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 PRESENTED BY 
 
 Presbyterian Church- in the U.3.A. 
 Department of History 
 
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Digitized by the Internet Archive 
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9 
 

 SETMA>:’'9s 
 
 THE TURKISH GIRL. 
 
 TRANSLATED FROM THE GERMAN 
 OP 
 
 DR. ‘'BARTH. 
 
 PHILADELPHIA : 
 
 PRESBYTERIAN BOARD OF PUBLICATION, 
 ISW Chestnut Street 
 
Entered according to Act of Congrese, in the year 1869, by 
 
 THE TRUSTEES OF THE 
 
 PRESBYTERIAN BOARD OF PUBLICATION, 
 
 In tlie Clerk’s Office of the District Court tor the Eastern District 
 of Pennsylvania. 
 
 Westcott & Thomson, 
 gtereotypers, Philada. 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Setma and Guly in Belgrade 7 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 The Visit in Vienna 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 The Bailiff in Liebenzell 
 
 39 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 The Escape from Tyranny 
 
 57 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 The Hotel Baren in Stuttgart 
 
 3 
 
4 
 
 CO^’TENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 PAGK 
 
 Instruction and Baptism 80 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 .\n Early Friend Restored 97 
 
 HAFIS AXD HIS BIBLE 114 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 Dear Children : I am told that you desire an- 
 other of my stories, and want one suited to little 
 girls as well as to boys. I am glad, therefore, to be 
 able to tell you a beautiful story, which is also true, 
 about a Turkish maiden. Perhaps you have heard 
 of the Turks as a fierce and cruel people, but the 
 little girl of whom I am about to tell you was gen- 
 tle and good, and had far more fear of Christians 
 than you can have of the Turks. However, you 
 shall read the story, and if it does not please you, I 
 shall be disappointed, and will try and do better an- 
 other time, for my great desire is to please you and 
 do you good. Nor will I be satisfied if you are only 
 
 entertained. I hope you will follow Setma’s exam- 
 1 » 5 
 
C) 
 
 FEEFACE. 
 
 pie, and seek the Saviour earlj% for such children he 
 is ready to bless. IIow happy should I be if my 
 little book were blessed to jmur conversion! With 
 the earnest prayer that you may be led by it to love 
 the children’s best Friend, I remain, with a loving 
 greeting. 
 
 Ever yours, sincerely. 
 
 The Author. 
 
SETMA, THE TURKISH GIRL. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 SETilA AND GULY IN BELGRADE, 
 
 N the borders of the Turkish Em- 
 
 pire, near Austria, where the river 
 Save flows into the Danube, lies the 
 great commercial town and fortress 
 Belgrade, also called Grecian Weis- 
 senburg. There are thirty thousand 
 inhabitants, and one hundred Turkish 
 mosques or houses for worship within 
 its walls. The inhabitants are for the 
 most part Servians, but there are also 
 many Turks, as it is under Turkish 
 
 7 
 
8 SETMA, THE TURKISH GIRL. 
 
 rule, although it has licen several times 
 conquered by the Christians. 
 
 In this city, in the year 1671, was 
 born the little girl whose story you 
 are about to read iu this book. Her 
 ]>areids, who were IMohaininedans, 
 gave her the name of Setma. 
 
 Her father was a merchant named 
 Osmann, who possessed considerable 
 property and was engaged in shipping 
 interests on the Danube. He had the 
 position of a bashi, or upper commis- 
 sary, and was held in great esteem, 
 liecause he had made a pilgrimage to 
 Jerusalem, as well as to Mecca, the 
 birth-place of Mohammed. He was 
 on that account called Hadji Osmann. 
 
 How Setma shall speak for herself: 
 
 ^ly childhood was passed in strict 
 
SETMA, THE TUKKISH GIRL. 9 
 
 seclusion, and I saw very little society, 
 for my father was a stern and serious 
 man, and my mother died before I 
 was three years old. I was committed 
 to a trustworthy slave, somewhat 
 advanced in years, who also took 
 charge of the house. 
 
 I was not taught to read or to write, 
 and was only instructed in some 
 prayers and phrases familiar to Mo- 
 hammedans, while I was also taught 
 some womanly work. 
 
 My father had a slave from Bohe- 
 mia, from whom, as a pastime, I 
 learned German. Ah, who would 
 then have thought that I should find 
 it so useful? But God’s ways with 
 the children of men are mysterious, 
 and he often prepares them before- 
 hand for a future which they little 
 
10 SETMA, THE TURKISH GIRL. 
 
 anticipate. Before tlie weaver begins 
 bis Avork, the many-coloured threads 
 are prepared Avith Avhich it is to be 
 interwoven, but he only knoAvs before- 
 hand Avhere they are to be placed, and 
 Avhat the pattern Avill be. 
 
 I had a playmate of my OAvn age, 
 named Guly, Avhom I saAv daily, and 
 for Avhom I had a most tender affec- 
 tion. We spent our time together in 
 childish sports, for we AA^ere not able 
 to read about God or holy things, even 
 could AA"e haAm understood them. Oh 
 hoAV happy are Christian children, Avho 
 in their earliest years are taught about 
 the Saviour, and knoAV also many 
 beautiful stories of Avhich the Bible is 
 full ! They can spend their time far 
 more profitably, if they would only 
 do so. 
 
SETMA, THE TUEKISH GIEL. 11 
 
 How pleasant it would have been 
 for us to hear stories about Joseph, 
 Moses, Samuel, David, the Saviour him- 
 self and his apostles. Then time would 
 never have seemed long to us. We 
 were happiest when my father, having 
 left home on business, committed me 
 to the care of the trusty slave before 
 mentioned, who delighted us with 
 many tales and fables. They were 
 not pious stories, but there was always 
 a moral attached to them. I remember 
 one to which we always eagerly 
 listened : it was 
 
 THE FABLE OP THE FROG AND THE 
 DORMOUSE. 
 
 For many years, a little dormouse, 
 with Avhite feet and bright eyes, lived 
 in a tiny hole at the foot of a rock. 
 
12 SETMA, THE TUKKISH GIEL. 
 
 The little cliildren who came from 
 the neighbouring huts to play on the 
 soft moss under the rocks could no^ 
 see the hole, for a branch of ivy hung 
 over it, and as the ivy remained green 
 throughout the year, the dormouse 
 had a quiet and safe shelter. 
 
 Not far from the dormouse, in a 
 marshy place under the rock, lived a 
 family of frogs, by Avhose croaking 
 through all the dark hours of the 
 night their abode might easily be dis- 
 covered, had any one been disposed to 
 take the trouble to find them. 
 
 Now it happened once in a bright 
 moonlight night that a company of 
 rough boys, returning to their homes 
 from the fields, heard by chance the 
 croaking of the frogs, and with noisy 
 shouts commenced to throw stones 
 
SETMA, THE TUEKISH GIRL. 13 
 
 among them. This so stirred the 
 little community that they fled away 
 as fast as they could, and one of them 
 took flight to the dwelling of the dor- 
 mouse, where she sat behind the green 
 ivy, and begged for a shelter till the 
 danger should be past. 
 
 The dormouse, as soon as she had 
 heard the story, bade the frog wel- 
 come, and said that though her house 
 was small, the half of it was at his 
 service. 
 
 The frog was very thankful for this 
 kind offer, and crouched down in a 
 corner, waiting quietly till the alarm 
 should be past. By and by nothing 
 was heard in the woods but the chirp- 
 ing of a cricket which lived near by, 
 and the plashing of the water from 
 
 the rock above. 
 
 2 
 
14 SETMA, THE TEEKISH GIRL. 
 
 As liis fear siil3sided, the frog, ac- 
 cording to custom, began to expand 
 and give himself his full dimensions. 
 
 “ In truth, Xeighbour Dormouse,” 
 said he, “ you have a very cosy dwelh 
 ing-place, although it is not large 
 enough for us two, otherwise I would 
 not mind spending the rest of my 
 days here.” 
 
 “Yes,” said the dormouse, “the 
 place is very good, and has long been 
 in possession of our family.” 
 
 “ Really,” continued the frog, “ I 
 wish it were a little larger, for I am 
 afraid that you’ve already scarcely 
 room in your corner.” 
 
 Thereupon he began to swell out 
 the folds of his skin to such an extent 
 that the dormouse was pushed to the 
 wall ; and seeing that it would be in 
 
SETMA, THE TUEKISH GIRL. 15 
 
 vain to enter into a contest with so 
 hateful a reptile, she left her hole, 
 travelled the greater part of the night, 
 and by morning reached the dwelling 
 of her brother, who lived at the other 
 end of the forest. 
 
 jMeanwhile, the frog took up his 
 abode in her deserted home, in a cor- 
 ner of which he found her store of 
 provisions laid up for winter use. 
 Upon these he feasted until he became 
 so large that he could no longer make 
 his Avay through the opening of the 
 hole. By and by it Avas filled up Avitli 
 broken pieces of stone and earth fall- 
 ing from the rock above ; and as the 
 trickling Avater had properties Avhich 
 made it as hard as iron, the frog re- 
 mained buried as in a grave, Avithout 
 any air, for thirty years. 
 
16 SETMA THE TUEKISH GIEL. 
 
 At that time his tomb was opened 
 by a man who was breaking the rocks 
 for limestone, when, on being restored 
 to the light, he breathed for a few 
 moments and then died. 
 
 I did not at this time understand 
 the story, and was only amused, with- 
 out thinking of the moral; but I have 
 often since thought of it, when consid- 
 ering the injustice of men toward each 
 other ; and have noted too the pun- 
 ishment of the ungrateful who wrest 
 away the rights of their benefactors 
 to their own temporary advantage. 
 
 In such a case, I have said to my- 
 self, “ Ah, you poor ignorant and mis- 
 guided man, }'ou have never heard of 
 the unfortunate frog !” 
 
 Thus I lived in happy childhood 
 
SETMA, THE TUEKISII GIRL. 17 
 
 until my eleventh year, when I ex- 
 perienced my first great sorrow. ]\ly 
 father became very sick, and I was 
 told that his recovery was impossible. 
 I was inconsolable, for, although he 
 was a stern man, I was fondly attached 
 to him, and could not bear the idea of 
 losing him. I often kneeled by his 
 bedside and wept and prayed. He 
 was submissive and resigned to his 
 fate. 
 
 “Every man,” said he, “has his 
 appointed hour, and cannot escape it. 
 IMine has come, and I do not fear it. 
 Allah Akbar!” that is, God is great. 
 
 My father comforted himself with 
 the idea that, having made a pilgrim- 
 age to Mecca, he could not fail of 
 everlasting happiness. As I became 
 
 better acquainted with the true re- 
 2 » 
 
18 SETMA, THE TEEKISH GIEL. 
 
 ligion, I was very unhappy about his 
 eternal condition, but I found com- 
 fort at last in submission to God’s 
 will. Seven days after the commence- 
 ment of my father’s illness he died. 
 After his burial, my brother took 
 charge of his business and the house- 
 hold affairs. 
 
 Things went on in the old way. 
 Guly came to see me daily, and we 
 passed most of our time together. 
 
