New Britain herald., 1916-11-20
PERSIAN LIFE
 DURING THE WAR
Rev. Robert Labaree Tells Of
 Christians Suffering

Rev. Robert Labaree, a missionary from Urumiah, Persia, gave an inter esting recital of conditions abroad, due to the great European war, at the morning services at the First COngre- gational church yesterday. MT. Lab arec has seen service in Persia for a great many years and said that he was better able to tell the real story of that country as it is today than many others because they are too modest to tell of their part. Having seen the real conditions from his place a missionary he can treat all sides of the question and give credit where credit is due. Tn that district of Persia where his work took him the population was between 25O, GOO and 300,000. Everyone know that there would bo a massacre as soon as these troops were withdrawn as they had been acting as the guardians Ot the Christians. Not until the troops were mounted for their seven days march home was it known that they were to be withdrawn. Then the Christians, to the number of 25,OOO or more, fearing that the kurds would break forth with the realization of their victims helplessness, hocked to the shelter of the missions, begging for protection.
 This was the great problem of the missionaries for they had to protect the fleeing people. The American flag was flying over the entrance but the rage of the mob outside was flu rious and neither missionaries nor refugees knew at what minute the flag would be insulted.
 nr problem as the quarters wero so crowded that both missionaries and refugees had to stand up and lean against each other for rest. It would not require an extraordinary imag- ination to appreciate what such con- ditions bring about among people whose methods of living are crude.
 Typus, the most dreaded of dis ease for the missionaries, set in and spread throughout the establishment, killing some and attacking most of the others. The hospital nurses were stricken as well as the medical stu dents and it was necessary to conduct the hospital as best they could with the unsllilled hands taking the places of trained nurses and doctors.
 Another problem was that of food. Most of those who fled took nothing while a few took bread but not near ly enough to supply the demands. A large amount of money was brought by an English government representa- tive who managed to make his way into the mission. Labarce gave him the receipt few weeks ago as the man did not wait for it at the time. The necklaces and jewelry of the brides was another means of supply Ic for n them into cash. Loans were secured bv promissory notes but, said MT. Labaree, the missionaries had faith in God and the American public and bor- rowod whenever they found it noccS- sary knowing that Providence would provide the means to make return payments.
 When protection returned in the shape of the Russians those who had sought shelter refused to leave. They could not be prevailed upon to go back homo as they had become ac- customed to life with the mission aries. They could hardly be blamed for this as they really had no homes to go to. Their homes had been plundered and the Moslem neighbors had not left them even spade with which to commence repairs after con- trol of their homes had been secured for them by the missionaries. A short time later 3O,000 men, women and children fled from the kurds in the mountains and came to mission for shelter. Many of the missionaries had seen such hardship before that thcv were forced to quit rather than face the terrible trial. MT. Laoaree was one that remained and more terrible life than that spent py I'le missionaries and their charges was never heard of as they laporeo uhoel such discouraging condltoi's'