The following figures show the sales in Constantinople, city and vilayet, for 1892, as compared with those for 1891:

These figures include the sales of the depot and salesroom as well as of colporteurs.

Constantinople (surrounding country on the Asiatic side).-The district on the Asiatic side, superintended directly from Constantinople, embraces the extensive vilayet of Brousa and the smaller province of Dardanelles, or Bigha Three points-viz., Brousa, Kutaya, and Dardanelles, with one colporteur at each-have been made the centres for the working of this large district. There have been some slight interferences on the part of government officials, but none.to occasion any serious difficulty. The colporteur at Dardanelles, and the one at Kutaya especially, have found much to discourage in the general illiteracy and poverty of the people, and in the preponderance of Moslems in the population. The region around the city of Brousa is much more thickly settled with a Christian population, and there the labors of the colporteur have been more successful.

Adabazar.-Superintendent Djejizian, assisted by one colporteur, has pressed the work with vigor in this district, in which there is a very large Armenian population to stimulate the hope of success. In his Bible tours he has met with all classes of people, and has been very much gratified at the kindness and cordiality manifested by Moslems. As to purchasing Scriptures, however, their usual reply is, 'They are not for us." In some quarters he has met with what he calls "much to be regretted and strange opinions about the Bible. Some regard it simply as a Protestant book; some think that the reading of the Scriptures was only an old custom, now no longer in vogue; others consider the Bible as a book intended for the amusement of the wealthy classes; still others imagine that they have a perfect knowledge of all its contents, while as a matter of fact they are utterly ignorant of them." At Echme, where, as reported in 1889, he presented a copy of the Testament for a new church building, he, on a recent visit, found "the chief man of the village desirous of having a complete Bible for the use of the people. A collection was at once taken and the needful money was raised." Mr. D. recently visited the Gregorians at Ortakeui, whose religious life he found to consist almost exclusively in the performance of church rites and ceremonies, under the leadership of the priests, even the gospel itself being read in an unknown tongue. The Sabbath was almost utterly ignored, and infidelity was very general. He remained a fortnight, and felt confident that his visit effected some change in their attitude toward the Bible in the vernacular.

Smyrna.-The adjustment of the difficulty with officials, which occurred last year, seems to have produced good results. The colporteurs have traversed every part of this large district, and carried on

their operations without molestation. A large number of towns and villages have been canvassed, among which twelve have been visited for the first time. They have travelled some 1,200 miles by rail, and. over 500 with horses. More effort has been made than heretofore to reach out-of-the-way places. The sales of the year, though not especially large, have been of a very encouraging nature, an unusually large number having been distributed among non-Christians. Much gratification is felt at the reverence with which Moslems regard the Bible. Their language and their actions are often in striking contrast to those of nominal Christians.

Samsoon. It is a matter of much gratification that the severe and determined opposition to Bible colportage at Alacham, which began nearly two years ago and continued until quite recently, has at last been overcome. The settlement of this difficulty was greatly facilitated by the energetic measures taken by the United States Government to secure satisfaction in the case of the burning of the mission-house at Bourdour. The fact was clearly proven that the Turkish Government, when disposed, can easily put a stop to such illegal interferences. Since the adjustment of the difficulty, both the colporteur who was molested and another one have been prosecuting the work with renewed vigor, and without any disturbance. Sales in the coast region of this district would have been much larger but for these troubles. This whole district is crowded with Greek villages, and Superintendent Savas is of the opinion that there is abundance of work for two and perhaps three colporteurs. In the Marsovan and Sivas sections of this district the two colporteurs who have been for years in the service have continued their work, the one being especially successful in village work and the other in city work. The superintendent is confident that we are not hereafter to have so much difficulty from government officials, as it is becoming better understood that this work has no political purpose, but has for its object simply to supply all men with the word of God. "Many of the most intelligent and prominent people," he writes, "acknowledge that our work is strictly benevolent, and so they not only do not oppose us, but many of them offer their personal aid." Among the events that have brightened the record for this district during the past year, grateful mention may be made of the donation by a prominent Greek Protestant of $440 to the work of the Bible Society. So liberal a donation as this from people of this country constitutes a new departure," and may prove, we sincerely hope, the harbinger of good things in the future.

