provide pastors and Bibles for these their benighted brethren?

All the inhabitants of the country believe in one God, and the leading facts recorded in the Old Testament. Here are no gods of brass or wood; no temples to Juggernaut, or the Grand Lama; no funeral piles; no altars stained with the blood of human victims. Every where you see a faint glimmering of light, through the gross and almost impenetrable darkness.

Nor are the inhabitants of this region sunk in such entire stupidity and such brutal ignorance, as are the Hindoos of India, and the Hottentots of Africa. Here is intellect, enterprise, and some degree of literature and science. Here several classes of men are among the most interesting that dwell on the earth, and are worthy the prayers and the attentions of all those, who desire to see influence, learning, talent, and strength of character consecrated to Christ.

III. Important advantages to the church might be expected from the revival of pure Christianity in this land.

Its commercial relations are such as would make it a radiating point, emitting its light in every direction. The navigation which is carried on in the Mediterranean would afford opportunity to send abroad Bibles, particularly through all the north of Africa. An extensive commerce is carried on by caravans, between this land and Turkey, Egypt, Arabia, Persia, and even India and China. Let the merchants of these caravans once become intelligent and zealous Christians, and they would diffuse Christian knowledge in every direction. One of them, Mr. Kako, some

years since became acquainted with the Scriptures and engaged zealously in their circulation, as he travelled from Judea to China.

By their religion too, as well as by their commerce, these people are connected with almost all the globe. Let the Mahommedans of Judea embrace Christianity, and they would with great ease diffuse it through the surrounding Mahommedan countries. Let the Jews of Judea embrace the Messiah, and they would with ease and efficacy make known to their brethren every where, that they had found Him of whom Moses in the law, and the Prophets did write. Let the Catholics of Judea learn the simplicity of the Gospel, and instead of rehearsing useless and unfounded traditions to pilgrims, who visit the church of the holy sepulchre, they will tell them the affecting story of the Savior's death; explain its design and efficacy; and send them away not laden with relics, and filled with superstitions; but melted to penitence, and excited to gratitude and obedience. Let the Greek and Armenian Christians add to what they now have of the true religion, such doctrines and feelings, as we may hope they will receive from reading the Bible, and hearing the Gospel; and, from their characteristic enterprise, it may be expected, that they will furnish some of the best of missionaries, and engage in effective measures for reviving knowledge and piety in all Western Asia.

Again, these people sustain extensive connexions, by means of the languages which prevail among them; such as the Arabic, the sacred language of Mahommedans, and the common language of millions;-the Greek and Armenian, spoken by many millions of

nominal Christians, who are widely scattered; the Turkish, the language of twenty millions; and the Hebrew, which may give access to Jews in all their dispersions.

Who can estimate the effects, that may at some future day result from the revival of truth and religion among these people?

It may also be hoped, that the prosecution of missionary labors, in the Holy Land, will, in some measure at least, assist in elucidating the meaning of Scripture, for though God has addressed men in language so plain and intelligible, that none need to mistake in things material; yet the figures, the parables, the prophetic language of Scripture have beauty, and richness and strength, which are seen only by an acquaintance with the customs and scenery of that land, "where the book of books was handed down from heaven." Though no important advantage of this sort should be realized immediately, yet the time will probably come, when this anticipation shall be answered, in an eminent degree.

IV. Many difficulties lie in the way.

The plan has not been devised, nor is the work to be undertaken, without counting the cost. The government of the country is arbitrary. The property, the liberty, and the lives of all classes of subjects, are at the disposal of the sovereign and his vice-gerents. The country is infested by robbers, and plundering banditti. The religions of the country are all strongly characterised by violent prejudice, and bigotry of the darkest hue. The principles of political liberty, and the rights of conscience are not understood. The languages of the country are numerons, and these must

all be acquired in order to introduce the Gospel among all classes. Nor do they, among whom this mission is to be undertaken, contemplate the character of Protestant nations with that respect, which is felt for civilized men among more untutored tribes. The savages of the wilderness, and in the islands of the Pacific, have, by intercourse with the civilized world, received the impression, that Christian nations are, in many things at least, their superiors, and qualified to teach them. Not so, probably, in Western Asia. Contempt, perhaps, rather than respect, and a haughty sense of superiority are to be anticipated.

V. Many indications of providence are favorable. Firmly as Mahommedans are shielded against Christianity, there are some favorable appearances, even among them. The Persian monarch has expressed his approbation, in high terms, of the New Testament, as translated by Mr. Martyn; and has caused punishment to be inflicted on those who spoke reproachfully of Christ and his religion. Under royal authority, it has been determined by a large council in Persia, that the religion of Christ shall be tolerated, and shall not be reproached. There are in Persia about 80,000 persons, who, ten or twelve years ago, openly renounced Mahommedanism. They are said to speak highly of Christ, and to revere the Scriptures.-Many things indicate the speedy conversion of Jews to Christianity. In order to effect this, societies have been formed, the New Testament translated into Hebrew and circulated, Christian schools established for Jewish children, agents sent abroad to collect information concerning them, and in Europe, especially in Poland, a general spirit of inquiry is excited among them. This has

been effected, in a great measure, by the travels of Mr. Pinkerton and Mr. Way, and the converted Rabbi Solomon. Within a few years, several Jews around the Mediterranean have embraced Christianity. A Jew at Smyrna received a copy of the New Testament last year, and was zealously engaged in studying it. His object was, that he might prove it false; but the fact that a Jew will receive and study the Gospel is encouraging.

A general spirit of reform and improvement is evidently prevailing in the Greek church, with which the Greeks in Judea are connected. Knowledge, literary and religious, is increasing, and the glory, which so long ago departed, is, we trust, about to return.

Great exertions are making to circulate the Scriptures in that land. There is already a Bible Society at Malta, and another at Smyrna, which have effected considerable, and are likely to effect much more. The British and Foreign Bible Society, have sent many Bibles into that region, in the different languages, which prevail there. Several years ago, an English chaplain from Constantinople visited Smyrna, Ephesus, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Laodicea, and Philadelphia, and left a copy of the Scriptures at each place. Eight or ten years ago, Dr. Naudi, a converted Roman Catholic at Malta, sent a box of Bibles to the Archbishop Paleologus on Mount Lebanon, who distributed them among the priests in his diocese, and wrote a very grateful letter of thanks for them, stating, that the priests were reading them in their congregations with much interest. Last year the Rev. Mr. Burckhardt left Malta with several large boxes of Bibles, travelled through Judea, visited