Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1895-11-21
OUR MISSIONS BURN
AND OUR MISSIONARIES FLEE
FOR THEIR LIVES.
Infidel Fanatic, Bloodthirsty Turks Fire
the American Missions at Kharput-
Thousands of Christians Murdered
No Relief In Sight.

the massacres in Armenia only make
the terrible affairs seem more bloody.
There were fully 900 victims at Har-
put Tor Kharput) and eight of the ~
buildings belonging to the American
missionaries there were sacked and
burned in spite of the assurances OF
the porte to U. $. Am bassador Terrill,
that the lives and property of Amer
leans would be protected and although
it was announced that Turkish gem
darmes had been detailed to guard the
missions. The American missionaries,
however, escaped, and are now in q
place of safety. Mr.. Terrell has mott
fed the porte that the United States
will hold it responsible for the lives of
the missionaries. The inhabitants
around Kharput are in great distress.
| From Duran, in the villayet OF Sivas,
where the Kurds have been beseiging
1000 Armenins, it reported that all the
Armenians have been massacred. In
the district of Mardin, where there is
q large Christian population of Chal-
dean and Syrians, a number of villages
have been burned to the ground, the
people are destitute and suffering.
This outbreak is regarded there as
being very significant and as indicat-
ing that systematic campaign against
all Christians, and not against the
| Armenian Christians in particular, as
has generally been believed to be
! the case.
Boston: News of the massacre at and
the devastation of the American mis-
sion at Kharput was received at the
room OF the American board of foreign
missions commissioners and caused the
greatest CONSERVATION, as the Kharput
mission was one of the most prosper
| and successful, and was also considered
and most secure from trouble. Khar-
put is 200 miles southwest of Erzeroum
and about 20 miles east of the Euph-
| rates. The city itself has large
Turkish population, but the plain vii
| lagos are almost entirely Armenian.
Fifteen out-stations lie within 10 miles
from the city. The limits of the Khar-
put station embrace district nearly
one third as large as New England.
| The first church was formed in Khar-
put in 1856, with two members. Now
there are 20 churches which have re-
| ceived to membership more than 5000
| persons The value of the property
destroyed is between $4,000 and $780,
900. There were five men and seven
women missionaries from America at
Kharput.
Boston: The following cable message
was received by the American board
of foreign Missions from Rev. III. o.
Dwight, of Constantinople, by way of
Philippopolis:
| Five hundred were killed In Karput, eight
| OF twelve mission buildings burned, lives
or rad hnn afri will ard
this a test OF the intention OF the United
/ States TO defend missions No mi ssionaries
| anywhere. Villages everywhere desolated-
People naked and starving. Instant help.
| DWIGHT.
! 800 More Christians Murdered.
| Rome: A dispatch received here from
Alexandretta, northern Syria, says
| that a massacre of Christians has oc.
Cured in the vicinity of that town and
in the presence of 800 Turkish soldiers
who did not render any assistance.
The agitation and slaughter is being
extended and a bloody massacre is
now reported from Aleppo. 1t is
added that the European residents of
Alexapdretta are in danger. Alexan-
dretta is peopled by about $500 per-
sons, principally Greek Christians and
lies on the gulf of the same name on
the extreme northern end of the
| Syrian coast.
The Ambassadors Do Nothing.
Constantinople: No definite action
is known to have been taken by the am
bassadors of the powers, but it is re-
ported that they will join in note to
! the porte, to the effect that as the sui
tan's authority is not sufficient to
quell the disturbances, the powers will
occupy Jointly various portions of the
| Turkish empire until order is fully re-
stored and better system of govern
ment inaugurated. In order to carry
out the policy of the powers, the most
powerful fleet ever gathered together
| is being assembled at Salonica bay.
England Wants Reforms Delayed.
London: The Post has published an
article, evidently inspired by the
foreign office, which is understood to
Indicate that Lord Salisbury, after
consultation with Sir Phillip Currie,
British ambassador to Turkey, has de-
| cided that the utmost effort must be
made to MAINTAIN the integrity of the
Turkish empire and, therefore, efforts
must in the first place, be directed to
restoring order in the disturbed dis
tricts. "All thought of coercing the
sultan should be laid aside. He has
| already given evidence of a desire to
| introduce reforms. 1t cannot be
doubted that he will defer to the
wishes of the powers as soon as cir
cumstances permit him to do so. The
ambassadors of the foreign powers in
general, and Sir Philip Currie in par
ticular, have acquired position en-
abling them to give important support
to the Turkish government at
this critical time. Sir Philip Curries
instructions are such as to Justify him
in delaying the execution of reforms
until the authority by which they are
to be carried out has recovered from
temporary weakness. At the present
moment any naval demonstration in
the Turkish waters, or undue pressure
on the Turkish government. can only
help precipitate crisis from which
Turkeys friends can hope TO gain
nothing, and her enemies everythi ng."
Dying Peoples Appeai-1oo,o0O Starving.
London: The following telegram
| from Constantinople was received by
the glo-Armenian association: For
Gods sake urge the government to
stop the most awful events of modern
times. The porte is powerless, as all