The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1909-01-14
The Mission Mail Bag.
A SIGNAL VICTORY.

| An instructive incident connected with
the new regime in Turkey IS told IN
private letter from DR.. J. K. Greene of
Constantinople concerning Judicial pro-
ceeding in that city. One OF the preach
ers attached to the great mosque OF Mo-
manned the Conqueror Q453) began in
one of his sermons to denounce the new
order of things. He maintained that
their sacred law must be upheld, that
the equality of Mohammedans with ''in-
fidels' could not be tolerated, and that
their women must be yelled and secluded
as formerly. Then, with body OF 200
or 300 men, all having white muslin
bound around their head to show that
they belonged to religious order, he
marched to the sultan's palace. Imagine
their surprise and dismay when his maj
esty appeared at the window, heard what
their leader had to say, then babe them
be quiet! On their way back to STEAMBOAT
the crowd stopped the carriages OF some
of the ministers, voiced the same oppo-
sition to the new regime and received
substantially the same command to hold
their tongues. Finally the preacher and
one of his ringleaders were quietly ar
rested, taken to prison and in due time
brought to trial, on the charge OF trying
to overthrow the government. The chief
prisoner claimed that his object was not
revolutionary, that he was simply trying
to uphold the supremacy of the Moha1n-
medan law. He also claimed that he had
seen visions of saints and was inspired,
which led his counsel to enter plea of
insanity. Zone cannot help wondering if
this Turkish lawyer had read about GER
tain trials in our American courts). I'M
mediately the court ordered an examina-
ton by several doctors who pronounced
the man perfectly sane. He and his as
sociate were therefore judged guilty of
treason and sentenced to death. The
record of the trial was given in all the
Turkish papers with fitting comments.
Such trial and condemnation was never
witnessed in Constantinople. DR.. Greene
adds that this is the first public contest
between the old Mohammedan spirit and
the new liberal Ottoman sentiment, but
the Young Turkey leaders have openly
brought the contention to legal test
and won the victory. 1t is salutary
lesson to those Turks who still hold to
the old ideas. The internal state of at
fairs leaves much to be desired. 1t is a
worthy organization, but this is being eff
fected, though slowly. The new element
controls the best sentiment Of a majority
of the people, and the leaders, both civil
and military, acknowledge their indebted
ness to the Christian schools and colleges,
planted by missionaries of the American
Board who have helped to create the
right kind of sentiment. Chancellor Won
Buelow says that the Turkish revolution
possesses a dignity which inspires the
respect of the whole civilized world.
PREACHING TO PRISONERS.
Few ministers would consider Zulu
prisoners in South African jail an ideal
congregation, but Rev. F. A. Bridgman,
an American Board missionary in Dur
ban, evidently holds different opinion.
For he writes: 'About half of the $50
prisoners attend the Sunday morning
service There is no congreg alton to
which l enjoy preaching more than to
these prisoners. Certainly no company
of saints could be more devout in their
participation in public worship. The
way in which they all reverently kneel
during prayer on the stone pavement Of
the long corridor which serves as chap
ell, and the manner in which they thunder
their amens, makes one hesitate whether
to cry, laugh, or administer rebuke
for hypocrisy. The volume of song in
the singing of familiar hymns would put
to shame most congregational singing in
America. The eagerness Of the prison
ers for literature of some kind is sur
prising. After every service thirty or
forty crowd about me begging for prim-
ers, catechisms, testaments or hymn
books. This is another striking indica-
ton of the desire for knowledge which
is possessing our Zulus."
FROM JAPAN TO ZULU LAND.
The only school for Zulu children in
Durham, South Africa, has received a
timely donation from native Christians
in Japan to help start the boys and girls
on their educational career. The school
outfit is decidedly primitive. Cramped
and miserable quarters are rented for
$6.25 per month, boxes and planks serve
for benches, but there is a fine teacher
who works for half pay out of sheer love
for the children. Two months after
opening the school had an enrolment of
sixty pupils. The unexpected contribu-
ton from Japan came in the nick of
time to tide the enterprise over initial
difficulties. One result of the teaching
by the American Board and other for
eign missionary societies the world over
is to show how the old question, Who is