EVANGELICAL ALLIANCE. yielded to the advice given them and ac- payment. of so small a sum as has been cepted the compromise. Another considera- assessed upon him, is in no sense a punishtion which influenced them, was the fear ment for such injuries, inflicted in direct lest their Governor, if dealt with as he violation of the laws of the realm, and that deserved, should cherish deadly revenge he must regard himself as coming off vicagainst them, and find means secretly to torious in this contest, and be emboldencd destroy them.

to make more open and more dreadful ag“Instead, however, of the 500 piastres gressions hereafter. promised them, 450 were doled out to them "Still again, Belad Besharrah, of which with much difficulty, 100 of which they had he rules over a part, is under the control of to pay for the leeches applied to their bodies other members of his family, all like himby order of the Medjlis. The Governor was self, bold, cruel men, hating Protestantism, ordered to treat them justly, and they were and ready to do all in their power, condismissed by the Pacha with an angry re- sistent with their safety, to crush it. Unprimand for having sought the friendly der their control are several Protestant aid of the British Consul.'

communities. These at times have been in (In my letter to Mr. Moore I presented great peril from their rulers, and only the following additional statements.) slight obstacles seem to interpose between

“Should you inquire, Who is this Go- them and utter ruin. There is great danger vernor? I answer, his name is Ameen Beg that these men will be emboldened to comIs-Shuhail, a Metawalie by religion, or å mit new wrong by the success and impuMohammedan of the Persian sect-one of nity of Ameen Beg. a large family in whose hands is held the In view of these facts, let me express to government of the different districts into you, Sir, my conviction that a crisis of no which Belad Besharrah is divided.

small moment in the history of civil and “Should you ask, What his previous con- religious liberty in this land has now been duct has been towards the Protestants ? I reached. It is the hour for winning a long answer, one of uniform hostility towards victory or suffering a long defeat. The them, and disregard of their rights. Sultan of this Government, yielding to an

“Should you further inquire the probable influence emanating from that land which causes of his hostility? I answer, one cause you are justly proud to call your own, is, that he desires to show favour to the has opened wide the doors of religious opponents of the Protestants, members of freedom, closed here for 1200 years, and other Christian sects. These being numer- has proclaimed liberty of conscience the ous and wealthy, some of them occupying law of the empire. Over the astonished seats in his Council and subordinate offices and enraged Moslems of the capital in his employ, it is for the interest of the this law has triumphed. Far and Governor to please the influential party by wide, through the land, it has unloosed neglecting or injuring the Protestants. fetters and awakened songs. Wherever

“ The other cause is, that he, in common there have been found officers of that with the other Governors of this region of Government which invoked the spirit of country, fears lest, with the entrance of liberty, there, guarded and sheltered by Protestantism into the land, will enter the them, it has entered. But now it has spirit of liberty, lest there will be checks come to the borders of this land, this reupon his taking, as formerly, exorbitant mote corner of Syria, far from the eye of tribute from the people, who now suffer British Ambassador and Consul, and these uncomplainingly, because cowed down and dark-minded Metawalie chiefs—the date of not knowing to whom to appeal for aid. whose reign commences far back in the There is supposed to be a connexion between past, and who know no laws but the Koran Protestantism and the piercing eye and and the sword—repel with scorn this docstrong arm of England, searching out ini- trine of unquestioned liberty of conscience quity and upholding the oppressed, and and of worship. By their works, they say, therefore he would shut out Protestantism "It shall not enter here." It is not one and liberty, and the power commissioned Governor, Ameen Beg, who has planned of heaven to defend them, all together. this attempt at resistance, this trial of the

“Do you ask, if there are any particular power Protestantism can summon to her reasons why this case should be prosecuted aid ; rather has he made this trial on befarther, and any danger to be apprehended half of all the rulers of his clan; and the from its dismissal in its present aspect ? result was intended to affect all. I answer, that it seems to me that the “Many consequences, therefore, hang

TARY OF THE TURKISH BRANCH OF THE
EVANGELICAL ALLIANCE.

EVANGELICAL ALLIANCE. upon the final disposal of this question; and While the head man of the Protestants it is my humble prayer and earnest desire was recently in Beirût, prosecuting the case that, through your efforts, so generously with the Governor, his wife was assaulted offered in behalf of these persecuted Pro- by one of the Catholics, who has been the testants, may be opened a way for the re- leader in persecution, and in consequence of dress of their stupendous wrong, and that this assault, her own life was endangered, that blessed spirit of religious liberty, and another life destroyed not yet given to whose light has commenced to glow in the the world. heart of the empire, may diffuse its warmth In consequence of these continued diffiand life to the now chilled and lifeless ex- culties, the teacher of the school in Cana tremities—this for the enlightenment and has been driven away, and our work there regeneration of Syria and the supreme glory interrupted. of God.”

