to amuse others with her profanity and vulgarity. She had evidently been called to withstand us and oppose our entrance, since, whatever insults she might offer, as she is a woman, the law would not touch her. We were not disposed to listen to such remonstrance, and entering the small room were warmly welcomed by our young brother, and seated ourselves around the room upon cushions laid upon the floor. Behind us followed a crowd of women in the greatest confusion, some crying one thing and some another, and heaping upon us the most shameful insults, in language fearfully profane and vulgar. Then appeared the persecuting mother, and in a perfect tempest of rage ordered us to leave the place, cursing us all, and especially one of our number, who had been the means of her son's conversion at Constantinople. The young man vainly attempted to remonstrate with her, but she would listen to no entreaty, and left the room in a rage, while her son repeated the words of the Saviour, 'Whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.' All this while, the crowd of women at the door were swearing and shouting and laughing, in the greatest possible confusion. Before we had time to begin our services the frantic mother returned, and with loud voice and wild gestures accused us of ruining her son, and finally, with a shriek of distress, fell to the floor, as if in a fit of hysteria; but with the help of others she soon rose and left the room, and we saw her no more.

"In the midst of this confusion several men came in, and saluting us respectfully, seated themselves to listen, and when we left they thanked us for coming. It was not without frequent interruptions that a hymn was sung, two brief exhortations made, and three prayers offered — one by the persecuted young man himself, in which he seemed to draw very near to the throne of grace and gain strength from on high. The crowd of women continued their clamor, sometimes cursing and sometimes jesting and laughing, though at very brief intervals perfect silence would reign. At length, as we rose to sing the doxology and close the meeting, one

woman in the crowd amused the others by a dance, in true Oriental style. With many thanks from our young friend, and with kind words from several who had listened patiently, we dispersed, the boys pelting us with snowballs as we descended the hill.

"In all this affair, we were pleased to see the respect shown us by the men who were present, and I doubt not we should have received civil treatment from the men of any other quarter of the town. But the women are exceedingly ignorant, very few being able to read, and believe just what they are taught by their priests, who are almost as ignorant in regard to religious truth as themselves. Only yesterday I had a long conversation with an Armenian priest, who acknowledged that he had no Bible in his house!

"We have hope that this persecuting mother will yet yield to the power of the truth and become a follower of Jesus. The wives of several of the brethren here have at some time almost as bitterly persecuted their husbands, but they have yielded one after another, until now we have an earnest band of Christian sisters laboring for Christ and for souls.

"The work of the Lord here in Talas is very encouraging. Our congregations are large and attentive, the brethren and sisters are active and earnest, preaching Christ everywhere, as they have opportunity. Reports from other parts of the field are also encouraging. Brother Farnsworth is spending several weeks among the villages to the north and east of our central station, while I am giving daily instruction to a class of eight or ten young men, candidates for the ministry."

A GREAT CHANGE.

"Did we ever write you how, a year ago, Mrs. Bartlett and Miss Closson were insulted and driven away from a certain house where they were calling? They had called to see a woman with whom they had conversed at another place, and who had manifested an interest in the truth. But they were hardly seated when a Greek priest came in and ordered them to leave; insulting them in the most shame

ing, mentions one tour, with his colporter, encouraging indications at places visited, etc., and then says:—

"You see that new and inviting fields of labor are continually opening up before us, but alone as I am, I cannot even find time to visit them all. When shall our force be so increased that we shall be able to educate ministers and teachers for the many important cities in this vast field, and — while we shall not neglect to exhort and entreat men to be reconciled to God—our main work may be that of organizing, helping on, and guiding native evangelical efforts?

PERSECUTION AND ITS EFFECT.

"During the past week a new case of persecution has occurred. The new despot, of whom I spoke last week, is trying the influence of anathemas upon the Protestant Greek brethren. Although he has no jurisdiction whatever over them, he pretends to have, and because one of them, a flour-merchant, refused to obey his summons, he took occasion to pronounce an anathema of the severest sort upon him. None are to speak to him, or do business with him; the public bakers are forbidden to bake his bread and the millers to grind his flour; in short, every effort is made to coerce him to obedience.

