Saturday press. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1880-1885, 1883-11-10
PRESS.
NOVEMBER 10, 1881
y,rrnrsryyo lyoruRr.
VIZ Bryoe. Mr., at NE y. w. e. 4. nan.
....... ..... 49,. 49,.


MI Bryce then briefly touched upon the
matter Of the form Of Government in Turkey.
lie could Characterize this government
as nothing but organized robbery on the part
Of officials Of state. Europe had her eyes
opened to much of this at the time Of the late
Russo-Turlish war. There was, certainly, a
machinery for the collection Of axes-tithes
II their worldly all from poor down.uodden
peasants. But so far as were concerned edu-
cation, projection, roads and bridges, justice,
opening Of communication with other commu-
mites, government did not exist. The Turk
a, peasant or as a soldier had be good
points. But once in power he became cor.
mpied. They could easily understand the
misery that must exist in such a land. Foreign
missionaries and foreign consuls were the only
ones to whom the poor peasants coulo 60 for
any satisfaction Of their complaints ~ exaction
and oppression.
And he could not pass on without paying a
tribute to the good work performed in those
parts by American missionaries. They did
not succeed with the Turks. They attempted
little there for massacre and determination
would, probably, have replied to their over
lures and in any case they dared hope for
scarcely any good. But with the Greek and
the Armenian they laboured earnestly +; and
their good works had borne abundant fruit 1t
was interesting here to notc-that the Armc-
mans were the first nation to embrace
Christianity. And their church was the most
free from dogma Of any in the world. They
had their supcrstitions and their. to US, mean
ngess ceremonies. Yet their church in most
things seemed rs church to he the most pure
principles Of the simple Gospel-of any on the
earth. In the East religion gave nationality :
an Armenian was Of the Armenian church ;
Greek had not necessarily TO be native Of
Greece and SO on. And 1t was their loyalty
TO their religion, he thought, that held these
peoples together
The lecturer then described in interesting
terms matters in connection with marriage
among the Armenians. Women, he was
sorry to say had been in past but little better
of than were their Turkish sisters. An Arme-
MAN bride was allowed to speak only 10 her
husband for year after her marriage, To her
mother .in'lnw during the next two years, and
then to her sisters during the next two.
But better things were dawning in this
respect, he was happy to be able to say.
Before concluding he would refer to one matter,
perhaps, rather more appropriate in view of his
delivering his lecture in connection with the
Young Mems Christian Association. lie had
assembled Mount Arrarat (called by the Ar
menians " MaSsis.'') lie had good share of
difficulty with his guides, owing to the belief
existing among the jewellers in the vicinity that
either angels or evil gen worked to prevent
adventurous moitals from scaling the sacred
summit where, they believed, too, the ark of
Noah rested canopied and sheltered from the
curious gaze Of sinful man by thin clouds, He
did ascend, however, though having to finish
the last portion of his journey alone through the
SNOW. And most beautiful prospect opened
out before him on his placing his foot on the
crest of the historical mount, amply repaying
him for his efforts. Arrarat was not one of a
group or Of a chain OF mountains. 1t rose
1900 or $4,000 feet from the level plain in
singular abnptness and from its top on eirher
side lay in view an cxpanse OF three hundred
miles Of beautiful Syrian landscape. In one
direction the eye looked towards the site,
according TO the Armenian, of the Biblical
Garden OF Eden The sides of the mountain
were fssured, and at higher attitudes the snow
lay thick upon the volcanic rocks and fire.
rottcd stones, The spot was not unlike some
OF their own mountains, llaleakala, for in
stance. No animal nor insect life existed
at any height, nor any vegetation. Referring
to the supersttions about this mountain, Mr..
Bryce related how an "abbot 1.-THE head of
the monks thcre) at Damascus had regarded
his story of his ascent, on his return. II could
not be true no man could climb that sacred
mountain /; and, therefore, he had made mis-
take tLaughter.l A legend existed among
the Armenians which told of pious man
essaying the climb seven different times and
ut last the climber had dream in which he
was warned to desist. Waking up he found
piece of wooda portion OF the Ark his
hand The Armenians (having this piece of
the Ark in one OF their museums, they saw of
course resent any increduity.
Well, he mir, Brycc) found piece of wood
at an elevation far beyond the existence at
any time, he believed, Of growing timber
And, therefore, he thought, he could claim to
have--as he had that piece OF wood now--pos-
session of piece Of the Ark. AT any rate no
one could say for certain that it was noi
piece of the Ark and he was content to re-
tain possession OF 1t as such till the suppositon
could be contradicted.
II had to be said at this stage that as Arrarat
was the name not Of the mountain so much as
of the district in which the mountain was
situated there was considerable difficulty in
connection with determining where to look
FOR the site Of the Ark 5 resting -placc. But il
was also interesting here to note how strangely
the Armenian names OF localities in the vci.
nifty We're suggestive OF connection with Bibli-
cal events the deluge, the most important
Mr.. Bryce then terminated his instructive
discourse with glance at Turkey as associated
with the great Eastern Question, 80 interesting
to Europeans. He couldn't help thinking
tina, things would never be RICH, Unit,
the Turk was gone. On landing in the
country the visitor could no, bu, think tLat
existing state Of things in relation to its govern
men,, would end in few weeks ; after being
there a few weeks he thought ii would end in
a few months and, after few months. he
gave !, few years. When a change came
Russia would probably secure part of the
Turkish territory, and Austria another part,
lie though, happy solution OF this Eastern
trouble somewhat remote; but no one who
looked could restrain the hope that il would
no, be long hence before civilization, pros