Second Trip Through Asia Minor
By J. H. Krum
OCTOBER 16 I left Beirut, Syria, for Asia Minor, arriving on the 19th in the historic town of Tarsus, the birthplace of Paul, where we now have one representative of our faith. I had the pleasure of baptizing two young Armenian brethren here who had been waiting to take this step for more than a year. From Tarsus I proceeded to Adana, taking our native worker to accompany me on my tour. After meeting the company in Adana and holding several services with them, we proceeded to Hadjin, a ride of four days on horseback, up in the Taurus Mountains. When we arrived, the police stopped us outside of the city, because some one said that we were Sabbatarian ministers. I was taken to the chief of police, where a great crowd collected. After some questions had been answered, they allowed me to go to the house of one of our brethren. Soon after the kaimakam sent the chief of police, forbidding me to hold any meetings. I told him that the command of Christ is to go into all the world and preach to every creature, and as I had come a great distance to see our people, it was impossible to obey this order. He replied, “Very well; you can speak with your people, but must not hold meetings for others.” Many were desirous of coming, but an officer was stationed for two days near our house, preventing them. When we saw that we could do no public labor, we began visiting our friends in their homes. We also made the acquaintance of six Protestant ministers, who treated us exceptionally well. We attended two of their meetings, and I was invited to give a testimony in the one held by the Mennonites, who are doing successful orphanage work here. I had not only the pleasure of meeting Christian friends among them, but to my14great joy the leader of the work is also a native of my city, Reading, Pa. On account of the population of Hadjin being Armenian, with the exception of about thirty families, they have a Christian kaimakam, a Catholic Syrian from Beirut. I went to him and spoke with him concerning my trip to the province of Aleppo, asking him not to put any obstacle in the way. As I came from his native city, and spoke Arabic with him, he was kindly disposed toward me. He said, “I have nothing personally against your people here, but as the government has instructed me to prevent your work, I arrested some who met on the Sabbath for worship, and who persisted in doing so after they were notified.” Further he asked, “Is it true that you baptized some of your people here?” I answered, “Yes.” After a few remarks, he passed this by, and I left him, knowing that God had given us favor with him. In Hadjin I baptized three brethren and one sister, and then we proceeded on our journey, accompanied by a sabdiye, captain of ten men, who was placed at my disposal by the Kaimakam. The country in this district beggars description. It must be seen to be understood. In the rainy season the roads are almost impassable, and at some points exceedingly dangerous, because of narrow, precipitous places, and of roaming Turkomans and Circassian villagers, who are noted for their robberies. After two days we arrived at Göksin. It being Friday, we resolved to spend the Sabbath here. As the small towns have no hotels, strangers are usually taken in by families. We were taken to the teacher of the Protestants, who conducts a church school besides holding several meetings weekly for the people. We were treated very hospitably, and were invited to preach. We were the first to bring the truth to these people, and were glad to see an interest in the coming of Christ. Here again some people spoke against us to the Turkish authorities, saying that we were bad, dangerous men. But as I had gained the friendship of the jüs pacha, captain of one hundred men, who had once been stationed in Jerusalem, and therefore understood Arabic, it was easy for us to explain the nature of our great evil; namely, Sabbath-keeping. This man afterward sent us a Circassian sabdiye to take us safely to the next city, Albistan, where we arrived after a two days’ journey through the mountains on horseback. This town of about thirty thousand inhabitants is located very near the borders of Armenia and Kurdistan. During the massacres, the Armenians of this place nominally accepted Mohammedanism until the trouble was over, and in this way escaped martyrdom. They say this was the darkest period of their lives. With heavy hearts they daily were forced to go to the mosque to pray; but fearing death, and the fate of their wives being uncertain, they chose the friendship of the world rather than remain faithful unto death, and receive a martyr’s crown. This made a great impression upon me. My thoughts at once turned to the future when the mark of the beast shall be forced upon all who do not stand thoroughly rooted and grounded upon the Word of God. Rev. 13:15, 16. Not until brought face to face with the realities of similar experiences, can one forcibly realize the situation of those who have to face death in the last test which shall be brought upon the whole world. Rev. 3:10. In Albistan we have a group of nine Sabbath-keepers. While here, we baptized two sisters and one brother in the Djihan or Gihon River, which rises from a great spring near the city named after Gen. 2:13. These were received into the church by vote. The brother was the first Protestant