 Scarcely a year, however, elapsed 
 before a terrible war commenced. A 
 Turkish army advanced against Vi- 
 enna and besieged the city for nine 
 weeks; they were at last repulsed, and 
 driven back in rapid marches to Bel- 
 grade. They brought with them many 
 Christian prisoners, at sight of whose 
 sad faces even Turkish hearts were 
 
SETMA, THE TUEKISH GIEL, 19 
 
 moved to pity. But all this was more 
 of an entertaining spectacle to me 
 than an object of serious considera- 
 tion. One day followed another with- 
 out variety in our little circle ; I had 
 few troubles, and the only idea that 
 disturbed my mind was the fear of 
 separation from my beloved Griily, 
 whom I loved as a sister. 
 
 This is all that I can remember of 
 my childhood till I had attained my 
 seventeenth year. At that time I was 
 betrothed by my brother, whom I 
 obeyed implicitly, to a friend of his, 
 an officer of the Janissaries, whose 
 high position in the army and state 
 made the match desirable. I did not 
 know him, and even had I been un- 
 willing, resistance was out of the 
 question ; thus I was forced to sub- 
 
20 SETMA, THE TURKISH GIRL. 
 
 niit. ]\Iy greatest trial in connection 
 ■with this change Avas the conA-iction 
 that the intercourse betAA^een my cher- 
 ished Guly and myself must cease 
 for cA'er. But how different AA'as the 
 case ! 
 
 ]*tly brother had resohmd that the 
 Avedding should be postponed till after 
 his return from a business excursion 
 to Tiflis and Ispahan, upon AA’hich he 
 started in the month of June, 1688. 
 I took leaAm of him, little thinking I 
 should never see him again. 
 
 Belgrade Avas soon besieged, and 
 the Germans Avere already advancing 
 under their daring leader, Maximilian 
 Emanuel. At first, the Turks felt no 
 apprehension, and thought it impossi- 
 ble that the city should be taken, so 
 that no one felt it necessary to leave. 
 
SETMA, THE TURKISH GIRL. 21 
 
 But on tlie tenth of August it became 
 evident that the Grermans were in 
 earnest in their intentions of conquest, 
 and permission was generally granted 
 to seek safety by flight. Many car- 
 ried their possessions to the ships and 
 sailed with them across the Danube. 
 The streets were filled with fugitives 
 flying from the revengeful sword of 
 the Christians. 
 
 But the half had not escaped before 
 a terrible and sudden storm drove the 
 ships back to the harbour, where they 
 must tarry until it should be possible 
 to load them and re-embark. 
 
 I was among the fugitives who were 
 obliged to return to the city ; with 
 two slaves and an attendant I had 
 left my home, carrying nothing with 
 me but a box of gold coins and a casket 
 
22 SETMA, THE TUllKISH GIEL. 
 
 of jewels. I arrived at tlie harbour 
 too late to embark, and when I had 
 completed arrangements with the cap- 
 tain of another ship, the storm rose 
 and drove me back to the city. It 
 was a night of anguish, and sleep fled 
 from my eyes. The storm raged with 
 increasing violence, and had it not 
 ceased before morning, there would 
 have been reason to fear that the only 
 way of escape hitherto open would be 
 entirely closed. 
 
 However, toward midnight there 
 was a calm, and my hopes and cour- 
 age rose: minutes seemed hours till 
 day should dawn, when I was to leave 
 the house and hasten to the harbour. 
 
 iSIeanwhile, I made my way to the 
 house of my friend Gruly, whose family 
 had at last determined to take flight. 
 
SETMA, THE TURKISH GIRL. 23 
 
 But, alas ! news had arrived which 
 filled the hearts of the fugitives with 
 dread. The Germans had already 
 surrounded and invested the city ; no 
 further way of escape presented itself, 
 and each one must await his fate from 
 the conquerors. 
 
 Thus we remained, deprived of all 
 hope, and about to fall into the hands 
 of the Christians, whose revenge the 
 Turks might justly fear in view of 
 their cruelty to them. 
 
 Ah poor, short-sighted men, who 
 are so often overburdened with vain 
 anxieties ! How desolate they who, 
 without a knowledge of the true God, 
 are overwhelmed with darkness and 
 every trouble ! Such was my condi- 
 tion at that time. God, who in great 
 mercy designed better things for me, 
 
24 SETMA, THE TUEKISH GIEL. 
 
 made escape impossible, while I was 
 distressed and unhappy in view of my 
 situation. He meant to provide for 
 me a great deliverance in rescuing me 
 from the fetters and chains of dark- 
 ness, binding me fast only in the 
 cords of love. Blessed be his name 
 for ever ! 
 
CHAPTER I_. 
 
 THE VISIT IN VIENNA. 
 
 N the eleventh of August the siege 
 
 of the city began, and as I was at 
 that time living in the suburbs, I was 
 obliged to change my quarters, seek- 
 ing refuge on the other side of the 
 water, in the house of my friend Guly. 
 That was a time of great fear and an- 
 guish, when terrible tidings came in 
 from all quarters, and days without 
 rest and nights without sleep followed 
 each other in quick succession — when 
 every one was daily expecting instant 
 death. Oh could I then have prayed, 
 how differently I might have felt! 
 
 3 25 
 
26 SETMA, THE TUEKISH GIEL, 
 
 After the first day of the siege the 
 anguish and distress increased dciily. 
 All accounts from the approaching 
 enemy convinced us that the city 
 would shortly be taken. Finally, on 
 the sixth of September, notwithstand- 
 ing the despairing resistance of the 
 Turks, the city and fortress were 
 stormed, and all that came first in the 
 way of the conquerors was destroyed. 
 
 As the portion of the city where we 
 lived was farthest from the attack, we 
 were kept longer in dread. Ever 
 nearer came the cry of the conquerors 
 and the wail of the prisoners and dy- 
 ing. I had no expectation that my 
 life would be spared, and my only de- 
 sire was not to fall into the hands of 
 the enemy as a slave. 
 
 But what I most dreaded came to 
 
SETIIA, THE TURKISH GIRL. 27 
 
 pass. An officer of rank having found 
 me, seized me by the hand and drew 
 me away with him in great haste. I 
 passed through crowds of men and 
 horses, over the wounded and dead, 
 through pools of blood, into the 
 slavery I dreaded a thousand-fold 
 more than death. 
 
 You can easily conceive my conster- 
 nation and terror. Several times I 
 endeavoured to escape through the 
 crowd, and would far rather have been 
 trodden under foot by the horses than 
 become the slave of a Christian. 
 
 But, unwilling as I was, I was ob- 
 liged to follow, and at last, covered 
 with the blood of strangers and held 
 fast by my captor, I was brougnt to 
 his temporary abode. 
 
 Thus I was a slave among a people 
 
28 SETMA, THE TUEKISH GIRL. 
 
 whom I abhorred, not only because a 
 hatred of their religion was implanted 
 in childhood, but because I saw and 
 heard enough daily to convince me 
 that, although they boasted of their 
 Christianity, they were scarcely better 
 than Turks, while many gave them- 
 selves up to the worst crimes. 
 
 This fact naturally impressed me, 
 as well as many others of our nation, 
 with the conviction that their religion 
 Avas false, and that they Avere indeed 
 far from the fear of the true God. 
 
 Aftenvard I became acquainted Avith 
 others Avho Avere Avorthy of the name 
 of Christians, and by Avhose example 
 I Avas led to take different vieAvs of 
 the true religion. 
 
 In the mean Avhile I had no choice, 
 and Avas obliged to accompany him 
 
SETMA, THE TUEKISII GIRL. 29 
 
 whom Grod had appointed as my mas- 
 ter wherever he went. 
 
 As the prince of Bavaria, after the 
 conquest of Belgrade, returned to his 
 residence at Munich, I was forced to 
 follow the rapid marches of the troops, 
 and this same fall was conducted by 
 my master, Lieutenant-Colonel Bur- 
 get, through Austria to the city of 
 Landshut. 
 
 On the way, he paid a short visit to 
 his brother, who lived in Vienna, the 
 capital of Austria, which is called 
 Beks by the Turks. 
 
 His brother was an imperial coun- 
 sellor, and lived in a street not far 
 from the Corinthian gate. Here I 
 first became acquainted with a Chris- 
 tian worthy of the name. He was an 
 old man, a secretary of the legation, 
 
30 SETMA, THE TURKISH GIRL. 
 
 who lived in the house of the counsel- 
 lor, and had been in his service many 
 years. 
 
 lie was daily at the table, and I 
 understood enough German to know 
 tliat he was a man of noble principles, 
 who had seen the hand of God in all 
 his experience of life, and gave him 
 the glory for all his deliverances. 
 This was something new and strange 
 to me, and I was careful not to lose a 
 word that was spoken by the good old 
 man. 
 
 Once, when it was remarked that the 
 plague had appeared in many parts of 
 the Turkish dominions, he narrated 
 some of his own experiences, which 
 made on our minds a grave impres- 
 sion of the horrors of this visitation. 
 
 “ For twenty years,” said he, “ I 
 
SETMA, THE TUEKISH GIEL. 31 
 
 was secretary of legation in London, 
 and while there the terrible plague 
 appeared which cost so many their 
 lives. This malady made no discrimi- 
 nation, and in a short time raged 
 among the hitherto strongest men. 
 Sometimes both men and women fell 
 dead in the market-place, for many 
 who were attacked by the plague did 
 not know it till the breath was leav- 
 ing the body. People fell down sud- 
 denly on the streets and roads with- 
 out any premonition, and died upon 
 the spot. Others had time only to 
 seek the shelter of a porch or shed, 
 before they lay down to die. These 
 occurrences were so frequent that but 
 few were seen walking, while here 
 and there dead bodies lay on tlie 
 ground. At first, passers-by stood 
 
32 SETMA, THE rUEiaSII GIRL. 
 
 still at sight of a corpse and sum- 
 moned the neigdibours to the spot. 
 Afterward, the fear of each one about 
 his own safety was so great that no 
 furtlier notice was taken of one. 
 Should any one encounter a corpse, he 
 crossed the street to avoid it, and if 
 the street was too narrow to admit of 
 it, ho turned aside into another. There 
 the corpses remained till the police 
 were notified to remove them, or until 
 they were taken up by the carts that 
 by night went the rounds of the city. 
 
 “ In my walks I encountered many 
 horrible scenes; the bodies of the dead 
 lying on all sides, while the cry of 
 mortal anguish rose from many open 
 windows. 
 
 “ One day, as I passed through To- 
 kenhouse yard, a Aviudow^-shutter was 
 
SETMA, THE TURKISH GIRL. 33 
 
 violently pushed aside, while a woman 
 standing behind cried, ‘ Ah ! Death ! 
 Death ! Death !’ in heart-piercing 
 tones that made me shudder. Ao one 
 on the same street opened a window, 
 for all curiosity was at an end. 
 
 “I knew a family of ten persons at 
 Whitechapel ; they were to all ap- 
 pearance well on Monday, and by 
 Saturday all were dead and the house 
 deserted. I met with a strange ex- 
 perience one evening as I was passing 
 over City Road. It was already twi- 
 light, and a heavy mist prevented my 
 seeing ten steps ahead. I was belated 
 and hurried on, that I might reach 
 my dwelling-place before daylight 
 should have entirely disappeared. 
 Suddenly, I saw in advance of me a 
 form which appeared to move and then 
 
34 SETMA, THE TL CKISII GIEL. 
 
 remained standing. On near approach 
 I found it was a man endeavouring to 
 raise from the ground the body of 
 another, wlio was to all appearance 
 dead. I called out to him, ‘Friend, 
 do you know what you are doing? If 
 you touch the body of any one Avho 
 has died of the plague, it will cost you 
 your life.’ The man drew himself up 
 and answered me in a hollow voice, 
 ‘ Comrade, do not concern yourself on 
 my account ; I have once already died 
 of the plague, and it can do me no 
 more harm, but this poor man has 
 been sharply attacked.’ 
 
