EUROPEAN INTELLIGENCE. TURKISH MISSIONS. REMARKABLE CONVERSATION IN BROOSA-ANGLO-TURKISH BOOKS-THE AMERICAN SYMPATHY. We need not invite attention to the following descriptive and deeply interesting account of the progress of free discussion, and the evident preparation for receiving the truth which Mohammedans are now manifesting in Turkey. Recent letters from Constantinople convey the account of this REMARKABLE CONVERSATION IN BROOSA. The week before last Dr. Hamlin and Mr. Williams went together to Broosa, on a little missionary visit. On board the steamer, between here and Moodania, there were among the passengers several Imams -fleeing from arrest, as growing out of the late conspiracy. They could hide their fears so little that everybody could see their position. Mr. Williams talked with them, as, indeed, he did with many others, on Divine truth. It seems, by means of these and other passengers, it was noised abroad in Broosa that Selim Effendi had arrived. The Sabbath passed delightfully, Dr. Hamlin preaching once and Mr. Williams once. They had an interesting evening meeting, and on Monday morning a prayer meeting among the Protestant Armenian brethren, and there seemed to be a more than usual melting down and melting together. But during Monday three great gentlemen and their attendants called, viz., the Hakim Effendi, or Chief Justice; the Deftardar, or Pasha's Secretary; and the Sheikh, or religious chief of Broosa. They wished to see the Protestant church building, and were led in by Dr. Hamlin, Mr. Williams, the pastor, &c. They were seated in the church, and a religious conversation commenced without delay. Mr. Williams drew their attention to the simplicity of this place of worship, without any picture, image, crucifix, or any object of veneration or worship telling them that here the Gospel was being preached, and God worshipped through Christ, and the Word of God read and praise offered. Of this they highly approved. After some further remarks, the Hakim (probably wishing to embarrass Mr. Williams a little) asked him where he had acquired the Turkish language so perfectly? Mr. Williams unhesitatingly replied, "I am an Osmanli by birth; I was a Mussulman for forty years; but, blessed be God, I have found Christ and His salvation, and am now NESTORIANS-PERSIA myself preaching the everlasting Gospel of my Lord and Saviour." This pill was so hard for the Hakim to swallow that he reddened, and after getting over the severe ordeal, he turned the conversation and asked Mr. Williams what he thought of the Christian view of "the Word" made flesh? Mr. Williams gave him a full reply, drawing from this view proof of the Divine character of Christ. When the Hakim objected to this view concerning Jesus, Mr. Williams so readily established it ex concessu" from the Koran that the Hakim had nothing more to say. "You must strike out these passages from the Koran," argued Mr. Williams, or you must admit the doctrines. Will you strike them out?" "God forbid!" the Hakim replied. "Then you cannot object to our view on the divinity of Jesus," Mr. Williams concluded. The Hakim was embarrassed, which the Deftardar appeared greatly to enjoy. The conversation was carried on with the greatest decorum and courtesy, the attendants drawing gradually near from the door to profit by it. At last this interesting conversation came to a close; the guests were conducted to the door of the church, and when going out, they each saluted Mr. Williams with three deep bows, such as are only made to the highest dignitaries of the empire. Mr. Williams will need especial grace to remain humble. He afterwards visited the mosques, so sacred in Broosa, and was readily admitted. He saluted his former co-religionists with the salutation "Peace be upon you," which is passed only between Mussulmans, and it was readily reciprocated. The Protestant brethren feared there might be a popular excitement created by this visit, but all passed off quietly. ANGLO-TURKISH BOOKS. The Anglo-Turkish spelling and dialogue books forwarded by the Secretary of the Turkish Missions Aid Society, have been received at Constantinople; and Dr. Schauffler informs us that the Grammar now in preparation there, and which Major Mahmoud is engaged in revising, is about being placed in the printer's hands. A letter on this subject, just received, says: "Yesterday, I went to the Sublime Porte to see Sami Pasha, the Minister of Public Instruction, and to-day I had an interview with Haliss ASIATIC INTELLIGENCE. AMERICAN SYMPATHY. Effendi, the Musteshar. Both highly ap- | near. Whenever it does come, under God, prove of our enterprise, and are delighted it will, no doubt, be owing to the perwith our books. The specimen sheets of severing labours of the representatives of Mr. Redhouse's Lexicon you sent me are Her Majesty's Government at the Court of in their hands. These two gentlemen are Persia." sensible men. Their opinion is that the French language will do for diplomacy; but if you want real information you must go to the English and German, and if practical ends and ready use are had in view, the English is the most valuable of the three. I have permission to print as many thousand copies of our Grammar as I please." THE NESTORIANS-PERSIA. A letter of August 25, from Oroomiah, in Persia, to the Editor of Evangelical Christendom, says: "Our missionary work among the Nestorians is making