The missionary preached to them till a late hour, and they promised to come again after a few days.

They kept their promise, and stated that they had made arrangements with the people of several villages to unite together, and all declare themselves Christians at the same time; hoping that the Emir, when he saw so many of them of one mind, would not venture to execute the plans of cruel persecution, with which they were threatened.

Mr.Thomson now found it necessary to call in the aid of Mr.Hebard and Mr.Lanneau.
The Emir Beshir, urged on by the Papal priests, now sent for the young Druze sheiks, and threatened them with the full measure of his wrath.

This occasioned a division among them, some through fear siding with the Emir.

The father of several young sheiks,--a venerable old man, with rank and talents to give him extensive influence,--being at Beirut, declared in oriental style his attachment to the Gospel, and his intended adherence to it.
The excitement among the Druzes continued, and visitors from all parts of Lebanon thronged the house of the missionary, till winter rendered communication with the mountains difficult.
Near the close of November, a number of Druzes, who had become Greek Papists, were seized by order of the Pasha, and cast into prison, whence five of them were drafted into the army.