 “The voice sounded so deep, its tone 
 was so strange, the place so still and 
 the surroundings so singular, while 
 prominent in the midst the figure 
 stood alone, that it seemed to me a 
 
SETMA, THE TURKISH GIRL. 35 
 
 question whether I was not conversing 
 witli a being from the other world. 
 While I was considerino; the circum- 
 stances, the tall, spectral-looking body- 
 fell to the earth with a great cry, and 
 Avas also dead. Aftenvard, I Avas told 
 that he Avas a poor crazed being, aa'Iio, 
 having eluded his Avatchers, sought an 
 opportunity to escape to the streets. 
 There he Avas afterward found by his 
 keepers, another victim to the plague. 
 
 “ Lord Craven lived at this time in 
 London ; his house Avas in that portion 
 of the city since knoAvn as Craven 
 Buildings. As the plague Avas uni- 
 versal, he resohmd to leave the city 
 and retire to his country-seat, in order 
 to avoid the danger. 
 
 “ He passed through his house, his 
 hat on his head, and draAving on his 
 
36 SETMA, THE TUEKISH GIEL. 
 
 gloves, was about to enter his coach, 
 vlien lie overheard his coachman, Avho 
 Avas a negro, say to another folloAver : 
 ‘ I think my lord is leaAung London 
 to escape the plague, because his God 
 lives in the country, and not in the 
 toAvn.’ The poor black said this in 
 the simplicity of his heart, really 
 thinking that there Avere different 
 deities for different places, 
 
 “ This remark made such an impres- 
 sion on Lord Craven that he remained 
 in London, AAdiere he Avas both useful 
 and active in this hour of distress, 
 God having in great mercy preserved 
 him in life and health.” 
 
 Thus spoke the secretary, adding, 
 “ Let us pray God that he preseinm us 
 from this dreadful pestilence, Avhich 
 our sins might justly bring upon us.” 
 
SETMA, THE TUEKISH GIRL. 37 
 
 How gladly would I have opened 
 my heart to this good man had cir- 
 cumstances permitted and our stay in 
 Liehenzell been longer ! But after 
 three days I was obliged to leave this 
 resting-place and resume my sad 
 journey. Oh how trying it was to be 
 carried still farther away from my 
 native land, Avith no hope of return or 
 of meeting with those dear to me ! I 
 was to dwell also among a people for 
 Avhom I had the greatest aversion, and 
 from Avhom I could expect nothing but 
 contempt and ill-treatment. 
 
 As we left Venice, the streets Avere 
 resounding Avith popular songs about 
 the conquest, Avhich Avounded me 
 sorely, and Avhich my stay in Lands- 
 hut Avas not calculated to make me 
 forget. 
 
 4 
 
38 SETMA, THE TUKKISH GIEL. 
 
 My master was a well-meaning and 
 upright man, but his wife, born in 
 13avaria, led a dissipated life, indulged 
 in wine, and maltreated me beyond 
 measure. How often I sighed for 
 deliverance, and it seemed as if no ear 
 was open to my cry ! 
 
 I found nowhere a friend or confi- 
 dant to whom I could open my heart, 
 and Gruly — ah ! I had almost for- 
 gotten to speak of her fate. 
 
 We had clasped each other in 
 close embrace, resolved to die to- 
 gether, when Lieutenant-Colonel Bur- 
 get rushed in and seized me. At the 
 same time another officer took posses- 
 sion of Guly, and, despite her cries 
 and tears, dragged her away from me. 
 I did not see her afterw'ard, and this 
 pierced me to the heart. 
 
CHAPTER III. 
 
 THE BAILIFF IN LIEBENZELL. 
 
 I T was during that same winter that 
 war broke out in the district of the 
 Upper Rhine, and the prince of 
 Bavaria was the first who took the 
 field against the French, I was 
 obliged to accompany my master and 
 his wife, in whose service I remained, 
 to Swabia, where, in the duchy of 
 Wiirtemberg, we took our station in 
 the year 1689. I saw then for the 
 first time the place where so many 
 blessings awaited me. Our course lay 
 through Wurzburg and Heilbronn, 
 
 39 
 
40 SETMA, THE TURKISH GIRL. 
 
 to Pforzheim, and from thence to Lie- 
 benzell, a little town in Wiirtemberg. 
 There I was to remain during the 
 absence of my master, who would not 
 be able to return while the conflict 
 lasted, and in the mean while I was 
 placed in the family of the bailiff, 
 or justice, of the place, named 
 Frisch. 
 
 Xow I was for a time released from 
 my captivity, and could breathe freely. 
 The town lay in a deep, narrow valley 
 of the Black Forest, beside a small 
 stream, and was built on the sides of a 
 hill, crowned with the picturesque 
 ruins of an old castle. 
 
 Here, during the whole year, it is 
 quiet and peaceful. The princijial 
 road, which passes through the valley 
 from Calw and Hirschau, is not very 
 
SETMA, THE TUEKISH GIRL. 41 
 
 lively. On all sides steep mountains 
 rise, crowned with white pine and oak, 
 lifting their tops heavenward, and the 
 town is only frequented in summer, 
 on account of the baths which are 
 found there. 
 
 But my greatest interest was from 
 my first experience in a really Chris- 
 tian family. In Vienna I had but a 
 passing acquaintance with one ; here 
 I had opportunity to observe on all 
 sides the beautiful picture of a Chris- 
 tian family circle. From this time 
 dated my first favourable impressions 
 of the religion of Christ. 
 
 The preaching which I heard from 
 pastor Mack and his assistant Mose- 
 der, as well as the affection I enter- 
 tained for the family of the good bai- 
 litf, for the first time impressed me 
 
42 
 
 SETMA, THE TUEKISH GIEL. 
 
 ■\vitli tlie idea that a Christian Avas 
 better than a Tnrk, and kindled in my 
 mind a desire to become one. 
 
 AboAX all things, I longed to knoAV 
 God’s Avord, for I had heard this pas- 
 sage read in the church : “ If ye con- 
 tinue in my AVord, then are ye my 
 disciples indeed, and the truth shall 
 make you free.” This saying gave me 
 great joy, for AAdiat is more joyful to a 
 prisoner than the promise of liberty ? 
 But of the freedom of Avhich Christ 
 speaks I then kncAV nothing. I had 
 therefore the greatest curiosity to read 
 the XeAv Testament through. 
 
 True, I heard many portions of it in 
 the church, and it Avas a family custom 
 to read a chapter every day, but this 
 did not satisfy me — I must drink at 
 the fountain. 
 
SETMA, THE TURKISH GIRL. 43 
 
 Alas, however, there was one great 
 difficulty ! I could not read, but I 
 was not ashamed to learn, and begged 
 the daughter of the bailiff to teach me. 
 I took it up Avitli such zeal and ear- 
 nestness that in a few weeks I could 
 begin to satisfy my desire. 
 
 Oh how indescribably glad was I to 
 find opening up before me riches 
 hitherto concealed ! 
 
 There was, indeed, much that I could 
 not understand, but I found some one 
 to whom to apply for instruction ; this 
 was the sister of the bailiff, the wife 
 of Doctor Sommerell of Stuttgart. 
 
 During the summer months she 
 made use of the baths in Liebenzell, 
 and stayed with us. She was like a 
 mother to me, and won through her 
 affection my entire confidence ; so that 
 
44 SETMA, THE TUEKISH GIEL. 
 
 I could ask her all that I could not 
 understand without hesitation, which 
 was of untold advantage to me. 
 
 I was also very much interested in 
 the lovely children of the bailiff, who 
 were exceedingly intelligent and origi- 
 nal. We were often amused at their 
 childish speeches, many of which I 
 still remember. 
 
 Theodore, who was but five years 
 old, awaked one morning unusually 
 early, when his father was about 
 to set out for Wildbad. It was 
 a lovely day in April ; the sun had 
 already risen, and was shining brightly 
 in the heavens. 
 
 “ AVhy has the sun waked up so 
 early, papa?” said Theodore; “did he 
 rise on purpose to light you to AATld- 
 bad ?” 
 
SETMA, THE TURKISH GIRL. 45 
 
 At another time, while walking in 
 the evening, as the moon was hidden 
 behind a cloud, the star Jupiter being 
 near it, Theodore said, “ See, papa, 
 the moon is going to catch that star.” 
 
 Once, when his grandmother was 
 suffering, he asked, “ Why are you 
 sick ?” She replied : 
 
 “The good Grod alone knows 
 why.” 
 
 “Can we not ask him?” he con- 
 tinued. 
 
 “Ao,” answered his grandmother; 
 “ we must always be satisfied with 
 what Grod does, without reasons.” 
 
 “ But,” added the little boy, “ wdll 
 not the good Grod tell us when we get 
 to heaven why he made us sick 
 here?” 
 
 “ Oh,” was the reply, “ we shall be 
 
46 SETMA, THE TUEKISH GIEL. 
 
 SO liappy with God in heaven that ve 
 will not care to know.” 
 
 Little Lina, an intelligent but some- 
 what wilful child, asked her mother : 
 “ ^Vh^" do you reprove me so much, 
 when vi.sitors only praise me ?” 
 
 At one time, when she saw the 
 nurse shaking her apron into the fire, 
 she said to her, 
 
 “ Regina, do you not know that the 
 good God takes care of sparrows, and 
 will he not be displeased when you 
 waste so many crumbs of bread that 
 miglit give them a breakfast?” 
 
 She said to her grandfather, who 
 had difficulty in hearing: “Grand- 
 father, is it not because you are so old 
 that you cannot hear well ? Yet you 
 are not older than the great God, and 
 he hears everything !” 
 
SETMA, THE TURKISH GIRL. 47 
 
 Thus I was daily entertained by 
 them, and my happiest hours were 
 when taking charge of them. 
 
 The bailiff also had two boys — one 
 of whom was nine and the other 
 eleven years old. Their merriment 
 was almost always good-natured, and 
 when their spirits carried them to ex- 
 cess, one word of parental counsel en- 
 sured obedience. 
 
 One beautiful afternoon in May we 
 took a walk of perhaps a mile to bid 
 farewell to a good old man who seemed 
 near his end. 
 
 We were all on our return, sobered 
 by the impression made upon our 
 minds at the deathbed of a faithful 
 servant of Christ. 
 
 As the rays of the setting sun lin- 
 gered on the landscape, our hearts 
 
48 SETMA, THE TUEKISH GIEL. 
 
 rose in gratitude for the manifestation 
 of a greater light which tilled the 
 heart of the dying man whom we had 
 hut just left. 
 
 Occupied with serious thoughts, we 
 walked quietly through the deep val- 
 ley, along the stream, when we en- 
 countered two noisy hoys, making 
 merry at the expense of a poor old 
 man, whose faded hrown coat was 
 patched in many places with white 
 linen. 
 
