very singular and as it proved unfortunate, relations to the
mission.

The Druzes are found chiefly on the mountains of Lebanon, and in the
country called the Hauran, south of Damascus, and number sixty or
seventy thousand souls. The sect originated with Hakem, a Caliph of
Egypt, but derived its name from El Drusi, a zealous disciple of the
Caliph. They believe Hakem to be the tenth, last, and most important
incarnation of God, and render him divine honors. They have ever
taken great pains to conceal their tenets, which seem to be
compounded from Mohammedanism and Paganism, and it is only a portion
of themselves that know what the tenets are. Those are called the
Akkal, or _initiated_; the others are the Jebal, or _uninitiated_.
Four centuries and a half after the death of the founder of the
sect, it became powerful under a single chief. Inhabiting the rugged
mountains of Lebanon, they maintained for many ages a free and
independent spirit in the midst of despotism, and were a
semi-independent people within the Turkish dominions down to the
summer of 1835, when they were subdued by Ibrahim Pasha.

As early as 1831, a hope was awakened in the mission, that the
Gospel might be successfully introduced among that people. A Druze
woman was in the habit of coming daily to listen to the reading of
the Scriptures and to religious conversation, and would often say,
"That's the truth," with her face bathed in tears. Her visits were
continued until she fell a victim to the plague. An old man, also,
who was one of the "initiated," came, and, after much disputation,
professed to receive the Gospel. In proof of his sincerity, he
brought one of the secret books of his religion, and gave it to the
missionaries. Mr. Smith, moreover, when on the mountains, was
invited to attend one of their stated meetings, and, at its close,
was requested to read and expound a portion of the word of God.

The prospects became more favorable in 1835. Mr. Bird and others
spent the hot months of summer at Aaleih, a Druze village on
Lebanon. Mrs. Dodge gathered a school of girls there, and Mr. Bird
had ten or fifteen Druzes present at his Arabic preaching every
Sabbath, and among them the young sheiks of the village, with their
servants. Many of the people listened with attention, and received
and read the New Testament and other religious books, with apparent
eagerness. They readily acknowledged that neither repentance,
alms-giving, prayers, nor any w