Asia Minor by Claude D. AcMoody; Z. G. Baharian

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jun 11, 1908

Asia Minor

By Claude D. AcMoody; Z. G. Baharian

BRUSA.—I am now on a trip through Asia Minor, and have been having some good meetings. I held a two and one-half months' workers' institute this winter with ten in attendance.

This is Turkey yet, but careful management will bring better relations with the government and with the Protestants, and is doing so. I have some warm friends among leading Protestant missionaries.

This is a very interesting city. It was a Grecian capital at one time, and was the capital of Turkey before the Turk took Constantinople. The place is full of mosques and thermal baths, the hot water coming directly out of the mountains.

I am now preparing some matter to be translated into the language of the people for our field work.

Remember the work in this part of the earth, and pray that more help may be sent. CLAUDE D. AcMOODY.

MERSINE.—Mersine is an important port of Cilicia on the Mediterranean Sea. During the last twenty-five years, it has grown larger, and has been beautified with magnificent buildings, roads, and gardens. Its population is of different religious beliefs,—Moslems, Orthodox Greeks, Catholics, Armenians, Protestants, and Fellahs,—the remnants of the nations of Canaan at the time of Joshua. The American Reformed Presbyterians have established a mission among the Fellahs to educate their children.

We are glad to see that the third angel's message has entered this city also. A brother who had accepted the message in Tarsus, went to support himself about five years ago, and has lived there since then. As he was not a man of fluent language, he let his deportment bear testimony to the truth. And so it has done. Many times the Protestant minister has openly told his congregation to look on him as a model of Christian life. Lately a revivalist has gone there, and held revival meetings. In one of the meetings, a prominent Protestant named Hovakim prayed, saying, “Show me in whatsoever thing that I lack, and I will obey thee.” After the meeting was over, our brother called on him, and told him that he would show him in what he was lacking; that is, Sabbath-keeping. Then they called on the revivalist preacher. He tried to cover up the

truth; but when he saw that he was unable to do it, he recommended the man not to talk with our brother. This behavior of the preacher moved the heart of a Greek to investigate the truth, and he soon began to see that the preacher was full of hypocrisy. Our brother reported the condition of things to our minister in Adana, Alexan Buzugherian. At once he wrote a letter to Mersine about true Christianity. This letter moved the heart of an English merchant to keep the Sabbath. As soon as our minister heard about it, he went to Mersine, and at once a Greek brother also obeyed, and a backslidden soul returned. Now our minister has been there since April 3, and we receive encouraging letters from him. In his letter of April 8 he writes:—

“As you know, I came here April 3. Thanks to God I have much work. To-night I returned from Brother Charles' house, having had a Bible study. . . . Now there is much persecution against me and him. Two days ago the brother of Lazari [the above-mentioned Greek, who began to investigate about the truth] attacked me with great wrath to beat me, while walking in a lonely place. I thank the Lord he saved me from his hand. As he is an old Greek, he can not bear his brother's apostatizing from the orthodox religion. Let us pray together that the Lord may change his heart. Mr. Andonaki, the Russian consul, has called Brother Lazari and rebuked him severely, and even attempted to beat him, but his brother prevented him. Let us see what will happen on next Sabbath. Will Brother Lazari be strengthened to keep the Sabbath? and what will the consequence be? Brother Charles, the English merchant, is speaking about the truth to many, and I am teaching him the truth step by step. His heart is open to the truth. Though he is a son of a great man, he is very humble. Brother Hovakim also is near the truth. He was present in our study to-night.”

There are now four souls obeying the message here. This is a good beginning. The Englishman above spoken of, heard about our truth while in England; but the seed sown at that time has borne fruit now. Our minister finds him a help in his work. May God stablish him in the faith. Z. G. BAHARIAN.