names at Tripoli as Protestants, and applied to the missionaries to aid them in their temporal affairs. This being beyond the province of the missionaries, they were referred to the foreign consuls and local government, but active measures were at once set on foot to evangelize them, and confirm them in their newlyassumed principles. A native evangelist was sent to their village, missionaries visited them, schools were opened both for boys and girls, and in a short time many, who had had no conception of our faith before, became enlightened, and some, as we trust, renewed by the Holy Spirit. The schools were eminently successful, and more than half of those who first declared themselves Protestants remain true to their adopted faith. Large numbers of copies of the Bible have been circulated, several of the youth of both sexes have been sent to the training-schools at Abeih, Beirut, and Sidon, and we have now a prospect of soon ordaining a native pastor, and settling him over a church to be organized in that region.

From the first this community has been subjected to a fire of persecution, more severe than is usually employed by Divine Providence, to burn off the dross of worldliness and error. They have been imprisoned, beaten, robbed, cursed, oppressed by unjust taxation and falsely-charged debts, at times driven from their homes, and yet have stood firm. Some of the more sordid have apostatized, but many, who were not with them at first, have become enlightened. When they have been at Damascus, and Tripoli, and Beirut, at different times, in search of help from the unjust judges of the land, or in prison on false charges, they have ever displayed an eagerness for evangelical instruction, and an avidity in the reading and study of the Word, (which they always carry with them in their journeys,) which is quite remarkable.

Many of the children are shepherds, and cannot attend the schools, yet they carry with them Primers and Testaments, and study in the fields, and on the rugged sides of the mountains; and many of the girls as well as the boys have learned to read well, and have committed large portions of the Word of God.

A feature of peculiar interest in the work in Safeeta is, that we are there on the borders of that interesting territory occupied by the Nusairîyeh, a sect of Islam, who have not yet been reached in any considerable numbers by the gospel. Already, however, by the existence of a Protestant community on their borders, many of them have become enlightened, and it is hoped that ere long our evangelists will have penetrated that section of the country, and that we shall begin to sap the foundations of Islam, among those who are less fanatically attached to all its precepts than the orthodox Moslems of Damascus and Cairo.

An interesting incident recently occurred in connection with this community A number of the Protestants of Safeeta were unjustly imprisoned in Tripoli, and while in prison, occupied their time in expounding the Word to their fellowprisoners, and thus made a profound impression of their sincerity and faithfulness to Christ, and of the power of his truth.

The earnest prayers of Christians are desired, that this community may have grace given to enable it to endure all things for Christ, and that the high hopes entertained in regard to it may not be disappointed.

AMERICAN MISSIONS IN TURKEY.

[The following paper was read at the meeting of the Evangelical Alliance at Amsterdam, in August last, by Rev. J. K. Greene, of the Broosa station, Western Turkey. It furnishes such a summary view of the Turkish missions as many readers of the Herald will be glad to see. The statistics which he gives differ somewhat from those furnished by the missions and presented in the last Annual Report of the Board; but his are presumed to be, in some cases, the most recent, and therefore the most correct. ED.]

THE primary object of the American missionaries, who went to Turkey thirtyfive years ago, was to preach the gospel to the Turks. To a Turk, however, a Christian was a "ghaour," an infidel, a dog; and, in point of fact, the corrupt Christianity of the Oriental churches was the chief obstacle to the progress of the gospel among the Turks. Hence it was early seen that the most direct, and at the same time the most feasible way of converting the Turks, was to seek the reformation of the Christians of Turkey, with the object of furnishing, in them, a living example of pure Christianity. Time has shown this conclusion to be correct; for, throughout the empire, the attention of the Turks has been drawn to the rising reformation. By means of intercourse with the native Protestants and the missionaries, many Turks have obtained a tolerably correct idea of pure Christianity, and have learned to distinguish between Protestants and other Christians; many have purchased and read the Turkish Scriptures, (of which, in one year, as many as 1,496 copies have been sold,) and about thirty persons from among the Turks have given evidence of conversion and been baptized. For a few years, three American missionaries, located at Constantinople, have labored exclusively for the Turks, and every missionary in the interior of Turkey improves whatever opportunity offers to preach to them the gospel.

The efforts of the missionaries, though at first largely enlisted in behalf of the Greeks and Jews, have been mostly expended on the Armenian people. This people, who claim to be descended from Japheth, for many centuries formed an independent kingdom, whose centre of power was in the vicinity of Mount Ararat. They were converted to Christianity at the beginning of the fourth century. The Bible was translated into the Armenian language A. D. 411. At the present time, the Armenians are supposed to number about three millions, of whom two and a half millions are inhabitants of the Turkish empire. By reason of their intelligence, activity, and religious susceptibility, they have been styled the Anglo-Saxons of Turkey.

