Chapter XXXIV: The Armenians.--1864-1865

A Reaction.--The Apparent Cause.--Consequent Movements.--Results. --Position of the Entire Field.--Obstacles to be surmounted. --Painful Experience at Marsovan.--Accessions to the Mission. --Working Force at the Metropolis.--Robert College and Bebek.--An unsuccessful Disorganizing Movement.--Great Fire at Broosa.--New Missionary Station.--Influence of the American War at Adana. --Diminished Force in Central Turkey.--Evangelical Progress at Aintab.--Two Churches formed.--Girls' Boarding School.--High School.--Graduating Class at Harpoot.--Singular Method of Opposition.--Progress of Self-support and the Evangelical Spirit in the Churches.--Death of Mrs. Williams.--General View of the Eastern Mission.--Methods of Opposition.--Liberal Support of the Gospel. --Prosperity at Diarbekir.--Death of Mr. Dodd.--Death of Mr. Morgan.--Death of Hohannes.--Interesting Ordinations.--Reception of Mr. and Mrs. Walker.--A Native Church in the Absence of both Missionary and Pastor.--Death of a Native Helper.

CHAPTER XXXV. THE ARMENIANS--1865-1867.

Harpoot Evangelical Union.--Other Similar Associations.--Their Utility.--A Poor Church enriched.--John Concordance, the Blind Preacher.--His Sermon on Tithes, and his Wide Influence.--Meeting of the Harpoot Union.--Death of Mrs. Adams.--New Missionaries. --Multiplication of Newspapers.--The Avedaper, or "Messenger."--The Reformed Church and Prayer-Book.--Consequent Excitement. --Bible-women.--Eleven Years at Harpoot.--Week of Prayer at Harpoot, and Bitlis.--Revival at Bitlis.--Broosa after Seventeen Years. --First Evangelical Greek Church.--Death of Mr. Walker.--His Character.--Return Home of Mrs. Walker.--Contrast at Choonkoosh. --A Foreign Mission resolved upon.--New Revival at Harpoot.--The Past and Present.--Injurious Effect of Prosperity in a Church.--The Recovery.

CHAPTER XXXVI. THE NESTORIANS.--1864-1868.

Death and Character of Deacon Isaac.--Death and Character of Miss Fiske.--Death of Deacon Joseph.--Mountain Tours.--The Mountain Work.--Visit to the Young Patriarch.--The Seminary for Girls.--Great Usefulness of Dr. Wright.--His Death.--Death of Mr. Ambrose. --Nestorian Vagrancy.--Death and Character of Mr. Rhea.--Hostility of Mar Shimon.--Friendly Agency of the English Ambassador.--Royal Donation.--Success of the Girls' School.--Male Seminary.--A Private School.--Death of Priest Eshoo.--New Medical Missionary.--Estimates of Population.--Interesting Armenian Colony.--The Patriarch thwarted in his Hostility.--Favoring Indications.

CHAPTER XXXVII. THE NESTORIANS.--1867-1870.

Convention of Nestorian Churches.--Ordination of a Nestorian Missionary.--A Satisfactory Tour.--Movement towards Self-supporting Churches.--Progress of the Reformation.--Retirement of Missionaries.--What Dr. Perkins had seen accomplished.--Rekindling of the Ancient Missionary Spirit.--Foreign Missions become a Necessity.--The Reviving Missionary Spirit illustrated.--Death of Priest Abraham.--Failure of the Original Plan of Church Organization.--Mar Yohanan.--Erratic Proceedings of Priest John.--The best People stand firm.--The Past not to be condemned. --Separate Churches become a Necessity.--Signs of Revival.--The Foreign Missionary Field for the Nestorians.--The Missionaries. --Assignments of Fields.--Transfer of the Mission to the Presbyterian Board.--Death and Character of Dr. Perkins.

CHAPTER XXXVIII. SYRIA.--1857-1860.

Death of Dr. Eli Smith.--The Work performed by him.--Dr. Van Dyck succeeds him as Translator.--The Missionaries.--Death of Dr. De Forest.--The Schools.--Progress in Fifteen Years.--Ain Zehalty. --Church at Hasbeiya.--Attitude of the Maronite Clergy.--B'hamdûn. --Kefr Shema.--A High-minded Christian.--Religious Toleration. --Prospect of a Native Ministry.--A New Call for the Gospel.--Church at Alma.--Successful Ministry at Cana.--First completed Protestant Church Building in Syria.--The Missionary's Wife at Cana. --Persecution.--The Women at Alma.--Training of Helpers.--Ain Zehalty again.--Struggles in the Department of Education. --Accessions to the Churches.--New Protestant Community at Deir Mimas.--A Cheering Annual Meeting.--Friendly Aid from United States Ambassador.--Arabic New Testament published.

CHAPTER XXXIX. SYRIA.--1860-1863.

Another Civil War in Syria.--The Missionaries Safe.--Massacre near Sidon.--Mr. Bird at Deir el-Komr.--Destruction of Zahleh.--Massacre at Hasbeiya.--Massacre at Damascus.--Relief for Suffering Thousands.--Remarkable Escape of Missionaries and Native Protestants.--Foreign Interposition.--Effects of the War.--Arabic New Testament published.--Cooperation of American and English Bible Societies.--Importance of the Version.--Sales of the Scriptures.--A Voweled Arabic New Testament.--The Field Brightening.--A Good Governor.--Further Evidences of Progress.--Persecution.--A Significant Event.--Evidence of Divine Agency.--Changes in the Mission.--Growth of Beirût.--Demand for Education.--Proposal for a Protestant College.--What hindered a more Rapid Progress in the Mission.

