xt7fj678sw44 https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7fj678sw44/data/mets.xml Johnston, Marianne C. Howe. 1876  books b92e509513th2009 English N. Tibbals & sons : New York Contact the Special Collections Research Center for information regarding rights and use of this collection. Johnston, William Curtis, 1839-1863 Kentucky Infantry. 13th Regt., 1861-1865. The young chaplain ... By his mother. text The young chaplain ... By his mother. 1876 2009 true xt7fj678sw44 section xt7fj678sw44 
    
    
   THE

Young Chaplain.

" I feel that the cause requires the sacrifice of dearest interests."

    Page 92.

BY HIS MOTHER.'

' LIBRARY UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY

NEW YORK:

N. TIBBALS & SONS. PUBLISHERS,

No. 37 Park Row. '.        ;.

1876.

60147 
    
   CONTENTS

The Chaplain's Early Life-rHis Eastern Home   Trebizond     Glimpse of the City   Constantinople   Smyrna   Boyhood Correspondence   Editing Newspapers     Kite Flying   The Kosta Affair   Missionary Work and Times in the Orient.

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Sails for America   Voyage Notes   Arrival at Boston - School and College Days   Teaching Experiences   Decides to Enter the Ministry   Studies in Kentucky   Begins Preaching    Anxiety over the Threatening Condition of the Country    Devotion to'the Union   War Letters   Enlists as a Soldier.

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Appointed Chaplain of the 13th Kentucky Volunteers   Buell's Army   First Attempt to Preach to the Troops   Marches and Skirmishes   Among the Enemy's Pickets     Leave of Absence   Ordained as a Minister   In the Field Again   Interest in the Soldiers   Views of the Prayer-Meeting   F'aith, Courage, Hope for the Country   No Despairing in his Work   Camp Exposure   The Chaplain's Sudden Illness    Death   Letters on his Life and Character. Page 97- 
    
   The manuscript for this little work was written soon after William's death, but for many reasons was not printed at that time. Although years have passed, his friends still feel that to have the story of his short life before them in print will tend to strengthen and comfort their still sorrowing hearts ; that the words he has spoken, the self-sacrificing spirit he manifested in defense of his country, and, more than all, his earnestness, zeal, and fidelity in the cause of his Divine Master, may stir their hearts   influencing them more and more to live as he lived, so far as he followed Christ, thus becoming more and more ready to die as he died, calmly, believing, trusting, saying as he said, " Now, if it be the will of God."

New Haven, Ct., March 1st, 1876. 
    
   In December, 1833, Mr. and Mrs. Johnston sailed from Boston in company with Mr. and Mrs. Schneider, for Smyrna, Asia Minor, as missionaries of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions. A voyage of forty-seven days brought them to that city. From thence they proceeded to Constantinople in a sailing-vessel; for at that time there were no steamers on those seas. Mr. Schneider was stationed at Broosa. Mr. Johnston, after some delay, went to Trebizond, occupying the station permanently in the spring of 1835.

William Curtis Johnston, the subject of this memorial, was born at Trebizond, Asia Minpr^pp, the jith . 
   of June, 1839. He was the second son of Rev. Thomas P. Johnston and Marianne C. Howe Johnston. His paternal ancestors were of Scotch-Irish descent, and settled in Iredell County, North Carolina. His paternal grandmother, Mary Hall Johnston, was a grand-niece of the well-known divine, Dr. Robert Hall, of North Carolina, from whose ancestors descended a regular line of ministers of the Gospel, of whom William was the youngest and the last. His maternal ancestors were of English descent, and settled in New England. His maternal grandfather, Curtis Howe, was born in Granville, Massachusetts, May 10, 1772, married Sibyl Phelps, of Springfield, Massachusetts, and went to Swanton, Vermont, where he resided many years ; subsequently he removed to Ohio. He led a long and uniformly Christian life, and died at Grasshopper Falls, Kansas, January 16, 1871, in the ninety-ninth year of his age. 
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The city of Trebizond lies upon the southern shore of the Black Sea, about 600 miles east of Constantinople. The population at this time was estimated at about 30,000, composed principally of Turks, Armenians, Greeks, and Jews. William's mother was then the only woman in the place who spoke the English language. The prospect around the city and in the distance is charming. The sea comes dashing in from the north. The peaks of the Circassian Mountains rise in the east. The trees around the city appear above the red-tiled roofs of the houses; everything is inviting and cheerful till you reach the interior of the place. Then you come into narrow, filthy streets, walled in, and you are at once reminded that you are in a Turkish city. On the south you will find many by-paths   no roads   leading into the country, the principal one of which goes on to Persia.

