But after about twenty
minutes and repeated interruptions by the President, he was silenced
altogether; not having the freedom which the Pagan Areopagus of
ancient times gave to the first missionary to Greece. The effect of
these decisions was to declare the offenses charged against Dr. King
to be criminal in law, and to refer the case, for trial as to the
truth of the charges and the infliction of punishment, to the
criminal court. If condemned, he must suffer imprisonment. The trial
was to take place at Syra in July. An inflammatory pamphlet was
secretly printed by a priest, named Callistratus, for distribution
at the place of trial among judges, jurors, and the populace. It was
industriously circulated among the lowest class, with the avowed
sanction of the high priest of the Cyclades. Dr. King soon
ascertained that a conspiracy was formed there against his life,
similar to the one which endangered the life of the great Apostle on
his last visit to Jerusalem. Three Greek lawyers were engaged for
his defense at Syra, of whom one was Mr. Stephen Galatti, who had
been educated by the Board in America, and two of these accompanied
him in the steamer. At least a thousand people awaited his landing.
Such was the excitement, that even the lawyers dreaded to go among
them, and the governor of the island confessed his inability to give
effectual protection. The king's attorney decided, that he could not
be legally compelled to submit to a trial on that day. His lawyers
therefore advised him to return in the steamer to Athens, which he
did. Learning, soon after his arrival, through his wife, of a
combination there to take his life, he acquainted Sir Edmund Lyons,
the British Ambassador, with the fact, and that gentleman kindly
offered him British protection in case of need.

It would be charitable to suppose, that the government had not
entered into this prosecution willingly, but were urged on by the
hierarchy. Certain it is, that the whole subject was allowed to rest
for nearly a year. But on the 4th of June, 1847, the missionary
received a citation from the officers of government to appear in
person for trial before the criminal court at Syra. As a similar
court was at that moment holding a session in Athens, he could
regard the motive of the citation as not very different from that
which led the Jews to demand the transfer of St. Paul's trial from
Caesarea to Jerusalem. It was subsequently affirmed, that this
proceeding