"Such an interference with one's private business on the part of a minister or bishop would seem strange enough in our country, but it is one of the favorite means employed by the ecclesiastics in this land to keep their weak and ignorant flock in subjection. I am much pleased with the noble stand this brother has taken, and the excellent spirit he manifests under what is, of course, a great trial to him. Although the despot intended by his anathema to injure the Protestant cause, God can and doubtless will make it a means of good; and already we begin to have the proof of this, in the influence it has had over the persecuted brother's wife. She has not heretofore openly opposed her husband but on the other hand, she has not positively favored his renunciation of the Greek Church. Now, however, we hear that she joins him heartily in family prayer, and has begun herself to pray alone."

Eastern Turkey Mission.

THE HARPOOT FIELD-SORE TRIALS.

Mr. Allen wrote from Harpoot, December 13, with reference to various matters, pleasant and unpleasant. He had recently visited all the out-stations in the western part of the field, and states:"We see much to cheer us in the midst of many trials, of a peculiar nature. For some time past a spirit of disaffection toward the missionaries has been growing, fostered, as it seems to us, by one disaffected man and his adherents. When we remember in what condition we found these people fifteen years ago, and contrast it with what we now see, it certainly is natural to feel that we have been the means, with God's blessing, of a great change for the better. But instead of grateful recognition, some say we have done them more harm than good. The results of good Brother Walker's life labor in Diarbekir are gathered up by Pastor T., entirely ignoring the missionary who actually sacrificed his life for that people.

"This spirit prevails somewhat among the men we have educated. The men who are known as friends to us are jeered at as 'under the missionaries.' There are men even of the graduating class of the present year whose minds are poisoned with this spirit. But do not imagine that we despond, though we are deeply pained to see manifestations of a spirit which must for a time be a hindrance to the work. I believe it is the Lord's work, and that he will not suffer it to fail. How speedily would a powerful work of grace sweep away these cobwebs of prejudice, selfishness, pride, and ambition from the hearts of those who really love the Saviour. We will not forget where our

strength lies."

KUZZELBASH KOORDS.

"While at Chemishgezek I was much gratified to learn that our preacher and a Protestant brother had made a tour among the Kuzzelbash Koords. A great change has taken place among them during the last ten years. There are seven tribes, occupying for the most part the Anti Taurus range of mountains, from Erzroom

to Sivas. Many of them were formerly robbers, and rebellious against the government. They have been placed under a Caimakam by the government. He is chief of one of the tribes. Our preacher visited him and was received with great cordiality. The Caimakam expressed a wish that a preacher might be sent to preach the gospel to the people. We have now written to this chief, Yuseph Agha, expressing our readiness to begin work among his people. Our faithful helper Bedros has gone to examine into the state of the case. We shall hope soon to let you know what encouragement there is for commencing labor among that race. They are nominally Mohammedans, but there are many varying accounts of their religious belief, of which, doubtless, we shall have frequent occasion to speak in future letters."

A TOUR -MISS VAN DUZEE AT ORDO.

Mr. Parmelee, of Erzroom (150 miles southeast of Trebizond), reports a long tour by himself and Mr. Cole, in November and December last. He notices specially their visits at Gumish Khaneh, Karahissar, Kerasoon, Ordo, and Trebizond. Gumish Khaneh - "Silver Station". they reached in five days. It is a place originally settled for silver mining purposes, “up a steep, wild gorge of the mountain," now decreased to about 1,000 houses. Here, Mr. Parmelee writes, "all day Sunday our room in the khan was crowded with attentive listeners to the word of truth"; and "there was a strong desire, especially on the part of the young men, that we should send them a teacher." The journey from there to Karahissar, an out-station of Sivas, of the Western Turkey mission,"occupied four days, over a rough mountainous region Thence they started for the coast of the Black Sea, and "after three days of hard travel, over high mountains and rough roads," reached Kerasoon, a town of about 1,000 houses. Respecting Ordo Mr. Parmelee writes:

"From Kerasoon we sent our horses along the coast to Trebizond, and taking steamer soon found ourselves among our friends in Ordo. Miss Van Duzee had preceded us by a month in this place,

and was doing a most interesting work among the women, some account of which she has already given you. But the inconveniences of her residence there you cannot well conceive. To give you a little idea of it let me first describe the style of the houses of that city. They are built of wood, framed, and when finished are neatly lathed and plastered, both inside and out, with lime-mortar having glass windows-the sloping roofs being first shingled, then tiled. But when a man is troubled with impecuniosity (a common disease of individuals as well as the government of this country), the mildness of the climate on the coast permits the occupancy of the house in a partially finished state; that is, the tiles are omitted from the roof, the plastering from the walls, and for glass in the windows are substituted rough board - shutters, which are necessarily open in the day.

