 well qualified individuals have not considered it 
 their duty to engage in a foreign mission, he used 
 to say; 'These brethren may have more love to the 
 Lord Jesus while staying here, than we in going to 
 the heathen.' " 
 
 Ever jealous of his own heart, and feeling that 
 his determination to become a foreign missionary, 
 might possibly result from unhallowed motives, he 
 reviewed the whole subject during the second year 
 of his theological course, that he might determine 
 more satisfactorily the question of duty. The fol- 
 lowing are some of his reflections, while engaged 1 
 in the examination of this important question. 
 
 "WHAT is MY DUTY RESPECTING MISSIONS?" 
 
 ''February 3, 1817. Desirous of ascertaining my 
 duty on this subject I set apart this day for fasting 
 and prayer, and inquiry. After imploring the divine 
 assistance in the important work of the day, I pro- 
 pose to meditate, read and pray, and write down my 
 
 
08 MEMOIR OF 
 
 "In answer to the question, I am convinced that it 
 is my duty to pray much. I ought to pray for Pagans, 
 Mahommedaris, Jews, Papists, and Protestants. Their 
 souls are all precious, they are all sinners, and can 
 be saved only by Christ; they are all my fellow- 
 beings, and objects of Christian benevolence. 
 
 "I ought to pray for missionary societies, mission- 
 aries, native preachers and converts, and those who 
 contribute, or pray for the spread of the Gospel. 
 For they are all imperfect, liable to mistakes, and 
 wrong feelings, dependent, short-sighted, exposed 
 to temptations; and on their spirit, prayers, plans 
 and exertions, the conversion of the heathen very 
 much depends. I ought to pray that God would 
 raise up missionaries, societies, and benefactors for 
 the work. I feel it to be rny duty to pray much for 
 all these objects, to remember them often in my 
 prayers, to set apart seasons for special prayer for 
 them; to be particular, and fervent, in my petitions; 
 to cry mightily to God on their behalf. My con- 
 science condemns me for not having discharged this 
 duty as I ought, I wish to be humble, and I pray 
 that a spirit of fervent supplication for the heathen 
 may be given me. 
 
 "It is my duty to acquire and communicate informa- 
 tion respecting missions. For this purpose I feel 
 bound to improve leisure hours, and to seek leisure, 
 that I may have it to improve for this purpose. For 
 this I vyould read attentively the biography of mis- 
 sionaries, the history of missions, missionary reports 
 and journals, descriptions of different countries^ 
 geography and history; I would correspond and con- 
 verse with intelligent men, as I have opportunity, 
 and devise every method, and improve every facility 
 for obtaining information relative to the number, 
 character, religion, condition, and prospects, of the 
 heathen; the number, situation, exertions, and suc- 
 cess of missionaries; the character of native converts, 
 and the best fields for missions; the societies that 
 are making exertions to spread the Gospel; the 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 69 
 
 tributions that are given, and the state of missionary 
 feeling among the churches. And, as 1 acquire in- 
 formation on any of these subjects, I feel it my duty 
 to communicate it by conversation, by letters to in- 
 dividuals and societies, by lending, selling, and giv- 
 ing away books, by public addresses, containing 
 statements of facts; and, if I ever preach again, by 
 preaching missionary sermons. 
 
 "It is my duty to do what I can to excite others to 
 suitable views, feelings, and efforts on this subject. 
 For this purpose I should labor to remove all objec- 
 tions that are brought against missions; to correct 
 all erroneous impressions respecting the state of the 
 heathen world, and respecting the designs and ex- 
 ertions of missionaries, and missionary societies; to 
 point out to the rich and the poor, the various ways, 
 in which property may be earned or saved for this 
 purpose. I should endeavor to direct the attention, 
 of those who are preparing, or who ought, perhaps, 
 to prepare for the ministry, to the examination of 
 their duty, and to the claims of the perishing pa- 
 gans. In short, I should make it my object wherever 
 I go, whenever I write or speak, read or preach, or 
 whatever I do, to bring into view in every suitable 
 manner the wants of the heathen, and our duty to- 
 wards them; to urge on ministers to preach, Chris- 
 tians to pray, young men to enlist, and people of 
 every age and class to do all they can to extend the 
 borders of Zion. 
 
 "It is my duty to inquire carefully in what part of 
 the vineyard I ought to labor. It is the duty of some 
 young men to go to the heathen, of some to labor in 
 the destitute parts of our own country, and of some 
 to supply the vacancies occasioned by the death 
 and removal of clergymen. Lord Jesus, whither 
 wilt thou send mer I have often given myself away 
 to thee to be employed any w r here, and in any man- 
 ner that shall conduce to thy glory, and the salva- 
 tion of souls. 
 
<0 MEMOIR OP 
 
 "For many years past I have felt much anxiety on 
 this subject. In the summer of 1810, about two 
 years and a half after I became, as I hope, a friend 
 to Christ, after several months of careful inquiry. 
 I felt convinced that, if my life and health should 
 be spared, and I should succeed in acquiring an 
 education, it would probably be my duty to be a 
 missionary to the heathen; at least I was convinced 
 that I ought to keep myself free from all engage- 
 ments which might interfere with my duty in this 
 respect; to direct my attention particularly to mis- 
 sionary subjects; to hold myself in readiness to go 
 wherever duty should call; and to make my calcu- 
 lations with a view to spending my days among the 
 heathen. During a period of more than six years I 
 have had my attention directed to this object, and 
 have had earnest desires, and fond expectations, that 
 I might sooner or later 'preach Christ, where he had 
 not been named.' My desires for the work have 
 sometimes been strong, at other times weak. Some- 
 times my attachment to relatives, and to Christian 
 society, my love for social enjoyments, ease, and 
 convenience, have almost induced me to say, 'I pray 
 thee have me excused.' But when 1 have thought 
 again of the heathen going down to woe with no 
 one to point them to Jesus; when I have read the 
 command of my ascending Saviour, I have readily 
 cried out, 'Here arn I, Lord, send me.' This has 
 been my language when flattering prospects have 
 opened before me, when my attachment to friends 
 has been in mind, when I have lain down and risen 
 up, when I have been in company and when alone. 
 I have often said, 'It is my earnest desire to go 
 among the heathen.' I have prayed that God would 
 not hedge up my way, but grant me the desired 
 privilege. 
 
 "But I was young, only eighteen, when I first re- 
 solved on being a missionary. Much that is un- 
 holy has been mixed with my feelings on this sub- 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 71 
 
 ject. Many unholy motives may induce a man to 
 desire this work. I wish, therefore, to re-examine 
 all my past resolutions and plans, and inquire anew 
 what I ought to do. I take it for granted that isome 
 young men, who are now entering the ministry, 
 ought to be missionaries. Am I one of the number? 
 In pursuing the inquiry, I desire to have no regard 
 to private interest, personal convenience or suffer- 
 ing, reputation, natural attachments, advice or 
 wishes of friends, any farther than it may conduce 
 to the good of souls. I desire that my own im- 
 provement in holiness, my obligations to relatives, 
 the preservation of my life and health, the acqui- 
 sition of property and influence, the conversion of 
 sinners and the glory of Christ, may all be viewed 
 in their proper light, as I proceed. 
 
 "An inquiry on this subject may properly respect 
 one's age, health, talents, habits, feelings, connexions 
 in life, reputation, the leadings. of Providence, and 
 the teachings of the Holy Spirit. 
 
 "Age. Though men considerably advanced in 
 life have engaged in missions with great success, as 
 was the fact with Dr. Vanderkemp, yet, when new 
 languages are to be acquired, new habits formed, 
 and new modes of living adopted, the work should 
 evidently be undertaken in early life. My present 
 age, (twenty-four years, and a half,) I think may be 
 considered very suitable. Should I be a missionary, 
 I shall probably be able to engage in the work in 
 my twenty-seventh year, if not sooner. No objec- 
 tion, therefore, can be raised from this source 
 against my being a missionary. 
 
 "Health. The privations, the sufferings and the 
 labors, connected with a missionary life, render it 
 important that the man, who engages in it, possess 
 good health. In this respect Providence has been 
 to me peculiarly propitious. My constitution has 
 .never been impaired by sickness; my limbs and my 
 faculties have nevei* been injured by accident; my 
 
72 MEMOIR OF 
 
 strength remains firm; my sight, hearing, voice, and 
 lungs are unimpaired; and my whole constitution 
 seems fitted for the fatigues of a mission. True, my 
 health and life may fail; that I leave with him in 
 whose hands they are. 
 
 ''-Talents. From the difficult and responsible work 
 the missionary has to perform, we may infer the 
 necessity of superior talents. It is comforting, how- 
 ever, to one who is conscious that he is not distin- 
 guished by native talent, to find that God employs 
 'the weak things of the world to confound the things 
 that are mighty.' The representations of Scripture, 
 which teach us that the work is to be accomplished 
 not by might, nor by power, but by the Spirit of the 
 Lord, may encourage those who, but for these repre- 
 sentations, would never dare engage in the sacred 
 office. But since the chief of the Apostles was 
 chosen to go to the gentiles, and since the work re- 
 quires so much prudence and skill, it becomes an 
 inquiry, whether my talents direct to pagan lands. 
 or to Christendom, as the field of my labors. 
 
 "It is exceedingly difficult for one to form a cor- 
 rect opinion of his own talents. When honor or re- 
 ward is to be obtained, we are likely to put ourselves 
 too high on the list; when duty calls, especially some 
 trying, unpleasant duty, we often plead inability. 
 It is no part of genuine humility to underrate our 
 talents, and no part of faithfulness to take a place 
 for which we are not qualified. I am blest \vithu 
 good memory, and tolerably quick perceptions; 
 though I have not that depth of thought, or origi- 
 nality of genius, which many possess. My talents 
 are rather of the ready kind, and this, I hope, would 
 be favorable for the missionary work. I must de- 
 pend, however, very much on the advice of others 
 in this particular. I trust it will not be presumptibn 
 in me to offer myself, if pothing lie in the way bur 
 want of talents. 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. To 
 
 4 'The history of the herdsman of Tckoa, of the 
 Shepherds of Galilee, of some successful illiterate 
 preachers of the Gospel in former ages, of the Mo- 
 ravian missionaries, and of many ministers in our 
 own country, encourages me to think, that, with the 
 talents I have, I may be usefully employed in preach- 
 ing to the heathen. 
 
 "February 24. Habits. I set apart this day to pur- 
 sue my inquiries. Are my habits such as would 
 render it suitable for me to go to the heathen, such 
 as would afford a prospect of success? In early life 
 I was habituated to manual labor. This, indeed, 
 was my almost constant employment till I was seven- 
 teen or eighteen years old, was continued at inter- 
 vals during my college-life, and has never beeR 
 entirely discontinued. 
 
 "I was early fond of study, and devoted to it my 
 leisure hours and days. I have at some times ap- 
 plied myself closely to study, so much so that I can 
 safely say, there is nothing in my habits invincibljj 
 opposed to close application. Home says, the mis- 
 sionary's habits should be rather active than seden- 
 tary. This encourages me. I love to study, but I. 
 love still more to be engaged in active employments. 
 
 "I have been in the habit of instructing schools,, 
 f teaching individuals, families, and classes, the holy 
 Scriptures, of conversing and exhorting in religious 
 meetings, and of visiting families. 
 
 "In 1815, I spent nine months in preaching. Aj 
 that time I acquired a habit of writing sermons with 
 facility, of sketching plans, and of preaching extem- 
 pore, which I still retain. I have often had inter- 
 course with men of erroneous principles, and have 
 become in some degree familiar with their objec- 
 tions, arguments, and cavils. And I have had occa- 
 sion to converse much with inquiring sinners. My 
 habits of living have always been plain and simple. 
 I was brought up in a farmer's family, and from 
 'lildhood have been altogether unacquainted with 
 
74 MEMOIR OF 
 
 the luxuries of fashionable life. Without friends 
 to lend me pecuniary aid, I have frorn necessity ac- 
 quired habits of industry and econom^. But whether 
 these are so firmly fixed, as not to yield to trials, 1 
 dare not affirm. 
 
 "While I have been led by my situation in life to 
 form many active habits, in respect to those of a 
 passive nature I fear I am deficient, I have had but 
 little affliction to bear, but few disappointments to 
 encounter. I have not yet learnt patience. How 
 I should endure the fatigues and the disappointments 
 of a missionary life, after the successful course of 
 my early years, I cannot determine. On this point 
 I have many fears, and can hope for support only 
 from a divine arm. May divine strength be perfect 
 in my weakness. 
 
 "There is such a thing as a habit of self-govern- 
 ment and self-possession. Here again I am deficient, 
 having never exercised over myself that rigid dis- 
 cipline which is requisite in a missionary; nor have 
 I acquired such perfect command of myself, that 
 trifles or unexpected events never disturb me. 
 
 "Fixed habits of prayer and self denial are of 
 indispensable importance. But I tremble to come 
 to this part of the inquiry. I hope, however, my 
 right affections and attention to religious duties 
 have become more habitual, than they were some 
 years ago. My state of mind has probably been 
 more equable than is common. I mean, that I have 
 probably had less than is common of peculiar rap- 
 tures and oppressions, sensible conflicts and victo- 
 ries. From year to year my religious feelings have 
 been nearly the same, though circumstances have 
 varied. One thing encourages me. When my 
 situation and circumstances have changed, I have 
 generally found my feelings, attachments, desires, 
 and sources of enjoyment have experienced a cor- 
 responding change. May I not hence hope that in 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 75 
 
 Asia, or Owhyhee, or the western wilderness, I shall 
 find myself contented and happy in doing good to 
 those around me? 
 
 "Have I the feelings of the missionary? I have 
 felt much on the subject of missions, but ..my great 
 anxiety has been to know, whether my feelings are 
 such as characterize the true missionary. My so- 
 licitude to be a missionary, my desire for the con- 
 version and salvation of the heathen, and my love to 
 missionaries, have .been almost uniformly ardent for 
 several years, I have often asked myself the question, 
 'Could any thing make me contented to give up 
 the object?' The inducements of various kinds, that 
 have been presented, have not even produced hesi- 
 tation. Should circumstances obviously point out 
 another course as duty, I hope I should have a heart 
 to pursue it. But I think the hindrances must be 
 absolutely insurmountable, or the call most plainly 
 an intimation of the divine will, otherwise if I act 
 according to the bent of my feelings, I shall go to 
 the heathen. Labors among them have seemed most 
 desirable; my whole heart has sometimes been en- 
 gaged for them. At other times my desires have 
 been more languid, and my affections more cold. 
 At times I have, for a moment, felt such a relish for 
 Christian society, or such a desire to be a minister 
 in this country, as has made me half ready to wish 
 that something might render it obviously rny duty 
 to* remain at home. This, however, has always been 
 momentary; and the thought of relinquishing the 
 bject has not only been unpleasant, but h^as more 
 than any thing else, roused up my feelings again. 
 Generally, when I have had the most lively views of 
 spiritual things, and the most comforting religious 
 exercises, my love for the heathen, and my desire to 
 go among them, have been the most ardent. This 
 leads me to hope that the Holy Spirit excites this 
 desire, and at the same time it admonishes me to be 
 
 itchful. For if I am here subject to declensions 
 
<0 MEMOIR OF 
 
 which shake my resolution, what must I expect, 
 when far removed from Christian society, and the 
 means of grace. 
 
 "I know there are many hardships and trials to be 
 endured, many dangers to be encountered, many 
 temptations to be resisted. I know I must leave my 
 dear friends, my beloved country, the enjoyments of 
 civilized society, and risk my life, rny happiness, and 
 my reputation; but still I desire to trust in my Sa- 
 viour, and go. In his strength I Jiope I shall be en- 
 abled to stand firm, to keep under my body and 
 bring it into subjection and to continue to the end, 
 faithful in my master's service. In the strength of 
 my Almighty Saviour I feel that I can meet all the 
 dangers to which I may be exposed, and perform 
 the self-denying task of the missionary. 
 
 "My connexions in life are such as will not forbid- 
 if they do not encourage, my proposed mission. My 
 mother is not living. I have no friends who are de- 
 pendent on me for support. My father has con- 
 sented to my doing what I think to be my duty. All 
 my friends feel tenderly on the subject, but will not 
 oppose me in following where duty calls. I love 
 my friends; but the claims of the heathen have too 
 strong a hold on my heart to be counteracted by 
 natural attachments. My dear friends, my father, 
 my brothers, my sisters, it is not because I do not 
 love your society, that I leave you. You know I 
 love you; but souls are perishing. I must go and 
 tell them the way to glory. You cannot, you will not 
 object; for you too have hearts to feel for your fellow 
 beings who are living in spiritual darkness. Then 
 farewell the Lord bless you and keep you, be gra- 
 cious to you, and cause his face to shine upon you. 
 
 "March 10. With a heart distressed at being so 
 long undecided, with a mind almost distracted by 
 anxiety for the heathen in the East and in the West, 
 and for the destitute in our own land; and with 
 earnest desires that God would teach me my duty, 
 1 set apart another day to pursue the inquiry. 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 
 
 ;t The next point of inquiry respects my reputation* 
 Here 1 feel a difficulty, ft is hard to learn what 
 others really think of us. An unfaithful world will 
 flatter us to our faces, but frown and slander behind 
 our backs. Were I to give implicit confidence to 
 what I sometimes hear of the opinions of others 
 concerning .me, I should be led to think I was 
 generally and highly esteemed. But all this food 
 for my vanity is swept away in a moment, by a single 
 look from some man of intelligence, that tells me 
 how I stand in his estimation; or by the cool recep- 
 tion which some of my performances meet with from 
 my brethren; or by the derangement of some darl- 
 ing plan for doing good; or by a discovery of some 
 weakness, some prominent defect of character, of 
 which I had before little or no knowledge; or by 
 some remark I happen to hear, that has been made 
 about me in my absence. I have, however, some 
 judicious friends who are faithful. I hope I have 
 made an estimate, nearly correct, of the rank I 
 hold in the opinion of people, where I have been 
 acquainted. I am not aware that any thing, which 
 the world would call immorality, belongs to my 
 character, or that I have been at any time guilty of 
 such indiscretions, as have destroyed the confidence 
 of people, either in my integrity, or prudence. A 
 variety of incidents have occurred, in my childhood, 
 when engaged in school-keeping, when at college, 
 while preaching, and while I have been in this 
 Seminary, which might have served to lessen the 
 esteem, others have had of me. Still I am not 
 aware, that any unfavorable impression is so deeply 
 made, as to forbid my going forward with the object 
 proposed. I trust I have a character, where I am 
 best known, which will allow me to hope that the 
 public will look on with approbation, if my name 
 should be found among the candidates for mission- 
 ary service. 
 7* 
 
'78 MEMOIR OF 
 
 "I would not presume too much. I wish to be 
 prepared to find myself wholly without public favor. 
 But if I have, influence, if I do share in the good 
 opinion of others, and if expectations are raised that 
 I shall be useful, I desire to exert all the influence 
 I have, to prove myself not unworthy the opinions 
 formed of me, and to answer, by an active and holy 
 life, the expectations that may exist. 
 
 "I am to consider next the leadings of divine pro- 
 vidence. A kind Providence led me, as I hope, early 
 to choose religion as my portion. Early in my 
 Christian course I was led to peruse Home's Letters,, 
 Buchanan's works, and Dr. Griffin and Livingston's 
 sermons, and at the same time to become intimately 
 acquainted with two persons w r ho contemplated a 
 mission. My health has been preserved, my efforts 
 to obtain an education have been succeeded, my 
 way has been cleared of many difficulties, and I 
 have not been entangled in any connexions, which 
 now stand in the way of my being a missionary. I 
 sometimes ask myself, whether I viewed, as I ought, 
 the hand of Providence in the invitations I received 
 to preach at P., and some other places, especially at 
 W. There seemed to be a door opened in the lat- 
 ter place for doing good. I cannot think of the 
 anxiety, manifested by that dear people, without the 
 most tender emotions. Did the circumstances 
 which attended my going thither, my preaching 
 there, and the success with which it was attended^ 
 the peculiar state of the people, and their unanimity 
 in wishing me to stay with them, indicate, that it was 
 not my duty to leave them'? Had there been no 
 heathen in the world, I might have thought so. As 
 it is, may I not conclude, from the fact that I loved 
 so well to labor there, and that some success fol- 
 lowed, that I shall also love to labor abroad, and that 
 I may hope still for the divine presence. The dis- 
 pensations of Providence by which I have been 
 made intimately acquainted with missionaries, 
 
REV. PLINY FISk. 7U 
 
 brought to this Seminary, and led to form habits 
 adapted to the work, encourage me to go forward. 
 
 "It remains for me to consider the teachings of the 
 Spirit an important part of the inquiry I expect 
 no miraculous communications; but I believe the 
 Spirit does teach the saints to understand the word 
 and the providences of God, and that it does point 
 out the path of duty. O that I might be taught by 
 him, and understand his teachings. 
 
 "March 24. A few hours to.-day I devoted to the 
 important inquiry respecting missions. After im- 
 ploring the divine presence I read the 52d, 54th, 
 59th, 60th, 62d, and 65th chapters of Isaiah. The 
 promises of Zion's enlargement are really cheering, 
 and I think I have some faith in their accomplish- 
 ment. God has promised and he will do it. 
 
 "When my faith is strong, I feel like laboring, 
 and making sacrifices for the church, and for the 
 souls of men. I can go any where, do any thing, 
 bear any sufferings, if the Head of the church be 
 with me. Is it the Holy Spirit that excites these 
 sensations'? If not, why this love to missionaries? 
 this missionary enthusiasm? this earnest desire to 
 go to the heathen? this willingness to leave my 
 country, my friends; yea, all my friends, for the sake 
 of carrying the Gospel to those who are destitute of 
 it? this willingness to leave all, to hazard all, to 
 be no where at home, to suffer losses, and endure 
 hardships Whence arises all this, if the Holy Spirit 
 is not operating on my heart to lead me into this 
 way of serving God? When I have most sensible 
 communion with God, and experience most sensibly 
 the influences of the Holy Spirit, then I feel most 
 anxious to go among the heathen. May I not call 
 this an indication, that this Heavenly Guide ap- 
 proves of my purpose to go? May I not hope, that 
 it is his influence which has made a life of trial look 
 so pleasant, and weaned me thus from the society 
 and friends I naturally love so .much? To what nat- 
 
SO MEMOIR OF 
 
 ural principle can I attribute all this? O divine 
 Teacher, I do see, and I would gratefully acknowl- 
 edge the tokens of thy approbation. I bless thee 
 for them yield myself to them, and go as thou hast 
 bid me. I give thanks for all the various means, by 
 which my attention has been directed to the subject, 
 my habits formed, and my feelings prepared for the 
 work. O what a privilege that I should be called 
 to this work! I, who am so sinful, so feeble, so un- 
 worthy. When I think what I was when a child, 
 and what I have been ever since, I am greatly aston- 
 ished. Out of nothing as it were, but ignorance and 
 sin, the Lord Jesus is, I trust, preparing himself a 
 missionary. I know I am poorly qualified, but I. 
 have a pleasing conviction that the Lord calls me 
 to the work, and I trust in him. I read the promise, 
 'Lo, I am with you, always,' and my heart rests with 
 unreserved confidence on the gracious assurance. 
 Blessed Jesus, I go Thou wilt go with me, for thou 
 hast promised, and thy promise will not fail. 
 
 "July 14, 1817. I have had, since I wrote last, a 
 comfortable assurance that I was not deceived, in 
 thinking it my duty to be a missionary. This opin- 
 ion is more and more confirmed by reviewing the 
 subject, by conversation with judicious friends, and 
 by waiting upon God for direction. My wishes and 
 expectations have generally been directed to the 
 heathen world. Many of my most judicious friends 
 think I ought rather to go into the destitute parts of 
 our own country. Here is a question, which I would 
 give a faithful and impartial examination. This in- 
 quiry may respect the comparative importance of 
 the fields, the prospect of supply, and my particular 
 qualifications. 
 
 "Importance, of the fields. In our own country 
 there are ten millions of people. Most of these 
 have opportunity to hear preaching occasionally, 
 and to read or hear read religious books. There arc 
 in the world probably as many as 500 or 600,000 : OOQ. 
 
REV. PLINY ISK. 81 
 
 who never hear from preachers or books, any of the 
 peculiar doctrines of Christianity. What a vast dis- 
 proportion as it respects the importance of the 
 fields! 
 
 "The prospr.ci of supply. There are supposed to 
 be between three and four hundred missionaries 
 among the heathen. Not more than one to a million. 
 In this country, forty or fifty were employed last 
 year, [1816] beside settled ministers. Probably 
 several to every million of souls. Besides, I ob- 
 serve that young men are much more willing to be 
 missionaries in this country, than among the heathen. 
 Many are ready to engage in domestic missions, 
 where one is ready to go to the heathen. 
 
 "Particular qualifications. Some have given me 
 to understand, that they think me better qualified to 
 itinerate, to form societies, &c. than to engage in 
 the study of languages, and other things connected 
 with a mission to the heathen. 
 
 "I think it is my wish to be wholly devoted to 
 Christ and the church. It would be pleasant to be 
 a domestic missionary to select some destitute field, 
 and labor there for life. When I look at this, it is 
 really a self-denial to relinquish the object. But 
 the great want of men among the heathen, weighs 
 heavily on my mind. If better men would go there, 
 I would cheerfully stay here. But shall we all stay? 
 Christ has said, 'Go into all the world.' And this is 
 the commission under which I act. It may be, I 
 am better qualified, in some respects, to preach 
 among the destitute of our own country, than among 
 " e heathen. But there are so few who will go 
 ere, and so many who need to be taught, I cannot 
 sitate. If a multitude were ready to go abroad, it 
 ight be my duty to stay; but as it is. if I do not 
 greatly mistake, it is my duty to offer myself for 
 foreign service. Should the Committee of the Board 
 see fit to accept me, and Providence allow me to go, 
 
%! MEMOIR OF 
 
 I hope, and believe, it will be my happiness to spend 
 and be spent for the heathen. 
 
 U O thou great Head of the church, I give thee 
 thanks, that thou hast given me this comfortable 
 assurance that it is thy will, I should go among the 
 wretched pagans. It is what I have long desired. 
 I give thee thanks, that I was so early led to devote 
 myself to this work, that my wishes and resolutions 
 have been so long maintained, and that now, upon 
 reviewing the whole, I have such consoling evidence 
 that I have followed the leadings of thy Spirit and 
 Providence. Do thou assist me in deciding all the 
 questions that may hereafter demand my attention; 
 and in gaining all the necessary qualifications. 
 Cheerfully and unreservedly I dedicate myself anew 
 to thee. Lord Jesus, my Saviour, my King, I am 
 thine; thine to go where thou shalt send me; thine 
 to endure what thou shalt lay upon me, and to do 
 what thou shalt bid me. So may thy grace help me. 
 Amen and Amen. 
 
 "The question, which seems now to demand my 
 attention, relates to the field of labor. To what 
 part of the heathen world shall I direct my atten- 
 tion? The American Board have two general fields, 
 one in Asia, the other in our western wilderness. 
 Perhaps some other field may be soon selected. 
 The south sea islands, and South America have 
 been thought of. Now it is desirable to know, as 
 soon as possible, in what field we are to labor, that 
 our prayers, meditations, reading, and conversation, 
 be directed towards it. 
 
 "At present I have no predilection for one field, 
 rather than another. If I am not deceived, I am 
 willing to g>o north or south, east or west, as Provi- 
 dence may direct. May I be directed to that field, 
 in which I can do most for Christ and souls, whether 
 it be a field of safety or of danger, of comfort or of 
 trouble, of honor or of reproach, 
 
BEV. PLINY PISK. So 
 
 10. Since writing what precedes, my 
 mind has rested quietly in its decisions. I do not 
 recollect, that I ever felt more fully satisfied with 
 any result of the kind. I thought I had that full 
 assurance of duty, which I had so long desired and 
 prayed for, and for want of which I had suffered so 
 much anxiety. Since that an event has occurred, 
 which renders it necessary for me carefully to exam- 
 ine the subject again. 
 
 "My respected Instructors have given me to un- 
 derstand, that they think me better qualified to aid 
 the cause of the Redeemer in this country, as an 
 agent in behalf of charitable objects, and as a 
 domestic missionary, than to labor among pagans. 
 So others have thought before. Should I, in oppo- 
 sition to the wishes and advice of all these judicious 
 and pious friends, persist in my purpose of laboring 
 among the heathen, and at last find myself unquali- 
 fied for that work, and mistaken as to my field of 
 labor, while I might have been doing good in this 
 country, and thus be ready to sink with discourage- 
 ment and regret; how would the recollection of 
 their kind advice torture my sinking spirits If I 
 go, I must risk this. Let me not go without evi- 
 dence that God approves, so that I may hope he 
 will prosper me, or support me under trials; or at 
 least give me the comfort of believing that I have to 
 bear only such trials as he sees fit to bring upon me 
 in the path of duty. I had determined to go among 
 * heathen in view of the risk of life, reputation, 
 lappiness, and even usefulness. 
 "My Instructors suggest no new considerations; 
 -but the fact that, with their enlarged views, their 
 idvantages for judging, and their expansive benev- 
 olence, they think I ought to relinquish my pur- 
 pose, should make me hesitate. I wish to give 
 their advice all the weight it deserves. O that God 
 would guide me. Since they have spoken to me 
 on tiie subject, my feelings have been very deeph 7 
 
$4 MEM01E OF 
 
 interested. This has been the theme of my medi- 
 tation, and my prayers. I feel that my happiness 
 and usefulness are deeply concerned. I tremble at 
 the thought of relinquishing the object, after hav- 
 ing so often consecrated myself to it, and had such 
 comfortable evidence that I ought to engage in it. 
 I tremble too lest, if I give up the object, the blood 
 of souls maybe found in my skirts. I know not 
 how to understand the language of Providence. Is 
 this to forbid my laboring among the heathen? Or 
 is it only to test my resolution, my patience, and 
 my love for tfie work 1 ] Why have I been led to 
 think and feel so much on this subject? Was it to 
 prepare me for foreign service, or was it to prepare 
 me to be disappointed and labor at home? Some- 
 times the language of Providence at this crisis seems 
 to be, 'Stay, you are not qualified for the great work.' 
 I fear I h$ve not that faith, that patience, that self- 
 government, necessary to render me useful. This 
 is the only ground on which I can doubt. If I take 
 it for granted that I am nearly as well qualified to 
 labor abroad as at home, the question is decided at 
 once. The importance of the fields will bear no 
 comparison. The prospect of supply is altogether 
 in favor of my going abroad. The prospect of 
 immediate usefulness is greater perhaps at home. 
 Still I cannot doubt that missionaries among the 
 heathen exert an influence on the church at home, 
 which vastly more than compensates for the loss of 
 their personal service. 
 
 "O my Saviour, I am thine. To thee I now con- 
 secrate my mind to be guided and taught, and my 
 Jbeart to be moved and excited. I submit to have 
 my mind perplexed with doubts, and my heart filled 
 with pain, as long as thou shalt see best, if it raaj 
 but terminate in a conviction of duty, and a disposi- 
 tion to do it. I would cheerfully meet all the diffi- 
 culties, and bear all the pains thou shalt appoint, if 
 they may but lead me to more wisdom and humility.. 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 85 
 
 and prepare me to do more good. But 1 do intreat 
 thee, not to suffer my views and feelings to be so 
 influenced, as shall prove detrimental to the inter- 
 ests of Zion. O let the result be my better prepar- 
 ation to be a good and useful servant of my Lord. 
 J bless thee that thou hast afforded me so much 
 assistance, and guided me thus far, and by thy aid 
 I hope for light, and peace, and joy. Let me not 
 wait in vain. Trust, O my soul, trust in thy Sa- 
 viour, and he will guide thee. 
 
 "If there is any thing for me to do, the Lord 
 will lead the way. If not, let me rejoice that oth- 
 ers will be employed to carry on his work; and 
 though nothing be found for me to do, the interests 
 of the church, and the honor of the Saviour are 
 secure. It is enough. O my Saviour I give my- 
 self to thee. Do with me as thou wilt.* 
 
 "Aug. 17. To-day I have been reading the me- 
 moirs ^of Pearce with the hope of deriving some 
 advantage from the perusal. If such a man was not 
 allowed to labor among the heathen, how can I 
 hope for the happiness? But he was already in an 
 exceedingly important and useful station. It is not 
 so with me. Should I stay in America, all my 
 plans for usefulness may fail. I may prove but a 
 burden to the church. Many of Mr. Pearce J s expres- 
 sions, I think, I can understand. Many of his trials I 
 have experienced. O if I could pray as he did, if my 
 heart were pure as his, God might accept me, and 
 give me a gracious answer. But I do not yet know 
 what to make of the present dealings of God with 
 me. My heart is pained, my very soul is full of 
 anguish* When with my fellow-students whom I 
 dearly love, I find it difficult to be sociable. This 
 great question occupies my thoughts, and engrosser 
 my feelings, so as to exclude all common topics ; 
 even such as I have often dwelt upon with great 
 
 *The reader is requested to revert to the letter which Mr. Fisk 
 addressed to the Professors at this time ; and to the paragraph 
 immediately follows it, p. 41. 
 8 
 
86 MEMOIR OF 
 
 delight. I long to have the question settled. Bui 
 I must not be impatient. I have consented to bear 
 as much as shall be best, to have rny mind tortured 
 till God shall see fit to give me peace. I would 
 not recal what I have done; I would cheerfully sub- 
 mit to have my very soul rent with anxiety and pain, 
 if I may but be fitted to be a useful servant of Jesus 
 Christ. Only let me learn duty, and be the process 
 ever so painful, I will rejoice in it. 
 
 "Aug. 31, 1817. This morning I found unusual 
 pleasure in prayer for missionaries. I sat a long 
 time in my closet, and thought of them, scattered in 
 different parts of the world, and laboring with vari- 
 ous success amidst various trials and disappointments. 
 While I mused, my heart kindled to a flame of love 
 for them; and even now while I write, I feel a union 
 to them which I never felt even to my dearest earthly 
 relatives. I long to share their burdens, to partici- 
 pate their labors, and their success. 
 
 "The anxiety I have had of late respecting my 
 course in life, has subsided. My mind is again 
 quiet, and I trust I have not been deceived in think- 
 ing it my duty to devote my life to the service of 
 Christ among the heathen. I can now praise and 
 glorify God for all his dealings with me; and espe- 
 cially for giving me so much evidence that he does 
 approve of my purpose to be a missionary. Once 
 more blessed Saviour, I offer myself to thee with- 
 out reserve, to be disposed of and dealt with as seem- 
 eth good in thy sight." 
 
 A perusal of the foregoing journal clearly shows, 
 that Mr. Fisk did not hastily determine to become 
 a foreign missionary. He looked at the subject with 
 a mind powerfully impressed with the magnitude, 
 the difficulties, and the responsibilities of the un- 
 dertaking. He sat down in his closet, and with 
 many anxieties and inquiries, prayers and tears, 
 counted the cost. He was led to a satisfactory re- 
 sult, having come finally to a conviction of personal 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 87 
 
 duty not far removed from assurance. Immediately 
 after concluding the solemn and interesting inves- 
 tigation of the question of duty respecting missions, 
 he wrote a communication to the American" Board 
 of Missions, offering himself to be employed under 
 their direction, in some part of the pagan world. 
 His proffer of himself was accompanied with ample 
 testimonials from the Professors of the Theological 
 Seminary. 
 
 The class, of which he was a member, finished 
 their regular course of professional studies in Sep- 
 tember 1818, The public examination was held on 
 the 23d of the month, and on the same day, at a 
 meeting of the Prudential Committee of the Board, 
 the Palestine Mission was established,* and Messrs. 
 Fifck and Parsons were appointed to that station. 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 FROM THE COMMENCEMENT OF HIS AGENCY UNDER 
 THE BOARD OF MISSIONS, TILL HIS EMBARKATION 
 FOR, AND ARRIVAL AT, SMYRNA. 
 
 BEFORE proceeding to the missionary station as- 
 signed him, it was judged expedient that he should 
 be employed one year as an agent, to visit the south- 
 ern section of the country, for the two-fold purpose 
 of soliciting donations for the use of the Board, and 
 nteresting the public in the objects of missionary 
 enterprise. He accordingly received ordination in 
 e Tabernacle Church, Salem, November 5, 1818; 
 and, towards the last of the month, he sailed from 
 ston for Savannah, Georgia, at which place he 
 arrived after a passage of eleven days. 
 
 He was kindly received by the good peopje of 
 that city, and particularly by the lamented Dr. Kol- 
 lock, who gave him a cordial welcome. After a 
 
 ' v The reasons, which led the Prudential Committee to establish 
 this Mission, are contained in their teuth Annual Report, p. 23. 
 
^ MEMOIR OF 
 
 suitable time, he proposed his object; but to his 
 severe disappointment he found circumstances un- 
 favorable to his success. A variety of public ob- 
 jects occupied the attention, and required the pat- 
 ronage of the people. Pecuniary embarrassments 
 were complained of. and the stagnation of lucrative 
 business: but the greatest difficulty of all was the 
 influence of formidable prejudices against northern 
 agents. Special efforts, therefore, in soliciting do- 
 nations for the Board at that time, were judged to 
 be unadvised. 
 
 Mr. Fisk, however, spent a little time in the city, 
 which he improved in visiting a few individuals of 
 influence, for the purpose of enlisting their feelings 
 in missionary objects. In the mean time some small 
 contributions were made, and before he left, the 
 Savannah Missionary Society voted to defray the 
 expenses of his agency for six months, by the lib- 
 eral appropriation of sixty dollars per month. Great 
 as the discouragements at first sight appeared, Mr. 
 Fisk did not wholly relinquish his object, nor de- 
 spair of ultimate success. He revolved in his mind 
 the question, ''What measure can I propose, that 
 shall be likely to meet with a favorable reception?" 
 x\t length he proposed to the people that some mis- 
 sionary be designated, to whose particular support 
 their funds should be appropriated. The proposi- 
 tion being somewhat novel, received attention, and 
 was regarded with approbation. He left the subject 
 for their further consideration, and proceeded to 
 visit some of the back counties. He went south as 
 far as St. Mary's, preaching from place to place, 
 giving information on the subject of missions, and 
 taking up collections, where permission was obtain- 
 ed. The prospect of success began to brighten. 
 
 At St. Mary's, Jan. 2, 1819, he writes to a friend 
 then in Wilmington, Vt., "I endeavor, in going 
 from place to place, to do what I can to animate 
 and comfort Christians, to alarm careless sinners. 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 89 
 
 and to promote the salvation of men, and the glory 
 of God. O that I were more wise, more faithful. 
 Let me share in your prayers that I may be qyalified 
 for my work. In the mean time I will not cease to 
 pray that God will fill you with the fulness of his 
 grace nd love. What can we do for that God and 
 Saviour, who has done so much for us? Let us pray 
 continually for divine guidance, and follow where 
 the Providence and Spirit of God may lead the way. 
 "I am grieved to find religion so low in this part 
 of the country. There are few ministers, few meet- 
 ing-houses, few churches. The number of each, 
 however, is increasing, and the religious state of the 
 people is evidently improving. I preach frequently, 
 visit much, and often converse with the slaves. I 
 have a prospect of doing something in procuring aid 
 for the support of foreign missions. Sometimes I 
 cannot avoid thinking, how pleasant it would be to 
 settle quietly in the midst of agreeable society with 
 the comforts of home, instead of being exposed to 
 voyages by sea, and travels by land; to all the vari- 
 eties of climate, to poor accommodations, and to 
 the opposition, the objections, the excuses, and the 
 cavils of men. But on the whole, I bless God that 
 I have been led along in this course, and I am hap- 
 py in my work. If among all the different classes 
 to which I preach, I may but be instrumental of 
 saving a few, how great the favor will be. Unfaith- 
 ful as I am, I do not despair of this." 
 
 After mature deliberation and consultation with 
 judicious friends, Mr. Fisk offered himself to the 
 Savannah Missionary Society, as a candidate for 
 permanent support in the employment of the Ameri- 
 can Board. With him they were acquainted, and 
 it was understood that he was appointed to the 
 Palestine Mission, a mission which appealed with, 
 deep interest to the feelings of Christians. Accord- 
 ingly a meeting of the Managers was called, and 
 the subject i a ij before them. The measure was 
 S* 
 
90 MEMOIR OF 
 
 ably and eloquently advocated by Dr Kollock; and 
 after a full and deliberate discussion of it, the fol- 
 lowing resolution was moved, and with unexpected 
 unanimity adopted. 
 
 "At a meeting of the Board of Mangers of the 
 Savannah Missionary Society, January 22, 1819; 
 Resolved, That this Society will employ the Rev. 
 PLINY FISK as their Missionary to Asia, the mission 
 being under the more particular direction of the 
 American Board of Commissioners for Foreign 
 Missions. Extract from the Minutes. 
 
 "L. MASON, Secretary. 19 
 
 While visiting from place to place, Mr. Fisk ac- 
 knowledges the kindness and hospitality which he 
 received; but he complains that very few could be 
 found, who manifested much concern for the hea- 
 then. In many places he could accomplish but 
 little more, than to communicate in private and in 
 public, information respecting missions. He col- 
 lected, including what was contributed in Savan- 
 nah, about fifteen hundred dollars. 
 
 From Georgia he proceeded to Charleston, 
 &outh Carolina. Here he had to encounter dis- 
 couragements similar to those which he had already 
 met. But such was his judgment in proposing his 
 object, and such his candor in listening and reply- 
 ing to objections, that he gained the confidence, 
 and secured the respect of the people. Soon there 
 Was manifested a disposition to consider his object, 
 and a readiness to meet it with liberal patronage. 
 He visited several other places in that vicinity, and 
 in the whole received something over 1,560 dollars 
 for the use of the Board. He established a Society, 
 the object of which was, to support permanently a 
 school of heathen children. Similar Societies he 
 also established in Savannah and Augusta. 
 
 Mr Fisk spent some time very pleasantly in 
 Charleston, and speaks in strong terms of the very 
 
I 
 
 REV. PLINY FISK. 91 
 
 hospitable civilities and attentions there received. 
 He exerted a good influence, and left a favorable 
 impression upon those, with whom Ire became 
 acquainted. The following notice of him, while 
 in that city, comes from a source which renders it 
 worthy of remark. It is contained in a communica- 
 tion to the compiler, dated Charleston, ?th May, 
 1827. "While that eminent servant of God, Rev. 
 Pliny Fisk, was on a visit to the South, I enjoyed 
 the 'privilege of his acquaintance. I can say that 
 his visit to this place, though short, was profitable 
 to many. His principal object was to revive, or 
 excite a missionary spirit, by forming missionary 
 Societies, or repairing the wastes made by time, 
 or rather by a spirit of declension, in societies long 
 since established. While with us, he was continu- 
 ally engaged in his Master's service. With propri- 
 ety he might be compared to the glowing meteor, 
 splendidly attractive, but of short continuance. In 
 the house of God he no sooner began to speak, than 
 the attention of the audience was arrested and fixed. 
 He convinced many of sin, if he did not convert them, 
 from the error of their ways. He often regretted, 
 that the particular object of his visit so entirely 
 occupied his time, and required the discussion of 
 such subjects from the pulpit, as interfered with 
 his addressing directly the hearts and consciences of 
 impenitent sinners. He kindled, however, a mis- 
 sionary spirit which, I trust, will never subside, but 
 continue to increase, and bring forth much fruit 
 to the glory of God. It has frequent! v occurred to 
 me, that could he have known the fee; he would 
 have greatly rejoiced in the favorable change which 
 has taken place here since his visit to this part of 
 the country. Many laborers have been raised up, 
 who are now actively engaged in the cause of God." 
 After a few weeks spent in Charleston, he resumed 
 his joujtney towards the north, and improved such 
 
92 MEMOIR OF 
 
 opportunities as occurred in his way, to create an 
 interest in the missionary cause. 
 
 While on his tour he was sometimes in company 
 with the Rev. R. S. Storrs, of Braintree, Ms. to whom 
 he addressed the following letter: 
 
 Camden, May 24, 1819. 
 
 "Dear Brother Many a moment you have spent 
 in sending up to heaven your fervent ejaculations 
 for him who was for a- short time your fellow-trav- 
 eller. O may those prayers, and others that are 
 offered in consequence of our mutual engagement, 
 be accepted through the intercession of our glori- 
 ous Redeemer. You have many friends in Charles- 
 ton, who pray for your peace and usefulness. Dr. 
 and Mrs. P. love you most affectionately. Do write 
 to them often. It will do good. Dear Saints kind 
 and affectionate friends; I had a most comfortable 
 home there for six weeks. Have they written you*? 
 Have you heard that they have been visited with 
 affliction? Dear little Finley, their lovely babe, was 
 cut down-white I was there, and suddenly numbered 
 with the dead only two or three days sickness. 
 But I trust they had comfort from above. You 
 must sympathize with them, and point them to the 
 balm which once healed your heart, when broken 
 with parental grief. As to the King's tribute, that 
 which has been, is now excuses, objections, diffi- 
 culties, &c. We revived the missionary Society, 
 and made such arrangements, that an application 
 has been forwarded for two missionaries. 
 
 "We shall travel on leisurely toward the land of 
 our fathers. Will you give me the happiness of- 
 finding a letter from you at Goshen, N. Y. Dean 
 Brother, what a dreary, gloomy world this is! Were 
 it not for the hope of heaven, what could we do? 
 ;fhat we may bo more and more excited by this hope. 
 
REV. PLINY FISK, 93 
 
 and have frequent foretastes of heaven while on 
 earth. Let us labor constantly to be spiritually 
 minded. Do try to get Christians around you to 
 be more spiritual, to live more in heaven while they 
 are on earth. Do aim at this, especially as it 
 respects Ministers. What can we hope for, till 
 ministers of Jesus have more of the spirit of their 
 Lord, more self-denial, zeal, compassion for souls, 
 and love for the churches:' What can we hope for, 
 till we see these stubborn habits of sloth give way 
 to activity; till we feel these icy, flinty hearts melt, 
 with the love of God. Brainerd desired to be 'a 
 flame of fire' in the service of God? How should 
 such a wish from such a Saint shame us, who fall so 
 far behind him! I do believe th^re is a time coming, 
 when there will be better ministers, better Chris- 
 tians, better churches, and a better world." 
 
 In Raleigh, N. C. he was kindly received, and his 
 object approved; though little was contributed to 
 increase the missionary funds. Thence he travelled 
 on leisurely, visiting the more important places, 
 which lay in his course, laboring with special refer- 
 ence to an increase of interest in the work of send- 
 ing the Gospel to the heathen. He hoped in this 
 way to do something towards preparing the people 
 to act with more efficiency and promptness in future, 
 and to second more readily the application of sub- 
 sequent agents. At Washington city he was favored 
 with an interview with President Adams, then Sec- 
 retary of State, who obligingly proposed to furnish 
 him with such letters of introduction and protection, 
 as would be valuable to him in a foreign country. 
 
 In July he arrived in his native State, and resumed 
 his residence at the Theological Seminary in Ando- 
 ver, where he designed to pursue his studies, till 
 the time of his embarkation for Asia. Under date 
 of July 27, he thus writes: "I am now applying 
 myself to study, anxiously waiting the arrival of Mr. 
 Parsons, that we may assist each other in making 
 
- MEMOIR OP 
 
 preparation for our arduous undertaking. But instead 
 of a few weeks or months, I feel that I need years 
 to prepare for the great work before me." 
 
 The communication, which follows, was addressed 
 to the children of the Sabbath school in Savannah, 
 through the superintendant, Mr. L. Mason, and fur- 
 nishes an illustration of his interest in the religious 
 instruction of children, and his facility in adapting 
 remarks to their capacities. It is dated October 15, 
 1819. 
 
 . "Dear youth and children. Last year I had op- 
 portunity to speak to you once or twice about the 
 great things of religion; and it gave me much plea- 
 sure to see you so attentive to what I said. Since 
 that time I have often thought of you, hoping that 
 you are all Hligent in pursuing your studies; and 
 that you make such improvement as pleases your 
 teachers, and gives them reason to expect you will 
 be wise and good. It would indeed be a melan- 
 choly thing, if any of you, after having received so 
 much good instruction, should forget it, and join 
 with the wicked in their sinful ways. It would be a 
 most sad thing, if any one of you should ever be 
 profane, or intemperate, or contentious, or disre- 
 spectful to your parents and teachers, or playful on 
 the Sabbath. But how happy will it be, if every- 
 one of you should learn well, conduct well, exhibit 
 a sweet temper, keep the Sabbath, and avoid the 
 ways of the wicked. Especially how happy would 
 it be, if you should become truly religious. For 
 you must remember, dear children, that you are sin- 
 ners, that all your hearts by nature are very wicked, 
 that it is necessary for you to have new hearts, that 
 is. to repent of sin, to be sorry that you have sinned, 
 to pray to Christ, that he would forgive you, and 
 make you good. 
 
 There is a young lad, who belonged to the Sab- 
 bath school in . who became pious a short time 
 
 since, and now some good people are assisting him 
 
REV PLINY FISK. 95 
 
 to get an education that he may be a preacher of 
 the Gospel. I hope, my dear little friends, that you 
 will become Christians. All holy children love to 
 pray, to read the Bible, to learn good things; 'they 
 love to think about God, and about Christ who died 
 for them. Ii this should be the case with you, then 
 you need not be afraid to die; lor to die would only 
 be to go where God is; to dwell with him in heaven, 
 and with all good people forever and ever. You 
 must all die. Perhaps some among you have died, 
 since I saw you last year: if not you will all, one af- 
 ter another die; your bodies will turn to dust, and 
 your souls will be in heaven, or hell. When I think 
 of this, I feel concerned for you, and earnestly pray 
 for you, that the Saviour, who once took little chil- 
 dren in his arms, and blessed them, may bless you, 
 and turn ail your hearts from sin, and prepare you 
 for heaven. Dear children, farewell." 
 
 Sometime previously to the last mentioned date, 
 Mr. Parsons had joined Mr. Fisk, and they now held 
 themselves in readiness to depart on a short notice; 
 though they then did not expect to sail so soon as 
 they finally did. About this time it was ascertained, 
 that an opportunity to sail to Smyrna was in pros- 
 pect, and they were notified to be ready soon to 
 embark. 
 
 Mr. Fisk, went immediately to Shelburne to make 
 a final visit to his aged father and other friends. 
 His time was short, but profitably spent, while at 
 home. He wished to meet, once more, his acquain- 
 tance, and former companions in his native place, 
 and a meeting was accordingly appointed on the 
 last Tuesday of October. He delivered an affec- 
 tionate and solemn farewell address, and took leave 
 of the people, expecting to see their faces no more. 
 The scene was one of overwhelming interest, and 
 will long be remembered by tho^e present. The 
 following morning he left the paternal roof, the 
 scenes of his youthful days, and a venerable widowed 
 
MEMOIR OF 
 
 father, bending under the infirmities of years, and, 
 being accompanied by his brother, he proceeded to 
 Boston. 
 
 Sabbath evening, October 31, he preached to a 
 numerous and deeply interested congregation in the 
 Old South Church, from Acts xx, 22. "And now, 
 behold, I go up bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, 
 not knowing the things that shall befal me there." 
 In concluding this sermon, Mr. Fisk observes; 
 " Whether we shall be buried in a watery tomb; 
 whether disease shall bring us to an early grave; 
 whether the suspicion of government or the bigotry 
 of false religion, shall shut the door against us; or 
 whether a great and effectual door shall be opened 
 before us, and the word of the Lord have free course 
 and be glorified, as it is with you; whether we shall 
 spend a long life in labors, and die having only sown 
 the seed from which others may reap the harvest, or 
 whether we shall see the truths prevail and die sur- 
 rounded by converts from error, who may soothe the 
 bed of death and weep over our tomb; these are 
 points to be decided not by human sagacity, but by 
 Him, whose Providence calls us, whom we would 
 cheerfully obey, and in whom we would trust the 
 future. The time has arrived, when we are called 
 by the Providence of God, if its language is not al- 
 together misunderstood, to leave the scenes of our 
 childhood, and the country that is blessed, beyond 
 any other country under heaven, with civil and re- 
 ligious privileges; not to find other privileges and 
 friends like them in another land; but to meet the 
 uncertainties and difficulties, attendant on a Chris- 
 tian mission among Turks and Jews. If any cir- 
 cumstances can affect the mind in health, as it is 
 affected by a near prospect of death, it is perhaps 
 thus affected with the prospect of leaving for life all 
 who have ever been known, and all that has ever 
 been seen. This prospect brings eternity near. It 
 excites solicitude respecting that meeting, whieh 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 
 
 f: shall be an eternal meeting, or a prelude to eter- 
 nal separation." 
 
 At this meeting the instructions of the Prudential 
 Committee, prepared by the lamented Dr. Worces- 
 ter, were delivered to him and Mr. Parsons. These 
 instructions were drawn up with reference to the 
 peculiar nature of the mission to be undertaken, 
 and may be considered as a splendid, and masterly 
 effort of the human mind, beaming with eloquence, 
 and breathing the spirit of enlightened, apostolic 
 piety. A passage or two, to which Mr. Fisk had 
 constant reference in forming his plans, and direct- 
 ing his labors, it may not be unsuitable here to in- 
 troduce. 
 
 "From the heights of the Holy Land, from Cal- 
 vary, from Olivet, and from Zion, you will take 
 an extended view of the wide spread desolations, 
 and variegated scenes, presenting themselves on 
 every side to Christian sensibility; and will survey 
 with earnest attention the various tribes and classes 
 of fellow beings, who dwell in that land, and in the 
 surrounding countries. The two grand inquiries 
 ever present to your minds will be, WHAT GOOD CAN 
 BE DONE? and BY WHAT MEANS? What can be done for 
 Jews'? What for the Pagans'? What for the Mahom- 
 medans? What for the Christians? What for the 
 people in Palestine? What for those in Egypt, in 
 Syria, in Persia, in Armenia, in other countries 
 to which your inquiries may be extended?" 
 
 On the Monday following, Mr. Fisk expected to 
 sail, but for some reason the vessel was detained a 
 day or two, and he was favored with the precious 
 privilege of meeting with a large assembly of Chris- 
 tian friends once more, and for the last time, at the 
 Monthly concert. And as the collections, taken at 
 this meeting for the preceding year, had been ap- 
 propriated expressly for the Palestine mission, it was 
 highly gratifying to the friends of Zion to unite with 
 9 
 
 I 
 
MEMOIR OF 
 
 the first missionaries in prayer and exhortation, just 
 before their departure. 
 
 On Wednesday morning, November 3, 1819, Mr. 
 Fisk and his colleague embarked on board the ship 
 Sally Ann, Capt. Edes, and bade their last adieu to 
 the shores, the scenes, and the privileges of their 
 native country. During a number of weeks he suf- 
 fered much from sea sickness; of course little was 
 attempted by way of study. As soon as his health 
 was restored, he resumed his studies which he in- 
 dustriously prosecuted on the voyage. According 
 to the arrangement of Captain Edes, and at his re- 
 quest, religious services were attended regularly on 
 board. Particular attention was devoted to the 
 spiritual welfare of the seaman belonging to the 
 vessel, and, as was hoped, not without good effect. 
 
 Some of the correspondence of Mr. Fisk, while 
 on his passage, will show the general state of his 
 mind at this time. As each letter was written under 
 different dates, the extracts will be arranged in the 
 rder of time. 
 
 TO MISS M. D. B. OF W. 
 
 "Ship, Sally Ann, Dec. I, 1819. 
 
 "Providence ordered things favorably. We were 
 indeed called to sail a little sooner than we wished; 
 but it was well. It would have given us a melan- 
 choly pleasure to have seen a few of our friends 
 again, but no doubt, it was best we should be de- 
 prived of this pleasure. The suddenness of our 
 departure made it seem almost like a dream. But 
 it is reality. The long expected moment is passed. 
 The object of so many hopes, and fears, and prayers, 
 is accomplished. America, and American friends, 
 farewell. The most precious blessings descend 
 richly upon you." 
 
 TO MISS M. A. OF A. 
 
 "Dec. 2. You are happy to-day, with parents 
 and sistersj enjoying the bounties of Providence, 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 90 
 
 reviewing the mercies of the past year, lifting up 
 your praises to God for his goodness, and renewing 
 your vows to be the Lord's. How preciousis a day 
 of Thanksgiving, when viewed in a proper Tight. 
 And how much do they lose, who make this merely 
 a season of festivity and amusement. Let it be one 
 object of your life to promote by example, by con- 
 versation, and by letters, a proper observance of 
 this religious festival. Your brothers, I suppose, 
 are absent. If so, this is an occasion on which they 
 are no doubt remembered. And I assure you, it 
 gives me no small degree of satisfaction to reflect, 
 that to-day parents, sisters, and brothers, are accus- 
 tomed to remember, and mention the absent mem- 
 bers of the family. If we observe this day aright, 
 it will be an emblem, and at the same time, a pre- 
 cious earnest, of that eternal thanksgiving, in which 
 unnumbered multitudes shall join in unceasing songs 
 of praise." 
 
 TO MISS M. D. B. OF W. 
 
 "Dec. 7. Since my last visit at your father's, I 
 have thought much of your parents, and of the du- 
 ties you are discharging towards them. Setting 
 aside filial affection, gratitude, and obligation; and 
 assiduous endeavors to make old age happy, might 
 seem to be attended with sacrifices and trials; the 
 confinement might be tedious, and the task a griev- 
 ous one. But when filial love stimulates to efforts 
 for promoting the comfort of those, to whom we 
 owe our being; of those who have suffered so much, 
 done so much, and had so many nights of sleepless so- 
 licitude on our account, I can easily conceive that 
 every sacrifice will seem a gratification, every labor 
 and effort a privilege. Indeed, when I think of an 
 absent father, whose head is blossoming for the grave, 
 and who is declining under the infirmities of age, I 
 almost envy those who may employ their time and 
 
MEMOIR OF 
 
 skill, in cheering the gloomy evening of life, and in 
 paying the debt of filial obligation. 
 
 "May you have the unspeakable happiness of 
 finding all your efforts successful in contributing 
 largely to the tranquillity and happiness of aged 
 parents. Request them to accept the assurance of 
 my affection and esteem. I have one request more 
 to make. To your example and your prayers, add 
 occasional remarks in your letters and visits, which 
 shall tend to remind others of their obligation to 
 parents. Let questions be started, rules and plans 
 adopted, and motives suggested, relating to the sub- 
 ject. I once preached on the subject; and I believe, 
 if I were to preach regularly, I should often intro- 
 duce it. It appears to me, there is scarcely a more 
 delightful scene to be witnessed on earth, than 
 children assiduously discharging their duty to par- 
 ents, especially where piety forms a prominent trait 
 in their character." 
 
 TO MISS M. A. OF A. 
 
 "Dec. 13. We make slow progress; weather un- 
 favorable, winds contrary, most of the time. The 
 vessel is rocked and tossed about in a very disa- 
 greeable manner, and I have been more or less sea- 
 sick the greater part of the time since leaving 
 Boston. 
 
 "Sometimes I begin to grow impatient. When I 
 feel the symptoms of this disorder, I take the 'Sketch 
 of Missions,' and read the history of other missions, 
 and this always makes me ashamed of my impa- 
 tience. We know nothing at all about self-denial. 
 Just read (page 107, &c.) the history of Hans 
 Egede. There is self-denial in good earnest. There 
 is love to souls, and love to Christ. O when shall 
 we see such a spirit pervade all the churches of our 
 Lord Jesus Christ. Then will the astonished world 
 see that the benevolence of the Gospel is an om- 
 nipotent benevolence. 
 
KEV. PLINY FISK. 101 
 
 "But how trying it is to think of a state of high 
 and holy attainments, of ingenuous and earnest piety, 
 of active and successful labor, to think of it as at- 
 tainable and indispensable, to wish, and hope^ and 
 pray for it, and yet find day succeeding day, and 
 year succeeding year, while little or no progress is 
 made towards these attainments. I could bear the 
 slow progress of the vessel, and contrary winds, 
 and long calms, if I might but advance in con- 
 formity to my Saviour. What is this insurmounta- 
 ble obstacle that lies in the way? Why can we not 
 forsake all for Christ, and enjoy habitually the un- 
 utterable happiness of resting in his love? What 
 blasting influence is this, which so benumbs our 
 souls! Sometimes I think, that the hope of my be- 
 coming holy, is the most desperate hope that ever 
 was cherished. But, if at last grace does triumph 
 over all this stubbornness and unbelief, what songs 
 of praise will there be in heaven! And if other sin- 
 ners are like me, and if a multitude which no 
 man can number, shall at last be saved, what glory 
 will redound to the Redeemer!" 
 
 TO THE REV. DR. P. OF SHELBURNE. 
 
 "Dec. 15. When I sit down to write to you, my 
 'boughts naturally revert to former scenes, and to a 
 variety of circumstances which are peculiarly in- 
 teresting to me. I write to one who for years sus- 
 tained to me the sacred and endeared relation of 
 Pastor, and who has been, I trust, an instrument of 
 the greatest spiritual good to me, and to a number 
 of my dearest friends; and who has likewise afforded 
 me, at different periods, much assistance in prepar- 
 ing for the work in which I am engaged; nor is it 
 an indifferent circumstance that he, who was my 
 pastor and teacher so long, is still the pastor and 
 teacher of those whose religious interests are pecu- 
 liarly dear to me. Be assured, Sir, the interesting 
 events of days that are past, and your kind attentions 
 
IU.3 MEMOIR OF 
 
 to me, have left an impression on my mind which 
 will not soon be effaced. The recollections they 
 furnish often make me feel almost as if I were in S. 
 again. My last visit there, and the moment of part- 
 ing, made me more sensible than ever I was before, 
 of my attachment to that place; to the church and 
 to the people. You can never tell so well the 
 strength of cords, as when you attempt to break 
 them. 1 have found it so in respect to my attach- 
 ment to home, and friends, and country. I think I 
 never perceived so clearly the force and import of 
 the condition which our Saviour required, of those 
 who would become his disciples, viz. That they 
 must forsake //, and follow him." 
 
 TO THE REV. P, S. OF J., TT. 
 
 ".Dec. 15. May the Lord Jesus dwell with yo'u 
 and bless you; make your house the abode of hap- 
 piness and peace; draw your hearts nearer and 
 nearer to himself; give you more and more comfort 
 in Christian society; make your children sources of 
 consolation, and promote vital piety among the peo- 
 ple with whom you are connected. A. and E. are 
 often thought of. Do they remember me? How I 
 should love to see A. a good missionary in Asia. 
 Would you consent, if the Lord should call him? 
 Will you not even pray, that it may be so? 
 
 "You have no doubt, heard of my departure from 
 Boston. We have now been out 41 days have just 
 entered the Mediterranean passage thus far rather 
 long. We are in a good ship, and have good ac- 
 commodations; try to do the sailors good; read, 
 converse, and pray with them daily, and preach to 
 them on the Sabbath. They are ignorant, but seem 
 attentive, and in some degree interested. I hope 
 our efforts will not be wholly in vain. But alas! 
 how hard is the impenitent heart! Brother S., are 
 you not sometimes quite discouraged in giving men 
 invitations to enter heaven-, while they so generally 
 

 REV. PLINY FISK. 
 
 slight them? But let us not be weary in well doing, 
 for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. O 
 how desirable to have more zeal and perseverance, 
 more compassion for sinners, and more love to 
 Christ. Then we should be better ministers." 
 
 TO MISS M. D. B. OF W. 
 
 "Dec. 23. We are now within a short distance of 
 Malta. Hitherto the Lord has preserved and pros- 
 pered us. Countries that need missionary labor 
 now present themselves all around us. 
 
 "When I cast my eyes on the hills of Africa, I 
 think of millions there, the slaves of Mahommedan 
 cruelty and superstition. When we sailed by Por- 
 tugal, and Spain, and Sicily, and Sardinia, I 
 thought of the multitudes who are there shrouded 
 in papal darkness. As we proceed, we shall see 
 still more extensive and populous countries, where 
 the God of this world holds uncontrolled dominion. 
 'The harvest is plenteous, the laborers are few.' It 
 makes one's heart ache to think of the religious state 
 of these people. With such faith, such practice, 
 and such hearts, as they now possess, what must be 
 their prospect, what their portion at death? I fear 
 we think too little of the heathen as candidates for 
 eternity. Surely they have souls, and they are sin- 
 ners. As such they cannot enter heaven. Do think 
 of their prospects. I have no disposition to dispute 
 with those who have so much benevolence and 
 piety as to shudder at the thought that a heathen 
 should perish, while they have not benevolence or 
 piety enough to give a cent, or offer a prayer for 
 their conversion. But I do earnestly desire that 
 Christians, who know the evil of sin and the value 
 of the soul, would think solemnly of the condition 
 and prospects of a world lying in wickedness with- 
 out the Gospel." 
 
 The ship, in which Mr. Fjsk sailed, entered the 
 harbor of Malta on the 23d of Dec. after a favorable 
 
104 MEMOIR OF 
 
 voyage. Such was the strictness of the quarantine 
 laws, that no one was permitted to land on the Isl- 
 and, except at certain places near the shore, and 
 this for the purpose of receiving such articles as 
 were brought and laid there for them. While lying 
 in harbor an opportunity was enjoyed to form an 
 acquaintance with the Rev. Mr. Jowett, Dr. Naudi, 
 and others, from whom valuable information was 
 obtained, and marked proofs received of their cor- 
 dial interest in the Palestine Mission. By these 
 gentlemen they were furnished with letters of intro- 
 duction to persons of influence in Smyrna and Scio. 
 While in Malta harbor, he writes to a brother in 
 Shelburne. 
 
 "Dec. 29. There are two missionaries on this 
 Island from England, Mr. Jowett and Mr. Wilson. 
 They come every day to see us; and though we are 
 not allowed to touch each other, yet we may stand 
 in different boats, or at a little distance in the Laz- 
 aretto, and converse. They seem to be excellent 
 men, have given us considerable information, have 
 requested us to correspond with them, and have 
 offered us letters of introduction to some gentle- 
 men, with whom they are acquainted at Smyrna. 
 
 "We have twice seen Dr. Naudi, native of Malta, 
 who is much engaged in circulating the Scriptures, 
 and Tracts, and expresses great interest in our object. 
 There is a Bible Society here, consisting of these 
 three men and a few others, principally foreigners, 
 merchants, and officers residing here. Thus a lit- 
 tle light begins here to glimmer. Though we shall 
 be more than a thousand miles from these men, yet 
 we shall consider them our neighbors. Your affec-^ 
 tionate brother, PLINY." 
 
 TO REV. DR. PORTER, OF ANDOVER. 
 
 "Dec. 30. Dear Sir. Your parting letter increas- 
 ed our obligations which have been accumulating 
 for years. It shall be our endeavor to approve our- 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 105 
 
 selves not unworthy of the affection and confidence, 
 you have bestowed. A parting visit at Andover, 
 after the members of the Seminary had returned, 
 we with reluctance relinquished. The goodness of 
 God, however, is manifest in providing for us so 
 favorable a passage to these regions. We have 
 encountered no dangerous storms; yet we have 
 sometimes read with deep interest Psalms, 91, and 
 121, to which you referred us. How precious the 
 support they yield in the hour of sorrow or of danger. 
 We had often heard it said, that it must be impos- 
 sible to judge, what feelings are excited on leaving 
 one's country, unless we experience them. This 
 remark is never well understood, till it receives a 
 practical illustration. 
 
 "A voyage at sea in some respects is favorable to 
 piety. It is calculated to produce confidence in 
 God, patience under little troubles, and compas- 
 sion towards those who are in danger, or in want. 
 But on many accounts it is unfavorable. We have 
 no apartments for uninterrupted retirement. We 
 find, however, much comfort in reading John iv. 21 
 24. On the whole, our voyage has been as pleas- 
 ant as we could expect; our accommodations much 
 better than we anticipated. We often think, often 
 speak of the Theological Seminary. We hope to 
 hear that every thing there prospers; and especially 
 that the spirit of the Gospel prevails. Nothing 
 prepares for encountering trials, or performing 
 labors, like the habit of walking with God, and 
 drawing motives and consolations from the cross 
 of Christ. O that we may be thus qualified for our 
 work. We hope you will not cease to pray for us." 
 
 TO THE REV. DR. P. OF S. 
 
 "Jan. 3. To-day I preached from Acts xxviii. 1. 
 After rehearsing the story of St. Paul's voyage, 
 shipwreck and escape, I endeavored to show what 
 instruction and admonition a storm at sea is calcu- 
 
106 MEMOIR OF 
 
 lated to afford. Some of my hearers had suffered 
 shipwreck, and all knew very well the dangers of 
 the sea. They appeared considerably interested. 
 Still, preaching to them and talking with them, some- 
 times seems like blows on the water, which yields 
 to the stroke but retains no impression. Whether 
 any fruit will be produced from the seed we have 
 sown, must be left with Him who can give the 
 increase. Probably they, with whom we must labor 
 hereafter, will be still more insensible to divine 
 truth. I need more faith and patience, and I need 
 the prayers of Christian^. Above all, I need the 
 supporting aids of divine grace." 
 
 On the 9th of January, the ship proceeded on her 
 voyage, and on the 15th, entered the harbor of 
 Smyrna. As the day following was the Sabbath, 
 Mr. Fisk and his colleague remained on board till 
 Monday. Some of his reflections during the Sab- 
 bath will be found in a letter written to the Rev. A. 
 B. of S. 
 
 Smyrna, January 16, 1820. 
 
 "Dear Brother. It was once our happiness to 
 keep Sabbaths together. Now the Atlantic and 
 Mediterranean lie between us. Distance and oceans, 
 however, cannot wholly interrupt the communion of 
 Christian brethren. Will it arford you any gratifi- 
 cation to know how I have spent my first Sabbath in 
 Asia. 
 
 "We arrived in this harbor yesterday. Mr. Parsons 
 and I thought it not best to go into town until 
 to-morrow, and we therefore remain in the ship. 
 The Sabbath has been very different from one at 
 Andover. Nearly a hundred vessels lie in the har- 
 bor, whose boats have been passing and repassing 
 all day; guns have been heard frequently, which, with 
 the ringing of catholic bells in town, and the shouts, 
 yells, murmurs, and gabbling of Turks, Greeks, and 
 almost every kind of people, in every direction, and 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 107 
 
 in their different languages, have made this a noisy 
 day. 
 
 "This is our eleventh Sabbath at sea. Except two, 
 the crew have been regularly collected in the'cabin 
 or on deck to attend a religious service. Mr. Par- 
 sons preached to day from Matt. xxiv. 44. 'Be ye 
 also ready.' This sermon was occasioned by the 
 sudden death of one of the sailors who fell from the 
 main top, and survived only about two hours. The 
 event has had some effect on the survivors. To day 
 they were very attentive, though we have strong 
 reason to fear, that no permanent impression is made. 
 Mr. P., was very affectionate and faithful in his ad- 
 dress to the men. 
 
 "tn the morning I read Daniel, to see what I could 
 find about the kingdom of Christ. It is a valuable, 
 a precious book. Some of it is very easily under- 
 stood, and affords much ground for animated hope, 
 and zealous efforts in regard to religion. In the af- 
 noon I read the Memoir of Henry Martyn. This is 
 a work of rare excellence. Mr. Martyn was an 
 eminent Christian. He walked with God. He loved 
 the Bible. He read with much interest and evident 
 advantage, Brainerd, Edwards, Hopkins, Baxter, 
 Milner, and Bunyan. The aged Mr. Newton, Mr. 
 Richard Cecil, and H. K. White, were among his 
 Christian friends, and what perhaps was of more im- 
 portance still, he had a sister who had made high 
 attainments in the divine life, and whose faithful and 
 tender efforts contributed not a little to the purity 
 and elevation of his piety. 
 
 "Just before dark we walked some time on deck, 
 conversing about Henry Martyn, and then looking 
 at Smyrna, turned our conversation to the work be- 
 fore us. What would be your feelings in looking at 
 a city of 150,000 souls, the greater part Mahomme- 
 dans, and the rest little or no better. 'Can these 
 dry bones live? O Lord God thou knowest.' " 
 
 it 
 
108 MEMOIR OF 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 RESIDENCE IN SMYRNA AND SCIO IN CONNEXION WITH 
 MR. PARSONS, AND VISIT TO "THE SEVEN CHURCHES 
 
 THE civility and cordiality, with which Mr. Fisk 
 was treated on his arrival in Smyrna, particularly 
 from the gentlemen to whom he had letters of intro- 
 duction, he acknowledges in a letter to his father, 
 dated January 18, 1820. 
 
 "Honored and beloved Father. When I recollect 
 how much you have done for me, and how much 
 interest you felt for me when I left you last, I am 
 certain you will be comforted, and will unite your 
 thanksgivings with mine for all the goodness of God 
 to me, while on the ocean, and while exposed to 
 many dangers. 
 
 "We lodge as yet on board the vessel, and have 
 been on shore only once. Yesterday we spent the 
 whole day in town. It will comfort you to know, 
 that we have already found a few friends. Capt. 
 Edes went with us first to Messrs. Van Lennep's. 
 There are two brothers of this name who live to- 
 gether. They are merchants, were born in Smyrna 
 of Dutch parents, are respectable and rich. They 
 received us very kindly; offered us every assistance 
 in their power; told us they kept horses, which we 
 could have to ride at any time. We called next at 
 Mr. John Lee's. He is a native of Smyrna by Eng- 
 lish parents; his wife is a French lady. He is also 
 a rich merchant, and a man of extensive knowledge. 
 Mr. Langdon of Boston had some time since writ- 
 ten to Mr. Lee respecting our mission; but Mr. L. 
 says, he began to fear that we were not coming. 
 He owns a large library, and has offered us the use 
 of it; and assured us that his influence shall be ex- 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 109 
 
 or ted ill our favor, and in favor of our object. We 
 dined with him. Our next visit was with the Rev. 
 Charles Williamson, an Episcopal minister from 
 England, who is sent out as chaplain to preach to the 
 English living here. He has resided here about two 
 years, expresses great joy at our arrival; and he will 
 assist us in procuring a place of residence, and 
 whatever else we may need. It is a great consola- 
 tion to find one such man. He preaches every Sab- 
 bath in a small house or chapel, to the few English 
 residents in Smyrna. 
 
 "We called next on Mr. Perkins. There are two 
 merchants here by this name, who are brothers, 
 from Boston; one however has lived here about 
 twenty years, and the other a longer time. Here 
 too we were kindly received. Such was our first 
 visit in Asia. About nine o'clock in the evening we 
 returned to the ship. The men I have mentioned 
 all live near together, in Frank-street, which is in- 
 habited principally by merchants from Europe; Eng- 
 lish, Scotch, Dutch, Russian, Austrian, Spanish, and 
 Portuguese. 
 
 "This is a place of extensive trade. There are 
 perhaps 100 vessels now in harbor. Three are 
 American. We expect to hire a room, and live here 
 for the present to study languages. The prospect 
 is, that we shall find our situation pleasant. Surely 
 the goodness of God calls for our gratitude, and our 
 entire devotedness to his cause." 
 
 TO REV. DR. WOODS. ANDOVEll. 
 
 Smyrna, January 30, 1820. 
 
 "Rev. and Dear Sir. It has long been my earnest 
 desire to have a regular correspondence with some 
 experienced Christian, who can assist me in forming 
 my religious and missionary character; a correspon- 
 dence which shall be peculiarly free arid unreserved; 
 in which I can communicate frankly all that I wish, 
 about my temptations and dangers, my struggles, 
 10 
 
110 MEMOIR OF 
 
 failures and successes, my doubts, fears and hopes; 
 and in which I may receive the results of longer 
 experience. My present situation makes such a 
 correspondence peculiarly desirable, shut out as T 
 am from Christian society, and deprived of the or- 
 dinary means of grace; in danger from irreligious 
 European society, and the influence of a moral 
 atmosphere wholly corrupt. I feel the need of a 
 friend who will look at me from America, faithfully 
 tell me all his heart, and raise the warning voice, 
 when he sees me in danger. 
 
 "Your letters would be peculiarly profitable, be- 
 cause written by one who has already had opportu- 
 nity to know my character and disposition, my weak- 
 nesses and dangers. 
 
 "Here I think it proper to make one remark con- 
 cerning my religious state. Though I have been 
 for a long time a professor of religion, and have 
 been much engaged in active duties; yet I have not 
 by any means that assurance which I wish to have, 
 of the genuineness of my religious experience. 
 
 "Most of the time I have indeed a comfortable 
 hope, but not without some distressing fears that my 
 religion may be accounted for on natural principles. 
 This has been my state, with very little change, for 
 about twelve years. What am I to think of this? 
 
 "While I request further favors, I beg you will be 
 assured, that I entertain a very grateful sense of 
 those already received." 
 
 On the first Monday in February, Messrs. Fisk 
 and Parsons united with the Rev. Mr. Williamson 
 in the Monthly concert of prayer. Probably this 
 was the first meeting of the kind ever held in 
 Turkey. 
 
 Without recurring to the journal,* which furnishes 
 a, minute detail of visits and observations during the 
 first few months of Mr. Fisk's residence in Smyrna, 
 
 * Missionary Herald, vol. 17. p. 185 and 201, 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. Ill 
 
 it will be sufficient to give a selection of extracts 
 from his correspondence, which will show in general 
 what his situation and engagements at this time were, 
 with his observations thereon. 
 
 TO ONE OF HIS MISSIONARY BRETHREN. 
 
 Smyi-na, March 6, 1820. 
 
 The Christian is a citizen of Immanuel's king- 
 dom, arid as such ought to cultivate patriotism, to a 
 high degree. What could be more suitable, than 
 the glowing fire and the burning zeal of political en- 
 thusiasm consecrated to Christ, and baptized into his' 
 spirit? How ought we all to be ashamed of ourselves, 
 that we have so little holy patriotism, that we love 
 our kingdom so little; while they, who belong to 
 earthly kingdoms, are so completely devoted to the 
 perishing interests and carnal objects of their re- 
 spective kingdoms? Sometimes I love to think of 
 the glory of Christ's kingdom, and ef its progress 
 from step to step, till it shall fill the earth. But I 
 stand in great need of having my views rendered 
 more spiritual. 
 
 "This is the day of the Monthly concert. A pre- 
 cious day to the friends of missions. We have 
 thought it proper to devote the day to religious ser- 
 vices. We conversed sometime about our need oi 
 more acquaintance with the Scriptures, and with 
 the nature of Christ's kingdom-, and more purity and 
 spirituality of mind, as qualifications for our great 
 work; and then cried to God, that he would fit us 
 for his own work. We spoke of the multitudes, 
 who are -engaged in this Concert; of Christians, who 
 through ignorance, or indifference, neglect it; and 
 uf the great importance of having the whole strength 
 of all God's people united in this work, that the 
 whole family of Christ may come on this day with 
 one petition, and with all earnestness of intercession 
 plead for the conversion of the world. We then 
 made it a subject of prayer, that the presence of 
 
1 12 MEMOIR OF 
 
 Christ may be every where enjoyed to day, and that 
 this Concert may be extended." 
 
 TO THE REV. DR. P., OF SHELBURNE, MASS. 
 
 Smyrna, March 17, 1820. 
 
 "Smyrna would be a good missionary station. It 
 is full of souls bound to eternity, but enveloped in 
 the most dreadful moral darkness. You cannot, I 
 apprehend, very well conceive what emotions it ex- 
 cites, to stand and look at such a city. The people 
 are dying daily in the most dreadful ignorance of 
 the Saviour, and of the true God. There are around 
 the city immense burying grounds, some of them 
 containing, I presume, twenty or thirty acres; filled 
 with tombs and overshadowed with Cypress trees. 
 What a scene will it be when these unnumbered 
 congregations of the dead, shall rise again! 
 
 "Though this land is full of superstition, cruelty 
 and ignorance, yet we find our situation by no means 
 uncomfortable. The house in which we live is two 
 stories high; though, like many others in the city, 
 its walls are of mud, and it has no chimney. We 
 arc near the north-east corner of the city, and have 
 a good place for morning and evening walks; though 
 the streets are generally very dirty, and very narrow, 
 being from six to perhaps fifteen feet wide. I be- 
 lieve there are only two carriages in Smyrna, and 
 these both belong to Englishmen. All burdens are 
 carried on the backs of camels, mules, asses, or men. 
 
 "The costume of the people is truly amusing. 
 One is clothed with long robes coming to his feet: 
 another with large pantaloons coming only to his 
 knees; one has a turban on his head, another a cal- 
 pak, black, white, or green, sometimes globular, 
 sometimes cubical, and often very large. They 
 have no brim, are made very light, set close to the 
 head, the hair being generally all shaved off, unless 
 it be a little on the crown; are worn in the house. 
 
REV. PLINY FI.SK. I l-I 
 
 us well as abroad, in company, at church, and every 
 where. 
 
 "The catholic priests wear hats with broad brims.; 
 the Greeks, a small black hat without any brim. It 
 is common to meet men with beards, that hang down 
 on their breasts. Jews, Turks, Priests, &c. The 
 Turkish women are seldom seen abroad, and never 
 except with their faces completely covered. The 
 Armenian women have their faces nearly or quite 
 all veiled; but the Greek women seem quite willing 
 to have their faces seen. Their dress is generally 
 very much like that of the English ladies." 
 
 TO THE REV. D. H., OF W. 
 
 i -March, 1820. You will not expect to hear, at 
 present, that we have met with much success. 
 While you labor in a field where you may spend 
 one part of the day in sowing, and the other part in 
 reaping, we have come to a field which needs not 
 a little preparatory labor before the seed can be 
 sown with much prospect of a crop. We do indeed 
 drop now and then a seed, and cherish a faint hope 
 that some fruit may be the result. But the land is 
 so covered with rocks and hedges, with swamps and 
 marshes; so overrun with briers, thorns, and poison- 
 ous weeds; so infested with birds and beasts of 
 prey; so blasted by the curse of the JHmighty, that our 
 hopes of a speedy or an abundant harvest are ex- 
 ceedingly faint and wavering. Yet we know, and 
 wish always to remember, whose blessing it is, that 
 can give success even here. 
 
 "Visionary as our undertaking may seem to 
 worldly spirits, and disheartening as our prospects 
 sometimes appear to ourselves, yet we rejoice, that 
 we are sent hither, and thus far are very happy in 
 our work. Yes, small as our forces are, we will, 
 trusting in Him, who is mighty, confidently besiege 
 this great empire of sin. Wt may perish in the 
 10* 
 
114 MEMOIR OF 
 
 siege before the first stone shall fall from the wall, 
 But it is not more certain, that the walls of Jericho 
 fell before the ancient people of God, than it is, that 
 the whole Mahommedan world will be subdued by 
 the Gospel. But, my brother, you know something 
 of the treachery and the weakness of the human 
 heart: and though these prospects are certain, yet 
 the time may come, when our faith, courage, and 
 resolutions, will fail. Think of us sometimes in 
 your devotional moments, and especially in refer- 
 ence to the danger of our fainting, and proving un- 
 faithful in our work." 
 
 The letter, which will next be inserted, was writ- 
 ten on the fourth anniversary of the death of his 
 mother, and addressed to his father. It will exhibit, 
 what was peculiarly strong in Mr. F., filial affection. 
 
 Smyrna. April 15, 1820. 
 
 "Dearly beloved Father. It will probably be a 
 long time before I shall have an opportunity to send 
 you this letter; but I have a special reason for writ- 
 ing to you to-day. It is four years this day since 
 the death of my dear Mother. Four years ago my 
 iather, brothers, and sisters, were watching with 
 painful anxiety the symptoms which indicated [her 
 approaching dissolution. In the evening the ap- 
 pointed moment arrived. Your hopes vanished. 
 Her breath ceased. Her immortal spirit departed. 
 How painful was that event to those who survived! 
 Even at this distance, and after the lapse of four 
 years, my heart is alive to the affecting scene. The 
 letter which gave me the mournful news is now open 
 before me, and a perusal of it has, in some measure, 
 revived the sensations which at first it excited. 
 
 "Alas! how uncertain are all earthly connexions! 
 How liable we are every moment to be deprived of 
 the objects that are dearest to our hearts! 
 
 "Happy are they who have grace given them to 
 make a wise improvement of the afflictions which 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 
 
 they are called to endure. To them these momentary 
 trials will be productive of eternal joy. That this 
 may be the happy effect, we need the influences of 
 the Holy Spirit, to produce in us submission and love. 
 
 "After having for many years lived in the domes- 
 tic state, and experienced the trials and comforts, 
 the hopes and fears, connected with it; my father is 
 now left in lonely widowhood. Four years of this 
 solitude have already passed. It is indeed a great 
 blessing, and one which, I trust, affords you much 
 happiness, and is enjoyed with many thanksgivings, 
 to live in the society of children, especially of chil- 
 dren who have devoted themselves to the service of 
 Christ. Does not this in some measure compensate 
 for the loss of a still dearer friend? 
 
 "When I reflect on the changes which have taken 
 place within four years in my father's family; it ex- 
 rites a train of melancholy reflections. 
 
 "But these changes have all been ordered by In- 
 finite wisdom. Why then should we not cheerfully 
 acquiesce^ Why should we not adore our God for 
 all his dispensations? 
 
 "After our afflictions have passed by, we may very 
 properly inquire, what effect they have produced. 
 Are we excited to more prayer? Are we weaned 
 from the world? Are we fitted to die? 
 
