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Akron, O. Mrs. W. Wells,
Albany, N. Y. 4th presb. chh.
Athens, N. Y. Ladies to constitute the
Rev. DAVID ABEEL, Missionary to
China, an Honorary Member of the
Board, 50; ded. $25 ackn. in Nov. fr.
Greene co.

Auburn, N. Y. 1st presb. so.

Beach Spring, O. Indiv. in Rev. J. Rea's công.

Bedford, Va. T. L. L. 5; Miss M. M. 5; Bethlehem, N. Y. Coll. for John Denniston in Ceylon,

Boston, Ms. Sab. sch. in North Bennetst. Ist fem. class, for sab. sch. in Bembay, 3; av. of jewelry, 1,16; a col'd fem. for hea. chil. 2;

Brattleboro, Vt. Mrs. W. Fessenden, Bristol, R. I., M. hox of B. F. W. Brookline, Ms. Mon. coll. for ed. in

Greece, 8,47; Kingsbury so. for Hightower, 7,20;

Buffalo, N. Y. Mon. con. in Mr. Eaton's chh.

Caldwell, N. J. Rev. S. Grover, Canaan, N. Y. North so. (of which to constitute the Rev. CYRUS HUDSON an Honorary Member of the Board, 50;) Canandaigua, N. Y. Mon. con. for Rev. Mr. Goodell, to replace books, &c. destroyed by fire,

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Cherry Valley, N. Y. ELISHA TAYLOR, which constitutes him an Honorary Member of the Board, 100; mon. eon. 16,84; fem. miss. so. 22,25;

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Colchester, Ct. La. sew. Fo.

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Green, Sandw. Isl.

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Milton, N. Y. A young lady,

Monroe, Michi. Ter. Mon. con.

New Bedford, Ms. An unknown friend,

10; a friend, 1;

New Hampshire, A friend,

New Lebanon, N. Y., R. Woodworth, a revol. pensioner,

New London, Ct. Gent. asso. (of which fr. T. W. Williams, 50; fr. R. Coit, 50;) Newport, R. I. Mon. con. in 3d cong. so. 22; la. asso. 24,57;

Newton, E. par. Ms. A friend, for Cher. miss. Petersburg, Va. Mrs. S. Hoge, 25; T. Atkinson, 20; mon. con. 20,65; Philadelphia, Pa. Rev. Dr. Ely, rec'd at Fairfield, Ark. Ter.

65 65

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Powhatan, Va. G. W. Flournoy, Putnam, O., A fem. friend,

1.00

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Reading, S. par. Ms. Fem. retrench. so. for wes. miss.

Richmond, Va. D. I. Burr, 100; F. James, 100; E. James, 40; H. L. W. 25; Rev. W. I. A. 20; T. C. 20; seven indiv. ea. 10; fourteen do. ea. 5; three do. 9,50; mon. con. 68,63; W. I. 5;

Root, N. Y. Mon. con.

Royalton, Ms. Sab. sch. class, for hea. chil.

Sand Lake, N. Y. Mrs. I. W.

Schenectady, N. Y. Mon. con. in Union

college,

Sinking Creek, Pa. Aux. so.

Springfield, Vt. I. W. Lewis,

Statesburgh, Michi. Ter. A friend,

1.00

15 69

528 13 7.00

Mount Desert, Me. A box, fr. females of

cong. so.

New Boston, N. II., A bed and bedding, fr. Mrs. M. Cochrin. New York city, A box, fr. la, miss. so, of South D. chb. 65.55; sundries, fr. Mr. Heyer, a ream of paper, tr. Mr. Fanshaw; sundries, fr. indiv. rec'd at Seneca.

Otisco, N. Y., A box, fr. ladies, for Sandw. Isl. miss.

Pequea, Pa. A keg, for Mrs. Chamberlain, Sandw. Isl.

Reading, S. par. Ms. Sheeting and hose, fr. fem retrench. so. for. wes, miss.; a bundle, for Rev. E. Spaulding, Sandw. Isl.

Rochester, Vt. A box. fr. fem. char. so. for wes. miss.

24.00

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Taunton, Ms. Coll. in Trin. cong. so. for
Sandw. Isl. miss.

Thetford, Vt. Fem. char. so. to consti-
tute the Rev. ELISHA G. BABCOCK an
Honorary Member of the Board,
Troy, N. Y. Mon. con. in 3d presb. chh.
Vassalboro', Me. Mon. con.
Waldoboro', Me. Gent. asso. 11; la. asso.
19; mon. con. 20; to constitute the Rev.
DAVID M. MITCHELL an Honorary
Member of the Board, 50; J. P. P. 3;
Waterford, Tuscarora, Pa. M. Laughlin,
Waynesboro', Ga. W. Urquhart,
Westboro', Ms. A friend, av. of watch,
Westfield, N. J. Mon. con. in presb. chh.
West Kiskaquoquillos, Pa. Mr. A. 50c.
Mrs. A. 50c.

