Evening journal., 1916-07-08
syrian TO SPEAK
/. IN CALVARY Church
Tewiik D. Harrara TheolOgi-
cal Student Will Review
Turkish CrueltieS
BORN AT FOOT
OF MT. LEBANON

Tewfk D. Harrara. a Syrian theo-
logical student and one-time teacher
in a Christian mission school in Jaffa,
will be the special preacher at the
service of morning prayer in Calvary
! P. E. Church, Third and Washington
streets. tomorrow morning Mr. Har-
rara is a native Of the Holy Lands,
having been born near the foot Of Mt.
Lebanon. within the shadow of Jeru-
salem He was born of Christian par
ents, his father being the first Chris
tian convert in the city of Damascus
since the apostolic times and for more
than forty-seven years a native Chris
tian missionary.
Speaking of his parents, he said in
a recent interview with the Rev. Mr.
Steinmetz: Il pray that they are still
living, but if they are. they are apt
to be starved TO death at any time
The last time ! saw them they were
dragged away by the Turks TO I'M
prisonment and suffering Of unspeak-
able prosecutions"
His family has lived in Damascus
for more than 1900 years. it being one
or the wealthy and influential ones
there.
Mr. Harrara said When the Turks
at the outbreak Of the war invaded
this country they not only tortured
and massacred the Christians, but also
,confscated all their property When
the war broke out I was away teach
ing in a nearby town. was advised
to return TO Beirut, where my people
have been making their residence,
being assured that there was a law
which exempted teachers from ser
vice in the Turkish army However,
upon my return I quickly realized
that no dependence could be placed
on the Moslems living up TO their
laws, for they, learRiEg that l was
a Christian. quickly seized me, beat
me and left me for dead Upon re-
gaining consciousness. heard the
toot of an approaching automobile
which contained q party Of Philadel-
phia tourists hurrying out of the coun-
try upon their return to America
They took me into their car and snug
gled me on board an English trans.
port was slowed away in the hold
of the ship and passed through the
war zone this way. Once aboard.
wrapped myself in an old English 1al
and prayed. Let me live and die undel
a Christian banner. ] never want Z,
see Turkey again
There was a law there that any
one could be exempted from militar.
service in the Turkish army by tn
payment of forty-three pounds of Eng
lish money. But the Christians have
been often tricked into paying severa
> times and then have been drafted de
spite their legal exemption"
Mr.. Harrara is a graduate of the
American Christian College of Beirut
speaks English. German. French sn(
/, five other languages fluently. Upor
his arrival here he Immediately tool
, steps for naturalization. and is PROUD
of being an American citizen. He Il
. now taking a course in the Theolog
> ical Seminary of the Episcopal Churcl
at Alexandria, Va, and upon his grad
uation and ordination expects to g
out as a missionary of the Episcopa
Church.
In his address tomorrow he viii
tell of the tortures of the Turk ant
the suffering of the Christians of tn,
Holy Land. His topic will be "Th
: Fortitude Of Native Christianity I'm
der Turkish Rule"
In addition to Mr. Harrara Their
will be evening prayer at O'Clock
I At this service the rector will delive
; the second of his talks in the serie
3 on the Friends of Christ" his topi
being "Christ's Bethany Friends"
T. The Rev. Samuel Ste.nmetz vii
have charge of both morning an
T evening service.
The Sunday school will meet in tn
o basement of the church at 9.45 o'clocl
: Mr.. Harrara will speak at this ses
sion.