Portland Gazette, And Maine Advertiser

Valuable Testimony in favor of the HOLY BIBLE.

THE Reverend John F. Uske, Chaplain to the English factory at Smyrna, now residing in London, has published a brief narrative of his travels and literary life. He was born in Prussia, Dec. 12, 1760, and was licensed to preach the gospel in 1780. In '89 he was appointed Chaplain to the English factory at Smyrna, by the Levant Company. In his travels he visited many of the places which are mentioned in the Holy Scriptures. He visited Bethlehem, and its vicinity—the Mount of Olives and Bethany—He passed the Mountain Carmel to Nazareth, Tabor, Tiberias—the Lake Genesareth: on the river Jordan. He was at Tyre and Sidon, and passed over the Mountain Lebanon. He visited the Islands of the Archipelago and the continent of Asia Minor He was at Miletus, Ephesus, Sardis, Thyatira, and Pergamos He examined the state of the seven churches mentioned in the revelations of St John.— He visited Nineveh and the ruins of ancient Babylon ; Of these he observes, " When I approach these immensely extensive ruins, I am amazed at the exact accomplishment of the prophecies of the Old Testament, by the prophet Isaiah." His narrative is concluded with this interesting declaration, " I must here declare to the honor of the Bible, that I did not find during my travels, one circumstance in the Holy Scriptures contrary to the present manner and customs of the East, or to geography, and the situation of the different places mentioned therein; but, on the other hand, all is conformable to the different prophecies and descriptions in the sacred writings."—English paper