Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1868-07-08
Correspondence.
CEsAKrA. ASIA MINOR. .


Eight months have passed since we left
our pleasant home and the many friends,
among whom residence Of six years had
awakened very strong attachments.
We left you, as you well know. under
the strong conviction that the Master Of
the Vineyard Haa calling us to another
ard distart portion of his work. To
produce this conviction, the providence
and Spirit Of God served to conspi,e, and
upon the decision reached, after much
deliberation and prayer, VIC rested with
entire satisfaction, leaving the future to
Him who alone can direct it, Thus far,
We see no reason to doubt that our dec;s.
ion was according to His will.
Our report Of the Lords dealings With
fus, since we left you, must be: a song Of
praise. Step by step, He has led US,
and we have felt sure of His guidance.
During the care and anxiety of lea> ing,
and the hasty farewell visits with dear
friends, through all the dangers of the
deep and the wcarisome journey by land,
de has watched over Us with fathers
tender care. and in q ihou1lnd ways, lie
gives US indications of His favor and ap
proval. For all this, we give thanks to
His holy name. desiring to devote our
selves. with a new aud entire consccsa
ton, to His work, in the futare
Aud now you will expect some account
Of our new feld of labor and of the work
of the Lord here Ny knowledge of the
field and the work is, as yet quite limit.
ed, but ! may be able to give you gcu
eral idca of both. Many of you are
aware that the missionary work in Tur.
key, under the direction of the American
Board, is diYidea into three seciious, call.
ell The Eastern, Weotern aud Central Tur
key missions The Eastern mis- ion com.
priscs those stations in the Eastern and
Northern part of Asia Minor; the Cen
tral mission. those in The central part,
and the Western mission. those in the
Western part The latter includes a
much larger extent of territory than ti.
-
ther of the others, comprising nearly all
the missionary stations lying West of a
line running North FROM the Eastern cx.
tremity Of the Mediterranean sea, tot ether
with several important stations in Euro
pean Turkey. Each Of these missions is
again divided into several districts, each
district being placed under the care of
Que or more missionaries, st ,tioncd at
some central poiut in that field.
The Cesarca district, OF that Of which
the two missionaries located here have
the entire oversight comprises territory
l65 miles in length aud % miles in
width, or larger than both the states of
New Hampshire and Vermont. The pop
ulation of tis FIELD is estimated at about
$50 900. OF this number. probably two
thirds are Turks, the reminder being
mostly Greeks and Armcnisns. Cesarea
was drst occupied Us missionary STATEN
in June. 1864, by Messrs. Ball aud
Farusworth. 1t had previously been oc-
icupjed for short time by native help
er. and cinan bpnd Of Protestants had
been gathered. church was organized
in July. 1854, co Isistiug of eight mem
bcrs. four males and four females. and lis
first Pastor was ordained and installed in
Oct. 1865. He was ope Of the eight
members forming the church in 1854
vas educated at Bebck Seminary in Con.
sautiuople and proves himself emiue nt'y
qualified for tis important position; a
man Of earnest picty, Of excellent judg
ment. aud thoroughly devoted to bis
work. His name.is "Keropc Yakobyan /"
From the first, the good work here has
; made steady, though not rnpid progress
The little band Of eight has grown, by
constant additions. till it hQa numbers
More than one heudrcd. vith a Protest
ant communhg Of more than two hun
dred. At times, there has been much
severe persecution, and to many the re
ception of the truth has dcep accompan.
led with "thc loss Of all things
| Now, however. there is little open op-
position. though il is very evident that
the mass Of the people around us
have no sympathy with our work,
Thus far. tho progress Of the truth in
Turkcv has been confined, for the most
part, to the Armenians The Mohame-
dams are exceedingly bigoted. and bitter
y Opposed 70 the progress Of the Gospel
Having received their ideas Of Christian
ity from the corrupt systems Of the
Creeks and krmeniaps. who are uomin
sllyy Christians, they are not caoily con
viuccd that there is higher and purcr
typeof Christianity which lies not mere
Iy IN outward obssrvuDces, hut has to Do