Omaha daily bee., 1909-10-18
CHANCE TO CONVERT TURK
Rev. James McNaughton Believes the
Time is Ripe.
NATION IN PROCESS OF CHANGE
Conversion of suItan's Empire Held
to BE Largely n Matter of
Funds by Preacher from
Asia Minor,

Turkey as a Christian nation within the
next fifty years is within the possibilities,
according to Rev. James p. McNaughton
Of Smyrna, Asia Minor, who preached at
the First Congregational church Sunday
morning and evening. The outstanding
of the sultan's domains is largely a matter
Of funds, declared Mr.. McNaughton. and
now is the critical time when the nation
is in process OF changing its conditions
and institutions.
Whether Turkey will continue to be a
moslem nation or will become a Christian
nation will be determined within the next
few years" hi said.
Rev. Mr.. McNaughton. before the sermon
read the chapter from Joshua in which
the promise is made that the land which
is now embraced in the confines Of the
Turkish empire should be given to Moses.
do you realize" he said. the debt we
owe to Turkey. That land has been the
battle ground on which has been fought
the great struggles OF the world! 1t has
been the battle ground on which the east
and the west have fought for supremacy
and on which was decided the question of
what kind Of civilization the world would
have. Can we realize what would have
happened to our civilization IT, the east
had won these battles.
Turkey is the land Of the prophets, of
the apostles, OF the apostle Paul, who
pushed over into Europe, and introduced
the gospel there. Nearly al. the gospel
was written on Turkish soil. Where is
Bethlehem Where is Calvary Can we
escape the conviction that we owe a debt
Of gratitude to Turkey that we can never
pay?
'You all have heard that shibboleth of
bloodless revolution in the Turkish en-
pire. 1t is only a shibboleth. Is a blood
less revolution possible? II not much blood
was shed when the Young Turks forced
the constitution from the sultan, 1 still
can see back of that a trail OF blood
reaching to the time when Turkey became
a moslem nation. Hundreds of thousands
have died faultless, men, women and little
children.
The revolution means a rejuvenation, a
regeneration OF the land. the beginning of
a process of advancement. When the con-
stitution was proclaimed thousands of muir
derers, robbers, brIgands and thieves OF
the worst sort were turned out of prison.
For months the prisons were not occupied.
Yet for weeks there was not an act COM
mitted which would demand the attention
Of the police. In the exuberance of freedom
men forgot to be wicked. On the streets
OF Constantinople you could sec young men
who never before had heard their Own
voices in public mount chairs and speak
in the most eloquent way OF freedom
There was no thought Of evil. Freedom
has regenerated the people"
Rev. Mr.. McNaughton reviewed the acts
Of the so-called bloodless revolution. thS
fear of the Armenians. the effort Of tbs
sultan to produce a general massacre II
Constantinople and the final deposing O
the old sultan and the elevation Of the new
"A nation has been regenersted." h,
continued, ar now is the important time
TIL nation is now I'm the process Of chang
ing. The next fifty years will determine
whether it is to become Christian or not
One OF the greatest influences in producing
the revolution was the work Of your mis-
sionaries."
Mr.. MeNaughton scored what he called
globe trotting" missionaries. who return
home without actually visiting missions
and c~riticise the work that is being done.
W. have 5000 young people in on
schools" he said, "and these are like
mighty river overlooking and regeneFating
the whole land. What is wanted in Turke!
today is a strengthening OF the work. w
have come up against one of the creates
crises a nation has ever seen. We hav,
! a chance to make this nation one Of tn,
greatest.
"A leader OF the new government visite,
our schools and declared the American
school system would be the model in tn
, reconstruction OF the Turkish system. Tn
minister OF education has appointed
: moslem young woman from one OF GU
: schools head Of the work for the education
5 OF the women in Turkey. Never has Their
3 been such an opportunity to jump into tn
s breach and change the whole life Of IN
. nation"