Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1902-05-12

: THOMSON.
as one people and received their name
as the result of the incursion of a war
like clan of nonSlavic origin, sup
posed to be from Finland, called
Bulgars, who in $50 A. D. conquered
them and set up kingdom. The
invaders, being few in numbers, soon
became amalgamated with the people
they had conquered, and disappeared
as separate race; but they left their
name and the kingdom they had
founded. This kingdom rapidly adj
vanced, and for several centuries was
a dominant power, and even carried
its arms to the gates of Constanti-
nople. In 1898 the Bulgarians were
overthrow by the Turks and became
Turkish province. From that time
for nearly five centuries they passed
into total eclipse, from which they
have but recently emerged. But not
withstanding this long period of
crushing Mohammedan oppression
they have come forth people still
brave, loving freedom and cherishing
the traditions of their history.
Religiously the Bulgarians profess a
nominal Christianity, but it is relig-
ion much degraded and mingled with
heather superstitions. Christianity
was first brought to them in $50 A. D.
by two missionaries, Cyril and Meth
odius. These men translated the Bible
into the native tongue and gave the
people a Christian literature. The
king was won to the new religion and
proclaimed it the religion of the
nation. A priesthood was established
and the forms of Christian worship
were introduced. However the mass
of the people, while adopting these
forms, had little intelligent conviction
of the truth, and largely retained
their heather practices and ideas. At
the present time the services of the
church are conducted in the ancient
Slavic which is dead language, and
the priests are ignorant and in manyl
cases grossly immoral. Hence has
arisen the need of new missionary
work and the preaching of a pure
gospel among this people.
The first modern missionary work
among the Bulgarians was inaugu-
rated by the Methodist Episcopa
church of the United States, which in
1857 sent out missionaries to occupy
the territory north of the Balkan
mountains. A few months later the
American Board of the Congregational
churches, working from CONSTANT
nople occupied the territory south of
the Balkans. The two societies have
since labored in hearty cooperation.
The American Board has at the present
time four principal stations, 55 out
stations, % missionaries, 100 native
helpers, 16 native churches with a
membership of 1900, one theological
seminary, three high schools, 20 other
schools, besides large Sunday school
work. The results that have been
accomplished are far beyond anything
that can be represented by figures.
The Bible has been translated into
modern Bulgarian, and has been
widely sold and eagerly read by the
people. There is wide constituency
of many who are fully convinced OF
the truth preached by the mission
aries, though they have not yet openly
confessed themselves converts. The
excellent educational methods of the
mission schools have excited the
emulation of the native teachers, who
have introduced many improvements
into their own schools. The high
standards of truth and morality
preached by the missionaries anc
exemplified in the lives of the converts
are deeply moving all the people to
strive for better things. Thus this
people, numbering four millions, are
being regenerated and prepared fol
the important part which they are YET
to fulfil in the worlds history.