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Turkestan and Tartar Land

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Nov 3, 1910

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 87, No. 44.

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Turkestan and Tartar Land

By J. T. BOETTCHER

SHEIK OF SYRIA
Turkestan
An interesting feature of my trip to Turkestan was the Kirghizen tent. Sometimes three or four of these tents stand in a group. The dwellers in the tents engage in prayer at sunrise and at sunset. They spread their carpets, wash their feet, and then, kneeling toward Mecca, chant their prayers, bowing till they touch the ground many times with their faces. They never forget nor fail to perform these morning and evening devotions. If they are on a journey, they dismount by some pool of water, wash, and pray. There is devotion enough among them, but no Christ. Their religion is a religion of works.
In their tents there is no furniture. They sleep on mats spread on the ground. In the center of the tent is the fireplace, where their rice porridge is cooked. There is no escape for the smoke except through the top of the tent. In the summer there is an opening, but in the winter there is none, and the smoke remains inside.
The women are very poorly clad, and usually remain at home, while the men are off to make a trade of some kind. They never go on foot, but ride camels, donkeys, horses, oxen, and even cows. Often two persons ride on one beast. They are honest and upright in trade, and one feels perfectly safe among them. They have many traditions from Old Testament history. For instance, I was given a rod which by them is called "Moses' staff," and was told that any one carrying it would be received in friendship by the Kirghiz.
Although I could not understand their language, there was one word which I recognized. It is a word they use in exchanging greetings, "Salem," coming from Jerusalem, and meaning "peace." But true peace of heart they know nothing of. It is for us who know the peace of God, which passeth understanding, to give to these in heathen darkness a knowledge of the blessed gospel.
J. T. BOETTCHER.
Riga, Russia.