are now to announce to you, that a Light hath appeared in Arabia, and dawned as it were, on the temples of Mecca itself.

Two Mahometans of Arabia, persons of consideration in their own country, have been lately converted to the Christian faith. One of them has ak ready suffered martyrdom, and the other is now engaged in translating the scriptures, and in concerting plans for the conversion of his countrymen. The name of the martyr was Abdallah; and the name of the other, who is now translating the scriptures, is Sabat; or, as he is called since his Christian baptism, Nathaniel Sabat. Sabat resided in my house some time before I left India, and I had from his own mouth the chief part of the account which I now give to you. Some particulars I had from others. His. conversion took place after the martyrdom of Abdallah, "to whose death he was consenting;" and he redated the circumstances to me with many tears.

Abdallah and Sabat were intimate friends,and be ing young men of family in Arabia, they agreed to travel together, and to visit foreign countries. They were both zealous Mahometans. Sabat is son of Ibrahim Sabat, a noble family of the line of BeniSabat, who trace their pedigree to Mahomet. The two friends left Arabia, after paying their adorations at the tomb of their prophet at Mecca, and travelled through Persia, and thence to Cabul. Abdallah was appointed to an office of state under Zemaun Shah, king of Cabul; and Sabat left him there, and proceeded on a tour through Tartary.

While Abdallah remained at Cabul, he was converted to the Christian faith by the perusal of a Bible, (as it was 'supposed,) belonging to a Christian from Armenia, then residing at Cabul.* In the Mahometan states, it is death for a man of rank to become Christian, Abdallah endeavoured for a

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The Armenian Christians in Persia have among them a few copies of the Arabic Bible.

time to conceal his conversion, but finding it no longer possible, he determined to flee to some of the Christian churches near the Caspian Sea. He ac cordingly left Cabul in disguise, and had gained the great city of Bochara, in Tartary, when he was met in the streets of that city by his friend Sabat, who immediately recognised him. Sabat had heard of his conversion and flight, and was filled with indignation at his conduct. Abdallah knew his danger, and threw himself at the feet of Sabat. He confessed that he was a Christian, and implored him, by the sacred tie of their former friendship, to let him escape with his life. "But, sir," said Sabat, when relating the story himself, “I had no pity. I caused my servants to seize him, and I delivered him up to Morad Shah, king of Bochara. He was sentenced to die, and a herald went through the city of Bohara, announcing the time of his execution.An immense multitude attended, and the chief men of the city. I also went and stood near to Abdallah, He was offered his life, if he would abjure Christ; the executioner standing by him with his sword in his hand. 'No,' said he, (as if the proposition was impossible to be complied with) 'I cannot abjure Christ.' Then one of his hands was cut of at the wrist. He stood firm, his arm hanging by his side with but little motion. A physician, by desire of the king, offered to heal the wound, if he would recant. He made no answer, but looked up stedfastly towards heaven, like Stephen, the first martyr, his eyes streaming with tears. He did not look with anger towards me. He looked at me, but it was benignly, and with the countenance of forgiveness. His other hand was then cut off. "But, sir," said Sabat, in his imperfect English, "he never changed, he never changed. And when he bowed his head to receive the blow of death, all Bochara seemed to say, 'what new thing is this?" "

Sabat had indulged the hope that Abdallah would have recanted when he was offered his life; but when he saw that his friend was dead, he resigned himself to grief and remorse. He travelled from place to place, seeking rest, and finding none. At last he thought that he would visit India. He accordingly came to Madras about five years ago. Soon after his arrival, he was appointed by the English government a Mufti, or expounder of Mahometan law; his great learning, and respectable station in his own country, rendering him eminently qualified for that office. And now the period of his own conversion drew near. While he was at Visagapatam, in the northern Circars, exercising his professional duties, Providence brought in his way a New Testament in Arabic.* He read it with deep thought, the Koran lying before him. He compared them together, and at length the truth of the word of God fell on his mind, as he expressed it, like a flood of light. Soon afterwards he proceeded to Madras, a journey of 300 miles, to seek Christian baptism; and having made a public confession of his faith, he was bap tized by the rev. Dr. Kerr, in the English church at that place, by the name of Nathaniel, in the twentyseventh year of his age.

