applauded for attempting, at least, to put down Protestantism. If you open your Bible-stand again, I assure you that I shall shut it immediately and add a fine.'"

Central Turkey Mission.

"Although the unusual political troubles, the great depression in trade, and the increasingly severe exactions of government officials, have laid very heavy burdens upon the people, these very difficulties have, perhaps, had the effect to draw all true Christians nearer together in the sympathy of a common trouble. We have been glad to find that in several of the churches where there has been division or open strife, there now seems to be peace and unity, and in some of them we are able to report a decidedly awakened religious interest. Along with this we observe with great gratification that nearly all the churches have made generous contributions to, at least, two general objects.

"Some progress has been made both in the quantity and in the quality of supply for preachers and teachers, and now that the college and seminary are in united operation, we hope soon to be able to meet the full wants of our field in this direction. The three new graduates who came to us from the Marash Seminary, have taken up their work with a vigor and success that speaks well for the training they have received. We have also excellent reports from the young men who have gone out from the college to teach. In some cases they have been both teachers and preachers, and have fully met our expectations of them.

"Among the interesting and hopeful forms of Christian activity in Aintab, is the local Home Missionary Society, which holds its meetings weekly at pri

vate houses. These are largely attended and full of spirit, and the collections made at them have been sufficient to enable the society to undertake the support of a preacher. There has also been organized a Young Men's Christian Association which is beginning its work with signs of promise."

OUTSTATIONS. OORFA.

Detailed reports are given of the twenty-three outstations connected with Aintab, nearly all of which indicate substantial progress during the year. One of the best of these outstations is Oorfa, of which the following report is given :—

"This is now a large and prosperous church, and, with its able pastor and important location, must necessarily exert a leading influence in Protestant affairs throughout this region. It is therefore of the greatest consequence that it be held in the closest sympathy with our missionary work, and be actively engaged in thoroughly evangelistic work. To secure this result it seems of the first importance that a missionary family should be located there at once. The church now numbers 213 active members. There are 900 enrolled Protestants who have paid to the government during the past year a tax of 20,000 piasters. The ordinary congregation now crowds the church building, and all the regular work of the parish and church is well arranged, and the interest in the various departments of Christian work is good. Special progress is being made in the matter of education. There are now five schools, with six teachers and 242 pupils. One of these schools is taught by a graduate of Robert College, and is intended to be of such grade that its graduates will be fitted for the Freshman Class of the College."

MARASH. HADJIN.

The Annual Report from Marash and its outstations, prepared by Rev. G. F. Montgomery, shows how the political disturbances in that region have interfered with immediate religious progress.

Several of the churches, how

ever, manifested considerable vigor. After waiting for years for permission from the Turkish Government to erect buildings for the Theological Seminary, they have now been erected without permission. The report says: "The Young Men's Christian Association of Marash has a vigorous organization, and is doing a good work among the youth of the city. It has very pleasant rooms, and the beginnings of a good library. It has maintained a Sunday noon prayer-meeting for young men during the year, at which over a hundred are usually present. It has also maintained an evening school of fifty scholars during the winter."

Of Hadjin, an outstation some sixty miles northwest of Marash, we have the following report:

"Hadjin has a population estimated at nearly 20,000 souls, all Armenians, except about 250 Turks. The church organized here in 1872 has been increasing in numbers, and, in some respects, in graces also. During the last year its pulpit was occupied by Deacon Anak until the close of the seminary term in June, when the church called Sarkis Deniryan to become its pastor. He accepted the call, but has not yet been ordained. He had great difficulty in reaching his parish on account of rebellion and robbers. His family left Marash one week before himself in a large caravan which was robbed, and all their household effects were taken. He followed the next week, and reached Hadjin after a good deal of trouble, going on foot a good part of the way over the desolate mountains, either alone or with only one foot companion. His property, however, was afterwards mostly restored to him. His church are united in him, and a good degree of religious interest was prevailing when last visited in February. Eight new members were received by profession at that time.

"Deacon Anak has made a hopeful beginning at Lower Hadjin. His congregation numbers about forty, and will doubtless be much larger as soon as they can find a decent place for worship.

The whole Armenian community in Hadjin has become so permeated with truth, that efforts put forth just now for their evangelization promise a rich reward. Here are nearly twice as many nominal Christians as at Aintab or Marash, and a people naturally religiously disposed. A missionary should reside there, if possible, at least two or three years."

ZEITOON. A WRONGED BUT PATIENT CITY.

