Armenia, a martyr nation A historical sketch of the Armenian people from traditional times to the present tragic days

Vi. the Armenian Church 102

Apostolic in Origin--National in Extent--Her Defense against Zoroastrianism--Oppressed by Mohammedans--Formalism in Greek Church--Roman Attempt at Subordination--The Election and Ordination of Armenian Bishops--Doctors of Theology--Customs of Armenian Church--Points of Difference between Armenian and Roman Churches--Church Councils and Their Decrees--Statement of Armenian Belief--Tribute to the Bible--Superiority of Armenian Translation--Greek Invasion--Saracen Desecration--Loyalty of Armenian Christians under Persecution.

Vii. the Period of Subjection 117

The Armenians in Cilicia--Mongolian Invaders--Condition of Western Asia--Rise and Growth of Ottoman Power--The Standing Army--Compulsory Service of Conquered Christians--A Tax of Every Fifth Child--A Military Caste--Extent of Turkish Empire--Armenian Exiles--A New Calamity--Treachery and Cruelty--“The Lord of Asia”--Crossing the Bosphorus--The Turkish Capture of Constantinople--All Europe Filled with Consternation--Luther’s Hymn Containing Prayer for Deliverance--Divisions and Famine--God’s Purpose in Sparing Armenia--Bitterness between Turkish and Persian Mohammedans--Deportation of 25,000 Families--Comparative Rest for Eighty Years--Hope for Emancipation--Russia Offers Protection--Faithless to Promises--Russian Armies in Armenia.

Viii. a General Survey 133

Armenians Compared to Jews, because of Persecution--Number of Armenians in Different Countries--Description of Armenian Village Life--Agricultural Methods and Implements--Patriarchal Life--Shepherds--Absence of Means of Transportation--Various Trades and Callings--Churches and Schools--“The Anglo-Saxons of the East”--Popular Prejudices against the Armenians--Armenian Boats--Armenian Commerce--Accumulation of Wealth--Jealousy of Turks--An Inscription from a Tomb--Armenian Constitution of 1860--The General Assembly--The Ecclesiastical Council--Revocation of Constitution in Turkish Armenia (Aug. 12, 1916)--The Armenians in Western Persia--Russia and the Armenians--The Armenians of the Aryan Race--Testimony of the Language--Armenian Literature--Catholic and Protestant Missionaries and Impetus to Education--Armenians in Schools and Colleges of the World--An Armenian Poem.

Ix. the Reformed Church 153

Condition of Church which Needed Reformation--Roman Catholic Missionaries--Catholic Armenian Church--Effect upon Armenia of the European Reformation--Work of the British and Russian Bible Societies--American Missionaries--“An Oriental Melancthon”--Translation of New Testament into Armeno-Turkish--Need of Wise Leadership--Roman and Greek Opposition--Attitude of American Board of Foreign Missions--A Turkish Pledge Unkept--A Separate Organization--New Churches--Progress of the Reformation--Preaching Tours--Family Worship--A Seminary for Women--Anathemas upon the “Heretics”--The Crimean War--An Edict of Equality Rendered Null and Void--Continued Persecution--Growth of Evangelical Churches and Doctrine--Statistics of the Work for 1914.

X. CAUSES OF PROGRESS, AND HINDRANCES 169

I. THE BIBLE. Armenian Reverence for the Word of God--Translations--Co-operation between Bible Societies and Missionaries--Personal Experiences--A Refusal Turned to a Blessing in Disguise--“The Two Edged Sword”--Banishment by Turks, for Carrying a Scripture Test in Armenian. II. EDUCATION: Ancient Centers of Learning--Turkish Destruction--Activity of Armenian Press in Seventeenth Century--Work of the Enemies of Protestantism--Revival of Learning in 1835--The Seminary at Bebek--The English Language Proscribed--Discussion and Opposition--Armenians Going Abroad for College Training--Personal Mention of Men Who Had Excelled--The Advantages of General Culture--List of Native Colleges and Seminaries--Standing at Beginning of War. III. CHRISTIAN LITERATURE: Translation of Bible Followed by that of Other Books--The Mission Press--A Means of Helping Students. IV. MEDICAL WORK: Limited Knowledge of Early Native Physicians--Meaning of Christ’s Commission--Mission Hospital Work at Beginning of War--Letter from Dr. Barton. HINDRANCES: Poverty of Protestant Communities--The Mohammedan Government.

Xi. the Armenian Question 186

The Question Not a New One--Resistance of Zoroastrianism--Of Mohammedanism--Of Pagan-Mohammedanism--Turkish Misrule--“Tears of Armenia”--Cause of the Russo-Turkish War--“The Infidels Must be Killed”--Testimony of an Eye-witness--The Treaty of San Stefano (1878)--Promises of Reform--Anglo-Turkish Convention of Cypress--The Treaty of Berlin--England’s Contract with Turkey--Disturbance among Kurds--The Abandonment of the Cause of Justice--Arms Denied the Armenians, but Granted All Others--The Turkish “Court of Mockery”--Correspondence of the London _Daily News_--Revision of the Treaty of Berlin--England’s Responsibility--Statement of the Armenian Question--Turkish Disregard for Pledged Treaty--Indifference of Other Nations--An Instance of Cruelty--Simply One of Many--“A Revolutionary Poem.”

Xii. the Gospel and the Koran 204

Growing Indications of Turkish Misrule--Underlying Causes--Teachings of Christ and of Mohammed Contrasted--The Attitudes of Each Toward Women--Toward Holiness--Toward Forms and Ceremonies--The Revival of Mohammedanism Means the Suppression of All Other Religions--The Sword of the Prophet--Choice of Islam, Slavery or Death--A Mohammedan Prayer--Impossible for a Mohammedan to Keep Promises--War on All Infidels, Commanded--Subjugation of a Jewish Colony--Division of the Spoils.