Asking for a continuance of your prayors The Consul, Mr. Moore, was made ac- for our labours, I remain, Sir, quainted, from the first, with the facts con- Respectfully and truly yours, tained in this letter, and manifested a warm

W. W. Eddy. interest in behalf of the oppressed Protest

II. ants, and a desire to assist them; and this, he supposed, he could efficiently do in con- LETTER FROM THE REV. E. E. BLISS, SECREsequence of the Vizerial letter and the orders he had received from Constantinople ; but on manifesting, as he promptly did, To Sir Culling Eardley, President of the this interest to the Pacha, and demanding

Evangelical Alliance, fo. justice, he was met by so disrespectful and

Constantinople, June 10, 1859. decided a repulse, that he felt himself com- My dear Sir,—We yesterday held the pletely cut off from the power of proceed- fourth anniversary of the Turkish Branch of ing farther, either in this case or in the the Evangelical Alliance, and, in accordothers, which we had proposed to prosecute, ance with a vote of the meeting, I herewith it being plain that the Pacha had no inten- transmit to you a copy of the report pretion of regarding the orders he had re- sented on the occasion. You will perceive ceived, but was rather provoked to oppose that we have done little as an Alliance the English Consul on their account. It during the past year. Our present annual only remained, therefore, for Mr. Moore to meeting, however, was a deeply interesting refer the case to her Britannic Majesty's one, and I hope that hereafter there will be Ambassador at the Porte, and this letter more life and efficiency in our various local was prepared with a view to such a repre- branches and committees. We werc fasentation. It remains now to be seen voured at this meeting with the presence of whether the Ambassador will be able to unusual number of missionary brethren secure a result such as the honour of Her from the more remote parts of Turkey. Majesty's Government and the interests of One of them — the Rev. Mr. Rhea, of justice require.

Gawar-is from the very borders of Persia. I will add a few words respecting those In fact, most of his missionary associates cuses alluded to in my former letter. In have their home in Persia, the Nestorian Deir demas, the Protestants who were im- Christians, for whom they labour, residing prisoned on a false charge were detained on the plain of Oroomiah. Mr. Rhea gave several weeks longer, subject to the caprices us a sketch of the history of religious liof a cruel gaoler, who would nearly starve berty in Persia, instancing the promulgation, them till their friends paid him large bribes, through Papal influence there, some years when he would treat them well for a few ago, of an edict in favour of liberty of condays longer, then oppress them to secure science, and of the withdrawal, soon after, a new bribe. They were at length dis- of that edict through the same Papal influmissed without trial or reason given for ence, upon the discovery that numbers were their imprisonment.

disposed to avail themselves of the liberty In Cana, besides the injury occasioned accorded them by seeking deliverance from by the Governor, the Catholics have not the bondage of the Church of Rome. Mr. ceased in various ways to annoy the Pro- Rhea's narrative of the efforts that were testants. The child alluded to as thrown subsequently made to hinder the labours of down from the arms of its mother and in the Protestant missionaries and drive them jured, never recovered from the shock, but from the country, and of the evident interdied in less than a week after the injury. positions of Divine Providence to bring those

more

union was

EVANGELICAL ALLIANCE. Spirit in the bond of peace.” The Evan- | most remarkable. We have also read from gelical Alliance in Sweden has, by the grace Evangelical Christendom accounts of the of God, secured during the past year a progress of the good work in other lands. greater number of real friends than during The meetings are always opened and closed any previous one. A greatly increasing with prayer, and the Word of God is read. desire for the perusal of God's Word has a member of our committee, a Lutheran, mainly contributed to this. An example has placed a large hall at our disposal for of this may be given: A Christian lady these meetings, and they are characterised withdrew from some friends with whom by a loving and peaceful spirit. During she had lived in loving fellowship, be- the past year we have corresponded with cause they had changed their opinion on the Berlin, Geneva, Lyons, Paris, and the a certain religious subject. During a Hague Branches of the Alliance. considerable period, her heart became By the help of God we have been enabled more and

alienated and cold. to aid by our contributions Christian breShe read the 15th chapter of John, and thren, both Lutherans and Separatists, who when she came to the 12th verse, " This is have been in need or have suffered persecumy commandment, that ye love one another, tion from the civil authorities. These even as I have loved you," she paused, and have been kindly distributed by foreign could not proceed. The words were deeply Christian brethren of different denominaimpressed on her heart; and this with such tions. We have also in this a fulfilment power, that she immediately visited her of the words, “If one member suffer, all forsaken friends with her New Testament the members suffer with it.” in her hand, pointed to the above words, Next to the Word of God, the most confessed her want of love, and brotherly powerful means of promoting the Evangeli

