Meanwhile Dr. Azariah Smith was traversing regions in eastern Turkey, which have since become endeared to the friends of missions, and reached Aintab just after Mr. Johnston left. A tumult was raised at once, with the hope of driving him away also, but without success. Having a firman, he refused to go without first seeing the Governor, and his medical profession and practice were in his favor. He remained until March, and before leaving gathered the hopeful converts into a church, which has since proved to be one of the most prosperous in Turkey. On his departure, a number of the brethren accompanied him a considerable distance, and parted after uniting in prayer for each other, and for the cause of their Redeemer and Saviour. Bedros, however, whom he left behind to look after the infant church, was soon expelled. Mr. Schneider labored there in the summer and until some time in the autumn. Still the position of the Protestants was everywhere one of trial. They were separated from the Armenian community, but not united with any other. The government, though determined to protect them from persecution, did not know exactly what to do. The municipal regulations of Constantinople forbad marriage, baptism, or burial without the cognizance of the civil power. To obtain a permit for marriage, it was necessary to present to the head of the police a certificate from the Patriarch; and the Patriarch must report the name of every baptized child to the same officer for enrolment. Before every burial, permission must be obtained from the Board of Health, and this also must be through the Patriarch. Then every traveller must have a passport, which could not be obtained without a voucher from the Patriarch. It had become quite obvious, that the Patriarch could no longer act as their civil representative at the Porte.1 1 _Christianity Revived_, p. 241. In order to promote the internal peace of the empire, the Sultan found it necessary to reduce the power of the Armenian Patriarch, by appointing a council of laymen, for secular matters, and another of ecclesiastics and laymen, for matters spiritual; the Patriarch not being allowed to act without their sanction. The number of Protestant Armenians, including men, women and children, now separated from their former churches, was about one thousand. Nearly three thousand more were known to entertain Protestant sentiments, though still retaining a loose connection with their former churches. Those who were more or less awakened to a knowledge of their errors, and secretly desired the progress of the reformation, must have amounted to several thousands more; but of these no accurate estimate could be made.