Chapter 7

NEW HORIZONS IN THE YOUNG BELIEVER'S LIFE

Having come to faith in Christ, Vahram joined the believers. The brothers and sisters, among them Moscho Bekleyen, welcomed the young man with great joy and thanksgiving to God. One day Moscho said to Vahram and another young believer, "Come, I'll take you to an excellent meeting". He took them along the European side of the Bosphorus to Bebek where for many years a prayer meeting was held on Fridays in the Kavafian home. People were delighted to welcome them. Later, Vahram's youngest sister Beatrice was to come as a bride to that home, where a beautiful family was established.

True believers were few and far between and most were elderly. As a young man, Vahram was definitely in the minority. He adopted a Scripture verse as his guiding principle: "How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to thy word". (Psalm 119:9). So he devoted himself to reading, studying and constantly searching the Scriptures. His soul was continually refreshed by the deep truths and rich treasures he discovered there. He studied the Bible with such intensity that in a few years he was like a theologian. Every time he opened the Bible, he made it his aim to read under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

This unschooled young man, unacquainted with foreign languages and with no opportunity to study the classics reached such a level of proficiency that he was able to instruct educated people. He never failed to mention how the Holy Spirit worked in his life. The Holy Word of God had such a genuine impact upon him that his experience was like that of Paul in Corinth. The apostle, too, had been under the constraining influence of God's Word, and had testified to all that Jesus was the Christ, the Savior calling all men to faith in Him (Acts 18:5).

In 1930 there was an anniversary celebration in the Gedikpasha Protestant Church. During the meeting, Vahram stood up and prayed, "Oh Lord, I come to you with empty hands. I beseech you, give me many, many sheaves." The effect of this brief but sincere prayer was immediate At that moment a brick and tiling manufacturer named Hovannes Jevherian stood up and cried, "Oh Lord, I plead with you, take me and let me be one of those sheaves". Jevherian was the firstfruit of Vahram's prayer. Later his family repented of their sins. The new believers were referred to as, 'people who had repented'. With time, an inseparable bond of brotherly affection developed between Vahram and Hovannes.

But there was deep grief in Vahram’s heart. Daniel, his business partner in the tailor shop, refused to repent and commit his life to Jesus Christ. Didn't God's word insist that the believer could not have fellowship with the unbeliever? (II Corinthians 6:14). Vahram had taken one way and his partner Daniel, another. He prayed constantly about this problem in order to know the clear will of God. He was facing a crisis in his life of faith.

His family was insistent that on no account should he think of leaving his business. So the wishes of his family seemed to conflict with the will of God. Which of these options should he decide upon? Aware that God's command is indisputable and unchanging, Vahram realised there was only one step to take — he must abandon his business and bring the partnership to an end. Wasn't God calling him to His service, after all?

One day he laid bare his position to Daniel. The partnership could not continue. This blew Daniel's mind. Where could he find another partner so successful and completely reliable? Reluctantly, he consented to Vahram’s departure. From then on Vahram was free, free from sin and free from a partner serving another master. For a while he worked as a tailor in his home.

At that time, the Bible Society was passing through a difficult test. Moscho Bekleyen had resigned, and was replaced by a man who lacked integrity. He had taken the job simply to make money; his heart was not at all in it. He was totally unreliable in his speaking and behavior. The Society Director, Mr. Lyman MacCallum, a Canadian brought up in Turkey, happened to go to the man's home to talk over some concerns. There he caught the good-for-nothing colporteur burning Bibles for extra heating fuel. He was going to claim that he had given them away free. The director sacked him on the spot. The Society needed someone who would sincerely apply himself to the ministry. God did not leave the task unmet.

