New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-05-18
MISSIONARIES IN TuRRr,
THE SECRET OF THE REsEy-vr
AGAINST THEM.
THEIR SECULAR TEACHING GIVES THE ana,

Constantinople correspondence OF The ro,.
News. A'huon Dan
| The conduct OF the Turkish Goyernnsr.
to the american missionaries Is generate n fesas.
az an attempt 10 see how Europe would ressrts
measure taken for the expulsion on o.. a,egam a,
sonaries generally: The Turk can hardiv ~ MS
with the result Inc Roman Catholic ris. m,.dsl
are fuIly awe 10 the meaning OF the
the energetic conduct Of VI. Cambon sslsnt All
France intends to claim the full rgh,s ~ ih,!
citizens. whether clericas or not %" Vi Ffenrs
An attempt was made and was cont,r,..
months by the Porte 10 distinguish In ths cr many
between the Armenans Of the National liz canaisscfs,
union with Rome. but this distinction cov MO an h
observed In Armenia itself Are ,hs1 NJ i
gaours alike asked Moslem rufhan A. ~ d Il
and could get no satisfactory answer ~ sozrI
tant point however. Is that this attenn,as%s hpdi
ton did not deceive the foreign Catholic 49,, I1.
and that their silence was not to he ,"m..ssssasaS
securing the safety OF their own 6octs enas< "
paces-lndeed In every place where w. 40 nan
OF their acting at all-they have done tbi' e hest
the Christian population without Inquiry es J. e
In reference to he work done both Nv 'n a or not
Protestant missionaries and by Roman ccm.sercia
ii must be rem mbered that the ChrsI.r Cataolcs
OF Asia Minor and Syria had sunk ma population
of ignorance. which is not remarkabe IN -, coalition
periodical massacres and plunderings pr,ss,9t he
people were alike sunk In the deepest rovls ar4
ignorance. 1t IL true that In Vienna and WY and
Mekltarist congregations OF the Armen,,,..nss he
llshed by men who had been fortunate ~. siA
leave Turkey. have done noble work Thu 70
their work has been atteSted at their convs,.a t
Lazzaro in Venice. both by Mr. Gladsousn "a; s,a
Ruskin Ii has mainly been for the eiucs az NJ
Armenian priests and laity. but necessarIr a'n q
limited In character. and did not affect ~ Eas
observation that the mass Of clergy and lss 'nela!
were left In Ignorance. ana
WORK OF THE AMERICAN BoARn
The American Board OF Missions set ,,,.,..
move this ignorance All the great Pro,ss,,o y
nomlna tons OF America are represented ma, y. ~
in the missions 1t established in Turkey H. aug
commenced between fifty and sixty years aso ~ ,soT
unaware Of the terms OF the Arrangement ror N
with English and German missionary soca,s.Aen
which IL seems to have been agreed that the 70. "
mission field should be loft almost excuslrsga
Americans. but one Of the considerations rsa
brought about such arrangement was thai ArG
cannot even be suspected OF having any no.1.
ends to by sending missionaries into *. .
try. Whatever might be said Of England, no b.
would believe that America coveted an inch MI
ish territory. American missionaries have ra,L.,
solely for phllanthropic. educational and rsls.ss
ends. Until few years ago. wherever an eius,,.;
Armenian was met. he had In all likelihood b4sn 49,
Gated at a missionary school The American nv
slons have colleges at Harpoot Marsovan Psv,.s r
and Aintab, and they have magnificent college d;
the BosphoruS. They have hospitals at AIntab M,
din and CIsarea. There are American mlssionsrs.
also permanently stationed at such centres :,
Broussa, Smyrna Adana Treb.zond SIyas Mean
Van and the towns previously mentioned Whsrsvs,
they are formed they are in charge Of schools h,
boys and girls.
At first a good deal Of opposition was encoun,.,.,
by the missionaries on the natural ground that hi,
object was 10 establish rival churches and 70 oban
proselytes from the Armenian Church The suiT
common-sense Of the missionaries has long snx
largely overcome such opposition. As the. ~
rarely been any preaching in the Armenian cbu,,hs
their educational value being indeed until ORES
Gently practically NIL. the missionaries have s.sry.
where occupied themselves largely with prsi:at,
and teaching. The Armenlans have attersa q:
Sundays. have learned hat the preachers hadnis.
fish end TO serve. and while 50 doing have remained
members OF their own Church.
