p. 13 | Meetings and Missions in Turkey

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Dec 30, 1909

Meetings and Missions in Turkey

“YOUR life is somebody’s Bible — a ‘living epistle known and read.’ What is being read in you?”

joy to greet the more than twenty members at Constantinople, especially in view of their steadfastness amid persecution and imprisonment.

Thursday, the twenty-ninth, after the arrival of Brother Robert S. Greaves from Smyrna, Elders Frauchiger, Baharian, Greaves, and the writer took passage for Bardizag, near the Bay of Nicomedia. The brethren of this region came together for a three-days' meeting. They manifested a deep interest in the word spoken, and were very much concerned about the education of their children. During our stay at Bardizag, we experienced two earthquake shocks, each of which was so strong as to thoroughly shake the houses, which are generally quite large. They are constructed of wooden upright- and cross-pieces, filled in with a mixture of mud and straw. For the culture of the silkworm, it is necessary for our brethren to have such roomy dwellings.

Returning to Constantinople on Monday, November 1, we met Elder L. R. Conradi, who arrived from Odessa on the Russian steamer, en route to Alexandria. He was accompanied by Dr. V. Pampanian, and Dr. F. W. and Mrs. Vasenius. The first named will remain in Turkey, laboring around Adana in the neighborhood where our brethren were massacred, among whom were two promising young men who were on a missionary tour. Brother and Sister Vasenius have gone to the Abyssinian Mission with Elder Conradi. They left here November 4.

Brother Conradi was able to remain here with us two days, attending important committee meetings. Plans were laid for aggressive work among the many thousands of Europeans on the Galata and Pera side of Constantinople, where Brethren Frauchiger and Scior will be located. As Elder Frauchiger and wife speak French, German, and English, they will find many opportunities to present the truth here. French is understood and spoken by most of the educated Europeans and Asiatics in the city. Brother Scior will also take instruction in the Greek language, as he is expected to devote his time especially to that people, and will probably enter Macedonia next spring. Elder Baharian will devote his strength this winter especially to the Armenians of this city. Elder Greaves continues his work in Smyrna, and will probably conduct a series of meetings in Albania later on. The three other native workers will be more in the interior, where an interest to hear exists.

Wherever there are Greeks, Armenians, and Turks, we would recommend our people to take an interest in them, and seek to secure publications for them, either from the Constantinople Branch of the International Tract Society, Deutsche Post, Galata, Constantinople, or from the New York Branch of the Review and Herald, or from the Hamburg House.

Where to educate our youth of this land is an important question, and it seems best to the committee that suitable and tried young persons be trained in our European schools for the present. Our Turkish Mission Educational Fund must be continually strengthened, that this plan may be carried out. At present several young people from here are in training in America. Of course, we hope that when we have a stronger constituency in these parts, we may be able to educate workers in the field itself. Too much stress can not be laid upon the proper home training, for already the higher criticism is infecting the Levant, so that there is not now among professed Christians that respect for the Bible which was found here in former times. The home must ever be the cradle of genuine Christian experience and culture.

Our people here express their appreciation of the help rendered them, and extend Christian greetings to their brethren in all parts of the world.

We bespeak for Brother Frauchiger, who is the mission superintendent, and for all his fellow helpers, a hearty interest in the prayers of our Sabbath-keeping friends everywhere. He finds the circumstances quite different from those which he was accustomed to as a conference president in Germany, but is of good cheer, knowing that the same God who has helped him in the home land all of these years, will remain his strength and stay here. The Turkish Mission has a membership of about two hundred thirty. God grant that the future may give us “much people” in this place.

Constantinople.