ure of the disease, he was mainly without
the use of his reason; but a few hours before his death, while Mr.
Dwight was present, the cloud passed from his mind, and they enjoyed
a most delightful interview. "There were present," says the
missionary, "besides his own relatives, his two deacons, and several
of the brethren and sisters of the church, and their joy was
unbounded when they heard their dying pastor, with restored reason,
giving such clear testimony of the all-sufficiency of Christ to
support him in that trying hour. At the end of every answer he gave
to my inquiries, they cried out all over the room, "Bless the Lord,"
"Glory to God," unable to restrain their gratitude that God had
given him grace and opportunity to bear such a testimony. I have
been present at many Christian death-beds of the people of God, but
I can truly say, that I never witnessed anything so deeply
affecting. I afterwards led in prayer. Our departing brother uttered
a loud _Amen_ at the end of every sentence, and his reason then left
him to return no more on earth."

I cannot refrain from quoting here the testimony of so judicious, an
observer as Mr. Dwight, concerning the wife of the pastor. "She is a
person every way fitted to be a pastor's wife. She is one of the
most intelligent, pious, and lovely women I have known in this
country. Indeed, in native intellectual power and in piety, she has
few superiors anywhere."

Der Haritun had long been the spiritual leader at Nicomedia; but
when a church was formed, and there was need of one who should be
both a pastor and preacher, he as a priest, having never learned to
preach, and having almost reached the age of sixty, meekly gave
place to one who was better qualified to preach the Gospel with
power and effect, and now took the place of a deacon.

The reader will remember the manner in which the reformation arose
among the Armenians of Aintab, through the labors of Bedros
Vartabed.1 It is worthy of notice, that while the letter of Mr.
Thomson was on its way to Constantinople, and before his visit
became known to the Prudential Committee, they had directed the
Constantinople brethren to send Mr. Van Lennep on a visit to Aleppo
and Aintab. Mr. Van Lennep estimated the number of Armenian families
in the place at fifteen hundred. The people were rude and ignorant,
but they were residents, and not sojourners, as were most of the
Armenians at Aleppo. He had visitors from morning till night, an