News of Vahram’s conversion two years before and his zeal for Christ had come to Mr. MacCallum's attention. On their very first meeting the director realised that the young man before him was pure gold. "Would you like to become a colporteur for the Bible Society?" he asked. This was just the sort of work Vahram had been looking for. How wonderful! He would be able to go everywhere selling God's word, and at the same time he would be able to explain its meaning. This was a turning point in his life. However, Vahram was not someone who would merely sell books. He was a preacher, an evangelist. Along with selling books he would converse with people. The Bible Society's main concern was to simply sell books. Before him, Moscho Bekleyen had been confronted with the same dilemma. Should he only sell? Should he not also explain to the purchaser the contents and message of this glorious book? So on one hand, Vahram sold Scriptures, and on the other, he attended numerous meetings. In one year, book sales reached a record high. So everybody was happy.

Chapter 8

HOUSE MEETINGS

There were weekly meetings at the home of Dr. Kirkor Tekian in Gedikpasha. Believers in the neighborhood gathered together to study the Bible, listen to teaching, sing hymns, share testimonies and pray. Starting at around seven o'clock in the evening, these meetings usually didn't disperse until ten or eleven. People attending tremendously appreciated these gatherings. They drank deeply at the inexhaustible fountain, and the more they drank the thirstier they became. The more they feasted on the bread of life, the hungrier they became. Some outside the family of God who dropped in would be deeply convicted of sin through the Holy Spirit. They would repent with tears and believe in Jesus Christ.

Dr. Tekian's house could no longer hold the crowds. People had started coming from as far away as Topkapi, Edirnekapi, Yedikule and Beyoglu. House meetings needed to be started in other sections of the city. Many had become believers in Christ and were looking for meetings to attend. The Sunday morning services in the few churches did not meet people's needs. In any case, wasn't it the practice of the early Christians to meet in homes? (Romans 16:5, Colossians 4:1 5, Philemon 2). Hadn't God in His sovereign will first called Vahram from Sungurlu to Istanbul? Then from tailoring to colporteurship? Hadn't God given him the knowledge of the Word and ability to speak? Could it be that conducting house meetings was his new calling?

One of the first house meetings was in the home of Sister Aygül. Two sisters in the faith joined Aygül and Vahram in earnest prayer that young people might come to Christ. Aygül's home became a house of prayer every morning between seven and eight. The meeting gradually expanded. God answered those prayers and many young people believed in Jesus Christ. Among the young men were Hagop, Aris, Nazar and Magaros. Up until that time there had been very few young people who had come to Christ. But after constant prayer, morning by morning, young people began to take an interest and were converted. They too joined in praying for the salvation of other young people.

The meetings begun in Dr. Tekian's house spread through the entire city to every section; Topkapi, Edirnekapi, Yedikule, Balat, Hasköy, Beyoglu and Üsküdar. In those days before the now heavily-travelled Bosphorus bridges had even been thought of, boats crossing from one side to the other were not a frequent convenience. Traversing the large city Vahram wore out a lot of shoes. He would hurry from one place to another, dressed in seasonal wear, smart and clean, hat on head, heavy case in one hand and violin in the other — and always smiling. At this time newcomers were brought to an understanding of the true nature of Jesus Christ. They repented of their sins and believed on Him as Savior. A spiritual fire kindled by the Holy Spirit was enveloping Istanbul, but only a limited number of people could see it. Men, women, young and old, were coming to the house meetings and following Christ. Christ was transforming sinners into saints.

Soon, evening meetings were not enough. Under Vahram's guidance, day-time meetings for women began in various homes. When there were too many women for one house, another meeting was started in another house. Joy and peace was coming to countless women.

Around this time Aleksan Batmazian was conducting Sunday afternoon Bible classes in the Gedikpasha church. This venerable gentleman, who resembled an old Testament prophet, taught with deep affection and displayed fatherly love to everyone. As a young man in Aksaray in the province of Konya, he had been awakened spiritually. He became a deeply committed Christian with a teaching gift which he used very effectively. For years he had been praying for a spiritual awakening in Istanbul and when it came he started a Bible class.

The core elements of his teaching were the Saviorhood of Christ, justification by faith, living a holy life and the second coming of Christ in the spirit of I John 3;2,3,: "Beloved, we are God's children now; it does not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure." Those who had gained spiritual understanding in Vahram's house meetings were more deeply instructed as they followed the Bible studies and benefited from Aleksan's convincing grasp of eschatology. The Holy Spirit had raised up the right person for each task and the knowledge of God was being proclaimed far and wide.