 "My circumstances seem to render it peculiarly 
 important, that I should be always ready to leave 
 the world. And, my dear father, you undoubtedly 
 reflect very often on your age, and that you must 
 before long put off this tabernacle. O may the 
 grace of God prepare us for the change whenever 
 it may come. May my father enjoy the inestimable 
 comforts of an unshaken hope, and wait with patient 
 expectation the hour which shall call him to endless 
 rest. I shall always remember the happy death of 
 my good mother. What a blessing to enjoy such 
 comfort, and such hope on a dying bed. May we 
 
1 1 MEMOIR OF 
 
 live the life, that so we may die the death of thf 
 righteous. Your absent, but dutiful son, PLINY." 
 
 Scio, an Island about 70 miles from Smyrna, was 
 considered an eligible summer residence. It also 
 afforded superior advantages for the study of modern 
 Greek, which might be pursued under the direction 
 of Professor Bambas, the Principal of a flourishing 
 Seminary then in the Island. Accordingly arrange- 
 ments were made by Mr. F., and his fellow laborer, 
 to go to that place, at which they arrived May 12th, 
 after a passage of forty-eight hours. They were 
 introduced to the Greek Bishop, as Americans; who 
 immediately inquired, whether they were WASHING- 
 TON'S countrymen. On the 15th they were intro- 
 duced to Professor Bambas by letters from Messrs. 
 Jowett and Williamson. They found him reading 
 Sophocles with a class of pupils. He proposed to 
 devote his time to instructing them in Modern 
 Greek, inviting them to come to his study daily for 
 the purpose. 
 
 The obliging Professor assigned as a reason for 
 devoting such special attention to his missionary 
 pupils, his regard for the employment, in which 
 they were to be engaged. He took, it was found, 
 a lively interest in the benevolent operations of the 
 day, and proved to be a man of correct religious 
 sentiments, and a faithful teacher. Mr. Fisk, in 
 a letter to his father, dated Scio, June 5, 1820, 
 thus speaks of his situation and employments. 
 
 "About four weeks ago we left Smyrna and came 
 to Scio, (the Chios mentioned in Acts.) It is in- 
 habited almost wholly by Greeks. We came here 
 to learn the Greek language. I am acquainted with 
 but two persons on the Island who speak English, 
 and we do not very often see them. Many speak 
 Italian, in which we are now able to converse with 
 considerable ease; and we begin to stammer a lit- 
 tle in Greek. We have hired a small house, for 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 11 t 
 
 which we pay about eight dollars a month. When 
 we left Smyrna we hired a Greek (Martino,) who 
 has travelled much with Europeans in this country, 
 to come with us. He is a poor man, and cannot 
 read a word of any language; but he speaks Greek. 
 French, Italian, and Turkish. When we travel, he 
 knows the country, and acts as our guide. He is 
 our interpreter, and steward. I am now learning 
 him to read Italian. 
 
 "Our living here costs us generally about 60 or 
 70 cents a day. We find here no good meat nor 
 milk nor butter. Bread is very good, and also rice; 
 fruit, such as oranges, lemons, almonds, &c. are very 
 cheap. Wine costs five or six cents only per quart: 
 and except water, is the common drink of the 
 country. 
 
 "The weather is very hot, so that we cannot 
 study so much as we could last winter. Except a 
 degree of debility produced by the heat, we enjoy 
 good health. 
 
 "Our situation for learning Greek is peculiarly 
 favorable. Our instructor is the first Teacher in 
 the Greek college, and a man of learning. We 
 shall remain here perhaps three months longer, and ' 
 then return to Smyrna. 
 
 "Our time has been occupied thus far, and will 
 be principally occupied for months, perhaps for 
 years, in studying languages, and in collecting 
 information about the country, and in distributing 
 Bibles and Tracts. If our mission is the object of 
 divine favor, we may live yet to preach the Gospel 
 to Turks and Jews, as we used to preach in our 
 own country. But we know not what a day may 
 bring forth, and desire to commit ourselves and all 
 our plans to the divine disposal. 
 
 "The people here are very friendly to us, and we 
 live quietly. They all (except a few Turks and Jews) 
 profess to be Christians, and consider themselves 
 in the way to future happiness. But they know 
 very little about Christianity, have very few Bibles, 
 
116 MEMOIR OF 
 
 and suppose that religion consists very much in 
 making the sign of the cross, bowing before pic- 
 tures of Christ, the Virgin Mary, the Apostles and 
 Saints, and in performing other religious ceremo- 
 nies. They receive Greek Tracts very readily, 
 and they who can read are interested in perusing 
 them. I >hope we shall do something to promote 
 their spiritual welfare while we reside on the Isl- 
 and." 
 
 * "On the 13th of June the conductor of the col- 
 lege press, was engaged to furnish 5,000 copies of 
 a Tract on Reading the Scriptures, selected from the 
 works of Chrysostom, and translated into Modern 
 Greek. When the Tract was ready for distribution, 
 trial was soon made of the manner in which it would 
 be received. The result was such, as to suggest 
 the immediate publication of another "The end of 
 Time" by Dr. Watts, translated also into Modern 
 Greek. With these little heralds it was easy to gain 
 access to the schools, the monasteries, and the nun- 
 neries; in short, to any class of the Greek population. 
 Professor B. warmly seconded the circulation of 
 Tracts among his pupils, by urging them to study, 
 and retain in their memories, what had been so gen- 
 erously put into their hands. Within a few weeks 
 numerous copies were on their way to Thessalonica, 
 Crete, Corfu, Ipsera, and many other places. The 
 success of these incipient efforts was incomparably 
 more rapid and encouraging, than could have been 
 expected." 
 
 TO HIS FATHER. 
 
 Scio, July 2i, 1820. 
 
 "My very dear Father, It is now ten or twelve 
 weeks since we came to this Island. It has one 
 city in which we resided six or seven weeks. We 
 are now five or six miles from it. We have two 
 chambers in a good house, and live very comfort a- 
 
 * Sec 12th Annual Report of the American Board, p. 89. 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 
 
 bly, except that we are sometimes most sadly tor- 
 mented with musquitoes and fleas. During the day 
 we study Greek. About 4 o'clock we go to our 
 instructor, who lives half a mile from us, and spend 
 from one to two hours with him. He is the most 
 learned man on the Island, is very k ind|ja tt% and 
 takes great pains to assist us. He saw^MB day, in 
 reference to our work; 'May you go on in the 
 strength of the Lord, and accomplish the object, 
 for which you have left your friends and your coun- 
 try.' It is very pleasant to enjoy the society of 
 such a man; for most of the people here are igno- 
 rant to a degree, of which you can form no ade- 
 quate conception. Think of the most ignorant fam- 
 ily you ever knew, and then think that almost all 
 the people here are still more ignorant. Multi- 
 tudes of them cannot read a word. They who can 
 read, have but few books and read but little. They 
 have a few 1 copies of the Bible in ancient Greek, 
 but scarcely any of them understand it. In their 
 own language, Modern Greek, the Old Testament 
 has never been printed, and there are scarcely any 
 copies of the New on the Island. We brought a 
 few Testaments with us, and a little while since 
 gave one to a priest who had never seen one before. 
 Another priest saw it, and sent to us for one which 
 we let him have. A few days after, he came and 
 purchased another, and with it we gave him about a 
 dozen Tracts. Last Sunday we had five lads at our 
 room to read the Scriptures. We have distributed 
 a large number of Tracts, obtained at Malta and 
 Smyrna, and they have been very gratefully received. 
 There is a printing press on the Island, at which 
 there are now printing some Tracts for us. I think 
 great good may be done in this way." 
 
 In the month of August, Mr. Fisk for a few days 
 was so indisposed, as to call for the assistance of a 
 "lysician. At other times he was engaged, as usual, 
 study, and in the distribution of Tracts, visiting 
 
120 MEMOIR OF 
 
 schools, giving religious instruction to children, 
 making inquiries and researches with reference to 
 the state of the surrounding countries, and the fa- 
 cilities which exist for the dissemination of scrip- 
 tural knowledge. He visited and examined the state 
 of the college which had then been established 
 about five years. At that time there belonged to it 
 700 or 800 students, and fourteen Instructors one 
 Professor of Chemistry and Rhetoric, one of Mathe- 
 matics, one of Theology, Geometry, &c., one of the 
 Turkish language, one of the Latin and the French, 
 and nine teachers of the ancient and modern Greek. 
 The higher classes were required to study Plutarch, 
 Xenophon, Demosthenes, Plato, Herodotus, Pindar, 
 and the Iliad. 
 
 There was found connected with the college a 
 good chemical laboratory, and a printing press. 
 Funds had been collected, in part from the Greek 
 community, and in part by private donation. A 
 Russian gentleman had about that time given 20,000, 
 or 30,000 dollars to the college. Lessons were re- 
 cited once a week from the New Testament; and 
 particular attention was given to an English work, 
 called the "Young Minister's Companion," which 
 had been introduced through the instrumentality of 
 Messrs. Fisk and Parsons, and which the Professor 
 translated, while a class of 30 or 40 pupils were 
 engaged in writing it oft' in their own language. In 
 reference to the last fact noticed, Mr. Fisk observes: 
 "Scarcely any event has given us more joy since 
 we left America. Here were young men, members 
 of one of the first literary institutions in the Turk- 
 ish dominions, who are soon to be scattered over a 
 considerable part of the empire, engaged in writing 
 oft' the most salutary religious instructions. Cer- 
 tainly the hand of God is in this thing." 
 
 During the remaining weeks of his residence on 
 the Island, he was engaged with his companion in 
 labors, in disseminating the word of truth as oppor- 
 
REV. i'LINY FISK. 121 
 
 tunity occurred. He explored the gloomy recesses 
 of nunneries and monasteries, pouring into them 
 the light of the Gospel. He scattered precious frag- 
 ments of the Scriptures, not only through that Isl- 
 and, but through many of the isles of the Levant. 
 He confronted the ancient and venerated errors and 
 corruptions of priests and bishops, putting into their 
 hands the word of God, and warning them against 
 the cunning craftiness, and the lying wonders of 
 a the man of sin." He spent about five months at 
 Scio, during which time he and Mr. P. put in cir- 
 culation 3,700 Tracts, and 41 copies of the Scrip- 
 tures. On the 23d of October, they took passage for 
 Smyrna, which place they reached in safety in 34 
 hours. 
 
 11 Oct. 27. It is a year to-day since I said fare- 
 well, and left my father's house. How rich have 
 been the mercies of God to me during the year. O 
 that all the remaining years of my life may be en- 
 tirely consecrated to his service. How has the year 
 passed at home"? Separated as we are, I would 
 trust in God, respecting both myself and my friends. 
 But it agitates the mind to think of those we love, 
 when, for a long time, we cannot hear what befals 
 them." 
 
 5 
 
 VISIT TO "THE SEVEN CHURCHES." 
 
 In November, Mr. Fisk, in company with Mr. P. 
 
 nok a circuit of 300 miles for the purpose of visit- 
 g the places where once stood and nourished the 
 seven churches of Asia. The journal which fol- 
 lows, gives an account of this tout.* 
 
 "JVbw. 1, 1820. At half past eight left Smyrna, 
 We took Martino to provide food and interpret for 
 us. Had agreed beforehand with Serkish, an Ar- 
 menian, to furnish horses, and go as our guide. He 
 
 Tiie journal now introduced was written by Mr. Fisk, though 
 when forwarded to the Board, it was signed also by Mr. Parsons, anft 
 on this account it is called in the Missionary Herald, vol.17. "Jour, 
 il of Messrs. Parsons and Fisk." 
 It 
 
122 MEMOIR OF 
 
 provides one horse for our baggage, one for Martino. 
 and two for us. He takes a servant to assist him in 
 the care of the horses, so that we are, in all, five 
 men with six horses. He defrays all expenses for 
 himself, h-s servant, and his horses, and we pay him 
 thirty-seven and a half piastres (five dollars) a day. 
 We carry a trunk, and two large sacks, filled with 
 Testaments, Tracts, clothes, &c. 
 
 "We took a circuitous course around the east end 
 of the gulf of Smyrna, left Bournabat on the right, 
 passed along the northeastern shores of the gulf, 
 having on our right broken mountains, apparently 
 of granite. 
 
 "At half past twelve stopped for dinner, at a 
 Turkish coffee house. It was built of mud and 
 small stones; and was about ten feet square and ten 
 high. The roof was of pine bushes. The ground 
 served for a floor. The front was entirely open to 
 the road. The furniture consisted of a sofa, pipes, 
 and coffee cups. The Turkish landlord sat on the 
 sofa, with a pipe in his hand, and a sword and pis- 
 tols behind him. He invited us to sit down with 
 him, and a young Arab slave brought us sweet- 
 meats and coffee. After eating of food which we 
 carried with us, we obtained a watermelon of 
 the Turk, and resumed our journey. In the course 
 of the day passed three similar taverns. In the af- 
 ternoon our course was nearly north. Passed in 
 sight of a few scattered houses, and three small 
 villages, one of which had a mosque. At half past 
 three reached the village Menimen. Our road all 
 day was level, passing over a rich plain, having 
 the sea at no great distance on our left, and a range 
 of barren mountains on our right. Met with many 
 camels on the road, and saw some flocks of sheep 
 and herds of cattle, feeding on the plains. 
 
 "2. At seven o'clock commenced our journey, 
 [n three quarters of an hour, crossed the Hermus. 
 It is now about six or eight rods wide, and not above 
 
REV. PUNY FISK. 123 
 
 three feet deep, but sometimes, in rainy seasons, it 
 swells into a torrent. Passed in sight of ten small 
 villages, one of which has a minaret. At twelve 
 stopped at a Greek tavern. It was a small mud 
 house without a floor, and almost without furniture. 
 Dined on food which we carried with us. Left 24 
 Tracts for a Greek school in the vicinity, which we 
 had not time to visit. At half past four saw, on 
 our left hand, near the road, the ruins of a town, 
 which, we concluded, must have been the ancient 
 Myrina. The place is near the sea-shore, at the 
 head of a gulf. Strabo speaks of Myrina as situated 
 here, or not far distant; and some maps insert the 
 name in this place. Many pillars of granite eight 
 or ten feet long, and a foot and a half thick, and 
 some fragments of marble, were scattered on the 
 ground. Among them was a large statue of white 
 marble. The arms and part of the head are gone. 
 The body is about six feet long and three thick. 
 Once, perhaps, it was an object of worship; now it 
 lies entirely neglected, as we trust all relics of idol- 
 atry will be, at some future day. No walls remain, 
 and there is no building on the spot. 
 
 "At sunset crossed the Caicus. It was about as 
 large as the Hermus, and is now sometimes called 
 the Rindicus. 
 
 "At six we came to an old khan, now deserted, 
 on account of the place being unhealthy. It is nine 
 and a half hours north from Menimen. Like other 
 
 hans, it is a quadrangular building, with a large 
 en square in the centre. The best room we could 
 
 nd had been accessible to cattle, and had neither 
 floor nor furniture; but we could hear of no better 
 lodging place in the vicinity, and we had already 
 been riding three hours in a heavy rain. We begin 
 to understand what Henry Martyn meant, when he 
 spoke of lodging in a stable. We found three or 
 four Greeks about the khan; but all of them very 
 stupid and unable to read, and either unable or 
 unwilling to do much for our comfort. 
 
 an 
 
 i 
 
124 MEMOIR OF 
 
 "3. Resumed our journey at seven; road level 
 and good. At nine our attention was arrested by u 
 smoke arising from a small pond of water in a marsh 
 meadow. We left our attendants, and went to ex- 
 amine it. The pond was about three rods in diam- 
 eter, and the water, near the centre, boiled in sev- 
 eral places. At the edge it was as hot as the hand 
 could bear without pain. The vapor was strongly 
 impregnated with sulphur. 
 
 "Entered Haivali at seven; that is, in 25 hours, or 
 about 75 miles from Smyrna. With some difficulty 
 we found our way to a tavern; and, after much de- 
 lay and perplexity, obtained the use of a small apart- 
 ment. A wooden platform covered one half of it. 
 and this served us for chairs, table, and bed. 
 
 "4. At an early hour Martino went to the Rus- 
 sian consul with a letter given us by the Russian 
 consul in Smyrna; and he immediately sent his 
 janizary to conduct us to his house. There we found 
 a room ready for us, and every necessary comfort 
 generously offered. Such hospitality is welcome 
 indeed, after the fatigue of our journey. 
 
 "At one o'clock the consul accompanied us to 
 the college. The two principal instructors are 
 Gregory and Theophilus, to whom we had a letter 
 from Professor Bambas. They received us very af- 
 fectionately. We gave them some Tracts, and pro- 
 posed to distribute others among the students on 
 Monday, to which they very readily assented. The 
 college, in its present form, was established about 
 twenty years ago; it had previously existed, how- 
 ever, for a long time, on a smaller scale. Benja- 
 min, who is now in Smyrna, was, for a long time, at 
 the head of it. There are now four Professors; and 
 about twenty of the older scholars assist in teaching 
 the younger classes. The whole number of stu- 
 dents is three hundred; of whom not above one 
 hundred belong to Haivali. About seventy are 
 ecclesiastics. This circumstance is peculiarly aus- 
 picious, the Greek priests, as a body, being ex- 
 
REV. PLIN* FISR. 
 
 Uemt'ly ignorant; yet almost all the schools in the 
 country are under their instruction. The course of 
 <tiuly seems, from the account given us, to be about, 
 the same as in Scio. The library contains between 
 one and two thousand volumes. The college build- 
 ing forms a large square, (inclosing a garden which 
 the students cultivate,) and contains a library-room, 
 a. philosophical laboratory, lecture-rooms, apart- 
 ments for the instructors, and a great number of 
 smaller rooms for the students. The establishment 
 is supported by the Greek community. No pupil 
 pays any thing for his room, or his tuition. 
 
 "5. Sabbath. In the afternoon went out to dis- 
 tribute Tracts among the priests. Every church 
 has some small apartment adjoining it, in which the 
 clergy live. Went to eight churches, and distrib- 
 uted Tracts among all the priests. There are forty 
 belonging to these eight churches; they have also 
 at each church, a small school under their care, in 
 which the children are taught to read the church 
 service. Heard of only one other church in town, 
 and that a very small one. Found one of the pr^i- 
 cipal priests engaged with a layman, in the setfte- 
 ment of an account respecting oil and olives which 
 had been sold for him. Had to wait half an hour 
 before we could get an opportunity to speak with 
 him about Tracts. This shows how the Sabbath is 
 observed in this country. 
 
 "6. Went with the consul to see Paesios, the 
 Bishop of this district. His diocese includes Per- 
 gamos, Haivali, and the surrounding country. He 
 is under the Archbishop of Ephesus. His title is 
 Bishop of Elaia. an ancient town, which does not 
 now exist. We gave him a Testament and some 
 Tracts, and received from him a letter of introduc- 
 tion to his agent in Pergamos. 
 
 "Went to the college; conversed a little while 
 with the teachers; gave them a French and an Ital- 
 ian Testament, and 350 Tracts for the students, 
 U* 
 
126 MEfMOIR OF 
 
 "Haivali is situated on the sea shore, opposite the 
 island Musconisi, which lies between the town and 
 the north part of Mytilene. The Turkish name is 
 Haivali; the Greek name Kidonia: both signifying 
 quinces. Why these names were given we do not 
 know, as the place produces very few quinces. 
 Olives and oil are its principal productions. The 
 streets are narrow and very dirty, and the houses 
 mean. You see no elegance, and very little neat- 
 ness. The Bishop, the consul, and the Professors, 
 united in stating the population at 20,000 souls, all 
 Greeks. This estimate seemed to us very high. 
 
 "We gave orders in the morning for our horses to 
 be ready at eleven o'clock; but both of the horsemen 
 were partially intoxicated, and it was almost two 
 before we were able to set out. Departed, much 
 indebted to the consul for his hospitality. 
 
 "At half past six reached the khan where we 
 dined on Friday. We had left some Tracts here, 
 and the landlord inquired about them. It seemed 
 to him a new and a wonderful thing, that men should 
 go about, giving away books for nothing. 
 
 "7. Left a few Tracts with our landlord to be 
 given to such as wish for them, and are able to read, 
 Left the khan at half past seven. At ten we saw., 
 at a little distance on our right, the smoke of a 
 boiling spring, and went out to examine it. The 
 pond of water is smaller, but the smoke is greater, 
 the heat more intense, and the steam more strongly 
 impregnated with sulphur, than at the one we saw 
 on Friday, a few miles south of this. Several small- 
 er springs of the same kind are in sight. 
 
 "At two we renched Pergamos, now called Ber- 
 gamo. Our road from Haivali has been generally 
 level; the land verdant; several flocks of cattle and 
 sheep in sight; two or three very small villages by 
 the way; and a few scattered houses. We put up 
 at a public khan. The Bishop's letter, and another 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 127 
 
 from a Greek in Smyrna, introduced us to several 
 persons, whose acquaintance was of use to us. 
 
 "Obtained a guide, (Stathi Spagnuolo,) to show 
 us whatever we might wish to see in the town, and 
 its vicinity. He had fifteen or twenty certificates 
 in Italian and English, given him by travellers whom 
 he had served as a guide. 
 
 "Went first t? see the ruins of an old monastery. 
 The walls are still standing, as high as a four story 
 house, and perhaps 150 feet long. In it there are 
 now several Turkish huts. In passing through the 
 town, we found two ancient Greek inscriptions 
 which we copied. Passed an immensely large build- 
 ing, formerly a Christian church, now a Turkish 
 mosque. This is said to be the church in which the 
 disciples met, to whom St. John wrote. 
 
 "8. Went up to the old castle, north of the 
 town. Vast walls are still standing composed prin- 
 cipally of granite, with some fine pillars of mar- 
 ble. The castle includes five or six acres of 
 ground, and about half way down the hill is a wall 
 which includes several times as much. Within 
 the castle are large subterranean reservoirs which 
 used to serve for water and provisions. Most 
 of the walls are evidently not very ancient, and are 
 said to be the work of the Genoese. The founda- 
 tions, and a part of the wall, seem more ancient, 
 and are said, perhaps with truth, to be the work of 
 the ancient Greeks. Noticed several Corinthian 
 capitals, and copied one Greek inscription. The 
 castle furnishes a good view of the city. North and 
 west of it are verdant, mountainous pastures; south 
 and east a fertile plain. Nine or ten minarets speak 
 the power of the false prophet. 
 
 "Returned from the castle, and went to the site 
 of an ancient theatre, west of the town. It is a 
 semicircular cavity in the side of a hill. The 
 semicircle measures about 600 feet. Massy walls 
 of granite are yet standing. 
 
128 MEMOIR OF 
 
 "Went next to the amphitheatre. It is a deep 
 circular valley, formerly no doubt filled with rows 
 of seats rising one above another to enable the spec- 
 tators to witness the fighting of beasts, or the de- 
 struction of men, on the arena at the bottom of it. 
 
 "Passed by w r hat is said to be the tomb of Antipas 
 near the old monastery. See Rev. ii, 13. We next 
 visited a building which is called the temple of 
 Esculapius. It is a lofty vaulted dome, the inside 
 about forty feet in diameter; the granite wall about 
 eight feet thick. We remember to have seen it 
 somewhere stated, that Esculapius once practised 
 physic in Pergamos; that the inhabitants erected a 
 temple to him, and offered sacrifices and adored him 
 as a god. 
 
 "There is in Pergamos one synagogue, one Greek 
 and one Armenian church. At the Greek church 
 we found a school of twenty boys taught by a priest. 
 Gave one Tract to each boy, and several to the mas- 
 ter, which were received, as our Tracts usually are, 
 with many expressions of gratitude. The master 
 then went with us to visit the other priests. We 
 showed them, in the Romaic Testament, the address 
 to the church in Pergamos, which one of them read. 
 We then gave them a Testament, and a number of 
 Tracts. 
 
 "The population of Pergamos is said to be about 
 15,000; viz. 1,500 Greeks, 2 or 300 Armenians, 100 
 Jews, and the rest Turks. The streets are wider 
 and cleaner than any we have before seen in Asia. 
 As we were about to leave town, a man to whom we 
 had a letter from Smyrna, brought us three fowls for 
 our journey, and a letter of introduction to Im- 
 inanuel, a friend of his, three hours on our way to 
 Thyatira. 
 
 "At half past one we left Pergamos: at three we 
 crossed the Caicus, and pursued our way along the 
 southern bank through a fertile plain several miles 
 wide, with verdant hills on the north and south, and 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 129 
 
 several small villages at the foot of them. At half 
 past nine we crossed the river again, arid stopped 
 for the night at the house of Immanuel. He is a 
 Greek. His house stands on the river's bank with 
 a mill in one end of it. He soon told us, that our 
 letter of introduction stated that we were ministers 
 of the Gospel, much interested for the Greeks, and 
 carried about books for distribution among them; 
 adding, that they had lately built a church in this 
 neighborhood; and it would be, ' a great charity if we 
 would leave a few books here.' We ascertained 
 that five, out of 10 or 12 men about the mill, are 
 able to read, and gave them Tracts; we also gave a 
 number to Immanuel for the priest and others. 
 
 "9. Pursued our course along the same plain. In 
 four hours passed through a considerable village 
 called Soma. The inhabitants are principally Turks 
 about seventy families are Greeks. In two hours 
 and a half from Soma we reached Kircagasch, and 
 stopped for dinner. This town is situated at the foot 
 of a high mountain of lime-stone, called on the maps 
 Temnus, on the south side of the plain. It is said 
 to contain 10,000 inhabitants, viz. 8,000 Turks, 
 1,000 Greeks, and 1,000 Armenians. There are 
 eleven mosques, and one Greek, and one Armenian 
 church. Left a number of Tracts for the Greeks. 
 At three o'clock we set out from Kircagasch, and 
 pursued our way at the foot of mount Temnus. 
 Passed two small Turkish villages. The principal 
 reductions in this part of the country are grain, 
 >tton, tobacco, and pasturage for flocks. At one 
 ime we counted five hundred cattle together, at- 
 jnded by the herdsmen and their dogs; in another 
 lock were about as many goats, and in others a 
 still greater number of sheep. 
 
 "At eight o'clock we reached Thyatira, now Ak- 
 hisar, and put up at a khan. Immediately after we 
 arrived, a heavy rain commenced. At Pergamos we 
 were told, that within a few weeks eight men have 
 
130 MEMOIR OF 
 
 been killed by robbers, at different times, on the 
 road between that place and this. We saw a man 
 at Pergamos, who was attacked about two years 
 ago, on this road, and left for dead. He still carries 
 a scar in his cheek, in consequence of the wound 
 which he then received. All these barbarities, 
 however, were perpetrated in the night. We were 
 uniformly told, that in the day time no danger is to 
 be apprehended. Still our attendants showed strong 
 signs of fear; and it' was not without difficulty that 
 we persuaded them to leave Kircagasch with the 
 prospect of being out a few hours after dark. From 
 all dangers, seen and unseen, God has mercifully 
 preserved us. May our spared lives be wholly his. 
 We read the address to the church at Thyatira, 
 prayed to that God whom saints of old worshipped 
 in this place, and then retired to rest, commending 
 this city, once beloved, to the compassion of our 
 Redeemer. 
 
 "10. We had a letter of introduction from a 
 Greek in Smyrna to Economo, the Bishop's procur- 
 ator, and a principal man among the Greeks in this 
 town. This morning we sent the letter, and he im- 
 mediately called on us. We then conversed some 
 time respecting the town. He says the Turks have 
 destroyed all remnants of the ancient church; and 
 even the place where it stood is now unknown. At 
 present, there are in the town 1,000 houses for 
 which taxes are paid to the government. 
 
 "Thyatira is situated near a small river, a branch 
 of the Caicus, in the centre of an extensive plain. 
 At the distance of three or four miles it is almost 
 completely surrounded by mountains. The houses 
 are low, many of them mud or earth. Excepting 
 the moslem's palace, there is scarcely a decent 
 house in the place. The streets are narrow and 
 dirty, and every thing indicates poverty and degra- 
 dation. 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 131 
 
 "There has been some doubt whether Ak-hisar 
 is really the ancient Thyatira. There is a town 
 called Tyra, or Thyra, between Ephesus and Laodi- 
 cea, which some have supposed to be Thyatira. But 
 we have with us the Rev. Mr. Lindsay's letter, in 
 which he gives an account of his visit to the seven 
 churches. Ak-hisar is the place which he called 
 Thyatira, without even suggesting any doubt about 
 it. When we inquired in Smyrna for a letter of in- 
 troduction to Thyatira, they gave us one to this 
 place. The bishop, priest and professors at Hai- 
 vali, and the priests in Pergamos, and in this town, 
 have ail spoken of Ak-hisar and Thyatira as being 
 the same. In the inscription which we copied, the 
 place is called Thyatira. St. John addressed the 
 seven churches in the order in which they are situ- 
 ated, beginning with Ephesus and closing with 
 Laodicea. If Ak-hisar is Thyatira, this order is 
 complete; if not, it is broken. 
 
 "11. At seven we set out for Sardis. Passed in 
 sight of three or four small villages, and at half after 
 eleven stopped to dine at a village called Marmora. 
 It has four mosques and one Greek church with two 
 priests. The whole number of houses is said to be 
 about 500, of which 50 are Greek. Gave some 
 Tracts to a priest and to several others. At one we 
 resumed our journey. At two came in sight of a 
 ke, and made a bend around the west side of it. 
 t four we ascended a hill, and saw before us an 
 tensive plain, through which the Hermus runs, 
 d beyond it mount Tmolus extending to the east 
 d west as far as the eye could reach. At the foot 
 this mountain stood Sardis, the great capital of 
 Lydian kings, and the city of the far famed 
 roesus. We crossed the plain obliquely, bearing 
 to the east, and reached Sardis, now called Sart, at 
 half past six, in 10 hours travel from Thyatira; course 
 a little east of south. 
 
132 MEMOIR OF 
 
 "Found difficulty in procuring a lodging; a 
 length put up in a hut occupied by a Turk. It 
 was about 10 feet square, the walls of earth, the 
 roof of bushes and poles covered with soil and grass 
 growing on it. There was neither chair, table, bed 
 nor floor in the habitation. The Turk seemed to 
 live principally by his pipe and his coffee. 
 
 "Sabbath, 12. After our morning devotions, we 
 took some Tracts and a Testament and went to a 
 mill near us, where three or four Greeks live. Found 
 one of them grinding grain. Another soon came 
 in. Both were able to read. We read to them the 
 address to the church in Sardis, and then the 
 account of the day of judgment, Mat. xxv. Con- 
 versed with them about what we read, and then 
 spoke of the Lord's day, and endeavored to explain 
 its design, and gave them some Tracts. We had 
 our usual forenoon service in the upper part of the 
 mill; and could not refrain from weeping, while we 
 sung the 74th Psalm, and prayed among the ruins of 
 Sardis. Here were once a few names which had 
 not defiled their garments; and they are now walking 
 with their Redeemer in white. But, alas! the churcli 
 as a body had only a name to live, while they were 
 in reality dead; and they did not hear the voice of 
 merciful admonition, and did not strengthen the 
 things which were ready to die. Wherefore the 
 candlestick has been removed out of its place. In 
 the afternoon we walked out and enjoyed a season 
 of social worship in the field. This has been a sol- 
 emn, and we trust a profitable Sabbath to us. Our 
 own situation, and the scenery around us, have con- 
 spired to give a pensive, melancholy turn to our 
 thoughts. Our eye has affected our hearts, while 
 we beheld around us the ruins of this once splendid 
 city, with nothing now to be seen but a few mud 
 huts, inhabited by ignorant, stupid, filthy Turks, 
 and the only men who bear the Christian name, at 
 work all day in their mill. Every thing seems, as 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 1 3-J 
 
 *f God had cursed the place, and left it to the 
 dominion of Satan. 
 
 "Brother Parsons is unwell. If one of us should 
 be attacked in this place with a lingering and dan- 
 gerous disease, it would be only such a trial as we 
 often thought of, and mentioned, when anticipating 
 the mission. Yet such a trial would put our faith 
 and our submission to a severe test. The Providence 
 and grace of God alone can give us comfort and 
 support. 
 
 "13. Went out to view more particularly the 
 ruins of the place. Saw the decayed walls of two 
 churches, and of the market, and the ruins of an 
 ancient palace. Two marble columns are standing, 
 about thirty feet high, and six in diameter, of the 
 Ionic order. The fragments of similar pillars lay 
 scattered on the ground. Chandler, who was here 
 about sixty years ago, says five pillars were then 
 standing. All our guide could tell of the place 
 was, that it was the palace of the king's daughter. 
 Ascended a high hill to see the ruins of the old 
 castle. Some of the remaining walls are very- 
 strong. Copied two inscriptions. 
 
 "In the afternoon took leave of Sart, and went 
 across the plain to see the tumuli or barrows on the 
 opposite hill. In half an hour we crossed the Her- 
 inus, and in an hour more reached one of the larg- 
 jst barrows. It is made of earth, in the form of a 
 >mi-globe, and, as nearly as we could measure it 
 T ith our steps, is 200 rods in circumference. From 
 ic summit of this, 40 or 50 others were in sight; 
 lost of them much smaller. Strabo says, the larg- 
 ;t of these was built in honor of Halyattes, the 
 ither of Croesus, and was six stadia, i. e. three 
 juarters of a mile, in circumference. 
 
 "From these tumuli we went to Tatarkeny, a vil- 
 lage one hour east of Sart on the way to Philadel- 
 phia. Arrived in the evening, and put up with a 
 Greek priest. 
 12 
 
134 MEMOIR OF 
 
 "14. At half past seven set out for Philadelphia, 
 Our road lay along the south side of the plain. On 
 the north side were several villages. In four hours 
 we came to a Greek shop, where we took some 
 refreshment, and gave Tracts to two or three men. 
 "In three hours more we reached Philadelphia, 
 now called Allah Scheyr, i. e. the city of God. Ob- 
 tained the use of a small dirty room in a khan, and 
 put up for the night. In the evening Serkish called 
 for Martino in great haste, and said, 'the Turks 
 are taking our horses.' Remonstrance was in vain. 
 A pacha was coming with some hundred attendants, 
 and horses were wanted, for a few days, for their 
 use. Ours must go among the rest. Martino went 
 immediately to the moslem, and stated that we are 
 foreigners, have just arrived here, and wish to go 
 on soon. The plea prevailed. The moslem ordered 
 two men to take the horses, and reconduct them to 
 the khan. ; The heart of the king is in the hand of 
 the Lord.' 
 
 "15. Early this morning, Theologus, a Greek to 
 whom we had a letter of recommendation, went with 
 us to visit Gabriel, the Archbishop of this diocese. 
 He has held his present office six years, is reputed 
 a man of learning, but now quite aged, perhaps 
 seventy-five. Formerly he had one bishop under 
 him; now none, and but about 20 priests. His 
 diocese includes Sardis on the west, and Laodicea 
 on the east; but he says there are not above 600 or 
 700 Greek houses in it. There are five churches 
 in this town, besides 20 which are either old or 
 small and not now used. The whole number of 
 houses is said to be 8,000, of which 250 are Greek, 
 the rest Turkish. 
 
 "16. Read the first chapter of John to the 
 school master and a priest, and accompanied it 
 with some remarks. Went out with a guide tp 
 see the city. From an ancient castle on the south 
 we had a good view of the place. It is situated af 
 
REV. PLINY FISK, 135 
 
 the foot of Mount Ttnolus, the south side of the 
 plain. It is nearly in the form of a parallelogram, 
 and surrounded by walls now in decay. We counted 
 six minarets. Saw the church in which, they say, 
 the Christians assembled, to whom St. John wrote. 
 It is now a mosque. We went to see a wall about 
 a mile west of the town, said to have been built of 
 men's bones. The wail now remaining is about 30 
 rods* long, and in some places eight feet thick and 
 ten high. The tradition is, that there was a church 
 near the place dedicated to St. John, and when a 
 vast multitude were assembled to celebrate his festi- 
 val, the enemy came upon them and slew them all. 
 Their bodies were not buried, but piled up together 
 in the form of a wall. The wall seems to be corn- 
 posed principally, if not wholly, of bones. On 
 breaking off pieces, we found some small bones 
 almost entire. 
 
 "17. Brother Parson's illness continues. It is 
 now more than a week since it commenced. If we 
 pursue our way, as we had intended, to Laodicea. 
 and thence to Smyrna by Ephesus, we must travel a. 
 considerable distance in a barbarous part of the 
 country, with the prospect of very bad accommoda- 
 tions. It is disagreeable to think of returning with- 
 out visiting all the Seven Churches. But Providence 
 seems to call us to do so. Laodicea is, at present, 
 Imost nothing but ruins; and that part of the coun- 
 y presents very little opportunity for missionary 
 ibor. We cannot think it our duty to risk health 
 d life by pursuing the journey in our present cir- 
 umstances, and accordingly resolve to return to 
 yrna. 
 
 "18. In six hours we arrived at Cassabar. Near 
 is town the plain, in which we have been travel- 
 ng, is divided by Mount Sypilus. One part 
 extends west towards Magnisia and Menimen. 
 Through this the Hermus runs. The other part 
 extends toward Smyrna to the S. W. running 
 
LOT MEMOIR OF 
 
 between Mount Sypilus and Mount Tinolus. A few 
 moments after we arrived it began to rain. 
 
 "Sabbath, 19. It is pleasant to have a room by 
 ourselves on the Sabbath. The morning was tran- 
 quil, and we seemed to feel something of the 
 sacredness of the day, though surrounded by the 
 noise and bustle of business. Martino told some 
 persons last evening, that we wish to see the Greek 
 priests, and about noon three priests and a school- 
 master came to see us. We gave 40 Tracts to the 
 master for his school, and about as many to the 
 priests, one of them having requested some for a 
 small village in the neighborhood. They left us 
 with many wishes and prayers for our prosperity, 
 and soon sent us a platter of fowls and herbs for our 
 journey. 
 
 "20. At half past seven we left Cassabar, and 
 after riding three hours over the plain we came to 
 the east end of Mount Sypilus, and continued our 
 course at the foot of it on the N. side. For about 
 two hours we found the mountain high and steep, 
 composed principally of lime stone, and conse- 
 quently barren. A little before we reached Magni- 
 sia, we found it composed of earth and covered with 
 grain and grass, the height not so great, and the 
 ascent more gradual. 
 
 "Reached Magnisia after a ride of five hours and 
 a half from Cassabar. As we entered the town we 
 counted 20 minarets. The mosques, as well as their 
 minarets, are painted white, and give the city a 
 more splendid appearance than we have before 
 seen in Asia. We put up at a khan. Toward even- 
 ing went out to see the priests and the school. 
 Found several priests together, and gave them 
 Tracts. 
 
 "Magnisia lies at the foot of Mount Sypilus> on 
 the north, about 25 miles N. E. from Smyrna. The 
 streets are wide and the houses better than we have 
 seen in any other town on our journey, and the mar-* 
 
ftEV PLINY FISK. 137 
 
 ket is well supplied. This is the place called Mag- 
 nisia ad Sypilum. Magnisia ad Meandrum, more 
 celebrated in ancient history than this place, is situ- 
 ated on the Meander, between Ephesus and Kkodi- 
 cea. It is now called Guzel-hissar. That 'is the 
 town which was given to Themistocles, to procure 
 bread for his table. 
 
 "21. Left Magnisia at half after seven for Smyr- 
 na. At nine we left the plain of the Hermus and 
 entered a narrow valley, in which a small rivulet 
 descends from mount Sypilus rode half an hour 
 along the stream, and then began to ascend the 
 mountain. This is the first mountain which we 
 have had occasion to cross during our tour. A lit- 
 tle before eleven, we reached the summit. Here we 
 had anticipated a delightful and extensive view. 
 But the heavy fog completely disappointed our 
 expectations; and we could but just discern the dis- 
 tant summits of Tmolus, Pagus, and the Two Broth- 
 ers. At half past eleven we stopped to dine at a 
 Greek tavern, near a small village. While we were 
 eating, a Turkish janizary came in, and ate his din- 
 ner, and drank with it, at least a pint of rM (bran- 
 dy.) Such is the regard which Turks pay to the 
 laws of their religion, when no other Mahommedans 
 are present. 
 
 "Leaving Bournabat on our right, and Hadgilar 
 on the left, we reached Smyrna between four and 
 five. The Messrs. Van Lennep's bade us welcome, 
 and invited us to take a room in their house, and 
 a seat at their table, until their families return from 
 their country seat. 
 
 "In this journey, we were absent from Smyrna 21 
 days, and rode about 100 hours, probably 300 miles. 
 In time of sickness, the Lord has healed us. In 
 time of danger, he has defended us. In time of 
 doubt, he has guided us. We have had opportunity 
 to sow some precious seed. It may lie buried long 
 in the earth; but the crop we trust'is insured." 
 
MEMOIR OF 
 
 At a subsequent period Mr. Fisk made a visit to 
 Ephesus. On his way he passed through a village 
 called Aiasaluck, where he supposes the Greek 
 Christians settled, after Ephesus was destroyed. He 
 there visited the church of St. John, now deserted 
 and in ruins, having been occupied as a mosque 
 after the country fell into the hands of the Mahom- 
 medans. In this church he saw some immensely 
 large pillars of granite, said to have been taken 
 from the temple of Diana; having thus served suc- 
 cessively, as he remarks, in a Pagan, a Christian, 
 and a Mahommedan place of worship. Leaving 
 this place he rode to Mount Prion, arid thence set 
 out on foot in company with a number of gentle- 
 men from Smyrna to visit the ruins of the renowned 
 Ephesus, which he thus describes. 
 
 "The ground was covered," says he, "with high 
 grass or grain, and a very heavy dew rendered the 
 walking rather unpleasant. On the east side of 
 the hill we found nothing worthy of notice; no ap- 
 pearance of having been occupied for buildings. 
 On the north side was the Circus or stadium. Its 
 length from east to west is forty rods, or one sta- 
 dium. The north or lower side was supported by 
 arches which still remain. The area where the 
 races used to be performed is now a field of wheat. 
 At the west end was the gate. The walls adjoining 
 it are still standing, and of considerable height and 
 strength. North of the stadium, and separated only 
 by a street, is a large square inclosed with fallen 
 walls and filled with the ruins of various edifices. A 
 street running north and south divides this square in 
 the centre. West of the stadium is an elevation of 
 ground, level on the top, with an immense pedestal 
 in the centre of it. What building stood there it 
 is not easy to say. Between this and the stadium 
 was a street passing from the great plain north of 
 Ephesus into the midst of the city. 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 139 
 
 "1 found on the plains of Ephesus some Greek 
 peasants, 1 men and women, employed in pulling up 
 tares and weeds from the wheat. It reminded me 
 of Matt, xiii, 28. I addressed them in Romaic, but 
 found they understood very little of it, as they usu- 
 ally answered me in Turkish. I ascertained, how- 
 ever, that they all belonged to villages at a distance, 
 and came there to labor. Not one of them could 
 read, but they said, there were priests and a school- 
 master in the village to which they belonged, who 
 could read. I gave them some Tracts, which they 
 promised to give to their priest and schoolmaster. 
 Tournefort says, that when he was at Ephesus there 
 were thirty or forty Greek families there. Chandler 
 found only ten or twelve individuals. Now no hu- 
 man being lives in Ephesus; and in Aiasaluck, which 
 may be considered as Ephesus under another name, 
 though not on precisely the same spot of ground, 
 there are merely a few miserable Turkish huts. The 
 candlestick is removed out of his place. 'How doth 
 the city sit solitary that was full of people.' 
 
 "While wandering among the ruins, it was impos- 
 sible not to think, with deep interest, of the events 
 which have transpired on this spot. Here has been 
 displayed, from time to time, all the skill of the 
 architect, the musician, the tragedian, and the ora- 
 tor. Here some of the most splendid works of man 
 have been seen in all their glory, and here the event 
 has shown their transitory nature. How interesting 
 would it be to stand among these walls, and have 
 before the mind a full view of the history of Ephesus 
 
 rom its first foundation till now! We might ob- 
 serve the idolatrous and impure rites, and the cruel 
 
 id bloody sports of Pagans succeeded by the 
 preaching, the prayers, the holy and peaceable lives 
 of the first Christians these Christians martyred, 
 but their religion still triumphing pagan rites and 
 pagan sports abolished, and the simple worship of 
 Christ instituted in their room. We might see the 
 
140 MEMOIR OF 
 
 city conquered and reconquered, destroyed and re- 
 built, till finally Christianity, arts, learning, and 
 prosperity, all vanish before the pestiferous breath 
 of 'the only people whose sole occupation has been 
 to destroy.' 
 
 "The plain of Ephesus is now very unhealthy, 
 owing to the fogs and mist which almost continually 
 rest upon it. The land, however, is rich, and the 
 ^surrounding country is both fertile and healthy. 
 'The adjacent hills would furnish many delightful 
 situations for villages, if the difficulties were remov- 
 ed which are thrown in the way by a despotic gov- 
 ernment, oppressive agas, and wandering banditti." 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 FUOM THE TIME WHEN HIS COMPANION LEFT HIM 
 FOR JUDEA TILL THEIR RE-UNION AT SMYRNA. 
 
 AFTER mature deliberation and much prayer, it was 
 judged, that the interests of the mission would be 
 promoted by a temporary separation, during which 
 Mr. Fisk should remain at Smyrna, pursuing study? 
 and making researches in the vicinity, and his col- 
 league travel in Judea, visit Jerusalem, and make 
 inquiries respecting the most eligible place for a 
 permanent missionary establishment. In reference 
 to this contemplated separation the journal of Mr. 
 Fisk is continued as follows: 
 
 "Smyrna, Nov. 29, 1820. Devoted the day to 
 fasting and prayer. It had, for some time, been a 
 question, whether one of us ought not to remain 
 some longer in Smyrna, and the other proceed with- 
 out further delay to Judea. It is desirable that 
 some one should be here to carry on the work of dis- 
 tribution, and to get more Tracts printed at Con- 
 stantinople, or Scio. Till a chaplain arrives, he can 
 occupy these rooms, and preach in the chapel on 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 141 
 
 the Sabbath; and the Messrs. Van Lenneps have 
 generously offered, in case one of us sees fit to re- 
 main, to give him his board. The state of things 
 here is such, that we cannot feel willing to leave 
 the place; and we are not willing to have our visit 
 to Jerusalem delayed any longer. If only one of us 
 goes, he will have an interpreter who understands 
 English, a faithful man, and a good nurse in case of 
 sickness. As to missionary labor and research, 
 probably one may do about as much, at least during 
 the present season, as both could do. On the whole 
 it seems, so far as we can judge, that the interests 
 of our mission are likely to be most effectually pro- 
 moted by a temporary separation. We contem- 
 plate it with reluctance; but our rising murmurs are 
 hushed by contrasting our case with the separation, 
 to which our brethren were called who first went to 
 India. We hope to be again united, after a short 
 time, to prosecute the original plan of our mission. 
 
 ".Dec. 5. In the afternoon carried the baggage 
 of Mr. Parsons on board the vessel. All are to be 
 on board at eight o'clock, expecting to sail in the 
 night. It is now thirteen months since we sailed 
 from Boston. During this period we have spent 
 every day and every night together. Thus far the 
 Lord has prospered and blessed us. We should be 
 ungrateful not to trust him for the future. We 
 shall be separated, for a time, from each other, but 
 we hope not to be separated from Him, 'who stick- 
 eth closer than a brother.' 
 
 "6. Last evening Mr. Parsons left me to go to 
 Judea. We went on board the vessel together. 
 There we sung, 
 
 'Guide me, O them great Jehovah/ 
 
 united in prayer, commended each other to the di- 
 vine protection, and gave the parting hand. To be 
 separated from my only Christian brother, is a trial 
 indeed. But we have not come to this land to seek 
 
142 MEMOIR OK 
 
 our own gratification. When duty calls, we must 
 obey. 
 
 "16. The Rev. Mr. Bellamy arrived as chaplain 
 to the English factory. 
 
 "Sabbath, 17. Mr. Bellamy read prayers, and I 
 then preached, from 2 Cor. v, 10. This probably 
 closes my public labors with this congregation." 
 
 TO A LADY IN CONNECTICUT. 
 
 "Smyrna, Nov. 22, 1820. I know better now 
 than ever before how to prize the society of Chris- 
 tians. I know too, I trust, better than ever, that 
 a person may be happy without their society. Yes. 
 there is something in the religion of Christ which 
 raises the soul superior to all created sources of 
 enjoyment, and brings it into such a state of union 
 with God, as leaves it independent of all other 
 beings. Have you experienced this? Do you know 
 how the heart rests in God, and is filled with peace? 
 To be diligently employed in his service; to have 
 the consciousness, that with all our imperfections, 
 it is our sincere aim to please him; to possess 
 a confirmed hope through the blood of Christ, 
 that after a few days we shall be entirely conform- 
 ed to him, and completely happy with him; to have 
 the heart rilled with his love, and the mind stayed 
 on him; this is heaven begun on earth. The 
 attainment of this felicity is indeed difficult, but I 
 trust not impossible. Without this, whether sur- 
 rounded, as you are, by tender and faithful friends, 
 or doomed, as I am, to wander among the brutal 
 and savage of our race, we are 'poor, and wretched, 
 and miserable.' Let us pray often and earnestly 
 that the light of the divine countenance may be 
 our daily comfort. 
 
 "You will perhaps expect me to say something 
 about this country. A country with which so many 
 interesting associations are connected, you wilj 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 14o 
 
 suppose, cannot fail to furnish a great variety of in- 
 telligence, and important incidents. It is indeed 
 interesting to pass the places, where the Greeks and 
 Persians fought, where Homer wrote, and especially 
 where Apostles preached, and martyrs died. But 
 the savageness and ignorance which now prevail, 
 render it extremely difficult to obtain correct intel- 
 ligence, or true explanations respecting the things 
 we see. If you wish for a concise description of 
 the state of this country, natural, political, literary, 
 and religious, read Genesis i, 2, the first part of the 
 verse. No description could be more apposite. 
 
 "When you have read, pray, that the latter part 
 of the verse may soon be as applicable, as the first 
 part is now. If God say, 'Let there be light,' 
 there will be light." 
 
 TO ONE OF HIS MISSIONARY BRETHREN. 
 
 "Smyrna, Nov. 26, 1820. This evening I have 
 read your last letter to brother Parsons, and your 
 last to me. I do most sincerely thank you for 
 this letter. Many of your interrogations come 
 home to the conscience, and make me feel asham- 
 ed of myself, and excite desires and resolutions 
 to pray more, and strive more earnestly after spir- 
 ituality. Till I received your letter, I had cher- 
 ished some hope, that we might be neighbors. But 
 providence calls you the other way. The will 
 of the Lord be done. Go, beloved brother, and 
 the Lord be with you, as he was with Moses. 
 Probably at this time you are a "beggar" in Geor- 
 gia or Carolina. I wish I could get a letter into 
 your hands without delay. But as this will not 
 probably reach you, till your southern tour is 
 completed, I need say nothing about your course. 
 I bless God, however, that you are going thither, 
 and hope you will preach with as much zeal, and 
 as much effect, as ever Peter the hermit did. My 
 
144 MEMOIR OF 
 
 earnest prayers accompany you; for I kno\v the 
 temptations and trials, which you will have to en- 
 counter. 
 
 "I wish I could see you long enough, at least, to 
 talk a little about our spiritual state. But oh, I 
 could tell you but a sad story concerning myself. 1 
 have some precious seasons; but am generally too 
 far from my Saviour. I want more communion with 
 him. If you are going to the heathen, learn first to 
 live by communion with the Redeemer. Go to the 
 Fountain for your happiness, and do not depend 
 upon the streams. May the blessed Jesus take you 
 into a peculiar and holy nearness to himself, and 
 enable you to feast daily on his love." 
 
 TO THE REV. A. B. OF V. CON. 
 
 "Smyrna, Dec. 18, 1820. 'Woe is me, that I so- 
 journ in Mesech, that I dwell in the tents of Kedar/ 
 O my brother, it is dreadful to be shut out from the 
 divine favor. I know that God is ready to grant the 
 light of his countenance to all his faithful servants; 
 and I trust that I sometimes enjoy it. I find indeed 
 some moments of precious comfort. But they are 
 short; and I generally live at a miserable rate. I 
 hope it is not so with you. I hope you go to your 
 closet, and find the Redeemer there. I hope your 
 soul is sometimes greatly enlarged with a spirit of 
 intercession for others. When it is so, I know you 
 do not forget us, and the mission in which we are 
 engaged. I think there must be a great deal of 
 earnest prayer for this country, before missions will 
 be attended with general success. There are diffi- 
 culties in the way, toward the removal of which, we 
 can at present do little or nothing but pray. When 
 God exerts his power, the strong man will be dis- 
 armed. 
 
 "I love to be a missionary love to labor in this 
 country. Still I am seldom able to exercise that 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 14 -I 
 
 luith which is necessary, so that I can look over the 
 mountains, and through the clouds, which surround 
 us. I am often full of fear and trembling. I antici- 
 pate but little good to be accomplished at present. 
 Perhaps it may be seen at some distant day, that 
 these feeble and imperfect beginnings were import- 
 ant parts of that general system of means, by which 
 the world is to be converted. This hope sometimes 
 comforts and animates me. 
 
 "A large proportion of the prayers offered in this 
 country by nominal Christians, are offered to angels, 
 saints, and to the virgin Mary. We had a long dis- 
 cussion with one of the Greek bishops on this sub- 
 ject. When we said Christ was the only Mediator; 
 he replied, that Christ was Mediator when on earth, 
 that he is not Mediator now, but Judge. 'For this 
 reason,' he says, 'we pray to angels and saints, and 
 especially to the Mother of God, as our Mediator.' 
 Is this idolatry, or is it not? They say to us; 'You 
 ask saints on earth to pray for you: why not then 
 ask saints in heaven to pray for you9' When you 
 write again, tell me what you think of this." 
 
 During a number of days from the last date Mr. 
 Fisk was much employed in visiting schools, in 
 which he distributed Tracts. He speaks of the 
 schools as being deficient in respect to suitable 
 books and discipline. The scholars are represented 
 as being anxious to receive Tracts. To prevent 
 confusion, "I go to them," he says, "or call them 
 to me, one by one, and ascertain whether they can 
 road. If they can, I give them Tracts, accompanied 
 with brief religious instructions and exhortations." 
 
 "Dec. 31, 1820. This year is now closing. I 
 commenced it at Malta in company with my dear 
 brother. Every year of my life has furnished occa- 
 sion for humility and thanksgiving; but this has been 
 in some respects a peculiar one. The Lord has 
 13 
 
146 MEMOIR OF 
 
 been belter to me than my fears. Let me trust in 
 him for the future, and never be afraid. 
 
 "Jan. 1, 1821. A day of mirth and dancing with 
 Franks. But it has been pleasing to reflect, that, 
 in different parts of the world, there are many who 
 prefer uniting in the concert of prayer, to all the 
 vain delights of mirth. 
 
 "22. Mr. Cohen, the Jew mentioned in our Jour- 
 nal, May 3, 1820, came to visit me. In the course 
 of conversation, he said the Jews here never kindle 
 a fire on the Sabbath, but often employ Turks or 
 Christians to do it for them. I inquired what they 
 believe respecting a future state. He says they 
 believe, that all atheists and idolaters will be 
 damned forever; but all, who believe in one God, 
 will be finally saved; though, if they live in any 
 known sin, they must suffer in hell until they have 
 expiated it. He says Jews hold to 613 command- 
 ments, besides the decalogue, and if they obey all 
 these, they will be rewarded in proportion; whereas 
 Christians, who hold to only ten commandments, 
 even if they keep those ten, will have a proportiona- 
 bly small reward. 
 
 "After reading some time in the Hebrew Bible, 
 and conversing about different places, I offered him 
 a Hebrew Testament which he very gladly accepted. 
 [ told him he must read it, and pray that God would 
 show him what was right, and dispose him to em- 
 brace it. He said he would do so. He has engaged 
 to call occasionally and read Hebrew with me. 
 This is the first opportunity I have had of giving a 
 Hebrew Testament to a Jew. The occasion calls 
 for thanksgiving and earnest prayer. 
 
 "24. Yesterday afternoon I went to Sedicui, in 
 company with Mr. Thompson, a young gentleman 
 who lives with Mr. Van Lennep. This village is a lit- 
 tle W. of S. from Smyrna, at the distance of six or 
 eight miles. It is the seat of an aga, but the man, 
 who has held that office the past year, is now gone 
 
REV. PLINY F1SK. 147 
 
 to Constantinople to hire it for another year. Un- 
 der the Ottoman government, the man gets an office 
 who can pay the greatest price for it, and then his 
 object is to regain the money he has paid out, and 
 procure as much more as he can. The conse- 
 quence is such extortion and oppression as impov- 
 erish the people, discourage industry, and depopu- 
 late the country. There are in Sedicui a few 
 Turkish families, who have a small mosque with- 
 out a minaret. There is one man, a Turkish 
 priest, said to be the only Turk in the village, who 
 can read and write. He is now advanced in life, 
 has four wives, one of whom he married a short time 
 since. There are between one and two thousand 
 Greeks, who have a church, four priests, and 
 two schools. I visited the priests, and inquired 
 whether they had the Scriptures in Romaic. They 
 said No. I inquired if they had them in ancient 
 Greek. They said only the New Testament. I 
 then gave them a Testament for the church, and 
 told them I had others in Smyrna for sale. They 
 immediately offered to purchase three copies. I 
 also visited the school, heard the scholars read, 
 and gave Tracts to all who could read them, accom^ 
 panied with advice and exhortation. 
 
 "About half an hour after leaving Sedicui on our 
 return, we stopped to look at a tumulus, a little west 
 of our path. The base is about 30 rods in circum- 
 ference. It is said to be the tomb of Andremon, 
 the leader of the first Ionian colony which came 
 from Greece to this country. After entering the 
 town we passed through the Jews' neighborhood, 
 and called at a place near the synagogue, where 
 their schools are taught, saw six schools in which 
 were about 150 boys' reading Hebrew. There are 
 some other schools which we did not see. 
 
 "Feb. 2. Mr. Jackson gave me the use of his 
 horse, and Mr. Hansen, a young man who lives with 
 him, rode out with me to Cooklujah, a Greek vil- 
 
lib MEMOIR OF 
 
 lage four or five miles from Smyrna, a little south 
 of east. The inhabitants are all Greeks. There is 
 one church, four priests, one school, and perhaps 
 100 houses. I carried with me a Testament and 50 
 Tracts. Sold the Testament to the priests^ and 
 gave part of the Tracts to them, and the rest to the 
 school. There were in the school 60 boys; but only 
 ten could read in the Tracts. They have no school 
 book but the Psalter and Prayer book in ancient 
 Greek. The master and a priest, who were pres- 
 ent, told me that they do not understand this lan- 
 guage, yet the one reads his church service wholly 
 in this, and the other teaches a school in which are 
 no books in any other language. It gives me 
 great satisfaction to supply men, in such circum- 
 stances, with the pure word of God, and with relig- 
 ious Tracts in a language which they can under- 
 stand. 
 
 "5. Went with Mr. Jackson and his family to 
 Bournabat, a village at a little distance from Smyrna, 
 on the N. E. We went to the house of a Jew. On 
 each door post was a little tin case containing a 
 roll, on which were written the ten commandments. 
 Visited the Greek priest and five schools. In these 
 schools are about 100 boys. In one of them the 
 boys read very well, and seemed to understand what 
 they read. There is one Greek church and three 
 priests, one Catholic church, and one mosque. The 
 number of houses is supposed to be about 1,000. 
 The number of Turks and Greeks is said to be 
 nearly equal. There are a few Jews, and a few 
 Armenians. Distributed 60 Tracts. 
 
 "6. Mr. Van Lennep has just returned from 
 Sedicui, and tells me, that the Tracts which I dis- 
 tributed are read with great interest.. One man 
 arose in the night, and lighted his candle to read a 
 Tract. 
 
 "14. For some weeks past, I have occasionally 
 giving instruction in English to a young Armenian, 
 
kEV. PLINY FISK. 1-1'.)' 
 
 a dragoman of the English consul. To-day I went 
 with him to visit the principal school of the Arme- 
 nians. It consists of two branches, each under the 
 instruction of a priest. In one branch, are 'about 
 65 boys, chiefly small, who merely learn to read 
 and write their own language. In the other branch 
 12 or 15 young men study the grammar of the lan- 
 guage. The head master says, there are about 800 
 Armenian houses in town. I showed him an Arme- 
 nian and a Tnrko-Armenian Testament. He said a 
 bishop had just set out for Armenia, who wished 
 for some very much; and as he would rest a while 
 at Menimen, they could be sent to him there. I 
 requested him to send these two, which he promised 
 to do without delay." 
 
 On the 22nd of Feb. a Turk, Suleiman Effendi. was 
 introduced to Mr. Fisk, to whom after some conver- 
 sation he showed a Turkish Testament. Suleiman 
 lead the title page, and then turning to Matt. v. he 
 read and replied: "Very good." The Testament 
 was presented to him, which he received with ex- 
 pressions of gratitude. "This is the first opportu- 
 nity," Mr. Fisk says, "I have had to put the Gospel 
 into the hands of a Mahommedan. His heart is in 
 the hand of God." 
 
 Having made an engagement for the purpose 
 with the Russian consul, he went to visit the Greek 
 vessels in port, which sailed under the Russian 
 flag, to supply them with Testaments and Tracts. 
 
 The next day the Mahommedan, to whom the 
 Testament had been given, called and told Mr. Fisk, 
 that in reading it, he found it easy to be understood!, 
 and very good. He was then directed to the last 
 chapter of Revelation, which he read with apparent 
 pleasure, till he came to the last verses. He Hjen 
 said with some emphasis, "One God." He proba- 
 bly thought, as was supposed, that too much 
 said of Christ. 
 13-* 
 
150 MEMOIR OF 
 
 "Sitbbath, March 18. My Greek scholars came to 
 my room, having been previously invited, for the 
 purpose of reading the Scriptures. We read the 
 first seven chapters of Matthew. I asked them 
 questions, and made remarks upon what was read. 
 As they were going away, they said;' We thank you 
 very much for your instructions. They are very 
 necessary for us. Unfortunately we do not have- 
 such instruction in this country. If you are will- 
 ing, we shall be glad to come in this way every 
 Sabbath.' Blessed be God for such opportunities 
 of laboring for the spiritual good of my fellow 
 men." 
 
 In a number of instances he learnt that individu- 
 als, to whom he had given a Testament, had been 
 employed in reading it to little circles of hearers, 
 who collected for the purpose, and who were them- 
 selves unable to read. 
 
 "March 30. Two men have been hung to-day in 
 the streets of Smyrna. They were put to the tor- 
 ture, and, confessions being extorted from them, 
 they were immediately sentenced and executed. 
 They are to remain hanging three days. It is not 
 easy to describe the horror which is excited, by 
 seeing the body of a fellow being suspended in the 
 street of a city, which is not more than ten feet 
 wide, where people are constantly passing, and in 
 front of a shop, where business is constantly trans- 
 acted." 
 
 From the last mentioned date the political af- 
 fairs of the country assumed such an attitude, that 
 Mr. Fisk considered it necessary to remain quiet, 
 lest the missionaries should be suspected of being 
 concerned in producing the revolt of the Greeks 
 from Turkish dominion, an event which was then 
 of frequent occurrence. In the mean time he pur- 
 sued his studies, and improved every safe oppor- 
 tunity that occurred, to engage in more active 
 labors. Alarming rumors were often in circula- 
 tion, which occasioned among the Greeks tfte 
 
REV. PLINY FISK, 151 
 
 tearful apprehension, that they should become the 
 victims of Turkish violence. So great was the 
 consternation produced among them even by a 
 slight disturbance, that they repeatedly fled to ves- 
 sels in the harbor, or concealed themselves in other 
 places. 
 
 Under date of May 18, Mr. Fisk speaks of these 
 disturbances. "It is now nearly two months since 
 we heard of the revolt in Maldavia, and Wallachia. 
 Confusion and alarm have been constantly increas- 
 ing in town since. Several Greeks have been as- 
 sassinated. A short time since the janizaries as- 
 sumed the government of the town, which had pre- 
 viously been in the hands of the moslem. Three 
 days ago a pasha arrived, and took possession of the 
 government. Such is his rank, that he has liberty, 
 according to the laws of the Ottoman empire, to 
 execute seven men daily, without giving the privi- 
 lege of a trial, or assigning any reason for his con- 
 duct. Half the people of the place have been 
 trembling for their lives. 
 
 "While armed men have been passing and repass- 
 ing almost constantly in the streets, while some 
 have been assassinated, while the apprehension has 
 existed, that the few acts of violence already com- 
 mitted, are but 'the beginning of sorrows,' I would 
 be grateful, that I have been preserved in peace and 
 tranquillity, and permitted to pursue as usual my 
 .studies." 
 
 As the political changes of the country affected 
 the situation and prospects of Mr. Fisk and his fel- 
 low laborer, he considered it expedient to keep a 
 journal of such events as came under his own ob- 
 servation. From a document, containing a particu- 
 lar account of the disturbances which took place at 
 Smyrna, some extracts will be inserted. 
 
 From the 1st to the 16th of June he records little 
 <^lse but scenes of consternation, oppression and 
 bloodshed. On the night of the 16th, there were 
 
152 MEMOIR OF 
 
 sixteen or eighteen assassinations. "At nine o'clock 
 A. M.," says he, "I went with the English consul 
 upon the roof of his house to observe the transac- 
 tions of the day. The Turks were moving along in 
 companies in search of Greeks whom they designed 
 to kill. The consul hailed one company, and asked 
 them where they had been. They made answer; 
 'We have been sacrificing.' 
 
 "While standing on the terrace, I saw a number of 
 Greeks attempting to conceal themselves in, and be- 
 hind, an unfinished stone house near the water's edge. 
 One, fearing he should be discovered, plunged into 
 the sea, and made for the vessels in the harbor. 
 He was discovered, however, by a number of Turks 
 who commenced firing upon him. He swam to the 
 buoy of the ship, rested awhile behind it, and pro- 
 ceeded to another; when he had passed beyond the 
 reach of muskets, a ship's boat was sent to receive 
 him. The bullets often struck the water a few 
 inches from his head, and by one he had an ear cut 
 off. This was the first time I ever saw one of my 
 fellow beings in cool blood fire upon another. I 
 will not attempt to describe my emotion, when I 
 witnessed this scene. The men, who remained in 
 the house from which he escaped, were found and 
 killed; and I saw a poor woman with a child in her 
 arms, dragged out to meet some unknown destiny. 
 During the day the Turks continued to patrol the 
 town in search of Greeks whom they murdered when 
 found. The number killed during the 24 hours is 
 estimated at from 50 to 200. Among the number 
 was a German, who was shot while standing at his 
 own window, being supposed to be a Greek. 
 
 "At a moment when the danger seemed less im- 
 minent, one of the consul's janizaries assisted a 
 number of Greeks, men, women and children, on 
 board a boat, that they might escape to the vessels. 
 Just as they were putting off from the shore a com- 
 pany of Turks came up. presented fheir musket*. 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 153 
 
 . arid would have instantly killed most or all the poor 
 Greeks, had not the janizary at that moment step- 
 ped before them, and prevented their firing. I stood 
 at the window, and trembled for the fate of 'those 
 who were fleeing for life; and when I saw the hu- 
 mane and courageous conduct of the janizary, I 
 could have embraced him as a brother: and yet 
 (who could have supposed it?) this same man has 
 since boasted of having killed six Greeks in the 
 streets himself. 
 
 "During this day the discharge of guns in differ- 
 ent directions, was continually heard. No man ven- 
 tured out of doors, unless to gain a place of greater 
 safety. Most of the Franks, and as many Greeks 
 as were able to do it, had taken refuge on board the 
 vessels. The shops, magazines, and yards of the 
 Frank merchants were filled with those who throng- 
 ed thither to save their lives. The Turkish mob 
 during the day put to death the moolah, or judge of 
 the city, and some other officers, because they had 
 suffered so many Greeks to escape. A previous or- 
 der had heen given, that none of them should be 
 suffered to leave the place. 
 
 "Sabbath, June 17. The Turks continued the 
 work of destruction. In some instances they broke 
 open houses, killed the men, and carried away the 
 women and children as slaves. During the day a lad 
 ten years of age, came to Mr. Wherry's, the consul, 
 over the roofs of the houses. On finding himself safe, 
 he fainted, revived, and fainted again, and thus con- 
 tinued a few hours, and expired. The house of 
 his friends was broken open, the family massacred, 
 and he escaped by getting out upon the roof. 
 
 "IS. It was reported in the morning that the Turks 
 at Bournabat had commenced an indiscriminate 
 massacre of Christians, both Franks and Greeks. 
 Upon this the consuls sent to all who yet remained 
 in the city, to secure themselves by going on board 
 the vessels, as soon as possible. I now went on 
 
154 MEMOIR OF 
 
 board the United States, and continued there with 
 Mr. Van Lennep two days. About this time we 
 heard that Haivali was burnt, and that Greek fe- 
 males were offered for sale in Smyrna market, who 
 were brought from Haivali and vicinity." 
 
 It afterwards appeared, that the first of the above 
 mentioned reports was exaggerated. 
 
 "July 2. The plague has made its appearance, 
 and a few persons have suddenly died of it in the 
 part of the town where the Franks live. The dis- 
 ease, it is supposed, has been imported in a ves- 
 sel from Alexandria. The different families imme- 
 diately adopted quarantine regulations. The gates 
 are shut, and no one is permitted to go out or come 
 in. A Turk, or some other person in the street, is 
 employed to bring provisions, and such other arti- 
 cles as are wanted, all which are received through 
 water. By these means the ravages of the disorder 
 have been checked." 
 
 About this time a vessel under Genoese colors 
 was seized by the Turks, in consequence of having 
 afforded protection to the Greeks. She had been 
 formerly under Turkish colors. When this fact 
 was ascertained, the captain was immediately be- 
 headed or hung, and all on board, except six whom 
 the English consul obtained from the pasha. Mr. 
 Fisk speaks of preaching during these times of ter- 
 ror from Is. xxvi. 9. "When thy judgments are 
 in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will 
 learn righteousness." 
 
 TO REV. P. S. IN VERMONT. 
 
 "Smyrna, July 29, 1821, 
 
 "Rev. and Dear Sir Last year our prospects 
 were very encouraging, and we hoped that our 
 labors might be soon attended with spiritual bless- 
 ings to our fellow men. This year we are sur- 
 
RKV. PLINY FISK. J55 
 
 vounded with more than Egyptian darkness. This 
 country is now subject to all the horrors of re- 
 bellion, civil war, massacres, and assassinations. 
 Murders and assassinations have taken place almost 
 daily in this town for three or four months. That 
 dreadful disorder, the plague, has also existed among 
 us for a month past, though it has now abated, and 
 our fears, as to that, have subsided. These disturb- 
 ances have prevented me from travelling, and al- 
 most entirely from distributing the Scriptures and 
 Tracts. At present I preach on the Sabbath, 
 sometimes in English, and sometimes in French; 
 but I have only a few hearers. I hope the storm 
 \vill blow over in the course of the year, so that 
 we shall be permitted again to engage actively in 
 the duties of our mission. We already know 
 enough of this country, to expect our plans to be 
 often interrupted by one adverse event or another. 
 Yet this does not at all diminish our conviction, that 
 missionary labors here will produce at some future- 
 day very important results." 
 
 "Aug. 17. After a few weeks of tranquillity, when 
 we began to hope that the streets were to be 
 stained no more with blood, wantonly shed, our 
 pleasing dreams were again disturbed by the out- 
 cry of distress, and the renewal of scenes of mur- 
 der. And what encourages these outrages is, that 
 the Turkish authority is not much disposed to pun- 
 ish a Mussulman for any acts of violence of which 
 he may be guilty." 
 
 TO A LADY IX CONNECTICUT. 
 
 "Smyrna, Aug. 19, 1821. 
 
 "I thank you for telling me with so much par- 
 ticularity how the Lord has dealt with you. Your 
 letter shows, that while you have been plunged 
 into the deepest earthly affliction, the fountains of 
 
156 MEMOIR OF 
 
 heavenly consolation have been opened, and you 
 have drunk from them freely. Were it not so, I 
 would attempt to point out the grounds on which the 
 afflicted may rest, and the sources, to which they 
 may resort for happines,s. Situated as you have 
 been, what could you have done, whither could you 
 have gone for comfort, without the hope of the 
 Gospel, and the assurance that God reigns 1 ? O how 
 precious, when earth presents but one dark Egyp- 
 tian night, how precious are our Saviour's promises? 
 How they sustain the soul that would otherwise 
 burst with grief! How salutary, too, are the chas- 
 tisements of our heavenly Father! The intensencss 
 of suffering, the exquisite anguish of the moment, 
 will subside. It is desirable that it should be so. 
 Nature would otherwise sink. In this respect, as 
 in every other, the arrangements of Providence are 
 merciful and wise. The stroke is intended to pro- 
 duce anguish at the time; and for this our sensibil- 
 ities are given. But the acuteness of grief will 
 gradually subside, and the various engagements 
 and enjoyments of life will again occupy the at- 
 tention. 
 
 "It is the wisdom and the happiness of the 
 Christian, while he feels no less sensibly than the 
 man of the world, to submit cheerfully in the midst 
 of his afflictions to the will of God; to improve the 
 occasion as a favorable opportunity to subdue all 
 inordinate attachment to earthly things; to gain 
 more spirituality of temper, and to bring his soul 
 into a more close and intimate walk with God. And 
 even after the day of affliction has been long passed, 
 and the habitual smile is again seated on the counte- 
 nance, and the mind is again engaged in its accus- 
 tomed employment, it is wise and profitable to review 
 occasionally past scenes of affliction, and to seize the 
 moment for special devotion, for self-examination, for 
 renewing our pious resolutions, and for peculiar 
 communion with God. They greatly mistake, who 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 1^)7 
 
 suppose that no advantage is to be derived from 
 affliction except while we are actually suffering." 
 
 From the minute details incorporated in his 'jour- 
 nal, much of which must be passed over unnoticed, 
 it appears that Mr. Fisk took very deep interest in 
 the welfare of seamen. Here was a field of labor in 
 which he accomplished much, the results of which 
 may not be disclosed till brought to light in the final 
 judgment. When practicable he would visit every 
 vessel in port for the purpose of religious conversa- 
 tion with sailors, and of distributing among them 
 the Scriptures and Tracts. 
 
 "Sept. 16. In the afternoon a Turk shot a Greek 
 near Mr. Van Lennep's door. I had entered the 
 door about ten minutes previous to the transaction. 
 Mr. V. was looking out of the window, and saw the 
 dreadful deed committed. I saw the blood on the 
 stones not more than five feet from the threshold. 
 In the evening received a letter informing me of 
 the death of Dr. Worcester. To me and my mis- 
 sionary brethren this is a heavy, a very heavy 
 affliction." 
 
 TO JEREMIAH EVARTS, ESQ.. 
 
 "Ocf. 2. Your last letter gives us the painful 
 news of Dr. Worcester's death. It seems like the 
 loss of a father. The tender concern which he felt 
 in the welfare of missionaries, his able and friendly 
 counsels, his enlarged views and extensive infor- 
 mation on missionary subjects, render his death a 
 peculiarly afflictive event to us all. To me the 
 event is more affecting, because I had spent much 
 time in his family; had enjoyed the precious privi- 
 lege of going often with him to the throne of grace: 
 had spent much time in conversing on that subject. 
 \vhich lay nearest his heart; and had seen how his 
 religion influenced Tiis daily conversation. May 
 14 
 
158 MEMOIR OF 
 
 the Head of the church supply the vacancy which 
 this event has occasioned; and may we all have 
 grace to make such use of this admonition as we 
 ought. 
 
 "It is a serious question, what effect the distur- 
 bances which now exist, and which must be expect- 
 ed to take place from time to time, in this country, 
 ought to have on our plans. These events inter- 
 rupt, but do not prevent, the proceedings of mer- 
 chants and travellers. Amid all the horrors and 
 dangers of the present revolution, ships come and 
 go; trade is carried on to a great extent; and Euro- 
 pean travellers, though obliged to curtail their 
 plans, and use extra precautions, still pursue their 
 objects. A short time since two English gentlemen 
 arrived from Constantinople, on their way to Egypt, 
 travelling for pleasure, to gratify their curiosity. 
 
 "As the study of languages, and the preparation 
 of Tracts will constitute a great part of the busi- 
 ness of a missionary here, it will undoubtedly be 
 best to embrace opportunities when the country is 
 tranquil, to travel, and, when plague or war rages, to 
 retire for study. This may render it necessary, some- 
 times, to change our plans, and may render it impos- 
 sible to lay plans with precision: but I cannot feel 
 as though it ought, on the whole, to be considered 
 any reason why missionary labors in this country 
 should be relinquished or discouraged. Rather 
 let the number and the magnitude of the difficulties 
 which lie in the way, awaken more earnest pray- 
 ers, firmer zeal, and more unyielding persever- 
 ance." 
 
 The tragical scenes, which came under Mr. Fisk's 
 observation, continued in October, and had become 
 so common, that they began to be regarded with 
 indifference by many classes of people. Parties of 
 pleasure and vain amusement were revived and en- 
 gaged in, as though all were peace. Thousands 
 hafl fled for their livep, and the streets 0f Smyrna 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 15 
 
 were crimsoned with Grecian blood. It was esti- 
 mated that 2000 had been massacred, and heavy 
 exactions of money were demanded of others for 
 the privilege of living. The bodies of the 'slain 
 were seen frequently floating in the bay. In a 
 word, exactions, imprisonment, or death, met the 
 defenceless Greeks in every direction. And yet, 
 strange to tell, multitudes, only because they were 
 better protected from Turkish violence, went 
 thoughtlessly to the assembly-room, and the dance, 
 as though all were peace and security. While the 
 countenance of many gathered blackness through 
 fear, that of others exhibited only the expression of 
 a thoughtless, ill-tirned levity. 
 
 After relating a long tale of atrocities, of which 
 lie had some personal knowledge, and rumors of 
 similar scenes at Constantinople, Salonica, Vassil- 
 ica, Carabourno, Galacita, the Grecian Islands, &c. 
 rumors of deeds foul and monstrous beyond a 
 parallel in modern times, Mr. Fi&k remarks; (ad- 
 dressing the Secretary of the Board,) "You will 
 readily perceive, that amidst such occurrences as I 
 have described, my studies must be very much inter- 
 rupted, and my opportunities for active labors few 
 and limited. Here all the selfish, revengeful, cruel, 
 and licentious passions of human nature are indulg- 
 ed without restraint. When and how these direful 
 events are to be made subservient to the cause of 
 Christ, is for Him to decide, whose prerogative it is 
 to bring good out of evil. It is our part to sub- 
 mit to his will, while we weep over the depravity 
 and miseries of men, and to improve what few oppor- 
 tunities we have to do good, while waiting for a 
 wider field of action to open before us." 
 
 The state of Mr. Fisk's mind at this time will 
 appear in the following letter addressed to Mrs. H. 
 S. of B. dated Smyrna, Sept. 30. 
 
 "The events of the past summer have made me 
 think often of an early death. There is something 
 
1GO MEMOIR OF 
 
 which touches the mind in a most tender and af- 
 fecting manner in the thought of leaving a mission, 
 concerning which so much has been said and done, 
 and in which so little has been effected. It must be 
 hard to give up plans and hopes, to which we have- 
 devoted ourselves, and on which we have meditated, 
 till they have engrossed our whole mind. There is 
 something very solemn too, in the thought of dying, 
 of leaving this world forever, and all who are in it, 
 and all the privileges of probation; of having the 
 soul depart for a new, untried residence; and of 
 becoming at once acquainted with the full import 
 of that awful word, Eternity. In anticipating such 
 an event, we need firm faith, and the consciousness 
 of having committed our soul most sincerely and 
 unreservedly into the hands of our Redeemer. 
 
 "Sometimes I hope that, should I be called, 1 
 should be able to meet death as a Christian ought. 
 At other times I tremble at the thought of dying. 
 But I think we do not honor our Saviour as we 
 ought, unless we receive his promises with such 
 cordial confidence, that we can think of death at all 
 times with composure, and triumph when it ap- 
 proaches. To feel, and speak, and act right, in 
 respect to death, while in health, when sick, and at 
 the hour of dissolution, is a great part of the Chris- 
 tian's duty, and one important method of exhibit- 
 ing the excellence and value of true religion. Dear 
 sister, may we be prepared, so that the approach 
 of the last enemy may not alarm us, and so that we 
 may honor God by our dying behavior. 
 
 "I perceive that I am filling, up my sheet with 
 reflections on a gloomy subject, and one, which to 
 the gay and merry, would seem very unsuitable for 
 a letter. But to you, I trust, it will seem neither 
 unsuitable nor gloomy. With all its terrors death 
 to a Christian is but deliverance from prison, and 
 admittance to his Father's house. Let us then be 
 diligent in our work, and wait with holy expecta- 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 161, 
 
 lion, for the moment which shall free us from sin. 
 and admit us to the immediate presence of our 
 God." 
 
 The Messrs. Van Lennep's removed in October to 
 their country seat in Sedicui, a few miles from 
 Smyrna, where they were more retired from the 
 scenes of confusion and horror witnessed in the city. 
 Mr. Fisk was invited to accompany them, and ac- 
 cepted the invitation. An account of his residence 
 at that place is contained in a communication to 
 the corresponding Secretary under the following 
 date: 
 
 "Smyrna, Nov. 22, 1821. 
 
 "Dear Sir, I have already given you some ac- 
 count of the village of Sedicui, and a visit which 
 I made to it last winter. I have just returned from 
 a residence of a month there with the families of 
 the Messrs. Van Lennep's. We went out October 
 20th. The five Sabbaths which I spent there, I 
 preached in French to a congregation of about 
 twenty persons, from the following texts: 'Search 
 the Scriptures.' 'The law of the Lord is perfect.' 
 'When thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabit- 
 ants of the world learn righteousness.' 'There re- 
 inaineth, therefore, a rest for the people of God/ 
 These were sermons which I had previously written 
 in English, and translated into French. I spent a 
 little time daily in reading the Scriptures in English, 
 Greek, and French, with six children of the Messrs. 
 V. L., and devoted most of my remaining hours 
 to study. I sold three Greek Testaments for about 
 one third the first cost, gave away four others, and 
 distributed, and left for distribution 100 Greek 
 Tracts of different kinds. I also visited the Greek 
 priests frequently, for the purpose of reading the 
 Scriptures with them. After reading our Saviour's 
 discourse to Nicodemus, I asked, 'What is regen- 
 t:ratioiv?' The head priest replied, 'Baptism.' I asked, 
 14* 
 
162 MEMOIR OF 
 
 Is it water baptism merely, or does it imply also the 
 renovation of the heart by the Holy Spirit?' 'It 
 certainly implies the latter,' he said. I replied, 
 ; Suppose a man has been baptised, but his heart re- 
 mains unholy, and he has no true faith; can he be 
 saved?' 'Certainly not,' was the reply. I then en- 
 tered into conversation to shew the nature and 
 necessity of the renewing influences of the Holy 
 Spirit. To all that I said, he readily assented. 
 
 "A little way from Sedicui, there is a spring call- 
 ed St. John's Fountain, to which the Greeks attri- 
 bute a kind of miraculous power. The water is 
 slightly impregnated with iron. The sick resort to 
 this fountain, taste the water, make the sign of 
 the cross, offer a short prayer, and then tie a small 
 rag to the bushes which surround the spring, and, 
 according to public opinion, depart materially ben- 
 efitted. Hundreds of rags are hanging on the bush- 
 es, having been left there by invalids who came to 
 be healed. Similar springs are found, it is said, in 
 the neighborhood of many Greek villages. 
 
 "Smyrna, with its vicinity, continues to be a the- 
 atre of the most tragical and bloody scenes. Three 
 or four days ago, a quarrel took place between 
 some Turks, and some Slavonians and Ragusians, 
 who are Austrian subjects. A few individuals were 
 killed on both sides. This excited the anger of the 
 Turks generally to the highest pitch of phrenzy, and 
 they wreaked their vengeance on the poor Greeks, 
 shooting and stabbing them in the streets, and even 
 breaking open houses to glut their fury, and gratify 
 their lusts. I have heard the number of assassina- 
 tions, committed in the course of two or three days, 
 variously estimated at from 100 to 300. 
 
 "My own situation is such, that I entertain very 
 little apprehension as to my personal safety. Yet 
 scarcely a week has passed for eight months, in 
 which I have not witnessed, or heard of events of 
 the most revolting and distressing kind. The oc- 
 currences of this year have made fhe most horrid 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 163 
 
 things recorded in ancient history seem familiar, 
 seem like facts; and not like the imaginations of a 
 tragic muse. These exhibitions of lust, of cold 
 blooded cruelty, furnish dreadful testimony of the 
 corruption of human nature. O that from these 
 impressive and instructive lessons, I may learn prac- 
 tical wisdom. 
 
 "Be the result of the war, however, what it may, 
 I entertain very little apprehension, that it will be 
 seriously unfavorable to our cause; and possibly it 
 may open a wide door, for the circulation of the 
 Scriptures, the establishment of schools, and the 
 diffusion of evangelical truth. Our general plans 
 should be laid, not with a view to present occur- 
 rences merely, but principally with reference to the 
 general state of the country." 
 
