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chiefly in coffee-shops (as it seemed) that these gatherings (or mujlises as they are called) take place. I had not discovered them before.

17th. A still more hopeful day than yesterday. Two hours spent in Muscat hospital learning names of diseases and medicines and colloquial expressions required for finding out symptoms. After this tried in vain for some time to find hearers and a house to carry the message to. At last made my way to some suburban gardens, well-cultivated fields, and palm-groves on a side of Muscat I had not seen-a really picturesque scene for the eye to rest on with so much surrounding barrenness. Sitting by an old wall I had a long conversation with some ten or twelve adults and a few intelligent boys. Went carefully through St. John iii. and Romans vi. (most of it), dwelling on the chief points in succession. I had the happiness of finding one in thorough sympathy with the message—an Indian but well acquainted with Arabic, and he really pleaded nobly for the Gospel with opponents. He carried off a New Testament. As the sea was too rough for a small boat to return at 2 p.m., I sat by the roadside in a quiet street, reading my New Testament; but a neighbouring Arab gentleman came out, and with politest courtesy beckoned me to come into his house. He had coffee and refreshments brought, and I read him and his friends some Scriptural portions.

19th. Tried in vain at a number of mosques to get an Arab sheikh as an additional teacher, but was cheered by being able to give two brief but pointed addresses at the door of a house which seemed a small mosque, where the chief listener and questioner was quite an educated and eloquent old lady, who asked repeatedly and with energy, ‘Kam suhhaf Allah?' 'How many books of God are there?' i. e. in the Old and New Testaments. She seemed singularly interested about the matter, and I left the group deep and warm in discussion. The second address was in a broader space under an archway at the entrance to a merchant's shop, who seemed thoughtfully to grasp what was said.

20th. Over to Muscat, where occasion found for two long pleadings. The first under a sort of arcade or portico, where an old gentleman was sitting, who seemed very affable and popular among his fellow-citizens. Not one passed by but he rose to greet him, and they made profound obeisance in Oriental fashion. I tried hard but in vain to get an attentive hearing. He was hopelessly indifferent to all serious things, and engrossed the attention of all disposed to listen. I then got entrance into a large mosque outside the gate, and there first accosted an aged Beloochee, who said he was a haji or pilgrim to Mecca, of which he had a high conceit. His Koran, he said, was enough for him, and contained all he need know for both worlds, the best and most perfect of all knowable things. A young man came in, and with him or following him, a learned man of considerable ability and pretension, full of questioning and objections, yet willing to

listen and be instructed also. Others listened also, but these two went into the more vital and distinctive teachings of the Gospel more eagerly and thoughtfully. The young man went so far as to beg for the whole book and talk of buying it. Lunched after with the consul and Colonel Mockler, who said his experience of Mohammedanism was that it was the greatest curse to a country, yet useful as a means to civilize out of barbarism, and a preparing of the way for the higher truths of the Gospel.

22nd. To-day five or six hours devoted to a picturesque village (Sudar), on a further side of Muscat, situated on a cove of the sea with plenty of palms-a really pleasant scene to look on when it suddenly breaks on you from the top of the intervening hill reached by a rocky pathway. Three addresses I found the way open for. The first was in a coffee-house outside the city gate. The headman invited me in, and seemed as if he could not resist the few simple words spoken, I trust by God's good Spirit, to his heart and conscience. It was a hopeful half hour or more spent with him. I hope I shall hear of him again. The next audience small and bitter, nothing but Mahomet and the Koran could satisfy an Arab.' I say but little about them therefore. The third address was at a muallim's (schoolmaster's) house, whom I put on as a teacher for an hour to enlist his sympathy and interest, if possible, and read with him (as it was Palm Sunday) Luke xxiii. and xxiv. He was very attentive and made no objection. Christ's sufferings first, and His resurrection and ascension glory came out so strikingly in these chapters, and the penitent thief and the Gospel message to every creature. He told me a story, of which I only caught the drift, of an Arabic chief or king who was attracted towards the Word of God and tried to teach his people. I wish I might be able to get the whole account more clearly when able more thoroughly to decipher their smooth and rapid utterances. I quoted to him of course Ps. lxxii., The kings of Arabia and Seba shall offer gifts.'