Xiii. Massacre of the Christians 212

Faithfulness, at What Cost?--The Greek Revolution--In the Island of Chios--An Explorer’s Description of an Assault--Massacre in Syria in 1860--Scenes in Damascus--Letter from American Consul-General--Correspondence in _London Times_--Testimony of American Missionaries--A Noted Change of Sentiment--Sultan Abdul Hamid--A False Accusation--Condoning Injustice--An Armenian Revolution Impossible and Absurd--Kurdish Chiefs Armed for Suppression--A Medical Missionary’s Letter--Who Posted the Placards?--Two College Professors Unjustly Imprisoned--Moslem Mobs in Possession of Cæsarea--Official Reports of Turkish Outrages--Rev. Father Endeavor Clark’s Experiences--So-called “Agitators”--Result of Trial--Why Their Anchors Could Not be Lifted--Enquiry in the English House of Commons--Memorial Sent by the Society of Friends to the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs--Reply to Memorial A Difference of Opinion.

Xiv. the Massacre at Sassoun 235

Location and People of Sassoun--Vexatious Conditions--Self-defense Miscalled Insurrection--A Cruel Order--Harrowing Details of Massacre--An “Agitator’s” Appeal to the Sultan and Reward for Service Rendered--England’s Position--Armenian Mothers--Turkish Attempt to Conceal Facts--Denial of Truthfulness of Report of British Vice-Consul--Mohammedanism and Barbarism--Sultan’s Refusal to Receive President Cleveland’s Appointed Representation of the U. S.--The Sultan’s Commission and Its Work--How the Result was Received by Other Nations--A Humiliating Failure--Address of Hon. W. E. Gladstone--Rupture between Turkish and European Commissioners--Report of European Delegates--A Just Request Refused.

Xv. the Massacres of 1895-6 250

A Scheme of Reform Presented by the British, French, and Russian Governments--The Sultan’s Promise--Unfulfilled--Abdul Hamid II--The Truth about Armenia--Biased Statements of the German Press--Turkey’s Uncertainty as to the Action of the Powers, an Encouragement to Her Misrule--Refusal to Receive an Armenian Petition--Letter from an American Resident of Constantinople--Statistical Table of the Massacres of 1895-6--Summary--A War of Desolation--Pretense of “Suppressing a Revolution”--“Horrible Details of Butchery”--Churches Invaded and Burned--Indignities to Women and Girls--Many of Them Commit Suicide--A Daughter’s Sacrifice--Germany’s Friendship--Quotation from a German Paper--Dr. Lapsius’ Reply--More Statistics--Compulsory Conversions to Mohammedanism--Individual Instances of Faithfulness--Faithfulness to Christ Reported as Obstinacy--At Cæsarea--Report of the British Vice-Consul--Work of Miss Corinna Shattuck--Other Missionaries Give Personal Experiences--Atrocities of Soldiers and Officers--England’s Professed Inability to Act--The Massacre at Constantinople--Plans Known to Turkish Government and Made Occasion of Outbreak--Persecution Following Worse in Its Effects than Massacre Itself--“Conduct of European Powers”--Result of a Disagreement--Germany Seeking Expansion--Emperor’s Tribute to Mohammedanism.

XVI. THE REVOLUTION AND MASSACRES AT ADANA, 1908-9 282

The Enemies of the Sultan--Demand for the Restoration of the Constitution--Abdul Hamid’s Insincere Acquiescence--Joy of the People--Instigation to Mutiny--The Night of April 13, 1909--Character of the Sultan’s Success--The Young Turks Take Possession of the Palace of the Sultan--Abdul Hamid Sent into Exile--Mohammedan Massacre of Christians--Disease and Starvation Follow in Wake of Murder--Letter from Wife of British Consul of Adana--Kessab--Testimony of President of St. Paul’s Institute at Tarsus--Turkish Determination to Annihilate the Armenians--“The Armenian Question” a One Sided One--Under Mohammedan Rule Reform Impossible.

Xvii. the Reign of the Young Turk 290

Mohammed V.--Divisions of Empire for Administrative Purposes--Troublesome Times for the Young Turks--Surrounding Peoples--The Bosnians and Servians--Austro-Hungarians--The Bulgarian’s Declaration of Independence--Turco-Italian War--The First Balkan War and Its Results--Second Balkan War--Reverses of the Young Turks--Plan to Use Armenians to Instigate a Revolt--Offers of Reward Refused--Modified Demands on the Armenians--Still Refused--A Peaceful Endeavor.

Xviii. the Massacres of 1915-16 298

Why the Young Turks Declared War--Reasons for the Beginning of the Massacres--A Draft of Armenians with the Army--Disarmed and Made to Work on the Roads--Turkish Proclamation of “A Holy War”--A Holy War Explained--Proclamation Favorably Received by Mohammedans Everywhere--Suffering Syrian Christians--“A Price on Every Christian Head”--Consequences--Letter from a Medical Missionary--Heart-rending Scenes--A Catholic Priest Who Refuses to Confess Mohammed as God’s Prophet and His Fate--Report of Dr. Vanneman--Urumia--Native Christian Preachers Crucified--Inhabitants of Van Resist--Timely Arrival of Russian Forces--Succor only Temporary--Turks and Kurds Return--“Suppressing Armenian Rebellion”--Turkish Treachery--Scenes along the Road--Christians Held in Prison and then Slain--Atrocities Miscalled “Justifiable and Necessary Measures”--Wholesale Drownings--“Turkey for the Turks”--Testimony of Dr. Herbert Adams Gibbons--The Turks not Satisfied with Less than the Complete Extermination of all Who Oppose Mohammedanism.