West Newbury, 1st par. Ms. Aux. so.
White Sulphur Springs, Va. Coll.

Winthrop, Me. Mon. con.

Unknown, or pur. concealed, A friend,

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Underhill, Vt. A box.

Unknown, A box; two boxes, for Rev. C. B. Whiting, Beyroot; a box, for Rev. D. Temple, Malta.

The following sums were contributed at Smyrna, for Mr. Goodell and his family at Constantinople, to aid them in replacing articles which were destroyed by the fire. The currency is piastres, equal to about six cents each.

J. Langdon, 350; N. P. Smith, 345; I. S. & Co. 250; G. W. Lewis, 200; 0. Clark, 200; H. G. Gray, 150; W. D. Hammond, 170; J. D. Jough, 100, J. Purdie, 100; O. Hawes, 1900; J. Van Lennep, 100; D. Offley, 100; J. Brewer, 100; W. V. Hutchings, 10; 0.*Walley, 100; J. Pratt, 100, Capt. Brewster, 60; N. Perkins, 50; C. Larkin, 50;

2,725

In addition to the above, various articles were contributed by Capt Gray, Capt. Lewis, Mr. Moores, Mr. Hathaway, Mr. Brewer, Miss Reynolds, Mrs. Van Lennep, Mrs. Stith, Mrs. Moores, and Mrs. Jetter.

The following articles are respectfully solicited from Manufacturers and others.

Printing paper, to be used in publishing portions of the Scriptures, school books, tracts, &c. at Bombay, and at the Sandwich Islands.

Writing paper, writing books, blank books, quills, slates, &c. for all the missions and mission schools: especially for the Sandwich Islands.

Shoes of a good quality, of all sizes, for persons of both sexes; principally for the Indian missions. Blankets, coverlets, sheets, &c.

Fulled cloth, and domestic cottons of all kinds.

It frequently happens that boxes of clothing, &c. are left at the Missionary Rooms unaccompanied by a letter, or any thing to designate the places from which they are sent. It is therefore recommended to donors, who send boxes, bundles, &c. in all cases to mark upon them the town and state from which they come; as, for instance, from Concord, N. H." Boxes, &c. intended for particular individuals, or stations, should be directed accordingly.

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Armenia.

COMMUNICATION FROM MESSRS. SMITH AND DWIGHT, DATED TEBREEZ, IN PERSIA, JAN. 26, 1831.

[Continued from p. 15.]

THE preceding extracts from this communication describe the circumstances connected with the origin of the German mission to the Armenians in Georgia, the religious influence exerted by that mission upon two Armenian deacons, and the visit of one of the missionaries to the great convent at Etchmiazin.

Persecution of the two Deacons.

About a month before we reached Shousha, an Armenian arrived there from Bakou, who, through the instructions of the missionaries in their visits to that place, had become thoroughly evangelical in his views, and even gave pleasing evidence of piety. His zeal soon carried him into the bazar to converse with his countrymen. Much attention was excited, and, although his manner was adapted to gain access to the heart, and his conversation turned chiefly upon the great doctrines of redemption, he was generally opposed, only some half a dozen young men declaring in favor of his views. Yet the storm burst not upon him, but upon the deacons. On a subsequent Sabbath, a letter from the bishop was read in one of the churches of the following tenor: "I have received an order from the catholicos to send the two deacons to Etchmiazin, wherefore bind them immediately and send them to me." The letter contained no reference to the civil authorities, and the people were ready to execute the orders of their bishop on the spot, with the same reckless, independent spirit. In fact, very early next morning, a clerk of the church came to demand the deacons at the mission house. He was told that they would not be given up VOL. XXVIII.

Then

till claimed by the police. Another was sent, and received the same answer. came a sergeant of police, with a positive order for their apprehension. He likewise was sent away without them, and one of the brethren went immediately to lay the case before the governor. His decision was, that they should remain as they were until he heard himself from the catholicos. Not many days after, two letters arrived from the catholicos, addressed, not to the governor, but to the bishop, ordering the latter to send the deacons, and saying that if the governor refused to give them up, the governor general at Tiflis, who had already been written to on the subject, would see to it. He also promised to send an agent (wakeel) to Shousha to examine into the proceedings of the missionaries. The governor now concluded to send them to the governor general; which he did, in company with two cossacks. We met them on the road, two stages from Shousha. Mr. Zareiba accompanied them, in order to make a full statement of the case to the governor general. He found that his excellency had heard not a word on the subject, either from the catholicos, or any one else. After hearing the case, and reading a written statement of the proceedings of the missionaries, presented by Mr. Zaremba, the governor general said; "The deacons are ecclesiastical men, they have committed an ecclesiastical offence, and must be judged by an ecclesiastical tribunal. But how is it that you, Germans, are interfering with the Armenians? Remain Germans yourselves, and let them remain Armenians." He is a plain man, and expressed his sentiments, as an executor of Russian laws, in plain language. But he was in reality, as the missionaries have uniformly found the Russian officers of the provinces, very civil and friendly. He finally concluded that he was not the man to decide their case, and that it must go before the emperor. In the mean time he would send the deacons to Etchmiazin, under the civil protection of the governor of Erivan. They accordingly wrote a petition to the emperor, which, together with Mr.

