few who had come out to "do the Lord's work" in the East. But to many
Churchmen it will be difficult to reconcile the words of Mr. Groves, that
"the Coming of Christ, the powers of the Holy Ghost, were truths being
brought before the _Church of God_" when it is remembered that they had
practically severed themselves from the _visible_ body of Christ's Church
on earth, and were themselves (without Divine authority as delivered once
to the Apostles) celebrating each Sunday in their house the Lord's Supper.

Constant mention is made in the _Memoir_ of the open persecution which the
mission party suffered in Bagdad, and of "the impossibility of access to
the people." There were a few converts to Christianity made, but only a
few; and the disappointments were many and grievous.

Then, too, their party was lessened by the departure of Frank Newman and
Mr. Kitto for England. No reason is to be traced for this decision of
Newman's, and it is not easy to understand what it could have been. It
happened during the spring months of the year 1833, and shortly after his
second proposal to Maria Rosina Giberne and her second refusal. He had
written begging her come out to Bagdad, marry him, and work with them
there. No doubt her refusal was a bitter disappointment to him, and
possibly he wished to go back to England (he said in his diary he did not
know how long he might stay there), and try if he could not persuade her
personally. But if he thought this, he was again disappointed, for his
meeting with her (as I see from some papers written by my aunt and kindly
supplied me from the Oratory, Birmingham), was of no more avail than
before. She mentions having met him shortly after his return, and it is
evident that it was a meeting not devoid of awkwardness on her part and
disappointment on his.

To go back to the letters from Bagdad, after this digression, Newman gives