March 23. Went out rather in fear and trembling, but was much rebuked for my doubtings by finding two or three men in a party gathered round the kazi's house (a man of dignified bearing), who seemed riveted by portions of Psalms, and especially Eph. v. and part of vi., on which I dwelt at length. One of them seemed fully alive to the meaning and purpose of holy baptism.

24th. Had not much to encourage me, though I hope I secured the services of an able and more finished Arab scholar, an Arab himself, than the one who helps me at present.

25th. Sharp and stormy encounter to-day, with scurrilous and almost furious abuse from two or three men with stentorian voices. I was enabled to possess my soul in patience, I hope, and learned the lesson not to read in front of a coffee-shop open to the street, as it collects a crowd, but rather inside. During two hours with my aged sheikh I tried to bring to bear on him Daniel's witness to our Lord-The stone cut without hands,' 'The form

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of the fourth was like the Son of God,' &c. I fear he is too aged and conscience deadened to take in these truths now.

26th. Brought five or six men home from the streets this morning, some of them seemed ready recipients of the Word. They seemed to take in very well the true explanation of the imagery of baptism, 'the death unto sin and new birth unto righteousness.' Only one was educated, though all were intelligent and thoughtful, quiet listeners, and ready to ask questions sensibly. Two of them sat an hour and a-half, but asked for some bread at the close, which I gave them.

In the afternoon I sat an hour in what is evidently the chief mosque of this suburb of Muttra, quite adorned in state and style in its appendage of courts, quarters for moollahs and disciples, chairs in rows, even an English arm-chair, which in the sheikh's absence I was asked by his sons, fine boys, to occupy; but I declined, as I said I belonged to the fakir class. There was a cushioned dais also on one side. All these were immediately below the raised platform where prayers go on. The court nicely shaded with vines and palms. I never saw so comfortable and luxurious a mosque. The dresses of the sheikh and head imam and his family were all to match, tasteful and handsome. I told them I was come to see the head teacher and I loved all lovers of God and those who sought the true knowledge of Him. I said also that as this was our great festival time and I had no brother in Christ to read his services with, I was come to read the lessons for the season or some of them with him and his friends. The great man appeared at last, a fine man and princelily dressed, and I was getting on hopefully with Luke xxiii. and xxiv., commenting upon it, till, alas! my vociferous and stormy opponent of yesterday (the antichrist of the place it seems) suddenly appeared on the scene! As he began again to mock, I told him as he had his full say and more yesterday, he might rest quiet to-day, and he did seem a little bit ashamed then, but he kept hitting all the hard hits he could at St. Luke's witness in the two great chapters, so that they might be heard to less purpose'. However, it was the most learned and aristocratic audience I have yet come across, and to be allowed to read and comment on such chapters in a chief mosque, speaks hopefully for the prospect of a mission here being now or eventually opened; but one must speak humbly and softly: a very little might dash my hopes to the ground. May it come true here. "The Lord is king and hath put on glorious apparel.' I was invited afterwards into a smaller mosque, but there was no entrance for the word there. It was Indian (Mahratta), I found, not Arab; nor could I find an open door to other mosques I made

1 His name was Yusuf. So when the bishop came to the account of Joseph of Arimathea, he read it twice over, and said, 'What a strange difference between the two Yusufs; I pray God you may yet be like him.'

trial of. At the door of one I found the old lady again, the Arab Priscilla, here! who spoke two days ago as I mentioned, but she was very stout for Mohammed and the Koran to-day, and offered to come and teach me, which I said she could do, if she would bring a husband or brother with her as was proper (though she must be not far from sixty), and if she would learn from my book as well as teach me. She is quite a character in her way. I never met with more than two or three in India like her-two Christian native ladies and one the Sikh lady on the way to Amarnath. She is of very ready and fluent speech, but could only dictate and dogmatize, whereas the moollah brought arguments of the kind the Mohammedans and Arians naturally employ as to the human weakness our Lord condescended to, of which so much has been made in the Lux Mundi question. Strange to have the same both here and there by quite different reasoners! There are many schools in both Muscat and Muttra, the joint towns. well as boys read up to nine or ten, chiefly the Koran. they will be primed now very diligently to resist the Gospel, but The Lamb shall overcome them.'

