ome Roman
Catholics. They speak Syriac, but so corrupted, that it is with great
difficulty they understand the Syriac of the Scriptures. There are
seven churches, four of which belong to the Roman Catholics, and the
remainder to the Jacobites. The road between Karakoosh and Mosul,
passes through the striking remains of Nineveh.

All things in the city continue in the most unsettled state.

Some of the lawless depredators came again to our house the day before
yesterday, and wanted arrack; but they went away quietly, and they
only talked about cutting off my head; but all this in mere bravado.
The Lord thus graciously takes care of us. They look on me as a sort
of dervish, because I do not drink arrack, nor use weapons of war, nor
take men to guard my house.

_July 9._--The camp of those without the city is moving down to-day
towards us; and we hear a continued firing of cannon. It is reported
they are come within half an hour's march of the city. The issue is in
the Lord's hand. Nothing can exceed the fear and want of confidence
that prevails throughout the city, every man's heart failing him for
fear of those things which may be coming on us. Oh! what a resting
place is the Lord's experienced love, and the assurance that all shall
work together for good to those that love him; yet living thus in the
midst of constant alarm, makes my heart sometimes long for that sweet,
quiet Christian communion which I left behind in England.

_July 10._ _Sunday._--In conversation to-day on the subject of
invoking the Virgin Mary, with some Armenians and a Jacobite, I was
struck with the readiness with which they all submit to Scripture; and
this seems universal among all those who are not ecclesiastics by
profession, or Roman Catholics. The curse of obstinate blindness seems
to be left to those who join this apostate church, for truly it may
be said of them, they come not to the light, because their deeds are
evil--not their deeds as members of society, but as professed members
of the mystical body of Christ.

Our Lord's days are solitary--none to tune Zion's harps. Oh! how it
makes the soul long for the courts of the Lord, where we may go up
with the crowds to keep holiday; how precious now would appear some of
those seasons of Christian communion which we enjoyed in dear England
and Ireland. When dear Mary was with me, we had an unceasing source of
happiness in conversing on our common hopes in our common Lord. Our
c