Among the Turks

Front matter

FORTY YEARS IN THE TURKISH EMPIRE. A Memoir of Dr. Goodell by Dr. E. D. G. Prime, $2. 50 " The genial spirit, the humor and wit, the shrewd sense, tho sincere and cheerful piety of Dr. Goodell, made him one of the most interesting companions, and now makes his Memoir one of the most agreeable books." — Bibliotheca Sacra. " Dr. Prime has, with remarkable skill, so arranged the material in Dr. Goodell's correspondence that the book has all the charm of autobiography." — Journal of Commerce. POLYNESIA AND NEW GUINEA. From 1835 to 1875, by the Rev. A. W. Murray, of the London Missionary Society $2.50 "A work of great interest to all who wish to trace the story of the progress of the Gospel in the Islands of the Sea." TWELVE MONTHS IN MADAGASCAR. By Joseph Mullens, D. D. , Foreign Secretary of the London Missionary Society, with an admirable map of the Island $T.75 "It is a marvellous tale of the conversion of the 'Great Britain of Africa,' with its ten millions of people in less than eight years."

FOUR YEARS IN ASHANTEE. By the Missionaries Ramseyer and Kuhne . . $1.75 "The narrative is intensely interesting, evincing the patience and courage of these servants of God, showing the difficulties of foot travel in an African wilderness, giving glimpses of beautiful scenery and especially in furnishing an inside view of African life in one of its most degraded tribes."— Bibliotheca Sacra. ROBERT CARTER & BROTHERS, New York. BY CYRUS HAMLIN. NEW YORK: ROBERT CARTER AND BROTHERS, 530 Broadway. 1878. Copyright By Robert Carter and Brothers. 1877. Cambridge: ST. JOHNLAND PRESS OF STEREOTYPE FOUNDRY, SUFFOLK CO., N. Y. JOHN WILSON AND SON.

Preface

. It is the privilege and solace of age to go back upon the past and recount what has been, as the future closes up and little re mains to be achieved or attempted. The writer of the following pages has availed himself of this privilege in giving so large a place to narratives of personal experience. No one can live thirty-five years in so strange a country as the Turkish empire is, and come into contact with its government, institutions, religions, peoples, and industries without having many experiences which illus trate the peculiarities of the land. These personal narratives are of interest to the reader only so far as they are thus illus trative. It must not be supposed that they

PREFACE.

. IV are intended to indicate the ordinary course of duty. They are selected out of many years of a quiet life. They are the alu minium extracted from a large mass of com mon clay. No other one has had so long a residence in Turkey without a more varied experience — but also without the time to record it. It is life coming in contact with life, it is new forces coming into contact with the old, that bring out the real nature of existing things and enable us to judge of them. The origin, character, growth, and extent of the Ottoman empire are briefly delineated. The social life, educational institutions, laws, religion, evangelistic efforts, reforms, military character, and many other topics, are referred to or illustrated incidentally. The prescribed size and design of the book allowed these subjects to be merely sketched, not treated of in full. Bancor Theol. Sem., Oct. 3d, 1877. CONTENTS.

Chapter I

Origin and Extent of the Turkish Empire — Institutions of the Empire the Cause of its steady Growth — Standing Army — Uniforms — Bashi-bozooks — Village Governments Simple and Democratic — Laws of War — Preservation — Blade of Grass that doesn't Grow — Captives — Property — • Standing Army then a new Institution — Janizaries — Fall of Nice — Alladin the true Founder of the Empire — Selju- Man Turks and Byzantine Greeks — Demoralization and Poverty 13

Chapter II

Growth of the Empire gradual and steady — Brusa, 1326— Lodgment in Europe, 1357; Constantinople, 1453 — Influence of the Fall of Constantinople upon the East— Christianity on the Defensive— Legal Position of Christianity — Freedom from Military Service — Growth of Population — Decrease of Moslem Population by Military Service — Female Infanticide — Fatalism — War— Famine — Epidemics — Position of the Clergy — Benefits accruing— " Capitulations "—The West 20 CHAPTER HI. State ofthe Turkish Empire— Navy and Army — Evangelistic Movement — Armenian Teacher — Evangelical Union and CONTENTS. VI its Secretary— Concealment of Papers—Banishment—Sec ond Teacher— Mr. Mesrobe Taliatine— Seizure by Order of the Russian Ambassador— M. de Boutineff— Banishment to Siberia— Escape— Becomes Editor— The Dying Sailor 28 CHAPTER TV.

