ommunion also with our dear friends was thus rendered vivid, aided as
it was and encouraged by the help of correspondence and conversation;
but now letters have almost ceased to come, and I have no one to
commune with. In addition to all this we are besieged, and every
necessary of life is nearly three times its usual price, very bad, and
to be got with difficulty. All night we hear nothing but firing and
drums beating, and men shouting--all this, too, at present, without
any prospect of termination, for those who are come against the city,
are not strong enough to enforce the change they design, and those
within have little to fear, so long as they have money and provisions
to give the soldiers, which they say they have for two years;[36] so
those who suffer are the poor people, who cannot help themselves. The
Pasha of Aleppo is about an hour's distance; it does not seem to be
his wish to act offensively against the city, but only to get into his
power those few whom he wishes to displace and behead. Yet how much
have I to bless God for, in that he keeps the little boys so free from
alarm. Blessed Lord! these are indeed scenes and times that lead the
soul to desire thy peaceful happy reign. Sometimes the sense of my
dear, dear Mary's peace, safety, and joys, makes me feel my burthens
lighter than though she had been with me; for to have those you love
in such scenes is trying in proportion to this very love, which so
sweetens times of mere labour or peace. I am sure the Lord _has_ dealt
lovingly, and _will_.

[36] This report of the provisions of the city appeared, in
the sequel, to be unfounded.

_July 14._--Since the ninth we have had little occurring but firing of
guns from the citadel, and the noise and confusion at night occasioned
by the soldiers.

A circumstance has occurred to-day which a little tries me. The
Armenian Priests are both dead; and the Armenian servant of Mrs. T.
has asked if she might receive the communion with us, the next time we
received it. Now, while I feel in my own soul that she knows nothing
of the power of the divine life, yet how far I have authority from
God's word to set up this, my private feeling, in the absence of any
thing palpable to fix on as an objection, I do not see. I feel so
utterly unworthy to place myself in the situation of a judge in such
a case. I feel so exceedingly low in the divine life--I experience
so little of the power of that life which was in Christ, sub