afterwards modified somewhat, at the suggestion of the
mission, in order to a closer conformity with the organization
adopted by the Protestant Armenians in another part of the empire.
For some special reasons, they were advised to delay the election of
a native pastor.

The great work of translating the Scriptures into Arabic, was now
committed to Mr. Smith; and he was assisted by Butrus el-Bistany and
Nasif el-Yasijee.

Messrs. Ford and Benton removed to Aleppo, with a view to a
permanent station. They were accompanied by Mr. Smith, Butrus, and
Wortabet, the latter of whom remained there until his services were
required at Hasbeiya. Mr. Smith visited on his return, the
Nusairiyeh in Antioch, Suwaidiyeh, and around Ladikiyeh, and then
both them and the Ismailiyeh in their mountain fastnesses back of
Ladikiyeh. He found them a rude people in a rough country.

The Rev. Horace Foot and wife arrived in Beirut in August, 1848, and
were associated with Mr. Wilson at Tripoli. Bedros Vartabed, whose
labors were so much blessed at Aintab, died after a very short
illness at Aleppo, on the 13th of November, 1848. His last hours
were spent in fervent prayer, and his last words were expressive of
his gratitude to God. His life had been characterized by visible
progress in the way of holiness, by habitual prayerfulness, and by
zeal in the work of urging upon men the claims of the gospel.

A very hopeful fact in the missions to Oriental Churches, has been
the number of able men affected by the truth. Eminently such was a
learned Greek Catholic of Damascus, named Michael Meshakah, who
became convinced of the errors of his Church, and openly declared
himself a Protestant in 1848. He had embraced infidel views to quiet
his conscience, but the reading of "Keith on the Prophecies" in
Arabic, and other books from the mission presses, especially the
Scriptures, led him to relinquish these, and personal intercourse
with missionaries, especially with Dr. Smith, induced him to take a
decided stand for Christ. He used no reserve in professing his
attachment to the gospel. This brought on a controversy between him
and his Patriarch, and as he was esteemed the most intelligent
native layman in the country, and the Patriarch the most learned
ecclesiastic, attention from all quarters was directed to their
debate. Having decided to publish the reasons of his secession from
the Catholic Church, and to prove the corruptness of the doctrines
and