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land,to safety, and to economy in respect to time and expense.

You will understand it to be the pleasure of the Committee that the Mission should be established at Jerusalem; if it can be without hazards not to be incurred, or embarrassments not to be undergone. We are sensible that it will be a difficult station; we are not certain that the occupation of it will be found practicable, or, if practicable, on the whole eligible: but we devoutly hope that it will be; and are persuaded that if you can reside there with safety, the importance of the station will outweigh many difficulties. You will be thorough in your inquiries, will proceed with caution, and will decide with deliberate and well advised discretion.

If the decision shall be, that the time is not come for a Mission to be established at Jerusalem, you will direct your attention to Bethlehem, a place less infested with jealousies and of greater salubrity; to other places of distinguished importance, within, or without, the limits of Judea; and determine in regard to your fixed residence as Providence shall indicate.

Your Mission is to be regarded as a part of an extended and continually extending system of benevolent action, for the recovery of the world to God, to virtue and to happiness. In the prosecution of it, respect is to be had, not merely to what may be effected by your own efforts directly; but also, to the lights and facilities, the aids and inducements, which you may afford to the efforts of others, either acting contempora neously with you, or successively to come after you. Facts are lights; clear inductions are lights; fair results of experiments are lights; correct notices of evils and of remedies are lights. To lay open to the view of Christians the state of the world or of any portion of it, and to point out ways and means of melioration,-is to do much towards the accomplishment of what is possible.

Yours is a field of no ordinary description. It comprises, either within itself or by intimate association, all that is most affecting to Christian Feeling, or most interesting to Chris

tian Hope. There Patriarchs, and Prophets, and Apostles, and Martyrs, and He who is their Lord and ours,-lived, and laboured, and died. There the revelations of Heavenly Mercy were given,—the Sacrifice for the world's Redemption was offered—and the Commandment of the Everlasting God, that the Gospel should be made known unto all Nations for the obedience of faith, was delivered;-and there the first Churches of the Exalted Redeemer,—which once shone with his glory in all its brightness resting upon them,-now lie in ruins. The Candlesticks bave, long since, been removed,-the light has been for dismal centuries almost totally extinguished; and the powers of darkness have triumphed and trodden down and led captive, at their pleasure. But the Lord will arise and have mercy upon Zion; for the time to favour her, yea, the set time is come. For His servants take pleasure in her stones and favour the dust thereof. Her old waste places are to be builded; and the foundations of many generations to be raised up.

That the hearts of all Christians may be engaged in this mighty work, that the exertions for its accomplishment may be wisely directed, and the proper means in the best manner applied, the scene must be laid open in as clear a light as possible, and every thing comprised in it must be examined with care. The doing of what you can for this purpose will constitute no small share of the business, the interest, and the utility of your Mission. For a lucid illustration of what we here mean we refer you to the Christian Researches of Dr. Buchanan, who desired to see the things which you are sent forth to see, and into whose design, with a like activity of benevolence and diligence of inquiry, it may be your privilege

to enter.

In this part of your work, besides applying yourselves to the study of languages, you will be engaged during your stay at Smyrna. There indeed you will be on Classick Ground, and whatever of contribution or of service you can afford to Literature or to Taste, with fidelity to your higher objects, will be interesting to many, and useful to the general

cause. But however inspiring the scenes where Poets sung, and Sages mused, and Artists displayed their enchanting skill; still more sacred, exalted, and affecting will be the inspiration from those where Paul preached,-and John saw his Visions,--and the Seven Churches of Asia received the admonitions of HIM who hath the key of David, and openeth and no man shutteth, and shutteth and no man openeth.

The seats of those Churches you will visit, for the purpose of examining, with Christian Heart and Eye, the things that remain; and seeing what can be done for strengthening them. Other places in those regions will fall within your range; and possibly Haivali and Scio, distinguished seats of modern Grecian Learning. And on your journey, if you travel by, land from the Lesser Asia to Palestine, many places and scenes and objects of deep interest will offer themselves to your notice and examination.

