The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-05-10
Or. John Peters ReviStS Scenes
of Biblical Significance
POPE is FELT IN REGION
Russia Plays important Part
in Government

Last summer after an absence Of twelve
years I revisited Palestine, spending foUI
months in travelling from Beersheba tc
Dan and beyond, and on both sides of tbs
Jordan. There were few cases of plague
liz Egypt. by reason Of which we were
compelled to enter Palestine by way OF
Beirut and undergo a five days quaran-
tine AT that port At Beirut the Syrian
Protestant College is located, the largest
institution in the Turkish empire. II
occupies striking and conspicuous posi-
ton on the headland south of the town.
known as the Ras el-Belrut. a number
Of new buildings had been ereted since
my last visit, and some more were in
process Of construction In the matter OF
plant the college was, I should judge
two or three times larger than il was
twelve years since, but, as is usually the
case with institutions of learning, even
with the completion OF the buildings in
process of construction its equipment viii
still be very far from the ideal. In 1890
there were only 200 pupils in the college.
There are now somewhat more than 600.
q three-fold increase in twelve years. Ii
should be added that little over one
half Of these 60 students were schoolboys
in the five forms Of the preparatory de-
partment, since in Turkey such an insti-
tuition is compelled to furnish its own
preparatory instruction. OF the rest, 109
were in the School Of Medicine, IS in the
School of Pharmacy, and 26 in the School
of Commerce.
The influence Of the Syrian Protestant
CoIlege is felt throughout all Turkey and
IN Egypt and Cyprus as well, where its
graduates are to be found filling impor-
tant positions. Indeed, one is surprised
In looking over the record of the gradual
ing classes to see 10 what an extent they
seek and find employment outside Of the
Turkish empire. This is partly due to the
obstructiveness of the Turkish Govern
ment and the unfortunate conditions of
that country, which offer small oppor-
tunity for 4 career TO an educated and
ambitious man. Another reason why so
many OF the graduates Of this institution
seek employment in Egypt is because
there are no institutions for higher train
ing of the native youth in that country.
and the government must have educated
natives to fill certain posts. OF ten liv
ing graduates of the collegiate class Of
1888 three are in the employment of the
Egyptian government, two of them in the
Sudan. two are merchants at Cairo, two,
with Paris degrees are lawyers and news
paper men, also of Cairo; two have emf
grated to America. while only one has re-
manned IN Turkey as an instructor in
the preparatory department Of his alma
mater OF nine graduates of the class Of
1894 four are in the employment of the
Egyptian government, three Of them in
the Sudan; one has emigrated 70 Austria
liza, and only one. a lawyer practising in
TripiIi. has remained In the Turkish en-
pire. OF five graduates of the School of
Medicine In the class of 1876. two are dis
trict physicians under the English govern
ment in Cyprus. one is a district physi-
clan In the Lebanon. and one a surgeon
in the Lebanon militia; only one is prac-
Using medicine in the Turkish empire.
Among the students of the college and
its various schools are Ahmenians, Jews,
Copts. Maronites and Greek Christians,
as well IS Protestants, with now and then
a MussuIman. The college is not. in the
strict sense of the word, a missionary in
stftution: that is TO say. il is not under
the control Of any board Of missions, al
though closely associated in its personnel
with Presbyterian missions and mission
aries The attitude OF the authorities Of
the institution is very much the same as
that of such colleges as Columbia, Yale,
Harvard and Princeton. in regard 10 the
religious freedom OF the students In this
respect this institution like Robert Col
lege in ConstantinOple is quite different
from the ordinary schools and colleges Of
foreign foundation, which seek 70 make
propaganda for the respective creeds and
nations. and by virtue Of this fact it has
won q very strong position in the conf
dence Of the natives OF all classes. and is
doing a most important work. both in ele-
waiting the spirituality and morality OF the
community. and also in breaking down
some OF the creed and race preiudioes
which are so pronounced among the peo-
pies OF the Turkish empire
The newest Of its departments. the
School Of Commerce. is a step toward
meeting the great need OF the people OF
the Turkish empire for practical educa-
ton. II is 70 be hoped that ultimately.
either n connection with the college or
through its influence. mechanical and az
rieultural training schools may be estao-
Hsfed IN Syria. Labor Is not regarded as
honopable in the East To work with
ores hands * degrading and the natives
are Astonished 10 see Ameican mission
cries. teachers or professors working IN
their own gardens. Their attitude IS
sometthing like that Of the negroes IN this
coun try before Hampton began TO intro
cucE new ideas The negroes at the out
sets locked 70 school and college educa-
zion as the means OF eievatfng them 10
asn equality with their former masters
Manual labor. mechanical emPloyments.
were connected in their thought with an
inferior social position. and il was Only by
escaping from the need OF such work that
they could rise.
In Turkey all manual labor IS done BY
che feIlaheen. the peasant tillers OF the
soil. or BY artisans sprinsing from the
came source who have settled IN the
towns and cities No man who has money
win work with his hands and however
small his revenue a man with any claim
&c social position has ali work. even the
simplest done for him As a natural con
sequence. there can be no satisfactory
material progress. because those things
which tend toward material progress are
dcspise6 Agricultural and mechanical
arts must remain forever or the same
lov plane. one oI the great needs II the