"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 No,' said he, (as if the propo"sition were impossible to be complied with) I cannot abjure Christ.' "one of his hands was cut off at the wrist. "He stood firm, his arm hanging by his

"hand. 6

Then

side with but little motion. A physician,

"by desire of the king, offered to heal the "wound, if he would recant. He made no

66

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 well 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 the

Arabic language.* He read it with deep thought, the Koran lying before him. He compared them together with patience and solicitude, 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 baptised by the Rev. Dr. Kerr, in the English Church at that place, by the name of Nathanael, in the twenty-seventh 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 Persian language. This work hath not hitherto

* One of those copies sent to India by the "Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge."

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 countrymen; 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 Nabuttee, or common dialect of the country. It contains an eloquent and argumentative elucidation 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 well-known family in Arabia, for the truth of the facts.*

* Sabat is now at Dinapore, in Bengal, with the Rev. Mr. Martyn, Fellow of St. John's College, Cambridge, Chaplain to the East India Company, who is well qualified, by his knowledge of the Arabic and Persian languages, to superintend the labours of his companion. Mirza Fitrut, another celebrated Persian scholar, who visited England some years ago, and was afterwards employed in translating the Holy Scriptures in the College of Fort William, is engaged as the coadjutor of Sabat in his translation. Mr. Martyn himself is translating the Scriptures into the Hindoostanee language. In his latest letters, he 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, or first mathematician of his year, at Cambridge, in 1801. In a letter, dated Sept. 1809, Mr. Martyn thus writes: "With my Arabian "brother, and Mirza Fitrut, I'am labouring most of the "day in the Hindoostanee and Persian Gospels. The "translation of the rest of the Holy Scriptures into these "languages is employment enough for some years to come. At intervals I read Persian poetry, with Mirza, " and the Koran, with Sabat. These Orientals, with "whom I translate, require me to point out the con"nection between every two sentences, which is often "more than I can do. It is curious how accurately they "observe all the rules of writing. Sabat, though a real