Obstacles soon arose that had not been anticipated. First, the plague, with terrific violence, then, the cholera; and lastly, the Egyptian civil war, which shook the capital, and endangered the throne. There could be little intercourse with the people in these circumstances; and during the latter part of 1832, the missionaries were employed chiefly in their own houses, studying the languages, and preparing elementary cards and books for the schools. It would seem from the Epistles of the Apostle Paul, that his affections were early drawn to certain favored individuals among those first awakened by the Holy Spirit. It was so with the brethren at Constantinople. Among the earliest students of Peshtimaljian, was Hohannes Sahakian, who had been fond of books from childhood, and for some time had longed to see his countrymen better furnished with the means of education. Before entering the school, which he did in 1829, he had commenced reading the New Testament, a cheap copy of which his father had purchased, and he was delighted to find his preceptor so ready to sympathize with his views, and to aid him in his investigations. In 1830, he began to converse on religious subjects with his friend Senekerim, the teacher of a school in the Patriarch's palace. Senekerim was startled on hearing sentiments avowed, that were not taught in their churches; but his mind became gradually enlightened, and they both painfully saw how much their nation needed to be brought to a knowledge of the Gospel. They had no funds for establishing schools and publishing tracts and books. As their zeal and fervor increased, they made a formal consecration of everything pertaining to them to the Lord Jesus Christ, declaring their purpose to execute his will. One day Senekerim made a discovery of the words, "If two of you shall agree on earth, as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven." Rejoicing over this, they both prayed: "O God, we agree to ask, that our nation may awake, may know the Gospel, and may understand that it is the blood of Jesus Christ alone which purgeth away sin." Yet neither of them was at this time fully aware of the great doctrine of salvation by grace, nor did they know of the existence of any nation having a knowledge of the pure Gospel. In this isolation they continued their prayerful study of God's Word, making gradual progress in knowledge of the Gospel.