and is a sort of divine incarnation. Certainly he has accomplished wonders by his far-sighted statesmanship. He saw that the true interests of Greece were not in insisting on Hellenic rights as over against Bulgarian, but in yielding to a certain degree in order to come to an agreement with Bulgaria against their common foe. When the history of the great Balkan struggle is written, the name of this Cretan will be inscribed in letters of gold as the true founder of the Alliance.

Another most unexpected factor in the struggle has been the military skill of King Ferdinand, Tsar of the Bulgarians, and his generals. With consummate generalship, they have occupied every point of vantage, surrounded and isolated the strongly fortified city of Adrianople while hammering away at the main Turkish army, have brought up their reserves at the right moment, used their artillery, their aeroplanes, their searchlights, their cavalry raids to the best possible advantage, cut the lines of communication of their enemy at every possible point, while preserving their own longer lines intact. So that the Bulgarian army accomplished in two weeks what their sanguine friends had given them at least six to do. Ferdinand may be German by birth, but he is so essentially Bulgarian by adoption that his people utterly forget his foreign extraction. He is to them the embodiment of their national aspirations, their Tsar.

But the most unexpected factor of all has been the utter failure of the Ottoman armies, east, west and center. Scutari in Albania and Adrianople, it is true, have stood out stubbornly and have endured long their sieges. But it But it still remains true that the Turks have

not won a single important battle, nor

made a single successful stand in the open field for any length of time. And these were the armies that went twice up to the very gates of Vienna, and terrorized the whole of Europe, the armies that destroyed the old Servian empire, and that only fifteen years ago gave Greece such a severe drubbing, the armies that Italy was glad to avoid all this past year, by confining her attentions to North Africa, where they could not go.

Where was the famous Turkish soldier, that stubborn and well-nigh invincible fighter? Military critics are to-day busy finding adequate explanations of this surprizing and total failure. They would do well to apply to the German officers who have trained that army and to the British admirals who have undertaken the reorganization of an Ottoman navy. These gentlemen could testify to the supreme self-satisfaction of the Turkish officers and their supercilious scorn of learning from foreign instructors. You may be able to instruct a Turkish officer up to a certain point, but there he balks. The European system wont do, he says, for the Ottoman army or navy, so there's an end on't.

Further than this, the strenuous efforts of the former Minister of War, Gen. Mahmond Shevket Pasha, to keep his young officers out of politics reveals a fatal tendency. Since the army was the liberator of Turkey from the Hamidian yoke, these young officers persisted in the idea that their realm was in the world of politicians; and the wrangle of Ententist and Unionist among them to-day reminds one of the quarrels of the Byzantine Greeks over the "Filioque clause" and the Azymites while Mohammed was thundering at the gates of the city of Constantine.

Then, too, there was a disastrous inclination to despise their foes of the Balkan Alliance. Whether or not the Ottoman legations at Sofia, Athens, Belgrade and Cettigne had been following the development of military force in these countries, it is certainly true that Ottoman military leaders have shown unwarranted contempt for the skill, training, resources and spirit of the Allies. Now the evolution especially of the Bulgarian army has proceeded by leaps and bounds. And the youth of all these states, particularly of Bulgaria, have, since the tearing up of the Treaty of San Stefano by Europe in 1878, been brought up on the Delenda est Carthago doctrine, -for over thirty years these states have been quietly preparing to take their revenge on their one-time oppressor and liberate their Macedonian compatriots. This was no time for the Turks to despise such determination; or evince a Brobdingnaggian contempt for such vigorous Lilliputians.

Another contributing factor in the collapse of Ottoman resistance was the placing of raw recruits in the front rank with the seasoned veterans, so mingled that the inability of the former to use their rifles or withstand a charge, caused panic and disorder among the latter as well. Thousands were hastily called to the colors who had never seen military service, or who had never had any target-practise. Some, moreover, proved treacherous and either fell away to the enemy or sneaked back home. The mobilization of a force of seven or eight hundred thousand men is no child's play, and there was a lack of organization and discipline.

Equally serious was the failure of the commissariat. The old saying that an army moves on its belly has re

ceived one more confirmation. No soldier can be expected to fight for days in succession on an empty stomach. The Ottoman forces at Lule Bourgas and Vizé were half-starved; for this enormous mobilization and concentration had not been preceded by adequate preparation of food-supplies. And now the weakened physisique of the soldiers has yielded to an alarming outbreak of cholera in the camp. Had sufficient care been exercised as to food a month ago, the story might have been different.