Accession of Abdul Medjid— European Interference in the Eastern Question— Hatti Scheriff of Gul HaneS— True Value of this Imperial Rescript — Reforms already Commenced — Naval School — Medical School — Military Academy — Defects — Naval Arsenal — Magnificent Machine-Shop — Manufactories — Mr. Hague — Total Failure— Russia and Turkey 46

CHAPTER V.

Bebek Seminary — Patriarch's Efforts to shut it up — Private Warning — Three Vacations — Fierce Contest between Bankers and Artisans — Advanced Position of the People — Progress — Confirmed Position of the Seminary — Jesuit College at Bebek — Jesuit Missions — Armenian Patriarch Avedick — Greek Patriarch Cyril Leucaris — Catholic Missions Compelled to Advocate Toleration 61

CHAPTER VI.

Visit to the Sultan's College in the Old Seraglio — Singular Reception — Martyrdom of Carabet — Course of Sir Stratford Canning — Declaration of the Grand Vizir — Of the Sultan — Conversion of Moslems — Particular Cases — Scene at Brusa — Examination of Mr. and Mrs. Freeman — Treachery of Sir Henry Bulwer — Course of the English Government inexplicable as to Religious Freedom in Turkey .... 77 CHAPTER Vn. Removal to larger Premises— Cheliby Yorgaki and Wife — The old Forms of Oriental Life — The Breadseller and To- CONTENTS. VII bacconist — Joannes and Ibrahim — Grand Vizir and Bank er — Farewell Blessing and Counsel — Bribery — Bowstring and Safety 95 CHAPTER VIH. Second Night — Dethronement of Selim HI — Dethronement of Mustapha — Cheliby Yorgaki and the Kislar Aghassi — Selim Murdered — Mahmud Concealed, Found, Enthroned ■ — Escape of Yorgaki to Halki — Apprehended in the Night — Yorgaki and the Spoils— Execution of the Kislar Aghassi — Rejection of Gifts — Sent away as a Fool — Joy in Halki. 106

CHAPTER IX.

Third Night — The Greek Revolution — Halet Effendi and the Janizaries— Their three Visits — Communion for Death — ■ Halet Effendi and the Jewish Banker — Persecution — Death by the Bowstring — Confiscation — Firman — College Site — ■ Halet Effendi's Fate — Janizaries Destroyed — Yorgaki's beautiful Daughter — Affiance — Wedding Festival —Elopement — Desolation — Conflagration — Halet Effendi — Advance in Civilization 115

CHAPTER X.

Contest for Religious Freedom — Civil and Spiritual Power of the Patriarch — Anathema and its Results — "Muggerdich and his Bed " — Second escape ofthe Archives — Persecution at Adabazar — A Mob of Men quelled by one of Moslem Women — Visit to Adabazar and Deliverance from the Mob by Turks — Hassan's Hospitality— Refusal of Reward — ■ Second Visit to Adabazar — The Governor's Conduct, and Consequences to Him — Third Visit — Reception — Growth of a true Christian Civilization— Origin of the Adabazar Movement— Stephan Erginziatsi CONTENTS. CHAPTEK XI. Tour into Southern Macedonia — Cavala — Mt. Athos — Monachism — Salonica — Fugitive Horse Captured by Turkish Woman — Assault of Khan — Retreat — Yeneji — Penlipe" — ■ Gaucherie — The Bey's Dinner — The Mountains — Niiri Bey and Guard — Brigands — Troj^den — Government Oppressions — Greek Church — Mine and its Prospects — Nuri's Caution — Durzee Bey — Protestant Worship — Temperance — Our Room — Threshing Floor and Instruments — Dinner in Oriental Style — Eating and Drinking together, the Sacrament of Brotherhood — The Sacramental Supper — Suffering from Thirst — Berea— Episcopal Oppression — Pella— Obstacles to Progress 156

CHAPTER XII.

