The Penn's Grove record., 1891-01-30
rp,Y Tur MISSION FIELD.


Ertratcs from P,trai' i't'erS'
Tabriz, Persia Dec. s, 1890.
We have received the RECORD and
S,,ob,a, telling us oI what Il big VIC
tory the Democrats have had. The
tariff bill seems to have done it. The
silver bill passed by the United States
affects us here III that it makes our sill
yer MONEY here higher, thereby reduc-
ing the purchasing value Of our salary.
We are both well and beginning to like
Persia. an doing some medicinal
work but am not anxious to do much
until / have learned the language pretty
we'll. We have had but one snow, but
are expecting more any time. We have
more snuw lere than you have and our
winters are about as long, while our
summers are longer, drier and hotter.
have not bought any horse yet.
Good horses here cost between $50 and
$50. We always 20 m horse back when
we bavt. very far It. 60, When we go
only "A short distance we walk. The
natives | have visited have treated INT
very kindly. Gave me tea and candy.
We generally have to sit on the floor
VIXEN calling, though some Of them
now have European chairs bought pur-
posply for us foreigners. The people
here don't srtJm to drink much, al
though there is plenty of wine made
here.
Dec. 23rd, 1880.
No, we are not disappointed with
Tabriz. Really it is better than we ex-
pected. We have Il girls school here,
a large building which the mission
OWLS, containing at present about 40
girl b0arders. We have also Il boys
boarding school containing about 20
boarders. Both schools are i'll charge
of our missionaries.
We also have Il church and soon in
tend to build 4 new, larger one, if the
government will allow us. We also
hope soon 10 buy ground and build a
hospital.
The majority of the people here are
Mohammedans-the very worst people
to convert. They are not allowed to
come to our church by their priests,
and all the work now being done among
them is individual work. Another
large class here are Armenians. They
are not SO bad as the Mohammedans
and were originally Il Christian people,
but their Church las ~degenerated so
that they also are, apparently, on the
down road.
The Mohammedans come to III dis
pensary and would also come to church
were they not prohibited from doing so
by the government. As it is, however,
we aIe making progress among them.
The Armeniaus have no Churches of
their W but we are also progressing
among them. The natives have good
opinions Of Amelicans-say they are the
only nation which do not lie. How
ever, they have only seen American
Missionaries and should they once get
in America | am afraid they would
loose the exalted opinion they now have
OF our nation. To tell stories the Ia
tives do not consider siuful.
The government here in Tabriz is moi
favorable To the Mission. This is the
hardest iirl | for mission work, | be-
lievp, in all Persia. The Mnlammed
ans ale stuhhoIn class to work among.
they 10 not brlj"ve christ was the Son
of God and they do not beiieV" III The
Trinity. Their Bible is the Koran, II
book written hy nrir 50 C,liel prophet,
Muhaumrt, 1900 Years ago. The
KuIan ALLOWS each man four wives and
as many ]cuucubiHes as they can afford
to keep,
Yes, they do carry water here in jugs.
We lave no wells and hay" to send II
man oul every morning u il horse TO u
s'ream a mile away. Wood is bought
10y the POUND and is dear. We will
have Christmas dinner together-all
the Observation-Disclosures adults and
nine children. VIII probably have
roast turkey. We are all well.
DIR. WIN. :. VANNEMAN.