Trebizond.-During the latter part of the year, and since the appearance of cholera, the Bible work throughout the greater part of Eastern Turkey has been in a state of suspense. Numerous land quarantines so completely interrupted communication between different parts that all forms of business came to a standstill. Nevertheless, so far as circumstances permitted the colporteurs continued their efforts, and more or less has been accomplished. During the early part of the year also colportage was temporarily suspended in the section within the vilayet of Trebizond, lying along the Black Sea coast. This resulted from the

government's illegal interference, which had begun the previous year and which was doubtless connected with the troubles at Alacham, in the Samsoon district, that section also being comprised within the vilayet of Trebizond. A special effort has been made to reach villages and towns in the eastern part of the vilayet of Trebizond, and not very distant from the city, in which hitherto not very much has been done by colporteurs. For this work an additional colporteur was employed, and he reports visiting several villages for the first time. In the Bitlis section also the colporteurs have experienced considerable annoyance, one caimakam using insulting language and even expelling the colporteurs from the village. There seems to be no improvement in the material condition of the people of this region. The most distressing poverty prevails everywhere, and our colporteurs are still obliged to receive goods and produce in exchange for Scriptures. The Rev. Mr. Cole, of Bitlis, writing on this point, says: "None but those familiar with matters in these parts can appreciate the obstacles we have to meet in this department of the work. Owing to abject poverty, of course, our trade is about as much one of barter as is that of the rag-peddler of America, though the typical long-handled broom, cart, and tin pail hanging at its side are wanting." Mr. Cole, speaking also of the government interferences, writes as follows: "Some self-important officials have claimed that our men should have special licenses from Constantinople. * * Generally the censor's signature on the fly-leaf is an end of all discussion. Lately a mudir, of Mousa Bey tribe, said on seeing this: 'These are legal booksellers, and are always at this business on the part of the "Protes" [Protestants], who number more than we do in the world. Go and sell your books.'"

*

Cesarea. Superintendent Mosdichian sends an interesting comparison of the work of the year with that of last year. This comparison shows a gain in the distribution of more than 625 copies. Of this about 375 copies were due to an enlargement of his district. The colporteurs have spent most of their time on Bible journeys, although various circumstances have combined to make travelling in the interior much more difficult than usual. Among these may be mentioned the government hindrances, the dangers connected with brigandage, and the ruinous condition of the public highways. Mr. Mosdichian has made a careful study of the relation between expenses and receipts from sales of colporteurs, and has put forth every effort to reduce the disproportion. He has also taken great pains to guard against the unnecessary accumulation of books at the various centres. In two instances colporteurs have encountered robbers, one of them losing in addition to his own valuables a horse belonging to the Society. The arrest and imprisonment of the colporteur at Yozgat, reported in previous correspondence, were an outrage which might have been far more serious had it not been for the energetic interference of Minister Hirsch. A faithful old colporteur, for many years in the joint service of the Bible Society and the Mission at Cesarea, died early in November. On the whole, with reference to the thoroughness and systematic character of the efforts made, we usually think of Cesarea district as a model. The superintendent is

thoroughly devoted to his work, and exceedingly efficient in it. Besides his careful direction of the colporteurs, he does all he can to stimulate the pastors and young people to organize themselves for the more efficient promotion of the work of distribution. Both at Talas and at Denek-maden there are now such organizations giving special attention to Bible work.

Mosul.-The Society's colporteur in this remote district is under the direction of the missionaries of the Presbyterian Board in that city. The indications are that it is an exceedingly difficult district. This is, perhaps, mainly due to the great ignorance of the people, the vast majority of whom, it would appear, are unable to read.

