The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-11-16

POSITION or TIE PROTESTANT Onc1tUu.
kUon c-pots.enee Of tpe london ,tsraidl N
.r BRoussA, Oct 10, 1855.
Few people 1t home woald b. prepsrei 70 hear
that Divine service, according TO the PrOtastint
form, 10 regularly calculated mere m the furklsn
language. In the quarter OF GeEtashi stapds o
building whose style and proportions, IN spite OF
the close vicinity OF several mosques, bespeak IL 70
be chapel OF TIE dissenting type. This r the meet
ing house Of the Armenian Protesants, as thorough
architectural exotic here as the Panepsicon, with
its minarete, is IN Leicester square. Bat Tor the
Oriental character OF the surrounding obscts. yoa
might fancy yoarsef looking AZ dissenting chapel
in some Welsh county. Il was, however, no direct
importation from home. Toe spirit OF Protestant
proselytism to which this humble church owes its
origin was deed first kindlcd in England; but it
bad TO the Atlantic, and again to make nearly
half the circuit OF the globe before inding its way
here. II il to the sme-ican missionaries that this
country il indebted for the Introduction Of Protest
an,ism. Nor only at Br0ussa but In many towns
and villages in Turkey proper, and Syria, those self
deny ing men, with very fmitei pecuniary resources
have, by the help OF God and their own mistaken
fai b and perseverance, broHeht the knowledge Of
pure and simple religion to the sumberng Oriental
churches *Mt seM.lpt As,df
In the course Of an excursion which made on
one occasion to the Sangarius river and the sup
posed site of ancient Gophon, stopped ut a place
called aBazar, which bad nothing very pre- posses
sing about is. While waiting 1t coffee shop near the
khan where my horses were, a native stepped up
and addressed me in broken English. found him
10 be Armena an Protestant and very intelligent
man. lie introduced me to youth who spoke ca,
tremely good italian. This young man mad acquired
il from Frank, whose business had detained him
about six months at Ada-Bazar. We should at home
think good deal of such feat, II performed Ia Que
of our country towns by the son OF poor currier,
but there an earnestpess and practical determine
ton about those Protestant neOphyte5 which render
them capable OF great efforts, which show clearly
that they have inlbibed the Western spirit. Their
chapel at Broussa was in baf finished state at the
time Of the earthquakes and was destroyed before it
t for use. Not in the least dish eartsned, the
Broussa Protestants lost M time in repairing the
damage done. The whole Of the structure, shattered
"a il was, had to be pulled down, an entirely new
building c0mmenced; yet their twice built church
was in fact insngprated before any of tho other
liqious buildings of the town which had suffered
damage, whether Mahonmedan or Christian, were
restored.
1t was IN 1853 that Mr. SCHNEIDER, the first Of the
American missionaries In this field, came to Broussa.
On arriving he hardly knew any Greek and turk
ish but he had not been two years in the country
when he spoke both with great accuracy, and trans
lated into Turkish verse Watts collection Of hymns.
He then established q school, which had great sue
Besides the ordinary routine Of school studies,
his pupils were Instructed in several branches of
useful Knowledge, well initiated in many little
matters Of general behaviour and habits The bu-
marking effects OF this system were soon con-
spicuous, and the American schools in consequence
became SO popular, especially among the Arme-
Mans as almost to threaten the extinction Of the
old schools. Through their children the parents
also began to be acted upon, and many Of them
gave ND aLLenOAnce Al tDelr own cnuYch 10 Hollow
the missionaries, who now became the objects Of
the hatred and i'll will Of the priests and their fol-
lowers Unlike your net convert In England for
whom everything Is made smooth, even to his bread
the Protestant faith had nothing but persecution to
expect. Accommodation AID every variety Of
bad treatment and annoyance which the csnsttu-
tion of society here admitted Of, were directed
who, like Gallo "cared for none OF those things"
bat by their Christian fellow citizens.
A former Pacha Of Broussa-Delaver Pacha-
used to take great pleasure in relating an answer
bishop, in the case of dispute between him and
one Of the missionaries regarding the hiring of a
house by the latter in the Armenian quarter which
the bishop opposed. " But what harm Is this man
going to do you that you wish to prevent him in
babiiing your quarter Y asked the Pacha. why,
your Excellence" replied the good shepherd, he
viii take away our flock" "Oh, Is that all n re.
torted the you must set more dogs to watch
Not only we're the Protestant converts denounced
from the pulpit Stunned in society and cut of from
their former customers in trade, but being by the
gard exclusively the Turkish tribunals, PLACED Gas
all Kayaks arc) under the jurisdiction OF
rheir priests, from whom they had rcvolted,
they were met by q complete denial Of jus
leave home ON q journey, and applied TO the
Turkish authorities they referred TO she heads
OF their CT Community, who alone were supposed to
L0cm u,
were sure to be refused. Was . call made by the
government on the particular community 70 which
they originally belonged, they were always
certain TO have TO bear more than their
among the differen. houses: In an endless variety
of ways they conrnuslly made TO feel that their
very existence almost depended on conforming to
the will Of their priests, who, had they had the
church with much implacable cruelty as the Turks
exhibit in cases of the renouncing Of lsamism. To
such an extent were these prosecutions carried, to
become quite unbearablc. The Turks, who pay lit
Giaours, though often applied to on the subject,
showed no inclination whatever 70 afford remedy,
till Lord Stratford took up the case and obtained
from the Porte the important concession Of missing
the Protestants into separate community. They
now depend on no other community, but form a
separate body like the Roman Catholic and orthodox
Greek and armenian churches. There are now,
therefore, five distinct Christian commuMtios in this
The Turkish system, by which Christian com
munities were permitted to exist and 70 exercise
each its own worship in the midst OF q Mahomedan
population, was ut the time !. originated, far In ad-
vance Of the legislation Of Europe. Every Rayah
community was allowed 10 manage its own affairs
somewhat Ike our town corPontions. As rcit gon
was the distinctive mark OF each community, the
priest came naturally TO exercise the chief sway.
In all matters that did not concern the imperial ju
Isdcton, the bishops decided with all but absolute
authority. This state Of things, which was highly
advantageous during the old Turk regime, IL no
longer Of the same character at the present day,
when the tyranny Of the Turks Is beginning 20 give
way from contact with the modsrn European sys.
tenn. As maintained up TO the present time, It
leaves the Rayah subject TO the despotc sway Of
the priesthood In many oy his most important inte
rests, very much o. in the middle ages. Nothing
calls more loudly for reform In Turkey than the in
terna constitution Of the Christian communities.
The want OF unity among the Rayahs has long been
the strength Of the Turks, for each Of the old COM
mnnties would supporf them in preference 70 their
fellow christians OF rival church. But this feeling
Of jealousy and hate does not nose tend 20 keep
down their influence In the general affairs Of tho
empire than does1he particular constitution Of each
booy operate in reiarding the progress u society ia
the Individual communities.
Notwithstanding all the disadvantages under which
the Christians have hitherto labored IL il surprising
what advances they have made in the Brvussa dis
trict, not only In wealth but in numbers. Within
the last Is years many villages which used to be ex.
clusvely Turks, or nearly so, have passed entirely
into the hands Of the Christians. Dcmir,lcsh. Nc
lessen, Tapejik, Susurlnk, Dausery, Eurllku ADD
TahiaIec arc among the number of such, The in