The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-01-31
THE CHURCH AT SMYRNA.
A Visit to One Of 1.-The Seven Golden Candle
Sticks"

Sticks"
Smyrna Letter, in New York Times.
We are living moored in smooth basin pro-
tected by two long breakwaters of stone, in the
innermost hollow of deep curving inlet shut in
on every side by vast ring of purple mount
aims, the peaks of which are fast kindling into
living fire in the glory of the sunrise. High on
the brow of the nearest ridge dark gray mass
of crumbling battlements and huge ronnd tow
ers and deep, tunnel-like windows looks sullenly
down upon the great sheet of many colored
houses which has drifted half way up the broad,
brown hill But this ancient stronghold is
literally the sole antique feature of the entire
panorama. Behind the forest of masts that
bristles around row of tall white ware
houses with red-tiled roofs stand looking
at themselves In the smooth water upon which
half dozen fussy little steam tugs putting
and Snorting to and fro. Tram-cars jingle
along the edge of the harbor. Painted boats
rowed by lean, brigand like Greeks in suits of
grease, with caps to match, fit hither and
thither like flies. Red-capped Turks in bright
colored robes and girdles stand around the land
ing place, talking eagerly among themselves.
Even the traditional camels have been pressed
into the service of civilized commerce, and GO
siouching and grunting along the quay laden
with boxes swathed ia mating. little way
French tricolor futtering jauntingly at her
stern, is gliding out toward the open sea, while
cables length off on our port quarter hes an
English cargo boat on the forecastle of which a
misanthropical dog with very bad cold is, as
our old quartermaster POLITICALLY phrases it,
barking his very soul out"
Amid all this hustle of busy modern life it is
certainly rather difficult to realize that this very
city of Smyrna actually existed, in q size aud
splendor to which its present Importance is as
nothing, in days when England was hunting
ground of painted savages, and when Christianity
itself had not yet spread beyond the little group
of unlettered fishermen who gathered around
their Master beside the sea of Calico OF the
other great political and religious centers of
Asia Minor at that period not one now survives.
Six of the seven golden candlesticks" have been
removed out of their place, as the last Of the
apostles foretold Sardis. Pergamos Philadsl
phia, Thyatira Ephesus, Laodicea have vanished
like a dream. Smyrna alone still lives, and
trades and bustles on the very spot which it oc
cupied when the beloved disciple, alone in his
Punishment upon the rocky slet which lies but
few hours sail to the southwest of US, sent to
her down-tredden church the grand message
which has ever since been a household word
with Gods servants in their af1fiction BE thou
faithful unto death, and will give thee crown
of life." One memorial of those times still sur
wives amid the noisy activity of the modern sea
port Halfway up the hill behind the town
solitary cypress keeps watch over a small shrine
of stone, beneath which, if local traditions may
be trusted rest the ashes of Smyrnas first and
greatest martyr, the venerable Polycarp.
In his childhood, according. to legend which
one would the gladly believe h he was
Savior's hand was laid in blessing and his end
was worthy of such commencement The
whole martyrology of the early Christian church,
rich as it is in noble memories, contains
nothing grander than the picture of this brave
old man standing unmoved amid the spears of
the Roman soldiers and the yells of a blood
thirsty mob, and answering the proeonsul's offer
of life on condition of forswearing his religion,
"Fourscore and six years have served my king,
and can turn traitor nowP
But the time to see Smyrna at it's best Is after
nightfall when the oriental dirt and disorder
that shock the eye in daylight are yelled in
friendly darkness, and nothing can be
seen of tho town save vast array
of glow worms shining in endless per-
spectlve along the slopes of the encircing
ridges In the depth of the purple twilight the
bold heights which looked so bare and stony be-
meath the blistering glare of the midday sun as
sumo sonfber anu snadowy beauty recalling
the interior of some ancient Hindu temple
while the graceful white mnarcts family seen
through the gloom, as we'll as the tremulous re-
lection of the countless lights of the city, and
the blue, green, or crimson lanterns Of the an
chored steamers in the smooth water below,
give to the whole scene an air of absolute en-
chantment. All this lay before eyes as we
sat on the poop deck about p NJ, enjoying the
cool evening breeze after the heat OF the day.