h, "Papa, I am so
happy that the Lord sent this sickness upon me. You cannot tell how I
thank him for it."

After a season spent in prayer, I urged her, on leaving, to cast herself
entirely on the Saviour of sinners, before another hour should pass. The
next day as I entered the room, she said, "I am at peace now. I _did_
cast myself on Jesus and He received me. I know His blood has washed my
sins away." She had expressed some fear that she might not be able to
live a consistent Christian life should she recover, "but," said she, "I
could trust in Christ to sustain me." After a few words of counsel and
prayer, and reading a portion of Scripture, she exclaimed, "It is all
one now, whether I die or live. I am ready to go or stay. The Lord knows
best."

At the last interview between her and her father, she expressed her
determination to make the Bible henceforth her study and guide, and
requested him to read the 14th chapter of John, which seemed to give her
great comfort. Soon after that she ceased to recognize her friends, and
on Monday night, January 5, she gently fell asleep. I was summoned to
the house at 2 A.M. by a young man who said, "She is much
worse, hasten." On reaching the house I met Rufka, teacher of the
Seminary, who exclaimed, "She is gone, she is gone." Entering the mukod
room, I found all the family assembled. There were no shrieks and
screams and loud wailings, as is the universal custom in this land. All
were seated, and the father, Abu Selim, was reading that chapter which
Sarah had asked him to read. I then led the family in prayer, and all
were much comforted. She had lived a blameless life, beloved by all who
knew her, and had been a faithful and exemplary daughter and sister, but
her only trust at the last was in her Saviour. She saw in her past life
only sin, and hoped for salvation in the blood of Christ alone. The
funeral was attended by a great concourse of people of all sects, and
the Protestant chapel was crowded.

CHAPTER XI.

HUMS.

The city of Hums, the ancient Emessa, is situated about one mile east of
the river Orontes, and about half way between Aleppo and Damascus. It is
in the midst of a vast and fertile plain, extending to Palmyra on the
east, and to the Orontes on the west. With the exception of a few
mud-built villages along the east and near the city, there is no settled
population between Hums and Palmyra. The wild roving Bedawin sweep the
vast plains in every dir