they brought him back to Mustafa Bey, saying, ‘He is obstinate.' Promises were then tried with him, but with as little effect as threats had been, and he was remanded to prison.

"Meanwhile, earnest prayer was offered to God for Hassan's release. Captain Burton, Her Britannic Majesty's Consul in Damascus, acted with the greatest vigour. He sent a dispatch to the Waly demanding Hassan's release on the ground of the treaty stipulations between the Sultan and the Government of the Queen, and sent him the clauses of the Hatti-Hamayoun of 1856, and of the subsequent special treaty between Turkey, England, and France, which declare the conditions of free religious conversion from one faith to another to be applicable to converts from Islamism to Christianity.

"On Friday morning Captain Burton sent a request to the Waly that the Protestant missionaries in Damascus be allowed to visit Hassan in prison. This was refused on the ground that the Waly wished to see him first himself. The brethren who went to Damascus with Hassan, as well as the missionaries there, were now somewhat discouraged, and resolved to write immediately to Beyrout a full statement of the case, being satisfied that their only hope was in the arm of God. And what made the prospect still darker was the fact that on that very morning the body of another Moslem convert to Christianity was found hanging by the neck in the court of one of the great mosques of Damascus. This man, named Salihh, a native of Damascus, became convinced of the truth of Christianity in Aleppo some time ago, and was sent by the Greeks to Athens, where he was baptized. He then went to Constantinople, where an old Moslem neighbour of Damascus recognised him, procured his arrest, and he was sent back to Damascus, where he was forced to renounce Christianity and live outwardly a Moslem. He informed certain of the missionaries there of his convictions, declared himself in fear of death, and asked them at least to take his two boys and educate them. He was afterwards arrested, and Hassan states that after midnight he was taken out from the very prison where he was confined, by Government policemen. The next morning he was found hung in the court of the mosque. Some of the people said he hung himself.' Others said the Prophet hung him.' There can

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be no doubt by whose order the deed was done. Whether the Government had tried and convicted him of crime remains to be proved. This event was not hopeful, as bearing upon Hassan's release. But at about half-past one, p.m., of Friday, June 30, while the brethren were in doubt and anxiety, and Ishac, the native colporteur, who was sent by Dr. Thomson to accompany Hassan to Damascus, was sitting at the house of one of the English missionaries, and preparing to write to Beyrout the state of the case, suddenly there was a loud knock at the 'door. When the door was opened, in walked Hassan, his face beaming with joy. Ishac could not believe his eyes. Are you Hassan?' 'Yes, praise God, I am Hassan.' And then there was a true fraternal embrace, and tears of joy and gratitude, and Hassan 'declared unto them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison.' (Acts xii. 17.) He stated that at noon the Waly summoned him to his own room, and having sent away all who were present, locked the door on the inside, and proceeded to ask him 'Were you a Moslem?' 'Yes, your Excellency, but I am now a Christian.' 'Why?' 'Because God has changed my heart, and I cannot be anything but a Christian.' 'Do you not believe in Mohammed?' 'Mohammed is not God, and cannot save my soul. I am a sinner, and Jesus Christ died for my salvation, and I believe in Him.'"

Through the energy of Mr. Eldridge, and the decisive influence of the British Ambassador, Sir H. Elliott, the telegram for Hassam's immediate liberation arrived at Damascus. from Constantinople at the very moment its potency alone could have saved him. The result was that, after the Waly had used such means as he thought best for testing the man's firmness, offering, it is said, a large bribe, he opened the door and told him to leave, stating that he would give him twenty days to go to Beyrout, settle up his affairs, and leave the country; and if he did not leave in twenty days, he (the Waly) would send him away. In consequence of this order, Hassan hastened from the room, expecting to be taken back to the prison by the guard. But, to his surprise, the double rows of guards stood in silence (the GovernorGeneral having no doubt bidden them to allow him to pass out free), and he went through one room and another to the outer

court, and thence through the gate that leads into the city, and on alone from the Seraia to the eastern end of the city, towards Bab Toonia, where he found his way to the house of the English missionary to the Jews, and thence was guided by a small boy to the house, where he knocked as stated above, and where the brethren were as greatly surprised by his appearance as was the damsel named Rhoda by the voice of Peter. On Saturday Hassan came in the night diligence with Ishoc, the colporteur, and Mr. Waldemier (formerly of Abyssinia), and reached Beyrout early Sabbath morning. There was great joy in the Protestant congregation as Hassan came in alone and took his seat as usual among the brethren. His mother had again attempted to kidnap the children during his absence, and his wife and children had taken refuge at the house of Mr. Mott, but had returned to the colporteur's house before his return from Damascus."