 The two hoys were about to laugh, 
 Avhcu a sharp look from their father 
 arrested them. After a few moments 
 he said, “ Children, why is it wrong to 
 laugh at a poor old man ?” 
 
 “ We did not laugh at the man, hut 
 at his coat,” answered Ernst. 
 
 “How so ?” continued the father; 
 
SETMA, THE TURKISH GIRL. 49 
 
 “if the coat is ridiculous, so must the 
 man be who wears it.” 
 
 “But,” said Gottfried, “the man 
 cannot find another perhaps, and had 
 no cloth with which to mend it.” 
 
 “ Therefore,” replied the bailitf, 
 “ neither the man nor his coat should 
 be derided. The poor man cannot 
 do other than patch his coat, which, 
 without it, would be useless. Tell me, 
 what would be the better feeling.” 
 
 The boys were much ashamed, and 
 answered together: “We should 
 
 pity the poor man, and try to help 
 him.” 
 
 “ And now tell me,” said their 
 father, “ whether there is not a story 
 in the Bible to remind us of this cir- 
 cumstance?” 
 
 Gottfried said, “ Oh, you are think- 
 
 5 
 
00 SETMA, THE TrEKISII GIEL. 
 
 in<^’ of the wicked hoys of Bethel who 
 laughed at the prophet.” 
 
 “ You are right, and when we return 
 
 1 will read it to you.” 
 
 Ernst said, “ And show us the pic- 
 tures? Very good.” 
 
 When we reached home, the hook 
 was brought and the story read, which 
 is found in the second hook of Kings, 
 and with which I hope my young 
 readers are familiar. 
 
 Sometimes the hailitf made a visit 
 to his friend, pastor Roth, in Mdtt- 
 lingen, a little village eastward from 
 Tjiehenzell. He had then heen pastor 
 of the village for nineteen years, and 
 remained for twenty-nine years after. 
 It was the bailiff’s custom to take all 
 his family with him upon these occa- 
 sions, and, as I was considered one of 
 
SETMA, THE TURKISH GIEL. 51 
 
 them, I always accompanied them on 
 the visit. 
 
 This was a source of great delight 
 to me, as pastor Roth was a most 
 instructive and entertaining man. I 
 had, too, such confidence in him that 
 I felt at liberty to communicate all my 
 thoughts and feelings to him. 
 
 He understood me equally well, and 
 always had something instructive to 
 impart. On one occasion he asked 
 me whether I knew what was the cus- 
 tom of the peasant women of that 
 region before going to bed. I an- 
 swered no, and he continued : 
 
 “In order to prevent the necessity 
 of making a new fire in the morning, 
 they gather the glowing coals together 
 at night and cover them with ashes, 
 so that they may find them still alive 
 
52 SETMA, THE TUEKISII GIEL. 
 
 when they are ready to use them. So, 
 when you retire to bed, you should 
 ask Clod to gather together holy emo- 
 tions in your heart, that your first 
 waking thoughts may be of him.” 
 This advice I followed, and derived 
 from it great peace and comfort in 
 communion with the Saviour. 
 
 At another time I intimated to him 
 how sad it would be for me when I 
 must return to the service of my 
 former master, where only derision 
 and contempt awaited me upon my 
 avowal of my faith in Jesus, and how 
 I should long for the Christian in- 
 struction and companionship enjoyed 
 in my last home in such rich measure. 
 
 On this occasion he told me, for my 
 encouragement in steadfastness, the 
 
 history of the young martyr, 
 
 2 * 
 
SETMA, THE TUEKISH GIRL. 53 
 
 CYEYLLUS. 
 
 In Ciesaren, in the year 258 after 
 Christ, a child named Cyryllus mani- 
 fested uncommon fortitude. He called 
 upon the name of Christ continually, 
 and neither blows nor ill-treatment 
 availed to force him into renouncing 
 Christianity. 
 
 Children of his own age soon fol- 
 lowed his example, and his father 
 drove him from the house, on account 
 of which many people applauded his 
 zeal for his false religion. 
 
 The judge summoned the child 
 before him and said : 
 
 “ My child, I will pardon you, and 
 your father will receive you again, if 
 you are only wise enough to renounce 
 yonr errors.” 
 
54 SETMA, THE TURKISH GIRL. 
 
 “ I think hut little of the offer,” 
 answered the child : “ God will receive 
 me. It matters not to me that I am 
 turned out of my earthly dwelling ; 
 there remains for me a better home. 
 I do not fear death, for it will open to 
 me a better life.” 
 
 After he had, by the grace of God, 
 made this good confession, he was 
 bound and led to execution. 
 
 The humanity of the judge prompted 
 him to fresh remonstrances, while he 
 hoped that the sight of the blazing 
 fagots would shake the resolution, of 
 the child. 
 
 “Your fire and your sword are 
 trifles,” said the young martyr. 
 “ They can only take me to a glorious 
 home and to exceeding riches. Let me 
 rather die, that I may possess them.” 
 
SETMA, THE TURKISH GIRL. 55 
 
 The spectators wept, overcome by 
 their emotions, while he said to them, 
 “ You know not what hope I enjoy, 
 nor the city I am going to dwell in.” 
 
 Thus he went to his death, and was 
 the wonder of the whole community. 
 
 Out of the mouth of babes has 
 God perfected praise ! 
 
 I was ashamed of 1113^ weakness and 
 fearfulness upon hearing this, but I 
 could not think of separation from the 
 family at Liebenzell without a shud- 
 der, and I saw no escape from the dis- 
 tressing change. 
 
 The autumn j>assed but too quickly: 
 the troops were no longer required for 
 field-service, and my master went into 
 winter quarters in Bavaria. 
 
 I Avas obliged to accompany him. 
 
5G SETMA, THE TURIvISII GIKL. 
 
 and was only sustained in the lieart- 
 hreaking separation from my friends 
 hy the hope of seeing them when the 
 war should again open. 
 
CHAPTER IV. 
 
 THE ESCAPE FROM TYRANNY. 
 
 HAT I so much desired happened 
 
 but in part. The war com- 
 menced early in the spring, and I was 
 obliged to accompany the Lieutenant- 
 Colonel to Wiirtemberg; this time, 
 however, Ave did not go to Liebenzell, 
 but to the little to\vm of Weil, gener- 
 ally knoAvn as Weilerstadt, where he 
 left me Avith his Avife. 
 
 There I Avas in an unhappy condi- 
 tion indeed : no friend or adviser to 
 Avhom I could impart my troubles, 
 no Bible from AAdiich to obtain comfort. 
 
 Hoav gladly Avould I have made 
 
 57 
 
58 SET3IA, THE TUEKISH GIEL. 
 
 but a short visit to pastor Koth in 
 iNlottlingen, vliicli is but one hour dis- 
 tant from Weilerstadt, but I was not 
 permitted. I passed weary days 
 under the oppression of my mistress, 
 and would have given up in despair, 
 had not Grod in mercy sustained me in 
 my deepest sorrows by the remem- 
 brances of his promises. 
 
 One day, after my mistress had been 
 unusually harsh with me, she left me 
 alune while she went to visit some of 
 her friends. I stood by the window 
 and wept bitterly, crying aloud from 
 my soul to God : “0 heavenly 
 
 Father, who knowest all things, canst 
 thou see all that I suffer without 
 sending me relief? Wilt thou not 
 help me now, after I have called upon 
 thee so long, and set me at liberty 
 
SETMA, THE TUEKISH GIRL. 59 
 
 from this honclage of fear and an- 
 guish ? 0 merciful Father, pity and 
 
 help me !” While thus lamenting 
 and weeping to myself, the landlord 
 who kept the Black Eagle where we 
 stayed entered the room and saw my 
 tears. 
 
 As he knew of the severity of my 
 mistress, he at once understood the 
 cause of my grief; and when I saw 
 how much he pitied me, I opened my 
 heart to him, and intimated how I 
 longed for an opportunity to escape. 
 
 He inquired whether I had any 
 friends in the country, and I could 
 only name the justice in Liebenzell 
 and his sister, Mrs. Sommerell of 
 Stuttgart; whereupon his resolution 
 was taken at once, as the last name 
 was familiar to him. 
 
00 SETMA, THE TUEKISH GIEL. 
 
 AYithoiit saying a word to any one 
 in his house, he shut me up in a room 
 directly over the apartment of my 
 mistress, where I could hear every 
 word she spoke through a small open- 
 ing, and could see almost as well, 
 lie hade me pay good heed to her 
 Avords, Avhich was not difficult, as she 
 spoke Bohemian ; and having taken 
 the key, he awaited heloAv and I above 
 the return of my mistress. I cannot 
 describe my state of mind in the in- 
 terval : fear, anguish, hope and joy 
 had the mastery. But 
 despairing thoughts so overwhelmed 
 me that the impression returned for 
 years after Avhen alone in a closed 
 room, only disappearing when I had 
 attained true peace in God. At length, 
 late in the night, my mistress returned 
 
 alternately 
 
SETMA, TPIE TUKKISH GIRL, 61 
 
 Tery much intoxicated, as I anticipated ; 
 and although as usual she called upon 
 me, she hardly noticed my absence, 
 and was soon in a heavy slumber. I 
 scarcely closed my eyes during the 
 night, and when, despite my distress- 
 ing fears, sleep overcame me, I was 
 constantly roused by frightful dreams. 
 
 The fear lest the precautions of the 
 landlord should fail deprived me of 
 all rest. How possible was it that I 
 should be betrayed in my conceal- 
 ment, and then what trouble awaited 
 me ! 
 
 My mistress, a severe and terrible 
 Avoman, Avould never forgive me, and 
 my situation would be far Avorse than 
 ever before. 
 
 In the morning, AAdien she aAvoke, 
 matters began to assume a serious as- 
 
 6 
 
62 SETMA, THE TURKISH GIRL. 
 
 pect. Sli6 cried for me in vain ; no 
 Setma appeared. At last, slie sum- 
 moned the landlord, who said that no 
 one had seen me since the afternoon 
 of the preceding day. Then she be- 
 gan to examine into the position of 
 affairs, and I shuddered to hear her 
 rave and swear while she set on foot 
 inepuiries in every direction. 
 
 It occurred to her that I could be no- 
 where else than at Liebenzell, and she 
 sent messengers there without delay. 
 
 This my cautious friend had antici- 
 pated, and so advised me against re- 
 tiring there. 
 
 As none of the messengers returned 
 with news of me, her suspicions rested 
 upon the landlord, and I heard her 
 say to her Bohemian servant that I 
 must be concealed in the house, which 
 
SETMA, THE TURKISH GIRL. 63 
 
 sliould be searched before dawn from 
 top to bottom. This I communicated 
 to the landlord when he came to brino; 
 me my food, and he was somewhat 
 disconcerted by it. At midnight, 
 however, when the house was still, he 
 returned, led me past the room of my 
 mistress, at which I glanced with fear 
 and trembling, out of the house to the 
 dwelling of his mother, who lived at 
 no great distance from the Eagle. 
 Here we were obliged to knock for 
 some time, although all had been ar- 
 ranged with the old lady. 
 
 The landlord asked me if I had any 
 money. I had all my possessions, 
 consisting of three florins, with me. 
 These I handed him at once ; one of 
 them he gave to his mother, and re- 
 turned the others to me as proof of his 
 
G4 setjIa, the terkish girl. 
 
 sincerity and disinterestedness. Onlj- 
 from heartfelt pity had he determined 
 to rescue me from my sad situation. 
 
 jMay the God who remembers the 
 cup of cold water given to a disciple 
 reward him in that day according to 
 his mercy and truth ! 
 
