Page images
PDF
EPUB

Lattachia; I lodged in his house. Soon after my arrival there, the several Consuls residing there paid me a visit, and promised me their assistance in promoting the word of God. I partly sold, partly gave gratis, at Lattachia, I believe, 124 Arabic New Testaments and Psalters; for Mr. Barker had written to Musa Elias, to furnish me with the Testaments which are there. Bishop Zachariah, from Akar, wrote the British Vice-Consul at Tripolis, that he wished me to send him an Arabic Bible.

I read to the Jews at Antioch the sermon of St. Paul, when at Antioch. I distributed among them three New Testaments and three tracts. They sung to me some hymns which they use in their synagogues. The Greek priests, at Antioch, are very ignorant. I tried to ascertain from them, the fact whether St. Peter was buried at Antioch; the answer they gave was, that they did not live in the time of Peter.

Mr. Barker, British Consul-General for Aleppo, who was at that time at Swedia, six hours distant from Antioch, was so kind as to send me a written invitation; I went to him immediately, in the company of Monsieur Vidal, the Chancellor of the French Consulate at Bagdad, I spent two very pleasant days; for Mr. John Barker is a gentleman, of very good sense, much information, and a very engaging turn of mind, and takes much interest in the progress of the church of God. The above-mentioned Monsieur Vidal speaks the Arabic, Turkish, French, and Italian tongues perfectly well; he may be very useful as an agent of the British and Foreign Bible Society, by giving to them accounts of the customs and religions of Chaldea.

I arrived at Aleppo the 9th of July, where I was very kindly received by Benjamin Barker, Esq. the agentgeneral of the British and Foreign Bible Society, in whose person I found, in every respect, a true brother and fellow-labourer. Wherever I came I met with depots of Testaments furnished by Benj. Barker, Esq.; he in

troduced me immediately to John Van Messeyk, Esq. the Dutch Consul-General, in whose house I sleep and eat, and who is a very wise man indeed, and with whom I consult. Mr. Benj. Barker introduced me the next day to Monsieur Lesseps, Consul-General of France, and knight of the order of St. Louis. That gentleman had been ambassador of Napoleon, in Fez, in Morocco; he travelled throughout the Barbary coasts as far as Tombuktou; he was afterwards Consul-General of France in Philadelphia; and he has published several books about the government of Morocco, and the constitution of the United States of America. He is a very interesting, and a very religious gentleman. He said to me, A man may be a very moral man, but the passions and corruptions of the heart can be subdued only by the power of the Gospel. He thinks, however, that the conversion of the Jews, especially of those in the Levant, is the most difficult task which a man can undertake—and this is the general opinion. I was introduced likewise to Monsieur Durighello, the Spanish Consul-General, in whose house is a Jew, called Carolo de Brandi, who was baptized at Rome. Monsieur Durighello praises his uprightness and faithfulness; I have not seen him, for he is at present in Alexandretta, sent on business by Monsieur Durighello. Mr. Benj. Barker introduced me then to Monsieur Esdra de Picciotti, the Austrian Consul-General, Eliand Picciotti, the Danish Consul, and Raphael Picciotti, the Russian Consul; all Jews. They were very kind to me, like the other Consuls, returned the visit, and promised to subscribe to my project of establishing a college for the Europeans in Aleppo. I have had several conversations with some hundreds of the Jews of this place. I distributed tracts and Testaments, and preached the Gospel to them for hours: but I must confess that many of them are bad; they bought the New Testament from me at a very cheap price, and then took out the title-page and sold the paper to Turkish druggists. Abominable felony, indeed! I pre

