God's Providential Guidance
By Z. G. Baharian
IN my last report I wrote that our lives were in danger here in Sivas, Turkey. Two Sundays we were obliged to omit our meetings. Several friends worked for us, advising those who had troubled us to do so no more. We heard that they would not attack again, so reopened our public meetings. But we found that some honest souls would not attend, fearing they could not listen to God's word in a quiet manner. However, from twenty to thirty attended regularly on Sundays. Satan began again, this time stirring the children to gather before the street-door, waiting for the close of the meetings; and as soon as we were out, they would cry and yell and throw missiles at us. Each Sunday we would thank the Lord that he let us return safely to our home, and during the week would prepare ourselves for another battle. January 18, toward the end of the Sabbath, we went out of the city to take some fresh air. We were five in number, two brethren having come from Diarbekir to study the Bible and prepare as workers in this field. It was a cold day, and the snow was deep. I was going ahead, and the soldiers' depot was before us a little way. I returned, and two of the brethren followed me, but the other two continued their way a little nearer the depot. As this road leading to the depot was well made and smooth, we had taken our walks on it, without going near the depot. As we were strangers in the city, the attention of the soldiers had thus been drawn to us, and the centurion had commanded them to arrest us when we were once more found on this road. This Sabbath the two brethren were arrested and carried to the depot, and from there sent to the police department to be investigated. The rest of us returned home, knowing nothing about the arrest. The sun set, but they did not come. One of the brethren went out to the road to look for them, met two robbers, saved himself from them, and arrived home safely, but with no news about the two brethren. Later we learned from a soldier that they were at the police department. I went to the department and found them. There were three chief commissaries, and we had a long talk about our work and general Bible subjects. The brethren were investigated, their answers were written, and we were all allowed to go out to our home. We thanked God, and began to watch interestedly the course the government would take toward us. The next Sunday, January 26, we all went to our meeting-house at the appointed time, leaving our young Brother Levon at home. As soon as we were there, our neighbor who dwells in the same building began to attack us, crying and blaspheming loudly. Unable to satisfy his wrath in this manner, he came into our meeting-hall with a shovel in his hand, and tried to beat me. Brother Ashikian, our canvasser, who is a powerful young man, checked him and held his hands. At this time two men entered, having come for Bible study, and helped us against this angry man who was insisting on sending us out of the house. We saw that it was impossible for us to hold a study that day, and decided to leave the house. By this time others of “the baser sort” had come in, as previously arranged, and there arose a great uproar. We were all being beaten, but none of us would strike in return. I locked the door and ran out to the street, one of the disturbers following me. He caught me, but I saved myself, and ran to the police station and informed the officers of our situation. Two policemen went to our meeting-house, but the men had gone away. I learned from the brethren that after I left, they were beaten severely. Policemen could arrest only two of the attackers, and carried them to the station. There they began to insist that we had beaten them. We gave our version of the affair and went home. Then the police proposed to us that we write a petition, and refer the matter to the legal court. This we declined to do, seeing that this step would create many new troubles. The next day I called on the chief of police, who received me cordially. He promised to help us by sending a policeman to each service. This seemed to us a miracle. His mind had been prepared for this by a friend of his, the physician in chief of the government, to whose son I was giving treatments. This, too, was providential indeed. We must always be prompt in doing good to others. God may use this service in our favor at a most critical point. The following Sunday a policeman was sent to the meeting, and all was quiet. But I was not accustomed at all to this. During the twenty-one years that I have been engaged in this work I had never held a meeting under the care of a policeman. Now we are trying once more to gather the people to our studies. Our present situation is this: Although the government is carrying on a deep investigation concerning us, it is also helping us in our meetings. May God direct in all.