The Detroit times., 1917-07-14
MISSIONS
TO REMAIN
IN TURKEY
Turkish Officials Are
Friendly To Ameri-
can Workers
AID GREATLY IN
RELIEF WORK
Four Stations Are AL
ready Under Flag
of Russia
eY IKE RELIGIOUS RAMBLER

Now that the ban Is off and Amer
leans interested IN missions In Tur'
KEY are permitted 10 speak freely,
all sorts of interesting stories are
being told about conditions there
Some OF the cryptic messages that
come out OF the Ottoman empire
are also being explained Many
American missionaries practically
all who are permitted 10 do work K
have elected 10 remain az their
POSTS, even tho America has broken
with Turkey.
Two reasons exist for this One
is that the missionaries are willing
TO take all chances h order TO be
able 10 extend relief work TO the
suffering Armenians, Syrians, Greeks
and Turks. The other is that they
count on the friendship OF the on
cials The break with America
came IA the result OF German pres
sure, chiefly thru Enver Pasha. the
prime minister Ii would never have
come II Turkey had been permitted
20 act OF her own free will.
In addition TO this relief work,
he missionaries are doing service
for he sick and wounded prisoners.
The power aad efficiency OF west
crner. in a country like Turkey. Is
eally beyond calculation. One NO
man, Miss GRAHAM, OF Sivas, after
heroic experiences in connection
with Arm enian relief. has elected 20
stay in that city. the only foreignei
there She Is not the only heroine
in the present days OF Turkey, how
ever Mrs Christie alone repre-
sents the west in Tarsus.
Those missionaries who have been
forced 10 leave are able 70 carry 4
confirmation and explanation OF MD
den messages that got past the cen
sor in the days when communication
ct sorts was permitted. From Har-
put has come the word, For weeks
q strange bird has been perchea
upon the hills above the plain.
This was the first news that Amer
lea had that the Russian forces -
for OF course the Russian eagle was
meant-had penetrated that far ives,
IN their Caucasian campaign.
From another city the word came
ily have visited US lately, and oui
hospitality has been heavily drawn
upon. We have found good use for
our Episcopal prayer books" Being
interpreted this meant that the Brit
ish prisoners were passing thru the
city and that all were hungry. thai
many were sick, and that the prayer
book WAS needed for burial services
An official statement has recently
been made by Dr Cornelius II. Pat
ton, secretary OF The American
board, upon the conditions In Tur
key. Or Patton says;
A blow has fallen and the FIRST
feeling is one OF relief AZ least the
agony OF uncertainty is over We
know that technically we are belig-
erents and not friends in the eyes OF
the German. Austrian. Bulgarian. and
Turkish officials.
The second feeling Is one OF salts
faction 20 find that our missionaries
under these flags are not regarded
with disfavor by the officials. We DC
not fear for their personal safety or
particularly as to their freedom. The
German consul at Sivas has been
most kind 10 Miss Graham. who now
remains alone at that point. and the
presents 81 -four. sugar. coffee. tee
and ola boon indeed
Liberty OF withdrawal was given
by way OF Constantinople. Bulgaria
Austria and Switzerland. and quite 9
large party. mostly women and child.
rem have taken advantage OF the Of
fer.
At the interior stations where re-
lief work is possible the missionarie,
prefer 10 remain, and in spite % the
uphcavsl not a few Of our school.
are running. II Is most Rlgnihcsn'
that the Moslems are coming 10 oui
institutions as never before. Their,
are still ways OF getting money into
the country. and relief work has no,
stopped. Naturally. the missionaris,
are hoping for . speedy Russian ad-
vance.
Four stations are already under
the Russian hag-TrebiEond. Ersroom
Bitiis, Van. and these may form the
nucleus OF n Russian mission. "A Tn,
proclamation OF complete religion.
freedom on the part OF Russia ie OF
the utmost Importance TO our work
10 opens the way for large develop
ments I'm the Cauchs us region and
beyond. Already thruout this region
we have considerable force on thu
ground They are busy disbursinr
the relief funds sent our from Amer.
lea and also In ministering 20 the
stricken people in spiritual ways.