The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1895-03-08
Letter From Turkey.
MARAsH, Jan. %, 1s9!


What good thing do you suppose has
happened? Today's post brings word from
Mr.. Dwight at Constantinople that Minister
Terrell has received an trade from the Sui
tan Chats command) or rather his majesty
has sent word here, himself, to leave us
missionaries alone. Rejoice with us. The
man who was acting as Pasha while they
were prosecuting us about that box has been
removed and sent to Oorfa, a horrid place.
keeps his office there, and he is native of
this place and his property is here. Our
minister, Terrell, is indignant and has
referred the matter to Washington, to know
what reparatiOn to demand for our an
noyances. The Sultan says an apology
shall be made for Juggling off our box and
accusing us, and all the mean things they
have been doing, and in the future, boxes
having gone through the customs, shall not
be searched here.
If you could see how rejoiced we are oyer
this news you would surely say that we
were scared before. Now, did not realize
was worried, but the relief that we feel
makes us doubt whether al! unconsciously
our previous indifference was not assumed
for each others benefit and to reassure our
girls.
We have proof that they made business
of opening our letters here. A Catholic
who fancied he understood English has been
engaged i'm the brave business. They
learned that we received clippings from the
papers and that our papers had ne,os in
them. They were simply Infatuated. DIR.
s., a native physician, came up from the
city to tell us that they were coming to
search the college. Mrs. M. was sick at
the time. We assured him that we did not
believe they would do such thing, but if
they came they would have to cut down all
the doors. Mr.. Lee was yet at Aintab and
they boosted for our benefit that he should
never return to Marash. Mounted soldiers
watched our premises nights, not to protect
us but to see if any gunpowder was taken
away. We were glad enough to have them,
for it is the ignorant mob that is to be
feared. They are so densely ignorant that
they fancy Constantinople Is larger than
the whole of America.
The news of the Moosh massacre had Just
come to the knowledge of the people though
we had known of it for some time. The
rabble met in the markets and they had
their blood thirsty appetites finely whetted.
They said that the Koran eDjons killing
the dogs of intidels and why would it not be
merItorious to do likewise here? ! can give
you no idea of the terror of the common
people, or the fear OF our best educated
men. Well, no wonder. They know by
bitter experience that they are in the hands
of wolves, and that though Christian nations
will send gunboats to reinstate some petty
savage king, that they may have life made
torture, and death carnival for the
Turks, but that there is no help for them.
am getting beside myself. | must stop
feeling or l shall do or say something des-
perate.
or course there was the annual scare and
this time with some reason, that Christians
iall Americans they mean by that were to
be murdered in the churches. People went
armed, they said. But previous to this, in
structions came from the capital to kill all
the old church. When the loads of Mr.
McCuleum and Mrs. .Marden. containing
their travelling outfit, came from Aintab they
were seized and taken to the Pasha. A
bottle of medicine was distracted. Two
American newspapers were returned bear
ing the official stamp, and they had COM
ments in them. Well, yes, Mr.. Lee came
back all right. but he took a very circuitous
route, coming in from the mountains at the
back of our mission houses. The old Enron,
(holy mani, who had been set to watch for
him, was there to see him come. Mr.. Lee
was obliged to copy certain of his papers
and send them by mail, because they had
men out looking for him, and had he been
taken all Of his papers would have been
taken from him and that would have been
the last of them. Mr. Martin, our touring
missionary, was shut, up in the mission