of that whole region. He helped to organize the church about forty-six years ago; but when light on baptism came through the Disciples, he accepted it; and when further light on the Lord’s coming and the commandments of God was brought to him, he again was the first to lead out, and hold up the lamp of truth. After remaining here one week, we departed for Marash. All the brethren accompanied us to the suburbs, where we all lifted up our hearts to God in thanksgiving for his many blessings bestowed upon us. This was an impressive farewell. These brethren appreciate a visit, which occurs only about once in five years. The way to Marash is very difficult. We crossed the Berut and Achyr Mountains, which are from seven to nine thousand feet above the sea. On entering the first-named mount, we had rain; but after getting nearer the summit, we encountered a driving snow-storm. I remember very distinctly my feelings while descending this mountain. The rain poured down, but no shelter was to be seen. At last, wet and weary, we found a large rock, which projected like a roof about five feet above the earth, and out far enough to cover sufficient space for all of us to find shelter, where we cuddled together to get warm, and partook of some food. My thoughts were forcibly drawn to the beautiful Scriptures of Job 24:8 and Ps. 61:1-4. On the fourth day after leaving Albistan, in the afternoon we beheld the city of Marash down in the valley below, partly obscured by the clouds between. In this city, which is a very important Protestant center, we have six brethren and many friends. Our meetings were attended very well in a private house, and a great interest to hear prevailed. During my stay of six days I baptized five young men—one, a former Catholic, another, a Gregorian Armenian, and three Protestants. I also visited two American Protestant ministers, and had a profitable talk on righteousness by faith and the law and the gospel with a German missionary and his family, who are doing good work for the orphans. Since the massacre many orphanages have been established; and as I have thus far visited four of them, I can say that the people conducting them all seem to experience the blessing of God. And from what I have seen, God surely has men among them who are preparing the children to receive the last message. On leaving the city, all the brethren and some friends, among them a wealthy merchant, accompanied us to the suburbs, where, after prayer, they walked beside us, singing, “It is well, it is well, with my soul,” with a strength and joy which only the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit can bring forth. We arrived in Aintab after two days of riding. This is another important center for gospel work. Here I was glad to notice a good religious experience in some young men. We have not actively prosecuted our work here. A young brother began the work six months ago, at the same time taking English lessons in the Aintab Protestant College. One man who had become discouraged and given up the Sabbath promised to begin its observance. From Aintab we proceeded to Aleppo, arriving there after three days of exceptionally hard riding. This is the center and meeting-place of Turkish, Armenian, and Arabic influence. Although the Arabic prevails, the other languages are largely spoken. This is the principal trading city for hundreds of miles to the north and east, and has a large population. In this great city we have only three brethren, two of them baptized. Here Brother A. B., our Bible worker who accompanied me, was arrested for some irregularity in his passport, and afterward they suspicioned that he was a man whom they were hunting from Diarbekir. Although I tried to free him, through the American consul, I succeeded only in securing his release from prison to accompany me on my journey to Adana, he going as a prisoner, accompanied by a soldier. In four days we reached Alexandretta, where we have a brother. We remained over the Sabbath. On Sunday morning the news came from the prison that they had decided to send Brother A. B. that day. So I prepared, and we went around the Bay of Alexandretta to Adana on horseback in four days. From Adana he was sent to Hadjin, four days by horse, to his home, where I hope he has been discharged by this time. Brother A. B. told me that he greatly enjoyed his experiences in the various prisons, as he had a good opportunity to speak words of encouragement to some discouraged souls. After remaining in Adana one week with our church, and refreshing myself in body and spirit, I proceeded to a mountain town nine hours from Tarsus, named Kozuluk, to baptize a young man and his wife. Returning to Adana and Tarsus, I baptized a young brother in the latter city, then came on to Mersina, where I am now waiting for a steamer for my home in Beirut, Syria. On my trip I preached thirty-two sermons, held twenty-nine Bible readings and twenty-seven other meetings, besides making fifty visits. I baptized sixteen,—all Armenians,—three others were accepted by vote, making a total15addition of nineteen members. Of these, six were married men, four married women, and nine young men. We rode on horseback thirty-one days, often late in the night, sometimes sleeping in the mountains with the heavens as a roof and the earth as a bed. Through all, the hand of God was with us to help. To him be all the praise.