JliWS.
There are a number of sects peculiar to Turkey. The most prominent among them are the Aiisarians (q. v.) and the Druses (q. v.). The number of gypsies is esti- mated at about 200,000.
VII. Literature. — For information on the religious denominations of Turkey, see Baker, Turkey (Lond. and N. Y. 1878) ; Audoiiard, UOrient et. ses Pevplades (Paris, 1867) ; Zur Helle von Samo [a Mohammedan dervish, l)reviously an Austrian diplomatist ], /Jje Volker des osmanischen Reiches ( Vienna, 1877 ) ; Ubicini, Etudes Jlistoriques sur les Populations Ckretiennes de la Turquie d' Europe (Paris, 1867). (A. J. S.)
Postscript. — Since the above was in type, the political situation of Turkey has undergone no material change. The Turks, as well as the natives, made so much opposi- tion to carrying out tlie provisions of the treaty of Berlin that a naval demonstration by the great European powers in the Arciiipelago became necessary in order to compel the surrender to Montenegro of Dulcigno, a seaport of Albania, on the Adriatic. Meanwhile both Greece and Turkey continued their warlike attitude and prepara- tions, both parlies declining the mediation of the other powers ; but as none of these seemed disposed to aid eitlier of the contestants, the latest advices (April, 1881) are that a compromise of the boundary question will he peaceably eft'ected (by the absolute cession to (Jreece of a part only of the disputed territory in Albania and Thessaly, as suggested by Turkey and recommended by the other governments), and that thus a new lease of life, for a short time, will be granted to the Turkish rule in Europe.
TURKEY, Versions of. There exist a great many translations of the Scriptures which are used throughout the Turkish empire, but do not properly belong to Tur- key alone, as the following list of versions, furnished to us by the Rev. Dr. A. W. Thomson, agent of the British and Foreign Bible Society at Constantinople, will show :
Albanian, Gheg. Albanian, Tosli. Arabic.
Armenian, Ararat. Armenian, Modern. Azerl)ijiui. Bulgarian, General. Bulgarian, Eastern. Bulgarian, Western. Croatian. Greek, Modern. Hebrew. Judoeo-German.
Jndseo-Polish. Juilaao-Spauish. Kurdish.
Kurdish, Armeno-. Maltese. Rounianian. Russ, Modern. Serviiin. Syriac, Modern. Turkish.
Turkish, Armeno-, Turkish, Graeco-.
'ITiese versions have already been treated, more or less fully, in separate articles, or will be found in their prop- er order in the Supplement, Some of the most im- portant translations — such as the Arabic, Turkish, Bul- garian, and Armenian — have been prepared entirely by American missionaries; and it is very interesting to know how their work is appreciated and regarded by scholars of other countries.* The British Quarterly Re- view, in its January number, 1878, after speaking of the work done by Americans in the Turkish empire in re- spect to explorations, literature, and education, medical practice, and the improved condition of woman, thus goes on concerning the Bible translations :
"The most important contribution, however, which the Americans have made to the literattne of Turkey is found in the accurate translations which they have made of ttie Christian Scriptures. These translations are worthy of special notice, becaijse, apart from the religions influence of the Scriptures, they are making a marked impression upon the intellectual lite of the various nationalities of Turkey. Fifty years ago there was no version of the Scriptures in any one of the modern languages of that country. The task of making these translations was not an ordinary one. Regard must be had, on the one hand, to the uneducated clas:?es — the style must he such that the common people would readily uuderstand the mean- ing; on the other hand, regard must be had to the edu- cated classes — the style must be sutHciently elegant and idiomatic to commend itself to the taste of those who are proud of the literary excellences of their ancient tongues. The Aniericans may fairly claim that they have succeed- ed in this difficult task, in respect, at least, to four of the important languages of the country. We refer to the modern Armenian, the Arabic, the Turkish, and the Bul- garian. The Turkish versions have varied somewhat, ac- cording as they have been prepared for the Armenians, the Greeks, or the Osmaidi Turks. The i)reparation of tlie entire Bible in the Armeno-Tuikish language (the Turkish language written with the Armenian character) was the life-work of the late William Goodell, D.D. The Rev. Dr. Schauffler has given many years to the prepara- tion of a version of the Scriptures in the Arabo-Turkish, or Turkish written with the Arabic character; while at the present time a permanent coraniitiee, of which the Rev. Dr. Riggs is chairman, is engaged in an attempt to recast all the Turkish versions of the Bible, and form one that may he printed in any character. We understand that there is one English representative on this commit-
TURKEY, VERSIONS OF 595 TURKEY, VERSIONS OF
tee. The translation of the Scripture? into Arabic is the )esu]t of the labors of two accomplished Ainerinin schol- ars—Rev. Eli Smith, D.D.,an(l Rev. C. V. A.Vau Dyck, D.D. We are assured by many who are capable of judu;ing that this Aiabic version of the Scriptures is worthy of the highest praise, and reflects great credit upon the schi>lar- ship of the translators. The same is said of the transla- tions of the Bible that have been made into modern Ar- menian and Bulgarian by the Rev. Elias Riggs, D.D. We cannot forbear quoting an extract from a letter from Dr. Riggs in regard to the time spent on this branch of his wojk: 'You ask,' he says, 'in regard to the time devoted to the Armenian and Bulgarian translations of the Bible. In both cases the translations were first issued in parts iu small editions, intended partly to supply the existing de- mand and partly to secure criticisms and to leave room for corrections arising from comparison of the diflerent parts of the Bible. Iu both cases the whole Bible was tinally printed in a single imperial octavo volume, with refer- ences. To the Armenian Bible (including the two edi- tions) I gave most of my time for seven years, and to the Bulgarian more than half my time for eleven years. How long our committee will take to complete the Turkish version it is quite impossible to say. We spent a year on the f(«r gospels.' When we remember that these trans- lations are all made from the original Hebrew and Greek ; and when we remember, also, that the translations, when ))nt iu their permanent form, have been commended by the best Arabic, Turkish, Bulgarian, and Armenian schol- ars of Turkey ; and when we recall, also, the great obsta- cles the Americans must have met in carrying these trans- lations through the press at Constaiitimiple and Beirut, we cannot refrain from expressing our appreciation, not only of their high scholarship, but of their persevering diligence and steadfastness of purpose; and we are con- vinced that generations of men yet to come will join iu this hearty commendation."