he most part
unintelligible to the common people.

Mr. Temple began preaching in Italian early in 1826, and during his
whole residence on the island he preached every Sabbath, either in
Italian or English. The rule he prescribed for himself, whether
preaching to Gentiles or Jews, was to preach the great truths of the
Bible plainly and faithfully, appealing as little as possible to
Fathers, Councils, or Rabbins. Contemporary with him were Mr.
Jowett, of the Church Missionary Society, Mr. Wilson, of the London
Missionary Society, and Mr. Keeling, of the English Wesleyan
Society, and all were on the best terms of Christian fellowship.

In December, 1833, Messrs. Temple and Hallock removed to Smyrna,
with the printing establishment, and Dionysius Carabet accompanied
them as a translator. Wortabet had previously returned to Syria.

CHAPTER VI.

PRELIMINARY EXPLORATIONS.

1828-1831.

Enough was known, in the year 1828, to encourage the belief, that
Greece and Western Asia would soon demand a more extensive
prosecution of the missionary work; but more specific information
was indispensable to an intelligent enlargement. The temporary
suspension of the Syrian mission had brought the whole of the
missionary force of the Board in that part of the world to Malta
(except that Mr. Temple was on a visit to the United States), thus
making consultation easy. Other reasons called for a more free and
extended official intercourse than could be held by letter.
Accordingly the author, then Assistant Secretary of the Board, was
sent to Malta at the close of 1828, with instructions to confer with
the brethren, and afterwards to visit Greece and other parts of the
Levant. The conferences at Malta occupied two months, and aided much
in determining subsequent measures. When these were over, the
author, in company with the Rev. Eli Smith, afterward so favorably
and widely known in the Christian world, visited the Ionian Islands,
the Morea, and the Grecian Archipelago. Count John A. Capodistrias
was then President of Greece, and had his residence on the island of
AEgina. Athens was still held by the Turks. It was made incumbent on
the author to propose inquiries to the President on certain points,
and this was rendered easy by his urbanity and his frank and
explicit answers. The inquiries were mainly for gaining the needed
information; and they elicited some facts which deterred the
Committee from a class of expenditures, tha