Young Characters in History

682 IMPROVEMENT ERA. ordained a number to different offices in the priesthood. Brother Sarkis who has been the presiding priest is now or- dained an elder. He enjoys the spirit of his calling. A man and his wife desired baptism; we referred them to the presi- dent. He had a talk with the man and told him that to be- come a member of our church he must repent. Says he: "You are engaged in selling cheap jewelry and making the poor people believe it is valuable; this is dishonest. Can you not quit this?" The man promised he would quit it and work for his living. The president told him that then he knew nothing to hinder his baptism, but told the man that if he went again [about this business] he would be in danger of being robbed and hurt. He told us why he had refused baptism to this man. A few days after we heard the man had gone out with his jewelry, and strange to say a week later his wife received a telegram from Marahs that the man had fallen among robbers and was badly hurt. It would have been well for him if he had taken the warning from the servant of God. It made quite an impression on my mind. When the president told us what he had said to this man I felt he had spoken the right thing, and when I heard that he had broken his promise I feared he would have cause to regret his course. During the massacres of the Christians by the Turks I be- lieve there were nearly three hundred lives lost at Aintab. Our little flock was preserved in a wonderful manner. Some lost their property but none lost their lives. Brother Dikran, an elder from Sivas told me that he lost a good deal of property dur- ing this time, and that once a Turk lifted his sword to cut him down, something urged him to say, "I am a Mormon." The Turk lowered his weapon and took the brother to the court. He was arrested, but his life was spared. A curious case happened in an adjoining town to Aintab. A man who believed Mormonism, had visited the brethren, and asked that he be baptized in secret, he could not stand the shame of being called a Mormon. The brother with whom he talked told him to be bold enough to confess Christ, let it cost what it might. He did not feel that he could do so openly. When he returned home he regretted that he had not followed

A WORD FROM THE FAR EAST. 683 the dictates of his conscience. He wrote then and asked that the brother would come to him and baptize him. Then came the massacre. He was dragged out in the street and told that if he would become a Mohammedan and deny Christ his life would be spared. This man who had been so afraid of the opinions of men at this moment proved himself to be a true martyr. He answered the Turk: "How can I deny Jesus when I know he is my Redeemer?" A blow, and his white hair was colored with his blood. Brother Sarkis de- sired that work be done for this man in the Temple. Those engaged in these horrible scenes were mostly fanatical villagers—Kurds. The brethren pointed out to me several noble Mohammedans who, at the risk of their own lives, saved many of the Christians. Our coming had been heralded from the pulpits. The people had been warned against us. This had the opposite effect to the one intended. The people filled our meeting house weeks before we came, and when we did come our room was filled from morning till evening by eager enquirers. Brother Hintze had to do the talking and he was kept busy. We found our native brethren well posted on our doctrines and well versed in the scriptures, and Brother Hintze had them help him out when he got tired. Dr. Hagopian came up from Aleppo, and being a fluent talker in Turkish, rendered us much valuable service. It was interesting to watch the crowd of people sitting on the floor listening to what was said. Sometimes they would all want to talk and then there would be a babel of voices. As I could not understand what they said I tried to judge by their inflection of voice and expres- sion of face the feelings of their hearts. Every evening there were gatherings in different parts of the city and we divided up the brethren and sent them to the different places to an- swer questions and explain the gospel. We remained four weeks at Aintab waiting for our brethren from Zara and Sivas. They telegraphed us that they were on the way, but the snow storm made the roads over the Taurus nearly im- passable. Brother Nishan, who presided at Zara, is with us here. * * * The last Sunday we spent in Aintab we held the first conference in the Turkish mission. The

684 IMPROVEMENT ERA. mission now numbers 105 members and 84 children. We had letters from different places in Asia Minor asking that elders be sent there. I feel that Brother Hintze will be able to do a good work up here, and when we get through here he will return to the northern branches and visit some of these places who are calling for elders. Our brethren who have been sent here are doing well in learning the Turkish but it is a hard lan- guage to use, and it will take some time before they can ex- plain the gospel. They are fine young men. They have come with us down here, as I feel the matter in hand is very important and I would like their opinion also. We went overland from Aleppo to Damascus. This was along a route which is not much traveled by tourists. When a stake of Zion shall be established here that will be the route over which the saints will travel. This season of the year Syria looks beautiful, after a while the vegetation dries up and Brother Maycock says the country does not look as green as Utah. In Damascus I walked in the street called Straight. I suppose it is the same street that Paul was di- rected to by the Lord. I visited the house of Ananias or what is so called; it is not on the street Straight, but about half a block distant. We went to see the house of Naaman. It is kept for lepers. Poor miserable beings! Their life seems to be a living death. We visited the place where Paul escaped out of the window. As the window has been built in the wall it cannot be the one, but it is interesting anyway to know that the very wall witnessed the escape of an apostle of the Lord. The place of Paul's conversion is also pointed out, but it was found to be too far away, so for the conven- ience of travelers it has been moved some four miles nearer to the city. I am afraid I am wearying you with my long letter. I hope this may find you in good health. Accept love from Brother Hintze and yours in the gospel, Anthon H. Lund.