Girls as Doubtless

Easter Eve (March 28). Some rather singular experiences this afternoon, yet on the whole hopeful. I found an empty roofed shed near one of the gates of the town, and a pile of clean stones which did for a bench to sit on, and I read for a while to myself, except to one and another who came and went after showing little interest. Then two or three women came and became abusive, repeating the Kalima with names of God and their prophet loudly --and these grew to be ten or twelve. One violent lady is unpleasant, but ten or twelve at once a real trial. I did not know how it would end. I tried various passages to draw their attention, e. g. one from Ez. xxxvi., 'A new heart will I give you, and a right spirit'; 'I will take away the heart of stone,' and pointed out that the names on the lips were of little use, but the truths and the Spirit of God indwelling in the heart. This they understood and repeated one to the other, yet still continued vehement and noisy at times, so I said 'There is no reason why the Arabs and English should fight. The Arabs are a fine, generous, noble race, so are the English, they ought to be friends, not enemies. We both profess to believe in the prophets and apostles of Christ!' This a little softened them. Afterwards I told them of their great sage, Abd-ul-Kadir's two prayers, which, if answered, he said he would never ask another: (1) the death in which is no life, and (2) the life in which is no death. This took much with some of them, though some tried to ridicule it; but I think they felt it, and I pressed on them the death and life which can only come to us in union with Christ. Two or three men by this time had joined in listening, one of whom seemed remarkably impressed till his fellow rebuked him sharply, but he stuck to his point. Those words are true, are true, are true, he repeated emphatically; but ‘oh,' he said, 'how am I ever to learn and become possessed

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of these your great truths?' I gave him a New Testament I had with me and invited a visit. Walking afterwards about twenty yards from the shed I was invited by three or four women to come in and read more 'ta'al,' 'ta'al' (come in, come in), but as they seemed all women, and the one who called loudest was singularly handsome, and it would be an audience of ladies altogether, I thought it best to decline. I told the women of the Marys coming and finding the grave empty on Easter morning. I could not help thinking what a contrast Lydia's prayer-meeting at Philippi was to my party here!

TO MRS. FRENCH.

Easter Day, Muscat, March 29. I cannot on such a festival, a great day of holy rejoicing, begin any letter till I have begun one to you, though having just returned after eight hours spent in duty of various kinds, my head is not fit for very much, yet my thoughts must turn to you after turning Christwards for so much of the day. I pleaded for you and all ours in the earliest hours of the day that a special Easter blessing from the risen Lord might rest on our home with all its peace and power and help for service.

About 7 a.m., after a light breakfast, I started for Muscat, according to agreement. By nine all things were fairly in order, and the four who composed the congregation were seated. The thoughts of the day and its glorious truths had so possessed me that I was able to enjoy the subject (the same I took at Deptford, Easter, 1890), 'Reckon yourselves indeed to be dead unto sin, and alive unto God,' and the thoughts of the context before and after, and to enjoy also the Holy Communion with Colonel and Mrs. Mockler. The service took about one hour and a half. We had two hymns, 'Jesus Christ is risen to-day' and 'Oh, what the joy!' Since then I have been trying for some hours to awaken serious thoughts of the day and intelligent ideas of its meaning in many souls, Arab, Indian, and others, but have failed to meet with any such response as would have refreshed and gladdened me. Some may have been set thinking, however, and the fruit yet appear. It has been to me a 'going forth weeping, bearing forth precious seed,' apparently over a very ungenial barren droughtstricken soil. . . . The most sustained address to educated men I was able to give was at a house where my servant has found a vacant room or two for me where I can stop in Muscat itself during the hot hours for the next month, instead of returning by boat under the perilous scorching sun. I just saw it hastily in passing this morning, and gave an Easter address in the verandah of it down below to several men evidently of learning and distinction. I want to get hold of the learned men, if I can, because of their influence on others, but I do not forget the words, 'Thou hast revealed them to babes,' and 'not many wise,' &c.

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