The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-12-28
DR.. CYRus HAMLIN.

the millions of people under the rule CT
the sultan they found We're Mohamme-
dams, who looked upon all others as inf
dels and best converted to the true faith
by the sword. They found that while
legally any person was entitled to
change his religious belief, practically
he could do no such thing; that the
Turk who renowned the faith of the
prophet at once became Il social outcast
and subject for the most fanatical and
cruel persecution. This was bad enough.
Under these conditions it is not to be
wondered that so few Turks have been
converted, but that any should have
been. Besides the Mohammedan there
are seven other creeds recognized
Greek, Armenian, Syrian, Maronite,
Protestant, Jewish and Roman Catholic.
The harmony between these is not great.
Thus it was not very promising field
that the Rev. DIR. Cyrus Hamlin looked
upon when he went there early in the
ffties. To attempt to teach those people
a new religion was purely out of the
question. The way for that must first be
prepared by educating them. Like bar
barians, they must first be civilized and
Christianized afterward. With money
furnished by Christopher Robert, a
wealthy New York merchant, and with
$50, 900 of his own, DR.. Hamlin endeav-
ored to establish college, but such was
the strength Of the prejudice of the
Turkish government that for eight years
he labored in vain.
At last Admiral Farragut sailed into
the Bosporus with three big men-of-war
and went ashore to pay his respects to
the porte. DR.. Hamlin told Farragut of
the obstacles that had been thrown in
his way, and the admiral said that he
would see what he could do for him.
The sultan looked at the big ships
which foated the stars and stripes I'M
der his palace windows, and he was
much impressed. He invited the Ameri-
can admiral to a grand banquet in the
palace of the grand vizier. During the
course of the entertainment Farragut
asked the sultan:
''Why has DR.. Hamlin been prevent
ed from building college in your coun-
try?"
The answer made was an evasive one,
but soon after a charter was granted by
the terms of which a most beautifully
situated plot Of ground, overlooking
Constantinople and the Bosporus was
given to DR.. Hamlin. Afterward, when
the grand vizier was asked why the per-
mission had been granted to the Ameri-
cans, he replied in two words:
'Farragut, warships.''
It was in 1868 that Robert college
was built. Additions have been made
since then and now three imposing
buildings are occupied by Professor
Washburn and his able corps of profess
ors AS an illustration of the vast influ-
ence which this institution is exerting
in all parts of the Turkish empire it is
noted that in the national assembly of
Bulgaria are no less than 20 graduates
of Robert college. This institution now
offers the advantages of a full college
course to 225 students.
DR.. Hamin, who was the president
of Robert college for nearly 20 years,
finally retired from missionary work and
returned to this country. In 1880 he be-
came president of Middlebury college at
Middlebury, vt. He is now "a years old
and lives at Lexington, Mass. He began
his missionary work in 1888 and for
nearly half a century labored in foreign
lands.
Another remarkable example of sue
cess in the face of great opposition was
the establishing Of the American schools
at Beirut. These were begun in 1880 by
the Presbyterian board. At first there
were only handful of children, but to-
day the schools, boarding schools and
colleges founded there by Americans
have no less than $1,000 scholars, and
Beirut is recognized as the educational
metropolis Of western Asia