The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1856-02-02
S.AH.iT AND AHDALtAn.

SABAT AND ABDALLAn.
During her residence in India. Mrs. Sher.
wood was well acquainted with Henry Mar
t!yn, and regarded him ~ one of the choicest
and most gifted spirits she hal ever known.
She mentioned. also. anothcr ;nlivilus
whom she knew. Of whom remembered, in
my early years. IN have read most fearful
account in DR. Buchanan's celebrated ser
mon. entitled The Star in the East it was
Sabat As the name of this individual NAV
now scarcely be known ir This rcrr.ry. it
m'v not bc ami.s to al'uIe TO that part Of
his history which gave him his chief ceIebri
~. Ah.la!lah and S,bat belonged 10 two
distinguished families in Arabia. and being
intimate friends. set ont tn travel together in
foreign countries. When th"y had reached
the city Of Ca!uui. Ablallah. being appointed
10 an Impor.an: Office nnder the government.
remained there. while SaL.t continued his
travels in Tar:a-v The former very soon
fell in Wit. a corv Of the New Testament.
and, from reading il. became ronvcr. -
Christianity. Knowing. As he did. that his
conversion ronld not become known hut \.
the hazard Of his life. he Withdrew privately
from the place Of his residence. and set ont
to travel. in the hope Of finding some retired
place where he might eniov his religion in
SAFETY. Having reached the civ Of Bokhara.
IN Iartary. he was greatly surprised. ~ he
waS waikn" in thc streets. IT n,octirc his
former fellow traveller hut S,!,at. havinc
heard Of his aro>tasv from Moh,mmc,lsnisn,,
quickly showed him that he had nothing to
hope from his friendship or his mercy. Ab.
da.!sh fell a. Ii. feet, and ahiYrcd him bv
'n''r former relations not to reveal the secret
OF his conversion: hut neither tears nor OK.
ros'u!ations had had any effect. lie immed;-
a''lv cave information against him to the an.
thorities of the city. and forthwith he was
delivered M TO the king. and decree was
I>Sucl for his execution. When the fatal
hour arrived. Ahdalah was led forth. in the
presence OF an immense multitude, 10 seal his
testimony with his blood. The exccutiooer
hccan his work by cutting Of one of his hands
Hoon which he was offered his life ON cond;.
ton tart he won'd recant but.with spirit Of
calm dignity and true christian he-oism. h,
refused TO IL This. and mccklv bowed his
heal to receive the fatal blow Sans, ...:..
,lcl in the crowd. and witnessed the fearful
transaction to which he had been accessory.
He afterwards said that he saw Ahiallah
look 4: him, while the process Of execution
was going forward. bu. that it was look, not
Of anger. hut Of pity.
Salai seems TO have been impressed with
.hc idea that Ab,laiah would certainly save
his life hv rcnounrirc his faith hut when
he saw that it was otherwise saw that he
had really been instrumental af the death Of
lis fiiand-he was greatly tortured by rc-
morse. and that last forgivins look haunted
him wherever he went At length he reach
cd India. and while employed there in some
official caracitr, he. too, was induced 50 read
the New Testament snd compare it with the
Koran the result of which was that he pro-
tcsscdlv renounced Mohammetanism. and
was for years an active and useful coadiu,-
or wththe British missionaries in promoting
Christianity When his friends in Arabia
heard of his conversion, they Immediately de-
spatchel his brother to India with view to
assassinatc him. The brother entered his
dwelling in the Disguise of begsar, and was
actually drawing dagger from its conceal
ncnt upon his person. to plunge it into his
hcsom, when Sabat seized his arm, and his
servants instantly came to his deliverance.-
1t was through Sabat's ntcrcession hat the
life of this murherous brother was spared -
and be not only sent him away in peace, but
sent by him valuable presents to his mothers
family.
J DR.. Buchanans sermon brings the history
down to this point-where Sabat was labor
ing efficiently with him for the cause of
Christian truth. But shortly after this. as
DR.. Buchanan's own daughter informed me.
he suddenly took the fancy that his great tai.
ents and requirements were not adequately
estimated, and, in a fit Of resentment, re-
nounced Christianity, returned to Mohammc-
lanism. and went to Persia, where he wrote
work to refute the system W which. for sever
al years, he had been laboring to defend. AZ
ter this he pro:esed, for short time, to have
again received the Christian faith; but at a
still later period, and, 20 far as it is known,
to the close of his life, he ranked himself with
the followers of Mohammed About 1911,
he travelled in Pegu, and being detected in
some reasonable attempts against the reign
!, ing prince, he and his feilow-conspirator
were put into a sack, and thrown together in
to the sea.
was intere,: y hearing Mrs. Shc1 wood
say tha! she had even seen this monster Of a