Show IN TURKEY J providence having brought us safely to the shores of the mediterranean I 1 take pleasure in penning you a few more lines Alex andretto is a seaport on the mediterranean but not of much importance it is however the seaport for aleppo a city of nearly inhabitants located 90 miles inland and some other places the city IS ie built on a marsh and is as a matter of course a hotbed for fevers the haven as are all other havens in turkey Is almost devoid of improvements when smyrna is excepted there are no docks in turkey where a ship can lay to all traffic is carried on by boat from shore to deep water As I 1 have now traveled about miles from the black sea to the mediterranean via aleppo I 1 have seen much which will be at least to me of great value I 1 have observed much concerning the sick man as the sultan has been named and some of his dominions turkey may well be styled a sick country it is poor and helpless according to the age and is favored with many ruins of large and at one time great and important districts it has there fore foie been styled 11 a country of rv ruins but in its present condition A it is more correct to say a ruined country its finances are at a low ebb no trust and russia is crowding for war indemnity old and once 4 V repudiated creditors axe are drawing the taxes of f several P prominent territories which after collection only bring about one per cent the soldiers axe are quarreling ng for they pay and are often in open rebellion for that reason men drafted fo for r th the army go with reluctance as they yv are but poorly paid and kept for long terms the daily rations 1 j being about one and three 4 fourth pounds of bread and a 3 cents and they axe are poorly clad the people are bewailing their financial condition imports exceed export and ta taxes aes ar are e exorbitant when eard eam logs ings are considered assessments are only taken about once in ten years so that the poor man is heavily laden while the rich and well to do often flourish taxes are levied on grain or what a man is supposed to realize this system nearly el clears heavy property owners while the poor man who owns nothing is even taxed of that which he seem eth to have and has not viz the daily bread necessary for him and his family this thia state of affairs may be attributed to a poor government but I 1 am of the opinion that the people are quite as much to blame they make no effort to improve their houses are according to the climate and not according to comfort or the handiness of building material here in the warmer climate ahl where re winter is very light they live in rush houses along the foot of the mountains of stone and timber in the colder country where the winter is severe they build houses of mud mad and occasionally of stone put up in the most rude style they spend hours k in smoking and the more religious religions in praying as well but when that is done nothing but sheer necessities are attended to upon the journey I 1 have seen my travelling tra velling companions praying three times after arriving ai 4 the inn iu in the evening and some of the prayers were of about half an hours du duration ra this and smoking have taken up the evening till about eight well prayer is undoubtedly good but everything in its season and limited to a rei reasonable extent Is it not moreover necessary to work as well as pray I 1 dont mean to say the turks ruin turkey by pray ing g but I 1 do believe they would realize lize greater blessings from god by working more and praying less turkey is not only sick financially but it is literally sick the fever chills and other kindred diseases are raging to a fearful extent so that if it if were in some european country where statistics are kept the disease would be declared epidemic in cities of about or inhabitants from fifteen to twenty enty persons die daily but there being no way to ascertain the number the natives live in ignorant bliss they are am also the most helpless of any people I 1 have yet met with N most ost individuals know of ta some remedy or other but these people seem to be unaware of one thair air sick lie for months without medical aid arkind of assistance until tv nature effects a cure or finds relief AL A L in death now this is very deplorable still the people possess some good qualities that at present lie dormant the cause for this is only known to the creator but let us hope that the sweet I 1 influence of the gospel of jesus christ which has now reached this once hallowed landfill land will secure the bringing of many honest souls to zion much good has been done and a footing has been gained by degrees of this I 1 shall give a full account at some other time we have been doing a great work in preaching the gospel to the gentiles this is however but small compared with the labor that is before the youth of zion not only of preaching the gospel to this great asiatic nation but also of bringing about a temporal reformation by teaching them the arts and sciences of life and that not for the sake of gain but for the love of god thereby effecting the true restoration of man to his primitive state of usefulness ful ness as created by god these nations are living in total ignorance of the coming of the son of man wherefore he will certainly have great mercy on them at his coming when babylon will be destroyed many of these will undoubtedly live during the millennium and as it is written the knowledge of the lord shall fill the whole earth will there then not be a great work in bringing that knowledge with its consequent blessings to those far off peoples though they may worship according to their own desire yet they will not be left ignorant of the reign of peace of the only one whose right it is to reign I 1 have seen many who I 1 feel certain would surely follow a good example ample with kind regards to all my friends in zion and ever praying for the triumph of right and the deliverance of the oppressed F P F HINTZE P S 1 I go from here to haifa palestine in which land I 1 expect to winter if I 1 have the opportunity I 1 will perhaps write a little from there concerning present life in the holy land december 18 IM 1888 |