The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1877-12-29

The MISSIONARY IN TURKEY.-The Missionary
Herald for November contains some very significant
ormat concerning the condition of preachers OF
the Gospel in Turkey in Europe and Asia. While
Russia is ambitiously pretending to overthrow the
lawful authority of the Padishah in Bulgaria, for the
purpose of establishing a despotic Christianity in
that province, it may be useful to read what the
American missionaries themselves so wrote of their
present situation in the midst of those blood-stained
fields. According to the Missionary Herald, at
Samakov the Turks appeared to be on the very best
terms with the missionaries. In case of danger thew
fully expected that their Turkish friends would pro-
tect them, as the Turks at Eski Sagra had protected
the American missionaries there from the fury of the
Bulgarians. The governor Of Pazarjik having sent
his harem (wives) to Samakov for safety, the COVER
nor of Samakov asked the missionaries to oblige the
ladies with some buildings on q lot purchased for the
missionary theological college, and the reverend mis-
sionaries were glad to grant the request. Here we
have an instance of the friendly relations existing
between the Christian missionaries of The right SORT
and the Turkish governors and people in Bulgaria.
But with Christians () like those Bulgarian mon
sters who plundered, murdered and ravished the
wretched Jews of Kezanik, as we published lately,
it is no wonder that the Turks cannot feel much
sympathy, knowing that the Bulgarians would cut
the throat of every Turk in Bulgaria. if they had the
power. If the day comes when Russia shall have ex-
PEELED the Padishah's government from Bulgaria,
the American missionaries and all the Protestant
missionaries may take up staff and scrip and turn
their backs on Bulgaria as a field for the Evangelist.
as it is pretty certain that the intolerant Russo
Greek church will admit no rival preachers into the
new state of the emancipated - Bulgarians. From
Bitlis and Van in Asiatic Turkey, the missionaries.
according to the Herald, although they had been
apprehensive of the wild Koords, have met with no
injuries from the Turks, and the Pasha of Van seems
to be their friend. At Harpoot, a missionary (Mr.
BROWN writes that the missionary schools there are |
full TO over flowing, and that an earnest desire for
the education of the youth of both sexes prevails
amongst the Armenian families of that city. As a
result of the recent conquests of the Russians in Ar
menia, it is likely that a large territory will be an
nexed to the Russian Empire cut out of North East
ern Asiatic Turkey, including Bitlis, Van, Harpoot,
and other places, where hitherto the Protestant mis-
sionaries have been carrying on their great work of
evangelization unmolested by the Mussulmans. Un-
der Russian rule, those missionaries will have a diff
ferent story to tell. Both in European and Asiatic
Turkey the light Of the Gospel was beginning to
spread, and the good Mussulmaus at least were dis
posed to protect the missionaries of Christianity, un-
til this deplorable war broke out, which may truly
be described as a fatal check to the spread of the
Christian belief amongst the M~ussulmans of Turkey.
1t is hard to see what gain it could be for the cause
OF Christianity to set up a Russian puppet as Prince
OF Bulgaria, and give all Armenia to the autocratic
Car. If such a takes place, the Prot
estant missionaries in Bulgaria and Armenia will
regret the Turkish Pashas of old times, if, indeed,
any Protestant missionaries be allowed to enter those
at all, when under indirect or direct Rus
control.