N.B.-The importance of the above case consists in the fact that while on the one side still surges the tide of old, middle-age, Moslem fanaticism, on the other stands the Sultan, faithful to his treaty with England, and at this distance of time guaranteeing toleration and equality in religious privileges to all his subjects. Toleration is now the law of the empire, but with what mingled creeds and races has the Government to deal, and how impossible it often is to control their party feuds the Mahommedan and Christian or half-Christian populations, hating and fearing each other, and always ready for an outbreak. But they have been brought during these last seventeen years, by various circumstances, largely under the influence of England and France-that of the latter has carried with it Jesuitical and Romanizing influence--and neither Germany nor even America officially interfere in behalf of Protestant subjects of the Porte, but England, as we have seen, still claims and exercises the right of insisting on religious toleration throughout the dominions of the Sultan.

A most interesting book has just left the press,* called "The Daughters of Syria," a narrative of efforts by the late Mrs. Published by Seeley, 54, Fleet-street.

Bowen Thompson for the evangelization of Syrian females (edited by the Rev. H. B. Tristram), which in a series of charming letters and lively narratives by her sister, Mrs. H. Smith, records the work of the courageous Christian lady "who singlehanded commenced, in Syria in 1860, a Bible and Industrial Mission amid the ruins and devastation of a civil war."

She has left behind her in Syria, now God has called her to her rest, after nine years' devoted and self-sacrificing work, twenty-three firmly established Female schools, containing 1,700 pupils of all classes, ages, and creeds, under fifty-six competent and Christian teachers, and in a land where women had hitherto compared themselves, in their own words, "only with cows and donkeys." Mrs. Thompson had but one object—to bring souls to Christ-and her aim was far higher than the desire to promote mere secular or intellectual improvement in Syria. From the determination to make known the glorious Word of God in the Lands where it was written, she never flinched, and, even among the Moslems, she resisted every inducement to leave that Word behind.

And the blessing from heaven was given accordingly. We remember the parting vow to which we listened, that when she left us for those scenes of sorrow and starvation, she would carry to those widows and orphans of the Lebanon nothing less than a BIBLE MISSION.

We must refer our readers to the volume itself for vivid sketches of those fearful deeds of massacre, and of how the broken and revengeful hearts of the poor survivors were bound up, and won to forgiveness and to patience for Jesus' sake. The Bible-women this beloved sister chose and superintended, still press on their way in the very towns and villages celebrated ten years ago for those scenes of bloodshedding.

The favour given of God to our dear friend with Turkish officials was very marvellous. They appreciated her straightforward and single-hearted endeavours to educate their daughters in the fear and love of the Christian's God. One Pasha said to her, "You cannot drive a straight furrow without a straight eye." Difficulties often occurred from local enemies, and schools were for a short time closed, but God always raised

up friends, and among them, in more than one instance, the Prince of Wales (for whose life at this time all England prays) recommended them to the notice and favour of the Sultan. The Schools gradually became known to all travellers in the East, and were usually visited by every one who took an interest, not only in the advancement of the Gospel, but in the elevation of the races subject to the Turkish rule.

During all the years of Mrs. Thompson's work in Syria we have rejoiced to hear tidings of it from herself in the pages of the MISSING LINK, and the journals of the Bible-women, six of whom we have long had the happiness of supporting from our small Foreign Fund, are some of the most interesting of all our far off communications. We will not forestal for our readers the touching detail of the passing from earth to heaven of this Mother in Syria, or of Syria's Eastern wail for that lost Mother. We hope the volume will be widely read side by side with its true English counterpart, "The Life of Agnes Jones" (Strahan and Co.), also written by a sister, and that the good seed sown by those bright truthful chronicles, may bring forth rich fruit in the devotedness of many who may follow in their steps. They were each trained and prepared of God for their special vocation, and they are each gone from us now, into angel company and into the presence of their Lord. How long shall it be said that they leave so few like them to fill their places. Mrs. Thompson has left loving and capable sisters, and under their care the work in Syria still lives, and calls for perpetual help from England.

BIBLE-WORK IN TURKEY AFTER 1853.

And while we refer to this fair edifice of Christian love, which never could have arisen in Syria but for the influence of Lord Stratford as the Representative of Great Britain, and for the HATTI HAMAYOUN, we must not pass by the Bible-work accomplished by England and America at about that era, through their great Bible Societies. Long before 1856 they had prepared the soil. The ancient Churches of the Armenians and Nestorians had joyfully received afresh the Word and suffered for it. A few of the Turkish population had heard of the treasure and had it read to them in secret. A Turkish Bible had been ready for