No. 685.
Mr. King
to Mr. Bayard.
[Extract.]
Legation of
the United States,
Constantinople, February 7, 1887.
(Received March 1.)
No. 286.]
Sir: In connection with my dispatch No. 257, of
October 19, 1886, and your reply No. 171, of 11th November, I have the honor
to inclose a copy (in translation) of the dispatch received from the Sublim
Porte, and likewise a copy of my reply to it.
1 learn from the missionaries that, as a result of the visit of Rev. Mr.
Filian to Constantinople, he has obtained permission to continue preaching)
which he had been prevented from doing.
I have insisted on the right of Br. Herrick and our missionaries to visit
that city and preach, notwithstanding the smallness of the congregation.
Hoping that my action will meet your approval,
I have, etc.,
[Page 1091]
[Inclosure 1 in No.
286.—Translation.]
The Sublime Porte to Mr.
King.
Sublime
Porte, Department of Foreign
Affairs,
January 26,
1887.
Mr. Chargé d’Affaires: On receipt of the
dispatch you kindly addressed me on the 18th of October last, No. 32, I
hasten to apprise the governor-general of the province of Kastamouni of
the complaint drawn up by the Rev. Dr. Herrick against the local
authorities.
In his reply his highness, Abdurrahman Pacha observes firstly that there
are no Protestants in the province, and that no American missionary had
made his appearance there till recently. Only within a few years three
or four Protestant Armenians from Cesarea having come temporarily to
Kastamouni on commercial business, a certain Filian, an Ottoman subject
from Antioch, took advantage of their presence in that city to go and
establish a school there.
That school was soon after transformed into a temple, where Filian used
to proselyte, which excited to such an extent the religious feelings of
the population, that the local authorities had, on their complaint and
in order to quiet their minds, to invite Mr. Filian to shut up his
establishment, which after all had been established without
permission.
It was during that interval that Dr. Herrick, accompanied by a certain
Gulbenk? came to Castamouni, and stopped at Yacoub Filian’s. Without
presenting himself personally to the authorities to exhibit his papers,
he contented himself with having his passport registered, after which he
left for Marsovan. A few days later Yacoub Filian himself left
Kastamouni for Constantinople.
These are the facts in the case. It results from what precedes, and you
cannot refrain from acknowledging it yourself, Mr. chargé d’affaires, in
your enlightened appreciation, that the unfounded complaints of the
doctor could not have been drawn up but on the instigation of said
Filian.
I think proper to add that since there are no Protestants at Kastamouni,
where moreover there exists neither temple nor school belonging to that
creed, the arrival of pastors or American missionaries would have no
reason, and would, be sure to raise new difficulties.
Accept, etc.,
[Inclosure 2 in No. 286.]
Mr. King to the
Sublime Porte.
Legation of the United States,
Constantinople, February 7,
1887.
Excellency: I have the honor to acknowledge the
receipt of your dispatch of 26 January, 1887, and in reply I beg to say
that the number of Protestants living in Kastamouni is not the matter
under consideration. The point I desire clearly to present to you is the
right of Dr. Herrick or any other American citizen to visit that city
and quietly hold religious services, whether the number of Protestants
be large or small; whether they be permanent or temporary residents of
that city.
I beg you therefore to give positive directions to the provincial
governor not to interfere and not to allow interference with such
service in the future.
Accept, etc.,
