l the Apostle
Paul's trials with the false teachers, and in all the directions given
respecting them to the various churches, he never once alludes to
their appointment by the apostles or any other human being, or bodies
of human beings, as even a collateral ground of consideration and
preference, but always to the truth, the truth, the truth; if they
preach that, well; if they do not, it matters not who they are, nor
whence they came, from heaven or earth, they are to be rejected. God
grant the day may quickly come when the church of God may care as
little about the opinions of bishops and presbyteries or any other
association of men, _apart from their piety and truth_, as the Lord
and his Apostles cared about the opinions of the Sanhedrim. So far as
their estate or authority is temporal, let us obey them, but let us
keep our souls free.

[39] By whom authorised, of God or of man?

It is said that all these provinces, from Bussorah to Bagdad,
Sulemania, Mosul, Diarbekr, Merdin, Orfa, and Aleppo, are to be under
the government of Ali Pasha; at all events there seems to be such a
change contemplated, that at present I do not see it right to remove,
especially as the Lord has provided an asylum in the event of any
thing happening to me, in the bosom of Mr. Taylor's family, for my
dear boys.

Under Daoud Pasha the people were oppressed by monopolies in every
article of consumption. Ali Pasha seems determined to put an end to
the system. The cryer yesterday proclaimed that meat was to be sold
for no more than two piasters an oke,[40] and that if any man took
more he should be hanged on the spot to his own crooks. One of the
butchers, near the Meidan, who was detected yesterday, selling meat
for three piasters, was instantly hanged. After which, the butchers
went to the officer who superintends their affairs, and offered him
considerable sums of money as a bribe, but he would pay no attention
to them.

[40] About five-pence a pound.

_Sept. 21._ _Wednesday._--Nothing can exceed the attention and respect
that is paid to Daoud by Ali Pasha; for his life, he said, he had
nothing to fear; the Sultan had pardoned him, and a firman had come to
that effect, but that the Sultan wished him to go to Constantinople on
the morrow or the day after. Therefore he leaves this, and his wives
go with him, and his eldest son, Hassan Beg, who has had all his
property made him a present of by Ali Pasha, and every thing they
choose to