One would naturally suppose that such a calamity, in which both so narrowly escaped death, would bind husband and wife together in the strongest bonds of affection and sympathy.  But not so in this case.  The poor young wife is now threatened with divorce, because she is no longer of any use to her husband, and her two little children are to be taken from her!  She lies on her bed in the Hospital, the very picture of stoical resignation.  Not a groan or complaint escapes her.

She said one day, “Oh how glad I am that this happened, for it has taken away all my sins, and I shall never have to suffer again in this world or the next!” This is the doctrine of the Druzes, and, cold and false as it is, she has made it her support and her stay.

Dr. Post and Mrs. Bliss have pointed her to the Lamb of God “who bore our sins in His own body on the tree,” and she seems interested to hear and learn more.

Her younger sister is in the Beirut Seminary.  May this poor sufferer find peace where alone it can be found, in trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ, whose blood cleanseth from all sin!

The cruelty of her husband, sanctioned as it is by the religious code of the Druzes, may be the means of opening her eyes to the falsity of that heartless Christless system, and lead her to the foot of the Cross!

Christians, who read these lines, pray for Hala of Abeih!

SITT ABLA.

More than twenty years ago in the little Druze village of Aitath, in Lebanon, about seven miles from Beirut, lived a family of Druze Sheikhs of the tribe of Telhuk.  This tribe was divided into the great Sheikhs and the little Sheikhs, and among the latter was the Sheikh Khottar.  The proximity of this village to Beirut, its elevated position, cool air, and fine fountain of water, made it a favorite summer retreat for the missionaries from the withering heats of the plain.  Sheikh Khottar and his wife the Sitt, having both died, their orphan son Selim and daughter Abla, called the Sitt (or lady) Abla, were placed under the care of other members of the family of Telhuk.  The missionaries opened a school for boys and Selim attended it.  Dr. and Mrs. Van Dyck were living in Aitath at the time, and the young Druze maiden Abla, who was betrothed to a Druze Sheikh, became greatly attached to Mrs. Van Dyck, and came almost constantly to visit her.  The light of a better faith and the truth of a pure gospel gradually dawned upon her mind, until her love for Mrs. Van Dyck grew into love for the Saviour of sinners.  The Sheikh to whom she was betrothed was greatly enraged at her course in visiting a Christian lady, and meeting her one day when returning to her home, attacked her in the most brutal manner, and gave her a severe beating.  She fled and took refuge in the house of Mrs. Van Dyck, who had taught her to read and given her a Bible.  A short time after, several of her cousins seized her and scourged