 In obedience to the landlord’s in- 
 structions, I laid aside the few Turk- 
 ish clothes I possessed, and put on 
 the humble attire of a peasant girl or 
 maid-servant. As day was dawning, 
 we were obliged to get out of town 
 without loss of time, and direct our 
 steps to Stuttgart. 
 
 I passed the guards at the gate, with 
 the help of my conductress, without 
 difficulty, but afterward had an unex- 
 pected encounter, which terrified me 
 exceedingly. 
 
Setma. 
 
 Page (>5, 
 
SETMA, THE TUEKISH GIRL. 65 
 
 We were in tlie open field in the 
 neighbourhood of Magstadt, and the 
 day had fairly dawned, when a rider 
 approached whom I recognized as one 
 of my master’s guards. 
 
 I hardly had time in my flight to 
 notify my old friend before she led 
 me aside into a by-path, and the rider 
 passed without paying any further 
 attention to us. 
 
 Thus the merciful hand of God 
 snatched me from danger, and I could 
 say in the language of Scripture, “ He 
 is wonderful in counsel and excellent 
 in working.” 
 
 But oh how tiresome was this 
 journey of five long hours on foot! 
 While living in Belgrade I had never 
 even stood for an hour upon my feet. 
 I had all the comforts of a rich and 
 
G6 SETMA, THE TURKISH GIEI. 
 
 distiiiguisliG'd person. A multitude 
 of slaves were subject to my com- 
 mands; and as Turkish ladies spend 
 the greater part of their time in the 
 retirement of their dwellings, my 
 weary journey was something quite 
 nev/. 
 
 Since m3" servitude also with Lieu- 
 tenant-Colonel Burget we had gener- 
 all}" travelled in a vehicle, and only 
 in Liebenzell had I learned to take 
 lumier or shorter walks, from which I 
 always returned quite weary. 
 
 Aud uow, ill unaccustomed attire, 
 after a sleepless night, I made my 
 first long journe}" on foot. My feet 
 were soon sore, and every step caused 
 an increase of pain. However, by 
 evening,' we a]iproached the much- 
 desired city of Stuttgart, which, not- 
 
SETMA, THE TURKISH GIRL, C7 
 
 withstanding my sufferings, I greeted 
 as a place of rest and peace. 
 
 As we reached the top of a hill from 
 which the valley and farther moun- 
 tains can be discerned, it was seen 
 clearly in the light of the setting sun. 
 Blooming fruit trees were red with 
 blossoms, recalling the almond trees 
 in Belgrade. The tir trees, too, were 
 ruddy, and still brighter seemed the 
 vineyards. The far-off hills were 
 bathed in a violet haze, while red 
 clouds swam over us in the heavens, 
 tinted, to my fancy, with the colours 
 of freedom, the prospect of which was 
 unspeakably joyful in the midst of all 
 my pain. 
 
 But my troubles were not over. As 
 we approached the Bothenbiihl gate 
 after our fatiguing journey, we were 
 
68 SETMA, THE TUKKISH GIEL. 
 
 forljidden to enter, ns it was a time of 
 war, and we were obliged to make 
 quite a circuit before reaching the 
 upper city gate. 
 
 It was almost impossible for me to 
 drag my wounded feet along, but 
 necessity compelled me ; and when, 
 almost overcome by weakness, I was 
 about to sink down, my conductress 
 gave me her arm and encouraged me. 
 
 But her own courage was about to 
 be sorely tested. The outer guard of 
 the upper gate gave us permission to 
 pass, but the inner guard detained us, 
 and questioned us with such severity 
 that my companion fell back and dis- 
 {\pp0ared. I never saw or heard of 
 her afterward, but she doubtless 
 reached home without difficulty. 
 
 Xow I stood alone among the sol- 
 
SETMA, THE TUEEISH GIRL. 69 
 
 diers, while my accent bespoke me a 
 stranger ; and I know not what further 
 trouble might have awaited me, or 
 whether I should not have sunk down 
 into a swoon, had not God quickly 
 sent me help. Thus he watches over 
 his children, for whom he designs only 
 good, and not a hair of my head was 
 touched. 
 
 As the soldiers were about to renew 
 their interrogations, there came by 
 chance, or rather by God’s direction, 
 the wife of a labourer through the 
 gate, on her way home. She rescued 
 me from the hands of the soldiers, 
 whom God did not permit to detain 
 me. I had hardl}" reached her humble 
 abode before I fell down exhausted, 
 for I was no longer able to stand on 
 my feet. She treated me most ten- 
 
70 SETMA, THE TURKISH GIEL. 
 
 derly, and was as kind as if she had 
 long known me. 
 
 She prepared a bed for me, took off 
 my clothes, and laid me down in it. 
 Then she examined my feet, that had 
 been so greatly overtaxed, and applied 
 a cooling salve, which soon had the 
 effect of allaying my intense pain. 
 
 Afterward she prepared me a good 
 supper, and gave me a glass of wine 
 to drink. ]\Iy great fatigue soon in- 
 duced sleep, and I passed a quiet 
 night. 
 
 The good woman was alone, as her 
 husband was working in a neighbour- 
 ing town, and I was obliged to spend 
 two days with her, keeping my bed 
 all the time in consequence of my 
 wounded feet. 
 
 When I had somewhat recovered 
 
SETMA, THE TURKISH GIRL. 71 
 
 after the unremitting attentions of my 
 kind hostess, I told her of my acquaint- 
 ance Avith Mrs. Dr. Sommerell, and 
 she at once took measures to let her 
 know that I Avas in Stuttgart. Mrs, 
 Sommerell came immediately to see 
 me, and to knoAV of all that happened 
 since we last met. She took a lively 
 interest in the account of my experi- 
 ences, and said that I must at once 
 return home Avith her. 
 
 From that time a neAv life daAvned 
 upon me. 
 
 This admirable Avoman rendered me 
 unspeakable service both in body and 
 soul ; she treated me as a daughter, 
 and I enjoyed a full compensation for 
 all my former experiences of sorroAV, 
 
CHAPTER V. 
 
 THE HOTEL BAEvEN IN STUTTGART. 
 
 mriAT which I first asked for and 
 most desired after reaching my new 
 home, was a Bible. Until then, I did 
 not own the whole Bible, or even the 
 New Testament. Now there was an 
 opportunity to obtain one, and my re- 
 quest Avas not denied. 
 
 Mrs. Sommerell, Avhom from this 
 time I addressed as mother, gave me 
 a pocket Bible printed in Wittenberg; 
 and it became so dear to me that had 
 my jewel-box from Belgrade been 
 brought me and offered in exchange, I 
 
 72 
 
SETMA, THE TURKISH GIRL. 73 
 
 would not have parted with my Bible 
 to regain it. 
 
 The texts which, upon earlier or 
 later reading, were blessed to me I 
 was in the habit of underlining with a 
 red mark. When I afterward re- 
 curred to these marked passages, 
 they served as a memorial of answers 
 to prayer, deliverances, warnings and 
 humiliations ; and were but so many 
 calls to praise and thank God for past 
 goodness, as well as warrants for 
 greater confidence in him. My whole 
 life, since my first knowledge of 
 religion, stands thus displayed in 
 striking passages : indeed many places 
 in my Bible in later years were 
 entirely red. 
 
 When, for instance, my eye fell 
 upon the text, “ All things work to- 
 
 7 
 
74 SETMA, THE TUEKISH GIEL. 
 
 gether for good to them who love 
 God,” the red line beneath recalled 
 an hour of apprehension in Landshiit, 
 Avhen I had lost the key of my mis- 
 tress’ jewel-box. At that time this 
 verse occurred to mo, and gave me so 
 much comfort that I was able to col- 
 lect my mind for a successful search. 
 Another text, “He shall deliver the 
 needy, and him that hath no helper,” 
 was marked as a memento of release 
 from captivity ; and the passage, “ He 
 leadeth the blind by a way they know 
 not,” recalled the time when the city 
 of Belgrade was besieged, and I so 
 longed for death, while God spared me 
 that I might find eternal life through 
 faith in his Son. 
 
 Thus my Bible became daily dearer 
 to me, and I learned to prize it as the 
 
SETMA, THE TUEKISH GIEL 75 
 
 greatest treasure one can possess. I 
 wondered therefore not a little that in 
 many houses in Christian lands this 
 Holy Book lies covered with dust 
 upon the shelf. 
 
 My true mother and protectress 
 was interested in everything which 
 concerned my personal safety, and 
 made known my history to every one 
 of influence. 
 
 This was of great service to me, 
 'particularly in the case of the wife of 
 the councillor of state, who spoke on 
 my behalf to the princess JMagdalena 
 Sybylla, then co-regent and female 
 sovereign. 
 
 The princess promised me her pro- 
 tection, and showed me till her death 
 innumerable kindnesses, for which 
 may God 
 
 abundantly reward her ! 
 
76 SETMA, THE TUEKISH GIEL. 
 
 This powerful protection Avas Avell 
 timed. Xot long after my former 
 master came to* Stuttgart, and, having 
 by some means found out that I Avas 
 there, he endeavoured to regain pos- 
 session of me. 
 
 One night, when Mrs. Sommerell 
 Avas absent, one of his servants, Avhom 
 I Avell kneAv, entered the house and 
 threatened me severely. 
 
 I Avas in great fear and terror, 
 although someAvhat assured by the 
 presence of Mrs. Sommerell’s son, 
 Avho Avas a magistrate. As soon as 
 she returned and had heard of the 
 circumstance, she sent at once to 
 INIadame AYachinheim, avIio Avaited 
 upon the princess immediately, beg- 
 ging her to take measures to free me 
 from the control of my former master. 
 
SSTMA, THE TUilKISH GIEL. 77 
 
 The princess took the matter in 
 hand without delay, and sent one of 
 her chamberlains to confer with him 
 about my purchase. 
 
 She invited him also to her table, 
 and treated him with such kindness 
 and condescension that he was en- 
 tirely brought over, and willingly 
 consented to my release. 
 
 His wife also was at last obliged to 
 agree to it, although most unwillingly, 
 as she would far rather have satisfied 
 her revenge. 
 
 • I should have been better pleased 
 if I had not been required to see her 
 again, but to this I Avas obliged to 
 consent. 
 
 At the command of the princess, I ac- 
 cepted an invitation to dine at the Hotel 
 Baren, where Lieutenant-Colonel Bur- 
 
 7 * 
 
78 SETMA, THE TURKISH GIRL. 
 
 get and his wife were lodging, though 
 I went with fear and trembling. 
 
 But now that I belonged to the prin- 
 cess, my former mistress did not dare 
 to treat me in any other than a friendly 
 manner. Notliing was said that made 
 it necessary for me to say how I 
 reached Stuttgart, and I was thus 
 saved the necessity of mentioning the 
 landlord of the Black Eagle, whom I 
 felt I would not betray after his great 
 kindness. 
 
 They asked me only what had hap- 
 pened since my arrival — of my em- 
 ployments — whether I had seen the 
 castle, and like questions. 
 
