The strength of the Orthodox Church

The Church was “rapidly losing all hold on the popular mind.” The strength of the Orthodox Church was in the villages “where people are ignorant and superstitious, but it weakens in proportion to the size and culture of the towns.” The establishment of the independent Bulgarian Church in the 1870’s was “one of those ebullions which end in nothing” because the people in “casting away old oppressions” gained nothing better.

The Bulgarian nation, according to the American clergyman needed not “desolation” but “reformation.” There was hope, with the aid of the American missionaries, this reformation would become a reality. “The Bulgations,” wrote Mutchmore, “notwithstanding all these and other disabilities, are more accessible to Christianity than any of their neighbors, they are more brainy and manly arid have more in them worth saving than any of their neighbors.”41 The Americans, through their missionary activity, publications, and Robert College would help the new, free, “redeemed Bulgaria” to become “the wonder of all the Danubean provinces.”

Mutchmore admitted that the Bulgarians themselves were working hard to change and modernize their country. The author presented some aspects of Bulgaria’s history to prove some of his preconceived notions. Bulgaria’s awakening was “inspired by the great Pan-Sclavistic idea” and her “small revolution” was “instigated by Russia.” He recognized that Russia “espoused ostensibly the cause of Bulgaria” and through the Treaty of San Stephano the country was freed from the Turks. Mutchmore blamed the powers, especially England, for the failure of San Stephano.

The American thought that the powers “had no right” and “no good reason” to intervene and save Turkey. At the Congress of Berlin the powers proceeded to divide up the domains of a sovereign Power to suit themselves, and to denude another nation of all the fruits of her losses and victories.” He thought this was unprecedented for “nothing like it has ever occurred in the history of the world.” To the American this was like the divisions of Poland.43

Praised Alexander Battenberg

Mutchmore praised Alexander Battenberg for his efforts to maintain the independence of Bulgaria and was critical of Russia’s policies. One of the reasons for his anti-Russian attitude was his fear that if Russia played a dominant role in Bulgaria, the Protestants would not be free to continue their missionary work.44 Notwithstanding the difficulties the Bulgarians had to face, Mutchmore believed, Bulgaria would be able to solve her problems.

The Bulgarian people, he wrote, “are bright more than bright. They have a better intellectual development than any of their neighbors, are industrious, and ambitious both to know and to do.” The Bulgarians were “physically superior, better dressed, and the better classes are more rapidly becoming European.” Bulgaria was in a period of transition “like a bird putting its head out of its shell only the head is out, the body is still fettered in the filthy prison house of the past.”