The magnates of one church had closed its door against the native evangelical preachers, and placed two Turkish soldiers to guard it.

At another church the people were more resolute, saying, "We built this church, and we will be martyred upon its threshold, if necessary to defend our right to have the Gospel preached to us." At this the chief men gave way, contenting themselves with reporting the matter to the Patriarch at Constantinople.

As an additional motive, the party of progress threatened to attend the services of the missionaries, if not allowed to have a service of their own.[1] [1] _Missionary Herald_, 1866, pp.

169-171.
Quite a number of the young men and women in the Protestant city congregation dated their conversion from the "Week of Prayer." This week was duly observed at Harpoot from the first, and in 1866, with deeper religious feeling, than had ever been seen before.

The morning and evening prayer-meetings were kept up till the close of May, when it was decided to discontinue the morning meetings, and to sustain the others every day, one hour before sunset.