St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1877-09-07
ESKI ZAGHRA

"iC ivan iDOIIu' hC NioioiC Ci-
fects there are not great, but the mis-
sionariessay that the leaven of the gospel
has permeated the whole village. There
is small congregation of from twenty
to thirty, some of them quite promising
young men.
In the East the men are usually
reached by the truth before the women,
and the congregations are more largely
composed of men than of the opposite
sex. Twenty-Five seems a small num-
Der for a congregation in place like
Eski Zaghra, but we must consider the
great obstacles which the missionaries
had to encounter; and so many who
are willing to be considered friends of
the Protestants represent much larger
number who are not enemies.
There was great deal of bitter Op
position in this village. Only few
months ago the head priest cursed any
one who should enter the yard of the
missionaries, but sickness in his family
brought him to his senses. Mis-. Bond
does great deal in the way of visiting
the sick, and the success that has at
tended her care has given her great in
fuence among the people. So when
the favorite daughter of this priest was
taken i'll, the fatherly anxiety was
stron er than the priestly hatred, and
Mrs. Bond was sent for. The daughter
recovered, and the priest was silenced.
Mr.. Schuyler, in his tour of Observa-
ton through Bulgaria last summer, ad-
vised the people to live on friendly
took pains to stop his carriage in the
street one day and speak to this very
priest who was the head of the oppOsi-
ton. The priest was very much Hat
tered to he thus noticed by Consul
General and Secretary of Legation, and
this tended also to soften his feelings
towards the missionaries. We called at
his house Oh the Easter holidays and
he very cordially returned the cali the
morning we came away.
Many OF the superstitions of the peo-
pie are losing their hold as they come
in contact with the missionaries. They
are becoming more acquainted with the
Bible, and Mrs. Bond is winning her
way to many hearts by her efforts as a
nurse and physician. The chief work
of the missionaries is in caring for the
various out-stations, and in superin-
tending the work of the native helpers.
The most important Cf the stations con-
nected with the Eski Zaghra Mission
are Yamboli, Merigleri and Kezanlik.
At Merigleri Il church is formed of
thirty members with a native pastor,
and is doing a good work. 1t COM
mands the respect of all, and Pastor
PanO has been invited to preach in the
orthodox church. He has an average
attendance at his church of go persons.
In Kezanlik discordant element has
been introduced. A Baptist cOlporteur
in the employ of the British and Foreign
Bible Society, with a questionable zeal
for his creed, persuaded the believers
there that immersion was the only way
to heaven, and since that time the little
community has been i'll IA state of tur-
moil. The exaltation of a creed is a
misfort une anywhere, but especially SO
in Turkey, where the missionaries, try
ing to teach the pure gospel of the
Bible, have the divisions and discords
of evangelical Christian sects continu-
ally thrown in their faces. And a great
hindrance it is,-''for," says the orthO-
dox Christian, 1--WE are $4,000, 900 united
as one, and shall we accept your creed
when you are divided among your
, selves ?" The missionaries have been
very wise in the case of Kezanlik, moi
arguing the matter, but treating the
} brethren as kindly and cordially as they
would allow, and better spirit seems
, likely to prevail.
At Yamboli the work is prosperous
and Pastor Boyadgieff of whom l have
, already spoken, is a man known an(
honored all over the city. PrOminen
business men of the city are connected
with his church, and they are noted a
/ "men who can be trusted" The tw,
5 deacOns of this church were arrested
last summer on suspicion of being con
] nected with the insurrection, but wer,
afterwards released. Deacon Peter wa
} kept in prison two months. He is
| grocer and is known all over the city a
2 man of integrity and honesty. Thi
, means much more in Turkey than il
, America where thousands of men ar
honest from policy rather than from
Y principle.
The meeting of the Bulgarian Evan
b gelical Society, which Mr.. Webber an,
y 1 attended at Yamboli, was full of in
] terest. We could not understand wha
Y was said, but the earnest faces and tn
Y warm grasp of the hand that we every
: where received, spoke more to us thai
4 words. Delegates were there from mos
n of the stations, and all went away great
J. ly encouraged. The meeting was YER
Y like convention of the Y. NJ. C. A. a
e home. The questions discussed wer
G practical and vital. One was, "Can
n man be Protestant and still true
his country ?n The universal and de
e cided opinion was, "He can" The lit
n tie room occupied by the church a