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

A correspondent of the New York Her.
aid" INDUCES in some plain speaking re-
( gar1ing missionary work in Turkey, ard
alleged outrages against Armenians. He
! says:
81 have frequently come across hatred and con
tempt for the Turk among missiouaries: but OF
course, there are many exceptions, notably in
connection with the Well-knoWn ROBBERS College,
near Corstautinopie, the chiefs Of which always
get on well with The Turkish authorities
Il unfortunately however, the perncious activity
@; the missionary element in Turkey has po-
liJical wdcICuueUt, Which is kept in steady mo
ton and carefully fcstercd by those who have an
interest ia 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 a body OF out
laudars, Of a different religion from that
supported by the State. to live unmolestsd
in the country and incite the people 10
political agitation. He claims that 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 viii seem TO most Ameri-
cans rather extreme. because We nave been
taught to regard the "unspeakable Turk"
as something but little higher than a Fl
jian IN point Of morality, and intolerant
and cruel beyond all measure. II is also
the impression Of most people in this coun-
try that the missionary work in Turkey
is wholly beneficial and enlighteuing in its
results. and that only the natural perver-
sity and deprayed nature of the Turk leads
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. ard
thought OF the people no matter how much
the native may conform to the hatits Of
the Western world. There is no possibili-
ty that American and Eug,ish missionaries
viii ever become Turkish in their sympa-
thies. ideas. traditions. customs. or even in
their dress. Here and there a fo-eirn
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 Amer-
can Institutions was considered good and
sufficient reason for forbidding them to
come here at all. Many Americ cans sym
psthize with the Beers on the ground that
they have a right to exclude from their
country anyone whowas not prepared to be-
come assimilatcd with the people. even 10
The point CT fighting against his own rela-
tives. 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 forcibIe opposition to their
presence, but has confined itself 70 mild
restrictions Of their privileges. and even
this is represented as persecution. As 10
Of the Armenians, until po-
Iitical issues we're raised along the line
Of religion, about one-third OF the best
paid and more responsible officials OF the
Government were OF this
race. Contrast this with the argument Of
Mr.. Gladstone against the admission Of
to the privileges Of En-
slish 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 70 exclude himself |
from the religious training Of the place. |
As is well known. this restriction made IL /
fer Robert Browning to obtain |
a university education. and there is 70 /
knowing how many other brilliant men /
we're excluded by IT,
or course. the ideal state Of things is
perfect liberation in religious matters. so
ong as the State is not injured but in hu-
nan society each State must be its own
Judge Of what viii prove Injurious 1t S
unfair TO condemn the Turk IS
ntolersnt for doing precisely what would
nc done In this country in like case Sup
pose = Mohammedsn should come and
ound q school, say in Georgia. Indiana,
y the Indian Territory, in which the prln-
'iples OF the Mohammedan religion should |