 AVhen I took my departure, I 
 thanked them for all the kindness 
 they had ever shown me, and I was 
 quite sincere. They might have sold 
 
SETMA, THE TURKISH GIRL. 79 
 
 me into worse slavery, or even treated 
 me more roughly. But the Lord, my 
 unseen guardian, watched over my 
 steps and sheltered me with his hand, 
 so that no evil befell me. 
 
 The worst, too, that I experienced, 
 was doubtless necessary and beneficial, 
 since I was led by it to prize my de- 
 liverance the more. 
 
 When I came out from the hotel, I 
 rather flew than ran the whole road 
 to Spitalplatz in a few minutes’ time, 
 and upon reaching home threw my 
 arms about my benefactress and cried, 
 
 “They shall never take me away 
 again !” 
 
 “No, thank God!” she replied. 
 “ lie himself has accomplished your 
 deliverance, and to his name be the 
 praise.” 
 
CHAPTER VI. 
 
 IXSTErCTIOX AND BAPTISM. 
 
 rpiIUS I lived in daily intercourse 
 and companionship vitli true 
 Christians, although I had not openly 
 professed their faith. 
 
 This could not longer continue, 
 ■when I believed not only in God, 
 hut in his Son Jesus Christ, and had 
 experienced in many ways the sustain- 
 ing and comforting influences of his 
 word. Accordingly, I expressed to 
 my motherly friend my wish to be 
 baptized and to be received into the 
 Christian Church ; for this she had 
 
 80 
 
SETMA, THE TURKISH GIRL. 81 
 
 waited, and joyfully participated in 
 my desire. 
 
 Her son, Avho was at that time 
 preaching in Stuttgart, and afterward 
 settled in Urach, where he died, un- 
 dertook my daily instruction in the • 
 doctrines of the Christian faith ; and 
 the blessedness of these hours of in- 
 struction, begun and ended ivith 
 prayer, I have never forgotten, and I 
 trust will never lose sight of. 
 
 The word of God became so clear to 
 me through his explanations that I 
 had more enjoyment than ever in 
 reading it, and was always sorry when 
 household duty, which could not be put 
 aside, interfered with my attendance 
 upon his readings. 
 
 He was not only clear, but original 
 in his mode of teaching, and I was 
 
82 SETMA, THE TUEKISH GIEL. 
 
 much struck with some of his views. 
 AVheii alludiug to the decrees of God 
 coucerniug the world, he dwelt par- 
 ticularly upon his attributes, as dis- 
 played ill his dealings with men. 
 These he illustrated by examples which 
 appeared almost contradictory. For 
 instance, the flood, which carried away 
 the wicked in the time of !N^oah — the 
 tire wdiich overwhelmed the ungodly in 
 Sodom and Gomorrah — were not only 
 examples of the just severity of God, 
 but of his mercy ; for said he, God 
 took the guilty away from the possi- 
 bility of sinning further, and so in- 
 creasing their condemnation. 
 
 In the case of Pharaoh, he affirmed 
 that not only divine power, but love 
 also was displayed ; for had Pharaoh 
 opened his heart to right imjiressions 
 
SETMA, THE TUEKISH GIEL. 83 
 
 in view of the wonderful works of 
 Jehovah, he would have been brought 
 to repentance and a saving knowledge 
 of the true God. 
 
 On the contrary, not only love and 
 grace are displayed in pardoning sin, 
 but justice also, according to the verse 
 in the first epistle of St. John, “ If we 
 confess our sins, God is faithful and 
 just to forgive us our sins and to 
 cleanse us from all iniquity.” 
 
 For the Saviour my teacher enter- 
 tained a profound and child-like rever- 
 ence, and an earnest, heartfelt affection. 
 I never heard him say, as is cus- 
 tomary, “ The Lord Jesus,” or “ The 
 Lord Jesus Christ.” He justly con- 
 sidered that the term “ Lord,” when 
 used with reference to Christ, was not 
 a title such as we employ for the great. 
 
84 SETilA, THE TUEEISH GIKL. 
 
 l)ut that its significance was deeper, 
 as the government of the world is 
 committed to him. 
 
 lie said instead, with atfectionate 
 appropriation, “Our Lord Jesus,” or 
 “ Our Lord Christ.” 
 
 He held true Christians and the 
 Church of God, composed of all true 
 believers, in great reverence, but 
 Christians must be such as could have 
 saved the cities of Sodom, when Abra- 
 ham appealed to the Ruler of the 
 world on its behalf. “Were the 
 Church composed of such, the world 
 would feel its influence, and must 
 look about for a prop should it be 
 broken up.” 
 
 At one time, when speaking of the 
 love of truth, he contrasted the exam- 
 ples of Christ before the high priests 
 
SETMA, THE TURKISH GIRL. 85 
 
 and Pilate, and Peter at the tire of 
 coals. Pie then asked, “ When is false- 
 hood allowable ?” Quite surprised 
 and unprepared for his question, I 
 answered, “When necessity compels.” 
 
 Q. That we will inquire into. What 
 is falsehood in the sight of the God. 
 
 A. A sin. 
 
 Q. What must also be permitted, 
 if your answer was correct ? 
 
 A. Sins of necessity. 
 
 Q. Is that possible ? 
 
 A. No. 
 
 Q. Why not ? 
 
 A. Because all sin is forbidden. 
 
 Q. When, for example, one is in 
 need, and steals in order to save his 
 life, is that also a sin ? 
 
 A. Why not? He should rather 
 have asked help. 
 
 8 
 
8G SETMA, THE TUKKISH GIEL. 
 
 Q. If lie lias clone it in vain? 
 
 A. Then lie should have asked God 
 to supply his want. 
 
 Q. What must accompany prayer ? 
 
 A. Faith. 
 
 Q. Had the poor man trusted in 
 God, would he have committed this 
 sin ? 
 
 A. Xo; it was because he lacked 
 faith. 
 
 Q. Another, example. A Holland 
 ship-captain, Wilhelm Isbrand Bonte- 
 kor, lost his vessel by fire in the Indian 
 seas. He escaped with a portion of 
 his crew in an open boat, but they 
 forgot to take provisions with them, 
 and they soon began to experience 
 extreme hunger. In the greedy looks 
 of the crew was manifested the yet 
 unspoken intention to kill some of the 
 
SETMA, THE TUEKISH GIEL. 87 
 
 sufferers and devour their flesh. 
 Was that allowable? 
 
 A. Oh no, for the sixth command- 
 ment indiscriminately forbids murder. 
 
 Q. But when the need was so great, 
 and nothing else remained, was it not 
 better that a few should be sacrificed 
 for the preservation of the rest ? 
 
 A. I believe that Glod will not per- 
 mit any who trust in him to be driven 
 to despair, and then it were better to 
 die than to sin against God. 
 
 Q,. Upon what is this conviction 
 grounded ? 
 
 A. Upon the belief that God has 
 ways and means in his power which 
 short-sighted men cannot see ; and 
 again that this earthly life is not worth 
 so much as that a man should risk his 
 soul to prolong it. 
 
88 SETMA, THE TUKKISH GIEL. 
 
 Q. Yes ! the price of relief is too high 
 when it involves sin, and so Bontekor 
 thoiioiit. In the conviction that God 
 
 O 
 
 would help him, he besought his crew 
 to delay their bloody purpose for three 
 days, Imping in that time to reach 
 land, and his hope was realized. 
 Upon what, then, are lies of necessity^ 
 as you say, based ? 
 
 A. Upon unbelief. 
 
 Q,. In how far ? 
 
 A. Ydioever has faith trusts that 
 God will, according to his promise, de- 
 liver all who trust in him in their time 
 of need. 
 
 Q. How, then, can we account for the 
 falsehoods told by such holy men as 
 Abraham, Isaac, Jacc'b, David? 
 
 A. They were all weak and sinful 
 men, ami we are only to copy what 
 
SETMA, THE TURKISH GIEL. 89 
 
 was good in them. There is hut One 
 alone who did no sin, and of Avhom it 
 is expressly said, Neither was guile 
 found in his mouth. When holy men 
 have recourse to falsehood, it is in a 
 moment of unbelief; Jesus was always 
 strong in faith, and could not be over- 
 come by temptation. 
 
 I enjoyed these instructions some- 
 what longer than half a year, and by 
 the end of that time, by the blessing 
 of Grod, I was sufficiently instructed 
 in the truths of religion to warrant 
 my admission to the Church by bap- 
 tism. This announcement gave me 
 great joy, and I thanked God, and 
 besought him that he would grant me 
 the right state of mind for the reception 
 of this holy ordinance. 
 
 At Christmas the princess sent me 
 8 » 
 
90 SETMA, THE TURKISH GIRL. 
 
 a large silver medal, on one side of 
 which was a delineation of the bap- 
 tism of onr Lord, and on the other 
 the feast of Lentecost. Under the 
 former was the inscription, “ Without 
 measure;'" under the latter, '■‘■Without 
 mniiber." I asked the meaning of 
 these words, and Mrs. Sommerell re- 
 plied that the terms “without meas- 
 ure” had reference alone to the Lord 
 Jesus, who was abundantly filled with, 
 the Spirit, and is called the anointed 
 Christ. The words “without number” 
 indicate Christians who are filled with 
 the Holy Ghost, and whose number 
 is as the stars in heaven. 
 
 “ To that countless throng will you 
 belong,” she added, “ and your salva- 
 tion will be doubly prized that you 
 have been brought by the wonderful 
 
SETMA, THE TURKISH GIRL. 91 
 
 hand of God, from among a nation 
 M'here but few have as yet received so 
 great a blessing. Let us pray that 
 many may soon acknowledge the Cru- 
 citied.” 
 
 “ Amen,” I replied, from a full 
 heart ; “ God speed the time!” 
 
 I was baptized on the sixteenth of 
 Januaiy. We took our appointed 
 place among the assembled crowd of 
 worshippers, while the first verse of 
 one of Paul Gerhard’s hymns was 
 sung: 
 
 “ If God be on my side, 
 Then let who will oppose.” 
 
 The sermon was long, but I was so 
 occupied with prayer, and so exercised 
 by deep emotion, that I could take but 
 little heed of it. 
 
92 
 
 SETMA, THE TURKISH GIRL. 
 
 At the close of the sermon was 
 Slum' the verse : 
 
 O 
 
 “ No joys that angels know, 
 
 Ko throne or widespread fame, 
 
 Ko love or loss, no fear or woe, 
 
 Ko grief of heart or shame— 
 
 IMan cannot aught conceive, 
 
 Of pleasure or of harm, 
 
 That e’er could tempt my soul to leave 
 Her refuge in thine arm.” 
 
 After this I made an open profes- 
 sion of faith ; and so soon as I stood 
 lip, all thought of the crowd before 
 mo vanished, for I felt only the pres- 
 ence of God, to whom all hearts are 
 open and who alone is Judge of their 
 sincerity. Then I was baptized “ in 
 the name of the Father, the Son and 
 the Holy Ghost,” and called Christina 
 Jdagdalena Eberhardina — to which 
 
93 
 
 SET3IA, THE TURKISH GIRL. 
 
 was afterward added tlie surname of 
 Gottliebin. 
 