very satisfactory progress. The peculiar aspect of it at the present time is the process of separation between those who fear the Lord and those who fear Him not. This is going forward rapidly, though we have never formed a separate Protestant organisation. The hopefully pious unite with our Mission Church in celebrating the Lord's Supper, and are under our watchful care. In a country where religious liberty does not exist, this has seemed to us far the wisest course to pursue. The future is a problem, the solving of which we leave with the Lord. It is the desire of our hearts, and our continual prayer, that the priceless boon of religious liberty may be granted to this poor people; but at the present time, the day does not appear to be The Rev. Dr. Pomeroy, lately returned to the United States after a long visit in England, writes thus: "I have just returned from Philadelphia. Our meeting was a good one. It was tolerably well reported in the Independent; but there were several large meetings in Jayne's Hall, and other places, which that account does not embrace. I had several opportunities to speak of your Society, and of my visit to England. The only clapping which I heard in any of the meetings, was when I told them the inquiry so often put to me, as to what we in America would do in case of a Papal and Protestant war in Europe-whether we would stand by our old mother? I told them I had said, that if England, in such an emergency, would send over an appeal, it would take a great many Great Easterns' to transport the volunteers who would be ready. That remark brought down the house. There were at the time in Mr. Barnes' church perhaps 1,000 people; and when I made a similar statement in the hearing of perhaps 2,500 people, in Jayne's Hall, there was a most emphatic response. All that I have seen since my return, fully confirms all I had said in England respecting the American heart." Asiatic Intelligence. THE DRUSES OF SYRIA. Bhamdun, Mount Lebanon. Egypt of the descendants of Mohammed by In the history of the Druses, it is Fatima, his daughter, and publicly taught related that twelve families or tribes of the Druse doctrine of his divinity and transArabs, in the year 205 of the Hegira, emi-mitted his name to this heretical sect of the grated to Mount Lebanon from the moun- Mohammedans. This Darazy, reputed to tains in the vicinity of Aleppo; and others from Houran, to the number of twenty-one, joined them, thirty-three families in all. In their religion they were Mohammedans. But two centuries afterwards, from the year 408 of the Hegira, that is, about A.D. 1016, dates the era of the Druses, as a distinct community, when one of their first teachers, Mohammed, the son of Ismael the Darazy, first embraced and advocated the pretension of Hakim-biamar - Allah, sixth Caliph of be a Persian, of the Batiniyeh persuasion, entered into the service of this Caliph, after his arrival in Egypt. In 407 of the Hegira, he wrote a book, in which he affirmed that the soul of Adam passed to Ali, son of Abu Talib, and transmigrated from him to his successors, one after another to this last descendant, Hakim, who was the Creator of the Universe, &c., and read this composition in one of the mosques. The people were greatly offended, and rose to kill him; he ASIATIC INTELLIGENCE. escaped from them. Many of his partisans were killed, and his house plundered. The Caliph sent him secretly to Syria; he came to Wady-et-Teem, and proclaimed the divinity of the Caliph Hakim. The Emirs were originally from Arak, of the Batinîyeh sect, and received his doctrine; and thence arose the name of the Druse sect, the author of which was slain in a skirmish with the Turks, in the year 410 of the Mohammedan era. There was another Persian in Egypt, called Hamza, who disagreed so much from the said Darazy, that the Caliph had sent him to Syria. He also preached the divinity of Hakim, and himself as his representative. The Druses honour him exceedingly, and dislike the name and opinions of him whose name they have received, and call Hamza their Director, and themselves Unitarians. They expect the re-appearance of Hakim, who reigned twenty-five years (386 to 411 of the Hegira), to reign over all the earth throughout all ages at the end of the first thousand years, and themselves also to reign with him, in endless happiness and glory. So that in about 150 years, some of the Druses have told us, it will be known whether their religion is true or false. This doctrine of the divinity of Hakim, his re-appearance after a thousand years from his death, and his everlasting reign over all the earth, appears to be the central principle of their religion. The Caliph himself, it would seem, sought to abolish Judaism by rejecting every kind of sacrifice, and Christianity and Mohammedanism by omitting every trace of the Atonement and of prayer; and to originate in their place a new religion, claiming for himself therein much the central position of Christ in the Kingdom of Heaven, and "whoever confesses that he has not in heaven any God worthy of adoration, nor on earth any Imam existing other than our Lord Hakim (whose name be glorified!) is in the number of the happy Unitarians." The Druses are remarkable for the facility of their temper in accommodating themselves to the customs of other religions. They are ready and allow themselves to be circumcised as the Jews; to perform