PROGRESS OF THE WAR BETWEEN SPAIN AND THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. After the remarkable victory of Admiral Dewey in Man- ila bay, all eyes turned to Cuban waters as being the most likely scene of thrilling events in the progress of the war. Early in April a powerful Spanish fleet under command of Ad- miral Cervera rendezvoused at the Cape Verde Island, belong- ing to Portugal, and there remained for a number of days, so long, in fact, that there began to be murmurs throughout our country that Portugal was bending if not breaking neutrality laws. Unquestionably the sympathies of Portugal from the beginning have been with Spain in this war, but she was not willing to disregard her neutrality obligations and thus in- volve herself in difficulties with the United States, on ac- count of her sympathies, and hence, though apparently with some reluctance, the Spanish fleet was requested to remove from Portuguese waters. It sailed on the 29th of April, and was reported as having taken a westerly course. It was ex- pected that it would make straight for Cuban waters, break the American blockade of the North Cuban coast, if possible, and co-operate with General Blanco in the defense of Havana. So sure were those at Washington charged with the re- sponsibility of conducting the war that this would be the course pursued that they ordered Rear-Admiral Sampson to intercept the Spanish fleet and capture or destroy it. That commander sailed accordingly for this purpose, but when the time arrived for the meeting of the fleets, no news of the expected great naval battle was heard; and

686 IMPROVEMENT ERA. there was very general disappointment when it was learned that the Spanish fleet could not be found. The uncertainty of its whereabouts created no little un- easiness in many quarters. Alarm was felt along the New England coast, for one rumor had it that the Spaniards had gone northward, had been seen off the coast of Novia Scotia and evidently intended the bombardment of coast towns along the New England shores. Another theory was that bearing to the south Cervera would appear off Key West, bombard that place and other southern ports used as places for the massing of United States forces. But the more general fear was that either the whole Spanish fleet or a considerable por- tion of it had gone south with a view of intercepting the splendid United States battleship Oregon, which for some weeks had been making its way from San Francisco via Cape Horn, to reinforce our Atlantic fleet, and which was about this time due in West Indian waters. But all these fears were allayed by reports, which from their source could seem not to be otherwise than true, to the effect that the Spanish fleet had returned to Cadiz! No less a personage than our minister to England, Mr. Hay, cabled assurances to the authorities at Washington, under date of May ioth, that from private sources of information he knew Admiral Cervera's fleet of ironclads was then in plain view in the harbor of Cadiz. That information was evidently accepted as beyond question, and military operations were planned with reference to that supposed condition. Increased activity was apparent in preparing the forces already massed to invade Cuba. Preparations were made to land twenty thousand troops in Cuba and there was to be a concerted land and naval attack upon Havana. But soon these plans, for the present, at least, were to be abandoned. The story of Cervera's return to Cadiz was fraudulent. On the 13th of May it was definitely learned that his fleet had stopped the day before at the French island of Martinique, where he had taken on a fresh supply of coal, put himself in communication with his government, learned the whereabouts of Admiral Sampson's and Schley's fleets, and again disappeared. He was next heard of at the island

PROGRESS OF THE WAR. 687 of Curacao on the 15th of May. Curacao is an island owned by the Dutch, some six hundred miles west from Martinique and a little to the south. It is but fifty miles from the coast of Venezuela. Here he obtained a moderate supply of coal, and again disappeared, though it was reported that he was still sailing westward. Meantime interesting affairs were taking place both in Spain and America. Some of the American gun boats in that part of the fleet left to keep up the blockade of Havana and other northern Cuban ports, appeared to have too great a contempt for Spanish gunners. On the 12th of May two gun boats and a torpedo boat, respectively, the Wilmington, Hudson and Winslow, while on scout duty in the evening ran within range of the shore batteries and Spanish gun boats at Cardenas, which opened fire on them. The Winslow was disabled. Ensign Worth Bagleyand four sailors were killed; and Lieu- tenant Bernadou and two others were wounded. The other vessels bravely remained under the heavy fire of both the batteries and the Spanish gun boats until they could tow away the disabled Winslow. The same date (May 12th) Admiral Sampson, who had gone east with his fleet of battle ships and cruisers to inter- cept Cervera's squadron, not finding him, incidentally ordered part of his fleet to bombard the batteries defending San Juan, Puerto Rico. The attack lasted about three hours, and resulted in much damage to the batteries and a portion of the city. The Americans lost two men killed and several wounded. From the commencement of our difficulties with Spain, England had manifested a very friendly disposition towards the United States, and had several times refused to join with the European powers in schemes of intervention. On the evening of the 13th of May, in the course of a speech at Birmingham, England, Mr. Joseph Chamberlain, colonial secretary in the British Cabinet, declared that war while ter- rible, would be "cheaply purchased if in a great and noble cause the stars and stripes and the union jack should wave together over an Anglo-Saxon Alliance." This speech created considerable excitement and was very generally condemned