As early as the year 1823, the Agent of the British and Foreign Bible Society sought the approbation of the Armenian Patriarch to the printing of a version of the New Testament in the modern Armenian, but his request was positively refused. Even to the present day, the Armenian hierarchy refuses to permit the reading of the Scriptures in the vernacular tongue, either in the churches or in the schools. Yet it is matter of thanksgiving that the Bible has never, by any ecclesiastical body of the Armenian church, been interdicted to the laity. The people, though extremely ignorant of God's Word, yet manifest

much reverence for the sacred volume. Unlike the Papists, in argument, or appeal, the Armenians always acknowledge the Bible as the highest authority. In their efforts for the spiritual reformation of the Armenians, the missionaries, while not neglecting the establishment of schools and the use of the press, from the first gave their chief attention to the preaching of Christ. And, while not shunning to reprove sin and error, they rather sought to present the excellency of the truth than to decry existing abuses. Progress was at first slow, but, one by one, persons became interested in the truth, and received strength to stand up for Jesus. In the year 1839, the Armenian Patriarch sought, by means of persecution, to arrest the progress of religious inquiry. Through his influence, some of the evangelical Armenians were thrown into prison, and others were banished. Yet from this time onward the work of the Lord advanced with accelerated pace. In 1846, a far more violent and determined effort was made to crush the rising reformation; but, at this time also, though the evangelical men suffered much, their persecution proved a blessing both to them and to the cause; for, from the date of this last persecution, the good work of evangelization has advanced from place to place, until now, in almost every important town in Asia Minor, there are found Protestant and Christian Armenians. The Protestant Armenians neither sought nor desired a distinct church organization. On the contrary, they hoped to be allowed to remain within the pale of the Armenian church, that by quiet and kind endeavor they might secure the enlightenment of their countrymen. But, when cut off from the Armenian church with cruelty and cursing, they were in duty bound, for mutual security and edification, to seek a separate organization. Consequently, in 1846, four evangelical churches were formed in different parts of the empire. These new organizations were not recognized by the Turkish Government; yet the authorities were not unfriendly to them, since their sympathies were generally on the side of the persecuted.

The American mission to Turkey, formerly one, is now, in order to facilitate the transaction of business, and on account of the great extent of territory occupied, divided into three missions, each of which is self-governing, and has an annual meeting to consider and decide matters pertaining strictly to missionary effort and the expenditure of missionary funds. In these three missions, not including Syria, there are on the ground 83 male and female missionaries, located at 22 of the principal cities of Asia Minor, and of Bulgaria, in European Turkey. Dependent upon these 22 centres, there are 138 out-stations, or places occupied by native evangelists. In all, there are 155 places where the gospel is statedly preached. The whole number of native laborers connected with the three missions is 275.

In the three missions there are 59 organized churches, with a total membership of 2,484, of whom 850 are females. Of the 59 churches, 32 are already supplied with native pastors, and most of the remainder have unordained native preachers. The average Sabbath congregations form an aggregate of 10,439. The total number of Sabbath-school scholars is 6,656.

The Protestant churches of Turkey are formed after no ecclesiastical pattern found in Europe or America, but combine in their organization elements both Congregational and Presbyterian. In matters of business pertaining to itself, and in the admission of new members, the local church is independent, but in

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matters pertaining to the common faith and practice, it coöperates with sister evangelical churches. Church government is vested in the native pastor and a committee of the brethren, elected annually, who are called "care-takers;" but in matters of special importance the whole body of the brotherhood is consulted. At present there are three Associations, or Unions," as they are called, of the native churches, one in each mission. These "Unions" have written constitutions, officers elected annually, and annual meetings. They form churches, license and ordain preachers, install pastors, watch for the purity of the churches in doctrine and practice, and, in general, have authority in all matters pertaining specially to the churches. The missionaries are corresponding members of the "Unions," but have no vote. Two of the Associations of native churches have already commenced the work of "Home Missions," one of them, namely, the Association in the Central Turkey Mission, sustains two native evangelists, and the Association in the Eastern Turkey Mission defrays the expenses of seven young men who are preparing to labor among the large body of their countrymen speaking, not the Armenian, but the Koordish, language. These Associations, as they increase in strength, will assume more and more control of the evangelistic operations in Turkey; and it is hoped that ere long they will be united in a Synod, or General Assembly — a consummation which has not yet been realized on account of the weakness of the churches, and the great distance which separates them.