The home of William's childhood was remarkably quiet and secluded.   The house in which he was born 
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was a stone structure inclosed on all sides by a thick stone wall   so high that we could not view the street even from the highest window. Two large, heavy gates opened communication through the yard, from street to street, secured inside by large wooden beams drawn across them from crevices in the wall. Beyond this inclosure the children were not allowed to go, unless accompanied by some trusty person. In the yard, nearly in front of the house, stood a large, beautiful pomegranate tree, under the boughs of which the little boy passed many a playful hour, watching, first, the deep crimson blossom, and then the ripening fruit. When he was nearly two years old he had the smallpox. We consulted our medicine-book (for there was no reliable physician in the place). He grew worse. Providentially, Dr. Bell, of the English Embassy to Persia, was passing through the city, and was called in to see him. He at once pronounced it the small-pox, and ordered the mother and child into strict quarantine.  The severity of the disease, however, had passed. 
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The eruption appeared, and the pustules on his little hands seemed a perfect wonderment to himself, and furnished him while in that lone place with many an hour of talk, after his own fashion.

The plague, too, raged fearfully, for weeks and even for months at a time. Our children were as though they were in prison. We dare not come in contact with any one from without. Great is the alarm when this disease appears. The Christians flee in all directions. The Mussulman is a fatalist: if he is to die, he will die; he does not flee. We and our children were mercifully preserved amid much suffering and death. The family, during the hot season, often resorted to the hills a short distance from the city. William's journey thither was performed in a basket tied to the side of a mule, with his brother in a basket on the other side, and a large mass of bedding or other baggage thrown between them upon the top of the animal. When all was ready, the muleteer, with cudgel in hand, drove on till they reached the village. 
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Here a native hut answered for kitchen, a corn-crib for bed-room, and a hazel-nut grove for dining-room and parlor. The crib stood upon four posts, three feet or more from the ground. The floor was of wicker-work, and the roof so low that none but the " wee " little ones could stand erect under it. There the children slept   and sweetly too, for the crib was clean, and free from vermin   which could not be said of the hut. There, too, with no artificial walls to restrict their way, the little fellows bounded from grove to dense wood, following the herdsmen to the cool brook. It was real sport for young boys who had been confined in a Turkish city for nearly a year. William had with him his American cards of easy reading, and enjoyed his lessons quite as much as his play. His love of study and books showed itself in his first knowledge of them, and the missionary mother, of all others, may be well content if her boy loves study, for where will she find a farm or work-shop for him ? The winter of his fifth year he read the book of Psalms aloud to his 
   i r

mother. He read in the early evening, and was so eager to read too long, that a certain number of verses was allotted him for each lesson. Placing his Bible upon the table, and seating himself in his high chair he read in a clear, full voice, and so earnest in expression, that he seemed to catch a little of the spirit of the great Psalmist whose words he was repeating.

At this age he could talk in the Turkish language about as well as in the English, but as soon as he began to read and understand his own language for himself, the English soon got ahead of the Turkish. He used the one for convenience and the other for improvement. He was often out-doors on Greek and Turkish holidays, where crowds of men, women, and children were assembled for recreation on the Medan, or public square. The natives wore the fez (close red cloth head-dress), and were often curious to know what our boys' hats were made of; and when told, straw, said: " We would not wear seman (straw) upon our heads." 
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All were equipped in gay colors, sending forth salaams   greetings   and even the poor beggar joyed over his nearly full cup of paras, or coins, of which it took about eight to make a penny.

