CHAPTER XXXII

. THE BULGARIANS OF EUROPEAN TURKEY.--1862-1871.

Brigandage in Bulgaria.--Mr. Meriam murdered by Brigands. --Distressing Circumstances and Death of Mrs. Meriam.--Successful Efforts to Punish the Assassins.--Check to the Brigandage.--Further Enlargement of the Mission.--School for Girls.--New Station at Samokov.--Results of a General Missionary Conference.--The Great Obstacle.--Signs of Progress.--Unexpected Hindrance.--Popularity of the Schools.--The People not accessible to Preaching.--Awakened Interest.--Girl's School at Eski Zagra.--Cases of Domestic Persecution.--A Serious Loss.--Effect of False Reports.--A Successful Intervention.--Public Celebration of the Lord's Supper.--Its Significance.--New Missionaries.--Death of Mr. Ball.--Death of Miss Reynolds.--The Connection with the Armenian Mission dissolved.--The Mission as thus constituted.--The Bulgarians Ecclesiastically Free.--First Effect of this Freedom.--Promising Events.--Death of Miss Norcross.--Removal of the School from Eski Zagra to Samokov.--A Church organized at Bansko.--Translation of the Bible into the Spoken Language.--The Mission in its Preliminary Stage, but ready for an Onward Movement.

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