the ablutions and prayers of the Mohammedans; and receive the baptism of the Christians. In former generations, they have appeared to all Christian missionaries as a nation very far from the Kingdom of God, and their conversion to the Lord as a hopeless experiment. They have obstinately refused Christian instruction, and given much reason to fear that they will persist in shutting their eyes to the light, and their hearts to the salvation of the Gospel. But now they are, some of them, not only willing, but eager to hear the preaching of the Gospel and to have Christian schools established in their villages, undertaking to furnish school-rooms and pay half the expense of books exclusively Christian or Evangelical; and sometimes to pay considerable part of the wages for a Christian teacher. Of the Mohammedans, they consider themselves the Protestants, as the English are among the Christian nations; and, "numbering, at the lowest computation, 70,000 souls," and coming to our doors for the knowledge and ordinances of Christianity, "Shall we, whose souls are lighted The joyful sound proclaim, Has learned Messiah's name." During the present year, in this part of Lebanon, we have rejoiced to have more than a score of Christian schools in their villages; and several hundreds of their children of both sexes in this way of Christian instruction. We have enjoyed the rare privilege of going about from one village to another to hold Sabbath-schools and preach in their villages, for the first time to some of this benighted nation, the unsearchable We have seen the flowriches of Christ. ing tears attest the sincerity of their feelings; and gathered from their lips the acknowledgment of their lost condition, and And we their need of our Redeemer. hereby certify that the Druses of Mount Lebanon are among the chief advocates and patrons of Christian schools on this goodly mountain, in behalf of themselves and families, and their neighbours, the Greeks and Maronites, whose baptism is apparently the best part of their Christianity. One of their Sheikhs recently remarked, "If I was a young man of fifteen, I would become a Protestant." And another said: "If there was a Government to protect them, a large body of the Druses would at once become Protestants." Once and again, persons of this sect have professed to believe in Jesus, and asked for Christian baptism and the Lord's Supper; and the longer we dwell and the more we become acquainted with them, the stronger is our desire and prayer for their conversion to God. AMERICAN INTELLIGENCE. Why should not that precious revival of religion in the United States of last year, and of Ireland this present year, be followed by a great and powerful work of grace in this sacred mountain in the year to come? Brethren, pray for us, and for the Druses of Mount Lebanon; and the Lord will grant the presence and power in demonstration of His Spirit; and refesh the hearts of all His people with more abundant grace.-I remain, dear Sir, ever yours in the Gospel, WILLIAM A. BENTON. INDIA. Extract of a Letter dated Agra, Sept. 15, 1859. MISSIONARY PROSPECTS. In reference to mission work, I feel convinced that our position and prospects in the N.W. are greatly improved since the mutiny. People listen much more readily to the Gospel, and many say plainly that if God had not been on our side we could not have survived. Again, native Christians are placed on a very different footing, and multitudes feel that no pecuniary loss can attend a profession of Christianity. Nay, several men have come to me wishing me to make them Christians (to use their own language), plainly saying that then they could get good situations under Government. And, lastly, the additions to our own and other missions in these parts have been, I imagine, decidedly larger this year than during any previous period of the same length. Still we need a large effusion of the Holy Spirit, and sometimes I feel a strong presentiment that we shall have it; and oh, what a day will that be for India, when thousands upon thousands shall throw off the yoke of idolatry and embrace the Gospel of Christ! WORK AMONG HOSPITALS AND SOLDIERS, For some two months past I have made a practice of visiting the hospitals here once a week. I would gladly go oftener, but other engagements do not permit. Mr. Wylie and others keep me well supplied with tracts. The encouragement I meet with is great; and my visits there have largely assisted in gathering together a little band of soldiers, who meet every morning and evening for reading the Scriptures and prayer. At present they number nearly twenty, and are rapidly on the increase. Much improvement has taken place in the conduct of most of them; four are wishful to become communicants, in the hearts of others I confidently hope a genuine work of Divine grace has been begun, and many manifest much seriousness. Once a week I ask them to my own house to tea, and to spend an hour or two in religious conversation, singing, reading the Scriptures, and prayer. My accommodation is getting too small for the numbers that attend, and I fear that I shall soon have to divide them into two parties, which, however, I shall avoid as long as possible. I have a Bible-class for them every Saturday morning, and get tracts and books for distribution. I get a monthly packet from the Soldiers' Friend Society of the Christian Sentinel and British Flag, which