nes of plague and massacre he had
witnessed, and especially after the sickness and death of his
beloved colleague, that he should feel the need of Christian
friends, with whom to renew his strength.

Mr. Temple and his wife had embarked at Boston on the 2d of January,
1822. He had brought with him a printing-press, designed for the
mission at Malta, types had been ordered at Paris, and his
connection with this establishment prevented his accompanying Mr.
Fisk.

An associate was provided, however, in an unexpected quarter. The
Rev. Jonas King had been elected Professor of Oriental Languages in
Amherst College, and was then pursuing the study of Arabic in Paris,
under the celebrated orientalist De Sacy. Mr. Fisk lost no time in
requesting him to become his associate. On receiving the letter, Mr.
King wrote at once to the American Board, tendering his services for
three years, and they were accepted. There were then neither
steamers nor telegraphs, and the response of the Prudential
Committee could not be received until after the favorable season for
oriental traveling would have passed. Mr. King's friends in Paris
and in some other European cities, therefore, advanced the needful
funds to enable him to start at once, and he landed at Malta early
in November. A few days later, the celebrated Joseph Wolff also
arrived, for the purpose of going with Mr. Fisk to Jerusalem. The
three started January 3, 1823, to go by way of Alexandria, Cairo,
and the desert. During the three weeks spent in Egypt they ascended
the Nile as far as Thebes, distributing Bibles and tracts at most of
the villages along the river. They were able to communicate
religious truths in several languages, and sold more than six
hundred copies of the Bible, or parts of it. The whole number of
copies distributed was eight hundred, in twelve languages, besides
more than two thousand tracts.

They left Cairo without waiting for a caravan, but were joined by
Turks, Arabs, Greeks, and Armenians, before entering the desert,
until they numbered seventy-four persons, with forty-four camels,
and fifty-seven asses.

This being their first visit to Jerusalem, it was full of interest.
Here God had been pleased to dwell visibly in his temple. For many
ages it was the earthly home of the Church. Here the chosen tribes
came to worship. Here David tuned his harp to praise Jehovah, and
Isaiah obtained enraptured visions of the future Church. Above all,
here the Lord of