Part 11 (1/2)

I sent out to-day the chaoush of Major Taylor to Ali Pasha, to enquire if there were any letters or packets for the Residency or for me; but I found there were none to my great disappointment. However, Ali Pasha was very civil; enquired after the Resident, hoped there would be perpetual and increasing affection between them, &c. &c. We have now to wait to see how these fair beginnings will end. I have just seen the Hakeem Bashee or chief Physician of Ali Pasha, who is an Italian, and to my great joy found he had locked up in his box for me many letters and newspapers, which he from time to time collected in the camp; whenever any messenger was brought in, and his packets examined, all that were for Europeans he took out, and put in his box; to-morrow he promises to let me have those that were addressed to me. He tells me that Ali Pasha has two interpreters, natives of Cyprus, who speak Turkish, Italian, and Romaic. It appears that a great change is contemplated in the government of this Pashalic.

One of the two gentlemen whom Major Taylor sent to examine the Euphrates from Beles to Anah, has arrived at Aleppo on his way to Beles. From Anah to Bussorah there is no insurmountable impediment in the way of steam navigation. The part that now remains to be examined is from Beer to Anah.

_Sept. 18._ _Lord's day._--To-day I have received a long missing letter from the dear Taylors, in which Major Taylor most kindly and generously offers, should any thing happen to me, to consider my dear boys as his own, till he has an opportunity of sending them safely to the hands of their friends in England. Thus the Lord provides, thus he orders for us. This kind offer of Major T. was quite unsolicited, for, though when I felt attacked by the plague, I had written a letter making this request, yet, on my recovery, I destroyed it.

I also received a letter from Dr. Morrison, in China, in which he expresses his conviction of the importance of missionaries learning to earn their subsistence by some occupation, however humble, rather than be dependant as they now are, on societies. I confess my mind so far entirely agrees with him, that, if I had to prepare for a missionary course, I would not go to a college or an inst.i.tution, but learn medicine, or go to a blacksmith's, watchmaker's, or carpenter's shop, and there pursue my preparatory studies. I do not mean to say, that this should be to the exclusion of preparatory studies in language, and the deepest preparatory Scripture studies, but, in conjunction with them, for I am satisfied it is a much greater blessing to missionaries to lead those down who either by birth or other circ.u.mstances may have been a little removed from the lower orders of society than to raise those of humble birth to the rank of gentlemen in the world, who neither by education, habits, nor intercourse are enabled happily or profitably to fill such a station--but it is that yoke of mere human ordination, the necessity of a _t.i.tle from man to preach_ and _administer_ as it is called the sacraments, of which not so much as a hint is contained in the New Testament, it is that awful distinction between laity and clergy which are the things that tie up all hands, and put bodies of men into situations of trial, who, but for this delusion, would be without any comparative difficulties.

Without these we should learn to judge of men's fitness for their work, not by their being ordained or unordained by this or that denomination of men, but according to the rule of the apostles, by their doctrine and walking as they had them for ”ensamples;” if they came otherwise, though apostles or angels, let them, says the apostle, be accursed. Oh, if this principle of the apostles were set up in proving all things and holding fast that which is good, we should not hear so good a man, and one so much to be loved, as Mr. Bickersteth, misleading his readers by telling them to adhere to an unsound _authorised_[39] teacher, rather than go to a sound and unauthorised one; to one who is authorised by the head of the church, though not by the head of the state. So said not Paul, but, ”if I or an angel come preaching any other doctrine, let him be accursed.” In all 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. G.o.d grant the day may quickly come when the church of G.o.d may care as little about the opinions of bishops and presbyteries or any other a.s.sociation 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 G.o.d 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, Ha.s.san Beg, who has had all his property made him a present of by Ali Pasha, and every thing they choose to select for the convenience of the journey, is to be provided for them. There is something in this treatment so utterly unlike any thing that has been ever witnessed before, that people know not what to make of it; the Turks cannot be brought to believe but that there must be some treachery under it; for my own part, I do believe that so far as Ali Pasha is concerned, this is not true.

The Turks here are also much startled at seeing their long robes and turbans thrown away for an European military uniform, with epaulets and other decorations; and they say that Ali Pasha himself has quite adopted the European dress, so what changes we may expect I know not, but certainly great ones are contemplated; any change approximating to this has not been introduced from the days of the Patriarchs till now.

Drinking is no longer a covert offence that they practice in secret; but wine and spirits are brought in their trays as regular articles of consumption. The fact is, that Mohammedanism and Popery have received, and are receiving, such hard knocks that their power will certainly sink, even though the name may remain, and I do expect that this state of powerlessness in these two bodies will open ways for G.o.d's elect among them to come out.

I had yesterday a long and most interesting conversation with a very respectable Armenian Roman Catholic merchant of this place, most timidly fearful of having his faith touched; yet the Lord opened the way to the introduction of the conversation on some very interesting topics--on the duty of reading G.o.d's word for ourselves, and on the wors.h.i.+p of the Virgin, on all of which, little by little, he conversed freely.--He seemed well acquainted with the Scriptures I quoted, but had never thought about the questions, and this is the great preparatory work in this country, to get men to think on the things of the soul's everlasting interests, and to feel that these things have to do with the various relations of life. In all countries custom has much power; but in the East it is despotic.

I have been much struck in reading some letters in the Record, on the Church and Dissent, which has made me feel the necessity and value of that word of our blessed Lord.--”If thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.” Surely if the Scripture be sufficient to decide any question, it is sufficient to decide the question of what a child of G.o.d ought to do when a man, calling himself a minister of Christ, propagates errors among any section of Christ's church. Does not Paul say, Who is Paul or Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believe? What, then, is the Church of England, or Scotland, or the Dissenters, but various ministries, by which we believe? And the same apostle--the exalter of the Lord of life, and the abaser of every high thought of man, says, ”If I or an angel from heaven preach any other gospel than that you have received, let him be accursed.” Does Paul set up the principle that men are to be received not according to the truth or error of their doctrine, but according to the sect to which they belong, or the mode or circ.u.mstance of ordination? Never: but the very reverse. With the apostle it is always the truth--the truth--the truth; let those judge who wish to see.

