Alfachlar PRELIMINARY REMARKS. ONARY, who visits the Christian Communities Mediterranean, finding the doctrines of Chriseither little understood by those who hold them, atly neglected and distorted, will feel it an unChardonable duty to illuminate as many persons as ble, with the primitive light of the Gospel; and to a them to discriminate between its genuine doces and the false and injurious additions of men. is I have felt to be my principal object, during my journ in these countries; and I can testify, with ratitude to God, that, in every chief place which have yet visited, I have found abundant opportunity of imparting such knowledge. Not a few persons have been led to disclaim those errors in which they have Comas been educated, and to join me in religious worship. And of some I even venture to hope, that it has pleased God to accompany the acquisition of knowledge with a considerable change in their moral character. It is my earnest prayer that they may prove themselves true followers of Christ, by sincere devotedness of heart and by exemplary sanctity of life. When I am engaged, therefore, with only a few individuals, in reading the Scriptures, in explaining and enforcing their meaning, and in united prayer, I feel myself to be employed in my chief Missionary Duty, and it is my hope to spend much of my life in this manner. Having arrived in Smyrna at Christmas 1825, I was engaged till the end of March, partly in duties of this nature, and partly in studies subservient to my Missionary Work. In April, I undertook the Journey of which the following pages contain a narrative, with the view of obtaining information on the religious state of these countries, and of promoting the dissemination of the Scriptures and other books by engaging the co-operation of Natives. Nor was I without hopes of effecting good, by conversation with individuals, and by the distribution of such books as I could take with me. SMYRNA. The Church of Smyrna is represented (Rev. ii. 8-11) as contending with most severe sufferings-poverty, slander, and persecution: but Modern Smyrna is a far 1 |