William often met funeral processions upon the street. The corpse, sometimes gayly and richly dressed, was borne through the streets in an open box, the priests and church boys following, bearing lighted tapers. Then came mourning-women with loud lamentation. At the church the corpse was put in a winding-sheet   not in a coffin   -and laid in a shallow grave. At the church-gate was a man with a large copper platter full of boiled wheat, sprinkled with sugar, a handful of which was given to each one passing, in order to secure a prayer for the rest of the soul of the dead.

In these uncivilized countries funerals are conducted in a hurried, careless manner; yet it is death, and the thoughtful child, though young, will not forget the solemn scene.

The arrival of missionary friends from America, on 
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their way to Persia, was hailed with great joy by the children. No introduction was necessary. They listened with eagerness to the things they said about the land of their fathers. The visit was worth more to them, twice over, than the same time spent over books, and the lone, monotonous life to which they were subject was broken in upon for a little. The time, however, seemed too short, for in a few days the boxes were ready, the mules loaded, and the friends were off    quite a little caravan, following on in each other's track.

William's first Sabbath lessons were reading a chapter from the Bible with his elder brother and sister, and asking questions upon it. His questions were generally ready, and showed that he thought on what he read, and wished to understand it. No reading interested him more than Bible history.

In 1844, the family left Trebizond for Smyrna, on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea.   William found 
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here a little company of missionary children, whose society was congenial, profitable, and safe. It was a sort of new life. Many marks of civilization were observable. There were many English and French residents; the Franks, or foreigners, showed some energy; the merchants among them had finely-built stores, instead of open sheds like the Turkish bazaars. Willie now and then saw a carriage, something he had never seen at Trebizond. The Franks wore hats, and the ladies wore bonnets, but the streets were, as they are in all Turkish cities, narrow and filthy. The first Christmas we spent at Smyrna was a solemn day to the children and to us all. Samuel Riggs,* one of the missionary boys, about eight years old, was buried on that day; he had fallen from a terrace, and died in a few hours. A few days after, Miss Shrewsbury died. She was a sister of Mrs. John B. Adger. These were the first funerals the children had witnessed among friends.

* Son of Dr. Elias Riggs. 
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The summer of 1845, the house we were in was burned. At sunset we hurried away, having secured nearly all our goods. The flames were rushing on behind us, and a dense crowd before us. The little ones were in danger of being crushed as well as burned. We spent the night in an open field, and the next morning went to the village of Bournabat, two hours distant from the city. Willie's stay in the village was pleasant and healthy. He was much in the open air, and not hurried in his lessons, amusing himself watching the flocks of sheep and goats following the shepherd over th'e hills. He now began to write short notes to his companions, and also to older friends. Mrs. Brown * took much interest in the missionary children, writing them little notes, which pleased them, and were a source of improvement. We have not his own notes, but give extracts from those of his friends.

* Sister of the late Commodore Porter, and mother of the late John P. Brown, who was for many years connected with the American Legation at Constantinople. 
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" Constantinople, Oct. 25, 1845.

" My Dear William :   I was surprised to receive such a nice little letter from you   as the only recollection I have of you is as a little infant in your mother's arms; but, as children do not remain infants, I ought to have remembered that that was five or six years ago. You wish me to write you in a large hand, and I am doing so, and you must let me know if you can read this letter. By what you tell me of your studies, you will, I see, one day become a learned man. Write to me by the next steamer.

" M. P. Brown."

"Trebizond, Dec, 1846.

" I am glad to see you are improving in your writing, and I hope you will try and be a good scholar in everything. Little Hattie Charnaud is a very fat little girl, and looks like her sister, Eveline. Little Edward Stevens, too, is large enough to walk on the Medan. Mrs. Stoddard's Hattie in Ooroomiah knows nearly all her letters. Mary Bliss knows A and O, but no more. I send you a purse   how would you like to put money in it for the poor heathen children, and see how much you will get in the New Year, 1847 ?

