RHEA, Samuel Audley

[s. 642] : Born at Blountville, Tenn., January 23, 1827; graduated at Knoxville University, 1847; Union Theological Seminary, New York, 1850; ordained February 2, 1851; sailed as a mi ionary of the ABCFM March 4, same year, for the Nestor i an Mi ion. In 1851 Mr. Rhea went to the new station at Gawar, among the mountain Nestor i ans. His health broke down under the strain of that lonely and arduous life, and he was obliged to visit the United States for recuperation in 1859. After his return in 1860 he was stationed at Urmia. He was well versed in Hebrew and Syriac; spoke the modern Syriac with great accuracy and fluency was able to preach in Azerbaijan Turkish with acceptance to the Armenians and others. While at Tabriz he pursued investigations in the Eastern Turkish, with the view of translating the Scriptures into that tongue, having already rendered in it the Sermon on the Mount. While in Kurdistan he studied Kurdish, and wrote a valuable synopsis of the grammar. He was treasurer of the mi ion, and its busine agent in general. He also had the charge of; evangelistic work in fifteen villages, some of them very large. His travels among the wilds of Kurdistan were often protracted and perilous. In 1865 he fell ill as a result of exposure while touring. The next day he appeared convalescent, and started to return to Urmia, but died at the wayside village of All Shah, September 2, 1865. 642