The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-12-08

tGH1 NFStoT2fSs Elf ots1&r names Te~e
given % them n ether lands. And they
extended into many other .ands Thgy
preached Christianity from the frozen
1un5ras OF Ssber.- 10 the seo-al srraue''
CT Southern IEG-a. and f-cra the heart of
ire Sahara 70 the Yellow sea They made
converts among tbs Huns. the perSsa-s
the EgypG3ars. tbs Chinese. the Indians
and tire Csaralese. On the Malahar coast
they are know As Tire Christians e s.
Thomas. In syria they are known as
Jscoastes. either froTn James he APOSTLE
a. from JacohuS Bara1ens. Their parr.-
arch IS always named Egua..us ard re-
sides az Dsaraeklr. where ulassacres have
Of late occurred In Egypt they are kaown
As CopIs. and embrace the 51lk OF the
Christian population and the best native
civilization. In Ahyssin1a they form the
Ethiopian church, ana blend together in
strange fashion both Jewish ard Christian
rites. Many great names have marked
their history. Rome az first herceiy persa-
cute3 them. and then male overtures OF
peace and union. THIS. or course. IN re-
lat.on 10 the HISTORIANS proper. Of Arn1e-
ma and kurdlstan- IN the fourteenth cen
fury friendly relations were established be-
tween them and Rome. TWO centuries IL
ter a great schlsm occurred among them.
and the HISTORIAN church was rent asuader
Half OF them united formally with the
Roman church, under the name OF Chal-
dean Christians. The Others retained Their
ancient creed ana independent crganiza-
ton. and Their successors form the Nes-
torian church Of today.
The present HISTORIANS number PERHAPS
1000 and are a poor and degenerate race.
They are much oppressed by the Kurds,
among whom they live, and seem to have
lost their culture and their aggressive spirit
Their bishops are ceiibate, but their patri-
arch and priests marry at VIII. They do
not believe in transubstantiation. They
have numerous long and severe fasts. COW
ering nearly half the year. They pray
for the dead, but reject the notion Of pu--
gatory. Their only religious symbol IS
the cross. Their holy city is Odessa, which
vas, they claim, the birthplace OF Ahsa-
ham. and they believe themselves descend
ed from the ten lost tribes OF Israel.
The Armenians.
The Armenian church is commonly re-
garded as having been formed by schism
from the Greek church. closely following
and indeed associated with the schjsrn OF
the HISTORIANS. The native legends give
II, however. another origin, connected with
DIocletian and Rome. Tiridates, son OF
Chosroes, assembled the Armenian throne
IN go. Chosroes had been murdered BY
Anak, kinsman and the son OF Anak
was Gregory, afterward called the IlIu-
mnator. Gregory was taken for safety
10 the CaQpadoc.an city OF Caesarea AID
educated. Nenturing 10 return TO Armenia.
he was seized by the vengeful Tirida.es
ana thrown into a well. where he lived
Tor years among scorpions and toads,
miraculously fed by an angel. About this
time Dioeletian fell in love with a young
nun, Rhpsima, who, to avoid him. ned
with her abbess. Gaiana, from Rome TO Ar
men.a. Diocletian demanded from Tiri-
dates that they be given I'D. The latter
rob for and
he fell in love himself with Rhips!ma, and
wanted TO marry her. She resisted him,
and was supported in so doing by Gaiana,
whereupon Tlridates put them both TO
death. For this sin he was transformed
into black dog. His sister was told in a
dream that he could be restored to human
form only by the release OF Gregory. So
she had Gregory brought out OF the well
and SET at liberty, whereupon Tiridates re-
gained his former estate. Gregory then
buried the bodies OF the two martyrs and
bulIt churches above them. He also built
d third church at spot where he saw
heaven opened and the Son OF God descend
to earth. calling it Edschmiadzin. or THE
only Born came down" These churches
and the well in which Gregory was con-
fined are TO this day the most revered OF
Armenian shrines. Tiridates and his peo-
Die were, OF course, converted TO Christian
lty, ana Gregory became the first Catho-
ncos. or patriarch. of Armenia.
In the fifth and sixth centuries the Ar
menians gradually separated themselves
from the Greek church, and have ever
since remained an Independent body. They
have suffered more persecution, perhaps
than any other Christian body, from the
Roman emperors, from the Persians. from
the Huns, from the Mongols and from the
Mohammedans. In 1888 portion of the Ar
menians-the scattered churches outside OF
Armenia proper-united with the Roman
Catholic church. retaining. however, their
own peculiarities of worship. Thus the
church was divided into two parties, fanat-
ically hostile to each other. with regard
10 the non-Romanist Armenians, who form
the great bulk OF the race, Il may be said
that they adhere to the HISTORIAN doc
trlne OF the Trinity. They maintain the
seven saYcraments, bug with some peculiar
tiles OF administration. Thus, baptism g
performed by triple sprinkling and triple
immersion-not by either but by both. In
the Eucharist, pure wine and leavened
bread are used, and the bread is dipped
into the wine. Extreme JUNCTION Is admin
istered after death, and only to eccleslas-
tics The worship of saints Is practised.
but the notion Of purgatory is rejected
Mass is celebrated in the ancient Armenian
language, but sermons are preached in
the modern tongue Armen,ans always
face the sun when they pray. When they
XIII an animal for food they turn It's head
toward the east and make the sign of the
cross. They have many feasts. but not as
many festivals as the Greeks.
The Maronites.
whether there ever was st. Marc or
not is matter OF doubt Many say there
was. that he was a Syrian anchorite. who
lived Ia the fifth century, and that the
name Of the Maronites Is derived from
he n.
II he d.d the Maronites were named not
Tor him but for their first patriarch, John
Marc. in 79L However that may he this
sect had its origin in the sixth ecumenical
council, which was held at CONSTANT
nople in GS0. At that council there was a
sharp discussion as 10 the Will OF Christ
The council finally condemned the doc
trine OF the singleuess OF His VIII where
upon those who held 10 II the Mon0the-
ltes. seeded. They were chiefly from the
Lebanon and adjacent districts. and their
doctrine was generally accepted by Chris
uans there. The Marouses held their
ground vai8ntly against the Nohamnae-
dams. and remained a unique and independ-
ent section until the time Of the
Crusades. When the Latin kingdom
of Jerusalem waS established they
vowed follty to g. and at the
same time renowned the.r memo
th~Gge doctrine and Acknowledged the
authority If the Roman see. They were
formally absorbed into the Roman church
.n l4s5. and IN 1896 they fully subscribed 10
the DEGREES ~ the council OF Trent
Nevertheless. they still retain. by especial
permission OF the pope many special rites
and customs Thus. they Use the ancient
Syrlac language instead Of Latin On their
liturgy. and their priests. II married be-
fore ordination. are permitted 20 keep
tlrtr wives They also have many saints
ma fe-. walls NOT recognized in the Rom