Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1878-12-11

Society or this city,
MARAsH, Turkey, Oct, 23d, 1878.
| FRIENDS ALL:-And now, as most of you
| have heard but little from Us since we left
America you Will find no fault if the first
of this letter is made largely personal. 1t
| is just one year ago to day since we landed
at Scanderoon and took our first taste of
Missionary experiences; while | live | think
| | shall never forget that sudden, horrible
sinking OF heart that felt when first the
reality of the life had chosen stared me
| in the face there al Scandel Don. To height
en- my sensations it happened that on our
! way from the shore to the office of the
American Consul we had to pass through
| throng OF about two hundred Mosem
pilgrims on their way to Mecca O hose dark
fierce, sensual faces! not a CLEAN of any
kindly feeling. of any spiritual life upon
them, nothing that would show friendship
Uneven the least degree for purity and good.
| ness;wha must the hearts be behind these
faces! And had come to make my home
for life among these men! | cannot desert De
10 you the longing with which my heart
turned at that instant to the dear Home
Land we had left one month before mex
! pressibly precious seemed to me then the
| sweet light of our W estern Christian civil
cation, home, friends, the Church, the
| school, literature, Christian fellowship
how brightly they shoue to my almost
| anling heart. And they were all past,
given Up, perhaps never TO be enoyed
| again; here. in the midst of this hdeous
corruption and Heath was to be my place
| and that of my family. 1t seemed for a
moment as if the thought could not be en-
dnred; AS if | could not make the sacri6ce
| | think my face must have been as pale as
| death; felt weak as a child. 1t reminded
me much of the feeling that always came
| over me 10 the old soldering days ut the
| FIRST sight OF the enemys line of works lust
before the battle. At such moments, before
| the souls energies are summoned up at the
call Of duty, every thoughtful man ever
knew has been wiling to confess himself
a very cow~rd. Imagine, then, the further
sinking OF my heart when letter, await
ing US at the Consulate told US of Mr.. Brick
ford s death of small pox at Marash. 1t
seemed that uCthing certainly could be add
ed now to deepen the gloon resting on me.
At such moments the active powers of the
soul refuse to put forth their accustomed
energies; the man goes forward mechani
caily, pushed on by previously acquired
momentum, like ship whose engines have
suddenly stopped. Happily, we are so con-
stituted that at just such crises we find
something within US whose firm utterance
is not. indeed 'Forwardi but simply this.
:. piStigid nutla ret0rSUm, not u step back
ward" And simply because we cannot 90
ackward, we dc advance, though with
teeth shut hard, and all the craven heart
within US quaking with fear.
Then, in brief space, the soul, held firmly
with face TO the front, rallies its actIvepow-
ers; the man feels the mighty enginrs lhrob
once NOR; he says 10 himself, ''beyone We
craven feelings! Onward for very shame
And then came the sweet exhllaratio; of
victory. Everything high and worthy
within US rousing up at the call of duty,
add sprnging forward with Astounding Joy
into the path pointed out by her command
ing finger. suppose that every missionary
experiences a. one time or another this in
ward struggle Of which | have been speaking
10 one 1t comes when he first faces the
question whether he will go iutO IN, sson-
airy service; to another at the moment OF
parting with friends or native land but at
one time or another every man going into
such work must fight a real battle in his
own soul, and conquer os.ce for all | now
see that in my case the issue had never been
fairly faced before; | had made the decision
without much struggle; | had parted from
friends with so light a heart that the
thought of it reproached me afterwards
but the enemies of my purpose were not
thoroughly subdued, they were only wait
ing favorable opportunity to throw them
selves upon me, and when they calne, they
came in force, and | feel lmpelled to say
that they nearly overcame me. Such was
my battle Of 1ssus. May not Say it with
reverence, dear friends that tn It quarter Of
an hours apprehension il lasted no long
er-has enabled me to understand Gethse-
mGne as l never did before? That awful
and mysterious utterance. "This Cup" has
now more meaning 10 me than it had before
| drank the bitter, bitter dregs of my own
cup there on the shore of 1ssUs. A like ex-
perience has never come since. My W hole
life from that hour has been one continued
song. AT the very close of that hard strug-
gle of which | have spoken, there came
such glorious revelation of Christ as flied
my whole being with exuting joy, Ire
member especially that when we were as
cending the steep pass (the Syrian Gates
that afternoon on our way to Belan, l was
full of thoughts of the scenes those cliffs
on either side had looked down upon, "For
twenty-five centuries" l said to myself,
"this has been the path of armies" The
hosts of Greece, of Persia, of Parthian, of
Rome, of Egypt, OF the Crusader and the
Moslem have swept through this Pass, each
host following its peculiar military ensign.
And then my heart leaped up at the thought
of the Banner under which we were march.
ing through the Syrian Gates, and of the
the Captain that was leading US OF. Rev.
10, lie. Glorious Emmanuel, who
would not follow where Thou leadest,
mighty conqueror of the Nations
Friends, to the praise of His glory l
would say that since that hour, one year
ago to-day, | have had more rich and tull
and blessed experience than ever before, of
that love of Christ which passeth knowl-
edge. He has been near me, consciously so,
and His presence has given me, such joy that
often when journeying have been compel
led, so to sps k, to break out in songs of
praise as rode along. 0, friends, wonder
if all who read this letter know W hat mean
IL