THE AMERICANS HIGH STANDING
One hundred and fifty American missionaries some
OF them highly educated men. have thus been an!
are now centres OF light through Asia Miner and
Syria Their influence Is one which any civilized Gov
eminent ought to welcome. They are everywhere
respected and trusted by the population, Turkish as
well as Christian. and by the foreign Consus Of
every country In Europe. Very many Of them ars
qualified medical and the value Of their med.
cal services meets with unbounded appreciation n
districts where no doctors are TO be found. Their
influence is on the side % order. and though they
take no part in politics their instincts are agaInS,
anything in the nature OF rebellion the supper, Of
secret societies. Indeed they are under obligation
litical movements. II was in conformity with this
obligation that when last year volume OF evidence
on the Armenian wrongs was published In America
and England by Mr.. Greene. that gentleman had 10
abandon all connection with the Mission Board DO.
fore he brought out his volume.
Under such conditions. IL may be asked Why,
then should the Government wish 70 get rid Of mis-.
s!onaries. Protestants and Cath0Nc dMey' II Should
be distinctly understood that there 10 question ..
converting Mahometans to any form OF Christian
faith. The penalty for such conversion Is death
and as fact, neither Catholics no, protes,ano
reason 10 be sought in any inter-Christan disputes
which disturb the public peace. None such exs.
The efforts Of the missionaries have been successful
In raising the tone OF morality among the various
Christian populations. ana the education they have
given has enabled thousands Of Armenans 10 b.
come comparatively prosperous. Az in the case q
Bulgaria twenty years ago. tho prosperity o, me
Christian portion OF the community arousedthe envy
OF those who belonged TO the ruling creed ln.tn t.
lively the Turk recognizes that the education gven
by these foreign glaours places the Christians a. Al
advantage in trade and even In agriculture. Tnefs
are indeed. many cases. both In the provinces ana
in the capital. where both boys ard girls have psea
sent by Moslem parents 10 mission schools. VIA!
was desired was. OF course secular instruction. ana
not religious teaching. Such children had 70 ee sen.
more or less secretly. and in many cases they VIZ
refused entrance on account OF the difficulties !asea
b. the Government when the fact OF tner ADMISSION
becomes known.
THE SECRET OF THE IRRITATION
These are exceptional cases. but 1t may be takeau
certain that the Turks recognize generally tnM y.
labors OF the foreign missionaries are benen;l "
the Christian rather than 10 the Moslem popaAa,o'
since the latter cannot come under ;helr innasns.
The agents OF the Government feel also ina, ws'
missions, with their schools and colleges the' hos
pltas. their medical men and trained nurses -.
the symbols OF the advance OF civilization W.
Western lines For many wears past there nav. IL
constant incidents showing irritation agaihA
progress or the Armenian people due TO the ""A"
m.sslons In Turkey. -.
Inc immediate cause Tor the recent V..
against missions is easy 10 trace. The mlssNaE.
Protestant and Catholic alike have been lars.l,.
strumental in letting light upon the events - -
menia during the last two years Newspaper
spondents could be forbidden TO travel In -
terror the letters of Armenians and other i IN,
subjects could be ostentatiously examined ana w..
writers arrested. but these foreign mssysa'W
could not be prevented from telling the ua.s
Cambon's notification 10 the Grand we. @
any French citizen at Slyas were injures rance
require the head OF the Vail. shows how ~ ..'i
was prepared 10 protect her missionaries ins ss Az.
the American missionaries know more o. ws .,,,
menan massacres than any other body op s,s,,
They are independent men OF too high plin'a. ne
be bought. and are necessarily obnoxious - .ns
Government Moreover they have been me Pr AS
distributors of relief among the survivors OF INC "0
sacres c.,
The English Embassy. and in times past .ns o
man Embassy. have been ready TO AID me a., :,
tatves Of the United States in resisting any ~ \,
injustice OF which the American missionaries in,sI
As the telegraph has ALREADY I.n \.
your readers Sir Philip Currie acted eJal.
support OF the representations made py "; 90
the United States Charge dATares In 80 JV "a ~
was following line of precedents dating oaeA w.
time of Sir Stratford Canning.