The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-12-16
THE UNSPEAKABLE TURK,
Better the Despotism of Russia
Than Mohammedan An.
archy.
Rev. William RAIDERS Address on the
Causes of the Armenian
Troubles.

Rev. William RAIDER, pastor of the Third
Congregational Church, spoke last evening
Oh the Arm enian tragedy. He said:
The responsive unity of the world makes it
impossible for Americans in general and Con-
gregationalists in particular to overlook the
worlds brotherhood has been touched by the
bloody tragedy now being enacted in the dis
tant East.
The scene of the tragedy is in Armenia,
which lies south of Russia, west of Persia and
north of Syria. This is an ancient land and
the scene OF great events in the worlds re-
ligious history. 1t is watered by the historic
Euphrates and Tigris and on its highest mount
rested Noah's ark.
1t has been field of great battles. 1t is esti-
mated that $4,000 Armenians have persisted,
and women and children have been carried to
the forests by the robber bands of mountain
kurds. These massacres are due to the politi-
cal and religious status of affairs. The Sultan
is the political head-a fanatical Mussulman,
fearless of the Christian powers, and with the
will OF tyrant. He Is politically responsible
for these masSacres.
The Armenans claim a Christian ancestry
and date the claim as far back as the first cen
tury. Gregory the Illumination properly
founded the native church in 302 His sue
cessors took the title of Patriarch, later of
Catholics, and are appointed by the Bishop.
Until 49l the Armenian church was part of
the Greek church, from which it's doctrines
slightly differ In 1881 the American Board
founded its first mission. The present perse-
cutIons are inspired by the yellow flag of
MO0dInmeQ.
Under this the Turk has resisted the cross
for thousands OF years. He seized the land of
Christ and lifted his crescent toward the stars.
The Turk hates the cross. He hates the Ameri-
can Board. For hundreds of years he has dis
turbed Europe. He belongs to the middle
ages An alien in race, language, culture, re-
ligion and social institutions, he should be
suppressed. Government to him means "des-
| p1tism tempered by assassination and he
knows nothing of popular severe ignty. The
evidence OF a Christian is not good in q Mo-
! hammedan court of law.
The present status is this: On the north lies
| the worlds greatest territorial nation, Russia
| with range of climate including the rein
! deer in the north and the camel in the south,
! with population twice that of America. For
| hundreds of years she has watched for the key
| of the East which bangles at the sword of the
Turk-Constantinople. This would give her
| full control of the Black Sea and the Mediter-
| ranean. On the other hand is England, who
has cut pathway to India. Her relation is
commercial. England watches Russia, and
Russia looks with suspicion upon England.
The next step is for Russia to send her soldiers
to the hill slopes of the Black Sea, in the name
of humanity, and for England TO send her war
ships up the Dardanelles, regardless of treaty.
Let Russia control Constantinople even if she
must send the Turk to Siberia, and let America
back both these powers in the name of Jesus
Christ and human rights if she must send an
army to COnstantinople. Better have Russian
despotism than Turkish anarchy.