The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-04-24
ARMENIAN G RATlTUDE.
A Bostonian Now i'll Constantinople
Writes of the Situation.

| Boston, April PA letter has been
| received from Bostonian in Constanti-
nople, April 5, who says that the Arme-
mans recognize with gratitude that in
this time of calamity, a Gala nifty the
like of which the Armenian nation has
never known in 1000 years of war and
persecution, there should be found in
all the chief centres of Asia Minor Amer
lean men and women who most deeply
pity them in their distress, and whom
the benevolent public of Great Britain
and America reoo gnize and trust
Through these Americans aid in food,
clothing and bedding, to the extent of
more than TO- 600 pounds has already been
distributed to more than 100, 900 suffer-
ing ones, mostly widows and fatherless
children According to the latest in
formation the missionaries of the Ameri-
can i5oard in Harpoot alone were giving
relief to more than 80, 000 sufferers found
in 2SS cities, town and villages; those
in Marash to more than 1000, among
whom there are many sick; those in Cor
fu to 1900 widows and 1900 orphans
This charity, coming mostly from native,
ministered by an able English and
American committee under the presiden-
cy OF the English Ambassador; and the
missionary distributors in sixteen centres
are efficiently aided by the resident Eng
llsh consuls-men who officially and per-
sonalty are interested in the W OK. The
chief distress of the missionaries Is low
that the means at their command are so
Inadequate to the demands for aid. And
the future is appalling. Fully 30, 200
bread winners-the most industrious, Ca
pable and intelligent among the men
have been slain; very large number
90 among the refugees in Zeitoun alone
have died of fright, exposure and sick
ness, thousands of the survivors are
helpless widows and orphans of tender
age; thousands upon thousands have
lost thoir homes and shops and all Grid
ly goods; the merchants have been
robbed of their capital, the farmers of
theft cattle and seed; the Artisans of
their tools, and the business life of a
million and a half of Armenians has
been smitten with paralysis, OF the sur
vivors more than 10000 have been COM
PEELED to accept Mohansmedanism and all
are still in deadly fear of the Turkish
officials and their Moslem and Kourdish
nelghbors. Moreover many Of the poor
wretches who have escaped massacre and
are in need of all things are pressed be-
yopd measure for taxes. Such is the
lamentable situation to which la Chris
tian people, who desired nothing but q
fair protection for life, honor and pros
perity, haa been reduced Could any pos
slble situation present stronger appeal
to the friends of humanity andsof Christ?
Shall the survivors be left to perish off
the face of the earth? No, thousand
times, no. They must be encouraged
to believe that God has not forsaken
them forever, and they must be helped
to pick up their broken thread of life
They must be aided to rebuild their
ruined churches and schoolhouses, and
be encouraged once more to undertake
the public worship of the CHRISTIANS God.
A people that has survived for 5000 years
and has retained Christianity enough to
furnish during the past year such mag
nificent roll of martyrs is not people of
whom we need despair