PRIMITIVE RELIGION AMONG THE PEOPLE OF ASIA MINOR. 147 



most repressive conditions, and the scanty profits are eaten up 

 by the tax-gatherer, legal or illegal. At the time of the Turkish 

 conquest, and sometimes after that, the Christian population 

 was almost swept away, but a remnant remained ; it survived 

 and multiplied on the mountain tops, it held by the name and 

 form of Cin^istianity, it has taken advantage of every opening 

 to make its way forward. 



For several decades a growing evangelical work has been 

 prosecuted among this old Christian stock, and there are now 

 over 50,000 avowed Protestants connected with the native 

 churches in Asia Minor. These are ministered to by native 

 clergymen, who are on the whole a sound, strong, devoted body 

 of Christian labourers, faithful to their high calling in the 

 midst of poverty, discouragement and sometimes danger. The 

 British and Foreign, and the American Bible Societies maintain 

 important Levant Agencies at Constantinople, from which over 

 100,000 copies a year of the Holy Bible, or some part of it, are 

 circulated. Colporteurs otfer the Word of God to all the 

 people, and the aggregate circulation of Armenian issues by the 

 American Society exceeds an average of one for every Armenian 

 family in Turkey. The Publication Department of our Board 

 sends forth a steady stream of school books, sermons, tracts, 

 hymn books, commentaries, and other volumes of religious and 

 allied literature, and prints excellent family papers for adults 

 and for children. 



Meantime a steady process of reformation and enlightenment 

 has been leavening the old Oriental Churches. They have been 

 making heroic efforts in behalf of their schools, and certainly 

 the value of their conmiunity schools has easily doubled 

 within thirty or forty years. Preaching by monks, priests or 

 teachers is frequently heard. Some spiritually minded leaders 

 appear. Superstitions still abound, but are waning in number 

 and influence. Pictures in the churches are less, and less 

 influential. A few years ago when a suggestion was abroad 

 that the Porte might require the withdraw^al of American 

 missionaries, the Armenian Patriarch at Constantinople ex- 

 pressed great apprehension at the loss that such a step would 

 mean to his people. 



Personally we are on the best of terms with Turks. The 

 •officials exchange friendly calls with us, religious authorities 

 of every class, connection and garb discuss religious questions 

 with a good degree of frankness and cordiality. The common 

 people welcome us to their homes and tables. The sick come 

 gladly to our hospitals for cure, and often say that they never 



