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THE DANCING DERVISHES.

No stranger visiting Constantinople should omit to go and see the dervishes, -I mean both those which whirl and those which howl. They are really worth seeing; as shewing, if it be nothing else, the extraordinary ways in which mankind suppose they can propitiate the Deity. Both ceremonies are forms of worship; and, as each of these orders of priests are richly endowed, they gain nothing by the performance; or rather, I should perhaps say, they do not make these rites the pretence of extorting money. The dervishes are much venerated by the Turks, and are the sort of monks of the Mohammedan Church. They are of many orders. Some wander about, having no fixed residence, while others live together in communities. The howling and the whirling dervishes are the chief bodies in Constantinople, - the former having their residence in Scutari, and the latter in Pera. The teké, or church, is alike, being in each instance a square building, having the alcove, which, represents their altar, on the wall towards Mecca, a square clear space divided off by a low rail in the centre for the performers, and a piazza-like passage around under the galleries, for the spectators. In the galleries the musicians sit, if we can so dignify the brethren who perform on drums and long reeds during the ceremonies. These same performers may certainly be said, with justice, to have brought the science of discord in sounds to perfection. After the usual preliminary genuflexions and prayers, the whirl. ers march in solemn procession past their chief, and then, placing their hands at first on the tips of their shoulders, and then stretching out their arms, they begin to whirl round and round, as in a waltz, only making very little way. They wear a high conical felt hat, and a very long loose petticoat which comes to stick out quite stiffly all round from the regularity of their movements. Some take an outside course, and others whirl more towards the centre of the room; and through and between the whole walks an old dervish, seemingly to see that they keep a proper distance from one another. The curious thing is, that though there are

fifteen of them thus twisting their long gowns in a space not larger than an ordinary sized dining room, they never at any time touch one another; and, though they continue thus turning for a very long time, they never seem to get the least dizzy. It is truly the perfection of waltzing. During the whole time the eccentric flutes and the drunken drum keep humming away, varied now and then by the unearthly screech of the musicians. Of the origin or object of the ceremony I know nothing, though, like all religious rites in which dancing has a part, it is, of course, fathered on David. The howling dervishes have a much more elaborate ceremony, and on certain great occasions torture themselves frightfully with red hot irons, which they introduce into their mouths, and score their skins. Some of their tortures are too horrid to describe; but, of course, the worse they are, the more is thought of the sanctity of those who undergo them. On ordinary days, however, the ceremony which has obtained for them the appellation of the "howlers," alone is seen. Having divested themselves of their turbans, they range themselves in line, and begin slowly to repeat the confession of faith, La illah illahlah, &c., swinging their bodies from side to side, and roaring it out as loud as they can bellow. They soon get faster and faster, rolling and tumbling about, and repeating the same words, but so fast that il lah is all that reaches the ear amidst the storm which becomes quite deafening. Groans, grunts, stamping of the feet, and other equally agreeable variations, come in at times, sometimes in the most ludicrous way possible. They continue at this for an hour and more, till your very head turns. Sometimes they fall down in fits, and have to be carried out. At last, in one prolonged grunt, it ends; and, reeking from the fight of lungs, they receive the blessing and kiss of peace from the chief priest, and retire. As a form of worship it is even more curious than the dancing. It is said to have been borrowed from the Persians.

G. H. B. L.

I.

GLEANINGS ON THE WAR.

CHRISTMAS IN THE TRENCHES.

We have seldom read a more touching episode than the following, from the pen of a German soldier, who, with a few

comrades, resolved to have his Christbaum on Christmas eve:-"We were in a broad ditch behind a few gabions. It was very dark. We had procured a poor little pine branch, which we lit up with

candle ends, and a few coloured paper lanterns that we had made as artistically as we could. We suspended on the tree, or placed around it, the gifts we intended for each other; they were portions of biscuit, and salted meat, and grog, which we had set aside for the purpose, stinting ourselves for a week previous. The crowning gift consisted of two apples, and the leg of a smoked goose, for which we had together paid six francs. The signal was given-the tree was lit up. We were full of joy, and expressed it as children were wont by the side of their father's hearth. But soon these feelings gave way before deep gravity; our thoughts wandered to the dwellings of our beloved ones, to those beloved ones themselves, who, at that very time, were thinking of us with love, and, alas! with pain. And then our valiant Serjeant Nieumann spoke. No art was in that speech, but the penetrating tone of a soul moved by Christian emotion. He spoke of the past, of the present, with its threatening perils, and of the time to come-eternity, for which we must prepare the more, on account of these perils, with an extreme solicitude. He spoke of Him who, from the midst of eternal beatitude, came into the world to seek and to save that which was lost. He said that, as His gracious coming was announced before Bethlehem to poor shepherds lying in the fields, thus it is announced at this moment to a handful of poor soldiers on the inhospitable shores of the Black Sea. He ended with a fervent prayer. No, never had a Christmas service so deeply affected us. Warm tears ran down our cheeks furrowed with fatigue and cold. We forgot that rank or creed might separate us. Each pressed his fellow's hand; and the one feeling which animated us all was that of lively affection in the holy and cordial love of the Redeemer!

