26 | Stations in Egypt.

reading with them the Bible that he loves. It was’ touching to hear him say, as he looked up into my eyes, ‘“‘I have given up all my home ties now. I have no earthly father now, but only a heavenly Father.” ’ A Convert’s Trials.

Bulus was baptized in the following year, and soon afterwards witnessed a good confession. The Rev. W. H. T. Gairdner described the circumstances as follows :— ‘In April, his father suddenly turned up from Jerusalem, where he is one of the chief sheikhs. Then came the trial to which Bulus and we had always looked forward with dread. No less than a fortnight did it last, and the prolonged strain was very trying for the boy—he is really little more, only twenty-two years of age. We gave the father every access to the son—in fact, he was our guest in this house one night, but we only left them alone in our own house, as it really was not safe to allow them to walk abroad by themselves: we felt that the father would have no scruple in getting Bulus by force into the Azhar quarter, whence it would be easy to smuggle him across the desert into Syria. The fact, too, that he was continually being watched and observed preyed on Bulus’s mind. Gradually as the father found he made no impression, he changed his tone and became very angry. Alternately he promised to make over half his goods to his son and to get him a position in the Turkish Government, and threatened him with spies and seizure and even death.

‘ At length we felt the time had come to put an end to the long strain, for the boy was living almost a prisoner’s life, and though he never once wavered, he was at times much broken down. We decided that he must leave the country for a while, and as Mr. Thornton was leaving Egypt for England, it seemed best that Bulus should go too. The final interview came, and the son wrote to his father once more refusing to change. The father left, and then the poor fellow completely broke down... . Then came the hasty preparation for travel—buying clothes, etc., etc. On the last day—a Sunday—a message came from Lord Cromer urgently desiring our presence. He was much disturbed. The father had been to him, and this and the fanatical state of Cairo, owing to the Taba frontier incident, were making him anxious. He said that Bulus must meet his father in his (Lord Cromer’s) presence, and sign a paper saying what he wanted to