The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-05-07
RELIGION OF BULGARIA.
An Interesting Address by Mr.. Stayan
X. vatraIsky.

AT the Trinity Congregational Church
last night Mr.. Stayan X. vatralsky. a Bull
garian, talked on Bulgaria and Her Re-
ligion." prefacing his remarks with a brief
description of the country. He said:
For nearly fifteen hundred years the
Bulgarians have inhabited three provinces,
on the Balkan peninsula, In southeastern
Europe, the provinces known in classical
times as Moesia, Thracia and Macedonia.
The three taken as q unit make ethnologi-
cally the Bulgaria OF the Bulgarians. L
would AVE you bear in mind this distinc-
ton, for 1 am yet to meet the American
who could give me a correct definition OF
Bulgaria. Remembering that every map on
the subject in English liz misleading, as
well as every encyclopaedia from Britain
MICA downwards, / do not wonder that
every American mistakes Moesian Bull
garia for the whole country; but for that
very reason there is q greater need TO call
your attention that the province between
the Balkans and the Danube is, as a matter
of fact, no more Bulgaria than England is
Great Britain or New England is the
United States. / repeat, the land Of the
Bulgarians embraces, in southeastern Eu-
rope, three provinces, anciently known as
Moesia, Thracia and Macedonia. These
taken as a unit make the Bulgaria of the
Bulgarians.
Politically, the country is now divided
into two almost equal parts; Macedonian
Bulgaria, with a part or southeastern
lHTdCldy SUI UuQ6T 1QThty, LII lbC Aih
cipality of the new Bulgaria, under its own
national government. The name Bulgaria
is sometimes confined to the principally OF
Bulgaria only in the sense that the princi-
pality is the most important portion or the
lane of the Bulgarians.
THE population of the principality or
Bulgaria is less than three and a half mil
lions, and its territory covers nearly 10000
square miles. 1t is bounded on the east by
the Black sea; on the north by Bulgarian
Dobrouja-possessed by Roumania-and the
Danube; on the west by Servia and on the
south by Turkey.
garia differs but little from the climate
of New England, the difference being in
favor of Bulgaria. 1t is a mountainous
country. next to Switzerland and Monte
negro, the most mountainous realm in
Europe.
"Religiously, Bulgaria belongs to the
Orthodox Church. called also. Greek and
Eastern. in order TO distinguish 1t from
the Roman and Western church. In
hierarchy and dogma she occupies a po-
sition between the Roman Catholic and
Anglican churches" After referring TO
her glorious record during the early ages
of the Christian era. the speaker contin-
ued: 1.-THE Greek Church of to-day pre-
sents a most melancholy spectacle. a mere
ghost of her departed power and ancient
glory. So far as she lives, she lives, or
rather dreams. in the past and of the past.
Instead of letting the dead past bury its
dead this church has allowed to be herself
buried under 1t. The Bulgarian National
Church is like a ship in midocean whose
out a chart, without a compass, without
n star and without a port of destination"
Mr.. Vatralsky spoke hopefully of the
work of the American missionaries in his
country. Like their religious ancestors
upon the New England shore said the
speaker, they build better than they
Know" characterizing their work as 9Th
only star of hope upon the gloomy horizon
of Bulgaria."