"Our illumination was growing dim; the fire we had been permitted to light, and for which we had saved our week's scanty allowance of fuel, was going out; we threw in our beloved Christmas tree, then we took our repast together, sung a religious war-song, drank to our dear country, to faithful friendship, to the triumph of our arms, and to a glorious peace! Our fire was out, but the darkening clouds had dispersed, and over our heads shone thousands of stars. Once more we clasped our hands, wished each other a good night, and each returned to his quarters. On his way, one of those who had been with us received his death-wound from a bomb from the walls of Sebastopol !"

11.

A CHRISTIAN SOLDIER.

Dr. Marsh, writing to the London Record, gives the following account of the late Captain Vicars, to whom he refers as "a loved friend:"-" Captain Vicars, 97th regiment, was the son of a widowed mother, who placed a Bible in his hand at parting when he entered the army, at seventeen years of age. On his way to the West Indies with his regiment, he mislaid and lost his Bible, and five years passed without an answer to a pious mother's prayers. But one day, entering the room of a brother officer, he opened a Bible which lay on the table, and his eye fixed on the words, "The blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanseth us from all sin.' 'If this be true for me,' he said, 'by the grace of God I will live henceforth as a man cleansed by the blood of Christ should live.' The next morning he purchased a Bible for himself, and kept it open on his table, as the new 'colours' under which he would fight. By some of his companions, as is usual with so sudden a conversion, he was charged with hypocrisy; by others called a Methodist. Amidst considerable opposition for several months, he still maintained his ground. He then began to be much honoured, which is also the usual result of consistency. He lived as a man who deeply felt his obligation to his Saviour. Whilst his regiment was in Greece last autumn, cholera and fever raged amongst them for some weeks. Captain Vicars spent his days, and often his nights, in the hospitals, reading the Word of Life, and praying with the sick and dying. As funeral after funeral took place, he was by the open graves, beseeching the soldiers around to prepare to meet their God, and telling them that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them.' In the month of November last, the 97th landed in the Crimea, whence, in the midst of fatigue, hardship, and privation, his letters were as remarkable for their cheerful tone, and manly, soldier-like spirit, as for their deep and humble piety. Again, he found ample opportunities of bidding the dying 'Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world.' He was greatly beloved by his men; and an eye-witness said, that during the time he was in danger of death from the fumes of the charcoal, his soldiers were standing around wringing their hands. Fear not for me,' he wrote, not long ago, I am safe in my Saviour's

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LETTERS FROM THE REV. MR. FERGUSSON TO THE SECRETARY.

LETTER III.

"SCUTARI, 12th March, 1855. "Matters go on here very much the same as when I last wrote to you, only there has been considerable improvement in the health of the men, and many of the wards have become less crowded, though we have had large arrivals from the camp. The average of deaths last week was between seventeen and eighteen,-a great reduction. It is truly pleasant, as one passes along the corridors and through the wards, to see so many beds empty, with the bedding turned up, and the nightly occupants spending the day in strolling about in the area of the quadrangle in their long sky-blue robes, with their most comfortable conical night-caps of the same hue, or finding their way through the various wards in search of their comrades, taking them a book which they themselves have read with pleasure, or carrying a softer pillow to one whose weary cheek longs for (though it were but) a change, in the hope that on it ease may be found for the aching head. But while there is much improvement in health, it is evident to all here, (and it is deeply impressed upon the minds of the patients themselves,) that this is not the place where those weak ened and shattered constitutions are soon to be restored, so as to enable the men to return to active duty; and it is truly painful to see so many undergoing a succession of diseases or relapses of the same disease; each one as it passes slowly away leaving a greater tendency to a fresh attack, and less physical energy to withstand its ravages upon the vital domain. There is great sympathy here with the purpose of Lord Panmure to remove the sick from the hospitals of Scutari. This, with the change in ministry at home, and the death of the Czar, has caused every heart here to thrill with lively hope. The desire for an honourable peace among the men is very great, but all manifest a strong aversion to giving

up the war without the demands of the allied powers receiving a complete satisfaction. Many, with tears running down their withered and spare cheeks, said, when they heard the report that the Emperor of Russia was dead, 'I do not wish him to be cut off, but for the sake of suffering men I long for peace.'

