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FROM THE DEPUTATION IN CHINA.

In our last issue we reported the arrival of Secretary Smith and President Eaton at Hong Kong, and referred briefly to their experiences during the week spent in examining the work of our South China Mission. The following extracts from a private letter from Secretary Smith, dated Foochow, March 14, though not intended for publication, are given here, inasmuch as there is so much interest felt in the movements of the deputation. It is much regretted that a detention of the vessel on which Colonel Hopkins sailed prevented his joining the other members of the deputation at Foochow, as was expected. Before this time, doubtless, they have all met in North China. Dr. Smith writes:

"We left Hong Kong March 4 and made a very leisurely voyage to Foochow, arriving at Pagoda Anchorage on Tuesday morning, March 8, a distance of 500 miles. At Swatow we stopped for eight hours, and went ashore to call upon Rev. William Ashmore, D.D., the veteran of the Baptist Mission. He received us as brethren, showed us all the mission premises and introduced us to the missionaries, and greatly entertained us with incidents in his own life. Mrs. Ashmore was formerly wife of Dr. Brown, once an associate of Dr. Judson in the Burmah Mission. The mission is located on a rocky height overlooking the sea, made into a paradise of trees and flowers and charming homes by missionary energy and taste. Bought forty years since for $800, the premises are valued now at $30,000.

"At Amoy we stayed twenty-two hours. Here, too, we went ashore, and called on Rev. J. Sadler, of the London Mission, from whom I had received an invitation while at Canton. It seems our friends here had also written of our coming, and Dr. Otte, of the Reformed Mission, was expecting us as his guests. Here we were entertained most generously, kept all night, and made acquainted with nearly all the members of the mission. As it happened, the mission was met as a synod, and was celebrating the jubilee of the erection of the first Protestant church building in China, in 1848, in Amoy, by the American Board. So we went to the meeting, saw the building, still in good condition and commodious, and I was called on to speak the congratulations of the Board. This mission is not large in numbers, but excellent in quality, and has a substantial work. We were made to feel that we were among brethren, and it was a happy day.

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At Pagoda Anchorage we found Mr. Hubbard and Dr. Whitney waiting to receive us, and we spent three busy, happy days. The premises are most happily located on an eminence overlooking the river. The grounds are ample and valuable. Mr. Hubbard's house is large and well-built. Mr. Hartwell's, occupied by Dr. Whitney, is smaller, but convenient. We visited. six out-stations, and at Ching-loh found a quarterly meeting of the native helpers, with three pastors, thirteen preachers, thirteen teachers, and three colporters, a fine-looking body of men. New out-stations are opening all the time, and the work is very cheering, but far too much for Mr. Hubbard to carry alone. I visited Sharp Peak Sanitarium and spent a night there, and

was greatly pleased with the site, the property, and the economy with which it was secured and is kept up.

"Friday last we came up to Foochow City, and have been here ever since. At Ponasang, as we passed through, we were saluted with firecrackers by the girls of Miss Newton's school, in two ranks, and by the native Christians of the neighborhood, in a body. An address of welcome was given, to which we made brief reply. Again, as we reached the city station, firecrackers and bombs were exploded in our welcome. The boys of the Institute and Miss H. C. Woodhull's women formed in two lines through which we passed, they shaking their closed hands and bowing to us as we moved.

"We seem to have done nothing here but make addresses. First, the Christian Endeavor rally crowded the church to its utmost· 500, at leastand we spoke to them. Then we visited Miss Woodhull's women's school of twenty-four, and spoke to them. From ten to one, Saturday, we heard the classes of the Scientific Institute publicly examined, and addressed them. At two o'clock Dr. Woodhull showed us the hospital and examined her medical students, and we spoke to them. In the evening the Institute of the Y. M. C. A. held a meeting, with 200 present, and we addressed them. Sunday I preached in the church here to 500, and in the afternoon went into the country, where two congregations came together, and I preached to 300, a third of them. heathen. Dr. Eaton spoke three times on Sunday. It has been hard on us, but, I hope, good for them. The premises here are finely located on the slope of a high hill; they are of good quality, but by no means large enough. The Institute occupies buildings provided for it when it numbered but fifty students; now it has 190 and must have more room. It is doing fine work, in a thoroughly Christian way, and its students are a splendid body of young men. Miss Woodhull's school for women is a remarkable success; so is Dr. Woodhull's medical class. Indeed, the work here is of large proportions and full of promise. The mission is almost at the last gasp. Three new families are needed this very year to prevent collapse and simply hold the work where it is."

THE JUBILEE OF PROTESTANTISM IN AINTAB,
CENTRAL TURKEY.

BY REV. CHARLES S. SANDERS OF AINTAB.

SUNDAY, the thirtieth day of January last, was a day of great joy and gladness in Aintab, it being the jubilee of the Protestant community. The sixth of December should, strictly speaking, have been the commemorative day, because on that date Dr. Azariah Smith, the first missionary designated to reside in Aintab, arrived here. It seemed best, however, to celebrate on the date of the organization of the church.

The jubilee services were held in the First Church—the first Protestant building to be authorized by imperial firman, and itself covering forty-three of the fifty years; the place where most of the older church members have confessed their faith; a church fragrant with memories of Dr. Schneider,

Dr. Pratt, Mr. Coffing, Mr. Marden, and Dr. Trowbridge among missionaries, and of Rev. Avedis Polatian and the martyr, Rev. Mardiros Bozyakalian, among pastors, besides many, both missionary and pastors, who have not as yet entered on their rest.

