Sometimes when I think on the complete stop the Lord has in his
infinite wisdom seen fit to put to my little work here, I am
astonished. Among those who are dead, is one who was translating the
New Testament into the vulgar Armenian of this place, and had gone as
far as Luke; and another gentleman, who was educated in Bombay, who
was writing for me an English and Armenian Dictionary, in which he had
proceeded about half way (10,000 words). In this dictionary there were
not only the ancient and modern parallel words, but an explanation in
vulgar Armenian, with examples. The probability of my meeting with one
similarly qualified, able and willing again, is very small indeed; but
with this, as with all the rest, it is the Lord, let him do what
seemeth to him good. I wait to see his future pleasure manifested, and
though I am now under a cloud of sorrow and separation from his
service, may he sanctify it, and advance his glory by whomsoever he
pleases, only giving me a heart to rejoice in their labours, and to
love my Lord fervently, and then I hope I shall not complain. I never
felt fit for much, and I daily now feel fit for less than I once
thought I was, yet the Lord will not deny me a place in the body, and
oh, may he give me a heart willing to take the lowest--that of
washing the disciples' feet. Oh, for the spirit of our dear humble
Lord in that wonderful transaction so calculated to stain human pride
with the name of madness, but especially the pride of those who call
themselves his.
The weather is now getting intensely hot, and our cellars, which were
our retreating places last year, are not habitable, the water being in
them at least three feet high, and this, with the overflowing of the
river, brought such swarms of mosquitos, that for several weeks it was
almost impossible to sleep, and although now they are far less
numerous, they are still very troublesome, so that if not on your
guard every moment, you get stung by them.
_July 20._--The weather is intensely hot, and we now begin seriously
to miss the Serdaubs;[37] but I feel it most for dear little baby, to
whom the heat is very, very trying. I also feel it very difficult to
do any thing that requires the least exertion, and for the next six
weeks we have no hope, of any mitigation, but rather an increase. The
prospect too of affairs around us, leaves no resting place but in the
love and favour of our Lord. The city is full of prophecies of the
sorrows and desolations that are to come on this land; from the Pasha
downward, this people seem devoted to astrology, believing lies, while
they refuse to hear the truth; yet all their visions are of sorrow,
lamentation, and woe.
[37] Cellars under ground, to which the inhabitants of Bagdad
retire during the heat of the day, from the months of June to
September.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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