Ever since last July we have been rejoicing in the new life and liberty that had come without bloodshed to Turkey. But we should not have supposed THE TRAGEDY that a nation could be newly born so easily. Abdul Hamid IN TURKEY is the shrewdest of diplomats, and had achieved the impossible in keeping his throne for the last twenty years; he is immensely rich, his private fortune, how gained it were not wise to ask, amounting perhaps to two hundred million dollars; he is the head of the Moslem 'religion, and multitudes of his fanatical subjects would lay down their lives at his behest without a murmur. Apparently he has through his emissaries stirred up disaffection in the army, and fighting and massacres and scenes of incredible cruelty have been daily events since mid-April. The dead in the Adana district are reckoned at from 10,000 to 25,000, hundreds of homes have been burned and many villages quite destroyed. Again comes the sickening story of destitution and distress, and we hear again of thousands of orphans left utterly helpless. Rev. D. M. Rogers, brother of Miss E. Gertrude Rogers, our teacher in Van, was shot, several other missionaries have been in great peril, and all are in the midst of surroundings of which it is heartrending even to read. The suffering for the necessities of life is beyond words; sickness and pestilence are abroad, churches are pastorless, and they need help to-day. Mr. F. H. Wiggin, treasurer of the A. B. C. F. M., will forward gifts. Let us not rest nor be comfortable ourselves till we have done our utmost for these sufferers. THE STRAIN ON THE MISSIONARIES. The strain on the missionaries in the scenes of the massacre, in sorrow and sympathy for their Christian people, is overwhelming. Distress for the starving, homeless and suffering is beyond expression. There is a keener distress in the more acute sorrow for the dear and loyal Christian fellow-workers, for those whose lives have unfolded under their training, and for the little children who hold such a place in the love of those who have watched the signs of promise in them. must remember this phase of their lives. We For some time the daily and weekly papers have told of serious disturbances in the Syrian College at Beirut, and we find in the Missionary Review THE STRIKE for May an illuminating article concerning the trouble. The AT BEIRUT. college was founded in 1863 as a Christian institution, and from the first has required all students to attend prayers, the service being the singing of a hymn, the reading of Scripture and the offering of prayer by some teacher, the whole occupying about ten minutes. This requirement has always been published in the regulations, so that any intending to join the college must know it, and to register as a member must imply acquiescence in the rule. It seems, however, that since the revolution of last July, the Moslems, apparently thinking that their new liberty would do away with all obedience to authority, first petitioned that the rule be abolished, and that failing, "bound themselves by an oath" that they would not again attend a compulsory service, and further that in case the college expelled 1909] Editorial 243 any they would refuse to leave the college, expecting apparently sympathy and help from residents of the city, and undoubtedly leading to riot and bloodshed. The point is that these students, Moslem, Jewish and Druse, appreciate and desire the advantages of this noble institution, which has absorbed nearly one and a half million dollars of Christian money, and which has more than seventy instructors drawn thither by Christian motives, but they wish all this treasure to be used in the service of Islam equally with Christianity. The situation is most perplexing and the authorities need great wisdom. They sympathize with all high aspirations and rejoice in the new freedom, but cannot in honor nor conscience give up the principles on which the college is founded. THE We give below a tabulated statement of the receipts of the Woman's Board of Missions for six months ending April 18th. In comparing with receipts for the same time a year ago the column which best indicates TREASURY. the pulse-beat is the first one, entitled "For Regular Work.” Here we are pleased to note a gain of $2,585.37; and in this connection. we remember that during these six months an extra effort has been made for the work of 1909, resulting in the receipt of $11,512,56. The fact that, in spite of this there is gain for regular work is truly encouraging and leads us to expect that in the remaining six months there will be such effort as will result in the receipt for the year of $120,000 in contributions for the regular pledged work of the Board. In noting the total gain, $18,917.52, for practical planning we must subtract the extra amount for the work of 1909, to which we hav referred. This need not discourage the honest, earnest workers, but reminds us of facts which we must face. The increase in legacies promises to relieve the stress of the last two years in the diminished receipts from this source. There is always a tinge of sorrow with any legacy, either large or small, since it comes from one who has been interested and active, but whose co-operation now must cease. At the same time we are glad to note that friends of the work are more and more remembering the Woman's Board in the bequests which they devise. RECEIPTS FOR SIX MONTHS TO APRIL 18, 1909. |