 The Turkish name Setma was my 
 last surrender. Fatherland, family, 
 friends, inheritance, religion, language, 
 customs, clothing — I had given up all, 
 and already found the profession of 
 Jesus, a hundred-fold more precious, 
 even in this life. Should I not gladly 
 renounce my name, in order to pro- 
 claim outwardly what I inwardly de- 
 sired — namely, an entire renewal ? 
 Thanks be to the God who gradually 
 takes away from us all that is not fit 
 for his kingdom ! That was the day 
 of my highest glory, when I left the 
 ranks of the ungodly and was de- 
 clared a child of God and heir to the 
 inheritance of the saints in light. 
 
 AVe went from the church to the 
 
94 SETMA, THE TUIIXISH GIKL. 
 
 castle, where the princess declared 
 before all the assembly that she con- 
 sidered me novr more than ever at 
 liberty. Afteward, she begged that 
 for the future I would remain in her 
 service, and I accepted the proposition 
 with humble thanks, only begging 
 permission to retire for one day of 
 quiet meditation, I feared that other- 
 wise I should lose the seriousness of 
 my impressions amid external excite- 
 ment, for how easily will drops run 
 over from a full vessel when one is 
 running hither and thither ! 
 
 I therefore sought entire seclusion 
 in the house of my good guardian, 
 who received me with deep joy and 
 embraced me Avith motherly affection. 
 I saw no one for the whole day, but 
 remained alone in my room, some- 
 
SETMA, THE TURKISH GIRL. 95 
 
 times reading a passage from the 
 Bible, at other times a hymn ; again 
 reviving my great joy with fresh 
 thank-offerings to the throne of grace. 
 
 The extraordinary experiences of 
 my life, and particularly of this day, 
 constantly recurred to me, and I found 
 each time new reason for praising 
 Him whose name is Wonderful. The 
 following day, in the midst of tears 
 and manifold thanks, I took leave of 
 my tender guardian, and repaired to 
 the castle, where I was committed to 
 the care of one of the court ladies, 
 from Wachenheim, a godly and intelli- 
 gent woman, by whose instruction and 
 example I was greatly benefited. My 
 employment consisted chiefly in em- 
 broidery, which I had practiced con- 
 stantly in my native land. 
 
9G SETMA, THE TUEKISH GIEL. 
 
 1 was sliown especial favour by the 
 princess Eberliardina Luise, and Avith 
 the consent of the royal mother I 
 entered her service, and remained 
 there till her early death. She was 
 very lively, but truly pious, and con- 
 stantly discoursed with me on the 
 Avord of God and religious experience. 
 
 The early death of this admirable 
 princess aa^us a cause of deep soitoav 
 throughout the royal family, and Avas 
 a great bloAv to me, not only in vieAV 
 of her condescending kindness, but her 
 personal interest. The costly gifts 
 Avhich she left me in token of grati- 
 tude for my small services could not 
 modify my grief. Another noAV ex- 
 perience Avas the means of rousing me. 
 
CHAPTER VII. 
 
 AN EARLY FRIEND RESTORED. 
 
 T AYAS now transferred to tlie service 
 of the queen-mother, my greatest 
 benefactress. Not long after this, a 
 person came from Saxony with high 
 recommendations, who was called 
 Christiana Maria Weisse. I w'as 
 much attracted by her appearance as 
 she stood among the ladies of the 
 court, and when we were alone I 
 spoke of my pleasure in view of our 
 future service together. She expressed 
 the same, adding that it seemed to 
 her as though we had been years to- 
 
 9 97 
 
98 SETMA, THE TURKISH GIRL, 
 
 getlier before, and bad been separated 
 only for a season. “ Griily !” I ex- 
 claimed, and sbe “Setma!” at tbe 
 same moment, wben we were locked 
 in each other’s arms in close embrace. 
 
 Tbe impression of my former life, 
 so vividly depicted to me by this 
 meeting, caused me to weep bitterly, 
 and for a little while not a Avord Avas 
 spoken, Guly AA'ept also, but collected 
 herself sooner, saying, “ I aauII tell you 
 my story at another time ; you are not 
 yet able to hear it.” 
 
 I AA’as roused by this, and noAv only 
 one thing came into my mind to 
 moderate my great happiness. 
 
 I desired to knoAV as soon as possi- 
 ble AAdiether Guly Avas truly a Chris- 
 tian, AAuth a heart full of love to the 
 Saviour. When once assured that 
 
SETMA, THE TURKISH GIRL. 99 
 
 her experience had been like mine, 
 and that she would prove the friend I 
 so much needed, my joy would be full 
 to overflowing, for even while the 
 heart relies in Grod the hand seeks 
 support. 
 
 David put his firm trust in the 
 Lord, but had a Jonathan, and wept 
 when he lost him. Paul, the noble 
 martyr, mourned bitterly that all had 
 deserted him in Rome, and that he 
 was left alone. Who can blame me 
 that my heart leaped for joy in view 
 of what I might possess for the future 
 in Griily ? Ah ! our seasons of sorrow 
 do not last for ever — the morning 
 cometh as well as the nio-ht ! 
 
 O 
 
 One day, when Ave had a quiet hour, 
 I took Guly’s arm and accompanied 
 her into the garden, AAdiere Ave reclined 
 
100 SETMA, THE TURKISH GIRL, 
 
 together upon a rustic seat wliile she 
 related to me her history, as follows : 
 
 “ My feelings,” said she, “as we were 
 separated from each other, I cannot 
 describe, hut you doubtless experienced 
 the same. 
 
 “.I was dragged, almost senseless, 
 to the camp of the general wdio had 
 taken me prisoner. He was an aged 
 man, mild and benevolent, and his 
 design was to convey me to his 
 daughter as a waiting-maid. 
 
 “ This I did not at first discover, as 
 I understood no German, and he no- 
 thing of the Turkish dialect, but his 
 friendly treatment, with which I was 
 obliged to be satisfied, was contrary to 
 my expectations. 
 
 “ The contest was soon over, and 
 th(^ general returned to his posses- 
 
SETMA, THE TUEKISII GIEL. 101 
 
 sions ill Silesia, taking me with him 
 to his daughter, who received me 
 gladly. 
 
 “ Her joy was, however, lessened, 
 when she found that I could not under- 
 stand her language. In the mean 
 while, she undertook to teach me with 
 g-reat earnestness both to read and to 
 Avrite German. The last Avas more 
 difficult than the first ; hoAvever, in 
 six months I had learned enough to 
 make myself understood in the house, 
 and even to read tolerably Avell in the 
 Bible. 
 
 “ This had been given me as a read- 
 ing-book, and as I did not at first 
 know that it Avas the holy book of the 
 Christians, I read it the more eagerly, 
 for the idea of abandoning my religion 
 had never crossed my mind. 
 
 9 ■» 
 
102 SETMA, THE TUREISH GIEL. 
 
 “Tlio more I learned to understand 
 udiat I read, the more I was pleased 
 with the book; and Avhen at last I 
 came to the history of Jesus, and 
 found out its character, the truth of 
 God’s word and the love of it had so 
 taken possession of me that I could 
 not go back. 
 
 “ After reading the history of the 
 Saviour and the Acts of the Apostles, 
 my heart was full of the conviction, 
 ‘ This is true, this is God’s word.’ 
 
 “ Before I had even acquired the 
 German language, I had accepted the 
 German religion, and before I could 
 take an impartial view of the Chris- 
 tian and Mohammedan creeds, Christ 
 had taken possession of my heart. 
 Ah, what blessedness and joy followed 
 this enlightenment! 
 
SETMA, THE TUEKISH GIRL, 103 
 
 “ The general and his daughter re- 
 marked that I was unusually im- 
 pressed, but they wmuld not stay the 
 free course of my awakening, and 
 waited until I came to them with the 
 confession that I believed in Christ, 
 the Saviour of the world. 
 
 “They were overjoyed, and ex- 
 pressed their satisfaction to pastor 
 Roth, Avho was established in the vil- 
 lage adjoining their estate. 
 
 “ He came to hear of my experience, 
 and how I was brought to believe in 
 Christ. Then he stood up; the old 
 and much-honoured man of eighty, 
 with snow-Avhite hair, raised his eyes to 
 hea^mn, and cried, ‘Lord, now lettest 
 thou thy servant depart in peace, for 
 mine eyes have seen a child of Ismael 
 whom thou hast chosen for thyself!’ 
 
104 SETMA, THE TUKKISH GIEL. 
 
 “ This awd servant of Christ had 
 been much exercised on the subject 
 of the conversion of the Mohamme- 
 dans, and daily prayed that God 
 vould send his Spirit among them to 
 open their blinded eyes. 
 
 “ Thus the example of one brought 
 to Christ was an encouragement and 
 pledge, as it were, of the further an- 
 swer to his earnest prayers. 
 
 “ He took me at once in charge for 
 instruction, and made most earnest 
 eftbrts to enlighten me in the know- 
 ledge of the blessed word of God, the 
 love of Jesus, my own sinfulness, and 
 the everlasting blessedness of the re- 
 deemed. His words fell upon a soil 
 well prepared ; my soul was athirst to 
 know more of Jesus and heavenly 
 things, and I often asked questions, to 
 
SETMA, THE TUEKISII GIRL. 105 
 
 which he replied, ‘ You must not 
 know all at once; keep that thou hast.’ 
 
 ‘‘ On Christinas I was baptized and 
 called Maria Christina. 
 
 “I did not experience, however, then, 
 what I expected. My heart seemed 
 cold and unfeeling, my attention ivas 
 directed to other things, and my 
 thoughts were more forced than lively. 
 
 “ I remarked it at once, sighed over 
 my condition, and prayed fervently, 
 but remained so. For one whole day 
 I besought a change, and the next 
 followed the blessing, as in a flood 
 upon me. 
 
 “ The happiness in believing so 
 filled my heart that I could not re- 
 strain m}^ feelings, and cried aloud for 
 
 jo.y* 
 
 “ The general said, ‘ Maria, take 
 
106 SETMA, THE TURKISH GIRL. 
 
 care ; wlien the sky glows, rain follows 
 soon but the old clergyman replied, 
 ‘ Let her rejoice and thank Grod for it. 
 The children of the bride-chamber 
 cannot fast while the bridegroom is 
 with them. Truly, darker days may 
 come, but it will be time enough then 
 to mourn.’ 
 
 “The good man was right, as I have 
 often since experienced. lie has 
 rested many years in his grave, and be- 
 side him the old general. He died on 
 the New Year’s day after my baptism. 
 
 “Ilis death was sudden, not like an 
 oak that falls gradually to the earth, 
 but like a lofty pine that is brought to 
 the ground by hard blows. He died 
 joyfully. ‘ If we suffer sharp pain 
 but for an hour,’ said he, ‘ we are apt 
 to feel as if we had had enough of 
 
SETMA, THE TUEKISH GIEL. 107 
 
 life, and many sorrows fall to the lot 
 of the pilgrim of earth in a life of 
 sixty-four years. I shall make a 
 happy exchange. My Lord and Sa- 
 viour has prepared a portion for me. 
 My sins as a man, as a soldier and as 
 a general are all forgiven, and I have 
 obtained pardon.’ 
 
 “ Then, as he saw us weeping, he 
 said, ‘ Do not weep, children. It is 
 more than a soldier can expect when 
 he is permitted to lie upon a deathbed 
 at his home; and besides, a dying 
 Christian need not wish to exchange 
 with a living king.’ 
 
