TURKEY

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Nov 21, 1895

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 21, No. 46.

THE earliest history of Turkey, like that of most nations of any antiquity, is lost in obscurity. The uplands of the Altai Mountains seem to have been the cradle of the Turkish race where they were neighbors of the Mongols and Tartars; but while the latter remained in their original home, the Turks gradually migrated westward.

In the tenth century Islamism was brought to the Turks from Persia and spread with great rapidity, when the name of Turkoman (true believer) came into general use. During the eleventh century all of Syria and western Asia came under their sway. One of their prominent invaders was Seljuk, who conquered Persia, while his grandson, the great Khan Toghrul, overran Georgia, Armenia, and Asia Minor.

There are reasons for believing that in earlier times Asia Minor was composed of rich and populous kingdoms, but now it is neither rich, powerful, nor populous. The present population is composed largely of Osmanlis, or Turks, Armenians, Greeks, and Syrians, with Koords and Arabs on the confines of Persia. There are seven non-Mohammedan creeds recognized: Greek, Armenian, Syrian, Maronite, Protestant, Jew, and Papist.

Legally, any one can change his creed; practically it means that any one can become a Mohammedan, but no Mohammedan can change his religion. European and Asiatic Turkey contain a population of about 21,000,000. Of the 9,000,000 who are not Moslems more than half are nominal Christians, who are scattered throughout the empire and are everywhere in the minority, without unity, organization, or mutual sympathy. These include Armenians, Bulgarians, Greeks, Syrians, and some minor sects. The work of the American missions is largely among the first three, that among the Armenians being especially promising, though now greatly hindered for many reasons.

The four missions of the American Board within the Turkish Empire extend from Monastir on the west to Van on the east, and from the Black Sea to northern Syria. Within this region there are now 125 churches, with a membership of 12,428, of whom 544 were received the past year. The American laborers in these missions number 177, of whom 56 are men and 68 unmarried women. The native force of laborers numbers 867, of whom 230 are pastors or preachers. In our mission schools within this empire there are no less than 20,604 pupils under instruction.—American Board Almanac, 1895.