The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-12-04
cHR,sraNrTy AT coNsIANuNoPLE.

the East The seminary ut Constantinople ma
twenty-five pupils, and the female boarding
school. twenty-five. Five free schools for Prot
estant children, taught by pious matrons, con
tain l79 pupils. The desire for the Holy Scrip
lures is steadily increasing all over the country
In the region of Ezrum, more copies were sole
the past year, than in the two or three Prev
Gus wears. Even the enemies OF the mission
seek for copies, through the native Protestants
The demand is great in the country arounc
Aintab More than two thousand copies III
different languages, were disposed of at Con
stantinople in the year ending with June last
Copies find their way into Russia, and are FIRE
quently bought and carried into Roomeha anC
Bulgaria. But the charter granted to the
Protestant Christians by the Imperial Govern
ment of Turkey is matter of the highest anc
most cheering import.
Say the Board in their report:
'For some three years or more there has
been Vizerial recognition, and the com
plants of the community have been listened tt
by the Porte but it seems there was nothing
which necessarily survived change OF admin
istration. The frman now obtained, being
from the Sultan himself, and placed in then
own hands, gives all the stability and per.
manency to their civil organization that the
older Christian communities enjoy. They are
distinctly declared to have the same privileges
of building churches, holding burying- grounds
&c, that are granted to the other rayahs. A
Turkish Pasha has been appointed to attend t.
their affairs; and they are to appoint wakee
or agent from among themselves, as their organ
of transacting business with the Government
and council or cOmpittee to decide upon the
civil affairs of the community At the request
of Sir Stratford Canning the British, Am
bassador. to whom the Christian world is much
indebted
Thirteen of the leading Protestants, says
Mr.. Dwight. called upon him on the occasion
of his procuring for them this charter of rights,
and for three-quarters of an hour he addressed
;ho:z t'wr drtis.s ard responsibilities in
'2ryw' OF ,is,,l. - az positiAa n the EEs ;;zzcc.
~ ~ th~'' that Abev nnGbt to thank God
that they were the iirT TO be renewed from the
shackles of superstition, and to be made ac-
quainted with the pure gospel of Christ. He
told them that many eyes were upon them here,
and that they ought to excel all others in the
land in faithful obedience to the Government,
in a kind and brotherly department to those of
other religious opinions, and in a universally
honest and upright example. Again and again
did he exhort them to act in all things accord
ing to the principles and doctrines of the Cos
pei. From the impression made upon their
minds, he must have spoken with great tender
ness and power. Their hearts were all melted.
and their countenances betrayed the deep and
strong emotions that were struggling within
80 that the Ambassador himself was moved
almost to tears, and expressed to them his high
qualification at the interest they manifested in
his counsels and warnings. The scene was
truly affecting and will long be remembered
How admirable are the ways of Providence, in
putting in such post, for such times, such a
man
"A letter from our brethren at Constantine
pie to Sir Stratford, acknowledging his invalua-
BILE services in this matter with his reply may
be found in the Missionary Herald for June
"Thc present number of Protestants in Tur-
key is estimated at about fifteen hundred
The following paragraph is from the close of a
late letter from the mission:
"'No such class Of persons existed in this
country, when your missionaries first came
here; and now they have become numerous
and important enough to call for distinct re-
cognition and a separate civil organization, by
order of the Sultan himself This community
is already composed not only of Protestant
Armenians, but also of Protestant Greeks,
Jews, Syrians Maronites and Druzes and
just now q body sf Protestant Germans, who
have removed from Russia to the borders OF
the Danube, and have voluntarily become sub,
jects of the Porte, are asking for admission to
its privileges. The irman is general, and Sc
cures protection to all Protestant subjects OF
Turkey, whatever may have been their origin
or former connection. We understand thai
both in Nazareth and Nablls, as well as in
some other towns in Syria, considerable
number of families, belonging formerly to the
Greek and Catholic churches, now openly pro
fess Professionalism, in connection with the
Anglo Prussian episcopate of Jerusalem These
also must be arranged under the same civil
organization having the same civil head with
the Armenians in other parts of the Empire. y
The Head of the Mahomedan Empire has
recently won applause from the world by sew
eral great actions, but the charter which he
has now conferred upon Protestant Christians
outshines in glory as we trust it will in benef
cence, oil others.
CHARTER OF THE PRoTEsTANTs IN THE TURKISH
EMPIRE.
To my Vizir, Mohammed Pasha, Project Of
the Police in Constantinople, the honorable
Minister and glorious Counsellor, the Model OF
the world, and Regulator of the affairs of the
community; who directing the public interests
with sublime prudence, consolidating the
structure of the Empire with wisdom, and
strengthening the columns of its prosperity
and glory, is the recipient of every grace from
the Most High. May God prolong his glory
When this sublime and august mandate
reaches you, let it be known that hitherto
those of my Christian subjects who have EN-
braced the Protestant faith, in consequence Of
their not being under any special appointed
superintendence, and in consequence of the
Patriarchs and primates of their former sects
which they have renowned, naturally not be.
ing able to attend to their affairs, have suffered
much inconvenience and distress. But in ne
ccssary accordance with my imperial compass
sion, which is the support of oil, and which is
manifested to all cfnsses of my subjects, 1T II
contrary to my imperial pleasure that any one
class of them should be exposed to suffering.
As therefore, by reason of their faith, thu
above mentioned are already separate com
munity, it is my royal compassionate will tina
for the facilitating the conducting OF then
affairs, and that they may obtain ease ano
quiet, and safety, q faithful and Trustworthy
person from arnong themselves, and by theil
own selection, should be appointed, with thu
title of agent of the Protestants," and thai
he should be in relations with the Prefecture
of the Police.
1t shall be the duty Of the Agent to have in
charge the register OF the male members of the
community, which shall be kept at the police
and the Agent shall cause to be registered
therein all births and deaths in the community
And all applications for passports and marriage
licenses. and all petitions on affairs concerning
the community that are to be presented to the
Sublime Porte, or to any other department
must be given in under the official seal of the