"Mrs. E. E. B." 
   " Erzroom, Jan. 29, 1847.

" MY dear little friend :   Many days have passed since I received your last letter, but you must not suppose that it was uninteresting to me because it has remained a long time unanswered. You must remember that you are as yet but a little boy, and that Dr. Smith has a great many friends older than you to whom he must first pay attention. There are his sick friends, for whom he must prepare medicine ; there are his missionary associates, to whom he must write long letters ; and there are his Armenian brethren, with whom he must converse. Every week he spends three or four evenings in visits to their houses ; and in this way he occupies much time which it would be very agreeable to employ in writing to you. But to explain more fully. At one house where I visit, there are three children whom I teach every evening, either about the multiplication table, which we used to play at Trebizond, or about some other useful thing. Now, I want to ask you, William, whether you are to become a learned man, and then commence teaching those who have ignorant parents? If.so, you must write me in your next letter all about it, and what you are learning nowadays to help you on. Gregor, whom you used to know, is living with me, and sends you, and all your family, much love.

"Azariah Smith."

2 
   IS

William was now eight years old, a healthy, active, social, loving little fellow, very pleasant to us all. He was much interested in his correspondence. His own notes cost him some labor. He was not much drilled in spelling; was told to go to the dictionary and learn how to spell a word before he wrote it. This was rather a tedious rule, but very effectual; for in his first writing we find very few words misspelled. The boys of the Mission were very fond of boat-making and boat-sailing; of kite-making and kite-flying; you would see    them on a terrace upon the top of a high house, their kites rising higher and higher, with the shout and glee of the player after them. They often, too, had a ride .upon a donkey. This was done up in real Oriental style. They had no bridles, and if the driver perchance lagged behind, as he often did, the headstrong donkey would stand still in the street, or run up a bank, or down into a ditch, remaining stationary until the driver came up ; then by force of the cane the donkey would .go off on a gallop, and as like as not, in a moment or 
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two, be down upon his fore legs, the rider tipping over his head, and landing upon the ground. Another favorite recreation was sea-bathing. A white-turbaned caiquegee (boatman) would row them out where the water was deep and clear near the shore. This was indeed a refreshing exercise on hot summer mornings, such as we had there.

The spring of 1847, Mr. Johnston left home for Aleppo, Aintab, and other places. His family during his absence spent the summer months at Boujah, a village east of the city, about one hour distant. This summer William began writing a journal:

" June 18, 1847.   Last Friday was my birth-day, and I was eight years old. I received a ball, a little tract, two cherries, and a pair of shoes ; these are the presents I received." " Yesterday was Sunday ; we went to Sabbath-school; Mr. Lewis, the English chaplain, preached. His text was in the Epistle to the Hebrews, 9th chapter, 27th verse. He preached about death in his sermon."

"Last Monday we celebrated the 5th of July because the 4th was Sunday.   We got up early and went with 
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Samuel Benjamin into the open fields and picked flowers, and ornamented the rooms and the yard and everywhere, and then waited for the Riggs and Benjamins to come; but they did not come after all, because they could not get donkeys. We celebrated it by fighting the Revolutionary War, and pulling down the statue of old King George, and then played all sorts of things."

" Last week Mr. Riggs received a letter from Mr. Everett; the news was that Mary Dwight has had a very bad pain in her head. She died on Monday the 5th, the very same day we were playing with all our might and celebrating the 4th." " Mr. Benjamin comes out to hear brother Fronty's Latin lessons, because papa has gone to Aintab to preach the gospel." " Every day we have a fine bath in cold water, and it is very nice, I like it very much. Fronty is going to the city with Mr. B. Yanni* has gone for the donkey. I shall feel very lonely without him."

