Elko independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1915-current, 1916-05-23
MISSIONARIES CONTEND
WITH BARBAR|ANS|

Threatened massacres by the Kurds
and Turks In Persia, and the hardships
which Protestant missionaries as well
as native Christians have been CON-
PEELED 10 endure for many months, are
described in communication just re-
ceived from Elder Frank F. Oster, a
Sevent h.day Adventist missionary now
at Soujbulak, Persia. He formerly
lived at Portland. Ore, where he is
we'll known. His wife was formerly
Miss Florence White of Oakland, Cal,
daughter of Elder w. B. White, at
one time president of the Pacific
Union Conference of the Seventh-day
Advcntists. She has many friends in
California and Oregon.
Mr.. and Mrs. Oster were obliged TO
flee on horseback in the snow and at
night from Maragha TO TabriZ, about
n year ago, before the infuriated
Kurds, taking their four-weeks-old
baby with them. The child afterward
died, probably from exposure and lack
of proper nourishment. Later they re-
turned 10 Maragha.
Mr.. Oster, in his last letter, says:
THE other day when l wrote you, all
| was perfectly well. Within two hours
after I had sent the letter, news came
| that the Kurds by the thousands had
poured unexpectedly into Soujbulak,
compelling the small force of Russians
to withdraw. Today practically all the
Americans have left this place, fleeing
| to TabriZ.
I'VE have fully decided to remain,
| for we can be of help to the few who
cannot possibly flee. They are taking
| refuge with us. We hope God will
| protect us should anything happen.
| Few people slept last night. How
much suffering and privation this in
! cursion of the Kurds will entaili 1t is
| bitterly cold, and the ground is Gov
| cred with snow. Just year ago we
were half way to Tabriz, fleeing.
1T is possible that re-enforcements
may come in time TO help the retreat.
ing Russians. A captain and 100 mem.
bers of his command were left behind
in Soujbulak, because they could not
| get away in time. Too bad our good
meetings should be broken up thus
but God knows what is best. Pray for
us"
Mrs. Oster, in recent letter, said:
Persia has suffered dreadfully, much
more than Belgium or Poland. Hun
dreds of Christians have been killed in
the most cruel manner, and hundreds
OF young girls have been carried away
by the Kurds and made Moslems. OuI
American Presbyterian missionaries In
Urumiah were shut up in their com
pounds for six months, and suffered
all but death. One man was beaten
three times. They had $4,000 Ar
menian and Syrian Christians with
them, giving them bread and shelter
OF these, two thousand or more died
and these had to be buried in the yard
for they dared not leave their gates
!, Three of the missionaries died will
typhoid. But at last the Russian:
went back and drove away the dread
ful Kurds.
There were over six hundred re
: fugees. Not all have yet been brave
, enough TO return to their wasted vii
: lagos. These poor souls came in the
dead OF winter, with scarcely a bit o
clothing and nothing to eat. Some
money has been received from th'
: missionaries at TabriZ, and we gave
) fourteen pounds of flour a week t.
every person. This was all they had
r Now most of them have gone back Il
start life anew. They have no homes
no horses, no cows, no sheep-abso
lutely nothing but wheat-to plant TO
next years harvest.
Three children died here yesteI
/ day. About 20 women came to Sc
:. me when our baby died. and every on
' had lost from one to nine children
, The death rate here Is somethin
. dreadful. Because of the unsanitar
/ conditions II could not be otherwise.