The Oskaloosa herald., 1915-04-22
HOME FROM PALESTINE
Revs. A. Edward and Marion Kelsey
Have Returned to America.

1
in Oskaloosa within a few days for a
visit with old time friends and &C
quaintances. A letter from them
written enroute is here given:
At Sea, S. S. Carpathia.
Dear Friends of Ram Allah.--We
bare on the way home, in all a party
OF fourteen, seven Syrians and seven
Americans. For the first time in its
history of 46 years the work of Amer.
lean Friends in Palestine has sus-
pended and we are compelled from
afar to watch the great changes in
world affairs which will allow US to
return and reopen the work.
1t would exhaust your patience II
we should attempt to go into detail
In describing the happenings of the
past six months. During that time,
when writing home, we ever had to
bear in mind the rigid censorship of
the post and 1t really seems strange
to us now to be able to tell the whole
truth.
For months our boys school prop
erty has been military camp for
the troops moving south. To have a
thousand soldiers or train of can
non and artillery wagons or cara.
van of several hundred camels en-
camped on our property and to hear
almost continuous and discordant
bugling mingled with grooming and
grunting of camels from beneath our
balcony has been our lot for months.
One mission horse was comman-
deered by the army but after a great
amount of red-tape was finally re-
turned.
What we have witnessed in the loot
ing of shops, the selling of the food
supplies of the people, the quartering
of soldiers I'm churches and in the
homes of the people, the persecution
: of the Jews and of innocent non-com-
blatant citizens of the belligerent ma
tons has made the hearts of liberty.
loving Americans burn with indigna-
ton. We realize now as never before
| that Turk is Turk, that with an
unfettered hand his government will
always mean oppression and that
from this time there is little hope for
Christian missions in that Empire I'M
til the governing power is taken from
his hand.
In our boys school building we
have housed over 125 monks who
were being taken to Damascus be-
cause they were French. Some of
these were over 80 years of age, 9TH
ers were sick but were nevertheless
compelled to go. Besides these we
have been glad to extend our hospi-
tally to many others. some of them
people of high standing in the COM
merCial life of the land. Others were
poor Jews who were seized on the
streets of Jerusalem and driven north
in a cold winter rain to work on a
military railroad without even being
allowed to return home to notify their
people or to secure needed clothing.
The enmity of the government has
been especially directed against the
Zionist propaganda and thousands OF
lunOffending Jews have been driven
from the land
Since the entrance of Turkey into
the strife and the annulment of the
capitulations Christian missions have
all but ceased in Palestine. Most of
the buildings owned by English,
French and Russians have been taken
over by the government and are be-
INC uoSu IOl
Our work continued until the mid.
die of January when it became appar.
ent to us that the wise course to pur.
sue was to quietly withdraw from the
field until changed political conditions
would allow us to conduct our work
without governmental interference
that was aimed at destroying our in
fiuence as a Christian institution.
Two considerations led us to this de-
.cision. The government fixed upon
Feb. End as the date when all schools
throughout the empire should place
the teaching of Turkish on a parity
with that of every other language.
This meant an entire change in our
curriculum and the ruling out of most
of our English and introducing a Ian
guage which the Syrians detest and
for which they have little use. More.
over, the government demands that
henceforth no person of a different
religion shalf be required to pursue
any Bible study or attend any relig.
ious gathering of any kind. In fact,
their aim and determination is to re-
duce all missions to a strictly educa,
tional basis and to eliminate all Chris.
tian and eVangelizing agencies. In
other words, If foreigners are to con
tinue their work, they must conduct
Ottoman schools subject to the die.
tation and direction OF Mohammedan
authorities.
The other deciding factor was the
danger which will ensue il the Turk
ish army which has gone down to the
Suez Canal, is defeated and in dis
organized manner is scattered over
the country to pillage and plumber at
Its will. This is the great fear OF all
classes and is far from being ground
less
An amusing incident happened on
New Years Day when as caretaker of
the English mission property in Ra-
mallah l went with the Governor to
take an inventory OF the personal
property. This had been ordered by
the Jerusalem authorities. | felt like |
a thief as watched the proceedings.
When sunset came the Governor, |
devout Moslem. took rug from
table and removing his shoes began
his prayers. Before he had finished |
and while still kneeling he turned to |
his secretary and gave him some in.
about the business In hand |
~ a.