By sunrise on that Sabbath this large church was crowded to the utmost; an eager throng gathered to hear the historical discourse prepared by Prof. Alexan Bezjian. Never did "the God of our Fathers" seem to mean so much as it did in the heartfelt thanksgivings offered at this service. Again in the middle of the day the church was comfortably filled, this time the congregation being almost wholly composed of church members who came together to celebrate the Lord's Supper. Just fifty years before Dr. Smith had celebrated the same Supper with a little band of eight followers, every one of whom has now gone to his reward. In place of that little band there were this day ordained men, not including missionaries, and much. more than a thousand communicants, while from the first the number of communicants in Aintab city alone has been over twentyfive hundred. The senior pastor of the Second Church, the Rev. Kara Krikore, who took part in the administration of the sacrament, is the only survivor of the sixteen members who joined at the second communion, administered by Dr. Schneider during the fall of 1848. There was also present the oldest of the Protestants, though not of the earliest church members, Vartina Barja, known to readers of the Life and Light, who has grown up with the community from the very first, and who was once a pupil of Murad, the teacher who came here in 1830 and did so much to prepare the way for the gospel, though he left Aintab years before our missionaries arrived. It is said that at one time there was only one other Christian woman in Aintab who was able to read.

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REV. KARA KRIKORE, The oldest Protestant pastor.

In the afternoon were general exercises, and again an immense audience taxed to the utmost the capacity of the building. After opening exercises the Rev. Kara Krikore, who suffered much persecution in those early days, his wife even being taken from him for a period of fourteen months, made an address in which, after a few reminiscences, he gave what in the Turkish idiom was called his "bequest" for the future. Then followed four other addresses dealing with different phases of the subject, but most significant of all was the address of warm congratulation by a Gregorian-Armenian priest, who declared that he came in behalf of the whole body of the Gregorian clergy in the city. Five years ago this would have been impos

sible, at least about as probable as a similar address from Colonel Ingersoll. During the last two years, however, such courtesies have become too common to attract any longer special attention. Nor was a jubilee offering forgotten either in the morning or in the afternoon.

The power of the Word to take root of itself has been signally manifested in the history of the Aintab churches. Long before missionaries came, Bibles came and were eagerly received. A Gregorian-Armenian ecclesiastic and a teacher of evangelical tendencies helped considerably, so when two missionaries came to visit the place in 1847, and especially when later Dr. Azariah Smith came to reside, they found the seed already putting forth the blade. After nearly three months' residence Dr. Smith organized a church of eight members. Even before the church was organized, a school was started and the people began to help themselves. Dr. Smith was absent a part of the year, Dr. Schneider taking his place during most of this time. Before leaving, Dr. Schneider welcomed sixteen new members to the church, and there began systematic work in Aintab among those who had not yielded to Christ. Upon Dr. Smith's arrival with Mrs. Smith Dr. Schneider went back to Brousa, but later returned and was for years the senior missionary.

About this time a most interesting movement took place. We read in the old records that on the second Sunday evening of January, 1849, five persons gathered in Dr. Smith's study to pray together before going out to make known the Word in other places. It may be said that the whole Central Turkey Mission grew out of that meeting, every single congregation in the Mission being either directly developed by this movement or from points themselves first developed by it. When we remember that at this time there were only twenty-four church members and less than a hundred attendants at worship, we see how strong was the missionary enthusiasm of this little church. No wonder that so faithful a church grew very rapidly. Some three years later this movement seems to have cooled, but by that time the gospel had taken root in all the cities around. These people went out not as paid preachers, but in the discharge of what they felt were their spiritual obligations. Then came the period of paid preachers, with more or less training, and missionaries in every principal city.

Very early in this history a high school was established, the germ of the Central Turkey College. In 1855 arrangements were made whereby young men could be prepared for the ministry. Later this became a regular theological department, with a secular department presided over by Professor Bezjian, now senior professor in the College. About 1858 the boarding school for girls was established, which has been such a power for good. In 1868 the theological department was removed to Marash, and in 1873 the Central Turkey College was established. The influence of the College for good, especially in the degree to which it has improved the native ministry, cannot be overstated. In 1885 the Girls' Boarding School removed to its present commodious site.

This mission was very fortunate, in 1856, in securing a visit from Dr. Rufus Anderson when returning from his visit to India. The most important result was that the station, accepting Dr. Anderson's urgent

The Rev.

recommendations, proceeded very soon to ordain young men. Kara Krikore, mentioned above, was the first to be thus set apart, followed soon by two others. Since that time a large number of the sons of Aintab have been consecrated to the gospel ministry. In 1867 the church became so large that it was divided, and now we have two very large and self-supporting churches, of which the Second Church is much the largest evangelical church in the empire. In 1880 the Third Church was organized, a church which has never become very strong.

Two points give us especial satisfaction: (1) The great zeal we find for education and the fine school system managed and supported, except in

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the Third Church, wholly by the people themselves, and, (2) The high degree to which self-government has been attained. We hear very much about. self-support, but very little about what is, if anything, more importantself-government. Of course, they are involved in each other. While the Third Church is to a degree in tutelage, the First and Second Churches are as much self-governing as the Old South Church in Boston.

Thus comes to an end a half-century of very rapid growth, of great success a success which we commend to the attention of those who doubt whether missions are worth while. To him who by his sufferings won for us the victory and made such triumphs of his gospel possible, our God and our fathers' God, be all the praise and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

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