 “He folded his hands, closed his 
 eyes and repeated this hymn : 
 
 I am flesh, and therefore duly 
 Dust and ashes must become ; 
 
108 SETMA, THE TUKKISII GIKL. 
 
 This I know, but know as truly 
 He will wake me from the tomb, 
 
 That with him, whate’er betide, 
 
 I may evermore abide ! 
 
 God himself in that blest place 
 Shall a glorious body give me ; 
 
 I shall see his blissful face. 
 
 To his heavens he will receive me — 
 
 To his joyful presence raise, 
 
 Ever upon Christ to gaze ! 
 
 Then these eyes my Lord shall know, 
 
 My Redeemer and my Brother ; 
 
 In his love my soul shall glow, 
 
 I myself and not another 1 
 Then from this rejoicing heart 
 Every weakness shall depart. 
 
 Thrill, my mortal frame, with gladness, 
 
 Fear not though thy vigour wane 
 Give not any place to sadness, 
 
 Christ shall raise the dead again. 
 
 When shall sound the trump of doom. 
 
 Piercing, rending every tomb ! 
 
 Smile, then, that cold and dark grave scorning. 
 Smile at death and hell together ; 
 
SETMA, THE TURKISH GIRL. 109 
 
 Through tlie free air of tlie morning 
 To your Saviour ye shall gather ; 
 All infirmity and woe 
 ’Keath your feet then lying low. 
 
 “ After which he slept, like a child 
 who would wake with the coming 
 morn. 
 
 “After his death, his son, a mer- 
 chant in Saxony, returned and took 
 possession of his father’s property. 
 He was likewise a noble Christian 
 man, and promised me at once a home 
 with his sister and himself. 
 
 “But before a year had elapsed, he 
 approached me with the surprising 
 request that I should become his wife. 
 I made many objections and begged a 
 delay. 
 
 “ Through the persuasions, however, 
 
 of himself and his sister, and also 
 10 
 
110 SETMA, THE TURKISH GIRL. 
 
 from a sincere unwillingness to dismiss 
 him, I at last consented, and we lived 
 most happily together. 
 
 “ Three years after, my husband 
 found it necessary, in view of many 
 circumstances, to sell his goods in 
 Silesia, and purchase a small property 
 in Saxony. 
 
 “ We accordingly left our former 
 home, and almost immediately after 
 our first day’s journey he became sick, 
 so that we were often obliged to re- 
 main quietly on the road. 
 
 “You may judge of my heaviness 
 of heart, and how many tears were 
 shed by me in secret, as my prayers 
 rose to Him who loves even when he 
 chastises. 
 
 “But I must pass quickly over 
 these scenes. A year after, my bus- 
 
SETMA, THE TURKISH GIRL. Ill 
 
 band died in my arms : his sister soon 
 followed, and as he had no heirs, his 
 property reverted to the state. I was 
 left with a small sum of money, and 
 being provided with letters from the 
 duchess, I travelled to Wiirtemberg 
 to seek the relatives of my husband ; 
 they were all dead. I availed myself, 
 therefore, of my letters to apply for 
 service here.” 
 
 This was the narration of Guly, now 
 called Maria, and I saw, with grateful 
 acknowledgment to God, that my own 
 experience had not been the worst. 
 She narrated the history more fully at 
 a later period, and I was humbled in 
 view of her patience and submission 
 under the many trials which God had 
 laid upon her. 
 
 She often reproved me by her ex- 
 
112 SETMA, THE TUEKISII GIRL. 
 
 ample of patience and trust when I 
 was repining and impatient, and I 
 cannot express the comfort and benefit 
 resulting from our union. Our mutual 
 alfection, implanted in childhood, in- 
 creased from day to day, and we exj)e- 
 rienced in full measure the benefit of 
 a sanctified friendship. 
 
 When the duchess retired to her 
 estate at Riechheim, we were glad to 
 accompany her, and leave the noisy 
 and distracting town for the quiet 
 country. We found many Christian 
 people, too, whose society Avas conge- 
 nial ; in intercourse Avith Avhom AA'e 
 experienced great comfort. 
 
 With the approbation of the duchess 
 AA'e opened a small school for the bene- 
 fit of the peasant girls, instructing 
 them in sewing, knitting and em- 
 
SETMA, THE TUEKISII GIRI . 113 
 
 broidery, while we sought, above all, 
 their spiritual benefit. 
 
 Gladly would we have remained for 
 life in this delightful retreat, but in 
 August, 1712, my beloved benefac- 
 tress, the duchess, died, and we were 
 obliged to return to Stuttgart. 
 
 O O 
 
 Thus far Setma herself relates. 
 
 She held a position in the court for 
 life, from the duke Eberhard Ludwig, 
 by the recommendation of the duchess 
 — lay in the year 1714 upon a sick 
 bed, and whether she lived long after, 
 I know not. She was liberal in her 
 charities to the poor and sick, and 
 consoled many of the dying by her 
 ministrations. 
 
 Our grandparents in Stuttgart have 
 
 often spoken of the good lady Gott- 
 10 ■» 
 
114 HAFIS AXD HIS BIBLE. 
 
 liebin, and when her memory shall 
 have passed from the earth, her deeds 
 will still be registered in heaven. 
 
 HAFIS AND HIS BIBLE. 
 
 AFIS was a little Turkish boy, the sou 
 
 of a man of good family. He was born 
 at Damascus, but soon after his parents re- 
 moved to Constantinople. They were not 
 Christains, but strict Mohammedans, and most 
 anxious that their son should grow up in the 
 same faith. 
 
 AYhen Ilafis was seven years old, it was 
 considered high time that his education should 
 begin in earnest. His mother, therefore, 
 placed him under a tutor, who was to teach 
 him everything he ought to know. I am 
 afraid he could have had little time for play, 
 
HAFIS AXD HIS BIBLE. 
 
 115 
 
 as, besides genei’al knowledge, he was to be 
 taught different languages, he was to learn 
 much of the Koran by heart, and to be well 
 instructed in what his parents considered reli- 
 gious truth. But Hafis was fond of learning, 
 and by the time he was twelve years old, he 
 had gone through the first course of study 
 marked out for him. 
 
 The Koran is the sacred book of the i\Io- 
 hammedans; and, though it contains small por- 
 tions of truth, it is mixed up with much 
 error, falsehood and imposture. Hafis was 
 reading it one day, when he came to a pas- 
 sage in it which states that God sent four 
 books into the world to teach men truth ; 
 namely, the Koran, the Psalms and the Old 
 and Kew Testaments. “ Then,” he said to 
 himself, “ I wonder what has become of the 
 other three?” and he w’ent at once to his tutor 
 to ask the question. 
 
 “This is how it is,” replied the master; 
 “to punish men for their wickedness, God 
 
116 IIAFIS AND HIS BIBLE. 
 
 has taken away the other tliree: so there is 
 now no holy book bnt the Koran, and nobody 
 who can save ns except Mohammed.” The 
 master went away, and Hafis believed what 
 he said was true. 
 
 Not long after, as he was taking a walk, 
 attended by two black slaves, through the 
 streets of Constantinople, he came to a man 
 selling books, and he stopped to look at them. 
 The title of an Arabic Bible caught his eye : 
 he opened it, and behold, he saw the names 
 of the very books which he had been told had 
 vanished from the earth ! Eagerly he asked 
 the price — would gladly have paid twice 
 the sum rerpiired ; then, clasping his treasure, 
 hurried home to his mother. She was as 
 much surprised as he was at the cheapness of 
 the book — of the true riches it contained she 
 knew nothing. 
 
 And now, unknown to every one bnt his 
 mother, the boy added this book to his other 
 studies ; night and day he searched the Scrip- 
 
HAFIS AA'D HIS BIBLE. 117 
 
 tures, and in two years had read them six 
 times through. Suddenly, at last, divine 
 light burst upon him, and he felt that the 
 Koran was false and the Bible true. In a 
 moment he sent for his tutor, and as he en- 
 tered the room he rushed toward him, say- 
 ing, “Now, if you tell me true, I will spare 
 your life ; but if false, I will kill you.” 
 
 “Speak,” replied the astonished master. 
 “ What is it?” 
 
 “ Should we worship the creature or the 
 Creator ?” 
 
 “ The Creator, undoubtedly,” replied the 
 master. 
 
 “Then,” said Hafis, “ why do we leave the 
 great God to worship Moliammed, who was 
 only a sinner like ourselves?” And he pro- 
 ceeded to show out of the Bible that Mo- 
 hammedanism was false. 
 
 The tutor was angry, and went at once to 
 the father of Hafis, to acquaint him with 
 what had passed. 
 
118 IIAFIS AND HIS BIBLE. 
 
 The father hiirriecl to his son. 
 
 “ What is this I hear?” he said. ‘‘Who is 
 this Saviour in whom you say you believe?” 
 
 “ I believe in Jesus Christ,” replied Hafis ; 
 “ for I find ill my Bible that he it is, and 
 not Mohammed, who is the Saviour of the 
 world.” 
 
 1 1 is father seized him by the hair of his 
 head, threw him down, and would perhaps 
 have killed him, if his mother had not rushed 
 in and interfered. She pleaded for her son, 
 till at last the father consented to keep him 
 as a kind of prisoner, apart from the rest of 
 his family, hoping that in solitude he would 
 come to another mind. And so, from the age 
 of fourteen to seventeen, the Bible-loving boy 
 was kept a prisoner in his own father’s house. 
 For seven months he Avas ill from the effects 
 of the cruel treatment he had received, and 
 Avhen he recovered, his first thought Avas for 
 his Bible. Alas! his father had burned it; 
 and Avhere Avas he to get another? His mo- 
 
HAFIS AND ins BIBLE, 119 
 
 tlier at last procured him one from the same 
 man who sold him the first, and it was his 
 solace and his comfort though those three 
 weary years. 
 
 At length his father determined to send 
 him on a pilgrimage to Mecca, in the hope 
 that he might return a true Mohammedan. 
 Mecca, as you perhaps have heard, being the 
 birth-place of their prophet, is considered a 
 holy city, and it is thought praiseworthy to 
 visit it. So the youth set forth with a com- 
 pany who were bound for the same place. 
 But he never saw that so-called holy city. 
 His heart was thii’sting for clearer litjht on 
 'lis beloved Bible, for instruetion in divine 
 truth and for the society of Christians. He 
 found means to escape, and joined another 
 company going to Rome ; where, he was 
 told he would find the helj) he sought. But 
 at Rome the priests took his Bible from him; 
 and, disappointed but not discouraged, he 
 set forth again. 
 
120 
 
 HAFIS A:fD HIS BIBLE. 
 
 We have not space to tell the whole of his 
 waiiflerlngs: enough to say, God’s eye was 
 on him, and that he was all the while guid- 
 ing him to those who would help him in his 
 Christian life. He became at length an in- 
 mate of a Protestant college in Switzerland ; 
 and from thence he hopes, ere long, to visit 
 his countrymen, preaching the Bible instead 
 of the Koran, and the Lord Jesus Christ in- 
 stead of INIohammed. 
 
 We can read our Bible in peace and quiet- 
 ness, none making us afraid. Do we value 
 it? Do we love it? Do we pray fo’r the 
 Holy Spirit to enable us to understand it? 
 Do we believe in the Saviour it reveals? Do 
 we iise it as did Hafis, the Turkish boy ? 
 
 THE END. 
 

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