| Show LETTER FROM TURKEY A few thoughts regarding our labors here and what may be required of the elders of israel in preaching to these non israel nations have quite forcibly presented themselves to me of late and thinking they may be of general interest among the saints I 1 take the liberty of sending a few lines on these subjects As an introduction tro I 1 will make an extract from a letter which was shown to me by one of the elders here wherein an experienced elder in zion gives some valuable advice the words are so applicable that I 1 begged the privilege of copying them for this special purpose th tah words are as follow your mission is an important one and you will doubtless have many difficulties to meet but if you will keep a stout heart and trust in god he will uphold you j in every extremity pardon me if as a friend I 1 caution you against a mistake often made by our missionaries they get to imagine because the fruits of their labors do not appear as fast as they would like that they are of no do use remember that you are a servant of god and you are of use and it is possible for a man to do a good work even if he should not succeed in baptizing a single sou soul the work here in the orient has required a great deal of patience we have met with many reverses based upon several causes we do not know the language of these people neither their character nor their customs these had to be learned first and to do this takes time besides being imposed upon by certain scoundrels who feign a complete faith in our doctrine in order to rin gain some personal advantage hence ence we often get a little impatient and allow the future to be clouded over by such gloomy forebodings as we are of no use now this is surely a mistake we are sent out to warn the nations aswell as to reap the souls of anen and in patiently performing this duty we shall have performed a great work though we may not baptize a soul here in turkey there is at present a chance to fulfil fulfill this work the armenians Armen ians are as a rule very curious to know and to learn and in warning people of the troubles to come we shall certainly fl find nd a few honest ones we have already discovered some and every month brings new ones to light this people meds reforming the protestants have been laboring liere here for fifty or sixty years and as the lines between the protestants and catholic churches are pretty well defined in europe and america even here in so short a time the same result has been produced thereby hincer ing any further progress towards a general reformation this has been done a great deal owing to lack of zeal on the part of the missionaries the first missionaries who came here met with some opposition but by patiently enduring this and forth a christian induced many persons persona to read the scriptures and to throw off the yoke of the old churches but as churches were established and fine residences built the american missionaries housed themselves up and paid liberally for the preaching of others in this way they killed the fire kindled until in later years we find the churches church ts cs dull and not increasing from outside sources money also bought many converts some sought a temporal advantage and a less desirable element has replaced the first love of reform the example became bad and the churches lost their reputation so that at the present there is no 0 advantage in boasting that one is a protestant still the labors are not all in vain many are now enlightened and really seeking for something better and undoubtedly our elders will have here to produce that reform which is necessary to bring the people to a position to understand the pure gospel of jesus christ protestantism has introduced no new doctrine so to speak the missionaries have stopped all avenues to discussing doctrinal points when these would lead to anything different than a common methodist idea ie CB believe elleve in christ read the bible and you may be saved by any mode of baptism you like hence the people here are not as those of america and europe were found ly by the first elders there the people through three or four centuries of public discussion of bible doctrines had brought the real seekers and the salt of the earth to the front hence when they heard the gospel it was to them as the voice of the good shepherd they knew the sound at once obeyed aud became zealous workers in the work of redemption here all these points have to be considered si therefore when we come to a city the people are all at once brought into astir at the new doctrine every doctrine from faith repentance and baptism to the salvation of the dead gods just mode of judging his children is a great astonishment ment to them when systematically arranged here then comes the patience of the elders here we must sow and cultivate and patiently await the fruits by our examples we must produce a desire on onlie the part of the people to associate with us by our words we must plant in their hearts the seeds of eternal life and by our faithful and fatherly care teach them how to love and obey god and his son jesus christ in order that they may also partake of the heavenly blessings so richly vouchsafed to us from our father in heaven therefore to my brethren of the seventies and others who may be called to labor in these eastern countries I 1 would say be prepared for a new work one much different from that in which we have formerly engaged prepare yourselves with plenty 0 or patience so that when you meet wl with th reverses and things that do not go just as you expect you may not be discouraged rather bather be filled with the spirit of the living god start in again with a firmer determination mi nation to accomplish every duty and overcome every obstacle laid in your way until the power of satan is broken and all who will be saved may have a full chance and none be left without a warning our friends in zion can do a great work by writing kind letters filled with exhortations and good news calculated to strengthen our young elders and thereby furnish food for proper reflection which will eventually terminate in strength to the young saints here who are eager to know how they are regarded by their brethren in the land of promise the inhabitants of this place are generally kindhearted kind hearted and generous much that is good can be said of them and their mental faculties are by no means below the average they are smart perceive a point quickly and learn very fast but they are not of a very solid character hence they may soon be found leaning to the wrong side of the balance our impression however is that under good leadership they will yet be found to possess fl fine ne qualities jewels that will in the future shine prominently in the great atter day work friis turkey may 1889 |
