The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1895-07-02
AMONG THE CHURCHES
Services at Various Places Of
Worship Sunday.
THE ARMENIAN MAssAcRes
Terrible Rayages of Turks Graphi-
cally Described and Remedy
Pointed Out.
THE ARMENIAN MAssAcRes


garments and mantle and pluclKed of the
hair of my head and OF my beard, and
sat down astonished. ."-Ezra 9:3.
An indescribably horrible massacre has
taken place. Armenians to the number
of twelve to fifteen thousand have been
murdered in cold blood. There can be no
doubt about the essential facts. We have
the official reports Of the consuls at Van,
Erzeroom, Sivas, and DiarbelSir, which
| confirm the most horrible statements
made in the newspapers.
We have the reports of the Armenian
refugees who were eye-witnesses, and Of
tn Protestant missionaries In the vicin-
! ity of Sassoon.
Beyond this, and most horrible Of all,
we have the testimony OF the Turkish
soldiers who took part in the massacres.
These soldiers have talked with the great
est freedom in public places, and to all
who would listen, boasting OF their deeds.
1t seems safe to say that forty villages
were totally destroyed, and 1t Is probable
that 5000 at least were killed The low
est estimate is 10000, and many put 1t
much higher. Men, women and children
were barbarously slaughtered, unnamable
| outrages were perpetrated on many.
| Some impaled, some buried alive, some
burned in houses with the help of kero-
sene, children seized by the hair and their
heads Topped off. hundreds OF women
| turned over to the vile soldiery with
sequence of terrible slaught
Now in order that you may understand
the situation in Turkey and comprehend
the causes which led to this massacre,
it will be necessary to speak Of the coun-
try itself, its population, its administra-
ton and their relation to cash other.
First, word about the> inhabitants
of that part of Turkey. Probably one
half of the population OF Turkish Ar
menia Is Mohammedan, composed of
Turks and Kurds. The former are mostly
found in and near the large cities, such
as Erzingan, Erzeroom and Van, and the
plains along the northern part. The
kurds are descendants of the original
inhabitants OF the land and accepted
the Koran at the point of the sword.
They are warllke, barbarous and treach-
erous They live In their mountain viii
lagos over the whole of this region. The
number in this particular section is un-
certain. From the estimates of British
consular officers there appear to be about
million and half, of whom about
100000 are in the provinces of Erzeroom,
Van and Bitlis, and the rest in the prov
inces of Harpoot, Diarbekir, Mosul and
Bagdad. In most regions they have de-
generated in to wild, lawless set of
brigands, proud and treacherous and
cruel. The women Of the Kurds, contrary
to usual Mohammedan custom, go un-
yelled and have large liberty, but there
is no reason to suspect their virtue.
About three years ago his majesty, the
Sultan of Turkey, summoned the chiefs
of this people to his capital, presented
them with decorations, banners, uniforms,
and military titles, and sent them back
to organize their tribes into cavalry regi-
ments. Thus, shrewdly appealing to
their pride of race, and winking at their
subsequent acts, the sultan obtained q
power eager in time of peace to crush
the Armenian growth and spirit, and
bulwark that might check, in his opinion,
the first waves of the dreaded Russian
invasion. So much for the Kurds. Now
word concerning the Armenians. The
Yankees of Turkey, as we call the Ar
menians, have played so small part in
modern history that our knowledge of
them is comparatively meagre. They be-
long to the Japhetic branch Of the human
family, falling under the same category
as the inhabitants of India and Persia
who form the Aryans of Asia. Their
physiognomy and physical constitution
connect them with the best types OF
Caucausian stock. Foreigners applied to
them the name of Armenians, derived
from King Aram, who made great con-
quests. The earliest Biblical mention Of
this land is the statement the ark
rested upon the mountaine Ararat."
Another scrlptural allusion con-
nection with Sennecherib, whose .Sarri-
cidal sons are said to have escaped. ISL
B. c., "into the land of Armenia" Hero
dotus mentions the absorption of the
Armenian empire in that of Darius, GA
B. c., and later 1t Is included In the con-
quests of Alexander. Their home has
been the battle ground of nations for
many centuries. For three thousand years
Armenia, on account of her location, has
been trampled into dust both by devastat-
ing armies and migrating hordes. She has
been the prey of Nebuchadnezzar,
Xerxes and Alexander; OF the Romans,
the Parthians and Perslans; Of Byzantine,
Saracen, and CRUSADER; Of Seljuk and OF
toman, and Russian and Kurd. They
have been the simple plunder of any ma
ton which has had IA surplus of brute
force to expend. There are now but four
millions of this people left, but they are
Industrious, peaceable, energetic and
acute. They are so shrewd and their
aptitude for business is such that most
of the commercial life of the country
flows through their hands. They are the
leading bankers and merchants and
skilled artisans Of Turkey, and extensive
ly engage in the various trades, manu-
factures and agriculture as well. They
were converted to Christianity In the
third century. 1t is the Oldest of all ma
tional churches. The historical founder
OF the Armenian church was st. Gregory,
"The Illuminator," who was consecrated
Bishop of Armenia at Caesarea In 3O2
A. d. AT the close OF the sixth century
a schism resulted In the formation of the
Armenian, Greek and Romanish
churches. The Armenian church has al
ways acknowledged the supreme author
ity Of the Bible, and the blood OF Armen-
ian martyrs has Redeemed every century
since very early times. They cherish
their churches very warmly and this has
held them as one race through all Vicis-
situdes. Their errors have been errors
Of life rather than of doctrine. Their
martyr roll has grown with every CEN
eury. The fact that the Armenian stock
exists at all today is proof of its wonder
full vitality and excellent quality.
Through these awful records the Chris
tian church founded by Gregory, THE IL |
luminator," has been the one rallying
point and source of strength to the Ar
menian race.
But what led TO the masSacres2 In
single word, lawlessness. The occasion |
Of much OF the lawlessness is oppressive
taxes. The taxes are farmed out to the
highest bidder, who In this part OF Tur- |
key is usually a powerful kurdish chief. |
He not only collects the amount due the |
government. but he tlkes for himself
as much as he chooses. HIS own will or an |
exhausted threshing floor being the only |
limit to his rapacity. While he Is col
lector Of these villages they are consId- |
cred as belonging to him. During the |
year his followers pay frequent visits |
to the villages; and on such visits, as |
also when collecting taxes. they treat the |
Villagers with the utmost severity. The |
collectors, as a rule, 20 to osthe villages on |
GunHlv AZ IN lhaA Ii, ltn.. dad ~ -.