habits of ignorance and superstition, before a door can be opened for the
direct preaching of the gospel. Their mode of reasoning is strong and
wily, and they ask questions which can only be answered in private
conversation and by Scripture proof. A great means of affording help must
be by educating the rising generation and by the diffusion of Scriptural
knowledge. Many of the priest are extremely ignorant, and some of them
have only learned by _rote_ the service of their own church in the
ancient Greek; their knowledge, therefore, cannot be founded on their own
search for Scriptural truth, seeing they have not had the opportunity of
examining for themselves. In some instances when we have presented to them
the New Testament in the modern language, they have said, with a look of
anxious gratitude, This is what we want; we priests teach in the churches
what we do not ourselves understand.

On the 26th of the Second Month they crossed the sea to Santa Maura,
having a delightful passage of eight hours. Captain McPhail, the governor,
a friend of William Allen's, met them himself with a boat, and conducted
them to his house. He showed them every attention during their short
sojourn, and introduced them to those persons whom they desired to see.
They made an interesting call on the bishop;--

A nice old man, who was many years priest in a village in the mountains,
and, what is a wonder, he has been promoted on account of his virtuous
life. He was a good example in his own village, and a great promoter of
schools. The old man is candid enough to confess that he was happier among
his rustic peasants than he is now in more refined society. We gave him
the book of Genesis in Modern Greek; and it was highly gratifying to us to
see the surprise and pleasure of his countenance on being presented with
an account of the Creation and works of the Almighty in his native tongue.
We thought the opportunity favorable for proposing the Scriptures to be
read by the clergy in the modern instead of the ancient language. He made
no objection, and appeared to see the great utility which might arise from
it.

Something has been said about the semi-barbarism of the Greeks. What our
friends learned respecting crime and violence, whilst in this island,
places the manners of the people in a very strong light.

Nothing can show more strongly the demoralized state of these islands than
the frightful acts of cruelty done to the cattle out of