THE AWAKENING IN CENTRAL TURKEY.
Much interest has been awakened by the reports which have reached us from time to time of marked and widespread religious awakening in the Central Turkey Mission. Marash, Hadjin, Adana, Tarsus, Oorfa, Kilis, Aleppo, and Aintab have all been sharers in the good work, and in several of these places the results show large and important gains to the churches. Latest intelligence from this field indicates that the influence of this revival is being strongly felt in a greatly increased interest in the home missionary work of the field. It is hoped that at the annual conference of the mission and native churches, which has just been held in Marash, some practical measures for the aid and better care of the feebler churches may have been devised and entered upon. There has also been among the Gregorians, in several places in this part of Turkey, a very decided deepening of interest in Bible study and in personal seeking for spiritual life in Christ. In Aintab, this has gone so far as to awaken the open and strenuous opposition of the conservative men of that community, and the Patriarch of Constantinople has issued a special edict, naming the “New Sect at Aintab,” characterizing their teachings and doings as irregular, subversive of Gregorian customs and destructive of the unity of the church, and commanding these innovators to cease from their mischievous work. As the evangelical party is numerous, and many of them well persuaded of the truth in which they have believed, the situation becomes one of deep interest, and seems likely to lead to important results. A later letter gives the gratifying intelligence that the authorities of the Gregorian church have granted permission to the evangelical party to continue their meetings, both for men and women, under certain regulations not difficult to comply with. Friends of the movement are much encouraged at this result.—Missionary Herald.