Volume I Part 15 (1/2)

CHAPTER XVIII.

DR. JONAS KING AND THE GREEK HIERARCHY.

1847-1869.

Impatient of longer delay, Dr. King boldly resolved upon returning to Athens, and he arrived there on the 20th of June, 1848. He a.s.signs his reason for this in a letter to his Secretary: ”I thought it best,” he writes, ”to wait no longer, but to throw myself suddenly into the midst of the people, and take whatever might come.

No one ever took a castle by remaining quietly outside. He may lose his life, and he may take the castle. At any rate, here I am. I believed it my duty to come, and to come now, and I returned with my mind perfectly tranquil. I know that a sparrow shall not fall to the ground without my Father, and that the very hairs of my head are all numbered.”

The newspapers were silent. The editor of the ”Age,” who printed the ”Orgies,” gave him his hand, and welcomed him back to Greece.

Simonides tried to revive the excitement, but did not succeed.

Calling on most of the King's Ministers, as a matter of civility, he was generally received with cordiality.

It was not thought prudent, however, to resume his preaching at once, but his book depository was opened, and Bibles, Testaments, and other religious books were again in demand. Within six months after his return, he printed over five hundred thousand pages of religious books; and the opening of the year 1849 found him preaching publicly on the Sabbath, with a Scripture exposition Thursday evening, and several young men much impressed by these ministrations. The disturbed political condition of Europe at that time, had a tendency, no doubt, to divert the public attention. One fact deserves mention. Just as a new paper was about to be published at Athens, with the special design of holding up Protestant missions to popular indignation, a British fleet appeared in the offing, and public attention was diverted from the undertaking. In August, several students from the University attended the Sabbath and Thursday evening services, and called at other times for conversation, and two Greeks of hopeful piety were accustomed to take part in reading the Scriptures and extempore prayer at a Sabbath evening prayermeeting. The devoted missionary felt himself called on to work while the day lasted.

It is worthy of note that Simonides, whose inflammatory writings had led to the withdrawal of our missionary brother from Athens, pretended about this time to have discovered certain Greek ma.n.u.scripts of Homer, Hesiod, etc., which he claimed to be more ancient than any others, and some men of learning thought them to be genuine; but when they were discovered to be forgeries, the people regarded him as a deceiver and liar.

Nearly three years elapsed after Dr. King's return to Athens, and he began to be more encouraged in his work. He speaks of a call from an abbot of a convent, who embraced him as a brother on leaving, and whom he regarded as indeed a brother in the Lord. But early in the spring of 1851, indications of public uneasiness began again to appear. The Synod represented to the Minister of Ecclesiastical Affairs ”the scandalous attacks of the American, King, on the Holy and Orthodox Church,” and demanded prompt redress according to law.

The first outbreak of the popular feeling was in Dr. King's own house, on the 23d of March, by evil-minded persons a.s.sembled at the usual preaching service on the Sabbath. Entering the room, he found it crowded with more than one hundred persons. The strictest attention was given to the sermon, but a student of theology in the University began to put questions immediately after the benediction, and a tumult soon arose. The audience was composed of friends and foes, the former endeavoring to prevent a disturbance, while the latter reviled them. Finding remonstrance unavailing, Dr. King unfurled at the door the flag of the United States, which the absent Consul had committed to his care, and at the sight of this the crowd immediately withdrew.

On the 15th of May, 1851, he was called to appear before a judge to answer to the charge of proselyting. The first ten or twelve questions and answers were similar to those in the examination six years before. The remainder is here reported:--

_Question_. What do you preach?

_Answer_. The Word of G.o.d; that is, the Scriptures contained in the Old and New Testament, which are recognized by all Christian Churches as being the Word of G.o.d. This word I hold in my hand, and endeavor to draw the attention of those present to what it contains, saying, ”Thus saith the Lord,” and pointing out to them the book, chapter, and verse, where what I state is to be found.

_Q_. Have you any other service?

_A_. In the afternoon I have sometimes a service, which consists in reading the Word of G.o.d, and in prayer and some remarks, the object of which is to draw the attention of those present to what Christ teaches.

_Q_. Do many attend this service in the afternoon?

_A_. Very few.

_Q_. Do you invite people to come to your preaching, or do they come of their own accord?

_A_. In general they come of their own accord. If any ask me if it is permitted to them to come, I always tell them that my house is open, and any one who wishes is free to come. When I first commenced this service, in the time of Capodistria, I invited his particular friend, old Mr. Konstantas, and others.

_Q_. Our questions relate princ.i.p.ally to the last two years.

_A_. During that time, and since the great opposition to my preaching commenced, I have been particularly careful, in general, to avoid inviting people.

_Q_. You are accused of having, this year and the last, expressed things to the offense of others, and of having expressed principles, sentiments, and opinions, which attack in general the foundations of religion, and are otherwise injurious. Have you anything to say by way of defense?

_A_. What religion is meant? If it be that of Mohammed, I may be guilty.

_Q_. The religion of the Oriental Orthodox Church?