The Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, vol. 72

November 12, 1895

“From the East” The Advent Review and Sabbath Herald 72, 46, p. 731.

[THE following is from a private letter from A. T. J. The first part of the letter was dated Constantinople, Oct. 17, and the latter part was written from the Aegean Sea, Oct. 24. Although not written for publication, we take the liberty to make extracts from the letter, knowing that our readers are deeply interested in the work in which brother Jones is at present engaged.—ED.]

“Last week we went out to the head of the Bay of Nicomedia, and had four days’ good meetings with about twenty-five brethren who came together in a village on the south side of the bay, opposite old Nicomedia. A half-dozen Armenian brethren were with us as we left Constantinople, and as it was in the midst of the difficulties of the Armenian uprising here, when all Armenians were under suspicion, we were all arrested and put under an armed guard, to be taken to the police court for examination. Just then, however, another Turkish officer ‘happened’ along. This officer recognized one or two of the brethren, and said to the officer who had arrested us: ‘Oh, these are Sabbatarians. You need not be afraid of them; they are all right.’ Then the other officer called a carriage, and drove to the police station to see about the Sabbatarians. In a half hour or less he was back again with orders to let us go, and molest us no further, for we were all right. Then, with many bows and salutes, as though they would apologize, they showed us aboard our steamer, and the officer who had first recognized us came aboard and shook hands with us, wishing us a pleasant journey. ARSH November 12, 1895, page 731.1

“Thus the Turkish government, altogether on its own part, has singled us out from all other ‘Christians’ as those from whom no mischief need be apprehended, and has given us a standing that no other ‘Christian’ people have. The ‘Protestants’ had before this refused to recognize us to the authorities as belonging with them, and others had repudiated us also. And now this has resulted in giving us a standing, upon our own name, too, that is higher and more honorable than any of them. Their efforts to shut us out altogether have only put us where, for the world, they would not have had us at all, and now the government of Turkey is more just to us. than the government of the States of the American Union. I think, therefore, it only proper to give Turkey the credit belonging to that country. ARSH November 12, 1895, page 731.2

“This letter was broken off at Constantinople. We have traveled to Smyrna, where we changed ships, and as we had to wait two days for a vessel, we took time and went over to old Ephesus, and walked over the ruins of the place. Yesterday morning we arrived at Samos. We shall be here four hours more, and then start to Athens. We hope the weather may be clear enough this afternoon to enable us to get a glimpse of Patmos. We are on the northeast shore of the island, in a little bay. The vessel is loading with wine in hogsheads for France. If we get off in good time this afternoon, we shall reach Piraeus, the port of Athens, tomorrow morning at seven or eight o’clock.” ARSH November 12, 1895, page 731.3