Chapter 9

MILITARY SERVICE AND HEALING

The year was 1933. Vahram at twenty-four years of age was called up for military service. At that time it was possible to purchase a reduced length of service in the city of one's residence. So he paid 250.84 Turkish liras — a worthless sum today — and served six months in Istanbul. Right at the outset he was confronted with a dilemma. In those days the official day off was Friday. Sunday was an ordinary working day, whereas for Vahram and the believers it was a day of worship. After finding Christ, Vahram had dedicated Sunday wholly to the Lord. But now he had to work like everyone else. After earnest prayer he approached the commanding officer and asked if he could have Sundays free. He told the officer he would be willing to do any work whatever on Fridays. The commanding officer, a humane man, resolved the problem in a sensible way, putting him into the laundry room where there was no work on Sundays. Under this arrangement Vahram completed his military service. A short time later, Ataturk declared Sunday the official day of rest. This was what the believers had been praying for and anticipating.

After being discharged from the service, Vahram returned to his job at the Bible Society where he continued until 1937. Throughout this time a persistent illness caused great discomfort. From childhood he had never been in robust health. He would ask the brothers and sisters to lay their hands on him and pray. This was his method to encourage believers in their prayer life. He would sometimes have to stay in bed for three or four days. Like the Apostle Paul, he would say, "to keep me from being too elated by the abundance of revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from being too elated" (II Corinthians 12:7).

Lyman MacCallum, director of the Bible Society, expressed concern to Vahram's close friend, Hevannes Jevherian, that in spite of frequent illness Vahram had never presented any medical bills. "Why doesn't this man go to a doctor?", he asked. Hovannes related this remark to Vahram, who replied, "Shall I disappoint my Lord? Having trusted Him once, I must never stop trusting him." Mr. MacCallum was highly impressed with his faith and honesty. He took every opportunity to tell others about Vahram's reliability.

Whenever Vahram felt well enough, he would get up and dress, always putting on a freshly ironed shirt and usually a bow tie. Then he would dress in a neat suit, put on a hat suitable to the weather and run off to some useful service. Every time he would have fruit to present to his Lord. There was no lack of sheaves in his arms! He bypassed no opportunity — open air markets, shops, hospitals, lawyers' offices, poor homes of new arrivals from Anatolia... Everywhere he stopped he told people about the love of God and the grace of Jesus Christ, always leading some to the Lord. There was joy among angels in heaven over what was happening in Istanbul.

Having committed his illness to the Lord, Vahram believed implicitly that healing would come. Rev. Charalambos Bostanjoglul who years before had led many to the Lord in Anatolia, had also taught about 'healing by faith'. His book with this title became very popular among Christians in the Middle East. Through reading it, countless people testified of having been healed. Vahram's healing was to be an added link in this long chain. As a child he had experienced a paralysis of unknown origin, and in later years he suffered from excruciating stomach pains. When they struck, the pain was so agonising that he couldn't speak. For about twenty years he struggled with these recurring pains. At first he went to doctors. One day he went to a top specialist who told him, "We've examined you thoroughly and can find nothing medically wrong with you. Your healing must be left to Allah!" From then on he stopped going to doctors. On one occasion he prayed, "Oh Lord Christ, you have saved me from hell; now graciously grant me healing from this sickness!" After this he was constantly reading, studying and talking about the healing miracles of Christ. Often he consulted Bostanjoglu's book, "Healing by Faith". At last, the Lord granted the long-awaited healing. One night Christ, without a word, touched Vahram's hand. When he got up in the morning he was completely healed. He sensed that fresh strength had come to his body. This gave him a new song of freedom.

Another dimension was added to his testimony, the healing power of the Lord. His healing in 1934 reinvigorated his joy in the Lord. In addition to Christ's saving of his soul, Vahram would always testify to Christ's healing of his body: "He took our infirmities and bore our diseases" (Matthew 8:17).