Y

vented this proceeding by offering them the New Testament at the full price. All the Francs residing here called on me; and the Francs distinguish themselves not only by their riches, but likewise by their moral, religious, and gentlemanlike conduct. There are not to be found here such bad fellows as at Cairo. The name of a Franc is highly respected among the Mussulmen at Aleppo, who use the proverb, "La parola d'un Franc !" At Cairo, the contrary, alas! is the case. Mr. Benj. Barker received, the first three days after my arrival, three cases of Arabic New Testaments and Psalters, which were sold in two days. The Catholic Priests here are not so much against the distribution of the word of God, as those of Jerusalem. My project of establishing a college in Aleppo, for the Francs residing there, and for those of the Syrian coast, Tripoli, Lattachia, Cyprus, Beyrout, Saida, Acre, Jaffa, Alexandria, and Cairo, on the Lancasterian system, will be adopted. All the Christian Consuls-General, as Messrs. Lesseps, Barker, and Durighello, and all the Catholic and Protestant inhabitants, have signed the prospectus with joy; and I am desired to return to England, to get your and other kind friends' advice. Monsieur Lesseps has already given notice of it to his Majesty the King of France, and to the French Embassy at Constantinople. The Jewish Consuls, displeased that we have not accepted their mean conditions, have excluded themselves from taking a part in such a philanthropic enterprise. You will soon receive the plan of the Institution. Monsieur Lesseps gives me letters for the King's Ministers, that I may induce them to consult with you on this subject. The whole of Aleppo is now in joy, and thank me for my having given them the idea. In the project, where the three Consuls and Mr. Wolf are desired to tell Mr. Drummond and Mr. Bayford, the grateful feelings of the European inhabitants of Aleppo towards them for their philanthropic feeling, I have proposed Benj. Barker, Esq. as director of the institution, which proposal was

accepted. Monsieur Lesseps has been my chief patron, besides Mr. Benj. Barker, in bringing my project into execution. Monsieur Vidal, who is returning to Bagdad, has taken a copy of the project with him, to procure subscribers among the Europeans in Bagdad, and is sending copies of it to Calcutta and Persia, Mr. Vidal desires to enter into correspondence with you. I have bought for you most valuable manuscripts.

You will not be displeased that I return to England for the establishment of such a school. Mr. Ward, for such a purpose, went from India to England, and from England to America, and back to England: and the situation, the climate in Aleppo, and the multitude of Europeans, and the hope that the Levantines themselves may be provoked to jealousy by it, and try to imitate us; and the certainty that those boys, to whom the word of God is given, must likewise read it; all these considerations induce me to lay the matter before the Christian brethren in England, and beseech them to assist in such an honourable cause. Mr. Benj. Barker is writing to you about it; and with much thankful feeling to Mr. B.

Dear Friend,

JOSEPH WOLF.

Alexandria, Oct. 7, 1822.

This whole day two Greeks, who escaped from the island of Chios to this place, are reading together the New Testament in modern Greek, which I had made them a present of. I hear them reading, for I lodge in an inn, and occupy a room close to their's.

You will have by this time received the letters which Benjamin Barker, Esq. and myself wrote to you from Aleppo, via Constantinople, which letters stated, that my proposal for establishing a college for the European and native Christians of Aleppo, has been adopted and signed by the European Consuls and Negociants of Aleppo; our letters have, likewise, communicated to you the quantity of Arabic Psalters and New Testaments disposed of;

and you will know at this time, that I have read to the Jews of Antioch, Acts xiii. 14-41, and they paid the greatest attention to me. You know that that chapter was addressed to the men of Antioch, "Ye men of Antioch;" and Pacifico Levi, Isaac Altaras, and some other Jews, residing at Aleppo, have seriously confessed, openly confessed, that the truth of the Gospel cannot be questioned. The Austrian, Danish, Russian, and Prussian Consul-Generals, who are Jews, visited me often, as did several hundreds of the most learned Jews of Aleppo, so that it was necessary to place a guard at the entrance of the house to keep them in order; for Mussulmen, desirous to hear my arguments with the Jews, accompanied them. Several of their rabbies asked me what I believed Jesus of Nazareth was? I told them, "The Son of God." They exclaimed, We have neither seen nor heard it!' and I replied to them, I have seen it, and I have heard it.' Voices of other Jews present were heard, 'The gentleman speaks the truth!' I have been preaching to them several hours without having been interrupted.

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

aply

I left Aleppo on the 3d of August, and arrived at Antioch again on the 5th, where I stopped till the 11th of August. John Barker, Esq. British Consul-General of Aleppo, who was there with his amiable family, told me, that the Ansari, idolaters, as they are supposed to be, are continuing to read the New Testaments I presented to them. I again distributed some New Testaments in Persian and Arabic; left Antioch the 12th of August, and arrived in the village Jesia, near Lattachia. The heat induced me to determine to sleep in the open field, rather than accept the kind offer of Mahomed Agha, one of the Shechs of the Ansari, who invited me to sleep in his house, which was built of stone; and thus it was thy will, O Lord; blessed be thy name, Jesus Christ! possessed of glory and honour. As I firmly insisted upon remaining with my servant in the open field, the Shechs and the

« PreviousContinue »