5

Zaremba's statement, was immediately for- || of the church and went home without

warded.

One of the deacons was carried off by the epidemic at Tiflis, and thus released from his earthly troubles. The other, Moses, was soon sent to Etchmiazin, as proposed. Since then nothing has been heard from him, nor did we hear his name while at that

convent.

prayers, was left undisturbed in his situation. At length, after the necessary inquiries, he assembled all the fathers of families, and reading to them the names of all the children in the missionary school, solemnly prohibited them, under penalty of excommunication, from sending their children any more. At the same time, no doubt in order to put a stop to the troublesome demand so often made to him during these proceed

Thus are the brethren deprived of the ecclesiastics, whose progress in religion and knowledge had given them so much satis-ings-If you will not let us send our chilfaction, and whom they had even hoped to place one day, in some missionary seminary out of their native country.

The Mission assailed directly.

-8

Let us now return to Shousha, and look at the proceedings of the promised agent of the catholicos. He came after we had been there about a month. Being of a noble family, a member, we believe, of the synod of Etchmiazin of the highest rank of wortabets, and come, too, on such an errand, his arrival created no small stir among the Armenian population of the town. No more, however, most certainly, than was gratifying to him. For he proved to be a haughty, assuming man, and laid claim to much honor, and the best entertainment, requiring to be furnished with rich dinners, French wines, &c. The professed object of his visit was to put down the mission, but those who manage affairs at the convent were determined to reap more solid advantages from it. He came furnished with commissions to collect the nirrak, a contribution which the See of St. Gregory occasionally solicits from all Armenians, wherever they are scattered, and which we found to be here fixed at a certain sum per head; and to sell the meiron, or consecrated oil, used for confirmation, extreme unction, and other ceremonies, and which, as it is a monopoly of the convent, and absolutely necessary in these ceremonies, can be sold at as high a price as its makers choose. As correctly as we can estimate from the few data in our possession, every family was expected to contribute, for both, between forty and fifty cents, which would put into the treasury of Etchmiazin, from the province of Karabagh, not far from ten thousand dollars; besides the personal presents, sometimes very considerable, which are always expected by the wortabet who acts as collector. His first step against the mission was an attempt to withdraw one of the laborers from the printing-office, by accusing his brother-in-law, a priest, of being a German for putting him there, and threatening to send him bound to Etchmiazin, if he did not take him away. He afterwards degraded a priest for sending his son to the mission school. Yet another priest, who, one evening the week preceding, had gone into prayers so drunk that he fell to abusing and quarrelling with some of his congregation, who thereupon thrust him violently out

dren to the missionaries, pray establish schools for us yourself-he promised that the wortabet Boghos would from that time give lessons gratis, and that another school should be established for gratuitous instruction. Very fair promises indeed; but you must recollect that the said Boghos was teaching in a little dark, dirty room, with about as many scholars as could be stowed into it, sitting on the ground; and the other school would not probably be thought of again after the promise of it had accomplished the object for which it was made— that of quieting the populace. The missionaries felt it their duty to inform the governor of these proceedings against their school, he having previously declared that the wortabet could not interfere with it, as schools are not under the clergy, but under the department of public instruction, and also requested to be informed, should the attempt be made. If the affair be carried up to the minister of that department, however, the result is doubtful; as the clergy might accuse the missionaries, being protestants, of teaching religion to Armenian children, whereas there is a law in Russia, that where children of different denominations attend the same school, each shall have a religious teacher of his own sect. The missionary school, which, on account of the epidemic, had been closed from the arrival of the agent until after these events occurred, was now opened. But instead of sixty, the number of scholars before, only eight or nine now attended; and after it was ascertained that this number rather diminished than increased, it was closed again.