* Yanni was a Greek domestic who lived with us the greater part of fifteen years ; the children were nTuch attached to him and he to them. He was truthful and faithful. He could read a little, and improved rapidly : we read with him in the Armeno-Turkish Bible, and he in the Greco-Turkish. He would ask Mr. Johnston many questions   wanted to know if the Bible taught as his Church taught. At length he renounced many of the ceremonies of the Greek Church; said of the long fasts, Bosh    empty. After we left he lived with Mr. Parsons, of Nicomedia, who wrote us that Yanni gave evidence of being a true believer in Christ, and 
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"To-day is the day for the Austrian steamboat from Constantinople; I expect a letter from Mrs. Brown. We are very careful not to eat many grapes now, and fruit, because the cholera is in Smyrna. I hope to see brother Fronty's face to-morrow. We expect Frances Benjamin here to-day, and I am going to town. I hope God will keep Frances coming up here, and /going down there, in safety. This morning, before prayers or breakfast, Fronty painted his ship black. At noon he made sixteen cannons for his brig of war Julius Ctzsar. Yanni brought three letters, two for me   one from Mrs. Brown, and one from Charles P. Dwight." " Aug. 1.8.   We have heard the cholera is in Erzroom ; Dr. Smith will tell us all about it when he comes to attend the annual meeting of the Mission, which is to be at Smyrna."

Mrs. Brown says, May 2 : " I have just received your letter of the 29th, in which you regret that our correspondence is about to end ; I am happy to say that that need not be, as we have given up all idea of going to the United States this summer. I am pleased that you are so fond of drawing; I will continue to send you little sketches of mine. I had heard of the mutiny on board the Ganges, and we were well content that

he wrote us himself that he felt the love of God in his heart. This was cheering news. 
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an overruling Providence had prevented our being in her; it is well it did not happen after they were out in the Atlantic. You want to know what kind of an animal the gazelle is. It is like a very small deer, is of fawn-color, with large, beautiful eyes, and can jump a yard high   straight up. It used to follow Mrs. Brown about the house like a child. Your little sister must be very interesting, now that she is walking and learning to talk. What would you take for her? We have not one child about our house. Let me know, and if you don't ask too much I will try and buy her."

" BOUJAH, July 23, 1847.

"Dear Papa:   We were all delighted with the beautiful pressed flowers you sent us, and it was so very kind in Baron Nishan to press them for us. Our American cousins, uncles, and grandpa will be delighted to see flowers from Gethsemane, and all the places around Jerusalem. On brother F.'s birthday he had given him the ' Memoir of Harlan Page,' five piasters in gold, and eleven sugar-plums. On mamma's birthday, the present she received was, our promise to be good children. Now I will ask you some questions : Who washes your clothes ?   Who makes your bed ? 
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Who cooks your breakfast, dinner, and supper? Do you get grapes, figs, etc., at Aleppo? Tell Baron Nishan we thank him very much for the pressed flowers. I hope you will get to Aintab in safety. I am now studying the History of the United States.

" Your affectionate son,

" William."

His father, on his way between Aleppo and Aintab, going on a little before his company, was met by a highway robber, who, pointing his gun at him, demanded his money. He spoke to him in Turkish, and in some way engaged his attention till the company appeared, when the robber fled. His young sons on hearing this became alarmed, and seemed to think of him only as facing the robber, or meeting some new danger, and finally, after waiting long and anxiously to see him, on going on board to meet him, they could hardly recognize him, so sunburnt was his face, and his beard was so long. 
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" December 9.   We are in town now. The house has three fountains, and a terrace upon the top. Today, I am to draw a picture of the bark Niagara.

" Mr. Riggs preached yesterday. His text was: 'Arise! shine, for thy light has come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.' Isaiah xl. 1. Brother Henry is very sick. I put my flag half-mast because he is sick." " 12th.   H. is better. He expects Meta Benjamin here at twelve o'clock to stay till half-past four or five."

After the hot season had gone by and the cholera subsided, he commenced study in earnest; this year he had some companions in his studies.

