The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-04-16
TEE OLDEST cnnisrrAx rArrn.
sueb .. the rIsi-. oe the Armenia. Church,
with Etc Antique Forms.

VI " ~
That little row with Turkey over the burn
Ing Of the American college In Marsivan. or
Marsovan ma It is sometimes spelled. has be-
hind 1t an interesting bit Of national. social.
and ecclesiastical history. Marsivan is little
Armenian city in tho Asiatic Turkish %province
OF Amnsia. II lies about fifty miles south OF
tho Black Sea coast. on the edge OF q noun
tain region. and lie ns dull rs most other towns
In Asia Minor. The American colleges in
Turkey are In eject Protestant mission
schools. OF greater or less Importance. for
the grounding OF the natives In English and
for converting them To- ono or another modern
Protestant creed. and for educating yeing men
for the Protestant ministry. Tho mission
nrics are much beloved Ivy their pupils. and
tho hw Armenian pro.estants who come TO
the United States fetch with Thorn u riGldity
OF evangelical filth and practice that some
times nstor!shes their follow believers on this
aldo OF tho worid. AMI m English speech. in
terest'nG by reason Of tile fact that 1t
employs In current conversation many
Biblical wordA no longer heard IN tho
mouths OF ordinary Christians. Having
been tnught a strict evangelical Prot
estnntism ty Americans. these people
come to America apparently expecting to
ilnd tho mnss Of the people deeply concerned
In mntters OF religion. Tho Armenian, Prot
cstants. IN fact. hnvs most OF the charncteris-
tic marks or zeal and rieidity commonly
found among rersecutcd scots. plus n certain
soft charm OF Orientnlism not usual among
evangelical Christians. The mon arc stnlwart
Turkis!,.lookin fellows: tho women arc
amooth-skinncd. dark creatures with album
dant black straight hair. great Oriental Dyes.
and manners touched With d. foreign grace.
There are few lonelier sects than the mod
crn Pedestrians OF Armenia. These people
1.-Two n m hid npCning Of THAR own llpol anil m.
der n Government hntiny all Christians rs In
idols. and gind to soc Christian sects Mt odds.
Tho Turkish NOLAN medan population Is even
more hostile to tho Protestant; missions than
iians 81 thr ancient Armenian Church hate the
missionaries as meddl-svme interlorers. and
Years es;aiIisheI SOC no reason why mission
ariSs s,ouli DO sent oyer tr"m A'nerica.
make converts. Is one o. the most picturesque
q al Christian seGts, Lie the Waldenses.
moro resent tho presence sf Protestant mis-
t. soV d.Tlve t IL i4s chr reunary; dir "ss yff ro@ Jesus .'ss
himself. and IT," lesend MS to inc founding OF
although Il does not %receivs cresience among
scientific study; The story is that Akiai.
ct. WAS prosecuted iythe Jews. sent mbassn.
asylum In the %cminions Of A Hss ~" Th"
rossaRe That Jesus returned was about
who shall, tsach him and his people ny
Ills message ln and I'm M" "sS i""s sft tS.%nnsa Ak H,sn
was called AWAY to rersin to help settle a dis
rute over the succession to the Persian throne.
then common enough In Persia. md. shutting
himself " in one end Of rs palace: he
that He come, and heal him OF his lep-
rosy, Jesus this time returned n, somewhat
t sl%il ir.t .e an tsss TO- b ,na' w III I, 'af H. given vent to :
thnn rUMs a1sr Fl r own w iaes' H. H. r Ssae 0 1ns
they did. and the leprssy fell from him as a
Earment and hs was mad. whole. Then once
lnd that He had been crp%ihe and had arsisen.
on the Bay u f g,sse"s t.. T 4 % they rst s% :
h hons; sn oft sGsq tr a,dtfft5ioln r. ySrs 49, ana nay J tS%s
came to Irearn Christianity in Armenia. The
Prince. his faptl,, his courtie!s. and many OF
and sns O ,Ts4s fS ss%Gaaa ''S T&Ss the i"s s Shur aS''f was
founded, and Akhar became T.. earliest
nl as' ch 'ssfh1iH!'t eh esfS%%| S q tn D2i Si,' not At only
rrotsstantism.; It is not 40 easily, accepted.
history a scientific study. though even they
not deny that there were vary early Traces
Fl ohS Gh55i' .Io1ssso IN "a Armenia ipesd il. The s Arn ,e ian
IS traced historically to 81. Gregory the filu.
LusarSyitch. He Was born in a57: and
'1om s prison g % eu9s E Gss.ss SrmsnIsn Wa K,a sskeI
nadnsps ss'0T4 he sure sae' ce o%S Aa%e The Ki fn.H anil 81
the he rr 9ysi a4i,y n1d many n infuentiaI mtn
md monsstesies last followed. and for rG noMriy;
:wo centuries the hierarchy OF the, Arme-
, ,oane ahar Sat t e%in PART fe IN an t ss, great Jf aeS GhFistjnn
he council Of Chnlc.don in 45l; and u this
he earliest organized PROTESTANT body. The
council rebnkel the more z%ealouc enemies. Of
''f Mcssoa ao 81 G RsGaP"'o TIE f. All snG w' s : %r 'Ss
Is Suthcrity to the HISTORIAN herosy "" and d't TIN
Patriarch q the Armeninn Church annulled
he he HTm s ss tns S sHansll' in Muir fuii fe eItss shs' WIS T1s
he great Christian body; although Armenian
bishop. attended several later councils.
airy priesthood. and permits priests to marry
ather and grandfather live. nut 80 soon as
'allins and entsr the rriestnood.' The ArIne.
,ian -. hurch celebrates Christmas on Jan. q.
nd Easter a week after its celebration By the
The f.tholi: Church Of Armenia originated
n n schiam OF the ancient Armenian Church
brought about several centuries ago. and fol-
owed by the preaching OF Jesuits. A majority
Il the. adherents of the ancient Church em-
'raccd the faith OF Kome. md tho Jesuits
realty N"urisbed. Subsequent prosecutions
cd the ancient Church to appeal to Peter tho
trent. and since then the body has been under
tnssian rrotaction.
The Armenians are exceedingly poor. and
heir Church Is like them: 40 arc tho schools
by the Church. and in consequence ~
this the presence Of american mission
..hools. well supported by money from the
world. AMI able to make. converts Of 4
he Armenian people. Is. earnestly resented. :
Tho Armenians have nj times severely perse. ]
'uted tho converts OF the American Protestant /
chools. and the rencgades. as they are ro- I
:ar!led. receive no social recognition. The I
lily native Protcstnnts. educated In the Amer
schools. seek. to educate their fellow Ar I
nenians of tho old Church. To succeed in this. {
the teachers must CONCEAL their I
views. Tho two sets OF Protestants '
ave in common only their native language c
nd u pntriotir hatred Of the Turkish yoke. u
I Is hecause OF this latter common interest
t,k A. -u',.I.. ~, ,,inI IN N thu no .ra a