Being now desirous to devote his future life to the glory of God, he resigned his secular employ, and came by invitation to Bengal, where he is now engaged in translating the scriptures into the Persianlanguage. This work hath not hitherto been executed, for want of a translator of sufficient ability. The Persian is an important language in the east, being the general language of western Asia, particularly among the higher classes, and is understood from Calcutta to Damascus. But the great work which occupies the attention of this noble Arabian, is the promulgation of the Gospel among his own country.

One of those copies was sent to India by the "Society for promoting Christian knowledge."

men; and from the present fluctuations of religious opinion in Arabia, he is sanguine in his hopes of success. His first work is entitled, (Neama Besharatin lil Arabi,) "Happy News for Arabia," written in the Nabotte, or common dialect of the country. It contains an elegant and argumentative elusidation of the truth of the gospel, with copious authorities admitted by the Mahometans themselves, and particularly by the Wahabians. And prefixed to it, is an account of the conversion of the author, and an appeal to the members of his well-known family in Arabia, for the truth of the facts.*

The following circumstance in the history of Sabat ought not to have been omitted. When his family in Arabia had heard that he had followed the example of Abdallah, and become a Christian, they dispatched his brother to India, (a voyage of two months,) to assassinate him. While Sabat was sitting in his house at Visagapatam, his brother presented himself in the disguise ofa faqueer, or beggar, hav ing a dagger concealed under his mantle. He rushon Sabat and wounded him. But Sabat seized his arm, and his servants came to his assistance. He then recognized his brother. The assassin would have become the victim of public justice, but Sabat interceded for his brother, and sent him home in peace, with letters and presents to his mother's house in Arabia.

And these, my brethren, are the instarrces I wished to lay before you, of the divine power of the Christian religion recently exemplified in the east.

Sabat is now at Dinapore, in Bengal, with the rev. Mr. Martyn, Fellow of St. John's college, Cambribge, chaplain to the East-India company, who is well qualified, by his knowledge of the Arabic and Persian languages, to superintend his labors, Mizra Fitrut, another celebrated Persian scholar, who visited England some years ago, is engaged as the coadjutor of Sabat in his translations. Mr. Martyn himself is translating the scriptures into the Hindostanee language. Sabat, soon after his arrival in Bengal visited the Baptist missionaries at Serampore, and remained there for two months and a half, that is, from August to October, 1807. Ever since that period he has been at Dinapore. Mr. Martyn, in his letters, speaks of his friend Sabat in terms of affection and admiration. Sabat accounted himself, at one time, the best mathematician and logician in Arabia. Mr. Martyn was senior Wrangler in mathematics at Cambridge, in the year 1801.

The conversions of Abdallah and Sabat seem to have been as evidently produced by the spirit of God, as any conversion in the primitive church. Other instances have occurred in Arabia of a similar kind, and on the very borders of Palestine itself. These are like the solitary notices which in other nations, have announced the approach of general illumination.John Huss, and Jerome of Prague, were not, perhaps, more talked of in Europe, than Abdallah ‍and Sabat are at this day, in Bochara and Arabia.

What conclusion, then, shall we draw from these facts? It is this: that the time for diffusing our religion in the east is come. We shall notice some other particulars which encourage us to think that the time is come.

1. The minds of good men seem every where to be impressed with the duty of making the attempt. Nearly fifteen years have elapsed since it began, and their ardor is not abated. On the contrary, they gather strength as they proceed; new instruments are found, and liberal contributions are made by the people. Indeed the consciences of men seem to bear witness that the work is of God.

The rapid success of this undertaking must appear almost incredible to those who are not acquainted with the fact. Translations of the scriptures are carried on, not only in the languages of India, Persia, and Arabia, but in those also of Burmah and China. Mount Caucasus, in the interior of Asia, is another centre of translation for the east, particularly for the numerous nations of the Tartar race. The scriptures are preparing for the Malayan isles, and for the isles of the Pacific Sea. The great continent of Africa has become the scene of different missions and translations. North and south America are sending forth the scriptures. They are sent to the uttermost parts of the earth. They have been sent to Greenland, Labrador, and Aus

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