A letter from Mr. Marden, of Marash, dated February 24, gives interesting information concerning Zeitoon, which city, it will be remembered, was so remarkably delivered from an attack by Turkish soldiers, in January last, through the efforts of our missionaries. Mr. Marden writes:

"For nearly two months Zeitoon has had no local government whatever, not a policeman nor a soldier nor a prison, and yet there has been an unprecedented season of rest and quiet in the city! All the roads leading out of Zeitoon are now in the hands of Moslem robbers from the mountain villages, and every Zeitoon man who ventures a dozen miles from the town must encounter these brigands who stand ready to take from him whatever he may have of value. Almost every day we hear of some new outrage. Complaints are made to the Marash government, with earnest appeals for protection, but the officers, on some shallow pretext, refuse to do anything. Not a Moslem robber has been punished since the troubles began, while 200 Christians from Zeitoon are now languishing in the prisons of Marash and Aleppo, the majority of whom are not even accused of any crime !

"The Zeitoon people have not only refrained from violations of the peace these past weeks, but have endured with wonderful patience the insults and robberies of their Moslem neighbors without retaliation, when they could so easily, if they chose, destroy every one of them. They stand in very trying circumstances, and I know not how long they can patiently bear it. They seem willing to listen when I advise them to

wait in patience till the Aleppo authorities can right their wrongs, yet I find it very hard to tell a man to stand still and be robbed.

"The English Consul in a private note informs me that an order has at last been obtained for the release of all the Zeitoon prisoners, and also for the revision of the tax-lists! These are two of the five measures for which I have especially labored.

"I hope to turn to good account for religious work the acquaintance I have gained with Armenians and Turks. I trust that, by means of these political troubles at Zeitoon, a wide door is opening for the entrance of the gospel. We have at Marash possibly the largest congregation in Turkey. Eleven hundred names are on the list."

"Alexander, you remember, said he would rather have been Achilles than Homer; that is, he would rather do great deeds than merely write about them. Mrs. Coffing, our energetic manager of schools and work for women in this end of the field, is exactly of Alexander's mind on this point; I hope she will have her Homer some day. You will see from the minutes that the coming year is to be one of aggressive movement. Miss Proctor and Miss Shattuck are to locate permanently at Oorfa, to push evangelistic and school work east of the Euphrates. Mrs. Coffing and Miss Spencer move their schools to Hadjin, and will from that center direct operations upon Adana, as well as throughout all our mountain region. These dispositions of our scanty force are full of cheering promise; you do not have four better workers in all your host than are these I have named, and the fields to which they go are literally white to the harvest. But where are the missionary families that should go with these noble women? We can spare one solitary man from college and seminary work for the sad

dle and the pulpit. We should have at least four instead of one, then we might be able to obey the command for an "advance along the whole line," which providence and the Spirit are plainly enjoining upon us of the Central Turkey Mission at this hour. You may write down, therefore, of all aggressive work the coming year, in this field, as of the building of Carthage, the completion of Bunker Hill monument, and not a few other great enterprises, 'Dux fœmina facti.”

Eastern Turkey Mission.

A GREEK BISHOP.

THE following letter has been received from Mr. Parmelee, of Trebizond, dated May 3:

"An event has occurred within the past week in this city which is worthy of a brief record.

"The Metropolitan bishop of the Greek Church of this province died last Saturday at the remarkable age of 105 years. He was a native of this city, where he had spent all his days, and where for more than a half century he had administered the office of bishop. He was a man of amiable and benevolent disposition, and his life had been so blameless, and his good deeds so numerous that, contrary to the adage, among his own neighbors and kinsfolks he attained a position of the highest honor and respect. Contrary to the practice of many ecclesiastics, who are too often selfish and grasping, more eager to collect in their own revenues than to guard the spiritual and material interest of their people, the deceased bishop encouraged the establishment of schools and the building of churches, and used so freely the emoluments of his office for these purposes, and to relieve want among the poor, that he was said to have died a poor man. He was also remarkably liberal in his feelings towards other religious sects.

"The funeral ceremonies were arranged for last Monday, and formal in

THE GRATITUDE OF THE GREEKS.

A PROTESTANT AT THE FUNERAL. "The invitation which I received was written in French, and signed by the assistant bishop and a committee of leading men of the Greek community. I responded by indicating a willingness to deliver a brief address. The church was filled with a vast throng, which, with the burning of a thousand or more candles, made the air exceedingly hot and bad. The deceased bishop had been placed in the midst of the church in the sitting posture, clothed in the robes of his office, with the mitre on his head. After the conclusion of the burial service the assistant bishop pronounced a lengthy funeral oration in Greek. Then the Armenian bishop spoke a few words in Turkish, and I followed in the Armenian language. I longed to be able to speak in Greek, so euphonious and so adapted to the most perfect oratory.

