Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-09-12
Maine and the Turkish Colleges.

particularly concern this country OF
account of the American colleges whlcf
have been established there for the ed
ucation and the Characterization OF
young men. These colleges, ACCORDING
| to the order of their dates of estapllsh-
ment are: Robert College at Con-
stantinople; Syrian Protestant Coliege
at Beirut: Central Turkey College al
Aintab Euphrates College at Harpooti
Anatolia College at Marsovan and st
Pauls Institute at Tarsus.
It is a fact of peculiar interest to
Maine people that two of these colleges,
including the Oldest and largest, were
established by Maine men, both grad
yates of Bowdoin College. Cyrus
Hamlin. a cousin of Hannibal Hamlin
who was born at Waterford in 1911, and
graduated at Bowdoin in 1884, estab-
Ushed Robert College, after seven
wears contest with the Turkish au-
| thorities in which he finally obtained
an imperial edict that committed the
college to the keeping of the United
state. DR.. Hamlin was a missionary
in Turkey from 1887 to 1860; and from
1860 to 1876, he gave all his time to the
presidency of the college he had estab-
lisiled and put it upon an enduring
foundation. After his return to this
country he was, for several years, pro-
He died several years ago at Lexing-
ton, Mass.
There is one point in which none of
the others can be compared with Rob-
ert College. The latter holds the great
est number of the officers in govern
mental departments. 1t is able to show
among its graduates lieutenants, gen
erals, commanders, judges, mayors, gov
ernors and prime ministers, and these
are not merely some exceptions, but
nearly fourth of it's gradutes have
attained one or the other of these high
positions. This superiority may be as
scribed partly to it's high standard OF
cducatiCr, and largely to it's important
geographical situation in central
point between Asia and Europe. Many
famous Armenian professors in Con-
stantinople, also well-known mer-
chants, physicians and editors, are
graduates of Robert College.
The second Turkish college which is
due to the energy and missionary
spirit of a Maine man, is Anitab Col
president for the past third of a cen
fury, is Americas Fuller, who was
born at Jay in 1884, and graduted at
BoWGoin in 1859. Before going to Tur-
key to engage in missionary work, DR..
Fuller held several pastorates in this
state, including one, We think, at thC
Old South Congregational church at
HaloWel. Under his care. Anitab
College has grown in numbers and in
influence until it has become one Of
the leading Christian Institutions of the
empire. only this summer DR.. Fuller
left his post long enough for Il brief
visit to his native State.
, These circuu stances bring close
home to our people the peril in which
the American colleges in Turkey find
themselves as Il result of the present
Instructions and the unusually strong
Anti-C Christian feeling in that land. If
attacks are to be made by the govern
mcnt itself, as does not seem probable:
or by frenzie1 mobS of MohammedanS,
rs is not at all unlikely, these insttu
tons are almost sure to suffer. And
whatever action our government may
take later will not restore the lives and
the influence and the property which
may be lost. We all hope most earn
cstly that such Il calamity may be
avcrte1, and that these noble institu
tons, founded by brave Maine men and
their associates to uphold the torch of
civilization and Christianity in Il dark
land, may be spared to continue,
through future generations, the Splen-
did work they have done in the past.