The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-05-07
4 CRITICIST or CHRISTIAN MIS-.
SIONS ~ TURKEY.
The statement Of an ArmerItn Chri,u,n
OF Constantln lple.


% Constantlnlplc.
To THE Enron or TUE stx Sir 60
many people hold conflicting views Of Nj,
John ID. Rockefellers offered gift 20 Inc
American Board OF Missions that il may prove
Of Interest 70 know what ono who has CONS
from the very heart OF missionary WORK IN
Asiatlo Turkey has to say on the subject
IL has been my pleasure 10 teach many ear
nest missionaries our native language. and
20 help found. with them. several educational
institutions
There Is nothing perfect in this world. and
there Is an Oriental saying Ones Ssn
milk IL never sour The condemnation ~
Mr. Rockefeller viii not change his couduc,
or his disposition In any way. The discussion
concerning tainted" money will not inAu.
enco business men beyond provoking A
smile or two, and the whole thing will nm,
doubleday do more harm than good. Bnt
every man to his own belief and bis own con.
viction.
Let one rather take into consideration IN,
work Of the American Board OF Missions in
Asiatio Turkey. They began In the year
1920. with splendid purpose but poor direc.
ton. They started with tho Christians
the Armenians and Greeks. The Armenians.
as history proves. accepted Christianity az
far back as Apostolic times They have
chung 20 the faith in spite Of the cruelties
anu prosecutions oil IyTnunlC0l nations.
The majority OF people in this country are
poorly Informed concerning tho various
oreeds OF the East. 1 have heard persons
OF superior education RTavely assert that In.
habitants Of the Turkish dominibns profes.cj
exclusively the Mohammedan faith, and even
after the fearful massacre Of 1895 few know
Turkey is Christian. Whis change A Sftsi
change, innovation after innovation. has
completely transfoTmed the aspect Of the
tlGnity has remained stesdfast to lis ancient
traditions and presents 70 the unnreI udiced
and phlosophisal inquirer the gninistakabls
tury. It Is true that the inward spirit has
almost deserted the outer shell-too often
semblanoe 20. the primitive Church that a
lifeless body. bears 70 the active man Yet
even the sight OF the cold body conveys an
HpQke before his spirit winged its fight.
on the whole, the system Of the American
Board Of Missions Il not TO be condemned
wisely their money-whoh they contributs
so gencrously-was spent | am afraid they
would feel 9 little DISCOURAGED. Since N.
years ago. the American missions in Asiatio
Turkey have spent from tl5,Ooo,oOO 70 $50
O00.OO0. The sum has melted away, leaving
only few colleges and educational institr.
tiocs worthy OF notice. Most OF the money
has gone 20 the support Of the missionaries,
Intended. The laborer IL worthy Of his
hire: true. and would not dream OF nro.
testing against the American missionaries
getting what salaries they do and enjoying
what comfort they may. But when the
great body Of American people at home want
" help a. arcient Christian people, npt them
and educate them. strengthen the light which
barbarity has strlven 80 hard 10 quench. then
they should have proper representatives
Tho missionaries should assist, first and
foremost all Oriental Churches In educating
the generation that Is growing up help them
financially: establish native SCHOOLS and raiss
native teachers and helpers, sending them -
high schools and colleges N Europe and
America, whence they would return and take
the places OF the missionaries. A few wears
ago some OF the missionaries seemed TO realize
this pnd they sent come natives 70 Amerlco1
one one on them was ahis 70 nS eocompllsh more
with his people than ten missionaries. WHY
Because Asiatic Turkey Ia the land OF ne
the meaning Of the Scriptures. The Oriental
which peoile OF the West cannot The whole
Tho truth OF II may be said 20 be that The
missionary does not wish 20 quit the neld,
end therefore checks the progress and IAN, an;
entrusted TO him. THIS Is certainly not 10
keeping with the Christian spirit. but Grim
MT RockefeiIer has been tcriticiSed on 80,
count OF his business methods. II he had
made. say, only 10000 n the same way. oy
doing. probably no criticism would have
arisen and his money would have been &C.
cepted as molly, ana without any, oblectons
but because he was so successful he has at
tracted not only the attention but the jeal-
ousy OF others who have been less fortunate.
There il no doubt that Mr. Rockefeller Is
kind. good man, and compared with some
ness Of life and charitable deeds, No one
knows the full extent Of the good he is doing
In a QUIET way and without ostentatiOn, His
son, John u, Rockefeller, Jr, IL democratic
and broad minded His great wealth has not
spoiled him.
II Mr., Rockefeller and others who give 70
the American Board OF Missions would IN.
vestiRate the actual condition Of their ahairs
and tho manner in which they spend ths
money entrusted 20 them they would nnd
many mistakes. much injustice and mis-
management which would surprise the Amer.
moi. that ye be not jud Red and why beholdeH
thou the mote that Is In thy brothers eye but
considerest not the beam that Is In thine own
eyer" d. NJ. BKDiKIAN,
NEW YoRK. May Q.