der was perfect, their attention solemn, and their answers
generally given with correctness, while the teacher showed his own
improvement by the explanations he gave them. Their parents and
friends stood around, and listened with evident gratification, while
curiosity had drawn the members of a neighboring Greek family to
their windows, and they too were quietly looking on. To appreciate
its interest you must have been present, and heard the shouts rising
at the same time from an opposite quarter, where the boys of the
town were assembled in belligerent array, and making a mimic (or
rather real) war, by throwing stones at each other, to see which
would gain the victory. The little company before me, when I first
came to the place, scarcely two months ago, were as fully carried
away as any of them with these wild sports, and even parental
authority could not, for a Sabbath or two, bring them to break off
for an hour to learn the word of God. Now, what a change! It was as
if the devil had been cast out of them, and they were sitting in
their right minds. Such are missionary triumphs, and the joy that
springs from them is what the world can neither give nor take away."

Some members of the community not being satisfied with the
strictness of the mission in regard to baptism and the Lord's
Supper, the two brethren went into a thorough explanation of the
subject. This led to a long and earnest conversation. The next day,
July 4, the people gave in their reply; which was, that they would
yield entirely to the judgment of the missionaries, who might admit
them to the rites of the church when they thought them qualified.

On Sabbath, July 14, it being certain that the people of Zahleh were
coming, the Protestants assembled in the house of the missionary, to
enter into a solemn covenant to stand by each other to the last.
After the service, they drew up an engagement in the following
terms: "We, whose names are hereto subscribed, do covenant together
before God and this assembly, and pledge ourselves upon the holy
Gospel, that we will remain leagued together in one faith; that we
will not forsake this faith, nor shall any separate us from each
other while we are in this world; and that we will be of one hand
and one heart in the worship of God, according to the doctrines of
the Gospel. In God is our help." The covenant was taken by them
separately, each one standing by the table, and laying his hand upon
the Bible as it was re