Morse's Early Telegraph — Mr. Chamberlain — Untimely Death — Prof. J. Lawrence Smith— Presentation of Telegraph to the Sultan — His Interest — Conversation — Peace Principles — Presence of the Sublime Porte— Ceremony of Leave-taking — Decoration to Prof. Morse — No Telegraph Line Constructed till Crimean War — Present Use of Telegraph 185 CHAPTER XIH. Secular Employments —What Course shall the Missionary take? — Must know the Country— Help the Poor to help Themselves — Promote Industry — Zulu Mission — The Veteran Lindley — Williams of Erromanga — Why have Artisans failed on Mission Ground ? — Authority — To be used for Development of Power— Prof. Smyth's Theodolite Screw — Steam Engine — Gen. Neal Dow — Engineers 195

CHAPTER XIV.

Condition of Evangelical Armenians — Seminary Students- Workshop — Outsiders Employed— Camphene— Rat-traps CONTENTS. IX — Steam Flour-mill — Charles Ede, Esq. — " Capitulations." — Hon. Geo. P. Marsh — Opposition — Interdict — How Over come — First Batch — Dressing French Biihr Millstones — One Year and Results 212

CHAPTER XV.

Crimean War — Bible Society — Russian Ambassador's Declaration — Hospitals — Bread — Greek Flour Merchants — Confidence in Missionary Character — Sufferings in the Hospital — Florence Nightingale and her Nurses — Battle of Inkerman — Laundry — Church out of a Beer-barrel — Stolid-looking Workman — Dr. Bartol — Cholera and Storm — Skilful Boatmen — The Men come up to Duty — Oriental Courage — Return Home 226

CHAPTER XVL

Church-building — Rodosto Chapel — Question of a Church in Brusa — Building Undertaken by Dr. Dwight and Myself — ■ Injured by an Earthquake — Sagacity ofthe Horse — Earthquake at Sea — The Church Destroyed — Terible Destruction at Brusa — Rebuilding, Earthquake-proof — Why Destruction of Life not Great — How Many Destroyed — 200 ? — 6,000? — Discussion about the Sabbath — Lord Napier's Decision — Vexatious Lawsuit — Ninth Trial — Turkish Law in the Case — Final Disposal of the Case by Purchase — Bishop and Judge left out — Church Paid for by Bakery- Question of the Usefulness of Church Buildings — Growth of Brusa Church — Winding up of Bakery — Balance of $25,000— Building Fund— Purchase of College Hill at Kharpoot — House for the Board 244

CHAPTER XVII.

Bulgarians — Early Knowledge of — Excellent Gardeners — Meth. Epis. Mission on Danube — Meeting at Palmyra — X CONTENTS. Tour South of the Balkans — Gabriel — Adrianople — Bulgarian Teacher — National Awakening as to Language and Education — Greek Bishop and Bulgarian Merchant — Whose Head was broken — A Paulician — Moslems not Turks — Serfage — Final Freedom — Greek Language and Greek Bishops — Orta-keuy — Reception of Pilgrims — Fine Conduct of the Crowd — School Taxation— Greek Teacher and His Story — Jason and the Argonauts — Final Report, and Formation of Mission — Progress of the Bulgarians — Language — Self-government by Exarch — Hope for the Future 261 CHAPTER XVm. Education — Extended Discussion of Methods — lst. Vernacular System — 2d. No Education — Pres. Seelye— 3d. Sound Christian Education — Experience of Missions with regard to second Theory — Burrisal Mission — Dr. Mullens' Testimony upon other Missions — Tendency of Missionary Experience — Testimony of Dr. Wilson and Dr. Duff — Utter Failure of the Vernacular System — Introduction to Mr. Robert — Project of a Christian College in Turkey — Its Fundamental Principles— Resignation of Connection with the Board 274 CHAPTER XrX.

