Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1886-10-11
THE EASTERN STRUGGLE.

The Russians and the BuIgarians-
The Interests at stake Viewed From
the Christian StandpOint-An Adj
dress by Prof. M1l1engen.
Professor Van Millengen of Robert college,
Constantinople, conducted the services at
Calvary Baptist church yesterday and in the
evening preached to a large congregation up
on the struggle in the East, during which he
said: shall confne my remarks this even
ing to the two principal objections of the
advance of the Russians into Bulgaria from
Christian point of view. The first would be
that the advance of the Russians would give
great deal of trouble to the other people of
Europe You American people don't under
stand the way it is in European countries.
Suppose you had powerful nation within
your own nation that was covetous of your
own nation and threatening you. Then you
would have to keep large army, your taxes
would be heavy and you wsuld be in a con-
slant worry to know what portion of J our
territory would be attacked next. Then you
would have some idea of the trouble in the
East. Now in the East by this war Austria
would be the first to suffer.
Germany would have to increase
her already large army, and it is no wonder
all the countries of Europe are armed to the
teeth to prevent the carrying out of the Rus-
sian plan. In the second place, the advance
of Russia means the destruction of nations
which are now Free including Syria, Bulgaria
and Greece, all nations which for some five
hundred years were under the thraldom of
the Turks and which only lately became
emancipated by the aid of Russia. These
countries to-day are willing to aid Russia
and be loyal to her in anything legitimate.
II 4 hJT1lr RJ1I-
garia would go to war for Russia. No charge
of ingratitude can be laid to the countries
freed by Russia.
Russia has shown from time to time that
she desired to put these countries under her
own yoke and it is this that they resent with
all their power. Take Bulgaria. The Bull
garian people after they became free made
in this country not being more
liberal. Russia provised that the prince of
Bulgaria should suspend this constitution.
He did SO and declared that he should be
master for seven years, but he found that in
governing the people absolutely they were
too liberal in their views, and he had to give
them back their constitution. And you see
how the Prince of Bulgaria has been abused
of late years by the Gar, and now that the
Prince has gone Russia demands of the peo-
pie of Bulgaria that they give up their con-
stitution. The Bulgarians said that their
charter could be violated and no Russian
troops could not be allowed in their country,
and their army were not allowed to be gov
erned by Russian officers. Here you find
a country that likes liberty, and is approach
ed by its liberator, who says give up your
freedom to US. Bulgaria says no, and they
say it rightly, as it would be
wrong for them to surrender their
liberty. In Constantinople, where we
have Bulgarian students, they require to
have the rules justified and only where we
show ourselves to be right do they yield to
US. In Bulgaria you cannot speak to the
lowest man there in rough manner without
him answering you back and they are peo-
pie who appreciate and know what freedom
is after five hundred years of oppression.
They love this freedom and no matter what
other countries want they will fight to keep it.
These are the two greatest objections 1 have
spoken of. Russia thought they might crush
Bulgaria and so they sent Russian officers to
command the Servians, who were at war with
Bulgaria so as to throw the latter country
into the power of Russia. Suppose Russia
gains her point, what will be the consequences
so far as the real welfare of those countries
is concerned. A despotism will follow
and as these nations are much more civil
lied politically, than Russia, there will be an
irrepressible conflict. The question is, will
Russia always remain as she is or will she
change for the better and bless all these
nations against which she IS now hghtlng!
have great hopes of her and think a nation
like Russia must go forward as a country hav-
ing so much to do with the civilized coun-
tries must advance. Russia did one good
act, that of the emancipation of a million
serfs, which shows that she has feeling and
there may be day when the people will be
free. The literature of Russia is also improv-
ing. 1 have no wish that Russia should
succeed in gaining her point, in this Bulgar-
ian matter and believe the God who gov
erns all things will see that this question is
rightly decided. ~. ...