When day after day passed and brought no relief, the feeble began to yield.

One by one they made their submission to the Vartabed, and received his blessing.

Only four stood firm.
But now the Lord sent a partial deliverance, in an unexpected way.
An authoritative copy of the Sultan's firman was sent from Constantinople, by a brother who was ignorant of the circumstances.
No such copy had before reached that part of the interior, so that any official who pleased could ignore its existence.

The news of its arrival brought out the affrighted Protestants from their hiding-places.

Many whose sympathies were with them, were as joyful as themselves.