ussorah and Bushire did not succeed. In the one there is a
permanent British Resident, and in the other a permanent British
influence, that would have much favoured a school, and even perhaps
finally more extensive operations; and I do still hope he may yet
find some of his friends, who are as able as willing to take the
necessary charge of these places, for they are now more disheartened
than when nothing had been promised them. At Tabreez also, I think
a most interesting school might be established; but let it be as
comprehensive as it can with a safe conscience be, without pretending
to a principle that includes all. If, upon such terms Mohammedans
come, your conscience is not entangled, and you can go on steadily
with your work. If they go, they go; if they stay, they stay; but take
care how you take any of the gentiles by solicitation; it will tie
your hands, and hamper all your proceedings. It looks promising to see
the names of Princes and great men connected with our work; but I am
persuaded that it is utterly spiritual weakness. Better do ever so
little work with the whole soul, than ever so much, trimming between
the world and the Church, and all very comprehensive plans must
involve this: besides, from the outset, the feeling of duplicity
that always must result from inducing men to contribute to support
institutions under certain partial representations, which they would
not embrace if you stated your real design, and the full truth.

Besides these difficulties of money and principle, the unsettled state
of these countries is such that learned orientalists would never come,
even if they were in abundance; but the fact is, that even Europe is
very scantily supplied with men who could direct such an institution,
and if they could be found, unless the love of Christ were the spring
of their actions--were they mere literary orientalists, their
influence as it regards the kingdom of Christ would be worse than
nugatory. For though you might hope to correct this evil by having
others connected with the institution who might have the more
immediate spiritual direction of the students, this would soon lead to
strifes and divisions between the heads of the institution. That the
spread of literature in the East will sap and finally overthrow
_Mohammedanism_, I have little doubt; but this is the work of the men
of the world, and the result, as it regards Christianity, very
doubtful; but the missionary's object is one an