Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1905-04-08
DIsLoYAL MISSIONARIES.

Turkish government officials have al
ways maintained, that the ultimate re-
suit of so-called missionary work IN the
country, would he rebellion. For this
reason they have'not looked with favor
upon tho efforts Of foreign missionary
societies to establish headquarters,
build schools, distribute tracts, etc.
They have, in fact, opposed this kind Of
religious activity Ms much MS they
have dared to do so In the presence Of
the entire diplomatic corps and a little
army Of foreign consuls, The mission
aries generally have denied the Turk
ish charges and ascribed the annoy
ances they have suffered to Turkish
blgotry which, however, is strange,
in view of the fact that Mohamme-
dams, as a rule are entirely indifferent
to the beliefs OF other people.
That there ia more thuth In the
charge OF dlsloyalty, than the mission
aries care to admit, appears in corre-
spondence from sidon, Syria, to the
New York Evening Post. The writer
says that the American ideas imbibed
by returned emigrants. as well az stu
dents In the schools, have inspired a
revolutionary movement IN Syria, This
movement we are told, Is directed, in
the first instance, against the priests,
and the correspondent is evidently in
sympathy with It. But as these priests
hold authority with the consent Of the
Sultan and, TO some extent, represent
him in the midst OF communities In
which Mohammedanism Is considered
an abomlnation, the revolutionary
! movement, though OF religious ma
ture, will lead TO rebellion pure and
| simple
As an illustration Of what is going
on, the correspondent tells Of the condi-
tions at Kesrawan, Not long ago, he
says, few emigrants returned from
America, all on fire with ideas Of lib
erty, and they have kindled n fame
In the hearts Of the young men Of the
region As result, secret societies
are being formed IN various parts Of
the district, TO resist oppression, We
are told expressly that missionaries are
aiding this revolutionary movement
The correspondent says that The
! Young Mems Christian association OF
| Beirut, naturally sympathetic, was
among the first to become aware Of the
movement in Kesrawan, and Il e
sending books and pamphlets to the
leaders, and giving them such mora
support as may be possible under The
necessity OF maintaining the Essential
secrecy OF the movement"
There is wide difference between
the sectarian missionaries OF our age
and the first emissaries Of the Lord
who went out into the world with III,
divine message The latter were loya
to the existing governments, and they
taught their followers TO he loyal. They
enjolned the faithful TO pray for IN,
preservation OF the Roman empire
though a Nero was at the head OF It
They did not aim blow OF violence
against any existing institu
lions. Paul restored fugitiy,
slave 10 his master, thus avoid
ing even the appearance Of hostility t
an institution that he must have knowr
TO be doomed under the banner Of III,
Gospel They were loyal In everything
But our modern missionaries are to-
often mlschief-makers, They meddl,
with everything, no matter how fal
from their business 1t may be, Their
Is no doubt about IT, that unwise mis-
Eonary zeal was largely responsible fo
the scandalous military expedition t,
China a few years ago, when Chimes,
virtue was outraged, thousands OF Chi
nese lives sacrificed and millions stoler
by alleged followers OF the cross Ar,
the missionaries In Syria about to In
stigate another movement that MAJ
end In a massacre7 II those RESPONSE
Bile for the sectarlan missionaries ar,