Another branch of the brethren's labors was now attacked. Having found a total want of properly qualified school-teachers, they had given lessons to some half a dozen young men, two of whom were now residing in their families, intending ultimately to have a seminary for the education of instructors, which should supply the deficiency. These two pupils were forced, first by the agent's threatening their fathers with excommunication, and then by his menacing them personally, to leave the || missionaries. We ascertained, from an interview which the young Armenian we have with us from Smyrna had with him, that the agent was well aware that the imperial charter in the possession of the missionaries, contemplated only labors among the Tartars, and that he had written to Tiflis and St. Petersburg most

bitter complaints against them for exceed-|| ing it.

Thus did he try every means to prevent the missionaries from giving any instructions to his nation. Shall we tell you now some of the instructions he was himself, in the mean time, giving them? The following is the substance of a sermon he preached, the sabbath after his arrival, in praise of the virgin, whom, being the chief of the saints, he seemed to consider as treated with special indignity by the new doctrines. 'As Adam could not live without the woman, neither could Christ be a mediator without Mary.' 'She is the queen mentioned in the 45th Psalm.' "The most beautiful of women, whose charms are extolled in Solomon's Song.' 'As Christ did all that she required at the marriage in Cana, so will he now always regard her intercessions.' 'Who are these Germans, that have dared to speak against her?' (immediately bowing before her image as if to restore her lost honors.) 'Who are these, that have dared to translate the New Testament into the vulgar tongue, a work from which our greatest bishops have shrunk? Are they wiser than our most learned wortabets, who have all confessed that they did not understand it? Cursed be they, and all who have any thing to do with them. May the disease, (the cholera morbus,) which now rages, consume them.' In a sermon another occasion, he asserted again that Christ could not be mediator without Mary, and even said, 'I will take it upon myself to affirm, that she is equal to either of the Persons in the Holy Trinity!"

on

It was not a little painful to hear of ignorant peasants calling St. Gregory (the founder of the Armenian church) God, as was the case in two instances that came to our immediate knowledge about this time; but such dreadful blasphemy from a learned wortabet, who holds one of the highest offices in the nation, and whose assertions will pass for incontrovertible truths with the mass of the people, is shocking beyond description. The pen fails to portray the feelings it excites.

General Remarks.

From this narration of facts, you will readily perceive the situation in which a mission for the Armenians in Russia would be placed, without any inferences or suggestions of our own, which we the rather omit as our letter is already long. We would merely say, that we have no expectation that such a mission could be conducted more prudently, than the one which has made this important experiment, nor that better missionaries would be employed in it than these beloved brethren.

We wait with great anxiety to know the final result of their present difficulties. Upon it rests the question, whether any thing shall be done directly for the spiritual benefit of the Armenian population of the

Georgian provinces, a population which was originally very considerable, and has been increased by nearly 100,000 emigrants, during the late Persian and Turkish war. One way would indeed still remain open, were the operations of the mission to cease, that of circulating the scriptures and some other religious books, in the introduction of which the Russian censorship would probably allow considerable latitude, but without missionary agents this means must necessarily be very inefficient.

Constantinople.

MR. GOODELL'S VOYAGE

FROM SMYRNA TO

CONSTANTINOPLE.

THE following extracts are from the journal kept by Mr. Goodell while on his way to the metropolis of the Turkish empire. He stopped a few days at Smyrna, but went thence in the same vessel which took him and his family from Malta.

June 3, 1831. Weighed anchor, and set sail from Smyrna last evening. This morn ing, on going on deck, found ourselves opposite Long Island, a light wind carrying us along so gently that we seemed to be lying at anchor. Passed between Mytelene and the coast of Anatolia. The former is the Lesbos of the ancients, and said to be the birth place of the lyric poet Alcæus, and of Sappho. It abounds with olives; and the dark green of the extensive groves on the hill side formed a fine contrast with the fields of ripening grain which were waving in the breeze, with the lights and shadows of the sun and clouds passing over them in rapid succession. Again and again we said to each other, We have seen nothing before for a long time, which reminded us so powerfully of the charming and diversified scenery of New England. Happy New England! If we ever forget thee, let our right hand forget her cunning. Whenever we think of that good land, the land of our father's sepulchres, the land of hills, and vallies, and springs of water, the land of simplicity and purity of manners, the land of Sabbaths, and revivals, and benevolent institutions, the land of peace and plentywe are ready to exclaim, "Happy art thou, O Israel; who is like unto thee, O people, saved by the Lord?"

On our right, about half way up the gulf of Adramyttium, we passed, in the after part of the day, the ancient Assos. I read with the children on deck the 20th chapter of Acts, which contains the account of Paul's going on foot from Troas to Assos, thence by water to Mitylene, and SO on "over against Chios," to Samos, Trogyllium, and Miletus, on his last voyage to Jerusalem, when "he hasted, if it were possible for him, to be there the day of Pentecost." Do any of the children of Amer

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