From the heights of the Holy Land-from Calvary, from Olivet, and from Zion-you will take an extended view of the wide spread desolations, and variegated scenes, presenting themselves on every side to every Christian sensibility; and will survey with earnest attention the various Tribes and classes of fellow beings who dwell in that laud and in the surrounding countries.

At Jerusalem and in Judea you will find people of many nations, Jews, Arabs, Turks,--Asiatics and Europeans of different and distant countries; and of various Religions, Judaism, Paganism, Mahommedanism, and Christianity.

The professed Christians are not only of different nations, but of various Communions and Names: Romanists, Grecianists, Armenians, Nestorians, Jacobites, and Protestants.

With this mingled people, in all its varieties, you will endeavour, by attentive observation and diligent inquiries, to make yourselves as thoroughly acquainted as possible; in regard to their general state, their religious opinions and rites, their moral and civil habits and manners, their means of improvement; in a word the circumstances favourable and unfavourable to the propagation of the Gospel, in its purity and with its blessings, among them.

In your inquiries especial regard will be had to the Bible: Whether copies of it exist and are read,-of what kind, and to what extent? Whether the circulation of it might be increased? In what versions, by what means, and in what amplitude? It will be an object also to ascertain what other books are in use, or are held in esteem; and what useful books or tracts might be circulated, and in what languages.

What for the Pagans?

The two Grand Inquiries ever present to your minds will be-WHAT GOOD CAN BE DONE? and, BY WHAT MEANS? What can be done for the Jews? What for the Mahommedans? What for the Christians? What for the people in Palestine? What for those in Egypt-in Syria-in Persia-in Armenia,-in other countries to which your inquiries may be extended?

You may be assisted in these inquiries by such correspondences, commenced with caution and managed with wisdom, as you may find it convenient to establish and maintain.

It will be pleasant and useful, if by the way of Suez, to which place the Bombay Bible Society extends its benevolent care, you shall be able to open and prosecute a correspondence with your brethren at Bombay and Ceylon.

The fruits of your researches, consisting of facts, descriptions, notices, reflections, comparative views, and suggestions of methods and means of usefulness,-you will regularly enter in your Journals, and transmit to us as opportunities are afforded. Possibly also you may be able to send home some Books or ancient Manuscripts, interesting to the student in the Scriptures, in Ecclesiastical History, or in general literature; or at least gratifying to a laudable veneration for Antiquity or to a reasonable curiosity.

In all your communications to us and to others, it will be of high importance that your statements and representations' be correct and exact. For this purpose too much care cannot be employed.

This business however, of procuring and communicating information, interesting and important as it will be, is not all that you are to attempt. You go to that Land-still of PROMISE-as Christian Missionaries-as Ministers of Christ commissioned to testify the Gospel of the grace of God to Jews and Gentiles; to people of every nation and name and condition. This character you are sacredly to maintain in every place; and this commission you are faithfully to execute as you have opportunity.

It is right, however, that you should bear in mind the word of the Lord Jesus, to those whom he first commissioned and sent forth two and two, to preach in the same Land;Behold I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: BE YE THEREFORE WISE AS SERPENTS, AND HARMLESS AS DOVES.-BEWARE OF MEN. This caution certainly was not more important for them, than it is for you.

The abetters of those different Religions, and the adherents to the different sects, regard each other with mutual jealousy; and you will not think it strange if they all regard you with something more than suspicion. You will take all prudent care that you do nothing rashly-nothing inconsiderately or unadvisedly; that you do not inadvertently or ncedlessly expose yourselves to resentments, rapacities, stratagems, or acts of violence, startle prejudices, excite suspicions, or offend against laws, or customs, or ceremonies, or opinions: and that, by avoiding all appearance of earthly wealth or distinction, by Christian courtesy and kindness, and meekness and gentleness,—and by all fair and lawful means, you conciliate civility, confidence, favour, and respect.

Though you are to maintain the Character and fulfil the Commission of Ministers of Christ; yet you will exercise a wise discretion in regard to the publicity which you give to yourselves, or to the errand on which you are sent. It may be necessary to your ultimate success that, for some time, you withhold yourselves from public notice, and prosecute your studies, inquiries, and general object in retirement; making acquaintance, meanwhile, with individuals as favourable oppor