 In a letter to the same, dated November 27, he 
 thus notices the sickness of Mr. Parsons while at 
 Syria in September. "It is now a month since I 
 received a letter from Mr. Parsons, giving me the 
 painful intelligence, that he had been dangerously 
 sick: but thanks to a kind Providence, the same 
 letter informed me that he was recovering his health. 
 Had I known of his sickness sooner, I should, if 
 possible, have gone to him; for I fear he suffered 
 much from the want of proper attentions. 'He was 
 sick nigh unto death; but God had mercy on him, 
 and not him only, but on me also.' ' : 
 
 About this time Mr. Fisk heard from Mr. P. then 
 at Scio, and with much anxiety waited his arrival 
 at Smyrna. He had the happiness of meeting his 
 long absent and afflicted brother, on December 3, 
 1821. The time of their separation wanted a few 
 days of a year, during which they had witnessed 
 events and scenes, calculated to keep the mind 
 under the constant influence of no ordinary degree 
 of excitement. To these occurrences there is an 
 allusion in the following extract of a joint letter to 
 the corresponding Secretary, dated Smyrna, Dec. 
 1 1821. 
 
164 MEMOIR OF 
 
 "Very dear Sir, It is with emotions of gratitude 
 and satisfaction, that, after a year's separation, we 
 once more sit down together, to address you. Dur- 
 ing the past year, we have encountered disappoint- 
 ments, we have endured afflictions, and we have 
 experienced mercies, which we hope never to for- 
 get, and which we trust may be useful to us as long 
 as we live. We separated, hoping to meet in Judea. 
 The event has shewn that the divine purpose 
 was, that we should meet again where we separ- 
 ated. Thousands of our fellow men have fallen 
 around us, but we still live. One of us has lain for 
 weeks on the very borders of the grave; yet life is 
 spared, and every thing now indicates a speedy re- 
 storation to perfect health. We would, therefore, 
 call upon all within us, and upon all our friends, to 
 praise the Lord for his great goodness. After a year 
 of hopes, and fears, and anxieties; of plans, and 
 labors, and disappointments, such as before we knew 
 nothing of; we were permitted to meet again, Mon- 
 day, December 3d, and unitedly join with those 
 friends of Zion, who, on that day, raise their sup- 
 plications to heaven for the conversion of the world. 
 It was particularly pleasant to meet on that day. We 
 met with earnest desires, that the past may prove 
 instructive and useful to us; and that for the future 
 we may be wholly devoted to our work, to the ser- 
 vice of our Redeemer, and the good of men. If 
 we know our own hearts, we wish to live for noth- 
 ing else." 
 
 During the month of December, as the English 
 chaplain returned home, Mr. Fisk was invited to 
 preach in the chapel, as he had been on a former 
 occasion. He also continued to distribute the Scrip- 
 tures and Tracts, as opportunities occurred. He 
 frequently held discussions on religious subjects with 
 different individuals, and in the meantime prosecuted 
 his regular studies. He gives an account of one of 
 
REV. PLTNY FISK. 
 
 these discussions with a Catholic gentleman of in- 
 telligence and learning, to whom he had given a 
 Bible more than a year before. 
 
 On the subject of the infallibility of the pope he 
 adduced the arguments of Paschal, who, to prove 
 that the decisions of the pope, as to matters of fact, 
 may be erroneous, brings examples, in which one 
 pope had contradicted and set aside the opinions of 
 his predecessor. "All the morality of the Romish 
 church," said the Catholic gentleman, "changes 
 according to convenience; and what is right at one 
 time, is wrong at another." 
 
 The subject of transubstantiation was introduced. 
 After hearing Mr. Fisk's views upon it, he remark- 
 ed; "What idea the Catholics attach to the lan- 
 
 fuage they use on this subject, I cannot conceive. 
 am persuaded, they do not believe their own as- 
 sertions. I think it impossible for the human mind 
 to believe them." 
 
 The Romish doctrine of purgatory came under 
 discussion. After being referred to Matt- xxv, 46, 
 and to the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, the 
 man exclaimed; "The doctrine is directly opposite 
 to Scripture, arid is maintained by the church only 
 for the sake of the money paid for the delivery of 
 souls from purgatory." 
 
 Respecting prayers made to the virgin Mary, to 
 other saints, and to angels, and also respecting con- 
 fession to the priests, Mr. Fisk found this enlighten- 
 ed Catholic favoring correct views, and differing 
 from the opinions of his church. He appeared to 
 have learnt from the Bible which had been given 
 him, that many of the religious views held by Cath- 
 olics were uriscriptural and unreasonable. Light 
 seemed to be dawning upon his mind; and it is not 
 improbable, that one thus led to renounce his papal 
 errors, may one day be brought not only to under- 
 stand, but love the truth as it is in Jesus. 
 
106 MEMOIR OF 
 
 This chapter, which gives a view of the more 
 important labors and observations of Mr. Fisk, in 
 the year 1821, during which period he was alone 
 will be concluded with the following account of 
 Smyrna, abstracted from a historical sketch prepar- 
 ed by Mr. Fisk. The whole document would be 
 read with interest, but the limits of this Memoir 
 will not admit of its insertion. 
 
 The city which bears this name was founded, so 
 far as can be ascertained, about 3,000 years ago. 
 The original inhabitants were Athenians, either a 
 part, or descendants of the colony, which came to 
 Asia with Androcles. son of Codrus, king of Athens. 
 After having risen to opulence, it became enervated 
 by luxury, and was destroyed by the Lydians. 
 The present Smyrna was built about 300 years B. 
 C. by order of Alexander; and it became the Capi- 
 tal of Asia Minor. In the days of Roman dominion 
 it was distinguished as the seat of science, and was 
 called "the crown of Ionia, the ornament of Asia." 
 
 When Christianity was introduced into this 
 city, it was in its glory, abounding in wealth, mag- 
 nificent works of art, and schools of learning. It 
 became the theatre of martyrdom, and the ground 
 was enriched with the blood of Polycarp and oth- 
 ers, who laid down their lives for Christ. Temples 
 and theatres from that time began to crumble and 
 fall, to make room for churches. 
 
 In the year 177 of the Christian era the place is 
 said to have suffered from an earthquake, the ruins 
 of which were repaired by Marcus Aurclius. Un- 
 der the Christian emperors it is said to have flour- 
 ished. 
 
 It was for a long time the scene of desolating 
 wars, waged by the Turks; and at the beginning of 
 the 13th century it lay in ruins. It was afterwards 
 repaired, and eventually became subject perma- 
 nently to the Ottoman power, and enjoyed an ex- 
 tensive commerce, till it was again destroyed by 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 167 
 
 an earthquake in the year 1G88. From the effects 
 of this catastrophe the city began to recover early 
 in the 18th century. Tournefort, who visited the 
 place about 100 years ago, estimated the popula- 
 tion at about 27,000, of which lo,000 were Mus- 
 sulmans. The commerce was then principally in 
 the hands of the Dutch, a time when Dutch com- 
 merce was unusually prosperous. 
 
 The town has often suffered severely from fires, 
 and from the plague. In 1814 the number of deaths 
 by the plague has been estimated at 40,000. Con- 
 sidering how this ancient city has been conquered 
 and re-conquered, burnt and plundered, overthrown 
 by earthquake and scourged by the plague, it is 
 not strange, that so few remains are left even of 
 the town, as built by Alexander and his generals. 
 
 The harbor is large and commodious, and the 
 city faces the N. W. In the south part of it the 
 Turks principally live, and the Franks in the north 
 part. There are about 200 protestants in the city, 
 10,000 Jews, and 4 or 5,000 Armenians. The prin- 
 cipal part of the population consists of Turks and 
 Greeks. The whole number of inhabitants is gen- 
 erally estimated at from 100 to 150,000.* The mina- 
 rets of 20 mosques rise from the ground, where the 
 blood of martyrs was shed, and the superstitions of 
 a corrupt Christianity have been substituted for that 
 Gospel, preached by "the angel of the church of 
 Smyrna;" while the iron-hearted Ottoman, sitting in 
 sullen grandeur, claims the prerogative of holding 
 in his hand the property, liberty, and life of the 
 oppressed people. O rise some other Polycarp to 
 revive the purity and glory of the ancient church, 
 
 *A very recent estimation makes the population of Smyrna cnlv 
 abemt 100,000. 
 
168 MEMOIR OF 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 PASSAGE FROM SMYRNA TO EGYPT, AND RESIDENCE 
 IN THAT COUNTRY. 
 
 THE feebleness of Mr. Parsons' health, after his 
 residence at Jerusalem, required, as was thought, a 
 voyage to some warmer climate. This measure 
 being recommended by the English physician who 
 had the care of him, it was thought best he should 
 go to Egypt. A passage being engaged in an Aus- 
 trian brig, Mr. Fisk accompanied him from Smyr- 
 na on the 9th of Jan. 1822. After a tempestuous 
 passage of five days they arrived at Alexandria. 
 During the first three or four weeks the attention of 
 Mr. Fisk was principally devoted to his beloved 
 friend. 
 
 Two letters from him at this time exhibit the con- 
 cern he felt for the spiritual welfare of the Jews. 
 One was written to the Society of Inquiry respect- 
 ing Missions, in the Theological Seminary, Andover. 
 
 Alexandria, January 21, 1822. 
 
 "Dear Brethren, Permit us to call your attention 
 in this letter more particularly to what concerns that 
 singularly interesting people, the Jews. To you it 
 is not necessary that we should speak of their ori- 
 gin, history, present state, or future prospects. You 
 undoubtedly observe with deep interest the progress 
 of all exertions made for their benefit. But there 
 is one particular view of the subject to which we 
 solicit your attention. In the United States the 
 Jews enjoy such privileges as they never enjoyed un- 
 der any other Christian government; yet so far as 
 our information extends, little has been said and 
 little done in respect to the Christian instruction of 
 such Jews as live in that country. Why is this? 
 Christians of the United States are sending mission- 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 109 
 
 uries to the heathen, and are making exertions for 
 the instruction and conversion of Jews in other parts 
 of the world, while to those in their own country no 
 attention is given, no one goes to inquire lifter 
 them, no one offers them the Gospel. Brethren, 
 these things ought not so to be. Something must 
 be done. Can you not do something? Will you not 
 do something? 
 
 "We would not propose to you any plan which 
 will be very expensive either as to time or money. 
 Still we do earnestly ask, can you not, will you not 
 do something for the Jews in the United States? 
 Say, if you please, that they are not numerous. 
 But they are numerous enough to furnish a large 
 number of missionaries, if they should generally 
 receive the Gospel. Say, that they are ignorant, 
 bigotted, full of prejudice, and unconquerably de- 
 voted to gain. So are other Jews, and so are all 
 ungodly men; and these are the very men for whom 
 the Gospel was designed. Do you ask, what is to 
 be done? We might with propriety refer the ques- 
 tion to yourselves as better acquainted with circum- 
 stances, and more able to devise suitable plans, 
 than we are. We will, however, take the liberty to 
 suggest the following things: 
 
 "1. Take it for granted, and resolve firmly, that 
 something ought, and must be done for the Jews 
 in the United States, and then pray for them, and 
 for grace to carry this resolution into effect. 
 
 "2. Collect information concerning them, their 
 places of residence, numbers, wealth, occupation, 
 moral character, religious opinions, practices, and 
 feelings; their Rabbies, synagogues, books, schools, 
 &c. We presume that there are in New York, 
 Philadelphia, Charleston, Savannah, and other 
 places, Jews of learning and intelligence, with 
 whom you might hold a correspondence. 
 
 "3. Make all practicable arrangements, and im- 
 prove every opportunity to obtain personal acquairt- 
 15 
 
170 MEMOIR OF 
 
 tance with Jews. Visit them with hearts filled 
 with Christian kindness. Converse with them about 
 their language, their history, the Old Testament 
 Scriptures, the Messiah, and the difference between 
 Jews and Christians; and when opportunity pre- 
 sents, tell them Jesus of Nazareth is their long 
 expected Messiah. From what we have seen of 
 Jews, in America and in this country, we are sure 
 that whenever one of you shall spend a vacation in 
 a city where there are Jews, he may very easily get 
 acquainted with some of them. Should you engage 
 ever so zealously and prudently in these efforts, 
 perhaps no good will be effected for a long time; 
 perhaps, however, you will find your first efforts 
 successful. 
 
 "May God guide you and bless your attempts to 
 do good. We always feel, beloved brethren, a deep 
 interest in the religious state of Andover. How we 
 should rejoice to hear every year, that the Seminary 
 exhibits more and more of the spirit of Baxter, and 
 Doddridge, and Brainerd, and Martyn." 
 
 The other letter was addressed to Mrs. Hannah 
 Adams, of Boston, corresponding Secretary of the 
 Boston Female Jews Society. 
 
 "Madam. My fellow laborer Mr. P. unites with 
 me in expressing our thanks to you for your kind 
 note, accompanied with seme Hebrew Tracts and 
 for all the interest you have manifested in our mis- 
 sion. A few days since I put a part of them into 
 the hands of a Jew, who often visits me, and with 
 whom I have frequent opportunities of reading the 
 Hebrew New Testament, and discussing religious 
 subjects. Like most of the Jews in this region, 
 however, he cares very little about the Scriptures, 
 very little about Judaism or Christianity, very little 
 about the Messiah or his kingdom. He listens to 
 whatever we say to him, never contradicts or dis- 
 putes; because he feels perhaps too little interest 
 
REV PLINY FISK. 171 
 
 in the subject. At his own request we have given 
 him the New Testament in Hebrew and in Italian. 
 
 We have also, since our arrival here, become 
 acquainted with a learned German Jew who is 
 a respectable physician. He rejects in the most 
 contemptuous manner the Talmud, and the whole 
 mass of Jewish traditions; never goes to the syna- 
 gogue, and probably has much more confidence in 
 the infidel philosophy of the modern Germans, than 
 in Christianity or Judaism either. He seems not at 
 all averse to discussion, and we hope to have fre- 
 quent interviews with him, and intend to put some 
 suitable books into his hands. 
 
 "We have been cheered and encouraged lately 
 by the arrival in this part of the world of a fellow 
 laborer, from whose exertions we hope for great 
 good, especially among the Jews. I refer to the 
 Rev. Joseph Wolff, a Polish Jew, who embraced 
 Christianity some years ago, resided awhile at Cam- 
 bridge, England, and has lately come to this coun- 
 try to preach the Gospel to his brethren according 
 to the flesh. He left Egypt for Syria just before 
 we arrived here. He has sent to us several times, 
 expressing a wish that our labors might be united 
 in the common cause. We expect to meet him 
 next spring, if Providence permit, in the Holy Land. 
 
 "We are most painfully disappointed, in not see- 
 ing, before this time, one or two missionaries from 
 our own country. It is desirable one should come, 
 who shall be wholly employed in research and mis- 
 sionary labor among the Jews. The variety of ob- 
 jects to which our attention is directed, prevents us 
 from devoting that particular attention, which we 
 could wish, to what concerns that interesting peo- 
 ple. We are however much encouraged in reading 
 the accounts in the Jewish Expositor, to learn how 
 many are seeking the good of Israel, and how many 
 of the lost children of Abraham begin to come to 
 themselves, and say .'Wg will arise and go to our 
 
1 HI MEMOIR OV 
 
 Father.' We hope and pray, that this spirit may 
 prevail wherever the descendants of Israel are to be 
 found. 
 
 "A subject, which I wish to propose with all due 
 deference, is, that the Female Jews Society of Bos- 
 ton and vicinity, should undertake the support of a 
 missionary in this country, whose main object shall 
 be to labor among the Jews. Should the Society 
 approve of this measure, undoubtedly some young 
 gentleman who has devoted himself to the mission- 
 ary work under the American Board would be ready 
 to engage in this service. You will, I am persuaded, 
 excuse the liberty I have taken in making the pro- 
 posal, and the question, I hope, will be decided in 
 such way, as shall best promote the best of causes."* 
 
 The letter v^hich follows, written about the same 
 time, and addressed to J. W. Langdon, Esq. Bos- 
 ton, contains a respectful notice of the kind atten- 
 tion received from the English consul at Smyrna. 
 
 "Dear Sir, Mr. Parsons in very feeble health 
 requests me to reply to your very acceptable letter, 
 which was duly received, and would have been 
 answered before now, had it not been for our numer- 
 ous engagements. You will, I am sure, excuse this 
 delay, and accept the assurance of our united esteem 
 and good wishes. 
 
 *The last report of the Society, to which Mr. Fiek alludes in this 
 letter, exhibits the result of the application which he made to them to 
 support a missionary to the Jews. "It is well known," says the Re- 
 port, "that the grand object of our association has ever been to pro- 
 mote Christianity among the Jews; and that for several years we sent 
 our money to the Jews' Society in London, as the best channel then 
 known, through which to effect our object: But since the reception of 
 a letter in 1822, from the beloved and lamented missionary, Rev. 
 Pliny Fisk, in which he powerfully pleads, that a missionary may be 
 sent by us to the Jews, our object has been to furnish the means of 
 support to such a missionary in Western Asia. The Rev. Josiah Brew- 
 er was at length obtained, by the American Board of Foreign Missions 
 as a missionary to the Jews. The ladies of this Society supply the 
 funds necessary for his support, not presuming to direct his course." 
 
SET. PLINY FJSK. 173 
 
 I suppose you hear occasionally from our good 
 friend, Mr. Lee of Smyrna. We have found him 
 uniformly and particularly kind to us. As you know 
 something of his views, you may be interested in 
 reading the following remark which he wrote on 
 the last page of the Memoir of Rev. Henry Martyn> 
 which we had presented to him: 'I dare humbly, 
 but boldly also foretel, from my previous knowl- 
 edge of the Persians, and from what I have collected 
 from that same nation from this invaluable, and 
 almost heavenly inspired book, that, at no very dis- 
 tant period in Persia, will the abominable no-relig- 
 ion of that odious and satanical Impostor, Mahom- 
 med, be rooted forth, never more to pollute the 
 earth with the abominations of its desolations?' 
 
 "We find Mr. Lee's brother, who is consul here 
 (Alexandria,) a most amiable man, and particularly 
 friendly to us and our objects. Having been in this 
 part of the world yourself, you will readily under- 
 stand, how gratifying it must be to us, to find such 
 men among the consuls and merchants. Unfortu- 
 nately it too often happens, that Protestants, when 
 they leave their native country, seem to feel, as if 
 they had left behind them the Sabbath, the Gospel, 
 and the moral law, and I had almost said, their own 
 souls and their God. Man is a sympathetic, imita- 
 tive being. We see this by the effect produced, 
 when individuals leave a country, where the nature 
 of Christianity is correctly understood, for one 
 where a man is considered a Christian, because born 
 of Christian parents and baptized, and where the 
 Sabbath is a day of recreation and hilarity. Mer- 
 chants and travellers of real and consistent piety 
 have it in their power to do much good, and they 
 actually do much good, arid in a variety of way?, 
 When all who bear the Christian name, come to 
 exhibit in their lives the true spirit of Christianity, 
 then, I think, the Gospel will spread with ease and 
 rapidity: at least one of the great difljculties now in 
 15* 
 
174 MEMOIR OF 
 
 the way will be removed. The other day while I 
 was conversing with a Jew about the Gospel, he 
 said; 'Christians in this country have no morality.' 
 Unhappily from what I knew of them, I was not able 
 to contradict the assertion, though I was able to 
 show him, and he was obliged to admit, that the 
 morality of the Gospel is of the highest kind, and 
 that a true Christian cannot be immoral." 
 
 The following extracts from Mr. Fisk^s private 
 journal shew the interesting nature of that Chris- 
 tian intercourse which subsisted between him and 
 Mr. Parsons, and what their feelings were in pros- 
 pect of a separation. 
 
 "Alexandria, Jan. 21, 1822. I desire to record it 
 as one of the greatest mercies of my life, that I am 
 permitted to enjoy the heavenly society, conversa- 
 tion, and prayers of my beloved brother Parsons. 
 While at Smyrna, from December 4th, to January 
 9th, we enjoyed seasons of social prayer morning and 
 evening, and our Sabbaths were peculiarly precious. 
 I do not recollect that a single season of devotion 
 passed, in which he did not make some remarks 
 expressing submission to the will of God, concern 
 for the souls of men, love to the mission, gratitude 
 for divine mercies, confidence in the Lord, and love 
 to the Saviour. While on our mission we have 
 read Ps. li. more frequently than any other portion 
 of Scripture, and he has repeatedly remarked; 
 ; We cannot read that too often.' 
 
 "Since we arrived at Alexandria, he often speaks 
 of what, he hopes, I may be able to do in this mis- 
 sion, and as to himself, that all will be just as his 
 heavenly Father sees best. This morning he spoke 
 of the goodness of God, and exclaimed; 'O it is 
 overwhelming. With such a God how can we have 
 any fears or any anxieties for a moment, other than 
 to discharge our duty.' 
 
 "22. Mr. P. proposed to devote this day to 
 special prayer, with reference to his health. Hav- 
 ing relinquished hope of recovery, he said; 'I have 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 175 
 
 a few requests still, which perhaps God will grant 
 me; and if not, his will be done. I should be glad 
 to go and die at Jerusalem, or Bethlehem; but I am 
 willing to leave my bones here. I praise God that 
 the thought is not gloomy to me. He has in some 
 measure weaned me from the world.' 
 
 "After a season of prayer we resumed our con- 
 versation. We spoke of the circumstances which 
 led to our acquaintance, of the repeated public and 
 private dedication of ourselves to God, and of the 
 sacred vows we have taken upon us. Alluding to 
 our mission he said; 'I rejoice and praise God for 
 bringing me to this field.' 
 
 "25. Before prayers I read Ezek. xxxiv. He re- 
 quested me to pray that all the sins, with which 
 we stand charged in that and the preceding chap- 
 ter, may be pardoned, and that all Christian minis- 
 ters might resemble less the shepherds who feed 
 themselves, and be more diligent in feeding their 
 flocks. 
 
 "Feb. 2. Last evening we remarked to each 
 other, that we undertook this mission with the ex- 
 pectation, that God would spare our lives as long 
 as, and take them away when and where, he saw fit. 
 That he would, if it was best, bring upon us weak- 
 ness and sickness; and, if it was best, remove one, and 
 leave the other to bear alone the trials, labors, and 
 responsibilities of the mission. I trust we both felt, 
 that we have no reason to murmur, but abundant 
 cause for gratitude." 
 
 TO JEREMIAH EVARTS, ESQ. 
 
 ''Alexandria, Feb. 4, 1822. 
 
 'Dear Sir, It is the day of the monthly concert, 
 a day, the return of which always refreshes and 
 encourages us. This morning we read 1 Chron. 
 xxix, and Psalm Ixxii, and then" endeavored to raise 
 our petitions to heaven, that God may dispose othf-r 
 
J <0 MEMOIR Of 
 
 kings to do like David, and other princes and nobles 
 to do like David's princes and nobles, and other peo- 
 ple to do like David's people; and that the prayer ol 
 David, (Ps. Ixxii, 19,) which has been offered so 
 often, and by so many, and which we have so much 
 reason to think is pleasing to God, may now at 
 length be answered, and the promises made to 
 Christ and his church, be, in their greatest extent, 
 fulfilled. We endeavored also to implore a bless- 
 ing on all the churches, societies, families, and indi- 
 viduals, who join in this monthly concert. I do 
 earnestly and confidently hope, that so many prayers, 
 by so many of the children of God, will not be offer- 
 ed in vain. 
 
 "In respect to brother Parsons's health, I can say 
 but little in addition to what you will find in the 
 letters we forwarded to Smyrna about ten days ago. 
 His symptoms are in many respects more favorable; 
 but he continues extremely weak, and his consti- 
 tution is evidently very much impaired, if riot com- 
 pletely broken down. We have a skilful physician, 
 who says, without hesitation, that he will, in some 
 good degree at least, recover; at the same time, he 
 gives the opinion, that he will not be likely ever to 
 enjoy good health again, certainly not in this cli- 
 mate, referring to Egypt and Judea. There will 
 always be a tendency to a disordered state of the 
 bowels and of the liver. He says that, for the win- 
 ter, the climate of this place is favorable; for the 
 summer, no place would be so favorable as Mount 
 Lebanon. Were we both in health, we should wish 
 to spend the summer on that mountain. We shall 
 probably remain in Egypt until spring, and then, if 
 Providence permit, go to Mount Lebanon. Wo 
 have entertained the hope, that one or both of us 
 might be at Jerusalem at Easter, but we begin to 
 fear that we shall not be able to accomplish this 
 part of our plan. We regret this, though we re- 
 gret it less than we should do, if the state of the 
 
BET. PLINY FfSK. 177 
 
 country were such as to allow pilgrims to go, as 
 usual, to the Holy City. We apprehend very few, 
 if any pilgrims will go this year." 
 
 Speaking of the embarrassments under which the 
 Board at that time labored for want of funds he 
 says: 
 
 "For missionaries themselves to speak on the sub- 
 ject of contributions for their own support, is a del- 
 icate thing. I have, more than once, resolved never 
 to mention the subject in my communications to you 
 or others. If I know myself, I would never do it 
 for my own support or comfort. I would sooner, in 
 case the provision now made for my support should 
 fail, devote one half my time to labor, and thus sup- 
 port myself. But when I read the journals of our 
 brethren in other missions; and when I look at Smyr- 
 na, and Armenia, and then see how difficult, how 
 next to impossible it is, for the Board to send addi- 
 tional laborers into any of these fields, though there 
 are young men ready to go, who ask for nothing but 
 their food and clothing, I cannot b't Wisn that I 
 were able to say something, which would rouse 
 Christians to greater liberality. When a taberna- 
 cle was to be built, the people of Israel, of every 
 condition, age, and sex, came forward voluntarily 
 with their offerings, till the priests were obliged to 
 say, 'Slop. There is enough and too much.' When 
 a temple was to be built, David offered willingly 
 gold to the value of eighteen or twenty millions 
 sterling, beside a large amount of silver and other 
 things, and his chief men then offered a much larger 
 amount; and David's prayer shows that, instead of 
 feeling any reluctance, he offered all this from 
 choice, and felt unworthy of the privilege of doing 
 it. Thanks be to God for the grace bestowed on his 
 people. There are, in the present day, many bright 
 examples of cheerful liberality. But alas! how often 
 is the opposite true! What reluctance! What friv- 
 olous excuses! What absurd and ridiculous objec- 
 
173 MEMOIR OF 
 
 tions! I have been an agent for the missionary 
 cause, and shall never cease to remember, with 
 gratitude, the kind encouragement, the cordial ap- 
 probation, and the cheerful contributions, of a few, 
 in many places which I had occasion to visit. But 
 the coldness, the shyness, the studied neglect, the 
 suspicion, the prejudice, which the simple name of 
 missionary agent produced in the minds of many who 
 profess to be Christians, to have their treasure in 
 heaven, to prize the Gospel above all other things, 
 and to pity the perishing heathen, cannot easily be 
 forgotten. 
 
 "A missionary ought unquestionably to labor 
 contentedly, and be grateful for whatever support 
 the churches may aiford him; and, I am sure, if the 
 donors could know with what emotions missionaries 
 sometimes read over the monthly lists of contribu- 
 tions, they would not think them altogether ungrate- 
 ful. But is it a duty, is it right, while so many are 
 living at home in ease and affluence, that missiona- 
 ries should bring themselves to an early grave, by 
 cares and labors, which might be relieved by a little 
 pecuniary assistance'? I know not how it may seem 
 to others; but, knowing as I now do the various ex- 
 penses to which a missionary is constantly subjected, 
 it seems to me hardly possible, that the sum you allow 
 should appear too great. The sum which we re- 
 ceive, is a mere pittance, compared with what other 
 travellers, who come into this part of the world, 
 expend. It is, in fact, small when compared with 
 what the episcopal missionaries in these parts re- 
 ceived You merely defray the expenses of your 
 
 missionaries, and those kept down by the most rigid 
 economy; and yet there are generally several wait- 
 ing, who cannot be sent abroad, for want of money. 
 An individual in England sometimes sends forth a 
 missionary, and provides liberally for his support. 
 The lamented Burkhardt was thus employed. Mr. 
 Wolff is now supported by one or two individuals. 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 1 79 
 
 Among all the men of affluence in America, are 
 there none who will go and do likewise?" 
 
 "9. This evening I sat by the bed-side of my 
 feeble brother, and he requested me to repeat the 
 following hymn: 
 
 'There is a land of pure delight, 
 
 Where saints immortal reign; 
 Infinite day excludes the night, 
 
 And pleasures banish pain.' &c. 
 
 Afterwards we enjoyed a happy season in conversing 
 about heaven. 'If I were to live my missionary life 
 over again,' he remarked, 'it seems to me, that I 
 should wish to devote much more time to reading 
 the word of God; and if any thing else, Dr. Scott's 
 Commentary.' " 
 
 COMMUNICATION TO JEREMIAH EVARTS, ESQ. RESPECT-- 
 ING THE SICKNESS AND DEATH OF MR. PARSONS. 
 
 Alexandria] Feb. 10, 1822. 
 
 "Very dear Sir, I have written to you twice, 
 since we arrived at this place. In my last I stated 
 the opinion of the physician, that brother Parsons 
 would probably never enjoy perfect health in this 
 climate; though he said, without hesitation, that he 
 would recover from his present weakness. So we all 
 hoped and believed; though I apprehend that Mr. 
 Parsons had less hope of it, than any one who knew 
 him. 
 
 "His symptoms continued favorable, till day 
 before yesterday; and our hopes were rather bright- 
 ened. Then his diarrhoea returned, though not 
 severely; and the physician said it would be easy 
 to cure it. Yesterday it was worse, and he was 
 weaker than I had ever seen him. My apprehen- 
 sions respecting a fatal termination of his disorder, 
 were greatly excited. He conversed on the subject 
 with his usual serenity, referring the event continu- 
 ally to the will of God, as he has always been 
 
180 MEMOIR OP 
 
 accustomed to do. Last evening, we spent a most 
 precious hour in reading the Scriptures, prayer, 
 and conversation. We read John xiv, and con- 
 versed some time about the 27th verse, 'Peace I 
 leave with you,' &c. After conversing about an 
 hour, I told him it was necessary that he should 
 stop and take some rest. He replied, 'I feel as 
 though I could converse two hours longer. You 
 don't know how refreshing these seasons are to me.' 
 He then fell asleep, and I sat down to write. I 
 soon heard him saying in his sleep, 'the goodness 
 of God growth in grace fulfilment of the prom- 
 ises so God is all in heaven, and all on earth.' 
 After sleeping awhile, he awoke; and seemed about 
 as usual at that hour. I proposed sitting by his 
 side through the night; but he insisted on my going 
 to bed; said he felt as though he should have a very 
 quiet night; and as his attendant always slept near 
 him, and awoke at the least word or motion, he 
 urged me to retire to rest. About 11 o'clock I bid 
 him good night, and wished that God might put 
 underneath him the arms of everlasting mercy. He 
 replied, 'The angel of the Lord encampeth round 
 about them that fear him.' 
 
 "These, my dear Sir, were the last words that 1 
 ever heard that beloved brother speak, the last, 
 that I shall hear him, until I hear him speak in the 
 language of immortality. Twice, while I slept, he 
 awoke, and told Antonio, his servant, that he had 
 slept very quietly, and felt easy and well. At half 
 past three Antonio heard him speak, or groan, and 
 started up. He saw something was the matter, and 
 called me. I was by the bed side in a moment. O 
 what a heart-rending moment was that. He was 
 gasping for breath, unable to speak, and apparently 
 insensible to all around him. I stood by his side 
 and attempted to revive him, but in vain. I sent in 
 haste for the physician but did not obtain him. 
 Nor do I suppose it would have been of any irse 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 181 
 
 whatever, if he had come. It was evident that he 
 was dying. I attempted to commend his departing 
 spirit to that Redeemer, on whom he had believed. 
 I pressed his hand, kissed his quivering lips; and 
 spoke to him; but he gave me no answer, not 
 even a look, or a motion. He took no notice of me 
 or of any thing around him. His appointed time 
 had arrived. He continued to breathe till a quar- 
 ter past four. Then the muscles of his face were 
 knit together, as if he was in pain. It was the dy- 
 ing struggle. It was the dissolution of the last ties 
 that united soul and body. It was the soul break- 
 ing off its last fetters. His features then became 
 placid again. His breath stopped. His pulse 
 ceased to beat. His soul took its immortal flight. 
 
 "After the first pang of separation, I stood pen- 
 sive by the corpse, thinking of the scenes which 
 were opening to his view. O what glories! O what 
 glories! 
 
 "I turned my thoughts to myself, and found my 
 heart sick and faint. But I have not room here to 
 describe the emotions that agitated my breast. 
 
 "A little while after, as there was no person with 
 me who understood English, I read a chapter and 
 prayed in Greek with Antonio, and then we dressed 
 the body for the grave. 
 
 "Early in the afternoon, Mr. Lee, the Consul, 
 called on me, and kindly offered to see that all nec- 
 essary arrangements were made for the funeral. He 
 said, that in this climate it was necessary to bury 
 soon, to prevent putrefaction. On this account he 
 thought it necessary that the funeral should be 
 to-day. Four o'clock was accordingly appointed. 
 All the English gentlemen resident in the place, six 
 or seven in number, the captains of several English 
 ships, and a great number of merchants, principally 
 Maltese, attended the funeral. The consul walked 
 with me next to the coffin, and the others, 60 or 70 
 in number, followed in procession to the Greek con- 
 16 
 
182 MEMOIR OF 
 
 vent, where the few English who reside here, bury 
 their dead. At the grave I read some verses from 
 Job xiv, Ps. xxxix, 1 Cor. xv, and Rev. xxi, xxii, and 
 then made a short address, and closed with prayer. 
 We then committed the dust to its kindred dust, 
 there to await the archangel's trumpet. 
 
 "To me the stroke seems almost insupportable. 
 Sometimes my heart rebels; and sometimes I hope 
 it acquiesces in the will of God. I desire your 
 prayers, that I may not faint when the Lord re- 
 bukes me. 
 
 "With a heart overflowing with grief, I subscribe 
 myself yours affectionately, 
 
 PLINY FISK." 
 
 "Feb. 10. Now that God in his righteous Providence 
 has seen fit suddenly to remove from me my dear 
 brother Parsons, I recollect with melancholy sat- 
 isfaction the many conversations I have had with 
 him. In our intercourse last evening he said; 'I 
 hope God will spare your life to labor in this mis- 
 sion, till your head blossoms for the grave.' We 
 spoke of the employments of departed saints, as 
 engaged with angels in praising God, and rejoicing 
 perhaps with them in the conversion of sinners. We 
 conversed of being conducted to glory by some 
 ministering spirit, and for ought we know, by Abra- 
 ham, or Moses, or Brainerd, or Martyn. 'But be 
 this as it may,' he said, 'if Christ receives us to him- 
 self, that will be enough.' 
 
 'I had a Brother once 
 Peace to the memory of a man of worth, 
 A man of letters, and of manners too; 
 Of manners sweet as virtue always wears, 
 When gay good nature dresses her in smiles/ " 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 183 
 
 LETTER TO HIS FATHER RELATING TO THE SAME 
 AFFLICTIVE DISPENSATION. 
 
 "Alexandria, Feb. 23, 1822. 
 
 "My ever dear and honored Father, You will 
 doubtless before this reaches you, have heard, how 
 it has pleased our heavenly Father to afflict and 
 disappoint me, in taking to himself my beloved col- 
 league and companion. Two long, solitary weeks 
 have now passed since his death. I feel alone, 
 though surrounded by a multitude of people. To 
 me it is an exceedingly heavy affliction. It is the 
 loss of my friend, and in a sense my dearest, my 
 only friend. I sometimes feel as though I should 
 sink under the stroke. O that I may have grace to 
 endure and improve my afflictions, so that I may be 
 more useful while I live, and be at last well pre- 
 pared to follow my departed brother. 
 
 "I should have written to you immediately re- 
 specting the death of Mr. Parsons, giving you an 
 account of the melancholy event; but after writing 
 to a number of his relatives, and to Mr. Evarts, I 
 felt a painful sensation in my breast, which seemed 
 to render it necessary for me to lay aside my pen for 
 a few days. I am at present in usual health, though 
 I feel more than T ever did before, how brittle is the 
 thread of human life, liable every moment to break. 
 The scene of mourning, into which I have been 
 called has given to the world an uncertain, gloomy 
 aspect an appearance of instability and transito- 
 riness. It is all a dream vanity of vanities and 
 vexation of spirit. These changing scenes will 
 soon be passed. Scarcely has the green gras~s time 
 to grow over the grave of a departed friend, before 
 one is made for another, or for ourselves. In this 
 short life we have just time enough, with divine as- 
 sistance, to prepare for death, before it come. Hap- 
 py for us, if we may have grace to seize the mo- 
 
184 MEMOIR OF 
 
 ments as they fly, and improve them in the neces- 
 sary preparation, before it be too late, and the op- 
 portunity be gone. 
 
 "While watching by the bedside of my sick and 
 dying brother, I had an unusual opportunity to learn, 
 how a firm hope in Christ, and the lively exercise of 
 religion, can tranquillize the mind and support it, 
 even when death is seen to be approaching. He 
 often spoke of it, as highly probable, that he should 
 not recover, and as very possible that he might die 
 soon. He anticipated the event with entire com- 
 posure, and spoke of it with a serene tranquillity 
 and cheerfulness, which I shall attempt in vain to 
 describe. In a word, he died as he had lived in 
 faith, and comforted by the love of Christ. I can- 
 not mourn for him; though I am overwhelmed, 
 whenever I think of myself, and of his absent 
 friends, and of this mission in which he was so ar- 
 dently engaged. But the Saviour lives. Nor is his 
 cause weakened, though his servants die. He does 
 not need our imperfect and feeble services. If one 
 falls, he can raise up others to stand in his place. In 
 him then let us trust even in the darkest day of 
 affliction. 
 
 "I ought perhaps to give you some more particu- 
 lar notices of the death of Mr. P. The voyage from 
 Smyrna to this place, which the physician recom- 
 mended to him as being of use, was very boisterous, 
 and proved injurious, rather than useful. I have 
 reason to suppose, that we were deceived concern- 
 ing his state while at Smyrna, and that his disorder- 
 had so impaired his constitution, that no means 
 probably could have restored him to health. After 
 our arrival here he continued ten or twelve days 
 apparently in about the same state; perhaps he 
 was growing weaker, though we were not sensible 
 of it at the time. After that, as we thought, he 
 began to recover. It is true he did not gain much 
 strength, if any; but his bowel complaint abated. 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 185 
 
 and his symptoms were more favorable. His appe- 
 tite was good. He took simple food, and it did not 
 seem to injure him; slept well through the night, 
 had no cough, no pain in the chest, no night-sweats, 
 and but little fever. Indeed, after he arrived at 
 Smyrna from Syra, until the day before his death, 
 he scarcely endured any pain. But his alarming 
 symptoms were a weak and disordered state of the 
 bowels, swollen feet and extreme debility. The 
 Friday before his death the diarrhoea returned. Sat- 
 urday it became violent, attended with pain, and 
 on Sabbath morning he closed his earthly exist- 
 ence. He expected to die; though I do not think 
 he had any expectation of dying so soon. In a 
 note which he left in his pocket-book, addressed to 
 myself, he names the books and other articles, which 
 he wished to have sent to his relatives, and thus 
 closes; 'To your respected and aged father, Ed- 
 wards on the Affections. To your dear brother E., 
 Owen on the 139th Psalm. To your afflicted sister 
 T., Saint's Rest.' 
 
 "Your dutiful, though far distant son, PLINY." 
 
 " Feb. 24. Two weeks have now elapsed since 
 the death of my dear brother. The bitterness of 
 grief is in some measure abated, and my mind 
 is returning to its usual habits; though I seem to be 
 treading daily on the borders of my own grave. 
 When I think of the mission in which I am engaged, 
 I never felt more desirous to live.* When I give 
 
 * A train of reflection here follows, corresponding with the feelir gB 
 expressed by the poet at the grave of a much loved friend. 
 
 ''Here take thy rest; while I, than thou, 
 Less favor'd, through the irksome vale of life 
 Toil on in tears without thee. Yet not long 
 Shall death divide us 
 
 And soon our hones shall meet Here may we sleep,. 
 Here wake together! and by His 'dear might,' 
 Who conquer'd death for sinful man, ascend 
 Together hence to an eternal home!" 
 
 16* 
 
186 MEMOIR OP 
 
 way to my feelings in thinking of my departed friend, 
 I find in my bosom a half-formed wish, that my 
 body may be laid by the side of his, and there await 
 with him the resurrection. For the present at least, 
 rny expectations of earthly happiness seem to be 
 destroyed. O that I may feel habitually, that this 
 is not my home." 
 
 In the communication which is now to be intro- 
 duced, will be found a particular account of Mr. 
 Fisk's missionary labors in Egypt. It was addressed 
 to the corresponding Secretary of the American 
 Board of Foreign Missions. 
 
 Alexandria, Feb. 28, 1822. 
 
 "Dear Sir, In consequence of the peculiar cir- 
 cumstances, in which it has pleased Providence to 
 place me of late, I have not had opportunity to per- 
 form much missionary labor in this place. I will 
 now attempt, however, to give you an account of 
 what little I have been able to do. Instead of doing 
 this in the form of a journal, I shall state all that 
 relates to any one subject, or class of people b\ 
 itself. 
 
 "Soon after we arrived here, Mr. Lee, the Eng- 
 lish consul, invited me to preach, on the Sabbath, 
 at his house, so long as I should remain in the place. 
 The congregation has consisted of from ten to fif- 
 teen persons, comprising the English who reside 
 here, and the masters of vessels now in port. One 
 Roman Catholic has attended twice. In some 
 instances, English travellers, who were in town, 
 liave attended. 
 
 "Maj. Gen. Sir John Malcolm, who was going 
 from India to England, was with us two Sabbaths. 
 With him, I had some interesting conversation re- 
 specting India and Persia, in which countries he 
 has spent about 30 years of his life. He says the 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 187 
 
 progress of knowledge and civilization in India is 
 astonishing. Though he has some fears that young 
 missionaries who go to India, will be too zealous, and 
 endeavor to 'go too fast' at first, yet he entertains no 
 doubt of their ultimate success. He speaks in 
 the highest terms of the learning, piety, and pru- 
 dence, of the missionaries at Serampore, says they 
 are 'men of primitive piety, and real Christian sim- 
 plicity.' Dr. Marshman is one of his correspon- 
 dents. 'Dr. Carey,' he says, 'is the greatest Sanscrit 
 scholar in India, and a most wonderful man.' 
 
 "I have also become acquainted with the masters 
 of several English merchant vessels, one of whom, I 
 learn, has prayers daily with his men, and reads a 
 sermon to them regularly on the Sabbath. Anoth- 
 er has given me an interesting account of the 'Float- 
 ing Ark,' for the support of which he is a sub- 
 scriber, and in which he attends worship when at 
 London. This vessel, he says, was originally a 64 
 gun-ship, was purchased by a company of mer- 
 chants in London, and application was then made 
 to them by the Port of London Society, to obtain 
 it as a place of worship for seamen. The mer- 
 chants replied, 'If you want it for that purpose, we 
 make a donation of it, if for any other object, we 
 charge you 3,000.' Some hundreds of sailors now 
 assemble in it, from Sabbath to Sabbath, to hear 
 the Gospel. The captain who gave me this account, 
 says there is a great change, since his recollection, 
 among English sailors. Many of them now wish to 
 spend the Sabbath in no other way, than in attending 
 public worship, or in reading their Bibles. I have 
 given to the captains of three vessels a small supply 
 of Tracts for their men. 
 
 "I have become acquainted with a few Catholics. 
 To one I lent an Italian Bible, with which, after 
 reading a little, he was so much pleased that he 
 purchased it. To three I have given Italian Testa- 
 ments, and to three others a number of Tracts. Some 
 
188 MEMOIR OF 
 
 of the Copts of Egypt, are, by religion, Catholics. 
 In an interview with one of them, he took great 
 pains to convince me that he was not a bigotted 
 Catholic, and that he viewed in the same light all 
 good men, of whatever denomination they might 
 be. I have had several opportunities for conversa- 
 tion with Mr. G., a Maltese merchant and friend of 
 Dr. Naudi. He one day said, 'The only thing I 
 am dissatisfied with in our religion, (i. e. the Cath- 
 olic,) is, the great number of our priests. They are 
 quite too numerous.' 
 
 "1 spoke to him, at some length, on the points of 
 difference between Catholics and Protestants, the 
 use of images, praying to saints, purgatory, confes- 
 sion to priests, transubstantiation, &c. He defend- 
 ed confession by saying, that it has a great effect 
 on the populace in keeping them from crimes. He 
 quoted the well known words of our Saviour in proof 
 of transubstantiation. I then read to him 1 Cor. xi, 
 26 29, where after the consecration of the bread, 
 the Apostle still calls it bread, whereas the popish 
 doctrine is, that it is no longer bread, but literally 
 the body of Christ. He finally admitted that it must 
 be physically bread still, and the body of Christ only 
 in some spiritual sense. 
 
 "He shewed me a Catholic prayer-book, in Eng- 
 lish, and also what he called the Bible, in Italian. 
 It was the History of the Bible, written in other 
 words, with omissions, abbreviations, and comments. 
 I have seen a similar work in French, called 'The 
 Bible Royaumont.' The general plan of these 
 works is much like that of Jamieson's Sacred His- 
 tory. The Fathers are continually quoted as au- 
 thorities, in support of the expositions given. The 
 grand fault respecting these books is, that the 
 priests give them to the people under the name 
 of the Bible, and the latter often do not know 
 that there is any other Bible, or that these books 
 differ, in any respect, from the real Scriptures. 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 189 
 
 "One Sunday afternoon, two children were bap- 
 tized in the house where we had lodgings. I had 
 never before had opportunity to witness a Catholic 
 baptism. The priest was a Capuchin friar, with a 
 white robe over his usual coarse, brown dress, and 
 an ornamented belt over his shoulders. The pray- 
 ers and creed were read in Latin. The priest took 
 spittle from his mouth, and applied it to the ears 
 and noses of the children; he then applied oil to 
 the foreside and backside of their necks, and salt to 
 their teeth, with some other ceremonies. After this 
 he baptized them by pouring water on the head, 
 and then made the sign of the cross on the top of the 
 head, with consecrated ointment. 
 
 "The Copts in Alexandria; are not numerous. 
 They have, however, a convent with a church in it, 
 which I have visited. Only two priests reside in 
 the convent, with a few domestics and attendants. 
 One of them, with whom I conversed, shewed me 
 their garden, church, baptistery and books, among 
 which were their liturgy, and certain parts of the 
 Scriptures in Coptic and Arabic, together with an 
 Arabic Bible given them by Mr. Jowett. To these 
 I added a Psalter and some Tracts in Arabic. The 
 prayers are performed in the church, first in Coptic, 
 arid then in Arabic. The Coptic is not understood 
 even by the priests. They merely know how to 
 pronounce the words. They baptize by trine-im- 
 mersion, and were at great pains to explain to me 
 the ceremonies they employ on the occasion. One 
 of the apartments, belonging to the church, is a 
 tomb, in which they told me that seventy-two Cop- 
 tic patriarchs had been buried. The church is ded- 
 icated to St. Mark, and according to the Coptic tra- 
 dition, was founded in his time, or soon after, though 
 it has been more than once destroyed and rebuilt. 
 The priest told me that there are not less than six 
 or seven hundred Coptic churches in Egypt, the 
 greater part of them in Upper Egypt, where their 
 
190 MEMOIR OF 
 
 sect of Christians is numerous. I observed, in 
 most of the Coptic books, that the letters very nearly 
 resemble the Greek. I told the priest that I was a 
 minister of the Gospel from America, that I had 
 come to see the country where our Saviour and 
 the apostles lived, to visit the churches here, and to 
 distribute the Holy Scriptures. I was then obliged 
 to explain to them what and where America is. I 
 then gave them an account of the origin, design, 
 and labors of Bible Societies. As I cannot yet con- 
 verse in Arabic, and they are acquainted with no 
 other language, this conversation was carried on by 
 an interpreter. 
 
 "Of Greeks* I believe there are not above fifty or 
 sixty families in the city. Under the government of 
 the present pasha, they have been defended from 
 such outrages as have been committed against them 
 in other parts of Turkey, since the commencement 
 of the present revolution. I have become acquaint- 
 ed with one of them, who is a merchant from 
 Rhodes. 
 
 "I told him, I had some Greek books to sell, and 
 showed him some Testaments. He said, 'If you 
 wish to sell books to the Greeks here, you must 
 bring histories. They care nothing about books 
 that treat of religion.' He then spoke in very strong 
 terms against the ignorance and bigotry of their 
 priests. 'If a young man,' said he, 'wishes to be- 
 come a priest, he has only to go to the bishop, and 
 give him about 100 piastres, more or less, accord- 
 ing to circumstances, and all is finished.' I then 
 stated to him the course of study, and the qualifica- 
 tions, requisite in order to become a priest in 
 America; all which seemed very new, very wonder- 
 ful, and very good. I endeavored also to shew him. 
 that there is an important difference between big- 
 otry and superstition, sometimes called Christianity, 
 and Christianity itself. 
 
 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 191 
 
 "The Greek convent I have visited very often, 
 particularly since interring there the remains of my 
 beloved brother. It is situated, like the Coptic and 
 Catholic convents, without the city, on the site of 
 the ancient Alexandria. There are in it four priests, 
 two deacons, one young lad, and three servants. In 
 conversations with the priests, I have uniformly 
 found them more interested in the progress and 
 issue of the present war between their countrymen 
 and the Turks, than in any thing which concerns 
 the Redeemer's kingdom. We have, however, 
 often conversed on religious subjects, and I have 
 supplied them with some books. 
 
 "Since the funeral of my brother, I have often 
 seated myself by his grave, and read some appro- 
 priate chapter from the Greek Testament; as, 1 Cor. 
 xv. Rev. xxi, and xxii. John xi, and xiv. On these 
 occasions, the president of the monastery, and some 
 of the monks, have always joined me, and listened 
 to the chapter and some accompanying remarks, 
 and some account of the religious views and feel- 
 ings, the character and preaching of the deceased. 
 In conversation with one of the deacons, he spoke 
 freely of the superstition of some of their priests, 
 whose charitable opinions never extend beyond the 
 limits of their own church. For his part, he thinks 
 all who believe in Christ are Christians. There is 
 no Greek school in the place. 
 
 "The most interesting part of my labors in Alex- 
 andria, has been among the Jews. I have become 
 particularly acquainted with three. One of them is 
 Dr. M. who was Mr. Parsons' physician. He is a 
 native of Germany, but has been many years in this 
 place. He is reputed skilful in his profession, is 
 one of the pasha's physicians, and is a man of ex- 
 tensive learning and very respectable talents. He 
 has a library of about 2,000 volumes, among which 
 are the Scriptures in different languages, and sev- 
 eral valuable theological books. He shewed me 
 
 lit 
 
192 MEMOIR OF 
 
 the writings of Eusebius, and spoke of them as 
 highly valuable. He has also the works of several 
 of the Christian fathers. 
 
 "We hoped to be able to enter into some inter- 
 esting discussions with him, but did not intend to 
 begin immediately. At almost his first visit, how- 
 ever, he told us that Mr. Wolff had spoken to him 
 concerning us. We then entered into conversation 
 concerning the Jews. He says there are about 400 
 in this place. Their language is Arabic; they read 
 Hebrew, but understand very little of it; and are 
 exceedingly ignorant, barbarous, and superstitious. 
 I then said, 'Are they still waiting for the Messiahf 
 He replied, 'Yes; but they care very little about 
 the Messiah that has come, or any one that will 
 come. They might easily be hired to consent 
 that there should never be a Messiah.' Speaking 
 of the Talmud, which he studied a long time while 
 young, he said, 'It is a perfect Babel, a confu- 
 sion of language, a confusion of logic, theology, 
 and every thing else. In a whole volume, you will 
 scarcely find twelve sentences worth reading.' 
 I observed, 'No pretended Messiah has now ap- 
 peared for a long time.' 'And I hope,' said he, 
 'none ever will appear. In Europe it would be im- 
 possible for one to succeed; he would soon be de- 
 tected. In this country he would probably lose his 
 head immediately. If any monarch should now un- 
 dertake to assemble the Jews, they could not live 
 together. The Jews of Germany, of England, of 
 France, of Spain, and of Asia, differ so much, that 
 they would not tolerate each other. The way to 
 make Jews Christians, is to give them the privilege 
 of citizens, and let them intermarry with Christians.' 
 
 "He speaks of the Gospel as containing very sub- 
 lime morality, and of Jesus Christ as holding a high 
 rank, and possessing a most unexceptionable char- 
 acter, when viewed as a lawgiver, and the founder 
 of a sect; and says the stories in the Talmud con- 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 
 
 terning him are ridiculous and absurd beyond all 
 conception. He one day took up a Hebrew Testa- 
 ment, and turned to the sermon on the mount and 
 said, 'This is excellent. This would be good to 
 read to the people every day.' 
 
 "I one day asked his opinion concerning the plu> 
 ral names of God in Hebrew. He says it is merely 
 an idiom of the language. Elohim is used in refer- 
 ence to the character of God as Judge; and hence 
 the same term is applied to human magistrates. Je- 
 hovah refers to God as the object of adoration; and 
 hence the superstition of the Jews in respect to 
 pronouncing that name, which leads them to substi- 
 tute Lord instead of it. Several Jews, with whom 
 I have conversed, have all given the same opinion 
 on this point. 
 
 "He gave me, one day, a most horrible picture of 
 the state of morals in this country, particularly 
 among the Turks and Mamelukes. The most un- 
 natural crimes are committed without shame, and 
 almost without any attempt at concealment. Among 
 the nominal Christians of this country, he says there 
 is no morality; and assigns as the reason of this,- 
 that morality is never found among slaves. 
 
 "I lent him the Memoir of Martyn, which he 
 read and returned. A few days since, I sent him an 
 English Bible, and several Tracts in different lan- 
 guages. The next time I met with him, he told me, 
 that the title of one of the Tracts interested him 
 extremely. To use his own phrase, it pierced his 
 skin. This was Leslie's short Method with Deists, 
 which I sent to him in French. This was the last 
 interview I have had with him. He has just sent 
 me three letters of recommendation to Jews at Cairo. 
 
 "Another Jew, with whom I have had frequent 
 conversation, is an aged man, named Jacob. Though 
 he is 62 years old, and, in consequence of an ophthal- 
 mia, has been eight years blind, he is still the head 
 master in a Jewish school of 40 children. He thinks 
 17 
 
194 MEMOIR OF 
 
 the whole number of Jews in this town is about 600. 
 I one day went with him to visit the largest of the 
 two synagogues which the Jews have in the city, 
 and then to his school. His assistant was sitting on 
 a skeep-skin, spread on the floor, with about thirty 
 boys around him, with their Hebrew books. 
 
 "I once read to him the second chapter of Gene- 
 sis. When we came to the fourth verse he asked, 
 if I knew why the earth was mentioned before 
 heaven here, and heaven before earth in the first 
 verse. I confessed my ignorance. He very seri- 
 ously assigned the reason: 'God is a lover of peace. 
 If heaven had been always mentioned first, it might 
 have claimed precedence, and a quarrel might have 
 ensued between heaven and earth.' He says the 
 Rabbins teach, that the Hebrew was the only lan- 
 guage in the world, until the building of Babel. 
 Then there were seventy, of which the four princi- 
 pal were Hebrew, Chaldee, Greek and Latin. He 
 says the two parties in Canticles, are God and Is- 
 rael. 'The Jews,' he says, 'believe that a Messiah 
 is to come when God pleases; but no man can tell 
 when. He is expected every moment. Though a 
 mere man, he will be a great prophet; yet, as a 
 prophet, by no means superior to Moses.' He sup- 
 poses the Jews will return to Judea, that their wor- 
 ship will be restored as in the time of David, that 
 all the world will embrace their religion, and the 
 Messiah be king over them all; or, if there are 
 other kings, he will be Emperor, and all kings be 
 subject to him. When I urged, that the Messiah 
 was to be the son of David, but that now the de- 
 scendants of David are not known from other Jews, 
 he admitted that even the distinction of tribes, is 
 lost, but said, 4 The Messiah will be known by the 
 miracles he will perform.' 
 
 "In reading Hebrew, I pronounced the word Jeho- 
 vah. He was evidently affected by it at the mo- 
 ment, and afterwards assured me, that it made him 
 
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 Rabbin 
 
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REV. PLINY FISK. 
 
 TD5 
 
 tremble to hear that name. I inquired, why the 
 Jews did not pronounce that, as well as the other 
 names of God, but could get no intelligible answer, 
 except that, when the temple was standing, no man 
 was allowed to pronounce it but the high priest. 
 He would sometimes listen to what I had to say 
 respecting Christianity, but manifested no disposi- 
 tion to consider the subject, and seemed strongly 
 attached to all his Jewish ideas. 
 
 "The third Jew to whom I referred, is Joseph, a 
 young man, employed as a writer in the custom 
 house, a native of Salonica, a place famous for the 
 number of its Jewish inhabitants. He speaks and 
 reads five or six different languages. When our 
 boxes of books were opened for inspection at the 
 custom house, his curiosity was excited by seeing 
 some of the Hebrew books. He came very soon 
 to our lodgings to see them, and we gave him a 
 Hebrew Testament. In one of his subsequent visits, 
 he told me he had read as far as John, and found it 
 very good. He told me since, that he had read the 
 whole of it, though I perceive, by conversing with 
 him, that he has read it in that hasty and unprofita- 
 ble manner which is so common in the east; for he 
 can tell very little about what he has read. 
 
 "We have often read the Scriptures together. 
 After reading the account of Philip and the Eunuch, 
 I inquired whether any such thing as baptism, is 
 known among the Jews. He said that in ancient 
 times, when a stranger embraced the Jewish re- 
 ligion, he and his wife and children were all bap- 
 tized. The ceremony was performed by sprinkling 
 or pouring a cup of water on the head; and this 
 was done seven times. Now foreigners never em- 
 brace the Jewish religion; and if they should, he 
 does not think they would be baptized. I do not 
 yet know what other Jews would say on this subject. 
 We read Psalrn xvi, and I asked him what the Jews 
 understand by Sheol, the word used, verse tenth, for 
 
lyO MEMOIR OF 
 
 hell. He says they believe that, in the place of fu- 
 ture punishments, there are seven habitations. The 
 first, and most tolerable, is Gehenna, the second 
 Sheol, the third Abadyon, &c. 
 
 "One day I inquired, 'What do Jews believe 
 and expect, concerning the Messiah*?' He replied, 
 ; That he will come, though we know not when; 
 some say after 200 years, and that he will be a great 
 prophet, and a great king.' I then stated to him 
 what we believe concerning Jesus, his divinity, his 
 atonement, the apostacy and depravity of man, and 
 the way of salvation; to all which he listened with 
 attention, but made no reply. Another day we read 
 Isaiah liii, in Hebrew and Italian. I asked whose 
 sufferings were there described. He said he did 
 not know. I then explained it as referring to Christ, 
 and told him, after enlarging considerably on the 
 love of the Lord Jesus, that the Jews, according 
 to their own belief, have no Saviour to bear their 
 iniquity, and exhorted him to examine that chapter 
 very carefully. He listened, but made me no an- 
 swer. One day we read Genesis xlix, 10, and I in- 
 quired what the Jews supposed was meant by Shi- 
 loh. He replied, 'The Messiah.' 'Then,' said I, 
 'the Messiah must be already come, for your sceptre 
 departed centuries ago. You have no king, no king- 
 dom, no government.' 'You speak truly,' said he. 
 'The Rabbins, however, say there is a place, where 
 the sceptre still remains in the hands of the Jews.'* 
 'But where is that place?' 'Who knows,' said he, 
 'but it may be, as some say, in America, beyond 
 Mexico, where there is a river of stones, that run 
 along as water does in other rivers, except on Sat- 
 urday, when the river stands still.' I assured him 
 that there is neither a river of stones, nor a kingdom 
 of Jews, in America. He then said, 'Some say it is 
 beyond Mecca.' 'But,' said I, 'travellers have been 
 through all that country, and there is no such river* 
 
 * Basnage, B. 7, ch. 1, 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 197 
 
 and no such people there.' 'The Rabbins say there 
 is such a country,' said he, 'but who knows any thing 
 about it?' I answered, 'It is easy to explain the mat- 
 ter: The Messiah came 1800 years ago, and your 
 fathers rejected him, and you persist in their course 
 of unbelief; for though the evidence from your own 
 prophets is clear, and abundant, you refuse to be- 
 lieve.' He replied, 'That is true. I have been read- 
 ing the Testament you gave me, with another Jew,, 
 and told him that the transactions which we there 
 read, were a fulfilment of what Isaiah and the other 
 prophets had predicted: whereas we had been wait- 
 ing 1800 years for this fulfilment, and waiting in vain.' 
 He said, 'I am myself willing to believe, but my rel- 
 atives and friends are all Jews, and they will oppose 
 me.' I then urged upon him the value of truth, in 
 preference to every thing else, and the necessity of 
 seeking for it diligently, and embracing it boldly, 
 wherever found, and whatever might be the conse- 
 quences. 
 
 "The population of Alexandria, is estimated, by 
 those with whom I conversed, to be from 1 to 15,000. 
 The great body of the people, are Arabs. It has 
 given me great satisfaction to be able to preach the 
 Gospel, argue from the Scriptures, and circulate 
 the written word of God, in this city, where some 
 of the most eminent primitive Christians lived." 
 
 In March following the death of Mr. Parsons, 
 Mr. Fisk proceeded up the Nile to Cairo, having 
 in contemplation a journey through the desert to 
 Judea, or to Damietta and Jaffa. While at Cairo 
 he heard of the arrival of Mr. Temple at Malta, 
 and in view of reasons obviously sufficient, he at 
 length concluded to visit that Island, at which 
 he arrived April 13, 1822. 
 
 In a letter to a brother at Shelburne he speaks of 
 his passage to Cairo. 
 
 "March 3<Z. Sabbath. I am now in a boat on my 
 passage up the Nile from Alexandria to Cairo. The 
 17* 
 
198 MEMOIR OF 
 
 Sabbath, I trust, passes very differently with you 
 from what it does with me. You can go to the 
 house of God with the multitude that keep holy 
 time. I am with a company of Arabs who know 
 nothing about Christianity or the Sabbath. They 
 make a great deal of noise in managing the boat; 
 still I can enjoy myself in my little cabin, in which 
 I sit on the floor, and spend the day in reading, 
 writing, and meditation. The room is not large 
 enough to admit of sitting in a chair, if I had one. 
 God may be worshipped, however, as acceptably 
 here, as in a church. It would still be a very great 
 comfort, if I had one Christian brother with me. I 
 have formerly enjoyed this privilege, but you will 
 learn before this reaches you, how my dear friend 
 has been taken from me. He died as he lived, a 
 Christian. To die as he died, is worth a whole life 
 of self-denial and repentance." 
 
 He remained at Cairo about two weeks which he 
 speaks of as a great city, containing perhaps two 
 hundred thousand inhabitants. 
 
 "I visited the Pyramids, those wonderful monuments 
 of antiquity. The large one is 600 or 700 feet 
 square, and between 400 and 500 feet high. I went 
 to the top of it, and then entered by a narrow pas- 
 sage, and went to three rooms which are in it. 
 There is also a well 180 feet deep in the centre of 
 the pyramid, which we descended by the help of a 
 rope, and at the bottom of which we were at least 
 150 feet lower than the surface of the earth, and 
 600 feet lower than the top of the pyramid which 
 was over our head. It is said, that some hundred 
 thousand men were employed twenty years in erect- 
 ing this stupendous pile which was designed to be 
 the tomb of a king. In one of the rooms there is 
 a sarcophagus, or large stone coffin. There are a 
 multitude of pyramids in Egypt, but this is the larg- 
 est. They are sometimes built of brick, but gener- 
 ally of stone. They are square at the base and 
 
RET. PLINY FISK. 199 
 
 incline gradually on all sides, till they come nearly 
 to a point at the top. Each layer of stone in this 
 way makes a step, so that we are able to ascend 
 without much difficulty. What an amazing monu- 
 ment of the skill, and of the folly of man! It has 
 been standing at least 3000 or 4000 years, and 
 seems likely to stand as long as the world shall 
 last." 
 
 TO REV. DANIEL TEMPLE, MALTA. 
 
 ','Cairo, March 10, 1822. 
 
 "Dear Brother, This morning T had the unspeak- 
 able satisfaction of learning by a letter from Dr. 
 Naudi, that you have arrived at Malta. I seize the 
 first opportunity to bid you welcome; yes, you are 
 most cordially welcome to the fatiguing labors, 
 the perilous enterprizes, the heart-rending anxieties, 
 the mortifying disappointments, and the elevated 
 hopes, unfailing consolations and animating suc- 
 cesses, of missionaries. 
 
 "You come expecting to see, or at least to hear 
 from oUr dear brother Parsons. Alas! you will 
 neither see him, nor hear from him, till you finish 
 your work, and go to meet him in the immediate 
 presence of his Lord. It is one month to-day since 
 I closed his eyes, after his immortal spirit had fled. 
 I wept at his tomb, and returned with a heavy heart 
 to my work. I am almost ready to murmur; but I 
 hope I do not. O that I may find it good to be 
 afflicted. You will see, I suppose, my letters to our 
 mutual friends Dr. Naudi and Mr. Wilson, I need 
 not therefore repeat what is in them. 
 
 "You cannot tell how much I am rejoiced, that 
 you are come to help me. I am strongly inclined 
 to turn my course and meet you at Malta. I sup- 
 pose you will remain, at least for the summer, at 
 Malta. Do all the good you can, and learn lan- 
 guages as fast as you can. Let me say one word 
 
200 MEMOIR OF 
 
 in respect to learning languages. When you begin 
 a language, let the first object be to know the gram- 
 mar thoroughly, and to commit very many words and 
 short phrases to memory; then commit important 
 texts of Scripture, translate some of your sermons, 
 and prepare some prayers in the language. Prob- 
 ably you will undertake Italian first. Perhaps that, 
 on the whole, is most necessary, though at Smyrna 
 you will have more immediate occasion for French. 
 Do not attempt too many things at once, as I have 
 done. 
 
 "I have to-day endeavored to give thanks for your 
 safe arrival, and have thought what blessings you 
 need, and prayed that they may be granted you. 
 My own experience has taught me, that the things 
 you most need are wisdom, perseverance, and the 
 spirit of devotion. I am comforted in the assurance 
 that you will often pray for me. I hope it will be 
 so ordered that we shall meet before long; though I 
 have been lately taught by an affecting lesson, not 
 to anticipate too fondly meeting with my friends on 
 earth. O, may we all be prepared to meet at last 
 in heaven." 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 RESIDENCE AND LABORS IN MALTA IN CONNEXION 
 WITH MR. TEMPLE. 
 
 The reasons, which induced Mr. Fisk to relin- 
 quish his contemplated journey to Judea on hearing 
 of Mr. Temple's arrival at Malta, were the approach 
 of the warm season, which was unfavorable for trav- 
 elling; the strong probability that but very few pil- 
 grims would venture to visit Jerusalem, owing to 
 the convulsed state of political affairs in the Turk- 
 ish empire; and a desire to confer with his mission- 
 ary friends on that Island respecting future pro- 
 ceedings. 
 
REV. PLTNY FISK. 201 
 
 The letter, which contains these reasons, was 
 dated Malta, April 18, 1822, and addressed to the 
 corresponding Secretary of the Board of Missions. 
 The following is the conclusion: 
 
 "I wish you to understand distinctly, that I have 
 deferred my journey to Jerusalem awhile, not 
 because there were any insurmountable obstacles 
 in the way, nor because my views or feelings have 
 changed at all in respect to the field; but simply 
 because I thought some important objects might be 
 accomplished by coming to Malta, there being no 
 special reason for going immediately to Syria. I feel 
 more confident, that I shall be established finally at 
 Jerusalem, than when I left America. I have no 
 wish to leave the work for any other on earth, nor 
 to change the field of my labors. But I will not 
 deny that, after the journeys and voyages, the stud- 
 ies and anxieties, the scenes of massacre and plague, 
 the various disappointments, of the last two years, 
 and the seclusion from Christian society, especially 
 after the death of my fellow-laborer, I did feel the 
 need of being for a short time quietly with a few 
 Christian friends, where I might collect my scatter- 
 ed thoughts, review the way in which the Lord has 
 led me, and, as I hope, be prepared to engage in 
 my work with renovated vigor of body and of mind, 
 " Yours &c. PLINY FISK." 
 
 "Malta, in quarantine, dpril 21, Sabbath. After 
 being for a month past in company the whole time 
 without even a single hour for retirement, I enjoy 
 to-day the privilege of being alone. I have had 
 time to look at my heart and life. What weakness, 
 what unfaithfulness! I wish to be holy, to be faith- 
 ful, to be wholly devoted to God. But alas, I shall 
 not attain to this, while t walk in the flesh. There 
 is, however, a country where sin can never enter, 
 which I hope finally to inhabit forever." 
 
202 MEMOIR OF 
 
 An extract from a letter, which, about this time, 
 he wrote to Rev. Dr. W. of Andover, shows the 
 deep interest he still felt in the welfare of the The- 
 ological Institution in that place. 
 
 "The prosperity of the Seminary gives me great joy. 
 The scenes, through which I have passed since leav- 
 ing it, have frequently presented to my mind the the- 
 ological and ecclesiastical establishments of the Cath- 
 olic and the Oriental churches. This has often led 
 me to think of Andover and its future destinies with 
 the deepest interest. Men corrupt, pervert and abuse 
 every thing entrusted to their care, except just so 
 far as the grace of God pervents it. I hope the 
 Institution in all its movements, will ever be like 
 the house of Christ, made up of his disciples; and 
 that all, who belong to it, will act according to his 
 Gospel. If Andover with all its wealth, numbers, 
 and learning, may always exhibit the simplicity of 
 the Moravians, its enemies will be confounded, 
 while its friends will rejoice and glorify God. 
 While Mr. Parsons lived, we used to set apart a 
 season once a week, at least, to pray for that beloved 
 Seminary" 
 
 LETTER TO MISS M. D. B. OF \V. 
 
 " Malta, April 20, 1822. 
 
 "Your letter shows, that your heart is where it 
 should be, and that you derive happiness from a 
 source which can never fail; but which will forever 
 continue to yield purer and higher enjoyments. I 
 doubt not that you have some precious seasons 
 of communion with Christian friends, and some still 
 more precious seasons of intercourse with Heaven. 
 How sublime and holy the joy that thrills through 
 the soul, when we have a near view of Christ, of his 
 amazing love and infinite glory! This the world do 
 not understand. I have scarcely met a person since 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 203 
 
 I left America, to whom all this has not seemed 
 weakness, or enthusiasm. But no; it is reality. I 
 I trust you find it so daily. Let it be our constant 
 prayer, that we may know more of this; it is our 
 life. Without communion with Christ we languish 
 and die. O let us keep near to him. 
 
 "We must struggle with sin, with temptation, and 
 with the world, all the way to the end of our pil- 
 grimage. This is the way in which all, who have 
 preceded us, have attained to glory. The struggle 
 may sometimes be severe, but the triumph will be 
 glorious. I find it trying to be associated so ex- 
 clusively with men of the world; and not only with 
 men who are destitute of vital religion, but who 
 have no adequate idea of what it is, or of what it 
 requires of its professors. But I know Christ can 
 keep me, if I trust in him; and I am sure, you and 
 many others of my friends will pray, that I may be 
 enabled so to do." 
 
 The letters which immediately follow, addressed to 
 Rev. Dr. Woods, Andover, contain some important 
 practical inquiries respecting the duty of an Amer- 
 ican missionary in Turkey. They also furnish an 
 additional illustration of the trait of character no- 
 ticed in Chapter iii. p. 40. 
 
 " Malta, April, 1822. 
 
 "Rev. and Dear Sir, 
 
 Situated as I am, it is often a trying question, 
 how to distinguish between prudence and timidity. 
 I have read Daniel iii, and vi. Acts vii, 51, 52. I 
 have also considered with some care the gradual 
 and gentle methods by which our Saviour made 
 known his Gospel, and corrected the erroneous opin- 
 ions of his disciples. Still when it becomes a prac- 
 tical question, I often find it difficult to decide, 
 how far fidelity to my Saviour requires boldness and 
 unyielding perseverance; and how far it requires 
 quiet and patient waiting, till 'he who now letteth, 
 
204 MEMOIR OF 
 
 be taken out of the way.* You will perceive from 
 our journals and letters, that hitherto we have pur- 
 sued the cautious, prudent plan. While my dear 
 brother was living, we both thought it our duty to 
 do so, and to keep on as good terms as possible 
 with all classes of people. Accordingly we have 
 sometimes seen men sin without reproving them, and 
 have heard errors advanced without contradicting 
 them; lest we should raise a war, or provoke oppo- 
 sition, which would defeat our plans. Human wis- 
 dom, the maxims of the world, love of ease and 
 safety, all conspire to recommend to the missiona- 
 ry in Turkey a timid, flexible, time-serving policy; 
 with perhaps some Jesuitical maxims occasionally. 
 I am not insensible of the danger to which I am 
 exposed. Though it may be difficult for you to 
 decide as to particular cases, yet I shall be very 
 glad to know distinctly and fully, what have been 
 your thoughts and impressions on this subject; par- 
 ticularly when you have looked at our journals, and 
 thought about the peculiar state of this country." 
 
 In a subsequent communication he proceeds: "I 
 wish for your thoughts on another subject. It is 
 one of some practical importance to missionaries. 
 My question is, What rule is it proper for us to 
 adopt in regard to administering the ordinances of 
 the Gospel to nominal Christians, who are commu- 
 nicants of their respective churches, but who give 
 no satisfactory evidences of piety, and have no cor- 
 rect views of the design of the ordinances'? There 
 are in the East many English, Swiss, German, and 
 Dutch Protestants. In the churches of their coun- 
 tries respectively, all baptized persons are members, 
 have their children baptized, and receive the com- 
 munion. Situated as they are in this country, with- 
 out religious institutions or ministers of their own 
 order, they often have their children baptized by 
 Greek or Catholic priests. But when a Protestant 
 clergyman comes among them, they wish hirn to do 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 205 
 
 it. Protestant ministers and missionaries from Eu- 
 rope do it without hesitation. This is the case with 
 Presbyterians and Independents, as well as others. In 
 New England, evangelical ministers of the Congre- 
 gational order baptize the children of all who are 
 members of the church in regular standing, and ad- 
 mit such members to occasional communion. Is 
 this the proper rule? If so, shall we practise ac- 
 cording to it in relation to members of the Protest- 
 ant churches of Europe of Catholic and Greek 
 churches? &c. 
 "The practice prevails among these churches of 
 
 fiving the Holy Supper to persons before they die. 
 hall we do the same, if requested, merely on 
 grounds of church-membership? I wish to know 
 what is thought at Andover on this subject." 
 
 TO MRS. L. P. PORTER, ANDOVER. 
 
 "Malta, April 21, 1822. Sab. eve. 
 
 "Dear Madam; I am now in the Lazaretto, per 
 forming a quarantine of thirty days. The gentle- 
 man who has occupied the room with me, has been 
 on board a vessel to-day, and I have had the un- 
 speakable satisfaction of passing most of the day 
 alone. I have not enjoyed so much as I hoped I 
 should, but I trust the day has been profitable to 
 me. It is good to be alone. It is a great trial to 
 be constantly in a small cabin with men of the world, 
 where if you speak of religion at all, conversation 
 will often take such a turn, that you will wish you 
 had not mentioned it. Such, however, will often be 
 the situation of a travelling missionary in these 
 countries. He must therefore learn to have com- 
 munion with Christ, though surrounded by the 
 world. 
 
 "I know, dear Madam, that you will be afflicted 
 when you hear of the early death of dear Parsons, 
 18 
 
206 MEMOIR OP 
 
 Lovely and amiable as he was when you knew him, 
 he grew more and more so, and his religion shone 
 with a brighter and brighter lustre to the last. It 
 did not seem like death. It seemed like a convoy 
 of Angels, come to convey to heaven a spirit, already 
 prepared for its occupations and enjoyments. Death, 
 since his decease, looks lovely and desirable, and I 
 often exclaim, why are Christians so unwilling to 
 die? During his sickness, as well as while in health, 
 he often prayed for Andover. Not many days be- 
 fore his decease he said to me, 'Brother Fisk, we 
 cannot pray enough for Andover.' He felt an inex- 
 pressible anxiety, that vital piety should prevail 
 there. 
 
 "I was much interested in sailing up and down 
 the Nile, in visiting Cairo and the pyramids, and the 
 site of Heliopolis, or On, where for centuries there 
 was a school of Egyptian priests, of whom one was 
 the father in law of Joseph; where Plato studied, 
 and where perhaps Homer wrote. But alas! how 
 fallen is Egypt! The great body of the population 
 in respect to food, clothing, houses, labor, and edu- 
 cation, are just about on a level with the slaves in 
 America. 
 
 "As to the moral state of the country, I will not 
 attempt a description; for you would never forgive 
 me, if I should barely name the vices that are gen- 
 eral and fashionable. The common proofs of hu- 
 man depravity appear feeble indeed, when compared 
 with notorious facts, and the general state of things 
 in this country. The Gospel only can purify this 
 polluted land." 
 
 The two letters which follow were addressed to 
 Rev. Daniel Temple, and contain some Biblical in- 
 quiries. They were written while in quarantine. 
 
 ''Malta, April 23, 1822. 
 
 "Dear Brother, As you will probably have occa- 
 sion to discuss religious subjects with Jews, I will 
 invite your attention a moment to Gen. xlix, 10. 
 
HEV. PLINY FISK. 207 
 
 The Jews admit, that Shiloh means the Messiah; and 
 all, with whom I have conversed, admit that our 
 translation of the passage is correct. But I am 
 told, that some of them say it should stand thus; 
 'The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor the 
 Lawgiver from between his feet forever, for Shiloh 
 shall come;' making "f^ mean forever, and con- 
 necting *3 with the word that follows. We know 
 *\y is sometimes used for an age or eternity. In 
 this case it generally has forever after it, and means, 
 until forever. Its proper signification is until. Can 
 you find any other passage in the Hebrew Bible, 
 where "ijp comes before >3? If so, that may assist 
 in determining the sense of this passage. 
 
 "How do you prove that the sceptre did not de- 
 part from Judah until Christ came? The Asmo- 
 neaiis were of the tribe of Levi. Is it sufficient to 
 say, that Levi and Judah had become one tribe? 
 Herod was an Idumean. Is it sufficient to say that, 
 though by blood an Idumean, he was by religion a 
 Jew? The Jews were taken captive by the Chal- 
 deans, and were tributary to the Persians and Ro- 
 mans, before the time of our Saviour. What shall 
 we say to this?" 
 
 "April 24. In my questions respecting Gen. 
 xlix, 10, I meant to have added the following; 
 What is the import of Ezekiel xxi, 25 27? Who 
 is the Prince referred to? Does it, or does it not 
 imply, that the sceptre, diadem and crown, were no 
 longer to be found in Judah till the coming of the 
 Messiah? 
 
 "Another point of importance, in discussing sub- 
 jects with the Jews, is the prediction of our Saviour 
 in respect to the destruction of Jerusalem. What 
 proof that the Gospels were written before Jerusa- 
 lem was destroyed? And if they were, how are the 
 predictions fulfilled? Compare Matt, xxiv, 2931, 
 
-08 MEMOIR OF 
 
 with Matt, xxiv, 34, and Luke xxi, 27, with verse 3^ 
 of the same chapter. See also Mark xiii, 2, 10. 
 .26, 30. 
 
 "Another point is the exposition of the 53d chap- 
 ter of Isaiah, beginning with chapter lii, verse 13. 
 When God speaks of his servant in Isaiah, chap, xli, 
 8; xliii, 10; xliv, 2, and other places, it means the 
 people of Israel, or the pious part of them. In some 
 passages, it means a particular prophet. Now what 
 authority have we for saying, that in chap, lii, 13, it 
 means the Messiah? 
 
 "Another important passage is Isaiah ix, 6; will 
 it bear the following rendering, viz. 'And the Won- 
 derful, the Counsellor, the Mighty God, shall call 
 his name the Father of the age, the Prince of Peace: 5 
 The Jews, you know, expect a mere man to be the 
 Messiah. What proof is there from this passage, 
 or from other passages in the Old Testament, that 
 he was to be more than man?" 
 
 In a letter to the Corresponding Secretary of the 
 Board, dated Malta, May 9, 1822. Mr. Fisk men- 
 tions his visit to Cairo. He found opportunities 
 to distribute, by sale or donation, between thirty and 
 forty copies of the Scriptures, and a hundred Tracts; 
 though many copies had been previously circulated 
 by Messrs. Burkhardt, Jowett, and Wolff. He had 
 a long and interesting conversation with a Catholic 
 Armenian Priest, to whom he had a letter of intro- 
 duction. 
 
 "The most interesting thing I saw at Cairo," he 
 observes, "was the pasha's Literary Institution. 
 Some years ago the pasha sent several young men, 
 some Mussulmans and some Christians, to Europe 
 to receive an education. After several years resi- 
 dence in Italy and France, a part of them have 
 returned to Egypt. One, Osman Effendi, a Turk, 
 is now at the head of the Institution. I visited him 
 twice. When I expressed to him the satisfaction, 
 with which I contemplated the commencement of 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 209 
 
 the Institution and its prospects, lie replied; 'We 
 have done something; but we find many difficulties 
 hi the way, which must always be the case in the 
 first efforts towards civilizing the people of a coun- 
 try.' To hear a learned Turk speak deliberately oi 
 attempting to civilize his countrymen, produced a 
 peculiar effect on my mind. Osman Effendi is, 1 
 presume, the most learned Turk of his age, that can 
 be found in the empire. He is now principally oc- 
 cupied in translating from French and Italian, into 
 Arabic and Turkish, for publication. Connected 
 with the Institution there is a printing establish- 
 ment, having three presses, and founts of Roman, 
 Arabic, and Greek types." 
 
 Mr. Fisk speaks of the peculiar feelings he had, 
 when he there saw an Arab boy setting types to 
 reprint a Tract which he had put in circulation, 
 originally published by the Church Missionary Soci- 
 ety, the subject of which was the Lancasterian Sys- 
 tem of Education. He mentions Egypt as a place, 
 where it is very desirable that a missionary should 
 be stationed during the winter months, to distribute 
 Bibles, and Tracts, visit schools and convents, con- 
 verse with priests, and preach the Gospel to the 
 Jews; collecting at the same time information which 
 would be interesting to the churches. 
 
 In another letter to the same, dated June 5, 1 822, 
 he gives an account of a meeting of the Malta Bible 
 Society. A respectable Greek merchant was Chair- 
 man. The three Secretaries present were Mr. Jow- 
 ett of the Episcopal Church, Mr. Wilson an Inde- 
 pendent, and Dr. Naudi, a liberal Catholic. The 
 treasurer was an English merchant. The other 
 members of the committee present were a commis- 
 sary, who belongs to the established church, two 
 military surgeons, one an Independent, and the 
 other a Presbyterian. The visitors were the com- 
 missary general, one captain, two lieutenants, and 
 Messrs. Fisk and Temple. An interesting report 
 18* 
 
MEMOIR OF 
 
 was read, and other important information commu- 
 nicated. 
 
 "Personal acquaintance," he observes, "enables 
 me to say respecting nearly all who were present, 
 that I believe they truly venerate the Bible, and the 
 doctrines which it contains. After the exercises oi 
 the meeting, the gentlemen, with one or two excep- 
 tions, spent the evening at Mr. Wilson's in relig- 
 ious conversation. At the close of the evening we 
 read a portion of Scripture, and united in prayer to 
 the God of the Bible, for a blessing on our efforts, 
 and on the efforts of all his people to promote the 
 cause of truth." 
 
 In some other communications Mr. Fisk dwells 
 with considerable interest on the subject of a print- 
 ing establishment which was to be sent to Malta, 
 and on the importance of the measure. An encour- 
 aging circumstance, mentioned under date of July 
 1, 1822, was, that his excellency, Sir Thomas Mait- 
 land had given full permission to put the press in 
 operation, and to print in different languages with- 
 out any other restriction, than that what is printed 
 be submitted for the inspection of government. 
 
 TO REV. I). H. WAREHAM. 
 
 Malta, July 15, 1822. 
 