Political Results

Whatever may be the final redistribution of the conquered territory, and whatever other European countries may say, some results seem assured. First of all, Ottoman domination in Europe is at an end. Turkey may retain Constantinople and perhaps the north shore of the Marmora; but her European possessions are gone. It may not be easy for an outsider to realize what a blow this is to Turkish pride. For five and a half centuries, from the day that Murad I crossed the Hellespont and laid the foundations of European dominion by taking Adrianople and shattering the Servian Empire, the Osmanli has been a force to reckon with in Europe. Now, the gradual disintegration of empire has snatched away from him his last hold on Europe, save for the Imperial city itself. The Turks themselves realize this, and are crusht by the thought.

Secondly, the Cretan question has been finally settled. This is no forecast of continuous peace and prosperity for this turbulent island in the future, but merely that Crete has been eliminated from the list of international problems and a thorn has been

removed from the side of Europe. Under Turkish rule, the Greeks of Crete were constantly intriguing for independence or for union with for union with Greece. They have now attained their desire, and are a part of that kingdom. Whether or not this will satisfy the two parties now concerned, at least the Cretan question will no longer trouble European diplomacy.

A third and far sadder result is the impoverishing and devastation of five nations. Tho the territory of but one has been devastated, if this territory is now partitioned between the others, all will share in the work and responsibility of reconstruction. But far more significant and ruinous is the financial loss and the extra burden thus placed on all concerned. The millions expended on powder and ball, on rifle and cannon, on earthwork and fortress, ought to have been spent in public works and other improvements; and these countries will have to work long and hard to lay up an equivalent fund for such worthier causes, or even to keep their commercial and financial heads above water. The most terrible loss, however, is in human blood and precious lives. The tale is not yet told; but thousands upon thousands of homes will wait in vain for the return of father, husband and stalwart son. Farms will lie untilled; flocks must learn the the voice of of other shepherds, and the young orphaned boy must henceforth work to sustain his grief-stricken mother. Had it been possible to have settled the question by other means, these five nations might to-day all have been prosperous. It will be long ere they regain their sacrificed prosperity.

When the war began, cholera was mildly prevalent in Cilicia and northern Syria. Unsanitary conditions in

the army have now spread that scourge, brought by soldiers from that region, to a far more alarming extent; and the experience of former years indicates a still greater spreading of cholera with the scattering of the troops to their homes.

As over against all these, one redeeming consequence of the conflict is the splendid effect of the work of the Red Cross and Red Crescent. Most unfortunate was the ill-advised declaration of King Ferdinand at its inception, that this was a war of the cross against the crescent. The Church of Christ has advanced far beyond the spirit of the Middle Ages; and the Bulgarian King did not voice, and had no mandate to voice, the sentiment of the Church. But the prompt and generous efforts of Red Cross agencies in the United States, England, Russia and elsewhere did much to counteract the evil results of this untrue pronouncement. The Moslems marveled to see their wounded so tenderly cared for and so skilfully restored by the loving ministry of Christian doctors and nurses,-yea, even by those of their Bulgarian enemies. Instances were not lacking when, as in Smyrna, religious fanaticism refused the help of the hated Christian. There had been an awful railroad accident at Ephesus, wherein hundreds of Turkish soldiers were killed, and more than a hundred injured. Incensed by the mistaken belief that Greeks were responsible for the wreck, the poor wounded Moslem soldiers absolutely refused to be carried into the Scotch Mission Hospital at Smyrna, saying they would rather die than be treated by Christian doctors. Nevertheless, in most instances the aid of Red Cross doctors was gratefully accepted and acknowledged, and the spirit of

the Master is better understood by the Mohammedans because of their ef

forts.

Religious Results

The American Board has mission stations in the region of the war at Salonica, Monastir, Kortcha and El Basan, and the London Jews' Society at Adrianople. There are also many outstations within the devastated area. Details of losses at these points are yet lacking; but naturally the evangelical work at many of them must have suffered to some extent. Yet in each case we may well believe that the presence of evangelical workers and faithful believers has furnished eloquent witness to the power of Christ; and we rejoice that there have been so many to testify of Him amid fire and sword, trial and tribulation.

