The Litchfield County post. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1826-1829, 1827-10-11
The SEVEN CHURCHES OF ASIA.

From the JournalO Of the Rev. John Harley.
PHILApELPHIA, April Esd. I896.-Afler
ride of four hours we arrived at Philadelphia.
As we drew near, read with much interest
the Epistle (Rev. iii. 7-15l to that Church.
The town il. situated on rising ground, be-
meath the snowy mountain TmOlus. The
houses are embosOmed in trees, which have
just assumed their foliage, and give beauti-
ful eject to the scene: / counted six NINA
refs. We entered through the ruined wall !;
massy, but by no means of great antiquity.
The streets are excessively Ill-paved and dir
". The tear Of christian pity must fall over
Modern Philadelphia. Were Christ Himself
to visit it, would He not weep over it.aS once
over Jerusalem 2 Alas the generation Of
those who kept the word of our Lords pa
tience is gone by; andsheTe, as in too many
other parts o. the Christian Vineyard. it is
difficult to discover better fruits than those
which are afforded by brambies! IL is, in
deco, an interesting circumstances to find
Christianity more flourishing here than in ma
ny other parts of the Turkish En-
pire there is still numerous Christian pop
ulation: they occupy 800 houses, Divine
Service is performed every Sunday in five
Churches; aud there are twenty of a small
Ter description, in which once year the Lit
urgy is read. But though the candlestick re-
mains, its light is obscured: the lamp still
exists, but where is its oil ? Where is now the
aCOrd of orr Lords patience Pit is convey
ed in sound uninfeliigible to those who hear;
when the very epistle to their own Church
is read, they understand 1t not! The word
ref legendary superstition and of mutifarious
Wiil-wsrshipsiS now more familiar to their
ears. And where is the bright exhibition
OF Christian virtues9-uhhappilys the char
acter Of Christians in these countries will
scarcely bear comparison with that ofthe Ma
homedans themselves Ina word. Philadel-
phia has had her share in that utter apostacy
from true and PRACTICAL Christianity which
has been the bane of the East. Griegous sUoEUes
have catered in, not sparing the flock (Acts,
XXX. 99.1 There have been false teachers among
them, who r'rivily haze brought in damnable
heresies, eUen denyingsthe Lord ,c1o bought them
and many haze .folto,ced their pernicioss Says,
by reason Of achom the ,oay Of truth is lily
spoken Of { Q Pet ii. 1-2)
But, though am compelled by truth to
speak in this manner, gladly seize this OPP
portunity to express my convictit n, that ere
long there will be great renovation in the
Eastern Churches. This is not the place for
detailing the grounds Of such an opinion but
Estate with confidence this result of my own
observations, during my intercourse with ori-
entail christians. Nothing is wanting, but per-
severance in imparting instruction on every
favorable occasion, and, ere long, we shall see
the fruit of our labors. The English Mis-
sionaries who visit these countries in zeal
Gus and affectionate spirit, will find the Ian
guage once addressed to PHILADELPHIA applca-
BE to themselves: Behold haze set before
thee an open door, and no man can shut IL.
I Wessee this interesting place to peculiar ad-
vantage. For several days, we have been
Contendingg with rain, cold, and adverse wea-
ther IG to-day, on arriving at Philadelphia
TO- the tutatef IS past, the rain is past and gone
the HotoeTa appear on the earth, the time of the
singing the birds IS come, and the voice Of the
turtle is heard in their land. (Cant. ii. 11--l2)
The voice of the turtle charmed me greatly
during our stay here. This favorte bird is so
tame, that 1t flies about the streets, and
, comes up close to our doors in the khan.
The remains of antiquity at Philadelphia
are not numerous. have noticed a few beau
tifu sarcophagi, now devoted to the purpose
eftroughs; but the ruined wall was probably
erected by those who SO manfully defended
this city previous to its fall. III
Our visit to Philadelphia was rendered more
interesting, by the circumstance of our being
the bishops visitors. He pressed US SO strong !
y to make his house our home. that We
thought right to comply with HE wishes.
This circumstance gave me an opportunity Of
having much conversation with Panaretos. |
Many of his remarks afforded us satisfaction. |
The Bible he declared.to be the only founda- !
lion of all religious belief; and was aston |
ished to hear him say that he knew ofno 9TH
er confession of Christian belief. that the |
iCreeds Of the Apostles, of Nice, and of st A. |
thanasitis. with the degree Of referring to |
Christ, as the only name given among men by |
whom we can be saved, introduced re-
mark on the atoning efficacy which too many |
appear to attach to fasting. 9" 1t u.s." he re-
piled, +" the universal idea" After other re- !
marks distinguished for candor, and express
sive of the miserable follies into which our
nature has plunged us, he used these decisive
words :----" Abuses have entered into
the church, which former ages might
endure, but the present must put them
down." Other topics of conversation /
were, Justification by Faith, Indulgcnces, the
PROPHECIES concerning Popery, and the Sew
enth General Council Conversing on the
aforementioned subject, was surprised to
lind, that he did not know that PrOtestants
wOrshiped God without the use of pictures.
The Christian population he considered to be
on an increase at Philadelphia in the last
year there had been ten deaths and twenty
marriages: the Turks, he said, were decrea-
sing: large number had marched for Greece, |,