are much liked by the men. A very interesting tract, I believe by Miss Tucker, "A True Story of Lucknow," has also much interested them. One of the most useful tracts for hospitals I have found to be "The Bar of Iron," and its sequel "The End of the Matter." But really the tracts given appear to have done a very large amount of good. For one thing, the men have had nothing else to read; all the old military libraries of trashy novels, &c., have been burnt, and the soldier has been glad to get hold of anything in the shape of a book. I sincerely hope this is but the beginning of an extensive work for good amongst the men here. AMERICAN INTELLIGENCE. which separates Vancouver's Island from as he had, with a small band of white men the American Continent. There is an and free negroes, gotten possession of the honest difference of opinion on the question arsenal and town. In this he was entirely -To whom appertains the group of small mistaken. After holding the place thirty islands, of which San Juan is one of the or forty hours, he was overcome; himself outermost, that lies midway in that Strait. badly wounded, and most of his little As some American traders and settlers had band of eighteen persons killed, includtaken possession of San Juan, believing it ing one of his sons. Of course, the to belong to their country, General Harney, usual amount of mutual abuse may be commanding the United States troops in the expected in the columns of partizan neighbouring territory of Washington, as papers the Democrats charging the well as in the State of Oregon, felt himself Republicans with being the abettors of called on to protect them. The difficulty will Brown, and the Republicans charging the soon be arranged-for the simple reason, Democrats with having goaded Brown on to that neither Government desires to do any- desperation in the civil war in Kansas, in thing else than what is right in the matter. which he figured conspicuously, two or If, upon actual survey, made by the Joint three years ago, and in which he lost two Commission appointed to define the boun- or moro sons. We may well doubt dary between the possessions of the two whether any political party had anything countries in those parts, it shall appear to do with this wretched business, unless that San Juan rightfully belongs to Eng- in a very indirect manner, through the inland, it will be given up without a discreet language of leaders and editors. moment's hesitation. General Harney is a Brown is neither more nor less than a rough old soldier, who cares about nothing fanatic, who has been actuated by the but to do what he supposes to be his duty. double motive of revenge for personal He took the step he did from no desire to wrongs and sufferings endured at the hands play the part of a filibuster, or to please of the pro-slavery party in Kansas, and filibusters, or anybody else in the world. a sincere, though misguided, sympathy In the meanwhile, General Scott, one of for the slaves. the most peace-loving and honourable men in this nation, has gone to the spot, to see that peace and order be maintained. We may confidently expect that soon this difficulty, which the wrongheadedness of one or two men on both sides has occasioned, will be amicably and pleasantly settled. In the next place, I wish to say that a man of the name of Brown-"Old Brown,' "Ossawattomie Brown," as he is variously called-has been making a foolish and wicked attempt to get up an insurrection among the slaves about Harper's Ferry, a small town very picturesquely situated on the Potomac River, some seventyfive miles westward of Baltimore, on what is called the Baltimore and Ohio railroad. The United States Government has an important factory there, for the making of firearms, and an arsenal. So little apprehensive were the agents of the Government of any danger, from any quarter, that there was almost nothing in the shape of a guard, either about the machine shops, or the depôt of arms. Brown had bought a small and worthless farm in the neighbourhood, where he arranged his plans. He hoped that the slaves in the place and surrounding country would join him as soon VOL. XIII.-DECEMBER. You will learn from the papers that the "American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions," our oldest and largest Society for Missions among the unevangelised nations, has felt itself compelled, by reason of the wide-spread anti-slavery sentiment among the Churches in the North on which it depends for support, to sever its connexion with one of its oldest and most prosperous missions, that among the Choctaw Indians, simply and solely because some of the converts hold some slaves, whilst the missionaries did not see their way clear to require them either to give up their slaves or renounce their connexion with the Churches. The Sundered Mission will not suffer, for it will be immediately undertaken by the Board of "Missions of the General Assembly of the Old School Presbyterian Church." This event is deplored by many. "The pressure from without" scarcely left the society an alternative. Perhaps it might have been well to postpone the step for another year. At least, so thought many wise and good members of the Board. The society will lose some important friends, but it is quite possible that the loss will be made up by the increased and, as may be thought, untrammelled zeal of some of its ardent S S |