Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1902-05-19

q Readers of the MONITOR noted in
last weeks issue the article on Rev.
Robert Thomson, Samokov, Bulgaria,
the missionary supported by the
Orleans county conference of Congl
churches. The article was accompa-
MED by a picture of Mr.. Thomson,
which is supplemented this week by a
picture of his wife and five children.
Since the present arrangement for his
support was made, letters of much
interest have been received from him.
The present article will consist mainly
of extracts from these letters. Next
week it is hoped to publish personal
message from Miss Ellen M. Stone,
with her picture. IF however a COM
munication from her should fail to
arrive, some further facts regarding
the Bulgarian work will be given.
Samokov, the place where Mr..
Thomson is stationed with several
other missionaries, is a city of $4,000
inhabitants, situated in the principal
ity of Bulgaria in about the center of
the country that on the old maps used
to be called European Turkey. The
station was chosen thirty years ago,
partly because of it's convenient loca-
ton, but especially because of it's
healthfulness. 1t is on plain 5000
feet above the sea level, with noun
tains on all sides. The abundance of
pure water is special feature of the
region, and almost every residence in
the city is supplied with running
fountain. The girls school of the
mission is situated here, and also the
Collegiate and Theological Institute,
of which Mr.. Thomson is in charge.
A seven years course of study is fur
nished in the institute. The number
of students this year is about seventy.
AS stated last week Mr.. and Mrs.
Thomson are Scotch; but Mr.. Thorn
son studied several years in this
country. In his first letter to the
conference, dated Oct. 4, 1901, he says
of himself: circumstances led me
to take my theological studies at
Union Seminary, New York City, and
my roommate during all my three
years there was F. E. Woodruff of
Underhill, VT, now a professor in
Bowdoin college, Me. The late Rev.
@. A. Savage of Orange, n. j., whose
friendship made when he was tutor
in Robert college, Constantinople,
was native of Stowe, VT. Both of
these friends visited on the east and
west sides of Mt. Mansfield; and 1
remember how much your beautiful
were in Scotland. Then, too, one of
the members of our mission and of
this station, Rev. F. L. Kingsbury, M.
D., is from Vermont; but you prob
ably know that he has been detained
by illness in America for more than
three years, and possibly may be I'M
able to return"
In the same letter he summarizes
his own work as follows:
Gin brief my work here is Cd I am
director of the Collegiate and Theo-
logical Institute here, responsible fol-
it's management. (2) teach French
to the three upper classes. 60 1 am
manager of the Industrial Printing
House connected with the Institute
which Driptipn Ho1oo 10 tIa oAHo; n
headquarters of our Missions Publish.
ing Department. (4) 1 have charge
of all the literary and publishing
work, editing our Young Peoples Fort
nightly, and passing all our books anc
tracts through the press. And Of
course 90 take my turn in preach.
ing and conducting meetings."
The following extract from letter
dated Dec. II, 1901, is of interest a,
showing how at times most violen
opponents are won and become ear
nest converts:
~ have a few things to report
Perhaps the most interesting is my
having gone with some of my col,
leagues from this station to be pres.
emit at the dedication of the pretty
well-planned, solidIy built new church
at the neighboring station of Philip
polls. That took place on the 10th Of
November. Despite continuous rair
the three services were so we'll attend
ed that more could hardly have beer
accommodated. We think that be-
tween 500 and 600 were present a.
each service. I had the privilege il
the afternoon of conducting the com
munion service along with the Sophi.
pastor. The occasion was rendered
specially interesting by the fact that