it vain to
worship them, and pray to them?" He said, "We are not taught to seek
help or protection from any, but from him who is the Great Shepherd, who
has said with his own blessed mouth, 'Come unto me, all ye that labour
and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.' To any other than God,
we are not commanded to pray or seek for refuge."

They then returned him to his prison as before. Those who sympathized
with him, went and begged him to confess that the canons of the councils
were binding on all Christians, and that the images were very properly
made use of in the churches. He answered, "Professing themselves to be
wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God
into an image made like unto corruptible man." At this they turned away
from him in despair and disgust, and reported to the patriarch that he
was in the most settled state of obstinacy, and was doubtless possessed
of a devil.

Upon this, the patriarch ordered him to be put in chains, and the door
to be barred upon him, as formerly, and his food to be given him in
short allowance. In this condition he remained till he was much reduced,
and began to entreat them to have pity on him and take off the irons
from his feet, and open the door of his prison. Some were moved by his
supplications, interceded for him, unbarred the door, took off his
chains, and left him. He arose, walked out, and sat down with one of
them and conversed. He then begged the patriarch to give him some books
to copy, to rid himself of the tedium of his idleness. But he refused,
nor would he suffer any to hold conversation with him.

After some days, there came into the convent two men, in the character
of beggars, and wished to pass the night, but were turned away. That
same night Asaad made another attempt to escape. As soon as it was
discovered that he was gone, a vigorous search was made to find him, but
all to no purpose. The universal cry now was, that the two men already
mentioned had been sent by the protestants to steal him away for a large
reward. Immediately his holiness, the patriarch, sent letters to the
emeer Abdallah informing him of Asaad's escape, and requesting him to
guard the roads of the Kesroan, and search the neighbourhood, if
possibly Asaad might still be found lurking in that district.
Accordingly search was made, Asaad was discovered among his relatives by
a couple of soldiers, was bound, and taken off to the emeer, who sent
him dire