in the year 1860, in a public address in the city of london, the earl of shaftesbury paid the following tribute to the character of the american missionaries in turkey:—
“i do not believe that in the whole history of missions; i do not believe that in the history of diplomacy, or in the history of any negotiations carried on between man and man, we can find anything to equal the wisdom, the soundness, and the pure evangelical truth of the body of men who constitute the american mission. i have said it twenty times before, and i will say it again—for the expression appropriately conveys my meaning—that ‘they are a marvelous combination of common sense and piety.’ every man who comes in contact with these missionaries speaks in praise of them. persons in authority, and persons in subjection, all speak in their favor; travelers speak well of them; and i know of no man who has ever been able to bring against that body a single valid objection. there they stand, tested by years, tried by their works, and exemplified by their fruits; and i believe it will be found that these american missionaries have done more toward upholding the truth and spreading the gospel of christ in the east, than any other body of men in this or in any other age.”
mr. william t. stead once said, “how many american citizens, i wonder, are aware that from the slopes of mount ararat all the way to the shores of the blue ægean sea, american missionaries have scattered broadcast over all the distressful land the seed of american principles. when general mosseloff, the director of foreign faiths within the russian empire, visited etchmiadzin the armenian patriarch spread before him the map of asia minor, which was marked all over with american colleges, american churches, american schools, american missions. they (the american missionaries) are busy everywhere, teaching, preaching, begetting new life in these asiatic races.”
—from “memoirs of william goodell.”
[pg 233]
industrially turkey was ages behind even at the beginning of the last century. practically nothing modern had entered the country from without and found acceptance there. the agricultural implements in use were of the same primitive character as those of two thousand or more years before. the plow of abraham’s day, made of the branch of a tree and only scratching the surface of the soil, was the only plow known, and it is not by any means extinct. the winds of the plains winnowed the grain, and the old threshing instruments with teeth still performed its ancient service upon the threshing-floors of earth.
in some respects the people were more jealous to guard their methods of work than they were their beliefs. it was found, however, that when a man had enlarged the horizon of his thinking, he was far more susceptible to suggestions as to his method of living and working.
little by little new tools were brought in and made use of by native carpenters. winnowing-mills for cleaning up threshing-floors, after years of opposition, won favor and are now found everywhere. in some sections cotton-gins run by water-power have brought a blessing to the farmers, while now and then a modern plow and other improved implements are finding acceptance. the sewing-machine is found in almost every town of importance, and the kerosene lamp has completely changed the character of multitudes of homes and greatly multiplied the possibilities of intellectual improvement and social reform. [pg 234]
the first electric telegraph instrument ever set up and operated in the empire was exhibited to the sultan of turkey by cyrus hamlin, the missionary. the potato, the tomato, and other vegetables have been introduced into various sections, and in many cases have become regular articles of diet and staples in the market. space forbids mention of the many industrial, mechanical, and economic improvements which have entered the country through the influence and even by the direct exertions of the missionaries.
all this in the earlier years was incidental to the mission work. during the last twenty years deliberate plans to teach industries have been made by the missionaries in some of the leading schools. while this industrial instruction was begun for the purpose of affording an opportunity to worthy but needy students to earn their way through school, the experiment proved that there was still another advantage not second to this in importance, and that was the educational value of practising an industry, as well as an economic value to the student and to the country. industrial plants have been attached to some of the higher educational institutions like anatolia college at marsovan, where the results have amply justified the effort. it is surprising to see how rapidly new industrial ideas are disseminated from such a school.
at the time of the massacres of 1895-96 a large number of orphan children, both boys and girls, were taken in charge by the missionaries. these numbered many thousands. their presence and needs forced the adoption of methods by which they could earn a part, at least, of their own support. various industries sprang up wherever orphans and widows were found gathered into homes superintended by the [pg 235] missionary. these activities include cabinet work, carpentry, tinsmithing, blacksmithing, baking, embroidery, lace-making, with many other trades, besides silk culture and farming. as the children are bright and quick to learn the use of tools and remarkably good at imitation, marked progress is made. it is inevitable that out of these industrial plants will come new ideas and new industrial and mechanical impulses. many of the young men who have come to the united states have learned trades which they will carry back to their own country as soon as they are satisfied that liberty is given them to return in safety. probably industrial reform has not taken hold of the country as yet with the same force as other reforms. one prominent reason for this is that all industries are discouraged by the government. we can expect but moderate results until there is a change in this respect in the policy of administration.
