Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1884-02-15
BULGARIA. AND THE nULGARIANs.
The United Services at College street
church Last Night Address by Hcv.
Mr.. Marsh.

| Mr.. Marsh,
The members of DR.. Brastow's church
united last evening with those of College
street church for The purpose Of listening to
the Rev. Mr.. Marsh, who has recently re-
turned from Bulgaria. For the purpose OF
enabling the speaker to illustrate his remarks,
a map of Bulgaria was hung to the rear
OF The altar, aud the speaker made frequent
reference TO this in the course OF his remarks.
The address,
The NiaeteenM Ctutury speaks of the
missionary work as standing among The
foremost rank Of those powers DIES ned to
change The face Of the world. These words
sound like those Of that wise, brosi and
Cniistinn statesman, Mr.. Gladstone. Chlis-
ians take it, are interested IN missionary
work the world over, but we are especially
Interested in that work in which we ourselves
aIe now engaged.
The number Of free Bulgarians may be
stated in found numbers to be about six mil
lion. AT the close of the Turko- Russian war
| There was much dispute rs to what disposal
should be made Of Bulgaria, but the territory
was so divided up that free Bulgaria includ.
ed about the number above stated. The
Bulgarians became nominally Christians
about one thousand years ago, and they have
been under the dominion OF the Turks for
| about five hundred years. Our work is d-
rected from four central stations, the princ-
pal station being at Constantinope and
the remaining three in the interior
| asked myself before going among the Bull
garans the same question that | have been
| asked by others great many times since,
VIZ Why go among people.who arc nom
inally Christians | now answer that those
people were in State which bordercd close
upon idolatry for they had transferred their
attention from the symbols of Christianity TO
the symbols themselves. That is, they would
worship images and pictures of the Savior
and saints. | would rather work among the
Bulgiri than among the heather. Chris
tanity has done much for them but much
more remains TO do. A Bulgarian priest who
at first was extremely hostile to our work
was finally prompted TO say that the frs
time the Gospel had been truly preached
among his people was WHEN the students
from our schools went out among the villages
and taught the people the word God.
We employ three methods of work in get
ting at the Bulgarian people: Schools,
Christian literature and preaching Our work
IN the schools is 10 train those who will
he able TO help us in our work now,
and will be able TO take our places
and continue the work, if we should
decide to withdraw from the field. We al
low Others however, who are of the right
class, to come in TO our schools and receive
instruction by PAYING for it; for the Bulgar-
ians ere amply able to pay for an education.
And right here am glad TO be able to say
that the Bulgarians as q rule take an active
interest in the cause Of education and are
anxious to receive instruction.
Then in regard to literary work. OF
course we give the preference to the Scrip.
lures and we have issued about one hundred
and thirty-tive thousand copies Of the Bible.
Then we are circulating about nine thousand
papers year among the people. This may
seem a small number 10 you, but it is larger
han the circulation of any paper conducted
by the Bulgarians, and we think that's saying
quite little. We are also circulating quite
number OF books among them; among
| these arethe Evidences OF Christianity" aud
II Dictionary OF the Bible. In the work of
issuing the latter we have been materially
assisted Ivy the London Board of Mis-
sons. Last year we sent out about seventeen
thousand copies of this work which are
c icuaed everywhere among the Bulgarians
We know that these works are having a
| wonderful influence from the testimony that
comes to us from time ID time.
In The work of preaching of course we all
do what we can, but some Of us are teachers
| IN schools and other work is )nsequently
| limited. Then the BiDewomen who 90 out
| among the people and read and teach the
masses.
1t is said the Bulariaus are only second to
| the japanese in Their progress towards civil
| liza,on ard that the next ten years will
decide to great extent waether this pro-
grtss is to be Christian or secular There
are now twenty places where the Gospel is
preached aud when there is no preaching
| the people carry on the meetings alone.
There are also six Evangelical churches IN
that portion of Bulgaria where We are now
| working so that those people are making
great progress and growing to he indepen
dent Christians We do not want to MAKE
them Christian paupers q think that term
will be understood in its right senseJ but
strive to teach them to think and act indie
pendently for themselves, and think if we
were to Withdraw from the field they would
continue the work themselves There ART
now about three hundred members in oul
churches. This may not seem large to us
but it must be remembered that we are not
striving for blind prosclytes, but for intcll
gent Christian workers. They have formed
a Bulgarian society and are conducting
book store. There is great spirit of unity,
earnesness and intelligence among them
The Bulgarans as people think our work 8
good one. priest when asked about oul
work replied These Protestants have go
hold Of the tree by the root.
and we are only holding on tC
the TWICE, People of rank BIC
US go on in this work and SPEAK
to us words OF cheer. The Bulgarans arc
surrounded by Slavs, and the best way L
reach the latter is through Bulgaria. In thu
late war it was feared that the Russian sol
ders would drive us from the field but i
was not 50. That war helped us. Many
Bibles in the Russian language were dis
tribued among the soldiers, and so through
southern Russia II is certain that Bulgarl,
has future before it, whether Independent
or as part of Austria or Russia. Now Il
the time to do Christian work there In thi
work we should feel as President Lincoln
did when asked if he thought Goo
was on our side. In reply he said
1T does not concern me whelhci
God is on our side or not, but it docs con-
Germ me whether we are on Gods side: TO
He is always right In this work we shoulS
hear nothing but Forward" and In the Gu,
we shall he met with, "Well done. thol
good and faithful servant enter into H.
joy of thy reward"
Wendell phiIiips at MOntpeIier