BOBEBT COLLEGE. Purchase of Site— Failure in raising Funds — Accession of . Abdul Aziz — Interdict by a Pasha — Purchase of a New Site — Sami Pasha's Confession — Leave Obtained — Jesuit and Russian Influence— Mr. J. P. Brown— The Old Bebek Seminary— Adet— Difficulty of Name— Mr. Robert's Interdict—Growth of the College— The Abbe Bore — Direct Appeal—Sir Henry Bulwer and His Treachery— Leave to Build— Imperial trad-— Gentlemen who had a part in the Work— A'ali Pasha Friendly— Laying of Corner-stone— CONTENTS. XI Addresses in Different Languages — Description of Building — Eighteen Nationalities — Other Colleges — Union of Nationalities in the Faculty 287

CHAPTER XX. SCOTJBGES OP TUEKEY.

Plague— Cholera — Malaria— Medical Treatment 302

CHAPTER XXI.

Koran alone not Mohammedan Law — Tradition — Various kinds of Tradition — From Mohammed — From the four Caliphs — Feeble Tradition — Fetvas — Reduced to a Code by Mehmet the Conqueror and by Sulieman the Magnificent, A. d. 1550 — Multeka-ul-ubhhur— Confluence of the Seas — Religious Code — Attributes of God — Free will and Fate- Immaculate Conception — Law against Divination, etc. — Ritual — Daily Prayer — Funerals — Tithes upon Luxuries- Spiritual Retreats — Prayer — Pilgrimage — Morals — Subjects of this part of the Code — Political Code — Four Parts — "Exigencies of the Times." — Dethronements — Finance — Strangers in Moslem Lands — Military Code — Declaration of War — Captives — Conquered Lands — Rebels- Condition of People in subject Lands — Property —Costume — Churches — Civil Code — Marriage and Divorce- Parental and Filial Relation — Wills and Real Estate — Slaves — Commerce — Miscellaneous Laws — Mixed Court — Witnesses — Penal Code — Blasphemy — Apostasy — Sedition ■ — Murder — Adultery — Opprobrious Epithets — Drunkenness—Thefts—Robbery 317 CHAPTER XXH.

Islam misunderstood — Koran obscure to the Western Mind — Aimed at Paganism — Taken from O. T. — Mohammedan Religion to be sought in Tradition — Theism — No new Rev- CONTENTS. XII elation — Reaction against Polytheism — Theism approved by Reason and Conscience — Fatalism — They do not try to reconcile Fate and Free Will — Dr. Draper and Ghazzali — Effect of Fatalism — Opposed to a high Civilization — Rit ualism — Severe and exact — Its Influence — Sensualism — In the Koran — More still in Tradition — Islam a strong Relig ion — Strength from Environment — Influence of Christian Nations upon Turkey — English Influence — Sir Henry Bul wer — Circassians — Loans — Wane of Islam — Revival— Oriental Churches 343

CHAPTER XXIII.

Ottomans and Misrepresentation — Turkey Reported by Travellers — Levantine Dragomans — Correspondents — Telegraphs—Associations to collect Faults and Misdeeds— The Savage Tribes of the Empire — Nothing more needed on that Side — Not Immoral to speak the Truth — I. Licrease of Keb'gious Liberty — H. Abolition of Confiscation and Bastinado — The Bloody Code Abolished — III. The whole Scheme of Moslem Education Revolutionized — TV. European Law Introduced — Old Law of Church-building Abolished— Progress — V. Material Progress — Increase of Revenue — Progress in the Arts of War — VI. Position of the Government towards Christian Subjects (Rayahs) — The Medjliss, Christians, Rayahs, admitted to high Offices —List of Rayahs in Office — Forces that have produced the Change— Two great Changes necessary— Conclusion

CHAPTER I. ORIGIN OF THE EMPIRE.

