The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1875-09-08


in this description his wife, whose heart,
trust, is fully with him and us, though she
has not yet made an open profession telling
me she does not think herself worthy"
AS was leaving America this time, l ad-
dressed to you and other dear old friends,
through the Central Presbyterian, commu-
nication indicating, for the Committee and
myself, my coming out again at my age. 10
tell you the truth, l needed, at times, to
strengthen my own convictions; and my
heart has sometimes almost failed me since |
got to Athens But, after what have seen
and felt these last ten days, all shadows have
passed away, and 1 rejoice in the hope of
helping to build up again the old "founda-
tons "of many generations here at old
Thessaonica. The little band of brethren
and interested persons, along with brothers
K. and NJ, earnestly press my removing
here and taking leading part in the work
Among other objects is one of the highest
interest-the establishment, at Thessalonica,
of high school for Greek boys and young
men, proposed by DR.. K. and myself, and
most warmly concurred in by all here.
Brother NJ, as you will have seen, is an ex-
perienced teacher; and he has an estab-
lished reputation here in that line, aud is
Macedonian. He will take part in the
school; indeed has already promised few
boys to begin with them this fall. They
want me, beside aiding in the general super
intendence and religious instruction, to teach
English to the pupils at large and to some
others, which 1 regard as itself matter of
very great Importance.
have not mentioned that we had commu-
MON on our second Sabbath here. We re-
ceived to it, on his public profession, young
man of the best standing as a teacher, and a
man of character, whom we expect (for he is
not a ''novice" in his studies and experience
of divine things) to send, as above inti-
mated, to Volos at once as Bible agent and
unofficial preacher. trust he will soon be
come one formally, and prove valuable one.
He has fatherless young kinsman under his
charge, and proposes, leaving S., to "give'
me the boy, to educate as | please, and the
latter himself desires it. 1t is most inter-
esting offer indeed cannot but take it up,
even if l have, out of my own now mar
rowed means, to bear the expense of keep
ing him, though 1 am now using some OF
those means to relieve our Committee of part
of the support of my family. He is very
intelligent and promising youth, and has al
ready been studying with interest the points
of evangelical doctrine. You know, Brother
H., what has come, in Gods wonderful or
dering, from our having had certain Laco'
MAN boy in our missionary schools. May
not God use this one too for His service !
1 As look at him, walking about in his long,
simple garb aud red cap, cannot but think
of him as perhaps future Timothy.
But how shall 1 obey this Macedonian
call,-coming not from man in vision,
but from little band of actual Macedonian
men and women, whose living hearts already
beat with love.to Christ, or with desires after
his truth and salvation, and whose living
voices, while they grasp my hand, say,
Come up to Thessalonica and help in what
we are hoping and praying will prove a
blessed work for God in Macedonia ?" 1t
will take some $500, in addition to the pre-
sent appropriation to our mission, (my sup
port now, living with my son, being not over
half that of an ordinary missionary family, }
to enable me to come here. Rent and all
expenses here are much more moderate than
in Athens; but the expenses of removal and
a separate family establishment will require
this amount of means. Our Committee, |
fear, has not yet (much as | would rejoice if
it were sol been relieved of its large debt,
Now, will not dear brethren and friends,
male and female, in the loved old State of
our birth, come forward and say, We will
send yOu to Macedonia q Virginia breth
rem once made up and sent US $500, and We
built the "Yirginia School-houSe," to look
out on the sea from the rocks of Name, and
stand, as l hope, to see the spiritual regen-
Grafton of Greece. If the Virginia Chris
tians, or those of our Church at large, would
double their contributions to Foreign Mis-
sions and all of our Churchs objects of con-
tributiou, they would not, firmly believe, be
any poorer for it in temporal things, and
would be made far richer in the spiritual.
If they would but follow the noble example
of the old-times Christians of this very
Macedon, (see Cor. viii: L, 2-and hope
we are going to have some Christians here of
the same stamp the Lords treasury would
be well replenished.
My interest in matters had led me much
beyond what 1 had thought of writing. But
1 could have told you more that would, l
know, have been of interest to you. You
are welcome to use this letter in any way
that &ay gain us help in carrying out the
plans on which our hearts are now so much
set. The Lord open hearts and hands for
it,
AS ever, most affectionately and truly
yours, u. W. LEYBURN'
On THE MONUMENT to Sir John Franklin,
in Westminster Abbey. is the following in.