The whole number of enrolled Armenian Protestants in Turkey is over 15,000. The total of contributions of the native Protestants, during the year 1866, for religious, educational, and benevolent objects, amounted to 275,556 piasters, or 12,139 dollars in gold.

Of the 59 native churches, 13 are already self-supporting, and, if present anticipations are realized, from the beginning of the year 1868, six more, making 19 in all, will pay the entire salary of their pastors. Eighteen churches pay half of the salary of their pastors or preachers, and from the beginning of the year 1868 no church will pay less than one fourth of the pastor's salary. More than half of the entire expense of conducting missionary operations in the year 1866, in the missions to Central and Eastern Turkey, exclusive of the salaries of missionaries, was paid by the native Protestants.

The number of common schools in the three missions is 165, and the number of pupils in the same 5,511, of whom nearly 2,000 are girls. The three missions have four theological seminaries, with an aggregate of 99 students, and four female seminaries, with an aggregate of 144 pupils. One of the theological, and one of the female, seminaries are for the Bulgarians, and are located in European Turkey; the others are for the Armenians, and are located in Marsovan, Harpoot, and Marash.

These statistics indicate but in part the influence of the reformation among the Armenians. It is fair to say, that those who hold enlightened opinions far outnumber those who are enrolled as Protestants. The effect of the movement on the Armenian church is very apparent. Though the ignorant mass of the people still continues to observe the rites and traditions of the church, yet a large body of the Armenians have learned enough of Bible truth to disbelieve in the intercession of saints, the adoration of pictures, and the propriety of the confessional. Few, indeed, at the present day, undertake to defend the

more prominent errors of the church; while many laymen, with not a few ecclesiastics, speak bold words for reform. The Armenian schools, also, have greatly multiplied and improved. Female education, formerly entirely neglected, is now securing attention in almost every community. In the separate administration of the affairs of the civil community and of the church, witnessed among the Protestants, all the nationalities of Turkey have learned an important lesson on the great question of the separation of Church and State.

In 1859 a mission was commenced among the Bulgarians in European Turkeya people which numbers about four and a half millions. They belong to the Greek church, but for several years have been striving to deliver themselves from the oppressive rule of the Greek hierarchy, and to secure the use of the vernacular tongue in their churches and schools. They have shown great eagerness to possess the Scriptures; and, already, many thousand copies. of the New Testament in the modern tongue, and of religious tracts, have been sold and distributed among them. At the present time, there are five male and seven female missionaries* laboring among the Bulgarians, four of whom devote themselves to giving instruction in the male and female seminaries already mentioned. These seminaries have 59 pupils in all, several of whom have become hopeful Christians.

From the beginning of missionary operations in Turkey, the press has been an invaluable assistant. Translations of the entire Bible into the Modern Armenian and the Armeno-Turkish, and of the New Testament into the Bulgarian and Arabo-Turkish, have been completed. Many other valuable relig ious and educational books have been translated into the languages of the country; such as Evidences of Christianity, Concordance of the New Testament, Scripture Text-Book, History of the Reformation, History of the Church, Pilgrim's Progress, Saints' Rest, Anxious Inquirer, Hymn and Tune Books, Treatises on Moral and Intellectual Philosophy, and many commonschool books. A religious newspaper, in the Armenian and Armeno-Turkish languages, has been published for twenty years. From the beginning, more than two millions of copies of the Scriptures and other books have been printed. The Bible has always been in greatest demand. In the year 1866, 31,313 copies of the Scriptures, in eleven different languages, were put in circulation.

Religious toleration is recognized by the Turkish Government, but the Armenian and Greek hierarchies, so far as they have power over their respective communities, practically know no such principle. It is also true that, while religious liberty is the law of the land, the spirit of the Turks is one of bitter enmity towards those who renounce Mohammedanism. While, moreover, the Turks have in many ways given proof of their respect for Protestant Christianity, it is still felt that, for political reasons, they do not regard with favor the spread of Protestantism even among their Christian subjects. The Bible is both a moral leaven in the hearts of men and a political leaven in the community. It enlightens and encourages the masses, both to perceive and to demand the inalienable rights which God has given them. This truth it is the instinct both of hierarchical and of political despotism soon to discern. The present * Since this statement was made, two- Mr. and Mrs. Byington - have returned to the United States.-ED.