Aleppo.-The attitude of suspicion and distrust on the part of the government toward Armenians here as elsewhere has grown more and more intense, and has now enlarged itself sufficiently to include the Greeks. People live in a sort of nightmare terror of doing or saying aught which, by any crooked and arbitrary method of interpretation, can possibly be distorted into disloyalty. Though our work has the advantage of being a religious work, yet it is by no means secure from the inconveniences growing out of this policy of suspicion. For nearly six months the Aleppo colporteur was prohibited from going about his work. But at last the efforts of the Legation secured the removal of the obstacles, and since that time there has been no molestation of any kind. Superintendent Kalfaoghlou has spent considerable time in journeying over his field and studying its needs. He refers particularly to one portion of his field as follows: "Twenty years ago by far the greater part of the inhabitants were thieves and brigands. These people, little by little, abandoned their former evil customs and measurably improved in character. And afterward, when the light of divine truth began to exert its influence upon the hearts of the Christian population of the mountain, even many of the Moslems in neighboring villages felt the influence, and read with eagerness the word of God." There was considerable gratuitous distribution among these people, through the liberality of certain,parties in England. In other parts of this district the usual activity has continued, and gratifying sales have been effected from the centres Oorfa and Aintab. The Oorfa colporteur has spent the greater part of the year in travelling, visiting some forty districts and meeting with fairly good sales. In the city of Aleppo, though the sales have not been large, yet a steady influence has been maintained, and many have become interested in the Bible who had previously known nothing of it. The Catholics are very strong, and the influence of their ecclesiastics seems almost wholly on the side of narrow bigotry. Not only are their constituents forbidden to purchase, but the books are forcibly seized from the hands of those who have purchased. They are usually torn to pieces or burned. There has been quite an interesting movement among the Jews, who have come to the Bible agent to converse with him in regard to Bible themes, and have also to some extent become purchasers of the Scriptures. Mr. Kalfaoghlou has continued his Bible readings in different languages, in connection with Dr. Altoonian's hospital work

in Aleppo, and has reason to believe that many who first became interested in the Bible through these readings have afterward purchased copies for themselves.

Adana.—The troubles with government officials having been settled by the help of the Legation, the Society's agents have been left comparatively free in their work this year; and yet they have not been entirely unmolested, and in two cases that have occurred Turkish methods have been well illustrated. In one case the books had been seized and condemned to be sent with the man to another place, a day's journey distant; but the patience and kind words of the colporteur melted the official's heart, and the order was given that the books be returned and the colporteur permitted to go about his business. In another case the books were actually sent for examination to a place three or four days' journey from the place where seized. When the governor was asked why he had sent them so far, as there were Armenians right in the town who could have read them, his answer was, "I have no confidence in the Armenians." If some inferior officials thus interfere, others readily recognize the legality of the business. One governor, upon whom the colporteur called to secure his permission, made this reply: "Our government never prevents honest men like you from selling your books freely; in fact we are delighted to have you go about selling your books." Would that it were true! May the Lord multiply the number of provincial governors who are able to rise to so sensible a view as this!

Beirut. Of colportage in this district, Professor Porter writes as follows: "The Lebanon colporteur has for the most part remained at the government centre at Schweifat, but he made a trip to the Kesrvan and sold a few Scriptures in that difficult field. In speaking of the difficulties of the work, he says that the priests of the Maronite church teach their people that they alone have the right to read the Bible, and that only in their own version, published by the Jesuits. They complain that our version is incomplete and mutilated, and the plea that although the Protestant version does not contain the Apocrypha the remaining portions are essentially the same, does not make it a lawful book even for the priests. One man who had previously obtained a Testament from the colporteur was compelled by his wife to give it to somebody else, the women in that region being more bigoted and fanatical than the men. The poor man had become blind, and wanted another Testament that he might find some one to read to him. A few persons are becoming gradually enlightened. One priest declared that the missionaries were good men, and said he would try to imitate them in preaching were it not for his priestly robes. Hundreds and thousands of the people are going to America, and the reports brought back by such as have returned open the eyes of those who have been in ignorance for centuries of the outside world—especially of Protestant lands. They hear of wonderful progress, and of men living in the freedom of the gospel who are far from being such fiends and monsters as they had been taught to regard them. Some good to Syria may come from this strange exodus to America.