CHAPTER XL. SYRIA.--1863-1869.

Personal.--Boarding Schools.--Printing.--Completion of the Arabic Translation of the Scriptures.--Multiplication of Copies.--Improved Government of Lebanon.--The Native Ministry.--Druze High School. --Value of Druze Protection.--Death of Tannûs el-Haddad.--Native Pastor at Hums.--Remarkable Awakening at Safeeta.--Remarkable Persecution.--Firmness of the persecuted People.--The Persecution closed.--Decline and Recovery of the Church at Hums.--Native Missions.--Administration of Daoud Pasha.--Accessions to the Mission.--Books published.--The Publishing Department strengthened.

CHAPTER XLI. SYRIA.--1869-1870.

But few Students in Theology.--Institution of a Theological Seminary.--Female Boarding Schools.--THE SYRIAN PROTESTANT COLLEGE. --Demand for a College.--Its Objects.--Range of its Studies.--Why an Independent Institution.--Its Location and Government.--Its Endowment.--Its Students.--The Religious Influences.--First Graduating Class.--The College Edifices.--Transfer of the Mission to the Presbyterian Board.--Feeling awakened by the Transfer.--RESULTS OF THE PAST.

CHAPTER XLII. THE ARMENIANS.--1867-1869.

New Missionaries.--Revival at Marash.--Revival at Mardin.--Oosee, a Native Candidate for a Foreign Mission.--Church organized at Mardin.--Wife of Oosee.--Struggle with the People of Zeitoon. --Deadly Assault on a Missionary.--The Rescue.--The Gospel gains a Footing in Zeitoon.--Coast of the Black Sea.--Death of Dr. William Goodell.--His Life and Character.--Prolonged Tour in Eastern Turkey.--Meeting of the Evangelical Union at Diarbekir.--Mardin. --Remarkable Church and Pastor at Sert.--Bitlis.--Extreme Poverty on the Plain of Moosh.--Oppression by the Priesthood.--Death of Mrs. H. S. Barnum.--District of Erzroom.--Diarbekir.--Native Mission to Koordistan.--Native Mission to Moosh.--Seminaries at Harpoot.--Cruel Persecution at Mardin.--Revival at Oorfa.--Apprehended Doctrinal Errors.--Reception of Mr. Wheeler on his Return to Harpoot. --Progress of Civilization at Aleppo.--Death of John Concordance. --Aintab after Twenty Years.

CHAPTER XLIII. THE ARMENIANS.--1869-1872.

Another Revival at Marash.--Another at Bitlis.--New Church and Pastor at Havadoric.--Great Change in Hadjin.--The Marsovan Seminary.--Angora.--Erzingan.--Crisis in the Koordistan Native Mission.--Mr. Wheeler's Visit to it, and Mr. Pond's Visit to Sert. --Mosul.--Death of Dr. Williams.--His Character.--Women in the Region of Cesarea.--Missionary Visit to Van.--Death of a Native Pastor.--Dr. Clarke's Impressions of Cilicia.

CHAPTER XLIV. THE ARMENIANS.--EDUCATION.--1872.

Common Schools a Necessity.--The Four Seminaries.--The Female Boarding Schools.--Tabular View of the Higher Schools.--Marsovan Seminary.--Harpoot Seminaries.--Marash Seminary.--Mardin Seminaries.--Training School at Tocat.--High School at Aintab. --Marsovan Female Seminary.--Harpoot Female Seminary.--Female Boarding School at Aintab.--Marash Female High School.--The ROBERT COLLEGE.--Its Origin.--Obstacles to be overcome.--To be a Christian Institution.--The Founder.--Fully established.--How Obstacles were surmounted.--The College Self-supporting.--Gifts by the Founder. --The Demand for Liberal Education.--_Proposed College in the Interior_.--How the Idea originated.--Interesting Statement from Aintab.--To be located in Aintab.

CHAPTER XLV. THE ARMENIANS.--PRESENT CONDITION.--1872.

Unreasonable Demands on Foreign Missions.--How the Millennium is made possible.--The Evangelizing Progress.--Changes in the Metropolis of Turkey.--National Progress.--Influence of the Protestant Faith.--Reform in Worship.--The Missionaries Hopeful. --The Degree of Progress.--Illustrations.--The Harpoot Community. --General Statements.--The Result.

CHAPTER XLVI. THE MOHAMMEDANS.

The Mohammedans to be approached through the Oriental Churches. --Largely of Christian Origin.--Degree of Security for Moslem Converts.--Mohammedan Susceptibility to Christian Influence illustrated.--General Character of the Illustrations.--The Gospel yet in its Incipient Stage of Influence among them.--Why so little Direct Effort hitherto.--Demand for Laborers of the same Race. --Experience favors the Plan hitherto pursued.--The Probable Future.--The Relations of the Missionary to the Moslems.--The Turks not an Unhopeful Race.

MISSIONS

TO THE

ORIENTAL CHURCHES.