teach, but to die"-may well be supposed to have made his own teaching the most difficult task imaginable.

Speaking of the Moolah, Aga Mahommed Hassan, whom he describes as a very sensible, candid man, he says " He has nothing to find fault with in Christianity but the Divinity of Christ. It is this doctrine that exposes me to the contempt of the learned Mahometans, in whom it is difficult to say whether pride or ignorance predominates. Their sneers are more difficult to bear than the brick-bats which the boys sometimes throw at me. How often have I to repeat the words,

'If on my face, for thy dear name,

Shame and reproaches be;

All hail reproach, and welcome shame,

If thou remember me.'

The more they wish me to give up this one point-the Divinity of Christ-the more I seem to feel the necessity of it, and rejoice and glory in it. Indeed, I trust I would sooner give up my life than surrender it."

Once, in a discussion with Mirza Ali, and Aga Ali, a Mede, about the essentials of Christianity, the latter said to Mr. Martyn that "as for the Gospels, they were nothing but tales which were of no use to him. It Christ raised four hundred dead to life, what," he said, “is that to me" "His works surely," replied Mr. Martyn, were a reason for our depending upon his words." "But what did he say," rejoined the Mede, "that was not known before the love of God, humility-who does not know these things?" "Were these things known," said Mr. Martyn, "before Christ, either among Greeks or Romans,

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notwithstanding their philosophy? Besides, Christ came not to teach but to die; and the great truths, confirmed by his miracles, are those relating to his person, such as-'Come unto me, all that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.'

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Being asked what he meant, when he professed to have no doubt of his salvation-"I told them," Mr. Martyn says, "that though sin still remained, I was assured that it should not regain dominion over me; and that I should never come into condemnation, but was accepted in the Beloved. 'How do you know this?' asked the Mede; 'how do you know you have experienced the second birth?' 'Because,' said I, 'we have the Spirit of the Father; what He wishes, we wish; what He hates, we hate.' Here, becoming more calm and less contentious, he mildly asked, how I had obtained this peace of mind?

Was it merely these books?' taking up some of our sheets. 'These books, with prayer.' 'What was the beginning of it?' "The society of some friend?' I related my religious history, the substance of which was, that I took my Bible before God in prayer, and prayed for forgiveness through Christ, assurance of it through His Spirit, and grace to obey His commandments. 'Would the same benefit be conferred on them,' they both asked? 'Yes' (said I) 'for so the Apostles preached, that all who were baptized in His name should receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.' • Can you assure me' (said Mirza Seid Ali) that the Spirit will be given to me? if so, I will be baptized immediately.' 'Who am I, that I should be surety?' I replied. I bring you this message from God, that he

who, despairing of himself, rests for righteousness on the Son of God, shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost; and to this I can add my testimony, if that be worth any thing, that I have found the promise fulfilled in myself. But if, after baptism, you should not find it so in you, accuse not the Gospel of falsehood-it is possible that your faith might not be sincere; indeed, so fully am I persuaded that you do not believe in the Son of God, that if you were to entreat ever so earnestly for baptism, I should not dare to administer it at this time, when you have shown so many signs of an unhumbled heart.' 'What! would you have me believe,' said he, as a child?' 'Yes,' said I. 'True' (he replied) 'I think that is the only way.' Aga Ali said no more, but, certainly he is a good man.""

During the eleven months Mr. Martyn abode at Shiraz, so far was he from shrinking from any fair opportunity of confessing Christ before men, that he gladly embraced every occasion of avowing "whose he was, and whom he served."

Besides his reply to Mirza Ibraheem's Defence of Mahometanism, he had already held one public argument with the Chief Professor of Mahometan Law; but, before leaving Shiraz, he was led to enter into a second disputation, of a far more decided character, with his old and respectable antagonist, Mirza Ibraheem. The scene of this discussion was a court in the palace of one of the Persian princes, where a numerous body of Moolahs were collected, with Mirza Ibraheem at their head. In

* See "Scripture Notices and Proofs."

this assembly Mr. Martyn stood up, as the single advocate of the Christian faith; and, in the midst of so formidable a Mahometan conclave, maintained that prime and fundamental article of true religion, the Divinity of the Son of God.

"The room was lined with Moolahs, on both sides and at the top, and, when about to sit down at the door, I was beckoned to a vacant place near the top, opposite to the master, who, after the usual compliments, asked me, without further ceremony, 'What we meant by calling Christ God?' War being thus unequivocally declared, I had nothing to do but stand upon the defensive. Amidst much violence and clamour, Mirza Ibraheem, who argued more temperately, asked, 'If Christ had ever called Himself God; was He the Creator, or a creature?' I replied, "The CREATOR.' The Moolahs looked at one another. Such a confession had never before been heard before Mahometan doctors.

"One Moolah wanted to controvert some of these illustrations, by interrogating me about the personality of Christ. To all his questions I replied, by requesting the same information respecting his own person.

"To another, who was rather contemptuous and violent, I said, 'If you do not approve of our doctrine, will you be so good as to say what God is according to you, that I may worship a proper object?' One said, 'The author of the universe.' 'I can form no idea from these words,' (said I), 'but of a workman at work upon a vast number of materials. Is that a correct notion?' Another said, One who came of himself into being.' So then he came,' (I replied); 'came out of one place into another; and

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before he came, he was not. Is this an abstract and refined notion?' After this no one asked me any more questions; and, for fear the dispute should be renewed, Jaffier Ali Khan carried me away."*

After this memorable and intrepid confession of the Divinity of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, Mr. Martyn continued only a short time at Shiraz. During this brief period he had several interesting take-leave conversations with Mirza Seid Ali, Mirza Ibraheem, and others with whom he had familiarly associated, and on whose minds he had apparently gained considerable ascendancy. Of Mirza Seid Ali, in particular, he says, that "he no longer argues against the truth, nor makes any remarks but of a serious kind. One evening, on my telling him that I wished to return to the city, to be alone, and at leisure for prayer, he said with impression, Though a man had no other religious society, with the aid of the Bible, he may, I suppose, live alone with God?' It will be his own state soon-may he find it the medium of God's gracious communication to his soul! He asked in what way God ought to be addressed; I told him as a Father, with respectful love, and added some other exhortations on the subject of prayer."

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In his Journal, from 1st of May to 10th, he has recorded as follows:- -"Passed some days at Jaffier Ali Khan's

* Jaffier Ali Khan was the distinguished Mahometan to whom Mr. Martyn had letters of recommendation, whose guest he was, and in whom were united, with a temper of more solid and substantial excellence, a kindness of disposition, ever fertile in expedients conducive to comfort and conveniences. There was in him also, as well as in his brother-in-law, Seid Ali, an entire absence of bigotry and prejudice; with a readiness to invite, rather than decline, at proper times, the freest interchange of opinions on religious subjects.