 "Dear Brother, Since leaving America I have 
 been, till within a few months, almost entirely 
 excluded from Christian society, I mean of Christians 
 whose hearts are filled with the spirit of the Gospel. 
 I have, however, been'often cheered and encouraged 
 exceedingly in this exile by letters from America. 
 Yours of December 13th I have read, and it has 
 awakened a thousand tender recollections, and 
 seemed to transport me to your domestic fire-side. 
 You will probably never be so situated as to under- 
 stand fully, with what sensations I read such re- 
 7narks as the following in your letter; 'Yes, my dear 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 
 
 brother, you are remembered remembered in the 
 domestic circle, in the closet, at the family altar, 
 and in the great congregation.' I do not think I 
 am naturally inclined to despondency; but I some- 
 times find myself in circumstances, where I need all 
 the resolution I can command, all the encourage- 
 ment the letters of my friends can give me, all 
 the succors their prayers can afford, and, above all, 
 the constant aids of divine grace, to keep me from 
 sinking. I have not indeed been exposed to very 
 many personal dangers; but I have learned effectu- 
 ally what disappointment means, what it is to have 
 my plans changed, and my hopes blasted. By di- 
 vine grace I have, however, been enabled to main- 
 tain a tolerably cheerful and happy state of mind. 
 most of the time; and when disappointed in one way 
 of doing good, I have found some other way opened 
 before me. Sometimes indeed I have to 'hope 
 against hope;' yet I have never felt any inclination 
 to leave the field for any other on earth. 
 
 "While the western wilderness, and the islands of 
 the sea resemble the field, which, though uncul- 
 tivated, is in some respects ready to the laborer's 
 hand; ours rather resembles one that is covered 
 with ruined walls and castles, where much labor 
 is requisite to remove the rubbish, before cultiva- 
 tion can begin. Yet we hope in due time to see 
 Iruit even here. Besides 10,000 pages of Ameri- 
 can Tracts distributed among Seamen and others, 
 we have ^circulated in other languages upwards of 
 10,000, and more than 500 Bibles. Testaments 
 and Psaltersin English, French, Italian, Dutch! 
 <_Terman, Georgian, Armenian, Greek, Turkish, Ara- 
 bic, Persian, Syriac, Ethiopic and Hebrew. The 
 people to whom we have sold and given these books 
 are Protestants, Greeks, Catholics, Copts, Armeni- 
 ans, Jews, and Mussulmans. They were distrib- 
 uted m Smyrna, Pergamos, Sardis, Philadelphia 
 Hawaii, Seio, Samos, Syra, Castel, Rosso, Rhodes 
 
212 MEMOIR OF 
 
 Cyprus, Jaffa, Jerusalem, Alexandria, Cairo and 
 Malta. We have also given Tracts to be distrib- 
 uted by others in Constantinople, Mytilene, Ipsera, 
 Santorin, Crete, Zante and some other places. We 
 know that many of them have been read with inter- 
 est, and have produced, to a certain extent, a spirit 
 of inquiry. We have conversed with a great num- 
 ber of priests, monks, schoolmasters, pilgrims and 
 other individuals, concerning religion, and have read 
 with them the Scriptures." 
 
 TO MRS. P. F. ANDOVER. 
 
 Malta, September 8, 1822, 
 
 "Dear Madam, I have not much to say about our 
 mission. I often think of Dr. Porter's remark; 
 *You must go prepared to spend ten years in climb- 
 ing up a smooth perpendicular rock.' I firmly be- 
 lieve we shall gain the top, but I cannot tell how 
 soon. I fear the present war between the Greeks 
 and Turks will have a discouraging influence on the 
 friends of our mission. It does indeed interrupt, or 
 rather change and modify our operations for the 
 time being; but I consider it only as an evil to be 
 expected occasionally in Turkey, and which should 
 have very little influence on our general plans. In- 
 deed there is seldom a year, in which there is not a 
 civil war or a rebellion in some part of Turkey. 
 This will throw difficulties in the way of missionary 
 efforts. Yet there will always be some door open. 
 The walls can be built even in 'troublous times.' 
 But though there are always disturbances in some 
 part of the vast dominions of the Sultan, yet at somr 
 given place you will generally enjoy tranquillity. At 
 Smyrna, for example, there has been no great dis- 
 turbance before, for forty or fifty years. I cannot 
 say, that this war discourages me in the least degree. 
 I am very anxious to see several more missionaries 
 in this part of the world. If there are any at An- 
 dover who think of coming, tell them not to be drs- 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 213 
 
 couraged. The land is an exceeding good land, 
 and the Lord our God will give it to us for a posses- 
 sion. There is no ground to fear, unless our unbe- 
 lief should prevent success." 
 
 The communication a part of which will soon be 
 introduced, was addressed to the Corresponding 
 Secretary of the Board, dated Malta, October 12, 
 1822, and contains a summary of Mr. Fisk's mis- 
 sionary labors, while on the Island. The preceding 
 part of the document contains a historical sketch of 
 Malta. From this sketch it appears, that Malta 
 was originally settled by a Phenician colony about 
 1,500 B, C. It was subjugated in the fifth century 
 of the Christian era by the Vandals and Goths. In 
 the ninth century the Arabs took possession of the 
 place. It was the theatre of some important trans- 
 actions in the time of the Crusades in the eleventh 
 century, and became subject to the Normans; by 
 whom the Arabs were expelled from the Island. It 
 was afterwards surrendered to the Germans, who 
 retained possession of it about 70 years, when it was 
 taken by Louis IX. of France. In the year 1428, 
 it was attached to the kingdom of Sicily. Charles 
 V. in the year 1530, established the Knights of St. 
 John of Jerusalem, as the perpetual masters of the 
 Island. 
 
 This Order, founded by Gerard, became very pow- 
 erful, had extensive establishments in the Catholic 
 countries, and commanded immense resources. They 
 sustained many vigorous assaults by the Turks, and 
 retained possession of the Island till 1798, when it 
 was taken from them by the French under Bona- 
 parte. The Order was then broken and scattered; 
 and it is believed has almost become extinct. In 
 about three months after the French took possession, 
 the inhabitants of the Island revolted, and Valetta 
 only remained in possession of the conquerors. The 
 English soon blockaded it, and after a long siege 
 
'214 MEMOIR OF 
 
 became masters of the Island, to whom it was con- 
 firmed by the treaty of 1814. 
 
 What follows relates to the present state of Malta 
 and its inhabitants. 
 
 "At present, the principal city on the Island is 
 Valetta. It is built entirely of stone, and is conse- 
 quently exempt from one of the greatest evils to be 
 feared in the cities of the Levant; viz. fire. It 
 would be almost impossible to burn a house here, 
 if a person should undertake it; and it would be 
 quite impossible that a fire should spread in any 
 part of the town. The streets are in general well 
 paved; and are kept tolerably clean by the labors 
 of convicts, who clear and sweep them regularly, 
 under the direction of soldiers. The houses are, 
 almost without exception, well built and excellent. 
 The churches are numerous; and the larger ones 
 particularly are furnished with two or three bells 
 each, and some of them with still more. These are 
 rung almost perpetually. The streets cross regu- 
 larly at right angles; and, at the respective corners, 
 are images of the different saints; as St. Augustine, 
 St. Francisco, St. George, the Virgin Mary, &c. 
 Under many of these images there is an inscription, 
 in the name of the bishop of the island, promising 
 forty days indulgence to every one, who shall repeat 
 before the image a Pater JVWer, an Jive JWaria, &c. 
 I have inquired of two priests, and several others, 
 about the import of this promise; but can get no 
 satisfactory answer. One says, it means forty days 
 earlier release from purgatory. Another says, it 
 means a release from forty days of penance imposed 
 by one's confessor. A third says, it does not mean 
 precisely forty days, but a much less period, the du- 
 ration of which is not precisely known; for instance, 
 if a confessor orders forty days fasting as a penance 
 for some sin, this indulgence may perhaps release 
 from one day of it. Thus we see in passing through 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 215 
 
 the streets, that the city is given to idolatry. The 
 population of Valetta is about 20 or 25,000. 
 
 "Not long after my arrival in Malta I one day 
 made an excursion into the country. I went in 
 company with five military gentlemen, all of whom 
 T have the happiness to consider as brethren in 
 Christ. We went first to the palace and gardens of 
 St. Antonio. This place was the public property of 
 the knights. It is now the summer house of the 
 governor and his secretary. The gardens occupy, 
 as the gardener informed us, about thirty acres of 
 ground; and are filled with plants, flowers, and fruits, 
 of innumerable kinds. From St. Antonio we went 
 to the ancient capital of the Island, now known by 
 different names, Medica, Citta Vecdiia, (Old City) 
 City Notable, &c. It is six or seven miles from Valetta; 
 and contains about 3,000 inhabitants. After visit- 
 ing the cathedral of St. Paul, a very magnificent 
 building, we went to the grotto, which bears the 
 name of the same Apostle. It is beneath a church; 
 indeed one of its apartments is a subterranean 
 chapel. In another, which is about the size of a 
 small bed-chamber, is a marble statue of the Apostle, 
 who, according to the tradition of the place, used to 
 retire to this retreat for his devotions. A young ec- 
 clesiastic, who accompanied us, broke off some pieces 
 of the stones and gave them to us, saying, that they 
 would prevent all harm from the bite of serpents. I 
 inquired if he had ever experienced or witnessed its 
 efficacy. He replied, 'No; but they say so.' 
 
 "From this grotto we went to the catacombs. As 
 [ have not seen any catacombs before, I cannot 
 compare these with others; and our examination of 
 these was so hasty and imperfect, that I can say but 
 little about them. We entered a number of subter- 
 ranean apartments of different sizes. The rooms 
 are altogether excavations in the solid rock. We 
 observed a great number of small excavations, like 
 corhns of different sizes. Our ecclesiastical guide 
 
316 MEMOIR OF 
 
 told us, (and others have told us the same,} thai 
 there was an avenue which led to Boschetto, (two 
 miles distant,) and another which led to Valetta; 
 but these and some others have been closed up be- 
 cause many persons, venturing in too far, had never 
 returned. On my telling him, that when the Sara- 
 cens possessed Malta, Christians used to live in cav- 
 erns and catacombs, he said that was impossible, for 
 there were no Christians in Malta before the time of 
 St. Paul. I was not able to convince him, that St. 
 Paul was here long before the time of the Saracens. 
 Bres considers these catacombs as the work of the 
 Greeks, who settled in Malta. From the catacombs 
 we went to the Boschetto, a place distinguished from 
 almost every other spot on the island, for its groves 
 of fruit trees and a delightful fountain. In the 
 course of the day, I had considerable interesting 
 conversation with the gentlemen who accompanied 
 me. How delightful to see military officers, who 
 unite with agreeable manners and extensive infor- 
 mation, humble and ardent piety! 
 
 "The island contains about twenty-five lasals or 
 townships. A lasal includes a village and the sur- 
 rounding country. The inhabitants are generally 
 poor, and many of them live miserably. At least 
 this is true, and most emphatically true, if we com- 
 pare them with the people of the United States of 
 America. Their situation in regard to literature is 
 deplorable enough. The great body of the people, 
 and in the country almost all without exception, 
 know no language but the Maltese. This scarcely 
 deserves to be called a written language. It is a 
 dialect of the Arabic; but the Arabic alphabet is 
 totally unknown to the Maltese. In writing letters, 
 in their own dialect, they always use the Roman 
 character. I have seen no books in their language, 
 except a popish catechism, the Gospel of John, a 
 grammar and a dictionary. The catechism was 
 published by the bishop, for the religious instruc- 
 
REV. PLINY PISK. 217 
 
 tion of children; and is the only book, that is gen- 
 erally known among the common people. Of the 
 laboring class I am told very few can read even this, 
 though perhaps they may have learned it when boys. 
 The Gospel of John was translated under the su- 
 perintendence of the Rev. Mr. Jowett, and printed 
 by the Church Missionary Society. This has but 
 just begun to be circulated; and the circulation of 
 it will probably be attended with difficulty. It can. 
 however, scarcely fail to be useful, both in a relig- 
 ious and literary view. The Gospel of Matthew is 
 now in preparation. There are schools in the dif- 
 ferent villages, in which children are taught the cat- 
 echism; often however, by rote, without ever learn- 
 ing to read. Out of Valetta, such a thing is seldom 
 heard of, as a woman being able to read. 
 
 "The principal literary institutions of the Maltese 
 are the Library of the Knights, and the College of 
 the Jesuits. Both these are now in the hands of the 
 government. The library is open at certain hours 
 every day except feast days; and all persons have 
 free access to the books, but no book can be taken 
 from the room. A large part of the volumes are in 
 Latin; many in Italian; some in French and other 
 languages. There are very few modern publica- 
 tions among them. The whole number of volumes 
 I believe is 50 or 60,000. It was founded by a 
 knight in 1760, who gave 9,700 volumes. After- 
 wards, whenever a knight died, his books were added 
 to the public library. Formerly the Jesuits had a 
 large establishment here. What was then their col- 
 lege, is now the university of Malta. Its funds have 
 fallen under the management of the English gov- 
 ernment, but are still devoted to the support of the 
 institution. There are fifteen or twenty professors, 
 and perhaps 200 students. Dr. Naudi is professor 
 of chemistry in this institution. I apprehend the 
 .stipend of the different professors is not very great, 
 19 
 
218 MEMOIR OF 
 
 "In regard to religion, I presume the Maltese 
 must be considered among the most dutiful and de- 
 voted sons of the Church of Rome. In the bishop's 
 catechism, in reply to the question, 'What do you 
 believe?' the child answers, 'I believe all that which 
 our Holy Mother Catholic Roman Church believes 
 and teaches.' Probably few of the Maltese could 
 express their creed more correctly, or assign any 
 better reason for it. My Arabic master, who is a 
 priest, has told me, 'We ought to believe blindly, 
 whatever the church says.' The pope some time 
 since sent permission to relinquish a considerable 
 number of the festivals, so far as to labor during the 
 day, after attending mass in the morning. But the 
 Maltese (whether excited to it by their priests or 
 not, I cannot say) refused to comply with the new 
 plan, and strictly observe all their festivals as be- 
 fore. The ecclesiastics are very numerous. The 
 streets are always full of them. The whole number 
 in Malta, I have not been able to ascertain. Some 
 say 500; others 1,000; and others say not less than 
 3,000. Only a small number of these are preachers. 
 The others find employment in saying mass, hearing 
 the confessions of the people, visiting the houses of 
 the people at certain seasons to bless them, admin- 
 istering the sacraments, &c. A certain course of 
 study is requisite, as preparatory to the office; but 
 after being once ordained, study seems to be very 
 generally neglected. I have sometimes asked the 
 Maltese, why their priests, since they are so numer- 
 ous, do not establish schools, and teach all the chil- 
 dren and give them a good education. The an- 
 swer generally is, either that they are too ignorant, 
 or too lazy. It often happens, on the Sabbaths and 
 great festivals, that public processions pass through 
 the streets. A large company of ecclesiastics in 
 their sacerdotal robes, with lighted candles in their 
 hands, bear along the image of the saint, to which 
 the multitude reverently uncover their heads. When 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 
 
 any person is supposed to be dying, some priests go 
 with the host, or consecrated wafer, to administer to 
 the sick person, accompanied by several boys in 
 white robes, who gingle little bells as they pass 
 through the streets. The people who are in the 
 street, kneel as the host passes. In vain do they wor- 
 ship, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. 
 
 "I had a long discussion with Padre G.* He was 
 more calm and dispassionate than usual; for though 
 he always lavishes compliments with unbounded 
 prodigality, yet, in dispute he is very dogmatical 
 and vociferous, and, what is still more unpleasant, 
 almost totally incapable of feeling the force of an 
 argument. I inquired concerning the views, which 
 Catholics entertain respecting the Lord's day, and 
 their principal feast days. The following is the 
 substance of his answers. 'The Lord's day and the 
 principal feasts, are holy days, and to perform labor 
 on these days is criminal. The Lord's day is to 
 Christians what the Sabbath was to the Jews, and 
 must be kept by divine command; the feast days, by 
 command of the Church. The number of these has 
 lately been diminished.' 
 
 "I alluded to the manner in which the Maltese 
 devote the day to amusement, and inquired what he 
 thought of it. 'It is not right,' he said. 'It is a 
 profanation of the day,' I said. He seemed to think 
 that too harsh a term, and then adduced the hack- 
 neyed excuse, that men, who are at work all the 
 week, must have some time for diversion; and if they 
 attend mass on Sabbath morning, God will not be 
 angry with them for devoting the rest of the day to 
 recreation. If such are the views of the priests, 
 what must the people think? 
 
 "I afterwards spoke of purgatory, and inquired, 
 Can the priest tell us, or have we any way to ascer- 
 
 Mr. Fisk's Arabic instructor, with whom he had held long discus- 
 sions on religious subjects on former occasions. 
 
220 MEMOIR OF 
 
 tain, when a man dies, whether his soul is in heaven, 
 in hell, or in purgatory?' 
 
 P. G. "No. 
 
 F. "Suppose, for example, my father dies, and I 
 fear he is in purgatory, and 
 
 P. G. "Rather say hope he is; for, if in purga- 
 tory, he may be released. 
 
 F. "Well, be that as it may; I suppose my father 
 is in purgatory, and I give the priest ten, or twenty, 
 or fifty dollars, to say masses for his benefit. Can 
 I know how many masses are necessary, or how 
 much each one avails? 
 
 P. G. "O no. That is impossible. 
 
 F. "Suppose I hire masses to be said for my 
 father, supposing him to be in purgatory, while he is 
 in fact already in heaven; what then? 
 
 P. G. "One part of the benefit goes to your ben- 
 efit, and the rest to that of your nearest relatives. 
 Nothing is lost. 
 
 F. "A certain sum must be given, I suppose, for 
 every mass. 
 
 P. G. "Yes, but you must not suppose, that this 
 money goes to the priest himself. It is for alms to 
 the poor, and for pious uses. And you know the 
 Scripture itself says, 'Alms maketh an atonement 
 for sin.' 
 
 F. "I beg your pardon, there is no such declar- 
 ation in the Bible. 
 
 P. G. "Certainly there is. I cannot say where, 
 but I believe in Isaiah. 
 
 F. "There is nothing of the kind in Isaiah. I 
 know to what you allude. It is a passage in Tobit, 
 (ch. xii, v. 9,) a book which, I suppose, your Church 
 considers inspired, but which we consider apocry- 
 phal. The Bible every where refers us to the blood 
 of Christ, as the only thing that can take away sin; 
 and on our part pardon is to be obtained, not by 
 alms or good works, or masses, or confession to the 
 priests; but by repentance, and confession to God, 
 
REV. PLINY FISK, 
 
 I know that in your Church, almost every thing de- 
 pends on confessing to the priest, and receiving his 
 absolution. But there is neither command, exam- 
 ple, nor permission for this in the Bible. 
 
 P. G. "The Scripture says, 'Confess your faults 
 one to another.' 
 
 F. "True. And the primitive Christians used to 
 assemble together for religious worship, mutually 
 confess to each other, and pray together. But there 
 is nothing in all this like auricular confession. And 
 when a priest presumes to pronounce sins forgiven, 
 this is nothing less than blasphemy. 
 
 P. G. "No, it is not blasphemy; for it is done 
 by the priest, in the name of Christ, and in the 
 place of God. 
 
 F. "Suppose some malefactors condemned to 
 death. If a man goes without authority and pro- 
 claims pardon to them in the name of their sove- 
 reign, what would you say of him? 
 
 P. G. "But we do it not without authority; 
 because Christ has said, 'Whose soever sins ye re- 
 mit they are remitted.' 
 
 F. "To whom did Christ say that? 
 
 P. G. "To the Apostles. 
 
 F. "But you are not the Apostles. 
 
 P. G. "All bishops are the successors of the 
 Apostles. 
 
 F. "So far as concerns preaching the Gospel, 
 and administering the sacraments, I admit it; but if 
 they claim the power of determining on what terms 
 sins shall be forgiven, they are bound to support 
 their claims by working miracles, as the Apostles 
 did. I repeat what I said just now, for a priest to 
 assume the power of forgiving sins, is no less than 
 blasphemy. 
 
 "Padre G. insisted that it is not blasphemy, be>- 
 cause done in the name of Christ. I repeated again 
 my assertion, and we then began to converse about 
 praying to (he Virgin Mary, saints, and angels?, and 
 
323 MEMOIR OF 
 
 worshipping images and relics. On this ground, I 
 brought a charge of idolatry. . 
 
 P. G. "No, it is not idolatry. We pray to the 
 Virgin only to intercede for us. We do not adore 
 her; we only venerate her. When we have proces- 
 sions in her honor, we never kneel. But we have 
 in Malta a relic of the very cross, on which our Sa- 
 viour died; and when that is carried out, we all 
 kneel in honor of our Lord. 
 
 F. "An angel from heaven would not allow John 
 to worship him. Peter himself would not allow Cor- 
 nelius to kneel and worship him. The Bible no 
 where gives permission to pray to any being but 
 God. Yet you pray to others, and you not only ask 
 the Virgin to pray for you, but you ask her to keep 
 you, to deliver you from danger, to direct you, and 
 bless you. As to images, you know that the Bible 
 forbids them in the most positive terms. 
 
 P. G. "What you say is incontestable. But 
 asking the intercession of the saints can do no harm. 
 It is all done in the name of Christ, and for his 
 honor, and it is more humble to go to others, than 
 to the Supreme Advocate. 
 
 F. "It is always most humble in us to do what 
 God commands; and nothing honors Christ, except 
 what he has required. A great error in your Church 
 is this; instead of trusting in the blood of Christ 
 alone for the expiation of sin and eternal life, you 
 trust in your acts of mortification and penance, your 
 masses and ceremonies; and instead of depending 
 on Christ as your only intercessor, you resort to 
 others, and add continually to what the Scriptures 
 have said. 
 
 P. G. "The Church does no harm in adding to 
 the original sense of Scripture, provided the addi- 
 tions increase the sense, and tend to do good. 
 
 F. "'We are but poor judges of what is useful 
 on these points, and shall be wise to abide by what 
 God has taught us. 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 223 
 
 "After much further conversation in which I en- 
 deavored to explain, as well as I could, the nature of 
 true repentance and real religion, he left me with a 
 profusion of compliments, saying, 'We differ very 
 little, only in some points of discipline.'" 
 
 This kind of discussion was resumed at subse- 
 quent periods, and conducted in an animated and 
 interesting manner; but instead of inserting it en- 
 tire we must, for want of room, refer the reader to 
 the Missionary Herald, vol. xix. p. 174. The com- 
 munication thus concludes. 
 
 "We preach four times a week in English. Our 
 chapel, which accommodates one hundred persons, 
 is filled twice on the Sabbath. On Wednesday 
 evening we preach also in the chapel, and on Thurs- 
 day evening in a room on the other side of the water, 
 near the dock yard. Our preaching is generally- 
 extemporaneous. This is the kind of preaching, to 
 which our hearers have been most accustomed, and 
 which they prefer. 
 
 "Our congregations on the Sabbath are of quite a 
 mixed kind; some persons distinguished for learn- 
 ing, talents and accomplishments, and some of the 
 most illiterate; Churchmen, Presbyterians, Independ- 
 ents, Baptists, and Methodists. Nothing gratifies 
 the serious part of our congregation so much as 
 when we preach on the glory and grace of Christ; I 
 mean, in a practical and experimental way. We 
 have several times had at our meeting two young 
 midshipmen, from an English man-of-war, who have 
 become serious in the course of the past year. 
 
 "The Malta Bible Society have lately received 
 letters from Mr. Barker, the Bible Society's agent 
 at Aleppo, giving information, that he received, 
 some time since, about 1,000 Arabic Psalters and 
 New Testaments, printed by the British and Foreign 
 Bible Society after the edition of the Propaganda 
 at Rome, and that he sold the whole within three 
 The reason why these were sold so much 
 
,24 MEMOIR OP 
 
 more rapidly than copies, which the Society had 
 formerly sent into Syria, is, that this translation has 
 the sanction of the Church of Rome. The former 
 copies were of a different translation. 
 
 "I have received a letter from Mr. Jacob Van 
 Lennep, in which he informs me, that a meeting of 
 the subscribers to the Bible Society [at Smyrna,] 
 had been held, and a committee appointed, and ex- 
 presses his satisfaction that the Society is likely to 
 come into operation. I have also received a letter 
 from Mr. Consul Wherry, in which he informs me, 
 that he had written to the Levant Company in Eng- 
 land, stating the service which I had performed in 
 the chapel, while the chaplaincy was vacant; that 
 the Company had, in consequence, directed him to 
 remunerate me for my services, at the same rate as 
 their proper chaplains; and that he had accordingly 
 assembled the chiefs of the Factory at Smyrna, when 
 it was unanimously resolved to place at my disposal 
 four months pay, amounting to eighty pounds sterl- 
 ing; for which amount he authorized me to draw on 
 their Treasurer. It would be in vain for me to at- 
 tempt to express the emotions, with which I read 
 this letter. The merchants who compose the Fac- 
 tory in Smyrna, in their liberality fixed the time at 
 four months, whereas I had preached only two 
 months and a half. I have informed them of the- 
 error, and have drawn for fifty pounds, instead of 
 eighty. For all the encouragements we meet with, 
 let us praise the Lord; and when we are disappoint- 
 ed, let us bow cheerfully to his holy will. 
 
 "Our minds have, for some days, been deeply in- 
 terested about sending some Greek boys to be edu- 
 cated at the Cornwall School. The first, to whom 
 we turned our attention, was Photius Kavasales, an 
 orphan. His uncle, who has the care of him, offered 
 to commit him to our charge, and Capt. Dewing very 
 generously offered to take him to America free of 
 expense. 
 
RET. PLINY FISK. 225 
 
 "While making the necessary arrangements for 
 Photius, another applied to have us send his nephew, 
 We consented to do so, but he very soon changed his 
 mind. It was not long, however, before the Greek 
 priest called on us, in his full ecclesiastical dress, 
 bringing with him a son whom he wished to send. 
 He made some inquiries about the school, and then 
 about our religion. I told him the boys would be 
 instructed much in the Scriptures, and that on the 
 Sabbath we have preaching on the doctrines and 
 duties of Scripture. I stated also some of the 
 principal doctrines which are generally believed in 
 America. He was much pleased to learn, that we 
 do not believe in purgatory, which, he says, is an 
 invention of the Catholics. He finally concluded 
 to send his son, and offered to pay his passage. 
 
 "Both the boys speak Maltese, and read and speak 
 Greek and Italian. It is very desirable that pains 
 be taken that they may not forget the two last. As 
 we send them away, our hearts are agitated with 
 hopes, and fears, and anxieties. We commend them 
 to the divine mercy, and to the benevolence and 
 prayers of our Christian friends. We trust all will 
 be done for them that is necessary, and we hope 
 many supplications will be presented to the throne 
 of grace on their behalf." 
 
 Besides the two Greek youth mentioned above, 
 a number of others were afterwards sent to this 
 country through the agency of Mr. Fisk and his 
 missionary brethren, who are now receiving a clas- 
 sical education. They give evidence of possessing 
 intellectual powers of superior order. Some of 
 them have, in the judgment of charity, passed from 
 death unto life, and they adorn the Christian profes- 
 sion. One has died, not without leaving some cheer- 
 ing evidence that he died in faith. The others are 
 looking with intense solicitude to their own classic 
 land, indulging the hope that they may one day re- 
 turn, to help kindle up the dying spark of Grecian 
 
226 MEMOIR OF 
 
 genius. Some of them are looking to a still higher 
 object, and hope to become fellow-laborers with the 
 missionaries of the cross in the work of reviving 
 the pure religion of the Gospel in that country of 
 ancient renown, which, to the Christian as well as 
 the scholar, is full of interest. 
 
 Mr. Fisk, in a subsequent communication speaks 
 of the employment of the printing press, sent from 
 this country by benevolent individuals, to aid the 
 objects of the Palestine Mission, as promising most 
 desirable and powerful results. 
 
 "We have printed four different Tracts in Italian, 
 viz. 'The Sabbath,' 'Dr. Payson's Address to Mari- 
 ners,' 'Prayers for the seven days of the week/ 
 and 'Dr. Green's Questions and Counsel.' Our 
 printer knew nothing of Greek. I taught him the 
 alphabet, and have spent much of my time, for more 
 than a month past, in the printing room, distributing 
 and examining the types, and assisting to commence 
 printing in Greek. We have just struck off the 
 first sheet of 'The Dairyman's Daughter,' which 
 Mr. Parsons and myself translated, while at Scio. 
 I think the printing will go on tolerably well; but 
 there will be continual difficulties, hindrances, and 
 perplexities, until we have a missionary printer, an 
 able, faithful, pious man. We have taken a Greek 
 boy on trial, to learn the art. He is from Scio; 
 and when the Island was attacked by the Turks, he 
 escaped in a boat, with his mother and brothers, and 
 arrived at Ipsera. whence he came to Malta. His 
 father was at Constantinople, and was one of those 
 who were put to death by the Turks, when the 
 Sciotes revolted." 
 
 He adds an interesting notice of a season of 
 Christian communion and fellowship, which he en- 
 joyed just before leaving the Island. 
 
 "As there are in the congregation to which we 
 preach, a number of professors of religion, who ap- 
 pear to be truly pious, we thought it proper for 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 227 
 
 their edification as well as our own, to administer 
 the Lord's supper. Last Sabbath was appointed for 
 the purpose. On the preceding Sabbath, a sermon 
 was preached from the Apostle's words, 'Let a 
 man examine himself, and so let him eat of that 
 bread, and drink of that cup;' and notice was given, 
 that such as wished to communicate with us were 
 desired to call, in the course of the week, and give 
 us an opportunity to converse with them on the sub- 
 ject. Last Sabbath morning, a sermon was preach- 
 ed on the love of Christ, and then twenty-one com- 
 municants received the holy sacrament. Mr. Wolff 
 and Mr. Deminger were with us on the occasion. 
 The communicants were from six different commun- 
 ions, the Independent, Presbyterian. Baptist, Meth- 
 odist, Church of England, and Lutheran. Five of 
 us were missionaries, one of whom was a literal son 
 of Abraham. The circumstances, the place, the as- 
 semblage from different communions and nations, 
 made the season one of very tender interest." 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 RETURN TO EGYPT, AND LABORS DURING HIS SECOND 
 RESIDENCE THERE IN CONNEXION WITH MESSRS. 
 KING AND WOLFF. 
 
 WHILE Mr. Fisk remained at Malta, Mr. King ar- 
 rived from Paris to join him in his missionary labors, 
 in compliance with a request, which Mr. Fisk made 
 to him, soon after the death of Mr. Parsons. They 
 sailed for Egypt, early in January 1823, in company 
 with Mr. Wolff, and arrived at Alexandria after a 
 pleasant passage of seven days. They carried with 
 them 2,000 copies of the Bible or parts of it, and a 
 large quantity of Tracts. 
 
 The journal which follows, written and forwarded 
 .the Corresponding Secretary of the Board by Mr. 
 
MEMOIR OF 
 
 Fisk, contains an account of his labors and obser- 
 vations, while in connexion with his fellow laborers, 
 Messrs. King and Wolff. 
 
 "Jan. 3, 1823. Sailed from Malta in the brig 
 Triune, Capt. Smale. During the voyage we usually 
 had prayers in the cabin, morning and evening, and 
 preaching on the Sabbath in English and Italian. 
 The captain seemed to be friendly to missions, and 
 treated us with much kindness and attention. 
 
 "10. After seven days passage we arrived safely 
 at Alexandria. Having cast anchor, the English 
 part of the crew assembled in the cabin, and we 
 read and prayed with them, while Mr. Wolff en- 
 gaged in the same exercises with the Maltese 
 sailors on deck. 
 
 "11. Found difficulty in obtaining lodgings. Fi- 
 nally took rooms in the house of a Jewish family. 
 The house is old and dirty, with broken windows, 
 doors, and floor. We have one small room for our 
 trunks and beds, and one end of a large room, in 
 which we sit, eat, read, write and receive company, 
 while the family occupy the other end. 
 
 "Mr. King called on Mr. Drovetti, the French 
 consul general, to whom we had letters of intro- 
 duction, and was received with much politeness. 
 Afterwards we conversed with a Jew. Endeavored 
 to impress on his mind the truth, that Jews and Gen- 
 tiles were all under sin told him that Jesus Christ 
 was the great Prophet of whom Moses spake; that 
 the reason, why the Jews were now scattered over 
 the world, and for eighteen hundred years had been 
 suffering the wrath of God, was, that their fathers 
 had crucified the Lord of glory; and that they 
 would continue in their present bondage, till they 
 should acknowledge Jesus of Nazareth as their 
 Messiah told him that the blood, which they had 
 imprecated upon themselves and their children, is 
 that alone which can cleanse from sin, and fit us 
 for heaven. The remarks were concluded by quot> 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. '.' 
 
 *ng to him the words of David; 'To-day if ye will 
 hear his voice, harden not your hearts.' He listen- 
 ed with attention. In the evening conversed with 
 the family in the house, where we lodged, and en- 
 deavored to show them, that Jesus Christ is the 
 Messiah they have so long expected. 
 
 "Sabbath, 12. In the morning Mr. King preached 
 in the house of Mr. Lee, the English consul, to 
 about eighteen hearers who were attentive and sol- 
 emn. After sermon the captain, with whom we sailed 
 from Malta, remarked, that while hearing the sermon, 
 he seemed to have a view of Christ which was food 
 for the soul; and that since we had been on board his 
 vessel, he had felt a conviction which he fnever had 
 before, of the truth of the holy Scriptures, and oi 
 the efficacy of the Gospel on the hearts and lives 
 of men. Thanks to God for any good, of which we 
 may have been the instruments. 
 
 "We had a long discussion with a number of 
 Jews at our lodgings. The conversation was some- 
 times in Italian, and sometimes in Hebrew. We 
 read to them several portions of the Old Testament, 
 and then of the New; showing them from Gen. xlix. 
 10; Is. Hii, &c. that Jesus of Nazareth was the Mes- 
 siah. An interesting conversation took place be- 
 tween Mr. Wolff and these Jews. 
 
 "A discussion followed about Zech. xii, 10. We 
 then proposed to Mr. W. to pray with them in He- 
 brew, and he offered the following prayer: 'Our 
 Father, our King, send down into our hearts thy 
 Holy Spirit, that we all may know the iniquity of our 
 hearts, and be persuaded, that we need a Saviour, 
 Holy One, blessed be thou, and blessed be thy name, 
 who art blessed in thyself, have mercy upon these 
 descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who 
 are now sitting with us to hear words of thy only 
 begotten Son, Jesus of Nazareth; and give to them 
 thy Holy Spirit, that they may hear and understand : 
 and look upon Him, whom our ancestors pierced^ 
 20 
 
230 MEMOIR OF 
 
 look upon Jesus of Nazareth, as their Lord, and 
 their Righteousness. Amen.' 
 
 "After this they were more attentive and serious 
 than before, but wished to refer continually to the 
 Talmud. Mr. W. told them, that Moses commanded 
 the Jews, not to add to the words he had delivered, 
 nor diminish aught from them; and then showed, that 
 the Talmud does both. 
 
 "Towards the close of the evening Mr. King ad- 
 dressed them as follows: 'Daniel was one of your 
 best prophets, a man of wisdom and of an excellent 
 spirit. In his time Israel was in captivity for their 
 sins. And when Daniel knew by their looks, that 
 their captivity was nearly accomplished, he set his 
 face towards God with supplication and fasting, and 
 confessed that he had sinned, as well as his fathers, 
 and all Israel near and afar off. You have now been 
 in captivity eighteen hundred years, and surely you 
 cannot be so proud, as to think yourselves better 
 than the wise and excellent Daniel. It therefore 
 becomes you to ask; Why are we so long in cap- 
 tivity? and to set your faces towards the God of 
 Daniel with supplications and fasting. The reason, 
 why you have been scattered and peeled, and dis- 
 persed over the earth for eighteen hundred years, 
 is, that your fathers have crucified the Lord of 
 glory, and imprecated his blood upon their own 
 heads, and upon their children. Will you now 
 kneel down with us and pray?' 
 
 "This has been a most interesting Sabbath. Could 
 our friends in Europe and America have been with 
 us, we are sure their hearts would have rejoiced; 
 and they would have been excited to greater exer- 
 tions in behalf of the Jews. 
 
 "13. We went together to the tomb of our de- 
 parted brother Parsons. We kneeled on the stone 
 that covers his grave, and each in succession offered 
 a prayer, giving thanks for the grace bestowed on 
 him, and for the good he was enabled to do, while 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 231 
 
 he Iiv 7 ed; and praying that we might be excited to 
 renewed diligence in our Master's work, and be 
 prepared to die as our brother died. We then sung 
 a funeral anthem: 
 
 'Brother, thou art gone before us, 
 And thy saintly soul is flown, 
 Where tears are wiped from every eye, 
 And sorrow is unknown.' &c. 
 
 The scene was so affecting, that we could not re- 
 frain from shedding many tears. We endeavored 
 to renew our sacred vows, and left the place with 
 earnest desires to do good to the living while we 
 have opportunity. As we returned, we passed over 
 the ground where once stood the renowned city of 
 Alexander, winding our way amidst the wreck and 
 ruins of ancient grandeur, which favored our mourn- 
 ful reflections, and served to impress more deeply 
 on our minds, that all earthly things are uncertain 
 and transitory. 
 
 "14. Supplied some English ships with Tracts. 
 Rabbi Jacob called on us with some other Jews, 
 with whom we conversed on the subject of redemp- 
 tion through Jesus Christ. Called on Doct. Mar- 
 purgo, and spent a long time in endeavoring to 
 prove to him the authenticity and inspiration of the 
 Scriptures, and urged upon him the importance of 
 coming to Christ without delay, as the only means 
 of salvation. In returning to our lodgings we met 
 four Jewish Rabbles, who appeared to be strangers. 
 Mr. Wolff said to them; 'Peace upon you.' 
 
 "Rabbies. 'Peace upon you.' 
 
 "Mr. W. 'When did you arrive in this city, and 
 whence did you come.' 
 
 "Rabbies. 'We came frem Stamboul,' (that is, 
 Constantinople.) 
 
 "Mr. W. 'Will you go with us to our rooms, 
 take a cup of coffee, and converse together?' 
 
 "Rabbies. 'This is to us verily a great honor.' 
 
MEMOIR OF 
 
 "Having arrived at our rooms, Mr. W. opened 
 the prophet Isaiah, and told them, that the Prophets 
 speak of Jesus of Nazareth. One of the Rabbies 
 replied; 'the lip of truth shall be established for 
 ever, but a lying tongue is but for a moment.' After 
 a little conversation, Zech. xii, 9, 10, came under 
 consideration. They gave a forced and fanciful 
 interpretation which was easily answered, by sim- 
 ply reading the passage in its connexion. They 
 made the following reply; 'My lord, we are come 
 from a distant land, and by sea were sick with a 
 great sickness; and therefore our mind is a little 
 confused with confusion, and we cannot therefore 
 speak to-day words of wisdom and understanding 
 and skill; for you must know, my lord, that we are 
 wise with wisdom, and we are comely men, and hon- 
 ored with great honor, and sit in the first seat at the 
 table of the rich. We will return unto you, and 
 open our mouth with wisdom, and speak about the 
 Holy One, blessed be He, and blessed be his name; 
 and then you will be astonished with great astonish- 
 ment.' After Mr. W. had read a few chapters of 
 the Hebrew Testament to them, they departed. 
 
 "Went to the Roman Catholic convent of Terra 
 Santa, entered into conversation with two monks, 
 and they invited us into their room. We spoke to 
 them about their devoting themselves continually to 
 fasting and prayer. 'Yes,' said they, 'we pray to 
 God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost and to the 
 Virgin, and the saints.' 'Ah,' we replied, 'to the 
 saints 1 ] This is something we have never seen in 
 the Bible. W"e are commanded to pray to God, 
 and to Christ; but we no where find, that we are 
 commanded to pray to saints.' They zealously de- 
 fended the practice on the authority of popes, 
 fathers and councils. We read to them 1 Tim. iv, 
 1 3; and inquired what they thought of it. One 
 said, it was against the Catholic church, but denied 
 that it belonged to Scripture; alleging that our Tes- 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 233 
 
 lament was incorrect. We assured them, that it 
 was the language of St. Paul, and a true prediction 
 of some who would apostatize from the faith, who 
 were to be known by two signs, viz. 'forbidding to mar- 
 ry,' and 'commanding to abstain from meats,' two 
 signs which exactly described them and their Church. 
 "Being over-heard by the curate, he sent a request 
 to have us come to him. We went, and meeting us 
 at the door, he asked, if we had come there to dis- 
 pute. We told him we came to see the Superior, 
 and were disappointed in riot finding him at home. 
 He began to rail loudly against the English, saying, 
 they were all 'excommunicated, without a priest- 
 hood, and going to the house of the devil.' We 
 stood at the door, and spoke concerning the best 
 means of learning the truth, such as prayer, a do^- 
 cile and humble mind, and the spirit of the Gospel. 
 We said to him; 'a minister of Christ ought to 
 speak with humility and kindness.' He replied, 
 'Yes,' and lowered his voice. But it was not long 
 before he began to be in a rage again. He de- 
 clared that he would preach against us with all his 
 might. After awhile we succeeded in calming him 
 a little, and requested him to show us his library. 
 While we were looking at his books, he began to 
 rave again, saying, he did not wish to converse with 
 us, pointed to the door, and advised us to go. We 
 addressed him on the duty of praying, not as the 
 pharisees did, but with an humble and contrite 
 heart; told him we were all rapidly hastening to 
 eternity, and must soon appear before God to give 
 an account of ourselves. He interrupted us, and 
 demanded, why we preached to him. We replied; 
 'Because we cannot but feel, that you have per- 
 verted the Scriptures, and received instead of them 
 the traditions of men. We are acquainted with 
 many of your Church, and find that your influence 
 is not good; and you must stand before God, and 
 give an account.' At this, which we uttered e* 
 20* 
 
234' MEMOIR OF 
 
 mildly as we could, he assumed the appearance of 
 a mad-man, and walked hastily across the room, say- 
 ing; 'We are the true Church; we are illuminated 
 by the Holy Ghost. I can teach you, and not you 
 me.' We then asked him, if he were not sensible, 
 that he did not exhibit the meek and humble spirit 
 of Christ. He replied; 'When men go about in 
 this way, vomiting poison, I would crush them under 
 my feet' and stamping violently on the floor, he 
 pointed to the door, and said; 'You had better go.' 
 Finding all attempts to obtain a calm discussion in 
 vain, we left the unhappy man in the midst of his 
 rage, grieved that any one, who could manifest such 
 a spirit, should ever be called a minister of the 
 Prince of peace. 
 
 "15. Spoke with a Jew who said, this is no time 
 to make proselytes; but if the Jews would all agree 
 to renounce their religion, he would gladly do it; as 
 he considered the question at issue merely a point 
 in metaphysics. Had a long discussion with four 
 young Jews who came to our rooms. We gave them 
 Tracts, and lent them a Testament. 
 
 "We visited the Coptic convent. Inquired about 
 their time of beginning, and manner of spending 
 the Sabbath. The priest informed us, that they be- 
 gin it, when they rise in the morning, and spend it 
 in prayer and religious exercises. We inquired, 
 whether they approved of giving the Bible to all 
 the people. He answered; 'Certainly for Chris- 
 tians, Copts, Abyssinians, Catholics, Greeks, all have 
 but one Bible.' On parting, we gave him an Arabic 
 Genesis, an extract from Grotius on the truth of 
 Christianity, and a homily on reading the Scriptures. 
 An aged Catholic priest called on us. He conversed 
 like a zealous Catholic, but very calmly and civilly. 
 His arguments were such as Catholics generally use, 
 viz.; 'Tu es Petrus,' &e. At six o'clock I preached 
 in the consul's hall in Greek to about 120 or 130 
 hearers. To see so many was indeed encouraging. 
 

 REV. PLINY FISK, 235 
 
 "17. Called on the Danish consul, and conversed 
 with him on the subject of religion, and urged on 
 him the importance of attending to the concerns of 
 the soul, while it is called to-day. What we said he 
 received kindly. Two or three other gentlemen 
 were present, one of whom began to talk violently, 
 saying, he did not believe God would ever damn men 
 for not believing in Jesus Christ. We asked; 'How 
 do you know the character of God?' He answered. 
 'From nature.' 'If you judge in that way merely,' 
 said we, 'you have reason to tremble. For it is 
 possible, that the same God, who destroyed the 
 inhabitants of Aleppo by an earthquake, and the 
 cities around Mount Etna by torrents of Lava; and 
 who has caused so much pain and death in this 
 world by plague and pestilence, may make you mis- 
 erable in another world forever.' 
 
 "We learned to day, that the Superior of the 
 Catholic convent has requested Mr. Thorburn, who 
 acts as consul in Mr. Lee's absence, to prevent us 
 from preaching in Italian. In the evening the four 
 young Jews called upon us, and returned the Tes- 
 tament which they had borrowed, and said, they 
 had read much in it, and had found nothing bad. 
 We read to them Rom. iii, and addressed them at 
 some length on the subject of the law, the corruption 
 of human nature, and the way of salvation. They 
 said; 'If we sin without knowing it. God will forgive 
 us.' Our reply was; 'Unfortunately we sin when 
 we do know it, we sin against light, we sin with the 
 commands of God before our eyes. How then can 
 we be pardoned 1 ?' They answered; 'If we repent 
 and do not sin again, God will forgive us.' 'But 
 alas,' we said, 'we sin not merely once or twice, but 
 continually. Suppose a king makes a law, and 
 subjects break it; but they repent, and he forgives 
 them again they violate it, then repent, and again 
 he forgives; what would be thought of such a gov- 
 ernment?' They remarked; 'All would laugh at it.' 
 
MEMOIR OF 
 
 'And can you then believe, that God governs the 
 world in this way?' They made no answer, and we 
 addressed them on the need of an atonement, stat- 
 ing also the leading doctrines and duties of the 
 gospel. 
 
 "19. Doct. Marpurgo, the Jewish physician tells 
 us, that there is much talk concerning us in the city. 
 The Catholic priests are violent against us, though 
 the people are generally in our favor. 
 
 "20. We have spent ten laborious, and we hope 
 profitable days in Alexandria. During that time we 
 have distributed JOOO Tracts, given away 70 copies 
 of the Bible or parts of it and sold 100 for 440 pias- 
 tres. These have been distributed among all the 
 different classes in the place. We praise God for 
 the success he has given us, and pray for his bless- 
 ing on our labors. In the afternoon we left Alexan- 
 dria in a large boat, called a maash, for Rosetta and 
 Cairo. In the night a gust of wind nearly upset 
 our boat. 
 
 "21. A Turkish soldier from the shore called to 
 our men, and wished to come on board and go to 
 Cairo. We did not stop for him, and he fired his 
 rnusket to intimidate our men; but we were sailing 
 so fast, he could not overtake us. Just before night 
 we left the canal, and entered the Nile. 
 
 "22. Awoke and found ourselves near Rosetta. 
 Landed about 9 o'clock, and found Signor Bochor 
 Carano, the dragoman of the English vice consul, 
 at the shore ready to receive us, having received 
 information by land, that we were coming. We 
 accordingly removed our baggage to the house, 
 which we found without the least article of furni- 
 ture. We spread our beds upon the floor, and used 
 our trunks and chests for tables and chairs. Soon 
 we went with the dragoman to pay our respects to 
 the musselim. We left our shoes at the door, and 
 entered his room. He received us very civilly, and 
 invited us to sit near him on the sofa. Coffee TMTR 
 
REV. PLINY FI3K. 
 
 served up first, and then long elegant pipes were 
 brought forward. Five or six moolahs were sitting 
 with him; one of whom he recommended as a very 
 learned man. Eight or ten soldiers, armed with pis- 
 tols and long swords, stood before the musselim, to 
 wait on him and his company. He was quite 
 affable, and showed us some books and manuscripts. 
 We told him, we had Arabic books, and proposed 
 sending him some. On returning to our rooms we 
 sent him a Testament, a Psalter, and a copy of 
 Genesis. After looking at them, he said; 'These 
 books are not for us,' and sent them back. Disap- 
 pointed, but not discouraged, we commenced our 
 labors among other classes of people. Visited first 
 the Greek convent, then the Coptic, and in our way 
 visited a school, and distributed among the schol- 
 ars Arabic Tracts. Disposed of some books to the 
 Copts. Towards evening we went to the synagogue, 
 where Mr. Wolff discussed the great subject of 
 Christianity at some length. We spent part of the 
 evening with several Copts at one of their houses. 
 We explained to them our object in distributing 
 the Scriptures, and then proposed to unite with 
 them in prayer. The population of Rosetta was 
 estimated by the dragoman at 12,000, mostly Mus- 
 sulmans. 
 
 "23. Went to the mouth of the Nile. Rode on 
 jack asses through gardens and groves of palm 
 trees, along the west bank of the river, passed the 
 fort which commands the entrance, and then came 
 in sight of the sea in an open country After rid- 
 ing half an hour longer, we came to an isthmus, 
 lying between the Nile on the north and the billows 
 of the majestic sea on the south. Here we left our 
 guides and animals, and walked along the penin- 
 sula on the shore of the river for an hour, till we 
 came to the point of land, where the west branch 
 of the Nile empties into the Mediterranean. The 
 mouth cf the river is dangerous for vessels, on ac- 
 
238 MEMOIR OF 
 
 count of the boghaz, or bar, where many vessels are 
 lost. The water foamed at the bar, as if a reef of 
 rocks lay across the whole mouth of the river. Ro- 
 setta is built of brick; the houses are higher, and the 
 streets wider than in Alexandria. It is in a declin- 
 ing state, and has but little trade. 
 
 "24. In the morning we sailed for Cairo. Dur- 
 ing the two days we spent in Rosetta, we distribu- 
 ted 100 Tracts, gave away six, and sold thirty 
 copies of the Scriptures. 
 
 "Sabbath, 2C. Spent most of the day in social 
 prayer, and in reading Baxter's Saint's Rest. In 
 the evening there was a total eclipse of the moon. 
 The Arabs, both in our boat and on shore, were 
 much alarmed. The rais (captain of the boat) 
 said his prayers; and as the darkness increased, we 
 heard the cries of a multitude on shore. We were 
 passing a village, as the moon became totally 
 eclipsed, when the inhabitants were in consterna- 
 tion and uproar. We could hear nothing but the 
 outcries and prayers of men, women, and children 
 'O God and the Prophet' ; O God and the Prophet' 
 'Most merciful God' 'Most beneficent God' 
 <O Lord, O Lord' 'War, war, war' 'O God, have 
 mercy on us' 'Lord spare us' 'O Mahommed.' 
 Such were the cries that filled the air incessantly. 
 We asked the Arab boatman, what they thought of 
 it. They supposed it denoted a revolution, and 
 was in consequence of the oppression inflicted by 
 the pasha on the Arabs in exacting money. 
 
 "29. Towards evening the lofty pyramids were 
 in sight. 
 
 "30. At 4 o'clock P. M. we landed at Bulae, 
 rode to Cairo, called on Mr. Salt, the English con- 
 sul general, and then took lodgings in the Frank 
 Locanda, or boarding house. We hire rooms, but 
 provide our own food." 
 
 In Cairo Mr. Fisk was occupied in the distribu- 
 tion of the Scriptures and Tracts. In company 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 
 
 with his associates he called upon the high-priest of 
 the Talmudist Jews, and discussed at considerable 
 length the meaning of various passages of Scripture. 
 The peculiar use of the word Elohim, as applied to 
 God, was considered. It was found that the only 
 oracle on which the high-priest depended for his 
 views of interpretation, was the Talmud. Speaking 
 of the new heavens and new earth, which God had 
 promised to create, he observed, that at the expira- 
 tion of 6000 years from the creation,. the grand Sab- 
 bath of a thousand years would commence. He 
 was questioned respecting Is. ix. 12, where the peo- 
 ple of Zabulon and Naphthalim are said to have 
 seen a great light. He remarked, that at the time 
 of the creation the light was so bright on the first 
 day, that it would have been too strong and dazzling 
 for the eyes of men; and shone not only on high 
 mountains, as Sinai, but even illuminated the deep 
 daik vallies of Naphthalim and Zabulon; that on 
 this account God altered his plan, and substituted 
 the sun and moon, which would emit a softer light. 
 "Such," observes Mr. Fisk, "is the stupid nonsense, 
 such the foolish absurdities, which learned Rabbies 
 advance, in order to evade the truth as it is in Jesus." 
 
 "Feb. 1. Early we went to two Jewish syna- 
 gogues during their religious service. Afterwards 
 visited that of the Caraites, and then went to the 
 house of their chief Rabbi. While at the syna- 
 gogue, they inquired our names, and then gave us 
 their benediction in Hebrew, which being translated 
 is as follows, 'The Lord bless with a blessing Pliny 
 Fisk, the son of Fisk, and give him of the dew of 
 heaven, and of the fatness of the earth, and permit 
 him to enter Jerusalem.' The last sentence proba- 
 bly implies a wish for our happiness and success in 
 general, and particularly salvation. This benedic- 
 tion they pronounced upon each of us. 
 
 "3. We were introduced to Abu'l Cassim, a, 
 Persian, and formerly a dervish and a soofi, but 
 
240 MEMOIR OF 
 
 now employed by government in copying the Ko- 
 ran. Mr. Wolff conversed with him in Persian, and 
 requested him to tell us the meaning of soofi. He 
 answered; 'A soofi is one, who with purity of inten- 
 tion becomes, as it were, a friend to the whole 
 human race, and sustains a friendly relationship to 
 every religion. Thus it was in the time of our Lord 
 the Prophet (upon whom be the mercy and peace 
 of God.) In this way the chosen disciples, who 
 were worshippers of God in the darkness of the 
 world, were clothed in the dress of sw/, i. e. hair-cloth. 
 Therefore they received the appellation, soofies, who 
 were celebrated as the true worshippers of God. 
 They do not go to the mosques; but assemble at 
 midnight, and continue their worship till morning. 
 Their worship consists in naming the attributes of 
 God, and in meditation, and in doing no evil.'" 
 
 In the evening Mr. Fisk speaks of their observ- 
 ing the monthly concert of prayer, in company 
 with a Mr. Warton, who has been several years in 
 Persia, and by whom they sent for distribution in 
 that country a box of Testaments, and Hebrew and 
 Arabic Tracts. Having spent a week in Cairo, ar- 
 rangements were made to visit Upper Egypt. An 
 account of his researches in that part of the country 
 will follow. 
 
 " Feb. 6. After putting every thing on board our 
 boat, we dined with Mr. Lee at his residence on 
 the banks of the Nile, between Bulae and old Cairo. 
 At dinner Mr. Lee read to us a letter from his drago- 
 man at Alexandria, giving the information, that a 
 high degree of fanaticism had been excited among 
 the Mussulmans at that place, by our conversation, 
 preaching, and the distribution of books; that im- 
 mediately after our departure, the musselim gave 
 orders to collect all the books we had distributed; 
 and that, if we had remained a few days longer, we 
 should probably have been in personal danger. We 
 heard a verbal report nearly to the same effect a 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 241 
 
 few days ago. In view of this we can only commit 
 our way to the Lord, pray for his guidance and bless- 
 ing, and encourage ourselves by saying, 'If the 
 Lord be for us who can be against usT 
 
 "After a delightful walk with Mr. Lee and his 
 family in a spacious garden of palm-trees, adjoining 
 his house, we took our leave, and embarked at five 
 P. M. in a small boat, committing our past labors 
 and future proceedings to the divine blessing. It 
 is a highly important circumstance in favor of mis- 
 sionaries and the Bible Society, that there are in 
 Egypt two consuls, Messrs. Salt and Lee, whose in- 
 fluence is so decidedly in our favor. We sailed with a 
 fine breeze till ten, and then moored for the night, 
 near the place where ancient Memphis stood, the 
 city of the Pharaohs. 
 
 "10. We remember, this morning that it is a year, 
 since the death of our dearly beloved brother Par- 
 sons, 
 
 "After breakfast we visited the bishop. Our way 
 to his house was through a dirty, narrow, lane, and 
 all the people we saw, looked like very misery. 
 We saw several little children, (some in the arms of 
 their mothers,) who appeared sickly, and their 
 eyes were covered with flies, which seemed to hover 
 about them as about a carcase, and no one drove 
 them away. Even the mother did not seem to re- 
 gard the sufferings of the infant in her bosom. The 
 bishop, whose name is Thomas, is an old man, up- 
 wards of eighty, habited in a coarse, blue mantle, 
 with a turban of the same color. His long white 
 beard formed a fine contrast with his swarthy coun- 
 tenance. We showed him the patriarch's letter 
 which he read, and then invited us to sit down. 
 Though so old, yet he can see to read even small 
 print without glasses. He showed us several Arabic 
 and Coptic books, all manuscripts, except an Arabic 
 Bible. We inquired where he obtained that. He 
 said, 'A friend like yourselves brought it to us. 7 This 
 21 
 
242 MEMOIR OF 
 
 was no doubt Mr. Jowett, who, during his journey 
 into Upper Egypt, four years ago, distributed up- 
 wards of twenty Arabic Bibles, all he had with him. 
 We offered to purchase some of the manuscripts, 
 but he refused. We showed him several of our 
 books, and offered them as a present, but he declin- 
 ed receiving them, and said they had an abundance 
 of books already. His conduct probably arose from 
 his ignorance and indifference, rather than from op- 
 position. When we were about taking our leave, 
 he invited us to remain aod dine with him, which we 
 did. It was interesting to see the simplicity of his 
 fare. The table was a wooden frame, eight inches 
 square, and a foot high. On this was placed a large 
 pewter platter, with four dishes on it. One contain- 
 ed boiled eggs, another preserved dates, and the 
 other two soft cheese. Small loaves of bread were 
 laid in a row around the dishes. This was the 
 bishop's dinner. We seated ourselves, with him and 
 two or three others, on the floor. A servant then 
 brought water, that we might wash each his right 
 hand, as that was to serve instead of a knife, fork 
 and spoon. Before eating, the bishop made the sign 
 of the cross, and asked a blessing. Of liquor there 
 was only one kind, the water of the Nile, and we all 
 drank from the same brown earthen jug. 
 
 "At one P. M., we left Minie, and toward even- 
 ing we began to pass by the grottos in the hills, east 
 of the river, which were inhabited by the hermits in 
 the fourth century, and where the early Christians, 
 in times of persecution, found an asylum. 
 
 "]4. Went to a village called Bladia, which con- 
 sists almost entirely of Copts. On entering the vil- 
 lage, saw a boy with a book in his hand reading; 
 went up to him, and then discovered a man sitting 
 at the door of a mud hovel, with a long reed in his 
 hand, which he was swinging over the heads of 
 twenty-six children, all engaged in writing Arabic 
 
REV. PLINY FISK, 243 
 
 and Coptic on plates of tin. This was a Coptic 
 school. 
 
 "17. At two P. M. we arrived at Siout, the seat 
 of government for Upper Egypt. Ahmed Pasha is 
 now the governor. We had a letter to him from 
 Mohammed AH Pasha. This was given us as a pass- 
 port. We found the pasha himself was gone to 
 quell an insurrection among the Arabs in the coun- 
 try. We found the kadi or judge, sitting at the 
 gate, to whom we made known our business. He 
 invited us to sit with him, and told us the pasha's 
 lieutenant, who now acts in his stead, was gone to 
 dinner. He ordered coffee for us, and sent to inform 
 the governor of our arrival. After we had waited 
 awhile, the dignified personage came. He was on 
 horseback, preceded by six grooms, and followed 
 by a large retinue. He went into a small presence 
 chamber, and the kadi immediately took us to him. 
 He received the letter, ordered coffee, conversed a 
 little while with us, and then called a writer, and 
 commanded a passport to be made out for the rest 
 of the journey. We then took our leave, and went 
 to the Coptic bishop. His name is Michael, and 
 his appearance and conversation indicate an unusual 
 degree of intelligence. He seemed gratified that 
 we had brought the Scriptures for distribution, and 
 when we proposed leaving some for sale, he spoke 
 to three priests, to go with us to the boat, and take 
 them. He thought fifty or sixty would be wanted; 
 we accordingly left fifty Testaments. 
 
 "About two P, M. we arrived at Abutig on the 
 west bank. Went to call on the roumus, or head 
 priest. Sold a few books, and returned to the boat. 
 Several Copts came and bought books, and we 
 gave ten to a young man to sell during our absence. 
 
 "20. As we were walking on shore, a Copt, from 
 Abutig, came to us, and wished to purchase ten 
 Testaments to sell again. We let him have them 
 at a very low price. The circumstance has encour- 
 
244 
 
 MEMOIR OF 
 
 aged us much. It indicates a desire among the 
 people to possess the Scriptures; for in this country 
 the Christians are so poor, that they will not pur- 
 chase books, even at a low price, unless they really 
 want them. 
 
 "21. In the morning passed a village on the west, 
 called Souhadg. Near it was the encampment of 
 the pasha's Nubian troops, who are learning Euro- 
 pean tactics. 
 
 "About noon we arrived at Akmin, a considera- 
 ble town on the east. Took books and went to the 
 Coptic church. We there found the roumus, who 
 immediately purchased some of our books. Saw 
 also four or five priests. There are six or seven in 
 Akmin, and several hundred Coptic houses; some 
 said five hundred. We sat down in the yard before 
 the church, and offered our books to those who were 
 present. The information was circulated, and oth- 
 ers came to buy, and we were obliged to go repeat- 
 edly to our boat for more books. Took our stations 
 in different parts of the yard, and the roumus and 
 priests sent for the people, and assisted us in selling. 
 How different their conduct from that of the Cath- 
 olic priests in Alexandria! Before nine in the even- 
 ing, we had sold ninety, and given away nine books, 
 besides Tracts. In the evening there fell a few 
 drops of rain, but scarcely enough to be perceived. 
 
 "In the evening we arrived at Minshich, a village 
 on the west. Near it another company of soldiers 
 had their tents. We took books and called on the 
 roumus. His name is Rafael. He received us first 
 in a stable, where were two jack-asses. After read- 
 ing the patriarch's letter, and conversing some min- 
 utes, he took us through another stable, in which 
 were buffaloes, and then up stairs to his own apart- 
 ments. These, however, had but little more of 
 neatness about them, than the stables we had passed 
 through. There was so much dirt and smoke, as 
 seemed to render the rooms really uninhabitable. 
 
REV. PLINY FJSK. 245 
 
 A bottle of rakee, (a kind of brandy,) was pro- 
 duced. The roumus drank first, out of a kind of 
 coffee cup, and then offered to us. He continued 
 to drink, at short intervals, the whole evening, in a 
 manner not at all calculated to give us a favorable 
 idea of his temperance. He told us there are two 
 other priests, and about thirty Coptic houses, in the 
 village. We supped with Rafael. The floor was 
 our seat. The supper consisted of one dish of meat, 
 one of soup, and bread. We ate the soup by dip- 
 ping pieces of bread in it, and from the meat each 
 one helped himself with his fingers. Several Copts 
 came in, and we sold a few books, gave away a few, 
 and exchanged others for a Coptic manuscript, a 
 folio volume of prayers and extracts from the Scrip- 
 tures. The poverty and misery, in which these peo- 
 ple live, is almost beyond description. 
 
 "24. About noon saw four or five crocodiles, the 
 first we have seen. They were lying on the sand 
 near the water. Came so near them in the boat, as 
 to attract their attention, and they plunged into the 
 river; but we were unable to get a very near view of 
 them. The crocodile is said to move with great ra- 
 pidity. Our boatmen confirmed this statement. His 
 appearance, however, as we saw him, would indicate 
 clumsiness rather than agility. He has four short 
 legs. His body and tail resemble a fish in form. 
 
 "A little after noon passed Girge on the west, 
 which was formerly the capital of Upper Egypt. It 
 has its name from St. George. As the wind was in 
 our favor we did not stop. Here the mountains on 
 the east corne very near the river, and are full of 
 grottos. 
 
 "25. When walking on the shore we noticed the 
 (hum-tree. It is the palm of Thebais, or Upper 
 Egypt, but it differs from the common palm, being 
 neither so large, nor so high; the body of the tree 
 is smoother, the wood seems harder, and the tree 
 often has several branches. The common palm-tree 
 21* 
 
246 MEMOIR OF 
 
 grows high, perpendicular, and without branches. 
 The trunk of the tree does not increase from year 
 to year in size, like other trees, but only rises higher, 
 You see, therefore, in a grove of palms, the trees 
 which are ten or twenty feet high, just as large as 
 those from fifty to one hundred feet. 'The trunk of 
 the tree is not solid, like other trees, but its centre is 
 filled with pith.' In fact the tree, when cut down, 
 seems more like a bundle of straws, or splinters 
 closely bound together, than like timber. The date 
 is the fruit of the palm-tree. The fruit of the doum 
 is several times larger than the date, and totally dif- 
 ferent from it. Gibbon says, 'The diligent natives 
 celebrated, either in prose or verse, the three hun- 
 deed and sixty uses, to which the trunk, the branches, 
 the leaves, the juice, and the fruit of the palm were 
 skilfully applied.' We have not had occasion to 
 make three hundred and sixty uses of it; but, besides 
 eating of its fruit, and using the wood for fuel, we 
 have slept under roofs made of its leaves, and on 
 bedsteads made of its branches. It has served us 
 for baskets, mats, brooms, ropes, cages for poultry, 
 and walking sticks. In crossing canals, it has been 
 our bridge, and we have eaten honey made (accord- 
 ing to the account of the natives,) from its sap. 
 'The palm is crowned, at its top with a large tuft 
 of spiring leaves about four feet long, which never 
 fall off, but always continue in the same flourishing 
 verdure.'* Dr. Harris, in his Natural History of the 
 Bible, has given a great deal of information on this 
 subject, as well as on others, of which he treats. 
 
 "27. Most of the day there has been a strong 
 wind. About noon the sandy mountains being near 
 us on the west, and the wind blowing high from 
 that quarter, the air was filled with sand, driven be- 
 fore the wind like snow in New-England, when a, 
 heavy north-west wind follows a fall of light snow. 
 [t came into our boat, and even into our cabin, so 
 that our clothes and books were covered with it. 
 
 * Psalm T 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 247 
 
 "About sunset arrived at Negadel, on the west 
 bank. The greater part of the inhabitants are Copts. 
 Waited on the roumus. He read the patriarch's 
 letter, and looked at our books; but said they had 
 already a plenty. He paid us no farther attention, 
 but soon walked away. We sold a Testament and 
 a Psalter, and then a priest named Antonio invited 
 us to his house. He had an Arabic Bible, which 
 lie received from Mr. Jowett, whose name he re- 
 membered. He said he had read the whole of it, 
 and was much pleased with it. Sold a few more 
 books, and exchanged a few for Arabic and Coptic 
 manuscripts. The conduct of the roumus was un- 
 doubtedly the cause of our selling so few. We will 
 not even conjecture, whether his conduct arose from 
 a natural incivility of disposition, or from religious 
 bigotry, or from ignorance, or a mistaken opinion of 
 our design. 'To his own Master he standeth or 
 falleth.' " 
 
 28. About sunset we arrived at Thebes, in twenty- 
 two days from Cairo. Here we met with two com- 
 panies of travellers; one on their way to Assouan, 
 consisting of a Polish baron, whom we knew in 
 Cairo, one Englishman, and one German; the other 
 company are returning from Dongola, and consists 
 of a Russian count and two Germans. In the even- 
 ing these gentlemen called on us in company with 
 Mr. Rifand, a Frenchman, who has been here sev- 
 eral years engaged in researches. 
 
 J\larch 1. "We called on the Coptic priest 
 Makar. He bought a Testament, and the book of 
 Genesis, and told us there were sixty Coptic houses 
 in the Luxor, and three priests. Many persons 
 were present, but none of them could read. 
 
 "In the afternoon, we took a view of the temple 
 of Luxor. Before the principal gate-way are two 
 immense statues of granite in a bad state of preser- 
 vation. The body of each statue is about nine feet 
 in diameter, from side to side. One of them has an 
 
.248 MEMOIR OF 
 
 obelisk at its back, of the same height, and 
 covered with hieroglyphics. The other is support- 
 ed by a large granite slab. Before the statues are 
 two obelisks like those of Alexandria and Hieropo- 
 lis. The wall is standing, about fifty or sixty feet 
 high. From the top of it we had a good view of 
 the village. We saw the stupendous ruins of this 
 ancient temple; around it immense heaps of rubbish; 
 and in the midst of the ruins and rubbish, one hun- 
 dred and fifty or two hundred mud huts. Such, 
 indeed, is the appearance of these huts, that you 
 scarcely seem to be in an inhabited village. The 
 temple seems to have consisted of two principal 
 parts, one near the gate we have mentioned, and 
 the other connected with it by a passage now indi- 
 cated by two rows of columns, seven in a row, each 
 about thirty feet in circumference, built of stones 
 four feet thick. Beyond these columns are a vari- 
 ety of apartments, the walls of which are covered 
 with hieroglyphics; and there are in all not less 
 than one hundred and fifty, or two hundred col- 
 umns of different forms, sizes, and heights. In 
 these apartments without doubt, were once offered 
 pagan sacrifices. 
 
 "Yesterday we made known our wish to take 
 lodgings for a few days on shore. To-day we heard 
 of a house belonging to the government, which 
 might be had. In the evening we went to look at 
 it. In the lower apartment we found some Arabs 
 sitting on the ground at supper. There was a jack- 
 ass in the same room. Passing by them we came 
 to the stairs. Three or four of the steps were brok- 
 en down, so as to render it almost impossible to 
 ascend. On reaching the top, we found the floor 
 of the rooms was made thus: Beams of the palm- 
 tree supported small branches of the same and 
 reeds, and these were covered with earth, so that 
 the chamber floors had nearly the same appear- 
 ance, as the streets. In the first room the branches. 
 
RET. FLINT FISK. 
 
 which supported the earth, having given away, there 
 were several holes so large that we got over them 
 with difficulty, and, on entering another room, we 
 found the floor so weak, that it shook under our feet, 
 and we dared to walk across it only with a very cau- 
 tious step. In this situation our light was extinguish- 
 ed, and we had some apprehensions about our return, 
 until an Arab brought us another light. Each room 
 had large windows which were entirely open. The 
 roof was of bushes and had several apertures, some 
 of them large- Such was the house offered us in 
 Thebes; and probably it would not have been easy 
 to procure a better. After looking at this, we re- 
 solved on remaining in our cabin, though it was 
 small and much infested with vermin. 
 
 "Sabbath, 2. In the morning we read the Scrip- 
 tures in Romaic to our servant, and gave him relig- 
 ious instruction. We then spent a season in social 
 worship. On this occasion we read from the jour- 
 nal of Brainerd an account of his conversion and 
 trials. We were led to contrast this monument of 
 Brainerd and his character with the character of 
 Busiris, Osymandias, Cesostris, Cheops, and Ceph- 
 renes, and the monuments which they raised to per- 
 petuate their glory. All their cities, mausoleums, 
 temples, and pyramids, seemed insignificant, com- 
 pared with the crown of glory which Brainerd won. 
 They shall perish; most of them indeed have per- 
 ished already; but this shall remain forever. 
 
 "3. Visited the temple ofCarnac. It is a half- 
 hour's ride from Luxor. We spent about four hours 
 in looking at its ruins. We entered by a gateway, 
 on the south side, and near the west end of the tem- 
 ple. In coming up to the gate, we passed between 
 two rows of Sphinxes, fifty in a row. Some were 
 almost entirely destroyed, and the heads were brok- 
 en off from them all. Those that were most entire, 
 had each a statue of some god before it, and of the 
 same piece with itself. We then came to the outer 
 
MEMOIR OF 
 
 gate. The whole column is forty feet square, and, 
 as nearly as we could judge, seventy high. The 
 passage is eighteen feet wide. From this we ad- 
 vanced between two rows of sphinxes, ten in a row r . 
 about forty paces to a second gate, which opened 
 into an apartment where stood thirty columns, twen- 
 ty feet in circumference. Passing a third gate we 
 entered another apartment, in which are eight sim- 
 ilar columns. We then came apparently to the end 
 of these ruins, and found ourselves among the dirty 
 huts, which now compose the village of Carnac, and 
 are inhabited by ignorant and miserable Arabs, all 
 Mussulmans. The number of dogs was to all ap- 
 pearance nearly equal to that of human beings. 
 Advancing two hundred paces, we came to an im- 
 mense pile of walls, columns, &c. This is the most 
 interesting and magnificent part of the temple." 
 
 Mr. Fisk has given a minute description of this 
 part of the temple the magnificent apartments, 
 large columns, statues, sphinxes, and obelisks, con- 
 nected with this immense pile, and thus concludes: 
 
 "The extent of the temple from the south gate to 
 the north is about six hundred and sixty paces, and 
 from the east to the west, about five hundred and 
 twenty. The walls are very thick, and generally 
 covered with hieroglyphics, We are sensible this 
 is but a very imperfect descriptibn of what remains 
 of the temple of Jupiter at Carnac. Ruins so stu- 
 pendous, after the lapse of three or four thousand 
 years, show that the temple, in the time of its glory, 
 must have been magnificent beyond conception. 
 But as these walls and columns are now falling and 
 perishing, so all human glory will soon fade and 
 wither in the dust. But there is a Temple, whose 
 columns shall never fall, and whose glory shall 
 never fade; whose worship shall never cease, and 
 whose inhabitants shall never die. O that when all 
 earthly temples and palaces shall be buried in one 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 251 
 
 universal ruin, our spirits may be found worshippers 
 in that imperishable temple. 
 
 "4. Luxor and Carnac include what remains of 
 Thebes, on the east side of the Nile. At an early 
 hour we fell down the river a little way in our boat, 
 passed to the other side, took jack-asses, (without 
 saddles, or bridles) and rode to Gornon, about one 
 hour from the river. We stopped at the house of 
 Mr. John Athanasius, to whom we had a letter from 
 Mr. Salt. He is a Greek, and has spent several 
 years at Thebes, making excavations, and searching 
 for antiquities, in the employ of Mr. Salt. He lived 
 sometime in a tomb, and then built a house over it, 
 which he now inhabits. He spent the day in show- 
 ing us the antiquities of the place. We set out 
 first to see the tombs of the kings. In our way 
 we passed over a high mountain. The east side of 
 it, is called Hieropolis, is full of grottos, from many 
 of which mummies have been taken. These are 
 now inhabited by Arabs. From the top of the 
 mountain we had a fine view of the plain of Thebes, 
 with all its wonderful antiquities. We descended 
 the mountain, and reached the tombs in an hour 
 after leaving the house. We first entered the tomb, 
 which was opened by Belzoni and others in the em- 
 ploy of Mr. Salt, in 1817, and which is therefore 
 called Mr. Salt's. We entered by an avenue eight 
 or nine feet wide, and about as high, descended 
 twenty eight short stairs, then walked thirteen paces 
 still descending, then twenty-five more stairs, then 
 eighteen paces which brought us to the first set of 
 chambers consisting of three apartments, one eigh- 
 teen feet by fifteen, and the others thirty feet 
 square, and ten or twelve high. Then descending 
 eighteen stairs and ten paces, we came to a second 
 set of rooms. The principal one was fifty feet by 
 thirty. Here, when the tomb was opened, was a 
 sarcophagus of alabaster, which has been removed 
 to London, and is now in the museum. Adjoining 
 
252 MEMOIR OF 
 
 this is a room thirty feet square, on three sides of 
 which is a projection which forms a kind of table. 
 There are also two side chambers, eight or ten feet 
 square, and seven high. In the different rooms are 
 a number of insulated pilasters. All the walls of 
 the rooms, and of the passages, are covered with 
 hieroglyphics of the finest kind, not, like most hier- 
 oglyphics, in intaglio but in alto relievo. In one 
 place are portrayed priests dressed in white, hand- 
 ling serpents; in another, persons offering sacrifices; 
 in a third, a company of prisoners; in a fourth, dead 
 bodies, &c. All these apartments are cut out of 
 the solid rock. How much labor to prepare a tomb 
 for one man." 
 
 Mr. Fisk visited other tombs which he also de- 
 scribes. He was informed that twenty-six or twen- 
 ty-seven of the tombs of the kings are now open. 
 It is stated on the authority of Strabo, "that it 
 was commonly reported, that there had been forty 
 of these monuments, and that the Thebean priests 
 gave an account of thirty-seven." He visited the 
 temple of Memnon and of Isis. 
 
 "Thence we went to two collossal statues of 
 Memnon. They are not very far from the temple 
 of Memnon, and are in the sitting posture, with their 
 faces to the east, and both of the same size. The 
 south statue is of one stone, and almost entire. 
 The other had been broken, (it is said by Cambyses,) 
 and has since been repaired. The upper part is 
 built of stones of a different kind from the original. 
 On the legs and feet of this are a number of inscrip- 
 tions, several of which are published by Hamilton. 
 They relate to the sound which this statue is said to 
 have uttered at sun-rise. Rollin quotes Strabo as 
 saying, that there was at Thebes a statue of Mem- 
 non, which uttered a sound when the beams of the 
 rising sun shone upon it. The size of these statues 
 is enormous. We stood on the pedestal, and meas- 
 ured twelve feet on the leg, and still wanted consid- 
 
REV, PLINY F1SK. 253 
 
 Arable of reaching the knee. Hamilton says, 'The 
 height of the leg and foot is eighteen feet five inches, 
 and the length of the little finger, four feet five 
 inches.' The name of Memnon is connected with 
 a temple, a tomb, and several statues at Thebes; 
 but who this Memnon was, or where he lived, it is 
 not easy to ascertain. From these statues we re- 
 turned to our boat at Luxor in the evening. 
 
 "We have now taken a glance at what remains of 
 one of the most ancient, and one of the most mag- 
 nificent cities of the world, which is said to have 
 had one hundred gates, and to have been able to 
 send out ten thousand soldiers from each gate. Her 
 proud monarchs, and their abject slaves, now sleep 
 in the dust, and their spirits receive their just reward 
 from Him who is no respecter of persons. 
 
 "5. Between nine and ten A. M. we took our 
 leave of these immense and magnificent ruins, and 
 set our faces again toward Cairo, highly gratified in 
 having seen, though but hastily and imperfectly, 
 these interesting antiquities; but still more highly 
 gratified in having been permitted, to supply so 
 many nominal Christians, in this land of darkness, 
 with the invaluable Word of God. We had no 
 wind, but floated along with the current. About 
 5 P. M. passed Negadeh. 
 
 "6. About nine A. M. we arrived at Kene, on the 
 cast bank. Went into the town with books for 
 Mallem Boulus, (Paul,) who is mentioned in Mr. 
 Jowett's Researches. Mallem, is a title much used 
 among the Copts. Its import is learned, or a teacher. 
 Many of the Coptic mallems are clerks and writers 
 for government. Mallem Boulus was with the mus- 
 selim. A man was sent to inform him of our arrival, 
 and he immediately came to see us. We showed 
 him the patriarch's letter, and then our books. He 
 looked at the books, kissed them, purchased several, 
 and assisted us in selling others. He is the chief 
 man among the Copts, richly dressed, and quite in- 
 22 
 
254 MEMOIR OF 
 
 telligent. He says there are 1500 houses in Kenc, 
 of which 150 are Coptic. They have no church or 
 priest, but go to church at Goos, three or four hours 
 off, where are also many Copts. 
 
 "A mallem who teaches a school of thirty boys 
 came in. To him we gave five copies of Genesis, to 
 be given as premiums to such of his pupils as should 
 make most rapid progress in their studies. Iscarus, 
 a learned mallem, also called on us; and afterward 
 accompanied us to our boat. He knows Turkish, 
 Arabic, and Coptic. In the course of four hours 
 we sold thirty-one books, and gave away seven, 
 beside Tracts. 
 
 "Great numbers of Mussulman pilgrims pass 
 through this place, on their way to Mecca. Their 
 defiling influence on the people is very manifest. 
 We have no where seen so many Mussulman women 
 unveiled, or so bold and shameless as here. The 
 place seems a perfect brothel. 
 
 "We left Kene, about one P. M., and in an hour 
 after, moored on the west bank opposite the temple 
 of Denderah, the Tentiva of the Romans. The mod- 
 ern village is near the Nile; the temple a half hour's 
 ride from it. We found this temple in a better state 
 of preservation than any we had seen. 
 
 ' ; It was from this temple that a Frenchman, about 
 three years since, took away the Zodiac, which has 
 excited so much interest among the learned. The 
 walls, as usual, are covered with hieroglyphics, the 
 mystical characters of the ancient Egyptians. Could 
 we read these characters, we should no doubt derive 
 much information about the ancient history, mythol- 
 ogy, and customs of the country. Whether this 
 knowledge will ever be attained, remains to be 
 seen. Efforts are making, and hopes of success are 
 cherished. We returned to our boat at five o'clock, 
 and floated down the Nile till late in the evening; 
 when we moored for the night. 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 255 
 
 "7. The wind very strong against us, so as almost 
 completely to counteract the course of the current. 
 This enabled us easily to believe what before seem- 
 ed improbable, that a north wind blowing when the 
 Nile overflows, has a powerful effect to increase the 
 inundations, and keep the water longer on the land. 
 Toward evening we arrived at Dishne, a small vil- 
 lage on the east. Here one man told us there are 
 forty, another said thirty Coptic houses; and proba- 
 bly about as many Mussulmans. We saw a number 
 of Copts, only three of whom could read; and those 
 three all purchased books. They have neither a 
 church, nor a priest in the village. Left Dishne 
 about sun-set, and floated down the current during 
 most of the night. 
 
 "8. At half past twelve we passed Haon, on the 
 west, and a little below it we moored, the wind be- 
 ing contrary and very violent. Below us was a 
 large boat, which had a cargo of negro slaves, car- 
 rying them down to Cairo; a sight, which could not 
 fail to excite the most painful emotions in our 
 breasts. A little before three P. M. we left our 
 boat and walked to Bageoura, an inland town. Here 
 are several learned mallems, a roumus, several 
 priests, a church and nunnery with two or three 
 nuns. We have seldom heard of a nunnery among 
 the Copts. There is usually a convent connected 
 with every church, but it is the dwelling of the 
 priests, whether married or unmarried. Many of 
 the priests are married, and we are told the people 
 are best pleased when this is the case. 
 
 "10. We awoke in sight of the high minarets of 
 Girge. Went first to pay our respects to the bishop, 
 and were conducted to his house through a narrow 
 dark avenue. He was asleep, but the roumus re- 
 ceived HS very kindly. The apartments were en- 
 tirely without furniture, except a mat of reeds spread 
 on the floor, on which we sat; but they were cleaner 
 than the rooms, in which we have usually been re- 
 
356 
 
 31EMOIR OF 
 
 ceived by the Coptic clergy. After waiting a while, 
 the bishop awoke, and we were invited into hit-* 
 presence. He was in feeble health, as might be 
 expected from his age, which is ninety years. For 
 thirty one years he has been bishop of this diocese. 
 The roumus told us, that there were in Egypt twelve 
 bishoprics, two east of the Nile, and ten west of it, 
 The whole number of Coptic priests we estimated 
 at two hundred and thirty, or two hundred and forty, 
 but others, we presume with good reason, set it 
 much higher. The reason he assigns, why the num- 
 ber of bishoprics is so small, is the poverty and trib- 
 ulation which the Christians are now in. They are 
 indeed in bondage. We dined with the roumus on 
 boiled eggs, bread, and honey." 
 
 Mr. F. and his companion went ashore on the 
 12th and ascended a mountain, for the purpose of 
 surveying a grotto. It is described as having been 
 excavated in a solid rock, and still showing marks of 
 the chisel. There were two doors fifteen feet wide 
 and eighteen or twenty feet high. The apartment 
 was about a hundred feet by seventy-five feet. In 
 front of the doors on the inside two large columns 
 were standing, which were attached to the original 
 rock, and inscribed with hieroglyphics. The moun- 
 tain over the grotto was solid rock rising a hundred 
 feet nearly perpendicular. 
 
 "Sitting down in one of the windows, we cast our 
 eyes over one of the most enchanting scenes in na- 
 ture. From an elevation of two hundred feet, we 
 looked down on the Nile meandering through the 
 plains that are enriched and fertilized by its waters: 
 while these plains present to the eye a variety and 
 richness of vegetation seldom seen. Flocks were 
 grazing in every direction; numerous small villages, 
 surrounded by groves of palm trees, increased the 
 variety and beauty of the scenery; while, on the op- 
 posite side of the river, rose the barren hills that 
 skirt the Lybian desert. It would have been a dc 
 
REV. TLINY FISK 
 
 257 
 
 lightful scene for a landscape painter. It would 
 have been a romantic spot for a sentimental poet. 
 And surely a hermit, if truly pious, might in this cell 
 contemplate the works of God with no ordinary de- 
 gree of tranquillity and peace. 
 
 "13. At five P. M. arrived at Abutig. The Copts 
 have a school for boys. We inquired if there was 
 not one for girls likewise. They said, 'No.' We 
 then asked whether any of the women could read. 
 As if surprised at such strange questions, they again 
 answered, 'No.' 'Is there not one in town who can 
 read?' 'No, not half an one,' was the reply. 
 
 "20. About nine A. M. we passed the convent of 
 Miriam, (Mary,) situated at the top of rocks appar- 
 ently inaccessible, on the east bank. As we passed, 
 we saw a man swimming toward our boat. He was 
 from the convent, and came to ask alms. We gave 
 him something. He told us there were ten monks 
 in the convent. One of them was in sight on the 
 top of the rugged rocks. When the man left us, 
 we watched to see how he ascended to his habitation; 
 but we lost sight of him behind a rock, as soon as 
 he reached the shore. It is impossible to discover 
 any passage. In the evening we passed a village on 
 the east called Sheraoune, where our rais says there 
 are many Copts. The Arabs told us, that the Mus- 
 sulmans have both monasteries and nunneries, and 
 that in the Faioun, a province in the west of Egypt, 
 there is a nunnery, in which are forty nuns. 
 