" I am now learning Latin with William Whitall. Miss Howard * teaches us. I am also learning French. A French gentleman, Mr.' Razigio, is our teacher. Last Saturday we went to Narlee Kney.   It is a Turk

* The late Mrs. William Wood, of the Mahratta Mission. 
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ish name. Translated, it means the Village of Pomegranates. Papa has gone to Tocat. He went first to Constantinople, and then he expected to go to Sam-soon, and then to Zilleh."

He was now allowed to walk in the street alone, and began to do little jobs of work and thought himself almost a man.

" To-day I did not have any Latin to learn, but I had French at noon. This afternoon we made a ship out of boards, and put a mast and bowsprit in her and four sails. F. and S. were the sailors and I was the captain. Yesterday I went to the English Church with Miss Watson. Mr. Walters preached about John the Baptist. This morning I cut twenty-three sticks of wood before breakfast, and during the day twenty-nine more. This is a Greek holiday. . All the flags are up. Papa, F., S., and I, went to the point; the large new mill they are building was open. The French steamer came at noon. The Queen Dowager is dead. I spinned my top for half an hour, and then went to my lessons. At sunset we went home with John Delacio; from there 
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we went to meeting. Very few attended. Mr. and Mrs. Van Lennep were there. Yesterday was Sabbath. Papa preached in the Dutch Chapel. We sang some hymns after supper, and had prayers in Turkish."

The following note was written to his brother, then in Athens, Greece:

"Sept. 30, 1850.

" Dear Brother :   I suppose you are in a Greek quarantine. Was the sea rough any? Is Athens a better city than Smyrna? The Afton left on Sunday morning. That pious Italian family which was here embarked on her. There is no news by the French steamer, except that Professor Webster is 'executed. We have a letter for you from Mr. Parsons, but the paper is too thick to send to Athens. The ships are covered with signals. If it is King Otho's birthday, let me know what parade they made there. This morning we went to bathe ; I know how to swim now, though I dare not go beyond my depth. Coming in we had up a sail, with fair wind, and came home finely.   There is a 
   = 7

very strong Inbat-sea breeze ; I hope it will bring in some American vessels.   I study Greek now."

The boys of the Mission were now engaged getting up small manuscript newspapers and circulating them. William edited a newspaper, of which this is a specimen copy:

SMYRNA STAR. March, 1851.

"On Monday, the 17th, Messrs. Lawrence, Hosmer, and Forsythe, who travel in company, rode out to Bournabat on donkeys. The Doctor had a fall; they had hard work to keep from getting their legs jammed against the wall. On Tuesday the nth, Mr. R. and family, Mr. B.'s children, and the Editor, took a walk near the Turkish quarter of the city. A party of Turkish boys demanded money; we, refusing   at first they took up big stones, and would probably have hurt us had not Mr. R. given them money. We publish this to show how uncivilized the Turks are. Our native helper, Haji Aghasi, went inside the quarantine to see 
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if his bride, whom he was expecting, had come, when he was seized, and kept there five days. It is said he tore his hair and cried like a child. It is not probable he will go inside the quarantine lines again to look for his bride."

: communication for the smyrna star.

" Mr. editor:   I thought it might please your readers to see the story of the escape of Mrs. Wagner and Mrs. Kossuth from Austria. After the defeat of the Hungarians, a reward of thirty thousand florins was offered to any one who would show them where Mrs. Kossuth was. Mrs. Wagner had been with the army, her son being one of Kossuth's officers, to be near him in case he should be wounded. After the treachery of Gen. G., Mrs. Wagner narrowly escaped with her life, and reached Gov. Kossuth with the other refugees in Turkey. She then formed the resolution to go into the heart of Hungary and try to rescue Mrs; Kossuth, not knowing where she was. This she did at the risk of her life, for a proclamation had been issued, that whoever kept Mrs. Kossuth in their houses twenty-four hours was guilty of a capital offense." 
   20.

       domestic news.

" On the 28th of last month we felt the shock of an earthquake here. A concert of prayer was held Monday the 3d, and the sum of 104 piasters, about five dollars, was collected. This will be sent to Aintab. We should be obliged to the editor of the Constantinopoli-tan if he would give us more news concerning the affairs going on in that city. Dr. Smith writes from Diarbekir, that he has very often about fifty to attend his meetings.   It is a very promising station."

