Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-10-29
American missionaries in Turkey.

Hashington Letter to PhjLrdelpAjd Record.
Rev. DR.. Isaac G.. Bliss, for thirty-siX
wears Il missionary in Turkey, and for
TWENTY-FIVE years the agent of the Ameri-
can Bible Society at COnstantinOple, had
a long talk with Secretary Frelinghuysen
the other day about the relations of the
United States Government with American
missionaries abroad, particularly those
i'm Turkey. DIR. Bliss requested the inter-
View. / believe, but Secretary FrelIng-
huysen was as glad to see him as though
he hard asked him to come. Personally
Secretary Frelinghuysen takes great IN
terest in the missionaries, although he
NAV not be able to do very much tor
them officially. DIR. Bliss accurately
described the relations now existing
between our government and our
missionaries. Our State Department
deals very gingerly with the missionaries.
1t approves of them unOficially, but its
official approval is given tentatively, if at
all. and is so hedged about with condi-
lions as to render it embarrassing rather
than otherwise. Our missionaries are at
great disadvantage as compared with
those of other countries. Their condition
IN Turkey is typical. The Sultan has de-
creed religious liberty, and has as for
mally and as publicly granted certain de-
sirable privileges to all missionaries.
Now, the English missionaries, possessed
of the sympathy and the moral support of
the English Minister and his Consular
officers, enjoy these rights to the fullest
extent: but the American missionaries.
possessed of neither the sympathy nor the
moral support of our diplomatic represent
atives. except in hall-bearted and, there
fore. useless way, enjoy these rights
i'm very uncertain, unsatisfactory fash
ion Secretary Frelinghuysen promised
to look into the matter and to give our
missionaries such protection as was in
his power His letter TO our diplomatic
representatives on this subject will not
he very fierce. Not as fierce, for exam
pie. as Secretary Blaine's would have
been But the missionaries would prOba-
Div be the better for anything that our
government might say as indicating its
sympathy. Nothing very fierce is needed.
No war-ships or big guns; simply the eX-
preston by our government of its inter-
est i'm these Americans, and its desire
that they should enjoy all the rights ac-
corded to citizens Of the most favored ma
tions. | heard two or three stories the
other day that showed how the United
States could legitimately exercise its
influence so as to secure the
rights of the missionaries. One
relates to the founding of Roberts Col
Iege. The Turkish Government had given
its consent to the erection of the building,
but had not formulated the requisite de-
cree. A year had slipped by, and the
missionaries were becoming somewhat
impatient when Admiral Farragut came
to Constantinople on his voyage around
the world. One of his friends among the
missionaries said to him' admiral, you
will be entertained while you are here by
all the principal government officials.
You will confer very great favor upon
us if YOU will drop remark now and
then i'm the ears of your hosts as to
the prospects of Roberts College-just
enough to show that you are Interested"
The Admiral did as his friend sug-
gested. He asked several OF the officials
with whom he dined, casually, in course
of conversation, whether the Roberts Col
lege decree had been issued yet. In a
lay or two the high officials got together
and compared notes. The great Ameri-
can Admiral had spoken of the same
thing to each of them. Evidently be took
an interest. In two weeks the decree was
published, and Roberts College was some
thing more than a name. The decree for
the erection of the first Bible house IN
COnstantinOple was held back in the
same way through the enmity OF a
Pasba who was in bad favor with
the Grand Yizier. At the suggestion
of one of the missionaries, who had Just
learned that the Obstructing Pasha and
the Grand Vizier were moi friends, Il. JOY
Morris, then our Minister to the Porte,
dropped in on the Grand Nizier one day
and incidentally remarked that the
Americans, who were about to build
Bible house which would be great addi-
ton to the city from an architectural
point of view. were being blocked by Off
cial distractions. ''WhO is Obstructing
their progress p asked the polite official,
languidly. $50 and so, Pasha,'' responded
Minister Morris, with well affected indif-
ference. "Ah," said the Grand Vizier.
Frightening up at the name: 81 must look
into this" In very few days the Bible
house decree was issued and the corner
stone laid.