"I accompanied the procession to the grave or tomb, prepared many years ago by the aged bishop himself, where the deceased was placed in the sitting posture, in a small chamber. This form of burial is an honor accorded only to the higher clergy of the Greek church. Nearly all the shops in the town were closed during the day of the funeral, and the whole population thronged the streets to witness the passage of the funeral cortege. Many buildings were draped, and from balconies and windows and doors, the eager throng scattered flowers and sprinkled perfumed water over the passing procession. At the grave an oration was made by the

"After the ceremonies were concluded, the committee took occasion, on behalf of the Greek community, to express to the Armenian bishop and myself their hearty appreciation of our services and their warm thanks therefor. Not altogether content with this, the assistant bishop and the committee made a formal call at my house the next day, and repeated their expressions of thanks, and begged me particularly to communicate them to my superiors in America, which you will understand this letter as doing. A copy of my address was also desired, which I have furnished as well as I could prepare it from memory, as I spoke entirely without notes.

"This incident seems a very important one. It shows that a far greater degree of liberality exists among the Greeks than formerly, when such a thing as this would not have been possible. It is valuable, too, in preparing the way for work among them. All we desire at any time is access to the people. On this special occasion, by formal invitation we had the privilege of preaching the simple gospel of Christ. in the very heart of their community. Unavoidably, for the future, our access. to them and their access to us will be greatly facilitated. The question is, Will you be able to follow it up by a strong missionary occupation of this city?"

to his people at our out-station Havadvoric. I receive frequent letters from him, in which he reports remarkable progress. In his last letter, just received, he writes that there are between sixty and seventy scholars; that his congregation has so increased that he is about to take down partition walls to increase the size of the audience-room; that he has in his Sabbath congregation members from every Armenian house in the village, including their priest's family; that it seems to be a foregone conclusion on their part that they all will become Protestants, and so they have procured grave-diggers' tools, hearse, etc., and committed them to the care of the Protestants. We have watched with lively interest Pastor Avedis' conduct since his return, and thus far have seen only what we could commend.

"Never in the history of our work has there appeared such an encouraging state of things in our out-stations. At Mogoonk, nearly the whole village attend our Sabbath services. Their great need is a large room for the meeting, which cannot be found; and hence they have promised to contribute a thousand piasters in work and money, provided our Evangelical society is able to aid them to the balance. The teacher at Yonjaloo writes that four men have recently joined the Protestants, and that he has twenty-six scholars. At Tookh, this being our first winter's work there, our teacher, Asdvadoor, has sixteen scholars; and when the Armenian priest threatened to exclude their parents from his church, they at once turned open Protestants! Three of these new Protestants Asdvadoor brought by a five hours walk to our recent monthly concert, one of the men being the head man of the village. From letters I received from our four colporters, I learn that they obtain a remarkable access to the villages they visit."

Mahratta Mission.

OUR missionaries on the Mahratta field have had experience such as other

"The famine has borne fruit, and not all bitter fruit. Many of the people seem humbled; especially the poor, who have suffered most. They are ready to cast away their old religion for something better. No doubt the hope that they may improve their temporal condition often influences them. How could it be otherwise, when they are reduced to such extremities? But under Christian instruction we may hope the religious motives will be more and more in the ascendant. We have found it necessary to be very careful in receiving applicants for baptism, testing their motives sometimes by weeks of probation and close scrutiny of their conduct in the interval. The membership of the Sirur and Kolgaw churches numbered fifty-three at the beginning of the year. It has more than doubled; the number of communicants now being 120. Of these, twenty-five were received at Khandale, eight miles south of Ahmednuggur. These were all Mahars, most of them belonging to that place. But there are others in near villages interested in the movement, and looking wistfully towards the Christian church as the house of God, and the place of safety for this world and the next. It is worthy of note that this fruit is gathered in places where much labor has been put forth in former years. This shows that it is not alone the result of the famine, but of the providential chastening following the preaching of the Word. And still there is need of

plain, earnest preaching in order to secure the full benefit of the chastening."

INTERFERENCE BY ROMANISTS.

The poverty of the native Christians, and their actual need of bread in the time of famine, have exposed them to many perils. The Roman Catholic