The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1914-11-10

students, in one of the buildings of |
which some companies of Turkish sol
diers have recently been quartered. |
The city itself has some 10000 inhab |
itants and is situated on a hin in the
midst of fertile plain well toward the
Eastern part of Asiatic Turkey.
Rev. H. II. Riggs, one of the nine
American Board workers in Harpoot
writes on Sept. 18th as follows:
1.-THE college opened Sept. 9th as
usual, with small attendance, though
large considering the situation. Some
of our teachers are absent, some being
drafted as soldiers and two or three
unable to travel, as transportation is
altogether demoralized. We are, as
sured that the military has the right.
if needed, to close all schools to quar-
ter soldiers in them. And it is said
that Harpoot is to be a point of con-
eentration on the second line of de-
| fence.
''The change in the political situa-
ton here within the past few days
seems marked, but we do not feel sure
of its Interpretation. On Thursday
the Agence Ottomane kilograms an
nounced, with great gusto, the abroga-
ton of the capitulations by note to
the powers of Europe. simultaneously
came the sudden order for the troops
here to move to Erzroum, so that it
i looks as if the government were count
ling on war with Russia Whether, as
Hooks likely, the war was already de-
lcided on, and the abrogation of the
lcapitulations was merely shrewd
political move in order to make the
war popular in the country, we have nc
means of knowing. The capitulations
have been good deal of heir
in the past, though not of as muei
help as has been the cultivation Of
friendly relations with the officials
Our Vail said the other day, when W,
: called on him, that it now remained
flor Turks to show how hospitable the,
could be to the foreigners within thei
borders ] think that 50 far as on
personal relations 90, and in most o
: our affairs except the single one o
taxation. we shall not find our situation
VERY different from what it was be
fore.
- admit that | feel very appre
hensive of what the result may be i
! this country should actually get int
) the war If it comes we will be her
Ito suffer hardship with the people fo
, whom we are working, and perhap
that is, after all. God 5 way of answer
ing our prayer for closer spiritus
Itouch with them.
u was disappointed in not gettip
: closer to the soldiers during the wee
q they were quartered at Wheeler hall, c
t the college. But at the hospital thing
I have been exceedingly favorable. Thei
g are from % to 30 invalid soldier
: there, most of them convalescent, an
% they have been most attentive an
! responsive to all that has been said q
religious themes. | have preached I
= them twice, on successive Sundays, an
!, | think | never spoke where | lie
that the message was more eagerly I
Iceived. The two doctors, in charg
both Moslems, have been cordi
about it, and very ready TO talk {
religious themes. The Moslem believ
n that the Old and New Testaments we
L both revealed by God to the prophe
and to Jesus, and so long as
little care is exercised in selecting t
II matter and the manner of present
ton, there is easy and sympathet
approach, when circumstances are i
vorable as they are here.