he come?"
Often she would say to me, I never enjoyed such spiritual peace as
since I have been in Bagdad--such an unvarying sense of nearness to
Christ, and assurance of his love and care; we came out trusting only
under his wing, and he will never forsake us. Her strongest assurance
was certainly that the Lord would not allow the plague to enter our
dwelling; but when she saw that the Lord mysteriously accepted not
this confidence, but let it rest even on her, it never disturbed her
peace, as I have mentioned before. She said to me, "I know not which
is to me most mysterious, that the Lord should have laid his hand upon
me, or, having laid it, that I should enjoy such peace as I do." And
in this peace and confidence, every subsequent moment of sensibility
was passed. Her constant exclamation was, "I know he will do most
graciously by me." Yet notwithstanding all the happiness I have in
contemplating her among the redeemed, thus clothed in white; and
notwithstanding the triumphing conviction I have in spite of the
temptations of Satan, and the darkness that envelopes my present
position, that all is the offspring of infinite love; yet at times the
overwhelming loss I have sustained, in every possible way that a
husband, a father, a missionary, and even a man, can know, so affects
me that but for my Lord's loving presence, I should be overwhelmed.

[32] It is on account of the great heat in the summer that
the houses in Bagdad are built with flat roofs, to which the
inhabitants all move up at sunset, to dine and spend the night.

I now wait till the arrival of my dear friends to consult with them as
to our future plans. May the Lord, if it be his pleasure, quickly send
them hither, and direct us in all our plans and purposes, so that we
may be led to fulfil his will.

_May 30._--A messenger has arrived from Bussorah, bringing
intelligence of the kind Taylors; but the letters he brought were all
taken from him, and he stripped to his shirt, a few miles from Bagdad.
However, by word of mouth, he brings, on the whole, good accounts. All
their immediate family are well; some have died, among those that
accompanied them, and nearly all the Arab sailors, but as the letters
are lost, we know not the particulars.

_May 31._--I have had another proof of my heavenly Father's care. An
Armenian merchant has sent his servant to me to say, he proposes
sending him every day to buy for me what I want from the bazaar, and
also