3 vv\ . 
 
 Zbc Cburcb 
 of tarsus 
 (Bteetetb J^ou 
 
 The Head of St. Paul. (Raphael.) 
 
H Xetter 
 
 FROM 
 
 ST. PAUL'S BIRTHPLACE 
 
 Taksos, the Birthplace of St. Paul. 
 
 BOSTON, MASS. 
 
 XLbe Jfort Ibill IPrese 
 
 SAMUEL USHER 
 176 TO 184 High Street 
 .1902 
 
In accordance with the authorization of the Central Turkey Mission 
 and of the Prudential Committee of the A. B. C. F. M., the following 
 persons, viz., Rev. T. D. Christie, D.D., Rev. W. N. Chambers, Miss' 
 E. S. Webb, missionaries of the American Board, Rev. Bedros Topalian 
 and Mr. Avidis Garabedian of the Adana Church, and Rev. Hampart- 
 sum Geovkalaigian and Mr. Garabed Marashlian of the Tarsus Church, 
 organized as a commission to take such steps as might be deemed best 
 to secure the erection of a suitable place of worship in the city of Tar- 
 sus. Rev. Dr. Christie was appointed chairman ; Rev. Hampartsum 
 Geovkalaigian, secretary, and Rev. W. N. Chambers, treasurer. 
 
 The following appeal was heartily endorsed, and was ordered to be 
 published and circulated as widely as possible. 
 
 Tarsus, Asia Minor. 
 
 February, 1902. 
 
To THE Christian Public : 
 
 Dear Brethren, — We present greetings on behalf of the Evangelical 
 Church in Tarsus. We appeal to your benevolence for assistance in the 
 erection of a church building in the city of St. Paul's birth and early 
 training. 
 
 The present population of the city is about twenty-five thousand 
 
 Wakket Scenk in Tarsus. 
 
 composed of various races, — Armenians, Greeks, Assyrians, Turks, 
 Arabs, Fellahin, etc., amongst whom a number of religions are repre- 
 sented. The fertility of the surrounding country attracts thousands of 
 persons from neighboring provinces who spend the larger portion of the 
 year in business, in the various trades, in farm work, and other occupa- 
 tions. The trade in cotton, wheat, etc., attracts not a few merchants 
 from the Greek islands and Europe. The city is a business center of 
 
 3 
 
importance. It is the seat of St. Paul's Institute, a college for young 
 men, established about fourteen years ago, and now having one hundred 
 and thirty-two students in attendance. It will be seen, therefore, that 
 Tarsus has intercourse with many different places and communities. Its 
 influence is widely extended, and it becomes a point of vantage from 
 which to disseminate the gospel. 
 
 Missionary work was begun about forty years ago. In 1872, Rev. Mr. 
 
 Present Church Building at Tarsus. (48 feet x 28 feet.) 
 
 Adams of the American Board built a house for residence, in which a 
 small room was set apart for preaching service. In the course of a few 
 years this room became inadequate to the needs of the congregation. 
 It was enlarged by the removal of the walls of a contiguous room. After 
 five years it was further enlarged. Later still the people again complied 
 with the exhortation of the prophet, " Enlarge the place of thy tent, and 
 let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations ; spare not : lengthen 
 thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes," and yet another room was thrown 
 
into the place of audience. And now the people realize the force of 
 the words of the prophet spoken in another place, " For thy waste and 
 thy desolate place . . . shall even now be too narrow by reason of the 
 inhabitants." The accompanying picture will give an idea of this building, 
 in which public worship is still being held. The audience room is forty- 
 eight feet long, twenty-eight and a half feet wide, and eleven feet from 
 floor to ceiling. Furth erenlargement is out of the question, and the 
 building is considered unsafe. It is so closely surrounded by the houses 
 of Fellahin neighbors that services are often interrupted by noisy songs, 
 
 St. Paul's Institute, Tarsus. 
 
 beating of drums, firing of guns, etc. Even conversation, not al- 
 ways of the most chaste kind, can often be plainly heard, and becomes 
 a source of very great annoyance. The building is situated quite at one 
 side of the city, in a most unhealthy locality, and far from the center of 
 population and work. The unsuitableness of situation and building, 
 and the very inadequate accommodations, have long been recognized by 
 the Mission and Prudential Committee, as well as by many friends who 
 have visited Tarsus as travelers, amongst whom we may mention Mr. 
 Blatchford, formerly vice-president of the board. 
 
