Even Moslems sometimes listened with attention.
Having been drawn into a written controversy by a zealous Maronite, Wortabet called in the aid of Taunus el Haddad, not being himself at home in the Arabic, and with important aid from the written discussions of Messrs.

King, Bird, Goodell, and the lamented Asaad, he came out with a full exposition of the points at issue between Protestants and the Church of Rome, which attracted much attention.
An answer was repeatedly promised, but none ever appeared, and it was thought the Maronite was himself half convinced of his error.
Wortabet's weight of character, and his perfect knowledge of the people, made his influence at Sidon exceedingly valuable, and it was increasing and extending.

But on the 10th of September, 1832, a short illness, supposed to be the cholera, terminated his earthly labors.

From the first attack, he regarded the disease as fatal, and met death with a calm reliance on the Saviour.
The operations of the mission in 1832, were disturbed by plague, cholera, and war.

The ravages of the plague were not great, but cholera occasioned intense alarm.