Now, I will just state a strong case, but a fact. I was one day travelling in the mail, and a certain person in one corner began a most obscene conversation, with a gentleman who came to see him at the door of the mail, while it was changing horses. Opposite him, in the other corner, was his own son. When the mail arrived at the place to which we were going, on getting out, I asked the people at the coach office, who that person was. I had previously considered him as an officer in the army, but, to my amazement, was told he was the Rev. ----. This individual has since been made a dignitary of the Church of England, and has had other preferment bestowed upon him; and this is but part of what might be said. You will say this is an extreme case. But it is a matter of fact. Am I to remain under the ministry of such a teacher? It not only shocks the affections of a child of G.o.d, but the very common sense of the world, and, if our eyes were single, it would, in proportion strike us till we should come down to the apostle's rule, about receiving teachers--those who preach the truth, and walk as ye have us for an ensample.

As to example on which so much stress is laid, what example does a man give to his children or neighbourhood, when he continues to sit under the ministry of one whom he believes to be not a preacher but a perverter of the truth? Why, that the Church of England and its forms, even in the midst of our unfaithful ministry, is dearer to him than Christ's Church and his truth, under less agreeable external circ.u.mstances. On the other hand, what example does he give if he quit this, which may be granted on all hands to be an unsound ministry, for a sound one? Why, that he loves Christ's Church and truth so much better than any circ.u.mstances, that though it may cost him pain and sorrow he leaves the one for the other.

There seems an idea prevalent, and kept up in all these letters, which is in fact most untrue--that a man, by leaving the church[41] becomes a dissenter in principle. Whereas I think many who have merely followed the line which the apostle recommends, of turning away from false teachers, are not at all thereby rendered in love with dissent as one system set up against another system. It appears to me, that a sectarian Church of England-man, and a sectarian Dissenter, whose only desire is to see augmented the respective members of those who follow them, are equally removed from the mind of Christ. The thing devoutly to be prayed for, for them all is, that when they respectively approach the nearest to the meaning of the divine word and the mind of Christ, they might be respectively strengthened and made willing in those things to borrow from each other, and all sides to remember that that love which covereth many faults is more valuable a thousand times than that sectarian zeal that magnifies every weakness and infirmity into a mortal sin, and which delights in evil surmisings and evil speakings.

[41] I use this term, though in its sense of national churches, I think it absolutely unscriptural.

The term which pa.s.ses current with so many who are attached to the Church of England exclusively of ”our apostolic church,” it may not be amiss for a moment to dwell on. Where then does this apostolic similarity dwell, and in what does it consist?

Is it in the mode of appointment of Bishops? _Formerly_ it was the work of the church, with which the state had nothing to do. _Now_, it may be the work of an infidel ministry, for infidel purposes.

Is it the state and pomp of the episcopacy, the t.i.tles--”Your Grace,”

”Your Lords.h.i.+p,” your palaces, your carriages, and fame, and hosts of idle livery servants?

Is it in the mode of appointment to the cure of souls? _Then_ it was in the choice of the church; or, if of new churches, the appointment of those who had gathered them. _Now_, this cure is publicly sold like cattle in the market to the highest bidder, and a large proportion of the remainder may be in the hands of an infidel Lord Chancellor, to give as he pleases.

Is it the Liturgy? However valuable it may be, no one will pretend to say the apostles used one.

And even in the places of public wors.h.i.+p, their grandeur, or their neatness, or their convenience are equally unlike the places of meeting of the apostles, who were happy to a.s.semble in an upper loft.

Instead, therefore, of saying the Church of England is _Apostolic_, it is infinitely more true to say she is _Romish_, in all those things on the distinction of which she prides herself and becomes distinguished.

And the broad line of distinction between her and the apostate mother of harlots, commences when she comes to those points, whereon all the churches of Christ agree--the doctrines she professes, and which are to a very great extent scriptural and pure; and may the Lord water her truth while he sweeps away her dross and tin. Believing, as I do, her connection with the state to be an unmitigated evil as it relates to her spiritual power, I cannot but rejoice that this false ground of confidence and support which has made toryism stand too often in the place of truth and piety, as a recommendation to her highest places of trust, is crumbling underneath her, only her bonds will be burnt in the fire. May she have the holy wisdom to strengthen what remains, that when the times of her dominion shall pa.s.s by, the time of her spiritual splendour may return. In short, though there be much that is intolerable in the Church of England, much may be modified, and may yet, possibly, remain; but this is clear, that that swelling of the bosom which distinguishes a true son of the Church of England, considered as a sectarian, when he enunciates the term of ”Our Apostolic Church,” if it refers to discipline as well as doctrine, and external circ.u.mstances as well as internal principles, is the merest delusion that ever was published, and the most unsubstantial vision that ever formed the basis of pride, and one that will now remain unmasked no longer. May the Lord grant her grace in her day of trial, to run into her real ark of strength--the truth of G.o.d. What is contrary to G.o.d's will in her, may he make her ready, nay, anxious to throw off, as an incubus that oppresses her. What is not contrary, yet not essential, may she hold with that degree of tenacity only which such things deserve, and remain alone valiant for the truth on the earth.

Many will say this is written by the hand of an enemy. But I protest before Him whom I love and serve, however unworthily, that I love the Church of Christ in the midst of her, fervently desiring their spiritual pre-eminence, and praying for her prosperity.