History of the missions of the American board of commissioners for foreign missions to the oriental churches, Volume I.Anderson, Rufus
Religion
History of the missions of the American board of commissioners for foreign missions to the oriental churches, Volume I.
Anderson, Rufus
American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions; Missions -- Eastern churches
"Dr. King and his creed," writes Mr. Marsh to the Secretary of
State, "have served as a convenient scape-goat, to bear maledictions
intended for other teachers and other doctrines, as well as for
himself and his faith; or perhaps as an experiment, to test how far
the Greek government would sustain, or foreign powers permit, the
encroachments of an intolerant priesthood upon the guarantees of the
independence of Greece, and the solemn sanction of the constitution
and laws."
A manifest change now took place in the popular sentiment towards
the persecuted missionary. Many who had been bitterly opposed,
became cordial. The preaching service had forty or fifty hearers,
who were generally attentive. The "Exposition of an Apostolical
Church" continued to attract notice. Dr. Barth's "Ecclesiastical
History," translated by Dr. King, was extensively read; and the
American Bible Society responded to an application for a new grant
of ten thousand copies of the New Testament for the schools. Near
the close of 1854, Dr. King placed at the disposal of the Minister
of Ecclesiastical Affairs and Public Instruction for the use of
schools, a thousand copies of "Chrysostom on Reading the
Scriptures," printed with the sanction of the American Tract
Society. The Minister replied, thanking him for the books, and
sending him a copy of a circular he had addressed to the teachers
strongly recommending the reading by the pupils, not only of
Chrysostom, but of the Scriptures also. Several young men appeared
truly converted, and a class in theology was formed, made up of two
young men from Athens and four from Constantinople. These had been
in the Greek department of the Bebek Seminary, and were sent to
study with Dr. King in consequence of the death of Mr. Benjamin.
After a year and a half he still had this class. To aid them he
wrote a little work in modern Greek, combating the idea, prevalent
with many, that nothing in the Word of God can be understood, except
by those who have been enlightened by the study of the Fathers. In
January, 1857, he finished correcting the fifth volume of the
American Tract Society's publications in modern Greek. The first
volume he printed in 1853, the second and third in 1854, the fourth
in 1855. The five volumes contained more than two thousand five
hundred pages, and were in an eligible form; but they were found to
be in advance of the national taste for religious reading.
The old enmity in Greece burst forth, once more, with violence, in
forgeries and fictions of an extraordinary character. It was then
regretted by many patrons of the mission, that the veteran
missionary sustained consular relations to the United States, which
prevented him from meeting this crisis in the simple character of a
missionary; and such may have been the feeling of Dr. King himself,
but he found it difficult to change his relations while the storm
was raging. The public excitement, however, soon subsided, and he
went on with his work unmolested.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account