The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-12-26

(
pay Adventist church in this civ
mas Just received letter from R s
ereaves, a missionary for that de,
nomination in Turkey and Greece ),
winch he gives a forceful narrative Of
What lea up to the war Just closing IN
turkey, the downfall OF the once
| mighty conqueror and the Religions
conditions In that country and
Greece. Mr.. Greaves went to Turkey
as missionary from the United
states several years ago, and has
made special study of both the re-
lgious and political conditions in
those two countries. The letter is
published by request and saws:
IL is now over four years since
the eyes of the world we're turned on
turkey as amidst general rejoicing
the constitution was proclaimed. and
people were surprised to find Moslem
and christian hanging on the others
neck, and with knife In hand calling
each other brother For a brief mo-
ment religion and nationality seemed
TO be forgotten as amidst the general
excitement each Wed with the o.her
as to who could seem the most pat
rlottc towards his country. 1t was an
immediate emancipation from MANY
heavy burdens and restrictions, ano
everywhere there seemed a spirit OF
greater liberty and freedom. For a
time all went we'll, but little by little
one could notice the reaction setting
in. The Turks did not do all that was
expected of them, and on the other
hand the christians were not slow to
find fault, and felt greater liberty to
air Their, grievances than formerly
they had dared to do. 1t was no,
long before it could be plainly seen
that the Turks and christians no
longer considered they were brothers
and as the Turk had power on his
/ side, it is not difficult to guess how
things generally went. From petty
things often hard feelings arose, until
1t got to be the common saying that
whereas under the old regime they
had one master, now they had dog
en-. Personally l have failed to find
this true, for under the new admins
tration l have seen many improve
ments that formerly were never
! thought of.
in the country places and small
towns perhaps the people have had
the most cause for complaint, and
often their position has not been an
enviable one At times there have
been reprisals with the natural con.
/ sequences. until hatred for the Turk.
ish rule has spread everywhere.
THE christian people do not By
any means always agree amongst
I themselves, and the name is often the
only thing that reminds one OF the
/ Saviour 0: mankind. Many of the
| siests know practically nothing OF
1 the word of God, but they are able to
perform the rites of the church, and
! they can baptize the babies. marry
the people and bury the dead. There
lis one subject, however, on which
these people have perfect agreement
and it is the thorough detestation OF
the Turk 1t Is this, rather than
either love or religion, that has bound
them together during The present
crisis. {
/ "a Greek or Bulgarian may be an
/ ottoman subject, but his heart is
with his own nation. and his fellow
countrymen across the border has al.
ways had an open ear for his troub-
4 les. until sympathy has taken the
! form of strong action; and the out
come OF the whole thing is the pres
ent war
In the press one sees the opinion
of writer's divided: some speak of the
Turks as brave and honorable men,
whilst others describe them as lot
Of barbarous people. If we could di-
vide them into two classes, and place
each man with the class to which he
1 belongs, undoubtedly we should fino
gentlemen who earnestly and sincere
" desire the good of their country,
whilst on the other hand we should
find a rabble that are ready for any
work. no matter how inhuman.
"A Turk is looked upon as being
fanatical, and he certainly regards his
religion as superior 10 all others, and
lis not willing to allow any Mohamme-
dan to change his faith, yet he allows
christians to have their own forms
of religion, and also extends the same
privilege to the Jews 1t is well to
note that this latter race of people
have no complaint against Turkey
from a religious standpoint, and 1t IS
the Mohammedan soldier who has Of
ten protected him from an infuriated
christian ca mob. In certain parts OF
Turkey. had the Greeks been the rlll-
ers. probably most of the Jews would
have had to leave, exactly as they
have had to do under the same priest
hood in Russia. Even in Greece itself,
where the people are better educated
than the christian element in Turkey,
one can visit Athens and other prin.
cin,, cities. and almost the entire ADJ