Henry Martyn’s Personal Effects and His Grave in Tokat

Öz

Henry Martyn was overcome by fever in Tokat where he breathed his last on the 16th of October 1812. He was recorded as an Englishman named Mister Martyn in the court records of Tokat. However, he was remembered in both England and America as the first modern missionary sent to the lands of the Prophet Mohammad. In addition, he became famous because he translated the New Testament into Urdu, Persian and Arabic. This article is not about Henry Martyn’s missionary role. This study has two aims. One of these is to address the real identity of Henry Martyn about who there is almost nothing written in Turkey. The other aim has been to fill a gap related to him in the relevant literature through publishing the unpublished evidence and the inventory of his possessions. Our finds concerning his grave are rec­orded in this study. The main sources for this study have been the Tokat court register number 16, documents provided by the center of Henry Martyn in Cambridge, a book on his grave published in the USA and the books written by travellers and missionaries who had passed through Tokat.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Henry Martyn • Tokat • Death and Inheritance• Missionary

Henry Martyn’in Maddi Mirası ve Tokat’taki Mezarı

Öz

Henry Martyn yüksek ateş nedeniyle son nefesini verdiği yer olan Tokat’a 16 Ekim 1812’de gelmiştir. Henry Martyn gerek İngiltere’de ve gerekse Amerika’da Hz. Muhammed’in topraklarına gönderilen ilk modern misyoner olarak anılmıştır. Ayrıca İncil’i Urduca, Farsça ve Arapça dillerine çeviren büyük bir İncil çevirmeni olarak ün yapmıştır. Bu çalışma, Henry Martyn’in misyoner kimliği üzerine değildir. Çalışmada sırasıyla onun yaşamı, Tokat’a gelişi, bu şehirde ölümü, ölümünden sonra yaşananlar ve onun hakkında yazılanlar verilmiştir. Çalışmanın temelde iki amacı bulunmaktadır. Birincisi Türkiye’de neredeyse hakkında hiçbir yayın bulunmayan Henry Martyn’in gerçek kimliğini ortaya koymaktır. İkincisi ise dünyada hakkında çokça yazılan Henry Martyn’in şu ana kadar yayımlanmamış miras belgesini yayımlayarak onunla ilgili literatürdeki bir boşluğun doldurulmasıdır. Bu çalışma Henry Martyn’in mirasını, bu mirasla ilgili ayrıntıları, Henry Martyn’in şu ana kadar bilinmeyen mezar yeri ile ilgili bazı yeni bulguları içermektedir. Çalışmanın ana kaynakları 16 numaralı Tokat Şeriye Sicili, Cambridge’de bulunan Henry Martyn Merkezi’nden temin edilen belgeler, ABD’de onun mezarı üzerine basılan bir kitap ve Tokat’a uğrayan seyyah ve misyonerlerin kitaplarıdır

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Henry Martyn • Tokat • Ölüm ve Miras• Misyoner

Kaynakça

1. Tokat Court Register, Number: 16.
2. National Archives, London FO 248/30
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4. Bell 2010 C. D. Bell, The Miners’ Sons: Martin Luther and Henry Martyn. Montana 2010.
5. Bentley-Taylor 1975 D. Bentley-Taylor, My Love Must Wait: The Story of Henry Martyn. Illionis 1975.
6. Beşirli 2005 M. Beşirli, Orta Karadeniz Kentleri Tarihi I Tokat (1771-1853). Tokat 2005.
7. Carlyon 1856 C. Carlyon, Early Years and Late Reflections. London 1856.
8. Childs 1917 W. J. Childs, Across Asia Minor on Foot. London 1917.

9. Finnie 1988 K. M. Finnie, Beyond the Minarets: A Biography of Henry Martyn. Bromley-Kent 1988.
10. Fleming 2015 H. R. Fleming, Henry Martyn, His Life and Labours: Cambridge-IndiaPersia. Grand Rapids-Michigan 2015.
11. Fowler 1841 G. Fowler, Three Years in Persia. London 1841.
12. Hamilton 1842 W. J. Hamilton, Researches in Asia Minor, Pontus and Armenia. vol. 1. London 1842.
13. Henry 2003 B. V. Henry, Forsaking All for Christ: A Biography of Henry Martyn. London 2003.
14. Isaac 1999 P. Isaac, A History of Evangelical Christianity in Cornwall. PolperroCornwall 1999.
15. Lee 1824 S. Lee, Controversial Tracts on Christianity and Mohammedanism by the Late Reverend Henry Martyn 1824. Cambridge 1824.
16. Morrier 1816 J. Morrier, A Journey Through Persia, Armenia and Asia Minor to Constantinople in The Years 1808 and 1809. Boston 1816.
17. Padwick 1922 C. E. Padwick, Henry Martyn: Confessor of the Faith. London 1922.
18. Powell 1993 A. Powell, Muslims and Missionaries in Pre-Mutiny India. London 1993.
19. Rhea 2014 S. J. Rhea, Life of Henry Martyn: Missionary to India and Persia 1781 to 1812. USA 2014.
20. Sargent 1836 J. Sargent, A Memoir of the Rev. Henry Martyn, Third Edition. Boston 1836.
21. Shelton 2011 E. W. Shelton, Faith, Freedom and Flag: The Influence of American Missionaries in Turkey on Foreign Affairs, 1830-1880. Yayımlanmamış Doktora Tezi, Georgetown University. Washington 2011.
22. Smith 1833 E. Smith, Researches of the Rev. E. Smith and Rev. H.G.O. Dwight in Armenia. vol. 1. Boston 1833.
23. Smith – Dwight 1834 E. Smith – H. G. O. Dwight, Missionary Researches in Armenia. London 1834.
24. Smith 1892 G. Smith, Henry Martyn Saint and Scholar First Modern Missionary to the Mohammedans. London 1892.
25. Southgate 1844 H. Southgate, Narrative of a Visit to the Syrian [Jacobite] Church of Mesopotamia. New York 1844.
26. Stacey 1980 V. Stacey, Life of Henry Martyn. Hyderabad 1980.
27. Van-Lennep 1863 H. J. Van-Lennep, The Grave of Henry Martyn. New York 1863.
28. Van-Lennep 1870 H. J. Van Lennep, Travels in Little-Known Parts of Asia Minor. vol. 1. London 1870.
29. Wilberforce 1889 S. Wilberforce, Journals and Letters of the Rev. Henry Martyn. London 1889.
30. Williamson 1848 J. Williamson, A Brief Memoir of the Rev. Charles Simeon, M. A. Late Senior Fellow of King’s College, Cambridge. London 1848. Materials Provided By Henry Martyn Center (Cambridge) Bennett 1992 C. Bennett, “The Legacy of Henry Martyn”. International Bulletin of Missionary Research, 16/1 (January 1992).
31. Bennett 1997 C. Bennett, “In Dialogue with Truth: A Critical Biography of Henry Martyn”. The Bulletin of the Henry Martyn Institute of Islamic Studies 16/1- 2 (1997).
32. Hallihan 2003 C. P. Hallihan, “Henry Martyn, Scholar Missionary, Bible Translator, Living Epistle of Grace and Truth”. Quarterly Record, The Magazine of the Trinitarian Bible Society Part I (Jan-Mar 2003); Part II (April-May 2003).
33. Henry Martyn Center 2012 “Henry Martyn: A Brief Life” (A brief biography of Henry Martyn which was prepared especially for me by Henry Martyn Center in 2012).