 "Between Cairo and Minie, are several convents 
 and villages, at which we intended to stop on our 
 return; but having distributed all our books, and 
 being in haste, we passed by them all. We hoped, 
 also, to find it convenient to visit the pyramids of 
 Saccara, and the site of ancient Memphis which is 
 near them. But this too we were obliged to relin- 
 quish." 
 
 Sabbath the 23d was a day of great anxiety to 
 jhe missionaries. TIrcy had heard reports that a 
 
58 MEMOffi OF 
 
 general massacre of Europeans had been commenc- 
 ed by the Turks. They had been apprised of the 
 fact, that complaints against them had been brought 
 to the pasha, in consequence of their discussing re- 
 ligious subjects with Mussulmans. Fears too were 
 entertained that the plague was raging at Cairo, 
 where they must land. They trembled to approach 
 the shore, lest they should find themselves exposed 
 to the sword or to the pestilence, or both. Coming 
 to anchor in this fearful suspense, they sent a mes- 
 senger to Mr. Salt, to obtain information respecting 
 the state of the city. In the mean time they made 
 their prayer to God, and waited for intelligence, 
 from which they might learn what their real situa- 
 tion was. At 3 o'clock P. M. a note was received 
 from Mr. Salt, bringing the joyful tidings, that all 
 was safe and tranquil on shore, and that they might 
 land without fear, as soon as convenient. 
 
 "24. Took lodgings at the house where we were 
 before, and where travellers usually lodge. In our 
 journey to Thebes we were absent from Cairo forty- 
 six days, and the expenses amounted, altogether to 
 about thirty dollars each. We sold in Arabic, two 
 hundred and eleven Testaments, and one hundred 
 and twenty-seven copies of Genesis, and, seven 
 Psalters; and gave away ten Testaments, forty-five 
 - copies of Genesis, and one Psalter. In other lan- 
 guages w r e have sold four, and given away five Tes- 
 taments and Bibles. We also distributed two hun- 
 dred and fifty Tracts. 
 
 "During the journey, we were both attacked with 
 a fever, though at different times. Through the 
 kindness of our Heavenly Father, we both recover- 
 ed after an illness of only four or five days. When 
 in ill health among strangers, and with bad accom- 
 modations, the mind begins to turn back to the 
 friends we have left afar off. With a mattress spread 
 on the cabin floor, no chair but a box of books, none 
 of the little comforts, which mothers and sisters 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 259 
 
 know so well how to provide, the wind blowing into 
 our cabirlfnri this situation it was impossible not to 
 recal to mind the kind attention we used to receive, 
 when ill, from friends, whose names we cannot re- 
 collect without the tenderest emotions. But then 
 we reflected, how much better was our situation 
 than that of better men than we, has often been. 
 
 "What must not Brainerd have suffered, when 
 sick among the Indians? And what were Martyn's 
 trials, with the heat, the dust, his savage guide, and 
 no friend near him? 
 
 "Our dear brother Parsons likewise suffered more 
 than it would be easy to express, while at sea, and 
 especially while at Syra, feeble, much of the time 
 delirious, his physician trying to persuade him that 
 his host wished to hasten his death, no faithful friend 
 near him, no one to read, pray or converse with him 
 about divine things, and few of the attentions and 
 comforts which we enjoy. 
 
 "Instead then of murmuring, let us be grateful 
 that we enjoy so many more comforts than we de- 
 serve. And now that our health is restored, may 
 we be more entirely devoted than ever to the ser- 
 vice of our Preserver. 
 
 "We have now been in Egypt nearly three months; 
 and, in connexion with Mr. Wolff, have been per- 
 mitted to preach the Gospel, and address men on 
 religious subjects, in English, French, German, Ital- 
 ian, Greek, Hebrew, and Arabic; have distributed 
 about eight hundred copies of the Bible, or parts of 
 it, in twelve languages; and more than 2000 Tracts. 
 We have had fears, and some troubles; but the 
 Lord has preserved us, and delivered us. 
 
 "We are conscious of many imperfections and 
 much sin; yet we have found peace and joy in our 
 work. When we look forward, we anticipate new- 
 troubles, and new fears. We commend ourselves 
 to the prayers of our Christian friends. We com- 
 
260 MEMOIR OF 
 
 mend ourselves to the protection of our blessed 
 Redeemer. To him be all glory for eMB| and lei 
 the whole earth be filled with his glory. Amen." 
 
 On the 26th, Mr. Fisk attended a Jewish wed- 
 ing, of which he gives the following account. 
 
 "The gentlemen assembled in a large apartment, 
 in reality the court, but now used as a parlor. We 
 were seated on a divan at one end of the court, 
 where the ceremony was to be performed. Near 
 us stood a large wax candle, and from the ceiling 
 were suspended seven chandeliers. Some of the 
 candles were burning, though it was not dark. All 
 the Orientals have a great fondness for burning 
 lamps and candles in their places of worship, and 
 on all religious occasions. At the opposite end of 
 the court was a kind of gallery, where the bride 
 was making preparation for the ceremony, and in 
 front of which hung stripes of different colored 
 paper, red, pale red, and yellow, some of them 
 covered with gold leaf. Now and then the bride 
 showed herself through the lattice or wooden net- 
 work, which stood in front of the gallery. It re- 
 minded us of Solomon's Song, ii. 9. 'My beloved 
 is like a roe, or a young hart; behold he standeth 
 behind our wall, he looketh forth at the windows, 
 showing himself through the lattice.' 
 
 ''About 5 o'clock the high priest, (Rabbi Mercado,) 
 and five other Rabbies came in, and took their seats 
 on the divan, and the service soon commenced. 
 First, the clerk and people repeated in Hebrew 
 the eighteen benedictions of the name of God. 
 Then the high priest arose, and said, 'Blessed are 
 they who dwell in thy house; they shall praise thee 
 forever.' The people responded, 'Blessed people, 
 whose God is the Lord.' After this the evening 
 prayer was said, in Vhich the name of God occurs 
 eighteen times. Each time this name was repeated 
 the Rabbies shook and trembled. After this prayer 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 261 
 
 llie nuptial torch was lighted. It was a large wax 
 candle, dividing itself into nine branches, all of 
 which were burning. This was carried up to the 
 gallery of the ladies, where the bride was waiting, 
 the bridegroom being all the time among the gen- 
 tlemen below. Boys then began to beat on cym- 
 bals, and the bride was conducted down stairs, 
 covered with a long white veil, preceded by three 
 women with cymbals, and led by two others. Sev- 
 eral women also followed her, one of whom occasion- 
 ally uttered a shriek, which we at first supposed a 
 shriek of distress, but were afterwards told it was 
 an expression of joy. The whole court now rung 
 with cries, shouts, and the noise of the cymbals. 
 The bride being led to the divan, the bridegroom 
 took his place by her side, and both continued 
 standing, while Rabbi Mercado accompanied by the 
 people, repeated the 45th Psalm; 'My heart is indit- 
 ing a good matter,' &c. The Rabbi then took a 
 cup of wine, and said, 'Blessed art thou, O Lord 
 our God, King of the world, who hast created the 
 fruit of the vine.' The people responded, 'Blessed 
 be he, and blessed be his name.' Rabbi. 'Blessed 
 be thou, O Lord, who sanctifiest thy people by wed- 
 ing and by marriage.' People. 'Blessed be he, 
 and blessed be his name.' 
 
 "One of the Rabbies then took a ring and put it 
 on the finger of the bridegroom, and then on the 
 finger of the bride, and then gave it to the bride- 
 groom, who placed it on the finger of his bride, 
 saying, 'Verily thou art espoused to me by this ring, 
 according to the law of Moses and of Israel.' A 
 large shawl was then thrown over the new married 
 couple, and the Rabbi, twice giving them wine to 
 drink, said 'Blessed art thou O Lord our God, King 
 of the world, who hast created all things for thy 
 glory. Blessed art thou, O Lord our God, King 
 of the world who hast created man in thy likeness, 
 and hast prepared for him and /row him a house for 
 
 
JoJ MEMOIR OP 
 
 ever and ever.' At the end of each sentence the 
 people responded, 'Blessed be he, and blessed be 
 Ins name.' Rabbi. 'Rejoice, shout and be merry, 
 thou barren. Thou wilt soon gather thy children 
 about thee in joy. Blessed art thou, O Lord, thou 
 that makest joyful Zion's children. Thou makes t 
 joyful with joy a lovely pair, as thou didst make 
 joyful thy creature according to thy image in the 
 garden of Eden of old. Blessed art thou, O Lord, 
 who rejoicest bridegroom and bride! Blessed art 
 thou, O Lord our God, King of the world, who hast 
 created rejoicing and joy, and also bridegroom and 
 bride. The voice of love and affection, cordiality, 
 peace and friendship, shall be speedily heard in the 
 cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem; 
 the voice of rejoicing and the voice of joy; the 
 voice of the bridegroom, and the Voice of the bride; 
 the voice of shouting, and of wedding days, and 
 of marriage, and of feasting days, and the voice of 
 the music of the youth. Blessed art thou, O Lord, 
 who makest joyful the bridegroom with the bride, 
 and makest them prosper.' 
 
 "After this the bridegroom took the cup of wine 
 and tasted it, and then gave to his spouse. Both of 
 them continued standing during the whole service. 
 Then the Rabbi said, 'Praise the Lord, for his mer- 
 cy endureth forever. Joys shall increase in Israel, 
 and sorrows shall flee away, and it shall be for a 
 good sign.' As the Jews present offered ytheir con- 
 gratulations to the bridegroom they said, 'A good 
 sign-' The nuptial torch was then extinguished, 
 but immediately lighted again, and the bride was 
 reconducted to her chamber by the women with the 
 sound of cymbals. 
 
 "While the Rabbies were performing the service 
 some of the people attended to it with great devo- 
 tion, but others were talking, laughing, and walking 
 about the room. The Rabbies went through the 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 2C3 
 
 service in the hurried, indistinct manner, which 
 seems to pervade all religious services in the East.' 5 
 On the 27th, Mr. Fisk, and his fellow travellers 
 rode out to Shoobreh to see the summer palace and 
 garden of the pasha, where he puts himself in quar- 
 antine, whenever the plague appears in the city. 
 The garden is represented as beautiful, and the 
 palace splendid. Near the palace they saw a camel- 
 leopard from Sennaar, and an elephant from Bom- 
 bay. The former animal they describe as being 
 about the size of a small horse though shorter, with 
 neck and head like those of the deer, and a skin 
 beautifully spotted, red and white. Its appearance 
 was mild and gentle, its motions lively, gay, and 
 proud. 
 
 "Near Shoobreh we met a crowd in the street 
 composed principally of women and children fol- 
 lowing some soldiers, who were leading along a 
 number of Arabs with their hands bound. The 
 women were weeping, and shrieking, and crying, 
 'My liver! my liver!' We found, on inquiry, that the 
 young men had been pressed as soldiers by order of 
 government. The process is this. Government 
 sends out men to the villages with orders to return 
 with a certain number of soldiers. They go and 
 seize the first promising young men they can find. 
 One young man had fainted, and an old man was 
 carrying him off, followed by women who rent the 
 air with their cries. We had scarcely left this 
 crowd before w r e met a man carrying a corpse on a 
 mule, probably to bury it. It was merely wrapped 
 up in a mat of reeds. The whole was a piteous 
 and affecting scene. 
 
 "April 2. Made a visit to the Emeer Besheer at 
 iiis retreat on the banks of the Nile, above old 
 Cairo. He has with him a number of attendants and 
 soldiers from Mount Lebanon, Druses and Maro- 
 nites. He incurred, some time since, the displea- 
 sure of the Porte, and an order was sent for his 
 
264 MEMOIR OF 
 
 head. He, however, found a safe retreat with the 
 pasha of Egypt, through whose mediation, and, if 
 our information is correct, by means of a present of 
 100,000 dollars, he has obtained pardon, and a fir- 
 man restoring him to his former authority. He re- 
 ceived us very favorably. He knew something of 
 America, and when we told him we were Americans, 
 he gave us a salutation, and an expressive look, 
 which flattered our national pride. When he 
 learned that we intended going to Mount Lebanon, 
 he said he should expect to see us there, named a 
 place which he said would be the best for learning 
 Arabic, and promised to give us a letter for that 
 place. We were struck with the stout, robust ap- 
 pearance of the Druses and Maronites. 
 
 "3. Called on Osman Nureddin, the President of 
 the pasha's college. We gave him some literary 
 pamphlets, and Erskine on the Evidences of Chris- 
 tianity in French. He treated us very politely, but 
 received Erskine's work with a look which showed 
 that it was not very acceptable. Called likewise 
 to-day on the Armenian bishop Gregory. He gave 
 us a letter for Jerusalem." 
 
 Mr. Fisk in connexion with Messrs. King and 
 Wolff was in Egypt about three months. During 
 this time they distributed, or gave away for distri- 
 bution 3,700 Tracts. They gave away 256 copies 
 of the Bible or parts of it, and sold 644 for about 
 183 dollars. 
 
 "When we review our labors, 'he remarks,' we 
 feel, that we have great need, to humble ourselves, 
 and implore pardon for our unbelief, and timidity, 
 and pride; at the same time we can most sincerely 
 give thanks to our Lord Jesus Christ, that he has 
 brought us to this land, and has enabled us to cir- 
 culate so extensively his holy Word. They, who 
 come after us, will be more able to judge how much 
 good has been done. The day of judgment, we 
 hope, will show that the.se labors have not freen in 
 
REV. PLINY FISK, 265 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 JOURNEY FROM EGYPT TO JERUSALEM THROUGH THE 
 DESERT, INCLUDING HIS LABORS AND OBSERVATIONS 
 IN THE HOLY CITY AND VICINITY. 
 
 We now commence the description, given by Mr. 
 Fisk, of his journey from Cairo to Jerusalem, in 
 company with Mr. King and Mr. Wolff. He passed 
 through the same desert in which the children of 
 Israel wandered, where they murmured and rebelled, 
 and where, after a long protracted "day of provoca- 
 tion," they fell. 
 
 "April 7, 1823. Soon after sun-rise an Arab 
 shekh came with our camels. We had engaged 
 thirteen and were to pay six dollars and a half for 
 each, for the journey from Cairo to Jaffa. Four 
 were for ourselves and servant, one for our guide 
 Mustapha, one for water, one for provisions, four for 
 our trunks of books and clothes, and two for the 
 books of the Bible Society and the Jews' Society. 
 We had purchased four goat skins and four leather 
 bottles, in which to carry our water. 
 
 "We had hoped to find a caravan going through 
 the desert, but finding it not likely that one would 
 go for some weeks, we prepared to set out alone. 
 
 "At 9 o'clock we took leave of Mr. Salt and his 
 family, and rode out of town; and after arranging 
 our baggage, commenced our journey at ten in reg- 
 ular order for Syria. As we started, a Turkish der- 
 vish and two or three others joined our caravan. 
 We passed a little way frem Matarieh, and the obe- 
 lisk of On or Heliopolis. Till one o'clock we rode 
 in the edge of the wilderness, with its immense ex- 
 tent stretching away to the right, and the fertile 
 plains of the Nile to the left. At one our road led 
 us into the fields, but stfll near the desert. At nearly 
 t o'clock, after riding more than five hours, course 
 23 
 
200 >IEMOIR OF 
 
 E. N. E. we pitched our tent on the sandy plain 
 near the village Abu-Sabel. Here a numbei of 
 Mussulmans and several Armenians joined our car- 
 avan. They had been waiting at the village for a 
 caravan to pass, with which they might go through 
 the desert. 
 
 "In the evening we observed the Monthly Concert 
 of Prayer. 
 
 "8. We arose at five, and at six resumed our jour- 
 ney. At eight, we passed a village in a large grove 
 of palm-trees. At half past eleven, having rode on 
 with our guide, and trotting our camels till we were 
 almost out of sight of the caravan, we stopped to rest 
 under the shade of a tree. Here we felt the force 
 and saw the beauty of the comparison, 'like the sha- 
 dow of a great rock in a weary land.' The caravan 
 came up in half an hour, and we went on. At one, af- 
 ter riding seven hours, course N. and N. E. we pitched 
 our tent on the road near the village Bilbes. Found 
 the thermometer in our tent at 85 Q . In our room at 
 Cairo it had been for some time from 70 to 76 Q . 
 We have hitherto had fertile fields on our left hand, 
 and the barren desert on our right. In looking off 
 upon the desert we have observed at a distance the 
 appearance of water. The illusion is perfect, and did 
 we not know that it is a mere illusion, we should con- 
 fidently say that we saw water. It sometimes appears 
 like a lake, and sometimes like a river. As you ap- 
 proach it, it recedes or vanishes. Thus are the hopes 
 of this world, and the objects which men ardently 
 pursue, false and illusive as the streams of the desert. 
 
 "9. Bilbes being the last village before crossing 
 the desert, our attendants were employed in getting 
 things for themselves and their beasts, and we did 
 not set off till half past nine. Several Turks, Arabs 
 and Armenians here joined our caravan. After en- 
 tering the desert, we counted the persons belonging 
 to the caravan, and found the whole number 74, with 
 44 camels, 57 asses, one mule, and one horse. Sev- 
 
REV. PLINY PISK. 267 
 
 eral of the camels are loaded witli merchandize, and 
 most of the camel drivers perform the whole journey 
 on foot. It may be interesting to some of our friends 
 to see a list of oriental names, and to learn with what 
 a 'mixed multitude,' we passed through the 'great 
 and terrible wilderness.' 
 
 "There were Mussulman dervishes: viz. Hadgi 
 Mustapha, of Jerusalem; Hadgi Abdool, Hadgi Kha- 
 leel, and Hadgi Saveer, from Bokkaria; Hadgi Kah- 
 man, Hadgi Mohammed, and Abdallah, from near 
 Astrachan. 
 
 "drabs: Mustapha, our guide and the shekh of 
 the caravan; Ismael (Ishmael) and Abdool Assiz, 
 who own a part of the camels; and Hadgi Ahmed, 
 the conductor of a part of the caravan. Among the 
 camel-drivers on foot were Moses, Mahommed of El 
 Arish, Hassan, Hadgi Ibrahim (Abraham,) Mahom- 
 med of Gaza, Said, Khaleel, Mahommed, a lad, and 
 Selim and Selina, two Bedouins. 
 
 "Turks: Hadgi Ibrahim, of Damascus. [He was 
 attended by a black eunuch, and his form and size 
 would seem to mark him out as a son of Anak. 'He 
 seemed built like a tower.'] Three soldiers from 
 Erzeroum; Hadgi Suleiman (Solomon) ofDearbeker; 
 Hadgi Younas (Jonas) of Bagdad; and Hadgi Mah- 
 moud. 
 
 "Armenians: Boghas (Paul) from Smyrna; one 
 from Constantinople; Boghas and three others from 
 Koordistan; and Tameer, who passed for a Turkish 
 soldier, but told us privately that he was an Armen- 
 ian. 
 
 "Greeks: One from Tocat, where Martyn died, 
 one from Anatolia, (neither of whom speak any thing 
 but Turkish,) and Elias, a Catholic Maronite from 
 Nazareth. 
 
 "There were also eight women; one the mother 
 of Elias, three Turkish, one an Arab, andjthree negro 
 slaves. 
 
MEMOIR OF 
 
 "At half past two, after riding five hours, we pitch- 
 ed our tent on the plain called Rode el Woken. 
 Thermometer in our tent at 79. Asked the dervish, 
 Hagdi Mustapha, what a dervish is. He replied, 
 'One that eats what he has to day, and trusts God for 
 the future.' 'Are they priests?' 'They are among 
 Turks what priests are among Christians.' 'Are they 
 monks? or can they marry?' 'Some marry, others 
 not, as they please.' The term Hagdi, which occurs 
 so often in the above list of names, means pilgrim, 
 and is a title given by the Turks to all who have per- 
 formed the pilgrimage to Mecca. The Greeks have 
 adopted the word into their language, and bestowed 
 the title upon all who have made the pilgrimage to 
 Jerusalem. 
 
 "Most of the time to day we have been rising a 
 gentle ascent, course E. and N. E. We are now in 
 the desert, out of sight of the inhabited world. Its 
 appearance, however, is not so perfectly barren, as 
 we expected to find it. Almost every where we see 
 thistles, grass, and flowers, growing out of the sand, 
 though thinly scattered, of stinted growth, and of a 
 dry and withered look. When we stop, we select a 
 good spot for our encampment, raise our tent on its 
 two poles, stretch out the ropes and fasten them to 
 the earth with pins, and then arrange our trunks 
 and boxes of books, so that they serve us for tables,, 
 chairs, and bed-steads. 
 
 <; 10. When the caravan stops, the camels are 
 turned out to feed on the thistles, weeds, and grass, 
 which the desert produces. At sun-set they are as- 
 sembled, and made to lie down around the encamp- 
 ment. Yesterday afternoon four of them which car- 
 ried merchandize for an Armenian, went off, and 
 could not be found. Two or three men were de- 
 spatched in search of them. This morning they were 
 not found, and we arranged our baggage so as to give 
 the Armenian one of ours. The rest of the compa- 
 ny also gave him assistance in carrying his baggage. 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 2G9 
 
 and we set off at seven. Saw a mountain at a great 
 distance on our right, and a village far ofFon our left. 
 In the course of the day the four camels were found 
 -at a distance, and brought into the encampment at 
 evening. At two, after travelling seven hours, we 
 pitched our tent at Mahsima. Thermometer in the 
 tent 84, in the sun 104. Here is a well of what 
 we call here in the desert, good water. The goat- 
 skins, which we took to carry water in, were new., 
 and have given the water a reddish color, and an ex- 
 ceedingly loathsome taste. 
 
 "In the evening we found that the butter, which 
 we put up at Cairo for our journey, had bred worms., 
 so that we could not use it. 
 
 11. This forenoon the passports of the different 
 companies were thrice demanded by Arab soldiers, 
 Hvho patrol this part of the desert for the purpose of 
 stopping travellers who are destitute of passports. 
 
 "Far off on our right hand, we saw a range of moun- 
 tains. Our course in the morning was nearly E.; af- 
 wards it varied to nearly N. At two, after more than 
 seven hours travel, we pitched our tent at Jissar, 
 Those places in the desert where there are wells, or 
 where caravans are accustomed to encamp, have in 
 consequence received names. We give the names 
 as they are repeated to us by our guide. Our road 
 hitherto has been alternately loose, moveable sand, 
 and hard sand mixed with gravel. 
 
 "After some refreshment, we took a Persian Tes- 
 tament, and Genesis in Arabic, and went to Hadgi 
 Mohammed, the dervish. We sat down with him on 
 his blanket spread on the sand, with the sun beat- 
 ing on our heads, and then showed him our books. 
 He reads well in Persian and Arabic. Of the other 
 dervishes, not one knows how to read. While we 
 were reading with him, most of the dervishes, and 
 several Turks and Armenians, gathered around and 
 listened. Mohammed read in Genesis, and said it 
 was vc.nj good. Another Turk theii took it, and read 
 23* 
 
-70 MEMOIR OF 
 
 that God rested on the seventh day, and said angrily, 
 that it was infidelity to say that God rested. Mr. 
 Wolff tried to explain, but to no purpose, till he 
 said he had given such a book to the mufti of Jeru- 
 salem, who said it was good. This argument silenc- 
 ed him at once. We gave the book of Genesis to 
 Mohammed. While we were sitting with him, Elias 
 the Maronite began to beat his mother, because she 
 did not cook his victuals as he wished. Mr. Wolff 
 went to him, and reproved him severely for such 
 conduct; The Turks said tauntingly, 'He is a Chris- 
 tian.' We were glad they heard Mr. Wolff's admo- 
 nition, in which he shewed them how inconsistent 
 his behavior was with the commands of the Gos- 
 pel. The unnatural man at length relented, and 
 went to his mother and kissed her hand in token of 
 acknowledgment. Towards evening two Turks had 
 a dispute which finally led to blows. Hadgi Ibra- 
 him (the Anakite) interfered, and by loud words 
 and a few blows, settled the quarrel. After this, 
 the dervish Mustapha became very angry with his 
 ass, and like Balaam fell to beating him, and con- 
 cluded by calling him a Jew. 
 
 "12. Saw several flocks of sheep and goats, 
 guarded by Bedouin shepherds, and feeding on the 
 scanty vegetation of the desert. Met also a caravan 
 of 150 camels going to Cairo. As we proceeded in 
 a north-easterly direction, we found less vegetation, 
 and more sand-hills than heretofore. 
 
 "13. It is the Sabbath on which we wish to rest. 
 But we are in the midst of the wilderness, with but 
 a scanty supply of provisions, and no water ex- 
 cept what is very offensive; and we have a jour- 
 jiey of four days, before we can reach any human 
 dwelling. The case is a clear one, that we must 
 seek the divine blessing and proceed on our way, 
 and in our meditations endeavor to find Him, who 
 
 'Is ever present, ever felt, 
 
 In the void waste, as i the city full.' 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 71 
 
 "Read the 84th Psalm, and sympathized with 
 David in his exile, when banished from the house of 
 God. Thought of our brethren and friends at 
 home, who are enjoying the privileges of the sanc- 
 tuary; and, contrasting our present situation, ex- 
 claimed; 'I am cast out of thy sight, yet will I look 
 again towards thy holy temple.' After travelling 
 eight hours we pitched our tent near a grove of 
 palm-trees. Our course has varied from east to 
 north, among hills of light sand. The water here 
 is better than has been found since entering the 
 wilderness; though it is such as the cattle would not 
 drink in New England. 
 
 "14. Hitherto we had generally enjoyed a re- 
 freshing north wind, which has served to mitigate 
 the heat, and rendered our journey less tedious, 
 than we had feared it would be. This morning a 
 strong scorching wind from the south-east commenc- 
 ed. It was indeed distressing. The air sometimes 
 seemed as if it issued from the mouth of an oven. 
 Many of the Arabs bound a handkerchief over their 
 mouths and noses, as a defence against it. After 
 riding six hours and a half, we pitched our tent on 
 the plain of Loolia, near a well of miserable water. 
 The thermometer in our tent stood at 99. The 
 country we passed was full of sand-hills. The 
 wind sometimes blew the sand over the hills like 
 snow in a storm. This has been a dreadful day. 
 
 "15. To avoid the heat of the day we arose at 
 midnight, and proceeded on our journey till noon. 
 The wind continued from the S.E. during the night, 
 we anticipated another dreadful day. But in 
 
 the forenoon it changed to the S. W., and we were 
 refreshed by a cooling breeze. The night was so 
 cloudy that not a star appeared. The loaded c^m- 
 els, which during the day travel like a flock, were 
 all tied together when we travelled in the night. 
 One is surprized to see how the Arabs, who are ac- 
 customed to the desert, will find their way in a dark 
 
MEMOIR OF 
 
 night. After eleven hours ride, we pitched our tent 
 at Aboo Jilbana. After the heat of yesterday, and 
 our ride last night, we all find ourselves unwell. 
 
 "16. Resumed our journey at five in the morning. 
 Soon came upon a harder road than we had found for 
 several days. It was at no great distance from the 
 sea. The salt water had overflowed it, and had been 
 evaporated by the sun, leaving a considerable thick- 
 ness of salt on the ground. At two, we came upon 
 the shore of the Mediterranean, where the waves 
 were rolling, and foaming, and breaking, in a most 
 beautiful and majestic manner. Turning from the 
 sea-shore, and passing over a mountain of sand, we 
 came in a little while to El Arish, a village situated 
 in the desert. At Messaoudia, a watering place on 
 the sea-shore, the caravan separated, and one part 
 took a different rout for Gaza. After riding ten hours 
 and a half, we pitched our tent on the plain near the 
 village. Our shekh belongs to this place. When he 
 and his attendants met with their friends, we had an 
 opportunity to observe a singular mode of salutation. 
 They took each other by the hand, put their fore- 
 heads together, and smacked their lips, but without 
 bringing their faces in contact. They repeated this 
 joining of foreheads and distant kissing four or five 
 times, saying, 'Peace;' 'Weir?' 'Thank God;' 'How 
 are you']' 'Thank God;' Peace.' 'God give you 
 peace.' 'God bless you.' 
 
 "In conversation with the Greek, who is from To- 
 cat, he told us that there are in that place 100 or 150 
 Greek houses, a bishop, six priests, and two churches. 
 One priest is from Greece, and knows Greek; the 
 rest understand only Turkish, though they perform 
 their service in Greek, repeating the words, parrot- 
 like, without understanding them. 
 
REV. PLINY FJSK. 3 
 
 TO REV. DR. WOODS OF ANDOVER. 
 
 "April 17. I sit down to address you in my tent 
 near a little village, El Arish, of perhaps 200 inhabi- 
 tants, after travelling eight days over hills and plains 
 of sand, without a human dwelling. We are still in 
 the desert, and have to travel one day more before 
 leaching the cultivated country. I can form a bet- 
 ter idea now, then I ever could before, of the strength 
 of those temptations which led the Israelites to mur- 
 mur in the desert. Alas! I fear many, who call 
 themselves Christians, murmur in circumstances a 
 thousand fold less trying than theirs. Our heavenly 
 Preserver has kept us, and we now look forward with 
 inexpressible interest to the moment, when we shall 
 enter the HOLY CITY." 
 
 "18. Crossed some cultivated fields, and through 
 the day found the country exhibiting more of verdure, 
 than we had seen before since entering the desert. 
 About noon there was a shower of rain, soon after 
 which we crossed the valley of Zaaka, and found a 
 monument erected at the grave of a Mussulman shekh. 
 
 "After riding nine hours and a half, we pitched 
 our tent at Bur el Khoor, a large plain covered with 
 grass and shrubs, on which several large flocks of 
 sheep and goats were feeding, under the direction of 
 Arab shepherds and shepherdesses. We walked up 
 to the top of a sand hill near our tent, where we 
 had a delightful view of the plain. After being so 
 long in the wilderness, this view was indeed cheer- 
 ing. We have now just left the dominions of Mo- 
 hammed AH Pasha, and entered modern Syria. 
 Whether we are yet within the limits of ancient Pa- 
 lestine, or not, we do not know. The valley of 
 Zaaka is no doubt a torrent in the rainy season, 
 Possibly this is the river of Egypt. See Gen. xv, 
 18, and Josh, xv, 4. If so, we are already in the 
 promised land. While in the desert, we have found 
 comfort in singing, 
 
~ MEMOIR OF 
 
 'Guide me, O thou great Jehovab, 
 Pilgrim through this barren land.' 
 
 "From the top of the hill, near our tent, we lifted 
 up our eyes and looked 'northward and southward, 
 and eastward and westward,' and thought of the dan- 
 gers we had escaped, and the prospect before us. 
 How trying it must have been to Moses, after wan- 
 dering forty years in the wilderness, to be told that 
 he must not enter the good land which his eyes be- 
 held. In the evening read the 6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th 
 chapters of Deuteronomy, which were extremely in- 
 teresting to us at this time. We are now entering 
 the land of Canaan. 
 
 "19. In the morning we found that some bold 
 Bedouin had made his way into our encampment, 
 and carried off a saddle. Mustapha went out, and 
 finding a Bedouin, charged him with stealing it, and 
 began to chastise him. He gave a signal, and a 
 number of armed Bedouins made their appearance at 
 a distance. The surrounding country was full of 
 them; and, as all would be likely to unite together 
 in case of a disturbance, it was thought prudent to 
 leave them in quiet possession of the saddle, and to 
 proceed as soon as possible. At six, the caravan 
 moved off the ground. As we proceeded, we found 
 a gradual increase of vegetation, and cultivated fields 
 became more frequent. At half past ten, we passed 
 a well of water and some ruins. Two pillars of grey 
 granite were standing. This place is called Rofa. 
 This is probably the ancient Rophia, which was the 
 first town in Syria, llhinoealura (probably El Arish) 
 being the last in Egypt. At half past eleven, after 
 crossing a mountain which is called on one of our 
 maps a continuation Mount Seir, we came to the vil- 
 lage Khan Yoanos (the Inn of Jonas,) the first village 
 we have seen in Syria. It is surrounded by gardens, 
 and is inhabited by Mussulmans, who have a tradi- 
 tion that the Prophet Jonas once was here. East oi" 
 it on a hill is another Mussulman village. 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 
 
 "From Khan Yoanas we travelled several hours 
 over a wild and beautiful plain, filled with herds of 
 camels, sheep and goats, which were generally tend- 
 ed by Bedouin women. This is the ancient land of 
 the Philistines. Here we were continually harassed 
 by the Bedouins, who seem to spring up like hydras 
 in every corner. First came ten or twelve armed 
 with swords and matchlocks. Their dress was mere- 
 ly a turban on the head and a piece of cloth tied 
 round the waist. They met our guide and camel dri- 
 vers, took each other's hands, kissed, and had all the 
 appearance of friends. It was, however, soon found 
 that they wanted money. Our guide told them they 
 must exact nothing from us, because we were Eng- 
 lishmen; for we travel with English passports, and 
 though we tell our attendants that we are Americans, 
 yet they know no difference between us and English- 
 men, having never before seen Americans, or heard 
 of America. The name of Englishman is so much 
 respected even among Bedouins, that we were not 
 molested. For two hours, however, as we moved 
 along, our attendants were engaged in loud and vio- 
 lent disputes with these and other companies, of 
 Bedouins, who came up after they went away. They 
 extorted a few dollars from the Armenians and 
 Greeks, and at last took an ass from one of the Arabs. 
 Our shekh knew all these ftee-booters, and it is pro- 
 bably owing to his acquaintance with them, and his 
 faithfulness to us, that they were so easily satisfied, 
 and that we met with so little trouble from them. 
 He says most of the Bedouins are much worse than 
 these, and yet he called these satans (shaitan.) 
 
 "Under a large sycamore tree we saw women and 
 children threshing barley on the ground with long 
 sticks. Near by was a shepherdess tending a large 
 flock, with her crook in her hand, and the skin of a 
 lamb, having the wool on, thrown over her shoulders 
 for a shawl. 
 
276 MEMOIR OF 
 
 "At half past five, after riding eleven hours and a 
 half, we arrived at Gaza; took two small dirty apart- 
 ments in a large filthy khan, and put up for the Sab- 
 bath, thankful that we were not among deserts of 
 sand, or bands of Arab free-booters, so as to be obliged 
 to travel on the Lord's day. Gaza is the city whose 
 gates Sampson carried away, and where he slew 
 3000 Philistines at his death. We had no very good 
 opportunity to judge of the population of the place, 
 but probably the estimation, given by geographers, 
 of 5000, is not far from the truth. Mussulmans never 
 take a census, unless it be an enumeration of the 
 houses in order to tax them. The city stands on a 
 little elevation. The houses are all built of stone, 
 but make a very mean appearance. The scenery 
 around is beautiful. 
 
 TO MRS. H. S. OF BRAINTREE. 
 
 "Gaza, April 20, 1823. 
 
 "I address you from the land of the Philistines, 
 from one of. the oldest cities in the world. I think 
 it the city mentioned Gen. x. 19. If so it has re- 
 tained the same name which it now bears almost 
 from the time of the flood. It was one of the princi- 
 pal cities of the Philistines, and was inhabited by the 
 Anakims. It was afterwards taken by Judah, and at 
 a subsequent period became the theatre of one of 
 Samson's extraordinary exploits. It was the subject 
 of several awful denunciations in the Prophets. It- 
 is mentioned in an interesting narrative in the New 
 Testament. This is my first Sabbath in the land of 
 Canaan. We have just come from Egypt through 
 the wilderness, by the way which the Israelites were 
 not allowed to take, lest when they saw war, they 
 should turn back into the land of Egypt. We dread- 
 ed the journey through the wilderness, but the Lord 
 has preserved us from every danger; and though we 
 have serious fears of robbers between this and Jeru- 
 salem, yet we have strong hopes that after a few 
 
IlEV. PLINY FISX. 
 
 days, we shall be permitted to enter the HOLY CITY. 
 I think of this prospect and of my present situation 
 with mingled emotions of hope and fear, of joyful 
 anticipation and painful foreboding. I go bound in 
 the spirit, not knowing what may bcfal me. The 
 feelings of the Turks are excited to a high degree 
 of fanaticism by the present state of their political 
 affairs, and the Arab tribes in the different parts of 
 Syria are at war with each other. Foreigners are to 
 a considerable degree respected, and we hope we 
 shall be permitted to pass in safety. The Lord 
 knoweth what is best. All our plans and designs are 
 subject to his control. His will be done. 
 
 "The Ladies Society I hope will lose no time in 
 getting their missionary into the Mediterranean. If 
 they find the right sort of man. who is content 'to re- 
 main even as I,' it will be less expensive, and on 
 some accounts better; but there would be many ad- 
 vantages in his having a help-meet, provided in ad- 
 dition to the other necessary qualifications, she be 
 willing to spare her husband half the time to travel, 
 while she remains with the mission family at Malta, 
 or some other place. I assure you this vagabond 
 sort of life is sometimes very tedious." 
 
 "21. In the forenoon as we left Gaza, we crossed 
 a bridge over the bed of a small river, now dry; and 
 then passed through groves of olives, and fields 
 of grass, wheat, barley and tobacco. The plains 
 were agreeably diversified with gentle elevations and 
 small valleys. Five hours and a half from Gaza, we 
 saw on our left the village Mijdal, near the ruins of 
 the ancient Askelon, which is now uninhabited. 
 Such at least is the information given us by the 
 Arabs. After riding eight hours and a half, we 
 pitched our tent near the village Esdood, which, 
 from its situation, and from the similarity of the name, 
 we presume to be the ancient Ashdod. It consists 
 of 100 or 150 of what the people call houses; miser- 
 able cabins and holes, built of stone, severed with 
 24 
 
278 MEMOIR OF 
 
 branches of trees, and roots, and these again with 
 earth, so that vegetation appears every where on the 
 tops of them. The place is inhabited wholly by 
 Mussulmans. 
 
 "22. In three hours and a half after leaving Es- 
 dood, we passed Yibua, a village something smaller 
 than Esdood. In riding through this ancient coun- 
 try of the Philistines, we have seen, at a distance to 
 the east, a range of high mountains. On the west, 
 a range of small sand hills ran along between us and 
 the sea. The country around us was green and 
 beautiful, and the soil of a good color, which might, 
 no doubt, be made very productive by proper culti- 
 vation. At present the grass, and crops of wheat 
 and barley are of but a small growth. We saw few 
 villages, and those few are small. There are no 
 scattered houses. The population appears not to be 
 great. 
 
 "In ten hours and a half after leaving Esdood we 
 arrived at Jaffa, and were received by Mr. Damiani, 
 the English consul, to his house, which stands near 
 where it is supposed Simon the tanner lived, when 
 he lodged the Apostle Peter. 
 
 "24. Left on mules, and after riding four hours 
 arrived at Ramla, the Arimatheaof the Scriptures, 
 and lodged in a convent. 
 
 "25. At half past five we set out for Jerusalem, 
 comforted with the hope, that this was the last day 
 of our journey. In about two hours, we saw a Be- 
 douin horseman sitting on the ground, a little before 
 us, with his horse feeding by his side. As we ad- 
 vanced he rose, and boldly put himself in front of us 
 all. The Christians, who were with us, and who 
 rode forward, stopped and turned from him, as if he 
 had been a lion. As soon as Mr. Damiani told him 
 who we were, he let us pass quietly, but tried hard 
 to get something from the rest of the company. He 
 got nothing, however, except a trifle which the mule 
 drivers gave him, in order to be on good terms with him 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 279 
 
 hereafter. At eight, we crossed a hill, and then enter- 
 ed a valley, which we were half an hour in passing. 
 Soon after this we came among the mountains. 
 Here we saw at a distance a camp of Bedouins. As 
 soon as they saw us, one of their horse-men rode on 
 swiftly, as if to intercept our path. He came into 
 the road before us, halted, looked at us, and then 
 rode off. Had we been rayahs (i. e. Christian sub- 
 jects of the Grand Signor,) he would not probably 
 have left us without money. 
 
 "For some time our road lay along the bed of a 
 brook, in a deep ravine, with mountains of rock 
 rising up like pyramids on each side of us. By de- 
 grees the ascent became more steep, till we reach- 
 ed the height of these ragged mountains, where we 
 had a good view of the plains between us and Jaffa. 
 It was often with difficulty that our beasts could walk, 
 on account of the badness of the road, and the steep- 
 ness of the mountains. These mountains are cover- 
 ed with small shrubs, suitable for goats, of which we 
 saw several large flocks. There are no forests, but 
 in the vallies and on the sides of the hills are many 
 olives and fig trees. At a place called Sareen, two 
 or three fierce, armed Bedouins appeared, and be- 
 gan to demand tribute. We rode on very careless- 
 ly, bid them good morning, and inquired after their 
 health. They began to talk loudly, and ordered us 
 to stop, but we rode on, and they did not attempt to 
 stop us by force. When the native Christians and 
 Jews pass such places, they have no way to get along, 
 but to satisfy the rapacity of these plunderers. 
 
 "Passing what is called the village of Jeremiah, near 
 which we stopped to take refreshments, we pursued 
 our journey over a road impassable for camels, and very 
 difficult for mules and asses. After crossing a high 
 mountain, we passed through a deep valley, where 
 is a small village called Kaloona. The mountains 
 here are of a peculiar formation. They seem almost 
 as if built by the hand of man, and rise gradually, 
 
-~ l > MEMOIR OF 
 
 like a staircase or pyramid. Each step, however, i 
 so fastened into the 'everlasting hills,' as to show 
 you that it was placed there by the hand of Him, 
 who existed 'before the mountains were brought 
 forth.' On these steps, which are sometimes three 
 or four rods wide, and sometimes only a few feet, 
 you see soil which produces shrubs, and when culti- 
 vated, vines, figs, and olives. The country continu- 
 ed the same till we were within half an hour of Je- 
 rusalem, when all at once Mount Olivet and the Holy 
 City opened to our view. Thus it often is with the 
 last hours of the Christian. He is obliged to pass 
 over a rough and wearisome way, where he is con- 
 tinually exposed to the attacks of enemies, till near 
 the close of life, till his feet are about to stand 
 within the gates of the New Jerusalem, and then he 
 is favored with some bright visions of the place he is 
 soon to enter. 
 
 "As we drew near the city, we remembered how 
 our dear brother Parsons, when wars and rumors of 
 wars obliged him to leave the place, turned back his 
 eyes, as he ascended the hill west of Jerusalem, and 
 wept, and said, 'If I shall find favor in the eyes of 
 the Lord, he will bring me again and show me both 
 it, and his habitation.' Alas for us! these words were 
 fulfilled in a much higher sense, than he then antici- 
 pated. We cannot for a moment doubt, that he did 
 find favor in the eyes of the Lord; and though he 
 was not permitted to return to the earthly Jerusalem, 
 yet his divine Saviour has given him an infinitely 
 higher felicity, even that of seeing and enjoying the 
 bliss of that Eternal City, in which the divine glory 
 dwells. 
 
 "With feelings not easily described, about four 
 o'clock, we entered JERUSALEM. The scenes and 
 events of 4,000 years rushed upon our minds; events, 
 in which Heaven, and Earth, and Hell, have felt the 
 deepest interest. This was the place, selected by 
 tho Almighty for his dwelling, and here his glory 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 281 
 
 rendered visible. This was the 'perfection of beau- 
 ty,' and the 'glory of all lands.' Here David sat and 
 tuned his harp, and sang the praises of Jehovah. 
 Hither the tribes came up to worship. Here en- 
 raptured prophets saw bright visions of the world 
 above, and received messages from on high for guilty 
 man. Here our Lord and Saviour came in the form 
 of a servant, and groaned, and wept, and poured out 
 his soul unto death, to redeem us from sin, and save 
 us from hell. Here too, the wrath of an incensed 
 God has been poured out upon his chosen people, 
 and has laid waste his heritage." 
 
 After a laborious, perilous journey of eighteen 
 days through the "great and terrible wilderness," Mr. 
 risk arrived safely at the Holy City, where he hoped 
 to be permanently established, and to be devoted to 
 the service of his Master, in rekindling the flame of 
 primitive piety on the crumbling altars of a long cor- 
 rupted Christianity. 
 
 Among the first communications from this place 
 forwarded by him is the following description of Je- 
 rusalem. 
 
 "JERUSALEM appears, in a general view, to be sit- 
 uated on the side of a mountain, descending toward 
 the east, where it is divided from Mount Olivet by 
 the valley ofCedron. The summit of the mountain 
 is considerably higher than the city, so that incom- 
 ing from Jaffa you arrive near Jerusalem before you 
 see it. 
 
 "On a nearer view of the city, you perceive that 
 it is built on several hills; viz. Zion at the south-west 
 part, Calvary at the north-west, Moriah at the south- 
 east, and Bezetha at the north-east. According to 
 the ancient descriptions of the city, it included 
 another hill called Acra. This hill it is not now easy 
 to distinguish; at least, we see nothing which cor- 
 vesponds entirely to the description of it given by 
 Josephus. There is a hill between Zion and Moriah, 
 which corresponds well to the east part of Acra. Jo- 
 *24 
 
JS<i MEMOIR OF 
 
 sephus says, the Valley of the Cheesemongers, which 
 divided Acra from Zion, went out to Siloam. This 
 applies precisely to the hill in question; but Jose- 
 phus adds, that Acra was in the form of a crescent. 
 This does not apply to the hill of which we speak. 
 Possibly this hill may "iave been anciently connect- 
 ed with what is now the west part of Zion, and sepa- 
 ted by a small valley from the city of David. Before 
 Titus besieged Jerusalem, it had been captured five 
 times, and once demolished entirely by the Babylo- 
 nians. Titus spared the west wall and three towers, 
 'but for all the rest of the wall, it was so thoroughly 
 laid even with the ground, by those that dug it up to 
 the foundation, that there was left nothing to make 
 those that came thither believe, that it had ever been 
 inhabited.' And since the time of Titus, Jerusalem 
 has been often plundered, and at least partially de- 
 stroyed. In the space of so many ages, it is to be 
 Oxpected, that some vallies should be filled up, and 
 some hills levelled. It is also extremely difficult to 
 trace little ascents and descents in an area covered 
 with buildings of various heights. Whether the west 
 part of what seems now to be Zion, was formerly a 
 part of Acra, or not, it is difficult to decide. The 
 Jews at present call the whole hill Zion. We shall 
 therefore speak of it as such, and give the name 
 Acra to the hill which lies between Zion and Moriah. 
 "The south wall passes over Mount Zion, near its 
 summit, so that a great part of the hill is without the 
 city. South of the hill is the deep valley of the son 
 of Hinnom; the same valley, turning north, bounds 
 Zion likewise on the west. The vallies, which sep- 
 arate it in the city from Calvary on the north, and 
 Acra on the north-east, are not deep. Moriah has 
 on the east the deep valley of Cedron. On the south 
 of it, without the city, is a little elevation which is 
 marked on D'Anville's map as Ophel; thence the de- 
 scent is steep, till you come to the fountain of Siloah. 
 The vallies north and west of Moriah at present are 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 283 
 
 not very deep. Calvary was perhaps only a small 
 elevation on a greater hill, which is now the north- 
 west part of the city; but the name is now given to 
 the whole hill. Bezetha is separated from Calvary 
 by a wide valley; and east of Calvary is the dividing 
 valley between Moriah and Bezetha, in which is the 
 pool of Bethesda. 
 
 "We have viewed Jerusalem from different sta- 
 tions, have walked around it and within it, and have 
 stood on the Mount of Olives with Josephus' descrip- 
 tion of it in our hands, trying to discover the hills and 
 vallies as laid down by him near 1800 years ago; and 
 after all our research we compare Jerusalem to a 
 beautiful person, whom we have not seen for many 
 years, and who has passed through a great variety of 
 changes and misfortunes, which have caused the rose 
 on her cheeks to fade, her flesh to consume away, 
 and her skin to become dry and withered, and have 
 covered her face with the wrinkles of age; but who 
 still retains some general features, by which we re- 
 cognize her as the person, who used to be the de- 
 light of the circle in which she moved. Such is the 
 present appearance of this Holy City, which was once 
 'the perfection of beauty, the joy of the whole earth.' 
 
 "Jerusalem, as to general form, may be called a 
 square, or rather a rhomboid, for the north-east and 
 south-west angles are acute, and the north-west and 
 south-east are obtuse. The east wall isnearly straight 
 the whole length. On the north and south sides, the 
 wall makes a bend outwardly, and on the west side 
 it makes an inward bend, so that it would not be very 
 inaccurate to call the city a heptagon. There are, 
 likewise, many little irregularities in the wall. 
 
 "We measured the city by paces, and the follow- 
 ing is the result: West side 768 paces; south side 
 1149; east side 943; north side 1419; total '4279 
 paces. 
 
 "Allowing five paces to a rod, this gives 856 rods, 
 or about two miles and two thirds^ for the circum- 
 
284 MEMOIR OP 
 
 ference of the city. Maundrel measured the city, 
 and judged it to be two miles and a half in circum- 
 ference. According to Josephus, it was 33 furlongs 
 in circumference before Titus destroyed it. Mount 
 Zion was then included, and the city seems from his 
 description to have extended further north than it 
 does now. The wall of the city is high, but not 
 thick. From counting the rows of stones we sup- 
 pose the height, in different places, to be 40, 60, and 
 perhaps 60 feet. There is a castle, with two towers, 
 on the west side, a little south of Jaffa gate, to which 
 travellers have given the name of Pisan's Tower. 
 For a little distance near the north east corner, there 
 is a trench without the wall, but now nearly filled up. 
 
 "In regard to the population of Jerusalem, the fol- 
 lowing estimate seems to us as correct probably as 
 anyone we have heard, viz. Mussulmans 10,000 Jews 
 6,000 Greeks 2,000 Catholics 1,500 Armenians 
 500 total 20,000. 
 
 "The Jews themselves say, that they have only 600 
 families of Sephartim, or Spanish Jews, and twenty- 
 five families of Ashkenasim, or Polish Jews. But 
 some think the Jews more numerous than the Mus- 
 sulmans. They occupy, however, a much smaller 
 part of the city than the Turks and Arabs. The Ar- 
 menians live in and around their convent on Mount 
 Zion; the Greeks and Catholics have their convents 
 and houses on Mount Calvary. The Turks and Arabs 
 occupy Bezetha, and all the eastern part of the city, 
 and have scattered dwellings in every quarter. The 
 Jews live in the dust between Zion and Moriah. 
 The whole area of the ancient Jewish temple on Mo- 
 riah, which now encloses the mosque of Omar, is 
 walled in ? and none but Mussulmans are allowed to 
 enter it on pain of death. In and near it are four 
 minarets. There are two others on Bezetha, one on 
 Aera, one on Zion, and two on Calvary, placed on op~ 
 posite sides of the Holy Sepulchre, like the twe 
 thieves on the right and left of our Lord. 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 285 
 
 "The Jews have a number of synagogues, all con- 
 nected together, in the quarter where they live. The 
 church of the Holy Sepulchre stands on Calvary. 
 The Catholics have one convent on the same moun- 
 tain. The Greeks have twelve here, and one near 
 Zion gate. The Armenians have three convents on 
 Mount Zion, a large one and a small one in the 
 city, and another a little without Zion gate, where, 
 it is believed, the house of Caiaphas stood, in which 
 Jesus was arraigned, and where Peter denied him. 
 The Copts, Syrians, and Abyssinians have also each 
 a small convent. The houses are of stone, most of 
 them low and irregular, with flat roofs or terraces, 
 in the middle of which usually rises a small dome. 
 The windows are small, and those toward the street 
 have usually strong iron grates for defence, and then 
 fine wooden grates to prevent the women from being 
 seen by those who pass. The streets are narrow, 
 and most of them irregular. There are but few gar- 
 dens in the city. 
 
 "Jerusalem is seen to best advantage from Mount 
 Olivet. We however see most of the city from the 
 terrace of the convent where we lodge. The temple 
 is seen to the best advantage from the terrace of the 
 governor's house. Here is seen, not a single mosque, 
 but a collection of mosques and oratories. The two 
 principal buildings are called El Aksa and El Sah- 
 hara. Around them the vacant area is covered with 
 green grass, interspersed with paved walks and trees, 
 which furnish an agreeable shade to the loitering 
 Turk. Ali Bey has given a good description of the 
 temple, and its various buildings, and of the foolish 
 opinions of the Turks concerning them. 
 
 TO REV. DR. PORTER, ANDOVER. 
 
 "Jerusalem, April 28, 1823. 
 
 "My first letter from the holy city shall be to my 
 revered instructors and beloved brethren at Andover. 
 
-SO MEMOIR OF 
 
 "I have now spent four days in the city where 
 David lived and reigned, and where David's Lord 
 and King redeemed the world. The house I in- 
 habit stands on Mount Calvary. My little room has 
 but one small window, and this opens toward Mount 
 Olivet. I have walked around Zion. I have walked 
 over Calvary. I have passed through the valley oi' 
 Hinnom, drunk of the waters of Siloam, crossed 
 the brook Cedron, and have been in the garden of 
 Gethsemane. The next day after my arrival I 
 made my first visit to the tomb of my Lord. I did 
 not stop to inquire, whether the place pointed out 
 as his sepulchre is really such or not. If in this 
 there is any delusion, I was willing to be deceived 
 for the moment. The church was full of people, 
 but though surrounded by them I could not sup- 
 press my feelings. I looked at the dome which 
 covers the tomb, and thought of the death and res- 
 urrection of my Lord, and burst into tears. I en- 
 tered and kneeled by the marble which is supposed 
 to cover the spot where the body lay. My tears 
 flowed freely, and my soul seemed to be moved in 
 a way I cannot describe. I dedicated myself anew 
 to my Lord, and then offered up my prayers for my 
 father, brothers, sisters, and particular friends. 
 
 "I implored a blessing on Andover, and on all 
 missionaries, and ministers, and on all the world. It 
 seemed then as if Jesus Christ the Son of God had 
 really suffered, died, and risen fromfthe dead. The 
 period of time that has elapsed since his death, dwin- 
 dled as it were to a moment. The whole seemed 
 present and real. O what sufferings! what love! 
 Dear brethren, it was for us he died. Shall we not 
 then live to him? He died to save us from sin. Shall 
 we not then avoid sin in all its forms? He died to 
 save us. Can we then be unwilling to make efforts 
 and undergo privations to save others? If you think 
 I have made any sacrifices, or undergone any hard- 
 ships, I assure you I forgat them all when in the 
 
KEY 7 . PLINY FISK. 
 
 church of the Holy Sepulchre. But alas! how lit- 
 tle do I see around me of the efficacy of that blood 
 which was shed on the cross. The Christian pil- 
 grim cannot enter the building that covers the tomb 
 of his Redeemer without buying permission from 
 the enemies of his faith. I suppose at least three 
 fourths of the inhabitants of Jerusalem deny the 
 divinity of our Lord, and the atoning efficacy of his 
 death, and I fear all or nearly all the rest adore his 
 mother and his disciples with almost as much ap- 
 parent devotion as himself. When I was at Getli- 
 semane there were so many armed Turks about that 
 place, that I did not think it prudent to stop, but 
 only walked across the field, 
 
 'Where once thy churches prayed and sang, 
 Thy foes profanely roar.' 
 
 "I weep when I think of Zion and look at the 
 desolations of Jerusalem, and I am sure you would 
 weep if you could see what I see, and you would 
 pray earnestly that another Pentecost season might 
 be enjoyed here. My first impressions in regard to 
 our mission were discouraging. The first evening 
 my spirits were depressed and desponding. But I 
 now feel much encouraged. We have already sold 
 about 70 Testaments and Psalters, and have dis- 
 tributed more than 300 Tracts, and Mr. Wolff is 
 engaged day and night in preaching to the Jews, 
 and disputing with their Rabbies. We are surround- 
 ed with dangers, and tremble at every step. Yet 
 the Lord our Redeemer protects us, and I hope will 
 protect us. Trusting in him, we will go forward. 
 Brethren, pray for us. O! I entreat you, live near 
 to Christ. Meditate much on his love, his death, 
 and mediation. This will show you the world with 
 its distinctions, pleasures and strifes in the proper 
 light. May that Saviour who did here bleed and 
 die for you and me fill our hearts with his love, and 
 make us all good ministers of his grace. May we 
 
288 MEMOIR 0V 
 
 be crucified to the world, and the world to us, bear- 
 ing about in our body the dying of our Lord Jesus 
 Christ." 
 
 The following journal gives an account of the 
 labors and researches of Mr. Fisk in the vicinity of 
 Jerusalem. 
 
 "April 26, 1823. Called on the governor of Je- 
 rusalem with a letter of introduction from the gov- 
 ernor of Jaffa. He welcomed us to the city, with 
 many compliments. Toward evening we took a 
 walk on Mount Zion. A part of it is covered with 
 the tombs of Greek and Armenian Christians. On 
 the east and south sides, it is plowed arid cultivated. 
 Near the summit is a little walled village, contain- 
 ing a mosque arid a few Mussulmans' houses. The 
 Jews call this village the City of Zion, and it is 
 generally believed to contain the tombs of David, 
 and Solomon, and the other kings of Israel. 
 
 "How different is Mount Zion now from what it 
 was when David sung: 'Beautiful for situation, the 
 joy of the whole earth is Mount Zion.' We walk- 
 ed about her, but looked in vain for her towers and 
 bulwarks. God has forsaken the beloved city, and 
 all her glory is departed. 'She sits like a widow 
 she weepeth sore in the night, and her tears are on 
 her cheeks.' 'How is the gold become dim and the 
 most fine gold changed.' 'How hath the Lord cov- 
 ered the daughter of Zion with a cloud in his 
 anger.' " 
 
 On the Sabbath Mr. Fisk with his companions, 
 and a Jew who had been convinced of the truth of 
 Christianity, engaged in devotional exercises. "We 
 sung," he observes, "the following hymn: 
 
 'Let me dwell on Golgotha, 
 Weep and love my life away.' &c. 
 
 "We read Ps. li, Tsa. liii, and liv, and the account 
 of Christ's crucifixion, and three times united in 
 prayer." 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 
 
 289 
 
 
 On the 28th they visited a learned Rabbi, held a 
 discussion with him respecting Jesus Christ, and re- 
 ceived a visit from another, to whom the same sub- 
 ject was proposed. 
 
 "Toward evening we passed down the 'via dolo- 
 rosa,' which leads to Mount Calvary. It was along 
 this way that Christ is said to have borne his cross. 
 
 "We went out at Stephen's gate, which is some- 
 rimes called the sheop gate. We then descended 
 the hill, passed the bed of the brook Cedron, which 
 contains no water except in the rainy season, and 
 then came to the Garden of Gethsemane, one of the 
 most affecting and interesting spots on earth. It is 
 a small plat of ground, with a low enclosure of 
 stones. In it stand eight venerable looking olives, 
 which seem as if they might have remained there 
 from time immemorial. The side of the hill was 
 covered with Turkish women, and the road was full 
 of armed Turks of fierce appearance, occasionally 
 firing off their muskets for amusement. It would 
 have been unpleasant, and perhaps unsafe, to remain 
 long in such a place. We could only walk over 
 the field, and indulge a few transitory meditations. 
 
 "We then followed the bed of the Cedron at the 
 foot of Mount Moriah. The hill is high and steep, 
 and the wall of the city stands on its brink. On 
 our left was Mount Olivet, still covered with olive 
 trees. Near the bed of the brook is a small monu- 
 ment, called Absalom's Pillar, and believed by the 
 Jews, to be the one referred to, 2 Sarn. xviii, 18. It 
 is near the west end of the valley of Jehoshaphat, 
 or the King's dale. Near this is another monument, 
 called the Sepulchre of Pharaoh, but why so called, 
 nobody has been able to inform us. The valley of 
 Jehoshaphat was deep, with steep sides. This val- 
 ley, we are told, runs to the Dead Sea, but how far 
 ifc bears the same name, we do not know. 
 
 "On the east side of the valley is a small village, 
 called Siloahj and back of the village a hill, called 
 25 
 
290 MEMOIR OF 
 
 the Hill of Offence, because supposed to be the hill, 
 on which Solomon built the high places, mentioned 
 I Kings xi, 7. Near the south-east corner of the 
 city at the foot of Zion and Moriah is the pool of 
 Siloah. (See Neh. iii. 15.) We descended two 
 flights of steps through a passage cut in a solid 
 rock, and came to the fountain which issues from 
 the rock. The water is pure, clear, soft, and of a 
 sweetish taste. After winding its way 50 or 60 
 rods under the mountain, it issues a little rill water- 
 ing the fields and gardens in the valley. From this 
 valley we proceeded in a westerly direction to 'the 
 valley of Hinnom,' called also 'Tophet,' where the 
 Israelites caused their children to pass through the 
 fire of Moloch. Jer. vii. 31, 32. In this valley we 
 pursued our way towards the west at the foot of 
 Mount Zion, and returned through Jaffa gate to our 
 lodgings. 
 
 "30. This morning went to Bethlehem to visit 
 the birth place of Boaz, and Obed, and Jesse, and 
 David, and Him, whose name is 'the Wonderful, 
 the Counsellor, the Mighty God.' 
 
 "We went out at Jaffa gate, crossed the valley 
 west of Mount Zion, ascended a steep rough hill, 
 and then came to a tolerably level road, leading 
 S.S.W. In an hour and a quarter, we came to the 
 Greek convent of the prophet Elias. Thence the 
 road to Bethlehem is a little nearer south. In half 
 an hour from the convent we came to Rachel's 
 tomb; or to the place which Jews, Mussulmans and 
 Christians, all visit as such. Instead of a simple 
 pillar, which Jacob erected, (Gen. xxxv, 20.) there 
 is now a stone building, evidently of Turkish con- 
 struction, which terminates at the top in a dome. 
 Within this edifice is the tomb. It is a pile of stones 
 covered with white plaster, about ten feet long, and 
 nearly as high. The inner wall of the building, and 
 (he sides of the tomb, are covered with Hebrew 
 names, inscribed by Jews. 
 

 REV. PLINY FISK. 291 
 
 "In half an hour from this tomb, we came to the 
 city where was born, 1 800 years ago, 'a Saviour 
 who is Christ the Lord,' where 'the day spring from 
 on high,' first visited our world, where the Saviour 
 incarnate was first adored by man. As we entered 
 the city, a multitude of little children, dirty and 
 ragged, came out to meet us, and holding up their 
 little hands to receive alms, they began to sing, 'Pil- 
 grims go in peace, pilgrims go in peace.' The 
 Greek, Catholic and Armenian convents are togeth- 
 er, a little east of the village, and enclose the sup- 
 posed place of our Saviour's nativity. 
 
 "We were conducted to the apartment, in which 
 are the two spots, venerated as the birth-place of 
 our Lord, and the manger in which he was laid. A 
 great number of lamps were burning over these 
 memorable places, exhibiting an appearance of 
 splendor widely different from that of a stable. The 
 scene was wholly unlike, what our youthful imag- 
 ination had conceived; and it was not till we thought, 
 how the Wise men of the East opened their treas- 
 ures here, and presented to the infant Redeemer 
 tljeir offerings of gold, frankincense, and myrrh, that 
 we felt reconciled to the imposing brilliancy of the 
 scene. Then like them we kneeled down and wor- 
 shipped Him. 
 
 "From this place a Greek priest accompanied us 
 to the Shepherd's field. It is twenty minutes ride 
 from Bethlehem, a little south of east. The way to 
 it is rough and stony. Bethlehem itself is on a 
 hill, which seems like a pile of rocks, with here and 
 there a patch of verdure. Between the rocks,, where 
 it is cultivated, vines, figs and olives appear to grow 
 in luxuriance. On our right as we descended the 
 hill, was a little mean looking village, in which it is 
 believed that the Shepherds lived. 
 
 "We rode along among the rocks and cliffs, re- 
 flecting how David here once tended his flocks, and 
 Jearned to sing the praises of Jehovah; and how the 
 
MEMOIR OF 
 
 Prophet Samuel came to anoint him king, and how 
 the Son of David here made his appearance in our 
 world; when all at once a delightful valley, covered 
 with green fields, opened to bur view. Its beauty 
 was heightened by the barren rocky hills all around 
 it. As we entered it and rode along, it was delight- 
 ful to imagine how a multitude of the heavenly host, 
 descended from above, and, hovering over this ver- 
 dant spot, where the flocks were resting, sang, 
 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, 
 good will towards men.' Near one side of the plain 
 is a field of olives, enclosed by a wall, with a sub- 
 terranean church in the centre of it. This is point- 
 ed out as the very spot where the Shepherds were, 
 when the angel announced to them our Saviour's 
 birth. Our guide told us that the Greeks and Cath- 
 olics had a long dispute about the possession of this 
 place. The case was carried before the grand 
 signor, and the Greeks, by dint of money, gained 
 their cause. In this church the Christian Arabs 
 now assemble for worship. Over this church, are 
 the ruins of another church, and of a convent, which 
 stood above ground. Under an olive tree near by, 
 we sat down, and read Luke ii: sang, 'While shep- 
 herds watched their flocks by night,' and Hymn 3d, 
 book 1st, and then united in giving thanks to the 
 God of heaven, for the glad tidings which were here 
 announced, and which had come to our ears in a 
 far distant land, and to the ears of our dear Chris- 
 tian friends, who were also at this time remembered 
 by us. After this season of devotion we gathered 
 some flowers in the field, and returned to Bethle- 
 hem. Many maps and geographies place Bethlehem 
 south-east of Jerusalem. It is in fact west of south. 
 "In the evening in company with Mr. Wolff we 
 celebrated the love of our Redeemer by receiving the 
 holy Supper. The place, the time,* our employments 
 
 * According to the opinion of oriental Christians^ thig day was tlis. 
 anniversary of the sacramental ordinance. 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 293 
 
 and prospects, all conspired to increase the tender- 
 ness and solemnity of the occasion. We renewed 
 our religious vows, confessed our sins, and implored 
 forgiveness. We gave ourselves anew to each other 
 in brotherly love, and dedicated ourselves anew to 
 the missionary work." 
 
 Mr. Fisk went, May 2nd, to visit the Church of 
 the Holy Sepulchre. He describes it as an immense 
 building. About thirty feet in front of the door lay 
 the stone of unction, from which Christ went to 
 the place of crucifixion. A hole in the marble floor 
 marked the place, where it is said the cross stood. 
 Through a small aperture in the floor was shown 
 the fissure in the rock which was rent. He then 
 went to the part of the building which contains the 
 sepulchre. It is the opinion of Chateaubriand, that 
 this was the identical spot, where the sepulchre was, 
 in which our Lord was laid. And, "there seems 
 little or no grounds to doubt," remarks Mr. Fisk, 
 "that this is the place which Christians have vener- 
 ated, ever since the time of Constantine. Its situa- 
 tion, together with the general tradition, favors the 
 probability, that this is indeed the very place, where 
 the Lord lay, and whence he rose triumphant over 
 the grave." 
 
 He went again the next day to the church of the 
 Holy Sepulchre, which was found to be crowded 
 with a distracted mob, whose hideous clamor seemed 
 very unsuitable for that sacred place. Around the 
 sepulchre a company of youth were running in the 
 most ridiculous and frantic manner, clapping their 
 hands, shouting, singing, dancing, and scuffling. After 
 these outrageous manoeuvres had ceased, the priests 
 and Turkish guards were preparing for the holy fire. 
 An ecclesiastical procession from the altar passed 
 three times round the sepulchre, bearing seven 
 standards, on which were the pictures of Christ on 
 the cross, the virgin Mary, &c. As the time ap- 
 pointed for the appearance of the fire approached, 
 25* 
 
M J4 MEMOIR OF 
 
 the multitude became very noisy. Suddenly they 
 were seen around the sepulchre, looking up, point- 
 ing with their hands, with out-cries and shoutings. 
 The fire had appeared in a lamp, suspended from 
 the dome of the church. "This part of the heaven- 
 daring imposition," continues Mr. Fisk, "was con- 
 trived with some skill, and it is not strange that the 
 credulous, ignorant multitude should be led to be- 
 lieve, as they do, that the fire is miraculous." Soon 
 .the fire was brought out of the sepulchre, and the 
 congregation rushed forward to light their candles, 
 and in a moment the whole temple seemed in a 
 blaze. Many again commenced shouting, jumping, 
 and swinging their torches, putting their hands into 
 the blaze, and passing it quickly across their faces. 
 "We retired from the church," the journal pro- 
 ceeds, "wearied and disgusted with beholding such 
 impious scenes. We felt as though Jerusalem were 
 a place accursed of God, and given over to iniquity. 
 The Jews hate the name of Christ, and if you men- 
 tion it, they will almost gnash upon you with their 
 teeth. The Turks exalt the name of their impious 
 prophet above the name of Jesus, and are pre-em- 
 inent for hypocrisy, oppression, and falsehood. The 
 Greeks and Armenians profane the temple of the 
 Lord, and know very little of true Christianity. The 
 Roman Catholics thunder out their excommunica* 
 tions against all, who distribute or receive the 
 Scriptures. For these things we weep and exclaim, 
 'How long, O Lord, before thine arm shall be re- 
 vealed for the salvation of this people? For these 
 things wilt thou hold thy peace forever?' ' 
 
 TO REV. MR. TEMPLE, MALTA. 
 
 "Jerusalem, May 2, 1823. 
 
 "After the lapse of three years and a half since leav- 
 ing America, I am permitted to live on the Mount 
 where my Saviour died. It is a year to-day since 
 we entered the Holy City. Mr. Wolff took a room 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 295 
 
 among the Jews, and Mr. King and I lodge in the 
 Greek convent of the Archangel. 
 
 "I know not how to describe my feelings since I 
 have heen here. I have experienced sudden alter- 
 nations of fear and hope, despondency and confi- 
 dence, timidity and courage. I cannot move my eye 
 without seeing awful evidence, that the curse of God 
 rests on Jerusalem. Turkish avarice and despotism, 
 Jewish unbelief and hardness of heart, and the su- 
 perstition and idolatry of nominal Christians for 
 these things I weep. The associations connected 
 with these places affect me more deeply, than I had 
 anticipated. My window opens toward the east, and 
 shows me at once the church of the Holy Sepulchre, 
 the mosque on Mount Moriah. where Solomon's tem- 
 ple stood, and Mount Olivet. I look at them again 
 and again with new emotions of wonder, gratitude,, 
 and grief. O when will the Saviour be truly ador- 
 ed on the Mount where he suffered 1 ? May the Lord 
 hasten the time." 
 
 The preceding pages show us the feelings of a 
 Christian traveller, who visits Jerusalem and its 
 venerable scenery. Nor is it strange that he should 
 be affected even to tears, when he sees how the curse 
 of the Almighty still rests upon that once lovely por- 
 tion of his heritage. And could Christians in general 
 but walk over that ground, rendered sacred by the 
 ashes of prophets and apostles, and the blood of 
 atonement, they would not grudge any sacrifices 
 they might make to redeem it from the reign of error. 
 
 "Sabbath, May 4. The afternoon was interrupted 
 by an exceedingly unpleasant affair. We went to 
 witness the service of the Greek church, and after 
 service, while we were conversing with the metro- 
 politan, a man came to tell us, that a janizary had 
 come to our rooms to carry us before the moolah, or 
 Turkish judge. "We returned to our rooms, and in- 
 quired of the janizary, what was the occasion of his 
 
J9G MEMOIR OF 
 
 being sent. He told us it was in consequence of a 
 complaint from a dervish in relation to some book. 
 This dervish was Hadgi Mohammed, who came with 
 us through the desert from Egypt. He was poor, 
 and not well provided for the journey, and we gave 
 him water, bread, coffee and tea, from time to time 
 as he had need. He knew how to read and seemed 
 intelligent, and we therefore often conversed with 
 him, and gave him a copy of Genesis, which he read 
 apparently with interest. One day in the desert he 
 showed us a beautiful Persian manuscript. It con- 
 tained a poem on Mecca, with representations of the 
 temple. We offered to purchase it, and finally 
 agreed with him for three dollars, gave the money 
 and took the book. He continued with us till we 
 arrived at Gaza. After that we saw no more of him, 
 till we had been three days in Jerusalem, when we 
 met him in the street, and saluted him as a friend. 
 He, in return, saluted us as friends. 
 
 "After this he called several times at our rooms. 
 We gave him coffee, according to the custom of the 
 country, and read and conversed with him. One day 
 we showed him a Persian Testament, and he sat on 
 his heels, at least an hour and a half, reading in it. 
 One day he wished to borrow the book, which he 
 had sold us, in order to copy it. We had some fear 
 that he wished to borrow, and not return again; and 
 therefore invited him to come, and copy it in our 
 room. This morning he called again, and said an 
 effendi wished to see the book. We told him to in- 
 vite the effendi to call on us and see it. He said, 
 'Very well,' and went away. We told the janizary 
 how the case stood, and sent him to tell the judge, 
 and to say likewise that if the dervish wished for the 
 book, he must send the money, and we would give 
 him the book. He soon returned, and said the judge 
 had given him positive orders to bring us before him. 
 JVlr. Damiani, son of the English consul at Jaffa, was 
 with us, and after consulting together, we eonclud- 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 297 
 
 ed to go, and lay the case before the new governor, 
 leaving the janizary, in the mean time, at our rooms. 
 To be conducted by a janizary through the streets of 
 the city, like criminals, and be brought before a pub- 
 lic tribunal, even if attended with no other ill con- 
 sequences, would give our enemies here occasion to 
 triumph, and might injure us very much in the esti- 
 mation of the public. We would willingly have 
 given up the book, but if we did, it might appear as 
 if we were afraid, or as if the story of the dervish 
 were true, and we had endeavored to keep the book 
 unjustly. The governor received us with marked 
 attention, and made a thousand professions of good 
 wishes. We told him the whole story of our ac- 
 quaintance with the dervish. He said the fellow 
 came to him with his story in the morning, and he 
 told him at once it was false, and drove him away. 
 He pretended that we borrowed the book, and gave 
 him the three dollars, either as a present, or for the 
 use of the book. The governor told us that he knew 
 the character and rights of Europeans, having served 
 ten years in the divan of the sultan at Constantino- 
 ple. He then gave orders to one of his officers, to 
 go and bring the dervish and bastinado him; he like- 
 wise sent to the moolah, saying that Englishmen 
 would not be brought to trial before him. 
 
 "We requested that the dervish should receive no 
 other punishment than a reprimand, and directions 
 to speak the truth, and conduct uprightly for the 
 future. Upon our intercession the sentence was revok- 
 ed. The officer, in the mean time not finding the der- 
 vish himself, brought in the shekh of all the dervishes 
 in Jerusalem. This old man, after conversing a little 
 while with the governor, turned to us, and said the 
 dervish was a man of no understanding, a fool, a 
 madman. The thing being thus settled to our satis- 
 faction, we came away, giving thanks to Him who 
 has the hearts of all men in his hands, that it had ter- 
 minated so happily. 
 
298 MEMOIK OF 
 
 "5. This morning a Turk came from the dervish 
 with three dollars, and requested the book. We 
 sent our servant with it to the governor, judging it 
 better to have the whole affair terminated by him, 
 since we had once submitted it to his hands. Our 
 servant returned, and said that, when he took the 
 place of a servant, standing before the governor, as 
 his own attendants do, he told him to sit down, or- 
 dered coffee, and offered him a pipe, talked about 
 us as his friends, called the dervish a fool, and sent 
 us a profusion of compliments. Such compliments 
 are very cheap, but even in this country they are 
 worth a little. 
 
 "The afternoon was a highly interesting season to 
 us. We made our first visit to Mount Olivet, and 
 there bowed before Him who from thence as- 
 cended to glory, and 'sat down on the right hand of 
 the majesty on high.' There we held our first Month- 
 ly Concert of prayer in the promised land; there, 
 where our Lord first commissioned his disciples to go 
 and preach the Gospel to every creature, promising 
 to be with them even unto the end of the world. 
 There we have been permitted to look up towards 
 Heaven and plead with Him to hasten his second 
 coming. 
 
 "Visited during the afternoon the cave of Jeremi- 
 ah, where it is said, he wrote the Lamentations. It 
 is one of the rudest and grandest caves we ever saw. 
 It is about forty paces long, thirty wide, and thirty 
 or forty feet high, the roof supported by two huge 
 pillars. It is evidently a natural cave, though it has 
 been altered by art. The interior is damp, and 
 through some parts of the vaulted roof, water is con- 
 tinually oozing. The interior forms a kind of semi- 
 circle. The entrance is nearly as wide as the cave 
 itself, and over it the rock rises forty or fifty feet 
 perpendicularly. Just as you enter the cave, there 
 is a cleft in the rock, on the left hand, called the 
 bed of Jeremiah, where it is supposed he used to 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 299 
 
 sleep. Whether it be fact or fiction, the thought of 
 Jeremiah writing his Lamentations in this place is 
 certainly sublime. There we read from Lamenta- 
 tions, and then the first eight verses of Jeremiah 
 9th: a most exact description of the character and 
 conduct of the present inhabitants of Jerusalem!" 
 
 From this spot Mr. Fisk passed the gate of Herod, 
 and came to a vault, filled with muddy water, which 
 is shown as the dungeon in which Jeremiah was im- 
 prisoned by Zedekiah. Thence crossing the brook 
 Cedron, and passing Gethsemane, he went up the 
 ascent of Mount Olivet, up which David went weep- 
 ing 3,000 years ago, and where David's Lord and 
 our Lord wept, as he beheld the city. From the 
 summit of this mount it is believed, Christ ascend- 
 ed to heaven. "Whether it be the identical place 
 of the Ascension," he observes, u we considered it 
 quite immaterial. There is no doubt, that this is 
 the Mount from which the Mediator ascended to his 
 Father and to our Father. In a little mosque we 
 observed the Monthly Concert of prayer. On this 
 interesting spot, with Jerusalem before us, and on 
 this interesting day, when thousands of Christians 
 are praying for Zidn, it was delightful to mingle 
 our petitions with theirs, and pray for our friends, 
 for ministers and churches, for missionaries and the 
 world. From this Mount we have a view of the 
 Dead Sea, where Sodom and Gomorrha stood, and 
 of the mountains beyond Jordan, from which Moses 
 beheld a distant prospect of the promised land." 
 
 He descended from the mount on the east side, 
 and passing ruins said to mark the site of Bethpage, 
 he turned back towards Jerusalem, and visited 
 Bethany on his way, the town of Mary and Martha, 
 and Lazarus. It is now a small Mussulman village. 
 He visited the cave of Lazarus. Descending twenty- 
 seven steps to a small apartment, and thence four 
 or five steps lower to a still smaller one, he came 
 to the place where the body of Lazarus is supposed 
 
.)00 MEMOIR OF 
 
 to have been laid. Other similar caves were ad- 
 jacent; and not far distant were some venerable 
 ruins, which were pointed out as the house, in which 
 he and his sisters lived. 
 
 "With some olive branches from Olivet, and some 
 flowers from the mansion house of Lazarus in our 
 hands, we returned by a winding way around the 
 south of Mount Olivet, till we came to the brook 
 Cedron, where it enters the valley of Jehoshaphat. 
 This valley seems like a frightful chasm in the earth, 
 and when you stand in it, and see Mount Zion 
 and Moriah, towering above it with steep hills and 
 precipices, on your right hand and left, you can 
 easily feel the force of those sublime passages in the 
 prophet Joel, in which the heathen are represented, 
 as being gathered together there to be judged. The 
 prophet seems to represent the Almighty as sitting 
 in his holy temple, or on the summit of Zion to judge 
 the multitudes in the valley beneath him; and then 
 executing his judgments, while the sun and moon are 
 darkened, and the stars withdraw their shining, 
 and Jehovah roars out of Zion, and utters his voice 
 from Jerusalem, and the heavens and the earth shake; 
 and it is thus made manifest, to the confusion of 
 idolaters, and to the joy of the true Israel, that God 
 dwells in Zion, his holy mountain, and is the hope of 
 his people, and the strength of the children of Israel. 
 
 "Passing over Mount Zion we returned to Jaffa 
 gate. As we did not arrive till after sunset, we found 
 the gate shut. The porter was called, but could 
 not open the gate without * permission from the 
 governor. It was an hour before an answer was re- 
 ceived from him permitting the gate to be opened. 
 This event reminded us of their unhappy condition, 
 who will be shut out of the Holy City, New Jerusa- 
 lem, without any one to intercede for their admit- 
 tance." 
 
 The next day Mr. Fisk visited a grotto, called the 
 Sepulchre of the Kings. It was excavated in a 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 301 
 
 solid rock. He found five apartments, from twelve 
 to twenty feet square, containing niches in their 
 sides, in which to deposit the dead. This grotto was 
 thought by him to excel the tombs of the kings at 
 Thebes, being cut out of much harder rock. 
 
 During two or three succeeding weeks there was 
 but little variety in Mr. Fisk's labors. He was prin- 
 cipally occupied in discussing religious subjects with 
 Jews, Turks, Catholics, and Greeks. He constantly 
 appealed to Scripture, and they in some instances' 
 appeared to manifest a conviction at the time that, 
 he was right, and they wrong. More frequently 
 however, truth was opposed by the authority of the 
 Talmud, the traditions of popery, and the strong 
 prejudices of a darkened understanding and deprav- 
 ed heart. A prevalent vice observed was profane- 
 ness. Almost every assertion made was accompani- 
 ed with an oath. 
 
 "24. In the morning we walked out to the Greek 
 monastery of the cross, west of Jerusalem. A little 
 way from Jaffa gate we passed a collection of Turk- 
 ish graves and a large reservoir for rain water, at 
 present dry. It is said to have been originally the 
 work of David, and has been called by some travel- 
 lers Gihon. See2 Chron.xxxiijoO. In fifteen or twenty 
 minutes from Jaffa gate we came to the top of the hill 
 which overlooks Jerusalem. It is not, however, high 
 enough to give a fair view of the city. You only 
 see the castle, minarets and domes rising above the 
 wall. Thence we descended to the convent, which 
 stands in a valley about half an hour from the city, 
 ft is called the monastery of the cross, 'because here is 
 the earth, which nourished the root of the tree, that 
 yielded the timber of which the cross was made.' 
 Under the high altar you are shown a hole in the 
 ground, where the stump of the tree stood, and it meets 
 with not a few visitants, so much verier stocks than 
 itself, as to fall down and worship it. There is an old 
 library in the convent. The books are heaped .to 
 29 
 
302 MEMOIR OF 
 
 gether in the utmost disorder. Among them there 
 are some in Greek, Ethiopia, Syriac, and a large 
 number in Georgian. The Superior told us that this 
 monastery was built by theGeorgian Christians many 
 centuries ago. There are no persons in it except the 
 Superior and a few domestics. When we came away, 
 they invited us to visit them again, saying, 'The con- 
 vent is yours;' the oriental way of saying, 'Make your- 
 selves at home.' 
 
 "26. Went to visit what is called by Christians, 
 Jews, and Turks, the tomb of Samuel, and his 
 mother Hannah, at Rama, about two hours from 
 Jerusalem. There is a mosque over it, and around 
 it a few stone Arab huts. On our return we stop- 
 ped to see what the Jews call, the tombs of the last 
 Sanhedrim, a subterranean excavation made in solid 
 rock. We found the first apartment about twenty 
 feet square, and from this we went successively into 
 five others. The Jews say, there are just seventy- 
 two places for depositing the dead, the number of 
 which the Sanhedrim consisted. Thence we crossed 
 the valley of Cedron, ascended Olivet, and visited 
 the tomb of the prophetess Huldah. 2 Kings xxii, 
 14. Descending the Mount, we soon came to the 
 tomb of the prophets, Haggai, Zechariah, and Mai- 
 achi." 
 
 Whether these were the identical places, where 
 the individuals named were deposited, is uncertain, 
 as are many like traditions. 
 
 "29. I had a long conversation with Papas Issa 
 Petros upon the ecclesiastical usages, and religious 
 opinions of Christians in America. To many of the 
 particulars he answered; 'Like the first Christians;' 
 and afterwards expressed his conviction, that the 
 American churches must be more like the primitive 
 churches, than any others at the present day." 
 
 Papas Issa Petros was Mr. Fisk's Arabic instruc- 
 tor at Jerusalem. His mind seemed more open to 
 the influence of religious truth than most others. 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 303 
 
 He once informed Mr. Fisk that he had in a number of 
 instances disputed with the Catholics, who took the 
 ground that the missionaries were not Christians, 
 because they did not worship images and pictures. 
 But said he to them; 'Do you not know, that the 
 first Christians had none, and that afterwards the 
 fathers introduced them to assist the memory, and 
 make a deeper impression on the minds of the 
 people.' 
 
 "30. In the morning G., a Catholic called, and 
 requested me to explain John xx, 23. 'Whosoever 
 sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them, and who- 
 soever sins ye retain, they are retained.' I explained 
 it as meaning, that the Apostles were inspired 
 to proclaim to the world the conditions, on which 
 sin would be pardoned; and not that the right was 
 invested in them to pronounce the sins of any one 
 forgiven." 
 
 G. ','But the Apostles are all dead, and who has 
 this power now? 
 
 F. "No man has this power; nor is it any longer 
 necessary, eince the Apostles have left their Epis- 
 iles to teach us all we need to know respecting the 
 way of forgiveness. 
 
