The Republican journal., 1907-08-15
ST. PAUL'S INSTITUTE.
An American Enterprise in Tarsus, the
Home of the Apostle Paul

zone cannot hope for much more
than to make ones mark and die" To
this wall of Herbert Spencer his friend
Huxley gave the energetic reply,
Never mind about the mark; it is
enough if one can give push This
anecdote came to mind as we listened
to the interesting story of how an
American enterprise is being pushed in
the ancient city of Tarsus, the home of
the apostle Paul. A few years ago
money was given by the late Col.
Elliott T. Shepard of New York to start
an academy or high school in Tarsus,
which would furnish the advantages OF
a Christian education to the young
men of that region, and prepare them
to be useful citizens of the Ottoman
empire The school received the ap-
propriate name of st. Paufs Institute,
and in 1908 was formally transferred to
the American Board, the foreign mis-
sionary agency of the Congregational
churches in America. A party OF
tourists who visited the school not long
ago spoke particularly of class in
trigonometry, taught by Miss Elizabeth
Brewer, a sister of Justice Brewer of
the Z. S. Supreme Court, and of some
examination papers in psychology.
These were written in English in
good hand and simple, clear style
such as any American college boy might
be proud of handing to his teacher.
Five languages are taught-Engllsh,
French, Turkish, Greek and Armenian.
The man who cannot speak at least
three of these languages in Turkey IS
greatly handicapped. The pupils num-
Der about 100, many of whom are
orphans from the Armenian massacres.
The quality of manhood in these fell
lows is shown by the way they are help
ing in the erection of some new build
ings. The original quarters became
wholly inadequate and last autumn
materials for a new hall were brought
to the campus. Owing to the danger of
arrest and imprisonment if they ven-
tured out, the workmen were obliged
to remain day and night upon the
premises. So they occupied the dormi-
tories and class rooms while the stu
dents slept in tents and recited out OF
doors. Thanks to President Roosevelt
and Ambassador Leishman, restrictions
have since been removed, but for weeks
a guard stood at the gate to protect the
workmen busy inside.
Another difficulty was to reach a good
solid foundation, for modern Tarsus
stands on top of the ruins OF several
ancient cities. The students themselves
took hold of the digging with a will
They came to many an ancient wall, to
fragments of marble pillars, to water
pipes, water-jars, old lamps, Greek and
Roman bricks, human skeletons, few
ancient coins and other relics OF long
vanished peoples. 1t was a great labor
to break the big stones to pieces, and
haul them and the earth up to the sur
face in baskets by rope and pulley, then
to carry the baskets to some distance
and empty them. But nothing could
damp the energy of the brave workers.
They thought of the building that was
to be, and cheered on each other to the
work with song and laughter. They
were not ambitious to make a mark,
but simply to give push Yet from
this school may yet come some young
Saul who will make as deep an impress
sion upon Asia Minor as did his proto-
type whose boyhood was spent in this
same city.
The man at the head of this enter
prise, Thomas Davidson Christie, dis
tinguished himself during our Civil
War by taking many difficult ''mes-
sage to Garcia" He was with Sherman
on his march to the sea, and was hit
three times in battle. Once he rode
day and night to save a regiment from
periious position. Memories of these
exploits were revived during the days
when his boys in Tarsus were digging
for the foundations of their new school
building. One night in particular sixty
of them volunteered to work all night,
in order to be ready for the masons the
next morning. By the light of candles
they Went down into the Deep dark
pits with pickaxe, sledge-hammer and
shovel. at was weird and inspiring
scene,'' said DR.. Christie, reminding
an Did soldier of many similar one at
Vicksburg and Atlanta, only the work
of digging there was not helped by the
light of even candle!" For thirty
years he has been hard at work in
Turkey training boys and young men
for lives of usefulness. One graduate
is instructor in the Sheffield Scientific
School at Yale, but the majority are
scattered throughout their own country
as teachers, physicians and business
men. The great purpose of the school,
is to qualify men to render the best SER
vice to the various races Of Asia Minor
A sign of the world wide interest in st.
Paul's Institute is the fact that it was
x5icifo6 1nnn hr ~