Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1896-11-28
ARMENIAN PROSECUTIONS


steadfa.t Adherence of the People to the
Christian Faith Amid Tribulation.
In no country on earth. perhaps, has
the Christian religion commended
against such fearful odds as in Ar
menia.
Away back in the fourth century,
less than 300 years from the date upon
which the last book of the New Tesla
ment was finished, Tiridates the Great,
the ruler of Armenia. was converted
to Christianity by St. Gregory Ar
menia was at that time a Roman prov
ince, but its ruler was a native prince,
and his example was followed by thou
sands of the nobility and common peo-
pie.
From that time down to the present,
a period of over $500 years, Armenia
has been the bulwark of Christianity
in Asia. But the standard of Him who
died on Calvary, and whose teachings
have been practiced 'teven in the ut
termost ends of the world" has not
held aloft by this determined people
| except under the most adverse circum-
stances.
Soon after the death of Tiridates,
| and when the little band of Armenian
Christians had been reduced to a mere
handful by the incursions of the pagan
| tribes, which surrounded them on all
| sides, their country was literally over
run by the Persian fire-worshipers.
| Hardly had it recovered from this
pagan raid before its Christian popu-
| lation was again decimated-this time
by the Mohammedan caliphs. who pro-
ceeded to put every man and woman
| to the sword who would not publicly
declare that "there is no god but God,
| and MOham1Oed is his nrnrhet''
| But the Christian watch fires did not
| entirely die out, even during the prev
| alence of this great storm of adversely.
| From the few sparks which were pre-
served through those perilous times
| sprang the movement which nearly
wholly Christianized that isolated
Asiatic region during the ninth and
tenth centuries. During the two cen
turtles mentioned Armenia was ruled
by native princes and enjoyed great
prosperity. The eleventh century in
augurated another era of massacre and
devastation, the almost defenscless Ar
menian Christians being this time as
sailed by both the Greeks and the
Turks, who divided the country be-
| tween themselves, leaving but one or
| two tributary princes. They withstood
| this crucial test, they had several
| others, however, and came out as the
| Omitted Armenian Provinces" within
| less than century.
In the thirteenth century the Mon
| gcls took their turn and almost wiped
| the Armenians off the face of the earth,
| but they arose, and were quite prom
| Trent in Asiatic affairs until the middle
| of the fifteenth century, when their
| country was divided between Persia
| AID Turkey. Then came n struggle be-
| tween the two countries last mentioned
| fer the possession OF the ancient prov
| ince, in which, of course, Armenia was
| the greatest sufferer. Early in the
| present century the Russian car took
hand, declaring himself to be the
| protector" Of Christian rights in Ar
| menia. The British have also pro-
claimed themselves champions of Chris
| tianity in the east, but the massacres
of Armenian Christians by Turks,
| Kurds and pagans continue, just the
same they have, except the short in
| tervals of comparative quietude, for
| more than 800 years. Any people who
| for conscience sake will suffer one con-
| slant nightmare of war, blood and gem
| era1 oppression surely deserves the
| sympathy and should command the
help and support of every Christian ma
ton on the globe-St. Louis Republic