 G. "But this power must still be in the hands 
 of the priests. 
 
 F. "Suppose you go, and confess to your priest, 
 can he know your heart? 
 
 G. "No. 
 
 F. "How then can he forgive you, when he docs 
 not know, whether you truly repent? 
 
 G. "The priest cannot himself forgive, he can 
 only say, that God forgives. 
 
 F. "God will not forgive you, unless you truly 
 repent. All the priest can say therefore is, that 
 God will forgive you, if you truly repent. Now this 
 you know already; so that after confessing and re- 
 ceiving absolution, you are no more certain, that 
 your sias are forgiven, than you were before; for 
 
MEMOIR OF 
 
 after all it depends on the sincerity of your re- 
 pentance. 
 
 O. Christ commanded the leper, Luke v, 14, 
 'go show thyself to the priest.' 
 
 F. "Do you think that means confession? 
 
 G. "Yes. 
 
 F. "But does it say any thing about confession: 
 
 G. "No but it says, 'go to the priest.' 
 
 F. "To go to the priest is one thing, and to 
 confess to him is a very different thing. 
 
 "Instead of replying further, he introduced anoth- 
 er subject, as people generally do in this country. 
 
 "During our residence at Jerusalem, Mr. Wolft 
 occupied a room on the side of Mount Zion, near 
 the residence of the Jews, with whom he labored 
 almost incessantly. Mr. King and I had separate 
 rooms in a Greek convent, where we 'received all 
 that came in unto us, preaching the kingdom of 
 God, and teaching those things which concern the 
 Lord Jesus Christ.' ' 
 
 Having confined his labors and researches to 
 Jerusalem and the immediate vicinity, Mr. Fisk 
 extended his excursions to more distant places, art 
 account of which follows. 
 
 --June 2, 1823. Busy in preparing for a journey 
 to the Dead Sea and the Jordan. I am sometimes 
 wearied with the perplexity of packing and unpack- 
 ing books and clothes, procuring provisions, engag- 
 ing attendants, getting letters and passports, and 
 encountering the fatigues and perils that always 
 attend travelling in this country. I am a pilgrim, u 
 traveller, a stranger. I have no home on earth. 1 
 would seek one in a better country. If my pil- 
 grimage is soon to terminate, may I be ready. If I 
 am to live and labor long, may I have grace to do 
 it faithfully." 
 
 The next day was the fast of Ramazan, when 
 it is customary with Turks to eat and drink all 
 night, and sleep the following day. It was there- 
 fore late in the afternoon before a guard and thn 
 
K<". PLINY 1>'1SK. 005 
 
 passports could bo procured from the governor. 
 Mr. Fisk was accompanied by Messrs. Wolff and 
 King. After riding three hours, he stopped for the 
 night at the convent of St. Saba. The road lay 
 along the side of a hill, below which was a ravine- 
 several hundred feet deep, the sides of which wcr: 
 steeper than the roof of a house. In the sides of 
 this ravine are found grottos, once the solitary 
 abodes of hermits. The convent, it was said, was 
 founded in the time of Justinian, 1,300 years ago. 
 Except a few wandering Arabs, no inhabitants arc- 
 to be found in the adjacent country. At St. Sabu 
 it was thought prudent, to engage the shckh of the 
 Bedouins to accompany them. 'Hire the captain of 
 the robbers to go with you,' said one, 'and the rest 
 of the gang will not molest you.' 
 
 On the day following in the morning, the shekh 
 arrived with twelve armed men, and agreed to es- 
 cort them for five dollars. At seven o'clock they 
 left the convent, and proceeded over steep rocky 
 mountains. On the top of one of them there was 
 seen an edifice, which the Turks visit and venerate 
 as the Tomb of Moses. 
 
 "At the summit of one of these mountains, about, 
 an hour after we left the convent, we came in sight 
 of the Dead Sea; but instead of pursuing our course; 
 directly towards it, we turned to the north-east. ] 
 brought away a sample of the rock which composes 
 these mountains, and which was strongly impreg- 
 nated with sulphur. 
 
 "After my return to Jerusalem, I made an experi- 
 ment with a part of this stone, by placing it on hot. 
 coals. A strong stench of sulphur issued from it, 
 and it soon began to blaze. The blaze rose four or 
 five inches high, and continued about two minute?. 
 f kept the stone on the coals for half an hour. 
 Jt was not apparently at all diminished in size, bur 
 considerably in weight; and became soft and whit 
 like chalk, whereas it was at first hard and almost 
 
306 MEMOIR OF 
 
 black. Josephus says that God kindled the fire 
 which destroyed Sodom by a thunderbolt. Ant. 
 13. 1. Ch. xi. 
 
 "A quarter before eleven we entered the extensive 
 plains of the Jordan north of the Dead Sea. At 
 half past eleven we arrived at the Sea. The water 
 looks remarkably clear and pure, but, on taking it 
 into my mouth, I found it nauseous and bitter, i 
 think beyond any thing I ever tasted. It has been 
 said that these waters are so heavy, that the most 
 impetuous winds can scarcely ruffle their surface. 
 Nothing could be more entirely without foundation. 
 The wind was by no means impetuous when we were 
 tiiere, and yet the waves ran so high, that I found 
 difficulty in filling some bottles with the water. 
 My clothes were wet by the waves, and as they 
 dried, I found them covered with salt. It has been 
 said that birds cannot fly over this sea; but we saw 
 a great number flying about its shores, and I once 
 observed three at a time flying over the water. It 
 is said no vessels ever sail on it. This is true, and 
 the reason is obvious. There are no vessels here, 
 nor is there any person either desirous or capable of 
 constructing one. 
 
 "We wished to see the mouth of the Jordan. 
 Chateaubriand speaks of this as an essential point 
 which Hasselquist alone had hitherto explored. 
 We informed the Arabs and Turks of our wishes. 
 They objected, but, as we insisted on going, they 
 yielded. We had already been riding an hour on 
 the sea-shore, arid it was another hour before we 
 came to the stream. Its banks, except near the 
 mouth, are covered with bushes. It is a small river, 
 arid, as might be expected in such a plain, its course 
 near the sea is very slow and quiet. The bushes 
 and marshy ground did not permit us to follow up 
 the bank of the river; we therefore turned back into 
 the plain. After riding some time we came to a 
 mound, or little hill, with either a column or a pile 
 
REV. PLINY FI3K. 307 
 
 of stones on its summit. I inquired what it was, 
 and one of the Arabs said 'Nabi Ibrahim;' but 
 another of them told Mr. King, that it was called 
 Galgala. Query. Is this the Gilgal, where Joshua 
 placed the twelve stones which he took out of Jor- 
 dan. See Joshua iv, 19, 20. At half past two we 
 arrived at the Jordan, at the place where pilgrims 
 usually visit it, and where the Israelites passed over 
 on dry ground, 'right against Jericho.' From the 
 Dead "Sea to this place the ground is, most of the 
 way, completely barren, and appears like a mixture 
 of black earth and ashes. Not a green thing is 
 seen. I swam across the river, and took a walk in 
 the plain of Moab, in the inheritance of Reuben, 
 'on the other side Jordan, toward the rising of the 
 sun.' After this I sat on the bank, and read the 
 third chapter of Joshua. I also read Matthew third, 
 and offered a prayer in Greek with two Greeks, 
 while Mr. Wolff read in German to the Germans 
 who were with us. I do not suppose a prayer is 
 any more acceptable to God for being offered in 
 a particular place; yet I shall never envy the man, 
 who could read these two chapters and pray on the 
 shores of the Jordan, without any peculiar emotions. 
 After riding over the parched plain, we drank freely 
 of the water of Jordan, though it was muddy. We 
 found the current very rapid, but not deep. While 
 we were on the shore two Bedouin horsemen forded 
 the river. These were the first human beings we 
 had seen, since we had left St. Saba. The whole 
 country which we had passed through is a desert, 
 with no inhabitant except Bedouins, who resort to 
 it, especially in winter, when they find, in different 
 places, pasturage for their flocks. 
 
 "At six o'clock we arrived at Jericho. We took 
 up our lodgings for the night, men and horses to- 
 gether, in an open yard of the castle. We walked 
 among the dirty huts of modern Jericho, the walls 
 *f which are of rough stone, and the roofs o 
 
JOS MEMOIll OF 
 
 bushes and mud. The inhabitants, 200 or 300 ill 
 number, are all Mussulmans. 
 
 "5. We left Jericho early in the morning, and 
 soon came to a stream of pure water, which we fol- 
 lowed to its source. It issues from the earth near 
 the foot of the mountain, Quarantania, on which, 
 tradition says, Christ fasted forty days. This is 
 probably the fountain, whose deadly waters Elisha 
 healed. At one o'clock we reached our lodgings 
 in the Holy City, extremely fatigued, but grateful, 
 that we had been enabled to perform safely this 
 interesting journey. 
 
 "We searched for the famous apple of Sodom, 
 and found two kinds of fruit, either of which, with 
 the help of a little poetic imagination, might pass 
 for the fruit in question. One kind grows in abund- 
 ance near the Jordan where we bathed. We pluck- 
 ed a few of the apples, which were probably of last 
 year's growth. They were black and dry, and did 
 not in outward appearance correspond with what is 
 said of the apple of Sodom. Perhaps, however, it 
 is different when the fruit first ripens. On opening 
 these apples, (if I may call them so,) we found the 
 inside soft and dry like the pith of an elder, or of a 
 cornstalk that is thoroughly dried. There is no 
 pulp in the inside, and generally but one or two 
 seeds. These resemble apple seeds. We cannot 
 fairly judge of this fruit, without seeing it when it 
 first comes to maturity. 
 
 "The other fruit, which we observed, and which 
 seems to me more like the apple in question, grows 
 around Jericho. It looks very inviting, but its taste 
 is extremely bitter and disagreeable. One of tli 
 Arabs told me it was poisonous. Chateaubriand, 
 who thought this the apple of Sodom, says, 'When 
 dried it yields a blackish seed, which may be com- 
 pared to ashes, and which in taste resembles bitter 
 pepper.' Whether either of these is the apple of 
 Sodom, or whether there is any such apple, even 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 309 
 
 after all that Josephus and Tacitus and others have 
 said about it, I will not attempt to decide. The 
 Bible says of the Israelites, when they sin, 'Their 
 vine is of the vine of Sodom, and of the fields oi 
 Gomorrah; their grapes are grapes of gall, their 
 clusters are bitter; their wine is the poison of 
 dragons, and the cruel venom of asps.' Deut xxxii, 
 32, 33. This is figurative language, and means that 
 the Israelites should reap bitter fruits from their 
 sinful practices, as the inhabitants of Sodom had 
 done. May not all that is said of the apple of 
 Sodom have originated from a similar metaphor? 
 
 "One of our Arabs was named Nasar Allah; I 
 usked him where he liked best to live, in the desert 
 or in the city7 He replied, 'In the desert.' I asked 
 why? His answer was striking and characteristic; 
 ; I am a son of the desert, I am not a son of the city.' " 
 
 During a number of days from the last date, Mr. 
 Fisk was employed in reading the Scriptures, and 
 conversing with Jews, Rabbies, Abyssinian, and 
 Syrian bishops, Greeks, and Catholics. As these 
 discussions were all of a similar character with some? 
 whicli have been introduced, it will not be profita- 
 ble or interesting to continue to detail all that his 
 journal contains. These portions will now be pass- 
 ed over with brief notice. 
 
 "In the afternoon we made a visit to the Greek 
 metropolitans, and then went into the library of their 
 convent. Among the manuscripts we found an an- 
 cient copy of the New Testament, which we spent 
 some time in examining. The disputed passage, 
 1 John v, 7, is entirely wanting. The 7th and 8th 
 verses stand thus: 'For there are three that bear 
 record, the spirit, and the water, and the blood,' &c. 
 Acts xx, 28, reads thus; 'the Church of the Lord and 
 God, (fa* Kvf/ov K*\ flwu,) which he hath purchased,' 
 &c. 1 Tim. iii. 16, and Rom. ix, 5, are as in the 
 common copies now in use. 
 
 1:1 
 
310 MEMOIR OF 
 
 "17. We went to the nunnery of St. Mary the 
 Great. There are twenty-eight or thirty nuns. 
 Several of their rooms are well furnished, and they 
 received us with much civility. We conversed with 
 them a long time on religious subjects. They re- 
 membered the visit of our dear brother Parsons, and 
 spoke of it with pleasure." 
 
 The whole number of Greek convents in Jerusa- 
 lem, Mr. Fisk states to be fourteen, of which he has 
 given a brief notice. They are occupied with but 
 -very few monks and nuns, and most of them are 
 appropriated to the accommodation of pilgrims. 
 
 "20. A little past noon we walked down to the 
 west wall of the temple on Mount Moriah, where 
 the Jews go on Friday to lament over the destruc- 
 tion of the temple. The wall where we saw them 
 appeared to be fifty or sixty feet high; in the lower 
 part of it were nine rows of stones, each about three 
 feet and a half thick; and then sixteen rows of 
 smaller ones. These two parts of the wall appear to 
 have been built at different times. Probably the 
 lower stones were employed in the second temple; 
 for though its walls were thrown down, there is no 
 reason to suppose that all the stones were removed. 
 The Jews themselves say that no part of the wall 
 of the second temple now exists. The Jews pay 
 annually a certain sum to the Turks for the privi- 
 lege of visiting this place. We found about thirty 
 of them sitting on the ground near the wall, and 
 reading from their Hebrew books. It was deeply 
 affecting to see these lineal descendants of Abra- 
 ham, most of them poor and ragged, sitting in the 
 dust, and paying for the privilege of weeping, where 
 their fathers sung and rejoiced and triumphed; mis- 
 erable slaves on the very spot where their fathers 
 were mighty kings! A Jew accompanied us. In the 
 market a Turk, too lazy to light his own pipe, called 
 on the Jew to do it for him. The Jew refused, and 
 the Turk was rising in a rage to pursue him, when. 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 311 
 
 perceiving that the Jew was accompanying us, he 
 desisted. Soon after this a Turkish peasant, who 
 was carrying a sack of water, called to the Jew in a 
 very domineering manner, to assist in emptying the 
 water into a vessel. We interfered, and nothing 
 more was said. Poor Jews! when will they learn 
 the true cause of their oppression, and repent, and 
 turn to God? 
 
 "Sabbath, June 22. This is the Pentecost of the 
 oriental Christians. We arose soon after day break, 
 and went out to Mount Zion. Without the city, on 
 the summit of the mount is the burying place of the 
 Christians. The Greeks hold one part, the Armen- 
 ians another, and the Catholics a third, all in the 
 same plat of ground. The Greeks resort this morn- 
 ing to that place to pray for the dead. One of the 
 bishops and a great number of priests were present. 
 The multitude stood up while prayers were read, and 
 sat on the ground to hear lessons from the Scriptures. 
 During this service three priests, with censers in 
 their hands, walked about among the tombs, and said 
 short prayers whenever requested to do so by sur- 
 viving friends, from whom they received fees on the 
 occasion. The Greeks do not believe in purgatory, 
 yet they pray for the dead, and have a confused idea 
 that the dead may, in some way or other, be benefit- 
 ted by their prayers. 
 
 "South-east of this burying-ground is a small Turk- 
 ish village which the Jews call 'the city of Zion. 7 
 It is surrounded by a wall, and contains several houses 
 and a mosque. Here according to tradition are the 
 tombs of David and his successors. See 1 Kings ii, 
 10, and xi, 43, and xiv, 31. Christians also believe 
 that in this place Christ instituted the Holy Supper; 
 but neither are the Jews now permitted to enter the 
 tombs of their kings, nor the Christians the room 
 where they believe their Lord instituted the holy 
 sacrament. Just before the Greeks concluded their 
 -service, the Armenian patriarch, with a considerable 
 
312 MEMOIR OF 
 
 number of priests and people, came out of a convent 
 and went in procession, preceded by a janizary, as 
 is common on such occasions, to their burying ground 
 to pray for their deceased friends. We went into 
 the Armenian convent. Its chapel is small, but richly 
 ornamented. 
 
 "From the burying place the Greeks returned to 
 the city and went to the church of the Holy Sepul- 
 chre. The archbishop of Lydda presided. The 
 priests who were to assist him in the service came 
 out from behind the altar, and bowed before it with 
 their faces to the floor, and then in the same manner 
 before the archbishop, kissed his hands, bowed again, 
 and then prepared to commence their unintelligible 
 repetition of prayers. But I am tired of describing, 
 and even of witnessing this endless round of ceremo- 
 nies. 
 
 "26. Busy in preparing to leave Jerusalem. 
 During two months that we have been here, we have 
 sold eighty-four copies of the Scriptures and given 
 away fifty-two, and 770 Tracts. Mr. Wolff remains 
 to labor a little longer among the Jews, and after that 
 he proposes to rejoin us on Mount Lebanon." 
 
 TO ONE OF HIS MISSIONARY BRETHREN. 
 
 'How my soul would rejoice, my dear Brother, if 
 instead of writing you, I could have you here this 
 evening in my room. We would kneel together on 
 Mount Calvary, and adore that Saviour who here 
 shed his blood to redeem us from sin. O what 
 amazing events have taken place on this ground. 
 But now the daughter of Zion sits solitary the 
 wrath of God burns hot against Jerusalem. It 
 seems to me that if there is a city on earth, that is 
 peculiarly abandoned, and devoted to sin, it is this 
 very city, where the blood of redemption flowed. 
 True there is no Juggernaut here, but there is idol- 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 313 
 
 atry almost as gross as that of India. Why does 
 not the earth again quake, and the rocks again rend, 
 and Mount Calvary open to swallow up those who 
 dare thus profane this sacred spot? We have wept 
 and prayed, as we have cast our eyes over the deso- 
 lations of Zion. I think I never felt so strongly in 
 any situation before, the necessity of trusting directly 
 and entirely in God. I hope and trust he will cause 
 our work to prosper. 
 
 "I wish, dear Brother, you could go with us once 
 to Mount Zion and to Gethsemane take a few turns 
 with me on the flat roof of the convent, and survey 
 the places around us. But you are engaged in your 
 work. You must * * * *. And I must study 
 Italian and Greek, and Arabic with its thirteen con- 
 gregations, and twenty ways of forming the plural, 
 and thirty three ways of forming the infinitive; with 
 its consonants without vowels, and its unnumbered 
 dialects. And then I must sell Bibles, give away 
 Tracts, translate Tracts to be printed, preach the 
 Gospel to a Greek to-day, a Catholic tomorrow, 
 an Armenian the third day, and a Jew the day after, 
 and the next day give a Testament to some learned 
 Turk who calls to see me. Then I must pack up 
 my baggage, and mount a camel, or a dromedary, 
 or a horse, or a mule, or an ass, as the case may be, 
 and make a journey to Hebron, or to the Jordan, or 
 to Mount Lebanon. 
 
 "I am glad, that amidst all your cares, you find 
 time to think of me; and that I have a quiet moment 
 this evening to write to you. All is dark and silent 
 around me. I am in my little room alone. The holy 
 Sabbath is approaching. On Calvary it seems to 
 have more than an ordinary sacredness. It was here 
 that Christ made the first day of the week holy, by 
 triumphing on that eventful morning over death and 
 the grave. O that many on the morrow may rise to 
 newness of life in Him." 
 27 
 
314 MEMOIR OF 
 
 CHAPTER XL 
 
 JOURNEY FROM JERUSALEM TO BEYROOT AND MOUNT 
 LEBANON, AND RESIDENCE IN ANTOURA. 
 
 IT was the intention of Mr. Fisk to extend his 
 Christian researches through the most interesting 
 parts of Syria, and thus "spy out the land," before 
 he became permanently located. The information 
 which he would thus acquire, would be of important 
 use to other missionaries, besides the advantages 
 which would result to himself. Having been in 
 Jerusalem and the vicinity eight or ten weeks, he 
 concluded to spend the hot season on Mount Leba- 
 non. For this purpose he left that city June 27, 
 1823, in company with Mr. King. On his way he 
 speaks of crossing a small stream, where David, ac- 
 cording to tradition, took the smooth stones, with 
 one of which he slew Goliath. "Each cf us," says 
 he, "chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, 
 as we passed over." He remarks, that there was 
 not probably a single stream in Jordan, which at 
 that season of the year carried its waters out of the 
 country; all is absorbed by the earth. In the after- 
 noon he arrived at Ramla, the ancient Arimathea, 
 and took lodgings in an Armenian convent. 
 
 "June 28. Sent our baggage to Jaffa, and rode 
 north from Ramla to Lyd, the Lydda of the Scrip- 
 tures. It is a small village, in which are standing 
 several lofty columns with Corinthian capitals, and 
 parts of a wall which once belonged to a church, 
 erected as is said, by Helena. We stopped a short 
 time, and then proceeded towards Jaffa, where on 
 our arrival we were welcomed again to the hospit- 
 able mansion of Signor Bamiani, the English 
 Consul," 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 315 
 
 He sailed July 2d in an open boat for Acre, where 
 he arrived the next morning, and was received into 
 the house of the English agent. As in other places, 
 he soon came in contact with a Catholic priest, who 
 strenuously defended the infallibility of the pope, 
 and concluded his argument by repeating the Catho- 
 lic maxim; "De Deo et papa non disputandum" 
 there must be no dispute respecting God and the 
 pope. 
 
 "July 4. Left Acre for Sour (Tyre,) and arrived 
 the same day. Tyre is a walled village, and stands 
 on a peninsula, which was formerly an island. 
 See Isaiah 23d, and Ezekial 26th, 27th and 28th. 
 Maundrel describes Tyre in 1697 as being com- 
 pletely in ruins, there not being so much as one 
 entire house left. 'Its present inhabitants, (he ob- 
 serves,) are only a few poor wretches, harboring 
 themselves in the vaults, and subsisting chiefly by 
 fishing.' 
 
 TO A LADY IN CONNECTICUT. 
 
 " Tyre, July 4, 1 823. I have taken lodgings for 
 a night in a Catholic convent, in the little village 
 which occupies the place of the 'strong city,' Tyre. 
 The prophecies uttered by Ezekiel, Jeremiah, and 
 Isaiah, have long since had their accomplishment. 
 How affecting to walk over the ruins of the most 
 powerful cities the world ever saw, and to read on 
 the scattered columns, broken walls, and fragments 
 of buildings, the fulfilment of Scripture predic- 
 tions! To-morrow night if Providence permit, we 
 shall sleep at Sidon, and thence, after a few days, 
 go up to some place on Mount Lebanon to pass the 
 hottest part of the summer. I love these places, 
 for God displayed his glory here. But alas! for 
 ages past he has here been displaying his wrath. 
 O that the days of his wrath may come to an end, 
 
316 MEMOIR OF 
 
 and his glory again be manifested on these moun- 
 tains, and in these cities." 
 
 "5. About six o'clock we left Tyre for Sidon. At 
 half past eleven we saw a village on the mountains 
 on our right, which the Arabs call Sarphant, sup- 
 posed to be the ancient Sarepta, Luke iv, 26, and 
 Zarephath, 1 Kings xvii, 9, 10, and Obad. xx. At 
 three we arrived at Saide, (Sidon,) and took up our 
 lodgings in the house of the English agent. We 
 soon after had the happiness to meet with the Rev. 
 Mr. Lewis, a missionary from the London Jews 
 Society, who came out with Mr. Way. 
 
 "6. Went to Mr. Lewis' room, and spent a season 
 in social worship. It was a most agreeable and re- 
 freshing interview. We rejoice to see the number 
 of missionaries increasing in this country." 
 
 TO A LADY IN CONNECTICUT. 
 
 "Sidon, July 7. 1 reached this place, with my friend 
 and brother, Mr. King, day before yesterday, as I 
 expected. There we received letters, and also met 
 with Rev. Mr. Lewis, an English missionary to the 
 Jews. Yesterday we enjoyed a precious Sabbath 
 with him in his room. It was comforting to our 
 souls, to read, converse, and pray together. Chris- 
 tian communion is indeed precious. I love those 
 who bear the image of Christ, unless my heart very 
 much deceives me, more than I love any other class of 
 persons. I hope for the time, when I shall be entirely 
 conformed to my Saviour, and be permitted to dwell 
 forever with those who bear his image, and who 
 will then be free from all those imperfections which 
 now obscure the beauty of that image. Do you 
 not find great con$olation in cherishing this hope, 
 and dwelling on these anticipations? In this dreary, 
 sinful world, how cheering is such a hope! Let me 
 advise you to read Baxter's Saint's Rest very often. 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 317 
 
 It will do you good every time you read it. We 
 hope, in a little while to be in heaven. Let us 
 strive to live a heavenly life on earth, and to do all 
 in our power, to excite others to seek that heavenly 
 rest. Endeavor by your letters, your visits, your 
 prayers, and your example, to win some souls to 
 Christ." 
 
 The population of Tyre is variously estimated at 
 from 1 ,000 to 3,000, rind that of Sidon from 4,000 
 to 6,000. Dependence cannot be made upon the 
 accuracy of such estimates. From the latter place 
 , Mr. Fisk went on the 10th to Bey root, where the 
 American mission is established the first Protestant 
 mission commenced in Syria. Of the advantages of 
 this station he thus speaks. 
 
 "Beyroot seems to me to possess many importont 
 advantages as a missionary station. It is situated at 
 the foot of Mount Lebanon, and a missionary might 
 very profitably spend the hot months of the summer 
 among the convents and villages of the mountains, 
 many of which are within a few hours ride of the 
 town. Occasional visits might be made to Damas- 
 cus, which is only three days off. On the other 
 hand, it is only one or two days sail to Cyprus. On 
 the coast south of Beyroot you reach Sidon in one 
 day, and Tyre in two; and to the west, in two or three 
 days, you arrive at Tripoli, where I understand there-, 
 are many Greeks. It would be easy to maintain 
 correspondence with all these places, and to supply 
 them with books. In Beyroot itself a missionary 
 who could preach in Italian might, I think, collect 
 a small congregation immediately; and if he were 
 disposed to open a school, there are probably few 
 places in Syria that would be so promising. 
 Another circumstance which, though not perhaps 
 very important in itself, will yet weigh something in 
 the mind of a missionary, is, that here he will find,, 
 oftener than any where else in Syria, opportunities 
 to receive and forward communications. Here too 
 27* 
 
318 MEMOIR OF 
 
 he will enjoy the protection of an English consul, 
 and the society and friendship of several other con- 
 suls and their families. I think a missionary family 
 would be more comfortably situated at Beyroot, 
 than at any other place which I have seen in Syria." 
 
 The population of Beyroot is estimated at from 
 o,000 or 4,000 to 14,000, the least number in the 
 opinion of Mr. Fisk is nearest the truth. "It is 
 pleasantly situated," says Mr. Goodell, "on the 
 western side of a large bay, in 33 49' north lati- 
 tude, and 35 50' east longitude. It is the great 
 emporium of all that dwell upon the mountains." 
 
 In order to find a cool and healthy residence Mr. 
 Fisk and his associate went to Mount Lebanon. 
 The place was considered favorable also for pursu- 
 ing the study of Arabic, and for prosecuting mis- 
 sionary labors and researches. He made an early 
 visit to the Emeer Besheer, the governor of the ter- 
 ritory, whom he saw in Egypt. 
 
 "July 16. We left Beyroot for the residence of the 
 prince, near Der el Kamer. We set out on asses, 
 at six o'clock. For about two hours our road was 
 nearly level, across the plain of Beyroot, direction 
 ti little east of south. We passed a large grove 
 of pines, which were planted to promote the healthi- 
 ness of the place, and then extensive fields of mul- 
 berry trees, which are cultivated for the silk worm. 
 Turning a little more easterly, we began to ascend 
 the mountain, and continued ascending nearly three 
 hours, which brought us to the summit of the first 
 range of Mount Lebanon. We descended in two 
 hours to a small river, where we rested half an hour, 
 and dined on bread and a watermelon. At half past 
 one we resumed our journey, and at three reached 
 the summit of the second range. A half hour more 
 brought us to Der el Kamer, which is considered as 
 the capital town on the mountains. It is, I believe, 
 the only place on Mount Lebanon where either 
 Turks or Jews live. It has a mosque, but I was 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 319 
 
 told, only five or six Turkish inhabitants. There 
 are also a few families of Jews. The population 
 was estimated at three or four thousand men, capa- 
 ble of bearing arms. One hour's ride carried us 
 from the town across the second valley, and up to 
 the palace of the emeer; which stands on a projec- 
 tion of the third range of hills. Mount Lebanon is 
 not in its whole length regularly formed into differ- 
 ent ranges of hills, and intervening valleys, as it 
 seems to be in this place. It is rather a promiscu- 
 ous jumble of rocky, precipitous hills, forming irre- 
 gular basons and deep ravines. The direction of 
 the hills and vallies between Beyroot and Der el 
 Kamer is nearly north-east and south-west; and the 
 streams find their way into the sea in the neighbor- 
 hood of Tyre and Sidon. The residence of the 
 emeer is called Btedin sometimes pronounced 
 Ebtedin. His palace is a large building, or rather 
 a collection of buildings, containing apartments for 
 the emeer and his family and court, together with a 
 guard of soldiers. He has also a private chapel 
 and a domestic chaplain. He is descended from a 
 Mussulman family, who, I believe, trace their pedi- 
 gree to Fatima, the daughter of Mahommed. They 
 wear the green turban, which is allowed only to 
 the descendants of Mahommed. I have once been 
 told, that this family do not claim to be the descend- 
 ants of the Prophet, but a kindred family, which 
 were known as princes long before Mahommed's 
 time. The present emeer is the first reigning prince 
 who has professed the Christian religion, though 
 some branches of the family have for a long time 
 been Christian." 
 
 TO ONE OF HIS BROTHERS. 
 
 Palace of the Emeer Besheer, July 17, 1823. 
 
 "I slept, last night, for the first time on the lofty, 
 rugged, and rocky mountains of Lebanon. We 
 
320 MEMOIR OF 
 
 came yesterday from Beyroot to this place, riding 
 ten hours on jack-asses over mountains and rugged 
 roads. We came here to visit Emeer Besheer, the 
 prince of the Druses and Christians, who inhabit 
 these mountains. He is almost a king, though he 
 is subject to the grand signor, and also under the 
 pasha of Acre. The family were formerly Mahom- 
 rnedans, but they have embraced Christianity; though 
 they still keep up the appearance of Mussulmans 
 when among the Turks. We have had an interview 
 with him to-day, and he has given us a letter to 
 visit the different places in the mountains, and re- 
 side, to learn Arabic, wherever we choose. We in- 
 tend to spend the summer in these parts. 
 
 "Mr. King is with me. We occupy a room in the 
 palace of the prince, who has sent us word, since 
 we saw him, that we are at liberty to remain in his 
 palace, if the place suits us, for ten or fifteen days, 
 or as long as we like. The palace stands on a high 
 hill, by the side of one of the deepest vallies I ever 
 saw. Wlien you stand in the valley, the mountains 
 seem to rise on both sides almost to the clouds. 
 When you stand on the hill, on either side, and 
 look down, the valley seems like a frightful prec- 
 ipice. 
 
 "The greater part of the inhabitants of the moun- 
 tains are Maronite Christians. A large proportion, 
 however, are Druses. There are very few Mussul- 
 mans. Travelling is very tedious on account of the 
 badness of the roads. The people never take pains 
 to make them good. Large rocks and loose stones 
 render it in many places almost impossible to ride. 
 The mountains are not covered with forests. Now 
 and then you see a few tall pine trees only. There 
 being very few Turks here, and in most of the vil- 
 lages none at all, the people enjoy a great degree 
 of liberty. The men are stout and active, and more 
 civilized than in other parts of Turkey. We anti- 
 cipate the time when they will be instructed in 
 true Christianity; and when it shall please God to 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 321 
 
 pour out his Spirit upon them, they will be a happy 
 people." 
 
 "18. Between six ana seven o'clock, A. M. hav- 
 ing travelled all night to avoid the heat of the day, 
 we arrived at Beyroot. The mountains which we 
 crossed are composed of rock with but little earth. 
 Yet on the sides even of steep hills, the inhabitants 
 have built walls and collected earth, so that you see 
 a succession of wide stairs, rising like the seats of an 
 amphitheatre. On these steps grow vines, and olive, 
 fig and mulberry trees. Many spots are extremely 
 fertile. The inhabitants have the appearance and 
 manners of free, high spirited mountaineers. 
 
 "The women in these parts wear an ornament of 
 a different kind from any thing I ever saw elsewhere. 
 It is of a conical form, and worn on the forehead. 
 They call it tantoor. The tantoors are generally of 
 silver, though sometimes of wood or leather. Each 
 tantoor is about a foot long and three or four inches 
 in diameter at the base, and half that at the top. 
 The silver ones descend from generation to genera- 
 tion, and are highly esteemed. They are sometimes 
 worn by females whose dress and employments indi- 
 cate great poverty. The tantoor is usually covered 
 with a veil, nearly as large as a sheet, which covers 
 almost the whole body. This is drawn over the face, 
 or removed from it, at pleasure. The country which 
 we passed through is inhabited by a mixed popula- 
 tion of Christians and Druses. Der el Kamer is about 
 an equal distance from Bey rout and Sidon; south- 
 east of the former, and north-east of the latter. 
 
 "19. Left Beyroot to visit the Rev. Mr. Way at 
 Antoura. The building which he occupies was for- 
 merly a Jesuits' college." 
 
 At this place Mr. Fisk took up his summer resi- 
 dence, and his associate Mr. King went to Der el 
 Kamer. On the 24th, he visited the convent of Mai- 
 Hannah Shooair. On his way to it he had to ascend 
 
MEMOIR OF 
 
 a very steep rocky road, passing by villages, con 
 vents, and fields of grapes, figs, olives, and numerous 
 mulberry trees. 
 
 "The convent stands on the side of a steep rocky 
 hill with a deep ravine below it. There is no village 
 near. It is a Greek Catholic establishment, and con- 
 tains 30 or 40 monks. They have an Arabic print- 
 ing press at which they have printed Psalters; the 
 Gospels in the order in which they are read in the 
 church; the books of prayer and monastic laws; 
 and a few other works. The work both of printing 
 and binding is done by the monks themselves. They 
 bind very clumsily. Their type is large, and there- 
 fore acceptable to the people of Syria. They com- 
 plain of all the books we bring them, that the char- 
 acter is too small. There seems to be almost an 
 impossibility in the way of making it understood by 
 the people in the west, that the people in the east, 
 accustomed to read but little, and used to mami- 
 scripts rather than printed books, and often afflicted 
 with soreness or weakness of eyes, need and insist 
 on having the books that are offered them printed 
 with large characters." 
 
 From the 26th of July to the 20th of August, Mr. 
 Fisk spent some time in travelling. He went to 
 Sidon to meet Mr. Way whose health rendered it 
 necessary he should return to Europe, and from 
 whom he was to receive a large quantity of Bibles 
 from the Malta Bible society. Returning to Antoura, 
 he enjoyed the society of Messrs. Wolff and Lewis 
 who accompanied him to that place. 
 
 TO MISS M. E. OF BOSTON. 
 
 "Antoura, on Mount Lebanon, Sept. 2, 1823. 
 
 "Last evening we held our Monthly Concert for 
 prayer. Though but four in number, yet we found 
 it an invigorating season. Our daily and weekly 
 exercises of devotion are also highly refreshing and 
 
REV. PLINY FISK, 
 
 323 
 
 comforting. I often long for the society of dear 
 Christian friends in America. I long to be with them 
 in their domestic and social circles in their prayer 
 meetings on the holy Sabbath at the Lord's table 
 and more particularly at their missionary meet- 
 ings. But though banished from them all, I am 
 generally far from being unhappy. My prevailing 
 state of mind is cheerfulness rather than the oppo- 
 site. I am satisfied that happiness does not depend 
 on external circumstances. With a contented mind, 
 with a heart weaned from this world and fixed on 
 Heaven, with an earnest and undivided desire to 
 serve and obey our divine Lord, with no interest of 
 our own to promote, with a clear view of the divine 
 government, and with a lively faith in the Redeemer, 
 we are happy, though our food be only bread and 
 water, and our dwelling a dungeon or a desert. 
 Without these, in some good degree, at least, we are 
 uneasy and unhappy, though we may be clothed in 
 royal apparel, fare sumptuously every day, live in a 
 palace, and have all the outward means of enjoy- 
 ment that the world can afford. It is not this earth 
 it is not temporal comforts it is not science and 
 refinement it is not even friends, that can give con- 
 tentment to an immortal mind. It is God himself, 
 who has created our minds capable of enjoying his 
 Iov 7 e and favor; it is communion with him through 
 Jesus Christ. In proportion as we enjoy this, the 
 soul is filled and satisfied. In proportion as we seek 
 happiness in other things, it is left void the subject 
 of bitter disappointment. 
 
 "Alas! that our communion with our God and Sa- 
 viour is and must be so imperfect while we remain 
 on earth; so often interrupted and marred by our un- 
 belief, and the coldness, stupidity and worldliness of 
 our desires and pursuits. Our affections are so carnal 
 and worldly that all our efforts in our own strength, 
 are ineffectual; and even the means of grace, the word 
 and promise of God himself fail of their effect, until an 
 
324 MEMOIR OF 
 
 omnipotent power is exerted to arouse our benumb- 
 ed affections, to warm our cold hearts, to awake our 
 drowsy spirits, and to move our sluggish souls to- 
 wards God and Heaven. Let us not forget then, 
 that there is a special promise that the Father will 
 give his Holy Spirit to them that ask for it. I think 
 Christians should pray oftener and more earnestly for 
 this particular favor. To what purpose are all our 
 prayers, meetings, sermons and labors, if we do not 
 receive the influences of the spirit':? We may indeed 
 get up a system of means and exertions which will 
 have the show of religion, but the reality will be 
 wanting. There will be no life, no soul in it. What 
 is religion without the vital principle of love moving 
 in the heart, and exciting our energies? Mere 
 pharisaism odious and abominable in the sight of 
 God. We ask a blessing on our food, unite in family 
 and in public prayers, and in songs of praise; how 
 much of all this is merely the effect of education, 
 habit, and fashion? and how much is the effect of 
 sincere love to Christ? And if we bring all that ap- 
 pears like religion to this test, how much must be 
 condemned,, and how little will bear the scrutiny! 
 
 "It is not, however, for us to judge others. This 
 is the prerogative of Him who alone knows the heart. 
 But in order that we ourselves may not be judged 
 and condemned by Him, we should judge ourselves. 
 Sensible as we must be, that we can do nothing to 
 any purpose without the constant aid and influences 
 of the Holy Spirit, let us pray daily for this blessing. 
 And if we wish to see our friends, and the ministers 
 and churches of Christ more devout and zealous in 
 his service, let us be continually in prayer for the 
 more abundant effusions of the Spirit." 
 
 "Sept. 6. Mr. Wolff and I rode to Bekoorka about 
 one hour nearly west of Antoura. It is a deserted 
 convent, which was built by Hendia, whose history 
 is given by Volney, Vol. Chap. 24. Volney loved 
 
REV. PLINY F.ISK. o^> 
 
 lo tell stories against monks, and probably many 
 readers have considered the story of Hendia as a 
 slander, or at best a novel, rather than a true story. 
 I conversed, or tried to converse with some of the 
 bishops and priests who knew her, but I never found 
 any of them willing to converse on the subject. ] 
 am told that this infamous woman died a few years 
 ago at Aleppo. 
 
 "From Bekoorka we proceeded a little E. of N. 
 along the side and over the summit of a very rocky 
 mountain, by an excessively bad road, and in an 
 hour arrived at Arissa, a convent belonging to the 
 Catholic missions of Terra Santa. These missions 
 are distinct from those of the Propaganda at Rome, 
 and constitute a different order of missions. They 
 are generally under French protection, and the mis- 
 sionaries and convents are, I believe, usually of the 
 Franciscan order. The head of the missions of the 
 Terra Santa is the Padre Guardiano of the Holy 
 Sepulchre at Jerusalem. He is now on a tour to 
 visit the different establishments under his care. Pa- 
 dre Carlo, a Roman, is the only ecclesiastic now at 
 Arissa. The convent is delightfully situated, com- 
 mands a fine view of the sea and the coast, and has 
 a pure refreshing air. It contains above thirty rooms, 
 a church, refectory, kitchen and some other apart- 
 ments. From Arissa we went in half an hour to 
 Sharfi, a convent of Syrian Catholics. In it we found 
 the metropolitan, now 73 years old, who was former- 
 ly patriarch, but resigned his office a few years ago, 
 and was succeeded by Peter Jarwy.* who had just 
 returned from Europe. 
 
 "I learn from the bishops that they baptize thus: 
 The child is placed in the font so that a part of the 
 body is in the water; then the officiating priest three 
 times takes water in his hands and pours it on the 
 child's head, repeating at each time the name of 
 one person of the Trinity. After this the body is 
 
 * Written sometimes GiaYve and Giarwy. 
 
 28 
 
326 MEMOIR OF 
 
 immersed; but when I inquired whether the immer- 
 sion was an essential part of the baptism, they said. 
 'No the baptism would be valid and perfect with- 
 out it.'" 
 
 Short extract from a letter to Rev. Mr. Temple, 
 dated Sept. 13. "If any of you will come next winter 
 and take possession of the Holy Land, I should like 
 to take a journey to Armenia or Mesopotamia, to 
 Nineveh, Babylon, and perhaps Persia. 
 
 "We all harmonize very well, (as Mr. Wolff says) 
 and shall rejoice to give some of you the right hand 
 of fellowship in the Land of Promise. But come 
 prepared to live with such comforts as you can find, 
 and to bear such disappointments as your Lord may 
 send." 
 
 On the 16th, Mr. Fisk heard of the arrival of the 
 Rev. Mr. Jowett at Beyroot. He immediately set out 
 in company with Mr. Lewis to greet him there. On 
 the 19th, Mr. Jowett returned with them to Antoura. 
 On the 23d, Mr. King joined them from Der el Ka- 
 mer. After spending a few days together, it was 
 their intention to travel over Mount Lebanon. 
 
 "Sept. 29. The past week has been an exceedingly 
 interesting one. We spent several hours every day 
 in a free and friendly discussion of practical ques- 
 tions that concern our respective missions, and the 
 best method of promoting them. 
 
 k To day in company with Mr. Wolff I made a 
 visit to Sharfi and Bzomar; the latter place is the 
 residence of the Armenian Catholic patriarch. It is 
 rather a theological seminary than a convent. About 
 twenty young men are here pursuing studies pre- 
 paratory to the ministry, t was informed, that their 
 studies consisted of grammar, rhetoric, logic, meta- 
 physics, and Theology. 
 
 "I have seen no convents so good or so neat as 
 this; nor have I, in any of the monastic establish- 
 ments that I have visited, met with men of equal 
 talents and acquisitions. They are agreeable, enter- 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 
 
 prising and persevering. They made many inquiries 
 about the expense that would attend the purchase 
 and establishment of a press. From their inquiries 
 I infer that the establishment of a press is a part of 
 their plan." 
 
 On the following day Mr. Fisk, accompanied by 
 Messrs. Wolff and King set out for Tripoli, having 
 previously sent a camel load of Bibles there to the 
 care of the consul. After a ride of six hours he reach- 
 ed Gibail, and as it was evening, the gates of the 
 town were shut, and he was obliged to lodge un- 
 der an open shed, with a single blanket to spread 
 upon the ground for a bed. 
 
 "Oc. 1. Left Gibail, and in five hours arrived at 
 the village Batroon, and were hospitably received by 
 the Maronite priest, Istafan (Stephen). At his 
 house we sold and gave away twenty-three copies of 
 the Scriptures to those who called upon us. We 
 had religious conversation with them they remark- 
 ed: 4 We never heard Englishmen speak of such things 
 before. When they come here, they call for wine, 
 aqua-vitae, and good food, and talk of nothing else.' " 
 
 The next day after a ride of eight hours Mr. Fisk 
 came to Tripoli, where he and his companions were 
 kindly entertained by the English vice consul. The 
 place he supposed might contain about 15,000 in- 
 habitants, principally Mussulmans. 
 
 "4. At half past nine we left Tripoli, rode over a 
 plain, and ascended the mountains, till we reached 
 a lofty summit, with a valley before us, which I can- 
 not better describe, than by calling it a frightful 
 chasm in the earth. We dismounted, and descend- 
 ed literally by winding stairs, nearly to the bottom 
 of the ravine, and then, after various windings and 
 gentle ascents among shrub-oaks, we reached the 
 convent of Mar Antonius at Khoshiah, situated on 
 the side of an almost perpendicular mountain. We 
 were nine hours on our way from Tripoli to the con- 
 vent. It is a Maronite establishment, and contains 
 about 100 monks. They were dirty, stupid and igno- 
 
328 
 
 rant. One of the priests told me, that not more than 
 one-fourth of the whole number could read. They 
 have a press in the convent, and print their church 
 books in Syriac and Carshun. The books are print- 
 ed arid bound by the monks. I could not learn 
 from them that they had printed the Bible, or any 
 part of it, except in the form of church lessons. We 
 asked the Superior of the convent something about 
 his belief in the Scriptures, and he said, 'I believe 
 what the Church believes.' He then inquired about 
 our faith, and we replied, 'We believe what the 
 Bible teaches.' 
 
 "It is the standing rule of these convents, that all 
 assemble for religious worship an hour before day 
 every morning, and on certain occasions at an earlier 
 hour. 
 
 "On the next day," says Mr. Fisk, "we looked at 
 the printing establishment, which is a small one 
 with none but Syriac types." Towards evening he 
 with his companions left Khoshiah for Kannobeen . 
 the residence of the Maronite patriarch. He ascended 
 a very steep mountain, and then descended one, 
 which he speaks of as the steepest he ever attempt- 
 ed to pass. "We often crossed narrow ways with a 
 stupendous precipice above us of immense rocks, 
 piled up almost perpendicularly, and a similar one 
 below us." 
 
 From the observations which Mr. Fisk was able 
 i;o make, he gives it as his opinion, that there are 
 about 100 convents in Mount Lebanon belonging to 
 the Greeks, Syrian Catholics, Armenian Catholics, 
 Greek Catholics, and Maronites, of which 60 or 70 
 belong to the latter sect. The population is reckon- 
 ed at from 100 to 150,000. 
 
 Leaving Kannobeen he passed through Ehden, which 
 he describes as "a delightful, fertile spot, with fine 
 streams of water and rich fields. The houses are at 
 some distance from each other and surrounded with 
 trees, of which a large number belongs to the species 
 of the walnut." 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 329 
 
 ?. Taking a guide, we set out for the cedars, 
 in about two hours we came in sight of them, and in 
 another hour reached them. Instead of being on 
 the highest summit of Lebanon, as has sometimes 
 been said, they are situated at the foot of a high 
 mountain, in what may be considered as the arena 
 of a vast amphitheatre, opening to the W. with high 
 mountains on the N. S. and E. The cedars stand 
 on five or six gentle elevations, and occupy a spot 
 of ground about three-fourths of a mile in circumfer- 
 ence. I walked around it in fifteen minutes. We 
 measured a number of the trees. The largest is up- 
 wards of forty feet in circumference. Six or eight 
 others are also very large, several of them nearly the 
 size of the largest. But each of these was manifest- 
 ly two trees or more, which have grown together, 
 and now form one. They generally separate a few 
 feet from the ground into the original trees. The 
 handsomest and tallest are those of two or three feet 
 in diameter, the body straight, the branches almost 
 horizontal, forming a beautiful cone, and casting a 
 goodly shade. We measured the length of two by 
 the shade, and found each about 90 feet. The larg- 
 est are not so high, but some of the others, I think, 
 are a little higher. They produce a conical fruit in 
 shape and size like that of the pine. I counted 
 them and made the whole number 389. Mr. King 
 counted them, omitting the small saplings, and made 
 the number o21. I know not why travellers and 
 authors have so long and so generally given twenty- 
 eight, twenty, fifteen, five, as the number of the 
 cedars. It is true, that of those of superior size and 
 antiquity, there are not a great number; but then 
 there is a regular gradation in size, from the largest 
 down to the merest sapling. 
 
 "Before seeing the cedars, I had met with a Euro- 
 pean traveller who had just visited them. He gave 
 n short account of them, and concluded with saying., 
 Jt is as with miracles^ the wonder all vanishes when 
 28* 
 
330 MEMOIR OF 
 
 you reach the spot.' What is there at which an in- 
 fidel cannot sneer? Yet let even an infidel put him- 
 self in the place of an Asiatic passing from barren 
 desert to barren desert, traversing oceans of sand 
 and mountains of naked rock, accustomed to coun- 
 tries like Egypt, Arabia, Judea, and Asia Minor, 
 abounding in the best places only with shrubbery and 
 fruit trees; let him, with the feelings of such a man, 
 climb the ragged rocks, and pass the open ravines of 
 Lebanon, and suddenly descry among the hills, a 
 grove of 300 trees, such as the cedars actually are, 
 even at the present day, and he will confess that to be 
 a fine comparison in Amos ii,9, 'Whose height was as 
 the height of the cedars, and he was strong as the 
 oaks.' Let him after a long ride in the heat of the 
 sun, sit down under the shade of a cedar, and con- 
 template the exact conical form of its top, and the 
 beautiful symmetry of its branches, and he will no 
 longer wonder that David compared the people of 
 Israel, in the days of their prosperity, to the 'goodly 
 cedars.' Psalm Ixxx, 10. 
 
 "A traveller, who had just left the forests of Ame- 
 rica, might think this little grove of cedars not wor- 
 thy of so much notice, but the man who knows how 
 rare large trees are in Asia, and how difficult it is to 
 find timber for building, will feel at once that what 
 is said in Scripture of these trees is perfectly natural. 
 It is probable that in the days of Solomon and Hiram 
 there were extensive forests of cedars on Lebanon. 
 A variety of causes may have contributed to their 
 diminution and almost total extinction. Yet, in 
 comparison with all the other trees that I have seen on 
 the mountain, the few that remain may still be call- 
 ed 'the glory^of Lebanon.' 
 
 "From the cedars we returned to Besharry, a de- 
 lightful and healthy place for a summer residence. 
 We lodged with shekh Girgis, (George) by whom 
 we were received with special tokens of hospitality. 
 
 "8, Left Besharry early in the morning for Balbec. 
 
REV. PLINY FISK, 331 
 
 Passed near the cedars, and then ascended the moun- 
 tain east of them. We saw on our left hand, what 
 I take to be the highest summit of Lebanon. It has 
 often been asserted that there is snow on Mount Leb- 
 anon during the whole year. We wished to ascer- 
 tain the fact. As the heat of summer was now past, 
 we concluded that if we could find snow in October, 
 it was not likely to be wanting at any season of the 
 year. On reaching the summit of the mountain, we 
 left the road, and turned north, in a direction which 
 our guide said would carry us to snow. After riding 
 without a path, and over very bad ground for about an 
 hour, we came to a little valley opening to the south 
 east, in which the snow was about two feet deep. In 
 another valley near it, there was a still greater quan- 
 tity. In the course of the day we saw snow at a dis- 
 tance in several other places. I strongly suspect, 
 however, that mariners often mistake the white rock 
 of the mountain for snow. At only a short distance 
 it has precisely the same appearance. 
 
 "Returning from the snow to the road, we pursued 
 our way down the mountain to Ain el Ata, where is a 
 fountain of good water, and the ruins of an old vil- 
 lage." 
 
 From this place they directed their course to Diar 
 el Ahmar, a miserable place, where they lodged for 
 the night, being allowed by the people to select the 
 house that suited them best. The earth was the floor 
 and bushes the roof of it. A small, dark, damp apart- 
 ment was found, which was occupied as a churcli, 
 
 "9. We started early and pursued our way across 
 the plain of Celo-Syria in a south and south east di- 
 rection. The plain extends between Lebanon and 
 Anti-Lebanon, and runs nearly north east and south 
 west. It is a fine rich plain, but badly cultivated. 
 We passed only one small village, and saw no other 
 houses. Two large flocks of sheep and goats, attend- 
 ed by their Bedouin shepherds, were feeding near our 
 road. Balbec is at the extremity of the plain at the 
 
 I 
 
332 MEMOIR OF 
 
 foot of Anti-Libanus. The principal thing to be 
 seen at Balbec, is the Temple of the Sun, which stands 
 in the north west part of the present town. A great 
 part of the walls and many of the columns are still 
 standing. The whole length of the building from E. 
 to W. is near 300 paces, and the width from N. to S. 
 about 170 paces at the west end: the east end is 
 much narrower. There are various indications that 
 many parts of the walls are more modern than the 
 original building, and that what was first a place of 
 idolatrous worship, has been more recently a Turk- 
 ish fortress. 
 
 "There are several passages leading to the upper 
 story, which was the principal part of the temple. 
 From a hexagonal room you enter the largest, though 
 probably not the most splendid apartment of the 
 temple. It is 125 paces from north to south, and 
 not much less from east to west. On the N. and S. 
 sides are several niches where statues were probably 
 erected. The ruins of a wall show that an inner 
 apartment occupied the centre of this apartment, a 
 room within a room." 
 
 A minute description of this magnificent temple is 
 given by Mr. Fisk. He measured its arches, wings, 
 Corinthian columns, and architraves, all of giant 
 architecture, evincing an astonishing degree of me- 
 chanical power and skill. 
 
 "One of the greatest wonders of the whole build- 
 ing is the large stones which are found in the walls 
 near the north west corner. On the north side there 
 are nine stones in a row, each 30 feet long, about 
 10 thick, and 12 high. These constitute the foun- 
 dation of a wall which seems never to have been 
 finished. On the west side there are two tiers of 
 large stones, three in each. The lower tier is raised 
 J 5 feet from the ground; the height and thickness 
 of the stones appear to be the same with those on the 
 north side, so that the upper tier is about 27 feet 
 from the ground, and each of these stones is upwards 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 333 
 
 of 60 feet in length. Here again one asks with 
 amazement, 'How was it ever possible to raise a stone 
 60 feet by 10 and 12!' The Arabs, who were around 
 us while we were looking at the temple, said it was 
 done by satan. Magnificent as this temple must 
 have been, I strongly suspect the original plan was 
 never completed. 
 
 "JBalbec is now a ruinous village, containing about 
 200 human dwellings. There are a few families of 
 Greek Catholics, the only Christians in the place. 
 With them we lodged, and before parting, gave them 
 several copies of the Scriptures. The great body of 
 the inhabitants are Metonalis, who are numerous in 
 the adjacent parts. They are Mussulmans of the 
 sect of Aii, like the Persians. They are numerous 
 at Tyre, and are found in some places on Mount 
 Lebanon. Balbec is now governed by an emeer,who 
 is only nineteen or twenty years old. He had long 
 been at war with an uncle, who had command of 
 some village or district in the vicinity. The day 
 that we arrived at Balbec, they had an interview, by 
 desire of the emeer, and pretended to make peace. 
 The emeer conducted his uncle into Balbec in the 
 afternoon with great pomp. His horsemen to the 
 number of more than 100 pranced their Arabian 
 steeds about the plain, and fired their muskets and 
 pistols in the air; and the women came out of the 
 village to meet them with songs and instruments of 
 music. In the evening we heard that on reaching 
 his dwelling, the emeer had quietly put his uncle in 
 chains. What was to follow, we did not learn. 
 The Metonalis have the reputation, among the other 
 inhabitants of the country, of being treacherous, 
 thievish, nd in a word, a lawless banditti. 
 
 "10. From what we heard of the character of 
 the emeer of Balbec, we apprehended further exac- 
 tions, and therefore we left before day, guided by 
 the stars, We had not proceeded far, before the 
 clouds gathered and it soon began to rain. Our 
 
334 MEMOIR OF 
 
 guide lost his way, and we were obliged to stop 
 and wait in the open field, while the rain fell in 
 torrents. We could find no shelter and had no idea 
 of the direction in which we ought to move. Mak- 
 ing the best use we could of our umbrellas and 
 cloaks, we waited for the morning. Our situation 
 gave me a lively impression of the force of David's 
 words 'My soul waiteth for thee, more than they 
 that wait for the morning.' At last the morning 
 came, and the rain ceased. 
 
 "Resumed our journey, and about noon arrived 
 at Zahle, a finely situated village at the foot of 
 Mount Lebanon. The bishop says, there are here 
 about 1000 families, chiefly Christians." 
 
 On the llth Mr. Fisk went to Mar Ephraim, the 
 residence of the patriarch, Peter Jarwy, who is well 
 known in England, having visited that country and 
 solicited donations to enable him to print, as he pre- 
 tended, and circulate the Scriptures on Mount Leb- 
 anon. But he proves to be a bigoted Catholic, 
 opposed to the operations of Bible Societies, and 
 missionaries. 
 
 The excursion, of which some account has been 
 just given, occupied Mr. Fisk about two weeks, 
 after which he returned to Antoura. The day fol- 
 lowing his return he visited Kraim, a college-con- 
 vent, containing twenty-five or thirty priests, monks, 
 and students. In the library, which consisted of 
 Italian and Latin books, he found four folio volumes 
 of the pope's bulls. From this institution he pro- 
 ceeded to A in Warka, the Maronite college, in 
 which the Syriac and Arabic languages are taught. 
 The number of pupils was about twenty. In the 
 evening he had a long religious discussion with two 
 bishops. The next day he returned to Antoura 
 terminated his residence there, October 22d., and 
 proceeded to Beyroot. On the 25th he sold 400 
 Psalters to a Catholic who purchased to sell again. 
 His journal, from which the foregoing account of 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 
 
 his travels and researches in Mount Lebanon, has 
 been selected, concludes with some remarks on sev- 
 eral singular clans of people which he there found.* 
 He speaks of the country as being very interesting, 
 worthy of missionary investigation, and a hopeful 
 field of missionary labor and enterprise. 
 
 He also gives a brief account of the languages 
 and dialects spoken by the Syriac Christians and 
 others, from which it appears that a confusion of 
 languages and alphabets is common in that coun- 
 try "This chaos of dialects," he says, serves to 
 multiply labor and expense for missionaries, and 
 Bible Societies. All these classes of people must 
 be furnished with the Bible, and must have the Gos- 
 pel preached to them. The harvest is plenteous 
 but the laborers are few. May the Lord of the 
 harvest send forth more laborers." 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 JOURNEY TO JERUSALEM IN COMPANY WITH MR. 
 
 JOWETT, SUBSEQUENT RESIDENCE THERE, AND 
 
 RETURN TO BEYROOT, EMBRACING A PERIOD OF 
 ABOUT EIGHT MONTHS. 
 
 MR. FISK went to Beyroot in September, as has 
 been noticed, to welcome the Rev. Mr. Jowett, 
 who had just arrived from Egypt. Mr. Jowett 
 returned with him to Antoura, and accompanied 
 him in some of his excursions among the mountains. 
 As he was about to set off from Beyroot for Je- 
 
 _* For information respecting these singular classes of people, see 
 Missionary Herald, vol. xx. p. 274 articles, Druses, Metonalis, ami 
 Ansareeah. Also Jowett's Christian Researches articles, Metawa- 
 .lies, olrresponding to Metonalies, p. 34; Druses, p. 35; Ansari, cor- 
 responding to Ansareeah, p. 49; Boston edition. The orthography of 
 proper names in that country does not appear yet to be eettled 
 among different travellers. 
 
33G MEMOIR OF 
 
 vusalem, Mr. Fisk proposed to be his companion to 
 that city. An account of this journey will here be 
 inserted. 
 
 "Oct. 28, 1823. Left Bey root for Jerusalem in 
 company with the Rev. Mr. Jowett. After riding 
 about eight hours on asses, we stopped for the night 
 at Nabi Yoanas, (the Prophet Jonah.) Were wel- 
 comed by Abdallah, a Turkish dervish, and con- 
 ducted to a good room, that is to say, a room in 
 which, by putting stones against the wooden win- 
 dows and door, we were able to exclude company, 
 and in a great measure the outer air. The only 
 article of furniture was a mat thrown on the floor. 
 The house was built by the Emeer Besheer for the 
 accommodation of travellers. It is near the tomb 
 of a Turkish saint, and at the head of a fine little 
 bay; and the place is called Nabi Yoanas, because 
 tradition says it was here that the fish 'vomited out 
 Jonah upon the dry land.' We talked with the 
 dervish about the Prophet. He told most of the 
 story correctly, but added, that God prepared two 
 trees to shelter him when he was thrown upon the 
 dry ground. We showed him the book of Jonah 
 in the Arabic Bible. He read, kissed the book, read 
 again, kissed the book again, and so on eight or 
 ten times. Mussulmans often treat the Bible thus 
 when we show it to them, thus acknowledging it as 
 a sacred book. But they are, like the nominal 
 Christians who live among them, more ready to ac- 
 knowledge its authority by kissing it, and putting it 
 to their forehead and their breast, than by reading 
 it, and receiving its doctrines, and obeying its pre- 
 cepts." 
 
 They rode on the 29th to Sidon, and reached 
 Tyre on the following day. 
 
 "30. The road from Sidon to Tyre is almost a 
 perfect level. The soil seems excellent, but#as in 
 many other parts of Turkey, it is good land lying 
 waste. We saw a few villages east of us; but on 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 337 
 
 the plain we saw no village, and I think only three 
 or four little miserable habitations, for a distance of 
 near thirty miles. 
 
 "31. In the morning we sold a few Psalters. 
 The Psalter is much more eagerly sought after, than 
 any other part of the Scriptures, because among the 
 Christians of Syria it is the universal, and almost 
 the only school-book. The education acquired at 
 school, generally amounts to no more than ability 
 to read the Psalter. 
 
 "South and west of the peninsula, on which Tyre 
 stands, you see ledges of rocks near the shore, and 
 ancient columns scattered on the rocks. The har- 
 bor is north of the town. A small harbor, in which 
 boats lie, is surrounded by a wall. At a distance 
 from the landing there is a reef of rocks, which 
 must make the entrance dangerous in bad weather, 
 but which, by breaking the waves, forms the secu- 
 rity of the harbor. We counted more than one- 
 hundred columns lying in one place on the rocks. 
 In that small harbor we saw many at the bottom 
 several feet under water." 
 
 On the 3d of November Mr. Fisk was at Acre, 
 and visited the principal mosque, which he de- 
 scribes. 
 
 "The mosque is near the pasha's palace, and 
 was built by the infamous Jezzar. It resembles, 
 in its general form, a Christian church, but is with- 
 out seats or pews. The floor is covered with car- 
 pets, on which the worshippers sit, or kneel. In 
 one corner is a reading desk, and in another part is 
 a pulpit. Stairs at two corners lead up to a fine 
 gallery, and thence to a second, which is very nar- 
 row. In front of each gallery are places for rows 
 of lamps. The upper gallery seems to be designed 
 merely for the purpose of illuminating. There is 
 a large chandelier suspended from the lofty dome, 
 and a multitude of lamps hang about the mosque, 
 The windows are also numerous, so that when illu 
 20 
 
.338 MEMOIR OF 
 
 minated, the appearance must be splendid. The 
 mosque, according to Mussulman taste, is ornament- 
 ed with paintings, in which different colors are fan- 
 tastically intermixed. The execution is far from 
 being elegant; yet the effect is on the whole agree- 
 able. A few Turks were present reading from the 
 Koran. 
 
 "Before the mosque is a large court paved with 
 marble of different colors, shaded with rows of palm 
 trees, and containing two elegant domes with foun- 
 tains under them. On three sides of this court, are 
 rows of cloisters for the accommodation of students 
 and travellers. In one of them is a library. The 
 effects of a late siege were visible. In several places 
 the walls of the mosque and of the cloister had been 
 seriously injured by cannon balls. This court with 
 its shades and fountains is quite in oriental taste, 
 and certainly for a hot country it is a delightful spot. 
 My imagination was filled with the idea of the 
 learned Mussulmans, in the times of the caliphs of 
 Bagdad and Cairo, passing their time in such places. 
 I was dressed after the oriental manner, and fancied 
 that in such a place, surrounded by Mussulman doc- 
 tors, I could soon become familiar both with their 
 manners and their language. Had I the faith, the 
 wisdom, the learning, and the courage of Martyn, 
 I might perhaps find access to such places, and tell 
 these men, who are so wise in their own conceits, 
 that truth which they are so unwilling to hear, 
 namely, that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. 
 
 "My mind dwells with deep interest on the ques- 
 tion, 'How is the Gospel to be preached to the Mus- 
 sulmans?' According to the established law. and a 
 law which to the extent of my information is rigidly 
 executed, it is immediate death for any Mussulman, 
 of whatever rank, and in whatever circumstances, to 
 renounce his religion. Undoubtedly God can so 
 pour out his Spirit upon men, that they shall em- 
 brace his Gospel by multitudes, even with the cer- 
 
REV. PLINY FISH. 
 
 tainty of immediate death. But has he ever done 
 thus? Has the Gospel ever prevailed where this was 
 the ease? Under the pagan emperors, fiery perse- 
 cutions were endured, and the Gospel still prevailed. 
 But in these persecutions it usually was only some 
 of the principal persons, or at least, only a part of 
 the Christians, that were put to death. Perhaps, if 
 a few conversions should take place, and be followed 
 by immediate martyrdom, the blood of the martyrs 
 would again prove the seed of the church, and the 
 persecutors cease from their opposition. Possibly 
 the bloody and fiery scenes of the first centuries are 
 to be acted over again. Possibly some great po- 
 litical revolution is to open the door for the free 
 preaching of the Gospel to the followers of the false 
 prophet. 
 
 TO MRS. WILLIAM GOODELL, MALTA. 
 
 "Acre, Nov. 4, 1823. 
 
 "I was grieved to hear of your sickness. But 1 
 hope and trust you found it good to be afflicted. 
 We all need afflictions. We too much love present 
 ease and comfort. But our heavenly Father knows 
 when it is best to deprive us of them. I hope you 
 love him more for his paternal chastisements, and 
 entertain a more lively sense of your dependence 
 on him, and are more than ever ready to devote 
 yourself entirely to his service. It is a good sign, 
 when our afflictions make us pray more, and lead us 
 nearer to God. I have rejoiced and given thanks 
 for your partial restoration to health, and hope that 
 long ere this you are quite well. I am now trav- 
 elling with Mr. Jowett, and we have many pleasant 
 hours together. Last Sabbath we had service in 
 Italian. Ten were present. Prayer and sermon 
 extempore. In the afternoon we sat down together 
 and read Ephesians, conversed about what we read, 
 and prayed. Last evening we observed the Monthly 
 
340 
 
 MEMOIR OF 
 
 Concert of Prayer. Every morning and evening we 
 read the Scriptures, and pray with our servant in 
 Italian. 
 
 "Mr. Jowett and I have talked much about you all, 
 and he has told me many things concerning you, and 
 your various efforts to promote the cause'of Christ. 
 I hope that before the year closes, your home will 
 be at Jerusalem; or if not there, at Beyroot or 
 Smyrna. Let us all pray much for divine direction, 
 and God will lead us. I hope we may all live to 
 see good things done in the Mediterranean. But 
 life is very uncertain. We ought therefore to be 
 continually ready for our summons to the presence 
 of our Judge." 
 
 "JV00. 5. At half past nine we left Acre. Mount 
 Carmel was distinctly in view on the south. See 1 
 Kings xix. It runs north-west and south-east, and 
 stretches out between the sea and the bay of Acre. 
 'That ancient river, the river Kishon,' empties at the 
 head of the bay. See Judges v, 21; and still nearer 
 to Acre is the Betus. I am told that the Kishon is 
 a considerable stream even in summer. At half past 
 twelve, having crossed the plain of Acre, we came 
 among small hills. Our muleteer not being well 
 acquainted with the way, we went out of the direct 
 road, and ascended a hill on which stands the vil- 
 lage of Abilene, containing, probably five hundred 
 inhabitants. About four o'clock, we entered a fine 
 plain, which we were about an hour in crossing. 
 Soon after this we passed Sephoora, a village about 
 the same size as Abilene. Josephus says, 'the 
 greatest cities of Galilee were Sepphoris and Tibe- 
 rias.' The habitations have a very mean and dirty 
 appearance. We observed three arches together, 
 which probably belonged to a church, or some other 
 building, erected by the crusaders. The village 
 stands on the side of a hill. On its summit are the 
 walls of an old castle. In going from Sephoora we 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 341 
 
 met many women carrying pitchers of water on their 
 heads. Others were riding, or driving asses, which 
 carried some two and some four jars of water. We 
 soon came to a plat of green-sward, and a fountain 
 whence the women drew the water, and where large 
 numbers of horses and cattle were 'collected to 
 quench their thirst. We see green-sward in 
 country very seldom, and but little in a place. 
 
 "After a ride of nine hours arrived at Nazareth. 
 Had our guide known the road well, we should have 
 accomplished the journey probably in six or seven 
 hours. Sought lodgings in the Catholic convent, 
 and were very civilly received, though we carried a 
 letter to the Superior from a priest at Nazareth, 
 which informed him that we were missionaries, and 
 were going about preaching and distributing the 
 Scriptures. 
 
 "6. Looked at the church of the convent. It is 
 large and splendid, hung with tapestry, and orna- 
 mented with paintings. One painting represents 
 the marriage of Joseph and Mary. I asked the friar 
 that explained it to us, who married them. He re- 
 plied, 'The bishop of Jerusalem;' as if there had 
 been bishops before the birth of Christ. In a grotto 
 they show you the place of the annunciation. They 
 say that the house, in which Mary then lived, was 
 carried by angels to Loretto, in Italy. Pilgrimages 
 are now made to Nazareth to see the place where 
 the house was, and to Loretto to see the house 
 itself. 
 
 "On most of the doors in the convent is inscribed, 
 'Ave Maria Purissima,' 'Ave Maria Plenagratia;' 
 sometimes with the addition in Spanish of, 'sin pe- 
 eado concebida,' i. e. conceived without sin; in 
 conformity with the doctrine of the Franciscans, 
 that the virgin Mary was never affected by original 
 sin. In one place is a promise of 100 days indul- 
 gence to every one, who shall say, 'Holy, holy, holy, 
 Lord of hosts, the earth is full of thy glory . " Glory 
 
342 MEMOIR OF 
 
 to the Father. Glory to the Son. Glory to the 
 Holy Spirit.' On the same paper is a promise of 
 300 days indulgence to every one, who says, with a 
 humble and contrite heart, 'Jesus, Joseph, and 
 Mary, with my heart I give you my soul. Jesus. 
 Joseph, and Mary, assist me in my last agony. Jesus, 
 Joseph, and Mary, let my soul depart in peace with 
 you.' Then a form for blessing, 'the adorable name 
 of God, for the repairing of the abuses of blasphe- 
 my.' It is as follows, 'Blessed be God. Blessed be 
 his name. Blessed be Jesus true God, true man. 
 Blessed be the name of Jesus. Blessed be Jesus in 
 the most holy sacrament of the altar. Blessed be 
 the great mother of God, most holy Mary. Blessed 
 be the name of Mary, virgin, Mother. Blessed be 
 God in his angels and saints.' A promise is made 
 of one whole year's indulgence to every one, that 
 recites the above. 
 
 "The women in and around Nazareth go unveil- 
 ed; and their principal ornaments are strings of 
 money worn on their head dress. These coins dif- 
 fer in value from the para, which is worth only the 
 fourth of a cent, to the mahmoodia, which is worth 
 more than three dollars. Paras are worn in great 
 numbers, and a string of silver coins, worth about 
 ten or twenty cents each, is often passed over the 
 forehead, and left to hang down on both sides of the 
 face. Women, who wore money to considerable 
 amount on their head dress, were seen barefoot with 
 mean and often ragged clothing, bringing pitchers 
 of water to town on their heads. 
 
 "8. Nazareth is situated on the side of a hill, 
 and nearly at its foot. The hill faces east and south 
 east. Before the town is a valley, about a mile 
 long, and from 50 to 100 rods wide, running north 
 and south, and by being surrounded by hills, it is 
 made a complete basin. It is a charming spot, and 
 I love to reflect as I walk over the plain of Naza- 
 reth, and the hills around it, that our Lord and Sa- 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 
 
 viour used to walk over the same ground. From 
 this valley there is a passage out to the south into 
 the great plain of Esdraelon. From the town you 
 walk about twenty minutes over the plain, the hills 
 on the right and left converging till there remains 
 only a strong, narrow ravine, about a mile in length. 
 On the right hand of this passage, as it opens into 
 the plain of Esdraelon, is a precipice, rough, steep. 
 and high. This is shown you as the brow of the 
 hill, whence the Jews wished to precipitate our Lord. 
 See Luke iv, 29. It is indeed the brow of the hill, 
 on which Nazareth stands, though at a considerable 
 distance from the town." 
 
 TO HIS FATHER. 
 
 "Nazareth, Nov. 7, 1823. 
 
 "I sit down to address you from the city where 
 Joseph and Mary lived, and where the angel Gabriel 
 announced the great mystery of the incarnation. 
 Here Jesus lived after his return from Egypt, being 
 subject to his parents. Here he labored as a car- 
 penter with his reputed father. It was here that 
 he could do but few mighty works, 'because of 
 their unbelief.' Mark vi, 5. It was here that his 
 preaching so enraged the multitude, that they at- 
 tempted to cast him down headlong from the hrow 
 of the hill, on which their city was built. Not far 
 from this is Mount Tabor, where our Lord was trans- 
 figured before his disciples, and the Mount on which, 
 it is believed he preached, when he fed the multitude 
 with five loaves of bread. At no great distance also 
 are Nain, Capernaum, Tiberias, and the lake of Gen- 
 nesaret. To walk over the ground where our Lord 
 used to walk, will neither make us holy, nor sub- 
 due our sins. It is only imitating his example that 
 will do this. Here he went about doing good. May 
 I also be an instrument of doing good, as I go about 
 in the same places. 
 
"There are several important fields in this region, 
 which it is desirable that some missionary should 
 visit, and survey; as Armenia, Mesopotamia, Per- 
 sia, Abyssinia, and the states of Barbary. Perhaps 
 it may appear to be my duty to go through some of 
 these countries. 
 
 "Such journies, I know will be attended with 
 danger and difficulties. But if duty is made plain, 
 it is always safe to proceed. Let all my brothers 
 and sisters know, that I remember them very affec- 
 tionately. I hope they are well and happy, walking 
 in the fear of God, and training up their children 
 'in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.' May 
 the God of Abraham make your old age serene and 
 happy, and if we do not meet again in this world. 
 O may we meet in the presence of God, to dwell 
 there forever." 
 
 "10. At eight o'clock left Nazareth for Tiberias, 
 now called Tabaria. Going a little south of east, 
 we soon came in sight of Tabor and Hermon. Ta- 
 bor rises majestically, like a vast pyramid. Hermon 
 is longer, and partially broken. At the foot of 
 Hermon, on the north, our guide pointed out Nain, 
 now a Turkish village. Tabor is nearly north of 
 Hermon. The country we passed was covered with 
 shrub-oak, and the soil seemed rich. At half past ten, 
 we arrived at Kham-Sook or Market Tavern. Here 
 are two old castles, and here the merchants of Naz- 
 areth, the people of the villages, and the Arabs from 
 the mountains, hold a fair, every Monday. When we 
 arrived, we found about 1000 people assembled, 
 buying and selling cattle and merchandize of all 
 sorts. We rested till twelve, and then set off for 
 Tiberias, our course a little north of east, and ar- 
 rived at 3 o'clock. 
 
 "You perceive neither Tiberias, nor its lake, till 
 you approach very near them; and then, from the 
 hill, you have a good view of both. The town stands 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 345 
 
 on the shores of the lake, is surrounded by a wall, 
 and, from the hill, makes a very decent appearance. 
 On entering, you find a considerable part of it in 
 ruins. We lodged with a Jew, Signor Rafael Pi- 
 ciotti, the Austrian consul-general for Syria. He 
 is now an old man, and has retired from business, to 
 spend the eve of life quietly on the shores of this 
 peaceful lake. 
 
 "In the evening Rabbi Samuel, who married the 
 consul's daughter-in-law, (now thirteen or fourteen 
 years old,) gave us the following estimate of the 
 Jewish population. rfshkenasim (Polish Jews) 150 
 houses, and Sephartim (Spanish Jews) 70 or 80. 
 Each sect have one synagogue. The Ashkenasim 
 here are all Hasidlm; there are no Perushim, (Phari- 
 sees) in the place. Rabbi Samuel says there are 
 twenty or thirty Rabbies, who spend their whole 
 time in reading Talmud. 
 
 "11. We went to see the hot springs. They are 
 on the shore of the lake, a half hour's ride south of 
 Tiberias. The plain south of the town is covered 
 with ruins till you reach the Springs. At one of these 
 springs a bath is erected, to which the people of 
 the country resort. The present building was raised 
 by Jezzar Pasha. While Mr. Jowett remained at 
 the bath, I pursued my course south, and in another 
 hour arrived at the south end of the lake, where 
 the Jordan issues from it. I rode a little way down 
 the river and passed the ruins of an old bridge, the 
 arches of which are still standing. The river bends 
 often and varies much in width, perhaps from thirty 
 to one hundred yards. It is so shallow that cattle 
 and asses were fording it without difficulty. On 
 returning to the bath, I ascertained the temperature 
 of the water. In the water of the lake, my ther- 
 mometer stood at 76; in the sun at 90; in the 
 water of the bath, at the time I went into it, (when 
 it had cooled, by standing,) at 110; in one spring 
 as it issued from the ground, 131; in another, i32; 
 
34C MEMOIR OF 
 
 where it issued from under the bath, 138; and in 
 another place, 1 39. I was told, however, that the 
 heat varies at different times. Probably it is dimin- 
 ished by heavy rains. The water is sulphureous. 
 A Jew, with whom I entered into conversation at 
 the bath, estimated the Jewish population of Taba- 
 ria at 96 families of Ashkenasim, and 90 of Sephar- 
 tim. When we returned to the town, we stopped at 
 what is called the house of Peter. It is now a Greek 
 Catholic church, and the only church in Tiberias. 
 We met with the only priest in the place, and he 
 told us that the whole number of Christian families 
 in the town is thirty or forty, all Greek Catholics. 
 
 "12. I went with our guide Antoon Baulus, to 
 see the ruins of Capernaum on the shore of the lake, 
 north of Tiberias. One hour's ride brought us to 
 an Arab village called Maydool. We then entered 
 a plain, which we were an hour in crossing. Then 
 passing a deserted khan, we entered upon a rough 
 piece of road, and soon came to the ruins of an Arab 
 house, evidently of very modern construction; yet 
 my guide asserted that this was Bethsaida. A few 
 rods north of it are some ruined walls but clearly 
 of modern origin. After passing a set of mills on a 
 brook, we came to the ruins of Capernaum, at least, 
 to ruins which now bear that name; in about three 
 hour's ride from Tiberias. Here are ruins which are 
 manifestly very ancient. A part of the wall of one 
 building still stands, and many walls appear at the 
 surface of the ground, as well as broken columns, 
 pedestals, and capitals. These are of hard lime- 
 stone, like those of Balbec. There are now twenty 
 or thirty uninhabited Arab huts on the ruins of the 
 old city. Two men and one woman were repairing 
 the roof of one, in order to make it a store-house 
 for grain." 
 
 Returning to Tiberias Mr Fisk visited a syna- 
 gogue, with which a college was connected. He 
 found nearly 1000 volumes of Babbinic lore in one 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 34" 
 
 room, and 1500 volumes in another. He estimated 
 the population at about 1000, among whom he dis- 
 tributed the Scriptures. 
 
 He left Tiberias (or Tabaria) on the 13th, and 
 proceeded on his way as far as Safet. He took 
 lodgings in the house of Rabbi Israel, the head of 
 the Ashkenasim Jews, the name of whose wife was 
 Deborah, and that of his agent Baruch. He re- 
 marks, " I love these Old Testament names ; but I 
 long for the time, when the names of Apostles as 
 well as Prophets shall be found in these families." 
 
 "14. The castle of Safet stands on very high 
 ground, with the town east and west of it, and some 
 scattered houses south. This morning we went up 
 to the castle, waited on the aga, who commands the 
 town, and took a view of the place and the hills 
 around it. We conjectured the number of Turkish 
 houses to be 1000. We could see only four mina- 
 rets. The castle is large and lofty, and built on a 
 magnificent plain, but now decayed and going to 
 ruin. To the north-east is a high mountain, which 
 the Jews say is Tabor. To the south-.vest is another, 
 which they say is Hermon. On an eminence a little 
 south-sast of the castle, is an old fortress, which the 
 Jews say was founded by Josephus. They tell you 
 likewise, that this is the scene of the battle of Sisera." 
 
 At 5 o'clock Mr. Fisk with his companion reach- 
 ed Hatheen, a small village at the foot of the Mount 
 of Beatitudes. This mount "receives its name from 
 the tradition, that here Christ delivered his memo- 
 rable Sermon; and it seems that tradition is here 
 supported by a high degree of probability." 
 
 On the 15th, he left Hatheen, and in less than three 
 hours came to Cana of Galilee.* John ii. It is 
 
 * "Why is it," said Mr. Jowett to Mr. Fisk, "that these very scenes 
 become endeared to us, as we read the portions of Sacred Scripture 
 relating to them; so that they are rendered much more lovely than 
 mere scenery could make them?" Mr. F. illustrated the feeling of 
 religious association by putting the case of two amiable persons: "For 
 both" said he, '-'we might conceive a very warm affection; bat if one were 
 
348 MEMOIR OF 
 
 represented as being now a mean village with few 
 inhabitants. The church was a low, dark place, in 
 which a water pot of stone was shown, said by the 
 priest to be one of those mentioned in the Gospel. 
 He reached Nazareth the same day. 
 
 "16. As I was walking in the hall of the monas- 
 tery, a padre came up, and entered into conversation 
 with me about the distribution of books. He said 
 he was aware, that the English wish, by the distri- 
 bution of books, to form a party in the East. 'But,' 
 said he in a confidential manner, as if telling me 
 something very important, 'I perceive they do 
 not know the character of the people in the Le- 
 vant. One third of the money, which they spend 
 for books, if distributed secretly, would form a large 
 party. Whereas, by distributing books they effect 
 nothing. Fourteen cases of books arrived at Jaffa 
 at different times while I was there, and of all these 
 I presume you cannot now find enough to fill two 
 cases.' 
 
 Such advice from a missionary might seem like 
 serious trifling, or like an intentional insult to us. 
 but the manner in which the padre spoke, and espe- 
 cially the fact that this is the method adopted by 
 the Catholics in order to make proselytes, make 
 me believe, that he was sincere in what he consid- 
 ered the best method of converting men. This man 
 has been thirty years a missionary without learning 
 the language of the country. I answered his re- 
 marks by showing what is the real object of the Bible 
 Society, and by pointing out the present ignorance 
 
 pious, and the other not, how far more congenial would be our attach- 
 ment to him, whose heart was one with ours in the love of God? He 
 is in the truest sense our FRIEND a friend, in common with us, of 
 God a friend for eternity! We may know him only for a short time 
 on earth, but we shall know him hereafter forever So to compare 
 inanimate things with spiritual, our attachment to this spot is height- 
 ened by the remembrance of the divine discourses once uttered here; 
 and which seem to make it hallowed ground, to which we are united 
 rby a kind of religious endearment." 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. o4V 
 
 of the people, and even of the priests, in regard to 
 the Gospel, and the necessity of giving them the 
 Bible in their own dialect. 
 
 "18. We have distributed in Nazareth about 70 
 Arabic Testaments and Psalters, nearly all of which 
 we have sold. Though the padres have opposed, 
 yet their people have purchased, even in the con- 
 vent, and in their presence. 
 
 "At ten left Nazareth for Jerusalem, and in a little 
 more than an hour we entered the large, beautiful, 
 and fertile plain of Esdraelon. Carmel was HI 
 sight far to the west, and Tabor standing at the 
 northeast part of the plain, and Hermon running 
 into it from the east. We were near five hours in rid 
 ing across the plain to Jenin, where we put up for 
 the night. This plain, if properly cultivated, would 
 no doubt support thirty or forty villages, of two or 
 three thousand souls each. Yet in crossing the 
 plain, we could see only four or five miserably 
 inhabited, mean villages. It is easy to imagine 
 what effects would be produced here, should the 
 country fall into the hands of a liberal, Christian 
 government. Tabor and Herman would rejoice. 
 
 "In eight hours and a half rode from Jenin to 
 Naploos, or NabJous, the Sychar, Sichem, or She- 
 chem of Scripture. Though we were travelling all 
 day among hills, yet our road was not very uneven, 
 We crossed many narrow valleys of very rich soil, 
 which, with proper cultivation, would become indeed 
 'fat valleys.' Owing to the ignorance of our guide, 
 we missed the site of Samaria. Naploos is a large 
 town situated in a valley, which runs east and west, 
 and by its groves of olive trees, producing an abund- 
 ance of olives and oil, it is rendered a 'fat valley.' 
 See Isaiah xxiii. Mount Gerizim rises near the 
 town on the south, and Mount Ebal on the north. 
 
 "Just as we were entering the town, we learned 
 ihat the musselim died this morning. A company 
 of 'mourning women' and children at the gate were 
 30 
 
MEMOIRS OF 
 
 shrieking and beating their breasts. Other compa 
 nies were doing the same in other parts of the city. 
 Sometimes their screams were very dolorous, and 
 they beat their breasts severely. At other times, 
 their music had so much of a cheerful air, that, had I 
 not known the occasion of it, I should have taken it 
 for a demonstration of joy, rather than of grief; then 
 again succeeded the most dolorous shrieks, and vio- 
 lent beatings of the breast. These women are hired 
 to mourn thus. See Jer. ix,17. 2 Chron. xxxv,25, and 
 Amos v,16. 
 