— A. D. 1300. The origin and growth of the Ottoman empire have attracted the attention and wonder of the civilized world. It sprang from an obscure tribe of about four hundred families dwelling on the banks of the river Sangarius, which flows from the Bithynian Olympus into the Black Sea. There was nothing to suggest the possibility of its coming power. There was nothing new in its faith or its civilization. It had no pre-eminence in arts or arms. It had no knowledge of the world, except of its immediate surroundings. And yet it was destined to control some of the fairest portions of the world, including the whole of Asia Minor, Mesopotamia, Assyria, Armenia, Colchis, the Chersonesus, Dacia, Moesia, Thrace, Illyricum, Macedonia, Greece and all her islands, Syria, Arabia, Egypt, and the Afri can coast; all, and more than all, that was con trolled by the Seljukian empire of the Turks and the Byzantine empire of the Greeks.

The personal character of Osman, the ambitious and able founder of the empire, may account for the early successes. But neither the personal character ' of the ruler nor the Mohammedan religion can account for ages of exceptional growth and power. For one ceased with his life, immediately after the taking of Brusa ; and the other was an old factor of political life, which could not sustain the Saracenic power, nor the Seljukian, out of which the Otto man sprang. We must rather look to the institu tions of the nascent empire for an explanation of its remarkable success and steady growth. The founder passed away, just as he had won Brusa for his capital. He transmitted his posses sions to Iris two sons, Orkhan and Allaclin. The latter refusing to share the power with his brother, became his grand vizir, and gave himself to the organization of this wild and turbulent empire.

His first and great measure was the organization of a standing army, not for a particular conquest or campaign, but to be devoted thenceforth to the profession of arms. Another original measure for that period (a.d. 1326) was giving the entire army such a uniform that every man should be known, at sight, as to his rank and position in the army, whether officer or private. Thus far the army had been a horde of mounted fighters, of shepherd war riors. They were now divided into infantry and cavalry, and those not competent for service were sent to their homes. Very special attention was given to the turban as an important article of the Bashi-bozook— Laws of War. 15 military uniform, its different forms and colors giving every needed variety. Hence Bashi-bozook (rotten head or irregular head) came to designate any one who, without a uniform, was fighting on his own hook.

Every armed mob is a collection of Bashi-bozooks. As every Mohammedan considers himself born to be a soldier, there is no want of Bashi-bozooks, irregular fighters, whenever there is war. The pursuits of war and agriculture being now separated, a simple form of village government was adopted. A kadi or a chief man, with a council of the notables, appointed by the villagers them selves, regulated all their affairs. This form of municipal government still exists, and, in the hands of an intelligent and virtuous people, would effectually secure them against oppression. The laws of war were so promulgated as to in spire the army with the lust of conquest. There was one object never lost sight of, which greatly modified them. The object of Orkhan and his brother was to found a great and flourishing em pire.

Nothing was therefore to be destroyed be yond the exigencies of war. The lands subdued were to be possessed, and therefore not to be des olated. More of rhetoric and imagination than historic truth has been expended upon the blade of grass that doesn't grow after the sultan's horse has passed. A phrase referring to Attila has been applied to all the sultans. Their guiding principle was preservation for their own use. The value of captives also often arrested the uplifted arm. It was then the universal law of war that the lives of the conquered were at the mercy of the con queror, and nothing but the value in money saved the lives of those who surrendered. The conquered were reduced to slavery, kept or sold as slaves, the females incorporated into the harem, and thus the wastes of war were at the expense of the enemy.

The advancement of the faith in war was never lost sight of. The Mohammedan is first of all religious. All who professed Islam were restored to freedom and to the possession of their goods. And all who yielded without fighting, were also secure in the possession of their property. Von Hammer affirms that thousands of families passed over from the Byzantine domination to the Turkish on ac count of the greater security of life and property. The confiscated lands were divided to the army and to the sultan, and large domains were granted to the mosques for the support of the faith. Both religion and self-interest contributed to make the army submit to its new organization and severe discipline, and to inspire it with the love of conquest. The idea of a standing army, in this sense, had not then entered into the Euro pean mind.

