r, a man came rushing in crying,
run for your lives! the horsemen are here! Before they could get out, a
squad of wild looking wretches were at the door. The men fled, carrying
the larger children and the women carrying the babies, and off they went
into the wilderness in the storm and darkness. Some women were seized
and tied by ropes around their waists, to the horsemen, and marched off
for miles to prison. The men who were caught were put in chains. Some
time later they got back home again. But they would not give up the
Gospel. Beshoor sent men who told them they could have peace if they
would only go back to the Greek Church. But he offered peace quite too
late. They had now learned to love the Gospel, and it was worth more to
them than all the world beside. One night they were assembled in a
little low black house, when some men came to the door and threw in
burning bundles of straw and then shut the door, so that they were
almost stifled with the smoke. They sent a messenger to Beirut. The
case was laid before the Pasha, and he telegraphed to have the
Protestants let alone. But Beshoor cared for nothing. A Nusairy was
hired to shoot Abu Asaad, the leading Protestant. His house was visited
in the daytime, and the man saw where Abu Asaad's bed was placed. In the
night he came stealthily upon the roof, dug a hole through, and fired
three bullets at the spot. But see how God protects his people! That
evening Abu Asaad said to his wife; the floor is getting damp in the
corner, let us remove the bed and mat to the other side. They did so,
and when the man fired, the bullets went into the ground just where Abu
Asaad had slept the night before! He ran out and saw the assassins and
recognized one of them as the servant of Beshoor's son. The next day he
complained to the Government and they refused to hear him because he did
not bring witnesses!

But the poor people would not give up. Every day they went to their
fields, carrying their Testaments in their girdles and at noontime would
read and find comfort. Their children were half naked and half starved.
When word reached Beirut, the native Protestant women met together and
collected several hundred piastres (a piastre is four cents) for the
women and girls of Safita. They made up a bale of clothing, and sent
with it a very touching and kind letter, telling their poor persecuted
sisters to bear their trials in patience, and put all their trust in the
Lord Jesus. That aid,