688 IMPROVEMENT ERA. by the European press; but the secretary was never called to account by his ministerial colleagues for what might very justly be regarded as a rash, not to say reprehensible re- mark for a man holding his position. Subsequently he stated, in response to inquiries of the opposition, that he had nothing to retract. During these days Spain was threatened with revolution at home. On the 15th the Spanish cabinet resigned and the next day Senor Sagasta formally handed its resignation to the queen regent, but was immediately charged with the duty of forming a new ministry. In the new ministry formed Senor Sagasta was, of course, premier; Leon y Castillo, minister for foreign affairs, up to this time Spanish minister at Paris; Lieu- tenant-geneal Crorrea was made minister of war; Senor Annon, minister of marine; Senor Romero Gisor, minister of the col- onies; Senor Lopaz Puigcerver, minister of finance; Senor F. R. Capdepon, minister of the interior; Senor C. Groizard, minister of justice, and Senor Gamazo, minister of public instruction. Senor Castillo declined the position tendered him by the government, and Duke Almodovar del Rio accepted the position of minister of foreign affairs in his place. It was at once announced that the policy of the new ministry would be to push the war with America more vigorously than the former cabinet had done. REFLECTIONS AT SEA. See how beneath the moonbeam's smile Yon little billow heaves its breast; It foams and sparkles for a while, And, murmuring, then subsides to rest. So man, the sport of bliss and car«, Rises on Time's eventful sea, And having sweil'd a moment there, Thus melts into eternity. Moore.

FRAGMENT TRUTHS THROUGH NORTHERN MISTS, BY JOHN THORGEIRSON. The famous Icelandic historian Snorri Sturluson when telling about where the Scandinavians came from says, among other things: "Northward of the Black Sea lies Svithiod the Great, (which is the ancient Sarmatia, and Scythia Magna, and formed the great part of European Russia). On the north side of the mountains which lie outside of all inhabited lands runs a river through Svithiod which is called Tanaquisl. (which is the present Don river that empties into the Sea of Azov). 1 'The country east of Tanaquisl in Asia was called Asaland, and the chief city in that land was called Asgard, (which is thought by some to be the present Assor; while others think that it is the Chasgarin the Caucassian ridge, called by Strabo Aspargum). It was the custom there that twelve temple- priests should both direct the sacrifices and also judge the people. Their office continuing hereditary throughout the heathen period of Norse history. The name of the chief of that city was Odin, and it was his custom when he sent his men into a battle, or on any expedition, that he first laid his hands upon their heads, and called a blessing down upon them, and then they believed their undertaking would be suc- cessful." According to ancient history, it was before Pompey the Great, Odin and his people were forced to leave their city Asgard, and their lands, and fly northward till they came to the present Sweden, which they called Svithiod, which sig- 51

690 IMPROVEMENT ERA. nifies the land of the Omnipresent. The chief city that they built there was called Sigtuna, a city in the same province as Stockholm. There Odin enacted new laws, introducing the customs of his own country, establishing there a supreme council, or tribunal, composed of twelves judges. Their bus- iness was to watch over the public weal, distribute justice to the people, to preside over the new worship, and to preserve faithfully the religious secrets that he deposited with them. He levied a tax on every man throughout the land, but en- gaged on his part to defend the inhabitants against all their enemies, and to defray the expense of warships rendered to the gods. Before dying he called his men before him, and told them he was going to the heavenly abode, Asgard, which means the home of the First One, where he would welcome them. It was customary to call all great leaders Odin. I shall now briefly go over the chief items of belief of those our forefathers who came from the borders of the Mediter- ranean and there round about, and shall make a literal translation thereof from Snorri Sturluson's Younger Edda, except where I am, because of the space, compelled to condense it. The greatest of all the gods lives in the highest heaven, but his name must not be mentioned. All-Father is the oldest and greatest of the gods of this earth, but in Asgard he had these twelve names (which translated into English are the following): i. The Allwise. 2. The Lord of Men. 3. Creator. 4. Lord of Hosts. 5. Lord of Victory. 6. One who Causes Assembling. 7. One who can Keep Himself un- seen. 8. Lord of the Prophets. 9. Omnipresent King. 10. God of the Universe. 11. Protector. 12. God of the Peaceful. He lives from everlasting to everlasting, rules over all his realm, and governs all things great and small. He made the heaven and the earth, the air, and all things in them. What is most important, he made man, and give him spirit, which shall live, and never perish. Though the body may turn to dust, or burn to ashes, all who live a life of virtue shall dwell with him in Gimbi (the highest heaven); but the wicked shall go down to the lowest and ninth world, where they shall suffer the most horrid tortures without end."