The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1883-04-04
American Missions in Turkey.


epoch In the missionary history oil the East. In
the previous quarter of a century Evangelical
Professionalism had effected an entrance into the
Turkish Empire and gained widely extended
existence in the Asiatic portion of it. The bit
terest opposition of hiel archical despotism
welding civil power and of popular bigotry had
failed to crush the spirit OF inquiry which had
been awakened under the labors of a few mis-
sionaries and agents of Bible distribution from
the West. Recommendation, with anathema
from the Armenian Church. of adherents to
evangelical truth who were mostly of that body,
compelled in 1916, the organization Of dis
tinct Evangelical Church and soon afterward,
chiefly by the exertions of the English embas-
sador, Sir Stratford Canning (Lord Strafford de
Redclffe,l the Turkish Government was brought
to acknowledge the claim to protection as
separate civil community, of those who, by the
action of their enemies had been deprived of
legal position and all civil rights under the adj
ministration of Turkish law.
Under varying experiences of partial freedom
and official well popular oppression, the
work of religious enlightenment was prosecuted
with such success that, in 1855, there were
twenty-six evangelical churches, with member
ship Of 696 communicates and 1888 registered
native Protestants in the cities and many of the
larger towns of various provinces and many
places also had been reached in which formal
separation from the Armenian Church had not
then occurred. In that year. in connection with
the Treaty of Peris the Sultan gave to Europe
pledge of full religious freedom to all his sub
jects. This was of great value, as a concession
of principle; but it has never been more than
very imperfectly carried out and, unhappily, it
Is less executed at present than it was in some
past years.
But, against all obstacles, we see progress
which, if not such as should rejoice to behold,
is yet full of cheer to all who can rightly est
mate it. The churches have increased in twenty
Six years, from the number aforementioned to
containing q m her Of
1880 to which are to be added FIVE churches,
with 24l members among the Bulgarians, and
excluding the Syria mission, transferred, in
1870, to the Presbyterian Board The Protes-
tant civil community in the empire must con-
tain nearly 10000 souls, while many thousands
more have, in greater or less degree, been
brought to the possession of new thoughts and
feelings on the great questions which pertain to
the ground of hope for sinners
Twenty-six years ago there were seven ordained
native ministers, ten licensed preachers, and
"a reported as native helpers Now there are
Sc ordained native ministers SO licensed preach
ers, and SO other helpers. In 1866 there were
,l5l pupils, In A common schools, connected
with the evangelical communities. Now there
are 1928 such schools containing IL, 1866 pupils
IT to these we add scholars in the higher schools
the whole number receiving instruction consid-
erably exceeds $4,000.
At the former date there were in the whole
field one boarding school for girls having %, and
one for young men with 40 students, both at Con-
stantinople and both entirely free The latter
was largely scientific, but also furnished theo-
logical training to candidates for the ministry.
A theological class of nine pupils at Tokat and
one of six of Aintab were also taught In place
OF these have arisen four theological seminaries,
one at Marsovan, for Western Asia Minor one
at'Harput for Eastern Asia Minor and Armen-
Ia; one at Mardin, for the region of AssyTia and
Chald@a and one at Marash, for the field of the
fraI Ittr Nla-o IL
an aggregate of more than fifty students, prepar-
ing for the sacred ministry, besides those in
lower stages of instruction. Colleges have been
established at Constantinople, Aintab and Har-
put. These are under Independent boards Of
trustees; but are direct outgrowths of the mic
slonary work and potent agency for the moral
and spiritual advancement of the people. The
education is grstuitlous in the theological SEM
lnaries, but Is paid tor in the colleges and in high
schools at a price which is severe tax on the
large majority of those who receive it. Station
classes and more recently high schools, in which
instruction Is given by missionaries, as we'll as
by native teachers, have been established IN
various places and others are contemplated, so
that there shall be at least one in the field of
each station occupied by a missionary. Twenty
one high schools, Of which siAteen are boarding.
schools for girls, now exist at the central points
in all portions of the country. One of these,
called the American Home School, is on a beau
and furnishes instruction PARALLEL to that of a
college to about ninety pupils, from whom pay
ments were received in 1882 to the amount of
1882 Turkish lras ($8,01726) This fact when
compared with the difficulty of getting few
girls, as free boarders, when the first boarding
school was commenced is striking testimony to
the change which has taken place on the sub
ject OF female education and in regard to the es-
tImatlon in which missionaries are held.
Although, at the beginning of the period to
which this comparison relates, the stations oc-
cupied by missionaries were Ia and the number
is now only the same, the work. nevertheless,
has had large territorial expansion. The out.
stations, manned by native laboiers, have in
creased from % to 243. and the aggregate of ma
tive workers of all classes has risen from 81 to
SOL. To superintend this agency and provide
teachers for schools, as reported by the missions
the numbers of American laborers have become
enlarged, as follows Of missionaries from 30 to
AZ and of female assistant missionaries from. 81
to 88.
The highly promising mission to the Bulgari-
ans was not begun until after the commence
ment of the period under review. That mission
now occupies four stations one of which is in
Eastern Roumal at Philippopolis; one at
Samokov, in the Principally Of Bulgaria one
in Macedonia, at Monastir; and one at Con-
stantinople, which is specially for literary and
publication work. 1t has high school, with a
theological department and boarding school
for girls at Samokov and also girls boarding
school at Monastir. 1t has gained a strong hold
among the people by the labors Of its ten mis-
sionaries, its thirteen female assistant missiona-
ries, and its FIVE excellent Bulgarian pastors and