"The house in which Miss Van Duzee had a room was of this class. Imagine the comfort you would get in such a place on a day like one of your cold, wet, Boston October days, with only a pot of coals to tantalize your longing for the genial warmth of your own quiet sitting-room. I said Miss Van Duzee had a room in such a house. I should have said she had a very small fraction of a room. At night she shared it with four or five members of the family, and during the day her room was the family kitchen, dining-room, and place of all work. To live in this way for weeks, without a moment's quiet, with no place of retirement, with no confidential companion, is a missionary trial which many of us would hesitate to incur. But Miss Van Duzee endured it bravely, cheerfully, and is now away on a second tour, after only ten days rest in her Erzroom home, working alone under circumstances even more trying than those I have described."

ZEAL OF THE ORDO PROTESTANTS.

"We found the Ordo community, though not materially increased in numbers since our last report, yet self-denying, and active for the welfare of Zion. They are anxiously looking to us to send them a 1 See "Herald" for March, page 85.

pastor, for one half of whose support they are ready to provide. Until a pastor is found, they will pay $60 in gold towards their teacher's salary. They have agreed also to collect $80 to pay for the remaining unbought portion of the parsonage. In addition to all this, they are eager to provide themselves with a more suitable chapel. One brother, who is living in a partially finished house, such as I have described, said he would live in a stable if by that means he could help provide a fitting place for the worship of the Lord. They propose in the spring to prepare for building, though we have promised them a very moderate proportion of help. It was very gratifying to us to see not only the earnest labors of this people in their own behalf, but also their hearty appreciation of our efforts, which they took occasion to express in a written paper which was read in our hearing. The extreme distance of Ordo has often led us to consider whether we ought not to give it up to some nearer station, but when we see the zeal, faith, and energy of the brethren there, we feel ready to endure almost any hardship in order to gain the refreshing of an annual visit. It is painful to think that nothing but the difficulty of finding a suitable man for pastor prevents the organization of a church. But we still labor and pray in the hope that not long hence so desirable a result will be attained.

GREEKS.

"We were pleased to notice consider able interest among the Greeks, who constitute three fourths of the population. Two or three are already avowed Protestants, and the truth is spreading among them. We heard of a large Greek village, fourteen hours distant from Ordo, which is said to have become almost completely transformed through the leaven of the truth. Indications of this kind strongly favor the plan which I have once or twice proposed, of locating missionaries at Trebizond to labor for the 100,000 Greeks of the coast region."

A ZEALOUS STUDENT HELPER.

From Ordo the company went to Trebizond, and Mr. Parmelee writes:

"Our time at Trebizond was so limited that we divided forces, and while Brother Cole and Miss Van Duzee remained to labor there, I mounted my horse to climb the rough but romantic height on which Gouklon (or more properly Gooklah) is built. Six years ago, while visiting that village, I asked a boy of twelve if he would like to be a preacher. He said he would, and intended to be. I asked his father if he really knew what he was saying, and he replied that to become a preacher was the one dream of his boyhood days; and the boy's clear black eye and thoughtful face confirmed the father's statement. Last summer that boy, grown to the stature if not to the years of a man, was in our school in this city (Erzroom), one of the most studious and upright of our students. On this visit I found him in the school diligently training the boys and girls of the village, while on Sundays he gathers the villagers to guide them in the worship of the Saviour. It seemed marvelous that a young man, in his own home, could command so universally the love and respect of all. If he does not break down from too close application to study, -a danger against which I felt obliged earnestly to caution him,—we anticipate that he will grow into a most valuable helper. It was truly refreshing to see the simple, earnest faith of these villagers, and their zeal for the spread of the truth in their region. They have already planned a new and more commodious chapel and schoolroom, which they will build with little assistance from us. It seems fitting that in such a very paradise of nature the blessing of a pure religion should bear full sway.

"In speaking of Ordo, I should have said that Miss Van Duzee made provision for the continuance of the lessons of the women whom she was teaching to read, and that she found a young widow who seemed a suitable candidate for the girls' school, and who showed the sincerity of her interest in the Lord's work by giving her ornaments to pay the expense of her journey here."

VAN-WAITING IN HOPE.

FROM the new station, Van (about 300