"foreign news.

"An exhibition of all the great inventions of all nations is to be had this year in London.

" The Austrians have forbidden the Hungarians to go, or to bring anything to the exhibition.

" The South Carolinians have decided in favor of secession, and will probably separate from the United States before long." 
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" Thessalonica, July 20, 1852.

" My dear William :   Will you accept our thanks for your interesting paper, and furnish us with a copy at your convenience. We had an opportunity of comparing the Star with the Messenger. It bears the comparison well. We think the Star in the ascendant. This I do not add to flatter you or at all depreciate the excellent Messenger, but to encourage you in your enterprise. On the opposite leaf of this note is an order for the pay   as I understand the terms   for six-months.

" Yours, etc.,

" J. W. Parsons.

" We like to receive your newspaper very much, and wish you to consider us as subscribers for at least one copy. And if your editions are large ones, we will take two, and send them to some young friends in America."

Charles P. Dwight, son of the late Dr. H. G. O. Dwight, early became a true follower of Christ, and labored faithfully for the salvation of his young companions.   He says :

" Dear William :   It is some time since I wrote you,

97 
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but I have had my hands full. The influenza entered our family, and not one escaped. I have had household matters to lookTafter   besides, there is a demand for my paper, which takes all my spare time to supply. I believe you asked me in your last to write principally upon religious subjects. I can assure you that this is no hardship for me, if I can by the blessing of God be enabled to do your soul good, even though it be as a grain of mustard-seed. You speak of your inability of yourself to keep good resolutions. But are you left to yourself? Is there no way, nothing to help you ? Cannot you trust God's promises to answer prayer? Oh, that the arrows of conviction might sink deep into your heart, until you can feel the joy of believing in Jesus." "Are you still in the same state of mind as you have been for some time? Remember you cannot always remain in this state. The Holy Spirit will not always parley with you. You know it is now an important time with you. Warm weather is coming on, when all sorts of distractions will strive hard with you   excursions, travelers, etc. The warm months are always very tempting, I have found, and you will find that your heart will be much farther from religion than in winter." "January 19, 1852   I am glad to hear your paper has begun again ; I like that plan you told me of, very much, of editing extra papers, and I have given notice that such will be issued.   Our Frontis-piece was 
   drawn by an expert artist, with whom I presume you are not unacquainted   Rev. H. J. Van Lennep. Henry Goodell says, he is Fronty's agent ; and if you think it well, and are not incommoded by it, will you please be my agent ? But in these things, William, we must not be too much taken up ; there is one greater and more important theme, we should have all the time in our minds   the salvation of our souls, and the glory of God. If you do truly love the Saviour   what joy, what love and peace, must fill your mind. How pleasant to think of the time when we shall see him as he is, and be enabled to adore and glorify him without the clogs of the flesh. May the Lord make you one of his chosen disciples, one of his great instruments in spreading the blessed gospel.

"Charles P. Dwight."

" From the Island of Scio, June 9, 1851.

" Dear Willy :   From the top of our house we see all the sea, the town, and a great deal of the country. Oh! you could think of nothing more beautiful than Scio. The waves roll upon the beach as they did at Trebizond. Rover, without anything being thrown, goes into the sea, and dives and gets out stones. Do come to Scio   do you hear   William ? Last Saturday, papa, mamma, F., and M. went to a neighboring monastery to 
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examine it. They saw blood on the walls which could not be washed off, also human bones, and a monk, who is a hundred and eighteen years old. In that monastery several thousand people were burned by the Turks. Next week I shall see you   nothing happening. Hope Mr. Pengelly has not slipt us like all the other company. Have you yet seen Alfred Barker and Theodore Walters? Should you see them before I come, please give them my love. Excuse this scrawl, as I have no table in my room. I have to write on my knee. I am sorry to leave the Isla