Another institution arose under this second sul tan; the terrible institution of the Janizaries, the work of Kara Halil Tschendereli. One thousand Christian youth, of the finest and most athletic forms, were selected and torn from their homes, Institution of the Janizaries. 17 subjected to the severest discipline and the most exact but nutritious diet, their chief officers being named from culinary operations, and the kitchen made a chief magazine of war; all with the design of forming a magnificent bodyguard for the sultan in the field. They were rewarded by high pay and a special share of the booty, and were thus made the very elite of the army. They soon made their name a terror, and their prowess de cided many a bloody day when the cross went down before the crescent. This singular body of troops existed nearly five hundred years.

Its numbers increased to twenty, according to some, to forty thousand. It became a hereditary caste, the sons of the soldiers alone being admitted, and by consequence, the tax upon Christian families ceasing. Von Hammer states that, while it lasted, not less than half a million of Christian youth were torn from their homes to recruit this choice body of the Moslem army — -an outrage upon human nature which has no parallel, except perhaps in the treatment which Russia has bestowed upon Polish youth. Orkhan had now a more permanent, better or ganized, better disciplined, and better paid army than any monarch of Europe possessed. It con sisted of horse, foot, and Janizary guards, emu lating each other in their bloody work. He pro ceeded at once to make use of it. Nice fell; and over the altar where the first Christian council was gathered, he carved with his yatagan "God is God and Mohammed is the prophet of God."

Nicome dia Cyzicus, and many other places, shared the same fate. The whole country along the southern shore of the Marmora, and almost to the Bospho rus, submitted to his sway. The new forces of this singular state consisted in its very original institutions. It was organized as no other state had been, both for peace and war. Orkhan, or perhaps more correctly his brother Alladin, was the true founder of the empire; and intelligent Moslems who study their own history, always speak of him with great admiration. He was the lawgiver, the great administrator, while Orkhan was the leader of the armies to battle. It thus became an empire consecrated to war. The whole nation was inspired by this one idea of conquest. Both officers and men knew their work, and no sultan could have successfully adopted a policy of peace.

The early conquests were not so much due to any great military leader, as to the fact that the whole nation was military, and war its normal work. If "they that take the sword shall perish by the sword," then its present deca dence and dismemberment are only the retribution which our Lord himself announced, and which the constitution of the world imposes upon the nation that trusts in war. The youthful empire had two enemies to oppose and obstruct its ambitious designs. The Seljukmn Turkish empire and the Byzantine Greek empire were both in its path. The former was a kingdom The Two Empires. 19 divided against itself. Its great sultan, Malek Shah, had made his twelve sons governors of prov inces, and their ambition and their internecine wars had reduced that conquering power to such frag ments, that it was waiting for some new force to reunite them.

The Byzantine empire was in a still more de plorable state, resembling the present condition of the Turkish empire, but without any solid ele ment, like the Moslem population, to maintain its life. The Christianity of the empire was lost in driv elling superstitions. Magic and charms and relics and miraculous pictures, and holy fountains and places, were all that remained of the Gospel among the common people. The court was buried in luxury, the people in poverty. The central govern ment had no power over the provinces, and in its internal dissensions often called upon the Turks for aid. Whoever will look over Labeau's, or any oth er history of the Byzantine empire, will only won der that it endured so long. If its government was demoralized, its religion was paganized. The time was approaching when it must pass away.

The lamentations often raised over the rich, pop ulous, and happy lands desolated by the Turks, are not justified by history. They had long been the prey to every species of disorder, otherwise the Mohammedan conquests could never have been achieved.

CHAPTER II. GROWTH OF THE EMPIRE.