soon restored. The special cal Alliance is prayer. The spirit of the Lord meeting which our dear brethren Steane has during the past winter breathed powerand Hinton held here last year, has proved fully on our prayer meetings, when Churcha great blessing to the Evangelical Alliance; men and Dissenters have offered earnest misunderstandings were corrected, preju- prayers to the Giver of all Good. So called dices removed or softened, and many good“ poor invitations,” where many of the counsels received and remembered. Within most destitute are brought together, affordmore select companies our brethren pro- ing an opportunity by gifts extend temmoted the success of the Alliance, so that poral aid, and by the Word of God and their short visit was of incalculable value prayer, spiritual help to suffering fellowto our institution.

creatures have been frequently held. Love This has appeared during the present has been visible in deed and in truth, and meetings of Lutheran societies, an un- the kingdom of God has not only come to usually peaceful spirit prevailing in discus- the hearts of believers, but is manifest in a sions in which Separatists were allowed to more open confession--praised be the namo

of the Lord ! We may say, to the praise of God, that We ardently desire, if it be the will of the meetings this year have been in some God, that our dear brother, Pastor Scott, degree like the love feasts of the first may once more, even this year, in company Christians; and although no rich feast was with a deputation which has been mentioned prepared on a large scale, yet at smaller to us, come orer and attend the approaching tables, in different houses, Lutherans and Church meeting. Separatists have sat together, eating with This is the more desirable, as we have singleness of heart and praising God. with sorrow perceived the unfavourable bias

The public monthly meetings have been which has been given to the Alliance in altered to free conversational meetings, and that part of Sweden. are held on the last Thursday of each Evangelical Christians are, however, to month. Reports and letters from the pro- be found even in Skania, who not only provinces have been read, and verbal com claim the doctrines of the Alliance, but also munications given, by brethren who practise them.* have journeyed where the awakenings are

May the children of God throughout our There is an allusion here to a letter from the Rev. Dr. Bergman, in the June Nuinber of Evangelical Christendom, in which it is intimated that the Evangelical Alliance in Sweden is extinct. This occasioned considerable surprise and grief in Stockholm, and reference was made to it at the largely attended annual meeting of the Alliance in the capital. I have, since that time, seen and conversed with Dr. Bergman, who, in his communication to Dr. Steane, had reference only to the branch formed in his

take part.

EVANGELICAL ALLIANCE.

land carefully consider the weighty words uttered by Pastor Hinton in Stockholm, last year, with reference to the operations of different denominations in the same country, "We are not jealous."

We present our cordial thanks for your much-esteemed letter, and beseech you, beloved in the Lord, to remember us before the throne of grace.

Peace be with the brethren, and love, with faith from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

We remain, honoured and beloved bre-
thren in the love of Christ, yours in grati-
tude and affection,

On behalf of the Central Committee,
(Signed) JOHAN CHR. BERGER,
President and Foreign Secretary.

THE JEWS' PLACE OF WAILING IN JERUSALEM.*

pages of Hebrew books.
also, enveloped in white muslin, were
standing close to the wall, kissing its
stones, uttering heart-piercing lamenta-
tions, and breathing prayers through the
chinks in the wall, under the supposition
that supplications offered through these
crevices are especially pleasing to God.
One poor woman, in particular, attracted
our attention, as at intervals she gave
utterance to loud bursts of grief, the tears
meanwhile streaming down her cheeks.
Who could contemplate such a sight with-
out being ready to weep with those that
weep? Here the Jews sing their plaintive
laments for Zion, one of the most touching
and pathetic of which is the El Benè.
W. G.

On the west side of the Haram enclosure | were turning over and reading well-thumbed is the Jews' Place of Wailing, one of the Several women, most deeply interesting spots in Jerusalem. On Friday afternoons, just at the "turnings of the evening," may be seen numbers of Jews and Jewesses wending their way through the narrow streets towards this place of mourning, to bewail the desolation of Zion. On our way thither, we noticed, built into more modern walls, some remarkably fine specimens of Saracenic architecture. Arriving at the remnant of the old boundary wall of the Temple (composed of immense masses of stone, bevelled at the edges, and wrought with great care), we found several aged men, whose silvery hair and bending frames told the purpose for which they had come to Jerusalem-to die in the city of their fathers. Squat upon the ground in front of the wall, they