defender
of the faith.
27_th_.--We arrived at Smyrna this morning, and in order to meet some
of our Christian friends to whom we had letters of recommendation, we met
them after their worship. Edward Van Lennep, the Dutch consul, and his
brother Charles, the Swedish consul, received us with great kindness and
cordiality through the letters from one of our Members of Parliament. It
was very sweet to find these two brothers so imbued with religious
feeling; they gave their hearts to help us in our prospect.
On the 30th John Yeardley and his companion landed at Constantinople; they
found the heat and noise of the city very oppressive.
The people in the streets, says John Yeardley, are numerous beyond all
description; thousands, and tens of thousands, standing, sitting, running,
following, or pushing one against the other, talking and shouting in the
ceaseless noise of the Armenian, Turkish, Greek, Syriac, Italian, French
and English languages. The services of my dear Jules are most valuable: he
makes his way with every one through his earnest kindness to serve the
good cause.
When passing through the islands, he adds, the prospect was extremely
beautiful; but my mind was always anxious in the prospect of the long
journey before us; but the mercy of my God is great, and deeply humbles me
in thankfulness for his goodness.--(_Letter of_ 7 _mo_. 4.)
Very soon after their arrival, walking several hours in the heat of the
day, John Yeardley had a slight attack of sun-stroke. The effect appeared
quickly to pass off, and he was able to perform such religious duty as
opened before him in the city and its immediate neighborhood.
_Diary_. 7 _mo_. 4.--We made a call at Bebek: Dr. Hamlin had
gone to the city, but Dr. Dwight received us kindly. These two dear
Christian, friends called on us yesterday. This morning we attended the
meeting in the Armenian chapel, and at half-past 1 we had a full company
in the same meeting-house. They received in a free and brotherly
disposition what I was favored to express in gospel freedom; I concluded
in supplication. A kind and Christian man interpreted with simplicity into
the Turkish language. The morning service was in the Armenian. We have
already had many calls from these loving Christian friends in our hotel.
What a mercy, and how encouraging, to be thus received in gospel by
strangers!
Respecting this meeting Jules Paradon says:--
About thirty-five or forty were pr
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