The New era. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1865-1871, 1867-03-14
CRETE.


The public mind has been SO agitateo
and vexed for the last few years by on,
own troubles and calamities, that it has
not taken 'cognizance Of the infinitude
Of crimes and outrages against both the
laws of COP and man, which have trans
pired in Europe.
And whilst onr own condition deserves
the severest scrutiny, the most profound
reflection, and the most guarded action,
it is, perhaps, not improper to contem-
plate for moment the condition and
prospects of the brave and heroic in
habitants of the little island of Crete,
who are now waging a merciless war
with the Turks for their faith, their
homes and household gods. The island
Of Crete, now called Gambia, is an ap-
pendage to the Turkish Empire, and is
situated South of Greece, about 5000
miles across the sea,--the inhabitants
are christians of the most marked indi-
viduality Of character, Of a'faith so en-
thusiastic and intensified that the most
inhuman atrocities, and the deprivation
of every right, intellectual, political and
religious has not caused them to abate
one dogma of their faith, or to COM
promise one privilege of their sect. It
is one of the anomalies of history which
defy explanation, that for five hundred
years the Cretans should have protested
either by the sword or by argument
against the violation of these rights, and
Europe, which during a portion Of that
time has been sending, at a cost Of mil
lions, missionaries to christianize the
heather, but with such little success that
scoflers say that the evangelization Of
the world is indefinitely postponed"
lie that prorideth not for his oacn house
bo7dh hath deniedthe faith, and is aeorse than
IN infde. In 1921 all Greece arose as
one man, and by an almost unparai-
lelled heroism and devotion to the cause
OF their country, sustained a bloody and
relentless war, which eliminated at
Navarrino in 1927, after which the allied
Powers Of Europe forced Turkey to ac-
knowledge the independence Of the
Greeks, and at The same time handed
az .er the Crefans-who are Greeks, and
Y,a1, been Greeks for three thousand
wears who eounseled, sutherland fought
for tho Greek cause in a manner Which
showed &, hat they were not unworthy
descendant s of Ulysses and Nestor-to
the Turks. Il be again prosecuted with
fire and sworo But Crete hassustalned
nov +raditional reputation untaraished,
and never for a moment has size a.
lznowledoed the rio. htfulness of The Mos
lem sway, aud if quiz t Tor a time 1t has
only been for the purEss Sc OF husoaholns
her strength to strike ~ aotiler DO" iof
liberty. In 1898, 1912 and lsos she MADE
desperate but unavailing el forts Tor IN
dependence. Having suft cred Tor thirty
five years every conceivable WIZ 'hg tha1
could be heaped upon a people, anu
having failed by arms to gain treedolS'
in 1865 they assembled in coz asel and
sent to the Porte their protest a, gainst
the Mohammedan law, and asked IL Fa-
spectful terms for modification Of I'll at
law, the answer was a congregation Of
soldiers, who devastated the island from
one end to the other.
some time in November last TIE Whole
garrison at .Arkaddi, numbering some
$50 persons, most of them women and
children, Were murdered in the most
sltFoeious manner by, the pacha. The
Christian world has brought dishono.
npon her escutcAeon by standing aloof
70 long, and permitting such atrocities
% be perpetrated upon Il people whose
written language is almost the same as
fhatwith which Plato taught philosophy,
sflStophane; satyrized woman's rights,
ahd i}anosthencs Numbered against the