The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-05-17
BY Southern Missionary News Bureas
Ida Clyde Clarke. Editor.

Ida Clyde Clarke, Editor.
More than 200 people, located in
more than twenty stations and twice
as many outstations, represent the
American board of commissioners for
foreign missions In Turkey and the
Balkan States at present With fight
going on in practically all directions
around them 1t is reassuring to know
that the mission schools are proceed
ing as usual. with full attendance: the
mission property is respected; and In
most cases the missionaries are being
treated with consideration. Some
supplies consigned to mission stations.
notably medicines. have been requf-
sitioned, but friendliness to Amert-
cans has seemed TO be the rule.
Trebizond, on the short of the
Black Sea, reports that twas ex-
pedient to fly the L. s. flag over all
the buildings for a few days. Quiet
soon followed, however. and business
proceeded as usual. Erzroom, forty
miles from the Russian frontier, and
Van In Eastern Turkey, have been
nearest actual battle grounds. In
Erzrom the boys school and the girls
school--large. well-built houses
have been thrown open for the use
of the wounded brought in from the
country round. DR.. Case. Of Erzroom,
is being aided by DIR. Clarke, OF Sivas,
who left his hospital in charge OF his
native assistant and came to assist
in the operating and in the difficult
treatments necessary in taking care of
men suffering from wounds and ex-
posture in the intense cold OF that
mountainous region. Miss Mary l..
GRAHAM. one of the Sivas mission
aries, also went to help at Erzroom.
| laa GnhnaI nf hundred
girls In charge of the assistant teach
| ers. DIR. Usher. of Van, has also
been very busy with hospital work.
| The Russian. French and English
| consuls had left Van by mid-Novem-
Der. but all through December Treas
urer w. w. Peet, OF the boards head
quarters in Constantinople was able to
| communicate with Van as well as
with other stations and on January
] IS the State Department in Washing
| ton forwarded to the boards office
| in Boston cable message dated De-
cember 26 reporting "all American
and Canadian missionaries in Van
and ErZroom safe and WE'LL
Within a week the officials of the
| board in Boston have received letters
| from more than two-thirds Of its sta
lions In Turkey. Some of them have
been more than a month on their way,
some even longer: some are written
| in German, some in French, although
! the ban on the use of English has
now been removed and correspond
ence will doubtless from now on be
| easier.
DIR. Barnum. of Brousa. not far
| from the Sea of Marmora, writes re-
assuringly of the safety. health and
comfort of the Americans in that city
of $4,000 people and says there is lit
tie to remind one that the land is
not i'm it's normal condition of peace.
AT Adana, south of the Taurus noun
tains, DR.. w. N. Chambers reports
THAT Americans are favored. The
new building of the Girls ceminary
is, unusually full and the hospital Is
doing all 1t has room and money for.
The International college at Smyrna
is going on as usual. though with
fewer students than a year ago. Pres
ident MacLachlan finds the govern
ment and military officials all friendly
to the schools.
In Marsovan. near the Black Sea-
the French have been obliged to leave
the city. but, President George E.
White. of Anatolia college, finds that
the Ottoman officials deal with Amer
lean interests In q friendly manner.
Harpoot. Marash. Diarbekir and Mar
din in Central and Eastern Turkey all
report quiet conditions. gratitude on
the part of the people for help rem
dered ana splendid chances for Chris
tan work. Many OF the letters speak
OF the distress among the poor and
of inability to give relief for lack OF
the usual supplies. etc.
Cities i'm which are Turkish barracks
or which are on the route of the
troops, report little enthusiasm on
tho part uf the. soldiers and frequent
assertions. From the Corfa barracks
800, Arabs deserted In body in one
night; OF 1900 soldiers started from
piarhekir 70 Erxroom only .Qae