Mrs. Van Lennep at Smyrna

The Rev. Mr. and Mrs. Bird, who sailed with us from America, and were our associates at Beyrout, still survive. Two of their children are engaged in the missionary work, — a son, Mr. William Bird, on Mount Lebanon, and a daughter, Mrs. Van Lennep, at Smyrna, and all their other children are occupying posts of usefulness.

Of all the missionaries of this Board I think of but three who are older than myself, — the Rev. Mr. Thurston, of the Sandwich Islands, whom I knew at the Theological Seminary, Andover; the Rev. Levi Spaulding, in India, whom I knew both at Dartmouth College and at Andover; and the Rev. Dr. King, of Athens, whom I knew at Andover, and who, with his fellow-laborer, Pliny Eisk, welcomed us to Beyrout.

And may I ask your special prayers for us poor old men?

for though we are almost through the wilderness, and are even now in sight of the promised land, yet we remember that the children of Israel, after they had been wandering in the wilderness forty years, and were already on the very borders of the land long desired, and could actually look over and see the green fields and vine-clad hills, yet even there many of them perished. Pray for us, beloved friends, that we may not fall after the same example of unbelief.

Fisk and Parsons of former times

We die, but God will surely visit you. Fisk and Parsons of former times, and the beloved Dodd and Morgan of the present, were not suffered to continue, by reason of death. But Jesus lives; His cause is marching on and His kingdom is near, and still nearer coming; and of that kingdom, yea, and of the increase of that kingdom, there shall be no end.

With this faith, and in the midst of all these bright hopes, I now retire from active service, but still desiring to be useful, and begging your committee to point out to me, from time to time, any way in which they may think I can render some small service.

May you, honored sir, long be spared to preside over this great body on these joyful occasions. And may you, and all this congregation, see the eternal good of God’s chosen, and rejoice with His inheritance.

Your aged, very affectionate, but very unworthy fellow- laborer in Christ Jesus, our Lord,

W. GOODELL.