A Brief History of the Beginning of the Mission Work in Nicomedia by the American Board of Foreign Missions

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1885. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER XI. Previous to this time, an Armenian young man was beheaded in Constantinople by the Turkish authorities on account of changing his religion. His head was placed under him, instead of under the arm pits, according to an established custom, as an act of contempt, or as an insult to Christianity; and he was thus exposed to the public gaze for several days. The Turks treated the matter very lightly by calling him a Giaour (Infidel), and said, What signifies that? He is nothing at all. This event very much aroused the ieeling%of the foreign Christian ambassadors who, through the English ambassador, demanded of the Turkish government, that religious liberty be at once accorded to all the people, and threatened it with grave consequences should this demand not be granted. Upon the reception of this demand, Sultan Abdoul Mejid at once issued a firman which was written in high Turkish. This language, for the most part, is made up of Arabic and Persian words and is not well understood by the common people. It was, however, interpreted to mean that his government was a temporal one; that it had no power over the souls of men; that this power belonged to God alone; and that During this period, the English ambassador, Sir Strafford Caning, was a great instrument in securing religious liberty in Turkey for native Christian subjects. With his influence he also greatly assisted the mission work. henceforth each Christian subject of his domain should have the right to worship according to the dictates of his own conscience, and further, that no one should be permitted to call another a Giaour. This firman was caused to be read in the navy yard at Nicomedia, and in every public place throughout the Sultan's dominion; namely, to Turks, Jews, Greeks, Armenians and al...