 "After taking some refreshment went to visit the 
 Samaritans, having first sent to the kohen, or priest, 
 to know if a visit would be agreeable. His name 
 is Shalmar ben Tabiah. His first name he some- 
 times pronounces Salome. I believe it is the same 
 as Solomon, which the Jews in Jerusalem now pro- 
 nounce Shloma. He received us in a neat apart- 
 ment, and we immediately entered into conversation. 
 Tenor twelve other members of the sect soon came in. 
 Our conversation was in Arabic. They represent thf 
 number of their houses to be 20 or 30, about 60 pay 
 the capitation tax. They say there are no other 
 Samaritans in this country, but they are quite dis- 
 posed to think they are numerous in other parts of 
 the world. In Paris they suppose they were very 
 numerous, until, in a time of war between the French 
 and some other nation, the Samaritans were dis- 
 persed. They inquired whether there are any Sa- 
 jnaritans in England, and seemed not at all gratified 
 when we told them no. On learning that I was from 
 America, they inquired if there are Samaritans 
 there. I told them no; but they confidently assert- 
 ed the contrary, and that there are also many in 
 India. 
 
 "They maintain that they are the lineal descend- 
 ants of Jacob; the kohen and his sons only, of the 
 tribe of Levi; one family from the tribe of Benjamin; 
 four or five from Manasseh, and the rest from Eph- 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 0<JJ 
 
 raim. We asked what they would do for a priest, if 
 the kohen and his sons should die, and thus the tribe 
 of Levi become extinct. They replied (hazah ma 
 beseer) 'this does not happen.' They all speak 
 Arabic, but their books and public prayers are in 
 Samaritan. They call their language Hebrew, and 
 that which we call Hebrew they call Jewish; for 
 they say their language is the true Hebrew in which 
 the law was given. The difference consists in the 
 use of a different alphabet and different pronuncia- 
 tion. They go three times a year to Mount Gerizim 
 to worship, but do not offer sacrifices there now, as 
 they did formerly, lest they should be molested by 
 the Turks. But they offer their sacrifices in a more 
 private way in the city. We understood them to 
 say, that they have no daily sacrifice. We visited 
 their synagogue. It is a small, dark, but neat room, 
 with an altar, but without seats. We were obliged, 
 before entering, to pull off, not only our over-shoes, 
 but also our slippers, which are not prohibited even 
 in mosques; and Mr. Jowett was obliged to take off 
 an outer garment which he wears, that is lined with 
 fur. No person can approach the altar, except the 
 kohen, and his sons. 
 
 "They expect a Messiah, who is to be a prophet 
 and king, but a mere man, to live 120 years, as 
 Moses did, and to reign at Naploos over all the 
 world. Those who do not receive him> are to be 
 destroyed with the sword. The promise concern- 
 ing the woman's seed does not, they believe, refer 
 to the Messiah; but that, concerning a prophet like 
 unto Moses, does refer to him, as does also that 
 concerning Shiloh. Gen. xlix, 10. They admit the 
 sense of this passage as given in our translation, and 
 try to show that there is still a sceptre somewhere in 
 the hands of Judah. The Messiah will come when 
 Israel repent. They say the story of the separation 
 between Israel and Judah, under Jeroboam and Re~ 
 hoboam, is a lie of the Jews. The city of Luz or 
 
'.)>: MEMOIR OF 
 
 Bethel, they say, was on Mount Gerizim. Gen. xxviii, 
 i9. Jebus, they say, was also on this mount, and 
 that Judges xix, 10, as it stands in our copies, is 
 not true. 
 
 "20, Renewed our visit to the Samaritans. We 
 had yesterday requested to see their ancient copy 
 of the law. The kohen objected, but after much 
 persuading, and indirectly presenting the motive 
 which generally prevails in this country, that is, the 
 offer of money, he at last consented to show it to 
 us this morning. In order to do it, he said he must 
 lirst bathe, and then put on a particular dress for the 
 occasion. On our arrival at the synagogue, we wait- 
 ed a short time, and he appeared, entered the syna- 
 gogue, approached the altar, kneeled and put his 
 face to the floor, then opened the little closet which 
 contained the holy book, kneeled and put his face 
 to the floor again, then brought out the brass case, 
 which contained the roll, and opened it so as to show 
 us the manuscript, but we were not allowed to touch 
 it. It is in the Samaritan character, and the kohen 
 says it was written by Abishua, the grandson of 
 Aaron, thirteen years after the death of Moses, and 
 3,260 years ago. See 1 Chron. vi, 4. Another brass 
 case stood near this, containing an exact copy of 
 the original manuscript, said to have been made 800 
 years ago. On a shelf in the synagogue were a 
 considerable number of copies of the Samaritan 
 Pentateuch. We saw also the relic of the Poly- 
 glott Bible mentioned by Maundril. The Bible of 
 the Samaritans contains only the five books of Moses, 
 They have Joshua and Judges, but in separate books. 
 They say that since Joshua there has been no 
 prophet. He was the disciple of Moses, and infe- 
 rior to him. David was king in Jerusalem, but not 
 a prophet. We inquired whether the Samaritans 
 held it lawful to read the books of Christians. They 
 said there was no law against it, and we left with 
 
REV. FLINT FISK. Ok>3 
 
 them one Testament in Arabic, and another in 
 Hebrew. 
 
 "At noon left Naploos. A little way from the 
 gate we observed, on our right hand, a mosque, 
 which I suppose to be the one that travellers have 
 mentioned as the place bought by Jacob 'at the 
 hand of the children of Hamor.' Gen. xxxiii, 19. 
 Jacob's well is to be seen near-by, but through the 
 ignorance of our guide we missed it. At six o'clock 
 we arrived at Singil, and took lodgings with a Greek 
 family, the only Christian family in the place. Be- 
 fore our arrival we were overtaken by a heavy 
 rain. 
 
 "Set off at half past seven, next day, and at four 
 arrived at Jerusalem. Two miles north of it. as we 
 reached the summit of a hill, we had a sudden and 
 tine view of the city. The different accounts given 
 by travellers of the appearance of the city, may be 
 accounted for in part by the fact, that some ap- 
 proach it from the west when it is seen to great dis- 
 advantage, and others from the north, where the 
 view of it is truly splendid. I resumed my former 
 room, and Mr. Jowett took Mr. King's room. It 
 is nearly five months since I left the holy city. Re- 
 turning to it seems like returning to my home. 
 
 "23. An English traveller, who is now in this 
 city, came to our room by invitation, for divine ser- 
 vice. Mr. Jowett read the prayers of his church, 
 and I expounded Ephesians ii. Yesterday and to- 
 day I have received, from metropolitans, priests, 
 and others, as tokens of their pleasure at my return, 
 three bottles of aqua vita?, six of wine, and eight 
 small loaves of fine white bread. I am pleased 
 with these attentions, and indications of friendship. 
 May God grant that they may terminate in a truly 
 Christian friendship." 
 
 Mr. Fisk resided in Jerusalem five months, dur- 
 ing which period he was occupied with his mission- 
 ary work. A communication, dated Beyrox>t, May 
 30* 
 
'354 MEMOIR OF 
 
 25, 1824, and addressed to the Corresponding Sec- 
 retary of the Board of Missions, furnishes a full ac- 
 count of his labors during this period.* From this 
 document some selections are made which now 
 follow. 
 
 "Soon after my arrival at Jerusalem, Cesar, a dea- 
 con in the principal Greek convent, one of the per- 
 sons alluded to in Mr. Parsons' journal, with whom 
 he spent much time in reading the Scriptures, re- 
 quested me to teach him Italian, and offered to 
 assist me in Arabic. He, in consequence, spent a 
 part of almost every day with me. We read the 
 Scriptures, and conversed very fully on the doc- 
 trines of religion. He became very much attached 
 to us; and we loved him for his amiable, modest 
 deportment, and his earnest desires for intellectual 
 improvement. In this last respect, he is a genuine 
 Greek. 'The Greeks seek after wisdom.' We hope 
 he has made some progress in religious knowledge. 
 But it was painful to see so good a mind as he pos- 
 sesses, so much the slave of superstition and credu- 
 lity, and so unsettled and indefinite in its moral prin- 
 ciples. 
 
 "Papas Issa Petros, another ecclesiastic, is an 
 Arab Christian, but of the Greek rite. He is a man 
 of more learning, probably, than any other Christian 
 in Jerusalem. He speaks fluently in four or five 
 languages; and reads more or less of about fifteen* 
 He has also a considerable knowledge of mathemat- 
 ics and astronomy, and constructs globes for his own 
 use. He has attained to better views of justification, of 
 the excellency and sufficiency of Scripture, and of the 
 spiritual nature of religion, than any other oriental 
 Christian with whom I am acquainted; but he has 
 not yet learned the corruption of his own heart, nor 
 lias he taken the first step in self-abasement and 
 humiliation. Being, however, fully sensible of the 
 
 * See Missionary Herald, vol. 21, p. 813. 
 
REV. PLINY FISK, 355 
 
 ignorance and superstition of Christians around 
 him, and of the superiority of Protestant doctrines 
 and customs, he is very ready to assist us in our 
 work." 
 
 The principal assistance which he rendered was, 
 in making translations of the New Testament and 
 of Tracts into Arabic. 
 
 "I called frequently on the different classes of 
 Christians, and was often visited by them in return. 
 With the Armenians I could have but little conver- 
 sation, for want of a common language. There is 
 not a single person among them, who can speak any 
 European language; and very few of them can speak 
 Arabic. Generally, they are acquainted only with 
 Turkish and Armenian. The Superior of the Abys- 
 sinian convent called on me almost daily. To him 
 I often read the Scriptures in Arabic, and we had a 
 number of very free and serious discussions about 
 worshipping the virgin Mary, and the nature of true 
 religion. 
 
 "In January, a bishop and three priests, of the 
 Syrian Jacobite church, arrived at Jerusalem from 
 Dearbekir, on their way to India. They brought me 
 a letter of introduction from their patriarch, whose 
 usual residence is Merdin in Mesopotamia; but who 
 is now in Damascus. The following is a translation 
 of the letter. 
 
 'By the favor of the Most High, it will arrive at 
 Jerusalem to the hand of his presence, our excellent, 
 the blessed Mr. Pliny Fisk, the honored. Safely. 
 
 'The least (literally the contemptible,) Ignatius 
 George the fourth, by the mercy of God most High, 
 patriarch of the Apostolical and Holy seat of Anti- 
 och, over the people of the Syrian Jacobites. 
 
 'In the convent of Zafran. 
 
 ; May divine grace and a heavenly benediction rest 
 upon his presence, our excellent, the honorable Mr. 
 Pliny, the honored. The Lord God preserve him 
 irom all temptation, spiritual and bodily, Amen. 
 
356 MEMOIR OF 
 
 'Truly the cause of our composing this letter is 
 benediction and friendship. 
 
 'First, inquiry for your dignity, and the state of 
 your condition. 
 
 'Secondly, there are coming to your place our chil- 
 dren the blessed, the metropolitan, Abdool Messeeh 
 the honorable,and the priest Isaac, and the priest Ab- 
 dool Ahad, and the priest Besharry the honored; for 
 the sake of some peaceable and necessary business in 
 your place, and in your neighborhood. And we hope, 
 that when they come to your presence in safety, you 
 will place your view upon them with all your face, 
 because they are our children, and especially us 
 they are ignorant of the country; and there is to us 
 confidence, that your spiritual zeal does not need 
 urging, because your presence is well known by 
 your doing good, and by every praise-ivorthy work. 
 And we pray to the merciful and Most High God, 
 that he would cover you with his providence, and 
 take you by the hand, and conduct you according to 
 your desire, and prolong your stability, and preserve 
 your children, and powerfully break the enemy from 
 you, and open the gate of his mercy before your 
 face, and commit to you his favors and blessings, 
 and give you times of joy and pleasure all the days 
 of your life. Always send us information of the 
 peace of your presence, to satisfy us concerning 
 your dignity; and send us always letters containing 
 requests, in order to multiply our love and friend- 
 ship. 
 
 'This is what it was necessary to write, after a 
 second and third blessing to your presence. Writ- 
 ten the 29th of the month Tishareen the second, 
 year of the Messiah 1823.' 
 
 "This letter was written in one sentence, without 
 any division by punctuation or capitals. Presence, 
 dignity, honorable, honored, and excellent, are titles 
 commonly used, in Arabic letter writing." 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 357 
 
 The peculiarity of Arabic idiom will be noticed 
 in the above letter of the patriarch of Antioch. 
 
 "I went one morning to the Syrian church to wit- 
 ness a baptism. The administrator was the bishop 
 Abdool Messeeh. The resident bishop, Abdool 
 Ahad, was present and assisted in the service. When 
 I arrived at the church, I found about a dozen per- 
 sons present, going through with the prayers and 
 ceremonies, preparatory to the baptism. One part 
 of the service was explained to me, as intended to 
 expel the devil from the child. When ready for 
 the ^baptism, the font was uncovered, and a small 
 quantity, first of warm water, and then of cold water, 
 was poured into it. The child, in a state of perfect 
 nudity, was then taken by the bishop, who held it 
 in one hand, while with the other he anointed the 
 whole body with oil. He then held the child in the 
 font, its feet and legs being in the water, and with 
 his right hand he took up water, and poured it on 
 the child, in the name of the Father, the Son, and 
 the Holy Ghost. After this he anointed it with 
 oil and returned it to the parents." 
 
 Mr. Fisk gives an account of a spirited and in- 
 teresting discussion he had with a number of Mus- 
 sulmans on religious subjects. A Turkish effendi, 
 Jar Allah, denied what had been sometimes said 
 respecting Mussulmans' praying to Mahommed. 
 The practice is not authorized by the Koran, and is 
 a corruption. The existence of the Koran, and the 
 style in which it is written, were the grand argu- 
 ments he adduced, to prove that Mahommed was a 
 prophet. "The existence and style of the Iliad," 
 Mr. Fisk observed, "furnish an argument equally 
 good in favcr of Homer's theology, and in proof of 
 his inspiration." 
 
 "I learned from Jar Allah that the Mussulmans ex- 
 pect the appearance of an extraordinary personage, 
 whom they call Dajal, which means the False, or 
 the Impostor. Sometimes he is called the False Mes- 
 
MEMOIR OB 
 
 s' 
 
 iah. He will be a Jew, and the Jews, as a body, 
 will follow him. He will also draw after him great 
 multitudes of the Mussulmans; will make war against 
 the true religion; and will go on prosperously, till 
 he shall have subdued nearly the whole world. Then 
 our Lord Jesus, (who, instead of being crucified as 
 Christians suppose, was taken up to heaven by Ga- 
 briel, while Judas was crucified in his place,) will 
 descend from Heaven, wage war with Dajal, over- 
 come and kill him, and establish the Mussulman re- 
 ligion throughout the world. As among Christians, 
 some pretend to calculate the precise time when 
 the millennium shall commence, so among Mussul- 
 mans, there are some who pretend to have ascertain- 
 ed when the Dajal will appear. Jar Allah more 
 prudently says, it will be when God sees fit. 
 
 "During my residence at Jerusalem this year, 1 
 enjoyed successively the company of several fellow 
 laborers. Mr. Jowett remained with me three weeks. 
 Two days before he left, Mr. Lewis, of the Jews' 
 Society, arrived, and remained with me five weeks. 
 The day before he left, Messrs. King and Bird arriv- 
 ed. Mr. King remained a fortnight, and then went 
 to Jaffa. Mr. Bird continued with me till I left Je- 
 rusalem. 
 
 "Last year we usually spent the Sabbath in read- 
 ing the Scriptures, and conversing promiscuously 
 with such as came to us. This year we fixed an 
 hour on the Sabbath for public worship in my room, 
 at which time I used to preach in Italian. At first 
 Papas Issa was the only person who joined us. After 
 a few Sabbaths, several others usually attended. 
 My feelings were much interested in this beginning 
 of regular Protestant worship in the Holy City. We 
 will not despise the day of small things, but hope 
 ore long to see greater things than these. I was 
 about commencing an afternoon service in Greek, 
 when an attack of fever obliged me to suspend all 
 my labors." 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 359 
 
 The Malta Bible Society furnished Mr. Fisk with 
 a large supply of the Scriptures in various languages, 
 in the distribution of which, he met with great en- 
 couragement and success. In the midst of this 
 encouragement, however, a formidable opposition 
 was excited, as will appear in the following narra- 
 tive. 
 
 "Feb. 10. A little afternoon, as I was reading 
 Arabic with Jar Allah and Cesar, Moosa Beg, the 
 head of the police, came into my room, accompani- 
 ed by eight or ten Turks, most of them armed sol- 
 diers. They were all strangers to us, and we had at 
 first no suspicion of their object in visiting us; as 
 soldiers and other Turks had often before called to 
 visit us. We received them civilly, and treated them 
 with pipes and coffee. They pretended to be in 
 search of the dragoman of the Latin convent; and 
 Moosa Beg went out, and, as I afterwards learned, 
 held a consultation with the Latin priests. I went 
 from the room where I was studying to another, and 
 a soldier followed me. When I returned, he re- 
 turned. I went out a second time, and he kept 
 iclose behind me. This excited strong suspicions 
 that they had come, not for the Latin dragoman, but- 
 for us. Dragoman Joseph came in, and we told him 
 to ask them what they wanted. Their answer was. 
 'NotMng. 9 Moosa Beg returned, and we were ab- 
 ruptly called to go. We asked, Where 1 ? and were 
 told, 'To the governor's.' We asked, Whifl and 
 were told, that he wished to see some of our books. 
 No time was given for remonstrance. We were 
 hurried out of our rooms, the keys were taken from 
 us, and the doors sealed up. We were conducted, 
 not to the governor, but to the moollah or judge. As 
 soon as we appeared in his presence, he demanded, 
 'Who are your' We replied, 'English;' using the 
 term, as it is used and understood here, to mean, 
 under English protection. The next question was, 
 'Why do you wea* the white turban?' We repi| ec [, 
 
360 MEMOIR OF 
 
 c lt is customary for Englishmen to wear it, vvhci? 
 they travel in Turkey.' He shook his hand very 
 significantly, and said, 'No, no, no; this cannot be 
 done without a firman.' I then shewed him my fir- 
 man from the sultan. On seeing this, he invited us 
 to a seat on the sofa, where he was sitting. After 
 reading the firman, he said, 'But this is merely for 
 travelling, and gives you no permission to sell books.' 
 Then, holding up a copy of Genesis, which one of 
 the soldiers had brought from our rooms, he said. 
 'These books are neither Mussulman, nor Jewish. 
 nor Christian, and no body will receive or read them;' 
 and threw the book contemptuously on the floor. 
 We replied, 'The books that we distribute are the 
 Law, the Psalms, the Prophets, and the Gospel; 
 such as Christians have always received as their 
 Holy Books.' His reply deserves to be remembered, 
 * The Latins* say these are not Christian books' Very 
 iittle else was said, and we were sent away to the 
 musselim, with information that we should be kept 
 in confinement, until the matter^ could be referred 
 to the pacha at Damascus, and an answer received. 
 "The governor received us a little more civilly 
 than the judge. He read the firman, and inquired 
 about the books. We gave him the same account 
 of the matter that we had given to the judge, and 
 he replied, 'TAe Latins say, that these are neither 
 .Mussulman, Jewish, nor Christian books. 9 In the 
 mean time Moosa Beg sent a crier into the market, 
 and to the doors of the convents, prohibiting all 
 persons from purchasing books of us, and ordering 
 iill who had any of our books to deliver them up to the 
 judge. The governor said, on reading our firman, 
 that he could not imprison Englishmen, who had 
 -such a firman from the sultan, and gave orders that 
 we should be lodged in the Latin convent, till the 
 matter was settled. We were accordingly conducted 
 up the via dolorosa, till we came near the convent, 
 when we met the Latin dragoman, and he told the 
 
 *Roman Catholics. 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 361 
 
 Turks, our conductors, that we could not be received 
 there. We were consequently kept in waiting while a 
 messenger was sent to the governor for further orders. 
 He returned, and we were told that we were to go to 
 our own rooms to lodge. On entering our room, 
 the Turks began to take an inventory of our trunks, 
 books, and other things. They rudely examined our 
 letters, and private papers, and took Mr. Bird out of 
 his room by force, while they opened his trunk, 
 containing his papers and money. From my secre- 
 tary they took several letters and papers in English 
 and Arabic, which they carried off. At last we were 
 told that we must return to the governor's house to 
 sleep. Soon after our arrival there, we were con- 
 ducted to a lower room, which serves as barracks 
 for soldiers. There we spent the evening with 
 twenty or thirty soldiers about us, who were smoking 
 and playing at chess, and expected to sleep on the 
 ground among them. In the course of the evening, 
 the governor sent for Joseph, and after making a 
 variety of inquiries, told him that we should go next 
 day to the principal Greek convent and lodge there, 
 till the affair was settled. About 10 o'clock we 
 were sent for. On our entering the governor's 
 room, he saluted us with uncommon civility, invited 
 us to a seat near him, and ordered coffee for us. He 
 then put the question again, 'What books are these 
 that you distribute?' I answered, as before, 'The 
 Law, the Psalms, the Prophets, and the Gospel/ 
 But why do you bring so many of them into this 
 country?' 'Because Christians here have no printing 
 presses, and when they want the Scriptures, they 
 are obliged to write them out with great labor; 
 whereas we are able easily to supply them with 
 printed copies.' 'But why do you bring books in 
 Arabic?' 'Because many Christians can read no 
 other language.' Then turning to one of his at- 
 tendants he observed, 'That is what I said. 1 Then 
 came the difficult question. 'Why do you give them 
 31 
 
>t>2 MEMOIR OF 
 
 to Mussulmans?' We replied, 'It is not our wish to 
 do any thing in secret, nor to distribute books in 
 this country, which we are not willing that you 
 should all read; nor do we consider it unlawful for 
 Mussulmans to read Christian books. If Mussul- 
 mans wish to read our books, and learn what we be- 
 lieve, we are always ready to give them an opportu- 
 nity.' He said that was all very well, begged us 
 not to be offended, told us he had no knowledge 
 of the affair when we were arrested, but the whole 
 was done by the judge; and added, 'You will lodge 
 here with my nephew to-night, and to-morrow return 
 to your rooms.' His nephew, Hosein Beg, conducted 
 us to his room, insisted on my taking his own seat 
 in the corner of the sofa, which is the place of 
 honor, ordered sherbet, pipes, coffee, and a supper, 
 and said as many as twenty or thirty times, 'Excuse 
 us.' 'Be not offended with us.' 
 
 "After supper we entered into a free conversation 
 about the Arabic language, and then about the Bible, 
 and the Koran, and Christ, and Mahommed. I was 
 struck with the remark, as coming from him at that 
 time and place, 'This house is the place where our 
 Lord Jesus was condemned.' It was even so, and we 
 had the unmerited honor of being arraigned for the 
 word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus, in the 
 palace of the governor, which now occupies the 
 ground where the palace of Pilate stood. I said to 
 myself, 'It is enough for the disciple that he be as 
 his Master, and the servant as his Lord.' If our 
 Redeemer was condemned to death for our sakes, it 
 is but a small matter that we should suffer a short 
 confinement for his name's sake. Knowing, as we 
 did, the character of the men in whose hands we 
 were, it was impossible that the mind should not be 
 busy, during the afternoon and evening, in thinking 
 what might be the result of all this. We knew that 
 Greeks, priests as well as others, and Jews, some 
 of whom were Europeans, and had passports i?.nd 
 
IlEV. PLINY FISK 
 
 iirmans; had been put in prison and in chains, on 
 the most frivolous pretences, until they paid large 
 sums of money to their oppressors. It was at least 
 possible that we might receive the same treatment, 
 and have the same demands made upon us. We 
 knew that Turks are accustomed to inflict corporeal 
 punishment, in order to extort money, or some con- 
 fession which they wish to obtain; and the question 
 naturally occurred, 'Are we ready to glorify our Lord 
 by bodily suffering?' What effect the certainty of suf- 
 fering would have had on our minds I cannot say; 
 but the probability of it did not greatly agitate us. 
 What we most seriously feared, was, that we should 
 be either ordered to leave Jerusalem,- or prohibited 
 from distributing the Holy Scriptures. The events 
 of the evening had a little brightened our prospects, 
 though we felt by no means certain, that what had 
 been promised us would be fulfilled. We however 
 commended ourselves and our cause to the divine 
 protection, and slept quietly. 
 
 "We had reason to expect, from what had been 
 said to us in the evening, that we should be allowed 
 to return to our rooms in the morning without further 
 delay; but the forenoon passed away without permis- 
 sion to go. We read 2 Cor. vi,l I0,to each othei 
 with much interest, and endeavored in patience to 
 possess our souls. Some hints had been given to Jo- 
 seph the preceding evening, that a present from us 
 would not come amiss; but we took no notice of those 
 hints. Moosa Beg and Hosein Beg now told Joseph, 
 that, as we were Englishmen, the governor could 
 not take money from us, but that a present of some 
 valuable article would be expected from us for the 
 governor, and a small sum of money, say twenty 
 dollars, for themselves. Instead of giving an an- 
 swer to this, we told Joseph to ask whether we could 
 distribute the Scriptures as formerly. The answer 
 was, 'Certainly; nobody can say a word on the 
 ^ubject after what has happened.' They added that. 
 
364 MEMOIR OF 
 
 as to the twenty dollars for themselves, it was no*, 
 necessary, but any small sum, whatever we pleased 
 to give. We next sent to know, what proclamation 
 the crier had made in the streets and at the con- 
 vents concerning our books. The answer was, that 
 he had merely prohibited Mussulmans from receiving 
 them, but had said nothing about Christians. We 
 doubted the truth of this at the time, and learned 
 afterwards that it was totally false. The proclama- 
 tion was, that whoever had received books from the 
 English must deliver them up to the judge; and that 
 nobody could hereafter receive any from them, on 
 penalty of imprisonment; and that these were books 
 which might not be read, either in the mosque, or 
 :in the synagogue, or the church, or any where else. 
 After a little further delay we were conducted to 
 our rooms. Mr. Bird's room and mine were given 
 up to us. The Bible Society's room they had not 
 discovered the day before. They now examined 
 this, and sealed it up; and said that this, and Mr. 
 King's room, in which they found me the day before, 
 was to remain for the present sealed up. After wait- 
 ing a while to receive some present, but finding they 
 were not to receive any thing, they went away in 
 very ill humor. They probably thought it hard that 
 they must insult us, search our rooms, trunks and 
 secretaries, seal up and open, once and again, all 
 our doors, conduct us to the judge and the governor, 
 and keep us twenty-four hours in custody, and not 
 be paid for all this trouble. It is probably the first 
 time that they have done all this for nothing, for the 
 poor Greeks and Jews always have to pay dearly for 
 being insulted and abused." 
 
 After mentioning a number of instances of sym- 
 pathy fiom individuals at Jerusalem, who professed 
 to be their friends, and to rejoice greatly in view of 
 their deliverance from Turkish authority, Mr. Fisk 
 adds the following remarks. 
 
 "This affair gave us new information about Turks, 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 365 
 
 Turkish government, and Turkish justice. I trust 
 too that it gave us new proofs of our attachment to 
 Christ and his cause, and of our willingness to 
 1-eave ourselves, and our plans, and all that concerns 
 us, in his hands. We feel that we deserve and need 
 disappointments and trials, and hope to profit by 
 them. All that we have as yet suffered, however, is 
 nothing compared with what the first Christians suf- 
 fered, nor indeed is it any thing compared with what 
 the Christian and Jewish subjects of the sultan daily 
 suffer at the hands of their tyrants. 
 
 "Immediately after our release, we wrote letters 
 giving an account of what had happened, to Mr. 
 King, and to Mr. Damiani, English consul at Joppa, 
 and to Mr. Abbott the consul at Beyroot. The fol- 
 low ng Monday, Mr. Joseph Damiani, the consul's 
 son, arrived with a letter from his father to the gov- 
 ernor. Tuesday morning we went in company with 
 Mr. D. to the Governor. He read the consul's let- 
 ter, and some other papers which Mr. D, presented, 
 and then beginning to exculpate himself, said it was 
 wholly an affair of the judge, and undertaken with- 
 out his knowledge. The judge sent to him to put 
 us in prison and in chains, but when he read our fir- 
 man, he said that could not be done. 
 
 "As to the books, he said there was nothing in 
 the way of the distribution of Christian books among 
 Christians. Accompanied by one of his men, we 
 went next to the judge. He read the papers, which 
 Mr. D. presented, containing orders from the sul- 
 tan, and from different pashas as to the manner in 
 which travellers are to be treated. He made some 
 professions of regard for the English, but talked 
 rather morosely about the books, and took up a copy 
 of Genesis and read, 'The Spirit of God moved up*- 
 on the face of the waters,' and threw the book on 
 the floor, saying, 'That is infidelity.' He said that 
 infidels, meaning Christians and Jews, might buy 
 and sell their infidel books as they liked, only Mus- 
 31* 
 
3C6 MEMOIR OF 
 
 sulmans must not purchase, nor receive them, 'be- 
 cause these books contain something which would 
 make Mussulmans mad, if they should read it.' 
 
 "Mean time Joseph went with the governor's 
 man who attended us, to find the papers that were 
 taken from my secretary. When they returned with 
 the papers, Joseph told us, that the governor, on 
 hearing that the judge denied having given orders 
 to imprison us, fell into a great rage, and talked 
 most outrageously against the judge before all his 
 attendants. To two men, who had no concern in 
 our arrest, but had obtained and brought to us our 
 papers and books, and opened our rooms, we gave 
 a dollar. Numbers applied for presents, on our re- 
 lease, but we thought it proper, and felt it our duty, 
 to send them all away empty. Soon after our rooms 
 were unsealed, a man from the judge called, and 
 said he was sent both by the judge and the gover- 
 nor to present their compliments to us and say, that 
 if any of their soldiers or officers should demand 
 money from us, we were to pay nothing, but give 
 immediate information to one of them.' 
 
 "On Wednesday Joseph went out again with 
 Scriptures for sale, and in the course of four days 
 we sold about two hundred copies. It would not be 
 easy to describe the emotions that swelled our 
 breasts, on seeing such a readiness to purchase the 
 word of God, after what had happened. We thank- 
 ed God and took courage. 
 
 "It soon appeared, that both the judge and the 
 governor feared for the consequences of what they 
 had done to us. The governor told Joseph privately, 
 that he had written to the pasha of Damascus, lay- 
 ing all the blame on the judge; and the judge, on 
 the other hand, sent a man to tell us, that he had 
 written to the pasha of Acre to secure his influence 
 against the governor. What a picture does this 
 give of Turkish government! 
 
 "March 2. A soldier from the governor called 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 367 
 
 to say, he wished us to come and take a cup of coffee 
 with him, and answer a few questions. We went. 
 The governor took my firman to examine its date, 
 and then questioned me very particularly how long 
 I had been in this country, what places I had visit- 
 ed, and how long I had remained in each place. 
 His secretary took down my answers, in order to be 
 sent to the pasha. The governor then read an or- 
 der from the pasha, stating that, as we had a firman 
 from the sultan, we must not be imprisoned, or mo- 
 lested in any way; but for his more perfect informa- 
 tion, a copy of the firman, and samples of the books, 
 must be sent to Damascus. My firman was accord- 
 ingly sent to the judge to be copied and returned 
 the next day. 
 
 "The next morning we sent Joseph with the books 
 to be sent to the pasha. About two hours after this, 
 the roaring of cannon announced the sudden arrival 
 of a new governor to take command of the city. 
 In the afternoon Joseph went to the palace for 
 the firman, but the former governor and all his at- 
 tendants had disappeared, and nobody knew any 
 thing about our affairs. On applying to the judge 
 for the document, he said he had not seen it, and 
 knew nothing about it. He however sent for his 
 secretary who produced it. 'Tell the gentlemen,* 
 says the judge on giving up the firman, 'that the 
 governor's business is now finished. There is no 
 need of copying the firman. Whenever they have 
 time, I shall be glad to have them call, and take a 
 cup of coffee with me.' The day that this happen- 
 ed, we sold fifty copies of the Scriptures, and the 
 day following fifty-four copies. When Mr. Abbott 
 heard what had befallen us, he made a representa- 
 tion of the affair to the pasha of Damascus, and re- 
 ceived a bugurdy, or official order, addressed to the 
 judge and governor of Jerusalem, commanding, that 
 whatever had been taken from us should be imme- 
 diately restored, and that we should be protected and 
 
368 MEMOIR OP 
 
 treated with respect. When this order was present 
 ed to the new governor, he returned to us the books, 
 which were to have been sent to the pasha, and 
 said, that although he was not personally concerned 
 in the affair, yet if we had lost any thing whatever 
 he would pay for it. The report was circulated in 
 Jerusalem, and believed by many, both Mussulmans 
 and Christians, that the former governor was turned 
 out of office in consequence of his ill treatment of 
 us. Since our arrival at Beyroot, we have learned 
 that the ex-governor, on his return to Damascus, 
 complained that he had lost his office through the 
 influence of the judge, because he did not imprison 
 us, as the judge commanded. 
 
 "We have no means of ascertaining what is true 
 in this case, but I believe all parties regretted that 
 they had meddled with us, and I believe that a gen- 
 eral impression was made, that men under English 
 protection are not to be trifled with. In the view 
 of the Christians and Jews, it was no small matter, 
 that we were able to refuse money to Turks, who 
 had us in their hands. I think the Turks of Jeru- 
 salem will be less likely to molest us now, than be- 
 fore this happened The Latins will probably con- 
 tinue to excite the Turks against us by all the means 
 in their power. May God cause their wrath to 
 praise him, and restrain the remainder of it. It is 
 worthy of remark, that during the whole process, 
 the Turks made no objection to the distribution of 
 Christian books among Christians. The whole com- 
 plaint was founded on the testimony of the papists, 
 that our books were not Christian books, but false 
 books. When the judge and the governor told us 
 this, we demanded that they should send to the 
 Latin convent, and bring an Arabic Bible to com- 
 pare with ours, but this they both refused to do. 
 They hoped, no doubt, that money would have been 
 given them. We are much indebted to Mr. Ab- 
 bott for his prompt and efficient interference in this 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 369 
 
 case, as well as for a thousand civilities in other 
 instances." 
 
 Mr. Fisk speaks of the oppressive system of Turk- 
 ish exactions, under which the inhabitants of Jeru- 
 salem and the neighboring villages were groaning. 
 He mentions an affray which took place between 
 the government of Jerusalem, and the villages in 
 the neighborhood of Bethlehem, in consequence of 
 their refusing to meet the exorbitant demands made 
 upon them. 
 
 "Preparations were accordingly made for war. 
 Some of the governor's soldiers found a poor, infirm 
 old peasant, from Bait Jallah cultivating his field. 
 One of them shot him, and they cut off his head, 
 brought it to Jerusalem, and stuck it up on the wall 
 just within Jaffa gate, where it remained two days. 
 I saw Turkish boys pass by and throw stones at it. 
 Christians looked at it with a melancholy counte- 
 nance, and tears stole down their cheeks. The 30th 
 of December the governor's troops moved out of 
 town with three pieces of cannon, and proceeded 
 against Bait Safafa, the nearest of the villages, and 
 situated in the valley of the Rephaims. It is within 
 sight of Jerusalem, on the south-west. They pitch- 
 ed their tents on the plain, and commenced firing 
 on the village. The villagers fired upon them in 
 return, from behind walls, rocks and hills. Several 
 were killed on both sides, but I could not ascertain 
 how many. I walked over Mount Zion toward 
 evening, and saw the red flag flying, and the smoke 
 of their cannon, as they fired on the little village, 
 Night closed the action, and the next day being 
 rainy the soldiers returned to the city." 
 
 In company with Mr. Damiani, Mr. Fisk and his 
 fellow missionaries visited Hebron, and passed Beth- 
 lehem, on their way, where they lodged one night, 
 
 "Feb. 25. We set out early in the morning for 
 Hebron. In one hour we came to the cisterns of 
 Solomon, so called. They are three in number.. 
 
370 MEMOIR OF 
 
 and are situated on the side of a hill. We found 
 the upper one to be 134 paces long, and 76 wide at 
 one end, and 85 at the other. The second is 153 
 by 54 and 88. The third is 205 by 49 and 71. 'They 
 
 are lined with wall and plastered, and contain 
 
 water.' Jerusalem is supplied in part by an aque- 
 duct, which, we are told, carries its water from these 
 cisterns. 'Close by the pools is a castle of modern 
 structure.' From this place our way is over stony 
 ground and rocky mountains, generally covered with 
 bushes and shrubbery. No villages appeared, and 
 there is not a single house on the road between 
 Bethlehem and Hebron. Some of the way there is 
 cultivated ground. We passed several fields of grain 
 just springing up. As is common throughout Syria, 
 they were entirely without fences. The vineyards 
 alone were enclosed. We were a little more than 
 live hours in riding from Bethlehem to Hebron, and 
 our course was considerably west of south. We 
 had a letter of introduction from Rabbi Mendel to 
 the Jews of Hebron, and with them we took lodg- 
 ings. 
 
 "Hebron is now called Haleel Rahman that is, 
 the Beloved of the Merciful; a name commonly 
 given to Abraham, because he was the friend of 
 God, and applied to Hebron, because it was the city 
 of Abraham. So at Jerusalem, instead of saying, 
 the gate of Abraham, they say the gate of the Be- 
 loved, [Bab el Haleel,] and it is common among 
 the Arabs to use Abraham and Haleel interchange- 
 ably, as the name of the same person. The city 
 lies in a valley, which runs nearly north-west and 
 south-east. The greater part of the town lies on 
 the north-east side of the valley. Kiriath Arba, the 
 original name, means four villages. There are now 
 two villages, which are considered parts of the town, 
 but are totally distinct from it. By supposing a 
 complete division in the principal parts of the town, 
 where there is now a partial one, Hebron again bo- 
 
HEV. PLINY FISK. oil 
 
 comes Kiriath Arba. Josephus says of Hebron. 
 (War, b. 5, c. 9;) 'Now the people of the country 
 say, that it is a more ancient city, not only than any 
 in that country, but than Memphis in Egypt, and 
 accordingly its age is reckoned at 2,300 years.' Ac- 
 cording to this estimate, Hebron was first built more 
 than 4,000 years ago. It was one of the cities of 
 refuge; Joshua xx, 7. It is now without walls, and 
 contains, according to Ali Bey's estimate, 400 houses. 
 Shekh Mohammed, one of the chiefs of the town, 
 told us, that one of the caliphs of Egypt, who re- 
 paired and rebuilt many houses in Hebron, began 
 to surround the town with a wall; but 'our lord 
 Isaac' appeared to him in the night, and forbid it, 
 saying, 'I am the defence of my country.' Upon 
 this the caliph desisted from the work. 
 
 "26. Early in the morning, with a Jew for our 
 guide, we went to look at the mosque, which is 
 said to cover the cave of Machpelah and the tombs 
 of the patriarchs. It stands on a side of the hill 
 facing the south-west. Neither Jews, nor Chris- 
 tians are allowed to enter. We saw two large gates, 
 and within were gentle ascents by stairs. By the 
 side of one gate is a place, where the poor Jews are 
 allowed to come and weep, and read and repeat 
 their prayers, in honor of their ancestors' tombs. 
 The building is so connected with the castle and 
 other buildings, that very little can be seen from 
 without. Ali Bey (Vol. 2, p. 265,) describes the 
 sepulchres of the patriarchs and their wives, and 
 the temple, formerly a Greek church, now a mosque, 
 which contains them. But on reading his descrip- 
 tion, the question naturally arises, is all this in a 
 cave? See Gen. xxiii, 9, and xxv, 9. The Mussul- 
 man tradition is, that Joseph was buried here, as 
 well as the other patriarchs. 
 
 "In passing through the town, our guide pointed 
 out the place, where Abner the son of Ner was 
 buried. Between the principal part of the town and 
 
372 MEMOIR OF 
 
 one of the smaller divisions in the valley, is the Pool 
 of David, a cistern about fifty paces square. From 
 this place we repaired to the heights south-west of 
 the town, to see the sepulchre of Jesse, David's 
 father, on the opposite side of the valley from the 
 tombs of the patriarchs. On our way the Jew 
 pointed out three wells, one of which he called 
 Abraham's, another Isaac's, and a third Jacob's. 
 An old building covers the tomb of Jesse. There is 
 a well in it, and the Jew seriously assured us, that a 
 fowl once put in here, was found three days after- 
 ward in the Jordan. 
 
 "On returning to our lodgings, we gave orders to 
 have the horses in readiness for our departure. 
 
 "In half an hour from Hebron, we came near the 
 place where it is said that Abraham received and 
 entertained the angels. Gen. xviii. The place is a 
 little east of the road, and we rode across a field to 
 it. It is a quadrangle enclosed by the foundations 
 of a very ancient wall, composed of stones, ten feet 
 long, and several feet thick and high. These stones 
 are in a great part composed of shells. I have since 
 learned, that there is another place west of the road, 
 marked by a large tree, where some say that the 
 interview between Abraham and the angels took 
 place. In another half hour we passed, at a dis- 
 tance to the east, a building with a minaret. The 
 place is called Nabi Yoonas. In a little more than 
 five hours from Hebron, we arrived at Bethlehem, 
 and were greeted in a most friendly manner as we 
 passed the streets, and met a hearty welcome again 
 at the Greek convent. 
 
 "27. We went out south-east from Bethlehem 
 to visit the cave, where it is said that David cut oif 
 Saul's skirt, and Mount Ferdis, or Jibil Fransahwy, 
 (the French Mountain ,) so called because the cru- 
 saders had a citadel here, which held out a long 
 time after the Mohammedans had regained the rest 
 of the country. We rode an hour and a half, and 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 373 
 
 then walked a short distance to the cave. It is on 
 the side of a tremendous ravine, which runs down 
 to the Dead Sea. We entered the cave, and found 
 one irregular apartment, thirty paces long and fifteen 
 wide. Several passages lead to other apartments, 
 but they are difficult of access, and we did not enter 
 them. It is said there are a great number of large 
 apartments. The account in 1 Sam. xxiv, would 
 lead us to suppose the event in question took place 
 in the wilderness of Engedi. Our Bedouin guides 
 told us, that one day's journey from this cave, on 
 the borders of the Dead Sea, there is place now 
 called Engedi (Ain Jedee.) They gave us also a 
 wonderful account of certain sorts of fruit that are 
 found there, apples, oranges and quinces, which ap- 
 pear very fine externally, but, when opened are 
 found to contain nothing but dust and smoke. Here 
 then, (if we may credit their story) is the apple of 
 Sodom in perfection. Other Arabs have told us 
 the same story, and Father Nau has published a 
 similar story about the same place on the authority 
 of Daniel Abbot of St. Saba. I offered the Arabs 
 a handsome reward to bring me some of these fruits; 
 but, though they love money, they did not seem at 
 all inclined to undertake the job. From this cave 
 we rode, by a circuitous route, in an hour, to the 
 French Mountain. Not far from the cave we passed 
 the ruins of a Greek convent, and observed many 
 caves in the sides of the ravine, in which the Arabs 
 find shelter for themselves and their flocks. The 
 French Mountain is high, and very steep, and there 
 are no other mountains in the immediate neighbor-, 
 hood; a strong citadel on the summit might be 
 deemed almost impregnable. The foundations of 
 the wall and of four towers are still standing, there 
 are also subterranean magazines. The summit pre- 
 sented an area 270 paces in circumference. From 
 this mountain we returned to Bethlehem in an hour, 
 and a half. During this visit, we sold, in the vH 
 32" 
 
374 MEMOIR OF 
 
 lage where our blessed Redeemer was born, sixteen 
 copies of the Scriptures, and gave away eighteen, 
 and sixty Tracts. About sunset we again reached 
 our rooms in Jerusalem. In the course of five 
 months at Jerusalem, I sold 703 copies of the Bible, 
 New Testament, Psalter, or Genesis, and gave away 
 eighty-six, and four hundred Tracts. I left a large 
 quantity in the Bible Society room at Jerusalem 
 and a considerable quantity at Joppa. 
 
 "About six weeks before I left Jerusalem, I was 
 attacked with a fever, which interrupted my studies 
 and labors for the rest of the time. The fever was 
 attended, for several days, by a violent head ache, 
 and great restlessness, approaching delirium. Bleed- 
 ing gave me some relief, but the fever continued 
 near three weeks. I then began to recover slowly, 
 and was just able to travel when we left the city. 
 During this sickness I felt more than I ever felt 
 before, the need of a skilful and faithful physici-an. 
 We had no medical adviser, in whom we could re- 
 pose the least confidence. Our chest of medicines, 
 one or two valuable medical books, and our own 
 very limited experience, were all that we had to de- 
 pend upon. It is quite probable that proper treat- 
 ment might have removed the fever at once. As 
 it lingered along, we often doubted what course to 
 pursue. May we not hope that the churches of our 
 Lord, which have sent us to this land, will ere long 
 send to our aid a skilful physician, who will watch 
 over our bodily health, and also assist us in our 
 spiritual labors? 
 
 "April 17. I witnessed a second time the cere- 
 mony of the holy fire, as it is called. A few days 
 before, I went to the metropolitan Daniel, and told 
 him that, if it were possible, I wished to enter the 
 sepulchre itself with the metropolitan Peter, the only 
 person who goes in, and see how the fire makes its 
 first appearance. He said I could do so without any 
 difficulty. When the day arrived I topk care to be 
 
REV. PLINY PISK. 375 
 
 at the church of the Sepulchre in season, and when 
 the bishops came I went to Peter and spoke with 
 him on the subject. He said the Turks would not 
 permit it. I said, 'If you tell them to do so, perhaps 
 they will.' He said, 'There is no way in which it 
 can be done.' How true is it, that 'he who doeth 
 evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, 
 lest his deeds should be reproved.' 
 
 "After the ceremony of the fire was finished, the 
 Greeks had an ordination service. An Arab Chris- 
 tian from one of the villages was raised from the 
 office of deacon to that of presbyter. The bishop 
 of Philadelphia performed the service, assisted by a 
 number of the clergy. I think an hour at least was 
 occupied in reading the prayers and Scripture les- 
 sons, in walking round the altar, and about the 
 church, and in performing ceremonies. The can- 
 didate then kneeled, and the bishop placed one 
 hand on his head, and read a prayer. Then the 
 clergy first, and afterward the laity, cried 'worthy, 
 worthy, worthy,' repeating it a long time, and thus 
 signifying their assent to the candidate's admission 
 to the office of a presbyter." 
 
 April 22d he left Jerusalem, about a year from 
 the time of his first arrival there, having spent seven 
 months of the year in that city, and the other five 
 months on Mount Lebanon, and in journies. 
 
 "May 4. We reached Beyroot. My heart beat 
 high with joy, as I drew near the dwelling of my 
 brethren and sisters. I had long anticipated this 
 interview. Just before they reached Malta, I sailed 
 for Egypt. Just before they arrived at Beyroot, I 
 set off for Jerusalem. But we were brought to- 
 gether just when, worn down by studies, sickness 
 and journies, I most needed repose and relaxation 
 in their society. This revival of old, and forming 
 of new acquaintance and friendship, this season of 
 inquiry and conversation about far distant and dearly 
 beloved friends, this reviving the recollections of 
 
MEMOIR OF 
 
 days and of scenes long gone by, these days of busy, 
 friendly, joyous intercourse, have greatly served to 
 revive the spirits that drooped, to refresh the body 
 that was weary, and to invigorate the mind that 
 began to flag. I came here tired of study, and tired 
 of journeying; but I begin to feel already desirous 
 to re-open my books, or resume my journies. We 
 have joined as one to praise God for bringing us to 
 this land. We have consulted freely on the meas- 
 ures to be adopted, and the difficulties we have to 
 encounter. But in the midst of our conversations, 
 singing, prayers, and reading, we often seem to for- 
 get that we are in a land of Turks, tyranny, super- 
 stition, and intolerance. I suppose we are as cheerful, 
 contented, and happy, as any little circle of friends in 
 our happy country. We have had several meetings to 
 discuss questions relative to our mission and mission- 
 ary labors. We have spent two days in fasting and 
 prayer, and we have once renewed all our vows at 
 the table of our Lord. Dear brother Parsons! ah 
 how would his tender, affectionate heart have re- 
 joiced to welcome such a company of fellow labor- 
 ers to this land. But he is happier in union with 
 the blessed above. And if, with all the imperfec- 
 tions that attend our intercourse here, Christian so- 
 ciety is still so cheering and so sweet, oh what will 
 be the joys of that day, when all the ransomed of 
 the Lord shall meet, each perfect in the image of 
 his Saviour! The hope of that cheers me, while far 
 separated from those I love. Meeting with those 
 who bear my Saviour's image, revives the hope, and 
 seems to give me a foretaste, of its fulfilment. O 
 for grace to be faithful until that perfect bliss shall 
 be obtained." 
 
 The natural history, as well as the moral condi- 
 tion, of the countries through which he travelled, 
 engaged the attention of Mr. Fisk, to whom some oi 
 the lovers of natural science in this country are in- 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 
 
 debted for a number of rare specimens of minerals, 
 and other natural curiosities from Syria and Egypt. 
 
 TO REV. PROFESSOR HALL, MIDDLEBURY COLLEGE, 
 VERMONT. 
 
 "Beyroot,May 11, 1824. 
 
 "Your truly acceptable letter I have delayed an- 
 swering till now, in order to send with my answer 
 another box of minerals. It contains a great va- 
 riety of specimens from different parts of Egypt and 
 Syria; and among others, samples of the red granite 
 and marble of Egypt, of the temples at Thebes and 
 Dendera, of the tombs of the kings at Thebes, of 
 the temple at Balbec, a piece of a mummy box, and 
 of the linen used in wrapping a mummy, a scara- 
 baeus, fruit of the doum-tree, samples of the wood 
 and fruit of the cedars of Lebanon, and of the sul- 
 phureous stones from the mountains near the Dead 
 Sea. 
 
 "I had heard very often, that on one of the summits 
 of Mount Carmel there were very curious petrifac- 
 tions of fruit. The Arabs said there were watermel- 
 ons, and many sorts of smaller fruit so perfect, that 
 at first sight you would take them for actual fruit. 
 In my late journey from Jerusalem to this place, I 
 determined to investigate this matter, and with two 
 Arabs, who knew, or at least pretended to know, 
 where the watermelons were to be found, I ascended 
 the mountain. We found no watermelons; but we 
 found in the mountain, which is formed of calcare- 
 ous stone, some very curious formations, of which 
 you will find samples in the box. 
 
 "I am not surprised, that the ignorant Arabs 
 should have mistaken them for petrified fruits. 
 Among these numerous samples I hope you will 
 find a number, which you will examine with inter- 
 est." 
 
378 MEMOIR OF 
 
 TO REV. D. H. OF W. 
 
 Beyroot, May 22, 1324. 
 
 "Your kind letter gave me much pleasure. You 
 a-re happy, and God blesses you and yours. I rejoice 
 and give thanks on your account, and pray, that you 
 may see still richer displays of divine grace in the 
 conversion of your people. Never forget, I beseech 
 you, that every individual among them, who is not 
 renewed by the Holy Spirit must perish forever un- 
 der the wrath of God. A due sense of this will 
 help you to study, converse, preach, and live, as if 
 vour great concern were to save souls. If every 
 man is bound to give all diligence to make his own 
 calling and election sure, how zealous and indefati- 
 gable ought the minister to be, who has many souls 
 committed to his care! And when we think of the 
 eternal consequences of our faithfulness, or negli- 
 gence, how awful does the subject appear! How 
 much ought we to pray for wisdom, skill, faithful- 
 ness, and holiness, that we may be able to execute 
 the great work assigned us, so as to glorify God, 
 and save men. 
 
 "I am now passing a few days, more happily than 
 you can well imagine, in the cheering society of my 
 brethren and sisters here. Mr. King and myself ar- 
 rived here worn down by study, journies, arid sick- 
 ness. We are now enjoying a little rest, and com- 
 forting ourselves with cheerful conversation. We 
 often talk of far distant friends, and among them 
 you are not forgotten. We have set apart to-day for 
 tasting and prayer, in relation to our mission. In 
 the forenoon we met, and enjoyed a season of social 
 worship. The topics proposed for conversation and 
 prayer, were these; 
 
 "1. A blessing on the labors we have already 
 performed; the Bibles and Tracts we have distribu- 
 ted; the sermons we have preached; and the^discus- 
 sions we have had with different people. 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 379 
 
 "2. A blessing on us who are now engaged in 
 the Palestine mission; that we may be preserved in 
 life and health, and be made more humble, holy, 
 faithful, wise, and in every respect better fitted for 
 our work. 
 
 "3. The increase of our number by additions 
 from America of other brethren and sisters, who 
 shall be well qualified to take part in this ministry. 
 
 "4. The effusion of the Holy Spirit and the con- 
 version of souls, in connexion with our labors. 
 
 "Each brother before prayer made observations 
 upon his branch of the subject. We are about 
 meeting again to pray for our relatives, and for the 
 seminaries, churches, and societies of America. I 
 think days of private and of social fasting are very 
 useful. An individual by himself, a family as such, 
 a small circle of friends, or a single church, may 
 ivith great advantage observe days occasionally for 
 self-abasement and humiliation before God; and if 
 they set about it with a true heart, I am sure, God 
 will bless them. I enjoyed very many precious days 
 of this kind with our lamented brother Parsons. On 
 those occasions we sometimes seemed to get quite 
 away from the world. Those were happy days, 
 which I shall never forget." 
 
 This chapter will be concluded with a letter to 
 one of his brothers, dated Beyroot, June 20, 1824. 
 
 "Since the attack of fever which I had last winter 
 at Jerusalem; I find my health and strength are not 
 so firm, as I enjoyed a few years ago. I am not sick; 
 can sleep as quietly, and take my meals with as 
 good a relish as I ever did; and I can study, though 
 not so intently as once. But I cannot walk, or 
 make any bodily exertion, without much fatigue. 
 In a word, I feel the effects of the journies and la- 
 bors of the last four years; and of so many changes 
 of climate, habits, and circumstances. I think it 
 my duty to take all the care I can of my health; 
 and I have consequently spent the last six weeks 
 
380 MEMOIR OF 
 
 here in the society of my missionary brethren and 
 sisters. This has been a very quiet and agreeable 
 season to me. I am now about going to Der el Ka- 
 mer on Mount Lebanon, and thence probably to 
 Damascus. But I do not intend to proceed in my 
 journies or studies farther or faster than my health 
 and strength will allow. Pray for me that I may 
 have grace to devote all the strength, which God 
 gives me, to his service; that my life, so long as it 
 is spared, may be his; and that, when called to die, 
 I may be found ready. I have a consoling hope, 
 that my peace is made with God, and am not usually 
 distressed with serious doubts on the subject. But 
 I want more love to Christ, and a more lively faith. 
 Often I discover new corruptions in my heart, and 
 see more and more need of sanctifying grace. 
 How difficult it is to avoid sins, which have become 
 habitual, or to begin the performance of duties, 
 which we have habitually neglected. I beseech 
 you, live near to Christ. Pray much. Do all you 
 can to win your neighbors to Christ." 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 JOURNEY TO THE PRINCIPAL CITIES IN THE NORTH 
 OF SYRIA, RESIDENCE AT JAFFA AND JERUSALEM, 
 AND FINAL RETURN TO BEYROOT. 
 
 THE compiler in preparing this chapter has 
 pend on the information communicated by Mr. King, 
 who was with Mr. F. during most of this time. Mr. 
 F. forwarded his journal for this period, but un- 
 fortunately it miscarried; or it has fallen perhaps 
 into the hands of Greek pirates. 
 
 On the 22d of June ] 824, he joined Mr. King at 
 Der el Kamer, and on the 24th set out with him for 
 Damascus in company with Mr. Cook.* Their way 
 
 *A Missionary from the Wesleyan Methodist Missionary Society, 
 England. 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 381 
 
 was over Mount Lebanon, from the summit of which 
 the descent was steep, leading to the beautiful 
 plain of Coelo-Syria. After eight or nine hours ride, 
 they reached the foot of the mountain, and in anoth- 
 er hour they came to a khan, where they concluded 
 to spend the night. The khan was so infested with 
 vermin, that they resorted to a booth, made of green 
 bushes, fitted up on the banks of the river Lietani, 
 in which they spread their couches; and called for 
 supper. 
 
 On the 25th they resumed their journey, and 
 passing over Anti-Libanus, and through some small 
 villages, arrived at Deemas, after a journey of nearly 
 nine hours and a half. Here they found lodgings 
 in the house of a Mussulman, and were furnished 
 with leban and milk, and bread baked, with the 
 dung of sheep and goats. See Ezekiel iv. 15. 
 
 The next morning between two and three o'clock 
 they left Deemas, and in about four hours came in 
 sight of the great city, DAMASCUS, which with the 
 surrounding country, was enveloped with a thin 
 haze or smoke, exhibiting the appearance of the 
 country around the Dead Sea They soon reached 
 the large plain in which the city is situated, and ad- 
 vanced towards the gate, through gardens of ches- 
 nut, olive, and fig-trees, apricots and vines. 
 
 On reaching the gate they all dismounted, except 
 Mr. K. who was soon ordered by an armed Turk to 
 do the same, as no Christian is allowed to ride with- 
 in the city. It was with some difficulty that lodg- 
 ings were found, as letters had been received by the 
 highest ecclesiastical authorities, ordering them not 
 to admit to their convents any of those men who 
 distributed Bibles. They left their baggage in the 
 street, and after walking about the city two hours 
 and a half, a miserable room infested with vermin, 
 was obtained, in which they might remain over the 
 Sabbath. On the same day towards evening a num- 
 ber of priests called on them, one of whom a Ma- 
 
382 MEMOIR OF 
 
 ronite, showed them special attention, and introduced 
 them to comfortable lodgings in the house of Aboo 
 Ibrahema, a Maronite. 
 
 As one object which Mr. F. had in view in going 
 to Damascus, was to avail himself of the favorable 
 opportunities there enjoyed for studying Arabic, he 
 soon employed an instructer, at whose feet he and 
 Mr. K. sat in oriental style, and received their les- 
 sons. 
 
 On the afternoon of July 10th, they rode out to 
 Mount Kaisoon on the north and north-west to Da- 
 mascus, and ascended to a station near where, it is 
 said, Mahommed took his first view of the city, with 
 which he was so enchanted, that he would not enter 
 it; observing, that there was but one paradise for 
 man, and he was determined not to have his upon 
 earth. 
 
 Damascus, which Mr. Wolff calls "the fanatic 
 town" as seen from the elevated position taken by 
 the missionaries, is thus described by Mr. K. "You 
 see a great city thickly set with houses of a whitish 
 appearance, which have very little to distinguish 
 them from each other. The minarets, of which 
 there may be seventy or eighty, with here and there 
 a tall cyprus, rising above the houses, are the only 
 things which break in upon the uniformity. This 
 whitish city you see in the midst of a large wood, 
 about fifty miles in circumference, with little variety 
 except what arises from the dark green of the ches- 
 nuts, and the dark mournful appearance of the pop- 
 lars and olives. In the skirts of the wood is to be 
 seen here and there a little village, with a mosque. 
 This wood, which actually consists of an immense 
 number of gardens and orchards, lies in a great 
 p ] a in, surrounded by chains of hills and mountains." 
 According to the best information which could 
 be obtained, the population of Damascus amounts 
 to 150,000; of whom 10,000 are nominally Christians, 
 and about 3,000 Jews, the rest Mussulmans. Mr, 
 
REV. PLINY FI5&- 383 
 
 Wolff when there, estimated the population at 
 200,000. While in this city opportunities occurred 
 for discussing religious subjects with Jews, Greeks, 
 and Mussulmans; and for the circulation of the 
 Scriptures, notwithstanding the interdiction of the 
 pope and the opposition of his priests. 
 
 July 17, 1824. Mr. Fisk with his companion left 
 Damascus for Aleppo; Mr. Cook having previously 
 returned to Bey root. They went with a caravan, 
 which consisted of about 200 persons and 250 ani- 
 mals. At night they encamped on the banks of a 
 small river in open air. 
 
 The following day they proceeded on their jour- 
 ney, till the intensity of a summer heat obliged them 
 to stop; and as they could not be accommodated 
 with a house where to' rest, they entered an enclos- 
 ure of mulberry trees, which afforded a small shade, 
 and there they sat down and spent the remainder of 
 the day. In conversation with a moslem from Da- 
 mascus it was found that an impression prevailed 
 with some Mussulmans, that Constantinople is to be 
 taken by the Christians in 1240 of the Hegira.* 
 
 They arose on the 19th at 12 A. M. to avoid the 
 heat, and travelled till half past nine o'clock, A.M. 
 when they encamped near a village, called Nebeck, 
 by the side of the tomb of a shekh, where they found 
 a large, clear, cool stream of water. After consid- 
 erable debate, they were permitted to enter the en- 
 closure of the tomb, and rest under the shade of a 
 tree, which was preoccupied by Turks. In the af- 
 ternoon the pasha of Tripoli arrived with a retinue 
 of about 200 persons, on his way to meet the pil- 
 grims who return from Mecca, in order to supply 
 them with provisions. As he encamped likewise 
 near the tomb, Mr. Fisk and his company concluded, 
 it was best to remove. They were now obliged to 
 take seat in the open air, which was filled with sand 
 and dust, and heated with the intense rays of the 
 * A. D. 1S6. 
 
384 MEMOIR OF 
 
 sun. Early on the 20th they resumed their journey, 
 and lodged the night following at Kara, where, 
 after having encamped, they were visited by a 
 number of Mussulmans, with whom they had a 
 discussion about the Mahommedan faith. In the 
 night they were disturbed by the firing of guns, and 
 the cry of "robbers," which proved however to be 
 a false alarm. 
 
 On the 21st and 22d they proceeded as usual, 
 setting off from their encampment very early in the 
 morning, and resting during the hours, when the 
 heat was most oppressive. They had spirited relig- 
 ious discussions with the principal Mahommedans 
 in the caravan, feeling it to be their duty to vindi- 
 cate before all the cause of Christ. 
 
 They left Hooms on the 23d, which they speak 
 of as being a pleasant city, and favorable for a sum- 
 mer residence. After five hours ride they encamped 
 on the banks of a river in a deep valley, not far dis- 
 tant from an encampment of Bedouins. At half 
 past four the next day, they resumed their journey, 
 and by ten o'clock arrived at Hamah, supposed to 
 be the Hamath of the Scriptures, a little distance 
 from which they set themselves down in the dust. 
 Here they called on the principal Greek priest, who 
 was found friendly to the distribution of the Scrip- 
 tures. According to his statement it was judged, 
 that there were 25 or 30,000 inhabitants in that 
 city, a thousand of whom were Christians of the 
 Greek church. 
 
 On the 25th, their caravan was increased by one 
 from Tripoli, so that the whole consisted of be- 
 tween three and four hundred persons. While on 
 their way the cry, "Auwafee! auwafee!" (safety) was 
 set up by some of the men, and the whole body 
 stopped. It was rumored, that horsemen were seen 
 on the distant hills, and that there was danger from 
 robbers. After some delay they moved, and soon 
 were visited by two Bedouins, who on their fleet 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 385 
 
 horses rode backward and forward by the side of 
 the caravan, as if to take the number, and then 
 giving reins to their horses, returned to the hills 
 without disclosing the object of their excursion. 
 After a tedious journey they encamped at Shekhoon, 
 where they found a caravan from Aleppo. There 
 was neither tree nor rock to shelter them from a 
 burning sun, whose rays were reflected from all 
 quarters, while the wind, almost as hot as that of the 
 desert, whirled clouds of dust and sand over them, 
 with which they were soon covered. In this dreary 
 situation they sat down to spend the day. Finding 
 it almost impossible to remain thus, they endeavored 
 to screen themselves in part from the dust and wind, 
 by fastening sheets to one side of their tent. Here 
 they ate their dinner, which consisted of bread and 
 leban; but soon their dishes were covered with dust. 
 It was the Sabbath; and their thoughts reverted 
 back to their native land, where the happy multi- 
 tudes were going up to the house of God; while 
 they like exiles were sitting in the sand, scorched 
 by the sun, weakened by burning winds, with noth- 
 ing to eat but sour milk; and bread dried by the 
 heat of eight or ten days. 
 
 On Monday they proceeded on their toilsome 
 way, and stopped at a village, where they wit- 
 nessed the ruins of the great earthquake, which 
 happened two years previous to that time. 
 
 On Tuesday 27th they travelled about four hours, 
 and rinding a comfortable place to rest for the day 
 in the house of a Mussulman, they stopped, and 
 availed themselves of the opportunity. Here they 
 obtained some fresh provisions. Early on the fol- 
 lowing morning they set off on their journey, and 
 soon were joined by a large caravan from Lattakia. 
 An addition to their number at this time relieved 
 them from the fears, which they would have had 
 during this day's journey, as it was considered the 
 most perilous part of the way, they had to travel. 
 33 
 
386 MEMOIR OF 
 
 Travellers in the vicinity, through which they were 
 passing that day, were often attacked and robbed 
 by Arabs. After twelve hours ride they had the sat- 
 isfaction of reaching Aleppo, where they met with 
 a very kind reception from Mr. Barker, the British 
 consul, at whose house they remained several days. 
 
 The arrival of these missionaries produced in that 
 city an immediate alarm among the Mussulman au- 
 thorities; and on the very next day the consul re- 
 ceived a message from the pasha, stating that a 
 firman had been received by him, prohibiting the 
 distribution of the Holy Scriptures among the grand 
 signer's subjects. This was supposed to have been 
 done through the agency of Roman Catholics. And 
 thus was accomplished the apocalyptic prediction, 
 that the Beast and the False Prophet would form an 
 alliance. Rev. xvii, 14; xix, 11 21. 
 
 August 4th Mr. Fisk took lodgings in the house 
 of an Arab of the Greek church. As soon as a 
 suitable instructer could be procured, he resumed 
 the study of Arabic. 
 
 TO REV. MR. TEMPLE, MALTA. 
 
 "Aleppo, Sept. 11, 1824. 
 
 "Mr. King and myself are now living quite among 
 Arabs, he in one family and I in another, busily 
 engaged in learning the language, and in conversing 
 with individuals and families. I have had a slight 
 attack of fever since my arrival here, but am now 
 in tolerably good health. The heat has been very 
 oppressive; the thermometer for a considerable time 
 from 94 to 96. Now it is only at 84 or 85*, 
 and we begin to think this very comfortable 
 weather. 
 
 "Possibly you may have heard, before this reaches 
 you, of the extraordinary firman which has been 
 issued by the sultan relative to the distribution of 
 
RET. PLINY FISK. 387 
 
 the Scriptures. This firman forbids the introduc- 
 tion into the country of the Scriptures printed in 
 Europe, and commands, that wherever any of them 
 are found, they be taken and burnt, and that all 
 such as arrive at the custom houses hereafter be sent 
 back to Europe. Now this looks very formidable, 
 for if the firman is strictly obeyed, the introduc- 
 tion of the Scriptures into the country must be effec- 
 tually prevented. I have, however, strong confi- 
 dence, (though 1 hardly know why,) that the effect 
 will not be so extensive and unpleasant as might 
 at first thought, be anticipated. The pasha of this 
 place, on receiving the firman, gave notice to Mr. 
 Barker, and four or five cases of books, which had 
 just arrived and were still in the custom house were 
 detained; but the depot, which Mr. Benjamin Bar- 
 ker had opened here for the sale of the Scriptures- 
 was not molested. The kadi gave orders that proc- 
 lamation be made in the churches, requiring all who 
 possessed any of these books to deliver them up to 
 him. It is a fact worthy of notice, that he did not 
 send this order to the Greeks, but only to the dif- 
 ferent churches that are subject to the pope. We 
 have reason to believe that a great number of Cath- 
 olics in Aleppo are in possession of these books; 
 but according to the best information I can obtain, 
 only four have been given up to the kadi. 
 
 "I have to-day seen a Greek priest from Killis, a 
 town twelve hours from this place, on the way to 
 Armenia. He informs me that a short time since, a 
 copy of the firman was received there, in conse- 
 quence of which the Turks went to the churches, 
 took possession of all the books they could find, ar- 
 rested the priests, and himself among the rest. They 
 were kept in confinement only one day and then 
 dismissed, and the books, after a slight examination, 
 were all restored. None of the Bible Society's 
 books had been distributed in Killis, but there were, 
 among the books in the church, Testaments and 
 
388 
 
 MEMOIR OF 
 
 Psalters, printed in England, and distributed her? 
 nearly one hundred years ago by Mr. Sherman, an 
 English merchant of Aleppo, which were all restored 
 with the other books. You will perhaps be sur- 
 prised, I am sure you will be pleased, to hear that 
 this priest, notwithstanding all that has happened, 
 is anxious to receive a Bible, and has pleaded his 
 poverty, and the fact that there is not a single Bible 
 among the Greeks in Killis, till I have resolved to 
 give him the only Arabic Bible I have with me. It 
 is scarcely possible that such a firman should not, 
 for a time, interrupt and impede our work. We do 
 not know what the result will be. But we do know, 
 and it is enough for us to know, that the counsel of 
 the Lord standeth forever, and he will do all his 
 pleasure. Knowing this, let us diligently do our 
 duty, and patiently await the event. 
 
 "I have been reflecting on the practicability and 
 expediency of attempting to procure the necessary 
 apparatus for lithography, and intend to consult my 
 brethren at Beyroot on the subject, when I return 
 there. We might in this way publish Tracts in the 
 country, and probably in a style that would be more 
 acceptable to the people of the country than printed 
 Tracts. 
 
 "I hope our patrons will, before long, send help- 
 ers both to you and us. In the best time the long 
 expected reinforcements will arrive. May they all 
 come with a right spirit, and may we be prepared 
 to receive them and labor with them in a right spirit. 
 The concerns of our mission are more and more 
 complicated and difficult: opposition is showing it- 
 self in many forms, circumstances call for the exer- 
 cise of much wisdom, but above all for a humble 
 reliance on the guidance and protection of Heaven. 
 Be not intimidated at any of the things that have 
 happened to us; for the Lord of Hosts is our refuge. 
 Let us not fear what man can do to us. I hope you 
 are both growing in grace, and find increasing com* 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 389 
 
 fort and peace in communion with God. How com- 
 forting it is to seek relief from cares and trouble, 
 and from the bustle of business and the vexations of 
 the world, by retiring to commit all to God, and to 
 find support and peace in his kind and sure prom- 
 ises. How comforting to find the new man gaining 
 strength in our souls, to feel our hearts yielding 
 more and more to divine love, to be sensible that God 
 is our Father, and Christ our Saviour, and the Holy 
 Spirit our Sanctifier and Comforter. Happy the 
 man who retires, after discharging the duties of the 
 day, and, with a melting heart, confesses his sins and 
 imperfections, commends himself and his fellow- 
 men to Divine mercy, and lies down to sleep with a 
 mind sweetly composed, and with his thoughts de- 
 voutly fixed on heaven and on God." 
 
 October 10th, a slight shock of an earthquake 
 was felt, such shocks having been constantly felt at 
 different intervals, ever since the terrible one of 
 1822. During his residence in Aleppo Mr. Fisk and 
 his fellow laborer preached alternately every Sab- 
 bath, at the house of the British consul, till Sep- 
 tember 20th, when Mr. Lewis arrived from Beyroot. 
 Frequent opportunities were improved for convers- 
 ing with Arabs on religious subjects. 
 
 After a residence of about eight weeks in Aleppo, 
 Mr. Fisk left the city for Beyroot in company with 
 Mr. King, and Messrs. Lewis arrd Madox. On the 
 27th they reached the interesting city, Antioch, where 
 the disciples were first called Christians. They 
 entered by the gate of St. Paul, and pursued their 
 way half an hour through a pleasant avenue, wind- 
 ing among trees and gardens, which cover the spot 
 where the splendid city once stood. The remains 
 of an ancient wall, with which it was formerly sur- 
 rounded, were still visible. A little distance west- 
 ward the beautiful Orontes was seen, winding aIong 
 towards the Mediterranean. The present city is 
 33* 
 
390 MEMOIR OP 
 
 called Antakia, which is supposed to occupy the 
 southern site of the ancient city, and to contain four 
 or five thousand inhabitants. Here they took lodg- 
 ing for the night with an Arab. 
 
 The first thing which arrested their attention on 
 approaching this city, was the ruins of the terrible 
 earthquake of 1822. Walls, mosques, and houses 
 were seen lying prostrate in every direction, filling 
 the streets with ruins. A few Christians were found 
 here, who are driven to the forlorn extremity of using 
 a little grotto in the side of a mountain as a place 
 of worship. Such was the condition of that once 
 apostolic church, which, at one time was called 
 "the eye of the eastern churches." And such too 
 was the fallen state of the city, which once stood 
 the emporium of Grecian affluence; the seat of 
 Roman grandeur; and in point of importance the 
 third city in the world. 
 
 On the 29th they passed the Orontes on horse- 
 back, and soon came to mountains, which they had 
 to ascend by a steep, narrow, craggy path, alter- 
 nately ascending and descending. The sound of 
 distant thunder admonished them of rain, which soon 
 fell in torrents, and continued five hours. After 
 travelling eight hours, they came to a little moun- 
 tainous village, and found lodgings in the cottage 
 of a shekh, a miserable hovel, occupied in part by 
 mules and horses. Here they found a fire-place, an 
 unusual appendage of the rooms in that country; 
 and after "gathering a bundle of sticks, they kin- 
 dled a fire because of the present rain, and because 
 of the cold." The shekh and his son "showed 
 them no little kindness," and as a reward Mr. Fisk 
 gave to each a New Testament. 
 
 The following day, which was unusually fine, they 
 proceeded on their pilgrimage among beautiful hills 
 and dales, clothed with refreshing verdure, crowned 
 with waving pines, and irrigated by little stream- 
 lets, which came gushing and winding from their 
 
REV. PLINY F1SK. 391 
 
 replenished fountains. Gaining the height of the 
 mountains, they commanded a delightful prospect 
 of the sea. After travelling thirteen hours over this 
 rough and rugged, but romantic road, they arrived 
 at Lattakia, situated in a great plain. 
 
 From this place they sought means of conveyance 
 to Tripoli; but found no one who would furnish 
 horses. The country, through which they had to 
 pass, was considered dangerous on account of the 
 hostility which existed between the Ansareah and 
 the Mussulmans. After several unavailing attempts 
 to procure animals, they concluded to go to Tripoli 
 by water. At sun-down, Nov. 2d, they set sail, 
 wind ahead, and a heavy storm coming on; and after 
 toiling all night, they ordered the boat to put in for 
 the shore. They landed at a place called Banias, 
 where they found a khan, in which they sat down 
 to repose, and take refreshment. Soon their repose 
 was disturbed by the abrupt intrusion of six or eight 
 armed Turks, commissioned, as was conjectured, 
 by the new pasha of Tripoli, for some bloody mes- 
 sage to the people of Lattakia. On seeing one of 
 the company reclining in an easy, but according to 
 oriental good-breeding, an awkward position, a 
 Turk insolently bade him sit up, saying, "You are 
 before Mussulmans." Mr. Fisk sternly ordered him 
 away. After venting a storm of abusive language, 
 the Turks mounted their horses and departed. 
 
 Having provided themselves with horses and at- 
 tendants, as well as they were able, our travellers 
 set out on their journey by land. They had pro- 
 ceeded but a short distance before the rain began to 
 descend, accompanied with vivid lightning and 
 heavy thunder. No house was on their way, night 
 closed in upon them, and it was three hours ride to 
 the village, towards which they were bound. Being 
 drenched with rain they turned up to the mountains, 
 to seek some house, where they might spend the 
 night. With a Turk to guide them, they knew not 
 
392 MEMOIR OP 
 
 whither, they reached a little village of hovels, at 
 one of which they called. An old man with a 
 white beard came to the door, who after refusing 
 them entrance, and talking loudly and boisterously, 
 at last consented to let them go in. They found 
 the room half filled with cotton; a lamb lying before 
 the fire; two cows standing in one corner; and the 
 family, consisting of seven or eight persons, occu- 
 pying another corner, which was vacated, and appro- 
 priated to the use of the missionaries. Thankful for 
 having found a refuge from the raging storm, they 
 sat down soaked with rain, placing their baggage 
 under and around them. They increased the fire; 
 but as there was no chimney to convey off the smoke, 
 they found their situation very uncomfortable. With 
 eyes running down with tears, they ate their supper, 
 and endeavored, as well as they could, to take some 
 rest. Mr. Fisk was able to sleep, while the others, 
 from whom sleep had fled, passed the time in con- 
 versing with the family, who were found to belong 
 to the Greek church. 
 
 Having procured a little milk, they made their 
 coffee, and proceeded again, Nov. 4th, on their 
 journey, giving the old patriarch, whose name was 
 Abraham, a few piasters for lodging them. The vil- 
 lages flocked out to see them,wishing them a blessing, 
 and a happy journey. After travelling three hours 
 and a half, they reached Tartoos, the ancient Tar- 
 tosa, and took lodgings in a room furnished for them 
 by the governor of the village. His Mussulman ex- 
 cellency called on the missionaries, and towards 
 evening sent them an invitation to dine, which was 
 accepted. He stood among the servants in waiting, 
 in honor of his guests. See Luke xii. 37. 
 
 They set out for Tripoli at 8 o'clock next morn- 
 ing. on their way surveyed the ruins of an old 
 church, which once must have been a noble edifice. 
 Their Turkish guide, who led them up the moun- 
 tains, amused them with a fabulous history of the 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 393 
 
 ancient Tartosa. His conduct towards them, from 
 the time he fell into their company, was peculiarly 
 civil and obliging. As they were unacquainted 
 with the country, he accompanied them without 
 being solicited; and for this purpose went several 
 hours out of his way. And as the road from Tar- 
 tosa to Tripoli was dangerous for strangers, he 
 went on with them, till they came in sight of the 
 city to which they were destined. And for his very 
 acceptable services he asked no reward. And when 
 they made him a small present, he received it grate- 
 fully, and left them, satisfied with his compensation. 
 
 Coming to the river Abrash, they passed it in safety 
 by the help of a hardy Bedouin. The last part 
 of this day's journey the rain overtook them, the 
 roads were muddy, and their progress was slow. 
 At a late hour in the evening they came to the gate 
 of Tripoli, which they found shut. But in a few 
 minutes it was opened by the Turks, and greatly 
 fatigued, after twelve hours ride, they were kindly 
 entertained at the house of the British consular 
 agent. Here they waited with anxiety till their bag- 
 gage came to hand. 
 
 On the 12th they made preparation to resume their 
 journey, and the day following by travelling fifteen 
 hours, they once more reached in safety Beyroot, 
 and were joyfully welcomed by the missionary 
 brethren there. Mr. Fisk left this place about the 
 20th of June, and had been absent nearly five 
 months; during much of this time he was occupied 
 in arduous and perilous travels. While absent to 
 see what could be done to advance the kingdom of 
 Christ, he found principalities and powers, rulers of 
 the darkness of this world, and spiritual wickedness 
 in high places leagued to oppose his efforts. But 
 having set up his banner in the name of his God, 
 he felt a strong conviction, that though the conflict 
 might be sharp, the victory was sure. Wherever 
 
394 MEMOIR OF 
 
 he went, he could discern the face of the mortu 
 heavens, and was led often to reflect how, 
 
 "The lowering battle forms 
 
 Its terrible array, 
 
 Like clashing clouds in mountain storms, 
 
 That thunder on their way." 
 
 After resting awhile at Beyroot, Mr. Fisk expect- 
 ed to return and spend the winter at Jerusalem. 
 Instead of proceeding immediately to that station, 
 he and Mr. King took up their residence in Jaffa; 
 whither after having made some missionary excur- 
 sions in the vicinity, they arrived January 29, 1825. 
 While they remained in this city, singular reports 
 were circulated respecting them among both Chris- 
 tians and Mussulmans. It was reported, that they 
 induced people to embrace their faith by money; 
 and that each conversion cost ten piastres, which 
 the convert received, and which would always re- 
 main with him, however much he might spend. It 
 was reported, that they took the picture of every 
 convert to their faith, and that incase of subsequent 
 apostacy, by shooting the picture, the person would 
 die. 
 
 The man, in whose house they lodged, said to 
 them one day, that a moslem told him, that he un- 
 derstood, the men whom he lodged hired people to 
 worship the devil, and inquired, if it were true; 
 saying that if it were, he would come and join the 
 company, and bring a hundred others with him. 
 "What, would you worship the devil?" said Signor 
 D. "Yes, for the sake of money," replied the mos- 
 lem. 
 
 By some it was reported, that they had caused a 
 great shaking in the city, meaning a moral commo- 
 tion; while among Mussulmans it was said; that 
 they had actually caused an earthquake; and that 
 the great earthquake at Aleppo was to be attributed 
 to their influence. Two learned sheiks came one 
 day to Mr. Fisk's teacher to ascertain, whether it 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 395 
 
 were true, that Messrs. Fisk and King had caused 
 an earthquake. While at Jaffa they were engaged 
 in study and missionary labors. Religious worship 
 was kept up on the Sabbath, and an audience from 
 six to twenty usually attended the service. 
 
 TO THE REV. A. B. OF S. 
 
 Jaffa, March 20, 1825. 
 
 "Yours of February 28th and May 29th, reached 
 me at Beyroot, Jan. 6th, while I was passing a 
 little time happily with Mr. and Mrs. Goodell. 
 Your letter was one of a parcel brought from Malta 
 by Dr. and Mrs. Dalton, missionaries from the Lon- 
 don Jews Society. You do not know what happi- 
 ness we enjoy, when we are allowed to welcome new 
 fellow laborers to the field. Suppose you and Mr. 
 P. were the only ministers in Massachusetts; would 
 you not rejoice exceedingly to know, that a third 
 was coming to join you? Mr. King preaches now 
 on the Sabbath in Arabic. Only a few attend, but 
 these few pretend to be very much pleased with 
 what they hear, and to believe that it is all true; 
 and yet no impression seems to be made. We 
 prove to them that to pray to saints is idolatry. 
 They admit it, and go and pray to saints. We 
 prove to them, that Jesus Christ is the only Media- 
 tor. They admit it, and go and ask the Virgin Mary 
 to intercede for them. We prove to them, that con- 
 fession of sin should be made to God and not to the 
 priest, and that God only can grant pardon. They 
 say this is true, and go and confess to the priest, 
 and get him to absolve them. We prove to them, 
 that God has forbidden the use of pictures and 
 images in his worship. They pretend to be con- 
 vinced, and go and kiss the pictures and bow before 
 the images. 
 
 "I do not mean to say that all, with whom we 
 converse, thus readily admit the truth of what we 
 
396 MEMOIR OF 
 
 advance. On the contrary many of them dispute 
 vociferously, outrageously, dogmatically, and angri- 
 ly. *Go shew thyself to the priest,' proves the duty 
 of auricular confession. l Thou art Peter' &c., proves 
 that the pope is infallible, that priests can forgive 
 sin, that no man can be saved out of the papal 
 church, and whatever else they wish to prove from 
 it. These disputants talk so much, so loud, so fast, 
 so incoherently, so indistinctly, so foolishly, and so 
 absurdly, that one needs the patience of Job, the 
 meekness of Moses, and the wisdom of Solomon, in 
 order to dispute with them. To convict them of a 
 direct palpable contradiction does not embarrass 
 them at all. They can shift their ground, recal or 
 contradict what they have said, give new meanings, 
 or double meanings, or no meaning to their lan- 
 guage; assert without proving, attempt to prove 
 without explaining, explain without understanding, 
 admit a point then deny it, talk on any subject, an- 
 swer any question, and amidst a jargon of stupidity 
 and nonsense, say some very shrewd things. They 
 are, in general, everlasting talkers. Serious medi- 
 tation and profound thinking are quite out of the 
 question. With such a people what avails logic, 
 or science, exegesis, or eloquence? They look for a 
 fluent tongue, strong lungs, and a commanding 
 countenance. In whatever way I come in contact 
 with the minds of men in this country; it seems like 
 walking among the scattered walls and fallen col- 
 umns of its ancient cities. All is ruin, confusion, 
 and desolation. It is an open valley, full of bones 
 they are many, and lo! they are very dry. 'Can 
 these dry bones live'") Yes; when the spirit of God 
 shall breathe upon them, they shall live, and stand 
 up an exceeding great army. O come the happy 
 day. May we live to see it." 
 
 March 29th, they set out for Jerusalem from 
 Pvamla, where they arrived from Jaffa the previous 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 
 
 397 
 
 day. In the evening they reached the gate of the 
 city, and were met by several Greeks, who came 
 out with lanterns to welcome them to their convent. 
 They were informed, that when their coming was 
 announced, prayers were offered for them by the 
 Greek priests. Such a reception was truly cheering 
 after the trouble anticipated 6n account of the Ot- 
 toman firman, and the strong enmity of the Roman 
 Catholics. 
 
 The pasha of Damascus, with two or three thou- 
 sand soldiers, arrived April 1st, to collect tribute. 
 His arrival was ever considered the precursor of op- 
 pression and distress, and of the days of vengeance. 
 