"I do not find that I have anything which calls for special notice. I should like, were it possible, to tell you of all I do here,-the whole of my labours are, to me at least, fraught with the deepest interest. My list has now swelled from 115 to 156. This looks a small charge for a minister; but I find, that small though it seems, it is, in truth, much too large. I am not able to see over the cases calling for special attention, so frequently as is desirable, as they are distributed in five different buildings; some of which are a considerable distance apart from the others. I went over to the Palace hospital the other day, intending to spend only one hour; but it was fully three before I got out of it; and I never spend, if possible, above five or ten minutes beside a sick man. I gave attention, on the occasion alluded to, to twenty-five of my own people; which, in the time spent, gives only eight minutes to each; some got more and some less as the case might call for it; and in passing by the beds of so many poor and patient sufferers, it is impossible to resist speaking to many who are not specially under one's own care. I mentioned at the end of my last communication, that another presbyterian chaplain here would make all right; and as I went to post the letter I was made glad by the arrival of a presbyterian chaplain from the Irish Church. It was thought advisable, however, to send him to Kulilee, where there is an hospital for sixteen hundred men. To have lightened our labours here to the neglect of this large field, would have been wrong. I have now no hope of being able to visit the Hulks for a time at least; they are

visited regularly by the Episcopal chaplain, who gives attention to Presbyterians as well as Churchmen, unless the patient objects.

The Episcopalians have lost two chaplains by death lately, and the most of them are suffering from the effects of climate and overworking. My colleague, Mr. Drennan, is again quite well. I am most thankful to say, that I have not had one day's sickness since my arrival. I like the climate, though it must be trying to, the constitution, from the frequent great and sudden changes of the temperature."

LETTER IV.

"SCUTARI, 26th March.

"I have only time for a very brief note. Letters for my men take up the time.

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There is very much to encourage, and not a little to depress. Several of my people are now, with apparent sincerity, crying out: What shall we do to be saved? Others are hopefully professing their attachment to Christ; and many are evidently and doggedly dead to all that concerns their everlasting well-being. "I wish the friends and supporters of 'the Glasgow Mission to Scutari' could only go one round of the hospital with me, and hear the blessings that I get heaped upon me. I am confident they would thank God that they had the honour and privilege to take part in the important work.

self to be turned in his purpose by any
man.
"I intend to investigate the case.
If
these nuns be allowed to do such things,
they must leave the hospital.
Fever is raging
dreadfully. Major Campbell, the assist-
ant quartermaster-general, died in a few
days' illness last week, in the room below
mine. I am in excellent health. The
heat is very great. Thermo. in the shade
now, (11.A.M.,) 74 degrees."

"Please send to a post-office order for twenty-five shillings. It is a melancholy present from her husband, who died here a few days ago. I have written her. John F-- died in the Lord. His case is most interesting. I keep a note of important cases. I must tell you of what happened only yesterday. One of my men, fast dying, told me when I visited him, that he had been thinking of becoming a Roman Catholic. He had wished to see the priest in the morning, and the medical officers had visited him for the purpose of testing his ability to think for himself; they resolved to send for me, and two of them had gone in search of them when I called, I found that one of the nuns had been recommending him to pray to the Virgin. I left him to judge for himself, after having set before him what I believe to be the truth. He gave me his hand, saying: 'I shall not think of becoming a Romanist.' I saw him again in the evening; and between my visits the nun had been back, telling him that he should not allow him

LETTER V.

"SCUTARI, 2d April.

"I have nothing of a general character to communicate, unless I were to repeat what I have formerly reported. Everything goes on much in the same way. Particular cases are occurring, almost daily, of very deep interest. It is by individual cases that the success of

labour here must be measured.

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"If you wish particulars, I must send you extracts from my daily journal; that is very brief in many cases-which is perhaps its only recommendation. At the conclusion of my last note, I mentioned a case of proselytizing, which had occurred. The man is since dead; he died a Protestant. I have written a letter to Lord William Paulet, the commandant, giving an account of the case, and craving his interference.

