The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-05-07
Turkish Tolerance.

A correspondent of the New York Her.
aid" INDUCES in some plain speaking re-
| gar3ing missionary work in Turkey, ard
alleged outrages against Armenians. he
says:
! 81 have frequently across hatred and con-
| tempt for the Turk among missionaries; but, of
course, there many exceptions notably in
| connection with the well-known ROBBERS College,
/ near CoEstantinople. the chiefs OF which always
( get on well with the Turkish authorities
unfortunately. however, the pernicious activity
| of the missionary element in Turkey has po-
liticai undercurrent Which is kept in steady mo-
| ton and carefully fostered by those who have an
interest in sowing the storm In order that others
may reap the whiTlwind."
His view of the situation is that the
Turkish Government is distinguished for
its federation, in allowing body of out
landars, of a different religion from that
supported by the State. to live unInolestad
in the country and incite the people 10
political agitation. He claims thet the mis-
sionary schools have created a large
body of half-educated and wholly dis
affected Armenian and Turkish students,
who spend most of their time fomenting
trouble in one way or another.
This opinion will seem to most Ameri
cans rather extreme, because we have been
taught to regard the "unspe akable Turk
| as something but little higher than a FL
iian IN point of morality, and into!erant
and cruel beyond all measure. 1t is also
the impression of most people in this coun-
try that the missionary work in Turkey
is wholly beneficial and enlightening in its
results, and that only the natural psrver-
| him TO oppose it in any way. But suppose
we consider the whole matter from tie
Turks side of it.
Here is an element in the population
! CT Turkey which is and always will remain
foreign, alien to the customs, habits, and
thought of the people, no matter how much
the native may conform to the HABITS OF
the Western world. There is no possibili-
ty that American and Eng,ish missionaries
will ever become Turkish in their sympa-
thies ideas, traditions, customs. or even in
their dress. Here and there a fo-eien
merchant Will adopt Turkish ways Of liv-
ing. either from motives of policy or be-
cause he likes them, but the very essence
Of the missionary spirit is opposed to any
thing Of the kind. Now, In this country.
the fact that the Chinese were not and
never could be In sympathy with Ameri-
can institutions was considered good and
sufficient reason for forhidding them TO
come here at all. Many Americans SYM
pathize with the Beers on the ground that
they have right to exclude from their
country anyone who was not prepared to be-
come assimilated with the people, even TO
the point CT fighting against his own rela-
tiyes, should war arise. Does anyone sup
pose that in case of war between En-
gland or America and Turkey the mission
aries would join the Turkish Army?
Yet the Turkish Government has never
offered any forcible opposition to their
presence but has confined itself to mild
restrictions of their privileges. and even
this is represented as persecution. AS 10
persecution of the Armenans, until po-
litical issues were raised along the line
of religion, about one-third of the best
paid and more responsible officials OF the
Mohammedan Government were OF this
race. Contrast this with the argument Of
Mr.. Gladstone against the admission Of
Nonconformists to the privileges of En-
giish universities, He claimed that they
should not be allowed to enjoy these privi-
leges. because the system OF the university
aimed at the formation OF moral charac-
ter, and this could not be attained II every
student were at liberty to exclude himself
from the religious training Of the place
As is well known. this restriction made IL
impossible fer Robert Browning to obtain |
a university education, and there is TO |
knowing how many other brilliant men
we're excluded by it.
OF course. the ideal state of things Is |
perfec: liberation in religious matters, SO |
long a. the State is net injured. hui In hu- |
man society each State must be its own |
Judge Of what VIII prove injurious 1t S |
nanifestly unfair TO condemn the Turk 20 |
into'vfant for doing precisely WHIT would |
he done In this country in like case Sup |
pose a MohammeGan should come and |
found q school, say in Georgia. Indiana,
or the Indian Territory. in which the pr.n- |
eiples OK the Mohammedan religion should |