 We feel confident that with a more commodious church structure, in 
 
 5 
 
a more central situation, this evangelistic work would extend its influence, 
 and become a blessing to a very much larger number of people. As it 
 is, oftentimes people turn away from the door, unable to find standing- 
 room. To relieve the pressure, the children of the church are often 
 taken to another room for service. Dr. Christie has been obliged, during 
 the past year, to provide Sabbath services for the students of St. Paul's 
 Institute within the college buildings. It is most desirable that the 
 church should provide room at public worship for the students of this 
 institution. 
 
 Beginning with the Week of Prayer of this year, both the church and 
 college have been experiencing a deep spiritual awakening. Over one 
 
 hundred persons, mostly young 
 men and women, have already 
 professed conversion ; and we 
 feel persuaded that the great 
 majority, and we trust all, of 
 these have been brought to 
 a saving knowledge of Jesus 
 Christ. Some of these have 
 been veritable prodigal sons. 
 But they have now turned 
 their backs on the drinking 
 saloong and gambling hells 
 that abound in the city, and 
 are working with inspiring zeal 
 for the salvation of others. 
 Many people have remained 
 away from these meetings, 
 knowing they could not find 
 room in the building. Others 
 have turned away from the 
 
 Rev. H. Geovkalaigian, Pastor at Tarsus. ^^^^ unable tO find entrance ; 
 
 while the place of meeting has been uncomfortably crowded night after 
 night. This gracious influence is gathering many into the church. 
 The problem is pressing with greater weight than ever on our hearts : 
 Where shall we find room for this overflowing congregation ? 
 
 This Tarsus church became self-supporting about ten years ago. It 
 
has one hundred and thirty members in an evangelical community of 
 four hundred persons. It has conducted its work with spirit and en- 
 durance. In association with the American Board Mission and especially 
 with the college, it has sustained evangelistic work in the neighboring 
 mountain village of Kozolook. This year it has assumed the support 
 and oversight of the work in that village. Two fifths of the church con- 
 
 St. Paul's Gate, Tarsus. 
 
 tributions are expended for outside enterprises, — missionary, Bible 
 society, hospital, orphan, and other benevolent work. The average 
 contribution per member is ^4.75, a large sum when we consider the 
 poverty of our people. In this it stands next to the Adana Church, 
 the banner church of the mission in respect to contributions. 
 
 The new building should be a two-story structure, aiTording school 
 accommodation in the lower part. The estimated cost is ^ 10,000 
 (^T. 2,000). The church itself is putting forth its every endeavor to 
 
raise ^1,500, all of which is already subscribed, and $193.60 collected 
 and placed in the hands of the treasurer of this commission. We ap- 
 peal, therefore, for $8,500, eight thousand five hundred dollars. 
 
 Dear friends, realizing deeply this great need, our hearts are sorely 
 pressed by the fact that the lack of suitable church and school accom- 
 modation in this city is very greatly hindering this evangelistic work. 
 We therefore make earnest appeal to the friends of missions of what- 
 ever denomination, who may read these words, to lend a helping hand 
 to this struggling church. In this way you will have assisted in the 
 better establishment of the gospel in Tarsus, the native city of the great 
 apostle to the Gentiles, and to the more efficient dissemination of it in 
 this ancient land of Cilicia, to the glory of the Saviour whom you love. 
 
 Contributions marked Tarsus Church Fund may be forwarded to : — 
 F. H. Wiggin, Esq., Congregational House, Boston, Mass. ; or. 
 Rev. W. A. Essery, 7 Adam Street, Strand, London; or. 
 Rev. W. N. Chambers, Adana, Turkey-in-Asia. 
 
 8