many changes in the construction of houses have taken place in the interior of the country. wooden floors are rapidly coming into use, and windows admitting light and often with a few panes of glass are found even in remote villages. the one-story buildings in agricultural villages in which the family and the cattle during the winter occupied one room, are having a second story added for the family with pure air and with plenty of light. this one change alone is of inestimable value in lifting up and improving a people. whitewash made with lime is freely used upon the inside of the living rooms and much pride is exhibited in the surroundings of the home. all this indicates a decided advance in family life and in the desire for what is civilized and wholesome. every step forward is permanent. the industrial advance goes hand in hand with the introduction of comforts in the home. the [pg 236] possibilities for rapid enlargement of these reform measures are innumerable as soon as freedom of action and safety to life and property are assured.
enlightened by education, chafing under the restrictions which crushed all enterprise in that country, and knowing about the large freedom and the wider opportunities open to all in the united states, a large number of armenians have left their homes in turkey for this country. emigration began largely from harpoot, but has extended now to all parts of the country, until it is estimated that there are now in the united states more than thirty thousand armenians, with perhaps as many greeks, bulgarians, albanians, turks and syrians. many of these have become prosperous business men, worthy and loyal citizens of the united states. others are farmers, professional men, and laborers in factories. some have returned, but the turkish government is suspicious of all, and especially of armenians who have been in this country, and is likely to deport them if they succeed in passing the guards at the frontier. in proportion to their numbers, the protestants in turkey have furnished by far the largest number of emigrants. they were the first to come into closest contact with the american missionaries and to catch the spirit of modern education. it was most natural that they should be the first to turn their attention to this country as the land of the greatest opportunity. many have come here to secure more education for work among their own people at home, but the severity of turkish rule has hitherto kept the most of these here. many armenian protestant churches and congregations have been formed in this country, at points from boston to california, and in every case the pastors and preachers were trained at mission schools in turkey. if it prove true that old restrictions are removed and safety and freedom assured to [pg 237] these exiles from their fatherland, no doubt the greater part of these will return with joy, carrying back with them not only the capital they have secured, but the enterprise and skill they have acquired in their experience here. many of these men may soon become a great force in aggressive commercial christian and educational enterprises for their own people.
the missionaries set out to aid the armenians and other races in turkey to an intelligent and reasonable faith and practise. separation from among the armenians was forced upon the evangelicals, as we have already seen, but the line that divided the protestants from the old gregorian church did not mark a cleavage between those who seriously thought upon religious matters and those who were blind followers of the church. many thoughtful men remained in the old church, and the discussions that produced so much disturbance outside were carried on in greater quietness, even among the clergy. there were two reform movements proceeding at the same time; one through the propagandism of the protestant or evangelical body, separated in 1846 from the old church by the action of the church itself, and the other a much less marked but no less sincere spirit of investigation and inquiry continuing within the old church. the general reform movement had been too rapid and aggressive for the conservative elements of the church, but after the withdrawal of the most active leaders the reform spirit continued to develop and exert its influence.
these two widely divergent parties of sixty years ago have now drawn toward each other. there are probably to-day more intelligent evangelical believers within the old gregorian, greek and syrian churches than comprise the entire protestant body. separation no longer takes place in any marked degree. the same men preach occasionally in [pg 238] both protestant and gregorian churches. evangelical teachers are engaged without dissent to teach gregorian schools, while in many instances there are more gregorian than protestant pupils in protestant schools.
gregorian young men preparing themselves for orders in their church are welcomed to the protestant theological schools where they stand upon precisely the same footing as the protestant youth with that ministry in view, while missionaries are invited to give lessons in gregorian theological schools.
the gregorian church, as a whole, while yet far from the goal reached by many of its strongest supporters, is making advance towards an intelligent faith and practise. no longer do the leaders believe that there is virtue in the forms of worship or salvation in submission to the demands of the priesthood. they believe that true religion consists in true belief and right living and to this end they strive.
it is also evident that the mohammedans have been perceptibly affected by reading the new testament; thousands of copies have been sold them. whereas heretofore they had interpreted christianity by the lives of the people among them who bore that name, they are now studying the sources and see that between the two there is a wide gulf. they have been compelled, in self-defense, to search their own religion for fundamental truths of high character in order to prove to the reformed christians that islam is not as bad as it appears in the lives of many of its adherents.
in a word, all classes in the empire are learning that religion is a matter of conviction and life, and not of form, and that it manifests its true character in the acts of its followers, and not in the boasted declarations of its leaders.