"We have had a large arrival of invalids from the camp, but not many of them bad cases. Three shiploads have gone home from this lately; and a draft of about 400 sailed for the Crimea on

Saturday. There is a great deal of fever generated here, but the deaths are few comparatively.

We are

"Peace is looked for here on the part of all with much anxiety. Our hopes have been raised by the report, that a Queen's messenger went up last week with despatches to Lord Raglan to stop all hostilities in the meantime. all in hope that this may be true. My health, I am happy to say, continues good. My colleague has had another attack of fever-the third-and he is. recommended to apply for sick-leave to Malta, or elsewhere, for a fortnight.

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Gleanings from the Mission Field.

INDIA MISSION OF THE CHURCH OF SCOT-
LAND-MADRAS.

WHILE the intelligence of this month
from all the Presidencies of India ought
to command the attention, and to deepen
the interest of the Church in her foreign
operations, the accounts from Madras
especially, may well quicken our zeal,
and animate our devotions at a throne
of grace; several of the native youth
there, who, for a considerable period,
enjoyed the benefit of Gospel instruction,
having openly confessed their faith in
Jesus, and been admitted by baptism into
the Christian Church. Such an event
could not but prove a source of much
Christian satisfaction to the friends of
our mission abroad; and at home we
trust it will be hailed as glad tidings
of good things sent us from a land which
the Church of Scotland has selected as
the special field of its Christian efforts.
That these have, in some measure, been
crowned with success, such intelligence
proves. Most gladly, then, do we point
to it. It merits our serious considera-
tion; and while it says to all the friends
of the India Mission, "Be not weary in
well-doing; for in due season ye shall
reap, if ye faint not"-while it rebukes
the scepticism of the formalist and the
worldling, so often repeating the cry in
India, as elsewhere, "Where is the
mise of His coming?"-it may well form
the theme of thanksgiving to all who
would seek to promote the glory of
Christ and of His kingdom. To His
gracious name be all the praise! Having
received these converts from His hand,
we commend them again to His keeping
-that, nourished by His grace, and
guided by His Spirit, they may them-
selves become the honoured instruments
in turning others from darkness to light,
and from the kingdom of Satan to the
kingdom of God.

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front of the pulpit. They were,-1.
Chinnatumby, (now Paul,) by profession
a native doctor, upwards of fifty years of
age; 2, Agambrum, (Aseerthan,) a young
man, about twenty-five years old, who
had been employed for upwards of two
years in the mission; 3, Therooman,
(Isaac,) a young native, about twenty;
4, Monicum, (Paul,) 5, Ponambulum,
(John,) 6, Comorappen, (David,)—these
three last were about eighteen years of
age, and had been living for a consider-
able time in the mission; 7, Vigeum,
(Kezia,) a native girl, about sixteen, who
had also been residing about a year in
the mission house.

Mr. Grant gave a short account of each, stating that all had been under Christian instruction for a considerable time-at least a year-some, indeed, for several years; and that they had, during a period of probation, afforded every reason to believe that they were sincerely desirous of being truly the Lord's. He then put a number of questions to them-some in English, and others in Tamil,-regarding their past state as heathens, and their present hopes and resolutions as disciples of Christ. Having received satisfactory answers, after prayer for the divine blessing, and an address to the candidates, he proceeded to administer the sacred ordinance, the seal of their admission into the Church of the Saviour; and then, in prayer, committed them to the care of the Shepherd and Bishop of souls. May they be strengthened with might in the inner man by the Spirit of Christ dwelling in them, and enabled so to live as to adorn the doctrine of God their Saviour in all things!-The attendance of Europeans, East-Indians, and native Christians on the occasion, was numerous. A number of heathens were also present.

With respect to the efforts which we have made during the past year to fulfil our mission, we trust we can say that we ION WITH THE CHURCH OF SCOTLAND'S have endeavoured, so far as we could, to

BAPTISM OF SEVEN NATIVES IN CONNEX

MISSION, MADRAS.

make known the Gospel of salvation to all within our reach. By means of reOn Sabbath evening, the 17th Decem-ligious instruction communicated to the ber, a very gratifying service was held in the Mission House of the above mission. At the close of public worship, which was conducted by the Rev. W. Grant, the missionary, seven Hindu converts, who had all been for some time -several, indeed, for a long time-candidates for baptism, took their places in

hundreds that daily assemble in the Institution-by lectures delivered every Sunday evening-by having the Gospel preached to the adults almost every day in the Bengalee chapel-by employing our converts in the conducting of Sunday classes, and in the distributing of religious books, by these and similar agencies

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