the paper." The prince, who is not remarkable
for mildness, and perhaps was not conscious that Asaad overheard him,
spoke out angrily, "A fig for the paper and writing; 'tis the medicine I
want." "Your lordship is in the right," replied Asaad, "the truth is
with you. The _medicine_ is the thing; the _paper_ that holds it, is
nothing. So we ought to say of the gospel, the great medicine for the
soul. 'Tis the _pure gospel_ we want, and not the _church_ that holds
it."

After Mansoor, in his catholic zeal, had torn up and burned all his
Bibles and Testaments, Asaad could not remain without the scriptures,
but sent and obtained a copy from the little church, which he daily
read, marking the most striking and important passages.

When his relatives, to the number of twenty or more, had assembled, and
Asaad perceived they were come to take him to the patriarch by force, he
began to expostulate with Tannoos, and besought him to desist from a
step so inconsistent with fraternal love. He besought in vain. Tannoos
turned away from him with a cold indifference. Affected with his
hardness, Asaad went aside, and wept and prayed aloud.

The evening before he was taken away, he said to those who had
assembled, "If I had not read the gospel, I should have been surprised
at this new movement of yours. But now it is just what I might have
expected. In this blessed book, I am told, _the brother shall deliver up
the brother to death, and a man's foes shall be they of his own
household_. Here you see it is just so. You have come together to fulfil
this prophecy of the gospel. What have I done against you? What is my
crime? Allowing that I do take the Bible as my only and sufficient guide
to heaven, what sin is there in this?" During the evening, he laid
himself down to sleep, as he was to set off early in the morning. But he
was often interrupted; for, whenever he caught a word of false doctrine
from the lips of those who continued their conversation, he would rise
up, refute them, and again compose himself to rest. One of his uncles,
speaking of his going to the patriarch, said in a great rage, "If you
don't go off with us peaceably, we will take your life." Asaad replied,
"Softly, softly, my dear uncle, don't be hasty. _Blessed are the meek._"

Phares wrote a letter this evening to Asaad, in a hand that had been
agreed on between them, saying, that if he would come to Beyroot, he
need not fear, and that it might be a matter for furthe