. The growth of the Ottoman empire is often spoken of as extremely rapid. It was steady, al most uninterrupted, rather than rapid. It gained its capital, Brusa, in 1326. It could not effect a lodgment on European soil until 1357. After this, almost one hundred years of growth and expan sion must pass away before it could take Constan tinople. During this time, it was by no means idle. It subdued the Seljukian provinces, and en larged its territories both in Europe and Asia. The taking of Constantinople, in 1453, was only the culmination of the military progress of a whole century. The Christian powers saw this steady advance, but did nothing to check it. The fall of Constantinople has been considered by many writers as an event disastrous to Christi anity and civilization. It gave a shock to Europe and the civilized world.

But it was probably the salvation, rather than the destruction of Christi anity, even in the East, which was then placed upon the defensive. If it did not lead directly to its reform it arrested its degeneracy. It was hu miliated and oppressed, but not destroyed. The Mohammedan law makes a distinction be- Exemption Tax. 21 tween the religions which have a divine revelation and those which have not. The men of a book, " Kitablees," as Christians and Jews, are not to be destroyed nor forced to abandon their faith. Nor is military service to be required of them. The soldier is a defender of the true faith, and therefore neither Christian nor Jew could be relied upon as a true soldier. Instead of military service, a special tax was imposed upon all Christian and Jew ish subjects. This system has continued to the present day.

This is so well known, and has been so universally and uniformly acted upon, and has constituted such a prominent fact in the Ottoman administration, that one may well be surprised to hear one of England's distinguished scholars and statesmen declare that military service has been demanded of all except the five millions of Rou mania and Servia ! This freedom from military service, while a mark of degradation in the eyes of the Moslem, has had some compensations. It has saved the young men of the Christian races from the wasting influences and destructive dis eases of the camp and of the battle-field. It has secured to them more of industiy and thrift. No traveller in Turkey can fail to notice, in passing from a Turkish to a Christian village, low as the civilization of both may be, that some signs of growth and progress are to be seen in the Chris tian village, which will be looked for in vain in the Moslem.

Even at this great disadvantage, Chris tianity is better than Islam. The Christian populations have steadily in creased, and gained upon the Moslem population. The large standing army, drawn exclusively from Moslem young men, makes serious inroads upon pojDulation. The camps are badly cared for, and camp dis*eases ravage them, as well in peace as in war. This makes a preponderance of females, ex tremely onerous and harassing to the poor Moslem. Not to give his daughter in marriage is a disgrace, and to provide a dowry that shall distance competition is impossible. The birth of a female child is therefore often considered a misfortune. A great deal of covert infanticide results from this. The Moslems are never guilty of the fœticide which is the curse of European civilization; but the female infant often dies a natural death by the agency of the midwife, within a few days after birth.

I have met with instances in which evidently some drug had been administered; the mother being anxious and suspicious, and in general not an accomplice. This crime has attracted government attention, but it is one not easily suppressed. It has also attracted government attention, that their "rayahs" or Christian and Jewish subjects, the Armenians, Greeks, Bulgarians, and Jews, have nearly doubled within this half century, while the Moslem population is stationary. Irresistible forces would change eventually the balance of power with out foreign interference. Certain characteristics of the Moslem faith con tribute thenshare to the effectiveness of all the Influence of Fatalism. 23 adverse influences from which the Moslems suffer. They are firm believers in destiny. " What is written is written " in the decrees of fate, upon " the preserved tablet " which Allah guards.

This induces a serene composure, which makes them put off till to-morrow whatever presses upon them to-day. War finds them half prepared, now that it has ceased to be their constant pursuit. Famine and epidemics, resulting from war or other causes, sweep them away in grand composure. " God is great." "It is written." "Kismet dur." (It is fate). I have witnessed extraordinary instances of apparent satisfaction in death which was sim ply suicide, the sufferer refusing to take the sim plest precaution against impending fate. Typhus, plague, cholera, and all their train, have ravaged the Moslem hosts unopposed. The fall of Constantinople and the overthrow of the Byzantine empire, placed the clergy of the Christian sects upon a new foundation. Mehmet the Conqueror, ruthless and cruel as he was, knew what was necessary to the order and advancement of his empire.