Mention should be made of the improved state of feelings between Greek Patriarch and Bulgarian Exarch. Patriotic or rather racial feelings led to Bulgarian agitation, half a century ago, for a separate ecclesiastical organization. This led to the issue by the Ottoman government in 1870 of a firman granting the Bulgarians the right to possess their own exarchate independent of the Greek Patriarch at at Constantinople. This measure the Patriarch strenuously opposed and delayed its execution two years. In 1872 the first Exarch was appointed, and the Patriarch immediately excommunicated him. On April 23d of that year the Exarch, supported by three bishops, all lying under the ban of the Patriarch, celebrated the communion in the Bulgarian church at Phanar, on the Golden Horn; on May 11th the Bulgarian church was declared independent; and on Sept. 16th the Patriarch formally. cut off all followers of the Exarchate

as schismatics* Of recent years animosities and jealousy between the two churches, both branches of the Holy Apostolic Orthodox Eastern Church, has led to scenes of disgraceful and criminal violence in many parts of Macedonia, where not a few murders have been committed in the name of religion and patriotism. But to-day the feeling is utterly different. Political rapprochement has been accompanied by a beginning of friendly relations and an interchange of visits between patriarchate and exarchate; and indications are not lacking that the

reunion of the two churches has become possible. Community of aims and interests has healed the schism.

Poor Turkey has suffered a still further dismemberment. The Treaty of Berlin in 1878 cut off 138,000 square miles of her territory at one fell swoop, by the loss of the Balkan States. The war with Italy, after dragging on its weary length for over a year, was at last brought to a close last month by the Treaty of Lausanne, whereby Tripoli and Cyrenaica, or Benghazi were made over to Italy, entailing a loss of an indefinite extent of desert, the total area being estimated at 400,000 square miles, or nearly the combined size of France and Germany. What has till this year been known as European Turkey has an area of 65,598 square miles; and now the great part of this is gone. This means that the Ottoman Empire in the past thirty-five years has lost all its possessions in Europe and Africa, and is hereafter only about one-half the size it was previous to that. But this is not a mere question of territory. The Ottoman Empire has for five hundred years stood as the

*Von Mack, The Bulgarian Exarchate, p. 18; Adeney, The Greek and Eastern Churches, p. 350.

bulwark of Islam, the pride of the Moslem world. In these last days, since the passing of Morocco and Persia out of the category of independent states into the hands of France, Russia and England, Turkey has been the one Moslem power left. Her Sultan is the Khalif of all the faithful. So that this disastrous month's war, while not a religious war, has struck a heavy blow at the pride of Islam. In fact, the Ameer of Afghanistan is reported to be seriously contemplating proclaiming himself the Khalif because of what he regards as the forfeiting of all right to that title by the Sultan of Turkey. Without a doubt the disastrous outcome of these two wars will also seriously diminish Ottoman influence in Arabia, and indeed damage the prestige of Turkey all through the Moslem world.

There surely ought to be another sort of result in the case of the nominally Christian population of the conquered territory. The war has been waged ostensibly in order to better their lot. Whether opprest by an incompetent and unsympathetic government or harrowed by bloody internecine strife of Greek against Slav or Vlach, the non-Moslem inhabitants have indeed been between the upper and the nether millstone. But now, if indeed the amicable agreement between the allied governments extends to their peoples, this should be the dawn of a new era for all the peoples of Macedonia. With freedom from the terrorism of bands of Komitadjis, or secret agitators, from bomb-throwers and revengeful fanatics, there ought to come a day of quiet and prosperous growth.

And finally, this swift and decisive war calls for large increase in the

funds available for Christian work in these lands. At first a large amount will be needed for Red Cross and similar relief, for reconstruction as well as for medical care. Whole burned villages must be rebuilt; penniless widows and orphans must be clothed and fed through the coming winter; churches and schools raised up again.

Into this new territory,-new in hopes and possibilities because new in government and ambition, the agents of our great mercantile houses will hasten; thither will also crowd in the saloon, the brothel and the gambling-hell, the besmirching book and the yellow journal. Is not this very fact a challenge to the Church to send in speedily competent men of consecrated common-sense to preempt the land for our Master? We should be there with the returning refugee and the new settler,-to furnish him with a house of true worship, a competent and Christian school for his children, and good healthy literature for his awakening intellect and heart, and an outstretched hand of help and good-cheer in the Master's name. Workers we have today among Albanians, Bulgarians, Greeks and Jews. Let us hold up their hands and allow them to lengthen their their cords cords and strengthen their stakes. Let us help them to train up a native ministry for Christ.

As we stand humbly and teachably before our Lord Jesus for his direction as to the way we should take, there appears before us, as appeared to Paul many centuries ago, a man; but now he is tattered and shattered and battered with the shock and carnage of war; and as of yore, he speaks with sweet compelling plaintiveness:— "Come over into Macedonia and help us."