Turkey

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D.C. · Feb 18, 1904

CONSTANTINOPLE.—I arrived here November 23, and the next day met Brother Baharian, and enjoyed visiting and counseling with him about a week, when he was called by the police department, and imprisoned, where he is at the present time. I have not seen him since then.

About three months ago one of the workers in Asia Minor was arrested, and sent back to his home province. From him the police took some letters and lessons written by Brother Baharian, and sent them to the police headquarters here in Constantinople. In one of these letters was a statement exhorting the workers to preach the message, saying that we must preach it, organize companies and tract societies, even though the government opposed us. This, of course, the officials would construe as seditious and revolutionary, and have called him to account for his persisting in his opposition to the government. I understand, from what Brother Baharian told me, that several years ago a decree was made by the Sublime Porte and sent to the police throughout the empire, to prohibit the “Sabbatarians,” as we have become known to them, from preaching and teaching their doctrine.

In conversation with the American minister and others, I learn that the Turks are not opposed to us or the other Protestants on account of religion. In their estimation, their religion is so superior to all others, and so few Mohammedans ever change their religion, that they are not afraid of Christianity. On the standpoint of religion alone, they are very liberal. They are afraid that the dissemination of Protestant ideas, and especially American ideas, will create unrest and dissatisfaction among the non-Mohammedans, and favor revolutions. They have grounds, no doubt, for their fear, and many times American missionaries have sympathized with and aided the Armenians in revolutionary schemes. They care nothing for our religion, but they reason that the preaching of a new doctrine will stir up riots and difficulties of many kinds. And so it does; for our workers are always liable to mobs and riots. Only a few weeks ago one of our workers was severely beaten at Adana, near Tarsus. Another is imprisoned in Aleppo. In this matter the Turks are logical. The Protestants are organized under one “community,” which is civil as well as religious, and sectarianism is suppressed.

If we were recognized as Protestants, there would be no difficulty with the officials, but the Protestant organization refused us such recognition on account of the Sabbath. So we are cast out, and to a certain extent have neither civil nor religious rights. If our brethren wish to hold a funeral, they must employ a priest not of our faith to conduct the ceremony. If they wish to get married, they must do so without a license, and their children have no legal inheritance in their property. If they wish to go to another city, it is with great difficulty that they get a permit to travel. It is the Sabbath question that really causes all the trouble. But thank the Lord for trouble when it comes in a good cause. The Sabbath and the “mark of the beast” are the distinguishing standards here, as well as in America. In Brother Baharian’s case it appears that interference from a foreigner would only create difficulty. So I must enjoy my nice room here in Pera, while Brother Baharian lies in prison just across the Golden Horn. My heart smites me when I think of it, but I can do most by doing nothing.

When I see what difficulties lie in the way of the work here, it seems as if it could never be done. But the work is the Lord’s, and he carries the burden of it with us, and we have the assurance that it will triumph. Surely, since the Lord is no respecter of persons, he will give the people of this land an opportunity to hear the truth before the end, and I am sure success will come by some means. The thought of discouragement has not entered my mind.

Altogether, I am much pleased with my field of labor. There is much good to compensate for the bad. It is bad here if we look down—in the streets—but if we look up, we see much that is beautiful, in a pure, clear, smokeless atmosphere. The people—Turks, Armenians, and all—are intelligent. I am much pleased with our Armenian brethren. Surely the Lord has many true ones among them.

I went to Bardizag the latter part of the week of prayer, and stayed over Sabbath and Sunday. The brethren all seemed glad to see me. A number of them can speak a little English, but none enough to act as interpreters; but a neighbor, the wife of a retired Armenian Protestant pastor, kindly offered to interpret for me, so I got along well, and enjoyed my stay with them very much. All were eager to learn the principles of healthful living and simple treatments. I feel when I meet these people that I am meeting true hearts, because it means much here to accept the truth. The Armenian pastor before mentioned attended three of the meetings, and manifested much friendship toward us, and prayed for Brother Baharian in prison, whom a few years ago he opposed very bitterly. He has no doubt been watching our people since then, and found that their religion makes them better. Every honest soul must recognize the truth when its effect is seen upon the life. The Turkish pasha of this city is friendly to us, and says, “The Sabbatarians are good people.” Thank God for a religion

that transforms the life. I hope the Lord will provide open doors for the truth by the medical work. Pray for me.