The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1874-08-31
THE FAMINE IN ASIA MINOR.
Five rhou,and Persons Dead of starva.
lion In one Distriet--Dead Bodios
Lying In the Streets.

Five Thousand Persons Dead of starva.
lion In one Distriet--Dead Bodies
Lying In the Streets.
Rev. Dr. CLARK, Of the American
Board Of Foreign Missions, has received
o letter from ]. o. Barrows, OF Cesarea,
in which he gives some thrilling details
Of the terrible famine now prevailing in
that region. Mr.. Barrows writes
"While at Yozgat, which is eighty or
ninety miles north OF us, / Witnessed
the rayages OF the famine, which is
very severe, and also toward Angora.
Many villages are entirely deserted. In
some, one, or two, or three, or Tour, or
parts OF families remain. In the dis
trict Of sungarlu, (Which is beyond
Yozgat, and in which city there is q
Protestant church, as many as 5000
persons have died Of starvation. But
the horrors Of this famine are inde-
scribable. Many people have subsist-
ed on grass for weeks, and then died.
Beggars have hocked TO the cities, and
there many Of them have died because
they could not get q morsel Of bread.
Old men, mothers with babies at their
breasts, young men that have become
children, young boys and girls, half
naked, begging, crying, fainting, dying
this is famine. Beggars have flocked
to our doors we have given what We
could, and are still doing the same ;
some relief has been afforded by con.
tributions OF friends in Stambonl, and
other places, but 1t is only drop in
the bucket. Mr.. Farnsworth has made
q long tour through the famine.stricken
people, and given from friends in Siam
boul some $500, and perhaps by this
means 800 people will be kept alive, but
multitudes are dying and will yet die.
The people Of this country give but
little, with rare exceptions, the more
wealthy Moslems giving nothing. Self
ishness reigns. Every man lives fol
himself. The Mohammedan religion IL
n religion Of selfshuess. II o man does
any good deed, it Is that he himself
may be benefited. There is no public
spirit-no love 10 man rs such. But
what this famine is, can be known only
by those who see 1t. We say that sc
many have died. These statistics are
cold things. Famine is the going out
in utter darkness, wretchedness, and
death Of all that goes to make up human
life. You find q little, half.naked girl,
Of eight or ten years, sitting in some
corner OF the street crying. What IL
the matter2 Her father and mother
are dead, or have abandoned her. She
has not q friend, or one 10 caro- for hei
on earth; she has nothing TO eat. She
pleads and reaches out her bony hands
to every passer-by; or perhaps gets
enough during the day TO buy one piece
Of bread. This kind Of life lasts few
weeks, and she Is picked up by those
who are ordered TO bury the dead that
they may find in the strets.
"When in Yozgat I heard cry oil
children in the crowded streets before
me. I looked, and saw three little
children. The Oldest was perhaps ter
or eleven, the second SIX or seven, and
tho youngest three or four. The little
ono wanted to be carried. The Oldest
one was too feeble, but finally bending
down took the little one on her back.
The other child clung to her ragged
clothes, and so they went on, all crying
together. But such sight II made
an impression that l believe will never
be effacod from my mind. These chill.
dren were so poor that the flesh which
covered their teeth was q mere skin.
and as they cried the expression OF
their countenances was something more
sad and pitiable than I had conceived
possible before. These three were left
clinging to each other, dying together,
with no one TO care for them. One
learns here at such time rs this that
the tender mercies OF the wicked are in.
deed cruel. One is forced TO exclaim,
Oh, God, what will the end be2 why
must there be such terrible suffering !?
But God is good and man is sinful.
Bodies have lain in the streets one,
two, and even three or four days before
burial, and the dogs have feasted on
them. Many OF our Protestant COM
munities and families haye suffered
greatly. At Sungurlu some Of the
brethren have sold house, shop, house
hold furniture, beds, clothing, every
thing, and now must beg or starye.
And perhaps they will both beg and
starve. In one village there was one
Protestant family; the father, mother,
and all the children but two have died
OF starvation. In the village Of Iniirh
there was q pleasant little Protestant
community, several OF whom were mem
bers Of the church, with q preacher re-
siding with them. But they were poor.
Last winter their provisions failed, and
there seemed TO be nothing but starva-
tion before them. But this preacher
went To the city OF Yozgat and pur-
chased flour, becoming responsible for
the pay himself, and so kept alive six
families. But now unless the preacher
can be repaid his creditors will take
everything from him. II was very
kind and generous thing that he did:
I feel like appealing to friends in
America TO help him out OF this
dilemma The board do not wish us TO
make special appeals to our friends for
aid in carrying on eur missionary work,
but this is matter OF humanity. II
American Christians could only see how
some OF their fellow.christians here are
suffering, they would certainly initiate
our English Christian friends and others
In Stamboul, who have given literally
for this object"