 Towards evening on the anniversary of the cruci- 
 fixion, Mr. Fisk and companions went to the church 
 of the Holy Sepulchre, to witnesss the idolatrous 
 worship of the Catholics. There were delivered, as 
 is usual on this occasion, seven sermons: The first 
 in the chapel of the Roman Catholics The second 
 at the place where, it is said, the garments of our 
 Lord were divided The third where he was beaten 
 The fourth where he was nailed to the cross. 
 Here a cross was laid on the floor, and a wooden 
 image about the size of a small babe attached to it. 
 Thence it was carried to the place where it is sup- 
 posed to have stood, and there planted; when anoth- 
 er sermon was delivered. After the sermon the 
 representative of Joseph of Arimathea came, took 
 down the image, wrapped it in fine linen cloth, and 
 carried it to the stone of unction, to be anointed; 
 after which another sermon was delivered. The 
 preacher broke out in apostrophes and prosopopei- 
 as, addressing stars, rocks, angels, Jews, &c. From 
 this place the image was carried to the sepulchre 
 and laid in the tomb, at the door of which the sev- 
 enth sermon was preached, and the tragic scene 
 concluded. 
 
 Thus do the paganized Christians of that country 
 "crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put 
 34 
 
398 
 
 MEMOIR OF 
 
 him to an open sharne," on Mount Calvary, in the 
 house of God, and at the very place, where once 
 he suffered; while the Mussulman and Jew "pass by 
 and revile him, wagging their heads." 
 
 Mr. Fisk, and his friend Mr. King, in company 
 with Dr. Dalton, Vho had just arrived fromBeyroot, 
 held the Monthly Concert of prayer on the Mount 
 of Olives. Portions of Scripture were read, hymns 
 sung, and prayers successively offered for Jews, Mus- 
 sulmans, and the Christians of Jerusalem, for their 
 friends, the societies by which they were employed; 
 the churches; for kings, for pagan nations, and for the 
 whole world. Towards the close of this interesting 
 service they were interrupted by armed Turks, who 
 rudely ordered them to keep silence. One threat- 
 ened to strike Mr. Fisk with his gun; and fears were 
 indulged, that violence would be used by these vile 
 intruders. 
 
 On returning to Jerusalem; it was found that the 
 pasha's soldiers had been about the city, breaking 
 open houses, taking men prisoners, binding them, 
 beating them, and thrusting them into prison. The 
 whole city was filled with consternation. The poor 
 Greeks had most to fear. Their countenances were 
 pale with terror, and they were literally in tears. 
 The scenes which were witnessed, while these Turk- 
 ish marauders prowled around the city, were such 
 as caused the heart to sicken, and humanity to shud- 
 der, and exclaim; 
 
 My ear is pained, 
 
 My soul is sick, with every day's report 
 
 Of wrong and outrage, with which earth is filled. 
 
 There is no flesh in man's obdurate heart, 
 
 It does not feel for man; the natural bond 
 
 Of brotherhood is severed." 
 
 The following instance of torture is related, as a 
 specimen of others. The Superior of the Greek 
 convent of Mar Elias was seized, and bastinadoed 
 under the pretence, that he knew of concealed 
 treasures, which he would not open to the pasha. 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 399 
 
 He was raised by his feet, which were confined be- 
 tween a cord and a pole, till his head rested on the 
 ground. In this position ten men fell to beating him 
 on the soles of his feet with staves, which they 
 clenched with both hands, so as to strike the harder. 
 After these had beat him awhile, ten fresh hands 
 were called. Thus they were changed four times, 
 so that forty were employed in beating him, till they 
 had inflicted five hundred blows, when they left him 
 on the ground, bare-headed, in the open air, with- 
 out any sustenance but water. After permission 
 was obtained to bring him to the convent, Dr. Dai- 
 ton was called, and went immediately to his relief. 
 He found his feet greatly swollen, and bruised to a 
 pulp. 
 
 In the midst of these fearful commotions Mr. Fisk 
 prosecuted his work under the protection of Heaven, 
 and never despaired of the ultimate triumph of the 
 truth in those dark regions, which were filled with 
 ignorance, superstition, violence, and blood. On 
 the Sabbath, he occasionally preached to a small 
 congregation made up sometimes of Greek priests, 
 Jews, and Catholics. 
 
 The country about Jerusalem being in a tumultu- 
 ous state, it was considered advisable for the pres- 
 ent, to leave Jerusalem, and retire to Beyroot. But 
 there was no little hazard in setting off on the journey 
 at that time. The pasha of Damascus arrested Abel 
 Er Rahman, and demanded a large sum as his ran- 
 som. His brother, the notorious Aboo Ghoosh, at 
 the head of a party of soldiers resolved to collect it 
 by force of arms, if it could be obtained by no other 
 means. He demanded the sum of the convents to 
 pay the pasha. He proclaimed his determination 
 not to permit the roads in that vicinity to be travel- 
 led in safety, till every para of the sum was received. 
 
 A consultation was held upon the expediency of 
 going before there should be an adjustment of the 
 affairs between Aboo Ghoosh and the convents, re- 
 
400 
 
 MEMOIR OF 
 
 specting the money demanded of him for his brothers 
 ransom. They finally concluded to go at all events. 
 Accordingly their muleteers were ordered to be in 
 readiness. A part of the company immediately 
 proceeded on their way. But Mr. Fisk and his 
 fellow laborer were detained, on account of the 
 animals, which they had engaged, not being brought 
 till evening. Those who went, were obliged to 
 hire at a dear rate an escort of soldiers from Aboo 
 Ghoosh. About sunset Mr. Fisk, and those who 
 were detained with him from commencing their 
 journey, received the intelligence, that their being 
 delayed was a favorable circumstance, as the af- 
 fairs between Aboo Ghoosh and the convents were 
 in a train for settlement; so that there would be 
 no difficulty in proceeding to Ramla, a village 
 of which he was governor, and through which 
 they must pass in going from Jerusalem. As it was 
 late in the week, they concluded to remain over 
 the Sabbath. In the afternoon Mr. Fisk preached 
 in Greek. The day was one of peculiar interest, 
 as much so as any one which they had enjoyed in 
 Jerusalem. This was Mr. Fisk's last labor in the 
 Holy City. He had the opportunity on that occa- 
 sion to preach the Gospel to ten priests of the Greek 
 order. 
 
 On the morning of May 9th their mules were 
 brought, and just as they were ready to set out, 
 Aboo Ghoosh, much to their surprise, entered the 
 convent where they were, and sternly said; "Why 
 were you afraid to come to my village'?" After 
 conversing with them a few moments, and receiving 
 some trifling presents, he became pleasant; and 
 calling for ink and paper, wrote for them a letter of 
 introduction to his brother. 
 
 "Our Brother, Abel Er Rahman, may God, ex- 
 alted be he, preserve him. Amen. We make 
 known to you, that our friends, the English, are 
 going from this quarter. Our desire from you is, 
 
REV. PLINY F1SX. 401 
 
 that you honor them, and that you do assuredly 
 stand up for their rest, and that you be not burden- 
 some to them. . 
 
 "We command you, and peace, friend, 
 
 "IBRAHEEM ABOO GrHOOSH." 
 
 With this letter they set out without any guard 
 except their muleteers, and passed on without mo- 
 lestation where most danger had been apprehended. 
 The man, whose power they most dreaded, came 
 to them at the moment when about to proceed on 
 their journey, showed himself friendly, and gave 
 them a letter which would serve as a safe passport 
 on their way towards Ramla. In this they could 
 not but devoutly and gratefully recognize the good 
 hand of their God upon them. 
 
 On the 10th, they left Ramla, and pursued their 
 journey to the north through the beautiful plain of 
 Sharon, and pitched their tents for the night after 
 ten hours ride. At an early hour the next morning 
 they proceeded on their way, till they came to an old 
 ruined khan near the confines of the plains of Es- 
 draelon, in which they stopped for the night. Here 
 an old Egyptian Arab came, and sat down by them, 
 saying that they were in a bad neighborhood, and 
 that they must be on their guard through the night, 
 if they would secure their things from being stolen. 
 This hint induced them to set a watch for the night. 
 About midnight there was a terrible outcry, and 
 firing of guns, which alarmed the whole company. 
 From the noise it was supposed, that they were at- 
 tacked by robbers, and that the engagement with 
 the muleteers had actually commenced. All was 
 consternation and confusion, till the noise having 
 subsided, they learned that a trunk had been stolen 
 by two Arabs. 
 
 May 12th. This morning the company agreed to 
 go in search of the trunk. Two Arabs were seized, 
 and brought in with their hands tied behind their 
 34* 
 
402 MEMOIR OF 
 
 backs, and charged with the theft. This was the 
 occasion of a furious attack on the part of a com- 
 pany of Arabs, who came to rescue the two pris- 
 oners. Mr. Fisk gives a brief account of it in the 
 following letter to Mr. Temple, at Malta. 
 
 "The night before we reached Nazareth, Mr. L.'s 
 trunk was stolen. Two men, supposed to be the 
 thieves, were seized in the morning by a part of our 
 company, to be carried to the governor of Nazareth. 
 We had proceeded but a short distance, when a 
 horde of Arabs arrived, and with muskets, swords, 
 and clubs attacked our caravan. The attack wag 
 furious and wild as the whirlwind of the desert. 
 Had it been their design to take our lives or our 
 property, we were completely in their power. One 
 man in our train received a slight sabre-wound in 
 the arm. Many received heavy blows over the head 
 and back. A heavy blow of a bludgeon grazed my 
 head and spent its force on my arm, which was in 
 consequence lame for several days. The baggage 
 was scattered in every direction. Men tumbled from 
 their beasts, and all was perfect confusion and ter- 
 ror. At length the assailants retired with the pris- 
 oners, and to our grateful astonishment we found 
 that all our party were safe, and that even of the 
 baggage, only a few trifling articles were missing. 
 "If it had not been the Lord who was on our side 
 when men rose up against us, then they had swal- 
 lowed us up quickly when their wrath was kindled 
 against us." 
 
 They arrived that day at Nazareth, and on the 
 next set out for Tiberias. They found themselves 
 once more removed from those scenes of confusion 
 and terror, with which for two months they had been 
 familiar. They had heard in Jerusalem the groans 
 of the bruised, the wounded, and the dying. Their 
 way thus far had been through a troubled country, 
 full of dangers; and they had just escaped as from 
 the jaws of death. This was the first peaceful day 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 403 
 
 they had enjoyed, since their arrival at Jerusalem in 
 March. 
 
 In two hours from Nazareth they came to Cana of 
 Galilee, where Christ turned the water into wine. 
 It is now sometimes called Kafar Cana. It is 
 situated on the slope of a hill, inclining towards 
 the west and north-west. Before entering the vil- 
 lage they came to a fresh stream of pure water, 
 gushing from the earth, of which they drank, find- 
 ing it the best water they had seen south of Leba- 
 non. This place is mentioned as being favorable 
 for a missionary station. 
 
 In course of the day they arrived at Tiberias, 
 where they pitched tent in the court of the church, 
 and were refreshed with an excellent supper. About 
 noon of the 14th, they prosecuted their way, taking 
 Safet in their course, where they lodged with a Jew. 
 Here they spent Sabbath, and improved the oppor- 
 tunity to converse with the Jews, who are numerous 
 in that place. 
 
 May 16th they set out for Tyre, which they 
 reached after riding thirteen hours. They speak of 
 the country, through which they passed, as diversi- 
 fied with hills and vallies, which appear exceedingly 
 fertile. It is well watered, and has a good supply 
 of wood. In the vallies were seen numerous herds 
 of cattle, and flocks of sheep and goats, and many 
 Bedouin tents; and at a little distance beautiful vil- 
 lages rose on the tops of hills and mountains, and 
 were scattered along the plains and vallies. The 
 impression which that part of the country made on 
 their minds, convinced them, that it is naturally a 
 goodly land capable of supporting an immense 
 population. 
 
 May 18. Mr. Fisk once more had the happiness 
 of reaching the mission family at Beyroot, where he 
 had it in contemplation to pass the summer, for the 
 purpose of improving his impaired health. Except- 
 ing some short excursions in the vicinity, he con- 
 
404 MEMOIR or 
 
 tinued with the family, prosecuted the study of lan- 
 guages, and consulted with his missionary brethren 
 about future labors. For five or six years he had 
 been "in journeyings often, in perils of waters, in 
 perils of robbers, in perils by the heathen, in perils 
 in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perili 
 among false brethren; in weariness and painfulness, 
 in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings 
 often." 
 
 While at Beyroot he wrote a number of letters, 
 which are among the last productions of his pen, 
 from which extracts will be introduced. 
 
 TO ONE OF HIS MISSIONARY BRETHREN. 
 
 "Beyroot, June 18, 1825. 
 
 "It would make your heart ache to spend a 
 Sabbath in this country. Among native Christians 
 it is a day for visits and amusement. And I am 
 sorry to add, that with resident or travelling Protes- 
 tants, it is the same thing. We have a service here 
 in the consul's house in English; and in the after- 
 noon I preach in Arabic to a few hearers. I gen- 
 erally spend several hours in my room alone, and 
 sometimes, I trust, I enjoy communion with God. 
 Oh how precious it is! Though we get but now and 
 then a glimpse of divine glory; yet how cheering it 
 is in this world of sin! How my heart would rejoice 
 to spend a few hours with you. Well, we can meet 
 in spirit, and live in hope of meeting in that blessed 
 world, where love will be perfected." 
 
 TO MR. T. P. OF s. 
 
 "Beyroot, June 26, 1825. 
 
 "It gives me much pleasure to hear that your 
 attention has been directed to religion, and that 
 you find reason to hope that your peace is made 
 with God. How great the blessing to be delivered 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 405 
 
 from the polluting influence, the eternal dominion, 
 and penalty of our sins, and to be made holy, in 
 part, even here, with the assurance of being per- 
 fectly holy, forever, hereafter. Let us then follow 
 holiness. 
 
 "I can now, as I trust, greet you as a brother in 
 the service, fellowship and patience of our Lord 
 Jesus Christ. Welcome then as a fellow laborer in 
 his service; welcome to a participation in its self- 
 denials, struggles, and conflicts; its sacrifices, re- 
 proaches, and scorn; its doubts, fears, and anxieties; 
 its defeats, disappointments, and losses; its desires, 
 hopes, and anticipations; its temptations, assaults, 
 and deliverances; its sorrows and joys; its crosses 
 and comforts; its dark scenes and bright ones; 
 welcome, as a member of the body of Christ, to a 
 participation in all that belongs to the Christian 
 warfare; in all that is implied in Christian fellowship; 
 and in all that He, who died for us, will ultimately 
 bestow upon his disciples. If you are truly his, 
 you will find yourself called in one way or another, 
 to all these things. See to it then, that your heart 
 is right with God, that your great aim be to do his 
 will; and whatsoever you do, to do it not for your- 
 self, not unto men, but to the Lord. 
 
 "I am glad to learn that you are preparing for the 
 ministry. Perhaps by this time you are about enter- 
 ing on its duties. You will feel, I doubt not, a sol- 
 emn sense of the holiness and usefulness of the work. 
 I am sure you will enter upon it with trembling. 
 May it be with right motives; a desire to glorify 
 Christ, and win souls to him. If you enter upon 
 the work under the governing influence of these 
 motives he will guide and bless you, you will find 
 it pleasant; and if the love of God reign in your 
 heart you will love it, and rejoice to labor, and to 
 deal faithfully with the souls of men. But when 
 love of ease, and earthly principles obtain influence 
 m your heart, and you lose sight of the cross of 
 
406 MEMOIR OF 
 
 Christ, and the day of judgment, then your duties 
 will become a burden; and if performed at all, will 
 be likely to leave your own soul barren, and the 
 souls of your hearers in the way to perdition. 
 Watch then and pray and labor, that you may have 
 grace to 'make full proof of your ministry.' Re- 
 member, in regard to all to whom you preach, or 
 who may come under your pastoral care, that unless 
 they are born of God, they must lie down in eternal 
 wo. How then can a minister give himself any 
 rest, if he loves his people, until he has evidence 
 that they are all born again; and till this is the case 
 how ought he to pray, preach, and exhort, publicly 
 and privately. My Brother, may the Lord himself 
 make you 'a workman who needeth not to be 
 ashamed.' 
 
 "So much is said and written, at the present day, 
 on missions, that I take it for granted you have at- 
 tended to the subject, and carefully considered the 
 question, whether it is your duty to engage in the 
 work. I consider it the indispensable duty of every 
 young man, going into the ministry, to read, medi- 
 tate, pray, and examine in regard to this question, 
 till he is satisfied, that he has ascertained the path 
 of duty; and I cannot conceal my conviction that, 
 if this were done, the number of missionaries would 
 be vastly greater than it is now. Our Saviour's 
 command was, to preach the Gospel to every crea- 
 ture. How do you know that it is not your duty 
 to go in obedience to this command, and preach to 
 pagans? If this be your duty, may you discover it, 
 and have grace to perform it." 
 
 TO A NIECE IN S. 
 
 "Beyroot, July 15, 1825. 
 
 "Though you are now nearly six years older, than 
 when I saw you last, yet I can think of you only as 
 the little girl that used to sit on my knee and play 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 407 
 
 with me, read, and repeat her hymns and catechism 
 to me. So you must excuse me, if the style of my 
 letter seems, as if intended for a child. If we were 
 to meet now, and I should be surprised to see how 
 much you have improved, you would be not less sur- 
 prised to see me with a long black beard, with a 
 large white turban on my head, and loose robes that 
 come down to the ancles. I will not, however, 
 describe to you in this letter, the strange 1 things that 
 I see in this country; I will rather endeavor to ren- 
 der my letter useful to you by giving you advice. 
 
 "I.I recommend to you a diligent attention to 
 your studies. You are now arrived at an age, 
 when you are capable of appreciating the value of 
 learning, and ought to feel that the time, which is 
 allowed you for this purpose, should be diligently 
 improved. When at school, take care that no day 
 pass without making some sensible progress in the 
 acquisition of useful knowledge; and when at home 
 let not your books be neglected, but improve your 
 leisure hours in reviewing what you have studied at 
 school, and in reading attentively such books, as 
 are best calculated to improve your character, and 
 furnish your mind with useful knowledge. Your 
 parents will be able to tell you what books, it will 
 be most useful for you to read; and if you converse 
 with them about what you read, this will help you 
 to understand it better, and serve to fasten it in 
 your memory. When you get a good book, read it 
 several times through, so that you may understand 
 it well. 
 
 "2. Guard against vain and useless amusements. 
 In the pursuit of them you would lose time which 
 ought to be spent in business or study, and they 
 would only tend to injure your disposition and tem- 
 per. In all your visits and in all your hours of re- 
 creation, take care not to say or do any thing, which 
 you would not be willing that your parents should 
 hear or see; or rather, I would say, always remem- 
 
408 MEMOIR OF 
 
 ber, that God, your Creator, hears all you say, and 
 sees all you do. 
 
 "3. Carefully cultivate a good temper and a kind 
 disposition. Love to do kind things to others, when- 
 ever you have opportunity. Guard against being 
 angry, sulky, irritable, morose, or peevish. The 
 way to be happy and useful is, to be kind and affec- 
 tionate. To love others, is the way to gain their 
 love. By giving way to an ill temper, you would 
 become unhappy yourself, and make those around 
 you so likewise. Be cheerful, contented, kind, and 
 friendly, and you will always find friends. 
 
 "4. Learn to govern your tongue. I trust, in- 
 deed, that I need not caution you against falsehood. 
 But I will warn you to be always cautious how you 
 speak of the characters of others. It is better gen- 
 erally to talk about other people's virtues, than 
 about their faults. And if you are sufficiently aware 
 of your own imperfections, you will be sensible that 
 you ought not to be forward in speaking against oth- 
 ers. Take care not to indulge unreasonable preju- 
 dices against any of your companions, neighbors, 
 or acquaintances. 
 
 f '5. The last and most important direction I have 
 to give to you, and which, I pray God, to give you 
 grace to comply with, is, attend to the concerns of 
 your soul. Remember, Clarissa, you are a sinner, a 
 great sinner in the sight of God, and exposed to 
 eternal punishment. Christ has died to save sin- 
 ners. Repent, confess your sins, cry to God for 
 mercy, and believe in the Lord Jesus, with all your 
 heart, and he will save you. If you neglect to do 
 this, you cannot be saved. Do think of this subject, 
 now, while you are young. You may die in youth. 
 O may God grant you his saving grace. This is 
 the prayer of your affectionate uncle, PLINY." 
 
 During September Mr. Fisk visited Hadet. the 
 native place of Asaad Shidiak, and had conversa- 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 409 
 
 lion with two emeers, whose eyes had been burnt 
 out, and tongues cut off, by the prince of Mount 
 Lebanon. He learnt from the unfortunate emeers, 
 that their eyes were put out by having a red hot 
 iron thrust into them. Notwithstanding a part of 
 their tongues was cut off, they could articulate in- 
 telligibly. They were punished in this cruel man- 
 ner for having taken some part with Sheik Bushir 
 in the disturbances, which, in the previous winter, 
 had been occasioned in Mount Lebanon. 
 
 An object, which engaged Mr. Fisk's attention 
 at this time, was the establishment of a school at 
 Beyroot for teaching Arabic grammatically. And 
 for this purpose he had engaged Mr. King's teacher. 
 What led to a consideration of this subject was the 
 fact, that it is very difficult for Christians to find a 
 suitable Arabic instructor; the grammatical knowl- 
 edge of the language being principally confined to 
 Mussulmans, who seldom condescend to instruct 
 native Christians. 
 
 On the 26th of September he accompanied his 
 fellow-laborer, Mr. King, to the Sardinian brig in 
 which he was to sail, having closed the three 
 years for which he engaged. On their way their 
 conversation turned upon the dangers to which 
 they were likely to be exposed; the little probabil- 
 ity of their ever meeting again in this world; the 
 importance of being faithful while it is called to-day; 
 and the hope of meeting each other, when their 
 labors and trials should be finished. 
 
 TO ONE OF HIS BROTHERS. 
 
 * 4 I feel interested in the welfare of your children, 
 and shall ever rejoice to hear that they are well 
 and happy, intelligent and virtuous. But above all 
 I should rejoice to hear that they have been made 
 partakers of the grace of God. Often reflect, dear 
 35 
 
410 MEMOIR OF 
 
 Brother, on the value of their immortal souls, and 
 let the consideration stimulate you to pray earnestly 
 for them, to exhibit a consistent and holy example 
 for their imitation, and to speak affectionately and 
 solemnly to them about their guilt and danger, and the 
 way of life by the blood of Jesus. Persuade them, en- 
 treat them, warn them, to flee from the wrath to come. 
 Invite them, and, if possible, win them to the love of 
 the Saviour. Parental exhortations often have a 
 powerful effect. Can you bear the thought that any 
 one of your children should remain an enemy to 
 God, live in sin, die impenitent, and be miserable 
 forever? If the thought of this is dreadful, then do 
 not rest, till you have evidence that divine grace is 
 dawning in their souls. May God give you a wise 
 and faithful spirit, and make you the instrument of 
 bringing all your children to Christ." 
 
 While in Western Asia, Mr. Fisk became deeply 
 interested in the present state of the Greeks, and he 
 was impressed with the consideration, that the fa- 
 cilities for introducing among them the means of 
 religious instruction were peculiarly favorable. He 
 urged the wants of that oppressed people, and men- 
 tioned Smyrna as an important post for missionary 
 labor. He also proposed the publication of a Peri- 
 odical work at the mission press in Malta, with 
 special reference to the present condition of the 
 Greek population. From a number of documents it 
 appears, that it was his sanguine conviction that 
 the latter measure would be followed with very de- 
 sirable results. Nor did his benevolent concern for 
 this people subside, after he had explored the wretch- 
 edness of other fields. One of his last productions 
 was a communication, prepared just before his death, 
 and addressed to the Society of Inquiry respecting 
 missions, in the Theological Seminary at Princeton, 
 New Jersey, in which he notices the claims of the 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 411 
 
 Greeks, and the facilities among them for missionary 
 operations. Some extracts follow. 
 
 "The Greeks need missionaries; for, though nom- 
 inal Christians, they pay an idolatrous regard to 
 pictures, holy places and saints. Their clergy are 
 ignorant in the extreme. Out of hundreds, you will 
 scarcely find one who is capable of preaching a 
 sermon. Of course, there is little preaching; and 
 that little is oftener an eulogium on some saint, than 
 an exhibition of Christ's Gospel. The people are 
 consequently ignorant and vicious. Before the 
 Bible Society began its work, the Scriptures were 
 rare, and in most of the schools that exist, the chil- 
 dren merely learn to read ancient Greek, without, 
 understanding it. Greece offers to view an exten- 
 sive missionary field; the different divisions of 
 
 Greece, properly so called the numerous Islands 
 of the Archipelago a multitude of Greeks scat- 
 tered over all Turkey convents innumerable 
 
 thousands of schools, now almost useless, but need- 
 ing only a proper organization and suitable books, 
 to render them nurseries of sound learning. Nor 
 should it be forgotten that the Greek church is inti- 
 mately connected with the predominant church in 
 the immense and rising empire of Russia and has 
 more or less direct or indirect influence upon all 
 the oriental churches Armenian, Syrian, Nestorian, 
 Coptic, and Abyssinian. 
 
 "The Greeks offer to missionaries many excellent 
 materials to be wrought into the great spiritual 
 
 building powerful intellect, lively imagination, 
 
 zeal, energy, enterprise, enthusiasm, love of learn- 
 ing and liberty, which four hundred years of barbar- 
 ous slavery have not been able to destroy, an earn- 
 est desire for civilization, a remembrance of what 
 their fathers were, and the hope of being what Eng- 
 land and America now are, and all these traits oi 
 character brought into action by the idea, that the 
 present is the period of their national regeneration. 
 
MEMOIR OF 
 
 "The Greek church itself opens the door to mis- 
 sionaries. It has always allowed the distribution of 
 the Scriptures, and has had disputes with papists on 
 this point. The Greek patriarchs, archbishops and 
 bishops, have generally favored the cause of the 
 Bible Society, nnd have more than once written 
 pastoral letters to recommend its object. 
 
 "We have printed many thousand Tracts in Greek: 
 they have been received with pleasure, and ecclesi- 
 astics and dignitaries of the church assist in distrib- 
 uting them. Among these Tracts are the Dairyman's 
 Daughter, Young Cottager, William Kelly, Leslie's 
 method with Deists, Watts on the end of time, Dr. 
 Green's Questions and Counsel, and many others 
 translated from the English. To the schools and 
 convents we have free access for the distribution of 
 Scriptures and Tracts, and do not often meet with 
 Greeks who oppose our work. 
 
 "Several important errors of the papists have 
 never been admitted by the Greeks, such as papal 
 supremacy, purgatory, selling indulgences, the in- 
 quisition, forbidding the Scriptures, and giving the 
 Lord's Supper in only one kind. 
 
 "The Greeks, however, pray to saints, and enjoin 
 auricular confession, and pray for the dead, and know 
 of no other regeneration than baptism. 
 
 "The present is the time for a mission to Greece. 
 The nation is roused the elements of national and 
 individual character are all in motion. An impres- 
 sion, a turn of public opinion, the commencement 
 of institutions which at another time would require 
 years, might now be effected at once. 
 
 "It is desirable that the time of political revolu- 
 tion should also be a period of religious reform. 
 
 "Americans should undertake this mission. The 
 prejudices of Greece are all in their favor, and 
 strongly so in preference to every other nation on 
 earth except the English. There is no time to be 
 lost. It is even now too late. The missionaries 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 413 
 
 should ere this have been near the field learning the 
 language and preparing to act. Brethren, let no 
 more time be lost. We who have been sent to other 
 parts around the Mediterranean, call to you to come 
 literally into Macedonia and help us. Who would 
 not love to preach in Greek on Mars Hill? Whose 
 soul would not be filled with holy joy and trembling 
 at the thought of writing letters to evangelical 
 churches planted by his own preaching in Corinth 
 and Thessalonica? And methinks the dullest im- 
 agination would be fired with a poet's flame on sit- 
 ting down in sight of Mount Parnassus, or on its 
 summit, to give David's songs a Greek dress. And 
 how ought a Christian from America to feel at the 
 thought of introducing Christianity into such a na- 
 tion as Greece ; at the very commencement of its 
 political existence." 
 
 It will have been perceived from what has been 
 exhibited, that Mr. Fisk possessed a spirit of benev- 
 olence expansive as the spiritual wants of mankind. 
 A thousand hearts, had they been his, would have 
 yearned over the forlorn condition of a world lying 
 in wickedness and a thousand bodies, had they 
 been at his disposal, would have been devoted to the 
 service of Christ among the dwellers in the dark places 
 of the earth. As he stood on the mountains of Judea, 
 and "looked northward and southward, and eastward, 
 and westward," and saw how many people and na- 
 tions were given to idolatry, ho exclaims, "The har- 
 vest truly is plenteous." He sighed and wept, long- 
 ing, not only to enjoy the pleasure of welcoming 
 more laborers into the field, and of seeing those 
 already there more holy; but to find the cheer- 
 ing evidence, that some instances of spiritual con- 
 version were among the fruits of his abundant la- 
 bors. This latter occasion of rejoicing he was not 
 permitted to have, till his work was finished. 
 
 "Let us not cease to pray the Lord of the har- 
 vest," he says to one of his fellow laborers, "that he 
 35* 
 
414 MEMOIR OF 
 
 will send forth more laborers into his harvest; and 
 that he will bestow more abundant grace on those 
 who are already in the field. How gratifying soever 
 it might be to see the number of laborers increase, 
 it would be still more gratifying to discover in our 
 own hearts, and in the hearts of our missionary 
 brethren, an increase of piety. I have lately felt 
 that we are in great danger of being satisfied, at 
 least too much so, in seeing the Scriptures circu- 
 lated, and some preparatory labors accomplished; 
 while in reality nothing is effected in the conversion 
 of sinners, which should be the main object in the 
 missionary's view. Though the inhabitants of Asia 
 and Africa should become as enlightened and as 
 civilized, as the people of England, or of the United 
 States; yet if their hearts remained in their unre- 
 newed state, they would still be the servants of sin, 
 and children of wrath. 
 
 "When we can see but one soul really converted 
 to God, we shall be able to say, that our missionary 
 work is begun. Lately we have conversed on this 
 subject, and made it one of special prayer. I would 
 hope there are some true Christians among the ig- 
 norant and superstitious members of the oriental 
 churches; but it is very difficult to find them. The 
 increase of light may bring forward some who will 
 afford important aid in rekindling the light of true 
 Christianity, where it has become almost extinct; 
 but our dependence must be on the effusion of the 
 Holy Spirit. To procure this, prayer and preaching 
 are, I believe, the principal means. In respect to 
 myself, I feel daily the need of divine influence on 
 my own heart to keep me from sin, to make me 
 humble, to prepare me for my work. Sometimes I 
 almost despair of becoming holy. Is it so with you, 
 my dear Brother, or do you find that sin is sensibly 
 decreasing, and grace triumphing in your heart? I 
 feel interested in your religious trials and comforts, 
 and hope your soul is constantly supported and 
 
REV. PLINY F-ISK. 415 
 
 cheered by sweet communion with the Father, and 
 the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen. 
 
 "Yours in Christian love, PLINY FISK." 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 LAST SICKNESS AND DEATH, WITH CONCLUDING 
 REMARKS. 
 
 THE season after Mr. Fisk's last return to Beyroot 
 was unusually sickly. In a communication to Mr. 
 Temple written in September, he speaks of the season 
 being unhealthy, and of many who had died of fever. 
 He was called about that time to attend the funeral of 
 a European merchant in that place, whose death was 
 sudden. "A solemn admonition to us," he observes, 
 "and to those about us to be also ready." 
 
 Speaking of the month of October, Mr. Goodell 
 remarked, that the fever still prevailed and that two 
 English travellers of his acquaintance had fallen 
 victims to it. The oldest Franks did not recollect 
 so sickly a season as that was. It was in this month 
 that Mr. Fisk was attacked by the fever which ter- 
 minated his useful life. 
 
 A communication from Messrs. Bird and Goodell 
 to the Corresponding Secretary of the Board, dated 
 Beyroot, October 25, 1825, gives the following af- 
 fecting account of his sickness and DEATH. 
 
 "On the 26th ult. the long expected and unwel- 
 come hour arrived for the departure, to our native 
 country, of our beloved brother and fellow laborer, 
 Mr. King. It was with a heavy heart, that we gave 
 him the parting hand. We felt ourselves bereft of 
 one of our firmest earthly supports. We commend- 
 ed our case to God, and prayed him to build us up, 
 and not to pluck us down. We acknowledged our 
 weak and dependent state, and begged that God 
 
416 MEMOIR OP 
 
 would strengthen us by his grace, in proportion aa 
 he diminished our number. 
 
 "But we did not then feel our dependence, as the 
 providence of God has brought us to feel it since. 
 Our brother Fisk then remained to comfort and 
 counsel us. We leaned upon him. We trusted in 
 him as the chief agent, who was to effect the good 
 we design to this people. Now, this second prop is 
 removed. That dear brother, too, has taken leave 
 of us for another country. Yes, dear sir, the hand 
 of God has touched us, and our tears cannot soon be 
 dried away. You too, will feel and weep, and so 
 will thousands who knew and loved iiim, with ten 
 thousand others who have never seen his face in the 
 flesh. But God knoweth our sorrows, for he hath 
 caused them; and into his compassionate bosom let 
 us pour them all. 
 
 "It was on Tuesday, the Uth inst. that Mr. Fisk 
 first spoke of being ill. He supposed he had taken 
 cold, but pursued his studies as usual, and in the 
 afternoon walked into the city, and made several 
 calls. In the evening, after uniting as usual in 
 reading the Scriptures in Arabic, he said he felt him- 
 self too ill to make any remarks, and requested Mr. 
 Goodell, (in whose family he was) to make a few. 
 He, however, prayed in Arabic with his usual fer- 
 vency, though not with his usual length. Having 
 bathed his feet in water, he retired to rest, with the 
 hope of perspiring freely, and of being better in the 
 morning. His hopes were, however, disappointed. 
 He passed a restless night, and on Wednesday the 
 12th had, towards noon, a fit of ague. A nausea at 
 the stomach indicated, as we thought, the propriety 
 of an emetic. It was accordingly administered. It 
 brought away a profusion of bile, threw him into a 
 free perspiration, and persuaded us all to expect for 
 him a comfortable night. But we were again disap- 
 pointed. This night was more restless than the 
 preceding. 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 417 
 
 "Thursday 13. He appeared much better during 
 most of the day, rind was able to attend our weekly 
 prayer-meeting, with which he afterwards expressed 
 himself much gratified and refreshed. Towards 
 night, he became exceedingly uneasy, and some in- 
 coherent expressions betrayed a disordered state of 
 his mind. 
 
 "Several succeeding days and nights were passed 
 much in the same manner. His nights were regu- 
 larly restless and tedious, but by day he seemed tol- 
 erably comfortable, sitting up, enjoying conversa- 
 tion, and taking part in it, frequently desiring the 
 Scriptures to be read, remarking on the greatness 
 and importance of the subjects treated of, and en- 
 larging, particularly on the preciousness of the 
 promises. Hymns, which we often read, or sung, at 
 his request, always seemed to revive his spirits, and 
 awaken in him feelings of devotion. 
 
 "To different individuals of his acquaintance, he 
 often made such remarks as shewed where his own 
 mind was fixed, and such as tended to lead theirs, 
 also, to useful reflections. To his Arabic master 
 he said, 'You have been teaching me grammar, but 
 here I am taught a higher brancli of knowledge, hu- 
 mility, submission, and patience.' To another friend 
 he remarked, that it was useful sometimes to be 
 brought low on a bed of sickness. It was in itself 
 a trial, but we had in the midst of it this glorious 
 consolation, that we could apply to an all-sufficient 
 Redeemer for support. 
 
 "His case as yet did not appear particularly alarm- 
 ing. Nothing, to human view, was wanting, but 
 some skilful physician to prescribe for him a few 
 simple remedies. No such physician was at hand. 
 Dr. Dalton, from the Jews' Society, would have been 
 the man we wished, but he was at two days' dis- 
 tance, and the circumstances of his family were such, 
 as to preclude every hope that he could leave it. 
 We looked with some confidence for the divine bless- 
 
418 MEMOIR OF 
 
 ing on the feeble means, to which our own experi- 
 ence, and a few standard medical books, directed 
 us. We lifted up our hearts with our voice unto 
 God in the heavens for deliverance. Perhaps our 
 prayers were hindered by the presumption, that the 
 great Head of the Church would not remove from 
 the mission one who was, to human view, so import- 
 ant, and even necessary, to its prosperity. 
 
 "Wednesday morning, 19. He rose as usual, and 
 occupied the sofa in an easy reclining posture, and 
 appeared to enjoy some quiet sleep, but we have 
 since suspected, that what seemed to be sleep, was 
 chiefly stupor. His countenance was, towards even- 
 ing, perceptibly more sunk, and he manifestly began 
 to think his recovery doubtful. He said with a de- 
 sponding air, to one of us, who stood surveying him, 
 'I don't know what you think of me.' Together 
 with restlessness and head ache, his fever was accom- 
 panied this evening by an involuntary starting of the 
 muscles. To ease his head, we applied, as we had 
 done once before, a few leeches. f He grew sud- 
 denly very wild, and increasingly restless. Hap- 
 pening to touch the leeches on his face, he ex- 
 claimed, 'Oh, what is here!' When told, 4 O,' said 
 he, 'I know not what I am, nor where I am.' We 
 hastened to remove him to his bed; but, in tak- 
 ing off his gown, he fainted, and lay for some time 
 as if dying. In removing him, and managing his 
 bleeding, he repeatedly asked, what we were doing, 
 and who we were. We replied, 'This is such a 
 brother, and this is such an one.' 'O yes,' said he, 
 'the best friends that ever I had in my life, I am 
 sure. God bless you.' This was a terrible night 
 of constant uneasiness and delirium. 
 
 "Thursday morning, 20. It being evident that he 
 was much reduced since yesterday, and would per- 
 haps be unable to sustain a single additional par- 
 oxysm of fever, we consulted whether it would not 
 be best to disclose to him our opinion of his case, 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 419 
 
 and suggest the propriety of his completing what- 
 ever arrangement remained to be made of his worldly 
 concerns. We were the more decided to do this, as 
 he had expressly wished us to deal faithfully with 
 him, and tell him, without flattering his desires, 
 whatever we thought of him. He received the com- 
 munication with great composure expressed a hope 
 in Christ said his views were not so clear as he 
 could wish, but intimated that he was not afraid. So 
 far as he was acquainted with himself, he thought 
 he could safely say, that his great, commanding ob- 
 ject of life, for the last seventeen years, had been 
 the glory of Christ, and the good of the Church. 
 Mr. Goodell asked if he had any particular word of 
 comfort, or of exhortation for his family friends, his 
 brothers, sisters, father. A.t this last word, he was 
 sensibly moved; 'Oh, brother Goodell,' said he, rais- 
 ing his hand to his eyes, 'my father, my father, my 
 father (he paused.) But he'll bear it. He knows 
 what such afflictions are. When he hears the news, 
 the tears will roll down his furrowed cheeks, but 
 he'll not complain he knows where to look for 
 comfort.' Here he stopped; saying he hoped to re- 
 new the subject, when he should have had a little 
 space to collect himself. After we had read, at his 
 request, the fifty-first Psalm, and both prayed by his 
 side, he himself added a short prayer, in which he 
 confessed his sins, and resigned his soul and body 
 into the hands of God. 
 
 "Hoping that he might yet continue a day or two, 
 we despatched a messenger to Sidon, to a physician 
 with whom Mr. Fisk hacf some acquaintance, and in 
 whose skill he expressed some confidence. 
 
 "During the course of the day, he conversed, 
 much, and with the full command of his reason. 
 'It is now,' said he, 'about seventeen years that I 
 have professed to be a servant of Christ. But O 
 how have I served him with how many haltings and 
 stumblings and sins. Were it not for the infinite 
 
420 MEMOIK OF 
 
 merits of Christ, I should have no hope not one 
 among a thousand of my words has been right 
 not one among a thousand of my thoughts has been 
 right.' We asked, if he could not give us some di- 
 rections how to live and labor in the mission. 'Yes,' 
 said he, "tis done in a few words; live near to God, 
 dwell in love, and wear out in the service of Christ.' 
 He had no particular plan to recommend for the 
 conduct of the mission, but with regard to the sta- 
 tion at Jerusalem, should be sorry to have it given 
 up, though he did not see how it could be well avoid- 
 ed, until we should be reinforced by other missiona- 
 ries. He dictated letters to his father, and his mis- 
 sionary brethren, King and Temple wished he had 
 a catalogue of his books at Jerusalem, that he might 
 select a suitable one for his father, but could not 
 think of any. 
 
 "At times he lay in a state of stupor, and seemed 
 near death. In such a state he was, when the hour 
 of our usual Thursday prayer-meeting arrived. We 
 proposed to observe the season by his bedside, sup- 
 posing him to be too insensible to be either grati- 
 fied or disturbed by it. On asking him, however, if 
 we should once more pray with him, to our surprise 
 he answered, 'Yes but first I wish you to read me 
 some portions of Mrs. Graham's 'Provision for pass- 
 ing over Jordan. 7 We read, and he made suitable 
 remarks. Where it is said 'To be where thou art, 
 to see thee as thou art, to be made like thee, the 
 last sinful motion forever past,' he anticipated the 
 conclusion, and said, with an expressive emphasis, 
 'That's heaven.' We then each of us prayed with 
 him, and he subjoined his hearty 'Amen.' We had 
 asked, what we should pray for, as it concerned his 
 case. 'Pray,' said he, 'that, if it be the Lord's will, 
 I may get well, to pray with you, and labor with 
 you a little longer; if not, that I may die in pos- 
 session of my reason, and not dishonor God by my 
 dying behavior.' He afterwards begged to hear the 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 421 
 
 hymn, which he had formerly sung at the grave of 
 Mr. Parsons.* 
 
 "As the evening approached, and before the ap- 
 pearance of the fever fit, he was very calm and 
 quiet. In the midst of the stillness that reigned 
 within him, and around him, he spoke out saying, 
 l l know not what this is, but it seems to me like the 
 silence that precedes a dissolution of nature.' His 
 fever began to creep upon him. We saw again the 
 spasmodic affection of his muscles. 'What the Lord 
 intends to do with me,' said he, 'I cannot tell, but 
 my impression is, that this is my last night.' We 
 hoped not. 'Perhaps not,' said he, 'but these are 
 my impressions.' 
 
 "The devotions of the evening were attended in 
 his room. He united in them with evident enjoy- 
 ment. Afterwards he begged one of the sisters to 
 go and try to get some rest, bade her good night, 
 intimated it might be their final parting, commended 
 her 'to Him that was able to keep her.' Similar ex- 
 pressions of concern for us, and of gratitude to God, 
 frequently fell from his lips; such as, 'The Lord bless 
 you for all your kindness.' 'I shall wear you all out.' 
 
 'Were it not for these kind friends, I should 
 
 already have been in my grave.' 'How different is 
 this from poor B. (an English traveller who lately 
 died,) how different from Martyn, how different from 
 brother Parsons in Syra.' 
 
 "The fever fit proved much milder than the night 
 
 preceding scarcely any appearance of delirium. 
 
 He repeatedly said, 'The Lord is more merciful to 
 me than I expected.' 'Perhaps there may be some 
 hope of my recovery the Lord's name be praised.' 
 He often checked himself for sighing, and speaking 
 
 "Brother, thoti art gone before us, 
 
 And thy saintly soul has flown 
 
 Where tears are wiped from every eye, 
 
 And sorrow is unknown," 6tc. &c: Seep. 231. 
 
 36 
 
422 MEMOIR OP 
 
 of his pains, saying, 'I know it is weak, and foolish, 
 and wicked.' Once, after a draught of water, he 
 said, 'Thanks be to God for so much mercy, and let 
 his name be trusted in for that which is future.' On 
 two or three occasions, he exclaimed, 'God is good 
 his mercy endureth forever.' 
 
 "At midnight he asked the time hoped it had 
 been later and, at three A. M. (Friday 21,) his 
 fever gave way to a little quiet sleep. During the 
 whole forenoon, he remained so quiet, that we hoped 
 his disease might be breaking away. In the after- 
 noon, however, it was discovered returning with all 
 its alarming symptoms. He was asked, if he had 
 been able during the day to fix his thoughts on 
 Christ. 'Not so much as I could wish I am ex- 
 tremely weak.' But when you have been able to do 
 so, has the Saviour appeared precious to you? 'O 
 yes, O yes, O yes. One. of the sisters,' continued he, 
 'has been reading to me some precious hymns re- 
 specting Christ and his glory;' then fixing his eye 
 steadfastly towards heaven, he repeated the words, 
 'Christ and his glory.' 
 
 "At six o'clock he had rapidly altered, and the 
 hand of death seemed really upon him. We re- 
 paired to the throne of grace, commending his soul 
 to him that gave it. He had inquired anxiously if 
 the doctor had not come. He came at eight, but Mr. 
 Fisk was insensible. He approached the bed side. 
 'Here is the doctor,' said we. He raised his eyes, 
 fastened them a moment on the stranger, and sunk 
 immediately into his former stupor. The physician, 
 on learning what had been his symptoms, expressed 
 little hope of saving him; but not to abandon him 
 entirely, he ordered new mustard poultices to his 
 feet, and warm wet cloths to his stomach, with fre- 
 quent draughts of rice-water. One hour after, to 
 our no small joy and encouragement came on a free 
 perspiration, the paroxysm of fever was arrested, 
 
REV* PLINY FI3K. 
 
 respiration more free, and the remainder of the night 
 comparatively quiet. 
 
 "Saturday 22. He was able to return the morn- 
 ing salutation to those that came in. When the 
 physician entered the room, he immediately recog- 
 nised him, and conversed a little with him in Italian 
 
 passed the day quietly said almost nothing 
 
 tongue palsied. 
 
 "The sun had set, and no appearance of his usual 
 paroxysm. His strength was such, that he could still 
 raise himself on his elbow, and nearly leave his bed, 
 without assistance. Our hope had not for many 
 days been higher, that he might yet survive. The 
 fever came on, however, at eight or nine o'clock, 
 but so gently that the physician repeatedly assured 
 us he apprehended no danger from it. We there- 
 fore retired to rest, leaving him, for the first half of 
 the night, in the hands of the physician and a single 
 attendant. Scarcely had we closed our eyes in 
 sleep, when we were awaked to be told, that all 
 hope concerning him was fled. We hastened to 
 his bed side, found him panting for breath, and evi- 
 dently sinking into the arms of death. The physi- 
 cian immediately left him and retired to rest. We 
 sat down, conversed, prayed, wept, and watched the 
 progress of his dissolution; until, at precisely three 
 o'clock on the Lord's day morning, October 23, the 
 tired wheels of nature ceased to move, and the soul, 
 which had been so long waiting for deliverance, was 
 quietly released. 
 
 "It rose, like its great Deliverer, very early on the 
 first day of the week, triumphant over death, and 
 entered, as we believe, on that Sabbath, that eternal 
 rest, which remaineth for the people of God. 
 
 "We sung part of a hymn,* and fell down to give 
 
 * ''How blest is our brother bereft 
 Of all that could burden his mind! 
 How easy his soul that has left 
 This wearisome body behind!" &q, 
 
424 
 
 MEMOIR OF 
 
 thanks to Him that liveth and was dead, and hath 
 the keys of hell and of death, that he had given our 
 dear brother, as we could hope, the final victory 
 over all disappointment, sorrow, and sin. 
 
 "As soon as the news of his death was heard, all 
 the flags of the different consuls were seen at half 
 mast. His funeral was attended at four P. M. At 
 his grave, a part of the chapter in Corinthians re- 
 specting the resurrection was read in Italian, and a 
 prayer offered in English, in presence of a more nu- 
 merous and orderly concourse of people, than we 
 have ever witnessed on a similar occasion. His re- 
 mains sweetly slumber in a garden connected with 
 one of our houses. 
 
 "As for ourselves we feel that we have lost our elder 
 brother. Our house is left unto us desolate. To die, 
 we doubt not, has been infinite gain to him, but to 
 us the loss seems at present irreparable. He cheered 
 us in the social circle, he reproved us when we err- 
 ed, he strengthened us by his prayers, exhortations, 
 and counsels. The Board of Missions will feel the 
 loss, perhaps, not less than we. Another servant, 
 with talents like his for explaining and enforcing the 
 doctrines of the Gospel, and who shall be able to 
 preach fluently in most of the languages heard in 
 this country, will not soon be found. But the Lord 
 of the Harvest has resources of which we know but 
 little. To him let us still repair, and pray in hope." 
 
 Such was the end of this beloved, devoted mis- 
 sionary. Few possess such a rare combination of 
 qualities adapted to the missionary work. It is not 
 an exaggerated statement which Mr. Goodell has 
 made in remarking that, "He possessed a vigorous 
 constitution, a discriminating judgment, an ardent 
 spirit of enterprise, an entire devotedness to the ser- 
 vice of his Lord, a facility of acquiring the lan- 
 guages and learning the customs of the people, and 
 a happy talent in accommodating himself to times, 
 
REV. PLINY F1SK. 425 
 
 and places, and companies. If to this rare assem- 
 blage we add his long experience, it only awakens 
 us to a more affecting sense of our loss. He had 
 made such attainments in Italian, French, Modern 
 Greek, and Arabic, that he could preach in all these 
 languages the unsearchable riches of Christ, and 
 "his doctrine dropped as the rain, and his speech 
 distilled as the dew." If any one trait of his minis- 
 terial character was more prominent than the rest, 
 it was a remarkable aptness to teach, a trait discov- 
 ered from the first attempts he made to give religious 
 instruction. 
 
 To those, and many there are, who are left to 
 mourn what seems to us his untimely death, there 
 are not wanting circumstances of a truly alleviating 
 nature. He did not, like Martyn, die alone among 
 strangers. A kind Providence brought him to the 
 bosom of a beloved family, where every attention 
 was given him which Christian kindness and friend- 
 ship could afford. "It seems a great mercy," says 
 Mr. Goodell, "that he died with m, and not abroad 
 among strangers. This he often mentioned with 
 thankfulness in the course of his illness. It appear- 
 ed a comfort to have us about him, to converse with 
 him, read to him, pray for him, and strengthen his 
 faith in God. We administered to his wants. We 
 had also the opportunity of listening to his dying 
 counsels, of witnessing his dying behavior, of giving 
 a satisfactory account of his last hours to his friends, 
 and of improving the event in this place in our pub- 
 lic discourses, and in our intercourse with the na- 
 tives, to deepen the solemn impressions, which were 
 made on the minds of any. 'Precious in the sight 
 of the Lord is the death of his saints,' and in infi- 
 nite wisdom and goodness does he order all the cir- 
 cumstances of their removal from us." 
 
 Already had Mr. Fisk gained upon the affections of 
 many in that land of strangers. He was esteemed, 
 he was reverenced, he was lamented. "Some of the 
 36* 
 
426 MEMOIR OF 
 
 Arabs," says Mr. G., "were deeply affected, as they 
 stood around his dying bed. They were amazed at 
 his peace of mind, and could not conceive it possi- 
 ble, how any one could be so willing to die. They 
 wept. We explained to them the cause of his tran- 
 quillity and joy, related to them much of his relig- 
 ious views and experience, and told them of Christ 
 and heaven. Indeed we sometimes felt that Christ 
 and heaven were present. It seemed but one step 
 Ho Him that sitteth upon the throne, and to the 
 Lamb,' where God himself wipes away all tears. 
 
 "The chamber where the good man meets his fate, 
 
 Is privileged beyond the common walks 
 
 Of virtuous life, quite on the verge of heaven." 
 
 On the day that Mr. Fisk died, as soon as the in- 
 telligence of his death was communicated, Mr. 
 Goodell says, "The Arabs assembled at an early 
 hour to mourn with us. And though I was very 
 feeble, yet I spent as much of the day, as I was 
 able, in conversing with the people. I read to 
 them various portions of the Holy Scriptures con- 
 cerning heaven, and the happiness, glory, and wor- 
 ship of the world above; and told them, we had good 
 reason to believe, that our dear brother was no 
 longer a sinner or a sufferer, but was holy and hap- 
 py; his tears forever wiped away, clothed in a robe 
 clean and white, singing with saints and angels, and 
 worshipping God and the Lamb. Some of them 
 smote upon their breasts again they wept said 
 one, 'Who will now preach the Gospel to us? I have 
 heard no one explain the word of God like Mr. 
 Fisk.'" 
 
 People of different nations and languages wit- 
 nessed the dying behavior of this devoted mission- 
 ary, and followed him to his grave weeping. They 
 felt that they had lost a friend. Such was the 
 favorable impression that his godly life and conver- 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 427 
 
 sation had made on their minds. They respected 
 him, and mourned for him. 
 
 The last precious memorials of this beloved ser- 
 vant of God, are two short epistles, which he dic- 
 tated to his fellow laborers, Messrs. King and Tem- 
 ple, and one to his father, a few days before his 
 death. 
 
 TO REV. JONAS KING. 
 
 "Beyroot, Tkui-sday, October 20, 1825. 
 
 "My beloved brother King. Little did we think, 
 when we parted, that the first or nearly the first in- 
 telligence concerning me, would be the news of my 
 death. Yet, at present, this is likely to be the 
 case. I write you as from my dying bed. The Sa- 
 viour whom I have so imperfectly served, I trust 
 now grants me his aid; and to his faithful care I 
 commit my immortal spirit. May your life be pro- 
 longed, and be made abundantly useful. Live a 
 life of prayer. Let your conversation be in heaven. 
 Labor abundantly for Christ. Whatever treatment 
 you meet with, whatever difficulties you encounter, 
 whatever vexations fall to your lot, and from what- 
 ever source, possess your soul in patience; yea, let 
 patience have her perfect work. I think of you now 
 in my dying moments, and remember many happy 
 hours we have spent together. And I die in the 
 glorious hope of meeting you where we shall be 
 freed from all sin. Till that happy meeting, dear 
 brother, farewell! P. FJSK." 
 
 "I have lost a friend, a brother," said Mr. King, 
 "the beloved companion of my studies, and mis- 
 sionary labors in the Holy Land! Very pleasant 
 hast thou been unto me. Dear Fisk and Parsons! 
 'They were lovely and pleasant in their lives, and 
 in their death not long divided.' Now their labors 
 
428 MEMOIR OF 
 
 and trials are ended! They behold the unveiled 
 glories of the Son of God." 
 
 "In their death not long divided." This fact 
 forcibly suggests the closing paragraph of that mu- 
 tual, solemn covenant* into which they entered when 
 it was settled that they were to labor together, and 
 which is as follows; 
 
 "And while we take this covenant upon ourselves, 
 it is with earnest prayer, that in life we may long 
 be united, and in death not far divided." 
 
 TO REV. DANIEL TEMPLE, MALTA. 
 
 "Beyroot, Tliursdaq, October 20, 1825. 
 
 "My beloved brother Temple. On the confines 
 of eternity, as I suppose, I send you a last token of 
 my love, and a last farewell. Viewing myself, as 
 I now do, a dying man, the great and holy cause, in 
 which we are engaged, presents itself to my mind 
 with indescribable importance. We have both had 
 slight disappointments and troubles in our work, but 
 they are not worthy to be compared with the glory 
 that shall be, as we trust, revealed in us. At this 
 solemn moment, I seem unable to recollect any 
 thing that deserves the name of trial, disappoint- 
 ment, or sacrifice. The history of my life has been 
 a history of mercies, and of sins! My only hope 
 is in the unmerited mercy of Christ. I trust that, 
 for sixteen or seventeen years, I have found his ser- 
 vice pleasant, and him a faithful and gracious Mas- 
 ter, though I have been constantly violating his laws, 
 and wandering from his presence. 
 
 "I wish you a long and useful life, and much 
 communion with Christ. My kindest love to Mrs. 
 Temple. My prayer is, that you may long live and 
 be happy together; and the Lord grant, that your 
 children may be early sanctified by his grace, and 
 
 * See Memoir of Parsons, 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 429 
 
 live to occupy the places made vacant in this mis- 
 sion, by the calling of one and another of us to 
 himself. 
 
 "Your dying brother, P. FISK." 
 
 "When I read this letter," says Mr. Temple, "I 
 felt, as if I had heard the voice of one of the saints 
 made perfect, speaking to me from his happy abode 
 on Mount Zion above. Never in my life did the 
 world seem to retire so far from me, and heaven ap- 
 proach so near. I cculd not help saying with the 
 greatest emphasis, Let me die as he died, and let 
 my last end be like his." 
 
 The letter which he addressed to his father was 
 accompanied by one from Mr. Goodell, giving some 
 account of the afflictive event. 
 
 "God leads us in a way that we know not; but it 
 is a good way, and it is our happiness as Christians 
 to be sorrowful, yet always rejoicing. Whatever we 
 may lose in this world, we cannot lose that which 
 we esteem better than life. Though we may endure 
 much affliction, and pass through many deep waters, 
 yet this is our comfort, 'The Lord is with us;' and 
 this is our triumph, 'All things shall work together 
 for our good.' Whatever tends to familiarize our 
 minds with the hopes of immortality, whatever im- 
 parts to things unseen a greater reality than in our 
 view they possessed before, and thus constrains us 
 to extend our acquaintance with the other world, to 
 look beyond this transitory scene for our felicities 
 and our home; can be considered in no other light 
 than desirable. Thus our very losses may enrich us 
 an hundred fold, our privations prove real gains, and 
 the sickness and exit of our friends be, as 'angels 
 sent on errands full of love.' 
 
 But why need I offer a word of consolation, or 
 endeavor to prepare your mind to receive the intel- 
 ligence of what God has done God, your father, 
 who loves you, who does nothing wantonly, but 
 
430 
 
 MEMOIR OF 
 
 always for some wise purpose, some benevolent de- 
 sign? 'He'll bear it, 9 said your dear son, our brother, 
 in his last hours. Be not troubled, dear sir, for his 
 end was peace. We sat by his pillow; we wiped 
 away the cold sweat, that again and again gathered 
 upon his brow; we caught the last words that trem- 
 bled upon his tongue. Jesus was precious to his 
 soul; heaven itself was present; all was peace. 
 
 "As the light of day returned on Thursday morn- 
 ing preceding his death, his reason also returned; 
 and viewing himself to be on the confines of eter- 
 nity, and not expecting even to behold the rising of 
 another sun, he requested me to take pen and paper, 
 and dictated to you the following letter: 
 
 Bey root, October 20, 1825. 
 
 "My beloved aged Father. I compose a few lines 
 for you upon a sick, probably a dying bed. When 
 you gave me up for this Mission, you gave me up 
 for life, and death. You know to whom to look for 
 consolation and support. The same God, who has 
 comforted you so many years, under so many 
 troubles, will comfort you under this. You know 
 his consolations are neither few nor small. I leave 
 these lines as a pledge to you, and my brothers and 
 sisters, my nephews and nieces, that I love you all 
 most dearly, though so long separated from you. I 
 hope all, or nearly all our number, have been ena- 
 bled to give themselves to Christ, and that we shall 
 meet with our departed mother in heaven." 
 
 "Here," says Mr. Goodell, "he was interrupted 
 by company; and did not resume the subject. Dur- 
 ing the day he remarked, 'Soon, and Christ will 
 love me, for I shall be like him. He will make me 
 such, that he can take delight in me forever, and I 
 shall sin no more.' " 
 
 The following tribute of Christian affection is from 
 a letter written by Rev. Mr. Jowett to the Assistant 
 Secretary of the American Board of Missions. 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 431 
 
 "I can find no words to express my grief and my 
 sympathy, with what I know will be the grief of 
 thousands in America at the tidings of the death of 
 our brother Fisk my beloved fellow. pilgrim to Je- 
 rusalem. But the blow is from the hand of an all- 
 wise and all-gracious Father. I was dumb, I opened 
 not my mouth, because thou didst it. We have 
 cause to praise him that our brother was spared to 
 be so long useful, and that his dying hours were so 
 edifying. Where one falls, may a hundred others be 
 raised up! Let us lift up the hands that hang down, 
 and the feeble knees, and after having given vent 
 to tears, which we cannot restrain, go on cheerfully 
 in his steps, wearing out (as he said) in the service of 
 Christ, and desiring no rest till the Master calls us, 
 as he has done him, to enter the gates of the heav- 
 enly Jerusalem." 
 
 The following remarks of Mr. Bird show what 
 progress Mr. Fisk was making in his work, and 
 what some of his last designs were in reference to 
 the mission. 
 
 "The breach his death has made in the mission, 
 is one which years will not probably repair. The 
 length of time, which our dear brother had spent 
 in the missionary field, the extensive tours he had 
 taken, the acquaintances and connexions he had 
 formed, and the knowledge he had acquired of the 
 state of men and things in all the Levant, had well 
 qualified him to act as our counsellor and guide, 
 while his personal endowments gave him a weight of 
 character, sensibly felt by the natives. His knowl- 
 edge of languages, considering his well known ac- 
 tive habits, has often been to us a subject of sur- 
 prise and thanksgiving. All men who could com- 
 prehend French, Italian, or Greek, were accessible 
 by his powerful admonitions. In the first mentioned 
 language, he conversed with ease; and, in the two 
 last, performed with perfect fluency, the common 
 public services of a preacher of the Gospel. Even 
 
432 MEMOIR OP 
 
 the Arabic, with all its five years' difficulties, he 
 had so far mastered, as to commence in it a regular 
 Sabbath-day service with a few of the natives, nor 
 could we observe, that in this he labored under any 
 embarrassment for want of words to convey his 
 meaning. At the time of his death, beside preach- 
 ing weekly in Arabic, and in English in his turn, 
 together with pursuing his grammatical studies un- 
 der an Arabic master, he had just commenced a 
 work, to which, with the advice of us all present, 
 he was directing, for the time, his main attention. 
 Having in a manner completed the tour of Palestine 
 and Syria, and having become nearly master of what 
 concerns the grammatical part of the Arabic lan- 
 guage; he began to feel more sensibly than ever 
 the want of a proper sized dictionary, that should 
 introduce the English missionary to the common 
 spoken language of the country. We were of the 
 unanimous opinion, that a lexicon like the one in 
 contemplation by Mr. Fisk, was quite needed, not 
 only by ourselves, but by those who might succeed 
 us in the mission. Our dear brother had written 
 the catalogue of English words according to John- 
 son, and had just finished writing the catalogue (in- 
 complete of course) of the corresponding Arabic, 
 when his disease arrested him. Had he lived, he had 
 it in contemplation to visit his native country, and 
 probably to prepare for publication some account 
 of his Christian researches in the Levant. 
 
 "Such were some of the plans and employments of 
 our brother and companion in tribulation, and in 
 the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, when he 
 was called off from all his labors of love among 
 men. He is gone, but his memory lives. Never 
 till we shall be called to go and sleep by his side, 
 shall we forget the noble example of patience, faith 
 and zeal, which he has set us; and never will the 
 churches at home forget him, till they shall have for- 
 gotten their duty to spread the Gospel." 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 433 
 
 The American Board of Missions held Mr. Fisk in 
 high estimation, and deeply felt his loss, regarding 
 it as occasioning a breach, which it would take a 
 long time to fill. As the result of intimate acquaint- 
 ance with his missionary operations and acquisi- 
 tions, they have left on the pages of one of their 
 Annual Reports a respectful testimonial of his 
 worth. 
 
 "The character and attainments of Mr. Fisk," 
 says the Report, "were such, as to attract the re- 
 spect and confidence of men to a very extraordinary 
 degree. During the six years of his missionary 
 life, he was indefatigable as a Christian traveller, 
 and as a preacher of the Gospel in four languages 
 besides his native tongue. He saw and conversed 
 with men of different nations, of various habits, and 
 diversified acquirements, from the accomplished 
 merchant and the scientific traveller, to the prowl- 
 ing Arab, the ferocious Turk, and the ignorant de- 
 votee of superstition under the name of a Chris- 
 tian. Individuals of all these classes, as they be- 
 came acquainted with him, felt and acknowledged 
 that he was a man of distinguished worth, whose 
 conduct adorned his profession, and whose influ- 
 ence must be perceived by its salutary effects on 
 any community, in which he should reside. In pri- 
 vate conversation he accomplished much; and the 
 last weeks of his life were rendered happy by his 
 learning, that some labors of this kind, performed 
 two or three years before, had been materially in- 
 strumental in converting souls to God. 
 
 "No missionary in the service of the Board had 
 a more extensive personal acquaintance, than Mr. 
 Fisk; and none has been more universally loved and 
 honored. But the good opinion of his fellow men, 
 and even of his fellow servants in Christ, was of 
 small importance to him, in comparison with the 
 approbation of his God." 
 37 
 
434 MEMOIR OF 
 
 Having followed this lamented Missionary through 
 his short, but eminently useful life, we leave him in 
 his "narrow house" at the foot of Lebanon. Though 
 we cannot but mingle our tears with those which 
 the Arab and Greek shed at his grave, we mourn 
 not as those who have no hope. But while we de- 
 plore the loss of one who stood at the head of the 
 mission to the Holy Land, we rejoice that he 
 lived to accomplish so much. If "that life is long 
 which answers life's great end," his was n.ot indeed 
 short. He lived to see, what from the beginning of 
 his work was with him a very great object, a print- 
 ing press established, and in successful operation in 
 the Mediterranean. After many discouragements, 
 and disappointments, and labors, he succeeded in 
 giving the hopeful appearance of permanency to the 
 mission in Syria, and saw it assuming increasing 
 importance, and exerting an influence that promised 
 much to the cause of Christ in that country. He 
 had extended his researches, not only over the coun- 
 try where the Apocalyptic churches were planted, 
 and in the renowned land of the Pharaohs, which to 
 the people of God was once "the house of bond- 
 age;" but through the greater part of Syria. He 
 had with indefatigable labor surveyed these inter- 
 esting fields statistically and morally, and left to 
 the mission the valuable results of his observation 
 and inquiry. 
 
 As he travelled from city to city, he distributed 
 the Holy Scriptures and Tracts very extensively, 
 and in personal interviews had commended the pure 
 doctrines of the Gospel to the attention and the 
 conscience of Greeks, Jews, and Mussulmans. Over 
 a wide field the seed had been faithfully scattered 
 by his hand, some of which has taken root, and 
 already shoots up the promising blade. They who 
 shall follow him, will be able to report some of the 
 happy effects of his labors. Mr. King, who trav- 
 elled over that part of Asia Minor which Mr. Fisk 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 
 
 435 
 
 and his fellow-laborer explored, found that their visit 
 was remembered, and spoken of with much satis- 
 faction. Speaking of Thyatira he says; "A Greek 
 in this place, in mentioning the visit of Messrs. Fisk 
 and Parsons, informed us, that some of the Tracts, 
 ivhich they had distributed, had been lent from one to 
 another, till they had been read by nearly two hundred 
 persons!" By faith he commenced an assault upon 
 "spiritual wickedness in high places," and brought 
 the weapons of a holy warfare to bear directly 
 against the enemy in his strongest citadel; and he 
 felt an unshaken confidence that, though he might 
 perish in the battle, the victory was sure. 
 
 We have seen him, "by the word of truth, by the 
 power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the 
 right hand and on the left," going forth, not like 
 Peter the Hermit, to pour a bannered host over the 
 plains of Judea, for the purpose of recovering the 
 Holy Sepulchre from Ottoman profanation, but for 
 the purpose of "planting the standard of the cross 
 where the cross itself once stood, where the foun- 
 tain of pardon to a guilty world was opened by the 
 soldier's spear, and from whence salvation shall issue 
 forth again to Israel and Judah." Having thus com- 
 menced the work, and from the hill of Zion sound- 
 ed in the ear of the church the trumpet note of 
 preparation for coming up "arm and soul" to the 
 glorious enterprise, he retired amidst the storm which 
 his own efforts had excited, that he might rest "for 
 a little moment, until the indignation be overpast." 
 But God had done with his instrumentality here, 
 and gave him to "rest from his labors," and "enter 
 into peace." 
 
 In respect to his character, it would be superflu- 
 ous to add much after what has been already related. 
 His "own works shall praise him in the gates;" 
 and we would avoid the imputation of an effort to 
 canonize him as a saint. That he had defects of 
 character is not denied, for "to err is human." That 
 
436 MEMOIR OF 
 
 he was, however, "a bright and shining light," will 
 be confessed a man "in whom there was an ex- 
 cellent spirit" and whose meat and drink it was to 
 be about his Father's business. If he did not ex- 
 hibit the power and splendor of pre-eminent tal- 
 ents, and the fascinating refinements of elegant 
 literature, he evinced what is of more importance, 
 the quenchless ardor of Christian zeal, regulated by 
 a sound mind, and a facility for making readily such 
 acquisitions, as his work demanded. Says the Rev. 
 Lewis Way. who became acquainted with him at 
 Antoura; "I found in him a man of a truly catholic 
 and Christian spirit. His simple piety, solid sense, 
 amiable temper, and strong constitution, had em- 
 inently predisposed him for his calling; and the 
 experience he obtained by travelling amply qualified 
 him to be the guide and director of others, who may 
 follow him in this most interesting and arduous 
 mission." His piety, "unlike a summer's brook," 
 was, as the stream issuing from the perennial foun- 
 tain, permanent and uniform, being sustained by 
 constant supplies from "the wells of salvation." 
 
 In his character there was a combination of qual- 
 ities which, under the direction of enlightened and 
 active piety, must render a person eminently useful. 
 Decision, perseverance, intrepidity, judgment, mod- 
 esty, patience, and benevolence, are traits which 
 have been developed in the preceding pages traits 
 which were harmoniously combined in him, forming 
 a well-proportioned, and truly consistent character. 
 As was said of Henry Martyn, "the symmetry of his 
 stature in Christ was as surprising as its height." 
 
 No person perhaps was more delighted with the 
 study of the sacred Scriptures, and few possessed a 
 more extensive or correct knowledge of them. He 
 loved to dwell "fast by the oracle of God," that the 
 word of Christ might dwell in him richly. An unc- 
 tion from the Holy One gave an effect to his minis- 
 trations, which failed not to produce the impression 
 
REV. PLINY FISK. 
 
 437 
 
 that he was honest and in earnest that he both be- 
 lieved and felt the truths of the Gospel, in preach- 
 ing which it was his constant aim to "commend 
 himself to every man's conscience in the sight of 
 God." 
 
 It will be sufficient to add, that Mr. Fisk was the 
 established Christian, whose uniform care was, to 
 'exercise himself unto godliness." Truly may it be 
 said of him, that "he walked with God," and made 
 it his object to be "always abounding in the work 
 of the Lord." No one could be with him long 
 without perceiving, that "he had been with Jesus," 
 and that his conversation was in heaven. Though 
 at times he was depressed with doubts, arising from 
 deep discoveries of his own sinful heart, he in gen- 
 eral lived in the enjoyment of religion, 
 
 "In regions mild of calm and serene air, 
 Above the smoke and stir of this dim spot 
 Which men call earth." 
 
 Such was the man, who at the age of thirty-three 
 years was dismissed from the labors and trials of his 
 stewardship. It is not the first time that the church 
 has been called to weep over the early death of her 
 most promising, and devoted sons. Brainerd, Mar- 
 tyn, Mills, Parsons, Hall, and others of kindred 
 spirit, have been arrested in the noon-tide of life, 
 while successfully employed in the service of their 
 Lord, and removed to the employments and rewards 
 of the heavenly Jerusalem. These mysterious and 
 afflicting providences address a solemn admonition 
 to every missionary, to every minister, to every fol- 
 lower of Jesus Christ; "Whatsoever thy hand find- 
 eth to do, do it with thy might." "Blessed is that 
 servant, whom his Lord, when he cometh, shall find 
 so doing." 
 
 THE END. 
 
VALUABLE RELIGIOUS BOOHS 
 
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 No. 47, WASHINGTON STREET, BOSTON. 
 
 CHRISTIAN RESEARCHES IN SYRIA AND 
 THE HOLY LAND, in 1823 and 18^4, in furtherance 
 of the objects of the Church Missionary Society. By Rer. 
 William Jowett, M. A. ; one of the Representatives of the 
 Society, and late Fellow of St. John's College, Cambridge. 
 
 "We cannot but recommend this work warmly to the attention of 
 the American public, as one of the most interesting volumes which 
 has recently appeared. The author, indeed, is an Englishman, in the 
 employment of an English society; but he is laboring in the same great 
 cause in which the American church is now rousing all her energies; 
 and throughout the whole of his tour he was in the society and inti- 
 mate friendship of our own missionaries, of whom he constantly speaks 
 in the most affecting and endearing terms. The volume contains a 
 map of Syria and Palestine, and a very accurate plan of Jerusalem, 
 which will enhance the interest and value of the Book. 
 
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 "This work is one of the most entertaining, and we may add, in- 
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 "The information and advice contained in the present volume will 
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 do credit to his judgment and his correct feeling." Electic Review. 
 
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 ter Chapin. Price $1,25. 
 
 "The author has executed his task with faithfulness and ability. 
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 are now in a course of execution in all parts of the globe." 
 
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 Sermon occasioned by her death. By BENJAMIN B. 
 
Valuable Religious Works. 
 
 WISNER, Pastor of the Old South Church. Embellished 
 with a portrait of Mrs. Huntington. $1,25, boards; 1,50, 
 bound. 
 
 These memoirs "reveal a noble, religious and gifted female, whose 
 elevated order of excellence appears, in lines of evidence, which art 
 could not counterfeit, nor fiction supply, nor ingenuousness discredit; 
 and whose title as an ornament to her sex, her age. her nation, and 
 the cause she paramountly loved, they fail not fully to establish.'' 
 ''The contents," of this volume, "taken together, form a mental ban- 
 quet for the Christian, interesting, abounding with incident, full of 
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 "No wife, nor mother, nor any Christian female, in a day like this, 
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 THE ASSISTANT TO FAMILY RELIGION, 
 
 in six parts: Containing a Sermon on Family Religion; 
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 of Question and Answer, accompanied with Scripture Proofs, 
 in thirty-two Chapters; a Series of Resolutions, and 
 Questions of Self-examination; Morning and Evening 
 Prayers for every Day for two Weeks, together with Oc- 
 casional Prayers; Select Psalms and Hymns, adapted 
 to Family Devotion; and Select Harmony, of Psalm Tunes, 
 suitable for Family Religion. By WILLIAM COGSWELL, 
 Pastor of the South Church in Dedham. $1,25 bound. 
 
 "The Author, it appears to us, has ably executed his design, and done 
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 before the public. We wish it a continued and general circulation/'' 
 Christian Magazine. 
 
 In Press A NEW CONCORDANCE OF THE 
 HOLY SCRIPTURES. Being the most comprehensive 
 and concise of any before published. In which not only 
 any word or passage of Scripture may be easily found, but 
 the signification also is given of all proper names mentioned 
 in the sacred writings. By the Rev. JOHN BUTT^RWORTH. 
 \ new edition, with considerable improvement, By ADAM 
 CLARK, LL. D. 
 
EDITION OF 
 
 WATTS' PSALMS AND HYMNS 
 
 AND 
 
 SBXBCT HYMNS. 
 
 CROCKER & BREWSTER, No. 50, Cornbill, Boston, 
 and JONA. LEAVITT, 182, Broadway, New York, keep 
 constantly on sale, wholesale and retail, three different 
 editions of this work, viz. a LARGE SIZE, suitable for 
 the Pulpit and for aged people, at $1 25 single ; $ 10 a 
 dozen ; a COMMON SIZE, at $1 single ; $8 a dozen ; 
 and a neat POCKET SIZE, at the same price as the 
 common edition ; all well bound and lettered. This 
 work has been introduced into many of our Churches, 
 and highly commended by some of our most eminent 
 Divines. It has also been noticed in our periodical pub- 
 lications, from one of which we make the following 
 extracts. 
 
 From the Boston Recorder, June]ihe accurate performance of mu- 
 19,1824. isic. The design of those charac- 
 
 TIIE lovers of Christian Psal-jters is to shew, at a glance, how 
 inody will be gratified to find thatjto adapt the performance to the 
 DR. WORCESTER'S edition of 'spirit of the song. All accurate 
 DR. WATTS ENTIRE, with an performers of every description of 
 improved and copious Index sum*- music are especially attentive to 
 ciently extensive and particular to) musical characters. Without the 
 find any Psalm or Hymn bytheluse of these the performance of 
 first line, or subject, is published. 'the best musicians would be dull 
 This book contains between two land monotonous. Of this every mu- 
 and three hundred Select Hymns jsician of taste is perfectly aware. 
 of various metres, which are not! If any should question the cor- 
 in the common hymn book of jrectness of these remarks, let them 
 Watts, which will give a pleasing j perform Denmark, Easter, Cam- 
 variety as to music and matter. bridge, and other set pieces, and 
 
 There is that in Dr. Worcester's anthems, without regard to musi- 
 
 edition of Dr. Watts entire, which 
 
 gives it its grand peculiarity ; it is riation according to the demand 
 
 this : THE KEY OF EXPRESSION. 
 This is an ingenious and excellent 
 
 device. With the help of this value of them. 
 
 key, the whole choir of singers, at 
 a single glance, can clearly dis- 
 cover the sentiment to be express- 
 
 cal characters, which denote va- 
 
 of the words that are sung, and 
 they will at once see the use and 
 
 I have made these few remarks, 
 which may possibly seem a lit- 
 tle extraneous from my subject, 
 
 ed. and how to express it. though I think not impertinent, to 
 
 This key indicates the wanner 'illustrate the use and value of the 
 
 " 
 
Worcester's Watts' Psalms and Hymns. 
 
 mended. The characters, which much to the general solemnity 
 signify quick, slow, loud, soil, very and interest, as it is more conge- 
 quick, very slow, very loud, very nial with the spirit and design of 
 soft, quick and loud, quick and worship : more congenial, as it 
 soft, slow and loud, slow and soft, directs to the sentiment of what is 
 and variously distinctive ; these sung, and adapts the performance 
 characters, which are very simple to such sentiment. This is the 
 and very easy to remember, are finest specimen of oratory, and 
 respectively set before every verse commends itself to all men. It is 
 or line, which requires variation [nature ; to copy which is the per- 
 from the common movement. And fection of art. 
 the common movement is restored Although the books in common 
 by a simple dash. And it is thought use will answer for all except 
 by good judges, who have exam- singers, who must have the key of 
 ined and practised on the plan, 'expression, yet it is respectfully 
 that they are judiciously set. recommended to every one, who 
 
 With the help of these few sim- wishes to purchase a new book, to 
 pie characters, the whole band of lobtain this edition. You then pos- 
 musicians can simultaneously ex- sess WATTS ENTIRE, THE 
 press, without any interruption, WHOLE YOU HAVE IN 
 the sentiment of the Psalm or YOUR OLD BOOKS, arid the 
 Hymn as accurately as in set] choice Select Hymns in addition, 
 pieces and anthems with the help] together with more copious tables 
 of the common musical charactersjof index, and contents, and pas- 
 set over them. isages of scripture from which 
 
 The key of expression now un-jhymns are taken, as well as the 
 der consideration is of such high key of expression, 
 estimation with those, who have) it is seriously believed, yea, con- 
 practised on the plan of this book,|fidently asserted, that ministers, 
 that it is peculiarly desirable that[churches, congregations, and sing- 
 it should have still more extensive iers can contribute greatly to the 
 circulation, and more general use : [improvement of musical taste and 
 for, wherever it has obtained, it refinement in the performance of 
 has met with decided approbation, Church music, as well as to their 
 and been considered indispensa-'own improvement and pleasure, 
 ble to the performance of Church jby adopting, and encouraging the 
 music with accuracy and taste, (universal adoption of this book, 
 and to render that important partjwhich merits, and I trust will 
 of public worship most profitable jhave, more able advocates. As it 
 and pleasanj;. And the great rea-jneeds only to be known to be ap- 
 son why it has not gone into ge- proved and adopted, it is earnestly 
 neral use, is because it has not requested by one 2 who has no pe- 
 been generally known. Accord- cuniary interest in the thing, and 
 ingly, the design of the disinter- by many equally disinterested, that 
 ested writer of this article is to singers especially, who have not 
 promote the circulation of the book acquainted themselves with the 
 by recommending it to all church- system, would, without too long 
 es, congregations, and choirs of|delay, avail themselves of the 
 singers in the Christian communi- pleasure it is sure to afford, 
 ty. The \yriter is not only ac- 
 quainted with the theory, but with 
 the practice of this improved sys- 
 tem, and can testify that it creates 
 an interest in the sacred art of 
 
 psalmody, which is truly laudable 
 and animating, and which he ne- 
 ver witnessed till its introduction. 
 
 From a Clergyman, in whose- con- 
 gregation this work teas intro 
 duced soon after it was first 
 published. 
 IT has been a matter of surprise 
 
 to the writer of this article, as 
 
 Manv congregations have been well as to others, that Dr. Wor- 
 delighted, and sino-ers too, with cesters edition of DR. WATTS' 
 the improvement mduced by this PSALMS AND HYMNS EN- 
 book. It imparts life and anhna- TIRE, has not more generally 
 tion to this delightful part of pub- obtained in our religious assem- 
 \vnrshin. whir.h t.lm rlnll nnH blies. Rut he is led to believe it 
 
Valuable Books for Sale by Crocker fy Brewster. 
 
 Watts ENTIRE, and has subjoined', their performance. In one half 
 between two and three hundred; hour the few characters that corn- 
 beautiful hymns selected from va-'pose this key may be learned, and 
 rious authors, and of various me-ia little practice will make it fami- 
 tres, to accommodate people andiliar. Where the key has been 
 singers of taste. But what ren- practised, and it has been in many 
 ders this book far superior to any assemblies, music has obtained an 
 other edition of Watts, is the KEY unusual interest, become more re- 
 OF MUSICAL EXPRESSION, which; spectable and delightful ; for the 
 carries the book almost beyond all singers, by this rule, express the 
 praise. It is just what singers of sentiment of the song. And tins 
 psalmody have always wanted ;\ is indispensable. It is of inestima- 
 and what those, who have been|ble value in the view of those, who 
 acquainted with its excellence. I practise upon it. And none but 
 would not easily be persuaded to\singcrs are under the necessity of 
 give up. We have very much! having the edition containing the 
 needed something to prevent ajkey of expression. It is greatly to 
 dull monotonous singing ofhymns.be desired that singers would ac- 
 This musical key is as valuable; quaint themselves with this key, 
 and important as characters placed: for it needs only to be known to 
 over Anthems and set pieces of jbe admired, 
 music, to denote the -manner of) 
 
 The SELECT HYMNS can be had separate, price 37J 
 cents single ; $3 a dozen. 
 
 Clergymen who may wish to introduce the above into 
 their congregations, are informed that a very liberal dis- 
 count is made from the dozen price when 100 or more 
 are purchased. 
 
 Extra binding can be had at a fair additional price. 
 
 RECENTLY PUBLISHED AND FOR SALE AS ABOVE. 
 
 1. The History of the Churchlcated: in a Series of Dialogues. 
 of Christ, by the late Rev. Joseph'By the Rev. John Thornton. 
 Miiner, with additions and correc- 5. Hints on Missions ; by J. 
 tions, by the late Rev. Isaac Mil- Douglas, Esq. 
 
 ner. Second American edition,! 6. The whole Works of the Rev. 
 cqraprisino- some account of the;Richard Cecil. 3 vols. Remains 
 Lives of the Authors and an Ori-!of do. do. 1 vol. 
 ginal Index. | 7. The Life of the Rev. Thomas 
 
 It is printed from the latest \ Scott, D. D. author of the Corn- 
 English edition, and comprises; mentary on the Bible ; including 
 between two and three hundred a Narrative drawn up by himself, 
 pages of matter, that is not con-' and copious extracts of his letters, 
 tained in the first American edi-JBy his son, the Rev. John Scott, 
 tion, which has sold at 13 dollars ;IA. M. 
 
 besides a very valuable original! 8. Letters and Papers of the 
 Index of 70 pages, compiled bythejlate Rev. Thomas Scott ; and oc- 
 Rev. William Jenks, expressly fbr ; casional Observations by John 
 this edition. 5 vols. $i) ,00 bound J Scott, A. M. With a likeness of 
 
 2. Essay on the Evils of Popu- ! ^e Author. 
 
 lar Ignorance, by John Foster, au-l 9. Memoir of Catharine Brown, 
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 and his peaceful and triumphant 
 death. By John Griffin. 
 
 22. The History of Marten and 
 his two Little Scholars at a Sun- 
 
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 1 T 1 i ^iir'.l net Ti /r f* tr i i 
 
 wich Islands. With six cngrav- 
 
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 T A T-. r* r TIT " /* TV/T 
 
 J. A. James. 
 
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 24. The Spanish Daughter, by 
 
 25. Memoirs of Mrs. Harriet 
 
 13. Memoirs of Miss Emma Newell, wife of the Rev. Samuel 
 
 Newell, containing her Letters 
 and Diary ; with a likeness. 
 26. Sermons addressed to Chil- 
 
 lion of their Moral and Intellectual dren. By John Burder. 
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 Rev. T. East. in two Parts. Containing the Pa- 
 
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 SARAH CHISMAN. With a Pre- 30. The Sunday School Teacli- 
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 10. Juliana Oakley. A Tale. By 
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