d the being invoked is assailed with insults and
imprecations.

The famous sie-fa that was now attracting so large a number of pilgrims
to the Lamasery of Rache-Tchurin, inspired us with the idea of repairing
thither also, and of neutralizing, by our prayers, the satanic
invocations of the Lamas. Who knows, said we to each other, who knows
but that God even now has designs of mercy towards the Mongols of the
Ortous land; perhaps the sight of their Lama's power, fettered and
overcome by the presence of the priests of Jesus Christ, will strike upon
the hearts of these people, and make them renounce the lying creed of
Buddha, and embrace the faith of Christianity! To encourage each other
in this design, we dwelt upon the history of Simon Magus, arrested in his
flight by the prayer of St. Peter, and precipitated from the air to the
feet of his admirers. Of course, poor missionaries, such as we, had not
the insane pretension to compare ourselves with the prince of the
Apostles; but we knew that the protection of God, which is sometimes
granted in virtue of the merit and sanctity of him who seeks it, is also
often accorded to the omnipotent effacity in prayer itself.

We resolved, therefore, to go to Rache-Tchurin, to mingle with the crowd,
and, at the moment when the diabolical invocations should commence, to
place ourselves, fearlessly, and with an air of authority before the
Bokte, and to solemnly forbid him, in the name of Jesus Christ, to make a
display of his detestable power. We did not disguise from ourselves the
possible results of this proceeding; we knew that it would assuredly
excite the fury and hatred of the adorers of Buddha; and that perhaps a
violent death would be an instant reward for the endeavour to convert
these Tartars; "But what matter!" exclaimed we; "let us do courageously
our work as missionaries; let us employ fearlessly the power that we have
received from on high, and leave to Providence the care of a future which
does not appertain to us."

Such were our intentions and our hopes; but the views of God are not
always in conformity with the designs of man, even when these appear most
in harmony with the plan of His Providence. That very day there happened
to us an accident which, carrying us far away from Rache-Tchurin,
involved us in the most distressing perplexities.

In the evening, the old Lama who was travelling with us asked us to make
the camel kneel, so that he might take his pack f